cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordination of RNA and protein condensation by the P granule protein MEG-3

ABSTRACT Germ granules are RNA-protein condensates in germ cells. The mechanisms that drive germ granule assembly are not fully understood. MEG-3 is an intrinsically-disordered protein required for germ (P) granule assembly in C. elegans. MEG-3 forms gel-like condensates on liquid condensates assembled by PGL proteins. MEG-3 is related to the GCNA family and contains an N-terminal disordered region (IDR) and a predicted ordered C-terminus featuring an HMG-like motif (HMGL). Using in vitro and in vivo experiments, we find the MEG-3 C-terminus is necessary and sufficient to build MEG-3/PGL co-condensates independent of RNA. The HMGL domain is required for high affinity MEG-3/PGL binding in vitro and for assembly of MEG-3/PGL co-condensates in vivo. The MEG-3 IDR binds RNA in vitro and is required but not sufficient to recruit RNA to P granules. Our findings suggest that P granule assembly depends in part on protein-protein interactions that drive condensation independent of RNA.
Buying into Neurodiversity: Individuals with Lower Social Responsiveness are Less Susceptible to Buying into a Bubble Market

Some individuals are more susceptible to overvaluing assets in bubble markets than others. However, the degree to which an individual’s social environment and social cognition affect bubble susceptibility is unclear. We examined the effects of social aptitude and social context on individual investors’ performance in experimental markets. Here we report that participants with lower social aptitude were less susceptible to bubbles in a social financial market. Participants with higher social responsiveness were more likely to buy a stock after seeing another participant buy a stock, and were also more likely to buy in a bubble market compared to a non-bubble market. Our findings suggest that bubbles are perpetuated by the herding behavior of highly social individuals, highlighting the importance of neurodiversity among asset traders.
Fast & accurate emulation of two-body scattering observables without wave functions

Abstract We combine Newton's variational method with ideas from eigenvector continuation to construct a fast & accurate emulator for two-body scattering observables. The emulator will facilitate the application of rigorous statistical methods for interactions that depend smoothly on a set of free parameters. Our approach begins with a trial K or T matrix constructed from a small number of exact solutions to the Lippmann–Schwinger equation. Subsequent emulation only requires operations on small matrices. We provide several applications to short-range potentials with and without the Coulomb interaction and partial-wave coupling. It is shown that the emulator can accurately extrapolate far from the support of the training data. When used to emulate the neutron-proton cross section with a modern chiral interaction as a function of 26 free parameters, it reproduces the exact calculation with negligible error and provides an over 300x improvement in CPU time.
Who Does the Housework

Ever had a roommate? Then you know that it can be difficult to share housekeeping duties. This article uses game theory to analyze situations in which there is a task to be done and two people who ...
Risk Forecasting with GARCH, Skewed t Distributions, and Multiple Timescales

Historical time series of asset returns are commonly used to derive forecasts of risk, such as value at risk (VaR). Provided there is enough data, this can be done successfully even though asset returns are typically heavytailed, heteroskedastic, and serially dependent. We describe how the historical data can first be GARCH filtered and then used to calibrate parameters of the heavy-tailed skewed t distribution. Sufficient recent data is available if the forecasting horizon is short enough, for example for daily VaR forecasts. When the horizon is weekly or monthly, however, a sufficiently long weekly or monthly returns series extends too far into the past to be practical. To address this we introduce a multiple timescale approach, where risk forecasts at a longer timescale, such as weekly or monthly, can be made with the more abundant data available at a shorter timescale, such as daily or weekly. The method is analyzed both theoretically and empirically using the last few decades of daily SP we illustrate with a set of 1-minute bond index futures returns. The advantages of this multiscale approach are that it is more adaptable to longer horizons, it increases the quality of forecasts by virtue of increasing the number of recent observations that can be used, and it makes risk
Integration of demand side management in security constrained energy and reserve market

This paper proposes an approach for considering the impact of demand side management (DSM) in energy and reserve service scheduling problem considering index of customers' reliability in electricity markets. The market clearance is performed in the presence of demand side response and both energy and reserve are dispatched optimally while accounting for different load levels, previous operating points, unit ramping rates and possible contingencies that could occur in the system and the associated loss of loads. Alongside it accounts for the constraints including voltage and transmission limits in the system's steady state and probable outages. On the contrary of the existing research, this paper first maximizes the benefit of the customers with optimizing the load using demand side program and then the overall costs of energy, spinning reserve and interruption are minimized with this load. This paper studies the impact of DSM in two stages. In the first stage, optimal energy and reserve dispatch are performed with and without considering DSM. In the second stage two different types of DSM programs are compared and the difference in the optimum operating point of the market whilst considering each program is investigated. The effectiveness of the proposed method is examined by application to the IEEE 24 bus test system.
Communication Support for Distributed Processing: Design and Implementation Issues

This paper presents a brief survey of the various arguments and results concerning design, implementation, and use of special and general-purpose protocols to support distributed processing, especially in high-speed local-area networks. After some examples of special protocols, it focuses on the problem of implementing general-purpose layered protocols to achieve good performance.
The conversion of phytoene-14C to acyclic, monocyclic, and dicyclic carotenes and the conversion of lycopene-15,15'-3H to mono- and dicyclic carotenes by soluble enzyme systems obtained from plastids of tomato fruits.

