cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of the aural head shake reflex in serotonin-mediated head shaking behavior.

The head shake reflex is a rapid rhythmic shaking of the head in a radial motion and is a prominent part of the behavior of most mammalian species. The administration of agonists at 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors to rats increases apparently-spontaneous head shaking behavior. The present study examined the relationship between the head shake reflex, elicited by stimulation of the aural ampullae with Tween 80, with a similar-appearing behavior, the head shake response caused by the administration of 5-HT agonists to rats. Head shaking was attenuated by the subcutaneous infiltration of the local anesthetic procaine into the posterior border of the external auditory meatus. However, the local anesthetic did not alter head shake behavior produced by administering either the 5-HT agonist quipazine or the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (l-5-HTP). The magnitude of the head shake reflex was also diminished after habituation of the reflex by repeatedly applying Tween 80 to the ampullae, yet this treatment had no effect on the head shaking behavior caused by quipazine. In a complementary manner, pretreatment with the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin potently blocked shaking behavior caused by quipazine without significantly altering the head shake reflex. Chronic administration of the atypical antidepressant drug iprindole to rats for 7 days reduced quipazine-induced shaking behavior without affecting the head shake reflex. In contrast, chronic administration of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine to rats for 7 days reduced head shaking behavior caused by either stimulus, indicating that an attenuation of motor reflex activity could play a role in the reduced response to quipazine. When shaking behavior caused by the auricular application of Tween 80 was combined simultaneously with quipazine, these two treatments produced additive effects on shaking behavior. No support was found in these experiments using rats that head shaking behavior caused by 5-HT agonists involved the enhanced perception of normally-subliminal cutaneous stimuli from the pinna region that usually elicit the head shake reflex. Instead, 5-HT agonists and aural pinna stimulation appeared to produce head shaking behavior in rats by independent physiological mechanisms. However, these mechanisms may intersect insofar as the motor pathways of the head shake reflex may be common with the motor pathway for eliciting shaking behavior by the stimulation of central 5-HT receptors.
Alpha-carbon coordinates for bovine Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase

Abstract Preliminary α-carbon and metal coordinates are given for a subunit of the bovine erythrocyte Cu ++ , Zn ++ superoxide dismutase. The coordinates are averaged from 5 sets of measurements made on electron density maps at 3A resolution: one set from an averaged map and one set from each of the 4 crystallographically independent subunits (2 dimeric molecules) in the asymmetric unit of the crystal. The 3-dimensional structure of the polypeptide backbone is illustrated and briefly described.
Preferential posterior cerebellum defect in BETA2/NeuroD1 knockout mice is the result of differential expression of BETA2/NeuroD1 along anterior-posterior axis.

Abstract BETA2/NeuroD1 has been shown to play a major role in terminal differentiation of the pancreatic and enteroendocrine cells, as well as for the survival of photoreceptors. Here, we report that the loss of BETA2/NeuroD1 affected the cerebellar development with a major reduction of granule cell number. However, there is a differential reduction of granule cells along the anterior and posterior axis of the cerebellum; while the reduction of granule cells in the anterior lobes is substantial, there is an almost complete loss of granule cells in the posterior compartment. To understand the mechanism for this anterior–posterior difference, we carried out detailed analyses. We found that both BETA2/NeuroD1 and its direct target TrkC, expression commence earlier in the posterior part than those in the anterior part during cerebellum development. Consequently, loss of BETA2/NeuroD1 enhances granule cell death in the posterior 2 days earlier than the anterior. Furthermore, the higher rate of cell death in the posterior of the cerebellum is concomitant with the reduction of TrkC expression in knockout mice. Thus, our data indicate that preferential expression of BETA2/NeuroD1 and TrkC in posterior lobes explains the earlier start of cell apoptosis and preferential loss of granule cells in the posterior lobes.
Co-occurrence of Kikuchi-Fujimoto’s disease and Still’s disease: case report and review of previously reported cases

Kikuchi-Fujimoto’s disease (KFD) and adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) are rare inflammatory conditions with some overlapping features. We encountered a 22-year-old male patient who presented with daily fevers, neck discomfort, and sore throat and subsequently developed rash, arthritis, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of the skin rash was consistent with KFD skin involvement. Given that the patient also met criteria for AOSD, a final diagnosis of KFD/AOSD co-occurrence was made. Anti-IL-1β therapy with anakinra resulted in rapid resolution of all symptoms. A literature search identified eight more cases of KFD/AOSD. Fever, rash, arthritis, and lymphadenopathy were present in all patients. No case report demonstrated an association of rash eruption clearly associated with fever spikes. Duration of symptoms ranged from 3 weeks to 10 years. Seven patients had leukocytosis, six had anemia, and five demonstrated elevated ferritin and/or decreased glycosylated ferritin. Seven patients had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and seven had transaminitis. Eight of nine patients had no evidence of infectious disease. Autoantibodies were absent from all patients. KFD and AOSD are very rare diseases, yet they may overlap. The two conditions not only share several clinical and laboratory characteristics but also differ in characteristic ways. Given the rapid response observed with anakinra in the index patient, IL-1β likely plays a role in both diseases.
Monodisperse, air-stable PbS nanocrystals via precursor stoichiometry control.

