cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNase I Footprint of ABC Excinuclease

The incision and excision steps of nucleotide excision repair in Escherichia coli are mediated by ABC excinuclease, a multisubunit enzyme composed of three proteins, UvrA, UvrB, and UvrC. To determine the DNA contact sites and the binding affinity of ABC excinuclease for damaged DNA, it is necessary to engineer a DNA fragment uniquely modified at one nucleotide. We have recently reported the construction of a 40 base pair (bp) DNA fragment containing a psoralen adduct at a central TpA sequence (Van Houten, B., Gamper, H., Hearst, J. E., and Sancar, A. (1986a) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 14135-14141). Using similar methodology a 137-bp fragment containing a psoralen-thymine adduct was synthesized, and this substrate was used in DNase I-footprinting experiments with the subunits of ABC excinuclease. It was found that the UvrA subunit binds specifically to the psoralen modified 137-bp fragment with an apparent equilibrium constant of K8 = 0.7 - 1.5 X 10(8) M-1, while protecting a 33-bp region surrounding the DNA adduct. The equilibrium constant for the nonspecific binding of UvrA was Kns = 0.7 - 2.9 X 10(5) M-1 (bp). In the presence of the UvrB subunit, the binding affinity of UvrA for the damaged substrate increased to K8 = 1.2 - 6.7 X 10(8) M-1 while the footprint shrunk to 19 bp. In addition the binding of the UvrA and UvrB subunits to the damaged substrate caused the 11th phosphodiester bond 5' to the psoralen-modified thymine to become hypersensitive to DNase I cleavage. These observations provide evidence of an alteration in the DNA conformation which occurs during the formation of the ternary UvrA.UvrB.DNA complex. The addition of the UvrC subunit to the UvrA.UvrB.DNA complex resulted in incisions on both sides of the adduct but did not cause any detectable change in the footprint. Experiments with shorter psoralen-modified DNA fragments (20-40 bp) indicated that ABC excinuclease is capable of incising a DNA fragment extending either 3 or 1 bp beyond the normal 5' or 3' incision sites, respectively. These results suggest that the DNA beyond the incision sites, while contributing to ABC excinuclease-DNA complex formation, is not essential for cleavage to occur.
Analysis of population balance—IV: The precise connection between Monte Carlo simulation and population balances

Abstract Dispersed phase systems may be analyzed via population balances or by Monte Carlo simulation methods. This paper establishes the precise mathematical c
Bringing the State Police in: The Diffusion of Statewide Policing Agencies 1919-1941

Innovations upset established equilibria and thus create winners and losers. Following Olson (1971), it is now commonplace to observe that large organizations may fail to adopt new practices if the incidence of losses caused by the new policy, however beneficial it may be, are sufficiently concentrated to mobilize a coalition to prevent its adoption. Conversely, a new policy that creates a net loss for the organization, but concentrates its benefi ts on a sufficiently influential group, will be more likely to be adopted. Given the centrality of the concept of "innovation" to the study of policy di ffusion, it is therefore surprising that the literature has largely ignored the implications of the distributional e ffects of innovation in creating incentives for the formation of policy entrepreneurs to block diff usion. Innovations are largely (although not always) taken to be bene ficial for the organization as a whole, while the endogenous mobilization of blocking coalitions has been untheorized. In this paper, I seek to build on the existing literature by elaborating on the notion of blocking coalitions. I use the spread of statewide policing agencies in the United States during the period 1905-1941 to illustrate and test the role of labor unions as the agents of mobilizing against the adoption of innovations. I employ a mixed-methods design that allows me to uncover the mechanisms by which unions joined with local interest groups to contest the spread of state police forces even as violent crime rose sharply. One motivation for this work is thus a historical question: Why was the spread of the state police so slow and so contested given that criminologists and reformers were entirely agreed on the desirability of creating some new and more centralized and professionalized law-enforcement apparatus? I gain purchase on the larger theoretical puzzle that arises from the role that labor unions played in spreading opposition to statewide policing agencies. Given that labor unions were organized on national and functional basis, they were natural vectors for mobilizing groups who had an interest not only in the outcome of any given state's decision but in the general trend among all states. I argue that failing to account for the existence and influence of blocking coalition leads to biased inferences about the nature and extent of policy di ffusion. Studies that fail to correct for the many channels by which innovations can be contested, modifi ed, and blocked are, in eff ect, selecting on the dependent variable. I demonstrate instead that the process of diff usion can lead to meaningful outcomes even when agents merely consider adopting an innovation.
FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS AND FARMER EMPOWERMENT

