cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equilibrium and kinetic quantitative DNase I footprinting

Publisher Summary This chapter describes two DNA-binding proteins, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, to illustrate the application of quantitative DNase I footprinting to cellular regulatory systems and the integration host factor (IHF) from Escherichia coli . The first protein is the TATA box binding protein (TBP) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae . TBP is required for the initiation of transcription by all three eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Its binding to specific promoter sequences called “TATA boxes” is a crucial step in the initiation of transcription of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. Co-crystal structures of TBP bound to DNA containing TATA box sequences reveals that the DNA is significantly distorted from normal B-DNA within the TBP-TATA complexes. IHF binds a number of bacterial and lambda phage DNA sequences and is an accessory protein in transcription. Both IHF and TBP bind in the minor groove and impart a significant bend in the bound DNA. Kinetics studies of protein–DNA interaction provide insight into the mechanism of sequence-specific recognition by proteins.
Query Expansion Using External Evidence

Automatic query expansion may be used in document retrieval to improve search effectiveness. Traditional query expansion methods are based on the document collection itself. For example, pseudo-relevance feedback (PRF) assumes that the top retrieved documents are relevant, and uses the terms extracted from those documents for query expansion. However, there are other sources of evidence that can be used for expansion, some of which may give better search results with greater efficiency at query time. In this paper, we use the external evidence, especially the hints obtained from external web search engines to expand the original query. We explore 6 different methods using search engine query log, snippets and search result documents. We conduct extensive experiments, with state of the art PRF baselines and careful parameter tuning, on three TREC collections: AP, WT10g, GOV2. Log-based methods do not show consistent significant gains, despite being very efficient at query-time. Snippet-based expansion, using the summaries provided by an external search engine, provides significant effectiveness gains with good efficiency at query-time.
Heritable disorders of the bile ducts

Diseases of the bile ducts encompass a wide range of disorders. These include those disorders primarily affecting extra and intrahepatic bile ducts and those that may be classified as panbiliary. The major heritable bile duct disorders are those affecting the intrahepatic ducts, namely syndromic bile duct paucity, or Alagille syndrome, and the fibrocystic cholangiopathies autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease/congenital hepatic fibrosis, and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. This discussion focuses on heritable disorders of the bile ducts.
Islet isolation under cGMP conditions: replacing the coil.

Abstract Introduction Clinical islet transplantation is increasingly regulated, with isolation standards defined under current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs). cGMP requires validation of equipment cleaning and sterilization. The automated process for islet isolation requires rapid thermal exchange during processing, manipulating a metal coil containing cellular product into and out of chilled/heated waterbaths. We recognize challenges of validating cleaning and sterilization of this coil and propose replacement with a disposable blood warming system. Our specific aims were to assess the system's ability to accommodate flow rates utilized during various phases of pancreatic digestion and to assess its efficiency of heat exchange and temperature control. Methods In a pancreas digestion circuit, heat exchange occurred via the coil in a digital water bath, or Warmflo blood warming bag in a digital warming unit. Temperature within the digestion chamber was assessed using an inserted thermocouple. Time to achieve 37°C was measured for set heating element temperatures 38.5°C to 41°C. Circuit temperature maintenance characteristics were also recorded. Results The Warmflo bloodbag easily accommodated flows of 150 and 300 mL/min. At all set temperatures, the bag resulted in shorter or equivalent time to 37°C than the coil. Maintenance of 37°C was also equivalent. We have utilized this system for four human islet isolations with mean time to 37°C of 5.5 minutes, without difference in digestion quality. Conclusions Use of a disposable blood warming system in place of the coil during islet isolation provides adequate flow characteristics, heat exchange, and temperature control and may facilitate evolution of islet isolation toward cGMP compliance.
Tumors of the adrenogenital syndrome: an aggressive conservative approach.

AbstractPurpose: Testicular masses in male individuals with the adrenogenital syndrome are a clinical and pathological diagnostic dilemma. The major differential diagnosis of gonadal nodules in this setting includes interstitial Leydig cell tumors and secondary benign tumors of possible adrenal rest origin. Management of these 2 entities obviously differs. We report clinical, biochemical and pathological features in 3 children with rare bilateral testicular masses and the adrenogenital syndrome in an attempt to define better the natural history of these entities and formulate recommendations for management.Materials and Methods: All 3 patients had a history of precocious puberty. Two boys were diagnosed with the adrenogenital syndrome at birth, and presented with bilateral testicular masses at ages 5 and 17 years, respectively. The remaining patient was diagnosed at age 15 years after testicular and adrenal masses developed. All 3 cases were classified as 21-hydroxylase deficiency with markedly elevated l...
Early-stage breast cancer treatment among medically underserved women diagnosed in a national screening program, 1992-1995

