cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marriage at the Crossroads: Red v. Blue Marriage

Marriage has long been a symbol of union – between husband and wife, a compact between the couple and the community concerning support for children, and an institution that, even as it changed or cloaked inconvenient facts about sexuality or paternity, forged shared meanings about family life. Today, however, marriage has increasingly become a symbol of disunion. The disunion involves divorce and the disappearance of permanence as a defining feature of marriage. It extends to a dramatic increase in non-marital births, as marriage has become an optional rather than mandatory aspect of childrearing. And, in the United States today, marriage is increasingly a symbol of what divides us: regionally, economically, racially, politically and ideologically. This chapter first will examine the process of family change and its connections to the changing economy. Second, it will describe the way that family changes play out along regional and class lines. Third, it will consider the relationship between family changes and ideological divisions, describing the differences between strategies that seek to link women to men through control of sexuality versus those that would promote women’s autonomy and insist on neutrality toward family form. Finally, the chapter will conclude that changes in the family magnify the increasing inequality in society, and that the class-based nature of changes in marriage will guarantee increasing disinvestment in the next generation as a whole.
Stimulation of glucose catabolism in Escherichia coli by a potential futile cycle.

Abstract Fifteen-fold overexpression of phosphoenolpyruvate synthase (Pps) (EC 2.7.9.2) in Escherichia coli stimulated oxygen consumption in glucose minimal medium. A further increase in Pps overexpression to 30-fold stimulated glucose consumption by approximately 2-fold and resulted in an increased excretion of pyruvate and acetate. Insertion of two codons at the PvuII site in the pps gene abolished the enzymatic activity and eliminated the above-described effects. Both the active and the inactive proteins were detected at the predicted molecular weight by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Therefore, the observed physiological changes were due to the activity of Pps. The higher specific rates of consumption of oxygen and glucose indicate a potential futile cycle between phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and pyruvate. A model for the stimulation of glucose uptake is presented; it involves an increased PEP/pyruvate ratio caused by the overexpressed Pps activity, leading to a stimulation of the PEP:sugar phosphotransferase system.
ASTRO-FOLD: Ab-initio Secondary and Tertiary Structure Prediction in Protein Folding

Abstract The ability to predict protein structures from gene sequence data through computational means has significant implications in the fields of computational chemistry, structural biology and medicinal chemistry, as well as in expanding the impact of the research on the human genome. Current challenges for this task, also known as ab-initio protein structure prediction, include validity of the available molecular models and complexity of the search space. A novel four stage ab-initio approach for the structure prediction of single chain polypeptides is introduced. The methodology combines the classical and new views of protein folding, while using free energy calculations and integer linear optimization to predict helical and β-sheet structures. Detailed atomistic modeling and the deterministic global optimization method, αBB, coupled with torsion angle dynamics, form the basis for the final tertiary structure prediction. The excellent performance of the proposed approach is illustrated using the bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor protein.
CONSTITUTIVE RELATIONS FOR AN INELASTIC GRANULAR MEDIUM

The results of an experimental and analytical program to develop stress-strain relations for a granular medium are presented. Explicit three-dimensional relations are given which represent the inelastic deformation of the medium. A simple version of the formulation is used to represent experimental results for a locally quarried quartz, and an evaluation of the relation is presented. The simplified relations are seen to be a compromise between mathematical tractability on the one hand and accuracy of prediction on the other.
The functional dimensions of earth oven cooking: An analysis of an accidently burned maize roast at the C. W. Cooper site in West-central Illinois

AbstractDespite the prevalence of earth ovens, a subclass of pit features used for cooking, there is little consensus regarding how these cooking features were used or about the foodstuffs that were prepared in them. To provide a more detailed understanding of earth oven cooking in the archaeological record, we analyze the archaeobotanical contents, stratigraphy, and morphology of a cooking pit recently excavated at C. W. Cooper, an early Mississippian (a.d. 1150–1200) site in west-central Illinois in order to contribute to research on late Prehistoric foodways. Filled with nearly 100 ears of maize, this earth oven presents the opportunity to document the process of undertaking a maize roast. The volume of maize and its presence within a dense concentration of cooking, processing, and storage facilities allows us to consider the communal nature of outdoor earth oven cooking in the 12th century Central Illinois Valley and the socioeconomic dimensions of commensal politics more broadly during the Precolumbi...
The level of medical services and secondary school-aged athletes.

Context: Medical organizations have recommended that administrators, parents, and community leaders explore every opportunity to make interscholastic athletic programs safe for participation, inclu...
You Gotta Be: Embracing Embodied Knowledges in Doctoral Study

This chapter focuses on the idea of embodiment to explore how doctoral education can be enhanced by paying attention to narratives of experience and emotion.
AMMONIA AND ETHYLENE OXIDE PERMEATION THROUGH SELECTED PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

An automated permeation test system was developed to collect permeation data. Three test specimens were evaluated simultaneously versus a challenge gas. The study evaluated chemical protective clothing garment materials for use by emergency response personnel confronted by ammonia or ethylene oxide in the gas phase. A total of 13 encapsulating suit materials and 2 glove materials were tested. Surgical latex material is not recommended for use in handling ammonia or ethylene oxide; other materials offer much greater protection.
Changes in the firing properties of neurons in the dentate gyrus with denervation and reinnervation: implications for behavioral recovery.

