cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Site-directed spin labeling studies on nucleic acid structure and dynamics.

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes the current site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) studies on nucleic acids, with discussions focusing on literature from the last decade. SDSL is useful in studying high molecular weight systems under physiological conditions. It has been particularly successful in studying systems (e.g., membrane proteins) that are difficult to investigate using other methods, such as X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. SDSL has been used to study nucleic acids, and data suggest that one can obtain unique structural and dynamic information about DNA and RNA at the level of individual nucleotides. The majority of nucleic acid SDSL studies have used one of two types of EPR measurements. Distance measurements between pairs of nitroxides provide direct structural constraints in nucleic acid systems. In addition, the mobility of a single-labeled nitroxide can be measured to yield structural and dynamic information at the labeling site. Because nucleic acids are different from proteins in the nature of the basic chemical constituents (4 nucleotides vs. 20 amino acids) and their secondary structural units (B-form/A-form doubled-stranded helix vs. α -helix/ β -sheet), SDSL of nucleic acids requires unique methodologies, particularly in the areas of nitroxide attachment and the correlation of the nitroxide behavior to that of the parent molecule.
Treatment of Focal Status Epilepticus plus Epileptic Spasms with Leukotomy in an Infant with TSC 1 Mutation: A Case Study

ABSTRACTBackground: Focal status epilepticus and catastrophic epilepsy are not rare in infants. Epilepsy surgery can be safely done in selected infants to cure epilepsy.Patient description: We report on an infant who began having drug-resistant status epilepticus at 2 weeks of age and developed epileptic spasms. We discuss in detail how the clinical and electroencephalographic data were used to reach a consensus for epilepsy surgery and why a particular surgical approach was preferred over other alternatives.Method: Presurgical evaluation consisted of 32-channel scalp video EEG using the standard 10–20 system of electrodes, 3-Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging, and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. The surgery consisted of resection of the extensive epileptogenic lesion, in addition to disconnection of the left frontal lobe anterior to the motor strip.Result: The infant underwent epilepsy surgery at three months of age. At two-year follow up, she remained seizure free, with no foca...
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Hybridization Analysis of the Defective Bacteriophage Carried by Strain 15 of Escherichia coli

Abstract Evidence from several laboratories indicates that strain 15 of Escherichia coli is lysogenic for a defective phage. When lysates from induced cultures were centrifuged in CsCl, three bands were obtained. In order of decreasing density, these bands contained tailless particles, complete phages, and a second band of complete phages, in a ratio of 65.7:28.6:5.7. Reassociation rate measurements were used to establish that the molecular weights of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) species from the phages in the first two bands are similar. A smaller genome is postulated in the complete phages from the minor band. Hybridization experiments revealed extensive homology between the DNA species from all three phage bands, thus suggesting that the complete and tailless particles are not different at the genetic level. The DNA from each phage band was also shown to hybridize almost completely with DNA from either E. coli 15T− or a reportedly cured derivative of 15T−. In contrast, only about 25% of each phage DNA was able to react with DNA from E. coli strains B and K-12 C-600.
Off-diagonal generalized Schur numbers

Abstract We determine all values of the 2-colored off-diagonal generalized Schur numbers (also called Issai numbers), an extension of the generalized Schur numbers. These numbers, denoted S(k, l), are the minimal integers such that any red and blue coloring of the integers from 1 to S(k, l) must admit either a solution to ∑k − 1i = 1 xi = xk consisting of only red integers, or a solution to ∑l − 1i = 1 xi = xl consisting of only blue integers. We show that S(3, l) = 3l − 4 for odd l ≥ 3, S(3, l) = 3l − 5 for even l ≥ 4, and S(k, l) = kl − l − 1 for 4 ≤ k ≤ l.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Regulates Reendothelialization and Neointima Formation in a Mouse Model of Arterial Injury

Background— The rate of reendothelialization is critical in neointima formation after arterial injury. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent endothelial mitogen, has been advocated for accelerating endothelial repair and preventing intimal hyperplasia after percutaneous coronary interventions. However, the precise mechanism of action of VEGF treatment and the physiologic role of endogenous VEGF after arterial injury are not well described. To better understand the role of VEGF in arterial repair, we overexpressed both VEGF and a soluble, chimeric VEGF receptor (VEGF-trap), which binds free VEGF with high affinity, in a mouse model of arterial injury. Methods and Results— Four groups of C57BL/6 mice underwent denuding endothelial injury 1 day after systemic injection of recombinant adenovirus expressing (1) VEGF, (2) VEGF-trap, (3) VEGF plus VEGF-trap, or (4) control adenovirus. Circulating levels of adenovirus-encoded proteins were significantly elevated after gene transfer. VEGF overexpress...
The Neighborhood Unit: Physical Design or Physical Determinism?:

This paper traces the institutional, social, and physical design forces that shaped the ideology of Clarence A. Perry and influenced his development of the “neighborhood unit” concept. Officially i...
Evaluation of different promoters and host strains for the high-level expression of collagen-like polymer in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The increased expression of collagen-like polymer, CLP3.1-his which consists of 52 repeating peptide (GAPGAPGSQGAPGLQ), in Escherichia coli was investigated. The effects of three promoters, thermally inducible promoter, T7 promoter and T7lac promoter, and three Escherichia coli host strains, BL21, BL21(DE3) and BL21(DE3)[pLysS] which differ in stringency of suppressing basal transcription, were compared. Based on the CLP3.1-his expression level, solubility of CLP3.1-his in cells and basal transcription that occurred in the absence of induction, two expression systems, BL21(DE3) containing plasmid pJY-2 with T7lac promoter and BL21(DE3)[pLysS] containing plasmid pJY-1 with T7 promoter, were selected. With these two expression systems, CLP3.1-his expression levels greater than 40% (g/g) of total cellular proteins and CLP3.1-his concentrations of 0.1–0.2 g l −1 can be achieved by using Luria–Bertani medium in shake flask batch cultures. The CLP3.1-his accumulated in the cells is totally soluble and no basal transcription was found before induction. These two high-level expression systems are promising for use in scale-up production.
Enrichment of Cancer Cells Using a High Throughput Contactless Dielectrophoretic (CDEP) Microfluidic Device

Selective concentration of microparticles is a very important process in many medical and biological applications such as early cancer detection. It has been shown that dielectrophoresis (DEP), the motion of a particle due to its polarization in the presence of a non-uniform electric field, is a method for enrichment of bioparticels based on their electrical properties and size [1, 2, 3]. Bioparticels can be concentrated using DEP by changing applied voltage and frequency, media and particles conductivity and permittivity, and geometry of microchannel and electrodes. DEP has been used to separate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from clinical blood, breast tumor cells from CD34+ hemopoietic stem cells, breast tumor cells from peripheral blood, leukemia cells from blood.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Cell division and nuclear movement in the saccoderm desmidNetrium interruptus

During anaphase in thisNetrium, the reforming daughter nuclei hardly pause at the poles before they elongate and rapidly and smoothly move along the daughter cells in one of the grooves in the chloroplast. Ahead of each nucleus is a pointed mass of cytoplasm that is distinctly striated; straight, mobile strands of cytoplasm emanate from this region ahead of the nucleus. When the nucleus reaches the large vacuole that divides the two chloroplasts, it steadily slides over to the chloroplast surface distal to the cleavage furrow. It then stops moving and slowly expands into the normal interphase morphology.
Habitat Selection by Birds Following a Forest Fire

In the light of current opinion that habitat selection by birds is determined largely by gross visual aspects of the vegetational physiognomy (Hilden 1965), one might intuitively expect that drastic alteration of the ground and shrub strata of a forest would modify the composition and numerical status of resident bird populations. However, counts in a burned pine stand in southern Florida during the first few months after burning were essentially no different than counts in an immediately adjacent unburned stand. The lack of response to this habitat alteration may be attributed behaviorally to individual home range attachments by the resident birds. Its occurrence in this situation may be associated with the relatively brief during of these habitat disruptions and the frequency of forest fires as a normal feature of slash pine ecology.
Constructing sustainability science: emerging perspectives and research trajectories

Over the last decade, sustainability science has emerged as an interdisciplinary and innovative field attempting to conduct problem-driven research that links knowledge to action. As the institutional dimensions of sustainability science continue to gain momentum, this article provides an analysis of emerging research agendas in sustainability science and an opportunity for reflection on future pathways for the field. Based on in-depth interviews with leading researchers in the field and a content analysis of the relevant literature, this article examines how sustainability scientists bound the social, political and normative dimensions of sustainability as they construct research agendas and look to link knowledge to social action. Many scientists position sustainability science as serving universal values related to sustainability and providing knowledge that is crucial to societal decision-making. The implications of these findings are discussed with an eye towards creating a space for a more democratic and reflexive research agenda for sustainability.
Documentary Images: Visual Information Made to Order

This paper discusses the nature of documentary images, which appear to be inherently true, self evident visual statements. However, a degree of visual literacy is required of viewers before appropriate image understanding can occur. The nature of the image as icon, index, and as symbol combined to provide a powerful reinforcement of historical and current assumptions regarding documentation. Image construction and understanding are both prescribed by codes which may introduce additional meaning into the photograph. The work of Walker Evans, and other documentary photographers are used as examples of the multiple messages that are imbedded in documentary images. Finally, contemporary image technologies, scanning and digitizing are discussed within the documentary context, the use of such technologies raises questions about the ethics and credibility of photographic information.
Observed Kinetic Parameters during the Torrefaction of Red Oak (Quercus rubra) in a Pilot Rotary Kiln Reactor

