cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Executive Functioning and Emotion Regulation Contributions to Social Interaction and Communication

The extent to which cognitive and emotional factors impact Adaptive Functioning (AF) among individuals in transitional living programs remains unexplored. This study examined whether Emotion Regulation (ER) mediates the relation between Executive Functioning (EF) and AF using the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (SIB-R). Forty-three participants were recruited from a transitional independent living facility. Thirty-one participants (72.1%) were male and age ranged from 18 to 43 years [mean (SD) = 22.6 (5.0)]. EF and the Lack of Awareness subscale of the DERS were independently associated with the Social Interaction and Communication cluster of the SIB-R. Poorer performance on the WCST was significantly associated with a greater Loss of Awareness, suggesting that the ability to adopt successful cognitive strategies might improve awareness of emotional responses. Performance on the WCST was significantly positively associated with Social Interaction and Communication, indicating that perceived Social Interaction and Communication is associated with EF. Lack of Awareness did not significantly mediate the relation between EF and Social Interaction and Communication. Improving EF may contribute to better awareness of emotional experiences and better Social Interaction and Communication, particularly in individuals experiencing difficulty living independently. Future studies should further delineate relationships among EF, ER, and AF, so that neuropsychological measures can identify strengths and weaknesses in daily functioning. This could lead to more nuanced recommendations for successful Adaptive Functioning based on neuropsychological evaluations.
Decoding Multivoxel Representations of Affective Scenes in Retinotopic Visual Cortex

The perception of opportunities and threats in complex scenes represents one of the main functions of the human visual system. In the laboratory, its neurophysiological basis is often studied by having observers view pictures varying in affective content. This body of work has consistently shown that viewing emotionally engaging, compared to neutral, pictures (1) heightens blood flow in limbic structures and frontoparietal cortex, as well as in anterior ventral and dorsal visual cortex, and (2) prompts an increase in the late positive event-related potential (LPP), a scalp-recorded and time-sensitive index of engagement within the network of aforementioned neural structures. The role of retinotopic visual cortex in this process has, however, been contentious, with competing theoretical notions predicting the presence versus absence of emotion-specific signals in retinotopic visual areas. The present study used multimodal neuroimaging and machine learning to address this question by examining the large-scale neural representations of affective pictures. Recording EEG and fMRI simultaneously while observers viewed pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral affective pictures, and applying multivariate pattern analysis to single-trial BOLD activities in retinotopic visual cortex, we identified three robust findings: First, unpleasant-versus-neutral decoding accuracy, as well as pleasant-versus-neutral decoding accuracy, were well above chance level in all retinotopic visual areas, including primary visual cortex. Second, the decoding accuracy in ventral visual cortex, but not in early visual cortex or dorsal visual cortex, was significantly correlated with LPP amplitude. Third, effective connectivity from amygdala to ventral visual cortex predicted unpleasant-versus-neutral decoding accuracy, and effective connectivity from ventral frontal cortex to ventral visual cortex predicted pleasant-versus-neutral decoding accuracy. These results suggest that affective pictures evoked valence-specific multivoxel neural representations in retinotopic visual cortex and that these multivoxel representations were influenced by reentry signals from limbic and frontal brain regions. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
High-grade urothelial carcinoma in urine cytology: different spaces - different faces, highlighting morphologic variance.

Introduction The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (TPS) was first published in 2016 to standardize reporting and placed a specific emphasis on high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC). The urinary tract is anatomically divided into the upper tract (UT) and the lower tract (LT). A major morphologic criterion in TPS for HGUC defines the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio as ≥ 0.7. In this study, we evaluated N/C ratios of HGUC arising from UT and LT urine specimens, to ascertain differences due to location. Materials and methods Digital annotations of whole slide scanned images were performed and enumerated. Results The cohort consisted of 59 ThinPrep specimens from 52 patients. The majority of the tumors were located in LT (39 of 59, 66.1%). A total of 590 cells were analyzed (10 cells per case). In UT, the average N/C was 0.58 and LT the average was 0.54 (P Conclusions We found that UT HGUCs have higher N/C ratios, smaller cell circumference, smaller nuclei, and less cytoplasm compared with LT. When UT was divided into renal pelvis and ureter, no statistical difference was identified.
Dissociation of tonotopy and pitch in human auditory cortex

SUMMARY Frequency-to-place mapping, or tonotopy, is a fundamental organizing principle from the earliest stages of auditory processing in the cochlea to subcortical and cortical regions. Although cortical maps are referred to as tonotopic, previous studies employed sounds that covary in spectral content and higher-level perceptual features such as pitch, making it unclear whether these maps are inherited from cochlear organization and are indeed tonotopic, or instead reflect transformations based on higher-level features. We used high-resolution fMRI to measure BOLD responses in 10 participants as they listened to pure tones that varied in frequency or complex tones that independently varied in either spectral content or fundamental frequency (pitch). We show that auditory cortical gradients are in fact a mixture of maps organized both by spectral content and pitch. Consistent with hierarchical organization, primary regions were tuned predominantly to spectral content, whereas higher-level pitch tuning was observed bilaterally in surrounding non-primary regions.
Toeplitz operators on Dirichlet spaces

