cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Duty of Fair Representation

The duty of fair representation, under which a union as exclusive bargaining agent has an obligation to deal fairly on behalf of all of a bargaining unit’s employees (union and nonunion), has been inferred from the NLRA’s grant of authority to the union to negotiate on behalf of all workers. That other nations do not have the exclusivity concept and all its consequences makes this kind of litigation peculiar to the United States. In 1944 the Supreme Court held that the failure of a union to meet its duty of fair representation constituted a violation of federal labor law, and the NLRB subsequently held that it constituted an unfair labor practice as well. The duty of fair representation is ... akin to the duty owed by other fiduciaries to their beneficiaries ... some Members of the Court have analogized the duty a union owes to the employees it represents to the duty a trustee owes to trust beneficiaries others have likened the relationship between union and employee to that between attorney and client ... the fair representation duty also parallels the responsibilities of corporate officers and directors towards shareholders. Just as these fiduciaries owe their beneficiaries a duty of care as well as a duty of loyalty, a union owes employees a duty to represent them adequately as well as honestly and in good faith. In Vaca v. Sipes the Court held that the federal courts as well as the Board had jurisdiction over duty-of-fair-representation cases. However, unless the collective bargaining agreement authorizes the individual to take his or her grievance to arbitration, the union maintains control of the grievance and may determine whether to initiate arbitration. The Court held that the individual employee has no “absolute right” to initiate arbitration and that the industrial self-government that had been created by the parties would be harmed by a contrary rule. At the same time the Court concluded that an employee could attack the union’s failure to process the grievance if its actions toward an employee in the bargaining unit were “arbitrary, discriminatory, or in bad faith.” It is difficult to determine what the Court meant by these words. Whether a union’s simple failure to process a grievance because it was lost or forgotten constitutes a failure to meet the duty of fair representation is unresolved,but it certainly presents a difficulty for the employee whose grievance is meritorious.
Sleep Moderates the Association Between Response Inhibition and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood

Early childhood is a time of rapid developmental changes in sleep, cognitive control processes, and the regulation of emotion and behavior. This experimental study examined sleep-dependent effects on response inhibition and self-regulation, as well as whether acute sleep restriction moderated the association between these processes. Preschool children (N = 19; 45.6 ± 2.2 months; 11 female) followed a strict sleep schedule for at least 3 days before each of 2 morning behavior assessments: baseline (habitual nap/night sleep) and sleep restriction (missed nap/delayed bedtime). Response inhibition was evaluated via a go/no-go task. Twelve self-regulation strategies were coded from videotapes of children while attempting an unsolvable puzzle. We then created composite variables representing adaptive and maladaptive self-regulation strategies. Although we found no sleep-dependent effects on response inhibition or self-regulation measures, linear mixed-effects regression showed that acute sleep restriction moder...
The Ties That Bind: Mapping the Dynamic Enhancer-Promoter Interactome

Coupling chromosome conformation capture to molecular enrichment for promoter-containing DNA fragments enables the systematic mapping of interactions between individual distal regulatory sequences and their target genes. In this Minireview, we describe recent progress in the application of this technique and related complementary approaches to gain insight into the lineage- and cell-type-specific dynamics of interactions between regulators and gene promoters.
Pediatric spinal cord injury in infant piglets: description of a new large animal model and review of the literature.

AbstractObjective: To develop a new, clinically relevant large animal model of pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI) and compare the clinical and experimental features of pediatric SCI.Methods: Infant piglets (3–5 weeks old) underwent contusive SCI by controlled cortical impactor at T7. Severe complete SCI was induced in 6 piglets, defined as SCI with no spontaneous return of sensorimotor function. Eight piglets received incomplete SCI, which was followed by partial recovery. Somatosensory evoked potentials, magnetic resonance imaging, neurobehavioral function, and histopathology were measured during a 28-day survival period.Results: Mean SCI volume (defined as volume of necrotic tissue) was larger after complete compared with incomplete SCI (387 ± 29 vs 77 ± 38 mm3, respectively, P < 0.001). No functional recovery occurred after complete SCI. After incomplete SCI, piglets initially had an absence of lower extremity sensorimotor function, urinary and stool retention, and little to no rectal tone. Sensory res...
Beyond the Incident: Institutional Predictors of Student Collective Action

ABSTRACTSince the original unveiling of the I, Too, Am Harvard campaign, which highlighted students’ experiences with racially based microaggressions on Harvard’s campus, more than 40 other student-led initiatives have developed their own similar campaigns. We used data on 4-year public and private, not-for-profit institutions during a 5-year period from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to investigate the institutional characteristics that predict the birth of an I, Too, Am initiative. We did not find evidence that the racial diversity of higher education institutions is predictive of their propensity to have an I, Too, Am campaign. Instead, the general states of institutions’ selectivity, size, and percentage of Pell Grant recipients were more predictive. Also, while we found that the current state of institutions has some predictive power, we found less evidence of this relationship for changes in the institutional state. The data suggested that the tipping points that motivate student...
Food Production or Food Distribution: The Key to Global Food Security?

