cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rethinking Girls “At-Risk”: Gender, Race, and Class Intersections and Adolescent Development

Abstract This conceptual article critically analyzes influential theoretical frameworks concerning adolescent female development, including psychosocial identity stage theory, person-in-environment theory, and feminist psychology. Based on the strengths and limitations of these approaches, the author introduces social workers to an emerging framework that addresses the gender, race, and class intersections that contextualize adolescent girls' developmental experiences. This perspective also discusses young women's capacity to resist norms and stereotypes in their search for an authentic identity. This innovative theory complements a strengths-based approach to social work and can be used to guide research andpractice with this population.
Toward whole-brain maps of neural connections: Logical framework and fast implementation

MRI tractography is the only method that noninvasively maps neural connections in the brain. Interest in its use for diagnosis and treatment of neurological disease is growing rapidly. Probabilistic tractography provides quantitative measures that can be interpreted as the strength or reliability of connections, but Monte Carlo implementations can require impractical computation times and have difficulty identifying connections between distal regions. Here, we develop a generic logical framework for probabilistic tractography with minimal assumptions that lends itself to solution by standard finite-difference methods. We demonstrate an implementation that outperforms Monte Carlo approaches in terms of computation time and identifying distal connections. The generality of the logic and the speed of the implementation indicate the potential of this approach for real-time mapping of whole-brain neural connections.
Immunochemical Detection of Minor Bases in Nucleic Acids

Rabbits immunized with bovine serum albumin conjugates of 5-bromouracil, 5-iodouracil, and 6-methyladenosine produced antibodies specific for the bases. These antibodies were used to detect immunochemically 5-bromouracil and 6-methyladenosine in denatured DNA.
Electrochemistry and photoelectrochemistry of dye-incorporated clay-modified electrode

Etudes dans le cas de thionine incorporee dans des couches minces d'argile fixees sur des electrodes de SnO 2 et de Pt. Resultats obtenus par etudes de voltammetrie cyclique, ainsi que donnees sur la generation de l'effet photoelectrochimique sous l'effet d'un rayonnement de λ>460 nm et en milieu aqueux contenant de l'EDTA 0,2 M
Neighborhood Poverty and Maternal Fears of Children's Outdoor Play

Investigating children's outdoor play unites scholarship on neighborhoods, parental perceptions of safety, and children's health. Utilizing the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (N=3,448), we examine mothers' fear of their five-year-old children playing outdoors, testing associations with neighborhood social characteristics, city-level crime rates, maternal mental health, and social support. Living in public housing, perceptions of low neighborhood collective efficacy, and living in a Census tract with a higher proportion of Blacks and households in poverty are associated with higher odds of maternal fear, but crime rates are not a significant predictor of fear. We also demonstrate that not being depressed - but not social support or collective efficacy - buffers the influence of neighborhood poverty on maternal fears of outdoor play.
On a generalization of the Weyl equations

Abstract Equations for massless spin-one-half particle fields of form between the Dirac equation and the Weyl equations are shown to be covariant even though they contain non-helical in addition to the usual helical functions. The analogy to the homogenous Maxwell equations and their integrals is pointed out.
Goal Choice of Alcoholics: Effects of Training Controlled Drinking Skills

Alcohol treatment outcome studies during the past twenty years have consistently reported that some alcoholics treated via abstinence orientated approaches obtain controlled responsible drinking (Selzer & Holloway, 1957; Bailey & Stewart, 1967; Davies, 1962). Moreover, recent outcome research suggests that controlled drink training may be an effective treatment at least for some abusive drinkers (e.g., Armour, Polich & Stambul, 1976; Caddy, Addington & Perkins, 1978; Sobell & Sobell, 1973; Vogler, Compton & Weissbach , 1975). Controlled drinking as a viable treatment goal for alcoholics, however, remains an area of continued controversy which appears to involve three major issues: (a) Do controlled drinking goals increase the probability of abusive drinking dispositions (Blume, 1977); (b) Are there unique characteristics of those alcoholics choosing controlled drinking goals (Bell, 1963; Lloyd & Salzberg, 1975; Miller & Caddy, 1977; Nathan, 1976); and, (c) Will controlled drink training encourage alcoholics to “try their luck” at other-than-abstinence goals (i.e., will it induce, “… despondent alcoholics to rationalize that the therapeutic goal of reducing excessive drinking to socially acceptable dimensions may be more easily attainable than complete abstinence” (Thimann, 1963, p.325)?
Fused oblique incidence reflectometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy

Confocal microendoscopy provides real-time high resolution cellular level images via a minimally invasive procedure, but relies on exogenous fluorophores, has a relatively limited penetration depth (100 μm) and field of view (700 μm), and produces a high rate of detailed information to the user. A new catheter based multi-modal system has been designed that combines confocal imaging and oblique incidence reflectometry (OIR), which is a non-invasive method capable of rapidly extracting tissue absorption, μa, and reduced scattering, μ's, spectra from tissue. The system builds on previous developments of a custom slit-scan multi-spectral confocal microendoscope and is designed to rapidly switch between diffuse spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging modes of operation. An experimental proof-of-principle catheter has been developed that consists of a fiber bundle for traditional confocal fluorescence imaging and a single OIR source fiber which is manually redirected at +/- 26 degrees. Diffusely scattered light from each orientation of the source fiber is collected via the fiber bundle, with a frame of data representing spectra collected at a range of distances from the OIR source point. Initial results with intralipid phantoms show good agreement to published data over the 550-650 nm spectral range. We successfully imaged and measured the optical properties of rodent cardiac muscle.
The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Abstract Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.
Cerium oxidation state in ceria nanoparticles studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and absorption near edge spectroscopy

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy experiments are used to investigate the oxidation state of cerium ions in ceria nanoparticles. A comparison of results shows that XPS yields a higher concentration of Ce3+ ions, even after analysis with a core–shell model. Three factors are proposed for the discrepancy between results: surface reduction of ceria in the XPS vacuum chamber enhanced by X-ray radiation, fast reduction dynamics associated with ceria nanoparticles, and a diffuse depth profile of the Ce3+ concentration inside ceria particles. Our results suggest that the high-vacuum XPS studies of ceria have overestimated the Ce3+ concentration in ceria nanoparticles under ambient condition. More importantly, we have demonstrated the importance of using complimentary surface analysis techniques to investigate the valence state of ceria nanoparticles.
A two-dimensional solar model

We present a two-dimensional, nearly flux constant solar atmosphere which includes a physical model of granulation. If the inhomogeneous character of the solar photosphere is neglected in the construction of empirical models, the result is an underestimate of the temperature gradient in the layers below τ ∼ 0.5 and an overestimate of the convective flux penetration into the observable layers. The two-dimensional model adequately reproduces the mean limb darkening, the magnitude and center-to-limb variation of the intensity fluctuations, and the rms vertical and horizontal convective velocities.
Specific Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes from the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Self-Help Course

This study tested hypotheses about the consistency of specified outcomes with strength of program treatment indexed by time spent in a given activity in the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Self-Help (SLESH) course. Participants had significant increases in enabling skills and in use of relaxation and exercise activities. Participants also had significantly less depression. Consistency between amount of time spent in class and significant changes over time was demonstrated by analysis of treatment strength-response for perception of limitations, depression, enabling skill and for use of rest, relaxation, heat, and exercise activities.
A Peptide Sequence of Heparin/Heparan Sulfate (HP/HS)-interacting Protein Supports Selective, High Affinity Binding of HP/HS and Cell Attachment

We previously have identified a novel cell surface heparan sulfate/heparin (HS/HP)-interacting protein (HIP) found in human uterine epithelia and a variety of other human epithelial and endothelial cells and cell lines (Liu, S., Smith, S. E., Julian, J., Rohde, L. H., Karin, N. J., and Carson, D. D. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 11817-11823; Rohde, L. H., Julian, J., Babaknia, A., and Carson, D. D. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 11824-11830). The amino acid sequence predicted for HIP revealed a potential HS/HP-binding motif. In the present studies, a synthetic peptide corresponding to this putative HS/HP-binding motif, HIP peptide, was synthesized and examined with regard to its HS/HP binding and cell attachment promoting activity. Results using solid phase binding assays demonstrate that HIP peptide binds HS/HP with high selectivity and has high affinity for bulk HP (50% saturation congruent with 300 nM) and even higher affinity for a subset of polysaccharides found in commercial [3H]HP (half-saturation congruent with 10 nM). Moreover, HIP peptide binds subsets of cell and extracellular matrix-associated HS and dermatan sulfate expressed by RL95 cells, a human uterine adenocarcinoma cell line. HIP peptide also binds a similar fraction of HS as well as dermatan sulfate expressed by JAR cells, a human choriocarcinoma cell line. In contrast to binding of cell- or extracellular matrix-associated HS, HIP peptide does not bind secreted or released forms of HS or DS from either RL95 or JAR cells to a significant extent. HS species that bind to HIP peptide are generally larger, have a higher negative charge density, and have a larger proportion of di- and trisulfated disaccharide units than HS species that do not bind to HIP peptide, demonstrating structural differences among these polysaccharides. This same peptide supports HS-dependent JAR cell attachment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that a linear peptide sequence found within HIP can account, at least in part, for the HS/HP binding and cell adhesion promoting activities of this protein.
DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS AND DERIVED PRODUCTS FROM LROC NAC STEREO OBSERVATIONS

