cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNdisorder: predicting protein disorder using boosting and deep networks

A number of proteins contain regions which do not adopt a stable tertiary structure in their native state. Such regions known as disordered regions have been shown to participate in many vital cell functions and are increasingly being examined as drug targets. This work presents a new sequence based approach for the prediction of protein disorder. The method uses boosted ensembles of deep networks to make predictions and participated in the CASP10 experiment. In a 10 fold cross validation procedure on a dataset of 723 proteins, the method achieved an average balanced accuracy of 0.82 and an area under the ROC curve of 0.90. These results are achieved in part by a boosting procedure which is able to steadily increase balanced accuracy and the area under the ROC curve over several rounds. The method also compared competitively when evaluated against a number of state-of-the-art disorder predictors on CASP9 and CASP10 benchmark datasets. DNdisorder is available as a web service at http://iris.rnet.missouri.edu/dndisorder/ .
An experimental study of the use of liquid argon and argon-filled aqueous foams for the extinction of lithium fires

The lithium pool temperatures of a 10-g lithium fire in an insulated container approximate the lithium pool temperature (above 1000°C) of a large-scale lithium fire. Addition of water or air-filled aqueous foam to a large-scale lithium fire generally results in a violent reaction. This violent reaction was observed when water or air-filled aqueous foam was added to an insulated 10-g size lithium fire.
Thermodynamic calculation of partial phase diagram of Al-Si alloy at high pressure

Generally phase diagrams represent the relationship between temperature and composition under atmospheric pressure. However, the effect of pressure on the phase diagram is less well understood. In particular, metastable phases may occur at high pressures. Most often these phases are detected by experimental examination. Theoretical prediction of metastable phases appearing under conditions of high pressure is, at best, difficult. Efforts towards determination of the phase diagram of A1-Si binary alloy at normal pressure are abundant and fruitful [1]; this alloy is of interest due to its ample applications in industry. In addition, rapid quenching processes were applied to achieve supersaturation in A1-Si alloys. The silicon contents of these metastable solid solutions were increased significantly from a maximum of 1.59 at % at equilibrium conditions to 11 at % [2, 3]. Subsequently, followed by an ageing treatment, very fine silicon precipitations possibly contribute to a dispersionstrengthened alloy [2]. Furthermore, a pressure effect on the solubility of Si in A1 was studied experimentally [4]. They found that the solubility limit was extended beyond 15 at % at 5.4 MPa in comparison with 1.59 at % at atmospheric pressure. A thermodynamic analysis of high-pressure phase equilibria was also conducted [5]. Similar conclusions were drawn about the significant increases of Si solubility due to pressure. Their approach was based on the approximation of regular solutions and the independence of volume, energy and entropy on temperature, pressure and composition. The latter, which neglects thermal expansion and compressibility, may be inadequate. Also, research by the author on the high-pressure effect in solidifying an AI-Si alloy revealed the potential importance of the rapid pressure solidification process over the more conventional quenching method [6]. The pressure effects on microstructures of the test alloy were found to be significant, whereas mechanical properties such as the yield strength and hardness showed only minor differences in samples solidified under atmospheric and pressurized conditions. This may be due to the competing effects of the dendritic and eutectic phases in the resultant structure [6]. In this study a partial phase diagram of AI-Si alloy at 0.69 MPa (105 lb in -2) was predicted on the basis of the Clapeyron equation and method of resolution into simple diagrams. In general, the condition for the coexistence of
Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, vibration assignment, and ab initio calculations for 3-bromo-3,3-difluoropropene

Abstract The infrared spectra (3200–50 cm −1 ) of gaseous and solid and Raman spectra (3200–10 cm −1 ) of the liquid with qualitative depolarization ratios and solid 3-bromo-3,3-difluoropropene CH 2 CHCBrF 2 have been recorded. Both the gauche and cis conformers have been identified in the fluid phase, but the gauche conformer is thermodynamically more stable than the cis rotamer and it is the only rotamer present in the spectrum of the annealed solid. Variable temperature (−105 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton has been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 281±28 cm −1 (3.36±0.33 kJ mol −1 ), with the gauche conformer as the more stable rotamer, which is in agreement with the ab initio predictions at all levels of calculations. It is estimated that there is only 11% of the cis conformer present at an ambient temperature. A complete vibration assignment is proposed for the gauche conformer which is based on infrared band contours, depolarization values, and group frequencies which is supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G (d) calculations. The conformational stabilities, barriers to internal rotation, and fundamental vibrational frequencies which have been determined experimentally are compared to those obtained from the ab initio calculations. The results are discussed and compared with the corresponding properties of some similar molecules.
GANOVA: A univariate/multivariate analysis of variance program for the personal computer.

This paper describes an interactive microcomputer program that performs the general univariate and multivariate analysis of variance. The system was designed as both a teaching and research tool ap...
Sheep, watercress, and the Internet.

