cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lactation response of dairy cows receiving bovine somatotropin and fed rations varying in crude protein and undegradable intake protein.

Abstract Our experiment evaluated lactation and metabolic responses of Holstein cows injected with somidobove (recombinant bST) and fed one of four isocaloric rations containing either 14 (low) or 17% (high) CP and undegradable intake protein of 33 (low) or 40% (high) of CP. Multiparous cows (n = 37) in early lactation, averaging 37 kg/d of milk, received somidobove (640mg per injection) at 28-d intervals for 112 d and one of four protein rations: low-low, low-high, high-low, and high-high. Nine other multiparous controls were fed low-low ration with no somidobove. On the low-low ration, somidobove significantly increased milk yield by 2.3 kg/d, but not 3.5% FCM (1.7 kg/d), in-takes of DM or CP, or milk composition. Milk and 3.5% FCM increased by 1.7 and 2.1 kg/d in cows fed high undegradable intake protein but there was no effect on milk composition, BW, or DM intake. Ration CP had no effect on production variables in cows receiving somidobove. Serum urea was higher in cows fed high CP rations; undegradable intake protein was without effect. Plasma leucine was higher in cows fed high undegradable intake protein. Administration of somidobove to cows fed low-low rations reduced plasma methionine, serum albumin, hemoglobin, and albumin:globulin ratio. Milk production of high producing dairy cows receiving somidobove may be limited by the amount of protein available at the small intestine.
Effect of chlorine exposure on the thermo-reflectance spectra of lead chalcogenide films☆☆☆

Abstract Small crystallites of PbCl 2 have been observed on Cl 2- and air-exposed surfaces of PbS. Identification has been made by observing the fundamental exciton of PbCl 2 in thermoreflectance, and by the EDAX technique in a scanning electron microscope. Similar effects occur on PbSe and PbTe. The phenomenon may be applicable to a low level integrating chlorine detector.
A Fine Structure Study of Physarum polycephalum During Transformation from Sclerotium to Plasmodium: A Six‐Stage Description

. Physarum polycephalum is classified presently as a sarcodinid in the class Eumycetozoea. It produces a sclerotial dormant stage consisting of a crustose deposit containing nucleated spherules of cytoplasm enclosed within a honey-comb-like matrix of organic walls. When rehydrated, the sclerotium reverts to a plasmodium: 1) the spherules become increasingly vacuolated, 2) electron-dense granules become dispersed within expanding vacuoles, and 3) pseudopodial extensions develop from the periphery of the spherule cytoplasm, penetrating the fragmenting walls, and making interconnections with surrounding spherules, eventually leading to a fully reticulated plasmodium. Six stages are identified during reversion from sclerotium to plasmodium in laboratory cultures, and their successive appearance was mapped over time. The six stages are: 1) sclerotial stage with crenulated nuclei, 2) cytoplasmic activation with smooth nuclear envelopes, 3) initiation of pseudopodial protrusions, 4) pseudopodial penetration into or across walls, 5) cytoplasmic interconnections among spherules with wall disintegration, and 6) fully formed cytoplasmic network as plasmodium. Cytochrome c oxidase activity, expressed per unit protein content of the homogenate, remains fairly constant throughout the developmental sequence, whereas acid phosphatase activity, expressed per unit protein concentration, is somewhat lower in the sclerotium than in subsequent stages of development after hydration.
Tabloid Justice: Criminal Justice in an Age of Media Frenzy By Richard L. Fox and Robert W. Van Sickel. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2001. 225p. $55.00 cloth, $22.00 paper.

