cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional and structural comparison of the ABC exporter MsbA studied in detergent and reconstituted in nanodiscs

Purified membrane proteins are most frequently studied solubilized in detergent, but the properties of detergent micelles are very different from those of lipid bilayers. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in studying membrane proteins under conditions that resemble the membrane protein native environment more closely. Although there are indications of differences between membrane proteins in detergent and in lipid bilayers, direct functional and structural comparisons are very hard to find. Nanodiscs have been established as a new platform that consists of two molecules of a membrane scaffold protein that surround a small lipid-bilayer patch. Here, we undertook the task of comparing the function and conformational states of the transport protein MsbA in detergent and nanodiscs using ATPase activity and luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) measurements to assess differences in activity and conformational states, respectively. MsbA is a prototypical member of the ATP binding cassette protein superfamily. MsbA activity was higher in nanodiscs vs detergent, which had clear structural correlates: an increase in the fraction of molecules displaying closed nucleotide-binding domain dimers in the apo state, and a decrease in the distance of the "dissociated" nucleotide-binding domains. Our LRET studies support the notion that the widely separated nucleotide binding domains observed in the MsbA x-ray structures in detergent do not correspond to physiological conformations. Although our studies focus on a particular ABC exporter, the possibility of similar environment effects on other membrane proteins should be carefully considered.
An Experimental Investigation of Human Presence and Mobile Technologies on College Students’ Sun Protection Intentions: Between-Subjects Study

Background: Health promotion and education programs are increasingly being adapted and developed for delivery through digital technologies. With this shift toward digital health approaches, it is important to identify design strategies in health education and promotion programs that enhance participant engagement and promote behavior change. Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of an experiment testing various mobile health (mHealth) skin cancer prevention messages on sun protection intentions and message perceptions among American college students. Methods: A sample of 134 college students aged 18 years or older participated in a 2×2×2 between-subjects experimental study, designed to examine the individual and combinatory effects of multiple dimensions (human presence, screen size, and interactivity) of digital technologies. The primary study outcome was intention to use sun protection; secondary outcomes included attitudes toward the information, two dimensions of trust, and information processing. Results: Generally, intention to use sun protection was positively associated with the presence of human characters in the health educational messages (P<.001), delivering educational health messages on a large screen (ie, iPad; P<.001), and higher interactivity (P<.001). Only human presence produced more favorable attitudes (P=.02). Affective trust was positively associated with human presence (P=.006) and large screen size (P<.001), whereas cognitive trust was positively associated with human presence (P<.001) and small screen size (P=.007). Moreover, large screen size led to more heuristic processing (P=.03), whereas small screen size led to more systematic processing (P=.04). Conclusions: This experimental study demonstrates that the impact of mHealth skin cancer prevention messages differs based on platform and delivery design features. Effects on behavioral intentions, attitudes, and trust were found for conditions with human presence, highlighting the importance of including this feature in mHealth programs. Results from this experimental study can be used to optimize the design of mHealth educational interventions that promote sun protection.
Biaxial proximal interphalangeal joint hyperflexions in a five-year-old Holstein bull

A five-year-old Holstein bull became lame after dismount during semen collection. Swelling of the pastern of the left front limb was noted. Radiographic images showed biaxial hyperflexion of the proximal interphalangeal joints in digits III/IV without hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Conservative management (stall confinement and NSAIDs) failed to resolve the lameness. External coaptation to stabilise the joint failed to prevent hyperflexion of the joint within the cast and to improve comfort. Pressure sores developed after seven days. Surgical arthrodesis of the PIP joint was performed on each digit by application of a locking compression plate. The bull healed and arthrodesis of the joints progressed over the next 16 weeks. At that time, the bull was walking sound and was returned to semen collection. One year after surgery, the attending veterinarian reported that the bull remained sound at a walk and was still being used for semen collection.
Isolating red flags to enhance diagnosis (I-RED): An experimental vignette study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of a cognitive intervention based on isolation of red flags (I-RED) on diagnostic accuracy of 'do-not-miss diagnoses.' DESIGN A 2 × 2 randomized case vignette-based experiment with manipulation of I-RED strategy between subjects and case complexity within subjects. SETTING Two university-based residency programs. PARTICIPANTS One-hundred and nine pediatric residents from all levels of training. INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomly assigned to the I-RED vs. control group, and within each group, they were further randomized to the order in which they saw simple and complex cases. The I-RED strategy involved an instruction to look for a constellation of symptoms, signs, clinical data or circumstances that should heighten suspicion for a serious condition. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy, scored as 1 if any of the three differentials given by participants included the correct diagnosis, and 0 if not. We analyzed effects of I-RED strategy on diagnostic accuracy using logistic regression. RESULTS I-RED strategy did not yield statistically higher diagnostic accuracy compared to controls (62 vs. 48%, respectively; odd ratio = 2.07 [95% confidence interval, 0.78-5.5], P = 0.14) although participants reported higher decision confidence compared to controls (7.00 vs. 5.77 on a scale of 1 to 10, P < 0.02) in simple but not complex cases. I-RED strategy significantly shortened time to decision (460 vs. 657 s, P < 0.001) and increased the number of red flags generated (3.04 vs. 2.09, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS A cognitive strategy of prompting red flag isolation prior to differential diagnosis did not improve diagnostic accuracy of 'do-not-miss diagnoses.' Given the paucity of evidence-based solutions to reduce diagnostic error and the intervention's potential effect on confidence, findings warrant additional exploration.
Evaluation of genetic relationships among botanical varieties of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) using AFLP markers

