cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Value of Explaining the Process: How Journalistic Transparency and Perceptions of News Media Importance Can (Sometimes) Foster Message Credibility and Engagement Intentions:

This research highlights mechanisms underlying transparency’s influence on news engagement, as contingent upon perceptions of the news media’s importance (PNMI). Employing an experimental design wi...
Microsaccades as a marker not a cause for attention-related modulation

Abstract Recent evidence suggests that microsaccades are causally linked to the attention-related modulation of neurons – specifically, that microsaccades towards the attended location are required for the subsequent changes in firing rate. These findings have raised questions about whether attention-related modulation is due to different states of attention as traditionally assumed or might instead be a secondary effect of microsaccades. Here, in two rhesus macaques, we tested the relationship between microsaccades and attention-related modulation in the superior colliculus, a brain structure crucial for allocating attention. We found that attention-related modulation emerged even in the absence of microsaccades, was already present prior to microsaccades towards the cued stimulus, and persisted through the suppression of activity that accompanied all microsaccades. Nonetheless, consistent with previous findings, we also found significant attention-related modulation when microsaccades were directed towards, rather than away from, the cued location. Thus, in contrast to the prevailing hypothesis, microsaccades are not necessary for attention-related modulation, at least not in the superior colliculus. They do, however, provide an additional marker for the state of attention, especially at times when attention is shifting from one location to another.
Shifting LED emission from blue to the green gap spectral range using In0.12Ga0.88N relaxed templates

Abstract InyGa1-yN templates are grown with y ≤ 13.5% and a few nm surface roughness. These templates are used successfully to address two of the main issues facing long wavelength emitting LEDs, mainly the low growth temperature and high values of strain in the quantum wells (QWs). In this work, three LED structures are investigated: the first is a blue LED grown on GaN, the second and third are green LEDs grown on relaxed InyGa1-yN templates with y of about 10% and 12%, respectively. The same multiple quantum wells (MQWs) were used in the three LED structures, with the same well width, barrier width, and growth temperature. The reduced strain in the QWs due to the use of InGaN templates enhances the indium incorporation rate in the QWs. Red shift in emission wavelength of about 100 nm, from 470 nm to 570 nm, was achieved, at low injection current. Optical output power and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements showed that at high level of current injection, performance of the blue LED is about twice of the green emitting LEDs on InGaN templates. The current results indicate the potential of the InGaN template approach, with high values of y, in addressing problems facing long wavelength InGaN LEDs.
Habsburg Maps and Mapmakers in the Age of Enlightenment

In the second half of the eighteenth century military engineers working for the Austrian Habsburg monarchs mapped in detail for the first time the provinces and borders of their empire.1 Despite th...
Year 2000: a reality check

This paper examines the risks, cost, size, implications, and likely outcomes of the Year 2000 or "Y2K" Problem, as well as the lessons learned, opportunities, and silver linings of Y2K projects. The MIS academic community has largely missed a unique opportunity to be relevant to practitioners as well as our communities. Fortunately, it is not too late since knowledgeable and rational voices are needed to help communities, and the people and enterprises in them, intelligently deal with the challenges of Y2K. Strangely, in spite of billions of bytes of data about year 2000 problem appearing each week, we still know surprisingly little about the reality of the Y2K risks we face. And there is little chance that a complete assessment of even the greatest risks faced by our enterprises and communities can be made, let alone repairs completed. Then there are the global risks of Y2K, and the thorny fact that most Y2K risks are beyond our direct control anyway. So what can ethical, conscientious, and concerned MIS professionals do about this situation? How can we help our communities reduce risks, appropriately plan for contingencies, and quickly manage failures? With only a few months to go, this may be the last chance we have to be relevant, enhance our collective credibility, and genuinely help improve IS practices.
A Stochastic Model of Multiple Scattering of Charged Particles: Process, Transport Equation and Solutions

The process of angular-spatial evolution of multiple scattering of charged particles can be described by a special case of Boltzmann integro-differential equation called Lewis equation. The underlying stochastic process for this evolution is the compound Poisson process on the surface of the unit sphere. The significant portion of events that constitute compound Poisson process that describes multiple scattering have diffusional character. This property allows to analyze the process of angularspatial evolution of multiple scattering of charged particles as combination of soft and hard collision processes and compute appropriately its transition densities. These computations provide a method of the approximate solution to the Lewis equation.
Boosting and nonparametric based tracking of tagged MRI cardiac boundaries

In this paper we present an accurate cardiac boundary tracking method for 2D tagged MRI time sequences. This method naturally integrates the motion and the static local appearance features and generates accurate boundary criteria via a boosting approach. We extend the conventional Adaboost classifier into a posterior probability form, which can be embedded in a particle filtering-based shape tracking framework. To make the tracking process more robust and faster, we use a PCA subspace shape representation to constrain the shape variation and lower the dimensionality. We also learn two shape-dynamic models for systole and diastole separately, to predict the shape evolution. Our tracking method incorporates the static appearance, the motion appearance, the shape constraints, and the dynamic prediction in a unified way. The proposed method has been implemented on 50 tagged MRI sequences. The experimental results show the accuracy and robustness of our approach.
Functionalization of micromodels with kaolinite for investigation of low salinity oil-recovery processes

