cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Counter-Organizing the Sunbelt: Right-to-Work Campaigns and Anti-Union Conservatism, 1943––1958

Right-to-work elections are one of the most understudied aspects in the formation of Sunbelt conservatism and the rise of the Right. After World War II, every Southwestern state put some kind of right-to-work referendum on the ballot. Support came from the most dynamic economic sectors whose anti-union activists stood in rebellion against the New Deal regulatory state. They promised prosperity based on laissez-faire growth to transform the region into a manufacturing power. Although not every proposition or bill passed, this ideological argument won over many voters, including members of the middle and working classes worried over labor9s rapid growth and new-found power. The discourses in these early campaigns came to dominate national conversations about labor9s power and legitimacy, suggesting that a pro-development anti-unionism was a pillar of western Sunbelt conservatism and the modern Right.
Moving social marketing beyond personal change to social change

Purpose – This paper aims to examine what type of messaging on Twitter is most effective for helping move social marketing beyond focusing on personal changes to find out what messages help turn members of the public into vocal advocates for these organizations’ social changes. Social marketing scholarship has regularly focused on how organizations can effectively influence changes in awareness and behaviors among their targeted audience. Communication scholarship, however, has repeatedly shown that the most influential form of persuasion happens interpersonally. As such, it is imperative that organizations learn how to engage audiences and facilitate the discussion about organizational messages between individuals. Social media provide platforms for such conversations, as organizational messaging can be shared and discussed by individuals with others in their networks. Design/methodology/approach – Through a content analysis of 3,415 Twitter updates from 50 nonprofit organizations, this study identifies ...
Acceptance Criteria for Corrosion Resistance of Medical Devices: Statistical Analysis of Nitinol Pitting in In Vivo Environments

ASTM F 2129 test method nor the FDA provides any guidance as to what constitutes an acceptance criterion for the corrosion resistance of implantable medical devices. Neither provide any guidance on how many samples to test or how to handle censored data, i.e. datasets where there are only a few tests that breakdown. The development of both a statistically valid acceptance criterion for corrosion resistance and a method of evaluation would be of significant benefit to the medical device community. This study of 420 nitinol cyclic polarization tests, which builds on previous research that was presented at SMST 2007, investigates the effect of long-term exposure to simulated in vivo environments with differing degrees of aeration. This was accomplished by pre-exposing electropolished (EP) nitinol to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 37 °C that had been sparged with either ultra high purity nitrogen or laboratory air. Immersion times ranged from 1 h up to 30 days. A total of 290 EP samples were tested in order to obtain a reasonable number of samples with breakdown, i.e. pitted. In addition, a total of 130 mechanical polished (MP) samples were also analyzed. This data allow us to test our statistical model that was presented at SMST 2007. This model takes into account the probability of breakdown per unit of exposed surface area and, if breakdown occurs, predicts the probability that Eb − Er is greater than some threshold value. Aerated PBS environments were found to have a large influence on the margin of safety against pitting in vivo. Statistical methods for treating highly right censored pitting data are presented.
Arachidonic and cis-unsaturated fatty acids induce selective platelet substrate phosphorylation through activation of cytosolic protein kinase C.

Abstract The ability of arachidonic acid and other fatty acids to induce phosphorylation of endogenous substrates and the role of protein kinase C in mediating these effects were examined. In a cell-free cytosolic system derived from human platelets, arachidonic, oleic, and othercis-unsaturated fatty acids induced a dose-dependent phosphorylation of several endogenous substrates. These substrates form a subset of phorbol ester-induced phosphorylations. Multiple lines of evidence suggested the direct involvement of protein kinase C in mediating fatty acid-induced phosphorylations. These observations suggest that arachidonic acid and other unsaturated fatty acids are capable of activating protein kinase C in a physiologic environment resulting in the phosphorylation of multiple endogenous substrates.
Lymphoma of the colon: The spectrum of radiologic changes

Primary lymphoma of the colon is rare and comprises less than 1% of large bowel malignancies. Secondary colonic involvement in patients with advanced lymphoma is not uncommon and is frequently undetected. The radiographic findings of 34 patients with colonic lymphoma were reviewed. Thirteen patients had primary tumors, while the remaining 21 had colonic involvement secondary to systemic disease. The radiologic features were classified as mucosal nodularity, endo-exoenteric mass, intraluminal mass, mural infiltration, and mesenteric invasion. One patient with diffuse mucosal nodularity developed acute colonic dilatation, while two other patients had pneumatosis coli secondary to local tumor depositions. Lymphoma is now a well-described complication of chronic ulcerative colitis, and a further case is described here. Although colonic lymphoma is a relatively rare tumor, the spectrum of radiologic changes reviewed here may enable a more accurate radiologic diagnosis.
Selectivity in the catalytic hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde promoted by Pt/SiO2 as a function of metal nanoparticle size