Forty-four accessions of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) representing sixbotanical varieties of two subspecies along with three accessions ofthe wild relative A. monticola Krapov et Rigoni were evaluated for their genetic relationships using theAFLP marker technology. Fifteen AFLP primer pairs (EcoRI/MseI) generated 28distinct polymorphic markers that were employed to develop uniqueprofiles of all accessions and to construct a phenogram. The resultsshowed that the botanical varieties aequatoriana and peruviana werecloser to subspecies hypogaea than subspeciesfastigiata Waldr. to which they belong, and the wildA. monticola was notdistinct from the cultivated A.hypogaea. Although the extent of geneticdiversity in peanut is low compared to many other crops, our studiesshow that by employing the AFLP approach, sufficient DNA variationcan be detected in the cultivated peanut germplasm to conductevolutionary studies.
Spotlight on energy efficiency in Oregon: Investigating dynamics between energy use and socio-demographic characteristics in spatial modeling of residential energy consumption

Abstract As the state of Oregon transitions to a low-carbon economy, households currently experiencing a high energy cost burden may be vulnerable to future energy price fluctuations. To identify areas susceptible to high energy burden, this study models household energy use intensity on a census-tract level in Oregon. Findings are compared with housing, racial, and sociodemographic characteristics to explore factors associated with high energy use. Finally, energy cost index is constructed and mapped to identify census tracts vulnerable to high energy burden for targeted program and policy development. Study results reveal that census tracts with higher level of energy use intensity have higher percent of older housing, low-income households, households experiencing energy burden, and populations of racial minorities and without high school diploma. This research advances our understanding of differences in energy consumption across diverse population groups and provides detailed information on energy use and energy cost burden for state-level policymaking.
An analysis of fatal iatrogenic therapeutic errors reported to United States poison centers

This is a descriptive study evaluating fatal iatrogenic and in-hospital medication errors reported to United States poison centers. A retrospective evaluation of the National Poison Data System fro...
Optical Diffraction Tomography by Use of Optimization and Phase-Based Fidelity Criterion

We introduce a method for reconstructing phase objects in optical diffraction tomography (ODT) based on regularized convex optimization with a new phase-based fidelity criterion. The new criterion is necessary because objects of different refractive-index distributions may produce similar diffracted fields (magnitude and principal -phase) on the detection planes. This surjective, but non-injective relation, attributed to the cyclical nature of the phase, makes optimization algorithms using field-based cost functions prone to local minima that degrade reconstructive accuracy—particularly for objects introducing large optical pathlength difference. A phase-based optimization algorithm that avoids this problem has been developed and tested successfully using simulated data from phantoms and experimental data measured from optical fibers.
Social interaction in the Spanish classroom: How proficiency and linguistic background impact vocabulary learning:

Spanish learners engaged in two-way interaction gap tasks where, through social interaction, they identified and defined low-frequency vocabulary. Participants (referred to as actors to differentia...
Optimal Sludge? The Price of Program Integrity

Public officials often impose eligibility requirements that have two effects: (1) they screen out ineligible people and (2) they screen out eligible people. Consisting of paperwork of administrative burdens, such requirements are sometimes characterized as “sludge,” and for some eligible people, they might prove overwhelming or prohibitive. In these circumstances, there is a pervasive normative issue: what is the optimal tradeoff between (1) and (2)? It is plausible to think that a great deal depends on numbers. If, for example, the number of ineligible people who are screened out is very large, and if the number of eligible people who are screened out is very small, then there would seem little ground for objection. But if the number of eligible people who are screened out is very large, there is a serious problem, and it might be worthwhile to consider an approach that would not screen out eligible people, even if it would simultaneously fail to screen out, or effectively “screen in,” a small number of ineligible people. We identify competing, plausible positions on the normative question, which we label consequentialist and legalist. We also offer the results of a pilot study, which shows that the overwhelming majority of respondents would favor changes that allow ineligible people to receive benefits, if that is the price of ensuring that eligible people do so as well – unless the number of ineligible recipients is very high. The survey results suggest that most people reject the legalist position and embrace a form of consequentialism.
Being in the Know : Social Network Analysis of Gossip and Friendship on a College Campus

