cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Tropomyosin Binding to F-Actin by Tropomodulin, a New Tropomyosin-Binding Protein from the Human Erythrocyte Membrane

Tropomyosins in non-muscle cells are thought to influence actin filament organization and function by binding to actin and blocking the action of severing, cross-linking or bundling proteins on actin filaments (Burgess et al., 1987; Cote, 1983; Matsumura and Yamashiro-Matsumura, 1986; Payne and Rudnick, 1985; Pruliere et al., 1986). A role for tropomyosin in regulation of actomyosin ATPase in non-muscle cells is less certain due to the absence (to date) of proteins analogous to the muscle troponins that bind tropomyosin and directly influence its interaction with actin (Cote, 1983; Payne and Rudnick, 1985).
Responsible Management of Biotechnologies

The bioengineering profession and the bioscience community have the privilege and responsibility to serve society by ensuring that organism-based designs and biotechnologies are in the public's best interest. Further, the engineer has to agree to a specific set of moral obligations to the public and the client. Responsible bioengineering and sound bioscience are defined with respect to these dimensions. This chapter provides an overview of responsible management of biotechnologies. Formal agreements are codified and the professional community and larger societal norms define tacit agreements. The responsibilities of the bioengineer are prospective and systematic, as everything in biosystems affects every other thing and they must adapt to a changing set of rules, both scientific and societal. Engineering professions and many scientific disciplines have embraced sustainability as acceptable research and practice. The concepts of unintended consequences, systematic biotechnology and status quo, and biotechnology decision tools are discussed.
Diversity of Rhizobium leguminosarum in the Palouse of Eastern Washington

Serology, antibiotic resistance, litmus milk reaction, and ability to fix nitrogen in peas were methods employed in studying the diversity of Rhizobium leguminosarum. The two serogroups identified were related to the position on the soil slope where isolated were taken.
Large scale simulation of protein mechanics and function.

Publisher Summary The chapter illustrates the state of art in large-scale biomolecular modeling. Such modeling has become feasible only through parallel computing utilizing hundreds and soon thousands of processors. Fortunately, the necessary computers are available to many researchers and the needed new generation of molecular dynamics and molecular visualization programs has been developed and these resources are widely shared. Harnessing them effectively requires great effort, to which purpose the authors' group has developed the molecular dynamics program Not (just) Another Molecular Dynamics program (NAMD). For the graphical analysis of the ensuing gigabytes and terabytes of data the group has developed the program Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD). These programs are widely used today since the increasing availability of protein structures has led to most biomedical researchers using structural information for the design and analysis of their experiments. The chapter describes NAMD and VMD and illustrates three exemplary simulations of large-scale systems that are presently the subject of intense research. The functions of all three proteins investigated are mainly mechanical. NAMD is primarily designed to work with Chemistry at HARvard Molecular Mechanics (CHARMM) force field parameters. Input files for NAMD can be generated using CHARMM, X-PLOR, or VMD. NAMD has also been extended to read Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement (AMBER) and GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations (GROMACS) input file formats. NAMD running on 768 processors has enabled a record-breaking two million atom 5 ns simulation of the ribosome using an AMBER force field. To relate the observed mechanics to the architecture of proteins is the domain of so-called steered molecular dynamics simulations, contributing to the founding of the new field of mechanobiology, which studies the role of forces in cellular processes.
Computational test of approximation of functions and their derivatives by radial basis functions

Based on the theoretical results of (Li & Micchelli, 2000) on approximation by radial basis functions, a rich class of new radial basis functions has been explicitly constructed for the purpose of implementing the simultaneous approximation of functions and their derivatives, which 2D and 3D numerical examples are conducted to show the efficiency of the computation.
Hypertext/hypermedia-like environments and language learning

In this paper I am using the term “language learning” for language acquisition, language instruction, and language production. Traditionally language learning is divided into five areas which I shall label “dimensions” in this paper: reading listening writing speaking semiotics
How do patients read, understand and use prescription labels? An exploratory study examining patient and pharmacist perspectives

Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate ease of reading, understanding and usefulness of prescription labels in a real-world setting from patients’ and pharmacists’ perspectives. Methods A prospective, cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted by interviewing 179 patients and 40 pharmacists in selected community pharmacies. Key findings The average age of patients was 55 years, 65% were females, and 56.4% had a high-school education or more. Pharmacists’ mean age was 40.4 years with 12.8 years of experience. Self-reported ease of reading and understanding was rated as very or somewhat easy by 97.8 and 97.2%, respectively. Most of the patients correctly read (91.6%) and interpreted (89.4%) the label. A majority (90.5%) of patients found the label somewhat or very useful. About half of the pharmacist sample believed patients had difficulty reading or understanding the labels. Conclusions This study, conducted with a sample that approximated the US population in level of education, found that prescription labels were reported to be useful and easy to read and understand. These results deviated from previous studies that were conducted in specific populations. Current prescription labels are useful and easy to read and understand by those who have college or higher education but improvements may be needed for specific vulnerable populations.
Digital images and human vision

