cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MC1R and cAMP signaling inhibit cdc25B activity and delay cell cycle progression in melanoma cells

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) mediates the tanning response through induction of cAMP and downstream pigmentary enzymes. Diminished function alleles of MC1R are associated with decreased tanning and increased melanoma risk, which has been attributed to increased rates of mutation. We have found that MC1R or cAMP signaling also directly decreases proliferation in melanoma cell lines. MC1R overexpression, treatment with the MC1R ligand, or treatment with small-molecule activators of cAMP signaling causes delayed progression from G2 into mitosis. This delay is caused by phosphorylation and inhibition of cdc25B, a cyclin dependent kinase 1-activating phosphatase, and is rescued by expression of a cdc25B mutant that cannot be phosphorylated at the serine 323 residue. These results show that MC1R and cAMP signaling can directly inhibit melanoma growth through regulation of the G2/M checkpoint.
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON POOR PEOPLE AND POOR PLACES

John L. Jackson, Jr., Harlemworld: Doing Race and Class in Contemporary Black America. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2001, 285 pages, ISBN 0-226-38998-7, $30.00.Omar M. McRoberts, Streets of Glory: Church and Community in a Black Neighborhood. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2003, 178 pages, ISBN 0-226-56216-6, $25.00.Katherine S. Newman, A Different Shade of Gray: Midlife and Beyond in the Inner City. New York: The New Press, 2003, 306 pages, ISBN 1-56584-615-X, $26.95.
4 THE HISTONE METHYLTRANSFERASE Suv39h2 ADOPTS A NUCLEAR LOCALIZATION DURING CLEAVAGE DEVELOPMENT IN PARTHENOGENETIC PORCINE EMBRYOS

Successful cleavage development of mammalian embryos requires precise activation and repression of transcription. Covalent modifications to histone proteins, such as methylation and acetylation, play a key role in transcriptional regulation. In particular, dimethylation of the lysine 9 residue of histone protein H3 (H3K9) results in gene silencing and heterochromatin formation. Our lab has previously shown that transcripts encoding the five histone methyltransferases known to methylate H3K9 (Suv39h1, Suv39h2, ESET, G9a, and EHMT1) are present in different amounts during oocyte maturation and cleavage development. Specifically, Suv39h2 is in the greatest abundance in GV and metaphase II stage oocytes and is also present throughout cleavage development. The aim of this study was to determine the localization of Suv39h2 protein in the GV-stage oocyte and pronuclear, 2 cell, and 4 cell stage parthenogenetic porcine embryos. We hypothesized that Suv39h2 protein would localize to the nucleus based on its high transcript abundance throughout cleavage development. To test this hypothesis, we performed a microinjection experiment in which mRNA encoding a porcine Suv39h2-GFP fusion protein was injected into metaphase II porcine oocytes. Porcine oocytes were matured in a defined medium (TCM-199 supplemented with 0.1% PVA, 0.069 mg mL–1 cysteine, 10 ng mL–1 EGF, 0.5 IU mL–1 LH and FSH) for 42 to 44 h at 39°C in 5% CO2, then denuded of cumulus cells just before microinjection. Two separate treatment groups were microinjected intracytoplasmically with 1 μg μL–1 GFP or Suv39h2-GFP mRNA, respectively. Microinjection was performed using a FemtoJet microinjector (Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany). The treatment groups and non-injected controls were electroactivated independently and cultured in PZM medium supplemented with 3 mg mL–1 BSA for 12 (pronuclear), 24 (2 cell), or 48 (4 cell) hours at 39°C in 5% CO2, depending on desired stage of development. Before visualization under UV light, embryos were stained with Hoechst 33342 for 15 minutes. Oocytes and embryos were analyzed for GFP expression at the GV, pronuclear, 2 and 4 cell stages of development using epifluorescence microscopy. Two to four biological replicates were performed for each stage of embryo development. We found that Suv39h2-GFP protein showed nuclear localization in most GV-stage oocytes (n = 11/14) and pronuclear (n = 17/17), 2-cell (n = 34/36), and 4-cell (n = 9/9) stage embryos. Chi square analysis revealed this pattern to be different from that observed in embryos injected with GFP mRNA, where GFP did not display nuclear localization at any stage of development (n = 12; P < 0.05). These results indicate that Suv39h2 is localized in the nucleus of oocytes and cleaved embryos, which suggests that this histone methyltransferase plays an important role in methylating H3K9.
Dosing of amoxicillin/clavulanate for treatment of lower respiratory tract infection

