cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of bone marrow aspiration and biopsy in initial staging of Ewing sarcoma.

Background The current standard of care for initial staging of pediatric Ewing sarcoma (EWS) patients is to obtain a bilateral bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB). The incidence of bone marrow (BM) disease in patients deemed non-metastatic by conventional and metabolic imaging and the concordance of BM positivity with other clinical characteristics are not well established. Procedure This study is a multi-institutional retrospective review of newly diagnosed EWS patients less than 40 years of age with initial staging that included imaging and BMAB. Results A total of 116 patients were eligible with 85 patients considered non-metastatic and 31 considered metastatic by imaging. None of the 85 patients with non-metastatic disease were BMAB positive (0%; 95% CI: 0–4.2%); 13 of the 31 patients with metastases were BMAB positive (41.9%; 95% CI: 24.5–60.9%). Primary tumor size was significantly higher in patients with metastases (P = 0.017). Bone metastasis by imaging had high correlation with BMAB positivity (P = 0.0002). In addition, the number of bony metastatic sites was significantly higher in patients with a positive BMAB as compared to those with a negative BMAB (median 3.5 and 0.0, respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusions BMAB may not be required for initial staging of pediatric and young adult EWS patients deemed non-metastatic by imaging. In patients with metastatic disease, there is a high correlation of BM involvement with multiple bone metastases. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:12–15. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Roots of African Conflicts: The Causes and Costs; The Resolution of African Conflicts: The Management of Conflict Resolution & Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Addis Ababa: OSSREA; Oxford: James Curry; Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press; Pretoria: Unisa Press, 2008, ISBN: 978-1-84701-300-2, 244 pp. Addis Ababa: OSSREA; Oxford: James Curry; Athens, Ohio: ...
An Age of Instability

It is well established that as we age our cancer risk increases dramatically. As Sinclair explains in his Perspective, the link between cancer and aging is now solidified by new work in budding yeast (McMurray and Gottschling). As yeast cells age there is a marked increase in their genetic instability (a hallmark of cancer), which is independent of the mechanism that determines their life-span.
Chapter Three Mudshore dynamics and controls

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the different aspects of the mudshore dynamics and controls. Key concerns with respect to mudshores are their response to short- and long-term oceanic forcing and ways to alter the response where necessary. The factors and processes that determine mudshore form, evolution, and stability require assessment and quantification. Natural heterogeneities in oceanic forcing, sediment composition, bottom compaction and strength, vegetative canopy and other biophysical and biochemical factors make it difficult to group mudshores within neatly defined categories. The muddy coast shore profile typically starts from some elevation higher than the reach of wave uprush and ends at the so-called depth of closure, defined as that offshore depth up to which waves characteristic of a chosen episodic return period influence the shape of the profile. The precondition that bottom mud be liquefied by waves for a significant reconfiguration of the profile can be formalized as a relationship between the rate of wave energy propagation and its viscous dissipation by bottom mud as well as breaking in the surf zone.
Ordering Orderly Transitions: The Production of International Order at Moments of Great Power Shifts

When do sudden, radical shifts in the balance of power lead to fundamental revisions of international order? In addressing this question, this paper develops a new theory for the origins of great power preferences for order. I posit that when thinking about order, preponderant states look most to the greatest potential threats to their security and primacy on the horizon. Dominant actors attempt to enact foundational ‘ordering principles’ that they believe will best weaken their principal threat in the international system. To the extent that they are successful in doing so, they are able to create an order premised on weakening, opposing and above all excluding some threatening entity in world politics. After laying out the theory and specifying the pathways through which ordering principles can be used to adversely affect others, I briefly demonstrate the utility of the argument in two case study investigations: the fundamental changes the United States sought to international order following the Second World War in the late 1940s, and the continuity in ordering principles that American statesmen preferred in the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse in the late 1980s.
Where the Sun Shines: Industry's Payments to Transplant Surgeons.

The Open Payments Program (OPP) was recently implemented to publicly disclose industry payments to physicians, with the goal of enabling patient awareness of potential conflicts of interests. Awareness of OPP, its data, and its implications for transplantation are critical. We used the first wave of OPP data to describe industry payments made to transplant surgeons. Transplant surgeons (N = 297) received a total of $759 654. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) payment to a transplant surgeon was $125 ($39-1018), and the highest payment to an individual surgeon was $83 520; 122 surgeons received $10 000. A higher h-index was associated with 30% higher chance of receiving >$1000 (relative risk/10 unit h-index increase = 1.18 1.301.44 , p $1000 had higher center volumes (p $1000 had a higher percentage of private-insurance/self-pay patients (p < 0.01). Continued surveillance of industry payments may further elucidate the relationship between industry payments and physician practices.
A psychological comparison of patients with malignant melanoma and other dermatologic disorders

