cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Redox modulation of recombinant human GABAA receptors

We previously reported that GABA-evoked currents of rat retinal ganglion cells were modulated by redox agents. In this study, we further characterized the effects of redox modulation on GABA receptors using recombinant human subunits in the Xenopus oocyte expression system with two-electrode voltage-clamp recording. GABA receptors composed of subunits alpha(1-3), beta(1-3), gamma(1), gamma(2S,) and rho(1) were expressed. The sulfhydryl reducing agent dithiothreitol reversibly potentiated the responses of various combinations of functional recombinant GABA(A) subunits, whether expressed as triplets (alpha(1)beta(1-3)gamma(1,2S)), pairs (alpha(1-3)beta(1-3); beta(1-3)gamma(1,2S)), or singly (beta(2)). These effects of dithiothreitol were rapidly reversible, and the oxidizing agent 5-5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid exerted the opposite effect. In contrast to these effects on GABA(A) receptors, dithiothreitol had no effect on the responses of homomeric GABA rho(1) (GABA(C)) receptors. The degree of dithiothreitol potentiation of GABA(A) receptor responses depended on subunit composition. Co-expression of gamma(2S) with alpha(1)beta(1-3) subunits resulted in markedly less dithiothreitol potentiation of GABA-evoked currents than that observed for alpha(1-3)beta(1-3) subunits in the absence of gamma(2S). None the less, the magnitude of dithiothreitol potentiation could be restored by using a combination of lower GABA concentrations (5-10 microM) and higher dithiothreitol concentrations (5-20mM). N,N,N', N'-tetrakis(2-pyridyl-methyl)ethylenediamine, a high-affinity Zn(2+) chelator, also potentiated GABA(A) receptor currents. However, the potentiation produced by 10mM dithiothreitol was larger than that produced by saturating concentrations of N,N,N', N'-tetrakis(2-pyridyl-methyl)ethylenediamine (100 microM), implying that at least part of the effect of dithiothreitol was due to redox modulation rather than Zn(2+) chelation. Dithiothreitol also potentiated the spontaneous current of homomeric GABA(A) receptors composed of beta subunits. Mutation of a single cysteine residue in the M3 domain, yielding homomeric beta(3)(C313A) receptors, abrogated dithiothreitol potentiation of the spontaneous current. In summary, this study further characterizes the modulatory effects of redox agents on recombinant GABA(A) receptors. The degree of redox modulation of GABA(A) receptors depended on subunit composition. In contrast to their effect on GABA(A) receptors, redox agents were not found to modulate GABA(C) receptors composed of homomeric rho(1) subunits. Using site-directed mutagenesis, a cysteine residue was located in the beta(3) subunit which may comprise one of the redox-active sites that underlies the modulation of heteromeric GABA(A) receptors by reducing and oxidizing agents.
Neuronal Activity Related to Reward Value and Motivation in Primate Frontal Cortex

In several areas of the macaque brain, neurons fire during delayed-response tasks at a rate determined by the value of the reward expected at the end of the trial. The activity of these neurons might be related to the value of the expected reward or to the degree of motivation induced by expectation of the reward. We describe results indicating that the nature of reward-dependent activity varies across areas. Neuronal activity in orbitofrontal cortex represents the value of the expected reward, whereas neuronal activity in premotor cortex reflects the degree of motivation.
Acoustic-Prosodic Entrainment and Rapport in Collaborative Learning Dialogues

In spoken dialogue analysis, the speech signal is a rich source of information. We explore in this paper how low level features of the speech signal, such as pitch, loudness, and speaking rate, can inform a model of student interaction in collaborative learning dialogues. For instance, can we observe the way that two people's manners of speaking change over time to model something like rapport? By detecting interaction qualities such as rapport, we can better support collaborative interactions, which have been shown to be highly conducive to learning. For this, we focus on one particular phenomenon of spoken conversation, known as acoustic-prosodic entrainment, where dialogue partners become more similar to each other in their pitch, loudness, or speaking rate during the course of a conversation. We examine whether acoustic-prosodic entrainment is present in a novel corpus of collaborative learning dialogues, how people appear to entrain, to what degree, and report on the acoustic-prosodic features which people entrain on the most. We then investigate whether entrainment can facilitate detection of rapport, a social quality of the interaction. We find that entrainment does correlate to rapport; speakers appear to entrain primarily by matching their prosody on a turn-by-turn basis, and pitch is the most significant acoustic-prosodic feature people entrain on when rapport is present.
Characterization of aromatic compounds by low-temperature fluorescence and phosphorescence: Application to air pollution studies

