cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of Apoptosis in HL-60 Human Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells by Adenosine A3Receptor Agonists☆

The effects of adenosine (ADO) analogs on cells of the human promyelocytic HL-60 line were examined. ADO A(3) receptor agonists, N(6)-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5'-N-methylcarboxamide (IB-MECA, 30-60 microM) and 2-chloro-N(6)-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide (CI-IB-MECA, 10-30 microM) induced apoptotic cell death. In contrast, neither an A(1)/A(2) antagonist (XAC) nor other selective ADO receptor agonists (CPA, NECA and CGS21680) induced apoptosis at concentrations of <30 microM. Both IB-MECA and CI-IB-MECA significantly induced Ca(2+) release from intracellular Ca(2+) pools followed by Ca(2+) influx, suggesting the presence of phospholipase C-coupled ADO A(3) receptors on HL-60 cells. This was further supported by the presence of mRNA of ADO A3 receptor in the cells. These results suggest that activation of ADO A(3) receptors is responsible for the ADO-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells and could be of potential therapeutic value in the treatment of leukemia.
Preserving Prime Farmland in the Face of Urbanization: Lessons from Oregon

Abstract This article combines theory and a literature review with empirical and descriptive findings to demonstrate that Oregon's mix of policies is effective in preserving prime farmland in the face of urbanization. Exclusive farm use zones preserve farmland for farming; urban growth boundaries limit urban sprawl; exurban districts accommodate the demand for rural residential development without harming commercial farm operations; farm tax deferral and right-to-farm laws create incentives for farmers to keep farming; and comprehensive plans legitimize the entire package. This article proposes a comprehensive scheme for farmland preservation that expands on the experience of Oregon, including its mistakes.
Raman scattering in Ge1−ySny alloys

Abstract The Raman spectrum of nearly relaxed Ge1−ySny alloys grown on Si substrates was investigated for Sn concentrations y 0.2 . The frequency dependence of the Ge–Ge Raman mode was re-evaluated by carrying out careful corrections for residual strain shifts. The Ge–Sn mode was observed for the first time in this type of samples. Its frequency appears to decrease monotonically as a function of the Sn concentration. This is very different from the behavior of the Si–Ge mode in Si1−yGey alloys, but a detailed analysis suggest that there is a scaling relationship between these modes that is the analog of the scaling relationship found earlier for the Ge–Ge mode. Raman activity is also found in the spectral range where Sn–Sn modes are expected, but the polarization properties of these features suggest an overlap with disorder-activated Ge-acoustic phonons. Additional features observed in “forbidden” scattering configurations are also assigned to disorder-activated Raman scattering.
Multifield of view see-spot optics

The increasing availability of sensors that can image in the 1 to 5 μ m region has allowed for systems to be developed that utilize the full spectrum. Current mid-wave infrared (MWIR) systems have typically only imaged in the 3 to 5 μ m region, but the new detectors allow imaging in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) and MWIR bands on the same image plane. Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) had a requirement to design and build a multiple field of view (FOV) optical system that could image the 1 to 5 μ m spectral band utilizing a single, cooled infrared detector. The primary challenge of designing this particular optical system was to get the 1 to 2 (SWIR) μ m band to focus at the same image plane as the 3 to 5 (MWIR) μ m band in all FOVs. A three-FOV broadband optical system that can image the 1 to 5 μ m band on the same image plane was designed and built. Several optical concepts were looked at, and it was decided that a combination of a reflective afocal and refractive imager was the best way to meet the system requirements. The use of a catadioptric system with a single focal plane that images in the 1 to 5 μ m spectrum reduces the size of the system and provides the user with see-spot capability.
Conversion and temperature profiles for complex reactions in laminar and plug flow

An investigation of the mass and heat transfer equations describing radial and axial profiles for tubular reactors in laminar and plug flow is reported. Reactor conditions evaluated were isothermal, constant wall temperature, and adiabatic. Both diffusion and nondiffusion were considered. The reaction investigated was the demethylation of toluene in the presence of hydrogen. It was found that diffusion plays only a minor role in laminar flow for the conditions investigated. It was also found that isothermal and constant wall temperature reactor operation affected the temperature and concentration profiles very little when r/R was less than 0.6.
Guanidination of horse methemoglobin

Abstract Reaction of horse methemoglobin with O -methylisourea at pH 10.2 results in 95% conversion of lysine residues to homoarginine. Analysis of the chymotryptic peptides showed that no single ϵ-amino group was unreactive. Guanidination decreases the dependence of the sedimentation coefficient on hydrogen ion concentration in the range of pH 8 to 11 and did not affect the dependence on protein concentration at pH 7. These results support the conclusion that the lysine side chains involved in subunit contacts have sufficient freedom to accommodate the small changes in bulk and geometry associated with guanidination.
Different types of glomerulopathic light chains interact with mesangial cells using a common receptor but exhibit different intracellular trafficking patterns

