cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term biosolids application effects on metal concentrations in soil and bermudagrass forage.

The long-term application of biosolids that periodically contained elevated metaf concentrations has raised questions about potential effects on animal health. To address these concerns, we determined metal concentrations(As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, and Zn) in both soil and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] forage from 10 fields in the following categories of biosolids application: six or more years (>6YR), less than six years ( 6YR group produced forage that was at or near the MTL for Cd and Mo, and one field in the 6YR group at a proposed 5:1 Cu to Mo ratio limit to protect ruminant health. Sulfur concentrations in the forage from all three groups was near the MTL of 4 g kg - 1 . The study indicated that toxic levels of metals have not accumulated in the soils due to long-term biosolids application. Overall forage quality from the biosolids-amended fields was similar to that of commercially fertilized fields; however, due to the relatively high S and potential for a low Cu to Mo ratio, Cu supplements should be used to ensure ruminant health.
Kinetics of Accumulation of Citrus Tristeza Virus RNAs

Abstract Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), a member of the closterovirus group, is one of the more complex single-stranded RNA viruses. The 5′ portion of its 19,296-nt, single-stranded RNA genome is expressed as an ∼400-kDa polyprotein that is proteolytically processed, while the 10 3′ open reading frames are expressed from 3′-coterminal subgenomic RNAs (sg RNAs). As an initial examination of the gene expression of this virus, we found that the kinetics of accumulation of genomic and sg RNAs and coat protein of the T36 isolate of CTV were similar in protoplasts of the natural host, citrus, and the experimental nonhost Nicotiana benthamiana. Newly synthesized genomic RNA was detected 2 days postinoculation and increased to a maximum at 3–5 days. The RNA complementary to the full-length virion RNA increased with similar kinetics, but at approximately one-tenth the concentration of genomic plus strands. Most of the abundant sg RNAs also accumulated in parallel to that of the genomic RNA. However, the smallest sg RNA, which corresponds to the p23 gene, increased earlier. The different sg RNAs accumulated in greatly differing amounts, in general with 3′-most sg RNAs accumulating to higher levels than 5′ sg RNAs. However, some 3′ sg RNAs (p13 and p18) accumulated to low levels. The two 3′-most sg RNAs (p23 and p20) accumulated to high levels approximately equal to that of the genomic RNA. The accumulation curve for coat protein paralleled that of its mRNA, suggesting that its regulation was transcriptional. Progeny virions from protoplasts were used to sequentially infect new protoplasts, serving as a potential source of virus that could evolve free from the genetic selection in intact plants for aphid transmission and movement.
Effects of Examiners' Prior Knowledge of Subjects' Ethnicity and Intelligence on the Scoring of Responses to the Stanford-Binet Scale.

The study examined the degree to which scoring of responses to the Stanford-Binet test items might be influenced by the examiner's prior knowledge of subjects' ethnicity and IQ. Thirty-six actual Stanford-Binet protocols of subjects ranging in age from 5 to 8 years were divided into four groups. The matched sets of protocols were then assigned to four groups of examiners for the purposes of scoring. The protocols, representing varying ability levels, were scored in a counterbalanced order. Each group of three examiners, varying in the amount of information about the subjects' ethnicity and IQ, scored the protocols. Results obtained from a 4 × 3 repeated measures analysis of variance suggested that obtained IQs by the four groups of scorers were found to be similar, indicating no bias in the process of scoring Stanford-Binet protocols.
Chiral fermions and quadratic divergences

We present an alternative to the standard model with unitary gauge group $U(N{)}^{p}$ and chiral fermions in bifundamentals. Although the construction allows scalars in adjoints and bifundamentals, only models without adjoint scalars have strikingly, without supersymmetry, absence of one-loop quadratic divergence in the scalar propagator. Decisive support for these ideas could arise from new experimental results anticipated at the LHC proton collider.
Making decisions about condoms: whose attitude is it anyway?

Policy capturing was used to assess the relative influence of one’s own attitudes and those of a sexual partner on decisions about condoms. Participants read vignettes describing a romantic encounter between themselves and a hypothetical date. Each vignette contained 6 independent variables; 3 described aspects of the participant’s attitudes toward condoms, and 3 described the corresponding attitudes of the date. For each scenario, participants judged the likelihood that they would use a condom should they have intercourse. The decision was independently affected by the attitudes of both participant and date. A second experiment showed the date’s influence increasing with time constraints. The results suggest that efforts to increase condom use may require heightened awareness of the influence of the other’s attitude on decision-making.
A validated stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for the trace analysis of cocaine and its major metabolites in plasma.