The structure sensitivity of the catalytic hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde was studied by carrying out comparative studies with Pt/SiO2 catalysts of various metal loadings, between 0.5 and 5.0 Pt wt%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization was complemented with carbon monoxide adsorption experiments using infrared absorption spectroscopy and with kinetic studies under high (10 bar) pressures of H2. Specific total turnover frequencies, normalized by the number of exposed Pt atoms, were found to correlate with both the average diameter of the metal nanoparticles and the average number of CO molecules adsorbed on flat terraces. It was concluded that cinnamaldehyde conversion is likely to take place on close-packed (111) planes. The selectivity between the hydrogenation of CC versus CO bonds, on the other hand, appears to be independent of either the particle size or the extent of the conversion, at least within the Pt particle size range explored in this study.
Texture analysis for Mars rover images

The problem addressed in this paper is that of clustering image pixels into regions of homogenous geological texture. Future rovers on Mars will need to be able to intelligently select data collection targets. One goal of intelligent data selection for maximizing scientific return is to sample all distinct types of rocks that may be encountered. Different rock types often have a characteristic visual texture, thus visual texture is rich source of information for separating rocks into different types. Recent work on using texture to segment images has been very successful on images with homogenous textures such as mosaics of Brodatz textures and some natural scenes. The geologic history of a rock leads to irregular shapes and surface textures. As a result, the textures in our images are not as homogeneous as those in Brodatz mosaics. Our approach is to extract textural information by applying a bank of Gabor filters to the image. The resulting texture vectors are then clustered. Banks of filters constrain the relationships of the filter parameters both within a single filter and between filters. Often researchers have used parameter values that are thought to correspond to the human visual system, however the effects of adjusting these parameters have not been thoroughly studied. We systematically explore tradeoffs in the parameter space of the filter bank and quantify the effects of the takeoffs on the quality of the resulting clusters.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cystic dysplasia of the testis associated with multicystic dysplasia of the kidney

A child with cystic dysplasia of the testis (CDT) that presented as a solid mass by ultrasound imaging is reported. The child also had ipsilateral multicystic dysplasia of the kidney (MCDK). A search of the literature revealed that unilateral renal agenesis (URA) is commonly associated with CDT. It is possible that CDT, MCDK, and URA share a common pathogenesis. Cystic changes in the epididymis were found in the patient and might be more frequently associated with CDT than previously reported. CDT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a solid testicular mass detected by ultrasound.
What are the roles of V-ATPases in membrane fusion?

At the dawn of the 20th century, Metchnikoff (1) fed particles of litmus to various eukaryotic cells. The endocytosed particles changed color from blue to red, indicating their residence in acidifying endosomes. This acidification is driven by a highly conserved multisubunit H+ pump, the vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase). Acidification activates luminal hydrolases, and V-ATPase–generated pH and voltage gradients (∆pH and ∆Ψ) are harnessed to transport solutes (including neurotransmitters) into the lumen (2). However, the V-ATPase is also proposed to regulate or even execute membrane fusion events by generating electrochemical gradients or as a structural component of the fusion machinery. The V-ATPase is also proposed to signal to TORC1, a core metabolic regulator, and it has roles in stress and cellular aging (3⇓–5). This complexity has made it hard to resolve how V-ATPases might function in fusion. Now, Sreelatha et al. (6) report studies of yeast lysosomal vacuoles and VopQ, a type III effector secreted by Vibrio parahaemolyticus . VopQ binds the V-ATPase, collapses ∆pH and ∆Ψ, and inhibits fusion. Clostridial neurotoxins were key tools in the quest to understand the roles of SNARE proteins in fusion. Similarly, VopQ could aid ongoing efforts to delineate V-ATPase functions in membrane traffic and fusion. Most fusion in eukaryotes is driven by SNAREs and their cofactors (7). Studies in vivo, and with minimal in vitro systems, revealed SNAREs and SNARE cofactors as necessary and sufficient to drive fusion (8, 9). In minimal assays, neither V-ATPase nor electrochemical gradients are needed. In contrast, genetic studies in several organisms suggest V-ATPase functions in traffic or fusion. Like the mitochondrial F-ATPase, the V-ATPase is shaped … [↵][1]1Email: merza{at}uw.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Mitochondrial F0F1 ATP Synthase: SUBUNIT REGIONS ON THE F1 MOTOR SHIELDED BY F0, FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND EVIDENCE FOR AN INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNIQUE F0 SUBUNIT F6*