In November, 1998, a 65-year-old man returned from a trip to Ireland with his wife and, about a month later, developed severe night sweats with fever up to 40°C, anorexia, and weight loss. There was no relevant medical history. He was taking pravastatin, atenolol, losartan, and aspirin. His white blood cell count was 7·3 10/L, with 15% eosinophils. Liver transaminases were raised (aspartate aminotransferase 52 IU/L, alanine aminotransferase 85 IU/L), alkaline phosphatase was 484 IU/L, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase was 264 IU/L. Examination of his stool for ova and parasites was negative. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a nonhomogeneous liver of normal size with some areas of focal lucency. A liver biopsy sample showed eosinophilic hepatitis with centrilobular necrosis and cholangiolitis. Since our two tentative diagnoses—drug reaction to pravastatin and vasculitis—were both amenable to steroids, prednisone at 60 mg daily was started. The patient felt somewhat better. His liver enzymes decreased but did not return to normal. A month later, the patient’s 61-year-old wife developed 45% eosinophilia and raised liver enzymes, and parasitic infection became the most likely diagnosis. After standard textbooks provided an overview, we turned to the Internet, where Medline searches including “eosinophilia”, “hepatitis”, and “Ireland” yielded no hits; other search terms yielded far too many. A differential diagnosis computer program suggested toxocariasis, trichinosis, and strongyloidiasis. Testing of the patients’ sera at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proved negative for these three infections, as well as for echinococcus granulosus and cysticercosis. A further Medline search turned our attention to Fasciola hepatica, a liver fluke that is often contracted by eating infected watercress. The patient’s wife reported that she and her husband had eaten fresh watercress that she had picked from a stream in Connemara, Ireland on their recent trip. The CDC said there was no reliable test for Fasciola hepatica in the United States and referred us to Dr Murray Wittner, a parasitologist, who in turn provided the e-mail address of Dr Jean Dupouy-Camet, the head of a parasitology research unit in Paris, France. On March 4, 1999, nearly five months after the patients’ return from Ireland, results showed that both husband and wife had tested strongly positive for Fasciola by indirect immunofluorescence and counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Abdominal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed multiple small, fluid-intensity foci within the patient’s liver. Sheep, watercress, and the Internet
Tip-Sample Heat Transfer in Non-Contact Mode Scanning Thermal Microscopy With Wollaston Microprobes

Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is an attractive tool for high spatial resolution thermal characterization with minimal sample preparation.1 SThM measurements are usually performed in contact-mode, which entails multiple tip-sample heat transfer pathways, i.e. across air gap, liquid meniscus, and the solid contact. These hinder the quantification of the sample temperature or thermal properties or result in large uncertainties.2 Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Genes encoding multiple drug resistance-like proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus.

Abstract Polymerase chain reaction using degenerate primers was used to identify genes encoding proteins of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. In A. fumigatus, two genes (AfuMDR1 and AfuMDR2) encoding proteins of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily were identified. One gene (AflMDR1) was isolated from A. flavus and is the apparent homologue to AfuMDR1. AfuMDR1and AflMDR1 encode proteins of molecular weights 148 000 and 143 000, respectively, each containing 12 putative transmembrane regions and two ATP-binding sites. These proteins are arranged in two homologous halves, each half consisting of a hydrophobic region (encoding six putative transmembrane domains) and an ATP-binding site. The AfuMDR1 and AflMDR1-encoded proteins bear a high degree of similarity to the Schizosaccharomyces pombe leptomycin B resistance protein and to human MDR1. The second gene identified in A. fumigatus, AfuMDR2, encodes a protein of molecular weight 85 000, containing four putative transmembrane domains and an ATP binding domain. The encoded protein is similar to those encoded by MDL1 and MDL2, two MDR-like genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression of AFUMDR1 in S. cerevisiae conferred increased resistance to the antifungal agent cilofungin (LY121019), an echinocandin B analog.
Behavior in an "intermediate" population of the subterranean-dwelling characid Astyanax fasciatus .

A population of the characid Astyanax fasciatus was found living at the outflow of a subterranean source of water. Field observations revealed differences in behavior when compared with river populations. Affinity of this fish for the subterranean cavity was evidenced by behavior and distribution of individuals. Fish almost always carried bait into the subterranean cavity prior to feeding and also went into the cavity at night. Three factors may influence the affinity for the subterranean source of water: 1) protection against aerial predation, 2) the advantage to fishes of hovering in shade, 3) sheltering for reproduction. These observations suggest that cave colonization may take place actively rather than accidentaly, that behavioral changes may preceed morphological ones during initial stages of cave entry, and that behavioral adaptations may occur quite rapidly.
The effectiveness of adolescent reproductive health interventions in developing countries: a review of the evidence.

