cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REVERSAL BY FERRIC IRON OF SERUM INHIBITION OF RESPIRATION AND GROWTH OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS.

Bornside, George H. (Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans), Christopher B. Merritt, and Alice C. Weil. Reversal by ferric iron of serum inhibition of respiration and growth of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 87:1443–1451. 1964.—The inhibitory effect of serum and serum fractions on oxygen consumption by Bacillus subtilis was assayed manometrically; the inhibitory effect on growth was measured by a tube dilution assay, pour plates, and turbidimetrically. Although rabbit serum possessed high antirespiratory and bactericidal activity, a two-fold dilution of serum eliminated antirespiratory activity, but did not affect bactericidal activity. The bactericidal effect of rabbit serum was detected immediately upon mixture of serum and bacilli, but the antirespiratory effect was usually discernible after 2 hr. By these methods of assay, there was no statistically significant association between bactericidal and antirespiratory activities. This lack of close association between antirespiratory and bactericidal activities of serum was attributed to basic differences in the assay procedures, because bacterial growth during the manometric procedure itself was proportional to oxygen consumption. In these latter experiments, therefore, serum antirespiratory activity was proportional to serum bactericidal activity. Alcoholic fractionation of serum indicated that the antirespiratory agent was a globulin, but study of globulins from man and animals failed to identify any single globulin consistently as the antirespiratory agent. However, a highly purified preparation of human 7S γ-globulin exhibited the greatest specific antirespiratory activity, as well as completely inhibiting growth and respiration. Antirespiratory activity was slightly diminished after rabbit serum was heated at 56 C for 30 min, and appeared to be related to levels of unsaturated transferrin. Reversal of antirespiratory activity was obtained by addition of iron in excess of the amount needed to saturate transferrin; no reversal was obtained with aluminum, magnesium, manganese, copper, cobalt, or zinc. The effect of iron was on the serum and not on the bacilli. Oxygen consumption by B. subtilis was actually stimulated by highly purified rabbit transferrin. The antirespiratory agent was a serum globulin which was heat-stable and inactivated by iron, but was not transferrin.
Deformation theory, generic vanishing theorems, and some conjectures of Enriques, Catanese and Beauville

Introduction 389 w Notation and conventions 392 w Deformations of cohomology groups 392 w Generic vanishing criteria for topologically trivial line bundles 397 w A Nakano-type generic vanishing theorem 401 w An application to surfaces 405 References 407
The numerical radius of exterior powers

Abstract Let λ 1 and α 1 be respectively the eigenvalue of largest modulus and largest singular value of a linear operator A . Then A is called radial if |λ 1 | = α 1 . This paper is concerned with an examination of radial compound matrices. It turns out that the radial property for compound matrices is equivalent to an investigation of the case of equality in the classical inequalities of H. Weyl relating products of eigenvalues and singular values.
Total water storage in the Arkansas-Red River basin

[1] This paper presents a diagnostic approach to study the spatial and temporal variability of total water storage (TWS) properties of hydrologic basins. The approach utilizes a simple water balance equation based on the physical law of mass conservation. Thirty-six years of monthly historical records of precipitation and streamflow discharge data were collected from 27 basins in the Arkansas-Red River basin. Five different assumptions were made to estimate evapotranspiration. The study found that the assumption that considers both initial total water storage and precipitation amount in the current period provides the most consistent long-term seasonal evapotranspiration, when compared to seasonal evapotranspiration derived from the atmospheric water budget in the Arkansas-Red River basin. The TWS variability range has an apparent east-west gradient and is highly correlated to climatological factors such as the ratio of annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration and vegetation information. Wetter basins tend to have a larger TWS variability range than dry ones. The intra-annual TWS variability range is small compared to year-to-year variability. This phenomenon is more noticeable for dry basins, implying that longer data sets are needed to study the water balance of dry regions. Another finding is that the TWS variability range is shown to be scale dependent, with intermediate-scale-area basins exhibiting larger variability than large-scale-area basin.
Enhanced detection of blood bank sample collection errors with a centralized patient database

BACKGROUND: Pittsburgh's Centralized Transfusion Service (CTS) provides transfusion support to 16 hospitals and features an electronic database that contains patient transfusion and serologic histories. This database can be accessed from any hospital in the system. A major cause of ABO-incompatible transfusions is the “wrong blood in tube” (WBIT) phenomenon, that is, the sample is not from the recipient identified on the label. We hypothesized that having access to patient historical ABO types from anywhere in the CTS system can identify WBIT errors and prevent mistransfusions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The transfusion committee records of the 16 CTS hospitals from March 2005 to September 2007 were reviewed for major collection errors, that is, the current ABO type differed from the historical type in the database. The patient's historical ABO type, the discrepant type, and the hospital(s) where these samples were collected were recorded. RESULTS: In 6 of 16 major collection errors for which complete information was available, the current and historical ABO types were obtained from different hospitals within the CTS system. In 3 cases, selection of ABO type–specific blood based on the current sample would have led to an ABO-compatible transfusion (e.g., correct type A, current type O). In the other 3 cases, an ABO-incompatible transfusion would have resulted (e.g., correct type O, current type A). CONCLUSIONS: Access to a centralized patient database detected 38 percent more ABO typing errors and prevented six mistransfusions, which would not have been prevented at a single institution. Centralization of patient transfusion data should be encouraged.
Authentication interface evaluation and design for mobile devices