Sandstone formations are ubiquitous in both aquifers and petroleum reservoirs, of which clay is a major constituent. The release of clay particles from pore surfaces as a result of reduced injection fluid salinity can greatly modify the recovery of hydrocarbons from subsurface formations by shifting the wettability properties of the rock. In this paper we demonstrate a microfluidic approach whereby kaolinite is deposited into a two-dimensional microfluidic network (micromodel) to enable direct pore-scale, real-time visualization of fluid–solid interactions with representative pore-geometry and realistic surface interactions between the reservoir fluids and the formation rock. Structural characterization of deposited kaolinite particles agrees well with natural modes of occurrence in Berea sandstones; hence, the clay deposition method developed in this work is validated. Specifically, more than 90% of the deposited clay particles formed pore-lining structures and the remainder formed pore bridging structures. Further, regions of highly concentrated clay deposition likely leading to so-called Dalmatian wetting properties were found throughout the micromodel. Two post-deposition treatments are described whereby clay is adhered to the silicon surface reversibly and irreversibly resulting in microfluidic systems that are amenable to studies on (i) the fundamental mechanisms governing the increased oil recovery during low salinity waterfloods and (ii) the effect of a mixed-wet surface on oil recovery, respectively. The reversibly functionalized platform is used to determine the conditions at which stably adhered clay particles detach. Specifically, injection brine salinity below 6000 ppm of NaCl induced kaolinite particle release from the silicon surface. Furthermore, when applied to an aged system with crude oil, the low salinity waterflood recovered an additional 14% of the original oil in place compared to waterflooding with the formation brine.
A phycocyanin·phellandrene synthase fusion enhances recombinant protein expression and β-phellandrene (monoterpene) hydrocarbons production in Synechocystis (cyanobacteria)

Cyanobacteria can be exploited as photosynthetic platforms for heterologous generation of terpene hydrocarbons with industrial applications. Transformation of Synechocystis and heterologous expression of the β-phellandrene synthase (PHLS) gene alone is necessary and sufficient to confer to Synechocystis the ability to divert intermediate terpenoid metabolites and to generate the monoterpene β-phellandrene during photosynthesis. However, terpene synthases, including the PHLS, have a slow Kcat (low Vmax) necessitating high levels of enzyme concentration to enable meaningful rates and yield of product formation. Here, a novel approach was applied to increase the PHLS protein expression alleviating limitations in the rate and yield of β-phellandrene product generation. Different PHLS fusion constructs were generated with the Synechocystis endogenous cpcB sequence, encoding for the abundant in cyanobacteria phycocyanin β-subunit, expressed under the native cpc operon promoter. In one of these constructs, the CpcB·PHLS fusion protein accumulated to levels approaching 20% of the total cellular protein, i.e., substantially higher than expressing the PHLS protein alone under the same endogenous cpc promoter. The CpcB·PHLS fusion protein retained the activity of the PHLS enzyme and catalyzed β-phellandrene synthesis, yielding an average of 3.2 mg product g(-1) dry cell weight (dcw) versus the 0.03 mg g(-1)dcw measured with low-expressing constructs, i.e., a 100-fold yield improvement. In conclusion, the terpene synthase fusion-protein approach is promising, as, in this case, it substantially increased the amount of the PHLS in cyanobacteria, and commensurately improved rates and yield of β-phellandrene hydrocarbons production in these photosynthetic microorganisms.
IgE-dependent release of inflammatory mediators from hamster mast cells in vitro.

