cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term biochemical outcomes using cesium-131 in prostate brachytherapy

Abstract Purpose Long-term outcomes reveal equivalent biochemical outcomes with low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy (BT) compared with radical prostatectomy and external-beam radiotherapy for the management of prostate cancer. Iodine-125, the most commonly used isotope, may be associated with long-term urinary consequences. Cesium-131 (131Cs) has a higher dose rate and shorter dose delivery time, predicting a shorter duration of urinary morbidity. We report our institution's high-volume experience and the most mature data to date on outcomes with 131Cs prostate BT. Methods and Materials 571 men (median age: 65.38 years) with low (55%)-, intermediate (36%)-, and high-risk disease (9%) received monobrachytherapy, dual-modality, or trimodality using 131Cs at a single institution. Risk groups were defined according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network definition. Median prescription dose for definitive LDR-BT and LDR-BT boost was 115 Gy and 70 Gy, respectively. Median initial PSA was 6.1 ng/mL (IQR: 4.6–8.7). Results Median followup time was 5 years. 5/7-year overall survival for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients was 96.9%/96/9%, 92.8%/89.7%, and 95.8%/87.1%, respectively (p = 0.02). 5/7-year freedom from biochemical failure for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients was 98.5%/96.3%, 94.1%/86.4%, and 93.2%/74.5%, respectively (p Conclusions 131Cs is a viable alternative isotope for prostate brachytherapy for organ-confined disease. Long-term biochemical control and survival outcomes are excellent and on par with those attained with the use of 125I or 103Pd. This report therefore supports the continued use of 131Cs as an effective and comparable alternative isotope.
In vivo fibroplasia of a porous polymer in the cornea.

We have developed a melt-blown fibrous construction of polybutylene/polypropylene in which we previously demonstrated keratocyte ingrowth and collagen synthesis in vitro. In the present studies, we evaluated this material in vivo in interlamellar corneal pockets for periods of up to six months. By day 42, the porous interstices of the disc were heavily populated with keratocytes. Extracellular matrix deposition occurred and there was a 5000-fold increase in total protein and a 1000-fold increase in total collagen over background. The cells within the disc continued to be synthetically active for the six months of our study. Discs remained in corneas for periods of up to one year without any extrusion. This material has great promise as a porous peripheral component of a keratoprosthetic device. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 32:3245-3251,1991 Historically, keratoprostheses often failed because of an absence of healing and permanent coaptation between the periphery of the synthetic device and the residual rim of host cornea. As a result, tissue necrosis, leakage of aqueous humor, epithelial downgrowth, and intraocular infection frequently occurred. 1 " 3 To overcome these problems, we developed a porous opaque material for use around a central transparent optical element as a peripheral rim that would allow penetration and proliferation of stromal keratocytes and the subsequent synthesis of connective tissue proteins within the material. These biological processes should create a permanent anchorage between the synthetic material and the host tissue. We have developed a melt-blown fibrous construction (MBFC) of polybutylene/polypropylene in which keratocyte ingrowth and collagen synthesis was demonstrated in vitro. 4 While MBFC is designed for use as a peripheral rim, a disc of the material in central cornea was evaluated in the present studies. We studied this opaque material in vivo in interlamellar corneal pockets for up to one year. Fibroplasia and protein synthesis do occur in vivo, supporting its promise for use as the peripheral part of a keratoprosthesis.
Repeatability and Reproducibility of ADC Histogram Metrics from the ACRIN 6698 Breast Cancer Therapy Response Trial

Mean tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of breast cancer showed excellent repeatability but only moderate predictive power for breast cancer therapy response in the ACRIN 6698 multicenter imaging trial. Previous single-center studies have shown improved predictive performance for alternative ADC histogram metrics related to low ADC dense tumor volume. Using test/retest (TT/RT) 4 b-value diffusion-weighted imaging acquisitions from pretreatment or early-treatment time-points on 71 ACRIN 6698 patients, we evaluated repeatability for ADC histogram metrics to establish confidence intervals and inform predictive models for future therapy response analysis. Histograms were generated using regions of interest (ROIs) defined separately for TT and RT diffusion-weighted imaging. TT/RT repeatability and intra- and inter-reader reproducibility (on a 20-patient subset) were evaluated using wCV and Bland-Altman limits of agreement for histogram percentiles, low-ADC dense tumor volumes, and fractional volumes (normalized to total histogram volume). Pearson correlation was used to reveal connections between metrics and ROI variability across the sample cohort. Low percentiles (15th and 25th) were highly repeatable and reproducible, wCV < 8.1%, comparable to mean ADC values previously reported. Volumetric metrics had higher wCV values in all cases, with fractional volumes somewhat better but at least 3 times higher than percentile wCVs. These metrics appear most sensitive to ADC changes around a threshold of 1.2 μm2/ms. Volumetric results were moderately to strongly correlated with ROI size. In conclusion, Lower histogram percentiles have comparable repeatability to mean ADC, while ADC-thresholded volumetric measures currently have poor repeatability but may benefit from improvements in ROI techniques.
CHD8 dosage regulates transcription in pluripotency and early murine neural differentiation