Abstract Characterization through low-temperature fluorescence and phosphorescence properties of aromatic molecules under neutral, acid, and alkaline conditions has been investigated. Compounds that are fluorescent at room temperature are usually fluorescent at liquid-nitrogen temperatures. Many polar compounds that are nonfluorescent at room temperature become strongly fluorescent at low temperatures. Many azulene and azo derivatives that are not fluorescent under neutral conditions give vivid fluorescence under liquid nitrogen. Many of the investigated compounds have vivid phosphorescence properties. Many of the compounds show differences in fluorescence and phosphorescence dependent on whether they are dry or in solution on the paper. Both paper and thin-layer chromatograms can be examined for room-temperature fluorescence, low-temperature fluorescence, and phosphorescence in neutral, acid, or alkaline media. Examples of the more difficult thin-layer chromatogram procedure with air pollution samples are given. An example of an applied paper-chromatographic procedure is given also. The future development of these techniques is discussed.
Dimensions of text processing

Numerical data processing has dominated the computing industry from its earliest days, when computing might better have been called a craft than an industry. In those early days it was not uncommon for a mixed group of scientists and technicians to spend an entire day persuading a roomful of vacuum tubes and mechanical relays to yield up a few thousand elementary operations on numbers. The emphasis on numerical applications was a wholly natural consequence of the dominant interests of the men and women who designed, built, and operated those early computing machines.
Band offset measurements of the GaN (0001)/HfO2 interface

Photoemission spectroscopy has been used to observe the interface electronic states as HfO2 was deposited on clean n-type Ga-face GaN (0001) surfaces. The HfO2 was formed by repeated deposition of several monolayers of Hf followed by remote plasma oxidation at 300 °C, and a 650 °C densification anneal. The 650 °C anneal resulted in a 0.6 and 0.4 eV change in band bending and valence band offset, respectively. The final annealed GaN/HfO2 interface exhibited a valence band offset of 0.3 eV and a conduction band offset of 2.1 eV. A 2.0 eV deviation was found from the electron affinity band offset model.
On Processing Chinese Ideographs and English Words: Some Implications from Stroop-Test Results.

Abstract When Chinese subjects tried to name the color of characters which represented conflicting color words, they showed markedly greater interference than did English speaking readers performing an English version of the same task. This effect cannot be attributed to bilingualism among the Chinese subjects since bilinguals in other languages show smaller Stroop-interference than monolingual controls. Instead, there may be some fundamental differences in the perceptual demands of reading Chinese and English which can have widespread implications for human information processing.
An investigation of the homolytic saccharide cleavage of deprotonated flavonol 3-O-glycosides in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer

The trend in the extent of homolytic saccharide cleavage is reported for a series of deprotonated flavonol 3-O-glycosides upon collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The second-generation product ions from the primary [Y(0)](-) and [Y(0)- H](-.) product ions were also identified. It was determined that the structure of both the aglycon and the saccharide portions of the flavonoid glycoside are pivotal in inducing radical cleavage. In contrast to earlier work on this subject reported for a smaller group of flavonols, the correlation between the degree of B-ring hydroxylation and the extent of radical saccharide cleavage showed several notable exceptions in the present work. Homolytic cleavage was also investigated in the context of using tandem mass spectrometry to identify the aglycon portions of flavonoid glycosides.
Factionalism Among Syrian Nationalists During the French Mandate

It is ironic and perhaps telling that the one national independence movement largely ignored by historians of the Arab Middle East is the Syrian nationalist movement. The irony, of course, is that the birthplace of Arab nationalism was Syria; it was to Damascus that Arab nationalists in Palestine, Iraq and elsewhere looked for inspiration, guidance, and moral support in the interwar period; and out of the Syrian movement sprang the radical nationalism of the Ba'thists. Intellectual histories of the precursors, birth, and content of Arab nationalism abound, and, insofar as these histories deal with the birthplace of Arab nationalism, they must discuss Damascus and Syria just prior to and during World War I. But once the intellectual birth of Arab nationalism has been discussed, interest in the history of Syria wanes to be revived only after World War II, with the emergence of Ba'thism and the military in politics. What follows is by no means a comprehensive analysis of the nature and organization of the Syrian national independence movement; rather, it is a preliminary investigation of some salient characteristics of the politics of Syrian-Arab nationalism in the early years of the French Mandate.
Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of the Polydiacetylene of the Bis-p-Chlorocinnamate of 10,12-Docosadiyn-1,22-diol and Related Subjects

The bis-p-chlorocinnamate of 10,12-docosadiyn-1,22-diol (Cl-Cin-22) interacts with 60Co γ radiation to give a polydiacetylene (PDA) soluble in organic solvents. This PDA has been previously studied with respect to its optical spectroscopy and exciton binding energy. In this work, solution cast films of PDA-Cl-Cin-22 have been studied by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The threshold solid state ionization energy of 5.9 eV is consistent with earlier UPS studies of PDA. Exposure of a Cl-Cin-22 monomer film to He I (21.2 eV radiation) initially gives a blue colored film that converts to a red film on heating, consistent with an irreversible thermochromic transition. In situ polymerization in ultrahigh vacuum of spin coated films of Cl-Cin-22 using He I (21.2 eV radiation) has been explored by recording UPS spectra as a function of exposure time, and for comparison UPS data of p-chlorocinnamic acid and bis-p-chlorotruxinic acid are also reported.
Evaluation of Attention Training and Metacognitive Facilitation to Improve Reading Comprehension in Aphasia.

