cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CONTROLLED VISUAL INPUT AND EXPLORATORY ACTIVITY IN C57BL-6J MICE.

Previous studies have shown that blinded rats, deprived of both patterned (complexity) and unpatterned (illumination) components of normal visual input, exhibit increased exploratory activity. The purpose of the present study was to determine the relative contributions of loss of the two components to increased activity in the mouse. In Exp. I, filters were placed over the eyes which permitted transmission of both illumination and complexity (clear), illumination only (translucent), or neither (opaque). Increased activity occurred only when illumination was reduced (opaque group). In Exp. II, unfiltered animals were run in visually simple or complex open fields. No differences in activity were observed. It is suggested that increased activity with elimination of illumination is associated with nocturnality. Three possible explanations for failure to obtain effects from variation of the complexity component are examined.
Systems of combinatory logic related to predicative and ‘mildly impredicative’ fragments of Quine's ‘New Foundations’

Abstract This paper extends the results of an earlier paper by the author (this journal, 1991). New subsystems of the combinatory logic TRC shown in that paper to be equivalent to NF are introduced; these systems are analogous to subsystems of NF with predicativity restrictions on set comprehension introduced and shown to be consistent by Crabbe. For one of these systems, an exact equivalence in consistency strength and expressive power with the analogous subsystem of NF is established.
From Incentive to Stewardship: The Shifting Discourse of Academic Publishing

Abstract We examine the effects that opposing metaphors have on the practices of academics and publishers—in terms of policy initiatives, litigation, and technological advances—and argue that a new set of rhetorical strategies should be deployed to create a vision for copyright laws and publishing practices. We draw from the work of Kenneth Crews to define alternative metaphors and strategies for more effective management of copyrights: stewardship, unbundling of copyrights, and processes of negotiation, for instance, rather than ownership and control. Such terms provide a radical disruption to publishing-as-usual and may serve as the necessary incentive for creators and publishers to foster more co-equal, reciprocal relationships and publishing contracts. The results of such negotiations may become more consistent with current tenure and promotion practices that drive faculty attitudes about academic publishing practices. We believe this because the profit reward for publishers is increasingly at odds with scholarly rewards that accrue from expanded readership, increased citations, expanded accessibility, and accelerated production of new knowledge. We conclude by applying metaphors to practices of open access, institutional repositories, and commercial publishing as a way to understand why disciplinary work in computers and writing and the field of composition as a whole have been slow to change despite the dramatic changes in technologies, publishing practices, and online communities over the past decade, and also to envision a way to move forward. We suggest that academics and publishers alike are too fixated on the products of intellectual work rather than the processes of use.
On a Prescriptivist Dichotomy

Hareans frequently in-ivoke a distinction between the primary and secondary meaning of evaluative terms that plays a fundamental role in the general theory of prescriptivism. With its use one can readily distinguish, for instance, between specific and general evaluative termsthe former are said to be primarily descriptive in meaning and only secondarily prescriptive (e.g. 'industrious') while the reverse is true of the latter (e.g. 'good'). Even more importantly, such a distinction allows for a univocalist account of the meaning of 'good' as a modifier since its primary prescriptive meaning may be said to hold constant from case to case while its secondary descriptive meaning varies according to the criteria and standards of goodness commonly observed in light of the host noun's meaning. Finally, the fact that children who lack a sophisticated grasp of the criteria and standards of goodness nevertheless quickly master the use of 'good' may be explained by the genetic hypothesis that its primary prescriptive meaning is learned first.' A distinction so fundamental and useful deserves more clarification than Hlare and his followers commonly provide. Even when it has been translated into the idiom of speech-act theory, and we speak of the primary and secondary illocutionaryforce of utterances conltaining literal occurrences of evaluative terms, the familiar citationl of intuitively clear examples is n1o substitute for a suitable criterion for making the distinctioni. Thus, while words like 'generous' or 'selfish' (i.e., many specific evaluative terms) do seem primarily appropriate for performing speech acts of describing and secondarily suitable for commending or condemning, borderline cases will be frequent and intuitions variable in most cases. Furthermore, the claim that utterances containing literal occurrences of 'good' have primary prescriptive or commendatory force has met with effective descriptivist rebuttal in recent years.2 Harean theory has floundered for want of a suitable criterion for distinguishing the primary from the secondary force of utterances with evaluative expressions. To remedy this defect, J. 0. Urmson has proposed a distinction between what he calls the central and peripheral illocutionary forces of an utterance.3 His criterion can be formulated as follows:
Optimum Filters for the Detection of Signals in Noise

A detection system usually contains a predetection filter whose function is to enhance the strength of the signal relative to that of the noise. An optimum predetection filter is defined in this paper as one which maximizes the "distance" between the signal and noise components of the output (subject to a constraint on the noise compgnent) in terms of a suitable distance function d(x, y). In a special case, this definition leads to the criterion used by North, and yields filters which maximize the signal-to-noise ratio at a specified instant of time. North's theory of such filters is extended to the case of nonwhite noise and finite memory (i.e., finite observation time) filters. Explicit expressions for the impulsive responses of such filters are developed, and two examples of practical interest are considered.
FPGAs for expression level parallel processing