Despite their technological importance, lead sulfide (PbS) nanocrystals have lagged behind nanocrystals of cadmium selenide (CdSe) and lead selenide (PbSe) in terms of size and energy homogeneity. Here, we show that the ratio of lead to sulfur precursor available during nucleation is a critical parameter affecting subsequent growth and monodispersity of PbS nanocrystal ensembles. Applying this knowledge, we synthesize highly monodisperse (size dispersity <5%) PbS nanocrystals over a wide range of sizes (exciton energies from 0.70 to 1.25 eV, or 1000–1800 nm) without the use of size-selective precipitations. This degree of monodispersity results in absorption peak half width at half max (HWHM) values as small as 20 meV, indicating an ensemble that is close to the homogeneous limit. Photoluminescence emission is correspondingly narrow and exhibits small Stokes shifts and quantum efficiencies of 30–60%. The nanocrystals readily self-assemble into ordered superlattices and exhibit exceptional air stability ov...
FREE RADICAL FORMATION BY ANSAMYCIN BENZOQUINONE IN HUMAN BREAST TUMOR CELLS : IMPLICATIONS FOR CYTOTOXICITY AND RESISTANCE

The benzoquinonoid ansamycin antibiotics, geldanamycin and herbimycin A, are potent cytotoxins against tumor cells in vitro. We have examined the mechanism of their in vitro cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells and we have found that multidrug-resistant MCF-7/ADRR cells that exhibit the MDR phenotype and the overexpression of P-170-glycoprotein, were cross-resistant to geldanamycin and herbimycin A. Verapamil, which binds competitively with P-170-glycoprotein, enhanced geldanamycin cytotoxicity 12-fold only in resistant cells, suggesting that geldanamycin may interact with the drug efflux protein. Geldanamycin and herbimycin A, like adriamycin, were reductively activated by the NADPH-cytochrome cytochrome P450-reductase and formed reactive ·OH. The formation of ·OH was signifacantly lower in resistant cells. In contrast to adriamycin, the formation of ·OH was unaffected by the addition of DNA, indicating that a DNA-complexed drug was redoxactive and may, therefore, may be more effective in killing tumor cells at the DNA level. These observations indicate that both the decreased free radical formation and interactions with P170 glycoprotein may be important in geldanamycin and herbimycin A resistance in multidrug resistant human breast tumor cells.
A Regression Model for Smoke Plume Rise of Prescribed Fires Using Meteorological Conditions

Smoke plume rise is an important factor for smoke transport and air quality impact modeling. This study provides a practical tool for estimating plume rise of prescribed fires. A regression model was developed on the basis of observed smoke plume rise for 20 prescribed fires in the southeastern United States. The independent variables include surface wind, air temperature, fuel moisture, and atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) height. The first three variables were obtained from the Remote Automatic Weather Stations, most of which are installed in locations where they can monitor local fire danger and are easily accessedbyfire managers. ThePBL heightwassimulatedwith theWeatherResearchandForecasting Model. The confidence and validation analyses indicate that the regression model is significant at the 95% confidence level and able to predict hourly values and the average smoke plume rise during a burn, respectively. The predictionofthe averagesmokeplumeriseshowslargerskills.Themodelalsoshowsimprovedskillsovertwo extensively used empirical models for the prescribed burn cases examined in this study, suggesting that it may have the potential to improvesmoke plume rise and air quality modelingfor prescribed burns. The regression model, however, tends to underestimate large plume rise values and overestimate small ones. A suite of alternative regression models was also provided, one of which can be used when no PBL information is available.
Do the Determinants of Promotion Differ for White Men Versus Women and Minorities? An Exploration of Intersectionalism Through Sponsored and Contest Mobility Processes:

This article uses survey data to address two previously unanswered questions: What explains the gap in promotion between women and minorities relative to White men? and Are the processes that determine promotions for White men the same for minorities and women? Overall, race and gender intersect to produce unique promotion outcomes for all groups. Specifically, promotion gaps between White men and their female and minority counterparts are largely a function of group differences in performance indicators and work commitment. Also, relative to White men, before receiving a promotion, Black men must work longer periods of time after leaving school and Latinos must accrue more years with their current employer. Finally, the processes that lead to promotion do not differ between White men and White women, but relative to White men, Black women and Latinas must have more prior job-specific experience and more overall work experience before receiving a promotion—allelse equal.
Lung Carcinogenesis by Tobacco Smoke

