cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recognition of cell-wall peptide ligands by vancomycin group antibiotics: Studies using ion spray mass spectrometry

Non-covalent binding of antibiotics to their target ligands represents a form of molecular recognition which is of considerable contemporary interest in bioorganic and bioanalytical chemistry. The vancomycin antibiotics, including vancomycin and ristocetin, are a family of complex glycopeptides which bind specifically to the C-terminal sequence X-D-Ala-D-Ala, where × is L-lysine, L-diaminopimelic acid, L-alanine or L-homoserine. It is shown that non-covalent complexation of vancomycin and ristocetin with peptide ligands in solution, a key molecular recognition phenomenon in antibacterial chemotherapy, can be detected and analyzed in the gas phase by ionspray mass spectrometry. Using Nα,Nϵ-diacetyl-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala (Ac2KAA) as a representative ligand, it is further demonstrated that correlations of relative ion abundance with ligand concentrations in solution afford a direct method for measuring the binding constants of vancomycin and ristocetin complexes with target peptide sequences in bacterial cell wall. Results for ristocetin-Ac2KAA (Ka = 6.25 × 105 l mol−1) and vancomycin-Ac2KAA (Ka = 7.33 × 105 l mol−1, are in reasonable agreement with previously values [Ka = 5.9 × 105] and 1.5 × 106 l mol−1, respectively).
Gastric bypass as treatment for obesity: trends, characteristics, and complications.

Objective: This paper describes national trends in gastric bypass procedures from 1998 through 2003 and explores the demographic and health profile of those who receive this procedure. Short-term outcomes such as length of stay and in-hospital complication rates are also examined. Research Methods and Procedures: Data on obese hospital inpatients who had gastric bypass were obtained from the 1998 to 2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey. Gastric bypass was reported for an estimated 288,000 discharges during the 6-year study period. Trends within the 6-year period were tested using weighted regression. Characteristics of gastric bypass patients were compared with those of other inpatients using a χ2 test of independence and the two-sided t test. Results: The estimated number of hospital discharges with gastric bypass increased significantly, from 14,000 in 1998 to 108,000 in 2003. During this period, the average length of stay declined by 56% from 7.2 to 3.2 days. Gastric bypass patients were primarily women (84%), 25 to 54 years of age (82%), and privately insured (76%). A 1 in 10 complication rate was found for discharges with gastric bypass. Discussion: Gastric bypass procedures in the United States have increased rapidly since 1998, whereas the average hospital stay has decreased. The decreasing length of stay needs to be evaluated in conjunction with potential complication rates and the permanent change in anatomy and lifestyle that must accompany this procedure. Monitoring trends in use of this procedure is important, especially if reimbursement policies change and the epidemic of obesity continues.
ORIENTATION DEPENDENCE OF INTERLAYER COUPLING AND INTERLAYER MOMENTS IN FE/CR MULTILAYERS

The relationship between indirect exchange coupling and interlayer d-electron magnetic moments is studied using magnetometry and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in Fe/Cr multilayers. Multilayers are simultaneously prepared with growth axes along different crystallographic orientations to determine the orientation dependence of these properties. We find the Cr moments are antiparallel to the Fe, and that a Cr thickness (${\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{Cr}}$) of 1 ML has a moment of \ensuremath{\approx}-0.7${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathrm{B}}$, 50% larger than the Cr moment developed in Fe-based dilute Cr alloys. For larger ${\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{Cr}}$ the Cr moment decays very quickly with distance from the Fe interface, while the Fe moment remains bulklike at all Cr thicknesses. It is found that for ${\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{Cr}}$10 \AA{} there are slight differences in the indirect (oscillatory) exchange coupling between Fe layers depending on crystallographic orientation. Intuitively, one would also expect an orientation dependence to the induced Cr moments, but we find them to be orientation independent. The orientation independence of the Cr moments correlates well with the orientation independent coupling which has been previously observed for ${\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{Cr}}$g10 \AA{}.
The origin and history of the International Polychaetology Association and the triennial International Polychaete Conferences together with a summary of other polychaete symposia and meetings

Abstract The history of the International Polychaetology Association and the triennial International Polychaete Conferences is reviewed. The first conference was held in Sydney, Australia, in July 1983; there have been nine subsequent meetings with the latest in Lecce, Italy, in June 2010. Venues have now spanned five continents and nine countries. Each conference has produced a peer-reviewed publication of the proceedings. The proceedings to date have included papers on a wide variety of topics including ecology, reproduction and development, morphology, phylogeny, and systematics. A total of 186 new species of polychaetes were described in the first nine proceedings. The International Polychaetology Association (IPA) was established at the second conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in August 1986. A Constitution was drawn up that included a slate of officers (President, Secretary-Treasurer) and an Executive Council with membership selected from participants of countries represented at the Conference. The...
Measurement of biological activity in materially closed microbial ecosystems

Gas phase oxygen concentrations of materially closed, energetically open miniature microbial ecosystems were measured periodically. Our results indicate: (i) closed systems remain biologically active for at least 9 years, (ii) Po2 values might serve as an indicator of stability, (iii) each closed ecosystem seems to seek its own unique final Po2 state, and (iv) ecosystem response to experimentally depleted Po2 suggests the presence of positive feedback control.
Transcripts originating in intron 1 of the HSD11 (11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) gene encode a truncated polypeptide that is enzymatically inactive.

