cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of coexisting solid and fluid phases alters the kinetics of collapse from phospholipid monolayers.

To determine how coexistence of liquid-expanded (LE) and tilted-condensed (TC) phases in phospholipid monolayers affects collapse from the air/water interface, we studied binary films containing dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine−dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) mixtures between 10 and 100% DPPC. Previously published results established that this range of compositions represents the LE−TC coexistence region at the equilibrium spreading pressure of 47 mN/m. When held at 49.5 mN/m on a captive bubble, the extent of total collapse fit with the LE area predicted by the phase diagram. The kinetics of collapse, however, when normalized for changes in the LE area, slowed with increasing mole fraction of DPPC. Surface area expressed as stretched exponential functions of time yielded an Avrami exponent that decreased from 1 for the homogeneously LE film to 0.3 for DPPC ≥ 70%. Microscopic studies showed that the largest changes in kinetics occurred when either alterations of the initial composition or the process o...
The life span of the cultured normal cell: concepts derived from studies of human lymphoblasts.

Abstract There is substantial but not conclusive evidence that lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from normal individuals are made up of normal cells with an infinite life span. In contrast, similar cell lines that originated from the blood and tumor tissues of patients with malignant hematopoietic diseases had some characteristics of malignancy. These abnormal cell lines had one or more of these features: an abnormal karyotype, relatively high cloning efficiencies, and synthesis of an abnormal cell product. There was no difference in growth rates between normal and abnormal cell lines. There was no evidence of “aging” of the normal cell lines during continuous culture for more than 20 months. It seems reasonable to suggest that some criteria for normalcy for one kind of cultured human cells in a restricted environment may not necessarily apply to other kinds of such cells.
Gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of soft tissue masses

The efficacy of gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the diagnosis and differentiation of soft-tissue, neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesion has not been well established. Thirty patients with soft tissue masses (18 neoplastic and 12 non-neoplastic) were studied, using MR imaging with and without administration of Gd-DTPA. Gd-DTPA proved helpful in characterisation of several entities, including differentiation of solid mass from proteinaceous cyst, demonstration of tumour nodules within haemorrhagic or necrotic masses, and delineation of tumour adjacent to oedema. The use of Gd-DTPA may provide additional information for tissue specificity and, in complicated cases, Gd-DTPA may also provide essential information that cannot be obtained using other methods. We recommend the use of contrast enhanced MR as an adjunct to conventional MR imaging in the initial assessment of musculoskeletal soft tissue masses. However, T2-weighted images show better tissue contrast of the lesions, and are equal to contrast enhanced images in delineation of tumour margins. Non-contrast enhanced images are, therefore, probably adequate for the delineation of lesions for surgical planning when a diagnosis has already been made.
The yeast two-hybrid system: prospects for protein linkage maps.

Every cell contains a set of machines capable of carrying out processes such as replication or transcription, responding to the outside environment, generation of usable energy or directing the traffic flow of macromolecules. These machines are like intricate three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles, forming arrays of interlocking protein components that assemble and disassemble over time and in response to complex signals. Understanding cellularfunction is advanced by knowledge of each assembly, which requires an inventory of its parts and a blueprint that details how these parts fit together. A simple genetic assay in yeast, the two-hybrid system1f2, detects protein-protein interactions and can be used to analyse many such assemblies. In principle, it may be possible to employ this assay to identify most of the components in these protein complexes, and the resulting networks of interactions are whatwe refer to as a ‘protein linkage map’. Traditionally, assemblies of proteins have been analysed by using two complementary approaches. In the well-known analogy to understanding how a car runs, biochemists disassemble the engine, transmission and body, characterize all the pieces, and attempt to rebuild a working vehicle; geneticists, by contrast, break single components, turn the key and try to determine what effect the single missing part has on the car’s operation. These strategies have proved spectacularly successful in deciphering many of the essential processes of a cell, and undoubtedly will continue to be fruitful. However, the advent of genome sequencing projects of organisms ranging in complexity from mycoplasma to man (reviewed in Ref. 3) has ushered in the arrival of thousands of new proteins to analyse, and there is difficulty in applying such labour-intensive traditional procedures to so many proteins. This onslaught of genomic information calls for the development of efficient experimental strategies to gain insight into the organization and function of the encoded proteins.
Four-handed dentistry: a new mobile dental cabinet design

Continuing experimentation has produced two mobile dental cabinets designed to make the dental assistant’s operations easier and more efficient. The principle of the design of these cabinets was developed by the instructional staff of the Dental Assistant Utilization Clinic at the University of Alabama.
Worldwide trends in obesity