Purpose This pilot study investigated the impact of direct attention training combined with metacognitive facilitation on reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia. Method A single-subject,...
MnII Is Not a Productive Substrate for Wild-Type or Recombinant Lignin Peroxidase Isozyme H2☆

The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) gene promoter was used to drive the homologous expression of the lignin peroxidase (LiP) isozyme H2 gene in primary metabolic cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The molecular mass, pI, and optical absorption spectra of purified recombinant LiPH2 (rLiPH2) were essentially identical to those of wild-type LiPH2 (wtLiPH2). wtLiPH2 was prepared by growing cells in the absence of MnII, conditions under which P. chrysosporium manganese peroxidase (MnP) is not expressed, ensuring that wtLiPH2 was not contaminated with MnP. The kinetics of veratryl alcohol (VA) oxidation were essentially identical for rLiPH2 and wtLiPH2. The rLiPH2, wtLiPH2, and wild-type LiP isozyme H8 (wt-LiPH8) enzymes were used to reexamine previous claims that LiPH2 can oxidize Mn" at a rate sufficient to promote catalytic turnover of the enzyme. Our results demonstrate that rLiPH2, wtLiPH2, and LiPH8 do not turn over under steady-state conditions, when MnII is the sole reducing substrate. Furthermore, transient-state kinetic analyses show that the reduction rate of the catalytic intermediate, LiP compound I, by VA was at least 2 x 10(3)-fold higher than the rate of reduction in the presence of MnII. No reduction of LiP compound II was observed in the presence of MnII. In contrast to previous claims, these data strongly suggest that MnII is not a productive substrate for LiPH2 or LiPH8.
A novel neurotensin peptide analog given extracranially decreases food intake and weight in rodents.

Neurotensin decreases food intake in the rat when injected into the cerebral ventricles. We tested the effect of a novel neurotensin analog (NT69L), injected intra-peritoneally (i.p.), on weight gain and food intake in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (270 g) were injected i. p. with either saline or NT69L at 0.001 or 0.010 mg/kg. In further experiments, larger rats at a more steady state on the growth curve (400 g) were injected with either saline or 0.010 or 1 mg/kg NT69L. Food intake, water consumption and body weight were recorded daily. Weight gain was significantly reduced in the smaller rats injected with 0.001 or 0.010 mg/kg, showing only a 8.5 and 9.0% increase in original weight, respectively, as compared to a 29% increase for the controls. The larger rats injected with 1 mg/kg, had a significant reduction in body weight with a 3.0% decrease in original body weight as compared to a 2.4% increase for the controls. Food intake was significantly reduced suggesting that the weight loss observed after injection of NT69L was attributable in part to a reduction in food intake. The genetically obese Zucker rats injected with NT69L (1 mg/kg) had a significant reduction in weight gain and food intake. NT69L significantly increased blood glucose and corticosterone levels and decreased TSH and T4 in Sprague-Dawley and Zucker rats, an effect that was only transitory. NT69L also caused a decrease in norepinephrine in both the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens, and an increase in dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and serotonin. In this study, NT69L exhibited a consistent and dramatic effect on body weight and food intake in Sprague-Dawley and obese Zucker rats, and enabled us to study the role that NT plays in weight control and the functional interactions of NT with brain amines, and metabolic and endocrinological parameters.
Quality assurance practices for competitive data warehouse management systems

There are benefits, costs and significant potential risks for maintaining reliable corporate data, and many organisations do not display the appropriate attitude about ensuring high-quality data; faculty assuming that accepting data errors as a cost of doing business. This present study documents two large NE Ohio businesses, one driven by goods and the other by services. The practitioner's success of the businesses hinges on quality driven in product accuracy, data management, and service levels. Further, the support for these efforts comes from the top of the organisation, by investing the capital and labour necessary to run the business; as a result, both companies excel and thrive in their respective niches.
Utility of a summative scale based on the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Screener to identify CSHCN with special dental care needs.

Our objective was to determine if a summative scale reflecting the number of positive criteria on the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Screener is useful in identifying subgroups of CSHCN at risk for poorer oral health and unmet dental care needs and who should be considered to have special dental care needs. Data were analyzed for a population-based sample of 91,642 US children <18 years from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. The independent variable of interest was the summative number of positive CSHCN Screener criteria. Dependent variables were parent-perceived condition of child’s teeth, toothache, cavities, broken teeth, bleeding gums in the previous 6 months, and unmet dental care needs in the past 12 months. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for each outcome using the survey command in Stata to account for the sampling design. A summative scale based on the number of positive CSHCN Screener criteria was independently associated with various parent-perceived poorer oral health outcomes in children. CSHCN who met 4 or 5 screener criteria had 4 and 4.5 times, respectively, the odds of having fair-poor condition of teeth and bleeding gums relative to non-CSHCN. They also had 87% higher odds for parent-perceived toothache and 2 and 2.5 times the odds of having recent broken teeth and unmet dental care needs relative to non-CSHCN, respectively. There was no dose-dependent association between summative number of positive CSHCN Screener criteria and reported cavities in children. Application of a summative score based on the CSHCN Screener has utility in identifying the CSHCN subgroup with special dental care needs.
The Social Scientist and Rehabilitative Crime Policy