The release of mediators from mast cells is an essential step in immediate hypersensitivity reactions and also appears to play a significant role in delayed hypersensitivity and some forms of complement mediated reactions (1). Mediator release from rat or human mast cells can be provoked by antigen-IgE interactions on the surface of cells, by C3a or C5a anaphylatoxins, by bradykinin, by basic lysosomal proteins from neutrophils, by certain lymphokines and by a variety of other molecules (1–4). Preformed molecules such as histamine and newly formed molecules such as slow reacting substance-A (SRS-A) and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) are released which exert potent regulatory influences on tissue function in areas of mast cell secretion. In addition to roles in the effector arms of immune and non-specific inflammation, recent evidence indicates that mast cell mediators may exert important regulatory influences on the evolution of immune responses (5). While the precise roles of mast cells in these immunologic events are not entirely clear, it seems likely that important roles will be delineated in several areas of immune function.
Interpersonal Abuse and Depression Among Mexican Immigrant Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Evidence for a bi-directional relationship of depression and type 2 diabetes suggests that social distress plays a role in depression among people with diabetes. In this study, we examine the relationship between subjective distress and depression in 121 first- and second-generation Mexican immigrant women seeking diabetes care at a safety-net hospital in Chicago. We used a mixed-methods approach including narrative interview, survey, and finger-stick blood HbA1c data. Using grounded theory analysis, we identified seven life stressors from narrative interviews: interpersonal abuse, stress related to health, family, neighborhood violence, immigration status, and work, and feeling socially detached. Women reported unusually high rates of interpersonal abuse (65%) and disaggregated physical abuse (54%) and sexual abuse (23%). We evaluated depression using CES-D cut-off points of 16 and 24 and assessed rates to be 49 and 34%, respectively. We found that interpersonal abuse was a significant predictor of depression (CESD ≥ 24) in bivariate (OR 3.97; 95% CI 1.58-10.0) and multivariate (OR 5.51; 95% CI 1.85, 16.4) logistic regression analyses. These findings suggest that interpersonal abuse functions as an important contributor to depression among low-income Mexican immigrant women and should be recognized and addressed in diabetes care.
Indentation of a thin compressible elastic layer: Approximate analytic and numerical solutions for rigid flat indenters

Abstract Indentation of a thin compressible linearly elastic layer in bonded or frictionless contact with a rigid foundation is considered. Using the small parameter e = h a , an asymptotic analysis of the deformation for thin layers in plane strain is conducted. For flat indenters, the existence of an outer solution and interior layers near the edges of the indenter are demonstrated. In the interior layers, an analytic approximation is developed and closed form expressions for the vertical deformation and normal stress are obtained. The equilibrium equations and all but one (frictionless case) or two (bonded case) of the boundary conditions are satisfied. The approximation incorporates a large portion of the singular deformation gradients near the edge of the indenter and is in close agreement with known asymptotic results. A numerical study of the plane strain case shows that incorporation of the approximation into a numerical scheme greatly increases convergence rate, in that accurate results may be obtained on coarse meshes.
In an attempt to generalize wall slip in fluid flows using a series expansion of the wall shear stress: Case of non-Newtonian [Phan–Thien–Tanner fluid]

Abstract In this paper, we address a new wall slip formulation based on a series expansion of both differential and exponential forms of wall shear stress. As this is initially considered as an infinite series, we use a truncated version of it to get a slip law having three slip coefficients, where we have considered the exponential form only. We use our new truncated triple-slip-coefficients wall slip law to analyze a particular class of viscoelastic non-Newtonian fluid. This special case follows the Phan–Thien–Tanner fluid model. Moreover, for this fluid, we identify Weissenberg number as one salient parameter affecting slip. In particular, our new model is tested on a familiar planar Couette and planar Poiseuille flow problem, where two parallel and infinitely long plates have been used. Furthermore, slip-dependent analytical expressions for field quantities such as velocity and shear stress at the walls and beyond, are derived and numerically analyzed for both problems. In addition, the pressure and flow-rate are derived for various slip coefficients for Poiseuille flow case. Our results obtained prove reasonable as represented by physically realistic plots herein. This feasibility is especially dictated by the velocity profile across channel width for both application problems. Thus, we can infer from all these, that this new model has the potential of providing results which can match experimental data, that is, if the three slip-coefficients are properly chosen.
The value of needle biopsy in the diagnosis of gynecologic cancer.

Abstract Needle biopsy was performed in 65 patients to establish the diagnosis of a gynecologic malignancy. In 50 patients, the method was used to aid either in the primary diagnosis or to rule out pelvic recurrence of a carcinoma of the cervix. An accurate diagnosis was made in 48 out of the 50 patients (96%), when often the Papanicolaou smears and surface punch biospies were negative. It is advised that when biopsying pelvic masses, this technique should be used for central and parametrial lesions, rather than those intimate with the lateral pelvic walls. Other sites, such as distal lymph nodes or liver metastases, are also suitable for biopsy by this method. It is concluded that the use of the Tru-cut biopsy needle with the modified technique described is a useful addition to the gynecologic oncologist's armamentarium, especially for the detection of pelvic recurrent tumor.
Integral stabilization policy and flexible exchange rates

Under a floating exchange rate system, exchange rates influence economic activity through their effect on the trade balance. Nevertheless, exchange rate movementsper se do not prevent integral fiscal and monetary policies from achieving a target for domestic economic activity24. At the same time, since the exchange rate continuously moves to preserve asset market equilibrium, the (potential) balance of payments may not be equilibrated when the authorities have attained their internal target. In that event, the continued movement in exchange rates may produce cycles in economic activity which in turn lead to exchange rate oscillations. Finally, the reader is warned that the introduction of inside and outside lags into the system may produce additional oscillatory behavior or even explosiveness, as Phillips demonstrated for the closed economy. However, these new possibilities would arise independently of the floating exchange rate system and could not be attributed to it.
A Novel Peroxide-induced Calcium Transient Regulates Interleukin-6 Expression in Cardiac-derived Fibroblasts

