cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TISSUE NECROSIS AND PROTEASE CONTENT IN SNAKE VENOMS

ABSTRACT The venoms of C. adamanteus, T. flavoviridis, C. atrox, C.ruber and A. piscivorus were tested for “collagenase” activity on Azocoll, on a synthetic collagenase-specific hexapeptide, and on native, partially purified bovine-tendon collagen. Collagenase, trypsin and pronase were employed as controls. No hydrolysis which could not be ascribed to the proteolytic activity of the venoms was observed on any of these substrates. The proteolytic activities of the venoms and of collagenase, trypsin and pronase were compared on Azocoll with the highest venom activity shown by C. ruber and r. flavoviridis; the highest on casein was shown by C. ruber and C. atrox. The lowest proteolytic activity on both substrates was shown by C. adamanteus. Trypsin and pronase were higher in proteolytic activity than any of the venoms; collagenase showed low proteolytic activity. The diameter of the lesion produced by intradermal injection of 0.1 ml of venom or enzyme solution was not related to the above chemical activities. It was greatest with c. adamanteus, sizeable lesions being produced in concentrations as low as 0.3 ug. A. piscivorus differed from the other venoms in producing erythematous areas containing small petechiae and only collagenase of all the enzymes produced hemorrhagic spots. Trypsin produced noticeable lesions only when amounts higher than 10 ug were injected. It seems clear from this work that venom proteases need not be implicated in the ability of a venom to produce tissue damage. Further, it seems unlikely that venoms possess much, if any, collagenolytic activity. Primary factors in tissue damage as produced by those venoms which possess the greatest hemorrhagic activity are probably one or more cytolytic toxins. The striking differences between the amount of tissue damage produced by the venom of C. adamanteus as compared to C. atrox should also be mentioned. Three–tenths of one microgram of the former produces the same hemorrhagic response in rabbit skin as 30 μg of the latter. This fact should have great bearing on the treatment on envenomation by these snakes, especially since the C, adamanteus venom produces its tissue effect without conspicuous lytic enzyme.
On Fixed Points of Conformal Automorphisms of Riemann Surfaces

0. Let R be a compact Riemann surface of genus g, and let f denote a conformal automorphism of R that is not the identity mapping. By a classical theorem the number of fixed points of f is at most 2g + 2. This result has in recent years been generalized to non-compact Riemann surfaces (cf. [P/L] for g = 0 and [M], [S] for g ≥ 0). Our paper contains new proofs of that fact.
PROMIS Pain Interference Is Superior vs Numeric Pain Rating Scale for Pain Assessment in Foot and Ankle Patients.

Background:The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a popular method to assess pain. Recently, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) has been suggested to be more acc...
Cervical Radicular Pain

Cervical radicular pain should be distinguished from myelopathy and other more serious conditions. Imaging should be reserved for patients with neurological conditions rather than being used as a screening tool. Symptomatic relief may be obtained with a variety of medications as well as interventions. Surgery is indicated for instability or compressive lesions.
Psychometric Properties of Pressure Pain Thresholds Measured in 2 Positions for Adults With and Without Neck-Shoulder Pain and Tenderness.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of pressure pain threshold (PPT) testing in adults with and without neck-shoulder pain and tenderness and to compare the differences in PPT measurements between the seated and prone positions. Methods Thirty asymptomatic adults and 30 symptomatic patients with intermittent neck-shoulder pain and tenderness completed the study. A pressure algometer was used to assess PPTs at specific points on the middle deltoid, levator scapulae, and upper trapezius muscles of the dominant side of the asymptomatic individuals and the painful side of the patients. Four trials were performed on each muscle in both the seated and prone positions. To determine between-day reliability, a subset of the participants returned to repeat the testing. Results The intraclass correlation coefficients showed good to excellent within-session reliability and fair to excellent between-day reliability of PPT measurements in both the seated and prone positions for both groups. There were significant differences between groups for all muscles in both positions (P Conclusion The results of the study suggest that PPT testing could be useful for distinguishing individuals with and without neck-shoulder pain and tenderness. Further, the patient’s position should be considered when testing PPT, specifically at the middle deltoid or upper trapezius muscles.
Redirecting the revolution: new developments in drug development for psychiatry.

