cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RHODIUM-105 COMPLEXES AS POTENTIAL RADIOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS

Rhodium-105 complexes have been investigated for their suitability as the basis of potential bifunctional chelating agents for therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Rhodium-105 is a reactor-produced therapeutic radionuclide that is available in high specific activity. The chemistry and biology of several six-coordinate Rh(III) complexes of the general form [RhCl2L]+, where L is a tetradentate ligand containing at least three thioethers donor atoms, is discussed. The backbone chain length of the acyclic or macrocyclic ligand determines the geometry about the Rh(III) centre (cis vs. trans), with the larger ligands preferentially forming trans-dichloro complexes. The stability of all of the 105Rh complexes is very high (>5 days) and the biological clearance properties of the complexes are consistent with their relative lipophilicities.
Public Health and Arthritis: A Growing Imperative

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines public health as “the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science.” Until the mid-20th century, the field of public health was primarily concerned with the prevention and control of infectious diseases. More recently, public health scientists and practitioners have also been engaged in the prevention and control of chronic diseases. In the mid-19th century, when the therapeutic armamentarium of physicians was limited, the relationship between the fields of public health and medicine was very close. Indeed, most public health professionals were physicians. However, as biomedical science led to more and more diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for physicians in the 20th century, and as separate schools of medicine and public health were established in American universities, the fields have developed different approaches to solving health problems. Medicine has been primarily concerned with the diagnosis and the palliative and curative treatments of disease and the health of the individual patient. Public health has been primarily concerned with the prevention and control of disease and the health of the population. The goal of this chapter is to illustrate the magnitude of the arthritis public health problem in the United States and to describe potential public health approaches to mitigate this problem. In order to more clearly describe public health perspective, science, and intervention, contrasts will be made with the medical approach, but this should not be interpreted to mean that one approach is superior to the other. In fact, it is likely that arthritis patient–physician encounters will be more effective when arthritis public health efforts are successful and vice versa. It is this synergy for which both fields should be striving.
Traffic Light Cards: a Cross and Modification Between the Minute Paper and Muddiest Point

AbstractMuddiest point and minute paper have been popular techniques to obtain feedback from students. However, focusing on the muddiest point too often can be discouraging for both students and in...
Short-Term PV Output Forecasts with Support Vector Regression Optimized by Cuckoo Search and Differential Evolution Algorithms

Renewable energy sources have gained momentum in electric power systems. Without the ability to precisely forecast their power production, integrating these sources to the electric power grid may affect grid stability. Support Vector Regression (SVR) is proven to be able to capture and deal with nonlinearity in forecasting problems. However, determining the appropriate parameters for SVR is the key issue in attaining an accurate SVR forecasting model. The objective of this paper is to forecast the output power of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems using support vector regression, of which its parameters are optimized by Cuckoo Search (CS) and Differential evolution (DE) algorithms. Real-world solar data from the 6.4kW rooftop solar PV unit located at the Advance Research Institute (ARI) of Virginia Tech in Arlington, Virginia, are used as the basis of the forecast. Six input variables are used for model development, namely day, month, hour, global normal radiation, temperature and wind speed. Model performance is evaluated using statistical indicators. Results indicate that SVR with Radial Basis function optimized by CS and DE give the most accurate forecasts.
Rethinking gaming: The ethical work of optimization in web search engines.

When measures come to matter, those measured find themselves in a precarious situation. On the one hand, they have a strong incentive to respond to measurement so as to score a favourable rating. O...
Platelet thrombosis in human hemostasis; a histologic study of skin wounds in normal and purpuric individuals.

The histologic appearance of human skin puncture wounds obtained at biopsy, after measurement of the local bleeding times, has been studied in serial section in 3 patients with normal hemostasis and in 4 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. It is found that agglutinated platelets arrest hemorrhage in normal skin by rapidly sealing the mouths of all cut vessels larger than capillaries. Such platelet thrombi can resist the effective blood pressure in a cut arteriole of 55 micra. The puncture tract is normally filled with red cell-fibrin clot into which the platelet thrombi protrude. The red clot seals the mouth of the few opened capillaries which can be identified. Other capillaries may be sealed by endothelial agglutination. Fibrin does not enter or form within the injured vessels. Platelet thrombosis does not occur in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. When larger arterioles and venules are cut the bleeding time is greatly prolonged and fibrin fails to form within the wound because of the speed of blood flow. When smaller vessels are cut in purpura the bleeding time is moderately prolonged, but the cut vessels are eventually sealed by fibrin alone. In thrombocytopenic purpura the bleeding time is normal if only capillaries are cut, since these are normally sealed by fibrin. The similarity of the histologic appearance of human puncture wounds to that described after experimental vascular injury in other mammals, suggests considerable similarity in mammalian hemostatic mechanisms. Clinical bleeding time tests vary greatly in depth of puncture and in the caliber and number of the vessels cut. Sufficient volume of hemorrhage during the first minute is thought to be the best guide to an adequate test of the entire hemostatic mechanism.
The CdS/Cu(InGa)Se2 Solar Cells