Reperfusion of ischemic myocardium leads to a local burst of free radicals, increased [Ca(2+)](i), and the release of proinflammatory cytokines. The purpose of this study was to determine whether brief exposure of cardiac fibroblasts to H(2)O(2) is associated with transient changes in [Ca(2+)](i) levels and whether this stimulus is sufficient to induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression. Cardiac derived fibroblasts were isolated from adult male rats and cultured under standard conditions. Individual coverslip-attached fibroblasts were loaded with the calcium probe Fura-2/AM and exposed to a single 3-min pulse of 100 microm H(2)O(2). In addition, low passage cultures were exposed to a pulse of H(2)O(2) and assayed for IL-6 expression. A brief exposure of H(2)O(2) led to a large intracellular Ca(2+) transient with a mean transient magnitude of 318 +/- 28 nm (mean +/- S.D., n = 12). Stimulation in the absence of [Ca(2+)](o) led to a 59% reduction in mean transient magnitude (129 +/- 23 nm, n = 10, p < 0.001), whereas pretreatment with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor blocker xestospongin C resulted in a 37% reduction (199 +/- 25 nm, n = 10, p < 0.01). Cells treated with xestospongin C and stimulated in the absence of [Ca(2+)](o) did not exhibit a Ca(2+) transient. Time-dependent IL-6 release was significantly elevated by 4 h (368 +/- 64 pg/mg protein, p < 0.01) and increased further by 24 h (1030 +/- 76 pg/mg protein). The depletion of cellular Ca(2+) by pretreatment with thapsigargin in the absence of [Ca(2+)](o) attenuated H(2)O(2)-induced IL-6 mRNA expression while blocking protein release. These data show that the exposure of cardiac fibroblasts to a brief pulse of physiological levels of H(2)O(2) resulted in a large Ca(2+) transient with intracellular and extracellular Ca(2+) contributions. Furthermore, brief H(2)O(2) exposure led to calcium-dependent IL-6 expression.
The role of tourism in poverty reduction: An empirical assessment

This paper assesses how tourism affects absolute poverty beyond its effects on growth in two developing countries. In particular, the author explores whether tourism spending leads to a decline in the proportion of people below the poverty line. An error correction model is applied to estimate the relationship between poverty and tourism spending. The results reveal that tourism does matter for the poor, but that it does not appear to have systematic effects, and that tourism development matters most for the poor at the lower levels of economic development. The findings from the two developing country case studies show differing impacts of tourism development, and thus the policy implications differ for each case.
Examining the impact of ethics training on business student values

Purpose – Recent misconduct and highly questionable behavior has fostered considerable distrust, cynicism, and antagonism among the populace toward the leadership of virtually all social institutions. This paper aims to examine the impact of ethics training on business students values.Design/methodology/approach – Focuses on the central question whether exposure to ethical dilemmas and discussions in the classroom setting will lead to new paradigms of leadership incorporating instrumental values.Findings – The results support the contention that senior level students were influenced in their perceptions of the importance of instrumental values in comparison to freshmen. As hypothesized no difference was found between men and women in both the importance and reinforcement of the instrumental values examined. The results do not support the contention that increased emphasis on ethics in textbooks and courses has had a significant impact.Practical implications – Directions for future training are considered ...
p-chlorophenylalanine facilitates copulatory behaviour in male rats.

IT has been proposed that the inhibition of male copulatory patterns by anterior portions of the nervous system1 is mediated by brain monoamines2–4, for reserpine facilitates certain aspects of the male pattern in rats3–5 although monoamine oxidase inhibitors retard copulatory behaviour (D. A. D., H. N. Davis and P. E. Jansen, results submitted for publication). Meyerson has proposed6 that an analogous mechanism may control female oestrous behaviour in rats.
Ultrastructural changes of cuprizone encephalopathy in mice.

Abstract The ultrastructural features of the encephalopathy induced by chronic feeding of cuprizone in the white matter of the cerebellar medulla of mice were characterized. Mice were fed a diet of 0.5% cuprizone for 8 wk and, under anesthesia, were perfused with 6% buffered glutaraldehyde. Small pieces of the cerebellar peduncles were post-fixed in 1% phosphate-buffered osmium tetroxide and embedded in Epon 812. Thin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and examined with the RCA-EMU-3f electron microscope. Ultrastructural alterations were observed in the astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, axoplasm, myelin, and extracellular space. Some astrocytes had a pale electron lucent cytoplasm, while in other astrocytes, vacuoles, foci of proliferated fibrils, and focal cytoplasmic clearings were found. Myelin figures, vacuoles, structured dense bodies, and proliferated profiles of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum occurred in the cytoplasm of oligodendrocytes. The histologic vacuolation was apparently the result of intramyelinic and glial vacuolation observed in the electron micrographs. Edemia fluid occurred infrequently in the extracellular space. Dystrophic changes were observed in the axoplasm of some axons and consisted of the accumulation of dense bodies and vesicles. Occasionally, proliferation of the mesaxon was found, and when present, it displaced the axoplasm.
Concentration changes of bile acids in sequential segments of pigeon intestine and their relation to bile acid absorption.