One of the primary objectives of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) is to acquire stereo observations with the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) to enable production of high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). This work describes the processes and techniques used in reducing the NAC stereo observations to DEMs through a combination of USGS integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS) and SOCET SET® from BAE Systems by a team at Arizona State University (ASU). LROC Science Operations Center personnel have thus far reduced 130 stereo observations to DEMs of more than 130 stereo pairs for 11 Constellation Program (CxP) sites and 53 other regions of scientific interest. The NAC DEM spatial sampling is typically 2 meters, and the vertical precision is 1–2 meters. Such high resolution provides the three-dimensional view of the lunar surface required for site selection, hazard avoidance and planning traverses that minimize resource consumption. In addition to exploration analysis, geologists can measure parameters such as elevation, slope, and volume to place constraints on composition and geologic history. The NAC DEMs are released and archived through NASA’s Planetary Data System.
Dietary hydrogen peroxide enhances hepatocarcinogenesis in trout : correlation with 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in liver DNA

The tumor-enhancing effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-initiated rainbow trout hepatocarcinogenesis was investigated and correlated with the levels of the mutagenic DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (oh8dG). In addition, the protective role of vitamin E was examined in relation to tumor enhancement and oh8dG levels in liver DNA. Trout were fed diets containing two levels of vitamin E (1000 or 20 mg/kg wet wt), each of which were made up to contain three levels of H2O2 (0, 600 or 3000 p.p.m.). Dietary vitamin E levels had no significant effect on tumor incidence or levels of oh8dG in liver DNA. On the other hand, dietary H2O2 enhanced liver tumors in a dose-dependent manner. Liver tumor incidence correlated significantly with the mean level of liver DNA oh8dG content (r = 0.87). We conclude that the H2O2 tumor-enhancing effect coincides with higher levels of oh8dG in the trout liver genome. Thus, rainbow trout may be a useful model for the study of the relationship of oh8dG levels in vivo to enhancement or promotion of carcinogenesis and its modulation by dietary enhancers and inhibitors of oxidative stress.
Persistence and Changes in Bioavailability of Dieldrin, DDE, and Heptachlor Epoxide in Earthworms Over 45 Years

The finding of dieldrin (88 ng/g), DDE (52 ng/g), and heptachlor epoxide (19 ng/g) in earthworms from experimental plots after a single moderate application (9 kg/ha) 45 years earlier attests to the remarkable persistence of these compounds in soil and their continued uptake by soil organisms. Half-lives (with 95 % confidence intervals) in earthworms, estimated from exponential decay equations, were as follows: dieldrin 4.9 (4.3–5.7) years, DDE 5.3 (4.7–6.1) years, and heptachlor epoxide 4.3 (3.8–4.9) years. These half-lives were not significantly different from those estimated after 20 years. Concentration factors (dry weight earthworm tissue/dry weight soil) were initially high and decreased mainly during the first 11 years after application. By the end of the study, average concentration factors were 1.5 (dieldrin), 4.0 (DDE), and 1.8 (heptachlor epoxide), respectively.
Description of a riboflavin biosynthetic gene variant prevalent in the phylum Proteobacteria

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is the precursor of flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, which are cofactors essential for a host of intracellular redox reactions. Microorganisms synthesize flavins de novo to fulfill nutritional requirements, but it is becoming increasingly clear that flavins play a wider role in cellular physiology than was previously appreciated. Flavins mediate diverse processes beyond the cytoplasmic membrane, including iron acquisition, extracellular respiration, and interspecies interactions. While investigating the regulation of flavin electron shuttle biosynthesis in the Gram-negative gammaproteobacterium Shewanella oneidensis, we discovered that a riboflavin biosynthetic gene (ribBA) annotated as encoding a bifunctional 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate (DHBP) synthase/GTP cyclohydrolase II does not possess both functions. The novel gene, renamed ribBX here, encodes an amino-terminal DHBP synthase domain. The carboxy-terminal end of RibBX not only lacks GTP cyclohydrolase II activity but also has evolved a different function altogether in S. oneidensis, regulating the activity of the DHBP synthase domain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the misannotation of ribBX as ribBA is rampant throughout the phylum Proteobacteria (40% of 2,173 annotated ribBA genes) and that ribBX emerged early in the evolution of this group of microorganisms. We examined the functionality of representative ribBX genes from Beta-, Gamma-, and Epsilonproteobacteria and found that, consistent with sequence-based predictions, the encoded GTP cyclohydrolase II domains lack catalytic activity. The persistence of ribBX in the genomes of so many phylogenetically divergent bacterial species lends weight to the argument that ribBX has evolved a function which lends a selective advantage to the host.
The Strengthening Families Program for Young Adolescents: Overview and Outcomes