We live in a tabloid era defined by The National Enquirer and The Star. How has it affected popular confidence in the criminal justice system? Richard L. Fox and Robert W. Van Sickel's study examines the mass media's tabloid news coverage of high-profile criminal cases that involve violence and race, gender, and social class issues. This news coverage, they argue, sacrifices the media's educational function, misinforms the public about the operation of the criminal justice system, and contributes to the public's lack of faith in criminal justice.
Field Observations on Effects of Alaska Earthquake of 10 July 1958

The Alaska earthquake of 10 July 1958 was caused by movement on the Fairweather fault amounting to at least 21½ feet horizontally and 3½ feet vertically. Effects of strong shaking were evident over a large area in southeastern Alaska. In Lituya Bay an enormous wave, possibly resulting from a rockslide, reached a maximum height of more than 1700 feet.
Limiting DoS attacks during multihop data delivery in wireless sensor networks

Denial of Service (DoS) attacks can be easily launched in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Due to their resource constraints, namely limited energy, memory and bandwidth, WSNs are especially vulnerable to DoS attacks. This paper addresses a particular class of DoS attacks that overwhelm resources along a multihop data delivery path. Since WSNs are typically tree-structured, then a DoS attack on a path will be especially effective in denying routing service to an entire branch of sensor nodes, not just the nodes along the path. This paper proposes a solution using one-way hash chains to protect end-to-end multihop communications in WSNs against such Path-based DoS (PDoS) attacks. The proposed solution is lightweight, tolerates bursty packet losses and can easily be implemented in modern WSNs. This paper reports on performance measured from a prototype implementation.
Tracking control of a human limb during asynchronous neuromuscular electrical stimulation

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is defined as the use of an electrical stimulus to elicit muscle contractions and is commonly used in rehabilitative settings. NMES is also used for assistive purposes to create functional movements where it is termed functional electrical stimulation (FES). One limitation of NMES/FES is early onset of fatigue due to the nonselective, spatially fixed, synchronous activation of motor units. Asynchronous stimulation can reduce NMES-induced fatigue; however, one limitation of asynchronous stimulation is that switching between stimulation channels may introduce discontinuities due to a differing response to stimulation by each group of recruited motor units. Thus, there is a need to design a controller which considers the switching dynamics and muscle response to stimulation during asynchronous stimulation. A closed-loop feedback controller is developed in this paper to yield semi-global asymptotic tracking of a desired trajectory for a person's knee-shank complex during asynchronous stimulation. The result is promising for the implementation of asynchronous stimulation in assistive devices as a method to reduce fatigue while tracking a desired trajectory.
Early warning signals of extinction in deteriorating environments

During the decline to extinction, animal populations may present dynamical phenomena not exhibited by robust populations. Some of these phenomena, such as the scaling of demographic variance, are related to small size whereas others result from density-dependent nonlinearities. Although understanding the causes of population extinction has been a central problem in theoretical biology for decades, the ability to anticipate extinction has remained elusive. Here we argue that the causes of a population's decline are central to the predictability of its extinction. Specifically, environmental degradation may cause a tipping point in population dynamics, corresponding to a bifurcation in the underlying population growth equations, beyond which decline to extinction is almost certain. In such cases, imminent extinction will be signalled by critical slowing down (CSD). We conducted an experiment with replicate laboratory populations of Daphnia magna to test this hypothesis. We show that populations crossing a transcritical bifurcation, experimentally induced by the controlled decline in environmental conditions, show statistical signatures of CSD after the onset of environmental deterioration and before the critical transition. Populations in constant environments did not have these patterns. Four statistical indicators all showed evidence of the approaching bifurcation as early as 110 days (∼8 generations) before the transition occurred. Two composite indices improved predictability, and comparative analysis showed that early warning signals based solely on observations in deteriorating environments without reference populations for standardization were hampered by the presence of transient dynamics before the onset of deterioration, pointing to the importance of reliable baseline data before environmental deterioration begins. The universality of bifurcations in models of population dynamics suggests that this phenomenon should be general.
Oxide−Carbon Composites and Porous Metal Oxides Prepared via Water-Swellable Polymer Networks