A study of 168 patients with melanoma and 135 patients with other dermatologic disorders was conducted to define and compare emotional reactions in these populations. A self-report test of mental health developed by the Rand Corporation and previously applied to large segments of the general public was used to measure psychologic status. Melanoma patients were approximately equal to the general public and strikingly superior to other dermatology patients in terms of emotional well-being. Profoundly diminished self-esteem among nonmelanoma dermatology patients and intensified utilization of psychic resources among melanoma patients are postulated as an explanation for this finding.
Enhanced Specular Reflection from a Laser-Produced Plasma Corona

We show that nonpropagating density ripples are produced in a flowing laser-produced plasma corona by the ponderomotive force of the incident light and the light reflected from the critical surface. These ripples are not related to instability but rather are an equilibrium feature of the flow. Under certain conditions they can significantly increase specular reflection and reduce the amount of light reaching the critical surface.
A placebo-controlled study of memantine for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-associated sensory neuropathy.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most frequent neurological complication of HIV infection. Neuropathic symptoms vary from mild paresthesias to severe pain that respond only partially to symptomatic treatment. Forty-five subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated symptomatic DSP (SDSP) were enrolled in a randomized, multicenter, 16-week placebo-controlled study of memantine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) uncompetitive antagonist. Although memantine was well tolerated, no trend toward clinical benefit was observed. Results were similar to those of other pilot studies of memantine for neuropathic pain unrelated to HIV, suggesting that memantine is ineffective for the symptomatic treatment of HIV-associated SDSP.
Inhibition of acrosin by oviductal secretory immunoglobulin A

A major inhibitor of acrosin in rhesus monkey and rabbit oviduct fluid, isolated by isoelectrofocusing in sucrose gradients, displayed a broad peak in the acidic region of the column and was demonstrated to contain secretory IgA specific for acrosin. Its identity was established by immunodiffusion, by the removal of acrosin inhibition with antisera to IgA (α-chain), and by its correct molecular weight during ultracentrifugation. Purified human serum IgA also inhibited rabbit, rhesus monkey, and human acrosins, but neither purified human IgG nor IgM had any inhibitory effect on these acrosins. Neither oviduct fluid secretory IgA nor purified human serum IgA inhibited the activity of bovine pancreatic trypsin. The high specificity of secretory IgA for acrosin and its presence in every rabbit and rhesus monkey oviduct fluid specimen examined suggests a possible regulatory role for this antibody in reproduction.
Ontogeny of routine swimming speed and startle responses in red drum, with a comparison of responses to acoustic and visual stimuli

Routine swimming speed of larval red drum Sciaenops ocellatus increased throughout development but most rapidly for larvae >10 mm L T . Red drum of all sizes swam faster than predicted by published summary equations based on other species, possibly due to more advanced development at a given length. Frequency and magnitude of startle responses increased over the Iarval period for both types of stimuli with most of the improvement taking place before larvae reached 8 mm L T . Time to response for an acoustic and visual stimulus decreased early in the larval period but levelled off after 10 mm L T . Response distance and response speed for both stimuli generally increased throughout the larval period, but response duration remained constant. Visually stimulated responses were generally longer in duration and distance covered than acoustically stimulated responses, while mean response speeds were similar.
In vitro production of an anti-DNA idiotype by lymphocytes of normal subjects and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abstract We investigated whether normal B cells can synthesize antibodies with an idiotypic marker that occurs with high frequency in anti-DNA antibodies of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This idiotype, Id 16 6 , has been found in the serum of patients with active SLE and in monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies derived from unrelated patients with the disease. We found that cultured lymphocytes of all normal subjects tested produced Id 16 6 when stimulated by pokeweed mitogen (PWM). By contrast, lymphocytes from SLE patients produced Id 16 6 even without mitogenic stimulation, whether or not they were obtained from patients in remission or relapse. Relapsed patients' lymphocytes spontaneously produced the highest levels of Id 16 6 which was found in IgG and IgA, in addition to IgM. The majority of Id 16 6 produced by PWM-stimulated lymphocytes from either normal subjects or patients in remission did not bind to nucleic acid. In relapse, however, the nucleic acid-binding proportion of Id 16 6 rose substantially, indicating that the spontaneously activated B cells in active SLE differ from the subset of B cells that produce Id 16 6 upon PWM stimulation. The findings suggest that the lupus Id 16 6 family is conserved in normal individuals and it consists of two populations of antibodies with different antigenic specificities. The major set is not directed against nucleic acid antigens; its antigenic specificity is unknown and it dominates the Id 16 6 family that appears after PWM stimulation. The other, minor set binds to nucleic acids and becomes prominent in clinically active lupus. These two sets of idiotypically related antibodies may be connected by an immunoregulatory network.
Cholecystokinin‐, galanin‐, and corticotropin‐releasing factor‐like immunoreactive projections from the nucleus of the solitary tract to the parabrachial nucleus in the rat