In this paper we consider Toeplitz operators on Dirichlet spaces of the unit disk inℂ whose symbols are nonnegative measures. We obtain necessry and sufficient conditions on the symbols for the operator to be bounded and compact. If the symbols are supported in a cone we also get necessary and sufficient conditions for the operators to belong to the Schatten p-class. Application to the Hankel operators are indicated.
The influence of Distributed Photovoltaic on the Voltage Profile in Distribution Network

In response to the national call to improve power utilization efficiency and the proportion of clean electricity, reduce fossil fuel consumption, waste water, waste gas emissions and the loss of long-distance power transmission, the distributed photovoltaic capacity in distribution network in China power grid is constantly increasing, which brings difficulties to the voltage control in the distribution network. In this paper, voltage control of distribution network with distributed photovoltaic (PV) is studied. Firstly, a mathematical model of PV inverter is established, distribution network is defined, and an equivalent load treatment method is given. Then the single distributed PV is regarded as a negative load and the voltage profile characteristics of the distribution network with PV are deduced. Finally, in an 8-users simulation system, the influences of single/multiple PV accession modes, capacity, accession locations, feedlines’ parameters and loads on the voltage profile of the distribution network are further studied, and relevant conclusions are drawn.
An efficient fuzzy-based power control scheme for ad hoc networks

Pervasive computing devices frequently rely upon wireless ad hoc connections to exchange information with neighboring systems. The density of these types of wireless transactions will steadily increase as the Internet of Things (IoT) expands. To mitigate the growing demand for wireless bandwidth, the available frequency bands can be more effectively shared and reused through the use of transmission power control (TPC). There are several advantages to taking a fuzzy-based approach to TPC; however, existing fuzzy control proposals are primarily designed for cognitive radios and use inputs that are unavailable to ordinary ad hoc networks. Our contribution is the presentation of a lightweight fuzzy-based controller that is designed for resource-constrained nodes in ad hoc networks. By using only two commonly available radio hardware metrics, our controller reduces the computational overhead and improves the response time of the power control cycle when compared to other fuzzy-based TPC designs.
Deductive Databases with Conditional Facts

We introduce the notion of conditional facts in deductive databases. The language used to express the conditions in the basic facts does not involve constructs used to describe the database and is motivated by its potential usefulness in expressing disjunctive facts and answering queries in disjunctive deductive databases. We present a bottom-up procedure that uses tabular structures to represent the conditional facts and computes the intended meaning of conditional deductive databases. We show how this procedure can be used to answer queries in a subclass of disjunctive deductive databases which involves disjunctive facts but only definite rules.
A pitch-based approach to time-delay estimation of reverberant speech

Generalized cross-correlation (GCC) has been the traditional method for estimating the relative time-delay associated with speech signals received by a pair of microphones in a reverberant, noisy environment. The filtering criterion employed is either focussed on the signal degradations due to additive noise or those due exclusively to multipath channel effects. There has been relatively little success at applying GCC weighting schemes which are robust to both of these conditions. This paper details an alternative approach which attempts to employ a signal dependent criterion, namely the estimated periodicity of harmonic spectral intervals, to design a GCC filter appropriate for the combination of noise and multipath signal distortions. Simulations are performed across a range of room conditions to illustrate the utility of the proposed time-delay estimation method relative to conventional GCC filtering approaches.
Cost-Performance Tradeoff for Embedded Systems

Software engineering requires creativity, thorough design and analysis, and sound design decisions. Design decisions often have tradeoffs and implications associated with them. Therefore, it is important that design decisions are based on sound analysis. With respect to embedded systems, key drivers are often performance and cost. Thus the purpose of this paper is to describe an approach to aid in the design decision process on cost and performance tradeoffs for embedded systems. Specifically, it presents a model-driven approach to understand and communicate the performance-cost tradeoff.
Platelet-mediated transformation of human mitochondrial DNA-less cells.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes platelet-mediated transformation of human mitochondrial DNA-less ( ρ ˚)cells. The isolation of human cell lines completely devoid of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the demonstration that these cell lines can be repopulated with exogenous mtDNA by mitochondria-mediated transformation represents a major advance for human mitochondrial genetics studies. mtDNA-less ( ρ o ) cells have proved to be very useful for the study of mtDNA-linked diseases. The method for introducing mitochondria derived from cells of patients or normal human individuals into ρ ˚ cells involves fusion of enucleated cells (cytoplasts) with the ρ ˚ cells. An alternative method for introducing mitochondria into human ρ ˚ 0 cells has been developed, which involves the fusion with these cells of platelets derived from the individual's blood. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to establish cultures derived from the cells of the patient or the normal individual.
Acylation of glycerol 3-phosphate is the sole pathway of de novo phospholipid synthesis in Escherichia coli

