cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extraction of chloroplast light effect mediator(s) and reconstitution of light activation of NADP-linked malate dehydrogenase

Abstract Washed thylakoid membranes of pea ( Pisum sativum var. Little Marvel), on brief exposure to zwittergent, an amphoteric detergent, lost the property of supporting the light activation of stromal NADP-linked malate dehydrogenase. But, these depleted membranes, on reconstitution with dialyzed, high-speed supernatant of the detergent extract, showed marked light activation of the enzyme when assayed in the presence of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol-ascorbate. The component of the high-speed supernatant which is required for light activation is sensitive to sulfite and is heat labile. The analysis of the high-speed supernatant on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed two prominent polypeptides at approximately 18,000 and 36,000 daltons. The surface-specific, chloroglycoluril-mediated iodination of the washed thylakoid membranes revealed that zwittergent had extracted these two polypeptides. The results reveal that the light effect mediator (LEM) is a surface-exposed, tightly bound protein existing in the thylakoid membranes, and that it can be removed by zwitterionic detergent and used in reconstitution studies.
Teaching Research Skills Using Video: An Undergraduate Library Approach

Technology can be both the bane and the boon of bibliographic instruction librarians. While none of us would hesitate to extol the virtues of automation and computerization, it becomes more evident that, in some ways, library instruction is driven by technology. Technological advances give us new classes to teach, but also offer new methods of instruction. Considering what we want to teach, and considering the methods available ten years ago as compared to the present, we've come a long way—but so have our students. This is not to say they are any more knowledgeable of library research methods; but rather, computer and video technology are now second nature for them. Introducing this technology into the classroom means we have the ability to provide library instruction in a way that encourages students to learn—on their own terms.
JOURNEY FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE

One of the most important journeys that we can take as individuals is the journey from success to significance. Success is what we become and what we achieve when we value ourselves. Significance, however, is what we become and what we achieve when we value others. In this article, based on remarks by Judge David W. Young at the May 2007 “Summit on Unified Family Courts,” Judge Young invites us on a journey, first described by John Maxwell in The Journey from Success to Significance. Judge Young further explores what the journey from success to significance entails and reminds us that any success we have will leave the world with us while our significance will continue to live on in future generations through our service to children, families, and others.
Gender differences in emotional response among European Americans and Hmong Americans

The present study examined the effects of gender on the emotional responses (physiology, self-reports of emotion, and emotional facial behaviour) of European Americans (EA) and Hmong Americans (HA) while they relived past emotional events. Women were more emotionally reactive than men: They demonstrated greater changes in electrodermal reactivity overall, reported experiencing more intense emotion while reliving anger and love, and smiled more while reliving happiness and love. The pattern and magnitude of these differences were similar for EA and HA, suggesting that to some degree, the effects of gender on emotional response may hold across ethnic groups.
Regulation of expression of collagenase-3 in normal, differentiating rat osteoblasts

We investigated the regulation of collagenase-3 expression in normal, differentiating rat osteoblasts. Fetal rat calvarial cell cultures showed an increase in alkaline phosphatase activity reaching maximal levels between 7–14 days postconfluence, then declining with the onset of mineralization. Collagenase-3 mRNA was just detectable after proliferation ceased at day 7, increased up to day 21, and declined at later ages. Postconfluent cells maintained in nonmineralizing medium expressed collagenase-3 but did not show the developmental increase exhibited by cells switched to mineralization medium. Cells maintained in nonmineralizing medium continued to proliferate; cells in mineralization medium ceased proliferation. In addition, collagenase-3 mRNA was not detected in subcultured cells allowed to remineralize. These results suggest that enhanced accumulation of collagenase-3 mRNA is triggered by cessation of proliferation or acquisition of a mineralized extracellular matrix and that other factors may also be required. After initiation of basal expression, parathyroid hormone (PTH) caused a dose-dependent increase in collagenase-3 mRNA. Both the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) analogue, 8-bromo-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP), and the protein kinase C (PKC) activator, phorbol myristate acetate, increased collagenase-3 expression, while the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, did not, suggesting that PTH was acting through the protein kinase A (PKA) and PKC pathways. Inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide caused an increase in basal collagenase-3 expression but blocked the effect of PTH, suggesting that an inhibitory factor prevents basal expression while an inductive factor is involved with PTH action. In summary, collagenase-3 is expressed in mineralized osteoblasts and cessation of proliferation and initiation of mineralization are triggers for collagenase-3 expression. PTH also stimulates expression of the enzyme through both PKA and PKC pathways in the mineralizing osteoblast. J. Cell. Physiol. 181:479–488, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Development of a simple and rapid elisa of urinary cotinine for epidemiological application.