The present study evaluates how the activity of neurons in the dentate gyrus of adult rats is affected by removal of the projection from the ipsilateral entorhinal cortex (EC) and by the reinnervation which follows this injury. We evaluated the average firing rate and characterized interstimulus interval (ISI) parameters for single units in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus in two ways: (I) by recording the activity of single neurons prior to and at 15 min and 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. following a unilateral EC lesion; and (II) by calculating average rates for samples of neurons at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14 days postlesion. Of a sample of 31 neurons whose activity was recorded before and after an EC lesion, 27 (87%) showed decreased activity, and 4 (13%) showed increased activity. The average prelesion firing rate for all cells was 6.5 spikes/s, and the average rate decreased to 2.5 spikes/s at 15 min postlesion. The average firing rate remained depressed for the 8-h recording session, although it was not possible to maintain the recordings for all cells. Evaluations of ISI histograms revealed three general types: (a) a skewed distribution with a single peak; (b) a bimodal distribution with an early peak at intervals of a few ms and a later peak at approximately the same interval as the distributions with single peaks; (c) cells with low firing rates and more or less rectangular distributions. Cells producing each type of ISI histogram exhibited decreases in firing after EC lesions. However, the 4 neurons that exhibited increases in firing had relatively low firing rates prior to the lesion. There were no significant changes in the coefficient of variation or skewness of the ISI histograms following the lesions. The statistical dependency of successive ISIs as revealed by serial correlograms was relatively low in the prelesion sample, and showed no consistent change following the lesion. Comparison of the average firing rates of different samples of neurons at 2–14 days postlesion revealed that the average activity of neurons in the granule cell layer remained depressed at 2 and 4 days postlesion. However, the activity recovered to a level comparable to the prelesion control by 8 days postlesion. The time course of recovery of unit activity was comparable to the time course of sprouting as revealed by previous electrophysiological studies. Since sprouting of the dentate gyrus has previously been shown to be correlated with recovery of function, we discuss how the recovery of unit activity might play a role in the behavioral recovery.
Electric field mediated DNA motion model

Understanding the motion and the governing equations of a molecule's path in tissue is an ultimate requirement for the repeatable, site specific delivery of molecules [Joseph D. Hickey. Modelling the Motion of Ions and Molecules in Electroporation and Electrophoresis Field Conditions. University of South Florida, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics, Tampa, Florida, 2003., Joseph D. Hickey and Richard Gilbert. Modeling the electromobility of ions in a target tissue. DNA and Cell Biology, 22 (12) (2003) 823-828.]. This paper describes a computationally efficient mathematical model and simulation technique for the examination of DNA fragments in a 1% agarose gel. The speed of the individual DNA fragments through the agarose gel was described through two parts. The maximum velocity was calculated using the Coulombic force divided by Stoke's law and that value was retarded by an exponential rate equation. The simulation utilizes previously published techniques modified for this specific application [Joseph D. Hickey and Richard Gilbert. Fluid flow electrophoresis model. Bioelectrochemistry, 63 (2) (2004) 365-367., Joseph D. Hickey and Richard Gilbert. Modeling the electromobility of ions in a target tissue. DNA and Cell Biology, 22 (12) (2003) 823-828.]. Five representative DNA fragment sizes that span the resolution of a 1% agarose gel were chosen for this analysis. The speeds corresponding to these five DNA fragment sizes were converted into discrete values and used in a 50 step simulation. The resultant error comparing the simulation with experimental distance was 7.76%. Through a 1-D optimization procedure, this error was reduced to 3.02% for a 52 step simulation.
Prediction of the native conformation of a polypeptide by a statistical‐mechanical procedure. III. Probable and average conformations of enkephalin

The program SMAPPS (Statistical-Mechanical Algorithm for Predicting Protein Structure) was originally designed to determine the probable and average backbone (ϕ, ψ) conformations of a polypeptide by the application of equilibrium statistical mechanics in conjunction with an adaptive importance sampling Monte Carlo procedure. In the present paper, the algorithm has been extended to include the variation of all side-chain (χ) and peptide-bond (ω) dihedral angles of a polypeptide during the Monte Carlo search of the conformational space. To test the effectiveness of the generalized algorithm, SMAPPS was used to calculate the probable and average conformations of Met-enkephalin for which all dihedral angles of the pentapeptide were allowed to vary. The total conformational energy for each randomly generated structure of Met-enkephalin was obtained by summing over the interaction energies of all pairs of nonbonded atoms of the whole molecule. The interaction energies were computed by the program ECEPP /2 (Empirical Conformational Energy Program for Peptides). Solvent effects were not included in the computation. The results of the Monte Carlo calculation of the structure of Met-enkephalin indicate that the thermodynamically preferred conformation of the pentapeptide contains a γ-turn involving the three residues Gly2-Gly3-Phe4. The γ-turn conformation, however, does not correspond to the structure of lowest conformational energy. Rather, the global minimum-energy conformation, recently determined by a new optimization technique developed in this laboratory, contains a type II′ β-bend that is formed by the interaction of the four residues Gly2-Gly3-Phe4-Met5. A similar minimum-energy conformation is found by the SMAPPS procedure. The thermodynamically preferred γ-turn structure has a conformational energy of 4.93 kcal/mole higher than the β-bend structure of lowest energy but, because of the inclusion of entropy in the SMAPPS procedure, it is estimated to be ∼ 9 kcal/mole lower in free energy. The calculation of the average conformation of Met-enkephalin was repeated until a total of ten independent average conformations were established. As far as the phenylalanine residue of the pentapeptide is concerned, the results of the ten independent average conformations were all found to lie in the region of conformational space corresponding to the γ-turn. These results further support the conclusion that the γturn conformation is thermodynamically favored.
Imaging Nonlinear Optical Stokes Ellipsometry for Thin Film and Microparticle Characterization

