cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Poleward and weakened westerlies during Pliocene warmth

The prevailing mid-latitude westerly winds, known as the westerlies, are a fundamental component of the climate system because they have a crucial role in driving surface ocean circulation1 and modulating air–sea heat, momentum and carbon exchange1–3. Recent work suggests that westerly wind belts are migrating polewards in response to anthropogenic forcing4,5. Reconstructing the westerlies during past warm periods such as the Pliocene epoch, in which atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) was about 350 to 450 parts per million6 and temperatures were about 2 to 4 degrees Celsius higher than today7, can improve our understanding of changes in the position and strength of these wind systems as the climate continues to warm. Here we show that the westerlies were weaker and more poleward during the warm Pliocene than during glacial periods after the intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation (iNHG), which occurred around 2.73 million years ago8. Our results, which are based on dust and export productivity reconstructions, indicate that major ice sheet development during the iNHG was accompanied by substantial increases in dust fluxes in the mid-latitude North Pacific Ocean, especially compared to those in the subarctic North Pacific. Following this shift, changes in dust and productivity largely track the glacial–interglacial cycles of the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene epochs. On the basis of this pattern, we infer that shifts in the westerlies were primarily driven by variations in Plio-Pleistocene thermal gradients and ice volume. By combining this relationship with other dust records9–11 and climate modelling results12, we find that the proposed changes in the westerlies were globally synchronous. If the Pliocene is predictive of future warming, we posit that continued poleward movement and weakening of the present-day westerlies in both hemispheres can be expected. Analysis of dust from marine sediments in the North Pacific shows that warm periods during the Pliocene witnessed weaker and more poleward westerlies than during subsequent glacial periods.
Motivations to Enroll and Engage in Relationship Education Programs: A Qualitative Investigation of Key Process Factors

Empirical support for relationship education (RE) programs is primarily based in quantitative research methods, leaving gaps in understanding the experience of couples and individuals who participa...
A Novel Application of Photovoice in a Statewide Home Visiting Evaluation

Photovoice is an empowering, qualitative, community-based participatory research method that engages participants to take photographs and reflect on their meanings. We employed a novel application ...
Age-related differences in encoding-retrieval similarity and their relationship to false memory

Abstract Typical aging is associated with increases in false memory rates among older adults. Such errors are frequently associated with differential neural activity during encoding and retrieval in older compared to younger adults within visual cortices, hippocampus, and front-parietal regions. It remains unknown how pattern similarity reductions relate to false memories in healthy aging. Using encoding-retrieval similarity (ERS) analyses in a sample of younger and older adults, we examined how the similarity of neural patterns between memory phases associated with target and lure objects was impacted by age and contributed to false memory rates. Single-item ERS for targets and lures was reduced by age throughout much of the ventral visual stream and the posterior hippocampus. Furthermore, ERS associated with perceptual lures within the visual stream maintained differential relationships with false memory. Finally, a global ERS metric accounted for age deficits in single-item ERS, but did not contribute to false memory rates. These findings highlight the contribution of age-related reductions in ERS across multiple representational levels to false memories in healthy aging.
Strength and physical activity in osteoarthritis: The mediating role of kinesiophobia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between muscle strength and physical activity level in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and determine whether this association is mediated by pain-related fear of movement (kinesiophobia) and self-reported pain. Cross-sectional data from 37 subjects (age 58.8 ± 8.6 years, 25F/12M, BMI 33.5 ± 6.4 kg/m2 ) with OA of the knee were used. Isometric knee extensor and flexor muscle strength were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Physical activity, kinesiophobia, and pain were assessed by self-report using the University of California, Los Angeles activity rating scale, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score pain subscale, respectively. The associations between strength measures, physical activity, kinesiophobia, and pain scores, were modeled by performing a parallel multiple mediation analysis and the significance of mediational effects (kinesiophobia and pain) were tested using a bootstrap approach. Lower knee flexion and extension strength were associated with lower physical activity scores and these relationships were mediated by higher kinesiophobia scores (more fear) but not pain scores. Knee extension strength was directly associated with physical activity scores after controlling for kinesiophobia and pain scores. These results suggest that muscle strength can influence physical activity directly and indirectly through fear of movement. Assessing these measures together in this population may help clinicians identify patients that are more likely to avoid physical activities due to not only muscle weakness but also fear of movement.
Introducing the NCGE Resource Library

In 2002, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in association with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation convened a “Forum on the Impact of Open Coursewar...
Decreased Cerebral Oxygenation in Premature Infants with Progressive Posthemorrhagic Ventricular Dilatation May Help with Timing of Intervention