Abstract Memory mapped field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) can be used to add expression level parallel processing to microprocessor-based systems. Multi-operand expressions can be computed in combinational logic, eliminating microprocessor computation steps. FPGAs can capture operands as variables are assigned new values, eliminating separate load-stores to pass operands. Expressions can be used to compute new values for variable assignment, compute array element addresses, and compute program jump addresses. Most microprocessor-based systems can benefit from expression level parallel processing with as little as a single added FPGA. This paper describes how such a system can be implemented and examines its potential using an image processing example.
Increased Toughness of Zirconium-Based Bulk Metallic Glasses Tested under Mixed Mode Conditions

The effects of mixed mode loading on the fracture behavior of Zr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) (Vitreloy I and Vitreloy 106) were investigated. Mixed mode I/II and mixed mode I/III fracture conditions were tested using both notched and fatigue-precracked specimens. Fully amorphous samples exhibited tremendous increases in fracture energy with the application of mixed mode loading, while partially crystalline samples exhibited more modest increases. A comparison to the behavior of other material systems (e.g., polymers, ceramics, crystalline metals, and composites) illustrates the tremendous increase in fracture energy exhibited by these BMGs under mixed mode loading conditions.
Chromium doped ZnSe and ZnS gain media for optically and electrically pumped mid-IR lasers

We report methods of fabrication and laser-spectroscopic characterization of mid-IR gain media based on micron size Cr2+:ZnSe/ZnS powders, as well as Cr2+:ZnSe/ZnS doped fluorocarbon polymer films, and perfluorocarbon liquids. All samples demonstrated strong mid-IR luminescence over 2000-3000nm spectral range under optical 1700nm excitation. The random lasing of the doped liquids and polymer films was realized with pump energy density of 100 and 15mJ/cm2, respectively. Previously we have demonstrated mid-IR electroluminescence of Cr:ZnSe with n-conductivity provided by thermal diffusion of Al and Zn. However, the formation of conductivity was accompanied by compensation of the Cr2+ optical centers and relatively weak chromium electroluminescence. In this paper we report study of the Cr2+ compensation in the crystals co-doped with donor and acceptor impurities. Optical and electrical characterization of Cr:ZnSe crystals with Ag, Cu, Al, In, and Zn co-dopants were studied to optimize mid-IR electroluminescens of the Cr2+ ions. The best results were obtained with p-conductive Ag:Cr:ZnSe samples featuring a low 600 Ωcm resistivity. First mid-IR electroluminescence in presumable p-type Ag:Cr:ZnSe was demonstrated, which could prove valuable for developing laser diodes that function in this spectral region.
A.c. magnetic field induced microwave absorption in high temperature superconductor Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3Ox

Abstract The application of an a.c. magnetic field from 8 to 40 G peak to peak amplitude in the frequency range from 25 to 100 KHz to Tl 2 Ba 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x below T c causes a substantial increase in the absorption of microwave energy at 9.2 GHz measured as the difference in absorption between the a.c. field on and off. The absorption intensity decreases as the temperature approaches T c from below and increases with frequency and the amplitude of the magnetic field. A small increasing d.c. magnetic field gradually reduces the a.c. magnetic field induced microwave absorption. These results are shown to be consistent with an absorption mechanism arising from a.c. field induced flux jumps through current loops formed by weak links.
Alternative Initiation of Translation and Time-Specific Phosphorylation Yield Multiple Forms of the Essential Clock Protein FREQUENCY

The frequency (frq) gene encodes central components of the transcription/translation-based negative-feedback loop comprising the core of the Neurospora circadian oscillator; posttranscriptional regulation associated with FRQ is surprisingly complex. Alternative use of translation initiation sites gives rise to two forms of FRQ whose levels peak 4-6 hr following the peak of frq transcript. Each form of FRQ is progressively phosphorylated over the course of the day, thus providing a number of temporally distinct FRQ products. The kinetics of these regulatory processes suggest a view of the clock where relatively rapid events involving translational regulation in the synthesis of FRQ and negative feedback of FRQ on frq transcript levels are followed by slower posttranslational regulation, ultimately driving the turnover of FRQ and reactivation of the frq gene.
Beastly Sodomites and the Shameless Urban Future

