cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
City differences in racial occupational differentiation: A note on the use of odds ratios

This note considers whether city differences in racial occupational distribution are best investigated using measures of nominal differentiation or measures of inequality, and argues that measures of inequality are better suited for testing the prevailing theories of race differences in occupation distribution. It also defends the Index of Net Difference and the Index of Dissimilarity (and other measures of inequality used in previous research) from the criticism that they are flawed because they are sensitive to city differences in occupational structure. Additionally, it explores a new approach for investigating city differences in occupational inequality within the log-linear framework. The logical and empirical arguments offered support the conclusions that racial occupation differences reflect racial stratification, and that variation in racial occupation differences across cities is best understood as the product of city differences in the severity of racial stratification. Thus, future research in this area should continue to focus on measures of inequality rather than measures of nominal differentiation until there are sound theoretical and empirical reasons for conceptualizing race differences in occupational distribution in terms of nominal differentiation.
Utility customer segmentation based on smart meter data: Empirical study

We develop statistical techniques for analyzing the energy information in the 15-min and daily household electricity consumption data. The results provide a good understanding of how usage is affected by environmental, structural and customer features. The analytics yield productive results for a small region, and perform well in other areas and in different seasons. These are versatile tools for identifying specific lifestyle and defining customer segments that can yield measurable results and high returns for energy programs. The data analytics also explore the changes in statistical properties of individual versus aggregated data when customers are clustered.
Factors influencing the structure and maintenance of fish schools

Abstract We explored the factors that contribute to fish school formation and maintenance using a series of computer simulation experiments. The factors we examined were mostly social, and included the functional form of attraction to – and repulsion from – neighbors, alignment with neighbors, regions of no social force (“neutral zones”), scaling of neighbor influence, random noise, and frictional drag. For each experiment, we compared the results from changing one factor with those of a “base case” that included a neutral zone 1 body length wide, linear attraction and repulsion forces, no alignment force, no scaling of neighbor influence, medium randomness, and no friction drag. We computed eight schooling metrics, two at the individual level (curvature and nearest-neighbor distance), four at the group level (group speed, polarity, group size, and expanse), and two at the population level (percent of stragglers and collision rate). For the parameter space we examined, all factors except random noise were important in determining the emergent properties of the group, as characterized by our schooling metrics. In some cases, schooling behavior was affected strongly by the presence or absence of a factor, but not to the value of the factor (e.g., drag) or its functional form (e.g., alignment force). In other cases, the results depended entirely on the functional form of the factor (e.g., attraction–repulsion; neighbor scaling). Our results indicate that a steep repulsion function is necessary to prevent collisions, and that this function must respond to local density. Second, a neutral zone must exist in which neither attraction nor repulsion operate. Third, to obtain polarity, there must be a modest alignment impulse, strong enough to induce polarity in the group, but weak enough to allow individual non-conformity. Fourth, the number and weighting of influential neighbors is crucially important in maintaining school structure. Fifth, the speed of motion is clearly important, leading to strong differences in school packing, individual path curvature, and polarization, between rapidly moving (with no drag present) and slow-moving (with high drag present) groups. Finally, individuality or non-conformity to group behavior, which most authors represent by randomness, likely plays a role in determining schooling behavior, although it was not a strong factor in our model. Each of these factors is important in determining the local interactions that give rise to emergent properties in fish schools.
Functional expression of an arachnid sodium channel reveals residues responsible for tetrodotoxin resistance in invertebrate sodium channels.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent blocker of voltage-gated sodium channels, but not all sodium channels are equally sensitive to inhibition by TTX. The molecular basis of differential TTX sensitivity of mammalian sodium channels has been largely elucidated. In contrast, our knowledge about the sensitivity of invertebrate sodium channels to TTX remains poor, in part because of limited success in functional expression of these channels. In this study, we report the functional characterization in Xenopus oocytes of the first non-insect, invertebrate voltage-gated sodium channel from the varroa mite (Varroa destructor), an ecto-parasite of the honeybee. This arachnid sodium channel activates and inactivates rapidly with half-maximal activation at −18 mV and half-maximal fast inactivation at −29 mV. Interestingly, this arachnid channel showed surprising TTX resistance. TTX blocked this channel with an IC50 of 1 μm. Subsequent site-directed mutagenesis revealed two residues, Thr-1674 and Ser-1967, in the pore-forming region of domains III and IV, respectively, which were responsible for the observed resistance to inhibition by TTX. Furthermore, sequence comparison and additional amino acid substitutions suggested that sequence polymorphisms at these two positions could be a widespread mechanism for modulating TTX sensitivity of sodium channels in diverse invertebrates.
A study of the variation of urban mixed layer heights

