cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Language Affects Consumers’ Processing of Numerical Cues

We show that linguistic numeral structures affect consumers’ comparative evaluations of numbers, prices, and alphanumeric brand names. For example, 80 (eighty) in English is perceived as 4x20 (quatre-vingts or four twenties) in French and as 8x10 (ba-shi or eight tens) in Chinese. Thus, the difference between 80 and 20 is expressed with different degrees of numerosity, the number of units into which a stimulus is divided: (i) 2x10 vs. 8x10 in Chinese, (ii) 20 vs. 4x20 in French, or (iii) simply 20 vs. 80 in English. In four studies involving a total of 732 bilinguals who speak two of these three languages, we examine how different linguistic properties can lead to differences in comparison of numerical values and inferences made about product attributes. We demonstrate the mediating role of numerosity induced by certain linguistic structures while ruling out alternative explanations for this phenomenon such as cultural differences, processing fluency, and numeracy. Our research contributes to literature on number cognition, numerosity, branding, and linguistics while providing insights for international marketers by encouraging practitioners to use different numbers in their marketing, branding, and pricing efforts in ways that best fit the linguistic structure of the country in which they sell a product.
Continuous Emulation and Multiscale Visualization of Traffic Flow Using Stationary Roadside Sensor Data

With the advent of the next-generation traffic monitoring systems, there has been a significant increase in the spatial-temporal resolution of vehicle mobility data in many cities. Effective analysis and visualization of such data can provide transportation planners with data-driven insights, which can facilitate the understanding of multiscale traffic dynamics. In this paper, we present a web-based traffic emulator for emulating and visualizing near-real-time and historical traffic flows on highways using data from road-side sensors. To construct a continuous traffic flow, the emulator adopts an analytical pipeline that can (a) integrate traffic data collected from discrete road-side radar detection sensors, (b) interpolate traffic conditions (vehicle speed and volume) on unmeasured road segments based on traffic flow theory, and (c) generate lane-specific vehicle trajectories and movements using a mathematically optimized representation of the road network. Our app also provides an integrated visual workflow that allows users to explore the interconnected traffic dynamics using an appropriate traffic flow visualization selected based on the level of detail. We devise two innovative geo-visualization techniques that utilize an animated strips-network representation and a lane usage matrix to visualize lane performances. To ensure a smooth emulation of large-scale traffic flow in an easy-to-access web environment, we implement the emulator using client-side GPU-accelerated techniques. Finally, we close with a case study that visualizes traffic dynamics of two scenarios - an afternoon peak hour and a traffic accident - in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our app visualizes the responses of traffic dynamics during different traffic conditions, and to the presence of the traffic accident at different spatial scales.
Roles of interacting stress-related genes in lifespan regulation: insights for translating experimental findings to humans.

Aim Experimental studies provided numerous evidence that caloric/dietary restriction may improve health and increase the lifespan of laboratory animals, and that the interplay among molecules that sense cellular stress signals and those regulating cell survival can play a crucial role in cell response to nutritional stressors. However, it is unclear whether the interplay among corresponding genes also plays a role in human health and lifespan. Methods Literature about roles of cellular stressors have been reviewed, such as amino acid deprivation, and the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway in health and aging. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two candidate genes (GCN2/EIF2AK4 and CHOP/DDIT3) that are closely involved in the cellular stress response to amino acid starvation, have been selected using information from experimental studies. Associations of these SNPs and their interactions with human survival in the Health and Retirement Study data have been estimated. The impact of collective associations of multiple interacting SNP pairs on survival has been evaluated, using a recently developed composite index: the SNP-specific Interaction Polygenic Risk Score (SIPRS). Results Significant interactions have been found between SNPs from GCN2/EIF2AK4 and CHOP/DDI3T genes that were associated with survival 85+ compared to survival between ages 75 and 85 in the total sample (males and females combined) and in females only. This may reflect sex differences in genetic regulation of the human lifespan. Highly statistically significant associations of SIPRS [constructed for the rs16970024 (GCN2/EIF2AK4) and rs697221 (CHOP/DDIT3)] with survival in both sexes also been found in this study. Conclusion Identifying associations of the genetic interactions with human survival is an important step in translating the knowledge from experimental to human aging research. Significant associations of multiple SNPxSNP interactions in ISR genes with survival to the oldest old age that have been found in this study, can help uncover mechanisms of multifactorial regulation of human lifespan and its heterogeneity.
Who are the Informaticians? What We Know and Should Know

The beginning of the 21st century has seen a surge in interest and enthusiasm for health care information technology based on its ability to demonstrate improvements in the quality, safety, and cost-efficiency of health care. One question, however, for which we have fewer answers is “who will be the individuals that develop, implement, and evaluate these systems?” In particular, while most attention has been paid to the exemplar leaders in health information technology, less has been focused on the issue of the workforce necessary to sustain the systems to achieve their vision. The discipline of medical informatics must pay sufficient attention to the professional workforce that will deploy systems outside the informatics research setting so their benefits may more widely accrue.
A 16‐Year Study of Forest Disturbance and Understory Bird Community Structure and Composition in Tanzania