The parabrachial nucleus (PB) is the main relay for ascending visceral afferent information from the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) to the forebrain. We examined the chemical organization of solitary-parabrachial afferents by using combined retrograde transport of fluorescent tracers and immunohistochemistry for galanin (GAL), cholecystokinin (CCK), and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Each peptide demonstrated a unique pattern of immunoreactive staining. GAL-like immunoreactive (-ir) fibers were most prominent in the "waist" area, the inner portion of external lateral PB, and the central and dorsal lateral PB subnuclei. Additional GAL-ir innervation was seen in the medial and external medial PB subnuclei. GAL-ir perikarya were observed mainly rostrally in the dorsal lateral, superior lateral, and extreme lateral PB. CCK-ir fibers and terminals were most prominent in the outer portion of the external lateral PB; some weaker labeling was also present in the central lateral PB. CCK-ir cell bodies were almost exclusively confined to the superior lateral PB and the "waist" area, although a few cells were seen in the Kolliker-Fuse nucleus. The distribution of CRF-ir terminal fibers in general resembled that of GAL, but showed considerably less terminal labeling in the lateral parts of the dorsal and central lateral PB, and the external medial and Kolliker-Fuse subnuclei. The CRF-ir cells were most numerous in the dorsal lateral PB and the outer portion of the external lateral PB; rostrally, scattered CRF-ir neurons were seen mainly in the central lateral PB. After injecting the fluorescent tracer Fast Blue into the PB, the distribution of double-labeled neurons in the NTS was mapped. GAL-ir cells were mainly located in the medial NTS subnucleus; 34% of GAL-ir cells were double-labeled ipsilaterally and 7% contralaterally. Conversely, 17% of the retrogradely labeled cells ipsilaterally and 16% contralaterally were GAL-ir. CCK-ir neurons were most numerous in the dorsomedial subnucleus of the NTS and the outer rim of the area postrema. Of the CCK-ir cells, 68% in the ipsilateral and 10% in the contralateral NTS were double-labeled, whereas 15% and 10%, respectively, of retrogradely labeled cells were CCK-ir. In the area postrema, 36% of the CCK-ir cells and 9% of the Fast Blue cells were double-labeled. CRF-ir neurons were more widely distributed in the medial, dorsomedial, and ventrolateral NTS subnuclei, but double-labeled cells were mainly seen in the medial NTS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Congenital tracheobiliary fistula combined with hypoplastic common hepatic duct: Management by percutaneous transhepatic drainage

Congenital tracheobiliary or bronchobiliary fistula is a rare developmental anomaly with a persistent communication between the biliary system and the trachea or bronchus. We report a case of a congenital tracheobiliary fistula and hypoplastic common hepatic duct associated with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in a 5-day old boy presenting with bilious endotracheal-tube secretions. The tracheobiliary fistula was treated by surgical resection. Subsequent cholangiography demonstrated dilated intrahepatic bile ducts and a residual fistulous tract with cystic proximal stump that were successfully decompressed by transhepatic drainage catheters before corrective biliary surgery.
Law Enforcement and the Mentally Ill: Thirty Years of Police Literature

This study applies the methodology of content analysis to 30 years of law-enforcement literature to determine whether online access to scholarly research in social work and mental health made a difference in police policy toward the mentally ill. Keywords from the controlled vocabulary of these fields were found in the body of content analyzed prior to easily accessible online resources in 1997, yet the number of articles on the subject grew from approximately one per year prior to 1998 to nearly five per year by 2011. The imprint of these two fields from outside of law enforcement was discernible in the best practices followed by police agencies.
Minor Alteration of Microtubule Dynamics Causes Loss of Tension across Kinetochore Pairs and Activates the Spindle Checkpoint

We have previously identified the opium alkaloid noscapine as a microtubule interacting agent that binds stoichiometrically to tubulin and alters its conformation. Here we show that, unlike many other microtubule inhibitors, noscapine does not significantly promote or inhibit microtubule polymerization. Instead, it alters the steady-state dynamics of microtubule assembly, primarily by increasing the amount of time that the microtubules spend in an attenuated (pause) state. Further studies reveal that even at high concentrations, noscapine does not alter the tubulin polymer/monomer ratio in HeLa cells. Cells treated with noscapine arrest at mitosis with nearly normal bipolar spindles. Strikingly, although most of the chromosomes in these cells are aligned at the metaphase plate, the rest remain near the spindle poles, both of which exhibit loss of tension across kinetochore pairs. Furthermore, levels of the spindle checkpoint proteins Mad2, Bub1, and BubR1 decrease by 138-, 3.7-, and 3.9-fold, respectively, at the kinetochore region upon chromosome alignment. Our results thus suggest that an exquisite control of microtubule dynamics is required for kinetochore tension generation and chromosome alignment during mitosis. Our data also support the idea that Mad2 and Bub1/BubR1 respond to kinetochore-microtubule attachment and/or tension to different degrees.
Efficient Vector Time with Dynamic Process Creation and Termination

