cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taphonomy of salt marsh foraminifera: an example from coastal Georgia

Abstract In salt marshes of St. Catherines Island, Georgia, total foraminiferal density decreases significantly within the top 10 cm of marsh sediment. Selective preservation impacts both calcareous and agglutinated taxa; calcareous taxa are removed through dissolution and agglutinated ones through bacterial degradation of cements or predation. Shallow to deep infaunal taxa generally are the most likely to be preserved, although Miliammina fusca and Ammotium spp., all epifaunal to shallow or intermediate infaunal dwellers, have cements that are highly susceptible to degradation in southeastern U.S. marshes. Total foraminiferal density in both surface and subsurface sediment is higher in the low marsh than either the transitional or high marsh zones. Selective preservation and downcore enrichment by some infaunal taxa alters the percent abundance of some paleoenvironmentally significant taxa in subsurface assemblages. The best baseline for paleoenvironmental studies using salt marsh foraminifera in these settings is not the marsh surface (0–1 cm), but rather assemblages preserved ∼10 cm below the marsh surface.
Sialyl transferase activity in normal and RNA- and DNA-virus transformed cells utilizing desialyzed, trypsinized cell plasma membrane external surface glycoproteins as exogenous acceptors.

Abstract An acceptor fraction of 3T3, PY-3T3, MSV-3T3, or RSV-3T3 cells was prepared by incubation of the whole cells with neuraminidase followed by trypsin digestion. Using this desialyzed, trypsinized acceptor fraction and detergent homogenates of the cell lines, the virally transformed cells were found to have 1.5 to 6.1 times as much sialyl transferase activity with CMP-NANA-14C as substrate than the 3T3 cells. Up to 30% of the sialyl transferase activity was expressible on the external plasma membrane of the cells. The acceptor fractions of the transformed cells contained about 1.5 times as many sites for transfer of NANA on a mg protein basis as did the 3T3 cells. By use of a trypsin treated, but not neuraminidase treated, cell acceptor fraction, it was determined that the virally transformed cells had higher amounts of incomplete glycoproteins on their surfaces that would function as acceptors in the sialyl transferase reaction, possibly because of higher levels of sub-lethal autolysis in the transformed cells.
A New Apparatus and an Improved Method for Chromato-graphic Adsorption:

SummaryA new apparatus whose advantages are increased speed and uniformity of column has been described. A new method of working with colorless, non-fluorescent compounds by use of a color reaction has also been reported.
Ultrastructural observations of granule extrusion from rat anterior pituitary cells after injection of LH-releasing hormone.

In order to observe the ultrastructural aspects of granule extrusion from gonadotrophs, the authors injected pure, natural porcine LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) into persistent-estrous (PE) rats. Clear-cut extrusions of secretory granules appeared from LH-gonadotrophs 2.5, 5 and 15 minutes after the injection. Massive extrusion was observed at 15 minutes. Serum LH and FSH were also estimated by radioimmunoassay on blood samples taken at the same times after the injections. LH was increased in the blood sera after the injection of LH-RH, but serum FSH was not significantly different among the various treated rats. The rise in serum LH after LH-RH injection was well correlated with the ultrastructural phenomenon of granule extrusion from LH-gonadotrophs.
Igniting the fire: Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors in the pathogenesis of sepsis

Sepsis is a devastating disease process characterized by a systemic inflammatory response in the host, evoked by a known or suspected pathogen. Staphylococcus aureus has emerged as a leading etiologic agent of sepsis, owing to its propensity to cause deep-seated tissue infection and bacteremia [1]. S. aureus harbors an arsenal of virulence factors to facilitate tissue adhesion, immune evasion, and host cell injury. In the bloodstream, these factors cause inflammation, impair immune cell function, alter coagulation, and compromise vascular integrity. This review will discuss key secreted and surface-anchored proteins required for S. aureus infection in the hostile host environment of the bloodstream, emphasizing mechanistic insights on virulence factor function that illustrate the complex nature of the host–pathogen interaction. While we currently lack a clear understanding of the temporal and spatial integration of these virulence factors in the bloodstream, it is apparent that S. aureus triggers pathophysiologic disturbances that are further amplified by the host inflammatory response, culminating in the severe clinical manifestations of sepsis and septic shock.
TANDI: Threat Assessment of Network Data and Information

Current practice for combating cyber attacks typically use Intrusion Detection Sensors (IDSs) to passively detect and block multi-stage attacks. This work leverages Level-2 fusion that correlates IDS alerts belonging to the same attacker, and proposes a threat assessment algorithm to predict potential future attacker actions. The algorithm, TANDI, reduces the problem complexity by separating the models of the attacker's capability and opportunity, and fuse the two to determine the attacker's intent. Unlike traditional Bayesian-based approaches, which require assigning a large number of edge probabilities, the proposed Level-3 fusion procedure uses only 4 parameters. TANDI has been implemented and tested with randomly created attack sequences. The results demonstrate that TANDI predicts future attack actions accurately as long as the attack is not part of a coordinated attack and contains no insider threats. In the presence of abnormal attack events, TANDI will alarm the network analyst for further analysis. The attempt to evaluate a threat assessment algorithm via simulation is the first in the literature, and shall open up a new avenue in the area of high level fusion.
Forecasting the 2006 Elections for the United States Senate