The torrefaction of red oak (Quercus rubra) was performed in a pilot rotary kiln reactor, and the apparent kinetic results were compared with the results of torrefaction performed in a bench-scale fluidized reactor. Mass loss, gross calorific analyses, ultimate analyses, and proximate analyses were applied to the final torrefied material. The experimental torrefaction temperatures were 250, 275, 300, and 325 °C, and the experimental total torrefaction times were 20, 35, 50, and 80 min. A significant variation of the energy content occurred in the range of temperature between 275 and 300 °C, with the energy yield changing from 97.5% to 83.6%, respectively. The molar ratios H:C:O for the torrefied red oak presented a behavior independent of the experimental equipment when the temperature ranged between 250 and 325 °C. For the torrefaction process of red oak in the pilot rotary kiln reactor, a first-order reaction and one-step kinetic model were fitted with a maximum error of about 7.5% at 325 °C. The observed reaction rate constant (k) for the rotary reactor was 0.072 min−1 at 300 °C, which was 71% lower than the reaction rate constant for torrefied red oak in a bench-scale fluidized reactor. Arrhenius analysis determined an activation energy of 20.4 kJ/mol and a frequency factor of 5.22 min−1. The results suggest significant external heat and mass-transfer resistances in the rotary system.
High-throughput microfluidics and ultrafast optics for in vivo compound/genetic discoveries

We developed microfluidic and ultrafast optical technologies that enable high-throughput whole-animal neural regeneration studies. These technologies allow automated and rapid manipulation, and non-invasive immobilization of C. elegans for sub-cellular resolution two-photon imaging and femtosecond-laser nanosurgery.
The influence of a wavy, moving interface on pressure drop for flow in conduits

Abstract Approximate theoretical solutions have been obtained for laminar flow in a conduit with wavy moving boundaries. The results predict the data of Laird quite well and demonstrate that the oscillation of the boundary contributes to the apparent increased friction. This suggests that studies of the interface in two phase flow concern themselves not only with the wave profiles but with the wave frequency as well. The effect of a moving boundary in turbulent flow is shown to depend on the relative magnitude of the random fluctuation due to turbulence and the periodic fluctuation induced by the moving boundary. Experimental equipment is described in which turbulent intensity measurements were made across a wall oscillating with a standing wave having a length of 2 in and an amplitude of +0·025. Even with this large wavelength and low amplitude, the oscillating wall caused increased apparent turbulent shear stress. Because analytical solution of the equations of motion are not possible, an extension of the phenomenological method to the case of moving walls is outlined.
Diffusion generated motion for grain growth in two and three dimensions

An efficient algorithm for accurately simulating curvature flow for large networks of curves in two dimensions and surfaces in three dimensions on uniform grids is proposed. This motion arises in the technologically important problem of simulating grain boundary motion in polycrystalline materials. In this formulation grain boundaries are zero-level sets of signed distance functions. Curvature motion is achieved by first diffusing locally maintained signed distance functions followed by a reinitialization step. A technique is devised to allow a single signed distance function to represent a large subset of spatially separated grains. Hundreds of thousands of grains can be simulated using a small number of signed distance functions (in this work, 32 in two dimensions and 64 in three dimensions are more than sufficient) using modest computational hardware.
Cocaine responsiveness or anhedonia in rats treated with methylphenidate during adolescence

Methylphenidate (MPH) treatment in boys diagnosed with ADHD is reported to decrease the risk of drug abuse in adulthood. Similarly, MPH treatment appears to decrease the cocaine preference of male rats during conditioned place preference (CPP) tests. However, the effects of MPH treatment on later drug use of girls/women or CPP in female rodents have not been fully examined, nor have a clinically-relevant MPH dose and/or administration route been thoroughly studied. Here, Sprague-Dawley rats (n=34/sex/treatment) were treated orally 3x/day on postnatal days (PNDs) 29-50 with water or 3mg MPH/kg, a dose producing serum levels within the human clinical range. CPP assessments to cocaine (10 mg/kg, ip) (PNDs 62-71) indicated MPH-treated rats were less active during pre- and postconditioning sessions (p<.04), but there were no significant MPH-related differences in conditioning strength. Baseline open field activity at PND 84 indicated that MPH-treated females were more active than same-sex controls (p<.05). A cocaine challenge (10 mg/kg, ip) elevated activity similarly in MPH-treated and controls of both sexes. As an anhedonia measure, saccharin solution intake on PNDs 87-90 indicated no significant MPH effects. Estrous cycle phase did not appear to affect cocaine response during CPP or open field assessments. Hormonal levels at PND 90 indicated 63% higher corticosterone levels in MPH-treated females relative to same-sex controls (p<.05), a finding that deserves further investigation. These results address some of the major issues surrounding animal models of MPH treatment and provide additional support for a lack of severe long-term behavioral effects of adolescent MPH.
A Study of the Effects of the San Francisco Oil Spill on Marine Organisms

ABSTRACT The San Francisco oil spill occurred on January 18, 1971, during the early morning hours when two Standard Oil vessels collided almost directly under the Golden Gate Bridge, releasing 840,000 gallons of Bunker C fuel. This asphalt-like oil was washed up on intertidal shores of the area. Duxbury Reef, northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge, is literally the “backyard” of the author and the College of Marin's Bolinas Marine Station staff. Baseline transects have been established on this reef since 1958. The oil was heavily deposited on the reef's mussel beds and high tidal berm rocks. From comparative transect and laboratory observations, it was determined that marine organisms died from being smothered by the oil, with certain species, such as acorn barnacles and limpets, suffering the highest mortality at Sausalito and on Duxbury Reef. Comparison of pre-oil and post-oil transect counts showed there was a significant decrease in marine life after the oil spill on the reef Marine snails suffered less ...
γ‐Silyl‐stabilized tertiary ions? Solvolysis of­4‐(trimethylsilyl)‐2‐chloro‐2‐methylbutane

