cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
C. elegans peb-1 mutants exhibit pleiotropic defects in molting, feeding, and morphology.

Caenorhabditis elegans PEB-1 is a novel DNA-binding protein expressed in most pharyngeal cell types and outside the pharynx in the hypodermis, hindgut, and vulva. Previous RNAi analyses indicated that PEB-1 is required for normal morphology of these tissues and growth; however, the peb-1 null phenotype was unknown. Here we describe the deletion mutant peb-1(cu9) that not only exhibits the morphological defects observed in peb-1(RNAi) animals, but also results in penetrant larval lethality characterized by defects in pharyngeal function and molting. Consistent with a function in molting, we found that PEB-1 was detectable in all hypodermal and hindgut cells underlying the cuticle. Comparison to molting-defective lrp-1(ku156) mutants revealed that the peb-1(cu9) mutants were particularly defective in shedding the pharyngeal cuticle, and this defect likely contributed to feeding defects and lethality. Most markers of pharyngeal cell differentiation examined were expressed normally in peb-1(cu9) mutants; however, g1 gland cell expression of a kel-1Dgfp reporter was reduced. As g1 gland cells have prominent functions during molting, we suggest defective gland cell differentiation contributes to peb-1(cu9) molting defects. In comparison, other peb-1 mutant phenotypes, including hindgut abnormalities, appeared independent of the molting defect. Similar phenotypes resulted from late loss of pha-4 function, suggesting that PEB-1 and PHA-4 have common functions in some tissues where they are co-expressed.
Emplacement of long lava flows within a graben network in Radunitsa Labyrinthus, Carson quadrangle, Venus

[1] Radar bright lava flows in the Radunitsa Labyrinthus region of the Carson quadrangle on Venus traveled up to 200 km within a network of orthogonal grabens. Using a cooling model for basalt to evaluate the graben-channelized lava flow emplacement process, we demonstrate that the lava flows would need to either be very thin (<5 m) or have a very low effusion rate (<50 m 3 s -1 ) in order to cease flow within the observed 200 km solely by cooling. Neither condition is likely given our mapping observations and what is known about long lava flow emplacement on Earth, leading us to conclude that lava flow emplacement in Radunitsa Labyrinthus was probably supply- rather than cooling-limited.
Microbial inclusions with special reference to PHA inclusions and intracellular boundary envelopes

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), in the form of metabolic storage reserves, are assembled in intracellular cytoplasmic inclusions, often called granules. This review discusses both the structure and function of this assembly. In addition an overview of other microbial cellular inclusions is presented. This is not a compilation of all such structures but a description of those that are similar in many ways to either the structure or function of the PHA inclusions and are made up of monolayer envelopes and their storage compounds. Not unique, such inclusions provide many similar examples which, in turn, provide useful analogies to the PHA inclusions. A study of the PHA inclusions has been carried out in a comparative electron microscope examination and by protein analysis of a number of organisms and E. coli transformants.
Delta-nucleus Coulomb interaction in resonant-energy pion-nucleus elastic scattering

Abstract The role of the Coulomb interaction between the delta and the residual nucleus in resonant-energy pion-nucleus elastic scattering is investigated using the mean-spectral approximation. The differential cross sections for elastic scattering of π + and π − from 40 Ca at 180 MeV clearly demonstrate the necessity of including this Coulomb interaction into the theory. The interplay between Coulomb and the strong delta-nucleus interaction is used to extract a value of the real part of the delta-nucleus potential.
Analysis of the Subscale Structure of Test Batteries: A Confirmatory Study of the Interrelationships of CGP and N.J. Basic Skills Subscores.

This analysis exemplifies a method for investigating the construct validity of the subscales of one or more test batteries. In this study, the structures of the Comparative Guidance and Placement Test (CGP) and New Jersey Basic Skills test were examined to see if the subscales designed to measure the same skills were doing so, and to see if the nontraditional subscales (Mosaic Comparisons, Year 2000, and Letter Groups) were measuring something different from the traditional subscales (Reading, Sentences, and Mathematics). The methodology employed was a confirmatory factor analysis. Data from 822 students who had taken both batteries were used to test a hypothesized four-factor model (Reading, Sentences, Mathematics, and Mosaic Comparisons); this model was found to fit the data. It was concluded that Mosaic Comparisons, Year 2000, and Letter Groups each measure something uniquely different from Reading, Sentences, and Mathematics. Although technically complex, this methodology is easily and inexpensively applied to this type of problem. It can be particularly useful in criterion-referenced test development for testing whether a priori subscales are actually measuring different skills.
PARTICLE ENERGIZATION DURING SOLAR MAXIMUM: DIFFUSIVE SHOCK ACCELERATION AT MULTIPLE SHOCKS