I compared understory bird community structure and composition among primary, slightly disturbed, and moderately disturbed forest in the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania. Comparisons were conducted at two spatiotemporal scales: short term, conducted in 1999 and 2000, in which treatments (disturbance levels) were replicated, and long term, conducted from 1989-2004 along the same disturbance gradient of a subset of the short-term sites. I used capture-recapture models to assess the probability of detection and estimate species richness and population growth rates. The probability of detection of species did not vary significantly among disturbance levels but did vary significantly among species. Over the short- and long-term surveys, estimated species richness did not vary significantly among disturbance levels. Temporal variability in estimated species richness and the relative abundance of guilds did vary significantly among disturbance levels yet was contingent on survey length. The coefficient of variation in species richness over the short-term survey was <5% across all disturbance levels, whereas over the long-term survey it was 35% in slightly disturbed forest, 11% in moderately disturbed forest, and 0% in primary forest. In the short-term survey, zero of seven feeding guilds varied significantly in relative abundance among disturbance levels, whereas over the long-term survey four of seven (57%) feeding guilds did so. Terrestrial insectivores were most adversely affected by forest disturbance. Population growth rates (lamda) between 1989 and 2004 for the more common species of terrestrial insectivores did not vary significantly among disturbance levels and for these species were significantly < or = 1.00, indicating the recovery time for terrestrial insectivores in slightly and moderately disturbed forest is very long. These results illustrate the importance of long-term studies in assessing ecological impacts of forest disturbance and the importance of protecting primary forest in the Eastern Arc Mountains.
In vivo diffusion characteristics following perineural injection of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve with mepivacaine or iohexol in horses.

Summary Reasons for performing study Hindlimb proximal suspensory desmopathy is a common injury of sport horses but diagnosis can be difficult because diagnostic analgesia of the region lacks specificity. Perineural analgesia of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve (DBLPN) has been proposed as a more specific method of isolating pain of the proximal aspect of the suspensory ligament but the technique has not been evaluated in vivo. Objectives To determine the extent of diffusion of contrast medium and mepivacaine following DBLPN analgesia using a single-needle injection technique and to determine if there is inadvertent involvement of the tarsal sheath and/or tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint using this technique. Study design In vivo experimental study. Methods Perineural injection of the DBLPN was performed in 16 limbs with 3 ml of either mepivacaine hydrochloride or positive contrast medium. Contrast medium-injected limbs were radiographed 5, 15, and 30 min post injection and diffusion characteristics were described. In mepivacaine-injected limbs, synovial fluid from the TMT joint was obtained 10 and 20 min post injection and mepivacaine concentrations were analysed. Results At 5, 15 and 30 min post injection, the contrast medium extended, on average, 19.6, 20.6 and 21.0 mm proximal and 38.0, 43.5 and 51.9 mm distal to the injection site, respectively. Three of 8 (37.5%) limbs had evidence of contrast medium in the tarsal sheath. Two of 8 (25%) limbs had mepivacaine concentrations within the TMT joint sufficient to produce analgesia (>300 mg/l) at 10 min post injection. Conclusions Contrast medium diffused further in a distal direction than in a proximal direction. Analgesia of the DBLPN can result in inadvertent involvement of the tarsal sheath and/or TMT joint.
Multiband wave filtering and waveguiding in bio-inspired hierarchical composites

Abstract We investigate the elastic wave propagation in bio-inspired hierarchical composites with nacre-like and biocalcite-like architectures. These two types of architectures consist of hard mineral and soft organic phases, which are hierarchically assembled to develop multilevel of hierarchy. We numerically demonstrate that multiple band gaps and passbands, covering an ultrawide frequency range, arise in the proposed hierarchical composites with two levels of hierarchy. We further reveal that the multilevel structural hierarchy itself is responsible for this multiband characteristic. Specifically, the low frequency band gaps in the composites with two levels of hierarchy are attributed to Bragg scattering, which are intrinsically governed by the hierarchical and periodic modulation of constituent phases at the second hierarchical level. By contrast, the multiple band gaps and passbands in high frequency ranges correspond to waveguide modes, enabling the incident wave to be either trapped inside the waveguides or efficiently transmitted through the waveguides. The findings in this paper not only shed light on the mechanisms responsible for the multiband features of bio-inspired hierarchical composites, but also offer new opportunities towards the design of compact and mechanically robust phononic crystals with the capability to effectively manipulate wave propagation.
Model copolymerization reactions. Initiation of the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile by 1,1′-azobis(1-phenyl[1-13C]ethane)

The copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (A) was initiated by photolysis of 1,1′-azobis(1-phenyl[^(13)C]ethane) (1) at 33°C in benzene. Determination of relative endgroup concentrations in the resulting copolymers allowed determination of the relative rates of addition of MMA and A to the 1-phenylethyl radical derived from 1. We find k_(MMA)/k_A = 0.44 ± 0.03, a value consistent with known copolymerization behavior. Further analysis of 75 MHz ^(13)C NMR spectra led to the determination of k_(MMA)/k_A for the 2-(4-phenylpentanenitrile) radical derived from primary radical addition to A. The measured value of kMMA/kA supports only one of five reported studies of the radical copolymerization behavior of MMA and A.
he effect of whole-lake fish community manipulations on Daphnia migratory behavior

A four-summer study of vertical migration by Daphnia was conducted in two neighboring lakes during a two-stage fish community manipulation. This manipulation produced discrete periods of low and high planktivory by fish. The migration pattern was variable and weak during the low predation stage, but became consistent and intense within weeks of the change to high levels of predation, confirming the pre-eminence of predation avoidance among several extant hypotheses.
Cortical and subcortical EEG patterns of response to afferent abdominal vagal stimulation: Neurographic correlates ☆

Abstract Electrical stimulation was delivered to the cut central end of the abdominal vagus nerve of the cat. The animal preparation was one in which all neuronal connections, exclusive of the ipsilateral vagal trunk, were severed between the point of stimulation and the brain. The induced neurographic activity was monitored along the intact vagal trunk and correlated with changes in the EEG patterns of activity in cortical and subcortical areas. The neurographic record contained two evoked potential complexes, the first of which was ineffective in modifying ongoing EEG patterns. The second complex was correlated with bilateral cortical and subcortical patterns of activation. These responses, which were frequency-independent, were lost following transection of the ipsilateral vagus nerve at the cervical level. The results are discussed in relation to the EEG patterns of response induced by stimulation of other peripheral nerves, to their functional significance with respect to the state of the innervated organ, and to the ongoing behavior of the animal.
A 6-Day-Old Male Infant With Linear Band of Skin-Colored Papules

A6-day-oldmale infantpresentedtotheemergencydepartmentwith a linearbandof skin-coloredpapulesonhis left upper extremity. These papules had been present at birth and were persistent at the time of thepatient’s initial hospital discharge.Becauseno resolutionhadbeen noted over the next few days, the patient was taken to his primary care physician for evaluation and then sent to the emergencydepartment for furtherworkup.Thepatientwasafebrile.Thepatient’s mother noted that both the pregnancy and the delivery were uncomplicated. She denied ever having a miscarriage and had anotherhealthymalechildathomewithoutanysimilar lesions.Themother had ahistory of varicella as a child; shedid not have ahistory of herpes simplex virus and had no oral or genital lesions at the time of delivery. On examination, the patientwas noted to have 2to 3-mmvesicles on the leftupperextremity ina linear,bandlikedistribution (Figure,A), and similar 2to 3-mm deep-seated vesicles on his left medial thigh in a whorledconfiguration, approximately4 × 3cm in total size (Figure,B). In addition, the patient had a 1-mm vesicle on his abdomen. Quiz at jamapediatrics.com A B
Surface properties of plasma membranes following ionizing radiation exposure

Summary The physical properties of the external surface of plasma membranes of L5178Y mouse leukemic cells and cells from lines 26 and 37 derived from B16 mouse melanoma were studied in culture after exposure to 300 kVp X-rays. Measurements of cell surface charge: space relationships monitored by particle microelectrophoresis and partition in aqueous two-phase dextran-polyethylene glycol systems failed to disclose the massive decreases in surfaces charge described by other authors. Radio-induced cell synchronization, hydrogen peroxide formation effects, and sialic acid release from the cell surface have all proved negative in causing early irradiation-induced plasma membrane alterations. The relationship of electrophoretic mobility vs pH for irradiated cells suggests that the charge-determining moieties may not be as readily ionizable at low pH in the irradiated cell surfaces as in the control cell surfaces. The results are discussed in relation to cell membrane fluidity and programmed cell death.
The Caenorhabditis elegans dauer larva: developmental effects of pheromone, food, and temperature

Three environmental cues influence both the entry into and exit from the developmentally arrested dispersal stage called the dauer larva: a dauer-inducing pheromone, food, and temperature. The pheromone, which is a measure of population density, induces dauer larva formation at the second (L2) molt and inhibits recovery in a dose-dependent manner. Food acts competitively to reduce the frequency of dauer larva formation and to enhance recovery. The pheromone causes a specific extension of the second larval stage, coupled with a transient decrease in the growth rate of the L2. Second-stage larvae grown in the presence of added pheromone are morphologically distinguishable from L2 larvae grown without pheromone. We have named the pre-dauer L2 larva the L2d. Commitment to dauer larva formation can occur at the L2d molt. When L2d larvae are shifted out of pheromone to a lawn of E. coli just before the L2d molt, a few worms complete development into dauer larvae. In contrast, worms are essentially committed to the non-dauer life cycle by the first larval molt if the L1 larvae are not grown in appropriately high levels of pheromone. In the presence of pheromone, the percentage of dauer larva formation is enhanced at higher temperatures within the normal growth range. Temperature down-shifts induce dauer larva recovery. Temperature-shift experiments show that the enhancement of dauer larva formation requires exposure to the higher temperature around the L1 molt. Two sensory mutants defective in thermotaxis are altered in their sensitivity to the dauer-inducing pheromone, but their pheromone response retains temperature dependence. Response of dauer larvae to environmental cues is highly age dependent, with older dauer larvae exhibiting an increased tendency to recover.
Neurochemical and behavioral effects of catecholamine and protein synthesis inhibitors in mice

