cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patch clamp studies of the thr1313met mutant sodium channel causing paramyotonia congenita.

Paramyotonia congenita (PC) is an autosomal-dominant disorder due to a point mutation in the adult skeletal muscle Na channel gene. Muscle fibers from PC patients have normal membrane properties at 32 degrees C. At 27 degrees C, they are inexcitable, have increased Na conductance, and have a reduced resting membrane potential of -40 mV. To define the biophysical basis for the muscle membrane abnormalities, we performed patch clamp whole-cell and outside-out single Na channel studies at 22 degrees C on cultured human muscle cells from 4 control patients and 2 sisters with PC and the thr1313met mutant Na channel. The whole-cell studies showed no difference in window currents. Unlike cells transfected with the thr1313met mutant Na channel, the inactivation time constant, tau(h), for PC cells was similar to control cells. For PC recordings containing long-duration single Na channel openings, mean open time was prolonged at -60, -40, and -20 mV. The long-duration Na channel openings occurred randomly with no evidence of modal gating. The number of channel openings, occurrence of late openings, and the prolonged mean open time resulted in a sustained inward Na current at -40 mV. We suggest that the biophysical marker of the thr1313met mutant Na channel is a voltage- and temperature-dependent abnormality in mutant single Na channel behavior.
Attention to faces modulates early face processing during low but not high face discriminability.

In the present study, we investigated whether attention to faces results in sensory gain modulation. Participants were cued to attend either to faces or to scenes in superimposed face—scene images for which face discriminability was manipulated parametrically. The face-sensitive N170 event-related potential component was used as a measure of early face processing. Attention to faces modulated N170 amplitude, but only when faces were not highly discriminable. Additionally, directing attention to faces modulated later processing (~230—300 msec) for all discriminability levels. These results demonstrate that attention to faces can modulate perceptual processing of faces at multiple stages of processing, including early sensory levels. Critically, the early attentional benefit is present only when the “face signal” (i.e., the perceptual quality of the face) in the environment is suboptimal.
The library starter kit: using new technologies for training and instruction

Each Fall thousands of new students arrive at the University of California at Santa Cruz and the Library’s goal is to ensure that each new user has the basic skills to enable them to find, evaluate and use information resources from print, online and Znternetbased sources. But the reality is that the orientation programs, online classes and printed documentation the library provides may not be available when and where students need them. Our Bibliographic Instruction program had to evolve to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse user population with varying learning styles. The World Wide Web (WWW) offered a new medium to address this need, with the potential for providing a self-directed approach to learning available all hours from any WWW station on or off campus. A conzbination of grants, student developers and lots of sweat equity were used to initially create a WWW Virtual Tour of the McHenry Library. This was expanded to become the “Library Starter Kit” (http:/!ob.ucsc.edu/library/reefnstruction/skit), a WWW resource that provides new users with the basics for getting started with library research
An aspect-oriented approach for modeling self-organizing emergent structures

Multi-agent systems must be engineered to ensure that desirable system-level properties will consistently emerge from the complex interactions of the underlying agents, while also guaranteeing that undesirable behavior will be suppressed. We present an Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) framework for modeling, visualizing and manipulating emergent structure in multi-agent systems. By encapsulating the macroscopic structure, we can identify undesirable patterns of behavior at a higher level of abstraction. The identification of such patterns allows us to implement a feedback loop to steer the behavior of the lower level agents towards actions favorable for the emergence of a reliable solution. AOP facilitates the modeling of the system-wide behavior, thus it serves as a valuable tool for building confidence that a given multi-agent system will consistently meet its requirements.
Atomoxetine and Stimulants in Combination for Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Four Case Reports

Atomoxetine and stimulants have both been demonstrated effective as single agents for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents, and adults. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in some patients do not respond adequately to single-agent treatment with these medications, each of which is presumed to impact dopaminergic and noradrenergic networks by alternative mechanisms in different ratios. Four cases are presented to illustrate how atomoxetine and stimulants can be utilized effectively in combination to extend duration of symptom relief without intolerable side effects or to alleviate a wider range of impairing symptoms than either agent alone. This combined pharmacotherapy appears effective for some patients who do not respond adequately to monotherapy, but because there is virtually no research to establish safety and effectiveness of such strategies, careful monitoring is needed.
On artificial vorticity in numerical simulation of incompressible flow

Abstract For incompressible flows the addition of artificial vorticity in the vicinity of wall barriers can be useful in the numerical satisfaction of no-slip. It is shown that a method of Briley which appears to have order one error near the wall is in reality a clever means of inducing the no-slip condition through implicit addition of artificial vorticity to the calculations. This appears to explain the rapid convergence experienced by Briley's method.
Violation of Einstein causality in a model quantum system

