cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Well Can Modern Density Functionals Predict Internuclear Distances at Transition States

We introduce a new database called TSG48 containing 48 transition state geometrical data (in particular, internuclear distances in transition state structures) for 16 main group reactions. The 16 reactions are the 12 reactions in the previously published DBH24 database (which includes hydrogen transfer reactions, heavy-atom transfer reactions, nucleophilic substitution reactions, and association reactions plus one unimolecular isomerization) plus four H-transfer reactions in which a hydrogen atom is abstracted by the methyl or hydroperoxyl radical from the two different positions in methanol. The data in TSG48 include data for four reactions that have previously been treated at a very high level in the literature. These data are used to test and validate methods that are affordable for the entire test suite, and the most accurate of these methods is found to be the multilevel BMC-CCSD method. The data that constitute the TSG48 database are therefore taken to consist of these very high level calculations f...
Deficient DNA binding of an apurinic/apyrimidinic DNA endonuclease activity from xeroderma pigmentosum cells

A chromatin-associated apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) DNA endonuclease activity, pI 9.8, from both normal human and xeroderma pigmentosum, complementation group A (XPA), lymphoblastoid cells was examined for its ability to bind AP DNA using a filter binding assay. The endonuclease activity from normal cells produced significantly greater binding to AP DNA than to untreated DNA, but this increase in binding was not observed when the XPA endonuclease was incubated with AP DNA versus untreated DNA. These results indicate that the XPA AP endonuclease activity is deficient in its ability to bind to AP DNA.
Thermal cycle annealing and its application to arsenic-ion implanted HgCdTe

Arsenic ion-implantation is a standard device processing step to create selective area p+-HgCdTe (MCT) regions in planar devices. One of the issues associated with the ion-implantation process is the significant structural damage to the MCT epilayer. These structural defects limit the performance of diodes via significant tunneling reverse-bias dark currents. After ion-implantation, a high temperature annealing step is required to activate the implant (arsenic) by moving it into the tellurium sublattice and also to heal the lattice damage caused by the implantation process. In this study, we have used thermal cycle annealing (TCA) to decrease ion implantation damage. In TCA, we rapidly heat and cool an MCT sample, which provides an additional degree of freedom that is not obtainable with conventional annealing. We have successfully performed TCA for dislocation defect reduction in in-situ indium-doped MCT with limited inter-diffusion between the absorber layer and cadmium rich cap layer. We also investigated the application of TCA to arsenic ion-implanted MCT. Defects were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after subjecting the samples to Benson etching to decorate the defects. Mercury-deficient and tellurium-saturated overpressure anneals were performed in an attempt to increase mercury vacancy concentrations and, thereby, increase dislocation climb. Such anneals significantly increased the etch pit density (EPD) in both ion-implanted and un-implanted MCT. By cycle annealing, we have also shown EPD reduction in arsenic ion-implanted, long bar shaped MCT mesas formed on CdTe/Si substrates.
Do sexual offenders with learning disabilities benefit from sex offender treatment programmes

Accessible summary • This article is about sex offender treatment programmes in prison. • It compares the experience of sex offenders with and without a learning disability through the experience of a man who has been called Sam. • It is much harder for an offender with learning disability to finish the programme. • Different types of learning disability need different approaches. • It will be much harder for an offender with learning disabilities to be released from prison because of changes in sentencing. Summary This article discusses some of the clinical and practical issues in relation to sex offender treatment in prisons and compares, through the experience of one offender who has been called Sam, how the experiences may differ between offenders with and without learning disabilities. It gives a brief overview of how programmes have developed in prisons and describes differences between the Sex Offender Treatment Programme and the Adapted Programme. It highlights how offenders with learning disabilities are severely disadvantaged by the programmes and how current sentencing practice will discriminate against this group in terms of not being able to demonstrate reduction of risk, resulting in offenders with learning disability remaining in prison for ever extending periods.
Measurement of plasma protein and lipoprotein binding of pyrethroids.

Abstract Introduction A simple, reliable procedure was developed to measure binding of pyrethroid insecticides to total proteins and lipoproteins of rat and human plasma. Methods The extent of binding of 14C-labeled deltamethrin (DLM), cis-permethrin (CIS) and trans-permethrin (TRANS) was quantified by a 3-step organic solvent extraction technique. Rat and human plasma samples, containing NaF to inhibit esterases, were spiked with a range of concentrations of each radiolabeled pyrethroid. Protein binding reached equilibrium within ~ 1 h of incubation at 37 °C. The samples were extracted in turn with: isooctane to collect the unbound fraction; 2-octanol to extract the lipoprotein-bound fraction; and acetonitrile to obtain the protein-bound fraction. Results Absolute recoveries of DLM, CIS and TRANS ranged from 86 to 95%. Adherence of these very lipophilic chemicals to glass and plastic was minimized by using silanized glass vials and LoBind® plastic pipettes. The method's ability to distinguish lipoprotein from protein binding was confirmed by experiments with diazepam and cyclosporine, drugs that bind selectively to albumin and lipoproteins, respectively. Discussion This procedure was effectively utilized for studies of the species-dependence of plasma protein and lipoprotein binding of three pyrethroids for inclusion in physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models of pyrethroids for use in health risk assessments of the insecticides in children and adults.
Orbit trim maneuver design and implementation for the 1975 Mars Viking Mission