Abstract Studies reported here were undertaken to gain greater molecular insight into the complex structure of mitochondrial ATP synthase (F0F1) and its relationship to the enzyme's function and motor-related properties. Significantly, these studies, which employed N-terminal sequence, mass spectral, proteolytic, immunological, and functional analyses, led to the following novel findings. First, at the top of F1 within F0F1, all six N-terminal regions derived from α + β subunits are shielded, indicating that one or more F0 subunits forms a “cap.” Second, at the bottom of F1 within F0F1, the N-terminal region of the single δ subunit and the C-terminal regions of all three α subunits are shielded also by F0. Third, and in contrast, part of the γ subunit located at the bottom of F1 is already shielded in F1, indicating that there is a preferential propensity for interaction with other F1 subunits, most likely δ and e. Fourth, and consistent with the first two conclusions above that specific regions at the top and bottom of F1 are shielded by F0, further proteolytic shaving of α and β subunits at these locations eliminates the capacity of F1 to couple a proton gradient to ATP synthesis. Finally, evidence was obtained that the F0 subunit called “F6,” unique to animal ATP synthases, is involved in shielding F1. The significance of the studies reported here, in relation to current views about ATP synthase structure and function in animal mitochondria, is discussed.
Using aggregated, de-identified electronic health record data for multivariate pharmacosurveillance

We use over 10 million electronic health records to study side effects of azathioprine.Liver damage was not increased relative to patients taking other drugs.Rounding from statistical de-identification did not significantly bias the calculated risks.Our approach successfully recapitulated classical knowledge of bone marrow suppression. ObjectiveTo demonstrate the use of aggregated and de-identified electronic health record (EHR) data for multivariate post-marketing pharmacosurveillance in a case study of azathioprine (AZA). MethodsUsing aggregated, standardized, normalized, and de-identified, population-level data from the Explore platform (Explorys, Inc.) we searched over 10 million individuals, of which 14,580 were prescribed AZA based on RxNorm drug orders. Based on logical observation identifiers names and codes (LOINC) and vital sign data, we examined the following side effects: anemia, cell lysis, fever, hepatotoxicity, hypertension, nephrotoxicity, neutropenia, and neutrophilia. Patients prescribed AZA were compared to patients prescribed one of 11 other anti-rheumatologic drugs to determine the relative risk of side effect pairs. ResultsCompared to AZA case report trends, hepatotoxicity (marked by elevated transaminases or elevated bilirubin) did not occur as an isolated event more frequently in patients prescribed AZA than other anti-rheumatic agents. While neutropenia occurred in 24% of patients (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.23), neutrophilia was also frequent (45%) and increased in patients prescribed AZA (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.22-1.34). After constructing a pairwise side effect network, neutropenia had no dependencies. A reduced risk of neutropenia was found in patients with co-existing elevations in total bilirubin or liver transaminases, supporting classic clinical knowledge that agranulocytosis is a largely unpredictable phenomenon. Rounding errors propagated in the statistically de-identified datasets for cohorts as small as 40 patients only contributed marginally to the calculated risk. ConclusionOur work demonstrates that aggregated, standardized, normalized and de-identified population level EHR data can provide both sufficient insight and statistical power to detect potential patterns of medication side effect associations, serving as a multivariate and generalizable approach to post-marketing drug surveillance.
Selective induction of growth factor production and growth factor receptor expression by different signals to a single T cell.

Stimulation of lymphokine production and the expression of receptors for growth factors can be dissociated in AK-8, a line of CD4+, I-A-restricted, conalbumin-specific mouse T cells. When activated by antibodies specific for the T cell receptor (TcR; F23.1) or the CD3 complex (145-2C11) adsorbed to plastic culture wells, AK-8 cells produce lymphokines but are unable to proliferate. Proliferation takes place using the same stimuli upon addition of interleukin 1 (IL1). Autocrine growth induced by anti-TcR, anti-CD 3 or by antigen is dependent on IL 4 and not on IL 2 in this cell line, as shown by the effect of antibodies against IL 4 or the IL 2 receptor. Similarly to plastic-adsorbed antibodies, phorbol myristic acetate (PMA) or a combination of PMA and the calcium ionophore Ionomycin also induces secretion of growth factors without inducing proliferation, but in this case addition of IL 1 is ineffective in inducing AK-8 proliferation. When incubated with anti-TcR or anti-CD 3 antibodies in soluble form these cells neither proliferate nor produce IL 4 even in the presence of IL 1. However, soluble antibodies in the presence of IL 1 induce enhanced expression of IL 2 receptors, as measured both by induction of responsiveness to exogenous IL 2 or flow cytometry analysis using anti-IL 2 receptor antibodies. These results show that the pathways for the activation of growth factor receptor expression and the induction of lymphokine secretion can be differentiated in this cell line using anti-TcR or anti-CD 3 reagents in different physical forms. The transmembrane signals delivered by these different forms of anti-receptor antibody may allow an understanding of these distinct requirements for T cell growth.
Reaction Strains on the Condylar Neck During Mastication and Maximum Muscle Stimulation in Different Condylar Positions: An Experimental Study in the Miniature Pig

