cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of two E-box binding factors that interact with the rat tyrosine hydroxylase enhancer

The enhancer of the rat tyrosine hydroxylase gene (TH) in PC8b cells is composed of the AP1 motif (TCATTCA, -205 to -199) and an overlapping 20-base pair dyad symmetry element (TCAGAGGCAGGTGCCTGTGA, -201 to -182) whose core is an E-box. We have isolated two partial cDNA clones that encode factors which bind the TH-dyad. One is rITF2 with a basic helix-loop-helix motif and the other is CDP2 with a homeodomain. rITF2 is a rat homolog of human ITF2 (or E2-2), and CDP2 is a member of a new family of homeoproteins defined by histidine as the 9th residue of the recognition helix and by unique 64 amino acid repeats related to those of the Drosophila cut gene. The binding affinity of CDP2 alone is relatively weak, but it enhances the binding of rITF2 to the TH-dyad. In transfected F9 cells, activation of a TH-driven reporter requires both rITF2 and CDP2, suggesting that the proteins may functionally interact. However, rITF2 and CDP2 are not restricted to TH-expressing tissues; hence they may not be involved in the tissue-specific expression of TH. In addition, CDP2 is phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo.
Social Policy from a Global Perspective

Social workers are challenged every day to consider the global and international aspects of their practice. Many social workers now work with immigrants, refugees, and survivors of torture and trauma from other parts of the globe. A client's residence status can help or hinder treatment or access to service. Families often have to deal with adjustments to live in the United States, while their relatives are struggling in another country. Detention centers that house new asylees or refugees have become a permanent part of our urban landscape. International social work is not a new idea or field of practice. A number of social work professionals have been interested in understanding the international dimensions of social work practice since social work gained professional status. Social workers' involvement in international collaboration began after World War I as evidenced by the establishment of several international organizations, such as the International Federation of Social Work and the International Association of Schools of Social Work. This involvement increased after World War II as social workers became involved with rebuilding efforts after the War and with the United Nations. This involvement waxed and waned over the years, but is now coming more to the forefront as social workers realize that the idea that we work only within the boundaries of our own nation-states is no longer true. Influences beyond our borders are increasingly acknowledged as having a direct influence on local and national issues. The process underlying these changes is globalization. Keywords: globalization; social policy; economics
Keck Interferometer Observations of the Young Spectroscopic Binary Haro 1-14c

Using the Keck Interferometer, we obtained the first measurement of the angular separation of Haro 1-14c, ∼ 15 mas. Modeling shows that continued interferometric measurements, combined with the spectroscopically determined orbital parameters, can yield a dynamical measurement of the component masses with sufficient precision to enable meaningful tests of theoretical calculations of pre−main-sequence evolution.
Object-oriented power system modeling using the Dymola modeling language

The general purpose modeling language Dymola is used in conjunction with the ACSL simulator to provide an environment for the simulation of power electronic systems. The object-oriented nature of Dymola, along with its high-level handling of discrete events, makes it ideally suited to modeling switching converters and complete systems of several converters. Converter models can be constructed using a netlist format similar to SPICE. These models can then be used as components in more complex systems. This is demonstrated by example with a regulated DC-DC converter system. >
Reliability demonstration of a high-reliability disk drive

The reliability demonstration activities of a high-reliability 5.25 in, high-density disk drive with 1 Gbyte data storage capacity and a small computer system interface (SCSI) are described. Emphasis is on lessons learned from the predecessor design. The study demonstrates how lessons learned were successfully utilized, how test activities were monitored and redirected, and how reliability growth modeling was applied. >
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide actions on the guinea pig intestinal mucosa during neural stimulation.

Abstract Electrical stimulation of the mucosal innervation of the guinea pig ileum results in an increase in chloride secretion that is mediated in part by excitation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors on enterocytes. This study investigated the involvement of vasoactive intestinal peptide in the cholinergic and noncholinergic phases of the secretory response evoked by electrical stimulation of submucosal neurons in the guinea pig ileum. Flat sheets of ileum set up in Ussing flux chambers responded to exogenous vasoactive intestinal peptide by an increase in baseline short-circuit current which was reduced by furosemide and by vasoactive intestinal peptide antiserum. When submucosal neurons were electrically stimulated, a biphasic change in short-circuit current was evoked. Vasoactive intestinal peptide, forskolin, and isobutylmethylxanthine enhanced the cholinergic portion of the response, whereas the antiserum prevented or reduced the effects of the peptide but not of forskolin. In the presence of atropine to eliminate the cholinergically mediated response, vasoactive intestinal peptide reduced the noncholinergic phase of the response and its action was prevented by the antiserum. Vasoactive intestinal peptide enhanced the increase in short-circuit current evoked by the muscarinic agonist bethanechol. These results demonstrate that vasoactive intestinal peptide and other substances that stimulate secretion by increasing cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate levels in enterocytes potentiate the calcium-dependent, cholinergic phase of the chloride secretory response evoked by neural stimulation of the guinea pig ileum. No evidence was found for vasoactive intestinal peptide as the mediator of the noncholinergic phase of the response.
What's Cooking with Chef Watson? An Interview with Lav Varshney and James Briscione