The Viking Mission included the insertion of two unmanned spacecraft into orbit about Mars and the deployment of a soft-lander from each. A description is presented of the adaptive design and implementation of the spacecraft propulsive maneuvers as these flights progressed, taking into account also the inflight results for the orbital phase of the primary Viking mission. The design process included the selection of target parameters and the minimization of both propellant usage and the effects of execution errors, while complying with mission and operational constraints. All maneuvers performed to trim the spacecraft orbits are considered. Attention is given to navigation requirements, geometry definitions and terminology, maneuver mechanization and constraints, and maneuver capability.
Metabolism of vitamin D2 in pig liver homogenates: evidence for a free radical reaction.

In vitro hydroxylation of vitamin D2 at carbon-24 (C-24) was demonstrated with pig liver homogenate. The putative 24-hydroxyvitamin D2 (24-OHD2) comigrated with standard 24-OHD2 on a Zorbax Sil column developed in hexane/isopropanol (982). Rechromatography in methylene chloride/methanol (99.80.2) resolved the putative 24-OHD2 into two components. The identity of these compounds was determined to be 24(R)-OHD2 and 24(S)-OHD2 (epimers) by low resolution mass spectroscopy and proton NMR spectroscopy. The fact that epimers of 24-OHD2 were produced from vitamin D2 in the absence of pig liver homogenate in vitro was strong evidence for the participation of free radicals in the reaction. Further support for free radical involvement was provided by the following observations: (a) hydroxyl free radical scavengers such as α-tocopherol, catalase, and ethanol reduced the amount of 24-OHD2 produced by 18–64%; (b) use of autoclaved homogenate in the incubation mixture had little or no effect on the amount of 24-OHD2 produced; and (c) the failure of the enzyme-substrate saturation curve to level off as expected with high levels of vitamin D2 (100–2000 μg = 50–1009 μm). Maximum production of 24-OHD2 was obtained at pH 4.75 and represented a sevenfold increase relative to the amount produced at pH 7.4. The omission of citrate or the addition of electron transport inhibitors, cyanide or antimycin, had little or no effect on the reaction. These data suggested that C-24 hydroxylation of vitamin D2in vitro was a free radical-mediated process not involving the electron transport system. In vitro hydroxylation at C-24 appeared to be driven by free radicals, and the dominance of this reaction made it difficult to determine whether there was an enzyme involved in the reaction.
Modeling of sandwich structures

Much of the work done on active and passive constrained layer beams is done with models using kinematic assumptions proposed by Kerwin, Mead and Markus, and others. Typically these analyses use low-order Euler-Bernoulli beams and assume the base and constraining layers undergo identical transverse displacements. These assumptions are reasonable for cases where the middle layer (normally a relatively soft viscoelastic material) is thin and the constraining layer is relatively weak in bending, but many practical cases arise where these assumptions are violated. A few authors over the years have done studies with less restrictive kinematic assumptions, but none have specifically studied the effects of doing so in the context of passive or active damping design. The field of composite structures is rich with techniques for analyzing sandwich structures with and without simplifying assumptions, and it is on this body of work that this paper is based. The percentage of modal strain energy in the viscoelastic core is used as the primary measure of the accuracy of different sets of assumptions. Elasticity solutions are available for selected sets of assumptions and boundary conditions, and these solutions provide a basis for some of the preliminary studies. A zig-zag method is used to construct a piecewise continuous displacement field (C 1 continuity) that satisfies the appropriate stress continuity between layers in a consistent manner. Finite element analysis provides a versatile way to simulate complicated combinations of boundary conditions, degree of coverage, and kinematic assumptions.
Descending inputs to the caudal cochlear nucleus of the cat: Degeneration and autoradiographic studies