The Farmer Field School approach was developed in the late 1980’s in Asia. The FFS approach provides a platform for farmers to strengthen their knowledge and field management decision skills through a process of hands-on field-based learning. The FFS also enhances group collaboration. The FFS strengthens ecological understanding to make informed decisions examines through experimentation and exchange of experience, building on local knowledge systems as well as on knowledge generated outside rural communities. FFS groups often engage in follow-up activities, to further develop agricultural activities and improve livelihoods. Since the 1990’s the approach has been spread to other regions. It is now being used for farmer education for a diversified range of topics in different socio-economic settings. A Global Review on FFS conducted by FAO in 2012 underlined again the importance of the quality of education in a FFS to enable farmer empowerment. Pakistan has use FFS approaches for different topics in the last 15 years. FAO’s programme in Balochistan (funded by USAID and AusAID) starts with Community Organizing to identify potential for agricultural development in 14 districts in Balochistan. These Community Organizations assess the potential to access markets for their products. FFSs are organized for farmers to gain the necessary knowledge and skills that will allow for better access to markets, while ensuring sustainable production approaches .
Luminescent homochiral silver(I) lamellar coordination networks built from helical chains

The reactions of 2,2′-dimethoxy-1,1′-binaphthyl-3,3′-bis(4-vinylpyridine) (L) with AgNO3 or AgClO4 at 70 °C gave rise to two novel luminescent homochiral lamellar coordination polymers, AgL2X (X = NO3− for 1 or ClO4− for 2), which are built from linking helical chains by Ag(I) atoms as hinges.
Phosphoglycerate mutase deficiency with tubular aggregates in a patient from Panama.

Introduction: Phosphoglycerate mutase deficiency (PGAM) is a rare metabolic myopathy that results in terminal block in glycogenolysis. Clinically, patients with PGAM deficiency are asymptomatic, except when they engage in brief, strenuous efforts, which may trigger myalgias, cramps, muscle necrosis, and myoglobinuria. An unusual pathologic feature of PGAM deficiency is the association with tubular aggregates. Methods: We report an African-American patient from Panama with partial deficiency of PGAM who presented with asymptomatic elevation of creatine kinase levels and tubular aggregates on muscle biopsy. Results: Muscle biopsies showed subsarcolemmal and sarcolemmal tubular aggregates in type 2 fibers. Muscle PGAM enzymatic activity was decreased and gene sequencing revealed a heterozygous mutation in codon 78 of exon 1 of the PGAM2 gene, which is located on the short arm of chromosome 7. Conclusions: PGAM deficiency has been reported in 14 patients, 9 of whom were of African-American ethnicity, and in 5 (36%) tubular aggregates were seen on muscle biopsy. Contrary to previously reported cases, our patient was initially asymptomatic. This further expands the PGAM deficiency phenotype. Muscle Nerve, 2013
SMEAR LAYER INSTABILITY CAUSED BY HEMOSTATIC AGENTS

The effect of hemostatic agents, other than a 15.5% Fe2(SO4)3 solution, on prepared tooth structure is unknown. The purpose of this study was to (1) compare the effect of six commonly used hemostatic solutions and two nondental astringents on the dentinal smear layer and (2) determine whether different responses caused by product and/or time could be established. Standardized dentinal smear layers were exposed to eight astringent solutions for 30, 120, and 300 seconds (n = 6). A total of 144 SEM photographs at x2400 magnification were ranked according to predetermined criteria for five categories of smear layer removal and etching of underlying tooth structure. There were significant differences (p < 0.001) caused by the solution, exposure time, and their interaction. Greatest smear layer removal was observed with 21.3% AlCl3-6 hydrate, 8% racemic epinephrine HCl, and 15.5% Fe2(SO4)3 solutions at longer exposures. These caused significantly more removal than did almost pH neutral tetrahydrozoline or oxymetazoline (p < 0.05).
Polarized Ketone Inhibition of 1-Naphthyl Acetate Esterase in Azinphosmethyl-Resistant and -Susceptible Tufted Apple Bud Moths, Platynota idaeusalis (Walker): Novel Insecticide Synergists

Abstract Aliphatic and aromatic polarized trifluoromethylketones were synthesized as inhibitors of 1-naphthyl acetate (NA) esterase and potential insecticide synergists for azinphosmethyl-resistant tufted apple bud moths. A 1-NA resistance-associated esterase (RAE) was isolated from whole body homogenates of azinphosmethyl-resistant adult females. A second susceptible-associated 1-NA esterase (SE) was purified from azinphosmethyl-susceptible adult females of the tufted apple bud moth. In structure-activity studies, octylthio-1,1,1-trifluoromethyl-2-propanone (OTFP) was the most potent inhibitor of whole body 1-NA esterase from resistant and susceptible adult females. The I 50 s for inhibition of purified RAE and SE were 1 × 10 −8.5 and 1 × 10 −8.6 M, respectively. Longer and shorter n -alkyl groups or a S -phenyl substitution reduced inhibitory activity. These inhibitors were also found to compete with 1-NA substrate for the esteratic active site. OTFP alone had minimal toxicity toward third and fifth instars of the tufted apple bud moth but synergized azinphosmethyl toxicity in resistant insects. Although novel esterases were found in resistant bud moth larvae and adults, there was no evidence that the resistance-associated esterases had a unique function different from that found in susceptible insects.
Lactogenic Hormones Regulate Xanthine Oxidoreductase and β-Casein Levels in Mammary Epithelial Cells by Distinct Mechanisms☆

