cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Make Way for Women: Gender Quotas in American Government Under Dominance Feminist Theory

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” - Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General Statistically, women have made drastic strides in the past century in American politics. However, the small percentage of female representation in the 2021 American government system shows just how much farther women have to go to get equal representation as to their fellow men. The answer may be mandated change in the form of a gender quota system. While research and public debate speculate the legality of gender quotas under America’s formal equality framework, this paper gender quotas application under Catharine Mackinnon’s dominance feminist theory. This paper first addresses how gender quotas are consistent with the goals of dominance feminism, which attributes women’s inferior societal position to men’s concerted effort to subordinate and control women. Then, the analysis breaks down a gender quota system’s place under the formal equality framework as echoed in the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause. Additionally, a discussion regarding American’s strangeness towards quota systems is addressed. The conversation then moves into types of quota systems and the public policy that supports and encourages gender quota systems. Then, an analysis of international countries' use of quotas systems is discussed as well as the respective country’s success stories. The paper next shifts to the home-front of American states that have enacted “gender-balance laws,” which are loosely constructed gender-quota systems, to encourage gender balance on state boards and commissions. This paper is the first piece of legal academic scholarship that depicts each state’s enacted gender-balance law and discusses the law’s effects on female representation within each state. The research suggests that true gender equality within the American government cannot be quickly or fully achieved under the American formal equality framework because formal equality endorses unequal electoral representation. Thus, formal equality is insufficient for ensuring meaningful gender equality in politics. On the other hand, quota systems are consistent with the goals of dominance feminism because they raise women to the same level of representation as men in historically male-dominated governments. Therefore, gender quota systems as applied under dominance theory are key in correcting the electoral gender imbalance in the American government.
Zero-Power Flame Detector with Wide Field-of-View Based on Plasmonically-Enhanced Micromechanical Photoswitch

This paper reports on the first demonstration of a zero-power flame detector based on a plasmonically-enhanced micromechanical photoswitch (PMP) that is optimized for the detection of characteristic infrared (IR) radiation at $4.3 \mu \mathrm{m}$ emitted by hydrocarbon flames. In particular, a narrowband cross-type plasmonic absorber (absorptance >85%, bandwidth ∼15%) is integrated with a micromechanical photoswitch with improved thermal-mechanical performance (thermal sensitivity ∼2 nm/nW). The resulted record low IR detection threshold ∼5 nW leads to an experimental demonstration of the detection of a small open flame from a handheld butane torch ∼5-m away in a lab environment, which corresponds to a detection range of ∼70 m in industrial standard test. Thanks to the omnidirectional property of the plasmonic absorber, a field-of-view of ∼125°, nearly 40% wider than commercial flame detectors is recorded. Unlike any existing flame detectors, the demonstrated technology does not consume any electrical power at standby, hence one of the best candidates for the implementation of a wireless sensor network for long-term fire monitoring.
Plasmaspheric Plume Turbulence: Signature of an Electrostatic Corotation-Convection Shear-Layer Instability

As demonstrated by IMAGE-EUV observations, plasmaspheric drainage plumes are a common feature emanating from the plasmasphere during periods of enhanced convection. Concurrent IMAGE-EUV and LANL-MPA observations reveal that plasmaspheric plumes are not a uniform density structure that extends out to geosynchronous orbit and beyond. Instead, in- situ observations reveal a large spatial-scale structure populated by small-scale density structures suggestive of the presence of a turbulent process. Here, we investigate the occurrence and n ature of plasmaspheric drainage plumes as observed by concurrent EUV-MPA observations, as well as explore the possibility that the in–situ observed small-scale density structures are the signature of an instability produced by the sheared velocity found within the plasmaspheric layers separating the corotation of the main plasmasphere from the convection- driven flow generating the plume. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate that the generation of shear-flow driven instabilities is possible under plasmaspheric plasma conditions. The initial results of these simulations indicate that the plasmaspheric instabilities generated are electrostatic in nature, consist with in–situ plume observations.
A genotyping assay to determine geographic origin and transmission potential of Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases.

As countries work towards malaria elimination, it is important to monitor imported cases to prevent reestablishment of local transmission. The Plasmodium falciparum Pfs47 gene has strong geographic population structure, because only those parasites with Pfs47 haplotypes compatible with the mosquito vector species in a given continent are efficiently transmitted. Analysis of 4,971 world-wide Pfs47 sequences identified two SNPs (at 707 and 725 bp) as sufficient to establish the likely continent of origin of P. falciparum isolates. Pfs47 sequences from Africa, Asia, and the New World presented more that 99% frequency of distinct combinations of the SNPs 707 and 725 genotypes. Interestingly, Papua New Guinea Pfs47 sequences have the highest diversity in SNPs 707 and 725. Accurate and reproducible High-Resolution Melting (HRM) assays were developed to genotype Pfs47 SNPs 707 and 725 in laboratory and field samples, to assess the geographic origin and risk of local transmission of imported P. falciparum malaria cases. Molina-Cruz et al. analyzed 4,971 sequences of the Plasmodium falciparum Pfs47 gene and identified a combination of two SNP haplotypes highly correlated with geographic origin and transmission potential by mosquito vectors. A simple High-Resolution Melting RT-PCR assay was developed to genotype these SNPs and establish the likely continent of origin and transmission risk of P. falciparum isolates.
Super Line Graphs and Super Line Digraphs

