cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convergence of the thyroid hormone and gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor pathways in the context of enterocyte differentiation.

The gut-enriched Kruppel-like factor (KLF4) and the ligand-bound thyroid hormone receptor (TR) have each been shown to play a critical role in mammalian gut development and differentiation. We investigated an interrelationship between these two presumably independent pathways using the differentiation marker gene, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP). Transient transfections were performed in Cos-7 cells using luciferase reporter plasmids containing a 2.5 kb segment of the proximal human IAP 5 regulatory region, as well as multiple deletions. Cells were cotransfected with TR and/or KLF4 expression vectors and treated ±100 nmol/L thyroid hormone (T3). IAP reporter gene transactivation was increased independently by KLF4 (ninefold) and ligand-bound TRβ1 (sevenfold). Cells cotransfected with KLF4 and TRβ1 in the presence of T3 showed synergistic activation (70-fold). A similar pattern was seen with the other T3 receptor isoform, TRα1. The synergistic effect was lost with deletions of the T3 and KLF4 response elements in the IAP promoter and was completely or partially abolished in the case of mutant KLF4 expression vectors. The thyroid hormone receptor complex and KLF4 synergistically activate the enterocyte differentiation marker gene IAP, suggesting a previously unrecognized interrelationship between these two transcription factor pathways.
Evidence for the formation of linamarin and lotaustralin in flax seedlings by the same glucosyltransferase

Abstract The ratio of glucosides formed from acetone cyanohydrin and butanone cyanohydrin by the UDP-glucose-ketone cyanohydrin glucosyltransferase from flax seedlings ( Linum usitatissimum L.) remains constant during its purification. This suggests that the two cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin, found in flax are produced in vivo by the same enzyme. This conclusion is supported by feeding experiments with precursors and intermediates of the two pathways. The rate of incorporation of radioactive valine or acetone cyanohydrin into linamarin is significantly reduced after preincubation of flax seedlings with isoleucine, the precursor amino acid of lotaustralin. Similarly, valine reduced the rate of incorporation of labeled isoleucine or butanone cyanohydrin into lotaustralin. It seems likely that the pool of the radioactive precursor in both pathways is diluted by unlabeled intermediates formed in vivo from either amino acid by the same enzymes.
Cellular Transplantation and Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury is often characterized by immediate and irreversible loss of sensory and motor functions below the level of injury. Cellular transplantation in various experimental models of spinal cord injury has been used as a strategy for reducing deficits and improving functional recovery. The general strategy has been aimed at promoting regeneration of intrinsic injured axons with the development of alternative pathways that facilitate a partial functional connection. Other objectives of cellular transplantation studies have included replacement of lost cellular elements, alleviation of chronic pain, and modulation of the inflammatory response after injury. This review focuses on the cell types that have been used in spinal cord transplantation studies in the context of evolving biological perspectives, technological advances, and new therapeutic strategies and serves as a point of reference for future studies.
Preliminary Observations on the Experimental Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from Elk and White-Tailed Deer to Fallow Deer

To determine the transmissibility of chronic wasting disease (CWD) to fallow deer (Dama dama) and to provide information about clinical course, lesions and suitability of currently used diagnostic procedures for detection of CWD in this species, 13 fawns were inoculated intracerebrally with CWD brain suspension from elk (n=6) or white-tailed deer (n=7). Three other fawns were kept as uninfected controls. Three CWD-inoculated deer were killed 7.6 months post-inoculation (mpi). None had abnormal prion protein (PrPd) in their tissues. One sick deer died at 24 mpi and one deer without clinical signs was killed at 26 mpi. Both animals had a small focal accumulation of PrPd in the midbrain. Between 29 and 37 mpi, three other deer became sick and were killed. All had shown gradual decrease in appetite and some loss of body weight. Microscopical lesions of spongiform encephalopathy were not observed, but PrPd was detected in tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) by immunohistochemistry, western blot and by two commercially available rapid diagnostic tests. This study demonstrates that intracerebrally inoculated fallow deer amplified CWD PrPd from white-tailed deer and elk in the absence of lesions of spongiform encephalopathy. Four years after CWD inoculation, the remaining five inoculated and two control deer are alive and apparently healthy.
Citizen-Driven Performance Measurement: Opportunities for Evaluator Collaboration in Support of the New Governance

Performance measurement has often been defined in contrast with program evaluation. However, many now recognize that the methods and experiences of performance measurement and program evaluation can support and strengthen each other, thereby making relevant and timely contributions to evidence-based decision making. The argument in this chapter is that recent developments, emphasizing citizen engagement and incorporating community indicators, broaden the opportunities for collaboration between program evaluators and performance measurement professionals. Such collaboration, with an appreciation of the complementary strengths of the two approaches, can not only improve the practice of evaluation, but also enhance governance. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.
An elastomeric polymer microchip for mechanically tunable cell trapping

