cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular basis for functional connectivity between the voltage sensor and the selectivity filter gate in Shaker K+ channels

In Shaker K+ channels, the S4-S5 linker couples the voltage sensor (VSD) and pore domain (PD). Another coupling mechanism is revealed using two W434F-containing channels: L361R:W434F and L366H:W434F. In L361R:W434F, W434F affects the L361R VSD seen as a shallower Q-V curve that crosses the G-V. In L366H:W434F, L366H relieves the W434F effect converting a non-conductive channel in a conductive one. We report a chain of residues connecting the VSD (S4) to the selectivity filter (SF) in the PD of an adjacent subunit as the molecular basis for voltage-sensor selectivity filter gate (VS-SF) coupling. Single alanine substitutions in this region (L409A, S411A, S412A or F433A) are enough to disrupt the VS-SF coupling, shown by the absence of Q-V and G-V crossing in L361R:W434F mutant and by the lack of ionic conduction in the L366H:W434F mutant. This residue chain defines a new coupling between the VSD and the PD in voltage-gated channels.
Exploring the factors affecting travel behaviors during the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

The COVID-19 outbreak significantly disrupted urban mobility across the world and affected people’s travel behaviors. This paper aims to explore the relationship between socio-demographic and health factors and changes in travel behavior during the second phase of this outbreak. We proposed two measures to assess these changes: (i) whether an individual reduced the number of trips to stores during the second phase of the pandemic and (ii) whether an individual reduced the number of trips by public transport during this period. Two binary logit models were estimated based on survey data from the United States Census Bureau. The results indicate that all variables, including age, gender, educational status, marital status, work loss, difficulty with expenses, household size, work type, income, health status, and anxiousness were significantly associated with changes in travel behavior.
Abstract 611: Colibactin mutation signatures are associated with a distinct colorectal cancer clinicopathologic phenotype

PURPOSE: Alterations in the gut microbiome contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. The genotoxin colibactin, produced by pks+ E. coli, directly binds to DNA, leaving genetic scars at A-T rich motifs that can be identified by whole genome/exome sequencing (WGS/WES) as hexanucleotide mutation signatures SBS28 and SBS41. Here, we investigated whether MSK-IMPACT, a clinical targeted exon capture assay with lower genomic coverage (341-468 cancer associated exons), could be used to identify colibactin mutation signatures (CMS) and provide insight into associated clinicopathologic phenotypes. METHODS: From an institutional pan-cancer cohort of 36,158 tumors assayed using MSK-IMPACT, we identified 11,864 samples (1,386 CRC) with at least 20 mutations and applied TempoSig, an algorithm which uses maximum likelihood-based extraction of mutational signature proportions. Tumors with at least 10% of all mutations attributed to SBS28/41 were deemed CMS+. Due to the association of POLE mutations and microsatellite instability with distinct phenotypes, we excluded these cases from our analysis. RESULTS: Consistent with prior reports based on WGS/WES, our MSK-IMPACT TempoSig pipeline identified CMS positivity in multiple cancers, notably gastrointestinal (GI) and head and neck cancers. Ampullary tumors (25%) and GI neuroendocrine tumors (8%) had the highest SBS28 and SBS41 positivity respectively. Among microsatellite stable CRCs, we identified 52 patients with at least one sample positive for SBS28 (N=25) or SBS41 (N=27). Compared with CMS negative tumors, SBS28+ but not SBS41+ tumors had higher chromosomal instability as quantified by fraction of the genome altered by copy number alterations (SBS28+: 33.4% vs. SBS28-: 22.3%, P CONCLUSIONS: TempoSig enables rigorous identification of colibactin mutation signatures in clinically utilized MSK-IMPACT targeted exon datasets. SBS28+ CRCs are clinically distinct and associated with early onset, poor prognosis and DDR pathway alterations. In ongoing studies, we are investigating the therapeutic implications of these findings. Citation Format: Melissa A. Lumish, Anisha Luthra, Simran Asawa, Francesco Cambuli, Mark Donoghue, Hyung Jun Woo, Andrea Cercek, Rona Yaeger, Jinru Shia, Francisco Sanchez-Vega, Karuna Ganesh. Colibactin mutation signatures are associated with a distinct colorectal cancer clinicopathologic phenotype [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 611.
Chirped-pulsed Kerr solitons in the Lugiato-Lefever equation with spectral filtering

Optical Kerr resonators support a variety of stable nonlinear phenomena in a simple and compact design. The generation of ultrashort pulses and frequency combs has been shown to benefit several applications, including spectroscopy and telecommunications. The most common anomalous dispersion Kerr resonators can be accurately described by a well-studied mean-field Lugiato-Lefever equation (LLE). Recently observed highly chirped pulses in normal dispersion resonators with a spectral filter, however, cannot. Here, we examine the LLE in the normal dispersion regime modified with a Gaussian spectral filter (LLE-F). In addition to solutions associated with the LLE, we find stable highly chirped pulses. Solutions are strongly dependent on the filter bandwidth. Because of the large changes per round trip, the validity of the LLE-F fails over a large range of experimentally relevant parameters. While the mean-field approach leads to accurate predictions with respect to the nonlinearity coefficient and the dispersion, the dependence of drive power on loss deviates significantly from an experimentally accurate model, which leads to opportunities for Kerr resonators including frequency comb generation from low-Q-factor cavities.
Analyzing a phenological anomaly in Yucca of the southwestern United States

