cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification and purification of a protein that binds DNA cooperatively with the yeast SWI5 protein.

Abstract The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SWI5 gene encodes a zinc finger protein required for the expression of the HO gene. A protein fusion between glutathione S-transferase and SWI5 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The GST-SWI5 fusion protein formed only a low-affinity complex in vitro with the HO promoter, which was inhibited by low concentrations of nonspecific DNA. This result was surprising, since genetic evidence demonstrated that SWI5 functions at the HO promoter via this site in vivo. A yeast factor, GRF10 (also known as PHO2 and BAS2), that promoted high-affinity binding of SWI5 in the presence of a large excess of nonspecific carrier DNA was purified. Final purification of the 83-kDa GRF10 protein was achieved by cooperative interaction-based DNA affinity chromatography. In vitro binding studies demonstrated that SWI5 and GRF10 bind DNA cooperatively. Methylation interference and missing-nucleoside studies demonstrated that the two proteins bind at adjacent sites, with each protein making unique DNA contacts. SWI5 and GRF10 interactions were not detected in the absence of DNA. The role of cooperative DNA binding in determining promoter specificity of eukaryotic transcription factors is discussed.
New mathematical implementation of generalized pharmacodynamic models: Method and clinical evaluation

A new method and experimental design are presented to unambiguously estimate the transduction function (Φ) and the conduction function (ψ) of the generalized pharmacodynamic model: E = Φ(ψ*r), when measured pharmacokinetic response r is (i) drug plasma concentration and (ii) drug input rate into the systemic circulation. Φ relates the observed pharmacologic effect E to the concentration at the effect site: ce = (ψ*r), ψ defines transfer of drug from plasma site to effect site or from input site to effect site, and * represents the convolution integral. The model functions ψ and Φ were expressed as cubic splines giving a very flexible description of those processes which is not biased by the structured assumptions of more conventional models, e.g., effect compartment models. The experimental design proposed addresses the problem of ambiguous identification of the model functions typical of these models; that is, there is more than one pair of very different functions describing the effect data collected after a single drug administration. We tested the hypothesis that the simultaneous fitting of at least two administrations allows the unambiguous identification of the model functions without the need for unlikely or cumbersome constraints. The performance of the mathematical implementation and the robustness of the methods with respect to measurement noise and possible failure of some assumptions, such as intraindividual variability, were tested by computer simulations. The method was then applied to the results of a clinical study of verapamil pharmacodynamics in 6 healthy subjects. Results of these studies demonstrated that the mathematical implementation does not introduce bias or artifact into the estimated functions and that the models and the proposed methods are suitable for application to clinical research. Two drug administrations were sufficient to unambiguously describe verapamil pharmacodynamics in the 6 human subjects studied.
Visfatin: A New Adipokine

Too much abdominal (visceral) fat increases an individual's risk of developing insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders. In a Perspective, [Hug and Lodish][1] discuss the unexpected finding that blood levels of a hormone produced by visceral fat, called visfatin, correlate with obesity ([ Fukuhara et al .][2]). Surprisingly, visfatin has beneficial, insulin-like activity and is able to bind to the insulin receptor, lowering blood glucose levels. The implications of this finding for diabetes research and therapy are discussed by the Perspective authors. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/307/5708/366 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/307/5708/426
Darboux transformations for the reduced wave equation and its parabolic approximation

The reduced wave equation with a variable wave speed and its parabolic approximation is considered. For each equation, a Darboux transformation is constructed. For the reduced wave equation, a Darboux transformation is obtained linking solutions to Laplace's equation. For the parabolic approximation equation, a transformation is obtained linking solutions to Schrodinger's equation. It is shown that these transformations exist for the same class of variable wave speed.
A relative ranking approach for nano-enabled applications to improve risk-based decision making: a case study of Army materiel

Assessing the health and environmental risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) continues to be a challenging endeavor. Due to extensive challenges related to applying traditional risk assessment frameworks to ENMs, decision making regarding the use of ENMs in products and applications may need to rely on structured decision support tools such as risk ranking approaches. This study examines the use of one risk ranking tool that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative information regarding the potential human health risks of ENMs, focused primarily on worker and soldier health. Using a case study involving Army materiel (i.e., equipment), a relative risk ranking algorithm is proposed that accounts for not only the physicochemical characteristics of the ENMs, but also the characteristics of the Army materiel. In this way, the resulting risk potential for soldiers and workers is not solely based on the inherent characteristics of the ENMs but is also influenced within the context of the technology being developed. Among other important findings, the results from applying this risk ranking algorithm in this case study suggest that inhalation from accidental exposures to carbon nanotubes and copper flakes incorporated into energy and obscurant materiel by Army workers rank highest relative to the other items evaluated in this baseline assessment. As the presence of data gaps was one of the greatest challenges to applying this risk ranking algorithm, future applications may benefit from reliance on a continually revised database that may be updated in real time and possibly synced with publically available databases in order to use the most current and comprehensive set(s) of data available.
Extraction of energy and charge from a black hole

