cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-resolution crystal structures of alternate forms of the human CD44 hyaluronan-binding domain reveal a site for protein interaction.

Two new crystal structures of the extracellular hyaluronan-binding domain of human CD44 are described at high resolution. A hexagonal crystal form at 1.60 A resolution and a monoclinic form at 1.08 A resolution both have two molecules in the asymmetric unit arranged about a similar noncrystallographic twofold axis of symmetry. These structures are compared with those previously reported at 2.20 A resolution to show that the fold is quite resistant to structural deformation in different crystal environments. Unexpectedly, a short peptide is found in the monoclinic crystals at a site remote from the known hyaluronan-binding groove. The peptide with a valine at the carboxy-terminus must have co-purified from the bacterial expression host and binds on the opposite side of the domain from the known hyaluronan-binding groove. This opportunistic binding may identify a site of interaction used as CD44 assembles with other proteins to accomplish effective signaling regarding changes to the extracellular environment.
Integrating behavioral, perceptual, and world knowledge in reactive navigation

Reactive navigation based on task decomposition is an effective means for producing robust navigation in complex domains. By incorporating various forms of knowledge, this technique can be made considerably more flexible. Behavioral and perceptual strategies which are represented in a modular form and configured to meet the robot's mission and environment add considerable versatility. A priori world knowledge, when available, can be used to configure these strategies in an efficient form. Dynamically acquired world models can be used to circumvent certain pitfalls that representationless methods are subject to. The Autonomous Robot Architecture (AuRA) is the framework within which experiments in the application of knowledge to reactive control are conducted. Actual robot experiments and simulation studies demonstrate the flexibility and feasibility of this approach over a wide range of navigational domains.
The Medium and the Message: Interactive Television and Distance Education Programs for Adult Learners

Distance education programs are expanding to meet the needs of a growing population of adult learners. The interactive television (ITV) classroom, a relatively recent technological innovation made possible with compressed digital video (CDV) transmission, has been found to be an effective teaching tool with mature students. A review of the literature suggests that ITV, although in its infancy, has the potential to overcome the pedagogical difficulties inherent in more traditional distance education technology based on audio alone. The results of a recent study conducted in graduate education courses by the authors at the University of New Hampshire indicate that adult students have generally positive attitudes toward their ITV classes. Essential to the success of distance education programs which use ITV is the training of both professors and students who will be involved in this emerging technology.
Magsat and POGO magnetic anomalies over the Lord Howe Rise: Evidence against a simple continental crustal structure

Magsat average scalar and POGO reduced-to-pole magnetic anomaly data both show prominent positive signatures over the Lord Howe Rise. Although generally assumed to be continental in nature, the Lord Howe Rise cannot simply be submerged ordinary continental crust, which would produce a negative anomaly contrast with respect to the surrounding higher susceptibility oceanic crust. Three-dimensional modeling of the plateau, using the known crustal structure and assuming an induced origin for the satellite elevation anomaly, leads to a model in which the lowest crustal layer in an otherwise 'continental' crustal structure has an unusually high susceptibility in the range cgs 0.008-0.010 (SI 0.10-0.13). Replacement or alteration of the lowest layer by a high-susceptibility rock type may be related to the subsidence of the plateau.
Speech effort measurement and stuttering: investigating the chorus reading effect.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate chorus reading’s (CR’s) effect on speech effort during oral reading by adult stuttering speakers and control participants. The effect of a speech effort measurement highlighting strategy was also investigated. Method Twelve persistent stuttering (PS) adults and 12 normally fluent control participants completed 1-min base rate readings (BR–nonchorus) and CRs within a BR/CR/BR/CR/BR experimental design. Participants self-rated speech effort using a 9-point scale after each reading trial. Stuttering frequency, speech rate, and speech naturalness measures were also obtained. Instructions highlighting speech effort ratings during BR and CR phases were introduced after the first CR. Results CR improved speech effort ratings for the PS group, but the control group showed a reverse trend. Both groups' effort ratings were not significantly different during CR phases but were significantly poorer than the control group’s effort ratings during BR phases. The highl...
Impella Induced Massive Hemolysis: Reemphasizing Echocardiographic Guidance for Correct Placement

The Impella LP 2.5 (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) has been a tool of use for high risk coronary procedures and for cardiogenic shock. As with any invasive or intracardiac device, improper placement can result in disastrous complications. Hemolytic anemia secondary to Impella implantation is one of the documented complications. However, cases of severe hemolytic anemia are rare in the literature. Proven imaging modalities like ultrasound need to be used to guide proper placement. We present a case of device induced severe hemolysis due to Impella insertion and the need to use ultrasound guidance to avoid such an unnecessary complication.
Computational biology for biotechnology: Part II Applications of scientific computing in biotechnology