Chef Watson is a cognitive computing application that aims to revolutionize how people combine ingredients to create unique dishes with novel flavors. To help explain the motivation behind and applications of Chef Watson, Florian Pinel interviews Lav Varshney, one of the creators of the project, and James Briscione, Director of Culinary Development at the Institute of Culinary Education, who has been using and testing the app since its inception. This department is part of a special issue on pervasive food.
The IndyCar Series: a marketing channels perspective.

This paper examines the IndyCar Series by utilising a marketing channels perspective. IndyCar is described as a services provider that attempts to secure retailers (i.e., racetracks and broadcast media) to participate in its services delivery channels. This paper specifically examines the competitive environment and relevant channels of distribution issues related to IndyCar solely in terms of its relationship with racetrack owners. While it is noted that consumer demand for open wheel type racing in the USA, such as IndyCar, has declined in recent years due to the unpopular split in 1995 of the category into two seemingly rival series, IndyCar faces distribution challenges in the marketplace. The dominance of NASCAR and the International Speedway Corporation which are both controlled by members of the France family, as well as the growing influence of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. as it also adds racetracks to its retail portfolio, continues to give more power to the racetracks and less to series such as IndyCar within the industry.
Initial Steps in High-Frequency Modeling of China

This paper presents the first step in building a forecasting model of China's GDP. Being constrained by a statistical history that effectively begins in 1993, it uses high frequency data and principal components analysis to construct a single-equation model that generates elasticities and is applied to two-quarter-ahead forecasts. Initial results suggest a gradual deceleration of growth, consistent with Chinese government policy.
The Significance of Sexuality and Intimacy in the Lives of Older African Americans With HIV/AIDS

Purpose of the Study: Aging and HIV/AIDS research focuses primarily on standardiz ed clinical, social, and behavioral measures, leaving unanswered questions about how this chronic and stigmatizing condition affects life course expectations and the meaning of aging with the disease. Utilizing Gaylene Becker’s (1997) life course disruption theory, we explored older African Americans’ experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. Design and Methods: A purposive sample ( N = 43) of seropositive African Americans aged 50 and older was selected from a parent study. Thirteen participants completed one semi-structured in-depth interview on life course expectations and experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. Interview transcripts were analyzed using standard qualitative coding and thematic analysis. Results: Responding to broad, open-ended questions about the impact of HIV on life cour se expectations, participants emphasized how HIV limited their ability to experience sexuality and intimacy. Two major themes emerged, damaged sexuality and constrained intimacy. Implications: Older African Americans’ discussions of living with HIV focused on the importance of and the challenges to sexuality and intimacy. Researchers and clinicians should be attentive to significant and ongoing HIV-related challenges to sexuality and intimacy facing older African Americans living with HIV/AIDS.
Working toward an epilepsy cure.

The consensus from the conference participants and from the manuscript is that epilepsy therapy is entering a new age. Fueled by recent scientific advances and by a broad conceptional leap, investigators and healthcare providers are eager to accept the challenge of finding and delivering a cure for epilepsy.
Through the looking-glass: Objects in the mirror are less real

Is an object reflected in a mirror perceived differently from an object that is seen directly? We asked observers to label "everything" in photographs of real-world scenes. Some scenes contained a mirror in which objects could be seen. Reflected objects received significantly fewer labels than did their nonreflected counterparts. If an object was visible only as a reflection, it was labeled more often than a reflected object that appeared both as a reflection and nonreflected in the room. These unique reflected objects were still not labeled more often than the unique nonreflected objects in the room. In a second experiment, we used a change blindness paradigm in which equivalent object changes occurred in the nonreflected and reflected parts of the scene. Reaction times were longer and accuracy was lower for finding the changes in reflections. These results suggest that reflected information is easily discounted when processing images of natural scenes.
Cystic fibrosis CFBE41o- cells contain TLR1 SNP I602S and fail to respond to Mycobacterium abscessus

Background Mycobacterium abscessus causes lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. M. abscessus stimulates the host innate immune response via TLR2 on respiratory epithelial cells. Signaling through TLR2 requires the formation of TLR2/TLR1 heterodimers on the cell surface.
GROWTH OF MAIZE SEEDLINGS AS AFFECTED BY GLUCOKININ AND INSULIN

