cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal Structure and Immunogenicity of the DS-Cav1-Stabilized Fusion Glycoprotein From Respiratory Syncytial Virus Subtype B.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) subtypes, A and B, co-circulate in annual epidemics and alternate in dominance. We have shown that a subtype A RSV fusion (F) glycoprotein, stabilized in its prefusion conformation by DS-Cav1 mutations, is a promising RSV-vaccine immunogen, capable of boosting RSV-neutralizing titers in healthy adults. In both humans and vaccine-tested animals, neutralizing titers elicited by this subtype A DS-Cav1 immunogen were ~ 2- to 3-fold higher against the homologous subtype A virus than against the heterologous subtype B virus. Methods: To understand the molecular basis for this subtype difference, we introduced DS-Cav1 mutations into RSV strain B18537 F, determined the trimeric crystal structure, and carried out immunogenicity studies. Results: The B18537 DS-Cav1 F structure at 2-A resolution afforded a precise delineation of prefusion F characteristics, including those of antigenic site O, a key trimer-apex site. Structural comparison with the subtype A prefusion F indicated 11% of surface residues to be different, with an alpha-carbon root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 1.2 A; antigenic site O, however, resulted in 23% of its surface residues and had an alpha-carbon RMSD of 2.2 A. Immunization of vaccine-tested animals with DS-Cav1-stabilized B18537 F induced neutralizing responses ~100-fold higher than with postfusion B18537 F. Notably, elicited responses neutralized RSV subtypes A and B at similar levels and were directed towards both conserved equatorial and diverse apical regions. Conclusion: We propose that structural differences in apical and equatorial sites–coupled to differently focused immune responses–provide a molecular explanation for observed differences in elicited subtype A and B neutralizing responses. Keywords: antigenic site; crystal structure; epitope; fusion glycoprotein; immunogenicity; neutralization; RSV subtype; vaccine
Well-posedness for the Majda-Biello system on the half line

We study the initial-boundary value problem for the Majda-Biello system posed on the right half line. We prove local well-posedness on the half line, matching the local theory on the real line established by Oh (2008). The approach combines the Laplace transform method of Bona-Sun-Zhang with adapted estimates from the work of Colliander and Kenig on the KdV half line initial-boundary value problem.
Primary and revision total hip arthroplasty with uncemented acetabular components in patients with Paget's disease.

Introduction:Paget’s disease affects 3–4% of the population; however, literature describing outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in this population are limited. Given the known concerns with bl...
Instabilities of Weyl loop semimetals

We study Weyl-loop semi-metals with short range interactions, focusing on the possible interaction driven instabilities. We introduce an expansion regularization scheme by means of which the possible instabilities may be investigated in an unbiased manner through a controlled weak coupling renormalization group (RG) calculation. The problem has enough structure that a 'functional' RG calculation (necessary for an extended Fermi surface) can be carried out analytically. The leading instabilities are identified, and when there are competing degenerate instabilities a Landau–Ginzburg calculation is performed to determine the most likely phase. In the particle-particle channel, the leading instability is found to be to a fully gapped chiral superconducting phase which spontaneously breaks time reversal symmetry, in agreement with general symmetry arguments suggesting that Weyl loops should provide natural platforms for such exotic forms of superconductivity. In the particle hole channel, there are two potential instabilities—to a gapless Pomeranchuk phase which spontaneously breaks rotation symmetry, or to a fully gapped insulating phase which spontaneously breaks mirror symmetry. The dominant instability in the particle hole channel depends on the specific values of microscopic interaction parameters.
Characterization of Plasma Membrane Proteins in Mammalian Kidney II. THE BINDING OF ORGANIC MERCURIALS TO RAT KIDNEY PLASMA MEMBRANE PROTEINS IN VIVO

Abstract The binding of organic mercurial compounds to the proteins of kidney plasma membrane preparations has been examined following the administration in vivo of organic mercurial compounds labeled with 203Hg. When the kidney cells are fractionated, plasma membrane radioactivity is lower than radioactivity in the cytoplasm. The radioactivity appears to be bound to membrane protein and experiments with 14C-labeled p-chloromercuribenzoate and 3H-labeled chlormerodrin indicate that the binding 2 hours after administration is mostly that of free mercury. When plasma membranes are solubilized and chromatographed on 6% agarose gel, two major protein peaks are eluted. p-Chloromercuribenzoate label is localized primarily in the high molecular weight proteins of the initial void volume peak. Chlormerodrin, a compound with diuretic activity in the kidney, is distributed fairly evenly in the protein fractions of both column peaks. Electrophoretic data, however, suggest heterogeneity of the protein labeling by chlormerodrin. Sodium-potassium-dependent ATPase activity is found in several fractions of the first peak eluted from the agarose gel column. When ouabain, a known inhibitor of the ATPase system, is administered in vivo, it depresses the chlormerodrin radioactivity of the first peak.
Feed-Forward Neural Network Architectures Based on Extreme Learning Machine for Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis

Feed-Forward Neural Networks have been successfully applied for solving many biomedical problems. However, its design stage is far slower than required in practice. Recently, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) has been proposed to solve this drawback. This paper presents several ELM architectures and its application for a real problem of recognizing Parkinson’s disease. Experimental results show the usefulness of the ELM-based neural networks.
The Block Pricing Puzzle

There are two ways to buy a large-percentage block of stock - from another shareholder or directly from the corporation. Because the traded asset is the same, one might expect the pricing of these transactions to be similar. Block trades, however, are priced at an 11% premium to the post-announcement exchange price, while private placements are priced at a 19% discount. This difference reflects what happens after the transactions. Most block-trade purchasers become involved in management, suggesting that their premiums reflect anticipated private benefits. Most private-placement purchasers remain passive, firm value declines, and there are few acquisitions. This suggests that private-placement discounts often reflect compensation to external blockholders for helping to entrench management.
Lagrangian hydrocode simulations of rolled-homogeneous-armor plate perforation by a shaped charge jet

Summary Three experiments are performed in which a 13-mm-thick rolled-homogeneous-armor plate is perforated by the leading particle of a copper jet produced by firing a shaped charge warhead at long standoff. These experiments are modelled using the 1986 version of EPIC-2, to which two failure models have been added to simulate effects of tensile voids and shear bands. The tensile void model employs a negative pressure cutoff onset criterion, followed by instantaneous reduction to zero of all deviatoric stresses and hydrostatic tensile stress within the finite element. The shear banding model uses the Zener-Hollomon onset criterion, followed by reduction of deviatoric stresses in proportion to the difference between the element's current level of equivalent plastic strain and that corresponding to onset. The two failure models together with the code's slideline erosion algorithm allow for good agreement with experiment in terms of the final hole radius averaged over the target plate's thickness, the time required for complete hole formation, and the net mass lost by the plate. Mesh sensitivity studies are conducted to validate partially the procedure.
The Relationship Among Romantic Attachment Style, Conflict Resolution Style and Sexual Satisfaction

Abstract This article presents the results of a study that assessed the relationship among romantic attachment style, conflict resolution, and sexual satisfaction. It was found that high ambivalent attachment predicted less sexual satisfaction. It was also found that those who scored high on ambivalent or avoidant attachment had lower relationship satisfaction, as well as those who used verbal aggression as a means of conflict resolution had lower relationship satisfaction. Therapeutic implications and areas for future research are addressed.
Function of dorsal fins in bamboo shark during steady swimming

To gain insight into the function of the dorsal fins in white-spotted bamboo sharks (Orectolobiformes: Hemiscyillidae) during steady swimming, data on three-dimensional kinematics and electromyographic recordings were collected. Bamboo sharks were induced to swim at 0.5 and 0.75 body lengths per second in a laminar flow tank. Displacement, lag and angles were analyzed from high-speed video images. Onset, offset, duration, duty cycle and asynchrony index were calculated from three muscle implants on each side of each dorsal fin. The dorsal fins were displaced more laterally than the undulating body. In addition, the dorsal tips had larger lateral displacement than the trailing edges. Increased speed was accompanied by an increase in tail beat frequency with constant tail beat amplitude. However, lateral displacement of the fins and duration of muscle bursts remained relatively constant with increased speed. The range of lateral motion was greater for the second dorsal fin (mean 33.3°) than for the first dorsal fin (mean 28.4°). Bending within the fin was greater for the second dorsal fin (mean 43.8°) than for the first dorsal fin (mean 30.8°). Muscle onset and offset among implants on the same side of each dorsal fin was similar. Three-dimensional conformation of the dorsal fins was caused by interactions between muscle activity, material properties, and incident flow. Alternating bilateral activity occurred in both dorsal fins, further supporting the active role of these hydrofoils in thrust production during steady swimming. The dorsal fins in bamboo sharks are capable of thrust production during steady swimming and do not appear to function as stabilizing structures.
Energetic Dynamics and Anuran Breeding Phenology: Insights From a Dynamic Game

We designed a dynamic optimization model to examine anuran-breeding phenologies. We evaluated the fitness consequences for males adopting one of four alternative strategies: calling, satelliting, foraging, or hiding. Various factors potentially influence male behavior, including energy reserves, predation risk, cost of calling, probability of finding food, distribution of male energy states in the population, and probability of surviving to another breeding season. We manipulated these parameters to determine how strongly each affects breeding phenology and chorus structure. Manipulating parameters related to the energetic costs and benefits of individual decisions, we generated the three basic patterns of anuran breeding phenology: explosive, continuous, and prolonged breeding with episodic chorusing. Increasing the probability of successful foraging caused a shift from an explosive pattern to a prolonged, episodic chorusing pattern. Decreasing the calling cost resulted in continuous chorusing. Our model predicted that satelliting will be a rare strategy adopted by individuals with relatively low energy reserves. Additionally, individuals adopting the satellite strategy should alternate among satelliting, foraging, and calling as their energy reserves fluctuate. Our results suggest that energetic costs of reproduction and resource limitation may be crucial factors influencing the phenology of anuran chorusing. We propose that under varying conditions of resource availability, male decisions are the consequence of two strategies: a starvation minimization strategy and an energy-state maximization strategy.
MUTATING A CONSERVED MOTIF OF THE HIV-1 REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE PALM SUBDOMAIN ALTERS PRIMER UTILIZATION

