cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Lion Tamer

to the animals, idly remarked as he stood by the Uon that he might just arrange to get in with them? he'd done that sort of thing out in Africa. Word spread muy r?pido that "Jeminguey" was going to tame Uons. The owner got very excited and raced about puffing the event with a loud speaker. AU San Francisco de Paulo turned out. On the night which had been announced, Ernest turned up as promised, wearing his boots, his African hunting garb, a chair in one hand, a whip in the other. He climbed in the cage and spent two hours working the Uons. (Although he was brave then, and also when he acted the matador in Spain, fighting the youngest of buUs, this scene stiU reminds me of the one in Don Quixote
Cultivation of parasitic leptospires: effect of pyruvate.

Abstract Sodium pyruvate (100 μg/ml) is a useful addition to the Tween 80-albumin medium for the cultivation of parasitic serotypes. It is most effective in promoting growth from small inocula and growth of the nutritionally fastidious serotypes.
Spectral characteristics and interconversions of the reduced oxidized, and oxygenated forms of purified cytochrome o.

Abstract Cytochrome o can be chemically reduced by excess dithionite and oxidized by ferricyanide and ammonium persulfate. The latter reagent is colorless and allows spectral observations in the Soret region. The spectrum of the "oxygenated" form of the reduced cytochrome, which has absorption maxima at 576, 543, and 414 nm, is elicited in aerobic solution by enzymatic reduction with NADH, and when formed in this way the oxygenated form is very stable. When the solution is made anaerobic, the spectrum of the reduced (non-oxygenated) form appeared. The reduced form becomes spectrophotometrically detectable when the dissolved oxygen falls below 14 µm and is at half-maximal concentration at 6 µm oxygen. The reintroduction of oxygen results in reappearance of the spectrum of the oxygenated form. The addition of ammonium persulfate or sodium dithionite to the oxygenated form produced the oxidized or reduced cytochrome, respectively. Bubbling carbon monoxide through solutions of the oxygenated form shifted the absorption maxima to 566, 535, and 419 nm, which are the absorption maxima characteristic of the reduced cytochrome-carbon monoxide complex. Cyanide, which can bind to the oxidized form of cytochrome o, had no effect on the spectrum of the oxygenated form, but the formation of this form from oxidized cytochrome o and NADH was inhibited in the presence of cyanide. Hydrogen peroxide forms a complex with cytochrome o that has a spectrum similar to the spectrum of the oxygenated form.
After the Recognition of Kosovo: Declining International Conflict Management Capability?

The Kosovo agreement of 1999 was an unfinished interim agreement that permitted the lessening of violence while postponing the search for the final political settlement. However, the U.S. led recognition of Kosovo and the ICJ Advisory Opinion on Kosovo have disregarded that the final political settlement should have been realized by reaching a compromise acceptable to both Belgrade and the Kosovo Albanians, with the involvement of the UN Security Council. This disrespect for the necessary conflict resolution processes could become a worrisome precedent. Some recent signs from Eurasian conflicts suggest that disputants may now begin to fear a “Kosovo scenario.” They worry that their acceptance of the internationally sponsored interim accords might eventually lead to the unilateral imposition of an unwanted final political settlement. Therefore, deadly conflicts in which parties are not yet ready to embrace reconciliation may now become more resistant to conflict mitigation through inconclusive, provisional agreements. If this should prove to be the case, the human costs of conflict will increase, and so will the interveners’ stakes.
The achievement of Isaac Newton

Although Isaac Newton's interests were not confined to mathematical topics, neither did he embrace all learning. What seized his at tention seized it completely, to the exclusion of everything else, and his intellectual life presents itself to the historian as a succession of episodes in which Newton devoted himself utterly to the subject at hand and made himself fully its master. In no sense can we see him in the image of the universal man of the Renaissance. He remained a stranger to many arenas of experience--for example, the arts in most of their manifestations. Even what we today consider as science did not define the limits of Newton's intellectual life. We know f rom his manusc r ip t s tha t he devo ted immense amounts of time and attention to alchemy, during a period of nearly thirty years in the middle of his life when he was at the height of his powers. Newton devoted even more attention to theology also during the prime years of his life. Although passages in the General Scholium to the Principia and in the Queries attached to the Opticks argue that the structure of nature implies the existence of God, such questions were by no means the focus of his concern in theology, which centered instead on the interrelated doctrines of the Trinity and the divinity of Christ. To this catalog of interests we should also add Newton's duties at the Mint, for he plunged into them with the same singleminded concentration he had given to other matters. History has not weighed these interests on the same scales that Newton used. Alchemy was already beginning to slip beyond the pale of intellectual respectability at the time Newton took it up. Newton later abandoned alchemy; it was the one pursuit of his Cambridge years that did not travel with him to London. Theology has experienced a different history from alchemy, but it has ended up as far removed from the
Effect of blood donation on iron stores as evaluated by serum ferritin