Misner has shown that in the scattering of massless wave fields by a Kerr black hole, certain modes are amplified at the expense of the rotational energy of the hole. We show here that the existence of this effect can be deduced from simple considerations based on Hawking's theorem that the area of a black hole can never decrease; no detailed examination of the wave equations is necessary. This new approach also reveals the existence of an analog of the Misner process in which a charged wave field is amplified upon being scattered by a charged black hole with consequent extraction of charge and Coulomb energy from the hole. Additional byproducts of this approach are a concise demonstration of the existence of a spin-spin force between a Kerr black hole and a nearby spinning particle, examples of the transcendence of the conservation laws for baryon and lepton numbers, and an example of a quantum violation of Hawking's theorem. The origin of this violation is discussed.
Reversibility of the Early Stages of Idiopathic Macular Holes

Three patients had a history of unilateral acute visual loss accompanied by clinical and fluorescein angiographic findings compatible with foveal sensory retinal detachment secondary to vitreofoveal traction. The reversibility of this early stage of idiopathic macular hole formation in all three eyes was associated with spontaneous release of vitreofoveal traction and with improvement in visual acuity. A localized detachment of the vitreous from the sensory retina in the macula with an associated vitreous condensation overlying the macula was evident in all three cases.
Collisional quenching of 2 3 P and 2 4 P states in 33-MeV two- and three-electron Mg ions

The spectra of Mg K..cap alpha.. x rays, emitted in collisions of 33-MeV Mg ions with noble-gas atoms, have been measured using a curved-crystal spectrometer. Quenching of the metastable 1s2p /sup 3/P state of He-like Mg and the 1s2l2p /sup 4/P states of Li-like Mg caused the intensities of x rays from these states to decrease, relative to the intensities of x rays from the promptly decaying /sup 1/P and /sup 2/P states as the gas pressure increased. Quenching cross sections were determined by fitting the observed pressure dependence of the x-ray intensity ratios to a function derived from the rate equation for the production and decay of these states, with additional terms to account for contributions from prompt spectator-electron transitions. The quenching cross sections for the /sup 3/P state compare favorably with outer-shell electron-capture cross sections estimated from semiempirical scaling rules and recoil time-of-flight measurements.
The Present Status of Dense (Supercritical) Gas Extraction and Dense Gas Chromatography: Impetus for DGC/MS Development

Abstract Dense (supercritical) gas chromatography and the related rapidly growing field of dense gas extraction are reviewed and an extensive compilation detailing the dense gas systems (solvent gases, solutes, temperatures, pressures) that have been studied is presented. Furthermore, dense gas chromatography is compared to both gas and high performance liquid chromatographies with emphasis on mass spectrometric detection in all three. “It is concluded that a dense gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer, a new instrument, is both a complement to existing techniques and a timely development for use with dense (supercritical) gas systems.”
Hierarchical models of thin elastic structures : Overview and recent advances in error estimation and adaptivity

Abstract In the numerical approximation of hierarchical models of thin bodies, there are two separate contributions to the total error: (a) modeling error is the error due to dimensional reduction, and (b) discretization error is the error due to the numerical approximation. Traditionally, estimation of these errors has been performed in terms of abstract quantities like the global energy norm, which does not give a clear representation of the error in the local features of the solution. Recently, a new class of finite element error estimation techniques has emerged wherein errors in a simulation are measured not in norms but in quantities of interest to the analyst. Following a brief overview of the literature, we focus on extending the theory of a posteriori estimation of the modeling error to local quantities of interest that have physical meaning. Independent estimates are obtained for the modeling and discretization errors in quantities of interest. These local estimates are used to develop goal-oriented adaptive modeling strategies in which the model is automatically adapted by controlling the two errors independently and effectively to obtain local quantities of interest to within a preset level of accuracy. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the error estimates and the adaptive strategy.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Autoimmune Disease: Facts and Conjectures

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood component comprised of five identical subunits with a combined molecular mass of 110 kDa; in the presence of Ca++ it binds phosphocholine (PC) with high affinity. Ligand-bound CRP activates complement and the protein reportedly binds various Fc receptors. Coincident with a now decade-long resurgence in clinical interest in associations of CRP with disease, our laboratory has been investigating the biology of CRP in vivo using human CRP transgenic mice (CRPtg). At that time we confirmed that CRP affects a host defense function mediated at least in part through the elimination of pathogens. Less appreciated and not as well understood as CRP's ability to bind antigen and aid in the elimination of microbes, is its known ability to bind autoantigens and presumed capacity to promote clearance of apoptotic cells. These latter properties of CRP have long been suspected to contribute to homeostasis and to autoimmune disease. In this article we review and update the evidence generated in CRPtg by our group and in vitro by others' that indicates CRP is more than just an antimicrobial molecule and convenient marker of inflammation-rather, it protects against autoimmunity. A mechanistic hypothesis is presented to account for this cause-and-effect relationship.
Growth of critically branched chains on a Cayley tree