In order to investigate how primer grip residues of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) contribute toward the architecture of its palm subdomain and neighboring structural elements, the DNA polymerase and ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities of enzymes bearing aromatic substitutions at Trp229 and Tyr232 of the catalytically-competent p66 subunit were evaluated. Although all mutants retained RNase H function, the manner in which different RNA-DNA hybrids were hydrolyzed was affected. Depending on the nature of the substitution, DNA-dependent DNA synthesis was (i) unaffected, (ii) interrupted shortly after initiation, or (iii) stalled when the replication machinery encountered an intramolecular duplex on the single-stranded template. Evaluating (-) strand strong-stop DNA synthesis on an RNA template derived from the viral genome raises the additional possibility that DNA and RNA primers might be differentially recognized by the retroviral polymerase. In support of this, all mutants were unable to extend the HIV-1 polypurine tract (PPT) RNA primer into (+) strand DNA, despite supporting the equivalent event from an oligodeoxynucleotide primer. Collectively, our data illustrate that subtle alterations to primer grip architecture may manifest themselves in discrimination between oligoribo- and oligodeoxyribonucleic acid primers.
Increased age reduces DAF-16 and SKN-1 signaling and the hormetic response of Caenorhabditis elegans to the xenobiotic juglone

Cells adapt to stressors by activating mechanisms that repair damage and protect them from further injury. Stress-induced damage accumulates with age and contributes to age associated diseases. Increased age attenuates the ability to mount a stress response, but little is known about the mechanisms by which this occurs. To begin addressing this problem, we studied hormesis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. When exposed to a low concentration of the xenobiotic juglone, young worms mount a robust hormetic stress response and survive a subsequent exposure to a higher concentration of juglone that is normally lethal to naive animals. Old worms are unable to mount this adaptive response. Microarray and RNAi analyses demonstrate that an altered transcriptional response to juglone is responsible in part for the reduced adaptation of old worms. Many genes differentially regulated in young versus old animals are known or postulated to be regulated by the FOXO homologue DAF-16 and the Nrf2 homologue SKN-1. Activation of these pathways is greatly reduced in juglone stressed old worms. DAF-16- and SKN-1-like transcription factors play highly conserved roles in regulating stress resistance and longevity genes. Our studies provide a foundation for developing a molecular understanding of how age affects cytoprotective transcriptional pathways.
A Test of the Knew-It-All-Along Effect in the 1984 Presidential and Statewide Elections1

The knew-it-all-along effect is investigated by comparing pre- and post-election predictions of subjects concerning three electoral races in the November 1984 elections. The results revealed that when the outcomes of the predictions are known, subjects recall having assigned higher probabilities and percentages to the actual winners of each election, remember having more confidence in the accuracy of these percentages, and claim to have had more knowledge of the candidates than they had before the election. The results were consistent across all three elections and in both repeated-measures and between-pups designs, suggesting that the knew-it-all-along effect is a very robust one. Two underlying processes are hypothesized to account for these results: the availability heuristic and an increase in confidence explanation.
On minimum delta set values in block monoids over cyclic groups

The difference in length between two distinct factorizations of an element in a Dedekind domain or in the corresponding block monoid is an object of study in the theory of non-unique factorizations. It provides an alternate way, distinct from what the elasticity provides, of measuring the degree of non-uniqueness of factorizations. In this paper, we discuss the difference in consecutive lengths of irreducible factorizations in block monoids of the form $$\mathcal{B}_a(n)=\mathcal{B}(\mathbb{Z}_n, S)$$ where $$S = \{ 1+ n \mathbb{Z}, a+n \mathbb{Z} \}$$ . We will show that the greatest integer r, denoted by $$\delta_2(a,n)$$ , which divides every difference in lengths of factorizations in $$\mathcal{B}_a(n)$$ can be immediately determined by considering the continued fraction of $$\frac{n}{a}$$ . We then consider the set $$\delta_2(p)=\{\delta_2(a,p)\mid 1<a<p\}$$ for a prime p, which has been shown to be a subset of [1, p−2]. Various results are established regarding the structure of $$\delta_2(p)$$ including necessary and sufficient conditions (which depend on p) for a value $$d > \sqrt{p}$$ to be an element of $$\delta_2(p)$$ .
Fiber reinforced vessel design with a damage criterion approach