Processing of digital images destined for visual consumption raises many interesting questions regarding human visual sensitivity. This talk will survey some of these questions, including some that have been answered and some that have not. There will be an emphasis upon visual masking, and a distinction will be drawn between masking due to contrast gain control processes, and due to processes such as hypothesis testing, pattern recognition, and visual search.
Sexual Dysfunction, Male

Traditionally, male sex function and dysfunction has been viewed as simple. It was thought that 90% of male sex dysfunction was caused by psychological factors (especially performance anxiety) or relationship factors (typically poor communication). Since the introduction of Viagra (Goldstein et al., 1998), the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme. The current belief within both academic and lay communities is that 95% of male sex dysfunction is biologically caused, with the common treatment being a stand-alone medical intervention that will quickly return the man to “normal” sex functioning with easy erections and perfect performance. The result has been the dramatic medicalization of male sexuality (Rowland, 2007). Keywords: male sexuality; sexual desire; erectile dysfunction; premature ejaculation; ejaculatory inhibition
Relationship of coarse woody debris to arthropod availability for red-cockaded woodpeckers and other bark-foraging birds on loblolly pine boles

This study determined if short-term removal of coarse woody debris would reduce prey available to red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis Vieillot) and other bark-foraging 1 birds at the Savannah River Site in Aiken and Barnwell counties, SC. All coarse woody debris was removed from four 9-ha plots of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in 1997 and again in 1998. We sampled arthropods in coarse woody debris removal and control stands using crawl traps that captured arthropods crawling up tree boles, burlap bands wrapped around trees, and cardboard panels placed on the ground. We captured 27 orders and 172 families of arthropods in crawl traps whereas 20 arthropod orders were observed under burlap bands and cardboard panels. The most abundant insects collected from crawl traps were aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Forrnicidae). The greatest biomass was in the wood cockroaches (Blattaria: Blattellidae), caterpillars (Lepidoptera) in the Family Noctuidae, and adult weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The most common group observed underneath cardboard panels was lsoptera (termites), and the most common taxon under burlap bands was wood cockroaches. Overall, arthropod abundance and biomass captured in crawl traps was similar in control and removal plots. In contrast, we observed more arthropods under burlap bands (mean & SE; 3,021.5 k 348.6, P= 0.03) and cardboard panels (3,537.25 k 432.4, P= 0.04) in plots with coarse woody debris compared with burlap bands (2325 + 171.3) and cardboard panels (2439.75 + 288.9) in plots where coarse woody debris was removed. Regression analyses showed that abundance beneath cardboard panels was positively correlated with abundance beneath burlap bands demonstrating the link between abundance on the ground with that on trees. Our results demonstrate that short-term removal of coarse woody debris from pine forests reduced overall arthropod availability to bark-foraging birds.
Primary Protein and Nucleic Acid Three‐dimensional Structure Databases

All the publicly accessible three-dimensional structures of proteins, DNA, RNA and complexes thereof, which have been determined experimentally by X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance, are maintained in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Keywords: structure databases; Protein Data Bank; PDB; Nucleic Acid DataBase; NDB
Effects of a ferroelectric interface on thermionic injection-induced cooling in single-heterojunction devices based on thin-film electrode/medium/electrode design

This paper reports experimental studies on the effects of a ferroelectric interface on thermionic cooling in single-heterojunction electrode/medium/electrode thin-film devices by using high-dielectric MoO3 oxide and a ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) polymer. We observe a thermionic cooling of 0.10 °C from the single Au/MoO3/ITO device at a low injection current of 0.50 mA cm−2. The experimental studies at different film thicknesses and current densities suggest that this cooling effect is determined by three competing processes: phonon absorption from injected carriers through a thermionic process via charge–phonon interactions, Joule heating from the electrical transport of injected carriers, and heat transfer between charge-injecting and charge-collecting electrodes through phonon conduction. Furthermore, we find that inserting a ferroelectric polymer [P(VDF-TrFE)] interface can largely enhance the thermionic cooling from 0.10 °C to 0.20 °C by a factor of 2 in the Au/P(VDF-TrFE)/MoO3/ITO device at a very low injection current of 0.15 mA cm−2, as compared with the Au/MoO3/ITO device without a ferroelectric interface. Our analysis indicates that the ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) interface can decrease the heat transfer between charge-injecting and charge-collecting electrodes due to its low thermal conductivity but still allow a thermionic injection due to its ferroelectric polarization to enhance the cooling effect. Therefore, our work presents a new approach to enhance the thermionic cooling effect by using a ferroelectric interface in organic heterojunction thin-film electronic devices.
A single Europe: will it impact existing information exchanges between U.S. and European governments?