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the degree of progressive posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) that is associated with a significant decrease in regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) in premature infants at risk for periventricular–intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH). Study Design Cranial ultrasound (US) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements of rScO2 were performed on inborn infants with birth weights less than 1,250 g on admission and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks of age. Infants with severe PIVH were studied weekly. A 1-hour average of rScO2 was compared with the frontal–occipital horn ratio (FOHR) measured the same day. Generalized linear models were used to analyze the relationship between FOHR and rScO2, by severity of PIVH, and adjusted for gestational age. Cut-off points of 0.55 for FOHR and 45% for rScO2 were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The study cohort included 63 infants with normal US, 15 with grade-1 or -2 PIVH (mild group), and 21 with grade-3 or -4 PIVH (severe group). Increases in FOHR in the severe group were associated with decreases in rScO2 at 1 week (p = 0.036), 4 weeks (p = 0.013), and 8 weeks of life (p = 0.001) compared with the normal and mild groups. Infants with FOHR greater than 0.55 were 92% more likely to have rScO2 less than 45% when compared with infants with FOHR less than 0.55 (OR = 0.08, 95% CI: [0.04, 0.13], p Conclusion Progressive PHVD (FOHR > 0.55) is a strong predictor of compromised cerebral oxygenation. A combination of rScO2 and FOHR measurements may aid in identifying infants with PHVD that would benefit from early intervention. Key Points
Sexual dimorphism in human cranial trait scores: effects of population, age, and body size.

Sex estimation from the skull is commonly performed by physical and forensic anthropologists using a five-trait scoring system developed by Walker. Despite the popularity of this method, validation studies evaluating its accuracy across a variety of samples are lacking. Furthermore, it remains unclear what other intrinsic or extrinsic variables are related to the expression of these traits. In this study, cranial trait scores and postcranial measurements were collected from four diverse population groups (U.S. Whites, U.S. Blacks, medieval Nubians, and Arikara Native Americans) following Walker's protocols (total n = 499). Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to evaluate the accuracy of these traits in sex estimation, and to test for the effects of population, age, and body size on trait expressions. Results revealed significant effects of population on all trait scores. Sample-specific correct sex classification rates ranged from 74% to 94%, with an overall accuracy of 85% for the pooled sample. Classification performance varied among the traits (best for glabella and mastoid scores and worst for nuchal scores). Furthermore, correlations between traits were weak or nonsignificant, suggesting that different factors may influence individual traits. Some traits displayed correlations with age and/or postcranial size that were significant but weak, and within-population analyses did not reveal any consistent relationships between these traits across all groups. These results indicate that neither age nor body size plays a large role in trait expression, and thus does not need to be incorporated into sex estimation methods. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:259–269, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Analysis of the Causes of Code Growth in Genetic Programming

This research examines the cause of code growth (bloat) in genetic programming (GP). Currently there are three hypothesized causes of code growth in GP: protection, drift, and removal bias. We show that single node mutations increase code growth in evolving programs. This is strong evidence that the protective hypothesis is correct. We also show a negative correlation between the size of the branch removed during crossover and the resulting change in fitness, but a much weaker correlation for added branches. These results support the removal bias hypothesis, but seem to refute the drift hypothesis. Our results also suggest that there are serious disadvantages to the tree structured programs commonly evolved with GP, because the nodes near the root are effectively fixed in the very early generations.
Functional Morphology of the Pharyngeal Jaw Apparatus

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the understanding of the functional morphology of the pharyngeal jaw apparatus (PJA) in perciform fishes. Much of the functional diversity seen in fish feeding systems lies in the mechanics of prey capture that involves the oral jaws and buccal cavity. However, an often-overlooked element of fish trophic diversity lies in the functioning of a second set of jaws, PJA, which is used primarily in separating food from unwanted material and a variety of forms of prey manipulation and processing behaviors. Fish trophic diversity is impacted by the PJA at two distinct levels. First, the presence of a second set of jaws in the feeding system promotes overall trophic diversity by increasing the range of musculo‐skeletal specializations for feeding. The PJA can be thought of as an additional independent axis of morphological diversity that fish lineages have explored during evolution. The structural independence of the oral and pharyngeal jaws permits potential autonomy in their evolution, and because the roles of prey capture and processing are potentially decoupled, the degree of specialization of each system is less constrained by the need to maintain secondary functions. Independent evolution of the oral and PJA has increased the range of fish feeding abilities and hence their feeding ecology. The second way in which the PJA influences overall fish trophic diversity comes about because this system is itself structurally complex.
Surface-Bonded Concrete-Block Panels

Glass fiber reinforcement in a matrix of cement, hydrated lime, water, and other chemicals can be applied to inside and outside surfaces of concrete blocks stacked without mortar. The cement mixture containing chopped strand fibers is usually troweled onto the block surface. Scrim fabric (continuous filaments) can also be used as reinforcement in composite construction. An advantage of using scrim fabric derives from possibilities for spraying cement matrix using currently available equipment. Finishes for surface-bonded walls can be applied after a minimum curing period of 24 hr. Approximate analysis considers the stresses developed in a prefabricated 8-ft high panel during handling in transportation and erection. Calculations and experiments indicate that prefabrication of concrete block panels is feasible. The surface-bonded wall has greater tensile strength and resistance to bending than conventional mortar-joint walls.
Performance of the MESSENGERS Autonomous-Objects-Based System