“To arrive at some understanding of what is going on is hard enough,” says Abraham Kaplan, “without having also to meet the demand that we anticipate what will happen next” (1964, 351). Despite Kaplan's warning, attempts at forecasting American elections by political scientists have grown in recent years. Foreshadowing election results is not just a casual interest for political scientists. It both sparks interest in the work of our discipline, and serves as a pedagogical tool. We admit that many challenges present themselves when we attempt to predict complicated social phenomena; but if we, instead, limit our research to description and explanation, the danger is that repeated analysis of the same datasets will track patterns again and again that do not exist in the reality outside our samples. One guard against this is to take theories about politics and employ them to predict future events. In this spirit, this paper utilizes well-known patterns of congressional elections to predict those of the 2006 Senate.
Measuring dry deposition: A re-assessment of the state of the art

The exchange process known as dry deposition encompasses the dynamic exchange of trace gases and aerosol particles, and the gravitational settling of large particles. Except for particles large enough that their sedimentation velocity exceeds turbulent velocities, the rate of deposition is mostly determined by surface properties, such as roughness, stickiness, and wetness, and by atmospheric stability. Thus, it is difficult to interpret results obtained using collection devices having surfaces different from those of nature. Other methods for measuring dry deposition exist, mostly micrometeorological, but these are sufficiently complicated that routine application as in a monitoring network is not yet feasible. For some chemical species and in some locations, inferential methods offer considerable promise. These methods measure atmospheric concentrations (C) of the relevant chemical species, and derive relevant deposition velocities (vd) on a site-specific, species-dependent, and time-evolving basis. The dry deposition rates of interest are then evaluated as the product vd.C. A major goal of current research programs is to provide the knowledge necessary to evaluate vd. Experimental methods are reviewed, and potential sources of error are examined, for both the research methods and the “concentration monitoring” methodologies presently being advocated for use in numerical models as well as for routine monitoring.
Prenatal tea consumption and risks of anencephaly and spina bifida.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between prenatal tea consumption and risk of anencephaly and spina bifida.METHODS: Data from the population-based Atlanta Birth Defects Case-Control Study were examined. Cases were infants with anencephaly (n = 122) or spina bifida (r = 154) and no other associated anomalies, and identified between 1968 and 1980. Controls were infants without birth defects (n = 3029) identified from birth certificates of the same birth cohort and frequency matched to cases by race, period of birth, and hospital of birth.RESULTS: Maternal tea consumption during the periconceptional period (3 months before through the first trimester of pregnancy) was reported at 82, 83.6, and 92.9% among controls, anencephaly, and spina bifida cases, respectively. With subjects whose mothers consumed no tea as a reference, odds ratios (OR) for tea consumption during the periconceptional period (adjusted for gender, race, period of birth, maternal age, education, alcohol consumption, smoking, and periconceptional multivitamins) were: anencephaly 0.9 (95% confidence limits (CI) 0.5-1.5); spina bifida 2.3 (CI 1.2-4.4). Odds ratios for spina bifida and number of cups of tea consumed/day were: 1-2 cups 2.1 (CI 1.1-4.0); 3+ cups 2.8 (CI 1.4-5.6). Consumption of other caffeinated beverages was not associated with risk for anencephaly or spina bifida.CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are warranted to corroborate and elucidate the observed association between tea consumption and spina bifida.
Opioid antagonists in the treatment of alcohol dependence

This article reviews the use of opioid antagonists in the pharmacologic treatment of alcohol dependence. The rationale for using the opioid antagonists naltrexone and nalmefene to prevent relapse in alcohol-dependent subjects is discussed by reviewing past and current clinical trials. The role of psychotherapies, particularly coping skills therapy, in combination with opioid antagonists is highlighted in the presentations of the clinical data. Finally, future research directions for opioid antagonists are discussed.
Selectivity in hydrocarbon catalytic reforming: a surface chemistry perspective

Abstract A brief overview of the recent advances in the understanding of the reaction mechanisms of hydrocarbon reforming processes is provided. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge developed by studies using model single-crystal metals and modern surface analytical techniques. An argument is presented for the early definition of reaction selectivities in these processes because of subtle relative changes in dehydrogenation rates. Specifically, the ability of platinum to promote γ-hydride elimination steps from chemisorbed alkyl groups is proposed to be the reason for its unique behavior in isomerization and cyclization reactions. Nickel, in contrast, facilitates dehydrogenation preferentially at the α-position, and catalyses hydrogenolysis instead. Nevertheless, by far the most favorable reaction of alkyl moieties on transition metals is β-hydride elimination. It is this step the one that accounts for the fast equilibrium reached between alkanes and alkenes under most reaction conditions. Additional mechanistic complications in hydrocarbon reforming under catalytic conditions are introduced by the strongly bonded carbonaceous deposits that cover the surface of the active catalyst. The role that those deposits play in reforming is not yet entirely clear, but it is believed to involve passivation of the surface to facilitate the adsorption of π-bonded olefins and other weakly adsorbed intermediates, and also the provision of a reservoir for hydrogen. The working reforming catalysts is therefore likely to display bifunctional character, with rapid hydrogenation–dehydrogenation steps taking place on the hydrocarbon-covered surface, and more demanding skeletal rearrangement steps occurring on patches of bare metal.
The climate of the Late Cretaceous: New insights from the application of the carbonate clumped isotope thermometer to Western Interior Seaway macrofossil