There is evidence for the presence in the kidney of more than one isoform of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD), an enzyme that interconverts cortisol and cortisone (in rodents, corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone). A specific isoform might arise from transcripts in the kidney that are known to originate in intron 1; translation from these transcripts is predicted to initiate at the codon that in the full-length rat enzyme encodes Met27. Alignment of the full-length rat and human 11HSD sequences with other members of the short chain dehydrogenase family suggests that initiation of translation at Met27 might yield a functional enzyme, since the amino-termini of most of these enzymes occur at equivalent positions. We confirmed that short transcripts are found in the kidney and are detectable at lower levels in the liver and lung. In vitro transcription and translation of short cDNA demonstrated that the AUG encoding Met27 is indeed a functional initiation codon. However, Chinese hamster ov...
Media Use and Health Behavior in H1N1 Flu Crisis: The Mediating Role of Perceived Knowledge and Fear

First detected in 2009, H1N1 flu has caused human causalities and become one of the top global health concerns. This study examined the relationship between the use of mass media for information about H1N1 flu and health-related behaviors. Past studies have focused primarily on the direct effects of media exposure on engagement in preventative behaviors. This study took a step forward by investigating the underlying mechanism in this relationship. Data from a web-based survey of college students showed that media use positively affected the likelihood of adopting preventative measures. Perceived knowledge and fear resulting from media exposure were important mediators of this process: Frequent exposure to media coverage of H1N1 flu led to higher levels of perceived knowledge and fear, which in turn translated into implementation of preventative measures.
The mandibular condylar growth center: Separation and characterization of the cellular elements

The developing mandibular condylar growth center consists of a number of histologically distinct cell types. There is an increase in cell volume that takes place from the condylar surface layer through the center of ossification, resulting in a disorganized, irregular cellular pattern. Consequently, the isolation and separation of the different cells from this tissue is difficult using standard methodologies. Countercurrent centrifugal elutriation, whereby cells are separated on the basis of size, was applied to bovine mandibular condylar growth center cells. The cell volume, alkaline phosphatase content, proteoglycan synthesis, and type X collagen synthesis all showed a positive correlation with increasing cell size. The largest cells had characteristics that are consistent with hypertrophic chondrocytes; the smallest cells, on the other hand, had many fibroblastic characteristics.
Control of primary osteosarcoma with chemotherapy

High-dose methotrexate with citrovorum factor "rescue" (MTX-CF) produced an apparent complete response of the primary tumor in three patients with osteosarcoma. The response was sustained with MTX-CF, intra-arterial cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (CDP) and Adriamycin (doxorubicin) for 18 months. Treatment was then electively discontinued. Local recurrence occurred in two patients, 6 and 4 months later, respectively. MTX-CF was reinstated and a complete response was again achieved in one patient. This has been maintained for 15+ months with MTX-CF and intra-arterial CDP administered for 13 of the 15+ months. Reinduction with MTX-CF failed in the second relapsed patient but an apparent remission was again achieved with radiation and intra-arterial CDP. This has been maintained with intravenous CDP, cyclophosphamide and phenylalanine mustard for 14+ months. A complete response in the primary tumor was still present in the nonrelapsed patient, 42 months from diagnosis. All patients have remained free of pulmonary metastases, 40+ to 42+ months from diagnosis.
FeSb2–Al2O3–C Nanocomposite Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

FeSb2–Al2O3–C nanocomposite synthesized by ambient-temperature high-energy mechanical milling (HEMM) of Sb2O3, Fe, Al, and C has been investigated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The FeSb2–Al2O3–C nanocomposites are characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The characterization data reveal it to be composed of crystalline FeSb2 nanoparticles finely dispersed in an amorphous matrix of Al2O3 and carbon. The FeSb2–Al2O3–C nanocomposite exhibits an initial discharge (lithiation) capacity of 877 mAh g–1 and an initial charge (delithiation) capacity of 547 mAh g–1, yielding an initial coulombic efficiency of 62%. The extended cycling performance for this composite is far superior to that of the intermetallic FeSb2 or a similarly prepared FeSb2–C composite. FeSb2–Al2O3–C retains a specific capacity of ∼350 mAh g–1 after 500 lithiation/delithiation cycles.
Is there a best way to set tidal volume for mechanical ventilatory support

Tidal breaths are an important component of mechanical ventilation. However, an inappropriate tidal volume setting can overstretch and injure the lung. Maximal stretch, tidal stretch, frequency of stretch, and rate of stretch are all implicated in such injury. Clinical trials have shown that limiting maximal and tidal stretch improves outcomes, even if gas exchange is partially compromised. Thus, current strategies should focus on limiting tidal and maximal stretch as much as possible.
Probing impurity migration effects in Si-doped AlGaAs by terahertz spectroscopy

