cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kabbalah: A Medieval Tradition and Its Contemporary Appeal

Popular culture today is suffused with kabbalah, an elitist, intellectual strand of medieval Judaism that claimed to disclose the esoteric meaning of the rabbinic tradition. While rooted in esoteric speculations in late antiquity, kabbalah emerged in the tenth century as an internal debate among Jewish theologians about the ontological status of divine attributes. At the end of the twelfth century speculations about the nature of God emerged among the Pietists of Germany and the ‘masters of kabbalah’ in Provence. During the thirteenth century kabbalah flourished in Spain where its self-understanding as redemptive activity was expressed in two paradigms – the ‘theosophy-theurgic’ and the ‘ecstatic-prophetic’. Kabbalah continued to evolve in the early modern period, shaping both Jewish and European cultures. The modern period saw the rise of the academic study of kabbalah, but it was employed in two conflicting manners: in the nineteenth century scholars associated with the Enlightenment used historical analysis of kabbalah to debunk Jewish traditionalism, but in the first half of the twentieth century, the academic study of kabbalah was used to generate a secular, collective Zionist identity. Although scholarship on kabbalah has flourished in the twentieth century, kabbalah has become a variant of New-Age religions, accessible to all, regardless of ethnic identity or spiritual readiness.
Architecture for distributed actuation and sensing using smart piezoelectric elements

We discuss vibration control of a cantilevered plate with multiple sensors and actuators. An architecture is chosen to minimize the number of control and sensing wires required. A custom VLSI chip, integrated with the sensor/actuator elements, controls the local behavior of the plate. All the actuators are addressed in parallel; local decode logic selects which actuator is stimulated. Downloaded binary data controls the applied voltage and modulation frequency for each actuator, and High Voltage MOSFETs are used to activate them. The sensors, which are independent adjacent piezoelectric ceramic elements, can be accessed in a random or sequential manner. An A/D card and GPIB interconnected test equipment allow a PC to read the sensors' outputs and dictate the actuation procedure. A visual programming environment is used to integrate the sensors, controller and actuators. Based on the constitutive relations for the piezoelectric material, simple models for the sensors and actuators are derived. A two level hierarchical robust controller is derived for motion control and for damping of vibrations.
In Situ Evaluation of Vanguard Technologies for High Performance Residential Buildings

High performance buildings demand innovative and often untested strategies for improving thermal performance and reducing energy consumption while maintaining indoor environmental quality. The Passive House design standard is increasingly being implemented in residential and small commercial construction. This standard results in buildings with airtight envelopes, high levels of insulation, very high performance windows, and energy efficient appliances.The intent of this paper is to evaluate the performance of several cutting-edge high performance building technologies as implemented in a Passive House duplex constructed in Portland, Oregon, USA. We provide an overview of the performance of the entire structure from multiple viewpoints, but focus largely on the performance of the heat recovery ventilator and heat pump water heater. Interactions of these systems with occupant behavior and indoor environmental quality are also discussed.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Factors Influencing Students' Peer Evaluation in Cooperative Learning.

Abstract This study examined factors that can affect peer evaluation of a student learning group in a cooperative learning environment in the introductory financial accounting course. A regression analysis indicates that accounting majors and students with higher grade point averages (GPAs) received higher peer evaluations than other majors and those with lower GPAs. This finding implies that accounting educators could enhance the success of cooperative learning by including an accounting major and/or a high-GPA student in each learning group. The analysis also suggests that higher group homework grades and higher class participation grades are associated with higher peer evaluations. This finding implies that accounting educators could increase students' contributions to group work by emphasizing class participation and group homework.
Giα1-Mediated Cardiac Electrophysiological Remodeling and Arrhythmia in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background— Cardiac hypertrophy is a major risk factor for arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. However, the underlying signaling mechanisms involved in the induction of arrhythmia and electrophysiological remodeling in cardiac hypertrophy are unclear. Methods and Results— Using an inducible gene-switch approach, we achieved tissue-specific and temporally regulated induction of a well-established hypertrophic pathway, the Ras-Raf–mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway, in adult mouse heart. On Ras activation, the transgenic animal developed ventricular hypertrophy and arrhythmias. The development of ventricular arrhythmias was temporally correlated with electrophysiological remodeling in isolated ventricular myocytes, including action potential prolongation, increased sodium-calcium exchanger activity, reduced outward potassium currents, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ defects, and loss of protein kinase A–dependent phospholamban phosphorylation. From genome-wide expression profiling, we discovered a sele...
Prefrontal cortex and the mediation of proactive interference in working memory

Mediating proactive interference (PI), the deleterious effect of antecedent information on current memory representations, is believed to be a key function of prefrontal cortex (PFC). Item-specific PI results when an invalid probe matches a memorandum from the preceding trial; item-nonspecific PI is produced by the accumulation of no-longer-relevant items from previous trials. We tested the hypothesis that these two types of PI are mediated by common PFC-based processes with an fMRI study of a delayed-recognition task designed to produce both types of PI. Our results indicated that the fMRI correlates of both effects were restricted both to Brodmann’s area 45 in the left hemisphere and to the memory probe epoch of the trial. These results suggest that a unification of the literatures and approaches that have independently studied these phenomena might offer a fruitful new perspective from which to study the relations between working memory, executive control, and the PFC.
Methoxychlor induces atresia by altering Bcl2 factors and inducing caspase activity in mouse ovarian antral follicles in vitro.