Rate constant, isotope-effect, and product studies of the solvolysis of 4-(trimethylsilyl)-2-chloro-2-methylbutane, 11, and its carbon analog, 2-chloro-2,5,5-trimethylhexane, 10, in aqueous ethanol and aqueous 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) indicate very little participation of the γ-silyl substituent. These results are in sharp contrast to earlier reports on secondary γ-silyl substituted systems, in which the back lobe of the silicon–carbon bond has been shown to overlap with the carbocation p-orbital to form a so-called ‘percaudally’ stabilized intermediate. While the solvolytic behaviors of 11 and 10 are nearly identical in ethanol, differences in the TFE lead to the conclusion that there is a minor amount of participation by the silyl substituent in that solvent. Interestingly, this observation lends credence to an earlier suggestion that TFE is better than ethanol at stabilizing more highly delocalized ions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A GUI for intrusion detection and related experiences

This document is an extended abstract on the experiences obtained and lessons learned while developing a GUI for Snort, an open-source intrusion detection system.
Solution-Oriented Therapy for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Their Partners

Research suggests that survivors of sexual assault are not only significant in their numbers, but also struggle with a variety of negative outcomes following assault. Further, female survivors of sexual assault often report significant challenges to their sexual and relationship functioning following sexual assault. While cognitive behavioral models of treatment have been successful in treating posttraumatic stress symptoms, this manuscript suggests that a solution-oriented framework for working therapeutically with survivors of sexual assault and their partners may offer another treatment option. This solution-oriented framework seeks to access and amplify positive outcomes and opportunities for growth within relationships. Suggestions for intervention are provided.
Conflict begets conflict: Executive control, mental state vacillations, and the therapeutic alliance in treatment of borderline personality disorder

Abstract Clinicians routinely note the challenges involved in psychotherapy with individuals with BPD, yet little research exists on the therapeutic alliance with this population. An important question is, what patient factors contribute to a disturbed alliance with individuals with BPD? Executive attention has been identified as a mechanism of BPD, and mental state vacillations (e.g., idealization/denigration, incoherence in self-concept) are a hallmark of the disorder. The goals of this study were to examine the link between executive attention and the alliance and assess mental state vacillations as a mediator. Thirty-nine participants diagnosed with BPD, participating in a randomized clinical trial, were administered the Attentional Network Task (ANT). Early psychotherapy sessions were coded using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI). In addition, six items were generated and coded representing in-session vacillations in mental states. Performance on the ANT was related to the alliance (r=.34, p=.035)...
Distribution and function of polycystin-2 in mouse retinal ganglion cells.

Abstract The polycystin family of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels form Ca 2+ regulated cation channels with distinct subcellullar localizations and functions. As part of heteromultimeric channels and multi-protein complexes, polycystins control intracellular Ca 2+ signals and more generally the translation of extracellular signals and stimuli to intracellular responses. Polycystin-2 channels have been cloned from retina, but their distribution and function in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) have not yet been established. In the present study, we determined cellular and subcellular localization as well as functional properties of polycystin-2 channels in RGCs. Polycystin-2 expression and distribution in RGCs was assessed by immunohistochemistry on vertical cryostat section of mouse retina as well as primary cultured mouse RGCs, using fluorescence microscopy. Biophysical and pharmacological properties of polycystin-2 channels isolated from primary cultured RGCs were determined using planar lipid bilayer electrophysiology. We detected polycystin-2 immunoreactivity both in the ganglion cell layer as well as in primary cultured RGCs. Subcellular analysis revealed strong cytosolic localization pattern of polycystin-2. Polycystin-2 channel current was Ca 2+ activated, had a maximum slope conductance of 114 pS, and could be blocked in a dose-dependent manner by increasing concentrations of Mg 2+ . The cytosolic localization of polycystin-2 in RGCs is in accordance with its function as intracellular Ca 2+ release channel. We conclude that polycystin-2 forms functional channels in RGCs, of which biophysical and pharmacological properties are similar to polycystin-2 channels reported for other tissues and organisms. Our data suggest a potential role for polycystin-2 in RGC Ca 2+ signaling.
New Optical Concept for Concentrator Photovoltaics

Sunlight is collected by 3.1 x 3.1 m square dish reflectors. At each focus, light is apportioned by secondary optics onto many cells in a concave array, with each cell receiving the same 1000x concentration.
Effect of foreign GAAP earnings and Form 20-F reconciliations on revisions of analysts' forecasts

