cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Requirements of the secondary structures in the primary transcript for multicopy single-stranded DNA synthesis by reverse transcriptase from bacterial retron-Ec107.

Multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) is produced by bacterial retroelements called retrons. It consists of single-stranded DNA that is linked to an internal G residue of an RNA molecule by a 2‘,5‘-phosphodiester linkage. It has been demonstrated that specific primary sequences, as well as the secondary structures immediately downstream of the G residue, are essential for the cDNA priming reaction (Shimamoto, T., Hsu, M.-Y., Inouye, S., and Inouye, M. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 2684-2692). We have now examined the requirement of the structures in the region corresponding to DNA for msDNA synthesis. The upper stem region consisting of 71 bases of msDNA-Ec107 was found not to be essential, and this region could be deleted to efficiently produce a truncated msDNA containing only a 36-base single-stranded DNA. Various mutations including base replacements, deletions, and insertions were constructed in the lower stem region. It was found that any mutations resulting in more stable secondary structures caused reduction in msDNA synthesis. The results indicated that reverse transcriptase requires a loose secondary structure in the template RNA near the cDNA priming site for cDNA elongation.
Multi-chart geometry images

We introduce multi-chart geometry images, a new representation for arbitrary surfaces. It is created by resampling a surface onto a regular 2D grid. Whereas the original scheme of Gu et al. maps the entire surface onto a single square, we use an atlas construction to map the surface piecewise onto charts of arbitrary shape. We demonstrate that this added flexibility reduces parametrization distortion and thus provides greater geometric fidelity, particularly for shapes with long extremities, high genus, or disconnected components. Traditional atlas constructions suffer from discontinuous reconstruction across chart boundaries, which in our context create unacceptable surface cracks. Our solution is a novel zippering algorithm that creates a watertight surface. In addition, we present a new atlas chartification scheme based on clustering optimization.
Adverse Events Associated with Fosfomycin Use: Review of the Literature and Analyses of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System Database

Introduction The growing problem of antibacterial resistance resulted in an increased interest in fosfomycin, especially its parenteral formulation. We reviewed fosfomycin safety profile using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event (AE) Reporting System (FAERS) and published literature.
Gauge invariant formulation of molecular electrodynamics and the multipolar Hamiltonian

Abstract The multipolar Hamiltonian has many advantages for describing the electrodynamics of nonrelativistic material systems. Usually it is derived by performing a canonical transformation on the minimal coupling Hamiltonian. We show that both the minimal coupling and the multipolar Hamiltonians are two forms of the same Hamiltonian corresponding to two choices of gauge: div A = 0 and r · A( r ) = 0 respectively. We further discuss the use of the multipolar Hamiltonian in electronically extended systems.
Hybrid Papillomavirus L1 Molecules Assemble into Virus-like Particles That Reconstitute Conformational Epitopes and Induce Neutralizing Antibodies to Distinct HPV Types

Human papillomavirus (HPV) hybrid virus-like particles (VLPs) were prepared using complementary regions of the major capsid L1 proteins of HPV-11 and -16. These hybrid L1 proteins were tested for assembly into VLPs, for presentation and mapping of conformational neutralizing epitopes, and as immunogens in rabbits and mice. Two small noncontiguous hypervariable regions of HPV-16 L1, when replaced into the HPV-11 L1 backbone, produced an assembly-positive hybrid L1 which was recognized by the type-specific, conformationally dependent HPV-16 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (N-MAb) H16.V5. Several new N-MAbs that were generated following immunization of mice with wild-type HPV-16 L1 VLPs also recognized this reconstructed VLP, demonstrating that these two hypervariable regions collectively constituted an immunodominant epitope. When a set of hybrid VLPs was tested as immunogens in rabbits, antibodies to both HPV-11 and -16 wild-type L1 VLPs were obtained. One of the hybrid VLPs containing hypervariable FG and HI loops of HPV-16 L1 replaced into an HPV-11 L1 background provoked neutralizing activity against both HPV-11 and HPV-16. In addition, conformationally dependent and type-specific MAbs to both HPV-11 and HPV-16 L1 VLP were obtained from mice immunized with hybrid L1 VLPs. These data indicated that hybrid L1 proteins can be constructed that retain VLP-assembly properties, retain type-specific conformational neutralizing epitopes, can map noncontiguous regions of L1 which constitute type-specific conformational neutralizing epitopes recognized by N-MAbs, and trigger polyclonal antibodies which can neutralize antigenically unrelated HPV types.
Activation of the κ-opioid receptor in Caco-2 cells decreases interleukin-8 secretion