A validated method has been developed for the simultaneous quantitation of cocaine and its major metabolites (ecgonine methyl ester, benzoylecgonine, and norcocaine) in rat plasma. The method is based upon the use of stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/tandem mass spectrometry. Previously reported methods do not have the sensitivity and specificity that can be attained with this method. Plasma samples required no cleanup apart from protein precipitation, and no derivatization was required. Selected reaction monitoring was performed on the transitions of m/z 200 to m/z 182 (ecgonine methyl ester), m/z 290 to m/z 168 (benzoylecgonine), m/z 304 to m/z 182 (cocaine), and m/z 290 to m/z 168 (norcocaine). The standard curves were linear over the range from 2 ng/mL (benzoylecgonine, cocaine, and norcocaine) or 5 ng/mL (ecgonine methyl ester) to 1000 ng/mL in rat plasma. The lower limit of quantitation (LLQ) for benzoylecgonine, cocaine, and norcocaine was 2 ng/m...
A reinvestigation of the mechanism of epoxidation of alkenes by peroxy acids. A CASSCF and UQCISD study

Abstract The transition state structure for the reaction of epoxidation of ethylene with peroxyformic acid is investigated at the CASSCF and UQCISD levels of theory. Both methods yield a highly unsymmetrical oxygen-addition transition state which has a diradical character. The value of the activation barrier calculated at the MCQDPT2(12,12)/6-311++G(d,p)//CASSCF(12,12)/6-311++G(d,p) correlated level (18.3 kcal/mol) is within the range of experimentally measured values. The predicted values of KIEs are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Inhibitory patterning of the anterior neural plate in Xenopus by homeodomain factors Dlx3 and Msx1.

Abstract Patterning of the embryonic ectoderm is dependent upon the action of negative (antineural) and positive (neurogenic) transcriptional regulators. Msx1 and Dlx3 are two antineural genes for which the anterior epidermal–neural boundaries of expression differ, probably due to differential sensitivity to BMP signaling in the ectoderm. In the extreme anterior neural plate, Dlx3 is strongly expressed while Msx1 is silent. While both of these factors prevent the activation of genes specific to the nascent central nervous system, Msx1 inhibits anterior markers, including Otx2 and cement gland-specific genes. Dlx3 has little, if any, effect on these anterior neural plate genes, instead providing a permissive environment for their expression while repressing more panneural markers, including prepattern genes belonging to the Zic family and BF-1. These properties define a molecular mechanism for translating the organizer-dependent morphogenic gradient of BMP activity into spatially restricted gene expression in the prospective anterior neural plate.
The Absorption of High Energy Quanta. I

The absorption of quanta between 11 and 20 Mev has been measured with the x-rays from the 22-Mev betatron as a source. The high energy tip of the x-ray spectrum has been isolated for these measurements by using a threshold detector method. The detectors used were copper, iron, and carbon, with which absorption coefficient values were obtained at 11.04, 13.73, and 19.10 Mev, respectively. Aluminum, iron, copper, and lead were used as absorbers. The observed absorption coefficients are in good agreement with existing theory except in the case of lead. The absorption in lead is smaller than predicted. This is probably due to the failure of the Born approximation in the calculation of the pair-production cross section.
The Therapeutic Palette: A Guide to Choice Points in Integrative Couple Therapy

This article describes the Therapeutic Palette approach to couple therapy. The Palette is organized in terms of three domains: Time Frame (past vs. present vs. future), Degree of Directiveness, and Change Entry Point (emotions, thoughts, behavior, physiology), and assists clinicians to draw from different schools of therapy in a flexible and purposeful way. In contrast to more structured, sequential approaches to integrative therapy, the Therapeutic Palette is designed to allow shifts among different theories and practices within one session. A detailed case vignette illustrates the approach.
Quantitative fitting of atomic models into observed densities derived by electron microscopy.

A new methodology for fitting atomic models into density distributions is described. This approach is based on a global density correlation analysis that can be optionally supplemented by biochemical as well as biophysical data. The procedure is completely general and enables an objective evaluation of the resulting docking in the light of available biochemical and biophysical information as well as density correlation alone. In this paper we describe the implementation of the algorithm and its application to two biological systems. In both cases the procedure provided an interface model on the atomic level and located parts of the structure that were missing in the atomic model but present in the electron-microscopic construct. It also detected and quantified conformational changes in actomyosin complexes.
Characterization of the cofactor composition of Escherichia coli biotin synthase.

The cofactor content of in vivo, as-isolated, and reconstituted forms of recombinant Escherichia coli biotin synthase (BioB) has been investigated using the combination of UV−visible absorption, resonance Raman, and Mossbauer spectroscopies along with parallel analytical and activity assays. In contrast to the recent report that E. coli BioB is a pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme with intrinsic cysteine desulfurase activity (Ollagnier-deChoudens, S., Mulliez, E., Hewitson, K. S., and Fontecave, M. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 9145−9152), no evidence for PLP binding or for PLP-induced cysteine desulfurase or biotin synthase activity was observed with any of the forms of BioB investigated in this work. The results confirm that BioB contains two distinct Fe−S cluster binding sites. One site accommodates a [2Fe−2S]2+ cluster with partial noncysteinyl ligation that can only be reconstituted in vitro in the presence of O2. The other site accommodates a [4Fe−4S]2+,+ cluster that binds S-adenosylmethionine (S...
Technological dramas: A meta-discourse heuristic for critical literacy