Psychiatric disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide, and there is an urgent need for new treatments [1]. The exodus of many pharmaceutical companies from psychiatric drug developme...
2152. Detection of Uropathogens Using BD Kiestra™ Total Laboratory Automation with Urine Culture Application

Background Urine is the most frequently cultured specimen type for the majority of clinical microbiology laboratories. Typically, around 30% of cultures are positive for uropathogens with 70% yielding insignificant or mixed growth. BD is developing a software Urine Culture Application (UCA) for the BD Kiestra Total Laboratory Automation (TLA) system to screen images of urine culture plates, sort them based on growth vs. insignificant growth and also allow for presumptive pathogen identification.
Exploring Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Large-scale Smartphone-based Dangerous Driving Event Data *

Dangerous driving events data are widely used as surrogates to traffic crashes. Large-scale dangerous driving events data collected from smartphones are explored in this study. Clustering analysis is performed on dangerous driving events counted in spatial cells. Spatial and temporal patterns of the cluster distributions are then explored. Both the existence of spatial autocorrelation and the similarity of cluster distributions for different time periods are uncovered.
Parasympathetic Function: Relevance and Methodology for Early Education Research

AbstractEarly childhood education programs, and particularly those designed to reduce gaps in school readiness between children in poverty and their more affluent peers, have increasingly addressed...
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a percutaneous procedure designed to decompress the portal system in patients with portal hypertension. TIPS is indicated as prophylaxis for recurrent variceal bleeding, refractory active variceal bleeding, and refractory ascites or hepatic hydrothorax.
Visualizing 20 Years of Racial-Ethnic Variation in Women's Ages at Sexual Initiation and Family Formation.

This data visualization uses several cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth to compare trends in median ages at first sex, birth, cohabitation, and marriage between 1995 and 2015 across non...
Patient Reported Menstrual and Obstetrical Outcomes Following Office Based Hysteroscopic Lysis of Adhesions for Asherman's Syndrome

Study Objective To understand the impact of hysteroscopic adhesiolysis on menstrual and obstetrical outcomes amongst Asherman's syndrome patients when stratified by disease severity using the March classification system. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting A community teaching hospital affiliated with a large academic medical center. Patients or Participants A total of 355 Asherman's syndrome patients who underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis from 01/01/2015 - 03/01/2019. Interventions Hysteroscopic adhesiolysis followed by telephone survey to determine menstrual and obstetrical outcomes. Measurements and Main Results A total of 150 (42.3%) patients completed the telephone survey with a mean follow-up of 2.21 years. They were representative of the clinic population, and comprised of 40.6% with mild, 52.7% with moderate, and 6.7% with severe Asherman's syndrome. Amenorrhea was reported at initial evaluation in 23.8% of all patients, with no significant difference by March classification. However, there was a significant difference in the resolution of amenorrhea with 93.7%, 85.0%, and 50.0% of mild, moderate, and severe Asherman's syndrome patients endorsing a return of menstruation following treatment. The cumulative pregnancy rate was 81.9%. There was no significant difference in live birth rate with 50.9%, 54.6%, and 16.7% amongst the mild, moderate and severe Asherman's syndrome patients. March classification was not a predictor for ≥1 pregnancy or ≥1 live births when adjusted for confounders using multivariable logistic regression modeling. March classification was a predictor of ≥1 miscarriage in moderate disease when compared to mild cases (95% CI 0.1 - 0.8, P-value Conclusion The patient reported return of menstruation as well as the pregnancy rate following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis of Asherman's syndrome patients are both promising, however not well predicted by the March classification system.
Building a Better Marijuana Tax

Eleven states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation legalizing adult possession and use of marijuana. Of those twelve jurisdictions, only eight of those jurisdictions have active markets where the substance can be legally bought and sold, and each imposes a different taxation scheme on the flow of marijuana goods in the marketplace. This paper analyzes each tax base and then proposes a bifurcated recreational marijuana tax scheme for states that are currently thinking about legalization: (i) tax flower, bud, and trim based on weight; and (ii) tax concentrates, edibles, oils, and other “distilled” marijuana products based on potency, currently measured by THC content. The idea behind taxing by potency is two-fold: first, the state may pursue public health goals by nudging consumers away from high-potency forms of marijuana – and prevent producers from gravitating even more strongly toward high-potency goods; second, taxing by potency may help normalize the recreational use of marijuana by encouraging society to treat marijuana more like other legal drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes. While no tax scheme is perfect, a hybrid weight/potency base combined with a sunset provision to allow further research on the area appears to be the ideal way to regulate marijuana at this moment in time.
Traumatic Abdominal Wall Hernia in Children: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) in children is an uncommon injury and most commonly occurs after blunt abdominal trauma. There is no consensus on the management of these rare cases. We performed a systematic review of the literature to describe injuries, management, and outcomes. Materials and methods Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar was performed to identify English-language publications of blunt TAWH in patients Results A total of 71 articles were reviewed with 100 cases of TAWH. A total of 82.5% of patients were male, and the median age was 9 y old (range 2-15). Injury by bicycle handlebars was most common (72%) followed by motor vehicle collision (14%). Forty patients had intraabdominal injuries, most commonly bowel (70%) or mesentery (37.5%). Rate of intraabdominal injury was significantly higher in patients with injuries due to nonbicycle handlebar injuries when compared with bicycle handlebar injuries (60.7% versus 33.3%, P = 0.02). Most patients were managed operatively (85%), most commonly via laparotomy (68/85, 80%), with six laparoscopic repairs and five laparoscopic converted to open repairs. There were three reported complications and no recurrences over a median of follow-up of 5 mo in patients who underwent repair. Conclusions Pediatric TAWH is a rare injury with a high rate of intraabdominal injuries, particularly when due to high-impact mechanisms such as motor vehicle collision. Although open repair is more commonly performed, laparoscopic repair has been described with success. Recurrence rates appear low, but follow-up has been short term.
Impact of the Chin-Down Posture on Temporal Measures of Patients With Dysphagia: A Pilot Study.

