cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation Reduces Germination and Affects Colonization of Sclerotium rolfsii Sclerotia

Growth chamber and field studies were conducted with organic amendment mixtures of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at C:N ratios 10:1, 20:1, 30:1, and 40:1 and amendment rates of C at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/g of soil (C:N ratio 30:1) to evaluate anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) effects on germination and colonization of Sclerotium rolfsii. In the growth chamber, sclerotial germination was reduced in all ASD treatments regardless of C:N ratio (0.6 to 8.5% germination) or amendment rate (7.5 to 46%) as compared with nonamended controls (21 to 36% and 61 to 96%, respectively). ASD treatment increased Trichoderma spp. colonization of sclerotia, with consistently higher colonization in ASD treatments with amendment rates of C at 2 or 4 mg/g of soil (>87% colonization) compared with nonamended controls (<50% colonization). In the 2014 field study, sclerotial germination was reduced by 24 to 30% in ASD treatments when compared with the nonamended control. Sclerotial colonization by Trichoderma spp. was predominant; however, other potential mycoparasites (i.e., Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., zygomycetes, and other fungi) were present in the field study. Amendment C:N ratios in the range of 10:1 to 40:1 were equally effective in reducing sclerotial germination and enhancing colonization by potentially beneficial mycoparasites of sclerotia.
Ligand–Substrate Dispersion Facilitates the Copper-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Unactivated Olefins

The current understanding of ligand effects in transition metal catalysis is mostly based on the analysis of catalyst–substrate through-bond and through-space interactions, with the latter commonly considered to be repulsive in nature. The dispersion interaction between the ligand and the substrate, a ubiquitous type of attractive noncovalent interaction, is seldom accounted for in the context of transition-metal-catalyzed transformations. Herein we report a computational model to quantitatively analyze the effects of different types of catalyst–substrate interactions on reactivity. Using this model, we show that in the copper(I) hydride (CuH)-catalyzed hydroamination of unactivated olefins, the substantially enhanced reactivity of copper catalysts based on bulky bidentate phosphine ligands originates from the attractive ligand–substrate dispersion interaction. These computational findings are validated by kinetic studies across a range of hydroamination reactions using structurally diverse phosphine liga...
Place-based education: a look at its potential benefits to our students and our places through case study research and the literature

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how River Valley School District (pseudonyms) students experienced the River Valley Outdoor Learning Center (pseudonyms). Particular attention was paid to four students' connection with and curiosity about the program curriculum. Their relationship with the place that was the RVOLC, their connection with the outdoors and their awareness of sustainability practices were also important foci. Students' perception of their own contentment when learning outdoors was also explored. Data came from interviews with the four student participants, the students' parents and learning centre educators and documents and observations of the fifth grade participants while at a three-day culminating educative experience offered by the centre. Findings suggested that the River Valley Outdoor Learning Center program that practiced a combination of place-based and environmental education pedagogies had lasting impacts on the study's four student participants - it helped these four students to be more connected to nature, more advocating of their place and the sustainability of that place.
Low-Income Black Men’s Kin Work: Social Fatherhood in Cohabiting Stepfamilies:

We apply family systems theory and the kinscripts framework to advance understanding of cohabiting stepfather involvement and kin work in low-income Black families raising children, from men’s own ...
The Quantum Inverse Scattering Method and Applications to Spin Chains

Over the past twelve years, the development of the Inverse Scattering Method (ISM) has provided much insight into the dynamics of certain classical nonlinear one dimensional systems [1], Within the last two years or so, the method has been applied to quantum systems by Fadeev, Sklyanin, Kulish and Takhtadzhyan [2–4] in Leningrad, Thacker, Wilkinson and Creamer [5–8] at Fermilab and Honerkamp [9] and coworkers in Freiburg. It turns out to be closely related to two other techniques which have been developed for one dimensional systems — the Bethe Ansatz (BA), first applied to spin chains [10,11], and the transfer matrix methods of Onsager [12], Baxter [13] and others for lattice models.
Precisiated Natural Language

