cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Characterization of the Amount and Length of (1,3)-β-D-glucan for Functional and Mechanistic Analysis of Fungal (1,3)-β-D-glucan Synthase

(1,3)-β-d-Glucan synthase (GS) is an essential enzyme for fungal cell wall biosynthesis that catalyzes the synthesis of (1,3)-β-d-glucan, a major and vital component of the cell wall. GS is a proven target of antifungal antibiotics including FDA-approved echinocandin derivatives; however, the function and mechanism of GS remain largely uncharacterized due to the absence of informative activity assays. Previously, a radioactive assay and reducing end modification have been used to characterize GS activity. The radioactive assay determines only the total amount of glucan formed through glucose incorporation and does not report the length of the polymers produced. The glucan length has been characterized by reducing end modification, but this method is unsuitable for mechanistic studies due to the very high detection limit of millimolar amounts and the labor intensiveness of the technique. Consequently, fundamental aspects of GS catalysis, such as the polymer length specificity, remain ambiguous. We have developed a size exclusion chromatography (SEC)-based method that allows detailed functional and mechanistic characterization of GS. The approach harnesses the pH-dependent solubility of (1,3)-β-d-glucan, where (1,3)-β-d-glucan forms water-soluble random coils under basic pH conditions, and can be analyzed by SEC using pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) and radioactivity counting (RC). This approach allows quantitative characterization of the total amount and length of glucan produced by GS with minimal workup and a d-glucose (Glc) detection limit of ~100 pmol. Consequently, this approach was successfully used for the kinetic characterization of GS, providing the first detailed mechanistic insight into GS catalysis. Due to its sensitivity, the assay is applicable to the characterization of GS from any fungi and can be adapted to study other polysaccharide synthases.
Asynchronous rates of lineage, phenotype, and niche diversification in a continental-scale adaptive radiation

Rapidly diversifying clades are central to the study of diversification dynamics. This central importance is perhaps most apparent when rapid evolution occurs across several axes of diversification (e.g., lineage, phenotype, and niche); such clades facilitate investigations into the interplay between adaptive and non-adaptive diversification mechanisms. Yet, empirical evidence from rapidly evolving clades remains unclear about the relationships, if any, across diversification axes. This is especially apparent regarding the timing of diversification rate shifts. We address this knowledge gap through comparisons of the rate and timing of lineage, phenotypic, and niche diversification in Penstemon, a rapidly-evolving angiosperm genus. We find that diversification rate shifts in Penstemon are asynchronous; while we identify a burst and subsequent slowdown in lineage diversification rate [~]2.0-2.5 MYA, shifts in phenotypic and niche diversification rates either lagged behind temporally or did not occur at all. We posit that this asynchronicity in diversification rate shifts is the result of initial niche-neutral diversification followed by adaptive, density-dependent processes. Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that asynchronous shifts in diversification rates may be common and question the applicability of expectations for diversification dynamics across disparate empirical systems.
Stereotactic Versus Conventional Radiation Therapy for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in the Modern Era

Abstract Purpose Patients with pancreatic cancer often receive radiation therapy before undergoing surgical resection. We compared the clinical outcomes differences between stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and 3-dimensional (3D)/intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials We retrospectively collected data from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients with borderline resectable/potentially resectable or locally advanced pancreatic cancer receiving neoadjuvant SBRT (median, 36.0 Gy/5fx), 3D conformal radiation (median, 50.4 Gy/28 fx) or IMRT (median, 50.4 Gy/28 fx) were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were analyzed using Cox regression. Results In total, 104 patients were included in our study. Fifty-seven patients (54.8%) were treated with SBRT, and 47 patients (45.2%) were treated with 3D/IMRT. Patients in the SBRT group were slightly older (median age: 70.3 vs 62.7 in the 3D/IMRT group). Both groups had similar proportions of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (SBRT: 30, 52.6%; 3D/IMRT: 24, 51.1%). All patients were treated with chemotherapy. Patients in the SBRT group underwent more surgical resection compared with the 3D/IMRT group (38.6% vs 23.4%, respectively). At a median follow-up of 22 months, a total of 60 patients (57.7%) died: 25 (25/57, 43.9%) in the SBRT group, and 35 (35/47, 74.5%) in the 3D/IMRT group. Median OS was slightly higher in the SBRT group (29.6 months vs 24.1 months in the 3D/IMRT group). On multivariable Cox regression, the choice of radiation therapy technique was not associated with differences in OS (adjusted hazard ratios [aHR] = 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2%-1.3%, P = .18). Moreover, patients that underwent surgical resection had better OS (aHR = 0.3, 95% CI, 0.1%-0.8%, P = .01). Furthermore, progression-free survival was also similar between patients treated with SBRT and those treated with 3D/IMRT (aHR = 0.9, 95% CI, 0.5%-1.8%, P = .81) Conclusions SBRT was associated with similar clinical outcomes compared with conventional radiation techniques, despite being delivered over a shorter period of time which would spare patients prolonged treatment burden. Future prospective data are still needed to better assess the role of SBRT in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Potential SARS-CoV-2 Nonstructural Protein 15 (NSP15) Inhibitors: Repurposing FDA-Approved Drugs (preprint)

