cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Growth Response-1 Regulates Lipopolysaccharide-induced Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling-1 Transcription

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1 is a critical regulator of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) tolerance and LPS-induced cytokine production. The mechanisms regulating the transcription of SOCS-1 in response to LPS are not entirely understood. Functional analysis of the SOCS-1 promoter demonstrates that early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is an important transcriptional regulator of SOCS-1. Two Egr-1 binding sites are present within the SOCS-1 promoter as shown by EMSA and supershift analysis. Further, mutation of the Egr-1 binding sites significantly reduces both the basal and LPS-induced transcriptional activity of the promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments confirm LPS-induced binding of Egr-1 to the SOCS-1 promoter in vivo. Additionally, Egr-1(-/-) macrophages show reduced levels of LPS-induced SOCS-1 expression in comparison with macrophages derived from Egr-1(+/+) littermate controls. These results demonstrate an important role for Egr-1 in regulating both the basal and LPS-induced activity of the SOCS-1 promoter.
Out of sight, out of mind: occlusion and the accessibility of information in narrative comprehension.

Do readers encode the perceptual perspectives of characters during narrative comprehension? To address this question, we conducted two experiments using stories that sometimes described situations in which certain information was occluded from the protagonists’ views. We generated two related hypotheses concerning the potential impact of occlusion events on text representations. One, theevent boundary hypothesis, suggested that any salient narrative event would reduce the accessibility of prior story information. The second, theperceptual availability hypothesis, suggested that accessibility would decrease most for information no longer visible to story protagonists. In Experiment 1, the participants were slowest to respond to verification questions that asked about occluded information. In Experiment 2, we demonstrated that this effect did not extend to other, nonoccluded information. These results suggest that readers encode text information from the perceptual perspective of story protagonists. This is consistent with recent perceptual symbol views of language comprehension.
Metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene by isolated hepatocytes and factors affecting covalent binding of benzo(a)pyrene metabolites to DNA in hepatocyte and microsomal systems.

Abstract Covalent binding of benzo( a )pyrene (BP) metabolites to DNA was investigated in hepatocytes and liver microsomes (MC-microsomes) isolated from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats. The major DNA adducts formed during BP metabolism in both hepatocytes and incubations of calf thymus DNA with MC-microsomes were adducts of anti and syn isomers of trans -7,8,-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene (diol-epoxides) and of epoxide derivatives of BP-9-phenol (phenol-oxides). Diol-epoxide adducts predominated over phenol-oxide adducts in hepatocytes, while the reverse was found in microsomal incubations. In hepatocytes, both diol-epoxide and phenol-oxide adducts increased with increasing BP concentration; the ratio of diol-epoxide adduct to phenol-oxide adduct decreased from 6:1 to 3:1 between 30 and 100 μ m BP. In microsomal incubations, decreases in DNA concentration or addition of the hepatocyte L15 medium produced larger decreases in phenol-oxide adducts than in diol-epoxide adducts. The effects of the inhibitors salicylamide, diethylmaleate, and 3,3,3,-trichloropropene oxide on formation of BP-DNA adducts are interpreted in terms of changes in precursor formation and metabolism and reductions in hepatocyte glutathione levels. Addition of 1.5 mg/ml exogenous DNA to hepatocyte incubations produced no change in covalent binding to cellular DNA, even though extracellular BP-DNA adducts accounted for 97% of the total adducts formed. Both the relative amounts of diol-epoxide and phenol-oxide adducts and the total adducts per milligram of DNA were indistinguishable with respect to extracellular and intracellular DNA. Modification of extracellular DNA by diol-epoxides was at least as efficient as modification of calf thymus DNA in incubations with MC-microsomes. It is concluded that BP diol-epoxides and phenol-oxides can leave the cell or enter the nucleus with equal facility but are more effective in binding to DNA in the cell in which they are generated.
Multiple Co-Evolutionary Networks Are Supported by the Common Tertiary Scaffold of the LacI/GalR Proteins

Protein families might evolve paralogous functions on their common tertiary scaffold in two ways. First, the locations of functionally-important sites might be “hard-wired” into the structure, with novel functions evolved by altering the amino acid (e.g. Ala vs Ser) at these positions. Alternatively, the tertiary scaffold might be adaptable, accommodating a unique set of functionally important sites for each paralogous function. To discriminate between these possibilities, we compared the set of functionally important sites in the six largest paralogous subfamilies of the LacI/GalR transcription repressor family. LacI/GalR paralogs share a common tertiary structure, but have low sequence identity (≤30%), and regulate a variety of metabolic processes. Functionally important positions were identified by conservation and co-evolutionary sequence analyses. Results showed that conserved positions use a mixture of the “hard-wired” and “accommodating” scaffold frameworks, but that the co-evolution networks were highly dissimilar between any pair of subfamilies. Therefore, the tertiary structure can accommodate multiple networks of functionally important positions. This possibility should be included when designing and interpreting sequence analyses of other protein families. Software implementing conservation and co-evolution analyses is available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/coevolutils/.
Biodegradation of recalcitrant chlorophenols by cometabolism