Purpose The chin-down position is a commonly prescribed posture by health care professionals to alleviate the symptoms of dysphagia. Yet, how the technique influences swallowing physiology lacks cl...
Optimal High-Efficiency DCM Design of Switched-Inductor CMOS Power Supplies

Improving efficiency for switched-inductor (SL) power-supplies is vital for energy-limited battery-supplied microsystems such as wireless microsensors and portable devices. These microsystems idle mostly so efficiency in Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) is crucial. Moreover, limited volumes of these tiny microsystems often lead to using tiny lossy inductors, which further reduce efficiency. Therefore, this paper theorizes how to select the optimal inductor, design the optimal power stage, and optimize the current profile to achieve the highest efficiency in DCM, using insightful derivations. This proposed co-design of inductor and current profile is absent in the state-of-the-art. The theory is accurate, and the percentage error is 0.3–4.9%. Using the proposed theory, with a 1.6 × 0.8 × 0.8 mm3 inductor, efficiency improvement can reach 6.4% compared with the State of the Art.
Detection of Stress in Steels from Differential Magnetic Susceptibility

Following the publication of the theory of ferromagnetic hysteresis considerable advances have been made in understanding the mechanisms involved in the magnetization process in ferromagnets. One of the areas in which an extension of the theory has been made is the effect of applied stress on magnetization. This has important consequences for NDE of stress via magnetic measurements since for the first time it is possible to give a quantitative prediction of changes in the magnetization curve with stress. This paper discusses the development of the theory and shows the successful application of the model to the case of a steel specimen under tensile or compressive stress.
Short-term Aerosol Trends: Reality or Myth?

The main questions addressed in this slide presentation involve short-term trends of MODIS aerosol optical thickness (AOT) over 6 years: (1) Why are the trends different in different regions? (2) How are these trends so high? (3) Why are they "coherent" in many areas? (4) Are these changes in aerosol concentrations real, i.e., are they monotonic changes in emissions? Several views of the Spatial Distribution of AOT from Terra are shown. In conclusion there are several trends: (1) There is a broad spatial inhomogenueity in AOT trends over 6 years of MODIS Terra and Aqua (2) Some of the areas demonstrate clear positive trends related to increase of emission (e.g., Eastern China) (3) Strong trends in some other areas are superficial and might be attributed, in part, to: (3a) Least squares linear trend sensitivity to outliers (need to use more robust linear fitting method) (3b) Spatial and temporal shifts or trends in meteorological conditions, especially in wind patterns responsible for aerosol transport (6) Aerosol trends should be studied together with changes in meteorology patterns as they might closely linked together
ON THE NATURE OF COPPER IN ASCORBATE OXIDASE. II. THE ROLE OF PROSTHETIC COPPER IN THE ENZYME'S FUNCTION.

1. 1. The respective roles of prosthetic Cu(I) and Cu(II) in the function of ascorbate oxidase (l-ascorbate: O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.10.3.3) have been examined with respect to the blue color, activity and inactivation of the enzyme. 2. 2. It has been found that the Cu(I) fraction, representing approx. 25% of the total copper in the native enzyme, does not participate in the enzymatic activity or contribute to the blue color. That is to say, the complexing of that fraction of the protein copper by a Cu(I)-specific chelating agent does not affect the activity or the blue color. 3. 3. The Cu(I) fraction existing in the native enzyme can not be complexed directly with the chelating agent, except when the enzyme is functioning. It is concluded, therefore, that a reversible structural modification in the conformation of the protein moiety occurs during the catalytic cycle, thereby making this non-functional Cu(I) available to the reagent. Furthermore, the configuration of the protein and the binding of its functional Cu(II) fraction, are such that the continually generated Cu(I) component of the reversible Cu(II) ⇋ Cu(I) catalytic cycle is at no time available for complexing with the chelating agent. 4. 4. It has been found that the non-functional Cu(I) fraction of the enzyme is responsible for the production of the H2O2 that results in the characteristics inactivation of the enzyme during aerobic function. 5. 5. It was shown that small amounts of H2O2 have no inactivating effect on the resting enzyme but are strikingly effective on the functioning enzyme. The enzyme thus inactivated, loses its blue chromophore, but retains its copper. It is suggested that this H2O2 effect may involve directly the functional Cu(I) sites or the irreversible oxidation of some critical functional group exposed during the modification in structure of the protein moiety during catalysis.
Chapter 70 Trading Institutions and Emission Allowances