Highly stereospecific polyclonal antibodies (anti-CN) to cotinine (CN), a major metabolite of nicotine, were prepared from rabbit antisera to CN-linked keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) by removing the antibodies to KLH and to its binding regions of CN. This was achieved by using immunoadsorbents consisting of insolubilized KLH onto CNBr-activated-Sepharose 4B. A new simple and rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of urinary CN was developed using the anti-CN. A brief outline of the method is as follows: CN-bovine thyroglobulin complex is coated onto wells of microtiter plates (1 ng/well), and then aliquots of urine samples or standard CN solutions were added followed by appropriate dilution of the anti-CN. The bound anti-CN antibodies are quantified spectrophotometrically with horseradish peroxidase-labelled anti-rabbit IgG and 2,2′-azino-di (3-ethylbenz- thiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid. Measurement of CN concentration in urine samples can be read off on a calibration curve drawn by using standard CN solutions. The standard curve ranged from 1 ng to 4 μ g /ml with an estimated lower limit of sensitivity of 7–8 ng/ml, resulting in within/between-assay CV (coefficient of variation) of lower than 10%. The method allowed one to assay more than 40 samples in duplicate by using just one plate, and is thus easily applicable to epidemiological investigations into exposure status to tobacco smoke.
ACHIEVING X-SIGMA DELIVERIES IN SUPPLY CHAINS

Abstract Time-based competition and market globalization make it imperative for supply chains to have short and reliable order deliveries. This is difficult to achieve in view that activities of individual manufacturers are subject to various uncertainties such as unknown order arrivals and stochastic operations. Furthermore, delays of one manufacturer may propagate to it downstream manufacturers through precedence relationships. To stay competitive, it is critical to control variability and order lead-times across a chain, and to achieve delivering final products within specified target time windows with high probability. This is the key idea of achieving x-sigma delivery performance. In this paper, make-to-order supply chains with sequential workflows are considered. An effective solution methodology is developed to minimize overall order tardiness, earliness costs and delivery variability through effective scheduling and coordination. To accommodate new arrivals while fulfilling commitments of existing orders, a rescheduling approach is presented to generate high-quality schedules in a timely fashion. Numerical testing results demonstrate that the new approach is effective to schedule manufacturers across a chain to achieve the required three-sigma deliveries.
A Theory of Intervalence Band Stark Effects

The response of an intervalence band to an applied electric field, called an intervalence band Stark effect, is considered in detail. Because the application of an electric field to a symmetric mixed-valence complex will break its symmetry in a way that depends on the strength of the field and the orientation of the complex in the field, it is necessary to identify the most general treatment of the asymmetric vibronic coupling problem for the calculation of intervalence band Stark effects. For this reason three previous treatments of the asymmetric vibronic coupling problem are reviewed. Each treatment is found to be less appropriate for the calculation of intervalence band Stark effects than a fourth that we introduce. It is also shown that a common choice of vibrational basis in these treatments can lead to inaccurate calculations for some mixed-valence complexes; an alternative is recommended. Particular attention is paid to the effects of the field on the line shapes of intervalence bands and the site...
Bioaccumulation Potential of Sediment-Associated Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio

Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio is designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern contaminated by PCBs. Information on the bioaccumulation of PCBs from sediments is important for sediment management strategies such as dredging to restore navigable depths in the harbor. To ascertain the bioaccumulation of these PCBs, the aquatic earthworm Lumbriculus variegatus was exposed in the laboratory to contaminated sediments collected from 15 areas in the harbor. Data from these bioaccumulation experiments were used to determine the bioaccumulation potential of PCBs through the calculation of Biota- Sediment Accumulation Factors (BSAFs). The results showed that the mean values of the experimentally derived BSAFs for individual harbor areas ranged from 0.27 to 1.69. The median BSAF for sediments in the lower river sector of the harbor (0.38) was significantly lower than that for upper river sediments (1.34), indicating that the high adsorptive properties of coal soot particles constrained PCB bioavailability in the lower river sediments. These results indicate that the origin of total organic carbon (TOC) has a major influence on the bioavailability of total PCBs in harbor sediments. Moreover, the empirical BSAFs were well below the 4.0 default BSAF value recommended in joint USEPA/USACE protocols that are used to evaluate the Theoretical Bioaccumulation Potential, or bioavailability, of neutral organic chemicals in Great Lakes sediments. These empirical values should be used to more precisely predict the bioavailability of total PCBs in Ashtabula Harbor sediments.
A comparison of breathing pattern between transient and steady state hypoxia in awake dogs.