Abstract Proof is presented in this paper for the formation of acyclic and cyclic carotenes from phytoene-14C by soluble extracts of plastids obtained from fruit of different genetic selections of the tomato. The carotenes biosynthesized from phytoene-14C and the tomato selections used were the following: (a) cis- and trans-phytofluenes, neurosporene, neolycopene, lycopene, and ζ- and γ-carotenes, red tomato fruit plastids; (b) cis- and trans-phytofluenes, neurosporene, lycopene, and ζ-, δ-, γ-, α-, and β-carotenes, "Hi-δ" tomato fruit plastids; (c) cis- and trans-phytofluenes, neurosporene, lycopene, γ- and β-carotenes, "Hi-β" tomato fruit plastids, and (d) cis- and trans-phytofluenes, prolycopene, proneurosporene, lycopene, and β- and ζ-carotenes, Golden Jubilee variety tomato fruit plastids. Experimental evidence for the conversion of lycopene-15,15'-3H to mono- and dicyclic carotenes by a soluble enzyme system obtained from red tomato fruit plastids is also presented in this paper. Proof for the formation of the above carotenes from radioactive phytoene was obtained by cochromatography with authentic nonradioactive carotenes on an alumina chromatographic column. A close correspondence between radioactivity and absorbance for each carotene was observed. Further proof for the formation of acyclic and cyclic carotenes from radioactive phytoene was obtained by gas-liquid chromatography of the hydrogenated products. Coincidence between mass and radioactivity was also observed. The conversion of phytoene to phytofluene by the tomato enzyme systems appears to be dependent upon the presence of NADP, whereas the conversion of the latter compound to lycopene appears to require FAD and Mn++. The formation of lycopene is also increased in the presence of Mg++ and dithiothreitol.
Critical Components of the Conjugation Machinery of the Integrative and Conjugative Element ICEBs1 of Bacillus subtilis

Conjugation, or mating, plays a profound role in bacterial evolution by spreading genes that allow bacteria to adapt to and colonize new niches. ICEBs1, an integrative and conjugative element of Bacillus subtilis, can transfer itself and mobilize resident plasmids. DNA transfer is mediated by a type IV secretion system (T4SS). Characterized components of the ICEBs1 T4SS include the conserved VirB4-like ATPase ConE, the bifunctional cell wall hydrolase CwlT, and the presumed VirD4-like coupling protein ConQ. A fusion of ConE to green fluorescent protein (GFP) localizes to the membrane preferentially at the cell poles. One or more ICEBs1 proteins are required for ConE's localization at the membrane, as ConE lacks predicted transmembrane segments and ConE-GFP is found dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in cells lacking ICEBs1. Here, we analyzed five ICEBs1 genes to determine if they are required for DNA transfer and/or ConE-GFP localization. We found that conB, conC, conD, and conG, but not yddF, are required for both ICEBs1 transfer and plasmid mobilization. All four required genes encode predicted integral membrane proteins. conB and, to some extent, conD were required for localization of ConE-GFP to the membrane. Using an adenylate cyclase-based bacterial two-hybrid system, we found that ConE interacts with ConB. We propose a model in which the ICEBs1 conjugation machinery is composed of ConB, ConC, ConD, ConE, ConG, CwlT, ConQ, and possibly other ICEBs1 proteins, and that ConB interacts with ConE, helping to recruit and/or maintain ConE at the membrane. IMPORTANCE Conjugation is a major form of horizontal gene transfer and has played a profound role in bacterial evolution by moving genes, including those involved in antibiotic resistance, metabolism, symbiosis, and infectious disease. During conjugation, DNA is transferred from cell to cell through the conjugation machinery, a type of secretion system. Relatively little is known about the conjugation machinery of Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we analyzed five genes of the integrative and conjugative element ICEBs1 of Bacillus subtilis. Our research identifies four new components of the ICEBs1 conjugation machinery (ConB, ConC, ConD, and ConG) and shows an interaction between ConB and ConE that is required for ConE to associate with the cell membrane.
Structural organization of an RNA catalyst with the random energy model as a reference frame

We investigate the kinetics of refolding of a catalytic RNA species along a folding pathway which starts at a biologically active structure and ends in the most stable structure, or global free energy minimum. The RNA species studied is not a purely informational molecule, since it is splicedin vivo. We show that the kinetic barriers involved in the relaxation of the active structure are considerably larger than those of a purely informational RNA. Our results attempt at establishing a kinetic criterion to distinguish between a catalytic and a coding RNA species on the basis of their folding.
Religious Life and Observant Reform in the Fifteenth Century