Instead of simply taking, from a given graph G, one edge at a time to form the line graph, one could take pairs of edges as the vertices and let two of these vertices be adjacent if at least one of the edges in one set is adjacent in G to at least one of those in the other set. This new graph is called a line graph of index 2. Naturally, line graphs of index k are defined analogously, and they constitute the subject of this chapter and have the name super line graphs. Subgraphs, independent sets, and paths and cycles are among the aspects of these objects that are discussed in subsequent sections. The case k = 2 is the examined in greater detail. We then turn to what we call the ‘line-completion number’ of a graph G, which is the least index r for which the super line graph is complete. This turns out to be particularly interesting as a purely number-theoretical problem that is difficult to compute or even approximate in many cases. We then conclude the chapter with sections on super line digraphs and super line multigraphs.
Prefrontal cortex in relation to other cortical areas in rhesus monkey: architecture and connections.

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the architecture and connections of the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe has connections with several different cortical and subcortical regions. The chapter focuses on the role of cortical connections and discusses about thalamic connections. The adaptation of organisms to increasingly complex conditions is reflected in concomitant morphological features of the brain and of the frontal lobe in particular. During evolution, the frontal lobe has undergone marked increases in relative size and complexity, reaching its highest levels in primates. These changes are expressed in terms of cellular architecture and connectional organization. The concept of the dual origin of the cerebral cortex begins with the proposition that there are two prime moieties from which all cortical regions have evolved—the archicortical (or hippocampal) and the paleocortical (or olfactory). The dual organizational trends with sequential progression from the rudimentary cortices toward highly developed frontal regions may provide a framework for further experimental studies. Based on anatomical, physiological, and behavioral studies, there are two cortical visual systems: a (1) ventral system engaged in object analysis and (2) a dorsal system involved in visuospatial function.
Chinese Tallow (Sapium sebiferum Roxb.)

The Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum Roxb.) (Fig. 1), a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is a deciduous tree, native to semi-tropical areas of Central South China. In the United States it is now naturalized along the Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts from Texas to North Carolina. Its economic importance shows that it is a multi-purpose plant very suitable for studies using applications of biotechnology. It is a fast-growing tree which tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and appears to have considerable potential for short-rotation, intensive sylviculture. In Texas, Chinese tallow plantations at 0.6 m × 0.6 m spacing produce 38.1 t/ha of oven-dried wood at the end of four seasons of growth (22 m3/ha/year) (Scheld and Cowles 1981). It is competitive, hardy and particularly well adapted to poorly-drained and/or saline soils where it often produces dense, self-maintained stands. The leaves of the tree somewhat resemble those of aspen, and the tree is extensively used as an ornamental and shade tree in houses because the leaves turn into brilliant autumn colours (yellows, reds and purples) even in warm regions. The flowers are very fragrant, in solitary terminal drooping racemes, with the male flowers clustered in the upper portion of the inflorescence and the female flowers below. The wood of the tree is very durable and resistant to decay and is even-grained, moderately hard and light and is very suitable for pulp with fibre lengths ranging from 0.8–1.3 mm (Anon. 1983). The wood is also useful for making toys, furniture, carved wood products, handles for instruments, etc. The wood can be used as a fuel and has an energy value of 4200 kcal per kg (Anon. 1983) which is approximately one-third that of natural gas.
Sequence of Bovine Liver Glutamate Dehydrogenase III. TRYPTIC PEPTIDES FROM THE MALEYLATED PROTEIN

Abstract Two tryptic hydrolysates of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase which had been maleylated prior to digestion were investigated. In one of these the carboxymethylated protein was used, in the other the protein had been oxidized with performic acid. These soluble derivatives were rapidly hydrolyzed by trypsin and after approximately 5 min, no additional hydrolysis was observed. From these two digests peptides accounting for 474 of the known 506 residues of the polypeptide chain were isolated. These peptides ranged in size from 2 to 73 residues. As expected, some of these peptides contained arginine as the only basic residue, indicating that these peptides are preceded by arginyl residues. Other peptides contained from 1 to 7 lysyl residues with a single arginyl residue, which was COOH-terminal in the peptide. Such peptides supplied overlaps for the component lysyl tryptic peptides. Many peptides were isolated which contained from 2 to 4 arginyl residues as well as several lysyl residues, thus providing additional overlaps at arginyl residues. Several segments of the protein were obtained which had not been found in fragments produced by other methods of scission. In all, the peptides obtained in this investigation established or confirmed 31 of the 33 overlapping sequences involving lysyl residues and at 9 arginyl residues as well. Some evidence is presented to explain the observations of limited action of trypsin at many arginyl residues. This appears to be due to the presence, at or near the potentially susceptible bond, of either acidic residues in the sequence itself or to hydroxyl groups which had become partially or completely maleylated. This is consonant with out observations that many peptides of identical composition manifested different electrophoretic mobilities or appeared in different fractions eluted from ion exchange columns.
Health insurance, neighborhood income, and emergency department usage by Utah children 1996–1998

