cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of CREB in Transcriptional Regulation of CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein β Gene during Adipogenesis

The proximal promoter of the C/EBPβ gene possesses dual cis regulatory elements (TGA1 and TGA2), both of which contain core CREB binding sites. Comparison of the activities of C/EBPβ promoter-reporter genes with 5′-truncations or site-directed mutations in the TGA elements showed that both are required for maximal promoter function. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses with antibodies specific to CREB and ATF1 showed that these CREB family members associate with the proximal promoter both in vitro and ex vivo. Immunoblotting and ChIP analysis revealed that other CREB family members, CREM and ATF1, are up-regulated and associate with the proximal C/EBPβ promoter in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from CREB(-/-) mice. ChIP analysis of wild-type MEFs and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes revealed that interaction of phospho-CREB, the active form of CREB, with the C/EBPβ gene promoter occurs only after induction of differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and MEFs. Consistent with the interaction of CREB and ATF1 at the TGA regulatory elements, expression of constitutively active CREB strongly activated C/EBPβ promoter-reporter genes, induced expression of endogenous C/EBPβ, and caused adipogenesis in the absence of the hormonal inducers normally required. Conversely, expression of a dominant-negative CREB blocked promoter-reporter activity, expression of C/EBPβ, and adipogenesis. When subjected to the standard adipocyte differentiation protocol, wild-type MEFs differentiate into adipocytes at high frequency, whereas CREB(-/-) MEFs exhibit greatly reduced expression of C/EBPβ and differentiation. The low level of expression of C/EBPβ and differentiation in CREB(-/-) MEFs appears to be due to up-regulation of other CREB protein family members, i.e. ATF1 and CREM.
Rocket spectroscopy of zeta puppis

Rocket spectroscopy of zeta puppis, identifying multiplets of stellar and interstellar origin included in atmospheric models
Exercise Is Medicine

Exercise is becoming more widely used prevent and treat the diseases that are most prevalent in the United States: coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, dysllpi-demia, obesity, depression, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, physicians need more training in how to make best use of this powerful therapy. Physicians can successfully encourage activity by giving patients a written exercise prescription along with printed advice on how to design a safe, enjoyable routine.
Avian Habitat Following Grazing Native Warm-Season Forages in the Mid-South United States

Abstract Native warm-season grasses (NWSG) currently are being promoted for livestock forage and biofuels feedstock in the Mid-South. However, there are no published data on how NWSG managed with livestock in the Mid-South may affect habitat for wildlife. We conducted a study to evaluate habitat for grassland songbirds and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in response to two cattle grazing treatments in NWSG pastures across three sites in Tennessee, 2010 and 2011. We evaluated vegetation composition and structure along with invertebrate availability during the primary nesting season for grassland songbirds and the typical brood-rearing season for the northern bobwhite. Grazing treatments included full-season (May to August) grazing and early-season (30 days beginning in May) grazing, after which subsequent growth was taken as a biofuel harvest postdormancy. Forage treatments included big bluestem/indiangrass mixture, switchgrass, and eastern gamagrass. Vegetation composition was dominated by the planted forages in all pastures. All forage types and both grazing treatments provided suitable structure for grassland songbirds and bobwhite during the primary nesting season. Full-season grazing maintained suitable structure through the brooding period, with greater openness at the ground level and angle of obstruction, as well as optimal vegetation height (
Dissolution of Opal in Water and its Water Content

WE have found that the amount of silicon dissolved in water from opal and its rate of dissolution, increases linearly with decreasing index of refraction of the opal. The decrease in refractive index corresponds to an increase in water content of the opal1,2.
Sa1644 Evaluation of Forces Required for Inadvertent Removal of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Devices

Sa1644 Evaluation of Forces Required for Inadvertent Removal of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Devices John C. Fang, Kristen Hilden Gastroenterology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Introduction: Solid mushroom type bolster or water filled balloons are the most common internal retention devices for PEG’s. It is these internal retention devices that resist accidental or inadvertant removal of PEG’s from external traction. For a balloon type replacement PEG’s the removal force may differ by differ by size (volume) of retention balloon or whether balloon bursts upon removal. The difference in forces required to remove PEG’s with these different retention devices have not been previously reported. Methods: Four solid internal bolster initial placement PEG’s were placed into 2 live pigs. Eleven days later the initial PEG’s were removed and replacement balloon PEG’s were placed and removed immediately. Force of external traction removal was measured using strain gauge meter and measured in psi. The 4 initial placement solid internal bolster PEG’s (14-24F Endovive Standard PEG) and 26 balloon type replacement PEG’s (14-24F Endovive Standard Profile Balloon Replacement Feeding Tubes (n 20), Kimberly Clark MIC Gastrostomy Feeding Tubes (n 6)) were tested. Balloons were inflated with sterile H2O to various volumes (5-20 cc) per manufacturers directions. For balloon type PEG’s the balloons were left inflated when removal forces were tested. Results: The force to remove retention balloons (n 26) was significantly greater than the force required to remove the solid internal bolster PEG’s(n 4)(14.4 0.6 vs.7.4 0.9 respectively;p 0.0004). The force to remove undeflated balloon PEG’s did not differ by volume of the balloon (p NS for comparisons of different sized balloons). The force to remove undeflated balloon type PEG’s did not differ by whether the balloon burst upon removal or not (16.1 3.0 vs. 14.4 2.7 respectively)(see tables). Conclusions: Balloon type PEG’s required significantly more force to remove than solid internal bolster PEG’s. The force for removing balloon type replacement PEG’s did not differ by volume that the balloon was inflated to or whether retention balloons burst (vs. not bursting) during traction removal. This data has important implications for choosing and designing PEG’s in patients at risk for inadvertent removal.
Back to parenchymal inflammation? Pathogenesis of fluid production by the ileum in experimental cholera: an unusual type of host response to bacterial agents.

