cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutational analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SNF1 protein kinase and evidence for functional interaction with the SNF4 protein.

Abstract The SNF1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a protein-serine/threonine kinase that is required for derepression of gene expression in response to glucose limitation. We present evidence that the protein kinase activity is essential for SNF1 function: substitution of Arg for Lys in the putative ATP-binding site results in a mutant phenotype. A polyhistidine tract near the N terminus was found to be dispensable. Deletion of the large region C terminal to the kinase domain only partially impaired SNF1 function, causing expression of invertase to be somewhat reduced but still glucose repressible. The function of the SNF4 gene, another component of the regulatory system, was required for maximal in vitro activity of the SNF1 protein kinase. Increased SNF1 gene dosage partially alleviated the requirement for SNF4. C-terminal deletions of SNF1 also reduced dependence on SNF4. Our findings suggest that SNF4 acts as a positive effector of the kinase but does not serve a regulatory function in signaling glucose availability.
TANG XIANZU'S (1550–1616) PEONY PAVILION AND TAIZHOU PHILOSOPHY: A PERSPECTIVE FROM INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

This paper explores how intellectual trends, specifically the ideas of the Taizhou movement, of the sixteenth century fostered the rising literary theme of qing. Taking Tang Xianzu’s Peony Pavilion as a case study, the paper first compares Tang’s play with its predecessor, a promptbook version circulated in the early sixteenth century, to identify the new ideas that Tang developed in his play; it then traces these ideas back to the Taizhou school’s philosophy. The study proposes that the evolution of such seminal ideas as xing (nature), qing (love, or emotions), and li (ritual propriety) within the Taizhou school provided the conceptual bases for Tang to develop his signature play. Sharing with the Taizhou scholars’ enthusiasm in public lectures and discussions (jiangxue), Tang regarded his drama as another style of jiangxue to convey his idea of qing to a wide audience.
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is a highly organized multienzyme complex that plays a key role in glucose metabolism providing a direct link between glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. PDC is tightly regulated according to changing demands in glucose consumption in different tissues and under different nutritional and pathophysiological conditions. Keywords: pyruvate dehydrogenase; regulation by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation; genetic defects; pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency; glucose metabolism
Liposome-mediated immunoassays for small haptens (digoxin) independent of complement

Abstract A lipid vesicle-mediated immunoassay for small haptens (digoxin) is described. Using a detergent removal procedure for vesicle formation, a water-soluble marker system like alkaline phosphatase is stably entrapped within 150–200 nm unilamellar lipid vesicles composed of egg yolk lecithin and cholesterol. Specific lysis of the lipid vesicles is achieved upon addition of a hapten-melittin conjugate. Inhibition or modulation of this lysis by the hapten-melittin conjugate can then be achieved by adding stoichiometric amounts of high affinity antibody. Finally, the antibody inhibition of hapten-melittin lysis can be modulated by the addition of competing amounts of free hapten. This assay approach is simple, fast, highly sensitive, and versatile such that it can be carried out in either a homogeneous or heterogeneous mode. Furthermore, unlike all other liposome-mediated immunoassays, complement is not required for lysis.
Strategic Thinking About the Russian Far East: A Resurgent Russia Eyes Its Future in Northeast Asia

Moscow is more interested in blocking U.S. influence in Asia than in promoting regional integration.
Evaluation of the use of an induced puripotent stem cell sheet for the construction of tissue-engineered vascular grafts.

Objective The development of a living, tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) holds great promise for advancing the field of cardiovascular surgery. However, the ultimate source and time needed to procure these cells remain problematic. Induced puripotent stem (iPS) cells have recently been developed and have the potential for creating a pluripotent cell line from a patient's own somatic cells. In the present study, we evaluated the use of a sheet created from iPS cell–derived vascular cells as a potential source for the construction of TEVG. Methods Male mouse iPS cells were differentiated into embryoid bodies using the hanging-drop method. Cell differentiation was confirmed by a decrease in the proportion of SSEA-1–positive cells over time using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The expression of endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell markers was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The differentiated iPS cell sheet was made using temperature-responsive dishes and then seeded onto a biodegradable scaffold composed of polyglycolic acid–poly-l-lactide and poly(l-lactide-co-e-caprolactone) with a diameter of 0.8 mm. These scaffolds were implanted as interposition grafts in the inferior vena cava of female severe combined immunodeficiency/beige mice (n = 15). Graft function was serially monitored using ultrasonography. The grafts were analyzed at 1, 4, and 10 weeks with histologic examination and immunohistochemistry. The behavior of seeded differentiated iPS cells was tracked using Y-chromosome fluorescent in situ hybridization and SRY real-time PCR. Results All mice survived without thrombosis, aneurysm formation, graft rupture, or calcification. PCR evaluation of iPS cell sheets in vitro demonstrated increased expression of endothelial cell markers. Histologic evaluation of the grafts demonstrated endothelialization with von Willebrand factor and an inner layer with smooth muscle actin- and calponin-positive cells at 10 weeks. The number of seeded differentiated iPS cells was found to decrease over time using real-time PCR (42.2% at 1 week, 10.4% at 4 weeks, 9.8% at 10 weeks). A fraction of the iPS cells were found to be Y-chromosome fluorescent positive at 1 week. No iPS cells were found to co-localize with von Willebrand factor or smooth muscle actin-positive cells at 10 weeks. Conclusions Differentiated iPS cells offer an alternative cell source for constructing TEVG. Seeded iPS cells exerted a paracrine effect to induce neotissue formation in the acute phase and were reduced in number by apoptosis at later time points. Sheet seeding of our TEVG represents a viable mode of iPS cell delivery over time.
Routine reimplantation of patent inferior mesenteric arteries limits colon infarction after aortic reconstruction