This article is a sequel to an article titled “A New Direction in AI – Toward a Computational Theory of Perceptions”, which appeared in the Spring 2001 issue of AI Magazine (volume 22, No. 1, 73-84). The concept of precisiated natural language (PNL) was briefly introduced in that article, and PNL was employed as a basis for computation with perceptions. In what follows, the conceptual structure of PNL is described in greater detail, and PNL’s role in knowledge representation, deduction, and concept definition is outlined and illustrated by examples. What should be understood is that PNL is in its initial stages of development and that the exposition that follows is an outline of the basic ideas that underlie PNL rather than a definitive theory. A natural language is basically a system for describing perceptions. Perceptions, such as perceptions of distance, likelihood, relevance, and most other attributes of physical and mental objects are intrinsically imprecise, reflecting the bounded ability of sensory organs, and ultimately the brain, to resolve detail and store information. In this perspective, the imprecision of natural languages is a direct consequence of the imprecision of perceptions [44, 45]. How can a natural language be precisiated – precisiated in the sense of making it possible to treat propositions drawn from a natural language as objects of computation? This is what PNL attempts to do. In PNL, precisiation is accomplished through translation into what is termed a precisiation language. In the case of PNL, the precisiation language is the generalized-constraint language (GCL), a language whose elements are so-called generalized constraints and their combinations. What distinguishes GCL from languages such as Prolog, LISP, SQL, and, more generally, languages associated with various logical systems, for example, predicate logic, modal logic, and so on, is its so much higher expressive power. The conceptual structure of PNL mirrors two fundamental facets of human cognition, (a) partiality and (b) granularity [43]. Partiality relates to the fact that most human concepts are not bivalent, that is, are a matter of degree. Thus, we have partial understanding, partial truth, partial possibility, partial certainty, partial similarity, and partial relevance, to cite a few examples. Similarly, granularity and granulation relate to clumping of values of attributes, forming granules with words as labels, for example, young, middle-aged, and old as labels of granules of age.
Endogenous and Environmental Control of Smolt Transformation

This chapter considers endogenous and environmental factors that influence smolt transformation. It also provides evidence that an endogenous developmental program, mediated by hormones and entrained by the annual cycle in daylength, regulates the smoltification process.
Application of a Neural Network to Simulate Analysis in an Optimization Process

Expensive analysis programs are often applied to solve engineering design problems. To obtain an optimal solution typically requires numerous iterations between the analysis program and an optimization program. This often becomes prohibitive due to the amount of computer time required for convergence. Therefore, any new software that could significantly reduce the computer time required to solve a complex design problem would be beneficial. A new experimental software package called NETS/PROSSS has been developed to help meet this need. NETS/PROSSS combines an neural network for simulating the analysis program with an optimization program.
The Man in the Arctic Program (Map): Economic, Demographic, and Sociocultural Effects of Development in Alaska

Alaska is in the midst of a major period of economic growth, stimulated largely by oil and gas development.1 The 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline, which is now under construction, will have a peak employment level of 16,000 workers, many of whom have migrated to Alaska from other states. Commercial production of Prudhoe Bay oil is expected to begin in 1977. While direct employment in the oil industry will decline substantially at this point, royalty payments and taxes to the state government will provide a substantial new economic stimulus, creating new jobs and bringing new migrants to Alaska. Alaska presently has about 350,000 residents. Even if no major new oil developments occur, by 1990 Alaska’s population is projected to exceed 600,000.
Gamma knife radiosurgery in the management of patients with acromegaly: A review

Although acromegaly is a rare disease, the need for an effective treatment that is able to induce biochemical cure is an extremely important issue. Unsuccessfully treated acromegaly is associated with increased morbidity and an age-corrected mortality so that early and aggressive therapy to normalize hormonal levels should be instituted at diagnosis. Ideally, the growth hormone-secreting adenoma should be completely resected, with preservation or subsequent restoration of pituitary function. Patients with recurrence or failure after surgery are treated with a second surgery, medical, radiation treatment, or combined modality treatment. Steotactic radiosurgery with gamma knife allows the delivery of focused radiation in a single session to the pituitary tumor that delivers a more biologically effective dose to the tumor than fractionated radiotherapy. Its use as a primary or adjuvant treatment for acromegalics may be more cost effective than medical treatment in these patients. Although it seems to be very effective in controlling growth and secretion of the growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, there is a chance that some major risks from gamma knife radiosurgery might occur. This article will review the role that gamma knife radiosurgery might have in patients with acromegaly.
The Role of Structure and Instruction on Creative Idea Evaluation and Selection

While most creative cognition models include three core processes (problem identification and construction, idea generation, and idea evaluation and selection), the majority of research has focused on idea generation. Limited attention has been given in the literature to the processes that take place before and after idea generation. In this study, we seek to partially fill this gap by examining the processes that take place after idea generation, that is, idea evaluation and selection. Specifically, we evaluate the role of providing instructions and structure for idea evaluation (in the form of definitions and rubrics) and idea selection (by creating a two-step procedure) on the accuracy of evaluation and ultimate idea selection. We examine the impact of the level of specificity and detail provided in the evaluation process on the accuracy of team evaluation and selection of creative solutions. We also examine how structured and unstructured selection processes influence the selection of creative solutions. Our findings suggest that having a rubric to support evaluating quality and originality does not necessarily increase the accuracy of team evaluation. Further, following an iterative solution selection process results in the selection of lower quality solutions, but having instructions and structure during both evaluation and selection processes results in selection of most original ideas. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Use of a Blast Dominance-Hematogone Index for the Flow Cytometric Evaluation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

