cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of DNA damage and repair in specific genomic regions by quantitative immuno-coupled PCR

Fine analysis of DNA damage and repair at the subgenomic level has indicated a microheterogeneity of DNA repair in mammalian cells, including human. In addition to the well established Southern hybridization-based approach to investigate gene-specific DNA damage and repair, alternative methods utilizing the sensitivity of PCR have been evaluated. The latter technique has relied on decreased PCR amplification due to damage in template DNA. We have developed a novel quantitative assay combining the selective recovery of DNA damage containing genomic fragments with the PCR amplification. DNA isolated from 7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (anti-BPDE) treated human skin fibroblasts was immunoprecipitated with polyclonal antibody BP-1. Recovered target sequences were amplified by PCR using primers encompassing a 149 bp target region around codon 12 of the H-ras proto-oncogene. Quantitative DNA damage specific response was observed with nanogram amounts of genomic DNA. This approach allowed analysis of the initial DNA damage at a level less than 1 anti-BPDE adduct per 6.4 kbp ras gene fragment. Repair proficient GM637 cells exposed to 2 microM anti-BPDE showed a faster removal of the adducts from the H-ras gene segment than from the genome overall. Gene-specific repair was not apparent in GM4429 xeroderma pigmentosum (complementation group A) cells. The established technique could be extended to the quantitative measurement of the repair of diverse DNA base lesions in any genomic region of known sequence.
Variables sampling plans for the Poisson and the binomial

Variables sampling plans based upon continuous distributions are well known. The usual assumption is that a measurable characteristic associated with a product has a normal distribution, a case which has been treated extensively in the literature. Other continuous distributions, particularly the exponential, have also been used as models. In this paper we discuss variables sampling plans for situations in which the measurable characteristic has either a Poisson or a binomial distribution.
On a class of coupled non-linear systems with two degrees of freedom

Abstract Transformation techniques applicable for the study of certain classes of coupled non-linear systems with two degrees of freedom are presented in this paper. The transformations effect the uncoupling between the two degrees of freedom by obtaining an equivalent pair of uncoupled linear/non-linear single-degree-of-freedom systems. These resulting systems may then be studied through standard techniques.
The AANCART's Infrastructure: Empirical Evidences of Transdisciplinary Effectiveness

In April 2000, the National Cancer Institute funded the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training (AANCART), the first Special Populations Network focused on Asian Americans on a national scale that had as its first specific aim, the building of a robust and sustainable infrastructure to increase cancer awareness, research, and training among Asian Americans in four major cities (New York, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). The infrastructure was established to enable attainment of its two other specific aims related to partnerships: participation of Asian Americans in clinical and prevention trials, training, and development of pilot projects; and formulating grant-funded research to reduce the burden of cancer among Asian Americans. All three of these aims have been reached.1 The objectives of this paper are to (1) describe AANCART’s transdisciplinary infrastructure; (2) document its effectiveness; and (3) delineate principles that may be transferable to other transdisciplinary approaches to health concerns.
Effect of chlorsulfuron on ethylene evolution from sunflower seedlings

The effect of the herbicide chlorsulfuron (2-chloro-N-[(4-methoxy - 6 - methyl -1, 3,5 - triazin - 2 - yl)aminocarbonyl]benzenesulfonamide) on ethylene production in light-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seedlings was examined. Application of chlorsulfuron to the apex stimulated ethylene production in all tissues examined: cotyledons, hypocotyls, and roots. The greatest stimulation occurred in the upper portion of the hypocotyl adjacent to, and including, the cotyledonary node. Ethylene evolution from hypocotyls excised from treated seedlings was stimulated over control levels 1 day after herbicide application and reached a maximum (approx. 75 x control or 17 nl/g f wt/h) 2 to 3 days after treatment. Labeling and inhibitor studies indicated that the ethylene produced was derived primarily from methionine. Chlorsulfuron treatment stimulated the rate of accumulation of the ethylene precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), as well as the ability of the tissue to convert exogenous ACC to ethylene. Chlorsulfuron had little effect on ethylene production when administered to the hypocotylsin vitro. Removal of the cotyledons from treated seedlings reduced the rate of ethylene evolution from the hypocotyls. These results suggest that stimulation of ethylene production in sunflower hypocotyls by chlorsulfuron is not a wound response but rather is dependent on factors derived from the cotyledons.
Structure of the Sec13–Sec16 edge element, a template for assembly of the COPII vesicle coat