SUMMARY The Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10–14 (SFP 10–14) is a video-based program designed to reduce substance abuse and other problem behavior in youth. Objectives include: (1) building skills in youth to reduce risk and build protective factors, (2) improving parenting practices known to reduce risk in youth, and (3) building stronger family units to support and guide youth. The SFP 10–14 is a universal program designed for ethnically-diverse general populations at all economic and educational levels. The 10 to 14-year-old youth, late elementary and middle school age, attend the program and practice skills together with their parents.
Single nucleotide polymorphism profiling across the methotrexate pathway in normal subjects and patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a commonly used disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Polymorphisms occur in several genes encoding key enzymes in the folic acid pathway, which is influenced by MTX, but have not been evaluated in patients with RA. The effect of race on allele frequency has also not been evaluated. In this study, the allele frequencies of polymorphisms in six key enzymes in the MTX–folate pathway in patients with RA and healthy controls, including several common racial groups were studied. European– and African–American patients with RA and European and African healthy controls were genotyped for 22 genetic loci in six genes in the MTX cellular pathway. Differences in genotype distributions between the different racial groups were evaluated using χ2 tests. Allele frequencies were significantly different (p < 0.001) for eight single nucleotide polymorphisms between the European and African controls. The allele frequencies of two polymorphisms showed significant difference...
The pST44 polycistronic expression system for producing protein complexes in Escherichia coli

Protein complexes are responsible for key biological processes, but methods to produce recombinant protein complexes for biochemical and biophysical studies are limited. We have developed a second generation Escherichia coli polycistronic expression system which improves on the modularity of our original pST39 polycistronic system. This pST44 expression system simplifies the construction of polycis-tronic plasmids, particularly of variant plasmids expressing deletion or point mutations in any subunit. To facilitate purification of the expressed complex, we have prepared a suite of 72 plasmids which allows individual subunits to be tagged at the N- or C-terminus with six permanent or cleavable peptide affinity tags. We demonstrate these new features in a detailed deletion analysis of a three protein yeast Piccolo NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex, and in the affinity purification of a human Piccolo NuA4 complex. We also utilize the modular design to show that the order of expression of the three subunits along the polycistronic plasmid does not affect the reconstitution of the yeast Piccolo complex in E. coli.
The validity of predetermined motion time systems in setting production standards for industrial tasks

Abstract Predetermined motion time systems (PMTS) are widely used in industry for setting production standards. In recent years, the popularity of PMTS has grown considerably. This is largely due to the release of the United States Air Force Standard MIL-STD-1567A, the development and widespread use of microcomputers, and the subjectivity of time studies. This paper reviews and evaluates various PMTS. Recommendations for future research are also made.
The American mixture of higher education in perspective: four dimensions *

Several nations are currently considering ‘privatization’ of parts of their higher education systems. This paper, mainly based on the American experience, examines ‘privatizing’ public institutions as an alternative to establishing solely ‘private’ institutions. Institutions are analyzed along four dimensions: (1) ownership (public or private); (2) control (external or internal); (3) financing (public or private funds); and (4) mechanisms for public financing (who controls fund distribution and how). There are varying mixtures along these four dimensions both within countries and around the world, with the American system exhibiting the widest range of combinations. Six categories are described, including four common in the U.S.: “I. Independent private”, where institutions are independent in ownership, in control, and in basic financing; “II. Dependent private”, independent in ownership and financing but dependent in control; “III. Independent public”, dependent in ownership but independent in control and substantially independent in financing; “IV. Semi-independent public (state/guild type)”, dependent in ownership, mixed in control, and heavily dependent in financing (less common in the U.S., but typical of Italy and Latin America); “V. Semi-independent public (state/trustee/guild type)”, where control is shared among state, academic guilds and lay boards of trustees but with mainly state-controlled financing; and “VI. Dependent public”, the model in the Communist nations. Kerr traces the historical path that led to the mixed American system and examines some of its positive consequences, which include institutional autonomy, diversity, and flexibility. Negative results include possible over-responsiveness to short-term pressures, as from the labor market or student preferences for courses of study, and from supporting business or industry. The author concludes that the American experience with ‘privatized’ public institutions may serve as a model for those elsewhere who now seek greater institutional differentiation, autonomy, and flexibility within national systems of higher education.
Interferon-γ Increases hPepT1-Mediated Uptake of Di-Tripeptides Including the Bacterial Tripeptide fMLP in Polarized Intestinal Epithelia