Patients with plasma cell dyscrasias may have circulating light chains (LCs), some of which are nephrotoxic. Nephrotoxic LCs can affect the various renal compartments. Some of these LCs may produce predominantly proximal tubular damage, while others are associated with distal nephron obstruction (the so-called "myeloma kidney"). Both these are considered tubulopathic (T) LCs. A receptor has been found in proximal tubular cells (cubilin/megalin complex), which mediates the absorption of LCs and is involved in the pathogenesis of tubulopathies that occurs in these patients. Another group of nephrotoxic LCs is associated with glomerular damage and these are considered as glomerulopathic (G). These patients with G-LCs may develop AL-amyloidosis (AL-Am) or LC deposition disease (LCDD). Recent evidence indicates that the physicochemical characteristics (amino-acid composition and conformation of the variable region) of a given nephrotoxic LC may be the most significant factor in determining the type and location of renal damage within the nephron. Other factors may also be involved, including yet uncharacterized host factors that may include genetic polymorphism, among others. Interestingly, the amount of LC production by the clone of plasma cells does not correlate directly with the severity of the renal alterations. Understanding the nature of the interactions between G-LCs and mesangial cells (MCs) is crucial to define key steps that may be targeted for therapeutic purposes. Experimental studies have delineated important aspects pertaining to interactions between G-LCs and MCs, indicating that these interactions are receptor mediated. The data presented in the current study support a single receptor present on MCs for both LCDD and AL-LCs, as clearly demonstrated with competition and colocalization immunofluorescence (IF) studies. This receptor resides in caveolae present on the plasma membrane of HMCs and is overexpressed when HMCs are incubated with G-LCs but not TLCs. Caveolae play a fundamental role in receptor-mediated endocytosis, a crucial process in the internalization of AL-LCs and amyloidogenesis. LC internalization is clathrin mediated. The data also indicate that intracellular trafficking in MCs is different for AL-LCs and LCDD-LCs. AL-LCs are delivered to the mature lysosomal compartment where amyloid formation occurs. LCDD-LCs alter mesangial function and phenotype by interacting with the MC surface membranes through similar receptors as the AL-LCs. The data also demonstrated that cubilin and megalin were absent on MCs, so the receptor involved is different from the one already characterized in the proximal tubules.
Molecular order in Langmuir–Blodgett assembled films of an azobenzene amphiphile

Abstract Alternating multilayers of amphiphile, 4-{4-[Methyl-(4-octadecylcarbamoyl-butyl)-amino]-phenylazo}-benzenesulfonic acid (S-azo-C 18 ), and stearic acid were deposited on hydrophobized silica surfaces using the Langmuir–Blodgett technique. Ellipsometry, UV–visible spectroscopy, and second harmonic generation were used to characterize the films, demonstrating reproducible deposition and suggesting a well ordered film structure. Despite the appearance of order at the macroscopic level, neutron and X-ray scattering results unequivocally show that there is considerable disorder, with significant interpenetration between the stearic acid and S-azo-C 18 layers. These results suggest that molecular disorder in Langmuir–Blodgett deposited multilayer films may often go unrecognized mainly because the macroscopic probes based on these optical measurements are not adequate for determining the molecular level structural order.
Canine distemper virus in ferret, dog and bovine kidney cell cultures.

Mammalian and chick embryo adapted strains of CDV were propagated in primary ferret and dog kidney cell cultures and a continuous dog kidney cell line. CPE characterized by the formation of syncytia and/or stellate cells, together with eosinophilic cytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions were observed. Minimal CPE, detected only in stained preparations was also observed in bovine kidney cell culture with strain 4856. However, major differences in the pattern of lesion development occurred and were related to such factors as origin of strain, passage history and host cell type. Selection of appropriate mutants was necessary to permit successful propagation of CDV strains in a given cell type. A new strain of CDV, 4856, was isolated from dog kidney cell cultures prepared from a field case of distemper. This strain was readily serially propagated and produced characteristic CPE in the four cell types studied. Measles virus produced CPE in primary ferret and dog kidney, and the continuous dog kidney cell line. The type of CPE observed was characteristic of the cell system and closely paralleled the CPE observed with CDV.
Olefin addition in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on an iron catalyst

The possibility of altering the molecular weight distribution of Fischer-Tropsch products by addition of olefins to the synthesis gas is of practical interest. Two early studies with C-labeled ethylene or propylene indicated that on iron catalysts only a few percent of the added olefins were incorporated into higher hydrocarbons but in a more recent study it was reported that the addition of ethylene or propylene markedly shifted the selectivity to heavier products. This study was designed to help resolve this seeming disagreement.
Chemical mutagenesis of mammalian cells can be quantified.