Background. Little research has been conducted on the breast cancer treatment of low income, underserved women. This study was designed to describe initial treatment of breast cancer among low-income women diagnosed through federally funded screening programs in Detroit, Michigan, and the states of New Mexico and California; and to compare the treatment received by program women with early-stage breast cancer with that of all women diagnosed in those regions.
Mars Student Imaging Project: Real Research by Secondary Students

A group of scientists gather excitedly as their image arrives from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. They eagerly pore over the image they targeted to answer a scientific question about the Red Planet. Working together, the team measures, analyzes, and discusses relations among surface features, as they seek to answer their research question.
Moments in Laplanche's Theory of Sexuality

This paper is a brief introduction to some of Laplanche's thinking, as well as a commentary on his essay that is published here. Some salient issues in Laplanche's theory are introduced, such as the decentering of the subject and the prioritizing of the other, the postulation of the “reality of the message,” in which gestures from the other both signify and excite/seduce, and an enlarged meaning of seduction. The child's translation of the enigmatic messages conveyed by the adult is a process of being seduced into building interiority and subjectivity. In effect, the present paper proposes not only that “otherness” constitutes the subject, but that an “asymmetrical intersubjectivity” is what enables the transition from instinct to drive and the creation of paradoxical human sexuality. In a meditation that illuminates significant issues in American feminist and psychoanalytic theory, Laplanche's essay analyzes and distinguishes three interrelated terms, gender, sex, and “the sexual” (“le sexual”), or so-ca...
Are first-circulation patterns for monographs in the humanities different from the sciences?

How many monographs acquired in a particular year circulate in that year? What percentage have their first circulation each successive year? Does the pattern differ for different broad subject areas, i.e., humanities, the sciences, and the social sciences? This article tests the assumption that the first-circulation pattern differs by subject. We conclude that the pattern does not differ. The finding is important for decisions about off-site storage, assessing collection development, maintaining departmental libraries, etc. Regardless of subject, if a book has not circulated at least once within a few years after acquisition, it is unlikely to find its reader.
The NIH Toolbox Setting a standard for biomedical research

This special issue of Neurology(®) marks the unveiling of a multi-year effort to develop the NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIH Toolbox). Constructed based on state-of-the-art psychometric research and novel testing methods, this approach to functional neurologic measurement is as innovative in concept as it is in design. This initiative and the resulting set of instruments, supported through the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research (NIH Blueprint) and built by a development team of more than 250 scientists from almost 100 academic institutions, promises to provide long overdue economies of scale and efficiency to the clinical research enterprise. The NIH Toolbox achieves that end by providing psychometrically sound, cutting-edge, adaptable measures that enable uniformity of measurement, data sharing, and integration of findings in the research setting.
Effects of thermo-chemical mantle convection on the thermal evolution of the Earth’s core

Abstract A coupled core-mantle evolution model that combines a global heat balance in the core with a fully dynamic thermo-chemical mantle convection model is developed to investigate the thermal evolution of the core over the 4.5 Gyr of Earth history. The heat balance in the core includes gravitational energy release, latent heat release and compositional convection associated with inner core growth. In the mantle convection model, compositional variations, plate-like behavior, phase changes and melting-induced differentiation are included. For mantle compositional variations, three idealized situations are considered: no variations (isochemical), variations resulting from a layered initial condition, and variations resulting from melting-induced differentiation from a homogeneous start. Only models whose thermal evolution satisfies three criteria are judged to be ‘successful’, with the criteria based on: (1) the radius of the inner core, (2) the heat flux through the core-mantle boundary (CMB), and (3) the heat flux through the surface. The radius of the inner core is the strictest criterion of these three. Models with an isochemical mantle fail because the inner core becomes much larger than the current size of the inner core. The final inner core radius is quite sensitive to mantle chemical buoyancy ratio. Models that fully satisfy all three criteria have a 1.5–2% compositional density difference, and either initial layering or compositional layering generated from melt-induced differentiation. These results imply that the heat flux buffering effect of a compositionally-dense layer in the deep mantle may be required to explain the thermal evolution of the core, when the heat flux through the CMB is calculated using a fully dynamical mantle convection model. Considering geochemical constraints, the compositional layering could be generated a combination of melt-induced differentiation and primordial layering. However, while the observed trends are robust, the models include various approximations and uncertainties, with the core model not including the effects of heat generated by radioactive element, so further investigations are warranted.
RanBP1 governs spindle assembly by defining mitotic Ran-GTP production.