Descending paths from the inferior colliculus (IC) and dorsal (DNLL) and ventral (VNLL) nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and their terminations in the caudal cochlear nucleus in cats were studied both in silver degeneration material following central lesions and in autoradiographs following central injections of tritiated leucine (3H-leu). Eight adult cats received electrolytic lesions of the IC, the IC and DNLL, or the IC, DNLL and VNLL. Control cats were subjected either to surgery alone or to a lesion in a non-auditory nucleus. After survival periods of 1 to 16 days, all cats were killed and their brain stems prepared by modified Nauta methods. Twenty-two other cats received injections of 3H-leu into the dorsal IC, the ventral IC and DNLL, or the DNLL and VNLL. Their brains were prepared for LM autoradiography. After lesions of the IC, Nauta material contained moderate degeneration of fine fibers that coursed predominantly in the lateral lemniscus, and partially decussated in the caudal trapezoid body to enter the cochlear nuclei of both sides. Sparse, mainly peridendritic degeneration of fine fibers occurred in the PVCN, while moderate, peridendritic and perisomatic degeneration occurred in the deep and innermost fusiform cell layers of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). Lesions of both the ventral IC and the DNLL showed additional bilateral degeneration of medium-caliber axons in the descending tracts as well as preterminal degeneration of these larger axons sparsely distributed in the deep layers of the DCN. The density of medium-caliber axonal degeneration (particularly in the deep DCN) increased when lesions also included the VNLL. After 3H-leu injections into the tectum and/or upper pons, autoradiographs confirmed the presence of sparse bilateral inputs from both the IC and from the DNLL and VNLL to ventral cochlear nucleus neurons, including some octopus cell dendrites. The autoradiographic studies also clearly revealed a predominant input to the outer layer of the DCN from the dorsal IC, a predominant input to the middle layer from the ventral IC, and a predominant input to the deeper DCN from the lateral lemniscal nuclei. Limited evidence of a topographic, perhaps tonotopic, order within the descending connections was best seen in Nauta material. The differences shown here in fiber types, trajectories, and target sites from the IC, the DNLL, and the VNLL are discussed in terms of possible functional differences among the descending influences on neurons of the caudal cochlear nucleus.
The research values of policy analysts

While there is growing consensus that conventional notions of the scientific method do not exhaust the methodological needs of policy analysis (at least applied analysis), there is less agreement as to what an improved method would entail. As a result, policy analysts must choose among often competing notions of what constitutes valid policy inquiry. Data from a content analysis of six policy journal articles together with responses from a survey of authors are used to determine what choices are made and whether these matter. Two sets of research norms are discovered within the policy studies community’one which mirrors traditional social science values and another which reflects recent attempts to adjust that methodology to meet the information needs of policy actors. Equally important, values tend, albeit slightly, to condition the character (e.g., degree of rigor or focus) of policy research.
The hydrogen collision model of metastability after 5 years: experimental tests and theoretical extensions

This paper examines the hydrogen collision model of metastability in hydrogenated amorphous silicon nearly 5 years after its publication. A brief restatement of key model features and assumptions is followed by a review of recent, related, experimental and theoretical studies. Experimental tests and discoveries support several predictions and requirements of the model, including observation of (1) H pairing in the metastability final state, (2) a new timescale in defect creation, (3) an extremely high diffusion rate of mobile H and (4) room-temperature light-induced H motion. However, an experiment in a-SiGe:H casts doubt on the assumption of quasi-equilibration between the mobile H and dangling bonds. Theorists and modelers devised microscopic proposals for paired H in the metastability final state, but no entirely successful picture has emerged.
Usefulness of vectorcardiography combined with His bundle recordings and cardiac pacing in evaluation of the preexcitation (Wolff-Parkinson-White) syndrome.

Abstract Vectorcardiograms (Frank system) were recorded simultaneously with His bundle electrograms during atrial stimulation in 3 patients with intermittent preexcitation Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. In 2 cases with classic WPW, type A, loops were obtained during (1) exclusive conduction through the normal pathway, (2) coexisting accessory bundle and normal pathway conduction, and (3) exclusive accessory pathway conduction. Combination beats (resulting from ventricular depolarization through both pathways) showed an initial delay associated with anteriorly placed QRS loops and maximal vectors. When exclusive accessory bundle conduction occurred, a rightward and anteriorly oriented terminal delay was added to the initial slowing. This terminal delay was not ascribed to right bundle branch block but to the specific pattern of activation of an impulse apparently propagating from the posterosuperior wall of the left ventricle. In fact, these vectorcardiograms were similar to those recorded from patients with ectopic impulses originating at the posterosuperior left ventricular wall. When exclusive conduction through the normal pathway was associated with right bundle branch block, the prolonged St-V interval coexisted with a loop showing only terminal conduction disturbances. The loops seen during exclusive accessory bundle conduction in the patient with WPW, type B, had a leftward, posterior and superior orientation. The spatial delay was diffuse, although more marked toward the end of depolarization. This terminal (leftward) conduction defect was not attributed to right bundle branch block. The sequence of ventricular activation (as recorded at the body surface) was similar to that occurring during right ventricular apical pacing. Resemblance between vectorcardiograms showing exclusive accessory bundle conduction and those produced by direct stimulation of specific ventricular sites suggests, but certainly does not prove, that the electrical impulse is propagated from equivalent sites.
Oral histories in meteoritics and planetary science: VIII. Friedrich Begemann

