cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of deoxytetrahydrouridine.

The α-hydroxyamido functionality of 2′-deoxytetrahydrouridine (dTHU) makes this seemingly simple and generally useful compound difficult to obtain. Reported synthetic strategies produce extremely poor yields and multiple products, and full characterization data is not available. Described herein is a two-step approach for synthesizing dTHU in increased yields and purity; stability concerns are also addressed. Catalytic reduction (5% Rh/alumina) of 2′-deoxyuridine, followed by reduction with sodium borohydride as a limiting reagent, produces dTHU and limits formation of side products. Evidence was obtained for formation of a methoxy-substituted analogue during purification. By this strategy, dTHU of >95% purity can be obtained in 40% yield on a 150 mg scale.
Ab initio study of the 1,3-cycloaddition of methyl azide to fluorinated acetonitriles

Abstract Transition state structures for polar 1,3-cycloaddition of methyl azide to fluorinated acetonitriles have been optimized by ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the RHF/3-21G basis set level. The activation energies were also evaluated by single-point calculations at the RHF/6-31+G∗ level on the RHF/3-21G geometries. Additionally, the reactivity was rationalized in terms of the number of fluorine atoms in the molecules and the charge on the nitrile carbon. The regioselectivity is correctly predicted by the activation energy differences, by the HOMO-LUMO interactions, and by the charge interactions.
Current status of brain hypophysiotropic factors morphologic aspects

Abstract Nearly 40 putative neurotransmitters and other chemical messengers, mostly peptides, are present in the median eminence that constitutes the final common pathway for signals from the brain to the pituitary. The majority of them are produced in perikarya located in different nuclei of the hypothalamus; however, some of them arise from the brainstem. The neurons contacting capillaries of the median eminence (hypophysiotropic neurons) are intermixed with neurons containing the same transmitter (hypophysiotropic factor 1 ), but projecting to other areas of the brain. Depending on their site of release, the hypophysiotropic factors may function as neurohormones acting an the pituitary or neurotransmitters affecting the activity of other neurons in the central nervous system. Based on retrograde tracing studies in combination with immunocytochemistry, the origin of many nerve terminals in the median eminence has been determined.
Psychosocial functioning at 1 month after head injury.

The authors examined the psychosocial sequelae of head trauma at 1 month after injury in a group of 102 adult head-injured patients representing a broad range of severity of trauma. One hundred two control subjects selected from friends of the head-injured patients were used for comparison purposes. Outcome was determined with a battery of psychosocial measures assessing a number of different areas of daily functioning. The results support the following conclusions: (a) at 1 month after injury, head-injured patients experience difficulties in a number of areas of psychosocial functioning, especially the resumption of major role activities (i.e., work, school, and home management) and leisure/recreational activities; (b) the relationship between head injury severity level and the adequacy of psychosocial functional differs for the various measures; and (c) in determining the psychosocial consequences of head trauma, the use of an appropriate control group is essential.
Separation control in a conical diffuser with an annular inlet: center body wake separation

In many practical applications of conical diffusers, the flow is fed by an annular flow passage formed by a center body. Flow separation, which occurs if the center body ends abruptly, is undesirable because it degrades the diffuser performance. The present experiment utilizes magnetic resonance velocimetry to acquire three-component mean velocity measurements for a set of conical diffusers with an annular inlet. The results show strong coupling between the diffuser wall boundary layer development and the wake of the center body. Coanda blowing is used to mitigate the center body wake separation. The diffuser wall boundary layer is thick in the absence of the central separation bubble and separates when Coanda blowing is too strong.
Soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst: a rare case in a middle aged patient

Soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare entity, with about 20 cases reported in literature, only 3 of which are in patients over 40 years of age. We present a case of a 41 year old Latin American female who presented for evaluation of atraumatic chest pain with radiation to the left shoulder. Her initial workup was negative, including radiographic imaging of the chest and left shoulder. 4 months later, she presented to her orthopedic surgeon with a palpable mass and mild left shoulder pain. Radiographs acquired at that time demonstrated a 7.0 × 5.5 × 6.7 cm mass with rim calcification in the region of the upper triceps muscle. Subsequent CT imaging showed central areas of hypodensity and thin septations, a few of which were calcified. MR evaluation showed hemorrhagic cystic spaces with multiple fluid-fluid levels and enhancing septations. Surgical biopsy was performed and pathology was preliminarily interpreted as cystic myositis ossificans, however on final review the diagnosis of soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst was made. The lesion was then surgically excised and no evidence of recurrence was seen on a 3 year post-op radiograph. Following description of our case, we conduct a literature review of the imaging characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of soft tissue aneurysmal bone cyst.
It's tough to be small: dependence of burrowing kinematics on body size