To quantitatively examine and compare the breathing patterns during transient and steady state hypoxia, studies were performed repeatedly in five awake, chronic dogs. Transient hypoxia of 30 s was induced with 5–7 consecutive breaths of nitrogen; steady state isocapnic hypoxia with step changes in end-tidal O2 concentration (range 5–8.5%) and maintained for 6–9 min at each level. Linear relationships were found between minute ventilation ( $$\dot V$$ I) and tidal volume (VT) in both types of hypoxia. However, a breakpoint emerged in the $$\dot V$$ I-VT line of steady state hypoxia when VT and $$\dot V$$ I reached 317% and 509% (mean values), respectively, of their baseline values. The slope of steady stateI-VT line below the breakpoint was 22.7 min−1 (weighted mean) which was not significantly different (P>0.1) from that of transient hypoxia (17.3 min−1). During steady state hypoxia both durations of inspiration and expiration were shorter than those during transient hypoxia in the same range of VT in four of these dogs. These differences in respiratory volume-timing relationship may be related to the central effect(s) of steady state hypoxia.
Nonlinear response functions for birefringence and dichroism measurements in condensed phases

The fourth‐rank tensorial nonlinear response function which controls the response of a chromophore in the condensed phase to three arbitrarily polarized external fields is calculated. Internal (vibrational and rotational) degrees of freedom are incorporated using wave packets in Liouville space (the doorway/window picture). The rotational contribution of the chromophore is expressed in terms of a conditional probability for the rotational diffusion model. We apply this formalism to transient dichroism and birefringence spectroscopies.
Assessment and Treatment of Juvenile Sex Offenders: An Empirical Review

ABSTRACT Approximately 20% of all sexual offenses are committed by individuals under the age of 18. Furthermore, nearly 60% of all sexual offenses against children under the age of 12 are committed by juveniles. Unfortunately, however, the assessment and treatment of juvenile sex offenders has been largely neglected in the empirical literature, as research with sexual offenders, especially pedophiles, has typically focused on adult offenders. While there are some similarities with adult offenders, juvenile sex offenders require distinct interventions and assessment approaches. Although the frequency and quality of studies that have been conducted to specifically examine juvenile sexual offenders appears to be increasing in recent years, an integration of such findings is warranted. Hence, the purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) to provide an empirically based description of juvenile sexual offenders, (2) to review the empirical support of assessment and treatment methods utilized with this population,...
Optimizing the Surgical Residents' Educational Experience on Transplant Surgery

Introduction Surgical specialties with high service demands like transplant surgery are challenged to provide good educational value for rotating surgical residents while maintaining quality patient care. Based on poor resident evaluations, the Resident Review Committee for Surgery (RRC-S) has proposed removing the requirement for transplant surgery rotations from general surgery residency programs. Objectives The objectives of this article are to provide a situation analysis pertaining to the problem of poor resident evaluations from the perspective of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), and to propose an action plan to improve the current situation. Setting and Participants The Fellowship Training and Curriculum committees of the ASTS together with ASTS leadership and ASTS fellowship program directors collaborated to address these concerns by identifying key contributory factors and by initiating an action plan to correct them. Results The following 4 major issues pertaining to transplant surgery rotations were considered most relevant to the problem: (1) high service demands, (2) inadequate prioritization of resident education, (3) competition with fellows for educational opportunities, and (4) the need by many programs to send their residents to other centers to obtain transplant experience. Based on these issues, the ASTS leadership issued directives to all programs with rotating residents to (1) designate a transplant surgeon to resident education experience on transplant; (2) create a service infrastructure that is not dependent on surgical residents; (3) re-educate faculty, fellows, support staff and residents regarding resident expectations on transplant surgery; (4) create a structured and sustainable educational experience; (5) increase resident involvement in surgical procedures; and (6) obtain ongoing feedback from rotating residents and the program directors. Conclusions Transplant surgery can be a valuable educational experience for surgical residents. The ASTS is dedicated to collaborating with general surgery residents and program directors in ongoing efforts to enhance this experience.
29 LEARNING DISORDERS – AN INAPPARENT BUT MAJOR CONSEQUENCE OF HIGH RISK PREGNANCY

The year of birth and home address of each child in regular and in special classes (25,000) during the school years 1977-78 in the Buffalo, N.Y., public and parochial schools was obtained. A computer program placed each address into its proper census tract. The population was divided into quartiles according to average census tract incomes. This permitted matching the number of children in grades 1 - 6 in special classes with the total number of students for each of the four income groups. Birth data were then examined for the years this cohort of children was born. Fifty-three per 1,000 school children were in special classes, with a lower rate for high income and a higher rate for low income. The difference in rate was most marked for mental retardation where the prevalence was twice as high in the low income group as it was in the high income group (32.7 versus 15.8 per 1,000 school children). Racial differences did not appear to be significant. The change in rates for infant mortality, low birthweight infants and teenage pregnancy for this group of children paralleled the subsequent rate for mental retardation. This suggests that a considerable percentage of mental retardation is linked to problems of pregnancy and birth.
Performance of Hearing Aids with an Induction Loop Amplification System: Laboratory Versus Classroom Setting