Summary Accurate control of the Ras-related nuclear protein (Ran) GTPase cycle depends on the regulated activity of regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1), Ran's nucleotide exchange factor. RanBP1 has been characterized as a coactivator of the Ran GTPase-activating protein RanGAP1. RanBP1 can also form a stable complex with Ran and RCC1, although the dynamics and function of this complex remain poorly understood. Here, we show that formation of the heterotrimeric RCC1/Ran/RanBP1 complex in M phase Xenopus egg extracts controls both RCC1's enzymatic activity and partitioning between the chromatin-bound and soluble pools of RCC1. This mechanism is critical for spatial control of Ran-guanosine triphosphate (GTP) gradients that guide mitotic spindle assembly. Moreover, phosphorylation of RanBP1 drives changes in the dynamics of chromatin-bound RCC1 pools at the metaphase-anaphase transition. Our findings reveal an important mitotic role for RanBP1, controlling the spatial distribution and magnitude of mitotic Ran-GTP production and thereby ensuring accurate execution of Ran-dependent mitotic events.
Using standardized patients in advanced practice nursing education

Abstract Standardized patient encounters, a pedagogic approach to helping students develop appropriate clinical skills, are widely used in medical education and are being adopted by advanced practice nursing programs. Two types, simulated clinical encounters, in which students complete an episodic or comprehensive visit, and objective structured clinical experiences, multiple stations each presenting a different clinical problem, are used for formative and summative evaluation. Graduating adult and pediatric nurse practitioner students (N = 26) completed a simulated clinical encounter for an episodic visit. Students' performance on the simulated clinical encounter did not reflect their performance on other clinical evaluation measures or their performance on national certifying examinations. This one-time simulated clinical encounter was shown to lack the necessary reliability and validity to appropriately evaluate the clinical skills of nurse practitioner students. Videotaped, simulated patient encounters are useful, however as formative learning experiences. This reinforced our position that multiple site visits by faculty to students and their preceptors at all their clinical sites are necessary to accurately evaluate students' clinical performance. J Prof Nurs 18:29-35, 2002. Copyright © 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company
Unification through registration: Unification of the profession through registration will help clear the confusion about what constitutes the practice of engineering

We as engineers are at a crossroad. Our profession is in decline. There is much talk that our inventions cause strife, that we provide the communications channels for too much “junk” in the entertainment area. In addition, more and more nonengineers are making important engineering decisions. In the personal arena, the salary advantage that engineers once enjoyed is rapidly eroding.
Analytical solutions of limiting poisoning mechanisms for a zero-order main reaction

Abstract The single-pellet diffusion reactor has proven to be a particularly useful tool to diagnose the mechanism of catalyst poisoning. Previous work was done with main reactions of first, second and 1/2 order and behavior was found to be similar for reactions of different orders. However, a zero order main reaction in this reactor presents a singular behavior not observed previously. These singularities are illustrated using the limiting poisoning models referred to as pore-mouth, uniform and core poisoning: cases which can be solved analytically. From these analyses, it is clear that the single-pellet diffusion reactor can still be used to discriminate among the various poisoning mechanisms causing deactivation. However, the range of Thiele parameter over which the measured centerplane concentration gives useful additional information is reduced to values of the effective Thiele parameter less than √2.
A domain-theoretic approach to functional and logic programming

The integration of functional and logic programming languages has been a topic of great interest in the last decade. Many proposals have been made, yet none is completely satisfactory especially in the context of higher order functions and lazy evaluation. This paper addresses these shortcomings via a new approach: domain theory as a common basis for functional and logic programming. Our integrated language remains essentially within the functional paradigm. The logic programming capability is provided by set abstraction (via Zermelo-Frankel set notation), using the Herbrand universe as a set abstraction generator, but for efficiency reasons our proposed evaluation procedure treats this generator's enumeration parameter as a logical variable. The language is defined in terms of (computable) domain-theoretic constructions and primitives, using the lower (or angelic) powerdomain to model the set abstraction facility. The result is a simple, elegant and purely declarative language that successfully combines the most important features of both pure functional programming and pure Horn logic programming. Referential transparency with respect to the underlying mathematical model is maintained throughout. An implicitly correct operational semantics is obtained by direct execution of the denotational semantic definition, modified suitably to permit logical variables whenever the Herbrand universe is being generated within a set abstraction. Completeness of the operational semantics requires a form of parallel evaluation, rather than the more familiar left-most rule.
Association between herpes simplex virus type 1 and Helicobacter pylori in US adolescents.