OBJECTIVES We tested whether combined flow cytometric assessment of loss of blast heterogeneity and decreased hematogones is a diagnostically useful approach for evaluation of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). METHODS Bone marrow samples from patients with known MDS were analyzed by 10-color flow cytometric immunophenotyping and compared with normal bone marrow samples. RESULTS There was loss of blast heterogeneity in patients with MDS compared with normal bone marrow samples, based on the relative size of the dominant blast population (83.0% vs 64.8%) and fewer hematogones (0.08% vs 1.39%). The size of the largest blast population divided by the fraction of hematogones (blast dominance-hematogone [BDH] index) was significantly larger in MDS compared with normal cases (27,084 vs 190, P < .0001; receiver operating characteristic area under the curve = 0.96). CONCLUSIONS The BDH index is more sensitive and specific than loss of blast heterogeneity or decrease in hematogones for detecting MDS in bone marrow samples and may be useful in clinical practice.
Neonatal Surgical Education in Minimally Invasive Surgery Based on Simulation

Neonatal minimally invasive surgery (NMIS) requires a high level of training in both neonatal and MIS disciplines. It requires a progressive goal-oriented curricula content specific to each surgical neonatal pathology. Evaluation of the theoretical and practical contents at each stage of training is mandatory. Surgical skills training has been classically done in the operating room under the supervision of the senior surgeon and in animal models, when available. The difficult learning curve combined with the few cases per year for each surgeon is a critical factor against the spread of these procedures that are feasible and effective in experts’ hands.
Search for non-SM Light Higgs Boson in the h → γγ Channel at DØ in Run II

A search for non-SM light Higgs boson with an enhanced branching fraction into photons in collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron is presented using Run II DO data taken between April 2002 and September 2003. We set 95% CL limits on the diphoton branching fraction as a function of Higgs msss for Fermiophobic and Topcolor Higgs scenarios.
Labanotation and LMA

The aim of this project was to use Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) effectively in supplementing an experiential understanding and interpretation of a Labanotation score. The reconstructed piece was S...
Abstract #498: Analysis of histone modification in transcriptional attenuation of c-myc and cyclin D1 in response to sodium butyrate in colon cancer cells

Sodium butyrate (NaB) is a short-chain fatty acid present at >20 mM in the human colon, principally as a result of dietary fiber fermentation. While NaB is the primary energy source of colonocytes, it induces cell cycle arrest, differentiation and apoptosis in colon cancer cells, through mechanisms not completely understood. We have reported that although butyrate enhances s-catenin-Tcf signaling, which positively regulates c-myc (Bordonaro et al, Cancer Res. 1999; Wilson et al, Cancer Res. 2002), it also induces c-myc transcriptional attenuation, which consists of a post-initiation pause or blockage in transcription. We recently demonstrated a similar effect of NaB at the cyclin D1 locus, another key regulator of cell proliferation that is also a target of s-catenin-Tcf signaling (Maier et al, J. Cell. Physiol. 2008). To define better the molecular mechanisms involved in NaB-induced transcriptional attenuation, the c-myc and cyclin D1 genes were analyzed in SW837 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells utilizing a \#8220;tiling\#8221; microarray designed with ~50 nt long probes spanning the entire RefSeq. We found that the level of expression of c-myc and cyclin D1 transcripts were markedly decreased after 6 and 8 h treatment with NaB (5 mM), and that this downregulation occurred at the very 5\#8217; end of the coding sequence (e.g.: starting at nt 80 of c-myc RefSeq), indicating that butyrate control indeed occurs early in the transcriptional process. Butyrate also alters chromatin structure and function through its inhibition of histone deacetylase activity (HDACi), resulting in histone hyperacetylation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by qRT-PCR, revealed that the level of histone H3 acetylation (lysines 9 and 14) at both the c-myc and cyclin D1 loci, was decreased ~70% after butyrate treatment, while it increased over 2-fold in the p21 gene, one of the major targets of NaB-induced expression. Since H3 lysine 9 (K9) acetylation occurs synchronously with K4 methylation as marks of active chromatin, we investigated H3 methylation status in response to butyrate. While it was induced at the p21 locus, no increase in trimethylated K4 was observed in either the c-myc or cyclin D1 genes. Moreover, similar results were found in H3 trimethylated K36, a mark of transcriptional elongation, in response to NaB. Taken together, our data indicate that butyrate exerts a negative control of transcriptional activity at the c-myc and cyclin D1 loci, potentially principally through attenuation of elongation. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 498.
Flight Metabolism of Flying Foxes

Flying foxes (Pteropu poliorephali) of 0. 640 to 0. 800 kg mass have been trained to fly in a wind tunnel at air speeds of 5–8 m s−1, and for periods of over four hours. Masks worn by these bats in flight permit continuous measurement of oxygen consumption by paramagnetic oxygen analyzers and of carbon dioxide production by absorption in Ascarite.
Renal clearable nanochelators for iron overload therapy

