cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The accumulation of whole body skeletal mass in third- and fourth-grade children : effects of age, gender, ethnicity and body composition

Abstract The purpose of this longitudinal study is to describe bone mass and body composition, and the annual changes in these measurements, among third grade students recruited from a suburban school district. Whole body bone mineral content (WBBMC), bone mineral density (WBBMD), fat, and lean mass were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone mass in the lumbar spine (LBMC) region of the whole body scan was also utilized. 773 students (38% white, 57% black, 5% other) had baseline visits; 561 had a second measurement a year later. At baseline, black children have significantly higher WBBMC, WBBMD height, and lean mass than whites. Black males, but not black females, have a greater LBMC. There are no significant gender differences in body size, WBBMC, or WBBMD, although girls have a greater LBMC and fat mass, and boys have a higher lean mass. Most of these differences persist in visit 2. The annual change in bone and lean mass is greater in blacks. Stepwise linear regression analyses of bone mass on body size, gender, and ethnicity and their interactions indicate that log-transformed weight explains most of the variance in both WBBMC and WBBMD (multiple r 2 = 0.90 and 0.64, respectively). There are significant black/white differences in intercepts and slopes. Other variables explain only another 1%–2% of the variance. The strongest Pearson correlations are between changes in bone mass and changes in lean mass and log-transformed weight ( r ranging from 0.62 to 0.84, p = 0.0001). We conclude that there is a significant black/white, but not male/female difference in whole body bone mass and bone density before puberty. Ethnic and gender differences in bone and body composition suggest that the lean component may contribute to a greater peak bone mass in blacks vs. whites, and perhaps in males vs. females.
One-Pot Synthesis of Robust Core/Shell Gold Nanoparticles

A one-pot synthesis of thermally stable core/shell gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) was developed via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of n-butyl acrylate (BA) and a dimethacrylate-based cross-linker. The higher reactivity of the cross-linker enabled the formation of a thin cross-linked polymer shell around the surface of the Au-NP before the growth of linear polymer chains from the shell. The cross-linked polymer shell served as a robust protective layer, prevented the dissociation of linear polymer brushes from the surfaces of Au-NPs, and provided the Au-NPs excellent thermal stability at elevated temperature (e.g., 110 degrees C for 24 h). This synthetic method could be easily expanded for preparation of other types of inorganic/polymer nanocomposites with significantly improved stability.
The effect of glucagon and insulin on the prothrombin response to coumarin anticoagulants.

Discussion and SummaryThe response to drugs such as the coumarin anticoagulants may be altered by factors which either affect the physiologic disposition of the drug, or the site at which the drug acts. Clues as to the nature of the drug action may be obtained by studying the factors which influence sensitivity to the drugs without altering the fate of the drug.The effect of Vitamin K in blocking the action of coumarin anticoagulants is well documented, and is not correlated with changes in the physiologic disposition of coumarins as reflected in plasma levels of the drug. In contrast, the effect of barbiturates is mediated through altered disposition of the coumarins (1,4). The tranquilizers chlorpromazine and reserpine exaggerate prothrombin response while not influencing plasma levels of the coumarin drug. This effect may be correlated with the action of these agents on NAD synthesis (5).The mechanism by which starvation causes an exaggerated response to coumarins is not known. Elements of protein orig...
Fair Valuing Debt Turns Deteriorating Credit Quality into Positive Signals for Boston Chicken

This article analyzes proposed accounting for financial instruments using Boston Chicken's financial report from 1997. The example shows how the proposal would cause Boston Chicken to reduce the carrying value of debt and to recognize a gain as its credit quality deteriorated. Several important financial ratios—debt‐to‐equity, return‐on‐equity, and interest‐coverage—based on reported numbers are consistent with the company's negative performance. When the same ratios are restated to reflect the proposed accounting, 1997 appears to be a good year for Boston Chicken. A discussion of the example raises several issues to be considered in the policy debate over when to recognize the gain from a decline in the debtor's own credit quality.
The impoverished life-world of outsiders

Drawing upon a series of studies that examines the information world of poor people, the author discovers four critical concepts that serve as the basis for defining an impoverished life-world. These concepts are risk-taking, secrecy, deception, and situational relevance. Moving back and forth among the worlds of janitors, single mothers, and an aging population, the author develops a conceptual framework that links the world of the information poor—the outsiders—with a world of insiders. Paradoxically, the author finds that the very existence of two worlds is in itself a hindrance to information seeking and sharing behaviors. Insiders, because of their status, reinforce information poverty by neglecting to accept sources of information not created by themselves. The author's findings thus indicate that the world of insiders is one in which outsiders are not sought for information and advice and is a world in which norms and mores define what is important and what is not. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in Children Is Associated with Variable Outcome (P07.140)