Objective To understand how Helicobacter pylori infection is acquired and the role that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) may have, we determined whether an association between HSV and H pylori exists at the individual level and for what reason. Study design Data were collected from 1,090 participants aged 12-19 years during phase 1 (1988-1991) of the NHANES III. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR). Results The crude overall PR and 95% CI for H pylori seropositivity comparing HSV+ to HSV− individuals was 2.20 (1.69-2.85). In large urban households the PR adjusted for poverty level and race/ethnicity was twice that in small nonurban households (2.27 versus 1.15, respectively). Conclusions Overall, HSV-1 seropositivity is associated with a higher H pylori seroprevalence. The negligible association found in some strata suggests that shared environmental factors or routes of transmission rather than biologic reasons may be primarily responsible for this association.
Phinehas' Zeal and the Death of Cozbi: Unearthing a Human Scapegoat Tradition in Numbers 25:1-18

AbstractScholars have long noted that Numbers 25, the story of Phinehas’ murder of Cozbi the Midianite and her Israelite partner in crime, contains inconsistencies and tensions that reflect a complicated history of composition and transmission. This paper offers new perspective on the evolution of this text by comparing it with two Hittite military ritual texts (CTH 407 and 394) that describe the selection and sacrifice of human, female scapegoats. Scholars have discussed these texts as they relate to biblical rites for the Day of Atonement; however, the Hittite evidence has never been considered systematically in relation to Numbers 25. Such a comparison illuminates unrecognized sacrificial dynamics operative in Numbers 25, and clarifies certain inherent ambiguities in the biblical text. Parallels with the Hittite evidence point to Numbers 25 as an additional witness to the way scapegoat rituals operated within the ancient Israelite literary imagination, if not in actual practice.
A Butane Analogue, 3-Hexyne, Is Eclipsed

In ethane the facts of a staggered equilibrium structure and a 2.9 kcal/mol torsional barrier are established.1 However, the origin of the barrier to internal rotation in ethane remains controversial. This debate centers around the relative importance of hyperconjugation vs steric/exchange interactions in determining the staggered structure and torsional barrier. A distinction between the competing models is that steric interactions primarily depend on the distance between interacting atoms, whereas hyperconjugation depends also on the symmetry (orientation) of the interacting orbitals. The orbital orientation distinction suggests another perspective on the barrier. The staggered gauche and trans conformers of butane are a corollary of the staggered ethane structure. 3-Hexyne (CH3CH2C⋮CCH2CH3) is butane elongated by a cylindrically symmetrical C⋮C spacer, which separates the ethyl groups. If hyperconjugation were the dominant interaction in this butane analogue, the equilibrium structure would be staggere...
Behaviour of carbon dioxide jets in a confined swirling flow

Abstract An investigation of jet mixing in confined swirling flow, using carbon dioxide as the jet fluid, was carried out. In order to compare the present results with previous measurements by So et al 1 on homogeneous and helium jet mixing, the experiments were carried out in the same facility and under the same test conditions. Contrary to the flow characteristics found in helium jet mixing in confined swirling flow, density difference and swirl combined to give rise to an accelerated decay of the jet and increased mixing between jet and swirling air. Consequently, the second reversed flow region observed in the swirling flow was only slightly displaced downstream. This contrasted with a radial displacement of the second reversed flow region by the helium jets and a complete destruction of the reversed flow regions by the air jets.
EFFECTS OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL ENTEROTOXIN ON BARBITAL TOXICITY.

The toxicity of sodium barbital was potentiated by a pretreatment with nontoxic doses of purified staphylococcal enterotoxin. The effect was optimal when enterotoxin was given 2–4 hours prior to barbital.
Proximity and Journalistic Practice in Environmental Discourse: Experiencing “Job Blackmail” in the News

The shift from coal to natural gas to fuel electricity generation has positive (environmental) and negative (economic) consequences for people in the affected areas of the US. Representations of th...
Tafluprost in the treatment of glaucoma

The prostanoids are commonly used in the treatment of glaucoma. They have been shown to effectively reduce intraocular pressure with a relatively benign side-effect profile. Tafluprost is the newest member of the prostanoid family used in the treatment of glaucoma, and it is also the first prostanoid to be released in a preservative-free formulation. Early data suggest that it is as effective as the other prostanoids. The objective of this article is to detail the development and subsequent early testing of tafluprost.
Neutralizing the narcissistic style

The diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder has become more prevalent in psychiatric settings over the last decade. Contemporary psychological literature has addressed this disorder, yet the occupational therapy literature has not. The author contends that occupational therapy provides relevant treatment for those with this syndrome. The article describes: (1) clinical features of the disorder, (2) current psychological theory and approach useful for treatment, (3) why and how occupational therapy is a unique, natural medium for treatment, and (4) an occupational therapy program tailored to the needs of those with narcissistic character disorder.
Growth of epitaxial NdNiO3 and integration with Si(100)

We have grown epitaxial NdNiO3 films on Si(100) substrate under ambient oxygen pressure using a pulsed-laser deposition method. The integration of NdNiO3 with Si(100) was accomplished by lattice-matching epitaxy of MgO and SrTiO3 and domain matching epitaxy of TiN on Si(100). During domain matching epitaxy, four lattice constants of TiN match with three of silicon across the TiN/Si(100) interface. High-quality epitaxial NdNiO3 film on SrTiO3/MgO/TiN/Si(100) showed a very sharp metal–insulator (MI) phase transition at 200 K. Observed MI transition in epitaxial NdNiO3 is much sharper than that usually observed in bulk and polycrystalline films with more than four orders of magnitude change in resistivity. This MI transition is understood to arise because of the opening of charge transfer gap between Ni3+(3d) and O2−(2p) band.
Algebraic and Turing Separability of Rings

