cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic and Structural Analysis for Potent Antifolate Inhibition of Pneumocystis jirovecii, Pneumocystis carinii, and Human Dihydrofolate Reductases and Their Active-Site Variants

A major concern of immunocompromised patients, in particular those with AIDS, is susceptibility to infection caused by opportunistic pathogens such as Pneumocystis jirovecii, which is a leading cause of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. We report the first kinetic and structural data for 2,4-diamino-6-[(2',5'-dichloro anilino)methyl]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (OAAG324), a potent inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from P. jirovecii (pjDHFR), and also for trimethoprim (TMP) and methotrexate (MTX) with pjDHFR, Pneumocystis carinii DHFR (pcDHFR), and human DHFR (hDHFR). OAAG324 shows a 9.0-fold selectivity for pjDHFR (Ki, 2.7 nM) compared to its selectivity for hDHFR (Ki, 24.4 nM), whereas there is only a 2.3-fold selectivity for pcDHFR (Ki, 6.3 nM). In order to understand the determinants of inhibitory potency, active-site mutations of pj-, pc-, and hDHFR were explored to make these enzymes more like each other. The most unexpected observations were that the variant pcDHFR forms with K37Q and K37Q/F69N mutations, which made the enzyme more like the human form, also made these enzymes more sensitive to the inhibitory activity of OAAG324, with Ki values of 0.26 and 0.71 nM, respectively. A similar gain in sensitivity was also observed for the hDHFR N64F variant, which showed a lower Ki value (0.58 nM) than native hDHFR, pcDHFR, or pjDHFR. Structural data are reported for complexes of OAAG324 with hDHFR and its Q35K and Q35S/N64F variants and for the complex of the K37S/F69N variant of pcDHFR with TMP. These results provide useful insight into the role of these residues in the optimization of highly selective inhibitors of DHFR against the opportunistic pathogen P. jirovecii.
Smooth Muscle Specific Deletion of Ndst1 Leads to Decreased Vessel Luminal Area and No Change in Blood Pressure in Conscious Mice

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are abundant matrix and membrane molecules. Smooth muscle specific deletion of one heparan sulfate biosynthetic enzyme, N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase1 leads to decreased vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and vascular wall thickness. We hypothesized that this may lead to changes in blood pressure in conscious mice. Blood pressure was measured via telemetry in SM22αCre+Ndst1−/−(n = 4) and wild type (n = 8) mice. Aorta and thoracodorsal artery luminal area is significantly smaller in SM22αCre+Ndst1−/− (n = 4–8, P = 0.02, P = 0.0002) compared to wild type (n = 7) mice. Diurnal differences were observed in both cohorts for systolic, diastolic, mean arterial blood pressure, and heart rate (P < 0.001 from T test). No significant differences were found in the above parameters between the cohorts in either light or dark times using a linear mixed model. In conclusion, deletion of N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase1 in smooth muscle did not influence any of the blood pressure parameters measured despite significant decrease in aorta and thoracodorsal artery luminal area.
Analysis and design of Terahertz HEB mixers and detectors [hot electron bolometer mixers]

We have now further improved our model, presented in (P. Focardi et al., IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol.50, no.10, p.2374-2383, 2002), and designed a complete new set of hot electron bolometer (HEB) THz mixers with center frequencies ranging from 600 GHz, to 2.5 THz. This work demonstrates that the new model is now accurate enough to be used not only for the analysis but also for the synthesis of THz mixers and circuits. The first section discusses the modifications to the original design as well as the last improvements introduced in the electromagnetic model. The following section presents a summary of all the measured and calculated data and provides some concluding remarks.
From production to sustainability: Considering the whole household

The recent focus on sustainability as guiding principle for economic activity has generated many, and often conflicting, definitions of sustainable economic development. Yet while the terminology may be new, the discussion is not. Rather it parallels the discussion about biases of economic measurement and valuation concepts which have led to the neglect of the domestic and subsistence contribution of female householdership relegated to the “informal sector.” This paper argues that the selective focus of economics on narrowly defined productive functions has led to the detrimental neglect of sustaining functions without which production itself would be impaired. Informed by feminist theory, three principles are identified which are essential to the conceptual framework of a sustainable production theory. They are: concretion rather than abstraction, connectedness rather than isolation, and diversity rather than homogeneity. Without deterring from the importance of gender (especially in economics), the discussion of these principles of a sustaining orientation of economics is viewed in a broader context of “mind-sets.” It is argued that to reframe the relationship between production and sustainability as compatible rather than adversarial requires a broadening of theory, inquiry, and methodology. The voices of women who have gone largely unheard in economics are essential in this refraining process.
On achieving complete fault coverage for sequential machines

