cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Concerning the mechanism and control of α-amyrin biosynthesis

Abstract Experiments have shown that the variation in the ratios of α- to β-amyrin which are found in plants is not controlled by S -adenosylmethionine. The radioactive compound produced in peas after feeding with radioactive methionine is 24-methylene-lanosterol.
Long-term durability of laparoscopic decortication of symptomatic renal cysts.

Abstract Objectives To assess the long-term results of patient symptoms and radiologic outcomes of laparoscopic renal cyst decortication in the treatment of symptomatic simple renal cysts. Renal cysts are common in the adult population. Symptomatic renal cysts have traditionally been treated by percutaneous aspiration with or without injection of sclerosant agents; however, this has a high rate of recurrence. Methods From April 1994 through July 2005, 45 patients underwent laparoscopic decortication of symptomatic simple renal cysts with renal cyst wall excision and fulguration of the epithelial lining. Complex renal cysts were excluded. Of the 45 patients, 24 (53.3%) had undergone previous cyst aspiration with injection of sclerosant material for intended ablation. The Wong-Baker pain scale was used to assess the preoperative and postoperative pain scores. Radiologic success was indicated as no recurrence on the most recent computed tomography scan. Results Of the 45 procedures, 44 were completed laparoscopically. One patient (1.8%) underwent open conversion because of excessive bleeding. The mean operative time was 89 minutes (range 48 to 170). Symptomatic success was achieved in 91.1% of patients, with a median follow-up of 52 months (range 3 to 132), and radiographic success was achieved in 95.5% of patients, with a median follow-up of 39 months (range 3 to 96). Conclusions Long-term follow-up has confirmed that laparoscopic cyst decortication is an effective and durable treatment option for symptomatic simple renal cysts during long-term follow-up. The greater and durable success rates of this minimally invasive technique may favor this treatment option over other treatment modalities.
Mechanism of Action of Thioureylene Antithyroid Drugs: Factors Affecting Intrathyroidal Metabolism of Propylthiouracil and Methimazole in Rats*

Experiments were performed with rats to test the physiological significance of a previously proposed mechanism of action of thioureylene antithyroid drugs, which had been derived from results obtained with a model system containing purified thyroid peroxidase. Two features of the previously proposed scheme were tested: 1) the effects of drug dosage and 2) the effects of iodine deficiency. In the dosage experiments, rats were injected with graded doses of [35S]PTU (0.18–59 μmol) or [35S]MMI (0.16–18 nmol). Thyroid glands were removed 1 and 6–8 h later and 35S distribution in the homogenates was determined by paper chromatography. Serum samples were also analyzed by the same procedure. From the measured 35S activity in the various components and from the known specific activity of the injected drugs, it was possible to calculate thyroidal concentrations of unchanged drug and drug metabolites. At low doses, thyroidal concentrations of unchanged 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) and 1-methyl-2-mercaptoimidazole (MM...
Circadian periodicity in cockroaches altered by high frequency light-dark cycles

The circadian period of the freerunning activity rhythm in the cockroach is systematically altered by high frequency light-dark cycles (HF-LD) according to the ratio of light to dark within each cycle. With a standard 10 min cycle time, brief (e.g., 0.5 min) exposure to light each cycle causes the free-running period to shorten significantly in comparison to its steady-state value in constant darkness. As the ratio of light to dark in HF-LD is increased, the period of the rhythm is progressively lengthened. These findings are discussed in terms of the general proposition that light, applied throughout the circadian cycle, predictably modifies periodicity according to the asymmetrical shape of the circadian phase response curve.
The action of plant growth retardants on terpenoid biosynthesis : Inhibition of gibberellic-acid production inFusarium moniliforme by CCC and AMO-1618; Action of these retardants on sterol biosynthesis.

The plant growth retardants (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and 2′-isopropyl-4′-(trimethylammoniumchloride)-5′-methylphenyl-piperidine-1-carboxylate (AMO-1618) inhibit gibberellic-acid biosynthesis inFusarium moniliforme at the cyclisation of geranylgeraniol to (-)-kaurene, causing an accumulation of geranylgeraniol. The two inhibitors have no effect on the biosynthesis of ergosterol inF. moniliforme or sitosterol in barley seedlings.
The government's role in public trust of biomedical science

Public trust in biomedical research depends in large part upon public attitudes toward science, the behavior of institutions involved in conducting and supporting biomedical research, and how mass media report on biomedical research. This paper explores those aspects of public trust, particularly the responsibilities of government as the major source of support for research using public funds.
Research, Development, and Empire: State Support of Science in the Later Spanish Empire*

In December of 1779, officials of the Customs House in Cadiz, Spain, were confronted with the task of unloading and recording an unusual cargo. The frigates Astrea and Santa Inez, recently arrived ...
Note on the NDVI-LST relationship and the use of temperature-related drought indices over North America