— In this interview, taped in 2001 during The Meteoritical Society meeting in Rome, Friedrich Begemann recalls that after he earned his doctorate in physics under the direction of Professor Friedrich G. Houtermans, first in Gottingen and then in Bern, Switzerland, he began his career as what he calls a low-level gas counting man, specializing in tritium (3H). In 1954 he accepted an invitation from Professor Willard F. Libby to run his gas-counting laboratory at the University of Chicago. Begemann spent 3 years there during which he traced the distribution in the world's atmosphere and waters of tritium from two sources, natural cosmic radiation and the detonation of the first thermonuclear device. During his time at Chicago he was drawn into Harold C. Urey's group of scientists studying meteorites. Begemann found that he could measure tritium in meteorites, and by coupling his values with those of 3He, he and his collaborators initiated a new branch of meteoritics by determining the first cosmic-ray exposure age of a meteorite—Norton County, which fell in 1947. In 1957, Begemann joined the group led by Friedrich A. Paneth at the Max-Planck-Institut fur Chemie at Mainz, Germany, where he continued his studies of gas isotopes for the remainder of his career. His research led to the discovery of primitive noble gases in the diamond—graphite aggregates in ureilites, where their presence in presumably deep-seated igneous rocks still remains to be explained. With the advent of the Apollo missions, Begemann extended his studies to the lunar rocks and soils in an effort to learn as much as possible about the interaction of solids with the space environment. He also became heavily involved in measuring the s-process isotope abundance patterns of medium-heavy chemical elements as they occur in interstellar grains. In 1995 at the meeting in Washington, D.C., The Meteoritical Society presented Friedrich Begemann with the Leonard Medal for his contributions to our understanding of the radiation encountered by bodies as they orbit through space.
The Incidence of Metastasis of Malignant Tumors to the Adrenals

The frequency with which adrenal metastases from malignant tumors are observed is striking, in view of the relative infrequency of secondary neoplastic deposits in many larger organs receiving a similar arterial blood supply. This great susceptibility of the adrenals to secondary tumor growth is not generally emphasized in the literature, though in some statistical studies figures are found indicating the predilection of certain tumors for metastasis to these organs. Willis (4) in his monograph on metastatic tumors gives the following figures: In 323 autopsies on patients dying of malignant neoplasms, blood-borne secondary growths were present in the adrenals in 27 (8.3 per cent). Of these, 7 came from carcinomas of the breast, 3 from the lung, 3 from the colon, 2 from the thyroid, and 12 from miscellaneous sources. Willis found the incidence of metastatic growth in the adrenals to be greatest from carcinomas of the lung (20–30 per cent) and from malignant melanoblastomas. Warren and Witham (11) found the adrenals involved in 50 out of 162 cases of malignant tumors of the breast. In their series only the lungs, liver, and bone were more frequently the site of organic metastases. Clark and Rowntree (10) report a series of 25,000 consecutive autopsies done at the Philadelphia General Hospital, in only 2 per cent of which were the adrenals examined histologically. They list 202 neoplasms of the adrenal, benign and malignant, of which 42 were metastatic–16 from the gastrointestinal tract, 8 from the breast, 4 from melanomas, 3 from lung carcinomas, and 3 from epidermoid carcinomas. Ewing quotes Offergeld as finding the adrenals involved in 0.85 per cent of metastasizing carcinomas of the uterus, following the liver, lungs, and kidney. Arkin and Wagner (1) found the adrenals to be involved more frequently than any other organ by metastases of pulmonary carcinoma (43 per cent), but Fried (6) lists the adrenals as following the liver, brain, and lungs as the site of metastases from lung carcinomas. Warren (13) reported the adrenals involved in only 0.2 per cent of malignant neoplasms of the stomach and in 8 of 156 cases of carcinoma of the large bowel, following the liver and lung in incidence of metastases (12). Price (3), reviewing 158 cases of squamous-cell carcinoma, found metastases in 19, with adrenal involvement in only one. Mintz and Smith (2) in 100 cases of carcinoma of the prostate found a single case of adrenal metastasis.
Investigating potential substrates to maximize out-of-plane deflection of piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuators

The work summarized here explores the application of various substrate materials to macro-fiber composites for the purpose of generating curvature. This research experimentally determines the free strain of the macro-fiber composite through its full range of actuation and then examines the resulting deflections when bonded to various substrates. In addition, loads are applied to the resulting unimorph while in a cantilever configuration and the deflections recorded. These results are used to validate finite element models, which are used to explore further design possibilities, including a bimorph configuration. The goal of this work is to determine the substrates that maximize curvature in both unloaded and loaded configurations. The results show that using thin and high modulus substrates results in the largest deflection under loading.
The Effect of Screening on Entropy Production in Pattern Formation