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is a prominent component of the milk lipid globule, whose concentration is selectively increased in mammary epithelial cells during the transition from pregnancy to lactation. To understand how XOR expression is controlled in the mammary gland, we investigated its properties and regulation by lactogenic hormones in cultured HC11 mammary epithelial cells. XOR was purified as the NAD(+)-dependent dehydrogenase by benzamidine-Sepharose chromatography and was shown to be intact and to have biochemical properties similar to those of enzyme from other sources. Treating confluent HC11 cells with prolactin and cortisol produced a progressive, four- to fivefold, increase in XOR activity, while XOR activity in control cells remained constant. Elevated cellular XOR activity was correlated with increased XOR protein and was due to both increased synthesis and decreased degradation of XOR. Prolactin and cortisol increased XOR protein and mRNA in the presence of epidermal growth factor, which blocked the stimulation of beta-casein synthesis by these hormones. Further, hormonal stimulation of XOR was inhibited by genistein (a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and by PD 98059 (a specific inhibitor of the MAP kinase cascade). These findings indicate that lactogenic hormones stimulate XOR and beta-casein expression via distinct pathways and suggest that a MAP kinase pathway mediates their effects on XOR. Our results provide evidence that lactogenic hormones regulate milk protein synthesis by multiple signaling pathways.
Vaporizing foil actuator used for impulse forming and embossing of titanium and aluminum alloys

Abstract Electrically driven rapid vaporization of thin conductors is known to produce short-duration pressure pulses of high magnitude. This impulse can be used for applications such as high strain rate forming, shearing, collision welding, and springback calibration. Mechanical impulse was developed from aluminum foils of various thicknesses, which were vaporized using a capacitor bank discharge with a maximum charging voltage of 8.6 kV. Peak current was delivered on the order of 100 kA with rise times of about 12 μs. In this work, polyurethane was used as a medium to transfer pressure from the aluminum foil vaporization zone to the workpiece. Fundamental experiments, where AA 3003-H14 aluminum alloy was formed into perforated plates, show that for a given foil thickness, a limit existed over which supplying higher electrical energy from a given capacitor bank did not necessarily result in higher pressure. The magnitude of generated pressure was proportional to the excess Joule heat deposited into the foil before it burst. Although the polyurethane layer helped spread the pressure pulse over a larger area, the resulting pressure distribution remained heterogeneous. Practical applications, such as forming into cavities and embossing into shallow dies, were possible with this method. Sheets of 0.508 mm thick commercially pure titanium were nearly fully formed into a cellphone case die using a hybrid process that combined a quasistatic pre-forming step with a vaporizing foil forming step. Sheets of 0.508 mm thick AA 2024-T3 aluminum alloy were embossed into a die with features of varying depths. Aluminum foils with straight and curved active sections were used as actuators. The curved-section foils resulted in higher conformation of the workpiece to the die in the center region, while the straight-section foils produced better conformity to the die features on the ends.
Abstract 2597: Prospective study of the relationship between coffee and tea with colorectal cancer risk: The PLCO cancer screening trial.

Coffee and tea are commonly consumed and carry several potential anticancer components which could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer risk; however, the relationships of coffee and tea consumption with colorectal cancer risk remain unclear. We prospectively examined the relations of coffee and tea intake to colorectal cancer risk in 53,480 men and women in the intervention arm of the NCI-Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. The majority of these men and women (82.3%) received flexible sigmoidoscopy screening at baseline. Coffee and tea intakes were assessed by a food frequency questionnaire at study baseline. Six-hundred and twenty-two incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained during a median follow-up of 11.4 years. Greater coffee intake was not associated with risk of colorectal cancer. The relative risks for Citation Format: Christine Dominianni, Wen-Yi Huang, Sonja Berndt, Richard B. Hayes, Jiyoung Ahn. Prospective study of the relationship between coffee and tea with colorectal cancer risk: The PLCO cancer screening trial. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2597. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2597
Specific Factors and International Monetary Policy Coordination

The consequences of intersectoral factor immobility for optimal monetary policy are examined in a “New Open Economy Macroeconomics” framework. When labor cannot be reallocated between tradable and nontradable goods production, this rigidity generates a welfare loss, which increases as the sectors become more different. When prices are predetermined, the model becomes a monetary “specific factor” model. Intersectoral factor immobility complicates the optimal monetary policy problem by creating a tradeoff between stabilizing tradable and nontradable sector labor. When labor is mobile between sectors, policy coordination can significantly reduce labor volatility. When it is not mobile, coordination results in less volatility in tradable sector labor, but increased nontradable sector labor volatility.
Ergonomics in the workplace

Defines ergonomics and discusses various issues such as anthropometry, seat design, workplace principles, manual materials handling, and cumulative trauma disorders. These important issues need to be appreciated if the objective of the facilities manager is to reduce work‐related injuries, improve productivity, and improve the quality of life of the workers.
Can weighing lysimeter ET represent surrounding field ET well enough to test flux station measurements of daily and sub-daily ET?