1. Solutions of glucokinin and insulin, particularly those from which the easily dialyzable substances had been removed, increased the growth of roots and tops of young maize seedlings, as shown by comparisons with untreated seedlings grown in distilled water. 2. Strong solutions of crude glucokinin or of crude insulin repressed growth. 3. Seedlings from which the tips of the primary roots had been removed just before placing the plants in the test solutions made greater gains in both top growth and root growth than seedlings with uncut roots treated with solutions of the same strength. Control experiments showed that this difference in growth was not the result of cutting the roots, and that crude glucokinin and crude insulin contained several substances some of which were more readily absorbed by the plant than others. 4. Purification of crude glucokinin and crude insulin by dialysis showed that the residue of relatively non-dialyzable substance was the growth-promoting fraction. 5. The dialysate of crude glucokinin contained at least three types of material, one of which repressed growth. 6. Ammonium sulfate, one of the possible impurities of glucokinin, repressed the growth of seedlings but did not produce the other changes in metabolism shown by seedlings treated with dialysate of onion glucokinin. 7. The endosperm of plants treated with growth-promoting solutions of purified insulin did not lose weight as rapidly as the endosperms of untreated plants, indicating that the treated plants made their greater gains in growth by more efficient utilization of the endosperm, or as a result of greater photosynthetic activity, or by a combination of these. 8. Experiments with albino seedlings suggested that the greater gain in weight made by plants treated with insulin was the result in part of increased photosynthetic activity.
The Unique Developmental Program of the Acoel Flatworm, Neochildia fusca

Acoel embryos exhibit a unique form of development that some investigators argue is related to that found in polyclad turbellarians and coelomate spiralians, which display typical quartet spiral cleavage. We generated the first cell-lineage fate map for an acoel flatworm, Neochildia fusca, using modern intracellular lineage tracers to assess the degree of similarity between these distinct developmental programs. N. fusca develops via a "duet" cleavage pattern in which second cleavage occurs in a leiotropically oblique plane relative to the animal-vegetal axis. At the four-cell stage, the plane of first cleavage corresponds to the plane of bilateral symmetry. All remaining cleavages are symmetrical across the sagittal plane. No ectomesoderm is formed; the first three micromere duets generate only ectodermal derivatives. Endomesoderm, including the complex assemblage of circular, longitudinal, and oblique muscle fibers, as well as the peripheral and central parenchyma, is generated by both third duet macromeres. The cleavage pattern, fate map, and origins of mesoderm in N. fusca share little similarity to that exhibited by other spiralians, including the Platyhelminthes (e.g., polyclad turbellarians). These findings are considered in light of the possible evolutionary origins of the acoel duet cleavage program versus the more typical quartet spiral cleavage program. Finally, an understanding of the cell-lineage fate map allows us to interpret the results of earlier cell deletion studies examining the specification of cell fates within these embryos and reveals the existence of cell-cell inductive interactions in these embryos.
Biotic manipulation effects on soil carbohydrates and microbial biomass in a cultivated soil

Plant roots, fungi and soil fauna are important soil ecological constituents, which have substantial influences on soil C dynamics and nutrient cycling. Four biotic treatments (root exclusion, earthworm addition, fungicide and insecticide applications) were designed to investigate the influences of plant roots, fungi, microarthropods and earthworms on soil C dynamics and nutrient cycling in the field. Soils under these four treatments and their untreated controls in a 40 year old mixed meadow in the Georgia piedmont were analyzed for total organic C, soil N, microbial biomass C and N, and carbohydrates for 2 years. Root exclusion significantly reduced the concentrations of soil carbohydrates (P < 0.05) as determined by gas chromatography, with only slight differences in total C between the treatments and the controls. Microbial biomass C and N were significantly lower under root exclusion and fungicide treatment than under the control. Root exclusion and inhibition of soil fungi significantly reduced soil N content, suggesting that both roots and fungi contribute to the retention of soil organic N or contribute as a source of N in cultivated soils. Microbial biomass determined in this study was strongly related to total carbohydrates (P ⪡ 0.01). Mannose, a sugar mainly of microbial origin, significantly decreased in the surface 5 cm soils under fungicide treatment, while little effects of the arthropod repellant naphthalene were found in any of the measurements. Significant reductions in xylose and glucose but not in mannose after earthworm additions suggested that earthworms accelerated the turnover of plant materials in soils. The results confirmed that the short-term effects of soil biota on SOM dynamics are more profound on soil carbohydrates and microbial biomass than on total C. High mannose-to-xylose ratio indicates that the microbial-derived carbohydrates are relatively dominant in the total carbohydrate pool. When combined with information on microbial biomass, soil carbohydrate ratios may be a useful indicator of changes in SOM status as a function of biotic and management regimes in cultivated soils.
Pulsed Laser Processing Of Silicon Via Absorption By Free Carriers