The design of mobile device interfaces is an area that has started to be addressed in the human computer interaction (HCI) community during the past few years. While previous work on handheld interface design has focused on overall usability aspects, security related design issues have only been minimally addressed. An example of a security interface is an authentication interface as used by electronic commerce (e-commerce) web sites. The paper opens with a review of prior research on secure interface design. Results of a usability evaluation targeting authentication interfaces as accessed on mobile devices is presented. To illustrate design aspects of an authentication interface, a discussion of the eBay authentication interface is then discussed. Recommended guidelines are proposed for designing authentication interfaces as accessed via mobile devices.
Colour, world and archimedean metaphysics: stroud and the quest for reality

This paper proposes a fundamentally opposite conception of the possibility of metaphysics to that of Barry Stroud in The Quest for Reality and other writings. I discuss Stroud’s views on everyday ‚truth’ and metaphysics (Section 1), on interpretation (Section 2 – replying with a theory of ‚quasi-understanding’), and his ‚no threat’ claim (Section 3). But the main argument (Section 4) is a response to Stroud’s claim that we have no right either to affirm or to deny the metaphysical reality of colours. Stroud’s view resembles Carnap’s (1950, Revue Internationale de Philosophie 4, 20–40), that experience can in some sense never settle the metaphysical issue between e.g. materialism, idealism and phenomenalism; though we can allow everyday ‚knowledge’ e.g. that there is a fallen tree in the garden outside, as something available on all three views. (Carnap takes the undecidability as a sign that the metaphysical issue is a pseudo-question; Stroud insists it is factual, but places it beyond our ken, ‚external’.) I argue, instead, that metaphysical argument is possible from within our conceptual scheme and epistemic situation (as in Gareth Evans’s arguments for realism over phenomenalism); that ‚external’ and ‚internal’ questions cannot be separated as Stroud wishes; and that if we really were denied knowledge on ‚metaphysical’ matters, that would infect our right to claim knowledge of ‚observational’ matters too. And I sketch a theory of colour that would allow us to conclude (at once ‚metaphysically’ and ‚internally’) that things are indeed ‚really’ coloured. For all his expressions of sympathy for Wittgenstein, Stroud’s metaphysics is remarkably Cartesian.
Student- and instruction-level predictors of narrative writing in third-grade students

This study examined the student-level and instruction-level predictors of narrative writing fluency and quality. Participants included 120 third-grade students from 13 classrooms. Student predictors included measures of reading, handwriting, spelling, IQ, grammatical understanding, and gender. Instructional predictors focused on the amount of time allocated to teaching basic writing skills and planning skills. Significant predictors of compositional fluency included gender, advanced planning ability, and handwriting fluency, while significant predictors of compositional quality included gender, compositional fluency, Full-scale IQ, word reading ability, and grammatical understanding. There were no main effects of instructional variables; however there were two student by instruction interactions. Implications of the study highlight the importance of student characteristics in writing achievement, as well as considering the need for differential instruction based on student needs.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE NASOPHARYNGEAL SECRETIONS FROM INFLUENZA PATIENTS IX. THE RECURRENCE OF 1922.

From the nasopharyngeal secretions of patients in the early hours of uncomplicated epidemic influenza during the recurrence in New York City in January and February, 1922, we have again obtained an active agent, pathogenic for rabbits, and have identified this active agent as Bacterium pneumosintes. Four new strains of this micro-organism have been isolated in pure culture and identified with the 1918-19 and 1920 strains on morphological, cultural, and serological grounds. All of the significant characteristics of the old strains, including their effect upon the resistance of the lungs of rabbits to secondary invasion with other bacteria, have been noted in the new strains, which thus have served to confirm and extend our original observations.
The complete handbook of coaching

The complete handbook of coaching, edited by Elaine Cox, Tatiana Bachkirova, and David Clutterbuck, London, Sage, 2010, 436 pp., US$120 (hardback), US$47.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-84787-542-6 Upon...
Protective effects of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin against traumatic brain injury-induced cognitive deficits and neuropathology in adult male rats