Iron chelators have been widely used to remove excess toxic iron from patients with secondary iron overload. However, small molecule-based iron chelators can cause adverse side effects such as infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, and liver fibrosis. Here we report renal clearable nanochelators for iron overload disorders. First, after a singledose intravenous injection, the nanochelator shows favorable pharmacokinetic properties, such as kidney-specific biodistribution and rapid renal excretion (>80% injected dose in 4 h), compared to native deferoxamine (DFO). Second, subcutaneous (SC) administration of nanochelators improves pharmacodynamics, as evidenced by a 7-fold increase in efficiency of urinary iron excretion compared to intravenous injection. Third, daily SC injections of the nanochelator for 5 days to iron overload mice and rats decrease iron levels in serum and liver. Furthermore, the nanochelator significantly reduces kidney damage caused by iron overload without demonstrating DFO’s own nephrotoxicity. This renal clearable nanochelator provides enhanced efficacy and safety. The build-up of iron in the body can have serious consequences; current treatment therapies suffer from adverse side effects and toxicity. Here, the authors developed renal clearable nanochelators with improved pharmacodynamics and demonstrated their efficacy and safety in iron overload animal models.
Preoperative Opioid Usage, Male Sex, and Preexisting Knee Osteoarthritis Impacts Opioid Refills After Isolated Arthroscopic Meniscectomy: A Population-Based Study

Purpose To identify risk factors for opioid consumption after arthroscopic meniscectomy using a large national database. Methods Patients undergoing primary arthroscopic meniscectomy from 2007 to 2016 were retrospectively accessed from the Humana database. Patients were categorized as those who filled opioid prescriptions within 3 months (OU), within 1 month (A-OU), between 1 and 3 months (C-OU), and never filled opioid prescriptions (N-OU) before surgery. Rates of opioid use were evaluated preoperatively and longitudinally tracked for each cohort. Prolonged opioid use was defined as continued opioid prescription filling at ≥3 months after surgery. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with opioid refills at 12 months after surgery. Results There were 88,120 patients (53.7% female) who underwent arthroscopic meniscectomy, of whom 46.1% (n = 39,078) were N-OU. About a quarter (25.3%) of patients continued filling opioid prescriptions at 1 year postoperatively. In addition, opioid fill rate at 1 year was significantly greater in the OU group compared with the N-OU group with a relative risk of 2.89 (40.7% vs 14.1%; 95% confidence interval 2.81-2.98; P Conclusions Preoperative opioid filling is a significant risk factor for opioid use at 12 months postoperatively. Male sex, preexisting knee osteoarthritis, and diagnosis of anxiety or depression were independent risk factors for opioid use 12 months following arthroscopic meniscectomy. Level of Evidence Level-III, Retrospective Cohort Study.
On the Robustness and Generality of the Correspondence Bias

People routinely assume correspondence between acts and dispositions, a systematic error prior research has labeled the "correspondence bias." Four laboratory studies investigate the robustness and generality of this tendency, and suggest that it may be even more fundamental than prior theories have supposed. Most of the research documenting the correspondence bias uses paradigms in which the behavior is more salient and easier to assess than the situation. Our studies employ a new paradigm in which people have perfect information about both the situation and the behavior. Using this paradigm across different settings, we find that the correspondence bias generalizes to inanimate objects. Furthermore, the bias persists in situations where avoiding it amounts to a simple subtraction problem, and even in the face of a wide array of debiasing manipulations designed to eradicate it. The results provide new insights into the ultimate causes of the correspondence bias.
Aromatase x Her-2/neu double transgenic mice model: Importance of local estrogen and Her-2 in breast cancers

5250 A majority of breast cancers are hormone-responsive and will require estrogen for growth, and respond to hormonal therapy that blocks estrogen receptor action. Breast tumors lacking estrogen receptor fail to respond to antiestrogen therapy yet require estrogen for tumor initiation. To address directly the importance of breast tissue aromatase in initiation and progression of breast cancer, we have generated aromatase transgenic mice (MMTV-aromatase) and shown that aromatase overexpression resulted in the induction of hyperplastic and dysplastic lesions and they are persistent even without circulating estrogens. Aromatase transgenic mice form ER-positive mammary tumors when exposed to DMBA within four to five months. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo model that clearly demonstrated the direct involvement of breast tissue aromatase/estrogen in tumorigenesis. An ideal hormone-responsive breast cancer model should give rise to both ER positive and negative tumors. However, there is no such model. To address this issue we have crossed MMTV-aromatase transgenic mice that form estrogen-dependent ER-positive tumors with MMTV-neu which forms ER-negative tumors in response to estrogen. Double transgenic mice show increased proliferation even at very young age (twelve weeks) and increased TGF beta (5 fold), EGFR (2 fold), cyclin D1 (∼ 10 fold), and estrogen receptor alpha levels as well as other biochemical differences. Ongoing studies are focused on determining tumor incidence, estrogen receptor status of all tumors and potential use of chemoprevention approaches with letrozole or EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (AEE788) alone or combined. (Supported by NIH/NCI grant CA75018)
Reducing Readmissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Response to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

Rationale: In August 2013, the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program announced financial penalties on hospitals with higher than expected risk-adjusted 30-day readmission rates for Medicare benefi...
Rapid fluctuations in functional connectivity of cortical networks encode spontaneous behavior