Methoxychlor (MXC) is an organochlorine pesticide widely used in many countries against various species of insects that attack crops and domestic animals. MXC reduces fertility by increasing atresia (death) of antral follicles in vivo. MXC also induces atresia of antral follicles after 96 h in vitro. The current work tested the hypothesis that MXC induces morphological atresia at early time points (24 and 48 h) by altering pro-apoptotic (Bax, Bok, Casp3, and caspase activity) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl2 and Bcl-xL) factors in the follicles. The results indicate that at 24 h, MXC increased Bcl-xL and Bax mRNA levels and increased the ratio of Bax/Bcl2. At 48–96 h, MXC induced morphological atresia. At 24–96 h, MXC increased caspase activities. These data suggest that MXC may induce atresia by altering Bcl2 factors and inducing caspase activities in antral follicles.
Adsorption of hydrogen on carbon single-walled nanotubes as measured by the volumetric technique

We report on hydrogen adsorption onto carbon single-walled nanotube (SWNT) material as measured by the volumetric technique. This method determines the amount adsorbed by monitoring the pressure in a known volume at a known temperature with a given number of moles of hydrogen introduced. The raw material for the samples is produced by pulsed laser vaporization of a graphite target containing Ni (0.6 at%) and Co (0.6 at%) dopants. This is followed with a purification procedure and then by a cutting procedure. Finally, the sample is degassed before the hydrogen adsorption is measured. The cutting procedure introduces a titanium alloy which participates in the overall hydrogen adsorption of the SWNT material. Importantly though, the amount of hydrogen adsorbed in the SWNT material cannot be explained by absorption from the alloy alone. A description of the apparatus that has allowed us to measure these samples is given and we discuss crucial experimental procedures needed to activate the SWNT samples for hydrogen adsorption.
Methionine-enkephalin in a procine endometrial cell line and its responsiveness to potassium depolarization

Abstract Immunoreactive methionine-enkephalin (ir-MENK) has been identified in the porcine uterine fluid and endometrium. Previously, we have established a porcine endometrial cell line of epithelial origin (PE-1) by transfecting primary endometrial cells with temperature sensitive SV40 DNA. The current study was conducted to identify and characterize ir-MENK present in PE-1 cells, and to investigate the effect of KCl depolarization on the kinetics of ir-MENK secretion. PE-1 cells were cultured at 33C until confluency was reached (33C cells), after which they were incubated at 40C for 2 days (40C cells). Ir-MENK in PE-1 cells was analyzed by Sephadex G-15 gel filtration and reverse phase (RP)- HPLC. Analysis of 40C cell extract by Sephadex G-15 and RP-HPLC indicated that the major portion of ir-MENK present in PE-1 cells was eluted at a position similar to that of synthetic MENK. The effect of temperature on ir-MENK synthesis in PE-1 cells was examined by measuring ir-MENK content in 33C and 40C cells over a 14-day culture period. Compared to 33C cells, 40C cells maintained higher and steadier levels of ir-MENK, suggesting that synthesis of ir-MENK is temperature sensitive. KCl stimulated ir-MENK secretion at all concentrations tested (5–60 mM for 60 min), with 30 mM being the optimal concentration. Temporal analysis of ir-MENK secretion showed that incubation for 60 min with 30 mM KCl allowed maximal secretion. Secretion of ir-MENK from PE-1 cells resulted in depletion of ir-MENK in cell content. These results demonstrate that PE-1 cells contain ir-MENK which is biochemically similar to synthetic MENK, PE-1 cells synthesize ir-MENK in a temperature sensitive manner, and these cells secrete ir-MENK upon KCl stimulation.
PERCUTANEOUS CENTRAL LINES AND PERIPHERAL INTRAVENOUS CATHETERS HAVE SIMILAR INFECTION RATES IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS. 1401

PERCUTANEOUS CENTRAL LINES AND PERIPHERAL INTRAVENOUS CATHETERS HAVE SIMILAR INFECTION RATES IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS. 1401
The BNL EBIS program: status and plains