SIR-Calver et al. [1] reported that a dosing interval of 12 hours is as effective as an interval of 8 hours for patients receiving amoxicillin/clavulanate. We have several concerns about the appropriateness of this study. The inclusion criteria for patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were based only on an increase in the quantity and/or purulence of sputum, and no attempt was made to determine the severity of the exacerbation. To make it possible to detect differences in efficacy between treatments, it is mandatory that patients satisfy entry criteria including disease of sufficient severity, e.g., increased dyspnea, fever, leukocytosis, or bronchiectasis; a history of frequent exacerbation; or coexistent cardiopulmonary diseases [2, 3]. Nowadays, the nonspecific inflammatory response in exacerbations of chronic bronchitis is considered most prominent in the pathogenesis, and the role of infection seems to be limited in many cases. The question regarding the use of antibiotics for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis has still not been fully answered, but more than half of the placebo treatments may be successful [3]. Therefore, it would have been useful if Calver et al. [1] had included a placebo group in the study design. The fact that only 22% of the patients were evaluable for bacteriologic efficacy underscores the need for more detailed information on the reasons for acute exacerbations of bronchitis [4]. Calver et al. [1] made no attempt to detect viral or atypical pathogens as causes of infection. Furthermore, data on concomitant treatments and measures to improve patients' conditions are lacking in their study. As mentioned by the authors, bacterial killing by /-lactam antimicrobials is related to the duration of time that the plasma concentration of the /-lactam antimicrobial remains above the MIC for the organism. In light of this fact, we doubt whether it makes sense to increase the dose, and hence the peak plasma concentration, and to reduce the dosing frequency. The question as to why the amount of clavulanic acid per dose is not increased remains unanswered. As recently stated by Wilson et al. [2], the continued performance of studies of chronic bronchitis, largely for the purpose of new product registration and licensing, is unlikely to be valuable in assessing the role of antibiotics in the management of acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis.
A procedure to group residential air-conditioning load profiles during the hottest days in summer

Abstract A methodology is proposed whereby residential customers can be grouped by their diurnal air-conditioner use profiles during the hottest days in summer. The procedure, illustrated with data from a load experiment study, involves three phases. The first is to form a subset of electricity use data corresponding solely to days when utilities are likely to face summer peaking problems. The second phase is to identify a characteristic diurnal A/C load profile for each customer which adequately represents his day-to-day behavior during these peak days. The final phase is to cluster these diurnal A/C load profiles into physically consistent discrete groups. The eventual practical applications of this methodology are that it could assist utilities in better planning and implementing cost-effective peak shaving strategies.
Design of a Bone Transport Device Using Smart Material Actuators

The ultimate goal of our research is to develop a wireless, remotely activated, and implantable bone transport (lengthening) device. Our device is subcutaneously mounted on the periosteal surface of the tibia. Smart materials such as temperature-driven nitinol and magnetostrictive terfenol-D were investigated to be used as actuators to provide the required forces for the bone transport process. It was found that an actuator based on terfenol-D with a magnetic field applied transversely (along the material's magnetic moment) was the more appropriate technology. Design concepts and proof-of-concept work of both smart material technologies are presented.
Supporting parallel programming in a distributed UNIX environment

Abstract A distributed processing system based on UNIX (trademark of Bell Laboratories) is currently operational at New Mexico State University. The system which is composed of a variety of PDP-11 and LSI-11 processing elements allows users to schedule tasks to run totally or in parallel on its satellite units. A UNIX-like kernel is run on the satellite processors and this allows virtually any process to run on any processing element. The architecture of the system is a star configuration with a PDP-11/34a as the central or host node. To support experiments in parallel processing, a parallel version of the C programming language has been developed which allows users to write programs as a collection of functional units which can be automatically scheduled to run on the satellite processors. In this paper the structure of the system is described in terms of hardware and software, and our implementation of pc, a parallel C language, is discussed.
Engagement of the Scavenger Receptor Is Not Responsible for β-Amyloid Stimulation of Monocytes to a Neurocytopathic State

Abstract Experiments were performed to determine if scavenger receptors (SRs) play a role in amyloid beta (Aβ) stimulation of peripheral blood monocyte (PBM) neurotoxicity. Results indicate that Aβ does not block binding of the SR ligand DiI-acetylated low density lipoprotein to PBM, nor does another SR ligand, fucoidin, inhibit Aβ-PBM binding. Moreover, neither of three SR ligands alone stimulates neurotoxicity in PBM, nor antagonizes the ability of Aβ to activate PBM to a neurocytopathic state. Such findings suggest that Aβ's action is not dependent upon engagement of the SR ligand binding domain and raise doubts about the role of SR in Aβ neurotoxicity.
Assessment of microleakage of restorative materials by a diffusion model.