Burrowing marine infauna are morphologically diverse and range in size over several orders of magnitude. Whilst effects of ontogenetic and morphological differences on running, flying and swimming are relatively well understood, similar analyses of burrowing mechanics and kinematics are lacking. The polychaete Nereis virens Sars extends its burrow by fracture, using an eversible pharynx to exert force on the walls of the burrow. The resulting stress is amplified at the anterior tip of the burrow, which extends when the stress exceeds the fracture toughness of the material. Here we show that the polychaete Cirriformia moorei extends its burrow by a similar mechanism, but by using its hydrostatic skeleton rather than an eversible pharynx. Based on the dimensionless wedge number, which relates work of fracture to work to maintain body shape against the elasticity of sediment, we predicted that smaller worms would exhibit behaviors characteristic of tougher sediments and that scaling of kinematics would reflect decreasing difficulty in fracturing sediment with increasing body size. We found that smaller worms were relatively blunter and thicker, and had a greater variation of thickness than larger worms as they burrowed. Although these kinematic differences increase the stress amplification at the crack tip, smaller worms still generate lower stress intensity factors. The greater relative body thickness and shape changes of smaller worms are consistent with ontogenetic changes in forces exerted by earthworms, and are likely driven by the challenge of exerting enough stress to extend a crack with a small body size. * a : distance from the tip of the crack to the point of contact between the anterior end of the worm and the crack wall a c : half-width of a bubble in a medium a max : average maximum value of a achieved for each cycle a min : average minimum value of a achieved for each cycle b : distance between the anterior end of the worm and the tip of the crack E : modulus of elasticity (Pa) G c : crack resistance, critical energy release rate (J m−2) h : half-thickness of a worm at a point far away from the anterior end K I : stress intensity (Pa m0.5) K Ic : critical stress intensity factor (Pa m0.5) ma : slope of the worm body at its point of contact a p r : point on a regression line through the midpoints of a worm contour w crack : width of a crack in a medium (m) W cr : work to extend crack by fracture w worm : width of a worm body in a medium (m) W El : work to deform elastic material Wg : ‘wedge’ number (dimensionless) z : the distance from the anterior of the worm δc : the half-thickness of a bubble Δ x : distance of crack growth ν : Poisson's ratio (dimensionless)
Analytical analysis of longitudinal space charge effects for a bunched beam with radial dependence

The longitudinal space-charge (LSC) force can be a major cause of the microbunching instability in the linac for an x-ray free-electron laser. In this paper, the LSC-induced beam modulation is studied using an integral equation approach that takes into account the transverse (radial) variation of the LSC field for both the coasting-beam limit and a bunched beam. Variation of the beam energy and the transverse beam size is also incorporated. We discuss the validity of this approach and compare it with other analytical analyses as well as numerical simulations.
ATP‐dependent proteolysis in pea chloroplasts

Abstract Proteins newly formed from labeled amino acids by isolated intact pea chloroplasts are not entirely stable. Between 20 and 35% of the labeled protein is degraded over a 20–30 min incubation period in pulse-chase experiments. Protein degration is prevented when chloroplast ATP level drops, as in the dark without added ATP. Degration is stimulated by adding ATP directly or by generating it in photophosphorylation. Susceptible new proteins are not stabilized against further additions of ATP, during incubation under ATP-deficient conditions.
Feeder Protection and Monitoring System, Part I: Design, Implementation and Testing

This paper describes the development of a microcomputer-based Feeder Protection and Monitoring System at Texas A&M University. The Feeder Protection and Monitoring System includes an overcurrent relay to provide overcurrent protection for a distribution feeder and it includes an arcing fault detector which identifies some low current faults which are not cleared by overcurrent protection. The system also provides a monitoring capability which supports data storage and remote interaction with a user. The paper describes the design of the system, how the design was implemented, and the testing of three prototypes which were built for research purposes. These units properly demonstrated the overcurrent protection, arcing fault detection and monitoring functions of the system, as well as many of the features of power system automation.
Diagnosis and management of pancreatitis

While there is no single diagnostic approach, other than direct examination of the pancreas, that is completely reliable for the diagnosis of pancreatitis, a presumptive diagnosis of acute pancreatitis can be made with a good degree of confidence by careful evaluation of the entire clinical picture - history and clinical signs, results of physical examination, abdominal imaging and laboratory testing. The approach to treatment is to rest the pancreas, by withholding food, while providing general supportive care by fluid therapy including, in severe cases, plasma transfusion to replace plasma protease inhibitors and albumin. Additional specific interventions in an effort to halt the progression of spontaneous pancreatitis have not yet been shown to be effective, but control of obesity and avoidance of high fat diets may help prevent pancreatitis or lessen its severity when it occurs. Pancreatitis is an unpredictable disease of widely varying severity. While many patients with uncomplicated pancreatitis recover spontaneously following several days of supportive care, other patients die in spite of prolonged intensive care.
The Common Sense of Anti‐Indian Racism: Reactions to Mashantucket Pequot Success in Gaming and Acknowledgment