Serum ferritin was measured in 2982 blood donors. First-time male donors had a geometric mean of 127 zg/liter and female donors 46 ug/liter. While values were essentially constant in the women between the ages of 18 and 45, there was a rapid increase in the men between 18 and 30 years of age consistent with the establishment of iron stores during that time. Blood donation was associated with a decrease in serum ferritin. One unit per year, equivalent to an increased requirement of 0.65 mg/day, halved the serum ferritin level in the male. More frequent donations were associated with further decreases. From the data obtained it would appear that male donors, while depleting their iron stores, were able to donate 2-3 U/yr without an appreciable incidence of iron deficiency. Women could donate only about half that amount, and more frequent donations were associated with a high incidence of iron deficiency and donor dropout. These data have provided information on the effect of graded amounts of iron loss through bleeding on iron balance. B LEEDING results in mobilization ofiron from body stores.’ As stores decrease iron absorption increases.2 With continued bleeding an individual either reaches equilibrium at a lower level of iron stores or becomes anemic.3 These considerations apply directly to people who serve as blood donors. The frequency of blood donation has been so adjusted as to prevent anemia in most donors, but quantitative information concerning the iron status of donors is limited. With the development ofthe fernitin assay, an evaluation of iron stores became possible;4’5 such an evaluation is the purpose ofthis study.
Differentiation of cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory biomarkers between neonatal post-hemorrhagic and congenital hydrocephalus

Neonatal Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) develops partly due to an inflammatory process occurring after intraventricular hemorrhage whereas the majority of congenital hydrocephalus (CH) results from primary and secondary CNS malformations. We hypothesize that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) content of inflammatory biomarkers is higher in neonatal PHH relative to CH. To test this hypothesis, we measured CSF concentrations of CCL-3, CXCL-12, CX3CL-1, IL-10 and P-selectin in both conditions.
Copper nanoparticles/compounds impact agronomic and physiological parameters in cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

The environmental impacts of Cu-based nanoparticles (NPs) are not well understood. In this study, cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) was germinated and grown in commercial potting mix soil amended with Cu(OH)2 (Kocide and CuPRO), nano-copper (nCu), micro-copper (μCu), nano-copper oxide (nCuO), micro-copper oxide (μCuO) and ionic Cu (CuCl2) at either 20 or 80 mg Cu per kg. In addition to seed germination and plant elongation, relative chlorophyll content and micro and macroelement concentrations were determined. At both concentrations, only nCuO, μCuO, and ionic Cu, showed statistically significant reductions in germination. Although compared with control, the relative germination was reduced by ∼50% with nCuO at both concentrations, and by ∼40% with μCuO, also at both concentrations, the difference among compounds was not statistically significant. Exposure to μCuO at both concentrations and nCu at 80 mg kg(-1) significantly reduced (p≤ 0.05) shoot elongation by 11% and 12.4%, respectively, compared with control. Only μCuO at 20 mg kg(-1) significantly reduced (26%) the relative chlorophyll content, compared with control. None of the treatments increased root Cu, but all of them, except μCuO at 20 mg kg(-1), significantly increased shoot Cu (p≤ 0.05). Micro and macro elements B, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, P, and S were significantly reduced in shoots (p≤ 0.05). Similar results were observed in roots. These results showed that Cu-based NPs/compounds depress nutrient element accumulation in cilantro, which could impact human nutrition.
Age dependence of cardiac growth in the normal and carbon monoxide-exposed rat.

Abstract “Young” rats, 5 days of age, and “old” rats, 25 days of age, inhaled 500 ppm carbon monoxide in air until 50 days of age. Heart weight (HW) relative to same-age controls was maximal at 25 days of age in the young rats, a time at which hemoglobin and hematocrit reached minimal values. Weight of the right ventricle (RV), left ventricle (LV), and combined atria showed a similar pattern. HW and weights of LV and RV of the old rats were intermediate to those of the young rats and controls at 40, 45, and 50 days of age. DNA content of the LV and RV increased sharply in the young rats after initial CO exposure, departing significantly from equal-age controls. DNA content in both ventricles in both young and control rats reached plateaus after 20–25 days of exposure, with the former more than 50% above the latter. DNA content of both ventricles of the old rats was similar to the controls at 50 days of age. In addition, both DNA concentration and protein to DNA ratios were examined in the three groups. The study supports the notion that the potential for cardiac DNA synthesis and probably muscle cell hyperplasia in the rat comes to an end during the 5th through 25th days of postnatal life.
Neuromuscular specializations of the pharyngeal dilator muscles: II. Compartmentalization of the canine genioglossus muscle.