Youth in many developing countries are at acute risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and unintended pregnancies. Approximately one-half of people currently infected with HIV are females developing countries aged < 25 years. In addition more than 13 million adolescent girls have unintended births each year in the developing world. In response adolescent reproductive health (ARH) interventions seeking to influence sexual risk-taking behaviors among youth have become increasingly common in developing country settings. These interventions have taken a variety of shapes and forms from conventional sex education in schools multicomponent community-based programs. Until recently however few rigorous impact assessments had been undertaken and their effectiveness has been largely undocumented. Fortunately the number of interventions that have undergone rigorous evaluations has increased significantly during the last decade and in this article we review and synthesize this emerging body of evidence with an eye toward advancing our understanding of “what works” in ARH programming in developing countries. (excerpt)
Accumulation of periphyton biomass on artificial substrates deployed near a sewage sludge outfall in South Australia

Abstract Digested sludge from the Port Adelaide Sewage Treatment Works has been discharged into Gulf St Vincent, a marine embayment in South Australia, since 1978. The outfall was sited in seagrass meadows and four years after it began operating the dominant seagrass species were lost from an area of 365 ha. Discernible effects extended over 1900 ha and the seagrass beds in partially affected areas were characterized by unusually heavy growth of epiphytes. Artificial substrates were used to assess the accumulation of ‘epiphyte’ (periphyton) biomass in areas affected by sludge and at a control site. The greatest accumulation was recorded in the area most affected by sludge, i.e. the area from which all seagrass has been lost. It is suggested that excessive accumulation of epiphytes, resulting from the addition of sludge to the water column, may have contributed to the decline of the original seagrass beds.
Available Lysine Content of Blood Meals Determined by Turkey Bioassay and Fluorodinitrobenzene Assay

Abstract Lysine availability in blood meal as affected by processing method was studied using 53 samples representing 10 manufacturing processes. Each sample was analyzed for total lysine and chemically available lysine using the fluorodinitrobenzene technique (FDNB-lysine). Bioavailable lysine was determined by turkey poult growth assay. The bioavailability was calculated using the slope ratio method where gain was regressed on dietary lysine content (Method A) or on lysine consumption (Method B). Vat-dried blood meal, representing harsh processing conditions, contained significantly less total lysine, FDNB-lysine, and bioavailable lysine when compared to spray, DeLaval-Anderson, ring, and flash-dried blood meal. Content of FDNB-lysine was more correlated with bioavailable lysine than was total lysine. Available lysine as measured by the FDNB-lysine technique overestimated bioavailable lysine in vat-dried samples. Bioavailable lysine contents as estimated by Method B were greater and more variable than those determined by Method A.
The developmental pathology of maternally derived Thp fetuses

The Thair pin (Thp) mutation is a deletion of 5 centimorgans of chromosome 17 in the mouse. When the mutant chromosome is passed to the fetus through the female, the heterozygous fetuses (Thp/+) die in utero. If the chromosome is passed through the male, the heterozygotes are viable and display a short-tailed phenotype. These maternally derived mutant embryos provide an excellent model system to study the effects of an incomplete female genome on development. The results reported here describe the findings of a pathological study of the affected fetuses from day 14 of development to birth. These observations indicate that the maternally derived Thp fetuses die in utero of congestive heart failure. The mutant fetuses displayed an enlarged heart, primarily the right side, and other cardiovascular abnormalities including ventricular septal defects, aortic stenosis, pulmonary artery dilation, and dilation of the venous circulatory system. The fetuses also displayed abnormal accumulation of extrafetal fluid in the visceral yolk sac and amion, as well as massive subcutaneous edema and ascites. The Thp fetuses were often pale and anemic, and they showed a decreased number of red blood cells per unit volume of blood and an increase in circulating nucleated red blood cells. Defects in the development of the labyrinthine and spongiotrophoblast regions of the placenta were also observed. The pathogenesis of the defects is discussed.
In vivo assessment and potential diagnosis of xenobiotics that perturb the thyroid pathway: Proteomic analysis of Xenopus laevis brain tissue following exposure to model T4 inhibitors.

Abstract As part of a multi-endpoint systems approach to develop comprehensive methods for assessing endocrine stressors in vertebrates, differential protein profiling was used to investigate expression patterns in the brain of the amphibian model ( Xenopus laevis ) following in vivo exposure to a suite of T4 synthesis inhibitors. We specifically address the application of Two Dimensional Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (2D PAGE), Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation ( i TRAQ®) and LC–MS/MS to assess changes in relative protein expression levels. 2D PAGE and i TRAQ proved to be effective complementary techniques for distinguishing protein changes in the developing amphibian brain in response to T4 synthesis inhibition. This information served to evaluate the use of distinctive protein profiles as a potential mechanism to screen chemicals for endocrine activity in anurans. Regulatory pathways associated with proteins expressed as a result of chemical effect are reported. To our knowledge, this is also the first account of the anuran larvae brain proteome characterization using proteomic technologies. Correlation of protein changes to other cellular and organism-level responses will aid in the development of a more rapid and cost-effective, non-mammalian screening assay for thyroid axis-disrupting chemicals.
Distributed Storage Allocation for High Reliability

We consider the problem of optimally allocating a given total storage budget in a distributed storage system. A source has a data object which it can code and store over a set of storage nodes; it is allowed to store any amount of data in each storage node, subject to a given total storage budget constraint. A data collector subsequently attempts to recover the original data object by accessing a random fixed-size subset of these storage nodes. Successful recovery of the data object occurs when the total amount of coded data in this subset of storage nodes is at least the size of the original data object. The goal is to determine the amount of data to store in each storage node so that the probability of successful recovery is maximized. We solve this problem in the high recovery probability regime. Our results can be applied to a variety of distributed storage systems, including delay tolerant networks (DTNs), content delivery networks (CDNs), and sensor networks.
Nearest neural neighbors: moth sex pheromone receptors HR11 and HR13.