Major world agencies have identified a serious contemporary food insecurity problem, and sound even louder alarms that by the year 2050 around one billion people will be “food insecure.” The solution proposed by the World Bank in a 2012 Report is that the world grow significantly more food. Eyes certainly are on the US to remediate this problem by growing more livestock. Is “more food” the answer? This study uses World Bank data and path/structural equation modeling to determine the veracity of this position versus another. It is counter argued that food distribution and waste prevent food from reaching substantial segments of the world’s population. That is, the poor and dependent are unable to gain access to food that is privateered by governance systems that permit rulers and the wealthy to access food, and set food prices at unreachable levels for the poorest of the poor and, sometimes, even the middle class. Further, wages are set below the level needed to purchase basic food stuffs. The reaction has been food riots in countries ranging from Venezuela to the Middle East countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, and Egypt, among others.
Integrating Clinical Prediction Rules Throughout the Curriculum

Context: Knowledge and understanding of how to evaluate and implement clinical prediction rules (CPRs) is necessary for athletic trainers, but there is a lack of information on how to best teach st...
Semi-parametric methods for system identification

This paper is concerned with identification problems in general, structured interconnected models. The elements to be identified are of two types: parametric components and non-parametric components. The non-parametric components do not have a natural parameterization that is known or suggested from an analytical understanding of the underlying process. These include static nonlinear maps and noise models.
Galileo's Double Star: The Experiment That "Proved" the Earth Did Not Move

Great opportunities arise for teaching physics, astronomy, and their histories when new discoveries are made that involve concepts accessible to students at every level. Such an opportunity currently exists thanks to the fact that notes written by Galileo indicating that he observed the double star Mizar in the "Big Dipper" have recently come to light. His measurements of this star, given the scientific knowledge at the time, strongly supported the theory that the Earth was fixed in space and not moving. Had Galileo published these results, it is likely that widespread acceptance of the heliocentric theory in scientific circles would have been significantly delayed. In light of these notes, his later reference in his Dialogue to using double stars as a means of proving that the Earth was in motion is puzzling. The physics and mathematics behind Galileo's work is easily within reach of students in introductory physics and astronomy courses, so discussion of Galileo's Mizar work and its interesting implications can be used in virtually any class.
Assessing Emotional Abuse Victimization and Perpetration: A Multi-Theoretical Examination

Criminological theories traditionally used to account for crime and deviance have now been applied to explain physical intimate partner violence (IPV). However, little research has examined whether...
The Green Zone Initiative: Combining Virtual and Face-to-Face Training to Support Veterans in Higher Education

The purpose of the Green Zone Initiative is to address the needs of the nearly 700 student Veterans at a state comprehensive university who are enrolled either on campus or online. The number of service members reintegrating into civilian life is higher than at any time in history since the Vietnam War. As Traumatic Brain Injury is the signature wound of this war, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as the civilian-military divide are all having a monumental impact on our veteran population across America. Student Veterans re-entering civilian life and adjusting to college are under additional pressures which place them in a category of students who may need additional resources and supports to be successful. The purpose of the Green Zone Initiative is to educate and equip faculty and staff to identify those needs and provide support and direction to those resources.
Thermal Isolation/Barriers for Small Caliber Weapon Applications

The research conducted under this effort aimed at analyzing thermal barrier concepts intended to reduce visual signature of small caliber weapon systems (barrels, suppressors, etc.) resulting from high rates of firing. Analysis of heat transfer mechanisms and modeling and simulation of thermal barrier concepts were conducted. Basic principles were explored to identify limitations of application conditions and influencing system design parameters. Modeled results representing live fire test cases were in good correlation with both standard M4A1 test data and vacuum barrier results. Barrier effectiveness was shown to decrease with higher heating rates as barrel temperatures increase and radiation exchange between barrel and barrier rises.
“But I Ain’t a Judge:” The Therapeutic Jurisprudence Implications of the Use of Nonjudicial Officers in Criminal Justice Cases:

The role of nonjudicial officers occupies a hidden space in the U.S. judicial system. Statutorily sanctioned in many jurisdictions, such officers have a wide range of duties and responsibilities, i...
QSRR Automator: A Tool for Automating Retention Time Prediction in Lipidomics and Metabolomics

The use of retention time is often critical for the identification of compounds in metabolomic and lipidomic studies. Standards are frequently unavailable for the retention time measurement of many metabolites, thus the ability to predict retention time for these compounds is highly valuable. A number of studies have applied machine learning to predict retention times, but applying a published machine learning model to different lab conditions is difficult. This is due to variation between chromatographic equipment, methods, and columns used for analysis. Recreating a machine learning model is likewise difficult without a dedicated bioinformatician. Herein we present QSRR Automator, a software package to automate retention time prediction model creation and demonstrate its utility by testing data from multiple chromatography columns from previous publications and in-house work. Analysis of these data sets shows similar accuracy to published models, demonstrating the software's utility in metabolomic and lipidomic studies.
Higher-order sensitivity matrix method for probabilistic solution to uncertain Lambert problem and reachability set problem