To further investigate the efficacy of 5-HT(1A) receptor agonism on functional and histological outcome in traumatically-brain injured (TBI) rats, a single intraperitoneal injection of 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 mg/kg) or vehicle was given 15 min after controlled cortical impact or sham injury. Function was assessed by established motor and cognitive tests on post-operative days 1-5 and 14-18, respectively. Cortical lesion volume and hippocampal CA(1)/CA(3) cell survival were quantified at 4 weeks. The administration of 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg) attenuated spatial acquisition deficits and reduced hippocampal CA(3) cell loss vs. vehicle (P < 0.05). These data augment published reports that 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists confer neuroprotective effects after experimental TBI.
Circuit Logic of Avoidance and Attraction

How an animal responds to a sensory stimulus depends on its intensity. Animals prefer food with moderate concentrations of salt and avoid food high in salt content. Responses may also depend on the context. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by stressed fruit flies elicits an avoidance response ( 1 ). However, CO2 emitted by fermenting fruits is tolerated by flies in the context of food odors ( 2 ). How is a sensory stimulus encoded when presented at different intensities or in different contexts? On pages 1338 and 1334 in this issue, Lin et al. ( 3 ) and Zhang et al. ( 4 ) provide new insight into this fascinating problem by investigating how different concentrations of CO2 and salt are encoded by the olfactory and gustatory systems, respectively, in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster .
A Solid State Pulsed Coagulating Diathermy Instrument:1 Preliminary Report

A solid state pulsed coagulating diathermy instrument is described. The operating parameters of this instrument have been investigated for bipolar coagulation. The advantages of this instrument over spark-gap instruments are lower power requirement, smaller physical size, lessend fire danger and elimination of E. C. G. interference (when used with bipolar configuration).
Changes in carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I mRNA abundance produced by hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism parallel changes in activity

To study the regulation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I by thyroid hormone, a cDNA was obtained by PCR amplification of DNA obtained by reverse transcription of rat liver RNA. CPT-I mRNA abundance was measured in livers of hyperthyroid, euthyroid and hypothyroid rats. In hypothyroid rats, the CPT-I mRNA levels decreased 40-fold relative to that of the hyperthyroid animals. These changes paralleled alterations in enzyme activity. These data suggest that CPT-I is regulated at the transcriptional level by thyroid hormone.
Reactivity of lanthanide ferrite SOFC cathodes with YSZ electrolyte

Abstract The reactivity of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with compounds of the form Ln0.8Sr0.2FeO3 (Ln=Sm, Pr, Nd and a mixed lanthanide precursor) and La0.8M0.2FeO3 (M=Ba, Ca) was investigated, and compared to the comprehensively studied La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 (LSF-20) composition. With the exception of Ca, all variants showed either increased reactivity with YSZ (compared to the base LSF-20), or a lack of phase purity after calcination at 1200–1300 °C.
Strategic decision making in industrial procurement: implications for buying decision approaches and buyer‐seller relationships

Research on industrial buying decisions has developed along two major themes after the publication of the seminal buyclass framework by Robinson et al. in 1967. One stream of research seeks to extend or delimit the framework to a variety of buying contexts and product categories, while the other focusses on various emerging forms of buyer‐seller relationships within industrial buying. In an attempt to integrate these two streams calls for detailed attention to the strategic importance of procurement. Elaborates on the conditions which lend a strategic character to any procurement and makes predictions on the appropriate form used for buyer‐seller relationships under various firm‐specific and environmental conditions. Also, shows that such strategic considerations and variations in buyer‐seller relationships for procurement can be characterized within a modified form of the original buyclass framework. In doing so, reconfirms the robustness of the core propositions of the buyclass framework. Draws some implications for the development of procurement relationships for industrial buyers and sellers.
The dramatic testimony of Antonio de Ciudad Real: Indigenous theatre in sixteenth‐century New Spain

(1996). The dramatic testimony of Antonio de Ciudad Real: Indigenous theatre in sixteenth‐century New Spain. Colonial Latin American Review: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 237-251.
Structure Activity Relationship Study of Emodin Derivatives Based on the Protein-Tyrosine Kinase and Protein Kinase C Inhibitory Activities and Cytotoxicity

Abstract Emodin (3-methyl-1,6,8-trihydroxyanthraquinone) was shown to be an interesting protein-tyrosine kinase, p56lck inhibitor initially isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum. A series of modified emodin analogs were synthesized and examined for inhibitory activity against protein-tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C, and for cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines. None of the emodin derivatives is a strong protein kinase C inhibitor. All emodin analogs are not highly cytotoxic agent. Current results coincide with the previous data on selective inhibition of the growth of ras-transformed human lung and Her-2/neu-overexpressed human breast tumor cells, suggesting that protein-tyrosine kinase inhibition may play an important role in the growth inhibitory activity of emodin analogs.
The microbiota and inflammatory bowel disease: Insights from animal models