AbstractUsing transmission electron microscopy, we show that melting and subsequent defect -freerecrystallization can be obtained in silicon by absorbing the pulse energy via free -carriertransitions. We use a pulsed CO2 laser to anneal extended lattice defects caused by high -temperature diffusion of phosphorus into lightly doped silicon. For pulse energy densitiesexceeding a threshold value, we find that the spherical precipitates and dislocation loopsin the diffused layer are dissolved by CO2 laser- induced melting, which results in a largeincrease in the electrically active phosphorus in the near -surface region. We also used thedifferential absorption between layers with different free -carrier concentrations to achievemelting of a buried ion -implanted layer, without melting the material that encapsulates themolten layer. This type of melting phenomenon is likely not obtainable using a laser wherethe absorption is dominated by an intrinsic mechanism. New applications using free -carrierabsorption as a means to process silicon samples are discussed.
Non-linear age-dependent population dynamics

where P( t ) is the total population at time t and 5 is the growth modulus. This law is clearly inapplicable to situations in which the population competes for resources (e.g., space and food), for in these situations 5 should depend on the size of the population: the larger the population, the slower should be its rate of growth. To overcome this deficiency in the Malthusian law, VERHULST [1845, 1847] assumed that f i= (6o-co0 P ) P (5o, COo=constant). (1.2)
Denitrification measured by a direct N2 flux method in sediments of Waquoit Bay, MA

Denitrification was directly estimated in estuarine sediments of Waquoit Bay, Cape Cod, MA by detection of N2 increases above ambient in the water overlying sediment cores. Denitrification rates (−9 to 712 μmol N2 m−2 h−1 ) were high compared to previous studies, but compared well with estimates of N loss from mass balance studies. The precision of the estimate depended on the N2/02 flux ratio. The N2/02 flux ratio was lower in Waquoit Bay than previously studied estuaries, and estuaries had lower N2/02 flux ratios than shelf sites. The contribution of temperature-driven solubility changes to estuarine fluxes was estimated by modeling sediment temperature variations and found to be potentially important (43 μmol N2 m−2 h−1); however, control incubations indicate the temperature model overestimates solubility driven fluxes. The relatively low fluxes under anaerobic conditions and the low rate of N03 −/N02 − removal from the overlying water indicates coupled nitrification/denitrification produced the observed N2 fluxes.
Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Immobile DNA Four-Way Junctions

Immobile four-way junctions (4WJs) are the core structural motif employed in structural nucleic acid nanotechnology to constrain interconnected duplexes. While it is well known that 36 sequence designs form immobile four-way junctions that may exist in one of two stacked conformational isomers, the molecular basis for their stability and stacking interactions remains obscure. For example, experiment indicates that several core sequence motifs exhibit a strong bias for one isomeric state, whereas both isomeric states are preferred equally by others. Molecular dynamics (MD) offers atomic-level insight into the structural and chemical basis for 4WJ interactions leading to preferential stability of one over the other isomeric state. To investigate 4WJ stability, we employed all-atom MD including explicit solvent and experimental ionic conditions to examine the dynamics of the canonical Seeman J1 4WJ that strongly prefers one of its two isomeric states, and compared it with several alternative sequence designs. Analysis of base-pair level duplex and crossover degrees of freedom reveals base stacking and pairing interactions that may impact overall junction stability.
Controlling neuron number: does Numb do the math?

Numb is an important developmental protein that functions in fate determination, differentiation and cell maturation, but its role in mammalian neural progenitors has been controversial. A new paper uses a clever approach to attempt to reconcile the opposing views.
Antifungal activity of tobacco osmotin has specificity and involves plasma membrane permeabilization

Osmotin protein is able to inhibit in vitro the growth of a number of unrelated pathogens. A survey of 31 isolates representing 18 fungal genera indicated that sensitivity may be determined at the genus level. Hyphal growth of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasitica, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina was highly resistant to osmotin whereas the growth of Bipolaris, Fusarium and Phytophthora species was very sensitive. Of all fungi tested Trichoderma longibrachiatum hyphal growth was most inhibited by osmotin treatment. Osmotin either induced spore lysis, inhibited spore germination or reduced germling viability in seven fungal species that exhibited some degree of sensitivity in hyphal growth inhibition tests. The species-specific growth inhibition was correlated with the ability of osmotin to dissipate the fungal membrane pH gradient. Both growth inhibition and pH gradient dissipation by osmotin were sensitive to NaCl and other inorganic cations. Cells of T. longibrachiatum were insensitive to osmotin after plasmolysis, suggesting that the cell wall may be a component of the mechanism by which osmotin permeabilizes the plasma membrane and kills fungal cells.
Dissolved Phosphorus from Undisturbed Soil Cores