Abstract Weighing lysimeters and neutron probes (NP) are both used to determine the change in soil water storage needed to solve for evapotranspiration (ET) using the soil water balance equation. We compared irrigated cotton ET determined using two large (3 × 3 × 2.4-m deep) weighing lysimeters and eight NP soil water profiles located outside the lysimeters in cotton fields during the BEAREX08 field campaign (see [16] Evett et al., 2012). The objectives were to (i) determine if lysimeter-based ET fluxes were representative of those from the fields, designated NE and SE, in which the lysimeters were centered, and (ii) investigate different methods of computing the soil water balance using NP data. Field fluxes were determined from the soil water balance using neutron probe measurements of change in profile water content storage. Fluxes of ET from the SE lysimeter were representative of those from the field throughout the season and can be used with reasonable certainty for comparisons of ET fluxes and energy balance closure derived from Bowen ratio (BR) and eddy covariance (EC) measurements whose footprints lay in the SE field. Comparisons of ET fluxes from EC and BR systems to those from the NE lysimeter should consider that NE lysimeter fluxes were up to 18% larger than those from the NE field during the period of rapid vegetative growth. This was due to plants on the lysimeter having greater height and width than those in the field. Nevertheless, the data from this and companion studies documents substantial underestimation of crop ET by EC stations under the conditions of BEAREX08. Comparison of zero flux plane (ZFP) and simple soil water balance methods of calculating ET from NP data showed them to be equivalent in this study; and for the ZFP method, the depth of the control volume should be determined by the depth at which the hydraulic gradient reverses, not by the depth of calculated minimum flux. If supported by a sufficiently dense and widespread network of deep soil water balance based estimates of ET in the surrounding patch and by ancillary measurements of crop stand and growth within the lysimeter and in the surrounding patch, a weighing lysimeter can provide accurate ET ground truth for comparisons with ET estimated using flux stations or ET calculated using satellite imagery. It must be emphasized that the water balance measurements must include soil profile water content measurements to well below (e.g., 0.5 to 1 m below) the root zone in order to close the water balance.
The Dynamics of Legislative Gridlock, 1947–96

David Mayhew's Divided We Govern(1991) sparked an industry of scholars who alternately challenge or confirm the work on theoretical and empirical grounds. Still, we lack a definitive account of the proportions and causes of legislative gridlock. I revisit the effects of elections and institutions on policy outcomes to propose an alternative theory of gridlock: The distribution of policy preferences within the parties, between the two chambers, and across Congress more broadly is central to explaining the dynamics of gridlock. To test the model, I construct a measure that assesses legislative output in proportion to the policy agenda. Using newspaper editorials to identify every salient legislative issue between 1947 and 1996, I generate Congress-by-Congress gridlock scores and use them to test competing explanations. The results suggest that intrabranch conflict—perhaps more than interbranch rivalry—is critical in shaping deadlock in American politics.
Coexistence of rotifer ( Brachionus plicatilis ) clones in Soda Lake, Nevada

Patterns of genetic variation among Brachionus plicatilis clones collected at different times from Soda Lake, Nevada (U.S.A.) were determined using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of isozymes. Six of the eleven enzymes assayed were variable. Three of these — malic dehydrogenase (MDH), cholinesterase (CHO), and phosphoglucomutase (PMG) - were selected to screen the 138 clones established from the field collections. Each enzyme revealed variation both within and between field samples. Thirty-eight of the 100 potential composite electromorphs formed by combining isozyme variants were found in the 138 clones. A substantial amount of genetic variation is therefore present. Patterns of electromorph frequency change resembled those reported for cladocerans. No evidence was found for a seasonal succession of distinct electromorphs. We suggest that the B. plicatilis in Soda Lake constitute a single population.
Isolation and characterization of farnesyl diphosphate synthase from the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis

Farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS) catalyzes the consecutive condensation of two molecules of isopentenyl diphosphate with dimethylallyl diphosphate to form farnesyl diphosphate (FPP). In insects, FPP is used for the synthesis of ubiquinones, dolicols, protein prenyl groups, and juvenile hormone. A full-length cDNA of FPPS was cloned from the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (AgFPPS). AgFPPS cDNA consists of 1,835 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 438 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence has high similarity to previously isolated insect FPPSs and other known FPPSs. Recombinant AgFPPS expressed in E. coli converted labeled isopentenyl diphosphate in the presence of dimethylallyl diphosphate to FPP. Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of a single copy gene. Using molecular modeling, the three-dimensional structure of coleopteran FPPS was determined and compared to the X-ray crystal structure of avian FPPS. The α-helical fold is conserved in AgFPPS and the size of the active site cavity is consistent with the enzyme being a FPPS. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Trauma surgeon becomes consultant: evaluation of a protocol for management of intermediate-level trauma patients.