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals including multiple genotoxic lung carcinogens. The classic mechanisms of carcinogen metabolic activation to DNA adducts, leading to miscoding and mutations in critical growth control genes, applies to this mixture but some aspects are difficult to establish because of the complexity of the exposure. This article discusses certain features of this mechanism including the role of nicotine and its receptors; lung carcinogens, co-carcinogens and related substances in cigarette smoke; structurally characterized DNA adducts in the lungs of smokers; the mutational consequences of DNA adduct formation in smokers' lungs; and biomarkers of nicotine and carcinogen uptake as related to lung cancer. While there are still uncertainties which may never be fully resolved, the general mechanisms by which cigarette smoking causes lung cancer are well understood and provide insights relevant to prevention of lung cancer, the number one cancer killer in the world, causing 1.37 million deaths per year.
Application of NQG Control with Uncertain and Incomplete Measurements

Nonlinear Quadratic Gaussian control is a technique for extending the standard LQG theory to nonlinear systems. Under the assumption that the statistics of the state and measured variables can be adequately represented by a gaussian distribution, a set of necessary conditions for the minimization of a quadratic cost function can be derived for nonlinear regulator systems. This control synthesis technique is applied to a position servomechanism in this paper. In particular, the system under study consists of a dc motor driving a load through a compliant shaft. The effects of coulomb friction and backlash in the transmission are considered.
Ultrastructural Changes of Embryos in Wheat Infected with Storage Fungi

Spoilage of grain and oilseeds by storage molds, fungi which attack seeds during storage and cause deterioration, amounts to over 1% of the world's production (14). These losses include decrease in germinability, discoloration of seed, increase in free fatty acids, heating, mustiness, and production of mycotoxins (5). Previous studies concerning grain infected with storage fungi have been concerned with detection of these organisms or chemical changes which occur after infection. In this study electron microscopic examination of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., Pa 151X107) embryos was undertaken to determine the ultrastructural changes which may occur in wheat seeds infected with storage fungi of the Aspergillus glaucus group. The most striking change found in cells of infected tissue was the coalescence of lipid bodies (spherosomes) to form large masses of amorphous material. In addition, the protoplast was frequently withdrawn from the cell wall, and the plasmalemma appeared to be damaged. Aside from the ultrastructural changes in infected tissue, we report observations on
On the Use of Linear Models for the Design of Water Utilization Systems in Process Plants with a Single Contaminant

This paper addresses the optimum design of water utilization systems when a single contaminant is present. The application of the necessary conditions of optimality allows an LP or MILP formulation depending on the objective function of choice. Several examples are presented to illustrate the proposed methodology and to point out that several alternative solutions are available.
Econometric estimation of a global spillover matrix for wheat varietal technology

Abstract An econometric approach using international and national yield trial data is employed to estimate a spillover matrix for wheat varietal technology. The global spillover matrix is estimated based on international yield trial data from 1979–1980 to 1987–1988, that include 195 international trial locations and 209 wheat varieties. The locations were classified across countries using the CIMMYT's wheat megaenvironment system and varieties were classified by both their environmental and institutional origin. The model gave good explanatory power and confirmed the location specificity hypothesis, at least, for the varieties developed by national programs (NARS). The spillover matrix shows that NARS varieties developed in the ‘home’ environment generally perform better on average than varieties developed in other megaenvironments. Also, the matrix is not symmetric. CIMMYT varieties perform better on average in irrigated and high rainfall environments than NARS varieties developed for these environments. The yield advantage of CIMMYT varieties in many test megaenvironments indicates the potential of CIMMYT varieties to spill-over to these test megaenvironments. Results also indicate that national programs are efficient in selecting from among imported technologies. Analysis of international data is complemented by the analysis of country-level data for Pakistan and Kenya that confirms the above results. The country-level analysis, however, indicates that CIMMYT germplasm does not do so well in some sub-environments, such as the irrigated short-duration environment. The results of the spillover matrix have implications for the design of crop breeding programs both at the national and international levels. Information provided by the spillover matrix can be utilized by national programs to deploy their resources more efficiently by following a mixed strategy of direct importation of technology in some environments and local development of technologies in other environments which are unique to the country.
Extradural deadspace after infant fronto-orbital advancement in Apert syndrome

Infant fronto-orbital advancement is presently a management cornerstone of the craniosynostosis in Apert syndrome. This procedure is based on the premise that the expanding brain rapidly advances in support of, and to remodel, the new frontal facade. This series of infant patients with Apert syndrome undergoing fronto-orbital advancement with early postoperative computerized tomography assessment reveals a large extradural deadspace persistent through the first postoperative week, not obliterated consistently until the fourth week. Early deadspace effacement results from expansion of the prefrontal subarachnoid space, without any significant change in size or shape of the frontal brain substance or ventricles. Brain growth or expansion was particularly slow with brain shape distortions still evident at late follow-up.
Trading for Security: Military Alliances and Economic Agreements*:

The authors appraise a well-known argument connecting economics and security in international relations: military allies are likely to trade more with one another than non-allies. A review of alliance treaties and diplomatic history suggests that, under certain conditions, states may tie together alliance agreements and economic agreements. When states explicitly link alliance agreements with economic cooperation, one would expect to see increased economic exchange coinciding with coordinated security policies. This article evaluates whether the linking of economic and security agreements accounts for a positive relationship between alliances and trade among European states before World War II and produces evidence in support of this argument. Trade among allies who have specified economic cooperation in their alliance agreements is higher than trade among non-allied states and higher than trade among allies who have not promised economic cooperation. In contrast, trade among allies without specific economic provisions in their treaties is statistically no different from trade among non-allies. Thus, the positive empirical relationship between alliances and trade that the authors find in pre-WWII Europe is a result of only a specific subset of all military alliances, namely, those treaties that stipulate economic cooperation between the allies. This study advances our understanding of the alliance-trade relationship by focusing attention on the joint negotiation of cooperation in different issue-areas.
A search for the locus of information overload in pigeon compound matching-to-sample performance

Five pigeons matched element and compound samples in a symbolic matching-to-sample procedure. In Experiment 1, the sample duration varied within each session, ranging from.125 to 8 sec. Element matching accuracy was superior to compound matching accuracy, and matching accuracy improved with sample duration; but there was no evidence for the convergence of element and compound matching accuracy with long sample durations. In Experiment 2, the sample-to-test delay varied from 0 to 4 sec. The superiority of element matching accuracy over compound matching accuracy did not vary as a function of delay length. These replications of previous failures to find interactions between sample type and temporal parameters in determining matching accuracy place important constraints on explanations of element superiority in pigeon matching-to-sample performance.
Steroid Therapy Can Modulate Gut Barrier Function, Host Defense, and Survival in Thermally Injured Mice

Prednisone may be immunosuppressive and dehydroepiandrosterone may stimulate the immune response, but their effect on gut-origin sepsis caused by bacterial translocation has not been studied. Balb/c mice were treated orally with prednisone (1 or 10 mg/kg/day) or saline for 4 days before receiving gavage with 10 (10) 14 C-labeled Escherichia coli and a 20% thermal injury. Mice were transfused with allogeneic blood and given dehydroepiandrosterone (5 or 25 mg/kg/day) or vehicle subcutaneously for 4 days before bacterial gavage and thermal injury. Some groups in each experiment were observed 10 days for mortality and others were sacrificed 4 hr postburn to measure translocation and survival of translocated bacteria. Survival in prednisone treated animals was 25% (10 mg/kg/day) and 75% (1 mg/kg/day) versus 80% for controls. Following dehydroepiandrosterone administration, survival was 72% (25 mg/kg/day/group) and 30% (5 mg/kg/day/group) versus 16% for controls. High dose prednisone increased bacterial translocation to the intestinal wall and mesenteric lymph nodes and greatly impaired killing of translocated E. coli. In contrast, dehydroepiandrosterone (25 mg/kg) did not affect translocation but significantly improved bacterial killing. Prednisone and dehydroepiandrosterone exert opposite effects during gut-derived sepsis.
A probabilistic extension to ontology language OWL

To support uncertain ontology representation and ontology reasoning and mapping, we propose to incorporate Bayesian networks (BN), a widely used graphic model for knowledge representation under uncertainty and OWL, the de facto industry standard ontology language recommended by W3C. First, OWL is augmented to allow additional probabilistic markups, so probabilities can be attached with individual concepts and properties in an OWL ontology. Secondly, a set of translation rules is defined to convert this probabilistically annotated OWL ontology into the directed acyclic graph (DAG) of a BN. Finally, the BN is completed by constructing conditional probability tables (CPT) for each node in the DAG. Our probabilistic extension to OWL is consistent with OWL semantics, and the translated BN is associated with a joint probability distribution over the application domain. General Bayesian network inference procedures (e.g., belief propagation or junction tree) can be used to compute P(C/spl bsol/e): the degree of the overlap or inclusion between a concept C and a concept represented by a description e. We also provide a similarity measure that can be used to find the most similar concept that a given description belongs to.
Sacroiliac joint pain: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is an underappreciated source of mechanical low back pain, affecting between 15 and 30% of individuals with chronic, nonradicular pain. Predisposing factors for SIJ pain include true and apparent leg length discrepancy, older age, inflammatory arthritis, previous spine surgery, pregnancy and trauma. Compared with facet-mediated and discogenic low back pain, individuals with SIJ pain are more likely to report a specific inciting event, and experience unilateral pain below L5. Owing in part to its size and heterogeneity, the pain referral patterns of the SIJ are extremely variable. Although no single physical examination or historical feature can reliably identify a painful SIJ, studies suggest that a battery of three or more provocation tests can predict response to diagnostic blocks. Evidence supports both intra- and extra-articular causes for SIJ pain, with clinical studies demonstrating intermediate-term benefit for both intra- and extra-articular steroid injections. In those who fail to experience sustained relief from SIJ injections, radiofrequency denervation may provide significant relief lasting up to 1 year. This review covers all aspects of SIJ pain, with the treatment section being primarily focused on procedural interventions.
Neutral density response to the solar flares of October and November, 2003

