cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seasonal and altitudinal effects on glucocorticoid metabolites in a wild primate (Theropithecus gelada).

Abstract Behavioral ecologists are increasingly adopting sophisticated non-invasive methods for measuring glucocorticoids from “excreta” because samples are easy to collect, animals are left undisturbed, and measures may be more reflective of external events than serum samples. Some of the most common predictors for hormone profiles in wild animals are seasonal changes in ecology and behavior. For example, we might expect baseline glucocorticoid levels to track changes in food availability or other seasonal stressors such as unusually high or low temperatures. Geladas ( Theropithecus gelada ) are one of the few non-human primates that live at extremely high altitudes where nighttime temperatures often dip below freezing. However, the physiological effects of this relatively inhospitable environment have never been examined in this species. Here we validate a “field-friendly” method of hormone extraction from gelada feces and demonstrate that this method can be used to detect seasonal and altitudinal differences in glucocorticoid metabolites for this species. We use two years of climatological and hormonal data from a wild population of geladas to test the hypothesis that geladas exhibit elevated glucocorticoids under environmentally “challenging” conditions — mainly, when temperatures and rainfall are low and altitude is high. Our results indicate that cold temperatures and high altitude predicted elevated glucocorticoids, but low rainfall did not. Therefore, we suggest a metabolic hypothesis (as opposed to a nutritional hypothesis) to explain this result. However, at the present time, we cannot rule out a behavioral stress hypothesis.
Penetration resistance: PKR's other talent.

In this issue of Immunity, Irving et al. (2012) show that protein kinase R (PKR) regulates the cytoskeleton via an interaction with gelsolin. This alternative role for PKR prevents penetration of virions into the cell.
A Magnetohydrodynamic Power Panel for Space Reentry Vehicles

During reentry from space, a layer of high temperature air (>3000 K) is formed extending tens of centimeters from the surface of the vehicle, well out into the high speed flow regime. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) can then be used to generate power by projecting magnetic fields outside the vehicle into the conducting air stream and collecting the resulting current. Here, we analyze a multifunctional MHD panel which generates the requisite magnetic fields, protects the vehicle from high temperatures, and is structurally stiff and strong. The analysis shows that a magnetic system weighing approximately 110 kg can generate 0.6 MW of power for 1000 s.
A note on the upper boundary conditions for turbulence models in the neutral atmosphere

In the modelling of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer, some knowledge is generally required of the turbulence quantities themselves, as well as their effect on the mean flow. For such applications, it is therefore necessary that the details of the modelling are consistent with the boundary conditions assumed. This note gives an indication of the way in which the turbulence quantities will decay near the outer edge of the boundary layer in order that all the appropriate equations and conditions should be satisfied.
The Kuroshio in the East China Sea

Observations of the hydrography and water movements in the East China Sea in areas where the bottom topography interferes with the Kuroshio indicate a vigorous exchange between the Kuroshio and a continental shelf water mass that is relatively cool and fresh. South of about 28°N, the Kuroshio runs into the continental shelf and is uplifted. The resulting onshore intrusion of the Kuroshio is compensated by an offshore flow in the surface layer of continental shelf water which is a part of the horizontal circulation created in part by the intrusion itself. North of about 28°N, the blocking of the Kyushu coastal topography forces a turn of the Kuroshio to the east and a separation of part of the Kuroshio flow on the left-hand side. The separation gives rise to the Tsushima Current and appears confirmed by recently obtained trajectories of World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) surface drifters. Thus, the surface layer flow along the East China Sea continental margin along which the Kuroshio flows is marked by a convergence in the southern stretches and a divergence in the north. Further confirmation of this surface flow characteristics is found in a high-resolution numerical model of the Kuroshio flow-through. Based upon the model output, the exchange due to these cross-margin flows amounts to a 7% loss in heat and salt to the Kuroshio and a gain of freshwater by the Kuroshio at the rate of about 1.0 Sv.
Isolation and partial characterization of amphibian tyrosine oxidase