Abstract The AERMET model is used to estimate hourly mixing heights during the Joint URBAN (2003) experiment in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. AERMET is a simple 2-D model that requires only routine meteorological observations and an early morning atmospheric sounding to estimate convective boundary layer (CBL) growth. Estimated mixing heights are compared with observed mixing heights measured during Joint URBAN 2003. Observed CBL heights are derived from profiler data using a peak signal-to-noise ratio method. The method of deriving mixing heights from profiler data is validated using daily atmospheric sounding data. Estimated mixing heights using AERMET show good agreement with observations on days of varying temperature and cloud cover. AERMET was able to estimate the rapid boundary layer growth observed in the late morning and early afternoon hours during highly convective conditions. CBL heights of over 3000 m are observed in sounding data during the late afternoon. Estimated CBL heights of over 3000 m during the late afternoon agreed well with observations from the sounding and profiler data.
Feeling the Sense of Community in Social Networking Usage

In recent years, social networking systems have become quite popular, and have been established for a variety of purposes. However, it is still not well understood if sense of community (SOC) contributes to an individual user's continued usage of these systems. This paper presents a theoretical model combining key constructs from the SOC framework and the information systems usage/success models to evaluate social networking usage. We surveyed users from popular social networking sites to test the validity of the research model. Our results indicate that while user satisfaction is still the most salient determinant for system usage, SOC also plays a significant role in the user's online social interaction process. Besides its direct influence on usage, SOC also indirectly influences usage through user satisfaction. In addition, we show that SOC is a multidimensional construct that should be measured using several components. We also demonstrate that the quality of the information contained in the communities has a significant impact on SOC, but system quality does not seem to influence it. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.
Neonatal seizures in the era of therapeutic hypothermia Keeping it cool

The neonatal brain is potentially wired for seizures based on the timing and severity of disease states in the context of vulnerabilities of the immature brain.1 Seizures in neonates are often the presenting sign of potential brain injury from multiple etiologies, including asphyxia or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Seizures may also result from diverse causes of neonatal encephalopathy, with those in the neonatal period portending a worse neurodevelopmental prognosis if associated with damage to the developing brain.2 The diagnosis of seizures in the neonatal population, however, can be challenging. Seizures are often subtle; they may be associated with autonomic symptoms or fail to display clinical manifestations coincident with electrographic seizures.3
Tort reform: a substantive change.

"No longer is the decisive question whether the party sued--the defendant--negligently harmed someone. The question now centers on how much the plaintiff ought to be compensated for injuries". "The underlying problem here is not an epidemic of incompetence among doctors. It is an epidemic of grossly unrealistic expectations of what doctors can do--encouraged, unfortunately, by courts which should known better. People have come to believe that doctors should never make mistakes and courts have reinforced this absurd requirement of infallibility by punishing breaches with settlements way out of proportion to actual damages". "Personal-injury awards, especially jury awards, are out of touch with reality. They are often based on estimates of how much money the defendants have rather than whether they are at fault".
Adapting tailored intervention message libraries for new populations

This paper demonstrates that a message library – the computer‐tailored intervention component that contains all potential versions of tailored content – can be adapted for use in a new setting at reasonable cost and effort. A message library developed for one population was adapted to enable its use with a second population in a different geographic region. Concludes that adapting message libraries for new populations need not be a barrier to disseminating tailored interventions and designing message libraries with dissemination in mind creates tailored interventions that can be adapted for use with different populations.
To integrate or not to integrate: factors affecting the adoption of virtual integration strategy in organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine the major determinants for adopting virtual integration strategy in organizations. The article also addresses the competitive implications of adopting virtual integration strategy.Design/methodology/approach – The article proposes a theoretical model that shows the major internal as well as external factors for adopting virtual integration strategy. In addition, the article presents real‐world applications of this strategy to explain the adoption process.Findings – Virtual integration is a viable strategy in industries characterized by rapid product innovations and a high degree of competition. Virtual integration enables information technology driven supply chain coordination.Research limitations/implications – Future research efforts in this area should focus on testing empirically the proposed relationships between adopting a virtual integration strategy and firm performance using different industry categories.Practical implications – Executives in a ...
Redistricting, region and representation

Abstract A quarter century after Baker v. Carr , a new chapter in the ‘reapportionment revolution’ has opened now that Davis v. Bandemer has ruled that partisan political gerrymandering is justiciable. This article reviews the various criteria that have been used or proposed for redistricting or its evaluation, and in particular develops theoretical arguments for the criterion of respect for community of interest, on grounds of the nature of representation in America. Characteristics of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ districting are presented, as are tests or measures and possible standards for evaluating the quality of districting.
Hunters or Hunted? Towards a History of the Okiek of Kenya*