Abstract We apply the carbonate clumped isotope thermometer (Δ 47 ) to macrofossils from the Baculites compressus (∼73.5 Ma) and the Hoploscaphites nebrascensis (∼67 Ma) ammonite zones of the Western Interior Seaway (WIS) of North America, and nearby coeval terrestrial and open marine environments. The carbonate clumped isotope thermometer is based on a single-phase isotope exchange equilibrium that promotes the ‘clumping’ of two heavy isotopes together within a single carbonate molecule as temperature decreases. Due to the thermometer's isotopic independence from water, coupled measurements of Δ 47 and the bulk oxygen isotopic composition of a carbonate ( δ 18 O c ) enable the reconstruction of both paleotemperature and the isotopic composition of the water in which the organisms grew. Before applying the technique to the aragonite shells of fossil marine organisms (mostly ammonites, but also some gastropods, bivalves, and one belemnite), we measure the clumped isotopic composition of modern nautilus and cuttlefish, two of the nearest living relatives to the Cretaceous ammonites. Modern cephalopods exhibit disequilibrium isotope effects with respect to Δ 47 , but not δ 18 O c , therefore a simple correctional scheme is applied to the Late Cretaceous macrofossil data before reconstructing paleotemperatures. Diagenesis is also assessed by visual preservation and previously measured Sr concentrations ( Cochran et al., 2003 ). Temperatures reconstructed for the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway range from 16.4±3.5 °C for an offshore Interior Seaway environment from the H. nebrascensis zone to 24.2±0.4 °C for the B. compressus ammonite zone. The seaway itself has an isotopic composition of approximately −1‰ (relative to VSMOW), the expectation for an ice-free global ocean average, while a nearby freshwater environment has an isotopic composition approaching −20‰. We compare the attributes of the reconstructed climate to predictions based on Late Cretaceous climate models and previous reconstructions of the seaway, and also assess the sensitivity of our results to the modern cephalopods correction by comparisons to suitable modern analogs. Finally, our clumped isotope data are consistent with cooling between the Late Campanian and Maastrichtian, as also seen in benthic foraminfera δ 18 O.
Balloon valvuloplasty for treating pulmonic, mitral and aortic valve stenosis

Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty is a technique that has been developed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory over the last 5 years for the treatment of pulmonic, mitral and aortic valve stenosis in children and adults. This review will attempt to summarize recent advances in this new field of invasive cardiology over the last several years.
Bulk Josephson energies in multi-gap models of highT c superconductors

Multi-gap models of high temperature ceramic superconductors have been of considerable recent interest. For the case of a two-gap model (Δ1, and Δ2), there exist two separate electron pair condensate reservoirs, and a bulk Josephson free energy can be associated with electron pair transitions from one reservoir to the other. Thus, a “Josephson effect” can exist in two-gap models without the requirement of a weak link separating the two electron pair reservoirs in space. A single bulk sample Josephson electron pair free energy is here derived from the conventional BCS model of the superconducting state.
Geriatric assessment in oncology

With the anticipated growth in the numbers of elderly persons, a higher prevalence of cancers among older persons is expected; as a result, oncologists will treat larger numbers of older persons in their practices. Clinicians caring for older persons with cancer must recognize the heterogeneity of the elderly population and focus their assessments and care plans accordingly. The author reviewed literature and drew conclusions regarding geriatric assessment in several key areas: the medical, cognitive, affective, functional economic, and environmental status of patients; social support for patients; and advance directives. They concluded that for younger and healthier seniors, simple probes for the presence of common geriatric problems may suffice, but traditional means of medical assessment should be supplemented by brief screening for common geriatric conditions and nonmedical issues that are of particular relevance to the health of older persons. Assessment instruments can be used to guide these brief evaluations, but results must be interpreted in the context of the limitations of the instruments used. Patients who are frail or at high risk for functional decline or nursing home placement should receive more extensive evaluation by individual practitioners or by a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals who can provide comprehensive geriatric assessment. By broadening their assessment skills to include domains that are beyond traditional internal medicine and oncology training, oncologists can better serve their older cancer patients.
“Overcoming Peasant Backwardness”: The Khrushchev Antireligious Campaign and the Rural Soviet Union