A method for generating tests for gate-level stuck-at faults in sequential machines is given, which is applicable when a state-table description of the machine under test is either given or extractable from the given description. A test generation procedure for faults in the state table is first described. The test generation procedure is polynomial in the size of the state table, and is complete and accurate in the following sense. For every given state-table fault, the procedure provides either a minimum-length test, or a proof that the fault is undetectable. This test generation procedure is used for generating complete test sets for stuck-at faults in a gate level implementation of the machine, by translating stuck-at faults in the gate-level implementation into faults in the state table. The translation includes modeling and extraction. Modeling consists of a simple method to select a small subset of state-table faults such that a test set for these faults yields very high coverage of stuck-at faults in the actual implementation. Extraction consists of accurate translation of stuck-at faults in the implementation into equivalent state-table faults, and can be used to derive tests for stuck-at faults which are not detected by the test set for the modeled faults. Based on the test generation algorithm developed and the modeling and extraction of stuck-at faults to translate them into state-table faults, a method to achieve 100% fault-efficiency for stuck-at faults is proposed, and experimental results for stuck-at faults are presented. Short test sequences are shown to be obtained. >
Chattering Free Robust Control for Nonlinear Systems

A new design method fully using the sliding manifold information is proposed to achieve a chattering free nonlinear robust control law. Guaranteed asymptotic stability is proven using the Lyapunov second theorem and the invariance principle. An explicit time varying feedback gain derived according to the global stability and sliding manifold variations is proven to be uniquely solvable based on the Perron-Frobenius theorem. The proposed nonlinear controller, which relies on the nominal system only, has the following advantages: 1) it maintains the benefits of the variable structure control which drives the system along a specified sliding surface with guaranteed stability under the bounded functional and parametric uncertainties, as well as drives the system reaching the sliding manifold in a finite time; 2) the proposed controller which eliminates the discontinuity does not induce chattering as in the variable structure control; and 3) theoretical and numerical studies in this paper show that the proposed control methodology is superior to traditional variable structure controls in terms of smooth transient performance and saturation protection for the large initial gain.
Generic Limits in Tribe Halimolobeae and Description of the New Genus Exhalimolobos (Brassicaceae)

In 2002, a monophyletic group previously unrecognized within Brassicaceae was identified through phylogenetic analysis of morphological characters in combination with data from three DNA sequences (Bailey et al.: Syst. Bot. 27: 318-332). As understood at that time, the halimolobine alliance (herein tribe Halimolobeae) comprised ca. 44 species from Halimolobos, Mancoa, Pennellia, and Sphaerocardamum. Within this group, a number of nomenclatural problems have remained unaddressed, including the polyphyly of both Halimolobos and Mancoa. With a developing understanding of Brassicaceae phylogeny, the Halimolobeae is robust in the context of higher level analyses and therefore in need of formal nomenclatural revision. The present study uses new and existing data in phylogenetic analyses based on trnL-F, ITS, and pistillata intron 1 data along with SEM studies of Synthlipsis elata and S. greggii to provide the bases for recircumscription of taxa assigned to the Halimolobeae. As recognized herein, the tribe includes five genera (Exhalimolobos, Halimolobos (including Synthlipsis elata), Mancoa, Pennellia, and Sphaerocardamum) and 39 species with two centers of distribution, one in north-central Mexico and the other in the Andes. A synopsis and keys to all taxa of the tribe are presented. Fifteen new combinations are proposed (E. arabioides, E. berlandieri, E. burkartii, E. hispidulus, E. palmeri, E. parryi, E. pazense, E. polyspermus, E. weddellii, H. elatus, H. henricksonii, H. pubens, H. stylosus, P. lechleri, and P. parvifolia).
Chloroplast Elongation Factor Ts Pro-Protein Is an Evolutionarily Conserved Fusion with the S1 Domain-Containing Plastid-Specific Ribosomal Protein-7

The components of chloroplast translation are similar to those of prokaryotic translation but contain some additional unique features. Proteomic analysis of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast ribosome identified an S1-like protein, plastid-specific ribosomal protein-7 (PSRP-7), as a stoichiometric component of the 30S subunit. Here, we report that PSRP-7 is part of a polyprotein that contains PSRP-7 on its amino end and two translation elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts) domains at the carboxy end. We named this polyprotein PETs (for polyprotein of EF-Ts). Pets is a single-copy gene containing the only chloroplast PSRP-7 and EF-Ts sequences found in the C. reinhardtii genome. The pets precursor transcript undergoes alternative splicing to generate three mRNAs with open reading frames (ORFs) of 1.68, 1.8, and 3 kb. A 110-kD pro-protein is translated from the 3-kb ORF, and the majority of this protein is likely posttranslationally processed into the 65-kD protein PSRP-7 and a 55-kD EF-Ts. PETs homologs are found in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa). The conservation of the 110-kD PETs polyprotein in the plant kingdom suggests that PSRP-7 and EF-Ts function together in some aspects of chloroplast translation and that the PETs pro-protein may have a novel function as a whole.
THE SPECTRAL AND INTEGRATED EMISSIVITY OF CARBON AND GRAPHITE