Abstract Ischemic colitis resulting in colonic infarction after aortic reconstruction is a highly lethal complication. Reimplantation of all patent inferior mesenteric arteries should improve this problem but can be justified only if the procedure is effective and safe. To investigate this, 337 aortic reconstructions done between July 1982 and May 1989 were reviewed. Patent inferior mesenteric arteries had been reimplanted when possible during 151 aortic reconstructions done between April 1986 and May 1989. Before this, patent inferior mesenteric arteries were selectively ligated on the basis of intraoperative bowel inspection, colonic mesenteric Doppler signals, and inferior mesenteric arteries stump pressures during 186 aortic procedures. No patient had colonic infarction as a result of ischemia during the period in which patent inferior mesenteric arteries were reimplanted if possible. In contrast, five patients (2.7%; p J Vasc Surg 1992;15:635–41.)
Pharmacologic attenuation of pelvic pain in a murine model of interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) is a bladder disease that causes debilitating pelvic pain of unknown origin, and IC/PBS symptoms correlate with elevated bladder lamina propria mast cell counts. Similar to IC/PBS patients, pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in mice induces a neurogenic cystitis associated with bladder lamina propria mast cell accumulation and pelvic pain. We evaluated several drugs to determine the effectiveness of reducing PRV-induced pelvic pain. Neurogenic cystitis was induced by the injection of Bartha's strain of PRV into the abductor caudalis dorsalis tail base muscle of female C57BL/6 mice. Therapeutic modulation of pelvic pain was assessed daily for five days using von Frey filament stimulation to the pelvic region to quantify tactile allodynia. Significant reduction of PRV-induced pelvic pain was observed for animals treated with antagonists of neurokinin receptor 1 (NK1R) and histamine receptors. In contrast, the H1R antagonist hydroxyzine, proton pump inhibitors, a histamine receptor 3 agonist, and gabapentin had little or no effect on PRV-induced pelvic pain. These data demonstrate that bladder-associated pelvic pain is attenuated by antagonists of NK1R and H2R. Therefore, NK1R and H2Rrepresent direct therapeutic targets for pain in IC/PBS and potentially other chronic pain conditions.
Determination of the mixing angle θ13θ13

The phenomenon of neutrino flavor oscillations is now experimentally well established (R.D. McKeown and P. Vogel, 2004 [15]). The neutrino mixing matrix depends upon 3 mixing angles and a CP-violating phase. Two of the mixing angles have been measured but the last mixing angle, known as θ_(13), has not yet been experimentally determined to be non-zero. A variety of experimental efforts are underway to attempt establishing a well-determined finite value for θ_(13), and future experiments to further our knowledge of this angle are being proposed. I present an overview of the status of this experimental program to measure θ_(13).
The kinetics of colony-stimulating activity elaboration from human bone marrow cells by immunoadjuvants: Interactions between light density adherent and nonadherent cells in vitro

To examine the myelopoietic activity of immunoadjuvants like Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), methanol extraction residue of BCG (MER), Corynebacterium parvum and Pyran, we performed experiments to delineate their action on human marrow cells. Whole light-density (<1.077 g/ml) cells (LD) (2 × 106/ml and 2 ml/dish), adherent (Ad) cells, and nonadherent (N-Ad) cells alone (derived from 4 × 106 LD cells/dish) from human marrow were incubated with and without the above agents. The conditioned media (CM) were harvested at 24, 72, 96 and 168 h and colony-stimulating activity (CSA) assayed against light-density nonadherent human marrow cells (0.5 × 105or 1.0 × 105 per dish). Maximum CSA elaboration was shown to occur after 72 or 96 of incubation, and an invariable drop in the activity was noted after an incubation of 168 h. The optimal concentrations elaborating maximum CSA for BCG, MER and C. parvum were 1000, 100 and 10 μg/ml, respectively. The CM prepared with higher concentrations were less active. Pyran-produced CM were found to be inactive for CSA. The CSA elaborated from LD cells was always more than additive to that from Ad and N-Ad cells when incubated separately. However, when Ad and N-Ad cells were incubated together (ratio 1:3), the CSA in CM was as potent as from LD cells. Immunoadjuvants themselves had no colony-stimulating effect on N-Ad target cells in the presence of CSA source. On the other hand, they inhibited colony growth at higher concentrations. This inhibition seems to be due partly to the products of the cycloxigenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism.
While a Monkey Waits: Electrocortical Events Recorded During the Foreperiod of a Reaction Time Study

