cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The aggregation and G-quadruplex DNA selectivity of charged 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimides

Two N,N′-disubstituted perylene diimide G-quadruplex DNA ligands, Tel11 (N,N′-bis-[3-(4-methyl-morpholin-4-yl)-propyl]-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimide diiodide) and Tel12 (N,N′-bis-[(3-phosphono)-propyl]-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimide tetrapotassium salt) were synthesized and studied. Visible absorbance spectroscopy, resonance light scattering, and fluorescence spectroscopy were utilized to explore the aggregation state, affinity for various DNA structures, and G-quadruplex selectivity of these ligands. The water-soluble ligands exist in a monomer–dimer equilibrium with the cationic Tel11 exhibiting a greater affinity for various DNA structures than the anionic Tel12. Tel12 has greater selectivity for G-quadruplex DNA over double-stranded DNA than Tel11.
ASYMPTOTIC DERIVATION OF THE GLUED-WETTING-LAYER MODEL AND CONTACT-ANGLE CONDITION FOR STRANSKI-KRASTANOW ISLANDS

We derive a generic mathematical model for Stranski-Krastanow island morphologies in strained solid films. We show that a class of boundary-layer transition models for the material properties across the film/substrate interface reduce to the ``glued-wetting-layer'' model in the limit of small transition-layer thickness. Our results provide an explicit derivation of the zero-contact angle condition for Stranski-Krastanow islands with isotropic properties. The glued-wetting-layer model is used to calculate a typical Stranski-Krastanow morphology and these results are combined with a specific boundary-layer transition model to determine a detailed solution for the wetting layer and the corner region. A consequence of our results is the equivalence of Stranski-Krastanow morphologies calculated from boundary-layer models in the limit of vanishing boundary-layer thickness.
Dental Health, Acidogenic Meal, and Snack Patterns Among Low-Income Women During Early Pregnancy: A Pilot Study

Introduction The objectives of this study were to collect preliminary data related to self-reported dental problems, dental health–related nutrient intake, and acidogenic meal and snack composition intake during early pregnancy in low-income women and to assess the feasibility of current research methods for use in a larger study. Methods Low-income women (n = 13) in the first trimester of pregnancy participated in this study. Pregnant women completed a demographic questionnaire, participated in three 24-hour dietary recalls, and answered several questions related to their oral health status and frequency of dental visits. Results Preliminary data suggest that women in this study were susceptible to dental problems and consumed acidogenic meals and snacks. Protocol data suggest that it is feasible to implement current research protocols, with adaptations, for use in a larger study. Discussion Health care professionals should assess low-income pregnant women in early pregnancy for dental problems and acidogenic meal and snack patterns and provide referrals to appropriate health professionals and community health services.
Mechanism and conditions for highly enantioselective epoxidation of alpha,beta-enones using charge-accelerated catalysis by a rigid quaternary ammonium salt.

Highly enantioselective (up to 130:1) epoxidation of a variety of α,β-enones to form α,β-epoxy ketones is described along with a rational analysis of the mechanistic basis for this strong absolute stereochemical control by the chiral catalyst 2.
ScentHighlights: highlighting conceptually-related sentences during reading

Researchers have noticed that readers are increasingly skimming instead of reading in depth. Skimming also occur in re-reading activities, where the goal is to recall specific topical facts. Bookmarks and highlighters were invented precisely to achieve this goal. For skimming activities, readers need effective ways to direct their attention toward the most relevant passages within text. We describe how we have enhanced skimming activity by conceptually highlighting sentences within electronic text that relate to search keywords. We perform the conceptual highlighting by computing what conceptual keywords are related to each other via word co-occurrence and spreading activation. Spreading activation is a cognitive model developed in psychology to simulate how memory chunks and conceptual items are retrieved in our brain. We describe the method used, and illustrate the idea with realistic scenarios using our system.
A technique to reduce fixation artifacts to kidney proximal tubules

The preservation of proximal tubules in a state most closely resembling their in vivo morphology requires careful attention to fixation procedures. Conventional excision-immersion fixation is known to result in swelling of the cells lining proximal tubules and the obliteration of proximal tubule lumens with microvilli and cellular debris [1–3]. Dripping fixative on the surfaces of living kidneys only adequately preserves the uriniferous tubules along the outermost edge of the cortical surface [2]. Today, the accepted way to adequately preserve proximal tubules throughout the kidney is vascular perfusion of fixative [2]. Although vascular perfusion fixation has been achieved by the direct perfusion of fixative [2], most investigators clear the kidneys of blood and with a physiological saline flushing solution before perfusing a fixative. Unfortunately, brief interruptions and/or alterations in perfusion pressures which can accompany vascular perfusion techniques will produce swelling, focal cytoplasmic protrusions, and widened intercellular spaces along the length of proximal tubules [2–4].
Image processing of partially periodic lattice images of polymers: The study of crystal defects

