cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of chlordecone and its alteration products on isolated rat liver mitochondria.

Abstract Partitioning of chlordecone, chlordecone alcohol, monohydrochlordecone, and dihydrochlordecone (2 to 100 μ m ) into isolated rat liver mitochondria altered the permeability properties of the inner membrane as evidenced by: inhibition of valinomycin-induced swelling, induction of passive swelling, oxidation of exogenous NADH, and induction of lysis. Associated with the increase in permeability were stimulation of state 4 and inhibition of state 3 respiration for the oxidation of both succinate and glutamate. Except for the inhibition of valinomycin-induced swelling, the following order of potency for all assays was obtained: chlordecone alcohol ≥ chlordecone > monohydrochlordecone ⪢ dihydrochlordecone. Mirex, a 12-chlorine analog of chlordecone, and a dioxolanechlordecone adduct did not affect any of the reactions at saturating concentrations of 40 and 100 μ m , respectively. The hydrated ketone, or a hydroxyl moiety, and a high chlorine content appear to be responsible for lytic and inhibitory activity. Lysis resulted in the leakage of watersoluble matrix enzymes from the mitochondria, but not in the solubilization of integral proteins.
Applied Geospatial Perspectives on the Rock Art of the Lake of the Woods Region of Ontario, Canada

This study examines the role of rock art in the construction of Woodland Period (300 BC to AD 1700) hunter-gatherer landscapes in the Lake of the Woods region of northwestern Ontario. The authors examine the distribution of documented pictograph sites relative to the locations of rock formations where the geologic conditions would have favored the placement of pictographic rock art but are absent. Point pattern analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, and least cost path analysis were used to analyze the findings. The authors suggest that pictograph sites were placed at points on the landscape along water routes to facilitate information exchange among highly mobile hunter-gatherers.
Synthetic metals based on tetramethyltetraselenafulvalene(TMTSF): Varied anisotropy in the low temperature (125K) structures of (TMTSF)2X, X=C104-, PF6-, and AsF6-.

Abstract The low temperature (125K) X-ray crystal structures of (TMTSF) 2 X, X = C 10 4 - , PF 6 - , and AsF 6 - reveal decreases in the intermolecular interand intrastack Se-Se contact distances upon cooling (298K to 125K) which are highly anisotropic and different from one salt to another. The changes in the interstack distances, which are normal to the stacking direction, are approximately twice those involving intrastack Se-Se interactions. These observations establish that the anisotropic structural changes which accompany decreased temperature are common to numerous (TMTSF) 2 X radical cation conducting salts.
Erosion by Char and Ash and Deposition of Ash on Carbon Steel in the Convective Section of an Industrial Boiler

Abstract Deposition of ash and erosion of carbon (C) steel by unburned char and ash were measured in the convective section of an industrial boiler while cofiring coal-water fuel and natural gas. E...
Identifying the chemical composition of “brown carbon” in the atmosphere

Aerosol particles in the atmosphere can either absorb or scatter incoming solar radiation, thus either heating or cooling the atmosphere. One of the most studied types of aerosols that absorb radiation is black carbon (also called soot), which comes from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuel, and biomass. Black carbon has been identified as a significant factor contributing to global warming. Somewhat less well studied is brown carbon, which also absorbs solar radiation but does so slightly differently than black carbon: Brown carbon absorbs light most strongly in ultraviolet and short visible wavelengths, giving it a yellowish or brownish appearance. Biomass burning is a major source of brown carbon.
Competitive and Synergistic Interactions of G Protein β2 and Ca2+ Channel β1b Subunits with Cav2.1 Channels, Revealed by Mammalian Two-hybrid and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Measurements

Presynaptic Ca2+ channels are inhibited by metabotropic receptors. A possible mechanism for this inhibition is that G protein betagamma subunits modulate the binding of the Ca2+ channel beta subunit on the Ca2+ channel complex and induce a conformational state from which channel opening is more reluctant. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the binding of Ca2+ channel beta and G protein beta subunits on the two separate binding sites, i.e. the loopI-II and the C terminus, and on the full-length P/Q-type alpha12.1 subunit by using a modified mammalian two-hybrid system and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements. Analysis of the interactions on the isolated bindings sites revealed that the Ca2+ channel beta1b subunit induces a strong fluorescent signal when interacting with the loopI-II but not with the C terminus. In contrast, the G protein beta subunit induces FRET signals on both the C terminus and loopI-II. Analysis of the interactions on the full-length channel indicates that Ca2+ channel beta1b and G protein beta subunits bind to the alpha1 subunit at the same time. Coexpression of the G protein increases the FRET signal between alpha1/beta1b FRET pairs but not for alpha1/beta1b FRET pairs where the C terminus was deleted from the alpha1 subunit. The results suggest that the G protein alters the orientation and/or association between the Ca2+ channel beta and alpha12.1 subunits, which involves the C terminus of the alpha1 subunit and may corresponds to a new conformational state of the channel.
Variation in nuclear DNA base composition (mol% G + C) in three orders of marine green algae