Recently an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), on long term loan from Sandia National Laboratories, has been put into operation at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This source is being primarily used as a test device to answer questions relevant to the eventual design of an EBIS-based heavy ion preinjector for RHIC; a secondary objective is to determine parameters of an EBIS capable of delivering fully stripped light ions up to neon for medical applications. Such a source can easily produce all ions in charge states as needed, but the challenge lies in reaching intensities of interest to RHIC (2-3 × 109 particles/pulse). The source studies are planned to address issues such as scaling of the electron beam current in stages up to 10 A, possible onset and control of instabilities, external ion injection, parametric studies of the ion yield, charge state distributions and emittance of the extracted ion beam, ion cooling in the trap, and other technical and physics issues.
Environment versus genetics in autoimmunity: a geneticist's perspective

Both environmental as well as genetic factors have been documented to contribute to autoimmunity, as is evident from the accompanying articles in this journal. This raises an important question - which of these two elements plays a more important role in the genesis of autoimmunity? This report encapsulates a geneticist's perspective on this interesting question. Though lupus is used as an example in this essay, the proposed model is envisaged to operate in other autoimmune diseases as well.
QCD phenomenology of nucleon-nucleon cross sections

The authors calculate the inclusive parton-parton cross section in p+p and p+p collisions in the framework of perturbative QCD and snow that the measured non-diffractive cross section requires a transverse momentum cut-off pTmin of several GeV c-1 at high energy. They consider the implications for nuclear collisions at RHIC and LHC energies.
Reducing Isozyme Competition Increases Target Fatty Acid Accumulation in Seed Triacylglycerols of Transgenic Arabidopsis

One goal of green chemistry is the production of industrially useful fatty acids (FAs) in crop plants. We focus on hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) and conjugated polyenoic FAs (α-eleostearic acids [ESAs]) using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a model. These FAs are found naturally in seed oils of castor (Ricinus communis) and tung tree (Vernicia fordii), respectively, and used for the production of lubricants, nylon, and paints. Transgenic oils typically contain less target FA than that produced in the source species. We hypothesized that competition between endogenous and transgenic isozymes for substrates limits accumulation of unique FAs in Arabidopsis seeds. This hypothesis was tested by introducing a mutation in Arabidopsis diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 (AtDGAT1) in a line expressing castor FA hydroxylase and acyl-Coenzyme A:RcDGAT2 in its seeds. This led to a 17% increase in the proportion of HFA in seed oil. Expression of castor phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1A in this line increased the proportion of HFA by an additional 12%. To determine if our observations are more widely applicable, we investigated if isozyme competition influenced production of ESA. Expression of tung tree FA conjugase/desaturase in Arabidopsis produced approximately 7.5% ESA in seed lipids. Coexpression of VfDGAT2 increased ESA levels to approximately 11%. Overexpression of VfDGAT2 combined with suppression of AtDGAT1 increased ESA accumulation to 14% to 15%. Our results indicate that isozyme competition is a limiting factor in the engineering of unusual FAs in heterologous plant systems and that reduction of competition through mutation and RNA suppression may be a useful component of seed metabolic engineering strategies.
Attenuated Total Internal Reflection Microspectroscopy of Isolated Particles: An Alternative Approach to Current Methods

An alternative approach to conduct attenuated total internal reflection infrared microspectroscopy is described with the use of cartridge-based hemispherical internal reflection elements. The study demonstrates that the devices can be employed on any infrared microscope having reflectance capabilities. A comparison shows that the method provides the same signal-to-noise ratio in comparison to transmission studies for equal sample sizes. In addition, a 4× decrease in the sampled areas inherent with the method was verified for samples 60 μm in diameter and larger. Examples are presented that demonstrate the method's capability of studying small isolated samples without the use of a contaminating mounting media. Examples are also presented that demonstrate the potential to study samples without the effects of diffraction.
Lack of toxicity of a STAT3 decoy oligonucleotide.

Background STAT3 overexpression has been detected in several cancers including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Previous studies using intratumoral administration of a STAT3 decoy oligonucleotide that abrogates STAT3-mediated gene transcription in preclinical cancer models have demonstrated antitumor efficacy. This study was conducted to observe the toxicity and biologic effects of the STAT3 decoy in a non-human primate model, in anticipation of initiating a clinical trial in HNSCC patients.
Role of density in Raman scattering of iodine.