The chromatin remodeler CHD8 is among the most frequently mutated genes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). CHD8 has a dosage-sensitive role in ASD, but when and how it becomes critical to human social function is unclear. Here, we conducted genomic analyses of heterozygous and homozygous Chd8 mouse embryonic stem cells and differentiated neural progenitors. We identify dosage-sensitive CHD8 transcriptional targets, sites of regulated accessibility, and an unexpected cooperation with SOX transcription factors. Collectively, our findings reveal that CHD8 negatively regulates expression of neuronal genes to maintain pluripotency and also during differentiation. Thus, CHD8 is essential for both the maintenance of pluripotency and neural differentiation, providing mechanistic insight into its function with potential implications for ASD.
Is Currency Risk Priced in Global Equity Markets

We offer new evidence on how currency risk is priced in the cross-section of global stock returns. The focus is on two currency risk factors—a dollar-risk factor and a carry-trade-risk factor—and their explanatory power for a variety of test assets comprised monthly returns for over 37,000 stocks from forty-six countries and over four decades. We obtain reliable positive evidence of the pricing of carry-trade factor risk and the implied premia are statistically significant and economically as expected. The pricing of the dollar-risk factor is less reliable. Our inferences depend critically on the inclusion of emerging markets.
Poisson Kalman filter for disease surveillance

An optimal filter for Poisson observations is developed as a variant of the traditional Kalman filter. Poisson distributions are characteristic of infectious diseases, which model the number of patients recorded as presenting each day to a health care system. We develop both a linear and a nonlinear (extended) filter. The methods are applied to a case study of neonatal sepsis and postinfectious hydrocephalus in Africa, using parameters estimated from publicly available data. Our approach is applicable to a broad range of disease dynamics, including both noncommunicable and the inherent nonlinearities of communicable infectious diseases and epidemics such as from COVID-19. © 2020 authors. Published by the American Physical Society.
The Genomics of Opioid Addiction Longitudinal Study (GOALS): study design for a prospective evaluation of genetic and non-genetic factors for development of and recovery from opioid use disorder

The opioid use disorder and overdose crisis in the United States affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. While several genetic and non-genetic risk factors for opioid use disorder have been identified, many of the genetic associations have not been independently replicated, and it is not well understood how these factors interact. This study is designed to evaluate relationships among these factors prospectively to develop future interventions to help prevent or treat opioid use disorder. The Genomics of Opioid Addiction Longitudinal Study (GOALS) is a prospective observational study assessing the interplay of genetic and non-genetic by collecting comprehensive genetic and non-genetic information on 400 participants receiving medication for opioid use disorder. Participants will be assessed at four time points over 1 year. A saliva sample will be collected for large-scale genetic data analyses. Non-genetic assessments include validated surveys measuring addiction severity, depression, anxiety, and adverse childhood experiences, as well as treatment outcomes such as urine toxicology results, visit frequency, and number of pre and post-treatment overdoses extracted from electronic medical records. We will use these complex data to investigate the relative contributions of genetic and non-genetic risk factors to opioid use disorder and related treatment outcomes.
Driving the cloud to true zero carbon

The right vision is to operate the cloud with zero-carbon emission from power Not just offsetting through renewable energy purchases Not just 24x7 matching True zero carbon in electric power consumed, and with no increase as the cloud continues to grow That's the right vision for our proud computing technology community to lead the fight against climate change, and to see increasing use of computing as a positive force to slow climate change In 2020, the cloud's power consumption exceeded 2% of total US power, and hyperscale providers exceed 6% in regional power markets and grids Add to that annual growth of 28% (2017-2019) as well as acceleration from COVID-sped digitalization and machine learning, and it's clear that cloud power consumption cannot be ignored in serious attempts to reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions
Integrated single-cell analysis of enteric glial cells reveals a molecular basis for postnatal neurogenesis and its therapeutic application

Traditional models posit that enteric neurons and glial cells represent distinct terminal lineages derived from a common neural crest precursor. This model, however, does not explain the neurogenic capability of murine postnatal enteric glial cells. To characterize the full diversity of myenteric glial cells and identify a basis for the glial-to-neuronal transition, which we demonstrate using a two-marker system, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing and single-nucleus ATAC sequencing to generate a multiomic atlas of Plp1-expressing glial cells from the small intestine of adolescent mice. We identify nine transcriptionally distinct subpopulations of enteric glial cells, including cells expressing both canonical neural stem cell genes and enteric neuronal transcriptional factors. We refer to these Plp1-positive cells with neural stem cell features as glial neuroblasts. Surprisingly, most glial cells maintain open chromatin at neuronal-associated loci, suggesting enteric glia are primed for neuronal transition. Comparison with the developing embryonic enteric nervous system shows postnatal glial cells maintain a transcriptional program closely matching embryonic neuronal progenitors. Transcription factor motif enrichment analysis and regulon analysis implicate AP-1 transcription factors in maintaining the glial neuroblast gene program. Three-dimensional cultures of postnatal enteric nervous system cells, which are enriched for glial neuroblasts and provide a niche for neuronal development, recapitulate the transcriptional changes seen during embryonic enteric neurogenesis. snATAC analysis shows chromatin closing consistent with terminal differentiation as glial cells become neurons in three-dimensional culture. In conclusion, postnatal myenteric glial cells include a neuroblast population and maintain a chromatin structure primed for neuronal fate acquisition.
Immunologic Function of the Mesentery