The emissivities of a typical carbon, graphite, and pyrolytic graphite possessing different surfaces were measured over the temperature range of 850° to 1800°C, utilizing an emissivity apparatus based upon a modification of the Fery rotating sample method. Results for graphite show that for a highly polished surface produced by burnishing the spectral emissivity is almost independent of temperature, while the integrated emissivity value shows a positive temperature dependence. After roughening the surface by various treatments, spectral values show a negative temperature coefficient, while integrated values are almost temperature independent. Carbon shows only slight changes in the emissivity with surface variations; a higher emissivity goes with rougher surfaces, but no change is observed in temperature dependence. These results are internally consistent and are interpreted on the basis of the surface treatment influencing the crystal orientation of the graphite surface. The differences in temperature dependence appear to be related to the anisotropic optical properties of graphite. Large optical anisotropy is to be expected in graphite due to the related electrical anisotropy that has been previously observed.
Thermal evaluation of two phacoemulsification systems.

Abstract Objective To compare thermal profiles of new transversal ultrasound power modulation to torsional ultrasound in an artificial chamber and cadaver eye. Design Laboratory investigation. Methods John A. Moran Eye Center Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, was the study setting. Temperature increase after 30 seconds was measured at the needle midshaft in an artificial chamber and at maximal friction point in a cadaver eye. Ellips FX (transverse) was tested at 100% power, as was Signature with micropulse settings (6 milliseconds on and off). OZil (torsional only) was tested at 100% power in the artificial chamber and cadaver eye. Runs were completed with aspiration blocked. Temperature was continuously measured on the phacoemulsification sleeve using a microthermistor probe connected to the BAT-10 multipurpose thermometer, with an accuracy of ±0.1°C. Results Transversal FX had a greater temperature increase than micropulse ( p p p p Conclusions Higher heat accumulation and potential for incisional burn occurred with the cadaver model than with the artificial chamber, suggesting the need for caution when using 100% torsional ultrasound with aspiration blocked. Transversal FX generated more heat than was reported originally. Further study is needed to determine the incidence of incisional burn with varied power settings for this new model. Micropulse generated more heat than previous reports, but the increased efficiency is likely to negate potentially increased incisional burn risk.
Leadership Plan Addendum - Optimizing Financial Options

The leaders at the Alamo Navajo Community School (ANCS) are currently under pressure to get back to the essentials of their core competency, education, as they undergo the restructuring process that is applied as a result of new Federal policies.
How My Mind Has Changed, 1960-1975

A distinguished Catholic moral theologian outlines in a systematic way the changes that have occurred in his understanding of Catholic moral theology during the last fifteen years. This historical developmental essay touches on various concrete issues while reviewing the contexts which influenced them and the stance with which they were addressed. Ethical models and methodologies are reviewed and official Church teaching discussed. While the changes of the last fifteen years are seen as enormous, it is maintained that they are in continuity with the best of the Roman Catholic theological tradition.
Antagonistic Cooperation: Territorial and Ethnic Communities

The dominant characteristic of the organization of political authority everywhere can be best described as territory-bound: political power is primarily exercised, sought, and opposed within geographically determined areas. The inhabited land surface of our planet has been divided into over 150 sovereign territorial states of various sizes and shapes; furthermore, increasingly larger chunks of oceans and seas-and the air above them-are being fenced off to form exclusive economic domains of the coastal states. As of October 1977 there were 149 member-states of the United Nations; that number, however, included the two nonsovereign federal components of the Soviet Union (Ukraine and Byelorussia); on the other hand, four sovereign states either chose or were forced to stay out of the United Nations (Switzerland, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan).
Interlaboratory assessment of cryomilling sample preparation for residue analysis.

The effectiveness of the comminution approach used for bulk field samples limits the size of the subsample that must be extracted and analyzed to ensure an adequately representative and reproducible measurement. In many cases this subsample size restricts the residue method to the use of larger vessel formats, limiting downstream throughput. The introduction of a secondary fine-milling step to this process using a subsample size already known to be representative can further improve sample homogeneity and allow direct method scaling to small high-throughput formats. Dramatic increases in method throughput can then be achieved through the simultaneous processing of numerous samples in parallel. This approach was evaluated across a diverse grouping of crop matrices using two substantially different pesticide types. Both fortified and field-collected samples demonstrated a high degree of precision and reproducibility across laboratories. Additional benefits of this approach include significant reductions in ...
Zero-field μSR and low-temperature μ+ diffusivity in copper

In this paper I review the history ofμ+ diffusion studies in copper, with particular emphasis on the increased low-temperature diffusivity which has been known for several years now. I survey the theory and practice of the zero-fieldμSR method, which has come into increasing favor in the study of muon diffusion and trapping in metals, and discuss its application to the low-temperature copper problem.
Deprogramming: The New Exorcism

