cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engaging stakeholders in the refinement of an evidence-based remotely delivered epilepsy self-management program for rural populations.

Abstract A growing body of research supports self-management approaches that can improve outcomes in people living with epilepsy (PLWE). An evidence-based remotely delivered self-management program (SMART) that was successfully delivered in an urban/suburban setting has the potential to be particularly helpful to PLWE who live in rural communities, where heavy stigma burden and limited access to healthcare is common. In this Phase 1 exploratory study, focus groups of key rural stakeholders (PLWE, family members, care providers) were used to: (1) gather information on factors that may impede or facilitate participation in SMART and (2) elicit overall perceptions of the program, as well as suggestions and feedback for refining it for implementation in Phase 2 of the randomized controlled study (RCT). Qualitative data analysis revealed that focus group participants identified geographic and social isolation, and the more limited access to epilepsy care, as the major barriers to epilepsy self-management for rural populations. However, they felt strongly that SMART could fill an epilepsy care gap in rural communities, and provided suggestions for recruitment and retention strategies of subjects, as well as improvement/modifications to the program curriculum for the Phase 2 RCT.
Experimental evolution of extremophile resistance to ionizing radiation

A growing number of known species possess a remarkable characteristic – extreme resistance to the effects of ionizing radiation (IR). This review examines our current understanding of how organisms can adapt to and survive exposure to IR, one of the most toxic stressors known. The study of natural extremophiles such as Deinococcus radiodurans has revealed much. However, the evolution of Deinococcus was not driven by IR. Another approach, pioneered by Evelyn Witkin in 1946, is to utilize experimental evolution. Contributions to the IR-resistance phenotype affect multiple aspects of cell physiology, including DNA repair, removal of reactive oxygen species, the structure and packaging of DNA and the cell itself, and repair of iron-sulfur centers. Based on progress to date, we overview the diversity of mechanisms that can contribute to biological IR resistance arising as a result of either natural or experimental evolution.
The Role of Anxiety Sensitivity and Fatigue Severity in Predicting E-Cigarette Dependence, Barriers to Cessation, and Cravings among Young Adults.

Background: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has risen dramatically in the United States among young adults; however, little is understood about potential factors that are related to e-cigarette use and maintenance among this population. Fatigue severity is one promising individual difference factor, as past work indicates that it is related to greater withdrawal symptoms and greater dependence on e-cigarettes, and more barriers to quitting. In addition, anxiety sensitivity and severe fatigue are both uniquely related to poor e-cigarette use outcomes; yet, no known studies have examined whether these individual difference factors are related to e-cigarette outcomes among young adults. Method: The current study sought to examine the unique and interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and fatigue severity in predicting a variety of e-cigarette outcomes among 685 (69.1% female; Mage = 19.61 years, SD = 1.44) young adult e-cigarette users. Results: Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity was significantly associated with greater barriers for cessation (β = .63, p <.001) and e-cigarette cravings (β = .67, p =.001), but not dependence. Fatigue severity was significantly associated with greater e-cigarette dependence (β = .58, p <.001), barriers to cessation (β = 1.56, p <.001), and e-cigarette cravings (β = 3.34, p <.001). The interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and fatigue severity did not significantly predict the outcomes. Discussion: Results suggest that anxiety sensitivity and fatigue severity independently predict greater e-cigarette maintenance factors among young adults. The current investigation highlights the importance of targeting anxiety sensitivity and fatigue severity among young adult e-cigarette users.
Markov Chain Monte Carlo

This chapter provides an overview of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. MCMC methods provide samples from high-dimensional distributions that commonly arise in Bayesian inference problems. We review the theoretical underpinnings used to construct the algorithms, the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, the Gibbs sampler, Markov Chain convergence, and provide a number of examples in financial econometrics.
Functional water channels are present in clathrin-coated vesicles from bovine kidney but not from brain.

Abstract Targeting of water channels in renal epithelia may involve trafficking of clathrin-coated vesicles. We have isolated and measured the osmotic water permeability (Pf) of purified clathrin-coated vesicles from bovine kidney cortex and inner medulla, and bovine brain, a tissue not expected to contain "water channels." Brain-coated vesicles had a diameter of 80 nm in negatively stained preparations. Pf was measured by a stopped-flow light scattering technique. In brain-coated vesicles, water transport was functionally homogeneous with a low Pf of 0.0016 +/- 0.0001 cm/s (seven preparations, 23 degrees C). Pf was independent of osmotic gradient size (25-300 mOsm), not inhibited by mercurials, and not altered by removal of the clathrin coat. The activation energy (Ea) for Pf was high (11 +/- 1 kcal/mol less than 34 degrees C, 17 +/- 2 kcal/mol greater than 34 degrees C). Therefore, water channels are absent from brain-coated vesicles. In contrast, there were two functional populations of vesicles in coated vesicle preparations from both kidney cortex and medulla. One population of vesicles had low water permeability and no water channels, whereas a second population had high Pf (0.02 cm/s, 21 degrees C) that was inhibited by HgCl2, and low Ea (2-3 kcal/mol). The fraction of vesicles with high Pf was 52 +/- 3% (S.D., n = 3, cortical vesicles) and 26 +/- 3% (medullary vesicles). These results provide evidence that functional water channels are not present in clathrin-coated vesicles from the brain, whereas they are found in a population of coated vesicles from kidney cortex and medulla, tissues in which water channels are recycled between the plasma membrane, and an intracellular compartment.
Teach by zooming: a camera independent alternative to teach by showing visual servo control