In moth sex pheromone olfaction systems, there is a stereotypical cocompartmentalization of two or sometimes three olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) within single trichoid sensilla on which pheromone-sensitive odorant receptors (ORs) are differentially expressed. In this issue of Chemical Senses, Krieger et al. show through elegant double and triple in situ hybridization studies that in the moth, Heliothis virescens, a pheromone component–related OR (HR11) is expressed on an ORN that is reliably cocompartmentalized in the same sensillum as another OR (HR13) whose ligand is known to be (Z)-11-hexadecenal, the H. virescens major pheromone component. Although the ligand for HR11 is not yet known, mapping this OR to this particular ORN represents a key advance in piecing together the puzzle of H. virescens sex pheromone olfaction.
SOLUTION PHOTOREACTIVITY OF PHENANTHRENEQUINONE DIIMINE COMPLEXES OF RHODIUM AND CORRELATIONS WITH DNA PHOTOCLEAVAGE AND PHOTOOXIDATION

The transient absorption spectra of Rh(III) complexes containing one or two phi ligands (phi ) 9,10-phenanthrenequinone diimine) and various ancillary ligands were measured at pH 5.0 utilizing visible and UV excitation. The spectra were all consistent with a primarily phi ligand-centered (LC) n﷿* transition. The spectral profile obtained with visible excitation of the complexes is slightly different and significantly weaker at pH 8.0, where now Rh(phi)2(phen) 3+ , Rh(phi)2(bpy) 3+ , and Rh(phen)2(phi) 3+ are deprotonated. Irradiation of these complexes in basic media with 308 nm laser excitation leads to irreversible ligand-loss photochemistry. The LC excited states of Rh(phi)2(phen) 3+ , Rh(phi)2(bpy) 3+ , and Rh(phen)2(phi) 3+ are reductively quenched by the purine DNA bases, A, dA, dAMP, AMP, G, dG, dGMP, and GMP, with rate constants ranging from 1.4 10 9 M -1 s -1 to 4.7 10 9 M -1 s -1 at pH 5.0, but no quenching was observed for dC or dT. Absorbances assigned to the reduced Rh(II) complex and dG ¥ were observed in the transient absorption spectrum. There are some parallels between the observed photochemistry in solution and the DNA photocleavage results, in particular the presence of oxidative damage to the DNA bases.
Axonal degeneration as a self-destructive defense mechanism against neurotropic virus infection.

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) and other neurotropic virus infections result in degeneration of each component of the neuron: apoptosis of the cell body, axonal (Wallerian) degeneration, and dendritic and synaptic pathology. In general, axonal degeneration is detrimental for hosts. However, axonal degeneration can be beneficial in the case of infection with neurotropic viruses that spread in the CNS using axonal transport. C57BL/WldS (WldS, Wallerian degeneration slow mutant) mice are protected from axonal degeneration. WldS mice infected with the neurovirulent GDVII strain of TMEV are more resistant to virus infection than wild-type mice, suggesting that axonal preservation contributes to the resistance. By contrast, infection with the less virulent Daniels strain of TMEV results in high levels of virus propagation in the CNS, suggesting that prolonged survival of axons in WldS mice favors virus spread. Thus, axonal degeneration might be a beneficial self-destruct mechanism that limits t...
Microfrabricated instrument tag for the radiographic detection of retained foreign bodies during surgery

Gossypibomas are foreign objects, usually surgical sponges or towels, accidentally retained in the human body during an operation. They are associated with significant postsurgical complications, morbidity and mortality. Postsurgical radiographs are considered the standard of care for a retained foreign body, but their detection sensitivity typically ranges between 60% and 80%. To address this we have microfabricated x-ray visible microtags that can be attached to foreign bodies and allow them to be easily recognized by a trained radiologist or a computer aided detection (CAD) algorithm. Key element of the microtag design is the use of three radiopaque beads placed in a precise, triangular configuration. We demonstrated that those microtags are visible in standard radiographs over different backgrounds (soft tissue, bone) and at different spatial orientations. We envision that these microtags attached to surgical sponges and towels will greatly increase the detection sensitivity and specificity of gossypibomas at an infinitesimal cost and will be used in the operating room to provide point of care information to the surgeons.
Older adults in health education research: some recommendations