Derived from the early Various cells have been explored in which In was alloyed with Ga to make Cu(In x Ga1−x )Se2 with various degree of composition, or others in which S was substituted for Se, or Ag was substituted for Cu. The electrical and optical properties are analyzed and the performance of solar cell made of these materials are discussed. Models for the operation are suggested. Attention is paid to the electrodes, deposition, treatment methods and the doping. Reasons to use soda lime glass as the preferred substrate are given. The role of Cu and Na for the cell operation is discussed. Models of the defect structure are given and the energies of traps and recombination centers are tabulated and their measurements are enumerated. The influence of grain boundaries and their passivation is described. The electrical solar cell performance and degradation under various conditions and long-term outdoor deployment is discussed. Economical aspects for mass productions are enumerated.
Probing cholesterol binding and translocation in P-glycoprotein.

Abstract P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is a biomedically important member of the ABC transporter superfamily that mediates multidrug resistance in various cancer types. Substrate binding and transport in Pgp are modulated by the presence of cholesterol in the membrane. Structural information on cholesterol binding sites and mechanistic details of its redistribution are, however, largely unknown. In this study, a set of 40 independent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Pgp embedded in cholesterol-rich lipid bilayers are reported, totaling 8 μs, enabling extensive sampling of cholesterol-protein interactions in Pgp. Clustering analyses of the ensemble of cholesterol molecules (∼5740) sampled around Pgp in these simulations reveal specific and asymmetric cholesterol-binding regions formed by the transmembrane (TM) helices TM1–6 and TM8. Notably, not all the putative cholesterol binding sites identified by MD can be predicted by the primary sequence based cholesterol-recognition amino acid consensus (CRAC) or inverted CRAC (CARC) motifs, an observation that we attribute to inadequacy of these motifs to account for binding sites formed by remote amino acids in the sequence that can still be spatially adjacent to each other. Binding of cholesterol to Pgp occurs more frequently through its rough β-face formed by the two protruding methyl groups, whereas the opposite smooth α-face prefers packing alongside the membrane lipids. One full and two partial cholesterol flipping events between the two leaflets of the bilayer mediated by the surface of Pgp are also captured in these simulations. All flipping events are observed in a region formed by helices TM1, TM2, and TM11, featuring two full and two partial CRAC/CARC motifs, with Tyr49 and Tyr126 identified as key residues interacting with cholesterol during this event. Our study is the first to report direct observation of unconventional cholesterol translocation on the surface of Pgp, providing a secondary transport model for the known flippase activity of ABC exporters of cholesterol. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Molecular biophysics of membranes and membrane proteins.
Results: Establishing a Base

The descriptive statistics for the base model are described in the following areas: social capital assets, investment assets and new worth, age and status, and demographic cohorts of couples and singles households, states of residence, and age groups. Data is further analyzed using scaling factors by state of residence, age and marital status, and socioeconomic cohort groups of net worth ranges, home ownership, mortgage debt, business ownership, and earned income.
Orlando Patterson, his work, and his legacy: a special issue in celebration of the republication of Slavery and Social Death

The reissue of Orlando Patterson’s Slavery and Social Death provides an opportunity to reflect on developments in studies of slavery, postcolonial sociology, and comparative-historical sociology since the book’s initial release in 1982. In this special issue of Theory and Society, contributors from ancient history, anthropology, and sociology examine the book’s broader intellectual significance by situating it in Patterson’s corpus, covering a range of works including his fiction and scholarly publications, early work on Jamaican slave revolts, and private correspondence with key thinkers. The volume’s ambit, then, is not a single book but rather a broader field of social thought. As the articles in this issue demonstrate, the concepts and theories introduced by Patterson are still vital. In some ways, we argue, a Pattersonian sociology has only recently come to its full fruition, thanks to ongoing developments in postcolonial studies, critical race studies, anthropological and historical study of slavery, globalization studies, and feminist theory.
1.3 Intersectional Representation on State Supreme Courts

Women of color face unique hurdles gaining equal access to the legal profession. This chapter considers the representation of women of color on state supreme courts, emphasizing the importance of judicial selection institutions. It makes two empirical contributions. First, it highlights women of color serving on state supreme courts through 2016 — individuals who have received comparatively little recognition for their achievements. Second, using original data on state supreme court seatings from 1960 through 2016, I examine whether selection institutions are associated with intersectional differences in seating new justices. The results indicate that women of color are more likely to be seated under appointment systems. Compared to other gender-race combinations, the results are similar for men of color, while white men are more likely to be seated through elections. Selection system choice is not associated with differences in seating white women. The results have important implications for our understanding of intersectional political representation and the judicial selection debate.
Topics for Inclusive Parent-Child Sex Communication by Gay, Bisexual, Queer Youth