In the historiography of east Africa, hunter-gatherers have been given occasional mention almost since the beginning of European contacts with the interior. Early European travelers, hunters, and colonial administrators all took note of the ubiquitous “Dorobo,” as these hunters have come to be known in the literature. Furthermore, oral tradition collections from among east Africa's food-producing populations generally recall an earlier hunter-gatherer community who are said to have “disappeared,” “gone underground,” or were “driven away.”Recent scholarship has attempted to look at these hunter groups in economic terms: (1) as a stage of economic development before achieving a “higher” level of production; (2) as a retrograde step from a food-producing economy; or (3) simply as a mode of production. But east Africa's hunter-gatherers remain inadequately dealt with in historical literature, primarily because they have usually been ignored by researchers but also because of their neighbors' and the academic community's prejudicial or misconceived notions about them.To begin, some of the literature concerning these people will be selectively surveyed to see how ideas about them have developed. Next an attempt will be made to identify and delineate properly the various groups of hunter-gatherers living in East Africa today and in the recent past. Finally, the largest remaining community of hunter-gatherers, those living in the western highlands of Kenya who usually call themselves “Okiek,” will be looked at more closely in an attempt to advance the discussion of hunter-gatherers in general by presenting some observations concerning their socio-economic history.
Electron transfer reactions in photosystem I following vitamin K1 depletion by ultraviolet irradiation.

Abstract Photosystem I preparations were irradiated with UV to destroy vitamin K1 in situ. The depletion of vitamin K1 resulted in inactivation of NADP+ photoreduction and introduction of a ∼220 ms component in the flash generated P700+ re-reduction at room temperature. The photoreduction of the terminal FeS centers FA and FB in control and vitamin K1-depleted preparations at 7 K were comparable. The data confirm that vitamin K1 is functionally implicated in primary electron transfer reactions in PS I at physiological temperature, and that the anomalous results at cryogenic temperature may be explicable in terms of a by-pass of the vitamin K1 acceptor site or heterogeneity introduced into the photosystem by quinone removal.
Relationship between pheromone titer and mating in Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lep., Noctuidae)

Sex pheromone glands of Heliothis virescens contained pheromone at all times during scotophase, and levels peaked between 27 and 33, 51 and 57, 75 and 81, and 99 and 105 hours after emergence. These periods occurred between the 4th and 10th hours of scotophase. Peak mating in females corresponded to the pheromone peaks. Proportions of the pheromone components as well as quantity influenced mating. Components of the pheromone that were significantly correlated with mating were (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-9-tetradecenal, hexadecanal, (Z)-11-hexadecenol, and tetradecanal. Zusammenfassung Zur Beziehung zwischen Pheromontiter und Paarung bei Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lep., Noctuidae) Wahrend der gesamten Scotophase enthielten die Sexualpheromondrusen von Heliothis virescens Pheromon, wobei Spitzenwerte in den Zeitraumen von 27–33, 51–57, 75–81 und 99–105 Stunden nach dem Schlupfen auftraten. Diese Zeitraume lagen zwischen der 4. und 10. Stunde der Scotophase. Die Paarungshaufigkeit der Weibchen korrelierte mit den Spitzenwerten der Pheromonausscheidung. Folgende Pheromonkomponenten korrelieren signifikant mit der Paarung: (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-9-tetradecepal, hexadecanal, (Z)-11-hexadecenol und tetradecanal.
Quasar-galaxy correlations: A detection of magnification bias

Weak gravitational lensing by clusters and superclusters can change our perception of the distribution of bright background quasars through the phenomenon of magnification bias. It has been suggested that this lensing will lead to an association of moderate-redshift quasars (z ~ 1.0–2.0) and foreground galaxies (z ~ 0.2–0.3). We report on the analysis of a sample of 90 CCD fields centered on moderate-redshift quasars that are bright at both radio (S5 GHz > 1 Jy) and optical (V < 21.0) wavelengths, along with 12 control fields. The quasars presented here are chosen to have the highest potential for evidence of this weak lensing effect. We find no evidence for the presence of rich galaxy clusters (Abell richness class 1) in the foreground of these fields. However, using a Spearman rank-order correlation test, we detect a correlation between galaxy number density and angular distance from bright quasars on scales of ~15' with a significance of 96%. The observed correlation is unlikely the result of Galactic dust and is consistent with weak gravitational lensing of the quasars by foreground matter. We also determine the two-point angular correlation function between these background quasars and foreground galaxies. We find a correlation amplitude of 0.056 ± 0.020 over scales of ~5'. This angular correlation is consistent with the semianalytic weak gravitational lensing models of Dolag & Bartelmann (published in 1997), which incorporate nonlinear evolution of mass clustering.
Clinical and microbiological responses of volunteers to combined intranasal and oral inoculation with a Streptococcus gordonii carrier strain intended for future use as a group A streptococcus vaccine