Raman-scattering measurements have been performed under nonresonance conditions on liquid iodine at elevated temperatures up to the critical point. Substantial variations are observed in the peak of the intramolecular vibrational band and its half-width for the depolarized and polarized components as a function of density. These changes are attributed to increased molecular character and a reduction of intermolecular charge transfer processes as the density is reduced. At moderate to higher densities the liquid Raman spectra suggest a phononlike description, whereas at lower densities the liquid spectra suggest a transition to a more gaslike multiple-collsion regime. A comparison of the liquid and gaseous spectra to that obtained by Shimomura, Takemura, and Aoki in crystalline iodine at high pressures suggests that a competition between charge transfer and interatomic repulsive interactions determines the transition from a semiconducting to semi- metallic state. The possible relation of the liquid iodine results to the nonmetal-to-metal transition in other diatomic-based halogen systems and to solid hydrogen is discussed.
A Conserved Element in Kinesin-5 Motors Couples ADP Release to a Forward Step

Kinesin superfamily motor proteins contain a structurally conserved loop near the ATP binding site, termed L5. The function of L5 is unknown, although several drug inhibitors of the mitotic kinesin Eg5 bind to L5. Here, we performed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy on Eg5 with spin labels site-specifically attached to ADP, to L5, and to the neck linker element that docks along the enzymatic head to drive forward motility on microtubules. Our results indicate that L5 undergoes a conformational change that enables Eg5 to bind to microtubules in a pre-powerstroke state, with its neck linker undocked. Deletion or inhibition of L5 blocks this pre-powerstroke state and abolishes the fast, coordinated stepping of the Eg5 dimer. This L5-dependent motile mechanism should prevent single Eg5 dimers from moving on two separate microtubules and forming aberrant microtubule cross-links in the mitotic spindle.
Exploring the Determinants of the Provision of Quality Nursing Care

The purpose of this paper is to present partial results of a model examining the impact of psychosocial work factors on nurses' perceptions of the quality of patient care they are able to provide. Psychosocial work factor variables characterizing the work environment were selected as predictors in the model. The independent variables were job demands, role conflict, task control, resource control, social support, and supervisory support. The dependent variable was a developed measure of perceived quality of care, with items assessing the technical and interpersonal aspects of providing quality care. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data was collected from 120 at a pediatric academic hospital. Results indicate that social support provides a key contribution to nurses' perceptions of quality of care.
Microwave spectroscopy of methanol between 248 and 277 THz

Methanol is the prototypical intermediate C3V barrier to the internal rotation molecule. It is also one of the primary sources of line confusion in the interstellar medium where it is observed in a variety of regions with temperatures approaching room temperature in the more extreme cases. Recently, a fairly comprehensive rotational study of methanol was performed that analyzed the available data to J=30 in the first three torsional states with a rho axis method (RAM) Hamiltonian. The availability of a new frequency source covering 2.48 to 2.77 THz offered a unique opportunity to rigorously test the ability of the RAM Hamiltonian model in extrapolation in both J and K quantum numbers and an opportunity to confirm a number of newly assigned methanol levels. It also facilitated a unique opportunity for a direct comparison of results obtained with a frequency multiplier, Fourier transform infrared, laser sideband, tunable far infrared, and quantum cascade lasers at terahertz frequencies. The spectrum of methanol is presented and assigned for the 2.48-2.77 THz band. Lines in the first four torsional states are identified and compared to predictions of the RAM model for the first three torsional states and available energy levels for the vt=3 state. A number of previously unidentified subbands are assigned for the first time, providing some unique insight into the difficulties of extrapolating with a rho axis C3V internal rotation Hamiltonian.
The effects of myocardial anisotropy on body surface potentials using an eccentric spheres model

An exact solution for surface potentials using the eccentric spheres model is developed to include the effect of myocardial anisotropy. Including the anisotropy reduces the magnitude of the body surface potential distributions by as much as 20%. The overall shape of the body surface potential distribution does not change when the myocardial anisotropy is included. The results also indicate that introducing even small values of anisotropy in the myocardium, i.e. values much less than those used for skeletal muscle anisotropy, has a material effect on body surface potentials. >
Targeting drug tolerance in mycobacteria: a perspective from mycobacterial biofilms

Multidrug chemotherapy for 6–9-months is one of the primary treatments in effective control of tuberculosis, although the mechanisms underlying the persistence of its etiological agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, against antibiotics remain unclear. Ever-mounting evidence indicates that the survival of many environmental and pathogenic microbial species against antibiotics is influenced by their ability to grow as surface-associated multicellular communities called biofilms. In recent years, several mycobacterial species, including M. tuberculosis, have been found to form drug-tolerant biofilms in vitro through genetically controlled mechanisms. In this review, the authors discuss the relevance of the in vitro mycobacterial biofilms in understanding the antibiotic recalcitrance of tuberculosis infections.
Static scheduling of uniform nested loops

Efficient scheduling of nested loops is an important problem in highly parallel systems. Most of previous research has been on the transformations of iteration space instead of the loop body. The authors introduce a methodology to transform a loop body into a new one with a better schedule. They model nested loops as multidimensional data-flow graphs, and give a novel mathematical framework for uniform nested loops by using the techniques of retiming and unfolding. Integer linear inequality systems are derived to optimize the execution rate of an iteration. The special case of their framework gives the best-known algorithm for scheduling of one-level loops. >
Estimating cancer risks to adults undergoing body CT examinations