Abstract A controversial area of U.S. securities regulations involves the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) financial reporting requirements for foreign firms, specifically, the necessity of providing a quantitative reconciliation to U.S. GAAP (Form 20-F). The results of earnings–returns research to date indicate that the release of foreign GAAP earnings provides important information. However, the results of earnings–returns studies using reconciled information are mixed. Instead of using an earnings–returns methodology adopted in prior research, this study utilizes analysts' revisions as a market indicator of the effect of information released in foreign GAAP earnings and the reconciled information in Form 20-F. Additionally, the study investigates the influence of four firm-specific variables in the firm's information environment—similarities of accounting systems, analyst following, difference between reconciled earnings and foreign GAAP earnings, and dispersion of analysts' expectations—on positive abnormal revision activities of financial analysts at the time of filing Form 20-F. The results indicate that the release of foreign GAAP earnings (at earnings announcement dates) and reconciled information (at the time of filing Form 20-F) contains relevant information as measured by analysts' revisions. Further, variables representing analyst following, change in reconciled earnings, and dispersion of analysts' expectations are significant in explaining the variation observed in positive abnormal revisions.
Optically detected zero field magnetic resonance in the lowest triplet nπ* state of p-benzoquinone

Abstract Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) techniques are used to determine the orbital assignment of the phosphorescent triplet state of p -bezonquinone in the condensed phase. The principal spin—orbit coupling routes are discussed in terms of the observed spin—vibronic activity.
Adult survival and population growth rate in Colorado big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

We studied adult survival and population growth at multiple maternity colonies of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in Fort Collins, Colorado. We investigated hypotheses about survival using information-theoretic methods and mark–recapture analyses based on passive detection of adult females tagged with passive integrated transponders. We constructed a 3-stage life-history matrix model to estimate population growth rate (l) and assessed the relative importance of adult survival and other life-history parameters to population growth through elasticity and sensitivity analysis. Annual adult survival at 5 maternity colonies monitored from 2001 to 2005 was estimated at 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 5 0.77–0.82). Adult survival varied by year and roost, with low survival during an extreme drought year, a finding with negative implications for bat populations because of the likelihood of increasing drought in western North America due to global climate change. Adult survival during winter was higher than in summer, and mean life expectancies calculated from survival estimates were lower than maximum longevity records. We modeled adult survival with recruitment parameter estimates from the same population. The study population was growing (l 5 1.096; 95% CI 5 1.057–1.135). Adult survival was the most important demographic parameter for population growth. Growth clearly had the highest elasticity to adult survival, followed by juvenile survival and adult fecundity (approximately equivalent in rank). Elasticity was lowest for fecundity of yearlings. The relative importances of the various life-history parameters for population growth rate are similar to those of large mammals.
Binding of ATP to and release from microsomal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

Abstract 1. 1. Turtle bladder microsomes, which possess (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, form Mg2+-dependent acid-stable, radioactively labelled complexes during their incubation at pH 7.4 with 0.01 mM concentrations of [U-14C]ATP, [γ-32P]ATP, and [α-32P]ATP. 2. 2. The formation of a 14C-labelled enzyme-ATP complex is demonstrated by the chromatograhic isolation of intact [U-14C]ATP which had been cleaved (by 3 different chemical methods) from its binding sites on the 14C-labelled microsomal precipitates; and this is confirmed by an analogous isolation of intact [γ-32P]ATP cleaved from γ-32P-labelled precipitates. 3. 3. The pH-dependent patterns of the formation of native complexes and of the breakdown of the acid-denatured complexes show that the 14C-labelled microsomal protein is different from the Na+-dependent γ-32P-labelled protein. The pH dependency of 14C labelling of native microsomes incubated with [U-14C]ATP is consistent with the behavior expected of a phosphoramido bond; while that of γ-32P labelling of native microsomes incubated with [γ-32P]ATP is consistent with the behavior expected of an acyl phosphate bond. 4. 4. The enzyme-ATP complex (or complexes) possesses at least two bonds between the enzyme and ATP: one between the γ-phosphate of ATP and the protein; and the other between the adenosine of ATP and the protein. The presence of an adenosinyl-protein bond is suggested by the fact that the same reagent removes all of the α-32P label but only half of the U-14C label from paired sets of microsomal complexes incubated under identical conditions except for the radioactive label (α-32P vs U-14C) on the substrate (ATP). 5. 5. The pH-dependent pattern of 14C labelling of microsomes by [U-14C]ATP is nearly superimposable upon that of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, while that of the Na+-stimulated γ-32P labelling of microsomes by [γ-32P]ATP is nearly superimposible upon the mucosal pH dependence of Na+ transport in the intact tissue. 6. 6. The addition of 1.0 mM ATP or ADP chases half of the 14C label from native microsomes which had become labelled during their incubation with 0.01 mM [U-14C]ATP. The significance of these and other data with respect to the reversibility of the formation of an enzyme-ATP complex and its role in ADP:ATP exchange is discussed.
Biological Degradation of Chlorophyll in a System Using Bell Peppers (Capsicum frutescens)