Abstract Part I of this article in last month's issue described the infrastructural arrangement that will help the scientific community to acquire, store, access and process data electronically. The second part describes the needs and opportunities for computational biology in areas relevant to biotechnology. The article argues for greater involvement of biologists with computing to guide the development of systems appropriate for their peculiar needs.
Estimating nitrogen nutritional crop requirements of grafted tomatoes under field conditions.

a b s t r a c t An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that the enhanced yield possible with grafted tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under field conditions will also increase the nitrogen (N) crop nutri- tional requirement (CNR). Determinate 'Florida 47' tomatoes were grafted onto interspecific hybrid rootstocks ('Multifort' or 'Beaufort') and grown in a sandy soil with six N rates (56, 112, 168, 224, 280, and 336 kg ha−1) under plastic mulched bed and drip-irrigation systems during the spring seasons of 2010 (March-June) and 2011 (April-July). The N-CNR for grafted and non-grafted tomatoes was assessed using five yield response functions: exponential, linear-plateau, quadratic-plateau, quadratic, and square root. Over the two seasons, the estimated N-CNR ranged from 165 kg ha −1 with the quadratic-plateau model to 324 kg ha −1 with the square root model. Confidence intervals (CI) around these N-CNR ranged from 125 to 585 kg ha −1 using the bootstrap method and from 98 to 440 kg ha −1 using the delta method. Anal- ysis of these CIs gave N-CNR rates of 239-246 kg N ha −1 for grafted plants, and 196-197 kg N ha −1 for non-grafted plants. Predicted maximum marketable yields were similar between the models, ranging from 56 -71 Mg ha −1 for grafted plants, and 43-53 Mg ha −1 for non-grafted plants, over the two seasons. Overall, while the actual N-CNR is likely to vary with season, soil types, and management practices, the results indicated that grafted tomato plants had a greater N-CNR than non-grafted plants together with an increase in predicted marketable yield. The yield response curves also showed that at a fixed marketable yield goal within the estimated range, the N fertilization rate required was lower for the grafted tomato plants as compared with the non-grafted plants. This study demonstrated that N fertilization program for optimizing tomato production may be modified when grafted plants are used.
Component Analysis of Productivity in Home Care RNs

The purpose of this study was to develop a productivity measurement method applicable to home health care registered nurses (RNs) by identifying and quantifying the areas of knowledge and ability that define productive nursing practice in home health care. A descriptive, correlational design using qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis identified 35 knowledge and ability variables that grouped into seven dimensions: Client/Family Management, Practice Management, Knowledge/Skill Maintenance, Communication, Nursing Process, Written Documentation, and Home Health Care Knowledge. There were no significant differences in productivity variables among four major types of agencies. Among agencies considered preeminent, intellectual skills appeared to be of greater importance to productive practice than direct-care skills. The seven productivity dimensions that emerged from this study show promise in providing 1) a theoretical basis for understanding the knowledge and abilities associated with RN productivity in the home health setting, 2) a description of nurse inputs in a home health services productivity model, and 3) a reality-based measurement tool that has utility in managing RN productivity in home health care.
Visualizing the visual system

As part of a forthcoming planetarium show about the human brain, we are producing realistic models of the central nervous system at a variety of scales, from whole brain images to images of individual neurons. We have focused on the visual system and especially the visual cortex, and are building sets of simulated neurons using stochastic growth rules that mimic the geometries of actual neurons. We anticipate that some of the techniques we have developed in this work may also prove useful in various areas of computational neuroscience. ( 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The distribution and mobility of uranium in glassy and zeolitized tuff, Keg Mountain area, Utah, U.S.A.

Abstract The distribution and mobility of uranium in a diagenetically altered, 8 Ma old tuff in the Keg Mountain area, Utah, are modelled in this study. The modelling represents an improvement over similar earlier studies in that it: (1) considers a large number of samples (76) collected with good geologic control and exhibiting a wide range of alteration; (2) includes radiometric data for Th, K and RaeU (radium equivalent uranium) as well as U; (3) considers mineralogic and trace-element data for the same samples; and (4) analyzes the mineral and chemical covariation by multivariate statistical methods. The variation of U in the tuff is controlled mainly by its primary abundance in glass and by the relative abundance of non-uraniferous detritus and uraniferous accessory minerals. Alteration of glass to zeolite, even though extensive, caused no large or systematic change in the bulk concentration of U in the tuff. Some redistribution of U during diagenesis is indicated by association of U with minor alteration products such as opal and hydrous Fe−Mn oxide minerals. Isotopic studies indicate that the zeolitized tuff has been open to migration of U decay products during the last 0.8 Ma. The tuff of Keg Mountain has not lost a statistically detectable fraction of its original U, even though it has a high (≈ 9 ppm) trace U content and has been extensively altered to zeolite. Similar studies in a variety of geological environments are required in order to identify the particular combination of conditions most favorable for liberation and migration of U from tuffs.
Larval settlement patterns and preferences by domino damselfish Dascyllus albisella Gill