Nonlinear optical Stokes ellipsometry (NOSE) is shown to routinely provide precision of a few parts in 1000 in 12 ms acquisition times for determination of the χ(2) tensor elements of thin films, enabling imaging applications with detailed polarization characterization.
Endotherapy for Barrett’s Esophagus: Which, How, When, and Who?

Recent developments in endoscopic therapeutic options for Barrett's esophagus (BE) early neoplasia have resulted in a dramatic paradigm shift in its clinical management. With multiple endoscopic choices available, it is important to discern subtle differences between these approaches based on the available current data and known limitations of each modality. The goals of endoscopic therapy of Barrett's neoplasia are to preserve the esophagus while ablating or removing the entire BE segment. This article reviews the currently available BE endoscopic treatments with emphasis on appropriate selection of patients, indications and timing of use, and clinical management considerations.
TEMPO-substituted PPEs: Polystyrene-PPE graft copolymers and double graft copolymers

A PPE containing benzylic TEMPO units on each second benzene ring, 8, is reported; 8 has been reacted with styrene to give grafted PPE−polystyrene hybrids 10a and 10b with unusual optical properties. When 8 is reacted with 4-chloromethylstyrene, polymer 11 forms; 11 carries a poly(4-chloromethylstyrene) side chain that is on average 26 repeat units long. The polymer 11 can be reacted with 2-methyloxazoline to give a “grafted graft”, i.e., a polymer in which the polystyrene grafts carry polyoxazoline substitutents. The polymer 12 is water-soluble and fluorescent.
Culture of larvae of the white mullet, Mugil curema Valenciennes

Abstract Planktonic eggs of the white mullet, Mugil curema , were collected in Biscayne Bay, Florida, and the larvae were reared in four laboratory experiments. Static rearing systems were used and copepod nauplii and copepodites were fed to larvae. Larvae grew from 2.1 mm standard length (SL) at hatching to 28.5 mm SL (35.9 mm total length) at 36 days after hatching. No significant mortalities occurred beyond 12 days after hatching. At 20 days, survival ranged from 1.2 to 23.0%. Most larval mortality occurred when larvae sank to the bottom of the rearing tanks, a phenomenon previously reported for striped mullet, Mugil cephalus . Successful culture of white mullet could have potential for meeting the demands of the live bait market for recreational fishing in south Florida.
l -Dopa and piribedil alter different components of attentional behavior dependent on dose

l-Dopa (3, 10, 30, 100 mg/kg) given SC after carbidopa, and piribedil (10, 30, 100, 300 mg/kg) had biphasic effects on investigation of a novel cup. Gerbils given a low dose of l-Dopa (10 mg/kg) or piribedil (10 or 30 mg/kg) investigated the cup more than did vehicle-injected gerbils, whereas those gerbils given a high dose of l-Dopa (100 mg/kg) or piribedil (300 mg/kg) investigated it less. l-Dopa, but not piribedil, also had biphasic effects on investigation of conspecific odors. The increase in duration with no increase in frequency of investigation suggested an inability to shift attention normally. High-dose attenuation of investigation is considered nonspecific, as many other drugs have the same effect. Locomotor activity scores·showed no concomitant increase following low doses, but only a dose-dependent decrease. In addition, l-Dopa (100 mg/kg), but not piribedil at any dose tested, prevented the normal decrement in response to the cup 24 h after injection. As a high response is normally only shown when the stimulus is novel, the data suggest that l-Dopa at the high dose, but not piribedil, interfered with selective attention. Thus, the different dopamine agonists affected different aspects of attention. The data are discussed in relation to neural effects of the drugs as reported in the literature.
Alterations in cyclic AMP metabolism associated with photoreceptor cell degeneration in the C3H mouse.