Ancestral coatomer element 1 (ACE1) proteins assemble latticework coats for COPII vesicles and the nuclear pore complex. The ACE1 protein Sec31 and Sec13 make a 2:2 tetramer that forms the edge element of the COPII outer coat. In this study, we report that the COPII accessory protein Sec16 also contains an ACE1. The 165-kD crystal structure of the central domain of Sec16 in complex with Sec13 was solved at 2.7-A resolution. Sec16 and Sec13 also make a 2:2 tetramer, another edge element for the COPII system. Domain swapping at the ACE1–ACE1 interface is observed both in the prior structure of Sec13–Sec31 and in Sec13–Sec16. A Sec31 mutant in which domain swapping is prevented adopts an unprecedented laminated structure, solved at 2.8-A resolution. Our in vivo data suggest that the ACE1 element of Sec31 can functionally replace the ACE1 element of Sec16. Our data support Sec16 as a scaffold for the COPII system and a template for the Sec13–Sec31 coat.
Evaluation of a photolabile derivative of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as a photoaffinity probe for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 receptor in chick intestinal cytosol

Abstract We evaluated the viability of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitaminD 3 -3β-[N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)glycinate] (1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 -ANG), an analog of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 ) as a photoaffinity probe for 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 receptor in chick intestinal cytosol. A competitive-binding assay revealed that chick intestinal cytosolic 1,25-(OH) 2 - D 3 receptor bound to 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 -ANG approximately 20-times less effectively than it did to 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 . Irradiation of 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 - ANG in the presence of chick intestinal cytosolic preparation significantly diminished subsequent binding to 3 H-1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 , suggesting that the photoaffinity analog was covalently attached to the receptor. Therefore the nitroarylazide derivative of 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 may be a valuable photoaffinity probe for the characterization of the 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 receptor.
Experimental histoplasmosis, I. Methods for production of histoplasmosis in dogs.

SummaryYeast phase H. capsulatum induced acute, progressive, fatal histoplasmosis in all of 9 dogs when inoculated intratracheally, but no clinical disease in all of 7 receiving the same inoculum by stomach tube. Mycelial phase produced no clinical evidence of infection in 9 and 10 normal dogs receiving intragastric and intratracheal inoculations, respectively. Cortisone treated dogs? however, were susceptible to intratracheal but not intragastric mycelial phase inoculations. Dogs previously receiving mycelial phase were resistant to reinfection with the same phase even when given cortisone; they succumbed to challenge with intratracheal yeast phase in the absence of cortisone.
Androgyny and Derived Identity in Married Women with Varying Degrees of Non-Traditional Role Involvement

Three groups of women–(1) wives with no outside employment, (2) wives employed in non-professional occupations, and (3) wives employed in professional occupations–were administered the Derived Identity Questionnaire (DIQ) and the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). The two working groups revealed less “derived identity” than did the non-employed group, although the difference was only marginally significant. On the BSRI it was found that while the obtained femininity scores were essentially equal and high for the three groups, masculinity increased as a direct function of degree of departure from the housewife role. This finding led to the conclusion that working wives (especially professionals) are more “androgynous” than non-working wives. Finally, the signed difference between the masculinity and femininity scores and the DIQ scores were correlated positively, indicative of a negative relationship between derived identity and androgyny.
Food habits and abundance of larval freshwater drum in a South Central Nebraska irrigation reservoir

During certain times of the year high densities of larval fish can impact the aquatic community. The specific role of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is not known but larval freshwater drum can be abundant in some systems and have been shown to feed on zooplankton. To assist with understanding the role larval freshwater drum play in reservoirs, we investigated changes in peak abundance from 2003–2010 in addition to food habits and prey electivity in 2008 in a South Central Nebraska reservoir. We found that larval freshwater drum abundance varied 100-fold during this study. Cladocerans were an important food item for larval freshwater drum. Freshwater drum >10 mm total length selected for Daphnia spp. (46–80 % of organisms found in stomach), while freshwater drum ≤10 mm total length selected for Bosmina spp. (37% of organisms found in stomach), which is a less common group of zooplankton in this reservoir. All larval freshwater drum showed a negative selectivity for copepod nauplii (the Strauss ind...
Stabilization of alumina suspensions in aqueous and non-aqueous media by a hydrophobically modified polymer

Abstract A hydrophobically modified polymer, DAPRAL GE 202, is shown to stabilize alumina both in water and in toluene. The fluorescence technique, utilizing pyrene for the aqueous system and 7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarin for the non-aqueous system as probes, was used to investigate the polymer association and orientation in the bulk solution and at the solid—liquid interface. It is proposed that while in the aqueous system the stabilization is caused by both electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance, the steric hindrance provided by the adsorbed polymer is responsible for the stabilization in toluene.
DNA structural engineering using immobile junctions

Immobile DNA branched junctions are a complex macromolecular system whose structural features are readily tractable to a simple sequence-design algorithm based on the minimization of sequence symmetry. This algorithm has been applied to the construction of Holliday recombination analogs and to multiply-connected geometrical objects, including a DNA molecule with the connectivity of a cube.
Medicaid managed care and cost containment in the adult disabled population.

