cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of ω‐conotoxin GVIA on electrical field stimulation‐ and agonist‐induced changes in cytosolic Ca2+ and tension in isolated rat anococcygeus muscle

1. It has been reported that omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CgTx) blocks L- and N-type voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels (VSCCs) in neurones and inhibits neurotransmitter release in various tissues. The present study investigates the effects of omega-CgTx on electrical field stimulation (EFS)- and agonist-induced changes in free cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) levels and tension in isolated fura-2 loaded rat anococcygeus muscle. 2. EFS produced frequency-dependent increases in [Ca+]cyt levels and contractions. Phentolamine (1 microM) and omega-CgTx (0.1 microM) significantly inhibited EFS-induced responses and shifted the frequency-response curves to the right. 3. alpha-adrenoceptor agonists (noradrenaline and clonidine) and carbachol (in the presence of phentolamine) produced concentration-dependent increases in [Ca2+]cyt levels and contractions. Though omega-CgTx (0.1 microM) significantly inhibited the increases in [Ca2+]cyt levels induced by low doses of noradrenaline, the overall concentration-response curves of [Ca2+]cyt and contractions for noradrenaline, clonidine, and carbachol were not affected by omega-CgTx. 4. When the tone of rat anococcygeus muscle was raised with either clonidine (0.1 microM) or carbachol (30 microM, in the presence of 3 microM phentolamine), EFS (2 Hz) produced reproducible decreases in [Ca2+]cyt levels and relaxations. These responses were significantly inhibited by omega-CgTx when the tissue was precontracted with clonidine, but not when it was precontracted with carbachol. 5. The results of the present study suggest that in rat anococcygeus muscle, omega-CgTx inhibits the EFS-induced release of both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, probably by blocking Ca2+ channels on nerve terminals. Furthermore, the Ca2+ channels present on the smooth muscle cell membrane, which are involved in the agonist-induced Ca2+ influx and contractions, may not be sensitive to omega-CgTx.
Uveitis in DiGeorge syndrome: a case of autoimmune ocular inflammation in a patient with deletion 22q11.2

Purpose: Del22q11.2, also known as DiGeorge syndrome, has a spectrum of ocular, facial and systemic features. Despite features of T cell dysfunction, infection and autoimmunity (including juvenile idiopathic arthritis), uveitis has not been described in patients with DiGeorge syndrome.Methods: We describe a case of a 25-year-old male with bilateral granulomatous panuveitis who after initial investigation and treatment for an infectious cause was determined to have autoimmune-related uveitis with evidence on clinical, laboratory and imaging assessments suggestive of ocular sarcoidosis.Results: The patient was found to have a normal T cell count and T cell proliferative response that was compared to a control patient, and phenotypes determined by flow cytometry were normal. However, the CD4/CD8 ratio in this patient was slightly lower than normal and the number of CD28 negative T cells, in both CD4 and CD8 populations, were significantly higher than a control.Conclusions: The significance of these T cell ab...
Phosphatidylinositol(3)-Phosphate Signaling Mediated by Specific Binding to RING FYVE Domains

Abstract Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI(3)K) are important regulators of receptor signaling cascades and intracellular membrane trafficking. To date, no protein domain has been identified that binds specifically to PtdIns(3)P and thereby recruits/activates downstream effectors of PtdIns(3)P signaling. Using an in vivo assay in yeast that detects Vps34 PI(3)K-dependent intracellular localization of a GFP reporter protein, and in vitro lipid-binding assays, we demonstrate that cysteine-rich RING domains of the FYVE finger subfamily bind specifically to PtdIns phosphorylated exclusively at the D-3 position of the inositol ring. GFP-FYVE domain fusion proteins localized predominantly to membranes of endocytic compartments and required active Vps34 PI(3)K. Our data establish a molecular link between Vps34 PI(3)K and several FYVE domain–containing proteins (Vac1p, Vps27p) required for vacuolar/lysosomal protein trafficking.
An attempt to improve auditory short-term memory in Down's syndrome individuals through reducing distractions☆

Down's syndrome (DS) individuals, relative to nonretarded individuals, have greater difficulty remembering brief sequences of verbal information presented auditorily. Previous research suggests at least two possible attentional explanations of their difficulty: They are especially susceptible to both auditory distraction and off-task glancing during laboratory tasks. DS, non-DS mentally retarded and nonretarded persons listened to, looked at, and attempted to remember sequences of digits. Although the three groups did not differ in their recall of visually-presented stimuli, DS subjects showed significantly poorer recall of auditorially-presented stimuli than the other two groups (which did not differ). Furthermore, the poor auditory memory of DS subjects did not improve under testing conditions designed to minimize auditory and visual distractions. It was suggested that poor auditory short-term memory for verbal information is tied more closely to Down's syndrome than to low intelligence and does not seem to be caused by a special susceptibility of Down's syndrome individuals to attentional distractors.
Post-transcriptional regulation of T4 enzyme synthesis