Previous studies have shown an abnormality in cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in the retina of mice (C3H/HeJ) with an inherited degeneration of the photoreceptor layer. Adenyl cyclase activity and cyclic AMP content have been measured in C3H retina and compared with that in normal retina (DBA/1J) during postnatal maturation, to assess the influence of the mutation upon cyclic AMP metabolism. Adenyl cyclase activity increases normally for the first 7 days of age; thereafter, it becomes greater than normal. Cyclic AMP becomes obviously abnormal after 10 days of age. The elevated levels of cyclic AMP persist in the surviving cells of the inner layers of the adult C3H retina. Adenyl cyclase activity and cyclic AMP content are concentrated in the inner layers of the normal retina, while the photoreceptor layer has only a very low level of enzyme activity and cyclic AMP. The data suggest that the synthesis of cyclic AMP in the inner layers of C3H retina is significantly enhanced, during the period of postnatal development in which the photoreceptor cells have begun to degenerate.
Current oscillations in Zn-doped Si p-i-n diodes☆

Abstract Data are presented on current oscillations in long Zn-doped Si p-i-n diodes. In the region of the I–V characteristics preceding the oscillations, these devices exhibit two-carrier space-charge-limited conduction. The current oscillations observed are large amplitude, sinusoidal, and occur in the positive resistance region of the I–V characteristic. The frequency of oscillation increases nearly three orders of magnitude from ∼ 1 kHz to ∼ 1 MHz as the temperature is varied from ∼ 150 to ∼ 210°K. The data indicate that at a given temperature a critical free carrier concentration in the intrinsic region is required to initiate the oscillations.
Diabetes induces sex-dependent changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase dimerization and function in the rat gastric antrum.

Diabetic gastroparesis is a disorder that predominantly affects women. However, the biological basis of this sex bias remains completely unknown. In this study we tested the hypothesis that a compo...
Application of a magnetic mass spectrometer to ionization studies in impure shock-heated argon

A study of the unique role of impurities in the initial stages of ionization relaxation in shock-heated argon, using a sampling mass spectrometer to determine the ionic products of the reaction, is described. The ions are extracted from the shock tube through a small orifice in the end wall after they have diffused through the dense thermal layer adjacent to the wall from the ionizing gas behind the reflected shock wave. The ion diffusion is analysed in detail to assess the possibility that the sampling process alters the reaction products. It is shown that this is unlikely because the impurities are in dilute concentration and the reaction is studied in its initial stages. This mode of sampling is compared with others. The experiments were conducted in argon at temperature of 16,600 °K and pressure of 16 mmHg with an estimated impurity level of 300 parts per million. A surprisingly large number of different ions were detected during the initial stages of ionization. O+ and H+ were found in much greater amounts than any of the other products, each being about five times more abundant than A+. The results suggest that H2O is probably quite generally the most important impurity in thermal-ionization experiments, and that ionization ‘incubation’ is due to dissociation of molecular impurities (especially H2O) before ionization commences. Possible explanations of the well-known efficiency of small amounts of impurities in initiating ionization are discussed.
Gene induction studies and toxicity of chemical mixtures

As part of its mixtures program, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) supports in vitro and limited in vivo toxicity testing to further our understanding of the toxicity and health effects of chemical mixtures. There are increasing concerns that environmental chemicals adversely affect the health of humans and wildlife. These concerns have been augmented by the realization that exposure to chemicals often occurs to mixtures of these chemicals that may exhibit complex synergistic or antagonistic interactions. To address such concerns, we have conducted two studies with techniques that are being used increasingly in experimental toxicology. In the first study, six organochlorine pesticides (4,4 -DDT, 4,4 -DDD, 4,4 -DDE, aldrin, dieldrin, or endrin) were selected from the ATSDR Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (or Superfund) priority list and tested for their ability to modulate transcriptional activation of an estrogen-responsive reporter gene in transfected HeLa cells. In these assays, HeLa cells cotransfected with an expression vector encoding estrogen receptor and an estrogen-responsive chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter plasmid were dosed with and without selected environmental chemicals either individually or in defined combinations. Estradiol consistently elicited 10- to 23-fold dose-dependent inductions in this assay. By contrast, all six of the organochlorine pesticides showed no detectable dose-related response when tested either individually or in binary combinations. Thus, these chemicals as binary mixtures do not exhibit any additional estrogenicity at the levels tested in these assays. In the second study, arsenic [As(V)], cadmium [Cd(II)], chromium [Cr(III, VI)], and lead [Pb(II)] were tested in a commercially developed assay system, CAT-Tox (L), to identify metal-responsive promoters and to determine whether the pattern of gene expression changed with a mixture of these metals. This assay employs a battery of recombinant HepG2 cell lines to test the transcriptional activation capacity of xenobiotics in any of 13 different signal-transduction pathways. Singly, As(V), Cd(II), Cr(III, VI), and Pb(II) produced complex induction profiles in these assays. However, no evidence of synergistic activity was detected with a mixture of Cd(II), Cr(III), and Pb(II). These results have shown metal activation of gene expression through several previously unreported signal-transduction pathways and thus suggest new directions for future studies into their biochemical mechanisms of toxicity. In conclusion, the (italic)in vitro(/italic) methods used in these studies provide insights into complex interactions that occur in cellular systems and could be used to identify biomarkers of exposure to other environmental chemical mixtures.
Flexible solutions to linear programs under uncertainty: Inequality constraints