Interferon-γ causes a global phenotypic switch in intestinal epithelial function, in which enterocytes become immune accessory cells. The phenotypic switch is characterized by a down-regulation of membrane transporters and up-regulation of immune accessory molecules in intestinal epithelial cells. However, the effect of interferon-γ on the intestinal epithelia di-tripeptide hPepT1 transporter has not been investigated. In this study we demonstrate that 1) interferon-γ increases di-tripeptide uptake in dose- and time-dependent manner in model intestinal epithelia (Caco-2 BBE cell monolayers), 2) the increase in di-tripeptides induced by interferon-γ is hPepT1 mediated, 3) interferon-γ does not affect the hPept1 expression at the mRNA and protein levels 4) interferon-γ increases the intracellular pH and consequently enhances the H+-electrochemical gradient across apical plasma membrane in model intestinal epithelia (Caco2-BBE monolayers). We suggest that interferon-γ could increase the hPepT1 mediated di-tripeptides uptake in inflamed epithelial cells. Under these conditions, interferon-γ will increase the intracellular amount of such diverse prokaryotic and eucaryotic small di-tripeptides in inflamed epithelial cells. The intracellular accumulation of such di-tripeptides may be important in enterocytes becoming immune accessory cells.
New grading system for angiographic evaluation of arterial occlusions and recanalization response to intra-arterial thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grading scheme and other classification systems are limited because they do not account for occlusion location or collateral circulation. A new scheme for angiographic classification of arterial occlusion and recanalization response to intra-arterial thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke was designed because of limitations in existing grading systems. METHODS The proposed scheme assigns a score from 0 to 5 on the basis of occlusion site and collateral supply. The pre- and post-thrombolysis angiograms of 15 patients with acute ischemic stroke were independently graded by three neurointerventionists according to TIMI perfusion grade (0-3), a grading scheme developed by Mori et al. (Mori E, Tabuchi M, Yoshida T, Yamadori A: Intracarotid urokinase with thromboembolic occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Stroke 19:802-812, 1988) (0-4), and the proposed scheme (0-5); and interobserver agreement was assessed. The effect of severity of initial arterial occlusion on outcomes of good recovery (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of < or =4) or death at 7 days after thrombolysis according to the proposed and TIMI grading schemes was also assessed in 60 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess these relationships after adjusting for patient age, sex, time interval between symptom onset and treatment, and thrombolytic agent used. RESULTS Interobserver agreement was higher for pre- and posttreatment grading of angiographic images using the new classification scheme (kappa = 0.73) than with either TIMI perfusion grade (kappa = 0.68) or Mori et al. grade (kappa = 0.68). The proposed grading scheme was inversely associated with good recovery at 7 days (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.9) and directly associated with 7-day mortality (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.6) after treatment. Initial TIMI grade did not correlate with either good recovery or death at 7 days. An inverse trend was observed between initial severity of angiographic occlusion as determined by the proposed scheme and complete recanalization after treatment (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-1.02). CONCLUSION Application of the new classification scheme for assessing pretreatment occlusion and response to intra-arterial thrombolysis resulted in high interobserver agreement and correlated with 7-day outcomes. The six grades used in this scheme allowed precise angiographic evaluation of perfusion changes.
A Delocalized Analogue of the Bicobaltocene Cation Derived from Reduction of a d6d6 (Fulvalenediyl)bis(cobaltacarborane) Complex: Electrochemistry, ESR, Optical Spectroscopy, and IR Spectroscopy of the Carborane Group

The electron-transfer properties of the dinuclear complex (fulvalenediyl)Co2(Et2C2B4H4)2, 4, have been studied by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. This d6d6 complex undergoes two reversible reductions (E1/2 = −2.06 and −2.52 V vs ferrocene) separated by 460 mV, indicative of a strong metal−metal interaction. ESR and optical (near-IR) spectroscopy of the ions 4- and 42-, while suggestive of significant Co−Co interactions, are ambiguous regarding the mixed-valent classification of the monoanion. IR spectra in the ν(BH) region show that the two carborane ligands in 4- are equivalent, establishing that the monoanion is an intrinsically delocalized (class III) mixed-valent species. The oxidation of 4 proceeds in two anodic steps, only the first of which (E1/2 = 1.11 V) is reversible. The monocation 4+ decomposed rapidly, eluding spectroscopic characterization, but the small potential separation of the two oxidations of 4 (250 mV) suggests that 4+ is a valence-trapped species, in concert with other d5...
Some useful insights for graduate students beginning their research in physiological psychology: Anecdotes and attitudes

This paper is based on my experiences in 40 years of research in behavioral neuroscience. It is aimed at giving help to beginning graduate students with advice for how to do their research.
Monocyte-derived dendritic cells from cirrhotic patients retain similar capacity for maturation/activation and antigen presentation as those from healthy subjects.

Abstract Few studies have investigated the impact of liver cirrhosis on dendritic cell function. The purpose of this study was to compare the activation and antigen-presentation capacity of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDC) from cirrhotic patients (CIR) relative to healthy donors (HD). MoDC from CIR and HD were matured, phenotyped, irradiated and pulsed with 15mer peptides for two hepatocellular carcinoma-related antigens, alphafetoprotein and glypican-3, then co-cultured with autologous T-cells. Expanded T-cells were evaluated by interferon-gamma ELISPOT and intracellular staining. 15 CIR and 7 HD were studied. While CD14+ monocytes from CIR displayed enhanced M2 polarization, under MoDC-polarizing conditions, we identified no significant difference between HD and CIR in maturation-induced upregulation of co-stimulation markers. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between CIR and HD in subsequent expansion of tumor antigen-specific IFNγ+ T-cells. Conclusion: MoDCs isolated from cirrhotic individuals retain similar capacity for in vitro activation, maturation and antigen-presentation as those from healthy donors.
Simulation as a decision aide: a management perspective