Summary The time-dependent microleakage behaviour of two types of restorative materials, a microfilled composite resin and a glass ionomer, was studied. A dentine bonding agent was also included. This study was based on a diffusion model of microleakage. It was found that the initial gap sizes of the restorations increased progressively for restorations microfilled with bonding agent, microfilled alone, and glass ionomers, in that order. Analysis of microleakage over some periods suggests that the gap size of the restorations by microfilled with bonding agent may increase with time, and that while restorations by glass ionomer and microfilled composite resin decrease in gap sizes with time, glass ionomer restorations show a faster rate of decrease.
THE STATE OF PLEA BARGAINING IN ALASKA

ABSTRACT In 1975, Alaska's Attorney General banned plea bargaining by prosecutors. The ban and a later evaluation of its impacts are frequently cited in the literature to support arguments that plea bargaining can be abolished with little effect on the efficient functioning of the court system. These conclusions, though, are inaccurate. Plea bargaining did not disappear in Alaska following the ban and plea bargaining is alive and well now. The research design used to assess the impact of the ban was flawed; the causal inferences drawn by the authors of the evaluation study are unpersuasive and invalid Also, substantial changes in legal guidelines and case law have occurred in Alaska since 1980. The literature on plea bargaining, hence, needs to be more careful in checking the conclusions it accepts as valid and it needs to keep abreast of changes which affect generalizations about plea bargaining derived from the Alaska experience.
An alternative age model for the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum using extraterrestrial 3He

A continuous age model for the brief climate excursion at the Paleocene–Eocene boundary has been constructed by assuming a constant flux of extraterrestrial ^3He (^3He_(ET)) to the seafloor. ^3He_(ET) measurements from ODP Site 690 provide quantitative evidence for the rapid onset (<few kyr) and short duration (<120 kyr) of global warming and of the associated disturbance to the Earth’s surficial carbon budget at this time. These observations support astronomically calibrated age models indicating extremely rapid release of isotopically light carbon, possibly from seafloor methane hydrate, as the proximal cause of the event. However, the ^3He_(ET) technique indicates a previously unrecognized and extreme increase in sedimentation rate coincident with the return of climate proxies to pre-event values. The ^3He_(ET)-based age model thus suggests a far more rapid recovery from the climatic perturbation than previously proposed or predicted on the basis of the modern carbon cycle, and so may indicate additional or accelerated mechanisms of carbon removal from the ocean–atmosphere system during this period. ^3He_(ET) was also measured at ODP Site 1051 to test the validity of the Site 690 chronology. Comparison of these data sets seems to require removal of several tens of kyr of sediment within the climatic excursion at Site 1051, an observation consistent with sediment structures and previous age modeling efforts. The Site 1051 age model shows a ∼30 kyr period in which climate proxies return toward pre-event values, after which they remain invariant for ∼80 kyr. If this rise represents the recovery interval identified at Site 690, then the ^3He_(ET)-based age models of the two sites are in good agreement. However, alternative interpretations are possible, and work on less disrupted sites is required to evaluate the reliability of the proposed new chronology of the climate excursion. Regardless of these details, this work shows that the ^3He_(ET) technique can provide useful independent evidence for the development and testing of astronomically calibrated age models.
Rotational transfer rates and propensity rule in nitric oxide-rare gas collisions

Abstract In the first application of the technique of multistep ionization to the measurement of rotational transfer rates within an electronically excited molecular state, we have observed a propensity to even Δ J in NO colliding with rare gased and have measured a number of transfer rates with high accuracy. A propensity to even Δ J has been predicted but no observation of it has been previously reported.
Characterization of ZrO2-promoted Cu/ZnO/nano-Al2O3 methanol steam reforming catalysts

Abstract Three Cu/ZnO/ZrO2/Al2O3 methanol reforming catalysts were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalysts which contained ZrO2 from a monoclinic nanoparticle ZrO2 precursor exhibit both a higher activity toward the methanol steam reforming reaction and a lower CO production rate compared to catalysts composed of an XRD-amorphous ZrO2 produced by impregnation using a Zr(NO3)2 precursor. The presence of a monoclinic phase appears to result in an increased charge transfer between the Zr and Cu species, as evidenced by a relatively electron-rich ZrO2 phase and a partially oxidized Cu species on reduced catalysts. This electron deficient Cu species is more reactive toward the methanol reforming reaction and partially suppresses CO formation through the reverse water gas shift or methanol decomposition reactions.
Protegrin-1 Orientation in Membrane Bilayers: Insights from Potential of Mean Force Calculations as A Function of Its Tilt and Rotation Angles

Protegrin-1 (PG-1) belongs to the family of antimicrobial peptides. It interacts specifically with the membrane of a pathogen and kills the pathogen by releasing its cellular contents. To fully understand the energetics governing the orientation of PG-1 in different membrane environments and its effects on the physicochemical properties of the peptide, we have calculated the potentials of mean force (PMF) of PG-1 as a function of its tilt angle in explicit membrane bilayers composed of either DLPC (1,2-dilauroylphosphatidylcholine) or POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine) lipid molecules. The resulting PMFs in explicit lipid bilayers were then used to search for the optimal hydrophobic thickness of the implicit membrane, in which a two-dimensional PMF in the tilt and rotation space was calculated. The calculated PMFs in explicit membrane systems clearly reveal that the energetically favorable tilt angle is affected by both the membrane hydrophobic thickness and the PG-1 rotation angle. Local thinning of the membrane around PG-1 is observed upon PG-1 tilting. The thinning effect is caused by different arginines in regard to the rotation orientation of the peptide. The two-dimensional PMF calculated in implicit membrane at specified rotation angles is in good accordance with those from the explicit membrane simulations. The ensemble-averaged Val16 15N and 13CO chemical shifts calculated from the two-dimensional free energy distribution agree fairly well with the experimental values, suggesting the accuracy and reliability of the application of PMFs to understand important physicochemical properties of membrane peptides/proteins.
Route selection and flow control in a multi-stage manufacturing system with heterogeneous machines within stages