Objective: To describe the presentation, clinical course and outcome of a series of pediatric anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis patients. Background Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a recently described form of autoimmune encephalitis that typically presents with psychiatric disturbance, seizures, dyskinesias and autonomic instability. The condition is frequently associated with ovarian teratoma and is more common in adults. Prognosis is usually good with most patients experiencing either complete recovery or the persistence of only mild deficits. The clinical course and outcome is less well known in children. Design/Methods: Case series. We report on three pediatric patients who had similar clinical presentations and were ultimately found to have anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. Results: Three previously healthy female children ages 4, 6 and 10 years presented with new onset complex partial seizures that proved intractable. Repeated electroencephalograms showed focal abnormalities. Cerebrospinal fluid studies showed mild to moderate pleocytosis with negative culture. All patients subsequently developed psychiatric disturbances varying from delirium to visual hallucinations. Oral motor dyskinesias were seen in all patients and labile blood pressure was present in two patients. CSF was found to be positive for anti-NMDA receptor antibodies in all three patients. Repeated pelvic ultrasounds have been normal. All patients received high dose steroids and IVIG and two patients received cyclophosphamide. One patient has recovered with only minimal deficits and only occasional seizures, one patient is in a vegetative state with daily seizures and one patient has severe cognitive and motor deficits with frequent seizures. Conclusions: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is associated with variable outcome in children with poor outcome possibly being more prevalent than in adults. Disclosure: Dr. Aaen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Michelson has nothing to disclose. Dr. De La Pena has nothing to disclose. Dr. Przekop has nothing to disclose. Dr. Roddy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ashwal has nothing to disclose.
Evaluation of fetal midface anatomy related to facial clefts: use of US.

PURPOSE: To identify the sonographic appearance of normal fetal midface anatomy of in vitro fetal specimens and to correlate the appearance with that of in utero fetuses to determine which aspects of this anatomy can be evaluated clinically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The midface structures of 12 normal fetal specimens were examined in the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes with ultrasound. The results were correlated with those of other modalities. One hundred consecutive, normal in utero fetuses were scanned in the same planes in an attempt to identify the same anatomic landmarks identified in the fetal specimens. RESULTS: In the fetal specimens, the upper lip (coronal plane), alveolar ridge, tooth sockets, point of fusion of primary and secondary palates (axial plane), and fusion line of the secondary palate (sagittal plane) were consistently observed. In the 100 in utero fetuses, the same anatomy was visualized in the coronal plane in 95 (95%), in the axial plane in 97 (97%), and in the sagittal plane in...
When Monomers Are Preferred: A Strategy for the Identification and Disruption of Weakly Oligomerized Proteins

Oligomerization is important for the structure and function of many proteins, but frequently complicates their characterization. It is often desirable to obtain the protein in monomeric form. Here, we report a strategy that allows the generation of monomers from weakly associated oligomers but does not require knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of the protein. The dynamics of protein association are used in solution NMR spectroscopy to identify regions of the polypeptide chain that are likely to be responsible for the interaction. Protein sequence analysis further refines the selection, as conserved sites with moderate hydrophobicity are targeted for modification. Gel filtration and activity assays straightforwardly reveal the consequences of the change and are used to screen for the desired mutants. The strategy is demonstrated for the Rac1 binding domain of plexin-B1. A monomeric variant is generated which preserves the Rac1 binding activity and the wild-type protein structure.
Thermal sensor allocation for SoCs based on temperature gradients

Recently, numerous techniques have been proposed so that the temperature distribution of a chip can be managed dynamically during its operation, and these dynamic thermal management (DTM) schemes rely on on-chip thermal sensors in order to get the accurate temperature information. The challenging question is how to allocate a proper number of sensors on a die in order to get the accurate thermal information at runtime. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for thermal sensor allocation and thermal profile reconstruction over an entire die area using image processing and computer vision techniques. Test results using real thermal profiles show that the RMSE over an entire die area can be as low as 1.19°C when the temperature difference between the maximum and the minimum on a die is 9.29°C, and the averaged absolute error at the hottest spot on a die is 0.18°C in case we use six thermal sensors.
The chicken trigeminal ganglion. II. Fine structure of the neurons during development.

A morphological study of the developing chick trigeminal ganglion was done. For descriptive convenience, four stages of development have been defined: Phase I (2 to 4 days of incubation) — Both the neural crest and epidermal placode contribute to the forming trigeminal ganglion, which is comprised of clusters of undifferentiated cells and primitive neuroblasts. Toward the end of this phase, satellite cells and unmyelinated nerve fibers are seen. Phase II (5 to 10 days of incubation) — In the lateral portion of the ganglion, large differentiating neuroblasts and young bipolar and pseudounipolar neurons were present. The latter were characterized by a large, eccentrically located nucleus at one pole, a long axonal process at the opposite pole, and a clear centrosphere region between the two. In the medial region of the ganglion, most of the neurons were smaller and more closely packed together. Phase III (11 to 17 days of incubation) — The ganglion was constituted of bipolar and pseudounipolar cells with an apparently random distribution of small and large neurons. Nissl bodies appeared in developing neurons. Phase IV (18 days of incubation to 3 weeks post-hatching) — Light and dark neurons first made their appearance. Dark neurons were characterized by (1) clear perinuclear cytoplasm containing a Golgi apparatus, vesicles and mitochondria and (2) a peripheral cytoplasm of densely packed stacks of Nissl substance. Light neurons contained individual clumps of Nissl substance distributed in a pale cytoplasmic matrix.
Sex pheromones enable Drosophila males to discriminate between conspecific females from different laboratory stocks