Purpose: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused millions of deaths worldwide, pushing the urgent need for an efficient treatment. Nonstructural protein 15 (NSP15) is a promising target due to its importance for SARS-CoV-2’s evasion of the host’s innate immune response. Methods: Using the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 NSP15 endoribonuclease, we developed a pharmacophore model of the functional centers in the NSP15 inhibitor’s binding pocket. With this model, we conducted data mining of the conformational database of FDA-approved drugs. The conformations of these compounds underwent 3D fingerprint similarity clustering, and possible conformers were docked to the NSP15 binding pocket. We also simulated docking of random compounds to the NSP15 binding pocket for comparison. Results: This search identified 170 compounds as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 NSP15. The mean free energy of docking for the group of potential inhibitors were significantly lower than for the group of random compounds. Twenty-one of the compounds identified as potential NSP15 inhibitors were antiviral compounds used in the inhibition of a range of viruses, including MERS, SARS-CoV, and even SARS-CoV-2. Eight of the selected antiviral compounds in cluster A are pyrimidine analogues, six of which are currently used in a clinical setting. Four tyrosine kinase inhibitors were identified with potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibition, which is consistent with previous studies showing some kinase inhibitors acting as antiviral drugs. Conclusions: We recommended testing of these 21 selected antiviral compounds for the treatment of COVID-19.
Recurrence of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura after mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccine Administered Shortly after COVID-19.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a potentially life-threatening consumptive coagulopathy requiring emergent diagnosis and timely treatment. It is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia with the development of microthrombi caused by inherited or acquired deficiency of the von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease ADAMTS13 and resulting end-organ damage. Most of the cases are the result of acquired deficiency of ADAMTS13, for which the exact etiology is unknown but reported to be related to various autoimmune disorders, infections, and medications. Our case report features of a patient with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, who developed a recurrence of TTP 5 days after his first dose of the mRNA Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine (mRNA-1273 vaccine) in the setting of recent COVID-19. The close temporal association between vaccine administration, recent COVID-19, and relapse of remitted TTP raises concern for an enhanced immune reaction to COVID-19 vaccine in the setting of recent COVID-19 and underlying autoimmune disease. The association is not absolute, but given the novelty of COVID-19 and the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and the relapse timing, it leads us to pose this hypothesis. Vaccine distribution to a larger and more diverse population will allow for an increased rate of adverse event reporting. This case report exemplifies potential safety issues that may be encountered with new vaccine administration in patients with recent COVID-19 and underlying autoimmune disease. There are no specific recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine administration in such patients.
Vanquishing Paper Tigers: Applying Comparative Law Methodology to Enhance Rule of Law Development

Rule of law operations cannot succeed without a thorough understanding of local laws and judicial traditions, subjects the Army has largely overlooked in the education of its leaders. Professional military education (PME) should include greater instruction on foreign and comparative law to enable commanders to pursue rule of law with greater cultural awareness and situational understanding. Legal PME should further emphasize substantive criminal law and procedure, rather than civil law, because of the outsize role criminal justice plays in the early stages of stability operations, when reliance on military professionals is often most acute.
Phosphoproteomic analysis of liver homogenates.

Regulation of protein function via reversible phosphorylation is an essential component of cell signaling. Our ability to understand complex phosphorylation networks in the physiological context of a whole organism or tissue remains limited. This is largely due to the technical challenge of isolating serine/threonine phosphorylated peptides from a tissue sample. In the present study, we developed a phosphoproteomic strategy to purify and identify phosphopeptides from a tissue sample by employing protein gel filtration, protein SAX (strong anion exchange) and SCX (strong cation exchange) chromatography, peptide SCX chromatography and TiO2 affinity purification. By applying this strategy to the mass spectrometry-based analysis of rat liver homogenates, we were able to identify with high confidence and quantify over four thousand unique phosphopeptides. Finally, the reproducibility of our methodology was demonstrated by its application to analysis of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways in liver samples obtained from rats in which hepatic mTOR was activated by refeeding following a period of fasting.
Metabolic interlock. Regulatory interactions exerted between biochemical pathways.