Abstract A series of biochemical and behavioral experiments tested the hypothesis that anisomycin (ANI), a protein synthesis inhibitor, produced decrements in long-term memory by raising free tyrosine levels and by the accumulation of catecholamines (CAs) rather than by its primary effect on protein synthesis. We compared the effects of ANI and three catecholamine synthesis inhibitors (CAIs)—diethyldithiocarbamic acid, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, and tetrabenazine—on cerebral concentrations of tyrosine and CAs and on the rate of accumulation of CAs. ANI had a relatively small effect, whereas the CAIs resulted in large reductions. When ANI and a CAI were used in combination, effects on CA levels were determined mainly by the CAI. The amnestic effects of ANI and the CAIs were also compared across seven experimental paradigms. Pretraining administration of any of the four drugs could result in amnesia for passive avoidance training, but only when training was weak. With an increase in training strength, a series of three injections of ANI (one pre- and two post-training) caused amnesia, but a similar series of CAI injections did not. Substituting one CAI injection for the second of three successive ANI injections did not cause amnesia, but substituting cycloheximide, another protein synthesis inhibitor, resulted in amnesia. With an active avoidance test, ANI caused amnesia while AMPT did not; d-amphetamine blocked the amnestic effect of ANI but caused amnesia in AMPT injected mice. Whereas ANI lengthened the temporal gradient over which electroconvulsive shock produced amnesia, AMPT or DDC did not. DDC caused only transient amnesia for passive avoidance training, while the amnestic effect of ANI remained constant at 24-hr and 1-week retention tests. We conclude that ANI and CAIs have distinctly different abilities to produce amnesia. These experiments provide additional support for the hypothesis that protein synthesis is required for formation of long-term memory.
Genetic and ethanol‐related differences in maternal behavior and offspring viability in mice

Primiparous female mice of 2 lines genetically selected for different narcotic responses to ethanol were administered 10% (v/v) ethanol in their drinking water during Days 2–14 of lactation. Ethanol treatment resulted in a marked decrease in growth and viability of pups in both lines. Fewer offspring of the ethanol-sensitive line survived to weaning, apparently because of the failure of a large number of dams to exhibit maternal care. The combination of ethanol treatment and an additional environmental stressor (mouse hepatic virus) had a devastating effect on maternal behavior and offspring survival in the ethanol-sensitive line, but far less effect on the ethanol-insensitive mice. Thus, ethanol-sensitive animals appear to be more susceptible to a variety of stressors, including ethanol.
Conserved currents, renormalization, and the ward identity

Abstract The field-theoretic connection between the conservation of local currents and the absence of renormalization is reviewed. Generalizations of two proofs of the relationship, one given by Okubo and repeated by Fubini and Furlan, and the other through traditional use of the Ward identity, are compared and found to use precisely the same information and to apply to the same situations. The Okubo form is seen to be exactly the spatial integral of the zero component of the Ward identity at the mass shell singularity. The several derivations of the Ward identity in quantum electrodynamics are compared. Contrary to suggestions in the literature, none of the proofs makes use of invariance of the Lagrangian under gauge transformations of the second kind, but all use symmetry under gauge transformations of the first kind reflected in the conserved electromagnetic current. The method of Takahashi in the derivation of the generalized Ward identity is used to allow derivation of the formulas connecting Green's functions with the associated functions obtained by inserting arbitrarily many finite-momenta external photons. Conversely, the Green's function identities imply a symmetry of the equations of motion, and the conservation and generator aspects of the associated current.
Changes in the metabolic elimination profile of testosterone following exposure of the crustacean Daphnia magna to tributyltin.

The biocide tributyltin has been found to cause the development of pseudohermaphroditic conditions in some neogastropod species. These abnormalities of the reproductive system have adversely affected the fecundity of some field populations of gastropods, resulting in local population declines. Current evidence suggests that tributyltin elicits these effects by interfering with the biotransformation of testosterone to other steroid derivatives, resulting in an elevation in endogenous testosterone or some of its bioactive derivatives. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether tributyltin altered testosterone metabolism in daphnids (Daphnia magna), a species commonly used in ecotoxicology testing. Exposure of daphnids to 1.2 μg (tin)/L caused a general increase in the rate of elimination of oxido-reduced, hydroxylated, and glucose-conjugated derivatives of testosterone. However, tributyltin exposure had no significant effect on the rate of elimination of the glucose-conjugated forms of the various oxido-reduced and hydroxylated derivatives of testosterone. As a result, the percentage of the oxido-reduced and hydroxylated metabolites of testosterone eliminated as glucose conjugates decreased with increasing tributyltin exposure levels. These results demonstrate that tributyltin causes alterations in testosterone metabolism in daphnids that would result in an increase in the production of oxido-reduced derivatives. These products are preferentially retained in the tissues of daphnids and are variously androgenic in vertebrates. The increased production of oxido-reduced derivatives of testosterone may be mechanically responsible for the masculinizing effects of tributyltin in some species and suggests that daphnids may be a suitable surrogate for evaluating the potential of chemicals to elicit this form of toxicity.
Theoretical Estimations of the 298 K Gas-Phase Acidities of the Purine-Based Nucleobases Adenine and Guanine