The purpose of the study is to estimate cancer risks from the amount of radiation used to perform body computed tomography (CT) examination. The ImPACT CT Patient Dosimetry Calculator was used to compute values of organ doses for adult body CT examinations. The radiation used to perform each examination was quantified by the dose-length product (DLP). Patient organ doses were converted into corresponding age and sex dependent cancer risks using data from BEIR VII. Results are presented for cancer risks per unit DLP and unit effective dose for 11 sensitive organs, as well as estimates of the contribution from 'other organs'. For patients who differ from a standard sized adult, correction factors based on the patient weight and antero-posterior dimension are provided to adjust organ doses and the corresponding risks. At constant incident radiation intensity, for CT examinations that include the chest, risks for females are markedly higher than those for males, whereas for examinations that include the pelvis, risks in males were slightly higher than those in females. In abdominal CT scans, risks for males and female patients are very similar. For abdominal CT scans, increasing the patient age from 20 to 80 resulted in a reduction in patient risks of nearly a factor of 5. The average cancer risk for chest/abdomen/pelvis CT examinations was ∼26 % higher than the cancer risk caused by 'sensitive organs'. Doses and radiation risks in 80 kg adults were ∼10 % lower than those in 70 kg patients. Cancer risks in body CT can be estimated from the examination DLP by accounting for sex, age, as well as patient physical characteristics.
UPF1 is Crucial for the Infectivity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 Progeny Virions

The SF1 helicase MOV10 is an antiviral factor that is incorporated into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virions. We now report that HIV-1 virions also incorporate UPF1, which belongs to the same SF1 helicase subfamily as MOV10 and functions in the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway. Unlike ectopic MOV10, the overexpression of UPF1 does not impair the infectivity of HIV-1 progeny virions. However, UPF1 becomes a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 progeny virion infectivity when residues required for its helicase activity are mutated. In contrast, equivalent mutations abolish the antiviral activity of MOV10. Importantly, cells depleted of endogenous UPF1, but not of another NMD core component, produce HIV-1 virions of substantially lower specific infectivity. The defect is at the level of reverse transcription, the same stage of the HIV-1 life cycle inhibited by ectopic MOV10. Thus, whereas ectopic MOV10 restricts HIV-1 replication, the related UPF1 helicase functions as a cofactor at an early postentry step.
The Effect of Leasing versus Buying on Entry Deterrence

Models of entry deterrence typically require that incumbents possess a cost advantage as a prerequisite for deterring entry. Potential entrants possess a cost advantage over incumbents, however, if input costs fall over time. This paper models the behavior of an incumbent and a potential entrant when the input cost falls over time and the firms have the option of buying or leasing the input. The model shows that if the future cost savings from new technology exceed the marginal transaction costs of leasing the current equipment, then leasing increases the incumbent's ability to deter entry. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dowry in 21st-Century India: The Sociocultural Face of Exploitation

The World Health Organization (2009) implicates deep-rooted cultural and social norms as influential contributing factors toward physical and intimate partner violence against women. The dowry system is a social practice that perpetuates the oppression, torture, and murder of women in India. The practice of dowry is an expected part of marriage in cultures where arranged marriages are the norm. Violence can occur when the dowry or bride-price is deemed unsatisfactory by the recipient. In India, in spite of laws prohibiting the practice, not much has changed over the last 30 years. The National Crime Records Bureau of India, recorded a total of 8,618 female deaths related to dowry disputes in 2011, and the Asian Women’s Human Rights Council (2009) estimates that the practice of dowry is implicated in 25,000 deaths and maiming of women between the ages of 15–34 in India every year. The current review of literature reveals that despite efforts on the part of the Indian government, social activists and femini...
Ontological self-organizing maps for cluster visualization and functional summarization of gene products using Gene Ontology similarity measures

This paper presents an ontological self-organizing map (OSOM), which is used to produce visualization and functional summarization information about gene products using gene ontology (GO) similarity measures. The OSOM is an extension of the self-organizing map as initially developed by Kohonen, which trains on data composed of sets of terms. Term-based similarity measures are used as a distance metric as well as in the update of the OSOM training procedure. We present an OSOM-based visualization method that shows the cluster tendency of the gene products. Also demonstrated is an OSOM-based functional summarization which produces the most representative term(s) (MRT) from the GO for each OSOM prototype and, subsequently, each gene product cluster. We validated the results of our method by applying the OSOM to a well-studied set of gene products.
Isomers/enantiomers of perfluorocarboxylic acids: Method development and detection in environmental samples