This article offers a reading of some texts that reflect what sodomy meant to this particular moment, that which followed the sodomy executions of 1726. I concentrate, in particular, on two: a polemical attack by a self-professed “Philogynus” published in a newspaper the week after the executions and a chapter of a half-fictional narrative supposedly penned by a celebrity criminal, James Dalton, who makes “pleasant and remarkable” adventures into the world of the mollies, accompanied by a man, Sukey Haws, who is “neither a downright Pick-pocket, a downright Sodomite, or a downright Bug, tho’ a Part of every one of them.” I proceed from the assumption that we can learn a lot about what these texts are doing by focusing on the moment when they are written and that this, in turn, can confound our assumptions about the cultural origins and range of anti-sodomitical sentiment. Key to my analysis is an attention to urbanity. The cultural afterlife of the executions in the public sphere of 1720s London tells us as much about the city as it does about sodomy. The private spaces that the mollies inhabited, the satirical texts that emerged to condemn them, the ideological tensions that formed around these descriptions: all were eminently urban, all moreover were features and events in the history of 1720s London. By embedding these texts into the culture and thought of 1720s London, we can better understand how the fear of the urban sodomite, as represented in the figure of the shameless, bestial molly, became part and parcel of the fear of urban life.
Postmenopausal Increase in KiSS-1, GPR54, and Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH-1) mRNA in the Basal Hypothalamus of Female Rhesus Monkeys

Abstract The G-protein coupled receptor, GPR54, and its ligand, kisspeptin-54 (a KiSS-1 derived peptide) have been reported to be important players in control of LHRH-1 release. However, the role of the GPR54 signaling in primate reproductive senescence is still unclear. In the present study we investigated whether KiSS-1, GPR54, and LHRH-1 mRNA in the brain change after menopause in female rhesus monkeys using quantitative real-time PCR. Results indicate that KiSS-1, GPR54, and LHRH-1 mRNA levels in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) in postmenopausal females (28.3 ± 1.1 years of age, n = 5) were all significantly higher than that in eugonadal adult females (14.7 ± 2.1 years of age, n = 9), whereas KiSS-1, GPR54, and LHRH-1 mRNA levels in the preoptic area (POA) did not have any significant changes between the two age groups. To further determine the potential contribution by the absence of ovarian steroids, we compared the changes in KiSS-1, GPR54, and LHRH-1 mRNA levels in young adult ovarian intact vs. young ovariectomized females. Results indicate that KiSS-1 and LHRH-1 mRNA levels in the MBH, not POA, in ovariectomized females were significantly higher than those in ovarian intact females, whereas GPR54 mRNA levels in ovariectomized females had a tendency to be elevated in the MBH, although the values were not quite statistically significant. Collectively, in the primate the reduction in the negative feedback control by ovarian steroids appears to be responsible for the aging changes in kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling and the elevated state of the LHRH-1 neuronal system.
Base surge deposits in pleistocene volcanic ash near Rome

Volcanic base surge deposits, recorded from the Pacific volcanic belts, Iceland, and the Azores, are here reported for the first time from Italy. Dune forms produced by deposition from base surges occur in the products of phreatic eruptions of Vulsini, Vico, and Sabatini volcanoes north of Rome. The occurrence of cross bedding, drag and slump features, normal dunes, symmetric and asymmetric antidunes, and radial troughs can in some cases be related to individual volcanic craters. Antidune features are more common on crater rims than farther from the craters, and the antidunes appear to be favored by high particle velocities and high water contents in the eruption, and perhaps by density and cohesiveness of the underlying material.
Binding specificities of actinomycin D to non-self-complementary : XGCY-tetranucleotide sequences

Studies on the binding specificity of actinomycin D (ACTD) to tetranucleotide sequences of the form -XGCY- have been extended to include the non-self-complementary sequences. ACTD binding characteristics are investigated by equilibrium, kinetic, and thermal denaturation for decameric duplexes d(ATA-XGCY-ATA)-d(TAT-Y'GCX'-TAT), where X and Y are complementary to X' and Y', respectively, but not to each other. The results indicate that when X = G or Y = C, the oligomers exhibit significantly weaker ACTD binding affinities, smaller melting temperature increases upon drug binding, and faster SDS-induced ACTD dissociation rates than the other sequences. Estimated binding constants at 18.5 degrees C for decameric duplexes containing -AGCA-/-TGCT-, -AGCG-/-CGCT-, or -CGCA-/-TGCG- are in the range of 4-9 microM-1, whereas for the ones containing -GGCT-/-AGCC-, -GGCA-/-TGCC-, or -GGCG-/-CGCC- they range from 0.6 to 2 microM-1. In contrast to the characteristic SDS-induced ACTD dissociation times of 600-1000 s for the stronger binding sites, the sequences containing X = G or Y = C exhibit at least an order of magnitude faster dissociation kinetics. These observations are further supported by the induced CD results and fluorescence measurements with 7-amino-ACTD. The findings from these non-self-complementary -XGCY- tetranucleotide sequences are consistent with those found earlier for the self-complementary counterparts, and they together clearly demonstrate that a base sequence alteration adjacent to the GC site can have a profound effect on the ACTD binding as well as dissociation characteristics, likely a consequence of subtle conformational alterations near the binding site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Temporal variations of aqueous constituents in a water-basalt-supercalcine system: Implications for the experimental assessment of nuclear waste forms

