cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subcellular localization of the Vif protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Abstract The Vif (viral infectivity factor) protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been shown to dramatically enhance the infectivity of HIV-1 virus particles during virus production. The subcellular localization of Vif was examined to elucidate cellular pathways which may be important for Vif function. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of Vif demonstrated a diffuse cytoplasmic distribution and showed that most Vif was not associated with the Golgi complex, a proposed site of localization (B. Guy, M. Geist, K. Dott, D. Spehner, M.-P. Kieny, and J.-P. Lecocq, J. Virol. 65:1325-1331, 1991). Subcellular fractionation of transfected COS cells and HIV-1-infected Jurkat and CEM cells demonstrated that Vif is a cytoplasmic protein which exists in both a soluble cytosolic form and membrane-associated form. The membrane-associated form of Vif is a peripheral membrane protein which is tightly associated with the cytoplasmic side of cellular membranes. The C terminus of Vif was required for the stable association of Vif with membranes. The C terminus was also essential for Vif function, suggesting that the association of Vif with membranes is likely to be important for its biological activity. The highly conserved regions at residues 103 to 115 and 142 to 150 were important for Vif function but did not affect membrane association, indicating that these regions are likely to be important for other, as-yet-unknown functions.
Relationship of Work Hours With Selected Health Behaviors and Academic Progress Among a College Student Cohort

Approximately 57% of college students work while attending school. Health risks related to working while in college have not been widely studied. Objective: The authors' purpose in this study was to determine associations between hours worked, binge drinking, sleep habits, and academic performance among a college student cohort. Participants and Methods: The authors randomly selected a sample of 1,700 undergraduates from a southeastern US university and mailed to them a survey requesting a variety of self-reported health behaviors and hours worked. A total of 903 completed questionnaires were received, indicating a response rate of 57.3%. Results: Binge drinking, less sleep, and lower academic performance were significantly associated with working 20 or more hours per week. Those variables were not associated with working fewer than 20 hours per week. Conclusions: Although administrators and others in higher education are aware of the impact of economics on a school's ability to operate, they may not be a...
Microlocal structure of inverse synthetic aperture radar data

We consider the problem of all-weather identification of airborne targets. We show that structural elements of the target correspond to identifiable features of the radar data. Our approach is based on high-frequency scattering methods but is not limited to the standard weak-scatterer approximation: we also analyse multiple scattering and structural dispersion (situations normally interpreted in terms of poorly behaved image 'artifacts'). This work suggests a method for target identification that circumvents the need to create an intermediate radar image from which the object's characteristics are to be extracted. As such, this scheme may be applicable to efficient machine-based radar identification programmes.
Effect of Co Loading on the Activity and Selectivity of PtCo Aqueous Phase Reforming Catalysts

The reaction site time yields (STYs, normalized to CO chemisorption sites) and product selectivity were measured for a series of bimetallic, multiwalled carbon nanotube supported PtCo catalysts with varying Pt/Co ratios for aqueous phase glycerol reforming. The STYs for all products increased by factors of around 2 for PtCo 1:0.5 and 1:1, and a factor of 4 for PtCo 1:5 relative to a monometallic Pt catalyst. The PtCo catalysts had similar hydrogen selectivity (>85%) at glycerol conversions up to 60%. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy characterization revealed that PtCo catalysts adopt monometallic Pt, mixed PtCo alloy, and Pt shell/Co core particle configurations. A linear correlation between the fraction of mixed PtCo alloy particles and the STY was found, indicating that higher Co loading resulted in a higher fraction of mixed PtCo alloy particles (the promoted phase) that provided the STY increase.
Does carotid stenting measure up to endarterectomy? A vascular surgeon's experience.

Hypothesis Carotid angioplasty and stenting seems to have equal or better outcomes in high-risk patients than carotid endarterectomy. Design Single-center case-control study. Setting University hospital tertiary referral center. Patients Individuals (n = 53) undergoing elective carotid angioplasty and stenting for cervical carotid stenosis (n = 57) between April 2001 and October 2003. All patients were referred to and treated by the primary author (M.K.E.). Results Mean ± SD age was 68.8 ± 1.2 years (64% men [34] and 36% women [19]), and overall mean ± SD rate of stenosis was 79% ± 10%. Preprocedural neurologic symptoms were present in 42% of the group. Indications for treatment included prior neck surgery with irradiation (4), recurrent stenosis (19), and severe comorbidities (34). Duplex scanning 24 hours after stenting showed immediate mean percentage reductions in peaksystolic velocity and end diastolic velocity of 74% and 76%, respectively. After a 30-day follow-up period, there were no deaths and no major or minor strokes. One patient (1.7%) developed transient amaurosis fugax 12 hours after the procedure. Four patients (7.0%) experienced access-related complications. Intraoperative complications included 1 seizure (1.7%) and 1 asystolic arrest (1.7%), both treated successfully. During follow-up, 3 cases of re-stenosis (5.0%) occurred. One asymptomatic occlusion (1.7%) was detected at the 6-month follow-up visit. There have been no late carotid-related complications or deaths. Conclusions Vascular surgeons possessing advanced catheter-based skills can safely perform carotid angioplasty and stenting and can achieve perioperative results comparable with carotid endarterectomy. Determination of the true efficacy and durability of carotid angioplasty and stenting as compared with endarterectomy awaits ongoing randomized national trials.
Interrelationships between plasma homovanillic acid and indices of dopamine turnover in multiple brain areas during haloperidol and saline administration.