Abstract Changes in the concentration of bile acids in sequential segments of pigeon intestine were measured. It was found that the jejunum has the highest concentration of bile acids. When the ratio of bile acids to β-sitosterol (a non-absorbable dietary marker) was examined in contents of various segments, it was found that the ratio showed a marked decrease (86.6%) from the upper to lower jejunum while the subsequent changes in other segments were not as striking. This indicates that the jejunum is the major site of bile acid absorption in the pigeon, unlike in mammals, where the ileum has been shown to be the major site of bile acid absorption. This notion was confirmed by studies of the effect of ileal bypass in these pigeons. This surgical procedure did not significantly change the fecal excretion of bile acids or neutral sterols indicating that the jejunum is capable of maintaining a normal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in the absence of the ileum in the pigeons.
Efficiency of organic aerosols as cloud condensation nuclei

Secondary organic aerosols—aerosols produced through chemical reactions in the atmosphere from volatile compounds—affect climate directly by reflecting sunlight and by acting as cloud condensation nuclei, promoting cloud formation. The efficiency with which different types of secondary organic aerosols act as cloud condensation nuclei is important to understanding their effects on climate. Secondary organic aerosols can be composed of many different compounds, making it difficult to model their efficiency as cloud condensation nuclei. Suda et al. present a new laboratory method of breaking the complex organic aerosol into subcomponents and measuring the corresponding cloud condensation nuclei efficiencies. They believe that their measured values will be useful for validating models of organic aerosols in the atmosphere. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2011JD016823, 2012)
Reduced dose of bleomycin in the treatment of recalcitrant warts

The effectiveness of intralesional bleomycin (1 U/ml) in the treatment of warts refractory to conventional methods of treatment has been shown in well-controlled studies. 1,2 We have now evaluated more dilute concentrations of bleomycin in the treatment of recalcitrant warts. Warts were assigned for therapy with intralesional bleomycin at a concentration of 0.25 U/ml, 0.5 U/ml, or 1 U/m1 at 3-week intervals. If warts persisted after three injections or had recurred by 3 months' follow-up, treatment was considered a failure. Twenty-six patients whose warts had persisted after conventional treatment entered the study. Three patients had spontaneous regression of untreated warts during therapy and were not included in the results. Of seventy-nine warts treated with intralesional bleomycin, sixty-two (78%) were cured after one to three injections. Responding warts showed a hemorrhagic eschar even with the lower bleomycin concentrations and healed without complication. Almost all treated warts responded, although not all were cured. Treatment with bleomycin at 0.5 U/ml was as effective as treatment with 1 U/ml. Bleomycin at 0.25 U/ml is effective therapy but not enough warts were treated to permit a conclusion when compared with higher concentrations.
An electrothermal vaporization flame atomic emission spectrometer

An inexpensively built, light-weight, potentially transportable flame atomic emission spectrometry device has been designed and developed. A tungsten coil is employed as an electrothermal vaporization source coupled to an oxygen-acetylene flame. The tungsten coil is simple in design and commercially available as a 150 W, 15 V light bulb, while the flame source is generated by a welder's metal-cutting torch. Nineteen elements have been determined with limits of detection as low as 0.9 ng L−1 for Ca and 8.0 ng L−1 for In. The accuracy of the method is verified by determining the concentration of thirteen elements in two reference materials: Montana soil and a water pollution standard solution. No statistically significant difference is observed between the certified and determined values at a 95% level of confidence. Sample volumes as low as 10 μL may be analyzed. The best torch tip design is identified, and gas flow rates are optimized. The temperature profile of the flame is also discussed. The electrothermal vaporizer and cutting torch are designed to be portable. Incorporation of a simple hand-held CCD spectrometer would render the entire system usable in the field.
Individual differences and emotional labor: An experiment on positive display rules ☆

We experimentally examined relationships between positive display rules, personality, emotional labor, and subjective performance in a work-sample task. Sixty-five students participated in a call-center simulation where they acted as insurance sales representatives. The work-sample task required interacting with a confederate acting as a customer. Departing from previous emotional labor research, we examined display rule explicitness and subjective performance in a controlled setting. We found that extraversion negatively predicted surface acting, whereas emotional stability and self-monitoring positively predicted surface acting. The positive display rule condition positively predicted deep acting, which further predicted subjective performance in the form of observer-rated positive emotional displays.
Large-scale clinical validation of a lateral flow immunoassay for detection of cryptococcal antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid specimens