Across Europe after 1400, calls for reform echoed through the ranks of nearly every major religious order. They emerged and took root independently in ways as diverse as the late-medieval religious and political landscape itself, yet also shared a range of common aims and characteristics. Collectively known as the Observant Movement, these efforts at reform produced some of the most important religious figures of the middle ages (Catherine of Siena and Savonarola, Bernardino of Siena and John of Capistrano, Jimenez de Cisneros, Thomas of Kempen, even the young Observant friar Martin Luther). They also reflected and inspired much that became central to late medieval religion and culture. Our textbooks, surveys and scholarly overviews long neglected the Observant story. But the last few decades of research have begun to remedy that neglect, bringing Observant reform to the center of a range of current scholarly concerns. This article surveys the emergence of that recent work, and some of its major themes: the connections between religious life and the histories of women and the laity; Observant preaching and teaching and their connection with humanism, as well as with the persecution of witches, Jews and others; the links between Observant reform and the later histories of the Reformation and the Atlantic world. It concludes with a consideration of the challenges and opportunities for future scholarship.
Isolation of Marine Bacteria Capable of Producing Specific Lyases for Alginate Degradation

Alginate lyases (EC 4.2.2.3) were isolated from cultures of several marine bacterial isolates. The lyases were induced by native alginate and had activity toward both the mannuronic acid and the guluronic acid blocks of the alginate polymer. The guluronic acid-specific lyase was recovered from the medium, whereas the mannuronic acid-specific lyase was retained with the bacteria.
A note on the general solution of the two- dimensional linear elasticity problem in polar coordinates.

= 0 ~ C2f(r) = 0 (8) where constants Ci and Cz have to be chosen in such a manner that the foregoing two equations have the same solution. Equations (8) are also homogeneous linear differential equations with variable coefficients of the Euler type of second and fourth order, respectively, with a common solution of the form •f(r) = r. Substituting the assumed solution into Eqs. (8), and requiring a common solution, Ci and Cz are found to be i = m + 1 C2 = (m I) (9)
Natural and synthetic speech comprehension: comparison of children from two age groups

This study compared the ability of children from two age groups (6–7 and 9–11) to comprehend natural speech and DECTalk™ synthetic speech by using a sentence verification task. The effect of a short amount of listening practice on subjects' ability to comprehend both types of speech was investigated by comparing response latencies at two listening times spaced between 3 and 7 days apart. Mean language and nonverbal intelligence scores of the groups did not differ significantly. Natural speech response latencies did not shorten significantly from time 1 to time 2 for either group. Synthetic speech response latencies shortened significantly from time 1 to time 2 for the younger children only. Despite this significant effect of time for synthetic sentences for the younger children, both younger and older children responded significantly more slowly to synthetic than to natural speech at both times 1 and 2. The implications that these findings might have for children who use augmentative and alternative commu...
Role of moving growth cone–like “wave” structures in the outgrowth of cultured hippocampal axons and dendrites

Hippocampal neurons exhibit periodically recurring growth cone-like structures, referred to as "waves," that emerge at the base of neurites and travel distally to the tip. As a wave nears the tip, the neurite undergoes retraction, and when it reaches the tip, the neurite undergoes a burst of growth. At 1 day in culture, during early axon outgrowth, axons undergo an average 7.5-microm retraction immediately preceding wave arrival at the tip followed by 12-microm growth immediately after arrival (an average net growth of 4.5 microm). In branched axons, waves often selectively travel down one branch or the other. Growth selectively occurs in the branch chosen by the wave. In dendrites, which grow much slower on average, wave-associated retractions are much greater, resulting in less net growth. In the presence of Brefeldin A, which disrupts membrane traffic through the Golgi apparatus and leads to retraction of the axon, axonal waves continue to be associated with both growth spurts and retractions. The magnitude of the growth spurts is not significantly different from untreated axons, but wave-associated retractions are significantly increased. The close association between waves and cyclical elongation suggests that waves may act to bring about this pattern of growth. Our results also show that modulation of regularly occurring retraction phases plays a prominent role in determining average outgrowth rates.
Children's access to four medical services: Impact of welfare policies, social structural factors, and family resources

Abstract This study applied a behavioral model to explain children's access to four medical services—visiting a physician, visiting a dentist, using a prescription, and staying in a hospital. The samples were taken from respondents from a national panel data set, Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). This study included 15,275 child–mother pairs for analysis and a subsample of 1301 pairs of mothers who were former or current Temporary Assistance to Needy Family (TANF) recipients for further analysis. The results showed that welfare policies, family income, health insurance, and race/ethnicity were significant predictors, controlling children's health status, prior access, social demographics, and their mothers' access and education. Participation in TANF did not affect children's access to the medical services.
Deconstructing Mindfulness and Constructing Mental Health: Understanding Mindfulness and its Mechanisms of Action