This study was designed to investigate the acoustic response of ten body-type hearing aids when used with an induction loop amplification (ILA) system in the laboratory and in the actual classroom setting. Undesirable frequency response characteristics were discovered in the classroom ILA system used in this study. These consist of a slightly poorer low-frequency response and a deep notch at about 2 500 Hz. Had the frequency response of the classroom ILA system been flat, differences between laboratory and classroom measures would have been minimized. Findings of this study support the practicality of measurement in the classroom of the operating characteristics of ILA systems
Cooked Flavor in Sterile Illinois Soybean Beverage

Whole soybean beverage prepared by the Illinois process can be rendered commercially sterile by a 42-min still retort process at 250°F (121°C). However, the resulting beverage possesses a pronounced cooked or heated flavor defect which is correlated to formation of H2S during thermal processing. Amount of H2S release is a function of process time at 250°F and is related to the destruction of sulfur amino acids, particularly cystine. H2S formation increased significantly as beverage pH was increased from 7.0 to 8.0. H2S concentration and cooked flavor intensity both decreased during storage of the processed beverage especially with the use of can enamel containing zinc oxide.
Selling Rhinebeck: Confrontation, Profit, and the “Mass-Anxiety Attack” of the Northeast Craft Fair

AbstractIn 1966, the American Craft Council's Northeast Assembly exulted in the success of its “Confrontation Craft Fair” in Stowe, Vermont, reporting sales of about $17,000. At its successor event, the 1981 Northeast Craft Fair at Rhinebeck, however, sales reached nearly $5,000,000 and the Fair was hailed as a triumph of craft marketing.The unprecedented success of “the Rhinebeck Fair,” as it became known in the 1970s, was the catalyst for a broader transformation—the creation of a mass market for American studio craft. There was (and still is) widespread ambivalence about these changes. Some craftspeople, gallerists, retailers, and collectors welcomed the increased accessibility and profitability of craft, whereas others regretted the end of the “hippy days.”The transformation of the Northeast Craft Fair from a countercultural attraction to a multi-million-dollar trade market put new and unique pressures on the aesthetic and social values of craftspeople and their supporters. Because of its compounding ...
Dietary Cholesterol Intake Is Associated With Progression of Liver Disease in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C: Analysis of the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment Against Cirrhosis Trial

Background & Aims Little is known about whether dietary cholesterol affects disease progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Methods We analyzed data from the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment Against Cirrhosis trial, which included patients with advanced fibrosis and compensated cirrhosis. Cholesterol intake was determined for 608 participants on the basis of responses to food frequency questionnaires, administered at baseline and 1.8 years later. We investigated whether cholesterol intake was associated with clinical progression (death, variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, ascites, peritonitis, Child–Turcotte–Pugh score ≥7, or hepatocellular carcinoma) or histologic progression of disease (an increase in Ishak fibrosis score of 2 or more points in a second liver biopsy compared with the first). Results After adjustments for age, sex, race, presence of cirrhosis, body mass index, treatment with peginterferon, lifetime alcohol consumption, smoking, health status, and coffee and macronutrient intake, each higher quartile of cholesterol intake was associated with a 46% increase in the risk of clinical or histologic progression (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–1.87; P for the trend = .004). Compared with patients in the lowest quartile of cholesterol intake (32–152 mg/day), those in the 3rd (224–310 mg/day; AHR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.45–5.51) and 4th quartiles (>310 mg/day; AHR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.22–6.16) had significantly increased risk of disease progression. Conclusions On the basis of analysis of data from the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment Against Cirrhosis trial, higher dietary cholesterol intake is associated with higher risk of disease progression in HCV-infected patients with advanced fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis.
A methodology for modelling comprehensive international procurement costs

As the economy becomes more globalised and competitive, firms are manufacturing goods in a wider variety of locations. This may be to reduce costs by moving to a low cost country or to place production closer to potential customers. What is often lacking in these facility location decisions is a holistic assessment of the costs associated with production location decisions. Too often the assessment is focused only on a limited set of cost factors (e.g. direct manufacturing and shipping) and does not take into account the dynamic nature of some costs. To address these limitations a comprehensive cost model to assess the cost of procuring goods from alternative locations is presented. A methodology is detailed for monetising many costs associated with international procurement. An illustrative case study analysing the procurement of goods from two locations in Mexico and one in the US is detailed. Results of the case show that the non-direct manufacturing costs associated with procurement (e.g. inventory ho...
Biological Predispositions and Social Control in Adolescent Sexual Behavior.

This paper develops biosocial models of adolescent sexuality that combine traditional sociological models with models derived from a biological theory of hormone effects. Data are presented from a representative sample of 102 males and 99 females, drawn from grades 8, 9, and 10 in public schools in a southern U.S. city, and ranging in age from 13 to 16 years old. Although the sociological models alone look quite satisfactory, the combined models are stronger and give a different picture of the determinants of adolescent sexuality. The combined models show not only additive contributions of sociological and biological variables, but interactions between sociological and hormonal variables. Some sociological relationships are shown to be spurious. In other cases, sociological predictors are shown to be endogenous to biological predictors.
Designing Arbitrary Linear Optical Components Without Calculations

We show any linear optical function on a coherent light beam, such as arbitrary spatial mode coupling and conversion, can be progressively designed in a feedback-controlled dynamically self-configuring and stabilizing integrated optics approach.
What if the federal government negotiated pharmaceutical prices for seniors? An estimate of national savings.