Typical visual servoing control objectives are formulated by the desire to position/orient a camera based on a reference image obtained by a priori positioning the camera in the desired location. In this paper, projective geometric techniques are used to formulate a visual servo control problem based on a cooperative camera scheme that provides an alternative to the typical "teach by showing" methodology. Specifically, by using a second camera with zoom capabilities, the proposed "teach by zooming" alternative approach eliminates the need for the camera to be a priori positioned in the desired location. To achieve this result, development is provided that illustrates how cameras with different intrinsic parameters can be used (i.e., camera independent). Control objectives are developed for cases when the intrinsic camera calibration matrices for the camera-in-hand and fixed camera are both known or both unknown.
An Edit-Distance Algorithm to Detect Correlated Attacks in Distributed Systems

Intrusion detection systems (IDS)are crucial components of the security mechanisms of today’s computer systems. Existing research on intrusion detection has focused on sequential intrusions. However, intrusions can also be formed by concurrent interactions of multiple processes. Some of the intrusions caused by these interactions cannot be detected using sequential intrusion detection methods. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism that views the distributed system as a whole. L-BIDS (Lattice-Based Intrusion Detection System) is proposed to address this problem. In the L-BIDS framework, a library of intrusions and distributed traces are represented as lattices. Then these lattices are compared in order to detect intrusions in the distributed traces. Keywords—Attack graph, distributed, edit-distance, misuse detection.
Co-Viewing Effects of Ethnic-Oriented Programming: An Examination of In-Group Bias and Racial Comedy Exposure

Entertainment consumption is often shared with others, whether friends or strangers. Whereas most co-viewing scholarship has examined parent–child viewing, few have examined viewing among in-group and out-group members. The present study explores in-group and out-group responses to racial comedy featuring disparaging information about the in-group. Findings suggest that Blacks report a more positive attitude, greater perceived similarity, and identification when viewing racially charged comedy with Black in-group members than when viewing with White out-group members. White viewers display no differences in their responses to television comedy based on whether they were viewing with in-group members or out-group members. Implications are discussed.
An approach to document clustering based on system relevance

Search engines fail to make a clear distinction between items of varying relevance when presenting search results to users. Instead, they rely on the user of the system to estimate which items are relevant, partially relevant, or not relevant. The user of the system is given the tedious task of distinguishing between documents that are relevant to different degrees. This often hinders the accessibility of relevant or partially relevant documents, particularly when the results set is large and many non-relevant documents are scattered throughout the set. In this paper, we present the results of a clustering scheme that groups documents within relevant, partially relevant, and not relevant clusters for a given search. A ranking algorithm accomplishes the task of clustering the documents based on system relevance. Data was collected from end-users issuing categorical, interval, and descriptive relevance judgments. The degree of overlap between users and the system for each of the clustered regions was measured. This research showed that clustering documents on the Web by regions of relevance is quite feasible.
The association of pattern of maternal weight gain with length of gestation and risk of spontaneous preterm delivery.

Monitoring weight gain during pregnancy may be useful in detecting pregnancies that are at increased risk of early delivery. This study examines 7259 deliveries that occurred at the University of California, San Francisco's Moffitt Hospital from 1980 to 1990. Obese women, women with diabetes or hypertension during pregnancy, deliveries with congenital malformations and non-spontaneous preterm deliveries were excluded. Pattern of gain was assessed by fitting a quadratic curve to each woman's series of weight and date measurements, using simple regression techniques. The parameters from this curve were used to develop a variable for pattern of gain that reflects how much an individual's pattern of gain differs from a linear pattern of gain. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses indicate that patterns of gain that deviate greatly from the average pattern of gain (i.e. patterns that show a marked speeding up or slowing down of gain towards the end of pregnancy) are associated with significantly shorter gestational age and confer a significantly increased risk of spontaneous preterm delivery. The results suggest that monitoring weight gain during pregnancy is important, although more specific studies are needed to understand the mechanisms by which weight gain pattern relates to preterm delivery before appropriate interventions can be developed.
Estrogenic Inhibition of Growth Hormone-Induced Tibial Epiphyseal Growth in Hypophysectomized Rats