The genioglossus (GG) muscle is divided into horizontal and oblique compartments that are the main protrusor and depressor muscles of the tongue, respectively. In humans the GG plays an important role in speech articulation, swallowing, and inspiratory dilation of the pharynx. At present, little is known about the neuromuscular specializations of the GG in any mammal. This study examined the specializations of these compartments in the canine tongue using a variety of anatomical and histochemical techniques. Six canine GG muscles were sectioned and stained for myofibrillar ATPase to study muscle fiber types; five whole-mount GG muscles were stained for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to study the distribution of motor endplates; and eight whole mount GG muscles were processed with Sihler’s stain to study the entire nerve supply pattern. In addition, the arrangement of muscle fibers of the GG within the tongue was also determined (N 5 3). The most notable difference between the compartments of the GG was their proportions of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers: the horizontal compartment contained 64% slow twitch muscle fibers compared to 41% in the oblique compartment. In addition, although the oblique compartment appeared to be grossly homogeneous, it could be divided into thirds by significant differences in the percentages of slow twitch fibers: posterior (23%), middle (15%), and anterior (56%; P , 0.05). The muscle fibers of the oblique GG within the tongue were found to be divided into medial and lateral layers that run vertically and transversely, respectively. The nerve supply to each third of the oblique GG formed a plexus with the anterior third being the densest. The innervation pattern of the oblique GG was also notable as terminal nerve branches coursing parallel to the muscle fascicles gave off perpendicular secondary branches along each motor endplate band. These secondary nerve branches connected the primary nerves and formed a regularly spaced grid throughout the compartment. Evidently, the two compartments of the GG exhibited different anatomical specializations. The horizontal had a slow muscle fiber profile and simple innervation pattern; these qualities are possibly related to its single force vector and respiratory related activity. The oblique compartment had a relatively fast muscle fiber profile with evidence for three separate functional subdivisions. The most anterior part was noticeably different, and was presumably specialized for fine motor control of the tip of the tongue. The vertically oriented fibers of the oblique GG within the tongue body may function as a midline depressor of the tongue, whereas its transversely oriented fibers could play a role in narrowing the tongue during other motor tasks. Anat Rec 260: 308 ‐325, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Addressing disaster risk reduction and human development policy together: an introduction

The importance of coordinated efforts between local, state and federal disaster responses and their inherent effects on regional and global emergency preparation is highlighted. By addressing disaster risk reduction and human development policy together, a best practice approach is identified. A brief introduction on this Special Issue is presented in this paper.
Yeast luminometric and Xenopus oocyte electrophysiological examinations of the molecular mechanosensitivity of TRPV4.

TRPV4 (Transient Receptor Potentials, vanilloid family, type 4) is widely expressed in vertebrate tissues and is activated by several stimuli, including by mechanical forces. Certain TRPV4 mutations cause complex hereditary bone or neuronal pathologies in human. Wild-type or mutant TRPV4 transgenes are commonly expressed in cultured mammalian cells and examined by Fura-2 fluorometry and by electrodes. In terms of the mechanism of mechanosensitivity and the molecular bases of the diseases, the current literature is confusing and controversial. To complement existing methods, we describe two additional methods to examine the molecular properties of TRPV4. (1) Rat TRPV4 and an aequorin transgene are transformed into budding yeast. A hypo-osmtic shock of the transformant population yields a luminometric signal due to the combination of aequorin with Ca2+, released through the TRPV4 channel. Here TRPV4 is isolated from its usual mammalian partner proteins and reveals its own mechanosensitivity. (2) cRNA of TRPV4 is injected into Xenopus oocytes. After a suitable period of incubation, the macroscopic TRPV4 current is examined with a two-electrode voltage clamp. The current rise upon removal of inert osmoticum from the oocyte bath is indicative of mechanosensitivity. The microAmpere (10-6 to 10-4 A) currents from oocytes are much larger than the subnano- to nanoAmpere (10-10 to 10-9 A) currents from cultured cells, yielding clearer quantifications and more confident assessments. Microscopic currents reflecting the activities of individual channel proteins can also be directly registered under a patch clamp, in on-cell or excised mode. The same oocyte provides multiple patch samples, allowing better data replication. Suctions applied to the patches can activate TRPV4 to directly assess mechanosensitivity. These methods should also be useful in the study of other types of TRP channels.
Operation of a 3 GeV Fast Cycling Proton Synchrotron

The Princeton-Pennsylvania Accelerator at the Forrestal Research Center in Princeton operates at approximately 19 pulses per second. It quite consistently achieves 1 to 2 × 1010 protons per pulse and has been tuned up, in ways which we do not yet know how to reproduce, to an intensity of 5 to 6 × 1010 protons per pulse. Since August 1963 it has been serving simultaneously one to four prime users, plus a similar number of parasites, with beams of ? and K mesons generated in an internal stationary target, usually platinum. Beam spill is achieved over a time of 2 to 4 msecs with some synchrotron oscillation structure and 100% RF structure. The latter has been used effectively in some experiments as a means for velocity selection in momentum analyzed beams. In addition to serving experiments, current major efforts of the staff are directed toward increasing stability and intensity, improving overall reliability in general and spill control in particular, preparing for an external proton beam, and accumulating equipment and experienced manpower for general support of experiments. Operating schedules and procedures will be described.
Coupled temperature dependences of volume and compressibility

We present a new method for understanding the changes with temperature of the volume and compressibility of solids. These changes depend on five parameters: V 0, B 0, Θ, γ G and δ T. V 0 and B 0 are the atomic volume and bulk modulus at T = 0 K, Θ is the Debye temperature, γ G is the Gruneisen parameter, and δ T is the Anderson–Gruneisen parameter. Equations for the temperature-dependent volume, bulk modulus and thermal expansion are given, and examples of the use of these equations are provided, with particular emphasis on the light actinides. For the elements, we examine the relationship between experimental values of γ G and δ T, and find no clear correlation. In particular, Swenson's rule, which states that the bulk modulus does not change with temperature if the volume is held constant, is a poor approximation to the data. We reveal a new useful approximate relationship between dB/dP and γ G. We find that the thermodynamic quantity q, which describes the variation in γ G with volume, distributes arou...
Burden of undetected and untreated glaucoma in the United States.