Abstract High resolution electron microscopy (HREM) is becoming an important technique for the study of crystal defects in polymers. Because of radiation damage, lattice images of polymer crystals suffer from a lack of contrast and a low signal-to-noise ratio that can be improved by digital processing. We investigate the limits and benefits of such methods based on manipulation in Fourier space where periodic features contained in the image can be recognized and separated from the noise. We have calculated the effects of geometrical factors describing the shape and extent of lattice domain(s) present in the image on its discrete Fourier transform by taking into account digitization parameters. Lattice images were obtained from polyparaxylylene (PPX) single crystals which, under the growth conditions we used, contain defects as twin boundaries. Also, a crystal edge and a pair of edge dislocations have been imaged. Image processing methods used were filtration and truncation in Fourier space. The dislocation dipole is well restored by Fourier filtration but whenever the image contains different lattice domains such as rotated parts (twin) or noncrystalline zones, Fourier filtration introduces artefacts of two types: (1) lattice bleeding due to averaging effects results in a loss of crystal/crystal boundary or crystal edge definition, and we show that in these cases better results are obtained by Fourier truncation; (2) a ghost lattice related to the noise components of the image is created by the filter and appears on the reconstructed image at every place where the crystal lattice information is weak or nonexistent.
Calciphylaxis in pediatric end-stage renal disease

Calciphylaxis is a rare, but life-threatening complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that has been reported mostly in adult patients. The exact etiology is unknown, but the disease is commonly associated with a high calcium-phosphorus product and elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). We herein review the published reports on calciphylaxis in ESRD patients less than 18 years old and report the case of a patient with severe calciphylaxis who presented with lower extremity pain, muscle tenderness and difficulty in walking. The serum PTH was low, and the calcium-phosphorus product was normal. The diagnosis of calciphylaxis was confirmed by a muscle biopsy. Treatment with low calcium peritoneal dialysate and substitution of calcium-based phosphorus binders with sevelamer (Renagel) was unsuccessful. The patient’s clinical condition progressed to extensive soft tissue calcification and ulcerating skin lesions. Nine months after the onset of symptoms, the patient died of cardiopulmonary arrest.
1.2nm capacitance equivalent thickness gate stacks on Si-passivated GaAs

Experiments to increase the specific capacitance of MOS capacitors consisting of HfO"2 on a passivating interfacial layer (IL) of amorphous Si (a-Si) on GaAs are described. XPS analysis of the layers and electrical measurements on the capacitors are combined to study the evolution of the gate stack during deposition and subsequent heat treatments. It is shown that oxidation of the a-Si IL is a major factor in preventing the attainment of a scaled capacitance equivalent thickness (CET). By controlling the deposition of the layers, the gate metal and the heat treatments, a highly scaled gate stack with a CET of 1.2nm and a leakage reduction of more than 4 orders of magnitude with respect to SiO"2/Si was realized.
Cost-aware replication for dataflows

In this work we are concerned with the cost associated with replicating intermediate data for dataflows in Cloud environments. This cost is attributed to the extra resources required to create and maintain the additional replicas for a given data set. Existing data-analytic platforms such as Hadoop provide for fault-tolerance guarantee by relying on aggressive replication of intermediate data. We argue that the decision to replicate along with the number of replicas should be a function of the resource usage and utility of the data in order to minimize the cost of reliability. Furthermore, the utility of the data is determined by the structure of the dataflow and the reliability of the system. We propose a replication technique, which takes into account resource usage, system reliability and the characteristic of the dataflow to decide what data to replicate and when to replicate. The replication decision is obtained by solving a constrained integer programming problem given information about the dataflow up to a decision point. In addition, we built a working prototype, CARDIO of our technique which shows through experimental evaluation using a real testbed that finds an optimal solution.
Studies of the average pulse shape of Centaurus X-3 in the 2-20 keV range

An analysis is reported of the average pulse shape of Cen X-3 versus energy (2--20 keV) on time scales of hours to days derived from Uhuru observations during 1971 May 5--7 and 1971 December 18--20. The pulsed fraction varied with energy from 0.42 +- 0.02 to 0.80 +- 0.10 over the 2--20 keV range. The 2--6 keV pulsed fraction did not show statistically significant variations (>2 sigma) over the phase of the 2.087 day eclipse cycle. Individual measurements of the 2--6 keV pulsed fraction ranged from 0.45--0.56. (AIP)
A training program for pediatric residents in childdevelopment and guidance

