cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of thiol modification and Ca++ on agonist-specific state transitions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica electroplax.

Abstract The agonist binding affinity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) from Torpedo californica electroplax, as inferred from ability of agonist to inhibit specific curaremimetic neurotoxin binding to nAChR, is sensitive to the duration of exposure to agonist. The concentration of carbachol necessary to prevent one-half of toxin binding over a 30 min incubation with nAChR (K30) is 10 μM when toxin and carbachol are simultaneously added to membrane-bound nAChR, and 3 μM when nAChR are pretreated with carbachol for 30 min prior to the addition of toxin. These alterations in agonist affinity may be mimicked by modification of nAChR thiol groups. Affinity of nAChR for carbachol is decreased following treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT). Dithio-bis-nitrobenzoic acid treatment of DTT-reduced membranes yields K30 values of 5 μM for carbachol, while N-ethylmaleimide treatment of DTT-reduced nAChR produces nAChR with reduced affinity for carbachol, reflected in K30 values of about 400 μM. In the absence of Ca++, K30 values for carbachol binding to native and DTT-reduced nAChR are diminished 3–6 fold. These affinity alterations are not observed with d-tubocurarine (antagonist) binding to nAChR. Thus, Ca++ and the oxidation state of nAChR thiols appear to affect the affinity of nAChR for agonists (but not antagonists), and may therefore be related to agonist-mediated events in receptor activation and/or desensitization.
Reducing descriptor measurement error through bayesian estimation of fingerprint minutia location and direction

Fingerprint-based recognition relies on the matching of features derived from the ridges and valleys of the friction ridge surface. When a large quantity of good-quality features are available, identification can be made with a high level of confidence. When portions of the fingerprint image are of lower quality, accuracy will suffer in the feature extraction and subsequent matching steps. This study is concerned with the correction of descriptor errors in minutiae (ridge endings and bifurcations), and with evaluation of the effect of feature accuracy on matching performance. The approach applies Bayesian filtering to refine minutia location and direction descriptors, using Sequential Monte Carlo approximation of a joint probability distribution near each minutia. The distribution approximates the location and orientation of the minutia, given measurements on local greyscale information, from which an expectation can be determined. Experimental results have been presented which demonstrate improvement of localisation accuracy with respect to ground truth data when using a well-known minutia extractor. These results are shown to be statistically significant, and to lead to improved matching performance. In addition, the authors were able to reduce the average minutia position error for a set of reference minutiae by 83% when using the proposed refinement method.
Designing a High Performance OpenSHMEM Implementation Using Universal Common Communication Substrate as a Communication Middleware

OpenSHMEM is an effort to standardize the well-known SHMEM parallel programming library. The project aims to produce an open-source and portable SHMEM API and is led by ORNL and UH. In this paper, we optimize the current OpenSHMEM reference implementation, based on GASNet, to achieve higher performance characteristics. To achieve these desired performance characteristics, we have redesigned an important component of the OpenSHMEM implementation, the network layer, to leverage a low-level communication library designed for implementing parallel programming models called UCCS. In particular, UCCS provides an interface and semantics such as native atomic operations and remote memory operations to better support PGAS programming models, including OpenSHMEM. Through the use of microbenchmarks, we evaluate this new OpenSHMEM implementation on various network metrics, including the latency of point-to-point and collective operations. Furthermore, we compare the performance of our OpenSHMEM implementation with the state-of-the-art SGI SHMEM. Our results show that the atomic operations of our OpenSHMEM implementation outperform SGI's SHMEM implementation by 3%. Its RMA operations outperform both SGI's SHMEM and the original OpenSHMEM reference implementation by as much as 18% and 12% for gets, and as much as 83% and 53% for puts.
Transient kinetics of heparin-catalyzed protease inactivation by antithrombin III. Linkage of protease-inhibitor-heparin interactions in the reaction with thrombin.