Theoretical estimations at both the B3LYP/6-31+G(d)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) and B3LYP/aug−cc−pVTZ//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) levels for the 298 K gas-phase acidities (GPA) of all the possible deprotonation sites of the most stable tautomers of adenine and guanine are reported in terms of the enthalpy change of deprotonation. The gas-phase acidities of the nucleobases estimated by direct calculations and derived from isodesmic reactions are very similar. At the B3LYP/aug−cc−pVTZ//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory, for the most stable adenine tautomer, 9H-adenine, the GPAs of N9, N4−Ha, N4−Hb, C8, and C2 sites are 337.8 ± 2.1, 355.6 ± 2.1, 355.3 ± 2.1, 375.7 ± 0.5, and 401.2 ± 0.5 kcal/mol, respectively. For the most stable guanine tautomer, 7H-keto-guanine, the GPAs of N3, N7, N2−Ha, N2−Hb, and C8 sites are 336.4 ± 2.2, 338.0 ± 2.1, 347.7 ± 2.1, 341.9 ± 2.1, and 376.0 ± 0.5 kcal/mol, respectively. For the second most stable tautomer, 9H-keto-guanine, the GPAs of N3, N9, N2−Ha, N2−Hb, and C8 are 338.6 ± 2.2, 337.4 ± 2.1, 343....
Hemodynamically significant arterial inflow stenosis in dysfunctional hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulae and grafts.

PurposeHemodynamically significant arterial inflow stenosis in dysfunctional fistulae and grafts is poorly understood. No reliable clinical methods exist to detect arterial inflow stenosis. In this...
Heart Failure in the Diabetic Patient

This review examines the extent of the increased rate of heart failure (HF) in the diabetic patient, along with the possible causes for this increase and the poor prognosis associated with HF. Also reviewed are the therapies that are available for the treatment of diabetic HF and whether intensifying the use of these therapies might improve the worsened clinical outcomes for the patient who has diabetes.
Surface Coalescences of Various Faceted Binary Au‐Ag Nanoparticles by Cryogenic Processes

The surface coalescences of faceted binary Au‐Ag nanoparticles by cryogenic treatment were investigated. The binary Au‐Ag nanoparticles with various Au/Ag ratios were prepared by phase transfer method in liquid solution, and then cooled from the room temperature down to −196 °C at a very slow cooling rate. The loose surfaces of the binary Au‐Ag nanoparticles are jointed, and the clusters are surrounded with large portion of the close‐packed surfaces. The companying twining mechanism is retarded with the incorporation of Ag in Au. The jointed clusters contribute to the large red shift, especially for the mixed Au‐Ag clusters.
The effect of grain size on ductility in the superplastic Pb-Sn eutectic

The transition to region II at ~ ~< 10-4 sec -1 is consistent with several sets of data showing that the strain rate sensitivity increases at a testing temperature of 298 K when the strain rate is reduced below about 10-4 sec -1 [10, 12-14, 17]. However, the measurements presented earlier [18] of the elongations to fracture were conducted with a grain size of 6.1pro, and detailed experiments on the superplastic Zn-22 wt % A1 eutectoid have shown that a reduction in grain size leads to the occurrence of region II at faster strain rates and thus to higher ductilities at the faster rates of strain [19]. Accordingly, the present experiments were conducted to investigate the elongations to failure of the Pb-Sn eutectic having the smallest grain size available after the fabrication procedure. The alloy was produced from 99.999% purity lead and 99.995% purity tin by melting in air in a graphite crucible, chill-casting into an ingot with a thickness of 1.0 cm, and rolling at room temperature to a sheet thickness of 0.254cm. The final material contained 38 wt % Pb, 62 wt % Sn, and the following minor impurities in ppm: Ag 0.2, A1 0.5, Au 1, Bi 0.7, Ca 0.1, Cd 0.1, Cu 2, Fe 1, In 1, Mg 0.2, Mn 0.1, Si 0.3 and T1 0.5. The average spatial grain size after fabrication, and without any pre-test annealing treatment, was d = 1.74 x E = 3.3 pm, where /~ is the value of the mean linear intercept. The accuracy of these, and subsequent grain size measurements, was estimated as + 10%. Tensile specimens were cut parallel to the rolling direction with a gauge length of 1.27 cm and a gauge width of 0.64 cm. Each specimen was tested at room temperature (298-+ 2K), without a prior annealing treatment, by pulling to failure in an Instron machine operating at a constant rate of crosshead displacement: the equivalent initial strain rates were in the range from 6.6 x 10 -s to
Nucleic acid sequence and chromosome assignment of a wheat storage protein gene