Abstract Electrical potentials in frontal, motor and parietal cortex of young rhesus monkeys during three foreperiod reaction time tasks were studied using transcortical Pt-PtCl electrodes, long time-constant amplifiers and computer-averaging techniques. A prominent positive-negative-positive wave form was observed maximally in postcentral cortex when monkeys held a key down during a fixed interval between two stimuli. When response was withheld until the second stimulus, sustained negativity occurred frontally but not postcentrally. The relationship of contingent negative variation, motor potentials and the observed electrocortical patterns is discussed.
Searching for CP violation in ``charge-blind'' jets

Although it is difficult to determine the identity of the parent parton of hadronic jets produced in high-energy particle-antiparticle collisions, ‘‘charge-blind’’ jets, those where such information is not determined, may still be used to obtain CP-violating correlations. In this paper, I provide a general method for determining which correlations may be used as signatures of CP violation.
Underassessed phosphorus fixation mechanisms in soil sand fraction

Abstract Eutrophication caused by phosphorus (P) rich leachate from sandy soils has been one of the major agro-environmental issues in the world. In predicting P bioavailability in soils, P reactivity in soil clay fractions (e.g., iron oxyhydroxides) has been a major focus of soil chemistry research in the past. However, the role of sand fraction has been rarely investigated to accurately understand the retention and release mechanisms of P in soils, and remains poorly understood. In this case study, we report here on macroscopic and spectroscopic evidence for environmentally important P partitioning mechanisms in soil sand fractions. In the high P sandy soils, total desorbable P from the sand fraction was as high as ~ 50% of total desorbable P from the whole soils, and these bioavailable P were associated with ammonium oxalate extractable Al and Fe. Scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis further revealed that P was associated with amorphous mixed Fe/Al/Si precipitates in the sand grain coating, and was not present with crystalline iron oxyhydroxides like goethite. Bulk- and microfocused-Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis showed that average FeO 6 coordination environments in the grain coating did not exactly coincide with that in synthetic goethite, hematite, and ferrihydrite. The coordination numbers of second and third Fe shells were slightly larger/smaller than those in reference iron oxyhydroxides (hematite and goethite), suggesting the perturbation of local chemical structure of FeO 6 linkages by Si/Al/P. Our research findings suggest that amorphous Al/Si/Fe grain coatings in soil sand fractions might be important in predicting the release of labile P in the surface and subsurface environment.
Recidivism among female DUI offenders in a Midwestern American city

Abstract Women who were arrested in Wichita, Kansas more than once during a five year period for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) were compared with those who did not recidivate. Recidivists constituted 7.45 percent of the entire sample, suggesting that arrest for DUI may have been an effective deterrent of subsequent offenses. Both groups were largely composed of unmarried women in their twenties and thirties who were highly intoxicated. Although nonrecidivists were more likely to have recieved three or more charges, recidivists were more likely to have been sent to jail on their first offense during the period. The data suggest that the recidivist group may have been composed of a substantial proportion of problem-drinking or alcoholic women, who might benefit from referral to alcoholism treatment programs.
An extractable collagenase from crustacean hepatopancreas

Abstract An enzyme capable of degrading native collagen under physiologic conditions has been extracted from the hepatopancreas of a crustacean, Uca pugilator . The collagenase acts on native collagen fibrils and on collagen in solution. At 25° the enzyme is capable of producing a marked reduction in the specific viscosity of collagen with no loss of optical rotation, indicating the ability of this enzyme to cleave the native collagen helix without producing denaturation. Collagenolytic activity, as investigated by disc electrophoresis, results in the production of numerous new components below the original α band. Three fragments, 75% (TC A 75 ), 70% (TC A 70 ) and 67% (TC A 67 ) the molecular length from the “A” or N-terminal end of the molecule, have been identified in electron micrographs of segment-long-spacing crystallites prepared from enzyme-collagen reaction mixtures. Crude collagenase preparations from this digestive organ also contain significant chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activities. The cleavage by hepatopancreas extracts of peptide bonds in the nonhelical, N-terminal region of collagen, at or near the intramolecular cross-link, may be due to the action of chymotrypsin on collagen. Chymotrypsin, however, is unable to degrade α chains further at 25°. Trypsin has little effect on the viscosity of collagen in solution at concentrations equivalent to those present in hepatopancreas extracts. At these concentrations trypsin is unable to reduce the content of cross-linked components in collagen or catalyze cleavages in the native helix. In addition, the ability of hepatopancreas extracts, but not chymotrypsin or trypsin, to degrade collagen in fibrillar form further indicates the presence of a true collagenase in crustacean hepatopancreas.
Genetics and reproduction in the pig

Abstract Maintaining high levels of reproductive efficiency is essential to modern pork production. Several reproductive traits such as ovulation rate, embryo survival, number born, number weaned and age at puberty in the female and testicular size and libido in the male are important. Genetics play an integral role in the control of these reproductive traits. The purpose of this article is to critically review the reproductive processes that are under genetic control and to discuss molecular and quantitative genetic techniques to genetically improve reproductive efficiency.
Phosphoproteomics reveals distinct modes of Mec1/ATR signaling during DNA replication.