Haloperidol or saline was administered to rats daily for 1, 8, 15 or 22 days. During haloperidol, but not saline administration, changes in plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) concentrations were correlated with changes in nucleus accumbens HVA. Haloperidol administration also had a significant effect on the intercorrelation of dopamine (DA) concentrations and indices of DA turnover across multiple brain areas. In particular, intercorrelations of HVA concentrations among DA terminal brain areas (i.e. striatum, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle) occurred only during haloperidol treatment.
Stimulation of iodoproteins and thyroxine formation in human leukocytes by phagocytosis.

Phagocytosis of inert latex microparticles increases the iodide uptake and organic binding in human leukocytes by several fold in comparison to control cells. Thyroxine, monoiodo-tyrosine, and diiodotyrosine were found after pronase hydrolysis of leukocyte proteins. An active iodide concentrating mechanism was found in the leukocytes too. The concentration of stable iodine (127I) in leukocytes was found to be 0.003 per cent, and in leukocyte proteins, 0.04 per cent.
LIMITS ON THE POWER OF SOME MODELS OF QUANTUM COMPUTATION

We consider quantum computational models defined via a Lie-algebraic theory. In these models, specified initial states are acted on by Lie-algebraic quantum gates and the expectation values of Lie algebra elements are measured at the end. We show that these models can be efficiently simulated on a classical computer in time polynomial in the dimension of the algebra, regardless of the dimension of the Hilbert space where the algebra acts. Similar results hold for the computation of the expectation value of operators implemented by a gate-sequence. We introduce a Lie-algebraic notion of generalized mean-field Hamiltonians and show that they are efficiently (exactly) solvable by means of a Jacobi-like diagonalization method. Our results generalize earlier ones on fermionic linear optics computation and provide insight into the source of the power of the conventional model of quantum computation.
Acute and continuous morphine administration on the γ-aminobutyric acid system in the mouse

Abstract 1. 1. Effects of acute and continuous morphine administration on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate levels and activities of L-glutamate-1-carboxylase (GAD) and GABA-α-ketoglutarate aminotransferase (GABA-T) in whole or discrete areas of mouse brain have been investigated. 2. 2. Acute morphine administration resulted in a significant increased brain GABA content and decreased glutamate level. Neither brain GAD nor GABA-T activity were affected. 3. 3. Continuous morphine administration, on the other hand, caused no significant change in brain glutamate level. However, there were significant decreases in both GABA level and GAD activity. 4. 4. The rate of brain GABA accumulation, induced by aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA) in tolerant mice, was slower than in non-tolerant animals. 5. 5. Both acute and continuous morphine administration caused distinct effects on the GABA system in cerebral cortex, brain stem, hypothalamus and the remaining areas of the brain except cerebellum. These data may indicate that the CNS GABA system is linked with morphine analgesia, tolerance and physical dependence.
Postoperative infection following orthopaedic surgery in human immunodeficiency virus-infected hemophiliacs with CD4 counts ≤ 200/mm3

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected hemophiliacs are at risk for bacterial and opportunistic infections with worsening immunosuppression. Thus, the risk of postoperative infection following orthopaedic surgery is of considerable concern. A survey of United States hemophilia treatment centers was conducted to determine the incidence of postoperative infection in human immunodeficiency virus-positive hemophiliacs with CD4 counts of 200 mm3 or less undergoing orthopaedic surgery. A total of 115 centers from 37 states reported that postoperative infection occurred in 10 (15.1%) of 66 patients undergoing 74 orthopaedic procedures, between several weeks and 5 months following surgery. In five (50%), pre-operative infection preceded postoperative joint infection. Staphylococcus was the most common organism isolated in a prosthetic joint infection, in 6 of 10 (60.0%), and the knee was the most commonly affected joint, in 9 of 10 (90.0%). Joint arthroplasty appeared to have 10 times the risk of nonarthroplasty procedures for postoperative infection (9 of 34 [26.5%] and 1 of 40 [2.5%], respectively, P < .01). Two subjects developed chronic osteomyelitis. The rate of postoperative infection in human immunodeficiency virus-positive hemophiliacs with CD4 counts of 200/mm3 or less appears to be high, when compared with the general population. Early, vigorous treatment should be instituted for suspected infection, antibiotic prophylaxis considered for invasive procedures, and surgical intervention individualized based on the balance of risks and benefits.
Librarian Viewpoints on Teaching Open Access Publishing Principles to College Students