Under normal conditions in the environment a significant proportion of xenobiotic biodegradation involves cometabolism. Using the cometabolic principle, a procedure was developed to achieve accelerated biodegradation of persistent chemicals. Three stable chlorophenols [3,5-dichlorophenol (DCP), 3,4,5-trichlorophenol (TCP), and 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol (TRCP)], which showed a total resistance to the biodegradation potential of a pentachlorophenol-degrading bacterial culture, were found to be biodegradable using the cometabolic technique. When a low-chlorinated monochlorophenol (3-MCP) was the cometabolite, only the medium-low chlorinated 3,5-DCP was biodegraded, while the medium chlorinated 3,4,5-TCP and the medium-high chlorinated 2,3,5,6,-TRCP were not degraded by the culture. However, all three stable chlorophenols could be rapidly biodegraded when a highly chlorinated pentachlorophenol (PCP) cometabolite was used. If dual cometabolites (3-MCP and PCP) were used, all three stable chlorophenols were biodegraded, but at much slower rate. Maximizing biodegradation by use of the cometabolic technique to achieve accelerated biodegradation of stable chemicals is discussed.
Sex differences and chronic stress effects on the neural circuitry underlying fear conditioning and extinction

There are sex differences in the rates of many stress-sensitive psychological disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala are implicated in many of these disorders, understanding differential stress effects in these regions may shed light on the mechanisms underlying sex-dependent expression of disorders like depression and anxiety. Prefrontal cortex and amygdala are key regions in the neural circuitry underlying fear conditioning and extinction, which thus has emerged as a useful model of stress influences on the neural circuitry underlying regulation of emotional behavior. This review outlines the current literature on sex differences and stress effects on dendritic morphology within medial prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala. Such structural differences and/or alterations can have important effects on fear conditioning and extinction, behaviors that are mediated by the basolateral amygdala and prefrontal cortex, respectively. Given the importance of extinction-based exposure therapy as a treatment for anxiety disorders such as PTSD, understanding the neural mechanisms by which stress differentially influences fear learning and extinction in males and females is an important goal for developing sex-appropriate interventions for stress-related disorders.
Effect of acidulated phosphate-fluoride chewabie tablets on dental caries in schoolchildren: results after 30 months

Incremental caries scores were determined after 30 months in this study involving elementary school children who use acidulated phosphate-fluoride tablets containing 1 mg of fluoride either once or twice a day. Two groups of children initially in the first and second grades chewed, rinsed with, and swallowed an acidulated phosphate-fluoride tablet either once or twice a day in school. A control group of children followed the procedure once a day using a placebo tablet. An interim evaluation after 30 months showed that the children receiving two fluoride tablets daily had a significant reduction in incremental caries on teeth that were present on the base-line examination and that, thus, were exposed only posteruptively to the fluoride.
Sex Differences in Educational Outcomes: A Cross-National Study.

Through their organization and curricula, schools either promote separate roles for males and females or operate to minimize differences. This study describes sex differences in science and reading achievement and attitudes for nationwide samples of 14-year-old children in the United States, Sweden, and England. There are largely the same sex differences in all three countries: Male and female pupils have similar reading skills, while girls have more positive reading habits; males outperform females in science, with the smallest difference observed for biology; males have more positive attitudes toward science, except that females believe science to be at least as important a topic as boys do. There is no noteworthy increase in sex distinctions with one more year of schooling, from grade 8 to grade 9. However, in English coeducational schools, girls show a deceleration in science and vocabulary achievement relative to their male peers. Girls in English one-sex schools exceed their male counterparts in reading and several science subjects. It is hypothesized that the role of successful female teachers and peers, and the absence of social pressure from boys, may facilitate girls' learning in these areas. A study is proposed of specific school practices and the ways in which they determine sex discrepancies.
Wideband Omnidirectional Polarization-Insensitive Light Absorbers Made with 1D Silicon Gratings