Summary Pediatric training and practice arebecoming more and more concerned with the interrelated aspects of the growth, development, and social adjustment of the child. Considerable emphasis is being placed upon the relationship between physical and emotional development, both in illness and in health. An understanding of such processes can provide the basis for optimal pediatric care aimed at helping parents guide their children toward positive mental health and an avoidance of serious emotional disturbance. The teaching program of the Children's Hospital of the East Bay which is directed toward providing the pediatrician with such an understanding emphasizes: 1. The recognition of normal patternsof growth and development and individual differences as they are part of normal development and as they may be symptomatic of pathology. 2. An understanding of the dynamicsof growth and development and the interpersonal relations of the child. 3. The value of a history which is patient as well as disease centered. 4. The recognition of particular anxiety-provoking experiences within the family. 5. The role of the pediatrician in providing support and guidance for the child and his parents. 6. The use of community resourcesfor referral of the more severely disturbed families and the evaluation of the readiness of a family for psychiatric referral. Such a learning experience for the pediatrician is of necessity a personalized one as it involves teacher and student. It is essential that teaching begin with the well child in a descriptive manner and evolve with the child in his growth and developmental maturation. A nursery school is one effective method of providing direct experiences for the pediatrician to meet the child at the child's level of play and behavioral patterns. Learning about the total care of the child should be integrated with the existing knowledge of disease and the general work of a children's hospital lest the purely psychological aspects of the child's growth and development be overemphasized and the role of the pediatrician lost in the more specialized work of the psychiatrist. While it is too early to evaluate thepractical results of such a teaching program, an immediate result has been a better understanding of the child as an individual throughout the hospital services.
Restitution of bromodeoxyuridine-induced changes in cerebellar development.

Yu W-H. A. (1979) Neuropathology and Applied Neuropathology5, 41–48 Restitution of bromodeoxyuridine-induced changes in cerebellar development Previously, it was shown that bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in 2-day-old rats caused hypoplasia of the external cerebellar granular layer. Significant restitution was achieved after removal of BrdU by an increase in the rate and duration of prolifer-ative activity of the EGL cells, but abnormal cerebellar cytoarchitecture remained detectable at 35 days of age due mainly to polarity changes in the regenerated cells. The present report concerns repair of the EGL after giving BrdU to 7-day-old rats i.p. (15 mg/100 g body weight) twice daily for 3 days and killed at 15 days-of-age. Now, the regenerative capacity of the EGL was severely curtailed. The proliferative activity of the EGL of the treated animals was similar to normal controls and there was no change in the orientation of either the EGL cells or the parallel fibers. The only noticeable differences were a decrease in the width of the molecular layer and the presence of unusually elongated primary dendrites in many Purkinje cells of the BrdU treated rats. It was concluded that lengthening of the cell cycle time had slowed down the removal of BrdU and thus reduced the regenerative potential of the EGL at this age.
Hypothalamic inhibition of rat dorsal horn neuronal responses to noxious skin heating

The responses of single lumbar dorsal horn neurons to noxious radiant heat stimuli (42-54 degrees C, 10 sec, 1/2 min) applied to glabrous hind paw skin were recorded in rats anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Unit responses to 50 or 52 degrees C stimuli were constant over time and were consistently and powerfully inhibited during bipolar stimulation (three 100 msec trains/sec at 100 Hz, 200 microA) in the medial hypothalamus. Inhibition was also evoked by stimulation in medial and ventrobasal thalamic nuclei, lateral hypothalamus and adjacent cerebral peduncle, and amygdala. Inhibition increased with graded increases in intensity of hypothalamic stimulation, with a mean inhibitory threshold of 71 +/- 43 (S.D.) microA for 13 units. The responses of dorsal horn units to graded increases in the temperature of noxious heat stimuli were inhibited during hypothalamic stimulation, such that slopes of the linear temperature-response functions were reduced with no change in response threshold (mean: approximately 44 degrees C). Inhibition was blocked or reduced in 4/7 units following systemic administration of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) antagonist methysergide. The results confirm and extend previous work in the cat and are discussed in relation to analgesic mechanisms.
Spasticity Management in Multiple Sclerosis

Spasticity is a prevalent and potentially disabling symptom common in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Adequate evaluation and management of spasticity requires a careful assessment of the patient's history to determine functional impact of spasticity and potential exacerbating factors, and physical examination to determine the extent of the condition and culpable muscles. A host of options for spasticity management are available: therapeutic exercise, physical modalities, complementary/alternative medicine interventions, oral medications, chemodenervation, and implantation of an intrathecal baclofen pump. Choice of treatment hinges on a combination of the extent of symptoms, patient preference, and availability of services.
On the Static Access-Control Mechanism in Concurrent Pascal

In Concurrent Pascal, an explicit hierarchy of access rights to abstract variables is stated in the program text and checked by the compiler. This declarative control of static access rights provides a considerable degree of protection against unauthorized use of an abstract variable by an errant program component. However, there are cases in which the mechanism of Concurrent Pascal falls short of enforcing the principle that each program component should have within its name space only those rights of access to variables that it requires. This paper outlines an extension to the static access control mechanism of Concurrent Pascal that can enforce the need-to-know principle.
Application of Spinor Analysis to the Maxwell and Dirac Equations