[1] A comprehensive evaluation of the relationship between vegetation and Land Surface Temperature (LST) over the North America is presented. It is found that the correlations between LST and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) depend on the season-of-year and time-of-day. For winter, the correlation between NDVI and LST is positive. The strong negative correlations between LST and NDVI are only found during the warm seasons. Thus temperature-related drought indices may only be used in the warm seasons from May to October, and should be used with caution during cold seasons in North America. The cooling effect of vegetation on LST is stronger during daytime than nighttime. Moreover, the negative correlations between NDVI and LST are much stronger than those between NDVI and the brightness temperature. Therefore using daytime LST for drought monitoring should be more reasonable than using brightness temperature or nighttime LST.
Micro-engineered first wall tungsten armor for high average power laser fusion energy systems

The high average power laser program is developing an inertial fusion energy demonstration power reactor with a solid first wall chamber. The first wall (FW) will be subject to high energy density radiation and high doses of high energy helium implantation. Tungsten has been identified as the candidate material for a FW armor. The fundamental concern is long term thermo-mechanical survivability of the armor against the effects of high temperature pulsed operation and exfoliation due to the retention of implanted helium. Even if a solid tungsten armor coating would survive the high temperature cyclic operation with minimal failure, the high helium implantation and retention would result in unacceptable material loss rates. Micro-engineered materials, such as castellated structures, plasma sprayed nano-porous coatings and refractory foams are suggested as a first wall armor material to address these fundamental concerns. A micro-engineered FW armor would have to be designed with specific geometric features that tolerate high cyclic heating loads and recycle most of the implanted helium without any significant failure. Micro-engineered materials are briefly reviewed. In particular, plasma-sprayed nano-porous tungsten and tungsten foams are assessed for their potential to accommodate inertial fusion specific loads. Tests show that nano-porous plasma spray coatings can be manufactured with high permeability to helium gas, while retaining relatively high thermal conductivities. Tungsten foams where shown to be able to overcome thermo-mechanical loads by cell rotation and deformation. Helium implantation tests have shown, that pulsed implantation and heating releases significant levels of implanted helium. Helium implantation and release from tungsten was modeled using an expanded kinetic rate theory, to include the effects of pulsed implantations and thermal cycles. Although, significant challenges remain micro-engineered materials are shown to constitute potential candidate FW armor materials.
Progesterone receptor variants found in breast cells repress transcription by wild-type receptors.

Progesterone, through its nuclear receptors (PR), regulates the development and growth of breast cancers. PR also serve as markers of hormone dependence and prognosis in patients with this disease, and functional PR are required to mediate the antiproliferative effects of progestin therapies. We find that normal and malignant breast cells and tissues can express anomalous forms of PR transcripts. We have isolated four variant PR mRNAs that contain precise deletions of exons encoding sections of the DNA- and hormone-binding domains. The transcripts lack exon 2 (PRΔ2), exon 4 (PRΔ4), exon 6 (PRΔ6), or exons 5 and 6 (PRΔ5,6). On immunoblots, PRΔ4, Δ6, and Δ5, 6 cloned into the background of the PR A-isoform comigrate with similar proteins present in breast tumor extracts; Δ6 and Δ5, 6 are dominant-negative transcriptional inhibitors of wild-type A- and B-receptors. We propose that expression of variant PR can compromise the accuracy of receptor measurements as markers of hormone-dependent cancers, and can modify the responses of tumors to progestin therapies.
Cybersecurity Standards: Managing Risk and Creating Resilience

A risk-based cybersecurity framework must continuously assimilate new information and track changing stakeholder priorities and adversarial capabilities, using decision-analysis tools to link technical data with expert judgment.
Phonon detection by Josephson junctions

Abstract Josephson junctions are found to respond to pulses of coherent phonons at 10 GHz. The coupling of phonons to the junction appears to take place via the deformation potential.
Pentaquark Masses in Chiral Perturbation Theory

Heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory for pentaquarks is applied beyond leading order. The mass splitting in the pentaquark anti-decuplet is calculated up to NNLO. An expansion in the coupling of pentaquarks to non-exotic baryons simplifies calculations and makes the pentaquark masses insensitive to the pentaquark-nucleon mass difference. The possibility of determining coupling constants in the chiral Lagrangian on the lattice is discussed. Both positive and negative parities are considered.
Versatility or Promiscuity: The Estrogen Receptors, Control of Ligand Selectivity and an Update on Subtype Selective Ligands

The estrogen receptors (ERs) are a group of versatile receptors. They regulate an enormity of processes starting in early life and continuing through sexual reproduction, development, and end of life. This review provides a background and structural perspective for the ERs as part of the nuclear receptor superfamily and discusses the ER versatility and promiscuity. The wide repertoire of ER actions is mediated mostly through ligand-activated transcription factors and many DNA response elements in most tissues and organs. Their versatility, however, comes with the drawback of promiscuous interactions with structurally diverse exogenous chemicals with potential for a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Even when interacting with endogenous hormones, ER actions can have adverse effects in disease progression. Finally, how nature controls ER specificity and how the subtle differences in receptor subtypes are exploited in pharmaceutical design to achieve binding specificity and subtype selectivity for desired biological response are discussed. The intent of this review is to complement the large body of literature with emphasis on most recent developments in selective ER ligands.
Effects of tissue preincubation and hypoxia on CA3 hippocampal neurons in the in vitro slice preparation