[1] In this paper we report the first measurements of the thermosphere neutral density response to a solar EUV flare. Two X17 flares are considered: The first on 28 October, 2003, and the second on 4 November, 2003. The density measurements are provided by accelerometers on the GRACE and CHAMP satellites near 490 km and 400 km, respectively. X-ray fluxes are provided by GOES-12, and EUV fluxes by the SEE instrument on TIMED. The thermosphere density increases associated with the first flare are about 50–60% at low to mid-latitudes. The time to peak response is 72 ± 47 minutes with respect to the peak EUV flux emitted by the flare, while the recovery to prior quiescent levels takes nearly 12 hours with an approximate decay time constant of 8 hours. The response to the second flare is about 35–45% with similar response and recovery times. The above density enhancements correspond to exosphere temperature increases of about 125–175 K and 100–125 K, respectively. These results provide new opportunities for the testing and validation of models over time scales similar to those of basic mechanisms governing the thermosphere response, such as thermal conduction, radiative cooling, and restoration of diffusive equilibrium.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging

Unpaired electrons can be measured by their absorption of electromagnetic radiation when the energy level separations established by a magnetic field match the energy of the incident electromagnetic radiation (usually microwave or radio frequency). The measurement method is called electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The EPR methodology can be continuous-wave (CW), pulsed, or rapid-scan EPR. Since the paramagnetic species are commonly not uniformly distributed in the material studied, the spatial distribution can be discerned by performing the EPR measurement in a magnetic-field gradient, such that different parts of the sample resonate at different strengths of the applied magnetic field. Performing EPR in a gradient field and then constructing a spatial image from the acquired EPR spectra is called EPR imaging, sometimes abbreviated to EPRI. The method is analogous to MRI, but with several differences in implementation due to differences in spectral line widths, relaxation times, and unpaired spin concentrations. The goal of EPRI is to determine why the spins are where they are. Applications are as diverse as understanding physiology, measuring O2 concentration in tumors, and determining the distribution of radiation-induced defect centers in solid materials.
Idiopathic Granulomatous Orchitis

A 54-year-old man presented with painless right testicular swelling 3 weeks in duration and a remote history of epididymo-orchitis treated with antibiotics. He also reported mild nocturia and frequency. On physical examination the right testis was abnormally firm, nontender and slightly enlarged. Scrotal ultrasound revealed an enlarged (6.3 3.6 4.2 cm), heterogeneous and hypoechoic right testis with slightly increased flow on color Doppler imaging (figs. 1 and 2). No abnormality of the ipsilateral epididymis was present. Given the high suspicion of malignancy, radical orchiectomy was performed. Final pathological diagnosis was idiopathic granulomatous orchitis (IGO). IGO is a rare inflammatory condition of the testis. It was first described in 1926 by Grunberg, and is characterized by chronic inflammation with granulomas in the testicular interstitium or tubules with destruction of spermatogenic cells. Although granulomatous orchitis may result from a specific infectious etiology, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium, brucellosis and actinomycosis, the etiology of
Can serotonin transporter genotype predict craving in alcoholism

Background: We hypothesize that functional control of the serotonergic system is regulated in part by differential expression of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter (5-HTT). Alcohol-dependent individuals with the LL/LS genotype (L-carriers), compared with those with the SS genotype, have a lower 5-HT neurotransmission, which we hypothesize would be associated with higher craving for alcohol among L-carriers. We hypothesize further that acute peripheral depletion of tryptophan (5-HT’s precursor), while further reducing 5-HT function, might decrease auto-inhibition of 5-HT neuronal firing, thereby increasing 5-HT neurotransmission transiently and lowering alcohol craving. Methods: We tested these hypotheses by examining whether in 34 Hispanic alcohol-dependent individuals subjective and physiological cue craving for alcohol differed by genotype, age of onset of problem drinking, and tryptophan availability. Results: On subjective “urge to drink” and “crave for a drink,” we found a significant (p < 0.05) main effect of genotype and cue, as well as an interaction among genotype, age of onset of problem drinking, and tryptophan depletion. For the physiological measure of pulse, there was a main effect of genotype. L-carriers had higher craving than their SS counterparts, an effect that decreased under tryptophan depletion. While craving in L-carriers increased with an earlier age of onset of problem drinking, the opposite effect was seen in those with the SS genotype. Conclusion: These results not only provide support for the hypothesis that alcoholics who are L-carriers have greater alcohol craving and possibly greater propensity for drinking but also propose that there is an important 5-HTT gene-by-environment interaction that alters cue craving response for alcohol.
Perceived Political Freedom in the Soviet Union