Estimates of nuclear DNA base pair composition by determination of thermal denaturation temperatures (Tm) indicated guanine + cytosine (G + C) levels of 35–56% for 17 species of marine green algae. Tm values were found to be reproducible with coefficients of variation among samples and replicates of generally less than 1 percent. G + C% values in four species of Enteromorpha varied within a narrow range of 53–56%, whereas values for three species of Ulva showed substantially greater variation, ranging from 35–55%. Ulva fasciata collections from two geographically separate North Carolina sites had mean G + C composition of 44.8 and 35.6 respectively, suggesting that these populations may be genetically distinct. Enteromorpha linza, which has been treated as a species of Ulva, had a G + C composition of 53.2, typical of the Enteromorpha species investigated. Nuclear DNA base pair composition data for species of Cladophorales and Caulerpales are given as well.
Testing the Effects of Incidental Advertising Exposure in Online Gaming Environment

ABSTRACTThis study addresses incidental advertising exposure effects in online games by manipulating both the location (low proximity versus high proximity) and the message content (visual versus verbal) of an incidental cue while participants’ primary attention is diverted by playing an online game. The results reveal that incidental exposure can be effective if the secondary stimulus appears very close to the focal attention area. The study also finds no incidental effects of text inside bars or images in address bars.
Frequency and predictors for postpartum fecal incontinence

Abstract Objective: The goal of this study was to describe the frequency of postpartum fecal incontinence and to examine associated delivery events in a group of women participating in a validation study of a postpartum fecal incontinence survey. Study Design: A self-administered survey of fecal incontinence symptoms and delivery events was administered to 50 women seen for their 6-week postpartum appointments. An analysis of association between postpartum fecal incontinence and individual delivery characteristics was performed. Results: The frequency of at least one fecal incontinence symptom post partum was 38%. Specifically, 24% of women reported incontinence to flatus and 10% incontinence to stool. Vaginal delivery and perineal laceration were associated with an increased risk of reporting at least one symptom. Neither infant birth weight nor parity was associated with an increased risk of postpartum fecal incontinence. Cesarean delivery was associated with a lower frequency of overall fecal incontinence symptoms. Conclusion: The frequency of postpartum fecal incontinence was higher than previously reported. Similar to other studies, perineal laceration, especially extension into the anal sphincter, was an important risk factor for postpartum fecal incontinence. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1205-7.)
Identification of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for the Rap1 GTPase. Regulation of MR-GEF by M-Ras-GTP interaction.

Abstract Although the Ras subfamily of GTPases consists of ∼20 members, only a limited number of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that couple extracellular stimuli to Ras protein activation have been identified. Furthermore, no novel downstream effectors have been identified for the M-Ras/R-Ras3 GTPase. Here we report the identification and characterization of three Ras family GEFs that are most abundantly expressed in brain. Two of these GEFs, MR-GEF (M-Ras-regulated GEF, KIAA0277) and PDZ-GEF (KIAA0313) bound specifically to nucleotide-free Rap1 and Rap1/Rap2, respectively. Both proteins functioned as Rap1 GEFs in vivo. A third GEF, GRP3 (KIAA0846), activated both Ras and Rap1 and shared significant sequence homology with the calcium- and diacylglycerol-activated GEFs, GRP1 and GRP2. Similarly to previously identified Rap GEFs, C3G and Smg GDS, each of the newly identified exchange factors promoted the activation of Elk-1 in the LNCaP prostate tumor cell line where B-Raf can couple Rap1 to the extracellular receptor-activated kinase cascade. MR-GEF and PDZ-GEF both contain a region immediately N-terminal to their catalytic domains that share sequence homology with Ras-associating orRalGDS/AF6 homology (RA) domains. By searching for in vitro interaction with Ras-GTP proteins, PDZ-GEF specifically bound to Rap1A- and Rap2B-GTP, whereas MR-GEF bound to M-Ras-GTP. C-terminally truncated MR-GEF, lacking the GEF catalytic domain, retained its ability to bind M-Ras-GTP, suggesting that the RA domain is important for this interaction. Co-immunoprecipitation studies confirmed the interaction of M-Ras-GTP with MR-GEF in vivo. In addition, a constitutively active M-Ras(71L) mutant inhibited the ability of MR-GEF to promote Rap1A activation in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that M-Ras may inhibit Rap1 in order to elicit its biological effects.
A simple, one-step assay for methyltransferase activity: Direct partitioning of radioactive product into scintillation fluid☆

Abstract A simple, one-step procedure is described for measurement of the enzymatic transfer of radioactive methyl groups from S -adenosyl- l -methionine to O -demethylpuromycin. Reactions are carried out in small, stoppered scintillation vials and terminated by the addition of 0.1 m sodium borate-5 m NaCl (pH 9) buffer and scintillation fluid. The vials are then shaken to extract radioactive pyromycin into the organic phase and directly counted.
Multifocal leukoencephalopathy in adult leukemia: histologic features and etiologic considerations.