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is constantly exposed to potentially harmful microbes. The mesentery helps determine which organisms warrant an immune response, and thus plays an important role in immune homeostasis. Immune homeostasis is defined as the balance between tolerance and over activity and both processes rely on the intricacies of both the innate and adaptive immune system. If the innate immune system identifies a pathogenic organism, it recruits polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), macrophages, and dendritic cells to mount an initial response. Dendritic cells that populate the mesentery are critical in presenting pathogens to mesenteric lymph nodes. This serves to activate a systemic immune response via the adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system will then recruit antigen-specific immune cells, such as B and T cells, in order to kill the pathogen and ultimately protect the host. If a benign organism or food protein is incorrectly identified as pathogenic by the innate immune system, the mesenteric lymph nodes will recruit the adaptive immune system, and an inappropriate immune response is initiated. This response results in excessive inflammation from accumulation of immune cells and local tissue destruction. Due to its role in helping to balance these responses of the immune system, the mesentery is an important component of immune homeostasis.
Brief Report: Replication of the Five-Factor Structure of the Autism Impact Measure (AIM) in an Independent Sample

The Autism Impact Measure is a caregiver-reported, behaviorally based measure designed to assess both frequency and functional impact of core ASD symptoms in children. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to determine if the factor structure of the AIM (Repetitive Behavior, Communication, Atypical Behavior, Social Reciprocity, and Peer Interaction), previously reported by Mazurek et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 50: 2307–2319, 2020), was supported in a large (n = 611), independent sample. The sample was diverse in age (2–16 years) and IQ (M = 76.6, SD = 22.7), but was composed of approximately 80% males. There were some nuanced differences between this study and Mazurek et al. (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 50: 2307–2319, 2020), but findings generally provided further evidence supporting the psychometric properties of the AIM.
Extrapyramidal cerebral palsy with hearing loss following erythroblastosis.

Follow up studies on 23 cases of kernicterus are reported. The familiar combination of extrapyramidal palsy, defects of hearing, and disturbance of eye movement was found. The physical picture evolves with advancing age but changes according to a reasonably consistent pattern, which has been presented. The eventual degree of handicap, both physical and mental, is less than is commonly believed to be the case. Review of these cases leaves the writers with a feeling that the patients and their families find ways of utilizing assets which are ingenious and effective. It is disconcerting to find how often defects of hearing are unrecognized, or are left a matter of controversy, even when every method of testing is used. It is also interesting to find how little agreement there is on physiotherapy and apparatus. Further series of observations on older children may lead to agreement on many important matters which are still confused.
Gene regulation at the right operator (OR) of bacteriophage λ: III. λ Repressor directly activates gene transcription

Abstract The λ promoter P RM directs transcription of the c I (repressor) gene. Repressor co-ordinately stimulates P RM and represses the nearby promoter P R , and at higher concentrations, it represses P RM (Meyer et al. , 1980). To study the mechanism of this positive regulation as well as other properties of P RM , we analyze transcription of P RM in vitro and in vivo using a variety of mutant DNA templates. In particular, we test the ideas that RNA polymerase bound to P R inhibits P RM and that repressor stimulates P RM by preventing binding of polymerase to P R . In contrast to expectations based on these ideas, we find that polymerase bound at P R has little negative effect on the basal activity of P RM and that neither removal of P R nor exclusion of RNA polymerase from P R by another regulator (cro) suffices to activate P RM . We conclude, therefore, that the ability of repressor to activate gene transcription is not a trivial consequence of the proximity of the two λ promoters; rather, repressor activates P RM directly.
The optical rotatory dispersion of bovine and human carbonic anhydrase in the ultraviolet region.