SUMMARY With increasing market competition and the need to serve diverse market segments, many companies are responding to customer needs by manufacturing parts in small batches. Unless properly planned, batch production can lead to high material handling time. In this paper, a methodology for selecting the best routeing for a batch in a multi-stage production system with material handling considerations is presented. Each stage consists of multiple, functionally identical machines that have non-identical characteristics. The model determines the optimal routeing for the batch and generates the number of parts to handle or transport at a time as a unit load between machines in order to minimize total batch manufacturing time. The result from the model provides the optimal routeing (i.e., the machine to use at each production stage) and the number of parts to move at a time as a sub-lot. The solution procedure developed is easy to use and can be incorporated as a daily shop management tool.
Investigation of Babinet's principle for offset fed and dielectric backed slot modeling

Babinet's principle is often invoked for the entire discussion of slot antenna modeling. However, slot antennas are often offset fed or dielectric backed, and dipole expressions are often derived for cylinders not ribbons (the true inverse of a slot). An investigation is detailed into the applicability of Babinet's principle to analytical models of cylindrical offset fed dipoles to describe the behavior of slot antennas.
Proportionality Assumption in Latent Basis Curve Models: A Cautionary Note

Latent basis curve models (LBCMs) have been popular in modeling change when the change trajectories are unknown or nonlinear. The estimated change trajectories from LBCMs are often viewed as optimal and used as reference points against which other change trajectories are tested. However, there is a proportionality assumption underlying LBCMs that has received little attention from researchers. This study uses a Monte Carlo simulation to show that violation of this assumption can potentially result in substantially biased estimates of the means and variances of changes and covariate effects on these changes, leading to incorrect statistical inference. The implications of the simulation study are discussed and alternatives to LBCMs are suggested for use when the proportionality assumption is likely to be violated.
The Pearl Mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera (L.), in Hard Water in Ireland

Up until about 80 years ago it was believed that hard water was inimical to Margaritifera margaritifera. Once found in the calcium-rich waters of the Barrow, Nore and Suir rivers, the hard-water form of M. margaritifera has become extinct in all but one of these rivers in the past 50 years. The surviving depleted population in the Nore is threatened with the same fate. In an experiment to test the hypothesis that the species was not strictly calcifuge, specimens were transferred from a soft-water river to the hard-water Nore and then returned to their natal water after six months. An examination
The external NADH dehydrogenases of intact plant mitochondria.

Abstract Evidence is given for the presence of two NADH dehydrogenase systems accessible to exogenous NADH in mitochondria from mung bean hypocotyls. One system, which is located on the outer membrane, contains a flavoprotein and cytochrome b555, is insensitive to antimycin A and is specific for the 4α hydrogen atom of NADH. The second NADH dehydrogenase, which is located on the external face of the inner membrane, is linked to the respiratory chain and is specific for the 4β hydrogen atom of NADH. The intact mitochondria have a large antimycin A-insensitive NADH: ferricyanide oxidoreductase activity which is primarily due to the outer membrane system. The inner membrane dehydrogenase reacts with ferricyanide only after the mitochondria have been osmotically swollen. Such swelling seems to cause detachment of this flavoprotein from the inner membrane.
Separating the ground and airborne laser sampling phases to estimate tropical forest basal area, volume, and biomass.

Airborne laser profiling data were used to estimate the basal area, volume, and biomass of primary tropical forests. A procedure was developed and tested to divorce the laser and ground data collection efforts using three distinct data sets acquired in and over the tropical forests of Costa Rica. Fixed-area ground plot data were used to simulate the height characteristics of the tropical forest canopy and to simulate laser measurements of that canopy. On two of the three study sites, the airborne laser estimates of basal area, volume, and biomass grossly misrepresented ground estimates of same. On the third study site, where the widest ground plots were utilized, airborne and ground estimates agreed within 24%. Basal area, volume, and biomass prediction inaccuracies in the first two study areas were tied directly to disagreements between simulated laser estimates and the corresponding airborne measurements of average canopy height, height variability, and canopy density. A number of sampling issues were investigated; the following results were noted in the analyses of the three study areas. 1) Of the four ground segment lengths considered (25 m, 50 m, 75 m, and 100 m), the 25 m segment length introduced a level of variability which may severely degrade prediction accuracy in these Costa Rican primary tropical forests. This effect was more pronounced as plot width decreased. A minimum segment length was on the order of 50 m. 2) The decision to transform or not to transform the dependent variable (e.g., biomass) was by far the most important factor of those considered in this experiment. The natural log transformation of the dependent variable increased prediction error, and error increased dramatically at the shorter segment lengths. The most accurate models were multiple linear models with forced zero intercept and an untransformed dependent variable. 3) General linear models were developed to predict basal area, volume, and biomass using airborne laser height measurements. Useful laser measurements include average canopy height, all pulses (ha), average canopy height, canopy hits (hc) and the coefficients of variation of these terms (ca and cc). Coefficients of determination range from 0.4 to 0.6. Based on this research, airborne laser and ground sampling procedures are proposed for use for reconnaissance level surveys of inaccessible forested regions.
Structural variations and optional introns in the mitochondrial DNAs of Neurospora strains isolated from nature

