cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CYCLOHEXIMIDE ALTERS AXONAL TRANSPORT AND SUBCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF DOPAMINE‐β‐HYDROXYLASE ACTIVITY

—Administration of cycloheximide, 10 mg/kg s.c. led within 4 h to an approx 30% reduction of dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) activity in the abdominal portion of rat sciatic nerves. At least two more hours elapsed before DBH activity in the distal part of these nerves began to fall. This pattern suggests reduced synthesis or delivery of DBH into axons but continued transport of previously delivered enzyme. Coinciding with the time at which DBH activity began to fall in distal segments of sciatic nerve, there was a marked reduction in the accumulation of DBH activity above a ligature in this region. Between 4 and 8 h after administration of cylcoheximide, 10 mg/kg, accumulation above a ligature was 70% less than in untreated nerves (P < 0.001), a reduction significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the accompanying 28% loss of baseline DBH activity. At the same time, the clearance of DBH activity from nerve regions distal to a ligature was greatly reduced. This pattern is consistent with the depletion of a minor but rapidly transported compartment of DBH. Six hours after administration of cylcoheximide, 10 mg/kg, the apparent subcellular distribution of DBH in distal regions of sciatic nerve was altered by a significant 36% loss in sedimentable DBH activity, with non-significant changes in othcr fractions. This suggests that rapidly transported DBH, depleted from the nerve by cycloheximide-induced inhibition of protein synthesis, is more highly associated with intraneuronal particles than is slowly transported or stationary DBH.
Sex ratio and hermaphroditism in Oregon intertidal populations of the echinoid Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Examination of large numbers of the echinoid Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson) in the years 1969, 1970 and 1971 indicated that the sex ratio at Yaquina Head, Oregon (USA) was significantly different from 1:1, with males predominating. During 1968, 1970 and 1971 at Boiler Bay and Whale Cove, Oregon, the sex ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1 but, in 1969 at Boiler Bay, the proportion of males was 0.61. Two functionally hermaphroditic individuals were found among the 1,354 Yaquina Head echinoids examined, but none were found at Boiler Bay in an equal number of individuals. The hypothesis is proposed that S. purpuratus is a labile gonochorist, with a multiple, autosomal, sex-determining mechanism whose expression may be influenced by the environment.
Trypsin digestion of proteins on intact immobilized pH gradient strips for surface matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis

Isolelectric focusing (IEF) of proteins on immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips is an integral part of two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis-based proteomics. Proteins can be effectively analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) on the intact strip itself, leading to the creation of a virtual 2D map giving pI and MW information, bypassing the second dimension SDS-PAGE. Further, trypsin digestion of proteins on the strip can significantly aid the identification of IPG-separated proteins. However, the small size of the peptides leads to diffusion along and outside the gel matrix. In this study, we describe a simple spray-based procedure to perform 'on-strip' trypsin digestion of proteins embedded in IPG strips. Examination of intact myoglobin and its tryptic peptides shows that post-digestion diffusion of tryptic peptides is significantly minimized using this approach.
A proton nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of histine-binding protein J of salmonella typhimurium: A model for transport of L-histidine across cytoplasmic membrane

Genetic evidence suggests that the high-affinity L-histidine transport in Salmonella typhimurium requires the participation of a periplasmic binding protein (histidine-binding protein J) and two other proteins (P and Q proteins). The histidine-binding protein J binds L-histidine as the first step in the high-affinity active transport of this amino acid across the cytoplasmic membrane. High-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 600 MHz is used to investigate the conformations of this protein in the absence and presence of substrate. Previous nuclear magnetic resonance results reported by this laboratory have shown that there are extensive spectral changes in this protein upon the addition of L-histidine. When resonances from individual amino acid residues of a protein can be resolved in the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum, a great deal of detailed information about substrate-induced structural changes can be obtained. In order to gain a deeper insight into the nature of these structural changes, deuterated phenylalanine or tyrosine has been incorporated into the bacteria. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of selectively deuterated histidine-binding protein J were obtained and compared to the normal protein. Several of the proton resonances have been assigned to the various aromatic amino acid residues of this protein. A model for the high-affinity transport of L-histidine across the cytoplasmic membrane of S typhimurium is proposed. This model, which is a version of the pore model, assumes that both P and Q proteins are membrane-bound and that the interface between these two proteins forms the channel for the passage of substrate. The histidine-binding protein J serves as the "key" for the opening of the channel for the passage of L-histidine. In the absence of substrate, this channel or gate is closed owing to a lack of appropriate interactions among these three proteins. The channel can be opened upon receiving a specific signal from the "key"; namely, the substrate-induced conformational changes in the histidine-binding protein J molecule. This model is consistent with available experimental evidence for the high-affinity transport of L-histidine across the cytoplasmic membrane of S typhimurium.
Hyperfine interactions in muonium-containing radicals