Water-swellable polymer networks (WSPN) were employed as media for lodging metal nitrate salts or partially hydrolyzed tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), which are precursors for inorganic oxides. The loading achieved either via the polymerization of a suitable monomer and a cross-linker in an aqueous solution of the precursor or, in the case of TEOS, via the simultaneous polymerization of both monomers. The pyrolysis of the precursor loaded network under N{sub 2} flow generated interpenetrating networks of carbon and metal oxide. The combustion of the composite in air removed the carbon network and a porous metal oxide framework remained. On the basis of the methodology, a coating layer of C-SiO{sub 2} composite was generated on a carbon-fiber, and a porous powders of SiO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2}, MgO, and CuO-ZnO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} oxide(s) were synthesized. It was found that the specific surface area of the oxides is affected by the nature of the WSPN. Two methodologies which lead to particles were developed. In one of them, sedimentation polymerization, large particles of about 1 mm size were obtained. In the other one, which starts from an emulsion of a water solution in an organic liquid (toluene, cyclohexane), micrometer size particles were prepared. 16 refs., 10more » figs., 6 tabs.« less
The role of episodic memory in semantic learning: An examination of vocabulary acquisition in a patient with amnesia due to encephalitis

Abstract Four experiments examined the ability of the densely amnesic patient SS to acqulre novel vocabulary that entered the language after the onset of his amnesla. Experiment 1 examined SS's ability to recall and recognize the meaning of novel words; Experiment 2 utilized a semantic priming paradigm to assess his knowledge of these words under conditions in which the retrieval demands were minimized; Experiment 3 evaluated his lexical knowledge of novel words in a lexical decision task; Experiment 4 used a sentence verification paradigm to evaluate his ability to discern the correct use of novel words. SS was severely impaired across all taska. Only when the novel words were compound words consisting of well known parts, was there any evidence to suggest that he had acquired even partial knowledge about these words. This pattern of results was not attributable to a generalized semantic memory deflcit. Rather, these findings suggest that episodic memory plays an important role in the acquisltion of nove...
Therapist qualities related to outcome with exposure in vivo in neurotic patients

Abstract A retrospective evaluation of certain therapist qualities relative to therapeutic change was conducted on 36 phobic and obsessive-compulsive patients who were treated with flooding, a form of in vivo exposure. Most variables concerning the therapist's style of conducting the treatment are significantly related to outcome. It is suggested that a long-term interaction effect may operate between the therapist's style and exposure in vivo. The need is noted for the further evaluation of variables related to patient-therapist compatibility and the therapist's training and experience.
Electrical conductivity particle detector for use in biological and chemical micro-analysis systems

This work introduces an integrated electrical detector for use as a conductivity or impedance based detection system for miniaturized biochemical analysis systems such as liquid chromatography or field flow-fractionation systems. Motivation for use of an on-chip conductivity detector is given. The design, fabrication, and characterization of the detector in the conductivity-based detection mode are described. Critical parameters of the conductivity detector, such as time constants, detection limits, and the effects of flow rate and applied voltage on detector response, are measured. In addition, the on-chip detector is compared to a conventional off-chip, UV-based detection system. The conductivity detector was fabricated by creating low impedance electrodes on the top and bottom surface at the end of a typical separation channel. The detector was shown to easily detect particles in the working concentration range of a typical separation system at low applied voltages. The measured time constants averaged approximately 2 seconds and changed slightly with flow rate through the detector. This time constant is acceptable for typical separations that take minutes to complete. The detector was also shown to dramatically improve resolution and reduce peak broadening for the system when compared to an off-chip detector.
Age‐dependent differences in morphine‐induced taste aversions

Adolescence is a developmental period of particular importance given the host of neurobiological changes that occur during this stage of development. Drug use and abuse is said to be a function of the balance of its rewarding and aversive effects, and any age-dependent differences in morphine's aversive effects could impact drug intake. The present experiments examined the ability of morphine sulfate (0, 3.2, 10, and 18 mg/kg) to induce taste aversions in adolescent and adult rats under high (20-min fluid access each day; Experiment 1A/B) and low (50% of ad libitum access; Experiment 2A/B) deprivation conditions. In both studies, adolescent and adult rats were given a novel saccharin solution to drink and were subsequently injected with morphine. Independent of the deprivation condition, adults acquired stronger aversions than adolescents and did so at a faster rate. On a subsequent two-bottle aversion test, all morphine-injected subjects drank a significantly lower percentage of saccharin than vehicle-injected controls with adults exhibiting stronger aversions than adolescents. These age-dependent differences in morphine-induced CTAs extend the findings with other drugs of abuse for which adolescents exhibit weaker aversions. The possible basis for and implications of these differences were discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 415–428, 2013
An interrelationship between calcium ion and serine in the nutrition of Lactobacillus casei.