The inhibition of phospholipid synthesis engendered by starving glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) auxotrophs of Escherichia coli (plsB or gpsA) for G3P is incomplete; 5 to 10% of the normal rate of phospholipid synthesis remains, even after prolonged starvation. We report that G3P starvation of a strain having lesions in both the gpsA and plsB genes resulted in essentially complete (greater than 98.5%) inhibition of phospholipid synthesis, indicating that all de novo glycerolipid synthesis in E. coli proceeds by acylation of G3P.
Composers in the Classroom: A Bio-Bibliography of Composers at Conservatories, Colleges, and Universities in the United States by James Michael Floyd

The stated purpose of James Michael Floyd's Composers in the Classroom is to provide information about composers currently teaching at institutions of higher education in the United States. From th...
EFFECT OF SEAT BELTS AND SHOULDER HARNESSES ON FUNCTIONAL ARM REACH

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effects of three different types of harnesses (lap belt, lap belt with crossed shoulder harness, and lap belt with parallel shoulder harness) on functional arm reach. Six male college students grasped a rotatable cylindrical handle as far away from the seat reference vertical line as was comfortably possible. Three different vertical heights and eight different azimuth angles were used. Contour curves for the reach envelopes are presented. The type of harness and height level had a significant effect on arm reach. Reach envelopes for the crossed and parallel harnesses were, on the average, 15 and 24% lower than the reach envelope for the lap belt. Of the three reach heights compared, the 110.5-cm reach envelope provided the greatest functional arm reach.
Herpes Group Virus Infections in the Compromised Host

Disorders of cell-mediated immunity are frequently associated with herpesvirus infections that are occasionally severe and prolonged. Such infections can be primary, as when the renal transplant recipient who is seronegative for cytomegalovirus (CMV) is grafted with a kidney from a seropositive donor. More often, they result from reactivation of latent virus, as when the patient with Hodgkin disease develops zoster following irradiation and chemotherapy.
Radiological Findings in a case of Advance staged Mesothelioma

Chest X Ray is the initial screening test for the mesothelioma like all other the chest diseases. But computed tomography (CT) is the imaging technique of choice for charactering pleural masses. CT also gives important information regarding invasion of the chest wall and surrounding structures. Certain CT features help differentiate benign from malignant processes. This short article highlights the salient CT appearance of mesothelioma; the most common pleural tumor.
Wave Overtopping and Damage Progression of Stone Armor Layer

A probabilistic hydrodynamic model for the wet and dry zone on a permeable structure is developed to predict irregular wave action on the structure above the still water level. The model is based on the time-averaged continuity and momentum equations for nonlinear shallow-water waves coupled with the exponential probability distribution of the water depth. The model predicts the cross-shore variations of the mean and standard deviation of the water depth and horizontal velocity. The model is compared with four test series in which measurement was made of the wave overtopping rate and probability as well as the water depth, velocity, and discharge exceeded by 2% of incident 1,000 waves. The agreement is mostly within a factor of 2. Damage progression of a stone armor layer is predicted by modifying a formula for bed load on beaches with input from the hydrodynamic model. The damage progression model is compared with three tests that lasted up to 28.5 h. The model predicts the eroded area of the damaged armor layer well but overpredicts the deposited area because it does not account for discrete stone units deposited at a distance seaward of the toe of the damaged armor layer.
Clinical features of polyhydramnios associated with fetal anomalies

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical features of pregnancy complicated by polyhydramnios associated with fetal anomalies. Sixty-nine patients with a singleton pregnancy complicated by polyhydramnios were retrospectively analyzed. Based on prenatal ultrasonographic findings, 13 cases were considered to have idiopathic polyhydramnios and the remaining 56 cases were associated with fetal anomalies. Between these two groups, no significant difference was found in the gestational weeks when polyhydramnios developed. However, significant difference was noted in the maximum amniotic fluid index (AFI) values during the pregnancy period; 25.4 +/- 2.7 cm in the former, and 30.6 +/- 8.9 cm in the latter (P = 0.0004). In all of 13 cases with idiopathic polyhydramnios, AFI values remained less than 30 cm until delivery. Twenty-two patients (39%) with fetal anomalies required a prenatal treatment such as amnioreduction and tocolysis, whereas only one patient (7.7%) with idiopathic polyhydramnios needed tocolysis therapy (P = 0.03). There was a significant risk of premature delivery with fetal anomalies (35.6 +/- 3.9 weeks' gestation vs. 38.8 +/- 1.5 weeks' gestation, P = 0.004) because of refractory polyhydramnios, rupture of membranes, non-reassuring fetal status, and intrauterine fetal death, and although most infants with idiopathic polyhydramnios were appropriate-for-dates, many of the infants with congenital anomalies were small-for-dates. Significant risk of fetal anomalies should be considered in pregnant women with severe polyhydramnios (AFI > or = 30 cm), an increased trend of amniotic fluid during the pregnancy period, polyhydramnios requiring a prenatal treatment, or fetal growth restriction. On the other hand, based on our experience, a fetus without these conditions seems to have a low risk of congenital anomalies even if polyhydramnios is noted.
Stable Receding Horizon Trajectory Control for Complex Environments