Abstract The optical rotatory dispersion of bovine carbonic anhydrase B and human carbonic anhydrase B and C is investigated between 350 and 190 mµ as a function of pH, temperature, ionic strength, and solvent composition. Each form of carbonic anhydrase can exist in three different states: (a) native state, pH 6.5, 25°; (b) below pH 4, 25°; and (c) 8 m urea, 25°. The rotatory dispersion curves for these states differ considerably. In State a, all forms show a rotatory dispersion dominated by Cotton effects due to aromatic side chains. By comparing the protein optical rotatory dispersion to that of aromatic amino acids, contributions from both tryptophan and tyrosine side chains can be identified. Whereas the magnitude of tryptophan Cotton effects is constant for all forms of carbonic anhydrase, the tyrosine contributions vary considerably. In State b, all forms show a dispersion of simple polypeptide type with small helical contribution, human form B having the highest (approximately 12%) and bovine form B the lowest (4%). The rotation in both States a and b is different for each of the carbonic anhydrase forms investigated. Tentative conclusions regarding the helix content in native state favor a low helix content for all forms. In State c, all forms of the enzyme show a plain dispersion curve, with no trough above 220 mµ. The enhanced rotatory strength of aromatic transitions can, at present, best be explained as due to the perturbing effect from vicinal side chains arranged in an asymmetrical way around the aromatic chromophore.
An Anguished Relationship: The White Aged Institutionalized Client and the Non-White Paraprofessional Worker

Surprisingly little has been written about the polarization between the white, aged, institutionalized client and the nonwhite paraprofessional despite the pervasiveness of this phenomena and its adverse effects. This paper explores the discrepancy between cultural values and practice. The ethnocultural factors that influence conflict and provide the background of behavior which is determined by programming that the person carries around with her/himself are discussed. In sum, some pithy questions highlight the view that changed managerial attitudes, more innovative staff development techniques, and changed practice interventions are needed to obviate an intractable wrong.
Impact of mobility on connection in ad hoc networks

The performance of mobile ad hoc networks is highly sensitive to changes in node-to-node connections (communication links) caused by node movement. Link instability of this kind has proven very difficult to analyze mathematically so previous work has relied heavily on simulation. We present a mathematically tractable model of node motion, the constant velocity model, and use it to derive a precise relation between mobility and connection stability. Our analysis also allows determination of the appropriate frame length for successful and efficient single-hop communication. We further investigate connection stability in multi-hop communication, and uncover some underlying properties of previously proposed mobility metrics. In particular, we demonstrate that link duration has a strong invariant relationship with the stability of multi-hop connections for a wide range of mobility models, and thus is an excellent mobility metric.
Limited Proteolysis of Rat Phosphatidylinositol Transfer Protein by Trypsin Cleaves the C Terminus, Enhances Binding to Lipid Vesicles, and Reduces Phospholipid Transfer Activity

Rat phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP) is a 32-kDa protein of 271 amino acids that transfers phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine between membranes. The alpha isoform of rat PITP was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified in high yields. The purified protein contained 1 mol of phosphatidylglycerol and had a transfer activity for phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine equal to or greater than that of PITP purified from mammalian brain. Limited protease digestion was used to further define structure, activity, and function relationships in PITP. PITP alone is relatively resistant to digestion by chymotrypsin, trypsin, and Staphylococcus V8 protease but is readily cleaved by subtilisin. Phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidic acid enhance susceptibility to digestion by all four proteases. In the presence of vesicles, PITP, which migrates as a 36-kDa protein in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is cleaved rapidly by trypsin to a form that appears to be 2-3 kDa smaller than the native form. The tryptic fragment retains partial phospholipid transfer activity and shows an enhanced affinity for phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidic acid. Analysis of the tryptic digestion products by immunoblotting, N-terminal sequencing, and electrospray mass spectrometry showed that trypsin cleaves the C terminus of PITP at Arg253 and Arg259. Thus, removal of the C terminus enhances the affinity of PITP for vesicles and results in a dimunition of transfer activity. Overall, the data show that PITP undergoes conformation changes and that the C terminus becomes more accessible to trypsin when bound to vesicles. Hence, the C terminus is not an essential component of the membrane binding site and may be located distal to it.
Abstract MP53: Associations of Dietary Patterns and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Do Not Differ by Diabetes Status

Introduction: Adults with diabetes have been shown to have differences in reported diet compared to adults without diabetes. While diet is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, few studies have examined whether dietary patterns may differentially affect CVD risk in adults with and without diabetes. Objective: We examined whether the relationship between diet and CVD risk differed between adults with and without diabetes who were free of CVD at baseline in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Methods: REGARDS is a nation-wide, longitudinal study of 30, 239 black and white participants ages 45 and older. Previously, principal components analysis was utilized to derive dietary patterns for participants with usable Block98 food frequency questionnaire data (n=21,636). Diabetes was defined as self-reported medication use, fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL, or non-fasting glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL. The final sample for this analysis included 2,701 participants with diabetes and 13,906 participants without diabetes. CVD events, including stroke and nonfatal or fatal myocardial infarction, were physician-adjudicated. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association of each dietary pattern (modeled in quintiles) with risk of CVD, stratified by diabetes status. Results: We observed 787 CVD events over an average follow up of 5.5 years. Greater adherence to the Southern dietary pattern (which loaded highly on fried foods, processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages) significantly increased risk of CVD in adults without diabetes (comparing Q5 to Q1: HR=1.54; 95% CI=1.16, 2.06) and the association trended similarly, though non-significant, in adults with diabetes (comparing Q5 to Q1: HR=1.32; 95% CI=0.76, 2.31). Adherence to the Plant-based pattern (which loaded heavily on fruits, vegetables, and legumes) showed a non-significant inverse association with CVD risk in both adults with diabetes (comparing Q5 to Q1: HR=0.77; 95% CI=0.49, 1.23) and adults without diabetes (comparing Q5 to Q1: HR=0.87; 95% CI=0.65, 1.17). After adjustment for age, race, gender, region, income, education, physical activity, smoking status, and total energy intake, there were no differences in the association of either dietary pattern and risk of CVD between adults with and without diabetes (p for interaction = 0.23 for Plant-based; p for interaction = 0.87 for Southern). Conclusions: While adults with and without diabetes may differ in reported dietary practices, our results suggest there are no differences in the associations of dietary patterns and CVD risk between the two groups - further demonstrating the importance of healthful dietary practices in the prevention of CVD regardless of diabetes status.
Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America, by Wenonah Hauter