Purpose To determine the burden of undetected and untreated glaucoma in the noninstitutionalized population over the age of 40 years in the United States of America (US). Design Cross-sectional study. Methods setting: US civilian, noninstitutionalized population from the 2005–2006 and 2007–2008 administrations of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that were 40 years old or older with completed retinal photographs, completed interview question regarding prior diagnosis of glaucoma, and a negative response to questions regarding comorbidities. main outcome measures: Prevalence of self-reported glaucoma history; signs of glaucoma damage seen in retinal photographs and perimetry; prevalence of undiagnosed glaucoma; and comparison of demographic factors using odds ratios to identify populations with highest burden of previously undiagnosed glaucoma. Results The study population included 3850 participants who met the inclusion criteria. The 99.5th percentile of the vertical cup-to-disc ratio was 0.67 and the 99.5th percentile of the vertical cup-to-disc ratio asymmetry between eyes was 0.26. Prevalence of undiagnosed glaucoma was 2.9%, increasing with age to 6.6% of the population over 70 years old. Among those with glaucoma, 78% were previously undiagnosed and untreated. Blacks have roughly 4.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.9–6.7; P P = .0012) greater odds of having undiagnosed and untreated glaucoma than non-Hispanic whites. Conclusions Approximately 2.4 million persons in the US have undetected and untreated glaucoma. Overall, prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed glaucoma is much higher in minorities and the elderly. Among those with definite glaucoma, individuals younger than 60 years of age have a greater proportion of undetected disease.
Frequency-domain characterization of heat conduction in sealed water calorimeters

Abstract Over the past 10 years, water calorimetry has been adopted widely by national metrology institutes as a primary reference standard for measuring absorbed dose to water in clinical radiotherapy beams. The first such instrument was built at NIST in the early 1990s for use in 60 Co, and, since then, the domain of application has been extended elsewhere for use with high-energy X-rays and electrons. A second-generation water calorimeter has been designed and built for NIST to meet new challenges with the aid of newer and more sophisticated electronics and computing tools, though heat transfer artifacts inherent to calorimeters of a similar design still persist. Such artifacts conventionally are corrected by means of computer simulations of calorimeter response to heat input whose spatial and temporal characteristics approximate experimental conditions. The correction factors thus obtained exhibit a complicated time dependence that is sensitive to the initial temperature distribution. Therefore, experimental runs typically incorporate long equilibration intervals during which the phantom is stirred, in order to remove thermal gradients. In the present work, we explore the feasibility of using frequency-domain techniques to measure the stationary spectral characteristics of the desired signal and heat transport effects. By modulating the radiation beam and employing Fourier analysis, we obtain a system transfer function that accounts for the systematic bias at all radiation time intervals. The system transfer function is investigated with a one-dimensional analytical model which produces exact agreement with finite-element simulation. The latter is found to be in qualitative agreement with experimental data when using a two-dimensional model. These results suggest that heat-conduction artifacts may be corrected parametrically for arbitrary irradiation conditions.
Spontaneous bladder perforation in paraplegia as a late complication of augmentation enterocystoplasty: Case report

The management of spinal cord injured (SCI) patients with small capacity, noncompliant bladders has focused on the preservation of renal function and social continence. When conservative management is unsuccessful, surgical intervention may prove beneficial. Augmentation enterocystoplasty is a reliable method of achieving increased bladder capacity while decreasing intravesical filling pressure. Spontaneous bladder rupture is a rare complication of augmentation enterocystoplasty. Because the urine is often colonized with bacteria, bladder rupture may result in chemical and bacterial peritonitis, which is associated with a 25% mortality rate. SCI patients may not present with the classic signs of an acute abdomen. Early diagnosis is critical so that aggressive management may be instituted. The case of late spontaneous perforation of an augmentation enterocystoplasty in a 33-year-old man with T7 complete paraplegia is presented, and the literature discussing the etiology, diagnosis, management, and prevention of augmented bladder perforation is reviewed.
An improved theory of polymer dynamics in solution: Probe diffusion and viscosity

A more complete coupling/scaling theory of polymer dynamics in solution is presented and applied to explain several anomalous properties of probe diffusion and viscosity. Similar properties are found in totally physically and chemically different systems. These similarities strongly support the need of a general approach to these problems as given here.
A shock tube study of the OH + OH → H2O + O reaction