In most industrial applications the linear model used for optimization by linear programming involves significant uncertainties and inaccuracies in the model parameters. This paper presents a framework which allows uncertainties in the matrix elements of the linear program to be taken into account without requiring detailed knowledge of the statistical characterstics of these uncertainties. Three cases for the inequality constrained problem are considered: independent variations in the array elements, column dependent variations, and row dependent variations. In each case the problem can still be solved as a linear program. In the first two cases, the problem size is doubled, while for the row dependent case a finitely terminating cutting plane algorithm is constructed.
The ecology of Collozoum longiforme, sp. nov., a new colonial radiolarian from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean

A new species of colonial radiolarian (Collozoum longiforme) from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean is described. It forms elongate colonies (up to 3 m long). The carbon mass of the colony relates well with the density of central capsules; the number of algal cells per central capsule is relatively constant. Incorporation of 14C per unit chlorophyll a is largely independent of light intensity and appears to be most strongly affected by the feeding history of the predatory cells. Radiolarians feed on a wide variety of planktonic organisms, as determined by remains found in the colony matrix; tintinnids predominate. Colonies serve as hosts for several hyperiid amphipods (species of Hyperietta are obligate parasites as juveniles) and the harpacticoid copepod Miracia efferata. Collozoum longiforme has been found only in oligotrophic equatorial Atlantic water, and the colonies may serve as largely self-contained islands in the open ocean ecosystem.
Pathogenicity of six strains of entomogenous fungi to Coptotermes formosanus

Abstract One strain (2A3) of Beauveria bassiana, two strains (N-22; T-27) of Beauveria sp., and three strains (Tonga; 10B; MM-773) of Metarhizium anisopliae were tested for their pathogenicity to workers from a colony of Coptotermes formosanus. A microsyringe method for estimating and applying the inoculum was employed in these tests. On the basis of LD50 and fiducial limits, the pathogenicity, in descending order, was MM-773 > 10B = N-22 = 2A3 = T-27. Because of heterogeneity, the fiducial limits of the Tonga strain overlapped all of the other isolates except for MM-773. Except for the Tonga strain, M. anisopliae appeared to be more pathogenic than Beauveria. LD95 and LT50 of these fungi were also determined.
Elevated prostaglandin synthetase activity in methylcholanthrene-transformed mouse BALB/3T3

Abstract Cell lines transformed from 3T3 spontaneously, by radiation, or by treatment with chemical carcinogens, polyoma and SV40 virus produce up to 5 times more prostaglandins than their untransformed parent line. Several aspects of prostaglandin biosynthesis by MC5-5 and 3T3 were compared. When stimulated by serum, bradykinin, or thrombin, MC5-5 produced 2-to 5-fold more prostaglandins than 3T3. With the use of cells labeled with radioactive arachidonic acid in their cellular lipids, these higher levels were shown not to be due to increased availability of the prostaglandin precursor, arachidonic acid. Prostaglandin synthetase activity in microsomal fractions prepared from MC5-5 was 6 times higher than that of microsomes of untransformed cells. The increased prostaglandin levels produced by transformed cells therefore appear to be the result of elevated prostaglandin synthetase activity.
A technique for trace element analysis of powdered materials using the d.c. arc and photoelectric spectrometry

Abstract In the described procedure the powdered samples are split into two portions for separate arcing. For the “involatile” elements, the powder is arced as a graphite-buffered pellet in a Stallwood jet with O 2 /Ar atmosphere at a current of 10 A for 60 sec. For the “volatile” elements, the graphite-sodium carbonate buffered powder is arced in a centerpost electrode in air at 6 A for 60 sec. A method for background correction with the photoelectric spectrometer is described. The technique can be used for a wide variety of sample materials. Analyses of standard rock and plant material indicate precision better than 10% for many elements; sensitivity is also good, down to 1 ppm for many elements.
Cyclin B gene and its cell cycle-dependent differential expression in the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense Atama Group I/Clade I

Abstract Cell cycle regulation is the intrinsic determinant of phytoplankton population dynamics since cell division in unicellular organisms directly leads to population growth. Central in the regulatory engine are cyclin/CDK complexes. Cyclin B, which is highly accumulated during the G2 and M phases (often combined as G2M) of the cell cycle, can be a growth rate marker useful for harmful algal bloom research. In this study, we isolated the full-length cDNA of a cyclin B-like gene from the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense Atama Group I/Clade I ( Afcyc , 1669 bp). The deduced protein sequence (AFCYC, 455 amino acids) is closest (68% similarity) to, and phylogenetically clustered with the mitotic cyclin documented in Lingulodinium polyedrum. This sequence contains two cyclin-specific domains, the destruction box and the cyclin B signature motif, verifying that it is cyclin B. Using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), we characterized the dynamics of Afcyc expression throughout the cell cycle. Afcyc transcript abundance was over 6-fold higher in the G2M phase than in other cell cycle phases, and showed a positive correlation with the percentage of cells in the G2M phase. Our results suggest (1) the mitotic cyclin-based cell cycle regulation is likely conserved in gonyaulacoid dinoflagellates; (2) Afcyc is transcriptionally regulated, and (3) Afcyc is a candidate growth marker for monitoring the growth rates of A. fundyense Atama Group I/Clade I.
The nutritional supplement chromium picolinate generates oxidative DNA damage and peroxidized lipids in vivo