Abstract The increased prevalence of obesity during this last half century among higher income countries is acknowledged. Similarly, we face the emergence of obesity as a worldwide phenomena, affecting the rich and middle income countries in similar manners and also affecting countries previously considered to be poor. Most data are presented utilizing a cut-off for adult body mass index of either 25 (grade 1 overweight) or 30 and above (grade II) or using age- and gender-specific cutoffs for children and adolescents. The background environmental factors, in particular the remarkable shifts in both activity and dietary patterns, is reviewed. Patterns and trends in obesity from each region of the world are examined. Many lower and middle income countries have higher prevalence rates of grade 1 and grade 2 obesity than higher income countries.
Metal-Leachate-Induced Conjugate Protein Instability

During the scale-up of an ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF) step for a protein- based conjugate vaccine, significant precipitation was observed at room temperature. It was found that a specific type of metal hosebarb fitting used in the UF/DF system, when placed in the conjugate solution, caused the precipitation. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrom- etry analysis showed significant amounts of Ni(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II) present in the conjugate solution. A kinetic study showed that the concentration of these metal ions gradually increased with increasing incubation time with a corresponding decrease in conjugate concentration. Direct spiking of trace amounts of NiCl2, ZnCl2, and CuCl2 into the conjugate solution also caused precipitation, and spiking studies showed that the metal ions caused precipitation of the conjugate but not of the carrier protein, antigen, or carrier protein + linker. The precipi- tation was found to be significantly dependent on buffer species but not solution pH and led to an irreversible loss of tertiary structure even after dissolution in and removal of guanidine hydrochloride. The precipitation is likely the result of formation of transition-metal complexes with histidine residues on the antigen peptide, which may involve both intraconjugate and in- terconjugate antigens. Such complexation may lead to formation of multimers that may exceed the solubility limit. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 101:2733-2743, 2012
Renal and glomerular circulation according to Oribasius (4th century).

The structure of the kidneys and the renal glomerular circulation were observed in the 4th century by the Byzantine physician Oribasius, chief doctor to the emperor Julianus the Apostate. Oribasius established Byzantine Nephrology. He described the renal bodies, 'σωματα των veφωv', and the glomerulus, and defined anastomosis of the renal artery with the renal vein through the capillaries, and for the first time he used the term ''τρωΧoeiδ´η', the Greek word for capillaries. He did not refer to the uriniferous tubules by name, but he described them as lamina of the kidney, extending from the renal bodies to the renal pelvis. Oribasius observed the ability of the renal bodies to attract and separate the serum from the rest of the blood and to produce urine. The therapy of various diseases of the kidneys was also suggested by Oribasius. In the 17th century Marcello Malpighi saw the capillaries of the kidney clearly and in their whole entirety using a microscope. Nevertheless it is very important to note that Oribasius observed and named the capillaries as early as the 4th century, with much lesser means and equipment.
Direct observation of the reduction of carbon dioxide by rhenium bipyridine catalysts

In order to further efforts in synthesis and catalysis, the mechanisms of catalysts must be completely understood. The Re(bpy)(CO)3Cl molecular catalysts are some of the most robust and well-characterized CO2 reduction catalysts known to date. Stopped-flow infrared spectroscopy is reported as a technique for studying the kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of catalytically-relevant [Re(bpy-R)(CO)3]− anions (R = tBu or H) with CO2/H+. [Re(bpy-tBu)(CO)3]− reacts approximately ten times faster with CO2 than does [Re(bpy)(CO)3]−. These reactions occur via a direct two-electron oxidative addition of CO2 to the metal center and result in the formation of an intermediate CO2 reduction product, Re(bpy-R)(CO)3(CO2H). This is the first in situ identification of this key intermediate. Evidence for this Re–CO2H species includes isotopic labeling studies, stopped-flow experiments of the kinetics of its formation in the presence of proton sources, comparison with genuine Re(bpy)(CO)3(CO2H), and DFT calculations.
Binding of thrombin to human platelet plasma membranes.

Abstract Binding of 25 I-labeled thrombin to isolated human platelet plasma membranes was studied. Two classes of sites, one with high and one with low affinity for thrombin, were demonstrated. The apparent dissociation constants for the high and low affinity sites were 3.2 and 600 nM, respectively, similar to values obtained with intact platelets. Maximum binding was within 10 s, the shortest time measured, and then decreased with time to a constant level of binding within 45 s. When th equilibrium was perturbed by dilution, the system re-equilibrated with less thrombin bound than in a control that was diluted before mixing thrombin and membranes. Neither the time-dependent decrease nor the dilution effect were observed with phenylmethylsulfonyl- 125 I-labelled thrombin, an irreversibly inhibited thrombin, suggesting that these phenomena may involve a thrombin-catalyzed modification of the membranes leading to decreased binding.
Comparison of satellite and air photo based landslide susceptibility maps