Abstract Current design codes for the design of fiber reinforced vessels are generally based on a quadratic interaction criterion which relies on failure testing of laminas with different fiber orientations. A stress ratio is then imposed for purposes of design. This approach appears to be overly conservative for certain resins and does not account for the onset of damage. An experimental investigation has been conducted to determine the stress at onset of damage in small coupon specimens. The results from the coupon testing were used to develop a damage based design approach that differs from the existing failure based approach. The damage approach was used for the design of a new manway and nozzle on a 2.13 m diameter by 6.55 m tall (7.0 ft diameter by 21.5 ft tall) glass fiber reinforced polymer pressure vessel. The vessel was subsequently tested with acoustic emission to verify the adequacy of the new designs. This paper focuses on the design of these discontinuity regions and provides comparisons between finite element model predictions and measured strain gage data.
Haplotypes of the BoLA‐A, Bf, CYP21 and DQB loci in Angus cattle

Abstract The genetic diversity of bovine major histocompatibility complex (BoLA) haplotypes within the Angus breed was studied. Four BoLA loci were chosen for our study; BoLA‐A, complement factor B (Bf), cytochrome P450 steroid 21‐hydroxylase (CYP21) and BoLA‐DQB. Polymorphism of BoLA‐A products was determined by serology. Alleles of the Bf, CYP21 and BoLA‐DQB loci were distinguished by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Thirteen different haplotypes were identified, eleven of which were confirmed by segregation analysis in a paternal half‐sibling family of Angus cattle (n=9 offspring). These thirteen haplotypes were comprised of 9 BoLA‐A alleles and a “blank”, two Bf alleles detected with TaqI, two CYP21 alleles detected with PstI, and eight DQB alleles detected with Taql and PvuII. Two haplotypes containing the supertypic BoLA‐URAA specificity were clearly differentiated by Bf and DQB typing. Two haplotypes distinguished by the BoLA‐A alleles w2 and w3, shared the same DQB∗2 allel...
Can black holes nucleate vacuum phase transitions

The decay of false-vacuum states through a first-order phase transition in the presence of a Schwarzschild black hole is studied in the zero-temperature limit. The equations of motion for a thin-wall bubble which forms in a spherically symmetric fashion around a Schwarzschild--de Sitter (or --anti--de Sitter) black hole are derived. The Euclidean action for these bubble solutions is calculated and is found to be smaller, by up to a factor of roughly 2, than the O(4)-symmetric action in which no black hole is present. It thus appears that a black hole can act as an effective nucleation center for a first-order vacuum phase transition. It will then be more difficult (require more ``fine-tuning'' of the potential) than was previously believed to achieve supercooling of a false-vacuum state, provided that appropriate-mass black holes are present.
Comparative immunogenicity evaluations of influenza A virus M2 peptide as recombinant virus like particle or conjugate vaccines in mice and monkeys

Immunization against M2 peptide, also called M2e, from influenza A virus is an innovative vaccine approach for induction of cross-strain protective immunity. Two promising M2 vaccine compositions reported to date are M2 peptide chemically conjugated to carrier proteins or M2 peptide recombinantly expressed on the surface of virus like particles (VLPs) of hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBVc). To conduct a head-to-head comparison of these approaches, we constructed two recombinant HBVc VLPs expressing M2 peptide and prepared two conjugate vaccines with M2 peptide chemically coupled to Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane complex (OMPC) or HBVc VLP, respectively. Here, we showed superior immunogenicity of M2 peptide conjugated to OMPC and M2 peptide expressed on the surface of HBVc antigen based on dose-titration responses in mice. Surprisingly, HBVc expressing M2 peptide was an inferior vaccine in rhesus monkeys, whether as a primary vaccine or as a booster vaccine, when compared with M2-OMPC conjugate vaccine.
Resolving a case of split personality

The function of prostaglandin E2 in allergy has long been ambiguous. Now a comprehensive assessment of prostaglandin E2 receptor–deficient mice demonstrates the main anti-inflammatory function of this prostaglandin in allergic lung disease.
Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-Chlorophenol. 1. The Hydroquinone Pathway

Complete mineralization of 4-chlorophenol in water can be achieved by photocatalytic degradation of oxygenated solutions containing suspended TiO2. The chemical pathways of this degradation are complex, and in this paper, that which begins with hydroquinone is examined. Hydroxylation to form 1,2,4-benzenetriol is the first step, though a very small amount of cleavage of the C1−C2 bond is observed. The first major group of acyclic compounds derives from oxidative cleavage of either the C1−C2 or C3−C4 bond of 1,2,4-benzenetriol. It is argued that this results from single electron oxidation and capture by superoxide. Many smaller compounds have also been identified, and routes to various ones of them are proposed. Nearly all of the compounds are verified by use of authentic samples.
Activation of ``Secondary'' Impulse Trigger Sites in Hippocampal Neurones

INTRACELLULARLY recorded spike potentials of hippocampal neurones occasionally exhibit fast prepotentials superimposed on spontaneous slow depolarizations and excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by stimulation of the subiculum1. Although the origin and nature of fast prepotentials have not been determined, available data suggest that they represent electrotonic reflexions of partial spikes evoked in dendrites by pathways arising in the subiculum1. Two investigations which are summarized here have permitted further analysis of fast prepotentials as well as the definition of some of the factors conditioning their development in hippocampal neurones. The results are illustrated in contrast with findings in elements which did not exhibit fast prepotentials during a long period of spontaneous activity or in response to low frequency (1/sec) stimulation of the perforant pathway in the subiculum.
Computer simulator training enhances the competency of gastroenterology fellows at colonoscopy: results of a pilot study.