In August 1959 the commissioner of the Novgorod regional Council for Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church (CAROC) issued a troubling report on pilgrimages to "so-called holy places and holy springs."1 The report described how on major religious holidays, thousands of pilgrims (palomniki) gathered to bathe in the sacred water and hold unauthorized and unsupervised prayer gatherings. Accompanying the commissioner's report was an order from the Novgorod party oblast committee demanding that local Soviet authorities take immediate administrative action to close all holy sites. Two years later the commissioner's annual report declared that pilgrimages to holy sites had been severely curtailed through a combination of increased antireligious agitation, arrests of pilgrimage organizers, and fencing off or draining holy springs.2 Of the many antireligious actions undertaken in the Novgorod region during the Khrushchev years, the campaign against holy places was among the few declared a definite success.3 What caused the Soviet authorities in Novgorod to devote such effort to eliminating these holy sites? The answer lies in the Soviet attitude toward particularly "backward" religious practices like popular pilgrimages to holy sites. Such pilgrimages were associated
Life course socioeconomic conditions, passive tobacco exposures and cigarette smoking in a multiethnic birth cohort of U.S. women

Low socioeconomic status (SES) and exposure to passive tobacco smoke are associated with increased risk of smoking in adults, but the influences of these factors in earlier life periods on adult smoking behavior are not well understood. We investigated the relationship of SES and passive tobacco exposure over the lifecourse with adult smoking status in a multiethnic cohort of U.S. women (n = 262, average age = 41.8), using prospective data on maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood SES, and follow-up data on current smoking, adult SES and household tobacco exposure. Low adolescent and adult SES consistently increased the risk of current smoking, but most associations were not statistically significant in multivariable models. Blue collar parental occupation at birth increased the risk of smoking, particularly for current smoking relative to former smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2–5.9). After adjusting for SES, current and former smokers were more likely than never smokers to have exposures to prenatal tobacco (OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 2.1–9.4 and OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.0–4.2, respectively) and adult household tobacco (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.3–5.8 and OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.2–4.8, respectively). Our results show that early life conditions have enduring influences on women’s smoking behavior in middle adulthood, even after considering similar types of conditions in later life periods.
Criticality conditions for some random environment population processes

Abstract Some random environment population processes are considered. Using a coupling argument, a criticality condition is obtained. The criticality parameter governs whether the process dies out or fluctuates about a positive finite constant, which is explicitly computed.
Proportional hazards model with random effects.

We propose a general proportional hazards model with random effects for handling clustered survival data. This generalizes the usual frailty model by allowing a multivariate random effect with arbitrary design matrix in the log relative risk, in a way similar to the modelling of random effects in linear, generalized linear and non-linear mixed models. The distribution of the random effects is generally assumed to be multivariate normal, but other (preferably symmetrical) distributions are also possible. Maximum likelihood estimates of the regression parameters, the variance components and the baseline hazard function are obtained via the EM algorithm. The E-step of the algorithm involves computation of the conditional expectations of functions of the random effects, for which we use Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. Approximate variances of the estimates are computed by Louis' formula, and posterior expectations and variances of the individual random effects can be obtained as a by-product of the estimation. The inference procedure is exemplified on two data sets.
Interferometric measurement for improved understanding of boundary effects in micromachined beams

Micromachined beams are commonly used to measure material properties in MEMS. Such measurements are complicated by the fact that boundary effects at the ends of the beams have a significant effect on the properties being measured. In an effort to improve the accuracy and resolution of such measurements, we are conducting a study of support post compliance in cantilever and fixed-fixed beams. Three different support post designs have been analyzed by finite element modeling. The results are then compared to measurements made on actual devices using interferometry. Using this technique, the accuracy of measurements of Young's modulus has been improved. Continuing work will also improve the measurement of residual stress.
Crystallography and morphology of as-grown and coarsened Al-Al3Ni directionally solidified eutectic

The structure of the rodlike Al-Al3Ni eutectic directionally solidified vertically at rates ranging from 0.8 to 36.5 cm/h was studied in as-grown and coarsened conditions. The observed crystallographic relations are growth direction ∥ [010]A13Ni ∥ [011]A1or [21l]A1 and (111)A1 ∥ (102)A13Ni in the zone of the growth direction. The facet structure of as-grown rods is most pronounced at low growth rates. Elevated temperature exposure of the composite produces fiber coarsening and improved definition of the facets, both effects becoming more rapid with increasing growth rate. The facets themselves are, in many cases, of such crystallographic orientations that nearly equal atomic densities occur on both sides of the boundary. We conclude that, although faceting occurs to a marked degree, the related shape anisotropy is probably of second-order importance in calculations of coarsening rates. However, the presence of facets does preclude fiber foreshortening during coarsening.
Bioinformatic Analysis and Post-Translational Modification Crosstalk Prediction of Lysine Acetylation