Streptococcus gordonii shows promise as a live mucosal vaccine vector for immunization against respiratory pathogens. In preparation for clinical trials to evaluate S. gordonii engineered to express group A streptococcal M protein antigens, we characterized the responses of 150 healthy volunteers to combined nasal and oral inoculation with approximately 1.5 x 10(9) CFU of SP204(1-1), an S. gordonii strain not bearing vaccine antigens. SP204(1-1) was selected for resistance to streptomycin and 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine to distinguish it from indigenous flora. In two antibiotic treatment studies, we performed serial culturing of nose, mouth, and saliva samples from 120 subjects treated with azithromycin beginning 5 days after inoculation to determine whether SP204(1-1) could be rapidly eliminated should safety concerns arise. A natural history study was performed to assess the time until spontaneous eradication in the remaining 30 subjects, who did not receive the antibiotic and who were monitored with repeated culturing for 14 weeks after inoculation. SP204(1-1) was generally well tolerated. Symptoms reported most often within 5 days of inoculation were nasal congestion (36%), headache (30%), and sore throat (19%). The strain was detected by culturing in 98% of subjects. A single dose of azithromycin eliminated colonization in 95% of subjects; all subjects receiving a 5-day course of an antibiotic showed clearance by day 11. Without the antibiotic, 82% of subjects showed spontaneous eradication of the implanted strain within 7 days, and all showed clearance by 35 days. The results of these clinical trials provide encouragement that the use of S. gordonii as a live mucosal vaccine vector is a feasible strategy.
Stimulus-secretion coupling in porcine adrenal chromaffin cells: acute effects of glucocorticoids.

Recent studies from this laboratory have established that long-term exposure (48 hr) to glucocorticoids can modulate voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel activity and subsequent intracellular Ca(2+) transients in porcine adrenal medullary chromaffin (PAMC) cells maintained in primary culture. Consistent with many steroid hormone-mediated responses, this chronic effect of glucocorticoids probably involves increased gene expression and protein synthesis. However, there is now considerable evidence to suggest that steroids can also elicit acute, non-genomic effects. The aim of the present study was to determine whether acute exposure to glucocorticoids also affects nicotinic receptor-dependent catecholamine (CAT) secretion and Ca(2+) signaling in PAMC cells. Acute exposure to dexamethasone (DEX) dose-dependently attenuated the degree of nicotine (NIC)-induced CAT secretion, as well as the amplitude of NIC-induced intracellular Ca(2+) transients. Significant inhibition of CAT secretion occurred immediately upon addition of DEX, reached maximal levels within 5 min of exposure to DEX, and was rapidly reversible after steroid washout. The endogenous porcine glucocorticoid cortisol elicited similar effects. In contrast, DEX had no significant effect on KCl-induced CAT secretion or intracellular Ca(2+) transients. These data demonstrate that acute exposure to glucocorticoids can modulate stimulus-secretion coupling in PAMC cells and suggest that the primary site of action is the nicotinic receptor.
Career Development and Specific Human Capital Collection

Abstract This paper is concerned with how firms provide workers with incentives to collect firm specific human capital when the skills collected cannot be contracted upon and where the worker is repaid for collecting skills by promotion. I consider two scenarios: (i) where the firm has private information on the worker's promotion prospects, and (ii) where there is symmetric uncertainty about the worker's promotion prospects. I show that the resolution to this incentive problem results in models of career development similar to those seen in Japan and the United States. I also discuss how differences in production methods and the role of an external labor market may help to explain observed differences in career development in Japan and the United States.
Stress Exacerbates Age-Related Decrements in the Immune Response to an Experimental Influenza Viral Infection

To test the hypothesis that stress exacerbates immune decrements associated with aging, the impact of restraint stress on immunosenescence was assessed using an experimental model of influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 viral infection. Beginning one day prior to infection, male C57BL/6 mice, 3 and 22 months of age, were subjected nightly to 12 hours of restraint stress. In both age groups, restraint induced a comparable increase in serum corticosterone levels. However, in contrast to the 3-month-old controls, serum corticosterone levels in 22-month-old mice returned to baseline slower after removal of the stressor. The characteristic influenza-driven increase in cellularity of the lung and draining lymph node was decreased by age and further suppressed by stress. Natural killer cell activity and virus-specific T helper cell function were also blunted by age and almost completely abrogated by stress. Furthermore, due to the weak immune response to viral infection, aged animals subjected to stress had a lower survival rate than age-matched controls.
Planung, Verrechnung und Kontrolle der Forschungs- und Entwicklungskosten in der Automobilindustrie