We present an overview of techniques designed for the reliable prediction of hyperfine interaction tensors in muonium-bearing radicals from Density Functional Theory (DFT). In general, the isotropic component is the most difficult to determine accurately. Anisotropic terms are often recovered satisfactorily at modest levels of theory. In small systems high-level electronic structure calculations may be used to demonstrate the importance of a number of key components in a successful treatment. The roles of basis set balance, electron correlation effects, and vibrational averaging over modes in which the muon is active are illustrated by calculations on a number of small inorganic and organic species. In larger systems DFT becomes the method of choice. However, the optimal choice of functional is not yet completely clear. Some cautionary tales are given along with some success stories.
Iron and Copper Availability from Various Sources

Abstract A total of 1110 broiler cockerels were used in three experiments to determine the availability of iron and copper from various sources. A skim milk basal diet was fed in each experiment using chicks maintained in battery brooders beginning at one day of age. Four organic iron compounds (sequestered iron A 1 and ferric choline chloride 2 in Experiment 1 and sequestered iron B and C 1 in Experiment 2), ferrous sulfate and ferric oxide were the test iron compounds used in Experiments 1 and 2. Added dietary iron levels furnished by the test compounds were 10 and 20 p.p.m. (Experiment 1) and 5 and 10 p.p.m. (Experiment 2). The test copper compounds fed in Experiment 3 were added to furnish 1 and 2 p.p.m. copper using cupric sulfate, cuprous oxide and cuprous iodide. No consistent differences in hemoglobin content, hematocrit (packed cell volume), chick weight and mortality were observed between ferrous sulfate and the four organic iron compounds; however, these compounds were significantly superior to ferric oxide. Hemoglobin content, hematocrit and liver copper content were significantly increased when cupric sulfate was fed as compared to results obtained with cuprous iodide or cuprous oxide. Increased chick weight gain and decreased mortality were observed with chicks fed cupric sulfate or cuprous iodide as compared to those fed cuprous oxide. Chick availability values for ferric oxide (71 and 82%) were approximately three-quarters that of ferrous sulfate. The organic sources of iron gave high availability values (91–131%), although ferric choline chloride was not as available to the chick as the sequestered iron compounds (93–131%) as determined by regression analysis method and relative biological availability. Cuprous iodide and cuprous oxide have essentially equal availability, but the availability of these copper sources is only three-quarters that of cupric sulfate.
Why revolution ain’t easy: violating norms, re‐socializing society

Society is not only structured by major hierarchical institutions, but also by the unwritten rules, called norms, that govern the practice of daily life within those institutions. Peoples’ unreflective observance of these norms helps to perpetuate inequality and domination in society. Norms are transmitted through a process of socialization, by which every member of society is subtly trained to appreciate and follow these norms. While disobeying norms, or deviance, is possible, it is also fraught with problems and challenges. Ultimately, many things prevent the creation of new, anarchistic norms. Still, even with formidable obstacles in their path, anarchists have attempted to re‐socialize themselves and others in order to adhere to more egalitarian, horizontal, and cooperative norms.
Copyright issues for home videotaping

Abstract The consumers' home use of videocassette recorders to record TV programmes or motion pictures has concerned copyright owners, who fear that their economic interest will be jeopardized. The 1976 US Copyright Act is silent on the issue of private, non-commercial home videotaping. The US Supreme Court, in the Betamax case, has ruled that private, non-commercial home videotaping is not a copyright infringement. However, neither the law nor the ruling has actually resolved the fundamental copyright problem associated with home videotaping. This article proposes a number of public and private policy options for reaching an optimal solution.
Geometric Hamiltonian structures and perturbation theory

We have been engaged in a program of investigating the Hamiltonian structure of the various perturbation theories used in practice. We describe the geometry of a Hamiltonian structure for non-singular perturbation theory applied to Hamiltonian systems on symplectic manifolds and the connection with singular perturbation techniques based on the method of averaging.
Entropy conserving probability transforms and the entailment principle

Our main result here is the development of a general procedure for transforming some initial probability distribution into a new probability distribution in a way that the resulting distribution has entropy at least as great as the original distribution.A significant aspect of our approach is that it makes use of Zadeh's entailment principle which is itself a general procedure for going from an initial possibility distribution to a new possibility distribution so that the resulting possibility has an uncertainty at least as great as the original.
Effect of Wax Epilation Before Hair Removal With a Long‐Pulsed Alexandrite Laser: A Pilot Study