A cloned gliadin gene was isolated from a wheat genomic library, and 2.4 kb of its primary sequence determined. The gene, alpha-1Y, was found by Southern analysis to be located on chromosome 6A, and its derived amino acid sequence identifies it as a member of the A-gliadin subgroup of alpha-gliadins located on the short arm of that chromosome. alpha-1Y is apparently functional, and contains consensus TATA and CAAT boxes, and polyadenylation signals. This gliadin gene has no introns, and its noncoding flanking regions contain several short repeats and inverted sequences. The gene is contained in a 6.2 kb EcoRI genomic fragment whose apparent copy number varies in different wheat cultivars.
On the Solution Conformation and Dynamics of the HIV-1 Viral Infectivity Factor

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) has evolved a cunning mechanism to circumvent the antiviral activity of the APOBEC3 family of host cell enzymes. HIV-1 Vif [viral (also called virion) infectivity factor], one of several HIV accessory proteins, targets APOBEC3 proteins for proteasomal degradation and downregulates their expression at the mRNA level. Despite the importance of Vif for HIV-1 infection, there is little conformational data on Vif alone or in complex with other cellular factors due to incompatibilities with many structural techniques and difficulties in producing suitable quantities of the protein for biophysical analysis. As an alternative, we have turned to hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HX MS), a conformational analysis method that is well suited for proteins that are difficult to study using X-ray crystallography and/or NMR. HX MS was used to probe the solution conformation of recombinant full-length HIV-1 Vif. Vif specifically interacted with the previously identified binding partner Hck and was able to cause kinase activation, suggesting that the Vif studied by HX MS retained a biochemically competent conformation relevant to Hck interaction. HX MS analysis of Vif alone revealed low deuteration levels in the N-terminal portion, indicating that this region contained structured or otherwise protected elements. In contrast, high deuteration levels in the C-terminal portion of Vif indicated that this region was likely unstructured in the absence of cellular interacting proteins. Several regions within Vif displayed conformational heterogeneity in solution, including the APOBEC3G/F binding site and the HCCH zinc finger. Taken together, these HX MS results provide new insights into the solution conformation of Vif.
Anisotropy in the Ironton and Galesville Sandstones Near a Thermal-Energy-Storage Well, St. Paul, Minnesota

The U.S. Geological Survey is studying the potential for storage of heated water in a sandstone aquifer in St. Paul, Minnesota. The efficiency of the aquifer to store thermal energy is related, in part, to the hydrogeologic characteristics of the aquifer. The movement of heat away from the injection well is directly related to the anisotropy. Aquifer tests were conducted to determine the anisotropy near the heated-water injection well. The maximum and minimum values of transmissivity along the principal directions of the hydraulic conductivity tensors of the Ironton and Galesville Sandstones in St. Paul, Minnesota are approximately 1,090 and 480 feet squared per day. The storage coefficient is 4.5 × 10−5. These values represent the average of four determinations of nonsteady flow to a well in an idealized infinite anisotropic aquifer. Analysis of the values of transmissivity and storage coefficient for hypothetical changes in location of two of the monitoring wells where depth-deviation surveys were not available indicates that computed transmissivities vary less than 5 percent and storage coefficients vary less than ±6 percent.
Effects of Selected Sampling Equipment and Procedures on the Concentrations of Trichloroethylene and Related Compounds in Ground Water Samples

Variations in concentrations of trichloroethylene and related compounds in ground water obtained from seven ground water samplers were used to compare the performance of three submersible pumps, a centrifugal pump, two peristaltic pumps, and a bailer. Two- and 4-inch diameter submersible pumps and a centrifugal pump produced samples whose trichloroethylene concentrations, on the average, did not differ significantly from each other. Ground water samples collected by using a peristaltic pump and silicone tubing had significantly lower trichloroethylene concentrations than samples from the submersible pumps. Concentrations of 1,2-dichloroethylene and trichloroethylene in ground water samples collected by using a bailer were indistinguishable from those in samples taken by a submersible pump when the concentrations were as much as 96 and 76 micrograms per liter, respectively, but were 15 and 12 percent lower when concentrations were as low as 29 and 23 micrograms per liter, respectively. Tests of different configurations of sampler placement in observation wells indicate that pump placement, rate of pumping, duration of pumping, and the uniformity of the vertical and lateral distribution of trichloroethylene in ground water near the well screen have a potentially significant influence on trichloroethylene concentrations in ground water samples and that these factors can have a greater effect than the type of sampler used.
Fibril formation of Aβ (10-35) studied by UV resonance Raman Spectroscopy

