cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on phiX174 proteins. I. Phage-specific proteins synthesized after infection of Escherichia coli.

Abstract By the use of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the presence of five φX174 specific proteins has been shown in ultraviolet-irradiated φX-infected cells. An additional protein is resolved by electrophoresis of dissociated phage particles. Four of these six proteins are components of the phage coat and have molecular weights of 48,000, 36,000, 19,000 and about 5000. The other two proteins are the products of cistrons I (lysis) and V (required for single-stranded DNA synthesis) and have molecular weights of 10,000 and 15,000 respectively. The cistron VI protein, which is necessary for parental replicative form replication, was not detected.
The ExPortal: an organelle dedicated to the biogenesis of secreted proteins in Streptococcus pyogenes

Summary The Gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes secretes proteins through the ExPortal, a unique single microdomain of the cellular membrane specialized to contain the Sec translocons. It has been proposed that the ExPortal functions as an organelle to promote the biogenesis of secreted proteins by coordinating interactions between nascent unfolded secretory proteins and membrane-associated chaperones. In this study we provide evidence to support this model. It was found that HtrA (DegP), a surface anchored accessory factor required for maturation of the secreted SpeB cysteine protease, was localized exclusively to the ExPortal. Furthermore, the ATP synthase β subunit was not localized to the ExPortal, suggesting that retention is likely restricted to a specific subset of exported proteins. Mutations that disrupted the anchoring, but not the protease activity, of HtrA, also altered the maturation kinetics of SpeB demonstrating that localization to the ExPortal was important for HtrA function. These data indicate that the ExPortal provides a mechanism by which Gram-positive bacteria can coordinate protein secretion and subsequent biogenesis in the absence of a specialized protein-folding compartment.
Automated Optimal Design Using CFD and High Performance Computing

The advent of high performance computing has led to an increased role of CFD in automated optimal design, particularly in aeronautics. This paper presents a brief description of the optimization problem, strategies for its solution, algorithms for optimization, references to recent applications, impact of high performance computing and parallelization, and two examples of application to the design of high speed inlets.
Linear Hyperbolic Systems

In this chapter we begin the study of systems of conservation laws by reviewing the theory of a constant coefficient linear hyperbolic system. Here we can solve the equations explicitly by transforming to characteristic variables. We will also obtain explicit solutions of the Riemann problem and introduce a “phase space” interpretation that will be very useful in our study of nonlinear systems.
Gene Model Annotations for Drosophila melanogaster: The Rule-Benders

In the context of the FlyBase annotated gene models in Drosophila melanogaster, we describe the many exceptional cases we have curated from the literature or identified in the course of FlyBase analysis. These range from atypical but common examples such as dicistronic and polycistronic transcripts, noncanonical splices, trans-spliced transcripts, noncanonical translation starts, and stop-codon readthroughs, to single exceptional cases such as ribosomal frameshifting and HAC1-type intron processing. In FlyBase, exceptional genes and transcripts are flagged with Sequence Ontology terms and/or standardized comments. Because some of the rule-benders create problems for handlers of high-throughput data, we discuss plans for flagging these cases in bulk data downloads.
Seabird Island Ecology

Seabird islands house large colonies of seabirds that spend most of their time at sea but return to land to breed. Seabirds deposit large amounts of nutrients of marine origin on islands; many species also disturb soil and vegetation during the building and maintenance of nests. Physical and chemical disturbance by seabirds alters the chemical composition of soils and vegetation and modifies plant and animal communities. In many cases, the additional nutrients brought in by seabirds subsidise native animal populations, including endemic species frequently found on remote islands. Introduction of predators such as rats, cats and mustelids has resulted in population decreases or local extinction of many seabird species, and this leads to large changes in nutrient cycling and plant and animal populations. Recent efforts at eradication of introduced seabird predators have been successful, but re-establishment of seabirds and seabird island communities will likely take additional active restoration. Key Concepts: Seabirds deposit nutrients of marine origin in terrestrial environments. Seabirds impose physical disturbance on soils and vegetation in the process of building and maintaining nests. Seabird islands often house endemic and native plants and animals that are no longer found on the mainland. The presence of seabirds selects for plants that are tolerant of high-disturbance and high-nutrient conditions. Nutrient subsidies from guano (i.e. nitrogen and phosphorus) can support increased primary and secondary productivity. Introduced mammalian predators have eradicated seabirds and other species on many seabird islands. The reduction of seabird populations by introduced predators alters plant and animal communities and nutrient cycling. Eradication of seabird predators is a necessary first step towards restoration of seabird islands. Restoration of seabird islands often requires active management of seabirds, other animals and plant populations. Protection of seabird islands will require international cooperation on land and at sea. Keywords: allochthonous inputs; ecosystem engineering; invasive predators; island endemism; island restoration; nutrient subsidies; physical disturbance; predator eradication; superpredator
252Cf plasma desorption mass spectrometry using a Mamyrin reflectron in a low voltage regime