This paper presents a stable receding horizon controller for the minimum time trajectory optimization problem with a vehicle flying in a complex environment with obstacles and no-fly zones. The trajectory optimization is done using mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), which can directly incorporate logical constraints such as obstacle avoidance and waypoint selection and provides an optimization framework that can account for basic dynamic constraints such as turn limitations. Previous work introduced a receding horizon control that significantly reduces the computational effort for solving MILP problems. A straight line approximation used beyond the planning horizon gives a good estimate of the cost-to-go, but is shown to fail when no kinodynamically feasible trajectory could be constructed. A new formulation in this paper solves this problem by using a modified form of Dijkstra’s algorithm to construct a path approximation that is kinodynamically feasible from the start to the goal. With this revised path approximation and the new terminal constraints in the MILP formulation, the receding horizon MILP optimization problem is proven to have a feasible solution, which guarantees that the vehicle can reach the goal in bounded time. The simulation results show this new formulation is computationally tractable.
Nutrient Uptake Responses and Inorganic Ion Contribution to Solute Potential under Salinity Stress in Halophytic Seashore Paspalums

There is increasing interest in superior halophytes for use on saline turfgrass, forage, and land reclamations sites. We investigated halophytic seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) ecotype responses for inorganic ion uptake in shoot tissues and to identify total and individual inorganic ion contributions to total solute potential (Ψ s ) adjustment under increasing salinity. In a greenhouse study, nine ecotypes varying substantially in salinity tolerance were grown in nutrient/sand culture with six salinity levels up to 49.7 dS m -1 . Increasing salinity reduced uptake of K, Ca, and Mg, with Mg most affected. Sodium tissue content increased with salinity, but Cl increased and then declined as salinity increased. The least salt- tolerant ecotype, 'Adalayd', exhibited lower Cl uptake at high salinity compared to the most salt-tolerant types (SI 93-2, HI 101). Shoot and root growth were positively correlated to K tissue content and K was the primary ion for solute potential (Ψ s ) adjustment. Inorganic ions contributed 57 to 97% to Ψ s adjustment with salt-tolerant ecotypes exhibiting less dependence on inorganic ions for Ψ s adjustment apparently due to their ability to maintain synthesis of organic osmolytes under high salinity. In terms of physiological traits adapted for salt-screening protocols the following were not useful: tissue nutrient/element content; K/Na and Ca/Na tissue content ratios; and K or other ion contributions to total Ψ s in percent or MPa units. Shoot tissue content relationships of K, Mg, and Ca to increasing salinity indicate the importance of nutritional programs for these nutrients on salt-affected sites.
Origin and implications of hot carrier degradation of Gate-all-around nanowire III–V MOSFETs

Although ultra-scaled III-V Gate-all-around (GAA) nanowire (NW) MOSFETs have been studied for their immunity to short channel effects, the degradation mechanisms, such as, hot carrier injection (HCI) in the NW MOSFETs are yet to be studied systematically. In this paper, we examine how HCI affects the NW device performance (ΔV th , ΔSS in both stress and recovery) at different bias conditions, and demonstrate that, unlike positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) in NMOS transistors, the HCI degradation is dominated by charge trapping. We analyze the implications of spatial charge trapping on device performance through experiments and simulation. We find that the distinctive features of HCI degradation of GAA NWs structure can be consistently interpreted by a Sentaurus™-based TCAD simulation.
Clinical Characteristics, Management Strategies, and Cost Implications of a Statewide Outbreak of Enterovirus Meningitis

A statewide outbreak of enterovirus meningitis occurred in Rhode Island in the summer of 1991. A comprehensive chart review was conducted for determining the demographic and clinical characteristics of the epidemic and for assessing the interinstitutional variation in treatment strategies. Four hundred eight cases were reported, and enteroviruses were recovered in 61 (68%) of 90 cases in which viral isolation was attempted. Of six isolates that were serotyped, all were echovirus 30. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid revealed that an increased total white blood cell count and an increased protein concentration were associated with increasing patient age; however, the percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid decreased with increasing patient age and longer durations of illness. Marked variations in treatment strategies between institutions were noted in the use of computed tomography of the head, the administration of empirical antimicrobial agents, and the duration of hospitalization. Considerable health resources could have been saved by rapid detection of the virus, dissemination of information about the outbreak, and a conservative approach to clinical management.
A THEORY OF OLIGOPOLISTIC COMPETITION

Contestability has shown how free entry can extend the efficient pricing result of perfect competition to oligopoly (and monopoly) markets. This paper adds another welfare result: production in competitive oligopoly markets will occur at minimum average cost. This comes from a model that is competitive because of free entry and oligopolistic because the decisionmakers take explicit account not only of the possible responses of rivals, but also of the uncertainty created by not being able to predict what those responses might be. This leads to a long-run oligopolisticly competitive equilibrium with the welfare properties of perfect competition. Copyright 1989 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd and The Victoria University of Manchester
The Eaton-Lambert syndrome and autoimmune disorders