Abstract 1. 1. A family of four enzymic variants each of which oxidizes tyrosine, 3, 4 dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) and 3, 4 dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine) has been resolved and purified from frog ( Rana pipiens ) skins by precipitation with ammonium sulfate and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and ‘celite’. An oxidase for phenyl alanine has been partially purified. 2. 2. Values of K m , pH optima, metal dependencies, tissue distribution and intermediate metabolite effects on enzymic efficiency are reported and an amino acid composition is supplied for one protein. 3. 3. Electrophoretic and immunological comparisons of the several enzymes are included.
Repeated intraportal injections of subtherapeutic islet cell isografts restore normoglycemia in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Poor engraftment and consequent loss of β-cell mass could be one of the factors that are responsible for function loss after intraportal islet transplantation (Tx). Streptozotocin-diabetic rats were transplanted with syngeneic islets, which were injected into the portal vein via an indwelling catheter connected to a subcutaneous port. In Group I (n = 6), 1,000 islets were injected in a single dose into the liver. In Group II (n = 6), five doses of 200 islets were repeatedly injected over a period of 14 days, for a total of 1,000 islets. In Group III (n = 4), five decreasing doses of islets were injected over a period of 14 days, for a total of 750 islets. Nonfasting blood glucose (n-FBG) and body weight (b.wt.) were determined twice a week and an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed at 30 and 90 days. In Group I, n-FBG decreased in 2 wk from the time of first islet injection, averaging 110 ± 21.9 mg/dL at 1 mo (p < 0.05 vs. normal controls); this value was maintained throughout the 3-mo duration of the study. In Group II, n-FBG was normalized in 2 wk averaging 90.2 ± 25 mg/dL on day 12 (p = NS vs. normal controls) and 75.8 ± 14.6 mg/dL at 1 month (p = NS vs. normal controls); this value was maintained throughout the 3-mo duration of the study. In Group III, n-FBG decreased to normal values in 2 wk, averaging 77 ± 15.7 mg/dL at 1 mo (p = NS vs. normal controls), but normoglycemia was maintained for 40 days and then followed by a progressive increase. Only in Group II, KG (percent/min decline in glucose level) was not significantly different from that of normal controls (1.702 ± 0.531 at 1 mo and 1.676 ± 0.891 at 3 mo), while it was significantly lower than normal controls in both Group I and III animals. Body weight increase after Tx correlated with the number of transplanted islets and at 90 days, Group III rats showed less increase than Groups I and II (p < 0.05), while no significant differences in b.wt. were recorded between Group I and II. The findings indicate that intraportal islet Tx, injected repeatedly and in small doses, produced better metabolic effects than injection of the same total number of islets in a single dose.
The role of the Th1 transcription factor T-bet in a mouse model of immune-mediated bone-marrow failure.

The transcription factor T-bet is a key regulator of type 1 immune responses. We examined the role of T-bet in an animal model of immune-mediated bone marrow (BM) failure using mice carrying a germline T-bet gene deletion (T-bet−/−). In comparison with normal C57BL6 (B6) control mice, T-bet−/− mice had normal cellular composition in lymphohematopoietic tissues, but T-bet−/− lymphocytes were functionally defective. Infusion of 5 × 106 T-bet−/− lymph node (LN) cells into sublethally irradiated, major histocompatibility complex–mismatched CByB6F1 (F1) recipients failed to induce the severe marrow hypoplasia and fatal pancytopenia that is produced by injection of similar numbers of B6 LN cells. Increasing T-bet−/− LN-cell dose to 10 to 23 × 106 per recipient led to only mild hematopoietic deficiency. Recipients of T-bet−/− LN cells had no expansion in T cells or interferon-γ–producing T cells but showed a significant increase in Lin−Sca1+CD117+CD34− BM cells. Plasma transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-17 concentrations were increased in T-bet−/− LN-cell recipients, possibly a compensatory up-regulation of the Th17 immune response. Continuous infusion of interferon-γ resulted in hematopoietic suppression but did not cause T-bet−/− LN-cell expansion or BM destruction. Our data provided fresh evidence demonstrating a critical role of T-bet in immune-mediated BM failure.
Computation with finite fields

A technique for systematically generating representations of finite fields is presented. Relations which must be physically realized in order to implement a parallel arithmetic unit to add, multiply, and divide elements of finite fields of 2n elements are obtained. Finally, techniques for using a maximal length linear recurring sequence to modulate a radar transmitter and the means of extracting range information from the returned sequence are derived.
COARSE GRAINING OF ATOMISTIC DESCRIPTION AT FINITE TEMPERATURE USING FORMAL ASYMPTOTICS

In this paper, we propose a computational method for coarse graining the atomistic description at finite temperature using formal asymptotics. The method is based on the ansatz that there exists a separation of scales between the time scale of the atomic fluctuations and that of the thermodynamic processes, such as thermal expansion. We use the WKB method to propose an averaging scheme for treating the thermal degrees of freedom and deriving an effective Hamiltonian for the atomistic system. This energy functional is incorporated into the quasicontinuum framework to achieve a seamless coarse graining on the spatial scale. Numerical validation is performed by computing the thermal equilibrium properties of selected materials. The scope of the method based on the use of perturbation theory is discussed, and its capability is illustrated by way of simulating dislocation nucleation under a nanoindenter.
Photoperiod response in mungbeans (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Five strains of mungbeans were grown at 8-, 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-, and 16-hour photoperiods in plant environmental chambers. The strains did not differ in ‘days to flower’ at the 8- and 12-hour photoperiods, but flowering was delayed and plant height increased differentially when the photoperiod was increased beyond 12 hours. Two strains exhibited only slight sensitivity over the range of photoperiods studied. Two strains failed to flower within a 180-day period at the 16-hour photoperiod. The results corroborate observations in the First International Mungbean Nursery in which 28 strains grown at low latitudes (short photoperiods) had a narrow range in days to flowering, with the range becoming wider at the higher latitudes (longer photoperiods). The results provide evidence that response to photoperiod is important in the adaptation of mungbean strains in different latitudes.
YOUNGER SUPERVISOR-OLDER SUBORDINATE DYADS: A RELATIONSHIP OF COOPERATION OR RESISTANCE?