A series of theorems have been proved showing that localization in quantum mechanics is inconsistent with Einstein causality. In this paper a simple model of a localized source and a localized detector is studied. This model does not satisfy the assumptions of the rigorous theorems; nonetheless, it is found that the model violates Einstein causality. The effect is very small and resides in the nonresonant part of the transition probability.
Aspects of possible self that predict motivation to achieve or avoid it

Abstract The present research examined a model of the cognitive basis for the motivational impact of hoped for and feared possible selves. In a sample of 116 participants, motivation to attain or avoid an important possible self was significantly predicted by its availability (as measured by degree of detail in a paragraph description of the possible self), its accessibility (as measured by response time to features of that possible self), and the extent to which its attainment or avoidance is perceived as under one’s control (as measured by a self-report scale). Alternative explanations in terms of general individual differences are rendered unlikely because motivation for a non-important possible self was not predicted by these measures.
A century of controversy surrounding posttraumatic stress‐spectrum syndromes: The impact on DSM‐III and DSM‐IV

The authors describe historical clinical reports that preceded the development of criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and influenced the formation of PTSD in DSM-IV. These reports were identified from extensive search of 19th- and 20th-century American and European medical literature. Relevant findings from the most representative reports are described and discussed. Since the mid-19th century, clinical syndromes resembling PTSD have been described. However, understanding of PTSD has been complicated by questions of nomenclature, etiology, and compensation. Nomenclature placed PTSD syndromes under existing psychiatric disorders: traumatic hysteria, traumatic neurasthenia, or traumatic neurosis. Etiological issues have been concerned often solely with organic factors, pre-existing personality impairments, intrapsychiatric conflicts, and social factors. Only after World War II and the concentration camp experiences did the role of severe trauma in PTSD become recognized. Even though controversy remains, much progress in understanding PTSD has been made.
The Brazilian Landless Movement, Resistance, and Violence

Throughout Brazil, landless resisters are being violently victimized at the discretion of large landowners. The main goals of this article are to (1) Explain the historical and current conditions that have facilitated the violent oppression experienced by the landless movement, (2) illustrate the mass violence experienced by the landless population, (3) provide a review of the existing research regarding the relationship between land reform, violence, and state strength, (4) introduce a new explanation of decentralized state power in relationship to the persistence of violence against the landless movement. I explore the Brazilian landless movement through content analyses, fieldwork, and a review of existing data. The approach used to study and understand the powers associated with the landless movement is unique to the existing literature of the Brazilian landless movement in that it moves beyond advocacy towards a criminological and political analysis.
History of the American College Health Association

Abstract Following Dr Edward Hitchcock's lead at Amherst College in 1861, soon other institutions of higher education established physical education departments that evolved into independent college health programs. As the field of college health expanded, leaders from numerous campuses began meeting to share information and discuss formation of a national organization. As a result, the American Student Health Association was founded in 1920 to promote campus health care for students and advance the interests of college health. The name was changed to the American College Health Association in 1948. The past history of this organization has been well documented in the literature, so this review will focus more on ACHA's accomplishments over the past 20 years. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
Service Orientation, Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Loyalty: Testing a Structural Model

The objective of this study is to develop and validate a conceptual model that incorporates the relationships among service orientation, service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. Data were collected from a chain of casual dining restaurants located in Seoul, Korea. Frontline employees completed a questionnaire measuring service orientation while customers completed a questionnaire measuring perceived service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty. The questionnaires from customers then were paired with the questionnaires from employees who had attended to the customers. The proposed model indicated that customers' perceptions of service quality fully mediate the effect of employees' service orientation on customer satisfaction and that customer satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between customers' perceptions of service quality and customers' decision to remain loyal.
Preventative Antibiotics for Penetrating Abdominal Trauma - Single Agent or Combination Therapy?

In this open, prospective, comparative study, 75 patients who sustained penetrating abdominal trauma were randomised to receive 1 of 3 antibiotic regimens preoperatively and for 3 to 5 days postoperatively. Group I received cefotaxime 2g 8-hourly, group II received cefoxitin 2g 6-hourly and group III received clindamycin (900mg 8-hourly) and gentamicin 3 to 5 mg/kg/day in divided doses 8-hourly. The 3 groups were not statistically different in terms of age, sex, severity of injury, number of organs injured, colon injuries, shock, blood transfusions or positive intra-operative cultures. Septic complications occurred in 8% of patients in group I, in 4% of group II patients and in 8% of group III patients. Cefotaxime was the least costly regimen, followed by cefoxitin, then clindamycin and gentamicin.
Congestion avoidance on manycore high performance computing systems