Background:Despite the increasing enrollment of adult disabled beneficiaries into Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), there is little evidence of its (hoped for) effectiveness at reducing Medicaid expenditures.Objective:To evaluate the impact of Medicaid MCOs on health care expenditures for
Delta-Front Diapirs Off Magdalena River, Colombia Compared with Hills Off Other Large Deltas

ABSTRACT Exploration of the slope off the Magdalena River with reflection profiling has shown a series of large diapiric intrusions with hills rising as much as 600 feet above the sea floor. These diapirs are mostly bordered by down-bent formations in contrast to the usual, but not invariable, up bending around salt domes. Because salt domes are unknown in the entire area, and because plastic mud layers must be common in the delta-front beds, it seems likely that these are mud diapirs or possibly some type of underwater mud volcanoes. The mud lump islands off the Mississippi Delta have generally been considered rather unique. However, the finding of diapiric intrusions, which are probably mud, off the Magdalena Delta and the finding of many hills off other deltas suggests that such intrusions may not be unusual.
Examination of mercury inputs by throughfall and litterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Abstract Throughfall and litterfall represent two major pathways which comprise the bulk of the mercury that reaches the forest floor. In an effort to quantify total mercury deposition to forests, throughfall and litterfall samples were collected at three elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) between April and November in 2008 and 2009. The mean (±standard error) volume-weighted throughfall total mercury concentration across all three sites ranged from 13.62 ng L−1 (±0.86) to 18.23 ng L−1 (±0.77) with a slight trend of higher throughfall mercury concentration at the high elevation spruce-fir sites relative to the low elevation mixed-hardwood site. The mean (±standard error) throughfall total mercury deposition across all sites ranged from 2.07 μg m−2 (±0.09) to 4.09 μg m−2 (±0.38). Mean (±standard error) mass-weighted litterfall concentration ranged from 37.2 ng g−1 (±1.36) to 62.87 ng g−1 (±1.94) and statistically higher (p = 0.02, p
On controlling the Segboy using a Gameboy Advance

The Segboy is based on a self-balancing, two-wheeled vehicle in reference [1]. This device was built at the College of Engineering Control Systems Laboratory (COECSL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is used in a classroom setting in many occasions. This paper describes the self-balancing control of this two-wheeled vehicle using the Gameboy Advance and XPort.
Elegant Metabolite Biosynthesis

Hormaomycin, an NRPS-produced bacterial metabolite involved in microbial signaling, possesses several remarkable structural features. The study by Hofer et al. (2011) employed a range of methodologies to explore and ultimately understand the elaborate biosynthesis of this complex natural product.
Portraits of emigration: sour milk and honey in the promised land.

This article analyzes the moral tones of public emigration stories through an exploratory analysis of newspaper stories published between 1990 and 1993 in a region in Poland with a century-old tradition of out-migration. Media stories are fertile ground for examining values and myths because they negotiate between the micro-level process of individuals constructing meanings and the macro-level process of political economies producing meanings. I identified two sets of contradictory stories: (1) stories about the sending country cast emigrants as either home builders or home wreckers, and (2) stories about the receiving country depicted America as either Horatio Alger's land of possibility or a morally degenerate place where greed corrupts the soul. To explain these contradictions, I compare the institution of migration to (post)modern culture and note that both contribute to social diversity and structural differentiation which lead to value inconsistencies.
A review of primary care training programs in correctional health for physicians.

Background: Despite the health consequences of incarceration, there are no national standards for teaching physicians about correctional health. The purpose of this study was to survey existing correctional health training programs for primary care physicians. Summary: Programs were identified through literature and Web search, snowballing, and professional meetings. Programs were contacted and asked to complete a survey. Correctional health programs exist in a variety of disciplines. We identified 22 in primary care. Programs seek to improve public health, reduce stigma, and recruit physicians to correctional health. Curricula covered specific health problems as well as the impact of incarceration on families and communities. Relationships between the academic center and the correctional facilities were varied. Barriers include issues of security, time, financial resources, and stigma. Programs evaluate their learners, as well as educational and clinical outcomes. Conclusions: A variety of correctional h...
Prenatal di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate exposure and length of gestation among an inner-city cohort.

OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess the relationship between di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) exposure during pregnancy and gestational age at delivery among 311 African American or Dominican women from New York City.
Enhanced Hepatic Expression of P450IIE1 Following Inhalation Exposure to Pyridine