MESSENGERS is a system for general-purpose distributed computing based on the concept of autonomous mobile objects, capable of navigating through a network and invoking native-mode C functions in the nodes they visit. We present performance measurements using three specific applications to illustrate the cost of using this paradigm for developing and using distributed applications.
Problems associated with treatment of cancer of the endometrium

Abstract An evaluation of the use of intrauterine radium in the management of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium is presented based on 99 cases. From this study, surgery is the treatment of choice. The technique of a more extensive operative procedure is described. By employing this operation which includes pelvic lymphadenectomy, we hope to reduce the number of recurrences in patients whose disease extends beyond the limits of the uterus.
Disorders of reproduction in patients with epilepsy

Disorders of reproduction are unusually common among people with epilepsy. They are generally associated with and may be the consequence of reproductive endocrine disorders. Epilepsy itself and epileptic seizures have been implicated in their pathophysiology. This review focuses on how temporolimbic dysfunction in epilepsy might disrupt normal neuroendocrine regulation and promote the development of reproductive endocrine disorders. The particular nature of the dysregulation may relate to the laterality and focality of the epilepsy and some hormonal changes may develop in close temporal relation to the occurrence of epileptiform discharges. In women, reproductive endocrine disorders include polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothalamic amenorrhea, functional hyperprolactinemia, and premature menopause. In men, hypogonadism may be hypogonadotropic, hypergonadotropic or related to hyperprolactinemia. The significance of these reproductive endocrine disorders is that they may contribute not only to sexual dysfunction and infertility, but may also have an adverse impact on seizure control. This review also includes sections on special considerations in the treatment of reproductive endocrine disorders for women and men with epilepsy.
Association of PTEN gene methylation with genetic alterations in the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/AKT signaling pathway in thyroid tumors

BACKGROUND. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway plays an important role in thyroid tumorigenesis and progression. Genetic alterations, particularly PIK3CA amplification and mutations and ras mutations, are the major cause of aberrant activation of this pathway in thyroid tumors. Epigenetic silencing of the PTEN gene, a negative regulator of the PI3K/AKT pathway, also occurs in thyroid tumors, but its relationship with genetic alterations in this pathway is unclear. METHODS. By using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, the authors examined PTEN methylation and its relationship with genetic alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway in various types of thyroid tumors. RESULTS. The authors found PTEN methylation to become progressively higher from benign thyroid adenoma to follicular thyroid cancer and to aggressive anaplastic thyroid cancer, which harbored activating genetic alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway correspondingly with a progressively higher prevalence. The association of PTEN methylation was seen with both overall genetic alterations and individual genetic alterations, particularly PIK3CA alterations and ras mutations, in the PI3K/AKT pathway within each of the 3 types of thyroid tumors. In contrast, no such relationship was observed for the tumor suppressor gene RASSF1A. CONCLUSIONS. The authors found an interesting association of PTEN methylation with the activating genetic alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway in thyroid tumors. This finding is consistent with a model in which aberrant methylation and hence silencing of the PTEN gene, which coexists with activating genetic alterations of the PI3K/AKT pathway, may enhance the signaling of this pathway aberrantly activated by genetic alterations and hence contribute to the progression of thyroid tumors. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Josephson Effects in Unconventional Heavy Fermion Superconductors

We discuss the Josephson effect for pairing states which break crystal symmetries in addition to gauge symmetry. We consider theE1g andE2u models for the low-temperature phase ofUPt3, with order parameters Δ(E1g)∼pz(px+ipy) and Δ(E2u)∼pz(px+ipy)2. We report calculations of Josephson critical currents, taking into account the effects of depairing at the interface. For singlet-triplet junctions the critical current is non-zero only for spin-orbit, spin-flip tunneling, and is found to be much smaller than the Ambegaokar-Baratoff value even when the spin-orbit tunneling amplitude is comparable to the spin-independent amplitude.
Compound heterozygosity for novel splice site mutations in the BPAG2/COL17A1 gene underlies generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa.

Generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa, GABEB (OMIM# 226650), is a nonlethal variant of epidermolysis bullosa with autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. The pathogenesis of this disorder can be caused by mutations affecting two different gene/protein systems. Most of the mutations have been identified in the BPAG2/COL17A1 gene encoding a hemidesmosomal transmembrane protein, the 180 kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP180), also known as type XVII collagen. The minority of the mutations are localized in the LAMB3 gene encoding the β3 polypeptide of laminin 5. In this study we describe a GABEB patient who showed absent expression of BP180 in the cultured keratinocytes as well as in the skin. The patient was a compound heterozygote for two different splice site mutations, 3053–1G→C and 3871+1G→C, affecting the extracellular domain of the protein. These mutations resulted in multiple aberrant splice variants, three of them causing premature termination codons for translation. This case, dealing with out-of-frame splice site mutations in BPAG2/COL17A1, attests to the molecular heterogeneity of GABEB.
The Optimization Model and its Algorithms for Multiple Transportation Modes Selection in the Fourth Party Logistics

Each transport mode owns itself technical economy. On the basis of multiple transport mode selection, the paper presents the route optimization model for single-task from one origination to one destination in the fourth party logistics, and gives the solution of Genetic Algorithms. In the algorithms, a length-variant encoding scheme of round number is adopted to represent the selected route, and idea that keeps the best individual is used. The results of experiments show that Genetic Algorithms can solve the route optimization problem based on the selection of multiple transport modes in the fourth party logistics conveniently and effectively.
Drug Therapy for Resistant Hypertension: Simplifying the Approach

Despite the availability of many effective antihypertensive drugs, the drug therapy for resistant hypertension remains a prominent problem. Reviews offer only the general recommendations of increasing dosage and adding drugs, offering clinicians little guidance with respect to the specifics of selecting medications and dosages. A simplified decision tree for drug selection that would be effective in most cases is needed. This review proposes such an approach. The approach is mechanism-based, targeting treatment at three hypertensive mechanisms: (1) sodium/volume, (2) the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and (3) the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). It assumes baseline treatment with a 2-drug combination directed at sodium/volume and the RAS and recommends proceeding with one or both of just two treatment options: (1) strengthening the diuretic regimen, possibly with the addition of spironolactone, and/or (2) adding agents directed at the SNS, usually a β-blocker or combination of an α- and a β-blocker. The review calls for greater research and clinical attention directed to: (1) assessment of clinical clues that can help direct treatment toward either sodium/volume or the SNS, (2) increased recognition of the role of neurogenic (SNS-mediated) hypertension in resistant hypertension, (3) increased recognition of the effective but underutilized combination of α- + β-blockade, and (4) drug pharmacokinetics and dosing.
Nox4: A Hydrogen Peroxide-Generating Oxygen Sensor

Nox4 is an oddity among members of the Nox family of NADPH oxidases [seven isoenzymes that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) from molecular oxygen] in that it is constitutively active. All other Nox enzymes except for Nox4 require upstream activators, either calcium or organizer/activator subunits (p47phox, NOXO1/p67phox, and NOXA1). Nox4 may also be unusual as it reportedly releases hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in contrast to Nox1–Nox3 and Nox5, which release superoxide, although this result is controversial in part because of possible membrane compartmentalization of superoxide, which may prevent detection. Our studies were undertaken (1) to identify the Nox4 ROS product using a membrane-free, partially purified preparation of Nox4 and (2) to test the hypothesis that Nox4 activity is acutely regulated not by activator proteins or calcium, but by cellular pO2, allowing it to function as an O2 sensor, the output of which is signaling H2O2. We find that approximately 90% of the electron flux through isola...
Comparing River Basin Development Experiences in the Mississippi and the Mekong

Abstract This paper compares water resources issues and management efforts between the Mississippi River system (North America's largest) and the Mekong River system (Southeast Asia's largest). Outcomes from the Mississippi experience-where large-scale hydraulic engineering approaches have been employed for decades-may be especially relevant to planning efforts in the Mekong, where large-scale engineering has yet to be used in many areas of the river basin. Experiences in the Mississippi in flood hazards, ecosystem degradation, restoration, monitoring, and adaptive management could be used to inform Mekong water policy formation. In both the Mekong and Mississippi River basins, the health and livelihoods of people are strongly linked to ecological integrity. The challenge of sustaining this integrity in the processes of socioeconomic development may be the single most important feature connecting these large river systems and their inhabitants.
Succinoxidase activity and coenzyme A concentration in hormone stimulated mammary glands of ovariectomized guinea pigs.

The proliferation and functioning of the parenchymatous tissue of the mammary gland is known to involve the combined activity of several endocrine secretions. The experimental development of mammary glands in both males and females of various species has been extensively investigated (Scharf and Lyons, 1941; Mixner and Turner, 1942; Kirkham and Turner, 1954). Turner and Gomez (1934) stimulated male and immature castrate female guinea pigs with estrogens for 20 days, finding very evident growth and development both in extent and thickness of the mammary glands. Nelson (1936), using various concentrations of estrogens obtained corresponding results. Jeffers (1935), as the result of her cytological studies of the mammary glands of pseudopregnant rats, has expressed the opinion that such glands could have supported lactation comparable to that occurring after normal birth. Inasmuch as previous studies have only measured the attainment of full mammary growth by the occurrence of milk secretion or by cytologica...
4-Hydroxy estradiol but not 2-hydroxy estradiol induces expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor A through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/FRAP pathway in OVCAR-3 and A2780-CP70 human ovarian carcinoma cells