Efficient communication is a requirement for application scalability on High Performance Computing systems. In this paper we argue for incorporating proactive congestion avoidance mechanisms into the design of communication layers on manycore systems. This is in contrast with the status quo which employs a reactive approach, \emph{e.g.} congestion control mechanisms are activated only when resources have been exhausted. We present a core stateless optimization approach based on open loop end-point throttling, implemented for two UPC runtimes (Cray and Berkeley UPC) and validated on InfiniBand and the Cray Gemini networks. Microbenchmark results indicate that throttling the number of messages in flight per core can provide up to 4X performance improvements, while throttling the number of active cores per node can provide additional 40\% and 6X performance improvement for UPC and MPI respectively. We evaluate inline (each task makes independent decisions) and proxy (server) congestion avoidance designs. Our runtime provides both performance and performance portability. We improve all-to-all collective performance by up to 4X and provide better performance than vendor provided MPI and UPC implementations. We also demonstrate performance improvements of up to 60\% in application settings. Overall, our results indicate that modern systems accommodate only a surprisingly small number of messages in flight per node. As Exascale projections indicate that future systems are likely to contain hundreds to thousands of cores per node, we believe that their networks will be underprovisioned. In this situation, proactive congestion avoidance might become mandatory for performance improvement and portability.
Design and synthesis of AX4697, a bisindolylmaleimide exo-affinity probe that labels protein kinase C alpha and beta.

Abstract The synthesis and biochemical characterization of AX4697 , a fluorescent, bisindolylmaleimide-derived probe for PKCα and β, is described. AX4697 was able to quantify changes in PKC expression in drug-treated Jurkat cells and was shown to covalently label PKCα on C619, a residue that sits just outside the active site.
The development of the ear of Acanthias vulgaris

A study of the development of the ear of the common dogfish from the 3.5-mm. stage to the adult, with a brief review of the literature and comparison with related forms. The study includes the following topics: First indications of vesicles. The beginning of specialization. The separation of component structures. The sensory epithelium. The structure of the adult ear, including a description of the sensory areas, the innervation, the lagena. The position of the future canals is first indicated in 15- to 20-mm. stages. The sacculus and utriculus were first noted in the 22-mm. stage. Complete separation of the canals, the sacculus, utriculus, the recessus utriculus, and the lagena has occurred by the time the 33-mm. stage is reached. Definite innervation of the ampullae is found at this stage. The article contains twenty-seven figures; eight of them are drawings made from wax reconstructions of various stages.
OPTICAL MODEL OF LOW ENERGY NEUTRON INTERACTIONS WITH SPHERICAL NUCLEI

Abstract The optical model is used to study available data on the absorption, scattering and polarisation by spherical nuclei of neutrons with energies below 1 MeV. A good fit is obtained with a diffuse surface model having a sharply peaked absorptive shell at the surface. The sensitivity of various cross sections to changes in optical model parameters is discussed, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Using load switches to control aggregated electricity demand for load following and regulation

This paper describes a strategy to use aggregated electric loads to balance positive and negative forecast errors in power systems (either in load or renewable generation capacity). The strategy is unique in that it relies only on load switches as the source of local control actuation, yet it is capable of both decreasing and increasing aggregate load, and it requires very little disruption of end-use function. After explaining the basic principles of the method, we develop a stochastic aggregated modeling and control framework based on the load switch control scheme. We then test the approach with a detailed second-order refrigerator model and demonstrate that it is possible to engage relatively large amounts of capacity with minor (less than 2 degrees celsius) temperature deviations.
Transient adenosine-induced asystole during the surgical treatment of anterior circulation cerebral aneurysms: technical note.

Background Transient adenosine-induced asystole is a reliable method for producing a short period of relative hypotension during surgical and endovascular procedures. Although the technique has been described in the endovascular treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations, aortic aneurysms, and posterior circulation cerebral aneurysms, little description of its use in anterior circulation aneurysms is available. Objective To assess the benefits of adenosine-induced transient asystole in complex anterior circulation aneurysms, to describe our experience in selected cases, and to provide the first experience of the use of adenosine in anterior circulation aneurysms. Methods The adenosine-induced cardiac arrest protocol allows us to titrate the duration of cardiac arrest on the basis of individual patient responses. The operative setup is the same as with all aneurysm clippings, with the addition of the placement of transcutaneous pacemakers as a precaution for prolonged bradycardia or asystole. Escalating doses of adenosine are given to determine the approximate dose that results in 30 seconds of asystole. When requested by the surgeon, the dose of adenosine is administered for definitive dissection and clipping. We present 6 cases in which this technique was used. Results The use of transient adenosine-induced asystole provided excellent circumferential visualization of the aneurysm neck and safe clip application. All patients did well neurologically and suffered no evidence of perioperative cerebral ischemia or delayed complication from the use of adenosine itself. Conclusion Transient adenosine-induced asystole is a safe and effective technique in select circumstances that may aid in safe and effective aneurysm clipping. Along with the traditional techniques of brain relaxation, skull base approaches, and temporary clipping, adenosine-induced asystole facilitates circumferential visualization of the aneurysm neck and is another technique available to cerebrovascular surgeons.
The Benefit Incidence of Consumption Public Goods