Recent proteomics studies suggest high abundance and a much wider role for lysine acetylation (K-Ac) in cellular functions. Nevertheless, cross influence between K-Ac and other post-translational modifications (PTMs) has not been carefully examined. Here, we used a variety of bioinformatics tools to analyze several available K-Ac datasets. Using gene ontology databases, we demonstrate that K-Ac sites are found in all cellular compartments. KEGG analysis indicates that the K-Ac sites are found on proteins responsible for a diverse and wide array of vital cellular functions. Domain structure prediction shows that K-Ac sites are found throughout a wide variety of protein domains, including those in heat shock proteins and those involved in cell cycle functions and DNA repair. Secondary structure prediction proves that K-Ac sites are preferentially found in ordered structures such as alpha helices and beta sheets. Finally, by mutating K-Ac sites in silico and predicting the effect on nearby phosphorylation sites, we demonstrate that the majority of lysine acetylation sites have the potential to impact protein phosphorylation, methylation, and ubiquitination status. Our work validates earlier smaller-scale studies on the acetylome and demonstrates the importance of PTM crosstalk for regulation of cellular function.
Growth of transition metal oxide crystals by halide vapour hydrolysis

Single crystals of NiO, CoO, FeO, Co3O4, and Fe3O4 have been epitaxially deposited on MgO single-crystal substrates by the hydrolysis of anhydrous metal bromides in the gaseous phase. All of the crystals were grown at temperatures below 700° C and at a total pressure of less than 25 torr. The deposition was usually complete after approximately 30 min, and the crystals were of uniform thickness with a glassy-clear, smooth surface. Depending on the number of depositions, these crystals can be formed in various thicknesses ranging from approximately 5 μm to 1 mm. The crystals were found to deposit in parallel alignment with the (100) cleavage plane of MgO. A substantial increase in chemical purity is observed, and only 103 to 105 dislocations/cm2 were observed in all NiO crystals. A reaction mechanism is proposed which involves: (i) the formation of a hydroxybromide transport phase with fluid properties; (ii) adsorption of the transport phase on the MgO substrate; followed by (iii), the chemical disproportionation-crystallisation of the intermediate phase to the oriented, solid oxide phase.
Interactions of water-soluble porphyrins with hexadeoxyribonucleotides: resonance raman, UV-visible and 1H NMR studies.

Abstract The interactions of the water-soluble porphyrins M(TMpy-P4) [M = H2, Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(III); TMpy-P4 = tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrinato ion], with the hexadeoxyribonucleotides d(CGTACG)2, d(TACGTA)2, d(GCATGC)2, d(TGTGCA)2, and d(CTATAG)2 have been investigated by resonance Raman and/or UV-visible spectroscopy. The results indicate that all hexamers containing the 5′CG3′ as well as the 5′GC3′ site, and also the mismatched hexamer d(TGTGCA)2, are capable of intercalating the H2, Cu(II) and Ni(II) porphyrins. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of d(CGTACG)2 mixed with Cu(TMpy-P4) have provided further evidence for the intercalation. For the other cases, outside binding by localized electrostatic interaction is suggested. There is no evidence of groove binding to any of the hexamers. Possible reasons for different binding properties of long and short helices are discussed.
Synthetic fluid inclusions XIX. Experimental determination of the vapor-saturated liquidus of the system H2O–NaCl–FeCl2

Abstract Magmatic-hydrothermal fluids associated with felsic to intermediate composition magmas are generally dominated by (Na ± K)Cl, but often the fluids also contain significant concentrations of FeCl 2 . Previously, fluid inclusions containing such fluids were interpreted using the properties of H 2 O–NaCl because the effect of FeCl 2 on the phase equilibrium and volumetric ( PVTx ) properties of aqueous fluids was essentially unknown. In this study, synthetic fluid inclusion experiments have been conducted to determine the vapor-saturated liquidus phase relations of the system H 2 O–NaCl–FeCl 2 . Microthermometric and microanalytical measurements on synthetic fluid inclusions have been combined with the limited existing data, as well as with predictions based on Pitzer’s formalism, to determine the ternary cotectic and peritectic phase boundaries and liquidus fields. The liquidus is qualitatively similar to those of other ternary systems of H 2 O–NaCl plus divalent-cation chlorides (MgCl 2 and CaCl 2 ) and has been characterized through empirical equations that represent the liquid salinity on the ice- and halite-liquidus surfaces. The ice and halite liquidi intersect at a metastable cotectic curve, which can be used to determine fluid compositions in this system if metastable behavior is observed. Furthermore, based on the experimentally determined liquidus, bulk salinities of natural fluid inclusions can be determined from the last dissolution temperatures of ice and/or halite using the new empirical equations.
Redundant and Unique Roles of Two Enhancer Elements in the TCRγ Locus in Gene Regulation and γδ T Cell Development

Many mammalian genes, including those encoding antigen receptors, contain more than one enhancer element. Deleting one element often does not prevent expression, but functional redundancy has never been directly demonstrated by gene targeting of multiple elements. We demonstrate that simultaneous deletion of two enhancer/LCR-like elements in the TCR Cgamma1 cluster, HsA and 3'E(Cgamma1), severely diminishes TCRgamma transcription, selectively impairs development of gammadelta thymocyte subsets, but only modestly reduces TCRgamma gene rearrangement, while deletion of each element separately has little effect. In contrast to these results in thymocytes, deletion of HsA alone reduces transcription of one Vgamma gene specifically in peripheral gammadelta T cells. Thus, the two elements exhibit functional redundancy in thymocytes but also have unique functions in other settings.
The generality of negative self-reinforcement effects: Implications for the use of extrinsic rewards