Abstract Let F be a countable field/ring. Then a weak presentation of F is an injective homomorphism from F into a field/ring whose universe is2such that all the field/ring operations are translated by total recursive functions. Given two recursive integral domains R 1 and R 2 with quotient fields F 1 and F 2 respectively, we investigate under what circumstances there exists a weak presentation of the field F 1 F 2 such that the images of R 1 and R 2 belong to two different recursively enumerable (r.e.) Turing degrees. In many cases we succeed in giving a completely algebraic necessary and sufficient condition for the “Turing separation” described above. More specifically, under some conditions, we can make the images of R 1 and R 2 be of arbitrary r.e. degrees. The algebraic condition is a generalization of the notion of algebraic field separability. As a result of our investigation, we also show that3has an r.e. weak presentation as a ring which is not a weak presentation of4as a field.
Influence of subglottic stenosis on the flow-induced vibration of a computational vocal fold model.

Abstract The effect of subglottic stenosis on vocal fold vibration is investigated. An idealized stenosis is defined, parameterized, and incorporated into a two-dimensional, fully coupled finite element model of the vocal folds and laryngeal airway. Flow-induced responses of the vocal fold model to varying severities of stenosis are compared. The model vibration was not appreciably affected by stenosis severities of up to 60% occlusion. Model vibration was altered by stenosis severities of 90% or greater, evidenced by decreased superior model displacement, glottal width amplitude, and flow rate amplitude. Predictions of vibration frequency and maximum flow declination rate were also altered by high stenosis severities. The observed changes became more pronounced with increasing stenosis severity and inlet pressure, and the trends correlated well with flow resistance calculations. Flow visualization was used to characterize subglottal flow patterns in the space between the stenosis and the vocal folds. Underlying mechanisms for the observed changes, possible implications for human voice production, and suggestions for future work are discussed.
The efferent cochlear projections of the superior olivary complex in the mustached bat

Following the placement of horseradish peroxidase in the scala tympani, labeled neurons were found in the ipsilateral interstitial nucleus (INT) and throughout the ipsilateral and contralateral dorsomedial periolivary nuclei (DMPO). The neurons in the INT were morphologically distinct from those in the DMPO. The INT neurons formed a thin shell over the lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO) and their dendrites extended into the body and hilar region. The DMPO neurons had long, tapering dendrites that extended in every direction. Data indicate that the crossed fibers in the floor of the ventricle arise entirely from the DMPO while uncrossed olivocochlear fibers originate in the INT and DMPO. It was estimated that 75% of the efferent fibers arise from the INT and 25% from the DMPO. Approximately 70% of the efferent neurons in each DMPO project to the contralateral cochlea via the crossed olivocochlear bundle. The number of olivocochlear neurons associated with each ear was determined to be approximately 1585. This number is similar to that found in cats and guinea pigs, but the number of neurons per unit length of the basilar membrane is considerably higher in the mustached bat than in other species examined to date. The compact, restricted locations of the neurons in the INT and DMPO in the mustached bat are different from those described for most other mammals and the arrangement in the mustached bat offers advantages over other species for future anatomical and physiological studies.
Random allocation of jobs with weights and precedence

Abstract We analyze random allocation applied to irregular and dynamic task-parallel programs such as branch and bound. The precedence between jobs is revealed on-line, and the processing times of jobs are diverse and unknown before job completion. The objective is to assign jobs to processors and to schedule them to minimize makespan. We show that random allocation achieves makespan close to a natural lower bound. Some empirical experience with irregular parallel applications is reported.
Constructing and Validating Initial Cα Models from Subnanometer Resolution Density Maps with Pathwalking

A significant number of macromolecular structures solved by electron cryo-microscopy and X-ray crystallography obtain resolutions of 3.5-6A, at which direct atomistic interpretation is difficult. To address this, we developed pathwalking, a semi-automated protocol to enumerate reasonable Cα models from near-atomic resolution density maps without a structural template or sequence-structure correspondence. Pathwalking uses an approach derived from the Traveling Salesman Problem to rapidly generate an ensemble of initial models for individual proteins, which can later be optimized to produce full atomic models. Pathwalking can also be used to validate and identify potential structural ambiguities in models generated from near-atomic resolution density maps. In this work, examples from the EMDB and PDB are used to assess the broad applicability and accuracy of our method. With the growing number of near-atomic resolution density maps from cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography, pathwalking can become an important tool in modeling protein structures.
SPRT for Weibull distributed integrated circuit failures