Perfluoroalkyl substances are globally distributed in both urban and remote settings, and routinely are detected in wildlife, humans, and the environment. One of the most prominent and routinely detected perfluoroalkyl substances is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been shown to be toxic to both humans and animals. PFOA exists as both linear and branched isomers; some of the branched isomers are chiral. A novel GC-NCI-MS method was developed to allow for isomer/enantiomer separation, which was achieved using two columns working in tandem; a 30-m DB-5MS column and a 30-m BGB-172 Analytik column. Samples were derivatized with diazomethane to form methyl esters of the PFOA isomers. In standards, at least eight PFOA isomers were detected, of which at least four were enantiomers of chiral isomers; one chiral isomer (P3) was sufficiently separated to allow for enantiomer-fraction calculations. Soil, sediment and plant samples from contaminated locations in Alabama and Georgia were analyzed. P3 was observed in most of these environmental samples, and was non-racemic in at least one sediment, suggesting the possibility of chirally selective generation from precursors or enantioselective sorption. In addition, the ratio of P3/linear PFOA was inversely related to distance from source, which we suggest might reflect a higher sorption affinity for the P3 over the linear isomer. This method focuses on PFOA, but preliminary results suggest that it should be broadly applicable to other chiral and achiral perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs); e.g., we detected several other homologous PFCA isomers in our PFCA standards and some environmental samples.
JONATHAN RILEY-SMITH, The First Crusaders, 1095–1131 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997). Pp. 310. $49.95.

The First Crusaders, 1095–1131 is a mature work of a leading scholar in the field of Crusade history that displays the results of years of detailed research and thought. The greatest strength of this work is that Riley-Smith draws extensively on documentary evidence from cartularies and archives surviving in European religious communities. Such thorough and extensive use of cartulary evidence is surprisingly rare. The result is a largely fresh view of the old topic of the Crusaders' motivation and a vastly more detailed portrayal of the mechanics and logistics behind the First Crusade. The author supports his views with the cumulative weight of scores of observations regarding the identification and origins of participants in the early Crusading movement. Riley-Smith has complied (and made available in an Appendix) detailed and judicious lists of all those who certainly, probably, and possibly participated in the Crusades between 1096 and 1129. Culled from all the narrative sources and many collections of documents, the lists provide a substantial body of evidence that many scholars will find useful.
Evidence that host size determines liver size: Studies in dogs receiving orthotopic liver transplants

Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in two groups of dogs; Group I animals consisted of large dogs that served as recipients of livers obtained from smaller dogs while Group II animals consisted of dogs that received liver from donor dogs of nearly the same size. The small-for-size livers transplanted into the Group I dogs rapidly increased in size over the course of 2 weeks until they achieved a size equal to that originally present in the larger recipient dogs. In contrast, the livers transplanted into dogs of the same size as the donors underwent some degree of atrophy. In both groups of animals, plasma levels of insulin and glucagon and hepatic (graft) activities of thymidine kinase and ornithine decarboxylase were followed serially. The only difference between the two groups of animals for these measures was that the ornithine decarboxylase activity rose to a greater degree in the liver that underwent graft enlargement. These data suggest that recipient size determines, at least in part, liver graft size once it is transplanted. These data also suggest that of the parameters followed, only ornithine decarboxylase activity parallels the finding of growth of the transplanted liver.
Isolation and Characterization of a 6/85-like Mycoplasma gallisepticum from Commercial Laying Hens

Eighty-three-week-old table egg layers with swollen sinuses were presented with a history of increased mortality. Serology revealed positive titers to Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). The birds were part of a flock in which some birds had been vaccinated with 6/85 live MG vaccine at 18 wk of age. Tracheal cultures were obtained from both vaccinated and unvaccinated birds within the flock. The cultures were indistinguishable from 6/85 vaccine by both random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and DNA sequence analysis. Challenge studies were performed to compare the field isolates with 6/85 vaccine and the R strain of MG. The field isolates produced a greater antibody response by serum plate agglutination than did the 6/85 vaccine. The isolates effectively colonized the trachea without increasing the tracheal mucosal thickness; however, they did not extensively colonize the air sacs or cause airsacculitis in the experimental birds.
Cloning and localization of a double-pore K channel, KCNK1: exclusive expression in distal nephron segments

The K-selective channel, TOK1, recently identified in yeast, displays the unusual structural feature of having two putative pore regions, in contrast to all previously cloned K channels. Using the TOK1 pore regions as probes, we identified a human kidney cDNA encoding a 337-amino acid protein (hKCNK1) with four transmembrane segments and two pore regions containing the signature sequence of K channels. Amino acid identity to TOK1 is only 15% overall but 40% at the pores. Northern analysis indicates high expression of a 1.9-kb message in brain > kidney >> heart. Nephron segment localization, carried out in rabbit by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, reveals that KCNK1 is expressed in cortical thick ascending limb, connecting tubule, and cortical collecting duct. It was not detected in the proximal tubule, medullary thick ascending limb, distal convoluted tubule, and glomerulus. We conclude that KCNK1 is a unique, double-pore, mammalian K channel, distantly related to the yeast channel TOK1, that is expressed in distal tubule and is a candidate to participate in renal K homeostasis.
Genetic Transformation to Confer Resistance to Plant Virus Disease