Publisher Summary In the frictionless world of theory without transaction costs, allowance trading offers the potential of billions of dollars in savings when compared to traditional command and control regulation. It is therefore not surprising that regulators have embraced this approach in recent years to reduce the pain of achieving specific environmental objectives. This short review highlights the fact that policy-makers must recognize that “the devil is in the details,” and that several intermediate steps are necessary when translating these plans and schemes from the theorist's blackboard to the field. For example, regulators need to carefully consider the design of any new trading institutions and allowance characteristics. Failure to consider these details can lead to poorly designed trading institutions – such as the EPA auction – which can slow the development of the market and require redesign after only several years of operation. By contrast, sufficient consideration of incentives and sponsoring laboratory experiments when appropriate can lead to a better design of allowance characteristics – such as in the RECLAIM program.
Women's Entrepreneurship

The growing rate of ventures being started by women and the increased proportion of the small business population accounted for by women are highlighted. Questions are raised as to why this growth has not been accompanied by a parallel increase in scholarly work on women entrepreneurs. Some of th key findings regarding women as entrepreneurs are summarized. Reasons for the lack of attention to important scholarly questions surrounding women's entrepreneurship are identified and explored. A number of key research questions are highlighted. Keywords: women; entrepreneurship; small business owners; gender
Trax is a component of the Translin-containing RNA binding complex.

Translin is a nucleic acid binding protein that has been implicated in regulating the targeting and translation of dendritic RNA. In previous studies, we found that Translin and its partner protein, Trax, are components of a gel-shift complex that is highly enriched in brain extracts. In those studies, we employed a DNA oligonucleotide, GS1, as a probe to label the complex. Translin has also been identified as a component of a gel-shift complex detected using an RNA oligonucleotide probe, derived from the 3′ UTR of protamine-2 mRNA. Although we had assumed that these probes labeled the same complex, recent studies indicate that association of Trax with Translin suppresses its RNA binding activity. As these findings challenge this assumption and suggest that the native RNA binding complex does not contain Trax, we have re-examined this issue. We have found that the gel-shift complexes labeled with either GS1 or protamine-2 probes are ‘supershifted’ by addition of Trax antibodies, indicating that both are heteromeric Translin/Trax complexes. In addition, cross-competition studies provide additional evidence that these probes label the same complex. Furthermore, analysis of recombinant Translin/Trax complexes generated by co-transfection of Trax with Translin in hEK293T demonstrates that they are labeled with either probe. Although recombinant Translin forms a homomeric nucleic acid binding complex in vitro, our findings indicate that both Trax and Translin are components of the native gel-shift complex labeled with either GS1 or protamine-2 probes.
Disability In Higher Education: Redefining Mainstreaming

This paper addresses key issues in mainstreaming and inclusion for postsecondary students with disabilities and the subtle ways in which students and educators with disabilities can be marginalized. The paper also considers the exclusion of disability in conversations about diversity in higher education.
Limits on Radiative Capture γ-Ray Lines and Implications for Energy Content in Flare-Accelerated Protons

Measurements of radiative-capture γ-ray lines can provide information on both the energy content of nonthermal protons below 1 MeV and the temperature in the region where they interact. We have derived upper limits on the fluences in three proton-capture lines of 12C and 13C in the flare-averaged gamma-ray spectrum from 19 X-class flares observed with the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). The most significant limit comes from the 2.37 MeV line that is excited by 0.46 MeV protons. We estimate an upper limit on the energy content in the accelerated protons by extrapolating the power-law spectrum derived at higher energies down to the resonant energy. The derived upper limit on the temperature, ∼ 5–10×107 K, is higher than measured in the flaring region with other techniques, even for this optimistic energy content. It is possible that NASA's High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) will be sensitive enough to detect the 2.37 MeV line if temperatures exceed ∼2×107 K.
Self-trapping of light in a photorefractive organic glass

We report the first observation of optical spatial solitons in an organic photorefractive monolithic glass. Self-trapping of light as well as optically induced focusing-to-defocusing switching was observed, owning to the orientationally enhanced photorefractive nonlinearity.
An expert spectrogram reader: A knowledge-based approach to speech recognition

Human experts can determine the phonetic identity of unknown utterances from a visual examination of the spectrogram with performance better than available computer systems. The spectrogram-reading process involves the use of multiple sources of knowledge, including articulatory movements, acoustic phonetics, phonotactics, and linguistics. In addition, the experts' performance can be attributed to their ability to deal with partial and/or conflicting information, as well as multiple cues. This paper investigates the feasibility of constructing a knowledge-based system that mimics the process of spectrogram reading by humans. In a task of identifying stop consonants extracted from continuous speech, the system achieved performance that is comparable to that of the experts.
An update on the status of anatomical sciences education in United States medical schools