The immediate and delayed effects of extrinsic self-reinforcement on task performance were investigated in a study that more closely resembled practical applications of extrinsic self-reinforcement than did previous studies. Twenty highly motivated undergraduates who had volunteered for a “GRE math review program” were given 80 problems to solve under no time limit. Half of the subjects reinforced themselves monetarily for each problem completed. Subjects in the self-reinforcement group stopped working problems shortly after earning the maximum available reinforcement. As a result, they stayed less time and solved fewer problems than control subjects. Subjects in the self-reinforcement condition were also instructed in the use of self-reinforcement during home study. Negative effects of tangible self-reinforcement were also observed at the completion of the review program. Implications for the design of self-help behavioral treatment programs were discussed.
Forgiveness Increases Meaning in Life

Close relationships are a source of meaning in life. Interpersonal offenses can disrupt one’s sense of meaning within close relationships. To restore a sense of meaning, people may employ relational repair strategies such as forgiveness. We hypothesized that forgiveness is a meaning-making mechanism because it helps repair relationships, thus restoring the positive effects of relationships on meaning. Study 1 (N = 491) revealed that dispositional forgiveness and the degree of forgiveness following an offense were positively related to meaning in life. Study 2 (N = 210), a 6-month longitudinal study of romantic couples, revealed that participants who regularly forgave their partner reported increased meaning in life over time. In addition, forgiveness helped recover lost meaning among those participants reporting more frequent partner offenses. These results provide initial evidence that forgiveness recovers a sense of meaning in life after interpersonal offenses.
The effect of radiative losses on the attenuation of electromagnetically driven shock waves

Abstract The approximate, one dimensional blast wave theory of Harris is modified to take into consideration the effect of radiation losses from plasmas behind strong shock waves produced in electromagnetic shock tubes. The semi-empirical radiation theory of Kivel is used in evaluating the resulting modified shock expansion equation. The influence of various shock tube operating parameters such as energy input and ambient density on the shock wave velocity attenuation via radiation is examined. The predictions suggested by the proposed theory are confirmed by means of experimental data obtained in a conical discharge section electro-magnetic shock tube. It is seen that the most severe effect due to radiative losses occurs near the gaseous discharge. Radiation losses are found to be unimportant at distances downstream of the electrical discharge when the gas density is low.
A cytoarchitectonic atlas of the mouse hypothalamus

A description of the organization, areas, and cell groups within the hypothalamus of the mouse is presented in detail. Photomicrographs of cell-stained serial sections through the hypothalamus in frontal, sagittal and horizontal planes are included. The hypothalamus has been divided basically into medial and lateral parts with most well-defined cell groups or nuclei lying within the medial subdivision and surrounded by diffuse collections of cells referred to as areas. The heterogenetiy of cell types within most hypothalamic nuclei and areas has been emphasized with the consequent implications for heterogeneity of neuronal connections and of functions. Recently introduced neuroanatomical techniques permitting increased attention to the cellular level of organization have demonstrated precise connections and functional localization of cells within the hypothalamus. While cytoarchitectonic distinctions imply functional distinctions, morphological and experimental evidence suggest the existence also of systems of cells which transcend conventional cytoarchitectonic boundaries, the cells within each system being interconnected functionally or neuronally.
Modal disparity and its experimental verification

This paper describes an analytical and experimental investigation of the property of modal disparity in a vibrating structure. For a given structure, the concept of modal disparity describes the structure's ability to generate significant changes in the mode shapes by some type of on-the-fly structural modification. In the present study we consider a vibrating beam that experiences a controlled stiffness change, induced by the activation and deactivation of an electromagnetic brake that causes a spatially localized change in the bending stiffness. Using a finite element model and an experimental apparatus it is shown that significant amounts of energy can be shifted back and forth between sets of modes in a systematic and predictable manner. This confirmation of modal disparity for a specific structural system provides evidence that this concept is feasible, and thereby opens the door for a number of potential applications in passive and active control of vibrating structures.
SINGLE VERSUS MULTIPLE CAUSES OF THE AGE/JOB SATISFACTION RELATIONSHIP

The results of survey research with 457 employees of a social service organization did not confirm any of three preexisting hypotheses, each of which had been posited as the primary explanation for the often obtained relationship between age and job satisfaction. Despite these findings, each hypothesis may be partially valid, that is, each may be valid for some, if not most, organization members. The hypotheses may be viewed more reasonably as alternative rather than competing explanations within a more molar framework.
Self-controlled synthesis of hyperbranched poly(ether ketone)s from A3 + B2 approach via different solubilities of monomers in the reaction medium