Abstract Percolation clusters can be grown by a certain branching random walk. This growth process, due to Alexandrowicz, is studied on a Cayley tree. The critical slowing down is determined exactly and agrees with his numerical results in high dimension.
Masquerade Performance and the Play of Sexual Identity in Calypso

This article examines the constitutive nature of Caribbean popular culture, specifically calypso performance, in postnational and postindependence identity formation. It seeks to contribute to rese...
Mobility of Yeast Mitochondrial Group II Introns: Engineering a New Site Specificity and Retrohoming via Full Reverse Splicing

The mobile group II introns aI1 and aI2 of yeast mtDNA encode endonuclease activities that cleave intronless DNA target sites to initiate mobility by target DNA-primed reverse transcription. For aI2, sense-strand cleavage occurs mainly by a partial reverse splicing reaction, whereas for aI1, complete reverse splicing occurs, leading to insertion of the linear intron RNA into double-stranded DNA. Here, we show that aI1 homing and reverse splicing depend on the EBS1 (RNA)/IBS1(DNA) pairing and that target specificity can be changed by compensatory changes in the target site and the donor intron. Using well-marked strains to follow coconversion of flanking DNA, we show that homing occurs by both RT-dependent and -independent pathways. Remarkably, in most RT-dependent events, the reverse spliced intron is the initial template for first-strand cDNA synthesis.
HOST FACTORS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF PNEUMOCOCCUS PNEUMONIA : I. THE REACTION OF THE LUNGS TO PNEUMOCOCCUS AUTOLYSATE IN SENSITIZED RABBITS.

The present study was undertaken in order to determine whether animals exhibiting cutaneous hypersensitiveness to pneumococcus would show an acute inflammatory reaction in the lungs when pneumococcus autolysate was brought into contact with the pulmonary tissues and, if so, whether the pulmonary reaction might be shown to be due to the allergic state of the animal, rather than to intrinsic properties of the autolysate. Twenty young rabbits were sensitized to pneumococcus by various procedures and their degree of hypersensitiveness determined at frequent intervals over varying periods of time by means of intracutaneous injections of pneumococcus autolysate standardized on the basis of nitrogen content and so treated as to be devoid of the known toxic principles. Twenty-four hours after the last skin test each rabbit was injected intratracheally with the same pneumococcus autolysate. Seven non-sensitive controls were similarly injected intratracheally. Twenty-four hours after intratracheal injection the rabbits were killed. The lungs were removed, a portion was cultured, and the rest was examined histologically. Of the twenty sensitized rabbits, three that showed no cutaneous sensitivity and three that were only slightly skin-sensitive at the time of intratracheal injection exhibited no detectable pulmonary reaction to the autolysate; eleven of fourteen that showed moderate to extreme cutaneous hypersensitiveness were found to have an acute exudative inflammation of the lungs. The exudate consisted largely of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and serum. It varied in extent from a slight focal exudate lining the bronchioles and adjacent alveoli to a very marked diffuse involvement of considerable portions of the lung. In all but one of the eleven the cultures of the lungs were sterile. The single animal showing a positive culture (B. lepisepticum) has been excluded. None of the seven non-sensitive controls showed any pulmonary reaction to the autolysate. From these results it may be concluded that there is in rabbits a fairly close parallelism between cutaneous and pulmonary hypersensitiveness to pneumococcus autolysate and that the inflammatory response of the pulmonary tissue resulting from contact with the autolysate depends upon the allergic state of the animal rather than upon inherently injurious substances in the autolysate. The observations are in harmony with the theory that allergy may play a part in the pathogenesis of pneumococcus pneumonia in man.
Surface Analysis by SNMS: Femtosecond Laser Postionization of Sputtered and Laser Desorbed Atoms

The photoionization efficiency of secondary neutral atoms from metal surfaces has been investigated by very intense (∽1014 W cm-2) and short-pulsed (∽200 fs) 248 nm laser radiation. Surface erosion of the samples was performed by Ar+ ion sputtering and by laser desorption (LD) from an N2 gas laser. Five polycrystalline samples (Al, Cu, Zr, In and Au) have been analyzed with respect to their ionization efficiency and LD yields. In order to estimate the desorption yield, we determined the useful yield of our time-of-flight (ToF) mass spectrometer by ion sputtering, followed by laser postionization with 193 nm radiation from an ArF excimer laser. The applied femtosecond pulse, high-intensity 248 nm laser radiation has been found to be an excellent source of non-selective photoionization. For each material in this study a large fraction of doubly ionized atoms was observed; the measurements on Au have also shown triply ionized atoms. For some spectra, the number of doubly ionized atoms was even higher than for singly ionized atoms. We have estimated that the useful yields for LD are significantly higher than the values observed in ion sputtering.
Pulmonary function in ambulatory asthmatics