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster males from Canton-S and Oregon-R stocks perform more courtship in response to virgin females from the stock other than their own. Pairs of Canton-S and Oregon-R males also court each other more in the presence of volatile compounds extracted from Oregon-R and Canton-S females, respectively. These observations suggest that D. melanogaster females are polymorphic with respect to some components of their sex pheromone system and that males are capable of distinguishing females from their own stock and females from another stock on the basis of these differences in pheromone production.
Principal Component Vector Quantization

Abstract This paper proposes a vector quantization technique which is referred to here as the Principal Component Vector Quantization algorithm. It also proposes an artificial neural network with an on-line learning algorithm for codebook design, encoding, and decoding. For unknown distribution cases, the proposed technique can be implemented directly without calling for repeated use of training sequences. The main features of the proposed technique include (i) codebook design complexity is only linearly proportional to the codebook size; (ii) encoding complexity is in the order of that of typical tree structured schemes. (iii) The proposed scheme is suitable for coding video sequences which may involve nonstationary training sequences. Note that the same neural network structure can be used to implement general full-search vector quantization algorithms, featuring constant encoding time which is independent of the codebook size.
Rain and Hail Extremes at Altitude

A study of the literature was conducted to find the latest data on the rainfall and hail extreme ambient conditions at altitude for the purpose of reviewing the environmental operating conditions of aircraft turbine engines. A 0.1% probability of exceeding 20.96 g/m of water between 4 and 6 km was found for the rainiest month in the tropics, which gives a maximum water/air ratio of 3.18% at 6 km. There is a 0.1% probability of encountering a 2.4-in. (6.1-cm) or greater size hailstone along a 200-mile (320-km) route during the most severe month in the most severe area.
The neostriatal mosaic: Basis for the changing distribution of neurokinin‐1 receptor immunoreactivity during development

The pattern of neurokinin-1 receptor-like immunoreactivity (NK-1Rir) was mapped in perinatal and adult mouse striatum by using a new polyclonal antiserum. NK-1Rir was detected in the differentiating regions of the ganglionic eminences on embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5). NK-1Rir structures were enriched in the striatal patch compartment between E16.5 and approximately postnatal day 3 (P3); distributed more uniformly, within portions of both the patch and matrix compartments on P7; and enriched in the matrix compartment in the adult. Analysis of the phenotype of NK-1Rir cells on P2, P7, and in the adult suggested that cholinergic cells accounted for the majority of NK-1Rir cells early postnatally, with increasing contributions from somatostatinergic cells later postnatally. In the adult, approximately half of NK-1Rir cells were cholinergic and half were somatostatinergic. The transient enrichment of NK-1R-bearing cells and processes in the patch compartment which contains cells that express substance P (SP), a putative ligand for the NK-1R, may be a consequence of compartment formation or may be functionally important for compartment development. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Large M4L4 (M = Al(III), Ga(III), In(III), Ti(IV)) tetrahedral coordination cages: an extension of symmetry-based design.

As an extension to a rational design for the formation of self-assembled coordination cages, the syntheses for very large M4L4 tetrahedra based on a hexadentate 3-fold symmetric ligand (1,3,5-tris(4‘-(2‘ ‘,3‘ ‘-dihydroxybenzamido)phenyl)benzene (H6L2)) are described. Four tetrahedral M4L24 assemblies (M = Al(III), Ga(III), In(III), Ti(IV)), with cavity sizes of around 450 A3, have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and high-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry. Differences in chiral resolution and dynamic behavior of host−guest interactions with previously reported tetrahedral M4LN6 and M4L14 architectures are highlighted for the ligands 1,5-bis(2‘,3‘-dihydroxybenzamido)naphthalene (H4LN) and 1,3,5-tris(2‘,3‘-dihydroxybenzamido)benzene (H6L1). An even larger 3-fold symmetric ligand, 1,3,5-tris(4‘-(2‘ ‘‘,3‘ ‘‘-dihydroxybenzamido)-1‘,1‘ ‘-biphenyl)benzene (H6L3) has been prepared but, due to increased flexibility and deviation from the intended 3-fold symmetry, does not undergo...
Diabetes care in hospitalized noncritically ill patients: More evidence for clinical inertia and negative therapeutic momentum.