Heparin (H) was previously shown to accelerate the inactivation of alpha-thrombin (T) by antithrombin III (AT) primarily by promoting the initial binding of thrombin and AT in a ternary T.AT.H complex intermediate without significantly influencing the subsequent product formation step (Olson, S. T., and Shore, J. D. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14891-14895). In the present study, the protein-heparin interactions which contribute to the assembly of the ternary complex intermediate and their linkage were quantitated by equilibrium binding and stopped-flow kinetic studies at pH 7.4, I 0.3, 25 degrees C, using p-aminobenzamidine (P) as a fluorescence probe. Equilibrium binding studies of the AT.H and T.H binary complex interactions monitored by the 40% enhancement in AT fluorescence or the 16-18% quenching of thrombin-bound p-aminobenzamidine fluorescence, respectively, indicated a 100-fold greater affinity of AT for heparin (KAT,H 0.23 microM) as compared to thrombin for heparin (KT,H 35-42 microM). Consistent with this large difference in affinities, rapid kinetic studies indicated that assembly of the ternary complex occurred predominantly as a bimolecular association between the AT.H binary complex and free thrombin. Thus, under pseudo-first order conditions ([AT]o, [H]o much greater than [T]o much less than [P]o), the observed thrombin inactivation rate constant (kobs) exhibited a saturable dependence on [AT]o or [H]o when [H]o much less than KT,H, reflecting a KAT,H (0.25 microM) similar to that directly determined by equilibrium binding. Moreover, competitive inhibition of the reaction by T.H binary complexes was indicated from the hyperbolic decrease in kobs produced by heparin with either high or low affinity for AT or active-site blocked thrombin at concentrations comparable to KT,H. This behavior was consistent with values of KT,H (27-51 microM) similar to those determined directly from equilibrium binding measurements. Comparison of the affinities of the binary protein-heparin interactions with the affinity of thrombin for AT.H complex in the ternary complex measured previously, indicated that the affinity of either protein for heparin was enhanced about 10-fold by the prior binding of the other protein to heparin. This linkage of the protein-heparin interactions implies that the ternary complex will be assembled at thrombin, AT, and heparin concentrations considerably lower than those predicted from previous reaction models which fail to account for this linkage.
Peripheral target choice by homologous neurons during embryogenesis of the medicinal leech. I. Segment-specific preferences of Retzius cells

A pair of large serotonergic neurons, the Retzius (Rz) cells, is found in each segment of the leech nervous system. Most Rz cells innervate the body wall of their own segment as well as adjacent anterior and posterior segments. Rz cells in segments 5 and 6 [Rz (5,6)] instead innervate the reproductive tissue found only in those segments. Rz cells from adjacent segments [Rz (4,7)] provide the serotonergic innervation of the body wall of segments 5 and 6. During embryogenesis, the body wall and the reproductive tissue are apparently available to both Rz (5,6) and Rz (4,7), yet these neurons choose different targets. We asked how Rz (5,6) and Rz (4,7) choose their respective peripheral targets in the reproductive segments by ablating either the reproductive tissue or specific Rz cells. Ablation of the reproductive tissue caused Rz (5,6) to innervate body wall, although not as proficiently as did standard Rz cells, suggesting a preference of Rz (5,6) for reproductive tissue. Ablation of those Rz cells that would normally innervate the body wall of segments 5 and 6 did not cause Rz (5,6) to innervate body wall, ruling out competition for this target. When Rz (5,6) were ablated, Rz (4,7) innervated the body wall of segments 5 and 6 normally and did not innervate reproductive tissue. Thus, competition did not act in the choice of target by Rz (4,7) either. These results suggest that during normal development, Rz (5,6) and Rz (4,7) choose their targets independently of one another rather than competing for the available targets and that these cells have segment-specific target preferences.
Impact of seasonal variation, age and smoking status on human semen parameters: The Massachusetts General Hospital experience

To investigate the relationship of human semen parameters with season, age and smoking status.
Reasoning about Dynamic Policies

People often need to reason about policy changes before they are adopted. For example, suppose a website manager knows that users want to enter her site without going through the welcome page. To decide whether or not to permit this, the wise manager will consider the consequences of modifying the policies (e.g., would this allow users to bypass advertisements and legal notices?). Similiarly, people often need to compare policy sets. For example, consider a person who wants to buy health insurance. Before choosing a provider, the customer will want to compare the different policies. In other words, the customer wants to reason about the effect of choosing one policy set over another. We introduce a logic, based on propositional dynamic logic, in which these tasks can be done. We give a sound and complete axiomatization for our logic, and also show that it is decidable. More precisely, the satisfiability problem is decidable in nondeterministic exponential time.
Role of Antiplatelet Therapy Across the Spectrum of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Antiplatelet therapy is an important treatment modality across the spectrum of coronary artery disease manifestations. The role of aspirin in primary prevention continues to be refined. Although monotherapy with either aspirin or clopidogrel has been validated in secondary prevention, for high-risk patients such as those with acute coronary syndromes or requiring percutaneous coronary intervention, dual antiplatelet therapy appears to be most beneficial. Questions remain about the appropriate duration of dual antiplatelet therapy, especially in patients with prior ischemic events or in those receiving first-generation drug-eluting stents, with indirect evidence suggesting longer durations are better.
Water—amide interaction

Abstract Near i.r. spectra have been recorded of the ν 2 + ν 3 water band and the first overtone of the NH stretching mode in solutions of N-methylpropionamide and water. Raman spectra have been recorded for the carbonyl stretching mode of the amide. The data have yielded the conclusion that interaction affinities are in the order water—amide > water—water or amide—amide with the bonding being that of the water proton to the amide carbonyl group. A maximum occurs in the viscosity of N-methylpropionamide—water solutions at a mole fraction of water of about 0.5.
Learning in Stentor