Abstract A Dickson-type rocking autoclave has been used for studying the interaction of a synthetic groundwater solution with the non-radioactive simulated nuclear-waste form supercalcine (SPC-4), and with a mixture of supercalcine plus basalt, at 300° and 200°C at 300 bars. Over the course of a month, the concentrations of the aqueous species of Mo, Na, Si, K, Rb, Al, Cr, and H + displayed rapid change initially followed by a gradual approach to constant or nearly constant values, whereas the solids displayed very little alteration. These observations suggest that dissolution/precipitation reactions are quickly established even though the solids are very sluggish in attaining a completely altered or equilibrium state. The effects of various waste-form crystallinities and material preparations on the solution chemistry are quite different, but reproducible, and are discussed in terms of assessing potential waste forms.
Conversion Therapy: Ethical Considerations in Family Counseling.

This article is the third and final part of a series of articles considering ethical issues in counseling with families and individuals within families with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual (GLBT) concerns. Conversion therapy and the ethical and practical considerations are explored in this third part. Emphasis is placed on the need for counselors to assess personal biases in the area of working with sexual minorities. A reflective exercise and case study are presented for personal exploration of awareness of biases and prejudice in working these populations.
Temperature Measurement for Rtp

A non-contact temperature measurement technique based on diffraction-analysis monitoring of the thermal expansion of materials is discussed. Due to the need for non-contact temperature measurements during semiconductor processing, silicon was chosen for this demonstration. The diffraction method requires a grating of suitable spatial frequency etched on the surface of the silicon wafer. The diffraction angle from the grating depends on the grating period which varies with temperature. Two symmetrically disposed incident beams are used to provide a differential measurement which is relatively independent of sample tilt. A computer system is used to monitor the diffraction order movement, from the order separation a relative temperature change can be calculated in near real-time. Temperature sensitivity for the diffraction technique is inversely dependent on the grating length (number of lines) and independent of the grating width. A sensitivity of 0.75°C is demonstrated for a 3-mm wide grating over a 20–700°C temperature range.
Uniqueness in shape from shading

For general images of smooth objects wholly contained in the field of view, and for illumination symmetric around the viewing direction, it is proven that shape is uniquely determined by shading. Thus, shape from shading is a well-posed problem under these illumination conditions; and regularization is unnecessary for surface reconstruction and should be avoided. Generic properties of surfaces and images are established. Questions of existence are also discussed. Under the conditions above, it is argued that most images are effectively impossible, with no corresponding physically reasonable surface, and that any image can be rendered effectively impossible by a small perturbation of its intensities. This is explicitly illustrated for a synthetic image. The proofs are based on ideas of dynamical systems theory and global analysis.
Heat-Affected Zones in Grinding Steel

Summary Two well known forms of metallurgical damage of ground surfaces involve untempered and overtempered martensite. Both of these forms of metallurgical damage involve martensitic transformations. This paper reviews the nature of such transformations and the special characteristics that pertain in grinding where the time at temperature before quenching is unusually short.
INTERLEUKIN-1 STIMULATES THYROID CELL GROWTH AND INCREASES THE CONCENTRATION OF THE c-myc PROTO-ONCOGENE mRNA IN THYROID FOLLICULAR CELLS IN CULTURE

In the course of studies of cell-mediated immunity in Graves' disease, we noted that normal peripheral blood monocytes, when stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide, conditioned their media with a factor that had the physicochemical properties of the lymphokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) and that enhanced DNA synthesis and replication in quiescent FRTL5 cells, a line of nontransfonned rat thyroid follicular cells. This finding led to the present studies, in which the effect of IL-1 (recombinant IL-l-p ) on DNA synthesis in FRTL5 was explored. In the absence of serum, IL-1 induced a small, but significant, increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. Calf serum (0.5%) alone also stimulated DNA synthesis slightly, but it greatly enhanced, in a synergistic manner, the stimulatory response to IL-1, decreasing the minimally effective concentration of IL-1 and amplifying the response to higher concentrations. A similar synergism was noted when quiescent FRTL5 were cultured with a combination of IL-1 and a low...
Event image and traveling parents' intentions to attend youth sport events: a test of the reasoned action model.