BACKGROUND Little is known about management of hyperglycemia in inpatients. OBJECTIVE To gain insight into caring for hospitalized patients with hyperglycemia. DESIGN Retrospective analysis. SETTING Teaching hospital. PATIENTS Data on all patients discharged between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2004 with a diagnosis of diabetes or hyperglycemia were extracted and linked to laboratory and pharmacy databases. Only the data on patients who did not require intensive care and who were hospitalized for at least 3 days were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS Average bedside glucose during the first and last 24 hours of hospital stay and for the entire length of stay; assessment of changes in insulin regimen and dose. RESULTS The average age of patients included in the study (n = 2916) was 69 years. Fifty-seven percent of the patients were men, 90% were white, and average length of stay was 5.7 days. More than 20% of the patients had evidence of sustained hyperglycemia. Forty-two percent of the patients who showed poor control of glycemia (glucose > 200 mg/dL) during the first 24 hours were discharged in poor control. The frequency of hypoglycemia was low (only 2.2 of 100 measurements per person) compared with hyperglycemia (25.5 of 100 measurements per person). Most patients (72%) received insulin during hospitalization, but there was high use of short-acting insulin and less than optimal intensification of therapy (clinical inertia); many patients had insulin therapy decreased despite persistent hyperglycemia (negative therapeutic momentum). CONCLUSIONS Glycemic control in the hospital was frequently poor, and there was suboptimal use of insulin, even among patients with sustained hyperglycemia. Educational programs directed at practitioners should focus on the importance of inpatient glucose control and provide guidelines on how and when to change therapy. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2007;2:203–211. © 2007 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Convergence and error theorems for Hermite function pseudo-RBFs: Interpolation on a finite interval by Gaussian-localized polynomials

Abstract Any basis set { ϕ j ( x ) } can be rearranged by linear combinations into a basis of cardinal functions C j ( x ) with the property that C j ( x k ) = δ j k where the x k are the interpolation points and δ j k is the usual Kronecker delta-function, equal to one when j = k and equal to zero otherwise. The interpolant to a function f ( x ) then takes the simple form f N ( x ) = ∑ j = 1 N f ( x j ) C j ( x ) . In a companion study, Boyd and Alfaro showed that the cardinal functions for five different spectrally accurate radial basis functions (RBFs) are well approximated by polynomial cardinal functions multiplied by a Gaussian function when the RBF kernels are wide and the number of interpolation points N is small or moderate. Here, we abandon RBFs by using interpolants that are Gaussian-localized polynomials. This basis is equivalent to Hermite functions, a widely used basis for unbounded domains. We prove a rigorous convergence theorem for uniform grid on a finite interval that asserts a geometric rate of convergence for such Gaussian localized polynomial interpolants. Experimentally, we show that Hermite functions are also successful for interpolation on finite irregular grids, even on random grids. If a simple formula for the construction of the cardinal basis is known, then this is great treasure: a costly dense matrix problem is unnecessary. Lagrange invented an explicit product form for polynomial cardinal functions; Hermite function cardinals can be constructed by merely multiplying Lagrange's product by a Gaussian, exp ⁡ ( − q x 2 ) . We give guidelines for choosing the constant q; theory is simple because the Gaussian localizer is the same for all N cardinal functions. Gaussian RBFs are much more costly, much more ill-conditioned than Gaussian-localized polynomial interpolants.
Embedding effects: stimulus representation and response mode.

Thecontingent valuation (CV) methodology assigns prices to environmental amenities by asking people how much they would be willing to pay in order to preserve or acquire those amenities. If this measurement procedure is valid, then responses should be sensitive to relevant changes in the amenities being judged and insensitive to irrelevant changes. One apparent demonstration of inappropriate insensitivity is theembedding effect: the observation that people are apparently willing to pay the same amount of money for a good as for a minor subset of that good. This study examined the possibility that the source of this effect lies with each of two (potentially treatable) methodological problems: 1) subjects have difficulty using quantitative (dollar) response modes to express their values; and 2) subjects have difficulty absorbing the essential details of the CV scenarios describing those goods. The study found that 1) subjects showed considerable embedding both with a simple paired-comparison response mode and with a more demanding one requiring direct dollar estimates; 2) embedding was much reduced with the simpler response mode; 3) subjects' preferences with the two response modes were usually inconsistent; 4) when asked to describe the CV scenario that they had just heard, subjects often reported key task details inaccurately; and 5) there was less embedding when tasks were reinterpreted in terms of the questions subjects reported having answered (as opposed to what had actually been asked). These results are discussed in terms of the match between the questions that investigators would like to ask and the ones that subjects are capable of answering.
Effect of Damkohler Number and Non-Unity Lewis Number on a Laminar Diffusion Flame

The effect of the Damkohler number (Da ) and non-unity Lewis number on a two-dimensional, steady, laminar diffusion flame anchored by a dividing plate in a rectangular channel was considered. The governing equations were solved numerically, using the SIMPLE and ADI schemes. The results for non-unity Lewis number were compared with those for a unity Lewis number, and Da a was also varied in order to determine their effect on the flame structure. The results show that an increase in the Da causes the flame to exist closer to the trailing edge of the divider and to increase the reactivity. A non-unity Lewis number creates a non-symmetrical flame by forcing the flame to exist on the fuel side.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Stable isotopes as a guide to biogeochemical processes