In open populations, larval settlement dynamics may be an important determinant of subsequent distribution and abundance of juveniles and adults. A correlative and experimental study of larval settlement in the domino damselfish Dascyllus albisella Gill onto coral reefs off Oahu, Hawaii, was conducted by considering settlement patterns and the extent of larval habitat choice. Conspecific groups live in transient groups on small, branching coral heads and do not interact with adults. By repeatedly censusing a natural patch reef over two summers, and employing a multifactorial experiment on a grid of isolated coral heads, I identified conspecific juvenile density as a major factor influencing settlement. A series of field and laboratory binary choice experiments confirmed that larvae preferred to settle with larger groups of conspecific juveniles than with single conspecifics, emty coral heads or confamilial groups. The laboratory experiment also indicated that preferences may have been established through visual cues, suggesting that vision may supplement chemical cues in facilitating larval settlement preferences. On a larger spatial scale, patterns of settlement at five sites coverig 25 km of Oahu's coastline suggested that two distinct peaks of larval settlement occurred in the summer of 1989 and that settlement was synchronous among these sites. It appears that settlement patterns of a small (within-reef) scale are influenced by larval habitat preferences, while settlement on a larger scale (several reefs) may be synchronized as a result of oceanographic factors or spawning patterns.
Advances in fiber and film flow

Abstract We give an account of recent advances in fiber and film flow. In particular, we address local and global solvability of the equations of fiber spinning, semigroup theory for the linearized equations of film casting, and eigenvalue asymptotics via Birkhoff sequences. In general, we will present the salient points in the proofs of the various results without dwelling on technicalities. We shall provide new perspectives for the underlying analytical issues and shed light on some physical consequences.
The comparative effects of several mammalian growth hormones on sulfate incorporation into acid mucopolysaccharides by cultured chick embryo chondrocytes.

This study reports the effects of varying concentrations of bovine, ovine, porcine, rat, and human growth hormones on the incorporation of 35SO4 into hyaluronidase-sensitive materials by cell cultures of chick embryo sternal chondrocytes. At 10 μg/ml, ovine or bovine growth hormones stimulated sulfation 20–50% over control cultures. Ovine growth hormone was more effective at lower concentrations than was bovine growth hormone. In contrast, porcine growth hormone stimulated sulfation at low concentrations (0.1 μg/ml) but was inhibitory at higher concentrations. At 10 μg/ml of porcine growth hormone, sulfation was inhibited by 10–18%. Rat growth hormone inhibited sulfate incorporation 8–12% at concentrations greater than 1.0 μg/ml. Human growth hormone or ovine prolactin had no measurable effect on sulfation. The results indicate that avian cartilage can respond in vitro to several mammalian growth hormones, and that the differences in the biological activities of growth hormones parallels differences in th...
A Geotechnical Investigation of Abandoned Strip Mines for Sanitary Landfill Purposes

Five strip mine sites in northeastern Ohio were selected to investigate their suitability as sanitary landfills. Engineering properties of the mine spoil from each site were studied for possible utilization as a cover and as liner material. Detailed investigations were conducted to evaluate the geologic and hydro-geologic conditions at each site. The mine spoil can be generally classified as a well-graded sand with fines of low plasticity. Laboratory density values range from 99 to 124 pcf (1.59 to 1.99 Mg/m 3 ) whereas in-situ density values of end-dumped, uncompacted, spoil range from 75 to 118.5 pcf (1.20 to 1.90 Mg/m 3 ). Density vs. permeability curves indicate that the required permeability of a cover material (1 × 10 −5 cm/sec) can be obtained at approximately 90 percent relative compaction while some spoil material can meet liner specifications (1 × 10 −7 cm/sec) at a relative compaction of 95 percent or more. Permeability values of spoil compacted at maximum dry density and slightly wet of optimum moisture content range from 2.5 × 10 −7 to 5.6 × 10 −8 cm/sec whereas field infiltration tests yield permeability values ranging from 5 × 10 −3 to 5 × 10 −7 cm/sec. The in-situ values of moisture content generally fall on the wet side of the optimum. Slake durability indices range from 54.6 to 97.7 suggesting that shales in the mine spoil have medium to very high resistance to slaking. The engineering properties of the mine spoil indicate that it is highly suitable for use as a cover material but only marginally suitable for use as a liner material. Shale is the predominant rock type underlying the sites. Underclay, which greatly increases the suitability of a site as a landfill, is present at three of the five sites. Generally, no significant aquifers were found immediately below the sites. Most water supplies are obtained well below the land surface and would be hydrologically separated from surface operations by the intervening clay and shale. These investigations indicate that properly engineered abandoned strip mines can be environmentally sound for sanitary landfill purposes.
Methodology of a short-loop yield analysis for defect impact studies