The purposes of this study were to identify the sexuality-related topics parents and gay, bisexual, or queer (GBQ) adolescent males discussed at home and to describe the topics GBQ adolescent males recommend for parents to discuss with future cohorts of GBQ youth. Minimal research on parent-child sex communication with sexual minority adolescents prevents the development of interventions that would benefit adolescent males with same-sex attractions, behaviors and identities. As part of a multimethod qualitative study, we interviewed 30 GBQ adolescent males ages 15-20 and asked them to perform card sorts. From a list of 48 topics, we explored sexuality-related issues GBQ males were familiar with, the topics they discussed with a parent, and topics they suggested parents address with GBQ males at home. Most participants reported that parents assumed them heterosexual during sex talks prior to GBQ adolescent males' coming out. Participants challenged the heteronormative scripts used by parents when discussing sex and health. Participants identified sexuality topics that parents did not routinely cover during sex talks, but that GBQ youth felt would have been useful for them growing up with emergent identities. A non-heteronormative approach to parent-child sex communication is recommended to provide appropriate guidance about sex and HIV/STI prevention to this youth population. Our findings highlight a need to reconfigure parental sexuality scripts to be more inclusive when assisting GBQ males navigate adolescence.
Substrate-dependent suppression of oxidative phosphorylation in the Frataxin-depleted heart

ABSTRACT Friedreich’s ataxia is an inherited disorder caused by depletion of frataxin (FXN), a mitochondrial protein involved in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Cardiac dysfunction is the main cause of death; pathogenesis remains poorly understood but is expected to be linked to an energy deficit. In mice with adult-onset FXN loss, bioenergetics analysis of heart mitochondria revealed a time- and substrate-dependent decrease in oxidative phosphorylation (oxphos). Oxphos was lower with substrates that depend on Complex I and II, but preserved for lipid substrates. This differential substrate vulnerability is consistent with the half-lives for mitochondrial proteins, and with the abundance of Fe-S clusters in proteins of different substrate oxidation pathways. Though cardiac contractility was preserved, likely due to sustained β-oxidation, a stress response was stimulated, characterized by activated mTORC1 and the p-eIF2α/ATF4 axis. Indeed, global protein translation was lower, which may account for a decrease in FXN-depleted hearts, and would help to lower ADP demand, which would be protective. This study exposes an unrecognized mechanism that maintains oxphos in the FXN-depleted heart. The stress response that nonetheless occurs suggests energy deficit-independent pathogenesis.
Cleaning and Disinfection Perceptions and Use Practices Among Elastomeric Respirator Users in Health care.

Background:Reusable elastomeric respirator use in health care may represent one solution to address N95 respirator shortages experienced during infectious disease outbreaks, but cleaning and disinf...
Black markets: Fascist constructions of race in East African marketplace newsreels:

This article investigates East African marketplace films to trace the developmental arc and varieties of Italian Fascist racism in empire. Totalling over 70 in number, these bantam adventures in so...
The KRAS and other prenylated polybasic domain membrane anchors recognize phosphatidylserine acyl chain structure.

KRAS interacts with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane (PM) using a hybrid anchor that comprises a lysine-rich polybasic domain (PBD) and a C-terminal farnesyl chain. Electrostatic interactions have been envisaged as the primary determinant of interactions between KRAS and membranes. Here, we integrated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and superresolution spatial analysis in mammalian cells and systematically compared four equally charged KRAS anchors: the wild-type farnesyl hexa-lysine and engineered mutants comprising farnesyl hexa-arginine, geranylgeranyl hexa-lysine, and geranylgeranyl hexa-arginine. MD simulations show that these equally charged KRAS mutant anchors exhibit distinct interactions and packing patterns with different phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) species, indicating that prenylated PBD–bilayer interactions extend beyond electrostatics. Similar observations were apparent in intact cells, where each anchor exhibited binding specificities for PtdSer species with distinct acyl chain compositions. Acyl chain composition determined responsiveness of the spatial organization of different PtdSer species to diverse PM perturbations, including transmembrane potential, cholesterol depletion, and PM curvature. In consequence, the spatial organization and PM binding of each KRAS anchor precisely reflected the behavior of its preferred PtdSer ligand to these same PM perturbations. Taken together these results show that small GTPase PBD-prenyl anchors, such as that of KRAS, have the capacity to encode binding specificity for specific acyl chains as well as lipid headgroups, which allow differential responses to biophysical perturbations that may have biological and signaling consequences for the anchored GTPase.
Neural Processing of Repeated Emotional Scenes in Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder

Impaired emotional processing and cognitive functioning are common in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorders, causing significant socioemotional disability. While a large body of research demonstrates abnormal cognition/emotion interactions in these disorders, previous studies investigating abnormalities in the emotional scene response using event-related potentials (ERPs) have yielded mixed findings, and few studies compare findings across psychiatric diagnoses. The current study investigates the effects of emotion and repetition on ERPs in a large, well-characterized sample of participants with schizophrenia-bipolar syndromes. Two ERP components that are modulated by emotional content and scene repetition, the early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP), were recorded in healthy controls and participants with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and bipolar disorder without psychosis. Effects of emotion and repetition were compared across groups. Results displayed significant but small effects in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, with diminished EPN amplitudes to neutral and novel scenes, reduced LPP amplitudes to emotional scenes, and attenuated effects of scene repetition. Despite significant findings, small effect sizes indicate that emotional scene processing is predominantly intact in these disorders. Multivariate analyses indicate that these mild ERP abnormalities are related to cognition, psychosocial functioning, and psychosis severity. This relationship suggests that impaired cognition, rather than diagnosis or mood disturbance, may underlie disrupted neural scene processing in schizophrenia-bipolar syndromes.
Management Systems for Low-Probability/High-Consequence Events

The technical demands of the field of risk analysis have drawn attention away from means for integrating risk analysis into agency decision making, i. e., risk management. This paper explores one aspect of risk management, the structure of decision making, in the context of decisions about risks associated with toxic substances. Decision-making structure is characterized by periods of “openness” (when information flows into the system are relatively unrestricted) and periods of “closure” (which is a more circumscribed process in which information inputs are more restrictige, and the ordering of decision-making steps tends to be more organized). It is hypothesized that: decision-making processes for low-probability/high-consequence events continuously vascillate between “openness” and “closure,” and the effectiveness of the ultimate outcome of the decision depends upon the timing of these two stages relative to one another. This hypothesis is illustrated with a number of toxic substance cases. It is concluded that while the relationship between openness and closure is important, it changes for different circumstances and hard-fast rules are elusive.
Distributed processing in cultured neuronal networks.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses efforts from a number of groups that lay the groundwork for an in vitro approach to study the population coding. Most researchers studying population coding are working with intact, living animals. The cultured neuronal networks lack many features of real brains, but they retain many others. They develop organotypic synaptic connections and exhibit a rich variety of distributed patterns of electrical activity. Progress in multi-electrode array technology, optical recording, and multi-photon microscopy, made it possible that every cell in a cultured monolayer network can be observed, monitored, stimulated, and manipulated with temporal resolution in the sub millisecond range, and spatial resolution in the submicron range, in a non-destructive manner. The nascent field of population coding in networks of cultured neurons is poised for rapid expansion. Neural cell culture, long-term multi-electrode recording and stimulation, and multi-single-unit optical recording are now accessible to many labs. Computers are fast and cheap enough to allow real-time spike analysis and stimulus generation, which makes it possible to give cultured networks a simulated body to behave with, and an environment to interact with. By allowing the culture to behave and receive sensory input, meaning can be ascribed to the patterns of electrical activity it produces, and persistent changes in network activity can be thought of as learning.
The problem with low pricing: buffet lunch and regret (1019.15)

Objective: Will the price people pay for an All-you-can-eat buffet influences them to overeat and to feel guilty about how much they eat? This has implications for consumers, restaurants and public...
Developing land use/land cover parameterization for climate–land modelling in East Africa

Regional climate modeling studies now have numerous choices in selecting land use/land cover (LULC) products to provide land surface parameter information. The various LULC products were developed with different objectives, methods and data sources. Not all new LULC products have land classes that match the land class types defined in climate models. More importantly, when used in regional climate models, simulation results can vary significantly depending on the LULC products. Thus, developing appropriate LULC parameterization for climate models becomes critical depending on objectives and efforts. The objective of this paper is to develop the most accurate LULC scheme possible for East Africa for implementation in the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). A crosswalk procedure, based on assessments of various LULC products, was performed connecting land class types in RAMS and the newly created LULC scheme. No simulations are discussed here; rather, we present an outline of the procedures that we...
Lifelong estrogen exposure and cognitive performance in elderly women.