Abstract This article discusses and illustrates a meta-discourse heuristic that can be used to illuminate the politics of technology in higher education. Although the field tends to focus on developing critically literate students, teachers new to teaching writing with computers need more than primary theoretical sources in order to conceptualize the political nature of academic computing and its administrative and pedagogical contexts. The heuristic comes from the activist work of Bryan Pfaffenberger, who provided an ideal–typical model of the way power circulates in technological settings. I show how computers and writing specialists can apply this heuristic to their daily interactions with technology in the academy. The heuristic could be used in teacher preparation courses or in faculty development programs. It could also be used in advanced undergraduate courses; however, I do not discuss how to employ the heuristic with students.
“[T]he Beauteous Scarf”: Shakespeare and the “Veil Question”

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice both feature veils. While these are passing references, they throw valuable light on the plays’ engagement with the process by which Europe defined its relation to alterity, specifically to that form of racial and cultural difference represented by the Muslim world. In Twelfth Night the veil complicates the nature of female agency in the play, and the play's ambiguous location: the fact that it both evokes and erases the Islamic east is closely connected to the ambiguities in its depiction of this agency. The “beauteous scarf” in The Merchant of Venice is connected to the central themes of the play: duplicity, the disturbing gulf between appearance and reality, and moral questions surrounding the validity of a Christian society's engagement with the foreign and alien. The ambiguity of the veil (tantalizing in its beauty yet deceptive) may be compared to the status of the “tawnie Moor” of the play, Portia's suitor, the Prince of Morocco. The urbane Mor...
Energy expenditure of genuine laughter.

To measure energy expenditure (EE) and heart rate (HR) during genuine laughter. Experimental trial of viewing film clips in four cycles either intended to evoke laughter (humorous −10 min) or unlikely to elicit laughter (not humorous −5 min) under strictly controlled conditions of a whole-room indirect calorimeter equipped with audio recording system. Forty five adult friend dyads in either same-sex male (n=7), same-sex female (n=21) and mix-sex male-female (n=17); age 18–34 years; body mass index 24.7±4.9 (range 17.9–41.1). Energy expenditure in a whole-room indirect calorimeter, HR using Polar HR monitor. Laugh rate, duration and type from digitized audio data using a computerized system and synchronized with HR and EE results. Laughter EE was 0.79±1.30 kJ/min (0.19±0.31 kcal/min) higher than resting EE (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval=0.75–0.88 kJ/min), ranging from –2.52 to 9.67 kJ/min (−0.60–2.31 kcal/min). Heart rate during laughter segments increased above resting by 2.1±3.8 beats/min, ranging from −7.6 to 26.8 beats/min. Laughter EE was correlated with HR (rs=0.250, P<0.01). Both laughter EE and HR were positively correlated with laughter duration (rs=0.282 and 0.337, both P<0.001) and rate (rs=0.256 and 0.298, both P<0.001). Genuine voiced laughter causes a 10–20% increase in EE and HR above resting values, which means that 10–15 min of laughter per day could increase total EE by 40–170 kJ (10–40 kcal).
Non-Newtonian fluid laminar flow and forced convection heat transfer in rectangular ducts

Abstract Numerical solutions for fully developed laminar flow forced convection heat transfer of a power law non-Newtonian fluid in rectangular ducts are presented. Finite difference methods are developed for the governing equations to obtain the velocity and temperature distributions. Friction factor results are given for flow through rectangular ducts of aspect ratios of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 with power law index n values of 0.5 to 1.0. For the same flow conditions the Nusselt values, maximum wall temperatures, and minimum wall temperatures for the H2 thermal boundary condition for different combinations of heated and adiabatic walls are obtained. Also the Nusselt values for slug flow ( n =0 ) are presented for the H2 boundary condition.
Coherent block-based motion estimation for motion-compensated frame rate up-conversion

This paper introduces a novel spatial coherence constraint and a motion field refinement method to enhance the accuracy of motion estimation and to reduce artifacts for motion-compensated frame rate up-conversion. A low-complexity algorithm is described to impose the spatial coherence constraint. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed motion estimation method reduces artifacts around small or thin objects and improves the PSNR for interpolated frames comparing to the 3-D recursive search motion estimator.
Polarization demultiplexing in Stokes space

A technique is demonstrated for polarization demultiplexing of arbitrary complex-modulated signals. The technique is based entirely on the observation of samples in Stokes space, does not involve demodulation and is modulation format independent. The data in Stokes space is used to find the best fit plane and the normal to it which contains the origin. This normal identifies the two orthogonal polarization states of transmission and the desired polarization alignment transformation matrix. The technique is verified experimentally and is compared with the constant modulus algorithm.
Sorghum as a versatile feedstock for bioenergy production.