A number of structural alterations in brains of leukemic children have been attributed to intrathecal administration of methotrexate and radiation therapy. We report an instance of asymptomatic encephalopathy in an adult who received thio-TEPA (by subarachnoid injection) as treatment for leukemic meningitis. The lesions were microscopic, confined to cerebral white matter and included: vacuolation, myelin destruction, axonal swelling, gliosis, deposition of mineral salts and aggregates of large foamy cells. The etiology of this condition remains undetermined.
Microbial keratitis following corneal transplantation.

Purpose To study clinical and microbiologic characteristics of corneal infections following penetrating keratoplasty (PK). Design Retrospective case series. Methods Medical records of patients who presented to Duke University Eye Center from January 1, 1999 to July 1, 2005 with microbial keratitis after PK were reviewed. Results Forty-four corneal graft infections were reviewed. Mean interval between PK and infection was 26.3 months. Associated conditions included broken or loose sutures (10, 22.7%) and topical corticosteroids (34, 77.3%). Staphylococcal (12, 20.7%) and Pseudomonal (7, 12.1%) species were common pathogens, and fungal species accounted for eight (18.2%) infections. Twelve patients (27.3%) had polymicrobial infections. Thirteen patients (29.5%) underwent repeat PK. Mean postinfection visual acuity at last follow-up was 20/400. Conclusions Microbial infections within corneal grafts can occur anytime in the postoperative course and are associated with broken sutures and the use of topical corticosteroids. The diversity of pathogenic organisms, antibiotic resistance, and the potential for poor outcomes supports aggressive management of these infections.
Avascular necrosis of the talus

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the talus has always been a surgical challenge because the talus is hidden by its anatomic location and has a precarious blood supply. Most cases (75%) of talar AVN are traumatically induced in association with talar body and talar neck fractures.AVN of the talus can be a significant problem because collapse of the talar dome leads to degenerative changes and pain and disability of the ankle and subtalar joints. Although there are many published treatments for posttraumatic AVN of the talus, critical outcome studies are still lacking.
Stable isotope analysis and satellite tracking reveal interspecific resource partitioning of nonbreeding albatrosses off Alaska

Albatrosses (Diomedeidae) are the most threatened family of birds globally. The three North Pacific species (Phoebastria Reichenbach, 1853) are listed as either endangered or vulnerable, with the population of Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus (Pallas, 1769)) less than 1% of its historical size. All North Pacific albatross species do not currently breed sympatrically, yet they do co-occur at-sea during the nonbreeding season. We incorporated stable isotope analysis with the first simultaneous satellite-tracking study of all three North Pacific albatross species while sympatric on summer (nonbreeding season) foraging grounds off Alaska. Carbon isotope ratios and tracking data identify differences in primary foraging domains of continental shelf and slope waters for Short-tailed Albatrosses and Black-footed Albatrosses (Phoebastria nigripes (Audubon, 1839)) versus oceanic waters for Laysan Albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis (Rothschild, 1893)). Short-tailed and Black-footed albatrosses also fed...
Sepsis Strategies in Development

Severe sepsis, defined as inflammation and organ failure due to infection, continues to result in a mortality of approximately 30% despite advances in critical care. Current therapy includes timely administration of antibiotics, source control of infection, aggressive fluid resuscitation, support of failing organs, and use of activated protein C where clinically indicated. Bacterial mediators, including endotoxin and superantigens, as well endogenous proinflammatory cytokines are considered important to the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced organ failure and are being targeted with numerous molecules and removal devices. Additional therapeutic strategies are aimed at restoring the natural anticoagulant levels, blocking deleterious effects of the complement cascade, reversing cytopathic hypoxia, and inhibiting excessive lymphocyte apoptosis. Molecules with pluripotent activity, such as interalpha inhibitor proteins and estrogen-receptor ligands, are also being investigated.
On the Origins of Magnetic Excursions in the Great Lakes

Abstract Paleomagnetic studies of cores from Lake Michigan and Lake Erie exhibit possible excursions of the geomagnetic field at approximately 9,000 to 10,000 years B.P. and 12,000 to 14,000 years B.P. In this report, magnetic data and lithologic data from two cores from Lake Erie and six cores from Lake Michigan are presented. It is shown that the magnetic excursions are predominately associated with deepening waters which followed low lake levels produced by glacial advances and retreats. It is suggested that these excursions are the result of slumping and/or flowing of lacustrine and glaciolacustrine materials, rather than of changes in the magnetic field.
Keeping Some Distance: Anthropology in Urban Planning

In contrast to more traditional applications of our discipline, "anthropology-at-a-distance," as one of my professors termed it, has been the cornerstone of my planning career. Anthropology-at-a-distance can be thought of as an extreme form of etic ethnography. While the data I utilize in my work are based on observations of human behavior, interviews, and surveys, the observations and surveys have been done by someone else, usually with a different purpose in mind. Additionally, these data have often already been manipulated. The planner must extract the most useful information from these data sources, because time and personnel constraints rarely allow additional surveys to be conducted. Using census or demographic information to understand human behavior are prime examples of anthropology-at-a-distance. In the field of planning, this understanding is used to make predictions which in turn can lead to modifications of the environment that impact significantly on the quality of life.
MANIFEST ANXIETY AS RELATED TO SOME PERCEPTUAL MODES