Abstract The in vivo accumulation of functional messenger RNA (mRNA) specific for the bacteriophage T4-induced enzymes, lysozyme and deoxynucleotide kinase, has been studied. For each enzyme, two distinct cycles of mRNA accumulation and degradation can be observed during the first 40 min of infection at 37 °C. Lysozyme mRNA activity peaks at 15 min after infection and again at 29 min, whereas peaks of deoxynucleotide kinase mRNA are observed at 8 min and 32 min after infection. These cyclic patterns are not reflected in the kinetics of synthesis of the enzymes in vivo. Deoxynucleotide kinase mRNA extracted at 8 min or at 30 min after infection sediments in linear sucrose gradients over a broad range with a major component at 15S and minor component at 18S. Lysozyme mRNA extracted at 15 min or at 30 min after infection similarly sediments as two bands with sedimentation coefficients of 15S and 18S. These results indicate that the regulation of these two enzymes in T4-infected E. coli is mediated via post-transcriptional control mechanisms.
α-cyano-substituted analogoues of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine as enzyme activated, irreversible inhibitors of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase

Abstract A pair of α-cyano analogues of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (2a and 2b) were synthesized as potential enzyme activated, irreversible inhibitors of the[pyruvoyl enzyme S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMet-DC). Each of these analogues acts as an irreversible inactivator for ADoMet-DC from Escherichia coli (IC50 values of 9 and 50 μM, respectively). These analogues also inactivate human AdoMet-DC, with KI values of 246.6 and 7.2 μM, and kinact values of 0.29 and 0.03 min−1, respectively.
Decreasing variability in faculty ratings of student case presentations: a faculty development intervention focusing on reflective practice.

Background: Faculty perceptions of medical student knowledge are often based on case presentations, but their assessment of student performance can vary significantly based on content, presentation skill, and interpersonal characteristics. Purpose: To determine if a brief faculty development intervention could significantly decrease (≥ 20%) faculty members' variability in rating student case presentations in the ambulatory setting. Methods: During the 1998–99 academic year, we videotaped 10 third-year medical students during one well-child presentation. Seven general pediatric faculty rated the videotapes using a validated scoring instrument measuring content: History of Present Illness (HPI), Past Medical History, and Physical Exam (PE); and communication skill: Precision of Language, Fluency, and Economy. Baseline ratings were from June to September 1999 and then repeated in October to –November 2000 following a workshop where faculty reflected on the rating process and decreasing rating variance. The c...
A survey of compact divisible commutative semigroups

The family of divisible semigroups has come under close scrutiny in recent years for a number of reasons. One of the principal ones is the diversity of its membership, which ranges from compact connected topological groups [26] to arbitrary idempotent semigroups. Although our own interests lie primarily somewhere between these extremes, it has become apparent in some of the recent work to be mentioned here that the structure of this family is greatly influenced by these "endpoints".
STOCHASTIC RESONANCE IN HAIR CELL MECHANOELECTRICAL TRANSDUCTION

Hair cells are the mechanoelectrical transducers in the auditory system of many species, including humans. Experiments show that transduction in individual hair cells displays stochastic resonance, with optimum response at the natural noise level of living cells. We find that many of the observed features are captured by a simple version of a physiologically faithful model of the transduction mechanism. These findings may resolve a longstanding puzzle in evolutionary biology concerning the structure of the cochlea.
Sciatin: A myotrophic protein increases the number of acetylcholine receptors and receptor clusters in cultured skeletal muscle

Factors present in neural extracts or in media conditioned by neurons have been shown by others to increase both the number of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and the number of receptor clusters in cultures of embryonic skeletal muscle. We have recently shown that the glycoprotein, sciatin, exerts trophic effects on developing muscle in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the effect of sciatin on AChRs in aneural cultures of chick skeletal muscle. Sciatin caused a significant increase in the number of AChRs/dish as measured by binding of 125I-α-bungarotoxin (α-Btx) and in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity/dish in differentiating muscle cells. The increase in AChRs elicited by sciatin was due solely to increased receptor synthesis and incorporation. The rate of AChR synthesis in sciatin-treated cultures was as much as five times the control rate and was significantly reduced by cycloheximide (10 μM). AChR degradation was unaffected by the myotrophic protein. Although the number of AChRs/dish was increased by sciatin during myogenesis, AChR specific activity, expressed as picomoles 125I-α-Btx bound/mg cell protein, was only transiently increased by the myotrophic protein. This contrasted with AChE specific activity in sciatin-treated cultures which remained elevated throughout differentiation. Autoradiographs of 125I-α-Btx-labeled cultures showed that sciatin caused an increase in the number and size of AChR “hot spots” and maintained the integrity of these AChR clusters in aneural muscle cultures for up to 5 weeks. At this time control cultures had completely degenerated. The mechanism by which sciatin enhanced the synthesis of AChRs appeared to be distinct from that of tetrodotoxin (TTX), an agent which abolishes muscle activity. However, like theophylline, sciatin might evoke increased synthesis of AChRs via regulation of cyclic AMP since the myotrophic protein increased cAMP both in cells and in conditioned medium. The results of this study suggest that sciatin may be related to the diffusible factor(s) from motor neurons described by others which has trophic effects on AChRs. Furthermore, we suggest that this myotrophic protein may be responsible for the clustering of AChRs and maintenance of receptor clusters at neuromuscular junctions in developing avian muscle.
Lithium and valproate decrease inositol mass and increase expression of the yeast INO1 and INO2 genes for inositol biosynthesis.

Bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive illness) is a chronic, severe, debilitating illness affecting 1–2% of the population. The Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs lithium and valproate are not completely effective in the treatment of this disorder, and the mechanisms underlying their therapeutic effects have not been established. We are employing genetic and molecular approaches to identify common targets of lithium and valproate in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that both drugs affect molecular targets in the inositol metabolic pathway. Lithium and valproate cause a decrease in intracellular myo-inositol mass and an increase in expression of both a structural (INO1) and a regulatory (INO2) gene required for inositol biosynthesis. Theopi1 mutant, which exhibits constitutive expression ofINO1, is more resistant to inhibition of growth by lithium but not by valproate, suggesting that valproate may inhibit the Ino1p-catalyzed synthesis of inositol 1-phosphate. Consistent with this possibility, growth in valproate leads to decreased synthesis of inositol monophosphate. Thus, both lithium and valproate perturb regulation of the inositol biosynthetic pathway, albeit via different mechanisms. This is the first demonstration of increased expression of genes in the inositol biosynthetic pathway by both lithium and valproate. Because inositol is a key regulator of many cellular processes, the effects of lithium and valproate on inositol synthesis have far-reaching implications for predicting genetic determinants of responsiveness and resistance to these agents.
Continuous infusion of relaxin on periparturient progesterone, oxytocin and relaxin plasma concentrations and time of parturition in beef heifers

Abstract These studies were designed to determine whether continuous i.v. infusion of increasing dosages of porcine relaxin during late pregnancy in beef heifers would influence circulating blood concentrations of relaxin, progesterone and oxytocin, and time of onset of parturition. Beef heifers were bred by artificial insemination and, on Day 277, fitted with indwelling jugular cannulas for hormone infusion and blood sampling from Day 277 to Day 286. Intravenous infusion of purified porcine relaxin (pRLX, 3000 U mg−1) was started in heifers (n = 8) at increasing dosages (200 U h−1 on Days 277 and 278, 300 U h−1 on Days 279 and 280, 500 U h−1 on Day 281, 600 U h−1 on Day 282, and 700 U h−1 on Days 283–286). Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, 10 ml h−1) was infused during these same times to control animals (n = 6). Relaxin treatment steadily increased the circulating plasma concentration of immunoreactive relaxin to more than 120 ng ml−1 compared with less than 0.5 ng ml−1 in PBS-treated controls. Relaxin infusion in increasing dosages over the treatment time was associated with a significant decrease (P 0.05) during the pretreatment period and throughout continuous infusion of pRLX and PBS. Mean concentrations of oxytocin in PBS control heifers peaked at 0.95 pg ml−1 during the corresponding infusion of 700 U h−1 pRLX, which peaked at 0.77 pg ml−1. Although continuous i.v. infusion of relaxin resulted in a decrease in circulating blood levels of progesterone, it did not significantly reduce the interval between the beginning of pRLX treatment and parturition compared with the PBS-infused control heifers. These results indicate that continuous i.v. infusion of high levels of porcine relaxin resulted in a decrease in progesterone secretion in late pregnant beef heifers.
The relationship between forecast dispersion and forecast uncertainty: Evidence from a survey data—arch model

This paper examines empirically the relationship between measures of forecast dispersion and forecast uncertainty from data on inflation expectations from the Livingston survey series and the Survey Research Center (SRC) survey series. Because the survey series do not provide probabilistic forecasts of inflation, we derive measures of inflation uncertainty by modelling the conditional variance of the inflation forecast errors from the survey series as an autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (ARCH) process. The analysis is complicated by the fact that the overlap of forecast horizons for the survey series does not preclude the model's disturbance terms from displaying autocorrelation, and also places a restriction on the specification for the ARCH measures of inflation uncertainty. We estimate the model using Hansen's (1982) generalized method of moments (GMM) procedure to account for the presence of serial correlation and conditional heteroscedasticity in the disturbance terms. The results generally support the hypothesis that the measures of forecast dispersion across survey respondents are positively and statistically significantly associated with the measures of inflation uncertainty. However, the appropriateness of using forecast dispersion measures as proxies for inflation uncertainty is sensitive to the choice of the survey series.
The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-Revised Version (DISC-R): II. Test-Retest Reliability