Yucca in the American desert Southwest typically flowers in early spring, but a well-documented anomalous bloom event occurred during an unusually cold and wet late fall and early winter 2018-2019. We used community science photographs to generate flowering presence and absence data. We fit phenoclimatic models to determine which climate variables are explanatory for normal flowering, and then we tested if the same conditions that drive normal blooming also drove the anomalous blooming event. Flowering for Yucca brevifolia (Joshua tree) and Yucca schidigera (Mojave yucca) is driven by complex, nonlinear interactions between daylength, temperature, and precipitation. To our surprise, early-season flowering odds are highest in colder and drier conditions, especially for Joshua trees, but increase with precipitation late-season. However, the models used to fit normal blooming overpredicted the number of anomalous blooms compared to what was actually observed. Thus, predicting anomalous flowering events remains a challenge for quantitative phenological models. Because our model overpredicted the number of anomalous blooms, there are likely other factors, such as biotic interactions or other seasonal factors, which may be especially important in controlling what is presumed to be rare, out-of-season flowering in desert-adapted Yucca.
MODAL ANALYSIS OF AIRPHOTO LINEARS, CENTRAL IDAHO

Approximately 3,000 airphoto linears from an 8,300 km2 area of central Idaho are plotted, classified for azimuthal orientation, counted for frequency, and measured for length. Dominant linear orientations, weighted for length, are compared to equivalent central tendency measures for joints, dikes, and foliation. Variations in linear density are also compared to differing lithologies. Statistical analysis reveals the following: (1) the dominant lineation mode is statistically independent of the dominant foliation mode; (2) no statistically significant difference exists between the dominant lineation mode and the average directional mode of dikes; (3) no statistically significant difference exists between the dominant lineation mode and the average directional mode of joints; (4) linear frequency is statistically independent of lithology. Visual comparison of raised relief maps with the isopleth map of directionally dominant linears reveals a pronounced correspondence between those areas exhibiting strong s...
Neural Placode Tissue Derived From Myelomeningocele Repair Serves as a Viable Source of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells.

Background The presence, characteristics, and potential clinical relevance of neural progenitor populations within the neural placodes of myelomeningocele patients remain to be studied. Neural stem cells are known to reside adjacent to ependyma-lined surfaces along the central nervous system axis. Objective Given such neuroanatomic correlation and regenerative capacity in fetal development, we assessed myelomeningocele-derived neural placode tissue as a potentially novel source of neural stem and progenitor cells. Methods Nonfunctional neural placode tissue was harvested from infants during the surgical repair of myelomeningocele and subsequently further analyzed by in vitro studies, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. To assess lineage potential, neural placode-derived neurospheres were subjected to differential media conditions. Through assessment of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) and CD15 cell marker expression, Sox2+Olig2+ putative oligodendrocyte progenitor cells were successfully isolated. Results PDGFRαCD15 cell populations demonstrated the highest rate of self-renewal capacity and multipotency of cell progeny. Immunofluorescence of neural placode-derived neurospheres demonstrated preferential expression of the oligodendrocyte progenitor marker, CNPase, whereas differentiation to neurons and astrocytes was also noted, albeit to a limited degree. Conclusion Neural placode tissue contains multipotent progenitors that are preferentially biased toward oligodendrocyte progenitor cell differentiation and presents a novel source of such cells for use in the treatment of a variety of pediatric and adult neurological disease, including spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and metabolic leukoencephalopathies.
Incomplete Acquisition in Bilingualism: Re-examining the Age Factor

Age effects have played a particularly prominent role in some theoretical perspectives on second language acquisition. This book takes an entirely new perspective on this issue by re-examining these theories in light of the existence of apparently similar non-native outcomes in adult heritage speakers who, unlike adult second language learners, acquired two or more languages in childhood. Despite having been exposed to their family language early in life, many of these speakers never fully acquire, or later lose, aspects of their first language sometime in childhood. The book examines the structural characteristics of "incomplete" grammatical states and highlights how age of acquisition is related to the type of linguistic knowledge and behavior that emerges in L1 and L2 acquisition under different environmental circumstances. By underscoring age of acquisition as a unifying factor in the study of L2 acquisition and L1 attrition, it is claimed that just as there are age effects in L2 acquisition, there are also age effects, or even perhaps a critical period, in L1 attrition. The book covers adult L2 acquisition, attrition in adults and in children, and includes a comparison of adult heritage language speakers and second language learners.
Improving Outcomes for Late Preterm Infants and Their Mothers

Brenda Baker, PhD, RNC, CNS, is a perinatal clinical nurse specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. I n 2005 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a workshop of experts to address issues surrounding outcomes of near-term infants, and participants addressed definition and terminology, epidemiology, etiology, biology of maturation, clinical care, and public health issues (Raju, Higgins, Stark, & Leveno, 2006). The expert panel recommended discontinuation of the use of the term near-term infant and the adoption of the term late preterm infant (LPI) for infants born between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks gestation. The committee’s consensus indicated that near-term was misleading and conveyed an impression that these infants were “almost term,” which resulted in underestimation of risk to this rapidly growing population (Raju et al., 2006).
Design and use of constitutively active STAT5 constructs.