Abstract It is suggested that a regulatory superstructure of sophisticated interactions exerted between metabolic pathways acts to reinforce and modify the basic allosteric controls operating within specific pathways. Examples are cited to illustrate that small molecules may act as regulatory signals for enzymes that are located in different, apparently remote, metabolic pathways. (a) Regulatory interactions operating between the terminal branches of the biosynthetic pathway for aromatic amino acids are summarized as the simplest examples of the phenomenon. (b) Prephenate dehydratase, an enzyme of phenylalanine synthesis, was not only inhibited by phenylalanine but was also activated by either leucine or methionine. The activation was noncompetitive and independent of the competitive inhibition exerted by phenylalanine. Nutritional experiments with amino acid analogues verified the reality of these relationships in vivo. Data in vitro and in vivo lead to the conclusion that the activation of prephenate dehydratase by leucine or methionine is primarily significant under conditions of low phenylalanine (inhibitor) concentration. (c) A number of observations demonstrated regulatory influences of histidine upon the biosynthesis of tryptophan. A hypothesis is tendered which focuses upon 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate, a metabolite that is common to the synthesis of both tryptophan and histidine, as the key entity relating the two pathways.
The Role of Context-Related Parameters in Adults’ Mental Computational Acts

Researchers who have carried out studies pertaining to mental computation and everyday mathematics point out that adults and children reason intuitively based upon experiences within specific contexts; they use invented strategies of their own to solve real-life problems. We draw upon research areas of mental computation and everyday mathematics to report on a study that investigated adults’ use of mental mathematics in everyday settings. In this paper, we report on one adult’s use of mental computation at work and highlight the role of context and context related parameters in his mental mathematical activities. El papel de los parametros relacionados con el contexto en actos de calculo mental en adultos Los investigadores que han realizado estudios relacionados con el calculo mental y las matematicas cotidianas senalan que los adultos y los ninos razonan intuitivamente basandose en las experiencias de contextos especificos; usan estrategias inventadas por si mismos para resolver problemas de la vida real. Nos basamos en las areas de investigacion del calculo mental y las matematicas cotidianas para informar sobre un estudio que investigo el uso que hacen los adultos de la matematica mental en el entorno cotidiano. En este articulo, informamos sobre el uso que hace un adulto del calculo mental en su trabajo y destacamos el papel del contexto y de los parametros relacionados con el contexto en sus actividades matematicas mentales. Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10481/18315 No de citas en WOS (2017): 1 (Citas de 2o orden, 1) No de citas en SCOPUS (2017): 1 (Citas de 2o orden, 1)
Pulmonary dendritic cells producing IL-10 mediate tolerance induced by respiratory exposure to antigen.

Respiratory exposure to allergen induces T cell tolerance and protection against the development of airway hyperreactivity and asthma. However, the specific mechanisms by which tolerance is induced by respiratory allergen are not clear. We report here that pulmonary dendritic cells (DCs) from mice exposed to respiratory antigen transiently produced interleukin 10 (IL-10). These phenotypically mature pulmonary DCs, which were B-7hi as well as producing IL-10, stimulated the development of CD4+ T regulatory 1–like cells that also produced high amounts of IL-10. In addition, adoptive transfer of pulmonary DCs from IL-10+/+, but not IL-10−/−, mice exposed to respiratory antigen induced antigen-specific unresponsiveness in recipient mice. These studies show that IL-10 production by DCs is critical for the induction of tolerance, and that phenotypically mature pulmonary DCs mediate tolerance induced by respiratory exposure to antigen.
Attributional Processes: Psychological

Attribution is primarily the process of ascribing a cause to an event or explaining the event. Secondarily, the term ‘attribution’ refers to certain inferences or judgments, such as inferences of personality traits from behavior and judgments of responsibility and blame. Psychological research on attribution was inspired by Heider (1958), who argued that the social perceiver makes sense of the world by attributing behaviors and events to their underlying causes. The rise of empirical attribution research in the 1960s and 1970s was sparked by a focusing and narrowing of Heider's broad model of social perception, generating two main strands of research: attribution as trait inference and attribution as causal explanation. The first strand began with Jones and Davis (1965). They took Heider's idea that people infer intentions from behavior a step further by developing a model of ‘correspondent inferences’ from a given intentional behavior (‘he acted friendly’) not just to a corresponding intention but to a corresponding trait (‘he is friendly’). The second strand began with Kelley (1967) who developed Heider's insight that causal judgments are pivotal in social perception, Kelley proposed that such judgments are based on a simple information processing rule: people infer those causes that covary with the event in question. Kelley's covariation theory profoundly influenced attribution research by assuming that (a) people break down causes into internal attributions (something about the agent) and external attributions (something about the situation) and (b) that the internal–external dichotomy generally applies to all behaviors and events alike. Recent theoretical developments emphasize, by contrast, that ordinary people sharply distinguish between (a) attributing intentional actions to the actor's reasons and motives and (b) attributing unintentional behaviors (e.g., failure, depression) to causal factors internal or external to the agent. This approach considers behavior explanations an integral part of people's theory of mind, which views people as intentional agents who act in light of their beliefs and desires. One advantage of this approach lies in its compatibility with work on responsibility attribution, which also takes into account the intentionality of the behavior in question. Another advantage lies in the integration of social-psychological work on explanations with developmental research on children's emerging theory of mind as well as with philosophical analysis of the properties and evolution of folk psychology. A further development suggests that attributions are not just cognitive processes but rather communicative acts. Thus, behavior explanations are altered for impression-management purposes, are responsive to an interlocutor's interest and concerns, and have an immediate impact on others' perceptions and evaluations of the explainer and the agent whose behavior is being explained.
The interaction of learner aptitudes with instructional treatment in quadratic inequalities