Abstract The Eaton-Lambert syndrome is a myasthenic disorder often associated with small cell carcinoma of the lung. We describe a patient with hypothyroidism and pernicious anemia in addition to this syndrome to document its association with diseases having autoimmune concomitants.
The Effect of Permeability of Cartilage Superficial Zone on the Behavior of Stress Relaxation and Creep of Human Ankle Joint

The microstructure of articular cartilage could be divided into four distinct zones: the superficial zone, middle zone, deep zone, and calcified cartilage zone. It is believed that the superficial zone of articular cartilage has a lower permeability, which may be related to the close packing of the collagen fibrils resulting in a system of much narrow channels which offer a greater resistance to flow [1]. This parametric study investigated the influence of permeability of the superficial zone on the behavior of cartilage stress relaxation and creep of human ankle joint using a 2D biphasic poroelastic finite element model (FEM) that was created from a living human ankle joint.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Benefits and Costs of Medical Nutrition Therapy by Registered Dietitians for Patients With Hypercholesterolemia

Abstract The Massachusetts Dietetic Association implemented a statewide retrospective quality assurance audit to determine the effectiveness and cost of medical nutrition therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia (>5.20mmol/L). Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Data were collected at 23 sites from 285 outpatients seen by a registered dietitian for a minimum of two visits. Patients taking lipid-lowering medications were excluded. Of the 285 patients, 108 (38%) were men and 177 (62%) were women. The mean age was 51.4 years (range=22 to 79 years). Results showed that the mean reduction in serum cholesterol level was 8.6%, which translates to a decrease of approximately 17.2% in risk of CAD. Forty-five percent of the total population showed an 11% or greater reduction in serum cholesterol levels. Reduction in serum cholesterol levels correlated with increased time spent with a dietitian ( r =.188, P J Am Diet Assoc. 1995; 95:1041-1043 .
Carbon and nitrogen accretion and dynamics in volcanic ash deposits from different subarctic habitats

C and N pool sizes and rates of mineralization were studied in volcanic-ash deposits found in different subarctic habitats in southwestern Alaska. Surface ash samples were taken from white-spruce, alder, and moist- and dry-tundra habitats and were analysed for total and microbial C and N. C and N dynamics were studied using a 28-day aerobic laboratory incubation, with weekly measurement of evolved CO2 and determination of inorganic-N pools initially and after 10 and 28 days. Total and microbial C and N and cumulative respired CO2 all followed a similar pattern among the different habitats, with the moist-tundra habitat having the highest values and the spruce site the lowest. The size of the microbial biomass C and N pool in the spruce habitat was among the lowest reported for any ecosystem. Little net N mineralization occurred in the spruce-forest and dry-tundra ash over 28 days. Ash from the moist-tundra habitat immobilized a significant amount of N during the first 10 days of incubation, yet showed a large net release of N after 28 days. In contrast, the ash from the alder site exhibited net mineralization after both periods, with N production after 28 days being about 3.5 times that after 10 days. In addition, the alder-habitat ash was the only soil that showed net nitrification. Rates of total C and N accretion in the tundra and alder habitats were rapid relative to rates found for primary successions. The results of this study show that habitat has a profound effect on C and N cycling in subarctic environments.
Pushback: A hidden Markov model based scheme for energy efficient data transmission in sensor networks

In sensor networks, application layer QoS requirements are critical to meet while conserving energy. One of the leading factors for energy wastage is failed transmission attempts due to channel dynamics and interference. Existing techniques are unaware of the channel dynamics and lead to suboptimal channel access patterns. We propose a MAC layer solution called pushback, that appropriately delays packet transmissions to overcome periods of poor channel quality and high interference, while ensuring that the throughput requirement of the node is met. It uses a hidden Markov model (HMM) based channel model that is maintained without any additional signaling overhead. The pushback algorithm is shown to improve the packet success rate by up to 71% and reduce the number of transmissions needed by up to 38% while ensuring the same throughput.
Catalytic mechanism of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of CheY: kinetic characterization of imidazole phosphates as phosphodonors and the role of acid catalysis.

Kinetic and equilibrium measurements of phosphotransfer events involving CheY carried out over a range of pH conditions elucidated several features of the phosphotransfer mechanism. Using tryptophan fluorescence intensity measurements as a monitor of phosphorylation, we showed that phosphorylation using small molecule phosphodonors occurred by fast association of CheY with the phosphodonor, followed by rate-limiting phosphotransfer. Two previously uncharacterized phosphodonors, monophosphoimidazole and diphosphoimdazole, were able to phosphorylate CheY at a concentration about 6-fold lower than that of the previously described phosphodonors acetyl phosphate and phosphoramidate. This was shown to be due to tighter binding of the imidazole phosphates to CheY and implied the presence of binding interactions between CheY and the imidazole group. The ability of CheY to autophosphorylate through the pH range of 5−10 differed for various phosphodonors. Acetyl phosphate and diphosphoimidazole were unaffected by p...
Effect of chronic administration of L-dopa on catechol-O-methyltransferase in rat tissues

Abstract Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity was stable in most tissues of rats fed a diet containing 1% L-dopa for 52 weeks. Small decreases in activity, which cannot be explained by either the age of the rats or the presence of inhibitory substances, slowly appeared only in liver and kidney. Activity in erythrocytes, which was 10 times greater in rats than in humans when optimal assay conditions were used, was unaffected by L-dopa treatment. The lack of adaptive increases in COMT may explain, in part, the observed lack of “fall-off” in the therapeutic efficacy of L-dopa.
Excited-state equilibration over 30 A in a platinum(II) quinolinolate-bridge-platinum(II) porphyrin complex.