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor composed of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta subunits. HIF-1 expression is induced by hypoxia, growth factors, and activation of oncogenes. HIF-1 activates downstream target genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), which plays an important role in tumor progression and angiogenesis. Estrogen exposure is considered to be the major risk factor for ovarian cancer. Estradiol (E2) is usually metabolized by CYP1A1/1A2 and CYP3A4 to the 2-hydroxy estradiol (2-OHE2) and 4-hydroxy estradiol (4-OHE2) in human liver. Many reports have suggested that the formation of 4-OHE2 is important for mammary carcinogenesis. However, the formation of 2-OHE2 may play an important role in exhibiting anticarcinogenic effects. In the present study, we have demonstrated that one of the catechol estrogen metabolites of E2, 4-OHE2, induces HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression at protein level in two human ovarian cancer cell lines, OVCAR-3 and A2780-CP70 cells, in dose- and time-dependent manners, whereas the other catechol estrogen metabolite of E2, 2-OHE2, does not alter HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression. To explore the mechanism of 4-OHE2-induced HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression, we studied whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways are involved in 4-OHE2-induced HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression. Our findings indicate that PI3K inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin, inhibited HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression, whereas MAPK inhibitor, PD98059, did not alter HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression induced by 4-OHE2. 4-OHE2, but not 2-OHE2, also induced Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 in dose- and time-dependent manners, and LY294002 and wortmannin inhibited Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 induced by 4-OHE2. Our results also indicated that the mTOR/FRAP inhibitor, rapamycin, inhibited 4-OHE2-induced HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression. These results suggest that the PI3K/Akt/FRAP signaling pathway is required for HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression induced by 4-OHE2, whereas the MAPK pathway is not required. The finding that induction of HIF-1alpha and VEGF-A expression occurs via the activation of the PI3K/Akt/FRAP signaling pathway could be an important mechanism of 4-OHE2-induced carcinogenesis.
Combinatorial Extension Cohomology I. Groups

Abstract A new method is proposed for calculating the measurable, continuous, or differentiable cohomology of a group extension, which involves deriving functional equations for the restrictions of cocycles to certain well-behaved subsets of its domain and showing that the cocycle can be written as a certain sum of such restrictions. This technique is capable of determining how the quotients of the filtration given by the spectral sequence fit together, and is applied to the case of the Heisenberg group H n to yield extremely explicit cocycle representatives, culminating in a stability theorem regarding multilinearizability of cocycles. One of the main tools for doing this is the derivation of a formula for trivializing the product of two alternating multilinear functions, one of which is the nondegenerate bilinear one defining the Heisenberg group, which has interesting connections with Hodge theory.
Lipid Content and Seasonal Activity of Odontopus calceatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Adults

Overwintering Odontopus calceatus (Say) adults were first observed feeding on April 10. Weekly collections during the activity period indicated that new-generation adults began emerging June 4. By July 23 they had entered the forest litter for hibernation. Lipid content decreased throughout the hibernation period as the weevils utilized 77% of their total lipid content during The time. The most rapid decrease during hibernation occurred February to March, just prior to mating and oviposition in the spring. No increase in lipid content occurred during me activity period in spring and summer. A great increase in lipid content did occur within a month after the weevils had entered the litter for hibernation. Only quantitative changes in total lipid content were determined.
Comparing two small samples with an unstable, treatment-independent baseline

Due to time and resource constraints, small samples (N=3-7 cases per group) are often used in neurobiological studies that employ multiple techniques. In a simulation study, five statistical tests were used to compare two small samples (treated and control) with an unstable, additive baseline. These five tests differed in the way that they used the baseline variable (B) to adjust or normalize the variable affected by the treatment (Y). We conclude that, if N=3 or 4, the independent t-test on Y-B tends to have the highest power; if N> or =7, ANCOVA on Y with B as the covariate tends to have the highest power; and both tests have comparably high power if N=5 or 6. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test (or, equivalently, the Mann-Whitney test) has precisely zero power if one group has 3 cases and the other has 3 or 4 cases. Some other problems of small-sample analysis are considered.
Nonclassical effects in the photon-added thermal state

It was shown recently by Lee that, if a radiation state has zero probability of having zero photon, then the state is as nonclassical as possible. This suggests that one can convert any classical state into one of the most nonclassical states simply by adding one photon to it, which can be achieved by passing an excited atom through the cavity containing the classical radiation and accepting the resultant only if the exit atom is found to be in its ground state. This concept is applied to the thermal state as an illustration.
Trypan blue as an indicator of urothelial integrity