Social scientists are in a quandary about crime policy. On the one hand, the tools of their discipline incline them naturally toward a search for the causes of differences in delinquent behavior, an inclination which appears to be supportive of the potential for rehabilitative components to crime policy. Both the premise of determinism and the methodology of differentiation are intellectually compatible with the prospects for rehabilitation, because both are requisites for a crime control strategy that seeks the impact of purposeful changes in the lives or attitudes of delinquents on subsequent behavior. On the other hand, social scientists are being confronted with a number of arguments that question the utility for social policy of adherence to these assumptions. The validity of some of these arguments is explored briefly in this article. They are found to suffer from an erroneous conception of the logic of determinism, an underdevelopment of the notion of deterrence, or an artifactual conception of the requisites for rehabilitation.
Aggregation of Hydrolytic End-Products of αs1-Casein

Abstract Proteolytic digests of α s1 -casein aggregated at pH 9.0 as indicated by gel filtration chromatography. Aggregation was eliminated at pH 5.7.
Numerical evaluation of thermal diffusion column coefficients

Abstract Numerical methods were developed for evaluating the coefficients which appear in the theory of the thermal diffusion column. An associated computer code (program COLCO) was developed to calculate coefficients based on tables of physical properties or (for gases) on physical properties calculated from the kinetic theory of gases. The program was used to calculate thermogravitation velocity profiles for a planar column filled with a fluid of constant properties. The results agreed well with those calculated from the simple algebraic expressions which can be derived for that case. Coefficients calculated by the program were also found to be in good agreement with published tables of reduced coefficients (shape factors) for a dilute Lennard-Jones gas.
Extremes of moving averages of random variables from the domain of attraction of the double exponential distribution

Let {Zn} be an iid sequence of random variables with common distribution F which belongs to the domain of attraction of exp{−e-x}. If in addition, FϵSr(γ) (i.e.,limx→∞ P[Z1+Z2>]P[Z1>x]=dϵ(0, ∞) and limx→∞(1−F(x−y))(1−F(x))=eγy for every yϵ R), then it is shown that a point process based on the moving average process {Xn:=Σ∞j=-∞cjZn−j} converges weakly. A host of complementary results concerning extremal properties of {Xn} can then be derived from this convergence result. These include the convergence of maxima to extremal processes, the limit point process of exceedances, the joint limit distribution of the largest and second largest and the joint limit distribution of the largest and smallest. Convergence of a sequence of point processes based on the max-moving average process {V∞n=−∞cjZn−j} is also considered.
Sources of Supply Chain Disruptions, Factors That Breed Vulnerability, and Mitigating Strategies

The focus of business toward increasing efficiency and reducing costs has resulted in supply chains that are efficient during normal times, but at the cost of being vulnerable to disruptions. From time to time, frequent as well as rare catastrophes also disrupt supply chain operations. We collect and compile data from many sources and show that there has been a marked increase in both the frequency and economic losses from natural and man-made catastrophes. We find that business losses constitute a major percentage of the total losses caused by these catastrophes. The statistics suggest that for terrorist attacks, the vulnerability of U.S. business interests is much higher than others. Examination of the geographical and chronological distributions of catastrophes provides useful information for managers concerned about such disruptions. We develop a catastrophe classification framework that matches different types of catastrophes to a variety of infrastructural components of supply chains. The framework ...
Allosteric modulation of Ca2+ channels by G proteins, voltage-dependent facilitation, protein kinase C, and Cavβ subunits

N-type and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels are inhibited by neurotransmitters acting through G protein-coupled receptors in a membrane-delimited pathway involving Gβγ subunits. Inhibition is caused by a shift from an easily activated “willing” (W) state to a more-difficult-to-activate “reluctant” (R) state. This inhibition can be reversed by strong depolarization, resulting in prepulse facilitation, or by protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation. Comparison of regulation of N-type Ca2+ channels containing Cav2.2a α1 subunits and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels containing Cav2.1 α1 subunits revealed substantial differences. In the absence of G protein modulation, Cav2.1 channels containing Cavβ subunits were tonically in the W state, whereas Cav2.1 channels without β subunits and Cav2.2a channels with β subunits were tonically in the R state. Both Cav2.1 and Cav2.2a channels could be shifted back toward the W state by strong depolarization or PKC phosphorylation. Our results show that the R state and its modulation by prepulse facilitation, PKC phosphorylation, and Cavβ subunits are intrinsic properties of the Ca2+ channel itself in the absence of G protein modulation. A common allosteric model of G protein modulation of Ca2+-channel activity incorporating an intrinsic equilibrium between the W and R states of the α1 subunits and modulation of that equilibrium by G proteins, Cavβ subunits, membrane depolarization, and phosphorylation by PKC accommodates our findings. Such regulation will modulate transmission at synapses that use N-type and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels to initiate neurotransmitter release.
On integrability in the LIL for degenerate U -statistics