Abstract The nutritional supplement chromium picolinate, [Cr(pic)3], has been proposed to damage DNA, presumably through the catalytic formation of reactive oxygen species. For this mechanism to be important in vivo, the compound needs to bind to or be in close proximity of DNA. Recent studies have shown that [Cr(pic)3] does not accumulate in the nucleus and is not stable for prolonged periods of time in cells; this work also demonstrates that the supplement has little if any propensity to bind to DNA. However, as the supplement enters cells intact and is potentially capable of generating oxidative damage where it does occur, experiments were performed to probe for several forms of oxidative damage in rats. [Cr(pic)3] was found to raise urinary and cellular 8-OHdG levels in a time dependent fashion, and the compound was found to significantly increase lipid peroxidation in vivo. Thus, oxidative DNA damage (and lipid damage) from [Cr(pic)3] in whole animals has been observed for the first time.
Comparative Evaluation of the Bioreactivity and Mutagenic Spectra of Acrolein-Derived α-HOPdG and γ-HOPdG Regioisomeric Deoxyguanosine Adducts

Acrolein is a bifunctional electrophile, present as an ubiquitous environmental pollutant and an endogenous cellular product of lipid peroxidation. Reaction of acrolein with deoxyguanosine produces two regioisomeric DNA adducts, specifically gamma-hydroxypropanodeoxyguanosine (gamma-HOPdG) and alpha-hydroxypropanodeoxyguanosine (alpha-HOPdG). While previous investigations have focused on the major gamma-HOPdG adduct, little is known about the properties of the minor alpha-HOPdG adduct. Therefore, this comparative investigation has assessed the following: the ability of each adduct to undergo secondary chemical reactions with biomolecules to form various cross-linked species, in vitro translesion DNA synthesis, and mutagenic properties, following replication in mammalian cells. In contrast to gamma-HOPdG, which is capable of forming DNA-DNA, DNA-peptide, and DNA-protein cross-links, alpha-HOPdG did not form any of these cross-linked species. These results can be attributed to the inability of the alpha-HOPdG adduct to undergo ring opening, whereas the gamma-HOPdG adduct forms the ring open, acyclic N(2) oxopropyl in duplex DNA, which readily reacts with nucleophilic functions. Consistent with this interpretation, when polymerase eta replication bypass of DNA containing alpha-HOPdG was assayed, this lesion posed a stronger block to replication than the gamma-HOPdG adduct, closely resembling the results for polymerase eta bypass of propanodeoxyguanosine in which the exocyclic adduct remains permanently ring-closed. Cellular replication and mutagenesis assays in COS-7 cells using single-stranded DNA containing a site specific alpha-HOPdG revealed that this adduct was significantly mutagenic, yielding a nearly identical frequency and spectrum of mutations as compared with the gamma-HOPdG adduct.
A multispectral LED array for the reduction of background autofluorescence in brain tissue

The presence of fixative-induced and cellular-derived artifactual autofluorescences (AAFs) presents a challenge in histological analysis involving immunofluorescence. We have established a simple and highly effective method for the reduction of AAFs that are ubiquitous in fixed mammalian brain and other tissues. A compact AAF-quenching photo-irradiation device was constructed using a commercially available light emitting diode (LED) array, cooling unit, and supporting components. The LED panel is comprised of an array of multispectral high intensity LEDs which serve as the illumination source for the photo-irradiation process. Rabbit and cat brain specimens of 5 μm- and 40 μm-thicknesses, respectively, were photo-irradiated for various durations. The AAFs were reduced to near tissue background levels after 24 h of treatment for both deparaffinized and paraffinized rabbit brain specimens, and for the free-floating cat brain specimens. Subsequent immunofluorescence staining using primary antibodies against GFAP, NeuN, Iba-1, and MAP-2, and the corresponding Qdot® and Alexafluor® fluoroconjugates confirmed that the LED photo-irradiation treatment did not compromise the efficiency of the immunofluorescence labeling. The use of the device is not labor intensive, and only requires minimal tissue processing and experimental set-up time, with very low maintenance and operating costs. Finally, multiple specimens, in both slide and well-plate format, can be simultaneously photo-irradiated, thus, allowing for scalable batch processing.
The call of the other 0.1%: genetic aesthetics and the new Moreaus

Remakes of popular novels and films indicate how animals have become a primary means of representing not only the rapid development and proliferation of genetically modified organisms in plant form but also the interplay of aesthetics and scientific technologies in the post-Darwinian emphasis on species as a social form. Where vivisection worked in the 1896 novel The Island of Dr. Moreau as a scientific mechanism for social dominance, ensuing versions of the story over the past 100 years have come to position eugenic breeding and, most recently, transgenic splicing as the trope for playing out the central cultural work of ordering species in the distinction of human species being. But the contradictions of representing animals also open up other possibilities for genetic aesthetics. Especially in the 1996 film remake, the isolation of the successful transgenic animal (akin to what artist Eduardo Kac calls “the beautiful chimera”) and her alignment with the human become the conditions of possibility for a theriocentric (nonhuman animal centered) community of animal transgenics that emerges in opposition to the human genetic aesthetic. Animals remain the medium in which these struggles are (re)enacted, but their transgenic forms enable an investigation of how and why the human is increasingly defined as genetically 0.1% removed from the animal.
Characterizations of Cross-Bridges in the Presence of Saturating Concentrations of MgAMP-PNP in Rabbit Permeabilized Psoas Muscle