“Food is life. Today, food and life are being hijacked by corporations—and our earth, our farmers, and our health are sacrificed for the sake of corporate profits. Foodopoly [is] a story we must he...
Arbitrary self-configuring optics with silicon photonics

New mesh architectures of Mach-Zehnder interferometers with integrated detectors and simple feedback loops allow complex adaptive optical circuits for applications including mode conversion, arbitrary I incur processors, and quantum circuits — all self-designed and stabilized by training.
Oligarchy and Adaptation to Mass Society in an All-Volunteer Organization: Implications for Understanding Leadership, Participation, and Change:

Using a case study of an all-volunteer fire department, internal structural changes and adaptation to external forces in a small, voluntary, democratic organization are examined. The article seeks ...
Systems research for socio-technical problems

There is intense disagreement among researchers regarding the role of systems science in the solution of sociotechnical problems. On one extreme, we see allegations that systems science is vacuous and completely inappropriate for handing the varied issues which arise in socio-technical problems. On the other extreme, we are led to believe that the existing systems methodology based on aerospace applications extends directly to socio-technical systems. I will not debate these issues; but instead focus on some critical problems I see confronting researchers, and point out the interest of NSF in this area.
Surface Temperature Determination from an Amalgamation of GOES and TIROS-N Radiance Measurements

Abstract A method to depict quasi-continuous surface temperature features is presented. Half-hourly GOES window channel brightness temperature determinations are employed to monitor time changes in the surface temperature field. TIROS-N water vapor channel measurements, within 6 h of the GOES measurements, are used to generate water vapor absorption corrections to the window channel brightness temperatures. Two case studies are presented that show the resulting surface radiating temperature estimates to be accurate close to 1 K. In regions where conventional ground based measurements are sparse, this method is demonstrated to be most useful. The potential for using time sequences of these surface temperature fields as a diagnostic aid for forecasting severe weather is exhibited in one of the case studies.
Connecting Teachers and Families: Using the Family as the Lab:

L'A. decrit une experience effectuee a l'universite du Colorado pour la formation des enseignants. Dans ce programme, les familles et les enseignants travaillent en etroite collaboration, cela permet une meilleure communication, evite les conflits et permet une resolution plus rapide des problemes eventuels. Grâce a cette experience, les futurs enseignants apprennent a mieux gerer la relation famille/ecole
The Pirate Media Economy and the Emergence of Quichua Language Media Spaces in Ecuador

This paper gives an account of the pirate media economy of Ecuador and its role in the emergence of indigenous Quichua-language media spaces, identifying the different parties involved in this economy, discussing their relationship to the parallel “legitimate” media economy, and considering the implications of this informal media market for Quichua linguistic and cultural reproduction. As digital recording and playback technology has become increasingly more affordable and widespread over recent years, black markets have grown up worldwide, based on cheap “illegal” reproduction of commercial media, today sold by informal entrepreneurs in rural markets, shops and street corners around Ecuador. Piggybacking on this pirate infrastructure, Quichua-speaking media producers and consumers have begun to circulate indigenous-language video at an unprecedented rate, helped by small-scale merchants who themselves profit by supplying market demands for positive images of indigenous people. In a context of a national media that has tended to silence indigenous voices rather than amplify them, informal media producers, consumers and vendors are developing relationships that open meaningful media spaces within the particular social, economic and linguistic contexts of Ecuador.
Partial purification and properties of the reticulocyte guanylating enzyme.