It is estimated that approximately half of emergency department (ED) usage in the U.S. and other developed countries is for non-urgent conditions and that this usage is related to availability, social, and economic factors. We examined pediatric ED usage in a U.S. state with respect to income, health insurance status, types of medical conditions, and whether introduction of managed care affected utilization by Medicaid children. Emergency department usage rates were calculated from 1996 through 1998 using Utah ED data for children with commercial health insurance, Medicaid, for uninsured children, and by income group estimating neighborhood household income from Zip code of residence. We analyzed usage following the July 1996 transition of Utah Medicaid to managed care. Children with Medicaid had approximately 50% greater ED utilization rates than children with commercial health insurance or uninsured children. The majority of usage for Medicaid and uninsured children was for non-traumatic conditions. Only 35% of total ED usage was for non-emergent or non-urgent conditions and this was related to both Medicaid and low household income. Children lacking health insurance were more likely to be discharged against medical advice (OR = 2.36, 95% C.I. 1.88–2.96). There was no reduction in Medicaid ED usage following the transition to managed care. Usage of ED services is related to both health insurance status and income. Children lacking health insurance and Medicaid children have excessive usage for conditions which could be treated in a primary care setting. That managed care does not reduce Medicaid ED usage is consistent with findings of other studies.
Dimensionality and the electron-phonon interaction in layer structures

In this paper, layer crystals are viewed as loose assemblies of thin plane objects so as to selectively emphasize the relations between the physical properties and the bi- and unidimensional features of the structure. In particular, the interaction of the carriers with the lattice is found to be essentially determined by these dimensional features, in terms of which a plausible interpretation is given for the transport properties measured in several layer crystals.
Facilitators, barriers, and components of a culturally tailored afterschool physical activity program in preadolescent African American girls and their mothers.

Objectives: Traditional physical activity (PA) programs have not been effective in increasing PA in African American girls. Currently, there is limited information regarding the components of PA programs that drive participation in African American girls. The purpose of our investigation was to describe the facilitators, barriers, and components of a culturally tailored afterschool PA program that will potentially inspire the participation of African American mother-daughter dyads. Methods: Six focus groups (n=12 motherdaughter dyads; daughters, 7–10 yrs in age) were conducted between March and May 2012. Focus group semi-structured interviews were transcribed, coded, and systematically analyzed using NVivo. Results: Mothers reported a preference for non-traditional (dancing, household chores) types of PA. While daughters preferred to participate in both dance-based and traditional types (walking, riding bikes) of PA. Participants felt that the use of a culturally tailored dance program would be appealing because it highlights the cultural and historical legacy of the African American culture. Mothers wanted programs that would allow them time to spend with their daughters. Top three dance styles that mothers wanted to participate in were African, hip-hop, and Salsa/samba, while daughters reported that they would enjoy participating in hip-hop, African, and jazz. The most common responses given for resources needed for participating in a culturally tailored afterschool dance program were the location of the program, transportation, and childcare for siblings. Conclusions: Our investigation highlights some cultural factors related to facilitators and barriers of PA that should be addressed in designing PA studies for African American girls and their mothers. (Ethn Dis. 2014;24[1]: 8–13)
Personal air sampling for vapors of aniline compounds.

A method has been developed for air sampling and laboratory analysis of vapors of seven aniline compounds: aniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, o-toluidine, 2,4-xylidine, p-anisidine, o-anisidine, and p-nitroaniline. Air is drawn by a personal sampling pump from a worker's breathing zone through a tube containing silica gel to collect any anilines present. In the laboratory each silica gel section is transferred to a glass-stoppered tube and desorbed with ethanol. An aliquot of this is analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the amount of each aniline compound present. The sampling tube can be used for short-term sampling at 1000 cm3/min or for sampling up to eight hours at 200 cm3/min. Maximum interference effects of water vapor have been considered. Results of retention, desorption, storage, accuracy, and precision studies are presented.
Radiating solitary waves of a model evolution equation in fluids of finite depth

Abstract The evolution equation proposed by Kubota et al. [J. Hydronautics 12 (1978) 157–165] and Joseph [J. Phys. A 10 (1977) 225–227] for long waves in stratified fluids of finite depth is considered. Under a small third-order-derivative dispersive perturbation, solitary-wave solutions to this model equation become weakly nonlocal — they develop oscillatory tails of infinite extent and exponentially small amplitude. Here, these tails are calculated asymptotically following a perturbation procedure in the wavenumber domain.
Runoff in Shallow Soils under Laboratory Conditions