Abstract A 252 Cf plasma desorption mass spectrometer was constructed using a linear Mamyrin reflectron in a low voltage regime with acceleration potentials ranging from +40 to +500 V. The Mamyrin reflectron is an electrostatic reflector which allows ions with slightly greater velocities to travel longer flight paths, resulting in velocity focusing. This design includes a novel electron conversion dynode ion detection system. The conversion dynode consists of an aluminum plate coated with CsI maintained at a high negative potential. The reflected ions strike the dynode and electrons are ejected which travel the flight path, pass through the reflectron, and are detected by a channel electron multiplier array. Experimental results demonstrate the successful performance of the detector system and the establishment of the velocity focusing conditions at several acceleration voltages.
Application of quantitative RT-PCR to the analysis of dopamine receptor mRNA levels in rat striatum

A quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure has been developed which selectively amplifies and quantifies the two isoforms of the dopamine D2 receptor. Variability is corrected by the inclusion of a D2 dopamine receptor mRNA standard within each reaction. The internal standard was generated by introducing a point mutation within a D2 cDNA clone that created a unique restriction site within the amplified region. An in vitro transcribed RNA for the internal mutant control is added to the RNA isolated from brain tissue and the mixture is subjected to RT-PCR, digestion with the restriction enzyme, separation of the products by PAGE, and quantification by direct analysis of radioactivity incorporated during the PCR step. The standard is amplified, in the same reaction as the experimental RNA, using the same primers and RT-PCR conditions. In this manner, the effects of contaminants of the RNA preparation which could affect the amplification procedure are assessed. To insure that the amplification is linear, the number of PCR cycles is minimized. This adaptation avoids 'competitive PCR' and provides for a linear response. Moreover, to obviate non-specific co-amplification, primer annealing steps are performed at or above the melting temperature for the primers, thus increasing signal-to-noise ratios. Finally, primer pairs have been designed which permit amplification of specific fragments for each of the five rat dopamine receptor subtypes. These fragments have unique sizes and so can be differentiated when simultaneously amplified in the same RNA preparations.
Motor cortex reorganization across the lifespan

The brain is a highly dynamic structure with the capacity for profound structural and functional change. Such neural plasticity has been well characterized within motor cortex and is believed to represent one of the neural mechanisms for acquiring and modifying motor behaviors. A number of behavioral and neural signals have been identified that modulate motor cortex plasticity throughout the lifespan in both the intact and damaged brain. Specific signals discussed in this review include: motor learning in the intact brain, motor relearning in the damaged brain, cortical stimulation, stage of development and genotype. Clinicians are encouraged to harness these signals in the development and implementation of treatment so as to maximally drive neural plasticity and functional improvements in speech, language and swallowing. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to: (1) describe a set of behavioral and neural signals that modulate motor cortex plasticity in the intact and damaged brain; (2) describe the influence of stage of development on plasticity and functional outcomes; and (3) identify a known genotype that alters the capacity for motor learning and brain plasticity.
A series of point mutations reveal interactions between the calcium-binding sites of calmodulin

Calmodulin is a member of the "EF-hand" family of Ca(2+)-binding proteins. It consists of two homologous globular domains, each containing two helix-loop-helix Ca(2+)-binding sites. To examine the contribution of individual Ca(2+)-binding sites to the Ca(2+)-binding properties of CaM, a series of four site-directed mutants has been studied. In each, the glutamic acid at position 12 in one of the four Ca(2+)-binding loops has been changed to a glutamine. One-dimensional 1H-NMR has been used to monitor Ca(2+)-induced changes in the mutant proteins, and the spectral changes observed for each mutant have been compared to those for wild-type CaM. In this way, the effect of each mutation on both the mutated site and the other Ca(2+)-binding sites has been examined. The mutation of glutamate to glutamine at position 12 in any of the EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding loops greatly decreases the Ca(2+)-binding affinity at that site, yet differs in the overall effects on Ca2+ binding depending on which of the four sites is mutated. When the mutation is in site I, there is only a small decrease in the apparent Ca(2+)-binding affinity of site II, and vice versa. Mutation in either site III or IV results in a large decrease in the apparent Ca(2+)-binding affinities of the partner C-terminal site. In both the N- and C-terminal domains, evidence for altered conformational effects in the partners of mutated sites is presented. In the C-terminus, the conformational consequences of mutating site III or site IV are strikingly different.
Implementation of a Large-Scale Optimal Power Flow Solver Based on Semidefinite Programming

The application of semidefinite programming to the optimal power flow (OPF) problem has recently attracted significant research interest. This paper provides advances in modeling and computation required for solving the OPF problem for large-scale, general power system models. Specifically, a semidefinite programming relaxation of the OPF problem is presented that incorporates multiple generators at the same bus and parallel lines. Recent research in matrix completion techniques that decompose a single large matrix constrained to be positive semidefinite into many smaller matrices has made solution of OPF problems using semidefinite programming computationally tractable for large system models. We provide three advances to existing decomposition techniques: a matrix combination algorithm that further decreases solver time, a modification to an existing decomposition technique that extends its applicability to general power system networks, and a method for obtaining the optimal voltage profile from the solution to a decomposed semidefinite program.
Psychological consequences of child maltreatment in homeless adolescents: untangling the unique effects of maltreatment and family environment.