Abstract Mitochondrial DNAs from ten wild-type Neurospora crassa, Neurospora intermedia, and Neurospora sitophila strains collected from different geographical areas were screened for structural variations by restriction enzyme analysis. The different mtDNAs show much greater structural diversity, both within and among species, than had been apparent from previous studies of mtDNA from laboratory N. crassa strains. The mtDNAs range in size from 60 to 73 kb, and both the smallest and largest mtDNAs are found in N. crassa strains. In addition, four strains contain intramitochondrial plasmid DNAs that do not hybridize with the standard mtDNA. All of the mtDNA species have a basically similar organization. A 25-kb region that includes the rRNA genes and most tRNA genes shows very strong conservation of restriction sites in all strains. The 2.3-kb intron found in the large rRNA gene in standard N. crassa mtDNAs is present in all strains examined, including N. Intermedia and N. sitophila strains. The size differences between the different mtDNAs are due to insertions or deletions that occur outside of the rRNA-tRNA region. Restriction enzyme and heteroduplex mapping suggest that four of these insertions are optional introns in the gene encoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I. Mitochondrial DNAs from different wild-type strains contain zero, one, three, or four of these introns.
A note on the use of transformations in sensitivity computations for elliptic systems

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool in engineering with applications ranging from optimal design to computational fluid dynamics. There are many algorithms available for computing sensitivities. These range from automatic differentiation techniques to variational methods. In this paper we describe two variational methods for computing sensitivities. We use a 1D model problem as a platform for describing and comparing these methods. In particular, the regularity of the sensitivity equations obtained from each method is addressed. Numerical approximations to each sensitivity are calculated using finite element schemes and numerical comparisons are presented.
Ethanol inhibits chemoreflex excitation of reticulospinal vasomotor neurons

In anesthetized and ventilated rats, activation of carotid chemoreceptors with intracarotid administration of 100 nmol sodium cyanide rapidly excited the spinal cord-projecting vasomotor neurons in the rostroventrolateral reticular nucleus (RVL) of the medulla oblongata and sympathetic nerves and increased arterial pressure. The chemoreflex sympathoexcitatory pressor responses were attenuated by an acute systemic administration of ethanol at 0.45 g/kg, but not at 45 mg/kg. The ethanol effects were observed at the level of RVL-spinal vasomotor neurons, in attenuating the neuronal responses to the chemoreflex excitation and direct iontophoresis of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) but without altering responses of the carotid sinus nerves to intracarotid cyanide. The effect of ethanol on the RVL neurons was further defined as blocking NMDA-evoked inward current in the corresponding spontaneously active RVL neurons in vitro. The results indicate that acute ethanol intoxication markedly influences NMDA receptor activation and arterial chemoreflexes. The relevance of the type of action to clinical hypertension in chronic and heavy drinkers is discussed.
Predicting the position of the femoral head center

Abstract To find an accurate method to predict the position of the normal head center in severely deformed hips without a contralateral reference, we studied the relationships between the head center and dimensions of the normal proximal femur using cadaveric specimens. From a large anatomic collection, 32 cadaveric femora with neck-shaft angles ranging from 115° to 146° were selected. The two parameters with the greatest correlation with the height of the femoral head were the height of the neck isthmus ( r = .932) and the lowest point of neck saddle ( r = .790). Medial head offset was most strongly correlated with the offset of the neck isthmus ( r = .945) and the distance from the medullary axis to the outer borders of the medial cortex at the + 30% level ( r = .861). As a rule of thumb, the height of the head center can be predicted as the height of the midpoint of the neck isthmus plus 10 mm or as the height of the neck saddle with an accuracy of ±5.1 mm and ±8.3 mm. The offset of the head center can be predicted as the offset of the midpoint of the neck isthmus plus 15 mm or as the distance from the medullary axis to the medial cortex at the +30% level plus 15 mm with an accuracy of ±4.6 mm and ±6.3 mm.
Storage of mechanically peeled oranges and grapefruit