It is shown by example that square integrability of the kennelh of a completely degenerateU-statistic is not a necessary condition for the law of the iterated logarithm to hold. Necessary integrability conditions are given onh which are in a sense the strongest possible. Sufficient conditions for a degenerateU-statistic of order 2 to satisfy the LIL, weaker than square integrability of the kernel, are also given.
The effect of penetration on the multipole and multistreak expansions of molecular electrostatic potentials

We have separated the electrostatic potential of a molecule into two parts: an atomic-like part, which is expanded in spherical harmonics around each nucleus, plus an overlap part, expanded in ellipsoidal harmonics around each pair of nuclei. Neglect of the penetration effect in these expansions yields a superposition of point and line multipoles. We have studied the penetration effect for the case of the hydrogen molecules and suggest an approximation for the elliptical penetration effect as a screening factor in the electrostatic potential.
Surgery of the inner ear with hearing preservation: serial histological changes.

Objectives/Hypothesis Surgery of the inner ear can result in hearing preservation under certain conditions, but the mechanisms responsible for hearing preservation or loss are not well understood. The specific aim of the study is to examine histological sections obtained at different time intervals after varying degrees of surgical entry into the inner ear, to understand how the cochlea is protected. The hypothesis is that internal partitioning occurs. Study Design Histologic examination of guinea pig inner ears by light microscopy. Methods Guinea pigs underwent lateral semicircular canal transection and plugging, ampullectomy, or vestibulotomy, and tone-burst auditory brainstem response thresholds at 2, 8, and 24 kHz were measured at intervals before and after surgery. Animals were killed after 1, 3, 7, or 21 or more days, and temporal bones were examined histologically. Results The histological response to surgical trauma consists of fibrosis and varying amounts of inflammation near the site of surgical entry. Cochlear hair cells are nearly always preserved, even when hearing loss occurs. Extension of the inflammatory response to the cochlea is associated with greater degrees of hearing loss. Conclusion The guinea pig inner ear is capable of withstanding surgical trauma to the semicircular canals and vestibule without complete loss of cochlear function. Fibrosis creates an effective partition between the site of surgical entry and the rest of the inner ear. Cochlear preservation might be enhanced if the inflammatory response can be contained.
A Bacteroides tetracycline resistance gene represents a new class of ribosome protection tetracycline resistance.

Abstract The ribosome protection type of tetracycline resistance (Tcr) has been found in a variety of bacterial species, but the only two classes described previously, Tet(M) and Tet(O), shared a high degree of amino acid sequence identity (greater than 75%). Thus, it appeared that this type of resistance emerged recently in evolution and spread among different species of bacteria by horizontal transmission. We obtained the DNA sequence of a Tcr gene from Bacteroides, a genus of gram-negative, obligately anaerobic bacteria that is phylogenetically distant from the diverse species in which tet(M) and tet(O) have been found. The Bacteroides Tcr gene defines a new class of ribosome protection resistance genes, Tet(Q), and has a deduced amino acid sequence that was only 40% identical to Tet(M) or Tet(O). Like tet(M) and tet(O), tet(Q) appears to have spread by horizontal transmission, but only within the Bacteroides group.
Transgender friendship experiences: Benefits and barriers of friendships across gender identity and sexual orientation

The present research explores benefits and barriers of friendships for transgender individuals. Participants included 536 individuals who self-identified as transgender or gender variant. Participants completed an online survey asking about friendship experiences with transgender, cisgender, sexual minority, and heterosexual friends. Using a feminist intersectional theoretical framework, content analysis attended to the benefits and barriers to friendship and highlighted patterns of responses by allowing for comparisons across friends' gender identity and sexual orientation. Unique friendship barriers and benefits were found across normative (cisgender/heterosexual) and non-normative (transgender/sexual minority) dimensions of identities. In addition, friendship experiences with transgender and sexual minority friends displayed unique similarities and differences. In our analyses we emphasize the usefulness of a feminist intersectional approach in investigating transgender friendship experience.
Human resource management systems and firm performance

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to test a model where human resource inputs (e.g. motivation, employee skill) and human resource processes/practices (e.g. training and development; profit sharing) are hypothesized to contribute uniquely and positively to organizational outputs, i.e. job performance and firm performance.Design/methodology/approach – The cross‐sectional study consisted of 350 business professionals (91 percent managers; 9 percent consultants) from a midwestern US professional organization who took a battery of survey measures via the internet.Findings – After statistically controlling for the background variables (organizational type, size and status), the hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that both the human resource inputs and process/practice variables explained statistically significant variance in each of the nine regression models. The effect size in each model was medium to large.Originality/value – The findings illustrate the considerable utility of researchers an...
An ethidium ion selective electrode and its application to DNA-ethidium binding