Abstract Objective Test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-Revised Version (DISC-R) were examined to evaluate the effects of a recent revision process. Method A sample of outpatients 11 to 17 years old and their parents were administered the DISC-R in a test-retest design. Result For the parent interview, four diagnoses had sufficient cases to examine reliability; agreement was good to excellent for three of these. For the child interview, two of the four diagnoses with adequate cases showed good or excellent reliability. Using a combined parent-child algorithm, three of five diagnoses showed good or excellent reliability. Test-retest reliability for symptom scales was excellent for the parent DISC-R and good for the child version, except for oppositional defiant disorder. Maternal depressive symptoms did not affect reliability of reporting about the child's symptomatology. Internal consistency was satisfactory for symptom items comprising most diagnoses. Conclusions Although some revision of the instrument will be necessary, the findings from this study suggest that the DISC-R is a promising research instrument for the diagnosis of psychopathology in older children and adolescents. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1993, 32, 3:651–657.
Dropwindsonde Instrumentation for Weather Reconnaissance Aircraft

Abstract A windfinding dropsonde instrumentation system is described, with examples of its operational use in the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment conducted during the summer of 1974. Deployed from an aircraft flying typically at ∼10 km altitude, the dropsonde transmits vertical profiles of horizontal wind, pressure, temperature and humidity while descending on a parachute at ∼5 m s−1. The temperature sensor in the dropsonde is a 95-mil bead thermistor, the humidity sensor a standard carbon strip hygristor, and the pressure sensor an improved aneroid cell. Winds are determined by tracking the sonde using the 13.6 kHz Omega navigation signals received by an Omega receiver and retransmitted over a telemetry link. The telemetered data from a dropsonde are received, and recorded on-board the aircraft, using a computerized system configured to permit processing of two sondes descending simultaneously (one operating on 404.5 MHz, the other on 405.5 MHz).
Track state augmentation for estimation of probability of detection in multistatic sonar data

This paper presents results of augmenting the track state with an amplitude offset to predict the probability of detection for a target moving through a multistatic field. The amplitude offset in the state allows for the local modeling of the environment, accounting for environmental modeling errors, and differentiating between target types. The approach is evaluated on the PACsim multistatic sonar dataset, a simulated dataset created for tracker evaluation by the Multistatic Tracking Working Group. Tracking and data association are done using Monte Carlo Joint Probabilistic Data Association, which is a particle-filter based implementation of JPDA. Results on the simulated data suggest that improved modeling must be done for this approach to be viable.
Enhanced wound healing in animal models by interferon and an interferon inducer

Healing of wounds is a significant biological process that involves the interactions of different cell types, growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix molecules. Mice and rats were treated in vivo with interferon (IFN) alpha/beta or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), a ds-RNA, a potent inducer of IFN. We observed faster and enhanced closure of wounds as compared to untreated controls on day 7 (wound area measured on Macintosh II CX using NIH image 1.30u program), increased migration of dermal fibroblasts in the wound bed, complete re-epithelialization evidenced by routine histology and scanning electron microscopic procedures, and increased collagen synthesis, which correlates to greater tensile strength. In addition, classical immunofluorescence procedures using frozen sections showed that dermal fibroblasts synthesized much more laminin following Poly I:C treatment, whereas no effect was observed on fibronectin synthesis. These results suggest that Poly I:C and IFN treatment result in a faster restoration of tissue integrity in both full skin punch biopsy and skin incision models.
An economic theory of political change in premissionary Hawaii

Abstract In traditional Hawaiian society income distribution was consistent with the balance of power between chiefs and commoners. The ability of the chiefs to impose taxes on commoners was limited by the possibility of a commoners' revolt against the chiefs and by competition between the chiefs. After “discovery” of the Islands in 1778, the opportunity to sell provisions and sandalwood to foreign traders gave the chiefs increased incentives to curtail their competition with each other. Access to Western military technology reduced the costs of forming and maintaining a coalition among the chiefs, thus allowing King Kamehameha I to unify the Islands. With the formation of the chiefs' coalition came a shift in the balance of power toward the ruling class, thus facilitating the imposition of a higher tax on the common people. When Kamehameha died in 1819, the new King (Liholiho) faced competition for this position; to maintain an effective coalition, he redistributed wealth to the chiefs' coalition, and thereby gained the necessary support to defeat his rival in a short civil war. The primary lesson from this story is that where contact with capitalism is associated with a worsening of the income distribution, it does not follow that outsiders directly exploited indigenous workers. New technology and trading opportunities may change the society's balance of power and result in major alterations in its economic and political institutions. With these changes in the “rules of the game,” the distribution of income can worsen even if the distribution of factor endowments remains fixed.
Interactions between social factors and ovarian development in the European house cricket A cheta domesticus