Long-range triplet excited-state equilibration occurs over a nanometric distance between platinum(II) 8-quinolinolate ( 3 Ptq 2 = 1.87 eV) and platinum(ll) tetraphenylporphyrin ( 3 PtTPP = 1.89 eV). The equilibrium is mediated by a fluorene-thiophene-fluorene bridge ( 3 FTF = 1.92 eV) and is characterized by a double-exponential decay (τ 1 = 39 ± 4 ps; τ 2 = 351 ±15 ps) that suggests the participation of three separate excited states: 3 Ptq 2 , 3 FTF, and 3 PtTPP, respectively. Numerical simulation of the dual equilibrium allowed for estimation of the individual rate constants for each of the reversible steps (k ET = 3.9 x 10 9 -4.1 x 10 10 s -1 ). As a result of rapid triplet-state equilibration, almost 50% of the excited-state energy is directed from the PtTPP chromophore toward Ptq 2 , in spite of a small endothermic barrier (0.03 eV).
Evidence for the formation of an ester between thrombin and heparin cofactor.

Abstract Heparin cofactor, a thrombin inhibitor, is purified from human plasma by affinity chromatography on heparin-agarose. The nature of the binding between thrombin and the inhibitor is studied by treatment of the complex with 6 M guanidinium chloride, hydroxylamine, and dilute alkali. The complex is not dissociated during gel chromatography in 6 M guanidinium chloride. This result supports an earlier proposal that formation of the complex includes the formation of a covalent bond. Treatment of dodecylsulfate-denatured complex with hydroxylamine results in dissociation of the complex to yield free thrombin and heparin cofactor. The complex is also dissociated in dilute NaOH (pH 12) solutions. These results indicate that the covalent bond between thrombin and the inhibitor is a carboxylic ester.
Systemic and intestinal pharmacokinetics of methotrexate in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background The pharmacokinetics of low-dose subcutaneous methotrexate have not been determined throughout the standard weekly dosing interval. It is not known whether methotrexate concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract are sufficient for pharmacologic activity in inflammatory bowel disease. Methods Ten patients with inflammatory bowel disease participated in the study. After the patients started taking 15 or 25 mg subcutaneous methotrexate once a week, erythrocyte methotrexate concentration was measured every 2 weeks. The absorption, rectal distribution, metabolism, and elimination of methotrexate were measured. The effect of methotrexate on proliferation of an intestinal epithelial cell line was determined. Results After weekly subcutaneous administration of methotrexate was begun, trough erythrocyte concentration rose to reach a plateau after 6 to 8 weeks, ranging from 150 to 300 nmol/L. More than 90% of subcutaneously administered methotrexate was rapidly excreted in the urine. The methotrexate plasma time course after subcutaneous administration fit a 2-compartment first-order model with biphasic elimination and trough concentration of about 1 nmol/L. Trough and peak methotrexate concentrations (mean value ± SD) were 64 ± 33 and 206 ± 64 fmol/mg in the rectal mucosa and 4 ± 3 and 51 ± 26 nmol/L in the rectal lumen. These methotrexate concentrations were in the range found to be pharmacologically active against Caco-2 cell growth, that is, a 50% inhibitory concentration from 10 to 46 nmol/L. Conclusion Subcutaneous methotrexate was well absorbed and distributed to the site of the lesions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Methotrexate was concentrated intracellularly in blood and in the rectum. The methotrexate concentration in the rectal mucosa remained within a pharmacologically active range throughout the dosing interval. The findings represent a pharmacologic explanation for the sustained efficacy of weekly methotrexate therapy. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1999) 65, 29–39; doi:
On the conventional K calibration equations for single-edge-cracked tension specimens

Abstract The conventional K calibration equations for single-edge-cracked tension specimens were examined by conducting constant stress intensity range fatigue tests on a 2024-T3 aluminum alloy over a range of crack lengths from 0.5 to 15 mm [corresponding to crack length-to-specimen width ratios ( a W ) of about 0.02 to 0.5] in dry oxygen at two ΔK levels. The results showed that the equations are in considerable error, ranging from less than one to over ten percent from a W of 0.05 to 0.5. These errors are attributed to the effect of bending associated with rotation at the loading pins. An empirical correction to the K calibration equations was made based on the fatigue crack growth test data in oxygen. Tests were then conducted in a different test environment (namely, deaerated 0.5M NaCl solution) to validate the modified K calibration equation and showed very satisfactory results.
A Gain-of-Function Mutation in the Second Tetratricopeptide Repeat of TFIIIC131 Relieves Autoinhibition of Brf1 Binding