Fluctuating endogenous and exogenous estrogens influence cognition in women. In this study, cognitive functioning in elderly women was examined by applying methodology used in understanding the effects of chronic estrogen exposure on hormone-sensitive tissue other than the brain. An index, combining menstrual, reproductive, and physical markers associated with estrogen levels, was developed for elderly, nondemented, predominantly Caucasian women (n = 87). This index related to better performance on two verbal factors, one attentional and one global in nature. Findings suggest that estrogen exposure across the life span plays a role in brain aging. Possible physiological mechanisms for this effect are discussed.
The genetic architecture of quantitative traits: lessons from Drosophila

Understanding the genetic architecture of quantitative traits begins with identifying the genes regulating these traits, mapping the subset of genetically varying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in natural populations, and pinpointing the molecular polymorphisms defining QTL alleles. Studies in Drosophila have revealed large numbers of pleiotropic genes that interact epistatically to regulate quantitative traits, and large numbers of QTLs with sex-, environment- and genotype-specific effects. Multiple molecular polymorphisms in regulatory regions of candidate genes are often associated with variation for complex traits. These observations offer valuable lessons for understanding the genetic basis of variation for complex traits in other organisms, including humans.
Role of ATP and beta-gamma-iminoadenosinetriphosphate in the stimulation of epinephrine and protein release from isolated adrenal secretory vesicles.

Abstract ATP-stimulated release of epinephrine and protein from isolated chromaffin granules of the bovine adrenal medulla has been characterized with respect to pH optimum, substrate requirements, and temperature. Chromaffin granules incubated at 37 °C under optimal conditions released virtually all of their epinephrine and soluble protein within 10 min. ATP-stimulated epinephrine release was optimal at pH 5.8–6.2 and was five times greater than at pH 7.0–7.4. Magnesium and chloride were absolutely required for this process. Magnesium stimulated release at concentrations up to 1.0 m m ; however, it was moderately inhibitory at higher concentrations. The dependence of release on Cl − exhibited positive cooperativity and was nonsaturable. At 90 m m Cl − and 1.0 m m Mg 2+ , ATP-stimulated epinephrine release followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a K 1 2 of 0.2 m m . The release of soluble chromaffin granule proteins closely paralleled epinephrine release under all conditions tested, while membrane components were not released. Analogs of ATP substituted at the β-γ position with methylene or imino groups were also capable of stimulating release from granules. These ATP analogs had reduced affinity and lower activity than ATP itself. ATP analogs substituted at the α-β position were essentially inactive but were potent inhibitors of ATP-stimulated release. We conclude that the regulation of release from granules by ATP is rapid and specific and may not depend on hydrolysis of ATP at the β-γ position. This ATP-dependent reaction may be involved in the cellular process of exocytosis.
Aortobifemoral bypass: The operation of choice for unilateral iliac occlusion?

Aortobifemoral bypass (ABF) is the preferred operation for patients with bilateral aortoiliac occlusive disease, but for those with unilateral occlusion without significant stenosis of the contralateral iliac artery, alternative reconstructions, such as femorofemoral (FF) or iliofemoral (IF) bypass have been advocated. We compared the surgical outcome in 96 such patients after ABF (n = 32), FF (n = 47), or IF (n = 17) bypasses, with biplane arteriography and noninvasive laboratory testing used to assess the contralateral iliac artery and runoff status, in particular, patency of the superficial femoral artery (SFA). Graft patencies were assessed by noninvasive criteria and analyzed by the life-table method. The only death occurred after ABF bypass (3.1%). Primary patency rates at 1, 3, and 5 years with an open SFA were 100%, 89% and 89%, respectively, for ABF; 92%, 92%, and 92% for FF; and 71%, 71%, and 36% for IF. When the SFA was occluded, the primary patency rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 100%, 100%, and 72%, respectively, for ABF; 72%, 53%, and 35% for FF; and 56%, 56%, and 56% for IF bypasses. There were no later occlusions on the contralateral ("good") side after ABF. Significant progression of atherosclerosis in donor iliac artery was observed in 6% of both FF and IF bypasses. We conclude that ABF is the preferred operation for extensive iliac artery occlusive disease that is hemodynamically significant only on the symptomatic side unless specifically contraindicated by prohibitive risk or abdominal disease. This is particularly true in the face of SFA occlusion.
The globally integrated enterprise and its role in global governance

Purpose – This paper aims to explore how the model of an enterprise has dramatically changed as a result of globalisation and its subsequent impact on governance.Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts off by explaining how enterprises transformed from the international corporation model of the nineteenth century, to the multinational corporation model of the twentieth century, to the globally integrated model of the twenty‐first century. It argues that, although the multinational model helped to build strong relationships with national governments and country‐based NGOs, the model has become redundant and uncompetitive in the globalization era. It shares how moving to the new globally integrated enterprise model is inevitable and raises governance implications at the international, national and local level across many dimensions such as culture, skills and ethics. In fact, the new globally integrated enterprise calls for a redefinition of relationships between an enterprise and its stakeholders an...
Biolubricant induced phase inversion and superhydrophobicity in rubber-toughened biopolymer/organoclay nanocomposites

