cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-transcriptional regulation on a global scale: form and function of Csr/Rsm systems

Summary Originally described as a repressor of gene expression in the stationary phase of growth, CsrA (RsmA) regulates primary and secondary metabolic pathways, biofilm formation, motility, virulence circuitry of pathogens, quorum sensing and stress response systems by binding to conserved sequences in its target mRNAs and altering their translation and/or turnover. While the binding of CsrA to RNA is understood at an atomic level, new mechanisms of gene activation and repression by this protein are still emerging. In the γ-proteobacteria, small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) use molecular mimicry to sequester multiple CsrA dimers away from mRNA. In contrast, the FliW protein of Bacillus subtilis inhibits CsrA activity by binding to this protein, thereby establishing a checkpoint in flagellum morphogenesis. Turnover of CsrB and CsrC sRNAs in Escherichia coli requires a specificity protein of the GGDEF-EAL domain superfamily, CsrD, in addition to the housekeeping nucleases RNase E and PNPase. The Csr system of E. coli contains extensive autoregulatory circuitry, which governs the expression and activity of CsrA. Interaction of the Csr system with transcriptional regulatory networks results in a variety of complex response patterns. This minireview will highlight basic principles and new insights into the workings of these complex eubacterial regulatory systems.
Effect of nuclear modulation on field-swept electron spin-echo spectra

Abstract The effect of nuclear modulation on field-swept electron spin-echo (ESE) spectra in disordered systems is investigated using Rh(II)-doped X zeolites. It is found that when the g anisotropy is large and deep modulation is present the field-swept spectrum differs considerably from the corresponding absorption electron spin resonance spectrum and shows substantial dependence on the interpulse intervals, τ and/or T, depending on whether a two-pulse or three-pulse ESE experiment is performed. When the modulation is due to deuterium, the field-swept ESE powder pattern can be reasonably simulated using Mims' expressions for the echo modulation for S = 1 2 and I = 1 with the spherical-averaging approximation.
A life of chemical fantasy become reality

In scientific research, as Albert Einstein has emphasized, imagination is more important than knowledge. Groping after the unknown, the scientist must be able to conjure up some guiding image of the elusive quarry. In this philosophical sense, any great discovery must first exist in the mind before it can be found to exist in external reality. It follows that great scientists give their fantasies both free rein and respectful attention. Such a man was Georg Friedrich Karl Wittig, who lived to see his chemical fantasies become tangible scientific facts. As Wittig set off on his chemical odyssey in the 192Os, such chemical structures as carbenes, carbon radicals, charged carbon centers and hypervalent compounds were widely considered as chimeras of “unsound” chemists. But over the next six decades of the twentieth century Wittig would contribute to making carbenes, arynes, ylide complexes, unusual carbanions and hypervalent compounds of groups 15-17 routine reagents in organic chemistry. Such achievements and analogous successes by other chemists in the areas of free radicals, carbonium ions, multiple bonds between two metals or two nonmetals and novel strained rings have ushered in the era of reactive intermediates in organic
Angled-beam photon echoes

We have observed the effect of angled excitation beams on the photon echoes from the 22S1/2–22P1/2 transition of atomic lithium. The degradation of the echo from noncollinear excitations is not so great as had been feared. A calculation with the billiard-ball echo model is in good agreement with our experimental results. In a similar experiment in atomic-sodium vapor we have recorded a decay of echo intensity with increasing pulse separation over nearly 12 orders of magnitude, with the weakest signals coming from atoms that had been more than 23 lifetimes in their excited state.
Small DNA Hairpin Negatively Regulates In Situ Priming during Duck Hepatitis B Virus Reverse Transcription

There are two mutually exclusive pathways for plus-strand DNA synthesis in hepadnavirus reverse transcription. The predominant pathway gives rise to relaxed circular DNA, while the other pathway yields duplex linear DNA. Both pathways use the same RNA primer, which is capped and 18 or 19 nucleotides in length. At the completion of minus-strand DNA synthesis, the final RNase H cleavage generates the plus-strand primer. To make relaxed circular DNA, primer translocation must occur, resulting in the transfer of the primer generated at DR1 to the acceptor site (DR2) near the opposite end of the minus-strand DNA. A small fraction of viruses instead make duplex linear DNA after initiating plus-strand DNA synthesis from DR1, a process called in situ priming. We are interested in understanding the mechanism of discrimination between these two pathways. Some variants of duck hepatitis B virus exhibit high levels of in situ priming due to cis-acting mutations. The mechanism by which these mutations act has been obscure. Sequence inspection predicted formation of a small DNA hairpin in the region overlapping these mutations. We have shown that substitutions disrupting base pairing potential in this hairpin led to increased levels of in situ priming. The introduction of compensatory changes to restore base pairing potential led to reduced levels of in situ priming. Thus, formation of the small DNA hairpin overlapping the 5' end of DR1 in the minus strand contributes to the regulation of primer translocation, at least, through inhibition of in situ priming by making the 3' end of the minus-strand DNA a poor template for initiation.
Quantitative analysis of neurotransmitter pathways under steady state conditions - a perspective.