Anti-Indian racism, as typified by anticasino backlash, is a part of the “common sense” of race relations in the United States, which increasingly impacts federal administrative procedures used to acknowledge the existence of tribal status. Using ethnographic and archival research, this article shows that the backlash over Mashantucket Pequot recognition and casino success has taken the form, primarily, of racialized attacks on the Mashantucket Pequots’ Indian identity. It argues that such backlash carries over to impact groups who seek recognition of their tribal status, and the legitimation that such recognition might bring to their identity. Examining the colonial legacies of anti-Indian racism shows us that such racial antagonism in the United States is nothing new. However, understanding the contexts within which its recent resurgence has occurred may help bring fairness to the acknowledgment process, and may further illuminate intersections of common sense racism and legal spheres in American life.
Oxygen Consumption of Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The objective of this research was to determine the oxygen consumption of newborn infants with respiratory distress syndrome in the first 4 days of life. Serial determinations of oxygen consumption we
On the feasibility of nanoscale triple-gate CMOS transistors

The feasibility of triple-gate MOSFETs (TGFETs) for nanoscale CMOS applications is examined with regard to short-channel effects (SCEs) and gate-layout area. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of TGFETs reveal that much more stringent body scaling for SCE control is needed for undoped bodies relative to doped ones (which are not viable for nanoscale devices) due to the suppression of corner current conduction (which is technologically advantageous) in the former. When the undoped body is scaled for adequate SCE control, further analysis shows that the generic TGFET suffers from severe layout-area inefficiency relative to the fully depleted single-gate SOI MOSFET (FDFET) and the double-gate (DG) FinFET, and the inefficiency can be improved only by evolving the TGFET into a virtual FDFET or a virtual DG FinFET. We suggest then that the TGFET is not a feasible nanoscale CMOS transistor, and thus the DG FinFET, which is more scalable than the FDFET, seems to be the most promising candidate for future CMOS applications.
The spectra of the enzyme-substrate complexes of catalase and peroxidase.

Abstract The Soret bands of complexes I, II, and III of horse-blood catalase have been measured with an accuracy exceeding that obtained previously. The use of a horse-radish peroxidase preparation relatively free of hydrogen donor clearly shows that full formation of complex II requires the presence of a donor and that complex III is best formed from complex II. Complex III of catalase is conveniently formed by the addition of hydrogen peroxide to complex II formed from methyl hydrogen peroxide. The formation of complex III of catalase and peroxidase is too slow for their participation in the catalytic effect of these enzymes.
Spatiotemporal variability of ground-level ozone and influence of smoke in Treasure Valley, Idaho

Abstract The hourly concentrations of atmospheric ozone (O 3 ) were measured at seven locations throughout the Treasure Valley during the summer of 2007, indicating a concentration gradient up to 30 percent, with the lowest levels measured on the northeast and the highest on the southwest parts of the Treasure Valley. A weak “weekend” effect was observed on Saturday despite morning NO x levels that were lower than those measured during the weekdays. The lowest ozone levels were measured on Sundays because of the absence of NO x emissions. The contribution of wildfire smoke was qualitatively assessed through the geospatial analysis of air mass backward trajectories along with the locations and durations of wildfires. For at least three sites, there was evidence of the direct contribution of wildfire smoke in four of the nine multi-day O 3 events in which the measured ozone levels were higher than the 80th percentile value. For the rest five high O 3 events, four of them had weaker indications of the influence of smoke, while one event (on July 4, 2007) was associated with the extended use of fireworks. During the high O 3 events influenced by wildfires, max hourly and mean daily O 3 concentrations were up to 15 ppbv and 12 ppbv, respectively, higher than those regularly measured in the Treasure Valley.
Women's input into household decisions and their nutritional status in three resource-constrained settings.

The objective was to understand the role of womens input into household decisions as a possible factor contributing to womens undernutrition in settings where HIV/AIDS and drought have constrained household resources. Design and setting: Three cross-sectional surveys of non-pregnant women in partnerships without a birth in the last 3 months were analysed. Factors associated with chronic energy deficiency (CED) defined as body mass index of < 18.5 kgm/-2 were assessed among 1920 women in Zimbabwe 2870 women in Zambia and 6219 women in Malawi. Prevalence of CED was 4.2% in Zimbabwe 13.5% in Zambia and 6.7% in Malawi. In Malawi women with less input into decisions were more likely to have CED. After multivariable adjustment each additional decision made by the partner increased the odds of CED in Malawi by 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-- 1.15); each additional decision made by the woman decreased the odds of CED by 0.90 (95% CI 0.88--0.97). Malawian women with all the final say or with partners with no final say had significantly more CED than expected (odds ratio (OR) = 2.88 95% CI 1.42--5.83 and OR = 1.64 95% CI 1.06--2.52 respectively) and removing these points increased the magnitude and significance of the linear trends. In Zambia the relationship was found for urban women only and no associations were found in Zimbabwe. Input into household decisions may be a key factor in the cycle of drought and CED. Women with both low input and CED may lose productive capacity putting them at greater risk of food insecurity and potentially HIV/AIDS in high prevalence settings. (authors)
Specific Inhibition of Interferon Signal Transduction Pathways by Adenoviral Infection