The rate coefficient for the reaction has been determined in mixtures of nitric acid (HNO3) and argon in incident shock wave experiments. Quantitative OH time-histories were obtained by cw narrow-linewidth uv laser absorption of the R1(5) line of the A2 σ+ X2 Πi (0,0) transition at 32606.56 cm−1 (vacuum). The experiments were conducted over the temperature range 1050–2380 K and the pressure range 0.18–0.60 atm. The second-order rate coefficient was determined to be with overall uncertainties of +11%, −16% at high temperatures and +25%, −22% at low temperatures. By incorporating data from previous investigations in the temperature range 298–578 K, the following expression is determined for the temperature range 298–2380 K © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Intensive Intraoperative Insulin Therapy versus Conventional Glucose Management during Cardiac Surgery

To determine whether rigorous intraoperative glycemic control reduces death and morbidity in cardiac surgery patients, the authors randomly assigned 400 cardiac surgical patients to tight glycemic ...
Low-cost, high-sensitivity SERS nano-bio-chip for kinase profiling, drug monitoring and environmental detection: A translational platform technology

The interaction of biomolecules and solid-state nanomaterials at the nano-bio interfaces is a long-lasting research topic in nanotechnology. Historically, fundamental problems, such as the electron transfer, energy transfer, and plasmonic interaction at the bio-nano interfaces, have been intensively studied, and revolutionary technologies, such as molecular electronics, peptide chips, nanoplasmonic sensors, have been created. With the combined effort of molecular dynamics simulation and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, we studied the external electric field-induced conformation changes of dodecapeptide probes tethered to a nanostructured metallic surface. Through this study, we demonstrated a reversible manipulation of the biomolecule conformations as well as an in situ eletro-optical detection of the subnanometer conformational changes at the bio-nano interfaces. Based on the proof-of-concept established in this study, we further propose a novel nanophotonic peptide phosphorylation sensor for high-sensitive peptide kinase profiling. We have also demonstrated the same SERS nano-bio-chip can be used for environmental monitoring applications, such as detection of contaminants in drinking water at ultralow concentrates. The fabrication of this nanosensor is based on a single step, lithography-less nanomanufacturing process, which can produce hundreds of these chips in several minutes with nearly 100% yield and uniformity. Therefore, the demonstrated research can be readily translated into industrial mass productions.
Presentation of eating disorders in the news media: What are the implications for patient diagnosis and treatment?

Abstract Objective Eating disorder (ED) specialists increasingly see anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as complex mental illnesses with both genetic and social roots. The public, however, tends to view EDs more simply as a manifestation of personal or social problems among female, white, young women. This disconnect potentially prevents timely ED diagnosis and reinforces a stigma that limits treatment availability. We examine the presentation of EDs in daily newspapers, an important contributor to shaping public perception of EDs. Methods We analyze 1 year of coverage about EDs by seven daily U.S. newspapers (252 articles), focusing on the messages conveyed about epidemiology, etiology, severity and treatment. Results The highest proportion of articles about EDs (48%) ran in arts and entertainment sections. Articles primarily covered those who are female, young and white, and mentioned mainly environmental causal factors. Only 8% of patient profiles discussed treatment and recovery within a medical context. Conclusion News coverage rarely presents EDs as complex medical phenomena, but rather simplifies and sensationalizes these conditions. Practice Implications Educators would benefit from recognizing the news media's role in shaping public perceptions of EDs in ways that differ from clinical perspectives, potentially limiting diagnosis and treatment. Three communication improvements are suggested.
Adolescents' contraceptive use and pregnancy history: is there a pattern?

Abstract Objective To examine the association between pregnancy experience and adolescents’ contraceptive use. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 920 sexually active adolescents not desiring pregnancy. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the explanatory value of previous birth and abortion as well as first pregnancy at presentation on contraceptive practice. Results Twenty-seven percent of the adolescents had been pregnant. Regardless of pregnancy history, 52% of adolescents used noneffective contraception (ie, condoms inconsistently or no method). Adolescents with previous abortion were three times (odds ratio [OR] 3.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6, 7.3) more likely than never-pregnant adolescents to use hormonal contraception. However, although more likely to use contraceptive injections or implants, adolescent mothers were not more likely than never-pregnant adolescents to use oral contraceptives. Adolescents with prior abortion or birth were less than half (ORs 0.3 and 0.4, 95% CIs 0.2, 0.5 and 0.2, 0.6, respectively) as likely as never-pregnant adolescents to use condoms consistently. Conclusion Previous pregnancy is associated with increased likelihood to use hormonal methods; however, a significant proportion of adolescents use noneffective methods and, thus, are at risk for repeat teenage pregnancies.
Race, class, and the basis of group alignment: An analysis of support for redistributive policy among privileged blacks

Sociological research has not adequately assessed levels of support for redistributive policy among African Americans. This oversight is particularly notable considering the dispersion of blacks across the American class structure. This article seeks to fill this gap in our understanding by addressing two concerns: (a) whether blacks with higher versus lower socioeconomic status espouse disparate policy preferences and (b) whether a privileged class position matters in the same way in structuring black and white beliefs about the role of government. Results from pooled data from the 1996 through 2006 General Social Surveys indicate that blacks more strongly support government efforts to ameliorate inequality than whites. However, black policy preferences fluctuate after controlling for intraracial socioeconomic differences. Privileged blacks are less supportive of racially-neutral opportunity-enhancing and outcome-based policies; these same respondents espouse contrasting levels of support for racially-sp...
The effects of short term L-citrulline supplementation on wave reflection responses to cold exposure with concurrent isometric exercise.