In a contribution to this Research Topic Erkki Somersalo and Daniela Calvetti carried out a mathematical analysis of neurotransmitter pathways in brain, modeling compartmental nitrogen flux among several major participants – ammonia, glutamine, glutamate, GABA and selected amino acids. This analysis is important because cerebral nitrogen metabolism is perturbed in many diseases, including liver disease and inborn errors of the urea cycle. These diseases result in an elevation of blood ammonia, which is neurotoxic. Here, a brief description is provided of the discovery of cerebral metabolic compartmentation of nitrogen metabolism – a key feature of cerebral glutamate-glutamine and GABA-glutamine cycles. The work of Somersalo and Calvetti is discussed as a model for future studies of normal and pathological cerebral ammonia metabolism.
Study of thermal-expansion-molded, graphite-epoxy hat-stiffened sandwich panels

Minimum weight configurations for two types of graphite-epoxy, hat-stiffened, compression-loaded panels fabricated by the thermal-expansion-molding (TEM) manufacturing process were evaluated analytically and experimentally. Optimal structurally efficient TEM panels are compared to commercially available aluminum aircraft structures
Isotopic OCS in the troposphere and lower stratosphere determined from high resolution infrared solar absorption spectra

All previous infrared spectroscopic measurements of atmospheric carbonyl sulfide were limited to v3 (band center 2062.2 cm−1 transitions of the main isotopomer, 16O12C32S [Mankin et al., 1979; Zander et al., 1988; Rinsland et al., 1992; Rinsland et al, 1996].
Production of Nicotiana tabacum x Nicotiana acuminata hybrid by ovule culture.

Using a conventional sexual crossing technique, Nicotiana tabacum x N. acuminata was not produced. After the fertilized ovules were cultured for 20 days in a liquid Nitsch H medium, germination was observed. The roots grew rapidly but leaves did not. However, plantlets were produced in an H medium containing Benzyladenine or Kinetin (0.01–0.1 mg/l). The plantlets grew and flowered in a greenhouse. The chromosome number of the hybrid was 36 and its morphological characteristics were intermediate between those of parental species.
Efficient identification of tubby-binding proteins by an improved system of T7 phage display

Mutation in the tubby gene causes adult-onset obesity, progressive retinal, and cochlear degeneration with unknown mechanism. In contrast, mutations in tubby-like protein 1 (Tulp1), whose C-terminus is highly homologous to tubby, only lead to retinal degeneration. We speculate that their diverse N-terminus may define their distinct disease profile. To elucidate the binding partners of tubby, we used tubby N-terminus (tubby-N) as bait to identify unknown binding proteins with open-reading-frame (ORF) phage display. T7 phage display was engineered with three improvements: high-quality ORF phage display cDNA library, specific phage elution by protease cleavage, and dual phage display for sensitive high throughput screening. The new system is capable of identifying unknown bait-binding proteins in as fast as ∼4–7 days. While phage display with conventional cDNA libraries identifies high percentage of out-of-frame unnatural short peptides, all 28 tubby-N-binding clones identified by ORF phage display were ORFs. They encode 16 proteins, including 8 nuclear proteins. Fourteen proteins were analyzed by yeast two-hybrid assay and protein pull-down assay with ten of them independently verified. Comparative binding analyses revealed several proteins binding to both tubby and Tulp1 as well as one tubby-specific binding protein. These data suggest that tubby-N is capable of interacting with multiple nuclear and cytoplasmic protein binding partners. These results demonstrated that the newly-engineered ORF phage display is a powerful technology to identify unknown protein–protein interactions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are Industrial Policy and Corporatism Compatible

As intense international competition along with rapidly changing product markets and technology have come to dominate the economic environment for firms, industries, and nations, government pursuit of a coordinated, proactive industrial policy has increasingly been viewed as a key to national economic success. Owing largely to its utility in generating consensus-formation, corporatist concertation has been suggested by a number of commentators as an ideal mechanism for implementing industrial policies. However, the legitimacy of corporatism as a mode of interest intermediation rests on the capacity of interest group representatives to win benefits for all their members, while industrial policy decisions are by nature selective or discriminatory. This feature of industrial policy casts doubts upon its compatibility with corporatism. The postwar policy-making experiences of Japan, Sweden, and West Germany support this skepticism.
Differential sensitivity to loss of cytosine methyl groups within the hepatic p53 gene of folate/methyl deficient rats