Gossip (evaluative talk about others) is ubiquitous. Gossip allows important rules to be clarified and reinforced, and it allows individuals to keep track of their social networks while strengthening their bonds to the group. The purpose of this study is to decipher the nature of gossip and how it relates to friendship connections. To measure how gossip relates to friendship, participants from men’s and women’s collegiate competitive rowing (crew) teams (N = 44) noted their friendship connections and their tendencies to gossip about each of their teammates. Using social network analysis, we found that the crew members’ friend group connectedness significantly correlated with their positive and negative gossip network involvement. Higher connectedness among friends was associated with less involvement in spreading negative gossip and/or being a target of negative gossip. More central connectedness to the friend group was associated with more involvement in spreading positive gossip and/or being a target of positive gossip. These results suggest that the spread of both positive and negative gossip may influence and be influenced by friendship connections in a social network.
Epigenetics in ocular medicine

Abstract Numerous genetic and environmental risk factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various eye diseases. However, the development of eye disorders often could not be fully explicated by these risk factors until the contribution of the epigenetic modifications was discovered. Epigenetically mediated alterations in gene expression link environmental exposures, signal pathways, and genetic control in both normal ocular development and disease pathogenesis. DNA methylation, histone alteration, chromatin remodeling, and noncoding RNA change are involved in many key elements during ocular disease development, including oxidative stress, inflammation, intracellular signaling, cell proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis. Some components of epigenome have been suggested as novel biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic targets in ocular medicine. In this chapter, recent findings of epigenetic alterations in common eye diseases and their effects in regulatory pathways as well as clinical implications are summarized and discussed in detail.
Paul Ziff, 1958–1960: A Reminiscence

The following remarks have a personal character that I hope will be forgiven; its justification will lie in any light they might shed on Paul Ziff — and also in some small measure, in the tribute (and gratitude) that they are meant to express. Although presented from a single perspective — the one from which I see best — they give, I think, an objective account of certain important but under-appreciated aspects of a complex man. In this regard, I know that I speak for many.
Taking a bite: Amoebic trogocytosis in Entamoeba histolytica and beyond

Entamoeba histolytica is a diarrheal pathogen with the ability to cause profound host tissue damage. This organism possesses contact-dependent cell killing activity, which is likely to be a major contributor to tissue damage. E. histolytica trophozoites were recently shown to ingest fragments of living human cells. It was demonstrated that this process, termed amoebic trogocytosis, contributes to cell killing. Recent advances in ex vivo and 3-D cell culture approaches have shed light on mechanisms for tissue destruction by E. histolytica, allowing amoebic trogocytosis to be placed in the context of additional host and pathogen mediators of tissue damage. In addition to its relevance to pathogenesis of amoebiasis, an appreciation is emerging that intercellular nibbling occurs in many organisms, from protozoa to mammals.
European and U.S. Perspectives on Civic Republicanism

It is always a great pleasure to learn from my distinguished friend and colleague Professor Jost Delbr?ck, but it is a special pleasure to learn that U.S. academic neorepublicanism offers a cure for Europe's problems. Such transatlantic confidence salves one's worry about purposelessness and revives one's hope of relevance. Nonetheless, from my U.S. perspective, I think that civic republicanism offers less guidance for the future than Professor Delbr?ck thinks it does from his European perspective. I will explain my reasons in a moment, but let me emphasize the very large area of agreement between Professor Delbr?ck and myself. First, though I am less optimistic about republicanism than is Professor Delbr?ck, I am fundamentally sympathetic with its ideals. Relatedly, the worlds that Professor Delbr?ck and I would like to see develop are, I believe, substantially similar. I just think that republicanism is too incomplete and too contradictory a collection of ideas to get us there. Indeed, the contrast between a European and a U.S. take on republicanism highlights this paradoxical quality. Because republicanism is so vague and contradictory, we can all find in it what we will; but for the same reason, it offers us limited guidance in coping with the problems of a diverse nation-state. Professor Delbr?ck's central concern is that ethnonationalism may be a bar to increased immigration and globalization. In his view, the problem with ethnonationalism is that as a public philosophy it is too culturally specific, too exclusionary, too orthodox: Germany for German persons and German ways, it insists.1 So Professor Delbr?ck seeks a countermodel that will allow many cultures to come together, and he finds one in U.S. civic republicanism, with its emphasis on constitutionalism and dialogic politics.2 In Professor Delbriick's projected Open Republic, national integration will occur simply through shared commitment to a clutch of general, tolerant
Studies on polynucleotides. LXXVII. The labeling of end groups in polynucleotide chains: the selective modification of diol end groups in ribonucleic acids.