SYNOPSIS. When placed in a vertical capillary tube of 0.5 mm inner diameter opening at the bottom end into a reservoir, Stentor coeruleus learns to escape; that is, on the 1st trial it takes a long time to find its way out and much less time on the 2nd and succeeding trials. It was found that learning did not occur in a horizontal tube, or in a vertical tube with the open end above, or in tubes of 1 or 2 mm inner diameter. To explain the results it is suggested that the response is actually a delayed geotaxis released only after a definite period of mechanical stimulation from bumping into the walls of the tube. Possibly the phenomenon is related to the process of habituation to mechanical stimuli which has been elucidated by other authors.
In Situ Grazing-Incidence Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Study of Pb(II) Chemisorption on Hematite (0001) and (1-102) Surfaces

The dominant mode of binding of aqueous Pb(II) to single-crystal (0001) (C-cut) and (1−102) (R-cut) surfaces of α-Fe2O3 has been determined by grazing-incidence X-ray absorption fine structure (GI-XAFS) spectroscopy. Oligomeric Pb(II) complexes were found to bind in inner-sphere modes on both surfaces, which is in contrast with the binding of aqueous Pb(II) on α-Al2O3 (0001) surfaces, where Pb(II) was found in past GI-XAFS studies to bind in a dominantly outer-sphere mode, indicating a significant difference in reactivity of these two surfaces to Pb(II). This difference in reactivity to Pb(II) is explained on the basis of recent crystal truncation rod diffraction studies of the α-Fe2O3 and α-Al2O3 C-cut surfaces in contact with bulk water, which found major structural differences between the surfaces of these two metal oxides.
The mechanism of lean limit flame extinction

Abstract The extinction of lean limit methane-air flames was experimentally studied in a vertical variable-geometry flammability tube with rectangular cross section. Four tube configurations have been investigated: 50 × 50, 100 × 100, 200 × 200, and 20 × 200 mm, using schlieren photography, visual observation, measurement of heat flux to the wall, and image intensifier photography. Extinction of the lean limit flame which did not involve unstable flame fluctuations occurred only for upward propagation in the tube sizes 50 × 50 and 100 × 100 mm. In all the other tube geometries, the extinction was preceded by unstable flame motions. The flow field characteristics ahead of the flame for an upward propagating flame have been calculated numerically using a finite difference method. The results were applied to the determination of flame stretch. The comparison of the theoretically calculated Karlovitz number and the experimental observations suggest that flame stretch is the primary mechanism of extinction in the flammability tube when the flame is stable prior to extinction. Preferential diffusivity was found to have significant effects on the lean limit flame behavior. Preferential diffusion ahead of the flame lowered the lean limits in smaller tubes and caused cellular structures to appear in larger tubes.
Cellular Localization of Gelatinases and Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases During Follicular Growth, Ovulation, and Early Luteal Formation in the Rat

The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) system consists of a proteolytic component, the metalloproteinases, and an associated class of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). We investigated the cellular localization of the TIMPs and the gelatinase family of MMPs throughout the latter stages of follicular growth and during the periovulatory period. Immature female rats were injected with eCG, and ovaries were collected at the time of eCG administration (0 h) and at 6, 12, 24, or 36 h after eCG injection (i.e., follicular development group). A second group of animals (periovulatory) was injected with eCG followed by hCG 48 h later, and ovaries were collected at 0, 12, and 24 h after hCG. Ovaries were processed for the cellular localization of gelatinase or TIMP mRNA or gelatinolytic activity. Gelatinase mRNA (MMP-2 and MMP-9) was localized to the theca of developing follicles and to the stroma. Following a hCG stimulus, MMP-2 mRNA increased as the granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles underwent luteinization during formation of the corpus luteum (CL). MMP-9 mRNA remained predominately in the theca during this period. In situ zymography for gelatinolytic activity demonstrated a pattern of activity that corresponded with the localization of MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA around developing follicles. Gelatinolytic activity was observed at the apex of preovulatory follicles and throughout the forming CL. The mRNA for TIMP-1, -2, and -3 was localized to the stroma and theca of developing follicles. TIMP-3 mRNA was present in the granulosa cells of certain follicles but was absent in granulosa cells of adjacent follicles. At 12 h after hCG, luteinizing granulosa cells expressed TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 mRNA, but TIMP2 mRNA was at levels equivalent to the background. In the newly forming CL at 24 h after hCG administration, the luteal cells expressed TIMP-1, -2, and -3 mRNA, although the pattern of cellular expression was unique for each of the TIMPs. These findings demonstrate that the MMPs and TIMPs are in the cellular compartments appropriate for impacting the remodeling of the extracellular matrix as the follicle grows, ovulates, and forms the CL. corpus luteum, follicle, interstitial cells, ovary, ovulation
On the relations between random walk models for two-choice response times

Abstract We state a condition on the moment-generating functions of the random walk model derived by Link and Heath (1975) , which is necessary and sufficient to yield the sequential probability ratio test of Wald (1947) and the reaction-time model proposed by Stone (1960) . A restricted form of this condition can also be obtained by imposing the types of symmetries on the moment-generating functions considered by Link and Health (1975) and Thomas (1975) . The various conditions are contrasted and their implications for empirical investigation are discussed.
Effect of Chlorophyll Derivatives and Related Compounds on the Growth of M. tuberculosis

ConclusionsChlorin-e and chlorophyll in in concentrations of .025 and .050% in glycerine broth and Sauton's media inhibited the growth of H-37 and avian tubercle bacilli. Copper chlorin-e, deuteroporphyrin, copper deuteroporphyrin, and pyrroporphyrin sulfonic acid-sodium salt showed no growth retarding effects in concentrations of .025 and .050%. Evidence is presented to suggest that the H-37 tuber-culo-protein of the living bacillus is capable of binding copper chlorin-e. The absorption spectrum of the copper chlorin-e-bacillary protein complex when compared with that of copper chlorin-e-sodium in aqueous solution lends support to the assumption that chemical union between protein and pigment exists.
Genes, memes, templates, and replicators

Observed differences between living systems at the biological and social system levels may be attributable in part to differing characteristics of their templates. Biological templates are alpha-coded in genetic material. Social systems, on the other hand, employ beta- and gamma-coded instructions called memes that may constitute the bulk of their templates. A meme-based template, called a charter, is more mutable than a genetic template. Other interesting differences involve modes of reproduction of the system and replication of its template. This paper explores the similarities and differences between genetic and memic templates, and attempts to link them to convergent and divergent characteristics of biological and social systems.
The Synthesis of 1,4-Difluoro-5,8-Dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-Dione and Ipso Substitutions of the Fluorides by Diamines Leading to 1,4-Bis-[(Aminoalkyl)Amino]-5,8-Dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-Diones

Abstract Two synthetic pathways to 1,4-difluoro-5,8-dihydroxy-anthracene-9,10-dione (2) are described. The ipso substitution of the fluorides of 2 by diamines is a valuable preparative route to 1, 4-bis[(antinoalkyl) antino] -5, 8-dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-diones related to 1.
OLIGOARTHRITIS-A PRESENTING FEATURE OF OCCULT COELIAC DISEASE

Seven cases of arthritis related to coeliac disease have been described in the English literature, all with features of malabsorption. We describe a patient with an acute inflammatory oligoarthritis and little evidence of intestinal malabsorption who was subsequently found to have asymptomatic coeliac disease on intestinal biopsy. His arthritis responded to gluten free diet and is now in remission. A greater awareness of the association between coeliac disease and arthritis is needed, especially because both these conditions are potentially curable.
Two cases of suspected familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

We studied two children who died of suspected familial erythrophagic lymphohistiocytosis. The first child, a 7-year-old boy, had fever, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, bilateral choroidal effusions, diabetes insipidus, and marked meningitis with increased cerebrospinal fluid protein. Ocular histologic studies disclosed diffuse choroidal infiltrates consisting of atypical mononuclear cells with foamy cytoplasm. Similar histologic changes were seen in the lungs, liver, brain, and kidneys. The second child, the 5-year-old male cousin of Patient 1, had fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pulmonary infiltrates, and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. Histologic changes were similar to those in the first case, but viral particles of the herpes simplex virus group were noted in brain tissue as well. The findings of virus particles in this histiocytic proliferative disease suggested a defect in the inflammatory response in these patients.
Epinephrine for treatment of anaphylactic shock.

SYSTEMIC anaphylactic shock is a medical emergency caused by the release of chemical substances in response to an antigenic stimulus in a previously sensitized person. This stimulus may be food, drugs, blood products, insect venom, or exposure to pollens. Epinephrine has been considered the drug of choice in this emergency. A patient was initially seen in systemic anaphylactic shock secondary to a bee sting and was treated with intravenous (IV) epinephrine. Although the dose used was within the acceptable range advocated by many authors, there were serious early and delayed consequences associated with its use. This led to a review of the literature concerning the use of IV epinephrine in treating systemic anaphylactic shock. The potential problems inherent in uncritically accepting the current recommendations for therapy with IV epinephrine are discussed. Report of a Case A 34-year-old previously healthy man was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of rapid
THE RESULTS OF SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTION A POSITIVE CASE

A growing number of systematic outcome studies seek to answer the question: How effective is professional intervention? This paper reports the results from the Neighborhood Improvement Project in New Haven—an action-research project that used a combination of family-centered casework, group work, educational and recreational services.
Accessory spleens in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). I. Frequency, description, and genetic factors

Accessory spleens in 2 separate necropsy series of (a) 1848 randombred rabbits and (b) 21,802 inbred and partially inbred and 880 hybrid rabbits were described and illustrated. The overall frequency in the randombred population (8.9%) was comparable to that in unselected human necropsy series (10%). The predominant locations of accessory spleens in the rabbits (adjacent to the splenic hilus, the gastrosplenic ligament, and the tail of the pancreas) arranged in descending order, were comparable to their locations in human beings. The inbred rabbits had an overall frequency of at least one accessory spleen of 22.5%, similarly located, and ranged from 1–50%, depending on the strain. It was shown by crosses of high- and low-frequency strains that the presence of accessory spleens is due in part to genetic factors and that a high frequency of accessory spleens is probably a recessive characteristic. The latter interpretation is also supported by the fact that the low or “normal” strains had an overall frequency of at least 1 accessory spleen of 8.8% which is in accord with both the randombred rabbit population and human necropsy findings.
Hammerhead ribozyme targeting connective tissue growth factor mRNA blocks transforming growth factor-beta mediated cell proliferation.

Abstract Purpose. Excessive scarring following trauma or surgery of cornea, conjunctiva or retina can greatly impair visual outcome. At present, no agents are clinically available that selectively reduce activity of genes that regulate fibrosis. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been linked to fibrosis in several tissues, including cornea and conjunctiva. In this study, hammerhead ribozymes targeting CTGF mRNA were synthesized, kinetic parameters were measured, and the effect on TGF-β-mediated cell proliferation was measured in cultured human fibroblasts. Methods. The mRNA sequence of human CTGF was scanned for potential hammerhead ribozyme cleavage sites, and predicted secondary folding structures around the sites were calculated. Synthetic 12mer ribozymes and 33mer oligonucleotide mRNA targets corresponding to two sites were synthesized, and kinetic constants calculated from Hanes–Wolff plots of in vitro cleavage reactions. The ribozyme with higher percentage cleavage and kinetic rate was cloned into an expression plasmid (pTR-UF21) and stably transfected into cultured human fibroblasts. An inactive ribozyme plasmid served as a negative control. The effects of the ribozyme on expression of TGF-β-induced CTGF mRNA and protein levels were measured using ELISA and real-time TaqMan quantitative RT-PCR. Finally, the effect of the CTGF ribozyme on TGF-β-mediated proliferation of fibroblasts was measured using a non-radioactive cell proliferation microtiter assay. Results. Of the eight potential hammerhead ribozyme cleavage sites in human CTGF mRNA, two sites (CHR 745, and CHR 859) were identified with optimal secondary folding. CHR 859 cleaved 94% of the target mRNA, compared to 46% cleavage for CHR 745 after 16 hr of reaction. CHR 859 had a Km of 1·56 μ m and a Kcat of 2·97 min−1, while CHR 745 had a Km of 7·80 μ m and a Kcat of 5·7 min−1. The turnover numbers (Kcat/Km) of CHR 859 and CHR 745 were 1·9×106 m min−1 and 7·4×105 m min−1, respectively, indicating CHR 859 is 2·6 times more efficient than CHR 745 in destroying CTGF mRNA. Stable transfection of CHR 859 into human fibroblasts reduced CTGF mRNA levels 55% and protein levels 72% compared to the inactive ribozyme control. Furthermore, TGF-β-induced cell proliferation was reduced 90% in fibroblasts stably transfected with CHR 859 compared to control cell groups. Conclusions. The CHR 859 hammerhead ribozyme cleaved human CTGF mRNA with high kinetic efficiency in vitro, effectively reduced levels of CTGF mRNA and protein in cultured human fibroblasts, and blocked TGF-β-induced cell proliferation without nonspecific toxicity. These data support the concept that CTGF mediates TGF-β-induced cell proliferation, and imply that regulating CTGF expression with ribozymes may be effective in reducing ocular scarring.
COMMENTS ON “THE INVASION OF THE MIND” BY I.I. MITROFF

In their well‐known classic article, Mason and Mitroff proposed that individual psychological type be recognized as an information system (IS) variable of fundamental importance. The authors also speculated that because designers tend to be “thinking‐sensation” types, that this psychological type may frequently be falsely projected onto managers who are in fact other types by nature. In subsequent work, a story‐telling IS was thus proposed to appeal to the “feeling side” of management, in particular.
Effect of a Polyethylhydrosiloxane Admixture on the Durability of Concrete with Supplementary Cementitious Materials

This paper assesses durability of a high-strength concrete with large volumes of supplementary cementitious materials modified by a polyethylhydrosiloxane-based admixture and a superplasticizer. The study introduces the concept of a modified multicomponent binder, comprised of portland cement, finely ground supplementary cementitious material (fly ash, ponded ash, or granulated blast furnace slag), and a highly reactive powder component (usually silica fume), modified by a superplasticizer. The research program included tests of water permeability, freezing and thawing resistance, and the investigation of the effect of the binder on the passivation of steel reinforcement. The observations indicated that the use of the superplasticizer and polyethylhydrosiloxane admixtures yields the required air content and air void spacing factor for the freezing and thawing resistance, and the passivation of steel reinforcement. The research confirmed that the polyethylhydrosiloxane admixture has a beneficial effect on the durability of concrete with large volumes of supplementary cementitious materials. The results have important implications for offshore structures, bridges, roadways, pavements, foundations, precast concrete, and other applications.
CRYSTALS BUILT OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