Most researchers agree that the primate temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is loaded compressively during function and that condylar position must play a role in mediating such loads. However, the precise nature of that role remains unclear. Using a pig model in this study, we attempted to analyze strain on the neck of the condyle during normal mastication and during simulated function in different condylar positions. Miniature three-element rosette strain gauges were bonded to the lateral surface of the condylar neck in 4 female miniature pigs (one per condyle). Measurements of strain were made during normal mastication and with the pigs under general anesthesia during maximum stimulation of the masseter and temporalis muscles in each of five condylar positions-centric occlusion, centric relation, anterior, relaxed and wide open-established through use of acrylic splints. Condylar position was evaluated by superimposition of lateral and dorsoventral cephalograms, with measurement of horizontal and vertical ch...
Migratory Grief and Depression Among Elderly Chinese American Immigrants

Abstract This article examines factors that affect psychological distress (depression) among elderly Chinese immigrants. The factors included in the study were their grief experience associated with immigration along with acculturation, length of residence in the U.S. and other demographic factors, such as age, gender, marital status, living arrangement, contact with relatives, relatives in home country, home country visits, and home country identity. A total of 150 Chinese immigrants from a major city in the U.S. aged between 55 and 86 participated in the study. The results of the regression analysis indicated that those respondents who had a higher degree of migratory grief experience and a lower English proficiency score, who visited their home country, and were younger, were more likely to feel depressed. Among these four variables, migratory grief alone contributed to 41.5% of the variance while the remaining three variables contributed to 12.4% of the variation. Implications for social work practice...
Preserved β-adrenoceptor-mediated adenylyl cyclase activity despite receptor and postreceptor dysfunction in acute myocardial ischemia

Abstract To examine responses of the β-adrenoceptor guanine nucleotide protein (G protein)/adenylyl cyclase complex to acute myocardial ischemia, we measured adenylyl cyclase activity stimulated at the β-adrenoceptor and postreceptor levels and compared crude homogenates prepared from ischemic and nonischemic rabbit myocardium obtained after 30 minutes of coronary artery occlusion. Basal adenylyl cyclase activity was unchanged, but enzyme activity stimulated by the guanosine triphosphate analog guanyl-5′ -imidodiphosphate (GppNHp) at 10 μmol/L was depressed 63% by ischemia (n = 16, p = 0.001). In contrast, adenylyl cyclase activity stimulated by 1 μmol/L (-)-isoproterenol in the presence of 10 μmol/L GppNHp was not significantly reduced (n = 10), a finding that indicates relative preservation of β-adrenoceptor-mediated adenylyl cyclase activity in ischemia. The ratio of (-)-isoproterenol-stimulated to GppNHp-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity increased fourfold in ischemic myocardium (n = 6, p = 0.001), consistent with more efficient β-adrenergic signal transduction via less functional stimulatory G protein (Gs). These data could not be explained by augmented β-adrenoceptor density or agonist affinity or by a reduction in inhibitory G protein-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. Forskolin (1 mmol/L) and Mn2+ (1 mmol/L), agents that directly stimulate the catalytic subunit of adenylyl cyclase, each increased enzyme activity significantly more in ischemic than in nonischemic myocardium. We conclude that preservation of (-)-isoproterenol-mediated adenylyl cyclase activity during acute myocardial ischemia in the rabbit results at least in part from enhanced function of the catalytic subunit of adenylyl cyclase. In addition, preserved β-adrenergic signal transduction, despite a decrease in β-adrenoceptor density, agonist affinity, and Gs function, suggests more efficient signal amplification between the β-adrenoceptor and Gs during acute myocardial ischemia.
The oligolectic bee Osmia brevis sonicates Penstemon flowers for pollen: a newly documented behavior for the Megachilidae

Flowers with poricidally dehiscent anthers are typically nectarless but are avidly visited and often solely pollinated by bees that sonicate the flowers to harvest pollen. Sonication results from shivering the thoracic flight muscles. Honey bees (Apis) and the 4,000+ species of Megachilidae are enigmatic in their seeming inability to sonicate flowers. The oligolectic megachilid bee Osmia brevis was found audibly sonicating two of its beardtongue pollen hosts, Penstemon radicosus and P. cyananthus. The bees’ high-pitched sonication sequences are readily distinguishable from flight sounds in audiospectrograms, as well as sounds that result from anther rasping. Instead, floral sonication by O. brevis resembles the familiar sounds of bumblebees buzzing, in this case while visiting P. strictus flowers.
Portrayals of food practices and exercise behavior in popular American films.