STUDY of mammalian genetics has been traditionally limited to conventional breeding experiments, which are limited by high cost, long duration and the availability of well-characterised genetic markers. These factors have especially impeded rapid progress in mammalian mutagenesis studies. Many of the mechanisms underlying the process of mutation induction in mammals can be investigated through the use of mammalian cells in culture1–5, but the use of cultured cells for quantitative analyses of mutagenesis has been hampered by the lack of a suitable mutation–induction system, particularly with chemical mutagens. We show here that quantitative dosimetry of chemical mutagenesis can be studied in a mammalian cell culture system. This will allow not only studies of the mechanisms of chemical mutagenesis, but also an estimate of the genetic hazard of chemical agents in the environment.
Calcium regulation in reptiles

Abstract It is clear from the few studies which have been done that the parathyroid gland is essential for normal calcium and phosphate homeostasis in reptiles. More studies are needed of different species and groups of reptiles, and of the effect of parathyroid hormone upon bone and kidney of these animals. The explanation for the seeming lack of importance of the parathyroid gland in turtle calcium regulation may lie in the large stores of calcium and phosphate in the bony shells of these animals. Experiments to test this hypothesis are yet to be done. The involvement of the ultimobranchial body in calcium metabolism in reptiles is at present a very tenuous hypothesis. Clearly further studies are necessary to determine the function of this gland, which appears ultrastructurally to be an active secretory organ.
A reaction time advantage for calculating beliefs over public representations signals domain specificity for 'theory of mind'.

In a task where participants’ overt task was to track the location of an object across a sequence of events, reaction times to unpredictable probes requiring an inference about a social agent’s beliefs about the location of that object were obtained. Reaction times to false belief situations were faster than responses about the (false) contents of a map showing the location of the object (Experiment 1) and about the (false) direction of an arrow signaling the location of the object (Experiment 2). These results are consistent with developmental, neuro-imaging and neuropsychological evidence that there exist domain specific mechanisms within human cognition for encoding and reasoning about mental states. Specialization of these mechanisms may arise from either core cognitive architecture or via the accumulation of expertise in the social domain.
Chicory Root Yield and Carbohydrate Composition is Influenced by Cultivar Selection, Planting, and Harvest Date

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is not extensively grown in the USA for fructan production, and there is limited information available on the effect of cultural practices on root yield. Three field experiments were conducted from 1995 through 2002 to determine the influence of planting and harvest date and cultivar on yield and carbohydrate composition of chicory roots. Different chicory cultivars were planted from the first of April through mid-May and were monitored for plant stand, leaf area, and bolting during the growing season and for root yield in late summer, fall, and the following spring. Roots were characterized for carbohydrate composition with high performance anion exchange chromatography. Plant stands and root yields were similar when chicory was planted in early and mid-April, but root yields declined 35% when planting date was delayed until mid-May. Harvest date was closely associated with root yield and total sugar content. Root yields increased 84% from 1 September to 15 November. Total sugar content was 197 mg g -1 fresh weight when roots were harvested in early November. The degree of fructan polymerization (DP) was also influenced by harvest date. The percentage of longer chain-length fructans increased until the first fall frost (-3°C). Forty-five days following the first frost, the percentage of longer chain-length fructans in the DP > 20 category declined from 23 to 13% of the total carbohydrate, and the percentage of shorter chain-length fructans in the DP 3 to 10 category increased from 36 to 45% of the total carbohydrate. Chicory stand, leaf area, bolting percentage, root yield, total sugar content, and degree of fructan polymerization were influenced by cultivar selection. Results from 7 yr of research indicated that chicory could be successfully grown in western Nebraska.
Policy: Constructing a definition

If “policies” are to serve as guides to real world actions and be subject to criticism and improvement out of human experience, they must have certain attributes and capacities - those requirements serve to define the meaning of the term. This article seeks (a) to demonstrate the substance of those requirements through a systematic analysis of the structures and processes involved in reasoned, corrigible actions, (b) to sketch the basic assumptions of a theory of knowledge able to show how those requirements can be fulfilled within the limits of human capacity, and (c) to examine the implications of that conception of “policy,” and its companion concept “theory,” for those involved in collective policymaking and policy studies.
Changing of the gods: The gender and family discourse of American evangelicalism in historical perspective

A growing number of recent studies have called attention to a series of striking contradictions in contemporary evangelical family relations. This study draws on insights from Michel Foucault's theory of discourse in order to investigate the historical forces which underlie these contemporary contradictions. An indashdepth analysis of various secondary historical sources reveals that contemporary evangelicals are the heirs to a two-century-old religious heritage that is replete with gender and family contradictions, including internecine debates over family relations and normative-behavioral discrepancies in the household practice of gender. This study concludes by-highlighting the connection between these gender and family contradictions, on the one hand, and the ambivalence of evangelicalism toward individualism and modern American culture on the other.
36Cl- and 86Rb+ uptake in rat parotid acinar cells.