Background. Recent reports indicate that laser hair removal is most effective on anagen hairs. However, no published trials have examined laser epilation after hair cycle synchronization. Objective. To evaluate the potential for enhanced laser hair removal after the induction of telogen hairs into anagen by wax epilation. Methods. We identified four 2.5-cm square areas with equivalent hair length and density on the backs of 13 dark-haired white men. To induce typically telogen hairs into anagen, two areas on each patient were wax epilated. Two weeks later, one waxed area and one unwaxed area were treated with a long-pulsed alexandrite laser. One month after laser treatment, a subjective comparison was made based on hair density, length, and thickness. Results. In 12 of 13 patients, lasered areas that had been pretreated with wax epilation were clearer of hair as compared with areas that had been pretreated by shaving (P=0.0034). No significant difference was noted between waxed and unwaxed control areas that had not been laser treated (P=1.0). Conclusion. Wax epilation 2 weeks before laser hair removal improves cosmetic outcomes at 1 month. This effect may be secondary to the recruitment and heightened sensitivity of early anagen hairs.
Relationship between Urinary Calcium and Net Acid Excretion as Determined by Dietary Protein and Potassium: A Review

Increasing urinary net acid (titratable acid + NH4 – HCO–3) excretion is accompanied by an increased urinary Ca excretion because of reduced renal tubular reabsorption
Color-Naming and Color-Matching by Preschool Children as a Function of Visual Field and Sex:

The accuracy for both a color-naming and a color-matching task as a function of visual field and sex was investigated in preschool children. Subjects were 17 boys and 17 girls ranging in age from 4.4 to 5.6 yr. Each subject was tested on both tasks, for which the target stimuli were presented tachistoscopically. Accuracy measures for each task were obtained separately for both left and right visual fields. A two-factor (sex x visual field) analysis of variance with repeated measures on the visual-field factor showed a significant difference between the sexes on the color-naming task only. No significant difference between visual fields was found for either task. However, significant interactions between sex and visual field for both the color-naming and color-matching tasks were obtained, t tests for simple main effects showed a significant right visual-field advantage for girls in naming colors. Conversely, a significant left visual-field advantage for color-matching was found for boys. Also, on the colo...
Role of N- and C-Terminal Amino Acids in Two-Dimensional Streptavidin Crystal Formation

The carboxyl- and amino-terminal ends of streptavidin are near the site of protein−protein contacts in two-dimensional streptavidin crystals. The role of these C- and N-terminal residues in determining the pH-dependent phase behavior of crystallization has been investigated with site-directed truncation mutants. Commercial streptavidin (consisting primarily of amino acids 14−136) and two recombinant streptavidin forms, spanning residues 13−136 and 13−139, have been crystallized at pH 4−7. The commercial 14−136 protein crystallizes in three distinct lattice symmetries, P1, P2, and C222, respectively, depending on pH. The 13−136 mutant also crystallizes in three distinct lattices, but with a shifted pH profile that is attributed to the N-terminal residue. The presence of amino acids 137−139 inhibits the growth of crystals with P1 symmetry at low pH. In addition, we observe a solid−solid phase transition in situ from the P2 to the P1 crystal forms for the 13−136 recombinant protein at pH 5.2. We also demonst...
Low-Energy nuclear reactions with hydrogen isotopes

Abstract Using the Los Alamos Low-Energy Fusion Cross-Section Facility (LEFCS), we have completed the study of the D(t, α)n reaction from Et = 12.5–117 keV, and now have measured angular distributions of the reactions D(d, p)T and D(d, 3He)n from Ed= 20–117 keV. The experimental equipment features a windowless cryogenic target, a precision beam-intensity calorimeter, a 10 to 120 keV accelerator producing negative tritium ions, an accurate target gas-flow and temperature system, and a tritium gas-handling system. Most of the quite anisotropic angular distributions of the D+D reactions have relative errors of about 1% and the integrated cross-sections have absolute errors of about 1.5%. Astrophysical S functions extracted from the data and also from a least-squares fit of a+b cos2θ to the data show a curious behavior with energy. The cross-sections, which agree with previous but less accurate data, are compared with R-matrix calculations. We also show preliminary results for alpha-particle spectra of the T(t, α)nn reaction. A feature of this experiment is the flow through our windowless target of 1.5 standard liters of tritium gas per day.
A SIMPLE WAY TO SYNCHRONIZE CHAOTIC SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS TO SECURE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

In this paper, we provide a scheme for synthesizing synchronized circuits and systems. Synchronization of the drive and response system is proved trivially without the need for computing numerically the conditional Lyapunov exponents. We give a definition of the driving and response system having the same functional form, which is more general than the concept of homogeneous driving by Pecora & Carroll [1991]. Finally, we show how synchronization coupled with chaos can be used to implement secure communication systems. This is illustrated with examples of secure communication systems which are inherently error-free in contrast to the signal-masking schemes proposed in Cuomo & Oppenheim [1993a,b] and Kocarev et al. [1992].
Spinodal decomposition of the γ-phase upon quenching in the Ti–Al–Nb ternary alloy system

Abstract The γ -TiAl with L1 0 crystal structure shows extensive solubility for Nb at elevated temperatures. Recently (Rios et al., Acta materialia 2009; 57:6243), we have demonstrated that the high-Nb γ -TiAl phase becomes unstable upon rapid cooling into a nano-scale two-phase microstructure. In this paper, using detailed compositional and microstructural analyses, we have demonstrated that this phase goes through a spinodal decomposition that results in the compositionally distinct phases identified as a lower-Nb γ -phase and the h -phase, which is rich in Nb and forms by the ordering of this element in the γ -phase.
Changes in endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA during vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in monkeys.