A report of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) dated 28 August 1989 proposes a restructuring of the framework of the Community's research and technological development. The report (COM(89)397 final, August 1989 [1]) reflects new choices by the Commission and constitutes the third in a series of framework programs. The report recommends that the 1990-1994 framework program be regrouped under three main headings: Enabling Technologies; Management of Natural Resources; and Management of Intellectual Resources. Six activities will be covered under these headings. To comment briefly on the six activities now planned for 1990-94, the first, Information and Communication Technologies, is being structured as the nerve system for the Single Europe concept
Pivotal Phase III Trial of Two Dose Levels of Denileukin Diftitox for the Treatment of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

PURPOSE: The objective of this phase III study was to determine the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of denileukin diftitox (DAB389IL-2, Ontak [Ligand Phar-maceuticals Inc, San Diego, CA]) in patients with stage Ib to IVa cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have previously received other therapeutic interventions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with biopsy-proven CTCL that expressed CD25 on ≥ 20% of lymphocytes were assigned to one of two dose levels (9 or 18 μg/kg/d) of denileukin diftitox administered 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks for up to 8 cycles. Patients were monitored for toxicity and clinical efficacy, the latter assessed by changes in disease burden and quality of life measurements. Antibody levels of antidenileukin diftitox and anti–interleukin-2 and serum concentrations of denileukin diftitox were also measured. RESULTS: Overall, 30% of the 71 patients with CTCL treated with denileukin diftitox had an objective response (20% partial response; 10% complete response). The response rate...
Temperature-dependent Young's modulus, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio of p-type Ce0.9Fe3.5Co0.5Sb12 and n-type Co0.95Pd0.05Te0.05Sb3 skutterudite thermoelectric materials

Effective models of the mechanical behavior of thermoelectric materials under device conditions require knowledge of temperature-dependent elastic properties. Between room temperature and 600 K, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy measurements of three skutterudite thermoelectric materials, i.e. n-type Co0.95Pd0.05Te0.05Sb3 (both with and without 0.1 at.% cerium dopant) and p-type Ce0.9Fe3.5Co0.5Sb12, showed that the Young's and shear moduli decreased linearly with temperature at a rate of −0.021 GPa/K to −0.032 GPa/K, and −0.011 GPa/K to −0.013 GPa/K, respectively. In contrast, the Poisson's ratio was approximately 0.22 for the three materials and was relatively insensitive to temperature. For temperatures >600 K, the elastic moduli decreased more rapidly and resonance peaks broadened, indicating the onset of viscoelastic behavior. The viscoelastic relaxation of the moduli was least for Ce-doped n-type material, for which grain boundary precipitates may inhibit grain boundary sliding which in turn has impor...
Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary, directed by Arturo Perez Torres, produced by Heather Haynes The Guestworker: Bienvenidos a Carolina del Norte, directed and produced by Cynthia Hill and Charles Thompson

Undocumented immigrants seeking work in the United States face brutal obstacles during their journeys: gangs and corrupt police who rob and rape, harsh environmental conditions, border patrols and ...
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF BASIC RESEARCH ON HERITABLE SKIN DISEASES

Spectacular success has recently been made in understanding the molecular basis of various heritable skin diseases. A prototype of such conditions is epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a heterogenous group of mechano-bullous disorders, characterized by fragility of the skin and other specialized epithelia. The fragility of the skin in EB results from defective attachment of the epidermis to the underlying dermis due to genetic lesions within molecules of the basement membrane zone (BMZ) at the dermal-epidermal junction. Specifically, distinct mutations have been disclosed thus far in ten different genes encoding the macromolecular components of the BMZ, and the combinations and the types of mutations as well as their positions along the altered gene products collectively reflect the phenotypic variability observed in this group of heritable skin diseases. This information has major implications for genetic counseling of families at risk for recurrence of EB in subsequent pregnancies and in future generations. Furthermore, examination of specific mutations in an affected newborn allows prognostication of the severity of the clinical outcome. Finally, mutation analyses have provided the basis to develop DNA-based prenatal testing by chorionic villus sampling or early aminocentesis during the first trimester of gestation. Collectively, the advances on EB exemplify the potential of molecular biology for improved diagnosis and patient care of genetic skin disorders.
An Evaluation of Hope Following a Summer Camp for Inner-City Youth

This study reports changes in the positive psychology construct of hope resulting from adolescents’ participation in a 6 week summer camp devoted to developing dance and psychosocial competence skills. Over 5 years, the inner-city camp participants were selected from substantial at-risk situations. Significant positive changes in overall hope were observed pre and post camp with no further changes observed in a 4 month follow-up. Possible contributions to the increase and maintenance of higher hopeful thinking, specific to an inner-city population, are discussed.
Influenza Testing in the Diagnostic Laboratory

Laboratory professionals need to understand the prevalence of influenza in the community, clinical manifestations, and test characteristics for the proper use of rapid diagnostic tests. Rapid diagnosis of influenza is essential for reducing ancillary tests, decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use, and guiding appropriate antiviral therapy. Differences in rapid influenza tests stem mainly from which type of virus is identified and whether it can differentiate between influenza A and B viral antigens.
Graphitic polymer strips with edge states

Abstract The Huckel band structure is analytically investigated for a family of arbitrary-width π-network polymers which may be viewed as being cut from the graphite lattice. For wider strips a portion of two nearly nonbonding bands on either side of the Fermi energy are found to be localized to opposite edges of the strip. Novel consequences of these edge-localized band orbitals are considered and correlated to a simple resonating valence bond picture.
RECOVERY OF HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE YEAR AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: EARLY EXPERIENCE