Abstract 36 Cl − uptake was markedly (85 per cent) inhibited by the loop diuretics, furosemide and bumetanide. Partial replacement of Na + in the incubation medium (from 137 to 50 mM) reduced 36 Cl − uptake 30 per cent; total replacement reduced uptake to 40–45 per cent of control values. Partial replacement of K + (from 5.8 to 1 mM) decreased 36 Cl − uptake approx. 45 per cent; complete replacement resulted in minimal levels of 36 Cl − uptake ( 36 Cl − uptake approx. 55 per cent in the absence of bumetanide, but was without effect in its presence. 86 Rb + uptake was reduced approx. 85 per cent with bumetanide; complete replacement of Cl − with I − or gluconate − , decreased 86 Rb + uptake by 55 or 40 per cent respectively. The results support the notion that the bulk of Cl − influx in rat parotid acinar cells is via a loop diuretic-sensitive Na + /K + /Cl − co-transport mechanism as may occur in other secretory epithelia.
Cyclophosphamide therapy of Behcet's disease.

Abstract A 15-year-old male patient with Behcet's disease responded to antiphlogistic therapy with cyclophosphamide and prednisone but not to prednisone alone. Studies of anaphylactic Arthus and delayed hypersensitivity during the course of therapy suggested that the inflammatory changes associated with disease activity are related more to delayed hypersensitivity than to anaphylactic or Arthus hypersensitivity. Measurement of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity correlated better with the response to cyclophosphamide therapy in this patient than the decrease in the number of small circulating lymphocytes. The potential usefulness of cyclophosphamide in the treatment of Behcet's disease and other mucocutaneous syndromes is suggested by these studies.
Game design as a game

The software engineering process for games has enough special structure that it can be formulated as a kind of game itself. This, in turn, permits the teaching of game construction in a unique way with new potential to motivate students. We present a new game design client program for an existing collaborative problem-solving website known as CoSolve. The client was built with an emphasis on increased interaction and fine control over a problem's state. With this comes the opportunity to more easily design and test games in the CoSolve space. It is our hope that this will teach and inspire student users to learn more about game design, problem posing, and programming in general.
Optimal Placement of Piezoelectric Actuators in Adaptive Truss Structures

Abstract In the design of actively controlled structures, the determination of the actuator locations is a very important issue. In order to find the optimal placements of piezoelectric acutators in adaptive truss structures, optimal placement strategies developed in conjunction with the independent modal space control method are used in this paper. For this purpose, a finite truss element is developed accounting for the piezoelectric actuators. By using this finite element, eigenvectors consisting not only of nodal displacements but also of electric potentials are computed. The optimization algorithm calculating the optimal actuator placements makes use of the electric potentials to minimize the control effort. The minimization of the spillover energy into uncontrolled modes is an additional objective which can be taken into account by the optimization procedure. The method is illustrated by numerical examples.
Novel antibiotic-resistance markers in pGK12-derived vectors for Borrelia burgdorferi.

Abstract Extension of molecular genetics studies in Borrelia burgdorferi has been hampered by a lack of a variety of antibiotic resistance selective markers. Such markers are critical for isolation of B. burgdorferi strains with multiple mutants, for complementation with different cloning vectors, and for methods such as negative selection and reporter genes. To remedy this lack, resistance to various antibiotics of non-infectious (B31, 297) and infectious (N40) B. burgdorferi strains was examined and vectors incorporating appropriate antibiotic resistance genes as selective markers were developed. Minimal inhibitory concentrations for growth of B. burgdorferi on plates and in liquid media for aminoglycosides (kanamycin, gentamycin, sisomycin, amikacin, spectinomycin, neomycin), macrolides-lincosamids (erythromycin, lincomycin), coumarin derivatives (coumermycin A1, novobiocin), glycopeptides (vancomycin, ristocetin), peptides (bacitracin, cycloserine), and chloramphenicol were found to differ significantly. There were also striking differences in resistance to these antibiotics between non-infectious and infectious B. burgdorferi strains. Antibiotic-resistance genes aph(3′)-IIIa from Streptococcus faecalis, aad9 from Staphylococcus aureus Tn554, linA′ from Staphylococcus aureus, and aac(3)-VIa from Enterobacter cloacae (conferring resistance to kanamycin, spectinomycin, lincomycin, and gentamycin/sisomycin, respectively) were subcloned either with their own promoters or under the control of the B. burgdorferi flaB promoter into pGK12 or its derivative pED1 to develop new cloning vectors for B. burgdorferi with the rationale that the absence of homologous regions between derived recombinant plasmids lacking the flaB promoter and the B. burgdorferi genome would permit avoidance of possible recombination with target DNA. Resistance to the corresponding antibiotic was conferred by vectors containing aph(3′)-IIIa, aad9, linA′ or aac(3)-VIa whether under the control of their own promoters or under the control of the flaB promoter. We conclude that these markers can be used for genetic study of B. burgdorferi and suggest they will be an important addition to the previously used coumermycin A1, erythromycin and kanamycin in these studies.
The relationship between dissolved humic acids and soluble iron in estuaries