Summary The Mec1/Tel1 kinases (human ATR/ATM) play numerous roles in the DNA replication stress response. Despite the multi-functionality of these kinases, studies of their in vivo action have mostly relied on a few well-established substrates. Here we employed a combined genetic-phosphoproteomic approach to monitor Mec1/Tel1 signaling in a systematic, unbiased, and quantitative manner. Unexpectedly, we find that Mec1 is highly active during normal DNA replication, at levels comparable or higher than Mec1's activation state induced by replication stress. This "replication-correlated" mode of Mec1 action requires the 9-1-1 clamp and the Dna2 lagging-strand factor and is distinguishable from Mec1's action in activating the downstream kinase Rad53. We propose that Mec1/ATR performs key functions during ongoing DNA synthesis that are distinct from their canonical checkpoint role during replication stress.
Multimeric intermediates in the pathway to the aggregated inclusion body state for P22 tailspike polypeptide chains

The failure of newly synthesized polypeptide chains to reach the native conformation due to their accumulation as inclusion bodies is a serious problem in biotechnology. The critical intermediate at the junction between the productive folding and the inclusion body pathway has been previously identified for the P22 tailspike endorham-nosidase. We have been able to trap subsequent intermediates in the in vitro pathway to the aggregated inclusion body state. Nondenaturing gel electrophoresis identified a sequential series of multimeric intermediates in the aggregation pathway. These represent discrete species formed from noncovalent association of partially folded intermediates rather than aggregation of native-like trimeric species. Monomer, dimer, trimer, tetramer, pentamer, and hexamer states of the partially folded species were populated in the initial stages of the aggregation reaction. This methodology of isolating early multimers along the aggregation pathway was applicable to other proteins, such as the P22 coat protein and carbonic anhydrase II.
Intensified warming of the Arctic: Causes and impacts on middle latitudes

Over the past half century, the Arctic has warmed at about twice the global rate. The reduction of sea ice and snow cover has contributed to the high-latitude warming, as the maximum of the amplification during autumn is a fingerprint of the ice-albedo feedback. There is evidence that atmospheric water vapor, a greenhouse gas, has increased in the Arctic over the past several decades. Ocean heat fluxes into the Arctic from the North Atlantic and North Pacific have also contributed to the Arctic warming through a reduction of sea ice. Observational and modeling studies suggest that reduced sea ice cover and a warmer Arctic in autumn may affect the middle latitudes by weakening the west-to-east wind speeds in the upper atmosphere, by increasing the frequency of wintertime blocking events that in turn lead to persistence or slower propagation of anomalous temperatures in middle latitudes, and by increasing continental snow cover that can in turn influence the atmospheric circulation. While these effects on middle latitudes have been suggested by some analyses, natural variability has thus far precluded a conclusive demonstration of an impact of the Arctic on mid-latitude weather and climate.
Swimming behaviour of juvenile Pacific lamprey, Lampetra tridentata

We collected actively migrating juvenile Pacific lamprey Lampetra tridentata [Richardson, J. 1836. Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the zoology of the northern parts of British America: containing descriptions of the objects of natural history collected on the late northern land expeditions, under the command of Sir John Franklin. R.N., Fauna Boreali-Americana, 327 pp.] from hydroelectric bypass facilities in the Columbia River and transferred them to the laboratory to study diel movement patterns and swimming ability. Volitional movement of lamprey was restricted mainly to night, with 94% of all swimming activity occurring during the 12 h dark period. Burst speed of juvenile lamprey (mean length 136 ± 5 mm SD) ranged from 56 to 94 cm s−1 with a mean of 71 ± 5 SD cm s−1 or an average speed of 5.2 s−1 body lengths (BL). Sustained swim speed for 5 min test intervals ranged from 0 to 46 cm s−1 with a median of 23 cm s−1. Critical swimming speed was 36.0 ± 10.0 SD cm s−1 and 2.4 ± 0.6 SD BL s−1. We found no significant relationship between fish length and critical swimming speed. These findings show that swimming performance of juvenile Pacific lamprey is low compared to anadromous teleosts. Their poor swimming ability provides a challenge when they encounter man-made structures and reservoirs during the freshwater migration interval downstream to the Pacific Ocean.
Complexes of (ethylenediamine)Pd(II) with uridine and cytidine. Occurrence of hydroxo bridged and anionic cytosine ring bridged complexes