This paper compares deprogramming with exorcism, thought reform, and resocialization, and offers insight into how members of the anticult movement justify their own involvement in "coercive conversion." It serves as a fitting, if ironic, close to this issue on conversion and commitment in contemporary religion.
Arithmetic in the Ring of Formal Power Series with Integer Coefficients

of polynomials R[x] over R, namely the ring ^[[x]] of formal powers series in one variable over R, is hardly ever mentioned in such a course. In most cases, it is relegated to the homework problems (or to the exercises in the textbooks), and one learns that, like R[x], R[[x]] is an integral domain provided that R is an integral domain. More surprising is to learn that, in contrast to the situation of polynomials, in R[[x]] there are many invertible elements: while the only units in R[x] are the units of R, a necessary and sufficient condition for a power series to be invertible is that its constant term be invertible in R. This fact makes the study of arithmetic in /?[[*]] simple when R is a field: the only prime element is the variable x. As might be expected, the study of prime factorization in Z[[x]] is much more interesting (and complicated), but to the best of our knowledge it is not treated in detail in the available literature. After some basic considerations, it is apparent that the question of deciding whether or not an integral power series is prime is a difficult one, and it seems worthwhile to develop criteria to determine irreducibility in Z[[x]] similar to Eisenstein's criterion for polynomials. In this note we propose an easy argument that provides us with an infinite class of irreducible power series over Z. As in the case of Eisenstein's criterion in 7L\x\, our criteria give only sufficient conditions, and the question of whether or not a given power series is irreducible remains open in a vast array of cases, including quadratic polynomials. It is important to note that irreducibility in Z[x] and in Z[[x]] are, in general, un related. For instance, 6 + x + x2 is irreducible in Z[x] but can be factored in Z[[x]], while 2 + Ix + 3x2 is irreducible in Z[[x]] but equals (2 + x)(l +3x) as a polyno mial (observe that this is not a proper factorization in Z[[x]] since 1 + 3x is invert
Practical Guide To Chemometrics

Introduction to Chemometrics P.J. Gemperline Statistical Evaluation of Data A. D. Walmsley Sampling Theory, Distribution Functions, and the Multivariate Normal Distribution P.J. Gemperline and J.H. Kalivas Principal Component Analysis P.J. Gemperline Calibration J.H. Kalivas and P.J. Gemperline Robust Calibration M. Hubert Kinetic Modeling of Multivariate Measurements with Nonlinear Regression M. Maeder and Yorck-Michael Neuhold Response-Surface Modeling and Experimental Design K. Stoyanov and A.D. Walmsley Classification and Pattern Recognition B.K. Lavine and C.E. Davidson Signal Processing and Digital Filtering S.D. Brown Multivariate Curve Resolution R. Tauler and A. de Juan Three-Way Calibration with Hyphenated Data K.S. Booksh Future Trends in Chemometrics P.J. Gemperline Index
Overview of Copyright Law

This article offers an overview of copyright in general in common law and civil law countries, with an emphasis on the U.S. and the European Union. It addresses the history and philosophies of copyright (authors’ right), subject matter of copyright (including the requirement of fixation and the exclusion of “ideas”), formalities, initial ownership and transfers of title, duration, exclusive moral and economic rights (including reproduction, adaptation, public performance and communication and making available to the public, distribution and exhaustion of the distribution right), exceptions and limitations (including fair use), and remedies. The article also covers the liability of intermediaries, and new copyright obligations concerning technological protections and copyright management information. It concludes with some observations concerning the role of copyright in promoting creativity and free expression.
What Gets Rewarded? Legislative Activity and Constituency Approval

Members of Congress (MCs) are concerned about reelection and act in office with this goal in mind. Whether citizens notice this behavior and how they respond remains an open question. We examine the relationships between legislators’ characteristics and activity and their constituents’ evaluations of their performance in office. We argue that MCs’ behavior does filter down to citizens, but that their responses are conditioned by their partisanship and interest in politics. Our analyses combine 2006 and 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study survey data on citizens with information on legislators’ activity in office in the 109th and 110th Congresses. The results reveal that there are widespread linkages between MC behavior and constituency approval, but that legislators’ copartisan, outpartisan, and independent constituents respond in different, yet predictable, ways. Moreover, these effects are strongest among the most interested constituents. Our findings have important implications for our assess...
Current Perspectives on Imaging for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic Sclerosis, and Dermatomyositis/Polymyositis

Systemic rheumatic diseases frequently pose diagnostic challenges to the clinician. The precise nature of the disorder can be obscure and different disorders can present with similar symptoms, such as joint pain. Plain radiographs provide an appropriate starting point for detection of joint abnormalities. Musculoskeletal ultrasound and MRI offer greater sensitivity in detecting synovitis, tenosynovitis and bony erosions, among other features. However, due to the rarity of these diseases and lack of prospective longitudinal trials, a broader picture of the epidemiology of these findings and their implications for treatment and outcomes remains to be determined.
Maronite Music: History, Transmission, and Performance Practice