Background The government is prohibited from directly negotiating drug prices for Medicare Part D, resulting in substantial policy debate. However, the government has an established mechanism for setting prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers for certain other federal programs - the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS).
Confronting Math Stereotypes in the Classroom: Its Effect on Female College Students’ Sexism and Perceptions of Confronters

Women often face sexism and stereotypes about their academic ability, and this makes it important to examine the effects of confronting sexism in the college classroom. The current research consisted of 2 studies of how witnessing a confrontation of a sexist stereotype in the classroom affects female students’ perceptions of the confronters and self-reported sexism. The samples consisted of female students from a public college in the Northeastern U.S. who provided their perceptions of teachers described in vignettes as either confronting or not confronting a student’s stereotype of women as unskilled at math. In Study 1 (N = 48) perceptions of the teacher were more positive when confronting the stereotype, and students’ self-reported sexism was reduced when the teacher confronted rather than ignored the stereotype. Study 2 (N = 56) compared the effects of a teacher versus a student confrontation of the same stereotype. Participants perceived the teacher and student more positively when they confronted rather than ignored the stereotype. However, the source of the confrontation yielded no differences in sexism. These results suggest that students want their teachers to respond to bias in the classroom and that teachers should respond to sexist incidents in order to reduce the level of sexism among their students.
Araneoid egg case silk: a fibroin with novel ensemble repeat units from the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus.

Araneoid spiders use specialized abdominal glands to manufacture up to seven different protein-based silks/glues that have diverse physical properties. The fibroin sequences that encode egg case fibers (cover silk for the egg case sac) and the secondary structure of these threads have not been previously determined. In this study, MALDI tandem TOF mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and reverse genetics were used to isolate the first egg case fibroin, named tubuliform spidroin 1 (TuSp1), from the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis demonstrates TuSp1 is selectively expressed in the tubuliform gland. Analysis of the amino acid composition of raw egg case silk closely aligns with the predicted amino acid composition from the primary sequence of TuSp1, which supports the assertion that TuSp1 represents a major component of egg case fibers. TuSp1 is composed of highly homogeneous repeats that are 184 amino acids in length. The long stretches of polyalanine and glycine-alanine s...
The meaning and impact of the human genome sequence for microbiology

The characterization of life is immeasurably enhanced by determination of complete genome sequences. For organisms that engage in intimate interactions with others, the genome sequence from one participant, and associated tools, provide unique insight into its partner. We discuss how the human genome sequence will further our understanding of microbial pathogens and commensals, and vice versa. We also propose criteria for implicating a host gene in microbial pathogenesis, and urge consideration of a'second human genome project'.
Effect of colesevelam on faecal bile acids and bowel functions in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Background About one-third of patients with IBS-diarrhea (IBS-D) have evidence of increased bile acid (BA) synthesis or excretion.
Original Contribution: Implementation of front-end processor neural networks

Electronic implementation of a class of neural networks whose short-term memory equation is governed by multiplicative, rather than additive, inhibition is proposed. The network models can be derived from ionic flow in nerve membranes and multiplicative terms result from control of conductive paths by voltages of other cells in the network. Since Field Effect Transistors (FETs) are voltage controlled conductances when operated below pinch-off, these networks can be readily implemented in FET technology using this physical property. This class of neural networks appears in many areas of the brain as well as the sensory system and has been used as a basic building block for the multilayer self-organizing architecture of Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART). The model has been especially useful for explaining a wide range of peripheral visual phenomena. The implementation is intended to specifically demonstrate desirable front-end image processing properties of contrast enhancement, edge detection, dynamic range compression, and adaptation of dynamics to mean intensity levels. Since the network can be mathematically described, its dynamics and stability may be examined. Compatibility of the network with higher level processing allows for its inclusion in multilayer self-organizing neural network architectures.
Transvascular fluid dynamics.