Abstract Objective: This study examined the differential effects of various forms of abuse, as well as their combined effects. The study also sought to separate the factors uniquely associated with abuse from those associated with the more general problems present in an abusive family environment. Methodology: Data were collected from 329 homeless adolescents. Preliminary analyses indicated some degree of matching for family background variables. Any differences in demographic or family characteristics were controlled for statistically. Results: Chi-square analyses revealed significant differences across groups for rates of assault, rape, depression/dysthymia, and attempted suicide. Multivariate analyses (MANOVAs) indicated significant differences in severity of internalizing problems and cognitive problems. Without exception, the group with histories of both physical and sexual abuse exhibited the most severe symptomatology and was at greatest risk for revictimization. Multiple regression analyses suggested that abuse histories were predictive of internalizing problems while family characteristics were more predictive of externalizing problems. Conclusions: The findings indicate that both abuse type and family characteristics contribute to the development of symptomatology. Future prospective and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the sequelae of abuse, as well as the possible cause and effect relations between abuse, family characteristics, and psychological outcome.
Energy release rate approximation for small surface-breaking cracks using the topological derivative

Abstract The topological derivative provides the variation of a response functional when an infinitesimal hole of a particular shape is introduced at a point of the domain. In this fracture mechanics work we use the topological derivative to approximate the energy release rate field associated with a small crack at any boundary location and at any orientation. Our proposed method offers significant computational advantages over current finite element based methods since it requires a single analysis, whereas the others require a distinct analysis for each crack location–orientation combination. Moreover, the proposed method evaluates the topological derivative in the non-cracked domain which eliminates the need for tailored meshes in the crack region.
Tip Trajectory Mapping in Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique for probing biological macromolecules. In conventional AFM, knowledge of the local 3D tip position is not accessible; tip trajectories are inferred from cantilever deflection which supplies data of reduced dimensionality. Previously, we developed an ultrastable AFM (US-AFM) with atomic-scale tip-sample stability and registration in room temperature air. We have recently extended US-AFM to operate in fluid and in dynamic (e.g., “tapping”) mode, enabling precise studies of soft biological samples in their native environments. With the local tip position detection inherent in US-AFM, we have observed the trajectories of an AFM tip in 3D as it interacts with a sample surface in both tapping and contact modes in fluid. These observations provide a more complete picture of local tip dynamics during imaging and force spectroscopy.
The convergence of L1/2/3 functionality in next generation network elements - A carrier's perspective

As services migrate from being primarily TDM-based to more packet-centric, it makes sense to also integrate into the transport equipment those functions that are needed to provide optimized connectivity. This presentation will focus on the rational for application-optimized transport and how this will benefit next-generation core networks.
Separations Using Aphrons

(1985). Separations Using Aphrons. Separation and Purification Methods: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 127-148.
Canada's Potential Growth: Another Victim of the Crisis?

This study investigates the impact of the current financial crisis on Canada's potential GDP growth. Using a simple accounting framework to decompose trend GDP growth into changes in capital, labor services and total factor productivity, we find a sizeable drop in Canadian potential growth in the short term. The estimated decline of about 1 percentage point originates from a sharply decelerating capital stock accumulation (as investment has dropped steeply) and a rising long-term unemployment rate (which would raise equilibrium unemployment rates). However, over the medium term, we expect Canada's potential GDP growth to gradually rise to around 2 percent, below the pre-crisis growth rate, mostly reflecting the effects of population aging and a secular decline in average working hours.
Operating Experience with a Modular Digital Data System for High Energy Physics

A modular digital data system originally designed for magnetostrictive wire spark chambers has been expanded to include most digital high energy physics data. The system is built around a 12 bit data bus and has been implemented for a number of computers and other output devices. This paper summarizes three years of operating experience.
High-density substrate incident magneto-optic recording using a solid immersion lens

A system demonstrating ultra-high optical recording densities is presented. A substrate incident solid immersion lens was implemented and integrated into a blue wavelength optical spin stand. The spin stand was designed to work without a focus or tracking servo. The optical readout spot size was determined to be approximately 250 nm from the impulse response of the system and was also verified by swept sine wave methods. The system signal-to-noise characteristics were determined by integration of the Fourier decomposition of the readout signal and by autocorrelation techniques. The signal to noise ratio for low frequency data was 23 dB. Finally, domains as small as 80 nm were recorded and readout using this system and the associated signal to noise ratio was shown to be approximately 10 dB.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The interaction of alpha-lactalbumin with tris cation and other cationic hydroxamines