Isotopic distribution is a function of physical and biological processes. In general, equilibrium-controlled reactions occur at high temperatures among solid phases, whereas low-temperature reactions, especially those mediated by organisms, are kinetically controlled. The solar and stellar abundance of isotopes is poorly known. Knowledge of extra-terrestrial distributions of the isotopes of light elements presently comes from lunar and meteorite measurements. On Earth, the elements associated with biological synthesis which have been studied most intensively, are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur. In general, reduced products of metabolism are enriched in light isotopes. Thus, $^{1}$H and $^{12}$C are enriched in hydrogen gas and methane, when produced by fermentation or CO$_{2}$ reduction. Nitrogen gas is enriched in $^{14}$N when produced by denitrification, and H$_{2}$S is highly enriched in $^{32}$S when it results from sulphate reduction. A pattern of biological enrichment factors has been recognized on Earth, but until now, not in lunar or meteorite samples.
Synthesis of high aspect ratio quantum-size CdS nanorods and their surface-dependent photoluminescence.

Colloidal CdS nanorods with diameters near 4 nm and narrow size distributions (∼±10%) were synthesized up to 300 nm long by a sequential reactant injection technique that utilizes phosophonic acids as capping ligands. The phosphonic acid strongly passivates the nonpolar CdS surfaces and sequential reactant injection provides controlled CdS formation kinetics to enable heterogeneous and facet-selective CdS deposition on the more reactive {002} surfaces. With this process, the nanorod length can be systematically increased by increasing reactant addition to extend nanorod growth. The phosphonic acid concentration, however, is quite important, as “low” concentrations allow radial deposition and branching to occur. These high aspect ratio (>100) CdS nanorods luminesce with relatively high efficiencies of 10.8% quantum yield at room temperature. The luminescence, however, mostly arises from trap-related recombination, and the emission is significantly red-shifted from the absorption edge. Various surface passi...
Effect of antihistamines on loss of adhesiveness of corneal epithelium after injection of histamine.

SummaryThe loosening of the upper layers of the epithelium of the excised bovine cornea by histamine is prevented by simultaneous injection of certain antihistamines. Three compounds found to be effective are Pyribenzamine, 01013, and Antistine.
Evaluation of the effects of biobased plasticizers on the thermal and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl chloride)

Blends were prepared of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with four different plasticizers; esters of aconitic, citric, and phthalic acids; and other ingredients used in commercial flexible PVC products. The thermal and mechanical properties of the fresh products and of the products after 6 months of aging were measured. Young's modulus of the PVC blends was reduced about 10-fold by an increase in the plasticizer level from 15 to 30 phr from the semirigid to the flexible range according to the ASTM classification, but a 40-phr level was required for PVC to retain its flexibility beyond 6 months. At the 40-phr level, tributyl aconitate performed better than diisononyl phthalate (DINP) or tributyl citrate, in terms of lowering Young's modulus, both in the fresh materials and those aged for 6 months. The effects of the four plasticizers on the glass-transition temperature (Tg) were similar, with Tg close to ambient temperature at the 30- and 40-phr levels in freshly prepared samples and at 40–60°C in those aged for 6 months. The thermal stability of the PVC plasticized with DINP was superior among the group. Overall, tributyl aconitate appeared to be a good candidate for use in consumer products where the alleged toxicity of DINP may be an issue. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1366–1373, 2006
An Epstein-Barr virus-negative Burkitt lymphoma cell line (sfRamos) secretes a prolactin-like protein during continuous growth in serum-free medium.

Pituitary human PRL (hPRL) antiserum inhibits growth of B-lymphoblastoid cells in vitro, but the mechanism of inhibition is unclear. In this study the mechanism of inhibition of human B-cell growth by anti-hPRL was explored with an Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA)-negative Burkitt lymphoma cell line (sfRamos) that proliferates continuously in serum-free medium with human transferrin as the only protein supplement. The data show that antiserum immunoglobulin fraction G (IgG) to pituitary hPRL, but not nonimmune serum IgG, completely inhibited the growth of sfRamos cells. In addition, anti-hPRL IgG identified a single band (29 kDa) in sf-Ramos spent medium, but not in fresh serum-free medium or in human transferrin, as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfatereducing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western immunoblot analysis. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western analysis of a mixture containing sfRamos spent medium and excess pituitary hPRL established that the sfRamos 29-kDa PRL-li...
Phosphopeptide mapping of proteins ectopically expressed in tissue culture cell lines

Post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation play a vital role in the regulation of protein function. In our study of the basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor HAND1, it was suspected that HAND1 was being phosphorylated during trophoblast giant cell differentiation and that coexpression of a constitutively active kinase with HAND1 resulted in changes in the proteins dimerization profile. In order to accurately document HAND1 phosphorylation and identify the resides being modified, we employed metabolic cell labeling with 32P of tissue culture cells coexpressing a Flag-epitope tagged HAND1 along with a number of active kinases and phosphatase subunits. We generated phosphopeptide maps of the phosphorylated HAND1 using the methods described below and linked these modifications to changes in HAND1 biological function.
Review of Alone in the World? Human Uniqueness in Science and Theology