Several endocrine-mediated processes in insects are influenced by environmental factors including the density and sex ratio of populations. Effects of grouping on total egg production and rate of vitellogenic ovary development were assessed in virgin Acheta domesticus (L.). Females midway through their last nymphal instar were isolated from a stock population of adults and nymphs of both sexes and maintained in groups or as isolates at 26–27 °C, 70% relative humidity, on a 12L-12D photoperiod. The number of fully grown oocytes produced during the first 18 days of adult life was lower for animals in groups of 10 or 15 than for isolates, but antennectomy abolished this group effect. By contrast, terminal and penultimate oocyte length and ovary dry weight were greater in 5-day-old ♀-♀ pairs than in isolates. The presence of mature males during the first 21 days of adult life did not affect total egg production. Whether these group effects on cricket ovary development are mediated by the endocrine system is not yet known. RESUME Interaction entre les facteurs sociaux et le developpement ovarien d'Acheta domesticus L'etude a examine les effets de groupement sur la production d'oeufs et sur la vitesse de la vitellogenese chez les femelles vierges d'Acheta domesticus. Des femelles a la moitie de leur dernier stade larvaire, isolees d'une population adulte de base, et des nymphes des deux sexes ont ete conservees en groupes ou isolees dans des recipients en plastique de 150 mm de diametre et de 25 mm de hauteur a 26–27 °C, 70% d'humidite relative et avec une photoperiode de 12/12. La production totale des oeufs murs formes pendant les 18 premiers jours de vie imaginale etait plus faible pour les animaux en groupes de 10 ou 15 que pour ceux qui etaient isoles, mais l'antennotectomie a elimine cet effet de groupe. Au contraire, la longueur des derniers et avant-derniers ovocytes et le poids sec des ovaires etaient superieurs pour les paires de 2 femelles de 5 jours que chez les individus isoles. La presence de mâles murs pendant les 21 premiers jours de vie imaginale n'a pas eu d'effet sur la production totale d'oeufs. L'hypothese avancee est que ces effets de groupe (negatifs et positifs) sur le developpement des ovaires d'Acheta domesticus ont reflete respectivement des accelerations et ralentissements de la vitellogenese. La dependance de l'induction de la vitellogenese chez Acheta domesticus par les hormones juveniles est connue (Benford, 1983) ainsi que les changements dans la quantite de produits neurosecreteurs, susceptibles d'etre colores dans la pars intercerebralis au cours du cycle reproductif (Bradley et Simpson, 1981). Nous ne savons pas si ces effets de groupement sur le developpement des ovaires de grillon sont mediatises par le systeme endocrine.
Novel methodology for evaluating economic feasibility of low-water cooling technology retrofits at power plants

Increasing demand on water supplies – already strained by population and economic growth and instream flow requirements – means many areas are considering conservation and reallocation to meet their needs. One method of increasing water availability is through low-water cooling technologies at thermoelectric power plants. Cooling towers, hybrid wet–dry and dry cooling systems reduce water requirements and the environmental impact at power plants but require additional capital and operating expenditure. These expenses can be offset with revenue from leasing water rights made available by new cooling technologies and the added benefit of drought resiliency. Thus, cooling technology retrofits are hypothesized as cost-effective opportunities for increasing drought resiliency and supporting instream flows. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel methodology for evaluating drought resiliency as a function of economic and technical performance parameters. Using a river basin-based water resources model of 39 Texas power plants, we illustrate this methodology to determine the feasibility of retrofitting alternative cooling technologies. At current capital costs and water prices, switching to alternative cooling technologies is economically justifiable today at three facilities. Higher water prices, coupled with higher volatility in water availability, will be likely to make low-water cooling technologies economically viable at more power plants in the future.
A spatial model of the relationship between seats and votes

The empirical relationship between votes received and seats won in an election is widely used to infer whether district boundaries and other election rules benefit one party or type of voter. Specifically, the electoral system is said to be biased against one party or group if, when that party or group wins 50% of the vote it receives less than 50% of the seats. However, a definitive interpretation of the empirical relationship between seats and votes presents substantial difficulties, which owes much to the absence of the linkage between this relationship and individual voter's preferences and behavior. We offer such a linkage and derive a particular form of it from the one-dimensional spatial model of voting, the most widely used model of voting in Political Science. We show that under this model the methods commonly used to estimate the relationship between seats and votes do not properly identify the electoral bias caused by districting. We use the model to develop a new approach for estimating the electoral bias and apply the techniques to the US Senate during the period 2002-2006 and the US Presidential race of 2004. We find evidence of bias against Democratic voters in the US Senate but not in the Electoral College.
Susceptibility of solid 3He near the ordering temperature

Abstract The magnetic susceptibility of solid 3He at melting pressure has been measured down to 1.25 mK. Below about 4 mK, the susceptibility begins to rise significantly above the Curie-Weiss behavior followed at higher temperatures.
The α-gliadin gene family. I. Characterization of ten new wheat α-gliadin genomic clones, evidence for limited sequence conservation of flanking DNA, and Southern analysis of the gene family