Although much recent research in the area of manifest anxiety and "perception and personality" has been reported, no systematic report regarding the interrelationship between these two areas has been published. The literature in the past few years abounds with reports of signscant findings using the Taylor Anxiety Scale (9) as well as other similiar tests purporting to measure manifest anxiety. At the same time, the experimental domain built around concepts of "perceptual defense" and "sensitization" still remains an area of conflicting results. However, there have been consistently significant reports in the perception and personality area with the more sophisticated "Anschauung" approach of Klein and his associates (4, 5). Using the concept of "perceptual modes," Klein and others have successfully shown the behavioral pervasiveness of their dimensions. Two of the more thoroughly investigated continua are "leveling and sharpening" and "focusing and non-focusing." In brief, "leveling" has been described as assimilating "new experiences as only another sample of the same old thing . . . an adjustment in terms of agreement," while "sharpeners" are characterized as "accentuating new experiences as something ditferent from what is already known. . . a novelty with intrinsic interest. . . a tendency to confront the world in terms of disagreement" (5, p. 94). The dimension of "focusing - nonfocusing" is stated as being related to the ease with which individuals are able to shut out distractions without efficiency loss. "Focusers" are reported as having this ability, while "non-focusers" are more susceptible to both internal (e.g., wish or fear) or external (introduction of irrelevanr material in a task) distractions (7).
Social Support Correlates with Survival in Patients with Massive Burn Injury

Large burn size, inhalation injury, age, and associated trauma increase the rate of mortality after burns. However, not all patients with large burns and significant risk factors die. In this study, we wanted to determine other presenting factors that might indicate a survival benefit for burn patients with large burns. We reviewed charts of 36 patients with burns > or =60% TBSA that were aggressively resuscitated at the University of Washington Burn Center from 1990 to 2000 to determine whether survivors of large burns exhibit presenting variables that predict survival. Patients who had comfort care measures initiated at admission were excluded from this analysis. Survivors (n = 16) and nonsurvivors (n = 20) had no significant differences in age, total burn size, inhalation injury, or need for escharotomy. Full-thickness burn size was significantly smaller for survivors (58%) than for nonsurvivors (73%; P = .02). Survivors (81%) were more likely than nonsurvivors to have social support (35%; P = .007). A full-thickness burn > or =80 % TBSA was the only variable uniformly associated with mortality, suggesting that patients who survive large burns have a partial-thickness component that heals without surgery. The difference in degree of social support was one unique distinction that may impact patient survival and is worth further investigation.
Structural models of the membrane anchors of envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 from pestiviruses

The membrane anchors of viral envelope proteins play essential roles in cell entry. Recent crystal structures of the ectodomain of envelope protein E2 from a pestivirus suggest that E2 belongs to a novel structural class of membrane fusion machinery. Based on geometric constraints from the E2 structures, we generated atomic models of the E1 and E2 membrane anchors using computational approaches. The E1 anchor contains two amphipathic perimembrane helices and one transmembrane helix; the E2 anchor contains a short helical hairpin stabilized in the membrane by an arginine residue, similar to flaviviruses. A pair of histidine residues in the E2 ectodomain may participate in pH sensing. The proposed atomic models point to Cys987 in E2 as the site of disulfide bond linkage with E1 to form E1–E2 heterodimers. The membrane anchor models provide structural constraints for the disulfide bonding pattern and overall backbone conformation of the E1 ectodomain.
Mortality among welders, including a group exposed to nickel oxides

Mortality and causes of death were examined among 1059 white male welders employed between 1943 and 1973 at three plants in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Based on deaths reported as of 1974, the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes was 87 (173 deaths observed vs. 199.0 expected on the basis of death rates for US white males). There were no deaths resulting from sinonasal cancer, and the SMR for lung cancer was 150 (95% confidence limits = 87 and 240). A subgroup of these welders (N = 536) was exposed to nickel oxides at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion (K-25) Plant; recent air concentrations of nickel (from personal air samplers) were greater than proposed standards. Standardized mortality ratios for lung cancer and diseases of the respiratory system were not higher among K-25 Plant welders than among other welders (N = 523). Welders employed for less than or equal to 50 wk at the K-25 Plant had an SMR for lung cancer of 188 (95% confidence limits = 61 and 438) based on small numbers of deaths (5 observed vs. 2.66 expected). Further follow-up of these groups is needed.
Design features of a real-time electrocardiographic monitoring system

Design features of a real-time electrocardiogram monitor are described. The developmental steps of the system are traced, a description of the eight-patient monitoring algorithm is given including the design of analog preprocessing equipment and examples of typical clinical results. The system incorporates a minicomputer with 16,000 words of memory, and is applicable wherever continuous surveillance of electrocardiographic signals is desirable. The monitor was designed at the Los Angeles County--University of Southern California Medical Center and has been operational there for approximately one year.
Thyrotropin releasing hormone decreases alcohol intake and preference in rats.

Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) has been reported to reduce stress- and deprivation-induced eating, hypothetically by induction of satiation. Early work demonstrated thyroid extracts reduced alcohol intake, and recent research shows a TRH analog specifically inhibits alcohol preference. We determined whether parenteral administration of TRH reduces alcohol consumption and choice in a manner consistent with a satiation effect. Water-restricted ad lib fed female and male rats (n = 12) were given access to 5% w/v ethanol 0 or 30 minutes after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of TRH. TRH (20-40 mg/kg) inhibited alcohol intake only if injected immediately before alcohol access. Inhibition of alcohol intake was reliably accompanied by increased production of fecal boli but not by reliably decreased food intake. Rats given a choice of 2% w/v ethanol and water decreased alcohol preference after TRH (20 mg/kg) but did not reduce total fluid intake. Results are partially consistent with the hypothesis of TRH as one of several functional elements in the integrative neuropeptide control of alcohol consumption via short-term satiation.
Bridging the study of culture and religion : Pierre Bourdieu's political economy of symbolic power

L'A. s'efforce d'evaluer l'apport de la sociologie de la culture developpee par P. Bourdieu a la sociologie religieuse. Il montre comment ce dernier analyse la religion comme un systeme de pouvoir symbolique analogue a l'art, a la philosophie, a la science ou aux modes vestimentaires. Il affirme qu'il a su elaborer en s'inspirant de Marx et de Weber une economie politique des pratiques symboliques. Celle-ci comporte une theorie des interets symboliques, une theorie du capital culturel et une theorie du pouvoir symbolique. Il porte son attention sur le concept de « champ », fondamental pour la sociologie culturelle comme pour la sociologie religieuse
Modelling of the behavior of dry sand by an elasto-plastic “fuzzy set” model

Abstract The paper presents a constitutive model based on the “fuzzy set” theory which is implemented as a computational tool in order to simplify the computer programming of the constitutive driver. The constitutive equations are developed in detail to clarify the nature of the new constitutive model which is capable of modelling monotic and cyclic loading. The model includes a formulation of dilatancy that is pressure sensitive; and introduces different membership functions to describe the dilatancy and the locking response of the sand. The validity of the constitutive model is enhanced by comparing the theoretical output with a set of experimental data obtained from a variety of true triaxial tests including monotonic and cyclic loading of dry sand.
An electron microscopic study of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte injury induced by rabbit antiserum.

Abstract Electron microscopic examination of human leukocytes treated with antiserum revealed marked degenerative changes. These changes appeared limited to PMN's. Initial alterations included loss of cytoplasmic density and focal aggregation of granules against the plasma membrane. Nuclear chromatin became homogeneous and less dense. There were no morphologic changes suggesting intracytoplasmic granule lysis. Degenerating PMN's apparently fragmented and released cytoplasmic structures into the medium. Portions of cell debris were ingested by undamaged PMN's and monocytes. The changes described above did not occur in divalent cation-depleted plasma, suggesting that the damage is complement-dependent. However, in preparations devoid of divalent cations, PMN's developed increased pseudopod activity and formed peculiar, lamellar vesicles thought to represent cell surface response to antiserum. It is postulated that antibodies directed against PMN's may damage these cells and cause release of lysosomal material.
Weave Tile Architecture Construction Strategy for DNA Nanotechnology

Architectural designs for DNA nanostructures typically fall within one of two broad categories: tile-based designs (assembled from chemically synthesized oligonucleotides) and origami designs (woven structures employing a biological scaffold strand and synthetic staple strands). Both previous designs typically contain many Holliday-type multi-arm junctions. Here we describe the design, implementation, and testing of a unique architectural strategy incorporating some aspects of each of the two previous design categories but without multi-arm junction motifs. Goals for the new design were to use only chemically synthesized DNA, to minimize the number of component strands, and to mimic the back-and-forth, woven strand routing of the origami architectures. The resulting architectural strategy employs "weave tiles" formed from only two oligonucleotides as basic building blocks, thus decreasing the burden of matching multiple strand stoichiometries compared to previous tile-based architectures and resulting in a structurally flexible tile. As an example application, we have shown that the four-helix weave tile can be used to increase the anticoagulant activity of thrombin-binding aptamers in vitro.
Enhanced Hydrogen Uptake and the Electronic Structure of Lithium-Doped Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal−organic framework (MOF) materials show potential for gas separation and storage, and as hosts for highly selective catalyst molecules. Density functional theory (DFT) is applied to periodic band structures and to selected clusters representative of the cornerpost and strut environments of two MOFs to characterize the electronic environment. Binding sites and the binding energies of H2 are calculated with and without the presence of a Li dopant. It is found that Li enhances the H2 binding energies, both on the linking strut ring structures and for sites near cornerpost oxygen. MP2 correlation studies of the basic H2−Li−bipyridine interaction are carried out to explore effects of correlation beyond DFT. Contrary to previous model assumptions, we find that Li associates strongly with the cornerposts and less so with aromatic rings.
Elderspeak: Speech accommodations to older adults