While the rapid transport of nonadsorbed chemicals is relatively well understood, preferential transport of adsorbable chemicals including P requires further study. Our objective was to characterize subsurface P transport in glaciated soils of the northeastern USA. Large intact columns from five soils with differing structures were subjected in duplicate to both synthetic add rainfall at a low rate simulating natural rainfall, and ponded water for observing saturated flow. The rain was enriched with inorganic and organic P after baseline conditions were established. Drainage water P concentrations were measured and adsorption isotherms were determined. Type of flow was characterized using Cl breakthrough curves and visualizations of blue dye patterns. Baseline P concentrations in drainage water were 0.02 to 0.04 mg L -1 . At low flow rates, P appeared in the drainage water soon after application of either inorganic or organic P for the silt loam soil (firm, moderate coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure) in which preferential flow paths carried most of the water flow. In contrast, the soils in which matrix type flow dominated (weak fine granular or weak medium subangular blocky structures) had little or no increase in drainage water P. However, under ponded conditions all soils exhibited preferential flow and rapid P breakthrough. Elevated P concentration in the drainage water could not be explained by the P adsorption strength with the possible exception of the sandy loam soil, where the outflow P concentration was consistently low. Variation in flow rate in conjunction with soil structure satisfactorily explained elevated concentrations of dissolved inorganic and organic P in drainage water from surface applied P.
Effect of Alcohols on the Retention Mechanisms of Cd and Zn on Wyoming Bentonite and Illite

The effects of ethanol- and methanol-water mixtures on Zn and Cd sorption onto bentonite and illite were investigated at low initial metal concentration (< or =10(-5) M) and low ionic strength (2.5 mM Ca(NO3)2). For all cosolvent fractions, the percent coverage of Zn and Cd to clay minerals was low (<5%) and independent of the solution dielectric constant, epsilon, except for Zn at 10 microM. Cadmium sorption to bentonite and illite was independent of epsilon. Zinc sorption varied significantly between clay types, cosolvent type, and cosolvent fraction. The partitioning of Zn to bentonite increased from 0 to 10% alcohol-water fraction and decreased after 10%. The same pattern was observed for the partitioning of Zn on illite in methanol-water mixtures. In ethanol-water mixtures, Kf for Zn on illite increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 50% ethanol. The decreased partitioning and hence mobility of Zn to bentonite and illite after 10% alcohol (only in methanol-water mixtures for illite) suggests a potential environmental threat resulting from increased transport of this metal in subsurface environments where these cosolvents are present.
The Changing Nature of Public Utility Regulation: The Used and Useful Property Rate versus the Capitalization Rate Base in the Nuclear Age

The author reviews public utility rate cases, with a focus on the efforts of regulatory commissions to preserve the used and useful rate base as an operative principle. The issue is whether this is warranted in the era of nuclear plant construction and abandonment. He considers court decisions on the legal pros and cons of including construction work in progress (CWIP) and allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) in the rate base in terms of their effect on capital costs and the impact on the costs to present and future consumers. Current practice has been to allow a selective use of CWIP and retain the used and useful principle, but a move to a capitalization rate base would simplify the process and still allow the control of utility financial behavior through oversight of construction expenditures and operating income and expenses.
A new phylogeny-based generic classification of Costaceae (Zingiberales)

Recent cladistic analysis Of Multiple molecular data from chloroplast and nuclear genomes as well as morphological data have indicated that a reclassification of the family Costaceae is necessary in order to appropriately reflect phylogenetic relationships. The previously described genera Tapeinochilos, Monocostus, and Dimerocostus are all upheld in the new classification. Monocostus and Dimerocostus are found to be sister taxa. The large pantropical genus Costus is found to be polyphyletic and is thus divided into four genera, three of which are new (Cheilocostus, Chamaecostus, Paracostus). Costus has now a more concise generic concept including morphological synapomorphies previously absent due to the polymorphic nature of the prior nonmonophyletic assemblage. Of the three new genera, one (Parocostus) was previously recognized as a subgenus of Costus. Cheilocostus comprises several Asian taxa and is sister to Tapeinochilos, whereas Chamaecostus comprises entirely neotropical taxa and is sister to a neotropical Monocostus + Dimerocostus clade. A reevaluation of the traditional taxonomy indicates that floral characters and pollination syndromes commonly used to identify groups exhibit homoplasy when analyzed in a cladistic framework and are thus unreliable as taxonomic indicators.
A pilot assessment of whether external coil MRI is useful to assess evacuatory disorders.