With the increase in the number of younger supervisor-older subordinate dyads in the workplace, there is a need to reexamine age-based beliefs held by supervisors toward their subordinates. 192 individuals in three age groups (20s, 30s, and 40s and above) were surveyed to assess the extent to which they felt older subordinates would cooperate with younger supervisors or resist their leadership. Analysis of ratings indicated that individuals in their 20s reported a belief of significantly less cooperation and significantly more resistance on the part of older subordinates than subjects 40 yr. or older. Implications of these results for management training programs are discussed.
Combinatorial Library of Serine and Cysteine Protease Inhibitors That Interact with Both the S and S‘ Binding Sites

A combinatorial library of 400 inhibitors has been synthesized and screened against several serine and cysteine proteases including plasmin, cathepsin B, and papain. The inhibitors are based upon a cyclohexanone nucleus and are designed to probe binding interactions in the S2 and S2‘ binding sites. This methodology has led to the discovery of inhibitor 15A, which incorporates Trp at both the P2 and P2‘ positions and has an inhibition constant against plasmin of 5 μM. Data from screening of the library shows that plasmin has a strong specificity for Trp at the S2 subsite and prefers to bind hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids such as Ile, Phe, Trp, and Tyr at the S2‘ subsite. In contrast, the S2‘ subsites of cathepsin B and papain do not show a strong preference for any particular amino acid.
Distribution, mineralogy, and texture of manganese nodules and their relation to sedimentation at DOMES Site A in the equatorial North Pacific

Abstract DOMES Site A, in the equatorial North Pacific, was surveyed in detail in an attempt to relate the distribution of nodules to sedimentation. The sea floor is characterized by a broad east-west-trending valley defined by strongly dissected highlands to the north and south. Sediment recovered from the highlands and from the north margin of the valley is late Quaternary. The associated nodules are small, often polynucleated, have smooth surface textures, and the dominant mineral is δ-MnO 2 . By contrast, cores along the south margin of the valley contain early Tertiary sediment; the nodules usually are large, discoidal in shape, all have a granular surface texture, and the dominant mineral is todorokite. Cores from the central part of the valley share properties with both of the above environments; the sediment is late Quaternary but the nodules are granular with dominant todorokite. The distribution of sediment and abundance of nodules is interpreted to be controlled primarily by the flow of Antarctic Bottom Water through the valley from west to east. The surface texture and mineralogy of the nodules, and possibly their chemical composition, may, in turn, be controlled by properties of the associated sediment.
Epigenetics: A novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the elderly. It is characterized by the deposition of two forms of aggregates within the brain, the amyloid β plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Currently, no disease-modifying agent is approved for the treatment of AD. Approved pharmacotherapies target the peripheral symptoms but they do not prevent or slow down the progression of the disease. Although several disease-modifying immunotherapeutic agents are in clinical development, many have failed due to the lack of efficacy or serious adverse events. Epigenetic changes including DNA methylation and histone modifications are involved in learning and memory and have been recently highlighted for holding promise as potential targets for AD therapeutics. Dynamic and latent epigenetic alterations are incorporated in AD pathological pathways and present valuable reversible targets for AD and other neurological disorders. The approval of epigenetic drugs for cancer treatment has opened the door for the development of epigenetic drugs for other disorders including neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, methyl donors and histone deacetylase inhibitors are being investigated for possible therapeutic effects to rescue memory and cognitive decline found in such disorders. This review explores the area of epigenetics for potential AD interventions and presents the most recent findings in this field.
True Romans: remembering the crusades among Eastern Christians

For Christians of Syria, Palestine and Mesopotamia, the First Crusade and subsequent settlements brought confusion to the political and theological order of the world. Previously, the world existed as a stable balance between two divinely established forces: the divinely established empire of the Romans (the Byzantines), and the empire of the Muslims, equally established by divine providence, but intended to serve as the hammer with which God punished errant Christians. Western Christians (Franks) were peripheral to this world; at the time of the First Crusade, the Franks were commonly perceived as Byzantine mercenaries. After the Franks conquered Jerusalem, the city central to providential history, Armenians and Jacobites began to ask: who were the true Romans? The term in both Armenian and Syriac texts began to be applied to the Franks instead of the Byzantines, particularly in apocalyptic and providential schemes of history.
Characterization of CD4 + T Cell Responses During Natural Infection with Salmonella typhimurium