Using terahertz magneto-photoconductive spectroscopy, we investigate impurity migration effects in barrier-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. A new segregation decay rate for Si impurities in AlGaAs is determined for samples fabricated at low epitaxial growth temperature.
Defective antifungal activity of monocyte-derived macrophages from human immunodeficiency virus-infected children against Aspergillus fumigatus

Invasive aspergillosis recently has been encountered in adults and children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection even without known risk factors, such as neutropenia or corticosteroid therapy. Macrophages play a significant role in the host defenses against Aspergillus organisms by ingesting conidia and preventing their germination to hyphae. The antifungal activity of peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from 19 HIV-infected children was compared with that of 16 normal controls. The phagocytic activity of patients' MDM, measured as percentage of phagocytosis, was significantly decreased compared with normal donors (P = .014). In addition, the inhibitory activity of MDM on germination of intracellular A. fumigatus conidia was significantly impaired in patients compared with normal controls (P = .016). There was no significant difference in the defects between patients with lower or higher CD4 lymphocyte counts. Impairment of antifungal activity of macrophages may contribute to the susceptibility of HIV-infected patients to aspergillosis.
Lipid lowering with PCSK9 inhibitors

Statins are the most-effective therapy currently available for lowering the LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) level and preventing cardiovascular events. Additional therapies are necessary for patients who cannot reach the target LDL-C level when taking the maximum-tolerated dose of a statin. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is an enzyme with an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. Rare gain-of-function mutations in PCSK9 lead to a high LDL-C level and premature coronary heart disease, whereas loss-of-function variants lead to a low LDL-C level and a reduced incidence of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, the PCSK9 level is increased with statin therapy through negative feedback, which promotes LDL-receptor degradation and decreases the efficacy of LDL-C lowering with statins. PCSK9 inhibition is, therefore, a rational therapeutic target, and several approaches are being pursued. In phase I, II, and III trials, inhibition of PCSK9 with monoclonal antibodies has produced an additional 50-60% decrease in the LDL-C level when used in combination with statin therapy, compared with statin monotherapy. In short-term trials, PCSK9 inhibitors were well tolerated and had a low incidence of adverse effects. Ongoing phase III trials will provide information about the long-term safety of these drugs, and their efficacy in preventing cardiovascular events.
Changing concepts in developmental neurobiology.

I should like to take this opportunity to meditate on half a century of explorations in the field of experimental neurogenesis which I have witnessed or participated in. I shall do this in a rather personal and informal way. This, I am sure, would have the blessing of George Bishop, who had little use for formalities.
A Shot in the Dark: Failing to Recognize the Link Between Physical and Mental Illness

A 74-year-old widowed white man with chronic rheumatoid arthritis presented with nausea and weight loss. He was diagnosed with failure to thrive and admitted for hydration. Misoprostol was determined to be the etiology of his symptoms and he was discharged home. Three days later, he killed himself with a gunshot to the head. Clinicians often fail to recognize those at high risk for suicide. Suicidal risk is increased in both psychiatric and physical illness, and particularly when both are present. Psychiatric illness, particularly depression, often underlies chronic medical illness. The purpose of this case report is to remind health care providers of the strong association between depression and chronic medical illness, and to consider this in all patients, including those who present solely with physical symptoms. Recognizing this association and screening for it, as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, may prevent the unnecessary tragedy of suicide.
The Son of God in the Roman World: Divine Sonship in its Social and Political Context

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)Michael Peppard's engaging book is a focused, extensively researched study of a title that has played a major role in the development of Christology. Scripture refers to Jesus as both "Son of God" and "Son of Man," but Peppard notes that the latter descriptor has received more attention than the former. For many Christians, Jesus' role as God's Son seems obvious. Orthodox doctrine teaches that he is uniquely "begotten" by and "of one substance" with God the Father--part of the triune deity. But, as Peppard points out, these beliefs, which many Christians now take for granted and affirm in creeds, were the outcome of over three centuries of debate, disagreement, and dissent. He claims that "scholarship on divine sonship in the New Testament has relied anachronistically on the philosophical and theological categories of the fourth century, especially the key distinction, "begotten, not made" (4). Peppard reasonably questions the wisdom of imposing fourth-century meanings on first-century terms and proposes instead that we try to understand what the first Christians might have been thinking when they called Jesus the "Son of God"?Peppard believes that early Christians were inspired more by soteriology than philosophy. That is, for them Jesus' power to save testified to his sonship. But by the fourth century, increasing theological reliance on Greek thought encouraged Christians to trace this power to the nature of his sonship. Influenced by the Platonic distinction between a realm of eternal ideals and a less real world of approximations, they posited a gulf between the absolute Creator and His creatures. This raised the issue of where Jesus belongs, and Nicene orthodoxy chose to stress his likeness to God. Jesus was not one of God's creatures; "the Son is , he did not become " (11).Peppard suggests that Christians initially saw Jesus as God's son because they believed he had the power to make other "sons" for God. He was heir to a divine estate, a legacy that he generously offered to share with others. The Roman world offered these Christians a powerful "metaphor" for expressing this faith: "the metaphor 'son of God'" (3). The title and the concept were familiar to Christians from both Hebrew and pagan sources.Jesus and Octavian Augustus, the founder of Rome's first imperial dynasty, were contemporaries. Octavian ended a century-long civil war by establishing an empire behind the facade of Rome's Republic. The role he chose to play in the new system was traditional: a paterfamilias presiding over a familia . Unlike a modern "family," the Latin familia could be a very large organization of people bound by blood and various kinds of economic and political dependence. …
Understanding the hepatitis C virus life cycle paves the way for highly effective therapies