Abstract Ten service providers and 10 caregivers were recorded as they spoke to groups of younger or older adults. Ten-minute speech samples were analyzed for the occurrence of “elderspeak,” systematic speech accommodations directed towards older adults, using measures of syntactic complexity, verbal fluency, prepositional content, lexical choice, discourse organization, speech rate, and other stylistic markers. Both the caregivers and service providers adjusted how they spoke to different audiences: They reduced the length and complexity of their utterances, produced more lexical fillers and sentence fragments, used fewer long words of three or more syllables, more utterances per turn and per topic, and more repetitions when addressing older adults. They also spoke more slowly and paused longer when addressing older audiences. Prepositional content, type-token ratios, diminutives and tag questions, however, did not vary with audience. These findings confirm prior subjective accounts of the use of an “eld...
Slow crack growth in blends of HDPE and UHMWPE

Abstract Slow crack growth rates were measured in blends of UHMWPE particles in a matrix of HDPE. Microscopic examinations of the growing crack showed how the UHMWPE particles bridge the crack while it propagated in the HDPE matrix. The rate of crack propagation was related to the volume fraction of the UHMWPE particles by the equation δ p = δ p (0)[1 − ( σ f σ )C] 4.5 , where C is the volume fraction and σ f σ is the ratio of the counterstress exerted by particles with respect to the applied stress and the power n comes from the empirical observation that δ p ∼ σ 4.5 . From the data σf = 3σ.
Teaching the Use of Ecological Perspective in Community Mental Health

Abstract This paper describes a field training project which teaches students to use the ecological perspective in social work practice in community mental health. A broad-based conceptual framework is presented, and mechanisms for the implementation of such a framework in field education are described.
Core-Centering of Compound Drops in Capillary Oscillations: Observations on USML-1 Experiments in Space

AA Using the existing inviscid theories, an attempt is made to explain the centering of the oscillating liquid shell. Experiments on liquid shells and liquid-core compound drops were conducted using acoustic levitation, in a low-gravity environment during a Space Shuttle flight. It was observed that their inner and outer interfaces became concentric when excited into capillary oscillations. Using the existing inviscid theories, and attempt is made to explain the centering of the oscillating liquid shell. It is concluded that viscosity needs to be considered in order to provide a realistic description of the centering process.
Solid state NMR and protein–protein interactions in membranes

Solid state NMR spectroscopy has evolved rapidly in recent years into an excellent tool for the characterization of membrane proteins and their complexes. In the past few years it has also become clear that the structure of membrane proteins, especially helical membrane proteins is determined, in part, by the membrane environment. Therefore, the modeling of this environment by a liquid crystalline lipid bilayer for solid state NMR has generated a unique tool for the characterization of native conformational states, local and global dynamics, and high-resolution structure for these proteins. Protein-protein interactions can also benefit from this solid state NMR capability to characterize membrane proteins in a native-like environment. These complexes take the form of oligomeric structures and hetero-protein interactions both with water-soluble proteins and other membrane proteins.
Mutations in DJ-1 are rare in familial Parkinson disease

Mutations in DJ-1 (PARK7) are one cause of early-onset autosomal-recessive parkinsonism. We screened for DJ-1 mutations in 93 affected individuals from the 64 multiplex Parkinson disease (PD) families in our sample that had the highest family-specific multipoint LOD scores at the DJ-1 locus. In addition to sequencing all coding exons for alterations, we used multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to examine the genomic copy number of DJ-1 exons. A known polymorphism (R98Q) was found in five PD subjects, once as a homozygote and in the other four cases as heterozygotes. No additional missense mutations and no exon deletions or duplications were detected. Our results, in combination with those of previous studies, suggest that alterations in DJ-1 are not a common cause of familial PD.
Interaction of Multiply-Charged Ions with Electrons and Photons

The current status of ion beam excitation and ionization by high energy electrons and photons is discussed. Recent advances in multiply-charged ion source development are mentioned, and plans for electron-ion and synchrotron-ion crossed beam experiments at Brookhaven National Laboratory are described.
Utilization of cellulose from waste paper by Myrothecium verrucaria