Previous studies by this group, and by other workers, have suggested that estrogen may antagonize certain peripheral effects of pituitary growth hormone in rats and humans. The present study demonstrates that the partial inhibitory effect of pharmacologic doses of estradiol valerate (3.3–10 μg total dose) on growth hormone-induced widening of the tibial epiphyseal cartilage of hypophysectomized rats occurs independently of the effects of the estrogen on dietary intake in these rats. (Endocrinology 81: 1428, 1967)
3D Measurements of the Mean Velocity and Turbulence Structure Within the Near Wake of a Rotor Blade

Stereoscopic PIV measurements examine the flow structure and turbulence within a rotor near wake located in a non-uniform field generated by a row of Inlet Guide Vanes (IGVs). The experiments are performed in a refractive index matched facility that provides unobstructed view of the entire flow field. The data are acquired at 10 closely spaced radial planes located near mid-span, which enable measurements of all the components of the mean strain rate and Reynolds stress tensors. Chopping and variations of advection speed of the upstream IGV wakes, as they pass along the rotor blade, create a non-uniform flow that shears the rotor wake. However, the phase averaged flow at mid span remains almost two-dimensional. Due to the overwhelming effects of the non-uniform strain field, the presently observed trends of the Reynolds stresses within the sheared wake differ from those measured in previous studies of curved wakes. The axial velocity fluctuations increase along the suction/outer side of the wake, while the other components decay. On the pressure/inner part of the wake the circumferential velocity fluctuations are higher. The shear stress has a complex distribution, but is also higher on the suction side. To explain these trends the stresses and production rates are examined in coordinate systems aligned with the principal strain directions. As expected, the production is high along the compressive directions and low, even negative, in the extensive directions. Accordingly, the compressed normal stress component increases along the wake, while the extended component decays. The in-plane shear stress component and its associated production remain very high in the principal coordinate system of the strain. Projecting the stresses back to the laboratory coordinate system explains the observed inhomogeneous anisotropic distribution of Reynolds stresses within the kinked wake.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Q-switch suppression in an Er-doped waveguide laser with an intracavity loss modulator

Suppression of Q-switch instabilities in an Er-doped waveguide laser, passively mode-locked with a saturable Bragg reflector, is demonstrated using an intracavity loss modulator, despite the strong pulse shaping per roundtrip and millisecond gain relaxation time.
Molecular targets as therapeutic strategies in the management of breast cancer.

Therapy directed against specific biologic targets has long been used in the treatment of breast cancer; the estrogen receptor is a validated prognostic and therapeutic target, and antiestrogen therapy has been used effectively for decades. Recently, scientific progress and increased comprehension of mechanisms of breast cancer pathogenesis have led to the proliferation of both potential molecular targets and new therapeutic agents. The success of traztuzumab (Herceptin, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA), an anti-HER2 antibody, has spurred the development of other biologically directed therapeutics. In this overview, I discuss three targets relevant to breast cancer (the epidermal growth factor receptor family, angiogenesis, and NF-κB), and therapeutic approaches directed against these targets are discussed.
Effects of obstruction on renal functions

Following ureteral obstruction there is a progressive fall in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) due to a reduction in single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) and a reduced number of filtering nephrons. Renal plasma flow also declines after a transient, prostaglandin-dependent increase, due to afferent and efferent arteriolar vasoconstriction. The vasoactive hormones thromboxane A2 and angiotensin II are implicated in the pathogenesis of the vasoconstriction following ureteral obstruction and they also reduce the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient by causing mesangial contraction. Ureteral obstruction also leads to profound changes in renal tubular cell function. These include altered sodium and water handling resulting in a post-obstructive diuresis and natriuresis and a failure to dilute or concentrate the urine. Potassium and divalent cation exchange is also affected, as is urinary acidification. Furthermore, the response of the tubule to hormones such as antidiuretic hormone and parathyroid hormone is impaired. The pathophysiology of these alterations in renal function is discussed.
A hierarchical approach to reducing communication in parallel graph algorithms

Large-scale graph computing has become critical due to the ever-increasing size of data. However, distributed graph computations are limited in their scalability and performance due to the heavy communication inherent in such computations. This is exacerbated in scale-free networks, such as social and web graphs, which contain hub vertices that have large degrees and therefore send a large number of messages over the network. Furthermore, many graph algorithms and computations send the same data to each of the neighbors of a vertex. Our proposed approach recognizes this, and reduces communication performed by the algorithm without change to user-code, through a hierarchical machine model imposed upon the input graph. The hierarchical model takes advantage of locale information of the neighboring vertices to reduce communication, both in message volume and total number of bytes sent. It is also able to better exploit the machine hierarchy to further reduce the communication costs, by aggregating traffic between different levels of the machine hierarchy. Results of an implementation in the STAPL GL shows improved scalability and performance over the traditional level-synchronous approach, with 2.5×-8× improvement for a variety of graph algorithms at 12,000+ cores.
Mechanism of antibody biosynthesis. I. Isolation and physical chemical properties of the retained antigen.