Laboratory experiments of runoff production in shallow soils were conducted on plots consisting of a bedrock layer, an intermediate soil layer, and a crushed stone cover layer. Artificial rainfall was supplied in varying amounts and time sequences; and surface runoff, soil layer interflow, and throughflow were measured. The purpose of the experiments was to investigate infiltration mechanisms in shallow soils and to characterize the effect of stone cover on the partitioning of rainfall at the soil surface. Two soil types were used: (1) A sandy loam; and (2) a silty clay loam. In the case of the sandy loam, the results showed that the majority of rainfall infiltrated readily into the soil, where it subsequently moved downward to the bedrock as throughflow. Strong throughflow response was attributed to preferential flow through large soil pores. Because these macropores formed naturally during the experiments, this work serves as a plot-scale demonstration of the role of rainfall as a factor of change of so...
Strategies to extend longevity of hybridomas in culture and promote yield of monoclonal antibodies

Cell viability was improved by supplemental feeding of amino acids and vitamins in batch culture of hybridoma cells. Cells could be maintained over a 10 day period following exponential growth at a constant viable cell concentration of 2.1×106 cells/ml. Concentrations of monoclonal antibody (MAb) reached 140 mg/l, a value of nearly four times that found in typical batch culture. Lactate formation appeared to occur only during active exponential growth and not during the stationary phase.
A First-Guess Feature-Based Algorithm for Estimating Wind Speed in Clear-Air Doppler Radar Spectra

Abstract Algorithms for deriving winds from profiler range-gated spectra currently rely on consensus averaging to remove outliers from the subhourly velocity estimates. For persistent ground clutter in the echo return that is stronger than the atmospheric component, consensus averaging of the spectral peak power densities fails because the peak power density is derived from the ground clutter and not the atmosphere. To negate the deleterious effects of persistent ground clutter, as well as to attempt to improve performance during periods of poor signal-to-noise ratio, an algorithm was developed that uses the local maxima in power density in each spectrum to build multiple profiles of possible radial velocity estimates from the first to last range tale. To build profiles of radial velocity estimates from a set of spectra, the spectra are smoothed, the local power density maxima are identified, chains are formed across range gates by connecting those local power density maxima that satisfy a continuity cons...
Uranyl peroxide enhanced nuclear fuel corrosion in seawater

The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident brought together compromised irradiated fuel and large amounts of seawater in a high radiation field. Based on newly acquired thermochemical data for a series of uranyl peroxide compounds containing charge-balancing alkali cations, here we show that nanoscale cage clusters containing as many as 60 uranyl ions, bonded through peroxide and hydroxide bridges, are likely to form in solution or as precipitates under such conditions. These species will enhance the corrosion of the damaged fuel and, being thermodynamically stable and kinetically persistent in the absence of peroxide, they can potentially transport uranium over long distances.
Feasibility of adequate solute clearance in obese patients on peritoneal dialysis: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: It is widely assumed that obese patients are poorly suited for peritoneal dialysis (PD). Mathematical models predicting weight limits to achieve adequate solute clearance in anuric patients on continuous ambulatory PD therapy do not apply to the majority of obese patients on PD therapy. Methods: To define the extent to which obesity or large body size interferes with successful PD, the feasibility of achieving adequate solute clearance, defined by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) guidelines, was studied. We reviewed prospectively recorded data for 25 obese patients (body mass index ≥ 29) from a group of 58 prevalent PD patients treated in an inner-city ambulatory dialysis center. Adequacy of solute clearances was assessed by comparing weekly Kt/V and weekly creatinine clearance (WCC) with those recommended by the K/DOQI. Adequacy also was examined separately for large patients, defined as those with total-body water (TBW) by the Watson and Watson equation of 48 L or greater. Similar analyses were performed separately for 10 anuric obese patients. Results: Eighty four percent and 88% of the 25 obese patients achieved K/DOQI targets for weekly Kt/V and WCC, respectively. Among the 10 anuric obese patients, 90% and 70% achieved these targets. Only 60% of those with TBW of 48 L or greater met the Kt/V target. Conclusion: PD remains a viable option for obese patients with end-stage renal disease. It is possible for the majority of obese patients on PD therapy to achieve solute clearances recommended by the K/DOQI. Am J Kidney Dis 40:1295-1300. © 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
A woman with spontaneous premature ovarian failure gives birth to a child with fragile X syndrome.