This paper presents a derivative-free method for computing approximate solutions to the uncertain Lambert problem (ULP) and the reachability set problem (RSP) while utilizing higher-order sensitivity matrices. These sensitivities are analogous to the coefficients of a Taylor series expansion of the deterministic solution to the ULP and RSP, and are computed in a derivative-free and computationally tractable manner. The coefficients are computed by minimizing least squared error over the domain of the input probability density function (PDF), and represent the nonlinear mapping of the input PDF to the output PDF. A non-product quadrature method known as the conjugate unscented transform is used to compute the multidimensional expectation values necessary to determine these coefficients with the minimal number of full model propagations. Numerical simulations for both the ULP and the RSP are provided to validate the developed methodology and illustrate potential applications. The benefits and limitations of the presented method are discussed.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Absent Right Superior Vena Cava in Referrals for Fetal Echocardiography

A persistent LSVC with an absent right superior vena cava (RSVC) is unusual, encountered in about 10% of patients with persistent LSVC. We present 14 patients with a prenatal diagnosis of single LSVC and situs solitus, including prenatal findings and information on medium-term follow-up. We identified patients with situs solitus and a persistent LSVC born between March 2004 and March 2020, which had been diagnosed prenatally between December 2003 and November 2019. From this cohort, we identified those with absent RSVC. In the population of women undergoing fetal echocardiography, the prevalence of persistent LSVC in situs solitus was 0.43% (84/19,712). For the 84 identified patients and for the entire population respectively, 14/84 (17%) and 14/19,712 (0.07%) had a single LSVC (absent RSVC). Of 14 patients with a single LSVC, 8 (57%) were male. For the 84 identified patients and for the entire population respectively, 70/84 (83%) and 70/19,712 (0.36%) had bilateral SVCs. For a single LSVC (absent RSVC) and situs solitus, the majority had no associated cardiac, extracardiac, or syndromic abnormalities.
Effect of Nutritional Plane on Health, Performance, and Muscle Metabolism in Neonatal Dairy Calves

Neonatal dairy calf maintenance energy requirements are 1.75 Meal per day at thermoneutral temperatures. Conventional milk replacer feeding programs (e.g. 2 quarts of reconstituted solids twice per day) provide approximately 2.2 Meal per day. Considering the abundance of environmental and pathogenic challenges faced by neonatal calves, these conventional programs provide little energy for maintaining body temperature, mounting immune responses, and growing at expected rates of 1 to 2 pounds per day and weight loss often occurs for the initial week of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of conventional nutritional plane versus a higher nutritional plane on the health status, muscle development, and initial weight loss in neonatal dairy calves.
LOW PREVALENCE OF HAEMOSPORIDIANS IN BLOOD AND TISSUE SAMPLES FROM HUMMINGBIRDS

Hummingbirds are vital members of terrestrial ecosystems, and because of their high metabolic requirements, they serve as indicators of ecosystem health. Monitoring the parasitic infections of hummingbirds is thus especially important. Haemosporidians, a widespread group of avian blood parasites, are known to infect hummingbirds, but little is known about the prevalence and diversity of these parasites in hummingbirds. The prevalence of haemosporidians in several hummingbird species was examined and we compared 4 different tissue types in detecting parasites by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Blood samples from 339 individuals of 3 different hummingbird species were tested, and 4 individuals were found positive for haemosporidian infection, a prevalence of 1.2%. Hummingbird carcasses (n = 70) from 5 different hummingbird species were also sampled to assess differences in detection success of haemosporidians in heart, kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle tissue samples. Detection success was similar among tissue types, with haemosporidian prevalence of 9.96% in heart tissue, 9.52% in kidney tissue, 10.76% in liver tissue, and 11.76% in pectoral muscle tissue. All tissue samples positive for haemosporidian infection were from the Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri). Possible reasons for low prevalence of these blood parasites could include low susceptibility to insect vectors or parasite incompatibility in these hummingbirds.
Tourism microentrepreneurship and land stewardship in a Tz'utujil Mayan Coffee Community

This study examines how livelihood diversification through tourism microentrepreneurship may shape land stewardship among Mayan coffee farmers in Guatemala. Through a primarily qualitative approach assessing ecoliteracy and motivations towards environmental behaviors, data were collected among participants self-identifying as small-scale shade-grown coffee farmers involved in tourism microentrepreneurship in the community of San Juan la Laguna in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. We found that, when facilitated through cooperatives, tourism microentrepreneurship and coffee farming jointly contributed to land stewardship and provided an opportunity for indigenous farmers to foster traditional relationships with the land.
Regulation of ABC efflux transporters at blood-brain barrier in health and neurological disorders