A methodology is described which establishes the prioritization of defects based on electrical impact of the different defect types using a Short Loop Yield Monitor under conditions of low statistics. Probe results from specifically designed test patterns for interconnect structures are correlated with optical defect inspection data to determine the kill rates of various defects. The results provide quantitative means to rank the importance of defects as well as the effectiveness of the inspection strategy. The wafers are optically inspected at each process step and reviewed with an automated SEM (SEMVision). The defects are tracked and a defect Pareto is established. After final processing, the electrical testing is performed and correlations are established. The defects are ranked by a quantitative approach based on the kill rate. A unique and important feature of the approach is to use deliberately introduced defects to study the impact at specific process points. The use of controlled defect introduction allows an improved statistical analysis for low coverage inspection plans. It appears that particles that occur at early stages in the process have an enhanced impact because of a potential size amplification effect. With the impact quantified, effective inspection and defect reduction plans can be implemented.
epi-Fluorescence imaging at the air–water interface of fibrillization of bovine serum albumin and human insulin

Protein fibrillization is associated with many devastating neurodegenerative diseases. This process has been studied using spectroscopic and microscopic methods. In this study, epi-fluorescence at the air–water interface was developed as an innovative technique for observing fibrillization of bovine serum albumin and human insulin.
Earthquake nucleation on faults with rate-and state-dependent strength

Abstract Dieterich, J.H., 1992. Earthquake nucleation on faults with rate- and state-dependent strength. In: T. Mikumo, K. Aki, M. Ohnaka, L.J. Ruff and P.K.P. Spudich (Editors), Earthquake Source Physics and Earthquake Precursors. Tectonophysics, 211: 115–134. Faults with rate- and state-dependent constitutive properties reproduce a range of observed fault slip phenomena including spontaneous nucleation of slip instabilities at stresses above some critical stress level and recovery of strength following slip instability. Calculations with a plane-strain fault model with spatially varying properties demonstrate that accelerating slip precedes instability and becomes localized to a fault patch. The dimensions of the fault patch follow scaling relations for the minimum critical length for unstable fault slip. The critical length is a function of normal stress, loading conditions and constitutive parameters which include Dc, the characteristic slip distance. If slip starts on a patch that exceeds the critical size, the length of the rapidly accelerating zone tends to shrink to the characteristic size as the time of instability approaches. Solutions have been obtained for a uniform, fixed-patch model that are in good agreement with results from the plane-strain model. Over a wide range of conditions, above the steady-state stress, the logarithm of the time to instability linearly decreases as the initial stress increases. Because nucleation patch length and premonitory displacement are proportional to Dc, the moment of premonitory slip scales by D3c. The scaling of Dc is currently an open question. Unless Dc for earthquake faults is significantly greater than that observed on laboratory faults, premonitory strain arising from the nucleation process for earthquakes may by too small to detect using current observation methods. Excluding the possibility that Dc in the nucleation zone controls the magnitude of the subsequent earthquake, then the source dimensions of the smallest earthquakes in a region provide an upper limit for the size of the nucleation patch.
Surface-preferential crosslinking in hydrogels to minimize the burst effect and design tunable lag times for drug delivery

Hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) typically show an initial burst. When treated with glutaraldehyde to form a highly crosslinked network at the surfaces of the gels, the burst effect was minimized and effectively controlled. The effect of polymer type, crosslinking solution concentration, time exposed to glutaraldehyde, and sample geometry on the release behavior of proxyphylline, a small molecular weight model drug, were investigated. Highly concentrated glutaraldehyde solutions led to a delayed release, but in each case the amount of drug removed by extraction during the crosslinking step was minimal. Drug delivery using this technique effectively reduced the burst without significantly impacting the steady state release rate.
Evidence for multiple scattering of high energy partons in nuclei

Abstract New experimental information is presented about the effect of a nucleus on partons which have undergone a hard scatter. We have observed clear dijet events from 400 GeV / c p-nucleus interactions and compared them to dijets from pp interactions. Our results show that the angular width of the individual jets is only slightly affected by the presence of the nucleus, but the acoplanarity of the jet pairs is sharply increased.
QUANTITATION OF CELLULAR RESPONSES IN THE MOUSE SPLEEN AFTER IRRADIATION

Following sublethal whole-body irradiation of young mice, the spleen diminishes in size in relation to dose, then hypertrophies so that after larger doses it much exceeds the original weight. This reflects a very much more rapid regeneration at higher doses than occurs at lower doses. This regeneration takes place largely in proliferating areas within the red pulp. This proliferation is in some cases grossly nodular and in others it is not. When nodules are seen, when they appear, they are fewer and more rapidly growing after higher radiation doses. If those were taken to resemble a survival curve of single colony-forming units, an original population of somewhat more thand 100 such units would be indicated. Further work is required to establish whether such a mechanism is active. (auth)
Robust nonlinear ARMA model parameter estimation using a stochastic recurrent neural network

We introduce a new approach for estimating linear and nonlinear stochastic ARMA model parameters, using recurrent neural networks. This new approach is a 2-step approach in which the parameters of the deterministic part of stochastic ARMA parameters are first estimated via a three-layer network and then re-estimated using the prediction error as one of the inputs to the networks. Using this simple two-step procedure, we obtain more robust model predictions than the deterministic network approach despite the presence of significant amounts of either dynamic or additive noise in the output signal. A comparison between the deterministic and stochastic approaches is made using renal blood pressure and flow data.
A new method of separating inorganic orthophosphate from phosphoric esters and anhydrides by an immobilized catalyst column.