This paper presents an elastomeric polymer microchip for mechanically tunable cell trapping. This cell trapping approach utilizes the excellent deformability of the polymer to modulate the characteristics of cell trapping, which allows a predetermined number of cells, ranging from single cells to multiple cells, to be captured in each cell trap. The microchip consists of two elastomeric polymer sheets, one of which bears microstructures to physically capture cells. Experimental results demonstrate that the dimensions of cell capture microstructures can be modulated effectively by applying external force to construct arrays of different numbers of cells on the microchip.
Preacceleration in collapsing magnetic neutral sheets and anomalous abundances of solar flare particles

Levine's (1974) concept of a collapsing magnetic neutral sheet which can accelerate ambient protons to several times the mean thermal speed, provided that the collapse time scale is shorter than the proton Coulomb loss time, is applied to heavier elements in an investigation of the composition of the particles which can be accelerated by such a sheet. Tables of ionization equilibrium are combined with the thermal structure of a constant pressure loop in order to calculate phi sub x (the fraction of an element x which is accelerated) of 18 heavy elements, from carbon to nickel which satisfy a maximum-ionization criterion. Normalizing phi sub x to oxygen, it is found that relative to the composition of the ambient materials, C and N can be depleted by factors of up to 2-10, while other heavy elements, along with hydrogen, are enhanced. The numerical results obtained are qualitatively similar to anomalous abundances reported among solar flare particles.
Spectroscopic characterization of oxide films on type 304 SS exposed to water at 289° C: correlation with the Fe-Cr-H2O pourbaix diagram☆

Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been used to determine the composition of surface films formed on sensitized Type 304 SS tensile specimens that had been exposed to water at 289° C under various pH and electrochemical potential conditions. The phases identified by Raman spectroscopy and supporting XRD measurements showed excellent correlation with a recently published Pourbaix diagram for the Fe-Cr-H2O system at 289° C. In the region of the potential-pH diagram where (Fe3-xCrx)O4 is both predicted and found to be the stable oxide phase, intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) was not observed; whereas, specimens tested at pH-potential conditions outside the (Fe3-xCrx)O4 stability region did show evidence of IGSCC.
A Diplomacy of Dreams: Jean Rouch and Decolonization

An invaluable record of West African societies during an unprecedented period of change. A seminal contribution to the development of cinema verit&. Jean Rouch's filmic oeuvre is both of these things, but it also stands as a testament to an unwavering faith in the transformative power of fantasy and play. Indeed, placed in historical perspective, much of Rouch's work reflects the effort to channel this power through film and to use the process of filmmaking itself as a visionary form of political engagement. This is perhaps especially true of La pyramide humaine (The human pyramid; 1961), which, like Rouch's other films made during the period of decolonization, is an explosive combination of avant-garde aesthetics and progressive politics (Feld 2003:8).1 Begun in summer 1959 and completed in spring 1960, Pyramide's production coincided with the dramatic climax of independence movements in Francophone Africa. Between September 28, 1958, and October 18, 1960, France divested itself of 15 African colonies, ending its sub-Saharan empire (Launay 1968:160). In 1960, as the question of redefining the relationship between colonizer and colonized loomed large, President de Gaulle proclaimed, "I consider it absurd and ruinous for colonial people to base their new achievements on the rupture with countries that preceded them in civilization, and opened it to them.... Will these new-born sovereignties, these young sovereignties, be acquired and exercised at the expense of the former colonizer... or through amicable agreement and friendly cooperation?" (Perville 1993:203). Anxious to reaffirm France's continuing role as a global power and lay claim to expanding postcolonial markets, he championed a paternalistic status quo of "friendly cooperation" with Africa. Meanwhile, the Algerian war cast a pall over French foreign policy. In 1961, as fighting continued, Frantz Fanon published The Wretched of the Earth-both a partisan chronicle of the Algerian insurrection, and an optimistic statement of postcolonial chiliasm (Fanon 1991). He characterized decolonization as a total rupture, both politically and spiritually, between the colonizer and the colonized, in which violence acts as a cathartic ritual process, allowing once subjugated peoples to become agents in the undoing of colonial dehumanization. In an earlier work, Black Skin, White Masks, Fanon eloquently described the emergence of a postracist world in terms of blacks and whites distancing themselves "from the voices of their ancestors so that an
Effect of catecholamines on rat medullary thick ascending limb chloride transport: interaction with angiotensin II.