Abstract A general view is presented on how biological macromolecules dissolved in aqueous solutions build crystals having in mind, first of all, data on protein crystals. It is demonstrated that these crystals are essentially very close to inorganic ones despite their major quantitative difference in properties. The “trial and error” mechanism controlling the selection of species during inorganic crystallization seems not to be effective in proteins. Instead, mainly electrostatic recognition of proper attachment sites by molecules located close to the growing surface is expected. Defects in biocrystals are of the same type as in inorganic salts. Mosaicity of the grown biocrystals seriously deteriorate their practical use to reveal molecular structure by X-ray diffraction. The onset of such mosaicity is discussed making use of epitaxy concepts.
Ore textures: problems and opportunities

Over the past several decades, thinking about chemical processes in rocks had been dominated by experimental and theoretical treatments of mineral equilibrium, which is the state from which the time variable has been excluded. But, to an extent exceeding that of any of our sister sciences, we in geology are concerned with the behaviour of things as a function of time; thus equilibrium is but one of several interesting boundary conditions. Textures, (defined as the spatial relations within and among minerals and fluids, regardless of scale or origin) provide a means to sort out and identify successive states. In fact, it is the pattern of evolution of those states that enables us to deduce the processes. We may well draw the analogy with thermodynamics and kinetics, respectively: equilibrium textures and phase assemblages, via thermodynamic analysis → definition of conditions of equilibration, whereas kinetics, as displayed in disequilibrium textures → sequence of events and processes of mineralization. The interpretation of textures is one of the most difficult yet important aspects of the study of rocks and ores, and there are few areas of scientific endeavour that are more subject to misinterpretation. Although the difficulties are many, the opportunites for new understanding are also abundant. Textural interpretations have many facets: some are well established and accepted; some that are accepted may be wrong; others are recognised to be speculative and controversial; and we trust that still other textural features remain to be described and interpreted. This paper will deal principally with low-temperature, epigenetic ore deposits, and will emphasise silica and sphalerite; but extension to other materials is not unreasonable. Ore and gangue minerals react internally, or with their environment, at widely ranging rates, ranging from the almost inert pyrite, arsenopyrite, well-crystallised quartz, and tourmaline to the notoriously fickle copper/iron and copper/silver sulfides. Arrested or incomplete reactions may be identifed by textural criteria and, when appropriately quantified, can provide guides to the duration of geological processes. In recent years so much emphasis has been placed on isotopes, fluids, chemistry, and deposit and process models that the textural features have been ignored. In part this oversight occurs because we have grown accustomed to using superposition, cross-cutting, pseudomorphism, mutual intergrowths, exsolution and so on as off-the-shelf tools, to be grasped and applied without evaluation or even description. Surely science must build on previous work without constant and exhaustive reassessment, but for mineral textures a little reassessment may yield substantial benefit.
Predictors of homeless veterans' irregular discharge status from a domiciliary care program

This study addresses the relationship of homeless veterans' discharge status from a domiciliary care program to biopsychosocial characteristics presented at admission into the program. Hypotheses were that younger age, less education, and substance abuse or psychiatric disorder would predict an irregular discharge. Research participants were 367 homeless male veterans who had been admitted to a domiciliary care program at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center for treatment of medical, psychiatric, or substance disorders. Status of veterans' program discharge (regular or irregular) served as the outcome measure. Logistic regression analysis revealed that irregular discharge from the program was more likely among veterans who were black, who had poor employment histories, or who had problems with alcohol. Results are discussed in light of the need to maintain homeless veterans in treatment programs so that they can achieve maximum benefit from available programs.
Plant available potassium assessment through chemical prediction methods

Understanding factors that affect the potassium (K) status of soil is important to chemical prediction of plant-available K in corn (Zea mays L.). Soils vary widely in their ability to replenish labile K from nonlabile forms. No research has been done to investigate the effects clay fraction mineralogy of South Dakota soils have on the efficacy of chemical prediction methods. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the ability of 1.0 M NH4OAc-extractable soil K test and other common chemical extractants to predict plant-available K, and (ii) relate clay fraction mineralogy to chemical prediction of tissue K concentration. Composite soil surface samples (0–15 cm) and corn tissue samples were collected from eight different corn production field sites across east-central South Dakota. Plants grown at these sites either exhibited or did not exhibit K deficiency symptoms. Soils were extracted and plant-available K was determined by four common procedures. X-ray diffraction and total colloidal CEC ana...
Cyber infrastructure for Community Remote Sensing

Community Remote Sensing (CRS) is an emerging field where information is collected about the environment by the general public and then integrated into collections to provide a holistic view of the environment with local details. We argue the need for a common architecture for the cyber-infrastructure that will be necessary to cater to the needs of Community Remote Sensing systems. We identify the challenges that such a cyber infrastructure (CRS-CI) has to meet and also proposed five principles as solutions to meet these challenges. Finally, we also describe the integrated Rule Oriented Data System, a data grid middleware that is built upon these principles which provides an ideal and exemplar implementation for CRS-CI.
Monitoring of antifibrinolytic therapy following subarachnoid hemorrhage: The importance of CSF fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products