Abstract The mechanism by which the small bowel responds to the cholera vibrio ( Vibrio cholerae ) or to its metabolic products remains poorly understood. Various mechanisms, such as mucosal denudation, altered vascular permeability, inhibition of the sodium pump, and hypersection of gastrointestinal hormones, have been proposed. In studies using choleragen (a nonviable moiety of the vibrio, which produces a diarrheal syndrome indistinguishable from the infection in the infant rabbit and human volunteers and causes the outpouring of large amounts of fluid from the ileal loops of the adult rabbit), it became apparent that none of these mechanisms was acceptable when tested in the rabbit model. Choleragen does not cause the typical mesenchymal inflammatory response: there is no increase in vascular permeability to macromolecules, no cellular infiltrate, and no edema formation in the bowel wall proper. In addition, epithelial denudation or inhibition of active sodium transport could not be demonstrated. Light and electron microscopy indicate that the choleraic diarrhea occurs through a minimally altered intestinal mucosa. Electrolyte analysis of the effluent indicates that a specific type of fluid is produced, containing high concentrations of sodium and bicarbonate, with some potassium and chloride. The effluent is very similar to the usual secretory product of the rabbit ileum. It is concluded that one of the mechanisms by which choleragen causes fluid production is the stimulation of the epithelial cells of the ileum to secrete their usual product in larger quantities. It appears, therefore, that in this experimental cholera model the fluid accumulation is due to stimulation of the parenchyma (epithelium) rather than to inflammation in the mesenchyma.
Acetaldehyde Adsorption and Reaction on CeO2(100) Thin Films

This study reports and compares the adsorption and dissociation of acetaldehyde on oxidized and reduced CeOX(100) thin films. Acetaldehyde reacts and decomposes on fully oxidized CeO2(100), whereas it desorbs molecularly at low temperature on CeO2(111). The primary products are CO, CO2, and water along with trace amounts of crotonaldehyde and acetylene. The acetaldehyde adsorbs as the η2-acetaldehyde species, dioxyethylene. Decomposition proceeds by dehydrogenation through acetate and enolate intermediates. The reaction pathway is similar on the reduced CeO2–X(100) surface; however, the inability to react with surface O on the reduced surface results in H2 rather than H2O desorption, and C is left on the surface rather than producing CO and CO2. C–O bond cleavage in the enolate intermediate followed by reaction with surface H results in ethylene desorption.
Characterization of radioactive fallout from pre- and post-moratorium tests to polar ice caps

Polar glaciers contain a detailed historical record of artificial radioactive fallout from the atmosphere1–4. The records are continuous and time frames can be introduced with uncertainties of about ±1 yr. We have previously indicated that there may be characteristic nuclide compositions of fallout produced by weapons testing by different countries from records in ice sheets. For example, the testing period dominated by the US activity in the early 1950s produced a markedly low 238Pu/239+240Pu ratio and a very high 241Pu/239+240Pu ratio compared with those resulting from tests dominated the USSR activity in the early 1960s1,3,5. Here we use analyses on a recently collected Greenland ice sheet core to extend these results and find the characteristic 239+240Pu/137Cs and 239+240Pu/90Sr ratios for these two periods. The atmospheric behaviours of tritium compared with those of other artificial radionuclides are recorded in its fluxes to the polar ice sheets.
Determination of the conversion gain and the accuracy of its measurement for detector elements and arrays

Standard statistical theory is used to calculate how the accuracy of a conversion-gain measurement depends on the number of samples. During the development of a theoretical basis for this calculation, a model is developed that predicts how the noise levels from different elements of an ideal detector array are distributed. The model can also be used to determine what dependence the accuracy of measured noise has on the size of the sample. These features have been confirmed by experiment, thus enhancing the credibility of the method for calculating the uncertainty of a measured conversion gain.
For how long after flexible cystoscopy do artifactual cytological changes of urine persist

For how long after flexible cystoscopy do artifactual cytological changes of urine persist?
Examining the maintenance of friendships: Are there differences between geographically close and long‐distance friends?