This essay discusses the music of the Maronite Church, a Christian church based in Lebanon. It provides an overview of the chants used in religious services and examines their transmission and performance practice. The Maronites have always faced challenges to maintain their identity and preserve their heritage while adapting to their cultural milieu. Their religious music reflects the dichotomy between safeguarding tradition and accepting contemporary trends. Since the late nineteenth century, Maronites looking for better opportunities and political freedom have increasingly immigrated to the New World, where they face new challenges to preserving their religious identity while assimilating to the culture of their new homeland. Therefore, this essay reaches beyond the traditional geographic boundaries of the Maronite Church in Lebanon to examine issues in the transmission of Maronite music in the diaspora.
SIGCHI Social Impact Award Talk -- Designing for Low-Literate Users

About 800 million people in the world are completely non-literate and many are able to read only with great difficulty and effort. Even though mobile phone penetration is growing very fast, people with low levels of literacy have been found to avoid complex functions, and primarily use mobile phones for voice communication only. "Text-Free UIs" are design principles and recommendations for computer-human interfaces that would allow a first-time, non-literate person, on first contact with a PC or a mobile phone, to immediately realize useful interaction with minimal or no external assistance. Through an ethnographic design and iterative prototyping process involving hundreds of hours spent in the field among low-income, low-literate communities across rural and urban India, the Philippines and South Africa, we established design principles that use combinations of voice, video and graphics. We have applied these principles across several application domains, including job-search for domestic workers, health-information dissemination, map navigation, mobile money transfer, agriculture video search, and social networking for farmers. Rigorous user evaluations confirm that our non-textual designs are strongly preferred over standard text-based interfaces, and that first-time, non-literate users are, in fact, able to navigate through our UIs meaningfully.
Etiology and Predisposing Factors to Dentin Hypersensitivity

Dentin hypersensitivity is a prevalent and common complaint in dentistry. Identification of the etiological and predisposing factors for dentin hypersensitivity is of prime importance in the diagnosis and treatment planning of this dental complaint. In order to have a clinical manifestation of dentin hypersensitivity, the dentin must be exposed to the oral environment. Dentin exposure results from one or more etiological factors that lead to loss of enamel and/or loss of cementum and overlaying periodontal tissues. Many dental and medical conditions have been linked to dentin hypersensitivity as etiological or predisposing factors. Some periodontal or restorative treatment may initiate the dentin hypersensitivity symptoms. In this chapter, we will shed light on all the etiological and contributory factors responsible for dentin hypersensitivity.
Mogamulizumab for the treatment of relapsed or refractory adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive variant of peripheral T-cell lymphoma of CD4+ T-malignant cells caused by human T-lymphotropic virus type-1. Despite aggressive treatment with multidrug combination chemotherapies, ATL confers a poor prognosis and commonly develops resistance to conventional treatments.Areas covered: Mogamulizumab is a humanized, defucosylated monoclonal antibody that acts by targeting the CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) on malignant cells of ATL. In phase I and II clinical trials, it has achieved overall response rates of 31–50% in CCR4+ malignancies. The most commonly observed hematologic and non-hematologic adverse events included lymphocytopenia, neutropenia, leukocytopenia, infusion reaction, rash, and pyrexia.Expert commentary: Mogamulizumab has shown significant efficacy in treating ATL with moderately high response rates and has been approved in Japan for use in ATL. It may serve as a bridge therapy to achieve disease control prior to allog...
Detection and characterization of chemical aerosol using laser-trapping single-particle Raman spectroscopy

Detection and characterization of the presence of chemical agent aerosols in various complex atmospheric environments is an essential defense mission. Raman spectroscopy has the ability to identify chemical molecules, but there are limited numbers of photons detectable from single airborne aerosol particles as they are flowing through a detection system. In this paper, we report on a single-particle Raman spectrometer system that can measure strong spontaneous, stimulated, and resonance Raman spectral peaks from a single laser-trapped chemical aerosol particle, such as a droplet of the VX nerve agent chemical simulant diethyl phthalate. Using this system, time-resolved Raman spectra and elastic scattered intensities were recorded to monitor the chemical properties and size variation of the trapped particle. Such a system supplies a new approach for the detection and characterization of single airborne chemical aerosol particles.
Translating Spermatogonial Stem Cell Transplantation to the Clinic

The spermatogenic lineage is maintained by a pool of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that balance self-renewing and differentiating divisions to meet the biological demand of the testis. In animal models (mice, rats, goats, pigs, and dogs), SSCs transplanted into infertile recipient testes exhibit the remarkable ­potential to regenerate spermatogenesis. Tremendous progress has been made towards applying SSC transplantation techniques to primates (human and nonhuman), which may have applicability in the human fertility clinic. This chapter will review the approaches used to isolate and preserve donor SSCs from primate testes, ­generate infertile recipient nonhuman primates for transplantation ­studies, ­transplant donor SSCs into primate testes, and evaluate transplant outcomes. In addition, we discuss some of the clinical considerations for future application of these techniques in patients.
Comparison of mixing methods and associated residual levels of zinc phosphide on cabbage bait for rodent management