The strength of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in providing protection to the central nervous system from exposure to circulating chemicals is maintained by tight junctions between endothelial cells and by a broad range of transporter proteins that regulate exchange between CNS and blood. The most important transporters that restrict the permeability of large number of toxins as well as therapeutic agents are the ABC transporters. Among them, P-gp, BCRP, MRP1 and MRP2 are the utmost studied. These efflux transporters are neuroprotective, limiting the brain entry of neurotoxins; however, they could also restrict the entry of many therapeutics and contribute to CNS pharmacoresistance. Characterization of several regulatory pathways that govern expression and activity of ABC efflux transporters in the endothelium of brain capillaries have led to an emerging consensus that these processes are complex and contain several cellular and molecular elements. Alterations in ABC efflux transporters expression and/or activity occur in several neurological diseases. Here, we review the signaling pathways that regulate expression and transport activity of P-gp, BCRP, MRP1 and MRP2 as well as how their expression/activity changes in neurological diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Neuroprotection.
Effects of Feeding Rats Sucrose in a High Fat Diet

Rats were fed ad libitum a 40% fat diet containing either 30% sucrose or 30% starch by weight for 8-9 weeks. Insulin levels during a meal tolerance test were significantly greater in rats fed sucrose than in rats fed starch, but serum glucose levels were not affected by diet and tended to decrease as time after the meal increased. Insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test were significantly greater in the rats fed sucrose. Serum glucose levels were not affected by diet. Body weights and epididymal and perirenal fat pad weights were higher in rats fed sucrose than in rats fed starch. Serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels were not different. These results show that relatively low sucrose levels in a high fat diet can produce higher insulin levels than starch before and after either a glucose load or a meal. This relative insulin resistance is symptomatic of onset diabetes.
Women's Rights vs. "Fetal Rights":: Politics, Law and Reproductive Hazards in the Workplace

Policies restricting the employment opportunities of women have a long history in the U.S. The most recent manifestation has been so-called "fetal protection" policies, which exclude women of childbearing age from jobs involving exposure to toxins considered dangerous to a developing fetus. Traditional arguments that women's biology is justification to keep them from jobs have resurfaced in a new form. In the present debate the issue is framed as one of competing rights, those of fetus versus those of the woman. An analysis of public policy on this issue from a feminist legal standpoint reveals how the law's implicit male standard hinders the attainment of equal employment opportunity for women, as they must now compete with hypothetical fetuses sa well sa with men.
The inhibition of photosynthesis by sodium fluoride: I. The sodium fluoride-induced carbon dioxide burst from Chlorella

Abstract 1. 1. Using the acid-tolerant alga, Chlorella Marburg St., it was observed that the sodium fluoride-induced carbon dioxide burst was present. However, a 1:1 ratio between chlorophyll and carbon dioxide evolved during this burst was seldom realized. Yields upward of 400% (on a chlorophyll basis) were obtained. 2. 2. It was found that the size of the carbon dioxide burst was not stable and decreased if longer periods of anaerobisity were maintained, and that it increased if the thick algal suspensions were allowed to respire. The source of the carbon dioxide seems to be closer to the intermediary metabolism of respiration and fermentation than to photosynthesis. 3. 3. The source of the carbon dioxide gush could not be removed by preillumination of algal suspensions under a nitrogen atmosphere. Such treatment, on the contrary, helped to stabilize the size of the burst, as did the addition of glucose in the dark. Such results are incompatible with the idea of a chlorophyll-carbon dioxide complex as the substrate for the photochemical process. 4. 4. The effect of sodium fluoride on photosynthesis of green algae was found to be complex. In some instances complete inhibition occurred, whereas in other experiments no inhibition occurred although a carbon dioxide gush was evident.
Quarkonium physics and αstrong from Quarkonia

Abstract Recent results in Quarkonia are reviewed, including updates on spectroscopy and α s , and a first look at quarkoniun annihilation decays.
Morphology of Mycoplasma laidlawii Type A I. Comparison of Electron Microscopic Counts with Colony-Forming Units

Anderson, D. L. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis), M. E. Pollock, and L. F. Brower. Morphology of Mycoplasma laidlawii type A. I. Comparison of electron microscopic counts with colony-forming units. J. Bacteriol. 90:1764–1767. 1965.—Cells of Mycoplasma laidlawii A grown in dialyzing flask cultures were counted with the electron microscope by use of a spray technique which deposited mixtures of polystyrene latex of known concentration and M. laidlawii in discrete droplet patterns on specimen films. Glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde were effective in preserving gross morphology of cells in spray preparations. The standard deviation of the mean ratio of latex-M. laidlawii was 5.5% when 2,000 total particles were counted in 18 droplet patterns. Microscopic counts resembled counts of colony-forming units (CFU) at various culture ages when cells larger than 0.25 μ were enumerated. If small bodies ranging from 0.1 to 0.25 μ in diameter were included in microscopic counts of cultures older than 70 hr, these counts exceeded the numbers of CFU by 4 to 10 times. Images
Photoreactions of tetrakis(μ-pyrophosphito)diplatinate(II) with alcohols and hydrocarbons