Abstract Sixty-one ambulatory and working asthmatic out-patients were studied at a time when they were free of acute exacerbation of their disease. Only one patient had entirely normal function and only seven patients had their function returned completely to normal by the administration of bronchodilator. These patients had the mildest impairment both in degree and number of abnormal functions. Their per cent improvement was no different than that of the other patients. Of the plethysmographic and spirometric functions tested, the maximal mid-expiratory flow was abnormal in the highest percentage of cases both before and after bronchodilator. On the other hand the percentage of subjects improving and returning to normal was highest for airway conductance and specific conductance. On the average the diffusing capacity was normal and there was no tendency for it to deteriorate with duration of disease. Likewise, there was no tendency for the other function tests to worsen with the duration of the asthma.
Liver glycogen and water storage: effect on ultrasound attenuation

Glycogen has been shown in vitro to have a high specific absorption coefficient (ultrasound absorption in water per concentration) compared to other proteins. Depending on the amount of water which may accompany glycogen flux into and out of liver cells, the ultrasound attenuation coefficient of the liver may rise and fall with stored hepatic glycogen. This paper reports ex vivo studies on rats and in vivo studies on normal human volunteers before and after fasting. The results show a statistically significant difference in liver attenuation between well fed and fasted individuals. Generally, the attenuation difference is greater than 10%, and indicates that liver wet weight may not be strictly constant over glycogen storage cycles, as suggested in classic works. In contrast, no significant change in ultrasound backscatter is noted. The results point to the possible role of ultrasound attenuation measurements as a sensitive indicator of tissue physiology, and suggest that glycogen (feeding or fasting) must be controlled in tissue characterization experiments which compare liver attenuation coefficients of individuals and groups.
Upper extremity skeletal muscle mass: Potential of measurement with single frequency bioimpedance analysis

This study examined the potential of single frequency (50 kHz) BIA for estimation of upper extremity skeletal muscle (SM) mass. Subjects (n = 50) were weight stable adults varying in age (X +/- SD, 51.6 +/- 17 yr) and body mass index (27.2 +/- 5.9 kg/m2). Determinants of arm to arm impedance index (length L; L2/Z) were examined using multiple regression analysis. A good correlation was observed between L2/Z and arm SM estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). Additional significant model covariates were arm fat mass (p < 0.05), bone mass (p < 0.01), and age (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that upper extremity SM may be rapidly and easily quantified using a simple and inexpensive BIA system combined with appropriate age-adjusted impedance prediction equations.
Simulations of the solvent structure for macromolecules. II. Structure of water solvating Na+-B-DNA at 300 K and a model for conformational transitions induced by solvent variations

The structure of water and its interaction energy with a fragment of B-DNA composed of 12 base pairs and of the corresponding 24 sugar and 22 phosphate units and Na+ ions (one at each phosphate group) are analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations. The sample of water molecules, at the simulated temperature of 300 K, is composed of 447 water molecules. The results are discussed either in terms of statistical analyses over the 2,000,000 simulated conformations (after equilibration) or with reference to an “average configuration.” Comparison is made to a simulation previously presented for the same system but without counterions. Isotherm at different relative humidity, hydration, and reactivity scales for different sites, the hydration number at each site, the structure of intraphosphate and interphosphate hydrogen-bonded filaments of water are reported and discussed. The stabilization of the B-conformation induced by the solvent with counterion (“ion-induced compression effect”) is analyzed on the base of the above findings. A preliminary model to predict conformational transition in DNA is presented. The analyses reported are very detailed to allow refined interpretations of spectroscopic (infrared, Raman, and nmr) and scattering (x-ray and neutron beam) data on DNA insolution.
Algebraic reduction of beams for CAD-integrated analysis

Beams are high aspect ratio structural members that are used extensively in civil, automotive, aerospace, and MEMS applications. In all such applications, one must typically analyze and optimize the beams through computer simulations. Standard 3D finite element analysis (FEA) of beams can be used in such simulations; it is however prone to errors, and is computationally expensive for thin structures. Therefore, a common strategy is to carry out a dimensionally reduced 1D beam analysis. Unfortunately, 1D beam analysis is hard to automate and integrate with 3D CAD. In this paper, we propose an alternate ''algebraic reduction'' method that combines the generality of 3D FEA, and the computational efficiency of 1D beam analysis. This is achieved via a dual-representation framework where the geometry of the beam is captured via a 3D finite element mesh, while the physics is captured via a 1D beam model. The proposed method is formally established, and supported through numerical experiments.
Intracellular and Extracellular Redox Status and Free Radical Generation in Primary Immune Cells from Children with Autism