Abstract Oranges and grapefruit stored intact or mechanically peeled (albedo removed and cored) for up to 5 weeks at 0°C were evaluated regularly to determine if sensory differences were detectable. Additionally, affective testing was completed to assess the effect on hedonic response. Neither type of fruit showed consistent perceptible changes in texture or appearance. Flavor differences were observed. For grapefruit, flavor differences were detectable, and both preference and degree of liking were negatively affected beyond 20 days. Flavor differences between peeled and intact oranges were inconsistent. No significant preferences for intact oranges were found, although intact fruit was rated, on average, higher than peeled fruit. Results suggest that storage of peeled oranges and grapefruits up to 3 weeks at 0°C is commercially feasible. Longer storage (4–5 weeks) can be realized only with fruit of high initial quality and if good manufacturing practices are followed during the peeling and packaging steps.
Ligand-mediated modulation of estrogen receptor conformation by estradiol analogs

The studies presented here show how changing the structure of the ligand can affect the conformation of the receptor. Five different estradiol analogs have been tested for binding to the calf uterine estrogen receptor. In three of the analogs the phenolic hydroxyl group had been moved from the 3 to the 1, 2, or 4 position on the A-ring (1-hydroxyestratrien-17 beta-ol, 2-hydroxyestratrien-17 beta-ol, or 4-hydroxyestratrien-17 beta-ol). In the remaining two analogs either the A- or the D-ring hydroxyl group had been removed altogether (estratrien-17 beta-ol or 3-hydroxyestratriene). Competition binding assay showed that the relative binding affinity for the estrogen receptor had been weakened by all changes in the structure of the ligand. Furthermore, the ligands in which either the 3 beta- or the 17 beta-hydroxyl group was missing produced nonparallel slopes in the linear portions of the displacement curves compared to that of estradiol; the ligands in which the phenolic hydroxyl had simply been moved around the A-ring, however, did not. These observations implied that the receptor binding mechanism used by the monohydroxyl ligands was different from that of estradiol. Saturation binding analysis showed that while the presence of any of the dihydroxyl ligands or that of estratrien-17 beta-ol decreased the positive cooperativity of the [3H]estradiol-estrogen receptor interaction, the presence of the 3-hydroxyestratriene ligand increased it. These results suggest that both the binding mechanism and the affinity of the ligand for the receptor are exquisitely sensitive to the structure of the ligand.
Oxidative modification of rat sulfotransferase 1A1 activity in hepatic tissue slices correlates with effects on the purified enzyme.

Mammalian cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) catalyze the sulfation of xenobiotics as well as numerous endogenous molecules. The major aryl (phenol) SULT in rat liver, rSULT1A1, has been used extensively as a model enzyme for understanding the catalytic function of SULTs. Previous studies showed that purified rSULT1A1 displays significant catalytic changes in the presence of GSSG and other oxidants. In the present study, the effects of diamide [1,1′-azobis(N,N-dimethylformamide)] and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) on the activity of rSULT1A1 in rat hepatic slices were compared with the effects of these oxidants on a homogeneous preparation of the enzyme. Precision-cut hepatic slices were incubated with 10 μM 7-hydroxycoumarin (7-HC) in the presence of varied concentrations of either diamide or TBHP. Analysis of the 7-hydroxycoumarin sulfate released into the incubation medium indicated that both oxidants significantly increased the sulfation of 7-HC, and this occurred at optimal concentrations of 5 and 10 μM, respectively. Cellular GSH and GSSG levels in the hepatic slices were not significantly altered from control values at these concentrations of diamide and TBHP. Exposure of homogeneous rSULT1A1 to diamide or TBHP also increased the rate of sulfation of 7-HC, although the optimal concentrations of diamide and TBHP were lower (50- and 100-fold, respectively) than those required for effects with the hepatic slices. These results indicate that both diamide and TBHP may modify the rSULT1A1 in intact cells in a manner similar to that observed with the homogeneous purified enzyme.
Low stress creep behavior: An examination of Nabarro—Herring and Harper—Dorn creep

Abstract Under creep conditions of high homologous temperatures and low stresses, crystalline solids exhibit Newtonian viscous flow so that the steady-state strain rates vary linearly with the applied stress and deformation occurs by the Nabarro—Herring and/or Harper—Dorn mechanisms. The characteristics of these two processes are examined with reference to apparent discrepancies in the interpretation of experimental data. Three basic requirements are formulated which, if satisfied, will permit an unambiguous identification of the occurrence of Harper—Dorn creep.
Abstract 385: Potentiating MUC1 expression in human bronchial epithelial cells by cigarette smoke carcinogens through induction of TNF-α secretion from macrophages