The environment and growth of management problems found in a modern health care institution are briefly discussed. The techniques of computer simulation are suggested as a realistic approach to the solution of some of the complex operations problems, especially from a planning perspective. Two examples of the application of simulation analysis are cited with particular attention given to the interaction of the analysts and the diverse participants/clients of the studies which ultimately resulted in the successful solution of the problem.
Pachyonychia Congenita (Jadassohn‐Lewandowsky syndrome): A seventeen‐member, four‐generation pedigree with unusual respiratory and dental involvement

Pachyonychia Congenita (PC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome of thick nails and other epithelial defects. A hospitalization for severe respiratory distress in a 3-year-old boy with PC and an affected father led to the discovery of 17 affected persons in a kindred spanning four generations. Nine relatives had varying degrees of upper respiratory tract obstruction, and eleven had dental aberrations. We review PC and discuss other unusual findings in this kindred, ie, arthritis in four affected relatives and a discrepancy between expected and observed ratios of affected to unaffected offspring of mothers with PC.
600 MHz 1H nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the kringle 4 fragment of human plasminogen

Abstract Kringle 4, a ~10,000-Da domain in the heavy chain of human plasminogen, has been isolated intact and studied by 1 H NMR spectroscopy at 600 MHz. The spectroscopic data indicates that kringle 4 possesses a globular and flexible structure which exhibits relatively fast amide-hydrogen exchange. About 17 NH groups show retarded exchange, with half-lives of ~7 h in 2 H 2 O at pH ∗ 6.45, 25 °C, which indicates that regions of the kringle are buried and shielded from direct interaction with the solvent. Analysis of the methyl region spectrum accounts for all singlets and doublets in terms of the amino acid composition; resonances from the C- and N-termini residues could be identified from the magnitude of their 3 J couplings and their response to pH titration. It is shown that elastase digestion of plasminogen generates two species of kringle 4, one that terminates with Ala 85 and another that extends to Val 87 . The heterogeneity can be resolved by chromatography on CM-Sephadex. The interaction of kringle 4 with BASA ( p -benzylaminesulfonic acid), an antifibrinolytic drug presumed to bind to the plasminogen lysine-binding sites, has been investigated through the effects of added ligand on the kringle spectrum. The kringle lysine-binding site would appear to be integrated by a cluster of interacting His and aromatic residues since many of these resonances follow a definite saturation curve pattern upon BASA titration. In contrast, only minor changes are detected in the aliphatic methyl spectra. The association constant for the BASA-kringle 4 interaction is estimated to be K a ~ 74 m m −1 , which should be compared with K a ~ 145 m m −1 previously measured for kringle 1 under identical conditions. It is proposed that residues in the proximity of the Cys 80 -Cys 1 disulfide bridge are proximal to, or form part of, the lysine-binding site.
Long-Term, Randomized Comparison of Balloon Angioplasty and Surgery for Native Coarctation of the Aorta in Childhood

Background— The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of children randomized to surgery or balloon angioplasty (BA) for native coarctation (CoA). A prior randomized, short-term comparison of BA and surgery for native CoA in 36 children demonstrated equivalent relief of obstruction. The risk of aneurysm formation and possibly restenosis was higher among patients treated with BA. Methods and Results— Blood pressure, residual aortic obstruction, and exercise performance were evaluated. Need for repeat intervention was reviewed. Aortic arch anatomy was assessed with magnetic resonance angiography. For subjects who were not available to return for evaluation, the most recent clinical record was utilized. Among the 36 subjects initially randomized, 21 returned for evaluation (11 BA, 10 surgery). The average time since initial intervention to evaluation for all subjects was 10.6±4.7 years for BA subjects and 11.3±3.7 years for surgical subjects. Resting blood pressure, CoA gradient, exercis...
Race differences in selection of cheese color.