Curricular changes continue at United States medical schools and directors of gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy, neuroscience/neuroanatomy, and embryology courses continue to adjust and modify their offerings. Developing and supplying data related to current trends in anatomical sciences education is important if informed decisions are going to be made in a time of curricular and course revision. Thus, a survey was sent to course directors during the 2012-2013 academic years to gather information on total course hours, lecture and laboratory hours, the type of laboratory experiences, testing and competency evaluation, and the type of curricular approach used at their institution. The data gathered were compared to information obtained from previous surveys and conclusions reached were that only small or no change was observed in total course, lecture and laboratory hours in all four courses; more gross anatomy courses were part of an integrated curriculum since the previous survey; virtual microscopy with and without microscopes was the primary laboratory activity in microscopic anatomy courses; and neuroscience/neuroanatomy and embryology courses were unchanged.
Logic Debugging of Arithmetic Circuits

This paper presents a novel diagnosis and logic debugging method for gate-level arithmetic circuits. It detects logic bugs in a synthesized circuit caused by using a wrong gate ("gate replacement" error), which change the functionality of the circuit. The method is based on modeling the circuit in an algebraic domain and computing its algebraic "signature". The location and type of the bug is determined by comparing signatures computed in both directions, using forward (PI to PO) and backward (PO to PI) rewriting. It will also perform automatic correction for the detected bugs. The approach is demonstrated and tested on a set of integer combinational arithmetic circuits.
Comparison of three different leptospiral vaccines for induction of a type 1 immune response to Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo.

Abstract Leptospira serovar Hardjo are bacterial pathogens of cattle that cause zoonotic infections of humans. Monovalent serovar Hardjo vaccines protect cattle from serovar Hardjo while pentavalent vaccines do not even though they contain serovar Hardjo organisms. Here, cattle vaccinated with either of two monovalent vaccines had lymphocytes that made interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IgG 1 and IgG 2 antibodies to Hardjo antigen while those from cattle vaccinated with a pentavalent Leptospira vaccine did not. IFN-γ-producing cells were mainly CD4 + , but included CD8 + and γδ TCR + cells. Despite their monovalent composition, those vaccines also induced IFN-γ responses to serovar Grippotyphosa antigens. Thus, induction of a type 1 immune response is consistent with protective immunity to serovar Hardjo infections.
Detection of elliptical polarization and mode splitting in discrete Schumann resonance excitations

Elliptical polarization and mode splitting have been detected in the magnetic component of discrete, well defined Schumann resonance excitations. These ELF excitations, which are large electromagnetic transients of approximately 1 s duration, are called Q-bursts and typically occur every few minutes. They are believed to be the signature of the impulsive excitation of the earth-ionosphere cavity by ultra-large lightning currents. In this paper the magnetic polarization and spectral characteristics of four large Q-bursts are examined in detail using a new analysis technique. Two events display right-hand polarization and two display left-hand polarization. The theoretical polarization properties of the central and side multiplets of the Schumann resonances are used to define a local orthogonal coordinate system in the measurement frame in which these components may be separated. Maximum entropy spectrums computed separately for what are identified to be the central and side multiplets in this coordinate system show distinctly different eigenfrequencies for the lowest mode near 7.5 Hz. For the limited number of cases examined the magnitude of the line splitting detected using this technique is roughly 1.4-1.8 Hz, larger by nearly a factor of two than theoretical or observed values of the splitting previously reported. The frequencies of the side multiplets may lie either above or below the frequency of the central multiplet.
Interface characteristics of As superlattices grown by MOCVD

Abstract The structure and quality of the heterointerfaces of AlAs GaAs semiconductor superlattices grown by the MOCVD technique have been examined on the atomic scale using high-resolution electron microscopy lattice imaging. The interface of either GaAs grown on AlAs (Al x Ga 1− x As) or AlAs (Al x Ga 1− x As) grown on GaAs is atomically smooth and without defects in both cases, and the interface quality is not degraded by increasing either the layer size or the Al composition.
The effect of chronic phenytoin administration on single prolonged stress induced extinction retention deficits and glucocorticoid upregulation in the rat medial prefrontal cortex.

Rationale Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic, debilitating disorder. Only two pharmacological agents are approved for PTSD treatment, and they often do not address the full range of symptoms nor are they equally effective in all cases. Animal models of PTSD are critical for understanding the neurobiology involved and for identification of novel therapeutic targets. Using the rodent PTSD model, single prolonged stress (SPS), we have implicated aberrant excitatory neural transmission and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) upregulation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) in fear memory abnormalities associated with PTSD.
A CRYO-EM Structure of a Minimal Translation Initiation System: Deletion in Self-Sufficient IRES Prevents Translocation