Computer Simulator Training Enhances the Competency of Gastroenterology Fellows at Colonoscopy: Results of a Pilot Study
Linear shape from shading

In many situations the reflectance function of a surface is approximately linear, and there is an effielent closed-form solution to the shape-from-shading problem. When boundary conditions (e.g., edges, singular points) are not available, good estimates of shape may still be extracted by using the assumption of general viewing position. An improved method for estimating the illuminant direction is also presented.
Quantifying breast density with a cone-beam breast CT

Volumetric breast density was evaluated using a simulated cone beam breast CT with 80 kVp. The breast was modeled as a cylinder with background tissue composition of 20% glandular and 80% adipose. Various objects with different sizes and tissue compositions were embedded. Ray-tracing algorithm was utilized to obtain projection images in a full rotation without considering scatter, beam hardening and imaging noise. Filtered backprojection was adopted for image reconstruction with high quality. Reconstructed images had flat profiles except at large cone angle of 8.6° to 10°. They were calibrated using known linear attenuation coefficients of two image contrast objects. A 3D mapping of tissue densities could be directly computed within 5% error. Tissue volumes were obtained by counting voxels in appropriate attenuation coefficient ranges. Results of contrast objects were consistent with true volumes within 10% error. However, cone angle artifact decreased pixel values, and a reduction algorithm was required for accurate tissue assessment at large cone angles. This study indicates the possibility of excellent quantitative breast density measurements and volume assessments with cone-beam breast CT.
Many lessons from a school: What classroom discourse analysis reveals

In my talk, I foreground what I and my colleagues have learned about discourse in the numerous classrooms we observed in a four-year research study at an urban high school. While Jefferson High had a student body that was linguistically and culturally diverse, it was homogeneous socioeconomically, being labeled ‘low income’. Some of the research I address reveals how the classroom discourse both co-constructed and was influenced by these phenomena. Additionally, my survey of the research reveals that theoretical frameworks shape the research process and, ultimately, what we learn about classroom discourse.
Food intake in a multicultural southwestern population I. General patterns

In order to obtain information about food intake and liking in a Southwestern population, a questionnaire was administered to 176 Anglo, Hispanic, Navajo and Jemez Indian elementary school children. Frequencies of intake of certain foods, particularly foods indigenous to the Southwest, were different from those of the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, implying that all Americans do not eat from a “common table.” The results suggest that regional and cultural factors should be considered in making dietary recommendations and in planning nutrition education curricula.
Hyperfine field of positive muons in Ni

We have calculated the contact hyperfine field of positive muons in Ni using a self-consistent spin-polarized density-functional formalism. Because we find more than an order-of-magnitude enhancement of the ambient hyperfine field at the muon position, it is impossible, within the confines of a free-electron model, to achieve agreement between neutron scattering results for the interstitial-polarization and muon-precession experiments. We propose a model in which the screening of the muon charge is done by free electrons of an essentially unpolarized $4s$ band, while the hyperfine field is due mainly to the relatively unperturbed $3d$ spin density arising from the different radial character of the majority and minority spin $3d$ wave functions. This model can satisfactorily reconcile neutron scattering and muon-precession experiments and existing Ni band-structure calculations.
Non-Verbal Representation of Verbal Referents

The degree to which non-verbal sound symbols are consistently matched with five classes of referents was assessed. It was found that listener Ss tended to match the sounds with the particular referents which initially guided the speaker Ss to produce the symbols. High incidence of consistent matching obtained among the listener Ss for all referent classes. Highest agreement obtained for simple spatial referents and least for color and evaluative referents.
Calcium influx and signaling in cytotoxic T-lymphocyte lytic granule exocytosis

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) kill targets by releasing cytotoxic agents from lytic granules. Killing is a multi-step process. The CTL adheres to a target, allowing its T-cell receptors to recognize antigen. This triggers a signal transduction cascade that leads to the polarization of the microtubule cytoskeleton and granules towards the target, followed by exocytosis that occurs specifically at the site of contact. As with cytokine production by helper T cells (Th cells), target cell killing is absolutely dependent on Ca2+ influx, which is involved in regulating both reorientation and release. Current evidence suggests that Ca2+ influx in CTLs, as in Th cells, occurs via depletion-activated channels. The molecules that couple increases in Ca2+ to reorientation are unknown. The Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, which plays a critical role in cytokine production by Th cells, is also involved in lytic granule exocytosis, although the relevant substrates remain to be identified and calcineurin activation is only one Ca2+-dependent step involved. There are thus striking similarities and important differences between Ca2+ signals in Th cells and CTLs, illustrating how cells can use similar signal transduction pathways to generate different functional outcomes.
Conversational Shift Work: A Study of Topical Transitions Between Women and Men