With the spinor analysis developed by B. van der Waerden which comprises all representations of the Lorentz group, even those not contained in ordinary tensor calculus, one is able to write all derivations and equations in an automatically covariant form. For the convenient translation into spinor language of the Maxwell equations, it becomes important to introduce three self-dual tensors, one representing the electromagnetic field, one corresponding to the Hertzian vector, and one representing a kind of current potential. These correspond to symmetric spinors of the 2nd rank. Many spinor equations thus become simpler than the corresponding tensorial equations, especially the expression for the stress energy tensor. From the 1st order Dirac equations in spinor form, as given by v.d. Waerden, we derived the 2nd order equation, which agrees with the Gordon-Klein form but for a correction term which again contains the self-dual field tensor. Further the expression for the current was derived, and its decomposition into conduction and polarization currents, and both Maxwell and Dirac equations were derived from a spinorial variation principle, analogous to the results of Gordon and Darwin. In addition to the divergence condition for the current three new invariant relations between the wave functions which are independent of the potentials were obtained (Chapter III, Eqs. (11), (12) and (13)).
Official U. S. Elderly Suicide Data Bases: Levels, Availability, Omissions

The status of available U. S. suicide data for older people is presented. Among the issues considered are the problems and characteristics of official suicide figures and their limitations and omissions, specifically with regard to elderly suicide. Older persons are shown to be at highest risk for suicide but also have declining rates. At present, however, data are unavailable or inadequate to more fully understand the phenomenon of elderly suicide or explain its long-term decline. It is proposed that more detailed mortality records are necessary in order to adequately explain suicide among elderly people.
Radiative regulation of gas flow within clusters of galaxies: a model for cluster X-ray sources.

Radiation from gas within rich clusters of galaxies may regulate the central gas density to that value at which the cooling time equals the lifetime of the system, since at higher densities mass deposition by cooling in the central regions would exceed mass injection from the member galaxies and mass inflow from the outer regions of the cluster. We argue that in X-ray clusters a steady inflow of material takes place, in which the gravitational energy of the accreting material powers the X-ray luminosity of the source and accounts for the observed spatial extent of the gas distribution.In the present paper we consider self-contained gas flows, in which mass ejected by galaxies in the outer regions of the cluster flows toward the core of the cluster and ultimately accretes onto the central galaxies. This model, which depends only on a single parameter measuring the ratio of the mass-injection rate to the cooling in the central regions, accounts for the observed X-ray luminosities of the clusters, the surface-brightness profiles, and energy spectra in terms of thermal bremsstrahlung emission from the gas. We briefly argue that thermal conduction does not affect the observed properties of the source.We discuss the expected equivalent widthsmore » of observable emission lines, the morphology of the X-ray emission from the Perseus cluster, the formation of cD and active galaxies, and extinction and scattering by dust within the cluster.« less
Lymph nodes as sites of metastases from sarcomas of soft tissue

Records of 323 patients with TNM Stage M0 sarcoma of soft tissue treated by the Radiation Medicine Service of the Massachusetts General Hospital over a 14-year period were reviewed to study the incidence and the implication of regional lymph node involvement. Nineteen patients (5.9%) had evidence of sarcoma metastatic to draining lymph nodes, zero of 63 (0%) were Grade 1 sarcomas, two of 118 (2%) were Grade 2, and 17 of 142 (12%) were Grade 3 sarcomas. Among patients with Grade 3 sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcoma (five of 14), vascular sarcoma (two of five), and epithelioid sarcoma (four of five) were associated with a higher incidence of lymph node involvement than synovial sarcomas (zero of four), fibrosarcomas (zero of 16), malignant fibrohistiocytomas (one of 29), neurofibrosarcomas (one of eight), liposarcomas (one of 14), and leiomyosarcomas (one of ten). From the 19 patients who had evidence of metastatic nodes, six (32%) were alive more than 58 months after the treatment of the nodes; four of six patients were without further tumor. The data of this study are compared with those cited in a review of the literature.
The Effects of Fixed-Time Reinforcement Schedules on Problem Behavior of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in a Day-Treatment Classroom Setting.

The current study assessed the effects of fixed-time reinforcement schedules on problem behavior of students with emotional-behavioral disorders in a clinical day-treatment classroom setting. Three elementary-aged students with a variety of emotional and behavioral problems participated in the study. Initial functional assessments indicated that social attention was the maintaining reinforcer for their verbally disruptive behavior. Baseline phases were alternated with phases in which attention was provided on fixed-time schedules in the context of an ABAB design. The results indicated that the provision of attention on fixed-time schedules substantially reduced the participants' rate of verbal disruptions. These decreases were maintained during initial thinning of the schedules. The results provide one of the first examples that such an intervention can be successfully implemented in a classroom setting.
Colonial India and External Affairs Relating Indian Nationalism to Global Politics

This essay relates the Indian National Congress's struggle against British imperialism to the global politics of the mid-1930s. While contextualizing the Congress's anti-colonialism as a world view intending to combat imperial systems of exploitation, this article postulates that the foreign policy of the post-colonial Indian state originated in the Congress's anti-imperialism and anti-fascism of the 1930s. Drawing on published sources that chart policy decisions and illustrate the attitudes of leading actors in the formulation of official policy, this article hypothesizes that the principles generated by inter-war exigencies proved to be incompatible ideologies for the construction of India's post-colonial foreign policy.
An analysis of the effect of reserpine upon ponto-geniculo-ooccipital wave activity in the cat.