Many distributed algorithms require knowledge of the causal relationships between events. Examples include optimistic recovery protocols, distributed debugging systems, and causal distributed shared memory. Determining causal relationships can be difficult, however, because there is no global clock and local clocks cannot be perfectly synchronized. Vector time is a useful abstraction for capturing the causal relationships between events and, unlike Lamport's logical clocks, allows identification of concurrent events. Some drawbacks of vector time include transmission and logging overhead, since the size of a vector clock is linear in the number of processes. This paper presents a technique to reduce these overheads for applications that dynamically create and destroy processes and log event information with attached vector timestamps. The reduction in logging overhead comes at the expense of a more complicated timestamp comparison protocol and more sophisticated data structures for maintaining vector time. Distributed process recovery mechanisms and debugging systems that require “on-the-fly” causality information can benefit directly from the proposed technique
Field disposal of methyl parathion using acidified powdered zinc

Abstract The degradation of methyl parathion in soil with various amounts of acidified powdered zinc under field conditions was studied. Treatment was progressively more effective with increasing amounts of zinc. Disappearance of parent compound was followed for 2 1/2 years. The expected conversion product amino‐methyl parathion and its N‐methyl derivative were formed. In addition, N, N‐dimethyl amino, and the azo and azoxy condensation products were characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry. Aminomethyl parathion was shown to be identical to an authentic standard. The other specific positional isomers were considered likely, but were not proven by mass spectrometry. Structure elucidation was made with high resolution mass spectrometry, using the direct insertion probe, and with gas chromatography/low resolution mass spectrometry.
Photovoltaic charge generation in organic semiconductors based on long-range energy transfer.

For efficient charge generation in organic solar cells, photogenerated excitons must migrate to a donor/acceptor interface where they can be dissociated. This migration is traditionally presumed to be based on diffusion through the absorber material. Herein we study an alternative migration route—two-step exciton dissociation—whereby the exciton jumps from the donor to acceptor before charge creation takes place. We study this process in a series of multilayer donor/barrier/acceptor samples, where either poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) or copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) is the donor, fullerene (C60) is the acceptor, and N,N-diphenyl-N,N-bis(3-methylphenyl)-[1,1-bisphenyl]-4,4-diamine (TPD) acts as a barrier to energy transfer. By varying the thickness of the barrier layer, we find that energy transfer from P3HT to C60 proceeds over large distances (∼50% probability of transfer across a 11 nm barrier), and that this process is consistent with long-range Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Finally, we demo...
Absolute argon excited-state population measurements from emission spectroscopy in an inverted cylindrical magnetron plasma

Abstract An inverted cylindrical magnetron sputtering system operating at 6.5 kW, 85 sccm argon, and 0.27 Pa was used to produce a mid-frequency AC (40 kHz) Al–Ar plasma. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to monitor the plasma emission from 680 nm to 830 nm. Absolute calibration of the emission data was performed to find the population density of excited-state argon atoms in the 4p electron energy level for six transitions. The excited-state densities were on the order of 10 13 m − 3 for each transition. For comparison, an argon collisonal-radiative model was used to simulate the excited-state densities. The model used non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution functions obtained from the commercially available software ELENDIF. Good agreement between the measured and predicted Ar 4p excited states was observed.
Abstract LB-55: Histone deacetylase inhibitor causes DNA damage and apoptosis by downregulation of repair enzymes in cancer but not normal cells: Basis of resistance of normal cells to HDACi