Abstract Adenoviral evolution has generated strategies to resist host cell antiviral systems, but molecular mechanisms for evasion of interferon (IFN) effects by adenoviruses during late-phase infection are poorly defined. In this study, we examined adenovirus type 5 (AdV) effects on IFN-γ-dependent gene expression and Janus family kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling components in human tracheobronchial epithelial cells. We found that AdV infection specifically inhibited IFN-γ-dependent gene expression in airway epithelial cells without evidence of epithelial cell injury or generation of a soluble extracellular inhibitor. Furthermore, infection with AdV for 18–24 h blocked phosphorylation/activation of the Stat1 transcription factor that regulates IFN-γ-dependent genes. Although AdV also inhibited IFN-α-dependent phosphorylation of Stat1 and Stat2, interleukin-4-dependent phosphorylation of the related transcription factor Stat6 was not affected, indicating that the virus selectively affected specific signaling pathways. Our results indicate that AdV inhibition of the IFN-γ signal transduction cascade occurs through loss of ligand-induced receptor complex assembly and consequent component phosphorylation and suggest that lack of complex assembly is due to decreased expression of the IFN-γR2 chain of the IFN-γ receptor. IFN-γR2 is required at an early step in Janus family kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway activation and is expressed at low levels in airway epithelial cells, supporting the concept that adenoviral down-regulation of the level of this IFN-γ receptor component allows for persistent modulation of IFN-γ-dependent gene expression.
Symposium overview : Toxicity of non-coplanar PCBs

Research into the mechanism of toxicity of PCBs has focused on the Ah receptor. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that certain ortho-chlorine-substituted, non-coplanar PCB congeners having low affinity for the Ah receptor exhibit important biological activities. Actions of non-coplanar PCB congeners in a variety of biological systems have been discovered and the mechanisms for these effects are being elucidated. The objectives of this symposium are to examine the state of knowledge concerning the mechanisms of toxic action of non-coplanar PCBs and to identify similarities and differences using a variety of biological systems. Effects to be considered will include: neurotoxicity, estrogenicity, insulin release, neutrophil function, calcium regulation, and relevant signal transduction systems. Finally, the symposium addresses the need to consider non-coplanar congeners within the context of risk assessment. The use of Ah-receptor binding and its associated biological effects to assess the total toxicity of PCBs may no longer be defensible because of the actions produced by non-coplanar congeners. This symposium provides documentation for that conclusion and focuses attention on emerging mechanisms of PCB action that have received relatively little attention to date. The topics presented should be of interest to toxicologists interested in mechanisms of action, in PCB risk assessment, and in regulatory toxicology.
Robot for ultrasound-guided prostate imaging and intervention

The paper presents a new robot for manipulating a transrectal ultrasound probe for image-guided intervention of the prostate, the TRUS robot. The robot positions and orients the probe for image scanning and needle targeting of the prostate. Image slices and their respective position are mapped three-dimensionally to render volumetric images. The robot is designed to accommodate the constraints of the clinical prostate intervention. The robot includes all 4 degrees-of-freedom that are available in manual handling of the probe. In-vitro studies on pelvic mockups verify 3D imaging capabilities. The robot is clinically used in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for providing intraoperative ultrasound-based navigation for the surgeon.
Mechanisms of UV mutagenesis in yeast.

UV mutagenesis in yeast depends on the function of the RAD6 locus, a gene that is also responsible for a substantial fraction of wild-type resistance, suggesting that this eukaryote may possess a misrepair mechanism analogous to that proposed for Escherichia coli. The molecular mechanism responsible for RAD6 repair or recovery is not yet known, but it is different from either excision or recombination-dependent repair, processes carried out by the other two main repair pathways in yeast. RAD6-dependent mutagenesis has been found to have the following characteristics.
Fitness Effects on the Cognitive Function of Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Study

A meta-analytic study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that aerobic fitness training enhances the cognitive vitality of healthy but sedentary older adults. Eighteen intervention studies published between 1966 and 2001 were entered into the analysis. Several theoretically and practically important results were obtained. Most important fitness training was found to have robust but selective benefits for cognition, with the largest fitness-induced benefits occurring for executive-control processes. The magnitude of fitness effects on cognition was also moderated by a number of programmatic and methodological factors, including the length of the fitness-training intervention, the type of the intervention, the duration of training sessions, and the gender of the study participants. The results are discussed in terms of recent neuroscientific and psychological data that indicate cognitive and neural plasticity is maintained throughout the life span.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common occurrence among intubated pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. However, little is known about the epidemiology, risk factors, and microbiology of VAP in pediatric TBI. We reviewed a cohort of 119 pediatric moderate-to-severe TBI patients and identified 42 with VAP by positive protected bronchial brush specimens. Location of intubation, severity of injury, and antibiotic administration within 2 days after injury were not associated with VAP. Most treatments for elevated intracranial pressure were associated with increased risk of VAP; however, in a multi-variable analysis barbiturate coma (hazard ratio [HR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–7.3), neuromuscular blockade (NMBA; HR, 3.4; 95% CI 1.6–7.3), and use of a cooling blanket for euthermia (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.1–5.5) remained independently associated with VAP. Most VAP (55%) occurred prior to hospital Day 4 and only 7% developed VAP after Day 7. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococc...
Evolutionary Dynamics as a Component of Stage-Structured Matrix Models: An Example Using Trillium grandiflorum