Dissolved humic acid and soluble iron appear to be chemically unassociated in estuaries despite their coincident removal. This conclusion is supported by differences in the aggregation kinetics of soluble iron and dissolved humic acid, the inability of extracted humic acid to stabilize laboratory preparations of ferric hydroxide, and decreasing ratios of humic acid carbon to soluble iron along the axes of some estuaries.
Gene Therapy for AIDS

With the number of HIV infected individuals world-wide now estimated in the millions and with no curative treatment or protective vaccine available in the immediate future, all efforts should be pursued to develop novel treatment modalities for AIDS. One potential anti-HIV technology which is rapidly moving from the laboratory to the clinic is commonly refereed to as gene therapy. The nature of this technology, the potential methods by which it could be applied to combat HIV infection, as well as issues related to the safety and the practicality of administrating this technology on a large scale will be discussed.
PARTIAL ACTIVATION OF THE INSULIN RECEPTOR KINASE DOMAIN BY JUXTAMEMBRANE AUTOPHOSPHORYLATION

Increased enzymatic activity of receptor tyrosine kinases occurs after trans-phosphorylation of one or two tyrosines in the activation loop, located near the catalytic cleft. Partial activation of the insulin receptor's kinase domain was observed at dilute concentrations of kinase, suggesting that cis-autophosphorylation was occurring. Autophosphorylation during partial activation mapped to the juxtamembrane (JM) tyrosines and not to activation loop tyrosines. Furthermore, a double JM Tyr-to-Phe mutant kinase (JMY2F) did not undergo partial activation but catalyzed substrate phosphorylation at a very low rate. Steady-state kinetics of peptide phosphorylation were determined with and without JM autophosphorylation. The JMY2F mutant was used to prevent concurrent cis-autophosphorylation and therefore to approximate the basal state apoenzyme in the kinetic analysis. Partial activation was dominated by a decreased Michaelis constant for peptide substrate, from KM,PEP >/= 2.5 mM in the basal state to 0.2 mM in the partially activated state; the KM,ATP remained virtually unchanged at approximately 1 mM, and kcat increased from 180 to 600 min-1. The high KM,PEP suggests weak binding of peptide substrates to the apoenzyme. This was confirmed by Ki > 1 mM for peptide substrates used as inhibitors of JM autophosphorylation. The absence of comparably large changes in kcat and KM,ATP suggests that the JM region is primarily a strong barrier to the peptide entry step of trans-phosphorylation reactions. The JM region therefore functions as an intrasteric inhibitor in the basal state of the insulin receptor's kinase domain.
DDT: Interaction with Nerve Membrane Conductance Changes

The falling phase of action potentials of lobster giant axons is prolonged by DDT; finally a plateau phase is produced like cardiac action potentials. In axons poisoned with DDT, peak transient (sodium) currents associated with step depolarizations are turned off very slowly, and steady-state (potassium) currents are markedly suppressed. These two changes would cause the prolongation of action potentials and are considered the major ionic mechanisms of DDT action.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B: New antiviral therapies

Chronic hepatitis B infection is the most important cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Interferon-alpha has been shown to be effective in approximately one third of patients, and response seems to be sustained in long-term follow-up studies in Western countries. New treatments using lamivudine and other nucleoside analogues such as famciclovir, lobucavir, and adfovir showed promising results although sustained suppression of viral replication is unusual after discontinuation of therapy. The results of recent clinical studies using these nucleoside analogues are discussed in detail in this review. Other important issues such as drug resistance and the role of combination therapy are also addressed.
The spatial representation of frequency in the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus

The spatial distribution of neural activity produced by tones was assessed in the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) and inferior colliculus (IC), using the 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) technique. Eight pure tones, spanning the range of reported single unit characteristic frequencies in the rat, were presented at 40 dB above behavioral threshold. The relationship between frequency of stimulation and location of neural activity within each nucleus was evaluated quantitatively. Based on the 2-DG uptake pattern across animals, a tonotopic axis in the transverse plane was defined for each nucleus. This axis transected the centers of regions of evoked 2-DG uptake for each frequency. There was an orderly relationship between stimulus frequency and the location of evoked neural activity along the axis. Each pure tone stimulus activated an approximately equal proportion of this axis, for all frequencies tested, in both the DCN and IC. This suggests the existence of equal 'spatial bandwidths, in rat central auditory structures, across its entire frequency range. Equal spatial bandwidths could facilitate signal analysis strategies which require interaction between neurons with closely-related CFs. In the horizontal plane, however, the proportion of stimulated tissue was not equal across frequency. High-frequency (greater than 8 kHz) tones produced increased neural activity along a much greater extent of the anterior-to-posterior axis of the IC than did low-frequency tones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Functional equivalency of created and natural wetlands: diet composition of red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)