Efforts by individual librarians and advocacy groups over the last ten years have resulted in greater awareness about Open Access. In recent years, some academic libraries have begun to raise awareness among both graduate and undergraduate populations. Through an online survey distributed to scholarly communications and e-resources listservs, this article documents some of the ongoing efforts now underway, and gauges how widespread the support is for similar initiatives. Both the literature review and survey responses underscore the importance of e-resource management tools to librarians involved in Open Access initiatives.
No time to worry: the relationship between worry, time structure, and time management

This study investigated the relationship between worry and time use among 130 undergraduate students. Participants were administered the Student Worry Scale (Davey et al., 1992), the Time Structure Questionnaire (Bond & Feather, 1988), and the Time Management Behavior Scale (Macan et al., 1990). Total TSQ scores and three of its factors (sense of purpose, present orientation, and persistence) were negatively related to worry. However, the TMB did not correlate with worry. The results were interpreted to indicate that perceptions of structure and purpose in time use, but not the use of actual time management behaviors, might be beneficial in decreasing worry.
The use of screen-to-plate transconductance in multigrid tube circuit design

The selection of triodes, and especially multigrid vacuum tubes, for specific applications may be systematized so that an immediate choice may be made of suitable tubes. The relation of screen-to-plate transconductance to the more commonly used tube parameters is indicated.
Repositioning American Public Administration? Citizen Estrangement, Administrative Reform, and the Disarticulated State

Levels of citizen estrangement from government in the United States have risen rather consistently since the late 1960s and have reached all-time highs in recent years. Evidence is accumulating in political science research to suggest that public administrative theory may have contributed to this trend since the Progressive Era in the early 1900s. The authors develop this thesis by arguing that administrative theory in the United States has persistently portrayed public managers as “bridge builders” who link an expertise-challenged citizenry to government in ways that emphasize bureaucratic over democratic administration. Moreover, despite claims of yet another “new” paradigmatic shift for the field, collaborative governance scholarship to date exhibits similar tendencies. To support this argument, the authors assess the common citizen-marginalizing tendencies of three sets of administrative reforms in American public administration: the progressive, associationalist, and polycentric heritages. They offer counterarguments to this thesis and call for critical self-reflection by the field and a more empirically robust research agenda on this topic.
The Impact of Housing Subsidies and Prices on Mothers' Living Arrangements: Evidence from the Census

Although rarely the primary focus of study, housing subsidies and prices influence the most fundamental decisions about family living. This analysis uses 1980, 1990 and 2000 US Census data to examine the effects of housing prices and subsidies on the living arrangements of mothers with young children while controlling for welfare benefit levels, unemployment rates, gender ratios, child support enforcement and personal characteristics. Results suggest that housing prices are positively associated with all shared arrangements relative to living alone, while housing subsidies are negatively associated with marriage and living with family relative to living alone.
Effect of isoproterenol on the blood vessels of the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Abstract The reactivity of skeletal muscle arterioles to isoproterenol injections was compared in the normal control rat (NCR) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). The response to one second injections of 10 −8 –10 −4 g/ml of isoproterenol was dose dependent and of greatest magnitude in the vessel category with the smallest control diameter. SHR had lower threshold in small arteriolar vessels, but NCR exhibited greater maximum percent increase in vessel diameter.
Release and establishment of Zygogramma suturalis F. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Croatia for control of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.).

Abstract Common ragweed ( Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is an important weed in some parts of Europe. After determining that native natural enemies in Croatia had little influence on controlling this weed, we introduced the beetle Zygogramma suturalis F. from the United States and obtained data on its biology and ecology. We released the beetle in the held at three sites near Bjelovar, Zagreb, and Zadar beginning in 1985. Establishment was confirmed at the Zagreb and Zadar sites from releases made in 1988, but field populations of the beetle remained low through the fall of 1991.
Development and confirmation of the unified model for Schottky barrier formation and MOS interface states on III-V compounds