The interaction between the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-containing subunit of TFIIIC, TFIIIC131, and the TFIIB-related factor Brf1 represents a limiting step in the assembly of the RNA polymerase III (pol III) initiation factor TFIIIB. This assembly reaction is facilitated by dominant mutations that map in and around TPR2. Structural modeling of TPR1 to TPR3 from TFIIIC131 shows that one such mutation, PCF1-2, alters a residue in the ligand-binding groove of the TPR superhelix whereas another mutation, PCF1-1, changes a surface-accessible residue on the back side of the TPR superhelix. In this work, we show that the PCF1-1 mutation (H190Y) increases the binding affinity for Brf1, but does not affect the binding affinity for Bdp1, in the TFIIIC-dependent assembly of TFIIIB. Interestingly, binding studies with TFIIIC131 fragments indicate that Brf1 does not interact directly at the site of the PCF1-1 mutation. Rather, the data suggest that the mutation overcomes the previously documented autoinhibition of Brf1 binding. These findings together with the results from site-directed mutagenesis support the hypothesis that gain-of-function mutations at amino acid 190 in TPR2 stabilize an alternative conformation of TFIIIC131 that promotes its interaction with Brf1.
A Resource Granularity Framework for Estimating Opportunity Costs

This paper presents a framework to help decision makers better measure the opportunity cost of resources with differing economic characteristics. After characterizing resources by the intrinsic lumpiness of acquisition (acquisition granularity), storability of benefits (expiration granularity), and control over the rate of consumption of available benefits (consumption granularity), this paper illustrates how these concepts can lead to improved decisions and assessment of observed practices.
9-O-Acetylation of Exogenously Added Ganglioside GD3 THE GD3 MOLECULE INDUCES ITS OWN O-ACETYLATION MACHINERY

Sialic acids are sometimes 9-O-acetylated in a developmentally regulated and cell-type-specific manner. Cells naturally expressing the disialoganglioside GD3 often O-acetylate the terminal sialic acid residue, giving 9-O-acetyl-GD3 (9AcGD3), a marker of neural differentiation and malignant transformation. We also reported that Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with GD3 synthase can spontaneously O-acetylate some of the newly synthesized GD3. It is unclear whether such phenomena result from induction of the 9-O-acetylation machinery and whether induction is caused by the GD3 synthase protein or by the GD3 molecule itself. We now show that exogenously added GD3 rapidly incorporates into the plasma membrane of Chinese hamster ovary cells, and 9AcGD3 is detected after ∼6 h. The incorporated GD3 and newly synthesized 9AcGD3 have a half-life of ∼24 h. This phenomenon is also seen in other cell types, such as human diploid fibroblasts. Inhibitors of gene transcription, protein translation, or endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport each prevent induction of 9-O-acetylation, without affecting GD3 incorporation. Inhibition of the initial clathrin-independent internalization of incorporated GD3 also blocks induction of 9-O-acetylation. Thus, new synthesis of one or more components of the 9-O-acetylation machinery is induced by incorporation and internalization of GD3. Prepriming with structurally related gangliosides fails to accelerate the onset of 9-O-acetylation of subsequently added GD3, indicating a requirement for specific recognition of GD3. To our knowledge, this is the first example wherein a newly expressed or exogenously introduced ganglioside induces de novo synthesis of an enzymatic machinery to modify itself, and the first evidence for a mechanism of induction of sialic acid O-acetylation.
Genomic Literacy and Competent Practice: Call for Research on Genetics in Nursing Education

This article presents an argument for research on the practical outcomes of genetics education in professional nursing programs. Nurse educators should aggressively conduct educational outcomes research on the translation of genetics core competencies at all levels of clinical practice. There should be a systematic examination of the factors, that influence graduate nurses' applications of concepts to patient care including type of educational preparation in genetics. The best way to improve health is to understand normal genome biology and its relationship to disease biology. Assuring genetics and genomic literacy among all nurses is a crucial task for contemporary nursing education programs.
Effect of creatine monohydrate on cardiac function in a rat model of endotoxemia.