We present a model for the acceleration of particles at multiple shocks using an approach related to box models. A distribution of particles is diffusively accelerated inside the box while simultaneously experiencing decompression through adiabatic expansion and losses from the convection and diffusion of particles out of the box by either the method used in Melrose & Pope and Pope & Melrose or by the approach introduced in Zank et al. where we solve the transport equation by a method analogous to operator splitting. The second method incorporates the additional loss terms of convection and diffusion and allows for the use of a variable time between shocks. We use a maximum injection energy (E max) appropriate for quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular shocks. We provide a preliminary application of the diffusive acceleration of particles by multiple shocks with frequencies appropriate for solar maximum.
Rapid Changes in Small Fish Mercury Concentrations in Estuarine Wetlands: Implications for Wildlife Risk and Monitoring Programs

Small fish are commonly used to assess mercury (Hg) risk to wildlife and monitor Hg in wetlands. However, limited research has evaluated short-term Hg variability in small fish, which can have important implications for monitoring programs and risk assessment. We conducted a time-series study of Hg concentrations in two small fish species representing benthic (longjaw mudsuckers [Gillichthys mirabilis]) and pelagic (threespine sticklebacks [Gasterosteus aculeatus]) food-webs within three wetland habitats in San Francisco Bay Estuary. We simultaneously monitored prey deliveries, nest initiation, and chick hatching dates of breeding Forster’s terns (Sterna forsteri), the most abundant nesting piscivore in the region. Mudsuckers and sticklebacks were the predominant prey fish, comprising 36% and 25% of tern diet, and Hg concentrations averaged (geometric mean ± SE, μg/g dw) 0.44 ± 0.01 and 0.68 ± 0.03, respectively. Fish Hg concentrations varied substantially over time following a quadratic form in both spec...
A novel 80 kDa human estrogen receptor containing a duplication of exons 6 and 7

Alterations in the amino acid sequence of the estrogen receptor (ER) have been shown to have dramatic effects on its function. Recently, mutant ERs have been isolated from both clinical samples and established breast cancer cell lines, primarily through the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All previously reported mutations have given rise to either alterations or truncations of the ER protein. We determined the structure of a novel 80 kDa ER which is expressed in an estrogen independent subclone of the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7:2A). This 80 kDa ER was initially detected by Western blot analysis using a variety of ER specific antibodies. PCR mapping and partial PCR mediated subcloning of the ER cDNA were used to demonstrate that this protein was an ER containing an in-frame duplication of exons 6 and 7. This type of duplication has not been previously described for any members of the steroid receptor superfamily. Karyotype analysis coupled with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) demonstrated that MCF-7:2A cells contained 4-5 copies of the ER gene in contrast to 2 copies in MCF-7:WS8 cells. The ER gene was localized by FISH analyses in both the MCF-7:WS8 and MCF-7:2A cells on chromosome 6, which is the source of the ER in normal human cells. The relative expression level of 2:1 is consistent with DNA gene dosage analysis. Genomic PCR was then used to demonstrate that the 80 kDa ER mRNA was not derived from the trans-splicing of two ER mRNAs but was the result of a genomic rearrangement in which exons 6 and 7 were duplicated in an in-frame fashion. This variant ER may prove to be useful in elucidating the mechanism of estrogen action in breast cancer cells.
Home-region orientation in international expansion strategies

Despite the emerging consensus that most multinational enterprises (MNEs) are regional, systematic theory explaining regionalization is conspicuously absent, and empirical findings on its implications for MNE performance remain mixed. Drawing on internalization theory, we suggest that technological advantage and institutional diversity determine firms’ home-region orientation (HRO), and we posit a simultaneous relationship between HRO and performance. We apply insights from the firm heterogeneity literature of international trade to explain the influence of technology on HRO. We predict a negative and nonlinear impact of technological advantage on HRO driven by increasing returns logic, and a negative impact of institutional diversity on HRO driven by search and deliberation costs. We find empirical support for our model using simultaneous equations methodology on longitudinal data on Triad-based MNEs. Performance significantly reduces HRO, but HRO does not have a significant effect on performance.
Stability of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) under different environmental conditions

The stability of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was determined at 20°C--40% relative humidity (RH); 30°C--30% RH and 30°C--80% RH. MERS-CoV was more stable at low temperature/low humidity conditions and could still be recovered after 48 hours. During aerosolisation of MERS-CoV, no decrease in stability was observed at 20°C--40% RH. These data suggest the potential of MERS-CoV to be transmitted via contact or fomite transmission due to prolonged environmental presence.
Determination of soil pH using a cartesian coordinate laboratory robot and electronic switchbox

Abstract A commercially available Cartesian coordinate (gantry style) robot has been programmed to sequentially determine soil/water pH (pHw) using a desk‐top computer, electronic switchbox, pH meter and a bank of five combination electrodes. All movements of the robot together with pHw data acquisition are orchestrated by the computer. Once the pHw data has been acquired, it is stored in an array for subsequent transfer to a Laboratory Information Management System.
Fecundity of Humpback Whitefish and Least Cisco in the Chatanika River, Alaska