Dietary folate/methyl deficiency provides a unique model of endogenous hepatocarcinogenesis in which to study progressive alterations in DNA methylation patterns during tumor progression in vivo. Weanling male F344 rats were given a semi-purified diet deficient in the methyl donors choline, methionine and folic acid for a period of 9 weeks. Using a genomic sequencing procedure based on the PCR amplification of bisulfite-modified DNA, the methylation status of individual CpG sites within exons 6 and 7 of the p53 gene in liver samples from control and deficient rats was determined. Treatment of denatured nuclear DNA with sodium bisulfite quantitatively converts all cytosine residues to uracil which are then amplified as thymine in the PCR reaction. In contrast, 5-methylcytosine is resistant to bisulfite deamination under the reaction conditions and is amplified as cytosine. Automated sequencing of bisulfite-modified DNA will then elucidate the methylation status of each cytosine residue within a defined gene sequence. In addition to evaluation of the methylation status of the p53 gene, the relative activity of the DNA methyltransferase was also quantified in nuclear extracts from control and folate/methyl deficient rats. The results indicate that specific 5-methyl cytosines within the hepatic p53 gene from methyl deficient rats are resistant to demethylation despite the diet-induced decrease in S-adenosylmethionine and the increase in cell proliferation associated with this dietary intervention. Progressive demethylation was observed at other methylated cytosine residues in folate/methyl deficient rats after 9 weeks despite a paradoxical increase in DNA methyltransferase activity. The application of this sequence-specific technology will allow the definition of the methylation status of every CpG site within a coding sequence or promoter region and should provide new insights into mechanisms and consequences of methylation dysregulation during progressive multistage carcinogenesis.
Identifying and Adjusting for Biases in Student Evaluations of Instruction: Implications for Validity:

Student evaluations of teaching effectiveness are widely used for improvement of instruction and for administrative decision-making. Several kinds of contaminating variables may influence these ratings. Criteria for identifying such contaminants are set forth. Results of a search for extraneous, biasing variables at the high school level are reported. Of the several potential extraneous influences studied, student motivation/preference and class size meet the criteria. It is concluded that student rating forms should make provisions for adjusting for these and similar unfair influences.
A predictive decision-aid methodology for dynamic mitigation of influenza pandemics

In a recent report, the Institute of Medicine has stressed the need for dynamic mitigation strategies for pandemic influenza. In response to the need, we have developed a simulation-based optimization methodology for generating dynamic predictive mitigation strategies for pandemic outbreaks affecting several regions. Our methodology can accommodate varying virus and population dynamics. It progressively allocates a limited budget to procure vaccines and antivirals, capacities for their administration, and resources required to enforce social distancing. The methodology uses measures of morbidity, mortality, and social distancing, which are translated into the costs of lost productivity and medical services. The simulation model was calibrated using historic pandemic data. We illustrate the use of our methodology on a mock outbreak involving over four million people residing in four major population centers in Florida, USA. A sensitivity analysis is presented to estimate the impact of changes in the budget availability and variability of some of the critical parameters of mitigation strategies. The methodology is intended to assist public health policy makers.
Glacier recession in Iceland and Austria

It has been possible to measure glacier recession on the basis of Landsat data, in conjunction with comparisons of the magnitude of recession of a glacier margin with in situ measurements at fixed points along the same margin. Attention is presently given to the cases of Vatnajokull ice cap, in Iceland, and the Pasterze Glacier, in Austria, on the basis of satellite data from 1973-1987 and 1984-1990, respectively. Indications of a trend toward negative mass balance are noted. Nevertheless, while most of the world's small glaciers have been receding, some are advancing either due to local climate or the tidewater glacier cycle.
Protein C Inhibitor Is a Potent Inhibitor of the Thrombin-Thrombomodulin Complex

Protein C inhibitor (PCI), a plasma serine protease inhibitor, inhibits several proteases including the anticoagulant enzyme, activated protein C (APC), and the coagulation enzymes, thrombin and factor Xa. Previous studies have shown that thrombin and APC are inhibited at similar rates by PCI and that heparin accelerates PCI inhibition of both enzymes more than 20-fold. We now demonstrate that the thrombin-binding proteoglycan, rabbit thrombomodulin, accelerates inhibition of thrombin by PCI approximately equal to 140-fold (k2 = 2.4 x 10(6) in the presence of TM compared to 1.7 x 10(4) M-1 S-1 in the absence of TM). Most of this effect is mediated by protein-protein interactions since the active fragment of TM composed of epidermal growth factor-like domains 4-6 (TM 4-6) accelerates inhibition by PCI approximately equal to 59-fold (k2 = 1.0 x 10(6) M-1 S-1). The mechanism by which TM alters reactivity with PCI appears to reside in part in an alteration of the S2 specificity pocket. Replacing Phe353 with Pro at the P2 position in the reactive loop of PCI yields a mutant that inhibits thrombin better in the absence of TM (k2 = 6.3 x 10(5) M-1 S-1), but TM 4-6 enhances inhibition by this mutant approximately equal to 9-fold (k2 = 5.8 x 10(6) M-1 S-1) indicating that TM alleviates the inhibitory effect of the less favored Phe residue. These results indicate that PCI is a potent inhibitor of the protein C anticoagulant pathway at the levels of both zymogen activation and enzyme inhibition.
Origin of string patterns in boreal peatlands