Previous studies have shown that in proximal and distal tubule nephron segments, peritubular ANG II stimulates sodium chloride transport. However, ANG II inhibits chloride transport in the medullary thick ascending limb (mTAL). Because ANG II and catecholamines are both stimulated by a decrease in extracellular fluid volume, the purpose of this study was to examine whether there was an interaction between ANG II and catecholamines to mitigate the inhibition in chloride transport by ANG II. In isolated perfused rat mTAL, 10−8 M bath ANG II inhibited transport (from a basal transport rate of 165.6 ± 58.8 to 58.8 ± 29.4 pmol·mm−1·min−1; P < 0.01). Bath norepinephrine stimulated chloride transport (from a basal transport rate of 298.1 ± 31.7 to 425.2 ± 45.8 pmol·mm−1·min−1; P < 0.05) and completely prevented the inhibition in chloride transport by ANG II. The stimulation of chloride transport by norepinephrine was mediated entirely by its β-adrenergic effect; however, both the β- and α-adrenergic agonists isoproterenol and phenylephrine prevent the ANG II-mediated inhibition in chloride transport. In the presence of 10−5 M propranolol, the effect of norepinephrine to prevent the inhibition of chloride transport by ANG II was still present. These data are consistent with an interaction of both α- and β-catecholamines and ANG II on net chloride transport in the mTAL.
Stability of axial motions of nonlinearly elastic loops

We establish the stability of axial motions (steady motions along the lengthwise direction) of nonlinearly elastic loops of string. A key observation here is that a linear combination of the total energy and the total circulation of the string, both of which are conserved quantities, yields an appropriate Liapunov function. From our previous work [5], we know that there are uncountably many shapes corresponding to a given axial speed. Accordingly, we establish “orbitai” stability (modulo this collection of relative equilibria). For a well-defined class of “soft” materials, there is an upper bound on the axial speed sufficient for stability; “stiff” materials are shown to be orbitally stable at any axial speed.
Study of hysteresis effects and emulsion properties in watercut measurement using high speed multi-frequency impedance sensor

Abstract Oil and water mixtures are present in many applications, specifically in upstream oil production. To investigate oil–water mixture properties and to measure phase fractions, a watercut meter was developed that utilizes an electrical impedance measurement method. In this method, watercut is measured by using a newly developed algorithm that uses multiple frequencies to enhance the accuracy of the watercut measurements and to identify the mixture dispersion type. Electrical characteristics of the mixture were investigated by studying the effect of two factors, the emulsion properties and hysteresis effect. The dependency of the watercut meter response to the influencing factors was reduced by implementing the developed novel method. Using this method, the uncertainty in watercut measurement from 0% to 100% was obtained to be about ±3% regardless of phase distribution and droplet size.
Echocardiographic analysis of left atrial size before and after operation in mitral valve disease.

Left atrial dimensions were determined with M mode echocardiography in 39 patients with mitral valve disease before and a mean of 13 months after mitral valve surgery to assess the relations of left atrial size to postoperative clinical course, appearance and refractoriness of atrial fibrillation and the occurrence of systemic emboli. Clinical improvement in 25 patients postoperatively was associated with a decrease in left atrial dimension (mean decrease 19 percent), whereas 14 patients with persistent cardiac decompensation due to either myocardial or postoperative valve dysfunction had no decrease in left atrial dimension (mean increase 2 percent, P P In eight patients with preoperative systemic emboli (seven with atrial fibrillation), mean left atrial dimension (57 mm) was larger than in patients with sinus rhythm with no emboli (mean 45 mm, P 2 , 50 percent had emboli compared with only 10 percent of those with a cardiac index greater than or equal to 2.0 liters/min per m 2 ( P
Designation of Filters for Theatrical Lighting

The basis of this proposal is that the complete definition of the chromatic properties of filters used in illumination is transmission as a function of wave-length; an approximate definition suitable for commercial specification should, therefore, take the form of an abbreviated notation for the curve of spectral transmission. It is proposed to specify filters for theatrical lighting by a seven-digit number, the first digit of which refers to spectral transmission at the short wave extreme of the spectrum, the second, that at some longer wave portion, and so on throughout to the long wave extreme. The present paper discusses choices of wave-lengths to which the digits should refer and also what range of transmission should be indicated by digit, 0, what by digit, 1, what by digit, 2, and so on for maximum usefulness of the specification. Recommended choices are presented based upon a spectrophotometric examination by William F. Little and Allan E. Parker of the Electrical Testing Laboratories made upon two groups of theatrical gelatines, one group of 11 pink filters and one group of 11 blue filters.
Working together as a team: adolescent transplant recipients and nurse practitioners

Nurse practitioners are a critical part of the transplant team, enhancing the quality of patient care with their knowledge and skill with respect to disease-specific populations of patients. Adolescent transplant recipients are a vulnerable population and require specific considerations. Nurse practitioners can successfully tailor care to the adolescent developmental stages in order to promote quality of life, adherence to the medical regimen, and successful transition to adult transplant centers and to minimize risk-taking behaviors. Teamwork between the patient's family and the entire transplant team is important to optimize not only the patient's health but also to ensure quality of life after transplant. Adolescents can be especially challenging after transplant, given their complex and evolving psychosocial and cognitive development. Nurse practitioners are in a unique position to be central in adolescents' successful adaptation to their medical condition. Facilitating identification and management o...
Scaling theory of the fractional quantum Hall effect.

A new class of variational wave functions is proposed for the fractional quantum Hall effect in the presence of disorder at arbitrary electron densities. A consequence of these wave functions is a law of corresponding states which relates the behavior of the system in the fractional Hall regime to that in the integer Hall regime. For example, it is shown that the transition from the 1/3 to 2/5 plateau should be characterized by the same critical exponents as the transition between integer plateaus, while the transition between the 1 and 4/3 plateaus may be first order, and thus have no critical behavior.
Canine Chagas' Disease (American Trypanosomiasis) in North America

Chagas' disease, or American trypanosomiasis, caused by the hemoflagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (class Zoomastigophorea and family Trypanosomatidae), is the leading cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in man. In dogs in North America, Chagas disease mainly occurs in working dogs in southeastern Texas. It is likely that most dogs become infected by eating infected vectors, causing the release of the organisms into the mouth of the host. Most dogs are diagnosed during the chronic stage of the disease, which is typified by dilated cardiomyopathy and malignant ventricular-based arrhythmias. This article reviews the etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and available therapy for Chagas' disease in dogs.
Antibiotic resistance in pediatric respiratory tract pathogens

Antibiotic resistance in pediatric respiratory pathogens is now widespread, primarily because of overuse of these agents in the community. Twenty to sixty percent of pediatric Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates are nonsusceptible to penicillin (MIC90 > 0.1 mg/L), although most are in the intermediately resistant category and remain susceptible to amoxicillin. Forty to sixty percent of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and greater than 95 percent of Moraxella catarrhalis produce β-lactamase. Penicillin resistance has not been documented in Streptococcus pyogenes , but macrolide resistance is common when these drugs are overused in the community. Penicillin-resistant meningococci are rare in the United States. More accurate diagnosis and judicious use of antibiotics are critical to prevent further spread of these resistant organisms.
Name Dropping on Decapods

The excitement and publicity surrounding the discovery of a new and unusual decapod crustacean from Pacific hydrothermal vents (“A crustacean Yeti,” Random Samples, 17 Mar., p. 1531) is well deserved. However, the new family proposed to accommodate the species is hardly “the first new family of decapods… in a century.” The most recent compilation of all currently recognized extant decapod families ([1][1]) lists 36 families of decapods—nearly a quarter of all recognized decapod families—that have been erected or newly recognized since 1906. Although some of the family names recognize assemblages that were previously known but only recently treated as families, many are based on novel finds. Included among these are at least two families based on species that are, like the new “Yeti crab,” endemic to or restricted to hydrothermal vents and cold hydrocarbon seeps: the brachyuran crab family Bythograeidae ([2][2]) and the caridean shrimp family Alvinocarididae ([3][3]), based on the genus Alvinocaris , a name that honors the DSV Alvin, a submarine that was first launched in 1964. 1. 1.[↵][4]1. J. W. Martin, 2. G. E. Davis , An Updated Classification of the Recent Crustacea, Nat. Hist. Mus. Los Angeles County Sci. Ser. 39, 1 (2001). [OpenUrl][5] 2. 2.[↵][6]1. A. B. Williams , Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 93, 443 (1980). [OpenUrl][7] 3. 3.[↵][8]1. M. L. Christoffersen , Boll. Zool. (Univ. Sao Paulo Brazil) 10, 273 (1986). [OpenUrl][9] [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1. in text" [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNat.%2BHist.%2BMus.%2BLos%2BAngeles%2BCounty%2BSci.%2BSer.%26rft.volume%253D39%26rft.spage%253D1%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2. in text" [7]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DProc.%2BBiol.%2BSoc.%2BWash.%26rft.volume%253D93%26rft.spage%253D443%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [8]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3. in text" [9]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBoll.%2BZool.%2B%2528Univ.%2BSao%2BPaulo%2BBrazil%2529%26rft.volume%253D10%26rft.spage%253D273%26rft.atitle%253DBOLL%2BZOOL%2BUNIV%2BSAO%2BPAULO%2BBRAZIL%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx
Resolution of the low-molecular-weight acid phosphatase in avian pectoral muscle into two distinct enzyme forms

Three distinct acid phosphatases were recently reported in avian breast muscle [J. H. Baxter and C. H. Suelter (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 228, 397-406]. Of the increased acid phosphatase activity in dystrophic muscle compared to normal muscle, 84% can be accounted for as a low-molecular-weight, cytosolic form. This low-molecular-weight form has now been purified and resolved into two distinct forms, A and B, differing in isoelectric point, apparent molecular weight, substrate specificity, and activation by guanosine. One of the two enzymes exhibits substrate inhibition with 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate, indicating a further difference. The evidence suggests that both enzymes are Class IV acid phosphatases. Their concentrations are highest in tissues with a high catabolic activity.
Diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism in dogs

Hyperadrenocorticism is a common condition in older dogs. It arises when feedback mechanisms within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis fail, resulting in a chronic excess of blood cortisol. The most common cause of canine hyperadrenocorticism is a microscopic, benign, pituitary gland tumour, with fewer cases caused by adrenal tumours or chronic corticosteroid administration. Diagnosis of the condition can be challenging. Clinical findings are varied, and many are common to other conditions. Screening tests are also nonspecific, and there is no single test available for its definitive diagnosis. Consequently, a combination of history, clinical signs, and laboratory findings are important in diagnosing hyperadrenocorticism.
Dynamic Function Allocation in Fighter Cockpits

Abstract : The objective of this study was to investigate alternatives for allocating the tasks associated with defensive counter measures in a fighter cockpit environment. The three methods allocated the functions either totally to the operator or a simulated expert system and dynamically at the operator's request to either. The analysis of the objective data showed there were no significant performance differences among the three treatment conditions. However, the analysis of post treatment subjective data showed the subjects did have confidence in the simulated expert system's ability to handle the threats (p .01) and they had a significant preference for some form of computer assistance during the missions (p .01). (Author)
Constriction Rings and Congenital Amputations of the Fingers and Toes in a Mild Case of Amniotic Band Syndrome

Amniotic band syndrome (ABS) may result in fetal anomalies that vary in severity from minor to lethal. Although numerous conditions have been grouped with this diagnosis, a subset of this population will have no other intrauterine abnormalities other than isolated defects of the extremities. ABS may present as constriction rings and congenital amputation affecting the limbs and digits. Routine sonographic evaluation of the fetus in the second trimester can identify the major defects associated with ABS. Detailed evaluation of the fetal extremities, including views of the hands and feet, will increase the detection of minor defects.
The why, what, how and when of biological pacemakers.

Electronic pacemakers are lifesaving devices but require regular maintenance and do not readily respond to the demands of exercise and emotion. This viewpoint focuses on the rapidly evolving field of biological pacemakers, addresses the issues that need to be confronted before clinical use and discusses how far we are from a clinical reality.
OXYGEN DISSOCIATION CURVES OF THE BLOODS OF ADULT AND FETAL SHEEP AT HIGH ALTITUDE

The oxygen dissociation curves of the bloods of sheep living at high altitude in the Peruvian Andes and of their fetuses have been prepared at plasma hydrogenion concentrations in the physiological range. A comparison with oxygen dissociation curves of bloods of sea-level sheep and their fetuses shows no significant difference between the two groups of animals.
An ultrawide band W-band end-fire antenna on flexible organic substrate

This paper presents, for the first time, a low cost ultra wide band (16.8 GHz bandwidth) end-fire Tapered Slot Antenna(TSA) on organic Liquid Crystal Polymer substrate(LCP). This antenna utilizes novel microstrip-to-slot transition which makes it very wide band (75.5 GHz–92.3 GHz). The antenna was designed and optimized for frequency operation at 80 GHz with a gain of 8 dBi. The gain, S11 and H-plane Co and Cross polarization measurements were conducted and successfully demonstrated a passive antenna gain of 8 dBi from 75.5 GHz to 92.3 GHz with minimal deviation of 2.5 dB. Return loss also demonstrates 16.8 GHz of 10 dB bandwidth.
Structures for superconductive magnetic energy storage

Abstract The cost of superconductor material is a significant portion of the total cost of an SMES (Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage) system. The mass of superconductor required to store a given amount of energy is a function of the magnet structure. Five magnetic structures applicable for SMES are examined in this paper from the viewpoint of their energy storage capacities along with the peak field magnitudes. Two force-balanced structures are analyzed and compared.
Survival and Pareto-Optimality in Public Utility Rate Making

Recent expansion of marginal cost pricing in public utility rate regulation has involved two principal controversies: (1) the analytical propriety of marginal cost pricing; and (2) the way in which marginal cost pricing is to be defined and implemented quantitatively. The purpose of the present article is not to enter directly into either of these controversies, but instead to discuss a logical premise of applied marginalism.
Apes and Tricksters: The Evolution and Diversification of Humans’ Closest Relatives

The evolutionary history of humans comprises an important but small branch on the larger tree of ape evolution. Today’s hominoids—gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans—are a meager representation of the ape diversity that characterized the Old World from 23–5 million years ago. In this paper, I briefly review this evolutionary history focusing on features important for understanding modern ape and human origins. As the full complexity of ape evolution is beyond this review, I characterize major geographic, temporal, and phylogenetic groups using a few flagship taxa. Improving our knowledge of hominoid evolution both complicates and clarifies studies of human origins. On one hand, features thought to be unique to the human lineage find parallels in some fossil ape species, reducing their usefulness for identifying fossil humans. On the other hand, the Miocene record of fossil apes provides an important source for generating hypotheses about the ancestral human condition; this is particularly true given the dearth of fossils representing our closest living relatives: chimpanzees and gorillas.
Insights into inflammatory bowel disease using Toxoplasma gondii as an infectious trigger.

Oral infection of certain inbred mouse strains with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii triggers inflammatory pathology resembling lesions seen during human inflammatory bowel disease, in particular Crohn's disease (CD). Damage triggered by the parasite is largely localized to the distal portion of the small intestine, and as such is one of only a few models for ileal inflammation. This is important because ileal involvement is a characteristic of CD in over two-thirds of patients. The disease induced by Toxoplasma is mediated by Th1 cells and the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. Inflammation is dependent upon IL-23, also identified by genome-wide association studies as a risk factor in CD. Development of lesions is concomitant with emergence of E. coli that display enhanced adhesion to the intestinal epithelium and subepithelial translocation. Furthermore, depletion of gut flora renders mice resistant to Toxoplasma-triggered ileitis. Recent findings suggest complex CCR2-dependent interactions between lamina propria T cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes in fueling proinflammatory pathology in the intestine. The advantage of the Toxoplasma model is that disease develops rapidly (within 7–10 days of infection) and can be induced in immunodeficient mice by adoptive transfer of mucosal T cells from infected donors. We propose that Toxoplasma acts as a trigger setting into motion a series of events culminating in loss of tolerance in the intestine and emergence of pathogenic T cell effectors. The Toxoplasma trigger model is providing new leaps in our understanding of immunity in the intestine.
An examination of quinone toxicity using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system

The toxicity of quinones is generally thought to occur by two mechanisms: the formation of covalent bonds with biological molecules by Michael addition chemistry and the catalytic reduction of oxygen to superoxide and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) (redox cycling). In an effort to distinguish between these general mechanisms of toxicity, we have examined the toxicity of five quinones to yeast cells as measured by their ability to reduce growth rate. Yeast cells can grow in the presence and absence of oxygen and this feature was used to evaluate the role of redox cycling in the toxicity of each quinone. Furthermore, yeast mutants deficient in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were used to assess the role of this antioxidant enzyme in protecting cells against quinone-induced reactive oxygen toxicity. The effects of different quinones under different conditions of exposure were compared using IC50 values (the concentration of quinone required to inhibit growth rate by 50%). For the most part, the results are consistent with the chemical properties of each quinone with the exception of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (9,10-PQ). This quinone, which is not an electrophile, exhibited an unexpected toxicity under anaerobic conditions. Further examination revealed a potent induction of cell viability loss which poorly correlated with decreases in the GSH/2GSSG ratio but highly correlated (r2 > 0.7) with inhibition of the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), suggesting disruption of glycolysis by this quinone. Together, these observations suggest an unexpected oxygen-independent mechanism in the toxicity of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone.
Trends in the relative occupational status of African Americans and European immigrants in Northern cities, 1880–1970 ☆

Abstract In his classic book, A Piece of the Pie, Stanley Lieberson described divergent trends in occupational standing for African Americans and European immigrants after 1920, as the Great Migration from the South swelled the size of the black population in northern cities. In this paper I build upon Lieberson’s work using longitudinal data drawn from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series for the census years 1880–1970. This more versatile data source allows me to examine separate occupational trends for northern-born blacks and southern-born migrants and to control for relevant socio-demographic characteristics. The findings confirm Lieberson’s general conclusion that blacks lost ground, occupationally, to immigrants after 1920. However, they show further that: (1) northern- and southern-born blacks experienced different trends in relative occupational standing after 1920, (2) that these different trends were due largely to compositional differences between the two groups of northern blacks, especially educational differences, and (3) that blacks were generally less successful than immigrants at translating additional educational attainment into improved occupational status, with southern migrants experiencing the weakest occupational returns to education. It is concluded that compositional differences and a racially-defined occupational queue were the most important factors shaping group differences and trends in occupational standing between 1920 and 1970. Timing of arrival in the northern industrial economy and a response by whites to the “racial threat” from a growing black population were less important.
Transgenic overexpression of the presynaptic choline transporter elevates acetylcholine levels and augments motor endurance.

The hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) sustains cholinergic signaling via the presynaptic uptake of choline derived from dietary sources or from acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-mediated hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh). Loss of cholinergic signaling capacity is associated with cognitive and motor deficits in humans and in animal models. Whereas genetic elimination of CHT has revealed the critical nature of CHT in maintaining ACh stores and sustaining cholinergic signaling, the consequences of elevating CHT expression have yet to be studied. Using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-mediated transgenic methods, we generated mice with integrated additional copies of the mouse Slc5a7 gene. BAC–CHT mice are viable, appear to develop normally, and breed at wild-type (WT) rates. Biochemical studies revealed a 2 to 3-fold elevation in CHT protein levels in the CNS and periphery, paralleled by significant increases in [3H]HC-3 binding and synaptosomal choline transport activity. Elevations of ACh in the BAC–CHT mice occurred without compensatory changes in the activity of either choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or AChE. Immunohistochemistry for CHT in BAC–CHT brain sections revealed markedly elevated CHT expression in the cell bodies of cholinergic neurons and in axons projecting to regions known to receive cholinergic innervation. Behaviorally, BAC–CHT mice exhibited diminished fatigue and increased speeds on the treadmill test without evidence of increased strength. Finally, BAC–CHT mice displayed elevated horizontal activity in the open field test, diminished spontaneous alteration in the Y-maze, and reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. Together, these studies provide biochemical, pharmacological and behavioral evidence that CHT protein expression and activity can be elevated beyond that seen in wild-type animals. BAC–CHT mice thus represent a novel tool to examine both the positive and negative impact of constitutively elevated cholinergic signaling capacity.
Chronic hypoxia affects capillary density and geometry in pigeon pectoralis muscle

We examined fiber capillarization and ultrastructure in pectoralis muscle of 11 pigeons (Columbia livia; body mass 603 +/- 12 (SE) g) i.e. nine birds kept at 3800 m for 5 months (three in a small aviary (A1) and five in smaller cages, A2) compared to three sea-level (SL) controls. There was no difference between groups in either the relative area or number of aerobic and glycolytic fibers per total fibers, fiber size or mitochondrial volume density. Hematocrit was significantly greater in A1 and A2 (59 +/- 1%) than SL (50 +/- 2%). In A1, capillary density relative to the sectional area of aerobic/total fibers, capillary diameter and the contribution of tortuosity and branching to capillary length were significantly greater than SL, yielding greater capillary length and surface area per volume of fiber. Capillary length and surface densities very close to those in A1 and significantly greater than SL for the relative sectional area of aerobic/total fibers were also found in four out of five A2 birds, without alteration in capillary geometry or diameter. The size of the capillary-fiber interface (i.e. capillary-to-fiber surface ratio) in aerobic fibers was also greater in A1 and A2 than SL, indicating a greater capacity for oxygen supply of the muscle fibers in the altitude groups.
Chronic lead exposure attenuates sensitization to the locomotor-stimulating effects of cocaine.

Adult male rats were exposed to a water supply containing 500 ppm lead acetate (Lead Group), or a comparable concentration of sodium acetate (Control Group), for 30 days prior to commencing testing for behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Locomotor activity (total distance (cm) travelled) was monitored for animals in both exposure conditions across 14 daily 1 h test sessions. Across successive sessions, baseline activity was recorded for a 20-min baseline period, at which time half the animals from each exposure condition received an i.p. injection of saline or 10 mg/kg cocaine HCl. Post-injection locomotor responding was then monitored for 40 min prior to returning the animal to the home cage where the respective watering regimens remained intact. On the day following the completion of sensitization testing (day 15 of testing), animals in all groups received a saline injection, and on day 16 of testing all animals received a 10 mg/kg cocaine challenge. The results showed that repeated experience with cocaine augmented the stimulatory effects of the drug in both control and lead-exposed animals. However, this behavioral sensitization effect was slower to develop and less pronounced in lead-exposed animals. These data are discussed within the context of lead-related changes in sensitivity to cocaine.
Application of the BIE Method to Sound Radiation Problems Using an Isoparametric Element

This paper discusses the application of the Boundary Integral Equation method for the numerical solution of radiation problems governed by Helmholtz’s equation. In particular, we introduce an isoparametric element formulation in which both the surface geometry and the acoustic variables on the surface of the radiating body are represented by quadratic shape functions within the local coordinate system. A general result for the surface velocity potential is derived. This result includes the case where the surface may have a nonunique normal (e.g., at the edge of a body). The Boundary Integral Equation Method is used to obtain numerical solutions for three radiation problems involving spherical and cubical geometry. The numerical results are compared with exact analytical solutions. The problem of nonuniqueness of the solution at certain frequencies equal to the eigenfrequencies of the corresponding (but physically unrelated) interior problem is illustrated.
Conceptual study of on orbit production of cryogenic propellants by water electrolysis

The feasibility is assessed of producing cryogenic propellants on orbit by water electrolysis in support of NASA's proposed Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) missions. Using this method, water launched into low earth orbit (LEO) would be split into gaseous hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis in an orbiting propellant processor spacecraft. The resulting gases would then be liquified and stored in cryogenic tanks. Supplying liquid hydrogen and oxygen fuel to space vehicles by this technique has some possible advantages over conventional methods. The potential benefits are derived from the characteristics of water as a payload, and include reduced ground handling and launch risk, denser packaging, and reduced tankage and piping requirements. A conceptual design of a water processor was generated based on related previous studies, and contemporary or near term technologies required. Extensive development efforts would be required to adapt the various subsystems needed for the propellant processor for use in space. Based on the cumulative results, propellant production by on orbit water electrolysis for support of SEI missions is not recommended.
Corporate Governance Quality and Internal Control Reporting under SOX Section 302

I examine the impact of corporate governance quality on firm reporting of internal control deficiencies (ICDs) prior to SOX-mandated audits holding constant the existence of a control weakness. I find companies that were audited by industry leading auditors and that have higher quality audit committees are more likely to disclose ICDs under the SOX section 302 regime—prior to the mandatory audit of internal controls. I also find that companies that have a CFO with financial accounting experience are more likely to accurately assess the seriousness of ICDs and classify them properly as material weaknesses rather than the less-serious significant deficiencies. These results have implications for the current debate over whether smaller public companies should be exempted from the audit of internal controls as mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) section 404. Specifically, some have argued that attempting to improve financial reporting quality by improving corporate governance quality might be a less costly alternative to the audit of internal controls (SEC 2005). I provide evidence that higher quality corporate governance does lead to a higher probability of ICD disclosure in the SOX 302 regime when audits of internal controls were not required. Additionally, my findings suggest that while improving the audit committee and the external auditor may help improve the likelihood of disclosures in a setting void of the external audit requirements, assuring the CFO has necessary experience and knowledge can impact the likelihood that ICD is reported at the correct level of seriousness.
Antichrist in the Middle Ages: Plus ça change…

Throughout the entirety of the European Middle Ages (ca. 500–1500 C. E.), Christianity functioned as a dominant force in political, social, and cultural matters, replete with figures both natural and supernatural. One of the most fascinating, and widely studied, individuals within the Christian worldview was the Antichrist. An entirely human, yet utterly evil, foil to Jesus Christ within Christian understanding, the Antichrist was the central figure whose advent would begin the various traumas of the Apocalypse and usher in the End Times. Although a terrible and traumatic figure, the Antichrist’s humanity is key to understanding him, as the name ‘Antichrist’ as applied to various individuals appears repeatedly throughout the Middle Ages in response to historic moments of crisis. Modern scholars in the fields of history, art history, and literature have recognized that the Antichrist’s mutability is crucial for comprehending him within the medieval context, as he served as a way to call for ecclesiastical reform or to criticize one’s political enemies. Scholars recently have begun to take note of medieval approaches to resisting the Antichrist. One of the most important tools at medieval people’s disposal was in the form of the occult sciences, such as astrology or alchemy. The Antichrist was thus more than just a shadowy and fearsome figure lurking in the darkness, but proved to be a central figure that drove intellectual, cultural, and religious matters alike during the Middle Ages.
Streptomycin-Induced Inflammation Enhances Escherichia coli Gut Colonization Through Nitrate Respiration

ABSTRACT Treatment with streptomycin enhances the growth of human commensal Escherichia coli isolates in the mouse intestine, suggesting that the resident microbial community (microbiota) can inhibit the growth of invading microbes, a phenomenon known as “colonization resistance.” However, the precise mechanisms by which streptomycin treatment lowers colonization resistance remain obscure. Here we show that streptomycin treatment rendered mice more susceptible to the development of chemically induced colitis, raising the possibility that the antibiotic might lower colonization resistance by changing mucosal immune responses rather than by preventing microbe-microbe interactions. Investigation of the underlying mechanism revealed a mild inflammatory infiltrate in the cecal mucosa of streptomycin-treated mice, which was accompanied by elevated expression of Nos2 , the gene that encodes inducible nitric oxide synthase. In turn, this inflammatory response enhanced the luminal growth of E. coli by nitrate respiration in a Nos2 -dependent fashion. These data identify low-level intestinal inflammation as one of the factors responsible for the loss of resistance to E. coli colonization after streptomycin treatment. IMPORTANCE Our intestine is host to a complex microbial community that confers benefits by educating the immune system and providing niche protection. Perturbation of intestinal communities by streptomycin treatment lowers “colonization resistance” through unknown mechanisms. Here we show that streptomycin increases the inflammatory tone of the intestinal mucosa, thereby making the bowel more susceptible to dextran sulfate sodium treatment and boosting the Nos2- dependent growth of commensal Escherichia coli by nitrate respiration. These data point to the generation of alternative electron acceptors as a by-product of the inflammatory host response as an important factor responsible for lowering resistance to colonization by facultative anaerobic bacteria such as E. coli.
Surface areas and porosities of ices used to simulate stratospheric clouds

Surface areas, bulk densities, and porosities of ices formed at 85 or 200 K are measured to study the morphology of the vapor-deposited ices that have been used to simulate ice clouds in the laboratory. Surface areas are measured from the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) analysis of absorption isotherms obtained at 72.2 K. Bulk densities and porosities are determined photogrammetrically. Results show that water ice and HNO3-H2O ice films deposited from the vapor at temperatures below 200 K exhibit large BET surface areas and are highly porous. For the ices annealed at temperatures above 200 K, external surface areas calculated from the observed particle sizes agree reasonably well with the BET areas, which indicates that the annealed ices are composed of nonporous particles and that the porosity of these ices is due to interstices among the particles.