SummaryA requirement of L. casei for calcium was induced by employing a reduced serine concentration in the basal medium. The calcium requirement was not demonstrable with a reduced concentration of any one of the remaining essential (for L. casei) amino acids. A marked increase in the sensitivity of response to calcium was obtained with reduced sodium concentrations, but the requirement for calcium in the low-serine medium persisted even at the lowest test levels of sodium.
Voice disorders in patients with suspected laryngo-pharyngeal reflux disease

Many symptoms have been recognized in association with laryngo-pharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD), but reports of perceptual voice disorders in this condition have been lacking to date. Forty-nine patients with suspected LPRD were studied for five specific perceptual voice characteristics, and these characteristics were compared to the same characteristics in individuals who had never seen an Otolaryngologist for a voice disorder or throat problem (controls). Sixteen of the suspected LPRD patients also underwent 24-hour pH probe studies. All patients with suspected LPRD had significantly increased abnormal perceptual voice characteristics (musculoskeletal tension, hard glottal attack, glottal fry, restricted tone placement, and hoarseness) compared to the controls. Statistical objective differences between the two groups was demonstrated by the presence of increased shimmer in patients with suspected LPRD compared to controls. The differential diagnosis between functional voice disorders and LPRD may be complex, and perceptual parameters may overlap. Interdisciplinary evaluation is advocated.
Evaluation of field aging effects on asphalt binder properties

ABSTRACT The oxidative aging that takes place in the asphalt binders used in the construction of asphalt pavements significantly affects the performance of the pavements during their service life. In this paper two issues that still generate a lot of debate in the research community are investigated: how far aging penetrates inside the asphalt layer and how reasonable laboratory aging tests simulate the aging occurring in the field. Cores were obtained from three cells at MnROAD facility and the binders were extracted and recovered from 25 mm slices cut along the depth of the cores. The properties of the recovered binders as well as the properties of the original binders aged in laboratory conditions were investigated, using standard testing procedures part of the current specifications as well as additional test methods. The results indicated differences in aging effects with location inside the asphalt layer and significant differences between the recovered and the laboratory aged binders.
Infrared Bounds, Phase Transitions and Continuous Symmetry Breaking

We present a new method for rigorously proving the existence of phase transitions. In particular, we prove that phase transitions occur in (φ·φ) 3 2 quantum field theories and classical, isotropic Heisenberg models in 3 or more dimensions. The central element of the proof is that for fixed ferromagnetic nearest neighbor coupling, the absolutely continuous part of the two point function ink space is bounded by 0(k−2). When applicable, our results can be fairly accurate numerically. For example, our lower bounds on the critical temperature in the three dimensional Ising (resp. classical Heisenberg) model agrees with that obtained by high temperature expansions to within 14% (resp. a factor of 9%).
Development of a sequence typing scheme for differentiation of Salmonella Enteritidis strains.

A DNA sequence typing scheme based on the caiC and SEN0629 loci was developed for differentiation of Salmonella Enteritidis strains and validated using a diverse collection of 102 isolates representing 38 phage types from different sources, year of isolation, geographical locations and epidemiological backgrounds. caiC encodes a probable crotonobetaine/carnitine-CoA ligase, and SEN0629 is a pseudogene. Our system allowed for discrimination of 16 sequence types (STs) among the 102 isolates analysed and intraphage type differentiation. Our findings also suggested that the stability of phage typing may be adversely affected by the occurrence of phage type conversion events. During a confirmatory phage typing analysis performed by a reference laboratory, 13 of 31 S. Enteritidis strains representing nine phage types were assigned phage types that differed from the ones originally determined by the same reference laboratory. It is possible that this phenomenon passes largely unrecognized in reference laboratories performing routine phage typing analyses. Our results demonstrate that phage typing is an unstable system displaying limited reproducibility and that the two-loci sequence typing scheme is highly discriminatory, stable, truly portable and has the potential to become the new gold standard for epidemiological typing of S . Enteritidis strains.
Management of Library Course Reserves and the Textbook Affordability Crisis