A new method for the labeling of terminal cis-diol end groups in ribopolynucleotides is described; it involves the reaction of an aqueous solution of RNA with sodium metaperiodate and subsequent reduction of the resulting terminal dialdehyde with 3H-sodium borohydride. The reaction conditions are mild, and conversion to end group-labeled RNA is nearly quantitative, as judged by the incorporation of radioactivity into pApApA and yeast transfer RNA (tRNA). With pApApA and tRNA as substrates, the specificity of reaction for 2′,3′-diol end groups has been confirmed. This method has been applied to the sequence analysis of an octanucleotide isolated from yeast phenylalanine tRNA. A general scheme for 3′-terminal sequence analysis of ribopolynucleotides by application of this technique is proposed.
Deciphering translational and transcriptional impairment in Roberts syndrome (1138.6)

Roberts Syndrome (RBS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by prenatal growth retardation caused by mutations in the cohesin acetyltransferase ESCO2 gene. Previously we revealed that mu...
Implementation of a wireless battery management system (WBMS)

This paper introduces a wireless battery management system (BMS) based on Bluetooth technology. With the burgeoning use of battery packs in electric and hybrid vehicles, battery management has become a significant area for improvement. Typical battery packs consist of many individual battery cells, and total-pack performance can only be optimized by ensuring level charge and discharge performance across all individual constituent cells. Current battery pack technology relies on wired sensor connections to all individual cells to track temperature and voltage of each cell, and adjust charge and discharge rates accordingly. Packs with large numbers of individual cells typically have thousands of wire terminations that are susceptible to mechanical failure. This can lead to premature pack failure. Moreover, when an individual battery cell fails under this scenario, and entire pack rebuild is required. The proposed wireless battery management minimizes the failure points in a battery pack. Furthermore, it makes individual components more readily replaced without an entire rebuild, while also eliminating the impact of system modifications on bulky wiring harnesses. The implemented system performed similarly to a wired system in comparison tests, while saving weight and significantly reducing failure points.
Detection of an antenna effect in VLSI designs

This paper describes an extraction methodology capable of detecting "antenna" condition in VLSI designs. Proposed methodology can handle large size designs using standard design rule checking and circuit extraction procedures. Examples of application of the proposed method on industrial IC designs show that occurrence of antenna effect may be an uncontrolled by-product of the design environment.
Hybrid MPC: An Application to Semiactive Control of Structures

In clipped LQR, a common strategy for semiactive structural control, a primary feedback controller is designed using LQR and a secondary controller clips forces that the semiactive control device cannot realize. However, when the primary controller commands highly non-dissipative forces, the frequent clipping may render a controller far from being optimal. A hybrid system model is better suited for semiactive control as it accurately models the passivity constraints by introducing auxiliary variables into the system model. In this paper, a hybrid model predictive control (MPC) scheme, which uses a system model with both continuous and discrete variables, is used for semiactive control of structures. Optimizing this control results in a mixed integer quadratic programming problem, which can be solved numerically to find the optimal control input. It is shown that hybrid MPC produces nonlinear state feedback control laws that achieve significantly better performance for some control objectives (e.g., the reduction of absolute acceleration). Responses of a typical structure to historical earthquakes, and response statistics from a Monte Carlo simulation with stochastic excitation, are computed. Compared to clipped LQR, hybrid MPC is found to be more consistent in the reduction of the objective functions, although it is more computationally expensive.
Brain ferritin iron may influence age- and gender-related risks of neurodegeneration.

Abstract Background Brain iron promotes oxidative damage and protein oligomerization that result in highly prevalent age-related proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Men are more likely to develop such diseases at earlier ages than women but brain iron levels increase with age in both genders. We hypothesized that brain iron may influence both the age- and gender-related risks of developing these diseases. Methods The amount of iron in ferritin molecules (ferritin iron) was measured in vivo with MRI by utilizing the field dependent relaxation rate increase (FDRI) method. Ferritin iron was measured in four subcortical nuclei [caudate (C), putamen (P), globus pallidus (G), thalamus (T)], three white matter regions [frontal lobe (Fwm), genu and splenium of the corpus callosum (Gwm, Swm)] and hippocampus (Hipp) in 165 healthy adults aged 19–82. Results There was a high correlation (r > 0.99) between published post-mortem brain iron levels and FDRI. There were significant age-related changes in ferritin iron (increases in Hipp, C, P, G, and decreases in Fwm). Women had significantly lower ferritin iron than men in five regions (C, T, Fwm, Gwm, Swm). Conclusions This is the first demonstration of gender differences in brain ferritin iron levels. It is possible that brain iron accumulation is a risk factor that can be modified. MRI provides the opportunity to assess brain iron levels in vivo and may be useful in targeting individuals or groups for preventive therapeutic interventions.
Quantitative relationship between tissue composition and scattering of ultrasound.