Abstract In the course of physical studies on alpha-lactalbumin, the “B protein” of the lactose synthetase system, anomalous behavior was observed in starch gel electrophoresis experiments when they were carried out in Tris buffer at pH 7.0. Further investigation has confirmed this anomalous behavior both in starch gel and in cellulose acetate electrophoresis experiments. The sharp pH dependence of this effect near the pK a of the Tris amino group suggests a requirement for the cationic amine. A simple series of dilution experiments and electrophoretic runs in various buffer salts were carried out. The effect was found to be reversible upon dilution or addition of a second salt or buffer system. Anomalous behavior was also found in D-glucosamine buffers at pH 6.5. This alteration in the apparent net charge of alphalactalbumin is attributed to the binding of the protonated hydroxyamine species.
Nephropathy in patients after Fontan palliation

Abstract As the effect of Fontan circulation on the kidneys has not been defined, the purpose of this study was to determine whether it is associated with nephropathy. Methods Patients with single ventricle physiology at least 2 years after Fontan procedure with normal cardiac function by echocardiography, history of normal renal ultrasound, and no co-morbidities known to affect the kidneys were evaluated. Patient's demographics, diagnoses, pre- and post-Fontan catheterization data, and current medications were collected. A current glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated. Morning urine samples were collected for microalbumin/creatinine ratio (MCR). Results Twenty-one subjects (M:F=13:8, ages 15.2+/−8.8 years) were studied. Primary diagnoses included hypoplastic left ventricle in 9, forms of hypoplastic right ventricle in 10, and unbalanced atrio-ventricular canal in 2 patients. Time after Fontan completion was 11.4+/−6.5 years. Current medications included aspirin (14 patients), coumadin (4), enalapril (8), lisinopril (10), digoxin (11), diuretics (5), and beta-blockers (5). Four subjects had pacemakers. All patients had a normal blood pressure and eGFR. Nine patients (43%) had a pathologic MCR (>20 µg/mg). There were no significant differences between the MCR-normal and MCR-abnormal groups in age, gender, type of single ventricle, type of the procedure, age at or time since Fontan operation. The groups differed in post-Fontan pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) ( p r =0.51, p r =0.61, p =0.02 respectively). The MCR-normal and MCR-abnormal groups did not differ in pacemaker, digoxin, diuretics, or anticoagulant use. However, the groups were different in using ACE inhibitors with a negative correlation ( r =−0.45, p =0.04) between the MCR and lisinopril-equivalent ACE inhibitor dose. Moreover, no patient receiving a lisinopril-equivalent dose greater than 0.4 mg/kg/day had pathologic microalbuminuria. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that patients with Fontan circulation have high incidence of pathologic microalbuminuria, an indicator of renal injury. The use of ACE inhibitors may be beneficial in preserving their renal function.
Calculating large systems with plane waves: Is it a N3 or N2 scaling problem?

Abstract It is commonly asserted that in performing large scale plane wave calculations with N plane waves, and indirect diagonalization, the N 3 orthogonalization step quickly becomes the limiting factor. Using a pre-condition Lanczos subspace diagonalization algorithm we find that while the orthogonalization will eventually become the dominate cpu restriction, this is not the limiting factor. Typically the limitation resides not with the cpu, but with the memory limitations of the current computer systems. The memory needed to store the wave functions scales as N atom 2 . This scaling “limitation” is reached before the cpu time becomes the dominate factor. We illustrate this scaling with a Na vacancy calculation using up to 2000 atoms.
Combined Effects of Cadmium and Zinc on a Lake Mighican Zooplankton Community

Two 3-week experiments with small enclosures were conducted in situ in northeastern Green Bay, Lake Michigan, to compare the effects of separate and combined additions of cadmium and zinc on the zooplankton community. The radioisotopes 109Cd and 65Zn were used as tracers to determine the sorption of cadmium and zinc by different particle size fractions. Separate additions of 2 μg Cd/L or 100 μg Zn/L, as well as combined additions of 2 μg Cd/L + 100 μg Zn/Lor 1 μg Cd/L + 50 μg Zn/L, caused significant reductions of total crustacean density, species diversity, two community similarity indices, and final dissolved oxygen concentration. The effects of separate additions of 100 μg Zn/L were generally more pronounced than those of 2 μg Cd/L, but were similar to those of ∼5 μg Cd/L. The effects of combined additions of 2 μg Cd/L + 100 μg Zn/L were not significantly different from those of 100 μg Zn/Lalone and were primarily due to zinc because it reduced cadmium uptake by the plankton (10–85 μm and >85 μm fractions). The effects of combined additions of l μg Cd/L + 50 μg Zn/L probably were also mainly due to zinc. The overall results of this study suggest that less than a ten-fold increase in the concentration of zinc in Lake Michigan (presently ∼5 μg/L) could have pronounced effects on the plankton community.
Bullous Pemphigoid: Elution of in Vivo-Fixed Antibody