Abstract The distribution of 14 C-DNP-BSA and 14 C-DNP-PGM in the tissues of the rabbit is reported. The data show that after the advent of antibody production, antigen is retained primarily in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Fractionation by phenol of liver homogenates from immunized rabbits indicates that the retained form of the antigen is qualitatively different from injected antigen. Sedimentation in sucrose gradients of the ‘retained antigen’ fraction gave an average S value greater than that of the starting antigen which suggested that ‘retained fragment’ was associated with macromolecular material. Sedimentation analysis in CsCl gradient confirmed that all of the antigen present in the water phase and precipitable by alcohol after extraction with phenol was bound to RNA. Partition studies in a phenol-detergent-water system at different temperatures suggests that the RNA of the ‘Ag fragment-RNA’ complex has solubility properties characteristics of the messenger type of RNA. The relationship of fragmentation of antigen to the theory of subcomplementarity in antigen-antibody interactrions is reviewed and a new theory for the biosynthesis of polypeptide chains in γ-globulin molecules involving ‘antigen fragment-RNA’ complex and a sub-cistronic m-RNA from lymphocytes is proposed.
The heat capacity and thermodynamic functions of crystalline and liquid triptycene

Abstract The heat capacity of the propeller-shaped molecule triptycene (C 20 H 14 ) was measured from 5 to 550 K. No anomaly other than melting was apparent, and the sample (99.999 per cent pure, as determined by analysis of the melting curve) melted at 527.18 K ( Δ m S = 13.73 cal mol −1 K −1 ). The crystal density, determined from X-ray measurements, was 1.227 g cm −3 . A comparison of the heat capacity of triptycene with that of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane showed that the two were simply related at low temperatures, but that the comparison was not valid beyond 164.25 K where bicyclo-octane has a transition to a restricted-rotor phase. The values of C p , S o (H o − H 0 o ) T , and − (G o − H 0 o ) T for triptycene at 298.15 K were found to be 67.56, 65.48, 33.23, and −32.25 cal mol −1 K −1 .
Analytical and experimental analysis of solute transport in heterogeneous porous media.

Knowledge of solute transport in heterogeneous porous media is crucial to monitor contaminant fate and transport in soil and groundwater systems. In this study, we present new findings from experimental and mathematical analysis to improve current understanding of solute transport in structured heterogeneous porous media. Three saturated columns packed with different sand combinations were used to examine the breakthrough behavior of bromide, a conservative tracer. Experimental results showed that bromide had different breakthrough responses in the three types of sand combinations, indicating that heterogeneity in hydraulic conductivity has a significant effect on the solute transport in structured heterogeneous porous media. Simulations from analytical solutions of a two-domain solute transport model matched experimental breakthrough data well for all the experimental conditions tested. Experimental and model results show that under saturated flow conditions, advection dominates solute transport in both ...
New proton-ionizable macrocyclic compounds containing one and two triazole subcyclic units — synthesis and complexation properties

A series of new macrocyclic compounds containing one and two proton-ionizable triazole subcyclic units have been prepared and characterized. These triazolo-crowns containing benzo, tert-butylbenzo or cyclohexano lipophilic groups show varying solubilities in chloroform. The bistriazolo-crowns dissolved in chloroform are highly effective for extraction of lead, mercury, and gold from aqueous solutions.
Explicit estimation of ground-state kinetic energies from electron densities.

This paper discusses some initial steps toward the goal of finding explicit procedures for calculating, to a good approximation, the minimum kinetic energy consistent with a given particle density \ensuremath{\rho}(r) for a system of fermions. The strategy proposed begins by separating the desired kinetic energy into a sum ${T}_{W}$+${T}_{\mathrm{theta}}$, where ${T}_{W}$\ensuremath{\ge}0 is the Weizsaaumlcker energy F ${d}^{3}$r \ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\nabla}\ensuremath{\rho}${\ensuremath{\Vert}}^{2}$/8\ensuremath{\rho} , and ${T}_{\mathrm{theta}}$\ensuremath{\ge}0. Approximations are applied to ${T}_{\mathrm{theta}}$ alone, and are sought in the form of interpolations that will be nearly correct in two limits: small departures from uniform density, for which exact results are known from linear-response theory, and cases where a region containing no more than one particle of a given spin becomes isolated from the rest of the distribution by regions of nearly vanishing density. Only highly nonlocal functionals can behave properly in either of these limits. A few other conditions for satisfactory approximations to ${T}_{\mathrm{theta}}$ are noted. Some explicit interpolation formulas are offered for one-dimensional problems, and are tested on a variety of examples; one such is found to give kinetic energies to within a few percent in nearly all cases examined. More detailed tests are possible by comparing correct and approximate potentials yielding a given density, or correct and approximate densities for the ground state of a given potential; tests on the position dependence of kinetic energy density, however, are physically meaningless. A few remarks are offered on the additional problems that beset extension of the scheme to three dimensions; foremost among these is that of computational tractability.
THE CRYIA(C) RECEPTOR PURIFIED FROM MANDUCA SEXTA DISPLAYS MULTIPLE SPECIFICITIES