CD4+ T cells are important for resistance to infection with Salmonella typhimurium. However, the Ag specificity of this T cell response is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a significant fraction of Salmonella-specific CD4+ T cells respond to the flagellar filament protein, FliC, and that this Ag has the capacity to protect naive mice from lethal Salmonella infection. To characterize this Ag-specific response further, we generated FliC-specific CD4+ T cell clones from mice that had resolved infection with an attenuated strain of Salmonella. These clones were found to respond to an epitope from a constant region of FliC, enabling them to cross-react with flagellar proteins expressed by a number of distinct Salmonella serovars.
Oxygen isotope studies of phosphite oxidation: Purification and analysis of reactants and products by high‐temperature conversion elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry

RATIONALE Increased attention has been recently focused on the origin and reactions of reduced-P oxyanions such as phosphite [PO3 (III)] in terrestrial and biological systems. We present new methods for studying O-isotopic reactions between PO3 (III) and other oxygen sources during oxidation of PO3 (III) to PO4 (V). METHODS Na2 (HPO3 )·5H2 O, used as a PO3 (III) source, contains structural water due to its hygroscopic nature; thus, we developed a method for determining the δ(18) O value of PO3 (III) after the removal of structural water. Next, we tested two techniques for purifying PO4 (V) from aqueous PO3 (III)/PO4 (V) mixtures: (1) precipitation of PO4 (V) as ammonium phosphomolybdate (APM); and (2) precipitation of PO4 (V) as magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP). The O-isotope compositions, (18) O:(16) O (δ(18) O values), of Na2 (HPO3 ) and Ag3 PO4 were analyzed by TC/EA/IRMS. RESULTS Structural water was removed from Na2 (HPO3 )·5H2 O after drying at 100 °C under vacuum and the δ(18) O value of PO3 (III) was obtained. The δ(18) O values of PO4 (V), which was extracted from (18) O-labeled PO3 (III)/PO4 (V) mixtures by APM and MAP precipitations, were not altered by the precipitation process. This result confirms that PO3 (III) is not converted into PO4 (V) by oxidation or hydrolysis under either strong acidic/oxidizing (APM) or alkaline (MAP) conditions for up to a 24-h period. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that both APM and MAP precipitation are reliable and effective methods for the separation and purification of PO4 (V) from aqueous PO3 (III)/PO4 (V) mixtures. The methods described here will permit the study of the isotopic evolution of various pathways of geochemical as well as biological PO3 (III) oxidation.
75th anniversary of strong motion observation—A historical review

Abstract This review describes the experience accumulated in the field of recording earthquake motions up to the early 1900s, and then it discusses the key players who contributed to the first successful strong motion observation program in earthquake engineering in the 1930s. It begins by summarizing the accomplishments of the preceding seismological observations, which provided the stepping-stone ideas on how to construct the first strong motion accelerograph. Next, it describes the lack of optimism among the engineers in the early 1900s, who doubted that structural response could ever be calculated for irregular earthquake ground motion—this was, of course, half a century before the appearance of fast digital computers—but also their realization that something needed to be done to reduce the hazards from earthquakes. The roles of the two pioneers Kyoji Suyehiro and John Freeman, whose vision, leadership, and perseverance launched the strong motion observation program in 1932, are then briefly discussed. Finally, the mechanical characteristics of the first strong motion accelerograph are outlined. The review is completed by illustrating the growth of the strong motion observation programs in selected seismic areas of the world and the fruits of these programs—the cumulative number of uniformly processed strong motion records in southern California.
A point-process analysis of Spencer’s space-time extension of the IEEE 802.15.3a UWB channel model

Considerable progress has recently been made in the theoretical analysis of the IEEE 802.15.3 a UWB channel model by treating it as a two-dimensional Poisson cluster process. Unfortunately, this only accounts for multipath arrival times and gains, not arrival angles. In this paper, it is shown that Spencer's extension of the channel model, which also accounts for arrival angles, can be accommodated in the cluster point process framework. Using this framework, closed-form expressions are derived for several quantities, including the power delay-angle profile and detectable-path delay-angle profile.
Plant pathology: Many roads lead to resistance

Recent studies suggest that plant disease-resistance responses use multiple signaling pathways acting subsequent to pathogen recognition, and that phosphorylation cascades play a prominent role in the recognition and execution of foreign invaders.
Body-relative navigation guidance using uncalibrated cameras

We present a vision-based method that assists human navigation within unfamiliar environments. Our main contribution is a novel algorithm that learns the correlation between user egomotion and feature matches on a wearable set of uncalibrated cameras. The primary advantage of this method is that it provides robust guidance cues in the user's body frame, and is tolerant to small changes in the camera configuration. We couple this method with a topological mapping algorithm that provides global localization within the traversed environment. We validate our approach with ground-truth experiments and demonstrate the method on several real-world datasets spanning two kilometers of indoor and outdoor walking excursions.
Resilient peer-to-peer streaming