In this paper, we propose a sequential probability ratio test based on a two parameter Weibull distribution for IC failures. The shape parameter of the Weibull distribution characterizes the decreasing, constant and the increasing failure rate regions in the bath tub model for ICs. The algorithm detects the operating region of the IC based on the observed failure times. Unlike the fixed-length test, the proposed algorithm due to its sequential nature uses the minimum average number of devices for the test for fixed error tolerances in the detection procedure. We find that the proposed test is on an average 96 percent more efficient than the fixed-length test. Our algorithm is shown to be highly robust to the variations in the model parameters unlike other existing sequential tests. Further, extensive simulations are used to validate the analytic results of the sequential test.
Analysis of Mouse Fertilin in Wild-Type and Fertilin β−/− Sperm: Evidence for C-terminal Modification, α/β Dimerization, and Lack of Essential Role of Fertilin α in Sperm–Egg Fusion

Abstract The sperm surface protein fertilin functions in sperm–egg interaction. On guinea pig and bovine sperm, fertilin is a heterodimer of α and β subunits. Both subunits are initially synthesized as precursors and then proteolytically processed by removing N-terminal domains. Since the mouse is currently the main mammalian species in which fertilization is studied, in the present report, we analyzed the structure, processing, and expression of fertilin in mouse. We found that the processing of mouse fertilin β occurs during epididymal maturation and involves changes in the cytoplasmic tail domain as well as the N-terminal domains. Although we (R. Yuan et al., 1997, J. Cell Biol. 137, 105–112) and others (M. S. Chen et al., 1999, J. Cell Biol. 144, 549–561) have previously reported that mature fertilin β is 55–57 kDa, here we show that 55 kDa is an unrelated protein in the sperm extract which cross-reacts with an antibody that recognizes precursor, but not mature, fertilin β. Comparison of Western blots of wild-type and fertilin β knockout sperm revealed that authentic, mature fertilin β is 45 kDa. We also obtained direct evidence that mouse fertilin α and β exist as a heterodimer. In addition, we found that in mice lacking the fertilin β subunit, fertilin α is absent from mature sperm. A widely proposed model for sperm–egg fusion suggests that fertilin α is the sperm component that promotes membrane fusion by undergoing a conformational change that exposes a virus-like, hydrophobic fusion peptide. Because sperm lacking fertilin α and fertilin β can fuse with eggs at 50% the wild-type rate, this model is called into question. The results suggest instead that other gamete surface molecules act to promote membrane fusion and that fertilin's role in gamete fusion is in sperm–egg plasma membrane adhesion.
Rendering Synthetic Objects in Natural Scenes

We present a method for solving the light integral problem for synthetic diffuse objects rendered within a natural scene. The approach generates realistic shading using only a few images of the surroundings of the object to represent the ambient light. We model the global illumination integral using Chebyshev polynomials. We show that due to the orthogonality of 2D Chebyshev moments, the global illumination integral can reduce to the inner product of two vectors, representing the irradiance and the Bidiectional Reflectance Distribustion Function (BRDF). The Chebyshev moments of these two functions are computed off-line and stored in the memory. The rendering of the object in the scene then becomes a simple problem of computing the inner product of the two vectors for each point.
The failure to converge: Why globalization doesn't cause deregulation

Abstract Conventional wisdom holds that the rigors of fiscal competition unleashed by globalization are forcing governments to roll back welfare programs, reduce or eliminate taxes on capital, and reduce regulation on mobile assets. In Freer Markets, More Rules, Steven Vogel attacks the latter contention, arguing that regulatory reform has been more often reregulatory than deregulatory, though it is generally undertaken with an eye to increasing market competition. He also maintains that governments have acted autonomously of social interests and market pressures in formulating regulatory reform. While Vogel is mistaken to contend that there has been no net reduction of government control worldwide, his revision of the conventional wisdom requires a fresh look at how susceptible states really are to the global competition for revenue.
The enhancement of psychological wellness: challenges and opportunities

Developed the concept of psychological wellness and made the case that proportionally more resources should be directed to the pursuit of this goal. Five pathways to wellness are considered, implicating aspects of individual development and the impact of contexts, settings, and policies. The five pathways are: forming wholesome early attachments; acquiring age- and ability-appropriate competencies; engineering settings that promote adaptive outcomes; fostering empowerment; and acquiring skills needed to cope effectively with life stressors. Although these noncompeting pathways have differential salience at different ages and for different groups and life conditions, each is an essential element in any comprehensive social plan to advance wellness. Examples of effective programs are cited in all five areas, including recent comprehensive, long-term programs embodying multiple pathways to wellness.
Management of orbital blow out fractures case reports and discussion