In solutions containing a 1:2 mixture of enPd2+ and either uridine or cytidine the expected 1:2 complexes BMB predominate over a wide pH range. A mixed complex with each base is more stable than expected statistically. In equimolar solutions five complexes are observed with uridine and seven with cytidine. There occurs with uridine the simple hydroxo complex BMOH and the hydroxo bridged complexes BMOHMB and BMOHMOH. With cytidine the hydroxo complexes occur to only a small extent as they are replaced by the more stable dibridged (MA)2 complex where two anionic cytosine rings bridge through N3 and a deprotonated amino N4 nitrogen two enPd2+. A planar complex with a single bridging anionic cytosine ring and a hydroxo bridge, MA(OH)M, also occurs. For both cytidine and 5′-CMP the dibridged anionic cytosine ring complex (MA)2 has been observed and identified for the first time in three distinct isomeric forms. Two head-to-tail diastereomers and the head-to-head isomer exhibit different proton chemical shifts. When equilibrium is finally achieved, Pt(II) binds nucleic bases about 30 times more strongly than Pd(II).
Solution Chemistry of Silicate and Borate Materials

Reactions which create and destroy Si-O-Si, Si-O-B, and B-O-B bonds occur in leached layers on borosilicate glasses during glass dissolution. Solid state NMR, Raman, and TEM techniques have been used to determine the distribution of species formed in leached layers as a function of solution pH and the mechanisms of glass-water reactions. The chemical principles which govern the reactivity of silicate and borate bonds in leached layers appear to be similar to those which govern the formation of silicate and borate gels via sol-gel techniques.
Polymer melting: heating rate effects on DSC melting peaks

Abstract The effect of heating rate on DSC peak shape has been investigated using Gray's model. Theoretical DSC melting curves for small samples with sharp transition temperatures were created and compared with DSC melting curves from pure indium samples. Good agreement was found between theoretical curves and experimental indium DSC peaks. As heating rate increases, there is an increase in both peak height and the time necessary for the sample to catch up with the programmed temperature. For pure indium samples the slope of the leading edge of the first half-peak shows no variation with increase in heating rate when plotted versus temperature. With increasing heating rate the melting peak appears narrower when heat flow is plotted versus time, and broader when plotted against temperature. Peak height dependence on heating rate was found to be somewhat more noticeable at lower heating rates than at higher rates. However, samples formed from a mixture of polyethylene (PE) and indium powder had melting curves that are quite different from those of pure indium. Significant variation in the slope of the first half-peak with heating rate results from changes in thermal resistance from sample surface to the interior. This information helps develop our understanding of, and aids in interpreting, ordinary DSC results.
Examination of the relationship between obesity and suicidal ideation

The relationship between obesity and suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) is not well understood, and conventional suicide risk factors do not adequately explain the associations observed. Thus, the current study aimed to further examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI; kg m−2) and suicidal ideation as well as potential mechanisms of this relationship. Two hundred seventy-one adults (n=151 undergraduates; n=120 obesity treatment participants) completed self-report questionnaires assessing relevant variables, including suicidal ideation, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness and current height/weight used to calculate BMI. There was a significant, quadratic relationship between BMI and suicidal ideation (b=0.001, t=2.21, P=0.03, partial r=0.14) and between BMI and perceived burdensomeness (b=0.003, t=2.50, P=0.013, partial r=0.16), such that as BMI increased, these positive associations became more pronounced. Additionally, perceived burdensomeness partially mediated the relationship between BMI and suicidal ideation. Individuals with a higher BMI demonstrated increased suicidal ideation as well as greater feelings of perceived burdensomeness. These results provide novel information regarding potential mechanisms explaining the obesity-suicidal ideation association.
Metabolism of free and conjugated 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in normal subjects.

INTRODUCTION CONSIDERABLE information concerning the metabolism of the 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) has accumulated as a result of the introduction of methods for measuring the free material in various body fluids (1). However, a sizable fraction of the total 17-OHCS in the plasma and the major portion of the 17-OHCS in the urine are not measured by these methods because the corticoids are esterified with glucuronic acid. The recent development of methods for the estimation of 17-OHCS conjugated with glucuronic acid (2) has made possible an extension of our knowledge of 17-OHCS metabolism. Techniques for the measurement of free and conjugated 17-OHCS have been employed in our laboratory to study 17-OHCS metabolism in a variety of clinical situations. The results of such studies in normal human subjects arc presented in this communication. These observations will be compared in subsequent papers with observations made in patients with thyroid (3), liver (4) and kidney (5) disease.
Benzyl 5-{2-[2-(diethoxy­phosphinoyl)­acetyl]-3-oxo-7-thia-2,4-di­aza­bi­cyclo­[3.3.0]­oct-6-yl}pentanoate, a novel biotin derivative

The title compound, C23H33N2O7PS, has its phospho­no­acetate carbonyl group rotated slightly out of the plane of the ureido ring, with a C—N—C—O torsion angle of −6.9 (4)°. The sulfur-containing ring has an envelope conformation, while the ureido ring is nearly planar.
Assessing frequency effects on verb inflection use by Spanish-speaking individuals with agrammatism: theoretical and clinical implications.