This study establishes quantitative laws by which the magnitude of ultrasonic scatter is related to the gross chemical composition of tissues, viz., water, fat, and collagen. Tissues are modeled as immiscible mixtures, the constituents of which are uniformly dispersed over the volume. Each component of the mixture causes the ultrasonic velocity of the medium to fluctuate about the mean value. Such localized variations in the refractive index of a medium cause propagating sound waves to scatter. It is proposed that the contribution of each component to the total fluctuation is in proportion to its volume fraction. The analysis shows that the scatter of ultrasound exhibits a complex nonlinear dependence on the concentrations of the individual components. From the knowledge of sound speed of individual components, total velocity fluctuations are determined for binary and three‐component models of the tissue. Comparison of these values, with those estimated from scatter measurements, show a close correlation ...
Subjective dimensions of heroin urges: influence of heroin-related and affectively negative stimuli.

Abstract Thirty-five male drug-free heroin addicts rated their affect, craving, and withdrawal in response to boring, anxiety-eliciting, and heroin stimuli. Results revealed that: (a) heroin cues were more effective than boring or anxiety-eliciting cues in prompting self-reports of craving or withdrawal; (b) heroin cues produced an affective state characterized by self-reported low-pleasure and high anxiety/tension; (c) craving was not correlated with any particular affective state, but rather was associated with a variety of negative affects — anxiety, depression, fatigue, anger; (d) the coherence (intercorrelations) of affective, craving, and withdrawal measures was greatest when addicts made their self-ratings immediately after exposure to drug stimuli; and (e) while addicts routinely reported craving without withdrawal sickness, they virtually never reported withdrawal sickness without reporting craving. These results suggested that the potential for negative reinforcement subserved stimulus elicited craving and that craving involved cognitive appraisal processes (attributions, expectations).
Electrical transport properties of natural and synthetic graphite

Resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements were performed on a series of natural graphite crystals and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) samples as a function of temperature from 4.2 K to 293 K using a contactless r.f. technique. Resistance ratios of the natural graphite between 4.2 K and 293 K ranged from about 30 to 49. Carrier mobility of natural graphite was observed to obey at T−3/2 behaviour up to about 35 K. An anomalously high power dependence of μ versus T was observed below 35 K. A new model describing the dispersion of mobility of electrons and holes is presented which gives exact agreement with magnetoresistance results in the low field regime.
Genetic Factors in Cardiovascular Disease: 10 Questions

The common forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have a complex etiology, involving multiple genetic influences and important environmental interactions. Because of this complexity, it has proved difficult to apply the positional cloning approaches that have revolutionized understanding of Mendelian (single-gene) disorders; and the understanding of the genetics of CVD and its underlying cause, atherosclerosis, remains poor. This review, organized into 10 broad questions, summarizes the understanding of the genetics of common, complex forms of CVD. Implications for DNA-based diagnosis, pharmacogenetics, and risk assessment are also discussed.
Toxoplasmosis in lower mammals.

SYNOPSIS. Sera from 270 domestic and wild mammals were tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii by the indirect hemagglutination method. The specificity of reactions was determined by the hemagglutination-inhibition test. Positive results at a titer of 1:64 were given by 10 of 138 cattle, 3 of 74 swine, 1 of 8 cats and none of 3 horses. Of the wild animals tested, only 1 of 9 woodchucks was positive; 17 raccoons, 14 opossums and 7 skunks were negative.
Predictive methods for improved vehicular WiFi access

With the proliferation of WiFi technology, many WiFi networks are accessible from vehicles on the road making vehicular WiFi access realistic. However, several challenges exist: long latency to establish connection to a WiFi access point (AP), lossy link performance, and frequent disconnections due to mobility. We argue that people drive on familiar routes frequently, and thus the mobility and connectivity related information along their drives can be predicted with good accuracy using historical information - such as GPS tracks with timestamps, RF fingerprints, and link and network-layer addresses of visible APs. We exploit such information to develop new handoff and data transfer strategies. The handoff strategy reduces the connection establishment latency and also uses pre-scripted handoffs triggered by change in vehicle location. The data transfer strategy speeds up download performance by using prefetching on the APs yet to be encountered. Experimental performance evaluation reveals that the predictability of mobility and connectivity is high enough to be useful in such protocols. In our experiments with a vehicular client accessing road-side APs, the handoff strategy improves download performance by roughly a factor of 2 relative to the state-of-the-art. The data transfer strategy further improves this performance by another factor of 2.5.
Verification and control of hybrid systems using reachability analysis with machine learning

This talk will present reachability analysis as a tool for model checking and controller synthesis for dynamic systems. We will consider the problem of guaranteeing reachability to a given desired subset of the state space while satisfying a safety property defined in terms of state constraints. We allow for nonlinear and hybrid dynamics, and possibly nonconvex state constraints. We use these results to synthesize controllers that ensure safety and reachability properties under bounded model disturbances that vary continuously.The resulting control policy is a set-valued feedback map involving both a selection of continuous inputs and discrete switching commands as a function of system state. We show that new control policies based on machine learning are included in this map, resulting in high performance with guarantees of safety. We discuss real-time implementations of this, and present several examples from multiple aerial vehicle control, human-robot interaction, and multiple player games.
Family interactions on primetime television: A descriptive analysis of assertive power interactions

Decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution in the family environment have been closely linked to the family power process identified by Olson and Cromwell (1975). According to these authors, assertiveness is one of the specific concepts that characterize the process of power in the family. This term essentially defines the frequency of attempts and the type of strategies that an individual employs to influence the behavior of other family members. Working from social learning theory, this investigation seeks to establish the range and frequency of assertive power as it is portrayed across family roles in primetime television. The results of this study will serve as an important first step in assessing the potential impact of social learning as it relates to decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution in the family environment.
Parkinsonism, Levodopa, and Anesthesia

Parkinsonian symptoms (akinesia, rigidity, and tremor) have their pathogenesis in deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia. Levodopa crosses the blood–brain barrier and is converted to dopamine in the brain. Its efficacy is far superior to that of anticholinergic drugs or thalamectomy. Motor functions improve in two thirds of patients treated with levodopa. Apomorphine and amantadine can also ameliorate parkinsonian symptoms, the former through activation of dopaminergic receptors and the latter through increased release of dopamine. Levodopa has a short half-life in the body, being metabolized to 3-methoxydopa, dopamine, and homovanillic acid. For optimal effects levodopa (2–8 g, daily) is administered in four or more divided doses. Major adverse reactions include abnormal movements and psychic and cardiovascular disturbances. These are apparently the result of increased formation of catecholamines centrally and peripherally. Advances are being made to improve the efficacy of levodopa therapy and to reduce its side-effects. Inhibition of peripheral decarboxylase with hydrazine derivatives (MK 486 or Ro 4-4602) makes levodopa more available to the central nervous system, reduces the dose needed, and attenuates some of the peripheral side-effects. In surgical patients being treated with levodopa, therapy should be continued until the night before operation and resumed as soon as possible postoperatively. The anesthesiologist should be familiar with the actions of levodopa to assure a smooth perioperative course. In more than 40 anesthetic procedures major difficulties were encountered in only one case, in which severe rigidity and pulmonary edema occurred after administration of droperidol and fentanyl.
Auditory processing in individuals with mild aphasia: A study of resource allocation

This study examined the effects of lesion location (frontal vs. posterior) and nature of distraction (nonverbal vs. verbal secondary, competing task) on mildly aphasic individuals' performances of listening tasks that required semantic judgments and lexical decisions under isolation, focused attention, and divided attention conditions. Despite comparable accuracy among all groups during isolation conditions, the aphasic groups responded less accurately and more slowly than the normal control group during focused and divided attention conditions. Generally, the two aphasic groups performed similarly, quantitatively and qualitatively. Demographic characteristics such as time post stroke did not correlate with performance decrements. Independent of group, all individuals showed greater disruption of auditory processing skills when the secondary task was verbal rather than nonverbal. Within a limited-capacity model of attention, the results suggest that aphasic individuals display impairments of attention and resource allocation and that these impairments negatively interact with their auditory processing abilities.
Physical performance evaluation of older cancer patients: a preliminary study.

Abstract Performance status measures can provide clinical incite into understanding patients who are at risk for falls. Purpose This preliminary, prospective study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Timed Up & Go instrument and the Simmonds Performance Test Battery in older cancer patients with falls as the outcome measure. Methods The Timed Up & Go instrument, fall assessment and the Simmonds Performance Test Battery were administered. Results Age range was 68–83 years. Participants ( n =20) who reported Falls Within a Year were 65% ( n =13), 79% ( n =15) reported Falls Within Three Months , and 60% ( n =12) reported Falls Since Cancer Diagnosis . The questions of Falls Within One Year and Falls Within Three Months had equal area under the curve at .85. Conclusion The sensitivity and specificity of the fall assessment questions of Falls Within One Year and Falls Within Three Months were found to be equal when using the Timed Up & Go as an outcome measure. The Timed Up & Go instrument was found to have more robust sensitivity and specificity levels as compared to the Simmonds performance status battery.
‘No Meat for the Teeth of my Viennese’: Don Giovanni and the Theatre of Its Time

After the triumph of its premiere in Prague in November 1787, Don Giovanni enjoyed little immediate success in the theatres of central Europe. It was received with indifference in Vienna, with unease, even outright hostility elsewhere. Mozart's music on its own aroused almost universal admiration, but as a dramatic medium it unsettled audiences. This was best expressed by a correspondent for the Chronik von Berlin, who saw the first performance at the Berlin National Theatre in December 1790. In his review he granted readily that ‘Mozart is an excellent, a great composer’ but in Don Giovanni he felt that greatness to have been betrayed.
Kinetics of chromium transformations in the environment