The object of the work reported here was to develop an understanding on an atomic basis of the interactions between semiconductors and metal or oxygen overlayers which determine the electronic characteristics of the interface, e.g. the Schottky barrier heights and the density and the energy position of states at oxide-semiconductor interfaces. The principal experimental tool used by ourselves was photoemission excited by monochromatized synchrotron radiation (10 eV<hv<300 eV). Extreme surface sensitivity is obtained by tuning the synchrotron radiation so that the minimum escape depth is obtained for the excited electrons of interest. In this way only the last two or three atomic layers of the solid are sampled. By changing hv, core levels or valence bands can be studied. The Fermi level position Efs at the surface can be directly determined using a metallic reference. GaAs, InP and GaSb were studied. On a properly cleaved surface there are no surface states in the semiconductor band gap—thus, no pinning of Efs. Pinning of Efs can then be monitored as metal or oxygen is added to the surface, starting from submonolayer quantities. Two striking results are obtained: (1) the pinning position is independent of the adatom, whether it is oxygen or one of a wide range of metals, and (2) the pinning is completed by much less than a monolayer of adatoms. These results cannot rationally be explained by the hypothesis that the pinning is due to the levels produced directly by the adatoms. Rather, they suggest strongly that the adatoms disturb the semiconductor surface indirectly, forming defect levels. This is supported by the appearance of the semiconductor atoms in the metal and by the disordering of the semiconductor surface by submonolayer quantities of oxygen. Since these basic experiments have been reported previously they are only briefly reviewed here. When metal or oxygen is added under very gentle conditions, the following levels are formed (all energies are relative to the conduction band minimum). Semiconductor Acceptor Donor GaAs 0.65 eV 0.85 eV InP 0.45 eV 0.1 eV GaSb 0.5 eV Below VBM Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV where VBM denotes the valence band maximum.
Summary of forecasts of runoff tributary to storage-reservoirs on upper San Joaquin River

The Southern California Edison Company's Big Creek hydroelectric development is served by three storage-reservoirs, namely, Florence, Huntington, and Shaver Lakes, having a combined capacity of 288,523 acre-feet. These three reservoirs impound the runoff of Bear Creek, Mono Creek, South Fork San Joaquin River, Big Creek, Pitman Creek, and Stevenson Creek. The combined area of the six drainage-basins is 450 square miles, 45 per cent of which is above an elevation of 10,000 feet.
IN VIVO REVERSAL OF THYROXINE INDUCTION OF DNA SYNTHESIS BY DIBUTYRYL CYCLIC AMP IN DEVELOPING RAT CEREBELLUM

Thyroxine, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and a combination of both drugs were administered daily from birth to 2, 2 and 3 pups, respectively from each of 5 litters of Sprague-Dawley rats. Body weight, brain weight, cerebellar weight, and cerebellar DNA were measured in each animal at age 5 days and compared with values from a pair of controls from each litter. Cerebellar weight and DNA content were affected more severely than body weight in cyclic AMP-treated animals, with cerebellar DNA reduced significantly to 88% of control values. Cerebellar DNA was significantly elevated to 117% of control values in thyroxine-treated animals. This augmentation of cerebellar DNA synthesis by thyroxine was negated by administration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP 10 min prior to the thyroxine injection. These results support an hypothesis that the enhancement of cerebellar cell division by thyroxine involves an increase in the ratio of intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate to cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The reversal of the thyroxine-induced increase in cerebellar DNA synthesis by a prior injection of dibutyryl cyclic AMP suggests that the early stimulation of cell division by thyroxine may be mediated by cyclic AMP, and that the intracellular balance between cerebellar cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP was distorted by in vivo elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP levels.
Will more liberal arts courses fix the accounting curriculum

Abstract The appropriate curricular balance between general and accounting education has been long contested and needs resolving as evidence suggests the model used at most schools is broken. One suggested fix would devote more of the accounting curriculum to liberal arts courses to produce accountants who could, for example, think critically and communicate effectively. However, ample evidence indicates that classical “liberal education” scarcely exists today, and what is offered in its place is often counterproductive, at worst, or adds little value at best. This paper reviews the current state of liberal education and concludes that what is actually delivered today by many arts and sciences colleges does not achieve the claimed benefits of a liberal education. Thus it falls on accounting educators to structure courses in ways that will make them exercises in liberal learning. The paper also discusses several strategies for enhancing the value of the general education component of each student’s education.
ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF THE DOMINANT PARAMAGNETIC DEFECT IN ELECTRON-IRRADIATED p-TYPE SILICON

Electron paramagnetic resonance and Hall effect measurements to determine properties of dominant paramagnetic defect in electron irradiated p-type silicon
Specific targeting of activated endothelium in rat adjuvant arthritis with a 99mTc-radiolabeled E-selectin-binding peptide.

Objective To determine the potential of an E-selectin–binding peptide (ESbp) to specifically bind activated endothelium in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) animal models. Methods ESbp (KYDGDITWDQLWDLMK; 2,027 daltons) was labeled with biotin and 99mTc. The affinity of ESbp derivatives for E-selectin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The binding of biotin-ESbp was compared with that of an anti–E-selectin antibody, by immunohistochemical analyses of human synovial sections and sections from the Mycoplasma pulmonis MRL-lpr/lpr mouse arthritis model. 99mTc-ESbp was sequentially imaged in vivo with a gamma camera in the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis model. Results E-selectin expression was detected in human RA synovium and mouse arthritic synovium using biotin-ESbp. Both biotin-ESbp and 99mTc-labeled ESbp had high affinity for E-selectin (dissociation constant 2–5 nM). In vivo imaging showed specific binding of 99mTc-ESbp to the rat ankle joint prior to clinical manifestations of inflammation. Conclusion These results demonstrate that activated endothelium can be targeted with 99mTc-ESbp. The specificity of targeting can be used to evaluate up-regulation of E-selectin in RA models, and to follow changes in this up-regulation during treatment trials.
Enzymatic transformation of humic substances by NDO