Although an important role of inflammation in the development of lung cancer has been recognized, how inflammation promotes lung epithelial cell transformation and lung cancer development has not been well elucidated. Cigarette smoke (CS), the major cause of lung cancers, potently elicits chronic pulmonary inflammation. Our recent studies have found that CS significantly induces Muc1 (MUC1 for human and Muc1 for nonhuman species) expression in mouse bronchial epithelial cells and macrophages, and MUC1 facilitates Benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide (BPDE)-induced human lung epithelial cell transformation. In this study, we investigated the role of inflammatory cells in regulating CS carcinogen-induced MUC1 expression in bronchial epithelial cells. BPDE and N-Nitroso-N-methylurea (MNU), an active CS carcinogen and a mimic, strongly induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) secretion from human macrophages. The TNF-α induction was effectively blocked when ERK, JNK, and NF-κB were blocked, suggesting these pathways are involved in the induction of TNF-α from macrophages by BPDE and MNU. Interestingly, knockdown of MUC1 in macrophages suppressed BPDE- or MNU-induced TNF-α secretion, suggesting MUC1 plays a role in modulating carcinogen-induced and macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses. Conditioned media from BPDE- or MNU-treated macrophages potently induced MUC1 expression in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), which was inhibited by a TNF-α neutralizing antibody, suggesting that TNF-α derived from macrophages contributes to CS carcinogen-induced MUC1 expression in HBECs. Thus, our results establish a dual role of MUC1 in CS-induced and inflammation-associated lung cancer development: to facilitate TNF-α secretion from macrophages and to potentiate transformation of HBECs. Note: This work is supported by NIH/NIEHS grant 1R01ES017328. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 385. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-385
Estimate of the size of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 from a tidal breakup model

THE spectacular 'string-of-pearls' appearance of periodic comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (1993e) and its impending encounter with Jupiter's atmosphere have caused a flurry of speculation on the likely effects of the impact1. The magnitudes of the predicted effects depend critically on the masses of the fragments composing the chain, although these are currently poorly constrained. However, some limits on the comet's total size, and hence mass, can be obtained by considering its dynamical history. On its previous swing past Jupiter, the comet apparently passed within the Roche limit of the planet2,3, and it therefore seems likely that the present chain of about twenty nuclei was created when a single progenitor was split by tidal forces during closest approach. Here we describe a simple model of tidal splitting which is able to reproduce closely both the length of the observed chain and its position angle on the sky as a function of time. The length of the fragment chain is directly proportional to the size of the parent object, which we estimate to have been only about 2 km in diameter.
Optimisation of near-infrared reflectance model in measuring protein and amylose content of rice flour

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used to predict the cooking quality parameters of rice, such as the protein (PC) and amylose content (AC). Using brown and milled flours from 519 rice samples representing a wide range of grain qualities, this study was to compare the calibration models generated by different mathematical, preprocessing treatments, and combinations of different regression algorithm. A modified partial least squares model (MPLS) with the mathematic treatment "2, 8, 8, 2" (2nd order derivative computed based on 8 data points, and 8 and 2 data points in the 1st and 2nd smoothing, respectively) and inverse multiplicative scattering correction preprocessing treatment was identified as the best model for simultaneously measurement of PC and AC in brown flours. MPLS/"2, 8, 8, 2"/detrend preprocessing was identified as the best model for milled flours. The results indicated that NIRS could be useful in estimation of PC and AC of breeding lines in early generations of the breeding programs, and for the purposes of quality control in the food industry.
Hyperosmolar solution effects in guinea pig airways. IV. Lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations in airway reactivity and epithelial bioelectric responses to methacholine and hyperosmolarity.

We investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment (4 mg/kg i.p.) on guinea pig airway smooth muscle reactivity and epithelial bioelectric responses to methacholine (MCh) and hyperosmolarity. Hyperosmolar challenge of the epithelium releases epithelium-derived relaxing factor (EpDRF). Using a two-chamber, whole body plethysmograph 18 h post-treatment, animals treated with LPS were hyporeactive to inhaled MCh aerosol. This could involve an increase in the release and/or actions of EpDRF, because LPS treatment enhanced EpDRF-induced smooth muscle relaxation in vitro in the isolated perfused trachea apparatus. In isolated perfused tracheas the basal transepithelial potential difference (V t ) was increased after LPS treatment. The increase in V t was inhibited by amiloride and indomethacin. Concentration-response curves for changes in V t in response to serosally and mucosally applied MCh were biphasic (hyperpolarization, -7 M; depolarization, >3 ×10 -7 M); MCh was more potent when applied serosally. The hyperpolarization response to MCh, but not the depolarization response, was potentiated after LPS treatment. In both treatment groups, mucosally applied hyperosmolar solution (using added NaCl) depolarized the epithelium; this response was greater in tracheas from LPS-treated animals. The results of this study indicate that airway hyporeactivity in vivo after LPS treatment is accompanied by an increase in the release and/or actions of EpDRF in vitro. These changes may involve LPS-induced bioelectric alterations in the epithelium.
Geology and Age of the Wolf River Batholith, Wisconsin