Abstract Objective To describe depictions of food, alcohol, and exercise and sport in popular films. Design Content analysis of the 10 top-grossing films each year from 1991 to 2000 (N = 100 films). Analysis Coding reliabilities were assessed with Cohen's K. Research questions were addressed with basic descriptive statistics. Associations among variables were examined through a cross-tabulation procedure that corrects for the clustering of exercise and food depictions within movies. Results Food and drink appeared regularly in the films analyzed, typically as a background element or prop. On average, food appeared on the screen once every 4.2 minutes. The foods shown were most likely to be fats, oils, and sweets; fruits, vegetables, and dairy products were rarely seen. More than 20% of the food items shown were alcoholic beverages, which were nearly 2 times more likely to be ingested as nonalcohol food items. Planned exercise and sports appeared at a rate of about 2 incidents per hour. These activities rarely received explicit evaluation by characters. Conclusions and Implication Films frequently portray foods and exercise. These depictions have the potential to cultivate beliefs about normative eating and exercise behavior, suggesting a need for public health professionals to encourage the media to offer healthier images.
Numerical simulations of hydrogen detonations with detailed chemical kinetics

Abstract Time-dependent, multidimensional simulations of unstable propagating detonations were performed using a detailed thermochemical reaction model for a stoichiometric argon-diluted hydrogen–oxygen mixture at low pressures and a hydrogen–air mixture at atmospheric pressure. Detonation cells computed for the low-pressure, dilute H 2 –O 2 –Ar systems were regular in shape, and their sizes compared reasonably well with experimental observations. The computed H 2 –air cells at atmospheric conditions were qualitatively different from those observed in experiments, and their widths range from less than 1 mm to nearly 5 mm with multilevel hierarchal structures. The effective activation energy of the H 2 –air mixture, based on constant-volume ignition delay times computed using the detailed thermochemical model, varies between 5 and 40 over the range of post-shock temperatures and pressures in the simulations and is, on average, significantly larger than expected based on the regularity of experimental cellular patterns. Analysis of the simulations suggests that vibrational relaxation of the gas molecules, a process which is ignored when calibrating detailed chemical reaction models, occurs on time scales similar to the ignition delay times for the detonations and may be a source of discrepancy between numerical and experimental results.
Diffusion model for simultaneous mass and heat transfer in partially miscible liquid systems: Experimental findings and numerical simulation

Abstract A coupled diffusion model has been numerically solved to obtain temperature profiles when two partially miscible liquids are contacted at a planar interface. The proposed model includes the presence of a heat source at the interface due to the heat of solution which is considered to have a non-linear relationship with concentration. As a result, a system of four partial differential equations is obtained which is numerically solved with the DISPL software package. This DISPL package solves systems of PDEs by means of a Galerkin procedure. This procedure reduces these PDE systems to ODEs which are, in turn, solved by a multistep stiff ODE solver. The basis of the method of solution involves defining new variables to transform the domain so that the interface conditions can be treated as boundary conditions. The temperature difference predictions calculated with this model were compared to experimental data obtained for eight partially miscible liquid systems. The agreement proved to be remarkable in some instances and only qualitatively adequate in others. Further improvements in the predictions would be expected if a microconvection mechanism close to the interface and heat losses were incorporated into the model.
Diagnosis of rickettsial diseases: a perspective

Rickettsioses have nonspecific clinical manifestations, making them difficult to diagnose in a clinical setting. Laboratory testing is usually needed to confirm the diagnosis. Rickettsial isolation is a sensitive and specific diagnostic technique, but the hazards associated with handling pathogenic rickettsiae usually preclude isolation attempts in most laboratories. Rickettsiae can also be detected in infected tissues by fluorescein-labeled antisera or by immunoperoxidase staining, but these techniques lack sensitivity, except when applied to postmortem tissue specimens. However, rickettsial DNA can be detected in acute phase blood specimens by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, and this technique offers the prospect of prompt diagnosis and treatment. Serologic testing remains the most frequently used approach to diagnosis, although antibody tests usually fail to identify rickettsioses early enough to affect the management of individual patients. Available serologic techniques vary considerably in their sensitivity and specificity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are extremely sensitive, but the general unavailability of specific diagnostic antigens reduces the specificity of this and other serologic techniques. Molecular characterization of rickettsial antigens may soon allow the production of peptide antigens that are specific for each species and could maximize the specificity of test results. No diagnostic technique has any value unless it is applied successfully to the appropriate patient population. Improved surveillance of rickettsial diseases is urgently needed to identify specific areas in which rickettsioses are endemic. Such surveillance data would promote awareness of rickettsioses among local physicians and increase the probability that individual patients with rickettsioses would be identified promptly and receive appropriate therapy early in the course of their illness.
Balancing Fish: A Meeting between Food Safety and Nutrition in an Assessment of Benefits and Risks

The problematization of the relations between science and politics in science and technology studies implies that scientific methods generally, and risk assessments specifically, are not neutral tools. Risk assessments have in the last years become a common arrangement for scientifically assessing the possibly adverse health effects of contaminants in food. Inspired by actor-network theory the article will explore the following: What do risk assessments do to food matters? How do risk assessments shape their objects, and what objects and knowledge do they bring into politics? The article follows the work of an interdisciplinary group of scientists in Norway who, in a charged political and cultural context, were given the task of conducting a balanced assessment of the health effects of eating fish, involving a new understanding of fish as potentially both risky and healthy food. The balanced assessment will be interpreted as involving a meeting between the epistemic cultures of toxicology and science of n...
Mechanistic studies of the processing of human S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase proenzyme. Isolation of an ester intermediate.