Students at U.S. colleges and universities are concerned about the high cost of textbooks. Expansion of library course reserves has been suggested as one solution to this problem. The authors surveyed libraries at public universities to explore the status and management of physical course reserves and the role they play vis-a-vis textbook affordability. Both size and circulation of physical course reserve collections are declining. Despite a large growth in the use of electronic reserves, physical reserves play a significant role in providing textbooks for recommended reading lists. Physical course reserves represent a safety valve for students looking for ways to pay for college in an environment of ever-increasing textbook costs.
Photoinduced, electron-transfer reactions of aryl glycosides

Abstract The photolytic effects of ultraviolet, as well as other electromagnetic, radiation on carbohydrates are of interest in connection with photodegradation of cellulose and potential application in the photolytic cleavage of lignocellulosic bonds. Aryl glycosides, model compounds for lignocellulosic systems, were irradiated under conditions selected to achieve photoinduced electron-transfer. Various anomeric phenyl d -gluco- and d -galacto-pyranoside solutions in acetonitrile saturated with oxygen, air, or nitrogen and containing 1,4-dicyanonaphthalene (DCN) were irradiated at 350 nm for extended periods, and cleavage of the radical cation formed upon electron transfer to give the simple monosaccharide and phenol was observed. In the presence of methanol, it is possible to intercept the cationic intermediate, with formation of the correspondingmethyl glycosides. Control experiments conducted in the presence of oxygen, air, or nitrogen in the absence of DCN showed little or no conversion. Comparison of the modes of fragmentation in solution with those observed in the gas phase upon electron impact in the mass spectrometer was made, and mechanisms for the reactions induced by electron transfer under these conditions are proposed.
Angular-momentum-projected yrast states in even xenon isotopes

Using the procedure of Ewart and de Takacsy to obtain expressions for the energy of angular momentum projected yrast states coming from coherent phonon intrinsic states, the energy expressions are then minimized with respect to the phonon structure coefficients and for each individual level the calculation is made self-consistent with an amended Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer number equation. The pairing plus quadrupole Hamiltonian is used and quite good results are obtained for the low spin yrast states of even xenon isotopes. The proton gap was found to vanish at J = 10 or 12.
Enhancement Models at High Light Intensities

The separate package and spillover models of photosynthetic enhancement are generalized and extended to light saturation assuming hyperbolic or exponential rate versus intensity curves. The available data are more consistent with the exponential model at high light intensities. Two significant conclusions follow: (a) the decreases in enhancement observed at high light intensities are accounted for by the curvatures of the light intensity curves for photosynthesis, and (b) nonlinearity of rate versus intensity curves may be sufficient to reduce enhancement greatly even when the intensity curves appear linear.
The first large format Si:Sb BIB arrays

The first 128x128 Si:Sb blocked impurity band (BIB) detectors, manufactured by Rockwell International, are sensitive detectors from 10 to at least 40 µm. While further work is required to make these arrays suitable for the low backgrounds of space infrared telescopes, they can be used now for observations from the ground and aircraft.
Keynes and democracy

Abstract This article examines John Maynard Keynes on democracy. It reviews the claim by conservative economists that Keynes and Keynesian policy are destructive to democracy because Keynes was an elitist and his policy is incompatible with democracy. It then examines Keynes's arguments about democracy, including his claim that he was attempting to find an economics consistent with protecting liberal democracy and capitalism, and his statements about the components of democracy.
Methods to determine vegetation production on surface mines