The resistance of high-frequency linguistic elements to aphasic impairment suggests that frequency of occurrence may be implicated in verb use differences in agrammatic aphasia. The highly-inflected Spanish verb system allows for the examination of frequency of occurrence along two main metrics, daily usage frequency and paradigmatic frequency. In this study, we explored the role of those two frequency dimensions in verb repetition by Spanish speakers with agrammatism. Six native Spanish-speaking individuals with agrammatic oral expression were matched for age, education and Spanish dialect with six speakers with typical language. The speakers participated in a sentence repetition task involving simple verb tenses. Results revealed that high frequency in daily usage can have a stronger facilitating effect on verb repetition than paradigmatic frequency. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed to highlight some plausible repercussions of typical discourse patterns in providing a ...
Premarital sexual permissiveness of American and Chinese college students: A cross‐cultural comparison

Employing the Reiss scale of premarital permissiveness, the author compared attitudes toward kissing, petting and coitus among American and Chinese college students. The data were composed of self‐administered questionnaires completed in class by 227 students in a state university in Texas, and by 708 students in a national university in Taiwan. As expected, Chinese students were far less permissive than American students. The pattern of less permissiveness for females than for males was preserved across the two cultures. Chinese students tended to follow the traditional code of sexual mores, while their American counterparts tended to follow the code of “permissiveness with affection.” Explanations are proffered and speculations are attempted for the Sino‐American disparities in permissiveness by selected social variables.
TRANSPLANTABLE EPITHELIOMAS OF THE LIP AND MOUTH OF CATFISH I. PATHOLOGY. TRANSPLANTATION TO ANTERIOR CHAMBER OF EYE AND INTO CORNEA

The catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus) taken from streams near Philadelphia, is commonly afflicted with an epithelial tumor bearing some resemblance to epithelioma of the lip in man. This neoplasm usually occurs as solitary or multiple, large, red, fleshy masses upon the lips or dental plates, and by reason of its size, may prevent closure of the mouth. The tumor is comprised of epithelial cells, often in papillary arrangement, supported by a delicate vascularized connective tissue stroma. The larger growths frequently invade adjacent normal tissues and force their way into vessels where they are found as emboli. The clinical course of the tumor is one of relatively slow but progressive growth. This neoplasm has been observed from the time of its inception in a number of animals. Thus it has been learned that the proliferative stage of the neoplastic process is preceded and accompanied by a striking vascular reaction. Intense hyperemia invariably occurs in that region of the mucosal surface which later becomes the site of neoplastic proliferation. Furthermore, by direct microscopic observation of the living tumors the atypical structure and arrangement of the blood vessels become apparent. A study of the significance of these vascular phenomena in their relation to the inception and growth of the tumor is now in progress. It has been found possible to transmit the catfish tumor to fish of the same species by implanting fragments of the tumor into the anterior chamber of the eye. Also, by taking advantage of an anatomical peculiarity of the catfish cornea, it has been possible to embed the tumor fragments in normal tissue where it could still be readily observed both in the gross and microscopically. The growth of the transplants in the eye has been followed by periodic examination of the living tumor by means of the slit lamp microscope. In the anterior chamber, the tumor characteristically forms dense membranes which spread over the inner surface of the cornea. In this manner growth continues until the tumor fills the chamber. Between the two layers of the cornea, tumor growth is expansive. Attempts to transplant the tumor to the anterior chamber of two other species of fish and to frogs, were unsuccessful. Implantation of the catfish epithelioma in alien species of fish excited no exudative response, whereas in a less closely related species of animal, the leopard frog, a pronounced exudative reaction resulted.
Direct First-Order Experiment on the Propagation of Light from a Moving Source

A direct experiment of first order in v/c on the second Einstein postulate that the speed of light is independent of the uniform motion of its source has been performed in the laboratory. A qualitative result is obtained which does not agree with expectation based on the Einstein assumption. The result does accord qualitatively with expectation based on a description in which the relative speed of light is dependent on the uniform motion of the source.
Measuring water-borne cortisol in convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata): is the procedure a stressor?