OBJECTIVE : We attempt to determine whether changes in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and soluble guanylate cyclase, enzymes that mediate endothelium-dependent vasodilation in cerebral arteries, occur after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in monkeys. METHODS : Baseline cerebral angiograms were obtained, and right-sided SAH was induced by microsurgically placing autologous blood clot against the right anterior circle of Willis in seven monkeys. Seven days later, angiographic studies were repeated and the animals were killed. Right (vasospastic) and left (control) middle cerebral arteries and underlying cortex were removed. The competitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify mRNA for soluble guanylate cyclase and two isoforms of constitutive NOS in these tissues. RESULTS : Comparison of angiograms at baseline and after 7 days showed a 41 ± 7% (mean ± standard error of the mean, P < 0.05, Wilcoxon test) decrease in diameter of the right middle cerebral artery. After the animals were killed, comparison of right and left middle cerebral arteries showed a 56 ± 11% decrease (P < 0.005, paired t test) in endothelial NOS mRNA. There was a 142 ± 39% (P < 0.05) increase in right cortex endothelial NOS mRNA compared to the left cortex. There were no significant differences between right and left sides in mRNAs for soluble guanylate cyclase or brain NOS. CONCLUSION : Decreased endothelial NOS mRNA in cerebral arteries 7 days after SAH may be caused by endothelial cell damage and could contribute to vasospasm after SAH. Increased endothelial NOS in brain tissue may reflect a compensatory vasodilator mechanism of the brain against the cerebral ischemia associated with vasospasm and SAH.
Venous thromboembolic complications after open heart surgery

The incidence and impact of venous thromboembolic complications on pa tient survival following cardiac operations remains unclear. During a five-year period (1984-1988) 4,393 patients underwent open heart surgery; of these, 13 patients had either pulmonary embolus (PE) (5 patients) or deep-vein thrombo sis (DVT) (8 patients). In the PE group, coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 3 patients, aortic valve replacement in 2. Seven patients had myocardial revascularization and 1 had aortic valve replacement in the DVT group. Postoperative diagnosis was established by means of lung scan (4) or pulmonary angiogram (1) for PE or venous Doppler (4) or contrast venography (4) for DVT. Treatment was supportive with anticoagulation in all patients; 2 underwent interruption of the vena cava. Hospital stay was prolonged in all with an average of thirty-four days. PE accounted for the death of 1 patient. Actuarial survival at five years among the survivors was 92%. This experience suggests that the occurrenc...
The importance of increased dialysis and anemia management for infant survival in pregnant women on hemodialysis

Despite advances in recent decades, infant survival in pregnant women on hemodialysis remains suboptimal. Asamiya et al. found that higher maternal hemoglobin was associated with successful pregnancy and maternal blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was negatively correlated with infant birth weight and gestational age. Their study suggests that increased or intensive dialysis to achieve predialysis maternal BUN levels
Evidence for state dependence of the imaginary part of the empirical optical potential

From the observed neutron scattering from /sup 89/Y and /sup 208/Pb at energies from 5 to 10 MeV, there is empirical evidence that the shape of the surface imaginary part of the neutron optical model potential depends upon energy; the radius increases and the diffuseness decreases with decreasing energy. It is shown that the empirical energy dependence for the radius of the surface imaginary potential is approximately the same as that for the positions of the surface nodes for those partial waves which have the same orbital angular momentum l and total neutron angular momentum j = l +- (12 as for the unoccupied bound single-particle states. The fact that those nodes are clustered near the center of the imaginary potential has the effect of reducing absorption for those partial waves. Therefore, the empirical variation in radius can be reinterpreted by a model for which the radius of the imaginary potential is constant but its strength depends upon the neutron orbital. This dependence can be adequately described by dividing the partial waves into two groups, one with the same quantum numbers l and j as for the bound unfilled orbitals and the other for the unbound states. In the casemore » of n+/sup 208/Pb, for an assumed constant imaginary radius, the quality of the optical model descriptions to the data is improved and the dispersion-relation constraint is more nearly satisfied if the partial waves associated with the quasibound single-particle states are also included with those associated with the unoccupied bound single-particle states.« less
C8-Arylguanine and C8-aryladenine formation in calf thymus DNA from arenediazonium ions.

Arylhydrazides, arylhydrazines, and N-alkyl-N-arylnitrosamines are metabolized to arenediazonium ions which yield C8-arylpurine adducts in calf thymus and cellular DNA. The mechanism of adduct form...
A statement on nuclear propulsion.