More than two decades of intense research has provided a detailed understanding of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which chronically infects 2% of the world's population. This effort has paved the way for the development of antiviral compounds to spare patients from life-threatening liver disease. An exciting new era in HCV therapy dawned with the recent approval of two viral protease inhibitors, used in combination with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin; however, this is just the beginning. Multiple classes of antivirals with distinct targets promise highly efficient combinations, and interferon-free regimens with short treatment duration and fewer side effects are the future of HCV therapy. Ongoing and future trials will determine the best antiviral combinations and whether the current seemingly rich pipeline is sufficient for successful treatment of all patients in the face of major challenges, such as HCV diversity, viral resistance, the influence of host genetics, advanced liver disease and other co-morbidities.
Cattle manure application strategies effects on bahiagrass yield, nutritive value, and phosphorus recovery.

ABSTRACT Animal manure application based on crop N requirements oft en leaves excess P in the soil because of the diff erences in the N/P ratio in manures and that required by the plants. Th is experiment was designed to evaluate the eff ects of cattle ( Bos taurus ) manure applied alone or in combination with ammonium nitrate (AN) on bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge) dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value, tissue P concentration and recovery, and soil P concentrations. Treatments consisted of a control, two N rates (200 and 400 kg ha –1 ), two N sources [manure alone or manure plus AN (50/50% combination)], and two application frequencies (single vs. split). Bahiagrass was harvested at 28-d intervals and evaluated for DM yield, crude protein concentrat ion (CP), in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), and tissue P concentration. Soil samples were analyzed for Mehlich-1 extract-able P. Bahiagrass DM yield, nutritive value, and P recovery were greater for the manure plus AN treatments when compared to the control and manure alone. Although greater N rates increased DM yield and CP, bahiagrass P recovery was reduced as the N rate increased. Approximately 20 and 53% of the applied P was recovered by bahiagrass when manure was applied alone and in combination with AN, respectively. Soil-test P (0–15 cm depth) was greater for the treatments receiving manure alone compared to manure plus AN treatments. Our results demonstrated that applying manure in combination with an inorganic N source can increase forage yield and nutritive value while reducing the risks of soil P accumulation.
Abstract B103: Aquaporin 5 (AQP5) is expressed in primary human leukemic cells.

B103 Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins that facilitate transcellular water movements. H uman AQPs have previously been associated with increased expression in solid tumors. Recent reports suggest the role of AQP5 in promoting cancer progression, providing a potential basis for designing a novel therapy targeting AQP5 . However, its expression pattern in hematologic malignancies has not been described yet. Thus, here, we have performed flow cytometry analysis with bone marrow samples of human leukemic patients (n=47). We have found that AQP5 is expressed in human leukemia (57.4%, 27/47) including acute myeloid leukemia (13/22), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (6/10), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (7/14) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (1/1). However, normal bone marrow samples (n=5) did not show any expression of AQP5. Among 47 samples, cells with only surface expression of AQP5 were 8 (17.0%), cells with only cytoplasmic expression were 12 (25.5%), and cells with both surface and cytoplasmic expression were 7 (14.9%). Of interest, the association between AQP5 expression and resistance in chemotherapy was suggestive (chi square test, p=0.059). 7 out of 8 relapse cases expressed AQP5. Intriguingly, the odds of developing relapse in patients with AQP5 expression (7/20) was 6.7 times that in patients without AQP5 expression (1/19). In summary, our report demonstrates for the first time that human AQP5 is expressed in all types of primary human leukemic cells. It also provides a basis for pursuing its possible role in the progression of human blood cancers as in solid tumors. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B103.
Child and family factors associated with the use of services for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract This study examines child and family characteristics thought to affect the dosage and type of common in-school and private services (i.e., speech language therapy (SLT), occupational therapy (OT) and applied behavior analysis (ABA)) received by children with ASD. Participants included 137 families and their preschool-aged children with ASD from four states: Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and North Carolina. Our results indicated child and family characteristics did impact the type and dosage of services used. In the school setting, Hispanic children received a smaller dose of SLT and OT than White children. Children with greater cognitive impairments received more SLT and those with more severe symptoms of autism received a larger dosage of OT. In the private setting, higher levels of caregiver stress were related to increase usage of OT. Caregivers with a higher socioeconomic status were more likely to enroll their children in OT and ABA. Implications for practice and policy are discussed, including the need to better understand and remediate differences in service provision across socioeconomic and minority status.
Steady state hodographs in a baroclinic boundary layer