Research on mindfulness indicates that it is associated with improved mental health, but the use of multiple different definitions of mindfulness prevents a clear understanding of the construct. In particular, the boundaries between different conceptualizations of mindfulness and emotion regulation are unclear. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which any of these conceptualizations of mindfulness might influence mental health are not well-understood. The two studies presented here addressed these questions using correlational, self-report data from a non-clinical sample of undergraduate students. The first study used a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to better understand the factor structure of mindfulness and emotion regulation measures. Results indicated that these measures assess heterogeneous and overlapping constructs, and may be most accurately thought of as measuring four factors: present-centered attention, acceptance of experience, clarity about one’s internal experience, and the ability to manage negative emotions. A path analysis supported the hypothesis that mindfulness (defined by a two-factor construct including present-centered attention and acceptance of experience) contributed to clarity about one’s experience, which improved the ability to manage negative emotions. The second study developed these findings by exploring the mediating roles of clarity about one’s internal life, the ability to manage negative emotions, non-attachment (or the extent to which one’s happiness is independent of specific outcomes and events), and rumination in the relationship between mindfulness and two aspects of mental health, psychological distress and flourishing mental health. Results confirmed the importance of these mediators in the relationship between mindfulness and mental health.
Three-Dimensional Forced Convection in Plane Symmetric Sudden Expansion

Simulations of three-dimensional laminar forced convection in a plane symmetric sudden expansion are presented for Reynolds numbers where the flow is steady and symmetric. A swirling ‘‘jetlike’’ flow develops near the sidewalls in the separating shear layer, and its impingement on the stepped wall is responsible for the maximum that develops in the Nusselt number adjacent to the sidewalls and for the reverse flow that develops in that region. The maximum Nusselt number on the stepped wall is located inside the primary recirculation flow region and its location does not coincide with the jetlike flow impingement region. The results reveal that the location where the streamwise component of wall shear stress is zero on the stepped walls does not coincide with the outer edge of the primary recirculation flow region near the sidewalls. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1795242#
SURFACE ROUGHNESS KAPITZA CONDUCTANCE : DEPENDENCE ON MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND PHONON FREQUENCY

A recent calculation of the surface roughness contribution to Kapitza conductance is compared with measurements on several different solid materials in contact with He II.
GERD Procedures: When and What?

The topic of “when and what” for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) procedures centers on the correct indications for antireflux surgery gleaned from a thorough preoperative evaluation (the “when”) and on the right antireflux operation to perform once the ideal candidate is identified (the “what”). The goals of this evidence-based review are the following: (1) to identify the key indications for surgery and predictors of good outcomes in the initial evaluation of patients with symptoms of GERD; (2) to describe the operations for GERD in the armamentarium of the general surgeon and their indications, as well as the technical elements of the operation; and (3) to describe the optimal surgical treatment of GERD and obesity when the two diseases coexist.
Animation in a peripheral display: distraction, appeal, and information conveyance in varying display configurations

Peripheral displays provide secondary awareness of news and information to people. When such displays are static, the amount of information that can be presented is limited and the display may become boring or routine over time. Adding animation to peripheral displays can allow them to show more information and can potentially enhance visual interest and appeal, but it may also make the display very distracting. Is it possible to employ animation for visual benefit without increasing distraction? We have created a peripheral display system called BlueGoo that visualizes R.S.S. news feeds as animated photographic collages. We present an empirical study in which participants did not find the system to be distracting, and many found it to be appealing. The study also explored how different display sizes and positions affect information conveyance and distraction. Animations on an angled second monitor appeared to be more distracting than three other configurations.
Toxicologic emergencies in the intensive care unit: management using reversal agents and antidotes.

Purpose To review the most common drugs implicated in overdoses admitted to the intensive care unit focusing on antidotes and reversal agents used in their management. Summary Poisonings and overdoses due to pharmaceutical agents result in more than 100 000 critical care unit admissions each year. Ingestion of toxic alcohols, calcium channel blockers, beta-adrenergic antagonists, benzodiazepines, opioids, acetaminophen, tricyclic antidepressants, and salicylates are associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Reviewing the mechanism of toxicity due to specific agents along with the mechanism of action, dosing, and adverse effects of appropriate antidotes is important for the successful management of these patients within the critical care unit. Conclusion Understanding the most prevalent overdoses and their management using reversal agents and antidotes is essential to the overall treatment of these critically ill patients.
Hsp70 in the inferior colliculus of Fischer-344 rats: effects of age and acoustic stress

Heat shock proteins 72 and 73 (hsp72 and hsp73) were studied in the inferior colliculus (IC) of Fischer-344 rats to determine if their levels are altered during normal aging and following exposure to intense acoustic noise. Three age groups of rats (3, 18, and 25 months) were exposed to ambient sound (control) or broad-band noise at 108 dB sound pressure level (0.0004 dyn/cm2) for 30 min. Western blotting procedures were used to measure hsp72 and hsp73 in ICs and cerebella (positive control). Immunohistochemistry was performed using 3-month olds to study the localization patterns of hsp72 and hsp73 in both structures. The IC and cerebellum exhibited immunolabeling over neuronal somata and proximal dendrites. Ambient levels of hsp72 in supernatants from aged rats were reduced 56.5%±7.8% in the IC relative to 3-month olds. This decrease may render the IC more susceptible to stress-related damage. An increase in constitutive hsp73 (350.7%±70.4%) was observed in IC pellet fractions from animals exposed to the 108-dB noise when compared to the ambient-noise controls, suggestive of a lipoprotective role for hsp73. This elevation was consistent across age groups. No noise-induced changes in hsp72 were detectable in the IC, indicating that loud sounds may not be an appropriate stimulus for hsp72 induction in this structure.
Interactions of cobalt tetrasulfophthalocyanine with thiolate anions in dimethylformamide