Information theory is used to study the effects of screening on the rate of entropy production during pattern formation. Screening is an effect where the outermost parts of a growing fractal pattern influence the growth probability at interior sites. The results demonstrate that a state of maximum entropy production does exist for dynamical systems which generate patterns based on simple screening rules alone. This state corresponds to a critical point where the pattern exhibits self-similarity and fractal properties typical of random aggregates. Scaling occurs because the screening transmits information from the smallest to the largest scales of the system.
Reason before passion: faculty views on internationalization in higher education

In this era of globalization, internationalization—both as an idea and an agenda—is receiving widespread attention at academic institutions across North America. Although faculty are necessarily key participants in initiatives to internationalize academia, surprisingly little work has been published that addresses the roles, responsibilities, and problems faced by the faculty on an operational level. This article has been written to provide administrators with some insight into faculty perspectives on the goals, strategies, and processes of internationalization. The authors present a case study of internationalization processes currently underway in the School of Architecture and Allied Arts at the University of Oregon. They discuss a faculty-driven approach that focused on mapping internationalization, addressing barriers to internationalization, and improving structures and systems to enhance internationalization. An in-depth critical analysis of the case leads to recommendations and a framework for navigating diverse tensions and responsibilities implicit in an internationalization imperative.
Structure of the apo anti-influenza CH65 Fab.

Influenza viruses remain a persistent challenge to human health owing to their inherent ability to evade the immune response by antigenic drift. However, the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against divergent viruses has sparked renewed interest in a universal influenza vaccine and novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, a crystal structure at 1.70 A resolution is presented of the Fab of the human antibody CH65, which has broad neutralizing activity against a range of seasonal H1 isolates. Previous studies proposed that affinity maturation of this antibody lineage pre-organizes the complementarity-determining region (CDR) loops into an energetically favorable HA-bound conformation. Indeed, from the structural comparisons of free and HA-bound CH65 presented here, the CDR loops, and in particular the heavy-chain CDR3, adopt the same conformations in the free and bound forms. Thus, these findings support the notion that affinity maturation of the CH65 lineage favorably preconfigures the CDR loops for high-affinity binding to influenza hemagglutinin.
Biasing power law exponents by magnitude estimation instructions

Different sets of magnitude estimation instructions, were given to different subjects in order to see if this could account for the reported variation of the exponent in Stevens’ power law. Subiects who were asked to give as an estimate of pulse rate (Experiment I) or loudness (Experiment II) the number 50 when it was 1/2 of the standard and 150 when it was 1 1/2 times the standard yielded exponents which were reliably smaller than those obtained when subjects were asked to respond with 25 when it was 1/4 of the standard and 750 when it was 7 1/2 times the standard. For the condition generating the larger exponent in each experiment, a power law relationship fits the data better than Fechner’s law. Both experiments were exactly replicated for comparison, with the same results obtained as mentioned above. The frequently observed variability of the exponent may be a consequence of bias introduced by numerical examples as part of the instructions in a magnitude estimation task.
An overview of mechanical circulatory support in children.

Objective:For children with severe heart failure in whom medical management has failed, mechanical circulatory support in the form of either extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ventricular assist device represents life-sustaining therapy. This review provides an overview of these two modalities,
The simplex (differentiated) variant of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia.

Background. The simplex (differentiated) variant of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia is rarely reported. It is regarded as more likely than “classic” carcinoma in situ to be associated with invasion and can be easily mistaken for benign lesions. Objective. The objective was to present a case of simplex variant of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia in a 67-year-old woman that was initially misdiagnosed as lichen simplex chronicus. Methods. A case report is reported and the literature is reviewed. Results. Surgical excision with a free margin of 5 mm was performed and no evidence of recurrence was noted during the follow-up period of 6 months. Conclusion. The simplex vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia is an easily overlooked premalignant disease, and it can be cured with surgical treatment if diagnosed correctly and early.
REDUCTION IN DRUNK DRIVING AS A RESPONSE TO INCREASED THREATS OF SHAME, EMBARRASSMENT, AND LEGAL SANCTIONS

In a recent paper we proposed a strategy for incorporating threats of shame and embarrassment, along with the threat of legal sanctions, into a rational choice perspective on illegal behavior. In this paper we use that approach in an attempt to account for a reduction in self-reported drunk driving observed in a community between identical surveys conducted in 1982 and 1990. The interval between the two surveys was a period of intense legislative activity and moral crusading at the national and local levels. Our analysis indicates that the reduction in self-reported drunk driving in the community is primarily attributable to an increase in the threat of shame for this offense.
Latent inhibition of the conditioning context: Further evidence of contextual potentiation of retrieval in the absence of appreciable context-US associations