Bullous pemphigoid is characterized by the presence of both circulating and tissue-fixed antibasement-membrane zone (BMZ) antibody. The present study determined the organ location and specificity of antibody fixed in vivo from a patient who died with active pemphigoid. Direct immunofluorescence (IF) of several organs revealed BMZ antibody only in the skin, esophagus, and vagina. BMZ antibody, however, was eluted with citric acid buffer (pH 2.2) from skin, esophagus, vagina, and trachea. The eluted antibody was similar to the circulating pemphigoid antibody in terms of IgG subclass, tubular pattern, and inability to fix complement. However, the two antibodies do not seem to share the same antigenic site or at least do not share equal affinity for the antigenic sites. Complement studies revealed activation of both the classic and the alternate pathways within the tissue and reduction of all complement components within the blister fluid.
Proposed minimum rates of surgery to support desirable health outcomes: an observational study based on four strategies.

Abstract Background The global volume of surgery in 2012 is estimated at 312·9 million operations per year, but rates of surgery vary substantially. Maternal health advocates proposed minimum caesarean delivery rates for benchmarking and to improve perinatal outcomes; however, this has not been done for surgery because the association between rates of surgical care provision as a whole and population health outcomes have not been well described. We use available data to estimate minimum rates of surgery that are associated with important health indicators. Methods We defined surgical operations as procedures done in operating theatres that need general or regional anaesthesia or profound sedation to control pain. We used four strategies to identify rates of surgery based on estimated rates of surgery per country for 2012 associated with life expectancy of 74–75 years; estimated rates of surgery associated with a maternal mortality ratio of less than or equal to 100 per 100 000 live births; estimated minimum need for surgery in the 21 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) regions based on the prevalence of disorders; and surgical rates from the so-called 4C countries (Chile, China, Costa Rica, and Cuba) identified in The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery as exemplary for their achievement of high health status, despite resource limitations. Findings Based on 2012 national surgical rates, countries with reported life expectancy of 74–75 years (n=17) had a median surgical rate of 4392 (IQR 2897–4873) operations per 100 000 population annually. The median surgical rate associated with maternal mortality ratio lower than 100 (n=109) is 5028 (IQR 4139–6778) operations per 100 000 population annually. The median surgical rate estimated for all 21 GBD regions was 4669 (IQR 4339–5291) operations per 100 000 population annually. The 4C countries had a mean surgical rate of 4344 (95% CI 2620–6068) operations per 100 000 population annually. 13 of the 21 GBD regions, accounting for 78% of the world's population, do not achieve the lowest end of the surgical rate range. Interpretation We identified a surprisingly narrow range of surgical rates associated with important health indicators. This target range can be used for benchmarking of surgical services, and as part of a policy aimed at strengthening health-care systems and surgical capacity. Funding None.
Tandem intracranial stent deployment for treatment of an iatrogenic, flow-limiting, basilar artery dissection: technical case report.

Objective and importance Intimal dissection constitutes one of the complications associated with angioplasty of intracranial vessels. We present a case of iatrogenic dissection of the entire basilar artery, which was induced by angioplasty and stenting of symptomatic, focal, intracranial vertebral artery stenosis, and its successful treatment with tandem deployment of a downstream stent. Clinical presentation A 61-year-old, hypertensive, renal transplant recipient presented with orthostatic vertebrobasilar insufficiency that was refractory to medical management, including anticoagulation therapy. Angiography revealed an occluded right vertebral artery and focal, high-grade, left intracranial vertebral artery stenosis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple posterior fossa infarctions. The left intracranial vertebral artery stenosis was successfully treated with primary stent deployment and balloon angioplasty, with symptom resolution. On postprocedure Day 2, the patient noted worsening right hemiparesis. Intervention Subsequent angiography revealed a flow-limiting, windsock-type, basilar artery dissection beginning at the distal end of the left vertebral artery stent and extending to the origin of the left posterior cerebral artery. A tandem stent was navigated intracranially and deployed past the first one, successfully sealing the dissection inflow zone and reconstituting normal flow to the top of the basilar artery. A clinical follow-up examination at 3 months revealed no further orthostatic symptoms and only mild residual right-sided weakness. Conclusion This is the first description of iatrogenic stent-induced dissection of the entire basilar artery that was successfully treated by inflow zone control via tandem intracranial stent deployment.
Effect of pressure on solute diffusivity, solvent viscosity and column temperature in liquid chromatography