Cross-protection was first described more than fifty years ago in a paper by H. H. McKinney (1) reporting mosaic diseases in plants on the Canary Islands. In this paper he reported that when a tobacco plant was infected with a strain of TMV (tobacco mosaic virus) which caused mild symptons, the plant was unlikely to develop severe disease symptoms when superinfected or challenged with a highly virulent strain of TMV. After that first report, others used the approach to commercial advantage. By the early 1970’s it became widely accepted that tomato plants could be protected against severe strains of TMV and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) if they were first infected with a mild strain of virus which would not cause symptoms (2). The approach has since been extended to use in citrus against citrus tristeza virus (3) and in papaya against papaya ringspot virus (4). The success of this approach has depended upon the identification and isolation of a virus strain which is avirulent, or attenuated, relative to the indigenous strain which causes the disease problem in the field. Many of the mild virus strains used are generated by nitrous acid mutation of the virulent strain. Alternately, a variant may be identified from the endemic virus population.
CHAPTER 17 – Desert Rodents: Long-Term Responses to Natural Changes and Experimental Manipulations

A community can be defined as an entire set of interacting species populations, or it can be specified as a subset of species that share taxonomic or ecological affinities. Ecologists usually stipulate that the populations in a community occur together within a specified area over a defined period, although such boundary specifications are almost always arbitrary. All communities, no matter how defined, consist of populations of multiple species, and so the number, abundances, and characteristics of the coexisting species can characterize them. Such characterizations have led to the development of indices of community structure including species diversity, size ratios, food webs, connectivity, and dynamics such as measures of stability and turnover. This chapter focuses on how intrinsic biotic, extrinsic abiotic, and regional factors have affected the structure and dynamics of a Chihuahuan Desert rodent community. Underneath this ultimate abiotic influence on population densities, however, interspecific interactions had strong proximate effects on the local abundances of species. Kangaroo rats competitively suppressed the densities of several species of small granivorous rodents, and this competitive effect was relatively independent of seasonal and interannual fluctuations in abiotic conditions. All systems are influenced by a combination of biotic, abiotic, and regional factors. Most experimental work in community ecology manipulates small and closed patches for brief period of time and focuses on one of these factors.
An In Vivo Assay to Quantify Stable Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) Heterotrimeric Species

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) regulates a broad spectrum of cellular processes. The enzyme is, in fact, largely a collection of varied heterotrimeric species composed of a catalytic (C) subunit and regulatory (B-type) subunit bound together by a structural (A) subunit. One important feature of the C subunit is that its carboxy-terminus can be modified by phosphorylation and methylation. The mechanisms that trigger such posttranslational modifications, as well as their consequences, are still under investigation. However, data collected thus far indicate that these modifications alter the binding to B subunits for an AC dimer, thereby affecting the makeup of the PP2A species in the cell. In this chapter, we describe an in vivo assay for assessing stable PP2A heterotrimer formation that is based on specific subcellular localizations of PP2A heterotrimers. This assay can be used to study the impact of a wide variety of alterations (such as mutations and covalent modifications) on PP2A heterotrimer formation. We specifically describe the use of this assay to quantify the effects of methylation on the stable formation of PP2ARts1p and PP2ACdc55p heterotrimers.
Detrimental role of the EP1 prostanoid receptor in blood-brain barrier damage following experimental ischemic stroke

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is activated in response to ischemia and significantly contributes to the neuroinflammatory process. Accumulation of COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) parallels the substantial increase in stroke-mediated blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown. Disruption of the BBB is a serious consequence of ischemic stroke, and is mainly mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This study aimed to investigate the role of PGE2 EP1 receptor in neurovascular injury in stroke. We hypothesized that pharmacological blockade or genetic deletion of EP1 protects against BBB damage and hemorrhagic transformation by decreasing the levels and activity of MMP-3 and MMP-9. We found that post-ischemic treatment with the EP1 antagonist, SC-51089, or EP1 genetic deletion results in a significant reduction in BBB disruption and reduced hemorrhagic transformation in an experimental model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. These neurovascular protective effects of EP1 inactivation are associated with a significant reduction in MMP-9/-3, less peripheral neutrophil infiltration, and a preservation of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin) composing the BBB. Our study identifies the EP1 signaling pathway as an important link between neuroinflammation and MMP-mediated BBB breakdown in ischemic stroke. Targeting the EP1 receptor could represent a novel approach to diminish the devastating consequences of stroke-induced neurovascular damage.
Book Review: Molecular Basis of Pulmonary Disease: Insights From Rare Lung Disorders. Francis X McCormack MD, Ralph J Panos MD, Bruce C Trapnell MD, editors. Respiratory Medicine series. Sharon R Rounds MD, series editor. New York: Humana/Springer. 2010. Hard cover, 434 pages, $219.