Youth sport events provide communities with an influx of families who travel to provide their children with primary sport experiences. Decisions to participate in these ‘sport-cations’ are influenced by overall perceptions about the event, opportunities for socializing, and norms derived from family and friends’ support. The study aimed to understand the impact of overall event image on traveling parents’ subjective norms (SNs), attitudes, and behavioral intentions to re-attend similar youth sport events. Parents of youth female soccer players (N = 370) were surveyed at a youth tournament. Structural equation modeling analysis was utilized to test the proposed model. The results supported the positive influence of event image on attitudes and SNs and the impact of SNs on intentions. Based on these findings, peer influence becomes important. Efforts at managing event image should involve influencing the social network of parents about the importance of these events to achieve higher return rates.
Effect of Electrode Material and Design on Sensitivity and Selectivity for High Temperature Impedancemetric NO x Sensors

Solid-state electrochemical sensors using two different sensing electrode compositions, gold and strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM), were evaluated for gas-phase sensing of NO x (NO and NO 2 ) using an impedancemetric technique. An asymmetric cell design utilizing porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte exposed both electrodes to the test gas (i.e., no reference gas). Sensitivity to less than 5 ppm NO and response/recovery times (10-90%) less than 10 s were demonstrated. Using an LSM sensing electrode, a virtual identical sensitivity toward NO and NO 2 was obtained, indicating that the equilibrium gas concentration was measured by the sensing electrode. In contrast, for cells employing a gold sensing electrode, the NO x sensitivity varied depending on the cell design: Increasing the amount of porous YSZ electrolyte on the sensor surface produced higher NO 2 sensitivity compared to NO. To achieve comparable sensitivity for both NO and NO 2 , the cell with the LSM sensing electrode required operation at a lower temperature (575°C) than the cell with the gold sensing electrode (650°C). The role of surface reactions is proposed to explain the differences in NO and NO 2 selectivity using the two different electrode materials.
Connections and conformal mapping

Abstract : Contents: The integral equation for circular mapping Variational theory for moduli Connections on plane domains Variational theory for connections Connections on closed Riemann surfaces Variation of connections on Riemann surfaces
Symptom validity test performance in U.S. veterans referred for evaluation of mild TBI

The current study examined Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) performance in U.S. veterans referred for evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) after scoring positive on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) TBI screening measures. Fifty-eight percent of the sample scored below the MSVT cut scores on subtests more sensitive to effort than to neurological insult. There were no differences among those who did and those who did not pass the MSVT as a function of gender, age, education, ethnicity, previous posttraumatic stress disorder or substance use disorder diagnoses, or Personality Assessment Inventory validity scales designed to measure negative impression management. A higher number of those who were service connected and previously diagnosed with a depressive condition failed the measure at a higher rate than those who were not. These results are discussed in relation to the specific nature of VHA patient populations.
Microseism propagation via oceanic waveguide

Experiments have been made to determine whether a significant amount of microseism energy in the open ocean can be carried in organ-pipe π waveguide modes. A three-component seismometer in a spherical aluminum container was balanced to float freely at midwater depth; a similar instrument was dropped on the ocean bottom. Simultaneous records from the two instruments were analyzed for peaks in coherence of their power spectra. Results indicate a substantial energy in π modes in the ocean area of the observation, though the peak power appears in an unidentified mode with large horizontal motion of the water.
Coherent effects in quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems: plasmonic induction of Rabi oscillation and ultra-high field enhancement

We theoretically show when single hybrid systems consisting of a metallic nanoparticle and a semiconductor quantum dot interact with a coherent light source (a laser field), quantum coherence in the quantum dot can dramatically influence the plasmonic field of the metallic nanoparticle. As a result, the quantum dot can self-renormalize the plasmonic field that it experiences. Using this we show when the applied laser field has a step-like amplitude rise, the effective field experienced by the quantum dot can exhibit strong oscillations with significantly high amplitudes for a short period of time. Our results also reveal the correlation between this effect and the Rabi flopping induced by plasmonic effects when a quantum dot is in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle. These results suggest that in a quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle system quantum coherence not only can change the magnitude of the field that the quantum dot experiences, but also, compared to the applied field, it can significantly increase the rate of its time variations. The results suggest that quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems can be appealing host for investigation of quantum plasmonic effects and photonic-plasmonic devices.
Social Distance and the Veil

T HIS is an essay on the means by which man promotes the establishment of social relationships and the maintenance of social interaction through aloofness, removal, and reserve. It attempts, on one level, to present a functional interpretation of a curious Tuareg custom, but, in a more general sense, the paper undertakes an exposition of certain dialectical processes in social life. The question I have asked of a body of field data is very simply: why do Tuareg males cover their faces so completely that only areas around the eyes and nose may be seen? We will come back to this matter in greater detail, but, for introductory purposes, my answer is that by doing so, they are symbolically introducing a form of distance between their selves and their social others. The veil, though providing neither isolation nor anonymity, bestows facelessness and the idiom of privacy upon its wearer and allows him to stand somewhat aloof from the perils of social interaction while remaining a part of it.
New human alpha1 soluble guanylyl cyclase splice variants as potential regulators of sGC activity

Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase (sGC) is an obligatory heterodimeric protein (α/β), which is activated by Nitric Oxide (NO) and mediates a wide variety of NO physiological functions, including, but not restricted to vasodilation, platelet aggregation and neurotransmission. Four sGC subunits named α1, α2, β1 and β2, products of four independent genes, have been identified in humans. The α1/β1 sGC heterodimer is the main form expressed in various tissues and is regarded as the major isoform mediating vasodilation. We have identified three additional variants of α1sGC generated by alternative splicing. One α1 sGC splice form, named N1-type, codes a 363 amino acids protein with fully eliminated catalytic domain due to a 330 amino acid C-terminal deletion. This form also contains a unique stretch of 3 amino acids at the C-terminus. A second type, named N2-type, codes a protein that preserved only 126 N-terminal residues and gained additional 17 unique residues. The third identified splice α1 sGC variant, termed C-type, has a 240 amino acid deletion in the N-terminus, but maintains intact the regulatory and catalytic domains [1,2]. RT-PCR analysis of N1, N2and C-type α1 sGC mRNA levels indicates that abundance of these splice forms vary in different human tissues and during differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. These data indicate that expression of these isoforms is independently regulated.
HbA1C An Inaccurate Measure of Glycemic Control in a Female with Hereditary Spherocytosis Despite Normal Hemoglobin Levels

ABSTRACT Objective: Earlier cases have documented a discrepancy between glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) levels and glycemic control in patients with diabetes and previously diagnosed hereditary spherocytosis (HS). However, this has not been reported in patients with normal hemoglobin (Hb) and red blood cell (RBC) indices. Methods: A 22-year-old Caucasian woman with type 1 diabetes since age 11 was referred to Endocrinology for persistent hyperglycemia. Results: The initial HbA1C was 5.1% with normal Hb, hematocrit, mean cell volume, mean corpuscular Hb concentration, and RBC distribution. Given self-reported hyperglycemia, fructosamine was checked and was elevated (358 μmol/L, normal [nl] 200–285 μmol/L). Peripheral smear was normal. Professional retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) demonstrated marked hyperglycemic excursions, particularly in the evenings, with mean sensor glucose of 195 mg/dL ± 48, corresponding HbA1C of 5.5%, and fructosamine of 370 μmol/L. She later reported new diagnosis...
Robust sideslip estimation using GPS road grade sensing to replace a pitch rate sensor

This paper analyzes a promising method of road grade estimation for its potential use in aiding ground vehicle electronic stability control systems. The method in question incorporates GPS and motion sensors into a basic Kalman Filter model to achieve clean, high update estimates of the vertical and longitudinal velocity states from which the grade can be easily calculated. The knowledge of road grade is incorporated into a sideslip estimation scheme, replacing the pitch rate sensor, and the improvement in the sideslip estimate is evaluated. Simulated results are shown, as are results from using experimental data comparing this sideslip estimate with one obtained which utilizes the pitch rate gyro.
Comparison of sampling methods of Aphis glycines predators across the diel cycle

Nocturnal predators are often overlooked in biological control studies, despite evidence that they can make important contributions to insect pest suppression in agroecosystems. Many sampling methods are only employed during the daytime hours due to limitations of time and labour. Additionally, different sampling methods can provide contrasting information about natural enemy community composition and relative abundance. Here, we use Aphis glycines and its arthropod predators as a model system to compare natural enemy community composition described by vacuum samples, direct observations and video observations across the diel cycle in soybean. All sampling methods identified several common taxa. Anthocorids were dominant in vacuum samples and direct observations, and both methods indicated that this taxa may be more active in the afternoon. In contrast, anthocorids were recorded infrequently on video, possibly due to their small size. On video samples, lacewing larvae were the most active taxa during the day and lacewing larvae, spiders, opiliones and carabids were the most active taxa at night. We directly observed 22 predation events on soybean aphid: 17 by anthocorids, two by chrysopid larvae, and one each by a coccinellid, spider and predatory mite. The differences between the sample methods suggest that vacuum samples may represent predator abundance more accurately, while video data may miss small predators, but can be used to better assess relative time spent foraging.
Photo-excitation enhanced high temperature conductivity and crystallization kinetics in ultra-thin La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ films

Abstract The synthesis of high performance nanostructured oxide electrodes is critical to advancement of energy technologies such as intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. In this communication, we demonstrate that photo-excitation during crystallization of nanostructured 60-nm-thick La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3− δ films leads to a significant improvement in electrical conductivity. Crystallization kinetics is also enhanced by photo-excitation while the crystallization onset temperature remains similar.
Mechanisms of Fetal Programming in Hypertension

Events that occur in the early fetal environment have been linked to long-term health and lifespan consequences in the adult. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which may occur as a result of nutrient insufficiency, exposure to hormones, or disruptions in placental structure or function, may induce the fetus to alter its developmental program in order to adapt to the new conditions. IUGR may result in a decrease in the expression of genes that are responsible for nephrogenesis as nutrients are rerouted to the development of more essential organs. Fetal survival under these conditions often results in low birth weight and a deficit in nephron endowment, which are associated with hypertension in adults. Interestingly, male IUGR offspring appear to be more severely affected than females, suggesting that sex hormones may be involved. The processes of fetal programming of hypertension are complex, and we are only beginning to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Physical activity and exercise in asthma: Relevance to etiology and treatment