Abstract A column of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone packed in a 1-ml Tuberculin syringe is used as a stationary phase for affinity chromatography of phosphomolybdate. When a mixture of inorganic orthophosphate, phosphoric esters, and phosphoric anhydrides is introduced into such a column in the presence of molybdate (2–3%, pH 3–5), inorganic orthophosphate adsorbs specifically to the column material as phosphomolybdate, while other phosphate compounds, which do not react with molybdate, drain through. Mild centrifugation (8–50g) is used to hasten elution to minimize the hydrolysis of acid-labile phosphates. The method described allows separation of radioactive phosphate compounds from a small amount of solution (0.2–1.0 ml) without either organic solvent extraction or transfer of sample, which may cause error and/or contamination. With 3% molybdate, pH 3.0, 98.5 ± 0.6% of ATP is recovered, while 0.05 ± 0.01% of inorganic orthophosphate is eluted in the effluent. Retained inorganic orthophosphate can be eluted later by 0.5 m ammonium hydroxide with a recovery of 98.2 ± 0.9%. Unlike other methods of separating phosphomolybdate, this one is virtually insensitive to the presence of reducing reagents.
Extracting Tree-Structured Representations of Trained Networks

A significant limitation of neural networks is that the representations they learn are usually incomprehensible to humans. We present a novel algorithm, TREPAN, for extracting comprehensible, symbolic representations from trained neural networks. Our algorithm uses queries to induce a decision tree that approximates the concept represented by a given network. Our experiments demonstrate that TREPAN is able to produce decision trees that maintain a high level of fidelity to their respective networks while being comprehensible and accurate. Unlike previous work in this area, our algorithm is general in its applicability and scales well to large networks and problems with high-dimensional input spaces.
Political Economy of Income Distribution: A Comparative Study of Taiwan and Mexico

Both Taiwan and Mexico have experienced remarkable economic growth since the 1960s. Taiwan demonstrates that higher income level can be accompanied by falling income inequalities. However, unlike Taiwan, the course of economic growth in Mexico has left the country with a very unequal distribution of income. This paper compares the government policies of income distribution in Mexico and Taiwan and identifies the factors contributing to the success of Taiwan and to the highly uneven income distribution in Mexico. The paper concludes that market-oriented growth does not automatically reduce inequality or poverty. The prospects for better income equity and sustainable economic development would be greatly enhanced through implementation of policies aimed at redistributing land and skills, facilitating small enterprises, and increasing domestic saving.
PathwayAccess: CellDesigner plugins for pathway databases

Summary: CellDesigner provides a user-friendly interface for graphical biochemical pathway description. Many pathway databases are not directly exportable to CellDesigner models. PathwayAccess is an extensible suite of CellDesigner plugins, which connect CellDesigner directly to pathway databases using respective Java application programming interfaces. The process is streamlined for creating new PathwayAccess plugins for specific pathway databases. Three PathwayAccess plugins, MetNetAccess, BioCycAccess and ReactomeAccess, directly connect CellDesigner to the pathway databases MetNetDB, BioCyc and Reactome. PathwayAccess plugins enable CellDesigner users to expose pathway data to analytical CellDesigner functions, curate their pathway databases and visually integrate pathway data from different databases using standard Systems Biology Markup Language and Systems Biology Graphical Notation. Availability: Implemented in Java, PathwayAccess plugins run with CellDesigner version 4.0.1 and were tested on Ubuntu Linux, Windows XP and 7, and MacOSX. Source code, binaries, documentation and video walkthroughs are freely available at
Broadband bowtie-shaped current sheet antenna array

In this paper, the concept of a current sheet array (CSA) is expanded to design a broadband bowtie-shaped antenna array. The present approach has the potential to achieve a 7∶1 bandwidth over the VHF and UHF frequency bands with wide-angle beam. A 3 by 3 array of overlapping bowtie-shaped elements, with center feeding, was simulated. Printing was carried out on both faces of the dielectric slab and kept at a defined distance from the ground plane. A selected design was fabricated and tested experimentally to verify the simulated results for concept validation.
Accuracy of social perception of physically handicapped and nonhandicapped persons.

