cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metaproteomic analysis adds a functional glimpse into host-microbe succession in an infant's GI.

Succession is a fundamental concept in ecology, describing the process by which pioneering species colonize a new environmental niche, paving the way for increasingly complex, yet stable ecosystems. The human gut-among the most complex ecosystems known-develops from a nearly sterile state as newborns to a thriving functional network of trillions of organisms living in concert with the host. Recent microbiome analyses have begun to characterize the identities of the microbes during this period of colonization. However, the biochemical processes that govern the stages of interorganism succession remains a poorly understood, yet exciting frontier. Toward the goal of learning how host-microbe symbiosis arises and is maintained, Young et al. (Proteomics 2015, 15, 3463-3473) present a longitudinal metaproteomic case study of an infant during her second and third weeks of life. In the first such analysis of its kind, Young et al. portray overlapping stages of protein production by both the microbiota and the host consistent with their increasing complexity, and deepening interactions.
A mollicute (mycoplasma) DNA repair enzyme: purification and characterization of uracil-DNA glycosylase.

The DNA repair enzyme uracil-DNA glycosylase from Mycoplasma lactucae (831-C4) was purified 1,657-fold by using affinity chromatography and chromatofocusing techniques. The only substrate for the enzyme was DNA that contained uracil residues, and the Km of the enzyme was 1.05 +/- 0.12 microM for dUMP containing DNA. The product of the reaction was uracil, and it acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor of the uracil-DNA glycosylase with a Ki of 5.2 mM. The activity of the enzyme was insensitive to Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, and Co2+ over the concentration range tested, and the activity was not inhibited by EDTA. The enzyme activity exhibited a biphasic response to monovalent cations and to polyamines. The enzyme had a pI of 6.4 and existed as a nonspherical monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 28,500 +/- 1,200. The uracil-DNA glycosylase from M. lactucae was inhibited by the uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor from bacteriophage PBS-2, but the amount of inhibitor required for 50% inhibition of the mycoplasmal enzyme was 2.2 and 8 times greater than that required to cause 50% inhibition of the uracil-DNA glycosylases from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, respectively. Previous studies have reported that some mollicutes lack uracil-DNA glycosylase activity, and the results of this study demonstrate that the uracil-DNA glycosylase from M. lactucae has a higher Km for uracil-containing DNA than those of the glycosylases of other procaryotic organisms. Thus, the low G + C content of the DNA from some mollicutes and the A.T-biased mutation pressure observed in these organisms may be related to their decreased capacity to remove uracil residues from DNA. Images
Comparison of Phylloquinone Bioavailability from Food Sources or a Supplement in Human Subjects

Phylloquinone (K) absorption was assessed in 22- to 30-y-old human subjects consuming a standard test meal [402 kcal (1682 kJ), 27% energy from fat]. The absorption of phylloquinone, measured over a 9-h period as the area under the curve (AUC), was higher (P < 0.01) after the consumption of a 500- microgram phylloquinone tablet [27.55 +/- 10.08 nmol/(L. h), n = 8] than after the ingestion of 495 microgram phylloquinone as 150 g of raw spinach [4.79 +/- 1.11 nmol/(L. h), n = 3]. Less phylloquinone (P < 0.05) was absorbed from 50 g of spinach (AUC = 2.49 +/- 1.11 nmol/(L. h) than from 150 g of spinach. Absorption of phylloquinone from fresh spinach (165 microgram K), fresh broccoli (184 microgram K) and fresh romaine lettuce (179 microgram K) did not differ. There was no difference in phylloquinone absorption from fresh or cooked broccoli or from fresh romaine lettuce consumed with a meal containing 30 or 45% energy as fat.
ET-04MEBENDAZOLE IS EFFICACIOUS IN DIVERSE MEDULLOBLASTOMA TUMOR MODELS AND INHIBITS TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS.

Medulloblastoma is the leading cause of cancer death in children. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy regimens are the current standard for treatment. While effective in most patients, those have long-term neurological sequelae in survivors, and a significant fraction of patients still succumb to the disease. In this study, we found that mebendazole (MBZ), an FDA-approved antiparasitic, demonstrated significant anti-tumor efficacy in etiologically distinct medulloblastoma mouse models. MBZ significantly improved the survival of mice with orthotopic xenograft tumors derived from the SHH group and group 3 medulloblastomas and was also highly efficacious against a PTCH1-mutant medulloblastoma with acquired resistance to the SMO inhibitor vismodgib. Analysis of the vasculature in rodent tumors revealed that MBZ selectively inhibited tumor angiogenesis but not the normal brain vasculature, and inhibited the kinase activity of VEGFR2 in vitro and in vivo. This study demonstrates that MBZ could be a highly promising therapeutic for medulloblastoma with anti- angiogenesis activity.
Dynamics of Small-Scale Oceanic Fronts