Previous research in our laboratory has found superior performance when classically conditioned responses are observed in the training context as opposed to outside it, even when direct context-US associations have been minimized by either the choice of conditioning parameters or extinction to the context. The present experiment used latent inhibition of the conditioning context as an alternative method of examining contextual cue effects in the absence of appreciable direct context-US associations. Water-deprived rats received tone-footshock pairings in one of two distinctly different apparatuses, but all were tested in a common apparatus. Animals conditioned in the test enclosure displayed more lick suppression than those conditioned outside the test enclosure. Other animals tested without the tone present also exhibited more suppression if conditioning had occurred in the test context rather than outside it, indicating that direct associations between the conditioning context and shock had been formed. However, when formation of direct associations to the conditioning context was attenuated in additional animals through extensive preexposure to the context prior to conditioning, more suppression to the tone was still seen when conditioning had occurred in the test context rather than outside it. These results add support to the position that the training context augments recall even when direct associations between the context and the US are attenuated. The phenomenon is discussed in terms of facilitated retrieval of nominal CS-US associations, configural retrieval cues, and conditional discriminations.
Perceptions of a White Female in an Interracial Marriage

This article presents a case study of the perceptions of a White female married to an African American male.
A novel bacteriophage-encoded RNA polymerase binding protein inhibits transcription initiation and abolishes transcription termination by host RNA polymerase.

Xp10 is a lytic bacteriophage of Xanthomonas oryzae, a Gram-negative bacterium that causes rice blight. We purified an Xp10 protein, p7, that binds to and inhibits X. oryzae RNA polymerase (RNAP). P7 is a novel 73 amino acid-long protein; it does not bind to and hence does not affect transcription by Escherichia coli RNAP. Analysis of E. coli/X. oryzae RNAP hybrids locates the p7 binding site to the largest X. oryzae RNAP subunit, beta'. Binding of p7 to X. oryzae RNAP holoenzyme prevents large conformational change that places the sigma subunit region 4 into the correct position for interaction with the -35 promoter element. As a result, open promoter complex formation on the -10/-35 class promoters is inhibited. Inhibition of promoter complex formation on the extended -10 class promoters is less efficient. The p7 protein also abolishes factor-independent transcription termination by X. oryzae RNAP by preventing the release of nascent RNA at terminators. Further physiological and mechanistic studies of this novel transcription factor should provide additional insights into its biological role and the processes of promoter recognition and transcription termination.
The moderating role of social support on the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk.

Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. There has been considerable research into risk factors for suicide, such as impulsivity, but considerably less research on protective factors. Aims: The present study examines the role that social support plays in the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk. Methods: Participants were 169 undergraduates who completed self-report measures of impulsivity and social support. Suicide risk was assessed using an interview measure. Results: Social support moderates the relationship between impulsivity and suicide risk, such that those who are highly impulsive are less likely to be at risk for suicide if they also have high levels of social support. Conclusions: Social support can be a useful buffer to suicide risk for at-risk individuals who are highly impulsive.
Relapse in sexual behavior among homosexual men: a 2-year follow-up from the Chicago MACS/CCS.

Serial biannual cross-sectional assessments of HIV sexual risk indicated a consistent increase in safer sexual practices among homosexual men participating in the Chicago-Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Coping and Change Study (CCS) in 1986–1988. Safer sexual practices were achieved by avoidanc
Disability, stigma and deviance

An important contribution social science research makes to understanding the experiences of disabled individuals in the U.S. is to illuminate the influence of stigma and deviance on those experiences. Because perceptions of negative difference (deviance) and their evocation of adverse responses (stigma) have been and continue to be widespread, it is these with which alternate perceptions and responses vie in the construction of disability's symbolic and practical meanings. While some research demonstrates a regrettable imposition of stigma/deviance into the lives and minds of disabled people, some of it shows disabled people resisting stigma/deviance imputations; and some of it suggests that such imputations are losing force as new ways of thinking about the meaning of disability gain sway.
Requirements patterns for embedded systems

In software engineering, design patterns propose solution skeletons for common design problems. The solution skeleton is described in such a way that the design can be used for other projects, where each application tailors the design to specific project constraints. This paper describes research into investigating how a similar approach to reuse can be applied to requirements specifications, which we term requirements patterns. Specifically, the paper explores how object-oriented modeling notations, such as the Unified Modeling Language (UML), can be used to represent common requirements patterns. Structural and behavioral information are captured as part of a requirements pattern. In order to maximise reuse, we focus on requirements patterns for embedded systems. This paper also describes case studies that illustrate how we have applied these general patterns to multiple embedded systems applications from the automotive industry.
Paleoceanographic Change During the Middle Miocene Climate Revolution: An Antarctic Stable Isotope Perspective