Landslide susceptibility maps can be prepared in a variety of ways. Many geoscientists favour the use of an overlay model approach in which several map layers are combined by some arithmetic rules to determine the potential for sliding in an area or region. The resulting susceptibility maps, although based on a subjective weighting of relevant factors, can often be of high accuracy and utility. In order to obtain the relevant input data for this type of analysis, remotely sensed data are often used. To date, susceptibility mapping, just as the mapping of historic and individual landslides, has tended to require higher-resolution imagery. This has somewhat limited the application of landslide susceptibility mapping. While high-resolution air photo or satellite imagery is superior to lower resolution imagery for the purpose of mapping of historic and individual landslides, such higher levels of resolution may not be required for the development of landslide susceptibility maps. In order to determine if medium-resolution satellite imagery, such as SPOT or ASTER, could provide the needed data for landslide susceptibility mapping, a comparison was undertaken of landslide susceptibility model output resulting from the use of stereo NAPP aerial photography versus the use of data obtained from stereo SPOT imagery. The test area selected for this study consisted of two watersheds, Pena Canyon and Big Rock Canyon, situated west of Santa Monica, California, USA, along the Pacific Coast Highway. Both watersheds have a long and well-documented history of landslide activity and sufficient geologic variability and complexity to provide a good test site. The specific overlay model used in this evaluation required input data consistent with the needs of many other models of this type. The model output derived from the two different data sources and presented here in the form of susceptibility maps were virtually identical. Statistical and difference analysis confirmed that both methods of obtaining input data provide similar results and successfully identified landslide prone areas. These results suggest that satellite imagery, in this instance, SPOT images, could potentially be used in lieu of conventional air photos, to evaluate landslide susceptibility. In many situations, especially in the case of remote locations and/or developing countries, this capability should result in substantial savings in terms of time, financial resources, and overall viability.
Political Parties, Party Systems, and Democracy in East Asia: Lessons from Latin America

Institutionalized parties and party systems have traditionally been viewed as necessary conditions for democracies to function effectively. Although this area of research is germane to all democracies, most analyses have been divided by regional investigation. Seeking to bridge the gap, this article applies concepts and measures of institutionalization from the study of Latin America to Pacific Asia's two most prominent cases of democratic transition, South Korea and Taiwan. An effort is made to apply the approaches of Dix and Mainwaring and Scully on party and system institutionalization in Latin America to South Korea and Taiwan. Cross-national comparison reveals a curvilinear relationship between institutionalization and consolidation. Taiwan's path to consolidation has been predicated on a pattern very similar to those taken by Latin American cases, whereas South Korea, theoretically, should not be as close to consolidation as it is.
The orbit of Pluto's satellite

Nineteen speckle interferometric observations of the Pluto system have been used to improve the determination of the orbital elements for Pluto's satellite. Calibration uncertainties appear to be the dominant source of error, but the observation of a partial occultation of the satellite by Pluto has been used to constrain the orbit solution. The orbital period is found to be in excellent agreement with the rotational period of the planet, reinforcing the belief that the system is completely tidally evolved. The orbital radius and period imply a total mass for the system of 6.8 + or - 0.5 x 10 to the -9th solar masses. Density constraints place an upper limit of 3615 + or - 90 km on the diameter of Pluto, while observations of the first mutual events establish a crude lower limit of about 2800 km.
Diffusion of Carbon Atoms in Natural Graphite Crystals

Diffusion in purified natural graphite crystals was studied by two techniques. Crystals with ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ atoms on the surface were prepared by heating at 1575\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C for thirty minutes in a mixture of radioactive carbon monoxide and helium. These crystals were heated at diffusion temperatures in vacuo, and the ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ distribution within the crystals was determined by burning them slowly and measuring the radioactivity in the carbon dioxide produced. Diffusion measurements were carried out for times up to twenty-five hours in the temperature range 1995\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}-2195\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The results indicated that simultaneous diffusion into single-crystal regions and into disordered regions occurred.Diffusion was also studied by measuring the rate at which ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ atoms were taken up by graphite crystals heated in radioactive carbon monoxide whose ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ concentration was maintained constant. Experiments were carried out for times up to eighty hours at temperatures in the range 1995\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}-2347\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The results indicated that the greatest part of the flow of atoms into the crystals occurred by the process of volume diffusion at temperatures above 2150\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The volume diffusion coefficient for graphite is $D=40{f}^{2}\mathrm{exp}[\frac{(\ensuremath{-}163000\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}12000)}{\mathrm{RT}}]$, where $f$ is a geometry factor used because of the irregular shape of the crystals and is estimated to be between 0.1 and 0.6. The volume diffusion coefficient reported appears to be that for the direction parallel to the layer planes.
The right to die: does the state lose an interest in a dying patient's life?