Preferences for specific foods and colors vary greatly in humans. There are many explanations to account for this variation, but no one factor has been pinpointed as major. It has been suggested that family experience (3), the color of an item (21, and aesthetics (1) all play a part in accounting for the variation of food and color preference. This study investigated color preference in food as related to the race of the individuals. White and yellow American cheese was presented to 155 individuals from three ethnic groups. In Group 1 were 30 (11.79;) black individuals, in Group 2 197 (77.3%) white persons, and in Group 3 28 (11 %) people from various other ethnic backgrounds, including mostly Hispanics. The parr~cipans ranged in age from 11 to 72 yr. A control group of 20 people was also tested to ensure equ~valence of the taste of the two colors of American cheese. In a supermarket, a display table was set with two plates of American cheese, one yellow, one white. As the individuals selected a piece of cheese, the grouping and the color of the chosen cheese was recorded. The control subjects were blindfolded and asked to sample both types of American cheese. They were to identify which was yellow American cheese and which was white. Their responses were recorded. The frequencies for color preference were as follows: 9 black individuals (30%) chose white and 21 (70%) chose yellow cheese, 105 white participants (53.3%) chose white, while 92 (46.7%) chose yellow. Of the subjects from other ethnic backgrounds, 9 (32.2%) preferred white and 19 (67.9%) preferred yellow cheese. The association between type of individual and choice of cheese color for these groups was statistically significant (X% 872, df = 2, p .O5). These data indicate that the preferences for one of two colors of American cheese are dissimilar for different races of respondents. The data from the blindfolded control subjects established that this variation is not based on difference in flavor. It is assumed, then, that the difference in color between the two cheeses influenced the selection of the cheese and that perhaps by knowing the racial group of individuals, one might partially predict this choice.
Iron filings as magnetically retrievable markers

Iron filings (plain, red-painted and red-fluorescent-painted) in tallow baits were tested as bait acceptance markers for coyotes (Canis latrans). The paint coatings did not survive digestive passage. Based on very small numbers of treated animals, recovery period of iron filings appeared longer than for two types of particle markers examined by others. Iron filings would be simple to use, readily available and inexpensive.
Synthesis of mesoporous carbons using ordered and disordered mesoporous silica templates and polyacrylonitrile as carbon precursor

Mesoporous carbons were synthesized from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) using ordered and disordered mesoporous silica templates and were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, and thermogravimetry. The pores of the silica templates were infiltrated with carbon precursor (PAN) via polymerization of acrylonitrile from initiation sites chemically bonded to the silica surface. This polymerization method is expected to allow for a uniform filling of the template with PAN and to minimize the introduction of nontemplated PAN, thus mitigating the formation of nontemplated carbon. PAN was stabilized by heating to 573 K under air and carbonized under N2 at 1073 K. The resulting carbons exhibited high total pore volumes (1.5−1.8 cm3 g-1), with a primary contribution of the mesopore volume and with relatively low microporosity. The carbons synthesized using mesoporous templates with a 2-dimensional hexagonal structure (SBA-15 silica) and a face-centered cu...
beta-catenin destruction complex: insights and questions from a structural perspective.

At the heart of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway is the β-catenin destruction complex, which functions in the absence of Wnt signaling to keep the cytosolic and nuclear levels of β-catenin very low by promoting the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of β-catenin. Structural studies, combined with other experimental approaches, have begun to provide important insights into the mechanism of the destruction complex. We suggest a working model for the destruction complex based on the existing structural and experimental data, and focus on the questions that this model and other studies have raised about the function of the complex in both the normal and Wnt-inhibited states.
Psychosocial maturity and the forming of impressions

Erikson’s concept of psychosocial maturity (PSM), assessed by scores on the Inventory of Psychosocial Development, was related to interpersonal behavior in a person perception experiment. This personality variable was found to moderate ratings of others in the standard impression-formation paradigm. Results indicated that high-PSM individuals were more extreme in their responses to social stimuli than were low-PSM individuals, but only for the middle-ranged stimuli. The results were discussed in terms of the potential mechanisms by which PSM affects the forming of impressions.
Polypeptide models for membrane permeation by cations and their relevance to biomembrane depolarization

Polypeptide models for membrane permeation by cations are discussed with a brief mention of the valinomycin carrier and with emphasis on possible transmembrane structures formed by alamethicin and gramicidin A. The several conformational states that derive from the model polypeptide studies are considered in terms of recent information on the conductances and gating currents of physiological channels. Several polypeptide conformational models for electric field dependent channel formation, which utilize the peptide dipole moment, are presented with the purpose of achieving a perspective of the biological relevancy of the model channel formers.
The propagation of ultrashort pulses through matter

Abstract It is found that very short pulses of light which propagate through matter with group velocities different from the phase velocity in the medium scatter light into the backward direction at a shifted frequency. The amount of back-scattered light becomes increasingly significant as the pulses become shorter.
The Expression of TGF-β Receptors in Human Atherosclerosis: Evidence for Acquired Resistance to Apoptosis due to Receptor Imbalance