Extensive screening studies on cellulolytic bacteria and fungi led to the selection of Myrothecium verrucaria as the organism producing the maximum rate of protein biosynthesis from ball-milled newspaper. Studies in aerated stirred-jar fermentors were carried out to determine the conditions for maximum protein synthesis rate and maximum final protein concentration. The optimum aeration rate was 250 to 374 mM of oxygen at 300 to 400 rpm stirring rate. The pH optimum was broad, from 3.9 to 6.5. Urea at 0.03% and yeast autolysate at 0.1% stimulated growth rate and protein production. The maximum rate of protein biosynthesis and the maximum protein yield were 0.3 g/liter/day and 1.42 g/liter, respectively, from medium G3 with 4% ball-milled newspaper. The final product, obtained by evaporation of the total culture, was 33.7 g from one liter of medium which originally contained 40 g of ball-milled newspaper and 11.3 g of other dissolved materials. The protein content of this final product was 3.3 g, calculated from total organic N × 6.25 or 1.42 g calculated from the biuret method. Both the synthesis rate and the final cell yield are below those obtainable by growing Fungi Imperfecti, yeasts or bacteria on soluble materials such as glucose.
Opening America? The Telenovela-ization of U.S. Soap Operas

The U.S. dominance of the international television marketplace has long been a central focus for media scholars and policy leaders concerned with television’s impact on national culture. Thus, research on the export of U.S. television programs has focused almost exclusively on its “one-way flow,” and relatively little scholarly attention has been devoted to how programming from abroad fares in the United States or to how U.S. dominance in the global arena is affected as the industry adapts its products for export. This article contributes to the theoretical and empirical “opening up” of the cultural imperialism approach by considering how the U.S. television industry is influenced by program trends from abroad. In particular, it examines the impact of Latin American telenovelason the U.S. daytime soap opera genre in the context of shifts during the past decade in the demographics of the U.S. population and changes in the practices and tastes of television audiences.
The role of alcohol in the oxidant antioxidant balance in heart.

The myocardium, like other tissues, has enzyme and non-enzyme systems to neutralize free radicals. The enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase as well as the non-enzyme antioxidants vitamin E and ascorbic acid are the main antioxidants. Oxidants are produced by the mitochondria under normal conditions and by other sources under pathologic conditions. The quantity of antioxidants present in the myocardium is matched to the production of oxygen free radicals that may be produced under basal physiological conditions. However, the myocardium can be exposed to increased levels of oxygen free radicals under conditions in which myocardial metabolism, i.e. mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, is accelerated to match the adenosine triphosphate utilized to support the increased work load on the heart or can be exposed to oxygen free radicals under pathologic conditions such as ischemia and reperfusion, inflammation, and cardiotoxic drugs such as anti-cancer agents. Under such circumstances the normal heart has been shown to increase its antioxidant production and to be, with time, protected from further sources of oxygen free radicals. In particular, hearts previously exposed to a stimulus to produce greater antioxidant levels show less damage during ischemia reperfusion injury presumably because of neutralization of oxygen free radicals. This review will present several situations in which the myocardium increases its tolerance to ischemia reperfusion injury as a result of an initial oxidative stress.
Design of a lattice-based access control scheme

We survey the literature for access control schemes in a user hierarchy. Some schemes have already been shown to be insecure or incorrect. Many schemes assume very restrictive subordinating relationships existing in a hierarchy where users are grouped into partially ordered relationships without taking resources into consideration. We believe that a practical access control scheme should support access control in a lattice where users and resources are both together grouped into partially ordered relationships. In this paper, we present a scheme to achieve this goal. We also study existing schemes for their efficiency and performance. Based on the results of the study, we design an efficient scheme to support dynamic key management.
The Five-Point Plan: A Practical Framework for Campus Cultural Centers.

Penn State University's Paul Robeson Cultural Center uses a model of cultural education and engagement to design and deliver all of its programs and services. The strategic nature of this model has resulted in well-received and well-supported offerings.
‘Safe’ Fantasy: The Self-Conscious Boundary between Wishing and Willing

This experiment tested the hypothesis that a fantasy will impel people to “act out” only if they fail to distinguish the fantasy from the anticipated reality. In the experiment, one task obtained a baseline measure of how long subjects could resist eating popcorn, then measured how long subjects could resist popcorn while fantasizing its taste. Another task instructed subjects to merge three circular images with three circular percepts of equal vividness, then presented subjects unexpectedly with only two of the three circular percepts. Some subjects thought that there were three circular percepts during the merger, and for these subjects, the length of resistance to popcorn was significantly shorter during the popcorn fantasy. But for subjects who selfconsciously differentiated the two real circles from the three merging images, the normal “boundary” between wishful fantasy and willful eating was intact.
Alk Is a Transcriptional Target of LMO4 and ERα That Promotes Cocaine Sensitization and Reward