This article offers a total benefits approach to measuring the incidence of government expenditures as an alternative to equating benefits to Lindahl taxes. The procedure begins by decomposing each government program into its categories of benefits (or characteristies), which include (1) transfer, (2) productivity enhancements, and (3) public consumption benefits. The next step is to assess the benefit incidence of each category individually. The main result of this article, whieh focuses on the last category, is that the incidence ofpure consumption public goods is inversely related to their income elasticity of demand. The result follows from the definition of benefits and because these goods definitionally enter the utility function in a separable manner. Empirical estimates of the income elasticity of several programs confirms the plausibility of the separability property and the existence of different incidence types among the public goods, and thereby disproves the contention that the Lindahl taxes ...
A Spectral Element Method to Price European Options. I. Single Asset with and without Jump Diffusion

We develop a spectral element method to price single factor European options with and without jump diffusion. The method uses piecewise high order Legendre polynomial expansions to approximate the option price represented pointwise on a Gauss-Lobatto mesh within each element, which allows an exact representation of the non-smooth payoff function. The convolution integral is approximated by high order Gauss-Lobatto quadratures. A second order implicit/explicit (IMEX) approximation is used to integrate in time, with the convolution integral integrated explicitly. The method is spectrally accurate (exponentially convergent) in space for the solution and Greeks, and second-order accurate in time. The spectral element solution to the Black-Scholes equation is ten to one hundred times faster than commonly used second order finite difference methods.
Signaling perturbations induced by invading H. pylori proteins in the host epithelial cells: A mathematical modeling approach

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a gram-negative bacterium, infects the stomach of approximately 50% of the world population. H. pylori infection is a risk factor for developing chronic gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. The bacteria produce two main cytotoxic proteins: Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) and Cytotoxin-Associated gene A (CagA). When these proteins enter the host cell they interfere with the host MAP Kinase and Apoptosis signaling pathways leading to aberrant cell growth and premature apoptosis. The present study expanded existing quantitative models of the MAP Kinase and Apoptosis signaling pathways to take into account the protein interactions across species using the CellDesigner tool. The resulting network contained hundreds of differential equations in which the coefficients for the biochemical rate constants were estimated from previously published studies. The effect of VacA and CagA on the function of this network were simulated by increasing levels of bacterial load. Simulations showed that increasing bacterial load affected the MAP Kinase signaling in a dose dependant manner. The introduction of CagA decreased the activation time of mapK signaling and extended activation indefinitely despite normal cellular activity to deactivate the protein. Introduction of VacA produced a similar response in the apoptosis pathway. Bacterial load activated both pathways even in the absence of external stimulation. Time course of emergence of transcription factors associated with cell division and cell death predicted by our simulation showed close agreement with that determined from a publicly accessible microarray data set of H. pylori infected stomach epithelium. The quantitative model presented in this study lays the foundation for investigating the affects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the efficiency of drug treatment.
Selective capture and identification of pathogenic bacteria using an immobilized siderophore.

Rapid identification of infectious pathogens constitutes an important step toward limiting the spread of contagious diseases. Whereas antibody-based detection strategies are often selected because of their speed, mutation of the pathogen can render such tests obsolete. In an effort to develop a rapid yet mutation-proof method for pathogen identification, we have explored the use of “immutable ligands” to capture the desired microbe on a detection device. In this “proof-of-principle” study, we immobilize pyoverdine, a siderophore that Pseudomonas aeruginosa must bind to obtain iron, onto gold-plated glass chips and then examine the siderophore’s ability to capture P. aeruginosa for its subsequent identification. We demonstrate that exposure of pyoverdine-coated chips to increasing dilutions of P. aeruginosa allows detection of the bacterium down to concentrations as low as 102/mL. We further demonstrate that printing of the siderophore in a periodic pattern on the detection chip enables a sensitive method ...
Whole cell and cell-free hydrogenases of algae☆