Thiolate complexes of cobalt tetrasulfophthalocyanine (CoTSPc), possible intermediates of the industrial removal of mercaptans from oil fractions (Merox process), were studied in dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and other polar aprotic solvents by UV-vis, 1H NMR, and ESR spectroscopy. All thiolates react with CoIITSPc under anaerobic conditions with 1:1 stoichiometry. All tested aliphatic thiolates, regardless of their basicity, reduce CoIITSPc to form CoITSPc derivatives. Low-basicity thiolates also form unstable non-reduced (RS-)CoIITSPc complexes as dead-end products. Indirect kinetic evidence was obtained for electron transfer from the axial ligand to metal via the phthalocyanine equatorial ligand. 1H NMR and binding studies revealed sulfur–cobalt interactions in the CoITSPc product, thus indicating an axial ligand attachment to CoITSPc. Low-basicity aromatic thiolates (pentachloro- and pentafluorobenzenethiolate) form (RS-)CoIITSPc complexes, which are stable toward intramolecular metal reductio...
Effects of alkali metal cations on phospho-enzyme levels and [3H] ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

Abstract The effects of several alkali metal cations on the relationship between steady state phospho-enzyme levels and initial velocity and equilibrium levels of [3H]-ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase EC 3.6.1.3.) were examined. Only Na+ increased both phospho-enzyme and [3H] ouabain binding livels above those observed in the presence of Mg2+ alone. While Na+ stimulated phosphorylation with an apparent Km of about 1 mM, its stimulation of [3H] ouabain binding was biphasic, the lower Km for stimulation corresponding to the Km for formation of phospho-enzyme. Among the other alkali metal cations, potassium, rubidium and lithium were at least eight times more effective in reducing phospho-enzyme levels than in reducing [3H] ouabain binding. This discrepancy is not due to the stability of the enzyme-ouabain complex, nor to any action on the rates of formation or dissociation of the enzyme-ouabain complex. The data thus suggest that [3H] ouabain interacts with the K+, Rb+ or Li+-enzyme complexes. For Li+, this hypothesis is further supported by the observation that Li+ can directly increase the equilibrium level of [3H]-ouabain binding to this enzyme under certain conditions.
Diaminozucker, V. Die Synthesen der 2.3‐Diamino‐2.3‐didesoxy‐D‐allose, der 2.3‐Diamino‐2.3‐didesoxy‐α‐D‐glucose und der 2.6‐Diamino‐2.6‐didesoxy‐α‐D‐allose

Die Diaminozucker werden aus den entsprechenden Mesylestern des D-Glucosamins durch Austausch mit Azid-Ion unter Walden-Inversion und anschliesender Reduktion gewonnen. Die Konfiguration der 2.3-Diamino-2.3-didesoxy-D-glucose wird unabhangig durch einen Ringschlus zum 3.6-Iminoderivat bewiesen.
Comparison of molecular and cytogenetic methods in the evaluation of engraftment following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Cytogenetic evaluation of patients after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has provided a standard method of documentation of hematopoietic engraftment. More recently, recombinant DNA technology has also been applied to determine engraftment status. In order to establish the relative utility of these methods in clinical practice we have directly compared the data from cytogenetic and recombinant DNA methods, evaluating engraftment status in 68 BMT recipients. Patients were evaluated pre-transplant, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days after BMT, and yearly thereafter for 1) the presence or absence of the Y chromosome in sex-mismatched allogeneic transplant recipients, 2) the presence or absence of the Philadelphia chromosome [t(9;22)] in patients transplanted for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), 3) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles, and/or 4) clonal rearrangement of the bcr gene. Cytogenetic examination of unstimulated bone marrow and recombinant DNA tests of nucleated peripheral blood or bone marrow cells produce qualitatively similar data in the identification of patient and donor cells and/or normal and tumor cells. Differences in the results obtained by the two analytic methods were most often due to the restricted cell populations evaluable by cytogenetic studies of PHA-stimulated peripheral blood specimens. DNA analyses could frequently be applied at earlier intervals after transplantation and, in cases of graft rejection, when cell counts were low. Although recombinant DNA methods required fewer cells and demonstrated greater sensitivity in detection of minor cell populations in the majority of instances, the cytogenetic evaluation may complement the DNA studies and allow detection of additional chromosomal anomalies.
Widespread lymph node metastases in a young woman with FIGO stage IA1 squamous cervical cancer.