This study assessed the value of common surface coil mag-netic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with evacuatory disorders including fecal incontinence and constipation. These findings were then compared with those from other standard physiological examinations and/or surgical findings. From July 1996 to June 1997, 14 consecutive patients underwent surface coil MRI for evaluation of either fecal incontinence (n=5) or constipation (n=9). In patients with incontinence we compared the findings from endoanal ultrasound (EAUS), anal MRI, and surgery regarding morphopathological findings of the internal and external anal sphincter components. In constipated patients the findings of videoprography and dynamic pelvic MRI were compared regarding the presence of rectocele, rectoanal intussusception, and sigmoidocele as well as the measurements of anorectal angle and perineal descent. The five incontinent patients were all women, with a median age of 67 years (range 43–77). EAUS revealed an anterior sphincter defect in two patients, a posterior defect in one, and normal anal sphincter images in two. Surgical findings confirmed an anterior external anal sphincter scar in two patients, an internal anal sphincter defect in one, and an anatomically normal anal sphincter in two. In one patient, although anal MRI showed posterior external anal sphincter defect, EAUS and surgery revealed normal external anal sphincter appearance. The accuracy rate between EAUS and anal MRI was only 20%, that between surgery and anal MRI 40%, and that between surgery and EAUS 80%. Thus EAUS was more accurate than anal MRI in incontinent patients. The nine constipated patients were all women, with a mean age of 59 years (range 40–78). Videoproctography revealed an anterior rectocele in six patients, rectoanal intussusception in three, and sigmoidocele in five; no abnormalities were identified in two patients. On dynamic pelvic MRI anterior rectocele was seen in three patients and sigmoidocele in two, and five studies were interpreted as normal. One of the patients underwent sigmoidectomy for sigmoidocele, and five patients were treated by biofeedback. Thus the accuracy rate of dynamic pelvic MRI against videoproctography was 60% for anterior rectocele, 40% for sigmoidocele, and zero for rectoanal intussusception. In conclusion, neither MRI for the evaluation of patients with fecal incontinence nor for the evaluation of patients with constipation added any significant information that would warrant its continued use in these patient groups. Perhaps the more widespread availability of an endoanal coil will alter this conclusion; however, at the present time we cannot routinely endorse the expense, time, or inconvenience of these MRI investigations in patients with these diagnoses. Larger prospective comparative studies are required prior to endorsing the technique.
The Athletic Body in Classical Athens: Literary and Historical Perspectives

This paper explores representations of the athletic body in classical Athenian literature (c.480–336 bce) and their implications for understanding the role of sport in ancient Athens during the period in question. In Greek epinician literature and plastic arts the male athletic body was frequently stereotyped as a token of physical and moral superiority and as a central attribute of manliness. On a civic level, in Athens masculinity was also enacted through group displays of physical fitness and co-ordination performed at the Panathenaea festival. But there also existed a different strand, visible in genres such as comedy and medical literature, which viewed the athletic body as food-devouring, over-trained and muscularly disfigured. It is argued that in Athens this deviant image of the athletic body can be perceived as part of a wider discourse that contrasts professional athletes and their bodies to the model of the adequately trained, militarily efficient and politically involved body of the ideal citizen.
Girls, Gangs, and Getting Out: Gender Differences and Similarities in Leaving the Gang

This study draws from role exit theory and feminist criminology to examine whether the catalysts and consequences of gang disengagement differ between males and females. We analyze data on 143 indi...
DNA Unwinding By DnaB and the DnaB/TAU Complex

The replicative helicase for E. coli is DnaB, a hexameric, ring-shaped motor protein that encircles and translocates along ssDNA, denaturing dsDNA in advance of its motion by sterically occluding the complementary strand to the outside of the ring. Using multiplexed single-molecule measurements with magnetic tweezers, we investigate the translocation and unwinding activities of DnaB. We find that DnaB's interaction with the ss/dsDNA junction is dependent on the geometry of the DNA substrate and applied force, suggesting that the hexamer interacts with the occluded strand during unwinding. We have also found that the structure of the bound nucleotides within DnaB's central channel is highly compact relative to the contour length of ssDNA, consistent with crystal structures of related hexameric helicases. Finally, in all our experiments, we find high variance in the rates of unwinding as well as frequent pausing, indicating that individual hexamers fluctuate among different conformations with different activities. To investigate DnaB's variable nature, we test the effect on helicase activity of interactions with the tau subunit of the Pol III holoenzyme, which is thought to regulate DnaB's unwinding rate.
Altering the synchrony of stimulus trace processes: tests of a neural-network model

A previously described neural-network model (Desmond 1991; Desmond and Moore 1988; Moore et al. 1989) predicts that both CS-onset-evoked and CS-offset-evoked stimulus trace processes acquire associative strength during classical conditioning, and that CR waveforms can be altered by manipulating the time at which the processes are activated. In a trace conditioning paradigm, where CS offset precedes US onset, the model predicts that onset and offset traces act in synchrony to generate unimodal CR waveforms. However, if the CS duration is subsequently lengthened on CS-alone probe trials, the model predicts that onset and offset traces will asynchronously contribute to CR output and bimodal CRs will be generated. In a delay conditioning paradigm, in which US onset occurs prior to CS offset, the model predicts that only the onset process will gain associative strength, and hence, only unimodal CRs will occur. Using the rabbit conditioned nictitating membrane response preparation, we found experimental support for these predictions.
Functional roles of Notch signaling in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