Abstract For the first time several species of algae are found to exhibit hydrogenase activity after dark adaptation. Seven of the species examined do not exhibit hydrogenase activity even after 48 hr of attempted adaptation. In whole cells of Chlamydomonas moewusii , the pH optimum of the adaptation process is 7·5. The pH optimum of the enzyme is 9·7 after adaptation. In another Chlamydomonas species, the pH optimum of the enzyme for a cell-free extract from adapted whole cells is 7·0. The hydrogenases of algae appear to have isoenzyme patterns and substrate specificities similar to those of bacterial enzymes. The adaptation process proceeds in the presence of carbon monoxide which inactivates the enzyme. This indicates that the appearance of hydrogenase activity may be controlled by the level of some metabolite(s) not immediately connected with the hydrogenase reaction. Inhibition of hydrogenase activity by carbon monoxide is reversed by removing the gas. Hydrogenase from dried cell preparations of C. moewusii and Chlamydomonas sp. is more stable to air than the enzyme obtained from whole cell suspensions of the same organisms.
Play Partner Preferences in Siberian Ibex, Capra ibex sibirica

A study of social play in Siberian ibex kids at the Chicago Zoological Park revealed clear play partner preferences. Male kids played much more among themselves than with female kids and elicited more withdrawals by play partners than did ♀♀. ♂♂ and ♀♀ in mixed-sex bouts, played mostly with similarly aged partners. Male kids played a substantial amount with female yearlings; female kids did not. These differences support a motor training explanation of social play because they suggest that young ♂♂ in this sexually selected species discriminate in favor of partners with whom they can play forcefully.
NutriStat: tracking young child nutrition

Our childhood eating patterns strongly affect our lifelong health. Recently, type II diabetes emerged as a national health crisis in America that can be prevented almost entirely by improving the quality of child nutrition. In this paper, we describe the scenario-based design process used to build NutriStat, a system for tracking young child nutrition for children with multiple caregivers. NutriStat empowers parents to collaboratively monitor a young child's diet and consequently provide more well-rounded nutrition.
Variability in tendon and knee joint biomechanics among inbred mouse strains.

Hereditary factors are thought to be responsible for impaired tendon function and joint laxity. The present study investigated the genotypic variability of knee laxity and stiffness and tendon mechanical and geometric properties among 16-week-old female A/J, C57BL/6J (B6), and C3H/HeJ (C3H) inbred mice. In one group of mice, knee mechanics were quantified using a custom loading apparatus enabling translation of the tibia against a stationary femur. In a second group, flexor digitorum longus and Achilles tendons from the left hind limb underwent biomechanical testing, while those of the contralateral limb were analyzed histologically for determination of cross-sectional area. Our results demonstrate that tendon and joint mechanics varied significantly among the inbred mouse strains, indicating that biomechanical properties are genetically determined. A/J mouse knees exhibited greater laxity (p 0.2) among the three strains, significant genotypic differences were found at the whole tendon, material quality, and morphological levels of the tissue hierarchy. Furthermore, genetic regulation of tendon mechanical properties varied with anatomic site. Patterns of genotypic differences in tendon size were not consistent with those of biomechanical properties, suggesting that unique combinations of structural and compositional factors contribute to tendon growth, adaptation, and development. Therefore, the three inbred strains constitute a useful experimental model to elucidate genetic control of structure–function relationships in normal and healing tendons and ligaments. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:1200–1207, 2006
Toward effective service composition for real-time SOA-based systems

Many application domains are increasingly leveraging service-oriented architecture (SOA) techniques to facilitate rapid system deployment. Many of these applications are time-critical and, hence, real-time assurance is an essential step in the service composition process. However, there are gaps in existing service composition techniques for real-time systems. First, admission control is an essential technique to assure the time bound for service execution, but most of the service composition techniques for real-time systems do not take admission control into account. A service may be selected for a workflow during the composition phase, but then during the grounding phase, the concrete service may not be able to admit the workload. Thus, the entire composition process may have to be repeated. Second, communication time is an important factor in real-time SOA, but most of the existing works do not consider how to obtain the communication latencies between services during the composition phase. It is clear that maintaining a full table of communication latencies for all pairs of services is infeasible. Obtaining communication latencies between candidate services during the composition phase can also be costly, since many candidate services may not be used for grounding. Thus, some mechanism is needed for estimating the communication latency for composite services. In this paper, we propose a three-phase composition approach to address the above issues. In this approach, we first use a highly efficient but moderately accurate algorithm to eliminate most of the candidate compositions based on estimated communication latencies and assured service response latency. Then, a more accurate timing prediction is performed on a small number of selected compositions in the second phase based on confirmed admission and actual communication latency. In the third phase, specific concrete services are selected for grounding, and admissions are actually performed. The approach is scalable and can effectively achieve service composition for satisfying real-time requirements. Experimental studies show that the three-phase approach does improve the effectiveness and time for service composition in SOA real-time systems. In order to support the new composition approach, it is necessary to effectively specify the needed information. In this paper, we also present the specification model for timing-related information and the extension of OWL-S to support this specification model.
Nuclear Weapons and Iranian Strategic Culture