Abstract The interrelationship between column pressure, solvent viscosity, solute diffusivity and column temperature is complex. Any increase in inlet pressure to provide a higher flow-rate and consequently a faster analysis increases solvent viscosity and column temperature and decreases solute diffusivity. However, a higher column temperature resulting from increased operating pressure reduces the solvent viscosity and increases the solute diffusivity, thereby masking the direct effect of pressure on these variables. Ipso facto, the net effect of pressure and temperature on solute diffusivity for an unthermostated column can be relatively small; consequently, the effect of pressure on column efficiency and column resolution can be minimal for unthermostated columns. However, the effect of this temperature increase on solute retention is very significant for unthermostated columns and leads to a 5% change in the value of k′ for a solute by merely changing the flow-rate from 0.5 to 5 ml/min. Hence, as the heat generated in the column is directly related to the flow-rate and further as the heat transfer through the packed bed of the column is very poor, the use of well thermostated small-bore columns could be mandatory for the precise measurement of solute retention.
2.4 A resolution crystal structure of the prototypical hormone-processing protease Kex2 in complex with an Ala-Lys-Arg boronic acid inhibitor.

This paper reports the first structure of a member of the Kex2/furin family of eukaryotic pro-protein processing proteases, which cleave sites consisting of pairs or clusters of basic residues. Reported is the 2.4 A resolution crystal structure of the two-domain protein ssKex2 in complex with an Ac-Ala-Lys-boroArg inhibitor (R = 20.9%, Rfree = 24.5%). The Kex2 proteolytic domain is similar in its global fold to the subtilisin-like superfamily of degradative proteases. Analysis of the complex provides a structural basis for the extreme selectivity of this enzyme family that has evolved from a nonspecific subtilisin-like ancestor. The P-domain of ssKex2 has a novel jelly roll like fold consisting of nine β strands and may potentially be involved, along with the buried Ca2+ ion, in creating the highly determined binding site for P1 arginine.
On the Sources of Summertime Haze in the Eastern United States

The summertime haze transported from the Gulf Coast northward in maritime tropical air masses is partially formed from emissions in the midwestern and northeastern United States. Several cases are documented in which sulfate particulates, formed from emissions in the Midwest and Northeast, traveled to the Gulf of Mexico and, in some cases, returned to their source regions.
Influence of chimneys on combustion characteristics of buoyantly driven biomass stoves

Abstract This work examines whether a chimney has influence over the combustion characteristics of biomass within a stove. Experimental work as well as a simplified chemical kinetic model suggests that a chimney plays an active role in the performance of a stove by influencing the overall air-to-fuel ratio and subsequently the production of carbon monoxide. Two different stoves, operated at multiple wood consumption rates, were shown to run with steady state excess air of 300 % − 1250 %. The wood consumption rate was found to be independent of the chimney draft for both stoves. Increasing draft was shown to increase excess air. Draft served to cool combustion gases through dilution with makeup air. Increasing excess air decreased modified combustion efficiency in experiments and kinetic modeling. Increasing the frictional loss coefficient of a chimney by decreasing the diameter was shown to reduce CO production through a reduction of excess air.
What Lessons do Coming Out as Gay Men or Lesbians have for People Stigmatized by Mental Illness

Goffman (Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity, Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NH, 1963) distinguished stigmatized groups as discredited (with relatively obvious marks such as people of color or gender) or discreditable (without obvious marks, causing stigma to be largely hidden). Like gay men and lesbians, people with various mental illnesses can opt to stay in the closet about these conditions in order to avoid corresponding prejudice and discrimination. In this study, we completed semi-structured interviews with 13 gay men and lesbians in order to better understand the personally perceived consequences that guide the coming out process. This information would, in turn, help us to better comprehend the process of coming out for people with mental illnesses. Interview participants identified specific benefits and costs. Benefits that promote disclosure include acceptance, community, and comfort and happiness. Costs that diminish coming out decisions include shame and conformity as well as harm and discrimination. We then postulated how these consequences might manifest themselves in the disclosure process of people with serious mental illnesses. Finally, implications for stigma management and change were considered.
Burn injury primes naive CD4+ T cells for an augmented T-helper 1 response