The immunomodulatory effects of kappa-opioid agonists at the intestinal epithelial level are not well characterized. In the present study, we determined that Caco-2 cells express the kappa-opioid receptor and its activation by trans-(+/-)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N[2-(1-pyrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide methanesulfonate (U-50488) leads to decreased interleukin-8 secretion in the presence of interleukin-1beta. These effects were detected over a wide range (10 nM-50 microM) of U-50488 concentrations and were reversible using the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine. Our data suggest that activation of kappa-opioid receptors on Caco-2 cells decreases interleukin-8 secretion and thus may alter the chemotactic stimulus at the epithelial level.
Black carbon emissions reductions from combustion of alternative jet fuels

Abstract Recent measurement campaigns for alternative aviation fuels indicate that black carbon emissions from gas turbines are reduced significantly with the use of alternative jet fuels that are low in aromatic content. This could have significant climate and air quality-related benefits that are currently not accounted for in environmental assessments of alternative jet fuels. There is currently no predictive way of estimating aircraft black carbon emissions given an alternative jet fuel. We examine the results from available measurement campaigns and propose a first analytical approximation (termed ‘ASAF’) of the black carbon emissions reduction associated with the use of paraffinic alternative jet fuels. We establish a relationship between the reduction in black carbon emissions relative to conventional jet fuel for a given aircraft, thrust setting relative to maximum rated thrust, and the aromatic volume fraction of the (blended) alternative fuel. The proposed relationship is constrained to produce physically meaningful results, makes use of only one free parameter and is found to explain a majority of the variability in measurements across the engines and fuels that have been tested.
Alternating-current electrical properties of random metal-insulator composites

The complex a.c. impedance of three different random metal-insulator composites near their percolation threshold has been studied. These three metal-insulator systems include different shapes of nickel particles (filamentary and nodular shapes) in a matrix of polypropylene and silver particles in the matrix of potassium chloride. By using different metal-insulator structures and phases it is possible to elucidate the effect of different metal particle shapes and types of insulator phase on the electrical properties of these composites near their percolation threshold. Electrical properties, including d.c. conductivity, a.c. conductance, capacitance and dielectric loss tangent, of these metal-insulator composites as a function of metal volume fraction and frequency (5 Hz to 13 MHz) are presented. The results are correlated with structural characterization of these composites and are used to examine the applicability of different electrical transport models on these composite materials. The effect of different metal particle shapes on the percolation threshold and the power-law dependent percolation phenomenon is also discussed.
Trophic levels colonize sequentially but effects of habitat size and quality are transient

Abstract Ecologists study assembling communities to understand mechanisms responsible for community-level patterns such as trophic structure. As communities assemble the incidence of each trophic level is conditional upon available resources such as prey, habitat area and productivity. Larger, more productive habitats may have more resources, increasing the potential to attract and to support greater species diversity, abundance, and more trophic levels. Predator trophic breadth and prey incidence may influence colonization order because obligate specialists have stricter prey dependencies than generalists do. In a system of stacked specialists, colonization may occur sequentially by trophic level because prey must be present before the next higher trophic level can colonize. Sequential colonization ordered by trophic level and by trophic breadth were tested with a field experiment and a Monte Carlo simulation. Community assembly was observed for an aphid food-web module composed of nine specialist and generalist predators colonizing plots seeded with California native annuals. To test the importance of habitat quality and resources, plots were manipulated for size (1 m2 and 10 m2) and productivity (+/0 fertilizer), and then sampled for colonists many times during the growing season of 2003. Specialists from higher trophic levels were observed to colonize after their prey had arrived in the field experiment only, providing field support for the hypothesis of sequential colonization ordered by trophic level during community assembly. Intriguingly, generalist predators colonized later than specialists, despite the high and early availability of aphid prey. This finding contradicts the assumption that a narrow trophic breadth may disadvantage specialist colonizers. Initially, predator and prey densities increased on fertilized plots, but later this pattern was observed only on small plots. Patterns of sequential colonization order by trophic level and trophic breadth were demonstrated during community assembly, but the transient responses of colonizers to habitat size and productivity suggests that habitat resource effects deserve further study to determine their effects on trophic structure during community assembly.
Sequential Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Increases Cisplatin Cytotoxicity in Human Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract Background: To determine the effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on tumor growth and cisplatin cytotoxicity in human epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: Six human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines were treated with media (control) for 24 hr, G-CSF for 24 hr, cisplatin for 24 hr, simultaneous cisplatin and G-CSF for 24 hr, media (control) for 48 hr, cisplatin for 24 hr and sequential media for 24 hr, cisplatin for 24 hr, and sequential G-CSF for 24 hr. Following incubation, the percentage cell lysis was determined by particle concentration fluorescein immunoassay chemosensitivity assay. Results: G-CSF resulted in tumor cell growth (7–19%) in three cell lines. Simultaneous G-CSF decreased cisplatin cytotoxicity in five cell lines (7–45%). Sequential G-CSF increased cisplatin cytotoxicity in all six cell lines (5–108%). Conclusions: G-CSF may result in ovarian cancer proliferation. Simultaneous G-CSF may decrease cisplatin cytotoxicity, while sequential G-CSF appears to increase cisplatin cytotoxicity.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Background. Reports of patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura undergoing cardiac operations are scarce and no recommendations exist regarding their management. We report 3 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and severe coronary artery disease who underwent uncomplicated coronary bypass grafting. Methods. The case history of each patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and the literature were reviewed. Results. All 3 patients underwent uncomplicated coronary artery bypass grafting after preoperative treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and intraoperative platelet transfusions if needed. Prophylactic splenectomy was not performed. There was no increased incidence of bleeding complications. Conclusions. Coronary artery bypass grafting can be safely performed in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura using conventional conduits after pretreating with immunoglobulin G and avoiding splenectomy.
β-Adrenergic Augmentation of Flecainide-Induced Conduction Slowing in Canine Purkinje Fibers