World economy development, population increase and urban expansion accelerate the depletion of naturally preserved energy (fossil fuels), reduction in arable land and the trend of global climate change. Bioenergy, that is, energy recently produced from materials of living organisms, holds special promise in meeting the growing need for energy while reducing the negative impact of carbon release from burning fossil fuels. Biomass production, water and nitrogen use, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, and low soil fertility are critical factors in the selection of ideal bioenergy feedstocks. As a C4 plant (with a high efficiency of photosynthesis, water use and nitrogen use) capable of surviving hot, semi-arid environment, sorghum may become a versatile bioenergy feedstock. In this article, the unique features of sorghum, available genetic and genomic resources, potentials and challenges as a bioenergy feedstock in the USA and China were reviewed.
Quantitative prediction of solute strengthening in aluminium alloys

Despite significant advances in computational materials science, a quantitative, parameter-free prediction of the mechanical properties of alloys has been difficult to achieve from first principles. Here, we present a new analytic theory that, with input from first-principles calculations, is able to predict the strengthening of aluminium by substitutional solute atoms. Solute-dislocation interaction energies in and around the dislocation core are first calculated using density functional theory and a flexible-boundary-condition method. An analytic model for the strength, or stress to move a dislocation, owing to the random field of solutes, is then presented. The theory, which has no adjustable parameters and is extendable to other metallic alloys, predicts both the energy barriers to dislocation motion and the zero-temperature flow stress, allowing for predictions of finite-temperature flow stresses. Quantitative comparisons with experimental flow stresses at temperature T=78 K are made for Al-X alloys (X=Mg, Si, Cu, Cr) and good agreement is obtained.
The National Children's Study: how obstetricians can contribute.

The National Children’s Study is an observational prospective cohort study that is designed to assess the multiple factors that can affect pregnancy outcomes and children’s development. It promises to overcome the limitations of previous observational studies with regard to sample size (105,000), generalizability, breadth of environmental exposures, and the time frame of follow-up (21 years). As gynecologic and obstetric care providers, we have an integrally important role in facilitating the success of the NCS. This article enumerates the multiple ways in which we can be of invaluable assistance.
Proton beam therapy

Conventional radiation therapy directs photons (X-rays) and electrons at tumours with the intent of eradicating the neoplastic tissue while preserving adjacent normal tissue. Radiation-induced damage to healthy tissue and second malignancies are always a concern, however, when administering radiation. Proton beam radiotherapy, one form of charged particle therapy, allows for excellent dose distributions, with the added benefit of no exit dose. These characteristics make this form of radiotherapy an excellent choice for the treatment of tumours located next to critical structures such as the spinal cord, eyes, and brain, as well as for paediatric malignancies.
Density profiling of polymers

Abstract This paper reviews the density profiling technique, a new, inexpensive and versatile analytical method which can yield extremely useful information on heterogeneities in polymers. The technique uses a density gradient column to monitor the density of a series of successive slices cut across a sample. A major application of the technique involves oxidation studies of polymers, since oxidation reactions usually lead to substantial increases in polymer density. Some representative examples of the utility of the technique are given, including the study of oxygen-diffusion-limited degradation, material incompatibility effects and chemical dose-rate effects in high-energy radiation environments.
The Technique of Bronchospirometry

The Increasing application of major thoracic surgery to the problem of pulmonary tuberculosis with bilateral involvement, and to the treatment of non-tuberculous diseases of the lung in older patients and in those with contralateral complicating disease has stimulated the increasing use of bronchosplrometry. This article is an attempt to describe a simple, safe and practical technique for the use of the Zavod’ catheter, which the senior author has used for more than 10 years. Four independent workers have made the most significant contributions to the study of the function of each lung separately. Jacobaeus2 in 1932 described a double lumen rigid bronchoscope with which the first studies were done. Soft double lumen catheters were designed Independently by Gebauer3 in 1939 and Zavod’ in 1940. They differ only in that the Zavod catheter has two capillary channels for inflation of the cuffs, permitting different pressures in each, while the Gebauer catheter has a single channel through which both cuffs are Inflated. An entirely different catheter has been designed by Norris and co-workers,4 which has a single lumen and cuff. The reports of diminished occlusion by secretions and of lessened stenosis effect encourage its trial. Since the development of the Zavod catheter, great strides have been made In obtaining knowledge of the effects of surgical procedures and disease states on the functional capacity of the lungs. Numerous improvements in the technique of bronchospirometry have also been made, with particular reference to the topical anesthesia.
Network-Centric Recommendation: Personalization with and in Social Networks

People often rely on the collective intelligence of their social network for making choices, which in turn influences their preferences and decisions. However, traditional recommender systems largely ignore social context, and even network-aware recommenders don't explicitly support social goals and concerns such as shared consumption and identity management. We present relevant theories and research questions for a more network-centric approach to recommendations and introduce Pop Core, a platform for studying them in Face book. An initial 50-user study with Pop Core gives insights into tradeoffs around the popularity, likeability, and rateability of recommendations made by a set of network-centric algorithms and to people's thoughts about the idea of network-centric recommendation.
Effect of water vapor on thermally-grown alumina scales on Pt-modified and simple aluminide bond coatings