Abstract Purpose At our level 1 pediatric trauma center, 9-54 intermediate-level ("level 2") trauma activations are received per month. Previously, the surgery team was required to respond to and assume responsibility for all patients who had "level 2" trauma activations. In 8/2011, we implemented a protocol where the emergency room (ER) physician primarily manages these patients with trauma consultation for surgical evaluation or admission. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the effects of the new protocol to ensure that patient safety and quality of care were maintained. Methods We compared outcomes of patients treated PRE-implementation (10/2010-7/2011) and POST-implementation (9/2011-5/2012), including surgeon consultation rate, utilization of imaging and laboratory testing, ER length of stay, admission rate, and missed injuries or readmissions. Statistical analysis included chi-square and Student's t-test. Results We identified 472 patients: 179 in the PRE and 293 in the POST period. The populations had similar baseline clinical characteristics. The surgical consultation rate in the POST period was only 42%, with no missed injuries or readmissions. The ER length of stay did not change. However, in the POST period there were significant decreases in the admission rate (73% to 44%) and the mean number of CT scans (1.4 to 1), radiographs (2.4 to 1.7), and laboratory tests (5.1 to 3.3) ordered in the emergency room (all p Conclusion Intermediate-level pediatric trauma patients can be efficiently and safely managed by pediatric emergency room physicians, with surgical consultation only as needed. The protocol change improved resource utilization by decreasing testing and admissions and streamlining resident utilization in an era of reduced duty hours.
A Camera System For The Observation Of Deep-Sea Marine Life

A deep-sea camera system has been developed for observing events on the deep ocean floor for time periods as long as 100 hours. This lightweight system has principally been employed to observe deep benthic organisms. In this use, it freely descends to the ocean floor, where it is maintained by a ballast weight surrounded by bait. Lured into the field of view of the camera by the bait, the creatures are photographed at preset intervals. At a preselected time, the camera system is separated from the ballast weight and ascends to the surface for recovery. Photographs have shown large numbers of active organisms to depths of 20,000 feet, including large predators.© (1968) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of Heating and Cyclic Tension on the Induction of Heat Shock Proteins and Bone-Related Proteins by MC3T3-E1 Cells

Stress conditioning (e.g., thermal, shear, and tensile stress) of bone cells has been shown to enhance healing. However, prior studies have not investigated whether combined stress could synergistically promote bone regeneration. This study explored the impact of combined thermal and tensile stress on the induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and bone-related proteins by a murine preosteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1). Cells were exposed to thermal stress using a water bath (44°C for 4 or 8 minutes) with postheating incubation (37°C for 4 hours) followed by exposure to cyclic strain (equibiaxial 3%, 0.2 Hz, cycle of 10-second tensile stress followed by 10-second rest). Combined thermal stress and tensile stress induced mRNA expression of HSP27 (1.41 relative fold induction (RFI) compared to sham-treated control), HSP70 (5.55 RFI), and osteopontin (1.44 RFI) but suppressed matrix metalloproteinase-9 (0.6 RFI) compared to the control. Combined thermal and tensile stress increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion into the culture supernatant (1.54-fold increase compared to the control). Therefore, combined thermal and mechanical stress preconditioning can enhance HSP induction and influence protein expression important for bone tissue healing.
Transport and reaction of t-butyl alcohol in H-mordenite pores

Abstract Initial rates of t -butyl alcohol dehydration catalyzed by crystallites of H-mordenite suspended in liquid reactant were measured at temperatures between 45 and 75 °C. Rate was not affected by addition of n -heptane diluent to the reactant, but when n -heptane or methylcyclohexane initially filled the mordenite pores, rate at 75 °C was reduced to 81 or 44% of the former value, respectively. Reaction took place within the intracrystalline pores and was hindered by the difficulty of passage of entering reactant and exiting diluent and product molecules. Molecules with critical diameters summing to about 13 A are capable of passing one another within a pore, although the narrowest apertures measure only 6.7 × 7.0 A.
Water quality and the rotifer populations in the Atchafalaya River Basin, Louisiana

We compiled distributional and ecological information on the class Rotifera from both flood controlled and uncontrolled reaches of the Atchafalaya River Basin, a large river-swamp in the south-central United States. In the minimally altered lower basin a variety of aquatic habitats within a small area resulted in a very diverse rotifer community consisting of an average of 46 taxa. In contrast, only an average of 28 different taxa were collected in leeved upper basin habitats. As a result of cluster analysis we were able to identify rotifer communities associated with areas of similar water quality. Variations in suspended solids, total dissolved solids, and organic carbon were most often significantly associated with variations in rotifer numbers from the lower basin. Seasonal flushing of backwater areas by mainstem waters is very important in maintaining the diversity of these lower basin rotifer communities.
Probiotics, prebiotics or 'conbiotics'?