We consider the problem of distributing "live" streaming media content to a potentially large and highly dynamic population of hosts. Peer-to-peer content distribution is attractive in this setting because the bandwidth available to serve content scales with demand. A key challenge, however, is making content distribution robust to peer transience. Our approach to providing robustness is to introduce redundance; both in network paths and in data. We use multiple, diverse distribution trees to provide redundancy in network paths and multiple description coding (MDC) to provide redundancy in data. We present a simple tree management algorithm that provides the necessary path diversity and describe an adaptation framework for MDC based on scalable receiver feedback. We evaluate these using MDC applied to real video data coupled with real usage traces from a major news site that experienced a large flash crowd for live streaming content. Our results show very significant benefits in using multiple distribution trees and MDC, with a 22 dB improvement in PSNR in some cases.
Exact Moments for Autor1egressive and Random walk Models for a Zero or Stationary Initial Value

For a first-order autoregressive AR(1) model with zero initial value, xi = axi−1,_, + ei, we provide the bias, mean squared error, skewness, and kurtosis of the maximum likelihood estimator â. Brownian motion approximations by Phillips (1977, Econometrica 45, 463–485; 1978, Biometrika 65, 91–98; 1987, Econometrica 55, 277–301), Phillips and Perron (1988, Biometrika 75, 335–346), and Perron (1991, Econometric Theory 7, 236–252; 1991, Econometrica 59, 211–236), among others, yield an elegant unified theory but do not yield convenient formulas for calibration of skewness and kurtosis. In addition to the usual stationary case |α| < 1, we include the unstable |α| = 1 case of the random walk model. For the |α| < 1 case, we give new exact results for White's (1961, Biometrika 48, 85–94) model B, where the initial value x0 is a normal random variable N(0,σ2/(l – α2)). Our expressions are exact for small samples computed by relatively reliable Gaussian quadrature methods, rather than approximate ones in powers of n−l or α2.
Problems for the future of system dynamics

In this provocative article, the author sets out a personal list of "problems" that must be solved if the field of system dynamics is "… to advance beyond a craft, to approach the rigors of a science." The problems include issues in the enhancement of technical and interpretive aspects of modeling, and in the advancement and propogation of good practice. These identified problems are characterised as those that are, through their difficulty, deserving of continuing attention, and at the same time are those that threaten the field if not resolved. The article carefully ends with an epilogue inviting response, rather than a conclusion.
Immunoimaging of CXCR4 Expression in Brain Tumor Xenografts Using SPECT/CT

Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is expressed in a variety of cancers, including breast, brain, ovarian, and prostate. CXCR4–CXCL12 interactions are critical for tumor development, growth, and metastasis. Compared with normal tissue, neoplastic tissue (including metastases) expresses high levels of CXCR4. Previous clinical and preclinical observations suggest that CXCR4 levels could be used as a predictive marker of metastatic potential. Here we report the results of SPECT/CT of CXCR4 expression levels in experimental brain tumors using 125I-labeled anti-CXCR4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Methods: hCXCR4 antibody 12G5 and control IgG2A antibody were radiolabeled. Radio-mAbs were obtained in 40%–60% yield, with 1.4–1.9 MBq/μg specific radioactivities and greater than 95% purity. Severe combined immunodeficient mice harboring U87 xenografts were used for ex vivo biodistribution and imaging studies. Surface CXCR4 expression levels on U87 tumor–derived cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: Biodistribution and imaging studies showed a specific accumulation of 125I-12G5 in U87 tumors, with tumor-to-muscle uptake ratios reaching 15 ± 3 at 48 h after injection. The tumor-to-tumor uptake ratio for 125I-12G5 and 125I-IgG2A was 2.5 at 48 h after injection. Flow cytometry analysis of tumor-derived cells showed a 2- to 7-fold increase in CXCR4 expression relative to inoculums, accounting for the high mAb uptake observed in the tumors. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the feasibility of imaging CXCR4 expression in experimental brain tumors. The elevated CXCR4 levels observed may have been, in part, due to the hypoxic tumor microenvironment.
Sexuality and Aging

Sexuality remains an important component of quality of life throughout the life span. The spectrum of sexuality and aging is outlined in Table 1. The full expression of sexuality is dependent on biological, psychological, and social factors. Testosterone is a driver of sexuality in both sexes, but its effect is modulated by psychological and social factors. The effects of aging on sexuality can create major anxiety, but with adequate education, sexuality can remain enjoyable throughout life. There is much misinformation about sexuality. While open discussion of sexuality has become much more common in the last 40 years, many older persons come from a generation where sexuality remains a taboo subject. This chapter will explore both the biology of sexuality and aging, as well as the emergence of the special needs of a substantial cohort of older gays and their unique needs. The role of disease in sexuality of older persons will be addressed. Finally, the problems faced by older persons who have had lifelong paraphilias will be considered.
The Emotional Impact of Marital Separation