✓ Ten cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured cerebral aneurysm are reported. Fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) levels were determined simultaneously in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at an average frequency of 1.7 days, extended over periods of 8 to 63 days. Successful antifibrinolytic therapy (AFT) correlated with FDP levels in CSF of less than 16 µg/ml. Five patients failed to respond to AFT. Levels of FDP in the CSF fluctuated widely in these five patients, and remained at or above 16 µg/ml for most of the monitoring period. Blood FDP levels were normal or minimally elevated, and could not be used in predicting or preventing rebleeding episodes. A hypothesis is presented to explain the significance of the presence of FDP's in CSF. In spite of the many techniques employed in monitoring AFT and reviewed in this paper, little information has been gained to improve the results and therapeutic strategies. Among the different methods available, FDP measurements in the CSF have co...
Anaerobic Acclimation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ANOXIC GENE EXPRESSION, HYDROGENASE INDUCTION, AND METABOLIC PATHWAYS

Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic photosynthetic microbes experience conditions of anoxia, especially during the night when photosynthetic activity ceases. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, dark anoxia is characterized by the activation of an extensive set of fermentation pathways that act in concert to provide cellular energy, while limiting the accumulation of potentially toxic fermentative products. Metabolite analyses, quantitative PCR, and high density Chlamydomonas DNA microarrays were used to monitor changes in metabolite accumulation and gene expression during acclimation of the cells to anoxia. Elevated levels of transcripts encoding proteins associated with the production of H2, organic acids, and ethanol were observed in congruence with the accumulation of fermentation products. The levels of over 500 transcripts increased significantly during acclimation of the cells to anoxic conditions. Among these were transcripts encoding transcription/translation regulators, prolyl hydroxylases, hybrid cluster proteins, proteases, transhydrogenase, catalase, and several putative proteins of unknown function. Overall, this study uses metabolite, genomic, and transcriptome data to provide genome-wide insights into the regulation of the complex metabolic networks utilized by Chlamydomonas under the anaerobic conditions associated with H2 production.
Field trials of mobile x-ray source for mine detection using backscattered x rays

The implementation of a backscattered x-ray landmine detection system has been demonstrated in laboratories at both Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the University of Florida (UF). The next step was to evaluate the modality by assembling a system for field work. To assess the system's response to a variety of objects, buried plastic and metal antitank landmines, surface plastic antipersonnel landmines, and surface metal fragments were used as targets. The location of the test site was an unprepared field at SNL. The x-ray machine used for the outside landmine detection system was a Philips industrial x-ray machine, model MCN 225, which was operated at 150 kV and 5 mA and collimated to create a 2 cm diameter x-ray spot on the soil. The detectors used were two BICRON plastic scintillation detectors: one collimated (30 cm X 30 cm active area) to respond primarily to photons that have undergone multiple collision and the other uncollimated (30 cm X 7.6 cm active area) to respond primarily to photons that have had only one collision. To provide motion, the system was mounted on a gantry and rastered side-to-side using a computer-controlled stepper motor with a come-along providing the forward movement. Data generated from the detector responses were then analyzed to provide the images and locations of landmines. Changing from the lab environment to the field did not decrease the system's ability to detect buried or obscured landmines. The addition of rain, blowing dust, rocky soil and native plant-life did not lower the system's resolution or contrast for the plastic or the metal landmines.
Shyness and boldness in pumpkinseed sunfish: individual differences are context-specific

Natural selection often promotes a mix of behavioural phenotypes in a population. Adaptive variation in the propensity to take risks might explain individual differences in shyness and boldness in humans and other species. It is often implicitly assumed that shyness and boldness are general personality traits expressed across many situations. From the evolutionary standpoint, however, individual differences that are adaptive in one context (e.g. predator defence) may not be adaptive in other contexts (e.g. exploration of the physical environment or intraspecific social interactions). We measured the context specificity of shyness and boldness in a natural population of juvenile pumpkinseed sunfish,Lepomis gibbosus, by exposing the fish to a potentially threatening stimulus (a red-tipped metrestick extended towards the individual) and a nonthreatening stimulus (a novel food source). We also related these measures of shyness and boldness to behaviours observed during focal observations, both before and after the introduction of a predator (largemouth bass,Micropterus salmoides). Consistent individual differences were found within both contexts, but individual differences did not correlate across contexts. Furthermore, fish that were scored as intermediate in their response to the metrestick behaved most boldly as foragers and in response to the bass predators. These results suggest that shyness and boldness are context-specific and may not exist as a one-dimensional behavioural continuum even within a single context.
Chain pillar design for U.S. longwall panels

Abstract A chain pillar design formula under weak roof conditions was developed by statistically analyzing the results from the three-dimensional finite-element parametric analyses. The parameters such as mechanical properties of the roof and floor strata, overburden depth, panel width and length, and coal strength were incorporated in the formula. Case studies were performed to verify the effectiveness of the formula developed. A conversion formula which transfers a rectangular chain pillar into a square chain pillar of equal strength is proposed. The influence of high in-situ horizontal stresses, which are often encountered in the coalfield, on chain pillar stability is also discussed.
Production of a Nested Set of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Structures from a Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored Protein