Photonic resonance in lossy films with 1D periodicity is generally associated with narrow spectral, angular, and polarization-selective absorption. Contrarily, in this paper a 1D amorphous Si grating structure is demonstrated that efficiently absorbs fully hemispherical unpolarized light in the entire visible spectral domain. The absorber provides a broad spectral continuum of densely populated resonant photonic states as well as a cooperating wide-angular antireflection effect, resulting in the observed broadband, omnidirectional, and polarization-insensitive light absorption. The absorber performance is experimentally verified with precise fabrication and conical input beam spectral analysis. The absorber's fundamental mechanisms, explained in detail, are applicable to other semiconducting materials including GaAs, Ge, and SiC. These materials provide the absorber design with potential impact on practical device applications including near/mid/long infrared detectors and stray background rejection surfaces for imaging and spectroscopy.
Accurate reconstruction of 3D cardiac geometry from coarsely-sliced MRI

We present a comprehensive validation analysis to assess the geometric impact of using coarsely-sliced short-axis images to reconstruct patient-specific cardiac geometry. The methods utilize high-resolution diffusion tensor MRI (DTMRI) datasets as reference geometries from which synthesized coarsely-sliced datasets simulating in vivo MRI were produced. 3D models are reconstructed from the coarse data using variational implicit surfaces through a commonly used modeling tool, CardioViz3D. The resulting geometries were then compared to the reference DTMRI models from which they were derived to analyze how well the synthesized geometries approximate the reference anatomy. Averaged over seven hearts, 95% spatial overlap, less than 3% volume variability, and normal-to-surface distance of 0.32mm was observed between the synthesized myocardial geometries reconstructed from 8mm sliced images and the reference data. The results provide strong supportive evidence to validate the hypothesis that coarsely-sliced MRI may be used to accurately reconstruct geometric ventricular models. Furthermore, the use of DTMRI for validation of in vivo MRI presents a novel benchmark procedure for studies which aim to substantiate their modeling and simulation methods using coarsely-sliced cardiac data. In addition, the paper outlines a suggested original procedure for deriving image-based ventricular models using the CardioViz3D software.
Parameterization of ice crystal conversion processes due to vapor deposition for mesoscale models using double-moment basis functions. Part I: basic formulation and parcel model results

Abstract Observational data collected during the FIRE II experiment showing the existence of bimodal ice spectra along with experimental evidence of the size dependence of riming are utilized in the development of a bimodal ice spectrum parameterization for use in the RAMS model. Two ice classes are defined: pristine ice and snow, each described by a separate, complete gamma distribution function. Pristine ice is small ice consisting of particles with mean sizes less than 125 µm, while snow is the large class consisting of particles greater than 125 µm. Analytical equations are formulated for the conversion between the ice classes by vapor depositional growth (sublimation). During ice subsaturated conditions, a number concentration sink is parameterized for all ice species. The performance of the parameterizations in a simple parcel model is discussed and evaluated against an explicit Lagrangian parcel microphysical model.
A new technique for multilayer LPE

Abstract A novel technique is presented which allows LPE deposition of a large number of layers without the disadvantages arising from sliding container parts. Solutions of different compositions or containing different dopants are arranged in separate chambers. By rotation of the whole device the solutions move from one chamber to the next one without intermixing, and by controlled cooling, epitaxial layers are deposited onto the substrates fixed at the chamber walls. The sequence of the layers is determined by the sense and the angles of rotation, and the thickness of each layer is determined, among many other factors, by the cooling rate and dipping time. Up to 15 layers of III–V compounds have so far been produced in a double-screw device, with thicknesses between 0.1 to 10 μm and thickness reproductivity of about 10%. In addition, the fabrication of LED's, III–V lasers, and solar cells, and possibly superlattice devices by the MultiLPE technique can be considered.
Prediction of compressive strength and kink bands in composites using a work potential

Abstract A recently developed method of characterizing nonlinear, inelastic behavior of composites is described and then used to provide constitutive equations for use in the compressive strength problem of unidirectional fiber composites. This constitutive theory, which is based on a work potential, appears to be valid for the strain state and levels of strain needed to predict kink band angles and compressive strength. A one-dimensional deformation model of fiber waviness growth is then described and used to make a case that a band of wavy fibers initiates a kink band when local matrix cracking occurs and the axial stress equals or exceeds the predicted critical stress for local buckling. This requirement of matrix cracking serves to define the kink band angle. For multiaxial stresses this angle and the compressive strength depend on all components of the overall or average stresses; the multiaxial state of stress may arise from external loading or from ply-to-ply interactions in a multi-directional laminate. Equations are developed for predicting the behavior for general in-plane loading and arbitrarily large geometric nonlinearities when the failure mechanism is microbuckling. A geometrically approximate, analytical solution is also developed. Results for several cases are given in order to illustrate the predicted behavior and to show that the predictions are consistent with experimental observations.
Constraining the metabolic genotype–phenotype relationship using a phylogeny of in silico methods