Der internationale Wettbewerb und die technische Entwicklung haben in der Automobilindustrie dazu gefuhrt, das die Lebenszyklen fur PKW nur noch etwa sieben Jahre und fur LKW etwa zehn Jahre betragen. Der vorgeschaltete Entwicklungszyklus hat eine Lange von etwa funf Jahren. In Abb. 1 ist der Entwicklungs- und Lebenszyklus fur einen PKW (wie bei VW etwa fur den Golf) dargestellt.
The Dilemmas of Male Consumption in Nineteenth-Century Argentina: Fashion, Consumerism, and Darwinism in Domingo Sarmiento and Juan B. Alberdi*

This article explores how the relationship between luxury, consumption and gender in Argentina changed in response to the introduction of Darwinian ideas. Ideas surrounding consumerism were transformed by the 1870s, influenced by a scientific revolution that gave new meaning to gender categories. The introduction of Darwinism at a time of extreme ideological confusion about how to organise the nation only enhanced the perceived dangers about how economic changes and the expansion of markets would affect elites' ability to govern. The article focuses specifically on changing perceptions of gender and consumerism between 1830 and 1880, paying particular attention to the work of two of the most important intellectuals of the Generacion del '37, Juan B. Alberdi and Domingo F. Sarmiento. By closely examining their reflections on the expansion of markets and accumulation of luxury goods, it reveals the nature of the cultural changes introduced by the Darwinian revolution.
Real vs. artefactual absences in species distributions: tests for Oryzomys albigularis (Rodentia: Muridae) in Venezuela

Aim Numerous geographical information system (GIS)-based techniques for estimating a species' potential geographical distribution now exist. While a species' potential distribution is more extensive than its documented range, the lack of records from some suitable regions may simply derive from inadequate sampling there. Using occurrence records of both the study species and the more inclusive overall target group, I propose a
Wives Without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900 – 1935 ‐ by Anna R. Igra

Wives Without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900 - 1935. Anna R. Igra. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. 2007. 175 pp. ISBN 0807857793. $19.95 (paper). Marriage promotion as welfare policy has been tried before - during the Progressive era - and with little success. The deadbeat dad of that era was the Jewish immigrant father, portrayed by reformers as an irresponsible employed man who wanted to spend money on his own pleasures rather than take care of his family. Anna Igra takes up the story of marriage promotion before joint federal and state programs existed, when the welfare system was largely faith-based and private. In 1911 wealthy and philanthropic Jewish men in New York City founded a legal aid society to locate deserting men, called the National Desertion Bureau (NDB). They went on to create a companion legal institution, domestic relations courts, which handled criminal cases of nonsupport, including complaints brought by the NDB. The book describes the social background of the complainants, the nature of antidesertion policies, and their effectiveness. The primary source material is 300 case files from among the 17,000 in the records of the National Desertion Bureau; most of the files were in English but some were in Yiddish. The style of research is qualitative, rather than quantitative, and a combination of social and cultural history. The letters and notes from the case files are largely used to make overall arguments about women's agency rather than helplessness, men's rebellion against the responsibilities of the breadwinner role, and the coerciveness of the National Desertion Bureau and the courts. But Igra also examines the case files for the way that social workers and lawyers constructed the category of the deserting husband (as a serf-indulgent and irresponsible creature of American consumer culture). The fundamental distinction of welfare policy at this time was between the widowed mother and the deserted wife. Widows were eligible for state-provided relief (called mother's pensions), but deserted wives could receive aid only if they cooperated with the National Desertion Bureau in finding and prosecuting a deserting husband. Reformers at the time argued that these distinctions were absolutely necessary to offset the allure of consumer culture for men. There was considerable conflict and violence in the marriages that resulted in desertion. At least a fifth, and probably more, of the deserted wives who applied to the National Desertion Bureau claimed that they were battered, but Igra insists that they were not simply helpless victims. The women had been struggling on their own or with the help of older children to support themselves and applied for relief- and were routed to the National Desertion Bureau - only as the last resort. The deserting husbands were Jewish immigrant men engaged in what Igra calls "the remaking of gender. …
Influences of linezolid, penicillin, and clindamycin, alone and in combination, on streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A release

An in vitro model was used to compare the effects of linezolid, clindamycin, and penicillin, alone and in combination, on streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SPE A) release against virulent group A streptococci (GAS). All regimens exhibited lower (P < 0.05) SPE A release at 1 h than those with penicillin alone. Linezolid and clindamycin, alone or in combination with penicillin, may optimize the treatment of GAS infections by reducing bacterial burden and exotoxin release.
Delay to first antipsychotic medication in schizophrenia: impact on symptomatology and clinical course of illness