Abstract Fecundity of 93 humpback whitefish Coregonus pidschian and 80 least ciscoes C. sardinella collected from the Chatanika River, Alaska, was estimated with volumetric methods. Measurement errors in estimates of fecundity were small relative to estimates; coefficients of variation (100·SE/mean) for 32 test cases ranged from 0.3 to 12.1%, and they were less than 5% in 28 of the 32 test cases. Predictive regressions were used to predict fecundity from fork length (FL). Fecundity ofhumpback whitefish ranged from 8,400 to 65,400 eggs per female for fish 320 to 520 mm FL. Fecundity for least cisco ranged from 11,500 to 111,600 eggs per female for fish 280 to 420 mm FL. Although length compositions of spawning humpback whitefish and feast cisco in the Chatanika River have decreased substantially since the early 1970s, the length-fecundity relationships can still be used to develop estimates of egg deposition.
Bond-Selected Chemistry: Vibrational State Control of Photodissociation and Bimolecular Reaction

Controlling chemical reactions with light rests on the idea of exciting a vibration that becomes the reaction coordinate in subsequent chemistry. Vibrational excitation techniques such as infrared or stimulated Raman excitation of fundamental vibrations or vibrational overtone excitation of higher levels permit the preferential cleavage of a bond in a photodissociation or bimolecular reaction. The key to bond-selected chemistry is the initial preparation of a suitable vibrational state followed, in the case of bond-selected photodissociation, by electronic excitation or, in the case of bond-selected bimolecular reaction, by collision with a reactive atom. Such experiments demonstrate bond-selected chemistry, permit detailed comparison to theory, and reveal general principles of vibrational state control of chemical reactions.
Pollen Fertility of Some Simple and Compound Translocations of Cotton

(...) We report the pollen fertility levels of plants either homozygous (TT) or heterozygous (NT) for 20 translocations, including 16 two-chromosome, three three-chromosome, and one four-chromosome translocations. Fertility ranged from 90 to nearly 100% fo TT and from 52 to 81% for NT plants, indicating that TT and NT cytogenetic types in test-cross populations that are segregating for a single translocation should be distinguishable on the basis of pollen fertility. Thus, all 45 breakpoints of the screened translocations are of potential use as genetics markers (...)
Drivers of spatial and temporal variation in soybean yield and irrigation requirements in the western US Corn Belt

Abstract Both rainfed and irrigated soybean production are important in Nebraska (western US Corn Belt), accounting for a respective 48 and 52% of the state's soybean production of 7 Mt on a respective 55 and 45% share of the state soybean area of 1.9 Mha. To date, no assessment of factors that may account for regional and inter-annual variation in yield and irrigation amount has been performed. To accomplish that objective, we evaluated a database containing on-farm field yields and total irrigation amount used in those fields. These data have been collected annually from ca. 1000 soybean fields in six regions of Nebraska during the past eight years. Distributions of farm yield and irrigation amount were analyzed and the impact of selected weather variables and key management factors on these two variables was assessed. For irrigated soybean, attainable yields were estimated from the 95th percentile of the yield distribution, and yield gaps were then calculated as the difference between the attainable yield and average farm yield. The interquartile range for yield and irrigation amount was used as a measure of the management gap between skillfully and sub-optimally managed fields. Distribution of irrigated yield and irrigation amount were skewed, indicating that many producers achieved yields relatively close to the attainable yield, but also that irrigation in excess of the amount needed may have occurred in an important fraction of the total fields. Variation in rainfed yield was strongly related to July–August total rainfall and seasonal water deficit, but, in contrast, no single meteorological factor could consistently explain variation in irrigated yield. In fact, sowing date explained most of the observed inter-annual variation in irrigated yield in all regions. Amount of irrigation applied in each year depended on both rainfall and reference evapotranspiration. Efficiency in use of irrigation water versus rainfall to produce seed yield was remarkably similar. Across regions, attainable yield of irrigated soybean in NE averaged 4.7 Mg ha −1 , with the yield gap averaging about 16% of the attainable yield. Variation in yield and irrigation amount among fields was more important than variation among years and even regions. Further research is needed to identify the causes for this observed field-to-field variation in yield and irrigation amount within the same year and region.
Helicobacter pylori strain-selective induction of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in vitro and within gastric mucosa.

Abstract Background & Aims: Helicobacter pylori strains that possess the cag pathogenicity island ( cag + ) augment the risk for distal gastric cancer. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, an epithelial cell-derived MMP that is induced by bacterial contact, is overexpressed within human gastric adenocarcinoma specimens and enhances tumor formation in rodents. We determined whether H. pylori alters MMP-7 expression and investigated the molecular pathways required for these events. Methods: MMP-7 was detected in human gastric mucosa by immunohistochemistry and in H. pylori /AGS gastric epithelial cell coculture supernatants by Western analysis. AGS cells were cocultured with wild-type H. pylori , or isogenic cagA − , cagE − , or vacA − mutants, in the absence or presence of inhibitors of nuclear factor κB activation, p38, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinase. Results: H. pylori cag + strains increased MMP-7 expression in AGS cells 5–7-fold, whereas cag − isolates had no effect. Inactivation of cagE , but not cagA or vacA , completely attenuated induction of MMP-7, and inhibition of ERK 1/2 decreased MMP-7 production. In vivo, MMP-7 was expressed in gastric epithelial cells in specimens from 80% of cag + -colonized persons but in none of the cag − or uninfected subjects. Conclusions: H. pylori cag + strains enhance levels of MMP-7 within inflamed mucosa. In vitro, cag + isolates selectively induce MMP-7, and this is dependent on activation of ERK 1/2 by specific components within the cag island. Differential induction of MMP-7 by H. pylori cag + isolates may explain in part the augmentation in gastric cancer risk associated with these strains.
Regulation of autophagy by polyphenolic compounds as a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer

Autophagy, a lysosomal degradation pathway for cellular constituents and organelles, is an adaptive and essential process required for cellular homeostasis. Although autophagy functions as a survival mechanism in response to cellular stressors such as nutrient or growth factor deprivation, it can also lead to a non-apoptotic form of programmed cell death (PCD) called autophagy-induced cell death or autophagy-associated cell death (type II PCD). Current evidence suggests that cell death through autophagy can be induced as an alternative to apoptosis (type I PCD), with therapeutic purpose in cancer cells that are resistant to apoptosis. Thus, modulating autophagy is of great interest in cancer research and therapy. Natural polyphenolic compounds that are present in our diet, such as rottlerin, genistein, quercetin, curcumin, and resveratrol, can trigger type II PCD via various mechanisms through the canonical (Beclin-1 dependent) and non-canonical (Beclin-1 independent) routes of autophagy. The capacity of these compounds to provide a means of cancer cell death that enhances the effects of standard therapies should be taken into consideration for designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review focuses on the autophagy- and cell death-inducing effects of these polyphenolic compounds in cancer.
E pluribus unum

Abstract To promote the best possible overall pediatric surgical care, I think that this may be the time that we should consider making common cause with other surgical specialists who work in the pediatric age range. This will need cooperative organization in our hospitals, medical schools, and on the national level. We now need a combined strong voice to deal with the large organizations through which the policies and the funding are being decided. We must now “hang together, or we (and our patients) may all hang separately” (Fig. 6).
The effects of dark-rearing on the development and plasticity of the lateral geniculate nucleus

During a prolonged period of dark-rearing, lateral geniculate X-cells developed normal spatial resolving capacities and otherwise normal receptive field properties. Y-cells were reduced in frequency. Neither of these developmental processes were altered by subsequent monocular vision. In visual cortex, on the other hand, both the development of normal receptive field properties and the susceptibility to monocular deprivation were delayed by dark-rearing.
Energy versus electron transfer in pyridylporphyrin osmium(II) dyads

The complex cis -[Os(bpy)2CO(pyPorH2)][PF6]2 (bpy� /2,2?-bipyridine, pyPorH2 � /5-pyridyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin), Os � / pyPorH2, was easily synthesized in high yield by a metathesis reaction. Subsequent zinc insertion into Os � /pyPorH2 gave cis [Os(bpy)2CO(pyPorZn)][PF6]2 (pyPorZn � /zinc 5-pyridyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin), Os � /pyPorZn. The known compound, cis [Os(bpy)2CO(py)][PF6]2 (py� /pyridine), Os � /py, was completely characterized as a model compound for the dyads. These complexes represent the first examples of an osmium attached through coordination directly to the porphyrin periphery. The electronic absorption spectra for the osmium porphyrin dyads show red shifting and broadening of the all the porphyrin bands relative to the model porphyrins, pyPorH2 and zinc tetraphenylporphyrin. Electrochemical studies show that the porphyrin and bipyridine potentials are essentially unchanged relative to the parent compounds indicating little change in ground state energetics. Upon excitation of the osmium unit, Os � /pyPorH2 exhibits energy transfer from the osmium subunit to the pyridyl porphyrin. Insertion of zinc into the free base dyad in Os � /pyPorZn changes the excited state dynamics and energetics such that electron transfer is now favorable upon exclusive excitation of the osmium part of the dyad. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Understanding the Mechanism of Gelation and Stimuli-Responsive Nature of a Class of Metallo-Supramolecular Gels

Utilizing metal-ligand binding as the driving force for self-assembly of a ditopic ligand, which consists of a 2,6-bis-(1'-methylbenzimidazolyl)-4-oxypyridine moiety attached to either end of a penta(ethylene glycol) core, in the presence of a transition metal ion (Zn(II)) and a lanthanide metal ion (La(III)), we have achieved formation of stimuli-responsive metallo-supramolecular gels. We describe herein a series of experimental studies, including optical and confocal microscopy, dynamic light scattering, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and rheology, to explore the properties of such gels, as well as the nature of the gelation mechanism. Morphological and X-ray diffraction observations suggest gelation occurs via the flocculation of semicrystalline colloidal particles, which results in the gels exhibiting pronounced yielding and thixotropic behavior. Application of mechanical stress results in a decrease in the particle size, which is accompanied by an increase in gel strength after removal of the stress. Moreover, studies show that the presence of lanthanide(III) perchlorate increases the mechano-responsiveness of the gels, as a consequence of reduced crystallinity of the colloidal particles, presumably due to the different coordination ability of lanthanide(III) and zinc(II), which changes the nature of the self-assembly in these materials.
The pH regime of sediments underlying acidified waters

The pH of sediments underlying acidified lake waters does not necessarily reflect the acidification of the water. Profiles of sediments in Lake Anna, Virginia showed interstitial pH values between 6.0 and 7.0 within the top 4 cm, even though the sediments are constantly exposed to overlying waters with pH values as low as 3.5. The amount of acidity neutralized by sediment processes is 2 orders of magnitude greater than previously reported observations. The results indicate that caution must be used in drawing conclusions about sediment biogeochemical processes based on the pH of overlying waters.
A reconsideration of the economic consequences of marital dissolution

We use longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to assess the economic consequences of divorce and separation for the women and men involved. In contrast to previous studies focusing exclusively on those who remain unmarried, our approach integrates the probability of remarriage into the analysis and produces a much less dramatic picture of change in economic status than analyses not incorporating remarriage. However, we also find evidence of selection bias in the subgroup of women who remarry, suggesting that currently unmarried women might not improve their economic status through remarriage as much as women who have remarried.
Brain-targeted delivery of a leucine-enkephalin analogue by retrometabolic design

A brain-targeted chemical delivery system (CDS) based on retrometabolic drug design was applied to a Leu-enkephalin analogue, Tyr-d-Ala-Gly-Phe-d-Leu (DADLE). The molecular architecture of the peptide CDS disguises its peptide nature from neuropeptide-degrading enzymes and provides lipophilic, bioreversible functions for the penetration through the blood−brain barrier. These functions were provided by a targetor, a 1,4-dihydrotrigonellyl group, on the N-terminus and a bulky, lipophilic ester group on the C-terminus. A spacer amino acid residue was also inserted between the targetor and the parent peptide to assure the release of DADLE by specific enzymes. Four CDSs were synthesized by segment-coupling method that proved to be superior to sequential elongation in obtaining this type of peptide conjugates. Intravenous injection of the compounds produced a significant and long-lasting response in rats monitored by the tail-flick latency measurements. CDSs having the bulkier cholesteryl group showed a better ...
Poesía judeoespañola admonitiva: notas para su caracterización

Overall characterization of the Sephardic “Coplas Admonitivas” based on the“Aljamiado” printed versions of the poems. This is a formal, thematic and functional study of the moral sub-genre. In addition, links of these poems to the poetry and othergenres of the same theme written by Jews and Christians in the Hispanic Medieval literattureare presented.
Some multistep formulae for special high order ordinary differential equations

and where A and N are real and L is a non-negative integer. Techniques for computing A and N, which determine the behaviour of the singularity, are given in SHAW [2], where it is unnecessary to calculate derivatives of /(x, y) as is required in the method described by LAMBERT and SHAW [8]. I t is the purpose of the present paper to derive a class of multistep formulae, based on the (non-polynomial) interpolant (IA), for the numerical solution of the initial value problem
Solvability of finite groups admitting fixed-point-free automorphisms of order rs☆

In this paper we consider groups admitting a fixed-point-free automorphism: the general conjecture is that a finite group admitting such an automorphism is solvable. Thompson [15] proved that a finite group admitting a fixed-point-free automorphism of prime order is nilpotent. Gorenstein and Herstein [lo] proved the solvability of any finite group admitting a fixed-point-free automorphism of order 4. \Ve consider here groups admitting a fixed-point-free automorphism whose order is the product of two distinct primes. We obtain the following theorem:
Structural Studies of Immunoglobulin-Binding Domains of Streptococcal Protein G

Abstract The solution and X-ray structures of the IgG-binding domains of streptococcal protein G are described and compared. Each domain comprises a core of 56 residues and exhibits extreme thermal stability (∼900C), despite the absence of any disulfide bridges. The structure has an unusual fold comprising a four-stranded β-sheet with a −1, +3x, −1 topology on top of which lies an α-helix. The central two strands, comprising the N- and C-termini, are parallel; the outer two strands, which are anti-parallel to the inner strands, are connected by the helix in a +3x crossover. This fold is also found in ubiquitin, a protein with no sequence similarity or functional relationship to the IgG-binding domains of protein G. The thermal stability of the domains can be accounted for by the unusual topology, coupled with an extensive hydrogen bonding network and a tightly packed and buried hydrophobic core. Possible sites of interaction with IgG are discussed in the light of the structure.
Candida-Associated Diarrhea: A Syndrome in Search of Credibility

Candida species have been often considered but infrequently documented as a credible cause of diarrhea. Evaluations of the colon in patients who have diarrhea and for whom Candida organisms have been isolated from stool have not shown invasive fungal lesions, and the mechanisms by which Candida species may induce diarrhea remain undefined. However, symptoms ascribed to Candida-associated diarrhea in the literature include prolonged secretory diarrhea with abdominal pain and cramping but without blood, mucus, fever, nausea, or vomiting. A critical review literature review showed a strong between the abatement of diarrheal symptoms in patients for whom a significant growth of Candida was found in their stools and treatment with specific topical antifungal agents. Most of the patients had received antibacterial therapy before the onset of symptoms. On the basis of these data, we conclude that Candida species may cause diarrhea in selective clinical settings.
Vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization-photoelectron study for N2O+ in the energy range of 16.3-21.0 eV