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) developed as anti-cancer agents have a high degree of selectivity for killing cancer cells. HDACi induce acetylation of histones and many non-histone proteins, affecting gene expression, cell cycle progression, cell migration and cell death. The mechanism of the tumor selective action of HDACi is unclear. Here we show that the HDACi, SAHA (Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, vorinostat), induces DNA DSB (double strand break) in normal (HFS) and cancer (LNCaP, A549) cells, but normal cells in contrast to cancer cells repair the DSB despite continued culture with SAHA. In transformed cells, H2AX levels increased with continued culture with SAHA, while in normal cells, this marker of DNA DSB tended to decrease with time. To define the capacity of normal and transformed cells for repair of SAHA induced DNA DSB, cells were cultured for 24hr with SAHA, washed and continued culture without HDACi. In normal cells, the H2AX was undetectable by 2hr (presumably reflecting repair of DNA DSB), while persisting in transformed for duration of culture (presumably reflecting failure to repair DNA DSB) with consequent transformed cell death. Further, we found that SAHA suppressed DNA DSB repair proteins, e.g., RAD50, MRE11, Tip60 and PP2A, in cancer (LNCaP, A549) but not in normal cells (HFS). These findings indicate that the HDACi induces DNA damage in cancer and normal cells, but normal cells have the capacity to repair the DNA DSB, while cancer cells do not owing in part at least to suppression of DNA DSB repair proteins. This selective action of SAHA in inducing transformed cell death points to potential effective therapeutic strategies for combination therapy with HDACi with agents that suppress DNA damage repair proteins. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-55.
Communications architecture: towards a more robust understanding of information flows and emergent patterns of communication in organizations

With the proliferation of telecommunications technologies, the information-based communication infrastructure is becoming an increasingly critical organization resource. In order effectively to channel limited resources (skills, capital, technology) to the most strategically critical communication needs of the organization, the development of business driven planning methodologies which result in a well-defined architecture (blueprint) of organizational communication processes are needed. Unfortunately, while architectural issues are of utmost importance today, researchers have focused almost exclusively on data oriented models. This study attempts to expand this view and provide a holistic representation of information architecture. With the perspective provided by this definitional framework, two methods for development of communications architecture are discussed and evaluated: (1) a flow based approach; and (2) network analysis. Network analysis in particular shows great promise in constructing robust representations of organizational communication processes.
Implications of indoor climate control for comfort, energy and environment

Abstract This paper critically examines the underlying premises of indoor climate control technologies and the HVAC industry (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning). It questions whether ‘total environmental control’ is possible, effective and desirable. The paper also reviews the methods and terminology of thermal comfort science focusing on the question of predictability of people's environmental preferences. The paper concludes with a review of recent critical observations and ideas that transcend conventional control technologies and corresponding comfort standards toward new vistas in environmental design.
Probabilistic Linkage of Assisted Reproductive Technology Information with Vital Records, Massachusetts 1997-2000

To assess the validity of probabilistic linkage (PL) in combining national surveillance data on assisted reproductive technology (ART) with Massachusetts birth and infant death data, for the purpose of monitoring maternal and child health outcomes of ART. A study conducted in 2006 utilized direct identifiers to match Massachusetts birth records with records on ART procedures performed to Massachusetts residents in fertility clinics located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, achieving a linkage rate of 87.5%. The present study employed PL using the program Link Plus, without access to direct identifiers. The primary linking variables were maternal and infant dates of birth, and plurality. Ancillary variables such as maternal ZIP code and gravidity helped resolve duplicate matches and capture additional matches. PL linked 5,390 (87.8%) of 6,139 deliveries, correctly identifying 96.4% of the matches previously obtained using deterministic linkage methods. PL yielded a high linkage rate with satisfactory validity; this method may be applied in other states to help monitor the maternal and child health outcomes of ART.
Determination of molecular forms of brain acetylcholinesterase: Technical considerations

Sucrose density centrifugation has been used to characterize the relative levels of AChE molecular forms in different parts of the brain, during development, or in various disease states. We have examined the influence of various tissue or sample storage and handling techniques on the abundance of the 4S and 10S molecular forms of AChE in rat forebrain. Our results demonstrate that freezing either a subcellular fraction or the intact tissue causes dramatic shifts in the level of the 4S and 10S molecular forms as compared to the values obtained in fresh tissue. Total AChE activity was unchanged suggesting that 4S and 10S forms are equally active and that 4S AChE is easily dissociated from 10S. These observations suggest that 4S and 10S molecular forms in brain are extremely labile and that great care should be taken when studying the factors that regulate these forms.
Quantitation of the ligand effect in oxo-transfer reactions of dioxo-Mo(VI) trispyrazolyl borate complexes.