Using the in vitro hippocampal slice preparation, we studied the electrophysiological properties of pyramidal cells in tissue that was 'preincubated' (2-6 h in a large, static volume of oxygenated bathing medium) before being placed in an interface chamber for study. Striking differences were found in 'preincubated' vs 'non-preincubated' CA3 cells. The preincubated cells had more negative resting potentials, higher input resistance, lower threshold for stimulus-evoked burst discharge and larger hyperpolarizing afterpotentials. Cells in the preincubated CA3 region were also more likely to show spontaneous synchronized burst discharge, but were relatively resistant to hypoxia-induced spreading depression. CA1 cells were less dramatically affected by preincubation, showing little difference from their non-preincubated counterparts. Possible mechanisms involved in the CA3 preincubation effect, including glial buffering alterations and changes in Na+, K+-ATPase activity, are discussed.
Management of ampullary lesions.

Adenomatous lesions of the ampulla of Vater are relatively rare neoplasms that raise many questions regarding standard management. Adenocarcinoma often will be found in ampullary lesions and should be treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Benign-appearing adenomas may be treated by PD, transduodenal ampullectomy (AMP), or endoscopic ampullectomy (EA). AMP and EA have decreased morbidity and mortality compared with PD but are limited by concerns for appropriate resection margins, high recurrence rates, and the need for surveillance endsscopy or additional procedures. Preoperative endoscopic biopsies should be obtained to identify carcinoma, but, they have high false-negative rates and cannot be relied upon to rule out malignancy. Intraoperative frozen section evaluation should be requested routinely during AMP, with conversion to PD if carcinoma is demonstrated. The gold standard management of benign adenomas has not been clarified, but the goal for all treatment modalities is complete resection. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis may be exceptions to this, and routine surveillance endoscopy and biopsy with selective resection have been advocated by some as an alternative to complete resection. Adjuvant chemoradiation has a very limited role in the treatment of ampullary carcinoma and ideally should be offered in the setting of a clinical trial. Metastatic and locally advanced, unresectable lesions may be palliated by surgical or endoscopic bypass, as well as by celiac plexus blockade.
Critical flicker frequency in the bushbaby, Galago senegalensis

The capacity of the bushbaby, Galago senegalensis, to discriminate intermittent visual stimuli was investigated. Critical flicker frequency (CFF) was estimated at four flash intensities by a modified method of limits. The maximum behavioral CFF obtained for this nocturnal prosimian was 27.4/sec. Results were discussed in terms of the retinal structure of galago and were compared to human scotopic CFF.
The infant formula debate

Abstract Two articles on ‘The baby milk controversy’, published in the August 1980 issue of Food Policy , were received with great interest and have generated a large response. In those articles, John Sparks put the case for the infant formula manufacturers and Andy Chetley replied. We now present the comments of a Third World scientist in response to those articles, a report from Andy Chetley on the international marketing code for breast-milk substitutes, and an appeal by Jennifer Halpern for increased cooperation between the multinationals and INFACT and its supporters.
Influence of Inorganic Counterion on Thermodynamic Quantities of Micellar Solubilization of Chiral Pharmaceutical Compounds in Aqueous Solutions of N-Dodecoxycarbonylvaline Using Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography

Using the van't Hoff relationship, the enthalpy and entropy of transfer of 12 pairs of enantiomeric pharmaceutical compounds, including b-agonists, b-blockers, and other b-amino alcohols, were measured from the aqueous phase to qq q . three different counterion Li , Na , and K chiral micellar phases. Selectivities, distribution coefficients, and Gibbs free energies were also determined. Whereas the transfer of solute from the aqueous phase to the chiral micellar phase was . nearly always favorable from an enthalpic viewpoint y23 - D H8 - 1k Jrmol , it . was not always so from an entropic perspective y25 - D S8 - 57 Jrmol K. Dramatic differences in D H8 and D S8 were often observed between enantiomers. The lithium counterion system gave the most favorable entropic contribution .positive D S to the free energy of solute transfer, while the potassium counterion . system gave the most favorable enthalpic contribution negative D H8 . The en- thalpy and entropy changes for the solutes follow a linear free-energy relationship for all counterion systems, indicating a similar enantiomeric mechanism of separa- tion. Experimentally determined thermodynamic parameters were related to changes in the polarity of the N-dodecoxycarbonylvaline micelles as a function of counterion to better understand the interactions of enantiomers with these mi- celles. In contrast to the large changes in D H8 and D S8 observed for individual solutes as the counterion was changed, DG8 and enantioselectivity remained similar. Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 10: 633)645, 1998
Statistical analysis of refractive index through the troposphere and the stratosphere.