Abstract Background Lymphatic and hematologic metastases are rare in microinvasive cervical cancers (FIGO stage IA1), supporting a role for conservative treatment. Cervical conization followed by prolonged surveillance is an accepted treatment in patients with low-risk features and negative surgical margins. This option is particularly appealing for younger or nulliparous patients, in whom fertility may be highly desired. Case We report a case of a 22-year-old, HIV-negative female with stage IA1 squamous cell cervical carcinoma who was found to have bilateral lymph node metastases in both pelvic and para-aortic distributions after electing to undergo hysterectomy. Conclusion Clinicians treating patients with microinvasive cervical cancer conservatively must be aware of the possibility of lymph node involvement and should consider radiological imaging to look for metastatic disease.
A note on scaling peak acceleration, velocity and displacement of strong earthquake shaking by Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) and site soil and geologic conditions

Abstract It is shown that the overall trends of peak amplitudes of strong motion acceleration, velocity and displacement versus site intensity in the Western United States are consistent with our previous inferences, 18 but the larger present data base allows us to begin with identification of the additional changes of average peak amplitudes also in terms of the local soil and local geologic site conditions. These trends display a reversal of peak amplitude trends in going from small to large intensities, making it difficult to reconcile the simple scaling of design spectra in terms of peak ground acceleration.
Current and future treatment of fetal thoracic masses

Fetal thoracic lung malformations comprise a spectrum of rare diseases that have traditionally been divided into congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations, bronchopulmonary sequestrations, bronchogenic cysts and congenital lobar emphysema. Fetal thoracic masses arise from alterations during lung development that are separated by timing of the inciting event and are now often thought to be associated with an underlying degree of bronchial atresia. Improved radiologic techniques have led to increasingly precise prenatal diagnoses and allow assessment of these masses throughout fetal development. This raises questions regarding the optimal treatment of each of these lesions in a field where there has been much debate. This review will discuss the more common of these rare entities, prenatal diagnosis, current management and fetal treatment options.
Dissociating Movement from Movement Timing in the Rat Primary Motor Cortex

Neural encoding of the passage of time to produce temporally precise movements remains an open question. Neurons in several brain regions across different experimental contexts encode estimates of temporal intervals by scaling their activity in proportion to the interval duration. In motor cortex the degree to which this scaled activity relies upon afferent feedback and is guided by motor output remains unclear. Using a neural reward paradigm to dissociate neural activity from motor output before and after complete spinal transection, we show that temporally scaled activity occurs in the rat hindlimb motor cortex in the absence of motor output and after transection. Context-dependent changes in the encoding are plastic, reversible, and re-established following injury. Therefore, in the absence of motor output and despite a loss of afferent feedback, thought necessary for timed movements, the rat motor cortex displays scaled activity during a broad range of temporally demanding tasks similar to that identified in other brain regions.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Rhodacyanine Dyes That Exhibit Antitumor Activity

Rhodacyanine dyes and several analogous delocalized lipophilic cations (DLCs) were synthesized and evaluated as novel antitumor agents. Rhodacyanine dye consists of two heteroaromatic rings such as...
Technology, Free Labor, and Slavery: Lincoln on Discovery and Invention

Abstract Abraham Lincoln presented a lecture in 1858–1859 on the process of “Discoveries and Invention.” In this lecture he discusses man's desire to improve his condition and the use of technology to that end. The process of discovery and invention allows man to develop that technology and alleviate his state. Education, especially literacy, allows knowledge to be passed down through time, facilitating yet further improvement. Yet, Lincoln warns that human nature can also become raw material, as seen in the institution of slavery. In light of Lincoln's more commonly known natural rights argument against slavery, this warning about human nature takes on greater significance. Coupled with an address on agriculture from 1859, Lincoln's lecture on discovery and invention attempts to illustrate the liberating power of invention and education while reminding us of the limits posed by man's natural equality.
Effect of subsurface drainage on runoff losses of atrazine and metolachlor in Southern Louisiana

Presentation des resultats de l'etude de l'effet du drainage en sous sol sur les pertes par ruissellement de l'atrazine et du metolachlor
Contingency Theory: Some Suggested Directions

Common to all contingency approaches is the proposition that performance is a consequence of the fit between several factors: structure, people, technology, strategy, and culture. Unfortunately, unwarranted generalizations and fragmented and conflicting findings exist. These approaches need a greater theoretical grounding of key concepts and richer, more complex models to capture the process by which organizations adapt and change. A model is presented which argues that complex relationships exist among environmental, organizational, and individual/group variables, and that these relationships and their salience change with the strategic and organizational design choices made by members of the dominant coalition.
A step-by-step process for transforming contentious disagreements into creative collaboration

Purpose – The authors propose that “root cause analysis,” coupled with critical thinking, is applicable to understanding and resolving contentious disagreements that arise from time to time within management teams. By subjecting the disagreement to a step-by-step analytical process, a rich array of considerations often surfaces, a more expansive discussion ensues, and the decided course of action is likely to be more wholeheartedly embraced. Design/methodology/approach – The authors demonstrate how leaders can resolve conflicts productively by creating a culture of candor and methodically exploring the root cause underlying critical management team disagreements. They have organized the process into three parts. Findings – When a management team acknowledges and addresses “[…]the disagreement and they start to look for the real issue and separate the symptoms from the causes,” that is when the potential for positive outcomes arises and disagreement recedes. Practical implications – The authors show that a guided, analytical root-cause process for resolving disagreements is a worthy addition to every strategic leader’s tool kit. Originality/value – This step-by-step process is easy for a leaders at all levels to internalize and practice.
Mutation of Drosophila Lsd1 disrupts H3-K4 methylation, resulting in tissue-specific defects during development.