Several earlier studies have led to different conclusions about the complex of myosin with MgAMP-PNP. It has been suggested that subfragment 1 of myosin (S1)-MgAMP-PNP forms an S1-MgADP-like state, an intermediate between the myosin S1-MgATP and myosin S1-MgADP states or a mixture of cross-bridge states. We suggest that the different states observed result from the failure to saturate S1 with MgAMP-PNP. At saturating MgAMP-PNP, the interaction of myosin S1 with actin is very similar to that which occurs in the presence of MgATP. 1) At 1 degrees C and 170 mM ionic strength the equatorial x-ray diffraction intensity ratio I11/I10 decreased with an increasing MgAMP-PNP concentration and leveled off by approximately 20 mM MgAMP-PNP. The resulting ratio was the same for MgATP-relaxed fibers. 2) The two dimensional x-ray diffraction patterns from MgATP-relaxed and MgAMP-PNP-relaxed bundles are similar. 3) The affinity of S1-MgAMP-PNP for the actin-tropomyosin-troponin complex in solution in the absence of free calcium is comparable with that of S1-MgATP. 4) In the presence of calcium, I11/I10 decreased toward the relaxed value with increasing MgAMP-PNP, signifying that the affinity between cross-bridge and actin is weakened by MgAMP-PNP. 5) The degree to which the equatorial intensity ratio decreases as the ionic strength increases is similar in MgAMP-PNP and MgATP. Therefore, results from both fiber and solution studies suggest that MgAMP-PNP acts as a non hydrolyzable MgATP analogue for myosin.
Health care reform--where are we and where should we be going?

After the upset senatorial victory of Harris Wofford in Pennsylvania in the spring of 1991, many political and health policy analysts prophesied that the presidential election of 1992 would revolve...
Stages, Turning Points, and Crises: Negotiating Military Base Rights, Spain and the United States

A framework for the analysis of processes of international negotiations is described. It construes the process as an unfolding set of stages in which turning points and crises mark passage from one...
Reserpine and breast cancer in the Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up Program.

Recent reports on the efficacy of pharmacological management in reducing mortality associated with mild hypertension have enhanced the importance of increasing our knowledge about drug toxicity. The Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up Program (HDFP) provides a convenient setting in which to examine the association reported between reserpine usage and breast cancer. In the intensively treated and followed group (Stepped Care [SC]), the relative breast cancer experience of those who did take reserpine and those who did not was examined. Of 2529 females in SC, 1036 received reserpine, with an average exposure of 1.97 years during 5 years of follow-up. Through extensive investigation, 21 cases of breast cancer were identified. using a life table regression method of analysis to adjust for actual time of reserpine exposure, race, sex, and medication status at entry, and comparing those who took reserpine with those who did not, the author9s calculated a risk ratio of 1.28, with a confidence interval of 0.58 to 2.80. Adjustment for a number of other variables known to have relationships to breast cancer did not appreciably change the results. Thus, with certain precautions, the authors conclude that in this setting there is no indication of the recently postulated association of reserpine and the short-term enhancement of breast tumor growth.
Heterogeneous freezing of ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions by long chain alcohols

[1] High molecular weight organic compounds emitted during biomass burning can be transported to high altitudes where they may affect ice processes through heterogeneous nucleation. We show that freezing of solutions of ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride catalyzed by long chain alcohols is roughly consistent with the hypothesis that the water activity at the mean freezing temperature is a constant offset from the water activity at the melting point of the solution, though films of the longer chain alcohols may undergo structural changes at higher salt concentrations which cause a deviation from the constant offset. The heterogeneous nucleation rate coefficient, averaged over all solutions, alcohols, and droplet sizes is 6.0 × 104 ± 4.0 × 104 cm−2 s−1, with no dependence on any of those parameters.
Electrocardiographic abnormalities in mitral valve prolapse

Abstract A number of electrocardiographic findings associated with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) have been reported. The most frequent finding is inversion of T waves in the inferior leads, 1–7 which was first described by Humphries and McKusick 7 in patients with late systolic murmurs. The association with MVP was not yet known, and they suggested the term “auscultatory-electrocardiographic syndrome.” Other electrocardiographic abnormalities have been reported to consist of ST abnormalities 8 and variable degrees of intraventricular conduction delay, including frank bundle branch block (BBB). 3,4 Jeresaty 4 found a 6% incidence of incomplete right BBB in the absence of atrial septal defects. The incidence of incomplete right BBB was 8% in another study 3 ; 3% had associated atrial septal defect. Prolongation of the QT interval in MVP was also noted in several studies. 3,5,8–11 Meyers et al 9 described an increased frequency of QT prolongation in symptomatic patients with MVP compared with in asymptomatic patients, but this difference was not statistically significant. The diagnosis of MVP in many of these studies was primarily obtained by auscultation or based on clinical grounds, or both. Furthermore, in no study that described electrocardiographic findings was a comparison performed with a group of normal subjects. In the present study, we quantify the frequently described electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients in whom the diagnosis of MVP was documented by 2-dimensional echocardiography. These results were compared with those of a control group of patients with completely normal echocardiograms.
A Geometric Inequality with Applications to the Kakeya Problem in Three Dimensions