We compared a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) to a currently used enzyme immunoassay for detection of cryptococcal antigen in 396 sera and 651 cerebrospinal fluid specimens. We found 97% concordance between the 2 assays. The LFA detected an additional 22 positives. Overall, the LFA had sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 99.6% for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis. The LFA is rapid, accurate, and easy to perform, and it is suitable for routine patient care testing.
Versatility of PRMT5-induced methylation in growth control and development

Arginine methylation governs important cellular processes that impact growth and proliferation, as well as differentiation and development. Through their ability to catalyze symmetric or asymmetric methylation of histone and non-histone proteins, members of the protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) family regulate chromatin structure and expression of a wide spectrum of target genes. Unlike other PRMTs, PRMT5 works in concert with a variety of cellular proteins including ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers and co-repressors to induce epigenetic silencing. Recent work also implicates PRMT5 in the control of growth-promoting and pro-survival pathways, which demonstrates its versatility as an enzyme involved in both epigenetic regulation of anti-cancer target genes and organelle biogenesis. These studies not only provide insight into the molecular mechanisms by which PRMT5 contributes to growth control, but also justify therapeutic targeting of PRMT5.
Electrochemical variational study of donor/acceptor orbital mixing and electronic coupling in cyanide-bridged mixed-valence complexes

Cyanide-bridged mixed-valence complexes are interesting examples of strongly covalently linked redox systems which, nevertheless, exist in valence-localized form. As mixed-valence species, they display fairly intense intervalence (or metal-to-metal) charge-transfer transitions ([epsilon] [approx] 3000 M[sup [minus]1] cm[sup [minus]1]), which tend to be shifted toward the visible region from the near-infrared on account of substantial redox asymmetry. The authors have recently succeeded in obtaining (by femtosecond transient absorbance spectroscopy) a direct measure of the thermal kinetics (k[sub ET]) of the highly exothermic back-electron-transfer reaction which follows intervalence excitation in one of these complexes, (H[sub 3]N)[sub 5]Ru-NC-Fe(CN)[sub 5][sup [minus]]. With the available structural, kinetic, and thermodynamic information, the only additional ingredient needed to complete the picture of intramolecular electron transfer is a knowledge of initial-state/final-state electronic coupling. From the work of Burewicz and Haim, one estimate of the size of the coupling element (H[sub if]) is, in fact, already available. They report H[sub if] = 1500 cm[sup [minus]1], on the basis of a Hush-Mulliken analysis of the oscillator strength for intervalence absorption. The purpose of this paper is to report on an alternative electrochemical investigation of electronic coupling as well as donor/acceptor orbital mixing - with particular emphasis on comparisons to the oscillatormore » strength method.« less
Effects of wavelength-dependent absorption on the polarization of light scattered from marine chlorella

This paper investigates the wavelength dependence of the polarization characteristics of light scattered from laboratory cultures of marine Clzlorella. Scattering measurements were obtained using a scanning polarization-modulation nephelometer at wavelengths of 457 and 514 nm. The experimental data are corrected for non-spherical contributions and the resulting curves compared to Mie calculations of coated spheres with a Gaussian size distribution. Although the absorption of Chiorella has been reported to be strongly wavelength-dependent in the blue to green region of the spectrum, the scattering behavior changes very little. To verify the sensitivity of the scattering technique to changes in the imaginary refractive index, measurements were performed on absorbing and non-absorbing suspensions of wellcharacterized, coated copolymer particles. In all cases, the angle-dependent measurements and calculations were compared for four elements of the 16 element Mueller scattering matrix at two wavelengths. In the past, comparison of scattering models and measurements were generally performed for only the total intensity (one element of the scattering matrix). The use of four elements provides a much more stringent test of scattering calculations than those based on a single element. Using this method we are able to infer information about the internal structure and refractive indices of microscopic single cell organisms in vivo.
Effect of organic and inorganic phosphates on the oxygen equilibrium of human erythrocytes

Abstract The effect of organic and inorganic phosphates on the functional properties of purified adult human hemoglobin has been investigated. Adenosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate are particularly effective in decreasing the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin and are responsible for a small change in heme-heme interaction. The di- and mononucleotides have a neglibigle effect on the log p 1 2 and n values. Hexametaphosphate causes marked changes in both the oxygen affinity and the oxygen equilibrium curve, but tripolyphosphate, tetrametaphosphate, and pyrophosphate are less effective. The oxygen affinity of hemoglobin is decreased in the presence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate over a wide pH range. At high concentrations of phosphate buffer, diphosphoglycerate has practically no effect on the log p1 2 and n values. The results are discussed in relation to the changes in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve of stored blood.
Postpartum intrauterine device insertion and postpartum tubal sterilization in the United States