AbstractPurpose: We determined the temporal course of patient return to baseline quality of life after treatment with radical prostatectomy for early stage prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: After establishing a longitudinal observational database of men undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy we used established, validated quality of life questionnaires (RAND 36-Item Health Survey and University of California, Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index) to document changes in general and disease specific health related quality of life (HRQOL). We assessed 90 patients at baseline before surgery and then at 3-month intervals for 1 year postoperatively. Logistic regression was used to explore predictors of the return to baseline.Results: After prostatectomy patients had a significant decrease in all domains of HRQOL. Return to baseline was rapid in the general and bowel domains with at least two-thirds to three-fourths of patients reaching pretreatment levels within 6 months of surgery. Return to baseline wa...
Abstract 1036: ProNGF/p75NTRsignaling promotes survival of merlin-deficient vestibular schwannoma cells by activating NF-kB

Vestibular schwannomas (VSs) represent benign Schwann cell (SC) neoplasms arising from the eighth cranial nerve and result from loss of function of the tumor suppressor gene, merlin. The mechanisms by which loss of merlin function promotes tumorigenesis in SCs is not well-defined. Denervation by axotomy leads to increased merlin inactivation by phosphorylation, increased p75 NTR expression, JNK activation, and eventual death of normal SCs. In contrast to SCs, VS cells survive in the absence of axons. We found that p75 NTR expression is elevated in sciatic nerves of mice harboring a SC specific dominant negative merlin mutation (P0SchΔ36-121) compared to nerves from wild-type mice suggesting that merlin status regulates p75 NTR expression. Consistent with this we also find that p75 NTR is over-expressed in primary human VS tissue compared with normal nerves. Treatment of normal rat SCs with proNGF, a high affinity p75 NTR ligand, induces apoptosis by activating JNK. Primary cultured human VS cells, by contrast, display persistent JNK activity which promotes cell survival. Treatment of human primary VS cultures with the JNK inhibitors (I-JIP and SP600125) or JNK siRNA knock down results in decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis; treatment with proNGF protects cells from apoptosis due to JNK inhibition suggesting a p75 NTR -mediated pro-survival signal in primary cultured VS cells. We explored the possibility that the pro-survival effect of p75 NTR signaling results from activation of NF-κB. Indeed, proNGF treatment activated NF-κB in primary cultured VS cells while inhibition of JNK with SP600125 or siRNA-mediated JNK1/2 knockdown reduced NF-κB activity. Significantly, proNGF also activated NF-κB in primary cultured VS cells treated with JNK inhibitors. Thus, persistent JNK activity appears to be required for basal levels of NF-κB activity, but not for proNGF-induced NF-κB activity. To confirm that the increase in NF-κB activity by proNGF contributes to the prosurvival effect, we infected primary human VS cultures with Ad.IκB-SermutS32/36A virus which inhibits NF-κB activation. Compared to control virus, Ad.IκB-SermutS32/36A significantly increased VS cell apoptosis in VS cultures including those treated with proNGF. These results suggest that, in contrast to normal SCs which undergo apoptosis in response to p75 NTR and JNK signaling, proNGF/p75 NTR signaling provides a prosurvival response by activating NF-κB independent of JNK in merlin deficient VS cells. Such differences may account for the ability of human VS cells to proliferate and survive in the absence of axons. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1036. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1036
Detection of elevated right atrial pressure using a simple bedside ultrasound measure

Aims Accurate assessment of right atrial pressure (RAP) often requires invasive measurement. With normal RAP, Valsalva increases right internal jugular vein (RIJV) cross sectional area (CSA) 20% to 30%. With high RAP, when venous compliance is low, we hypothesized that the increase in CSA would be blunted and could be detected non-invasively with bedside ultrasound. Methods and Results RIJV ultrasound images were obtained in 67 patients undergoing right heart catheterization. The median RAP at end-expiration was 7 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR] 5-9 mm Hg) in patients with normal RAP (n = 47) versus 15 mm Hg (IQR 12-22 mm Hg) in patients with elevated RAP (n = 20). With Valsalva, the median percent change in RIJV CSA was 35% (IQR 19%-79%) versus 5% (IQR 3%-14%) for normal and high RAP, respectively. By receiver operating curve analysis, a P Conclusions An increase in RIJV CSA >17% during Valsalva effectively rules out elevated RAP. This simple bedside technique may be useful to assess central venous pressure and reduce the need for invasive pressure measurement.
Radionuclide behavior at the Oklo nuclear reactor, Gabon