Reconstructed microbial metabolic networks facilitate a mechanistic description of the genotype-phenotype relationship through the deployment of constraint-based reconstruction and analysis (COBRA) methods. As reconstructed networks leverage genomic data for insight and phenotype prediction, the development of COBRA methods has accelerated following the advent of whole-genome sequencing. Here, we describe a phylogeny of COBRA methods that has rapidly evolved from the few early methods, such as flux balance analysis and elementary flux mode analysis, into a repertoire of more than 100 methods. These methods have enabled genome-scale analysis of microbial metabolism for numerous basic and applied uses, including antibiotic discovery, metabolic engineering and modelling of microbial community behaviour.
Estimation risk in covariance

This article investigates the estimation risk in covariance. Although previous research has shown that the covariance can be estimated accurately by assuming independently and identically distributed normal returns, time-varying volatility and non-normality can lead to imprecise covariance estimates, which can cause economic loss to a mean variance investor. Applying the Fama-French three-factor model to 25 portfolios sorted by size and book-to-market ratio from 1963 to 2008, we find that the estimation risk in covariance is as large as two-thirds of that in the expected return.
A thermodynamic approach to ion flotation. I. Kinetics of cupric ion flotation with alkylsulfates

Abstract A thermodynamic approach was taken to model the removal of cupric ion from sodium dodecylsulfate(SDS)–Cu, sodium tetradecylsulfate (STS)–Cu and sodium hexadecylsulfate (SHS)–Cu ion flotation systems. The surface tensions of these solutions were found to vary linearly with the alkylsulfate concentration. From these linear equations, it was determined that in copper–alkylsulfate systems the Gibbs free energy of adsorption changes by −2.16 kJ mol−1 for each additional CH2 group on the alkyl chain. Estimated mass transfer coefficients indicated that adsorption should approach or reach equilibrium in the batch ion flotation tests reported here. The Gibbs adsorption equation was then used to estimate the adsorption densities of copper as a function of time, from the surface tension data. The cupric ion removal kinetics predicted from the surface tension data were consistent with the experimentally measured kinetics, provided a term for backflux of colligend was included, and the bubble size was allowed to increase with increasing surface tension.
A Comparison of the Performance of Four Varieties of Turkeys During the Breeding Season

Abstract ALTHOUGH there are a number of reports on the egg production of turkey hens, very few data are available for making a comparison of the different varieties. Marble and Margolf (1936) found somewhat higher egg production, to July 31, for Bronze than for White Holland turkeys. A report by Wilcke (1939) on the use of lights and heat for breeding turkeys indicates a slightly better egg production, to June 15 or June 30, for Bronze than for White Holland turkeys. Scott and Payne (1937) reported egg production, to May 25, for Narragansett turkeys. Mussehl (1926), Albright and Thompson (1933), Asmundson and Lloyd (1935), Marsden (1936 B), Asmundson (1938), and Thompson (1943) also have reported on the egg production of Bronze turkeys. Weight losses of turkeys during the breeding season have been reported by Purdue University (1934), Marsden (1936 A), Scott (1937), Charles, Wilcox, Flagg, and Tepper (1938), Asmundson and Jukes . . .
The Influence of Athletic Participation on the College Adjustment of Freshmen and Sophomore Student Athletes

Research exploring the experiences of college student athletes has traditionally revealed low levels of academic achievement and success. This was especially true of minority college athletes, who demonstrated lower graduation rates than their majority counterparts. However, more recent data suggests the reverse of this trend may now be true. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity, gender, athletic participation, and college adjustment in 207 freshmen and sophomore college student athletes and non-athletes. All participants completed questionnaires assessing background demographics, athletic status, and college adjustment. Findings revealed gender and athletic status were significantly related to college adjustment. In addition, gender and race/ethnicity significantly interacted, and were related to scores on college adjustment. Implications for retention policy and future research are discussed.
Improving progressive alignment for phylogeny reconstruction using parsimonious guide-trees

Phylogenies are widely used for understanding the evolutionary histories of species and gene products. Maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) are commonly used optimization criteria for constructing phylogenies. However, phylogenetic descriptions depend not only on the employed reconstruction technique, but also on the underlying sequence alignment. Here, we establish a simple prescription to improve the underlying alignments used in phylogeny reconstruction. We adapt Gotoh?s iterative strategy for improving a progressive alignment (by using better guide-trees) specifically for the purpose of constructing optimal MP phylogenies. We improve the progressive alignment heuristic as implemented in the MUSCLE alignment program by iterating with maximum parsimony guide-trees constructed using PAUP*, yielding both deterministic and randomized heuristics. We evaluate accuracy on simulated data under a wide range of model conditions and show that phylogenies produced using our technique are more accurate than phylogenies on other alignments.
First Report of Garlic Rust Caused by Puccinia allii on Allium sativum in Minnesota