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate US rates of postpartum intrauterine device (IUD) insertion and postpartum tubal sterilization. Study Design Data from the 2001-2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to identify delivery hospitalizations with IUD insertion or tubal sterilization procedure codes. Results Estimated rates of postpartum IUD insertion and postpartum tubal sterilization were 0.27 and 770.67 per 10,000 deliveries, respectively. Although the rate of IUD insertion was similar across age groups, the rate of tubal sterilization increased with age. Nonetheless, 15% of tubal sterilizations occurred among women who were ≤24 years old. IUD insertion was more likely among women who delivered at teaching hospitals (odds ratio, 3.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.43–6.37); tubal sterilization was more likely among women without private insurance (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.97–2.11). Conclusion Among US postpartum women, IUD insertion occurs considerably less frequently than tubal sterilization, even among younger women for whom poststerilization regret is a concern.
Who Wants to go First? Order Effects Within a Series of Competitive Sales Presentations

This research uses organizational buyers to examine whether the order in which a sales presentation occurs within a series of competitive sales calls influences a buyer’s choice of the Market Leader and a similarly positioned Me-Too product. The Me-Too product is most successful when presented last—a recency effect. The Market Leader also fares better in the last position, but in addition, it is also chosen more often when it is presented first—a primacy effect. The salesperson for the Me-Too product is able to reduce the Market Leader’s primacy advantage by using an agenda selling strategy, in which the seller encourages the buyer to directly compare products and eliminate those that fail to meet minimum criteria.
NIR-Activated Content Release from Plasmon Resonant Liposomes for Probing Single-Cell Responses

Technological limitations have prevented the interrogation and manipulation of cellular activity in response to bioactive molecules within model and living systems that is required for the development of diagnostic and treatment modalities for diseases, such as cancer. In this work, we demonstrate that gold-coated liposomes are capable of encapsulation and on-demand release of signaling molecules with a spatial and temporal resolution leading to activation of individual cells. As a model system, we used cells modified to overexpress a certain G-protein coupled receptor, the CCK2 receptor, and achieved its activation in a single cell via the localized release of its agonist. This content release was triggered by illumination of the liposomes at wavelengths corresponding to the plasmon resonance of the gold coating. The use of plasmon resonant liposomes may enable on-demand release of a broad range of molecules using biologically safe near-infrared light and without molecule chemical modification. In combin...
Mechanistic insights into how advanced age moves the site of (.)VO2 kinetics limitation upstream.

beyond maturity, exercise tolerance declines inexorably with advancing age. Central to resolving the mechanistic bases for this phenomenon is understanding the effects of aging on the O2 transport system. This contention is based on the established and systematic age-related reduction in the maximal
Multinational firms and the development of penang, malaysia

Multinational business corporations (MNCs) have played a major part in the industrial development of Penang, Malaysia, over the last quarter century. This paper evaluates the contribution of such firms to the well-being of Penang's citizenry and extends that evaluation to all of Southeast Asia. The information was derived from formal interviews with MNC executives in Penang, from social conversations with those and other executives, and from discussions with officers of the Penang Development Corporation.
Static detection of dynamic memory errors

Many important classes of bugs result from invalid assumptions about the results of functions and the values of parameters and global variables. Using traditional methods, these bugs cannot be detected efficiently at compile-time, since detailed cross-procedural analyses would be required to determine the relevant assumptions. In this work, we introduce annotations to make certain assumptions explicit at interface points. An efficient static checking tool that exploits these annotations can detect a broad class of errors including misuses of null pointers, uses of dead storage, memory leaks, and dangerous aliasing. This technique has been used successfully to fix memory management problems in a large program.
Prolonged inhibition of acid secretion causes hypergastrinaemia without altering pH inhibition of gastrin release in humans.

Hypergastrinaemia induced by potent inhibitors of acid secretion is thought to occur as a result of the elimination of the inhibitory effects of intragastric acid on gastrin release. The present study was designed to determine if the mechanisms responsible for feedback inhibition of gastrin release and acid secretion by intragastric acid are preserved during four weeks of varying degrees of drug-induced acid inhibition. Forty-eight healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four treatments for four weeks: 10 mg omeprazole o.m., 20 mg omeprazole o.m., 40 mg omeprazole o.m. or 150 mg ranitidine b.d. Gastrin release and acid secretion in response to peptone meals maintained at pH 2.5 and pH 5.5 by intragastric titration, and 24-hour gastrin profiles in response to standard meals were determined before treatment, at the fourth week of treatment and two weeks after discontinuing treatment. As expected, omeprazole produced dose-related effects on acid secretion and gastrin concentrations that were largely reversed after treatment was discontinued. Gastrin release in response to pH 5.5 peptone meals remained significantly greater than gastrin release in response to pH 2.5 meals during treatment with all doses of omeprazole. The ratio of pH 5.5/pH 2.5 peptone meal-stimulated gastrin release was approximately 1.5, and remained constant for all treatment groups throughout the study period. These data indicate that four weeks of drug induced hypochlorhydria causes an apparent increase in overall G-cell function, but it does not interfere with normal feedback inhibition of gastrin release and acid secretion mediated by intragastric acidity.
Diversity of chromosomal segregational mechanisms in Mantispids (Neuroptera: Mantispidae)