The kinetic binding characteristics of four Bacillus thuringiensis CryI insecticidal crystal proteins to a Cry-binding protein, purified from Manduca sexta brush-border vesicles, were analyzed by an optical biosensor. This 120-kilodalton binding protein, previously determined to be aminopeptidase N, was converted to a 115-kilodalton water-soluble form by removing the attached glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor with phospholipase C. The solubilized form recognized the three major subclasses of CryIA toxins but not CryIC even though all four CryI proteins are toxic to larvae of M. sexta. CryIA(a) and CryIA(b) toxins bound to a single site on the solubilized aminopeptidase N molecule whereas CryIA(c) bound to two distinct sites. Apparent kinetic rate constants were determined for each binding reaction. All three CryIA toxins exhibited moderately fast on rates (approximately 10(-5) M-1 s-1) and a slow reversible off rate (approximately 10(-3) s-1). Although the second CryIA(c)-binding site retained a moderately fast association rate, it was characterized by a rate of dissociation from the amino-peptidase an order of magnitude faster than observed for the other CryIA-binding sites. CryIA(c) binding to both sites was strongly inhibited in the presence of N-acetylgalactosamine (IC50 = 5 mM) but not N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, or glucose. CryIA(a) and CryIA(b) binding were unaffected in the presence of the same sugars. Our results serve to illustrate both the complexity and the diverse nature of toxin interactions with Cry-binding proteins.
Networking technologies enable advances in earth science

This paper describes an experiment to prototype a new way of conducting science by applying networking and distributed computing technologies to an Earth Science application. A combination of satellite, wireless, and terrestrial networking provided geologists at a remote field site with interactive access to supercomputer facilities at two NASA centers, thus enabling them to validate and calibrate remotely sensed geological data in near real time. This represents a fundamental shift in the way that Earth scientists analyze remotely sensed data. In this paper we describe the experiment and the network infrastructure that enabled it, analyze the data flow during the experiment, and discuss the scientific impact of the results.
Methylglyoxal Bypass Identified as Source of Chiral Contamination in l (+) and d (−)-lactate Fermentations by Recombinant Escherichia coli

Two new strains of Escherichia coli B were engineered for the production of lactate with no detectable chiral impurity. All chiral impurities were eliminated by deleting the synthase gene (msgA) that converts dihydroxyacetone-phosphate to methylglyoxal, a precursor for both l(+)- and d(−)-lactate. Strain TG113 contains only native genes and produced optically pure d(−)-lactate. Strain TG108 contains the ldhL gene from Pediococcus acidilactici and produced only l(+)-lactate. In mineral salts medium containing 1 mM betaine, both strains produced over 115 g (1.3 mol) lactate from 12% (w/v) glucose, >95% theoretical yield.
Constrained Tibial Vibration in Mice: A Method for Studying the Effects of Vibrational Loading of Bone

Vibrational loading can stimulate the formation of new trabecular bone or maintain bone mass. Studies investigating vibrational loading have often used whole-body vibration (WBV) as their loading method. However, WBV has limitations in small animal studies because transmissibility of vibration is dependent on posture. In this study, we propose constrained tibial vibration (CTV) as an experimental method for vibrational loading of mice under controlled conditions. In CTV, the lower leg of an anesthetized mouse is subjected to vertical vibrational loading while supporting a mass. The setup approximates a one degree-of-freedom vibrational system. Accelerometers were used to measure transmissibility of vibration through the lower leg in CTV at frequencies from 20 Hz to 150 Hz. First, the frequency response of transmissibility was quantified in vivo, and dissections were performed to remove one component of the mouse leg (the knee joint, foot, or soft tissue) to investigate the contribution of each component to the frequency response of the intact leg. Next, a finite element (FE) model of a mouse tibia-fibula was used to estimate the deformation of the bone during CTV. Finally, strain gages were used to determine the dependence of bone strain on loading frequency. The in vivo mouse leg in the CTV system had a resonant frequency of 60 Hz for +/-0.5 G vibration (1.0 G peak to peak). Removing the foot caused the natural frequency of the system to shift from 60 Hz to 70 Hz, removing the soft tissue caused no change in natural frequency, and removing the knee changed the natural frequency from 60 Hz to 90 Hz. By using the FE model, maximum tensile and compressive strains during CTV were estimated to be on the cranial-medial and caudolateral surfaces of the tibia, respectively, and the peak transmissibility and peak cortical strain occurred at the same frequency. Strain gage data confirmed the relationship between peak transmissibility and peak bone strain indicated by the FE model, and showed that the maximum cyclic tibial strain during CTV of the intact leg was 330+/-82microepsilon and occurred at 60-70 Hz. This study presents a comprehensive mechanical analysis of CTV, a loading method for studying vibrational loading under controlled conditions. This model will be used in future in vivo studies and will potentially become an important tool for understanding the response of bone to vibrational loading.
A Group Signature Based Secure and Privacy-Preserving Vehicular Communication Framework