Abstract The Oklo natural reactor, Gabon, remains the best natural analog for assessing the behavior of fission products, actinides, and actinide daughters in rocks. The rocks at Oklo are porous and permeable, as well as fractured and contain abundant water, yet many of the fission products and actinides have remained in place or close to their formation sites. The actinides Th, U, Np, Pu, and Am are similar in their crystal chemical characteristics, and were all retained in the host pitchblende. Elements incompatible in the pitchblende structure were lost by diffusion or other processes into the rocks surrounding the high-grade reactor ore. Alkali and alkaline earth elements Rb, Sr, Cs, and Ba were fixed in and very close to the reactor ores in clay minerals and in some secondary carbonates and sulfates. Local oxidizing conditions in the reactor zones caused some loss of Tc, Mo, Cd, adn Ru, but Tc, Mo, and Ru, were fixed in sulfides formed under close-by chemically reducing conditions. Local migration for Ag and Sn has been documented for some samples. Probable overall retention is indicated for Rh, Ru, Te, Nb, Zr, and Sb. Deficiencies in fissiogenic I and Kr, Xe have been noted, and data are not available for fissiogenic Br. Also, Oklo remains a logical site for in-depth study of present- and paleohydrology-stable isotopy, as well as distribution of fission products and actinides in UO 2 and surrounding minerals.
Freezing of foods under surface boiling boundary conditions

Abstract The surface boiling boundary condition is encountered in the freezing of foods when foods are immersed in boiling freezants such as R12. This phenomenon was incorporated in a mathematical model of the freezing process as a surface temperature dependent convective boundary condition. A finite difference numerical scheme was formulated to solve the model for one- and two-dimensional geometries. The pool boiling characteristic for R12 was obtained by inverse heat transfer analysis of the experimental quenching curves of a transient calorimeter. The model was used to simulate the experimental freezing processes with reasonable agreement.
Electron-impact double ionization of rare-gas ions

Cross sections for the removal of two electrons from rare-gas ions by single collisions with incident electrons have been both measured using crossed beams of ions and electrons, and calculated using Hartree-Fock distorted-wave theory. For initial ions ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{4+}$, ${\mathrm{Kr}}^{4+}$, and ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{4+}$ the measured peak cross sections are 1.4 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$, 6.5 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, respectively. These measurements confirm and extend the measurements of M\"uller and Frodl and of Achenbach et al. Calculations were performed for the charge-state-4 + ions and for ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{2+}$, and ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{3+}$. Comparison of experiment and theory indicates that the double ionization of rare-gas ions is dominated by the indirect mechanism of inner-shell single ionization followed by autoionization. The distorted-wave calculations for the $4d$ ionization cross section of ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{q+} (q=1 \mathrm{to} 4)$ ions are strongly influenced by term dependence in the ejected-electron continuum, and by ground-state correlations.
The interaction of induction, repression and starvation in the regulation of extracellular proteases in Aspergillus nidulans: evidence for a role for CreA in the response to carbon starvation.

In Aspergillus nidulans, production of extracellular proteases in response to carbon starvation and to a lesser extent nitrogen starvation is controlled by XprG, a putative transcriptional activator. In this study the role of genes involved in carbon catabolite repression and the role of protein as an inducer of extracellular protease gene expression were examined. The addition of exogenous protein to the growth medium did not increase extracellular protease activity whether or not additional carbon or nitrogen sources were present indicating that induction does not play a major role in the regulation of extracellular proteases. Northern blot analysis confirmed that protein is not an inducer of the major A. nidulans protease, PrtA. Mutations in the creA, creB and creC genes increased extracellular protease levels in medium lacking a carbon source suggesting that they may have a role in the response to carbon starvation as well as carbon catabolite repression. Analysis of glkA4 frA2 and creAΔ4 mutants showed that the loss of glucose signalling or the DNA-binding protein which mediates carbon catabolite repression did not abolish glucose repression but did increase extracellular protease activity. This increase was XprG-dependent indicating that the effect of these genes may be through modulation of XprG activity.
The dynamics of the Bulgarian newspaper industry in a period of transition: organizational adaptation, structural inertia and political change

The alignment strategies of state-owned Bulgarian newspaper enterprises are examined in light of the theoretical insights provided by adaptation and selection perspectives of organizational evolution. Building on the distinction between core and periphery, I argue that the impact of internal restructuring is closely tied to the location of change in the organizational structure. The results indicate that newspaper enterprises that attempted to reorganize their core structures became liable to pressures of environmental selection. The lack of real structural reforms in Bulgarian society between 1987 and 1990 was used to explain the unsuccessful adaptation attempts made by newspapers that implemented only peripheral adjustments. Copyright 1999 by Oxford University Press.
Class Formation in the Workplace The Role of Sources of Income

Efforts to operationalize “ownership” in class formation research have emphasized diferences in power among ownership categories and have neglected the crucial question of whether an individual works for profit or for a wage. The importance of this variable is highlighted with data from the Boston taxi industry in which drivers differ little in control over their work but differ greatly in the way their work is compensated. In recent years, fleet owners have consciously manipulated these differences to displace a unionized labor force that drives for commissions with ostensibly self-employed drivers who rent their cabs by the shift.
Heme triggers TLR4 signaling leading to endothelial cell activation and vaso-occlusion in murine sickle cell disease

Treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) is hampered by incomplete understanding of pathways linking hemolysis to vaso-occlusion. We investigated these pathways in transgenic sickle mice. Infusion of hemoglobin or heme triggered vaso-occlusion in sickle, but not normal, mice. Methemoglobin, but not heme-stabilized cyanomethemoglobin, induced vaso-occlusion, indicating heme liberation is necessary. In corroboration, hemoglobin-induced vaso-occlusion was blocked by the methemoglobin reducing agent methylene blue, haptoglobin, or the heme-binding protein hemopexin. Untreated HbSS mice, but not HbAA mice, exhibited ∼10% vaso-occlusion in steady state that was inhibited by haptoglobin or hemopexin infusion. Antibody blockade of adhesion molecules P-selectin, von Willebrand factor (VWF), E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, platelet endothelial cell (EC) adhesion molecule 1, α4β1, or αVβ3 integrin prevented vaso-occlusion. Heme rapidly (5 minutes) mobilized Weibel-Palade body (WPB) P-selectin and VWF onto EC and vessel wall surfaces and activated EC nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). This was mediated by TLR4 as TAK-242 blocked WPB degranulation, NF-κB activation, vaso-occlusion, leukocyte rolling/adhesion, and heme lethality. TLR4−/− mice transplanted with TLR4+/+ sickle bone marrow exhibited no heme-induced vaso-occlusion. The TLR4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated ECs and triggered vaso-occlusion that was inhibited by TAK-242, linking hemolysis- and infection-induced vaso-occlusive crises to TLR4 signaling. Heme and LPS failed to activate VWF and NF-κB in TLR4−/− ECs. Anti-LPS immunoglobulin G blocked LPS-induced, but not heme-induced, vaso-occlusion, illustrating LPS-independent TLR4 signaling by heme. Inhibition of protein kinase C, NADPH oxidase, or antioxidant treatment blocked heme-mediated stasis, WPB degranulation, and oxidant production. We conclude that intravascular hemolysis in SCD releases heme that activates endothelial TLR4 signaling leading to WPB degranulation, NF-κB activation, and vaso-occlusion.
Redistribution of rare-earth elements during diagenesis of carbonate rocks from the Mid-Proterozoic Newland Formation, Montana, U.S.A.

Abstract REE data for carbonate rocks from the Mid-Proterozoic Newland Formation, Belt Supergroup, show variable degrees of relative REE enrichment when normalized to a composite shale of the Newland Formation. Most conspicuous are relative enrichments in LREE's and positive Eu anomalies. Possible coprecipitation of REE's in carbonates from seawater is much too small to account for the REE enrichment, thus only diagenetic REE enrichment has to be considered. By far the strongest LREE enrichment is observed in carbonates with interbedded shales. During diagenesis REE apparently moved from the shale partings to the adjacent limestone beds. Massive limestone units have considerably smaller REE enrichments (except in proximity to shales), suggesting that REE addition from formation waters is less efficient for supplying REE's than is local redistribution between shale and limestone beds. Early precipitation of diagenetic silica in pore spaces reduces REE enrichment in limestone beds by reducing their permeability. Dolostones are cemented by pervasive early-diagenetic silica and lack significant REE enrichment except for Eu, probably because silica cement prohibited access of REE-bearing pore waters. Positive Eu anomalies indicate reduction of Eu to the divalent state during diagenesis and relatively large mobility of divalent Eu.
Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is a noninvasive form of breast cancer that has increased in incidence over the past several decades secondary to screening mammography. DCIS now represents 20–30% of all newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer. Patients with DCIS typically present with an abnormal mammogram, and diagnosis is most commonly obtained with an image-guided biopsy. Historically, mastectomy was considered the primary curative option for patients with DCIS. However, treatment of DCIS continues to evolve, and now treatment strategies also include breast-conserving therapy, which consists of local excision followed by radiation therapy or local excision alone. Multiple randomized trials have confirmed a decrease in ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence in patients treated with local excision followed by radiation therapy compared with local excision alone. Ongoing clinical trials attempt to identify a subgroup of DCIS patients at low risk for recurrence who may not benefit from radiation therapy. In addition, because the majority of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences occur near the original primary tumor site, partial breast irradiation is currently under investigation as a treatment option for DCIS patients. Randomized trials have shown tamoxifen can reduce the risk of ipsilateral and contralateral breast tumor recurrences while the role of aromatase inhibitors is the subject of current clinical trials. DCIS represents a complex pathologic entity, and treatment optimization requires a multidisciplinary approach.
The Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Cross-Sectional Cancer Area in Node-Positive Breast Cancer: A Comparison with N Stage and Lymph Node Ratio