ABSTRACT State regulatory authorities (SRAs) must evaluate the amount of 1) plant cover and 2) production on revegetated areas and compare them to reference areas or a technical standard to determine if acceptable vegetation exists for reclamation bond release. While most SRAs have adopted a method to evaluate ground cover by plants, only a few SRAs have established a method for determining production. In this study, six methods for predicting aboveground biomass were used to determine if one or more methods would provide an accurate way of assessing aboveground biomass. Correlations were determined between each of six methods and the dry weight of forage clipped from large (65 m ) plots on eight reclaimed sites in West Virginia. Three methods involved visual estimations (quadrat cover, estimated yield, and average height), two methods involved indirect measurements (disk height and probe), and the sixth method used small plot clipping. The visual estimations were made by three individuals and their estim...
Beyond mere obesity: effect of increasing obesity classifications on hysterectomy outcomes for uterine cancer/hyperplasia.

Abstract Objective To assess the impact of obesity severity on hysterectomy outcomes for uterine hyperplasia/cancer. Methods The data from women undergoing hysterectomies for endometrial hyperplasia/uterine cancer with a BMI≥30kg/m 2 were abstracted from records at the University of Virginia and Duke University following IRB approval. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Results Mean age of the 659 patients was 58.1yrs; mean body mass index (BMI) was 43kg/m 2 . Women were grouped based on BMI: 39.6% (261) were obese (30–39kg/m 2 ), 41.7% (275) were morbidly obese (40–49 kg/m 2 ) and 18.7% (123) were super obese (≥50kg/m 2 ). Minimally invasive surgical procedures (MIS) were attempted in 280 patients with a conversion rate of 16.1%; BMI was higher in the converted group (47.3 vs. 40.6kg/m 2 ; p Conclusion Women with BMI's exceeding 40kg/m 2 have worse surgical outcomes than their less obese counterparts.
Late Gastric Perforations After Laparoscopic Fundoplication

Background Late complications are rarely encountered after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. These complications include acute gastric herniation through the esophageal hiatus, port-site herniation, recurrent reflux, and anatomic failure of the fundoplication. Only three cases of late gastric perforation after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication have been reported, all associated with intrathoracic wrap herniation.
Multiple free energies of activation of the chain oxygen atoms in the YBa2Cu3O7-δ

The desorption kinetics of the chain oxygen atoms in the YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) superconductor were studied using isothermal vacuum annealing (VA). The number of the O(1) atoms per unit cell in the crystal was measured at three temperatures of 390, 415, and 450°C for various annealing times. From these measurements it was found that at high temperatures the loss of the O(1) atoms from the YBCO is very rapid, and so, low annealing temperatures must be used in order to see the fine details of the desorption phenomena. When the log of the instantaneous O(1) occupancy vs. time was plotted, three distinct linear segments were obtained for each temperature. This, I think is an indication of the existence of multiple desorption processes. From the slopes of these lines, I have evaluated three free energies of activation to be 1.14(6), 1.45(3), and 1.91(13) eV. These results are explained in terms of oxygen ordering in the chains.
BLIMP1 against Lymphoma: The Verdict Is Reached

BLIMP1, a master regulator of plasma-cell differentiation, is implicated in the pathogenesis of Activated B cell (ABC)-like Diffuse Large B cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). In this issue of Cancer Cell, Mandelbaum and colleagues and Calado and colleagues unequivocally demonstrate that BLIMP1 functions as a tumor suppressor and guardian of ABC-like DLBCL lymphomagenesis.
Element-free galerkin methods for static and dynamic fracture

Abstract Element-free Galerkin (EFG) methods are presented and applied to static and dynamic fracture problems. EFG methods, which are based on moving least-square (MLS) interpolants, require only nodal data; no element connectivity is needed. The description of the geometry and numerical model of the problem consists only of a set of nodes and a description of exterior boundaries and interior boundaries from any cracks. This makes the method particularly attractive for growing crack problems, since only minimal remeshing is needed to follow crack growth. In moving least-square interpolants, the dependent variable at any point is obtained by minimizing a function in terms of the nodal values of the dependent variable in the domain of influence of the point. Numerical examples involving fatigue crack growth and dynamic crack propagation are presented to illustrate the performance and potential of this method.
An Integrated Approach to the Display of Doppler Radar and Other Meteorological Data