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is thought to result from a dysregulated immune response to intestinal microbial flora in individuals with genetic predisposition(s). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in human IBD have identified more than 150 associated loci, some of which are key players in innate immunity and bacterial handling, reflecting the importance of the microbiota in disease pathogenesis. In fact, the presence of a microbial flora is not only crucial to the development of a normal murine immune system but also critical for the development of disease in the majority of animal models of IBD. Although animal models do not perfectly recapitulate human IBD, they have led to the discovery of important concepts in IBD pathogenesis, such as the central role of microbiota in disease development and perpetuation. Many genetically susceptible models do not develop colitis when raised in a germ-free or Helicobacter-free environment. In fact, disease in most models can be attenuated or completely abolished with antibiotic treatment. Moreover, an interplay between intestinal microbiota and mucosal immune activation is suggested by the presence of serum antibodies against the Cbir1 flagellin, an immunodominant antigen that activates TLR5, in certain models of spontaneous colitis as well as in human patients. Furthermore, T cells reactive to Cbir1 are able to induce disease in recipient mice upon adoptive cell transfer, demonstrating the pro-inflammatory properties of certain bacterial products. In fact, it has been shown that transfer of certain intestinal bacteria from a specific genetically altered mouse model with spontaneous colitis can induce disease in wild-type mice upon co-housing or direct feeding. These observations demonstrate the pathogenic potential of intestinal microbiota in IBD. However, intestinal bacteria are not always maladaptive in mucosal homeostasis. Both Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium species promote the number and function of a certain regulatory T cell subset in the colon leading to protection against murine colitis. In fact, normal development of regulatory cells and epithelial cell integrity are abolished in the absence of an intestinal flora, suggestive of the need for certain microbial components to induce beneficial anti-inflammatory mechanisms. All in all, altered immune responses to microbes play a crucial role in IBD pathogenesis. However, certain components of the microbiota are also likely critical for normal development of regulatory mechanisms that contribute to mucosal homeostasis. Findings in animal models highlight the concept that IBD is a disease that results from the interplay of genetics and microbial/environmental factors.
Shaking limb transient ischemic attacks: unusual presentation of carotid artery occlusive disease: report of two cases.

Objective and importance Shaking limb transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) represent a rare clinical syndrome that has been ascribed to focal cerebral ischemia attributable to insufficient brain perfusion, usually resulting from carotid artery occlusive disease. The techniques conventionally used to evaluate this condition are contrast angiography, carotid artery ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance angiography. Treatment consists of internal carotid artery (ICA) endarterectomy or, in the case of complete ICA occlusion, extracranial-intracranial bypass. In this report, two patients with shaking limb TIAs are presented. For one patient, preoperative evaluations included single-photon emission computed tomographic studies with acetazolamide vasodilator challenge; for the second patient, computed tomographic angiography was used to assess vascular anatomic features. Clinical presentation Two patients with severe carotid artery disease presented with brief, recurrent, shaking limb TIAs. Angiograms obtained for Patient 1 demonstrated complete ICA occlusion in association with severe external carotid artery stenosis, whereas preoperative single-photon emission computed tomographic scans revealed a lack of cerebrovascular reserve in response to acetazolamide challenge. Carotid artery duplex ultrasonography and computed tomographic angiography demonstrated severe stenosis of the ICA for Patient 2. Intervention Patient 1 underwent a left external carotid artery endarterectomy. Patient 2 underwent a right ICA endarterectomy. Conclusion After surgery, the shaking limb episodes ceased for both patients. Postoperative single-photon emission computed tomographic scans for Patient 1 demonstrated increased cerebral blood flow in response to acetazolamide challenge. These data provide support for the concept that shaking limb TIAs are related to hemodynamic failure and that improvements in cerebral blood flow through conducting vessels can alleviate the condition.
Multiple solutions of the single-reference coupled-cluster method

Abstract The nonlinear coupled-cluster (CC) equations possess several solutions. They describe various excited states as long as they contain a contribution from the reference function. We study the additional solutions of the single-reference CC equations and demonstrate that unlike the ground state, the approximate solution for excited states in general does not satisfy the cluster condition nor the standard proof of extensivity. For such states that makes the CC approximation poorer than that for the analogous CI.
The Holes that Go-fers Dig

M.G. Trend has made a number of candid but disquieting observations on the role of anthropologists in the contract research industry. In "Managing and Being Managed" (Practicing Anthropology, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1979) and other unpublished papers, such as "The Hedgehog and the Fox Revisited" and "The Anthropologist as Go-fer," he reports that from the standpoint of developments in applied social science, anthropology is undergoing a fundamental transformation. This transformation is taking place on two levels. First, writing as ethnographer, Trend observes that corporate applied research in the social sciences has redefined the role of the anthropologist, driving him from the lonely greatness of a Malinowski or a Kroeber to a member of a research team. Second, the anthropologist's position on the team is not that of visionary or theorist, but of a hunter and gatherer of raw, "qualitative" information. Like a monitoring device to detect tremors or tidal waves, the anthropologist's training merely disposes him t...
Anesthetic Management of External Cephalic Version