Nuclear or electric propulsion for planetary exploration, noting configuration and capabilities
Highly nonlinear standing water waves with small capillary effect

We calculate spatially and temporally periodic standing waves using a spectral boundary integral method combined with Newton iteration. When surface tension is neglected, the non-monotonic behaviour of global wave properties agrees with previous computations by Mercer & Roberts (1992). New accurate results near the limiting form of gravity waves are obtained by using a non-uniform node distribution. It is shown that the crest angle is smaller than 90° at the largest calculated crest curvature. When a small amount of surface tension is included, the crest form is changed significantly. It is necessary to include surface tension to numerically reproduce the steep standing waves in Taylor's (1953) experiments. Faraday-wave experiments in a large-aspect-ratio rectangular container agree with our computations. This is the first time such high-amplitude, periodic waves appear to have been observed in laboratory conditions. Ripple formation and temporal symmetry breaking in the experiments are discussed.
A novel configuration of unified power flow controller

This paper presents a novel configuration of unified power flow controller (UPFC). The proposed configuration has two inverters connected face-to-face on the AC side instead of connected back-to-back through a common DC link. The new configuration has the following advantages: 1) there is no active power exchange between the two inverters and both inverters only provide or absorb reactive power; 2) cascade multilevel inverters can be used in this configuration, thus eliminating the conventional magnetic interface-zigzag transformers, and greatly reducing power losses; 3) the total required VA rating of the inverters can be reduced greatly over a wide load conditions; and 4) The new configuration with modular cascade multilevel inverters and their redundancy has greater flexibility to system design and realization of higher reliability.
Long-term culture of porcine bladder epithelial cells.

Abstract Epithelial cells from normal pig bladders proliferated when cocultured with lethally irradiated feeder cells of the LA7 rat mammary tumor line. When the bladder cells and feeders were plated together at a confluent density, the bladder cells proliferated as the feeder cells died, resulting in a confluent culture of bladder cells. The bladder cells were successfully subcultured by plating with freshly irradiated LA7 feeder cells. In this way, bladder cells from five pigs were carried to confluency in passages 1, 4, 7, 7, and 13, amounting to at least 6, 18, 24, 26, and 45 doublings in culture, respectively, and none showed signs of slowed proliferation at the time of culture termination. Fibroblasts never became a prominent feature of these cultures, and their frequency was determined to be about 26 fibroblasts per 105 cells in passage 9. Pig bladder cells in 0.5% serum doubled in number in slightly over 3 d, whereas cells in 5.0% serum doubled in about 6 d. In fresh medium without feeder cells on...
Instrumental Values and the Popularity of Instrumental Leaders

Varying degrees of overlap between instrumental and expressive hierarchies have been reported. All hypothesis which accounts for such disparity is that degree of correspondence between leader status and popularity is associated with the extent to which the instrumental activities of a group are dominant values for the group. Primary and secondary analyses provide confirmation. T HE relationship between leadership and popularity hierarchies has received considerable discussion. Only recently, however, has attention shifted from simply reporting the degree of correspondence between status in the one hierarchy and status in the other to specifying the conditions associated with varying degrees of such correspondence. The present paper hypothesizes how one such condition variable operates and presents some supporting evidence gathered both from primary and secondary data. Theodorson' has written that leader status and popularity are more likely to be associated with one another under conditions of high group cohesiveness than under conditions of low group cohesiveness. However, the reasons he gave for variable cohesiveness in the groups he studied can give rise to an alternative explanation of his findings. Theodorson suggested that a pair of marital discussion groups differed in extent of mutual liking, enjoyment of meetings, and loyalty as a consequence of different rates of interest in the manifest purpose of such groups. He attributed differential cohesiveness in a pair of political discussion groups to differential opportunity to deviate from manifest purposes. This information can lead to the conclusion implied by Theodorson, that the popularity of instrumental leaders is a function of cohesiveness, which in turn is a function of the group's acceptance of the activity led. It can lead equally well, however, to an inference advanced by the present writer, that cohesiveness and the popularity of instrumental leaders may co-occur only insofar as both are consequences of the group's acceptance of the activity led. Slater and Bales and Slater2 report somewhat greater association between indices of instrumental leader status and accorded liking in groups where there is high consensus in the attribution of leader status than in groups where such consensus is low. They suggest that latent consensus in critical values may have existed in the groups which were high in status consensus. We might speculate whether such critical consensus may not have been with respect to the acceptability of the group's
The effect of seizures on recovery of function following cortical contusion in the rat

The effect of seizures on recovery of motor function was studied in rats following unilateral contusion of the sensorimotor cotex. Animals receiving two electroconvulsive seizures (ECSs) within the first 24 hours postcontusion showed accelerated recovery of beam-walking ability, reduced volume of necrosis and less spontaneous activity compared to animals receiving only contusions. Animals receiving seven ECSs after contusion had an even smaller volume of necrosis and also reduced spontaneous activity compared to the two ECS group and to controls receiving contusions alone. However, for recovery of beam-walking ability, the seven ECS group did not differ from control rats receiving only contusions. The results are discussed in terms of the effects of seizures on catcholamines, gamma-amino butyric acid, cerebral blood flow and possible effects on remote functional depression after brain injury.
Impact of prior probabilities of MRSA as an infectious agent on the accuracy of the emerging molecular diagnostic tests: a model simulation