Abstract Background: The mechanisms responsible for altered T-cell responses and cytokine production after injury are not well understood. We used T-cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice to study burn injury effects on naive versus antigen-activated CD4+ T cells in vivo. Methods: One week after sham or burn injury, lymph node cells were prepared from TCR transgenic mice and stimulated with TCR transgene-specific antigens. T-cell proliferation was measured and culture supernatants were tested for interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-4, and IL-10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Burn injury effects on antigen-activated T cells were studied by immunizing TCR transgenic or wild-type mice at the time of injury. Results: The antigen-stimulated proliferation of naive CD4+ T cells was unaffected by burn injury and no increase in T-helper 2 (Th2)-type cytokine production was observed. Instead, burn injury augmented IFN-γ production by naive CD4+ transgenic T cells, and IL-2 production was marginally reduced. Thus, burn injury primed naive T cells for an enhanced Th1-type response. In contrast, antigen-specific proliferation, IL-2, and IFN-γ production by T cells harvested from immunized wild-type mice were suppressed. Unexpectedly, high mortality was observed when burn-injured TCR transgenic mice were immunized. Conclusion: Our results show that burn injury has differential effects on naive and antigen-activated CD4+ T cells and can prime naive CD4+ T cells. (Surgery 1998;124:269-77.)
Playing a game with changing rules: geography, politics and redistricting in the 1990s

Abstract The 1990s round of redistricting in the United States has produced an historic level of controversy and litigation. What are the origins of this controversy and confusion? Are there means by which the next round of redistricting might avoid some of these problems? The purpose of this paper is to examine these questions. Examples are employed from the redistricting experience of Alabama, a state not known for resolving political disputes in a timely and diplomatic fashion. Among those issues considered are racial equity, equal population, and compactness concerns. It is concluded that more explicit redistricting guidelines in tandem with a system of region-based cumulative voting would significantly reduce the controversy in the next round of redistricting.
Species differences in the interest shown in infants by juvenile female macaques ( Macaca radiata and M. mulatta )

Using a focal animal technique, 16 juvenile female rhesus and bonnet macaques (2–3 years old) were observed with respect to the frequency and duration of their contacts with infants (0–1 year old). Each of these subjects was a member of one of four seminatural groups of macaques housed in 0.5-acre field cages at the California Primate Research Center. Rhesus juvenile females became very interested in infants when the latter were quite young, and maintained that interest throughout the study. When the infants were approximately 3–4 months old, the rhesus juveniles spent, on the average, 3.9 min/hr with those infants. By the time the infants were yearlings, the time spent with infants was approximately 6 min/hr. Relative to the rhesus, the bonnet juveniles showed less interest (about 2.2 min/hr) in young (3- to 4- month-old) infants, although by the time the infants were yearlings, the bonnets spent about 5.6 min/hr with them. Rhesus juveniles preferred sibling over nonsibling infants, but the presence of a sibling was not a necessary requirement for infant-directed behavior. The two bonnet juveniles who had infant siblings showed no preference for the latter. These data were interpreted within the framework of Quiatt’s [(1979) Am. Anthropol. 81: 310–319 conclusions about allomaternal behavior. Specifically, it was argued that, to the extent that there are species differences in maternal behavior, there should also be species differences in allomaternal behavior. The species differences in the maternal styles of rhesus and bonnet macaques provide a basis for an examination of this hypothesis.
Quantitative NMR spectroscopy by matrix pencil methods

The matrix pencil (MP) method, based on the singular value decomposition (SVD), is applied to quantitative NMR spectroscopy. Its relationship to other SVD-based methods is also presented. Simulations and applications are given to demonstrate the capability of superior performance.©1993 John Wiley & Sons Inc
Alterations in brain norepinephrine metabolism induced by environmental stimuli previously paired with inescapable shock

Footshock stress produced an immediate increase in brain concentrations of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate (MHPG-SO4), a major metabolite of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, in the rat brain. Twenty-four hours after footshock stress, when concentrations had returned to baseline, increases in MHPG-SO4 and emotional behavior could be elicited by previously neutral environmental stimuli that had been paired with the stress.
Macrophage migration inhibition with mouse tumor antigens: Properties of serum and peritoneal cells during tumor growth and after tumor loss☆

Abstract Sera and peritoneal cells (PC) were obtained from mice bearing primary Moloney virus-induced tumors or transplanted chemically induced tumors (“progressor” mice) and from mice in which these tumors had spontaneously regressed or had been surgically removed (“regressor” mice). No stimulus was given to produce peritoneal exudates. PC from the two types of tumor-treated animals were distinguishable. “Regressor” cells had their migration in culture inhibited by the corresponding soluble tumor antigen, whereas “progressor” cells did not. Mixtures of the two kinds of PC were not inhibited. “Progressor” PC produced a soluble substance in vitro which could block the normal inhibition of “regressor” cells. Sera from the two types of mice were also different. “Progressor” serum blocked the migration inhibition usually found with “regressor” PC. “Regressor” serum not only lacked this property but was able to unblock “progressor” PC, so that mixtures of the latter cells with this serum were inhibited by tumor antigen. Macrophage migration inhibition thus revealed cellular immunity and humoral factors analogous to those found by other techniques in animals and human subjects exposed to tumor antigens.
Plasmacellular lymphadenopathy produced in rats by tin