The main environmental problem in tracking a satellite through the atmosphere is in finding the most probable value of the mean refractive index. In this paper, the mean refractive index is computed as a four-part model. The troposphere is treated as one altitude range from sea level to 9 kilometers, and the stratosphere is divided into three altitude ranges, 9 to 18, 18 to 27, and 27 to 36 kilometers. At 36 kilometers, the N-value is approximately equal to two and reduces rapidly to zero. By the use of theEssen formula in radio wave application and the modifiedKohlrausch formula in light wave application, point-to-point values of the refractive index are computed through these altitude ranges. The polynomial expansion of second order from the basic exponential function is selected as the model, and the curve-fitting adjustments of the computed values are established separately to each altitude range to obtain coefficients A, B, and C.
Performance of Laser Microjoints in Rat Brain

The stability of the laser bonded titanium coated glass/polyimide microjoints were studied in-vivo (by implanting on the rat brain surface for 10 days) and were compared with the earlier in-vitro (by soaking in artificial cerebrospinal fluid, CSF at 37°C for one week) data. In the current state, the strength of the joints were measured by a specially designed instrument called “pressure test” equipment where the samples were subjected to a variable pressure load (using high pressure nitrogen) controlled by a pressure regulator. The strength of the joints seems to degrade as a result of soaking in rat brain. The bond degradation in rat brain implants is similar compared to those soaked in CSF solution. Polyimide uptakes water through existing pores in it and also water gets in the joint region through the edges of the samples. Water might have caused oxidation of the chemical bonds which are thought to have formed by the laser fabrication process. Water availability at the joint region in implanted samples is less than that of the CSF soaked samples — which explains the better retention of the joint strength of the vivo samples. The average failure load from pressure test was found to be 1.4 N/mm, which is below the average tensile strength of the joint (7.3 N/mm) as published elsewhere by the authors. The difference between the joint strengths results from the difference in applied mechanical (joint peeling in pressure testing and joint shearing in tensile testing) loads and loading rates by the experiments.© 2008 ASME
Cation deficiencies in RF sputtered gadolinium iron garnet films

RF sputtering of stoichiometric, polycrystalline gadolinium iron garnet material resulitns films significantly deficient in iron content. The cation deficiency is shown to be quite sensitiov ep reparatory conditions and reflects itself markedly in the magnetic and structural properties of the resultant films. Temperature dependent sticking probabilities and selective resputterig at the growing film surface are thought to be the most likely causes for the observed deficiencies. A simultaneously operated rf-dc two-target sputtering system is described in some detail, which allows an expeditious study of and subsequent compensation for the observedcation deficiency. Films with essentially the bulk garnet composition and bulk structural and magnetic properties were prepared in this two target system.
CIMETIDINE REDUCTION OF TUMOUR FORMATION IN MICE

Cimetidine, a histamine type-2 receptor antagonist, had a protective effect in mice challenged with cells from two different syngeneic tumours. The results are a further indication of cimetidine's potential as an immunostimulator.
Analysis of food-allergic and anaphylactic events in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System

Background The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) captures a nationally representative probability sample from hospital emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. Objective Emergency department data from NEISS were analyzed to assess the magnitude and severity of adverse events attributable to food allergies. Methods Emergency department events describing food-related allergic symptomatology were identified from 34 participating EDs from August 1 to September 30, 2003. Results Extrapolation of NEISS event data predicts a total of 20,821 hospital ED visits, 2333 visits for anaphylaxis, and 520 hospitalizations caused by food allergy in the United States during the 2-month study period. The median age was 26 years; 24% of visits involved children ≤5 years old. Shellfish was the most frequently implicated food in persons ≥6 years old, whereas children ≤5 years old experienced more events from eggs, fruit, peanuts, and tree nuts. There were no reported deaths. Review of medical records found that only 19% of patients received epinephrine, and, using criteria established by a 2005 anaphylaxis symposium, 57% of likely anaphylactic events did not have an ED diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Conclusion Analysis of NEISS data may be a useful tool for assessing the magnitude and severity of food-allergic events. A criteria-based review of medical records suggests underdiagnosis of anaphylactic events in EDs.
Statistical Short-Range Guidance for Peak Wind Speed Forecasts on Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station: Phase I Results

This report describes the results of the ANU's (Applied Meteorology Unit) Short-Range Statistical Forecasting task for peak winds. The peak wind speeds are an important forecast element for the Space Shuttle and Expendable Launch Vehicle programs. The Keith Weather Squadron and the Spaceflight Meteorology Group indicate that peak winds are challenging to forecast. The Applied Meteorology Unit was tasked to develop tools that aid in short-range forecasts of peak winds at tower sites of operational interest. A 7 year record of wind tower data was used in the analysis. Hourly and directional climatologies by tower and month were developed to determine the seasonal behavior of the average and peak winds. In all climatologies, the average and peak wind speeds were highly variable in time. This indicated that the development of a peak wind forecasting tool would be difficult. Probability density functions (PDF) of peak wind speed were calculated to determine the distribution of peak speed with average speed. These provide forecasters with a means of determining the probability of meeting or exceeding a certain peak wind given an observed or forecast average speed. The climatologies and PDFs provide tools with which to make peak wind forecasts that are critical to safe operations.
The Communication of Solidarity in Friendships among African American Women