The disruption of marriage regularly produces emotional distress, almost irrespective of the quality of the marriage or of desire for its dissolution. The distress is similar to that described as occurring in children who have lost attachment figures and suggests that similar feelings are present in the separating adults. It also suggests that, although other components of love fade in troubled marriages, attachment persists. Separated individuals, however, not only want to rejoin their spouses but also to express anger with them. They may manage the resulting ambivalence by partial suppression, by compartmentalization, or by alternating expression of positive and negative feelings.
Induction of Angiogenesis by a Fragment of Human Tyrosyl-tRNA Synthetase

The first step of protein synthesis is catalyzed by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. In addition, certain mammalian tRNA synthetases link protein synthesis to cytokine signaling pathways. In particular, human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) can be split by proteolysis into two fragments having distinct cytokine activities. One of the TyrRS fragments (mini TyrRS) contains features identical to those in CXC chemokines (like interleukin-8) that also act as angiogenic factors. Here mini TyrRS (but not full-length TyrRS) is shown to stimulate chemotaxis of endothelial cells in vitro and stimulate angiogenesis in each of two in vivo animal models. The angiogenic activity of mini TyrRS can be opposed by anti-angiogenic chemokines like IP-10. Thus, a biological fragment of human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase links protein synthesis to regulation of angiogenesis.
A novel compound heterozygous mutation in the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein gene (RLBP1) in a patient with retinitis punctata albescens.

Abstract Purpose To describe a patient with retinitis punctata albescens (RPA) associated with compound heterozygosity for two novel mutations in the RLBP1 encoding cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP). Design Observational case report. Methods The proband underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and leukocyte genomic DNA samples were obtained from him and his parents. The RLBP1 exons were analyzed by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified fragments. Results The patient had a clinical phenotype suggestive of slowly progressive RPA, characterized by numerous yellow-white dots in the fundus. The RLBP1 sequence analysis revealed a novel compound heterozygotic mutation of Gly145Asp and Ile200Thr transmitted from the mother and father, respectively. Analysis of 100 control chromosomes showed no individuals with these sequence alterations. Conclusions Only eight RLBP1 mutations have been reported to date, and here we describe two novel mutations. These additional mutations will aid ongoing functional studies and add to our understanding of the molecular pathology pertaining to RLBP1 -associated retinopathies.
An agent-based approach to extending the native active capability of relational database systems

Event-condition-action (or ECA) rules are used to capture active capability. While a number of research prototypes of active database systems have been built, ECA rule capability in relational DBMSs is still very limited. We address the problem of turning a traditional database management system into a full-fledged active database system without changing the underlying system. The advantages of this approach are: transparency; ability to and active capability without changing the client programs; retain relational DBMS's underlying functionality; and persistence of ECA rules using the native database functionality. We describe how complete active database semantics can be supported on an existing SQL server (Sybase, in our case) by adding a mediator, termed ECA Agent, between the SQL server and the clients. ECA rules are fully supported through the ECA Agent without changing applications or the SQL server. Composite events are detected in the ECA Agent and actions are invoked in the SQL server. Events are persisted in the native database system. ECA Agent is designed to connect to SQL server by using Sybase connectivity products. The architecture, design, and implementation details are presented.
New views of materials through aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy

The successful correction of third-order and, more recently, fifth-order aberrations has enormously enhanced the capabilities of the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), by not only achieving record resolution, but also allowing near 100% efficiency for electron energy loss spectroscopy, and higher currents for two-dimensional spectrum imaging. These advances have meant that the intrinsic advantages of the STEM, incoherent imaging and simultaneous collection of multiple complementary images can now give new insights into many areas of materials physics. Here, we review a number of examples, mostly from the field of complex oxides, and look towards new directions for the future.
Concern Regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic and Individual Childbearing: Evidence from Rural Malawi

I examine if and how rural Malawians alter their childbearing as a consequence of concern regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The paper is motivated by the debate which opposes two ideas regarding the childbearing effect of high HIV infection rates and heightened AIDS mortality: one the acceleration of childbearing as individuals find themselves under time pressure to meet their reproductive goals and two the decrease in childbearing as parents opt to avoid the risk of transmitting the virus. I find some evidence to support the hypothesis of reduced childbearing in the presence of high levels of worry regarding HIV/AIDS. However this finding does not seem to apply to younger women who are perhaps subject to relatively stronger childbearing promoting norms. (authors)
ESTIMATING TIMING OF LIFE-HISTORY EVENTS WITH COARSE DATA

Abstract Populations often are sampled with a coarse scale of measurement. As scale becomes increasingly coarse, the variance estimate can become biased; Sheppard's method has been used to correct that bias. Sheppard's correction, however, also becomes inadequate when the scale of measurement is too coarse. We develop a rule to decide how coarse a scale should be for a particular population variance. In addition, we propose a generalization of Sheppard's correction that allows for divisions of the scale to be unequal. Divisions of a measurement scale (intervals or bins) should be no larger than twice the population SD (σ). When the population variance (σ2) is small, a large amount of variation in interval size can produce inaccurate results. As σ2 becomes large, more variation in interval size can be allowed without producing large inaccuracies. This new methodology has wide application for estimating timing of life-history events for mammals where dates must be pooled into intervals. We demonstrate this ...
Philosophy and Medicine in Antiquity