We present a simple technique to fabricate rubber-toughened biopolymer/organoclay nanocomposite coatings with highly water repellent surface wetting characteristics and strong adhesion to metal surfaces. The technique combines the principles of phase inversion and atomization of multicomponent polymer/organoclay suspensions containing a biolubricant as the nonsolvent. The biolubricant was a blend of cyclomethicone/dimethiconol oil with fruit kernel oils. The ternary system of cellulose nitrate/solvent/biolubricant was blended with rubber dispersed organoclay nanofluids. Natural, synthetic, and fluoroacrylic latex rubbers were used for the purpose. Self-cleaning superhydrophobic coatings were obtained from synthetic and fluoroacrylic rubbers whereas natural rubber containing formulations resulted in sticky superhydrophobic coatings.
Intrinsic Energy Landscapes of Amino Acid Side-Chains

Amino acid side-chain conformational properties influence the overall structural and dynamic properties of proteins and, therefore, their biological functions. In this study, quantum mechanical (QM) potential energy surfaces for the rotation of side-chain χ1 and χ2 torsions in dipeptides in the alphaR, beta, and alphaL backbone conformations were calculated. The QM energy surfaces provide a broad view of the intrinsic conformational properties of each amino acid side-chain. The extent to which intrinsic energetics dictates side-chain orientation was studied through comparisons of the QM energy surfaces with χ1 and χ2 free energy surfaces from probability distributions obtained from a survey of high resolution crystal structures. In general, the survey probability maxima are centered in minima of the QM surfaces as expected for sp3 (or sp2 for χ2 of Asn, Phe, Trp, and Tyr) atom centers with strong variations between amino acids occurring in the energies of the minima indicating intrinsic differences in rot...
Weights of Some Internal Organs and Glands of Fully Developed Parthenogenetic and Normal Turkey Embryos

Abstract INTRODUCTION Parthenogenesis in Beltsville Small White (B.S.W.) turkeys has been developed over a period of years to a degree at which many fully developed embryos are routinely encountered each season. Parthenogenetic embryos almost invariably show a pronounced time-lag in the onset of their development, usually requiring on the average, two days longer incubation than do embryos from fertilized eggs (Olsen, 1965). Availability of parthenogenetic embryos makes it most desirable, whenever possible, to obtain comparative physiological data. PROCEDURE Twenty one parthenogenetic and 21 normal turkey embryos were used in this study. All parthenogenetic embryos had reached a stage of development at which the beak normally would have been expected to penetrate the air cell, but none had hatched. B.S.W. embryos from the same parthenogenetic strain, but obtained from fertile eggs, served as control. The live normal embryos were removed from the incubator 48 hours before the expected time of hatching in…
Recent developments in the area of massive transfusion.

In 2 previous reviews of the subject of massive transfusion, this author noted that one of the most distressing complications of massive transfusion, pathological diffuse bleeding, was poorly understood, but was almost certainly not something induced by the transfusions themselves. Much better evidence is now available relating to the development of coagulopathies during transfusion, and these studies will be reviewed here. In both the prior reviews, the author also noted that one of the potentially most important aspects of massive transfusion was the effect on immunologic defenses, but that this was almost entirely ignored. This situation has now changed dramatically, and most of this review will deal with the rapidly emerging data on this aspect of transfusion. Most of the other aspects of massive transfusion have not changed substantially since the previous reviews.
Competition for nitrogen between plants and soil microorganisms

Experiments suggest that plants and soil microorganisms are both limited by inorganic nitrogen, even on relatively fertile sites. Consequently, plants and soil microorganisms may compete for nitrogen. While past research has focused on competition for inorganic nitrogen, recent studies have found that plants/mycorrhizae in a wide range of ecosystems can use organic nitrogen. A new view of competitive interactions between plants and soil microorganisms is necessary in ecosystem where plant uptake of organic nitrogen is observed.
Race-Ethnic Disparities in the Impact of Stroke Risk Factors The Northern Manhattan Stroke Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke risk factors have been determined in large part through epidemiological studies in white cohorts; as a result, race-ethnic disparities in stroke incidence and mortality rates remained unexplained. The aim in the present study was to compare the prevalence, OR, and etiological fraction (EF) of stroke risk factors among white, blacks, and Caribbean Hispanics living in the same urban community of northern Manhattan. METHODS: In this population-based incident case-control study, cases (n=688) of first ischemic stroke were prospectively matched 1:2 by age, sex, and race-ethnicity with community controls (n=1156). Risk factors were determined through in-person assessment. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted ORs in each race-ethnic group. Prevalence and multivariate EFs were determined in each race-ethnic group. RESULTS: Hypertension was an independent risk factor for whites (OR 1.8, EF 25%), blacks (OR 2.0, EF 37%), and Caribbean Hispanics (OR 2.1, EF 32%), but greater prevalence led to elevated EFs among blacks and Caribbean Hispanics. Greater prevalence rates of diabetes increased stroke risk in blacks (OR 1.8, EF 14%) and Caribbean Hispanics (OR 2.1 P<0.05, EF 10%) compared with whites (OR 1.0, EF 0%), whereas atrial fibrillation had a greater prevalence and EF for whites (OR 4.4, EF 20%) compared with blacks (OR 1.7, EF 3%) and Caribbean Hispanics (OR 3.0, EF 2%). Coronary artery disease was most important for whites (OR 1.3, EF 16%), followed by Caribbean Hispanics (OR 1.5, EF 6%) and then blacks (OR 1.1, EF 2%). Prevalence of physical inactivity was greater in Caribbean Hispanics, but an elevated EF was found in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence, OR, and EF for stroke risk factors vary by race-ethnicity. These differences are crucial to the etiology of stroke, as well as to the design and implementation of stroke prevention programs.
Synthesis, Stability, and Antimicrobial Studies of Electronically Tuned Silver Acetate N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