Much of the previous research on culture and friendship is comparative, highlighting different patterns and/or preferences for friendship communication between various racial and ethnic cultures. However, relying on Houston's (2002) call for experiences from within African American cultures and Shuter's (1990 1998) notion of the “centrality of culture,” the authors describe in-depth cultural values and communicative meanings for friendship that exist within a given culture. Thirty-six African American women described their experiences with intraracial friendship communication. Their descriptions suggest that at least one function of the intraracial communication for this group of women is to construct solidarity among African American friends. Three themes emerged around the core concept of solidarity: friendship dichotomies, Black vernacular, and “authentic” communication.
GSK3β N-terminus binding to p53 promotes its acetylation

The prevalence in human cancers of mutations in p53 exemplifies its crucial role as a tumor suppressor transcription factor. Previous studies have shown that the constitutively active serine/threonine kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) associates with the C-terminal basic domain of p53 and regulates its actions. In this study we identified the GSK3β N-terminal amino acids 78–92 as necessary for its association with p53. Inhibitors of GSK3 impaired the acetylation of p53 at Lys373 and Lys382 near the GSK3β binding region in p53, indicating that GSK3β facilitates p53 acetylation. We also found that acetylation of p53 reduced its association with GSK3β, as well as with GSK3α. These results indicate that the N-terminal region of GSK3β binds p53, this association promotes the acetylation of p53, and subsequently acetylated p53 dissociates from GSK3.
A mildly weaker sufficient condition in IIR adaptive filtering

The cross-covariance matrix of two stable autoregressive (AR) sequences is considered. A mildly weaker condition is identified that ensures the nonsingularity of this matrix. As one consequence of this result, a weaker sufficient condition is obtained that would guarantee the unimodality of the mean-square output error surface of an IIR adaptive filter with white noise excitation. >
10-Year Case Review of Nutritional Rickets in Children's Hospital of Michigan

Nutritional rickets has been on the rise in the United States. A chart review of patients with nutritional rickets from April 1995 to May 2005 was performed. Fifty-eight subjects were studied (62% males, 38% females, with an age range between 2 and 132 months). Of the subjects, 81% were African Americans and 14% were Arabic; 33% were Christians and 19% were Muslims. An increasing number of cases of nutritional rickets have been noted since 2000. Seventy-nine percent of patients with nutritional rickets presented at the emergency department, and in 69% of the cases, rickets was an incidental finding; 96% of patients were exclusively breast-fed, and none received multivitamin supplements. 25-OH vitamin D levels were below 5 ng/mL in 42% of the patients, all of whom were African Americans. We could document complete resolution of nutritional rickets in only 8 patients, and 3 of these patients showed sequelae of rickets.
RELIABILITY OF “WORKABILITY INDEX” OF FIRE‐CLAY PLASTIC REFRACTORIES*

A measure of the facility with which plastic refractory material can be rammed into place as determined with a specified sand rammer has been designated “workability index” by the American Society for Testing Materials. In the method for determining the index, cognizance apparently has not been taken of numerous variables which may give a misleading value. Several of these variables have been investigated by the authors. As a result it is concluded that a determination of the work required with the sand rammer to produce maximum bulk density is a more reliable indicator of the suitability of a plastic for ramming purposes.
Composite Material Mechanics: Structural Mechanics

Introduction T purpose of this Survey is to review and bring together in an orderly fashion some of the principal contributions to the field of structural mechanics of structures containing composite materials. The topics of micromechanics and fracture, while quite important, are not considered in this Survey. Emphasis is given to the macromechanical structural analysis of various structural elements, including response under conditions of stable static loading, buckling, and dynamics. The Survey unfolds in the following sequence: Straight and Curved Laminated Bars, Laminated Plates, Laminated Shells, Sandwich Structures, Applications to Practical Structural Systems, and Future Trends. The authors hope that this contribution will be a useful reference tool for researchers and engineers already involved in structural aspects of advanced composites, as well as for those who are just entering the field. No Survey can do full justice to such a wide field as compositematerial structural mechanics. The references cited give only a glimpse of the extensive literature in this field. The authors apologize for not citing a number of important contributions in the field.
Glycerol Monolaurate Inhibits Virulence Factor Production in Bacillus anthracis

Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, has been brought to the public's attention because of the 2001 bioterrorism attacks. However, anthrax is a disease that poses agricultural threats in the United States as well as human populations in Europe, China, Africa, and Australia. Glycerol monolaurate (GML) is a compound that has been shown to inhibit exotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus and other gram-positive bacteria. Here, we study the effects of GML on growth and toxin production in B. anthracis. The Sterne strain of B. anthracis was grown to post-exponential phase with 0-, 10-, 15-, or 20-μg/ml concentrations of GML and then assayed quantitatively for protective antigen (PA) and lethal factor (LF). After 8 h, GML at concentrations greater than 20 μg/ml was bacteriostatic to growth of the organism. However, a 10-μg/ml concentration of GML was not growth inhibitory, but amounts of PA and LF made were greatly reduced. This effect was not global for all proteins when total secreted protein from culture fluids was examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Through quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assays, this toxin-inhibitory effect was shown to occur at the transcriptional level, since amounts of mRNA for pagA (PA), lef (LF), and cya (edema factor) were reduced. Surprisingly, mRNA levels of atxA, a regulator of exotoxin gene expression, rose in the presence of GML. These data will be useful in developing therapeutic tools to treat anthrax disease, whether in animals or humans. These results also suggest that mechanisms of virulence regulation exist independent of atxA.
Has Racism Declined in America?: It Depends on Who is Asking and What is Asked

In recent years as public opinion polls have shown a decline in racist responses, white Americans have strongly resisted school desegregation and affirmative action programs. Hence, there has been a debate over the extent to which racism has really declined. The theory of modern racism addresses these issues, distinguishing between old-fashioned racial beliefs recognized by everyone as racism and a new set of beliefs arising from the conflicts of the civil rights movement. The theory proposes that antiblack feeling remains high and has been displaced from the socially undesirable old-fashioned beliefs onto the new beliefs where the racism is not recognized. Three experiments were performed; results showed that, regardless of context, the old-fashioned items were perceived as more likely to reveal prejudice. The results are discussed in terms of their significance for opinion polling and continuing racial conflict in America.
Effect of Longitudinal Diffusion in Reverse Osmosis

Abstract : Longitudinal diffusion has only a second-order, and often negligible, effect on membrane performance in the reverse osmosis process. This paper presents the equations governing the effect of longitudinal diffusion in specified reverse osmosis systems. (Author)
Autogenous regulation of the Bordetella pertussis bvgABC operon.

Abstract The bvgABC operon of the bacterial pathogen Bordetella pertussis encodes a sensory transduction system that regulates the expression of several virulence genes in response to environmental stimuli. In this study we have examined the transcriptional regulation of the bvgABC operon. Transcriptional bvg::lacZYA fusions in Escherichia coli show that the bvgABC operon is autogenously activated. Autoactivation is inhibited by the same environmental stimuli that result in the lack of expression of bvg-activated genes in B. pertussis. These observations were confirmed in B. pertussis using a chromosomal chloramphenicol acetyltransferase transcriptional fusion in bvgC. Transcriptional initiation sites upstream of bvgA were mapped by primer extension analysis in E. coli and B. pertussis. Two differentially regulated bvg promoters were identified. The bvgP1 promoter is a positively autoregulated promoter located 90 base pairs upstream of bvgA. The bvgP2 promoter is located 141 base pairs upstream of bvgA and does not appear to require any positive regulatory factors for activity. These results suggest a model describing the regulatory events that take place upstream of the bvgABC operon.
Is Your Product Facing the Ad's Center? Facing Direction Affects Processing Fluency and Ad Evaluation

This research investigates a frequently encountered and important decision faced by advertisers: how to face profile images of products in advertisements. Three empirical studies find support for a profile-fluency effect: Profile images of products facing inward (versus outward) toward the center (versus edge) of an ad are easier for consumers to process and result in more positive consumer evaluations. In addition, there is evidence that this effect depends on the shopping goal of the consumer. The results have clear implications for current practices in advertising and offer opportunities for future research.
Plasmid-Specified Host Specificity in XanthomonasCampestris Pv. Vesicatoria

A self-transmissible plasmid, pXvCu in some strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria confers avirulence (hypersensitive reaction) to the bacterium in plants of Capsicum annuum that have the Bs1 gene for resistance to the bacterial spot disease. Transconjugants can be selected because pXvCu also contains copper-resistance marker. The plasmid was conjugated into a virulent strain of X. campestris pv. phaseoli and virulence to Phaseolus vulgaris remained unchanged. In addition, the plasmid was conjugated into strain T-55 of X. campestris, which is not pathogenic on any known host. Hypersensitivity did not occur when the T-55 transconjugants were placed into leaves of C. annuum having the Bs1 gene. When pXvCu in the T-55 transconjugants was conjugated back into a virulent strain of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, the resulting transconjugants were avirulent. Interaction of the avirulence gene with host genes and possibly other genes in the bacterium are necessary for expression of avirulence by bacteria with this plasmid.
An Analysis Of The Ability Of Individuals To Predict Their Own Risk Tolerance

This paper analyzes the capability of individuals to accurately estimate risk tolerance. Using a database of respondent answers to a psychometrically valid questionnaire, calculated risk tolerance scores are compared to respondent self-assessed risk tolerance scores. In general, gender and education are the most significant factors in explaining the ability of individuals to accurately forecast their own risk tolerance score.
Hodie approximation of boundary conditions