Abstract Previous research has shown that intraperitoneal injection of the solvent pyridine results in a dose- and time-dependent induction of hepatic P45011E1 in rats, with a twofold increase observed at 6 hr post-treatment. However, inhalation is the primary route of exposure expected for humans exposed to pyridine In laboratory and industrial settings or in tobacco smoke. In view of the potency and rapidity of induction associated with pyridine treatment, research was initiated to examine whether inhalation of the solvent at the current threshold limit value level of 5 ppm or at an elevated level of 440 ppm resulted in sufficient nasal and pulmonary uptake and systemic redistribution to cause increased hepatic expression of rat cytochrome P45011E1. Rats were exposed, 6 hr/day, to 5 ppm pyridine for 4 days: to 440 ppm pyridine for 1 or 4 days; or to filtered air for 1 or 4 days. Rats were sacrificed 18 hr after the last exposure. Liver samples were taken from the air- and pyridine-exposed rats. Expression of immunoreactive P45011E1 was examined in tissue sections using immunohistochemistry and in microsomal preparations using Western blot analyses. Hepatic tissue obtained from rats exposed to 5 ppm pyridine for 4 days or to 440 ppm pyridine for 1 or 4 days displayed significantly elevated levels of immunoreactive P45011E1. Immunohistochemical analyses of liver sections showed that inhalation of pyridine at 5 ppm resulted in an elevated expression of P45011E1 in hepatocytes surrounding terminal hepatic venules (THVs). Exposure to 440 ppm pyridine caused both increased expression of IIEI in hepatocytes surrounding THVs after a single 6-hr exposure and an approximately three- to fourfold increase in the total number of cells expressing IIEI after 4 days of exposure. Dilution analysis of immunohistochemically stained tissue revealed a significant difference between air-exposed controls and pyridine-exposed rats, at all exposure levels. P45011E 1 levels in microsomes isolated from rats receiving 5 and 440 ppm pyridine for 4 days were increased 2.5- and 10-fold as judged from scanning laser densitometry. This study reveals that inhalation of pyridine vapors at levels equal to or greater than the current threshold limit value of 5 ppm results in significant hepatic induction of P45011E1 in rats.
Boundary Layer Analysis of Oscillating Cylinder Flows in a Viscoelastic liquid

A boundary layer analysis is applied to the oscillating cylinder system in a viscoelastic liquid. The effect of the inherent elasticity of the liquid is to increase the thickness of the inner vortex system of the steady streaming secondary flows, which is consistent with the experimental observation reported earlier.
Boson mappings for schematic nuclear models with the symmetry of SO(5)

Abstract In the past, several schematic nuclear models have been proposed with the symmetry of the Lie algebra SO(5) . We derive a set of mappings from the shell model spaces in which these models are defined to suitable boson spaces. The derivations are carried out by two distinct algebraic methods, which are customarily associated with the names Holstein-Primakoff and Dyson, respectively. The relative utility of the two is seen to depend on the particular mapping. The mappings are useful for the study of the collective properties of the various models and of generalizations of each of them. This is illustrated with one of the models. Some algebraic details, some ideas concerning schematic model building, and an extension of the results of this paper are presented in appendices.
Iron treatment: Impact of safety issues

Abstract Improved outcomes result when a hemodialysis patient's hematocrit is increased to greater then 33%. The recent National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-DOQI) Anemia Panel recommended the use of intravenous (i.v.) iron therapy to increase hematocrits into this range. As the use of i.v. iron has increased, there has been an interest in more critically assessing the potential risks of such therapy. In this article, the possible risks are reviewed and considered in concert with the known benefits of iron treatment. A recommendation is made, in contrast to the NKF-DOQI Guidelines, that i.v. iron should not be administered to hemodialysis patients if the serum ferritin level if greater than 500 ng/mL. (Am J Kidney Dis 1998 Dec;32(6 Suppl 4):S152-6)
Crowding Cockerels in Cages: Effects on Weight Gain, Mortality, and Subsequent Fertility,

Abstract White Leghorn cockerels kept 1, 2, or 3 per 1150 cm.2 laying-hen cage from 15–17 to 38–42 weeks of age were compared in 2 experiments for weight gains and survival and in the second experiment for subsequent fertility in natural matings. Weight gains of males kept in groups of 3 were reduced to about 80% of those of singly-caged males. Males kept 2 per cage gained 98% as much as single males. Survival did not differ significantly by group size; all singly-caged males survived in Experiments 1 and 2 (90 and 72, respectively). Survival was 96% and 93% when 3 males were caged together in Experiments 1 and 2 (survivors/total caged were 86/90 and 204/216, respectively). Males kept 2 per cage in Experiment 2 had 97% survival (139/144). Fertility in single-male matings at 10 and 20 days after cockerels were placed with pullets was not detectably different for males previously kept 1, 2, or 3 per cage. The results indicate that keeping 2 males per 1150 cm2 cage has no detectable effect in terms of weight gain, survival, or subsequent fertility as compared to singly-caged males. Holding 3 males per cage reduces weight gains but does not reduce subsequent fertility.
Finite amplitude, free vibrations of an axisymmetric load supported by a highly elastic tubular shear spring