Abstract The effect of reserpine upon ponto-geniculo-occipital wave activity has been studied, using implanted electrodes, in a series of experiments on unrestrained cats. Five stages of action of reserpine have been defined. Stage 1: Drug induced waves (PGORes) resembling the waves normally present during REM sleep (PGOREM), appear and gradually increase in frequency, but may be suppressed by arousing stimuli. Stage 2: PGORes occur with a very regular frequency of 15–25 waves min and cannot be suppressed by arousal. Animals are heavily sedated, but awake. Stage 3: PGORes become modulated in frequency and amplitude. Both cortical synchrony and a low voltage cervical EMG are associated with enhanced wave activity. Stage 4: PGORes gradually become inhibited during periods of behavioral arousal. Stage 5: REM sleep returns, but REM-type PGO waves continue to appear during slow wave sleep, several minutes before the onset of REM sleep. Regulation of PGORes, during stages 3 and 4, can be accounted for by postulating that this activity is inhibited by arousal. Regulation of PGORes during stage 5 suggests the existence of an additional influence, which is maximal at the end of each REM sleep episode and declines progressively to become minimal in the minutes immediately preceding the next period of REM sleep.
A decision weight analysis of transition bandwidths.

A decision weight analysis is used to investigate transition bandwidths [Berg (2007). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121, 3639–2645]. The psychophysical task is similar to a standard profile analysis experiment except that the spacing of the tones comprising the stimuli is linear and very narrow (e.g., 20 Hz). An increment in the level of the central tone constitutes the signal. Pitch cues and single channel energy cues are degraded with randomization procedures. Thresholds increase as the number of tones comprising the stimulus (n) increases up to a transition bandwidth and then decrease or stay constant with further increases in n. It is proposed that the transition bandwidth reflects a discrete change in the underlying process, with a temporal process (e.g., envelope processor) dominating for stimulus bandwidths less than the transition bandwidth and a process of spectral profile analysis at wider bandwidths. Estimates of decision weights support the proposal.
Magnetic monopoles with fractional charges

Abstract Magnetic monopoles may carry fractional charges either as a result of a non-zero vacuum angle or as a result of their coupling to fermion fields. We discuss the relationship between these two mechanisms in a SU(2) theory and in a generalization of the SU(5) grand unified theory. We give several arguments that support the claim that the monopole ground state in the SU(2) theory has the quantum numbers of half a fermion. We show that the minimal monopole in SU(5) may have fractional electric and B − L charge even in a CP conserving theory but does not have a confined color electric charge. The confinement of magnetic monopoles in gauge theories with oblique confinement is briefly discussed.
The Acidic Residues of the IκBα PEST Sequence are Responsible for “Stripping” NFκB from DNA

Nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) transcription factors are responsible for the regulation of more than 150 target genes, their expression is induced by many classes of stimuli, and NFκBs play essential roles in the healthy regulation of cellular development and proliferation in inflammatory and immune responses. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and AIDS can be attributed to the aberrant regulation of NFκB. The transcriptional activity of NFκB is controlled by its inhibitors, the IκBs. IκBα, in particular, dynamically responds to extracellular stimuli releasing a burst of NFκB that enters the nucleus and activates hundreds of target genes. The transcriptional activation is short-lived, and our lab has been investigating the mechanism of post-induction repression. We previously showed that IκBα actively dissociates or "strips" NFκB from DNA. Analysis of the crystal structures of NFκB (RelA/p50) with DNA and with IκBα shows that the IκBα PEST sequence, which is rich in glutamate and aspartate residues, forms similar electrostatic contacts to NFκB as the DNA. Given this, we hypothesized that the IκBα PEST sequence electrostatically repels DNA from NFκB during the stripping process. Here we present fascinating results that show that the individual and collective, conservative mutation of these acidic residues to their amide counterparts does not affect the binding affinities of these mutants to NFκB; however, the mutant in which all five acidic residues are neutralized is incapable of stripping NFκB from DNA and instead forms a stable IκBα-NFκB-DNA ternary complex.
Intrauterine administration of prostaglandin F2α as an outpatient procedure for termination of early pregnancy

Abstract A group of 20 pregnant women requesting therapeutic abortion received a single transcervical intrauterine instillation of 5 mg prostaglandin F 2α in 5 ml of saline between 38 and 46 days after the onset of their last menses. Of the 20 women, 13 (65%) had a successful termination of pregnancy, while the other 7 patients did not abort. A total of 7 patients, 2 of whom aborted, had severe adverse reactions, including fever, hemorrhage and hypertension. Three of the 5 women who did not abort developed septic incomplete abortions. The low incidence of success and high incidence of complications noted in this study indicate that this method should not be utilized to terminate early pregnancy.
Murine macrophage lysozyme: modulation of enzymatic activity in gel by electrolytes.