Abstract Photo-stimulated luminescence spectroscopy (PSLS), 3D microscopy and focused ion beam cross-sections were used to study the effect of water vapor on the cyclic (1 h cycle time) oxidation behavior of simple and Pt-modified aluminide bond coatings on several superalloy substrates at 1125° and 1150 °C. By tracking the same region over time, the change in surface roughness with thermal cycling could be attributed to large and small bond coating grains rising and sinking, respectively, with thermal cycling. Oxidation in air with 10% H2O showed a 0–37% increase in surface roughness compared to oxidation in dry air. Reducing the cycle temperature from 1150° to 1125 °C, increased the thermal barrier coating lifetime by > 4X but did not prevent bond coating rumpling. Compared to oxidation in dry air, PSLS identified more θ-Al2O3 formation on the Pt-modified aluminide bond coatings after 1 h at 1125° or 1150 °C in air with 10% H2O but only minor differences in the residual stress after longer cyclic oxidation exposures. Stress histograms produced by PSLS mapping help to elucidate Al2O3 scale damage accumulation in each condition but did not clearly identify a mechanism for the effect of water vapor on coating performance.
CARDIOVASCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF THE HURLER SYNDROME: HEMODYNAMIC AND ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS IN 15 PATIENTS.

Hemodynamic observations in 15 cases of the Hunter-Hurler syndrome are reported. Required premedication was two to three times that usually needed. No major complications or deaths occurred. As a group, these individuals tend to have slight elevations of pulmonary artery pressures and more definite elevations of systemic arterial pressures. They generally have normal cardiac outputs and, thus, elevations of total systemic, total pulmonary, and pulmonary arteriolar resistances. In only one case was there clinical and angiocardiographic evidence of valvular involvement, that case having aortic insufficiency. In another case there was only angiocardiographic evidence of mitral insufficiency. Only one child was in congestive heart failure at the time of the study. There was no evidence of coronary artery disease. The ascending limb right ventricular pressure curve was frequently notched and the pressure rise time of the left ventricle (dp/dt) was low. No case had a congenital malformation of the heart. Those ...
AtGRX4, an Arabidopsis chloroplastic monothiol glutaredoxin, is able to suppress yeast grx5 mutant phenotypes and respond to oxidative stress

Arabidopsis monothiol glutaredoxin (Grx), AtGRX4, was targeted to chloroplasts/plastids and had high similarity to yeast Grx5. In yeast expression assays, AtGRX4 localized to the mitochondria and suppressed the sensitivity of grx5 cells to oxidants. In addition, AtGRX4 reduced iron accumulation and rescued the lysine auxotrophy of grx5 cells. In planta, AtGRX4 RNA transcripts accumulated in growing tissues. Furthermore, AtGRX4expression was altered under various stresses. Genetic analysis revealed that seedlings of atgrx4 mutants were sensitive to oxidants. Taken together, these results suggest that AtGRX4 may have important functions in plant growth and development under extreme environments.
Target preparation for radiocarbon dating by tandem accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract Techniques of sample preparation of milligram-sized samples for 14 C determinations by tandem accelerator mass spectrometry are reported. Precisions of better than ±2% in measurement of 14 C/ 13 C on a single target, an iron-carbon bead containing about a milligram of carbon can be achieved in about one hour's actual measurement time on the target. Standard materials with known 14 C/ 13 C ratios are measured in the same way. High precision data can be achieved by much longer counting times up to 4 h, often on several targets. Higher count rates could be achieved by use of graphite targets and preliminary studies of graphitization of small samples are also reported.
Models of growth with density regulation in more than one life stage.

Abstract Discrete-time models of growth of populations with nonoverlapping generations and density regulation in two life stages are studied. It is assumed that there is no delay in the effects of density. Assigning exponential, linear, or hyperbolic functions to describe the dependence of preadult survival and fecundity on density, nine models are obtained. The dynamics of the model resulting from using the exponential function to describe the density dependence of both preadult survival and fecundity is analyzed: for large values of the intrinsic rate of increase there may exist up to three equilibrium population sizes, two stable. This indicates that a life history with two episodes of density regulation can give origin to alternative stable states. The models are fitted to recruitment data from growth experiments of Drosophila laboratory populations obtained with the Serial Transfer System Type 2 ( Ayala et al. , 1973, Theor. Pop. Biol. 4 , 331–356 ) and collected by other authors. The results of the fittings suggest that this recruitment data can be adequately described with the models.
Flavin Reductase P: Structure of a Dimeric Enzyme That Reduces Flavin†,‡