A detailed study of the organization of the wheat α-gliadin gene family is described. In the first stage of this study recombinant libraries of sufficient size and quality were constructed to allow examination of large, closely-related, gene families. A large number of α-gliadin clones were then isolated in a partial screen of these libraries. A set of these clones were sequenced and ten new gene sequences are now reported. Including these new sequences, 20 of the 27 known α-gliadin genomic and cDNA sequences are from cv Cheyenne, making this cultivar the best studied for gliadin family organization. An analysis of the DNA flanking the coding regions shows divergences which may indicate the functional ends of the α-gliadin genes. High-resolution Southern analyses on DNA from aneuploid and chromosome-substitution lines allow most of the 20 distinct α-gliadin HindIII restriction fragments in cvs Cheyenne and Chinese Spring to be assigned to specific genomes. It is estimated that as many as 150 α-gliadin genes occur in the cultivar Cheyenne, and the limitations of such estimates are discussed.
Strong majorization in a free ✱-algebra

We study, in the spirit of modern real algebra, the interplay between left ideals of the free ∗-algebra \(\mathbb F\) with n generators, and their suitably defined zero sets; and similarly between quadratic submodules of \(\mathbb F\) and their positivity sets.
Coral bleaching independent of photosynthetic activity

The global decline of reef-building corals is due in part to the loss of algal symbionts, or "bleaching," during the increasingly frequent periods of high seawater temperatures. During bleaching, endosymbiotic dinoflagellate algae (Symbiodinium spp.) either are lost from the animal tissue or lose their photosynthetic pigments, resulting in host mortality if the Symbiodinium populations fail to recover. The >1,000 studies of the causes of heat-induced bleaching have focused overwhelmingly on the consequences of damage to algal photosynthetic processes, and the prevailing model for bleaching invokes a light-dependent generation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) by heat-damaged chloroplasts as the primary trigger. However, the precise mechanisms of bleaching remain unknown, and there is evidence for involvement of multiple cellular processes. In this study, we asked the simple question of whether bleaching can be triggered by heat in the dark, in the absence of photosynthetically derived ROS. We used both the sea anemone model system Aiptasia and several species of reef-building corals to demonstrate that symbiont loss can occur rapidly during heat stress in complete darkness. Furthermore, we observed damage to the photosynthetic apparatus under these conditions in both Aiptasia endosymbionts and cultured Symbiodinium. These results do not directly contradict the view that light-stimulated ROS production is important in bleaching, but they do show that there must be another pathway leading to bleaching. Elucidation of this pathway should help to clarify bleaching mechanisms under the more usual conditions of heat stress in the light.
Effectiveness of fractionated external beam radiation in the inhibition of vascular restenosis

Abstract Background. From the clinical oncologic experience, fractionation of the radiation dose offers a better therapeutic window, both with respect to effectiveness and unwanted side effects. Thus, we undertook a pilot study in a rodent model, using a single dose of 15 Gy compared with fractionation schedules of 5 or 10 daily applications of 3 Gy. Materials and Methods. Using a previously described rat angioplasty model, animals were randomly assigned to one of four groups: unilateral balloon injury, sham irradiation; unilateral balloon injury, bilateral 15 Gy single dose irradiation; unilateral balloon injury, bilateral 3 Gy × 5 daily fractions; or unilateral balloon injury, bilateral 3 Gy × 10 daily fractions. Results and Conclusions. All three radiation groups demonstrated a clear inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia. We therefore offer evidence for the effectiveness of fractionated radiation as a means to inhibit vascular restenosis in a rat carotid model. However, the 3 Gy × 5 schedule was less effective than either the 3 Gy × 10 schedule or the 15 Gy single dose. This study must be repeated using longer time points to provide proof of principle.
Model of the Long Island Sound outflow: Comparison with year-long HF radar and Doppler current observations

A three-dimensional primitive-equation model is used to simulate the Long Island Sound (LIS) outflow for a 1-year (2001) period. The model domain includes LIS and New York Bight (NYB). Tidal and wind forcing are included, and seasonal salinity and temperature variations are assimilated. The model results are validated with the HF radar, moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and ferry-based ADCP observations. The agreement between simulated and observed flow patterns generally is very good. The difference in seasonal mean currents between the model and moored ADCP is about 0.01 m/s; the correlation of dominant velocity fluctuations between the model and HF radar is 0.83; and the difference in mean LIS transport between the model and shipboard ADCP is about 5%. However, the model predicts a prominent tidally generated headland eddy not supported by the HF radar observation. The model sensitivity study indicates that the tides, winds, and ambient coastal front all have important impact on the buoyant outflow. The tides and winds cause stronger vertical mixing, which reduces the surface plume strength. The ambient coastal front, on the other hand, tends to enhance the plume.
Abstract 5363: Genotoxicity of trace level of hexavalent chromium existing in city water