Objective To inform clinicians about a reproductive risk associated with spontaneous premature ovarian failure and the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene ( FMR1 ). Design Case report. Setting National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Patient(s) A 35-year-old woman with confirmed spontaneous premature ovarian failure. Intervention(s) FMR1 genetic testing. Main Outcome Measure(s) Number of CGG trinucleotide repeats in the 5′ untranslated region of FMR1 . Result(s) Despite having ovarian failure the woman subsequently conceived and delivered a son with fragile X syndrome (>200 CGG repeats). She was then found to carry an FMR1 premutation (85 CGG repeats). Conclusion(s) This is a real-life manifestation of a theoretical risk; a woman conceived subsequent to the diagnosis of spontaneous premature ovarian failure and has a child who manifests mental retardation due to fragile X syndrome. Women with spontaneous premature ovarian failure are at increased risk of having an FMR1 premutation and should be informed of the availability of fragile X testing. Should an FMR1 premutation be uncovered, this will allow patients to make informed reproductive decisions and help clinicians to properly diagnose family members who may have menstrual irregularity, developmental delay, or neurologic symptoms.
Replacement of carbon dioxide by factors obtained from lebedev juice

Abstract C4, C5, and C6 Krebs cycle intermediates or their metabolic precursors replace carbon dioxide in the metabolism of E. coli only when the medium is aerated at the rate of 5–7 volumes of CO2-free air/min. Under identical conditions the normal medium containing glucose gives very little growth. When the medium is aerated at the rate of 75 vol/min none of the Krebs cycle intermediates have an effect. Only complex materials such as yeast extracts, peptone or Lebedev juices, will replace carbon dioxide. One such complex source e.g., Lebedev juice, was partially purified and some of the chemical and physical properties determined.
The emerging importance of genetics in epidemiologic research II. Issues in study design and gene mapping.

Abstract PURPOSE: To provide a synthesis of current approaches to the discovery of genes associated with complex human diseases by examining the joint potential of traditional epidemiologic methods and current molecular techniques for gene discovery. METHODS: A discussion of optimal approaches for defining complex disease phenotypes in genetic epidemiology, ascertainment strategies for estimating genetic influences on disease risk, genomic approaches for localizing complex-disease-susceptibility genes, and the potential synergistic effects of integrating genetic and traditional epidemiologic expertise is provided in the second part of a three-part series on the importance of genetics in epidemiologic research. RESULTS: The ability to quantify genetic influences on disease risk appears highly dependent on the measurement of specific risk factor traits, ascertainment strategies for recruiting study subjects, and a variety of genomic approaches that are rapidly facilitating our ability to identify genes influencing inherited human diseases and to quantify genetic influences on disease risk. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating population-based methods of assessing disease risk with human genetics and genome technology is critical for identifying genetic polymorphisms that influence risk of disease and for defining genetic effects on complex disease etiology.
Photoreduction of Pyridine Nucleotide by Subcellular Preparations from Rhodopseudomonas spheroides.

We have investigated the photoreduction of pyridine nucleotides by crude extracts and chromatophores of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides. Our findings are as follows: NADP is preferentially photoreduced by crude extracts (37,000 × g supernatant fraction) and there is no requirement for the addition of exogenous substrates. Crude extracts also catalyze a nonphotosensitive reduction of NAD. NADP photoreduction is completely inhibited if an NADH trapping system is present and indicates that NADH is required for NADP photoreduction. Washed chromatophores (150,000 × g pellet) do not catalyze NADP photoreduction unless the supernatant fraction is added. The restoring effect of supernatant fraction is lost upon boiling and dialysis. However, supernatant materials can be replaced by an NADH generating system. There is no requirement for anaerobic conditions. Evidence has been presented which suggests that Rhodopseudomonas spheroides contains an energy-linked transhydrogenase that can be driven by a high energy intermediate generated by light or ATP. This intermediate may also be functional in ATP synthesis. The synthesis of ATP and the ATP-supported transhydrogenase is inhibited by oligomycin. This inhibitor does not affect the light-mediated reaction.
Myocardial transcription factors are modulated during pathologic cardiac hypertrophy in vivo.

Objectives In the current study we describe and characterize a novel ovine model of biventricular hypertrophy and heart failure and evaluate the role of selected cardiac transcription factors in the regulation of cardiac gene expression during pathologic hypertrophy in vivo. The cardiac troponin T promoter is used as a model gene. Methods and Results Transient transfections of ovine cardiomyocytes in culture show that Sp1, transcriptional enhancer factor-1, and myocyte enhancer factor-2 activate cardiac troponin T promoter constructs. Cotransfection of Sp3 inhibits cardiac troponin T promoter activity and represses Sp1-mediated activation of the cardiac troponin T promoter. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, transcriptional enhancer factor-1, myocyte enhancer factor-2, NKX2.5, GATA-4, and Sp factors bind the cardiac troponin T promoter in vivo. To assess the role of cardiac transcription during pathologic hypertrophy, in vivo, we created surgical aorta-pulmonary shunts in utero in fetal lambs. Two weeks after spontaneous delivery, shunted lambs showed failure to thrive, significant biventricular hypertrophy, and heart failure. Shunted hearts had significant increases in myosin and cardiac troponin T protein expression. There was a shift in expression to the high-molecular-weight fetal isoforms. Transcriptional enhancer factor-1, myocyte enhancer factor-2, GATA-4, NKX2.5, and Sp1 transcription factor levels were increased in all heart chambers of shunted animals. Sp3 expression was decreased in shunted ventricles. Immunoprecipitated Sp3 was associated with significant increases in histone acetyl transferase activity and decreases in histone-deacetylase activity. Conclusion The shunted neonatal lamb is a valid, novel model of pathologic biventricular hypertrophy. During pathologic hypertrophy myocardial transactivators are upregulated while repressors are downregulated.
Synthetic Food Colors and Neurobehavioral Hazards: The View from Environmental Health Research