Notch signaling is among the oldest of known Metazoan signaling pathways and is used in a multitude of developmental contexts to effect cellular differentiation, specification and the maintenance of stem cell state. Here we report the isolation and expression of the canonical Notch signaling pathway in the early branching metazoan Nematostella vectensis (Anthozoa, Cnidaria) during embryonic and larval development. We have used pharmacological treatment, morpholino knockdown, and dominant negative misexpression experiments to demonstrate that Notch signaling acts to mediate cnidogenesis, the development of cnidarian-specific neural effecter cells. Notch signaling often results in the transcriptional activation of NvHes genes, a conserved family of bHLH transcription factors. A loss of Notch signaling through use of pharmacological inhibition or knock-down of the Notch effecter gene Suppressor of Hairless Su(H) similarly results in a loss of cnidocyte cell fate. We also provide evidence that Notch signaling is responsible for certain aspects of neurogenesis in developing N. vectensis planula in which disruption of Notch cleavage via the pharmacological agent DAPT results in increased expression of neural marker genes in vivo. This data suggests that Notch signaling acting on components of the developing nervous system is an ancient role of this pathway. The shared requirement of Notch signaling for the development of both cnidocytes and neurons further supports the hypothesis that cnidocytes and neurons share common origins as multifunctional sensory-effecter cells.
Relating Axle Load Spectra to Truck Gross Vehicle Weights and Volumes

Axle load spectra have been used to develop the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (M-E PDG). Use of these load spectra provides a more direct and rational approach for the analysis and design of pavement structures to estimate the effects of actual traffic on pavement response and distress. However, the demand for specific truck- and axle load-related data makes the collection of axle load spectra a very complicated, costly, and labor-intensive operation. Due to limited resources available in state and local highway agencies for traffic data collection, the M-E PDG allows for various levels of traffic data collection and analysis. These levels vary from site-specific (Level 1) to regional average (Level 3) traffic load and volume data. This paper explores the possibility of extracting axle loads from truck weight and volume data and presents a practical method of modeling axle load spectra. Axle load-related data used in the analyses cover diversified geographical locations in the United States. The results show that truck weights and proportions on a highway can be used to estimate individual axle load spectra for various axle configurations. The practical implication of these results is that truck weights, which can be measured easily or estimated from existing data, can be related to the axle loads if accurate and rational models are developed for a region based on the local truck traffic characteristics and weights. Such estimates will be superior to assuming a Level 3 input for axle load spectra in the new M-E PDG.
A note concerning the spin of the phonon

Work being conducted on the quantization of the phonon field using the Lagrangian formalism is reported. Results for waves propagating in isotropic media are extended to the case of phonon fields in lattices. All calculations are carried out in the continuum limit.
Mechanisms of c-Myc Degradation by Nickel Compounds and Hypoxia

Nickel (Ni) compounds have been found to cause cancer in humans and animal models and to transform cells in culture. At least part of this effect is mediated by stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF1a) and activating its downstream signaling. Recent studies reported that hypoxia signaling might either antagonize or enhance c-myc activity depending on cell context. We investigated the effect of nickel on c-myc levels, and demonstrated that nickel, hypoxia, and other hypoxia mimetics degraded c-myc protein in a number of cancer cells (A549, MCF-7, MDA-453, and BT-474). The degradation of the c-Myc protein was mediated by the 26S proteosome. Interestingly, knockdown of both HIF-1α and HIF-2α attenuated c-Myc degradation induced by Nickel and hypoxia, suggesting the functional HIF-1α and HIF-2α was required for c-myc degradation. Further studies revealed two potential pathways mediated nickel and hypoxia induced c-myc degradation. Phosphorylation of c-myc at T58 was significantly increased in cells exposed to nickel or hypoxia, leading to increased ubiquitination through Fbw7 ubiquitin ligase. In addition, nickel and hypoxia exposure decreased USP28, a c-myc de-ubiquitinating enzyme, contributing to a higher steady state level of c-myc ubiquitination and promoting c-myc degradation. Furthermore, the reduction of USP28 protein by hypoxia signaling is due to both protein degradation and transcriptional repression. Nickel and hypoxia exposure significantly increased the levels of dimethylated H3 lysine 9 at the USP28 promoter and repressed its expression. Our study demonstrated that Nickel and hypoxia exposure increased c-myc T58 phosphorylation and decreased USP28 protein levels in cancer cells, which both lead to enhanced c-myc ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation.
The Newer New Life: A.S. Byatt, E. Nesbit and Socialist Subculture

The Newer New Life: A.S. Byatt, E. Nesbit and Socialist Subculture Diana Maltz In one of the more wittily acerbic passages in E. Nesbit's The New Treasure Seekers (1904), the Bastable children arri...
Composite resin color change after vital tooth bleaching