We report the structure of an NADPH:FMN oxidoreductase (flavin reductase P) that is involved in bioluminescence by providing reduced FMN to luciferase. The 1.8 A crystal structure of flavin reductase P from Vibrio harveyi was solved by multiple isomorphous replacement and reveals that the enzyme is a unique dimer of interlocking subunits, with 9352 A2 of surface area buried in the dimer interface. Each subunit comprises two domains. The first domain consists of a four-stranded antiparallel β-sheet flanked by helices on either side. The second domain reaches out from one subunit and embraces the other subunit and is responsible for interlocking the two subunits. Our structure explains why flavin reductase P is specific for FMN as cofactor. FMN is recognized and tightly bound by a network of 16 hydrogen bonds, while steric considerations prevent the binding of FAD. A flexible loop containing a Lys and an Arg could account for the NADPH specificity. The structure reveals information about several aspects of ...
Oxidation chemistry of chloric acid in NOx/SOx and air toxic metal removal from gas streams

Chloric acid, HClO{sub 3}, is a new oxidizer which has recently been shown to be an effective agent in the simultaneous removal of NOx and/or SOx from combustion flue gases and various chemical processes, including nitrations and metal pickling. Aqueous chloric acid readily reacts with NO and SO{sub 2} even in dilute solutions at ambient temperatures. Chlorine dioxide, ClO{sub 2}, is formed as a chemical intermediate in the solution phase oxidation reactions. The oxidation by-products of NO include NO{sub 2} and nitric acid. The ClO{sub 2} generated from the solution phase reactions also participates in gas phase oxidation reactions with NO and NO{sub 2}. The combined solution phase and fast gas phase reaction chemistries provide the means for creating a new type of high performance NOx/SOx removal process. Wet scrubber based pilot plant tests have demonstrated up to 99% removal of NO. Additional recent research work has shown that chloric acid is an effective reagent for the removal of air toxic metals, such as elemental mercury, which are present in the waste gas output streams from incinerators, hydrogen from mercury cell chlor-alkali plants, and flue gases of coal-fired power plants. Work in this area is being conducted by Argonne Nationalmore » Laboratories and Olin. This paper discusses the oxidation chemistry of chloric acid and its unique solution and gas phase reactions with NO, SO{sub 2}, and air toxics in wet scrubber type process equipment. 32 refs., 16 figs., 5 tabs.« less
Electronic data capture, representation, and applications for neuroimaging

With growing emphasis on data sharing across neuroimaging studies in humans, both within and across institutions and studies, there is a growing awareness of the need for clear connections between the images and the other data about the subject, and between the images and the behavioral or physiological data that is relevant for analysis (Van Horn and Toga, 2009a). Means for electronic data capture, storage, organization, and levels of interactivity are required for the large and rich datasets which modern neuroimaging studies now generate and seek to analyze (Helmer et al., 2011). Beyond brain imaging volumes, researchers are including detailed meta-data on scan data types, cognitive protocols, phenomics, and graphical renderings as part of shareable dataset. Capturing these data using automated and semi-automated means represents a particular challenge for subsequent examination, mining, and visualization (Figure ​(Figure1).1). The aim of this Frontiers in Neuroinformatics special topic was developed to sample from the current state of the art in automated and semi-automated data collection methods, data management, and their practical applications in neuroimaging research and related studies. Figure 1 Electronic data capture and efficient representation of neuroimaging enables comprehensive data mining and compelling visualization which, in turn, contributes to greater data sharing and openness in the brain sciences. These articles, from experts in data capture, management, and visualization, provide an overview of the ways different research teams have addressed similar issues across the various stages of data capture in large-scale neuroimaging studies. Articles focus on how databases are populated, how to make sure that the information so gathered is accurate, and how to manage it so that it can be successfully communicated to others. Specifically, these articles address: Automated and semi-automated data capture Two of the papers deal directly with specific methods for data collection during the study. Voyvodic et al. (this issue) present a software package that has been applied in several studies both locally and across multiple sites. The CIGAL software makes a point of capturing behavioral and physiological data during experimental tasks in a way that is interpretable both during the experiment and afterward, and usable in single and multi-site neuroimaging or other behavioral studies. The timing of the various events during the experiment can be extracted from the resulting text files for storage in a database, translation into XML, or use in analysis pipelines. Both the behavioral/physiological data capture of CIGAL and the clinical assessments capture of CARAT (Turner et al., 2010), make a point of representing the data in a way that is research-friendly and works with arbitrary data management systems. The CARAT package for collecting clinical measurements allows the user to connect to various databases to store the demographic and other data automatically, without need for transferring data from paper records.
Residue Phe112 of the human-type corrinoid adenosyltransferase (PduO) enzyme of Lactobacillus reuteri is critical to the formation of the four-coordinate Co(II) corrinoid substrate and to the activity of the enzyme.