The vacuum ultraviolet pulsed field ionization−photoelectron (PFI−PE) spectra for N2O have been measured in the energy range of 16.3−21.0 eV, covering the vibronic bands of N2O+(A2Σ+, B2Π, and C2Σ+). Many vibronic bands, which were not resolved in previous photoelectron studies, are identified in the present measurement. As observed in the HeI photoelectron spectra of N2O, the PFI−PE spectra for N2O+(A2Σ+ and C2Σ+) are dominated by excitation of the ν1+ (symmetric stretching) and ν3+ (antisymmetric stretching) modes, along with weak bands due to excitation of both even and odd quanta of the ν2+ (bending) mode. The simulation of the rotational contours resolved in the PFI−PE bands associated with excitation to N2O+(A2Σ+, ν1+ = 0−1, ν2+ = 0, and ν3+ = 0−1) has revealed the orbital angular momentum of the outgoing photoelectrons and yielded accurate ionization energies for the formation of these states from N2O(X1Σ+).
HIGHWAY MORTALITY OF SNAKES IN THE SONORAN DESERT OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA

Abstract We present an algebraic method for estimating highway mortality in snakes, based on careful data collection during low-speed driving on paved roads. A total of 368 snakes (104 live, 264 dead) were recorded over four years on State Route 85 from Why to Lukeville, Pima Co., Arizona, during 15 525 km of road-cruising; mostly within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. We computed an estimate of 2383 snakes killed 13·5/km/year) during the four years on this stretch of pavement, estimate that actual numbers killed would be closer to 4000 (22·5/km/year). Two taxa of special conservation interest, the Mexican rosy boa Lichanura trivirgata and the Organ Pipe shovelnosed snake Chionactis palarostris, appear to be relatively strongly impacted by highway mortality. Overall, along our 44·1 km transect, the estimated highway mortality amounts to removal of 5 km2 of snake population over the four years of study. It is clear that roadways, especially if paved, substantially damage snake populations.
What happens after the lone ranger rides away

A community policing program consisting of citizen input and problem solving techniques often results in a decision to police places and translates into lower crime rates at the policed locations. Proponents of community policing programs believe that they build social capital, which invests neighborhood citizens in the crime reduction efforts and reduces the simultaneous occurrence of potential offenders and victims required for crimes to be committed.
A model of threshold for pulsatile electrical stimulation of cochlear implants.

Abstract Threshold measures have been made as a function of the repetition rate and pulse duration of biphasic electrical pulses applied to the cochlea through a cochlear implant (Shannon, 1985). Nonmonotonicities in those data suggest that at least two separate processes are involved in the translation of an electrical stimulus into a threshold perception. This paper presents a phenomenological model which accounts for the key features of the threshold data. The model consists of two parallel processes which are each power-law functions of the instantaneous current amplitude. The output of each process is then integrated with a short time constant (approximately 1–2 ms). The maximum of these two outputs represents the sensory magnitude of that electrical stimulus. Threshold data from 14 patients implanted with three different devices are compared to model predictions over a wide range of pulse durations and pulse rates. Since the model accurately predicts thresholds over such a wide range of stimuli, it is possible that it can predict the threshold of an arbitrary electrical stimulus. This model could be used to construct a speech processor that would convert any acoustic waveform into an equivalent electrical waveform that would preserve threshold relationships.
Monoclonal antibody disulfide reduction during manufacturing: Untangling process effects from product effects

Manufacturing-induced disulfide reduction has recently been reported for monoclonal human immunoglobulin gamma (IgG) antibodies, a widely used modality in the biopharmaceutical industry. This effect has been tied to components of the intracellular thioredoxin reduction system that are released upon cell breakage. Here, we describe the effect of process parameters and intrinsic molecule properties on the extent of reduction. Material taken from cell cultures at the end of production displayed large variations in the extent of antibody reduction between different products, including no reduction, when subjected to the same reduction-promoting harvest conditions. Additionally, in a reconstituted model in which process variables could be isolated from product properties, we found that antibody reduction was dependent on the cell line (clone) and cell culture process. A bench-scale model using a thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase regeneration system revealed that reduction susceptibility depended on not only antibody class but also light chain type; the model further demonstrates that the trend in reducibility was identical to DTT reduction sensitivity following the order IgG1λ > IgG1κ > IgG2λ > IgG2κ. Thus, both product attributes and process parameters contribute to the extent of antibody reduction during production.
Sex Testing and the Maintenance of Western Femininity in International Sport

During the Cold War, women from Eastern Europe excelled in international sport. Rather than applauding the successes of these female athletes, many in the Cold-War-West responded with suspicion, contempt and derision. Armed with rumours and anecdotes, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) implemented sex testing in 1966, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) followed suit two years later. Despite the introduction of a compulsory sex/gender control, many continued to lament the muscular physiques of the Cold-War-Eastern victors. The known and suspected sex test ‘failures’ from North Korea, the Philippines, Poland, the Soviet Union and Spain served to exacerbate the fears of gender fraudulence. As global dynamics shifted, however, so, too, did the anxieties in sport. When women from the People's Republic of China dominated the international sports scene in the 1990s, many in the geographic-West again doubted the authenticity of the achievements and called for a return to gende...
Molecular-dynamics simulations of the stability of amorphous silicon