The detailed stratigraphical analyses supported by field observations on mires in Labrador and northern Minnesota reported here provide the basis for an explanation of the development of the surface pattern of alternating peat ridges (strings) and linear depressions or pools (flarks) in boreal fens. The developmental sequence involves: drainage impediment and the concomitant initiation of peat accumulation; development of linear patterns as a result of changing hydrological conditions and differential rates of peat accumulation of hummock and hollow plant communities; and subsequent enlargement and coalescence of pools through the degradation of the underlying peat and the intervening ridges. We show here that many of the processes may be active in the development of the pool patterns on raised bogs as well as on fens.
Pellet accumulation, sediment supply and crowding as determinants of surface deposit-feeding rate in Pseudopolydora kempi Japonica Imajima & Hartman (Polychaeta: Spionidae)

Pseudopolydora kempi japonica Imajima & Hartman was exposed in the laboratory to varying frequencies of sediment supply and fecal pellet removal and to varying degrees of intraspecific crowding. When pellets were not removed, feeding rates were approximately halved after only four pellets had accumulated in the feeding areas of individual worms. Crowding and increasing temperature accelerated feeding-rate depression by decreasing the time required for such accrual. Pellet removal returned feeding rate to the initial level, even under crowded conditions. Over the short term of these experiments (16 h), the only strong effect of variation in sediment supply was seen at the highest supply rate, which depressed feeding. Pellet accrual thus was clearly dominant over both sediment supply and intraspecific crowding in determining feeding rates. These results suggest the need to determine both the frequency of fecal removal by sediment transport in the field and to match this frequency in future laboratory experiments when simulation of field conditions is attempted.
Targeting chemokine pathways in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is one of the fastest growing malignancies in the US and needs newer therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Chronic inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of EAC and contributes to the dysplastic conversion of normal esophageal epithelium to Barrett's esophagus and frank adenocarcinoma. Chemokines play important roles in mediating inflammation and recent evidence implicates these ligands and their receptors in the development and spread of various tumors. We demonstrated that the chemokines IL8, CXCL1 and CXCL3 are significantly overexpressed during esophageal carcinogenesis and accompanied by amplification and demethylation of the chr4q21 gene locus. We also demonstrated that IL8 levels can be detected in serum of patients with EAC and can serve as potential biomarkers. We now demonstrate that inhibition of IL8 receptor, CXCR2, leads to decreased invasiveness of esophageal adenocarcinoma derived cells without affecting cellular proliferation. Taken together, these studies reveal the important roles that chemokines play in development of esophageal cancer and demonstrate that these pathways can serve as potential therapeutic targets.
Verifying payoff security in the mixed extension of discontinuous games

Abstract We introduce the concept of disjoint payoff matching which can be used to show that the mixed extension of a compact game is payoff secure. By putting minor structure on the discontinuities, we need only check payoffs at each strategy rather than in neighborhoods of each strategy profile, placing minimal restriction on the payoffs at points of discontinuity. The results are used to verify existence of equilibrium in a general model of Bertrand–Edgeworth oligopoly.
Skin cancer after nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common skin cancer in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, and is well documented to occur in patients that have undergone either solid organ transplantation or conventional myeloablative bone marrow transplantation. Nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (NMAT) provides transient, intensive immunosuppression, permitting allogeneic engraftment without ablating the marrow. The purpose of this report is to describe six patients that developed SCC (n=3), basal cell carcinoma (n=2), or malignant melanoma (n=2) over a period of 2–26 months following NMAT. All patients had myelodysplasia or acute myelogenous leukemia prior to transplantation. The authors demonstrate for the first time that patients who undergo NMAT are at risk for developing skin cancers and emphasize the need for close surveillance in the post transplantation period.
Direct measurement of depletion and structural forces in polydisperse, charged systems.

Abstract The effect of polydispersity in macromolecule size or surface potential on the depletion interaction between a spherical silica particle and a silica flat in solutions containing two different types of nonadsorbing charged spherical macromolecules was studied with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The macromolecules used here were negatively charged nanospheres of either polystyrene or silica. To investigate the effect of size polydispersity, experiments were performed under the condition of either constant macromolecule number density or constant volume fraction as the relative proportions of smaller and larger polystyrene nanospheres in the suspension were varied. Similarly, for the experiments with surface potential polydispersity, the suspensions contained varying fractions of more highly charged (polystyrene) and less highly charged (Ludox silica) nanospheres at constant number density. The experimental results were compared to the predictions of the modified force–balance model of Piech and Walz (Piech, M., and Walz, J. Y., J. Colloid Interface Sci.225, 134 (2000)) and semiquantitative agreement was found. In particular, the maximum attraction and repulsion observed in the measured force profiles were found to agree with the predicted trends as the makeup of the macromolecules was varied. The trend in the maximum attraction was also consistent with predictions made using a simple “scaling” analysis derived using the equation for hard-sphere interactions.
Dielectric relaxation effects on permittivity of surface soils