Recent advances in genetic engineering promise the generation of modified probiotics to deliver specific health benefits[3xTannock, G.W. Trends Biotechnol. 1997; 15: 270–274Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (118)See all References, 11xWagner, R.D. et al. Infect. Immun. 1997; 65: 4165–4172PubMedSee all References, 17xSee all References]. For example, probiotic organisms producing particular cellulytic enzymes might allow animals to digest a wider range of plant fibers or to digest their present diets more efficiently[18xFEMS Microbiol. Chassy, B.M. Rev. 1987; 46: 197–312See all References[18]. Probiotic strains more resistant to heat would facilitate the pelleting process used in the mass production of probiotic animal feeds. Probiotic strains might be genetically modified to synthesize particular immunogens that would stimulate the host to respond more effectively to certain microbial pathogens[19xSee all References[19]. Indigenous bacteria vectors, such as Lactobacillus, might be considered safer than the Salmonella and virus vectors presently contemplated for these purposes[20xWells, J.M. et al. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 1996; 70: 221–330Crossref | Scopus (109)See all References[20].As Freter pointed out[9xSee all References[9], the probiotic concept still evokes controversy more than 100 years after it was first suggested. It is not surprising that we have not identified the mechanisms by which probiotics might alter the GI microecology for the benefit of the host when we still have not characterized the ∼400 species of our own indigenous GI microflora, elucidated how these indigenous species interact with each other, or understood the complex inter-relationships between the indigenous microflora and its host.There are too many reports demonstrating the beneficial effects of probiotics and prebiotics to simply dismiss the probiotic concept as `conbiotics'. We are not going to establish a scientific basis for the probiotic concept, however, without a greater understanding of our indigenous microflora and the basic ecological principles operating in the GI tract. Consequently, research funding must be dramatically increased for all aspects of indigenous microflora ecology, as well as for solving the specific problems of probiotics.
The impact of DSM-IV mental disorders on adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy among adult persons living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review

This is a systematic review of eighty-two published studies investigating the impact of DSM-IV mental disorders on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) adherence and persistence among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Sixty-two articles examined depression, with 58 % (N = 32/62) finding lower cART adherence and persistence. Seventeen articles examined one or more anxiety disorders, with the majority finding no association with cART adherence or persistence. Eighty percent of the studies that evaluated the impact of psychotic (N = 3), bipolar (N = 5) and personality disorders (N = 2) on cART adherence and persistence also found no association. Seven out of the nine studies (78 %) evaluating the impact of antidepressant treatment (ADT) on cART adherence found improvement. Adherence and depression measurements varied significantly in studies; common research measurements would improve data harmonization. More research specifically addressing the impact of other mental disorders besides depression on cART adherence and RCTs evaluating ADT on cART adherence are also needed.
Elastic scattering of the carbon isotopes from light nuclei (Z = 7 to 16) in optical model, strong-absorption, and folding approaches☆

Abstract Recently obtained data for elastic scattering of 12,13 C from 14 N, 16 O, 28 Si and 32 S are analyzed by a variety of methods, including the conventional six-parameter optical model, Ericson's parameterization of the strong-absorption S -matrix, the Glauber formalism, and a simple single-folding model. It is shown that earlier analyses of similar data, in which the Glauber approach was used exclusively, have a dubious validity.
Mechanical Behavior of an Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloy Under Axial-Torsional Proportional and Nonproportional Loading

Several biaxial proportional and nonproportional loading experiments are reported for thin-wall tubes of a pseudoelastic Ni-Ti shape memory alloy (SMA). In addition to the mechanical behavior, temperature was measured during the experiments. It is shown that the phase transformation exhibits asymmetrical behavior in the case of tension-compression cycling. The transformation strain rate is determined for selected histories by numerical differentiation of data. Under nonproportional loading, the rate of phase transformation does not follow a generalized J{sub 2}-J{sub 3} criteria based on results of micromechanical simulations for proportional loading. The role of simultaneous forward and reverse transformations on the nonproportional transformation response is examined using a simple micromechanical model, and the direction of the inelastic strain rate is adequately predicted. Load- and strain-controlled experiments at different strain rates, with and without hold times, are reported and coupled thermomechanical effects are studied.
War Games: "Ender's Game", "The Monuments Men", and Movies for Peace.

The popularity of adolescent fantasy movies about cosmic war and the enjoyment of military adventures that we find in World War II movies suggest the unique importance of war-themed culture in fostering solidarity in large, complex, and factionalized societies. War movies offset the power of sub-cultural movements by emphasizing the togetherness to be found in patriotic attachment to the whole society. A review of the history of recent war movies such as Ender's Game and The Monuments Men raises the possibility of a new militarism among young people. However, the persistence of war-weariness indicates that young people may differentiate fantasies of combat from the recognition of the horrors of real war.
Oxidative Stress Is Not a Major Contributor to Somatic Mitochondrial DNA Mutations

The accumulation of somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is implicated in aging and common diseases of the elderly, including cancer and neurodegenerative disease. However, the mechanisms that influence the frequency of somatic mtDNA mutations are poorly understood. To develop a simple invertebrate model system to address this matter, we used the Random Mutation Capture (RMC) assay to characterize the age-dependent frequency and distribution of mtDNA mutations in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Because oxidative stress is a major suspect in the age-dependent accumulation of somatic mtDNA mutations, we also used the RMC assay to explore the influence of oxidative stress on the somatic mtDNA mutation frequency. We found that many of the features associated with mtDNA mutations in vertebrates are conserved in Drosophila, including a comparable somatic mtDNA mutation frequency (∼10−5), an increased frequency of mtDNA mutations with age, and a prevalence of transition mutations. Only a small fraction of the mtDNA mutations detected in young or old animals were G∶C to T∶A transversions, a signature of oxidative damage, and loss-of-function mutations in the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, Sod2, had no detectable influence on the somatic mtDNA mutation frequency. Moreover, a loss-of-function mutation in Ogg1, which encodes a DNA repair enzyme that removes oxidatively damaged deoxyguanosine residues (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine), did not significantly influence the somatic mtDNA mutation frequency of Sod2 mutants. Together, these findings indicate that oxidative stress is not a major cause of somatic mtDNA mutations. Our data instead suggests that somatic mtDNA mutations arise primarily from errors that occur during mtDNA replication. Further studies using Drosophila should aid in the identification of factors that influence the frequency of somatic mtDNA mutations.
Transported fossil biota of the green river formation, Utah