A review of articles published in two health education journals is provided to examine the extent to which older adults were included in published research. The review suggests that older adults were included in about 15% of the research articles published in Health Education and Behavior and Health Education Research. Of the articles that include older adults, age differences in study processes and outcomes are rarely examined, and very few studies advance specific hypotheses based on a theoretical or conceptual model of aging or older adulthood. Several recommendations for health education research are suggested.
The Adhesion of Polymer-Polymer Interfaces

The adhesion of glassy or semicrystalline polymers to themselves or to other polymers is often poor. Polymers gain their strength from the mechanical interconnection between different chains. This interconnection can occur either by the use of long chains that entangle with each other or by chemically joining the chains by cross-linking. A strong polymer-polymer interface is crossed by many chains that are mechanically coupled into the material on both sides of the interface. For cross-linked systems these coupling chains must be cross-linked into both sides. If the polymers are not crosslinked, the coupling chains are formed by interdiffusion or welding. Interdiffusion can occur only if the system is heated to a temperature that allows significant chain mobility and if the interconnecting chains are sufficiently miscible in both polymers. For some systems, such as polyimides, the mobility required can either be generated by just part curing the materials before joining or by reversing the completed cure of a thin surface layer before joining and completing the cure. The interconnecting chains do not have to be the same material as the polymers being joined and, for joining dissimilar polymers, can be block copolymers where each block is miscible in just one of the relevant polymers.
Arachidonic Acid–Induced Dilation in Human Coronary Arterioles: Convergence of Signaling Mechanisms on Endothelial TRPV4‐Mediated Ca2+ Entry

Background Arachidonic acid (AA) and/or its enzymatic metabolites are important lipid mediators contributing to endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)–mediated dilation in multiple vascular beds, including human coronary arterioles (HCAs). However, the mechanisms of action of these lipid mediators in endothelial cells (ECs) remain incompletely defined. In this study, we investigated the role of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel in AA-induced endothelial Ca2+ response and dilation of HCAs. Methods and Results AA induced concentration-dependent dilation in isolated HCAs. The dilation was largely abolished by the TRPV4 antagonist RN-1734 and by inhibition of endothelial Ca2+-activated K+ channels. In native and TRPV4-overexpressing human coronary artery ECs (HCAECs), AA increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), which was mediated by TRPV4-dependent Ca2+ entry. The AA-induced [Ca2+]i increase was inhibited by cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitors. Surprisingly, the CYP metabolites of AA, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), were much less potent activators of TRPV4, and CYP inhibitors did not affect EET production in HCAECs. Apart from its effect on [Ca2+]i, AA induced endothelial hyperpolarization, and this effect was required for Ca2+ entry through TRPV4. AA-induced and TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ entry was also inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor PKI. TRPV4 exhibited a basal level of phosphorylation, which was inhibited by PKI. Patch-clamp studies indicated that AA activated TRPV4 single-channel currents in cell-attached and inside-out patches of HCAECs. Conclusions AA dilates HCAs through a novel mechanism involving endothelial TRPV4 channel-dependent Ca2+ entry that requires endothelial hyperpolarization, PKA-mediated basal phosphorylation of TRPV4, and direct activation of TRPV4 channels by AA.
Microscopic Periradicular Surgery: Perioperative Predictors for Postoperative Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life Assessment

The authors report on data from a self-assessment questionnaire filled out by 199 patients undergoing periradicular microscopic surgery at two private endodontic offices and at graduate endodontic clinics of the University of Pennsylvania. Regression analysis was performed using pain and swelling as dependent variables and age, sex, type of teeth, location, periapical lesion, and remedication as independent variables. Pain and swelling were significantly related to females and younger patients (p < 0.05). The results supported Etodolac as a pre- and postoperative analgesic and use of antibiotics restricted to high-risk patients. Maximum pain and swelling were reported at night and day 1 of the surgery, respectively. Generally, swelling was more often reported than pain. Surgeries in anterior maxilla were related to more pain and swelling. A majority of the patients (67%) rated surgical endodontics more pleasant than expected and found it less painful (46%) or the same (38%) as nonsurgical treatment. The results also point out that patients in general have negative beliefs and limited knowledge about periradicular surgery.
The Stopped-flow Method and Chemical Intermediates in Enzyme Reactions - A Personal Essay.