(1967). Accuracy of Social Perception of Physically Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Persons. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 72, No. 1, pp. 107-116.
Modern Intertidal Foraminifera of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, U.S.A., and their Applicability for Sea-Level Studies

Abstract We collected modern foraminiferal and environmental data from three back-barrier intertidal sites (Currituck Barrier Island, Oregon Inlet, and Pea Island) of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, United States, which have different salinity settings and a wind-driven tidal regime. The foraminiferal assemblages indicate that a vertical zonation of foraminifera occurs, with several significant site-specific variations of assemblages. The intertidal zone can be divided into two elements: first, an agglutinated assemblage that is restricted to the vegetated marsh and is dominated by Ammobaculites crassus, Ammobaculites subcatenulatus, Arenoparrella mexicana, Jadammina macrescens, Miliammina fusca, and Trochammina inflata and, second, a calcareous assemblage that dominates the mudflats and sandflats of the intertidal zone, characterized by Ammonia parkinsoniana, Elphidium excavatum, and Haynesina germanica. We used canonical correspondence analysis and partial canonical correspondence analyses of the foram...
Marfan syndrome : defective synthesis, secretion, and extracellular matrix formation of fibrillin by cultured dermal fibroblasts

We studied the synthesis, secretion, and aggregation into the extracellular matrix of fibrillin by dermal fibroblasts from 26 probands with the Marfan syndrome. Cells from seven probands synthesized approximately half the normal amount of fibrillin when compared with intrafamilial or unrelated controls. Cells from an additional seven probands synthesized a normal amount of fibrillin but secreted the protein less efficiently than control cells. Cells from a further eight probands synthesized and secreted normal amounts of fibrillin but the protein was poorly incorporated into extracellular matrix. Cells from the remaining four probands were indistinguishable from control cells in their synthesis and processing of fibrillin. Cells from 18 family members of 10 of the probands were also studied. Cells from affected individuals in the same family had the same biochemical defect and those from unaffected family members were indistinguishable from controls. These results indicate that mutations in the gene that encodes fibrillin are responsible for the Marfan syndrome in the majority of individuals (confirming recent immunohistochemical and genetic linkage studies) and that a variety of mutations can produce the phenotype associated with the syndrome.
c-Src inactivation reduces renal epithelial cell-matrix adhesion, proliferation, and cyst formation

c-Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase whose activity is induced by phosphorylation at Y418 and translocation from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane. Increased activity of c-Src has been associated with cell proliferation, matrix adhesion, motility, and apoptosis in tumors. Immunohistochemistry suggested that activated (pY(418))-Src activity is increased in cyst-lining autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) epithelial cells in human and mouse ADPKD. Western blot analysis showed that SKI-606 (Wyeth) is a specific inhibitor of pY(418)-Src without demonstrable effects on epidermal growth factor receptor or ErbB2 activity in renal epithelia. In vitro studies on mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD) cells and human ADPKD cyst-lining epithelial cells showed that SKI-606 inhibited epithelial cell proliferation over a 24-h time frame. In addition, SKI-606 treatment caused a striking statistically significant decrease in adhesion of mIMCD and human ADPKD to extracellular collagen matrix. Retained viability of unattached cells was consistent with a primary effect on epithelial cell anchorage dependence mediated by the loss of extracellular matrix (ECM)-attachment due to α(2)β(1)-integrin function. SKI-606-mediated attenuation of the human ADPKD hyperproliferative and hyper-ECM-adhesive epithelial cell phenotype in vitro was paralleled by retardation of the renal cystic phenotype of Pkd1 orthologous ADPKD heterozygous mice in vivo. This suggests that SKI-606 has dual effects on cystic epithelial cell proliferation and ECM adhesion and may have therapeutic potential for ADPKD patients.
Purification and Use of the C3d Subunit of C3

A method is described for the preparation of C3d from fresh-frozen CPD plasma. A redissolved EDTA euglobulin precipitate formed from defibrinated plasma is chromatographed on DEAE cellulose. The C3-rich peak is further chromatographed by stepwise elution from hydroxy-apatite. The highly purified C3 and C3b so obtained are then treated with commercial C3b inactivator. G-200 sephadex filtration of this material produces a low molecular weight peak containing C3d greater than 95 per cent purity. The purified C3d, which contains negligible carbohydrate, has a molecular weight of 28,000 (based on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). When added at a final concentration of less than 70 mug per ml, it completely inhibits the anti-C3d hemagglutinin reactivity of a potent anti-C3d antiglobulin serum but does not inhibit sera with reactivities against C3c, C4b, and C5b. Two of three rabbits hyperimmunized with purified C3d produced antisera exhibiting only anti-C3d precipitin activity. After absorption of heterologous antibodies, the antisera strongly agglutinated C3d-coated RBC, failed to agglutinate RBC glutinated C3d-coated RBC, failed to agglutinate RBC coated only with C4, and reacted weakly against strongly anti-Rh coated RBC. The latter reactivity was readily absorbed by whole IgG. Preliminary studies with 125I-labeled C3d indicate its potential value in assessing potency of anti-C3d reagents.
A Comparison of Client Preferences for Intervention Empirical Support Versus Common Therapy Variables

Client preferences have been identified as an essential part of evidence-based practice in psychology. Further, client preferences have been found to play an important role in determining premature termination and therapy outcomes. However, our current understanding of this client variable is limited because of the methodologies that have previously been used to assess these preferences. In this study, 57 adult clients from a university-based psychology department clinic completed an instrument weighing preferences for intervention specific empirical support against preferences for 4 other common factor variables. These clients were found to discount a significant amount of intervention empirical support to ensure the following: (a) a satisfactory therapeutic relationship could be developed, (b) their therapist would be empathetic and accepting, (c) their therapist would have a greater level of experience, and (d) they, as clients, would do more of the talking during sessions. These findings suggest that clients prefer treatment decisions to be based on variables other than intervention empirical support alone. Recommendations are made for assessing and including client preferences to provide more individually tailored interventions.
Nutrient acquisition across a dietary shift: fruit feeding butterflies crave amino acids, nectivores seek salt.

Evolutionary dietary shifts have major ecological consequences. One likely consequence is a change in nutrient limitation—some nutrients become more abundant in the diet, others become more scarce. Individuals’ behavior should change accordingly to match this new limitation regime: they should seek out nutrients that are deficient in the new diet. We investigated the relationship between diet and responses to nutrients using adult Costa Rican butterflies with contrasting feeding habits, testing the hypothesis that animals will respond more positively to nutrients that are scarcer in their diets. Via literature searches and our own data, we showed that nitrogen and sodium are both at lower concentration in nectar than in fruit. We therefore assessed butterflies’ acceptance of sodium and four nitrogenous compounds that ranged in complexity from inorganic nitrogen (ammonium chloride) to protein (albumin). We captured wild butterflies, offered them aqueous solutions of each substance, and recorded whether they accepted (drank) or rejected each substance. Support for our hypothesis was mixed. Across the sexes, frugivores were four times more likely to accept amino acids (hydrolyzed casein) than nectivores, in opposition to expectation. In males, nectivores accepted sodium almost three times more frequently than frugivores, supporting expectations. Together, these results suggest that in butterflies, becoming frugivorous is associated with an increased receptivity to amino acids and decreased receptivity to sodium. Nectivory and frugivory are widespread feeding strategies in organisms as diverse as insects, birds, and bats; our results suggest that these feeding strategies may put different pressures on how animals fulfill their nutritional requirements.
The virtual malleable self and the virtual identity discrepancy model: Investigative frameworks for virtual possible selves and others in avatar-based identity construction and social interaction

This article introduces the novel model of ''virtual identity discrepancy'' as an investigative framework for computer-mediated self-representation and interpersonal communication in avatar-based virtual environments (VEs). Study 1 examined the roles of virtual self-discrepancy and self-presence in intrapersonal virtual identity construction. Study 2 explored the roles of virtual other-discrepancy, social presence, expectancy violation, and uncertainty reduction in animated avatar-to-avatar (AtA) virtual social interaction. Mediation analyses following a bootstrapping procedure indicated that self-presence mediates the relationship between virtual self-discrepancy and flow while social presence mediates the relationship between virtual other-discrepancy and flow. Furthermore, expectancy violation mediates the relationship between self-disclosure and trust in text-based chatting while uncertainty reduction mediates the relationship between nonverbal immediacy and flow in nonverbal communication between avatars.
ESTIMATION OF DISTANCE OF SINGING CONSPECIFICS BY THE CAROLINA WREN

Measurements of the propagation of sound in a forest have shown that signal degradation is unavoidable but to some degree predictable. Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovici- anus) have a song structure suited for the estimation of distance by a comparison of the relative degradation of the components of the signal. Playback experiments using song recorded at two distances from a singing wren demonstrated that wrens can use cues other than the absolute attentuation of the sound for the estimation of the distance of the singer. The wrens responded to the near-sounding song by attack and to the far-sounding song by countersinging. The ability of the wrens to use the distance information in the song serves the same purpose as the recognition of familiar neighbors: conservation of time and energy used in territorial defense. Received 26 November 1979, accepted 22 August 1980. SEVERAL recent studies have investigated the effects of the acoustics of the en- vironment in constraining the structure of the songs used for long-distance com- munication in passerine birds. Passage through the environment degrades a song by adding amplitude fluctuations and reverberations and selectively attenuating the higher frequencies. Measurements of the propagation of sound in a forest have shown that signal degradation is unavoidable but to some degree predictable (Morton 1970, 1975; Chappuis 1971; Marten and Marler 1977; Marten et al. 1977; Richards 1978; Wiley and Richards 1978; Richards and Wiley 1980). The primary concern of most researchers has been to discover those characteristics of the structure of bird song adapted for transmitting information (primarily species and individual identity) over the greatest distance. In this study I demonstrate another adaptation of birds to song degradation: the use of the predictability of the degradation present in received signals for estimation of the distance of a conspecific signaler by the Car- olina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). It seems likely that individuals of many avian species are not spaced far enough apart to place strong constraints on the structure of their signals for long-range communication. Though the territory of a breeding bird may be 100 m in diameter, the bird moves around the territory while singing, frequently changing the spacing between itself and its neighbors. To discriminate between an invader inside the territory and a neighbor or other bird outside without wasting energy in a physical interaction, an individual would do well to attend to the features in the received signal that are correlated with the distance of the signaler. The overall attenuation of the received signal, however, is probably not the best cue for the distance of the source, because changes in weather would strongly affect atmospheric absorption and scattering from microclimatic heterogeneities (Wiley and Richards 1978). Much more reliable ranging would result from comparing separate features of the received signal, either different frequency bands or different periodicities of intensity in any one band.
Electrophysiological characterization of the Arabidopsis avrRpt2-specific hypersensitive response in the absence of other bacterial signals.