Human S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase is synthesized as a proenzyme that undergoes an autocatalytic cleavage reaction generating the α and β subunits and forming the pyruvate prosthetic group, which is derived from an internal Ser residue (Ser-68). The mechanism of this processing reaction was studied using site-directed mutagenesis of conserved residues (His-243 and Ser-229) located close to the cleavage site. Mutant S229A failed to process, and mutant S229C cleaved very slowly, whereas mutant S229T processed normally, suggesting that the hydroxyl group of residue 229 is required for the processing reaction where Ser-229 may act as a proton acceptor. Mutant His-243A cleaved very slowly, forming a small amount of the correctly processed pyruvoyl enzyme but a much larger proportion of the α subunit with an amino-terminal Ser. The cleavage to form the latter was greatly enhanced by hydroxylamine. This result suggests that the N-O acyl shift needed for ester formation occurs normally in this mutant but that the next step, which is a β-elimination reaction leading to the two subunits, does not occur. His-243 may therefore act as the basic residue that extracts the hydrogen of the α-carbon of Ser-68 in the ester in order to facilitate this reaction. The availability of the recombinant H243A S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase proenzyme provides a useful model system to examine the processing reaction in vitro and test the design of specific inactivators aimed at blocking the production of the pyruvoyl prosthetic group.
Equilibrants, semipositive matrices, calculation and scaling☆

Abstract For square, semipositive matrices A ( Ax > 0 for some x > 0 ), two (nonnegative) equilibrants e ( A ) and E ( A ) are defined. Our primary goal is to develop theory from which each may be calculated. To this end, the collection of semipositive matrices is partitioned into three subclasses for each equilibrant, and a connection to those matrices that are scalable to doubly stochastic matrices is made. In the process a certain matrix/vector equation that is related to scalability of a matrix to one with line sums 1 is derived and discussed.
Green fluorescent protein production in the cellular slime molds Polysphondylium pallidum and Dictyostelium discoideum

The green fluorescent protein-encoding gene from Aequorea victoria has been cloned into several different transforming vectors and expressed in the cellular slime molds, Polysphondylium pallidum and Dictyostelium discoideum. We find that the protein is stable and non-toxic in both species, can be easily visualized in living and fixed specimens, and can be used to purify rare cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
Free-volume hole distributions of polymers probed by positron annihilation spectroscopy: experiences of using the CONTIN program

Abstract A Laplace inversion technique has been employed to invert positron annihilation lifetime spectra to continuous lifetime distributions by using the CONTIN program. Free-volume hole distributions are determined directly from the results of ortho-positronium distributions. The obtained lifetime distributions are highly affected by various experimental factors: the statistics, the instrument instability, and the choice of the reference spectrum. Experiences of using the CONTIN program for the determination of free-volume hole distributions of polymers are discussed.
Spa therapy for heart disease Bad Nauheim (circa 1900)

The development of Bad Nauheim, a German spa that over 2 centuries became dominant in the attraction of patients with heart disease is described. Here, patients experienced a regimen of saline baths and mostly static exercises developed by the Schotts, 2 physician brothers. Concomitant with the bathing and exercises, there was a social atmosphere conducive to relaxation. Many visiting physicians were impressed that there were improvements in the patients' cardiac status. One skeptical exception was Sir James Mackenzie, whose views are synopsized. The reported improvements may have had a modicum of a physiologic base, from recent investigations on the nature of heart failure, and may have anticipated the current use of exercise in cardiac rehabilitation.
Applying user feedback to improve data access and usability: Massachusetts beta test results.

This paper, from the Traffic Records Forum, held in Buffalo, NY in 2005, describes the use of feedback to improve data access and usability in a data warehousing setting. The authors describes the Massachusetts data warehouse and Interactive Data Retrieval System (IDRS), which were developed to provide state and federal highway safety decision-makers with access to a variety of safety-related data through a common user interface that allows users with varying levels of data analysis skill to query data. The Massachusetts data warehouse currently houses 13 data sets and provides online access to nine of those data sets through the IDRS. The authors describe the beta test period that commenced in January 2004 and the results from questionnaire and telephone feedback from users who were granted access during the beta test. Feedback was offered in five areas: general website navigation, online query tool use, usability of data, data quality, and additions to the website. The beta test was useful to developers who gained an improved overall understanding of how users access data and how best to meet the needs of users with varying skill levels. The query tool selection process was significantly simplified, the web site text has been modified to support the selection process, and a notes and warnings system was added to provide information to users on data definitions and data quality.
New chemistry of BODIPY dyes and BODIPY dye cassettes featuring through-bond energy transfer

We are attempting to design and prepare a new class of dyes for biomedical/biotechnological applications, including detection of oligonucleotides in DNA sequencing and diagnostics. The dyes use through-bond energy transfer to harvest short wavelength irradiation, and fluoresce at much longer wavelengths. Excellent resolution of fluorescent emissions from a 266 nm laser source is observed, with apparent Stokes' shifts of up to 408 nm.
Partitioning triples and partially ordered sets