Though a weather radar is one of the most important sources of information when hazardous weather threatens, the well-prepared forecaster will want to consult other information also. For this purpose, effective merging of radar and other types of data in a common display is vital. The choice of coordinate system should not be made lightly; it depends upon many factors, including available computing resources, volume of data to be remapped, size of area viewed, requirements for position accuracy, and user preference. Once all data are in a common projection, the way is open for many effective combinations of meteorological and hydrological data. Compositing radar data with complementary information from satellites, lightning detection systems, drainage and basin maps, and geopolitical data has proven to be valuable. Three compositing techniques meet most needs: a simple overlay of graphical information upon an image, toggling between two images, and fading out one image while another fades in. Forecasters deal more easily with full-volume scan radar data if they can view reflectivity and radial velocity data together and have the option of slicing the data horizontally and vertically. They save precious minutes in critical situations through use of a semi-automated system for generating warning messages.
Roles of Arabidopsis Cyclin-Dependent Kinase C Complexes in Cauliflower Mosaic Virus Infection, Plant Growth, and Development

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II is phosphorylated during the transcription cycle by three cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs): CDK7, CDK8, and CDK9. CDK9 and its interacting cyclin T partners belong to the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) complexes, which phosphorylate the CTD to promote transcription elongation. We report that Arabidopsis thaliana CDK9-like proteins, CDKC;1 and CDKC;2, and their interacting cyclin T partners, CYCT1;4 and CYCT1;5, play important roles in infection with Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). cdkc;2 and cyct1;5 knockout mutants are highly resistant and cdkc;2 cyct1;5 double mutants are extremely resistant to CaMV. The mutants respond normally to other types of plant viruses that do not replicate by reverse transcription. Expression of a reporter gene driven by the CaMV 35S promoter is markedly reduced in the cdkc;2 and cyct1;5 mutants, indicating that the kinase complexes are important for transcription from the viral promoter. Loss of function of CDKC;1/CDKC;2 or CYCT1;4/CYCT1;5 results in complete resistance to CaMV as well as altered leaf and flower growth, trichome development, and delayed flowering. These results establish Arabidopsis CDKC kinase complexes as important host targets of CaMV for transcriptional activation of viral genes and critical regulators of plant growth and development.
The effects of environment and life stage on Quercus abundance in the eastern deciduous forest, USA: are sapling densities most responsive to environmental gradients?

Abstract Most studies that describe tree species distributions across environmental gradients focus only on the abundance of adults. This approach may overlook the response of younger life stages (i.e., seedlings and saplings) and thus may fail to identify the life stage that is most sensitive to a particular environmental gradient (i.e., site characteristics that vary across landscapes such as elevation or aspect). Alternatively, seedling and sapling abundance may be unrelated to environmental gradients and may be entirely dependent on adult abundance. In order to effectively manage eastern hardwood forests to promote species compositions that maximize economic or ecological value, we need to understand the relative roles of site characteristics and adult abundance on all life stages. To address this need, we examined the relationships between five site characteristics (aspect, slope position, site index, stand age and elevation) and the abundance of seedlings, saplings and adults of three species of oak (Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, and Quercus prinus). We assessed these relationships by censusing seedlings, saplings, and adults in large plots (500 m2) and quantifying local site characteristics in 21 forest stands in the Monongahela National Forest in North Central West Virginia. Adult white oak densities peaked on southwestern slopes (R2 = 0.24); adult chestnut oak densities peaked on ridge tops (R2 = 0.58); and adult northern red oak densities were not correlated with any site characteristics (R2 = 0.00). Densities of white oak and chestnut oak saplings were highly correlated with a combination of site characteristics and seedling densities (R2 = 0.75, 0.81, respectively), and northern red oak densities were highly correlated with site characteristics solely (R2 = 0.70). For seedlings, white oak and chestnut oak densities were correlated only with adult abundance (R2 = 0.53, 0.56, respectively), and northern red oak densities were correlated solely with site characteristics (R2 = 0.45). These data suggest that in the absence of disturbance, site characteristics have the strongest effects on abundance patterns of these oaks during the sapling stage. For each of the three species, seedling, sapling and adult densities were correlated with a different subset of factors meaning that different biotic and abiotic conditions promoted peak densities for each life stage. Such a pattern indicates that important “demographic conflicts” exist (sensu [Battaglia, L.L., Fore, S.A., Sharitz, R.R., 2000. Seedling emergence, survival and size in relation to light and water availability in two bottomland hardwood species. J. Ecol. 88, 1041–1050]).
Motoric cognitive risk syndrome and risk of mortality in older adults