Abstract Zinc phosphide is a toxicant that is used extensively for rodent management throughout many parts of the world. Some rodent species, such as Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi Merriam, 1888), often avoid zinc phosphide grain baits, leaving green vegetation such as cabbage as the only viable carrier for rodenticides. However, to date, ambiguity has existed as to the most appropriate mixing strategy for zinc phosphide-coated cabbage baits, and it is unknown how rapidly zinc phosphide degrades on these green carriers. Following laboratory and field-enclosure trials, we detected no significant difference in mean zinc phosphide concentrations or variability in zinc phosphide concentrations between mechanical and hand mixing strategies. However, the use of a mechanical mixer was determined to be the more practical option given that it is quicker and requires less effort for mixing large quantities of bait, it minimized worker exposure to phosphine, and because it yielded mean concentrations that were closer to target values. Both the moisture content of cabbage and zinc phosphide concentrations diminished over time, resulting in a fairly minimal window of exposure for non-target wildlife. Field investigation of this exposure risk, as well as an assessment of efficacy of zinc phosphide-coated cabbage baits for Belding's ground squirrel management, are warranted.
Modulating Enzyme Activity by Altering Protein Dynamics with Solvent.

Optimal enzyme activity depends on a number of factors, including structure and dynamics. The role of enzyme structure is well recognized; however, the linkage between protein dynamics and enzyme activity has given rise to a contentious debate. We have developed an approach that uses an aqueous mixture of organic solvent to control the functionally relevant enzyme dynamics (without changing the structure), which in turn modulates the enzyme activity. Using this approach, we predicted that the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from Escherichia coli in aqueous mixtures of isopropanol (IPA) with water will decrease by ∼3 fold at 20% (v/v) IPA concentration. Stopped-flow kinetic measurements find that the pH-independent khydride rate decreases by 2.2 fold. X-ray crystallographic enzyme structures show no noticeable differences, while computational studies indicate that the transition state and electrostatic effects were identical for water and mixed solvent condi...
Detection and analysis of typical fault partial discharge characteristics in switchgear

There exists many reasons for the partial discharge in switchgear such as the insulation defect, insulation aging, and bad contact and so on, so the judgment of partial discharge type is important for the evaluation of switchgear operation status. The types and causes of switchgear are analyzed, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of transient earth voltage detection method, ultrasonic detection method and ultra high frequency detection method. The applicability of different detection methods are summarized under the different insulation defects and partial discharge types according to the partial discharge detection data for the heavy duty area and pivotal substation. The location methods are analyzed for partial discharge source. Base on the four typical defects in switchgear, as for the employed detection method, the amplitude, types and reason of partial discharge are discussed. It can provide a practical application basis for condition based maintenance and technical guarantee for tester.
Intermediary Power and Global DependencyThe Case of South Africa

Utilizing data on South Africa, the author seeks to demonstrate the ambiguities and policy alternatives confronting intermediary states in the context of global politics and economics. A dependency model of international relations between industrial states and the less-developed countries is sketched. This model is founded on the linkage between the distribution of power and wealth internationally and similar distributions within states. Hence, the product is a core-periphery model that takes further note of center-fringe relationships in intrastate and interstate terms. But within the total picture are intermediary actors that serve as agents of the Core states at the same time that they seek to inflate their own influence within the system. Such an intermediary status could, conceivably, provide a center of a periphery state with the maneuverability to assert its power regionally and potentially to challenge a weakened Core state. Settler-colonial regimes, for reasons discussed herein, are inclined to search out interstices in the total system. Finally, the foreign policy behavior of the center forces in South Africa are analyzed in these terms. It is concluded that by conscious governmental policy, a symbiotic and competitive relationship between South Africa and the capitalist Core states has evolved that is transitional in character and eventually difficult to analyze in terms of who dominates whom. This, in itself, is confirmation of the existence of an important intermediary status in dependency relationships.
The Association of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gestational Hypertensive Disorders in a Diverse Community-Based Cohort