The asymmetry of karyotype previously regarded as a Family character of the Mantispidae is absent in 4 species representative of one of the species-groups tyxonomically distinguishable in the Mantispas of the Western Hemisphere. Further diversity is evident in the evolutionary loss of the Y chromosome in Plega dactylota Rehn and the substitution of a Neo-XY system for distance segregation in P. signata (Hagen). In the Mantispas pseudo- or “sticky” sex-bivalents are present at diakinesis with a maximum frequency of 50% in M. fuscicornis Banks. By final metaphase this is reduced to 2% or less except in M. uhleri Banks in which 6% of the spermatocytes retain sex-bivalents. Univalent autosomes, observed in all but one of the species studied, occur in less than 1% of the cells at first metaphase except in M. interrupta Say and Plega dactylota in which their frequency approaches 8%. The precocious segregation of these unconjoined autosomes shows that univalency, rather than any sex-related attribute, underlies distance segregation.
Punishment and frustration: serendipitous findings.

Much conjecture exists about the relationship between punishment, frustration and learning. This study attempted to clarify the relationship between types of punishment and frustration. Because the findings are serendipitous, systematic exploration of the three variables could not be attempted. However, the results can be useful in interpretation of sometimes confusing results in experiments on learning.
Direct spectroscopic evidence for a high-spin Fe(IV) intermediate in tyrosine hydroxylase.

Tyrosine hydroxylase, a member of the aromatic amino acid hydroxylase family, uses a mononuclear Fe(II) and tetrahydropterin for hydroxylation of tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylalanine. Rapid-freeze quench Mossbauer spectroscopy has now provided direct evidence for the presence of an Fe(IV) intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by tyrosine hydroxylase. Rapid-quench techniques provide support for the kinetic competence of this species as the hydroxylating intermediate. This is the first direct evidence for a mononuclear Fe(IV) intermediate in an enzymatic aromatic hydroxylation reaction.
On the nature of errors involved in estimating stage-specific survival rates by Southwood's method for a population with overlapping stages

This paper has examined the effect of within-stage mortality on the estimation of stage-specific survival rates bySouthwood's (1978, p. 358) method. As pointed out bySouthwood, both the severity and timing of mortality affect the mean duration of a life stage, and consequently the estimate of the number of individuals entering that stage. Knowledge of the form of the survivorship curve permits correction of the estimate under certain circumstances. The use ofSouthwood's method with two overlapping stages having different rates and patterns of mortality leads to complex errors in the estimation of survival for the first stage. The nature of these errors is examined analytically and via a simulation model.Southwood's method is fairly robust, with moderate differences in mortality rates leading to acceptable errors in estimating survival for the first stage. When both the rate and pattern of mortality in both life stages are the same, then the survival estimate is made without error. Precise estimates of stage-specific survival will not usually be possible withSouthwood's method because of the errors introduced by the very parameters being measured. Direct measurement of mortality rates and survivorship patterns (seeSouthwood, 1978, p. 309) is strongly advised, at least in preliminary work.
Inhibition of Avian Mycoplasmal Hemagglutination by IgM Type Antibody

Intravenous exposure of turkeys to Mycoplasma synoviae resulted in development of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) activity in serums within 4 days. Treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol and gel-filtration separation of serum immunoglobulins indicated that the activity was due to IgM type antibody. Similar early HI activity was demonstrated in serums from turkeys exposed intravenously to Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma meleagridis.
Bullish on particles.

P article physics was, until recently, the flagship of U.S. physics, if not U.S. science. With ever larger “atom smashers” and such charismatic figures as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Richard Feynman, the field attracted the best and the brightest. These U.S. scientists garnered Nobel Prizes and
Single Molecule Imaging of Tid1/Rdh54, a Rad54 Homolog That Translocates on Duplex DNA and Can Disrupt Joint Molecules

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tid1 protein is important for the recombinational repair of double-stranded DNA breaks during meiosis. Tid1 is a member of Swi2/Snf2 family of chromatin remodeling proteins and shares homology with Rad54. Members of this family hydrolyze ATP and promote 1) chromatin remodeling, 2) DNA topology alterations, and 3) displacement of proteins from DNA. All of these activities are presumed to require translocation of the protein on DNA. Here we use single-molecule visualization to provide direct evidence for the ability of Tid1 to translocate on DNA. Tid1 translocation is ATP-dependent, and the velocities are broadly distributed, with the average being 84 ± 39 base pairs/s. Translocation is processive, with the average molecule traveling ∼10,000 base pairs before pausing or dissociating. Many molecules display simple monotonic unidirectional translocation, but the majority display complex translocation behavior comprising intermittent pauses, direction reversals, and velocity changes. Finally, we demonstrate that translocation by Tid1 on DNA can result in disruption of three-stranded DNA structures. The ability of Tid1 translocation to clear DNA of proteins and to migrate recombination intermediates may be of critical importance for DNA repair and chromosome dynamics.