Background. Reports have attributed cardiac failure during acute models of endotoxemia to a lack of high-energy phosphates. This study was undertaken to investigate whether creatine (Cr) administered during perfusion could enhance myocardial protection and improve recovery of cardiac function in a rat model of endotoxemia. Methods. Acute endotoxemia was induced in rats by a bolus injection of Escherichia coli endotoxin (LPS: 4 mg/kg, ip) while control rats were injected with an equal volume of 0.9% normal saline. To assess the adequacy of energy metabolism, freeze-clamped hearts were obtained from animals to study the concentrations of endogenous ATP, phosphocreatine (PCr), inorganic phosphate (P i ), and intracellular pH by 31 P-cryomagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In a separate experiment, isolated hearts were perfused via a Langendorff column with Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing different concentrations of creatine monohydrate (1, 3, or 10 mM). Cardiac performance was evaluated via a paced (300 bpm) isovolumetric balloon preparation. Measurements of cardiac function including left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), the maximum rates of ventricular pressure rise (LV +dP/dt) and fall (LV -dP/dt), and coronary flow were made for both LPS and saline-treated animals. Results. High-energy phosphate ratios of PCr/ATP and PCr/P i in hearts declined significantly at 4 h after endotoxin treatment. As anticipated, LVDP and LV +dP/dt max at a given preload and heart rate were significantly (P < 0.05) lower at 4 h when measured at the same time point. The functional recovery of these parameters was not improved by the addition of creatine monohydrate to the perfusion buffer. Creatine produced a significant (P < 0.05) negative inotropic effect in hearts from saline-treated animals. The LVDP was reduced by 30% at the lowest concentration and by 50% at the highest concentration of creatine monohydrate. Furthermore, creatine significantly (P < 0.05) reduced LV -dP/dt max in both saline and LPS-treated rats. These data demonstrate that exogenous creatine does not contribute to myocardial preservation in endotoxemia. Conclusions. Energy stores in the rat heart decline early in endotoxemia accompanied by reduced myocardial performance, suggesting that the ability of the heart to perform mechanical work is impaired. Cardiac dysfunction in an acute model of endotoxemia was not improved with exogenous creatine during perfusion. Creatine's effects were primarily lusitropic by delaying the onset of myocardial relaxation in all hearts. The deleterious effects of exogenous creatine monohydrate in normal hearts should be examined in future experimental studies.
Contrasting natures of lung growth after transplantation and lobectomy

Abstract Objective: We hypothesized that posttransplantation lung growth in an immature recipient and postlobectomy compensatory lung growth are two distinct processes. Methods: Mature swine underwent left upper lobectomy, and growth of the left lower lobe was studied after 2 weeks and after 3 months. Left lower lobes from another set of mature pigs were transplanted into immature animals, and growth of the transplanted lobe was then studied after 2 weeks and after 3 months. Left lower lobes from mature animals that did not undergo operation were used as normal control lobes. The lobes were weighed on removal and fixed intrabronchially. Sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin were used to determine alveolar surface density and percentage volume of respiratory region. Immunostaining for 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine was used to determine alveolar cell proliferation index, and epidermal growth factor receptor expression was detected by Western blot. Results: Postlobectomy lung growth (increase in lobe weight) reached statistical significance at 2 weeks, with a concomitant rise in cell proliferation index. The transplanted lobe, in contrast, exhibited a gradual growth response, with a statistically significant increase in cell proliferation index at 3 months. Volume of respiratory region was noted to increase only in the transplanted lobe at 3 months. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression was upwardly regulated relative to that in normal control lobes in the 2-week postlobectomy and 3-month posttransplantation lobes. Conclusions: Postlobectomy lung growth appears to be regulated by a different mechanism than is posttransplantation lung growth and is a more rapid and restorative process. The growth peaks in both processes correlate with upward regulation of cell proliferation index and epidermal growth factor receptor expression.
Purification and properties of barley leaf ribonuclease

Abstract The principal ribonuclease from young barley plants was purified 29 200-fold by a six-step procedure. The enzyme showed a high specific activity (15 5OO ΔA 260 units/min/mg protein) and a molecular weight of about 25 000 was indicated by gel filtration and equilibrium sedimentation. Kinetic analysis of the cleavage of dinucleoside monophosphates and of yeast RNA indicated a base preference of Gua > Ade ≥ Ura ⪢ Cyt, and was sensitive to the base located on either side of the phosphodiester bond. The enzyme resembles the Type I class of plant ribonucleases (E.C. 2.7.7. x ).
Prohibitin: A New Biomarker for Breast Tumors

: Prohibitin is an evolutionarily conserved protein that is significantly overexpressed in cell lines derived from breast tumors. In this study, prohibitin expression was analyzed in normal tissue and compared to specimens from patients diagnosed with various stages of breast disease: hy-perplasia, atypical hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma. Prohibitin expression in both epithelial and stromal elements increases with the severity of the disease state, progressing from low levels in normal tissue to three- to fivefold elevation in patients with invasive carcinoma. These results parallel those previously obtained with in vitro model systems and show that prohibitin expression is a biomarker for breast cancer.
Fire hazard analysis for fusion energy experiments

Abstract We used the 2XIIB mirror fusion facility at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) to evaluate the fire safety of state-of-the art fusion energy experiments. The primary objective of this evaluation was to ensure the parallel development of fire safety and fusion energy technology. Through fault-tree analysis, we obtained a detailed engineering description of the 2XIIB fire protection system. This information helped us establish an optimum level of fire protection for experimental fusion energy facilities as well as to evaluate the level of protection provided by various systems. Concurrently, we analyzed the fire hazard inherent in the facility using techniques that relate the probability of ignition to the flame spread and heat-release potential of construction materials, electrical and thermal insulations, and dielectric fluids. A comparison of the results of both analyses revealed that the existing fire protection system should be modified to accomodate the range of fire hazards inherent to the 2XIIB facility.