Understanding how a CD player works doesn't make a disc's music sound better. But if it's your job to fix CD players or tell customers when to give them up, knowing how they work helps a lot. Molecular Basis of Pulmonary Disease: Insights From Rare Lung Disorders is not an easy read, and it's not
Effect of Curvature on Sagittal Plane Moment Arms of Human Neck Muscles

In musculoskeletal models of the cervical spine, muscles are often modeled as straight paths from origin to insertion [e.g., 1]. However, muscle paths in the neck are constrained by bone and other soft tissues, and some studies have found that applying curvature to muscle paths improves anatomical accuracy [2; 3] and affects muscle parameters such as moment arm [3] and moment [4]. Currently, data available in the literature for neck muscle moment arms (MA) are sparse. In this study we estimated in-vivo moment arms using MRI-derived neck muscle paths modeled with curvature and those modeled as straight paths, for head and neck rotation in the sagittal plane (flexion-extension motion). We hypothesize that moment arm estimates for curved paths will be significantly different from estimates for straight paths.© 2013 ASME
Variation of myocardial nucleolar abundance with heart weight.

SummaryThe number of nucleoli in myocardial nuclei was determined for human hearts in the weight range of 300-640 g. The variation of nucleolar abundance was significant, but slight, with larger hearts tending to show more nucleoli per nucleus. The maximum number of nucleoli per nucleus was six, regardless of the heart weight. It is concluded that even if the amount of DNA per nucleus increases during the development of myocardial hypertrophy, as suggested by microspectrophotometric studies, the number of potential nucleolar organizers remains fixed at six per nucleus.
Portable Field Mill

Atmospheric electric fields, believed to influence various biological phenomena, are monitored by using an instrument called a field mill. Previously published field mill designs were determined to be unsatisfactory for entomological research. The design described herein is specifically intended for biological research at remote locations and includes two design innovations—a perforated circular rotor and a dc power supply.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in Mid-adulthood and Parkinson's disease risk.

Background Low vitamin D levels are common among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Experimental evidence further suggests that vitamin D may be protective against PD. The objective of this study was to prospectively assess the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and PD among 12,762 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study cohort. Methods Serum samples were collected in 1990-1992, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A total of 67 incident PD cases were identified through December 31, 2008. The median length of follow-up was 17 years. We used Cox proportional hazards models to obtain hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for age, sex, and race. We did not find any association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and PD risk, regardless of how serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was modeled. Compared with participants with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 20 ng/mL, the hazards ratio for PD was 1.05 (95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.90) for 20-30 ng/mL and 1.14 (95% confidence interval, 0.59- 2.23) for ≥30 ng/mL. Similar results were obtained in sensitivity analyses that included white participants only and that were stratified by the length of follow-up. Conclusion This prospective study lends no support to the hypothesis that vitamin D may reduce the risk of PD. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Henry Rollins’ Rhetoric of Atonement An Apology for Offensive Comments About Suicide

In response to Robin Williams’ death, outspoken punk rocker Henry Rollins published an LA Weekly column about his disdain for people who commit suicide. His comments about depression were immediate...
Resistance study of Rattus norvegicus and Rattus flavipectus to warfarin in Wuhan

Objective To study warfarin-resistance of populations of Rattus norvegicus and R.flavipectus in Wuhan. Methods No choice feeding test was used in lab. Results 32 R.norvegicus and 30 R.flavipectus were tested.The resistance rate of R.norvegicus and R.flavipectus were 0 and 13.33% to warfarin respectively.The mean lethal dose and lethal time for R.norvegicus and R.flavipectus were 25.45,156.16 mg/kg and 7.7,11.1 days respectively. Conclusion Some R.flavipectus developed resistance to warfarin,but resistant population did not occur in Wuhan.
Hyperthermic spreading depressions in the immature rat hippocampal slice.

Febrile seizures are the most common seizure type in children (6 mo to 5 yr). The pathophysiology of febrile seizures is unknown. Current genetic studies show that some febrile seizures result from channelopathies. We have performed electrophysiological experiments in in vitro hippocampal slices to test a novel hypothesis that a disordered regulation of ionic homeostasis underlies the genesis of febrile seizures. In transverse hippocampal CA1 slices from 104 rats, temperature increase from 34° to 40°C produced a series of spreading depressions (SDs), called hyperthermic SDs. The hyperthermic SDs were age-dependent, occurring in only 1/17 8–16 day-old animals, 44/49 17–60 day-old animals, and 11/20 rats older than than 60 days. The hyperthermic SDs usually occurred on the rising phase of the temperature. The mean temperature to trigger a first hyperthermic SD was 38.8 ± 1.3°C (mean ± SD, n = 44). The hyperthermic SDs induced a reversible loss of evoked synaptic potentials and a dramatic decrease of input r...