Objective To review the pathophysiology of fluid and macromolecular movement between the microvascular, interstitial and lymphatic spaces and provide a basis for logical intravenous colloid therapy. Databases used Medline (1966 – present), Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux abstracts (1973 – present) and Personal files.
Measuring plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in plasma by two enzymatic assays

We compared two methods that measure plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity in plasma based on the ability of PAI to inhibit tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or urokinase (uPA) in order to determine which method most accurately measures plasma PAI activity after stressors, like hemorrhage. Plasma PAI activity was significantly elevated after hemorrhage in both assays. Using standard curves derived from rhPAI-1, we found that the tPA-PAI assay was more sensitive than the uPA-PAI assay. However, we measured a 10-fold difference in PAI activity as measured between assays, suggesting that some endogenous plasma constituents (tPA, uPA, plasminogen or plasmin) may interfere with the accurate determination of PAI activity. Increasing the amount of plasma in each assay led to a progressive increase in PAI activity. However, removing either tPA or plasminogen from the tPA-PAI assay unmasked the presence of some endogenous tPA and plasminogen. Furthermore, increasing plasma volume in either assay increases measured plasma tPA, but not uPA. Finally, plasma tPA is elevated after hemorrhage, whereas plasma uPA is not. These results suggest that endogenous tPA and plasminogen may interfere with the measurement of plasma PAI activity in the tPA-PAI assay after hemorrhage or other stresses. The uPA-PAI assay does not have this confounding problem because endogenous uPA does not interfere with the assay, nor does it rise during hemorrhage.
brlA is necessary and sufficient to direct conidiophore development in aspergillus nidulans

The brlA gene of A. nidulans mediates the developmental switch from the indeterminate, apical growth pattern of vegetative cells to the budding growth pattern of conidiophores. brlA encodes a 432 amino acid polypeptide containing two directly repeated motifs resembling the Zn(II) coordination sites first recognized in Xenopus TFIIIA. Misscheduled expression of brlA in vegetative cells results in transcriptional activation of developmentally regulated genes, cessation of unidirectional hyphal growth, initiation of cellular transformations resembling those that occur during normal conidiophore development, and production of viable conidiospores. We propose that BRLA is a nucleic acid-binding protein whose expression in vegetative cells is sufficient to induce sporulation through its role in regulating expression of conidiation-specific genes.
Characterization of sex dimorphism following severe thermal injury.

Sex-based outcome differences have been previously studied after thermal injury, with a higher risk of mortality being demonstrated in women. This is opposite to what has been found after traumatic injury. Little is known about the mechanisms and time course of these sex outcome differences after burn injury. A secondary analysis was performed using data from a prospective observational study designed to characterize the genetic and inflammatory response after significant thermal injury (2003-2010). Clinical outcomes were compared across sex (female vs male), and the independent risks associated with sex were determined using logistic regression analysis after controlling for important confounders. Stratified analysis across age and burn severity was performed, whereas Cox hazard survival curves were constructed to determine the time course of any sex differences found. During the time period of the study, 548 patients met inclusion criteria for the cohort study. Men and women were found to be similar in age, TBSA%, inhalation injury, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health score. Regression analysis revealed that female sex was independently associated with over a 2-fold higher mortality after controlling for important confounders (odds ratio, 2.2; P =.049; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-4.8). The higher independent mortality risk for women was exaggerated and remained significant only in pediatric patients and demonstrated a dose-response relationship with increasing burn size (%TBSA). Survival analysis demonstrated early separation of female and male curves, and a greater independent risk of multiple organ failure was demonstrated in the pediatric cohort. The current results suggest that sex-based outcome differences may be different after thermal injury compared with traumatic injury and that the sex dimorphism may be exaggerated in patients with higher burn size and in those in the pediatric age group, with female sex being associated with poor outcome. These sex-based mortality differences occur early and may be a result of a higher risk of organ failure and early differences in the inflammatory response after burn injury. Further investigation is required to thoroughly characterize the mechanisms responsible for these divergent outcomes. Language: en
Training of residents in laparoscopic tubal sterilization: long-term failure rates.

Objectives Laparoscopic tubal sterilization with bipolar coagulation is a common and effective method of contraception, and a procedure much used to teach laparoscopic surgical skills to Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents (trainees); but it has an inherent risk of failure. This study investigated the long-term failure rate of this procedure when performed by Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents on women treated in their teaching clinics.Methods From 1991 to 1994, Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents carried out 386 laparoscopic tubal sterilizations with bipolar coagulation at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Six to nine years after the procedure, the women concerned were contacted by telephone and data were collected about sterilization failure.Results Two failures of laparoscopic tubal sterilization with bipolar coagulation were identified: an ectopic pregnancy and a spontaneous abortion. For this time period, the long-term sterilization failure rate was 1.9% (0–4.4%).Conclusions The long-term sterilization fa...
Transformational innovation: A journey by narrative

Purpose – Offers the concept that leadership narrative is the key to managing transformational innovation. Design/methodology/approach – The author has studied the leading innovation theorists and corporate innovation efforts. Findings – Transformational innovation is disruptive because it introduces products and services that change the business landscape by providing a dramatically different value proposition. And championing transformational innovation involves going to war with all the elements inside an organization that benefit from the status quo. Research limitations/implications – The author's research is primarily anecdotal. Practical implications – If leaders, consistently use narrative tools, in combination with thorough strategic analysis, they can show their organization how to tackle the most difficult challenge facing management today – transformational innovation. Examples and a step‐by‐step process are provided. Originality/value – First publication of the concept of how leaders can use narrative to achieve employee commitment to transformational innovation.
Supramolecular assemblies of dimetal complexes with polydentate N-donor ligands: from a discrete pyramid to a 3D channel network.