This study seeks to examine a relationship ignored by most communication researchers: the long‐distance friendship. In this study, geographically close friends reported more maintenance behaviors than long‐distance friends. However, no significant differences were found concerning how satisfied or close they perceive their friendship to be or whether they expected their friendship to continue. Differences in the maintenance behaviors reported for each type of friend suggest that some maintenance behaviors may be more important than others for maintaining a close, satisfactory friendship. Implications for current conceptualizations of relational maintenance are discussed.
Operative results of House advancement anoplasty

A retrospective review of 29 patients who had an anoplasty using the sliding House advancement flap was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this new technique. Long-term symptom relief and late complications were determined by telephone interview. Indications for anoplasty were: stenosis (21 cases), ectropion (four), Bowen's disease (two), keyhole deformity (two) and perineal fistula (one). A single House flap was performed in most patients, but eight required multiple flaps. Lateral internal sphincterotomy was performed concomitantly in 16 of 21 patients with anal stenosis. Postoperative complications included donor-site separation (14), urinary retention (eight) and sepsis (four). At a median follow-up of 28 months, 26 of 29 patients had improved and 24 were completely satisfied. House flap anoplasty can be used to correct many anoderm deficiencies with a high rate of success and patient satisfaction.
Beauty is in the ease of the beholding: A neurophysiological test of the averageness theory of facial attractiveness

Hundreds of studies have shown that people prefer attractive over unattractive faces. But what is an attractive face, and why is it preferred? Averageness theory claims that faces are perceived as being attractive when their facial configuration approximates the mathematical average facial configuration of the population. Conversely, faces that deviate from this average configuration are perceived as being unattractive. The theory predicts that both attractive and mathematically averaged faces should be processed more fluently than unattractive faces, whereas the averaged faces should be processed marginally more fluently than the attractive faces. We compared neurocognitive and behavioral responses to attractive, unattractive, and averaged human faces to test these predictions. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) and reaction times (RTs) from 48 adults while they discriminated between human and chimpanzee faces. The participants categorized averaged and high-attractive faces as being “human” faster than low-attractive faces. The posterior N170 (150–225 ms) face-evoked ERP component was smaller in response to high-attractive and averaged faces than to low-attractive faces. Single-trial electroencephalographic analysis indicated that this reduced ERP response arose from the engagement of fewer neural resources, and not from a change in the temporal consistency of how those resources were engaged. These findings provide novel evidence that faces are perceived as being attractive when they approximate a facial configuration close to the population average, and they suggest that processing fluency underlies preferences for attractive faces.
Distribution of Oligochaetes in Lake Michigan and Comments on Their use as Indices of Pollution

Benthic samples were taken from 286 stations covering all areas of Lake Michigan in 1975 as part of a sedimentological survey of the Great Lakes. From these samples a total of twenty-seven oligochaete species were identified. Stylodrilus heringianus was the most abundant species in the lake and densities were inversely related to organic content of the sediments. Tubificids exhibited localized concentrations in Green Bay and in the northern and southern basins. Comparison of several methods using oligochaete data to assess water quality showed similar patterns, indicating that Southern Green Bay and parts of the southern and northern basins of the lake are organically enriched environments. With the exception of the northern basin, which had not previously been surveyed, these conclusions are consistent with earlier regional oligochaete surveys of the lake. The northern basin of Lake Michigan warrants further study to generate and test hypotheses concerning tubificid species distributions observed there.
Lumps and Bumps on the Head in Children: Use of CT and MR Imaging in Solving the Clinical Diagnostic Dilemma

Lumps and bumps of the scalp are a common presenting complaint in children and often pose a diagnostic dilemma. These lesions can be difficult to image, with evaluation confounded by their small size. However, accuracy in diagnosis is critical because the diagnostic and therapeutic implications can vary significantly. The clinical examination can be helpful in developing the differential diagnosis and the imaging strategy. Often, however, a single imaging study is insufficient, and the radiologist finds it necessary to image with more than one modality to correctly diagnose a lesion and provide adequate information for the surgeon. Radiography and ultrasonography are often the initial screening diagnostic tests, followed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or computed tomography (CT) for more detail. Multidetector thin-section CT and thin-section MR imaging with surface coils are beneficial in the work-up of these small lesions of the head and neck. The use of newer MR imaging sequences such as heavily T2-weighted single-shot turbo spin-echo imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging can improve the characterization of difficult lesions. Familiarity with the variety of new imaging tools and techniques that are available can help characterize pediatric head and neck lesions and guide clinical management.
Zinc utilization in the chick as influenced by dietary concentrations of calcium and phytate and by Eimeria acervulina infection.

Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of Eimeria acervulina infection (duodenal coccidiosis) on the zinc (Zn)-calcium (Ca)-phytate interrelationship in the chick. Three supplemental levels of Ca (0, .91, and 1.82%), two of Zn (0 or 52 mg/kg), and two of sodium phytate (0 or 1.2%) were evaluated as to their effects when added to completely adequate corn-soybean meal diets. Duodenal coccidiosis was produced by multiple crop inoculations of 4 X 10(5) sporulated E. acervulina oocysts. Calcium supplementation depressed gain and efficiency of feed utilization, while Zn content of tissue and plasma was also lowered. Coccidial infection tended to reduce these values further. The addition of dietary phytate also depressed performance and deposition of Zn in tissue. Both excess dietary Ca and phytate addition to the diet markedly reduced plasma Zn concentration of birds fed corn-soybean meal diets unsupplemented with Zn. Addition of 52 mg/kg Zn, however, prevented excess Ca or phytate from exerting this effect. Parasitized chicks responded markedly with increased gain and gain/feed ratios when 52 mg/kg supplemental Zn was added to a 24% protein corn-soybean meal diet containing 1.82% total dietary Ca. It is evident, therefore, that the Zn-antagonizing effect of excess Ca (in the presence of phytate) is exacerbated by duodenal coccidiosis.
The use of rhBMP-2 for the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the Tibia: A case series

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia is a rare disorder that is difficult to treat successfully. Despite varied initial clinical presentations, this condition results in a pathologic fracture in nearly all cases. Frequently, there is an accompanying fracture of the fibula. Both fractures are recalcitrant to standard treatment, and patients with this condition often require multiple surgical procedures in an effort to achieve fracture union and a functional extremity. Historically, many patients eventually have had painful low-functioning limbs or even amputation1-3. Numerous treatment methods have been used to obtain and maintain healing of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia. Intramedullary fixation1,4,5, free vascularized fibular graft6,7, and Ilizarov bone transport8,9 have all been used, with union rates ranging from 14% to 86%1,2,4,8,9. The results of intramedullary fixation that were reported in two recent studies were encouraging. In a retrospective review in which the Charnley-Williams procedure was used, Johnston defined important variables of the technique that lead to more consistent union rates5. Concomitant fibular osteotomies, with or without fixation, yielded superior clinical and radiographic results compared with leaving the fibula intact. In addition, Dobbs et al. reported the long-term results for twenty-one consecutive patients who were managed with the Williams rod technique4. Union occurred in 86% of the patients, but healing took an extended period of time (average, sixteen months), and there was a 57% rate of refracture after a mean duration of follow-up of 14.2 years. Recently, two types of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP) have been approved for the clinical treatment of fractures in specific situations10,11. Multiple studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of rhBMPs …
Do rural areas in the USA need microfinance? Some early evidence from the Community Reinvestment Act data

The relatively strong functioning of capital markets at the national level challenges the efficacy of microfinance programmes in the USA. Despite this, these programmes have enjoyed considerable appeal in the USA. Whether or not there is widespread failure of traditional lending practices to impact small business is therefore an important question. This research uses the recently released Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) data on county-level loans to small businesses to model the impact of traditional loan activities on small business. A standard augmented neoclassical growth model with spatial autocorrelation term is employed to evaluate the impact of lending in West Virginia from 1996–98. Among the key findings of this research is that traditional small business loan activity does not affect the share of employment in micro enterprise (firms with fewer than five employees). Loans of less than $100,000 do affect the employment share of firms with between five and nine employees. These results imply that traditional lending practices are not affecting entrepreneurs and micro enterprise. This suggests that non-traditional lending practices may be needed to satisfy lending needs of firms in this category.
Ioann of Kronstadt and the Reception of Sanctity, 1850—1988

The debate over sanctity has a venerable history. For the Orthodox Church, the saint is seen in terms of his or her relation to the divine: God is the focal point of holiness and its arbiter, Divine Providence decides which of the saints to make public. St. Isaac the Syrian, for example, maintained that some saints are know only to Heaven, with the saints known by human beings being only part of the community of the holy. The Church's practice of regularly ending lists of martyrs with "and the [names of the] rest, o Lord, Thou alone knowest," is the classic example of the belief in transcendent, as opposed to merely human, recognition.) Another perspective is to consider this world alone, claiming that "saints exist in a Berkeleyan world-if they are not seen they do not exist."2 By focusing on the human element, much of contemporary scholarship begs the question of the transcendental, choosing to ignore it altogether and concentrate on saints exclusively from the perspective of their human relations and their human interpreters. The scholarly concern with "popular" piety is part of this tendency to deal with the palpable rather than the invisible.3 While this sociological approach has provided new readings of hagiographical texts and new evidence about the conditions in which saints matured,4 it runs the risk of
Optoelectronic integrated circuits

Monolithic integration of photonic devices such as lasers, modulators, and photodetectors, along with their associated electronic circuitry, has recently made significant advances such that high performance is now being achieved in devices using both the GaAs and InP materials systems. The advances in these optoelectronic integrated circuits, or OEICs, are being driven by the needs of second-generation photonic systems including optical interconnects, optical computing and signal processing, and communications. Furthermore, the pace of the technology is being set by the improvements made in semiconductor materials growth using such methods as molecular beam and vapor phase epitaxies. In this paper we discuss the needs of several generic photonic systems for advanced optoelectronic chips. These needs are now being met by the fabrication of high-performance and highly functional integrated transmitters, receivers, modulators, and arrays of such devices. We discuss examples of these and other archetype integrated circuits which serve to illustrate the advances in, and challenges to this new device technology. Finally, a brief description is given of the materials growth techniques which are used in OEIC structures.
Should We … Could We … Change the Cdc Model?, a Rejoinder

(1997). Should We … Could We … Change the Cdc Model?, a Rejoinder. Journal of Urban Affairs: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 35-44.
ACOUSTIC DETECTIONS OF SINGING HUMPBACK WHALES IN DEEP WATERS OFF THE BRITISH ISLES

From October 1996 through September 1998, we used bottom-mounted hydrophone arrays to monitor deep-water areas north and west of the British Isles for songs of humpback whales (Megupteru novaeangliae). Singing humpbacks were consistently detected between October and March from the Shetland-Faroe Islands south to waters west of the English Channel. Temporal and geographic patterns of song detections, and movements of individually tracked whales, exhibited a southwesterly trend over this period, but with no corresponding northward trend between April and September. These results, together with a review of historical data from this area, suggest that the offshore waters of the British Isles represent a migration corridor for humpbacks, at least some of which summer in Norwegian (and possibly eastern Icelandic) waters. The migratory destination of the detected animals remains unknown, but the limited data suggest that these whales are bound primarily for the West Indies rather than historical breeding areas off the northwestern coast of Africa. Humpbacks detected in British waters after early to midMarch probably do not undertake a full migration to the cropics. These data provide further evidence that singing is not confined to tropical waters in winter, but occurs commonly on migration even in high latitudes.
Surveying the traumatic stress literature: The effective use of bibliographic databases in preparing reviews and meta‐analyses

The value of a systematic review or meta-analysis depends upon the care with which it is designed and conducted. A major factor in this is the literature search that identifies the articles to be reviewed. Careful selection of bibliographic databases and the use of well-designed search strategies based on the controlled vocabularies contained in published thesauri are essential to ensure retrieval of all relevant articles. This commentary offers suggestions for identifying the literature to be searched, designing a suitable search strategy, using a controlled vocabulary, and describing the bibliographic methodology underlying a systematic review or meta-analysis.
A revised formula for 3-body recombination that cannot exceed the unitarity limit

Abstract We discuss the recent developments in theory and experiment that bear on our understanding of three-body recombination at ultracold temperatures. Some of these predictions include the fourth-power dependence of the three-body rate on the two-body scattering lenght a , the appearance of quantum mechanical shape resonance and Feshbach resonances, and the existence of destructive interference minima at large positive scattering lenghts. At very large scattering lenghts, however, the a 4 dependence of the recombination rate eventually will exceed the unitarity limit. We propose in this paper a simple way to correct this problem, permitting an approximate extension of previous predictions to slightly higher energies above the three-body fragmentation threshold. A preliminary comparison is carried out with a very recent experiment by Grimm and coworkers, showing reasonable agreement.
Molecular characterization of recombinant human adenosine receptors

The four human adenosine receptors (ARs), A 1 , A 2A , A 2B , and A 3 , have been stably expressed in mammalian cells. Radioligand binding properties were examined for all four subtypes, including, for the first time the A 2B AR. The A 1 AR-selective radioligand, [ 3 H]8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine ([ 3 H]CPX; A 1 ; K D = 2 nM) also can be used to characterize recombinant A 2B AR (K D = 40 nM). Theophylline and enprofylline both bind to A 2B AR with K 1 of 7 μM, well within the therapeutic ranges of these compounds used to treat asthma. We have identified C B -(N-methylisopropyl)-amino-N 6 -(5'-endohydroxy)-endonorbornan-2-yl-9-methyladenine (WRC-0571) as the most selective antagonist of A 1 AR. Recombinant ARs have been extended with hexahistidine (H) and the FLAG (F) epitope to make H/F-A 1 and H/F-A 2A receptors that have been purified to near homogeneity under conditions that preserve radioligand binding. [ 3 H]Adenosine binds to purified H/F-A 1 AR-G protein complexes with a Ko of 0.95 ± 0.3 nM; binding is not affected by the adenosine deaminase inhibitor, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine (EHNA). Phosphoaminoacid analysis of H/F-A 1 AR and H/F-A 2A AR purified from mammalian cells incubated in [ 32 P]phosphate indicates that both receptors are phosphorylated on serine residues. Monoclonal antibodies were raised by using the purified H/F-A 2A AR as an antigen. Antibodies with higher affinity than antipeptide antisera were generated and used for Western blotting and rat brain immunocytochemistry.
Priming Presidential Votes by Direct Democracy

We demonstrate that direct democracy can affect the issues voters consider when evaluating presidential candidates. Priming theory assumes that some voters have latent attitudes or predispositions that can be primed to affect evaluations of political candidates. We demonstrate that: (1) state ballot measures on same sex marriage increased the salience of marriage as an issue that voters used when evaluating presidential candidates in 2004, particularly those voters less interested in the campaign and those likely to be less attentive to the issue prior to the election; and (2) that the primed issue (gay marriage) was a more important factor affecting candidate choice in states where marriage was on the ballot.
Urinary 3H-Tetracycline and Pyridinium Crosslinks Differ in Their Response to Calcium Restriction in Mature and Aged Rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate bone resorption (BR) in rats by two methods: chronic 3H-tetracycline labeling (3HTC) and pyridinium crosslink excretion (PYDX), and compare the sensitivity of these markers in two age groups. Female Sprague-Dawley rats at 12–29 weeks of age (``mature'', n = 12) and at 40–57 weeks of age (``aged'', n = 22) were examined. Skeletal incorporation of 3HTC in aged rats was 43 ± 8% of that in mature animals (P < 0.01), indicating an age-related decrease in bone turnover. BR was modulated over 9 weeks by calcium restriction (CR), measured by urinary excretion of both 3HTC and PYDX, and compared with age-matched, calcium-adequate controls. At baseline, urinary excretion of 3HTC was not significantly different between age groups, whereas urinary PYDX was 14–20% higher in mature compared with aged rats (P < 0.01). CR produced a 32–39% peak increase in BR (P < 0.01) compared with controls that did not differ significantly between marker or age group. Urinary 3HTC was elevated at weeks 1–3 (P < 0.01) and reached maximal values at week 2 (32 ± 17%). Urinary PYDX, however, was not elevated until week 2, reached maximal levels at week 3 (39 ± 15%), and remained elevated until week 6 (P < 0.01). These data indicate that although both markers are elevated by CR, marker response differs with age, and variability exists for acute and chronic responses.
D-Glucosamine uptake by rat brain synaptosomes.

Abstract Uptake of d -glucosamine by rat brain synaptosomes occurs via a saturable transport process ( K m 2.1 mM , V 3.0 nmol/mg per min) which was clearly distinguishable from simple diffusion. This transport process is highly sensitive to cytochalasin ( K i = 7 · 10 −5 mM. d -Glucose competitively inhibits d -glucosamine uptake with a K i value of 8 · 10 −1 mM.
Learning behaviors via human-delivered discrete feedback: modeling implicit feedback strategies to speed up learning

For real-world applications, virtual agents must be able to learn new behaviors from non-technical users. Positive and negative feedback are an intuitive way to train new behaviors, and existing work has presented algorithms for learning from such feedback. That work, however, treats feedback as numeric reward to be maximized, and assumes that all trainers provide feedback in the same way. In this work, we show that users can provide feedback in many different ways, which we describe as "training strategies." Specifically, users may not always give explicit feedback in response to an action, and may be more likely to provide explicit reward than explicit punishment, or vice versa, such that the lack of feedback itself conveys information about the behavior. We present a probabilistic model of trainer feedback that describes how a trainer chooses to provide explicit reward and/or explicit punishment and, based on this model, develop two novel learning algorithms (SABL and I-SABL) which take trainer strategy into account, and can therefore learn from cases where no feedback is provided. Through online user studies we demonstrate that these algorithms can learn with less feedback than algorithms based on a numerical interpretation of feedback. Furthermore, we conduct an empirical analysis of the training strategies employed by users, and of factors that can affect their choice of strategy.
Cell Signaling and Transcriptional Regulation via Histone Phosphorylation

Regulation of transcription involves a large number of histone lysine and arginine posttranslational modifications found marking gene promoters and gene bodies. Within histones there are abundant accessible serine/threonine/tyrosine residues for potential phosphorylation; however, few sites have been clearly documented with regard to actual modification, relevant physiological pathway, and cognate enzyme. In addition, kinases within signaling pathways are thought to be localized to the cytoplasm and thus not able to directly modify histones within chromatin in the nucleus. However, direct assays in the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae via chromatin immunoprecipitation have placed numerous signaling kinases at promoters and within gene bodies. In addition, recent studies in mammalian cells of two signaling pathways place the terminal kinase within the nucleus or directly at genes, have identified histone phosphorylation sites, and furthermore, have uncovered potential mechanisms by which these histone phosphorylation sites activate transcription. These results lead to a gathering appreciation of the potential role of signal transduction kinase-mediated direct histone phosphorylation in regulating transcription.
Extinct and Recent Irish Mammals

I BEG to thank Prof. Leith Adams for his criticism, in NATURE, vol. xviii., p. 141, of my “Preliminary Treatise on the Relation of the Pleistocene Animals to those now living in Europe” (Palaeon. Soc., 1878), in which, from the nature of the work, it is impossible that mistakes should not be. I cannot, however, plead guilty to some of the mistakes which are placed to my credit:—I. That “the Irish elk is placed among the pre-historic mammals in consequence of its presence in the peat-bogs of England, Scotland, and Ireland.” What I wrote (p. 6) was that the presence of the extinct Irish elk in the peat-bogs, which are of well-ascertained pre-historic age, renders it impossible to accept Sir Charles Lyell's definition of the term recent, in which no extinct species are stated to occur.
Resolution study of wind parameter estimates by a coherent Doppler lidar system

A 2-μm wavelength coherent Doppler lidar system under development at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia is discussed from the perspective of signal processing. The current data processing algorithm returns a variety of wind parameters such as power spectra, Doppler shift, wind speed, and wind direction. This paper compares the quality of selected wind parameter estimates by computing the power spectral density of stochastic lidar return data via the periodogram and the maximum likelihood power estimation method. The improvement in resolution of power spectra and Doppler shift estimates is witnessed by means of zero padding before the power spectral density was estimated in each range bin.
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY IN DISEASE OF THE THYROID GLAND: ITS DETECTION BY DARK ADAPTATION1

IT HAS BEEN shown through laboratory studies on animals that certain vitamins are closely associated with the function of the glands of internal secretion. Thus for example: it was observed that animals on an inadequate intake of vitamin B are actually lacking in gonad stimulating hormone of the anterior pituitary gland (1). Considerable experimental evidence has also brought to light the functional relation between vitamin E and the sex hop mones (2). It should be stated, however, that in human beings thus far, this relationship has not been sufficiently established. It is not without significance that certain vitamins such as E and D2 as well as the sex hormones (estrone, testosterone and progesterone) are related structurally to the same cholesterol group. It is apropos of this discussion that some vitamin deficiencies in man may bear certain clinical and physiologic resemblances to endocrine disturbances (3).
Multilayer magnetic waveguides: Optimizing nonreciprocal propagation in the 50–70 GHz range

Waves in magnetic systems often show nonreciprocal propagation, where the properties of a wave depends on whether it is travelling in a forward or reversed direction. This fundamental property is used in devices such as isolators, which often use a transverse electric (TE) polarized wave. In this paper, we study propagation of electromagnetic waves in small microstrip waveguides where the wave propagates at an arbitrary angle with respect to the magnetization direction. The angle allows mixtures of TE and transverse magnetic (TM) modes. This has distinct benefits, allowing the nonreciprocity typically found in TE modes, but also allowing propagation of low frequency TM modes, which do not have a cut-off frequency. Our calculations, using Barium hexaferrite as the magnetic material, show significant nonreciprocity and isolation are possible. Differences in attenuation above 75 dB/cm are found for these mixed-polarization waves for propagation angles of about 40°. We study nonreciprocal propagation as a function of propagation angle and other material parameters for both primarily TM and primarily TE modes.
Transcriptional reprogramming in nonhuman primate (rhesus macaque) tuberculosis granulomas.

Background: In response to Mtb infection, the host remodels the infection foci into a dense mass of cells known as the granuloma. The key objective of the granuloma is to contain the spread of Mtb into uninfected regions of the lung. However, it appears that Mtb has evolved mechanisms to resist killing in the granuloma. Profiling granuloma transcriptome will identify key immune signaling pathways active during TB infection. Such studies are not possible in human granulomas, due to various confounding factors. Nonhuman Primates (NHPs) infected with Mtb accurately reflect human TB in clinical and pathological contexts. Methodology/Principal Findings: We studied transcriptomics of granuloma lesions in the lungs of NHPs exhibiting active TB, during early and late stages of infection. Early TB lesions were characterized by a highly pro-inflammatory environment, expressing high levels of immune signaling pathways involving IFNc, TNFa, JAK, STAT and C-C/C-X-C chemokines. Late TB lesions, while morphologically similar to the early ones, exhibited an overwhelming silencing of the inflammatory response. Reprogramming of the granuloma transcriptome was highly significant. The expression of , two-thirds of all genes induced in early lesions was later repressed. Conclusions/Significance: The transcriptional characteristics of TB granulomas undergo drastic changes during the course of infection. The overwhelming reprogramming of the initial pro-inflammatory surge in late lesions may be a host strategy to limit immunopathology. We propose that these host profiles can predict changes in bacterial replication and physiology, perhaps serving as markers for latency and reactivation.
Juvenile osteoporosis: bone findings in seven patients.

Increased bone resorption is a consistent finding in bone biopsies from patients with juvenile osteoporosis. It is suggested that this bone disorder may be similar to the adult form of the disease.
Convection and cloud formation over snow-covered surface

Abstract This paper discusses the vapor-driven convection over snow and its limitations. It is shown on the basis of the moist convective plume model that vapor flux from the evaporating snow surface can drive convection, and maintain a super-cooled water cloud layer, without the assistance of heat flux from the surface, or entrainment or radiative cooling, at cloud top. Since the saturation vapor pressure over water is higher than that over ice, the base of the super-cooled water cloud has a lower limiting height. When the cloud base is lowered to this height, the air at the bottom of the convective layer is just saturated with respect to ice and the evaporation of snow stops, as does the vapor-driven convection. This limiting cloud base height varies with snow-surface temperature. The lower the snow temperature, the higher the cloud base height limit for continued convective transfer from the surface.
Effect of Anoxia on Protein Metabolism in Subcellular Fractions of Rabbit Brain

The effect of cerebral anoxia on leucine incorporation into proteins of various subcellular fractions from rabbit brain was studied by using a previously reported in vitro model. Although the decrease in leucine incorporation was observed earlier in nuclei and microsomes, other fractions also demonstrated a rapid decrease. These results were quite different from the pattern of leucine incorporation observed in a type of reversible suppression produced with diphenylhydantoin.
Using Interactive Graphical Tools to Overcome the "Collage Effect" in Collaborative Learning Environments

The "collage effect" occurs when participants in a collaborative learning environment post non-collaborative contributions to a shared workspace, as opposed to contributions that are co- constructive. The resulting artifacts become a collage of individual contributions that do not fully engage the partici-pants in the collaborative learning process. Most online, asynchronous collaborative tools only allow participants to participate with textual interactions, which discourage co-construction in ways discussed in the paper. Graphical tools could provide better affordances for co-construction. HTML provides little support to represent inter-active graphical elements in online environments. However, with SVG and AJAX, we can create inter-active graphical tools in an online environment. Using SVG and AJAX, we implemented concept maps in an online learning environment called MapCourse. We used MapCourse in several different asynchro-nous online assignments in two different courses. Our analyses suggest that concept maps encourage more co-constructive contributions than wikipages.
Regulation of the membrane estrogen receptor-α: role of cell density, serum, cell passage number, and estradiol

We used modified immunocytochemical conditions to quantify a membrane form of estrogen receptor-α (mERα) in a rat pituitary tumor cell line, GH3/B6/F10. We studied the regulation of mERα vs. levels...
Correlation between Colorfastness and Structure of Anthraquinone Blue Disperse Dyes

A correlation is estahlished between the structure of blue amino anthraquinone dyes for cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, and the polyester fibers and the colorfastness they exhibit towards the atmospheric agents responsible for gas and ozone fading and towards the action of light. Any structural modification which reduces the electron density on the amino nitrogen attached to the anthraquinone ring, whether it is an amino, an alkylamino, or an arylamino nitrogen, will increase the resistance of the molecule to the electrophilic agents responsible for the chemical changes which occur during fading. Several anthraquinone structures with improved resistance to fading are reported. These contain, as substituents on the arylamino radical, groups which withdraw electrons from the aromatic ring, leaving the amino nitrogen with a low electron density.
Synthetic aperture radar imaging using a unique approach to frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar design

Synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) imaging is an expensive endeavor. It can be difficult for universities, small business, or individuals to experiment with SAR imaging and algorithm development on a low budget. For this reason, a uniquely inexpensive solution to frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar was developed and then utilized as an ultra-low-cost SAR imaging system. This unique approach to FMCW radar used a pair of low-cost Gunn-oscillator-based microwave transceiver modules, known as "Gunnplexers." These transceiver modules had stability and noise problems, causing them to be unsuitable for use in precise FMCW radar applications when just one module was used. In order to overcome this problem, a unique radar solution was developed that used a combination of two transceiver modules to create a precise and inexpensive FMCW radar system, capable of producing SAR imagery on a budget
Population-Based Intelligent Search in Reliability Evaluation of Generation Systems With Wind Power Penetration

Adequacy assessment of power-generating systems provides a mechanism to ensure proper system operations in the face of various uncertainties including equipment failures. The integration of time-dependent sources such as wind turbine generators (WTGs) makes the reliability evaluation process more challenging. Due to the large number of system states involved in system operations, it is normally not feasible to enumerate all possible failure states to calculate the reliability indices. Monte Carlo simulation can be used for this purpose through iterative selection and evaluation of system states. However, due to its dependence on proportionate sampling, its efficiency in locating failure states may be low. The simulation may thus be time-consuming and take a long time to converge in some evaluation scenarios. In this paper, as an alternative option, four representative population-based intelligent search (PIS) procedures including genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), artificial immune system (AIS), and ant colony system (ACS) are adopted to search the meaningful system states through their inherent convergence mechanisms. These most probable failure states contribute most significantly to the adequacy indices including loss of load expectation (LOLE), loss of load frequency (LOLF), and expected energy not supplied (EENS). The proposed solution methodology is also compared with the Monte Carlo simulation through conceptual analyses and numerical simulations. In this way, some qualitative and quantitative comparisons are conducted. A modified IEEE Reliability Test System (IEEE-RTS) is used in this investigation.