In 2008, Washington approved a Death with Dignity Act modelled after a similar law enacted in Oregon in 1993. These laws allow terminally ill patients to seek Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS). The US Supreme Court has not acknowledged a fundamental right to die and opponents of the Death with Dignity Acts have sought to strike these statutes down as being unconstitutional. This comment evaluates the similarities between Washington and Oregon's PAS statute and proposes that the US Supreme Court recognise that the state may have a declining interest in a terminally ill patient's life. As the state's interest continues to decrease, the terminally ill patient has an increasing right to seek PAS, so long as the PAS laws provide strict limitations on treatment and narrowly define terminally ill.
225 - The surface compartment model of the steady state excitable membrane☆☆☆

Abstract Membrane bound ions can influence the kinetics of physiological transport processes, and may be the source of unusual transient ionic fluxes. To study these effects we have used the Surface Compartment Model (SCM) approximation: which divides a membrane system into discrete regions: two bulk reservoirs (the inner and outer solutions), two surface layers (on the inner and outer faces of the membrane) and the ultra-thin membrane. Ion flux and conservation equations can be written in terms of the various compartments, assuming that the transport processes are discontinuous and that the fluxes are proportional to the differences in the electro-chemical potential. Using the SCM it can be shown that the concentrations of ions in the surface regions of excitable membranes and the calculated permeabilities of the membranes to these ions are quite different from those that are generally accepted on the basis of bulk concentrations. Furthermore, it appears that small changes in the surface charge can alter the ionic concentrations at the membrane surfaces ad therefore, the ionic fluxes. This is especially true if appreciable numbers of ions are bound to the membrane surfaces and ion exchange processes occur as a result of sudden changes in ionic concentrations or current flow. The physiological processes ( e.g. , excitation and active transport) tht involve unusual ion fluxes in terms of bulk concentrations and potentials, may actually be occurring in the expected directions during transient states brought about by perfusion, electrical currents or chemical reactions.
Fast and robust route to hydroporphyrin-chalcones with extended red or near-infrared absorption.

The reaction of an acetylchlorin or diacetylbacteriochlorin with an aldehyde under microwave conditions readily affords the corresponding hydroporphyrin−chalcone. The aldehydes include aryl aldehydes, cinnamaldehyde, and all-trans-retinal. The chalcone causes a bathochromic shift of the long-wavelength absorption band of the hydroporphyrin by up to 24 nm. The facile conjugation and wavelength tunability should make such constructs valuable for fundamental spectroscopic studies as well as diverse photochemical applications in the relatively unexplored red and near-infrared spectral regions.
Role of crystal orientation on the magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 thin films grown on Si (1 0 0) and Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) substrates using pulsed laser deposition

Abstract We report the influence of crystal orientation on the magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 (CFO) thin films grown on single crystal Si (1 0 0) and c-cut sapphire (Al2O3) (0 0 0 1) substrates using pulsed laser deposition technique. The thickness was varied from 200 to 50 nm for CFO films grown on Si substrates, while it was fixed at 200 nm for CFO films grown on Al2O3 substrates. We observed that the 200 and 100 nm thick CFO–Si films grew in both (1 1 1) and (3 1 1) directions and displayed out-of-plane anisotropy, whereas the 50 nm thick CFO–Si film showed only an (1 1 1) orientation and an in-plane anisotropy. The 200 nm thick CFO film grown on an Al2O3 substrate was also found to show a complete (1 1 1) orientation and a strong in-plane anisotropy. These observations pointed to a definite relation between the crystalline orientation and the observed magnetic anisotropy in the CFO thin films.
Mutations in the TIR1 Auxin Receptor That Increase Affinity for Auxin/Indole-3-Acetic Acid Proteins Result in Auxin Hypersensitivity

The phytohormone auxin regulates virtually every aspect of plant development. The hormone directly mediates the interaction between the two members of the auxin coreceptor complex, a TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE (TIR1)/AUXIN SIGNALING F-BOX protein and an AUXIN/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID (Aux/IAA) transcriptional repressor. To learn more about the interaction between these proteins, a mutant screen was performed using the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) two-hybrid system in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Two tir1 mutations were identified that increased interaction with Aux/IAAs. The D170E and M473L mutations increase affinity between TIR1 and the degron motif of Aux/IAAs and enhance the activity of the SCFTIR1 complex. This resulted in faster degradation of Aux/IAAs and increased transcription of auxin-responsive genes in the plant. Plants carrying the pTIR1:tir1 D170E/M473L-Myc transgene exhibit diverse developmental defects during plant growth and display an auxin-hypersensitive phenotype. This work demonstrates that changes in the leucine-rich repeat domain of the TIR1 auxin coreceptor can alter the properties of SCFTIR1.
Abstract 728: Development of pharmacophore-based RET inhibitors for thyroid cancer therapy