Previously, we showed that the mouse LIM-domain only 4 (Lmo4) gene, which encodes a protein containing two zinc-finger LIM domains that interact with various DNA-binding transcription factors, attenuates behavioral sensitivity to repeated cocaine administration. Here we show that transcription of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (Alk) is repressed by LMO4 in the striatum and that Alk promotes the development of cocaine sensitization and conditioned place preference, a measure of cocaine reward. Since LMO4 is known to interact with estrogen receptor α (ERα) at the promoters of target genes, we investigated whether Alk expression might be controlled by a similar mechanism. We found that LMO4 and ERα are associated with the Alk promoter by chromatin immunoprecipitation and that Alk is an estrogen-responsive gene in the striatum. Moreover, we show that ERα knock-out mice exhibit enhanced cocaine sensitization and conditioned place preference and an increase in Alk expression in the nucleus accumbens. These data define a novel regulatory network involved in behavioral responses to cocaine. Interestingly, sex differences in several behavioral responses to cocaine in humans and rodents have been described, and estrogen is thought to mediate some of these differences. Our data suggest that estrogen regulation of Alk may be one mechanism responsible for sexually dimorphic responses to cocaine.
Characterization of the size, shape, and drug encapsulation efficiency of PLGA microcapsules produced via electrojetting for drug delivery to brain tumors

Despite significant progress in the development of new chemotherapeutic agents and drug delivery methods for brain tumors, malignant gliomas (high grade brain tumor) remains deadly with a median one-year survival time. A major unmet challenge in the treatment of malignant gliomas is the development of effective and targeted local delivery of chemotherapeutic agents at the cellular level. Here, we report the results of a systematic study of the size, shape, and drug release profiles of Poly(lactic-co glycolic) (PLGA) microcapsules produced and loaded with the anticancer agent 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) using an electrojetting technique. We quantify the shape and size distribution of BCNU-loaded PLGA microcapsules as a function of the polymer concentration and flow rate used during electrojetting, and measure drug release profiles for microcapsules of three different morphologies: flattened microspheres, microspheres, and microfibers. The BCNU release profiles for three microcapsule morphologies are found to be in good agreement with model predictions for drug release as a result of drug diffusion and degradation of PLGA.
Quantitative analysis of the functionalization of gallium phosphide with organic azides.

Gallium phosphide (GaP) surfaces were functionalized with two different molecules that contain an azide moiety at their terminus. Compound 4-azidophenacyl bromide (4AB) is an aryl azide with a bromine group at its opposite terminus that provides easy identification of the molecule's presence on the surface with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). O-(2-aminoethyl)-O'-(2-azidoethyl)pentaethylene glycol (AAP) is a small poly(ethylene glycol) molecule with an amine group at its opposite terminus. Atomic force microscopy was used to identify the uniformity of the clean and functionalized GaP surfaces. Water contact angle revealed a more hydrophobic surface with AAP functionalization (33°) and even more hydrophobic (53°) with the 4AB functionalized surface compared to a clean surface (16°). XPS confirmed the presence of each of the organic azides on the surface. XPS was further used to calculate the adlayer thickness of each functionalization. This analysis revealed an adlayer thickness of about 8 A for the 4AB functionalized surfaces compared to 1 A for the AAP adlayer, which led to the conclusion that AAP functionalization only provided partial coverage. A stability study using 4AB-functionalized surfaces showed good stability in saline solutions with varying concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Finally, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the gallium concentration in the stability solutions. While the functionalization with the organic azides did not provide complete suppression of gallium leaching, both of the azides decreased the leaching by 10-50%.
Frugivores at a fruiting Ficus in south-eastern Peru

In neotropical forests, 50–90% of the canopy trees bear fruits adapted for animal dispersal whereas close to 100% of the shrubs and sub-canopy trees produce fleshy fruits (Howe & Smallwood 1982). It has been suggested that during periods of fruit scarcity, some plant species perform a critical role in the forest ecosystem by sustaining frugivorous animals that are important dispersal agents for seeds of many other trees during other seasons of the year (Howe 1984, Terborgh 1986a). Loss or absence of those seed dispersers would have strong negative consequences for tree species, thereby affecting the health of the entire ecosystem, over time. For that reason, plant species that sustain frugivores (= seed dispersers) during periods of resource scarcity have been called ‘keystone species’ (Gilbert 1980, Howe 1984, Terborgh 1983, 1986a, b; van Schaik et al. 1993). For example, in the tropical rain forest of Manu National Park, Peru, Terborgh (1983) found that figs, palm nuts and nectar are resources of great importance for the primate community during periods of fruit scarcity. During that season, three species of fig were identified as keystone resources maintaining nearly 40% of the animal biomass in the ecosystem (Terborgh 1983).
Key Indicators for Assessing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Cereal-Based Agroecosystems

SUMMARY Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is an important objective of agroecosystem management. We define and demonstrate key indicators of NUE that enable a broader assessment of N management strategies. Nitrogen efficiency components and indexes were defined to assess soil and crop physiological processes, and agronomic and environmental factors related to N use. Measurements of grain yield, grain N, aboveground plant N, applied N, post-harvest root-zone soil N, and N losses via subsurface drains were used to assess N retention efficiency, available N uptake efficiency, N utilization efficiency, N harvest index, N yield efficiency, N reliance index, grain N accumulation efficiency, N balance index, N fertilizer utilization efficiency, and N loss index. Nitrogen use indicators were evaluated for two field studies: (1) hard red spring wheat with four N levels and two tillage treatments: no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT); and (2) corn in crop sequences of continuous corn (C-C), corn-soyb...