Objectives Traditional microbiology identification takes 48–72 h to complete. This lag forces clinicians to rely on broad-spectrum empiric coverage. To address this gap, manufacturers are developing rapid molecular diagnostics (RMD). We hypothesised that RMD9s accuracy is more dependent upon population risk of harbouring the culprit pathogen than to their sensitivity and specificity. Design A mathematical model. Setting and participants We used the range of risks (5–50%) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among patients hospitalised with complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI), pneumonia or sepsis. Main outcome measures We modelled the impact of changing a test9s characteristics on its positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values, and hence the risk of overtreatment or undertreatment, within strata of an organism9s population prevalence. MRSA diagnostics provided assumptions for the test sensitivity and specificity (95–99%). Scenarios with low sensitivity and specificity (90%), and best-case and worst-case scenarios normalised to the annual universe of populations of interest, were examined. Results With a low prevalence (5%) and high test specificity, the PPV was 84%. Conversely, with 50% prevalence and 95% test specificity the PPV rose to ≥95%. Even when the test9s specificity and sensitivity were both 90%, in a high-risk population both PPV and NPV were ∼90%. In the worst-case scenario, 150 000 patients with cSSSI, pneumonia and sepsis annually were at risk for inappropriate treatment, 91% of these at risk for over-treatment. In the best-case scenario, 81% of 18 000 patients at risk for inappropriate coverage were subject to overtreatment. Conclusions Although promising for limiting exposure to excessive antimicrobial coverage, RMDs alone will not solve the issue of inappropriate, and particularly overtreatment. Increasing pretest probability as a strategy to minimise antibiotic abuse results in more accurate patient classification than does developing a test with near-perfect characteristics. The healthcare community must build robust evidence and information technology infrastructure to guide appropriate use of such testing.
Remote Formation Control and Collision Avoidance for Multi-Agent Nonholonomic Systems

This paper presents a novel decentralized control scheme that achieves dynamic formation control and collision avoidance for a group of nonholonomic robots. First, we derive a feedback law using Lyapunov-type analysis that guarantees collision avoidance and tracking of a reference trajectory for a single robot. Then, we extend this result to the case of multiple nonholonomic robots, and show how different classes of multi-agent problems involving an interacting group of nonholonomic robots such as formation control can be addressed in this framework. Finally, we combine the above results to address the problem of driving a group of robots according to a given trajectory while maintaining a specific formation.
Protein Kinase PKR Mediates the Apoptosis Induction and Growth Restriction Phenotypes of C Protein-Deficient Measles Virus

The measles virus (MV) accessory proteins V and C play important roles in MV replication and pathogenesis. Infection with recombinant MV lacking either V or C causes more cell death than infection with the parental vaccine-equivalent virus (MVvac), and C-deficient virus grows poorly relative to the parental virus. Here, we show that a major effector of the C phenotype is the RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR. Using human HeLa cells stably deficient in PKR as a result of RNA interference-mediated knockdown (PKRkd cells), we demonstrated that a reduction in PKR partially rescued the growth defect of C knockout (Cko) virus but had no effect on the growth of either wild-type (WT) or V knockout (Vko) virus. Increased growth of the Cko virus in PKRkd cells correlated with increased viral protein expression, while defective growth and decreased protein expression in PKR-sufficient cells correlated with increased phosphorylation of PKR and the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2. Furthermore, infection with WT, Vko, or especially Cko virus caused significantly less apoptosis in PKRkd cells than in PKR-sufficient cells. Although apoptosis induced by Cko virus infection in PKR-sufficient cells was blocked by a caspase antagonist, the growth of Cko virus was not restored to the WT level by treatment with this pharmacologic inhibitor. Taken together, these results indicate that PKR plays an important antiviral role during MV infection but that the virus growth restriction by PKR is not dependent upon the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, the results establish that a principal function of the MV C protein is to antagonize the proapoptotic and antiviral activities of PKR.
On the Markov Chain Simulation Method for Uniform Combinatorial Distributions and Simulated Annealing

Uniform distributions on complicated combinatorial sets can be simulated by the Markov chain method. A condition is given for the simulations to be accurate in polynomial time. Similar analysis of the simulated annealing algorithm remains an open problem. The argument relies on a recent eigenvalue estimate of Alon [4]; the only new mathematical ingredient is a careful analysis of how the accuracy of sample averages of a Markov chain is related to the second-largest eigenvalue.
Identifying Transcribed Sequences in Arrayed Bacteriophage or Cosmid Libraries