High-quality garlic is an emerging crop grown in Minnesota for local markets, community supported agriculture, and select restaurants. In July 2010, Allium sativum cv. German Extra Hardy Porcelain plants showing foliar symptoms typical of rust infection were brought to the Plant Disease Clinic at the University of Minnesota by a commercial grower from Fillmore County, Minnesota. Infected leaves showed circular to oblong lesions (1 to 3 mm long), which ranged in color from yellow-orange (uredinia) to black (telia). Urediniospores collected from uredinia were globoid to ellipsoid, yellowish in color, and measured 18 ± 1 × 30 ± 2 μm with a wall thickness of 2.4 ± 0.5 μm. Teliospores were two celled, 18 ± 3 × 47 ± 10 μm, with a projected cross-sectional area (1) of 826 ± 87 μm2; cell walls were smooth, brown, 1.6 ± 0.3 μm (proximal cell) to 2.1 ± 0.5 μm (distal cell) thick, and 4.2 ± 0.8 μm at the apex. The pathogen was identified as Puccinia allii (2) and a sample was deposited in the U.S. National Fungus Co...
Pharmacological agents with effects on voice.

Abstract Pharmacological agents with the most notable effects on voice exert their influences on the vocal tract through the autonomic nervous system. These agents do not have a profound effect on laryngeal function. Their effects are subtle, but they are important in certain groups of patients, such as professional voice users. It is essential to take a thorough history of medications being used, both by prescription and nonprescription, when evaluating patients with voice disorders. It is also important to keep in mind that idiosyncratic variations may occur in response to medications, and careful monitoring is essential when patients with voice disorders are under treatment. The importance of adequate water intake should be emphasized for general hydration and for vocal tract lubrication. Understanding the autonomic nervous system and how it is influenced by pharmacological agents makes evaluating the effect of medicines on the vocal tract simpler.
The Importance of Nonverbal Communication in the Courtroom.

This essay reviews the empirical research on nonverbal communication in the courtroom environment and introduces a functional model that explicates the process whereby various nonverbal signals of courtroom participants combine to influence the deliberation of a jury. Although a relatively new area of scientific study, findings are available pertaining to the role of nonverbal communication in five key areas: voire dire and jury analysis; opening and closing statements; client demeanor and direct examination; cross‐examination; and judge demeanor and communication. Conclusions based on this body of research are presented in the form of several propositions but should be qualified in view of the fact that few studies have been done in the courtroom context
A Diagnostic for Dynamic Aperture

In large accelerators and low beta colliding beam storage rings, the strong sextupoles, which are required to correct the chromatic effects, produce strong nonlinear forces which act on particles in the beam. In addition in large hadron storage rings the superconducting magnets have significant nonlinear fields. To understand the effects of these nonlinearities on the particle motion there is currently a large theoretical effort using both analytic techniques and computer tracking. This effort is focused on the determination of the 'dynamic aperture' (the stable acceptance) of both present and future accelerators and storage rings. A great deal of progress has been made in understanding nonlinear particle motion, but very little experimental verification of the theoretical results is available. In this paper we describe 'dynamic tracking', a method being studied at the SPEAR storage ring, which can be used to obtain experimental results which are in a convenient form to be compared with the theoretical predictions.
Arginine vasotocin, steroid hormones, and social behavior in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis

Arginine vasotocin (AVT) is a potent regulator of social behavior in many species, but little is known about its role in reptilian behavior. Here we examine the effect of exogenous AVT on aggressive responding and courtship behavior in the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis). Aggressive behavior was stimulated in two ways: (1) mirror presentation (no relative status formed) and (2) size-matched pairs (where a social status is achieved). To elicit courtship behavior, a novel female was introduced into the home cage of a male. Regardless of the behavior condition, male anoles were injected i.p. with either reptile Ringer solution (vehicle) or AVT prior to testing. Animals treated with AVT performed fewer aggressive display bouts during mirror presentation but AVT treatment did not affect the overall number of aggressive display bouts within size-matched pairs. Male courtship behavior was not affected by AVT; however, untreated females displayed more frequently when paired with an AVT-treated male than a vehicle-injected control, suggesting that AVT-treated males were more attractive to females. Regardless of behavior condition, AVT injections led to increases in circulating corticosterone. Overall, we found that AVT tended to reduce aggressive behavior as has been reported for other territorial species. AVT did not perceptibly alter male courtship but did increase the display behavior of untreated females paired with treated males. Our study supports a role for AVT in the regulation of reptile social behavior.
A fetch-and-op implementation for parallel computers