J. Wentzel van Huyssteen is the James I. McCord Professor of Theology and Science at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dedicated to the historical integrity of the Christian intellectual tradition, he sees himself as a postfoundational philosophical theologian, one who must respond sensitively to the findings of contemporary science. In these Gifford Lectures, he explores the interdisciplinary relationship between theological anthropology and paleoanthropology, explicitly linking the traditional Christian doctrine of the imago Dei with contemporary scientific insights regarding human uniqueness. In Chapter 1, van Huyssteen sketches his basic epistemological stance. Repudiating the modern quest for bedrock foundations and the hope for absolute certainty, he remains committed to standards of rationality. Neither abstract nor universal, these standards are embodied in the skills of reasonable people, those who have learned how to exercise responsible judgment by tackling concrete, specific problems. Like many postmoderns, van Huyssteen respects the intellectual autonomy of individual disciplines. But he is no isolationist. Convinced that the epistemic standards and reasoning strategies of diverse fields are sufficiently intertwined to permit mutual engagement, he believes that interdisciplinary discourse is both possible and beneficial.
EXTERNAL INFLUENCES ON PRODUCTIVITY: EPA'S IMPLEMENTATION OF TSCA

Productivity still carries a narrow connotation that refers primarily to internal, managerial details - better staff training, systematic reporting, etc. This is especially true of analyses that conceptualize productivity purely as minimizing input per unit of output. To explore the utility of a broader approach, this paper analyzes the external forces that are helping shape the efficiency and effectiveness of the Environmental Protection Agency as it implements the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976. Spurred by revelations about polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other toxic substances, TSCA was intended to find out in advance which chemicals are harmful, and prevent or curtail the harm. TSCA, one congressional committee said, would serve as an early warning system (Senate Committee on Commerce, 1976, p. 4). Separate provisions apply to new chemicals, to new uses of existing chemicals, and to priority testing of especially dangerous existing chemicals. The analysis shows that EPA's productivity in implementing these provisions has been determined largely by the applicable legislation, by the nature of the resources that impinge on the agency. 22 references.
Recent trends in official male and female crime rates: The convergence controversy

Abstract There is widespread agreement with claims based on official arrest statistics that male and female crime rates have not converged in recent years. Therefore, Adler's (1975) contrary claim is rejected and so by implication are earlier proposals linking gender differences in crime rates and unusually high black female crime rates to social roles and social status. The present study evaluated earlier studies reporting little or no male-female convergence in arrest rates. Also, it used UCR statistics, as have the studies often cited as contradicting Adler, and trend analysis to show that for 1965–1975 and for 1975–1986 the evidence for both juveniles and adults supports Adler. Even national self-report data previously said to contradict the convergence hypothesis have shown substantial convergence upon reanalysis.
Chemoproteomics reveals Toll-like receptor fatty acylation

Palmitoylation is a 16-carbon lipid post-translational modification that increases protein hydrophobicity. This form of protein fatty acylation is emerging as a critical regulatory modification for multiple aspects of cellular interactions and signaling. Despite recent advances in the development of chemical tools for the rapid identification and visualization of palmitoylated proteins, the palmitoyl proteome has not been fully defined. Here we sought to identify and compare the palmitoylated proteins in murine fibroblasts and dendritic cells. A total of 563 putative palmitoylation substrates were identified, more than 200 of which have not been previously suggested to be palmitoylated in past proteomic studies. Here we validate the palmitoylation of several new proteins including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2, 5 and 10, CD80, CD86, and NEDD4. Palmitoylation of TLR2, which was uniquely identified in dendritic cells, was mapped to a transmembrane domain-proximal cysteine. Inhibition of TLR2 S-palmitoylation pharmacologically or by cysteine mutagenesis led to decreased cell surface expression and a decreased inflammatory response to microbial ligands. This work identifies many fatty acylated proteins involved in fundamental cellular processes as well as cell type-specific functions, highlighting the value of examining the palmitoyl proteomes of multiple cell types. S-palmitoylation of TLR2 is a previously unknown immunoregulatory mechanism that represents an entirely novel avenue for modulation of TLR2 inflammatory activity.
Behavioral control of L-dopa induced dyskinesia in parkinsonism

A patient experiencing L-dopa induced dyskinesia severe enough to prevent normal functioning was treated with behavior therapy utilizing meditation. The effects of treatment were assessed in a single case experimental design. Phase 1 consisted of baseline monitoring of severity and duration of episodes of left extremity jerking. During Phase 2, treatment was started with twice daily meditation for 30 minutes with an accompanying decrease in dose of daily L-dopa. Severity and duration of episodes were significantly reduced, and this was maintained through Phase 3 when the Phase 1 dose of L-dopa was reintroduced. The subject resumed normal functioning following treatment. A natural reversal occurred when he stopped meditating. During Phase 4, the recurrent high severity and duration of jerking were once again reduced when meditation was reinstated.
Hot hydrogen atoms reactions of interest in molecular evolution and interstellar chemistry.