Defects in the urinary bladder urothelium may be an etiological factor in conditions such as recurrent urinary tract infection and interstitial cystitis. Initial studies have demonstrated that the colloidal dye trypan blue can be used as a marker for defects in the integrity of the mucosal epithelium. Male white New Zealand rabbits were separated into 4 groups: Control, in vivo overdistension (via saline infusion), intravesical acetone (20 ml 50% for 1 minute), and intravesical 50% DMSO (20 ml “RIMSO-50” for 30 minutes). Both intravesical instillations were followed by 3–20 ml saline washes. Immediately following acetone or DMSO, 20 ml 1% trypan blue in saline was instilled and left in the bladder for up to 1 hour. After overdistension, 1% trypan blue in saline was infused into the bladder at the same rate until the volume reached that previously defined as the overdistension volume. Control bladders were rinsed with 20 ml saline, twice, before being filled with 20 ml of the trypan blue solution. There was no evidence of trypan blue's staining of tissues in any of the control bladders. After DMSO treatment, there was usually only slight staining of the bladder surface urothelium and subjacent connective tissues. After acetone treatment, microscopic examination of bladder wall showed that nuclei were stained in all tissues of the wall (e.g., urothelium, connective tissue and smooth muscle). After acute frank overdistension, the bladder wall was deep blue throughout, very similar to the acetone-treated bladder. Microscopic analysis demonstrated that the smooth muscle elements were the most heavily stained. In summary 1) trypan blue does not penetrate the normal bladder mucosa, nor is any dye absorbed into the blood stream. 2) Frank overdistension of the bladder defeats the physical integrity of the urothelium as evidenced by penetration of the dye into the submucosal tissue, the peritoneal cavity, and bloodstream. 3) Where DMSO penetrates the urothelium itself, it appears to leave no permanent route by which other molecules can traverse the urothelium after it is removed. 4) Only after the integrity of the urothelial surface is disturbed are the cells of the urothelium susceptible to staining.
Low copy expression vectors for use in Yersinia sp. and related organisms.

Abstract In Yersinia , the most commonly used expression vectors for genetic studies such as gene complementation do not effectively allow for both induction and repression of gene expression. Additionally, there is no expression system available that can be induced in bacteria growing in vitro as well as in vivo , e.g. in eukaryotic cell lines or in living animal models. Here, we present a series of novel inducible low copy expression vectors that are well suited for use in the Yersinia species. Their tet operator/promoter/repressor system makes them distinct from other vectors, and gene transcription in bacteria can easily be induced by addition of anhydrotetracyline (ATc) either to the growth medium, to tissue culture medium during bacterial infections of cell lines or by injection into animals infected with bacteria. Researchers can choose between two different antibiotic resistances (kanamycin or spectinomycin), between two copy numbers (5 or 12–22) as well as between two different versions for expression from either the native RBS and ATG or RBS and ATG encoded in the plasmid. The whole vector series contains the same multi-cloning site from pBluescript II KS+ that allows for easy subcloning. Moreover, these vectors are built in a modular fashion that makes it simple to adapt them for other purposes. Finally, in addition to their use in Yersinia they are suitable for use in many other Enterobacteriaceae .
A genetically targetable fluorescent probe of channel gating with rapid kinetics.

Abstract We have developed a genetically targetable, optical channel-gating reporter that converts rapid membrane potential changes into changes in fluorescence intensity. We have named this construct SPARC (sodium channel protein-based activity reporting construct). Green fluorescent protein was inserted into an intracellular loop of a reversibly nonconducting form of the rat μ I skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel. Rapid changes of the membrane potential modulate the fluorescence of the inserted green fluorescent protein. This change in fluorescence can faithfully report depolarizing pulses as short as 2ms. The fluorescence signal does not inactivate during extended depolarizations. Several features of the probe's response properties indicate that it likely reports gating charge movement of a single domain of rat μ I skeletal muscle. This probe provides a new approach for studying rapid channel movements and may possibly act as a fluorescent activity reporter in excitable cells.
Donor Human Milk: No Longer A Place For Formula in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit?

Human milk is the best food for human infants, including those born preterm. Human milk feeding benefits the preterm infant by improving mental and motor development, decreasing the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and retinopathy of prematurity during the postnatal period spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In order to support the increased nutrient requirements of these infants, human milk must be fortified. In the absence of a mother’s own milk, donor human milk is becoming a more commonly used replacement for bovine-based formula, especially in the tiniest patients. While donor human milk has been shown to convey many of the benefits of mother’s own milk, it is generally lower in protein and calories than preterm milk and may require fortification in different proportions. This report discusses the evidence for donor human milk in the nutritional support of the preterm infant.
Role of Percutaneous Intervention in Treatment of Proximal Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy as Compared to Diffuse Distal Disease