Abstract A method is described for automatically computing coefficients of difference approximations to second-order linear elliptic differential equations on general domains with general linear boundary conditions.
Efficient Implicit Runge-Kutta Methods for Fast-Responding Ligand-Gated Neuroreceptor Kinetic Models

Neurophysiological models of the brain typically utilize systems of ordinary differential equations to simulate single-cell electrodynamics. To accurately emulate neurological treatments and their physiological effects on neurodegenerative disease, models that incorporate biologically-inspired mechanisms, such as neurotransmitter signalling, are necessary. Additionally, applications that examine populations of neurons, such as multiscale models, can demand solving hundreds of millions of these systems at each simulation time step. Therefore, robust numerical solvers for biologically-inspired neuron models are vital. To address this requirement, we evaluate the numerical accuracy and computational efficiency of three L-stable implicit Runge-Kutta methods when solving kinetic models of the ligand-gated glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter receptors. Efficient implementations of each numerical method are discussed, and numerous performance metrics including accuracy, simulation time steps, execution speeds, Jacobian calculations, and LU factorizations are evaluated to identify appropriate strategies for solving these models. Comparisons to popular explicit methods are presented and highlight the advantages of the implicit methods. In addition, we show a machine-code compiled implicit Runge-Kutta method implementation that possesses exceptional accuracy and superior computational efficiency.
Preliminary balanced palinspastic reconstruction of Cenozoic deformation across the Himachal Himalaya (northwestern India)

A line-length balanced palinspastic reconstruction across the Himachal Himalaya is presented, highlighting different phases of Himalayan tectonic development: Eocene shortening of the north Indian margin, Early–Middle Miocene emplacement of the crystalline core, and subsequent growth of the range by underplating. The total preserved shortening is 518 km (72%). The reconstruction demonstrates geometric feasibility of crystalline core emplacement via tectonic wedging, i.e., between a south-directed thrust (the Main Central thrust) and a north-directed backthrust (the South Tibet detachment). Crystalline core exposure between these faults occurs ca. 5 Ma in the reconstruction; initial exposure of these crystalline rocks ca. 11 Ma probably occurred in the hinterland within core complexes accommodating east-west extension. After Early–Middle Miocene crystalline core emplacement, ongoing orogenic growth is dominated by underplating processes. Out-of-sequence faulting accomplishes <5% of this shortening; frontal accretion of foreland rocks occurs, but the resulting imbricate fan is largely eroded away. Over the past 3–5 m.y., an antiformal stack of mid-crustal horses and a hinterland-dipping duplex of upper crustal horses develop simultaneously. Minimum total shortening across the western Himalaya (from undeformed foreland to the India-Asia suture) is estimated by adding the new results and results from prior work to the north; an estimate of ∼703–773 km of assessed shortening is calculated. However, because large portions of the regional deformation remain unassessed, estimates of ∼900–1100 km may more accurately reflect the minimum preserved shortening here. This range is comparable to the ∼1350 km of shortening estimated by plate circuit reconstructions for this region. Apparent mismatch between geologic and plate circuit shortening estimates has recently instigated the new Greater India Basin hypothesis for two Cenozoic collisions along Asia’s southern margin, but the new results suggest that this mismatch may not exist.
General algorithms for construction of broadcast and multicast trees with applications to wireless networks

In this paper, we introduce algorithms for constructing broadcasting and multicasting trees. These algorithms are general because they may be used for tree cost functions that are of arbitrary form. Thus, essentially the same algorithmic procedures are used for different tree cost functions. We evaluate the effectiveness of the general algorithms by applying them to different cost functions that are often used to model wired and wireless networks. Besides providing a unifying framework for dealing with many present and future tree-construction applications, these algorithms typically outperform some existing algorithms that are specifically designed for energy-aware wireless networks. These general algorithms perform well at the expense of higher computational complexity. They are centralized algorithms, requiring the full network information for tree construction. Thus, we also present variations of these general algorithms to yield other algorithms that have lower complexity and distributed implementation.
Nanopore detection of 8-oxoguanine in the human telomere repeat sequence.