Abstract Enzymatic transformation of humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and indole was examined using naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase (NDO). NDO was used as a model for dioxygenase enzymes found in various microbial species. Indole was used as a model substrate for NDO-catalyzed reactions resulting in condensation products. Although NDO is not classified as a soil enzyme, all HA and FA tested were susceptible to NDO-induced transformation. The extent of NDO-specific NADH oxidation in solutions containing HA and FA paralleled the percent aromaticity of the HA and FA. Furthermore, the UV–Vis absorptive properties of NDO-treated HA and FA were altered in a manner suggesting condensation reactions similar to the formation of indigo from indole. Condensation reactions were enhanced in NDO-treated mixtures containing indole and an FA. NDO retained activity for 2 weeks under ambient conditions, and retained some enzymatic activity for 9 days based on detection of specific metabolites by HPLC, suggesting prolonged extracellular activity. Humic substances have not previously been known to be substrates for dioxygenases; even more significant was that dioxygenase enzymes can facilitate condensation reactions between indole-like functional groups well-known to be present in HA and FA. These results illustrate how dioxygenases can be potential humic-modifying enzymes when released into the environment upon microbial death and concurrent cell lysis which could alter the bioavailability of organic contaminants associated with dissolved organic matter through specific modulation of enzyme activity involving substrate competition.
Energy-dependent flip of fluorescence-labeled phospholipids is regulated by nutrient starvation and transcription factors, PDR1 and PDR3.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae readily accumulates short-chain, fluorescent 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD)-labeled phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine at the nuclear envelope/endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. The net intracellular accumulation reflects the sum of their inwardly and outwardly directed transbilayer translocation across the plasma membrane (flip and flop, respectively). The rate of flop is negligible in energy-depleted cells as well as at low temperature (2 °C). Although flip is reduced at 2 °C, it can still be measured by flow cytometry, allowing the rate of flip, independent of flop, to be characterized at this temperature. Flip requires the energy of the plasma membrane proton electrochemical gradient and is down-regulated as cells pass through the diauxic shift and enter stationary phase. Furthermore, drug-resistant, gain-of-function mutations in the transcription factors,PDR1 and PDR3, result in a dramatic down-regulation of flip in addition to their already established up-regulation of flop. These results imply that down-regulation of the NBD-phospholipid flip pathway is a physiological response to environmental stress.
Experimental Study on Horizontal Continuous Casting of 6061 Aluminium Alloy Bar Process

The aluminium alloy bar is mainly obtained by hot extrusion in the past. In order to increase the production efficiency and reduce the cost, a new mold is designed, and horizontal continuous casting is used to produce the aluminium alloy bar in this work. The results show that aluminium alloy bar can be cast by horizontal continuous casting. The asymmetry of the sump is overcome by optimizing the design of the mold. When the temperature of the melt was 730°C, casting speed is 650 mm/min, cooling water is 15 L/min, the quality of lubricating oil is 0.5 ml/min, and the ingot with good surface quality can be cast.
Improved procedure for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of selenium-glutathione peroxidase and application to the rat liver enzyme.

Abstract Purified rat liver soluble glutathione peroxidase, with a specific activity of 280 μmol of NADPH oxidized/min/mg of protein, was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sampling technique developed required only 20–25 μg of protein for each sample. Selenium 3d electron signals were found in the 55.0 ± 0.3 eV region. The spectrum at the 55 eV region was free from interfering magnesium and iron. The selenium 3d electron signals observed gave evidence that selenium in glutathione peroxidase is not bound to oxygen.
Evolutionary voter sophistication and political business cycles

The concept of the sophisticated electorate is central to many contemporary political economic models. However, no existing studies have yet clarified how voters could develop a sophisticated way of evaluating economic performance. This study suggests a transitional hypothesis that removes the constraint that voters have prior knowledge about the macroeconomic environment and the true economic intent of the incumbent government. The hypothesis permits behavioral innovation from learning and predicts that the evolutionary process toward sophistication may be triggered by socially suboptimal political business cycles that reveal the self-serving characteristic of the government. The empirical analyses using recent Japanese experiences show that Japanese political support behavior shifted from naivete to sophistication in the early 1970s after political manipulation occurred in the 1969 and 1972 parliamentary elections.
Transplacental and lactational transfer of p,p'-DDE in Sprague-Dawley rats.