Strategic culture is an amalgam of a country's set of shared beliefs, assumptions, and narratives that shape its strategic decision-making process. This article evaluates Iran's evident pursuit of nuclear weapons in light of four key elements of its strategic culture as an attempt to ascertain Iran's goals for developing these weapons. These four elements include: (1) an all-encompassing conviction in Shia Islam as the bedrock of the regime's political legitimacy and the country's national identity; (2) a hypernationalistic belief in Iran's rightful place as the leader of the Islamic civilization and as a regional hegemon; (3) a pervasive sense of external and internal vulnerability; and (4) an ingrained perception that the U.S. desires to dominate and eventually destroy the Islamic civilization. The evaluation of these elements strongly augurs that a nuclear-armed Iran is not likely to employ these weapons offensively due to its fear of retaliation and the constraining interests within its regime's polit...
In vitro activity of RPR 106972 alone and in combination with vancomycin, ampicillin, and gentamicin against multidrug-resistant enterococci

This investigation used checkerboard and time-kill assays to evaluate the in vitro activity of RPR 106972 (45% pristinamycin IB and 55% pristinamycin IIB) alone and in combination with vancomycin or ampicillin +/- gentamicin against multidrug-resistant enterococci. The checkerboard procedure resulted in synergistic or additive effects in 91% of the isolates with the combination of RPR 106972 plus vancomycin versus 68% with RPR 106972 plus ampicillin. The addition of gentamicin to either combination resulted in synergistic or additive results in 100% of the isolates. Inhibitory activity was observed with the time-kill assay with mean change in log10 CFU/mL at 24 h of -0.31 for RPR 106972, 3.3 for vancomycin, -0.46 for RPR 106972 plus vancomycin, and -0.35 for RPR 106972 plus vancomycin and gentamicin. No antagonism was noted with any of the combinations. RPR 106972 demonstrates good inhibitory activity against Enterococcus faecium and may prove useful in the treatment of enterococcal infections.
Recent advances in the development of an improved, human anthrax vaccine

Human anthrax vaccines currently licensed in the United States and Western Europe consist of alum-precipitated or aluminum hydroxide-adsorbed supernatant material from fermentor cultures of toxigenic, nonencapsulated strains of Bacillus anthracis. These vaccines have several drawbacks, including the need for frequent boosters, the apparent inability to protect adequately against certain strains of B. anthracis, and occasional local reactogenicity.
Conditioned headturning in human newborns as a function of conditioned response requirements and states of wakefulness.

Abstract This study compared the effects of presenting reinforcement contingent upon headturning for two groups of infants differing as to the response requirements imposed on Ss in the conditioning task (5° vs 15° ipsilateral headmovements). Changes in criterion headturning over conditioning trials for each of the 2 response-contingent reinforcement groups were compared with the performance of random reinforcement control Ss matched with individual experimental Ss on the number and sequence of reinforcements given over conditioning trials. The study was designed to assess the relationship between newborn conditioning performance and behavioral state ratings of wakefulness, and to compare conditioning performance as a function of differences in the response requirements imposed on infants in the conditioning task. The apparent contrasting results obtained in 2 previous studies of conditioned headturning with newborn infants suggested the need for further experimental investigation regarding the importance of these variables in conditioning studies with human newborns. Although response-contingent reinforcement resulted in significantly higher levels of headturning performance than noncontingent reinforcement over conditioning trials, the experimental effect was independent of differences in response requirements imposed on the conditioning task. However, probability of headturning showed a linear relationship to behavioral ratings on a 5-point scale of wakefulness with minimal headturning occurring for both experimental and control Ss on those trials in which Ss were rated as sleeping either “deeply” or “lightly”. In addition an interaction between state ratings and experimental treatments was obtained in that experimental Ss were twice as responsive as control Ss on conditioning trials where they were rated as behaviorally “awake.”
Protease-Mediated Ligation of Abiotic Oligomers

We demonstrate that proteases can catalyze the ligation of peptidomimetic oligomers. The enzyme clostripain was used to facilitate the native ligation of N-substituted glycine oligomers, or peptoids. In addition to mediating the efficient condensation of two peptoid fragments, iterative ligation events were also performed, giving rise to concatenation products with molecular weights up to 20 kDa. Efficient ligation of peptoid foldamers may enable the chemical synthesis of biomimetic macromolecules capable of forming complex tertiary structures.
Emotion, Decision, and Risk: Betting on Gambles versus Betting on People