An efficient fetch-and-op circuit is described. A bit-serial circuit-switched implementation requires only 5 gates per node in a binary tree. This versatile circuit is also capable of test-and-set primitives (priority circuits) and swap operators, as well as AND and OR operations used in SIMD tests such as “branch on all carries set.” It provides an alternative implementation for the combining fetch-and-add circuit to the one designed for the Ultracomputer project; this implementation is suited to SIMD computing and can be adapted to MIMD computing.
Isolation and characterization of nuclear microsatellite loci for the common green darner dragonfly Anax junius (Odonata: Aeshnidae) to constrain patterns of phenotypic and spatial diversity

Fourteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed from an enriched genomic library of the widely distributed migratory North American dragonfly species, the common green darner (Anax junius). For a group of 22 larvae, these loci averaged 16 alleles, with individual loci ranging from nine to 29 alleles. Observed heterozygosity averaged 0.784 per locus.
ErbB expressing Schwann cells control lateral line progenitor cells via non-cell-autonomous regulation of Wnt/β-catenin

Proper orchestration of quiescence and activation of progenitor cells is crucial during embryonic development and adult homeostasis. We took advantage of the zebrafish sensory lateral line to define niche-progenitor interactions to understand how integration of diverse signaling pathways spatially and temporally regulates the coordination of these processes. Our previous studies demonstrated that Schwann cells play a crucial role in negatively regulating lateral line progenitor proliferation. Here we demonstrate that ErbB/Neuregulin signaling is not only required for Schwann cell migration but that it plays a continued role in postmigratory Schwann cells. ErbB expressing Schwann cells inhibit lateral line progenitor proliferation and differentiation through non-cell-autonomous inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Subsequent activation of Fgf signaling controls sensory organ differentiation, but not progenitor proliferation. In addition to the lateral line, these findings have important implications for understanding how niche-progenitor cells segregate interactions during development, and how they may go wrong in disease states. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01832.001
The Autoreactive T Cell Receptor: Structure and Biological Activity

Autoimmune disease animal models fall into two categories. In the first case, there is spontaneously occurring autoimmune disease (such as diabetes). In this case, animals have been identified which are particularly susceptible to the disease (for diabetes there is the NOD mouse and the BB rat). In the second case, there is the experimentally-induced autoimmune disease. This form of disease model makes use of an identified self-antigen which will cause disease symptoms upon injection into susceptible animals. Furthermore, the immune and antigen-specific components involved in the disease can be identified.
PlantTribes: a gene and gene family resource for comparative genomics in plants

The PlantTribes database (http://fgp.huck.psu.edu/tribe.html) is a plant gene family database based on the inferred proteomes of five sequenced plant species: Arabidopsis thaliana, Carica papaya, Medicago truncatula, Oryza sativa and Populus trichocarpa. We used the graph-based clustering algorithm MCL [Van Dongen (Technical Report INS-R0010 2000) and Enright et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 2002; 30: 1575-1584)] to classify all of these species' protein-coding genes into putative gene families, called tribes, using three clustering stringencies (low, medium and high). For all tribes, we have generated protein and DNA alignments and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees. A parallel database of microarray experimental results is linked to the genes, which lets researchers identify groups of related genes and their expression patterns. Unified nomenclatures were developed, and tribes can be related to traditional gene families and conserved domain identifiers. SuperTribes, constructed through a second iteration of MCL clustering, connect distant, but potentially related gene clusters. The global classification of nearly 200 000 plant proteins was used as a scaffold for sorting approximately 4 million additional cDNA sequences from over 200 plant species. All data and analyses are accessible through a flexible interface allowing users to explore the classification, to place query sequences within the classification, and to download results for further study.
Azithromycin pharmacokinetics and intracellular concentrations in Legionella pneumophila-infected and uninfected guinea pigs and their alveolar macrophages.

Abstract Azithromycin pharmacokinetics in Legionella pneumophila-infected and uninfected guinea pigs were assessed by measuring the drug concentration in whole lungs or the drug content in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in separate experiments. Azithromycin concentrations were measured by using a bioassay. The mean azithromycin content in the BAL fluid of infected guinea pigs was higher than that in controls at 10 h (0.87 versus 0.39 microgram; P = 0.05), 24 h (1.10 versus 0.37 microgram; P = 0.003), and 48 h (1.21 versus 0.28 microgram; P = 0.05) after a single intraperitoneal injection of drug (15 mg/kg). The mean peak lung azithromycin concentration was higher in control animals than in infected animals (15.8 versus 13.4 micrograms/ml). The mean lung azithromycin concentration in infected animals was significantly higher than that in controls 48 h after dosing (12.7 versus 10.4 micrograms/g; P = 0.04). There were no significant differences between infected and uninfected animals in serum azithromycin levels. Complementary experiments assessed intracellular/extracellular concentration ratios of azithromycin and erythromycin in L. pneumophila-infected and control guinea pig alveolar macrophages. Azithromycin was highly concentrated in alveolar macrophages, and the intracellular/extracellular concentration ratios for infected cells were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than those observed in controls after 4 h (127 versus 119), 24 h (481 versus 361), and 48 h (582 versus 520) of incubation. Erythromycin was also preferentially concentrated in infected cells (P < 0.0001). AZ intracellular concentrations were at least fivefold higher than those measured for erythromycin, and this differential increased with incubation time. Thus, azithromycin recovery from BAL fluid, and from guinea pig lungs at the 48-h time point, was higher in the presence of experimental Legionnaires' disease. This likely results from recruitment of phagocytes, including macrophages, that have an enhanced capacity to highly concentrate the drug.
Semantic focus and sentence comprehension