Abstract The possible adverse clinical effects of untreated psychosis in schizophrenic patients, particularly early in the course of illness, have been a topic of considerable interest in recent years. We examined the timing of first administration of antipsychotic medication after the first onset of psychotic symptoms in 103 patients with DSM-III-R diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizo-affective disorder. Patients with a delay of one or more years between the onset of the first psychotic symptom and the initiation of antipsychotic treatment demonstrated more severe negative symptomatology on admission to hospital and more severe positive symptoms and negative symptoms at discharge. These effects were present in both first-admission patients, in whom the delay to treatment immediately preceded hospitalization and chronic patients with a history of multiple hospitalizations. Patients with one or more years of untreated psychosis prior to their first antipsychotic treatment displayed a more severe poverty syndrome at the time of admission and discharge and a more severe reality distortion syndrome at discharge from the index hospitalization. These findings were not related to age, premorbid functioning, duration of illness, first- vs multiple-episode status, or dosage of antipsychotic medication at time of admission or discharge assessment. Findings from the present study suggest that failure to initiate antipsychotic treatment early in the course of the illness may be associated with a recurrent pattern of poorer treatment response and more severe and persistent positive and negative symptomatology. These findings indicate the importance of early detection of illness and early initiation of antipsychotic treatment for the first psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia.
Religion, Media, and the Public Sphere

Religion, Media, and the Public Sphere. Birgit Meyer and Annelies Moors, eds. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2006. 325 pp.
A neurobehavioral model of affiliative bonding: Implications for conceptualizing a human trait of affiliation.

Because little is known about the human trait of affiliation, we provide a novel neurobehavioral model of affiliative bonding. Discussion is organized around processes of reward and memory formation that occur during approach and consummatory phases of affiliation. Appetitive and consummatory reward processes are mediated independently by the activity of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA)-nucleus accumbens shell (NAS) pathway and the central corticolimbic projections of the u-opiate system of the medial basal arcuate nucleus, respectively, although these two projection systems functionally interact across time. We next explicate the manner in which DA and glutamate interact in both the VTA and NAS to form incentive-encoded contextual memory ensembles that are predictive of reward derived from affiliative objects. Affiliative stimuli, in particular, are incorporated within contextual ensembles predictive of affiliative reward via: (a) the binding of affiliative stimuli in the rostral circuit of the medial extended amygdala and subsequent transmission to the NAS shell; (b) affiliative stimulus-induced opiate potentiation of DA processes in the VTA and NAS; and (c) permissive or facilitatory effects of gonadal steroids, oxytocin (in interaction with DA), and vasopressin on (i) sensory, perceptual, and attentional processing of affiliative stimuli and (ii) formation of social memories. Among these various processes, we propose that the capacity to experience affiliative reward via opiate functioning has a disproportionate weight in determining individual differences in affiliation. We delineate sources of these individual differences, and provide the first human data that support an association between opiate functioning and variation in trait affiliation.
When Is a Renewal Process Convexly Parameterized in Its Mean Parameterization

The convex (concave) parameterization of a generalized renewal process is considered in this paper. It is shown that if the interrenewal times have log concave distributions or have log concave survival functions (i.e., an increasing failure rate distribution), then the renewal process is convexly (concavely) parameterized in its mean parameterization.
Inosine incorporation into myocardial nucleotides.

Abstract Inosine and hypoxanthine, degradative products of adenine nucleotides are released and also taken up by the heart. In order to determine whether inosine can be incorporated into adenine nucleotides by direct phosphorylation or whether initial degradation to hypoxanthine is necessary, isolated guinea pig hearts were perfused with non-recirculating Krebs-Henseleit solution containing uniformly labeled inosine (0.004 μ m ) or 8-[14C]-hypoxanthine (0.01 μ m ). Enzymic hydrolysis of the adenine nucleotides from hearts perfused with inosine revealed that only the base moiety of the nucleosides was labeled, indicating that inosine was degraded to hypoxanthine prior to incorporation. Analysis of perfusates for labeled inosine and hypoxanthine indicated interconversion of these compounds by nucleoside phosphorylase which is known to be present in endothelial cells and pericytes. The reduction of the specific activity of inosine and hypoxanthine that passed through the coronary vascular bed was greater than could be accounted for by the unlabeled endogenous inosine and hypoxanthine released from the myocardium, and indicates exchange of the exogenous labeled compounds with the endogenous pool of inosine and hypoxanthine in the interstitial fluid and intracellular compartments.
Nuclear Export of the Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein pp65 Requires Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Activity and the Crm1 Exporter