There is little doubt that the cause of the increased prevalence and severity of asthma is multifactorial. Although the factors of allergen exposure and hygiene are almost certainly necessary for its development, there is a growing body of literature that implicates lifestyle change, specifically decreased physical activity, as a contributor to the increase in asthma prevalence and severity. Several literature reviews of exercise conditioning in patients with asthma have been published. These reviews and recent controlled trials emphasize that although many of the studies of exercise conditioning in asthmatic patients involved different methods and outcome measures, the overwhelming majority of studies demonstrated the capacity for asthmatic subjects to exercise safely and significantly improve their cardiovascular fitness and quality of life. There are several proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for the effects of decreased activity on the lung function of patients with asthma. A prescription for exercise has been endorsed for all asthmatic subjects by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Thoracic Society. The allergy community has placed emphasis on medical therapy and allergen avoidance; in addition, exercise avoidance has not been formally incorporated into the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines. It is our belief that an exercise prescription should be part of the treatment for all cases of asthma. The real question is whether prolonged physical activity and, in particular, outdoor play of children plays a role in prophylaxis against persistent wheezing. If so, the decrease in physical activity might have played a major role in recent increases in asthma prevalence and severity.
Requirement of Krüppel-like Factor 4 in Preventing Entry into Mitosis following DNA Damage

Previous studies indicate that Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4 or GKLF) controls the G1/S cell cycle checkpoint upon DNA damage. We present evidence for an equally important role of KLF4 in maintaining the integrity of the G2/M checkpoint following DNA damage. HCT116, a colon cancer cell line with wild type p53 alleles, underwent sustained G2 arrest up to 4 days after γ-irradiation. In contrast, HCT116 cells null for p53 were able to enter mitosis following irradiation. Western blot analyses of irradiated HCT116 cells showed increased levels of p53, KLF4, and p21WAF1/CIP1 and decreased levels of cyclin B1 when compared with unirradiated controls. In contrast, the levels of cyclin B1 increased in irradiated HCT116 p53-/- cells, in which KLF4 failed to increase due to the absence of p53. When KLF4 was inhibited by small interfering RNA, irradiated HCT116 cells exhibited increased mitotic indices and a rise in cyclin B1 levels. Conversely, irradiated HCT116 p53-/- cells that were infected with KLF4-expressing adenoviruses demonstrated a concurrent reduction in mitotic indices and cyclin B1 levels. In each case, Cdc2 kinase measurements showed an inverse correlation between Cdc2 kinase activities and KLF4 levels. Co-transfection experiments showed that KLF4 repressed the cyclin B1 promoter through a specific GC-rich element. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that both KLF4 and HDAC were associated with the cyclin B1 promoter in irradiated HCT116 cells. We conclude that KLF4 is essential in preventing mitotic entry following γ-irradiation and does so by inhibiting cyclin B1 expression.
Gestures with speech for hand-impaired persons

Mid-air hand-gestural interaction generally causes a fatigue due to implementations that require the user to hold their arm out during this interaction. Recent research has discovered a new approach to reduce fatigue related to gestural interaction, by allowing users to rest their elbow on a surface, and calibrate their interaction space from this rested position[1]. Additionally, this approach reduced stress on the hand and wrist compared to the mouse, by shifting much of the load to the forearm and shoulder muscles. In this paper we evaluated gesture and speech multimodal interaction as a form of assistive interaction for those with hand impairments. Two participants with hand impairments were recruited to perform the evaluation. We collected qualitative and quantitative data, which showed promising results in using this method for assistive interaction.
Aliphatic chain length by isotropic mixing (ALCHIM): determining composition of complex lipid samples by 1H NMR spectroscopy

Quantifying the amounts and types of lipids present in mixtures is important in fields as diverse as medicine, food science, and biochemistry. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can quantify the total amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in mixtures, but identifying the length of saturated fatty acid or the position of unsaturation by NMR is a daunting challenge. We have developed an NMR technique, aliphatic chain length by isotropic mixing, to address this problem. Using a selective total correlation spectroscopy technique to excite and transfer magnetization from a resolved resonance, we demonstrate that the time dependence of this transfer to another resolved site depends linearly on the number of aliphatic carbons separating the two sites. This technique is applied to complex natural mixtures allowing the identification and quantification of the constituent fatty acids. The method has been applied to whole adipocytes demonstrating that it will be of great use in studies of whole tissues.
High Throughput Cytotoxicity Screening using Photonic Crystal Biosensors

A label-free method for detecting the attachment of human cancer cells to a biosensor surface for rapid screening for biological activity is described, in which attachment of a cell results in highly localized increase of the resonant reflected wavelength of a photonic crystal narrowband reflectance filter incorporated into a standard 96-well microplate. We demonstrate the efficacy of this method as an early screening technique for the rapid quantification of the rate of cancer cell proliferation on the sensor surface, and subsequently as a means for quantifying cell detachment resulting from apoptosis that is induced by exposure of the cells to cytotoxic chemicals.
A putative osmoreceptor system that controls neutrophil function through the release of ATP, its conversion to adenosine, and activation of A2 adenosine and P2 receptors.