Background Supplementation with L-citrulline (L-cit) has shown attenuating effects on blood pressure (BP) and pulse-wave-reflection responses (augmentation index (AIx)) to local exposure to cold, but the potential cardioprotective effects of L-cit during whole-body cold exposure with concurrent exercise are poorly understood. We hypothesized that L-cit would attenuate the BP and AIx responses to cold exposure and isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise. Methods Sixteen healthy males with a mean age of 23±3 years volunteered for a study of the effect of L-cit on the BP and AIx responses to cold exposure and IHG exercise. Experiments were conducted inside an environmental chamber in cold conditions (4 oC). Radial waveforms were obtained in duplicates and averaged through applanation tonometry. After 5 minutes of measurements made at rest in the supine position (RES), after the finalization of the exercise about the subjects were evaluated in non exercise condition that were basically the same as the RES. After initial measurements in cold conditions, subjects were randomized to receive either a placebo (Maltodextrin, PL) or L-cit (100mg/kg) for 14 days, followed by a 14-day washout period and then a 14-day regimen of the other agent. Subjects were re-evaluated after each treatment period. Results At RES, there was a significant treatment-by-time interaction for brachial systolic BP (BSBP; P Conclusions L-citrulline may be a feasible adjuvant treatment for decrease the BP and AIx responses induced by cold. Further research is warranted to evaluate the impact of cold exposure and exercise on cardiovascular risk in clinical populations.
Receptor-triggered membrane association of a model retroviral glycoprotein

Current models of retroviral entry hypothesize that interactions between the viral envelope protein and the host receptor(s) induce conformational changes in the envelope protein that activate the envelope protein and initiate fusion. We employed a liposome-binding assay to demonstrate directly and characterize the activation of a model retroviral envelope protein (EnvA) from Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). In the presence of purified viral receptor, the trimeric ectodomain of EnvA was converted from a water-soluble form to a membrane-associated form, consistent with conversion of the envelope protein to its fusogenic state. This activation was nonlinear with respect to receptor concentration, suggesting cooperativity within the trimeric envelope protein. The activated EnvA was stably associated with the target membrane through hydrophobic interactions, behaving like an intrinsic membrane protein. The ability of EnvA to associate with membrane was coincident with a loss of receptor-binding activity, suggesting that during viral entry activated EnvA dissociates from the receptor to facilitate membrane fusion. These results provide direct evidence that receptor binding triggers conversion of the EnvA protein to a membrane-binding form, illustrating that RSV is a useful model for the study of retroviral entry and activation of pH-independent fusion proteins.
Nucleotide Biosynthesis Is Critical for Growth of Bacteria in Human Blood

Proliferation of bacterial pathogens in blood represents one of the most dangerous stages of infection. Growth in blood serum depends on the ability of a pathogen to adjust metabolism to match the availability of nutrients. Although certain nutrients are scarce in blood and need to be de novo synthesized by proliferating bacteria, it is unclear which metabolic pathways are critical for bacterial growth in blood. In this study, we identified metabolic functions that are essential specifically for bacterial growth in the bloodstream. We used two principally different but complementing techniques to comprehensively identify genes that are required for the growth of Escherichia coli in human serum. A microarray-based and a dye-based mutant screening approach were independently used to screen a library of 3,985 single-gene deletion mutants in all non-essential genes of E. coli (Keio collection). A majority of the mutants identified consistently by both approaches carried a deletion of a gene involved in either the purine or pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthetic pathway and showed a 20- to 1,000-fold drop in viable cell counts as compared to wild-type E. coli after 24 h of growth in human serum. This suggests that the scarcity of nucleotide precursors, but not other nutrients, is the key limitation for bacterial growth in serum. Inactivation of nucleotide biosynthesis genes in another Gram-negative pathogen, Salmonella enterica, and in the Gram-positive pathogen Bacillus anthracis, prevented their growth in human serum. The growth of the mutants could be rescued by genetic complementation or by addition of appropriate nucleotide bases to human serum. Furthermore, the virulence of the B. anthracis purE mutant, defective in purine biosynthesis, was dramatically attenuated in a murine model of bacteremia. Our data indicate that de novo nucleotide biosynthesis represents the single most critical metabolic function for bacterial growth in blood and reveal the corresponding enzymes as putative antibiotic targets for the treatment of bloodstream infections.
WE-D-BRF-05: Quantitative Dual-Energy CT Imaging for Proton Stopping Power Computation