Abstract Enzymatic activity of macrophage lysozyme in gels under normal physiological conditions of ionic strength, osmolarity, temperature and pH is negligible. Under isotonic conditions macrophage lysozyme can attain maximum activity at acid pH (acid lysozyme). At neutral and alkaline pH macrophage lysozyme can be fully activated by lowering the osmolarity to 155 imOsm (alkaline lysozyme). Such modulation of enzymatic activity is not seen when macrophage lysozyme is assayed in solution. The different behavior of macrophage lysozyme in solution and in gel is briefly discussed in terms of lysozyme function in intact cells.
Parental involvement and mental health among Thai adolescents

The objective of this analysis was to examine the associations between parental involvement and mental health in Thai middle school students. Data from the 2671 school-going adolescents aged 12–15 y who participated in the nationally representative Global School-based Student Health Survey in Thailand in 2008 were analysed. About 16.5% of students reported symptoms of depression, and about 8.6% reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year. High levels of parental involvement – homework checks, monitoring of free time and seeking to understand children's problems – were associated with significantly lower odds of symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts for both boys and girls. Skipping school without permission was associated with significantly increased odds of poor mental health, including loneliness and anxiety. Active parenting and effective communication between schools and parents about truancy may contribute to the promotion of adolescent mental health and early detection of ps...
FIREARMS RESEARCH AND THE CRIME DROP

Les Etats-Unis ont enregistre une baisse notable de la criminalite par armes a feu durant les annees 1990. La tendance s'est helas a nouveau inversee, et, de plus, les causes de cette baisse de la criminalite par amrmes a feu ne sont pas connues. L'A. se refere a l'analyse de Jens Ludwig dans le present numero pour explorer les pistes des politiques axee sur la demande, telles que les patrouilles ciblees mises en oeuvre a Pittsburgh (Pennsylvanie) ou encore a Richmond (Virginie)
Composition of the Casein-Containing Particles in Milk

Summary 1.Roughly 75 to 90% of the casein in fresh untreated skimmilk appears to exist as a single phosphoprotein, which is probably a definite mixture or combination of α-, β-, and γ-caseins. The organic phosphorus:nitrogen ratio for this phosphoprotein is in close agreement with that for a mixture of these caseins in the proportions 16:4:1. This phosphoprotein is presumed to be contained in all the colloidal particles comprising the broad intermediate size range. An alternative assumption, that these individual caseins exist in separate particles having comparable or identical size ranges, is possible, however. 2.In the range of sizes referred to, the phosphoprotein may be considered to be combined with calcium and tricalcium phosphate as a complex. The proportion of inorganic phosphorus is variable as between milks and decreases with decreasing particle size. For milks of low calcium content, however, and for the smallest particles removed, a definite minimum proportion of inorganic phosphorus is indicated, such that the mol proportion of calcium to organic phosphorus to inorganic phosphorus is approximately 5:2:2. 3.The very largest casein-containing particles in skimmilk, which are not included in the size range above referred to, differ in composition. They appear to contain less organic phosphorus, but they also contain nonproteinaceous substances, and more refined analyses are required to characterize either the phosphoprotein or the inorganic components. 4.A residual fraction of the casein-containing particles, representing from 5 to 10% of the total casein, was not removed in the centrifuging times used.
Simulation of branch growth in the Pinaceae: Interactions of morphology, phenology, foliage productivity, and the requirement for structural support, on the export of carbon†

Five interacting processes that determine the life cycle and productivity of a branch are simulated. Morphological development describes branch segment (branchlet) replication. Foliage development is controlled by production rate and longevity on each branchlet. Production of photosynthate, calculated as net biomass increment , may vary with branchlet age. Phenology defines the yearly brnachlet growth period and so influences foliage amount produced. Branchwood thickening is incremented to maintain a specified deflection profile. The export of potential biomass increment from the branch is estimated. These five processes together define branch growth as a balance between positive and negative feedbacks. In the early years of branch growth the more rapid the foliage development, the more available biomass increment there is to produce more foliage. However, as the branch elongates and foliage is held further from the tree, greater foliage amounts comes to require greater amounts of branchwood for support. The potential biomass increment exported from the branch to the trunk first increases, as foliage increases, and then decreases as the demand for supporting branchwood increases. Simulations show how the set point between the two feedback systems can be specified by phenology and morphology . For export an optimum length of time can be defined for branchlet growth when there is a balance between the amount of production invested in new foliage and the additional export to the trunk obtained from it. The necessity to simulate branchlet production as non-stationary over the branch lifetime is demonstrated. Two morphological systems for this are investigated; APICAL which specifies branchlet proliferation only according to length and order of parent branchlets and SEARCH which simulates plasticity in development through the inhibition of branchlet production according to local crowding. For the SEARCH algorithm there is an interaction with branchlet phenology that has a substantial influence on both the timing and amount of export to the trunk.
Physiology of penile erection.