Abstract The transcription factor S ignal T randucer and A ctivator of T ranscription 5 (STAT5) plays an important role in numerous biological processes including, but not limited to, (i) homeostasis of hematopoietic stem cells, (ii) development of essentially all blood cell lineages, (iii) growth hormone effects, (iv) differentiation of mammary epithelium, and (v) central nervous system control of metabolism. Two key tools for deciphering STAT5 biology have involved the use of mice in which the Stat5a and Stat5b genes can be conditionally deleted ( Stat5 FL / FL mice) and the development of systems in which STAT5a or STAT5b is rendered constitutively active. In this chapter, the distinct mechanisms that have been developed to render STAT5 constitutively active and their use in probing biological processes are discussed.
Endogenous Repair Signaling after Brain Injury and Complementary Bioengineering Approaches to Enhance Neural Regeneration

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 5.3 million Americans annually. Despite the many long-term deficits associated with TBI, there currently are no clinically available therapies that directly address the underlying pathologies contributing to these deficits. Preclinical studies have investigated various therapeutic approaches for TBI: two such approaches are stem cell transplantation and delivery of bioactive factors to mitigate the biochemical insult affiliated with TBI. However, success with either of these approaches has been limited largely due to the complexity of the injury microenvironment. As such, this review outlines the many factors of the injury microenvironment that mediate endogenous neural regeneration after TBI and the corresponding bioengineering approaches that harness these inherent signaling mechanisms to further amplify regenerative efforts.
Appearance of Muramic Lactam During Cortex Synthesis in Sporulating Cultures of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus megaterium

Evidence is presented for the appearance of muramic lactam during the late stages of sporulation at about the same time dipicolinic acid synthesis occurs.
Do active cerebral neurons really use lactate rather than glucose

Glucose has long been considered the substrate for neuronal energy metabolism in the brain. Recently, an alternative explanation of energy metabolism in the active brain, the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle hypothesis, has received attention. It suggests that during neural activity energy needs in glia are met by anaerobic glycolysis, whereas neuronal metabolism is fueled by lactate released from glia. In this article, we critically examine the evidence supporting this hypothesis and explain, from the perspective of enzyme kinetics and substrate availability, why neurons probably use ambient glucose, and not glial-derived lactate, as the major substrate during activity.
Research on Consumer Protection Issues: The Perspective of the “Human Sciences”

This article gives an overview of consumer protection issues and the body of scholarly research in the human sciences that addresses these issues. A consumer rights approach is adopted for defining consumer protection issues, and the various articles in this journal issue are briefly described in the context of this approach. Next, overviews are presented of consumer protection issues in the consumer movement, and of consumer protection research relating to consumer behavior and to the societal contexts in which this behavior occurs. Finally, a typology of consumer protection research areas is proposed, based on the human effects of consumer policy initiatives.
Minimizing the overlap problem in protein NMR

Motivation: Recent advances in cell-free protein expression systems allow specific labeling of proteins with amino acids containing stable isotopes (15N, 13 C and 2H), an important feature for protein structure determination by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Given this labeling ability, we present a mathematical optimization framework for designing a set of protein isotopomers, or labeling schedules, to reduce the congestion in the NMR spectra. The labeling schedules, which are derived by the optimization of a cost function, are tailored to a specific protein and NMR experiment. Results: For 2D 15N-1H HSQC experiments, we can produce an exact solution using a dynamic programming algorithm in under 2 h on a standard desktop machine. Applying the method to a standard benchmark protein, calmodulin, we are able to reduce the number of overlaps in the 500 MHz HSQC spectrum from 10 to 1 using four samples with a true cost function, and 10 to 4 if the cost function is derived from statistical estimates. On a set of 448 curated proteins from the BMRB database, we are able to reduce the relative percent congestion by 84.9% in their HSQC spectra using only four samples. Our method can be applied in a high-throughput manner on a proteomic scale using the server we developed. On a 100-node cluster, optimal schedules can be computed for every protein coded for in the human genome in less than a month. Availability: A server for creating labeling schedules for 15N-1H HSQC experiments as well as results for each of the individual 448 proteins used in the test set is available at http://nmr.proteomics.ics.uci.edu. Contact: pfbaldi@ics.uci.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Effect of Energy on the Performance of Broiler Chicks Fed Various Levels of Monensin