Hyperbranched poly(ether ketone)s (PEK's) were synthesized via A3 + B2 polymerization approach without forming cross-linked products, because the polymer-forming process based on Friedel−Crafts reaction was kinetically controlled by the solubility difference of monomers in the viscous hydrophilic reaction medium, poly(phosphoric acid) (PPA)/phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). The hydrophilic trimesic acid as an A3 monomer is soluble in the reaction medium, while hydrophobic diphenyl ether and 1,4-diphenoxybenzene as B2 monomers are marginally soluble. It is hypothesized that the gelation was avoided because of the following two factors: (i) self-regulated feeding of the arylether monomers into the system driven by their poor solubility and phase separation from PPA/P2O5 medium; (ii) reaction-medium-induced isolation of growing macromolecules promoted by the high bulk viscosity. Both polymerization experiments based on equimolar or equifunctional stoichiometry (A3:B2) resulted in completely soluble hyperbranched...
Thin-film module measurement artifacts

A number of artifacts that affect the accuracy and meaning of characterization may be apparent in thin-film solar cell module measurements. Such artifacts are often negligible for small single thin-film solar cells or even single-crystal modules. Possible artifacts include artificially high or low cell series resistances during current-voltage measurements, artificially low quantum efficiencies, artificially low module currents or cell voltages and misleading signals from selective illumination measurements.
Activation of Toll-like Receptor 2 on Microglia Promotes Cell Uptake of Alzheimer Disease-associated Amyloid β Peptide

The human G-protein-coupled formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) and its mouse homologue mFPR2 mediate the chemotactic activity of a variety of polypeptides associated with inflammation and bacterial infection, including the 42-amino acid form of amyloid beta peptide (Abeta42), a pathogenic factor in Alzheimer disease. Because mFPR2 was inducible in mouse microglial cells by proinflammatory stimulants, such as bacterial lipopolysaccharide, a ligand for the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), we investigated the role of TLR2 in the regulation of mFPR2. We found that a TLR2 agonist, peptidoglycan (PGN) derived from Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, induced considerable mFpr2 mRNA expression in a mouse microglial cell line and primary microglial cells. This was associated with a markedly increased chemotaxis of the cells in response to mFPR2 agonist peptides. In addition, activation of TLR2 markedly enhanced mFPR2-mediated uptake of Abeta42 by microglia. Studies of the mechanistic basis showed that PGN activates MAPK and IkappaBalpha, and the effect of PGN on induction of mFPR2 was dependent on signaling pathways via ERK1/2 and p38 MAPKs. The use of TLR2 on microglial cells by PGN was supported by the fact that N9 cells transfected with short interfering RNA targeting mouse TLR2 failed to show increased expression of functional mFPR2 after stimulation with PGN. Our results demonstrated a potentially important role for TLR2 in microglial cells of promoting cell responses to chemoattractants produced in lesions of inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases in the brain.
Activation of G proteins mediates flow-induced prostaglandin E2 production in osteoblasts

Interstitial fluid flow may play a role in load-induced bone remodeling. Previously, we have shown that fluid flow stimulates osteoblast production of cAMP inositol trisphosphate (IP3), and PGE2. Flow-induced increases in cAMP and IP3 were shown to be a result of PG production. Thus, PGE2 production appears to be an important component in fluid flow induced signal transduction. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of flow-induced PGE2 synthesis. Flow-induced a 20-fold increase in PGE2 production in osteoblasts. Increases were also observed with ALF4-(10mM) (98-fold), an activator of guanidine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins), and calcium ionophore A23187 (2 microM) (100-fold) in stationary cells. We then investigated whether flow stimulation is mediated by G proteins and increases in intracellular calcium. Flow-induced PGE2 production was inhibited by the G protein inhibitors GDP beta S (100 microM) and pertussis toxin (1 microgram/ml) by 83% and 72%, respectively. Chelation of extracellular calcium by EGTA (2 mM) and intracellular calcium by quin-2/AM (30 microM) blocked flow stimulation by 87% and 67%, respectively. These results suggest that G proteins and calcium play an important role in mediating mechanochemical signal transduction in osteoblasts.
Zinc Concentration in Normal and Healing Gingival Tissues in Beagle Dogs

Previous studies have shown that the administration of zinc (Zn) may enhance the healing of gingival and other wounds. This study was undertaken to determine if Zn concentration ([Zn]) is increased in healing gingival tissues and if oral supplementation of Zn would result in a local increase in [Zn] within these tissues. On Day 0, biopsies were obtained from the maxillary left buccal gingiva of each of 10 beagle dogs. Gingival biopsies were taken from the healing original biopsy sites on Day 14. On Day 15, oral supplementation of Zn gluconate (250 mg/day, equivalent to 32.5 mg of elemental Zn) was begun in seven dogs. Three dogs remained as unsupplemented controls. Two weeks later (Day 28), normal gingival biopsies were obtained from the right side of the maxilla and on Day 42 final biopsies were taken from the same healing sites. In addition, serum samples were obtained on Days 0, 14, 28 and 42. All samples were analyzed for Zn content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The [Zn] of healing tissue...
Ellipsometric approach for the real-time detection of label-free protein adsorption by second harmonic generation.