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) membrane anchors are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotic cells. Synthesis of the core GPI structure is achieved by the sequential transfer of monosaccharides and phosphoethanolamine to phosphatidylinositol. The assembly process can be reproduced in vitro using membrane preparations supplemented with sugar nucleotides. With one exception, however, none of the biosynthetic enzymes involved have been isolated. One impediment to progress in the isolation of these enzymes is the nonavailability of adequate amounts of partially assembled GPI structures for use as assay substrates. In this paper we present procedures to prepare these structures from a GPI-anchored protein. The methods described include selective dephosphorylation of the GPI-anchored variant surface glycoprotein from Trypanosoma brucei variant 118 to generate Man alpha 1-2Man alpha 1-6Man alpha 1-4GlcN alpha 1-6-myo-inositol-P-dimyristoylglycerol (Man3GlcN-PI), followed by exoglycosidase treatments and N-acetylation to produce Man2GlcN-PI, Man1GlcN-PI, GlcN-PI, and GlcNAc-PI. Procedures are also described for the stabilization and purification of these structures. It is anticipated that the convenient preparation of this range of partially assembled GPIs will be useful not only in developing assays for the eventual purification of the GPI biosynthetic enzymes but will also contribute to evaluating the specificity of the phospholipases that hydrolyze GPI anchors.
A Major Role for Capsule-Independent Phagocytosis-Inhibitory Mechanisms in Mammalian Infection by Cryptococcus neoformans

The antiphagocytic polysaccharide capsule of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a major virulence attribute. However, previous studies of the pleiotropic virulence determinant Gat201, a GATA family transcription factor, suggested that capsule-independent antiphagocytic mechanisms exist. We have determined that Gat201 controls the mRNA levels of ∼1100 genes (16% of the genome) and binds the upstream regions of ∼130 genes. Seven Gat201-bound genes encode for putative and known transcription factors--including two previously implicated in virulence--suggesting an extensive regulatory network. Systematic analysis pinpointed two critical Gat201-bound genes, GAT204 (a transcription factor) and BLP1, which account for much of the capsule-independent antiphagocytic function of Gat201. A strong correlation was observed between the quantitative effects of single and double mutants on phagocytosis in vitro and on host colonization in vivo. This genetic dissection provides evidence that capsule-independent antiphagocytic mechanisms are pivotal for successful mammalian infection by C. neoformans.
Sampling and Analysis Artifacts Caused by Elevated Indoor Air Polychlorinated Biphenyl Concentrations

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were measured in the indoor air of several public buildings in Bloomington, IN. The concentrations ranged from 5 to 300 times higher than outdoor concentrations, and the indoor air PCB levels were highest in buildings with the earliest construction dates; see Figure 2. These elevated indoor air PCB levels have caused contamination in sample preparation as well as artifacts in sample collection. PCBs in procedural blanks in a laboratory with an indoor air PCB concentration of 6 ng/m3 averaged 1 order of magnitude lower than those measured in a laboratory with an indoor air PCB concentration of 300 ng/m3. Air sampling conducted on the roof of a building with high indoor air PCB concentrations and roof-top ventilation gave PCB concentrations that were approximately five times above ambient levels. However, sampling on the roof of another building without roof-top ventilation gave PCB concentrations that were not artificially elevated. We recommend measuring the i...
Abstract B43: An accurate seven-gene signature plus Gleason score for prostate cancer prognosis

One of the major problems in the development of prostate cancer prognostic biomarkers is the composition heterogeneity in tissue samples, which causes the inconsistency among different studies. To deal with this problem, we developed two-step strategy. In the first step, the proposed two-step cluster analysis model accounting for the cell-type composition percentage was used to identify 324 genes strongly associated with biochemical recurrence status and in the second step the 324 identified genes was further investigated by SAM (significance analysis of microarray) leading to a seven-gene classifier. The classifier was then validated on two independent data sets with overall accuracy and sensitivity of 71% and 76%, respectively. The seven-gene classifier stratified the test samples into two risk groups that are highly associated with biochemical relapse status (hazard ratio = 2.6 with p value = 0.03). The study also showed that the inclusion of the Gleason sum to the seven-gene classifier raised the sensitivity and accuracy to 76% and 83% respectively when tested on the independent data sets. These results indicated that our seven-gene classifier with the Gleason score can be used for predicting outcomes for prostate cancer patients. Citation Format: Xin Chen, Zhenyu Jia, Mercola Dan. An accurate seven-gene signature plus Gleason score for prostate cancer prognosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr B43.
Two-dimensional adaptive quadrature over rectangular regions

Abstract Title of program : QADAPT Catalogue number : AAZA Program obtainable from : CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. Ireland (see application form in this issue) Computer : Sperry Univac 1100/82; Installation : Madison Academic Computer Center Operating system : Exec 8 Programming language : FORTRAN 77 High speed storage required : variable; approx. 33000 words Number of bits in a word : 36 Overlay structure : none Peripherals : card reader, line printer Number of cards in combined program and test deck : 1229 Card punching code : EBCDIC