Abstract The guanylating enzyme which catalyzes the insertion of a guanine residue into one of the isoacceping tRNA His of rabbit reticulocytes has been purified approximately one-hundred fold. It is free of nuclease activity. The enzyme does not catalyze the replacement of inserted radioactive guanine by unlabeled guanine, indicating that the reaction is irreversible. We have separated the histidyl-tRNA of reticulocytes into three isoacceptors. Previous work showed that the last histidyl-tRNA to elute from RPC-5 columns was the product of the guanylation reaction. This reports shows that the same late-eluting peak also contains the substrate for the guanylating enzyme, indicating that the guanine insertion reaction is chromatographically silent. The isoaccepting tRNA His that is the substrate for the guanylating enzyme does not contain the hypermodified base known as Q. It is the other major reticulocyte tRNA His that contains Q, showing that at least in the reticulocyte the role of the guanylating enzyme is not the conversion of the Q form of tRNA to the homogeneic G form. The purified enzyme does not insert any base other than guanine into tRNA.
Explaining differences in state growth: Catching up versus Olson

In this paper we have tested various explanations for differences in rates of economic growth across states. We found no evidence consistent with Olson's hypothesis that differences in state age (a proxy for the strength of special interest groups) can explain differences in state growth. Furthermore, our results indicate that a regression containing only initial income explains most of the variation in the growth of state income. In sum, a good part of the more rapid growth of southern and other fast-growing states is simply a convergence to the national average. This convergence is an expected result of basic economic theory, given free trade in goods and factors. Our results are, however, not necessarily a rejection of the Olson hypothesis. It may well be that the hypothesis should only be applied to comparisons between nation-states, not to comparisons between political divisions of the same nation-state. The institutional and political similarities of the American states may swamp the differences and make the Olson hypothesis inapplicable. The tendencies cited by Olson may indeed be present in the American economy, but their differential effect is much too small to explain any of the variation in economic performance across states.
Fertility in North American male lowland gorillas

There are relatively few gorilla births in North America each year, and the birthrate shows considerable fluctuation. A questionnaire returned by 48 of 52 North American zoos and biomedical institutions known to keep gorillas revealed that only 21% of the adult males sired offspring in 1978 and 1979. The viability and genetic diversity of the captive North American population is therefore threatened. Many males are organically sterile, and there is an inferential suggestion of sterility among females. Environmental and behavioral factors are also operative in reproductive failure. Raising and maintaining gorillas in pairs decreases the probability that they will copulate.
Scaling behaviour in impulsively started viscous flow past a finite flat plate

Viscous flow past a finite flat plate which is impulsively started in the direction normal to itself is studied numerically using a high-order mixed finite-difference and semi-Lagrangian scheme. The goal is to resolve the details of the vorticity generation, and to determine the dependence of the flow on time and Reynolds number. Vorticity contours, streaklines and streamlines are presented for a range of times and Reynolds numbers , non-dimensionalized with respect to the driving velocity and the plate length. At early times, the starting vortex is small relative to the plate length and is expected to grow as if an external length scale were absent. We identify three different types of scaling behaviours consistent with this premise. (i) At early times, solutions with different values of are identical up to rescaling. (ii) The solution for fixed satisfies a viscous similarity law in time, locally in space, as illustrated by the core vorticity maximum, the upstream boundary layer thickness, and the maximum speed, in three different regions of the flow. (iii) The vortex core trajectory and the shed circulation satisfy inviscid scaling laws for several decades in time, and are consequently essentially -independent at these times. In addition, the computed induced drag and tangential forces are found to follow approximate scaling laws that define their dependence on time and .
The Micro-Module: A Logical Approach to Microminiaturization

Among the diverse activities of research and development of electronic parts at the U. S. Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory, particular emphasis has been placed on the evolution of a coherent and practical microminiaturization "system." An objective analysis of the several techniques suitable for a system base indicates that the advantages of each of the techniques could be combined logically into an approach called the "micromodule." The flexibility of this system to assimilate advancements in the state of the art, its compatibility to mechanized assembly, and its short- and long-range applicability as a universal construction system for all low and medium power circuits are reviewed. The weakness of "miniaturization for miniaturization's sake" is discussed frankly, and perspective is drawn for microminiature, circuits, for digital circuits and for general electronic usage. Latest experimental micro-modules are illustrated and their features are discussed. Several complex solid-state circuits are shown and quantitatively assessed to show the ultimate capabilities of this approach and its adaptability to the micro-module construction philosophy.
On the question of tachyphylaxis to isoproterenol in guinea pigs

Abstract Isoproterenol (4 μg/kg, i.m.) decreased mortality of conscious guinea pigs to histamine, when histamine was injected 8 min after a single dose. But, when guinea pigs were injected with isoproterenol or saline every 20 min for 5 hr, followed by a histamine challenge 8 (or 120) min later, there was no difference in mortality between the two groups. This failure of repeated doses of isoproterenol to protect guinea pigs (from effects of histamine) may be related to its cardiovascular effects, since control blood pressure decreased significantly more in the isoproterenol group than in the saline group. This hypothesis was supported by the observation that histamine-induced mortality was significantly increased in guinea pigs treated with a vasodilator (minoxidil), whose blood pressure decreased to the same level (54 ± 5 mm Hg) as that observed after repeated doses of isoproterenol. Tachyphylaxis to heart rate or blood pressure responses of isoproterenol was not observed. 10 repeated additions of isoproterenol to spontaneously beating atria or tracheal strips did not show any tachyphylaxis, nor did 15–20 additions of isoproterenol to perfused lungs.
FMOE-MR: content-driven multiresolution MPEG-4 fine grained scalable layered video encoding

