cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methionine enkephalin-like, substance P-like, and β-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in human parotid saliva

These three neuropeptides were measured at daily baseline values by radioimmunoassay. Stimulated parotid saliva was collected from 31 subjects using a modified Carlson-Crittenden device affixed over Stenson's duct. Methionine enkephalin-like immunoreactivity ranged from 6.6 to 11.7 fmol/ml, with a mean of 9.3 fmol/ml. Substance P-like immunoreactivity ranged from 6.1 to 12.6 fmol/ml, with a mean of 9.3 fmol/ml. beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity ranged from 1.2 to 3.6 fmol/ml, with a mean of 2.6 fmol/ml. This is believed to be the first documentation of methionine enkephalin- and substance P-like activities in human parotid saliva and the first demonstration of beta-endorphin-like activity in any type of human saliva. Substance P-like activity was significantly higher in morning than evening samples; beta-endorphin-like activity also tended to be higher in the morning samples. Substance P and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivities covaried in a significant positive manner, suggesting either common control mechanisms or similar responses to physiological variables.
Childhood Sexual Abuse, Alcohol Use, and PTSD Symptoms as Predictors of Adult Sexual Assault Among Lesbians and Gay Men

Prior research has indicated that childhood sexual abuse (CSA), alcohol use, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are important risk factors for adult sexual assault (ASA). A notable limitation of this prior work, however, is that it has almost exclusively focused on heterosexual women. The present study sought to remedy this by examining the extent to which CSA, alcohol use, and PTSD symptoms related to ASA among lesbians (n = 122) and gay men (n = 117). Using structural equation modeling, we found that alcohol use was the best predictor of ASA among lesbians whereas CSA was the best predictor of ASA among gay men. These results suggest that certain risk factors may be differentially related to ASA among groups with different sexual orientations. Such findings deepen our current understanding of ASA and offer important directions for reducing the risk of ASA for lesbian and gay individuals.
Reticulated platelets: the birth of a new test for thrombopoiesis

Summary In this current era of medicine the introduction of new tests is increasingly difficult. It is no longer enough to demonstrate that a test works, or even that it can be clinically useful. It must also be “cost effective,” and the criteria by which this is established are often unclear. Those of us who work in the clinical laboratory often approach new tests with a feeling of trepidation. There are many examples of useful and important tests that have taken years to slowly achieve acceptance. It is thus refreshing that the assay of reticulated platelets has come rapidly onto the scene and, by all of the information that we currently have, appears to be both important and cost effective. It has behind it the force of logic, and of medical necessity. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive, and shows promise of being easily automated. It is very likely that it will become a routine part of the hematological laboratory in the next few years.
Neutrino magnetic moment, plasmon Čerenkov radiation, and the solar-neutrino problem

Clark and Pedigo suggested that, if the neutrino has a magnetic moment, the energy loss of a solar neutrino in escaping the sun, due to magnetic elastic scattering off electrons, could help explain the absence of detection of solar neutrinos at earth. Collective effects of the solar plasma will modify the energy loss calculated by those authors. The existence of the possibility of \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov radiation of longitudinal plasmons suggests that the effect might be large and positive. Detailed calculation shows that it is actually a small effect on the energy loss and not of likely impact on the solar-neutrino problem.
Pathophysiology of hypercalciuria in children

Urinary excretion of calcium is the result of a complex interplay between three organs—namely, the gastrointestinal tract, bone, and kidney—which is finely orchestrated by multiple hormones. Hypercalciuria is believed to be a polygenic trait and is influenced significantly by diet. This paper briefly reviews calcium handling by the renal tubule in normal and in hereditary disorders as it relates to the pathophysiology of hypercalciuria. The effects of dietary sodium, potassium, protein, calcium, and phosphate on calcium excretion, and the association of hypercalciuria with bone homeostasis is discussed, leading to recommendations on means to address excessive urinary calcium excretion.
The Effects of Minimal Pairs Treatment on the Speech-Sound Production of Two Children With Phonologic Disorders

Two children whose speech-sound production could be described by phonologic processes were administered a linguistically based treatment program that utilized minimal pair words. A subset of phonem...
A reaction landscape identifies the intermediates critical for self-assembly of virus capsids and other polyhedral structures.

The capsids of spherical viruses may contain from tens to hundreds of copies of the capsid protein(s). Despite their complexity, these particles assemble rapidly and with high fidelity. Subunit and capsid represent unique end states. However, the number of intermediate states in these reactions can be enormous—a situation analogous to the protein folding problem. Approaches to accurately model capsid assembly are still in their infancy. In this paper, we describe a sailshaped reaction landscape, defined by the number of subunits in each species, the predicted prevalence of each species, and species stability. Prevalence can be calculated from the probability of synthesis of a given intermediate and correlates well with the appearance of intermediates in kinetics simulations. In these landscapes, we find that only those intermediates along the leading edge make a significant contribution to assembly. Although the total number of intermediates grows exponentially with capsid size, the number of leading-edge intermediates grows at a much slower rate. This result suggests that only a minute fraction of intermediates needs to be considered when describing capsid assembly.
Two-To-One Internal Resonances in Parametrically Excited Buckled Beams

The response of a buckled beam possessing a two-to-one internal resonance to a principal parametric resonance of the higher mode is analyzed. The analysis assumes a unimodal static buckled deflection, considers quadratic nonlinearities only, and determines the amplitude and phase modulation equations via the method of multiple scales. Frequencyand force-response curves are generated. The forceresponse curves exhibit the saturation phenomenon. The equilibrium solutions of the modulation equations undergo saddle-node, pitchfork, and Hopf bifurcations. Dynamic solutions of the modulation equations are explored and a variety of bifurcation phenomena are documented, including period-doubling bifurcations, intermittency of type I, chaos, and crises.
Ordering by Collapse: Formation of Bilayer and Trilayer Crystals by Folding Langmuir Monolayers

Neutron and synchrotron X-ray studies of arachidic-acid monolayers compressed to the collapse region, beyond their densely packed molecular area, reveal that the resulting structures exhibit a surprising degree of reproducibility and of order. The structure of the collapsed monolayers differs for films that are spread on pure water or on CaCl2 solutions. On pure water, the collapsed monolayer forms a stable crystalline trilayer structure, with acyl-chain in-plane packing practically identical to the three-dimensional (3D) crystal structure of fatty acids. For monolayers spread on Ca2+ solutions, the collapsed film consists of a bi- and trilayer mixture with a ratio that changes by the collapse protocol. Our analysis suggests that the bilayer structure is inverted, i.e., with the hydrophobic tails in contact with the water surface and the calcium ions bridging the polar heads. The inverted bilayer structure possesses a well-ordered crystalline slab of calcium oxalate monohydrate intercalated between two ac...
Repeated Copulation and Sperm Precedence: Paternity Assurance for a Male Brooding Water Bug

Male giant water bugs (Abedus herberti Hidalgo) brood eggs attached to their backs by their mates. Brooders risk being "cuckolded" because females store sperm from previous matings. Males always copulate with females prior to receiving their eggs and mate repeatedly during oviposition. Experiments with a genetic marker reveal almost complete sperm precedence for the last male to mate with a female. The male's behavior therefore assures his paternity of the eggs he broods.
An experimental study of bidding in contests of incomplete information

In many contest situations, such as R&D competition and rent seeking, participants’ costs are private information. We report the results of an experimental study of bidding in contests under different information and symmetry conditions about players’ costs of effort. The theory predicts qualitatively different comparative statics between bids under complete and incomplete information in contests of two and more than two players. We use a 2×3 experimental design, (n=2, n=4)×(symmetric complete information, asymmetric complete information, incomplete information), to test the theoretical predictions. We find the comparative statics of bids across the information and symmetry conditions, and the qualitative differences in comparative statics across group sizes, in partial agreement with the theory.
Chondrocyte Translocation Response to Direct Current Electric Fields

Using a custom galvanotaxis chamber and time-lapse digital video microscopy, we report the novel observation that cultured chondrocytes exhibit cathodal migration when subjected to applied direct current (DC) electric fields as low as 0.8 V/cm. The response was dose-dependent for field strengths greater than 4 V/cm. Cell migration appeared to be an active process with extension of cytoplasmic processes in the direction of movement. In some cells, field application for greater than an hour induced elongation of initially round cells accompanied by perpendicular alignment of the long axis with respect to the applied field. Antagonists of the inositol phospholipid pathway, U-73122 and neomycin, were able to inhibit cathodal migration. Cell migration toward the cathode did not require the presence of serum during field application. However, the directed velocity was nearly threefold greater in studies performed with serum. Studies performed at physiologic temperatures (approximately 37 degrees C) revealed a twofold enhancement in migration speed compared to similar studies at room temperature (approximately 25 degrees C). Findings from the present study may help to elucidate basic mechanisms that mediate chondrocyte migration and substrate attachment. Since chondrocyte migration has been implicated in cartilage healing, the ability to direct chondrocyte movement has the potential to impact strategies for addressing cartilage healing/repair and for development of cartilage substitutes.
Energy-Efficient Accelerometer Data Transfer for Human Body Movement Studies

Wireless sensors with accelerometers are widely used in various studies on human body movements. The most challenging problem in a small body-attachable sensing unit is how to maximize the battery lifetime. Previously, the preferred approach was to reduce the number of transmissions through data compression. Compressed Sensing(C-S) is an emerging alternative approach that aggressively reduces the samples yet permits the reconstruct of the original analog signal. C-S has the great potential to be extremely effective due to the universality and lower complexity of sensor implementation. In this paper, we investigate the nature of various human body movements. We examine the performance of the C-S framework in terms of the energy savings in a real testbed. Our experimental results show that the C-S framework can save up to 40% of energy in the sensing unit, compared with the traditional data compression scheme.
Preventive Maintenance Using Continuous-Time Semi-Markov Processes

A method is presented to determine the amount of preventive maintenance to be performed on equipment in order to maximize availability. The method uses a continuous-time semi-Markov process that assumes equipment can fail due to both deterioration and random occurrences. Preventive maintenance can be performed from working state to prevent deterioration failure. An example is used to demonstrate the method using MATLAB and Maple software. Additional flexibility in equipment modeling using semi-Markov processes is described.
Detection of Global Edges in Textured Images

Recently geologists have been recognizing the importance of line or edge-like features called lineaments that are commonly detected in Landsat terrain reconnaissance. Lineaments are piecewise discontinuous global lines or edges of low curvature, and they generally have widely varying widths or edge characteristics that make them difficult to detect.
c-Ha-ras and UV photocarcinogenesis. Do rays raise ras?

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in our understanding of the genetic basis of cancer, culminating with the award of the 1989 Nobel Prize for Medicine to Harold Varmus, MD, and J. Michael Bishop, MD, for the discovery of proto-oncogenes. Proto-oncogenes are highly conserved cellular genes, originally discovered by virtue of their homology to the cancer-causing genes (oncogenes) of tumorigenic retroviruses. While the normal function of proto-oncogenes is vital for appropriate regulation of cellular growth and differentiation, alteration of their structure or the regulation of their expression can cause cancer. In this issue of theArchives,1Husain and colleagues, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Cambridge, Mass, present evidence implicating overexpression of the c-Ha-rasproto-oncogene in the pathogenesis of UV light-induced photocarcinogenesis in SENCAR mice. Their results, which indicate that amplification and overexpression of the c-Ha-rasgene occurs in premalignant papillomas and malignant carcinomas induced by treatment with UV light
Demonstrating the relationship between soil phosphorus measures and phosphorus solubility: Implications for Ohio phosphorus risk assessment tools

Abstract Approximately 80% of the land area draining into the western Lake Erie Basin is in Ohio, much of which is agricultural. Therefore, the potential for agricultural phosphorus (P) loading from Ohio is a concern for the water quality of western basin rivers, embayments and open water. This work demonstrates soil P relationships across Ohio soils and its implications for potential revisions of Ohio P risk assessment tools. The objectives were, using a selection of soils representative of soils across Ohio, (i) to determine if soil survey classification (series) could be an indicator of hydrous oxide content and, (ii) to determine if agronomic soil test P (STP) Mehlich 3 (M3-P), Bray P, or alternative measures of soil P saturation (Psat) were comparable to oxalate Psat for predicting P solubility, and therefore, useful for Ohio P risk assessment tools. Results showed no significant difference ( P > 0.01) in soil hydrous oxide content when grouped by soil series. However, significant ( P
Experience Sampling Method Applications to Communication Research Questions.

The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) is a quasi-naturalistic method that involves signaling research subjects at random times throughout the day, often for a week or longer, and asking them to report on the nature and quality of their experience. The method has been applied to an increasing number of research problems in medicine, the social sciences, and communication. In this essay, the authors, who have developed the methodology over the past 20 years, reflect on some of the methods applications within communication studies. The ESM is contrasted with traditional questionnaire and diary methods, and its value in mapping behavior's ecological context and the nature of human experience is assessed. The authors suggest how the method can be applied to research problems in organizational settings, such as work and schools; with regard to mass and mediated communication; and to interpersonal, familial, and marital communication topics
Checking relational specifications with binary decision diagrams

Checking a specification in a language based on sets and relations (such as Z) can be reduced to the problem of finding satisfying assignments, or models, of a relational formula. A new method for finding models using ordered binary decision diagrams (BDDs) is presented that appears to scale better than existing methods.Relational terms are replaced by matrices of boolean formulae. These formulae are then composed to give a boolean translation of the entire relational formula. Throughout, boolean formulae are represented with BDDs; from the resulting BDD, models are easily extracted.The performance of the BDD method is compared to our previous method based instead on explicit enumeration. The new method performs as well or better on most of our examples, but can also handle specifications that, until now, we have been unable to analyze.
A Semiparametric Analysis of the Relationship of Body Mass Index to Mortality

Objectives. I used a semi-parametric analysis of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality to assess the adequacy of conventional BMI categories for planning public health programs to reduce mortality.Methods. I linked supplements from the 1987 and 1989 versions of the National Health Interview Survey to the 1995 Multiple Cause of Death File to obtain mortality information. I constructed nonlinear estimates of the association between BMI and mortality using a semiparametric regression technique.Results. The mortality risk among “normal” weight men (i.e., those in the BMI range of 20 to 25 kg/m2) was as high as that among men in the mild obesity category (BMIs of 30–35 kg/m2), with a minimum risk observed at a BMI of approximately 26 kg/m2. Among women, the mortality risk was smallest at approximately 23 to 24 kg/m2, with the risk increasing steadily with BMIs above 27 kg/m2. In each specification, the slope of the line was small and volatile through the BMI range of 20 to 35 kg/m2, sugg...
Neighborhood Disorder and Local Participation: Examining the Political Relevance of “Broken Windows”

Anyone who has lived in, driven through or walked by a “bad” neighborhood has a sense of the attributes that render such places unique: graffiti, litter, public intoxication and much more. According to the well-known theory of “broken windows,” these readily observable corporeal characteristics signal neighborhood disorder and lead to increased criminal behavior. This article investigates the implications of disorder for political behavior, taking particular care to distinguish between the objective tangible conditions of disorder and residents’ subjective interpretations of those conditions. Utilizing exceptionally rich data, this analysis reveals that while certain aspects of objective “reality” are consequential, perceptions of such reality are a more powerful mechanism through which neighborhood disorder impacts local political engagement. For some political outcomes, a heightened sense of the problems associated with disorder is linearly associated with an increase in participation. For others, the pattern is parabolic: those who perceive so little disorder that they remain content or so much disorder that they become disaffected are substantially less likely to take action to make their communities better. Ultimately, holding objective contextual features constant, the lenses through which residents interpret things like “broken windows” are critical determinants of grassroots politics. This information, combined with broader understandings of what shapes perceptions of disorder, lays the foundation for structuring policy in ways that facilitate grassroots activism—a vital component of the American democratic process.
The Limits of de Tocqueville: How Government Facilitates Organisational Capacity in Newcomer Communities

I argue that state intervention can foster immigrants’ and refugees’ ability to establish and to sustain community organisations. Drawing on 147 qualitative interviews and documentary information from the Portuguese and Vietnamese communities in metropolitan Boston and Toronto, I show how settlement and multiculturalism policies provide material and symbolic resources that immigrants can use to build a large and diverse organisational infrastructure. These findings challenge arguments inspired by de Tocqueville's image of self-sufficient and self-started civic associations. Instead, my evidence suggests that migrants benefit from government involvement. One important implication is that, by facilitating community building, host societies can encourage migrants’ participatory citizenship in their new home.
Fermi level, work function and vacuum level

Electronic levels and energies of a solid, such as Fermi level, vacuum level, work function, ionization energy or electron affinity, are of paramount importance for the control of device behavior, charge carrier injection and transport. These levels and quantities, however, depend sensitively on the structure and surface morphology and chemical composition of the solid. A small amount of contaminants on a metal surface, or a shift in molecular orientation at the surface of an organic semiconductor, can change work function and vacuum level position by a large fraction of an electron-volt, and significantly impact the electronic structure of interfaces. The goal of this brief focus article is to provide definitions of key concepts and review simple mechanisms that affect these fundamental quantities.
The Engage Program: Implementing and Assessing a New First Year Experience at the University of Tennessee

The Engage initiative at the University of Tennessee addresses the needs of entering engineering students through a new first year curriculum. The program integrates the engineering subject matter of the freshman year, teaches problem solving and design by application, and seeks to address the increased retention and graduation of engineering students. Noteworthy curriculum features of the Engage program include a hands-on laboratory where students do physical homework to practice the concepts introduced in lectures, placing all freshman engineering students in a year-long team design curriculum, and a team training course where engineering upperclassmen are trained in team facilitation techniques and placed as facilitators with the freshman design teams. The Engage program was piloted during the 1997‐98 academic year with 60 students. In 1998‐99, the program was scaled up to 150 students, and fully implemented with the entire freshman class of 465 students during the 1999‐2000 academic year. Engage students have shown a significant increase in academic performance compared to students following a more traditional curriculum. Graduation statistics show the positive long-term results of this effort.
LiaS Regulates Virulence Factor Expression in Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans, a major oral pathogen responsible for dental caries formation, possesses a variety of mechanisms for survival in the human oral cavity, where the conditions of the external environment are diverse and in a constant state of flux. The formation of biofilms, survival under conditions of acidic pH, and production of mutacins are considered to be important virulence determinants displayed by this organism. Biofilm formation is facilitated by the production of GbpC, an important cell surface-associated protein that binds to glucan, an adhesive polysaccharide produced by the organism itself. To better understand the nature of the environmental cues that induce GbpC production, we examined the roles of 14 sensor kinases in the expression of gbpC in S. mutans strain UA159. We found that only the LiaS sensor kinase regulates gbpC expression, while the other sensor kinases had little or no effect on gbpC expression. We also found that while LiaS negatively regulates gbpC expression, the inactivation of its cognate response regulator, LiaR, does not appear to affect the expression of gbpC. Since both gbpC expression and mutacin IV production are regulated by a common regulatory network, we also tested the effect of the liaS mutation on mutacin production and found that LiaS positively regulates mutacin IV production. Furthermore, reverse transcription-PCR analysis suggests that LiaS does so by regulating the expression of nlmA, which encodes a peptide component of mutacin IV, and nlmT, which encodes an ABC transporter. As with the expression of gbpC, LiaR did not have any apparent effect on mutacin IV production. Based on the results of our study, we speculate that LiaS is engaged in cross talk with one or more response regulators belonging to the same family as LiaR, enabling LiaS to regulate the expression of several genes coding for virulence factors.
Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation: a pilot study describing a new method for treating infected wounds

This data review reports the results of 15 patients who were treated with Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) negative pressure therapy system in addition to the timed, intermittent delivery of an instilled topical solution for management of their complex, infected wounds. Prospective data for 15 patients treated with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)-instillation was recorded and analysed. Primary endpoints were compared to a retrospective control group of 15 patients treated with our institution's standard moist wound-care therapy. Culture-specific systemic antibiotics were prescribed as per specific patient need in both groups. All data were checked for normality of distribution and equality of variance and appropriate parametric and non parametric analyses were conducted. Compared with the standard moist wound-care therapy control group, patients in the NPWT-instillation group required fewer days of treatment (36.5 +/- 13.1 versus 9.9 +/- 4.3 days, P < 0.001), cleared of clinical infection earlier (25.9 +/- 6.6 versus 6.0 +/- 1.5 days, P < 0.001), had wounds close earlier (29.6 +/- 6.5 versus 13.2 +/- 6.8 days, P < 0.001) and had fewer in-hospital stay days (39.2 +/- 12.1 versus 14.7 +/- 9.2 days, P < 0.001). In this pilot study, NPWT instillation showed a significant decrease in the mean time to bioburden reduction, wound closure and hospital discharge compared with traditional wet-to-moist wound care. Outcomes from this study analysis suggest that the use of NPWT instillation may reduce cost and decrease inpatient care requirements for these complex, infected wounds.
Revealing unknown or extinct lineages within Isoëtes (Isoëtaceae) using DNA sequencesfrom hybrids

Isoetes, a heterosporous lycopod with a fossil record dating back to the Paleozoic, has numerous putative allopolyploids (resulting from hybridization events coupled with doubling of chromosome number). By using the highly variable nucleotide sequences from the second intron of a LFY homologue in Isoetes, species could be delimited and hybrid origins determined. The data suggest that reticulate evolution is both common and complex within a more derived species complex of Isoetes. Sequences of identifiable parentage and sequences that are unlike any diploid species known were recovered, leading to the conclusion that one or both of the putative parents have not yet been discovered or are extinct. A range of observations concerning allopolyploid speciation were categorized as follows: (1) verification of previous hypotheses regarding parentage (e.g., I. riparia, I. appalachiana), (2) determination that two morphologically distinct allotetraploid species can share the same parentage (I. azorica and I. acadiensis), (3) recognition of a cryptic allotetraploid species, indicated by the presence of different parental genomes (I. "appalachiana" from Florida), and (4) identification of allotetraploid species with one or two unknown parents (e.g., I. tuckermanii, I. acadiensis, I. azorica, and I. hyemalis). Some sequences from diploid species are remarkably uniform among populations (e.g., I. echinospora from various locations in North America, Iceland, and Wales), while others are variable at the subspecies level (e.g., northern and southern populations within I. engelmannii).
Detection of point mutations associated with antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in hospitals has led to the emergence of highly resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To reduce the selection pressure for resistance, it is important to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacteria so that hospital patients can be treated with more narrow-spectrum and target-specific antibiotics. This study describes the development of a technique for detecting point muations in the fluoroquinolone resistance-determining region of the gyrA and parC genes as well as the efflux regulatory genes mexR, mexZ and mexOZ that are associated with fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside resistance. The assay is based on a short DNA sequencing method using multiplex-fast polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Pyrosequencing for amplification and sequencing of the selected genes. Fifty-nine clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were examined for mutations in the abovementioned genes. Mutations related to antibiotic resistance were detected in codons 83 and 87 of gyrA and codon 126 of the mexR regulatory gene. Results of this study suggest Pyrosequencing as a substitute for traditional methods as it provides a rapid and reliable technique for determining the antibiotic resistance pattern of a given bacterial strain in <1 h.
Partial Replacement of Fish Meal with Plant Protein Sources Singly and in Combination in Diets for Summer Flounder, Paralichthys dentatus

Soybean meal (SBM), corn gluten meal (CGM), and canola protein concentrate (CPC) as alternative protein sources to fish meal (FM) were individually evaluated for growth performance at 0, 20, 30, 40, and 50% replacement with amino acid (AA) supplementation using juvenile summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, in an 8-wk feeding. Two-way ANOVA indicated no significant main effect for plant protein source, but a significant main effect for replacement level. Comparison of the individual treatments revealed significant differences in weight gain (WG) between the FM treatment and 50% replacement level for all protein sources, as well as between the FM treatment and 30% replacement with CPC. Replacement of FM with SBM at 40% resulted in the least cost/kg WG. In a follow-up study, a combination of SBM–CGM–CPC at 40% replacement was evaluated with and without AA, phytase (0.2%), or taurine (1%), versus FM and SBM (40% replacement of FM) with AA. The SBM–CGM–CPC diet with either AA or taurine provided a significantly better food conversion ratio and less cost/kg WG than the SBM diet, and the SBM–CGM–CPC diet with taurine provided a significantly better protein efficiency ratio than the SBM diet. On the basis of these results, more study of taurine in plant protein diets for summer flounder appears warranted.
DISASSEMBLY OF THE DROSOPHILA NUCLEAR LAMINA IN A HOMOLOGOUS CELL-FREE SYSTEM

Stage 14 Drosophila oocytes are arrested in first meiotic metaphase. A cell-free extract of these oocytes catalyzes apparent disassembly of purified Drosophila nuclei as well as of nuclear lamin polymers formed in vitro from isolated interphase lamins. Biochemically, the oocyte extract catalyzes lamin solubilization and phosphorylation as well as characteristic changes in one- and two-dimensional gel mobility. A previously unidentified soluble lamin isoform is easily seen after in vitro disassembly. This isoform is detectable but present only in very small quantities in vivo and is apparently derived specifically from one of the two interphase lamin isoforms. Cell-free nuclear lamina disassembly is ATP-dependent and addition of calcium to extracts blocks disassembly as judged both morphologically and biochemically. This system will allow enzymological characterization of cell-free lamina disassembly as well as molecular analysis of specific Drosophila mutants.
Compressive line sensing underwater imaging system

Compressive sensing (CS) theory has drawn great interest and led to new imaging techniques in many different fields. In recent years, the FAU/HBOI OVOL has conducted extensive research to study the CS based active electro-optical imaging system in the scattering medium such as the underwater environment. The unique features of such system in comparison with the traditional underwater electro-optical imaging system are discussed. Building upon the knowledge from the previous work on a frame based CS underwater laser imager concept, more advantageous for hover-capable platforms such as the Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV), a compressive line sensing underwater imaging (CLSUI) system that is more compatible with the conventional underwater platforms where images are formed in whiskbroom fashion, is proposed in this paper. Simulation results are discussed.
Extended PWBA treatment of the 6Li + 6Li → 2α + 2d reaction

Abstract Recent double coincidence data for the 6 Li+ 6 Li → 2α+2d reaction show double spectator pole (DSP) peaks much sharper than those predicted from realistic 6 Li cluster wave functions. The PWBA correctly predicts the centers and approximate amplitudes of these peaks. However their widths remain much too large even when all obvious straightforward improvements — symmetry under boson exchange. Coulomb cluster wave functions, a finite-range participant interaction potential, and deuteron structure — are added to the model.
Memories affect mood: Evidence from covert experimental assignment to positive, neutral, and negative memory recall

Memory recall has been proposed as a common and effective mood regulation strategy. Although several studies have presented results suggesting that recalling valenced memories affects subsequent mood, their designs allow for alternative interpretations of the observed effects. Two such alternatives include the reverse effect (mood effects on memory due to non-experimental assignment to memory recall condition) and demand characteristics of the experiment. We used covert experimental assignment to memory condition, asking subjects (N = 314; 56% female) to recall memories that were primarily positive, neutral, or negative. Results showed the expected effect on mood (p < .002), with reported mood worst in the negative memory condition, better in the neutral condition, and best in the positive condition. These results suggest that valenced memory recall does indeed exert an effect on mood, and may do so even without the individual’s awareness.
Azurophilic granules of human neutrophils contain CD14

CD14, the leukocyte receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is important in the response of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to infection with gram-negative bacteria. The level of CD14 on the PMN surface increases after exposure to some inflammatory stimuli such as N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). These newly expressed CD14 molecules probably come from an intracellular pool of preformed receptors. We sought to further characterize PMN CD14 expression, upregulation, and shedding and to define the intracellular location of CD14 molecules. Our results demonstrate that both LPS and fMLP significantly increased CD14 cell surface expression; however, neither phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or A23187 increased receptor levels on the PMN surface. Neither fMLP, PMA, or A23187 stimulated the release of soluble CD14 from PMNs. Intracellular CD14 was observed in >90% of PMNs examined by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Additional analyses using CD14 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and electron microscopy studies, examining PMN granules separated by discontinuous sucrose or Percoll gradients, showed that CD14 was present in both the plasma membrane-secretory vesicle fractions and azurophilic granules.
Strain-Dependent Role of BrkA during Bordetella pertussis Infection of the Murine Respiratory Tract

Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, expresses many virulence factors believed to be involved in infection and disease progression. While these factors as a group are required for infection, deletion of individual virulence factor genes generally has limited effects on the ability of B. pertussis to efficiently infect the respiratory tract of mice, suggesting they may perform noncritical or redundant functions. We have recently observed that a B. pertussis strain, putatively with a mutation of a single gene, brkA, results in a severe defect in vivo. Although BrkA has been shown to be required for B. pertussis to resist complement-mediated killing in vitro, the relevance of these findings to the in vivo role of BrkA during infection has not been examined. Transducing this mutation into multiple wild-type B. pertussis strains allowed us to confirm the in vitro phenotype of reduced resistance to serum complement. All ΔbrkA mutants were increased in their sensitivity to complement in vitro, both in the presence and absence of antibodies. However, these strains differed substantially in their phenotypes in vivo. ΔbrkA mutants of recent clinical isolates were indistinguishable from wild-type strains in their efficient infection of respiratory organs, suggesting that the function of BrkA in these strains is noncritical or redundant. In contrast, multiple ΔbrkA strains derived from Tohama I were severely defective during the first week postinoculation compared to their wild-type parent. This defect was present even in complement-deficient mice, revealing a complement-independent phenotype for the ΔbrkA mutant in respiratory tract infection.
DuraSeal for paddle lead anchoring during revision spinal cord stimulator surgery: a technical case report.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has become an evidence-based reatment for patients with refractory neuropathic pain, especially n patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) [1,2]. Padle leads are typically placed via a small laminotomy and are held ithin the dorsal epidural space by the overlying lamina. However, evision and replacement of such leads often requires complete aminectomy at one or more levels in addition to epidural scar emoval. The resultant bony defect makes lead anchoring necesary and device manufacturers currently do not recommend direct uturing of the leads. We present a case to illustrate our use of he hydrogel dural sealant DuraSeal (Confluent Surgical, Waltham, A) to anchor paddle leads during spinal cord stimulation revision urgery.
Shaping the Murine Macrophage Phenotype: IL-4 and Cyclic AMP Synergistically Activate the Arginase I Promoter

Arginase I is a marker of murine M2 macrophages and is highly expressed in many inflammatory diseases. The basis for high arginase I expression in macrophages in vivo is incompletely understood but likely reflects integrated responses to combinations of stimuli. Our objective was to elucidate mechanisms involved in modulating arginase I induction by IL-4, the prototypical activator of M2 macrophages. IL-4 and 8-bromo-cAMP individually induce arginase I, but together they rapidly and synergistically induce arginase I mRNA, protein, and promoter activity in murine macrophage cells. Arginase I induction by IL-4 requires binding of the transcription factors STAT6 and C/EBPβ to the IL-4 response element of the arginase I gene. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that the synergistic response involves binding of both transcription factors to the IL-4 response element at levels significantly greater than in response to IL-4 alone. The results suggest that C/EBPβ is a limiting factor for the level of STAT6 bound to the IL-4 response element. The enhanced binding in the synergistic response was not due to increased expression of either STAT6 or C/EBPβ but was correlated primarily with increased nuclear abundance of C/EBPβ. Our findings also suggest that induction of arginase I expression is stochastic; that is, differences in induction reflect differences in probability of transcriptional activation and not simply differences in rate of transcription. Results of the present study also may be useful for understanding mechanisms underlying regulated expression of other genes in macrophages and other myeloid-derived cells in health and disease.
Small Business–Nonprofit Collaboration: Locally Owned Businesses Want to Take Their Relationships With Community-Based NPOs to the Next Level

This two-part, mixed-methods study explored how and why small businesses engage in both philanthropic and transactional partnerships with community-based nonprofits (NPOs), and what business owners expect from their nonprofit partners. Findings from focus groups and a survey indicate that U.S. small businesses (a) are interested in a higher representation on nonprofit boards; (b) are more likely to support NPOs that focus on the local community’s needs; and (c) seek long-term, committed partnerships with NPOs to jointly address communal issues rather than one-time contributions or sponsorships. The study adds to the literature on nonprofit–business collaboration by applying the concepts of integrative (Austin, 2000) and communal (Cho & Kelly, 2014) relationships in the context of locally owned businesses and community-based NPOs rather than more commonly studied large corporations and national/international nonprofits. These findings also offer practical recommendations for the leadership of community non...
Witten’s ghost vertex made simple

First, we diagonalize the bc-ghost 3-string Neumann matrices using the technique described in Phys. Rev. D 68, 066003 (2003). Their eigenvalues are in complete agreement with the previous authors. Second, we diagonalize the N-string gluing vertices for the bosonized ghost system. Third, we verify the descent and associativity relations for the combined bosonic matter+ghost gluing vertices. We find that in order for these relations to be true, the vertices must be normalized by the factor ${\mathcal{Z}}_{N}.$ Here ${\mathcal{Z}}_{N}$ is the partition function of the bosonic matter+ghost CFT on the gluing surface, which is the unit disk with the Neumann boundary conditions and the midpoint conelike singularity specified by the angle excess $\ensuremath{\pi}(N\ensuremath{-}2).$
When Parties and Candidates Collide: Citizen Perception of House Candidates' Positions on Abortion

When candidates assume issue positions opposite those of their sponsoring political party do citizens recognize these positions? Relatedly, what role do candidates' actual issue positions play in citizens' perceptions of their issue positions? Examining citizens' perceptions of 1996 and 1998 House candidates' position on abortion, this research finds that citizens' perceptions are shaped largely by partisan and, to a lesser extent, gender stereotypes. However, candidates' individuating positions on abortion influence perceptions of the candidates' position, but the effects are considerably stronger for perceptions of Republican candidates. Democratic candidates are likely to adopt anti-abortion positions in districts characterized by lower than average levels of political awareness and education, reducing the likelihood their party-contradicting position is accurately perceived. In contrast, Republican candidates adopt a pro-choice position in districts characterized by high education and political awareness, increasing the likelihood their position is accurately perceived.
Appellate Court Briefs on the Web: Electronic Dynamos or Legal Quagmire?

The Internet offers a viable means to greatly increase the availability of appellate court briefs to researchers and the general public. Professor Whiteman reviews the history and benefits of electronic briefs and then explores four issues raised by Internet distribution: accessibility, privacy, preservation, and copyright.
Further investigation of the body torques on a square solar sail due to the displacement of the sail attachment points

Abstract This paper presents further investigation of the idea of performing orientation change and attitude control of solar sail spacecraft by moving one or more of the attachment points of the sail material. In its normal mode of operation, a rigid-type solar sail flies with its sail membrane flat and taut. Moving one of the attachment points of the sail will cause the sail material to sag under the action of solar radiation. Such a sag can lead to system asymmetry resulting in a body moment on the system; and such a moment can be exploited for orientation control. The focus of this study is on the determination of the shape that the sail membrane assumes when one of its attachment points is displaced a known amount. Comparisons are made between the exact shape of the sail membrane as determined in this study, and a simpler but approximated shape suggested in previous studies. Errors in the force and body moment predictions that would result from the use of a simpler model of the deformed sail are also assessed. Finally, the effect of the solar radiation incidence angle on the magnitude of the moment applied to the solar sail body is also investigated.
A New Genus Abditicoccus (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Asterolecaniidae) With a Redescription of Its Type Species A. acaciae (Brain)

The adult female of Abditicoccus acaciae (Brain) is redescribed and illustrated. A new genus, Abditicoccus , is proposed and a discussion on its systematic position presented.
Labeling Considerations for Confocal Microscopy

Some components of biological systems can be readily identified solely by their unique structure or other intrinsic physical properties which are evident when visualized in brightfield or various types of interference-based light microscopy (LM). However, for the unambiguous identification and localization of most biological molecular or macromolecular elements within a structural framework, some type of staining/labeling must be employed. This is important for a variety of applications including identification of particular tissues, identification of cells and subcellular components/structures, tracking of cells or subcellular components, and co-localization of cells and cellular components on or within tissues or cells. Labeling is also used to provide quantitative comparisons of epitope density, cell numbers, organelle numbers or volume, and a variety of other types of quantitative data. However, considerable caution must be taken when attempting quantitative or even semi-quantitative analyses. Efficiencies of labeling for different epitopes and antibodies or antibody mixtures vary. The exact relationship of color density, particle numbers, or fluorescence intensity (which can fade during observation), to the actual numbers of labeled sites is critical and often not known. These factors often make quantitative estimations or comparisons very risky.
High-Density Array of Well-Ordered HIV-1 Spikes on Synthetic Liposomal Nanoparticles Efficiently Activate B Cells

A major step toward an HIV-1 vaccine is an immunogen capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies. Envelope glycoprotein (Env) mimetics, such as the NFL and SOSIP designs, generate native-like, well-ordered trimers and elicit tier 2 homologous neutralization (SOSIPs). We reasoned that the display of well-ordered trimers by high-density, particulate array would increase B cell activation compared to soluble trimers. Here, we present the design of liposomal nanoparticles displaying well-ordered Env spike trimers on their surface. Biophysical analysis, cryo- and negative stain electron microscopy, as well as binding analysis with a panel of broadly neutralizing antibodies confirm a high-density, well-ordered trimer particulate array. The Env-trimer-conjugated liposomes were superior to soluble trimers in activating B cells ex vivo and germinal center B cells in vivo. In addition, the trimer-conjugated liposomes elicited modest tier 2 homologous neutralizing antibodies. The trimer-conjugated liposomes represent a promising initial lead toward the development of more effective HIV vaccine immunogens.