A total of 768 female broiler chicks in two experiments was fed diets containing 0, 100, or 120 mg monensin/kg of diet with and without added animal fat, in a 2 X 3 factorial design. Chicks were grown in electrically heated battery brooders and supplied feed and water ad libitum for 21 days. Animal fat fed at 6.8% of the diet consistently improved body weight, daily feed intake, and feed conversion regardless of monensin level. Monensin at 100 and 120 mg/kg of diet, in general, decreased these performance criteria progressively. Daily monensin intake was related to the concentration of monensin in the diet. Intake per unit of body weight was increased by reducing fat or increasing monensin.
N-Methylated copoly(imide amide)s containing hexafluoroisopropylidene

Abstract A synthetic method was developed to produce N,N′ -dimethylated diamines which were then used to prepare poly(imide amide)s. Thus, N,N′ -dimethyl-4,4′-bis(4-aminophenoxy)biphenyl and N,N′ -dimethyl-2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane were condensed at 0°C in dimethylacetamide with 2,2-bis[ N -(4-chlorocarboxyphenyl)phthalimidyl]hexafluoropropane. The yields were 76–92%, viscosities 0.28–2.26 dl g −1 , water absorptions 0.16–0.37 wt% and thermal stabilities around 460°C by thermogravimetric analysis. The addition of the methyl group caused lower molecular weights but superior thermal stability (isothermally) and decreased colour.
The filters for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer - Calibration and lifetesting results

The results of the transmission calibrations of the seven sets of flight integration filters for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite are presented. The Berkely EUV Calibration Facility was used to determine absolute transmissions over six orders of magnitue at 28 wavelengths. A lifetesting program designed to monitor changes in the transmission and mechanical properties of the EUVE filters over the lifetime of the mission is described.
An electropolymerized membrane for a glucose sensor

A thin, strongly adherent polymer membrane was electrochemically formed on the surface of a Pt electrode. Its purpose was to protect the electrode from macromolecular and middle molecular weight substances that may interfere with glucose sensing. A cyclic voltammetric scanning program, which maintained the sensitivity and stability of the electrode, was used to evaluate the glucose response of the covered electrode. Although small molecules from serum were able to diffuse across the membrane and increase the background current in the voltammogram, the linear response of the glucose signal was not affected. >
Modeling trichloroethene reduction in a hydrogen-based biofilm.

We constructed a multispecies biofilm model for simultaneous reduction of trichloroethene (TCE) and nitrate (NO 3 − ) in the biofilm of a H 2 -based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). The one-dimensional model includes dual-substrate Monod kinetics for a steady-state biofilm with multiple solid and dissolved components. The model has five solid components: autotrophic denitrifying bacteria (ADB), heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria (HDB), Dehalococcoides (DHC), inert biomass (IB), and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The model has eight dissolved components: NO 3 − , TCE, dichloroethene (DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), ethene, hydrogen (H 2 ), substrate-utilization-associated products (UAP), and biomass-associated products (BAP). We used this model to simulate a bench-scale experiment in a H 2 -based MBfR. The model simulated the trends well: almost complete removal of nitrate, incomplete reduction of TCE, and almost no accumulation of DCE and VC. To gain insight into reductive dehalogenation in a H 2 -based MBfR, we also simulated the concentrations of nitrate, TCE, DCE, VC, and ethene in the reactor effluent while varying the influent nitrate concentration. Simultaneous low concentrations of nitrate and the three chlorinated ethenes can occur as long as the influent ratio of NO 3 − to TCE is not too large, so that DHC are a significant fraction of the biofilm.
A Test of Media Literacy Effects and Sexual Objectification in Advertising

Abstract Building on past research, a media literacy video demonstrating how women are sexually objectified in the media was found to have significant effects on cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral responses to ads containing objectifying images of women. As expected, females had uniformly negative responses to the ads after watching the video compared to women who did not watch the video. Contrary to previous research, however, the treatment had no effect on males' perceptions. In other words, men were no more likely to identify sexualized ads involving women, and the intervention had no influence on men's feelings toward those portrayals (Aad), the ad's sponsor (Ab), or purchase intention. Overall, the findings support a media literacy effect and a gender effect that should be considered by advertising executives and in any media literacy component pertaining to sexualized images of women in advertising.
Role of olivine cumulates in destabilizing the flanks of Hawaiian volcanoes