Blow-out fractures are fractures of the orbital floor or medial wall that occur as a consequence of blunt trauma. Impact increases the intraorbital pressure, forcing the nondistensible orbital contents through the orbital floor. The fracture is commonly caused by impact from a baseball or tennis ball. However, any blunt trauma to the orbit, as from a knee or elbow, can result in a blow-out fracture. The characteristic clinical findings include double vision, a sunken globe, and numbness in the distribution of the infraorbital nerve. Sometimes, the only sign of a blow-out fracture is the abrupt inflation of periorbital tissue with air when the patient blows his nose. Standard evaluation of these fractures includes history, physical examination, and radiographs. Some patients benefit from computed tomography (CT), which can be both diagnostic and prognostic. Blow-out fractures do not often produce serious sequelae, and the current trend is toward no treatment. However, it is imperative to rule out any serious injury to the eye itself that would require emergency treatment.
Effect of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate on HeLa cell in vitro DNA synthesis: evidence that DNA polymerase alpha is the only polymerase required for cellular DNA replication

We have studied the effects of the nucleotide analogue, 2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate (ddTTP) on replicative DNA synthesis in HeLa cell lysates. As previously demonstrated (1), such lysates carry out extensive DNA synthesis in vitro, at rates and in a fashion similar to in vivo DNA replication. We report here that all aspects of DNA synthesis in such lysates (total dNTP incorporation, elongation of continuous nascent strands, and the initiation, elongation, and joining of Okazaki pieces) are only slightly inhibited by concentrations of ddTTP as high as 100-500 micrometer when the dTTP concentration is maintained at 10 micrometer. This finding is consistent with the report by Edenberg, Anderson, and DePamphilis (2) that all aspects of replicative in vitro simian virus 40 DNA synthesis are also resistant to ddTTP. We also find, in agreement with Edenberg, Anderson, and DePamphilis (2), that DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerases beta or gamma is easily inhibited by ddTTP, while synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase alpha is very resistant. These observations suggest that DNA polymerase alpha may be the only DNA polymerase required for all aspects of cellular DNA synthesis.
Optical Spectroscopy of Biological Cells

Optical spectroscopy has seen expanding use for the study of biological cells in recent years. An overview of relevant spectroscopic techniques is presented, and applications to biological cells are reviewed.
Requesting by Preschoolers with Developmental Disabilities Videotaped Self-Modeling and Learning of New Linguistic Structures

This research capitalized on a powerful form of observational learning to teach linguistic structures not evident in the expressive language of children with developmental delays. Specifically, the...
Viroids and viral hepatitis in marmosets.

DIENER1 and Zuckerman2 have recently speculated that hepatitis A and B, respectively, may be caused by infective naked nucleic acids or viroids. In response to their hypotheses, we felt it would be of interest to investigate the nature of an agent known to cause hepatitis in marmoset monkeys. We reasoned that if the aetiologic agent of hepatitis found in serum is a free, or naked, nucleic acid in this system, then its infectivity should be destroyed by the action of a specific endonuclease. For example, a free viral DNA would be rendered uninfective after treatment with pancreatic DNase. The virus used in our study was the ‘Barker’ agent, originally recovered by Deinhardt et al. from acute phase sera of marmosets inoculated with serum from a human case of viral hepatitis3. This virus consistently induces hepatitis in such animals, although its pedigree as a human hepatitis agent has been a subject of controversy4.
The role of major histocompatibility complex and non‐major histocompatibility complex encoded antigens in generation of bile duct lesions during hepatic graft‐vs.‐host responses mediated by helper or cytotoxic T cells

In these studies, we examined the role of discrete classes of alloantigen differences in generating nonsuppurative cholangitis during graft-vs.-host disease. Transfer of C57BL/6J (B6) splenocytes to class I major histocompatibility complex-disparate bm1 x B6 F1, class II major histocompatibility complex-disparate B6 x bm12 F1, or multiple non-major histocompatibility complex antigen-disparate Balb,B x B6 F1 mice led to the development of periportal inflammatory infiltrates and lymphocyte invasion of bile duct walls. However, frank destruction of bile duct walls was observed only in strain combinations with class I major histocompatibility complex or multiple non-major histocompatibility complex-encoded disparities. The concomitant presence of class II major histocompatibility complex differences and class I major histocompatibility complex or multiple non-major histocompatibility complex differences did not increase and in some cases was associated with less severe bile duct disease than was observed in strain combinations with discrete histocompatibility antigen differences. Depletion of L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester-sensitive cytotoxic T lymphocytes from donor inocula reduced the incidence of destructive bile duct lesions observed early in the course of graft-vs.-host disease in B6-->Balb.B x B6 F1 or B6-->bm1 x B6 F1 mice. However, transfer of CD8-negative, L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester-resistant T helper cells alone was sufficient to generate destructive cholangitis in class I+II major histocompatibility complex-disparate or multiple non-major histocompatibility complex antigen-disparate strain combinations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Synthetic and biosynthetic studies on FR900482 and mitomycin C: an efficient and stereoselective hydroxymethylation of an advanced benzazocane intermediate.