Reactions of a dinuclear metal complex in the form of dirhodium(II) tetra(trifluoroacetate), [Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)] (1), with a number of strong N-donor ligands having functional groups rigidly oriented at different directing angles have been found to yield supramolecular architectures of differing complexity. All structures have been established by X-ray crystallography. From reaction of 1 with neutral tris(4'-pyridyl)methylsilane ligand, CH(3)Si(C(5)H(4)N)(3) (L1), a discrete pyramid-shaped hexanuclear complex [[Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)](3)CH(3)Si(C(5)H(4)N)(3)(eta(1)-C(6)H(6))(3)].C(6)H(6) (2.C(6)H(6)) has been isolated from benzene. In 2 three molecules of 1 are strongly coordinated to one L1 ligand at only one axial position of each dirhodium unit at the Rh-N distances of 2.152(6) A. The second rhodium atom of each dimetal complex in 2 weakly coordinates a benzene molecule with an Rh-C distance of 2.69(2) A. A supramolecular complex of the composition [[Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)](2)(C(6)H(5))(2)Si(C(5)H(4)N)(2)] (3) has been prepared by reacting the dinuclear units 1 with a potentially bidentate ligand, bis(4'-pyridyl)diphenylsilane, (C(6)H(5))(2)Si(C(5)H(4)N)(2) (L2), having two pyridyl groups rigidly oriented at 109 degrees. In 3, one L2 ligand coordinates two dirhodium molecules 1 through their axial positions with the Rh-N distance of 2.150(5) A. An interesting extended 2D layered motif is formed by additional contacts of open axial positions of dirhodium units with phenyl groups of the neighboring ligands at Rh-C distances which average to 2.88(1) A. A supramolecular compound of the composition [[Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)](3)(HO)C(C(5)H(4)N)(3)(eta(1)-C(6)H(6))].(1)/(2)C(6)H(6) (4.(1)/(2)C(6)H(6)) has been formed when linear dirhodium units 1 were reacted with tris(4'-pyridyl)methanol (L3) having tetrahedral directing angles that average to 110 degrees. A building block in the solid structure of 4 is a hexanuclear molecule in which one L3 ligand binds three dimetal units of 1 through N atoms of pyridyl groups at the average Rh-N distance of 2.143(7) A. A unique extended pseudo-3D structure in 4 is created by additional Rh-O coordination bonds as well as by weak metal-arene interactions.
Heat capacity and electrical resistivity of POCO AXM-5Q1 graphite in the range 1500–3000 K by a pulse-heating technique

Measurements of the heat capacity and electrical resistivity of POCO AXM-5Q1 graphite in the temperature range 1500–3000 K by a subsecond-duration pulse-heating technique are described. The results for heat capacity may be represented by the relation $$C_{{\text{p }}} = 19.438 + 3.6215 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 3}}} {\text{ }}T - 4.4426 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 7}}} {\text{ }}T^2$$ where Cp is in J · mol−1 · K−1 and T is in K. The results for electrical resistivity vary with the density (d) of the specimen material and, therefore, are represented by the following relations: for d=1.709, $$\rho = 1084.6 - 1.9940 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 1}}} {\text{ }}T + 1.6760 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 4 }}} T^{2{\text{ }}} - 2.0310 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 8 }}} T^3$$ and for d= 1.744, $$\rho = 943.1 - 1.3836 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 1}}} {\text{ }}T + 1.3776 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 4 }}} T^{2{\text{ }}} - 2.0310 \times {\text{10}}^{{\text{ - 8 }}} T^3$$ where ρ is in μΩ · cm, T is in K, and d (at 20°C) is in g · cm −3. The maximum uncertainties in the measured properties are estimated to be 3% for heat capacity and 1 % for electrical resistivity.
Microwave anisotropy due to cosmic strings

There has been much interest in the cosmological consequences of line-like topological defects (‘cosmic strings’) which may be produced in a phase transition in the early Universe1–8. Such strings would produce density fluctuations on a broad range of scales and may have been responsible for the formation of galaxies. In view of this possibility, it would be useful to have more direct evidence of the existence of strings than the observed clustering of matter. We show here that cosmic strings would generate anisotropy of the microwave background temperature with a very distinctive feature; the temperature would have steplike discontinuities on curves on the sky. Present anisotropy measurements limit the line density parameter, Gμ to be <10−5. Popular values of this parameter, for the purpose of galaxy formation, are only an order of magnitude below this. The anisotropy that we discuss will exist in addition to that produced by curvature fluctuations due to strings and matter at the time that the Universe becomes optically thin.
The induction of organ-specific antibodies during the graft-vs. -host reaction