We propose a novel group signature based security framework for vehicular communications. Compared to the traditional digital signature scheme, the new scheme achieves authenticity, data integrity, anonymity, and accountability at the same time. Furthermore, we describe a scalable role-based access control approach for vehicular networks. Finally, we present a probabilistic signature verification scheme that can efficiently detect the tampered messages or the messages from an unauthorized node.
The circadian oscillator in Synechococcus elongatus controls metabolite partitioning during diurnal growth

Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 is a genetically tractable model cyanobacterium that has been engineered to produce industrially relevant biomolecules and is the best-studied model for a prokaryotic circadian clock. However, the organism is commonly grown in continuous light in the laboratory, and data on metabolic processes under diurnal conditions are lacking. Moreover, the influence of the circadian clock on diurnal metabolism has been investigated only briefly. Here, we demonstrate that the circadian oscillator influences rhythms of metabolism during diurnal growth, even though light-dark cycles can drive metabolic rhythms independently. Moreover, the phenotype associated with loss of the core oscillator protein, KaiC, is distinct from that caused by absence of the circadian output transcriptional regulator, RpaA (regulator of phycobilisome-associated A). Although RpaA activity is important for carbon degradation at night, KaiC is dispensable for those processes. Untargeted metabolomics analysis and glycogen kinetics suggest that functional KaiC is important for metabolite partitioning in the morning. Additionally, output from the oscillator functions to inhibit RpaA activity in the morning, and kaiC-null strains expressing a mutant KaiC phosphomimetic, KaiC-pST, in which the oscillator is locked in the most active output state, phenocopies a ΔrpaA strain. Inhibition of RpaA by the oscillator in the morning suppresses metabolic processes that normally are active at night, and kaiC-null strains show indications of oxidative pentose phosphate pathway activation as well as increased abundance of primary metabolites. Inhibitory clock output may serve to allow secondary metabolite biosynthesis in the morning, and some metabolites resulting from these processes may feed back to reinforce clock timing.
The Political Views of U.S. Senior Federal Executives, 1970-1992

This research note examines the partisan affiliations of top-level appointees and civil servants in the Nixon, Reagan, and Bush administrations, and their beliefs about the appropriate role of government in the economy. The data we use are drawn from a longitudinal study of federal executives in these administrations. Over time the ranks of political appointees and senior civil servants have become more Republican. The samples of appointees and civil servants were also more conservative in their views on the role of government in the economy in the Reagan and Bush administrations than they were in the Nixon administration, with Bush administration personnel more moderate on this issue than Reagan administration officials. The note examines reasons for the changes, investigates differences within and between the samples, and lays out some preliminary interpretations of the data utilizing analysis of the political environment of each administration and opportunities for manipulation of the federal personnel...
Indications for revascularization in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: evidence and uncertainties.

Surgical treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) ranks among the greatest advances in medicine in the 20th century and remains the leading form of cardiovascular surgery in the world’s developed countries, despite improvements in medical therapy and the growth of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In 2010, nearly 400,000 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures were performed in the United States. In-hospital mortality rates related to the procedure have declined substantially for both men and women, despite increases in overall age and comorbidities. Among symptomatic patients, revascularization with either PCI or CABG results in better symptom relief and improved quality of life compared with medical management. CABG provides superior long-term survival rates compared with PCI in patients with the most-complex multivessel disease and those with diabetes. Thus, for the most part, the role of the CABG in the management of CAD is well established, with strong evidence-based guidelines and recommendations to improve outcomes in patients with left main disease, 3-vessel disease, and severe stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery. However, the impact of having CABG on survival in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, particularly severe LV dysfunction, remains a subject of considerable debate and uncertainty. Numerous early studies of CABG versus medical therapy in patients with LV dysfunction uniformly suggested that CABG results in improved survival, with enhanced survival rates compared with medical management, ranging from 10% to 50%. However, these nonrandomized studies were predominately retrospective and predate the use of modern evidence-based medical therapies for LV dysfunction; many predate the use of internal mammary grafts. In addition, the seminal randomized trials of CABG versus medical therapy fail to provide definitive insights in the case of such patients, partly because these trials were
The Metabolites Citrate, Myo-Inositol, and Spermine Are Potential Age-Independent Markers of Prostate Cancer in Human Expressed Prostatic Secretions