Background This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that β-adrenergic stimulation in the setting of membrane depolarization will potentiate flecainide-induced conduction slowing. Methods and Results To elucidate the potential mechanism for the flecainide proarrhythmia observed in CAST, the voltage dependence of β-adrenergic modulation of impulse propagation in eight flecainide-superfused canine Purkinje fibers was examined with a dual-microelectrode technique. At physiological membrane potentials (Vm) ([K+]o=5.4 μmol), 1 μmol flecainide decreased Vmax from 698±55 to 610±72 V/s ( P =.003) and squared conduction velocity (θ2) from 2.11±1.1 to 1.72±0.9 (m/s)2 ( P =.001). With K+ depolarization to Vm=−70 mV, flecainide further reduced Vmax from 306±101 to 245±65 V/s and θ2 from 1.12±0.4 to 0.99±0.6 (m/s)2, producing a 2.0-mV hyperpolarizing shift of apparent Na+ channel availability curves derived from θ2. The addition of 1 μmol isoproterenol to flecainide-superfused fibers at physiological Vm increased θ2 by 8% to 1.84±0.6 (m/s)2 ( P <.01) without altering Vmax. At −70 mV, the addition of isoproterenol magnified the flecainide-induced reduction of Vmax an additional 24% to 185±52 V/s ( P <.01) and θ2 by 17% to 0.82±0.5 (m/s)2 ( P =.04), producing an additional 1.8-mV ( P =.002) and 1.9-mV ( P =.002) hyperpolarizing shift in the apparent Na+ channel inactivation curves generated from Vmax and θ2, respectively. At physiological Vm, the action potential duration (APD95) was reduced from 307±35 to 269±27 ms ( P <.001) by flecainide and subsequently to 217±4 ms ( P <.001) with isoproterenol addition. With 12 mmol/L K+, APD95 decreased from 198±23 to 182±17 ms ( P =.005) with flecainide and to 164±10 ms ( P =.004) with isoproterenol. Conclusions At depolarized Vm, isoproterenol amplified the flecainide-induced reduction of Vmax and θ2, suggesting a further adrenergic-mediated reduction of Na+ current. Consequently, the synergy between catecholamines and flecainide at depolarized Vm and the shortened APD95 could facilitate arrhythmogenesis in the presence of underlying ischemia.
Heat treatment increases the incidence of alopecia areata in the C3H/HeJ mouse model

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by non-scarring hair loss. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between AA and physiological/psychological stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of heat treatment, a physiological stress, on AA development in C3H/HeJ mice. Whereas this strain of mice are predisposed to AA at low incidence by 18 months of age, we observed a significant increase in the incidence of hair loss in heat-treated 8-month-old C3H/HeJ mice compared with sham-treated mice. Histological analysis detected mononuclear cell infiltration in anagen hair follicles, a characteristic of AA, in heat-treated mouse skin. As expected, increased expression of induced HSPA1A/B (formerly called HSP70i) was detected in skin samples from heat-treated mice. Importantly, increased HSPA1A/B expression was also detected in skin samples from C3H/HeJ mice that developed AA spontaneously. Our results suggest that induction of HSPA1A/B may precipitate the development of AA in C3H/HeJ mice. For future studies, the C3H/HeJ mice with heat treatment may prove a useful model to investigate stress response in AA.
Polymers incorporating backbone thiophene, furan, and alcohol functionalities formed through chemical modifications of alternating olefin-carbon monoxide copolymers

The reaction of the alternating ethylene–carbon monoxide copolymer with Lawesson's reagent resulted in the conversion of 75% of the carbonyl groups to thiophene units. A few thioketone groups were also present in the derived polymer. A polymer with furan units in the backbone was formed upon treatment of the alternating propylene–carbon monoxide copolymer with P2O5. Depending on the reaction conditions, up to 90% of the carbonyl groups were converted. Finally, 1,4-polyalcohols were prepared from the alternating propylene-carbon monoxide copolymer by reduction. Hydrogenation using Raney nickel as catalyst resulted in the reduction of 60% of the carbonyl groups, whereas reaction with LiAlH4 at room temperature caused the reduction of 85% of the carbonyl groups. The glass transition temperature was found to increase monotonically with increasing concentration of hydroxyl groups in the polymer backbone. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
DNMT3L modulates significant and distinct flanking sequence preference for DNA methylation by DNMT3A and DNMT3B in vivo.