Translation occurs on the ribosome, a ribonucleoprotein machine that exists in many copies per cell and is conserved among all forms of life. In canonical eukaryotic translation initiation, a suite of protein factors is required for many essential processes: for messenger RNA (mRNA) to bind the ribosome and to align itself with the translation initiation site, for the first aminoacylated tRNA to bind the start codon, for the ribosome to shift the mRNA downstream by one codon, and more. These processes occur on and near the mRNA's start codon immediately downstream of a 5' modified-nucleotide cap.In a departure from canonical catalytic and location requirements, some eukaryotes and many viruses encode regions of highly structured RNA that can initiate translation without a 5' cap and at least some initiation factors. These RNAs are called internal ribosomal entry sites, or IRESes. We study a type of IRES found in the Dicistroviridae virus class. This type of IRES initiates translation of the second of two gene clusters in the continuous viral RNA genome, and, uniquely, it requires no initiation factors to hijack eukaryotic host ribosomes.Here, we present a three-dimensional reconstruction of one such IRES--the Cricket Paralysis Virus intergenic IRES--bound to the eukaryotic yeast ribosome. The structure was obtained by cryo-electron microscopy and single-particle reconstruction techniques. This particular IRES sample is a mutant lacking three consecutive nucleotides in a loop region; it cannot undergo the initial translocation event, when mRNA shifts to allow a new aminoacylated tRNA into the A-site. We examine how the deletion prevents translocation, and thus how the intact IRES, a unique minimal translation system, might enable translocation, an essential part of initiating the universal translation process that is not wholly understood.
Tutorial: Distribution of alternating electrical charges in a conducting medium

The main features of the distribution of volume and surface charges in a conducting medium can be described separately for direct and alternating electromagnetic fields. The density of charges depends on the conductivity of a medium and on the electrical field. The relation is particularly simple for the quasi-stationary field, i.e., when the influence of displacement currents is negligible. Conditions are formulated under which electrical charges arise in a conducting medium: electrical charges are shown to exist for direct and quasi-stationary fields when there is a component of electric field parallel to the gradient of conductivity. The density of these charges is proportional to the applied electric field.
Optical activity of non-planar conjugated dienes. I. Homoannular cisoid dienes.

Abstract A review is given of the results obtained so far in the investigation of the optical rotatory dispersion or circular dichroism of a number of non-planar homoannular cisoid dienes. The findings agree in every instance with the predictions of a theoretical rule connecting the sign of the Cotton effect with the chirality of the diene; two seeming exceptions can be explained through detailed conformational analysis. The rule can therefore serve as a reliable basis for stereochemical studies on this class of dienes. As expected theoretically, the amplitudes of the Cotton effects produced by these inherently dissymmetric chromophores are very high, values up to 100,000 deg mol−1 having been found. However, steroidal 1,3-dienes form a separate group characterized by comparatively low amplitudes, in many instances associated with a distinctive shape of the curve.
Une « vision dure » de l'histoire achéménide (note critique)

A partir de 540 av. J.-C, Cyrus le Grand et les monarques perses qui lui succederent se taillerent un empire dont la superficie, la longevite et la stabilite politique etaient sans precedent dans l'histoire du Proche-Orient, et devaient rester sans equivalent jusqu'a l'Empire romain. A son apogee territoriale, sous le regne de Darius Ier (522-486 av. J.-C), il s'etend en effet de la Libye et de l'Ethiopie jusqu'en Afghanistan et en Asie centrale, de la Thrace et de la Macedoine jusqu'au Pendjab, et englobe des societes dont les unes maitrisaient l'ecriture (Elam, Mesopotamie, Egypte, Anatolie, Syrie-Palestine, et les plus riches cites du monde grec), et les autres, quoiqu'avancees, n'ont pas laisse de textes.
Comparative time-course of benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adduct formation, and its relationship to CYP1A activity in two species of catfish

Abstract Studies have demonstrated differences between the brown bullhead (Ameriurus nebulosus) (BB) and a closely related species of catfish, the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) (CC) in activity of important liver enzymes that may affect their ability to activate or detoxify certain procarcinogens. We have measured the formation and persistence of benzof[a]pyrene-DNA adducts in the liver of these two species using the 32P-postlabeling (PPL) method, along with the effect of prior induction by β-naphthoflavone (βNF). In this time-course study, a total of 80 fish from each species were used. Half were induced with βNF (i.p. injections of 10 mgkg−1 at day 3 and 2) followed by a single benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) i.p. injection (20 mg kg−1). Liver DNA and microsomes were sampled on day 1, 3, 7, 14 and 45 after the BaP dosage—adducts and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity were analyzed. EROD activity in CC was significantly higher at most time points than in BB. In contrast, the BaP-DNA adduct profile revealed a significantly higher level of adducts in the BB than the CC. Adduct levels at most time points were significantly higher in the BB than in the CC at p
Recent developments in LWR radiation field control

Abstract This paper describes recent work to develop techniques for reducing out-of-core radiation fields in light water reactors. The fundamental processes of corrosion product transport and activation are briefly outlined, and the four main technical areas described. Recent developments aimed at reducing cobalt sources, preconditioning surfaces, controlling water chemistry, and decontamination are reviewed. Finally, currently available methods for controlling plant radiation fields are described. This review provides a comprehensive description of the status of radiation control technology, with the emphasis on techniques included in the research program funded by the Electric Power Research Institute.
Gene expression associations with the growth inhibitory effects of small molecules on live cells: Specificity of effects and uniformity of mechanisms