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The new therapeutic option is pivotal due to the restricted efficacy of current treatments (surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, and chemotherapy) in progressive thyroid carcinomas. Gain-of-function mutations of the receptor tyrosine kinase RET have been identified as driving oncogenic events in subsets of papillary and medullary thyroid cancers (PTC and MTC), but targeted therapy for RET-driven cancers is currently clinically unavailable. Some mulit-kinase inhibitors, such as sunitinib and vandetanib, which have shown efficacy against other neoplastic diseases, are being evaluated in clinical trials for thyroid cancer therapy. However, the anti-VEGFR activities of these mulit-kinase inhibitors have been considered to lead cardiotoxicity in some patients. Moreover, Ret mutation-associated resistance have been reported by some RET inhibitors in preclinical data. The “in silico model” was applied to design the specific RET target compounds through mapping the pharmacophore of RET ATP-binding pocket. Some novel scaffold compounds which fit the pharmacophore model were selected form ITRI library, and their anti-RET activities were evaluated by kinase assay. The in vitro anti-cell proliferation activities of the compounds to the TT cells (MTC specific cells) were demonstrated by MTT assay. From the screening of ITRI library, ITRI-305 showed the impressive anti-RET (IC50 ∼ 90 nM) and anti-cell proliferation (IC50 at low micro molar) activities and the activities are compatible to those of sunitinib and vandetanib. ITRI-305 also shows good solubility and favorable oral PK profiles. The xenograft study of TT cells with ITRI-305 is proceeding. In conclusion, a novel scaffold RET inhibitor, ITRI-305, with less potent VEGFR activity (anti-VEFGR IC50 ∼ 1 μM) is developed to overcome the cardiotoxicity and resistance problems which is caused by conventional RET inhibitors. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 728.
A comparison and evaluation of three machine learning procedures as applied to the game of checkers

Abstract This paper presents two new machine learning procedures used to arrive at “knowledgeable” static evaluators for checker board positions. The static evaluators are compared with each other, and with the linear polynomial used by Samuel [9], using two different numerical indices reflecting the extent to which they agree with the choices of checker experts in the course of tabulated book games. The new static evaluators are found to perform about equally well, despite the relative simplicity of the second; and they perform noticably better than the linear polynomial. An indication of the significance of the absolute values of these two numerical indices is provided by a discussion of a simple, purely heuristic, static evaluator, whose performance indices lie between those of the polynomial and those of the other two static evaluators.
Birth Defects among Children of Nurse-anesthetists

A survey of 621 female nurse-anesthetists in Michigan was performed to determine the incidence of birth defects among the offspring of this group. Two separate mailings and telephone interviews resulted in a response rate of 84.5 per cent. Of children whose mothers worked during pregnancy, 16.4 per
Long-term restraint reduction: one hospital's experience with restraint alternatives.

Over the last several years, regulatory bodies have implemented and maintained strict standards and regulations regarding the use of restraint in the acute care setting. Hospitals have responded by attempting to reduce restraint use and increase alternatives to restraint. Our hospital formed a Restr
Fibronectin and laminin promote in vitro attachment and outgrowth of mouse blastocysts

The process of mammalian implantation has been investigated using an in vitro model system wherein the trophoblast cells of mouse blastocysts attach to and outgrowth on tissue culture plates containing a complex medium. We now report that two extracellular matrix glycoproteins, fibronectin and laminin, when individually precoated on tissue culture plates promoted in vitro attachment and outgrowth of mouse blastocysts in serum-free medium. The kinetics of attachment and outgrowth processes in the presence of either of these two proteins were identical to that observed in complex, serum-containing medium. In contrast, plates containing a collagen matrix or pretreated with a variety of other serum proteins or various lectins failed to support in vitro attachment and outgrowth of blastocysts. Because all components of the culture medium are defined and both fibronectin and laminin are known components of the basement membrane of the endometrium, this in vitro system offers considerable advantages over the serum supplemented system to study in vitro implantation.
Improvements in the serodiagnosis of helminthic zoonoses.

Abstract Remarkable progress has been achieved in developing improved serodiagnostic assays for a group of diseases for which other diagnostic methods are often lacking. Toxocariasis, trichinellosis, dirofilariasis, Taenia solium cysticercosis and the cystic and alveolar forms of hybatid disease are occult infections in humans and sometimes in lower animal hosts. Although Strongyloides stercoralis achieves patency in humans, parasitologic diagnosis is often very difficult. Efforts to develop reliable immunodiagnostic methods have spanned several decades but progress had been slow until recently. The complexity and nonspecificity of helminth antigens were major problems which prevented the full realization of the benefits of the highly sensitive assay systems now available. Modern immunologic methods including hybridoma technology, immunoaffinity chromatography and immunoblotting, however, have yielded improved reagents and the means to characterize their nature and function. The outcome of this research has been more sensitive and specific serologic tests based on measurement of both circulating antigens and antibodies as well as improved understanding of the nature of host-parasite interactions. Although much remains to be done, many improved immunodiagnostic procedures are already being applied in clinical diagnosis, epidemiologic studies and control programs directed against the helminthic zoonoses.
Self-association of linker histone H5 and of its globular domain: evidence for specific self-contacts