Many questions remain to be answered about the role of individual differences in learning. In the area of mathematics learning, do spatial and general reasoning abilities interact with instructional treatment? This study extends a series of earlier studies examining the interaction between aptitudes and instructional treatment. One treatment was strong in verbal-pictorial-numeric content; the other treatment was strong in verbal-symbolic-numeric content. Interactions between instructional treatment and the aptitudes are reported.
Technological Innovation and Hydraulic Engineering

Technology is faced with an expanding universe of demands, in a situation in which capital, facilities, and manpower are limited, and can be expected to be increasingly so in the future. Under these conditions, it becomes imperative for the field of hydraulic engineering—as for any field of engineering in general—to acquire a clear view of the factors affecting technological innovation in that field. Some of the principal sociotechnological factors affecting innovation are reviewed, with particular emphasis on paradigms for assessing the nature of the innovative process, indices of innovation, the need for input-output matrices, the implications of such matrices for the research, educational and professional processes in hydraulic engineering, the sociology of the field, and the need for a science policy and for enhanced individual creativity. Since hydraulic engineering is a mature technology, achievement of a given rate of growth of technological capabilities is likely to require a much higher rate of technical knowledge. This may represent a major bottleneck to future innovations in the field.
Predicting Incongruence between Self-reported and Documented Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Sample of African American Medicare Recipients

Assessments of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates typically rely on self-reported screening data, which are often incongruent with medical records. We used multilevel models to examine health-related, socio-demographic and psychological predictors of incongruent self-reports for CRC screening among Medicare-insured African Americans (N = 3,740). Results indicated that living alone decreased, and income increased, the odds of congruently self-reporting endoscopic CRC screening. Being male and having greater number of comorbidities decreased, and having less than a high school education increased, the odds of congruently self-reported fecal occult blood tests. Living alone, age and income had the most robust effects across classifications into one of four mutually exclusive categories defined by screening status (screened/unscreened) and congruence of self-reports. The results underscore the clinical importance of gathering socio-demographic data via patient interviews, and the relevance of these data ...
Brief summary of research in high frequency methods at OSU-ESL

The Ohio State Univ. ElectroScience Lab. (ESL) has been, and still continues to be recognized as one of the dominant establishments for the development of asymptotic high frequency solutions, and their associated computer codes, to solve a wide variety of electrically large, radiation and scattering problems of significant engineering interest. Such a position of past and present standing of ESL in asymptotics can be measured through the numerous contributions of its many researchers to this area such as key technical papers, novel computer codes with world-wide demand, participation in a wide variety of national and international invited short courses, as well as providing many book chapters. The role of ESL in the area of asymptotics is described in a historical summary fashion.
Voluntary Preemption: a Tool Tn The Design Of Hard Real-Time Systems

A new technique for scheduling hard real-time systems is proposed. We term this technique as voluntary preemption as it allows the user to determine the points at which the execution of a process can be preempted. There are several advantages of this technique. First of all, the internal structure of the processes can be used in determining the points where a process may be preempted. This permits, among other things, that critical sections are not preempted as well as identifying points at which a process should be preempted. Secondly, overhead cost of context switching can be taken into account realistically without sacrificing performance. Finally, since the overhead cost of context switching depends on the point (in the execution) where a process is preempted, this technique allows the preemption points to be chosen to reduce the overhead cost of context switching. These various considerations about where a process can be preempted, can be incorporated into an automatic tool to aid in the design of real-time systems.
The index of gradf(x,y)

Abstract Let f(x, y) be a real polynomial of degree d with isolated critical points, and let i be the index of grad f around a large circle containing the critical points. An elementary argument shows that |i|⩽d−1. In this paper we show that i⩽ max {1, d−3} . We also show that if all the level sets of f are compact, then i=1, and otherwise |i|⩽d R −1 where d R is the sum of the multiplicities of the real linear factors in the homogeneous term of highest degree in f. The technique of proof involves computing i from information at infinity. The index i is broken up into a sum of components ip,c corresponding to points p in the real line at infinity and limiting values c∈ R ∪{∞} of the polynomial. The numbers ip,c are computed in three ways: geometrically, from a resolution of f(x, y) , and from a Morsification of f(x, y) . The ip,c also provide a lower bound for the number of vanishing cycles of f(x, y) at the point p and value c.
Emergency Department Management of Pediatric Patients with Cyanotic Heart Disease and Fever