The detectability of buried non-conductive objects with high frequency dielectric methods depends strongly on the contrast between the dielectric properties of the object and the surrounding soil. In this study we report on effects of dielectric relaxation phenomena on the dielectric “constant” of five texturally different soils. We found that fine textured soils (loam, silt and clay) exhibit significant decreases in permittivity between 100 and 1000 MHz. It was also found that the strength of the decrease depends linearly on the soil water content and that the high-frequency permittivity of the soils follow the Topp-curve. The changes in permittivity, however, do not significantly increase the detectability of buried non-conductive low-permittivity objects in soil.
Extracting Information from Adaptive Control Experiments

Optical control of chemical reactivity is achieved through the use of photonic reagents, that is, "shaped" ul- trafast optical pulses created using a pulse shaper. It has been demonstrated in a number of molecular systems that these pulses can effectively guide the system into a desired final state. Effective pulses are often found through an ex- perimental search involving thousands of individual meas- urements. An examination of the pulses tested in these ex- periments can reveal the pulse features responsible for con- trol and also the underlying molecular dynamics. In this arti- cle we review attempts to extract information from optical control experiments using adaptive learning algorithms to search the available parameter space, and we discuss how these kinds of experiments can be used to achieve and un- derstand multiphoton optical control.
Long wavelength optical absorption of brominated silver bromide

This paper describes an attempt to measure the acceptor ionization energy, Ea, of neutral silver vacancies in silver bromide through optical absorption. The optical absorption spectrum of silver bromide was investigated from the band edge to < 0.08 eV while the crystal was at temperatures up to 400°C in equilibrium with bromine at pressures up to one atmosphere. Trapped hole absorption was not observed. A weak absorption that was observed can be interpreted as a free hole transition from the top of the valence band (L4,5) to L6 originated from spin orbit splitting. Combination of absorption and conductivity data leads to a temperature dependence of the hole mobility νh = 8 × 106 × T−2.69 cm2V−1sec−1 The absence of a noticeable absorption due to neutral silver vacancies suggests that these centers are shallow acceptors with Ea ⩽ 0.1 eV. Values of the forbidden gap calculated from conductivity data are close to the optical values, but show a somewhat larger temperature dependence.
Failure to confirm the word-retrieval problem hypothesis in facilitated communication

Two hypotheses were raised and empirically tested to account for the failure of previous controlled validation studies to find evidence of literacy in nonspeaking persons with autism using facilitated communication: (a) The naming tasks used in other studies have triggered specific "word retrieval" problems, or anomia, and (b) a perceptual problem, visual agnosia, prevents subjects from recognizing objects without touching them. Three nonspeaking autistic children who had used facilitation for at least 2 years were evaluated with four experimentally controlled tasks, over a period of 5 months. In descriptive and object handling tasks, and in a traditional picture identification task, subjects failed to type correct answers when facilitators were blind; one subject, however, occasionally engaged in signing and vocalizations that were context-appropriate. Results reflected a generalized language deficit, rather than isolated word-finding or perceptual difficulties, and were consistent with many previous studies revealing facilitator cuing. Questions are raised about inconsistencies in pseudo-correct scores, a measure of facilitator influence, reported here and in previous research.
The utility of computed tomography in the management of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax.

Abstract Background Spontaneous pneumothorax may result from rupture of subpleural blebs. Computed tomography (CT) has been used to identify blebs to serve as an indication for thoracoscopy. We reviewed our experience with spontaneous pneumothorax to assess the utility of CT in these patients. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent an operation for spontaneous pneumothorax from January 1999 to October 2009. All procedures were performed thoracoscopically. Results We identified 39 pneumothoraces in 34 patients who underwent evaluation and a procedure for spontaneous pneumothorax. Mean age was 16.1 years (range, 10-23 years), with an average of 1.7 spontaneous pneumothoraces before operation (range, 1-4). Preoperative chest CT scans were obtained in 26 cases. Blebs were demonstrated on 8 CT scans. The presence of blebs was confirmed at operation in all 8 patients. Of the 18 negative scans, 14 (77.8%) were found to have blebs intraoperatively, 7 of these patients were initially managed nonoperatively and developed recurrence. The sensitivity of CT for identifying blebs was 36%. Conclusions Chest CT does not appear to be precise in the identification of pleural blebs and a negative examination does not predict freedom from recurrence. Operative decisions should be based on clinical judgment without the use of preoperative CT.
Fungal and mycotoxin contamination of coffee beans in Benguet province, Philippines

Coffee remains an important agricultural product in Benguet province, Philippines, but is highly susceptible to fungal and mycotoxin contamination in various stages of growth and processing and in different local climates. In this study, pre- and post-harvest coffee bean samples from temperate and warm farming areas were assessed for their fungal and mycotoxin contaminants. One hundred eighty-five fungal isolates belonging to six genera were isolated representing 88.1% of mycotoxigenic fungi. The predominant species belonged to the genus Aspergillus, which are known producers of mycotoxins. Coffee beans from the post-harvest temperate group were found to have the highest percentage mycotoxigenic contamination of 98.4%, suggesting that the risk for fungal contamination is high after drying. Determination of the mycotoxins indicated 28.6% contamination. Ochratoxin A was found to be highest in dried whole cherries which contained 97.3 μg kg(-1), whilst sterigmatocystin was also highest in dried whole cherries at 193.7 μg kg(-1). These results indicate that there are risks of fungal and mycotoxin contamination of Benguet coffee at the post-harvest stage.
Monoterpene emissions from bark beetle infested Engelmann spruce trees