Experimental work across a variety of species has demonstrated that spontaneously generated behaviors are robustly coupled to variation in neural activity within the cerebral cortex. Indeed, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data suggest that functional connectivity in cortical networks varies across distinct behavioral states, providing for the dynamic reorganization of patterned activity. However, these studies generally lack the temporal resolution to establish links between cortical signals and the continuously varying fluctuations in spontaneous behavior typically observed in awake animals. Here, we took advantage of recent developments in wide-field, mesoscopic calcium imaging to monitor neural activity across the neocortex of awake mice. Applying a novel approach to quantifying time-varying functional connectivity, we show that spontaneous behaviors are more accurately represented by fast changes in the correlational structure versus the magnitude of large-scale network activity. Moreover, dynamic functional connectivity reveals subnetworks that are not predicted by traditional anatomical atlas-based parcellation of the cortex. These results provide insight into how behavioral information is represented across the mammalian neocortex and demonstrate a new analytical framework for investigating time-varying functional connectivity in neural networks.
You're sending me home with a catheter? A retrospective review of trial of void after radical hysterectomy

Objectives: To compare adverse urinary outcomes between women who had a radical hysterectomy with a trial of void (TOV) in the immediate post-operative hospitalization vs those who had a TOV after discharge from the hospital. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent laparoscopic, robotic, or abdominal radical hysterectomy from January 1, 2010 to January 1, 2020 at an academic tertiary referral center. Patients were stratified according to whether their first TOV took place before (pre-discharge TOV) vs after (post-discharge TOV) discharge from the index hospitalization. Outcomes including the percentage of patients who failed the initial TOV, re-presentation with urinary retention, presentation to an Emergency Department for a urinary concern within 30 days of surgery, symptomatic dysuria within 30 days of discharge, and de novo urinary dysfunction were analyzed. We hypothesized that urinary outcomes following pre-discharge TOV would lie within a 10% non-inferiority margin of outcomes following post-discharge TOV. A p Results: Eighty patients were included in the analysis. Mean age was 49.5 (SD 14.5) years, with a mean BMI of 30.2 (SD 6.8). The most common indication for radical hysterectomy was cervical cancer 60/80 (75.0%), followed by uterine (14/80; 17.5%) and ovarian (4/80; 5%). 13/80 (16.3%) patients had pre-procedure urinary dysfunction, with no significant differences between groups (p >0.05). 35/80 patients underwent abdominal procedures, 14/80 laparoscopic, and 31/80 robotic, with more robotic patients having a post-discharge TOV (p=0.007). 38/80 (47.5%) patients had a pre-discharge TOV, of which, 2/38 (5.3%) failed. Additionally, 1/38 (2.6%) patient passed a pre-discharge TOV, but subsequently re-presented with urinary retention. 42/80 (52.5%) patients had a post-discharge TOV, of which, 4/42 (9.5%) failed. When comparing patients who underwent pre- vs post-discharge TOVs, there were no significant differences in TOV failure (-4.2% difference; CI -15.6 to 7.1%; p=0.68). Additionally, there were no differences in re-presentation with urinary retention (2.6% pre-discharge vs 0% post-discharge, 2.6% difference; CI -2.5 to 7.7%; p=0.48), presentation to an Emergency Department for a urinary concern (7.9% pre-discharge vs 11.9% post-discharge, -4.0% difference; CI -17.0 to 9.0%; p=0.72), symptomatic dysuria (0% pre-discharge vs 2.4% post-discharge; -2.4% difference, CI -7.0 to 2.2%), or de novo urinary dysfunction (30.6% pre-discharge vs 42.5% post-discharge; -11.9% difference, CI -33.4 to 9.5%;p=0.34). None of these differences had confidence intervals that exceeded the 10% non-inferiority margin. Conclusions: After radical hysterectomy, completion of a pre-discharge TOV is not associated with a ≥10% increased likelihood of an adverse urinary outcome. Providers may consider a pre-discharge TOV to improve quality of life.
Site-Directed Mutations Affecting Primary Photochemistry in Reaction Centers: Effects of Dissymmetry in the Special Pair

The existence of the “special pair” (SP) of bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) was postulated nearly 20 years ago to describe the structural organization of the primary electron donor (P) of bacterial photosynthesis. The SP hypothesis was proposed based on magnetic resonance data measured for the oxidized radical cation of P in the bacterial reaction center (RC) protein (1,2). The SP concept was validated when detailed crystallographic data became available for the RCs from Rhodopseudomonas viridis and Rhodobacter sphaeroides (3–7). We now know that two strongly-interacting BChls with local C2 symmetry constitute the primary electron donor. Moreover, two monomeric BChls and two bacteriopheophytins (BPh) are related to each other about the same symmetry element. This structure reveals two prosthetic group chains, the L and M branches, that span the membrane.
Molecular beacon polymerase chain reaction detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in milk.

A fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probe (molecular beacon) was applied to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 in artificially contaminated skim milk during polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of extracted DNA. The probe was designed to hybridize with a region of the slt-II gene coding for the A subunit and to fluoresce when the hairpin-stem conformation was linearized upon hybridization to the target sequence. The molecular beacon was incorporated into PCR reactions containing DNA extracted from artificially contaminated skim milk. The degree of fluorescence was monitored in PCR reactions containing 10 3 , 10 5 , and 10 7 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 per ml and was found to correlate with the amount of template in each reaction. Fluorescence significantly increased above background levels by cycle 8, 14, or 14 in reactions containing DNA from the 10 7 -, 10 5 -, or 10 3 -CFU/ml template, respectively (P < 0.05). Molecular beacon PCR demonstrated positive results more rapidly than traditional agarose gel electrophoresis analysis of PCR products. Use of molecular beacons allows real-time monitoring of PCR reactions, and the closed-tube format allows simultaneous detection and confirmation of target amplicons without the need for agarose gel electrophoresis and/or Southern blotting. This is the first report of a stem-and-loop molecular beacon being applied for direct detection of a pathogen in food.
Is There a Clovis Adaptation

In recent years, archaeologists have come to appreciate that the reason we do what we do is very much influenced by what others before us have done. Understanding the history of a field is therefore crucial to understanding the field itself, for it reveals the theoretical and intellectual context in which ideas have developed and are embedded and how those ideas guide our views of the past (Binford and Sabloff 1982:139). With this in mind, let me explore briefly and selectively the history and current state of Clovis Paleo-Indian studies.
Yin Yang 1 Is a Lipopolysaccharide-Inducible Activator of the Murine 3′ Igh Enhancer, hs3

The 3′ Igh enhancers, DNase I hypersensitive site (hs) 3B and/or hs4, are required for germline transcription, and hence, class switch recombination for multiple isotypes. A number of hs3-binding transcription factors have been identified by EMSA, including octamer and NF-κB family members, and Pax5. We have found that the binding of the transcription factor, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), to hs3 and to the μE1 site of the intronic enhancer, Eμ, is induced in primary splenic B cells after ∼48 h in response to LPS and other activators of class switch recombination. Transient transfection experiments in B cell lines indicate that YY1 is an activator of hs3. Interestingly, levels of YY1 expression are unchanged in resting and LPS-stimulated B cells. Mixing experiments followed by EMSA showed that a protein present in resting B cells prevented binding of YY1 to DNA. We found that recombinant retinoblastoma protein (Rb) inhibited binding of YY1 to hs3 in a dose-dependent manner, and we have identified complexes of endogenous YY1 with the Rb in resting B cells, but not in LPS-stimulated B cells. A difference in Rb phosphorylation state was also confirmed between resting (G 0 ) B cells and LPS-stimulated B cells. These observations suggest that the interaction of YY1 with hypophosphorylated Rb in resting B cells prevents interaction of YY1 with DNA. After stimulation with class-switching activators, such as LPS, Rb becomes hyperphosphorylated and YY1 is released and can then bind to the hs3 enhancer and Eμ.
Stare Decisis and Originalism: Judicial Disengagement from the Supreme Court’s Errors

Originalism has had an uneasy relationship with stare decisis, but the two seem wedded in a way that precludes divorce and thus encourages adultery. Almost all originalists have decided, on pragmatic grounds, that the Supreme Court’s constitutional infidelities must sometimes be allowed to mature into de facto constitutional amendments. Writing in the Michigan Law Review, Jonathan Mitchell has proposed a new theory — based solely on the text of the Supremacy Clause rather than on pragmatic considerations — that purports to identify which interpretive infidelities must be rejected and which may be allowed to continue indefinitely.According to this theory, it is unconstitutional for the Supreme Court to rely on stare decisis when, and only when, its precedents (a form of nonsupreme law) conflict with one of the three forms of supreme law identified in the Supremacy Clause. Accordingly, erroneous constitutional precedents may never be relied on to strike down a federal statute or to uphold a state law that conflicts with the supreme law of the land. Conversely, erroneous constitutional precedents may be relied on to uphold a federal statute or to strike down a state law.Mitchell’s argument overstates the implications of the use of the word “supreme” in the Supremacy Clause, and it overlooks the principal purpose of the Clause. The better reading is that the Clause was meant to establish both the supremacy of federal law over state law and the obligation of state courts to respect that principle. The Supremacy Clause is simply silent about the Supreme Court’s duty when its precedents conflict with the original meaning of the Constitution.Mitchell is right, however, to emphasize that the Supremacy Clause implicitly rejects the notion that Supreme Court opinions can be the supreme law of the land. Because the Clause is directed primarily at commanding state courts to follow the supreme law when it conflicts with a nonsupreme law, a reasonable inference is that state courts are not bound by erroneous Supreme Court opinions. If state supreme courts were to take that inference seriously, we might see a healthy intellectual competition between them and their federal counterpart. If all these contestants were to begin taking the Constitution more seriously than they do now, the nation could be the ultimate winner.
Operator gauge transformations in nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics: Application to the multipolar Hamiltonian