Evaluating the adequacy of created wetlands to replace functions of lost natural wetlands is important because wetland mitigation is a major tool used to offset wetland losses. However, measurements such as vegetative cover and wildlife presence may not be evidence enough that created wetlands are functioning properly and thus, examining the ecology of wetland biota such as amphibians may be a more useful surrogate for function. Our objectives were to measure the diet composition of adult red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) and compare the selection of prey by newts between created and natural wetlands. Newts were trapped during the spring and summer of 2009 and 2010, and the stomach contents of 149 newts were obtained with gastric lavage. Invertebrate prey availability was obtained within a 5 m radius of each captured newt. Selection of prey by newts was nonrandom, but was only minimally affected by wetland type. Both dietary breadth and prey selection were affected primarily by time of year, likely driven by temporal variation in invertebrate abundance. Our results suggest that the function of providing an adequate prey base for a generalist wetland predator such as the red-spotted newt is being fulfilled for the created wetlands that we examined.
Organic Constituents of the Carbonaceous Chondrites

Organic constituents, such as hydroxylated aromatic acids and hydrocarbons, in carbonaceous chondrites, and their possible extraterrestrial origin
Thermal modulation of pyruvate metabolism in the fish Gillichthys mirabilis: The role of lactate dehydrogenases

Abstract 1. 1. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isozymes present in white skeletal muscle of Gillichthys mirabilis exhibit substrate (pyruvate) inhibition only at temperature below 25°C. The extent of pyruvate inhibition is inversely proportional to temperature. 2. 2. The apparent K m of pyruvate is essentially temperature-independent between 10 and 25°C. At higher temperature in the organism's physiolohgical range the apparent K m of pyruvate increases as temperature is raised. 3. 3. These temperature-dependent kinetic properties may give the LDH isozymes of G. mirabilis a major role in determining the metabolic fate of pyruvate. 4. 4. At higher temperatures, when oxygen availability is reduced and the orgnism's activity level is apt to be relatively high, pyruvate may be efficiently converted to lactate, i.e. the fish can rely on anaerobic glycolysis. 5. 5. At low temperatures, when the opposite conditions of oxygen avalability and organismal activity pertain, pyruvate can be channneled preferentially towards the Krebs cycle.
Estimation of Sebum Production Rates in Man by Measurement of the Squalene Content of Skin Biopsies

Previous studies have shown that lipids are synthesized at a constant rate in sebaceous glands and secreted onto the skin surface an average of 8 days after synthesis. As a result, measurement of the sebum content of a skin specimen of known surface area should allow calculation of the sebum production rate which had been occurring in vivo. In the present study, such measurements have been made on scalp skin specimens from 14 men. The amount of sebum in 4-mm punch biopsies was calculated from the squalene content of the specimens, as measured by quantitative thin-layer chromatography of lipid extracts. The average sebum production rate for the group was found to be 1.45 mg/10 sq cm/3 hr.
Autonomic dysfunction in patients with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

We prospectively evaluated autonomic function in 50 patients with clinical and manometric features of a neuropathic form of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP). In 26 patients, there were underlying disease processes that may have affected extrinsic neural control to viscera: diabetes mellitus (n = 16), previous gastric surgery (n = 5), and other neurologic disorders (n = 5). Our aim was to characterize autonomic function in these patients, and those 24 with CIP unassociated with a known underlying neurologic disorder (idiopathic group). We assessed vagal function and sympathetic cholinergic and adrenergic function by means of standardized autonomic tests and quantitated postprandial antral pressure activity. We also measured postprandial levels of pancreatic polypeptide and neurotensin as indicators of vagal function and of the delivery of nutrients to the distal small bowel. Among the idiopathic group (n = 24), two had evidence of a generalized sympathetic neuropathy and five abdominal vagal dysfunction (one had both). Among diabetic patients, three had sympathetic adrenergic failure, six had orthostasis with normal plasma noradrenaline, ten had signs of generalized sympathetic neuropathy and eight had abdominal vagal dysfunction. Vagal dysfunction was identified in all three patients who underwent vagotomy as part of their previous gastric surgery. In the other neurologic syndromes, vagal function was abnormal in three of the five patients. Thus, autonomic and, particularly, vagal dysfunction are confirmed in a majority of patients with CIP associated with known diabetes or neurologic disorders; however, a previously unrecognized autonomic (chiefly vagal) neuropathy of undetermined cause has been identified in five of the 24 'idiopathic' CIP patients.
Intervention in maturity.