Breech presentation is common at term and its reduction through external cephalic version represents a noninvasive opportunity to avoid cesarean delivery and the associated maternal morbidity. In addition to uterine relaxants, neuraxial anesthesia is associated with increased success of version procedures when surgical anesthetic dosing is used. The intervention is likely cost effective given the effect size and the avoided high costs of cesarean delivery.
An imaging informatics-based system utilizing DICOM objects for treating pain in spinal cord injury patients utilizing proton beam radiotherapy

Many US combat personnel have sustained nervous tissue trauma during service, which often causes Neuropathic pain as a side effect and is difficult to manage. However in select patients, synapse lesioning can provide significant pain control. Our goal is to determine the effectiveness of using Proton Beam radiotherapy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) related neuropathic pain as an alternative to invasive surgical lesioning. The project is a joint collaboration of USC, Spinal Cord Institute VA Healthcare System, Long Beach, and Loma Linda University. This is first system of its kind that supports integration and standardization of imaging informatics data in DICOM format; clinical evaluation forms outcomes data and treatment planning data from the Treatment planning station (TPS) utilized to administer the proton therapy in DICOM-RT format. It also supports evaluation of SCI subjects for recruitment into the clinical study, which includes the development, and integration of digital forms and tools for automatic evaluation and classification of SCI pain. Last year, we presented the concept for the patient recruitment module based on the principle of Bayesian decision theory. This year we are presenting the fully developed patient recruitment module and its integration to other modules. In addition, the DICOM module for integrating DICOM and DICOM-RT-ION data is also developed and integrated. This allows researchers to upload animal/patient study data into the system. The patient recruitment module has been tested using 25 retrospective patient data and DICOM data module is tested using 5 sets of animal data.
The aging paradox and autoimmune disease

Dr. Shoenfeld's comments are well taken. Indeed we noted that only 5% of the elderly population suffer from some form of autoimmune disease. The incidence of autoimmunity, however, increases with age. In many reports, the term autoimmunity is used synonymously with autoimmune disease. However, we exercise special care in using the two terms in their more precise senses; that is, we use “autoimmunity” to indicate elevated levels of autoantibodies and not necessarily disease.
Field Trials with an Oil Emulsion Newcastle Disease Vaccine in Broiler Breeders

Abstract Chickens vaccinated with live Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine and subsequently revaccinated with an inactivated oil emulsion vaccine had high and persistent hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titers for at least 40 weeks. The geometric mean HI antibody titers of flocks vaccinated with the inactivated ND vaccine ranged from 48.8 to 91.9, whereas the titers of flocks vaccinated every 90 days with a live ND vaccine ranged from 8.6 to 43.5. Breeder flocks revaccinated with a live LaSota ND vaccine had lower egg production than the flocks vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine. The average egg production per hen for the 40 week laying cycle was 177.8 and 174.8 eggs per hen for hens vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine, whereas those hens vaccinated with the live virus vaccine averaged 163.0 and 155.6 eggs per hen. The increase in egg production would more than offset the additional cost of the oil emulsion NDV vaccine as well as the cost of injecting each individual bird at point of lay. Maternal antibody titers in one-day-old chicks were related to the titers in the dams. Maternal antibody titers in chicks originating from breeder flocks vaccinated with the oil emulsion vaccine were higher than the maternal antibody titers of chickens from breeders vaccinated with the live NDV vaccine.
Elevated soluble CD30 characterizes patients with hepatitis C virus-induced liver allograft cirrhosis.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) significantly accelerates progression to allograft cirrhosis. Current biochemical parameters to monitor progression of chronic HCV after OLT have yielded low specificity and sensitivity. Here we investigated the HCV-specific immunity and serum levels of soluble CD30 (sCD30), a novel marker of Th2 immunity, in patients with and without allograft cirrhosis. Patients with hepatic inflammation but no cirrhosis (HIN, n=20) revealed elevated serum interferon (IFN)-γ and high frequency of IFN-y producing CD4 + T(h1) cells compared to those with hepatic cirrhosis (HFC, n=20) that had high interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-5 producing CD4 + T(h2) cells. Patients with HFC, but not HIN, were found to have significantly higher levels of sCD30. Therefore, we conclude that lack of optimal Th1-type CD4 + T cells is associated with HCV-induced allograft cirrhosis. Further, sCD30 may represent a novel marker for surveillance of hepatic cirrhosis in transplant recipients with chronic HCV infection.
Homologous and Heterologous Complementation of HBV and WHV Capsid and Polymerase Functions in RNA Encapsidation