The DNTM3A and DNMT3B de novo DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are responsible for setting genomic DNA methylation patterns, a key layer of epigenetic information. Here, using an in vivo episomal methylation assay and extensive bisulfite methylation sequencing, we show that human DNMT3A and DNMT3B possess significant and distinct flanking sequence preferences for target CpG sites. Selection for high or low efficiency sites is mediated by the base composition at the −2 and +2 positions flanking the CpG site for DNMT3A, and at the −1 and +1 positions for DNMT3B. This intrinsic preference reproducibly leads to the formation of specific de novo methylation patterns characterized by up to 34-fold variations in the efficiency of DNA methylation at individual sites. Furthermore, analysis of the distribution of signature methylation hotspot and coldspot motifs suggests that DNMT flanking sequence preference has contributed to shaping the composition of CpG islands in the human genome. Our results also show that the DNMT3L stimulatory factor modulates the formation of de novo methylation patterns in two ways. First, DNMT3L selectively focuses the DNA methylation machinery on properly chromatinized DNA templates. Second, DNMT3L attenuates the impact of the intrinsic DNMT flanking sequence preference by providing a much greater boost to the methylation of poorly methylated sites, thus promoting the formation of broader and more uniform methylation patterns. This study offers insights into the manner by which DNA methylation patterns are deposited and reveals a new level of interplay between members of the de novo DNMT family.
Influence of sex and gonadal hormones on lipid metabolism in essential fatty acid-deficient rats.

Previous work has shown differences between male and female rats in their ability a) to mobilize linoleic acid from adipose tissue when the supply is limited; b) to maintain higher levels of circulating and liver arachidonic acid when dietary linoleic acid is limited; c) to prevent accumulation of cholesteryl ester (CE) in the liver; and d) to increase the proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in their plasma lecithins.
Rapid screening method for detection of bacterial mutants with altered adhesion abilities

Abstract A method has been developed to rapidly screen large numbers of bacterial mutants and identify those with altered adhesion to polystyrene surfaces. The wells in 96-well polystyrene microtiter plates were used as the attachment surfaces; both tissue culture-treated and nontreated polystyrene plates were used to allow comparison of adhesion ability to surfaces with different water-wettabilities. Numbers of attached bacteria were measured by staining them with Congo Red, eluting the stain with ethanol, and measuring the absorbance of the eluted stain in the wells with a microtiter plate reader. Assays with Pseudomonas fluoresences strain H2 and two spontaneous mutants with altered adhesion ability demonstrated the reproducibility of the technique, and assays on a series of mutants obtained by transposon mutagenesis demonstrated the ability of the method to allow identification of strains with altered adhesion abilities.
Single Giant Vesicle Rupture Events Reveal Multiple Mechanisms of Glass-Supported Bilayer Formation

The formation of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) on glass from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) was studied using fluorescence microscopy. We show that GUV rupture occurs by at least four mechanisms, including 1), spontaneous rupture of isolated GUVs yielding almost heart-shaped bilayer patches (asymmetric rupture); 2), spontaneous rupture of isolated GUVs yielding circular bilayer patches (symmetric rupture); 3), induced rupture of an incoming vesicle when it contacts a planar bilayer edge; and 4), induced rupture of an adsorbed GUV when a nearby GUV spontaneously ruptures. In pathway 1, the dominant rupture pathway for isolated GUVs, GUVs deformed upon adsorption to the glass surface, and planar bilayer patch formation was initiated by rupture pore formation near the rim of the glass-bilayer interface. Expanding rupture pores led to planar bilayer formation in ;10-20 ms. Rupture probability per unit time depended on the average intrinsic curvature of the component lipids. The membrane leaflet adsorbed to the glass surface in planar bilayer patches originated from the outer leaflet of GUVs. Pathway 2 was rarely observed. We surmise that SLB formation is predominantly initiated by pathway 1 rupture events, and that rupture events occurring by pathways 3 and 4 dominate during later stages of SLB formation.
Incoherent imaging of materials structure and composition by Z-contrast stem

It is shown how the use of a high angle annular detector in a STEM provides images which show strong compositional sensitivity and almost perfect incoherent characteristics. No contrast reversals occur with defocus or sample thickness and the contribution of an atomic string is insensitive to the distribution and strength of neighboring strings. The image is best described in real space as a simple convolution of the incident probe intensity profile with an object function sharply peaked at the atomic strings having a strength dependent on composition. How the incoherent characteristics arise is described using a Bloch wave approach and examples are shown on interfaces in semiconductor and superconductor materials. 34 refs., 13 figs.
Digital transceiver implementation for wavelet packet modulation

Current transceiver designs for wavelet-based communication systems are typically reliant on analog waveform synthesis, however, digital processing is an important part of the eventual success of these techniques. In this paper, a transceiver implementation is introduced for the recently introduced wavelet packet modulation scheme which moves the analog processing as far as possible toward the antenna. The transceiver is based on the discrete wavelet packet transform which incorporates level and node parameters for generalized computation of wavelet packets. In this transform no particular structure is imposed on the filter bank save dyadic branching, and a maximum level which is specified a priori and dependent mainly on speed and/or cost considerations. The transmitter/receiver structure takes a binary sequence as input and, based on the desired time- frequency partitioning, processes the signal through demultiplexing, synthesis, analysis, multiplexing and data determination completely in the digital domain - with exception of conversion in and out of the analog domain for transmission.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adsorbate interactions and surface excess entropy

Using the Gibbs definition of surface excess properties and classical statistics of the adsorbed molecules, it is shown that interactions between these molecules can in some cases increase the surface excess entropy. This is in contradistinction to the classical result for a field-free bulk phase gas, but similar to effects which are possible for quantum gases.
Equilibrium biogeography and the size of nature preserves: An avian case study

The results of seven breeding bird censuses on an upland site in Connecticut from 1953 to 1976 are analyzed and related to changes in vegetation and surrounding urbanization during the same period. Turnover of breeding bird species on the old-field portion of the site was due to vegetational changes that caused the extinction of species preferring open shrub habitats and the colonization of species preferring forest. Turnover of breeding birds on the forest portion was due to its increasing isolation from similar forest habitat, resulting in the local extinction of forest interior species and the colonization of species characteristic of suburban habitats. The study site is too small for the preservation of forest interior bird species. It must be coordinated with larger preserves in a regional context if it is to be useful in preventing the regional extinction of forest interior bird species.
Nutrient diffusion and simple nth-order consumption in regenerative tissue and biocatalytic sensors.

Abstract This contribution addresses intra-tissue molar density profiles for nutrients, oxygen, growth factors, and other essential ingredients that anchorage-dependent cells require for successful proliferation on biocompatible surfaces. One-dimensional transient and steady state models of the reaction–diffusion equation are solved to correct a few deficiencies in the first illustrative example of diffusion and zeroth-order rates of consumption in tissues with rectangular geometry, as discussed in Ref. [(Griffith and Swartz, 2006) 1]. The functional form of the molar density profile for each species depends on geometry and the magnitude of the species-specific intra-tissue Damkohler number. The tissue's central core is reactant starved at high consumption rates and low rates of intra-tissue diffusion when the Damkohler number exceeds its geometry-sensitive critical value. Ideal tissue engineering designs avoid the diffusion-limited regime such that attached cells are exposed to all of the ingredients required for proliferation everywhere within a regenerative matrix. Analytical and numerical molar density profiles that satisfy the unsteady state modified diffusion equation with pseudo-homogeneous n th -order rates of intra-tissue consumption (i.e., n = 0,1,2) allow one to (i) predict von Karman–Pohlhausen mass transfer boundary layer thicknesses, measured inward from the external biomaterial surface toward its central core, and, most importantly, (ii) estimate the time required to achieve steady state conditions for regenerative tissue growth and biocatalytic sensing.
Immunohistochemical localization of constitutive and inducible cyclo-oxygenases in rat uterus during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy.

The uterus is a rich source of eicosanoids synthesized from arachidonic acid metabolism through the cyclo-oxygenase pathway. Two isoforms of cyclo-oxygenase, constitutive (COX-I) and inducible (COX-II) enzyme, have been reported. In the present study, we have immunohistochemically mapped the distribution of both COX-I and COX-II during various physiological states of the rat uterus. Uterine tissue was collected from female rats (a) during different stages of the oestrous cycle, (b) on days 1, 4, 8 and 18 of gestation, (c) after spontaneous delivery and (d) post partum, and fixed in Bouin's fixative. After paraffin wax embedding, 5-μm-thick sections were immunohistochemically stained by the ABC technique. Observation of the stained sections under the light microscope revealed that, in non-pregnant rat uterus, both COX-I and COX-II were abundantly expressed in the endometrium, with minimal staining observed in the myometrium. Staining was more prominent in epithelial cells than in stromal cells. The intensity of staining in epithelial cells was highest at pro-oestrus and oestrus and lowest at dioestrus. In pregnant rats, although the expression of both COX-I and COX-II was localized primarily to the endometrium with very little staining in the myometrium on day 1 of gestation, both of these enzymes were also apparent in myometrial cells by day 4 of gestation. The staining intensity of endometrial and myometrial cells increased further with the progression of gestation, being maximal at the time of spontaneous delivery. During the post-partum period, however, the staining intensity for both of the enzymes in endometrium and myometrium was decreased. Thus, our studies show that the expression of cyclo-oxygenases in various uterine cells vary with the oestrous cycle and with pregnancy. Furthermore, prominent increases in the expression of cyclo-oxygenases in the myometrium during pregnancy and parturition imply that the cyclo-oxygenase system in the myometrium may play a major role in modulating uterine contractility during pregnancy and labour. © 1998 Chapman & Hall
The Variable Effects of Education on Liberal Attitudes: A Comparative-Historical Analysis of Anti-Semitism Using Public Opinion Survey Data.

The effects of education on liberal values are shown to be not universal, but rather, to vary systematically cross-nationally. These effects are interpreted as a form of socialization-not as psychodynamic or class effects-and they are investigated in a comparative-historical perspective, using attitudes on anti-Semitism as the dependent variable. Selznick and Steinberg's hypothesis that education's liberalizing effects represent the influence of the "official," Enlightenment culture in the United States is expanded and applied cross-nationally in the United States, West Germany, Austria, and France. It is argued that this effect varies according to two determinants of Enlightenment culture: the length of time a country has had a liberal-democratic regime form, and the degree of religious heterogeneity in the country.
On the concept of immediate probabilities

The problem of decision making under doubt is described. the concept of immediate probabilities is introduced. It is seen as a modification of typical probabilistic knowledge with information about the payoffs, mediated through dispositional information (optimism/pessimism), resulting in a modified formulation of an agents perception of the probabilities in effect in the current decision. We use the Dempster rule of combination to help obtain an expression for these probabilities. We show how immediate probabilities allows us to explain the Allais paradox. A number of properties of these probabilities are described. the strategic use of these probabilities are explored as a means for effecting other people's decisions. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Structure and Dynamics of Ge in the Si-SiO2 System : Implications for Oxide-Embedded Ge Nanoparticle Formation

Using gradient corrected periodic density functional theory calculations, we have investigated the structure, energetics, bonding, and diffusion of Ge in bulk α-quartz and amorphous a-SiO 2 matrices as well as at the Si(001)/a-SiO 2 interface. Our calculations show that Ge atoms undergo migration in a-SiO 2 with a moderate barrier (<2.5 eV) and prefer to remain in the Si part near the Si(001)/a-SiO 2 interface via site exchange reaction with Si lattice atoms, while the kicked-out Si atoms are preferentially incorporated into the a-SiO 2 matrix. We also discuss implications of the Ge-Si exchange process for Ge nanoparticle formation in an oxide matrix.
Serum uric acid: Correlation with behavioral, metabolic, age, and lifespan parameters among inbred mice

Uric acid represents a major antioxidant in the serum of most mammalian species. A positive correlation of serum concentrations with lifespan potential among mammalian species implicates uric acid as a longevity determinant. Moreover, other data suggest that uric acid may be a neurostimulant which might affect locomotor activity. To assess whether uric acid is related to differences in lifespan and locomotor activity among inbred mice, serum uric acid concentrations were determined in seven genotypes and correlated with individual and strain differences in lifespan, metabolic rate, lifespan energy potential, body weight, and locomotor activity. Marked genotype differences in some parameters were observed; however, the analysis yielded only a modest non-significant positive correlation between serum uric acid and lifespan, which was lowered even further when differences in metabolic activity were considered. A negative correlation between serum uric acid and locomotor activity was observed both among genotypes and within one strain, C57BL/6J. When age differences (4–28 mo) in serum uric acid were examined within the C57BL/6J strain, an age-related increase (75%) was found. This observation contrasted with the age-related decrease in locomotor activity within this strain. Thus, for these seven mouse genotypes, the hypothesized positive correlations between serum uric acid and lifespan or locomotor activity were not observed.
Reframing Accountability - A Preservice Program Wrestles With Mandated Reform

This article describes one school of education’s efforts to navigate a state-level mandate requiring that candidates for teacher certification demonstrate “positive impact on student learning.” It ...
On the validity of Hamilton‐Jacobi mechanics in the mean in quantum mechanics

It is shown that under certain conditions the time-dependent Hamilton–Jacobi equation (TDHJE) is satisfied in the mean in quantum mechanics provided the classical action is replaced by Dirac's complex quantal action. This may be regarded as the equivalent of Ehrenfest's theorem for the TDHJE. Expectation values of operators are discussed in a similar manner.
Effect of Pharmaceutical Bone Growth Stimulation With Novel Anabolic Peptides: Biomechanical and Bone Density Measurements in a Rat Model

Pharmaceutical bone growth stimulation holds promise for prevention and treatment bone disorders, and the enhancement of fracture healing. Bone growth hormones have begun to have limited clinical use, but can illicit adverse side effects. Recent studies have shown that short peptides (less than 15 amino acids) derived from the protein sequence of Vitamin D Binding Protein (DBP), can enhance bone formation (osteogenesis). These peptides may have potential as controllable bone growth stimulators without the adverse side effects and cost of bone growth hormones. Rats, injected every other day for two weeks with DBP-based peptide fragments ranging from 3 to 13 amino acids in length, were euthanized and the tibias and femurs were scanned by peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) to determine bone density and cross-sectional geometric properties. The bones were then tested in three-point bending to determine strength and bending modulus. Injection of DBP-based peptides over only a 2-week period resulted in significant (p<0.05) increases in bone density and material properties in the experimental rat bones in comparison to controls injected with saline. The short length of these effective peptides suggests their use not only in systemic injections but also as clinically convenient pills taken orally for pharmaceutically induced bone growth stimulation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Teaching normal and abnormal behavior to primary care physicians.

Objective This article delineates the framework for a curriculum on psychiatry, normal and abnormal human behavior for primary care physicians (PCPs). Methods Curricula have been surveyed. Members of the Education Committee of the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry, as well as Family Physicians and General Internists involved in education have been consulted. Their recommendations are integrated. Results and conclusions The curriculum should be developed according to the needs of PCPs and from their perspective. Patient and problem-oriented, its content can be divided into: a) personal skills that should be developed; and b) knowledge of symptoms, their differential diagnosis (DDX) and management within the PCP's, facilities and abilities.
Uniaxial parallel-plate waveguide Green's functions using a scalar potential formulation

Summary form only given. A scalar potential formulation is derived and subsequently used for the first time (to the author's knowledge) to find the Green's functions for a parallel-plate waveguide filled with an electrically and magnetically homogeneous uniaxial anisotropic medium. It is discussed that considerable simplification occurs in the potential based approach presented here and, in addition, significantly more hysical insight is gained due to the succinct and compact results. This simplicity and insight offered by a scalar potential formulation therefore constitutes a very important contribution and paves the way for future analysis of electromagnetic problems involving complex media. First, the scalar potential formulation for a magnetically and electrically uniaxial anisotropic medium is derived. It is assumed the medium is, in general, inhomogeneous along the longitudinal axis (i.e., the z-axis). This assumption is later relaxed to accommodate the homogeneous medium of interest here. The formulation is based upon the two-dimensional form of Helmholtz's theorem and the identification of operator orthogonality. Next, expected and unexpected depolarizing dyads encountered in the derivation are identified and it is shown that the unexpected dyads are removable via complex plane analysis. This is vital since it provides the rigorous methodology for carefully handling the source point singularity and obtaining mathematically and physically consistent results. Next, scalar potential boundary conditions for perfect conducting parallel plates are derived. The potential-based Green's functions are found using the superposition of the principal solution (i.e., solving the resulting forced scalar potential differential equations) and the scattered solution (i.e., solving the resulting unforced scalar potential wave equations) along with application of the derived parallel-plate scalar potential boundary conditions. Finally, the desired Green's functions for the electromagnetic fields are found via the field recovery process developed in the scalar potential formulation. Applications of the Green's functions are discussed, including the nondestructive electromagnetic characterization of uniaxial media. A general comparison between potential and field-based approaches is also provided.
Role of conformity in opinion dynamics in social networks

Social networks serve as important platforms for users to express, exchange and form opinions on various topics. Several opinion dynamics models have been proposed to characterize how a user iteratively updates her expressed opinion based on her innate opinion and the opinion of her neighbors. The extent to how much a user is influenced by her neighboring opinions, as opposed to her own innate opinion, is governed by a measure of her 'conformity' parameter. Characterizing this degree of conformity for users of a social network is critical for several applications such as debiasing online surveys and finding social influencers. In this paper, we address the problem of estimating these conformity values for users, using only the expressed opinions and the social graph. We pose this problem in a constrained optimization framework and design efficient algorithms, which we validate on both synthetic and real-world Twitter data. Using these estimated conformity values, we then address the problem of identifying the smallest subset of users in a social graph that, when seeded initially with some non-neutral opinions, can accurately explain the current opinion values of users in the entire social graph. We call this problem seed recovery. Using ideas from compressed sensing, we analyze and design algorithms for both conformity estimation and seed recovery, and validate them on real and synthetic data.
Physical activity and risk of colon adenoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Little evidence is available on the relation of physical activity with colon adenomas, a colon cancer precursor. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of published studies (in English) through April 2010, examining physical activity or exercise and risk or prevalence of colon adenoma or polyp. Random effects models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 20 studies were identified that examined the association and provided RRs and corresponding 95% CIs. RESULTS: A significant inverse association between physical activity and colon adenomas was found with an overall RR of 0.84 (CI: 0.77–0.92). The association was similar in men (RR ¼0.81, CI: 0.67–0.98) and women (RR ¼0.87, CI: 0.74–1.02). The association appeared slightly stronger in large/advanced polyps (RR ¼0.70, CI: 0.56–0.88). CONCLUSION: This study confirms previous reports of a significant inverse association of physical activity and colon adenoma, and suggests that physical activity can have an important role in colon cancer prevention.
Solubilities of Volatile Solvents in Polyvinyl Acetate, Polyvinyl Chloride, and Their Random Copolymers

Gas-liquid chromatography is used to measure the solubilities of eight solvents (benzene, toluene, nitroethane, dioxane, n-heptane. cyclo-hexane, isopropanol, and 1,2-dichloroethane) in (vinylchloride/vinyl acetate) copolymers containing 0, 3, 10, 17, and 100 weight percent vinylacetate. Measurements were made at 125 and 140 °C. The solubilities are only weakly dependent on polymer composition. Mittels Gas-flussig-Chromatographie wurden die Loslichkeiten von acht Losungsmitteln (Benzol, Toluol, Nitroathan, Dioxan, n-Heptan. Cyclohexan, iso-Propanol und 1,2-Dichlorathan) in (Vinylchlorid/Vinylacetat) Copolymeren unterschiedlicher Zusammensetzung gemessen (0, 3, 10, 17 und 100 Gewichtsprozent Vinylacetat). Die Messungen wurden bei 125 und 140 °C durchgefuhrt. In allen Fallen zeigen die Loslichkeiten nur eine schwache Abhangigkeit von der Polymerzusammensetzung.
Quantized self-dual Maxwell field on a null surface

Abstract The canonical formalism for a self-dual Maxwell field on a null plane is reviewed. After solution of the second class constraints, the transition to the quantum theory is carried out using a representation in which the self-dual Maxwell field is diagonal. The Gauss law constraint allows us to consider the physical state vectors to be holomorphic functionals of one complex function. Application of reality conditions allows us to define an inner product such that the Hermitean adjoint operators are identified with the classical complex conjugate operators. In going over to the Fourier expansion of the operators, we find that the inner product is formally convergent for positive frequency functionals and formally divergent for the negative frequency functionals. Following similar results of Ashtekar, Rovelli, and Smolin, negative frequency states are functional distributions identified with the helicity opposite to that of the positive frequency states.
SIMULATION OF INFRARED DRYING PROCESS

ABSTRACT A control volume formulation for the solution of a set of two-way coupled heat and diffusive moisture transfer equations with an infrared source term is presented in three dimensions. The solution procedure developed uses a fully implicit time stepping scheme for the solution of the coupled set of equations and is applied to study the infrared drying of potato using two different drying systems. The maximum deviation between experimental and simulation results were 9.0°C in temperature for potato drying, and 10% (d.b.) for moisture predictions. The overall predictions agreed well with the available experimental data from the two systems and show a good potential for application in infrared drying of food grains and biomaterials.
Massive star formation in luminous infrared galaxies: Giant H II regions and their relation to super-star clusters

We have used Hubble Space Telescope Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer broadband (at 1.6 μm) and narrowband Paα (λrest = 1.87 μm) images to identify, respectively, star clusters and H II regions in a sample of eight luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). These observations have revealed the presence of a large population of super–star clusters and bright H II regions. A significant fraction of the H II regions shows Hα luminosities above that of 30 Doradus, the prototypical giant H II region. The excess of extremely luminous H II regions in LIRGs has been confirmed by comparison with normal galaxies observed at similar spatial resolutions. Despite the large numbers of identified star clusters and H II regions in LIRGs, we find only a small fraction of coincidences, between 4% and 30% of the total number of detected sources. Using evolutionary synthesis models we have reproduced the relative fractions of young H II regions and intermediate and old star clusters observed in Arp 299 and the central region NGC 3256 by using a Salpeter initial mass function and instantaneous star formation. H II regions with no detected near-infrared cluster counterpart (25%–39% of the detected sources) represent the youngest sites of star formation, with ages up to approximately 5 Myr and mostly intermediate mass (105 M⊙) ionizing clusters. For these two galaxies, within the present detection threshold we can detect only coincidences (4%–10% of the detected sources) between an H II region and a near-infrared star cluster for the most massive star clusters (106 M⊙) during the first 7 Myr of their evolution. If there is significant extinction during the first million years, we may not detect the youngest star-forming regions, and hence the observed fractions of H II regions and coincidences will be lower limits. The identified near-infrared super–star clusters with no detectable Paα emission represent the "old" population (53%–66% of the detected sources), with ages between 7 and 20–40 Myr. Older clusters possibly created in this or previous episodes of star formation are likely to exist in these systems but cannot be identified with the present detection threshold. Our study demonstrates that Paα narrowband imaging of LIRGs and interacting galaxies identifies the youngest sites of star formation that could be otherwise missed by near-infrared broadband continuum surveys.