We prove that if P is a partial order and P → (ω) 1 ω , then (a) P→ (ω + ω + 1,4) 3 , and (b) P → (ω + m,n) 3 for each m,n < ω. Together these results represent the best progress known to us on the following question of P. Erdos and others. If P → (ω) 1 ω , then does P → (a, n) 3 for each a < ω 1 and each n < ω?
Three computer-automated social psychology laboratory tasks

This paper describes three common social psychology tasks and accompanying computer programs that allow standardized administration. The first program administers a contingency judgment task for use in research on covariation assessment; the second administers a concept formation task for manipulation of response-outcome noncontingency. The third program administers a visual discrimination task for manipulation of success and failure.
Axion Emission from Neutron Stars

It is shown that axion emission from neutron stars is the dominant energy-loss mechanism for a range of values of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry-breaking scale (F) not excluded by previous constraints. This gives the possibility of obtaining a better bound on F from measurements of surface temperature of neutron stars.
Prion Induction by the Short-lived Stress Induced Protein Lsb2 Is Regulated by Ubiquitination and Association with the Actin Cytoskeleton

Yeast prions are self-perpetuating, QN-rich amyloids that control heritable traits and serve as a model for mammalian amyloidoses. De novo prion formation by overproduced prion protein is facilitated by other aggregated QN-rich protein(s) and is influenced by alterations of protein homeostasis. Here we explore the mechanism by which the Las17-binding protein Lsb2 (Pin3) promotes conversion of the translation termination factor Sup35 into its prion form, [PSI(+)]. We show that Lsb2 localizes with some Sup35 aggregates and that Lsb2 is a short-lived protein whose levels are controlled via the ubiquitin-proteasome system and are dramatically increased by stress. Loss of Lsb2 decreases stability of [PSI(+)] after brief heat shock. Mutations interfering with Lsb2 ubiquitination increase prion induction, while a mutation eliminating association of Lsb2 with the actin cytoskeleton blocks its aggregation and prion-inducing ability. These findings directly implicate the UPS and actin cytoskeleton in regulating prions via a stress-inducible QN-rich protein.
The ontogeny of sexual dimorphism in the cranium of Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) as detected by principal-components analysis

The ontogeny of cranial sexual dimorphism in the Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) is examined by means of principal-components analysis (PCA). Normalized first components are called allometry vectors or vectors of relative growth and show that sexual dimorphism is present at all stages of growth. Two patterns of sexual dimorphism are present: (1) sexual differences at age groups 2 and 3 are the result primarily of differences in principal component II scores, reflecting mainly shape-related differences, and (2) age groups 5, 6, and 7 show a trend of stronger size-related shape differences with increasing age in the allometry vector along with decreasing differences in principal component II scores, reflecting an increase in size-related shape differences between the sexes. Age group 4 shows a combination of both patterns. Our results support Shea's hypothesis (1985a) that when using multigroup PCAs in closely related taxa, the allometry vector will generally estimate the shape variation resulting from the extension of common growth allometry patterns (ontogenetic scaling). The second and subsequent components summarize shape variation from slope and intercept differences between the groups, provided that ontogenetic scaling is not solely responsible for all the shape differences present. Subanalyses of those dimensions previously found to show ontogenetic scaling and acceleration follow this pattern well. The total sample provides a pattern whereby ontogenetically scaled dimensions possess a stronger influence over accelerated dimensions but still generally follow Shea's hypothesis. Finally, variously derived coefficients provided several interesting findings: (1) strong evidence was found against multivariate isometry for both the pooled and the separate samples, (2) multivariate allometric coefficients for both sexes follow the general growth pattern of negative scaling in neurocranial dimensions and positive scaling in the viscerocranium, and (3) multivariate slopes have a very high correlation with bivariate slopes relative to the same independent X variable, thereby lending further support to Jolicoeur's (1963a, b) allometry generalization.
Echocardiographic Predictors of Successful Versus Unsuccessful Mitral Valve Repair in Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation

Mitral valve (MV) annuloplasty is the standard surgical technique for the management of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR). However, ≤1/3 of patients develop recurrent MR after annuloplasty. Therefore, we sought to identify the preoperative echocardiographic parameters that predict annuloplasty failure in patients with ischemic MR. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiograms from 365 patients who underwent MV repair for ischemic MR were reviewed. Of the 365 patients, 297 (81%) had satisfactory outcomes with
The binding of 10 general anesthetics to a four-alpha-helix bundle protein displays enthalpy–entropy compensation