The south flank of Kilauea Volcano is unstable and has the structure of a huge landslide; it is one of at least 17 enormous catastrophic landslides shed from the Hawaiian Islands. Mechanisms previously proposed for movement of the south flank invoke slip of the volcanic pile over seafloor sediments. Slip on a low friction decollement alone cannot explain why the thickest and widest sector of the flank moves more rapidly than the rest, or why this section contains a 300 km3 aseismic volume above the seismically defined decollement. It is proposed that this aseismic volume, adjacent to the caldera in the direction of flank slip, consists of olivine cumulates that creep outward, pushing the south flank seawards. Average primary Kilauea tholeiitic magma contains about 16.5 wt.% MgO compared with an average 10 wt.% MgO for erupted subaerial and submarine basalts. This difference requires fractionation of 17 wt.% (14 vol.%) olivine phenocrysts that accumulate near the base of the magma reservoir where they form cumulates. Submarine-erupted Kilauea lavas contain abundant deformed olivine xenocrysts derived from these cumulates. Deformed dunite formed during the tholeiitic shield stage is also erupted as xenoliths in subsequent alkalic lavas. The deformation structures in olivine xenocrysts suggest that the cumulus olivine was densely packed, probably with as little as 5–10 vol.% intercumulus liquid, before entrainment of the xenocrysts. The olivine cumulates were at magmatic temperatures (>1100°C) when the xenocrysts were entrained. Olivine at 1100°C has a rheology similar to ice, and the olivine cumulates should flow down and away from the summit of the volcano. Flow of the olivine cumulates places constant pressure on the unbuttressed seaward flank, leading to an extensional region that localizes deep intrusions behind the flank; these intrusions add to the seaward push. This mechanism ties the source of gravitational instability to the caldera complex and deep rift systems and, therefore, limits catastrophic sector failure of Hawaiian volcanoes to their active growth phase, when the core of olivine cumulates is still hot enough to flow.
An OGCM simulation of seasonal and interannual variabilities in the surface–layer pacific of the equatorial band

The heat budget is analyzed in the surface–layer (0–50 m) Pacific of the equatorial band (10°S–10°N), using the simulation of an ocean general circulation model from 1945 to 1993. The analysis indicates that downward net surface heat flux from the atmosphere and ocean advective heat fluxes play distinct roles in seasonal and interannual variabilities of surface–layer ocean temperature. The surface heat flux dominantly determines the ocean temperature in the seasonal time–scale. But, it has a negative feedback to the ocean temperature in the interannual time–scale. The interannual variability of ocean temperature is largely associated with the cold advection from off-equatorial divergent flow in the central Pacific and from upwelling in the cold tongue. Both the surface heat flux and ocean advective heat fluxes are important to the ocean temperature during an El Nino event. The ocean advective heat fluxes are further associated with local westward trade wind in the central Pacific. These results are largely consistent with some regional observational analyses.
Drug partitioning and release characteristics of tricyclic antidepressant drugs using a series of related hydrophilic‐hydrophobic copolymers

A series of crosslinked polymer networks formed from hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) and a hydrophobic polysiloxane (PGPMDMS) were studied with respect to the partitioning and release of five tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) at pH 7.4. The TCAs, chemical analogues of one another, have both nonpolar and ionic characteristics at pH 7.4, but differ considerably in hydrophobicity. In PEO-PGPMDMS copolymer networks, the partition coefficient of protriptyline (the TCA studied most extensively) was observed to be higher than in networks of PEO or PGPMDMS singly. This finding, which may represent adsorption of the amphiphilic drug at interfacial sites between hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases within the copolymeric network, shows that in some cases, higher drug loadings of amphiphilic drugs can be obtained with a hydrophilic-hydrophobic copolymer compared with a material made of only one polymer. As the PEO content in PEO-PGPMDMS networks was increased from 20 to 100%, the release rate of protriptyline increased by >1000-fold. Thus, a key variable in achieving a desired release rate is the PEO content of the copolymer. On the other hand, release rates of the five TCAs from PEO-PGPMDMS networks containing 50% PEO varied by a factor of <3. Thus, minimal effect on drug release rates was obtained by using a different TCA analogue.
Caffeine pretreatment: Enhancement and attenuation of d-amphetamine-induced activity

Caffeine pretreatment was studied for its effects on d-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. Caffeine (30 mg/kg) was given either simultaneously with or at one of several intervals (0.5, 1.5, 4.5, 12, and 13.5 hours) before d-amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg). Enhancement of d-amphetamine activity occurred with simultaneous and 30 min caffeine pretreatment. However, when given 12 or 13.5 hours before d-amphetamine, caffeine diminished the activity, measured in stabilimeter cages. Several doses of caffeine (7.5, 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg) were given in multiple treatments ending 12 hours before d-amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg) to determine the effective doses for attenuation of d-amphetamine-induced activity. Only 30 and 60 mg caffeine doses reduced d-amphetamine activity while also interfering with body weight gain.
Modernization and Sex Roles: The Status of Women in the Thai Bureaucracy

Modernization is conceptualized as a change in socially sanctioned roles. This study investigates the repatterning of sex and occupational roles in the modernizing bureaucracy of Thailand. Although Thai women have traditionally participated actively in family and economic life, such freedom and equality with males has not been carried over into modern occupations. Female Thai civil servants have lower positions and are paid less than their male counterparts with comparable preparation and accomplishments; and the females make greater sacrifices in family roles. Yet women express greater satisfaction with their civil service jobs than men. Explanations for these findings are suggested.
Small dams need better management