OBJECTIVES. Due to specific physiological functions, prostatic tissues and fluids have unique metabolic profiles. In this study, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-NMRS) is used to assess potential metabolic markers of prostate cancer (PCa) in human expressed prostatic secretions (EPS). METHODS. Metabolic profiles of EPS from 52 men with PCa and from 26 healthy controls were analyzed using quantitative 1 H-NMRS. The metabolites quantified included citrate, spermine, myo-inositol, lactate, alanine, phosphocholine, glutamine, acetate, and hydroxybutyrate. Logistic regression (LR) was used to model the risk of PCa based on metabolite concentrations while adjusting for age. RESULTS. The average age of the EPS donors with PCa was 58.0 � 7.0 years and 52.2 � 12.1 for the healthy donors. The median Gleason score for the men with PCa was 7 (range 5–9). The LR models indicated that the absolute concentrations of citrate, myo-inositol, and spermine were highly predictive of PCa and inversely related to the risk of PCa. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) for citrate, myo-inositol and spermine were 0.89, 0.87, and 0.79, respectively. At 90% sensitivity, these metabolites had specificities of 74%, 51%, and 34%, respectively. The LR analysis indicated that absolute levels of these three metabolites were independent of age. CONCLUSIONS. The results indicate that citrate, myo-inositol and spermine are potentially important markers of PCa in human EPS. Further, the absolute concentrations of these metabolites in EPS appear to be independent of age, increasing the potential utility of these markers due to elimination of age as a confounding variable. Prostate 68: 620–628, 2008. # 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phytotoxicity of Fumonisins and Rfzated Compounds

AbstractThe fumonisins and AAL-toxin are related long-chain alkylamines with propane carboxylic acid moieties. The fumonisins, especially fumonisin B1 (FB1), were initially described as mammalian toxins; however, they are also potent phytotoxins. The fumonisins have a spectrum of susceptible plant species similar to that of AAL-toxin. The aminopentol derivatives of the B fumonisins are generally less toxic than the parent compounds, while the A series of fumonisins (acetylated forms) are essentially inactive. AAL-toxin was first thought to be host-specific for certain tomato cultivars, but now is known to affect many weed and crops species. Monocotyledonous species are less affected than dicotyledonous species. Tomatoes with the asc/asc genotype, jimsonweed, black nightshade, and duckweeds are the most susceptible species tested thus far. FB, causes toxicity on contact with plant tissue and at sites distal from wounds, demonstrating xylem mobility. AAL-toxin is an important virulence factor for infection ...
Characters of finite quasigroups II: induced characters

Induced characters for finite quasigroups are defined, simplifying and generalizing the usual definition for groups. The Frobenius Reciprocity Theorem and an analogue of Artin's Theorem for these characters are proved. Character rings for quasigroups are examined. Induced characters are then used to build the character table of the octonion loop.
The sociobiology of sociopathy: An integrated evolutionary model

Sociopaths are “outstanding” members of society in two senses: politically, they draw our attention because of the inordinate amount of crime they commit, and psychologically, they hold our fascination because most ofus cannot fathom the cold, detached way they repeatedly harm and manipulate others. Proximate explanations from behavior genetics, child development, personality theory, learning theory, and social psychology describe a complex interaction of genetic and physiological risk factors with demographic and micro environmental variables that predispose a portion of the population to chronic antisocial behavior. More recent, evolutionary and game theoretic models have tried to present an ultimate explanation of sociopathy as the expression of a frequency-dependent life strategy which is selected, in dynamic equilibrium, in response to certain varying environmental circumstances. This paper tries to integrate the proximate, developmental models with the ultimate, evolutionary ones, suggesting that two developmentally different etiologies of sociopathy emerge from two different evolutionary mechanisms. Social strategies for minimizing the incidence of sociopathic behavior in modern society should consider the two different etiologies and the factors that contribute to them.
Kinetics and mechanism of the decomposition and anation of the trans-diaquatetrakis(pyridine)cobalt(III) ion in acidic chloride ion solutions

Abstract Kinetic and spectral studies were performed on solutions of trans-Copy4(H2O)23+ ion in aqueous acidic chloride solutions at 30 and 40 °C. The simplest interpretation of the data at the experimental conditions is in terms of two consecutive first-order reactions. The fast reaction is dependent on chloride ion and exhibits a non-linear inverse dependence on hydrogen ion. Our analysis of the absorbance-time data suggests that the title complex undergoes an acid dissociation equilibrium and that the deprotonated form loses a bound pyridine. This is associated with substitution by water and chloride as parallel steps. A slower reaction follows and is found to be inversely dependent on hydrogen ion, but the chloride ion dependence is not simple. We associate this step with the decomposition and reduction of Co(py)3(H2O)33+ and Co(py)3(H2O)2Cl2+ as well as their corresponding conjugate bases to ultimately form CO2+(aq). Mechanisms for the fast and slow steps are presented and mechanistic constants associated from these are estimated.
The Relationship Between Enjoyment and Affective Responses to Exercise

Exercise-related affective changes are well documented across a variety of settings and populations. In addition to the stimulus properties of exercise itself, social environmental factors are thought to influence affective responses. One factor that may be associated with psychological responses to exercise is enjoyment. Individuals who enjoy exercise may exhibit more positive affective responses compared to those who enjoy exercise less. The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercise enjoyment was related to affective changes associated with an acute bout of exercise in a naturalistic setting. Study 1 used a categorical approach to assess affect and sampled college-aged female group fitness participants. Study 2 was based on a dimensional affect conceptualization and sampled corporate fitness participants. Across both studies, results revealed a significant decrease in negative affect and increase in positive affect following exercise. Enjoyment was positively related to increases in positive...
Penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis: clinical pharmacology and biochemical properties.