Abstract Hydrogen-atom transfer has been established as an important reaction pathway for the dσ*pσ triplet excited state of [Pt2(P2O5H2)4]4− (Pt2). Substrates that serve as H-atom donors include alcohols with α(C-H) bonds and benzyl hydrocarbons. These substrates react photochemically with Pt2 (370-nm irradiation) in acetonitrile solution to give ketones (from alcohols) and dimers (from benzyl hydrocarbons). The reactions of alcohols with 3Pt2* involve a pre-equilibrium complex, [3Pt2*-alcohol]; the excited-state complex deactivates through intramolecular H-atom transfer. Rates of stable product formation (kp) generally parallel the rates of excited-state deactivation (kq), with k p k q approximately 0.1.
GM1 ganglioside accelerates neurite outgrowth from primary peripheral and central neurons under selected culture conditions

Neurons from chick embryonic day 8 (E8) ciliary ganglia, E8 and E15 dorsal root ganglia, E8 forebrain, and from rat E18 hippocampus and striatum were cultured as monolayers in the presence or absence of GM1 ganglioside. All of the primary neurons tested were susceptible to an effect of GM1 on their neuritic outgrowth, resulting in a 2- to 3-fold stimulation over control, the recognition of which depended on selecting culture conditions appropriate to each case. The response of E8 ciliary ganglionic neurons required a serum-free medium containing ciliary neuronotrophic factor, and was most pronounced by 8 h at 3 X 10(-8) M GM1. The neuritic response by either E8 or E15 dorsal root ganglionic neurons required serum (greater than or equal to 0.3%), their appropriate neuronotrophic factor, and 100-fold higher GM1 concentrations (presumably reflecting the serum presence), with optimal response times of 12-24 h. For E8 chick forebrain and E18 rat central neurons, GM1 substantially increased the proportion of neurite-bearing neurons in a serum-free pyruvate-containing medium between 7 and 24 h, with an optimal GM1 concentration of 10(-7) M. In all cases, the response to GM1 was a time-related gain, i.e. an earlier onset of neuritic regeneration rather than permanent increase in the number of neurite-bearing neurons.
Drug Use/Misuse Among Health Professionals

Health professionals are among special populations in need of substance use/misuse prevention and treatment services. The behavior of impaired health professionals often have dire consequences to one's social, financial, and psychological life. This presentation will outline the epidemiology of substance use/misuse among health professionals, the consequences of the problem, and treatment issues. The work of Dr. Robert Coombs of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine and other United States and international scholars will be reviewed. Cross-national policies in this field will be highlighted. Unresolved critical issues will be noted and future needed research will be suggested.
Improving inhaler adherence in a clinical trial through the use of the nebulizer chronolog.

This study examined whether utilizing an electronic medication monitor (Nebulizer Chronolog) to provide participants with detailed feedback on their metered-dose inhaler (ipratropium bromide or placebo) usage patterns would result in closer adherence to the prescribed regimen of two inhalations three times daily compared to a control group not receiving feedback. Adherence was also measured by canister weighing and self-report. Two-hundred fifty-one consecutive special intervention participants from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Johns Hopkins University centers of a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored clinical trial were enrolled in this ancillary study. Compared to controls, feedback participants at the 4-month follow-up adhered more closesly to the prescribed three sets per day (mean 1.95 vs 1.65) and used the prescribed two actuations in a greater percentage of sets (80 percent vs 60.3 percent). These results indicate that electronic monitoring of metered-dose inhaler use with a Nebulizer Chronolog in a clinical trial not only provides a more accurate assessment of adherence to prescribed inhaler use, but also enhances adherence when participants are given feedback of the monitoring results.
Monte carlo simulation of soot aggregation with simultaneous surface growth-why primary particles appear spherical

Soot aggregation with simultaneous surface growth was modeled using a dynamic Monte Carlo method. Simulations were performed in the environment of a 10-bar laminar premixed flame of ethylene. The Monte Carlo algorithm begins in the particle inception zone and constructs soot particles via ensemble-averaged collisions between small spheres and deposition of gaseous species on the sphere surfaces. Simulations were conducted using three scenarios. Scenario 1 forces all spheres to grow at a uniform rate, whereas scenario 2 only permits them to grow once they have collided and stuck to each other. Results from 1 and 2 were compared to a reference, labeled scenario 0, which simulates aggregation in the absence of surface growth. The simulations demonstrate that aggregation with sufficiently small spherical particles in the presence of surface growth leads to a spheroidal shape. The results show that the spheroidal shape of particles is attributed to rapid surface growth and intense particle nucleation. In addition, particle shape may also be affected by rearrangement of the internal structure of colliding aromatic clusters.
Structural analysis and strategic research design: Studying politicized interorganizational networks