Abstract: Evolution by natural selection improves fitness and may therefore influence population trajectories. Demographic matrix models are often employed in conservation studies to project population dynamics, but such analyses have not incorporated evolutionary dynamics. We project evolutionarily informed population trajectories for a population of the perennial plant Trillium grandiflorum, which is declining due to high levels of herbivory by white‐tailed deer. Individuals with later flowering times are less often consumed, so there is selection on this trait. We first incorporated selection analyses into a deterministic matrix model in three ways (corresponding to different methods that have been used for analyzing evolution in structured populations). Because it is not clear which of these methods works best for stage‐structured models, we compared each with a more realistic, individual‐based model. Deterministic models using fitness averaged over the phenotypic distribution gave trajectories that w...
NH3-dependent NAD+ synthetase from Bacillus subtilis at 1 A resolution.

The final step of NAD+ biosynthesis includes an amide transfer to nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD) catalyzed by NAD+ synthetase. This enzyme was co-crystallized in microgravity with natural substrates NaAD and ATP at pH 8.5. The crystal was exposed to ammonium ions, synchrotron diffraction data were collected and the atomic model was refined anisotropically at 1 A resolution to R = 11.63%. Both binding sites are occupied by the NAD-adenylate intermediate, pyrophosphate and two magnesium ions. The atomic resolution of the structure allows better definition of non-planar peptide groups, reveals a low mean anisotropy of protein and substrate atoms and indicates the H-­atom positions of the phosphoester group of the reaction intermediate. The phosphoester group is protonated at the carbonyl O atom O7N, suggesting a carbenium-ion structure stabilized by interactions with two solvent sites presumably occupied by ammonia and a water molecule. A mechanism is proposed for the second catalytic step, which includes a nucleophilic attack by the ammonia molecule on the intermediate.
Transmission Ecology of Sin Nombre Hantavirus in Naturally Infected North American Deermouse Populations in Outdoor Enclosures

Sin Nombre hantavirus (SNV), hosted by the North American deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North America. Most transmission studies in the host were conducted under artificial conditions, or extrapolated information from mark-recapture data. Previous studies using experimentally infected deermice were unable to demonstrate SNV transmission. We explored SNV transmission in outdoor enclosures using naturally infected deermice. Deermice acquiring SNV in enclosures had detectable viral RNA in blood throughout the acute phase of infection and acquired significantly more new wounds (indicating aggressive encounters) than uninfected deermice. Naturally-infected wild deermice had a highly variable antibody response to infection, and levels of viral RNA sustained in blood varied as much as 100-fold, even in individuals infected with identical strains of virus. Deermice that infected other susceptible individuals tended to have a higher viral RNA load than those that did not infect other deermice. Our study is a first step in exploring the transmission ecology of SNV infection in deermice and provides new knowledge about the factors contributing to the increase of the prevalence of a zoonotic pathogen in its reservoir host and to changes in the risk of HPS to human populations. The techniques pioneered in this study have implications for a wide range of zoonotic disease studies.
Identification and characterization of a suppressor element in the 5′-flanking region of the mouse androgen receptor gene

Androgens play an important role in the development and maintenance of male reproductive organs through the androgen receptor (AR). In order to study the mechanism of regulation of AR at the molecular level, a 1571 bp fragment in the 5'-flanking region of the mouse androgen receptor (mAR) gene was isolated and sequenced. Transfection of 5'-deletion constructs cloned into vectors containing the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene indicated the presence of a promoter in the sequence -146 to +131. These experiments also suggested the presence of a suppressor element. Further characterization indicated that the suppressor is present between -486 to -351. It is functional in the context of the natural AR promoter and the heterologous thymidine kinase promoter. Transfection of a -546/ + 131 construct in which the putative suppressor element (-421 to -448) had been deleted caused increased basal CAT activity suggesting that the suppressor is limited to this 28 bp element in the 5'-flanking region of the mouse AR gene.
X-ray crystallography shows that translational initiation factor IF3 consists of two compact alpha/beta domains linked by an alpha-helix.