Many small dams around the world are poorly maintained and represent a safety hazard, according to Pisaniello et al. Better oversight of small dams is needed, the authors argue. The researchers reviewed literature, conducted case studies in four states in Australia, and developed policy benchmarks and best practices for small-dam management. Small dams, often just several meters high and typically privately owned by individual farmers, have historically caused major damage when they fail. For instance, in China in 1975, 230,000 people died when two large dams failed because of the cumulative failure of 60 smaller upstream dams. In the United States, in 1977 the 8-meter-high Kelly Barnes Lake dam failed, killing 39 people. Many other small-dam failures around the world have resulted in casualties and severe ecological and economic damage.
Novel image registration quality evaluator (RQE) with an implementation for automated patient positioning in cranial radiation therapy

In external beam radiation therapy, digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) and portal images are used to verify patient setup based either on a visual comparison or, less frequently, with automated registration algorithms. A registration algorithm can be trapped in local optima due to irregularity of patient anatomy, image noise and artifacts, and/or out-of-plane shifts, resulting in an incorrect solution. Thus, human observation, which is subjective, is still required to check the registration result. We propose to use a novel image registration quality evaluator (RQE) to automatically identify misregistrations as part of an algorithm-based decision-making process for verification of patient positioning. A RQE, based on an adaptive pattern classifier, is generated from a pair of reference and target images to determine the acceptability of a registration solution given an optimization process. Here we applied our RQE to patient positioning for cranial radiation therapy. We constructed two RQEs-one for the evaluation of intramodal registrations (i.e., portal-portal); the other for intermodal registrations (i.e., portal-DRR). Mutual information, because of its high discriminatory ability compared with other measures (i.e., correlation coefficient and partitioned intensity uniformity), was chosen as the test function for both RQEs. We adopted 1 mm translation and 1 degree rotation as the maximal acceptable registration errors, reflecting desirable clinical setup tolerances for cranial radiation therapy. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the RQE, including computations of sensitivity and specificity. The RQEs showed very good performance for both intramodal and intermodal registrations using simulated and phantom data. The sensitivity and the specificity were 0.973 and 0.936, respectively, for the intramodal RQE using phantom data. Whereas the sensitivity and the specificity were 0.961 and 0.758, respectively, for the intermodal RQE using phantom data. Phantom experiments also indicated our RQEs detected out-of-plane deviations exceeding 2.5 mm and 2.50. A preliminary retrospective clinical study of the RQE on cranial portal imaging also yielded good sensitivity > or = 0.857) and specificity (> or = 0.987). Clinical implementation of a RQE could potentially reduce the involvement of the human observer for routine patient positioning verification, while increasing setup accuracy and reducing setup verification time.
Extended x-ray absorption fine structure Debye-Waller factors. I. Monatomic crystals

Debye-Waller factors in the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) are related to the mean-square fluctuations in interatomic distances, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{R}^{2}$. Monte Carlo calculations of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{R}^{2}$ based on lattice-dynamical models are presented for crystalline Cu, Fe, and Pt. The results are compared with correlated Einstein and Debye models, with experimental data and with the mean-square vibrational amplitudes ${{u}_{\stackrel{^}{q}}}^{2}$ which enter the Debye-Waller factor in x-ray diffraction.
A preliminary open study of the tolerability and effectiveness of nefazodone in major depressive disorder: Comparing patients who recently discontinued an ssri with those on no recent antidepressant treatment

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the recent discontinuation of an SSRI may confound the tolerability of the initiation of nefazodone treatment. We sought to determine whether recent discontinuation of an SSRI interferes with effectiveness and/or tolerability of nefazodone. Twenty-six depressed subjects, 21–63 years old, were recruited at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Thirteen subjects (50%) had discontinued an SSRI within 1–4 weeks due to ineffectiveness and/or side effects. Thirteen subjects (50%) had not taken antidepressants for the previous 6 months. Subjects were administered open nefazodone 50 mg p.o. b.i.d., and doses were increased as tolerated to a maximum of 600 mg/day. Subjects were followed for 12 weeks and were assessed for response and side effects using HAM-D-6 and clinical interviews. Both groups improved significantly on nefazodone; however, there was no statistically significant difference in response (≥50% decrease in HAM-D-6) rates between completers with prior SSRI treatment (80%) and completers without recent exposure to antidepressants (67%). Response rates based on intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis were 31% for both groups. Association between prior SSRI treatment and discontinuation of nefazodone due to side effects or non-response was not statistically significant. Our study suggests that the rate of negative outcomes with nefazodone is no different whether patients have recently failed an SSRI. Depression and Anxiety 19:43–50, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SU(2) topological susceptibility at finite temperature

Abstract A calculation is reported on the topological susceptibility 〈Q 2 〉 V at finite temperature in SU(2) lattice gauge theory. Only a weak suppression is found above the deconfinement temperature T c . The effects of topological fluctuations with scale size of order that of the lattice spacing are discussed.
Reversible Tricuspid Stenosis: Demonstration with Two-dimensional Echocardiography and Continuous-Wave Doppler

We report a case of pseudotricuspid stenosis as a result of extrinsic compression of the tricuspid valve by a large right-sided pericardial effusion. Two-dimensional echocardiography and continuous-wave Doppler enabled accurate noninvasive diagnosis and hemodynamic assessment. (Chest 1991; 100:852-53)
EUS diagnosis of cystic lesions of the pancreas.