Reaction time to detect a phoneme target in a sentence was found to be faster when the word in which the target occurred formed part of the semantic focus of the sentence. Focus was determined by asking a question before the sentence; that part of the sentence which comprised the answer to the sentence was assumed to be focussed. This procedure made it possible to vary position of focus within the sentence while holding all acoustic aspects of the sentence itself constant. It is argued that sentence understanding is facilitated by rapid identification of focussed information. Since focussed words are usually accented, it is further argued that the active search for accented words demonstrated in previous research should be interpreted as a search for semantic focus.
Geodynamics: Applications of Continuum Physics to Geological Problems

The authors' intention in this book is to provide a treatment of the physical processes that are responsible for plate tectonics and other geological phenomena in a manner that is accessible to senior undergraduate and graduate students of diverse backgrounds in the physical and earth sciences. To this end, they have divided the subject into eight sections, preceded by a brief introduction to plate tectonics. This is perhaps the least felicitous chapter of the book: Summarizing plate tectonics, its driving mechanism and our knowledge of the inner planets, their satellites, and the Galilean satellites in about 30 pages of text is not a trivial undertaking, and while I have read several far worse attempts, I doubt that this chapter will give a clear idea of geodynamics to, say, the average engineering student. Part of the problem lies in the breathless rush through an immense amount of material, some of which is still in a state of flux, and part lies in the curious organization of the material. It seems strange, for example, to put a section on the structure of the continents after sections on accreting plate margins, subduction, and transform faults and before a discussion of paleomagnetism, plate motion, and triple junctions, and stranger still to make this section principally an introduction to geochronology.
Ethics and Administrative Discretion in a Unified Administration: A Burkean Perspective

Lack of public trust and confidence in government can have a significant impact on the future of the public service profession. This study brings to the forefront a normative discussion of administrative behavior and the building of trust as perceived from the works of the 18th-century political philosopher Edmund Burke. By exploring Burke’s concept of unified administration, it can be argued that institutionalization of administrative traditions can provide practical guidance for judicial use of administrative discretion. The measurement of success, in large part, will depend on national principles, peer coordination, customs, and institutional commitment.
Electroanatomic Substrate and Outcome of Catheter Ablative Therapy for Ventricular Tachycardia in Setting of Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Background— To gain insight into the pathogenesis of right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia (VT), we determined the clinical and electroanatomic characteristics and outco...
The maximum average bite force for a given jaw length

Major osteological landmarks were used to prepare idealized drawings of mammalian and reptilian lower jaws. Measurements from these drawings allowed the average output or bite force, along the entire jaw, to be calculated for many different anteroposterior positions of the input or muscle force. In the mammalian drawing, the maximum average bite force is exerted when the resultant force is located at about 30% of the way along the jaw from the joints. Because of geometric differences in the reptilian drawing, a resultant positioned at 20% of the way along the jaw exerts the maximum average bite force; a maximum force that is smaller than that in the mammalian case. The estimated location of the muscle resultant in actual cases corresponds to these calculated positions. Therefore, in real animals, the muscles are located in the position that produces the largest average force for any jaw length. The geometric changes necessary to transform the idealized reptilian drawing, with a smaller maximum average bite force, into that of the mammalian drawing, with a larger maximum force, are the same as those changes seen in the fossil record of the reptile/mammal transition. This finding suggests that the morphological changes that occurred in the jaws increased the average bite force in the primitive mammals.
The Gist of Juries: Testing a Model of Damage Award Decision Making