Abstract The structures of the two domains of translational initiation factor IF3 from Bacillus stearothermophilus have been solved by X-ray crystallography using single wavelength anomalous scattering and multiwavelength anomalous diffraction. Each of the two domains has an alpha/beta topology, with an exposed beta-sheet that is reminiscent of several ribosomal and other RNA binding proteins. An alpha-helix that protrudes out from the body of the N-terminal domain towards the C-terminal domain suggests that IF3 consists of two RNA binding domains connected by an alpha-helix and that it may bridge two regions of the ribosome. This represents the first high resolution structural information on a translational initiation factor.
The effect of L-dopa administration and folate deficiency on plasma homocysteine concentrations in rats

0-Methylation of the anti-Parkinson’s disease drug L-dopa leads to significant decreases of S-adenosylmethionine and significant increases of S-adenosylhomocysteine concentrations in tissues. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that L-dopa administration would also lead to increased production of homocysteine and hyperhomocysteinemia. This hypothesis was tested in two separate experiments. In experiment 1, control and folate-deficient male rats were injected intraperitoneally with 100 mg of L-dopa per kilogram body weight. After I hr, blood was collected and analyzed for homocysteine. Plasma homocysteine concentration was significantly higher in the rats treated with L-dopa than in the rats treated with vehicle alone. Furthermore, the apparent increase of plasma homocysteine due to L-dopa was greater in the folate-deficient rats than in the replete controls, suggesting a significant interaction between L-dopa administration and folate deficiency on plasma homocysteine concentration. In experiment 2, nondeficient female rats were injected intraperitoneally with 100 mg of L-dopa per kilogram of body weight for 0. I. or I7 consecutive days (one injection per day). Blood was collected I hr after the last dose and analyzed for homocysteine. Plasma homocysteine concentration was signi$cantly higher in the rats treated for 17 days than in the nontreated controls. indicating that the effect of L-dopa persisted with chronic administration. However, plasma homocysteine concentration was significantly higher in the rats treated with L-dopa for only I day than in those treated for 17 days, suggesting that there is some attenuation of the effect of L-dopa with chronic administration. Measurements of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine in brain and liver were consistent with the hypothesis that the hyperhomocysteinemia was a consequence of significant 0-methylation.
Informed Detour Selection Helps Reliability

In this work we propose to use path information to improve the reliability of the Internet. Previous work put forth a simple idea of using an overlay network of intermediary detour nodes that can be used to route around failures on direct Internet paths [1]. We provide the mechanism for choosing these intermediary nodes. The underlying idea of our work is that knowledge of the point-of-presence (PoP) path between the source and destination as well as the PoP paths between potential detour nodes and destination can be used to pick the intermediary for routing around failures on the direct path. We validate our proposal by performing an experiment using PlanetLab [2] and leveraging the existing iPlane [3] infrastructure. Using the data from iPlane, we obtain a two-fold decrease in path outage probability over the state-of-the-art.
Validating a future operational concept for en route air traffic control

In an effort to accommodate the predicted growth in air traffic, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the aviation community have developed a concept of operations for the National Airspace System (NAS) called Free Flight. This operational concept has been developed for the midterm time frame (nominally a period of time that centers around 2005). The Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) at The MITRE Corporation developed the concept and has conducted laboratory exercises to validate the portion of the concept that applies to the en route domain. The paper describes CAASD's laboratory efforts to begin validating the en route portion of the concept by examining the operational issues associated with the concept and the functional issues related to its evolution to the midterm. The laboratory validation exercises described examine the functionality of possible capability enhancements, but do not address associated detailed human factors issues. Favorable results from CAASD's initial qualitative validation efforts support the need for further quantitative validation activities that include more detailed analyses, further development of operational procedures and computer-human interfaces, and more rigorous exercises involving FAA field controllers.
Factors contributing to successful democractic consolidation in former communist states: An exploration of solutions to the property ranking issue

The fuzzy methods for determining associations between variables that have been proposed for use in the social sciences (see Ragin 2000, Smithson and Verkulien 2006) are measures of subsethood. Using these measures with social science data has proven to be problematic. This paper examines the use of fuzzy subsethood and fuzzy equality operators as tools for assessing factors hpothesized to be associated with successful democratic consolition in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Methane emissions from wetlands: biogeochemical, microbial, and modeling perspectives from local to global scales

Understanding the dynamics of methane (CH4) emissions is of paramount importance because CH4 has 25 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2) and is currently the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Wetlands are the single largest natural CH4 source with median emissions from published studies of 164 Tg yr 1 , which is about a third of total global emissions. We provide a perspective on important new frontiers in obtaining a better understanding of CH4 dynamics in natural systems, with a focus on wetlands. One of the most exciting recent developments in this field is the attempt to integrate the different methodologies and spatial scales of biogeochemistry, molecular microbiology, and modeling, and thus this is a major focus of this review. Our specific objectives are to provide an up-to-date synthesis of estimates of global CH4 emissions from wetlands and other freshwater aquatic ecosystems, briefly summarize major biogeophysical controls over CH4 emissions from wetlands, suggest new frontiers in CH4 biogeochemistry, examine relationships between methanogen community structure and CH4 dynamics in situ, and to review the current generation of CH4 models. We highlight throughout some of the most pressing issues concerning global change and feedbacks on CH4 emissions from natural ecosystems. Major uncertainties in estimating current and future CH4 emissions from natural ecosystems include the following: (i) A number of important controls over CH4 production, consumption, and transport have not been, or are inadequately, incorporated into existing CH4 biogeochemistry models. (ii) Significant errors in regional and global emission estimates are derived from large spatial-scale extrapolations from highly heterogeneous and often poorly mapped wetland complexes. (iii) The limited number of observations of CH4 fluxes and their associated environmental variables loosely constrains the parameterization of process-based biogeochemistry models.
Risk factors for emotional and relationship problems in Peyronie's disease.