The ability of avian-specific linker histone H5, and the globular domains of H5 (GH5) and H1° (GH1°), to self-associate either free in solution or when bound to DNA was investigated. All three proteins underwent a salt-dependent increase in turbidity that may be indicative of nonspecific interactions. Dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate) cross-linking was used to measure specific contacts for both H5 and GH5 free in solution and bound to DNA. H5 and GH5 each became cross-linked in solution, with GH5 displaying divalent polymerization interactions, which suggests that two specific surfaces were involved in the assembly process. For GH5−DNA complexes, cross-linking appeared to be largely the consequence of aggregation, but under low concentrations of DSP, cross-linking GH5 was observed to assemble preferentially onto DNA before oligomerizing to form massive aggregates. Both linear and supercoiled DNA facilitated GH5 interactions compared to assembly in solution; differences in the distribution of cross-linked...
Parasite defense mechanisms for evasion of host attack; a review

This review covers some of the basic mechanisms whereby parasites evade host responses. These mechanisms include; antigenic variation, repeated antigenic determinants, induction of suppressor cells, acquisition of host proteins or molecular mimicry, proteinase destruction of host effector molecules, proteinase inhibitor-mediated inhibition of humoral and cellular immune effector arms and immunosuppressive products of parasite arachidonic acid metabolism. Vet. Parasitol.
Research trails: getting back where you left off

In this paper, we present a prototype system that helps users in early-stage web research to create and reestablish context across fragmented work process, without requiring them to explicitly collect and organize the material they visit. The system clusters a user's web history and shows it as research trails. We present two user interaction models with the research trails. The first interaction model is implemented as a standalone application, which presents a hierarchical view of research trails. The second interaction model is integrated with the web browser. It shows the user's research trails as selectable and manipulable visual streams when they open a new tab. Thereby, the NewTab page serves as a springboard in the browser for a user resuming an ongoing task.
Structural studies of type I topoisomerases

Topoisomerases are ubiquitous proteins found in all three domains of life. They change the topology of DNA via transient breaks on either one or two of the DNA strands to allow passage of another single or double DNA strand through the break. Topoisomerases are classified into two types: type I enzymes cleave one DNA strand and pass either one or two DNA strands through the break before resealing it, while type II molecules cleave both DNA strands in concert and pass another double strand through the break followed by religation of the double strand break. Here we review recent work on the structure of type I enzymes. These structural studies are providing atomic details that, together with the existing wealth of biochemical and biophysical data, are bringing our understanding of the mechanism of action of these enzymes to the atomic level.
Effect of polydimethylsiloxane oxygen carriers on the biological bleaching of hardwood kraft pulp by Trametes versicolor

Improving the availability of oxygen by adding polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) oxygen carriers to Trametes versicolor cultures increased pulp brightening. The presence of the oxygen carriers in cultures of T. versicolor with hardwood kraft pulp increased the growth rate of the fungus, but not the ultimate biomass yield. The PDMS also stimulated brightening of hardwood kraft pulp by it T. versicolor immobilized in polyurethane foam. A threefold increase in the oxygen uptake rate in T. versicolor cultures with PDMS was observed. This increase can be explained by elevated oxygen transfer rate and attributed to the surfactant properties of PDMS.
Insect saliva: an integrative approach.