The number of positive axillary lymph nodes (LNs) is the only node-related factor for prognostic evaluation of breast cancer recognized by AJCC (TNM staging). However, N staging may not completely reflect LN tumor involvement due to the erroneous count of LNs in the presence of matted LNs and different tumor volume in LNs. Additionally, the positive/total LN ratio (LNR) has been shown to outperform N staging in survival prediction. In our study, to better quantify the tumor involvement of axillary LNs, we measured the cross-sectional cancer area (CSCA) of the positive LNs in 292 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2000 in our institution and compared its prognostic value to that of number of positive LNs (metLN)/N stage and LNR. Statistical analyses of these three LN-related factors were performed by Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox's regression model. Patients were divided into three groups based on the different LN CSCA ( 500 mm2), or LNR ( 0.65), or N stage (N1–N3). Multivariate analysis demonstrated LNR was the most significant LN-related survival predictor with hazard ratio (HR) 25.0 (), compared to the metLN (HR 0.09, ) and CSCA (HR 2.24, ).
The effect of type of osteotomy on the risk of postoperative spinal infections

COMMENTARY ON: Pull ter Gunne AF, van Laarhoven CJ, Cohen DB. Surgical site infection following osteotomy of the adult spine: does type of osteotomy matter? Spine J 2010;10:410–416 (in this issue) .
Psychopharmacology in dermatology

Many patients with skin disorders have psychologic issues associated with their chief complaints. Dermatologists who wish to help their patients with psychodermatologic conditions can greatly enhance their therapeutic armamentarium by becoming familiar with the use of a few selected psychotropic agents. This paper will review the current status and future directions of psychopharmacology for the major types of psychopathologies encountered in a dermatology practice (depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and delusional disorder) with the intent of guiding dermatologists in the choice of a psychotropic agent for patients with psychologic component to their skin disorder.
In vitro characteristics of white cell-reduced single-unit platelet concentrates stored in syringes

BACKGROUND: Platelet concentrates (PCs) for premature infants may be subjected to filtration, centrifugation, and various storage conditions before transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: As there are few data on the cumulative effect of these procedures on PCs, platelet properties (including biochemical and functional in vitro assays) were evaluated after the processing of single units of PCs through a 1-unit-capacity high-efficiency white cell (WBC)-reduction filter followed by syringe storage at either 22 or 37 degrees C for 6 hours. Two- and 5-day-old PCs, volume-reduced PCs, and prestorage WBC-reduced PCs were evaluated. RESULTS: WBC filtration consistently resulted in a 3 to 4 log10 reduction in WBCs, with less than 15-percent platelet loss. No adverse effects of platelet function or evidence of increased platelet activation as determined by the percentage of P-selectin positivity were noted. A decrease in pH associated with increased lactate production and consumption of glucose was observed following syringe storage under all conditions tested. Such changes were most pronounced, however, with volume-reduced PCs stored at 37 degrees C (pH 6.31 ± 0.15, lactate 23.0 ± 3.06 mmol/L). All pH levels at the end of storage were above the minimum Food and Drug Administration requirement (pH 6.0). CONCLUSION: The in vitro data suggest that single units of PCs can undergo WBC filtration followed by syringe storage for up to 6 hours and still maintain acceptable storage characteristics. The practice of maintaining volume-reduced PCs in syringes for 6 hours at 37 degrees C in isolettes during transfusion should, however, be avoided.
A bivariate infinitely divisible distribution with exponential and Mittag–Leffler marginals

Abstract We introduce a bivariate distribution supported on the first quadrant with exponential, and heavy tailed Mittag–Leffer, marginal distributions. Although this distribution belongs to the class of geometric operator stable laws, it is a rather special case that does not follow their general theory. Our results include the joint density and distribution function, Laplace transform, conditional distributions, joint moments, and tail behavior. We also establish infinite divisibility and stability properties of this model, and clarify its connections with operator stable and geometric operator stable laws.
Partially observed control of Markov processes

It is shown that to each partially observed control problem corresponds a completely observed separated problem, in the sense that the corresponding value functions are equal. This result, established in certain cases previously by Bismut and Fleming, is established here in general, in particular for diffusions. It is also shown that the corresponding measure-valued martingale problem is well posed for constant controls
Retention indexes for temperature-programmed gas chromatography of polychlorinated biphenyls.

A noninteger retention index was defined based on a series of PCB internal standards, namely congeners 8 (2,4‘-dichlorobiphenyl), 31 (2,4‘,5-trichlorobiphenyl), 44 (2,2‘,3,5‘-tetrachlorobiphenyl), 101 (2,2‘,4,5,5‘-pentachlorobiphenyl), 138 (2,2‘,3,4,4‘,5‘-hexachlorobiphenyl), 180 (2,2‘,3,4,4‘,5,5‘-heptachlorobiphenyl), and 194 (2,2‘,3,3‘,4,4‘,5,5‘-octachlorobiphenyl). These retention index markers are common congeners present in technical mixtures and most environmental samples, and they show a linear dependence of retention time on the number of chlorine atoms, in the temperature-programmed analysis. The index values are calculated with a single regression equation instead of the Van den Dool and Kratz equation. The retention indexes of all 209 PCBs on two commonly used columns (DB-XLB and DB-5), as well as on a supplementary column of DB-17 in capillary gas chromatography, were determined using this system. The reliability of the retention index is quite good, with the average 95% confidence limits for ...
Patch-clamp Capacitance Measurements and Ca2+ Imaging at Single Nerve Terminals in Retinal Slices