My perspective does not deal directly with photosynthesis research. However, the methods evolved have played an important role in several areas of biochemistry and biophysics including photosynthesis. Improvements of rapid reaction methods, based upon the pioneering studies of Hamilton Hartridge and F.J.W. Roughton, and Glenn Millikan, required a detailed study of the hydraulics of small-bore tubes and jet mixers, taking into account, that economy of reactants was demanded by the sparcity of enzyme preparations in the 1930s. This Personal perspective recites the steps taken to minimize the volumes expended in rapid flow studies, together with the improvements in electronic technology of rapid and sensitive spectrophotometry of labile intermediates in enzyme reactions. Of the methods studied, continuous, accelerated and stopped flow, the latter was designed for the highest fluid economy and subsequently proved to be of wide use for studying biochemical kinetics. Advances in fast spectrophotometry of dilute solutions led to great improvements in Millikan’s dual-wavelength system, both in speed of recording and decreases of background noise level, largely due to electronic stabilization of light sources and sensitive amplifiers. The application of these technologies to studies of hemoglobin, myoglobin and heme enzymes was, more recently, followed by studies of suspensions of organelles, cells, and tissues not only in vivo but also at low temperatures with cryoprotectants, leading to the use of flash activation in carbon monoxide inhibited heme enzymes. Laser technology allowed photosynthetic systems to be studied at cryotemperatures, leading to the development of electron tunneling theories for biological reactions (not discussed in this paper). All in all, the many fundamental developments of electronics, optics and hydraulics indicate how technology can respond effectively to the needs of biology in general, and photobiology in particular.
Victim's perceptions of injunctions in domestic violence cases

: Objective: As domestic violence becomes increasingly recognized a widespread social problem, judicial system has begun playing larger roles in providing legal protection to these victims. One way they are doing this in the United States is through the use of protective restraining orders or injunctions. The purpose of this research was to determine if permanent Injunctions for Protection provide victims of Domestic Violence with a sense of security in alleviating fear of retaliation or on-going violence. Methods: A total of 196 permanent injunctions for protection against domestic violence were obtained by victims residing within the City of Lakeland Florida. The survey consisted of telephone interviews with 51 domestic violence victims whom were selected randomly Results: About eighty six percent of victims reported feeling safe, 90% said they felt better emotionally and 86.36% indicated that their life had improved after the injunction was ordered. Conclusion: The respondents of the interviews felt that the permanent injunctions were beneficial to their feelings of safety and general well being, as well as being worthwhile.
Superoxide Generation Links Protein Kinase C Activation to Impaired ATP-Sensitive K+ Channel Function After Brain Injury

Background and Purpose—Endothelin-1, in concentrations similar to that present in cerebrospinal fluid after fluid percussion brain injury (FPI), increases superoxide anion (O2−) production. Endothelin-1 also contributes to altered cerebral hemodynamics after FPI through impairment of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel function through protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Generation of O2− additionally occurs after FPI. Nitric oxide and cGMP elicit pial artery dilation through KATP channel activation. The present study was designed to determine whether PKC activation generates O2−, which, in turn, could link such activation to impaired KATP channel function after FPI. Methods—Injury of moderate severity (1.9 to 2.1 atm) was produced by the lateral FPI technique in anesthetized newborn pigs equipped with a closed cranial window. Superoxide dismutase–inhibitable nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was determined as an index of O2− generation. Results—Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (10−6 mol/L), a PKC activator, incre...
Effective Estimation of Relative Positions in Orbit Using Differential Carrier-Phase GPS

Although dierential carrier phase GPS measurements are very accurate, their applications have heretofore been restricted to short baselines. In this paper we describe methods that allow very accurate estimation of the baseline vector over long distances in near-Earth space using dierential carrier phase GPS measurements. These estimates can enable many proposed satellite formation cluster projects.
Use of the Dispersion Method

The task of crystal identification may be eased considerably by routine use of the dispersion method mentioned in Chapter 3, at page 73. In this procedure, the wavelength of light is varied to find a match between crystal and liquid. The chief practical advantage is that a critically oriented grain can be matched without having to disturb it by changing oils. Moreover, the matching criterion is more objective than the estimation of color fringes, requiring less experience in interpretation. The dispersion method (and its variant the double variation method, in which temperature is also varied in order to increase the range of a given liquid and to provide temperature control) has recently been brought to a high level of sophistication and accuracy by F.D. Bloss and his colleagues. In this chapter, we will concentrate on the simpler uses of the method for everyday crystal identification, and on applications to certain mineral groups in which a single reading can be translated to composition within a solid solution series.
The Effect of Submarine Groundwater Discharge on the Ocean

The exchange of groundwater between land and sea is a major component of the hydrological cycle. This exchange, called submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), is comprised of terrestrial water mixed with sea water that has infiltrated coastal aquifers. The composition of SGD differs from that predicted by simple mixing because biogeochemical reactions in the aquifer modify its chemistry. To emphasize the importance of mixing and chemical reaction, these coastal aquifers are called subterranean estuaries. Geologists recognize this mixing zone as a site of carbonate diagenesis and dolomite formation. Biologists have recognized that terrestrial inputs of nutrients to the coastal ocean may occur through subterranean processes. Further evidence of SGD comes from the distribution of chemical tracers in the coastal ocean. These tracers originate within coastal aquifers and reach the ocean through SGD. Tracer studies reveal that SGD provides globally important fluxes of nutrients, carbon, and metals to coastal waters.
A Field Theory of Consciousness