Kinetics of chromium transformations under typical environmental conditions were systematically investigated using batch, microcosm and column experiments. Oxidation and reduction rates were evaluated in single phase water systems and in two phase water-solid systems. Natural and reference waters, sediments and soils representing a broad range of characteristics were used. Some of the investigated reactions, such as the reduction of Cr(VI) by S2− or Fe2+ ions under anaerobic conditions, were instantaneous and the experimental results exactly followed the stoichiometric and equilibrium calculations. Other reactions, such as the reduction of Cr(VI) by organics in sediments and soils, or the oxidation of Cr(III) by MnO2, were much slower and clearly exhibited kinetic controls. Reduction of Cr(VI) by organics was dependent on both the type and amount of organic material. Dissolved oxygen by itself did not induce measurable oxidation of Cr(III), spiked to the experimental waters, after 128 days. Slow Cr(III) oxidation to Cr(VI) was only noted in one of the natural waters and sediments with half-lives ranging from 2 to 9 years. In all cases the extent of Cr(III) oxidation did not exceed 15% of the initial Cr(III) present. The overall results indicate that the transport and transformation of chromium can be predicted using kinetics data derived from a simplified laboratory experiment, the Eh-pH data and the aquatic system characteristics. Results of the microcosm and laboratory experiments were in good agreement with the predicted concentrations.
Modulation of lipolytic activity in isolated canine cardiac sarcolemma by isoproterenol and propranolol.

Abstract Cardiac sarcolemmal preparations isolated from dog were tested for membrane-associated phospholipase A and lipoprotein lipase activities. The sarcolemma hydrolyzed 1-acyl 2 14 C-linoleoyl 3-glycero-phosphorylethanolamine at pH 7.0 to form predominantly 14 C-lyso PE with 5 mM EDTA and 14 C-free fatty acid with 5 mM Ca 2+ suggesting the presence of both phospholipases A 1 and A 2 and/or lysophospholipase activities in these preparations. Sarcolemmal PLA activity was stimulated 300% by 10 −5 to 10 −6 M d1-isoproterenol; this stimulation was blocked by 10 −4 M d1-propranolol. Lipoprotein lipase activity associated with the sarcolemmal fraction was enhanced 10-fold by 10 −5 M d1-isoproterenol; stimulation was blocked by d1-propranolol. Thus, the activities of membrane-bound lipolytic enzymes appear to be modulated by β-adrenergic agents in canine cardiac sarcolemma and could affect lipid dependent enzymes and/or membrane permeability.
Gene Mapping by Chromosome Microdissection and Microisolation in the Chicken

Abstract A chromosome microdissection and microisolation technique in combination with filter hybridization was developed for chromosomal localization of cloned chicken genes. The DNA was obtained from microdissected chromosome regions of metaphase spreads. Dissected DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The chicken MHC gene located on the nucleolar chromosome and β-actin gene located on chromosome 2q were chosen as tests for the procedure and then detected by dot blot analysis using amplified chromosomal DNA probed with biotinylated DNA. The study establishes the technique of using chromosome microdissection and microisolation for localization of cloned genes as a complementary or alternative approach to both in situ DNA/chromosome hybridization and fluorescent in situ hybridization.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Electroluminescence Properties of Poly(fluorenevinylene benzobisthiazoles)

A series of vinylene-linked copolymers based on electron-deficient benzobisthiazole and electron-rich fluorene moieties were synthesized via Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons polymerization. Three different polymers P1, P2, and P3, were prepared bearing octyl, 3,7-dimethyloctyl, and 2-(2-ethoxy)ethoxyethyl side chains, respectively. The polymers all possessed moderate molecular weights, good solubility in aprotic organic solvents, and high fluorescence quantum efficiencies in dilute solutions. P2, which bore branched 3,7-dimethyloctyl side chains, exhibited better solubility than the other polymers, but also exhibited the lowest thermal decomposition temperature of all polymers. Overall, the impact of the side chains on the polymers optical properties in solution was negligible as all three polymers gave similar absorption and emission spectra in both solution and film. Guest-host light-emitting diodes using dilute blends of the polymers in a poly(N-vinylcarbazole) host gave blue-green emission with P2 exhibiting the highest luminous efficiency, 0.61 Cd/A at ~500 nm. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Diiron-cluster intermediates in biological oxygen activation reactions