Abstract Fossils of the lacustrine Green River Formation (Early Eocene) of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming consist of few indigenous and many transported elements, among those that were obviously produced in environments different from those of final burial are adult and larval insects, gymnosperm and angiosperm leaves, feathers, and patches of moulted lizard skin. Of these the insect larvae are most abundant and difficult to explain. The relatively undamaged condition of delicate organisms seems to rule out extensive water transport. It is concluded that strong winds acting either to carry specimens through the air or to drive them over the water surface delivered many of these organic objects to the place of burial and fossilization.
Assessing the Sensitivity of Regression Results to Unmeasured Confounders in Observational Studies

This paper presents a general approach for assessing the sensitivity of the point and interval estimates of the primary exposure effect in an observational study to the residual confounding effects of unmeasured variable after adjusting for measured covariates. The proposed method assumes that the true exposure effect can be represented in a regression model that includes the exposure indicator as well as the measured and unmeasured confounders. One can use the corresponding reduced model that omits the unmeasured confounder to make statistical inferences about the true exposure effect by specifying the distributions of the unmeasured confounder in the exposed and unexposed groups along with the effects of the unmeasured confounder on the outcome variable. Under certain conditions, there exists a simple algebraic relationship between the true exposure effect in the full model and the apparent exposure effect in the reduced model. One can then estimate the true exposure effect by making a simple adjustment to the point and interval estimates of the apparent exposure effect obtained from standard software or published reports. The proposed method handles both binary response and censored survival time data, accommodates any study design, and allows the unmeasured confounder to be discrete or normally distributed. We describe applications on two major medical studies.
CURRENTS NORTH OF BERING STRAIT IN WINTER1

Four days of current record were obtained about 190 km NNE of Bering Strait during March 1968. The mean current was the same for the location as in summer, suggesting that the generally north flow from the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean occurs also in winter. Variations in speed and direction of the flow were identified and analyzed. The major periodic variation was due to the diurnal tidal wave, and thus the tidal wave rather than inertial currents must be the primary cause of periodic variations. The course of the tidal wave and some features of its behavior are inferred. Other variations of importance include a variation with a period somewhat greater than 2 days, probably caused by atmospheric phenomena, and fluctuations due to relatively large-scale turbulence (periods between 5 and 60 min).
Calcium signalling in T cells stimulated by a cyclophilin B-binding protein

THE immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin A blocks a calcium-dependent signal from the T-cell receptor (TCR) that normally leads to T-cell activation1–3. When bound to cyclophilin, cyclosporin A binds and inactivates the key signalling intermediate calcineurin4–6. To identify potential cellular homologues of cyclosporin A that might regulate calcium signalling, we have cloned human genes encoding cyclophilin B-binding-proteins using the yeast two-hybrid system7,8. One gene product, when overexpressed in Jurkat T cells, specifically induced transcription from the inter-leukin-2 enhancer, by activating the T-cell-specific transcription factors NF-AT and NF-IL2A. This protein, termed calcium-signal modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML), acts downstream of the TCR and upstream of calcineurin by causing an influx of calcium. CAML appears to be a new participant in the calcium-signal trans-duction pathway, implicating cyclophilin B in calcium signalling, even in the absence of cyclosporin.
Optical Spectropolarimetry of Asymptotic Giant Branch and Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

Spectropolarimetric observations are presented for 21 AGB stars, 13 proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs), and two R CrB-type stars. The spectra cover the wavelength range from ~4200 to 8400 A with 16 A resolution. Among the AGB stars, 8 of 14 M giants, five of six carbon stars, and zero of one S star showed intrinsic polarization. At least 9 of 13 PPNs exhibited intrinsic polarization, while the R CrB-type stars show intrinsic polarization during fading episodes. There is a statistical correlation between mean polarization, P, and IR color, K - [12], among the AGB stars such that redder stars tend to be more polarized. The PPN sample is significantly redder and more polarized, on average, than the AGB stars. This increase in P with increased reddening is consistent with an evolutionary sequence in which AGB stars undergo increasing mass loss, with growing asymmetries in the dust distribution as they evolve up and then off the AGB into the short-lived PPN phase. A related trend is found between polarization and mass-loss rate in gas, gas. The detectability of polarization increases with mass-loss rate, and probably all AGB stars losing mass at >10-6 M☉ yr-1 have detectable polarization. Multiple observations of three polarized AGB stars show that in some cases P increases with mV, and in others it decreases. If polarization arises from scattering of starlight off an aysmmetric distribution of grains, then the distribution varies with time. Polarized features are detected in the TiO bands of three M-type Mira variables, in the CN bands of the carbon stars R Lep and V384 Per, and in the Swan bands of C2 in R CrB and two PPNs. Polarization effects in the molecular bands appear to be more common and the effects are larger in O-rich than C-rich objects.
Natural selection drives the link between male immune function and reproductive potential.