The question of how political freedom gets allocated in societies is one of utmost importance for political science. Different polities allocate freedom differently. At the macro-level, some progress has been made in measuring levels of political freedom and accounting for intersystem variability. At the micro-level, however, very little work has been conducted. This paper is an analysis of micro-level political freedom in the Soviet Union. Relying on a survey of public opinion conducted in the USSR in May 1990, the analysis focuses on how individual Soviet people perceive the availability of political freedom. Perceived freedom is conceptualized as involving both perceptions of cultural and governmental constraints on political expression. Beyond the important task of measuring and describing freedom, I also consider how perceived freedom affects political activity. Different sorts of political activity are investigated, ranging from conventional and unconventional political activism to discussions about...
The Sensitivity of West African Convective Line Water Budgets to Land Cover

Abstract This study used a two-dimensional coupled land–atmosphere (cloud resolving) model to investigate the influence of land cover on the water budgets of convective lines in West Africa. Study simulations used the same initial sounding and one of three different land covers: a sparsely vegetated semidesert, a grassy savanna, and a dense evergreen broadleaf forest. All simulations began at midnight and ran for 24 h to capture a full diurnal cycle. During the morning, the forest had the highest latent heat flux, the shallowest, moistest, slowest growing boundary layer, and more convective available potential energy than the savanna and semidesert. Although the savanna and forest environments produced virtually the same total rainfall mass (semidesert 18%), the spatial and temporal patterns of the rainfall were significantly different and can be attributed to the boundary layer evolution. The forest produced numerous convective cells with very high rain rates mainly during the early afternoon. During the...
Evolutionary molecular structure determination using Grid-enabled data mining

A new computational framework is developed for the evolutionary determination of molecular crystal structures using the shake-and-bake methodology. Genetic algorithms are performed on the SnB results of known structures in order to optimize critical parameters of the program. The determination of efficient SnB input parameters can significantly reduce the time required to solve unknown molecular structures. Further, the Grid-enabled data mining approach that we introduce is able to exploit computational cycles that would otherwise go unused.
Population-based rare variant detection via pooled exome or custom hybridization capture with or without individual indexing

Rare genetic variation in the human population is a major source of pathophysiological variability and has been implicated in a host of complex phenotypes and diseases. Finding disease-related genes harboring disparate functional rare variants requires sequencing of many individuals across many genomic regions and comparing against unaffected cohorts. However, despite persistent declines in sequencing costs, population-based rare variant detection across large genomic target regions remains cost prohibitive for most investigators. In addition, DNA samples are often precious and hybridization methods typically require large amounts of input DNA. Pooled sample DNA sequencing is a cost and time-efficient strategy for surveying populations of individuals for rare variants. We set out to 1) create a scalable, multiplexing method for custom capture with or without individual DNA indexing that was amenable to low amounts of input DNA and 2) expand the functionality of the SPLINTER algorithm for calling substitutions, insertions and deletions across either candidate genes or the entire exome by integrating the variant calling algorithm with the dynamic programming aligner, Novoalign. We report methodology for pooled hybridization capture with pre-enrichment, indexed multiplexing of up to 48 individuals or non-indexed pooled sequencing of up to 92 individuals with as little as 70 ng of DNA per person. Modified solid phase reversible immobilization bead purification strategies enable no sample transfers from sonication in 96-well plates through adapter ligation, resulting in 50% less library preparation reagent consumption. Custom Y-shaped adapters containing novel 7 base pair index sequences with a Hamming distance of ≥2 were directly ligated onto fragmented source DNA eliminating the need for PCR to incorporate indexes, and was followed by a custom blocking strategy using a single oligonucleotide regardless of index sequence. These results were obtained aligning raw reads against the entire genome using Novoalign followed by variant calling of non-indexed pools using SPLINTER or SAMtools for indexed samples. With these pipelines, we find sensitivity and specificity of 99.4% and 99.7% for pooled exome sequencing. Sensitivity, and to a lesser degree specificity, proved to be a function of coverage. For rare variants (≤2% minor allele frequency), we achieved sensitivity and specificity of ≥94.9% and ≥99.99% for custom capture of 2.5 Mb in multiplexed libraries of 22–48 individuals with only ≥5-fold coverage/chromosome, but these parameters improved to ≥98.7 and 100% with 20-fold coverage/chromosome. This highly scalable methodology enables accurate rare variant detection, with or without individual DNA sample indexing, while reducing the amount of required source DNA and total costs through less hybridization reagent consumption, multi-sample sonication in a standard PCR plate, multiplexed pre-enrichment pooling with a single hybridization and lesser sequencing coverage required to obtain high sensitivity.
Hydromagnetic waves in a thin rotating spherical shell