Hot hydrogen atoms which are photochemically generated initiate reactions among mixtures of methane, ethane, water and ammonia, to produce ethanol, organic amines, organic acids, and amino acids. Both ethanol and ethyl amine can also act as substrates for formation of amino acids. The one carbon substrate methane is sufficient as a carbon source to produce amino acids. Typical quantum yields for formation of amino acids are approximately 0.00002 to 0.00004. In one experiment, 6 protein amino acids were identified and 8 nonprotein amino acids verified utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. We propose that hot atoms, especially hydrogen, initiate reactions in the thermodynamic nonequilibrium environment of interstellar space as well as in the atmospheres of planets.
Shorter side chains optimize helix-helix packing.

A systematic study of helix–helix packing in a comprehensive database of protein structures revealed that the side chains inside helix–helix interfaces on average are shorter than those in the noninterface parts of the helices. The study follows our earlier study of this effect in transmembrane helices. The results obtained on the entire database of protein structures are consistent with those obtained on the transmembrane helices. The difference in the length of interface and noninterface side chains is small but statistically significant. It indicates that helices, if viewed along their main axis, statistically are not circular, but have a flattened interface. This effect brings the helices closer to each other and creates a tighter structural packing. The results provide an interesting insight into the aspects of protein structure and folding.
Quantitative analysis of hepatitis C virus-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood and liver using peptide-MHC tetramers

It is believed that the hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a role in the development of liver cell injury and in the clearance of the virus. To develop a direct binding assay for HCV-specific CTLs, we generated two peptide-MHC tetramers by using the recombinant HLA A2.1 molecule and A2-restricted T cell epitopes of the HCV NS3 protein. With these reagents we are able to detect specific CD8+ cells in the blood of 15 of 20 HLA-A2+, HCV-infected patients, at a frequency ranging from 0.01% to 1.2% of peripheral CD8+ T cells. Phenotypic analysis of these specific cells indicated that there is a significant variation in the expression of the CD45 isoforms and CD27 in different patients. A 6-hour incubation of one patient’s blood with NS3 peptides resulted in the activation of the epitope-specific CD8+ cells, as indicated by their expression of CD69 and IFN-γ. We also detected NS3-specific CD8+ T cells in the intrahepatic lymphocyte population isolated from liver biopsies of two HCV-infected patients. The frequency of these specific CD8+ cells in the liver was 1–2%, at least 30-fold higher than in the peripheral blood. All of the intrahepatic NS3-specific CD8+ T cells were CD69+, suggesting that they were activated CTLs. Direct quantitation and characterization of HCV-specific CTLs should extend our understanding of the immunopathogenesis and the mechanism of clearance or persistence of HCV.
Lack of exotic hydrilla infestation effects on plant, fish and aquatic bird community measures

Abstract The invasion of hydrilla into North American lakes has provoked concern over loss of native flora and fauna and resulted in costly suppression efforts. We used two data sets to determine if common measures of ecosystem health; abundance, species richness, diversity and evenness, were affected by the presence of hydrilla. Data Set 1 consisted of 27 Florida lakes, 11 of which had hydrilla present for approximately 4–8 years in varying abundances, and 16 did not have hydrilla. Given the number of lakes, each was sampled only once in the summers of 1986–1990 for community measures of aquatic plants, birds, and fish. Data Set 2 consisted of 12 lakes, six with abundant hydrilla for over 23 years and six without hydrilla. These lakes were sampled every year in the summer (with a few exceptions due to weather conditions) between 1999 and 2006 for community measures of aquatic plants and fish. The results for both data sets show that presence of hydrilla had no statistically significant effect (P > 0.05) ...
Permission to promote: a conjoint investigation of e-newsletter preferences

Permission-based e-mail marketing programs featuring electronic newsletters have become a key element of the sport promotion landscape. Unfortunately, however, little information is available to guide sport or event marketers in the development of an e-newsletter program. To fill this gap, this study examines whether individuals with a high versus low level of attitudinal loyalty to a university athletic program differ in their interest in receiving an electronic newsletter from the athletic department and their preferences for specific e-newsletter options. Study participants, students at a Midwestern US university, were classified into loyalty groups and evaluated conjoint profiles for a hypothetical athletic program newsletter described in terms of four factors: e-newsletter frequency, information (teams/sports) covered, type of content provided, and content location. The findings indicated that interest in receiving the e-newsletter and preferences for the study factors differed by loyalty group; and in a manner consistent with the permission marketing and sport loyalty research literature.
mei-41 is required for precocious anaphase in Drosophila females