Purpose. To examine the association of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) within a large population of pregnant women in an integrated healthcare system. Methods. This retrospective study utilized a source cohort of 1023 women with PCOS and 1023 women without PCOS who had a delivered pregnancy within Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Preexisting hypertension was defined by hypertension diagnosis, treatment, or elevated blood pressure prior to 20 weeks of gestation. The development of PIH, including gestational hypertension, preeclampsia/eclampsia, or HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count), was ascertained by chart review. Among women without preexisting hypertension who had a singleton pregnancy, the association of PCOS and PIH was examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results. Among 1902 women (910 PCOS) with singleton pregnancy, 101 (11.1%) PCOS and 36 (3.6%) non-PCOS women had preexisting hypertension and were excluded. Of the remaining 1765 women, those with PCOS (compared to non-PCOS) were slightly older (mean age 31.2 versus 30.7), more likely to be obese (39.6% versus 15.1%), nulliparous (63.8% versus 43.4%), and conceive with fertility treatment (54.1% versus 1.9%); they also had a higher incidence of PIH (10.8% versus 6.6%), including gestational hypertension (5.8% versus 3.6%) and preeclampsia or HELLP (4.9% versus 3.0%; all p<0.05). PCOS was associated with increased odds of PIH (odds ratio, OR 1.7, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.2-2.4), remaining significant after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, nulliparity, and fertility treatment; however, findings were attenuated and no longer significant after adjusting for weight status (OR 1.1, CI 0.7-1.7). Maternal PCOS was also associated with preeclampsia/HELLP in unadjusted but not adjusted (OR 1.0, CI 0.5-1.9) analyses. Nulliparity and higher prepregnancy BMI were associated with PIH in both groups. Conclusion. Compared to women without PCOS, women with PCOS are at higher risk for PIH but this association was not independent of weight status.
Does the association between substance use and sexual risk behaviors among high school students vary by sexual identity

Abstract Objective Limited information exists on whether associations between substance use behaviors (SUBs) and sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) vary by sexual identity. Methods Data from the 2015 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 15,624), were analyzed to assess associations between SUBs (cigarette smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, prescription drug misuse, injection drug use, illicit drug use) and SRBs (sexual activity, number of partners, condom use). Logistic regression models calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR), stratified by sexual identity, and interaction effects for sexual identity were introduced to models to determine if associations varied by sexual identity. Results All SUBs had significant associations with current sexual activity and 4+ sexual partners for both heterosexual and LGB students. No condom use during last sexual intercourse was significantly associated with all SUBs except alcohol use among heterosexual students, while no condom use was only significantly associated with injection drug use among LGB students. Associations between current sexual activity and SUBs were significantly stronger among heterosexual compared to LGB students for smoking (aPR = 2.39;95% CI:2.15,2.65 vs aPR = 1.49;95% CI:1.14,1.95), marijuana use (2.41;2.15,2.71 vs 1.86;1.58,2.19) and prescription drug misuse (2.10;1.93,2.28 vs 1.60;1.28,2.00). Associations between no condom use and SUBs were significantly stronger for heterosexual compared to LGB students only for smoking (1.32;1.16,1.50 vs 0.96;0.73,1.25) and marijuana use (1.22;1.07,1.38 vs 0.90;0.72,1.12). Conclusions The relationship between most SUBs and SRBs did not vary significantly by sexual identity. These findings underscore the importance coordinating school-based programs to prevent substance use and promote sexual health.
Hail-induced nest failure and adult mortality in a declining ground-nesting forest songbird

ABSTRACT Natural catastrophes are known to impact wildlife populations, however opportunities to directly measure the demographic effects associated with such events are rare. Given the projected i...
Aflatoxin Binders I: In vitro binding assay for aflatoxin B1 by several potential sequestering agents

Nine potential proprietary sequestering agents consisting of 4 activated charcoals, 3 sodium bentonites, a calcium bentonite, and an esterified glucomannan were compared in a novel in vitro assay for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding. Agents were evaluated in 10% methanol prepared as 1% stirred suspensions at pH 3, 7, 10 and pH-unadjusted, with or without AFB1 at 5 μg/ml. All nine agents bound more than 95% of the 5 μg of AFB1 in solution, regardless of pH. The sodium bentonites bound 98, 95, and 98% of the AFB1. The four activated charcoals bound over 99%, the calcium bentonite bound 98%, and the esterified glucomannan bound 97% of the AFB1 in solution. The results suggested that the sequestering agents tested here had sufficient potential to bind AFB1 at pH values commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminants and other animals.
Juvenile Dermatomyositis and Development of Malignancy: 2 Case Reports and a Literature Review

In adults, there is an established correlation between dermatomyositis (DM) and malignancy1, but in children there are very few case reports in the literature. Here we report 2 cases from our institution of development of leukemia after diagnosis of juvenile DM (JDM).
Perceptions of stereotypically immigrant groups as darker-skinned and politics of immigration in the United States and Britain

Recent evidence indicates that anti-immigration attitudes in white-majority societies have a “racial hue” as they at least partially derive from aversion toward prevalent immigrant groups. Building...
Use of a Repeatable Car to Improve Intra-Lab Variability of Emissions Tests