The finite amplitude, free vibrational characteristics of a simple mechanical system consisting of an axisymmetric rigid body supported by a highly elastic tubular shear spring subjected to axial, rotational, and coupled shearing motions are studied. Two classes of elastic tube materials are considered: a compressible material whose shear response is constant, and an incompressible material whose shear response is a quadratic function of the total amount of shear. The class of materials with constant shear response includes the incompressible Mooney-Rivlin material and certain compressible Blatz-Ko, Hadamard, and other general kinds of models. For each material class, the quasi-static elasticity problem is solved to determine the telescopic and gyratory shearing deformation functions needed to evaluate the elastic tube restoring force and torque exerted on the body. For all materials with constant shear response, the differential equations of motion are uncoupled equations typical of simple harmonic oscillators. Hence, exact solutions for the forced vibration of the system can be readily obtained; and for this class, engineering design formulae for the load-deflection relations are discussed and compared with experimental results of others'. For the quadratic material, however, the general motion of the body is characterized by a formidable, coupled system of nonlinear equations. The free, coupled shearing motion for which either the axial or the azimuthal shear deformation may be small is governed by a pair of equations of the Duffing and Hill types. On the other hand, the finite amplitude, pure axial and pure rotational motions of the load are described by the classical, nonlinear Duffing equation alone. A variety of problems are solved exactly for these separate free vibrational modes, and a number of physical results are presented throughout.
Thermally conductive nylon 6,6 and polycarbonate based resins. I. Synergistic effects of carbon fillers

Increasing the thermal conductivity of typically insulating polymers, such as nylon 6,6, opens new markets. A thermally conductive resin can be used for heat-sink applications. This research focused on performing compounding runs followed by injection molding and thermal conductivity testing of carbon filled nylon 6,6 and polycarbonate based resins. The three carbon fillers investigated included an electrically conductive carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and a milled pitch-based carbon fiber. For each polymer, conductive resins were produced and tested that contained varying amounts of these single carbon fillers. In addition, combinations of fillers were investigated by conducting a full 23 factorial design and a complete replicate in each polymer. The objective of this article was to determine the effects and interactions of each filler on the thermal conductivity properties of the conductive resins. From the through-plane thermal conductivity results, it was determined that for both nylon 6,6 and polycarbonate based resins, synthetic graphite particles caused the largest increase in composite thermal conductivity, followed by carbon fibers. The combination of synthetic graphite particles and carbon fiber had the third most important effect on composite thermal conductivity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 112–122, 2003
An adaptive filtered back-projection for photoacoustic image reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop an improved filtered-back-projection (FBP) algorithm for photoacoustic tomography (PAT), which allows image reconstruction with higher quality compared to images reconstructed through traditional algorithms. Methods: A rigorous expression of a weighting function has been derived directly from a photoacoustic wave equation and used as a ramp filter in Fourier domain. The authors’ new algorithm utilizes this weighting function to precisely calculate each photoacoustic signal’s contribution and then reconstructs the image based on the retarded potential generated from the photoacoustic sources. In addition, an adaptive criterion has been derived for selecting the cutoff frequency of a low pass filter. Two computational phantoms were created to test the algorithm. The first phantom contained five spheres with each sphere having different absorbances. The phantom was used to test the capability for correctly representing both the geometry and the relative absorbed energy in a planar measurement system. The authors also used another phantom containing absorbers of different sizes with overlapping geometry to evaluate the performance of the new method for complicated geometry. In addition, random noise background was added to the simulated data, which were obtained by using an arc-shaped array of 50 evenly distributed transducers that spanned 160° over a circle with a radius of 65 mm. A normalized factor between the neighbored transducers was applied for correcting measurement signals in PAT simulations. The authors assumed that the scanned object was mounted on a holder that rotated over the full 360° and the scans were set to a sampling rate of 20.48 MHz. Results: The authors have obtained reconstructed images of the computerized phantoms by utilizing the new FBP algorithm. From the reconstructed image of the first phantom, one can see that this new approach allows not only obtaining a sharp image but also showing the correct signal strength of the absorbers. The reconstructed image of the second phantom further demonstrates the capability to form clear images of the spheres with sharp borders in the overlapping geometry. The smallest sphere is clearly visible and distinguishable, even though it is surrounded by two big spheres. In addition, image reconstructions were conducted with randomized noise added to the observed signals to mimic realistic experimental conditions. Conclusions: The authors have developed a new FBP algorithm that is capable for reconstructing high quality images with correct relative intensities and sharp borders for PAT. The results demonstrate that the weighting function serves as a precise ramp filter for processing the observed signals in the Fourier domain. In addition, this algorithm allows an adaptive determination of the cutoff frequency for the applied low pass filter.
Different forms of TFIIH for transcription and DNA repair: Holo-TFIIH and a nucleotide excision repairosome