Abstract Metallic tin powder induced granulomatous inflammation at the site of inoculation and in draining lymph nodes. In addition, draining nodes were greatly enlarged by proliferation of plasma cells and Russell body cells. Granulomatous response was common to many strains of rats, but only Lewis rats developed striking plasmacellular hyperplasia, and it lasted only about 3 weeks. The spontaneous abatement of the plasma cell response was not due to corrosion of the tin in vivo because tin particles recovered from the tissues 2 weeks after inoculation were still able to induce plasma cells. Treatment of tin with heat, organic solvents, or several oxidizing and reducing reagents did not destroy its potency, but some chemicals diminished its effectiveness by inducing aggregation or stickiness. Other metals, and compounds of tin, did not produce the same reaction. Tin-treated rats had elevated serum IgG but the immunological significance of the plasma cell hyperplasia remains to be elucidated. Although plasmacellular lymphadenopathy was obtained only during a restricted period after inoculation of large doses of tin into a peculiarly susceptible animal, it does have a bearing on the putative role of tin as an essential nutrient and it will be a useful model for study of plasma cell hyperplasia.
Detection of prostate cancer using serum proteomics pattern in a histologically confirmed population.

ABSTRACTPurpose: We retrospectively identified a panel of serum proteins that can discriminate between men with prostate cancer (clinically organ confined) and men with benign prostate disease.Materials and Methods: A contemporary set of 345 men who had an archival serum sample available were included in this study. The cancer group consisted of 246 men who underwent radical prostatectomy at the Johns Hopkins Hospital between March 1999 and April 2001. The noncancer group included 99 men with no histological evidence of prostate cancer on biopsy between April 1997 and April 2001 at the same institution. Serum proteomics mass spectra of these patients were generated using ProteinChip arrays and a ProteinChip Biomarker System II surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometer (Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., Fremont, California). The cases and controls were randomly split into training and testing groups by a stratified sampling procedure. A combination of bioinformatics tools incl...
Rotation-Vibration Spectrum of the HD Molecule

AS is well known, the hydrogen molecule (H2) has no ordinary dipole infra-red spectrum. Its quadrupole rotation-vibration spectrum is exceedingly weak, and has only recently been found1. In the case of HD, on account of the asymmetry, there is no longer a distinction between symmetric and antisymmetric rotational levels, and a dipole rotation-vibration spectrum can occur at least in principle. However, the change of dipole moment associated with the vibration of HD is obviously very small. The main contribution to this change is due to the fact that the electrons lag slightly behind the nuclei during the vibrational motion. Wick2 has calculated according to wave mechanics the intensity of the fundamental of HD. From his data it can be estimated that the minimum absorbing path required for an observation of the fundamental of HD is 30 m. atm. For the overtones, correspondingly longer pathlengths would be required.
The Great Inflation Was Not Asymmetric: International Evidence

The rise and fall of inflation during the Great Inflation were events of approximately equal duration in developed economies. Relying on data-driven methods, this paper shows the American experience, in which inflation fell more quickly than it rose, was anomalous. This suggests that theories explaining the asymmetry in the American data may not be so applicable to a broader sample of countries.
From language structures to language use: A case from Mandarin motion expression classification

The place of Mandarin Chinese in Talmy’s two-way typology of motion expressions has been a focus of debate. Based primarily on linguistic intuition, some researchers consider Mandarin a Satellite-framed language, and some others consider it a Verb-framed language. This paper reports results from analyses of three different types of data from speakers’ actual language use in narrative discourse (one from elicited adults’ spoken narratives, one from written narratives in nine contemporary novels, and one from elicited children’s spoken narratives from ages 3 to 9) that suggest otherwise. Specifically, Mandarin shows a unique discourse style that matches neither Satellite-framed nor Verb-framed languages. The data provide evidence for categorizing Mandarin Chinese as the third language type: an equipollently-framed language. It is argued that examination of language use in discourse can provide insights for solving nutty problems that may not be resolved by merely looking at static linguistic structures.
Modulation of vascular tone by 12(R)-, but not 12(S)-, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid.

Abstract The vascular activity of the two stereoisomers of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) was assessed on rabbit thoracic aortic rings. In vessels contracted in K + -free media, 12(R)-HETE inhibited the relaxations produced by the addition of KCl, in a concentration-dependent manner, while 12(S)-HETE had little effect. 12(R)-HETE, but not the 12(S) isomer, potentiated phenylephrine-induced contractions of aortic rings in normal buffer. Thus 12(R)-HETE can modulate vascular tone, perhaps by inhibition of Na + , K + -ATPase activity.
Hysterectomy in the 21st century: different approaches, different challenges.

The final decision to perform a certain method of hysterectomy customarily mirrors experience and level of comfort with a particular surgical approach in the context of the patient's condition and indication for surgery. Given the morbidity and recovery associated with a laparotomic incision, every