Abstract A liquid membrane electrode has been made which is selective for ethidium ion. The membrane is formed in a capillary by a 3-nitro-o-xylene solution of an ethidium-tetraphenyl borate complex. The electrode emf (vs saturated KCl-calomel reference) has a linear dependence upon the logarithm of ethidium concentration from 2 μM to 0.5 mM. The electrode is used here to measure free ethidium ion in mixtures with calf thymus DNA. The binding isotherms obtained are in general agreement with a control photometric titration and with literature results. Direct measurement of free ethidium concentration by convenient potentiometric methods is useful in the study of ligand binding to nucleic acids and to related compounds.
GROWTH HORMONE (GH) RELEASE IN CHILDREN WITH SHORT STATURE: STIMULATION BY HUMAN PANCREATIC TUMOR GROWH HORMONE RELEASING FACTOR-40 (hpGRF-40)

GROWTH HORMONE (GH) RELEASE IN CHILDREN WITH SHORT STATURE: STIMULATION BY HUMAN PANCREATIC TUMOR GROWH HORMONE RELEASING FACTOR-40 (hpGRF-40)
PTSD and depression as predictors of physical health-related quality of life in tobacco-dependent veterans

Abstract Objective Smoking, depression and PTSD are related to poor physical health outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Previous studies examining the effects of quitting smoking on HRQoL have been mixed. This study aimed to examine the effects of PTSD, depressive symptoms and smoking cessation on HRQoL in a sample receiving treatment for PTSD. Method This study utilized archival interview and self-report data from a clinical trial (VA Cooperative Study 519) that recruited tobacco dependent veterans with chronic PTSD (N = 943). Results Analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling and indicated that PTSD and depressive symptoms differentially affected the various physical health status domains. Additionally, quitting smoking was associated with better self-perceived health status and social functioning. Conclusion Our findings further explain the interrelationships of PTSD, depression, and smoking in the prediction of physical HRQoL and advocate the importance of integrated care.
Patterns of Exchange, Fiat Money, and Coordination

Many argue that the intrinsic uselessness of fiat money makes ``coordination'' an essential part of monetary theory: consumers could all equally well coordinate on believing that fiat money has no value. The coordination view suggests, however, that many transactions patterns are in fact possible as economic outcomes. Indeed, we do seem to observe different patterns of exchange at different times and in different places, and the relative importance of money is probably not a universal constant. The main goal of this paper is to develop a simple model of money's role as a medium of exchange when multiple transaction patterns are possible. The coordination view is conveniently analyzed in a dynamic version of Shubik's game-theoretic trading post economy. This economy allows a role for fiat money, and fiat money can coexist with barter in exchange. There are multiple decentralized equilibria, and one of these coincides with the equilibrium of a cash-in-advance economy: the model can be viewed as a generalization of the cash-in-advance framework. Other equilibria use both money and other, intrinsically valuable, objects as media of exchange. One implication of the coordination view is that the effects of monetary policy in general depend on the equilibrium transactions pattern. The paper illustrates this point by showing how estimates of the welfare costs of inflation may be biased depending on the econometrician's beliefs about the transactions patterns.
Liver Transplantation in the Management of Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma: A Single-Center Experience and Review of the Literature

Hepatic epitheliod hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare tumor of vascular origin with unpredictable malignant potential. We describe our experience with four biopsy-proven HEHE cases that were considered for orthotopic liver transplant (OLT). Three patients had preserved hepatic function and despite extensive disease burden did not develop disease progression while awaiting OLT. We were able to utilize the review process allowed by United Network of Organ Sharing to obtain additional priority for OLT for these patients. This led to expedited organ allocation and excellent post-OLT outcomes.
Polymerization of methyl 12‐acryloxystearate, N,N‐dimethyl 12‐acryloxystearamide, and methyl 14‐acryloxyeicosanoate

Several homopolymers and copolymers of the title compounds have been prepared by radical initiation with potassium persulfate or diethyl azobisisobutyrate. The copolymers exhibit a combination of the properties of the homopolymers of the monomers. The homopolymers are adhesive, very slightly elastic, and show cold flow. Several of the copolymers show possible promise for use as adhesives.
Human thermolabile phenol sulfotransferase gene (STM): molecular cloning and structural characterization.

Abstract Thermolabile (TL) phenol sulfotransferase (PST) catalyzes the sulfate conjugation of phenolic monoamines such as dopamine. The level of activity of TL PST in at least one human tissue, the blood platelet, is controlled by a genetic polymorphism. We previously cloned and expressed a cDNA for human liver TL PST and localized its gene, STM, to human chromosome 16p11.2, a region of the chromosome to which the Batten disease gene is also localized. A cDNA for human brain TL PST with an identical open reading frame (ORF) has also been cloned. We have now isolated the human TL PST gene, STM, and have characterized its structural organization as an additional step toward understanding molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of levels of TL PST activity in human tissue. STM consists of ten exons and nine introns, with a total length of approximately 8.4 kb. Exons range from 88-499 bp in length, while introns vary from 89-1855 bp. Many of the exon-intron splice junctions in STM are located at positions identical to those of splice junctions in the human dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) ST gene, STD, and the rat phenol or aryl ST gene. The first two STM exons are represented in the 5′-UTR of a longer TL PST cDNA expressed in both brain and liver, while exon III is represented in a shorter cDNA 5′-UTR expressed in both tissues. These observations suggest alternative transcription initiation and/or alternative splicing as explanations for the existence of TL PST mRNA species with two different 5′-UTRs. 5′-Flanking region(s) of STM contained neither canonical TATA nor CCAAT elements, but they did contain pyrimidine-rich stretches. Northern blot analyses showed that an mRNA species approximately 1.4 kb in length was expressed in human liver, kidney, lung, small intestine, spleen and leukocyte. Molecular cloning and structural characterization of STM will make it possible to study molecular genetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of TL PST activity in human tissue.
Response of NE 218 to fast neutrons