The oxygen atom transfer reactivity (OAT) of dioxo-Mo(VI) complexes of hydrotrispyrazolyl borate (hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, TpMe2; hydrotris(3-isopropylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, TpiPr) with tertiary phosphines (PMe3, PMe2Ph, PEt3, PEt2Ph, PBun3, PMePh2, or PEtPh2) has been investigated. In acetonitrile, these reactions proceed via the formation of a phosphoryl intermediate complex that undergoes a solvolysis reaction. We report the synthesis and characterization of several phosphoryl complexes. The rates of formation of phosphoryl complexes and their solvation were determined by spectrophotometry. The rates of the reactions and the properties of the phosphoryl species were investigated using the Quantitative Analysis of Ligand Effect (QALE) methodology. The results show that, at least in this system, the first step of the reaction is controlled primarily by the steric factor, and in the second step, both electronic and steric factors are important. We also analyzed the effect of ligands on the reaction rate i.e., TpMe2vs. TpiPr.
Carbohydrate Metabolism within Intact Tissue-cultured Cells

IN the past, demonstration of carbohydrate metabolism within tissues or cell cultures have been investigated by means of (1) utilization or accumulation of metabolites from tissue fragments in vitro or from cells propagated in suspension or monolayer cultures, and (2) enzyme-containing extracts derived from cell or tissue homogenates. Investigators1 recently described a system in which glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was measured in air-dried, intact yeast cells by suspending these cells in 70 per cent glycerol. This simplified technique permits direct spectrophotometric measurement of triphosphopyridine nucleotide reduction at the 340-mµ wave-length. Application of this whole cell-glycerol suspension technique was used in the present investigation.
Disparities in Smoking Are Complicated and Consequential. What to Do About Them

As a fundamental matter of social justice, Americans worry about health disparities experienced by racial/ethnic minorities, the poor, and other minority groups. Typically concerns focus on inequalities in access to high-quality health care and on often large differences in health outcomes. Ironically, with the exception of the tobacco control community (indeed, probably only a subset of it), Americans express little concern about disparities in smoking prevalence and cessation among groups differentiated by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, mental health, or sexual orientation. Why is this ironic? Because the health consequences attributable to differences in smoking rates likely account for a significant proportion of disparities in important health outcomes, like life expectancy.
Structure and Dynamics of the MFS Multidrug Transporter EmrD

Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporters harness the free energy stored in ion or solute gradients for active transport of a variety of substrates. Although most of the 58 distinct families of MFS transporters are substrate-specific, six families contain multidrug transporters (MDR). EmrD is a MFS-MDR from E.coli whose crystal structure has been determined. Similar to the lac permease, the topology consists of 12 transmembrane helices arranged in two bundles of six helices. However, EmrD has a more compact conformation that occludes access to a hydrophobic cavity/chamber from both sides of the membranes. To define the conformational motion involved in substrate transport, we are using spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Spin labels were introduced at selected sites along transmembrane helices 5, 6 and 8. EPR analysis of mobilities and accessibilities reveal distinct changes in spin label dynamics and exposure to NiEDDA upon protonotation of the transporter. The sites of these changes cluster at the periplasmic side of EmrD suggesting that this end of the transporter undergoes conformational rearrangements at low pH. Double electron electron resonance analysis is in progress to determine the nature and amplitude of the protein conformational motion.
Assessing health diagnosis disclosure decisions in relationships: testing the disclosure decision-making model.

Illness affects millions of Americans each year, and the disclosure of health conditions can facilitate access to social support, in addition to other physical and physiological benefits. This article tests the Disclosure Decision-Making Model (DD-MM; Greene, 2009) to predict factors that influence the likelihood of disclosing (and past disclosure of) nonvisible physical or mental health-related information. One hundred eighty-seven (n = 187) people were recruited for a study to report on both disclosing and not disclosing a nonvisible health condition. Measured variables included information assessment, relational quality, anticipated reactions (support, relational consequences), confidence in response, disclosure efficacy, and disclosure (likelihood of disclosure and depth of disclosure). Structural equation modeling results supported many of the proposed hypotheses, with a great deal of similarity across models. Specifically, assessing information predicted efficacy, and to some extent relational outco...
Presentation of MUC1 tumor antigen by Class I MHC and CTL function correlate with the glycosylation state of the protein taken up by dendritic cells

We previously reported that the glycosylated MUC1 tumor antigen circulating as soluble protein in patients' serum is not processed by dendritic cells and does not elicit MHC-Class II-restricted T helper responses in vitro. In contrast, a long synthetic peptide from the MUC1 tandem repeat region is presented by Class II molecules, resulting in the initiation of T helper cell responses. Here we addressed the ability of dendritic cells to present various glycosylated or not glycosylated forms of MUC1 by MHC Class I. We found that three different forms of MUC1, ranging from glycosylated and underglycosylated protein to unglycosylated synthetic peptide, were able to elicit MUC1-specific, Class-I-restricted CTL responses. The efficiency of processing and the resulting strength of CTL activity were inversely correlated with the degree of glycosylation of the antigen. Furthermore, the more efficiently processed 100mer peptide primed a broader repertoire of CTL than the glycosylated protein.
Effects of a Constant Time Delay Procedure on the Written Spelling Performance of a Learning Disabled Student