p,p′-DDE (hereafter DDE), a persistent metabolite of p,p′-DDT, is a widespread environmental contaminant that can induce antiandrogenic developmental effects in rats. Quantitative measurements of the transfer of DDE from pregnant or lactating dams to the fetus or suckling neonate were performed, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models for the transplacental and lactational transfer of DDE were developed. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were dosed by gavage in corn oil with either 10 or 100 mg DDE per kg body wt per day from Gestation Day (gd) 14 to 18. DDE was analyzed in several maternal tissues as well as in fetal and neonatal tissues from gd 15 to Postnatal Day (pnd) 21. Fetal DDE concentrations were about threefold lower than corresponding placental concentrations. By adopting a cross-fostering design, the contributions of transplacental and lactational transfer were compared. In the pup liver, where DDE was detectable in the 100 mg/kg groups on pnd 10, the lactationally exposed group had DDE concentrations about 50 times higher than those of the in utero only exposure group; the lactation only exposure groups had DDE tissue dose profiles very similar to those of the in utero plus lactation exposure groups, indicating that the lactational route is far more important than the in utero route quantitatively. The PBPK models postulated initial absorption of DDE into both the blood circulation and lymphatic system with the primary storage sites being maternal and neonatal adipose tissues. Mobilization of DDE from its storage sites is postulated to occur via its association with mobilized fatty acids and lipoproteins. The results provide an overall framework for evaluating the tissue dosimetry of DDE and for understanding how maternal exposure to DDE could affect perinatal sexual development in utero or in the early postnatal period.
Conjuring a river, imagining civilisation: Saraswati, archaeology and science in India

The depiction of the river Saraswati as an empirical centre of the Harappan civilisation has been marked by intense debate in recent years. Taking the short-lived Saraswati Heritage Project (2002–0...
Monomeric phosphido and phosphinidene complexes of nickel

An unusual family of three-coordinate, d(8) and d(9) nickel phosphido and phosphinidene complexes containing the chelating 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)ethane (dtbpe) ligand and a terminal PR(2)(-) or PR(2-) ligand have been prepared. The complexes (dtbpe)Ni[P(t-Bu)(2)] (2), [(dtbpe)Ni[=P(t-Bu)(2)](+)][PF(6)(-)] (3), [(dtbpe)Ni[=P(H)(dmp)](+)][PF(6)(-)] (5), and (dtbpe)Ni[=P(dmp)] (6) have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The three-coordinate d(8) complexes exhibit Ni-P bond lengths and ligand geometries that indicate they participate in symmetry-allowed ligand-to-metal pi bonding involving phosphorus p-electrons and a metal-orbital of pi symmetry that lies in the Ni coordination plane. Compound 6 is a rare example of a late-transition-metal terminal phosphinidene complex.
The importance of the CTAB surfactant on the colloidal seed-mediated synthesis of gold nanorods.

Gold nanorods were synthesized by the colloidal seed-mediated, surfactant-assisted approach [Gou et al., Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 3668−3672] using CTAB (hexadecylcetyltrimethylammonium bromide) obtained from ten different suppliers. The yield of gold nanorods depended strongly on the CTAB used: with the same recipe, three of the CTABs did not yield nanorods and produced only spherical gold particles, whereas the other CTABs yielded nanorods with nearly 100% yield. These results suggest that an impurity in the CTAB is very important for nanorod formation.
Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Barriers in Career Decision Making Among Community College Students

This study explored differences between career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and career barriers of students enrolled in applied technology programs compared to those enrolled in college transfer. Participants in the ex post facto cross-sectional survey included 787 students at a community college. The following research questions were asked: (a) what is the predictive value of demographic variables on CDMSE and career barriers of applied technology and college transfer community college students? (b) is there a relationship between CDMSE and career barriers of applied technology and college transfer community college students? The Career Decision Self-Efficacy-Short Form and Career Barriers Inventory-Revised were administered to participants, and data were analyzed using two sample t tests, ANOVA and multiple regression models. There were significant differences between applied technology and college transfer students in terms of career barriers and career decision-making self-efficacy. Applied t...
Angiographic findings when chest pain recurs after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Angiographic and clinical characteristics of 102 consecutive patients who underwent coronary cineangiography for assessment of recurrent angina pectoris after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) were reviewed. Based on angiographic findings, patients were classified as having restenosis (n = 63), development of new, significant coronary stenosis (n = 15), incomplete revascularization (n = 9) or no significant coronary artery disease (n = 15). Eighteen clinical and technical characteristics of the study group were analyzed as predictors of angiographic outcome. The groups did not differ in terms of age, gender, number of inflations performed, peak inflation pressure or in the pre- or post-PTCA stenosis or gradient. The time from PTCA to onset of recurrent angina was the most powerful predictor of angiographic outcome. Patients in whom symptoms developed within 1 month of PTCA usually had incomplete revascularization or no coronary narrowing. Restenosis was the most common explanation for chest pain 1 to 6 months after PTCA. Angina recurring more than 6 months after PTCA was usually due to development of new, significant coronary artery narrowings.
Conditioned Defensive Burying as a Function of Stimulus Modality and Stimulus Accessibility