The NCI60 human tumor cell line screen is a public resource for studying selective and nonselective growth inhibition of small molecules against cancer cells. By coupling growth inhibition screening data with biological characterizations of the different cell lines, it becomes possible to infer mechanisms of action underlying some of the observable patterns of selective activity. Using these data, mechanistic relationships have been identified including specific associations between single genes and small families of closely related compounds, and less specific relationships between biological processes involving several cooperating genes and broader families of compounds. Here, we aim to characterize the degree to which such specific and general relationships are present in these data. A related question is whether genes tend to act with a uniform mechanism for all associated compounds, or whether multiple mechanisms are commonly involved. We address these two issues in a statistical framework placing special emphasis on the effects of measurement error in the gene expression and chemical screening data. We find that as measurement accuracy increases, the pattern of apparent associations shifts from one dominated by isolated gene-compound pairs, to one in which families consisting of an average of 25 compounds are associated to the same gene. At the same time, the number of genes that appear to play a role in influencing compound activities decreases. For less than half of the genes, the presence of both positive and negative correlations indicates pleiotropic associations with molecules via different mechanisms of action. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 2: 175–185, 2009
When forgetting benefits motor retention.

Abstract Recent research (Lee & Weeks, 1987; Weeks, Lee, & Elliott, 1987) investigating the processes responsible for the contextual interference phenomenon has used a modified short-term motor retention paradigm to support the reconstruction explanation (Lee & Magill, 1985; Magill, 1989; Magill & Hall, 1990). The present experiment was an extension of these experiments in which forgetting of an acquisition task was induced through performance of either a similar or dissimilar distractor task during the intertrial interval. The effects of an extra practice trial with the acquisition task as well as no activity during the intertrial interval were also investigated. In addition, forgetting of the acquisition task was assessed prior to a reconstruction trial, which immediately preceded a 2-min filled retention interval. Both similar and dissimilar distractor tasks caused equivalent amounts of forgetting of the acquisition task prior to the reconstruction trial. However, retention of the acquisition task was ...
Singular perturbation of a nonlinear time-dependent problem in hilbert space

The convergence of the solution of the nonlinear singular perturbation problem Ud'J + aU´ { + e2AnUe £ + g(AUe e) + h(t, A)]f(A)Ue e = 0, C/e e(0) = x0, f/´ €'(0) = zi for ϵ > 0 to the solution of the degenerate problem (ϵ - 0) is studied. Here a [math001] 0 is a constant and A is a (generally unbounded) self- adjoint linear operator in Hilbert space. The problem is nonlocal, nonlinear, and time dependent because of g(‖AU‖)f(A)U and h(t,A). The existence of solutions is proven simultaneously with asymptotic behaviour.
Crystallization Temperature and Chilling Injury During Overwintering in a Feral Face Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Population

Adult face flies, Musca autumnalis DeGeer, overwinter in reproductive diapause. In this study, we monitored temperature in a hibernaculum, and periodically assessed cold hardiness of flies from this site. Of flies collected in Keats, KS (39° 13′ N, 96° 42′ W) in late December and January, a40% exposed to −15°C for 5 h froze internally, whereas, the remainder successfully supercooled. Of flies collected in February, a70% froze internally. All flies that froze internally died. In December and January, all flies that did not freeze recovered fully and immediately, whereas in February nearly 80% of the flies that avoided freezing were killed or impaired. Unfed flies held at room temperature (23°C) for 8 h and then subjected to −15°C for 5 h had low crystallization temperatures, but were killed by chilling injury. Flies that were warmed, allowed food, and then held at 4°C overnight before being exposed to −15°C had higher crystallization temperatures than unfed flies. These data indicate that fully acclimatized face flies in midwinter are susceptible to freezing but not direct chilling injury, and that susceptibility to freezing and chilling injury in overwintering flies increases progressively with time. The laboratory studies show that, when warmed, diapause-induced and cold-acclimatized flies will take available food. Results from the laboratory studies suggest that flies warmed by exceptionally mild temperatures in midwinter are more susceptible to chilling injury from subsequent sudden cold weather, and that feeding when warmed increases crystallization temperatures. Higher crystallization temperatures could cause mortality under more mild conditions conditions that those in our test.
Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for the Treatment of Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Using Busulfan, Fludarabine, and Total Body Irradiation Conditioning Is Effective in an Elderly and Infirm Population