Background: The proposition that synthetic food colors can induce adverse behavioral effects in children was first enunciated in 1975 by Feingold [Why Your Child Is Hyperactive. New York:Random House (1975)], who asserted that elevated sensitivity to food additives underlies the signs of hyperactivity observed in some children. Although the evidence suggested that some unknown proportion of children did respond to synthetic food colors, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) interpreted the evidence as inconclusive. A study published in 2007 [McCann et al. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 370:1560–1567 (2007)] drew renewed attention to the hypothesis because of the study’s size and scope. It led the FDA to review the evidence, hold a public hearing, and seek the advice of its Food Advisory Committee. In preparation for the hearing, the FDA reviewed the available evidence and concluded that it did not warrant further agency action. Objectives: In this commentary I examine the basis of the FDA’s position, the elements of the review that led to its decision and that of the Food Advisory Committee, and the reasons that this is an environmental health issue. Discussion: The FDA review confined itself, in essence, to the clinical diagnosis of hyperactivity, as did the charge to the committee, rather than asking the broader environmental question of behavioral effects in the general population; it failed to recognize the significance of vulnerable subpopulations; and it misinterpreted the meaning of effect size as a criterion of risk. The FDA’s response would have benefited from adopting the viewpoints and perspectives common to environmental health research. At the same time, the food color debate offers a lesson to environmental health researchers; namely, too narrow a focus on a single outcome or criterion can be misleading.
Molecular Characteristics and Efficacy of 16D10 siRNAs in Inhibiting Root-Knot Nematode Infection in Transgenic Grape Hairy Roots

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) infect many annual and perennial crops and are the most devastating soil-born pests in vineyards. To develop a biotech-based solution for controlling RKNs in grapes, we evaluated the efficacy of plant-derived RNA interference (RNAi) silencing of a conserved RKN effector gene, 16D10, for nematode resistance in transgenic grape hairy roots. Two hairpin-based silencing constructs, containing a stem sequence of 42 bp (pART27-42) or 271 bp (pART27-271) of the 16D10 gene, were transformed into grape hairy roots and compared for their small interfering RNA (siRNA) production and efficacy on suppression of nematode infection. Transgenic hairy root lines carrying either of the two RNAi constructs showed less susceptibility to nematode infection compared with control. Small RNA libraries from four pART27-42 and two pART27-271 hairy root lines were sequenced using an Illumina sequencing technology. The pART27-42 lines produced hundred times more 16D10-specific siRNAs than the pART27-271 lines. On average the 16D10 siRNA population had higher GC content than the 16D10 stem sequences in the RNAi constructs, supporting previous observation that plant dicer-like enzymes prefer GC-rich sequences as substrates for siRNA production. The stems of the 16D10 RNAi constructs were not equally processed into siRNAs. Several hot spots for siRNA production were found in similar positions of the hairpin stems in pART27-42 and pART27-271. Interestingly, stem sequences at the loop terminus produced more siRNAs than those at the stem base. Furthermore, the relative abundance of guide and passenger single-stranded RNAs from putative siRNA duplexes was largely correlated with their 5′ end thermodynamic strength. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using a plant-derived RNAi approach for generation of novel nematode resistance in grapes and revealed several interesting molecular characteristics of transgene siRNAs important for optimizing plant RNAi constructs.
The Comrey personality scales in Russian: A study of concurrent, predictive, and external validity☆

This study was a follow-up to Brief and Comrey (1993; Journal of Personality Assessment, 60, 267–284) in which the stability of the factor structure of the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS) was investigated for a diverse, Russian sample. Results from that study showed that Comrey's 8-factor personality taxonomy generalized well to the Russian sample and that the CPS dimensions for the Russians were not significantly different from the dimensions reported in samples from six Western nations. The purpose of our study was to investigate further the appropriateness of using the CPS with Russian respondents by looking at the construct and external validity of the CPS scales. On the basis of a priori hypotheses, CPS scale scores were correlated with scores from a number of other personality measures and biographical data. In addition, planned comparisons were performed (a) between groups of communists and non-communists, (b) among persons holding conservative, reformist, and revolutionary perspectives concerning the need for societal change, and (c) among high school, undergraduate, and graduate groups. Results showed for the Russian respondents good support for the construct validity of the scales: Trust, Orderliness, Social Conformity, Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Masculinity, and Response Bias. The Activity and Empathy scales received only moderate support due mainly to the lack of suitable criterion variables with which to correlate them.
What do economists know about the effect of rent control on housing maintenance