This unit describes methods for identifying bacteriophage or cosmid clones that contain sequences present in the mRNA of a cell line or tissue. In the Basic Protocol, a radiolabeled cDNA probe is synthesized by reverse transcription of poly(A)+ RNA isolated from the cell line or tissue of interest. The probe is incubated with DNA-cellulose to remove highly repetitive sequences before it is used for hybridization analysis of filters from a phage or cosmid genomic library. After identification of positive clones from the library screen, the same probe can be used to screen Southern blots of restriction enzyme-digested DNA from the positive clones. Support protocols describe preparation and testing of DNA-cellulose.
Regression models for the analysis of longitudinal Gaussian data from multiple sources

We present a regression model for the joint analysis of longitudinal multiple source Gaussian data. Longitudinal multiple source data arise when repeated measurements are taken from two or more sources, and each source provides a measure of the same underlying variable and on the same scale. This type of data generally produces a relatively large number of observations per subject; thus estimation of an unstructured covariance matrix often may not be possible. We consider two methods by which parsimonious models for the covariance can be obtained for longitudinal multiple source data. The methods are illustrated with an example of multiple informant data arising from a longitudinal interventional trial in psychiatry.
Peroxidase Properties of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase: Role of Uric Acid in Modulating In Vivo Activity

Objective— The cytosolic form of Cu/Zn-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD1) has peroxidase activity, with H2O2 used as a substrate to oxidize other molecules. We examined peroxidase properties of...
Perceived Family Support, Acculturation, and Life Satisfaction in Mexican American Youth: A Mixed- Methods Exploration

In this article, the authors describe a mixed-methods study designed to explore perceived family support, acculturation, and life satisfaction among 266 Mexican American adolescents. Specifically, the authors conducted a thematic analysis of open-ended responses to a question about life satisfaction to understand participants’ perceptions of factors that contributed to their overall satisfaction with life. The authors also conducted hierarchical regression analyses to investigate the independent and interactive contributions of perceived support from family and Mexican and Anglo acculturation orientations on life satisfaction. Convergence of mixed-methods findings demonstrated that perceived family support and Mexican orientation were significant predictors of life satisfaction in these adolescents. Implications, limitations, and directions for further research are discussed.
Psychiatric aspects of breast cancer.

1Psychological factors play an important role in patients’ compliance with medical treatment, in their reaction to the diagnosis, and in their ability to maintain an acceptable quality of life. Psychiatrists are increasingly asked to participate in the care of cancer patients and can benefit from understanding the disease and its treatment. This paper will discuss the scope of the problem, risk factors, psychological reactions, and appropriate psychiatric interventions during different stages of the disease. In the United States breast cancer accounts for 30% of all new malignancies in women. 2 Each year, some 183,000 American women are diagnosed with the disease and nearly 41,000 die of it. 3 Caucasian women have a 13.1% and black
Vitamin A Upregulates Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Activity by Murine Myeloid Dendritic Cells through a Nonclassical Transcriptional Mechanism

Myeloid dendritic cells (DC) are specialized antigen-presenting immune cells. Upon activation in peripheral tissues, DC migrate to lymph nodes to activate T lymphocytes. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 is a gelatinase essential for DC migration. We have previously shown that all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), a bioactive metabolite of vitamin A, significantly augmented DC MMP-9 mRNA and protein production. We investigated the mechanisms by which atRA increased MMP-9 activity in vitro. Mouse myeloid DC cultured with atRA demonstrated increased gelatinase activity compared with cells cultured with retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-alpha antagonist. Adding MMP-9 inhibitor significantly blocked DC gelatinase activity and increased adherence of DC in a dose-dependent manner. AtRA-induced Mmp-9 gene expression in DC was blocked by transcriptional inhibition. Because the Mmp-9 promoter contains no canonical retinoic acid response element (RARE), we performed additional studies to determine how atRA regulated DC Mmp-9 transcription. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays for the consensus Sp1, activating protein-1, and nuclear factor-kappaB binding sites located in the Mmp-9 promoter did not indicate greater nuclear protein binding in response to atRA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated RARalpha and histone acetyltransferase p300 recruitment to, and acetylation of, histone H3 at the Mmp-9 promoter was greater after atRA treatment. These data suggest that atRA regulated DC adhesion in vitro partly through MMP-9 gelatinase activity. Mmp-9 expression was enhanced through a transcriptional mechanism involving greater RARalpha promoter binding, recruitment of p300, and subsequent histone H3 acetylation, despite the absence of a consensus RARE.
Information Spillovers from Protests against Corporations: A Tale of Walmart and Target

In this study of the impact of protests against Walmart (a first entrant) on Target (a second entrant) from 1998 to 2008 in U.S. geographic markets, we develop and test a theory of information spillovers from protests against corporations proposing to enter a new market. We argue that the number of protests directed against a first entrant is a noisy signal for the second entrant because such protests are likely to be dominated by protest-prone activists and so do not reflect the sentiments of the community. The second entrant is likely to discount protests against the first entrant that are led by protest-prone activists and rely instead on protests led by local, decentralized activists as indicative of a community�s preferences. We argue that the second entrant differentiates between protests against the first-entrant firm and the organizational form, and discounts protests against a specific firm but not those against the form (e.g., big-box stores). Further, the second entrant is likely to rely on the reaction of the first entrant as an indication of the meaning of the protest. Finally, all of these signaling effects will be stronger in markets in which the second entrant has no experience and so lacks local knowledge. The study provides broad support for our arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
Managing psychosomatic abdominal pain