Network analysis and structural sociology have given relatively little attention to questions of research design and data collection. This paper discusses the substantive implications of conducting structural analysis with more intensive work on research design and data collection. Based on evidence from a case study of a politicized social structure, the major features of strategic research design are presented in a discussion of cognitive and behavioral data, types of ties, multiplexity, and access restrictions.
S-Adenosylmethionine-dependent Methylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL PROTEIN ARGININE METHYLTRANSFERASE

We used sequence motifs conserved in S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases to identify 26 putative methyltransferases from the complete genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Seven sequences with the best matches to the methyltransferase consensus motifs were selected for further study. We prepared yeast disruption mutants of each of the genes encoding these sequences, and we found that disruption of the YJL125c gene is lethal, whereas disruptions of YCR047c and YDR140w lead to slow growth phenotypes. Normal growth was observed when the YDL201w, YDR465c, YHR209w, and YOR240w genes were disrupted. Initial analysis of protein methylation patterns of all mutants by amino acid analysis revealed that the YDR465c mutant has a defect in the methylation of the delta-nitrogen atom of arginine residues. We propose that YDR465c codes for the methyltransferase responsible for this recently characterized type of protein methylation, and we designate the enzyme as Rmt2 (protein arginine methyltransferase). In addition, we show that the methylation of susceptible residues in Rmt2 substrates is likely to take place on nascent polypeptide chains and that these substrates exist in the cell as fully methylated species. Interestingly, Rmt2 has 27% sequence identity over 138 amino acids to the mammalian guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase, an enzyme responsible for methylating the delta-nitrogen of the small molecule guanidinoacetate.
Evaluation of the osteogenic performance of calcium phosphate-chitosan bone fillers.

ABSTRACTThere has been recent interest in utilizing calcium phosphates (CaPs) that set in situ for treating bone defects due to the limitations associated with morselized autografts and allografts. However, CaP cements have long setting times, poor mechanical properties, and poor osteoinductivity. This has prompted research toward finding a nonprotein-based compound, such as chitosan, to accelerate setting times and increase osteoinductivity. The purpose of this study was to compare bone growth rates during the early bone healing response achieved using conventionally prepared chitosan-CaP bone filler to an extensively purified chitosan-CaP compound. Both compounds set quickly and stimulated bone formation. Histomorphometry demonstrated a 290% increase in new bone formation when using the conventional chitosan-CaP bone filler and a 172% increase with the highly purified chitosan-CaP compound compared to the increase in bone formation seen with the unfilled control group. The results of this study indicate...
Volatilization of extensively dechlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls from historically contaminated sediments

A study was conducted as a preliminary characterization of the ability of Aroclor® 1248 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sediments to volatilize PCBs into the air upon drying under conditions meant to be environmentally relevant. Sediments collected from the St. Lawrence River contained high levels (-600 ppm) of PCBs. The PCB contamination consisted of high levels of mainly ortho-substituted mono- and dichlorobiphenyls, suggesting that the original contamination had been transformed by microbial reductive dechlorination. These sediments lost 0.07 to 1.7% of their total PCB content to the air during a 24-h drying cycle. Sediments with varying amounts of overlying water (40 g of sediment with 25-100 ml of water) lost significantly less PCB to the air within the first few cycles than native sediments with no overlying water. Losses due to PCB volatilization were well correlated to sediment PCB concentration and water loss but not to drying temperatures (4–43°C) within 24-h drying cycles. The PCB congeners (mostly ortho-substituted mono-, di-, and trichlorobiphenyls) representing >90% of those volatilized within the first 24 h of drying were those produced in the sediment samples as a result of microbial reductive dechlorination of the original Aroclor 1248 contamination. The presence of these congeners in volatilized air samples was positively confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with Fourier transform infrared detection (FTIR). These results strongly suggest that significant amounts of mono-, di-, and trichlorobiphenyls may be volatilized from Aroclor 1248-contaminated sediments at ambient environmental conditions and that this PCB volatilization may be enhanced by microbial reductive dechlorination.
Anatomy of the human ovarian insulin-like growth factor system.