Abstract The relative light output of an NE 218 scintillator was compared for low energy gamma rays and for neutrons in the energy range 1.4 to 30 MeV.
Applying general medical knowledge to individuals: A philosophical analysis

Applying general and statistical knowledge to individuals is difficult either on epidemiological or epistemological grounds. This paper examines these difficulties from the perspective of computer registers of epidemiological data.
A private level-1 cache architecture to exploit the latency and capacity tradeoffs in multicores operating at near-threshold voltages

Near-threshold voltage (NTV) operation is expected to enable up to 10× energy-efficiency for future processors. However, reliable operation below a minimum voltage (Vccmin) cannot be guaranteed. Specifically, SRAM bit-cell error rates are expected to rise steeply since their margins can easily be violated at near-threshold voltages. Multicore processors rely on fast private L1 caches to exploit data locality and achieve high performance. In the presence of high bit-cell error rates, an L1 cache can either sacrifice capacity or incur additional latency to correct the errors. We observe that L1 cache sensitivity to hit latency offers a design tradeoff between capacity and latency. When error rate is high at extreme Vccmin, it is worthwhile incurring additional latency to recover and utilize the additional L1 cache capacity. However, at low error rates, the additional constant latency to recover cache capacity degrades performance. With this tradeoff in mind, we propose a novel private L1 cache architecture that dynamically learns and adapts by either recovering cache capacity at the cost of additional latency overhead, or operate at lower capacity while utilizing the benefits of optimal hit latency. Using simulations of a 64-core multicore, we demonstrate that our adaptive L1 cache architecture performs better than both individual schemes at low and high error rates (i.e., various NTV conditions).
The monotonicity of the period function for planar Hamiltonian vector fields

If the Hamiltonian system with Hamiltonian H(x, y) = 12y2 + V(x) has a center at the origin it is shown that the period function for the family of periodic trajectories surrounding the center is monotone when the function V(V′)2 is convex. This theorem is applied to determine existence and uniqueness of solutions for the Neumann boundary value problem X″ = a(x′)2 + bx + c, x′(0) = x′(1) = 0.
Substituent effects in the electron-impact induced fragmentation of phenoxastannins

Abstract The common initial step in the electron-impact induced fragmentation of five Sn,Sn-disubstituted phenoxastannins (9-oxa-10-stanna-9,10-dihydroanthracenes) and two closely related acyclic organotin analogues is ejection of a metal-ligands as a radical. The subsequent break-down pattern, however, is markedly dependent on the nature of substituents. The propensity of tin to remain in the Sn IV ox idation state is noted. Metastables indicate the competitive elimination of unusual neutral particles e.g. , C 6 H 4 and C 6 H 4 O from fragment ions. Examples of SnO bond formation are presented. Complex skeletal and multiple hydrogen rearrangements involving CC bond formation with concomitant loss of both heteroatoms [ e.g. , transitions m/e 303→91, me/e 227→91 in (I) and m/e 289→153 in (II) and (III)] have been uncovered by accurate mass measurements and computer-aided correlation of metastable peaks. Complete “element maps”, to determine the elemental composition of all ions, have been recorded for (III) and (VI). Low voltage (12eV) studies were undertaken to identify the energetically favorable reaction paths.
METHOD OF SINGULAR INTEGRODIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS IN PLANE DYNAMIC PROBLEMS OF FRACTURE MECHANICS

We develop a method for the solution of two-dimensional dynamic problems of the theory of elasticity for infinite bodies with smooth curvilinear cracks combining a modified method of finite differences in time with the method of singular integrodifferential equations in the space variables. Integral representations of the wave potentials are constructed and used to reduce the first boundary-value problem to the solution of systems of integrodifferential equations by the method of mechanical quadratures. The time dependences of the computed dynamic stress intensity factors at the tips of a rectilinear crack are analyzed for various impact and pulsed loads acting upon the crack lips.
Matching embedded capacitor dielectrics to applications

All capacitor dielectric materials, whether used for discrete or embedded applications, can be grouped into two general categories: paraelectric and ferroelectric. Ferroelectrics generally exhibit much higher dielectric constants, but are also less stable with regard to temperature, frequency, voltage, time and film thickness. There are dozens of each of these materials that have been used in discrete capacitors and about ten that are either available for use in embedded capacitors or will soon be marketed for that purpose. The commercialized materials can be broken down into four sub‐categories: thick‐film polymers, ferroelectric powder in polymer binders, thin‐film paraelectrics, and thick‐film ferroelectrics. These four classifications are evaluated with regard to their electrical performance, ease of fabrication, and suitability for specific applications.
A guide for predicting arterial CO2 tension in metabolic acidosis.