Summary Histone-tail modifications play a fundamental role in the processes that establish chromatin structure and determine gene expression [1–4]. One such modification, histone methylation, was considered irreversible until the recent discovery of histone demethylases. Lsd1 was the first histone demethylase to be identified [5]. Lsd1 is highly conserved in many species, from yeast to humans, but its function has primarily been studied through biochemical approaches. The mammalian ortholog has been shown to demethylate monomethyl- and dimethyl-K4 and -K9 residues of histone H3 [5, 6]. Here we describe the effects of Lsd1 mutation in Drosophila . The inactivation of dLsd1 strongly affects the global level of monomethyl- and dimethyl-H3-K4 methylation and results in elevated expression of a subset of genes. dLsd1 is not an essential gene, but animal viability is strongly reduced in mutant animals in a gender-specific manner. Interestingly, dLsd1 mutants are sterile and possess defects in ovary development, indicating that dLsd1 has tissue-specific functions. Mutant alleles of dLsd1 suppress positional-effect variegation, suggesting a disruption of the balance between euchromatin and heterochromatin. Taken together, these results show that dLsd1-mediated H3-K4 demethylation has a significant and specific role in Drosophila development.
Cytochrome P-450 difference spectra of microsomes from several insecticide-resistant and -susceptible strains of the housefly, musca domestica L.

Abstract Cytochrome P-450 difference spectra were obtained with microsomes prepared from several strains of the housefly, Musca domestica , that were susceptible or resistant to insecticides. Based on Type I, Type II and Type III spectral interactions, both quantitative and qualitative variations are apparent among strains. Cytochrome P-450 from Fc and dimethoate strains had spectral characteristics which were most different from those of susceptible strains. No correlation could be made between strains having known high mixed-function oxidase activity and any single cytochrome P-450 spectral characteristic.
A kinetic study of the equilibrium between dioxygen monofluoride and dioxygen difluoride

Abstract The equilibrium among dioxygen monofluoride, dioxygen difluoride, and oxygen has been studied in the temperature range 286 to 195 K. Forward and reverse reaction rate constants were determined. An activation energy of 13 kcal/mole was found for both reactions. The equilibrium constant in the middle of the temperature range was found to be 21.5. The estimated heats of formation of O 2 F and O 2 F 2 were +2.6 and +4.5 kcal/mole.
Indications of future decreasing trends in skin-melanoma mortality among whites in the United States.

Trends in skin melanoma death rates during a 35-year period, 1950-84, were analyzed according to age, sex, and birth cohort for whites in the United States. In contrast to upward trends observed for older men and women (i.e., over 40), downward trends were noted for younger age groups. The risk of dying from skin melanoma appears to have peaked for male cohorts born during the 1950s and for female cohorts born during the 1930s. Assuming no future environmental or lifestyle changes, the upward trend in age-adjusted mortality rates, which averaged 2 to 3% per annum since 1950, is projected to discontinue and bend downward by the second decade of the 21st century. Skin melanoma incidence data, which was limited to a series of 12 years (1973-84) and inadequate for cohort analyses, were included to demonstrate that trends in age-specific rates were comparable with those observed for mortality during the overlapping time period. Incidence trends according to anatomical site are also described. These results indicate that baseline data necessary for assessing the potential effects on this disease from future depletions of the ozone layer, and predicted increases of solar ultra-violet radiation exposure, would be improved with the inclusion of cohort data and age-specific trend analyses.
Genes Modulated by Expression of GD3 Synthase in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells EVIDENCE THAT THE Tis21 GENE IS INVOLVED IN THE INDUCTION OF GD3 9-O-ACETYLATION