We report a simple, efficient, and stereoselective Mukaiyama aldol approach to install the key hydroxymethyl moiety into the benzazocane framework of FR900482. Synthetic investigations revealed that the reaction is highly dependent upon the electronics of the aromatic ring. This approach enabled the economical introduction of a [13C] label to study the biosynthesis of these structurally and biogenetically related natural products. Epimerization of the initially formed β-hydroxy ketone may enable access to mitomycin C or FR900482 biosynthetic congeners.
Biomechanics: Independent evolution of running in vampire bats

Most tetrapods have retained terrestrial locomotion since it evolved in the Palaeozoic era, but bats have become so specialized for flight that they have almost lost the ability to manoeuvre on land at all. Vampire bats, which sneak up on their prey along the ground, are an important exception. Here we show that common vampire bats can also run by using a unique bounding gait, in which the forelimbs instead of the hindlimbs are recruited for force production as the wings are much more powerful than the legs. This ability to run seems to have evolved independently within the bat lineage.
Use of videotape in the preparation of children for cardiac catheterization

To help children with congenital heart disease, and their parents, cope with the stress of hospitalization for cardiac catheterization, a videotape was developed entitled “Leonard Z. Lion Presents … Learning About Your Heart Catheterization.” Fifty-three patients with congenital heart disease, 3 to 12 years of age, were randomly assigned to experimental (N=31) or control (N=22) groups. Each viewed the catheterization videotape or an unrelated control videotape before cardiac catheterization. The child's knowledge, anxiety, and adjustment during and after hospitalization for catheterization were evaluated. The experimental group displayed a significantly greater knowledge of events and sensations experienced during hospitalization than controls (P<.0001). Children in the experimental group tended to sleep more during the catheterization procedure (P=.05) and when awake to ask more questions (P=.02). After discharge, the experimental group also tended to demonstrate more independent behavior. We conclude that viewing this videotape on heart catheterization helped children with congenital heart disease to cope with the stress of hospitalization for the procedure.
Evolution of complex probability distributions in enzyme cascades

Unusual probability distribution profiles, including transient multi-peak distributions, have been observed in computer simulations of cell signaling dynamics. The emergence of these complex distributions cannot be explained using either deterministic chemical kinetics or simple Gaussian noise approximation. To develop physical insights into the origin of complex distributions in stochastic cell signaling, we compared our approximate analytical solutions of signaling dynamics with the exact numerical simulations. Our results are based on studying signaling in 2-step and 3-step enzyme amplification cascades that are among the most common building blocks of cellular protein signaling networks. We have found that while the multi-peak distributions are typically transient, and eventually evolve into single peak distributions, in certain cases these distributions may be stable in the limit of long times. We also have shown that introducing positive feedback loops results in diminution of the probability distribution complexity.
Effects of bile salts on rat hepatic acyl CoA:Cholesterol acyltransferase

Acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (EC2.3.1.26, ACAT), responsible for intracellular esterification of cholesterol, may play an important role in cholesterol trafficking within the cell, and thus, in maintenance of cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Bile acids are potential regulators of cholesterol trafficking in the liver. Therefore, the effect of bile salts on hepatic ACAT activity was studied in the perfused rat liver. ACAT activity was increased after liver perfusion with either taurocholate or taurochenodeoxycholate. However, addition of these bile salts at physiological concentrationsin vitro had little effect on microsomal ACAT activity. The increase in hepatic ACAT activity due to perfusion with bile salts was accompanied by reduced accumulation of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the perfusate, but there was no effect on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity. Hepatic ACAT activity was decreased after bile diversion for four hours in the intact animal. This treatment had no statistically significant effect on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity. These data suggest that bile salts induce changes in hepatic compartmentation and traffic of cholesterol within the hepatocyte accompanied by response of ACAT activity to maintain cellular cholesterol homeostasis.
Evaluation of in vitro release rate and in vivo absorption characteristics of four metoprolol tartrate immediate-release tablet formulations.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact of formulation and process changes on dissolution and bioavailability/bioequivalency of metoprolol tartrate tablets manufactured using a ...
ISOLATION OF LIPOFUSCIN‐LIKE FLUORESCENT PRODUCTS FROM RIPENING BANANA FRUIT

Ripening banana fruit contains water-insoluble pigments which have a molecular weight in excess of 4000 and a fluorescence spectrum identical to lipofuscin or age pigments. The pigments were not decomposed by irradiation with ultraviolet light. The flourescent substances increased linearly in the peel and quadratically in the pulp during the course of ripening. It is suggested that the fluorescent substances are products of membrane lipo-protein peroxidation like the lipofuscin pigments identified in animal tissues.