Operator gauge transformations on the electromagnetic potentials in quantum electrodynamics are obtained by requiring form invariance of the Schrodinger equation of a single particle under arbitrary space- and time-dependent unitary transformations. These operator gauge transformations are found to have the same form as in non-Abelian gauge field theories. By considering the Lorentz force on the particle, we show that the definition of the electromagnetic-field strength operator in terms of the potentials must also have the same form as in non-Abelian gauge field theory. Since the Hamiltonian is gauge dependent, a distinction is made between the Hamiltonian and the gauge-invariant energy operator of the particle. Local conservation of energy for the particle is derived and it is shown that the particle gains (loses) energy at the same rate as expected classically. An operator gauge transformation is made to obtain potentials in the multipolar gauge and the multipolar Hamiltonian is shown to be the minimally coupled Hamiltonian in the multipolar gauge.
Mechanisms of denervation supersensitivity in regionally denervated canine hearts.

Mechanisms responsible for "denervation supersensitivity" in regionally denervated canine hearts were examined by measuring beta-adrenergic receptor density and affinity and the density of the alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gs alpha). Sympathetic denervation was produced by applying an epicardial strip of phenol midway between the left ventricular (LV) base and apex. Six to eight days after denervation, dogs were anesthetized and then underwent functional studies (n = 4) or hearts were excised for biochemical analyses (n = 6). Biochemical studies were also done on 3 nondenervated hearts. Effective refractory periods (ERPs) were measured in innervated (base) and denervated (apex) LV myocardium. During sympathetic stimulation (2 and 4 Hz), the ERP shortened more (P 0.2) in nondenervated basal compared with denervated apical myocardium. Quantitative immunoblotting of the Gs alpha demonstrated that the density of the 47- and 52-kDa subunits was also similar (P > 0.6) in basal compared with apical myocardium from regionally denervated hearts. In addition, beta-adrenergic receptor density and affinity and Gs alpha density did not differ significantly (P > 0.5) in basal compared with apical myocardium from nondenervated control hearts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Paramagnetic resonance evidence for a spin gap in ladder material MgCu2O3

Abstract The electron paramagnetic resonance of Co 2+ doped into the ladder material MgCu 2 O 3 shows a pronounced decrease in intensity as the temperature is lowered below room temperature, indicative of the opening of a spin gap. In the same temperature range, there is a marked increase in the parallel component, g || , of the axially symmetric g tensor with decreasing temperatures, suggestive of the existence of antiferromagnetic spin ordering fluctuations. The gap is estimated from the data to be 40–50 meV.
Direct Presidential Elections and Turnout in Parliamentary Contests

The method of electing the head of state in a parliamentary system is a critical constitutional matter. A popular argument made is that allowing direct presidential elections strengthens democratic practices. Another argument posits that multiplying the number of political contests may fatigue voters and decrease their participation levels. This article considers electoral turnout in a global sample of parliamentary democracies with a nonhereditary head of state from 1945 to 2006 and finds that direct presidential elections decrease turnout in parliamentary elections by about 7 percentage points. This effect is stronger than that of most existing explanations of turnout.
Development of a hydroxyl radical ratiometric nanoprobe

Abstract A hydroxyl radical nanoprobe has been developed by covalently attaching coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (CCA) to amine-functionalized polyacrylamide (AFPA) nanoparticles (40–100 nm in size). CCA is a non-fluorescent aromatic compound that reacts with hydroxyl radical ( OH) to produce a fluorescent product, 7-hydroxy-CCA (7-OH-CCA). Texas Red-Dextran (a reference dye) is encapsulated within the nanoprobe matrix to allow for ratiometric measurements to be made that correct for variations in source intensity, sample and instrument geometry and dilution.
The effect of chloride ion on the ferric chloride leaching of galena concentrate