Abstract Background Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) are living longer and presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) in larger numbers. A greater understanding of their diagnoses and appropriate management strategies can improve outcomes. Objective Our objective was to describe the ED diagnoses, management, and dispositions of pediatric CCHD patients who present with fever. Methods We retrospectively analyzed pediatric ED patients age 18 years or younger with a previous diagnosis of CCHD who presented with a fever from January 2000 to December 2005. Results Of 809 total ED encounters, 248 (30.6%) were eligible for inclusion. Of those meeting inclusion criteria, 59 (23.8%) required supplemental oxygen and 67 (27%) received intravenous fluid. ED diagnoses were febrile illness in 120 (48.4%), pneumonia in 35 (14.1%), upper respiratory infection in 19 (7.7%), viral syndrome in 17 (6.9%), gastroenteritis in 17 (6.9%), otitis media in 10 (4.0%), bronchiolitis in 5 (2.0%), pharyngitis in 3 (1.2%), croup in 3 (1.2%), bronchitis in 3 (1.2%), urinary tract infection in 3 (1.2%), mononucleosis in 2 (0.8%), pericarditis in 2 (0.8%), influenza in 1 (0.4%), cellulitis in 1 (0.4%), bacteremia in 1 (0.4%), and potential endocarditis in 1 (0.4%). In terms of patient disposition, 53.2% were discharged, 44.4% were floor admissions, and 2.4% were intensive care unit admissions. Conclusions A cardiac cause of fever in CCHD patients is rare. Because of limited cardiopulmonary reserve, they might require supplemental oxygen, intravenous fluids, and hospital admission.
Respiratory effects of inhaled isocyanates

Numerous industrial chemicals are known to cause allergic reactions in the lung. Prominent among such chemicals are isocyanates, the starting material in the production of polyurethanes. In view of the extensive worldwide production of isocyanates (1.5 million metric tons per year), and the diversity of products manufactured from isocyanates (i.e., cars, airplanes, furniture, bedding, etc.) there is considerable potential for adverse health effects associated with exposure to isocyanates. Syndromes of immediate respiratory reactivity, delayed-onset sensitivity, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis have all been associated with isocyanate exposure. However, little is known concerning how sensitivity develops, which individuals are most likely to become sensitized, or how to best detect early sensitivity. Answers to such questions are beginning to emerge from the recent development of animal models of lung sensitivity. These models will be discussed together with their application to clinical situations.
Daughter's Right of Inheritance in India: A Perspective on the Problem of Dowry

One may argue that it [i.e., dowry] is nothing but a gift of love and affection by the bride's father who is not obliged to give any share to his daughter by birth. Now, however, the law of succession has been changed, giving equal right of inheritance to the daughter along with the son under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.
The FMR1 gene, infertility, and reproductive decision-making: a review

The strongest association between FMR1 and the ovary in humans is the increased risk of premature ovarian failure (POF) in women who carry the premutation level of CGG repeats (55–199 CGGs). Research on the FMR1 gene has extended to other endpoints of relevance in the OB/GYN setting for women, including infertility and ovarian hormones. After reviewing the nomenclature changes that have occurred in recent years, this article reviews the evidence linking the length of the FMR1 repeat length to fertility and ovarian hormones (follicle stimulating hormone and anti-mullerian hormone as the primary methods to assess ovarian reserve in clinical settings). The literature is inconsistent on the association between the FMR1 trinucleotide repeat length and infertility. Elevated levels of follicle stimulating hormone have been found in women who carry the premutation; however the literature on the relationship between anti-mullerian hormone and the CGG repeat length are too disparate in design to make a summary statement. This article considers the implications of two transgenic mouse models (FXPM 130R and YAC90R) for theories on pathogenesis related to ovarian endpoints. Given the current screening/testing recommendations for reproductive age females and the variability of screening protocols in clinics, future research is recommended on pretest and posttest genetic counseling needs. Future research is also needed on ovarian health measurements across a range of CGG repeat lengths in order to interpret FMR1 test results in reproductive age women; the inconsistencies in the literature make it quite challenging to advise women on their risks related to FMR1 repeat length.
Electrochemistry of hexacoordinate silicon(IV) porphyrin complexes

Cyclic voltammetry was used to characterize the oxidation-reduction behavior of a series of novel hexacoordinate silicon(IV) porphyrin complexes. Each (Por)SiX2 [Por = the dianions of the porphyrins: tetrakis(p-tolyl)porphyrin (TTP), tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), tetrakis(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)porphyrin (TTFP), octaethylporphyrin (OEP), × = F, Cl, O3SCF3] complex undergoes one to two oxidations and one to two reductions, all occurring at the porphyrin ring. No silicon(IV) reduction is observed for any of the porphyrin complexes. The effects of solvent, supporting electrolyte, substituents on the porphyrin ring, axial ligands, certral metal, and ruffling of the porphyrin ring are described.
We Acquire Vocabulary and Spelling by Reading: Additional Evidence for the Input Hypothesis

attention to vocabulary and spelling.' First, there are practical reasons. A large vocabulary is, of course, essential for mastery of a language. Second language acquirers know this; they carry dictionaries with them, not grammar books, and regularly report that lack of vocabulary is a major problem. Spelling, especially for treacherous languages such as English, is also a problem. Our standards in spelling are 100%; a single spelling error in public can mean humiliation. On the theoretical level, the study of the acquisition of vocabulary and spelling ability can help us understand language acquisition in general. In my view, the most promising hypothesis is that vocabulary and spelling are acquired in fundamentally the same way the rest of language is acquired. If this supposition is true, these areas can be useful laboratories for the
Synthesis and biological evaluation of fluorescently labeled epothilone analogs for tubulin binding studies