Yeast TFIIH that is active in transcription can be dissociated into three components: a 5-subunit core, the SSL2 gene product, and a complex of 47 kDa, 45 kDa, and 33 kDa polypeptides that possesses protein kinase activity directed towards the C-terminal repeat domain of RNA polymerase II. These three components can reconstitute fully functional TFIIH, and all three are required for transcription in vitro. By contrast, TFIIH that is highly active in nucleotide excision repair (NER) lacks the kinase complex and instead contains the products of all other genes known to be required for NER in yeast: RAD1, RAD2, RAD4, RAD10, and RAD14. This repairosome is not active in reconstituted transcription in vitro and is significantly more active than any of the constituent polypeptides in correcting defective repair in extracts from strains mutated in NER genes.
Radiographic underestimation of small bowel stricturing Crohn's disease: A comparison with surgical findings

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of barium radiography compared with intraoperative evaluation with passage of a balloon catheter for assessment of stricturing Crohn's disease (CD). Methods After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed a tertiary inflammatory bowel disease center's consecutive records of surgical patients between 1998 and 2003 with small intestinal CD to compare the number of strictures found at surgery with those identified preoperatively by barium imaging. Age, gender, prior surgical procedures, and steroid usage were recorded. By decision of the surgeons, all patients were treated with an identical approach that utilized intraluminal sizing with passage of a balloon-tipped catheter. Results In 118 patients, 230 strictures were identified by barium examination; 365 strictures were identified using the balloon catheter technique. Barium examination overestimated or underestimated the number of strictures in 43 of 118 patients (36%). Overall, barium radiography was least accurate in patients with strictures amenable to strictureplasty. Prior surgery and multiple strictures identified preoperatively by barium studies were found to decrease the accuracy of the barium examination, but the decrease did not reach statistical significance. After successful surgery for stricturing small intestinal CD, more than 90% of patients can successfully be weaned from their steroids within 3 months. Failure to be able to wean from steroids may suggest a missed stricture. Conclusions Our data suggest that careful exploration and intraoperative, intraluminal testing of intestinal patency identify additional strictures compared with barium radiographs in a significant number of patients with CD undergoing small bowel surgical intervention.
Methods for planning experimental designs that allow measurement of several concurrent drug effects

Psychoactive drugs concurrently produce a variety of effects on the formation and retrieval of memories and on performance of learned responses. Experimental designs used in psychopharmacology are usually arranged so that some drug effects do not occur or do not influence the dependent variables of interest and so that the strength and statistical significance of the remaining effects can be concurrently determined. Moderately complex designs are often required to allow the simultaneous evaluation of the several drug effects expected to occur in a preparation. In general, the inclusion of more experimental conditions in a design will allow concurrent measurement of more drug effects, but it is often less than obvious exactly which effects can be measured by any given design. Multiple linear regression provides a method for determining which effects can be measured with certain types of designs and hence provides a method for selecting designs adequate to deal with the drug effects anticipated in any particular experiment. This paper presents illustrative examples of the use of multiple linear regression to evaluate the utility of selected experimental designs. It also describes some new experimental designs more adequate than those previously employed for the study of state-dependent learning and concurrently occurring drug effects.
Two-dimensional quantum (0,2) supergravity

Abstract We derive the current algebra of two-dimensional (0,2) supergravity, using the light-cone gauge approach a la Polyakov. It is found that the central charge of the current algebra is real for any d , in agreement with the observation by Polyakov and Zamolodchikov.
A simple glycol nucleic acid.

A glycol nucleic acid (GNA) with an acyclic propylene glycol phosphodiester backbone forms stable antiparallel duplexes following the Watson−Crick base pairing rules.
Invited commentary: “sentinel lymph node biopsy in rectal cancer…”

THE ARTICLE BY BEMBENEK ET AL illustrates the controversy that is arising around the use of sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with colorectal cancer. The lessons that have been learned from melanoma and breast cancer, however, cannot be transferred automatically to colorectal cancer. The lymphatic drainage of the rectum has long been known to be confined to the mesorectum.1 The vessels, fat, lymph nodes, and surrounding fascial envelope almost always define the path of regional metastasis for rectal cancer. In fact, the use of complete mesorectal excision in the treatment of rectal cancer was designed on the basis of this knowledge. It is rare that lateral pelvic wall lymph node metastases occur without central spread to the lymphatics within the mesorectum. The lymphatic spread of rectal cancer therefore is fairly consistent, unlike melanoma, and does not need to be localized to the draining lymphatic field for each occurrence. Most colorectal surgeons currently stage rectal cancer with imaging techniques such as endorectal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.2 Preoperative staging is used to select patients who require neoadjuvant (preoperative) cytoreductive therapy before undergoing appropriate resection of the tumor (local or radical).3 Adjuvant (postoperative) therapy with the use of external beam radiation to the pelvis results in severe functional impairment because the rectal remnant and colonic component of the anastomosis become noncompliant as the result of radiation-induced fibrosis. Thus, the postoperative stage of the tumor
Analysis of Rain Erosion of Coated Materials