Background. Cystic tumors of the pancreas are composed of benign, premalignant, malignant, and inflammatory lesions that are traditionally difficult to diagnose. Most of the tumors are initially detected on CT/US scanning, but often the morphological characteristics are insufficient for making a definitive diagnosis. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) may be an ideal tool for imaging of these lesions because it can provide highly detailed imaging without interference by bowel or air. Furthermore, EUS can direct fine needle aspiration of the lesions, providing cyst fluid for cytologic examination. The findings of cyst fluid cytology can be complemented by the use of cyst fluid tumor makers such as CEA. Using the morphologic appearance by endosonography, the results of cytology, and tumor marker analysis, EUS can often differentiate between benign, malignant, and inflammatory cystic lesions of the pancreas.
Locating question difficulty through explorations in question space

Three different search effectiveness measures were used to classify 50 question narratives as easy or hard. Each measure was then encoded onto a spatial representation of interquestion similarity. Discriminant analysis based on the resulting map was able to predict question difficulty with approximately 80% accuracy, robust across multiple measures. Implications for the design of digital document collections are discussed.
Basis functions for arbitrary cells in multiple-scattering theory.

We present a formal and numerical study of the solutions of the Schroedinger equation associated with spatially bounded, but otherwise arbitrarily shaped potentials. We show that the scattering matrix ([ital t] matrix), is sufficient to represent the solution everywhere outside the cell, not just outside a sphere bounding the cell. We also show that the basis function in the interior of the cell is independent of the potential surrounding the cell. We illustrate our formal results with the results of numerical calculations and discuss the implications of these results to multiple-scattering theory and to the calculation of the electronic structure of solids.
The Declining Phase of Lactation: Peripheral or Central, Programmed or Pathological?

In most species the functional activity of the mammary gland during lactation follows a biphasic developmental pattern. This pattern starts with a rapid increase in milk output that occurs with secretory activation and continues with a more gradual increase until the point of peak lactation is reached. Following this gain-of-function phase, the ability of the gland to produce milk decreases. This decrease occurs even if the lactation is prolonged by the presence of continued suckling stimulus and complete milk removal. This review describes the current state of our knowledge concerning the factors that regulate milk synthesis capacity by the mammary gland during the lactation cycle. The review describes four potential alternatives as mechanisms governing the process, which we refer to as secretory diminution. These alternatives are not presented as mutually exclusive of each other or other possible mechanisms, but are proposed as potential contributing mechanisms.
Is the A-ring of sparteine essential for high enantioselectivity in the asymmetric lithiation-substitution of N-Boc-pyrrolidine?

The simplest chiral portion of sparteine, N,N'-dimethyl-2-endo-methylbispidine, was prepared and evaluated in the asymmetric lithiation-substitution of N-Boc-pyrrolidine. The results indicate that the complete A-ring of sparteine is essential for high levels of asymmetric induction. DFT-QSSR analyses of the diamine/Li + complexes and DFT calculations of the pertinent i-PrLi/diamine/N-Boc-pyrrolidine complexes are predictive and provide complementary pictures of the stereochemical features critical to this transformation.
The Fragility of the Moment: Politics and Class in the Aftermath of the 1944 Argentine Earthquake

In less than a minute on a summer evening in 1944, an earthquake reduced the city of San Juan to rubble, leaving ten thousand dead and half the province homeless The worst natural disaster in Argentine history, the tragedy was an in dictment of the old political order and a spur for the new order to come : Here the recently-installed military regime had its first chance to deliver on promises of social justice, as the little-known secretary of labor, Colonel Juan Domingo Peron, directed a massive relief campaign and commissioned ambitious plans for rebuilding The social project to build a new citizenship was launched together with the spatial project to build a new city Withm a few years, the broad success of Peron's social project would cre ate the most powerful labor movement in Latin America Peron himself, and the party he founded, would come to dominate the Argentine political stage for decades afterward Yet the spatial project for transforming San Juan would stall and then break apart, as rebuilding turned from a symbol of national renewal into a messy provincial worry The disaster and relief campaign became a foun dational myth for Peronism-an "earthquake that shook history," for a recent biographer, because it was through the relief campaign that Peron met Evita even as the failure of reconstruction was consigned to political (and scholarly) oblivion 2 Disasters such as this one are crucial moments for revealing and also for transforming political and social relationships Insurrections by a "nature" that had seemed subdued, they unsettle, disrupt, and potentially overthrow appar ently natural structures of social power Because the existing arrangements of power are so often justified as "natural," the unexpected reshaping of the "nat ural" can call many of those arrangements into question Such theaters of "out rage and blame" test the authority of states and technical elites they can serve to challenge or undo that authority, but also to justify or reaffirm it 3 But the apparent naturalness of disasters can also allow them to be later ig nored, written off as arbitrary matters beyond human control Thus are disas ters re-naturalized, rendering invisible the lives they destroyed, the structures of power and vulnerability they revealed, and the struggles to secure justice and position they sparked It is precisely the intensity of the struggles they produce that leads disasters to be forgotten as those struggles are resolved or displaced By reducing these broad societal conflicts to minor anecdotes, scholars have played a key role in this process of re-naturalization, in failing to grasp the im portance of disasters
6 Pay and Performance: Individuals, Groups, and Executives