The two fluorescently labeled epothilones 14 and 15 have been synthesized using a modification of Nicolaou's macrolactonization and Stille coupling strategy. The cytotoxicities of the compounds were 6.1 and 2.7 μg/mL, respectively, against the A2870 ovarian cancer cell line, and 0.5 and 1.0 μg/mL, respectively, against the PC-3 prostate cancer cell line. The critical concentration of tubulin was 0.5 and 1.0 μM in the presence of 14 and 15, respectively, compared with 0.3 μM for paclitaxel. The fluorescent properties of the two molecules in solution and bound to microtubules are described.
A General Model for Leaching of One or More Solid Reactants from Porous Ore Particles

A general, unsteady-state model for leaching of one or more solid reactant species from a nonreactive, porous, spherical pellet is derived in dimensionless form for the interpretation of leaching data and for use in the design of coarse-ore leaching processes. Numerical solutions of the model equations are obtained with implicit finite difference approximations. The effects of diffusion rate, chemical reaction rate, and competition between multiple solid reactants are examined using the concept of the effectiveness factor. The importance of deposits of solid reactants on the pellet surface is ascertained. It is shown that the model is capable of simulating both “reaction-zone” and “homogeneous” kinetics, depending on the choice of parameters. The model is also capable of simulating leaching from a distribution of particle sizes, and techniques for the modification of model parameters for this purpose are discussed.
Contact binary stars. I: An X-ray survey

X-ray emission from a contact binary star was first detected by the HEAO 1 satellite in 1977. Spectroscopic observations of 44i Boo and VW Cep by IUE established the presence of high-temperature chromospheric and transition region emission lines in the spectra of these stars. The HEAO 1 and IUE results implied that the processes causing X-ray emission from VW Cep might be similar to those energizing the solar corona, and that X-ray emission might be a common occurrence among contact binary stars. A series of observations of these stars was, therefore, conducted with the aid of the HEAO 2 (Einstein) Observatory. The present investigation is concerned with the results of these observations, giving attention to their implications with respect to the nature of contact binary stars. The results are compared with similar HEAO 2 studies of coronal X-ray sources in the local region of the Galaxy, in the Hyades, and other rapidly rotating systems.
Assessment of the effects of spatial resolutions on daily water flux simulations

Abstract Impacts of spatially distributed precipitation and soil heterogeneity on modeling water fluxes at different spatial resolutions are investigated using the Three-layer Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC-3L) land surface model at the Blue River watershed in Oklahoma. In this study, hourly grid-based NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar) Stage III radar precipitation data approximately at 4×4 km 2 resolution are used to compute daily precipitation at spatial resolutions of 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 degree based on an area weighted average method. Soil parameters at the corresponding six spatial resolutions are derived from the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) soil data. The forcing data of daily maximum and minimum temperature, wind speed, and vegetation parameters are disaggregated/aggregated directly to finer/coarser spatial resolutions based on the University of Washington (UW) data, which are gridded at 1/8 degree spatial resolution. Our study suggests that a critical spatial resolution for the VIC-3L model may exist for the study watershed. For spatial resolutions finer than the critical resolution, one does not necessarily obtain better model performance in terms of runoff, evapotranspiration, and total zone soil moisture with increasing spatial resolution if the VIC-3L model parameters are calibrated at each spatial resolution. Also, model parameters calibrated at a coarse resolution can be applied to finer resolutions to obtain generally comparable results. However, model parameters calibrated at finer resolutions cannot result in comparable results when applied to resolutions coarser than the identified critical resolution. In addition, while soil moisture of the total zone is more sensitive to the spatial distributions of soil properties, runoff and evaporation are more sensitive to the spatial distribution of daily precipitation at the watershed being studied.
Guidelines for discharging eating disorder inpatients

Abstract This is a five-year telephone interview follow-up study in which 31 of 71 patients from an inpatient eating disorders unit were evaluated by specific criteria for discharge from the hospital and the relationship of those criteria to outcome. The patients or their parents were interviewed regarding current weight, presence or absence of eating-disordered behaviors, menses, etc. Patients who met all discharge criteria when leaving the hospital had a significantly higher percent ideal body weight (rs=.50, p=.004), were more likely to have menses (x2 [1, N=29]=6.87, p=.009), and were less likely to relapse, defined as currently meeting criteria for either anorexia or bulimia nervosa (x2 [1, N=31]=− 2.76, p< .1) than those who did not meet discharge criteria. Younger age at time of treatment was associated with greater percent body weight at follow-up (r=.45, p=.012).
Spin-parity analysis of the low-mass 3π system in the reaction π+p → π+π+π−p at 13.1 GeV/c

Abstract A spin-parity analysis of the diffractively produced low-mass 3 π system is presented; the results are given as a function of the 3 π effective mass. Neither the 3 π mass spectrum nor its J P = 1 + component give evidence for a narrow A 1 resonance (width ⪅ 200 MeV). The results of the spin-parity decomposition are compared with predictions from a partial wave analysis of the Reggeized Deck amplitude.
Update on the medical management of pituitary adenomas.