The human telomere repeat sequence 5′-TTAGGG-3′ is a hot spot for oxidation at guanine, yielding 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG), a biomarker of oxidative stress. Telomere shortening resulting from oxidation will ultimately induce cellular senescence. In this study, α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore technology was applied to detect and quantify OG in the human telomeric DNA sequence. This repeat sequence adopts a basket G-quadruplex in the NaCl electrolyte used for analysis that enters the α-HL channel, slowly unfolds, and translocates. The basket fold containing OG disrupts the structure, leading to >10× increase in the unfolding kinetics without yielding a detectable current pattern. Therefore, detection of OG with α-HL required labeling of OG with aminomethyl-[18-crown-6] using a mild oxidant. The labeled OG yielded a pulse-like signal in the current vs time trace when the DNA strand was electrophoretically passed through α-HL in NaCl electrolyte. However, the rate of translocation was too slow using NaCl salt...
Contribution of murine IgG Fc regions to antibody binding to the capsule of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) is the predominant IgG subclass elicited in response to polysaccharide antigens in mice. This specific subclass has been shown to crosslink its fragment crystallizable (Fc) regions following binding to multivalent polysaccharides. Crosslinking leads to increased affinity through avidity, which theoretically should lead to more effective protection against bacteria and yeast displaying capsular polysaccharides on their surface. To investigate this further we have analyzed the binding characteristics of 2 IgG monoclonal antibody (mAb) subclass families that bind to the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Burkholderia pseudomallei. The first subclass family originated from an IgG3 hybridoma cell line (3C5); the second family was generated from an IgG1 cell line (2A5). When the Fc region of the 3C5 IgG3 is removed by proteolytic cleavage, the resulting F(ab')2 fragments exhibit decreased affinity compared to the full-length mAb. Similarly, when the parent IgG3 mAb is subclass-switched to IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG2a, all of these subclasses exhibit decreased affinity. This decrease in affinity is not seen when the 2A5 IgG1 mAb is switched to an IgG2b or IgG2a, strongly suggesting the drop in affinity is related to the IgG3 Fc region.
LGBT Intersection of Age and Sexual Identity in the Workplace

LGBT older workers represent a diverse and growing segment of the workforce. Often, older LGBT workers must contend with unfair laws and discriminatory policies in the labor force. They must overcome the typical barriers to employment such as lack of modern skills, stereotypes, and disincentives of fringe benefits. Federal, state, and local governments and private business must examine their policies that adversely affect LGBT workers and aging workers. Collectively, LGBT workers are subjected to legalized discrimination, which can result in job loss or demotion. LBGT workers endue an unfair burden because of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. America is at a policy crossroads and is being tested for its response to legally sanction discrimination and violation of the civil right of LGBT workers. The future of the American work force may well be determined by its response to LGBT workers.
Investigation of Thiocyanate Biological Limits in Urine of Healthy Population in Shenzhen City

[Objective]To investigate the thiocyanate biological limits in urine of healthy population in Shenzhen city,and provide reference indicators in diagnosis of cyanide poisoning.[Methods]305 specimens of healthy adults' urine were conducted thiocyanate detection by thiocyanate pyridine-barbituric acid spectrophotometry.[Results]The mean value of thiocyanate in healthy adults' urine of non-smoking group was(58.53±2.389)μmol/L,the 95% upper limit was 246.4 μmol/L,among males and females by t test,there was no significant difference(t=0.149,P0.05).The mean value of smoking group was(145.5±1.950)μmol/L,the 95% upper limit was 436.6 μmol/L.Smoking group and non-smoking group results by t test,the difference was significant(t = 7.28,P 0.01).[Conclusion] It is recommended that the thiocyanate biological limits of healthy adults' urine among non-smokers and smokers were 246.4μmol /L and 436.6 μmol /L respectively in Shenzhen city.
Analytical ultracentrifugation data analysis with ultrascan-III

The current status of the UltraScan-III (US3) data analysis software suite is described. An overview of the US3 concepts, software layout, the data workflows and US3 components is presented, followed by a discussion of the analysis methods and their applications. Also described are visualization modules for analysis results, US3’s utilities and simulation tools, as well as the collaboration environments for online data and result exchange.
Maintenance of Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase Activity by Endogenous Mg2+ in Soybean Leaf Extracts

Purified RuBPcase undergoes a reversible interconversion between active and inactive forms (Lorimer 1981). The amount of enzyme present in the active form is directly dependent upon the concentration of Mg2+ and CO2.
Market Social Order and Christian Organicism

Centesimus Annus marked the centenary of Rerum Novarum,1 the encyclical commonly regarded as inaugurating modern social teaching in the Church of Rome.2 In the spirit of its exemplar, it identified “New Things” of today, most obviously “the events which took place near the end of 1989 … and the radical transformations which followed,” variously described as the “collapse (‘crisis,’ ‘fall’) of Marxism,” “the defeat of so-called ‘real socialism’,” and “the failure of communism.”3 In explaining this debâcle the Pope endeavored to show that it was caused by a serious moral and spiritual error of socialism — “the suppression of private property” — and that this outcome had been predicted by Rerum Novarum.4 As a consequence, Centesimus Annus provided a more detailed consideration than any previous papal document of the economic benefits of “the human rights to private initiative, to ownership of property, and to freedom in the economic sector.”5
Dilation-based shock capturing for high-order methods

Summary In this paper, we introduce a shock-capturing artificial viscosity technique for high-order unstructured mesh methods. This artificial viscosity model is based on a non-dimensional form of the divergence of the velocity. The technique is an extension and improvement of the dilation-based artificial viscosity methods introduced in Premasuthan et al., [15] and further extended in Nguyen and Peraire [27]. The approach presented has a number attractive properties including non-dimensional analytical form, sub-cell resolution, and robustness for complex shock flows on anisotropic meshes. We present extensive numerical results to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.