Economists' views concerning the effect of rent control on the maintenance of controlled apartments are based on extremely simple models of housing markets and rent control ordinances and on casual empiricism. This paper shows that the models are seriously deficient in that they ignore essential features of actual rent control ordinances and important responses to them. When these features and responses are taken into account, the effect of rent control on maintenance of the controlled stock is theoretically ambiguous. The paper also shows that the few systematic empirical studies have serious flaws. Therefore, there is no basis for economists' strongly-held belief that rent control leads to worse maintenance.
Effects of exogenous androgen and antiandrogen on territorial and nonterritorial red-winged blackbirds (Aves : Icterinae)

We investigated the role of testosterone (T) in territory establishment and maintenance in male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) by implanting exogenous T or pharmacological agents that block the action of T in nonterritorial floaters and territory owners. Floaters with artificially elevated plasma T levels were unable to obtain territories. Territory owners implanted with T did not expand their territories, although they engaged in more aggressive behavior than did control males. Flutamide, which binds to T receptors in target areas, had no effect on territoriality. However, most territory owners given a combination of flutamide and ATD, an aromatization blocker, lost portions of their territories even though they actively defended them. Our results 1) suggest that, although T influences aggressive behavior, elevated plasma levels alone are insufficient to overcome previously-established social relationships between territory owners or between owners and floaters; 2) indicate that impairing the action of T leads to reduced abilities of territory owners to maintain territories against vigorous challenges: and 3) support recent findings that T acts on reproductive behavior in birds through both androgenic and estrogenic metabolites.
The Manufacture of `Public Opinion' by Reporters: Informal Cues for Public Perceptions of Protest Groups:

This study examines how conceptions of `public opinion' are embedded within news-coverage of social protests at two levels: the micro-level in terms of informal characterizations of public opinion and the macro-level in terms of general conceptions of public opinion. At the micro-level, public opinion is brought into news stories in a variety of ways, including: statements about public opinion, depictions of compliance with or violation of social norms and laws, and portrayals of bystanders as symbols for public reaction. At the macro-level, coverage may have an underlying conception of public opinion as (1) aggregated individual opinion, (2) attempts of various groups to affect public policy and (3) a mechanism of social control. This case study of mainstream and alternative media coverage of three anarchist protests reveals differences at both the micro-descriptive and macro-conceptual levels.
Eastern Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) in the City of Berea, Kentucky: a High Incidence of Infestation and Eight New Host Species for Kentucky

ABSTRACT A survey of eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) occurrence in infested trees and shrubs within the city limits of Berea, Kentucky, was conducted from February to April 2007. Phoradendron leucarpum was found in 2320 host plants among 21 trees species (two introduced exotics, one hybrid, 18 native) and one naturalized shrub. The predominate host tree observed in Berea was Prunus serotina with 920 trees followed by Juglans nigra with 534 trees, Acer saccharinum with 257 trees, and Ulmus americana with 187 trees. Eight new eastern mistletoe-infested hosts documented for Kentucky were Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, Pyrus calleryana, Quercus imbricaria, Q. palustris, and Ulmus pumila. Five of these host plants, Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, and Pyrus calleryana, were new host records within the continental United States. Berea had the highest incidence of eastern mistletoe and the greatest...
Pyrolysis of aromatic cyclic diazoketones

The gas-phase pyrolyses of 2-diazo-1-indanone (3), 2-diazo-3-phenyl-1-mdanone (9), 3-diazo-2-indolinone (12), 10-diazophenanthrene-9-one (18), and 2-diazoacenaphthene-1-one (23) have been reported. Indenone was isolated in 26–42 % yield from 3; with methanol in the nitrogen stream, 2-methoxy-1-indanone was formed (24–32%). Indenone formed 7H-benzo[c]fluoren-7-one upon standing. Pyrolysis of 9 led to 9-anthracenecarboxaldehyde (27%) and anthracene (30%). A mixture (10%) of 2-indolinone and isoindigo was obtained from 12. Pyrolysis of 18 gave (12–21%) fluorene-9-carboxylic acid; with methanol in the stream, the methyl ester was formed in 20–26% yield. Liquid-phase pyrolysis of 23 gave [Δ1,1]biacenaphthene-2,2′-dione, 75 %.
Alterations in alpha subunit expression of cardiac Na+,K+-ATPase in spontaneously hypertensive rats: effect of antihypertensive therapy