9-O-Acetylation is a common sialic acid modification, expressed in a developmentally regulated and tissue/cell type-specific manner. The relevant 9-O-acetyltransferase(s) have not been isolated or cloned; nor have mechanisms for their regulation been elucidated. We previously showed that transfection of the GD3 synthase (ST8Sia-I) gene into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells gave expression of not only the disialoganglioside GD3 but also 9-O-acetyl-GD3. We now use differential display PCR between wild type CHO-K1 cells and clones stably expressing GD3 synthase (CHO-GD3 cells) to detect any increased expression of other genes and explore the possible induction of a 9-O-acetyltransferase. The four CHO mRNAs showing major up-regulation were homologous to VCAM-1, Tis21, the KC-protein-like protein, and a functionally unknown type II transmembrane protein. A moderate increase in expression of the FxC1 and SPR-1 genes was also seen. Interestingly, these are different from genes observed by others to be up-regulated after transfection of GD3 synthase into a neuroblastoma cell line. We also isolated a CHO-GD3 mutant lacking 9-O-acetyl-GD3 following chemical mutagenesis (CHO-GD3-OAc−). Analysis of the above differential display PCR-derived genes in these cells showed that expression of Tis21 was selectively reduced. Transfection of a mouseTis21 cDNA into the CHO-GD3-OAc− mutant cells restored 9-O-acetyl-GD3 expression. Since the only major gangliosides expressed by CHO-GD3 cells are GD3 and 9-O-acetyl-GD3 (in addition to GM3, the predominant ganglioside type in wild-type CHO-K1 cells), we conclude that GD3 enhances its own 9-O-acetylation via induction of Tis21. This is the first known nuclear inducible factor for 9-O-acetylation and also the first proof that 9-O-acetylation can be directly regulated by GD3 synthase. Finally, transfection of CHO-GD3-OAc− mutant cells with ST6Gal-I induced 9-O-acetylation specifically on sialylatedN-glycans, in a manner similar to wild-type cells. This indicates separate machineries for 9-O-acetylation on α2–8-linked sialic acids of gangliosides and on α2–6-linked sialic acids on N-glycans.
In situ demonstration of OKT 6-positive cells in cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates.

A monoclonal antibody, OKT 6, has been developed against an antigen which is expressed by immature T cells as part of their normal intrathymic differentiation, but not by mature peripheral T cells. It was thought that a search for the expression of such an antigen might be worthwhile in prelymphomatous conditions. This communication describes the investigation of lymphocytic intiltrates of atrophic parapsoriasis, lymphomatoid papulosis, and a small group of miscellaneous skin conditions with OKT 6 and the immunoperoxidase technic. OKT 6-positive cells were identified in the dermis in varying numbers in four cases of atrophic parapsoriasis and in one case of lymphomatoid papulosis, but not in any of the other disorders. Positive epidermal staining was noted in all tissues examined. The pattern obtained suggested that epidermal dendritic cells may react with OKT 6. The findings indicate that OKT 6-positive cells may be found outside the thymus in certain conditions. The observations in epidermis cast doubt on the exact nature of the positively reacting cells observed in dermis, suggesting they may either be immature thymocytes or possibly Langerhans cells.
1.06-μm Nd:YAG laser coagulation tonsillectomy: an animal study

Tonsillectomy is one of the most frequently performed surgeries which is not free from post- operative morbidity. We have developed a non contact photocoagulation technique using 1.06 micrometers Nd:YAG laser and tested its safety and efficacy in an animal model. Eight animals were divided into the laser coagulation group (6 animals) and the laser excision group (2 animals). Tonsils of the laser coagulation animals were irradiated with 8 - 10 W of laser power for 5 - 6 min in a slow painting-like motion over the surface of a tonsil until slight blanching of mucosa was noticed. Tonsils of the laser excision group were resected with 25 - 30 W of 1.06 micrometers Nd:YAG laser power through a contact fiber. The animals were examined endoscopically at 1.5 hrs and at 2, 5, 12, 30, and 42 days post treatment. Atrophic process was followed until total disappearance of tonsillar tissue was observed. The animals were sacrificed at various time intervals and the tonsillar specimens were collected for gross and histological examination. The thermal damage to mucosa and adjacent tissues was minimal which we attribute to a low laser power and cooling from preoperative injection of saline into subcapsular space. The potential advantages of this technique include intact mucosa with no intra- or post-operative bleeding, less pain, and avoidance of general anesthesia. These advantages may enable this surgery to become an in-the-office procedure.
Applications of Parallel Computation to Statistical Inference

Abstract Recent advances in parallel computation (e.g., Eddy and Schervish 1986; Gardner, Gerard, Mowers, Nemeth, and Schnabel 1986) have made it possible for a network of microcomputers to act together as a parallel processor using data-flow algorithms (see O'Leary and Stewart 1985). A data-flow algorithm is one in which the sequence of computations is not scheduled a priori, but rather is determined by the order in which computations are completed. Many statistical problems can be adapted to dataflow algorithms. One requirement is that the computation can be broken into independent parts, that is, parts that can be performed in any order. For example, calculating the average of a large number of data values requires adding them up, which can be done in any order. Suppose that an application can be broken into independent parts and one has p processors available to perform the computations. Then each of the p processors can work on one of the parts at a time. When one processor finishes, it can work on t...
Adaptive Reprogramming of the Breast Cancer Kinome

Our understanding of cancer has grown considerably with recent advances in high-throughput genome and transcriptome sequencing, but techniques to comprehensively analyze protein activity are still in development. Methods to quantitatively measure the activation of signaling pathways within tumors at baseline and following therapeutic intervention will prove critical to the design of proper treatment regimens. Focusing on breast cancer, we present such a method to understand kinase signaling using multiplexed kinase inhibitor beads coupled with mass spectrometry (MIB/MS).