Better understanding of the physiology of penile erection has been made possible by innovative laboratory and clinical research in the past decade. Penile erection involves psychological, neurological, hormonal, arterial, venous, and sinusoidal factors. Advances in the understanding of these factors have markedly improved the diagnosis and treatment of impotence and the care of tens of thousands of patients with impotence. This chapter will discuss the basic physiology involved in the erectile process.
Frequency Response of an Impacting Lap Joint

Damage or failure of a relatively small component can precipitate the failure of a larger part of a structure. The behavior of damaged or worn joints is of particular concern. To address contact/impact in structural systems, this work models a structural lap joint from first principles. A beam with four stops and gaps is used to simulate a loose or damaged lap joint, which also represents designed manufacturing clearances in mechanical systems. The goal is to generate frequency responses to identify the local shock effect due to impact. Spatial and temporal solutions are presented for an example case. Converged time histories were used to generate the impulse as a metric of frequency response. Facilitating mode contribution calculations, the metric of impulse proves to be an excellent indicator of complexities in the beam's motion due to excitation frequency. Noncontact regions, sticking motions, local extrema, grazing impacts, and aperiodicities are identifiable for specific operating parameters. These conditions indicate when harmful impact may occur that can ultimately cause local damage within a structure. Knowledge of dangerous operating conditions can better focus on inspection before propagation occurs.
Circadian biology and sleep: missing links in obesity and metabolism?

Abstract : The 2009 Pennington Scientific Symposium entitled "Circadian Biology and Sleep": Missing Links in Obesity and Metabolism? Was held at the Lod Cook Conference Center on the Louisiana State University Campus on 4/27-28, 2009. Over 25 invited speakers and their guests together with ~15 to 20 faculty members from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center attended the sessions which integrated current findings in the fields of circadian biology, metabolism, nutrition, and sleep. In addition to the keynote address by Dr. Joseph Takahashi, a total of 14 full talks and 2 short talks were presented. A round-table discussion was conducted at the conclusion of each day's meeting. Each speaker was given the option to submit his/her talk in manuscript format to the journal Obesity Reviews; over 75% of the speakers have indicated that they will publish in this special supplement issue.
Autoinhibition and isoform-specific dominant negative inhibition of the type II cGMP-dependent protein kinase.

In the absence of cyclic nucleotides, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cGMP-dependent protein kinases (cGKs) suppress phosphotransfer activity at the catalytic cleft by competitive inhibition of substrate binding with a pseudosubstrate sequence within the holoenzyme. The magnitude of inhibition can be diminished by autophosphorylation near this pseudosubstrate sequence. Activation of type I cGK (cGKI) and type II cGK (cGKII) are differentially regulated by their cyclic nucleotide-binding sites. To address the possibility that the distinct activation mechanisms of cGKII and cGKI result from differences in the autophosphorylation of the inhibitory domain, we investigated the effects of autophosphorylation on the kinetics of activation. Unlike the type I cGKs (cGKIα and Iβ), cGKII autophosphorylation did not alter the basal activity, nor the sensitivity of the enzyme to cyclic nucleotide activation. To determine residues responsible for autoinhibition of cGKII, Ala was substituted for basic residues (Lys122, Arg118, and Arg119) or a hydrophobic residue (Val125) within the putative pseudosubstrate domain of cGKII. The integrity of these residues was essential for full cGKII autoinhibition. Furthermore, a cGKII truncation mutant containing this autoinhibitory region demonstrated a nanomolar IC50 toward a constitutively active form of cGKII. Finally, we present evidence that the dominant negative properties of this truncation mutant are specific to cGKII when compared with cAMP-dependent protein kinase Cα and cGKIβ. These findings extend the known differences in the activation mechanisms among cGK isoforms and allow the design of an isoform-specific cGKII inhibitor.
On the calculation of hydrogen-metal interatomic potentials

The London-Eyring-Polanyi-Sato (LEPS) model is a promising means for obtaining descriptions of hydrogen-metal interactions that are more realistic than those obtained via the assumption of purely pairwise interactions. This approach should be of particular value for the transition metals, for which first-principles pseudopotential methods cannot be used to derive interatomic potentials. 18 refs.
Star-operations induced by overrings

(1988). Star-operations induced by overrings. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 16, No. 12, pp. 2535-2553.
Activation of cardiac adenyl cyclase by thyroid hormone.