Second harmonic generation (SHG) was performed using a novel ellipsometric detection approach to selectively probe the real-time surface binding kinetics of an unlabeled protein. The coherence of n...
THE NUMERICAL LAWS GOVERNING THE RATE OF EXCRETION OF UREA AND CHLORIDES IN MAN : I. AN INDEX OF UREA EXCRETION AND THE NORMAL EXCRETION OF UREA AND CHLORIDES.

1. The excretion of urea and of chlorides in the normal individual is carried out according to definite laws, capable of numerical expression. 2. The rate of excretion of urea and of sodium chloride is determined by the concentration in the blood, the rate of water output, and indirectly by the weight of the individual. 3. The threshold of sodium chloride excretion is practically constant at about 5.62 grams of sodium chloride per liter of plasma. Slight variations in the threshold occur in normal individuals. 4. The rate of excretion of urea under the conditions found at any time can be measured directly in terms of the normal by an index of urea excretion.
Repeated Exposure to the Abused Inhalant Toluene Alters Levels of Neurotransmitters and Generates Peroxynitrite in Nigrostriatal and Mesolimbic Nuclei in Rat

Toluene, a volatile hydrocarbon found in a variety of chemical compounds, is misused and abused by inhalation for its euphorigenic effects. Toluene's reinforcing properties may share a common characteristic with other drugs of abuse, namely, activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system. Prior studies in our laboratory found that acutely inhaled toluene activated midbrain dopamine neurons in the rat. Moreover, single systemic injections of toluene in rats produced a dose-dependent increase in locomotor activity which was blocked by depletion of nucleus accumbens dopamine or by pretreatment with a D2 dopamine receptor antagonist. Here we examined the effects of seven daily intraperitoneal injections of 600 mg/kg toluene on the content of serotonin and dopamine in the caudate nucleus (CN) and nucleus accumbens (NAC), substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area at 2, 4, and 24 h after the last injection. Also, the roles of nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, and the production of 3-nitrosotyrosine (3-NT), in the CN and NAC were assessed at the same time points. Toluene treatments increased dopamine levels in the CN and NAC, and serotonin levels in CN, NAC, and ventral tegmental area. Measurements of the dopamine metabolite dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) further suggested a change in transmitter utilization in CN and NAC. Lastly, 3-NT levels also showed a differential change between CN and NAC, but at different time points post-toluene injection. These results point out the complexity of action of toluene on neurotransmitter function following a course of chronic exposure. Changes in the production of 3-NT also suggest that toluene-induced neurotoxicity may mediate via generation of peroxynitrite.
Derepression of HMGA2 via Removal of ZBRK1/BRCA1/CtIP Complex Enhances Mammary Tumorigenesis

The high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2), a DNA architectural protein, is highly regulated during development and plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Indeed, HMGA2 was overexpressed in many different kinds of tumors. However, the mechanisms regulating HMGA2 expression remain elusive. Using microarray analysis, we found that HMGA2, along with a dozen of other genes, was co-repressed by ZBRK1, BRCA1, and CtIP. BRCA1 exerts its transcriptional repression activity through interaction with the transcriptional repressor ZBRK1 in the central domain, and with CtIP in the C-terminal BRCT domain. Here, we show that ZBRK1, BRCA1, and CtIP form a repression complex that coordinately regulates HMGA2 expression via a ZBRK1 recognition site in the HMGA2 promoter. Depletion of any of the proteins in this complex via adenoviral RNA interference in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells activates HMGA2 expression, resulting in increased colony formation in soft agar. Similarly, depletion of ZBRK1, or ectopic overexpression of HMGA2, in MCF10A cells induces abnormal acinar size with increased cell number and inhibits normal acinar formation. Consistently, many BRCA1-deficient mouse breast tumors express higher levels of HMGA2 than BRCA1-proficient tumors. These results suggest that activation of HMGA2 gene expression through derepression of the ZBRK1/BRCA1/CtIP complex is a significant step in accelerating breast tumorigenesis.
Gender differences in the enhanced vulnerability of BDNF+/- mice to mild stress.

Two mild stress paradigms were used in the present study: acute (i.e. three injections of saline over 24 h) and subchronic (i.e. single daily injection of saline for 7 d). These mild stress procedures did not alter the behaviour of wild-type mice in the forced swim test. However, male BDNF +/- mice exhibited increased immobility in the forced swim test after mild stress. This genotypic difference in stress responsivity was also evident in plasma corticosterone levels after a single injection of saline. The behaviour of female mice of either genotype was not altered by mild stress, and there was no genotypic difference in the corticosterone response of female mice to a single saline injection. Male BDNF +/- mice should be a useful model in which to examine behavioural and neurochemical consequences of interactions among genetic and environmental factors implicated in stress-related affective disorders, such as major depression.
The Digital Hadrian's Villa Project: Using virtual worlds to control suspected solar alignments

This paper discusses how the Digital Hadrian's Villa Project has used virtual world technology to control the validity of a claimed alignment between the sun's position at sunset on the summer solstice during the reign of Hadrian (117–138 CE) and the tower structure at Hadrian's Villa known as Roccabruna. The conclusion is reached that virtual world technology is usefully applied in investigations of this kind.