AbstractIn this chapter, we address three pay for performance (PFP) questions. First, what are the conceptual mechanisms by which PFP influences performance? Second, what programs do organizations use to implement PFP and what is the empirical evidence on their effectiveness? Third, what perils and pitfalls arise on the way from PFP theory to its execution in organizations? We address these questions in general terms, but also highlight unique issues that arise in PFP for teams and for executives. We highlight the fact that research and practice in the area of PFP requires one to deal with a number of trade‐offs. For example, strengthening PFP links can generate powerful motivation effects, but sometimes these are in unintended and unanticipated directions, resulting in undesirable effects. In addition, there are also trade‐offs in deciding the degree of emphasis to give to individual versus team performance and to results versus behaviors in PFP plans. What all this means is that, as in other areas of ma...
Effects of dexamethasone on selective lymphocyte subpopulations in hypercortisolemic patients with anorexia nervosa and with bulimia nervosa: Preliminary report

The studies reported here describe the effects of intravenous (IV) administration of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) on certain neuroendocrine and immunological measures in hypercortisolemic patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and with bulimia nervosa (BN). The results demonstrate that failure to suppress cortisol levels after DEX administration in patients with AN is associated with failure to reduce the level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the ratio of CD4-to-CD8 lymphocytes, the percent and number of circulating CD4 lymphocytes, and the percent and number of virgin CD4 cells (CD4+CD45RA+)
Interfacial membrane docking of cytosolic phospholipase A2 C2 domain using electrostatic potential-modulated spin relaxation magnetic resonance

The C2 domain of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (C2cPLA2) plays an important role in calcium-dependent transfer of the protein from the cytosol to internal cellular membranes as a prelude for arachidonate release from membrane phospholipids. By using a recently developed electron paramagnetic resonance approach together with 13 site-specifically nitroxide spin labeled C2cPLA2s and membrane-permeant and -impermeant spin relaxants, we have determined the orientation of C2cPLA2 with respect to the surface of vesicles of the phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphomethanol. The structure reveals that the two calcium-binding regions on C2cPLA2 that display hydrophobic residues, CBR1 and CBR3, are partially inserted into the core of the membrane. CBR2 that contains predominantly hydrophilic residues is close to the membrane but not inserted. The long axis of the cylindrical C2cPLA2 molecule is tilted with respect to the bilayer normal, which brings a cluster of basic protein residues close to the phospholipid headgroups. Such an orientation places the two bound calcium ions close to the membrane surface. All together, the results provide structural support for previous proposals that binding of C2cPLA2 to the membrane interface is driven in part by insertion of hydrophobic surface loops into the membrane core. The results are contrasted with previous studies of the interfacial binding of the first C2 domain of synaptotagmin I, which has shorter surface loops that display basic residues for electrostatic interaction with the bilayer surface.
Identification of Formyl Kynurenine Formamidase and Kynurenine Aminotransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae Using Crystallographic, Bioinformatic and Biochemical Evidence

The essential enzymatic cofactor NAD+ can be synthesized in many eukaryotes, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammals, using tryptophan as a starting material. Metabolites along the pathway or on branches have important biological functions. For example, kynurenic acid can act as an NMDA antagonist, thereby functioning as a neuroprotectant in a wide range of pathological states. N-Formyl kynurenine formamidase (FKF) catalyzes the second step of the NAD+ biosynthetic pathway by hydrolyzing N-formyl kynurenine to produce kynurenine and formate. The S. cerevisiae FKF had been reported to be a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme encoded by BNA3. We used combined crystallographic, bioinformatic and biochemical methods to demonstrate that Bna3p is not an FKF but rather is most likely the yeast kynurenine aminotransferase, which converts kynurenine to kynurenic acid. Additionally, we identify YDR428C, a yeast ORF coding for an alpha/beta hydrolase with no previously assigned function, as the FKF. We predicted its function based on our interpretation of prior structural genomics results and on its sequence homology to known FKFs. Biochemical, bioinformatics, genetic and in vivo metabolite data derived from LC-MS demonstrate that YDR428C, which we have designated BNA7, is the yeast FKF.