Abstract An integral model of the steady-state dynamics of a shallow, small-scale oceanic front is developed. Such fronts have been observed at the boundaries of river plumes discharging into coastal sea water. They share with larger scale oceanic fronts the features of persistence in time, despite sharp horizontal gradients in properties, and strong horizontal convergence at the surface front with consequent sinking. For a steady state to exist in a reference frame moving with the front, the model shows that interfacial friction and/or upward mass entrainment is required to balance the net pressure gradient produced by the sloping sea surface and frontal interface in the light water pool. Maintenance of this balance dictates that the Richardson number be of order unity; thus, friction and entrainment coefficients are kept low allowing sharp property gradients in the steady state. Strong surface convergence is also a prominent feature of the model dynamics. Comparisons are made with the observations of Ga...
The Positive Effects of Verbal Encouragement in Mathematics Education Using a Social Robot

Studies have shown that the use of verbal encouragement strategies in education is able to maximize learning. This idea is derived from traditional classroom settings where teachers use a multitude of behavioral strategies to maintain the students' level of engagement. Motivated by these educational practices, we discuss the use of a Socially Interactive Robotic Tutor (SIRT) that incorporates a variety of verbal cues into multiple math learning scenarios. In this paper, we present the robotic tutor, the methods used to engage students in the learning scenario, and results from integrating the robotic tutor in the classroom environment. Results derived from 44 students engaging with SIRT during a tablet-based math test show that, when compared to non-interactive methods, verbal cues are able to increase and/or maintain student engagement regardless of student age and math content level.
Discovery of Novel Benzoquinazolinones and Thiazoloimidazoles, Inhibitors of Influenza H5N1 and H1N1 Viruses, from a Cell-Based High-Throughput Screen:

A highly reproducible and robust cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) assay was adapted for screening of small molecules for antiviral activity against influenza virus strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1). The NIH Molecular Libraries Small Molecule Repository (MLSMR) Molecular Libraries Screening Centers Network (MLSCN) 100,000-compound library was screened at 50 µM. The “hit” rate (>25% inhibition of the viral cytopathic effect) from the single-dose screen was 0.32%. The hits were evaluated for their antiviral activity, cell toxicity, and selectivity in dose-response experiments. The screen yielded 5 active compounds (SI value >3). One compound showed an SI 50 value of greater than 3, 3 compounds had SI values ranging from greater than 14 to 34, and the most active compound displayed an SI value of 94. The active compounds represent 2 different classes of molecules, benzoquinazolinones and thiazoloimidazoles, which have not been previously identified as having antiviral/anti-influenza activity. These molecules were also effective against influenza A/ California/04/2009 virus (H1N1) and other H1N1 and H5N1 virus strains in vitro but not H3N2 strains. Real-time qRT-PCR results reveal that these chemotypes significantly reduced M1 RNA levels as compared to the no-drug influenza-infected Madin Darby canine kidney cells. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening XXXX:xx-xx)
Vegetable Knowledge and Preferences of Youth Ages 12-15

Abstract People develop eating habits early in life and these habits often continue throughout one's life. Knowledge about food choices influence lifelong eating patterns. A survey instrument was developed and pre-tested to measure vegetable knowledge and preferences. Knowledge questions were based on the Food Guide Pyramid, Dietary Guidelines and adapted from a questionnaire used with adults. Youth were asked to list their favorite vegetable and the vegetables that they had eaten on the previous day. Three general questions were asked about vegetable consumption. Demographic data was also requested. After receiving IRB approval, the survey was sent to a random sample of 1000 parents of youth 12-15 years old requesting that their child participate. A 32% return rate was obtained; 40% responding were males and 60% were females. The majority of the respondents (83%) lived in a city over 1,000. The top three favorite vegetables were corn, carrots and potato. The top three vegetables eaten the previous day were potato, carrots and corn. The knowledge scores ranged from 0 to 10 (maximum score of 10) with a mean of 3.2±1.9. About half (50.4%) of the youth knew that teenagers should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables per day. Only 42% of the respondents knew the recommended serving size for corn. Forty four percent of the youth could identify carrots as a good source of vitamin A in comparison to 37% who identified broccoli as a good source of vitamin C. On the previous day, 41% of the youth stated that they had eaten at least 1 green salad and half (49.8%) of the youth ate either French fries or potato chips. Results indicate that educational efforts about vegetables need to be targeted toward youth to enhance their knowledge with the goal of increasing the variety and amount of vegetables consumed.
High-resolution Xist binding maps reveal two-step spreading during X-chromosome inactivation

The Xist long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is essential for X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), the process by which mammals compensate for unequal numbers of sex chromosomes. During XCI, Xist coats the future inactive X chromosome (Xi) and recruits Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to the X-inactivation centre (Xic). How Xist spreads silencing on a 150-megabases scale is unclear. Here we generate high-resolution maps of Xist binding on the X chromosome across a developmental time course using CHART-seq. In female cells undergoing XCI de novo, Xist follows a two-step mechanism, initially targeting gene-rich islands before spreading to intervening gene-poor domains. Xist is depleted from genes that escape XCI but may concentrate near escapee boundaries. Xist binding is linearly proportional to PRC2 density and H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), indicating co-migration of Xist and PRC2. Interestingly, when Xist is acutely stripped off from the Xi in post-XCI cells, Xist recovers quickly within both gene-rich and gene-poor domains on a timescale of hours instead of days, indicating a previously primed Xi chromatin state. We conclude that Xist spreading takes distinct stage-specific forms. During initial establishment, Xist follows a two-step mechanism, but during maintenance, Xist spreads rapidly to both gene-rich and gene-poor regions.
Light deprivation and retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract The historical development of the idea that light deprivation could have therapeutic benefit for patients with retinitis pigmentosa is reviewed. A patient with autosomal recessive and a patient with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa participated in a trial of light deprivation of one eye with an opaque scleral contact lens for 5 yr for about 6–8 hr per day. Each showed comparable progression in both eyes as monitored by changes in visual acuity, visual fields, fundus appearance, and electroretinograms (ERGs). In addition to the well known abnormality in dark adaptation with consequent night blindness, studies of cone ERG b-wave implicit times have shown that patients with early retinitis pigmentosa can have a defect in the mechanism by which their cone system adapts to light. Until more is known about this defect and the pathogenesis of retinitis pigmentosa, we recommend that patients wear dark sunglasses for outdoor use although we have no evidence at this time to substantiate that light deprivation with any type of sunglass or use of an opaque lens will modify the rates of progression of these diseases.
613 EFFECT OF INCREASED ZINC INTAKE ON SERUM ZINC LEVELS IN PREMATURE INFANTS

Previous studies have shown that zinc levels decrease during the first month of life in premature infants. An attempt was made to raise zinc levels by increasing the oral intake in one of two groups of premature infants who were matched for birth wt x = 1440 gm, gestational age x = 31.3 wks, onset and volume (cc/Kg/day) of feedings and caloric intake (k cal/Kg/day).Group I received 1.00 mg Zn/dl of formula while Group II received 0.40 mg Zn/dl of formula. Zinc levels were obtained on study day 0 and every 7th day for 4 weeks and determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum albumin, total protein and alkaline phosphatase levels were similar for each feeding group at each time period as was growth, as measured by weight, length and head circumference gains. Despite a 2.5 fold increase in zinc intake in Group I, serum levels were similar to that of control infants. Factors other than zinc intake must govern the level of zinc in the growing premature infant.
Sporormiella fungal spores, a palynological means of detecting herbivore density

Abstract During the historic period, spores of the dung fungus Sporormiella are abundant in lake and cave sediment where livestock are plentiful in the western United States. Sporormiella spores occasionally exceed 50% of the upland pollen sum in samples from corral ponds and bed-grounds, and routinely reach 4% in lake and marsh samples in pastoral areas. Sporormiella spores are comparatively rare in mid-Holocene sedimentary records, but they reach values of 2–4% in Pleistocene samples from lake sediments. Sporormiella spores are directly linked to extinct megaherbivores by their presence in mammoth dung from Bechan Cave, Utah. In several sites in the western United States, a precipitous decline of Sporormiella percentages after ca. 10,800 radiocarbon yr B.P. (12,900 years ago) marks a decline of herbivore density, probably associated with the North American megaherbivore extinction.
Automatic performance evaluation of dewarping methods in large scale digitization of historical documents

Geometric distortions are among the major challenging issues in the analysis of historical document images. Such distortions appear as arbitrary warping, folds and page curl, and have detrimental effects upon recognition (OCR) and readability. While there are many dewarping techniques discussed in the literature, there exists no standard method by which their performance can be evaluated against each other. In particular, there is not any satisfactory method capable of comparing the results of existing dewarping techniques on arbitrary wrapped documents. The existing methods either rely on the visual comparison of the output and input images or depend on the recognition rate of an OCR system. In the case of historical documents, OCR either is not available or does not generate an acceptable result. In this paper, an objective and automatic evaluation methodology for document image dewarping technique is presented. In the first step, all the baselines in the original distorted image as well as dewarped image are modelled precisely and automatically. Then based on the mathematical function of each line, a comprehensive metric which calculates the performance of a dewarping technique is introduced. The presented method does not require user interference in any stage of evaluation and therefore is quite objective. Experimental results, applied to two state-of-the art dewarping methods and an industry-standard commercial system, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed dewarping evaluation method.
Maturation of Executive Function in Autism

Background Executive dysfunction has been reported at different ages in autism. It is not clear however, when this impairment emerges or how its expression is affected by development. Methods 61 non-mentally retarded autism participants (AUT) and 61 age, gender, and IQ matched typically developing participants (CON) were assessed with two oculomotor executive function tasks, the oculomotor delayed response task (ODR) and the antisaccade task (AS), as well as a visually-guided saccade sensorimotor task (VGS). Results The AUT group demonstrated impairments in response inhibition and spatial working memory at all ages tested. Developmental improvements in speed of sensorimotor processing and voluntary response inhibition were similar in both groups indicating sparing of some attentional control of behavior. Developmental progression in the speed of initiating a cognitive plan and maintaining information on line over time, however, was impaired in the AUT group indicating abnormal development of working memory. Conclusions These results indicate that while executive dysfunction is present throughout development, there is evidence for both typical and atypical developmental progression of executive functions in autism. The plasticity suggested by the developmental improvements may have implications regarding appropriate developmental epochs and types of interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive capacities in individuals with autism.
Ethical judgment in business: culture and differential perceptions of justice among Italians and Germans

This study focuses on the cultural context of ethical decision making by considering the relationship between power distance and ethical judgment. Specifically, we propose that this relationship exists because of the influence of peers on ethical judgment and perceptions of justice. Considering the importance of peers in stage three of Kohlberg's model of moral development, we argue that peers are the basis for social comparisons, social cues and social identification and, hence, are critical to an individual's beliefs about justice. Using scenarios developed by Reidenbach and Robin, data were collected from German and Italian graduate business students. Germany and Italy differ substantially in power distance, but not in the three other cultural dimensions of Hofstede. Results show that the ethical assessment of the respondents from the two countries differs when justice criteria are used. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Tests with an Isochronous Recirculation System

An isochronous recirculation system is in operation at the MIT-Bates Accelerator Center. It is used to transport the electron beam from the output of the LINAC back to the input, to be reinjected so that the electrons pass through the accelerator a second time. The design and the general operation of the recirculation system and the Linac has been discussed elsewhere. The Linac accelerates electrons to 400 MeV in one pass with a duty factor near 1%, within an energy spread of always less than 0.3% and an emittance of 10 /el mm-mr. With the recirculation system the accelerator energy capability has been extended to 750 MeV. The accelerator is designed with a progressive series of stop bands to prevent the propagation of transverse modes, thus raising the calculated threshold of beam break-up (BBU) to more than an order of magnitude above operation needs for both single pass and recirculated operation. The recirculation transport system (RTS) is isochronous and highly achromatic allowing for an energy band pass of 6% in which the beam is fully transmitted through the accelerator twice. The admittance of the accelerator is about 0.3 mm-mrad for the recirculated beam. In this paper we describe, qualitatively, observationsmore » of the operation of the recirculation system under a variety of conditions. In particular, both simultaneous and head-to-tail recirculation have been accomplished. The former was done under a variety of phasing conditions of the second pass beam relative to the first. The instrumentation used in the evaluation of the tests include a beam current monitor (toroid) which measures the peak current, and the Rf loads of the output of the traveling wave waveguides which measure effectively the product of the current in the waveguide and the energy gain in that section of waveguide.« less
Substance P is essential for maintaining gut muscle contractility: a novel role for coneurotransmission revealed by botulinum toxin.

Substance P (SP) is commonly coexpressed with ACh in enteric motor neurons, and, according to the classical paradigm, both these neurotransmitters excite smooth muscle via parallel pathways. We hyp...
Hierarchical recognition of CpG motifs expressed by immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing unmethylated CpG motifs trigger human PBMC to proliferate and secrete Ig, cytokines and chemokines. CpG ODN have entered clinical trials, and show promise as vaccine adjuvants, antiallergens, and for the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer. ODNs under consideration for human use vary in the sequence, number and location of the CpG motifs they contain. Yet little is known of the magnitude of the immune response elicited by these diverse ODNs, or the rules governing their interaction with immune cells. This work compares the proliferative, IgM, IL-6 and IP-10 response of PBMC from normal donors to a diverse panel of CpG ODNs. Results indicate that ODNs expressing 3-4 different CpG motifs are strongly stimulatory. The location of these motifs is important, with those at the 5' end exerting the greatest influence on ODN activity. These findings provide a basis for the rational design of ODNs optimized for clinical use.
Sex differences in clinical response to olanzapine compared with haloperidol

There is current disagreement over whether men and women respond differently to typical or atypical antipsychotic medications. This study reanalyzed a large international clinical trial of olanzapine (Olz) compared with haloperidol (Hal) to test for sex differences in treatment response, controlling for illness chronicity and menopausal status. We hypothesized that women would show a greater response to either medication than men, particularly among first admission, premenopausal women. DSM-III-R schizophrenia inpatients (700 women and 1295 men) were randomly assigned to a 6-week trial of Olz vs. Hal. Longitudinal random effect models were used to test for interactions of sex with medication, chronicity and menopausal status on treatment response. Findings showed that women on olanzapine had a greater drop in overall symptomatology by week 4 than any other group, and their level of symptomatology remained lower throughout the 6-week trial. The sex differences in treatment response in olanzapine compared with haloperidol were, in part, dependent on chronicity and, in women, menopausal status. That is, first episode women on haloperidol exhibited an increase in symptomatology over the 6-week trial compared to their male counterparts, while multiply hospitalized women had a better treatment response on haloperidol than their male counterparts. Women on olanzapine had a significantly better treatment response than men, regardless of chronicity. Finally, premenopausal women had a significantly better treatment response than postmenopausal women, regardless of treatment and chronicity.
Improved protein fold assignment using support vector machines

Because of the relatively large gap of knowledge between number of protein sequences and protein structures, the ability to construct a computational model predicting structure from sequence information has become an important area of research. The knowledge of a protein's structure is crucial in understanding its biological role. In this work, we present a support vector machine based method for recognising a protein's fold from sequence information alone, where this sequence has less similarity with sequences of known structures. We have focused on improving multi-class classification, parameter tuning, descriptor design, and feature selection. The current implementation demonstrates better prediction accuracy than previous similar approaches, and has similar performance when compared with straightforward threading.
Worker exposures to chemical agents in the manufacture of rubber tires: Solvent vapor studies

Environmental sampling surveys have been conducted in ten large tire manufacturing plants across the U.S. to characterize the nature and intensity of current exposure to solvent vapors. These plants were chosen to represent a cross-section of the industry and include both old and new plants, plants of four different companies and plants with wide geographic distributions. A variety of organic solvents is used in the manufacture of tires and tubes; accordingly solvent vapors comprise one category of exposure for workers in specific Occupational Title Groups (OTGs). Approximately 1000 determinations of various solvent vapor components in air samples have been made with special emphasis on pentane, hexane, heptane, benzene and toluene vapor levels. Exposures stem from the widespread use of bulk materials including petroleum naphthas, gasoline and aliphatic and rubber solvents in various tire manufacturing operations.
May-happen-in-parallel analysis of ESL models using UPPAAL model checking

In this paper, we propose an approach for May-Happen-in-Parallel (MHP) analysis of electronic system level (ESL) design which models parallel discrete event simulation with concurrent automaton processes and formally identify those MHP states. Our MHP analysis utilizes formal verification by use of the UPPAAL model checker. The proposed approach converts the system model in SpecC SLDL into an UPPAAL model and generates a set of queries that automatically and completely finds all possible MHP pairs. The experimental results show our approach can report more precise MHP analysis results compared to other works at the cost of extended analysis run time.
Contingent use of stretch goals: considerations of workflow integration and risk deviation

Stretch goals or targets ask an employee to go beyond the possible (and merely difficult) to the impossible. This performance requirement violates the generally accepted criterion for goal setting that require goals to be verifiable and attainable, with difficulty. Yet, stretch goals are an accepted management tool in organisations such as General Electric. The present paper discusses the potential for the successful implementation of stretch goals based on considerations of workflow integration and risk deviation.
A Perspective of Economic Geography

The paper opens with a statement on the social embeddedness of knowledge. The disciplinary situation and practices of economic geographers are reviewed in the light of this statement. The rise of a new geographical economics is noted, and its main thrust is summarized in terms of a description of the core model as formulated by Krugman. The geographers’ reception of the new geographical economics is described, and some key aspects of this reception are assessed. I then subject the core model itself to critical evaluation. Its claims about pecuniary externalities in the context of Chamberlinian competition provide a number of useful insights. However, I argue that the model is deficient overall in the manner in which it tackles the central problem of agglomeration. The discussion then moves on to consideration of the recent interest shown by many economic geographers in issues of culture. After a brief exposition of what this means for economic geography, I offer the verdict that this shift of emphasis has much to recommend it, but that in some of its more extreme versions it is strongly susceptible to the temptations of philosophical idealism and political voluntarism. In the final part of the paper, I attempt to pinpoint some of the major tasks ahead for economic geography in the phase of post-‘late capitalism’. I suggest, in particular, that a new cognitive map of capitalist society as a whole is urgently needed, and I offer some brief remarks about how its basic specifications might be identified.
Phylogenetic Studies in the Commelinaceae Subfamily Commelinoideae Inferred from Nuclear Ribosomal and Chloroplast DNA Sequences

The Commelinaceae are a pantropical family of monocotyledonous herbs. Previous phylogenies in Commelinaceae have emphasized sampling among genera. We extended this previous work by sampling multiple species within some of the largest genera of Commelinaceae (especially Commelina and Tradescantia , and also including Callisia , Cyanotis, Gibasis, and Murdannia ), and by sequencing non- coding regions both of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region, 5S NTS, and the chloroplast region, trnL-trnF . We generated a phylogenetic hypoth- esis for 68 Commelinaceae that partially tests previous morphological, taxonomic classifications. We found little evidence for conflict between nuclear and chloroplast regions for Tradescantia , Murdannia , and Callisia , and some evidence for conflict between the two regions for Commelina , though conflicting regions of the phylogeny were only weakly supported by bootstrap analyses. We found subtribe Tradescantieae to be para- phyletic, consistent with an rbcL study, though with a different topology than that produced by rbcL . In addition, subtribe Commelineae was monophyletic with strong support. We found Callisia to be polyphyletic, consistent with some previous molecular phylogenetic studies, and we found Tradescantia , Gibasis , Cyanotis , Commelina , and Murdannia , to be monophyletic. The molecular phylogenies presented here generally supported previous taxonomic classifications. Keywords—Callisia , Commelina , cpDNA , Murdannia , nrDNA , Tradescantia .
Penetration of Low-Energy Positrons through Thin Metallic Foils

The penetration of positrons (0.544-MeV maximum) from a ${\mathrm{Na}}^{22}$ source through absorber foils of A1, Cu, Sn, and Au has been measured in vacuum (${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ torr). It was found that the transmitted-positron intensity decreases exponentially with the thickness of the absorber over different ranges of transmission for different absorbers. Measurements on A1 foils were performed at atmospheric pressure and vacuum to determine the effect of the air path on the mass-absorption coefficient. It was found that the onset of the exponential absorption occurs at a higher relative transmission value when the experiment is performed in air. However, there is no significant effect on the slope of the straight-line portion of the graph which is proportional to the value of the mass-absorption coefficient. At transmitted-positron intensities below 4%, the $Z$ dependence can be described by $\frac{t}{A}=K{Z}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{4}{3}}$, where $t$ is the thickness in mg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, $A$ is the mass of the atom, and $K$ is a constant.
Mites (Acari) Associated with the Desert Seed Harvester Ant, Messor pergandei (Mayr)

Mites (Acari) associated with the seed harvester ant Messor pergandei were investigated in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. At least seven representatives of the mite genera Armacarus, Lemanniella, Petalomium, Forcellinia, Histiostoma, Unguidispus, and Cosmoglyphus are phoretically associated with M. pergandei. Most of these morphospecies show preference for specific phoretic attachment sites and primarily use female alates rather than male alates for dispersal. Five mite morphospecies were found in low numbers inhabiting the chaff piles: Tydeidae sp., Procaeculus sp., Anystidae sp., Bakerdania sp., and Tetranychidae sp. The phoretic Petalomium sp. was observed consuming fungus growing on a dead queen, but the roles of the other mite species remain mostly unresolved.
RELIGIOUS CONVICTION IN THE PROFESSION OF ARMS

Many political theorists have argued that religious reasons should play a rather limited role in public or political settings. So, for example, according to the Doctrine of Religious Restraint, citizens and legislators ought not allow religious reasons to play a decisive role in justifying public policies. Many military professionals seem to believe that some version of that doctrine applies in military settings, that is, that military professionals should not allow their religious convictions to determine how they exercise command authority. We explain why the Doctrine of Religious Restraint should not apply to military professionals and articulate an alternative understanding of the justificatory role legitimately played by religious considerations in military settings. This alternative understanding assumes that military professionals will exercise command authority with tact, wisdom, and due respect for both the spirit and letter of the law, even when they are guided by robust faith commitments.
"Holler, Run, Be Loud:" Strategies for Promoting Child Physical Activity in a Low-Income, African American Neighborhood

This article identifies and describes child management practices among a sample of African American caregivers in a low-income, inner-city neighborhood. Caregivers responded to low levels of neighborhood collective socialization, collective efficacy, social control, and institutional resources by using strategies that protected children and promoted physical activity. Using diverse qualitative methods (interviews, observations) and demographic data on neighborhood disadvantage and family and household characteristics, the research revealed seven caregiver management strategies that promoted child physical activity, despite multiple neighborhood barriers. These included ecological appraisal, boundary enforcement, chaperonage, kin-based play groups, collective supervision, local resource brokering, and extralocal resource brokering. These findings provide important substantive and theoretical insights on the relationship between caregiver practices, neighborhood social context, and child physical activity.
Non-enzymatic hydrolysis of transfer RNA by bull semen

Abstract Dilutions of deproteinized seminal plasma as low as 1:5000 were shown to contain sufficient amounts of a compound (s) which non-enzymatically hydrolyzed 0.1 mg tRNA into acid soluble fragments. Other evidence is presented to eliminate the possibility of the active seminal plasma substance (s) being ribonuclease contaminant (s).
Gestational and ovarian sex steroid antinociception: relevance of uterine afferent and spinal α2-noradrenergic activity

Pregnancy is associated with an antinociception that is multifactorial and results from spinal (kappa/delta) opioid antinociceptive pathways as well as peripheral processes (ovarian sex steroids, uterine afferent neurotransmission). The present results provide the first indication that the full manifestation of pregnancy-induced analgesia also requires a supraspinal component. The analgesia of gestation or its hormonal simulation (via estrogen and progesterone administration; HSP) is substantially attenuated (>/=60%) following blockade of spinal alpha(2) (but not alpha(1)) adrenergic receptors. HSP antinociception is also attenuated by transection of the hypogastric nerve, the magnitude of which is indistinguishable from that produced by spinal alpha(2) receptor blockade. Additionally, hypogastric neurectomy abolishes the component of the antinociception associated with HSP that is mediated by spinal alpha(2) receptors. This suggests that the augmented spinal noradrenergic activity during HSP is not due to activation at the terminal of noradrenergic spinal projection neurons but requires supraspinal activity. It is suggested that enhanced spinal noradrenergic activity amplifies ongoing spinal kappa/delta antinociception as has been observed following the concomitant intrathecal application of alpha(2) and opioid agonists. The current observations underscore the importance of visceral afferent activity as well as its modulation by a female-specific hormonal milieu to the efficacy of endogenous spinal opioid antinociception.
The Other “Child Study”: Figuring Children as Consumers in Market Research, 1910s–1990s

This article examines how notions of “the child” were constructed in marketing research literature from the 1910s through the 1990s. Drawing on children's industry trade literature, market reports ...
Hindered rotation of the ammonium ion in (NH4)2SiF6 and (NH4)2SnCl6

The heat capacity due to the hindered rotation of the ammonium ion has been computed for (NH4)2SiF6 and (NH4)2SnCl6 and compared to that derived from the observed heat capacity. The torsional frequencies for (NH4)2SiF6 and (NH4)2SnCl6 are 226 cm−1 and 190 cm−1 respectively, and the barriers to rotation are 3210 calories/mole and 1470 calories/mole, respectively.
Regulation of negative reactivity during the strange situation: Temperament and attachment in 12-month-old infants☆

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine 12-month-olds' regulatory behaviors displayed during the Strange Situation and the extent to which those behaviors were related to infants' negative reactivity and attachment classification. Subjects included 80 healthy firstborn infants and their mothers. Negative affect and four regulatory categories (people orientation, object orientation, self-comforting behaviors, and toy exploration) were measured during the Strange Situation. Correlational analyses revealed that infants who were overtly upset oriented less toward people, more toward objects, and engaged in less toy exploration. Analyses of variance yielded significant differences for attachment groups (A, B1–B2, B3–B4, and C) in reactivity and regulation. The B1–B2 secure subgroup showed low levels of distress and low levels of regulation. Conversely, the B3–B4 secure subgroup displayed high levels of negative affect and high levels of regulatory behaviors during separation and reunion episodes (e.g., people and object orientation). Infants classified as insecure-avoidant displayed moderate amounts of distress, contrary to expectations, and exhibited self-directed types of regulation (e.g., self-comforting and toy exploration). Finally, insecure-resistant infants expressed intense levels of negative reactivity, exhibited some regulatory behaviors during separation, but little regulation during reunion.
NGF-differentiated and undifferentiated PC12 cells vary in induction of apoptosis by ethanol.

Abstract The present study was undertaken to determine whether the neurotoxic effects of ethanol vary between undifferentiated and differentiated neurons. For this study, untreated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and PC12 cells treated for 8–10 days with nerve growth factor (NGF) were used as models of undifferentiated and differentiated neurons, respectively. Treatment of differentiated PC 12 cells with 150 mM ethanol resulted in a loss of cells whereas a similar treatment of undifferentiated cells had no effect. In contrast, 50 mM ethanol enhanced apoptosis initiated by serum withdrawal in undifferentiated cells while a similar response in the differentiated cells required 150 mM ethanol. This study demonstrates that undifferentiated and differentiated neuronal cells differ in their sensitivity to the neurotoxic actions of ethanol.
A New Hybrid Computational Framework and Validations for Handling Steady-State Problems with Contact Boundaries

A hybrid computational framework consisting of Eulerian boundary zone concept augmented to Lagrangian finite element formulations with moving meshes is proposed for effectively handling the steady-state problems. This is in conjunction with a novel L-stable time discretized framework that is necessary in conjunction with the hybrid formulations to enable computationally attractive features for practical problems. The L-stable algorithm is developed and implemented and is of second order accuracy and modified for nonlinear dynamic systems with frictional contact boundaries. No nonlinear iterations are necessary for the non-linear dynamic system of equations, and one only needs to update the artificial damping matrix once at every time step for non-linear dynamic problems. The proposed method is suitable for steady state problems with complex contact boundary conditions.
Effectiveness of an Amiodarone Protocol and Management Clinic in Improving Adherence to Amiodarone Monitoring Guidelines

Objective:To determine whether adherence to suggested monitoring parameters improved as a result of the development and implementation of an amiodarone protocol and management clinic. Adverse effects from amiodarone therapy were also evaluated to ascertain whether the Amiodarone Management Clinic (AMC) better identified adverse events as a result of improved monitoring.Methods:A retrospective review of charts of patients with an active amiodarone prescription was conducted. Patients were identified as enrolled in the AMC (intervention) or as receiving standard medical care (control) by nonpharmacist practitioners. Compliance with recommended monitoring parameters, including the presence of interacting medications and associated drug concentration or international normalized ratio (INR), was assessed for all patients and then compared between groups. Type and frequency of adverse effects were determined for both groups.Results:Two hundred twenty-five charts were reviewed; 154 and 71 patients were assigned ...
Oligomerization of BenM, a LysR-type transcriptional regulator: structural basis for the aggregation of proteins in this family

LysR-type transcriptional regulators comprise the largest family of homologous regulatory DNA-binding proteins in bacteria. A problematic challenge in the crystallization of LysR-type regulators stems from the insolubility and precipitation difficulties encountered with high concentrations of the full-length versions of these proteins. A general oligomerization scheme is proposed for this protein family based on the structures of the effector-binding domain of BenM in two different space groups, P4(3)22 and C222(1). These structures used the same oligomerization scheme of dimer-dimer interactions as another LysR-type regulator, CbnR, the full-length structure of which is available [Muraoka et al. (2003), J. Mol. Biol. 328, 555-566]. Evaluation of packing relationships and surface features suggests that BenM can form infinite oligomeric arrays in crystals through these dimer-dimer interactions. By extrapolation to the liquid phase, such dimer-dimer interactions may contribute to the significant difficulty in crystallizing full-length members of this family. The oligomerization of dimeric units to form biologically important tetramers appears to leave unsatisfied oligomerization sites. Under conditions that favor association, such as neutral pH and concentrations appropriate for crystallization, higher order oligomerization could cause solubility problems with purified proteins. A detailed model by which BenM and other LysR-type transcriptional regulators may form these arrays is proposed.
Biblical Hebrew šninɔ: A ‘Cautionary Tale’ of Root Identification

AbstractThe present study comprises a philological examination of the Biblical Hebrew term sninɔ. The contextual semantics, the ancient translations, and the re-identification of the verbal root SNN as a by-form of SNY ‘to recount’ demonstrate that sninɔ may be realigned as related to this root and translated as a ‘cautionary tale’.
Bronchoalveolar carcinoma: Clinical, radiologic, and pathologic factors and survival

Abstract Background: The principal feature of bronchoalveolar carcinoma is that it spreads along airways or aerogenously with multifocality, but many issues are unresolved. Methods: We studied 119 patients with pathologically confirmed bronchoalveolar carcinoma. Symptoms, smoking status, radiologic findings, the size of tumor, operative procedures, and complications were reviewed. We studied the pathologic features: presence or absence of aerogenous spread, patterns of growth, cell type, nuclear grade, mitosis, rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, and lymphocyte infiltration. The correlation among clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings was examined, and the factors affecting survival were analyzed. Results: Symptomatic patients had more infiltrative radiographic features, and asymptomatic patients tended to have more mass-like features ( P P = .006). Tumors with mass lesions by radiograph tended to have nonmucinous and sclerosing histologic features ( P = .003). Aerogenous spread was seen in 94% of specimens. The presence of a variety of cell types suggested multiple clonal origin. The overall survival in those patients undergoing resection was 69.1% at 5 years and 56.5% at 10 years. The significant factors affecting survival were radiologic presence of a mass or infiltrate, pathologic findings of the presence of sclerosis, association with a scar, the rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, lymphocyte infiltration grade, nodal involvement, and status of complete resection. Mitosis or nuclear grade of tumor cells did not correlate with survival. Conclusions: Bronchoalveolar carcinoma showed good overall survival with appropriate surgical procedures. Certain radiologic or pathologic findings correlated with survival. These findings may enhance the ability to predict long-term survival. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;118: 702-9)
On the Dilemma of Enigmatic Refusal of Life-Saving Therapy

When patients give no reason for refusing therapy (an enigmatic refusal), this creates the dilemma of whether or not to administer the therapy by force, especially when the therapy poses low risk and offers significant benefit. We argue that there is a duty to assess the patient's decision-making capacity, as well as attempt to understand a patient's reason(s) for refusing treatment. While some patients may not readily offer reasons for refusing treatment, this does not preclude an obligation for clinicians to inquire about such. The reasons for treatment refusal can be related to the patient's goals, values, fears, and mental state.
The Origin of Far-Infrared [C II] Emission in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We compare the distribution of H I 21 cm, H II 6563 A, and [C II] 157.7 μm line emission over the entire Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Bright [C II] emission is associated with H II regions and their surroundings, with a good correlation between [C II] and Hα filaments. Faint [C II] emission is also detected in regions with no H II emission. We found a reasonably good correlation between the extended [C II] emission and H I emission. Using the slope of the [C II] versus H I correlation in regions with low Hα brightness, 4πI/N = 6.0 ± 3.0 × 10-26 ergs s-1 (H atom)-1, and the total H I column density away from H II regions, the luminosity of [C II] from the atomic medium is 1.14 ± 0.57 × 106 L☉, which amounts to 20% of the total [C II] luminosity from the LMC. The [C II] emission per unit H I column density from the atomic regions of the LMC is similar to, but somewhat higher than, that in the Milky Way, because of the cancelling effects of lower C abundance and higher radiation field in the LMC. Significant deviations between the H I and [C II] in some regions suggest that part of the [C II] emission comes from ionized regions. Subtracting the contribution to the [C II] luminosity from bright H II regions, an upper limit of 46% of the [C II] luminosity could be due to diffuse ionized gas.