42 mature individuals, with a median age of 38 yr., who had lost their teaching positions in Southern schools because of desegregation procedures, were subjected, as members of an NDEA Institute, to special training to enable them to fulfill New York City Board of Education qualifications for teachers. Massive educational handicaps, revealed in habitual modes of oral and written expression, were overcome to a substantial degree in 3 mo. of intensive effort, with 71% of the group attaining “acceptable” levels for service in the school system.
The ovarian chromosome cycle in a mixed rat strain

In the ovary of the rat the ova arise by proliferations from the germinal epithelium, all cells of which are potential ova. This proliferation begins with the differentiation of the gonad, and may last as long as 369 days postpartum. The embryonic ovary is filled with ova which pass through the typical maturation phases. This continues until five days after parturition. These ova degenerate, none being found in the ovary of the twenty-day rat. After the fifth day postpartum, nuclear development in the ova changes until, by the twentieth day, no typical maturation phases are present. With the degeneration of the embryonic ova the ovary takes on the adult structure. The ovary of the adult female rat shows a modified type of meiosis in the germ cells, while that of the embryo shows the typical phases, indicating that this is the primitive type, with the modified form an acquired characteristic. Ova in a single rat may show both twenty-one and thirty-one chromosomes. Follicle cells are formed from the cells of the germinal epithelium and, like the sex cells, may have both forty-two and sixty-two chromosomes in a single follicle. The lutein cells also show both forty-two and sixty-two chromosomes in a single corpus luteum. The chromosomes of the lutein cells enlarge with the expansion of the cell to a size greatly in excess of the chromosomes of the somatic cells. The theca interna is derived from the tunica albuginea.
Does normalisation improve the diagnostic performance of apparent diffusion coefficient values for prostate cancer assessment? A blinded independent-observer evaluation

Aim To evaluate the performance of normalised apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for prostate cancer assessment when performed by independent observers blinded to histopathology findings. Materials and methods Fifty-eight patients undergoing 3 T phased-array coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI; maximal b-value 1000 s/mm 2 ) before prostatectomy were included. Two radiologists independently evaluated the images, unaware of the histopathology findings. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn within areas showing visually low ADC within the peripheral zone (PZ) and transition zone (TZ) bilaterally. ROIs were also placed within regions in both lobes not suspicious for tumour, allowing computation of normalised ADC (nADC) ratios between suspicious and non-suspicious regions. The diagnostic performance of ADC and nADC were compared. Results For PZ tumour detection, ADC achieved significantly higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC; p= 0.026) and specificity ( p= 0.021) than nADC for reader 1, and significantly higher AUC ( p= 0.025) than nADC for reader 2. For TZ tumour detection, nADC achieved significantly higher specificity ( p= 0.003) and accuracy ( p= 0.004) than ADC for reader 2. For PZ Gleason score >3+3 tumour detection, ADC achieved significantly higher AUC ( p= 0.003) and specificity ( p= 0.005) than nADC for reader 1, and significantly higher AUC ( p= 0.023) than nADC for reader 2. For TZ Gleason score >3+3 tumour detection, ADC achieved significantly higher specificity ( p= 0.019) than nADC for reader 1. Conclusion In contrast to prior studies performing unblinded evaluations, ADC was observed to outperform nADC overall for two independent observers blinded to the histopathology findings. Therefore, although strategies to improve the utility of ADC measurements in prostate cancer assessment merit continued investigation, caution is warranted when applying normalisation to improve diagnostic performance in clinical practice.
PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF CLINICIANS' RECOMMENDATIONS AND JUDGES' PLACEMENT ORDERS IN A JUVENILE COURT

A large proportion of youthful offenders who enter the juvenile justice system have psychiatric disorders and psychosocial risk factors that perpetuate delinquency, and addressing these issues has been a growing concern of juvenile courts nationwide. This study examines the relationship between the clinical information provided through comprehensive forensic assessments and clinicians' recommendations for placement (community setting vs. secure facility) and judges' sentencing decisions. The sample included 248 youth, ranging from 11 to 17 years old, who were adjudicated in the Cook County (Chicago) Juvenile Court. A reliable and valid approach for coding psychosocial variables is also presented as a prototype for future research. Consistent with previous studies, results show that judges are inclined to adopt clinical recommendations and that the material provided by comprehensive clinical evaluations could diminish the effects of offense and delinquency-based factors on dispositions.
Metabolic Profiling of Bacteria by Unnatural C-terminated D-Amino Acids

Bacterial peptidoglycan is a mesh-like network comprised of sugars and oligopeptides. Transpeptidases cross-link peptidoglycan oligopeptides to provide vital cell wall rigidity and structural support. It was recently discovered that the same transpeptidases catalyze the metabolic incorporation of exogenous D-amino acids onto bacterial cell surfaces with vast promiscuity for the side-chain identity. It is now shown that this enzymatic promiscuity is not exclusive to side chains, but that C-terminus variations can also be accommodated across a diverse range of bacteria. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that the incorporation of C-terminus amidated D-amino acids onto bacterial surfaces substantially reduced the cell wall stiffness. We exploited the promiscuity of bacterial transpeptidases to develop a novel assay for profiling different bacterial species.
Glucosamine and glucose induce insulin resistance by different mechanisms in rat skeletal muscle

It has been hypothesized that glucose-induced insulin resistance is mediated by accumulation of UDP-N-acetylhexosamines (UDP-HexNAcs). In a previous study on rat epitrochlearis muscles incubated wi...
Making p2p accountable without losing privacy