Abstract Isothermal titration calorimetry has been used to characterize the binding of 10 volatile general anesthetics to the hydrophobic core of a four-α-helix bundle protein. This relatively small protein (124 residues) is able to bind a total of 10 volatile general anesthetics with affinities that approximate their respective EC 50 values for the anesthetic state, either in man, or in intact animals. This suggests that the four-α-helix bundle represents a good model for the in vivo central nervous system sites of general anesthetic action. The enthalpy changes associated with anesthetic binding to the four-α-helix bundle correlate well with the entropy changes associated with the binding ( r = 0.942). Enthalpy–entropy compensation is consistent with the prediction that stronger binding of the anesthetic results in less mobility and therefore greater losses in configurational entropy.
Dissociative adsorption of O2 on unreconstructed metal (100) surfaces: Pathways, energetics, and sticking kinetics

An accurate description of oxygen dissociation pathways and kinetics for various local adlayer environments is key for an understanding not just of the coverage dependence of oxygen sticking, but also of reactive steady states in oxidation reactions. Density functional theory analysis for M(100) surfaces with M=Pd, Rh, and Ni, where O prefers the fourfold hollow adsorption site, does not support the traditional Brundle-Behm-Barker picture of dissociative adsorption onto second-nearest-neighbor hollow sites with an additional blocking constraint. Rather adsorption via neighboring vicinal bridge sites dominates, although other pathways can be active. The same conclusion also applies for M=Pt and Ir, where oxygen prefers the bridge adsorption site. Statistical mechanical analysis is performed based on kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of a multisite lattice-gas model consistent with our revised picture of adsorption. This analysis determines the coverage and temperature dependence of sticking for a realistic treatment of the oxygen adlayer structure.
Explaining Weapons Procurement: Matching Operational Performance and National Security Needs:

The central concern of this paper is with what factors give momentum to the chain of decisions which result in a weapon that goes against the standards of performance. The defense policy literature suggests that the variations in the performance of American military hardware are tied to the government's difficulties in resolving fundamental disagreements on strategic and doctrinal matters, variations in the technological demands of military projects, and the need for bargaining and coalition building. These relationships yield three hypotheses which are tested using simple bivariate analysis. With the caveats appropriate to a small sample of cases, the hypotheses are stated as relations between conditions rather than as correlations, and the findings are suggestive. The data support all three of the primary hypotheses. The study concludes with reform recommendations. Language: en
Use of Fly Ash as Soil Amendment to Offset Anion Exclusion Effect on Nitrate Transport

This study investigated the direct effect of fly ash used as a soil amendment on anion exclusion in NO 3 − transport in a variably saturated soil. A sandy clay soil was amended with Class F fly ash (FA) at four levels: 0, 2, 10, and 20% FA. The soils were placed in a small soil column and kept at constant saturation using a steady-state centrifugation unsaturated flow apparatus . Three saturation ranges were investigated, 0.75 to 0.9, 0.4 to 0.45, and 0.27 to 0.29, designated as high, medium, and low saturation, respectively. Ammonium nitrate (0.7 mmol L −1 ) solution was passed through the soil sample, and the leachate was collected at predetermined intervals up to a total volume equivalent to 12 effective pore volumes. The leachate samples were analyzed for NO 3 − concentration using ion chromatography, and breakthrough curves were constructed. Experimental and modeling results showed that the amount of fly ash and saturation level had a significant effect on the hydraulic properties of the soil, reducing the hydraulic conductivity and increasing water retention. Furthermore, it was shown that the fly ash treatment slowed the transport of NO 3 − , especially at low saturation levels, when the effect of anion exclusion is thought to be stronger.
Generalized Deformable Models, Statistical Physics, and Matching Problems

We describe how to formulate matching and combinatorial problems of vision and neural network theory by generalizing elastic and deformable templates models to include binary matching elements. Techniques from statistical physics, which can be interpreted as computing marginal probability distributions, are then used to analyze these models and are shown to (1) relate them to existing theories and (2) give insight into the relations between, and relative effectivenesses of, existing theories. In particular we exploit the power of statistical techniques to put global constraints on the set of allowable states of the binary matching elements. The binary elements can then be removed analytically before minimization. This is demonstrated to be preferable to existing methods of imposing such constraints by adding bias terms in the energy functions. We give applications to winner-take-all networks, correspondence for stereo and long-range motion, the traveling salesman problem, deformable template matching, learning, content addressable memories, and models of brain development. The biological plausibility of these networks is briefly discussed.
Patterns of transcription in Bacillus subtilis during sporulation.

Abstract Patterns of transcription have been studied in sporulating cultures of Bacillus subtilis by means of RNA-DNA competition hybridization. It was found, using RNA isolated from mutants, that synthesis of unique RNA occurred at specific times during the sporulation process. It was also found that regardless of the medium used for pregrowth, the gross pattern of RNA synthesis in the sporulation medium was the same. Physiological interference with sporulation using either glucose or streptovaricin caused a loss of homology of RNA from such cells compared to RNA from normally sporulating cells harvested at the same time. Finally, sporulation RNA was identified at two hours (t2) and at four hours (t4) after onset of sporulation by hybridization competition with RNA taken from cells at various stages of sporulation.