The Wolf River Batholith is a large anorogenic plutonic complex in central and northeastern Wisconsin that is similar lithologically to the rapakivi massifs of Finland. Quartz monzonite, the most abundant rock type present, can be subdivided into three major lithologic units, one of which commonly has well-developed rapakivi texture. Other rock types include syenite, granite, quartz and feldspar porphyries, monzonite, and anorthosite; the anorthosite exists as totally isolated masses within the quartz monzonite and may or may not be genetically related to the main complex. Whole-rock Rb-Sr data yield an age of 1,468 ± 34 m.y., with initial Sr 87 /Sr 86 = 0.7048 ± 0.0017 (λ (Rb 87 ) = 1.39 × 10 −11 yr −1 ). U-Pb data from cogenetic zircon fractions define a concordia intercept age of 1,510 ± 15 m.y. for traditionally used values of the U 235 and U 238 half-lives or an age of 1,485 ± 15 m.y. based on recently redetermined values. Rb-Sr data also show that the syenite complex of the Wausau area is approximately, if not exactly, the same age as the Wolf River Batholith. The Wolf River Batholith is similar in age to other granites in southeastern Missouri and the southwestern United States and is apparently a representative of widespread anorogenic igneous activity that existed throughout the southern part of the North American continent 1,400 to 1,500 m.y. ago.
Comparison of Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase Levels in Pineal Glands of Normal, Blinded, and Congenitally Anophthalmic Guinea Pigs

The level of pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity was measured in normal sighted, normal blinded, and congenitally anophthalmic guinea pigs at 1100-1200 and 2300-2400 h. Significant day-night differences were found in the normal sighted and normal blinded guinea pigs; however, the levels were markedly elevated in the normal blinded guinea pigs. The congenitally anophthalmic guinea pigs did not demonstrate a difference between day and night activities. Both the day and night levels of hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activities in the latter animals were slightly less than the low daytime levels for the normal, sighted guinea pigs. (Endocrinology 97: 1595, 1975)
Pancreatic cancer in the USA: persistence of undertreatment and poor outcome.

Despite decades of research, consensus on optimal treatment for pancreatic cancer has not been reached and survival remains bleak. This study aimed to evaluate predictors of treatment and survival among patients treated in community settings. A sample of pancreatic cancer patients who were diagnosed in 2009 and reported to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program (n = 977) was included. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with therapy modality. Survival was examined using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression. All analyses were conducted stratified by tumor stage. Among stages I–II patients, 27 % received no treatment and only 47 % received surgery. Among these patients, no treatment was associated with older age, being a woman, not being married, lower income, and larger or unknown tumor size. Additionally, the type of adjuvant therapy received varied by tumor characteristics, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The most common therapies for stage III tumors were chemoradiation (40.8 %) and chemotherapy (21.9 %) alone. Half of stage IV patients received chemotherapy; chemotherapy was less common in patients who were older, in a minority race/ethnicity, and not married. Although treatment was associated with better prognosis, even among stages I–II patients who underwent surgery, a quarter succumbed to their disease within 17 months. A significant proportion of pancreatic cancer patients remain undertreated primarily due to nonclinical factors, including marital status. Further investigating what aspects of marriage are contributing to this association will provide a better understanding of pancreatic cancer treatment barriers.
Brown Norway Rat Asthma Model of Diphenylmethane-4,4′-Diisocyanate (MDI): Analysis of the Elicitation Dose-Response Relationship

The known human asthmagen polymeric diphenylmethane-diisocyanate (MDI) was investigated in the Brown Norway rat skin asthma model. Two types of dose-response relationships are addressed with the following focus: (1) does sensitization dose and surface area influence the subsequent elicitation response and (2) is the elicitation response more dependent on previous elicitation doses or more on skin sensitizing dose? These two aims are investigated in two elaborated experiments, using inflammatory (bronchoalveolar lavage, BAL) and physiologic (Penh) endpoints to characterize asthma-like responses in rats. Postchallenge measurements of Penh focused on responses delayed in onset. Inflammatory endpoints in BAL were performed one day after the fourth challenge. Both protocols utilized a dermal sensitization phase with two administrations on days 0 and 7 followed by four inhalation challenges with approximately 38 mg MDI/m(3) in intervals of 2 weeks. In the first protocol three groups of rats were topically dosed with 40, 10, and 2.5 mul of MDI per rat. Each dose group consisted of three subgroups with dosed surface areas of 3.1-12.6 cm(2), 0.8-3.1 cm(2), and 0.4-0.8 cm(2), respectively. In the second protocol groups of rats were topically dosed with 40 microl of MDI per rat followed by three challenges with 37 mg MDI/m(3). At the fourth challenge subgroups of rats were either challenged with 8, 18, or 39 mg MDI/m(3). Independent of the protocol used, response was characterized by increased influx of neutrophilic granulocytes in BAL and delayed respiratory response. All groups from the first study sensitized to and challenged with MDI elicited a distinct response relative to similarly challenged naive rats. A sensitization dose dependence of the elicitation response was not found. The second protocol revealed that the elicitation dose correlates with increased neutrophils in BAL and delayed-onset respiratory responses. In summary, these data suggest that the vigor of asthma-like responses appear to be more dependent on the inhalation elicitation dose of previously challenged rats rather than the dermal induction dose.