The modulation of the redox microenvironment is an important regulator of immune cell activation and proliferation. To investigate immune cell redox status in autism we quantified the intracellular glutathione redox couple (GSH/GSSG) in resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), activated monocytes and CD4 T cells and the extracellular cysteine/cystine redox couple in the plasma from 43 children with autism and 41 age-matched control children. Resting PBMCs and activated monocytes from children with autism exhibited significantly higher oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and percent oxidized glutathione equivalents and decreased glutathione redox status (GSH/GSSG). In activated CD4 T cells from children with autism, the percent oxidized glutathione equivalents were similarly increased, and GSH and GSH/GSSG were decreased. In the plasma, both glutathione and cysteine redox ratios were decreased in autistic compared to control children. Consistent with decreased intracellular and extracellular redox status, generation of free radicals was significantly elevated in lymphocytes from the autistic children. These data indicate primary immune cells from autistic children have a more oxidized intracellular and extracellular microenvironment and a deficit in glutathione-mediated redox/antioxidant capacity compared to control children. These results suggest that the loss of glutathione redox homeostasis and chronic oxidative stress may contribute to immune dysregulation in autism.
Transport Phenomena and Keyhole Dynamics during Pulsed Laser Welding

Numerical and experimental studies were conducted to investigate the heat transfer, fluid flow, and keyhole dynamics during a pulsed keyhole laser welding. A comprehensive mathematical model has been developed. In the model, the continuum formulation was used to handle solid phase, liquid phase, and mushy zone during melting and solidification processes. The volume-of-fluid method was employed to handle free surfaces. The enthalpy method was used for latent heat. Laser absorptions (Inverse Bremsstrahlung and Fresnel absorption) and thermal radiation by the plasma in the keyhole were all considered in the model. The results show that the recoil pressure is the main driving force for keyhole formation. Combining with the Marangoni shear force, hydrodynamic force, and hydrostatic force, it causes very complicated melt flow in the weld pool. Laser-induced plasma plays twofold roles in the process: (1) to facilitate the keyhole formation at the initial stage and (2) to block the laser energy and prevent the keyhole from deepening when the keyhole reaches a certain depth. The calculated temperature distributions, penetration depth, weld bead size, and geometry agreed well with the corresponding experimental data. The good agreement demonstrates that the model lays a solid foundation for the future study of porosity prevention in keyhole laser welding. DOI: 10.1115/1.2194043
Capital-based regulation, portfolio risk and capital determination: Empirical evidence from the US property–liability insurers

Abstract This paper examines the impact of capital-based regulation on the insurer’s risk and capital adjustments in the US property–liability insurance industry. We conduct the three-stage least squares (3SLS) procedure to estimate a simultaneous equations model. The key finding is that undercapitalized insurers increase capital to avoid regulatory costs and take more risks to generate higher returns. We also investigate firm characteristics that determine the insurer’s capital structure. The results indicate that insurers appear to rely heavily on retained earnings to make up their capital shortage and insurers with greater growth opportunity may hold high levels of capital to control for agency problems. Robustness tests with an alternative risk measure and subsamples present consistent results.
Quantitative model for epitaxial-transistor collector characteristics

A 1-dimensional transistor model is presented which characterises the variation of collector resistance with two parameters. The mode assumes that lifetime varies inversely with injection level. Calculated collector characteristics and hFE against collector-current curves are compared with experimental results.
Synthesis and Evaluation of a Boronated Nitroimidazole for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

We postulated that nitroimidazoles, previously used for radiosensitizing solid tumors, may be interesting templates as carriers of 10B for boron neutron capture therapy. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized a 10B-enriched nitroimidazole, 1-2[(undecahydro-closo-dodecaborato)thio]ethyl]-2- methyl-5-nitroimidazole (imidocaptate), by coupling the Cs salt of BSH (Cs2-10B12H11SH) with 1-(2-bromoethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole followed by purification of the adduct. Imidocaptate was taken up by V-79 cells in culture and showed no inherent toxicity under euoxic conditions up to 1.05 mM (126 micrograms of 10B/mL of culture medium). Imidocaptate showed a dose-dependent decrease in D0 when the treated cells were irradiated with a thermal neutron beam. At the highest dose tested (126 micrograms of 10B/mL of culture medium), the ratio of control to sample D0 values was 2.6 for both linear quadratic and single-hit multitarget models. At 33 micrograms of 10B/mL, imidocaptate showed a control/treated D0 ration (1.5) equal to that observed with the disulfide form of BSH at 28 micrograms of 10B/mL. Compared to BSH and its disulfide, the reduced toxicity and equipotency of imidocaptate suggest that this agent may be useful for boron neutron capture therapy of cancer.
Control of metallation and active cofactor assembly in the class Ia and Ib ribonucleotide reductases: diiron or dimanganese?