During the parent (P) into F1 hybrid graft-vs.-host reaction (GVHR), nuclear, leukocyte and erythrocyte autoantibodies are commonly seen. The specificity of these autoantibodies is reminiscent of those found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and SLE-prone mice. Organ-specific antibodies, however, including thyro-globulin (Tg) antibodies do not arise spontaneously. There have been conflicting reports about the ability of exogenous Tg to induce an anti-Tg response during the GVHR. We have re-examined this question in greater detail. Using the murine P----F1 GVHR system, the results of this work demonstrate that mouse thyroglobulin (MTg)-specific antibodies can be induced during a GVHR. However, mice must both be undergoing a GVHR, and have received exogenous MTg. The highest autoantibody response occurs if mice are injected with mouse thyroid extract or purified MTg at the time of P----F1 cell transfer. The anti-MTg response is MTg dose dependent. The ability to induce anti-MTg antibody was not major histocompatibility complex restricted, for both the DBA/2----B6D2F1 (low responder H-2 haplotypes to MTg), and AKR or DBA/2----AKD2F1 (high/low responder----high responder haplotype) GVHR gave similar responses. The anti-MTg titers peaked between days 7-10 and declined thereafter. In contrast, antibodies to dsDNA were not present at this early time, but developed after several weeks. We conclude that organ-specific autoantibodies can be induced during a GVHR if the appropriate antigen(s) are presented near the time of GVHR induction.
Parallel asynchronous focal plane array processing

A new approach to focal plane processing based on silicon injection mode devices is suggested. These devices provide a natural basis for parallel asynchronous focal plane image preprocessing. The simplicity and novel properties of the devices would permit an independent analog processing channel to be dedicated to every pixel. A laminar architecture built from arrays of the devices would form a two-dimensional (2-D) array processor with a 2-D array of inputs located directly behind the focal plane detector array. A 2-D image data stream would propagate in neuronlike asynchronous pulse coded form through the laminar processor. No multiplexing, digitization or serial processing would occur in the preprocessing stage. High performance is expected because approximately linear pulse coding has already been observed for input currents ranging over six orders of magnitude down to one picoampere with noise referred to input of about 10 femtoamperes. Very low power requirements suggest utility in space and in conjunction with very large arrays. Multispectral processing is possible because of compatibility with the cryogenic environment of high performance infrared detectors.
Confocal laser scanning microscopy and Raman imagery of ancient microscopic fossils

Abstract Among all problems confronting the study of ancient permineralized (petrified) microscopic fossils, two stand out, the need for (1) accurate documentation of their three-dimensional morphology, and (2) direct analysis of their chemical composition and that of their surrounding mineral matrices. To address these problems we demonstrate the use of two techniques that we have recently introduced to Precambrian paleobiology: confocal laser scanning microscopy and Raman imagery. These techniques, both of which are non-intrusive and non-destructive, can provide data by which to characterize, in situ and at micron-scale resolution, the cellular and organismal morphology of thin section-embedded organic-walled fossils. In addition, Raman imagery provides direct analyses of the molecular–structural composition of the kerogenous components of such fossils and of their surrounding matrices, and a means to assess quantitatively the geochemical maturity of the preserved organics. Use of these techniques for studies of ancient microscopic fossils can provide information in three dimensions at high spatial resolution about their morphology and cellular anatomy, taphonomy and fidelity of preservation, composition and mode of preservation, and their biogenicity and syngenetic origin with the rocks in which they occur.
Immune responses to self-antigens in asthma patients: Clinical and immunopathological implications

Asthma leads to chronic airway inflammation that shares pathological features of chronic rejection after lung transplantation. Due to the significant role of autoimmunity in chronic rejection, we hypothesized that immunity to self-antigens may also be present in asthma. The goal was to define immune responses to self-antigens in patients with asthma. Blood and clinical data were collected from 99 asthmatics and 60 controls. Serum was analyzed for antibodies (Abs) to collagen V (ColV) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with disease severity. Asthmatics' sera were tested in a human protein array to determine immune responses to other self-antigens. Asthmatics had higher concentrations of Abs to ColV (predominantly immunoglobulin G isotype) compared with controls (p < 0.01). These Abs correlated with severe asthma (p < 0.01) and corticosteroid use (p = 0.032). Additionally, Abs to novel self-antigens epidermal group factor receptor (EGFr), activin A type 1 receptor, and α-catenin were detected in asthmatics. We conclude that Abs to self-antigens (ColV, EGFr, activin A type 1 receptor, and α-catenin) are present in the sera of asthmatics, correlating with clinical disease. Epithelial damage from airway inflammation during asthma may result in the exposure of cryptic self-antigens or their determinants, resulting in immune response to self-antigens, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma.