cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Singing in the city: Trade-offs between signal salience and vocal performance in the presence of anthropogenic noise

Many animals use acoustic signals to communicate. Signals specifically used to compete for or select a mate are under sexual selection. Selection therefore favors signaling traits that indicate competitive ability or mate quality. For example, performance of signaling traits that are costly to produce, such as those that are physically limited by the animal's size or coordination are more likely to convey honest information about the sender. Selection also favors signaling traits that maximize the transmission of this information in a given environment. For example, other sounds in the environment (the soundscape) can reduce the ability of individuals to detect or decode information in the signal. However, individuals may not always be able to maximize both performance and transmission of a signal. This leads to two critical questions—when faced with this trade-off, which aspect of the signal do senders maximize and how does this decision affect communication? I address these questions using a well-studied sexual signal—bird song—in anthropogenic soundscapes, which are evolutionarily recent selective environments. Here, I tested whether vocal performance functions in male-male competition in White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), and how assessment of performance varies across different urban and rural soundscapes in San Francisco and Point Reyes, California. I also investigate how soundscapes go beyond individual behavior and affect survival of these populations.Many animals use acoustic signals to communicate. Signals specifically used to compete for or select a mate are under sexual selection. Selection therefore favors signaling traits that indicate competitive ability or mate quality. For example, performance of signaling traits that are costly to produce, such as those that are physically limited by the animal's size or coordination are more likely to convey honest information about the sender. Selection also favors signaling traits that maximize the transmission of this information in a given environment. For example, other sounds in the environment (the soundscape) can reduce the ability of individuals to detect or decode information in the signal. However, individuals may not always be able to maximize both performance and transmission of a signal. This leads to two critical questions—when faced with this trade-off, which aspect of the signal do senders maximize and how does this decision affect communication? I address these questions using a well-studie...
Die Häuser Targaryen und Lennister

Ist es nicht lustig, wie sich die Reaktion der Fans von Game of Thrones auf den gezeigten Inzest andert? In der 1. Staffel sagen noch alle: „Igitt!“, doch bis zur 7. Staffel hat sich das zu „Juhu, endlich kommen sie zusammen!“ verandert. Aber auch wenn sich die Einstellung der Fans bezuglich des Inzests verandert haben mag, sind die Konsequenzen davon gleich geblieben.
The Structure of O(p, q) and SO(p, q)

In this chapter, we take a closer look at the structure of the groups O(p, q) and SO(p, q) (also SO0(p, q)). We begin with the polar form of matrices in O(p, q), and then we describe the topological structure of the groups O(p, q), SO(p, q), and SO0(p, q). For this, we briefly investigate a class of groups called pseudo-algebraic groups.
Type 1 Diabetes: Management in Women From Preconception to Postpartum.

Context This review presents an up-to-date summary on management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among women of reproductive age and covers the following time periods: preconception, gestation, and postpartum. Evidence acquisition A systematic search and review of the literature for randomized controlled trials and other studies evaluating management of T1DM before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postpartum was performed. Evidence synthesis Preconception planning should begin early in the reproductive years for young women with T1DM. Preconception and during pregnancy, it is recommended to have near-normal glucose values to prevent adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including fetal demise, congenital anomaly, pre-eclampsia, macrosomia, neonatal respiratory distress, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and neonatal hypoglycemia. Conclusion Women with T1DM can have healthy, safe pregnancies with preconception planning, optimal glycemic control, and multidisciplinary care.
Language as a Social Cue

Social groups are a pervasive feature of human life. One factor that is often understudied in the literature on person perception and social categorization is language. Yet, someone's language (and accent) provides a tremendous amount of social information to a listener. Disciplines across the social and behavioral sciences-ranging from linguistics to anthropology to economics-have exposed the social significance of language. Less social psychological research has historically focused on language as a vehicle for social grouping. Yet, new approaches in psychology are reversing this trend. This article first reviews evidence, primarily from psycholinguistics, documenting how speech provides social information. Next it turns to developmental psychology, showing how young humans begin to see others' language as conveying social group information. It then explores how the tendency to see language as a social cue has vast implications for people's psychological processes (e.g., psychological essentialism and trust) and also for society, including education and the law.
Commercial fisheries & local economies

Abstract Commercial fisheries are often presumed to contribute meaningfully to local economies, despite a lack of supporting empirical evidence. We address this gap by estimating local economic effects from commercial fishing activity in Alaska. Using exogenous variation in fish stocks and prices, we find that a 10% increase in a community's annual resident fishery earnings leads to a corresponding 0.7% increase in resident income. This translates to an increase of 1.54 dollars in total income for each dollar increase in fisheries earnings. Our results demonstrate the potential for local benefits from commercial fishing through direct, indirect, and induced effects into other sectors. Moreover, our findings demonstrate the importance of local resource ownership for generating benefits for local economies.
Revisiting anterior longitudinal ligament release: Are we ready for an endoscopic approach?

Abstract Anterior longitudinal ligament release is a proven method for restoring spinopelvic parameters. This technique is mostly described using either lateral or anterior approaches with paucity regarding a posterior method. This paper is the first to provide descriptive analysis of the neurovascular anatomy in the context of planning for a posterior endoscopic ALL release. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients underwent any lumbar surgery by a single surgeon. Anatomical data was obtained from pre-operative CT to describe the location of key neurovascular structures in relation to the ALL with focus on posterior approach. A total of 20 patients were included in data analysis. A posterior approach with endoscopic assistance would be feasible at L4/5 and L5/S1, where the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta has occurred with a vessel window that ranges from 18.85 mm to 33.45 mm with at least 2 mm space between the vessels and the corresponding disc spaces in the anterior-posterior dimension with slight predilection of the left side at the L5/S1 level to avoid any neurovascular structures. Our study confirmed the findings of previous studies examining the vascular anatomy associated with the lumbar spine. Interestingly, we found that direct midline would likely not be the best location for a posterior annulotomy, and that both the window between the iliac vessels as well as the distance in AP dimension between the spine and vessels increases as you descend the lumbar spine. This information will help guide future efforts to fully develop a safe and reproducible posterior endoscopic ALL release.
Imagining Jazzocracy: Notes Toward a new Democratic Subject

What does participatory democracy look like? This essay finds an answer in the indigenous art form of the United States—jazz. Political engagement in America must learn from the jazz aesthetic which realizes the communal projects of individuals in concert. After a brief survey of the biological, historical, and cultural formations that construct our political environment this essay advances equaliberty as the foundational concept for the Jazzocrat, the new political subject for tomorrow’s participatory democracy.
Molecular Mechanisms in Protection Against Carcinogenesis

The view that the overwhelming majority of human cancers are preventable is as widely accepted today as was the previously held conviction that cancer is an inevitable concomitant of the aging process. Epidemiological studies have led to this revision of our views of the causes of cancer and the prospects for its prevention (1). Because the effective treatment of established, and especially of disseminated, malignancies remains a recalcitrant problem in which progress is debatable (2,3), the development of protective measures against the development of cancer is a compelling goal.
Gastric Impaction in a Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum, caused by Kalicephalus sp.

ABSTRACT An adult male milk snake, Lampropeltis triangulum, presented with a history of anorexia of two months and regurgitation of a partially digested mouse that was ingested three months previously. Radiographs and ultrasound demonstrated several fluid-filled coelomic masses and suggested gastrointestinal impaction. The snake died during hospitalization. Gross necropsy findings revealed esophageal nematodes and gastric impaction due to a 10 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm firm solid white inspissated mass. Histopathologic findings included severe, diffuse chronic gastritis with ulceration, Kalicephalus sp. eggs within the mass, and chronic granulomatous coelomitis secondary to intralesional eggs.
International Real Estate Review

This study is structured around two objectives: surveying the 180 years’ evolution of the US mortgage intermediation system (MIS); and, extracting the lessons to be learned by emerging mortgage markets. To that end, I first discuss three pillars of a well-functioning MIS as a conceptual underpinning - intermediation efficiency, affordability enhancement, and risk management. The historical survey proceeds based on four reasonably distinct time periods – (1) the era of exploration (pre-1930s or pre-Great Depression era), (2) the era of institutionalization (1930s to 1960s), (3) the era of market-making (1970s and 1980s), and (4) the era of expansion and efficiency gain (1990s to Present). Based on the survey done, the lessons for other countries are organized under five topics: developing conforming mortgage product and market; extending the service to nonconforming segments; managing default and prepayment risks; managing systemic risk; and, developing an efficient intermediation process. The concluding remarks in the final section comprise the issue of right sequencing: that is, through what steps an MIS in a given country can be evolved toward a more market-based one that can deliver a higher degree of consumer welfare.
Aquatic habitats and diffusion constraints affecting microbial coexistence in unsaturated porous media

[1] Evidence suggests that the diversity of microbial life in the vadose zone exceeds diversity found in all other compartments of the biosphere. Such rich diversity is believed to be promoted by complexity of resource and microenvironments and by fragmentation of aquatic habitats in unsaturated soils that limit diffusion pathways and form physically isolated niches capable of supporting diverse species within small soil volumes. We investigated the role of heterogeneity of substrate diffusion through loosely connected water films in promoting coexistence of species that otherwise would not coexist under homogeneous conditions. The mesoscale modeling approach employed in this study tracks nutrient diffusion and consumption within a domain inhabited by microbial communities that expand and move about in response to spatial and temporal variations in nutrients and hydration conditions (termed active walkers). Numerical results on hypothetical rough surfaces support the hypotheses concerning the role of diffusion limitations in sustaining nutrient gradients and sheltering less competitive species, thereby promoting coexistence in heterogeneous domains.
Medullary Parasympathetic Projections Innervate Specific Sites in the Feline Stomach

The purpose of our study was to determine the site of origin of vagal neurons that innervate specific parts of the stomach (the fundus, corpus, and antrum/pylorus). This was done by injecting the retrograde fluorescent tracer Fast Blue into these parts of the cat stomach and examining the hindbrain for cells labeled with retrograde tracer. We found that vagal preganglionic innervation to the stomach originates from two medullary nuclei, namely, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (bilateral) and the nucleus retroambiguus (left). All parts of the stomach receive innervation from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (primarily from the area ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 mm rostral to the obex), but only the fundus and corpus receive innervation from the nucleus retroambiguus. Injection of tracer into the fundus labeled cells within the lateral half of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and injection of tracer into the antrum/pylorus labeled cells within the medial portion. Finally, injection of tracer into the corpus labeled cells throughout the mediolateral axis of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. The finding of a columnar organization of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus implies some type of functional organization of gastrointestinal control. The fact that vagal inputs to the stomach arise from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and nucleus retroambiguus suggests a separation of vagal pathways controlling different gastric functions (e.g., pacemaker activity, motility, and secretion).
Optimal Performance Engineering: Good, Better, Best:

A quiet revolution is in progress in the field of human factors. This revolution is broadly based, finding a home not only in such traditional areas as workplace layout and industrial ergonomics bu...
Thyroid hormone and dehydroepiandrosterone permit gluconeogenic hormone responses in hepatocytes.

Abstract The importance of the sn-glycerol- 3-phosphate (G-3-P) electron transfer shuttle in hormonal regulation of gluconeogenesis was examined in hepatocytes from rats with decreased mitochondrial G-3-P dehydrogenase activity (thyroidectomized) or increased G-3-P dehydrogenase activity [triiodothyronine (T3) or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treated]. Rates of glucose formation from 10 mM lactate, 10 mM pyruvate, or 2.5 mM dihydroxyacetone were somewhat less in hypothyroid cells than in cells from normal rats but gluconeogenic responses to calcium addition and to norepinephrine (NE), glucagon (G), or vasopressin (VP) were similar to the responses observed in cells from normal rats. However, with 2.5 mM glycerol or 2.5 mM sorbitol, substrates that must be oxidized in the cytosol before conversion to glucose, basal gluconeogenesis was not appreciably altered by hypothyroidism but responses to calcium and to the calcium-mobilizing hormones were abolished. Injecting thyroidectomized rats with T3 2 days before preparing the hepatocytes greatly enhanced gluconeogenesis from glyc erol and restored the response to Ca2+ and gluconeogenic hormones. Feeding dehydroepiandrosterone for 6 days depressed gluconeogenesis from lactate or pyruvate but substantially increased glucose production from glycerol in euthyroid cells and restored responses to Ca2+ in hypothyroid cells metabolizing glycerol. Euthyroid cells metabolizing glycerol or sorbitol use the G-3-P and malate/aspartate shuttles to oxidize excess NADH generated in the cytosol. The transaminase inhibitor aminooxyacetate (AOA) decreased gluconeogenesis from glycerol 40%, but had little effect on responses to Ca2+ and NE. However, in hypothyroid cells, with minimal G-3-P dehydrogenase, AOA decreased gluconeogenesis from glycerol more than 90%. Thus, the basal rate of gluconeogenesis from glycerol in the euthyroid cells is only partly dependent on electron transport from cytosol to mitochondria via the malate/aspartate shuttle and almost completely dependent in the hypothyroid state, and the hormone enhancement of the rate in euthyroid cells involves primarily the G-3-P cycle. These data are consistent with Ca2+ being mobilized by gluconeogenic hormones and G-3-P dehydrogenase being activated by Ca2+ so as to permit it to transfer reducing equivalents from the cytosol to the mitochondria.
The growth of large diamond crystals

Large diamond crystals up to 6 mm in average diameter may be grown at high pressures (55–60 kbar) and temperatures (1400–1500 °C) by causing diamond to dissolve in a molten catalyst metal (Fe, Ni, Co, etc.) in a hot region and deposit upon a seed crystal in a slightly cooler region. Several days are required to produce a high quality single crystal. The process can be controlled to produce different kinds of diamonds whose properties have been studied.
Circannual changes in progesterone secretion in intact ewes, luteinizing hormone secretion in ovariectomized estradiol-implanted ewes, and prolactin secretion in three sheep breeds anticipated to differ in seasonality of reproduction

Changes in progesterone secretion in intact ewes (7 or 9 per breed) and luteinizing hormone secretion in ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted ewes (9 or 10 per breed) were monitored for 12 mo in Suffolk, tropically adapted St. Croix, and OOS ewes. The OOS line is a composite population of 50% Dorset, 25% Rambouillet, and 25% Finnish Landrace breeding that was selected for 10 yr for ability to lamb in October and early November. Ewes were isolated from rams, and blood samples were collected twice weekly. Circulating prolactin concentrations were also determined from blood samples collected near the summer and winter solstice and vernal and autumnal equinox. Intact OOS ewes entered anestrus later, began the subsequent breeding season sooner, and had a shorter seasonal anestrus than Suffolk and St. Croix ewes (P ≤ 0.005). St. Croix ewes did not differ from Suffolk ewes in date of onset or cessation of breeding or duration of anestrus (P ≥ 0.06). Breed differences in duration of luteinizing hormone inhibition in ovariectomized ewes were essentially identical to those observed for duration of anestrous. Prolactin concentrations varied during the year: annual changes were larger in relatively seasonal Suffolk ewes than in tropically-derived St. Croix ewes (P<0.01), and OOS ewes were intermediate to, and tended to differ from (P<0.10), the other two breeds. We conclude that OOS ewes developed by selection for fertility in spring matings had an abbreviated seasonal anestrus that is one of the shortest ever reported for temperate breeds, and that tropical St. Croix sheep did not have a shorter seasonal anestrus than Suffolk sheep under temperate conditions and ram isolation.
Components of error in predictions of species compositional change

Abstract. A method is given for measuring two components of error (rate and direction) in predictions of compositional change through time. Observed compositional change between two times can be represented as a vector between two points in multidimensional species space. The point at the tail of this vector is the species composition at one particular time. A vector of predicted compositional change will diverge from the vector of observed change to some degree. The error in the predicted rate of change is measured by the difference between the lengths of the two vectors. The error in the predicted direction of change is measured by the angle between the vectors. The cosine of this angle is a non-standardized correlation coefficient (rn) between the predicted and observed species compositions. The quantity 1 - rn2 measures the error in direction of the predicted dynamics without being influenced by the overall rate of change. These measures in Euclidean space have useful counterparts in city-block space. The method is illustrated by comparing actual long-term changes in Midwestern old-growth forests with the changes predicted by a growth and yield model, TWIGS.
A privacy-preserving UBICOMP architecture

With the increasing deployment of sensors, intelligent devices of all sizes, and wireless networking, ubiquitous computing (UBICOMP) environments are getting closer to reality. Research in UBICOMP has focused on enabling technologies, such as networking, data management, security, and user interfaces. However, privacy for UBICOMP has been a contentious issue and the privacy concerns that have been raised suggest that privacy may be the greatest barrier to the long-term success of UBICOMP. This paper proposes a hybrid (locally centralized but peer-to-peer across the Internet) UBICOMP architecture that respects personal privacy preferences expressed in the form of personal privacy policies.
How to behave ethically in a world of fads

Pennsylvania State University—Harrisburg, PA, USAAlthough applied behavior analysis (ABA) has signiﬁcant scientiﬁc support for treating people withautism spectrum disorders (ASDs), the ﬁeld of autism treatment has been plagued with rapidlyproliferating fad treatments subjecting people with ASD to various ineffective, pseudoscientiﬁc, andantiscientiﬁc treatments. To combat this, professionals must learn to make ethical treatment decisions,sometimes before research is conducted or published. Even when research is available negating fads,behavioralprofessionalsmustalsoovercomemisperceptionsaboutABA.Thepurposesofthispaperareto provide behavioral professionals with (a) a mechanism for making ethical treatment decisions (usingsensory integration as an example) and (b) a method for responding to potential misperceptions andobstacles to using ABA. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcome after repair of atrioventricular septal defect with tetralogy of Fallot.

Background Long-term outcomes of repair of tetralogy of Fallot associated with complete atrioventricular septal defect are seldom reported. We report our survival and reintervention outcomes over a 29-year time period. Methods Between March 1979 and April 2008, 61 patients with the combined cardiac defect of atrioventricular septal defect and tetralogy of Fallot were surgically managed. Trisomy 21 was present in 49 (80%) patients. Primary repair was performed in 36 patients at a median age of 9 months (range, 1 month to 16 years), whereas 25 patients had initial palliation by systemic–pulmonary shunt at a median age of 21 months (range, 0 days to 36 years). Thirty-one (51%) patients had a transannular patch. Fifty-three patients required right ventriculotomy for relief of the right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Four patients had a right ventricle–pulmonary artery conduit with a homograft. Relationships between patient characteristics and outcome variables were examined using Kaplan-Meier survival curves; comparisons were performed using the log–rank test. Results Median follow-up was 4.7 years. A total of 12 patients died during the course of follow-up: 4 (7%)deaths within 30 days of surgery and 8 late deaths (range, 4 months to 9.9 years after repair). Since 2000, there have been no early deaths and 1 late death, 5 months after the operation. The estimated survival at 5 years after definitive repair was 82% (95% confidence interval, 69%, 90%). Time to death was not associated with any patient or surgical variables examined. Overall, 30% of the survivors required a reoperation. The type of reoperations was on the mitral valve (4 repairs, 4 replacements) and 7 pulmonary valve replacements. We did not find an effect of era on mortality (P = .23 for comparison of 1979-1989, 1990-1999, and 2000-2008). The percentage of patients with primary repair did not change during the different quartiles. The estimated freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 80% (65%, 90%). Time to reoperation was shorter for patients with a conduit (P = .01). Conclusions Excellent long-term survival was achieved after repair of tetralogy of Fallot associated with complete atrioventricular septal defect. Palliation and primary repair resulted in comparable outcomes; as such, primary repair is favored. The choice of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction affects the need for reoperation.
Expanded functional diversity of shaker K(+) channels in cnidarians is driven by gene expansion.

The genome of the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis (starlet sea anemone) provides a molecular genetic view into the first nervous systems, which appeared in a late common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians. Nematostella has a surprisingly large and diverse set of neuronal signaling genes including paralogs of most neuronal signaling molecules found in higher metazoans. Several ion channel gene families are highly expanded in the sea anemone, including three subfamilies of the Shaker K + channel gene family: Shaker (Kv1), Shaw (Kv3) and Shal (Kv4). In order to better understand the physiological significance of these voltage-gated K + channel expansions, we analyzed the function of 18 members of the 20 gene Shaker subfamily in Nematostella. Six of the Nematostella Shaker genes express functional homotetrameric K + channels in vitro. These include functional orthologs of bilaterian Shakers and channels with an unusually high threshold for voltage activation. We identified 11 Nematostella Shaker genes with a distinct ‘‘silent’’ or ‘‘regulatory’’ phenotype; these encode subunits that function only in heteromeric channels and serve to further diversify Nematostella Shaker channel gating properties. Subunits with the regulatory phenotype have not previously been found in the Shaker subfamily, but have evolved independently in the Shab (Kv2) family in vertebrates and the Shal family in a cnidarian. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that regulatory subunits were present in ancestral cnidarians, but have continued to diversity at a high rate after the split between anthozoans and hydrozoans. Comparison of Shaker family gene complements from diverse metazoan species reveals frequent, large scale duplication has produced highly unique sets of Shaker channels in the major metazoan lineages.
Forskolin-Induced Desensitization of Pancreatic β-Cell Insulin Secretory Responsiveness: Possible Involvement of Impaired Information Flow in the Inositol-Lipid Cycle*

Isolated rat islets of Langerhans were incubated for 2 h in a myo-[2-3H]inositol-containing solution to label their phosphoinositides. Also included during this labeling period was forskolin (0.1-5 μM), a compound established to elevate islet cAMP levels. These islets were subsequently perifused, and their insulin secretory responses to 20 mM glucose or 1 μM of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were assessed. Determined in parallel with secretion were [3H] inositol efflux patterns and, at the termination of the perifusion, labeled inositol phosphate accumulation. The following major observations were made. 1) Forskolin had no deleterious effect on the total amount of [3H]inositol incorporated by the islets during the labeling period. 2) However, labeling in forskolin resulted in subsequent dose-dependent decreases in 20 mM glucose- induced insulin secretion, [3H]inositol efflux and inositol phosphate accumulation. 3) Inclusion of the diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase inhibitor monool...
Reactive oxygen species-sensitive p38 MAPK controls thrombin-induced migration of vascular smooth muscle cells

Thrombin has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis and restenosis, in which migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is a crucial event. Thrombin-stimulated VSMC migration is associated with increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and production of growth factors and chemoattractants. In this study, we examined the interrelation of these signals to determine the pathway controlling thrombin-directed migration of human VSMC. Our results show that thrombin stimulated the production of ROS and activation of p38 MAPK. ROS were required for thrombin-induced VSMC migration since both generation of ROS and cell migration were significantly attenuated by inhibitors of NAD(P)H oxidase, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and apocynin (Apo.), and by the hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase (Cat.). Activation of p38 MAPK by thrombin was inhibited by DPI, Apo. and Cat., indicating ROS are used as messengers for activating this kinase. p38 MAPK is an important step since SB 203580, a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK, suppressed the cell migration induced by thrombin. Furthermore, thrombin increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a chemoattractant for VSMC, and this expression was inhibited by DPI, Apo., Cat. and SB 203580. Addition of anti-VEGF antibody significantly attenuated thrombin-induced migration. Collectively, the data presented here show that thrombin has stimulated VSMC migration and VEGF expression through an ROS-sensitive p38 MAPK pathway. VEGF synthesized and released by the cell served as a secondary mediator in thrombin-directed migration.
Anatomical study of the final common pathway for vocalization in the cat

Vocalization, the nonverbal production of sound, can be elicited in many vertebrates by stimulation in several regions of the limbic system but most easily in the caudal periaqueductal gray (PAG). This study shows that a specific cell group in the lateral part of the caudal PAG and in the tegmentum just lateral to it projects bilaterally to the nucleus retroambiguus (NRA) in the caudal medulla oblongata. Similar but much weaker projections are derived from the dorsal PAG. Neurons in the NRA in turn project via a contralateral pathway through the ventral funiculus of the spinal cord to motoneuronal cell groups, innervating intercostal and abdominal muscles. These projections are stronger on the contralateral side, although at lower thoracic and upper lumbar levels, many fibers recross to terminate in the ipsilateral motoneuronal cell groups. In the brainstem NRA neurons project to the motoneuronal cell groups innervating mouth-opening and perioral muscles as well as to motoneurons innervating the pharynx, soft palate, and tongue, and probably to the larynx. All these muscles are active in vocalization. The present anatomical results, combined with the physiological results of others, indicate that the projections from PAG via NRA to vocalization motoneurons form the final common pathway in vocalization. The role of this pathway in the total framework of emotional behavior is discussed.
Cyclo(Leu-Gly) attenuates the striatal dopaminergic supersensitivity induced by chronic morphine: agonist binding to D2 dopamine receptors correlates with stereotypic behavior.

Abstract We have previously shown that MIF and its structural analog, cyclo- (Leu-Gly), block analgesic tolerance and some signs of physical dependence following chronic opiate administration. The mechanism of action of these peptides has not been clearly elucidated. The data presented here suggests that chronic opiate administration causes a behavioral supersensitivity to dopamine (DA) agonists which is highly correlated with an increase in D2-Hi receptor affinity for DA agonists, but not antagonists. Both the behavioral and receptor changes are blocked by prior administration of cyclo(Leu-Gly). This suggests that the ability of cyclo(Leu-Gly) to block the development of opiate addictive states may involve DA synaptic elements.
The human D-glucuronyl C5-epimerase gene is transcriptionally activated through the β-catenin–TCF4 pathway

Heparan sulphate (HS) is a ubiquitous constituent of the extracellular matrix that is required for the biological activity of circulating soluble and insoluble extracellular ligands. GLCE (D-glucuronyl C5-epimerase), an enzyme responsible for the epimerization of D-glucuronic acid into L-iduronic acid of HS, endows the nascent polysaccharide chain with the ability to bind to growth factors and cytokines. In order to examine the mechanism of regulation of GLCE expression, the functional organization of the human GLCE gene promoter has been investigated. Studies utilizing stepwise deleted and site-directed mutagenized promoter constructs have shed light on the functional relevance of two cis-acting binding elements for the β-catenin–TCF4 complex (where TCF4 stands for T-cell factor 4) that are located in the enhancer region of the promoter. The ability of the putative binding sequences to bind the β-catenin–TCF4 complex has been confirmed through electrophoretic mobility-shift and supershift analyses. We have found that, in a set of human colon carcinoma cell lines, the expression of GLCE correlates with the degree of activation of the β-catenin–TCF4 transactivation complex. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of β-catenin–TCF4 in cells that constitutively express low levels of the transactivation complex produces a significant increase of GLCE transcript level and, at the same time, enhances the rate of D-glucuronic acid epimerization in HS. The data obtained are consistent with the idea that the β-catenin–TCF4 transactivation pathway plays a major role in modulating GLCE expression, thus contributing to the regulation of HS biosynthesis and its structural organization.
LONG-RANGE CONTRIBUTION TO INVERSE-DISTANCE POWER AND MORSE ENERGY AND PRESSURE TERMS OF A MOLECULAR LIQUID, TESTED ON BENZENE

Analytical expressions were derived to estimate the contribution to the intermolecular energy and pressure from pairs of rigid molecules farther than a cutoff distance; inverse power terms (like in the Lennard-Jones potential) and exponential terms (like in the Morse potential) were considered. The Lennard-Jones case was tested on liquid benzene at room temperature in the Gibbs ensemble using the cavity-biased technique. The density produced by simulations using the derived cutoff correction was found to be independent of the cutoff used.
Correlation of Antitumor Activity and Electron Deficiency of Nitrofuranylhydrazone Compounds

Phenylhydrazone derivatives of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde were tested for antitumor activity against L-1210 murine leukemia in vitro. A substantial increase in antitumor activity was observed in these series of compounds as the electron deficiency of the six-membered aromatic ring was increased. A possible mechanism of action involving drug reduction as well as antibacterial and antitumor efficacy is discussed.
Vaccinia virus: a tool for research and vaccine development

Vaccinia virus is no longer needed for smallpox immunization, but now serves as a useful vector for expressing genes within the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. As a research tool, recombinant vaccinia viruses are used to synthesize biologically active proteins and analyze structure-function relations, determine the targets of humoral- and cell-mediated immunity, and investigate the immune responses needed for protection against specific infectious diseases. When more data on safety and efficacy are available, recombinant vaccinia and related poxviruses may be candidates for live vaccines and for cancer immunotherapy.
Optimal estimation of parameters for a estuarine eutrophication model

Abstract The problem of eutrophication model calibration is formulated as a coupled, multi-objective optimization. An optimal algorithm is integrated into a vertically averaged, two-dimensional eutrophication model for the model calibration. The sensitivity coefficient matrix is used to estimate the Hessian matrix. The modified Gauss–Newton method is used to estimate the unknown parameters. The approach is straightforward and requires less effort in code modification for an existing model. A series of model experiments with a real-time eutrophication model of the tidal Rappahannock River estuary is conducted. Thirteen unknown kinetic parameters are estimated with hypothetical observations generated by the model using ‘true’ model parameters. Model experiments are conducted using both observations with and without observation errors. The experiments demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the optimal methods and suggest that the method is feasible for estimating eutrophication model parameters within acceptable error ranges.
The α Chain of the T Cell Antigen Receptor Is Degraded in the Cytosol

Abstract To reach the cell surface, the T cell receptor for antigen (TCR)–CD3 complex must assemble in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where single subunits are retained and degraded. However, the exact location of breakdown and the mechanism and proteases involved in destruction of free subunits have remained elusive. We show that degradation of the TCRα chain is impaired in the presence of lactacystin and carboxybenzyl-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal, two inhibitors for proteasomal proteolysis. We identified breakdown intermediates that were either soluble, cytosolic, and devoid of N-linked glycans, or membrane-associated and partially deglycosylated by cytosolic N-glycanase. Protease protection experiments showed a cytosolic disposition of these membrane-associated intermediates. Combined, these results argue for a cytosolic degradation route of the TCRα chain involving dislocation from the ER, followed by cytosolic deglycosylation and proteolysis by the proteasome.
Some Problems of and Futures for Urban Sociology: Toward a Sociology of Settlements:

Forty years ago, Manuel Castells asked whether urban sociology had a subject matter and whether the term urban still had meaning—and this article reopens these and related questions. It also wonder...
Comparison of the Calculated Collision-Induced Absorption Spectra by Dense Hydrogen-Helium, Deuterium-Helium, and Tritium-Helium Gas Mixtures

We have recently determined the induced dipole surface (IDS) and potential energy surface (PES) of collisional H2-He complexes. We have used these surfaces to compute the binary collision-induced absorption spectra of H2 molecules interacting with He atoms and of D2 molecules interacting with He atoms. Here we extend these calculations to the case of T2 molecules interacting with He atoms. Whereas the electronic structure of X2-He is virtually the same for all hydrogen isotopes X = H, D, or T, the collisional dynamics and molecular scattering wave functions are different for the different collisional pairs. We have calculated spectra up to a temperature of 9000 K and frequencies up to 20,000 cm−1. Here we compare the calculated collision-induced absorption spectra for the different hydrogen isotopes. While we have observed reasonable agreement between our calculations and laboratory measurements for the collisional H2-He and D2-He complexes, there are no laboratory measurements for T2-He collisional complexes, and one must rely on the fundamental theory, supported by the agreement between theory and experiment for the other isotopes.
Controlling activation of the RNA-dependent protein kinase by siRNAs using site-specific chemical modification

The RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is activated by binding to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Activation of PKR by short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and stimulation of the innate immune response has been suggested to explain certain off-target effects in some RNA interference experiments. Here we show that PKR's kinase activity is stimulated in vitro 3- to 5-fold by siRNA duplexes with 19 bp and 2 nt 3′-overhangs, whereas the maximum activation observed for poly(I)•poly(C) was 17-fold over background under the same conditions. Directed hydroxyl radical cleavage experiments indicated that siRNA duplexes have at least four different binding sites for PKR's dsRNA binding motifs (dsRBMs). The location of these binding sites suggested specific nucleotide positions in the siRNA sense strand that could be modified with a corresponding loss of PKR binding. Modification at these sites with N2-benzyl-2′-deoxyguanosine (BndG) blocked interaction with PKR's dsRBMs and inhibited activation of PKR by the siRNA. Importantly, modification of an siRNA duplex that greatly reduced PKR activation did not prevent the duplex from lowering mRNA levels of a targeted message by RNA interference in HeLa cells. Thus, these studies demonstrate that specific positions in an siRNA can be rationally modified to prevent interaction with components of cellular dsRNA-regulated pathways.
Effects of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin on embryonic chick bone in organ culture.

Abstract The ability of developing chick bone to respond to parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin was tested in organ culture. Addition of bPTH to prelabeled bone cultures resulted in a significant increase in release of 45 Ca into the medium after 24, 48, and 72 hr incubation. Maximal resorption occurred at 48 hr of incubation. Low doses of salmon calcitonin (sCT) decreased the 45 Ca release from prelabeled bones but higher sCT doses significantly increased 45 Ca release. When bones were incubated with both PTH and sCT, the amount of 45 Ca release was consistently less than that caused by PTH alone. Escape from sCT inhibition of PTH-mediated resorption may have occurred at 72 hr incubation. These experiments show that developing chick bone is capable of hormone response in vitro and suggest that hormones may affect bone development in the chick embryo.
ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY AND RELEASE OF NEUROSECRETORY MATERIAL IN CRAB PERICARDIAL ORGANS.

Abstract 1. 1. One of the pair of pericardial organs (PO's) of Libinia emarginata was removed to a chamber and arranged for simultaneous electrical stimulation and recording. Fluid bathing the PO was assayed for excitatory effect on the isolated, perfused crab heart. 2. 2. A low level of spontaneous release of excitatory material and spontaneous electrical activity, interpreted as action potentials in one or a few axons, were observed in many PO's. 3. 3. A high rate of release of active material was observed only when stimulation resulted in a compound action potential showing a large component representing fibers of 1 4 to 1 2 m/sec conduction velocity. 4. 4. This electrical component and release of excitatory material showed the same threshold and optimal values of stimulus voltage, and the same maximum, 10/sec, for response to repetitive stimulation. 5. 5. The excitatory effect of the fluid was proportional to the number of stimuli given. 6. 6. It is concluded that action potentials propagated in axons of neurosecretory cells result in release of neurosecretory material from the terminals.
Partial Purification and Characterization of the mRNA for α-Amylase from Barley Aleurone Layers

The poly(A)-containing mRNA from barley aleurone layers pretreated with gibberellic acid has been purified by phenol-chloroform extraction and repeated oligo[d(pT)]-cellulose chromatography. This RNA has been translated in both the wheat germ and reticulocyte lysate in vitro translation systems with greater than 50% of the synthesized protein being α-amylase. The mRNA for α-amylase has been further purified by dimethylsulfoxide-formamide-sucrose density gradient centrifugation and by gel electrophoresis. By these methods, its molecular weight has been determined to be 580,000.
The Impact of Location on Restaurant Customer Reactions to Beef Safety Events

Abstract This study addresses the influence of location of a media-reported beef safety problem on consumer perceptions of the safety of their local beef supplies. A mail survey (the research instrument) was sent to 2,500 households in five major U.S. cities. The impacts of location and household socioeconomic characteristics on consumer perceptions of the applicability of a nationally reported safety infraction in one area to the safety of beef in the consumers' local food service market are discussed. The results indicate that the hospitality industry, especially firms with outlets located throughout the United States, should inform customers of the source of beef served in each outlet.
Biomechanical analysis of three tennis serve types using a markerless system

Purpose The tennis serve is commonly associated with musculoskeletal injury. Advanced players are able to hit multiple serve types with different types of spin. No investigation has characterised the kinematics of all three serve types for the upper extremity and back. Methods Seven NCAA Division I male tennis players performed three successful flat, kick and slice serves. Serves were recorded using an eight camera markerless motion capture system. Laser scanning was utilised to accurately collect body dimensions and data were computed using inverse kinematic methods. Results There was no significant difference in maximum back extension angle for the flat, kick or slice serves. The kick serve had a higher force magnitude at the back than the flat and slice as well as larger posteriorly directed shoulder forces. The flat serve had significantly greater maximum shoulder internal rotation velocity versus the slice serve. Force and torque magnitudes at the elbow and wrist were not significantly different between the serves. Conclusions The kick serve places higher physical demands on the back and shoulder while the slice serve demonstrated lower overall kinetic forces. This information may have injury prevention and rehabilitation implications.
The forward and inverse problem in tissue optics based on the radiative transfer equation: a brief review.

Abstract This note serves as an introduction to two papers by Klose et al. [2] , [3] and provides a brief review of the latest developments in optical tomography of scattering tissue. We discuss advancements made in solving the forward model for light propagation based on the radiative transfer equation, in reconstructing scattering and absorption cross sections of tissue, and in molecular imaging of luminescent sources.
Interaction of Thyroid Hormone with Histone from Calf Thymus Nuclei

IN a previous investigation of the interaction of thyroxine with serum albumin1 it was shown that cationic sites on. the protein are involved in the binding reaction. We therefore thought it of interest to investigate the interaction of thyroid hormone with basic intracellular proteins, such as histones.
Nucleosome assembly: more than electric in the making?

Abstract A structure of the core domain of the Xenopus NO38 histone chaperone (Namboodiri et al., 2004) reveals a familiar architecture but raises provocative questions about how histone chaperones bind histones and assemble nucleosomes.