Bark beetle infestation impacts the health of coniferous forests, which are an important source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere. The types and amounts of VOCs emitted from forests can influence secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and impact overall air quality. In this initial work, the impact of bark beetle infestation on SOA precursors from Engelmann spruce is assessed. The VOCs emitted from the trunk of infested and healthy spruce trees were sampled using both sorbent traps and evacuated canisters that were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The samples from the infested spruce tree suggest a nine-fold enhancement in the total VOC emissions. The dominant VOCs in the infested spruce trees were 3-carene, β-pinene, and α-pinene. The increase observed in VOCs sampled at the trunk of the infested spruce was consistent with increases observed at infested lodgepole pine trunks. However, the types and amounts of VOCs emitted from Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pine are different, which suggests that additional measures of VOC emissions are needed to characterize the impact of bark beetle infestation on VOC emissions and SOA precursors.
T helper cell-dependent, microbial superantigen-mediated B cell activation in vivo

We have utilized a severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mouse adoptive transfer model to explore the in vivo immunostimulatory effects of bacterial superantigens (SAg). B cell reconstituted SCID recipients were treated with the Staphylococcus aureus-derived toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSSI-1) alone or in conjunction with syngeneic L3T4+ TSST-1-reactive Th, cells. Over several months of study, the repetitive administration of TSST-1 resulted in a prompt, transient increase in serum IgG levels. This response required both biologically active TSST-1 and Th, cells. These findings demonstrate that certain bacterial SAgs can promote Th, cell-dependent B cell activation and differentiation in vivo. These studies strengthen the analogy between SAg-mediated and allospecific Th-B cell interactions responsible for the autoimmune sequelae of graft-versus-host disease.
Racial Identity Production Dynamics and Persisting Wealth Differentials: Integrating Neo-Institutionalist Perspectives into Stratification Economics

This study advances the analysis of factors contributing to the persistence of the black-white racial wealth gap using insights from Institutional Economics and Stratification Economics. The analysis challenges discourses trumpeting the emergence of a post-racial society in which previous barriers to attaining equal economic outcomes have been eliminated. It is argued that the post-racial rhetoric conveys inaccurate information to agents regarding the expected returns from investments in both capital assets and racial identity. Sub-optimal decisions by Black agents result, in part, from failure to take advantage of cultural knowledge about more advantageous investment strategies tied to indigenous cultural traditions.
CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS PNEUMONIA

50 infants aged 1 wk, conjunctivitis, elevated immunoglobulins, mild eosinophilia, and diffuse, symmetrical interstitial infiltrates.
The VMA test strip: a new tool for mass screening, diagnosis, and management of catecholamine-secreting tumors.

Abstract A test strip has been developed for the detection of increased amounts of VMA and metanephrine in the urine. The strip is both inexpensive (less than 15 cents per strip) and simple to use, and is based on the color change of the LaBrosse spot test. It has an acceptable false positive incidence (1:400). It is suggested that such an approach would be useful in decreasing the mortality and morbidity associated with neuroblastoma in childhood, if such a strip were to be employed on a mass screening basis until the child is 7 yr of age. The test strip can also be currently used on a routine basis for follow-up examination in children with previously diagnosed neuroblastoma, and as a screening test for hypertensive patients with a potential for pheochromocytoma, regardless of age.
Molecular analysis of cDNA coding for ZP3, a sperm binding protein of the mouse zona pellucida.

Abstract At fertilization, mammalian sperm bind in a species-specific manner to the extracellular zona pellucida that surrounds ovulated eggs. ZP3, an 83,000–85,000 Da glycoprotein of the murine zona pellucida, has been shown to inhibit sperm binding via its O-linked oligosaccharide side chains. We have recently isolated cDNA clones coding for ZP3 and have demonstrated that ZP3 transcripts are accumulated in oocytes where their expression is developmentally regulated during oogenesis. We now report that ZP3 mRNA is 1317 nt long with an estimated poly(A) tail of 200–300 nt. The short 29-nt 5′ untranslated region is followed by a single open reading frame coding for a polypeptide chain of 46,307 Da which includes six possible sites for N-linked oligosaccharides. The N-terminus of ZP3 contains a potential 22-amino acid signal peptide which upon cleavage would result in a secreted core protein of 43,943 Da. The termination codon is a part of the AATAAA polyadenylation signal and is contained in an unusually short 16-nt 3′ untranslated region. Sequences homologous to ZP3 are conserved among mammals and are expressed in ovarian tissue as mature transcripts with indistinguishable molecular weights.
Observations on the Origins of Rotation: The Newcastle Tornado during VORTEX 94