Successful encapsidation of hepadnaviral pregenomic RNA requires the orchestrated interaction of the viral capsid and polymerase proteins with each other and with the RNA packaging substrate. The early steps of this process involve binding of the polymerase to the encapsidation signal, epsilon, and are already understood in some detail. However, the underlying macromolecular interactions resulting in the subsequent encapsidation of this polymerase-epsilon complex by capsid proteins are less clearly defined. To approach this issue we have examined the ability of two different hepadnaviruses to encapsidate each other's pregenomic RNA. H. Okamoto et al. ((1990) J. Gen. Virol. 71, 959-963) have previously demonstrated that WHV polymerase could encapsidate an HBV pregenome, but the origin of the capsid proteins (i.e., HBV- or WHV-derived) required for this reaction was not clear; some evidence suggested that heterologous capsid and polymerase proteins might not be capable of interaction. To clarify this, we analyzed encapsidated RNA isolated from cytoplasmic cores produced following transient transfection of HepG2 cells with different combinations of plasmids encoding HBV or WHV core and polymerase genes. We found that (i) the essential encapsidation signal of WHV is comprised of a short region including epsilon, as in HBV; (ii) HBV and WHV polymerases are each competent to recognize both HBV and WHV packaging signals; therefore the encapsidation signals are functionally interchangeable; and (iii) HBV capsids encapsidate a WHV polymerase-epsilon complex, and vice versa, although the efficiency of heterologous packaging is slightly lower than that of homologous encapsidation. Our results underscore the close relationship of these two mammalian hepadnaviruses.
The effectiveness of psychological debriefing with vicarious trauma: a meta‐analysis

Post-traumatic psychiatric reactions to physical trauma are readily acknowledged and accepted. However, there is a relatively new phenomenon of developing similar reactions after providing emergency care to such patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a crisis intervention technique known as group psychological debriefing, which is designed to mitigate the impact of post-traumatic morbidity in individuals exposed to vicarious traumatization. Using adequately controlled, peer-reviewed journal articles and clinical proceedings as the database, 698 subjects from 10 investigations were submitted to a meta-analysis. The results support the effectiveness of group psychological debriefings in alleviating the effects of vicarious psychological distress in emergency care providers. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Healthy Relationship Education: A Statewide Initiative Case Study and Outcome Evaluation

Couple and relationship education (CRE) is effective in improving relationship quality and communication skills. However, its methods and structures of delivery (e.g., content, intensity, and settings) vary widely and have lacked empirical scrutiny. This article examines both the structure (i.e., initiative inputs and outputs) and the outcomes of one healthy relationship initiative. First, we use the comprehensive framework for CRE proposed previously to examine ways in which relationship education may be delivered by way of a statewide initiative in which 19 Cooperative Extension County Faculty provided education. Second, we analyze and report outcome data from 2,219 participants. A variety of CRE delivery methods significantly increased perceived levels of relationship knowledge regardless of gender, income, marital status, and whether participants had previous relationship education. Perceived knowledge acquisition differed by participant ethnicity, participant satisfaction with the education, and by C...
Line scan echo planar spectroscopic imaging

A line scan echo planar spectroscopic imaging (LSEPSI) sequence is presented which can rapidly produce 2D chemical shift imaging (CSI) data with minimal relaxation weighting and motion-related artifacts. The technique is based on successive “snapshot” 1D CSI acquisitions of individual tissue columns, and avoids T1 saturation problems associated with the short TR periods needed for very rapid scanning with either conventional or echo planar-based 2D CSI methods. Potential applications include rapid fat/water spectral quantitation in the abdomen and internally referenced temperature monitoring for interventional procedures. Magn Reson Med 44:521–524, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pericytes: multitasking cells in the regeneration of injured, diseased, and aged skeletal muscle

Pericytes are perivascular cells that envelop and make intimate connections with adjacent capillary endothelial cells. Recent studies show that they may have a profound impact in skeletal muscle regeneration, innervation, vessel formation, fibrosis, fat accumulation, and ectopic bone formation throughout life. In this review, we summarize and evaluate recent advances in our understanding of pericytes’ influence on adult skeletal muscle pathophysiology. We also discuss how further elucidating their biology may offer new approaches to the treatment of conditions characterized by muscle wasting.
An Introduction to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940

On December 2, 2004, the SEC issued a rule requiring the advisers to most hedge funds to register with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”). In short, the Advisers Act requires anyone that receives compensation for advising others about securities investments to register with the SEC and comply with regulations designed to protect investors. Prior to the new rule, advisers to most hedge funds benefited from an exemption from registration which applied to investment advisers that had advised fewer than 15 clients during the prior 12-month period. This article discusses the impact the new rule will have on the hedge fund industry. First, it addresses briefly the initial industry response to the new rule, including speculation about loopholes and possible legislative and judicial challenges. This is followed by a detailed discussion of the new rule and the Advisers Act while emphasizing items that funds need to address to ensure they meet the SEC9s compliance deadline and other requirements.
The origins and ongoing evolution of viruses