Purpose: To extend the two-parameter separable basis-vector model (BVM) to estimation of proton stopping power from dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging. Methods: BVM assumes that the photon cross sections of any unknown material can be represented as a linear combination of the corresponding quantities for two bracketing basis materials. We show that both the electron density (ρe) and mean excitation energy (Iex) can be modeled by BVM, enabling stopping power to be estimated from the Bethe-Bloch equation. We have implemented an idealized post-processing dual energy imaging (pDECT) simulation consisting of monogenetic 45 keV and 80 keV scanning beams with polystyrene-water and water-CaCl2 solution basis pairs for soft tissues and bony tissues, respectively. The coefficients of 24 standard ICRU tissue compositions were estimated by pDECT. The corresponding ρe, Iex, and stopping power tables were evaluated via BVM and compared to tabulated ICRU 44 reference values. Results: BVM-based pDECT was found to estimate ρe and Iex with average and maximum errors of 0.5% and 2%, respectively, for the 24 tissues. Proton stopping power values at 175 MeV, show average/maximum errors of 0.8%/1.4%. For adipose, muscle and bone, these errors result range prediction accuracies less than 1%. Conclusion: A new two-parameter separable DECT model (BVM) for estimating proton stopping power was developed. Compared to competing parametric fit DECT models, BVM has the comparable prediction accuracy without necessitating iterative solution of nonlinear equations or a sample-dependent empirical relationship between effective atomic number and Iex. Based on the proton BVM, an efficient iterative statistical DECT reconstruction model is under development.
Effect of hypertonicity on hexose transporter regulation in chicken embryo fibroblasts.

The regulation of hexose transporters of cultured fibroblasts was investigated by exposing chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) to hypertonic culture medium, a condition known to enhance hexose transport activity. The effects of hypertonicity and the role of protein synthesis were examined with CEF in the basal (glucose fed) and transport enhanced (glucose starved) states. Glucose-fed CEF exposed to hypertonic conditions developed four-fold enhancement of hexose transport activity within 4 hrs; this declined in the following 20 hrs to a level slightly higher than the fed control. Protein synthesis was required in part for this effect, since the presence of cycloheximide during hypertonic exposure of fed CEF blocked the increase in of transport by almost 50%. Although the increased transport produced by glucose starvation was not further enhanced by hypertonicity, hypertonic treatment of starved CEF during glucose refeeding largely prevented the loss of transport acitivity to the basal, fed state. The hypertonic effects were concentration dependent (240mOsm optimal) and could be elicited with NaCl, KCl, or sucrose. Hypertonic treatment typically led to a greater than 50% decline in the incorporation of [3H]leucine into acid-insoluble fractions. The changes in transport were evident at the plasma membrane level, and studies of membrane vesicles prepared from hypertonically treated fed CEF showed a doubling of both [3H]cytochalasin B binding and the Vmax of D-glucose transport. These findings indicate that exposure of CEF to hypertonic conditions had some effects similar to those produced by glucose starvation and suggest that protein synthesis is to some extent involved in the regulation of hexose transporters in CEF.
Against a role of "chirp" identification in duplex perception.

To be sure, a lot more is to be learned about dichotic fusion and auditory segregation in speech stimuli. While fusion clearly takes place in duplex perception, we do not know at what level in the auditory system it occurs, what kinds of neural mechanisms it involves, and whether or not it is specific to phonetic perception. These interesting questions should be pursued without further distraction.
Implication of assertion graphs in GSTE

We address the problem of implication of assertion graphs that occur in generalized symbolic trajectory evaluation (GSTE). GSTE has demonstrated its powerful capacity in formal verification of digital systems. Assertion graphs are used for property and model specifications. We present a novel implication technique for assertion graphs. It relies on direct Boolean reasoning on each edge (and vertex) of an assertion graph, thus avoiding the reachability computation in GSTE. We have successfully applied. both model-based and language-based implications on real industrial circuits. Experimental results demonstrate the promising performance of our approach.
Crystallographic studies of azide binding to human carbonic anhydrase II

The crystal structures of human carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) at pH 5.7 and 8.0 have been determined at 0.21-nm resolution in the presence of 20 mM azide, which is a noncompetitive inhibitor of the CAII-catalyzed CO2 hydration reaction. Although azide often facilitates the crystallization of CAII and its variants, this small anion does not cause any significant structural changes in the enzyme active site or in the overall protein structure, and zinc coordination remains tetrahedral over the pH range 5.7-8.0. Importantly, the binding of azide at pH 8.0 has implications for the zinc-binding mode of the catalytic product, bicarbonate ion. Since azide is a competitive inhibitor of the reverse reaction of bicarbonate dehydration, and since the zinc-bound azide nitrogen makes a non-hydrogen-bonded van der Waals contact with the hydroxyl group of Thr199, it is possible that a zinc-bound bicarbonate oxyanion could likewise make a non-hydrogen-bonded, van der Waals contact with the hydroxyl group of Thr199. Therefore, the donation of a hydrogen bond to Thr199 is not absolutely required for anion binding to tetracoordinate zinc.
Applying the MBTI® to Hospitality Education

This study examines the personality profiles of 221 hospitality and tourism management students using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Form G. The study concludes that hospitality students substantially over represent the extraverted profile compared to the US college graduate population as a whole. This deviation from the population, along with deviations relative to the 16 individual profiles, is examined relative to the implications to hospitality education and industry training. The study suggests that the profile of the student must be considered to be most effective in the classroom.
Refractory Aspergillus pneumonia in patients with acute leukemia: successful therapy with combination caspofungin and liposomal amphotericin.