This paper reports on a new role for mei-41 in cell cycle control during meiosis. This function is revealed by the requirement of mei-41 for the precocious anaphase observed in crossover-defective mutants. Normally in Drosophila oocytes, tension on the meiotic spindle causes a metaphase I arrest. This tension results because crossovers, and the resulting chiasmata, hold homologs together that are being pulled by kinetochore microtobules toward opposite spindle poles. In the absence of tension, such as in a recombination-defective mutant, metaphase arrest is not observed and meiosis proceeds through the two divisions. Here we show that in some recombination-defective mutants, the precocious anaphase requires the mei-41 gene product. For example, metaphase arrest is not observed in mei-218 mutants because of the severe reduction in crossing over. In mei-41 mei-218 double mutants, however, metaphase arrest was restored. The effect of mei-41 is dependent on double-strand break formation. Thus, in mutants that fail to initiate meiotic recombination the absence of mei-41 has no effect.
The Structure of Citizen Attitudes and the European Political Space

A common concern regarding the viability of institutional reform of the EU is whether European citizens constitute a political community that facilitates democratic governance. One important aspect of this concern is whether public perceptions are structured so as to ease or impede political discourse across Europe. To investigate this question, the authors examine whether the EU mass public organizes its attitudes toward EU policy issues in systematic and meaningful ways. Specifically, they examine whether EU citizens' attitudes across a broad range of policies decided at the EU level are structured consistently with several prominent models of the EU policy space. Using Eurobarometer data, the authors show that citizens' policy positions on EU issues are systematically organized along a single dimension that is different from domestic Left-Right.
Quantitative tests of an associative theory of risk-sensitivity in honeybees.

Risk-sensitivity was studied in free-flying honeybees trained individually to choose between two scented targets (A and B) with varying amounts and concentrations of sucrose solution as reward. In the first phase of experiment 1, the animals showed ‘risk-aversion,’ preferring A, which provided 5 μl of a 40 % sucrose solution on every trial, to B, which provided 30 μl of the same solution once in every six trials (mean amount per trial 5 μl for each alternative). In the second phase, the preference reversed with reversal of the reward assignments. In experiment 2, the consistently rewarded A (5 μl of 40 % sucrose solution per trial) was again preferred, although the inconsistently rewarded B now provided twice the amount of sucrose solution on average (30 μl on two of every six trials, mean amount per trial 10 μl). In experiment 3, with A providing 10 μl of a 15 % sucrose solution on every trial and B providing 10 μl of a 60 % sucrose solution on two of every four trials (mean concentration per trial 30 %), the animals preferred B. In Experiment 4, patterned after experiment 1, similar results were obtained under more natural conditions in which the animals were no longer constrained (as they were in the first three experiments) to go equally often to each alternative. The results of all four experiments were predicted quantitatively and with considerable accuracy by a simple associative theory of discriminative learning in honeybees. Summary
Child abuse and neglect : Relations to adolescent binge drinking in the national longitudinal study of Adolescent Health (AddHealth) Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between child maltreatment and adolescent binge drinking. Given that many victimized children have been maltreated in multiple ways, we examine the effects of co-occurrence of multiple types of maltreatment on adolescent binge drinking. We used the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (AddHealth), which included a nationally representative sample of adolescents (n=12,748). Adolescent binge drinking was defined as five or more drinks in a row at least 2-3 times per month in the past year. Among those reporting any maltreatment, 12.4% reported binge drinking compared to 9.9% among those reporting no maltreatment. Logistic regression models found that child maltreatment is a robust risk factor for adolescent binge drinking controlling for parental alcoholism. In particular, all types of or combinations of types of maltreatment were strongly associated with adolescent binge drinking, controlling for age, gender, race, parental alcoholism and monitoring. Research examining the effect of childhood maltreatment on later alcohol abuse needs to recognize the clustering effects of multiple types of childhood maltreatment on alcohol problems.
The Effects of Slow-Stroke Back Massage on Minutes of Nighttime Sleep in Persons With Dementia and Sleep Disturbances in the Nursing Home A Pilot Study

Purpose: This pilot study tested the effects of a 3-minute slow-stroke back massage (SSBM) on total minutes of nighttime sleep on persons with dementia with sleep disturbances aged 65 years or olde...
Distributed Diagnosis of Failures in a Three Tier E-Commerce System

For dependability outages in distributed Internet infrastructures, it is often not enough to detect a failure, but it is also required to diagnose it, i.e., to identify its source. Complex applications deployed in multi-tier environments make diagnosis challenging because of fast error propagation, black-box applications, high diagnosis delay, the amount of states that can be maintained, and imperfect diagnostic tests. Here, we propose a probabilistic diagnosis model for arbitrary failures in components of a distributed application. The monitoring system (the Monitor) passively observes the message exchanges between the components and, at runtime, performs a probabilistic diagnosis of the component that was the root cause of a failure. We demonstrate the approach by applying it to the Pet Store J2EE application, and we compare it with Pinpoint by quantifying latency and accuracy in both systems. The Monitor outperforms Pinpoint by achieving comparably accurate diagnosis with higher precision in shorter time.