A constant time delay procedure was used to teach written spelling to an 11-year-old, school-labeled LD youngster who had severe spelling deficits. The time delay procedure is a near errorless instructional method that transfers stimulus control from a controlling stimulus (a prompt that signals the correct response) to a new stimulus (a target response). As a result of a 5-second constant delay procedure the student acquired, maintained, and generalized 15 spelling words. The procedure is easy to implement, requires little teacher preparation time, and results in a low student error rate. In the absence of published time delay research with LD individuals, the results are encouraging. Based on our findings, the time delay procedure is a viable alternative for LD students who have not benefited from traditional instructional procedures. Since the results of this study and those in the unpublished literature indicate that the time delay procedure is effective, further examination with other LD students is ...
Ferroelectric domain structures in LiNbO3 single-crystal fibers

The ferroelectric domain structures of small diameter LiNbO3 single crystal fibers were found to be different from those usually observed in large LiNbO3 crystals. c-Axis grown fibers with diameters up to 800 μm were found to be virtually single domain with +c end facing the melt during growth. Fibers grown along the a-axis had a bi-domain configuration with the domain boundary along the a-axis and parallel to the c-face. A model is proposed, based on the thermoelectric potential generated by axial and radial temperature gradients, to explain the domain structures observed in these fibers.
Spatial Logic and Maya City Planning: The Case for Cosmology

Spatial logics are guiding ideals for how space should be structured, as determined by the culturally embedded decisions of architects and builders. I test various spatial logics within sub-communities at the city of Copan, Honduras, to better understand principles behind the planning of paired groups. Results support a prevailing cosmological logic, in keeping with work on concepts of directionality, and particularly with the significance of north and salience of a north–south building axis. The anthropology of space and place has gained much from an increased reliance on archaeological literature, as well as the closely related fields of geography and empirical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses. Because we shape and are shaped by landscapes, consideration of spatial relationships should help us evaluate and refine our conceptions of social relations.
Fatal coronary artery tumor metastasis

occupying lesions, suggested that stimulation of autonomic nervous system, primarily sympathetic, was a major factor in their genesis. Large P waves were also found in 2.4% of normal individuals and in 4% of patients with lobar pneumonia.* Since the ECG changes are more frequently observed in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage than in other intracranial catastrophes, Cropp and Manning4 postulated that ECG abnormalities were related to irritation of cortical area 13. CT scanning has made it possible to identify accurately the site of intracerebral hemorrhage. In a recent publication5 describing ECG changes in 186 patients with CT scan documented cerebral hemorrhage, left atria1 abnormality was noted in 20%) but there was no mention of tall P waves. No tall P waves were described in another recent study6 of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Our study suggests that tall P waves may not be uncommon in patients with ventricular bleeding, and appears to be the first attempt at correlating tall P waves with echocardiography and CT scanning.
The Use of Modular Organizational Forms: An Industry-Level Analysis

In many industries, integrated hierarchical organizations have been replaced by nonhierarchical entities that are permeable, interconnected, and modular. Other industries, however, maintain relatively high levels of integration. We use the logic of general systems modularity to explain why in some industries there is a greater use of modular organizational forms, including contract manufacturing, alternative work arrangements, and alliances, than in other industries. This model was tested using data from 330 U.S. manufacturing industries.
Expanded emergency medical services: the failure of an experimental community health program.

Maldistribution of medical resources is a serious problem in the United States. One proposed solution is to expand the role of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) andhave them provide limited none...
The high-temperature solubility of hydrogen in pure and oxygen-containing Zircaloy

Abstract The solubility of hydrogen in α- and β-Zircaloy was measured by the continuously-recording gravimetric method in the temperature range 950–1400 °C. Hydrogen partial pressures varied from 0.2 to 1 atm and the equilibrium H/Zr ratios ranged from 0.1 to 1. Oxygen contents of the metal up to 33 at % were investigated. Sievert's law was obeyed under all conditions. The hydrogen solubility behavior in Zircaloy was found to be the same as that in pure zirconium measured by other workers. It was found to increase with increasing oxygen content in β-Zircaloy, but in α-Zircaloy, addition of oxygen reduced hydrogen solubility. The effect of an oxide scale on hydrogen uptake was to block hydrogen ingress to the substrate metal.
Oxidative stability of safflower oil

Oils from a number of varieties of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds (achene) were measured for oxidative stability by the gain in weight method. The induction periods of oils containing 75% to 80% linoleic acid ranged from 288 to 715 hr. Safflower oils containing 79% to 80% oleic acid and only 11% to 15% linoleic acid had induction periods ranging from 1274 to 2374 hr. No correlation between induction period and total tocopherol content was observed. However, there were indications that oils from pigmented seeds were less stable than oils from pigmentless seeds. Blending of an oil containing a high amount of linoleic acid with an oil containing a high amount of oleic acid gave a blend with an induction period intermediate between the two. However, the induction period was considerably less than the theoretical average calculated for the mixture.
Molecular and functional characterization of voltage-gated sodium channel variants from Drosophila melanogaster.