In Alzheimer's disease the major pathological feature observed is the progressive deposition of insoluble senile amyloid plaques within the cerebral cortex. The major component of these plaques is amyloid beta (Aβ), a 39-43 residue peptide. This peptide can be present as monomers with soluble disordered structure, which change conformation into partially folded intermediates and further assemble to form dimers, trimers, oligomers, protofibrils and larger fibrils. Earlier studies have suggested that neurotoxicity of the disease lies not in the insoluble fibrils but in the formation of soluble oligomers, which impair and alter neurotransmision. Thus, the solution conformation of Aβ is of significant interest for understanding the molecular mechanism of Aβ fibrillogenesis. In the present study we have investigated the process of fibril formation in the 25 residue Aβ(10-35) which has a similar fibril structure as Aβ40 and Aβ42. In addition, Aβ(10-35) contains the central hydrophobic cluster (residues 17-21) suspected to initiate folding.We have employed fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) and time-dependent UVRR spectroscopic methods to explore the fibril formation process in vitro. Thioflavin-T induced fluorescence and CD studies indicate a conformational transition from an unfolded to β-sheet structure. UVRR studies conducted with 215 nm and 230 nm excitation facilitate characterization of the two phenylalanine and one tyrosine residues in the peptide, respectively. It is observed that formation of soluble Aβ oligomers is accompanied by a decrease in the intensities of the Phe vibrational mode, v8a (1606 cm-1) and the Tyr vibrational mode, v8a (1617 cm-1) over a 150 min incubation period. These results indicate that fibril formation proceeds via phenylalanine and tyrosine π-stacking interactions, which stabilize parallel β-sheets and reduce solvent exposure. Based on these results we have proposed a probable mechanism of fibril formation in Aβ(10-35).
Comment: The Tower of Appraisals: Trying to Make Sense of the One Big Thing

This commentary on four theoretical articles published in this issue of Emotion Review discusses the one big thing that links them all and raises some questions about the ontological status of the appraisal part of appraisal theories of emotion.
Fundamental and specific steps in Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor design

Shack-Hartmann sensors are widely used to measure wavefront aberrations. We present the fundamental and specific engineering steps in the design of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. Typical performance requirements such as sensor dynamic range, sensitivity and accuracy are defined and discussed. We investigate the trade-offs between these performance metrics and the factors affecting the trade-offs. A first order approach for selecting the optimal parameters of the sensor central piece, the lenslet array, is presented. We also propose a quick tolerance analysis method that can predict the wavefront measurement error due to misalignments, using only the ray-tracing software.
Observations on closure of the neuropores in the chick embryo

Neuropore closure was studied in chick embryos by light and electron microscopy. Surface ectoderm reflects over the crests of the neural folds at all craniocaudal levels, merging with the neural ectoderm lining the neural groove. Apices of surface ectodermal cells have an essentially identical morphology prior to approximation of folds, both within the presumptive fusion sites and more laterally. Cells of these areas have slightly convex profiles exhibiting few cellular protrusions. Each neural fold contains a superficial half, composed of neural ectoderm covered by surface ectoderm, and a deep half consisting entirely of neural ectoderm. Initial contact between folds usually occurs near the junction between these halves in cranial regions, but is restricted primarily to surface ectoderm at caudal levels. Subsequent fusion of folds at all levels involves both ectodermal layers. Cellular protrusions and small, morphologically unspecialized intercellular junctions often interconnect cells of apposed folds in areas undergoing fusion. The anterior neuropore closes at stages 10-11, but fusion of folds in this region is not completed until stages 13-14. Fusion occurs dorsoventrally in this area and is more advanced internally than externally. Numerous pleomorphic inclusions and a few apparently necrotic cells are present in areas bordering the anterior neuropore. The posterior neuropore closes at stages 12-13 and fusion is completed in this region during stages 13-14. The caudal end of the posterior neuropore closes dorsal to the developing tail bud. Several morphological features of this closure may at least partially account for the high susceptibility to myeloschisis localized specifically at caudal spinal cord levels.
IL-21 limits peripheral lymphocyte numbers through T cell homeostatic mechanisms

Background IL-21, a member of the common γ-chain utilizing family of cytokines, participates in immune and inflammatory processes. In addition, the cytokine has been linked to autoimmunity in humans and rodents. Methodology/Principal Findings To investigate the mechanism whereby IL-21 affects the immune system, we investigated its role in T cell homeostasis and autoimmunity in both non-autoimmune C57BL/6 and autoimmune NOD mice. Our data indicate that IL-21R knockout C57BL/6 and NOD mice show increased size of their lymphocyte population and decreased homeostatic proliferation. In addition, our experimental results demonstrate that IL-21 inhibits T cell survival. These data suggest that IL-21 acts to limit the size of the T cell pool. Furthermore, our data suggest IL-21 may contribute to the development of autoimmunity. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, our results suggest that IL-21 plays a global role in regulating T cell homeostasis, promoting the continuous adaptation of the T cell lymphoid space.
The impact of race and ethnicity on the outcome of carotid interventions in the United States