The behavior of coat-substrate systems subjected to repeated impingements of liquid droplets was investigated. The systems studied consisted of a thick homogeneous substrate covered by a single layer of homogeneous coating of arbitrary thickness. Based on the uniaxial stress wave model, the variations of the stresses with time were determined both in the coating and in the substrate. Employing fatigue theorems, algebraic equations were derived which describe the incubation period and the mass loss of the coating past the incubation period, in terms of the properties of the droplet, the coating and the substrate. The results were compared to available experimental data and good agreement was found between the present analytical results and the data.
The impact of deregulation on labor demand in class-I railroads

This paper examines the impact of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 on labor demand in Class-I railroads during 1961–1990. The demand for labor is a function of output, hourly wage rates, a time trend, and a vector of interactive dummy variables. Since deregulation, the labor demand curve has shifted downward; wage elasticities have become more elastic, ranging from −0.668 in 1980 to −1.187 in 1990; output elasticities trended upward from 0.557 to 0.809; and the marginal product of labor rose from 3.421 to 5.296 during 1980–1990. These findings suggest that unions’ bargaining power has declined, that the total wage bill is likely to decrease if the real wage rate rises further, and that cost savings and efficiency gains are realized through increases in the marginal product of labor.
Tissue remodeling in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis: What lies beneath the surface?

The concept of eosinophil-associated tissue remodeling and fibrosis has its roots in the hypereosinophilic syndrome and asthmatic airways. In asthmatic patients TH2-associated eotaxins and interleukins activate eosinophils to release granule products and growth factors that propagate inflammation and cause tissue damage. Continual and recurrent dysregulated repair leads to tissue remodeling with subsequent fibrosis and end-organ dysfunction. The reversibility, natural history, and clinical consequences of eosinophil-associated remodeling have been largely debated, especially in human disease, in which the paucity of tissue for repeated analysis has been a rate-limiting factor in our understanding. The availability of adequate surrogate markers in patients with disorders such as asthma has obviated any clinical requirement for direct tissue assessment. In contrast, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a relatively recently described antigen-driven disease of increasing worldwide prevalence, by its definition requires microscopic esophageal tissue evaluation for its diagnosis and management. This necessity for repeated histologic analysis allows EoE to function as a new model for studying allergic, eosinophil-associated remodeling over time. Although asthmatic airway remodeling has been hypothesized to begin in early childhood, the ability to study airway tissue in children remains elusive. EoE, on the other hand, affords the potential to monitor the genesis and evolution of remodeling in young children. However, despite readily available esophageal tissue, remodeling analysis in patients with EoE still has its challenges. Esophageal biopsy specimens are small, approximately 3 mm. Although the esophageal epithelium is uniformly available from all biopsy specimens, only the minority of biopsy specimens contain adequate subepithelial lamina propria (LP) and muscularis mucosa for analysis. Because a large number of remodeling events, including fibrosis and angiogenesis, occur in the LP, this can generally only be studied in a subset of patients with EoE. Whether this required selection of biopsy
Characterization of a Macrofiber Piezoelectric Composite for Lunar Exploration Actuator

Understanding the nature and locations of water and other resources on Earth’s Moon is an essential component to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) space exploration efforts. To aid in these exploration efforts, an investigation into lightweight and reliable materials for a lunar actuator design has lead to characterizing the lifetime performance of the piezoelectric fiber composite, macro fiber composite (MFC). MFC’s are thin rectangular patches made of polyimide film, epoxy and a single layer of rectangular lead zirconium titanate fibers and are commercially available. As a basis for this consideration, the useful life of the MFC is being characterized to determine the effect of temperature on the performance of the material as it is fatigued by piezoelectric excitation. The patch is laminated to a cantilevered stainless steel beam and actuated at the first resonant frequency of the beam and patch laminate. Strain and beam tip displacement measurements are used as a basis for determining the performance of the MFC whichis cyclically actuated under various operating temperatures. The temperature of the beam and patch laminate is held constant during cyclic actuation, to determine the useful life of the piezoelectric patch over a temperature range from −15°C to 145°C. The experimentation efforts show a strong temperature dependence on operational life for the MFC; however, no significant degradation in operational performance was identified before ultimate failure of the MFC, regardless of temperature or actuation cycle. The results of the experimental testing can be used to design actuators using MFC in environments where operational temperatures differ from standard laboratory temperatures.© 2010 ASME
Evaluating Internet and Scholarly Sources across the Disciplines: Two Case Studies

Although most college faculty expect their students to analyze Internet and scholarly sources in a critical and responsible manner, recent research suggests that many undergraduates are unable to discriminate between credible and noncredible sources, in part because they lack the proper training and relevant experiences. The authors describe two case studies from different disciplines (psychology and history) that offer a variety of strategies instructors can use to help students learn to critically evaluate and analyze Internet and scholarly sources.
Structure of the Interface between Two Polar Liquids: Nitrobenzene and Water