Color change of composite resin was determined with the Minolta Chroma meter (CR-100) after four sessions of vital bleaching. Specimens of selected composite resin materials were subjected to vital bleaching (37% H3PO4/1 minute, then 30% H2O2/infrared light/30 minutes.) Specimens were stored in water between bleaching. Control specimens were used to determine the effects of water storage alone. Initial L*a*b* color readings were made on 24-hour hydrated specimens. Final L*a*b* readings were made on 24-hour hydrated specimens. Calculations were made for the delta E values for each specimen. Mean delta E values and standard deviations were obtained for each material. Two-way ANOVA and Newman-Keuls analyses showed significant (alpha = 0.05) color change for most bleached materials. Additionally, some materials had delta E values greater than 3. These were visibly lighter compared to their controls. Vital bleaching produced color change in most composites as measured with the Chroma meter. This technique may be used to lighten dark-colored or stained composite resin restorations.
Epitaxial thin‐film ruby as an ion‐irradiation damage sensor

The fluorescence from a thin ruby film, formed by epitaxial growth on a sapphire substrate, is shown to be a sensitive monitor of both the irradiation dose and the strain produced by irradiation of argon ions having an end of range exceeding the thickness of the ruby film. Decreases in fluorescence intensity are detectable for doses in excess of 1012 cm2, whereas no damage is detectable by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry/channeling until doses almost two orders of magnitude larger. Using the systematic shift in fluorescence frequency observed with irradiation, it is concluded that lattice strain accumulates rapidly for doses in excess of 1014 cm2.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training Programs in Reducing the Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Female Athletes A Systematic Review

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are more common in female athletes because of anatomic and biomechanical factors. These injuries can have detrimental ramifications for the athlete and the health care system. Neuromuscular training programs have been designed to modify risk factors and prevent ACL injuries.Purpose:This systematic review evaluates studies that assess the effectiveness of neuromuscular training programs in reducing ACL injuries in female athletes and provides an update to 2 previously published reviews.Study Design:Systematic review.Methods:Medline, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases were searched for relevant journal articles published from 1995 to 2011. We performed a manual review of relevant articles, authors, and journals, including bibliographies from identified articles. Ten studies were included in this review.Results:Only 2 studies demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in ACL injuries with neuromuscular training programs. Two additional studies showed a ...
Effects of ion implantation on poly(dimethylsilylene-co-methylphenylsilylene)

The effects of ion implantation on the electrical and structural properties of poly(dimethylsilylene-co-methylphenylsilylene), (DMMPS) thin films have been investigated. Ionic species of krypton, arsenic, fluorine, chlorine, and sulfur were implanted at energies ranging from 35 to 200 keV and with doses of up to 1 × 1016 ion cm2. The conductivity of the polymer increased upon implantation reaching a maximum value of 9.6 × 10−6 (Ω cm)−1 for the case of arsenic ion at a dose of 1 × 1016 ion cm2 and energy of 100 keV. The results showed that ion implantation induced conduction in DMMPS was primarily due to structural modifications of the material brought about by the, energetic ions. Infrared analysis and Auger electron spectroscopy showed evidence for the formation of a silicon carbide-like structure upon implantation.
Fire Blight Management in the Twenty-first Century: Using New Technologies that Enhance Host Resistance in Apple

Fire blight has been known as a destructive disease of apple and pear for over 200 years (3). The disease is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, which is capable of infecting blossoms, fruits, vegetative shoots, woody tissues, and rootstock crowns (Fig. 1). There are several distinct phases of the disease including blossom blight, shoot blight, and rootstock blight. The diversity of host tissues susceptible to infection, combined with the limited number of management tools available to control the disease, has made it difficult to stop or slow the progress of fire blight epidemics. Effective management of fire blight requires an integrated approach of several practices that are aimed at (i) reducing the amount of inoculum that is available to initiate new infections, (ii) imposing barriers to successful establishment of the pathogen on the host, and (iii) reducing host susceptibility to infection (1,55). Most fire blight management strategies developed during the twentieth century focused on the reduction of inoculum in the orchard and the use of antimicrobial treatments to prevent infection. Although increasing host resistance has been recognized as an important component of fire blight management, its application has been limited by a lack of resistant cultivars suited to commercial needs and by a lack of management practices that could effectively increase resistance. Recent advances have made it feasible to change this paradigm in the twenty-first century. First, apple rootstock breeding programs have developed size-controlling (often dwarfing) rootstocks that are resistant to fire blight and are currently becoming available for commercial use (43). Second, genetic engineering of commercial apple cultivars for increased fire blight resistance has been demonstrated, and transgenic apple plants are now undergoing field trials (2). Third, chemical treatments that enhance host resistance have been demonstrated to be useful in the control of fire blight (9,33,61). Although these technologies are at the early stages of development and are either not available or not proven in the marketplace, incorporating the use of host resistance into fire blight management strategies has become a realistic goal in the twenty-first century. This article describes recent progress in the development of new fire blight control technologies that enhance host resistance by chemical or genetic means.