Ocean circulation and atmospheric pCO 2 variations have been cited as potential mechanisms driving middle Miocene cooling and Antarctic cryosphere expansion. Well-dated high latitude (∼55°S) benthic foraminifer stable isotope records from the South Tasman Rise (STR; ODP Sites 1170 and 1171) exhibit familiar patterns of long and short term middle Miocene climate change and inferred carbon cycle dynamics. STR records illustrate the major middle Miocene δ 18 O increase (1.2‰) between 14.01 and 13.77 Ma. STR δ 18 O and δ 13 C records covary between 16.5 and 13.5 Ma. Integrated STR and southwest Pacific (0-55°S) stable isotope time series and time slice data indicate regional ocean circulation changes (>1500 m) commensurate with the middle Miocene global climate transition (16.8-12 Ma). STR stable isotopes and southwest Pacific meridional δ 13 C gradients suggest that Warm Saline Deep Water from the Tethys Sea dominated regional bottom waters (>1500 m) between 16.8 and 16.2 Ma, during the peak of the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO), and exerted intermittent influence on the STR (∼55°S) until the end of the MCO (∼13.8 Ma). A shift from low to high latitude sourced intermediate and deep waters occurred at ∼16.2 Ma. Southern Ocean derived Southern Component Water influenced the STR (>1500 m) beginning at 16.2 Ma and dominated the southwest Pacific (1500-2100 m; 0-55°S) from 14.9 to 14.2 Ma and 13.8 to 12 Ma. Although δ 18 O and δ 13 C coherence suggests some role for pCO 2 , these findings support hypotheses relating middle Miocene cooling and Antarctic cryosphere development to reorganization of oceanic circulation and meridional heat flux.
Accumulation, circulation, association: economies of information in online spaces

Defines and critiques three cultural models for structuring and using information: accumulation, circulation and association. In these "economies", information is something to be hoarded (as accumulation), moved (circulation) or connected to other pieces of information (association). By examining the ways information acts like financial economies of the past, present and near-future, technical communicators gain crucial social and political perspectives normally not considered in the design and use of information spaces.
Examination of the shoulder: the past, the present, and the future.

This information is current as of November 2, 2009 Supplementary material accessed at http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/full/91/Supplement_6/10/DC1 translated abstracts are available for this article. This information can be Commentary and Perspective, data tables, additional images, video clips and/orReprints and Permissions Permissions] link. article, or locate the article citation on jbjs.org and click on the [Reprints andClick here to order reprints or request permission to use material from thisPublisher Information www.jbjs.org 20 Pickering Street, Needham, MA 02492-3157The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Multiple transporters affect the disposition of atorvastatin and its two active hydroxy metabolites: application of in vitro and ex situ systems

Atorvastatin (ATV) is primarily metabolized by CYP3A in the liver to form two active hydroxy metabolites. Therefore, the sequential transport system governed by hepatic uptake and efflux transporters is important for the drug disposition and metabolism. Here, we assessed the interaction of ATV with hepatic uptake transporter organic anion transporting polypeptide (Oatp) and efflux transporter multidrug resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2/Mrp2) in vitro and ex situ using the isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL). Rifampicin (RIF) was chosen as an inhibitor for Oatp in both uptake and IPRL studies. Its inhibitory effects on MRP2 and metabolism were also tested using MRP2-overexpressing cells and rat microsomes, respectively. Our results indicate that RIF effectively inhibits the Oatp-mediated uptake of ATV and its metabolites. Inhibition on MRP2-mediated efflux of ATV was also observed at a high RIF concentration. Compared with ATV alone in the IPRL, the area under the curve(s) (AUC) of ATV was significantly increased by RIF, whereas the AUC of both metabolites were also increased in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the extent of metabolism was significantly reduced, as reflected by the reduced amounts of metabolites detected in RIF-treated livers. In conclusion, inhibition of Oatp-mediated uptake seems to be the major determinant for interaction between ATV and RIF. Metabolites of ATV were subject to Oatp-mediated uptake as well, suggesting that they undergo a similar disposition pathway as the parent drug. These data emphasize the relevance of uptake transporter as being one of the major players in hepatic drug elimination, even for substrates that undergo metabolism.
Fuzzy rule-based motion controller for an autonomous mobile robot

Intelligent control of mobile systems allows for hierarchical structures that utilize sensory data with various levels of accuracy. This paper discusses a rule-based approach for the control problem. The assumed inexactness in world description is represented by fuzzy memberships, and the state space is discretized into a linguistic vocabulary. Fuzzy motion control rules that have been experimentally derived, are then used in a fuzzy inference mechanism to give the final control command to robot actuators. Finally, the developed algorithm is tested for real-time control applications.
Prolactin: The Initial Luteotropic Stimulus of Pseudopregnancy in the Rat