A Repeatable Car (REPCA) program has been developed at the Environmental Protection Agency's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) as part of an ongoing effort to improve the precision of fuel economy and emissions measurements. This concept of using a repeatable car as an integrated system diagnostic tool is not a new idea in the emissions testing field. Given the NVFEL's role in automotive emissions testing, it was felt appropriate to provide related industries with a detailed account of standard laboratory practices, both for informational and comparative purposes. In order to separate vehicle and measurement variability in a relatively simple manner, a process was developed to track REPCA data based on Statistical Process Control principles using the calculation of individual site offset values from two-week moving averages. Eleven individual parameters are monitored for each test site, and the moving averages of these eleven parameters are based on the previous two week's REPCA data. Therefore, a minimum of 44 REPCA control charts are generated and analyzed each week. In conjunction with this, routine equipment diagnostics are also recorded, thus producing an additional 34 control charts. Based on the maintenance history of a specific site and a review of the weekly control charts, recommendations regarding corrective action or preventive maintenance are formulated. For the covering abstract see IRRD 858138.
Can’t Live Wit ‘Em, Can’t Deport ‘Em: Why Recent Immigration Reform Efforts Have Failed

The United States has a passionate love/hate relationship with undocumented immigrants. The refrain “We are a nation of immigrants” competes with the exhortation “We are being invaded.” Many Americans fault undocumented immigrants for breaking U.S. laws, not waiting their turn in line for lawful immigration and diluting already scarce public resources. Other Americans applaud the strong work ethic that many undocumented immigrants exhibit and the economic strength they bring to the country. In the post-September 11 years, the debate has reached a boiling point. The conflicting emotions of the immigration debate aside, the United States’ need for immigration is indisputable. First, the U.S. workforce is aging and becoming increasingly skilled. Fewer native born Americans fill jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, service occupations (jobs such as healthcare support, food preparation and cleaning/maintenance), and construction. Experts predict that as the U.S. population continues to age and advance, more workers will be needed in service industries such as elder and child care. In addition to aging and becoming increasingly skilled the U.S. workforce is experiencing a growth slowdown.
Postsecretory Processing Generates Multiple Cathelicidins for Enhanced Topical Antimicrobial Defense

The production of antimicrobial peptides and proteins is essential for defense against infection. Many of the known human antimicrobial peptides are multifunctional, with stimulatory activities such as chemotaxis while simultaneously acting as natural antibiotics. In humans, eccrine appendages express DCD and CAMP, genes encoding proteins processed into the antimicrobial peptides dermcidin and LL-37. In this study we show that after secretion onto the skin surface, the CAMP gene product is processed by a serine protease-dependent mechanism into multiple novel antimicrobial peptides distinct from the cathelicidin LL-37. These peptides show enhanced antimicrobial action, acquiring the ability to kill skin pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Furthermore, although LL-37 may influence the host inflammatory response by stimulating IL-8 release from keratinocytes, this activity is lost in subsequently processed peptides. Thus, a single gene product encoding an important defense molecule alters structure and function in the topical environment to shift the balance of activity toward direct inhibition of microbial colonization.
Zinc-Induced Copper Deficiency

Copper deficiency was found in an adult patient who had received excessive daily oral zinc for 10 mo. The deficiency was characterized by hypochromic-microcytic anemia, leukopenia, and neutropenia. Although initially thought to be caused by iron deficiency, the anemia did not respond to oral or intravenous iron. Cessation of zinc tablets and ingestion of an oral copper preparation daily for 2 mo failed to correct the anemia or leukopenia. It was not until shortly after intravenous administration of a cupric chloride solution during a 5-day period, at a total dose of 10 mg, that serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels increased and the anemia, leukopenia, and neutropenia resolved. These data suggest that the elimination of excess zinc is slow and that, until such elimination occurs, the intestinal absorption of copper is blocked.
A FLAVOUR MODEL FOR BEER FERMENTATION

A new beer fermentation model is developed based upon fundamental knowledge of biochemical pathways. The model can be subdivided into a growth model, an amino acid model, and a flavour/aroma model. Experimentation allowed for accurate model parameter identification. The results demonstrate the capability to accurately describe batch beer fermentation dynamics.
Improvements on the kernel estimation in line transect sampling without the shoulder condition

Mack et al. (Comm. Statist. A 28 (1999) 2277) proposed to use the boundary kernel method to estimate the wildlife population density from the line transect data when the detection function does not satisfy the shoulder condition, the first derivative of the detection function at distance zero is 0. It was demonstrated in their paper that the boundary kernel estimator (with the use of the optimal end point kernel developed in Zhang and Karunamuni (J. Statist. Plann. Inference 70 (1998) 301)) performed significantly better than the reflection method (Schuster (Comm. Statist. A 14 (1985) 1123)). However, the boundary kernel method has two main drawbacks: the estimates may be negative and the boundary kernel estimator is always associated with a large variability. These two drawbacks of the boundary kernel method have been noticed in Mack et al. (1999), but no remedies were discussed in their paper. Zhang et al. (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 94 (1999) 1231) offered a new method to correct these two drawbacks of the boundary kernel method. It is shown in Zhang et al. (1999) that their proposed method performs better than the boundary kernel method in the sense that it has much smaller mean squared error value than that of the boundary kernel estimator. In this paper, we discuss how to apply their method (it will be called the new method throughout this paper) to the estimation problem in line transect sampling. It is observed that the new method is superior to the boundary kernel method from both asymptotic theoretical results and simulation results.