Extensive alternative splicing and RNA editing have been documented for the transcript of DmNaV (formerly para), the sole sodium channel gene in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the functional consequences of these post-transcriptional modifications are not well understood. In this study we isolated 64 full-length DmNaV cDNA clones from D. melanogaster adults. Based on the usage of 11 alternative exons, 64 clones could be grouped into 29 splice types. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, 33 DmNaV variants generated sodium currents large enough for functional characterization. Among these variants, DmNaV5-1 and DmNaV7-1 channels activated at the most hyperpolarizing potentials, whereas DmNaV1-6 and DmNaV19 channels activated at the most depolarizing membrane potentials. We identified an A-to-I editing event in DmNaV5-1 that is responsible for its uniquely low-voltage-dependent activation. The wide range of voltage dependence of gating properties exhibited by DmNaV variants represents a rich resource for future studies to determine the role of DmNaV in regulating sodium channel gating, pharmacology, and neuronal excitability in insects.
What works in youth violence prevention: a review of the literature

OBJECTIVES: Given the high rates at which adolescents engage in violence, the strong link between adolescent and adult violence, and the financial and social costs of violence, the prevention of violent behavior is a national priority. METHODS: The authors conducted a comprehensive review of evaluations utilizing quasi-experimental or experimental research designs to assess violence reduction. RESULTS: Seventeen interventions were identified as producing a significant reduction in youth-perpetrated physical or sexual violence. The interventions were varied in terms of targeted age groups, content, strategies, and length of programming, and included programs focusing on individual, peer, school, family, and community factors. CONCLUSIONS: Widespread use of effective interventions such as these, across settings and development, and implemented with fidelity, is likely to substantially reduce youth violence. Continued evaluation of violence prevention programming is also needed to increase the number of options available for replication and establish effects on diverse populations. Language: en
Leaving the midline: how Robo receptors regulate the guidance of post-crossing spinal commissural axons.

In the developing nervous system, pathfinding axons navigate through a series of intermediate targets in order to form synaptic connections. Vertebrate spinal commissural axons extend toward and across the floor plate (FP), a key intermediate target located at the ventral midline (VM). Subsequently, post-crossing commissural axons grow either alongside or significant distances away from the floor plate (FP), but never re-cross the VM. Consistent with this behavior, post-crossing commissural axons lose responsiveness to the FP-associated chemoattractants, Netrin-1 and SHH, and gain responsiveness to Slits, which are potent midline repellents, in vitro. In addition, the results of several in vivo studies suggest that the upregulation of Slit-binding repulsive Robo receptors, Robo1/2, alters the responsiveness of decussated commissural axons to midline guidance cues. Nevertheless, in vertebrates, it is unclear whether Robo1/2 are the sole or major repellent receptors responsible for driving these commissural...
MASS AND MOMENTUM TRANSFER WITH NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS IN FLUIDIZED BEDS

A new model for non-Newtonian fluid flows through fluidized beds is developed by extending the Richardson-Zaki concept. In the proposed model, the existing correlations for an isolated single spher...
Network Variability Limits Stimulus-Evoked Spike Timing Precision in Retinal Ganglion Cells

Visual, auditory, somatosensory, and olfactory stimuli generate temporally precise patterns of action potentials (spikes). It is unclear, however, how the precision of spike generation relates to the pattern and variability of synaptic input elicited by physiological stimuli. We determined how synaptic conductances evoked by light stimuli that activate the rod bipolar pathway control spike generation in three identified types of mouse retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The relative amplitude, timing, and impact of excitatory and inhibitory input differed dramatically between On and Off RGCs. Spikes evoked by repeated somatic injection of identical light-evoked synaptic conductances were more temporally precise than those evoked by light. However, the precision of spikes evoked by conductances that varied from trial to trial was similar to that of light-evoked spikes. Thus, the rod bipolar pathway modulates different RGCs via unique combinations of synaptic input, and RGC temporal variability reflects variability in the input this circuit provides.
A general classification of three-neutrino models and Ue3

Abstract A classification of models with three light neutrinos is given. This classification includes virtually all of the three-neutrino models proposed in the last few years, of which there are approximately one hundred. The essential ideas, attractive features, and characteristic problems of the different classes of model are discussed. The classification is based principally on how large ν μ − ν τ mixing is obtained. A general discussion of the mixing parameter U e 3 is then given, showing what values are to be expected for it in each type of model.