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Tens of millions of Americans consume trace amounts of potentially toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) through drinking city water every day. According to the studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group, 89% of the water samples from U.S. cities are contaminated with Cr(VI) at levels ranging from 0.03 to 12.9 μg/L. While trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) is among the essential trace elements for normal carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism in humans, Cr(VI) has been extensively studied as a toxic heavy metal ion. Cr(VI) is a well-known human carcinogen by inhalation; in contrast, it is a rodent carcinogen by ingestion of extremely high doses (57,300 μg/L or higher) in drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and other regulatory agencies in the world have set the maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for total Cr or Cr(VI) in human drinking water at 50 or 100 μg/L, although the USEPA is currently re-evaluating these regulations. The mechanism by which Cr(VI) causes genotoxicity is well-characterized at concentrations equivalent to current regulatory levels or higher. The genotoxic mode of action of Cr(VI) appears to be due to the intracellular reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) leading to the formation of a ternary complex between DNA, Cr(III), and intracellular reducing molecules. However, little information is available regarding the biological effects of Cr(VI) at doses lower than 100 μg/L. In this study, we investigated the effects of Cr(VI) at nanomolar ranges (1 μg/L or higher) on the DNA damage response in isogenic cultured cells deficient in various DNA repair genes. Here we show that the DNA damage response is observed after a three-day incubation with Cr(VI) at 2-5 μg/L (ppb), which is lower than the Cr(VI) concentrations detected in some of city water in the US. Strikingly, the genotoxicity of Cr(VI) decreased ∼3000 times depending on its incubation time, ranging from three days to ten minutes. Our dose- and time-dependent Cr(VI) genotoxicity results, combined with the estimated transit time of Cr(VI) in the digestive tracts of humans, strongly suggest that trace amounts of Cr(VI) in drinking water at levels 12.9 μg/L or lower are unlikely to cause a significant impact on inducing carcinogenicity in the oral cavity and small intestine. Citation Format: Xu Tian, Keyur Patel, John R. Ridpath, James A. Swenberg, Jun Nakamura. Genotoxicity of trace level of hexavalent chromium existing in city water. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5363. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5363
Versatile Low Cost Laboratory Switches

The need exists for a versatile, low cost switch which is readily adaptable to the ever changing facilities in high energy research laboratories. Two modular laboratory switches have been developed at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D. C. Switches may be easily fabricated within the laboratory with a wide choice of features from a basic design and inventory of parts. Precision machining for fabrication or special materials are not required. The first switch discussed has a self-inductance of approximately 40 nanohenries and operates over a voltage range from zero to 60 kilovolts. It is capable of switching from 1 to 500 joules with a life expectancy in excess of 25,000 shots. The second switch extends the energy range from 500 joules to 5 kilojoules with a reduced life expectancy corresponding to the increasing energy. It can be operated up to 20 kilovolts and peak currents to 250 kiloamps. This switch fits directly into any parallel plate arrangement providing low inductance (less than 20 nanohenries) for the switch and its terminals. All inclusive tests to determine the ultimate performance for all switch characteristics have not been made due to the variety of switch configurations. However, test results are presented which show typical performance characteristics as well as switch limitations.
Notch ligand endocytosis: mechanistic basis of signaling activity.

Regulation of Notch signaling is critical to development and maintenance of most eukaryotic organisms. The Notch receptors and ligands are integral membrane proteins and direct cell–cell interactions are needed to activate signaling. Ligand-expressing cells activate Notch signaling through an unusual mechanism involving Notch proteolysis to release the intracellular domain from the membrane, allowing the Notch receptor to function directly as the downstream signal transducer. In the absence of ligand, the Notch receptor is maintained in an autoinhibited, protease resistant state. Genetic studies suggest that Notch ligands require ubiquitylation, epsin endocytic adaptors and dynamin-dependent endocytosis for signaling activity. Here we discuss potential models and supporting evidence to account for the absolute requirement for ligand endocytosis to activate signaling in Notch cells. Specifically, we focus on a role for ligand-mediated endocytic force to unfold Notch, override the autoinhibited state, and activate proteolysis to direct Notch-specific cellular responses.
Battered Women at Risk: A Rejoinder to Jacquelyn Hauser's and Jacquelyn Campbell's Commentaries on “R & B”

I am grateful to Jacquelyn Hauser and Jacquelyn Campbell for responding so thoughtfully to the dialogue I wrote concerning fatality review. In writing “R & B” as a fictionalized conversation, I wanted to explore issues that are perhaps more difficult to get at using traditional scholarly devices. The commentators target different aspects of the dialogue. Hauser (2005) focuses on the tensions between the researcher (R) and the battered woman (B) over battered women’s role in fatality review. Campbell (2005) concentrates on the points raised about risk assessment. Both are important issues for fatality review, and I will address them separately, although they are clearly linked. In the dialogue, B’s concern is that battered women are not adequately represented on teams. She is aware that women who have been battered serve on teams, often as advocates for battered women or in some other professional capacity. However, few teams actively seek the feedback of battered women. In the dialogue, R mentions the West Palm Beach, Florida, team that has found it beneficial to obtain feedback from a thrivers’ group. This support group of battered women provided the team with insights that team members probably could not have got by any other means. Formerly battered women on the team and other West Palm Beach team members appreciated these insights because in many ways, they were closer to the street and more in touch with contemporary compromises facing victims. The value of the thrivers’ insights lay not in the fact that they were more
Modeling of single catalyst particle in cathode of PEM fuel cells