In the ground cricket Allonemobius socius (Scudder 1877), males provide females with a hemolymph-based nuptial gift. The size of the gift depends on when copulation is terminated, which can be cont...
The global existence problem and cosmic censorship in general relativity

We formulate two global existence conjectures for the Einstein equations and discuss their relevance to the cosmic censorship conjecture. We argue that the reformulation of the cosmic censorship conjecture as a global existence problem renders it more amenable to direct analytical attack. To demonstrate the facilty of this approach we prove the cosmological version of our global existence conjecture for the Gowdy spacetimes onT 3×R.
O3-type Na(Mn0.25Fe0.25Co0.25Ni0.25)O2: A quaternary layered cathode compound for rechargeable Na ion batteries

Abstract We report a new layered Na(Mn 0.25 Fe 0.25 Co 0.25 Ni 0.25 )O 2 compound with O3 oxygen stacking. It delivers 180 mAh/g initial discharge capacity and 578 Wh/kg specific energy density with good cycling capability at high cutoff voltage. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows a reversible structure evolution of O3-P3-O3′-O3″ upon Na de-intercalation. The excellent capacity and cycling performance at high cutoff voltage make it an important model system for studying the general issue of capacity fading in layered Na cathode compounds.
Neonatal expression of a cross-reactive idiotype associated with anti-phenylarsonate antibodies in strain A mice.

Data are presented which indicate that B cells expressing the cross-reactive idiotype associated with anti-p-azophenylarsonate antibodies of A/J or allotype-congenic C.AL-20 mice are present in neonatal mice. Data were obtained by direct immunization of neonatal mice or by adoptive transfer of cells from neonatal C.AL-20 mice into idiotype-negative BALB/c recipients. These findings, together with those previously reported for antibodies to phosphocholine in BALB/c mice, support the generalization that major cross-reactive idiotypes may usually be found early in the life-span of a mouse. The contrast between the frequency of appearance of the major cross-reactive idiotypes and “private” idiotypes with the same antigen-binding specificity, which are found after immunological suppression of the major idiotype, is consistent with the possibility that cross-reactive idiotypes are the product of germ line genes or minor somatic variants of germ line genes while private idiotypes arise through somatic diversification. Alternatively, regulatory mechanisms may account for the striking difference. The present results are therefore consistent with the early expression of germ line genes controlling the major idiotype or of corresponding regulatory genes. The average concentration of idiotype, per unit weight of anti-phenylarsonate antibody, is somewhat lower in neonatal than in adult A/J mice indicating that the major idiotype does not account for all of the antibody produced in response to this hapten in the neonate.
Paradoxical Sinus Deceleration During Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography: Description and Angiographic Correlation

Abstract Objectives. This report characterizes the paradoxical sinus deceleration occasionally observed during dobutamine stress testing and determines its relation to myocardial ischemia. Background. Dobutamine stress echocardiography is widely accepted as a noninvasive tool for evaluating coronary artery disease. With infusion of dobutamine, there is typically a dose-dependent increase in heart rate. However, in some patients, a paradoxical decrease in heart rate has been observed during high dose dobutamine infusion. Methods. In 181 consecutive patients undergoing both dobutamine stress echocardiography and coronary angiography, electrocardiographic (ECG) data collected during dobutamine infusion were reviewed to identify patients with a decrease in heart rate. The clinical, stress echocardiographic, hemodynamic and angiographic correlates of patients with a decrease in heart rate were reviewed. Results. A decrease in heart rate ranging from 7 to 64 beats/min occurred during high dose dobutamine infusion in 14 patients (8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6% to 10%), including 3 in whom a junctional rhythm developed. The decrease was sudden in five patients (36%, 95% CI 13% to 65%) and gradual in nine (64%, 95% CI 35% to 87%). A decrease in blood pressure (12 patients [86%], 95% CI 57% to 98%) with simultaneous chest pain (7 patients [50%], 95% CI 23% to 77%) and nausea (5 patients [36%], 95% CI 13% to 65%) was common. Significant coronary artery disease (≥50% diameter stenosis) was present in 8 (57%) of 14 patients (95% CI 29% to 82%). Two patients (14%, 95% CI 2% to 43%) had no clinical, ECG or echocardiographic evidence of ischemia and no significant coronary artery disease by angiography. There was no increased incidence of right coronary artery stenosis in patients with paradoxical sinus deceleration. Conclusions. Paradoxical sinus deceleration occurs in 8% of patients during dobutamine stress testing. Although most often observed in patients with coronary artery disease, it can occur in the absence of ischemia and coronary artery disease, and in some patients may be due to a vasodepressor reflex. (J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;29:994–9) © 1997 by the American College of Cardiology