Throughout antiquity the relation between philosophy and medicine was very close. The author of “Decorum” gave the advice to carry philosophy into medicine and medicine into philosophy (chap. 5). Obviously the advice was heeded by many doctors and philosophers. Burnet (Early Greek Philosophy, p. 201, n. 4) went so far as to claim that from the times of Empedocles onwards “it is impossible to understand the history of philosophy ... without keeping the history of medicine constantly in view.” And as far as medicine is concerned, it is generally agreed, and indeed obvious, that ancient medical authors, from the Hippocratic writers onwards, heavily relied on philosophers, not just for their views on physiology, but also for their conception of their art and their moral precepts for the doctor. But often they also formed fairly detailed philosophical views of their own. In fact, there is a whole tradition of philosophical thought in ancient medicine, particularly concerning the nature of medical knowledge, which is fairly independent of the thought of the philosophers, and which was substantial enough to at times even influence the views of the philosophers.
The Internationalism of Justice Harry Blackmun

Justice Harry Blackmun has been described as willful, liberal, conservative, humble, and a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Republican Rotarian Harvard Man from the Suburbs. One adjective that is conspicuously missing is internationalist. Internationalism is, in part, reflected in Blackmun's preference change or shift from relatively conservative to relatively liberal. At the same time, Blackmun's internationalism defies most traditional judicial typologies. That Blackmun as internationalist has been a minor theme in the academic literature is understandable given the small number of cases concerning international or transnational legal questions that reach the Court. Nonetheless, an examination of those opinions, as well as of Justice Blackmun's best known outside writing and speaking, uncovers his somewhat surprising and arguably influential internationalist turn. This comment provides a roadmap for closer examination of the Blackmun Papers and evaluates the sources of internationalism in Blackmun's opinions as manifested in four separate but related jurisprudential approaches: (1) in federalism questions, deferring to the federal political branches' ordering of international economic and political relationships; (2) adopting a view of globalization that preferences international and/or foreign-based approaches to ordering private economic and business relations; (3) interpreting treaty obligations according to globally accepted international law interpretation doctrines; and (4) respecting and acknowledging international and foreign judicial opinions in constitutional jurisprudence. An understanding of these approaches can usefully inform typologies of internationalism among other Justices, past, present, and future.
Reserpine as a Sterilant for the Mexican Fruit Fly

Tests conducted during 1963 at Brownsville, Texas, showed that continuous feeding of both sexually immature and mature adult Mexican fruit flies, Anastrepha Ludens (Loew), on reserpine at concentrations of 0.5-4.0% in food resulted in loss of reproductive capacity in females, when reserpine was removed from the diet, ovaries did not completely recover ability to produce eggs. Gonads of treated males remained functional and no morphological aberrations were apparent. Mating frequency was normal and mortality negligible. Short-period feedings (14 days or less) on 2% reserpine followed by a return to standard diet did not permanently suppress the reproductive capacity of either sex. Feeding response of flies to reserpine treated food was 15.3 to 22.6% less than that on the standard diet.
Reaction of Five Species of Soybean Caterpillars to Attack, by the Predator, Podisus maculiventris

Larvae of 5 species of Lepidoptera known to attack soybeans were exposed on greenhouse-grown soybean plants to 5th-instar nymphs of the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), to evaluate the influence of larval behavior on the ability of this predator to kill its potential prey. Species tested included the corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, and the green cloverworm, Plathypena scabra (F.). Differences in larval behavior among the species had no significant effect on the ability of the predator to contact a larva with its proboscis, though the approach behavior and the time required to make contact varied. However, once contact was made, behavior of the prey larvae significantly affected the ability of the predator to subdue them. Anticarsia gemmatalis and Plathypena scabra reacted most vigorously to attack and suffered the least mortality (ca. 20–35%). Trichoplusia ni and Pseudoplusia includens offered the least resistance and were killed most frequently (ca. 75–80%). Resistance by H. zea and its mortality (ca. 60%) were intermediate. Pest management programs involving releases of Podisus macuiventris should regard the species composition of a pest population as a critical variable.
Entrez Gene : A Gene-Centered Information Hub

Thousands of data-, discipline-, and organism-specific databases exist for genes and proteins, making it difficult for researchers to determine which resources to search for the most complete picture. Entrez Gene, a freely accessible online database from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) pulls together gene-centered authoritative information from a number of resources, serving as a true "Information Hub." Although not fully comprehensive in nature, many librarians and other bioinformatics support specialists turn first to Entrez Gene when a researcher asks for "everything known about a specific gene or gene product." This article introduces the typical Entrez Gene record, describes the information found in each of its fields, and explains why such information might be of interest to scientists.
Unified Understanding of Ferroelectricity in n-Nylons: Is the Polar Crystalline Structure a Prerequisite?