[Cortisol is an important indicator of health and behavioral state in fishes, and is produced in response to stressors including confinement, handling and social conflict. An inherent difficulty in measuring circulating cortisol is the implementation of invasive procedures that can be potent stressors. Recent studies show that cortisol can be reliably quantified from fish holding water by placing individuals in a small beaker for a predetermined collection period. We investigated whether convict cichlid fish ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) mount a significant stress response to beaker confinement and whether they habituate to the collection method. We also determined the relationship between plasma and water-borne cortisol, and changes in cortisol release rates following handling and cortisol administration. Initial beaker exposure induced high cortisol release rates but cichlids quickly habituated after 3–4 exposures. We revealed significant positive correlations between plasma and water-borne cortisol, and marked increases in water-borne cortisol release rates after cortisol injection that persisted for between 4 and 24 h, depending on the dosage. In conclusion, we provide convincing evidence for the utility and validity of the water-borne collection method to measure cortisol release rates in convict cichlids., Cortisol is an important indicator of health and behavioral state in fishes, and is produced in response to stressors including confinement, handling and social conflict. An inherent difficulty in measuring circulating cortisol is the implementation of invasive procedures that can be potent stressors. Recent studies show that cortisol can be reliably quantified from fish holding water by placing individuals in a small beaker for a predetermined collection period. We investigated whether convict cichlid fish ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) mount a significant stress response to beaker confinement and whether they habituate to the collection method. We also determined the relationship between plasma and water-borne cortisol, and changes in cortisol release rates following handling and cortisol administration. Initial beaker exposure induced high cortisol release rates but cichlids quickly habituated after 3–4 exposures. We revealed significant positive correlations between plasma and water-borne cortisol, and marked increases in water-borne cortisol release rates after cortisol injection that persisted for between 4 and 24 h, depending on the dosage. In conclusion, we provide convincing evidence for the utility and validity of the water-borne collection method to measure cortisol release rates in convict cichlids.]
Unusual cutaneous manifestations of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is a low-grade lymphoproliferative disorder with characteristic histomorphologic features and an identifiable immunophenotype. The skin can be involved in the context of known disease, but cutaneous signs are rarely the presenting findings. Objective Evaluation of unusual clinical cutaneous presentations of B-CLL. Methods We conducted a retrospective case series analysis of 3 patients with unusual cutaneous clinicopathologic presentations of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, including erythematous plaques, angiomatosis/telangiectasia, and erosive skin changes, respectively, without a previous clinical history of chronic lymphocytic lymphoma. Main outcome measures were clinical cutaneous presentations and histopathologic results in the diagnosis of underlying disease. Results In the 3 cases, lesion locations were the lower cheek, lower extremity, and penis (groin region). Histomorphologic testing showed mild to dense perivascular and periadnexal lymphoid aggregates throughout the dermis and extending into the panniculus, consistent with B-CLL. The diagnosis was confirmed with immunohistochemical studies that showed coexpression of CD5 and CD20 in the neoplastic lymphocytic infiltrate. Limitations None. Conclusion Cutaneous manifestations are an uncommon presentation of subclinical B-CLL. Cutaneous changes were the presenting features of underlying lymphoma in all 3 cases, highlighting the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for a lymphoproliferative process in cases with unusual or atypical clinicopathologic features. Additional investigations into the behavior of B-CLL in the skin may elucidate further the evolution of cutaneous lesions in this disease.
Human, but not bovine, photoreceptor outer segments prime human retinal pigment epithelial cells for metabolic activation and massive oxidant release in response to lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ

Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) may contribute to several eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The present study shows that human photoreceptor outer segments (POS) prime human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells for massive ROM release in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-γ. However, no ROM priming of human RPE cells is observed for bovine POS. ROM production appears to be linked with underlying metabolic oscillations involving the hexose monophosphate shunt.
Diagnostic accuracy of quantitative cardiac MRI evaluation compared to stress single-photon-emission computed tomography

Background: Cardiac MRI (cMRI) perfusion is a promising non-invasive tool to assess myocardial ischemia. The accuracy of quantitative cMRI perfusion has been recently demonstrated, but to date no previous study has compared this technique with stress single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) based on cMRI compared with SPECT. Methods: We examined 24 patients who underwent coronary angiography, stress SPECT and cMRI perfusion. Qualitative assessment of both SPECT and cMRI images, quantification of cMRI perfusion, and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) were independently performed. MPR was calculated using Fermi deconvolution technique. Accuracy of quantitative and qualitative data was examined to detect > 50% diameter stenosis (DS) by QCA. Results: Qualitative analysis was obtained in 198 segments and quantitative analysis was performed in 171 segments. Significant coronary artery disease (CAD) was present in 81.8% of patients. Visual cMRI assessment yielded sensitivity of 74.4% and specificity of 79.4% to predict > 50%DS, while SPECT showed sensitivity of 67.4% and specificity of 81.3%. The sensitivity for SPECT in the right coronary artery territory and apex was low compared to cMRI. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of significant CAD were 89.5% and 46.6% for MPR (cutoff 1.92). Area under the curve was 0.75 for MPR (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of qualitative examination of perfusion cardiac MRI and stress SPECT were comparable. The high sensitivity and low operator dependency of quantitative cMRI makes it an attractive tool to evaluate myocardial perfusion.
The birth of an adoptive, foster, or stepmother: Beyond biological mothering attachments.