ATP:Corrinoid adenosyltransferases (ACAs) catalyze the transfer of the adenosyl moiety from ATP to cob(I)alamin via a four-coordinate cob(II)alamin intermediate. At present, it is unknown how ACAs promote the formation of the four-coordinate corrinoid species needed for activity. The published high-resolution crystal structure of the ACA from Lactobacillus reuteri (LrPduO) in complex with ATP and cob(II)alamin shows that the environment around the α face of the corrin ring consists of bulky hydrophobic residues. To understand how these residues promote the generation of the four-coordinate cob(II)alamin, variants of the human-type ACA enzyme from L. reuteri (LrPduO) were kinetically and structurally characterized. These studies revealed that residue Phe112 is critical in the displacement of 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) from its coordination bond with the Co ion of the ring, resulting in the formation of the four-coordinate species. An F112A substitution resulted in a 80% drop in the catalytic efficienc...
Lead is not off center in PbTe: the importance of r-space phase information in extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.

PbTe is a well-known thermoelectric material. Recent x-ray total scattering studies suggest that Pb moves off center along 100 in PbTe, by $\ensuremath{\sim}0.2\text{ }\text{ }\AA{}$ at 300 K, producing a split Pb-Te pair distribution. We present an extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) study of PbTe (and Tl doped PbTe) to determine if Pb or Te is off center. EXAFS provides sensitive $r$- or $k$-space phase information which can differentiate between a split peak for the Pb-Te distribution (indicative of off-center Pb) and a thermally broadened peak. We find no evidence for a split peak for Pb-Te or Te-Pb. At 300 K, the vibration amplitude for Pb-Te (or Te-Pb) is large; this thermally induced disorder is indicative of weak bonds, and the large disorder is consistent with the low thermal conductivity at 300 K. We also find evidence of an anharmonic potential for the nearest Pb-Te bonds, consistent with the overall anharmonicity found for the phonon modes. This effect is modeled by a ``skew'' factor ($C3$) which significantly improves the fit of the Pb-Te and Te-Pb peaks for the high temperature EXAFS data; $C3$ becomes significant above approximately 150--200 K. The consequences of these results will be discussed.
Risk factors, lifetime risk, and age at onset of breast cancer.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the relationship between exposure variables and both lifetime risk and mean age at diagnosis of breast cancer in subjects from the Adventist Health Study who developed breast cancer before the age of 91 years. METHODS: Multiple decrement life-table analysis was used. This study provided data from 20,341 women followed for 6 years. RESULTS: In the total population, 30-year-old women with a parental history of any cancer or a maternal history of breast cancer had, respectively, 72% (P < 0.002) and 98% (P < 0.03) higher lifetime risks of breast cancer. Thirty-year-old women who had their first delivery after age 24 years or body mass indices above the 50th percentile had, respectively, 53% (P < 0.007) or 57% (P = 0.01) greater lifetime risk of breast cancer. Women who exercised infrequently had a 27% higher life-time risk (P = 0.09) and an age at diagnosis of breast cancer 6.6 years younger (P < 0.005) than other women. CONCLUSIONS: Standard risk factors account for substantial increases in lifetime risk of breast cancer and may be associated with differences in age at diagnosis.
Biochemical Aspects of Characterization of Human Selenoprotein M and its Putative Role in Oxidative Stress

The biomedical functions of essential trace element selenium have been attributed to selenoproteins, a class of proteins containing genetically encoded 21st amino acid selenocysteine (single letter code U). Besides thioredoxin reductase and glutathione peroxidases, two well-studied examples of the selenoproteome family, the enzymatic functions of other family members remain elusive. About one third of these selenoproteins possess a minimal thioredoxin fold with the reactive selenocysteine is positioned on a flexible loop where it is easily accessible to substrates. This study focuses on characterization of a representative member of the family - the human selenoprotein M (SelM). SelM is localized to endoplasmic reticulum and is highly expressed in brain where it protects the neurons from oxidative stress. We report that SelM is a peroxidase and that its enzymatic activity depends on the presence of selenocysteine. In addition, we discuss the oligomerization state of the protein and approaches to map the redox potential of SelM and other members of the family. Since the redox potential of selenoproteins is by large unknown, the determination of this redox potential of selenoproteins with minimal thioredoxin fold will help us understand their physiological functions.
Marketing orientation in the nonprofit sector: The case of hospitals

Is there an increasing concern for consumers in the nonprofit sector of the economy? Does it manifest itself in the measurement of consumer satisfaction as it does in the profit sector? According to the study reported here, the answer is “yes”—at least in the case of nonprofit hospitals. A sample of administrators of large nonprofit hospitals responded to a mail survey inquiring about the extent to which they measure the satisfaction of their patients. Their responses were compared with a similar study of business executives. The findings from the study indicate that, in general, nonprofit hospitals show as much concern for the satisfaction of their consumers as business does. Since hospitals are significant and conspicuous members of the nonprofit sector of the economy, the findings confirm recent writings that suggest that a consumer orientation is developing among nonprofit organizations.
A reassessment of Goodrich's model of cranial nerve phylogeny.