We have previously shown that treatment of human cytomegalovirus-infected cells with the cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitor roscovitine has significant effects on several stages of the virus life cycle depending on the time of addition (V. Sanchez, A. K. McElroy, J. Yen, S. Tamrakar, C. L. Clark, R. A. Schwartz, and D. H. Spector, J. Virol. 78:11219-11232, 2004; V. Sanchez and D. Spector, J. Virol. 80:5886-5896, 2006). In this report, we add to these findings by demonstrating alterations in the phosphorylation and localization of pp65 (UL83) in cells treated with roscovitine. We observed that inhibition of cdk activity causes the retention of pp65 within the nucleus at late times postinfection. At the same time, we observed a change in the phosphorylation pattern of the protein. Interestingly, mutation of potential cdk phosphorylation sites did not affect the ability of pp65 to localize to the nucleus or to relocalize to the cytoplasm late in infection. However, we found that the cytoplasmic accumulation of pp65 late in infection was sensitive to the Crm1 inhibitor leptomycin B.
Substrate noise in mixed signal circuits: two case studies [CMOS]

There are many noise sources in integrated circuits that can affect sensitive analog nodes. The role of substrate noise is often glossed over since the designer 'knows' that guard rings and separation of the analog section from digital circuits should take care of the noise. However, with smaller geometries now being the norm, it is increasingly difficult to isolate analog nodes from noise induced on the substrate. Also, package economics have introduced other factors that weigh heavily against the analog designer. This paper explores two cases of noise induced on the substrate affecting operation of analog circuits.
Phosphorylation of γ-Tubulin Regulates Microtubule Organization in Budding Yeast

gamma-Tubulin is essential for microtubule nucleation in yeast and other organisms; whether this protein is regulated in vivo has not been explored. We show that the budding yeast gamma-tubulin (Tub4p) is phosphorylated in vivo. Hyperphosphorylated Tub4p isoforms are restricted to G1. A conserved tyrosine near the carboxy terminus (Tyr445) is required for phosphorylation in vivo. A point mutation, Tyr445 to Asp, causes cells to arrest prior to anaphase. The frequency of new microtubules appearing in the SPB region and the number of microtubules are increased in tub4-Y445D cells, suggesting this mutation promotes microtubule assembly. These data suggest that modification of gamma-tubulin is important for controlling microtubule number, thereby influencing microtubule organization and function during the yeast cell cycle.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exhibits Sliding Motility in the Absence of Type IV Pili and Flagella

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibits swarming motility on 0.5 to 1% agar plates in the presence of specific carbon and nitrogen sources. We have found that PAO1 double mutants expressing neither flagella nor type IV pili (fliC pilA) display sliding motility under the same conditions. Sliding motility was inhibited when type IV pilus expression was restored; like swarming motility, it also decreased in the absence of rhamnolipid surfactant production. Transposon insertions in gacA and gacS increased sliding motility and restored tendril formation to spreading colonies, while transposon insertions in retS abolished motility. These changes in motility were not accompanied by detectable changes in rhamnolipid surfactant production or by the appearance of bacterial surface structures that might power sliding motility. We propose that P. aeruginosa requires flagella during swarming to overcome adhesive interactions mediated by type IV pili. The apparent dependence of sliding motility on environmental cues and regulatory pathways that also affect swarming motility suggests that both forms of motility are influenced by similar cohesive factors that restrict translocation, as well as by dispersive factors that facilitate spreading. Studies of sliding motility may be particularly well-suited for identifying factors other than pili and flagella that affect community behaviors of P. aeruginosa.
Origins and widespread distribution of co-existing Polyploids in Arnica cordifolia (Asteraceae).

† Background and Aims Polyploidy is a central force structuring genetic diversity in angiosperms, but its ecological significance and modes of origin are not fully understood. This work investigated the patterns of coexistence and molecular relatedness of polyploids in the perennial herb, Arnica cordifolia. † Methods The local- and broad-scale distributions of cytotypes were analysed using flow cytometry. Samples were collected from both roadside and understorey habitats to test the hypothesis of niche separation between triploids and tetraploids. The nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and plastid rpl16 spacer, trnL intron plus trnL-trnF spacer and trnK 3’ intron regions were sequenced. † Key Results Broad-scale sampling established that both triploids and tetraploids were common throughout the range of the species, pentaploids were rare, and diploids were not found. Local-scale sampling revealed coexistence of both triploids and tetraploids within the majority of sites. Triploids and tetraploids were equally represented in the understorey and roadside habitat. Triploids were more variable than tetraploids, but both cytotypes shared polymorphisms in ITS. † Conclusions Coexistence of cytotypes appears to be the norm in A. cordifolia, but habitat differentiation (roadside vs. understorey) is not supported as a coexistence mechanism. Molecular analyses supported multiple events creating triploids but revealed a lack of variation in the tetraploids. Additionally, sequence polymorphisms in ITS suggested a hybridization event prior to polyploidization.
Preliminary crystallographic data for a leucine, isoleucine, valine-binding protein from Escherichia coli K12.