It was shown by Besicovitch [F] that there are sets in Rd with measure zero that contain unit line segments in every direction. In [Fe2], C. Fefferman used Besicovitch sets to show that the ball-multiplier is bounded only on L2. Moreover, ideas originating in Fefferman’s work lead to alternate proofs, cf. [Fe3], [Co1,2], of the optimal boundedness result for Bochner– Riesz means, established originally by Carleson–Sjolin [CS], as well as for the restriction problem in R2, which had been solved earlier by Fefferman and Stein [Fe1]. It turns out that the crucial property of planar Besicovitch sets in this context is that they have maximal Hausdorff dimension. It is conjectured that Besicovitch sets E ⊂ Rd with d ≥ 3 have dimension equal to d. It is easy to show that dim(E) ≥ (d+ 1)/2. This was first improved by Bourgain [Bo], who showed, e.g., for d = 3 that dim(E) ≥ 7/3. A further improvement was then achieved by Wolff [W1], who proved that dim(E) ≥ (d + 2)/2 in all dimensions. Both these results where based in part on “bush-type” arguments. More precisely, Bourgain’s argument used the observation that tubes of thickness δ with 10δ-separated directions which intersect at some point x0 have to be disjoint outside a ball of radius 1/2 centered at x0. The improvement in [W1] is obtained by considering families of tubes intersecting a line. In this paper we present a different geometric approach that leads to a nontrivial estimate for Besicovitch sets in R3 – in fact Bourgain’s 7/3 bound. Our method is analogous to [KW] and will combine a geometric
Effect of variation of [PMDETA]0/[Cu(I)Br]0 ratio on atom transfer radical polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate

A kinetic study was conducted to examine the effect of varying the ratio of ligand to transition metal in a Cu(I)Br/N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) catalyst system for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of n-butyl acrylate (nBA) using methyl 2-bromopropionate as the initiator. Experimental molecular weights were higher than theoretical when low molecular weight polymers were targeted at low ratios of [PMDETA]0/[Cu(I)Br]0 (< 1), indicating inefficient initiation/deactivation. A downward curvature in the plot of Mn versus conversion was observed at high monomer conversion when targeting high molecular weight polymers. This deviation became more significant when an excess of ligand was used, indicating a contribution of chain transfer to ligand. The maximum rate of polymerization was obtained at [PMDETA]0/[Cu(I)Br]0 ≈ 0.5 for bulk ATRP of nBA; however for polymerization in the presence of 10 vol% DMF, the maximum appeared at the ratio ≈ 1:1. Addition of acetone or DMF improved solubility of Cu(II) complex, which consequently improved the level of control over the polymerization at low ratios of [PMDETA]0/[Cu(I)Br]0, but also reduced the reaction rate. The polymerization rate increased with temperature, but at the expense of increased polydispersities. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3285–3292, 2004
Simultaneous investigation of effects of distance of projection and object size on object reception by children in grade 1.

This study examined simultaneously the effects of distance of projection (4-, 6-, and 8-horizontal ft.) and object size (6-, 8.5-in., and 10-in. diameter balls) on object reception by children in the first grade. 6 boys and 6 girls were randomly assigned to each of the 3 distances (36 subjects total). Each subject was administered 36 trials, 12 attempted catches with each ball size at their assigned distance. All balls were projected by a device designed to control accuracy as well as the angle of projection for projections to each distance. Each attempted each was evaluated by a 5-point scale (r = .96). Trials, sex, distance of projection, ball size, and related interactions were examined using a conventional analysis of variance. Ball size was the only significant main effect, but the interaction between ball size and sex was also significant. Post hoc analysis indicated that the 10-in. ball gave significantly more catching success than the 8.5- or the 6-in. ball. Although more success in catching was achieved with the larger ball sizes, no difference in catching was attributable to the varying distances. The sequences for catching success according to ball size at each distance were not significantly different.
Altered Circadian Rhythms and Cancer-Related Fatigue Outcomes

Fatigue is one of the most frequent and distressing complaints reported by patients with cancer. Describing relationships among disrupted circadian rhythms and cancer-related fatigue is important t...
Recognition memory and reaction time

Abstract Sternberg has proposed that recognition memory involves a serial and exhaustive search process. It is presumed that a representation of the test stimulus is successively compared to representations of every item in a to-be-remembered set. One prediction from the theory is that reaction time to a stimulus probe should not be a function of the serial position of the probed item within the set to be remembered. This prediction was tested in a recognition memory task. The prediction was not confirmed in that RT was markedly influenced by the serial position of items to be recognized. Especially significant was a large recency effect evidenced by most rapid recognition of the most recently presented item. Alternative interpretations of the data are considered.