In situ hybridization was used to map insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system gene expression in ovaries from an anencephalic infant and several young women. Growing oocytes in infant and mature ovaries expressed transcripts for IGF-I and IGF-II, respectively, and all oocytes expressed abundant IGF-I receptor transcripts, raising the possibility of autocrine IGF function in oocyte maturation. IGF-I mRNA was not detected in the mature ovary, but IGF-II mRNA was localized in follicular blood vessels and in granulosa cells (GC) and was especially abundant in the GC of atretic as opposed to young follicles. IGF-I receptor mRNA was abundant in GC of antral and atretic follicles, and was expressed at low levels in the thecal and interstitial compartments. IGF-binding protein (IGFBP) 1 mRNA was not detected, but IGFBPs 2-5 mRNAs each demonstrated a unique ovarian distribution. IGFBP2 mRNA was abundant in GC and thecal cells at all stages of development. IGFBP3 mRNA was detected only in the endothelium of ovarian blood vessels. IGFBP4 mRNA was also localized in endothelium, but in addition was present in stromal connective tissue and in GC of the one Graafian follicle detected in this study, but not consistently in atretic follicles. IGFBP5 mRNA was expressed by luminal or cumulus GC in virtually all follicles and was highly abundant in stromal interstitial cells of the mature ovary. Insofar as our limited sample allows developmental analysis, gene expression for the IGF-I receptor and IGFII in GC and for IGFBP5 in interstitial cells appeared to be developmentally or hormonally regulated, as their mRNAs were significantly more abundant in mature ovaries than in ovaries from an anencephalic infant. GC gene expression for IGFBP2 and IGFBP5, in contrast, appears to be constitutive. In summary, the intensity, compartmentalization, and developmental regulation of IGF system gene expression in the human ovary support the view that IGFs play an important and complex role in ovarian physiology. The striking evidence of IGF ligand and receptor gene expression in human oocytes suggests that IGFs have a role in growth from the earliest moments in development.
Classes of computable functions defined by bounds on computation: Preliminary Report

The structure of the functions computable in time or space bounded by t is investigated for recursive functions t. The t-computable classes are shown to be closed under increasing recursively enumerable unions; as a corollary the primitive recursive functions are shown to equal the t-computable functions for a certain recursive t. Any countable partial order can be isomorphically embedded in the family of t-computable classes partially ordered by set inclusion. For any recursive t, there is a recursive t' which is (approximately) equal to an actual running time such that the t-computable functions equal the t'-computable functions.
Abstract LB-283: A prospective study of breast cancer risk associated with occupational exposure to potentially endocrine disrupting compounds

Background: Endocrine disrupting compounds, exogenous substances that interfere with normal endocrine functions, have been suspected to play a role in the etiology of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to potential endocrine disrupting compounds and breast cancer risk among women enrolled in the Sister Study, a prospective cohort study of US and Puerto Rican women designed to examine the genetic and environmental risk factors for breast cancer. Methods: Over 50,000 women aged 33-74 enrolled in the Sister Study between 2004 and 2009. A comprehensive baseline questionnaire included questions about occupational exposures, including ever use and duration and frequency of use of nine agents containing potential endocrine disrupting compounds: Dyes or Inks, Gasoline or other Petroleum Products, Glues or Adhesives, Lubricating Oils, Metals, Paints, Pesticides, Organic Solvents, and Stains. Cumulative lifetime exposure to each potential endocrine disruptor was estimated and classified into quartiles. Study participants were prospectively followed from baseline until breast cancer diagnosis, death, or end of follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the impact of level of exposure (comparing each quartile of exposure with never exposure) to each of these compounds on breast cancer risk, adjusting for established breast cancer risk factors. Results: Among the 47,755 women in the Sister Study with an occupational history, a total of 1798 cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed. Compared to their respective never exposure groups, an elevated risk of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer was observed for women in the top quartile of occupational exposure to Dyes or Inks (HR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1-2.8). Non-significantly elevated risks were observed for women in the top quartile of occupational exposure to Gasoline or other Petroleum Products (HR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.0-2.9) and Metals (HR: 1.5, 95%CI: 0.9-2.8). Conclusions: Results suggest that exposure to occupational dyes or inks may influence breast cancer risk. Dyes and inks contain compounds with endocrine disrupting properties, including organic compounds and heavy metals. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of these potential endocrine disrupting compounds in breast cancer. Citation Format: Christine C. Ekenga. A prospective study of breast cancer risk associated with occupational exposure to potentially endocrine disrupting compounds. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-283. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-LB-283
Information theory meets circuit design: Why capacity-approaching codes require more chip area and power

It is generally thought that good codes, i.e. codes that operate at rates close to capacity and attain low error probabilities, are sophisticated constructions that require high encoding and decoding circuit power. In this paper, we rigorously show that this intuition is correct by deriving an information-theoretic lower bound on power consumption for encoding circuits using communication-complexity techniques. We first lower bound the “VLSI complexity” — measured as the product A wires l2 where A wires is the wire-area and l is the number of clock cycles in implementation — for encoding. Using the lower bound on VLSI complexity, we derive a lower bound on power consumption of any fully-parallel encoding implementation for any code, and show that the consumed power must diverge to infinity as the error probability approaches zero. Further, the speed of this divergence increases as the rate approaches channel capacity. We also provide a refinement of an earlier result on VLSI complexity by El Gamal, Greene and Pang, which derives a lower bound on A chip l2, where A chip is the entire chip area required for encoding.
Regression Analysis When the Variance of the Dependent Variable Is Proportional to the Square of Its Expectation