An organism's saliva has a direct “intimacy” with the environment. Saliva is an oral secretion from salivary glands that can be a watery or an oily matrix of substances that interfaces with the outside world. Insect saliva has numerous functions and properties such as digestion, maintenance of mouth parts, water balance, pathogen transmission, acts as a vehicle for pheromones, provides anti-predator defenses, has anti-microbial activity, and can aid in circumventing animal-host defenses and plant-host defenses. This Special Issue of Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology is based on papers presented during a symposium held at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, October 2003. The symposium was entitled “Insect Saliva: An Integrative Approach”. The goal of the symposium was to foster discussion among scientists who study insect saliva in relation to animal and plant hosts. The presentations and thus this Special Issue were heavily focused on the function of insect saliva in relation to the interactions of the insect and their host. All articles in this Issue have undergone a rigorous review process. This special Insect Saliva edition nicely complements the symposium presentations. James Tumlinson's and Cameron Lait's article discusses the biosynthesis of fatty acid amide elicitors of plant defenses. These elictors are synthesized by enzymes embedded in the membranes of the insect's crop and anterior midgut. John Labavitch, Kenneth Shackel, Elaine Backus, and colleagues provide a nice contribution showing that much of plant damage by Lygus is due to polygalacturonase activity found in the saliva. Cesar Rodriguez-Saona, Livy Williams, and colleagues contribute an article that investigates volatile emissions of plants responding to piercing-sucking herbivores. A report by John Andersen and colleagues provides a look at the role of the salivary protein family, lipocalin, found in the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus. Gary Felton and colleague demonstrate in their study that glucose oxidase levels in Helicoverpa zea are altered due to the host plant that the caterpillar feeds on. Ken Korth, Susana Gomez, and colleagues show that terpene synthases, which form the important terpene plant defenses, are elicited in Medicago truncatula by oral secretions of the caterpillar Spodoptera exigua. Richard O. Musser, Gary Felton, and colleagues provide two contributions demonstrating that glucose oxidase has two functions that increase the survival of the caterpillar Helicoverpa zea. The first report further confirms that glucose oxidase is the primary salivary factor to suppress the induction of the anti-herbivore defense, nicotine, in tobacco plants. The second report shows that the salivary enzyme has anti-microbial properties that suppress the infectivity of potential bacterial pathogens. Insect saliva holds exciting potential to better understand the co-evolution of insect-host interactions. Studying the complex properties and functions of insect saliva will require integrative and collaborative effort of scientists specializing in various areas.
A Subdivision-Based Representation for Vector Image Editing

Vector graphics has been employed in a wide variety of applications due to its scalability and editability. Editability is a high priority for artists and designers who wish to produce vector-based graphical content with user interaction. In this paper, we introduce a new vector image representation based on piecewise smooth subdivision surfaces, which is a simple, unified and flexible framework that supports a variety of operations, including shape editing, color editing, image stylization, and vector image processing. These operations effectively create novel vector graphics by reusing and altering existing image vectorization results. Because image vectorization yields an abstraction of the original raster image, controlling the level of detail of this abstraction is highly desirable. To this end, we design a feature-oriented vector image pyramid that offers multiple levels of abstraction simultaneously. Our new vector image representation can be rasterized efficiently using GPU-accelerated subdivision. Experiments indicate that our vector image representation achieves high visual quality and better supports editing operations than existing representations.
Responses of hair and wool sheep to a single fixed dose of infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus

Abstract Body weights, fecal egg counts (FEC), and packed cell volumes (PCV) of hair sheep and wool sheep crossbred lambs were compared over 8 weeks following administration of a single dose of approximately 10,000 third-stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Hair sheep lambs (n=17) were reciprocal crosses between mainland USA populations of Barbados Blackbelly (BB) and Virgin Islands White (VIW) sheep. Wool sheep lambs (n=64) were from a crossbred composite of 50% Dorset, 25% Rambouillet, and 25% Finnish Landrace breeding. Lambs of both breed types continued to grow during the period of infection. Mean weights were higher for wool lambs (39.7±0.8 kg) than for hair lambs (28.2±1.5 kg). FEC increased to week 5 in both breed groups and remained elevated in wool lambs through week 7 but declined sharply in hair lambs after week 5. Mean FEC for weeks 4 through 8 were 4011±361 eggs per gram of feces (epg) in wool lambs, and 1135±196 epg in hair lambs. PCV declined through week 7 in wool lambs but stabilized and then increased after week 4 in hair lambs. Mean PCV in weeks 4 through 8 were 22.4±0.3% in wool lambs and 24.3±0.5% in hair lambs. These results suggest that Caribbean hair breeds may be able to contribute significantly to development of parasite-resistant sheep populations.
Structural Conformation in a Poly(ethylene oxide) Film Determined by X-ray Emission Spectroscopy

The electronic structure of pol(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in a thin (<1 μ) film sample was experimentally probed by X-ray emission spectroscopy. Both nonresonant and resonant X-ray emission spectra were simulated by using density functional theory (DFT) applied to four different models representing different conformations in the polymer. Calculated spectra were compared with experimental results for the PEO film. It was found that the best fit was obtained with the polymer conformation in PEO electrolytes from which the salt (LiMF6, M = P, As, or Sb) had been removed. This conformation is different from the crystalline bulk polymer and implies that film casting, commonly used to form electrolytes for Li polymer batteries, induces the same conformation in the polymer not depending upon the presence of salt.
INFLORESCENCE DEVELOPMENT IN BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS L.