We consider an electrically conducting fluid confined to a thin rotating spherical shell in which the Elsasser and magnetic Reynolds numbers are assumed to be large while the Rossby number is assumed to vanish in an appropriate limit. This may be taken as a simple model for a possible stable layer at the top of the Earth's outer core. It may also be a model for the thin shells which are thought to be a source of the magnetic fields of some planets such as Mercury or Uranus. Linear hydromagnetic waves are studied using a multiple scale asymptotic scheme in which boundary layers and the associated boundary conditions determine the structure of the waves. These waves are assumed to be of the form of an asymptotic series expanded about an ambient magnetic field which vanishes on the equatorial plane and velocity and pressure fields which do not. They take the form of short wave, slowly varying wave trains. The results are compared to the author's previous work on such waves in cylindrical geometry in which th...
Lattice Instabilities of Perovskite Oxides from First Principles

The theoretical and experimental investigation of the crystal structures and properties of complex oxides presents significant challenges, with corresponding potential rewards both for fundamental science and technology. First-principles density-functional-theory methods have emerged as a valuable tool for obtaining microscopic information about structural energetics and polarization in these systems, with continuing improvements in algorithms and computer hardware leading to a point where important questions can be addressed. This increased access to information can drive the development of a more comprehensive and powerful conceptual framework; such a framework is also very much needed to guide and interpret highly demanding experimental and computational investigations.
Estimates of Mental Health Problems in a Vulnerable Population within a Primary Care Setting

We examined the prevalence of mental disorders in a primary care setting affiliated with a large academic medical center. We also examined whether there were racial differences in mental health disorders. Patients were seeking medical care in an outpatient medical clinic; mental health data were available for them via medical records (n=767). Overall, 45% of patients had a diagnosed mental health problem; the most commonly reported form of mental disorder was depression. African Americans (OR= 1.88; CI: 1.21–2.91) were more likely than Whites to have a diagnosed mental health problem. These results suggest a strong mental health treatment need among patients seeking primary care in urban settings. The evidence garnered from this study underscores the need to detect and treat mental health problems systematically within outpatient primary care clinics that serve similarly vulnerable populations.
Causal Heterogeneity in Comparative Research: A Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling Approach

Pooled cross-sectional time-series models in comparative politics typically constrain the effects of variables to be identical across countries. These models conflict with general principles of comparative analysis and theories of comparative political economy that the models are designed to test. In contrast, Bayesian hierarchical models allow time-series coefficients to vary across countries, and time-series effects can be related to cross-national variation in institutions. While allowing causal complexity into comparative analysis, the hierarchical model also provides: (1) more accurate forecasts than rival models; (2) more accurate estimates of time-series effects than unpooled analysis; and (3) a more realistic accounting of uncertainty than conventional pooled analysis. In addition, Bayesian theory for the hierarchical model helps specify the concept of "comparability" in comparative research. These ideas are illustrated in a reanalysis of a model of the political determinants of economic growth studied by Alvarez, Garrett, and Lange (1991).
Ratiometric CdSe/ZnS quantum dot protein sensor.

We have created a platform for the ratiometric fluorescent sensing of targeted proteins by conjugating conjoined protein binding agent/organic dye ligands to water-soluble, emissive semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). The QD emission is tuned such that it may serve as an energy transfer donor to the dye acceptor. Upon exposure to the target proteins, these analytes bind to the surfaces of the QDs and change the microenvironments of the QD-bound dyes such that the emissive properties of the dyes are perturbed. The resulting alteration in the QD and dye fluorescence spectra creates a readout that is fully quantitative. The advantage of our methodology is that the detection of proteins is very fast as the platform is fully homogeneous, whereas the heterogeneous ELISA assay involves multiple steps with blocking agents and secondary reporters that ultimately complicate the process. The calculated detection limits for the two QD protein-sensing examples reported here are also competitive with the ubiquitous ELISA...
Congested credentials: The material and positional economies of schooling

Abstract Sociologists have grown increasingly aware that the role of education in systems of stratification is more positional than absolute. The value of one’s level of attainment is less a simple function of the amount of schooling one has attained, and more a function of how much schooling one has relative to others in the educational queue. The idea of education as a positional good has far-reaching implications for research on such topics as job matching, educational expansion, and educational credentialism. I assess recent sociological treatments of educational positionality, and offer some directions for future research.
BEING PRESENT BUT NOT FULLY THERE: INTERRUPTIONS AND THE CHALLENGE OF ANTICIPATED TIME PRESSURE

In today’s organizations, where people must manage multiple projects at the same time, having uninterrupted time to focus on one’s work has become a rare luxury. Instead, employees must frequently ...
Efficient Simulation of Explicitly Solvated Proteins in the Well-Tempered Ensemble