The degree of cellularity in vascular lesions is determined by the balance between the migration and proliferation of cells relative to their rate of egress and apoptosis. Transforming growth factor-beta(1) can act as a potent antiproliferative and apoptotic factor for proliferating vascular cells. Our laboratory has previously identified cells cultured from human vascular lesions that are resistant to the antiproliferative effect of TGF-beta(1) due to an acquired mutation in the Type II receptor for TGF-beta(1). In the present studies, the expression of the Type I and II receptors in coronary and carotid atherosclerotic lesions was analysed by immunostaining, RT-PCR, and in situ RT-PCR. Levels of the Type I and Type II receptors varied widely within lesions, with the highest levels in the fibrous cap and at discrete foci within the lesion. Regions of smooth muscle-like cells (SMC) were commonly found that were Type I positive but Type II receptor negative. In 43 cell lines cultured from 126 human lesions, 84% of the lesion-derived cell (LDC) cultures exhibited functional resistance to the antiproliferative effect of TGF-beta(1). This resistance was conferred against TGF-beta(1), TGF-beta(2), and TGF- beta(3), but not interferon-gamma or mimosine. While normal SMC exhibited a four-fold increase in the rate of apoptosis after TGF- beta(1) treatment, most LDC were resistant to apoptosis in response to TGF-beta(1). Resistant cells exhibited selective loss of Type II receptor expression, and retroviral transfection of Type II receptor cDNA partially corrected the functional deficit. Thus, resistance to apoptosis may lead to the slow proliferation of resistant cell subsets, thereby contributing to the progression of atherosclerotic and restenotic lesions.
Dynamic Measures of Scope and Scale Economies: An Application to German Agriculture

Static concepts of multiproduct economies of scale and scope are extended into a dynamic setting within the cost of adjustment framework. Important properties of the dynamic measures are developed and the foundations of a dynamic theory of the firm generalizing static neoclassical theory are presented. Dynamic measures of scope and scale as well as shadow costs are estimated empirically for multiple-output, multiple-input German dairy farms operating under a production quota. Causes of scope economies are explored and a conceptual model to predict the evolution of the production structure of German farms is formulated.
Deposition of trace metals in stream sediments

Sediment samples have been collected downstream from a Pb smelter and analyzed for Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn. The concentrations of these trace metals decrease with increased distance from the smelter. The decrease in trace metal contant has been utilized to provide an indication of how rapidly artificially high levels of trace metals are reduced to the carrying capacity of a natural water. Equilibrium calculations are utilized to predict the water's intrinsic trace metal carrying capacity.
Chaos As A Tool For Exploring Questions of International Security

Mathematical models-static or dynamic-of international systems arc often used to predict outcomes of specific policy choices. The focus of this paper is not such predictions themselves but the question of whether or not such predictability is meaningful. Non-predictability in a deterministic dynamic model is usually referred to as “chaos” and is used in this paper as a paradigm for crisis instability and the possible outbreak of war in a system of competing states. The use of the paradigm is illustrated via initial explorations of three international security questions: 1.) Which is more stable, a bipolar or a multipolar system? 2.) Which are more war prone, democracies or autocracies? 3.) Which leads to more stability, seeking security via independent acquisition of arms or via a balance of power? A simple model-not empirically founded but manifesting some dominant aspects of the situation-is formulated for each question. The stability regime of each model is then determined. Using the postulate that a l...
Conversion of amino-acid sequence in proteins to classical music: search for auditory patterns

We have converted genome-encoded protein sequences into musical notes to reveal auditory patterns without compromising musicality. We derived a reduced range of 13 base notes by pairing similar amino acids and distinguishing them using variations of three-note chords and codon distribution to dictate rhythm. The conversion will help make genomic coding sequences more approachable for the general public, young children, and vision-impaired scientists.
Peri-adolescent ethanol vapor exposure produces reductions in hippocampal volume that are correlated with deficits in prepulse inhibition of the startle.

Background Epidemiological studies suggest that excessive alcohol consumption is prevalent among adolescents and may have lasting neurobehavioral consequences. The use of animal models allows for the separation of the effects of adolescent ethanol (EtOH) exposure from genetic background and other environmental insults. In this study, the effects of moderate EtOH vapor exposure, during adolescence, on structural diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and behavioral measures were evaluated in adulthood. Methods A total of 53 Wistar rats were received at postnatal day (PD) 21 and were randomly assigned to EtOH vapor (14 hours on/10 hours off/day) or air exposure for 35 days from PD 23 to 58 (average blood ethanol concentration: 169 mg%). Animals were received in 2 groups that were subsequently sacrificed at 2 time points following withdrawal from EtOH vapor: (i) at 72 days of age, 2 weeks following withdrawal or (ii) at day 128, 10 weeks following withdrawal. In the second group, behavior in the light/dark box and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle was also evaluated. Fifteen animals in each group were scanned, postmortem, for structural DTI. Results There were no significant differences in body weight between EtOH and control animals. Volumetric data demonstrated that total brain, hippocampal, corpus callosum but not ventricular volume were significantly larger in the 128-day-sacrificed animals as compared to the 72 day animals. The hippocampus was smaller and the ventricles larger at 128 days as compared to 72 days, in the EtOH-exposed animals, leading to a significant group × time effect. EtOH-exposed animals sacrificed at 128 days also had diminished PPI, and more rears in the light box were significantly correlated with hippocampal size. Conclusions These studies demonstrate that DTI volumetric measures of hippocampus are significantly impacted by age and peri-adolescent EtOH exposure and withdrawal in Wistar rats.