The hypersensitive response (HR) is defined as rapid cell collapse at the infection site and often accompanies plant resistance. The physiological processes leading to HR are not well understood. Here, we report an electrophysiological characterization of bacterial HR caused by a single avirulence gene in the absence of other bacterial signals. We used dexamethasone (dex)-inducible transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants containing the avrRpt2 gene from Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. Membrane depolarization in these plants began 1 to 1.5 h after dex application, hours before electrolyte leakage. Progressive depolarization was a sensitive early indicator of HR that occurred only in Arabidopsis leaf cells expressing both avrRpt2 and a functional RPS2 gene. Hyperpolarization of fully depolarized membranes by fusicoccin, a fungal toxin that activates the H+-ATPase, indicates that depolarization did not result from a nonfunctional pump or leaky membranes. Depolarization and electrolyte leakage were inhibited in RPS2 plants by the calcium channel blocker LaCl3, highly correlating these events and suggesting that Ca2+ entry into cells is required for both. Also correlated were inhibition of depolarization, electrolyte leakage, and HR following salicylic acid pretreatment. In salicylic acid-pretreated RPS2 seedlings, avrRpt2 transcript was produced after dex treatment. However, AvrRpt2 protein accumulation was greatly reduced, suggesting a possible mechanism for inhibition of HR in plants with induced resistance. This experimental system is a very sensitive assay that lends itself to the dissection of physiological processes leading to HR in plants, and provides a baseline for future research within a genetic framework.
Parental Sport Involvement: Parental Influence to Encourage Young Athlete Continued Sport Participation∗

Two studies were conducted to examine parental and family influences that help encourage young athletes' sport participation. In Study 1, former high school athletes (N = 276) reflected upon their families' sport orientation and perceived parental compliance-gaining techniques (activation of impersonal commitment, expertise, rewarding behaviors). Findings indicated that dimensions of family sport orientation served as significant predictors for each compliance dimension, while athlete and parent sex differences emerged for activation of impersonal commitment and rewarding behaviors. For Study 2, data were collected through interviews with parents of junior high and high school athletes (N = 30). Findings from the qualitative analysis provided insight into parental perceived roles for their child's sport participation and techniques parents would employ to ensure continued participation.
Effect of Small Amounts of B and C Additions on Glass Formation and Mechanical Properties of a Zr-Base Alloy

The effect of B and C additions up to 0.4 at. % on glass formation and mechanical properties of a Zr-base alloy Vitreloy 105 was studied using various techniques. All alloys were prepared by arc melting and drop casting. Boron additions increase the glass forming ability by lowering Tm and increasing Tg. Carbon additions only lower Tm, but do not affect Tg. B and C additions occupy free space and do not harden the glass phase.
A new look at the Pacific/North American Index

This study examines inconsistencies in the Pacific/North American (PNA) index relative to atmospheric circulation over North America. Two types of atmospheric circulation were found to be associated with high PNA values. The first type is the true PNA pattern characterized by an amplified ridge-trough system. It appears to be related to the leading mode of sea surface temperature variability in the North Pacific. The second type is observed during El Nino events. It is characterized by a flattening of the polar jet stream and southward shift of the subtropical jet stream. The recognition of these two types of the PNA index improves our understanding of the relative role of to El Nino/Southern Oscillation events and sea surface temperatures in the North Pacific in affecting winter atmospheric circulation over North America.
Strain differences in seizure responses and brain cholinesterase activity in rats.

SummaryMarked strain differences in minimal electroshock seizure threshold, maximal electroshock seizure pattern, and duration of post-seizure depression were found in adult males and females of 6 strains of rats. Seizure thresholds in one group averaged only 65% of thresholds in another group. Duration of tonic extension during maximal seizures and duration of post-seizure depression showed 10- to 16-fold variations among strains tested. Females in general showed greater convulsive susceptibility than males of the same strain, probably because of the excitatory action of estradiol. In males, differences in seizures were compared with values for brain acetylcholine (ACh) concentrations and cholinesterase (ChE) activities reported previously for these strains. In each of the 3 pairs of strains, selectively bred from 3 foundation stocks, the strain with the lower seizure threshold had the higher ChE. On the other hand, intensity of seizures and postseizure depression could not be related to brain ACh or ChE.