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) convert nucleotides to deoxynucleotides in all organisms. Activity of the class Ia and Ib RNRs requires a stable tyrosyl radical (Y ), which can be generated by the reaction of O2 with a diferrous cluster on the β subunit to form active diferric-Y cofactor. Recent experiments have demonstrated, however, that in vivo the class Ib RNR contains an active dimanganese(III)-Y cofactor. The similar metal binding sites of the class Ia and Ib RNRs, their ability to bind both MnII and FeII, and the activity of the class Ib RNR with both diferric-Y and dimanganese(III)-Y cofactors raise the intriguing question of how the cell prevents mismetallation of these essential enzymes. The presence of the class Ib RNR in numerous pathogenic bacteria also highlights the importance of manganese for these organisms’ growth and virulence.
Conservation NGOs in Madang, Papua New Guinea: Understanding Community and Donor Expectations

This article presents a case study from Madang, Papua New Guinea, to illustrate how the priorities of an international environmental nongovernmental organization (NGO) aligned with donor expectations and diverged from the expressed conservation preferences of local residents for management and enforcement. Analysis of data from semistructured interviews with local residents in three villages identified three local community expectations of a Madang NGO: serving as an alternative to the state; providing material resources; and sustaining long-term relationships. Using a political ecology lens, this study illustrates a mismatch between what the NGO does and the expectations and preferences of local residents. Examining this divergence is critical in understanding how NGOs prioritize certain activities over others and what such choices mean for biodiversity conservation. This article provides evidence that some international NGOs prioritize donor goals above local community expectations, implementing conserv...
The effects of ad libitum fluid ingestion on fluid balance during alpine skiing in recreational skiers

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ad libitum water ingestion, using a back-mounted hydration system (BMHS), on fluid balance during alpine skiing. Fourteen skiers skied on two different days. On one day, seven skiers ingested water during skiing via the BMHS and the other seven skiers refrained from fluid ingestion during skiing until the midday break (NW trial). On the second day, the trials were reversed. Results indicated that when skiers used the BMHS they drank significantly more water than during the NW trials (2.0 ± 0.9 vs. 0.78 ± 0.4 litres). However, skiers drank significantly more at the midday break during the NW trials than during the BMHS trials (0.78 ± 0.4 vs. 0.4 ± 0.2 litres). Percent change in plasma volume was less during the BMHS trials than during the NW trials (−0.1 ± 5.3 vs. −4.9 ± 5.2%), urine osmolality was maintained in the BMHS trials but rose from 295 ± 80 to 818 ± 168 mOsm · kg−1 at midday during the NW trials, and body mass loss was minimized during...
Dual-passive mode-locking of a high-power,TEM/sub 00/-mode, Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser

The novel combination of a saturable Bragg mirror (amplitude modulation) and a weak second-harmonic nonlinear mirror (phase locker) generates very stable 10-30 ps pulses at 76 MHz from a 7 W, TEM/sub 00/-mode, shaped, diode-pumped, Brewster Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser.
Determination of molecular ordering at a buried interface and the effect of interfacial ordering on thin film crystallization by second harmonic generation.

It is demonstrated that by using optical second harmonic generation the orientation and alignment of molecules in the interfacial layer between two solids, a thin solid molecular film and a metal substrate, can be determined. The pyridine molecules in the interfacial layer underneath the film are found to align along the [110] direction of the Ag(110) surface with a small tilt angle (∼11°) from the surface normal. This interfacial ordering is found to have a notable effect in inducing crystallization at the heterogeneous boundary of the amorphous molecular film.
Emerging therapies for postmenopausal vaginal atrophy

Symptoms related to vaginal atrophy are a significant problem for postmenopausal women and estrogen has been the gold standard for its treatment. A number of recent reviews of vaginal estrogen products are available. This review will, therefore, focus on other products and potential products for this indication, including the tissue selective estrogen complex and selective estrogen receptor modulators. Additionally, lesser-studied approaches will be discussed.
Time Resolved Magneto-Optical Imaging in High Frequency AC Currents of YBa2Cu3O7-&[delta] Thin Films

We present a time-resolved magneto-optical (MO) imaging study of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) in high-frequency alternating current (AC) regime. The evolution of the magnetic flux density distribution in YBa2Cu3O7-d (YBCO) thin film samples is studied in small steps of the phase of the applied AC current. The flux distribution at 10 K exhibits instabilities including flux jumps and flux creep. A quantitative analysis of the data allows us to obtain the current density evolution. The current profile changes considerably with the phase differently from the prediction of the critical state model. These observations can be explained by the higher self-field at the sample edge and the effects of flux creep.
Surgical procedures and lymphedema of the upper and lower extremity.