We have performed molecular-dynamics simulations as a first step towards understanding the Staebler-Wronski effect in amorphous silicon, utilizing classical silicon potentials and computer-generated amorphous silicon structures. A localized hot spot is used to model the nonradiative transfer of photoexcited carrier energy to the lattice. This leads to structural degradation in a-Si networks in which weak Si-Si bonds are broken and dangling bonds are produced, requiring a threshold energy of about 0.8--1.0 eV. Thermal annealing of an a-Si model with coordination defects is also described.
Combined out-of-plane and in-plane texture control in thin films using ion beam assisted deposition

Complete control of the texture of a film during growth requires the ability to determine the in-plane and out-of-plane texture simultaneously. We present both computer simulation and experimental evidence for the simultaneous establishment of out-of-plane and in-plane texture during ion beam assisted deposition of aluminum. Channeling along 〈110〉 directions (60° from the normal) creates a {220} out-of-plane orientation rather than the thermodynamically preferred {111} orientation. The ion beam also aligned 〈220〉 directions within the plane of the film. Measured x-ray pole figures confirmed the presence of a strong out-of-plane texture and the presence of two main, twin-related, in-plane texture components. We theoretically demonstrated that it is impossible to completely control both the in-plane and out-of-plane texture with a single ion beam in high-symmetry crystals and two ion beams must be employed to ensure complete texture control.
Human Settlements, Demographic Pattern, and Epidemiology in Lowland Amazonia: The Case of Chagas's Disease

Chagas's disease constitutes a major public health hazard in many South American countries. Among native South American populations a clear-cut difference in the epidemiology of the disease is observed between highland and lowland populations—endemic in the former and enzootic in the latter. This article reviews the main features of the epidemiology of Chagas's disease and discusses the differences observed between the two populations as a result of different adaptive strategies and behavioral components. Emphasis is given to the role of housing type, mobility, and animal domestication in the process of domiciliation of the insect vector, and thus in the endemization of the disease.
Dispute resolution mechanisms and teacher bargaining outcomes

This study investigates the impact of dispute resolution mechanisms on the wages and hours of public school teachers. The 43-state analysis presents evidence that (1) a permissible right to strike increases teacher wages by 11.5 percent and reduces class hours by 37 minutes per day; (2) a de facto right to strike increases salaries by 5.7 percent and reduces class hours by 44 minutes per day; (3) arbitration availability is associated with a wage effect of 3.6 percent and 70 fewer class minutes per day; and (4) factfinding and voluntary arbitration have no significant influences on outcomes. A direct comparison of the right to strike and the right to arbitrate indicates that a legal right to strike affords teachers greater power to increase the dollar value of their work.
Pyrethroid Decrease in Central Nervous System from Nerve Agent Pretreatment

We studied the effect of pyridostigmine bromide, a nerve agent prophylactic, on the central nervous system (CNS) uptake of [14C]permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, at scaled human-equivalent exposures in rats using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). AMS detects 14C at attomole sensitivities and determines the tissue distribution of 14C-labeled compounds. Pyridostigmine bromide in chow at 7.75 mg kg−1 per day lowered the CNS tissue levels of permethrin, dosed at 4.75 μg kg−1, in the CNS of rats by 30%. These results are inconsistent with hypothesized synergy of such compounds as a precursor to ‘Gulf War syndrome’. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling strategy of the source and sink terms in the two-group interfacial area transport equation

Abstract This paper presents the general strategy for modeling the source and sink terms in the two-group interfacial area transport equation. The two-group transport equation is applicable in bubbly, cap bubbly, slug, and churn-turbulent flow regimes to predict the change of the interfacial area concentration. This dynamic approach has an advantage of flow regime-independence over the conventional empirical correlation approach for the interfacial area concentration in the applications with the two-fluid model. In the two-group interfacial area transport equation, bubbles are categorized into two groups: spherical/distorted bubbles as Group 1 and cap/slug/churn-turbulent bubbles as Group 2. Thus, two sets of equations are used to describe the generation and destruction rates of bubble number density, void fraction, and interfacial area concentration for the two groups of bubbles due to bubble expansion and compression, coalescence and disintegration, and phase change. Based upon a detailed literature review of the research on the bubble interactions, five major bubble interaction mechanisms are identified for the gas–liquid two-phase flow of interest. A systematic integral approach, in which the significant variations of bubble volume and shape are accounted for, is suggested for the modeling of two-group bubble interactions. To obtain analytical forms for the various bubble interactions, a simplification is made for the bubble number density distribution function.
A novel wireless over fiber access architecture employing moving chain cells and RoF technique for broadband wireless applications on the train environment

We have demonstrated a hybrid optical/wireless system based on moving chain cells and radio-over-fiber techniques. This scheme can improve power efficiency, cell-edge coverage, system throughput and flexibility for Internet users on the trains.
Television Mothers: Birth Mothers Lost and Found in the Search-and-Reunion Narrative