Summary Studied the effects of a single shock presentation upon defensive burying of a second, externally located aversive stimulus (a flashbulb). Twenty-one, male Holtzman rats received defensive-burying testing in a rectangular enclosure having a bedding-material floor. S s initially exposed to the shock defensively buried an externally located flashbulb when it was discharged. Previously shocked rats did not display such behavior to an unactivated flashbulb. During subsequent phases, it was shown that previously non-shocked S s buried the flash stimulus only when it was made partially accessible. The results of this four-phase experiment indicate that the defensive-burying response is sensitive to both the modality and accessibility of the aversive stimulus.
Prevention and management of fat emboli syndrome

Abstract Fat emboli syndrome, which is an infrequent consequence of long bone fractures, also can occur with total knee replacements where increased intramedullary pressure is generated. Changes in techniques with intramedullary instrumentation have reduced the frequency of occurrence of the classic fat emboli syndrome. However, during routine total knee replacements, studies using transesophageal ultrasound demonstrate the release of fat embolic particles, which are generally tolerated by patients with the lung acting as an effective filter. Particularly with bilateral total knees, the consequences of this with potential subclinical effects, especially on cognitive functioning, are unclear.
Migration of a Pair of Bubbles under the Combined Action of Gravity and Thermocapillarity

Abstract The migration of a pair of gas bubbles in an unbounded fluid subject to the combined action of gravity and a downward temperature gradient is considered in the quasistatic limit of negligible Reynolds and Peclet numbers. The solution for the case when the line-of-centers is oriented arbitrarily with respect to the gravity vector is constructed by superposing solutions of the axisymmetric and asymmetric problems. In the axisymmetric problem, it is found that a pair of unequal bubbles can reach a stable critical separation at which both bubbles move at the same velocity, if the smaller bubble is on top of the larger one; at an appropriate balance of the relative strengths of the gravitational and thermocapillary effects, such a pair of bubbles also can reach a motionless state. It is also shown that a downward moving bubble can cause a small bubble which is nearby to move upward, opposite to the direction in which the small bubble would move if isolated. Finally, flow structures, computed by a boundary-collocation method, are illustrated via streamlines in an appropriate symmetry plane in the laboratory frame of reference or in a reference frame traveling with one of the bubbles as appropriate.
Anger and Approach : Reply to Watson (2009) and to Tomarken and Zald (2009)

C. S. Carver and E. Harmon-Jones (2009) reviewed evidence consistent with the idea that anger arises from a behavioral approach system. Commentary on that article by A. J. Tomarken and D. H. Zald (2009) raised questions about the many elements involved in acts of approach and limitations on what information can be provided by electroencephalograms. Commentary by D. Watson (2009) raised questions about the extensive psychometric evidence linking the negative affects. This article responds briefly to these issues.
Two functional states of the RNA polymerases in the rat hepatic nuclear and nucleolar fractions.

IN eukaryotic cells, the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is known to be bound to chromatin1. As it is known that chromatin is a restricted template2,3, the question is whether all or only a fraction of the RNA polymerases bound to the chromatin is functionally active. The experiments reported here provide evidence that only a fraction of the RNA polymerases present in both nuclei and the nucleolar fraction is functionally active on chromatin.
Screening and interlayer coupling in multilayer MoS2

The two-dimensional layered semiconducting di-chalcogenides are emerging as promising candidates for post-Si-CMOS applications owing to their excellent electrostatic integrity and the presence of a finite energy bandgap, unlike graphene. However, in order to unravel the ultimate potential of these materials, one needs to investigate different aspects of carrier transport. In this Letter, we present the first comprehensive experimental study on the dependence of carrier mobility on the layer thickness of back-gated multilayer MoS2 field-effect transistors. We observe a non-monotonic trend in the extracted effective field-effect mobility with layer thickness which is of relevance for the design of high-performance devices. We also discuss a detailed theoretical model based on Thomas–Fermi charge screening and interlayer coupling in order to explain our experimental observations. Our model is generic and, therefore, is believed to be applicable to any two-dimensional layered system. A model explaining the experimental findings related to screening and interlayer coupling in multilayer MoS2. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Demonstration of a cytotoxin from Campylobacter pylori

In order to determine ifCampylobacter pylori produces a cytotoxin, a study was performed using bacterial lysates from three clinical isolates of the organism. The lysates were cytotoxic for Chinese hamster ovary cells, as determined by a microtiter assay. The lysates were also lethal for mice after intraperitoneal injection. Loss of toxicity and lethality followed trypsinization, heating and acidification of cell-free lysates. It is concluded that the toxic factor(s) inCampylobacter pylori may be a protein.
Microchip laser ablation of metals: investigation of the ablation process in view of its application to laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Metal ablation with a short pulse, low energy microchip laser was investigated with respect to its application to laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Target surface modifications and crater parameters as a function of laser pulse properties were studied. The effect of the laser pulse is limited to the focal spot, but surface modification by the laser-induced plasma can extend several micrometers beyond the focal spot depending on the target’s thermal properties. Mass removal per shot was found to depend upon the heat of fusion of the target, while appreciable plasma emission was observed only at high pulse energies. Plasma composition and emission intensity can change significantly with the surface properties, requiring a fresh, flat surface to be exposed to each laser pulse. Increasing the temperature of the target resulted in a corresponding increase in plasma emission due to an increased mass removal per laser shot: however, selective ablation was not observed at temperatures up to 550 °C. Fractionation was observed at low laser irradiances and inside deep craters, but it was minimal compared with the results reported for other laser ablation systems. Characteristics such as precision in the mass removal process, well-defined crater parameters, and good spatial resolution make the Powerchip laser an attractive laser sampling tool.
Combinatorial control of Drosophila mef2 gene expression in cardiac and somatic muscle cell lineages