Background Lymphedema occurs in the upper and lower extremity, in a minority of patients, following axillary and groin dissections, respectively. Several technical operative factors have been implicated through the years whose relative significance remains unknown. Methods Retrospective review of the author's personal experience with axillary and groin dissections and review of the articles and results written on the author's series of patients. The results, specifically lymphedema, are reported in relation to components of each surgical procedure and the presence or absence of additional surgical procedures, e.g., wide excision of the primary site when performed in the distal leg. Results In the axilla, skeletonization of the axillary vein, dissection up to and including Level III nodes, removal of the fat and nodes above the level of the axillary vein (exposing the brachial plexus), removal of pectoralis minor and all the axillary fat, exposing thus serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi and subscapularis are all technical components which do not cause lymphedema. It seems excessively thin flaps in axillary dissections may be the most likely cause for upper extremity lymphedema. The incidence of upper extremity lymphedema, in our experience, after axillary dissection is low (2%). For the lower extremity, skeletonization of the femoral and iliac vessels, in continuity dissection of the femoral and deep nodes (iliac and obturator), do not cause in themselves lymphedema (which occurs in 30% of the patients). The incidence of lymphedema increases with making thin flaps, with wide resection of a primary melanoma below the knee, postoperative incidence of cellulites, failure to follow a prophylactic regimen of leg elevation and compression stockings, and obesity. Conclusions Lymphedema in the upper and lower extremity may be caused by making thin flaps during node dissection, the additional wide excision of primary sites in the distal half of the extremity, postoperative cellulitis, and failure to follow an antilymphedema regimen. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;93: 87–91. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Guiding Principles for Teaching Multicultural Literature

When using multicultural literature in the classroom, teachers should Check the text's authenticity Help learners understand the characters' world Encouage children to see the world through the characters' perspectives Identify values underlying the characters' conflict resolution strategies Relate self to the text and critique the portrayal of characters in the text and in popular media Use variants of the same story or collection of stories to help students to build schema Encouage students to talk, write, and respond throughout reading the multicultural texts The author reports a study in a fourth-grade classroom in which these principles were applied in teaching four variants of the Mulan story and watching Walt Disney's Mulan video. Data included videotaped records of instructional sessions, transcripts of the sessions, field notes, teacher journals, student journals, and student projects. After a three-week instructional unit, students demonstrated critical understanding, empathetic understanding, and conceptual understanding of the texts. Teachers of children and young adolescents can apply these principles to teaching other multicultural literature selections.
On the relative behavior of estimators of the characteristic life in the exponential failure model

Based on a decomposition of mean relative error, a twofold method is introduced which allows for the pairwise comparison ofseveral point estimators of the scale parameter (characteristic life) in an exponential failure model. For two competing esti-mators the technique examines (a) the odds in favor of one of the estimators being closer to the true value than is the other and (b) each estimator’s average closeness to the true value not only when it is closer than is the other but also when it is not. Joint consideration of these concepts is shown to form a basis for determining which of the two estimators is preferred in a given situation.
A non-contacting sensor to measure the stress wave generated magnetic field in bone: A preliminary study

Bone is piezoelectric in nature and therefore capable of transforming mechanical stress into an electric charge. These moving charged particles produce a magnetic field. A magnetic sensor may be able to detect this field and thus may provide a measure of the stress wave amplitude in the bone. Such a sensor can potentially measure the properties of bone in-vivo.
Gunther of Pairis and the Historia Constantinopolitana

Cette "Histoire" du cistercien de Pairis (Alsace) est une oeuvre litteraire et doctrinale qui ne se soucie pas de la realite des faits (Quatrieme Croisade).
Three dimensional nanoporous density graded materials formed by optical exposures through conformable phase masks

Control of spectral bandwidth, illumination angle, and degree of collimation of light passing through a conformable phase mask provides an experimentally simple route to nanostructured materials with well defined depth gradients in density (i.e., porosity). In this approach, the illumination conditions define spatial variations in visibility of the distributions of intensity. Exposure of photopolymers to these intensity distributions generates, after developing, solid structures with geometries that compare well with expectation based on modeling of the optics. A range of structures is demonstrated, some of which have potential applications ranging from targets for laser fusion to vehicles for controlled release of chemicals.
Studies of the molecular anatomy of the L-M cell strain of equine herpes virus type 1: Proteins of the nucleocapsid and intact virion

Abstract The structural components of purified enveloped virions and of purified nucleocapsids of the tissue culture strain (L-M cell) of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1L) were analyzed by discontinuous sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacryalmide gel electrophoresis. Enveloped virions were comprised of 28 structural proteins of average molecular weights ranging from 270,000 to 16,000. Twelve of the proteins exhibited molecular weights of greater than 100,000, and six of these were above 200,000. Utilizing radioactively labeled compounds ( 3 H-glucosamine and 3 H-choline), four glycoproteins, four lipoproteins, and nine glycolipoproteins were shown to be present in the virions. Purified nucleocapsids, isolated from nuclear extracts of infected L-M cells, contained five major structural proteins with average molecular weights of 148,000, 59,000, 46,000, 36,000, and 18,000. These five proteins comprised greater than 96% of total nucleocapsid protein, on the basis of radioactivity. The 148,000 MW protein (VP 9) accounted for approximately 65% of the total nucleocapsid protein and was the major structural protein of both nucleocapsids and intact virions. None of these proteins corresponded to glycoproteins or lipoproteins present in enveloped virions, indicating that glycoproteins and lipoproteins are components of the envelope. The remaining 4% consisted of eight structural proteins ranging from 140,000 to 30,000 MW and were judged to be minor structural components, reproducibly present in all preparations of nucleocapsids.
57Fe Mössbauer spectrometry and thermogravimetry of the high-Tc superconductor HoBa2(Cu0.95Fe0.05)3O7.02