Abstract Complaints of abdominal pain caused by psychological disorders are extremely common in clinical practice. This paper discusses psychological diagnosis and therapy, With emphasis on the role of the family physician. Acute and chronic syndromes are described. The author recommends family therapy as an effective treatment that should be used more often. Close collaboration between primary physician, psychiatrist, and surgeon is essential. The push toward surgery (which often comes from the patient) should be resisted to allow adequate time for psychiatric intervention and to avoid unnecessary surgery.
Hierarchical statistical modeling of xylem vulnerability to cavitation.

Summary • Cavitation of xylem elements diminishes the water transport capacity of plants, and quantifying xylem vulnerability to cavitation is important to understanding plant function. Current approaches to analyzing hydraulic conductivity (K) data to infer vulnerability to cavitation suffer from problems such as the use of potentially unrealistic vulnerability curves, difficulty interpreting parameters in these curves, a statistical framework that ignores sampling design, and an overly simplistic view of uncertainty. • This study illustrates how two common curves (exponential-sigmoid and Weibull) can be reparameterized in terms of meaningful parameters: maximum conductivity (ksat), water potential (–P) at which percentage loss of conductivity (PLC) =X% (PX), and the slope of the PLC curve at PX (SX), a ‘sensitivity’ index. • We provide a hierarchical Bayesian method for fitting the reparameterized curves to KH data. We illustrate the method using data for roots and stems of two populations of Juniperus scopulorum and test for differences in ksat, PX, and SX between different groups. • Two important results emerge from this study. First, the Weibull model is preferred because it produces biologically realistic estimates of PLC near P = 0 MPa. Second, stochastic embolisms contribute an important source of uncertainty that should be included in such analyses.
A REVIEW OF THE SPIDER GENERA PARDOSA AND ACANTHOLYCOSA (ARANEAE, LYCOSIDAE) OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES

Abstract In the 48 contiguous United States, the wolf spider subfamily Pardosinae is represented by 65 species of Pardosa and 1 species of Acantholycosa. This study provides a comprehensive account of all species of Pardosinae in the USA including keys, some of which are new, for their identification. Based on genital morphology, the species of Pardosa in the USA can be divided into 14 species groups containing from one to 17 species. The male of P. ourayensis Gertsch 1933 is illustrated for the first time. Difficulties arise in the identification of some sister species which are both morphologically and geographically close; and also many of the species in the sternalis group which can be identified only by their distribution.
NK-cell lymphomas and leukemias: a spectrum of tumors with variable manifestations and immunophenotype.

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that have some phenotypic and functional similarities to cytotoxic T cells but do not express the T-cell receptor complex. NK-cell malignancies may be localized or disseminated at initial examination, and most behave aggressively. The variable presentation of NK-cell lymphomas and leukemias suggests that they represent a spectrum of disease, with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) implicated in the pathogenesis of most cases. Using cases presented in Session 10 of the 2005 Society for Hematopathology/European Association for Haematopathology Workshop on T-cell and NK-cell malignancies, we discuss outstanding issues in the classification and diagnosis of NK-cell malignancies. These difficulties are related to unusual sites of manifestation, atypical immunophenotypic features, and EBV+ T-cell tumors that resemble classical extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal-type (EN-NK/T-NT). Although some of these cases can be grouped into EN-NK/T-NT, classification of tumors that have atypical or discordant features will remain controversial, particularly when EBV is absent.
The pathogenesis of Niemann–Pick type C disease: a role for autophagy?

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC) is a sphingolipid-storage disorder that results from inherited deficiencies of intracellular lipid-trafficking proteins, and is characterised by an accumulation of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in late endosomes and lysosomes. Patients with this disorder develop progressive neurological impairment that often begins in childhood, is ultimately fatal and is currently untreatable. How impaired lipid trafficking leads to neurodegeneration is largely unknown. Here we review NPC clinical features and biochemical defects, and discuss model systems used to study this disorder. Recent studies have established that NPC is associated with an induction of autophagy, a regulated and evolutionarily conserved process by which cytoplasmic proteins are sequestered within autophagosomes and targeted for degradation. This pathway enables recycling of limited or damaged macromolecules to promote cell survival. However, in other instances, robust activation of autophagy leads to cell stress and programmed cell death. We summarise evidence showing that autophagy induction and flux are increased in NPC by signalling through a complex of the class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase and beclin-1. We propose that an imbalance between induction and flux through the autophagic pathway contributes to cell stress and neuronal loss in NPC and related sphingolipid-storage disorders, and discuss potential therapeutic strategies for modulating activity of this pathway.