Purpose Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a progressive diffuse form of arterial narrowing affecting patients with orthotopic heart transplants (OHT). The outcome of patients undergoing PCI for proximal CAV in comparison to patients with distal non-intervenable disease is currently unknown. Methods and Materials All patients undergoing OHT and subsequent coronary angiography at the Cleveland Clinic were considered for inclusion. Subjects were divided into three cohorts: no/ mild CAV, moderate or severe diffuse CAV without revascularization, severe CAV with revascularization. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was utilized for group comparisons. Results Data from 282 patients (222 M, 60 F) including 1759 angiographies were used for analysis. During the study period, 96 PCI were performed in 51 patients. CABG and repeat OHT were performed in 5 and 4 patients respectively. Mean (SD) duration to first revascularization was 8.8 (5.0) years. 84 patients had evidence of early CAV, defined as at least moderate CAV within the first 10 years after OHT. Very early CAV (>moderate CAV within 5 years of OHT) occurred in 43 subjects. Patients with proximal CAV requiring PCI had a significantly reduced survival as compared to patients with moderate or severe distal diffuse disease not amenable to PCI (p=0.04) or those with no/ mild CAV (p=0.005). Median survival after first revascularization was 5.7 years. Repeat revascularization was needed in 20 patients (2 procedures in 12 patients, 3 procedures in 7 patients, 4 procedures in 1 patient). There was no significant difference in median survival after PCI among patients with very early CAV, early CAV or late CAV. Median survival in these three groups was measured as 6.8 years, 5.5 years and 5.8 years respectively (p=0.4). Conclusions Patients with proximal CAV requiring PCI had lower survival as compared to those with diffuse distal disease, which is not amenable to revascularization. The median survival after PCI appears to be constant, regardless of the time of occurrence of CAV after OHT.
Synthesis and Testing of a Focused Phenothiazine Library for Binding to HIV-1 TAR RNA

We have synthesized a series of phenothiazine derivatives, which were used to test the structure-activity relationship of binding to HIV-1 TAR RNA. Variations from our initial compound, 2-acetylphenothiazine, focused on two moieties: ring substitutions and n-alkyl substitutions. Binding characteristics were ascertained via NMR, principally by saturation transfer difference spectra of the ligand and imino proton resonance shifts of the RNA. Both ring and alkyl substitutions manifested NMR changes upon binding. In general, the active site, while somewhat flexible, has regions that can be capitalized for increased binding through van der Waals interactions and others that can be optimized for solubility in subsequent stages of development. However, binding can be nontrivially enhanced several-fold through optimization of van der Waals and hydrophilic sites of the scaffold.
Progressive Anatomical Closure of Foramen Ovale in Normal Neonatal Mouse Hearts

In the prenatal heart, right-to-left atrial shunting of blood through the foramen ovale is essential for proper circulation. After birth, as the pulmonary circulation is established, the foramen ovale functionally closes as a result of changes in the relative pressure of the two atrial chambers, ensuring the separation of oxygen depleted venous blood in the right atrium from the oxygenated blood entering the left atrium. Little is known regarding the process of anatomical closure of the foramen ovale in the postnatal heart. Genetically engineered mouse models are powerful tools to study heart development and to reveal mechanisms underlying cardiac anomalies, including defects in atrioventricular septation. Using three-dimensional reconstructions of serial sectioned hearts at early postnatal Days 2-7, we show a progressive reduction in the size of the interatrial communication throughout this period and complete closure by postnatal Day 7. Furthermore we demonstrate that fusion of the septum primum and septum secundum occurs between 4 weeks and 3 months of age. This study provides a standard timeline for morphological closure of the right-left atrial communication and fusion between the atrial septa in normal mouse hearts.
Zeolites: Ordered, disordered, collapsed.

Some crystalline solids, such as zeolites, can be converted into amorphous structures by heat or pressure without ever forming a liquid. Experiments and models show that the distinction between order and disorder is getting increasingly blurred.
Regulation of GluA1 α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor function by protein kinase C at serine-818 and threonine-840.

Three residues within the AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptor subunit GluA1 C terminus (Ser818, Ser831, Thr840) can be phosphorylated by Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC). Here, we show that PKC phosphorylation of GluA1 Ser818 or Thr840 enhances the weighted mean channel conductance without altering the response time course or agonist potency. These data support the idea that these residues constitute a hyper-regulatory domain for the AMPA receptor. Introduction of phosphomimetic mutations increases conductance only at these three sites within the proximal C terminus, consistent with a structural model with a flexible linker connecting the distal C-terminal domain to the more proximal domain containing a helix bracketed by Ser831 and Thr840. NMR spectra support this model and raise the possibility that phosphorylation can alter the configuration of this domain. Our findings provide insight into the structure and function of the C-terminal domain of GluA1, which controls AMPA receptor function and trafficking during synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system.
Remote Sensing Best Paper Award 2013

Remote Sensing has started to institute a “Best Paper” award to recognize the most outstanding papers in the area of remote sensing techniques, design and applications published in Remote Sensing. We are pleased to announce the first “Remote Sensing Best Paper Award” for 2013. Nominations were selected by the Editor-in-Chief and selected editorial board members from among all the papers published in 2009. Reviews and research papers were evaluated separately. [...]
Searching for an exotic lepton and gauge boson at high-energy e+e- colliders.