The medical treatment of pituitary adenomas has changed significantly over the past decade. Pharmacologic therapy for prolactinomas in the form of dopamine agonists has been available since the 1970s, and somatostatin analogues for treatment of growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas were introduced in the 1980s. However, the recent introduction of long-acting forms of these agents has markedly improved efficacy. Furthermore, long-acting somatostatin analogues also have utility in treating thyrotropin adenomas and a subset of adrenocorticotroph tumors. Limited clinical studies with long-acting dopamine agonists suggest that a subset of patients with GH, adrenocorticotroph, and gonadotropin/ nonsecreting adenomas may also benefit from therapy with these agents. The introduction of a GH receptor antagonist in the 1990s has added to the pharmacologic armamentarium for treatment of acromegaly. In parallel with improved medical therapy, hormonal assays for assessing tumor activity have improved in sensitivity, necessitating new standards for treatment optimization. This article highlights some of these evolving new ideas and approaches to the pharmacologic management of pituitary adenomas.
Gamma-ray linear polarization measurements following heavy-ion bombardment of odd isotopes of Pd

$\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray linear polarization measurements have been used to locate negative parity states in the even-odd isotopes $^{99,101,103}\mathrm{Pd}$. A Compton polarimeter based on two Ge(Li) coaxial detectors was used. Collective bands ($I={\frac{11}{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}, {\frac{15}{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}, {\frac{19}{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}, \dots{}$) built on ${\frac{11}{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ states were observed in $^{101}\mathrm{Pd}$ and $^{103}\mathrm{Pd}$. Many negative parity states were also observed in $^{99}\mathrm{Pd}$, but they do not appear to be part of a similar collective band. These polarization measurements also confirm many angular momentum assignments which previously had been made using systematic arguments.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{90,92,94}\mathrm{Zr}(^{12}\mathrm{C}, 3n)$, $E=48\ensuremath{-}56$ MeV; measured linear polarization of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays; parities and multipole mixing ratios in $^{99,101,103}\mathrm{Pd}$ transitions deduced.
Comparative In Vitro Activity of Pirbenicillin, Ticarcillin, and Carbenicillin Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pirbenicillin, a semisynthetic penicillin, showed greater in vitro activity against 68 recent isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa than did ticarcillin or carbenicillin. The median minimum inhibitory concentration of each of these three compounds, respectively, was 3.1, 12.5, and 25 μg/ml when a 10 −4 dilution of an overnight culture (about 10 5 colony-forming units [CFU]/ml) was used as inoculum, but these differences were less striking when larger inocula were used: at 10 7 CFU/ml these values were 6.25, 12.5, and 50 μg/ml, and at 10 8 to 10 9 CFU/ml these values were 50, 50, and 100 μg/ml. All three compounds showed greater inhibitory activity at pH 6 than at pH 8. This pH effect was greatest with pirbenicillin, for 6.25 μg of pirbenicillin per ml inhibited 7, 11, and 57% of the strains at pH 6, 7, and 8, respectively; these values were 4, 4, and 11% with ticarcillin and 0, 0, and 7% with carbenicillin. At sufficient inhibitory concentrations, the rates of bacterial killing of the three compounds were similar. The observed differences in anti-pseudomonad activity were not due to differences in stability to pseudomonad β-lactamases, but all three compounds were more stable than were cefazolin, cephaloridine, and benzylpenicillin.
A single genus in the gut microbiome reflects host preference and specificity

Delineating differences in gut microbiomes of human and animal hosts contributes towards understanding human health and enables new strategies for detecting reservoirs of waterborne human pathogens. We focused upon Blautia, a single microbial genus that is important for nutrient assimilation as preliminary work suggested host-related patterns within members of this genus. In our dataset of 57 M sequence reads of the V6 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in samples collected from seven host species, we identified 200 high-resolution taxonomic units within Blautia using oligotyping. Our analysis revealed 13 host-specific oligotypes that occurred exclusively in fecal samples of humans (three oligotypes), swine (six oligotypes), cows (one oligotype), deer (one oligotype), or chickens (two oligotypes). We identified an additional 171 oligotypes that exhibited differential abundance patterns among all the host species. Blautia oligotypes in the human population obtained from sewage and fecal samples displayed remarkable continuity. Oligotypes from only 10 Brazilian human fecal samples collected from individuals in a rural village encompassed 97% of all Blautia oligotypes found in a Brazilian sewage sample from a city of three million people. Further, 75% of the oligotypes in Brazilian human fecal samples matched those in US sewage samples, implying that a universal set of Blautia strains may be shared among culturally and geographically distinct human populations. Such strains can serve as universal markers to assess human fecal contamination in environmental samples. Our results indicate that host-specificity and host-preference patterns of organisms within this genus are driven by host physiology more than dietary habits.
Isotope effect and rate-determining step of the CO2-Reforming of methane over supported Ni catalyst