Abstract Objective Previous studies have demonstrated an adverse impact of African American race and Hispanic ethnicity on the outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA), although little is known about the influence of race and ethnicity on the outcome of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). The present study was undertaken to examine the influence of race and ethnicity on the outcomes of CEA and CAS in contemporary practice. Methods The nationwide inpatient sample (2005–2008) was queried using International Classification of Diseases-9 codes for CEA and CAS in patients with carotid artery stenosis. The primary outcomes were postoperative death or stroke. Multivariate analysis was performed adjusting for age, gender, race, comorbidities, high-risk status, procedure type, symptomatic status, year, insurance type, and hospital characteristics. Results Overall, there were 347,450 CEAs and 47,385 CASs performed in the United States over the study period. After CEA, Hispanics had the greatest risk of mortality ( P P = 0.02) compared with white patients on univariate analysis. On multivariable analysis, Hispanic ethnicity remained an independent risk factor for mortality after CEA (relative risk 2.40; P P = 0.03). However, this was not significant on multivariable analysis. Conclusion Hispanic ethnicity is an independent risk factor for mortality after CEA. While black patients had an increased risk of stroke after CEA and CAS, this was explained by factors other than race. Further studies are warranted to determine if Hispanic ethnicity remains an independent risk factor for mortality after discharge.
Decay of the 3.5-min Metastable State of Sb 122

The radiations associated with the 3.5-min activity of ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{122}$ have been studied with 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} magnetic photographic spectrometers and a ten-channel coincidence scintillation spectrometer. Two gamma rays with energies of 60.7 and 75.3 kev were detected by means of internal conversion electrons and also by means of the scintillation spectrometer. The 75.3-kev transition is the more strongly converted of the two, and it is concluded that it is the isomeric transition. The two gamma rays are emitted in cascade.
The whooping crane (Grus americana) population of North America

Abstract A model of the whooping crane population of North America shows that its rate of increase has been the result of a stabilized death rate, in spite of an overall decrease in the birth rate and no significant increase in the breeding population. Projections—based on current trends—predict a total population of about 76 individuals in 10 years and 114 in 20 years, with a doubling time of approximately 18 years, but these projections will have to be revised downward if the birth rate continues to decline, or if the carrying capacity of the wintering grounds becomes limiting.
Model-based event-triggered control with time-varying network delays

In this paper two approaches for reducing communication traffic in a control network, namely, Model-Based Networked Control Systems (MB-NCS) and event-triggered control, are unified under a single framework. The use of a model of the plant in the controller node not only generalizes the Zero-Order-Hold (ZOH) implementation in traditional event-triggered control schemes but it also provides stability thresholds that are robust to model uncertainties. With respect to MB-NCS, the stability conditions presented here do not need explicit knowledge of the plant parameters as in previous work but are given only in terms of the parameters of the nominal model and some bounds in the model uncertainties. The resulting framework is capable of increasing the update time intervals compared with the individual approaches considered in this paper.
Effect of slope on the threshold of motion and its application to orientation of wind ripples

On sloping sand surfaces, the downwind perpendicular to ripple crests is not, as commonly believed, an unbiased indicator of current direction, for the ripple-forming creep load is deflected downgradient as a function of the surface gradient, the orientation of the surface relative to the wind, and the friction angle of the sand. The force required to initiate motion on sloping surfaces is likewise dependent upon these parameters. The mean direction of sand movement is also deflected downgradient from the applied fluid force, but by a lesser amount than the ripples.
Structural Topology Optimization Under Impact Loads Using Beam Ground Structures

This work presents a methodology to find the optimal topology of a three-dimensional structure subject to impact loads, using the approach of ground structure. The method uses of the concept of topology optimization as a material allocation problem, which has been successfully used in the past to design structures modeled with shell and solid finite elements in the automotive industry. A simple example is shown to demonstrate the method.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Transcription factor Foxp1 exerts essential cell-intrinsic regulation of the quiescence of naive T cells

The molecular mechanisms that underlie T cell quiescence are poorly understood. Here we report that mature naive CD8(+) T cells lacking the transcription factor Foxp1 gained effector phenotype and function and proliferated directly in response to interleukin 7 (IL-7) in vitro. Foxp1 repressed expression of the IL-7 receptor α-chain (IL-7Rα) by antagonizing Foxo1 and negatively regulated signaling by the kinases MEK and Erk. Acute deletion of Foxp1 induced naive T cells to gain an effector phenotype and proliferate in lympho-replete mice. Foxp1-deficient naive CD8(+) T cells proliferated even in lymphopenic mice deficient in major histocompatibility complex class I. Our results demonstrate that Foxp1 exerts essential cell-intrinsic regulation of naive T cell quiescence, providing direct evidence that lymphocyte quiescence is achieved through actively maintained mechanisms that include transcriptional regulation.
Fentanyl Pharmacokinetics in Awake Volunteers

A single intravenous dose of fentanyl (either 2 or 4 micrograms/kg body weight) was given to 13 healthy, young volunteer subjects. Serum fentanyl concentration decreased in a triexponential pattern. The terminal half-times were 750 and 853 minutes, respectively. A three-compartment, open, mammillary model is proposed for fentanyl kinetics.