We have previously shown that hyper- tonic stress (HS) can suppress chemoattractant- induced neutrophil responses via cyclic adenosine monophosphate and enhance these responses through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. The underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we report that HS dose-depen- dently releases adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) from neutrophils and that extracellular ATP is rap- idly converted to adenosine or activates p38 MAPK and enhances N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl- phenylalanine-induced superoxide formation. In contrast, adenosine suppresses superoxide forma- tion. Adenosine deaminase treatment abolished the suppressive effect of HS, indicating that HS inhibits neutrophils through adenosine generation. Neutro- phils express mRNA, encoding all known P1 aden- osine receptors (A1, A2a, A2b, and A3) and the nucleotide receptors P2Y2, P2Y4, P2Y6, P2Y11, and P2X7. A2 receptor agonists mimicked the sup- pressive effects of HS; the A2 receptor antagonists 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline, 3,7-dimethyl-1-(2- propynyl)xanthine, 1,3,7-trimethyl-8-(3-chloro- styryl)xanthine, and 3-propylxanthine, but not A1 and A3 receptor antagonists, decreased the sup- pressive effect of HS, indicating that HS suppresses neutrophils via A2 receptor activation. Antagonists of P2 receptors counteracted the enhancing effects of ATP, suggesting that HS costimulates neutro- phils by means of P2 receptor activation. We con- clude that hypertonic stress regulates neutrophil function via a single molecule (ATP) and its metab- olite (adenosine), using positive- and negative-feed- back mechanisms through the activation of P2 and A2 receptors, respectively. J. Leukoc. Biol. 76: 245-253; 2004.
Cross-national Differences in the Expansion of Science, 1970–1990

Why has science expanded more in some nations rather than others? The few studies addressing this issue have attributed variation in science to differences in economic development and religion. This article discusses additional explanations, including the impact of domestic political structure, colonialism, and world-system dependency. Also, developing a neo-institutional line of research, I argue that scientific institutions spread to non-Western nations via international organizations (e.g., the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), which encouraged the widespread adoption of taken-for-granted governmental policies. Cross-sectional and panel regression models of national science infrastructure in the contemporary period are used to evaluate theories. Results show that domestic economic development is associated with the expansion of science, consistent with previous research. Results also find that science expands faster in nations linked to international organizations of the "world polity", consistent with neo-institutional theory. Finally, Protestantism and a history of British and French colonialism appear to have had an impact in the past but do not explain growth of science from 1970 to 1990. Other factors have little effect on the expansion of science. The global expansion of science has been both rapid and dramatic. In the early nineteenth century, Western science was practiced mainly in Europe and some of its current or former colonies. The phrase "Western science," however, is no longer apt. The activities and infrastructures of that scientific tradition can now be found throughout the world. For instance, employment data collected by the United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) show that credentialed scientists are present in just about every country, colony,
Structural enzymology and inhibition of the bi-functional folate pathway enzyme HPPK–DHPS from the biowarfare agent Francisella tularensis

UNLABELLED Two valid targets for antibiotic development, 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), catalyze consecutive reactions in folate biosynthesis. In Francisella tularensis (Ft), these two activities are contained in a single protein, FtHPPK-DHPS. Although Pemble et al. (PLoS One 5, e14165) determined the structure of FtHPPK-DHPS, they were unable to measure the kinetic parameters of the enzyme. In this study, we elucidated the binding and inhibitory activities of two HPPK inhibitors (HP-18 and HP-26) against FtHPPK-DHPS, determined the structure of FtHPPK-DHPS in complex with HP-26, and measured the kinetic parameters for the dual enzymatic activities of FtHPPK-DHPS. The biochemical analyses showed that HP-18 and HP-26 have significant isozyme selectivity, and that FtHPPK-DHPS is unique in that the catalytic efficiency of its DHPS activity is only 1/260,000 of that of Escherichia coli DHPS. Sequence and structural analyses suggest that HP-26 is an excellent lead for developing therapeutic agents for tularemia, and that the very low DHPS activity is due, at least in part, to the lack of a key residue that interacts with the substrate p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA). A BLAST search of the genomes of ten F. tularensis strains indicated that the bacterium contains a single FtHPPK-DHPS. The marginal DHPS activity and the single copy existence of FtHPPK-DHPS in F. tularensis make this bacterium more vulnerable to DHPS inhibitors. Current sulfa drugs are ineffective against tularemia; new inhibitors targeting the unique pABA-binding pocket may be effective and less subject to resistance because any mutations introducing resistance may make the marginal DHPS activity unable to support the growth of F. tularensis. DATABASE The coordinates and structure factors have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession code 4PZV.