ABSTRACT Introduction Peyronie's disease (PD) occurs in 3–9% of all men. Little is known regarding the specific psychological or emotional disruptions to sexuality associated with PD. Aim Our primary aim was to identify risk factors associated with psychosocial difficulties in men with PD. Methods This cross‐sectional study enrolled patients from a single clinical practice. Detailed medical histories, physical examinations, and a PD‐specific questionnaire were used to define clinical characteristics. Odds ratios (ORs) were used as a measure of association. Main Outcome Measures Emotional and relationship problems were determined by “yes” or “no” answers to two specific questions. Results The mean age of all PD patients (N = 245) was 54.4 years (range 19.4–75.6); 62% were married, and 59% presented within 2 years of disease onset. The overall prevalence of emotional and relationship problems attributable to PD was 81% and 54%, respectively. Among men who had relationship problems, the prevalence of emotional problems was 93%. In men with emotional problems due to PD, relationship issues were observed in 62%. Multivariable analysis revealed that emotional difficulties (OR 6.9, P P = 0.004) were independently associated with relationship problems. Relationship problems (OR 8.0, P P = 0.02) were significant independent predictors of emotional problems after adjustment for the ability to maintain erections, low libido, and penile pain. Conclusions Among men with PD, there is a very high prevalence of emotional and relationship problems. Loss of penile length and inability to have intercourse are strong predictors of these problems and as such make ideal targets for intervention. Medical and surgical therapies may enhance quality of life through their ability to improve sexual function. Further research will characterize the ways in which individual symptoms affect emotional and psychological well‐being. Smith JF, Walsh TJ, Conti SL, Turek P, and Lue T. Risk factors for emotional and relationship problems in Peyronie's disease. J Sex Med 2008;5:2179–2184.
Alcohol-inducible gene expression in transgenic Populus

We tested the efficiency and optimized the conditions for controlled alcohol-inducible transgene expression in Populus using gus as a reporter gene. Specificity of induction, efficiency in different organs, effect of three chemical inducers, and induction methods were tested using up to 10 independent transgenic events generated in two different Populus genotypes. The optimal inducer concentration and the duration of induction period were determined in dose–response and in time–course experiments. Under in vitro conditions, β-glucuronidase (GUS) induction was efficient both in the aerial parts and in the roots of regenerated plantlets. Among the chemical inducers tested, ethanol was the most effective activator with no apparent phytotoxicity when concentrations were at or below 2%. After 5 days of treatment, fluorometrically-determined the GUS activity could be detected when inducing with ethanol at concentrations as low as 0.5%. Prolonged induction by ethanol vapors significantly increased the GUS activity in leaves from both the tissue culture plants and greenhouse-grown plants.
Characterization of incubation experiments and development of an enrichment culture capable of ammonium oxidation under iron-reducing conditions

Abstract. Incubation experiments were conducted using soil samples from a forested riparian wetland where we have previously observed anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to iron reduction. Production of both nitrite and ferrous iron was measured repeatedly during incubations when the soil slurry was supplied with either ferrihydrite or goethite and ammonium chloride. Significant changes in the microbial community were observed after 180 days of incubation as well as in a continuous flow membrane reactor, using 16S rRNA gene PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 454 pyrosequencing, and real-time quantitative PCR analysis. We be Acidimicrobiaceae bacterium A6), belonging to the Acidimicrobiaceae family, whose closest cultivated relative is Ferrimicrobium acidiphilum (with 92% identity) and Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans (with 90% identity), might play a key role in this anaerobic biological process that uses ferric iron as an electron acceptor while oxidizing ammonium to nitrite. After ammonium was oxidized to nitrite, nitrogen loss proceeded via denitrification and/or anammox.
Quantitative Features of Liver Lesions, Lung Nodules, and Renal Stones at Multi-Detector Row CT Examinations: Dependency on Radiation Dose and Reconstruction Algorithm.