A series of methylated imidazolium salts with varying substituents on the 4 and 5 positions of the imidazole ring were synthesized. These salts were reacted with silver acetate to afford their corresponding silver N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes. These complexes were then evaluated for their stability in water as well as for their antimicrobial efficacy against a variety of bacterial strains associated with cystic fibrosis and chronic lung infections.
Patterns of defensive chemical production in wild parsnip seedlings (Apiaceae: Pastinaca sativa L.)

To ascertain patterns of allocation between growth and defense in seedlings, we measured plant biomass and the amount of six furanocoumarin defensive chemicals in wild parsnip roots and shoots (Apiaceae: Pastinaca sativa L.) in sequential harvests for sixty days following emergence and compared them to previous studies on mature plants. Furanocoumarins were present from the first day of emergence and were actively synthesized from the onset of seedling growth. Although initial amounts of each furanocoumarin species differed, they were produced at the same rate. Furanocoumarin production was not commensurate with biomass accretion, and fluctuations in concentration varied dramatically between roots and shoots. Concentrations of furanocoumarins in seedlings are far lower than in adult plants, perhaps because the selective regime of seedlings differs from that of mature plants, and inter-seedling competition favors investment in growth rather than defense.
Phosphorylation of Both Serine Residues in Cardiac Troponin I Is Required to Decrease the Ca2+ Affinity of Cardiac Troponin C

The phosphorylation of cardiac muscle troponin I (CTnI) at two adjacent N-terminal serine residues by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) has been implicated in the inotropic response of the heart to beta-agonists. Phosphorylation of these residues has been shown to reduce the Ca2+ affinity of the single Ca(2+)-specific regulatory site of cardiac troponin C (CTnC) and to increase the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from this site (Robertson, S. P., Johnson, J. D., Holroyde, M. J., Kranias, E. G., Potter, J. D., and Solaro, R. J. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 260-263). Recent studies (Zhang, R., Zhao, J., and Potter, J. D. (1995) Circ. Res. 76, 1028-1035) have correlated this increase in Ca2+ dissociation with a reduced Ca2+ sensitivity of force development and a faster rate of cardiac muscle relaxation in a PKA phosphorylated skinned cardiac muscle preparation. To further determine the role of the two PKA phosphorylation sites in mouse CTnI (serine 22 and 23), serine 22 or 23, or both were mutated to alanine. The wild type and the mutated CTnIs were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Using these mutants, it was found that serine 23 was phosphorylated more rapidly than serine 22 and that both serines are required to be phosphorylated in order to observe the characteristic reduction in the Ca2+ sensitivity of force development seen in a skinned cardiac muscle preparation. The latter result confirms that PKA phosphorylation of CTnI, and not other proteins, is responsible for this change in Ca2+ sensitivity. The results also suggest that one of the serines (23) may be constitutively phosphorylated and that serine 22 may be functionally more important.
The fidelity of Taq polymerase catalyzing PCR is improved by an N-terminal deletion

KlenTaq DNA polymerase is an N-terminally truncated Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase I. As expressed from a gene construct in Escherichia coli, translation initiates at Met236, bypassing the 5'----3' exonuclease domain of the DNA polymerase-encoding gene. A sensitive forward mutation assay was used to measure the relative number of mutations introduced into the entire lacZ gene by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) under various conditions which allow the amplification of such a large DNA span. Two selectable markers, one at each end of the test lacZ fragment, were employed to avoid the plating and scoring of PCR artefacts such as primer initiation in the midst of the lacZ gene, and cloning artefacts such as empty vector plasmid. The measured relative mutation rate was twofold lower for KlenTaq as compared to the full-length Taq DNA polymerase.
In situ breast cancer