The first detailed comparisons of the organization and development of craniate head structure occurred during the period 1870–1940. Most workers concluded that craniate heads were segmented, but there
Activation of innate immune responses through Toll-like receptor 3 causes a rapid loss of salivary gland function.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in salivary glands and epithelial cell lines derived from Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) patients. As viral infections are considered to be a trigger for SS, in this study we investigated whether in vivo engagement of TLR3 affects salivary gland function. Methods: Female New Zealand Black/WF1 mice were repeatedly injected with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)]. TLR3 expression within submandibular glands was studied using immunohistochemistry. RNA levels of inflammatory cytokines in the submandibular glands were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction. Pilocarpine induced saliva volume was used as an index of glandular function. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis of submandibular glands showed TLR3 expression in epithelium of serous and mucous acini, granular convoluted tubules, and ducts. Poly(I:C) treatment rapidly up-regulated the mRNA levels of type I interferon (IFN) and inflammatory cytokines in the submandibular glands. One week after treatment, the saliva volumes in poly(I:C) treated mice were significantly reduced in comparison with the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) treated mice. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that salivary gland histology was normal and lymphocytic foci were not detected. Glandular function recovered after poly(I:C) treatment was stopped. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that engagement of TLR3 within the salivary glands results in a rapid loss of glandular function. This phenomenon is associated with the production of type I IFN and inflammatory cytokines in the salivary glands. Restoration of glandular function suggests that for viral etiology of SS, a chronic infection of salivary glands might be necessary.
Edoxaban Effects on Bleeding Following Punch Biopsy and Reversal by a 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate

Background—The oral factor Xa inhibitor edoxaban has demonstrated safety and efficacy in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and in the treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism. This study investigated the reversal of edoxaban’s effects on bleeding measures and biomarkers by using a 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC). Methods and Results—This was a phase 1 study conducted at a single site. This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 2-way crossover study to determine the reversal effect of descending doses of 4F-PCC on bleeding duration and bleeding volume following edoxaban treatment. A total of 110 subjects (17 in part 1, 93 in part 2) were treated. Intravenous administration of 4F-PCC 50, 25, or 10 IU/kg following administration of edoxaban (60 mg) dose-dependently reversed edoxaban’s effects on bleeding duration and endogenous thrombin potential, with complete reversal at 50 IU/kg. Effects on prothrombin time were partially reversed at...
Foreshocks and time-dependent earthquake hazard assessment in southern California

The probability that an earthquake in southern California ( M ≧ 3.0) will be followed by an earthquake of larger magnitude within 5 days and 10 km (i.e., will be a foreshock) is 6 ± 0.5 per cent (1 S.D.), and is not significantly dependent on the magnitude of the possible foreshock between M = 3 and M = 5. The probability that an earthquake will be followed by an M ≧ 5.0 main shock, however, increases with magnitude of the foreshock from less than 1 per cent at M ≧ 3 to 6.5 ± 2.5 per cent (1 S.D.) at M ≧ 5. The main shock will most likely occur in the first hour after the foreshock, and the probability that a main shock will occur decreases with elapsed time from the occurrence of the possible foreshock by approximately the inverse of time. Thus, the occurrence of an earthquake of M ≧ 3.0 in southern California increases the earthquake hazard within a small space-time window several orders of magnitude above the normal background level .
Is There a Light in My Eyes

The ethnographer in the field frequently becomes entangled in the lives of others in ways that are unpredictable and often emotionally shattering. In this montage of scenes, involving a British expatriate family, I present an account of a child, solitary and emotionally disturbed, raised in an environment of ethnic and sexual confusion, cast adrift in an African world. The story is a metaphor, a microcosm of a decaying colonialism, and in the wake of this decay, the emergence of a peculiar form of evil.
Brands and Branding: Research Findings and Future Priorities

Branding has emerged as a top management priority in the last decade due to the growing realization that brands are one of the most valuable intangible assets that firms have. Driven in part by this intense industry interest, academic researchers have explored a number of different brand-related topics in recent years, generating scores of papers, articles, research reports, and books. This paper identifies some of the influential work in the branding area, highlighting what has been learned from an academic perspective on important topics such as brand positioning, brand integration, brand-equity measurement, brand growth, and brand management. The paper also outlines some gaps that exist in the research of branding and brand equity and formulates a series of related research questions. Choice modeling implications of the branding concept and the challenges of incorporating main and interaction effects of branding as well as the impact of competition are discussed.
Type 2 diabetes in youth.

r s a t e e a l D a p t b c Amid reports identifying obesity as one of the ost significant public health problems in the nited States comes the comprehensive review f type 2 diabetes in youth in this month’s Current roblems in Pediatrics. The authors, Dr. Lenna iu and colleagues, point out that for most peditricians, we last received training on type 2 iabetes in medical school. Thus, for many of us, heir article serves as a primer on the disease. he review of the epidemiology and pathophysilogy of type 2 diabetes provides the necessary nderpinning for understanding the recommenations for, and controversies surrounding, creening at-risk youth. Parenthetically, it is clear hat those of us who care for children need to alculate and review BMI with the same rigor that e now apply to analyzing growth charts. Cliniians caring for children and adolescents with ype 2 diabetes will find the review, by Dr. Liu et