Abstract The BuFluTBI conditioning regimen was designed with the primary goal of reducing non-relapse mortality (NRM) while maximizing primary disease control in patients ineligible for myeloablative conditioning. Patients with hematologic malignancies for whom limited long-term survival was expected with standard therapy were administered an outpatient conditioning regimen of busulfan 3.2 mg/kg IV on day −5, fludarabine 30 mg/m2 IV on days −4, −3, −2, and 200 cGy of total body irradiation (TBI) followed by stem cell infusion from related or unrelated donors. GVHD prophylaxis included cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil. 147 patients were enrolled from 2005-2011; 59% with myeloid disease and 41% with lymphoid disease. The median age was 64, and the median comorbidity index (HCT-CI) score was 3. Overall survival (OS), with 3.2 years median follow-up, was 60% at 1 year and 48% at 2 years, with projected OS 37% at 5 years. Relapse rates were 29% at 1 year and 33% at 2 years, with relapse mortality of 13% at 1 year, and 20% at 2 years. Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) at 1 year was 27% and 33% at 2 years. 54% of patients developed grade II-IV aGVHD and 67% of patients developed cGVHD within 2 years. On multivariate analysis, HCT-CI score 4 or greater, pre-transplant KPS less than 90, delayed platelet engraftment of more than 15 days, and grade II-IV aGVHD were found to be independent predictors of poor survival. There was no difference in OS or PFS between lymphoid and myeloid malignancies. BuFluTBI is an efficacious NMA regimen, active in both myeloid and lymphoid disease, and is ideally suited for use in patients age 65 and older or with an HCT-CI of 4 or greater.
Quantifying Lithic Curation: An Experimental Test of Dibble and Pelcin's Original Flake-Tool Mass Predictor

This paper describes an experimental test of a method proposed by Dibble & Pelcin (1995) for reconstructing the original flake mass from striking platform dimensions. The results of this test indicate that while there is a correlation between flake mass and flake attributes for hard-hammer lithic production systems, using the specific variables identified by Dibble & Pelcin (exterior platform angle and platform thickness) consistently underestimates original flake mass. The reasons for this discrepancy and possible future research directions to resolve it are explored.
Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Expression of Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 Mediates Late-Phase PGE2 Production in Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and release of prostaglandins (PGs) by macrophages are consistent features of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage inflammation. The two major PGs, PGE(2) and PGD(2), are synthesized by the prostanoid isomerases, PGE synthases (PGES) and PGD synthases (PGDS), respectively. Since the expression profile and the individual role of these prostanoid isomerases-mediated inflammation in macrophages has not been defined, we examined the LPS-stimulated PGs production pattern and the expression profile of their synthases in the primary cultured mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM). Our data show that LPS induced both PGE(2) and PGD(2) production, which was evident by ∼8 hrs and remained at a similar ratio (∼1∶1) in the early phase (≤12 hrs) of LPS treatment. However, PGE(2) production continued increase further in the late phase (16-24 hrs); whereas the production of PGD(2) remained at a stable level from 12 to 24 hrs post-treatment. In response to LPS-treatment, the expression of both COX-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was detected within 2 to 4 hrs; whereas the increased expression of microsomal PGES (mPGES)-1 and a myeloid cell transcription factor PU.1 did not appear until later phase (≥12 hrs). In contrast, the expression of COX-1, hematopoietic-PGDS (H-PGDS), cytosolic-PGES (c-PGES), or mPGES-2 in BMDM was not affected by LPS treatment. Selective inhibition of mPGES-1 with either siRNA or isoform-selective inhibitor CAY10526, but not mPGES-2, c-PGES or PU.1, attenuated LPS-induced burst of PGE(2) production indicating that mPGES-1 mediates LPS-induced PGE(2) production in BMDM. Interestingly, selective inhibition of mPGES-1 was also associated with a decrease in LPS-induced iNOS expression. In summary, our data show that mPGES-1, but not mPGES-2 or c-PGES isomerase, mediates LPS-induced late-phase burst of PGE(2) generation, and regulates LPS-induced iNOS expression in BMDM.
Weight Function Based Direct Manipulation of NURBS Curves

Direct shape manipulation allows one to specify constraints on curves or surfaces to modify their shapes. This paper presents a new and simple method of direct manipulation of NURBS curves accomplished through the use of a weight function. Within a marked boundary, the curve can be forced to pass through given discrete points by using a synthesized weight function instead of repositioning control points. By introducing four additional derivative constraints to construct the weight function, exact locality and continuity can be easily obtained without knot insertion. B-spline interpolation is used to generate the weight function in the paper. The algorithms are easy to implement and can be used for interactive shape design systems.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Marked reduction in myocardial infarct size due to prolonged infusion of an antioxidant during reperfusion.

BACKGROUNDThere has been controversy about whether early reperfusion of myocardial infarcts causes further necrosis mediated by reactive oxygen species or other mechanisms. Unequivocal evidence that therapeutic agents given only during reperfusion can prevent, rather than delay or modify, injury has been sparse. Failure to account for variables, such as collateral blood flow, that influence infarct size independently and attempts to measure infarct size too early in reperfusion may have limited the sensitivity and specificity of some previous studies.METHODS AND RESULTSAfter 90 minutes of coronary occlusion and 48 hours of reperfusion in a canine model, we examined the effect on infarct size of intravenous infusion of N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (MPG), a diffusible antioxidant. Infarct size and region at risk were measured by post-mortem dual perfusion with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride and Evans blue dyes, and regional myocardial blood flow was measured with radioactive microspheres. Infusion of MPG...