The possibility of searching in high-energy e/sup +/e/sup -/ collisions for a singly produced heavy lepton with an ordinary light lepton, e/sup +/e/sup -/..-->..L/sup +/l/sup -/, has been investigated. The search is motivated mainly by its distinctive experimental signatures. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 30 fb/sup -1/ collected at a 1-TeV e/sup +/e/sup -/ collider, the search is sensitive to a lepton of mass up to about 1 TeV/c/sup 2/ and a production cross section as low as 10% of the ..mu..-pair point cross section. For the case where the process is mediated by an exotic gauge boson, sensitivity to a gauge boson of mass up to about 2 TeV/c/sup 2/ can be achieved.
Extended Incubation Period of Rabies Virus in a Captive Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

Rabies virus incubation in bats is typically less than 180 days, yet longer incubation periods have been described. We report a 267-day incubation in a big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) exposed to rabies virus before entering our captive colony.
'Ready made' virulence and 'dual use' virulence factors in pathogenic environmental fungi--the Cryptococcus neoformans paradigm.

Environmental pathogenic fungi present a paradox in that they are virulent in animals without requiring animal hosts for replication or survival, a phenomenon we call 'ready-made' virulence. In the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, the capacity for virulence in animals may originate from environmental selective pressures imposed by such organisms as amoeboid and nematode predators. Many C. neoformans virulence factors appear to have 'dual use' capabilities that confer survival advantages in both animal hosts and in the environment. The findings with C. neoformans may provide a paradigm for understanding the origin and maintenance of virulence in other pathogenic environmental fungi.
The relative effectiveness of paper-pencil test, interview, and ratings as techniques for personality evaluation.

(1946). The Relative Effectiveness of Paper-Pencil Test, Interview, and Ratings as Techniques for Personality Evaluation. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 35-54.
Delay in the development of amygdala kindling following treatment with 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile

Abstract A disruption in cognitive function and induction of astrogliosis in the brain have been reported as neurotoxic effects of 3-3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN). Kindling is a model of synaptic plasticity that produces functional and structural alterations in brain that may encompass those underlying learning and memory. We examined kindling development in rats exposed to IDPN as neonates (0 or 225 mg/kg on postnatal days 5–7) or as adults (0 or 200 mg/kg/day for 3 days at 2–3 months of age). As adults, animals were electrically kindled in the amygdala with once daily stimulation until fully generalized seizures were evoked. IDPN significantly retarded the rate of development of kindling and shortened the mean afterdischarge (AD) duration with successive stimulations in animals dosed as adults. Neonatally-treated animals were not significantly slower to kindle but did demonstrate protracted AD development. No effect on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures was seen. IDPN's reported effects on biogenic amines or its olfactory toxicity cannot readily account for the delay in kindling. Alternatively, we propose that disruption of synaptic transmission consequent to IDPN-induced neuronal degeneration in the CNS may contribute to an impairment of kindling.
Secretory function of isolated parotid acinar cells

Functionally and anatomically intact acinar cells were obtained from the parotid gland of the rat by enzymatic dispersion. After exsanguination of the animal, the duct system of the gland was filled with a solution of hyaluronidase and collagenase (0.1%) in Ca±Mg free Hank's salt medium. The parotid was removed, minced and the tissue was incubated in the same enzyme solution for 60 min at 37°C. Then, the suspension was filtered through nylon mesh, the clumps of cells were separated by centrifugation, were suspended in a solution of trypsin (0.1%) and reincubated for 20 min. Finally, the cells were dispersed by pipetting the suspension 10 times, washed and then dispersed by pipetting the suspension 10 times, washed and then suspended in balanced Hank's solution containing bovine serum albumin (2 gm/100 ml). Yield of cells was ≃60% of the original gland tissue. The cells were anatomically intact and did not stain with 0.2% trypan blue for up to 8 hours. They showed normal respiration (O2 uptake: 21.4 ± 2.7 μl/hours·mg protein) and responded to stimulants of sectory activity (epinephrine, isoproterenol, dibutyryl cyclic. AMP, theophylline and NaF) by secreting amylase into the medim at rates approximately equal to those observed in the intact gland in situ. This method permits the investigation of aspects of the secretory processes of exocrine glands which cannot be studied in the intact glands of experimental animals in situ or in gland slices. Furthermore, as preliminary experimetns have shown, living acinar cells for similar secretory studies can be obtained from human salivary glands and pancreas immediately after death.