Abstract The thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, increased the conversion of AT 32 P in the particulate fraction of cat heart homogenates. The concentration of thyroxine that produced half of the maximal response was 5 × 10 −7 M and of triiodothyronine was 6 × 10 −7 M. The increase in cyclic 3′, 5′ - AM 32 P was not due to an inhibition of phosphodiesterase, indicating a direct effect of both hormones on the activation of adenyl cyclase in myocardial tissue, a finding that may explain some of the cardiac manifestations of the hyperthyroid state.
Discovery of a Selective TRPM8 Antagonist with Clinical Efficacy in Cold-Related Pain

The transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels comprises nonselective cation channels that respond to a wide range of chemical and thermal stimuli. TRPM8, a member of the melastatin subfamily, is activated by cold temperatures (<28 °C), and antagonists of this channel have the potential to treat cold induced allodynia and hyperalgesia. However, TRPM8 has also been implicated in mammalian thermoregulation and antagonists have the potential to induce hypothermia in patients. We report herein the identification and optimization of a series of TRPM8 antagonists that ultimately led to the discovery of PF-05105679. The clinical finding with this compound will be discussed, including both efficacy and its ability to affect thermoregulation processes in humans.
The devil's in the details: genetic and phenotypic divergence between artificial and native populations of the endangered pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis)

Propagation of threatened or endangered species in artificial habitats is a common strategy for reducing the probability of extinction by demographic or stochastic forces. Differential selection, founder effects and genetic drift can conspire to cause artificial populations to differ irreversibly from native populations for characters important for fitness, thereby compromising conservation efforts. Here we show that artificial propagation of the endangered Devil's Hole pupfish Cyprinodon diabolis resulted in rapid divergence for phenotypic and genetic characteristics despite attempts to replicate key characteristics of the species' native habitat when designing the artificial environments. Although differences in behavior and morphology between the native pool population and the two artificial pools may reflect phenotypic plasticity, the results underscore the need to monitor and control (to the extent possible) closely the evolutionary process when propagating native species in artificial pools for multiple generations.
Use of Self-Complementary Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 2 as a Tracer for Labeling Axons: Implications for Axon Regeneration

Various types of tracers are available for use in axon regeneration, but they require an extra operational tracer injection, time-consuming immunohistochemical analysis and cause non-specific labeling. Considerable efforts over the past years have explored other methodologies, especially the use of viral vectors, to investigate axon regeneration after injury. Recent studies have demonstrated that self-complementary Adeno-Associated Virus (scAAV) induced a high transduction efficiency and faster expression of transgenes. Here, we describe for the first time the use of scAAV2-GFP to label long-projection axons in the corticospinal tract (CST), rubrospinal tract (RST) and the central axons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in the normal and lesioned animal models. We found that scAAV2-GFP could efficiently transduce neurons in the sensorimotor cortex, red nucleus and DRG. Strong GFP expression could be transported anterogradely along the axon to label the numerous axon fibers from CST, RST and central axons of DRG separately. Comparison of the scAAV2 vector with single-stranded (ss) AAV2 vector in co-labeled sections showed that the scAAV2 vector induced a faster and stronger transgene expression than the ssAAV2 vector in DRG neurons and their axons. In both spinal cord lesion and dorsal root crush injury models, scAAV-GFP could efficiently label the lesioned and regenerated axons around the lesion cavity and the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) respectively. Further, scAAV2-GFP vector could be combined with traditional tracer to specifically label sensory and motor axons after spinal cord lesion. Thus, we show that using scAAV2-GFP as a tracer is a more effective and efficient way to study axon regeneration following injury.
Biochemical and genetic analysis of a mutant with altered alkaline phosphatase activity in Dictyostelium discoideum

Alkaline phosphatase is one of several enzymes that accumulate in a temporally regulated sequence during the development of Dictyostelium discoideum. These enzymes can be used to monitor specific gene expression; moreover, isolation and analysis of mutations in the structural gene(s) can serve to indicate some of the essential steps in programmed synthesis and morphogenesis. A mutation (alpA) which affects the activity and substrate affinity of alkaline phosphatase was isolated in D discoideum using a procedure for screening large numbers of clones. Alkaline phosphatase activity at all stages of vegetative growth and development was altered by the mutation. Several physical properties of the enzyme from growing cells and developed cells were compared and found to be indistinguishable. It is likely that a single enzyme is responsible for the majority of alkaline phosphatase activity in growth and development. The mutation is coexpressed in diploids heterozygous for alpA and maps to linkage group III. One of the haploid segregants isolated from these diploids carries convenient markers on each of the six defined linkage groups and can be used for linkage analysis of other genetic loci.
Hu-ets-2 is translocated to chromosome 8 in the t(8;21) in acute myelogenous leukemia☆

Abstract The human genome contains two distinct loci with homology to the viral ets gene, the transforming sequence of the E26 avian erythroblastosis virus; these loci, Hu- ets -1, and Hu- ets -2, have been mapped to 11q23 and 21q22, respectively. Using in situ chromosomal hybridization, we have demonstrated that Hu- ets -2 is translocated to chromosome #8, the chromosome containing the critical or conserved junction, as a result of the t(8;21)(q22;q22) in acute myelogenous leukemia. Another protooncogene, c- mos , is also retained at the conserved junction, suggesting that one or both of these genes may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute myelogenous leukemia.