If the steady-state geostrophic wind vector varies exponentially with height in the planetary boundary layer, calculated hodographs of the 24-hour mean wind resemble the classic Ekman spiral distorted by thermal effects. For such an assumed distribution, Lettau's (1967) conclusion that the effects of thermal influence on the steady-state boundary-layer winds can be linearly superimposed on the effects of internal friction is justified. The minimum value of the cross-isobar angle of the surface wind for a given magnitude of the thermal wind vector occurs when that vector points about 345° to the right of the surface geostrophic wind vector and the maximum value occurs when it points at an azimuth of about 120° relative to the surface geostrophic wind vector. The range of values of the cross-isobar angle is almost directly proportional to the magnitude of the thermal wind vector. Hodographs resulting from the assumed variation of the geostrophic wind have approximately the same shape as 24-hour mean hodographs at two locations over the Great Plains.
Hagedoorn's plus‐minus method: the beauty of simplicity

This paper examines return migrants and new migrants to Montana: Who are they? Why do they move? Do return migrants move for different reasons than new migrants? Data from the 1994–1997 Montana Poll, a representative survey of Montana households, are used. A comparison of socio-economic differences of return and new migrants shows that the two migrant types are very similar in terms of education, income, and age. This stands in contrast to the findings of others who maintain that return migrants are negatively selected with respect to education. Logistic regressions were employed to identify the effect of age and place ties on reasons for moving. Return migrants and new migrants move to Montana for very similar reasons, with family being the most important primary reason for moving. Moving for lifestyle reasons, such as environmental quality and urban amenities, were found to systematically change with age. This could explain why people return to a place they left earlier in life. While other research on return migration compared return migrants and other migrants who left the same place of origin, this paper offers a comparison of return migrants and other migrants who seek out the same destination. Results from the Montana Poll suggest that the same destination attracts return migrants and new migrants with similar socio-economic characteristics who move there for very similar reasons.
Functional Diversity of Robo Receptor Immunoglobulin Domains Promotes Distinct Axon Guidance Decisions

Recognition molecules of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily control axon guidance in the developing nervous system. Ig-like domains are among the most widely represented protein domains in the human genome, and the number of Ig superfamily proteins is strongly correlated with cellular complexity. In Drosophila, three Roundabout (Robo) Ig superfamily receptors respond to their common Slit ligand to regulate axon guidance at the midline: Robo and Robo2 mediate midline repulsion, Robo2 and Robo3 control longitudinal pathway selection, and Robo2 can promote midline crossing. How these closely related receptors mediate distinct guidance functions is not understood. We report that the differential functions of Robo2 and Robo3 are specified by their ectodomains and do not reflect differences in cytoplasmic signaling. Functional modularity of Robo2's ectodomain facilitates multiple guidance decisions: Ig1 and Ig3 of Robo2 confer lateral positioning activity, whereas Ig2 confers promidline crossing activity. Robo2's distinct functions are not dependent on greater Slit affinity but are instead due in part to differences in multimerization and receptor-ligand stoichiometry conferred by Robo2's Ig domains. Together, our findings suggest that diverse responses to the Slit guidance cue are imparted by intrinsic structural differences encoded in the extracellular Ig domains of the Robo receptors.
Human brain plasticity: an emerging view of the multiple substrates and mechanisms that cause cortical changes and related sensory dysfunctions after injuries of sensory inputs from the body.

Injuries of peripheral inputs from the body cause sensory dysfunctions that are thought to be attributable to functional changes in cerebral cortical maps of the body. Prevalent theories propose that these cortical changes are explained by mechanisms that preeminently operate within cortex. This paper reviews findings from humans and other primates that point to a very different explanation, i.e. that injury triggers an immediately initiated, and subsequently continuing, progression of mechanisms that alter substrates at multiple subcortical as well as cortical locations. As part of this progression, peripheral injuries cause surprisingly rapid neurochemical/molecular, functional, and structural changes in peripheral, spinal, and brainstem substrates. Moreover, recent comparisons of extents of subcortical and cortical map changes indicate that initial subcortical changes can be more extensive than cortical changes, and that over time cortical and subcortical extents of change reach new balances. Mechanisms for these changes are ubiquitous in subcortical and cortical substrates and include neurochemical/molecular changes that cause functional alterations of normal excitation and inhibition, atrophy and degeneration of normal substrates, and sprouting of new connections. The result is that injuries that begin in the body become rapidly further embodied in reorganizational make-overs of the entire core of the somatosensory brain, from peripheral sensory neurons to cortex. We suggest that sensory dysfunctions after nerve, root, dorsal column (spinal), and amputation injuries can be viewed as diseases of reorganization in this core.
General mechanism for RecA protein binding to duplex DNA.