Previous investigations of the ferric chloride brine leaching of galena concentrate have shown that additions of chloride ion result in accelerated dissolution rates. The current study has provided the necessary information to extend and modify these previous results by incorporating the important effect of chloride ion on the dissolution kinetics. As part of this study the solubility of lead chloride in ferric chloride-brine solutions has been determined and results indicate that additions of either FeCl3 or NaCl increase the PbCl2 solubility. This is attributed to the effect of complexing on the level of free chloride ion. In addition, the dissolution kinetics of elemental lead and lead chloride were also determined and compared with the kinetics of PbS dissolution. It is significant that the rate of dissolution of PbCl2 decreases as the concentration of Cl− is decreased and as the concentration of dissolved lead increases. These results along with SEM examination of partially reacted Pb shot show that solid PbCl2 forms on the surface long before the bulk solution is saturated with lead. The PbCl2 is proposed to form by a direct electrochemical reaction between Cl− and PbS prior to the formation of dissolved lead. The reaction was determined to be first order with respect to Cl− and closely obeys the following kinetic model based on a rate limiting charge transfer reaction at the surface: $$1 - (1 - a)^{1/3} \left[ {\frac{{5.01x10^{11} }}{{r_0 }}\left[ {Fe^{3 + } } \right]_T^{0.21} \left[ {Cl^ - } \right]_T^{1.0} \exp \left( {\frac{{ - 72100}}{{RT}}} \right)} \right]t$$ The model is in excellent agreement with experimental results up to about 95 pct reaction as long as the solubility of PbCl2 is greater than about 0.051 M. Where these conditions are not met, deviation from the surface reaction model occurs due to the extremely slow dissolution rate of PbCl2. Therefore the effect of Cl− on the brine leaching of PbS is attributed to two factors, the direct reaction of Cl− with the pbS surface and the effect of Cl− on the dissolution rate of PbCl2. The overall dissolution process is viewed as occurring in three stages; in the first stage the reaction is controlled by the surface reaction and described by the model above, then as solid PbCl2 is produced the diffusion of Cl− would be equal in importance with the surface reaction,i.e, the second stage. As the reaction proceeds further, a shift in the rate-limiting step from surface reaction to product layer or pore diffusion occurs, the third stage. Thus the rate-determining step would no longer be just the surface reaction as observed experimentally at longer reaction times. The practical implications of these results for the processing of a complex sulfide concentrate using sequential, selective, or total leach approaches are also discussed.
Sequence-specific electrochemical biosensing of M. tuberculosis DNA

Abstract An electrochemical biosensor for the determination of short sequences from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA is described. The sensor relies on the modification of the carbon-paste transducer with 27- or 36-mer oligonucleotide probes and their hybridization to complementary strands from the MTB DNA direct repeat region. Chronopotentiometry is employed to transduce the hybridization event, in connection with a Co(phen) 3 3+ indicator. Short (5–15 min) hybridization periods permit convenient quantitation of ng ml −1 levels of the MTB DNA target. Similar results are observed using microfabricated carbon-strip transducers. The new sensor holds great promise for rapid screening for MTB infections. Direct adsorptive stripping potentiometric measurements of ultratrace levels of MTB DNA are also reported.
Functions of multiple play signals in free-ranging juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Some mammals, including some nonhuman primates, use multiple play signals during social play that convey the playful mood or intention of the signaler. However, why single species use multiple play signals has not been investigated. We recently identified seven such signals among free-ranging juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, all of which predict the imminent occurrence of play. Here we ask whether the use of these multiple signals may have more precise or multiple functions. Specifically, we ask whether different play signals are associated with different (1) types of play to come, (2) intensities of play, (3) initiators of play and/or (4) distances at which the signal is given. Our results indicate that most signals were disproportionately associated with one or more aspects of play. For example, gamboling was associated with play that is initiated at a distance, crouch-and-stares were associated with chasing play and intense play, and leg-peeks were associated with play initiated by the receiver, as opposed to the signaler. These nonrandom associations suggest that play signals, most of which are conspicuous body signals, are not merely redundant variants of a single general function to transmit a playful mood. Rather they may be used more selectively in a variety of play contexts in which it may be beneficial to reinforce, clarify or emphasize the playful intention of the signaler. At the same time, most are not associated with particular contexts in a highly exclusive or simple manner. As such further research is needed to determine whether they are examples of functionally referential signaling.
Role-Play Gamers and National Guardsmen Compared:

Scores of 54 fantasy role-game players and 64 National Guardsmen were compared on a neuroticism scale and demographic variables. While the Role-gamers reported daydreaming and sleeping more than th...
Cryptography old and new

Abstract Classical cryptographic schemes which were in use prior to World War II are described and illustrated. Several factors are identified which have contributed to the marked difference between old and new cryptography, including: the computer, the need for cryptography in the public sector, advances in communications technology, and the need for standardization. The Data Encryption Standard (DES) of the National Bureau of Standards is discussed. This tutorial ends with a summary of the recommendations of the Public Cryptography Study Group, which was formed by the American Council on Education at the urging of the National Security Agency.
Solving the Problems of Iowa Food Deserts: Food Insecurity and Civic Structure*

Abstract Rural regions include places where food sources are not evenly distributed, leading to areas of concentration and food deserts—places where few or no grocery stores exist. Individuals are hypothesized to depend on personal connections and the civic structure of where they live to help them solve the problem of food insecurity. We find that residents living in poor rural counties with few grocery stores and perceptions of high civic structure are significantly less likely to be food insecure. A great deal of food giving and receiving is reported, but these personal connections do not decrease the odds of being food insecure. Lower incomes and being younger increase the odds of food insecurity. Our findings suggest that investments in strengthening the social structure of rural communities along with strategies that increase incomes can help households solve the problem of food insecurity.
A method of studying motility in the esophagus by recording electrical potentials.

1. A method for recording electrical potential patterns in the esophagus is described. 2. Normal propulsive peristalsis is initiated by a steep positive deflection in electrical potential and is characterized by time delays between responses recorded from adjacent electrodes. 3. In pathological cases, the electrical potential patterns may be altered.