Genome analyses of double strand DNA tailed bacteriophages argue that they evolve by recombinational reassortment of genes and by the acquisition of novel genes as simple genetic elements termed morons. These processes suggest a model for early virus evolution, wherein viruses can be regarded less as having derived from cells and more as being partners in their mutual co-evolution.
Catalysis of the hydrogenation of benzophenone by polyhydride complexes of tris(triphenylphosphine)ruthernium

Abstract The following reactions have been identified in THF solution (P=PPh3): (1) [RuH4P3] (3) + Ph2C=O → [RuH2P3(THF)] (4) + Ph2CHOH. (2) 4 + H2 → 3. (3) 4 + 2Ph2C=O → [R uH(O=CPhC 6H4)P3] (5) + Ph2CHOH. (4) 5 + 2H2 → 4 + Ph2CHOH. (5) [RuH3P3]− (1) + Ph2C=O → 4 + Ph2CHO−. (6) 3 + Ph2CHO− → 1 + Ph2CHOH. Each of the following combination of steps constitutes one of a set of interconnected catalytic cycles for the hydrogenation of Ph2C=O to Ph2CHOH: (1) + (2); (3) + (4); (2) + (6) + (5).
Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity and cell proliferation by ultraviolet B radiation in EGF-stimulated cultured human epidermal keratinocytes

Irradiation of EGF-stimulated human keratinocytes in vitro with ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation inhibited both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and cellular proliferation. A dose-dependent reduction in ODC activity occurred in primary cultures of adult facial keratinocytes and neonatal fore- skin keratinocytes, and in an SV4O-transformed keratinocyte cell line derived from neonatal foreskin. When SV4O-transformed keratinocytes were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), ODC activity was induced up to 21 times in the absence of ultraviolet radiation. However, pre-treatment with UVB significantly reduced the EGF induction of ODC. For example, 85% less ODC activity was observed in cultures treated with EGF (10 ng/ml) plus 2.5 mJ/cm2 of UVB than cultures treated with EGF alone. To assess the effect of UVB on cell proliferation, normal human epidermal keratinocytes grown in medium containing EGE were irradiated with S and 10 mJ/cm2 UVB. At days 3 and 5 post-irradiation a significant (up to 78%) decrease in proliferation was observed. Nevertheless, the mean proportion of viable to dead cells remained similar in both UVB-treated and non-irradiated cell cultures. Northern blot analysis of total RNA isolated from irradiated and sham-irradiated cultures showed that UVB caused approximately a one third reduction in steady-state ODC mRNA levels in EGF-stimulated keratinocyte cultures. Because ODC is an enzyme required for cell proliferation, we propose that the UVB-induced decrease in cell proliferation may result at least in part from UVB inhibition of ODC mRNA accumulation and reduced enzyme activity.
The regulatory protein NIT4 that mediates nitrate induction in Neurospora crassa contains a complex tripartite activation domain with a novel leucine-rich, acidic motif.

Expression ofnit-3 andnit-6, the structural genes which encode nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase inNeurospora crassa, requires the global-acting NIT2 and the pathway specific NIT4 regulatory proteins. NIT4, which consists of 1090 amino-acid residues, possesses a Cys6/Zn2 zinc cluster DNA-binding-domain. NIT4 was dissected to localize transactivation domains by fusion of various segments of NIT4 to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 for in vivo analysis in yeast. Three separate activation subdomains, and one negative-acting region, which function in yeast were located in the carboxyl-terminal region of NIT4. The C-terminal tail of 28 amino-acid residues was identified as a minimal activation domain and consists of a novel leucine-rich, acidic region. Most deletions which removed even small segments of the NIT4 protein were found to lead to the loss of NIT4 function in vivo inN. crassa, implying that the central region of the protein which lies between the DNA-binding and activation domains is essential for function. The yeast two-hybrid system was employed to identify regions of NIT4 responsible for dimer formation. A short isoleucine-rich segment downstream from the zinc cluster, predicted to form a coiled coil, allowed dimerization in vivo; this same isoleucine-rich region also showed dimerization in vitro when examined via chemical cross linking. The enzyme nitrate reductase has been postulated to exert autogenous regulation by directly interacting with the NIT4 protein. This possible nitrate reductase-NIT4 interaction was investigated with the yeast two-hybrid system and by direct in vitro binding assays; both assays failed to identify such a protein-protein interaction.
The Hijāb at Cross-Purposes: Conflicting Models of the Erotic in Popular Islamic Advice Literature