The alpha-2 subunit abundance of Na+,K(+)-ATPase in the rat heart has been reported to be reduced in several induced hypertensive models. To determine whether this reduction also occurs in a genetic model of hypertension, we studied expression of the alpha subunits in left ventricles of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley rats using Western blotting and quantitative dot-blotting analysis with monoclonal antibodies. While the alpha-1 subunit was not affected in any of the strains, a significant reduction of the alpha-2 subunit expression was noted in 19-week-old SHRs, but not in age-matched WKY and Sprague-Dawley rats, supporting the hypothesis that elevated arterial pressure may differentially downregulate the alpha-2 subunit in the rat heart. To further test this hypothesis we designed experiments in which hypertensive rats were treated with the antihypertensive agents hydralazine and nifedipine. Both agents effectively normalized the blood pressure in the SHRs with no significant effect on the blood pressure in the WKY and Sprague-Dawley rats. The alpha-2 subunit in SHRs treated with hydralazine and nifedipine showed a 63.3% (n = 6, P < 0.05, analysis of variance and Fischer's test) and a 27.4% increase, respectively, over the hypertensive SHR controls, although the reversal effect of nifedipine did not quite reach significance. The alpha-1 subunit expression was not affected by any of the drug treatments. No effect of either of the drugs on the alpha-1 or alpha-2 subunit was observed in the WKY or Sprague-Dawley rat groups. These data support our hypothesis that the alpha-2 subunit may be a pressure-sensitive isoform of the cardiac Na+,K(+)-ATPase and that high blood pressure is, directly or indirectly, responsible for the reduction of the alpha-2 subunit protein expression.
Dealing with unanticipated events in autonomous navigation

In earlier published work, the authors developed and demonstrated expert system control of an autonomous robot navigating in unknown environmets and dealing with unexpected events such as moving obstacles. The limitations of this earlier work included insufficient on-board computing capability, restrictions on the sensor suite to only sonar transducers, and a geometrically specified goal location. In this paper, we describe advances to our mobile robot series (currently HERMIES-IIB) to include 8 NCUBE processors onboard, (computationally equivalent to 8 Vax 11/780's) operating in parallel, and augmentation of the sensor suite with cameras to facilitate on-board vision analysis and goal finding. The essential capabilities of the expert system described in our earlier paper have also been ported to the on-board HERMIES-IIB camputers thereby eliminating off-board computation. We describe a successful experiment in which a robot is placed in an initial arbitrary location without prior specification of the room contents, successfully discovers and navigates around stationary and occasionally moving obstacles, picks up and moves small obstacles, searches for a control panel, and reads the meters found on the panel. The success of this experiment encourages more complex on-board vision analysis and expert system control in dynamic environments. The experiment will be expanded to include research in robot learning as the robot attempts to adjust the meter reading to a particular value without a priori knowledge of the control panel system dynamics.
Specific tumor suppressor function for E2F2 in Myc-induced T cell lymphomagenesis

Deregulation of the Myc pathway and deregulation of the Rb pathway are two of the most common abnormalities in human malignancies. Recent in vitro experiments suggest a complex cross-regulatory relationship between Myc and Rb that is mediated through the control of E2F. To evaluate the functional connection between Myc and E2Fs in vivo, we used a bitransgenic mouse model of Myc-induced T cell lymphomagenesis and analyzed tumor progression in mice deficient for E2f1, E2f2, or E2f3. Whereas the targeted inactivation of E2f1 or E2f3 had no significant effect on tumor progression, loss of E2f2 accelerated lymphomagenesis. Interestingly, loss of a single copy of E2f2 also accelerated tumorigenesis, albeit to a lesser extent, suggesting a haploinsufficient function for this locus. The combined ablation of E2f1 or E2f3, along with E2f2, did not further accelerate tumorigenesis. Myc-overexpressing T cells were more resistant to apoptosis in the absence of E2f2, and the reintroduction of E2F2 into these tumor cells resulted in an increase of apoptosis and inhibition of tumorigenesis. These results identify the E2f2 locus as a tumor suppressor through its ability to modulate apoptosis.
Hypertension associated with multicystic dysplastic kidney in children.

Purpose: The results of nephrectomy for hypertension in 4 children with unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney are presented.Materials and Methods: The records of 3 boys and 1 girl 4 months to 4 years old with multicystic kidney and documented systolic hypertension leading to nephrectomy were reviewed.Results: Blood pressure normalized after surgery in 2 patients and remained persistently elevated in the other 2.Conclusions: Children with multicystic dysplastic kidney should be screened for hypertension. Nephrectomy resolves hypertension in some patients with multicystic kidney.
A compactness result for Kähler Ricci solitons

Abstract In this paper we prove a compactness result for compact Kahler Ricci gradient shrinking solitons. If ( M i , g i ) is a sequence of Kahler Ricci solitons of real dimension n ⩾ 4 , whose curvatures have uniformly bounded L n / 2 norms, whose Ricci curvatures are uniformly bounded from below and μ ( g i , 1 / 2 ) ⩾ A (where μ is Perelman's functional), there is a subsequence ( M i , g i ) converging to a compact orbifold ( M ∞ , g ∞ ) with finitely many isolated singularities, where g ∞ is a Kahler Ricci soliton metric in an orbifold sense (satisfies a soliton equation away from singular points and smoothly extends in some gauge to a metric satisfying Kahler Ricci soliton equation in a lifting around singular points).