The Birth of an Adoptive, Foster, or Stepmother: Beyond Biological Mothering Attachments. Barbara Waterman. London and New York: Jessica Kingsley. 2003. 255 pp. ISBN 1-84310-724-4. $24.95 (paper). Barbara Waterman, psychologist-therapist and stepmother to twin girls, has taken on the challenging task of writing about three categories of nonbiological mothers in a relatively brief book. To write a single book that offers insights and practical advice to diverse audiences, including adoptive, foster, and stepmothers, their partners and extended kin, and diverse professionals who work with these families, is an ambitious goal. Although the author reaches outward to these audiences, she also looks inward: At its core, this book is about Waterman's own unsuccessful journey through the "adoption roller coaster" and her taking on the challenging, but cherished, role as a stepmother to adolescent daughters. So, the personal is intertwined with the academic and the practical. This approach is interesting but it does not make for easy reading. Here are the things I like about this book: First, in addition to relying on her own experience as a therapist and stepmother, Waterman "informs" her book with examples and anecdotes from more than 30 adoptive, foster, and stepparents who shared their "collective wisdom" with her. Second, she acknowledges the many ways that families can be built. With wisdom and insight, Waterman discusses "threads" that nonbiological parents ponder and often struggle with alone. In doing so, she challenges commonly held ideas about the meanings of the terms family, mother, and the mother-child attachment. Third, the author offers a kind of road map for forming attachments with their nonbiological children. Fourth, she shows how resources, or the lack thereof, can affect the nature and quality of attachment that emerges between the nonbiological mother and her child. The major weakness of this book is that it is tedious to read. First, the book is structured somewhat atypically. Instead of writing a separate foreword or preface, Waterman chooses to have the first chapter serve this purpose but only in part. In Chapter 1, she also discusses briefly several other topics including the demographics of contemporary families, loss and attachment, mothering versus fathering behaviors, similarities and differences among the nonbiological mothers, and the presence or absence of the biological mother in the lives of the "chosen" children. The last chapter, entitled "Conclusion" is not at all a summary of the major points the author tries to make in the previous eight chapters. For this book, a concluding chapter that identifies and links key points is essential. …
Invariant subspaces of certain subnormal operators

Abstract Let T be a subnormal, nonnormal operator on a Hilbert space and suppose that the point spectrum of T ∗ is empty. Then there exist vectors x ≠ 0 for which (T ∗ − zI) −1 x exists and is weakly continuous for all z. It is shown that under certain conditions, the Cauchy integral of this vector function taken around an appropriate contour, not necessarily lying in the resolvent set of T ∗ , leads to a proper (nontrivial) invariant subspace of T ∗ .
Well-being and life satisfaction in generalized anxiety disorder: comparison to major depressive disorder in a community sample

Abstract Background: In most settings, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is highly comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD). This raises uncertainty about the clinical relevance of GAD as a distinct diagnostic entity. The demonstration of functional impairment attached to GAD, independent of that attributable to MDD, would support the importance of GAD as a separate diagnostic category. Methods: The Ontario Health Survey Mental Health Supplement, a survey of more than 8000 residents aged 15–64 of the Canadian province of Ontario, used the University of Michigan Composite International Interview Schedule (also used in the US National Comorbidity Survey) to assign DSM-III-R diagnoses. Several indicators of disability and quality of life were included. Our analytic strategy was to compare these indices in persons with and without GAD, stratified by MDD comorbidity, and adjusting for the effects of relevant sociodemographic factors (e.g., social class, age, gender) and dysthymia. Odds ratios (ORs) are reported; SUDAAN was used to adjust for the sampling framework. Results: GAD was highly comorbid with MDD on both a lifetime and past-year basis. Both past-year and lifetime MDD and GAD were associated with an increased likelihood of low overall perceived well-being. Both lifetime MDD and GAD were associated with dissatisfaction in one’s main activity and with family relationships. Limitations: Other comorbid Axis I or II conditions might be confounders with impairment; a lower rate of GAD than in some prior surveys bears consideration. Conclusions: These observations confirm that GAD is associated with an increased likelihood of poor global well-being and life satisfaction, beyond that associated with MDD. Given the chronicity of GAD relative to the more often episodic course of MDD, the long-term functional benefits of treating GAD may be substantial.
Towards an artificial brain.

Abstract Three components of a brain model operating on neuromolecular computing principles are described. The first component comprises neurons whose input-output behavior is controlled by significant internal dynamics. Models of discrete enzymatic neurons, reaction-diffusion neurons operating on the basis of the cyclic nucleotide cascade, and neurons controlled by cytoskeletal dynamics are described. The second component of the model is an evolutionary learning algorithm which is used to mold the behavior of enzyme-driven neurons or small networks of these neurons for specific function, usually pattern recognition or target seeking tasks. The evolutionary learning algorithm may be interpreted either as representing the mechanism of variation and natural selection acting on a phylogenetic time scale, or as a conceivable outogenetic adaptation mechanism. The third component of the model is a memory manipulation scheme, called the reference neuron scheme. In principle it is capable of orchestrating a repertoire of enzyme-driven neurons for coherent function. The existing implementations, however, utilize simple neurons without internal dynamics. Spatial navigation and simple game playing (using tic-tac-toe) provide the task environments that have been used to study the properties of the reference neuron model. A memory-based evolutionary learning algorithm has been developed that can assign credit to the individual neurons in a network. It has been run on standard benchmark tasks, and appears to be quite effective both for conventional neural nets and for networks of discrete enzymatic neurons. The models have the character of artificial worlds in that they map the hierarchy of processes in the brain (at the molecular, neuronal, and network levels), provide a task environment, and use this relatively self-contained setup to develop and evaluate learning and adaptation algorithms.