Synchrotron X-ray reflectivity is used to study the electron density as a function of depth through the bulk nitrobenzene-water interface at four different temperatures. The measured interfacial width differs from the predictions of capillary wave theory with a progressively smaller deviation as the temperature is raised. Computer simulations suggest the presence of both molecular layering and dipole ordering parallel to the interface. Either layering or a bending rigidity, that can result from dipole ordering, can explain these measurements.
HLA antigens and HBV infection: evaluation in the chronic carrier state and in a large family

HLA antigens were determined in 65 apparently well chronic carriers of HBsAg, in race-matched controls and in 42 members of a family with a high frequency of hepatitis B virus infection. The only apparent significant association in the chronic carriers was negative, i.e., no HLA-B7 specificities were found among whites. B7 may confer resistance for whites to chronic infection with hepatitis B. In the family neither active (HBsAg) nor prior (anti-HBs) hepatitis B infection was associated with HLA specificities. HLA antigens in this family failed to provide a clue to the genetics of hepatitis B infection.
Near-infrared molecular imaging probes based on chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads

Chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads as a new class of near-infrared fluorophores were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. Each dyad is comprised of a chlorin macrocycle (free base or zinc chelate) as an energy donor (and absorber) and a free base bacteriochlorin as an energy acceptor (and emitter). Excitation of the chlorin (λ= 650 nm, zinc chelate; 675 nm, free base) results in fast (5 ps) and nearly quantitative (>99%) energy transfer to the adjacent bacteriochlorin moiety, and consequently bacteriochlorin fluorescence (λ= 760 nm). Thus, each chlorinbacteriochlorin dyad behaves as a single chromophore, with a large effective Stokes shift (85 or 110 nm), a significant fluorescence quantum yield (Φf = 0.19), long excited-state lifetime (τ = 5.4 ns), narrow excitation and emission bands (<20 nm), and high chemical stability. Imaging experiments performed using phantoms show that the chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads exhibit a range of superior properties compare with commercially available imaging dyes. While the latter are six-fold brighter (comparing e•Φf values), the chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads exhibit narrower excitation and emission bands and larger Stokes shift, therefore allowing more efficient and selective excitation and detection of fluorescence. The high selectivity is further demonstrated with in vivo imaging studies using mice. This selectivity together with the tunability of absorption and emission wavelengths using substituent effects under synthetic control make the chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads ideal candidates for multicolor imaging applications. In addition, the long fluorescence lifetimes make those probes suitable for lifetime-imaging applications.
Issues in using DARPA domain names for computer mail

Although the principle goal of the DARPA Domain Name project is to provide a distributed name resolution mechanism for host names in the DARPA Internet, it is envisioned that the domain naming scheme will also support names for mailboxes in a global mail system that extends to mail networks beyond the DARPA Internet. In addition to overviewing the fundamental ideas behind the domain name scheme and outlining a proposal for using domain names as an umbrella naming system for computer mail, we discuss the administrative and technical problems involved in using domain names in the global mail system.
Possible halo depictions in the prehistoric rock art of Utah

In western American rock art the concentric circle symbol, which is widely regarded as a sun symbol, is ubiquitous. We provide evidence from Archaic and Fremont Indian rock art sites in northwestern Utah that at least one depiction was motivated by an observation of a complex halo display. Cirrus cloud optical displays are linked in both folklore and meteorology to precipitation-producing weather situations, which, in combination with an abundance of weather-related rock art symbolism, indicate that such images reflected the ceremonial concerns of the indigenous cultures for ensuring adequate precipitation. As has been shown to be the case with rock art rainbows, conventionalization of the halo image may have resulted in simple patterns that lacked recognizable details of atmospheric optical phenomena. However, in one case in which an Archaic-style petroglyph (probably 1500 yr or more old) satisfactorily reproduced a complicated halo display that contained parhelia and tangent arcs, sufficient geometric information is rendered to indicate a solar elevation angle of approx. 40 deg. at the time of observation.
How did big brains evolve? The role of neonatal body size

The hypothesis that a mammalian species’ neonatal body size plays a role in determining its adult brain size is examined. This hypothesis is suggested by the observed correlation among mammals between neonatal body weight and adult brain weight. It is argued that there is no direct developmental linkage between these variables; rather, they are associated in evolution because of their opposing effects on the maturity level of the neonate. The evolution of neonate size in the hominids is also discussed, and consideration is given to trade-offs in pelvic design between locomotor and obstetrical functions. It is concluded that there was strong selection for brain enlargement in the hominids and that neonatal enlargement, rather than being intrinsically adaptive, was a direct response to the maturity-reducing effect of adult brain enlargement.