This presentation examines the relation of arterial CO2 tension to the severity of acidemia in three large groups of cases of diabetic ketoacidosis, totalling 405 episodes. In particular, i
Spatio-Temporal Properties of Single-Cycle THz Pulses Generated by Relativistic Electron Beams in a Laser-Plasma Accelerator

Spatial and temporal properties of single-cycle THz pulses from a laser-plasma accelerator have been measured. Spatio-temporal coupling is observed that can impact pump-probe experiments: aberrations in the THz focusing system cause an apparent double-pulse structure.
TOPOGRAPHIC SHADING AND GEOGRAPHICAL PATTERNS OF DIRECT SOLAR RADIATION IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS

Topographic shading curtails the period and complicates the geographic patterns of insolation in mountainous areas. Maps derived from oblique aerial photographs of shadow lines cast by the irregular, mountainous east horizon in Provo, Utah are used as a case study to illustrate an alternative to existing techniques of solar radiation data collection. For study areas of several hundred square kilometers, this method may be superior in resolution and at the same time more error free and economically feasible than other methods. Measurement of solar inputs received at sample stations scattered through the mapped area show that the phenomenon of topographically delayed sunrise has a distinct effect on daily totals of radiation in the manner suggested by the maps.
Hard-on-Hard Total Hip Impingement Causes Extreme Contact Stress Concentrations

Background Impingement events, in addition to their role immediately proximate to frank dislocation, hold the potential to damage new-generation hard-on-hard bearings as a result of the relatively unforgiving nature of the materials and designs. Because of the higher stiffness and tighter design tolerances of metal-on-metal and ceramic implants, surgical positioning plausibly has become even more important.
A conceptual model for soot formation in pyrolysis of aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract Soot formation in toluene-argon mixtures has been investigated behind reflected shock waves by monitoring attenuation of a laser beam in both the visible (632.8nm) and the infrared (3.39 μm) regions of the spectrum. The experiments were carried out at nearly constant total carbon atom concentration over temperature and pressure ranges of approximately 1500–2300K and 0.03–0.3 MPa, respectively. The experimental data indicate that there is a strong pressure effect on soot formation at lower pressures. The bell-shaped dependence of soot conversion on temperature shifts toward higher temperatures with decreasing pressure. The observed phenomenon can not be rationalized within Graham's model. A new conceptual model for soot formation is proposed that not only explains the current results but also unifies the various experimental facts which previously had been considered to be contradictory. The ratio of induction times for soot appearance in the visible and infrared regions was observed to be approximately constant over a wide temperature range, which is also in harmony with the proposed model.
Bacteriophage φ80-induced low molecular weight RNA

Abstract A species of low molecular weight RNA (M 3 ) which is produced in bacteriophage φ80-infected Escherichia coli has been isolated and characterized. M 3 appears immediately after infection and its synthesis continues until lysis. This RNA is unstable; its mean half-life is 13.5 min. The structural gene for M 3 is localized on the φ80 genome to the right of the exonuclease locus and to the left of gene Q. The complete nucleotide sequence of M 3 has been determined. It is 62 nucleotides in length. The 5′ end begins with pppGp and the 3′ terminus is C-U-U-U-U-U-A-A OH . The sequence and sensitivity to ribonuclease digestion suggests a highly double-stranded structure for M 3 .
Hair ornamentation and predator defence in Chaetomium

Larvae of the sciarid fly Lycoriella mali Fitch. avoid ascocarps of Chaetomium bostrycodes Zopf on rabbit faeces but actively consume the sporocarps of other coprophilous fungi. The author suggests that ornamented perithecial hairs of Chaetomium and related genera ( Achaetomella Arx; Thielavia Zopf) may have evolved as a mechanical deterrent against predation by arthropod detritivores, thus enabling them to successfully sporulate on the surface of nutrient rich, relatively short-lived substrates (i.e. dung, plant detritus).
Using Spinach-based sensors for fluorescence imaging of intracellular metabolites and proteins in living bacteria

Genetically encoded fluorescent sensors can be valuable tools for studying the abundance and flux of molecules in living cells. We recently developed a novel class of sensors composed of RNAs that can be used to detect diverse small molecules and untagged proteins. These sensors are based on Spinach, an RNA mimic of GFP, and they have successfully been used to image several metabolites and proteins in living bacteria. Here we discuss the generation and optimization of these Spinach-based sensors, which, unlike most currently available genetically encoded reporters, can be readily generated to any target of interest. We also provide a detailed protocol for imaging ADP dynamics in living Escherichia coli after a change from glucose-containing medium to other carbon sources. The entire procedure typically takes ∼4 d including bacteria transformation and image analysis. The majority of this protocol is applicable to sensing other metabolites and proteins in living bacteria.