We examined the effects of two emotions, fear and anger, on risk-taking behavior in two types of tasks: Those in which uncertainty is generated by a randomizing device (“lottery risk”) and those in which it is generated by the uncertain behavior of another person (“person-based risk”). Participants first completed a writing task to induce fear or anger. They then made choices either between lotteries (Experiment 1) or between actions in risky two-person decisions (Experiments 2 and 3). The experiments involved substantial real-money payoffs. Replicating earlier studies (which used hypothetical rewards), Experiment 1 showed that fearful participants were more risk-averse than angry participants in lottery-risk tasks. However—the key result of this study—fearful participants were substantially less risk-averse than angry participants in a two-person task involving person-based risk (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 offered options and payoffs identical to those of Experiment 2 but with lottery-type risk. Risk-taking returned to the pattern of Experiment 1. The impact of incidental emotions on risk-taking appears to be contingent on the class of uncertainty involved. For lottery risk, fear increased the frequency of risk-averse choices and anger reduced it. The reverse pattern was found when uncertainty in the decision was person-based. Further, the effect was specifically on differences in willingness to take risks rather than on differences in judgments of how much risk was present. The impact of different emotions on risk-taking or risk-avoiding behavior is thus contingent on the type, as well as the degree, of uncertainty the decision maker faces. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of Retinoic Acid Receptor Function and Retinoic Acid-regulated Gene Expression in Mouse Melanoma Cells by Calreticulin A POTENTIAL PATHWAY FOR CYCLIC AMP REGULATION OF RETINOID ACTION

Abstract Calcium is a second messenger that controls a wide variety of cellular functions. Because of its multiple actions, there is a stringent requirement for calcium homeostasis, and this is achieved in part by a system of transport and storage proteins such as calreticulin located in the endoplasmic reticulum. Calreticulin is also found in the nucleus, suggesting that it may have a role in transcriptional regulation. It has been reported that calreticulin can inhibit steroid-regulated gene transcription by preventing receptor binding to DNA. Here we report that overexpression of the calreticulin gene in B16 mouse melanoma cells resulted in a decrease in retinoic acid (RA)-stimulated reporter gene expression. Gel shift analysis showed that purified calreticulin inhibited the binding of endogenous RAR to a β-RA response element oligonucleotide, only if added prior to the addition of the oligonucleotide. Co-immunoprecipitation studies suggest a physical interaction between RAR and calreticulin. Transfection of the calreticulin gene into B16 cells inhibited the RA induction of protein kinase Cα, a marker of RA-induced differentiation. We also found that cyclic AMP increased the expression of calreticulin. Cyclic AMP may act to antagonize RA action by both decreasing RAR expression (Y. Xiao, D. Desai, T. Quick, and R. M. Niles, J. Cell Physiol., in press) and stimulating calreticulin levels.
Visual, photographic and photoelectric detection of shadow bands at the March 7, 1970, solar eclipse.

JUST before and after the total phase of a solar eclipse, faint light and dark bands, resembling interference or diffraction fringes, move across the surface of the Earth. These “shadow bands” were first reported as early as 1842 (ref. 1). Work by Feldman2 indicated that the orientation of the bands was related to the shape of the shadow on the surface of the Earth, but many of the data were difficult to interpret. Paulton3 has described a screen with which visual observations can be made with some degree of accuracy and consistency, and a screen of this type was used by two of us (M. E. H. and R. D. B.) at the eclipse of November 12, 1966, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil4. Paulton5 has reviewed the visual work done at the 1963 and 1966 eclipses.
A fair trial? Judging quality in qualitative research

There has been a welcome growth in the use of qualitative methods in health services research. Most qualitative researchers would consider many of the criteria for evaluating their research suggested in the health services literature to be important and unproblematic. In this paper I focus on two more contentious criteria: how reliability and validity (both internal and external) should be judged in qualitative research. I argue that, as with all guidelines, the criteria for evaluation have been developed on the basis of assumptions about what constitutes qualitative research. I suggest that the criteria adopted for judging qualitative research are often operationalized in ways that are only appropriate for researchers using a particular definition of qualitative research. Implicit in these criteria are assumptions that echo those adopted by quantitative research, which is often thought to be the gold standard. Researchers not following this particular gold standard are judged to be carrying out work that...
ROLE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN SUBCLASSES AND SPECIFIC ANTIBODY DETERMINATIONS IN THE EVALUATION OF RECURRENT INFECTION IN CHILDREN