Abstract A microscopic catalyst model is proposed for predicting the local mass diffusion of a single catalyst particle in the cathode catalyst layer. The numerical model is employed to obtain a geometric description of the active layer. The cathode catalyst particle model proposed here is based on the microstructure of the catalyst layer. The catalyst particle is treated as many small platinum particles (1–10.0 nm) embedded in the larger carbon particle support (30–100 nm). This assembly is surrounded by an ionomer film with thickness ranging from 0.5 nm to 10.0 nm. The modeling results confirm that the platinum particle size, platinum loading and ionomer thickness can each play an important role on local mass and charge transport in the PEM fuel cell catalyst particle agglomerate. The local spherical diffusion, reactant distribution and electrochemical kinetics are strongly influenced by particle size, platinum loading and ionomer thickness.
Inter-rater Reliability of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV in High-Functioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The present study examined inter-rater agreement on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule DSM-IV Child and Parent Interview (ADIS-IV-C/P) in high-functioning youth with autism spectrum disorder and if age and ASD diagnosis moderated agreement. Diagnoses established for 70 7 to 16-year-old youth with ASD during a live administration of the ADIS-IV-C/P were compared to diagnoses identified by a second rater after listening to audiotaped recordings of the interviews. Clinician-to-clinician agreement on individual parent and child reports was excellent (k = 1.00). Inter-rater agreement on principal diagnoses (k = 0.91), individual anxiety diagnoses (k = 0.85–0.97), and other comorbid diagnoses (i.e., major depressive disorder, dysthymia, oppositional defiant disorder) (k = 0.89–1.00) were excellent; agreement did not differ as a function of ASD diagnosis or age. Results suggest good to excellent inter-rater agreement for disorders assessed by the ADIS-IV-C/P.
Mars - Satellite origin and angular momentum

The origin of Phobos and Deimos is considered with a view to accounting for the existence of very small satellites with circular orbits in the Martian equatorial plane, and simultaneously for the suspected angular momentum deficiency of the Mars system. All models considered failed to satisfy at least one requirement, and the problem is considered more puzzling than is at first apparent. The Martian angular momentum deficiency, if physically significant, may be unrelated to the present satellites' origin, but might relate to a large ancient satellite, long ago destroyed. Accretion onto Mars of large amounts of asteroidal dust brought in by Poynting-Robertson drag may have some bearing on the angular momentum problem.
Spectroscopic survey telescope design: II. Tracking geometry

ABSTRACT Penn State University and the University of Texas are collaborating on an Arecibo-type opticaltelescope to be employed in a semi-transit mode for spectroscopic survey work. This telescope, clampedfirmly to its foundation during observation, will employ a 5-axis servo-mechanism in the telescope'supper section to track an object's image locus on the focal sphere. Once the telescope is clamped in anazimuth position, a transit time for each object relative to the telescope's structure may be determined,and therefore a strategy may be derived for driving the fiber-carrying optical head into conjunction with the image locus. The transit time is defined as the time when the image crosses the "transit" plane containing the primary mirror's center of curvature and normal to the central tangent of the image locus.The trigonometric mappingbetween the hour angle and declination functions of each object and the five coordinates x, y, 0, p, and PZ , (representing
Ultrastructure of carotenoid deprivation in photoreceptors of Manduca sexta: myeloid bodies and intracellular microvilli

The ultrastructural effects of carotenoid (vitamin A) deprivation were studied in the adult photoreceptors of the tobacco hornworm moth Manduca sexta. Moths were reared on a “deprived” diet, which lacked the carotenoid sources of the photopigment chromophore, 3-hydroxy retinal, or on a control, “fortified” diet, containing ample carotenoid. The latter supported normal levels of visual function, whereas visual pigment and sensitivity were reduced by at least 3 log units in moths reared on the deprived diet. Myeloid bodies, massed cisternae of hypertrophied smooth endomembrane, filled the cytoplasm in the receptors of deprived animals. The myeloid bodies assumed various configurations that included lamellate stacks of parallel cisternae, and tubular networks in a “paracrystalline” form. Freeze-fracture preparations of myeloid membranes revealed a high density of P-face particles. Vacuoles containing microvilli similar to those of the rhabdomere were also present in deprived photoreceptors. We suggest that the elaboration of smooth endoplasmic reticulum as myeloid bodies in chromophore-deprived photoreceptors may stem from the hypertrophy of a biochemical system for processing the chromophore or the interruption of the intracellular pathway that normally carries visual pigment to the rhabdomere.
Extensions to Pedigree Analysis

A computer method for calculating recurrence under the polygenic threshold model is explained. This approach permits accurate risk evaluation for pedigrees of arbitrary structure and large enough size