Visual stimuli are detected and conveyed over a wide dynamic range of light intensities and frequency changes by specialized neurons in the vertebrate retina. Two classes of retinal neurons, photoreceptors and bipolar cells, accomplish this by using ribbon-type active zones, which enable sustained and high-throughput neurotransmitter release over long time periods. ON-type mixed bipolar cell (Mb) terminals in the goldfish retina, which depolarize to light stimuli and receive mixed rod and cone photoreceptor input, are suitable for the study of ribbon-type synapses both due to their large size (~10-12 μm diameter) and to their numerous lateral and reciprocal synaptic connections with amacrine cell dendrites. Direct access to Mb bipolar cell terminals in goldfish retinal slices with the patch-clamp technique allows the measurement of presynaptic Ca(2+) currents, membrane capacitance changes, and reciprocal synaptic feedback inhibition mediated by GABA(A) and GABA(C) receptors expressed on the terminals. Presynaptic membrane capacitance measurements of exocytosis allow one to study the short-term plasticity of excitatory neurotransmitter release. In addition, short-term and long-term plasticity of inhibitory neurotransmitter release from amacrine cells can also be investigated by recordings of reciprocal feedback inhibition arriving at the Mb terminal. Over short periods of time (e.g. ~10 s), GABAergic reciprocal feedback inhibition from amacrine cells undergoes paired-pulse depression via GABA vesicle pool depletion. The synaptic dynamics of retinal microcircuits in the inner plexiform layer of the retina can thus be directly studied. The brain-slice technique was introduced more than 40 years ago but is still very useful for the investigation of the electrical properties of neurons, both at the single cell soma, single dendrite or axon, and microcircuit synaptic level. Tissues that are too small to be glued directly onto the slicing chamber are often first embedded in agar (or placed onto a filter paper) and then sliced. In this video, we employ the pre-embedding agar technique using goldfish retina. Some of the giant bipolar cell terminals in our slices of goldfish retina are axotomized (axon-cut) during the slicing procedure. This allows us to isolate single presynaptic nerve terminal inputs, because recording from axotomized terminals excludes the signals from the soma-dendritic compartment. Alternatively, one can also record from intact Mb bipolar cells, by recording from terminals attached to axons that have not been cut during the slicing procedure. Overall, use of this experimental protocol will aid in studies of retinal synaptic physiology, microcircuit functional analysis, and synaptic transmission at ribbon synapses.
The subjective evaluation of well-being in adulthood: Findings and implications

In recent years, a wealth of data focused on the perceived quality of life in adulthood has been produced. Strengthened by improved measures and methodologies, the findings from these research efforts have in some cases challenged, and in other cases confirmed, earlier conclusions regarding the experience of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) across the adult lifespan. Within this article, evidence indicating the importance of demographic, personality, and cultural variables to the experience of SWB is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the experience of well-being across the adult lifespan. High SWB is related to a number of important life outcomes, such as higher levels of relationship and marital satisfaction, success and satisfaction in work settings, improved ability to cope with stress, and better health outcomes. Evidence from a number of studies indicates that average levels of life satisfaction are relatively similar for groups representing early, middle, and late adulthood, whereas the affective components of SWB show some variability. These findings and their potential implications for interventions, policies, and future research are discussed.
Frequencies, amplitudes and linewidths of solar oscillations from total irradiance observations

Ten months of solar total irradiance data from the Solar Maximum Mission satellite have generated accurate frequencies, amplitudes and linewidths for individual about 5-min solar p-mode oscillations of low degree. The modes can be described as independent and chaotically excited oscillators, and provide no evidence for the fine structure taken to imply rapid internal rotation of the sun.
The effect of soil nutrition, soil acidity and drought on northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) growth and nutrition on Pennsylvania sites with high and low red oak mortality

Unexplained mortality of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) has occurred on the Laurel Hill in southwestern Pennsylvania. We attempted to characterize this mortality and determine its relationship to soil acidity, soil nutrient status and droughts. Three blocks with high and low mortality of northern red oak were selected. Basal area increment, terminal elongation and leaf mass were measured along with soil chemistry. Basal area growth patterns were compared to historic drought records. Both living and standing dead trees on high mortality plots had been responsive to most of these droughts. After 2 years of droughts in the 1960s, basal area growth rate of trees on high mortality plots did not recover. In addition, the standing dead trees on high mortality plots were historically a less vigorous subset. After this mortality, the living trees did not respond with increased growth due to thinning of competitors. Basal area growth on low mortality plots did recover after these same droughts and mortality was limited. In addition, the trees on the high mortality plots showed foliar deficiency of K and low levels of Ca while trees on the low mortality plots did not. Furthermore, the A- and B- horizons of the soils on the high mortality plots had lower levels of soil bases, higher levels of available Al and lower Ca/Al ratios. The results of this study suggest that nutrient deficiency and associated Al toxicity may be causing stress for northern red oaks and is related to the mortality and reduced growth of northern red oak in this region.