Another summer visit, back home in Korea. I turned on the television, and my mother’s favorite morning show—Ach’im Madang [Morning Forum]—was about to start. It was Wednesday, so its weekly feature, a family search show called “I Want to Meet This Person,” was airing live. Everything about the show looked the same as it did a year ago—the same hosts, studio setting, and format. People came to the podium, one after another, with stories of separation, looking for their loved ones, naming all identifiable physical traits or information. Two Korean adoptees came to the podium, looking for their birth families. This week’s program was nothing special! I could have fallen asleep to these unrelenting stories of separation and loss told in monotonous tones, with the hosts saying the same things they say every time. Watching this reality search program, I had no clue about the role that I was soon to perform for the show in the reunion of a Korean adoptee from the Netherlands, Nina de Bruijin, a.k.a. Lee Jung Soon, and her birth mother, Cho Soon Ok.1
Transcriptional regulation of the Icam-1 gene in antigen receptor- and phorbol ester-stimulated B lymphocytes: role for transcription factor EGR1.

Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1/CD54 plays an important role in T cell dependent B cell activation and for function of B lymphocytes as antigen-presenting cells. ICAM-1 expression is upregulated as a consequence of B lymphocyte antigen receptor (BCR) signaling, thereby serving to render antigen-stimulated B cells more receptive to T cell-mediated costimulatory signals. We have investigated BCR-induced expression of the Icam-1 gene in primary B cells and B cell lines and have found it to be dependent on BCR-induced expression of the transcription factor EGR1. Icam-1 transcription, induced by BCR cross-linking or bypassing the BCR with phorbol ester, is absent in a B cell line in which the EGR1-encoding gene (egr-1) is methylated and not expressed. A potential EGR1-binding site was located at -701 bp upstream of the murine Icam-1 gene transcription start site and shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay to bind to murine EGR1. Mutation of this site in the context of 1.1 kb of the Icam-1 promoter significantly abrogated transcriptional induction by phorbol ester and anti-mu stimulation in primary B cells. A direct effect of EGR1 on the Icam-1 promoter is suggested by the ability of EGR1 expressed from an SV40-driven expression vector transactivate the wild-type Icam-1 promoter, whereas mutation of the EGR1 mutation of the EGR1 binding motif at -701 bp markedly compromises this induction. These data identify EGR1 as a signaling intermediate in BCR-stimulated B cell functional responses, specifically linking BCR signal transduction to induction of the Icam-1 gene. Furthermore, similar findings for BCR-induced CD44 gene induction (Maltzman, J.S., J.A. Carman, and J.G. Monroe. 1996. Role of EGR1 in regulation of stimulus-dependent CD44 transcription in B lymphocytes. Mol. Cell. Biol. In press) suggest that EGR1 may be an important signaling molecule for regulating levels of migration and adhesion molecules during humoral immune responses.
Physiologic, biochemical, and immunologic aspects of angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (EC.3.4.15.1) is an exopeptidase that catalyzes cleavage of dipeptidyl residues from the COOH termini of peptide substrates.1 It was first detected by Skeggs et al.2 who found that the product of the action of porcine renin on crude equine angiotensinogen could be resolved into two compounds, provided the incubation was carried out in the presence of chloride ions. Subsequently,3 they established that this was due to a contaminating activity in their angiotensinogen preparation that released His-Leu from the COOH terminus of angiotensin I to yield angiotensin II, an octapeptide. Although both angiotensins were found to be vasopressor after intravenous infusion, angiotensin II was identified as the biologically active component of the renin-angiotensin system, since only it induced contraction of rabbit aortic strips in vitro4 and increased the perfusion pressure of isolated rat kidneys.5 The vasopressor response to angiotensin I was therefore assumed to be due to its conversion to angiotensin II, mediated by the plasma-converting enzyme, until 1967, when Ng and Vane6 recognized that this enzyme activity was insufficient to account for the rapidity of conversion in vivo. They found that intravenously administered angiotensin I was much more potent than the same dose given intraarterially and that substantial conversion to angiotensin II occurred during a single passage through the pulmonary circulation.6,7
Reducing heart disease through the vegetarian diet using primary prevention

Purpose: To evaluate research on the vegetarian diet for its safety, effectiveness in reducing heart disease, special considerations, contraindications, and its association with decreased cardiovascular disease risk. Data sources: Selected research and evidence-based dietary guidelines found by searching CINAHL, PubMed, Ovid databases, and the World Wide Web. Conclusions: A carefully planned vegetarian diet with adequate supplementation may be effective for primary prevention of heart disease. The vegetarian diet is cost effective, safe, and relatively easy to implement. Implications for practice: Improved dietary choices can help improve many chronic conditions. Guidelines for proper nutrition within a vegetarian lifestyle are readily accessible to patients and professionals alike. Referral to a dietitian is an appropriate option in primary care settings.
Lewis Carroll's contributions to artificial intelligence

Abstract Lewis Carroll, author of “Alice in Wonderland”, wrote about “Symbolic Logic”, which is equivalent to Propositional or Predicate Logic used in Artificial Intelligence today. He used logical symbols such as negation, conjunction, implication plus logical charts to solve problems. This study will present his contributions to Artificial Intelligence today.