Over the past decades, it has been commonly considered that ferroelectricity is closely related to the polar crystalline structure of odd-numbered nylons, and even-numbered nylons should not exhibit ferroelectricity due to their nonpolar crystalline structures. In this work, we ask a fundamental question: Are odd-numbered nylons with polar crystalline structures prerequisites for ferroelectricity? Here, ferroelectric properties are reported for mesomorphic even-numbered nylons (nylons-12 and -6) quickly quenched from the melt, using electric displacement–electric field (D–E) hysteresis loop measurements. From X-ray diffraction and infrared studies, the structure of the mesophases in the quenched samples was considered to contain multiple twists in the chain conformation, resulting in enlarged interchain distance and dangling/weak hydrogen bonds. Upon high field electric poling, the mesophase structure enables dipolar switching of the dangling/weak hydrogen bonds, forming electric-field-induced ferroelectr...
The manufacture of the pressure transducer for medical Solos Insufflator

A 0～10 Kpa pressure transducer and its circuit are presented in the paper,which can be used as a substitute for the integrated pressure transducer in medical Solos Insufflator and can be used too in other de vices and equipments.
The role of Ca2+ in cross-bridge kinetics in chemically skinned rabbit psoas fibers.

The sinusoidal analysis method is applied to chemically skinned rabbit psoas preparations, and the effect of Ca ions on exponential processes is determined. The results are compared to the predictions of two classes of models, those in which the binding of Ca2+ to the thin filaments acts as a switch to fully activate a segment of the filament (switch hypothesis), and those in which the binding of Ca2+ results in a graded increase in activity in proportion to the fraction of sites occupied (graded hypothesis). Although qualitative features of our results are in accord with the switch hypothesis, quantitative examination of the results shows that there is an extra process (B’), which produces a W-shaped phase-frequency plot during partial activation This result is consistent with the assumption that there are two activated states available to the thin filaments of structured muscle.
Exogenously produced CO2 doubles the CO2 efflux from three north temperate lakes

It is well established that lakes are typically sources of CO2 to the atmosphere. However, it remains unclear what portion of CO2 efflux is from endogenously processed organic carbon or from exogenously produced CO2 transported into lakes. We estimated high-frequency CO2 and O2 efflux from three north temperate lakes in summer to determine the proportion of the total CO2 efflux that was exogenously produced. Two of the lakes were amended with nutrients to experimentally enhance endogenous CO2 uptake. In the unfertilized lake, 50% of CO2 efflux was from exogenous sources and hydrology had a large influence on efflux. In the fertilized lakes, endogenous CO2 efflux was negative (into the lake) yet exogenous CO2 made the lakes net sources of CO2 to the atmosphere. Shifts in hydrologic regimes and nutrient loading have the potential to change whether small lakes act primarily as reactors or vents in the watershed.
The Effect of P Enrichment on Exudate Quantity and Bioavailability - a Comparison of Two Macrophyte Species

We compared exudation and rhizosphere microbial activity of two macrophytes growing in tropical marshes. Eleocharis spp. are adapted to low nutrient level in phosphorus limited conditions, while Typha domingensis is a strong competitor in nutrient enriched areas. In situ measurements of carbon fluxes from roots to interstitial water and 13C partitioning after pulse-labelling of the plants in a mesocosm experiment were used to estimate root-derived C fluxes to rhizosphere under P limited and enriched conditions. Root-released compounds collected in the field were analysed for dissolved organic C, dissolved nitrogen and their biodegradability was characterized through microbial respiration, N mineralization and phosphatase activity. Independent of P loading, Eleocharis released more C from roots than T. domingensis, and the released compounds were more biodegradable. The two species responded to P enrichment differently. While Eleocharis invested more assimilated 13C to the belowground (roots, rhizomes and rhizodepositions) after P fertilization, in T. domingensis the belowground investment decreased. The effect of plant species on belowground C allocation was larger than the effect of P enrichment. Low nutrients adapted Eleocharis invested more carbon into exudation and promotion of its rhizosphere microbial community while competitive T. domingensis spent more fixed carbon on its own growth and metabolism.
Numerical solutions of elliptic partial differential equations using Chebyshev polynomials

We present a simple and effective Chebyshev polynomial scheme (CPS) combined with the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) and the equilibrated collocation Trefftz method for the numerical solutions of inhomogeneous elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs). In this paper, CPS is applied in a two-step approach. First, Chebyshev polynomials are used to approximate a particular solution of a PDE. Chebyshev nodes which are the roots of Chebyshev polynomials are used in the polynomial interpolation due to its spectral convergence. Then the resulting homogeneous equation is solved by boundary type methods including the MFS and the equilibrated collocation Trefftz method. Numerical results for problems on various irregular domains show that our proposed scheme is highly accurate and efficient.