The MPEG-4 Fine Grained Scalability (FGS) profile aims at scalable layered video encoding, in order to ensure efficient video streaming in networks with fluctuating bandwidths. In this paper, we propose a novel technique, termed as FMOEMR, which delivers significantly improved rate distortion performance compared to existing MPEG-4 Base Layer encoding techniques. The video frames are re-encoded at high resolution at semantically and visually important regions of the video (termed as Features, Motion and Objects) that are defined using a mask (FMO-Mask) and at low resolution in the remaining regions. The multiple-resolution re-rendering step is implemented such that further MPEG-4 compression leads to low bit rate Base Layer video encoding. The Features, Motion and Objects Encoded-Multi- Resolution (FMOE-MR) scheme is an integrated approach that requires only encoder-side modifications, and is transparent to the decoder. Further, since the FMOE-MR scheme incorporates "smart" video preprocessing, it requires no change in existing MPEG-4 codecs. As a result, it is straightforward to use the proposed FMOE-MR scheme with any existing MPEG codec, thus allowing great flexibility in implementation. In this paper, we have described, and implemented, unsupervised and semi-supervised algorithms to create the FMO-Mask from a given video sequence, using state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms.
Final-state interactions in the 6Li(d; 6Li, p)n reaction

Abstract The 6 Li(d; 6 Li, p)n reaction has been investigated in a kinematically complete experiment at 10 MeV bombarding energy and at three pairs of angles. The spectra show pronounced 6 Li-n final-state interactions in the 9.7 MeV state and, especially in the 7.48 MeV state of 7 Li, in qualitative agreement with the known decay properties of these levels. At one angle, a possible indication of some contribution from the (isospin forbidden) 1 S 0 proton-neutron final-state interaction has been observed.
Sell‐Offs of U.S. Real Estate: The Effect of Domestic versus Foreign Buyers on Shareholder Wealth

Large foreign acquisitions of U.S. real estate always seem to generate considerable public concern. Most recently the reaction has been to Japanese purchases, but similar reactions occurred to Arab petro-dollar purchases in the early 1970s. This study examines the impact of the buyer's nationality on the change in the wealth of the selling firm's shareholders for voluntary sell-offs of U.S. real estate. In general, this study indicates that voluntary sell-offs of real estate assets result in a significant increase in the wealth of the selling firm's shareholders. However, the change in the wealth of the selling firm's shareholders for U.S. buyers was not significantly different from that for non-U.S. buyers. Since no advance is indicated for foreign buyers over domestic buyers, laws or regulations hindering the foreign acquisition of U.S. real estate cannot be supported. The assumption of a “non-level playing field” for U.S. real estate investors who bid against foreign firms for U.S. real estate assets is not confirmed.
The effects of the ring fragmentation product of thymidine C5-hydrate on phosphodiestrases and klenow (exo-)fragment

N-(2-Deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-N-3-(2R-hydroxyisobutyric acid)urea (alpha-R-hydroxy-beta-ureidoisobutyric acid, 8) was site specifically incorporated into a series of oligonucleotides via the ammonolysis of biopolymers containing 5R-thymidine C5-hydrate (3). alpha-R-hydroxy-beta-ureidoisobutyric acid (8) inhibits snake venom phosphodiesterase, lambda exonuclease and Klenow (exo-) fragment. Kinetic measurements for insertion of nucleotides opposite 8 by Klenow (exo-) fragment indicate that this lesion is instructive.
Combinatorial variation of structure in considerations of compound lumping in one- and two-dimensional property representations of condensable atmospheric organic compounds. 1. Lumping by 1-D volatility with nC fixed

Abstract Many current models that aim to predict urban and regional levels of organic particulate matter (OPM) use either the 2 product (2p) framework for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, or a static 1-D volatility basis set (1-D-VBS). These approaches assume that: 1) the compounds involved in OPM condensation/evaporation can be lumped simply by volatility with no specificity regarding carbon number nC, MW, or polar functionality; 2) water uptake does not occur; and 3) the compounds are non-ionizing. This work considers the consequences for uniphasic PM caused by the first two assumptions due to effects of the condensed-phase mean molecular weight MW ¯ and activity coefficients (ζi), including when RH (relative humidity) > 0. Setting n C = 10 for all bins, multiple chemical structures were developed for each bin of a 1-D-VBS for un-aged SOA in the α-pinene/ozone system. For each bin, a group-contribution vapor pressure ( p L o ) prediction method was used to find multiple structures such that the groups-based log p L o for n C = 10 and variable numbers of aldehyde, ketone, hydroxyl, and carboxylic acid groups agrees, within ±0.5, with the bin volatility. The number of possible combinations with one structure taken from each bin was 17,640. The Raster-Roulette Organic Aerosol (RROA) model was used to calculate the equilibrium mass concentrations (μg m−3) of OPM (Mo) and co-condensed water (Mw) at 25 °C for each combination for ranges of RH and ΔHC (change in parent hydrocarbon concentration). UNIFAC was used to determine the needed values of ζi. Frequency distributions from RROA for Mo, Mw, and the O:C ratio were developed. For Mo levels typical of the ambient atmosphere, then for the 1-D-VBS and all bins constrained at n C = 10, significant RH-induced enhancement of OPM condensation was observed in the distributions. The spread of the distributions was found to increase rapidly as the level of OPM decreased. The within-bin spread of ±0.5 log units in the groups-based estimates of log p L, i o was found to cause significant spread in the distributions at lower Mo values. At the chosen n C (=10), the groups-based log p L, i o values show a spread of ±2 log units in a plot of log p L, i o vs. O:C. When seeking to advance to 2-D-grid predictive modeling of atmospheric OPM, use of an O:C vs. n C grid will therefore require reliable information (or at least empirical calibration) as to the distributions of the likely structures at each gridpoint.
Modeling the Electrical Response of Waspaloy due to the Nucleation, Growth, and Coarsening of γ′