Abstract Observations of a strong (F3) tornado near Newcastle, Texas, on 29 May 1994 during the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX) are presented. The visual characteristics and intensity of the tornado were revealed by a photogrammmetric analysis of pictures taken by chase teams and by a detailed damage survey. The tornado developed from a low-level shear feature along the flanking line of a supercell. Vortex stretching of this feature to tornadic intensity occurred under the influence of an intense updraft from a rapidly growing storm along the flanking line. No apparent midlevel mesocyclone accompanied this tornado. In contrast, the supercell was characterized by a well-defined mid- and low-level mesocyclone; however, no tornado was observed by ground chase teams. The implications of these findings on the current understanding of tornadogenesis are discussed.
A characterization of an element of best simultaneous approximation

Deutsch [4] has suggested that some problems of best simultaneous approximation might profitably be viewed as problems of best approximation in an appropriate product space. A few authors have touched upon this approach; none, however, have pursued it consistently or developed a complete problem along such a line, even in the simplest of cases. In this paper, we show that Deutsch's suggestion can easily be carried out using known results from approximation theory to establish existence, uniqueness, and characterization results. An algorithm guaranteed to converge strongly to the element of best simultaneous approximation under certain circumstances is also proposed.
AUTOMOBILE USE AND LOCATIONAL INTERDEPENDENCIES

. Congestion and pollution externalities from automobile use are simultaneously included in an urban monocentric model. The externalities enter household utility functions directly, and result in a complex interdependency in household location decisions in the city. Implications of the model are drawn out by a simulation and complete sensitivity analysis. The two unpriced externalities are examined for their impact on urban structure, and contrasted with each other. Also, the effect of changes in speed of travel are examined for the impact on urban structure. Speed affects the level of both external effects, and is affected by location decisions.
The little inn at the crossroads : A spiritual approach to the design of a leadership course

“Leading from within” cannot be taught, yet it must be learned. This is the story of how a metaphor was used to address this paradox in the design of a graduate course that explored the spiritual dimensions of leadership. The course was designed as a little inn at the crossroads where our life journeys would converge. Here you will get a glimpse of the inn’s virtual library (with our Web-based reading materials); the studio (where a variety of personal products were created each week); and most important, the seven workshops where each week the spirit of leadership was explored.
Assessing the organizational fit of a just-in-time manufacturing system: Testing selection, interaction and systems models of contingency theory☆

Abstract The adoption of new manufacturing practices such as just-in-time (JIT) and total quality management (TQC) is only a first step to improving manufacturing performance. Even more critical is the fit between manufacturing practices and organizational design, structure and processes. Using archival and survey data, this paper reports the results of a field study within a Fortune 500 company that tests three operationalizations of contingency theory as discussed by Van de Ven and Drazin (1985) [The Concept of Fit in Contingency Theory, Research in Organizational Behavior, pp. 333–365]. Results show that the misfit between worker empowerment required by JIT/TQC practices and existing authoritarian management partially explain relative workgroup performance as do other conflicts within workgroups and between operators and supervisors.
Nonlinear analysis of bonded composite patch repair of cracked aluminum panels

Analyses of adhesively bonded composite patches to repair cracked structures have been the focus of many studies. Most of these studies investigated the damage tolerance of the repaired structure by using linear analysis. This study involves nonlinear analysis of the adhesively bonded composite patch to investigate its effects on the damage tolerance of the repaired structure. The nonlinear analysis utilizes the three-layer technique which includes geometric nonlinearity to account for large displacements of the repaired structure and also material nonlinearity of the adhesive. The three-layer technique uses two-dimensional finite element analysis with Mindlin plate elements to model the cracked plate, adhesive and composite patch. The effects of geometric nonlinearity on the damage tolerance of the cracked plate is investigated by computing the stress intensity factor and fatigue growth rate of the crack in the plate. The adhesive is modeled as a nonlinear material to characterize debond behavior. The elastic-plastic analysis of the adhesive utilizes the extended Drucker-Prager model. A detailed discussion on the effects of nonlinear analysis for a bonded composite patch repair of a cracked aluminum panel is presented in this paper.
The Sources and Status of Just War Principles

Abstract Michael Walzer presents the theory of the just war that he develops in Just and Unjust Wars as a set of principles governing the initiation and conduct of war that are entailed by respect for the moral rights of individuals. I argue in this essay that some of the principles he defends do not and cannot derive from the basic moral rights of individuals and indeed, in some cases, explicitly permit the violation of those rights. I argue, further, that it does not follow, at least in some cases, that the principles are false. Even if some of the principles are not adaptations of a theory of rights to the problems of war, they may still be rational, pragmatic accommodations to epistemic and institutional constraints under which we must now act. Yet I also argue that respect for the rights that Walzer claims that individuals have requires us to try to overcome the epistemic and institutional impediments that restrict us at present. As those impediments are removed, the reasons for acknowledging and fol...
Muscle fiber conduction velocity and mean power spectrum frequency in neuromuscular disorders and in fatigue