The Drosophila mef2 gene encodes a MADS domain transcription factor required for the differentiation of cardiac, somatic, and visceral muscles during embryogenesis and the patterning of adult indirect flight muscles assembled during metamorphosis. A prerequisite for D-MEF2 function in myogenesis is its precise expression in multiple cell types during development. Novel enhancers for D-mef2 transcription in cardiac and adult muscle precursor cells have been identified and their regulation by the Tinman and Twist myogenic factors have been demonstrated. However, these results suggested the existence of additional regulators and provided limited information on the specification of progenitor cells for different muscle lineages. We have further characterized the heart enhancer and show it is part of a complex regulatory region controlling the activation and repression of D-mef2 transcription in several cell types. The mutation of a GATA sequence in the enhancer changes its specificity from cardial to pericardial cells. Also, the addition of flanking sequences to the heart enhancer results in expression in a new cell type, that being the founder cells of a subset of body wall muscles. As tinman function is required for D-mef2 expression in both the cardial and founder cells, these results define a shared regulatory DNA that functions in distinct lineages due to the combinatorial activity of Tinman and other factors that work through adjacent sequences. The analysis of D-mef2-lacZ fusion genes in mutant embryos revealed that the specification of the muscle precursor cells involved the wingless gene and the activation of a receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway.
RAAS inhibition/blockade in patients with cardiovascular disease: implications of recent large-scale randomised trials for clinical practice

Activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) has been shown to play an important role in cardiac and vascular injury and, conversely, inhibition and/or blockade of this system reduces cardiovascular mortality and morbidity across a wide spectrum of cardiovascular diseases. There remains, however, controversy as to how best to negate the adverse effects of RAAS activation. The results of the ONTARGET1 and TRANSCEND2 studies in patients with high-risk vascular disease, as well as a number of recent meta-analyses of randomised trials comparing the efficacy and safety of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) with angiotensin receptor blocking agents (ARBs) and their combination in patients with heart failure (HF), hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, have focused attention on the RAAS and have provided some further insight into the most effective strategy to prevent the adverse effects of RAAS activation. These insights may, however, need to be modified as the results of new strategies to block/inhibit the RAAS become available. Furthermore, the question as to how best to inhibit/block the RAAS may be disease-specific. It should also be emphasised that despite over two decades of intensive preclinical and clinical investigation our understanding of the RAAS, the consequences of its activation and the most effective strategy to prevent its activation remain incomplete. The HOPE3 and EUROPA4 studies demonstrated the effectiveness of ACEIs ramipril and perindopril in reducing cardiovascular risk in patients with high-risk vascular disease without evidence of clinical HF. The results of PEACE5 examining the ACEI trandolapril and QUIET6 examining quinapril, although less convincing, are compatible with those of HOPE3 and EUROPA.4 While the results of HOPE3 and EUROPA4 have led to an indication for the use of ACEIs in patients with high-risk vascular disease there remains some controversy as to whether their effectiveness …
ROLE OF GROWTH HORMONE ON PLASMA EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR CONCENTRATIONS

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is known to accelerate proliferation and differentiation of multiple cell types. We previously reported that growth hormone deficient (GHD) children have decreased urinary EGF excretion compared to normal children and the excretion of EGF increases with growth hormone (GH) administration. We developed a heterologous, double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) based on mEGF to estimate plasma concentrations of EGF in humans. The detection limit of the assay was 0.10 ng/ml. Using this method, mean concentration of EGF in plasma from adults was 4.8±1.7 ng/ml and the mean concentration in normal children was 8.4±0.3 ng/ml. Plasma and urinary EGF in GHD children before and during treatment (0.08 U GH/kg t.i.w.) are shown in the table below: These data suggest that the plasma concentrations of EGF do not change with GH treatment of GHD children despite increases in urinary excretion. We conclude that the increased urinary excretion of EGF could reflect increased urinary clearance of this factor rather than increased production.
The near-death experience scale. Construction, reliability, and validity.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) have been described consistently since antiquity and more rigorously in recent years. Investigation into their mechanisms and effects has been impeded by the lack of quantitative measures of the NDE and its components. From an initial pool of 80 manifestations character