This article summarizes a variety of current as well as previous research in support of a new theory of consciousness. Evidence has been steadily accumulating that information about a stimulus complex is distributed to many neuronal populations dispersed throughout the brain and is represented by the departure from randomness of the temporal pattern of neural discharges within these large ensembles. Zero phase lag synchronization occurs between discharges of neurons in different brain regions and is enhanced by presentation of stimuli. This evidence further suggests that spatiotemporal patterns of coherence, which have been identified by spatial principal component analysis, may encode a multidimensional representation of a present or past event. How such distributed information is integrated into a holistic percept constitutes the binding problem. How a percept defined by a spatial distribution of nonrandomness can be subjectively experienced constitutes the problem of consciousness. Explanations based on a discrete connectionistic network cannot be reconciled with the relevant facts. Evidence is presented herein of invariant features of brain electrical activity found to change reversibly with loss and return of consciousness in a study of 176 patients anesthetized during surgical procedures. A review of relevant research areas, as well as the anesthesia data, leads to a postulation that consciousness is a property of quantumlike processes, within a brain field resonating within a core of structures, which may be the neural substrate of consciousness. This core includes regions of the prefrontal cortex, the frontal cortex, the pre- and paracentral cortex, thalamus, limbic system, and basal ganglia.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae RecQ Helicase HRDC Domains Are Essential for Efficient Binding and Unwinding of the pilE Guanine Quartet Structure Required for Pilin Antigenic Variation

The strict human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae utilizes homologous recombination to antigenically vary the pilus, thus evading the host immune response. High-frequency gene conversion reactions between many silent pilin loci and the expressed pilin locus (pilE) allow for numerous pilus variants per strain to be produced from a single strain. For pilin antigenic variation (Av) to occur, a guanine quartet (G4) structure must form upstream of pilE. The RecQ helicase is one of several recombination or repair enzymes required for efficient levels of pilin Av, and RecQ family members have been shown to bind to and unwind G4 structures. Additionally, the vast majority of RecQ helicase family members encode one “helicase and RNase D C-terminal” (HRDC) domain, whereas the N. gonorrhoeae RecQ helicase gene encodes three HRDC domains, which are critical for pilin Av. Here, we confirm that deletion of RecQ HRDC domains 2 and 3 causes a decrease in the frequency of pilin Av comparable to that obtained with a functional knockout. We demonstrate that the N. gonorrhoeae RecQ helicase can bind and unwind the pilE G4 structure. Deletion of the RecQ HRDC domains 2 and 3 resulted in a decrease in G4 structure binding and unwinding. These data suggest that the decrease in pilin Av observed in the RecQ HRDC domain 2 and 3 deletion mutant is a result of the enzyme's inability to efficiently bind and unwind the pilE G4 structure.
Working within the system: teachers of English learners negotiating a literacy instruction mandate

In an effort to reverse the reading crisis purported to plague public education, schools and districts are mandating prescriptive reading programs and teacher-centered instructional practices in hopes of improving the academic achievement of minority students, including English learners (ELs). The wide-spread implementation of these programs in schools and classrooms serving ELs is particularly striking in California, where there are large numbers of ELs, as these programs were developed for monolingual, English-speaking children, not ELs. Drawing on interviews with 32 teachers in four Northern California elementary schools serving primarily ELs from Latino backgrounds, we found that most teachers required to use one such program, Open Court Reading (OCR), did not think that it addressed the needs of ELs or tapped into their interests and/or understandings. That is, the top-down, one-size-fits-all policy mandate was not grounded in an understanding of ELs’ language and literacy instructional needs. In light of our findings, we support policies that enable teachers to provide quality instruction that addresses the needs, interests, and understandings of all students, particularly ELs, who are often the, most underserved. This includes policies that promote the development of reflective, inquiring, and knowledgeable teachers who, in collaboration with colleagues and other educational stakeholders, play a key role in the policy making process.
Uncomplicated heparinization for cardiopulmonary bypass in a patient with antiheparin antibodies