Peer-to-peer systems have been proposed for a wide variety of applications, including file-sharing, web caching, distributed computation, cooperative backup, and onion routing. An important motivation for such systems is self-scaling. That is, increased participation increases the capacity of the system. Unfortunately, this property is at risk from selfish participants. The decentralized nature of peer-to-peer systems makes accounting difficult. We show that e-cash can be a practical solution to the desire for accountability in peer-to-peer systems while maintaining their ability to self-scale. No less important, e-cash is a natural fit for peer-to-peer systems that attempt to provide (or preserve) privacy for their participants. We show that e-cash can be used to provide accountability without compromising the existing privacy goals of a peer-to-peer system. We show how e-cash can be practically applied to a file sharing application. Our approach includes a set of novel cryptographic protocols that mitigate the computational and communication costs of anonymous e-cash transactions, and system design choices that further reduce overhead and distribute load. We conclude that provably secure, anonymous, and scalable peer-to-peer systems are within reach.
Exploiting speech production information for automatic speech and speaker modeling and recognition - possibilities and new opportunities

We consider the potential for incorporating direct, or inferred, speech production knowledge in speech technology development. We first review the technologies that can be used to capture speech articulation information. We discuss how meaningful (speech and speaker) representations can be derived from articulatory data thus captured and further how they can be estimated from the acoustics in the absence of these direct measurements. We present some applications that have used speech production information to further the state of the art in automatic speech and speaker recognition. We also offer an outlook on how such knowledge and applications can in turn inform scientific understanding of the human speech communication process.
Educating Children in the New Millennium, Part 2

Part 2 of “Educating Children in the New Millennium” continues to focus on current issues and trends that affect the education of children in schools, homes, and communities around the world. Here, we present five additional articles regarding the education and well-being of children in the new millennium.
Genes required for mycobacterial growth defined by high density mutagenesis

Despite over a century of research, tuberculosis remains a leading cause of infectious death worldwide. Faced with increasing rates of drug resistance, the identification of genes that are required for the growth of this organism should provide new targets for the design of antimycobacterial agents. Here, we describe the use of transposon site hybridization (TraSH) to comprehensively identify the genes required by the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, for optimal growth. These genes include those that can be assigned to essential pathways as well as many of unknown function. The genes important for the growth of M. tuberculosis are largely conserved in the degenerate genome of the leprosy bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae, indicating that non-essential functions have been selectively lost since this bacterium diverged from other mycobacteria. In contrast, a surprisingly high proportion of these genes lack identifiable orthologues in other bacteria, suggesting that the minimal gene set required for survival varies greatly between organisms with different evolutionary histories.
A Hybrid Protection/Restoration Scheme for Two-Link Failure in WDM Mesh Networks

We consider the problem of handling two-link failures in WDM mesh networks. Existing schemes either prereserve two backup paths for each demand or compute new backup paths for unprotected demands after the first link failure occurs. Both approaches require a large amount of backup capacity. In this paper, we propose a capacity efficient hybrid protection/restoration scheme for handling two-link failures. The protection component reserves backup capacity intelligently to ensure the majority of the affected demands can be restored using the pre-planned backup paths upon a two-link failure. For the rest of the affected demands, our restoration component dynamically finds new backup paths to quickly restore them. The capacity efficiency and protection/restoration capability of our hybrid scheme are demonstrated through numerical results.
Modelling age- and density-related gas exchange of Picea abies canopies in the Fichtelgebirge, Germany.

Differences in canopy exchange of water and carbon dioxide that occur due to changes in tree structure and density in montane Norway spruce stands of Central Germany were analyzed with a three dimensional microclimate and gas exchange model STANDFLUX. The model was used to calculate forest radiation absorption, the net photosynthesis and transpiration of single tree s, and gas exchange of tree canopies. Model parameterizations were derived for six stands of Picea abies (L.) Karst. differing in age from 40 to 140 years and in density from 1680 to 320 trees per hectare. Parameterization included information on leaf area dist ribu- tion from tree harvests, tree positions and tree sizes. Gas exchange was modelled using a single species-specific set of physio logical parameters and assuming no influence of soil water availability. For our humid montane stands, these simplifying assumptions appeared to be acceptable. Comparisons of modelled daily tree transpiration with water use estimates from xylem sapflow measure - ments provided a test of the model. Estimates for canopy transpiration rate derived from the model and via xylem sapflow measur e- ments agreed within ± 20%, especially at moderate to high air vapor pressure deficits. The results suggest that age and density dependent changes in canopy structure (changes in clumping of needles) and their effect on light exposure of the average needle lead to shifts in canopy conductance and determine tree canopy transpiration in these managed montane forests. Modelled canopy net photosynthesis rates are presented, but have not yet been verified at the canopy level. norway spruce / xylem sapflow / canopy transpiration / canopy light use efficiency / biosphere-atmosphere interactions