Abstract The high- T c superconductor HoBa 2 (Cu 0.95 Fe 0.05 ) 3 O 7.02 was studied by thermogravimetry and Mossbauer spectrometry. The oxygen stoichiometry of the Mossbauer sample as determined by reduction with a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen was 7.02±0.01. The quadrupole splitting, isomer shift, line width, maximum resonance absorption, relative intensity, and | V zz (1+η 2 /3) 1 2 | associated with the 6-doublet and 7-doublet fits are reported. The Fe valence state associated with the doublet with the smallest quadrupole splitting (and largest positive isomer shift) is high spin ferric. The valence state associated with the remaining doublets, corresponding to 90% of the substituted Fe, is best described as high spin Fe with a formal charge of +4, the so-called “high spin Fe 4+ ” state. The number of non-equivalent Fe sites is most likely six. The possibility of a seventh site is not ruled out; the possibility of eight or more sites is. The quadrupole splittings, isomer shifts, and line widths of the high spin Fe 4+ doublets are strongly correlated suggesting that relaxation effects may be operative.
Barium bis (β-Diketonate)•tetraglyme Complexes as Potential CVD Precursors for Electronic Materials

MOCVD, one preferred technique of the present electronics industry, has not yet emerged as the thin film method of choice for group 2 element containing materials due to the demonstrable shortcomings of the available source compounds. Most specifically, the challenge presented by the group 2 element charge/ionic radius ratio must be overcome to meet the vapor pressure requirements for CVD. To date, development of group 2 precursors suitable for MOCVD has focused mainly on the use of substituted acetylacetonate (acac) complexes. Earlier, several series of somewhat volatile precursors were developed by the use of acetylacetonate complexes containing fluorinated sidegroups. These precursors, while elegantly designed for the thermal deposition of BaF2, are not ideal for the preparation of oxide thin films. This arises from their propensity to initially form MF2, which must be reacted further in situ, or in a post-deposition treatment to yield the ultimately sought metal oxide. It is of interest, therefore, to develop stable, volatile precursors lacking fluorinated ligands.
Negative incidental affect and mood congruency in crossed categorization

Examined the effects of incidental sadness and anger on affiliative responses to crossed categorization targets. Affect manipulations included an anger-provoking frustration (Study 1), a sad film clip (Study 2), and autobiographical essays about sad or anger-provoking topics (Studies 3 and 4). By comparison with a neutral mood, anger (Study 1) reduced affiliative tendencies toward persons possessing an out-group membership but not toward those possessing only in-group memberships. Study 2 showed a similar pattern for sadness. Studies 3 and 4 replicated these effects in designs including both types of negative mood. Meta-analytic integration showed the pattern of greater rejection of targets with an out-group membership to be stronger under anger than sadness. Study 4 also showed that despite yielding a consistent pattern for affiliation, sadness and anger differentially elicited aggressive tendencies toward the same targets.
Nicotinamide as a precursor for NAD+ prevents apoptosis in the mouse brain induced by tertiary-butylhydroperoxide

The vitamin nicotinamide can protect against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in the brain when used as a precursor for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The intracerebroventricular administration of tertiary-butylhydroperoxide (t-buOOH) to mice was used to simulate physiologic oxidative stress and apoptosis which may occur in some neurodegenerative conditions. t-buOOH produced characteristic apoptotic nuclear degeneration in neurons with extensive fragmentation of DNA. In this report we show that the elevation of NAD+ by nicotinamide prevents DNA fragmentation during apoptosis or necrosis in the brain as stimulated by t-buOOH administration. NAD+ levels can be increased by 50% in the brain. This may prevent the critical depletion of NAD+ by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and provide additional substrate during the repair of DNA. Nicotinamide may be of particular interest in the treatment of neurodegeneration.
A new equation describing travelling water waves

A new single equation for the surface elevation of a travelling water wave in an incompressible, inviscid, irrotational fluid is derived. This new equation is derived without approximation from Euler’s equations, valid for both a one- and two-dimensional travelling-wave surface. We show that this new formulation can be used to efficiently derive higher-order Stokes-wave approximations, and pose that this new formulation provides a useful framework for further investigation of travelling water waves.
Short wavelength SASE using the PALADIN wiggler

Abstract We consider linac-driven SASE (Stimulated Amplification of Spontaneous Emission) XUV/X-ray FELs using the Duke linac and the PALADIN wiggler. SASE design studies using this equipment are described based on the non-wiggler-averaged FEL simulation code MEDUSA. We have identified a new Collective Compton Regime in which AC space charge is unimportant but the DC self-fields of the beam are important.