Vegetative seedlings of the Ceres strain Brassica campestris L., a quantitative, long-day plant, were induced to flower by exposure to a 16-hr, long-day cycle. Cytohistological and cytohistochemical changes associated with inflorescence development were examined. Developing shoot apices were classified in vegetative, transitional, and reproductive stages. The vegetative apex possessed a biseriate tunica, central zone, peripheral zone and pith-rib meristem. The transitional stage at 48 hr was marked by an increase in size and by a stratification of the upper cell layers of the shoot apex with a concurrent decrease of apical cytohistochemical zonation. The reproductive stage was initiated at 58 hr by periclinal cell divisions in the 3rd and 4th cell layers of the flank region. Cytohistochemical zonation in the vegetative apical meristem was restored in the floral apex. An "intermediate developmental" phase was not observed between the vegetative and reproductive stage. FRIEND AND HELSON (1966) reported a quantitative, long-day Ceres strain of Brassica campestris L. that is highly sensitive to one photoinductive cycle four to five days after sowing. Anatomical descriptions of morphological changes associated with floral initiation in photoperiodic sensitive, long-day plants is limited to Lolium temulentum L. (Evans, 1958; Knox and Evans, 1966), Anagallis arvensis L. (Vaughan, 1955), and Sinapsis alba L. (Bernier, 1962). The morphological development of the inflorescence in B. campestris has not been studied except for the investigation by Chakravarti (1953) on the tunica-corpus organization in vegetative and reproductive shoot apices. Chakravarti did not in
Executive Functioning, Parenting Stress, and Family Factors as Predictors of Diabetes Management in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Using Intensive Regimens

The care of youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has become increasingly complex given the importance of good glycemic control in decreasing the rates of diabetes-related complications. Today, youth with TIDM are more frequently prescribed intensive insulin regimens (i.e. multiple daily injections or insulin pump therapy) which require a great deal of planning, organization, and problem-solving to execute correctly. However, there has been a paucity of research on psychological and family factors that may impact pediatric patients’ diabetes management when using intensive regimens. Seventy-two youth with T1DM on intensive insulin regimens and their caregivers participated in the study, which entailed completing self-report questionnaires, an adherence interview, a parent-report measure of executive functioning, and measurement of glycemic control. Results suggested that although adherence mediated the relation between child executive functioning and glycemic control in youth reporting relatively bet...
Portraits of White Racism

Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition 1. Introduction to the second edition 2. Prejudiced people are not the only racists in America 3. From theory to research and back again - a methodological discussion 4. 'I favour anything that doesn't affect me personally' Gene Danich 5. 'The trouble is all this suspicion between us' Darlene Kurier 6. 'If I could do it, why can't they do it?' Dick Wilson 7. 'Convincing people that this is a racist country is like selling soap - if agitators say it enough times people will believe it' John Harper 8. 'There wouldn't be any problems if people's heads were in the right place' 9. Toward a sociology of white racism 10. Epilogue: from Bensonhurst to Berkeley 11. Appendix: interview guide 12. Bibliography 13. Index.
Communication Information Structures and Contents for Enhanced Safety of Highway Vehicle Platoons

Highway platooning of vehicles has been identified as a promising framework in developing intelligent transportation systems. By autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle control and intervehicle coordination, an appropriately managed platoon can potentially offer enhanced safety, improved highway utility, increased fuel economy, and reduced emissions. This paper is focused on quantitative characterization of the impact of communication information structures and contents on platoon safety. By comparing different information structures that combine front sensors, rear sensors, and wireless communication channels, as well as different information contents such as distances, speeds, and drivers' actions, we reveal a number of intrinsic relationships between vehicle coordination and communications in platoons. Typical communication standards and related communication latency are used as benchmark cases in this paper. The findings of this paper provide useful guidelines in sensor selections, communication resource allocations, and vehicle coordination.
Adenosine triphosphate and adenylate energy charge in marine sediments

The determination of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) concentrations in sediments from both Puget Sound and the Washington State continental shelf (USA) has been investigated. Major losses during the extraction procedure included sediment sorption, coprecipitation, and unreactivity of the soluble adenylates presumably through irreversible binding to solubilized sediment organics. Addition of phosphoric acid and the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 to cold sulfuric acid significantly increased the extraction efficiency and sensitivity over that of sulfuric acid alone, although both methods yielded similar results when corrected for losses. Vertical profiles of ATP, total adenylates (AT), and adenylate energy charge (EC) in sediments from both areas are presented. Profiles of AT are similar in both areas, but EC values in the shelf sediments are significantly lower, which suggests a depressed physiological condition in the shelf population relative to that in Puget Sound.
Urbanization and daughter-biased parental investment in Fiji.

Parental investment decisions guide parental actions regarding children’s productive work and are shaped by ecological context. Urban ecology enhances long-term payoffs to investment in human capital, increasing opportunity costs for work performed by children, and decreased workload should result. Using an embodied capital framework, self-reported data on urban and rural Indo-Fijian children’s work activities are compared. Results show higher workloads for older children, rural children, and girls. High scholastic achievement is associated with lower workloads for girls, but not boys. This pattern is interpreted as daughter-biased investment in the context of urbanization.