The clinical expression of in situ cancer varies widely but is usually occult. Diagnosis can be made by a variety of minimally invasive techniques. Treatment of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is patient-directed but generally requires only close follow-up. Mastectomy is the gold standard for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and is associated with low recurrence rates. Breast conservation therapy (BCT) has become an acceptable alternative. This choice of definitive therapy for DCIS depends largely on the ability to obtain negative margins. Any attempt at BCT should be coupled with the caveat of close postoperative long-term follow-up. Patients diagnosed with LCIS or who have a history of DCIS should be given the options for the use of tamoxifen for the reduction of subsequent development of invasive breast cancer. Risk versus benefits should be clearly defined.
Commercializing a multiagent-supported collaborative system

In this paper, we describe our effort and lessons learned in commercializing an innovative infrastructure to support student participation and collaboration and help the instructor manage large or distance classrooms using multiagent system intelligence. The system, called I-MINDS, has a host of intelligent agents for each classroom: a teacher agent ranks and categorizes real-time questions from the students and collects statistics on student participation, a number of group agents that each maintains a collaborative group and facilitate student discussions, and a student agent for each student that profiles a student and finds compatible students to form the student's "buddy group". Our commercialization plan is three-fold: (1) to strengthen our understanding of potential customers, (2) to understand our competitors and alternative products, and (3) to examine and estimate the market potential for I-MINDS. To accomplish the above, we have conducted experiments to further investigate the impact of I-MINDS in actual use, comprehensive research on existing products and technologies, secure legal protection of our technology, plug-and-play I-MINDS for various demonstrations to companies for joint research and development.
Working with "Problem Populations": Participatory Interventions for the Roma in Hungary

Community-based participatory research is promoted as the best way to make sustainable health improvements and is therefore the focus of many NGOs. However, Hungarian NGOs that have attempted to use community-based methods with Roma communities have come across specific challenges that have led some interventionists to claim that "it is not possible for the Roma to work by democratic measures." Using a social housing program as a case study, this paper examines attempts by Hungarian NGOs to meet the needs of the Roma minority through community based interventions and explores why most organizations have experienced limited success. Interventions, even those that attempt to be collaborative and use participatory methodologies, tend to be hierarchical in nature and strengthen, rather than break down, societal divides.
Cytokines in T-cell development

The thymus provides a unique environment for the development of T cells, supporting both precursor cell proliferation and differentiation. The control of these processes is unknown but they may be mediated by cytokines, or other soluble factors, or by interactions with specific elements of the thymic stroma. Here, Simon Carding, Adrian Hayday and Kim Bottomly describe cellular, immunochemical and molecular studies of the production and action of cytokines within the human and mouse thymus and demonstrate their essential role in T-cell development.
Evaluation of transient system response

FREQUENCY-RESPONSE techniques are among the most powerful tools in the hands of the feedback control systems engineer. Perhaps of greatest use today are the attenuation and phase-angle plot techniques developed by Bode. These techniques are particularly effective in analysis and synthesis of stable systems in establishing the relative stability of a system.1 Although it is possible to estimate the transient response of a system whose open-loop frequency response is known, the accurate prediction of this transient response by analytical means involves obtaining the roots of the characteristic equation for the closed-loop system. Knowing the system's closed-loop factored transfer function, the transient response of the system may then be obtained analytically by means of Laplace transform methods. Thus, if
Multilayer model of photon diffusion in skin

A diffusion model describing the propagation of photon flux in the epidermal, dermal, and subcutaneous tissue layers of the skin is presented. Assuming that the skin is illuminated by a collimated, finite-aperture source, we develop expressions relating photon flux density within the skin and intensities re-emitted from the skin surface to the optical properties of the individual layers. Model simulations show that the rate at which re-emitted intensities diminish with radial distance away from the source can provide information about absorption and scattering in underlying tissues. Re-emitted intensities measured from homogeneous and two-layer tissue phantoms compare favorably with model predictions. We demonstrate potential applications of the model by estimating the absorption (Σa) and transport-corrected scattering (Σs′) coefficients of dermis and subcutis from intensities measured from intact skin and by predicting the magnitude of the optical-density variations measured by a photoplethysmograph.
Nuclear matrix protein composition of human lung carcinoma cell lines

The nuclear matrix is the RNA-protein skeleton within the nucleus that contributes to the structural and functional organization of DNA. Differences in the nuclear matrix protein composition between cancer and normal cells have been reported in various cell lines and tissues, suggesting altered gene expression. This study examined the nuclear matrix protein composition of various human lung cell lines. Using high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis, at least ten common proteins, as well as specific differences, were identified in each category of lung cell lines. These protein differences may be responsible, at least in part, for the different phenotypes of human lung cancer.