Single crystals of a leucine, isoleuoine, valine-binding protein, an essential component of the high affinity transport system for these amino acids in Escherichia coli K12, that are suitable for high resolution structural analysis have been obtained. The crystals belong to the space group P212121, unit cell dimensions: 40.1 A × 71.2 A × 115.9 A. The asymmetric unit contains one binding protein molecule of 36,000 molecular weight.
Invasive Procedures in Multifetal Pregnancies

This review discusses the various invasive techniques currently performed in multiple pregnancies.
Influence of experimental snow removal on root and canopy physiology of sugar maple trees in a northern hardwood forest

Due to projected increases in winter air temperatures in the northeastern USA over the next 100 years, the snowpack is expected to decrease in depth and duration, thereby increasing soil exposure to freezing air temperatures. To evaluate the potential physiological responses of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to a reduced snowpack, we measured root injury, foliar cation and carbohydrate concentrations, woody shoot carbohydrate levels, and terminal woody shoot lengths of trees in a snow manipulation experiment in New Hampshire, USA. Snow was removed from treatment plots for the first 6 weeks of winter for two consecutive years, resulting in lower soil temperatures to a depth of 50 cm for both winters compared to reference plots with an undisturbed snowpack. Visibly uninjured roots from trees in the snow removal plots had significantly higher (but sub-lethal) levels of relative electrolyte leakage than trees in the reference plots. Foliar calcium: aluminum (Al) molar ratios were significantly lower, and Al concentrations were significantly higher, in trees from snow removal plots than trees from reference plots. Snow removal also reduced terminal shoot growth and increased foliar starch concentrations. Our results are consistent with previous research implicating soil freezing as a cause of soil acidification that leads to soil cation imbalances, but are the first to show that this translates into altered foliar cation pools, and changes in soluble and structural carbon pools in trees. Increased soil freezing due to a reduced snowpack could exacerbate soil cation imbalances already caused by acidic deposition, and have widespread implications for forest health in the northeastern USA.
Mapping the Chromatin State Dynamics in Myoblasts.

Abstract Background Genome-wide mapping reveals chromatin landscapes unique to cell states. Histone marks of regulatory genes involved in cell specification and organ development provide a powerful tool to map regulatory sequences. H3K4me3 marks promoter regions; H3K27me3 marks repressed regions, and Pol II presence indicates active transcription. The presence of both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 characterize poised sequences, a common characteristic of genes involved in pattern formation during organogenesis. Results We used genome-wide profiling for H3K27me3, H3K4me3, and Pol II to map chromatin states in mouse embryonic day 12 forelimbs in wild type (control) and Pitx2 -null mutant mice. We compared these data with previous gene expression studies from forelimb Lbx1 + migratory myoblasts and correlated Pitx2 -dependent expression profiles and chromatin states. During forelimb development, several lineages including myoblast, osteoblast, neurons, angioblasts, etc., require synchronized growth to form a functional limb. We identified 125 genes in the developing forelimb that are Pitx2 -dependent. Genes involved in muscle specification and cytoskeleton architecture were positively regulated, while genes involved in axonal path finding were poised. Conclusion Our results have established histone modification profiles as a useful tool for identifying gene regulatory states in muscle development, and identified the role of Pitx2 in extending the time of myoblast progression, promoting formation of sarcomeric structures, and suppressing attachment of neuronal axons.
Detection of surface carbon and hydrocarbons in hot spot regions of niobium superconducting rf cavities by Raman spectroscopy

Raman microscopy/spectroscopy measurements are presented on high purity niobium (Nb) samples, including pieces from hot spot regions of a tested superconducting rf cavity that exhibit a high density of etch pits. Measured spectra are compared with density functional theory calculations of Raman-active, vibrational modes of possible surface Nb-O and Nb-H complexes. The Raman spectra inside particularly rough pits in all Nb samples show clear differences from surrounding areas, exhibiting enhanced intensity and sharp peaks. While some of the sharp peaks are consistent with calculated NbH and ${\mathrm{NbH}}_{2}$ modes, there is better overall agreement with C-H modes in chain-type hydrocarbons. Other spectra reveal two broader peaks attributed to amorphous carbon. Niobium foils annealed to $g2000\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ in high vacuum develop identical Raman peaks when subjected to cold working. Regions with enhanced C and O have also been found by SEM/EDX spectroscopy in the hot spot samples and cold-worked foils, corroborating the Raman results. Such regions with high concentrations of impurities are expected to suppress the local superconductivity and this may explain the correlation between hot spots in superconducting rf (SRF) cavities and the observation of a high density of surface pits. The origin of localized high carbon and hydrocarbon regions is unclear at present but it is suggested that particular processing steps in SRF cavity fabrication may be responsible.