This study investigated the relation of muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) to difference power spectrum mean frequency (MF), their fatigue trends, and differences between their values and their fatigue trends in various neuromuscular disorders. Electromyographic interference pattern was recorded inside the biceps in continuous isometric maximal voluntary contractions. Each subject was encouraged to pull for as long as possible. Fatigue was calculated as percent of time to complete inability to sustain contraction. The MFCV was computed by cross-correlation. The MF was computed by differencing, windowing, FFT, squaring of coefficient, and repeat averaging. There were 33 healthy, 86 polyneuropathic, 28 myasthenic, 13 myotonic, and 32 myopathic patients. Both MFCV and MF changed significantly with fatigue--the MFCV linearly, while the MF in a markedly nonlinear fashion. Both were found to be insensitive to the end stages of muscle fatigue--the MFCV did not change its slope toward complete fatigue, and the MF did not change at all beyond the 40% fatigue point. A statistically sound fatigue regression equation was derived for each, and a nonlinear equation was found to best describe their relationship. Neither MFCV nor its fatigue changes were found to be significantly different across the neuromuscular disorders. The MF, however, was found to be significantly different in some neuromuscular disorders in both its average values and fatigue trends. This study showed, in contrast to the literature, a nonlinear relationship between MFCV and MF. It also shows that neither the MFCV nor the MF had reasonable diagnostic power on its own; however, the MF was very promising to serve as an adjunct to other variables.
An improved LLL algorithm

The LLL algorithm has received a lot of attention as an effective numerical tool for preconditioning an integer least squares problem. However, the workings of the algorithm are not well understood. In this paper, we present a new way to look at the LLL reduction, which leads to a new implementation method that performs better than the original LLL scheme.
Observation of amplified reflection through degenerate four-wave mixing at CO 2 laser wavelengths in germanium

We report the first known observation of amplified reflection through degenerate four-wave mixing at 10.6 microm. Reflectivities of over 100% are reported in both n-type and p-type germanium at pump intensities of about 100 MW/cm(2). The maximum reflectivity reported is 800% in p-type Ge.
Mechanism of feldspar weathering: Some observational evidence

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of sodic plagioclase and potassium feldspars isolated from soils indicate that the dissolution of feldspar during weathering occurs primarily at sites of excess energy on the crystal surface (for example, dislocations) and not by uniform attack over the entire surface of the mineral. As a result, distinctive etch pits develop on the feldspar surface. These can be easily reproduced in the laboratory by leaching fresh feldspars with acidic HF solutions. The reaction products (clay) left by the weathering of feldspars in soils do not form a tightly adhering, protective layer. The material remaining on the feldspar surfaces after washing or ultrasonic cleaning, as seen by SEM, is patchy, discontinuous, and sufficiently hydrous that it forms micromudcracks and pulls away from the surface upon drying. Also, feldspar grains from the A horizon of a mountain soil, from which all adhering clay has been removed, do not exhibit a distinctly decationated surface layer thicker than about 30 A, as shown by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results of this study suggest that the weathering of feldspar is controlled by chemical reaction at the feldspar-solution interface, and not by diffusion, either through aqueous solution or through a continuous protective surface layer.
Regulation of the G1 phase of the mammalian cell cycle

In any multi-cellular organism, the balance between cell division and cell death maintains a constant cell number. Both cell division cycle and cell death are highly regulated events. Whether the cell will proceed through the cycle or not, depends upon whether the conditions required at the checkpoints during the cycle are fulfilled. In higher eucaryotic cells, such as mammalian cells, signals that arrest the cycle usually act at a G1 checkpoint. Cells that pass this restriction point are committed to complete the cycle. Regulation of the G1 phase of the cell cycle is extremely complex and involves many different families of proteins such as retinoblastoma family, cyclin dependent kinases, cyclins, and cyclin kinase inhibitors.
Serum Amyloid P Component and C-Reactive Protein Opsonize Apoptotic Cells for Phagocytosis through Fcγ Receptors

Serum amyloid P component (SAP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are opsonins that react with nuclear autoantigens targeted in systemic autoimmunity. CRP and SAP bind to apoptotic and necrotic cells, which are potential sources of these autoantigens. We have recently determined that the receptors for CRP on phagocytic cells are Fcgamma receptors. The goal of this study was to determine whether CRP and SAP promote phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and to identify the receptors involved. Apoptosis was induced in human neutrophils (PMN) and the Jurkat T-cell line by UV-irradiation. SAP treatment of apoptotic human PMN increased ingestion by autologous macrophages. Both SAP and CRP increased ingestion of apoptotic, but not normal Jurkat cells by J-774 macrophages and mouse peritoneal macrophages. Neither SAP nor CRP increased ingestion of apoptotic Jurkat cells by macrophages from FcR gamma-chain deficient mice, which lack FcgammaRI and FcgammaRIII. Inhibition of FcgammaRIII-mediated uptake using mAb 2.4G2 eliminated opsonization by SAP, but not by CRP. These results indicate that pentraxins promote uptake of apoptotic cells through FcgammaRI and/or FcgammaRIII. Ingestion through these receptors is expected to alter the pattern of cytokine production and antigen presentation in response to apoptotic cells.