Herein, we report significant reduction in the cost of combined parallel tempering and metadynamics simulations (PTMetaD). The efficiency boost is achieved using the recently proposed well-tempered ensemble (WTE) algorithm. We studied the convergence of PTMetaD-WTE conformational sampling and free energy reconstruction of an explicitly solvated 20-residue tryptophan-cage protein (trp-cage). A set of PTMetaD-WTE simulations was compared to a corresponding standard PTMetaD simulation. The properties of PTMetaD-WTE and the convergence of the calculations were compared. The roles of the number of replicas, total simulation time, and adjustable WTE parameter γ were studied.
Television Programming and Sex Stereotyping: A Meta-Analysis

This chapter reports the results of three meta-analyses of studies considering the relationship between television programming and sexual stereotypes. The first statistical summary indicates that television content contains numerous sexual stereotypes. The results of the meta-analytic summaries of experimental and nonex-perimental investigations demonstrate that exposure to televised material increases the acceptance of sexual stereotypes.
Implicit Relationship Theories and Relational Communication

Implicit theories of romantic relationships (ITRs) are beliefs individuals have about how romantic relationships work. Researchers have independently identified two sets of implicit theories of romantic relationships. Destiny and soul mate theorists believe that partners are either compatible or they are not. Growth and work-it-out theorists believe that relationships develop over time and take effort. ITRs have implications for how individuals interpret events in their relationships and are related to relational satisfaction, coping with negative relational events, violence, and forgiveness. Keywords: cognitive processes; conflict management; interpersonal communication
Heme, Iron, and the Kidney

Abstract SCI-26 The kidney is often the target of injury by heme proteins and states of iron overload. Exogenous heme proteins, such as hemoglobin delivered to the kidney in hemolytic states, or myoglobin imposed upon the kidney following rhabdomyolysis, can injure the kidney via pathways that include vasoconstriction, direct cytotoxicity, and tubular cast formation. The former two pathways critically involve the heme prosthetic group: heme can bind vasodilator gases such as nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, while free heme can be cytotoxic because it is lipophilic, lipid membrane-transmissible, lipid membrane-destabilizing, prooxidant, and proinflammatory. Renal injury can also arise from endogenous heme proteins, such as cytochrome P450 enzymes, which can be destabilized by ischemic and nephrotoxic insults; such destabilization leads to the release of heme and incurs heme-dependent injury. The toxicity of heme may also reflect, at least in part, the release of iron and the attendant increase in labile cellular iron, the latter representing a potent catalyst for oxidative stress; increased levels of cellular iron may also originate from intracellular nonheme sources. Heme-iron can not only induce acute kidney injury, but also can provoke chronic kidney disease by virtue of its proinflammatory and profibrotic effects. Mechanisms that protect against heme-dependent and iron-dependent toxicity include heme oxygenase (HO), the rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation, and increased synthesis of ferritin. Induction of HO-1, the inducible HO isoform, is protective against renal injury because of the following mechanisms: 1) the prevention of acute elevation in cellular heme concentrations otherwise incurred by cell injury; 2) the safe sequestration of iron in iron-binding proteins such as ferritin, or the cellular extrusion of iron by iron-exporting proteins; 3) the generation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory metabolites such as bile pigments; and 4) the generation of carbon monoxide which is an antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and vasorelaxant gas. Carbon monoxide can also be cytoprotective by binding cytochrome P450 enzymes, and thereby preventing their destabilization and the release of heme that subsequently occurs. In addition to these areas, this presentation discusses the pathobiologic and clinical significance of the siderophore-binding protein, NGAL (Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin): NGAL protects against renal ischemic injury through mechanisms that require the induction of HO-1; NGAL is increasingly utilized as a biomarker of acute kidney injury. The presentation concludes by discussing the use of iron supplementation in the treatment of anemia of chronic kidney disease and therapeutic strategies that may be designed from understanding endogenous and adaptive mechanisms that protect against the toxicity of heme-iron. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Enacting refusals: Mestiza women’s anti-mining activism in Andean Ecuador

Subaltern mestiza women are protagonists in anti-mining activism in Ecuador, but few works consider the racial and gendered dimensions of their political practices. Drawing upon activist research m...
A Comparison of Subcanopy Versus Overhead Application of Constructed Wetland Treated Nursery Runoff on Short and Long Rotation Nursery Crops

Abstract The nursery/greenhouse industry is the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture. Consumer demand for excellent product quality requires luxury applications of water and agricultural chemicals. These cultural practices tend to yield significant volumes of runoff rich in nutrients and pesticides. A capture and recycle system at the Nursery/Floral Crops Research and Education Center at Texas A&M University was fitted with 12 gravel filtration sub-surface flow (SSF) and 12 bog-like free-surface flow (FSF) wetland cells. Three cells of each type were planted with Canna x generalis Bailey ‘Cherry Red’, Iris L. x ‘Clyde Redmond’, both species, or no wetland plants. Runoff was continually collected from the nursery and recycled through wetland cells prior to application via overhead impact sprinklers or subcanopy microsprinklers. Short-term (10 wk) differential effects between overhead and subcanopy irrigation during production of Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Pistacia chinensis von Bunge, Quercus virginian...