Abstract In this article we consider a regression model where the variance of the dependent variable is proportional to the square of its expectation. First, we obtain the asymptotic efficiency of the weighted least squares estimator as compared to the maximum likelihood estimator for the cases when the dependent variable follows a normal, lognormal, or Gamma distribution. Second, we derive a test of whether the dependent variable follows a lognormal or a Gamma distribution. An example is worked out for the purpose of illustration.
The soluble citric acid cycle enzymes of Drosophila melanogaster. I. Genetics and ontogeny of NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase

Fifty-five wild-type stocks of Drosophila melanogaster have been screened for electrophoretic variants of NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase. Three stocks are polymorphic, and one is homozygous for a “fast” (toward the anode at pH 8.7) electrophoretic variant. Using the variants and the mapping stock “rucuca,” the enzyme's structural locus has been mapped at 3–27.1±0.4. The symbols IDH-NADP and Idh-NADP are proposed for the enzyme and its genetic locus, respectively. Enzyme activity per organism increases throughout larval development, decreases during the pupal period, and increases again in anticipation of adult emergence. The activity profile is thus similar to that of a number of other Drosophila enzymes which have been studied.
Quantitation of isotypes of D2 receptors using solution hybridization.

Abstract Solution hybridization was used to quantitate the expression of the long and short splice variants of mRNA coding for the dopamine D 2 receptor. Sequences corresponding to 450 bases of the coding region of the long form of the third intracellular loop and the full-length coding sequences of the long and short isoforms of the D 2 receptor were amplified using PCR and cloned into a Bluescribe (pBS+) vector. Phage polymerases were used to synthesize riboprobes complementary to the third intracellular loop. Hybridization was carried out using sense strand RNA or total RNA isolated from tissue or cells. After hybridization and digestion with nucleases, the hybridization products were size-fractionated on a urea/ acrylamide gel. The RNA coding for the D 2 receptor appeared as two distinct bands. One band (438 base pairs) represents the long form of the receptor and a second band (285 base pairs) represents the short form of the RNA coding for the receptor. Quantitation of the amount of RNA present suggests that in the striatum the long form of RNA coding for the receptor is expressed at higher levels than is the short form. In a cell line containing dopamine receptors derived from the pituitary (SUPI), the long form predominates to an even greater extent than in the striatum.
The effect of education and significant others upon the contraceptive behaviour of married men

A survey of 424 married men living with their wives in Pittsburgh wa s made in 1971 in order to collect fertility knowledge attitudes and practice information from married men. The subjects were selected at random from a representative sample compiled by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission. Men from the lower socio-economic class were under-represented. The men had been married an average of 14 years and had an average of 2.8 children. 88% believed family planning services should be made available to men. 79% were currently using a contraceptive method. The pill and the condom used by 21% and 19% respectively were the most favored method of contraception. There was a distint racial preference with respect to current contraceptive practices. 51% of the black men used a medical contraceptive (pill IUD and diaphragm) compared with 29% of the whites. Conversely 49% of the whites used a non-medical method (condom withdrawal jelly foam) compared with 23% of the blacks. Education also seemed to be a determining factor in the type of contraceptive used with the men who had had some college selecting by 52% a medical method. Education was also associated with knowledge of friends contraceptive practice which suggests to the authors an openness in discussing contraceptives. The authors feel this openess ma y be the significant aspect of education beyond high school which affect s the contraceptive practices of the men in this study. It is feared that the current decrease in college enrollment may result in less effective family planning. Perhaps family life educational programs could offset this trend.
Parameter Identification Technique Based on Lyapunov Stability

A system identification technique is presented for estimating the parameters of a class of nonlinear systems. An identifier is described which estimate the parameters using system measurements. A robust parameter update law is given based on the theory of Lyapunov stability which not only stabilizes the identifier but also handles the system uncertainty. To show the validity of technique, aerodynamic derivatives of fighter aircraft A-4D are estimated. Subject to this problem, a modeling based step-wise procedure is described. Instead of estimating all derivatives at once, groups of derivatives are estimated in steps.
Electrical properties of NbO and NbO2

Abstract The thermoelectric power and electrical conductivity were measured for NbO and NbO2 as functions of temperature at the limiting oxygen activities for the thermodynamic stability of each of the compounds. The electrical properties of NbO2 were essentially independent of oxygen pressure in the temperature range 50–1000°C, and the properties of NbO showed only a small dependence on oxygen activity. The thermoelectric power and electrical conductivity of NbO indicate that metallic bonding exists in this compound. This bonding is discussed on the basis of Kreb's model for the influence of homopolar bonds on the structure of inorganic compounds. The thermoelectric power and electrical conductivity of NbO2 indicate that this compound is an n-type intrinsic semiconductor. The nature of the predominant ionic defect in NbO2 and its dependence on oxygen activity are discussed.