THE SYNDROME of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is now recognized to consist of two distinct clinical entities.1-3 HIT type I is characterized by a mild thrombocytopenia (.100 3 109/L) usually occurring within 48 hours of initiating heparin, which is not associated with thrombotic or bleeding complications and which resolves spontaneously even with continued heparin administration. HIT type II is associated with a more profound thrombocytopenia (,100 3 109/L or ,50% of preheparin count) beginning 5 to 8 days after initiating heparin and follows a more malignant course. Patients with a diagnosis of HIT type II are at high risk for proximal vein or arterial thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, amputation, and death. HIT type I is believed to represent a direct aggregating effect of heparin resulting in increased clearance of platelets from the circulation. HIT type II is a result of antibody production to the complex formed by heparin and platelet factor 4 (PF 4). The pathogenic antibody is of the IgG class and can bind with Fc receptor sites on platelets and endothelial cells, resulting in activation and production of a prothrombotic state. Reaching a diagnosis of HIT type II has been assisted by the development of several laboratory assays for antiheparin antibodies. Although the assay techniques vary considerably, they can all be described generally as either physiologic or immunologic. The physiologic assays involve the detection of platelet activation when heparin is added to the patient’s serum. The 14C-serotonin release assay (SRA) is the archetypic physiologic assay and is considered the gold standard by many authors for the laboratory diagnosis of HIT type II. The cost, technical expertise, and requirement for radioactive materials, however, have limited the access to this test to large reference laboratories. The immunologic assays involve direct detection of antibodies in the patient’s serum to the heparin-PF 4 complex, most often by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The commercial availability of an ELISA kit now provides wider access to serologic testing for HIT type II. Traditionally, a diagnosis of HIT type II was thought to be an absolute contraindication to heparin exposure. More recently, the safe conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with anticoagulation with single-dose heparin was reported for heart transplant patients with a diagnosis of HIT type II when antiheparin antibodies were no longer detectable by SRA.4 Although alternative anticoagulation techniques are available for CPB, the abandonment of well-established heparin protocols carries considerable risk and should be undertaken only when this approach clearly provides the safest course. A case is presented that shows the uncertainties in diagnosing HIT type II and the factors that must be considered before CPB.
Analysis of integrated optical corner reflectors using a finite-difference beam propagation method

Integrated optical corner reflectors in III-V semiconductors are analyzed employing a finite-difference beam propagation method and propagating the beam in parallel with the etched semiconductor-air interface. For this choice of propagation direction, the effects of mirror roughness, rotation, and displacement of the mirror surface from its ideal position can be assessed very easily. The integrated reflector whose mode size is larger shows less dependence on the mirror displacement error. The loss due to mirror surface roughness depends weakly on the mode size and strongly on the mode polarization, being larger for the quasi-transverse-electric polarization. The loss due to rotational errors of the mirror surface is not a strong function of polarization, but increases as the waveguide width increases. However, for a rotation error smaller than 0.1 degrees , which should be achieved easily, the excess loss is smaller than 0.2 dB at 1.3 % mu m regardless of the waveguide width. >
Tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions from tank trucks transporting raw milk from farms to processing plants

Abstract An analysis of greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide equivalents, CO2e) was conducted from 2007 databases for 211,216 round trips of tank trucks that delivered raw milk from farms to processing plants in the United States of America. The total amount of milk was 4.81 × 109 kg, or about 17.4% of the 2007 total USA production for use as fluid milk products. Average round trip distance was 850 km resulting in tailpipe emissions of 0.050 kg CO2e kg−1 milk delivered or 0.071 kg CO2e kg−1 milk consumed representing 3.5% of the total greenhouse gas emissions for fluid milk consumed. Based on this we estimate the total emissions for fluid milk delivery from farm to processor in the US at 1.3 × 109 kg CO2e y−1. Some overall reduction in total delivery distance could be realized by realigning farm-to-processor relationships, especially in regions where farms are equally distant from multiple processors.
Evaluation and Treatment of Childhood Physical Abuse and Neglect: A Review

According to 2010 CDC estimates, 1 in 5 US children have experienced maltreatment. Risk factors for child maltreatment include child characteristics such as non-compliance and diagnostic conditions that increase caregiver burden. Parent characteristic risk factors include parental mental illness and low social support. New developments in radiologic evaluation of child maltreatment will be reviewed. New findings in evidence based psychotherapies for childhood maltreatment will be discussed. A review of the role of pharmacotherapy in child maltreatment cases will also be presented. New evidence from prevention models targeting young mothers and families are also reviewed.
Failure to induce over‐compensation of growth in maturing yellow perch

Unlike juvenile Fl male bluegill Lepomis macrochrus x female green sunfish L. cyanellus, maximized episodes of compensatory growth (CG) in 2 year yellow perch Perca flavescens did not surpass control masses because internal regulation caused abrupt appetite reduction upon catch-up. Together, the hybrid sunfish study and present work indicate that CG-maximizing feeding schedules and absence of an internal growth limiting mechanism are both required to produce substantial growth overcompensation (GOC). The less vigorous and less resilient CG responses of the yellow perch relative to those of the similarly fed hybrid sunfish appear indicative of the lack of GOC capacity in the former. This contrast, and results of previous studies are interpreted to suggest that GOC capacity may be limited to early life stages of fishes which have a substantial reproductive potential but are at high risk of mortality due to their small size. The possibility that GOC capacity is time-of-year-dependent and species-specific is considered also. Food deprivation periods that produced the strongest CG responses differed for male (2 days) and female (12 days) yellow perch. Among controls fed without restriction, growth rate and growth efficiency of female yellow perch exceeded those of males two-fold, however, males showed a greater capacity to catch-up to same-sex controls when undergoing CG. A feeding schedule using maintenance feeding v. food deprivation to elicit CG yielded the most rapid catch-up to control masses in the yellow perch. Such feeding schedules may produce even greater GOC than was achieved previously in hybrid sunfish, where feeding schedules involving food deprivation were employed.