SUMMARY– A degradation system was developed based on the incorporation of radioactive chlorophyll into a ripening bell pepper carpel. Pure chlorophyll a in aqueous triton X-100 injected into green bell peppers (Capsicum frutescens) variety 035 was degraded up to 50% by the end of ripening, versus a control in buffer pH 5.4 not exceeding 7% loss in 2 weeks. Variety and stage of ripeness affected the amount of degradation. Labeled chlorophyll a with a specific activity of 7 to 8 × 105 dpm/mg was then prepared from young wheat plants, fed 14Cob and injected in amounts of 0.2 to 0.3 mg. The distribution of activity in pepper extracts after pigment degradation was evaluated. The acetone water extract remaining after transfer of lipid material to petroleum ether acquired activity within 2 days of injection, but the amount remains fairly constant for 12 days. The activity of the extraction residue, and of an 80% ethanol extract thereof, increased throughout the experiment. The residue containing increasing amounts of protein had the largest amount of radioactivity of the three fractions at the conclusion of the experiment. Preliminary chromatography did not yield isolated radioactive products. Extracts of pepper show no activity when substituted for soybean extract in a system containing chlorophyll and linoleic acid. The degradation of chlorophyll by ripening bell peppers provides a tool for further studies for degradation in a physiological system. Labeling facilitates isolation, identification, and establishment of origin of small amounts of breakdown products.
Morphology and properties of toughened poly(phenylene oxide)-polyamide blends

High impact strength poly(phenylene oxide)-polyamide blends can be prepared by chemically coupling the two components and incorporating a rubbery impact modifier in the resin. The resulting materials exhibit a distinctive morphology in which the rubber is selectively incorporated in the dispersed poly(phenylene oxide) phase. In this paper both the structure and toughening mechanisms in these blends are examined. An analysis of their deformation behaviour is presented in a companion paper.
Empirical models of jackup rig lightship displacement

A jackup rig is a mobile offshore drilling unit used to drill wells to find and produce hydrocarbons. The weight of a rig is an important variable in cost estimation and determining the amount of steel required in construction. Rig weight is generally considered proprietary because it indicates design benchmarks and performance metrics that are central to the competitive nature of the construction industry. Methods to predict ship weight cannot be used for jackups because of the structural differences between jackup rigs and ships. The purpose of this note is to present an empirically-derived jackup lightship displacement function. We compile a dataset of jackup lightship displacements and develop a linear regression model that explains over 90% of the variation in rig weight.
Clinical variations and complications of Coats disease in 150 cases: the 2000 Sanford Gifford Memorial Lecture

Abstract PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to review the clinical variations and natural course of Coats disease, using strict diagnostic guidelines. METHODS: In a retrospective, consecutive series, Coats disease was defined as idiopathic retinal telangiectasia with intraretinal or subretinal exudation without appreciable signs of retinal or vitreal traction. We reviewed our experience with the clinical features, complications, and diagnostic approaches to Coats disease. RESULTS: In 150 consecutive patients (158 eyes), Coats disease was diagnosed at a median age of 5 years (range, 1 month to 63 years), occurred in 114 males (76%), and was unilateral in 142 patients (95%). There was no predilection for race or laterality. The most common referral diagnoses were Coats disease in 64 cases (41%) and retinoblastoma in 43 (27%). The first symptom or sign was decreased visual acuity in 68 cases (34%), strabismus in 37 (23%), leukocoria in 31 (20%), and 13 patients (8%) were asymptomatic. Visual acuity at presentation was 20/200 to no light perception in 121 eyes (76%). The anterior segment was normal in 142 eyes (90%). The retinal telangiectasia involved the midperipheral or peripheral fundus in 156 of the 158 eyes (99%) and was restricted to the macular area in two eyes (1%); involved mainly the temporal fundus in 66 eyes (42%), inferior fundus in 41 eyes (26%), and more than one sector in 34 eyes (22%). Retinal exudation was present in all 12 clock hours in 86 eyes (55%) and six or more clock hours in 115 eyes (73%). There was a total retinal detachment in 74 eyes (47%) and neovascular glaucoma in 12 (8%). Retinal macrocysts were present in 18 eyes (11%), a vasoproliferative tumor in nine eyes (6%) and retinal neovascularization in four eyes (3%). Fluorescein angiography in 49 of the 158 eyes (37%) disclosed early hyperfluorescence of the telangiectasias and macular edema in 18 of eyes (37%). Ultrasonography typically showed a retinal detachment but no solid mass. CONCLUSIONS: Coats disease is a distinct clinical entity characterized by idiopathic retinal telangiectasia and retinal exudation. It is usually unilateral, occurs mostly in young males, and can cause severe visual loss resulting from exudative retinal detachment. The clinician should follow strict criteria in making the diagnosis, to avoid confusing Coats disease with other forms of exudative retinopathy.
ORTS: a tool for optimized regression testing selection

This paper presents ORTS, a tool for facilitating testers to generate optimized regression test suite for commercial Java applications. The aspects emphasized by the demonstration are: (1) how to help testers capture runtime traces of test execution; (2) how to identify change points during the build update; (3) how does ORTS improve the efficiency of the regression testing and reduce the cost by generating optimized regression test suite. The whole design strategy is lightweight, making the regression test selection process more automated and effective, and scalable to commercial regression testing scenarios with resource and time constraints.
Assessment of the Particulate Food Supply Available for Mussel (Mytilus spp.) Farming in a Semi-enclosed, Northern Inlet

Temporal variability in the quantity, organic content, and phytoplankton composition of the particulate food supply available to a cultured mussel population was assessed for a 3-year period in a small inlet of Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, Canada. The study site had a restricted flushing rate estimated at 1–2·75 times wk−1for a complete water exchange. The quantity of both total (TPM) and organic (POM) seston varied temporally from 0·7–23·7 mg l−1and 0·05–1·97 mg l−1respectively during the 3-year sampling period. TPM typically remained relatively high (>10 mg l−1) through the winter and spring period. Most of the seasonal variation in total seston was due to seasonal variability in the PIM component. Both PIM and POM concentrations were seasonally lowest during summer. The organic fraction of the seston (POM/TPM ratio) was seasonally low in winter and increased steadily through spring and summer to reach its maximum in the autumn. The living phytoplankton component of the seston was typically dominated, both numerically and in biomass, by a variety of diatom and autotrophic nanoflagellate species in the 2– 20-μm diameter size range. Discrete diatom population blooms occurred in the autumn of all three years and largely consisted of a single species, Skeletonema costatum. Phytoplankton:detritus ratios were significantly lower during winter. Total phytoplankton biomass levels were seasonally low during winter and summer and were associated with seasonal variation in diatom biomass. We conducted modelling simulations of relationships among seston organic food levels, their temporal variability, tidal flushing rates, cultured mussel biomass and production indices, and estimates of mussel maintenance ration requirements to predict the adequacy of northern inlets to sustain commercial-scale mussel farm development. We conclude from these simulations that small, semi-enclosed, northern inlets likely frequently experience periods when naturally occurring organic seston levels are insufficient to meet basic mussel stock maintenance ration requirements when such inlets are stocked to commercial-scale densities. We infer that periods of food-limited mussel growth and/or production are likely to occur at these high mussel population levels, particularly during summer. Qualitatively poor (low POM:TPM ratio; low phytoplankton:detritus ratio) food supply during winter may also be a further limiting factor. The implications of our conclusions in relation to aquaculture industry development and environmental management are discussed.
Tillage effects on physical properties of agricultural organic soils of north central Ohio

Abstract Drainage, tillage, and intensive land use lead to drastic alterations in physical characteristics of organic soils. As decomposition and soil formation progress, bulk density ( ρ b ) increases and total porosity ( f t ) decreases due to subsidence, shrinkage, and mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM). However, the rate of subsidence and the changes in soil properties differ among management systems. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of different tillage practices on ρ b and f t of cultivated peat soils. These experiments were conducted during 2004–2005, on Histosols in north central Ohio. Soil core samples were obtained from experimental plots managed with moldboard plow (MB), no-till (NT), or left bare (B). Conversion of plow tillage to NT increased ρ b from 0.52 to 0.57 Mg m −3 , and decreased f t from 0.72 to 0.70 m 3 m −3 .
Embodied Discrimination: The Relation of Sexism and Distress to Women’s Drinking and Smoking Behaviors

Discrimination has been conceptualized as a stressor that may be more negative than generic stress because it is tied to valued and unchangeable social identities. As with other stressful events, the experience of sexism has been related to poorer mental health and some physical health outcomes. This study of 179 female college students (79% of whom were White) showed that the relation between perceived sexism and binge drinking and smoking was mediated by psychological distress. In addition, there was a direct relation between sexism and smoking for weight control. Given the large toll that tobacco and excessive alcohol use exact on the U.S. population, we suggest that policy makers aim to reduce discrimination as one method to improve overall health.
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone to ampicillin/ chloramphenicol in the treatment of childhood meningitis

Ceftriaxone is a new cephalosporin with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and unique serum and CSF pharmacokinetics. The drug was compared in a randomized fashion with ampicillin and chloramphenicol in the treatment of 19 children with Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. Ceftriaxone was also administered non-randomly to six other patients including three children with Gram-negative meningitis. Among the children with H. influenzae meningitis, no deaths were noted and the outcomes of the study and the control groups were similar. Ninety per cent of the isolates of H. influenzae were inhibited by 0.0625, 1 and 1 mg/l of ceftriaxone, ampicillin and chloramphenicol respectively. One child with pneumococcal meningitis and two children with meningococcal meningitis recovered rapidly and without incident during ceftriaxone therapy. Three children with Gram-negative meningitis caused by multiply-drug resistant organisms were bacteriologically cured within five days of the onset of therapy. Persistent pleocytosis and neurological disabilities were noted in two at the conclusion of therapy. Ceftriaxone, as a single agent, was comparable in efficacy with traditional antimicrobial therapy usually employed in childhood meningitis.
Cross-sectional area of the abdomen predicts complication incidence in patients undergoing sternal reconstruction

Abstract Background Sternal reconstruction with vascularized flaps is central to the management of sternal wound infections and mediastinitis but carries a high risk of complications. There is a need to identify reliable predictors of complication risk to help inform patients and clinicians in preparation for surgery. Unfortunately, body mass index and serum albumin may not be reliable predictors of complication rates. Analytic morphomics provides a robust quantitative method to measure patients' obesity as it pertains to their risk of complications in undergoing sternal reconstruction. Methods We identified 34 patients with preoperative computed tomography scans of the abdomen from a cohort of sternal reconstructions performed between 1997 and 2010. Using semiautomated analytic morphomics, we identified the patients' skin and fascia layers between the ninth and 12th thoracic spine levels; from these landmarks, we calculated morphomic measurements of the patients' abdomens, including their total body cross sectional area and the cross sectional area of their subcutaneous fat. We obtained the incidence of complications from chart review and correlated the incidence of complications (including seroma, hematoma, recurrent wounds, mediastinitis, tracheostomy, and death) with patients' morphomic measurements. Results Sixty-two percent of patients ( n = 21) suffered complications after their operation. Those who suffered from complications, relative to those who did not have complications, had increased visceral fat area (12,547.2 mm 2 versus 6569.9 mm 2 , P = 0.0080), subcutaneous fat area (16,520.2 mm 2 versus 8020.1 mm 2 , P = 0.0036), total body area (91,028.6 mm 2 versus 67,506.5 mm 2 , P = 0.0022), fascia area (69,238.4 mm 2 versus 56,730.9 mm 2 , P = 0.0118), total body circumference (1101.8 mm versus 950.2 mm, P = 0.0017), and fascia circumference (967.5 mm versus 868.1 mm, P = 0.0077). We also demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the previously mentioned morphomic measurements and the incidence of complications in multivariate logistic regression models, with odds ratios ranging from 1.19–3.10 ( P values ranging from 0.010–0.022). Conclusions Increases in abdominal morphomic measurements correlate strongly with the incidence of complications in patients undergoing sternal reconstruction. This finding may influence preoperative risk stratification and surgical decision making in this patient population.
Divergence of RGS proteins: evidence for the existence of six mammalian RGS subfamilies

The authors thank Russell Doolittle for reading the manuscript. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants DK 17780 and CA58689 (to M. G. F.). B. Z. is a member of the Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, and is supported by the HUANG Memorial Scholarship.We would like to apologize to investigators whose work could not be cited here due to space limitations.
Estradiol up-regulates expression of the A + U-rich binding factor 1 (AUF1) gene in the sheep uterus

Abstract The A + U-rich binding factor 1 (AUF1 or HNRPD) gene produces predominant RNA binding proteins. The AUF1 transcript is alternatively spliced to produce four protein isoforms that stabilize or destabilize hundreds of mRNAs. Previously, we discovered that estradiol (E2) treatment of ovariectomized sheep increased concentrations of AUF1p45 protein which stabilized estrogen receptor alpha (ER) mRNA in the uterus. This study examined E2 regulation of AUF1 mRNAs in the sheep uterus. Northern analysis determined that E2 treatment increased concentrations of total AUF1 mRNAs twofold in endometrial and myometrial tissue compartments. In situ hybridization indicated that the increase was most intense in the glandular epithelium of endometrium. In a well characterized in vitro RNA stability assay, AUF1 3′UTR sequences were much more stable in uterine extracts from E2-treated ewes compared to extracts from control ewes. AUF1 mRNAs with alternative splicing of exons 2 and 7 (in the coding sequence) and exon 9 (in the 3′UTR) were identified. The only effect of E2 treatment on alternative splicing was that it reduced the percentage of AUF1 mRNAs containing exon 9-derived sequences. These data indicate that E2 up-regulates AUF1 and ER genes coordinately by a post-transcriptional mechanism.
Approaching the Clinical Application of Xenotransplantation

Interspecies transplantation or xenotransplantation is seen increasingly as a potential approach to overcoming the severe shortage of human organs and tissues for transplantation. Much has been learned recently about the immunologic hurdles of transplanting porcine organs into humans. These hurdles can be addressed, in part, by the genetic engineering of donors and by specific therapies directed at the salient immune events. As we succeed in dealing with the immunologic aspects of xenotransplantation, other issues, including zoonosis, and regulatory aspects will need to be addressed.
To part or not to part: emigration and inheritance institutions in nineteenth-century Hesse-Cassel.

Abstract Inheritance institutions in mid-19th-century Germany influenced overseas emigration patterns by affecting the amount of emigration and the type of emigrant. This study of emigration from the principality of Hesse–Cassel suggests that such traditions influence the village economic structure. They also affect individuals' occupational choice and personal wealth, and ultimately the incentive to migrate. Individuals found important reasons to leave under both systems, but the impartible institution encouraged more emigration. Institutional variations manifest themselves in diverse patterns of individual emigrant characteristics: in comparison, emigrants from impartible villages took less cash, were slightly younger, and more likely to travel alone.