Abstract RecA protein binding to duplex DNA occurs by a multi-step process. The tau analysis, originally developed to examine the binding of RNA polymerase to promoter DNA, is adapted here to study two kinetically distinguishable reaction segments of RecA-double stranded (ds) DNA complex formation in greater detail. One, which is probably a rapid preequilibrium in which RecA protein binds weakly to native dsDNA, is found to have the following properties: (1) a sensitivity to pH, involving a net release of approximately one proton; (2) a sensitivity to salts; (3) little or no dependence on temperature; (4) little or no dependence on DNA length. The second reaction segment, the rate-limiting nucleation of nucleoprotein filament formation accompanied by partial DNA unwinding, is found to have the following properties: (1) a sensitivity to pH, involving a net uptake of approximately three protons; (2) a sensitivity to salts; (3) a relatively large dependence on temperature, with an Arrhenius activation energy of 39 kcal mol −1 ; (4) a sensitivity to DNA topology; (5) a dependence on DNA length. These results contribute to a general mechanism for RecA protein binding to duplex DNA, which can provide a rationale for the apparent preferential binding to altered DNA structures such as pyrimidine dimers and Z -DNA.
CLINICAL RESULTS OF 24 PITUITARY MACROADENOMAS WITH LINAC-BASED STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY

Abstract Purpose: To determine the impact of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) on the clinical course, hormonal status, and follow-up CT/MRI scan of pituitary macroadenomas. Methods and Materials: From July 1988 to March 1996, 24 pituitary macroadenomas had been treated using 6 MV linear accelerator based SRS. They consisted of 11 (45.8%) prolactinomas, 2 (8.3%) growth hormone (GH)-secreting tumors, 1 (4.2%) Cushing’s disease, 8 (33.3%) nonsecreting (nonfunctioning: NF) tumors, and 2 (8.3%) mixed prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH)-secreting tumors (M:F = 12:12; aged 21–61 years). Postoperative irradiation was performed in all cases except for the instance of Cushing’s disease. The prescribed dose to tumor center varied from 10 to 27 Gy (mean 21.1 Gy) using a collimator size of 0.5 to 2.5 cm. The follow-up duration ranged from 13 to 89 months (mean 49.2 months). Results from these patients were compared to our results using conventional radiation. Results: Visual acuity and field defect were improved or became normal in 19 (79.2%) cases. Four (16.7%) remained unchanged after the treatment. One (4.1%) progressed 6 years after SRS and subsequently had repeat surgery with conventional boost irradiation. Of the 13 (46.4%) prolactinomas, including two mixed PRL-GH secreting tumors, 11 (84.1%) revealed normal hormonal levels within 1 year after SRS. In contrast, it took 2 years to become normal after conventional radiation therapy. In four GH-secreting tumors including two mixed PRL-GH secreting tumors, SRS and conventional methods showed similar responses. On follow-up imagings of the 21 patients, the mass was completely resolved in 4 (16.7%), including 3 PRLs and one NF, decreased in 11 (45.8%), and unchanged in 5 (16.7%) with central necrosis or cysts. One (4.2%) progressed and was reoperated 6 years after treatment. The complications related to SRS were comparable to those from conventional method. Conclusion: Radiosurgery can be used effectively in patients with pituitary adenoma. In this study, a more rapid hormonal and clinical response was achieved with radiosurgery than with conventional pituitary irradiation treatment.
A modified Köppen classification applied to model simulations of glacial and interglacial climates

A series of experiments was done using an atmospheric general circulation model to simulate climates from full glacial time at 18 ka (thousands of years before the present) to the present at 3000 year intervals, and at 126 ka, the previous interglacial period. A modified Koppen climate classification was developed to aid in the interpretation of the results of the circulation model experiments. The climate classification scheme permits the characterization of eleven distinct seasonal temperature and precipitation regimes. For the modern climate, the modified classification agrees well with a classification of natural vegetation zones, and provides an easily-assimilated depiction of climate changes resulting from the varying boundary conditions in the past. At 18 ka, the time of glacial maximum, 45% of the land surface had climate classifications different from the present. At 126 ka, a time when northern hemisphere summer radiation was much greater than at present owing to changes in the date of perihelion and tilt of the earth's axis, the corresponding difference was 32%. For all experiments -3 to 18 ka and 126 ka - only 30% of the land surface showed no change in climate classification from the present. Core areas showing no change included the Amazon basin, the northern Sahara and Australia.
SLAVIC NONCLASSICAL 21-OH DEFICIENCY: A DIFFERENT MUTATION