In this paper, we employ recent work in conversation analysis to assess the allocation of “shift work”—the specific procedures speakers use to produce topical transitions—in talk between women and men. Our examination of exchanges between unacquainted persons shows that most topic transitions are the product of speakers' collaborative activities or a means of coping with topics that “die.” However, some are the outcome of seemingly unilateral topic changes—and these are initiated by men. Discussion of our findings leads us to consider how categories such as “female” and “male” can become relevant to the determination of particular courses of conversational activity and thereby provide for the exercise of control over topics-in-progress.
The Autonomous Functioning Thyroid Nodule in the Evolution of Nodular Goiter

ABSTRACT Autoradiographic studies of the thyroids of 21 patients with a gross autonomous functioning nodule demonstrated similar small or micronodules in 76 %. They were also present in 4 glands in which a large cyst was the dominant nodule. In only 14 % of 29 patients with nonfunctioning macronodules were these tiny functioning nodules found. These data suggest that hot macronodules evolve with secretory activity from their origin, but they do not support the hypothesis of a common functional stage for all nodules. Transition from a functioning to a nonfunctioning nodule may occur through degenerative change or possibly by simple loss of functional capacity of the follicles. The appearance of the latter change in our series does not suggest that it can account for a large number of cold nodules. The histologic appearance of the smallest observed functioning nodules has been found to be that previously thought to be associated with the absorption of colloid from a large follicle and the ultimate partition...
Favorable short-term and long-term outcome after elective radical rectal cancer resection in patients 75 years of age or older

PURPOSE: Because the elderly population in Western countries is rapidly increasing, as is their life expectancy, studies aimed at determining the impact of major surgery for primary rectal cancer in this group are warranted. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative morbidity and mortality and long-term disease-specific and overall survival in primary rectal cancer patients, older and younger than 75 years of age, subject to major pelvic surgery. METHODS: From September 1986 to December 1996, the Prospective Colorectal Service Database identified 1,120 consecutive patients who underwent major pelvic surgery for primary rectal cancer. Of these, 157 (15 percent) were 75 years of age or older and comprise the elderly group. From the remaining 963 patients younger than 75 years of age, a representative random sample of 174 was selected and constitutes the younger group. Data were obtained from computerized databases and confirmed via chart review and telephone interviews. RESULTS: Perioperative complications were observed in 53 (34 percent) elderly and 63 (36 percent;P=not significant) younger patients. Perioperative deaths occurred in two (1.3 percent) elderly and one (0.6 percent;P=not significant) younger patient. The median follow-up time was 48 months. Although the overall survival was lower in the elderly group (P=0.02; the 5-year overall survival rates were 51 and 66 percent), the disease-specific survival rate was similar in the two groups (P=0.75; the 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 69 and 71 percent). CONCLUSION: In select individuals 75 years of age or older, major pelvic surgery for primary rectal cancer can be done with perioperative morbidity and mortality rates comparable to those obtained in younger individuals, while achieving excellent disease-specific and overall long-term survival.
Stoichiometry of the Calcineurin Regulatory Domain-Calmodulin Complex

Calcineurin is an essential serine/threonine phosphatase that plays vital roles in neuronal development and function, heart growth, and immune system activation. Calcineurin is unique in that it is the only phosphatase known to be activated by calmodulin in response to increasing intracellular calcium concentrations. Calcium-loaded calmodulin binds to the regulatory domain of calcineurin, resulting in a conformational change that removes an autoinhibitory domain from the active site of the phosphatase. We have determined a 1.95 A crystal structure of calmodulin bound to a peptide corresponding to its binding region from calcineurin. In contrast to previous structures of this complex, our structure has a stoichiometry of 1:1 and has the canonical collapsed, wraparound conformation observed for many calmodulin–substrate complexes. In addition, we have used size-exclusion chromatography and time-resolved fluorescence to probe the stoichiometry of binding of calmodulin to a construct corresponding to almost t...
The WHIPS prototype for data warehouse creation and maintenance

A data warehouse is a repository of integrated information from distributed, autonomous, and possibly heterogeneous, sources. In effect, the warehouse stores one or more materialized views of the source data. The data is then readily available to user applications for querying and analysis. Figure 1 shows the basic architecture of a warehouse: data is collected from each source, integrated with data from other sources, and stored at the warehouse. Users then access the data directly from the warehouse.As suggested by Figure 1, there are two major components in a warehouse system: the integration component, responsible for collecting and maintaining the materialized views, and the query and analysis component, responsible for fulfilling the information needs of specific end users. Note that the two components are not independent. For example, which views the integration component materializes depends on the expected needs of end users.Most current commercial warehousing systems (e.g., Redbrick, Sybase, Arbor) focus on the query and analysis component, providing specialized index structures at the warehouse and extensive querying facilities for the end user. In the WHIPS (WareHousing Information Project at Stanford) project, on the other hand, we focus on the integration component. In particular, we have developed an architecture and implemented a prototype for identifying data changes at heterogeneous sources, transforming them and summarizing them in accordance to warehouse specifications, and incrementally integrating them into the warehouse. We propose to demonstrate our prototype at SIGMOD, illustrating the main features of our architecture.Our architecture is modular and we designed it specifically to fulfill several important and interrelated goals: data sources and warehouse views can be added and removed dynamically; it is scalable by adding more internal modules; changes at the sources are detected automatically; the warehouse may be updated continuously as the sources change, without requiring “down time;” and the warehouse is always kept consistent with the source data by the integration algorithms. More details on these goals and how we achieve them are provided in [WGL+96].
Novel Treatment of a Failed Quadriceps Tendon Repair in a Diabetic Patient Using a Patella-Quadriceps Tendon Allograft:

Recurrent quadriceps tendon rupture is a debilitating condition that may be challenging to treat, especially in the presence of systemic disease such as diabetes mellitus (Bedi et al., J Shoulder Elbow Surg 19:978–988, 2010; Chbnou and Frenette, Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 5:R952–R957, 2004; Chen et al., J Shoulder Elbow Surg 5:416–421, 2003). Many surgical treatment protocols have been proposed (Azar, in Canale and Beatty, eds., Campbell’s Operative Orthopedics, Mosby/Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2008; Ilan et al., J Am Acad Orthop Surg 3:192–200, 2003; Rodeo and Izawa, in Garrett et al., eds., Principles and Practice of Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, 2000). We report the case of a diabetic male with multiple treatment failures. He ultimately sustained a good outcome following treatment with a novel surgical technique that utilized a patella quadriceps tendon allograft. Tendon allograft-to-native bone healing had previously failed in this patient, so we used a bone-tendon construct allograft to provide an allograft bone-to-native bone healing site. Now, 13 months postoperative, the patient has increased strength, minimal pain, 20 ° of extensor lag and 130 ° of flexion.
Scaling of Sea Ice Fracture—Part I: Vertical Penetration

Based on the premise that large-scale failure of sea ice is governed by fracture mechanics, recently validated by Dempsey's in situ tests of fracture specimens of a record-breaking size, this two-part study applies fracture mechanics and asymptotic approach to obtain approximate explicit formulas for the size effect in two fundamental problems. In the present Part I, the load capacity of a floating ice plate subjected to vertical load is determined, and in Part II, which follows, the horizontal force exerted by an ice plate moving against a fixed structure is analyzed in a similar manner. The resulting formulas for vertical loading agree with previous sophisticated numerical fracture simulations as well with the limited field tests of vertical penetration that exist. The results contrast with the classical predictions of material strength or plasticity theories, which in general exhibit no size effect on the nominal strength of the structure. ©2002 ASME
Seven structurally different murine monoclonal galactan-specific antibodies show identity in their galactosyl-binding subsite arrangements.

Abstract The constants of association of seven monoclonal antibodies—each capable of binding a tetrasaccharide fragment of a linear β(1,6)- d -galactopyranan—were measured with a series of galactosylligands some of which carried deoxy-fluoro groups at selected locations. In these oligosaccharide ligands, the galactosyl residues bearing a fluorineinstead of a hydroxyl-group, cannot bind to the highest-binding subsite, which requires hydrogen-bonding. This forces a shift in the saccharide contact-residues, and in this way the relative affinities of the antibody subsites for individual galactosyl residues could be evaluated and compared with those of the four substites investigated earlier. Correlation of sequence data, spatial structure of J 539 and binding behaviour leads to the exclusion of the third complementarity determining region (CDR) of the H-chain as partaking in the binding, and shows that the galactopyranan antigen probably binds along the lower periphery of the H-L interface of the antibodies, and does so in a groove-type fashion. Each of the seven antibodies has four subsites C, A, B and D in going from the H-to the L-chain, and the relative affinity for “their” galactosyl residue decreases in the order A > B > C > D. The single sugar-binding subsite A accounts for ca 50% of the total binding free energy of the maximally binding tetrasaccharide determinant in all cases.
Enthalpy and entropy changes for the intercalation of small molecules to DNA. II. Ethidium and propidium fluoride.

Enthalpy changes (ΔHB) for the binding of ethidium (a monocation) and propidium (a dication) to calf thymus DNA have been determined calorimetrically in piperazine-N, N′-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer with the fluoride ion as the counterion. Heats of dilution for the fluoride salts of ethidium and propidium were substantially less than the corresponding values found for other halide salts of these cations. At a Na+ ion concentrations of 0.019, ΔHB = −8.3 and −7.9 ± 0.3 kcal mol−1 for ethidium and propidium, respectively. For these two cations, just as was observed for the naphthalene monoimide (monocation) and diimide (dication) [H. P. Hopkins, K. A. Stevenson, and W. D. Wilson, (1986) J. Sol. Chem.15, 563–579], ΔHB is within the same experimental error for both cations. Apparently, charge–charge interactions in DNA–cation complexes produce only small changes in the enthalpy for the system. In the concentration range 0.019–0.207, the ΔHB values for propidium did not depend appreciably on the Na+ ion concentration, and a similar pattern was shown to exist for ethidium. When these results were combined with ΔGB values for the binding of these cations to DNA, we found the variation of ΔSB with Na+ ion concentration to be remarkably close to the predictions of modern polyelectrolyte theory, i.e., propidium binding to DNA causes approximately twice as many Na+ ions to be released into the bulk solution as does the binding of ethidium. The much stronger binding of propidium, relative to ethidium, at low ionic strengths is thus seen to be primarily due to entropic effects.
Comment: The Private and Its Problems—Pragmatism, Pragmatist Feminism, and Homophobia