The current status of the clinical pharmacology of penicillamine was reviewed. Its indications in the therapy of RA were defined, and current principles of dosage were presented. The autoimmune side effects were discussed in the light of their possible implication with regard to a locus of action of the drug on the immunological system. A comparison was presented of the biochemical properties of penicillamine and 5-thiopyridoxine, another mercaptan compound which appears to demonstrate a penicillamine-like action in patients with FU. It was found that 5-thiopyridoxine did not possess copper chelating properties, it failed to form a mixed disulfide with cystine, it did not induce dermolathyrism in the weanling rat, and it was not a vitamin B6 antagonist. If both of these compounds do work by a common mechanism in RA, then the aforementioned biochemical properties of penicillamine must be presumed to be not relevant to its fundamental action in this disease.
Functionalization and peptide-based delivery of magnetic nanoparticles as an intracellular MRI contrast agent.

Received: 16 February 2004 / Accepted: 13 May 2004 / Published online: 30 June 2004 � SBIC 2004 Abstract We report the development of functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with a PEG-modified, phospholipid micelle coating, and their delivery into living cells. The size of the coated particles, as determined by dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy, was found to be between 12 and 14 nm. The PEG-phospholipid coating resulted in high water solu- bility and stability, and the functional groups of modi- fied PEG allowed for bioconjugation of various moieties, including a fluorescent dye and the Tat pep- tide. Efficient delivery of the functionalized nanoparti- cles into living cells was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy, relaxation time measurements, and mag- netic resonance imaging (MRI). This demonstrates the feasibility of using functionalized magnetic nanoparti- cles with uniform (10 nm) sizes as an MRI contrast agent for intracellular molecular imaging in deep tissue. These micelle-coated iron oxide nanoparticles offer a versatile platform for conjugation of a variety of moie- ties, and their small size confers advantages for intra- cellular molecular imaging with minimal perturbation.
Widespread trypanosome infections in a population of eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) in Virginia, USA

Eastern hellbender salamanders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) are declining in North America and because of this the health status of individuals in several populations is closely monitored by researchers. During a health survey of hellbenders from a stream in Smyth County, VA, USA, we examined Giemsa-stained blood smears of 71 animals captured during 2011 for the presence of blood parasites. We discovered an unknown species of trypanosome that was apparently widespread within this population; 40 of the 71 individuals (56.3 %) were infected. There are seven known trypanosome species of caudate amphibians; based on microscopic examination, the parasite we observed appeared most similar to Trypanosoma cryptobranchi, which was reported in this species only once before, 76 years ago, from a single animal apparently captured in Iowa. Given that some trypanosomes can adversely affect the health of their hosts, we recommend further monitoring be done in this and other hellbender populations to determine the geographic extent of the parasite and its effects on its increasingly rare host.
Summary of the workshop on the applications of x‐ray standing waves in studies of surfaces, films, and bulk materials

Highlights of the satellite workshop on the technique of x‐ray standing waves which preceded the 5th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation held at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA are presented. At the workshop, many applications of the x‐ray standing‐wave technique were described in both invited and contributed talks. While the predominant use of the XSW technique was to analyze the structure of adsorbates on surfaces, applications in the characterization of thin films, interfaces, clean surfaces, and bulk materials were also presented. Most of the talks concentrated on experimental results, but some theory was also featured.
Hydrothermal durability of Ca-polyester complexed polymer concrete

Abstract Polymer concretes (PC) consisting of an unsaturated polyester (UP)-styrene (St) copolymer binder and a silica-type aggregate possess very poor hydrothermal durability because of the hydrolytic instability of the carboxylic ester existing in the main chains of the UP. It was found that the addition of beta dicalcium silicate (β-C 2 S) as a filler in the PC helps to prevent the severe physical degradation of UP-PC which occurs when the hydrolysis reactions take place. This is due to the formation of ionic bonding between the strongly nucleophilic reagent Ca 2+ ions released from β-C 2 S in an aqueous medium and the carboxylate anions (−COO − ) of esters. UP-PC specimens containing Ca 2+ ion complexed bridge structures of ionic bonding in their main chains display significant improvement in hydrothermal stability at elevated temperatures. In addition, the interaction mechanism of UP with β-C 2 S occurring during exposure in an autoclave is also discussed from the results of infrared absorption analysis.