Nonclassical adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (NC21OHD) has been described to occur in high frequency among certain ethnic groups, among them Ashkenazi Jews (1/27), Hispanics (1/53), Yugoslavs (1/63), and Italians (1/333). The haplotype segment HLA-B14; DR1 is in strong linkage disequilibrium with the gene for NC21OHD. Differential ethnic group associations have been described, while B14;DR1 is frequent in nonclassical subjects of Ashkenazi Jewish, Hispanic, and Italian origin, this haplotype is much less frequently observed in Yugoslav and northern European Caucasians. It is postulated that the B14;DRl-associated mutation differs from the non-B14 associated mutation and would produce a difference in clinical and/or hormonal phenotypes. we have observed 10 Yugoslav patients with NC21OHD from 9 unrelated families. Three presented with precocious adrenarche. The remainder, identified through family studies of patients previously diagnosed with CAH or NC21OHD, were noted to be asymptomatic. The clinical presentation among the Yugoslavs was different from that in 84 observed patients who were Ashkenazi Jews, Hispanics or Italians. In the latter group the prominent symptoms were hirsutism in 21, amenorrhea or irregular menses in 9, infertility in 4, acne in 8, clitoromegaly in 3, hair loss in 1, accelerated growth in 1, precocious adrenarche in 20, and 31 were asymptomatic. In these patients with NC21OHD, the B14;DR1 segment occurred in 91% of the non-slavic haplotypes. Only 3 of the Yugoslav patients were found to carry the B14;DR1 haplotype and in each case B14;DR1 was associated with Italian, Hungarian, or German ancestry. In summary, we propose that the Yugoslav mutation in NC21OHD is different from other European ethnic groups.
Tipping points for adaptation: connecting emotion regulation, motivated behavior, and psychopathology

While much research on emotion regulation (ER) has focused on 1) examining the effectiveness of strategies at modifying affect and 2) delineating the associations between the habitual use of strategies and the presence of symptoms of psychopathology, comparatively little is known about the mechanisms by which the use of strategies results in changes in goal-driven behaviors. This is an important limitation in light of the central role that behaviors play in mental health and well-being. We present an ER framework that emphasizes the importance of linking changes in affect with changes in behavior. This model adopts a contextual perspective by stipulating that adaptive behaviors are those that result in a balance between short- and long-term goals. Further, this model highlights the importance of identifying ‘tipping points’ at which affective change maximally impacts behavioral outcomes. It is our hope that this framework can spur experimental research that will result in a better understanding of how ER is causally related to mental health.
Ground-Water Recharge Rates from Thermometrya

Basin artificial ground-water recharge rate at the Leaky Acres Recharge Project in Fresno, California was evaluated by Fourier analysis of temperature variations of air, basin water and ground water. The weekly mean basin-water temperature correlated well (r = 0.982) with weekly mean air temperature. Weekly mean temperature data of the air, basin water, and recharged ground water showed that the first harmonic curve was satisfactory for determining the times of minimum and maximum temperature when convective transfer of heat was considered. The lag time between maximum basin-water temperature and maximum ground-water temperature at a 16 m depth (52.5 ft), showed water moved at a thermal tracer velocity of 20.8 cm/day (0.68 ft/day). The corresponding infiltration rate measured by the falling-head method in study area basins was 18.5 cm/day (0.61 ft/day). This and other reported studies indicate that under suitable conditions with simple field instrumentation ground-water thermometry can be used to estimate the rate and direction of recharged water movement.
Children's cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase interact to predict attention bias to threatening stimuli

Physiological responses to threat occur through both the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Activity in these systems can be measured through salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol, respectively. Theoretical work and empirical studies have suggested the importance of examining the coordination of these systems in relation to cognitive functioning and behavior problems. Less is known, however, about whether these systems interactively predict more automatic aspects of attention processing such as attention toward emotionally salient threatening stimuli. We used a dot probe task to assess attention bias toward threatening stimuli in 347 kindergarten children. Cortisol and sAA were assayed from saliva samples collected prior to children's participation in assessments on a subsequent day. Using regression analyses, we examined relations of sAA and cortisol to attention bias. Results indicate that cortisol and sAA interact in predicting attention bias. Higher levels of cortisol predicted greater bias toward threat for children who had high levels of sAA, but predicted greater bias away from threat for children who had low levels of sAA. These results suggest that greater symmetry in HPA and ANS functioning is associated with greater reliance on automatic attention processes in the face of threat.
Roles of Oestrogen Receptors α and β in Behavioural Neuroendocrinology: Beyond Yin/Yang

Oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) was discovered more than 10 years ago. It is widely distributed in the brain. In some areas, such as the entorhinal cortex, it is present as the only ER, whereas in other regions, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and preoptic area, it can be found co-expressed with ERα, often within the same neurones. These ERs share ligands, and there are several complex relationships between the two receptors. Initially, the relationship between them was labelled as ‘yin/yang’, meaning that the actions of each complemented those of the other, but now, years later, other relationships have been described. Based on evidence from neuroendocrine and behavioural studies, three types of interactions between the two oestrogen receptors are described in this review. The first relationship is antagonistic; this is evident from studies on the role of oestrogen in spatial learning. When oestradiol is given in a high, chronic dose, spatial learning is impaired. This action of oestradiol requires ERα, and when ERβ is not functional, lower doses of oestradiol have this negative effect on behaviour. The second relationship between the two receptors is one that is synergistic, and this is illustrated in the combined effects of the two receptors on the production of the neuropeptide oxytocin and its receptor. The third relationship is sequential; separate actions of the two receptors are postulated in activation and organisation of sexually dimorphic reproductive behaviours. Future studies on all of these topics will inform us about how ER selective ligands might affect oestrogen functions at the organismal level.
Preliminary evidence that estrogen protects against age-related hippocampal atrophy

Few studies have examined gender differences in hippocampal volumes, and the potential effect of estrogen on these measures has not been well studied. We used MRI to measure hippocampal volumes in elderly Mexican American men and women subjects in order to determine if there were gender differences and if estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) had an effect on hippocampal volume in postmenopausal women. MRI measures of hippocampal volumes (normalized to intracranial volume) were compared in 59 women and 38 men. Further comparisons were made between men subjects, women subjects taking ERT, and women subjects not taking ERT. There were no significant effects of gender on normalized hippocampal volumes. However, women subjects taking ERT had larger right hippocampal volumes than women subjects not taking ERT and larger anterior hippocampal volumes than men subjects and women subjects not taking ERT. These findings suggest a neuroprotective effect of estrogen.
ACUTE HYPOTHERMIC STRESS, TRANSIENT TRICUSPID INSUFFICIENCY AND EARLY MATERNAL-INFANT BONDING

Skin to skin contact between parturient mother and neonates has become an accepted practice in U.S. hospitals. Such contact is considered critical for better future maternal-infant bonding. Over the past six months we have observed transient tricuspid insufficiency secondary to hypothermic stress in 14 full term infants. All infants were product of normal pregnancy, labor and delivery with apgar scores ranging between 7 and 10 at 1 and 5 minutes respectively and all spent 30 to 60 minutes with mother beginning 30 minutes after delivery. At the end of such contact period infants developed grunting, nasal flaring, cyanosis and rectal temperature less than 96° F. All had a murmur characteristic of tricuspid insufficiency. Chest x-rays, EKG and Echocardiogram were essentially normal. Electrophoretic determinations of MB isoenzyme of creatine phosphokinase (CPKMB) in serum of all infants were markedly elevated. Total serum creatine phosphokinase ranged from 391 to 2760 IU/L. MB isoenzyme percentage of total CPK ranged from 5 to 23 percent. Total creatine phosphokinase activity was measured at 37° C on a coulter - DACOS Automated Analyzer and an aliquot was subjected to agarose-gel electrophoresis. All infants had uneventful recovery within 48 to 72 hours of age. These observations suggest need for a careful maintenance of thermal environment of neonates during early maternal-infant bonding.
Effects of COMT genotype on cognitive ability and functional capacity in individuals with schizophrenia.

Abstract Cognitive and functional impairments are core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the catechol- O -methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and its relationship to cognition and functional capacity in 188 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We found that in a dose–response fashion, individuals with more Met alleles performed significantly better on tests of learning/memory and abstraction. The effects of COMT genotype on cognition were modest, explaining about 3% of the variance in learning/memory and abstraction. Larger studies will be needed to examine the relationships between COMT and other genes and cognitive performance and everyday functioning.
Southern expansion of the geographical distribution of Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus

Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus, a subspecies of black uakari, was thought to be restricted to southern Venezuela. Observations of two groups of them in Pico da Neblina National Park, Brazil, suggest that its distribution should be extended to the Brazilian territory.
Cloning and Expression of Chicken Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Gamma.

A 5,403 bp cDNA encoding chicken protein tyrosine phosphatase gamma (PTPγ) was isolated and sequenced. The predicted open reading frame of 1,422 amino acids (aa) includes 742 aa of extracellular (EC) domain, 26 aa of transmembrane (TM) domain and 634 aa of intracellular domain. The chicken PTPγ has a 86.7% aa identity to its human homolog and contains the carbonic anhydrase-like domain and fibronectin type III homologous regions in the EC domain, as well as the tandem linked catalytic sequences in the cytoplasmic domain. However, the chicken PTPγ lacks 29 aa immediate down-stream of the putative TM domain in comparison with its human counterpart. Northern analysis revealed the presence of two transcripts of 6.3 and 9.5 kb in various tissues. The cytoplasmic domain of the PTPγ could be expressed as an enzymatically active form in SF9 insect cells. PTPγ could also be expressed in normal andsrc-transformed NIH3T3 and Rat1 cells as a gag-PTP fusion protein, but no detectable effects on growth and colony formation of these cells were observed.
Elongated Membrane Zones Boost Interactions of Diffusing Proteins

Biological membranes are two dimensional, making the discovery of quasi-one-dimensional diffusion of membrane proteins puzzling. Jaqaman et al. (2011) now show that actomyosin and tubulin interact to establish long, thin diffusion corridors, thereby increasing the effective concentration of select membrane proteins to promote their interactions and modulate signaling.