Despite the importance of damage awards, juries are often at sea about the amounts that should be awarded, with widely differing awards for cases that seem comparable. We tested a new model of damage award decision making by systematically varying the size, context, and meaningfulness of numerical comparisons or anchors. As a result, we were able to elicit large differences in award amounts that replicated for 2 different cases. Although even arbitrary dollar amounts (unrelated to the cases) influenced the size of award judgments, the most consistent effects of numerical anchors were achieved when the amounts were meaningful in the sense that they conveyed the gist of numbers as small or large. Consistent with the model, the ordinal gist of the severity of plaintiff's damages and defendant's liability predicted damage awards, controlling for other factors such as motivation for the award-judgment task and perceived economic damages. Contrary to traditional dual-process approaches, numeracy and cognitive style (e.g., need for cognition and cognitive reflection) were not significant predictors of these numerical judgments, but they were associated with lower levels of variability once the gist of the judgments was taken into account. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.
Measurement Invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory in Survivors of Torture and Trauma

The United States accepts more refugees than any other industrialized nation. As refugee populations grow, mental health professionals must implement culturally and ethnically appropriate strategies to assess and treat individuals from diverse backgrounds. Culture can exert a powerful and often misunderstood influence on psychological assessment, and few structured measures have been demonstrated to have adequate cross-cultural validity for use with diverse and vulnerable populations such as survivors of torture. This study examined the factor structure and equivalency of underlying construct(s) of psychological distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in three samples who had survived torture and other severe trauma from Tibet, West Africa and the Punjab region of India. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for configural invariance of a two-factor model across the three samples, suggesting that the two latent factors of Complex Dysphoria and Somatic Distress were present in each subgroup. The data provide additional support for the strict invariance model in the West African-Tibetan dyad suggesting that scores are comparable across those two groups. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.
High-efficiency VCSEL arrays for illumination and sensing in consumer applications

There has been increased interest in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for illumination and sensing in the consumer market, especially for 3D sensing ("gesture recognition") and 3D image capture. For these applications, the typical wavelength range of interest is 830~950nm and power levels vary from a few milli-Watts to several Watts. The devices are operated in short pulse mode (a few nano-seconds) with fast rise and fall times for time-of-flight applications (ToF), or in CW/quasi-CW for structured light applications. In VCSELs, the narrow spectrum and its low temperature dependence allows the use of narrower filters and therefore better signal-to-noise performance, especially for outdoor applications. In portable devices (mobile devices, wearable devices, laptops etc.) the size of the illumination module (VCSEL and optics) is a primary consideration. VCSELs offer a unique benefit compared to other laser sources in that they are "surface-mountable" and can be easily integrated along with other electronics components on a printed circuit board (PCB). A critical concern is the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of the illumination source operating at high temperatures (>50 deg C). We report on various VCSEL based devices and diffuser-integrated modules with high efficiency at high temperatures. Over 40% PCE was achieved in broad temperature range of 0-70 °C for either low power single devices or high power VCSEL arrays, with sub- nano-second rise and fall time. These high power VCSEL arrays show excellent reliability, with extracted mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) of over 500 years at 60 °C ambient temperature and 8W peak output.
The Many Lives of the New West

References to a “New West” have grown in recent years, but it is unclear what is new or western about the changes attributed to the region. Moreover, the “New West” has a long and troubling history, and scholars should carefully consider the term's masking and isolating tendencies before invoking it.
XVIII.— On The Structure and Affinities of Tristichopterus alatus, Egerton

Concerning the affinities and systematic position of this very remarkable Devonian fish, there has hitherto prevailed very great uncertainty. The two original specimens, discovered by Mr C. W. Peach, in the Old Red Sandstone of John O’Groat’s, Caithness, and described by Sir Philip Egerton, left us in complete ignorance as to the osteology of the head and the dentition, while the evidence they afforded as to the structure of the pectoral fins was by no means so clear as might have been wished for. To quote from Sir Philip's description:—“ The bones of the head, with the exception of a small fragment of the operculum, are wanting, but the impressions left upon the matrix show that they were sculptured in rather a bold pattern, not unlike the ornament on some of the cranial bones of some of the Holoptychii , and consequently differing in this respect from the corresponding parts in Dipterus . The pectoral fins are very indistinctly seen. They appear to have had a short obtuse lobe forming the base, and extending therefrom a set of numerous fin-rays more elongated than those forming the pectoral fin in Dipterus .” To Dipterus, however, in Sir Philip Egerton's opinion, its affinities pointed, as far as could be gathered from the structure of the body as displayed in the specimens, his description concluding as follows:—“ The absence of all evidence as to the dental apparatus of Tristichopterus is much to be regretted. On other points the affinities between this genus and Dipterus are so striking that they cannot be classified in separate families. Accordingly he assigned to Tristichopterus a place along with Dipterus in the family of “Cœlacanthi,” the term being used in its former extended sense, not as now restricted to the peculiar genera Cœlacanthus, Undina, Holophagus, and Macropoma .