The authors have developed pulse surface reaction rate analysis (PSRA) for investigating the kinetics of the CO{sub 2}-reforming of methane. This rate analysis has enabled them to determine the reactivity of intermediate species with no information about the number of active sites. The following findings were revealed for CO{sub 2}-reforming over supported Ni catalysts: (1) Two steps are responsible for H{sub 2} production, i.e., dissociative adsorption of CH{sub 4} to produce (4 {minus} x)/2H{sub 2} and CH{sub x}, and subsequent production of x/2H{sub 2} together with CO by the surface reaction between CH{sub x} species and atomic oxygen. (2) The number of hydrogen atoms involved in CH{sub x} is dependent on the supports, although the reactivity is not correlated with the number of hydrogen atoms. (3) An isotope effect on the reaction of adsorbed hydrocarbon species with atomic oxygen is observed; the first-order rate constant for this reaction is 1.45 times larger for CH{sub 4} than for CD{sub 4} on Ni/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} at 723 K. (4) The surface reaction between CH{sub x} and O to produce CO and H{sub 2} is considered the rate-determining step. In this paper, ab initio molecular orbital calculation of the surface reaction between CH{submore » x} and O to give CO and H{sub 2} was carried out. The theoretical isotope effect was estimated from the transition-state theory and compared with the experimental one.« less
Impact of clinicopathological factors on sensitivity of axillary ultrasonography in the detection of axillary nodal metastases in patients with breast cancer.

Background: Ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) are used to evaluate the breast and regional nodes in breast cancer patients. We sought to identify factors influencing the sensitivity of ultrasonography for detection of nodal metastasis.
Development of a stakeholder-driven spatial modeling framework for strategic landscape planning using Bayesian networks across two urban-rural gradients in Maine, USA

Abstract Land use change results from frequent, independent actions by decision-makers working in isolation, often with a focus on a single land use. In order to develop integrated land use policies that encourage sustainable outcomes, scientists and practitioners must understand the specific drivers of land use change across mixed land use types and ownerships, and must consider the combined influences of biophysical, economic, and social factors that affect land use decisions. In this analysis of two large watersheds covering a total of 1.9 million hectares in Maine, USA, we co-developed with groups of stakeholders land use suitability models that integrated four land uses: economic development, ecosystem protection, forestry, and agriculture. We elicited stakeholder knowledge to: (1) identify generalized drivers of land use change; (2) construct Bayesian network models of suitability for each of the four land uses based on site-level factors that affect land use decisions; and (3) identify thresholds of suitability for each factor and give relative weights to each factor. We then applied 12 distinct Bayesian models using 99 spatially explicit, empirical socio-economic and biophysical datasets to predict spatially the suitability for each of our four land uses on a 30 m × 30 m pixel basis across 1.9 million hectares. We evaluated both the stakeholder engagement process and the land use suitability maps. Results demonstrated the potential efficacy of these models for strategic land use planning, but also revealed that trade-offs occur when stakeholder knowledge is used to augment limited empirical data. First, stakeholder-derived Bayesian land use models can provide decision-makers with relevant insights about the factors affecting land use change. Unfortunately, these models are not easily validated for predictive purposes. Second, integrating stakeholders throughout different phases of the modeling process provides a flexible framework for developing localized or generalizable land use models depending on the scope of stakeholder knowledge and available empirical data. The potential downside is that this can lead to more complex models than anticipated. The trade-offs between model rigor and relevance suggest an adaptive management approach to modeling is needed to improve the integration of stakeholder knowledge into robust land use models.
Computational observation of enhanced solvation of the hydroxyl radical with increased NaCl concentration.

Classical molecular dynamics simulations with many-body potentials were carried out to quantitatively determine the effect of NaCl salt concentration on the aqueous solvation and surface concentrat...
Orientational ordering transition in solid C60.

Synchrotron-x-ray powder-diffraction and differential-scanning-calorimetry measurements on solid ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ reveal a first-order phase transition from a low-temperature simple-cubic structure with a four-molecule basis to a face-centered-cubic structure at 249 K. The free-energy change at the transition is approximately 6.7 J/g. Model fits to the diffraction intensities are consistent with complete orientational disorder at room temperature, and with the development of orientational order rather than molecular displacements or distortions at low temperature.
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus megaterium Myophage Moonbeam.

ABSTRACT Bacillus megaterium is a ubiquitous, soil inhabiting Gram-positive bacterium that is a common model organism and is used in industrial applications for protein production. The following reports the complete sequencing and annotation of the genome of B. megaterium myophage Mater and describes the major features identified.