An examination of popular advice literature geared toward Muslims living in the West, such as the type commonly available in U.S. mosques and at online Islamic bookstores, indicates that there exist at least two potentially conflicting narratives regarding the ?ij?b (the veil or headcovering) as a pious practice. The first narrative presents female sexuality as a natural and positive force, as long as it is properly channeled. The ?ij?b, in this narrative, is not meant to categorically repress women’s erotic nature, but is a pragmatic social practice meant to avoid eroticism in the public sphere, where it would be a source of temptation and disorder. Often corresponding to this narrative is a notion of (female) sexuality as constant, and an ideology that deemphasizes gender differences. A second narrative presents erotic desire and fulfillment as a marker of attachment to the world and an assertion of the ego-self (nafs), and therefore negative, even in the context of marriage. In this view, the ?ij?b is an ascetic practice, a means by which a woman may discipline her self and develop a greater spiritual-moral faculty. This narrative, in many instances, considers sexuality to be malleable, and also tends to be paired with an emphasis on sexual difference. This paper seeks to tease out the conflicting models of the erotic that emerge in this genre of writing. It further suggests that deviations from a text’s core narrative and appeal to the opposing narrative betrays a lack of commitment to either a particular narrative of veiling or a particular model of eroticism. Rather, such deviations suggest an instrumental use of these narratives and models in favor of the predetermined conclusion, which is the injunction to veil, and to which end both models of eroticism and both narratives of veiling are bent. A final objective is to show, by drawing on ethnographic research, that the conflicting models of eroticism found in popular advice literature are mirrored in the thinking of the contemporary Western Muslim women who are the intended readers of this literature, and to reflect upon the possible consequences of this theoretical conflict upon Western Muslim readership.
The influence of pharmacy education on students' moral development at a school of pharmacy in the USA

Objectives The aim was to assess the relationship between moral development and pharmacy education at a small, private pharmacy school located in the south-eastern region of the USA. Corollary objectives were to assess the impact, if any, of gender, age and grade point average on moral development. Methods Seventy-one pharmacy students' moral reasoning was assessed during a 2-week orientation before the beginning of first-year classes in August 2006, and again after finishing didactic requirements for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) at the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy in April 2009. Key findings A paired t-test revealed that significant growth in moral reasoning occurred during their didactic pharmacy education. The class mean N2% score in August 2006 was 38.68 compared with 42.32 in April 2009 (P < 0.01). Based on independent t-tests and Pearson correlations, there were no significant differences in the sample between age and N2% score, and between grade point average and N2% score. Conclusions The findings reveal that the students at University of Charleston School of Pharmacy experienced significant moral growth during the three didactic years of the pharmacy curriculum. As concluded in previous studies within the health professions, females scored significantly higher than males on moral reasoning in both the first and second assessment.
Beam walking can detect differences in walking balance proficiency across a range of sensorimotor abilities

The ability to quantify differences in walking balance proficiency is critical to curbing the rising health and financial costs of falls. Current laboratory-based approaches typically focus on successful recovery of balance while clinical instruments often pose little difficulty for all but the most impaired patients. Rarely do they test motor behaviors of sufficient difficulty to evoke failures in balance control limiting their ability to quantify balance proficiency. Our objective was to test whether a simple beam-walking task could quantify differences in walking balance proficiency across a range of sensorimotor abilities. Ten experts, ten novices, and five individuals with transtibial limb loss performed six walking trials across three different width beams. Walking balance proficiency was quantified as the ratio of distance walked to total possible distance. Balance proficiency was not significantly different between cohorts on the wide-beam, but clear differences between cohorts on the mid and narrow-beams were identified. Experts walked a greater distance than novices on the mid-beam (average of 3.63±0.04m verus 2.70±0.21m out of 3.66m; p=0.009), and novices walked further than amputees (1.52±0.20m; p=0.03). Amputees were unable to walk on the narrow-beam, while experts walked further (3.07±0.14m) than novices (1.55±0.26m; p=0.0005). A simple beam-walking task and an easily collected measure of distance traveled detected differences in walking balance proficiency across sensorimotor abilities. This approach provides a means to safely study and evaluate successes and failures in walking balance in the clinic or lab. It may prove useful in identifying mechanisms underlying falls versus fall recoveries.
MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF A BACTERIUM ASSOCIATED WITH GALL FORMATION IN THE MARINE RED ALGA PRIONITIS LANCEOLATA1

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify eubacterial small-subunit (16S) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes from galls of the marine red alga Prionitis lanceolata Harvey (Gigartinales). These tumors consist of hypertrophied algal cells containing large numbers of intercellular bacteria that remain uncultivable. PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs from surface-sterilized gall tissue plugs were cloned, sequenced, and analyzed by alignment to available small-subunit rRNA sequences (University of Illinois Ribosomal Database Project). Variable regions were identified and used to construct a fluorescently labeled, species-specific oligodeoxynucleotide probe for whole cell in situ hybridization to the gall symbiont. Probe 949 (PLANC.949) localized the P. lanceolata bacterial symbiont in preparations from mature gall tissue. This probe did not hybridize to the rDNA of closely related bacteria included as controls in the same hybridization reactions, In situ hybridization revealed the presence of the same bacterium in association with P. lanceolata gall formation from three central California localities. Distance and parsimony analyses suggest that this organism is a member of the Proteobacteria (alpha subdivision; Rhodobacter group) and is most closely related to Roseobacter denitrificans.