The pragmatist revival of recent decades has in some respects obscured the radical emancipatory potential of Deweyan pragmatism. The author suggests that neopragmatists such as Richard Rorty have too often failed to grasp the ways in which Dewey’s notion of social intelligence was bound up with the case for participatory democracy, and that recent efforts to bring out the potential of pragmatism for supporting certain forms of feminist and gay critical theory make for a more compelling reconstruction of pragmatism.
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax and cellular transformation.

Infection of T-cells by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes a lymphoproliferative malignancy known as adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). ATL is characterized by abnormal lymphocytes, calledflower cells, which have cleaved and convoluted nuclei. Tax, encoded by the HTLV-1 pX region, is a critical nonstructural protein that plays a central role in leuke-mogenesis; however, the mechanisms of HTLV-1 oncogenesis have not been clarified fully. In this review, we summarize current thinking on how Tax may affect ATL leukemogenesis.
Physical and psychophysical analysis of laser readout conditions for imaging plates in computed radiography

Computed radiography uses a photostimulable phosphor coated imaging plate which is exposed to x-rays and laser read to form an image. After laser reading, there is a considerable amount of energy remaining on the imaging plate which is not used. This study simulated a change in the laser readout process to utilize more of the energy on the image plate, and potentially improve image quality without changing exposure factors. Images of a contrast detail phantom were made before and after alteration of the readout process and analyzed by both physical and psychophysical means. It was found that there is an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, when measured with an aperture of the size of a single pixel (linear dimension about 0.15 mm). However there is no change in the signal-to-noise ratio, when measured with apertures of the size of 0.75 mm (5 x 5 pixels) and 1.5 mm (10 x 10 pixels). This agrees with the results of the contrast detail study: after alteration, the observers did not detect smaller objects than they had before the alteration. It appears the imaging plate readout process is fairly optimized.
Exploring Patient Activation in the Clinic: Measurement From Three Perspectives

Objective. To further conceptualize and operationalize patient activation (PA), using measures from patient, physician, and researcher perspectives. Data Source/Study Setting. Multimethod observation in 2010 within a family medicine clinic. Study Design. Part of an intervention with 130 patients with type 2 diabetes, this observational study further looked at PA in 19 physician–patient dyads. Data Collection. Observations occurred in a teaching hospital, which served as recruiting and study site. Principal Findings. PA correlated with knowledge, self-efficacy, promotion orientation, and exercise intent. Patient-reported PA did not correlate with researcher-observed or physician-reported PA behavior. Researcher-observed PA correlated with physician-observation items. Conclusions. Results provide evidence for measuring different perspectives in studies of PA. When patients report they are activated in self-management, behavior does not indicate they are active in clinical communication, a critical component...
Wheat VIN3 -like PHD finger genes are up-regulated by vernalization

The term 'vernalization' describes the acceleration of the transition between the vegetative and reproductive stages after exposing plants to an extended period of low temperature. In Arabidopsis, vernalization promotes flowering by silencing the flowering repressor gene FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). Mitotically stable repression of FLC is the result of chromatin modifications mediated by the Vernalization-INsensitive 3 (VIN3) and VIN3-Like (VIL) proteins. In this study, we identified and characterized three VIL genes in diploid wheat (Triticum monococcum L.), named TmVIL1, TmVIL2, and TmVIL3. Similar to Arabidopsis VIN3, all three wheat VIL proteins carry three conserved domains including a plant homeodomain finger motif (PHD), a fibronectin type III domain (FNIII), and a VIN3 interacting domain (VID). Genetic mapping placed TmVIL1, TmVIL2, and TmVIL3 loci in the centromeric regions of chromosome 5, 6, and 1, respectively. The chromosome location of TmVIL1 is close to that of the vernalization gene VRN-D5, but more precise mapping information is required to validate this relationship. Transcription of the wheat VIL genes was up-regulated by vernalization, with a peak after 4-6 weeks of cold treatment. When transferred back to warm conditions, transcript levels of the wheat VIL genes returned to pre-vernalization levels. In addition, the transcript levels of wheat VIL genes are affected by photoperiod. This study indicates that wheat VIL genes have retained a similar structure and transcriptional regulation as their Arabidopsis VIN3/VIL homologues, suggesting that they might have retained some of their functions.