Waspaloy is a polycrystalline nickel-base superalloy used in disc rotors for gas turbine engines. Waspaloy, like other superalloys, is strengthened through the formation of the γ’ precipitate phase. As this precipitate phase evolves with processing and thermal exposure, it is desirable to non-destructively monitor the precipitate microstructural evolution. Electrical resistivity was used as such a non-destructive monitoring technique for aging temperatures ranging from 600°C to 800°C and aging times ranging between 2min and 263.5h. In the nucleation regime, a Johnson-Mehl-Avrami type equation was fit to the electrical response. For the growth and coarsening regimes, a volume distribution of precipitates was fit to the measured electrical resistivity. These fitting techniques were facilitated by microstructural data obtained from SEM imaging, X-ray diffraction, and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. For both cases, the models showed an excellent fit to the measured electrical data, implying that electrical resistivity is a viable technique for non-destructively monitoring the precipitate phase in Waspaloy.
Exosite binding tethers the macromolecular substrate to the prothrombinase complex and directs cleavage at two spatially distinct sites.

The prothrombinase complex, composed of the proteinase, factor Xa, bound to factor Va on membranes, catalyzes thrombin formation by the specific and ordered proteolysis of prothrombin at Arg323-Ile324, followed by cleavage at Arg274-Thr275. We have used a fluorescent derivative of meizothrombin des fragment 1 (mIIaΔF1) as a substrate analog to assess the mechanism of substrate recognition in the second half-reaction of bovine prothrombin activation. Cleavage of mIIaΔF1 exhibits pseudo-first order kinetics regardless of the substrate concentration relative to Km. This phenomenon arises from competitive product inhibition by thrombin, which binds to prothrombinase with exactly the same affinity as mIIaΔF1. As thrombin is known to bind to an exosite on prothrombinase, initial interactions at an exosite likely play a role in the enzyme-substrate interaction. Occupation of the active site of prothrombinase by a reversible inhibitor does not exclude the binding of mIIaΔF1 to the enzyme. Specific recognition of mIIaΔF1 is achieved through an initial bimolecular reaction with an enzymic exosite, followed by an active site docking step in an intramolecular reaction prior to bond cleavage. By alternate substrate studies, we have resolved the contributions of the individual binding steps to substrate affinity and catalysis. This pathway for substrate binding is identical to that previously determined with a substrate analog for the first half-reaction of prothrombin activation. We show that differences in the observed kinetic constants for the two cleavage reactions arise entirely from differences in the inferred equilibrium constant for the intramolecular binding step that permits elements surrounding the scissile bond to dock at the active site of prothrombinase. Therefore, substrate specificity is achieved by binding interactions with an enzymic exosite that tethers the protein substrate to prothrombinase and directs cleavage at two spatially distinct scissile bonds.
Developmental biochemistry of cottonseed embryogenesis and germination. XIX. Sequences and genomic organization of the α globulin (vicilin) genes of cottonseed.

The α globulin storage protein genes of cotton are found to exist as gene tandems that contain a gene from each of the 2 α globulin subfamilies separated by a spacer region of about 2700 or 3400 base pairs. Three different tandems have been identified by restriction endonuclease mapping of genomic DNA. A cDNA that is different from the genes of the tandems in map sites and/or in nucleotide sequence indicates that a fourth tandem probably exists in the cotton genome. Since the species of cotton used here (Gossypium hirsutum) is an amphidiploid, it is likely that two of the tandems are contributed from each genome.
The diffusion of boron in nickel

The atoms B and He, dissolved in f.c.c. Fe and Ni, form solid solutions. Evidence exists that they are of the hybrid type, i.e., that the solute atoms are located at both interstitial and substitutional sites in the metal lattice. The statistical mechanics of hybrid solutions has been discussed previously, and a simple theory of solute diffusion in such a solution crystal has been presented. The purpose of the present contribution is to point out that such deductions may not be made since the kinetic behavior of hybrid solid solutions may be essentially determined by a small fraction of interstitial solutes, whereas the predominant location of solute atoms may be substitutional.