BACKGROUND Pulmonary aspergillosis and other invasive fungal infections (IFIs) commonly complicate the management of patients with acute leukemia. Standard amphotericin-based therapies may be ineffective for many patients and the available salvage agents (itraconazole and caspofungin) are reported to possess only moderate activity against resistant infections. Laboratory evidence suggests a synergistic interaction between amphotericin and caspofungin. The authors treated a group of patients with amphotericin-refractory IFIs with the combination of caspofungin and amphotericin (or liposomal amphotericin). METHODS A retrospective evaluation of patients with amphotericin-resistant IFIs was conducted. Diagnosis was based on clinical, radiographic, and when available, microbiologic data. Response to combination antifungal therapy was graded as either favorable or unfavorable. Favorable responses included improvement of both clinical and radiographic signs of fungal pneumonia. All other responses were graded as unfavorable. RESULTS Thirty patients were included in this analysis. Twenty-six patients had acute leukemia. Based on recently published criteria, the IFIs were classified as proven in 6 patients, probable in 4 patients, and possible in 20 patients. The median duration and dose of amphotericin monotherapy were 12 days (range, 4–65 days) and 7.8 mg/kg (range, 4.2–66.1 mg/kg), respectively. The median duration of combination therapy was 24 days (range, 3–74 days). Eighteen patients (60%) experienced a favorable antifungal response. Twenty patients with acute leukemia received combination therapy for fungal pneumonias arising during intensive chemotherapy treatments. Favorable responses were observed in 15 of these patients (75%), and antifungal response did not depend on the response of the underlying leukemia. Survival to hospital discharge was significantly better (P < 0.001) in patients having a favorable response. Mild to moderate nephrotoxicity was noted in 50% of patients, necessitating the substitution of liposomal amphotericin. Mild elevation of alkaline phosphatase levels occurred in 30% of patients. Caspofungin was temporarily withheld from one patient who developed moderate but reversible biochemical hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS The antifungal combination of caspofungin and amphotericin can be administered safely to high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies. Although an absolute assessment of efficacy is limited by the design of this study, encouraging outcomes were noted for many patients. The authors plan to evaluate this regimen further in a randomized clinical trial. Cancer 2003;97:1025–32. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11115
On point-transitive affine planes

Finite affine planes are constructed admitting nonabelian sharply point-transitive collineation groups. These planes are of two sorts: dual translation planes, and planes of type II.1 derived from them.
XUV observations of coronal magnetic fields

Spectroheliograms obtained with the Naval Research Laboratory's Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph (S082A) on Skylab are compared with Kitt Peak National Observatory magnetograms. A principal result is the characteristic reconnection of flux from an emerging bipolar magnetic region to previously existing flux in its vicinity. Examples of the disappearance of magnetic flux from the solar atmosphere are also shown. The results of a particularly simple, potential field calculation are shown for comparison with the Skylab observations.
Calcium-binding and calcium-uptake by cardiac microsomes: a kinetic analysis.

Cardiac microsomes, which contain membrane fragments derived from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, can remove Ca2+ from solution by two kinetically dissimilar mechanisms. Ca-binding, which occurs in the presence of ATP, accounts for the rapid sequestration of all smamounts of Ca2+. Ca-uptake, which is seen when a calcium-precipitating agent such as oxalate is included, permits much larger amounts of Ca2+ to be sequestered, though more slowly. The [Ca2+] dependence of these two processes was examined in the range of [Ca2+] between 1 × 10−7 m to 1 × 10−5 m. Ca-binding of microsomes prepared in sucrose (suc-microsomes) and in dilute buffers (H2O-microsomes) exhibited saturation kinetics. The number of sites (n) was approximately 13 nmol per mg protein for suc-microsomes and 45 nmol per mg protein for H2O-microsomes. The affinity constant for suc-microsomes was approximately 1.2 × 106 m−1 (half saturation at [Ca2+] = 8 ¢ 10−7 m-Ca2+) and approximately 2 × 106 m−1 (half saturation at [Ca2+] = 5 × 10−7 m) for H2O-microsomes. Ca-uptake did not show saturation kinetics. The rate of Ca-uptake (approximately 0.04 μmol/min/mg protein per μm Ca2+ for both types of microsomes) increased linearly with increasing [Ca2+] within this range of [Ca2+]. Ca-binding is thus shown kinetically to involve a finite number of Ca-transport sites, whereas Ca-uptake, from a kinetic standpoint, resembles a non-facilitated diffusion process, possibly driven by an electrochemical gradient across the vesicular membrane that results from ATP hydrolysis. The rate limiting step in Ca-uptake does not involve the high affinity sites defined in the studies of Ca-binding.