In this retrospective analysis, the authors found that radiation dose and reconstruction algorithm can have a substantial effect on the attributes and analysis of quantitative features at multi–detector row CT examinations of lung nodules, liver lesions, and renal stones.
Peanut Response to Postemergence Application of Pyroxasulfone

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted from 2009 through 2011 to evaluate peanut tolerance to postemergence (POST) applications of pyroxasulfone applied alone or in combination with commonly used foliar herbicides. Hherbicide treatments were arranged in a factorial arrangement that included three pyroxasulfone rates (0, 240, and 480 g ai/ha) and four POST application timings [10, 30, 60, and 90 days after planting (DAP)]. Pyroxasulfone applied at 240 or 480 g ai/ha 10 DAP caused 24 and 33% stunting 2 weeks after treatment (WAT), respectively. Regardless of pyroxasulfone rate, peanut stunting following application 30, 60, or 90 DAP was less than 3%. Peanut yield was not influenced by POST applied pyroxasulfone applied alone. In a second experiment, herbicide treatments were applied in a factorial treatment arrangement that included two pyroxasulfone rates (0 and 240 g ai/ha) and six POST herbicide systems [none; paraquat (140 g ai/ha); paraquat (210 g ai/ha) plus bentazon (280 g ai/ha); paraquat (210 g ...
An Application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process for a Consumer Choice Problem

Various approaches such as conjoint analysis, logit, probit, and elimination-by-aspect models have been employed to solve marketing problems that involve the selection of an alternative. The present paper uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) developed by Saaty (1980). The major distinction of this approach is that it structures any complex, multicriterion problem hierarchically. The model employs pairwise comparisons using the subjective scale developed by Saaty. The pairwise c-mparisons are done in terms of which one element dominates another. These judgments are then expressed as integers. This approach is illustrated in an application to the prediction of consumer choice behavior. Guidelines for strategic implications are provided.
A Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between Frame-based and Frameless Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases

Purpose/Objective(s): Though frame-based immobilization was the gold standard for cranial stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), modern experiences report the non-invasive frameless techniques to be an effective alternative. Frameless techniques may potentially increase set up variation resulting in inferior targeting and commonly require additional margin to the target volume. Given these concerns, we aim to compare the rates of local control and radiation necrosis in frameless versus frame-based SRS. Materials/Methods: We reviewed all patients treated at our institution with SRS for brain metastases from 2008 to 2014. Ninety-eight patients (170 lesions) with radiologic and clinical follow-up had complete patient, tumor and treatment information. Group 1 consisted of 34 patients (61 lesions) immobilized with a standard head-ring. Group 2 had sixty-four patients (109 lesions) immobilized with an SRS specific mask. Patient-, tumor-, and treatment-characteristics were recorded as well as the intervals from treatment to local recurrence, radiation necrosis; elsewhere brain failure, and death. Radiographic asymptomatic radiation necrosis was included in the analysis. Results: Median patient age and KPS were 59 years (range 25 -89) and 80 (range 50-100), respectively. Median radiologic and clinical follow up were 6.5 months (range 0.7-44.3) and 7 months (range 0.7-45.7). A median of 2 tumors were treated per treatment course (range 1-5) with a median dose of 18 Gy (range 13-24 Gy). Six targets failed locally in Group 1 with 6and 12-month failure rates of 7.2% and 14.5%. Eighteen local failures were documented in Group 2 with 6-and 12-month failure estimates of 15.3% and 30.8%. Comparison of the Kaplan Meier estimates with the log-rank test demonstrated a p-value of 0.1446. Thirtyone patients (50%) in Group 1 had additional margins with a 0.69 cc mean increase in target volume compared to 93 patients (85%) with a 1.2 cc mean increase in Group 2. Eleven targets had radiation necrosis (8 symptomatic) in Group 1 with 6and 12-month necrosis rate estimates of 1.7% and 36.5%. Radiation necrosis was documented in 14 targets (6 symptomatic) in Group 2 with 6and 12-month necrosis estimates of 3.1% and 16.5%. Log-rank statistics showed a p-value of 0.3911. Cox regression for univariate analysis identified variables predictive for necrosis. Only SRS dose >17 Gy was statistically significant on multivariate analysis (HR 0.303, 95% CI 0.1-0.89). There were no statistically significant factors found on multivariate analysis for local progression. Conclusion: In this report, frameless SRS techniques demonstrated quality clinical outcomes without statistically significant differences in local control or radiation necrosis when compared to frame-based SRS. Author Disclosure: N.R. Bennion: None. T. Malouff: None. V. Verma: None. A.O. Wahl: None. W. Zhen: None. C. Lin: None.
The Discount House

(1) The discount house is a short-term phenomenon: a cut-rate, high-turnover venture on the part of opportunists, sustained by the inability of "legitimate" dealers to cut prices on price-controlled items, coupled with an abnormally high (post-war) rate of sales. If so, it would tend to disappear when appliance sales return to "normal." (2) The discount house is the result of organized, group buying by individual consumers-a permanent phenomenon so long as there are retailers willing to op-
Reevaluating “Made in America” — Two Cost-Containment Ideas from Abroad

Two cost-containment pricing strategies from abroad could be adapted to the U.S. health care context: a bundled-payment system from Germany and volume-driven pricing adjustment from Japan. These promising policies would not require large-scale reform.