Abstract The activation of molecular oxygen is a fundamental process that is important in metabolic reactions in biological systems. In addition to the well-studied role of hemoproteins in participating in oxygen activation, there is increasing evidence that dinuclear iron centers in proteins also function in this role. Recent work on the interaction of the dinuclear iron centers found in ribonucleotide reductase and in methane monooxygenase with molecular oxygen is reviewed. Available spectroscopic data on reaction intermediates trapped by the rapid freeze quench kinetic technique allow insights into their structures and on the oxidation level of each Fe ion in the complex. These data suggest the initial intermediate formed on reaction of the diferrous center with oxygen is the formation of a diferric peroxo complex which undergoes further internal electron reorganization to form a diferryl-oxo complex termed intermediate Q. It is suggested that these intermediates are formed as initial steps in both methane monooxygenase and in ribonucleotide reductase activation of molecular oxygen. Further reaction steps of Q in each enzyme are distinguished by the source of the subsequent reducing equivalent. In the case of methane monooxygenase, the hydrocarbon substrate is the source of the required reducing equivalent to form a mixed valent ferryl/ferric complex which is proposed to donate a hydroxyl group to the hydrocarbon radical with resulting formation of a diferric ‘resting’ state and product. An external electron source supplies the single electron to the difrrryl center in ribonucleotide reductase to form a mixed valent complex that is capable of oxidizing a proximal tyrosyl residue (122) to its stable radical form with formation of the ‘resting’ diferric form of the enzyme. This ‘unified’ scheme for the activation of molecular oxygen by dinuclear iron centers in these two enzymes may have applicability to other enzymes containing these centers.
Molecular detection of the causative agent of white-nose syndrome on rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) and two species of migratory bats in the southeastern USA

Abstract Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), is responsible for widespread mortality of hibernating bats across eastern North America. To document P. destructans exposure and infections on bats active during winter in the southeastern US, we collected epidermal swabs from bats captured during winters 2012–13 and 2013–14 in mist nets set outside of hibernacula in Tennessee. Epidermal swab samples were collected from eight Rafinesque's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), six eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), and three silver-hair bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans). Using real-time PCR methods, we identified DNA sequences of P. destructans from skin swabs of two Rafinesque's big-eared bats, two eastern red bats, and one silver-haired bat. This is the first detection of the WNS fungus on Rafinesque's big-eared bats and eastern red bats and the second record of the presence of the fungus on silver-haired bats.
Therapeutic and diagnostic challenges for frontotemporal dementia

In the search for therapeutic modifiers, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has traditionally been overshadowed by other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A clinically and pathologically diverse condition, FTD has been galvanized by a number of recent discoveries such as novel genetic variants in familial and sporadic forms of disease and the identification of TAR DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) as the defining constituent of inclusions in more than half of cases. In combination with an ever-expanding knowledge of the function and dysfunction of tau—a protein which is pathologically aggregated in the majority of the remaining cases—there exists a greater understanding of FTD than ever before. These advances may indicate potential approaches for the development of hypothetical therapeutics, but FTD remains highly complex and the roles of tau and TDP-43 in neurodegeneration are still wholly unclear. Here the challenges facing potential therapeutic strategies are discussed, which include sufficiently accurate disease diagnosis and sophisticated technology to deliver effective therapies.
Effect of Ethanol Rinse, Lactobacillus fermentum Inoculation, and Modified Atmosphere on Ground Chicken Meat Quality

ABSTRACT Ground chicken breast meat was prepared using combinations of the following treatments: ethanol rinse before grinding, inoculation with Lactobacillus fermentum after grinding, and modified atmosphere packaging in either 90% O2 and 10% CO2 or 90% N2 and 10% CO2. Control treatments included water rinse and noninoculation with L. fermentum. Packaged meat was refrigerated and sampled for various shelf-life quality indices on d 0, 3, and 6. The inoculation with L. fermentum had little or no effect on ground meat shelf life. The ethanol-rinsed meat had lower off-odor scores and lower microbial growth compared to nonethanol rinsed meat. The high-N2 atmosphere maintained meat color better than the high-O2 packaging, but there was no effect on microbial growth. The combination of ethanol rinsing and high-N2 packaging extended ground chicken quality compared with meat rinsed in water and packaged in high O2.
Humoral lectins in the scorpion Vaejovis confuscius: a serological characterization.

Abstract Serum of the scorpion Vaejovis confuscius (Vaejovidae) exhibited agglutinating activity when tested with a variety of untreated and enzyme-treated vertebrate erythrocytes. Bird and reptile erythrocytes were no longer agglutinated by V. confuscius as well as Centruroides sculpturatus (Buthidae) and Limulus polyphemus sera after treatment with neuraminidase. Crossed absorption experiments revealed the presence of multiple lectins in V. confuscius serum and this was confirmed by hemagglutination-inhibition experiments. Sialic acids, their derivatives, and sialoconjugates were the best inhibitors for both V. confuscius and C. sculpturatus lectins although other N-acylamino compounds (N-acetyl- d -galactosamine, N-acetyl- d -glucosamine, and N-acetylmuramic acid) also inhibited. C. sculpturatus exhibited an additional lectin fraction specific for galactans. These specificities for substances widely distributed in procaryotic cells might give clues about the biological role of chelicerate lectins.
Royal rituals and cultural change

H. L. Seneviratne. Rituals of the Kandyan State. Cambridge Studies in Social Anthropology, 22. New York and London: Cambridge University Press, 1978. xi + 190 pp. Maps, figures, table, notes, references cited, and index. $19.95.