We studied humoral immune function in 267 children with recurrent respiratory infections referred to our immunology clinic to determine the most appropriate immunologic studies for evaluating recurrent infections in children. Of this highly selected population, 58% had a partial deficiency in one or more of the major immunoglobulin isotypes or IgG subclasses (defined as at least 2 SD below the normal age-adjusted mean). In none of the patients was there a total absence of an immunoglobulin isotype. The most common abnormality was partial IgA deficiency, which was found in one third of the patients. Twenty-six patients had only partial IgG subclass deficiencies, of which 20 were deficiencies of a single subclass. IgG1 was an isolated partial defect in three patients, IgG3 in five patients, and IgG2 and IgG4 were selective partial defects in six patients each. Tetanus toxoid and pneumopolysaccharide type 3 were the most immunogenic of the immunogens tested; hyporesponsiveness to pneumococcal polysaccharide types 7, 9, and 14 was common. Nineteen percent of the patients with normal immunoglobulin concentrations who were tested had lower-than-expected antibody titers; 42% of those tested with partial isotype deficiencies had deficient antibody responses. Of 25 patients with selective partial IgG subclass deficiencies or combined IgG subclass deficiencies, eight had antibody deficiencies. Our findings indicate that a high proportion of children referred to immunology clinics for recurrent infection have a demonstrable immunologic abnormality. Selective IgG subclass deficiency or a combined IgG subclass deficiency without an associated deficiency in a major immunoglobulin isotype is unusual. Identification of such patients is not predictive of the capacity to form antibodies to the antigens tested in this study and, in our opinion, adds little to the initial evaluation of immune function in such children.
Hydroformylation of 1-hexene in supercritical carbon dioxide using a heterogeneous rhodium catalyst. 3. Evaluation of solvent effects

The heterogeneously catalyzed hydroformylation of 1-hexene in supercritical carbon dioxide is demonstrated as an alternative to homogeneous catalysis through the use of a rhodium–phosphine catalyst tethered to a silica support. Reaction over the heterogeneous catalyst in supercritical CO2 is compared with the use of this catalyst in liquid-phase toluene, and toluene expanded with CO2. Likewise, the performance of the tethered catalyst is compared with a homogeneous rhodium–phosphine catalyst, and shown to be equally effective under identical reaction conditions. Comparable reaction rates were obtained using the heterogeneous rhodium catalyst in supercritical CO2 and CO2-expanded toluene, both of which were superior to the reaction rate with the heterogeneous catalyst in liquid-phase toluene. Initial aldehyde selectivity obtained with the heterogeneous species was also comparable to that obtained with the homogeneous catalyst, but decreased over the course of the reaction. These results demonstrate the value of using phase behavior, and the importance of understanding this behavior in the development and analysis of greener solvent/catalyst systems.
Jimmy Carter and Joe Frank Harris: creating growth management planning in Georgia, 1971–1989

Planning scholars have cited state growth management programmes as a critical outcome of the ‘quiet revolution’ in the regulation of land use in the United States, a phenomenon that Fred Bosselman and David Callies identified in 1971. Typically referring to a collection of state-level laws that provide support for planning, mandate local land-use plans, require coordination among adjacent jurisdictions, and enhance protections for fragile natural resources, the academic understanding of growth management has tended to be based on the experiences of a few environmentally ‘progressive’ states. The US state of Georgia has rarely been lauded for its efforts to regulate development. Yet in 1989, the state enacted a law that instituted new tools to improve coordination between local governments and the state, but stopped short of mandating local land-use planning. Like policies in other states, Georgia's growth management scheme was designed to strengthen state control over the local planning process. Unlike ot...
Timing of predation by rainbow trout controls Daphnia demography and the trophic status of a Minnesota lake

Summary 1. Stocking of lakes with rainbow trout is a common practice that presents a potential conflict for lake managers who must balance the interests of anglers with those concerned that zooplanktivory by trout may trigger a trophic cascade and result in decreased water clarity. 2. This study examined how the timing of trout stocking (autumn versus spring) in a Minnesota (U.S.A.) lake affected (i) the population dynamics of their zooplankton food supply (Daphnia pulicaria), (ii) phytoplankton biomass and water clarity and (iii) trout survival. Sizes of both Daphnia and trout populations were estimated acoustically with high-frequency (192 kHz) sonar. 3. Daphnia were nearly eliminated from the lake during winters after trout were stocked in autumn. In both of these years (1996 and 1997), the Daphnia population was small in the spring, and grew during the summer and into the autumn as the trout population diminished. 4. The lake was then stocked in spring for 2 years (1998 and 1999). This fisheries manipulation alleviated predation over the winter, but increased predation on D. pulicaria during the spring, summer and autumn. However, the high mortality caused by the spring-stocked trout was offset by even higher rates of reproduction by the relatively large populations of fecund Daphnia that survived the winter in 1998 and 1999. 5. Grazing by these dense populations of Daphnia produced clear-water phases during May and June that were inhibited in autumn stocking years. In addition, the large Daphnia populations present during the spring and early summer of 1998 and 1999 provided abundant forage for trout. 6. This fisheries manipulation achieved seemingly mutually exclusive management objectives: a robust planktivorous sport fishery, and clear water for other forms of recreation.