The luteotropic stimuli necessary to transform the corpus luteum of the estrous cycle into a corpus luteum of psuedopregnancy on the morning of diestrus-2 (Day 2), as reflected by a dramatic divergence in progesterone secretion, were studied (Day 1 was taken as the first day of diestrus of pseudopregnancy). The requirement of prolactin (PRL) as a luteotropic stimulus was determined by inhibiting the diurnal and nocturnal PRL surges that occur immediately before and during the divergence in progesterone. Following cervical stimulation, 1 mg of 2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine (EC) was injected at 1100 and 2300 h on Day 1 (lights on 0600-1800 h), and the animals were decapitated at 2-4 h intervals from 1100 h on Day 1 to 1700 h on Day 2. In the control animals, the PRL surges on Day 1 and Day 2 were associated with an increase in progesterone secretion on Day 2. However, the regimen of EC treatment resulted in an inhibition of PRL surges, prolactin remaining at baseline values from 1100 h on Day 1 to 1700 h on Day 2. The inhibition of PRL secretion was associated with a fall in progesterone concentration to reach baseline values by 1700h on Day 2. Furthermore, a group of animals similarly treated with EC returned to vaginal estrus 2 days later. LH concentrations did not differ in control and EC-treated animals. The effect of EC on corpus luteum function could be completely reversed by the simultaneous administration of PRL. In addition, if PRL was administered at 1100 h and 2300 h on diestrus-1 of the estrous cycle, in an attempt to mimic the surges os pseudopregnancy, regression of the corpora lutea did not occur. Progesterone levels increased to reach values comparable to those observed in pseudopregnancy on diestrus-2. The role of LH was studied by administering a dose of LH antiserum at 110 and 2300 h on Day 1 of pseudopregnancy. This treatment failed to inhibit the increase in progesterone observed on Day 2. These results demonstrate that the surges of plasma PRL initiated by cervical stimulation are responsible for transforming a corpus luteum of the estrous cycle into a corpus luteum of pseudopregnancy, as reflected by an increase in progesterone secretion of Day 2. LH seems to have a minor role in maintaining corpus luteum function beyond that observed during the estrous cycle.
Stochastic gradient optimization of importance sampling for the efficient simulation of digital communication systems

Importance sampling (IS) techniques offer the potential for large speed-up factors for bit error rate (BER) estimation using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. To obtain these speed-up factors, the IS parameters specifying the simulation probability density function (PDF) must be carefully chosen. With the increased complexity in communication systems, analytical optimization of the IS parameters can be virtually impossible. We present a new IS optimization algorithm based on stochastic gradient techniques. The formulation of the stochastic gradient descent (SGD) algorithm is more general and system-independent than other existing IS methodologies, and its applicability is not restricted to a specific PDF or biasing scheme. The effectiveness of the SGD algorithm is demonstrated by two examples of communication systems where the IS techniques have not been applied before. The first example is a communication system with diversity combining, slow nonselective Rayleigh fading channel, and noncoherent envelope detection. The second example is a binary baseband communication system with a static linear channel and a recursive least square (RLS) linear equalizer in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN).
The Use of Behavioral Methods in a Short-Term Detention Setting

Two of four units in a detention center initiated point or token economies and another unit improved their point program as a result of an in-service training program. The weekly average of staff disciplinary actions for the six weeks prior to the initiation or improvement of the programs was compared with the weekly average during the six weeks afterwards. There was a significant decrease in amount of room time dispensed on these three units whereas no change occurred on a fourth unit which did not alter its procedures. This study suggests that the introduction of point economies decreases the use of aversive procedures within detention facilities.
THE ASSOCIATION AND ACTIVITIES OF PTERIDINES IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEMS

— Unconjugated pteridines are associated with the photosynthetic systems of several organisms. Inhibition of the development of the photosynthetic system of Rhodospirillum rubrum with the pteridine inhibitor 4-phenoxy-2,6-diamino pyridine (PDAP) is reversed by biopterin, a natural pteridine. Evidence is presented which indicates an electron transport function for pteridines. Specific interaction of reduced pteridines with isolated pigment protein complexes, leading to red-shifted absorption bands, has suggested a mechanism for photochemical energy trapping.
Examining the ‘Halo Effect’ in lotto games

The ‘Halo Effect’ occurs when lotto ticket sales are unexpectedly high following a large jackpot. An examination of the Powerball lottery finds evidence that the halo effect exists and that it is the result of bettors exchanging prize winnings for new tickets.
A super-absorbing boundary algorithm for solving electromagnetic problems by time-domain finite-difference method

An algorithm is presented to treat the absorbing boundaries for the time-domain finite-difference method. With this approach, the leading order error of the conventional local absorbing boundary conditions can be cancelled by a simple algorithm, so that the absorbing quality of the boundary conditions can be greatly improved. The authors concentrate on the local boundary conditions which represent the field values on boundary nodes by several field values inside (and possibly on) the boundary. >