Abstract Introduction Cognitive impairment is associated with increased mortality. We examined the association between motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome, a predementia syndrome characterized by slow gait and cognitive complaints, and survival. Methods A total of 11,867 nondemented participants aged >65 years from three established cohort studies in the United States and Europe were screened for MCR. Mortality risk of MCR was assessed with Cox and logistic regression models. Results At baseline, 836 (7.0%) participants had MCR. Over a median follow-up of 28 months, 1603 participants died (758 in first 2 years). MCR was associated with increased mortality overall (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46–1.96) and 2-year mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.50–2.38). The association remained after accounting for established mortality risk factors as well as baseline gait speed and memory performance. Discussion MCR is associated with increased mortality. Older adults should be screened for MCR to identify at-risk individuals for dementia and death.
Tegument protein control of latent herpesvirus establishment and animation

Herpesviruses are successful pathogens that infect most vertebrates as well as at least one invertebrate species. Six of the eight human herpesviruses are widely distributed in the population. Herpesviral infections persist for the life of the infected host due in large part to the ability of these viruses to enter a non-productive, latent state in which viral gene expression is limited and immune detection and clearance is avoided. Periodically, the virus will reactivate and enter the lytic cycle, producing progeny virus that can spread within or to new hosts. Latency has been classically divided into establishment, maintenance, and reactivation phases. Here we focus on demonstrated and postulated molecular mechanisms leading to the establishment of latency for representative members of each human herpesvirus family. Maintenance and reactivation are also briefly discussed. In particular, the roles that tegument proteins may play during latency are highlighted. Finally, we introduce the term animation to describe the initiation of lytic phase gene expression from a latent herpesvirus genome, and discuss why this step should be separated, both molecularly and theoretically, from reactivation.
Athletes and Rape: Is There a Connection?:

The present study builds upon previous research examining variables related to sexual assault. Previous studies have linked sexual aggression with attitudes toward rape as well as hostility toward women. Recent high-profile cases involving athletes and sexual assault have raised questions about the link with athletes. In fact, recent research has suggested that athletes may be more prone to commit rape; however, no study has examined competitiveness. This characteristic, associated with athletes, may predict sexual aggression and help assess why rape is reportedly perpetrated by athletes significantly more frequently than by nonathletes. It may be that individuals with high competitiveness may be more likely to be involved in sexual assaults. Scores on Competitiveness in 104 college men were significantly correlated with reported sexual aggression and athletic participation; however, there was no significant difference between athletes and nonathletes on aggressive sexual behavior. These findings suggest that characteristics of athletes rather than athletic participation alone must be considered further in examining the presumed link between athletes and sexual assault.
Differential requirement for the nonhelical tailpiece and the C terminus of the myosin rod in Caenorhabditis elegans muscle

Myosin heavy chain (MHC) is a large, multidomain protein important for both cellular structure and contraction. To examine the functional role of two C-terminal domains, the end of the coiled-coil rod and the nonhelical tailpiece, we have generated constructs in which residues within these domains are removed or mutated, and examined their behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans striated muscle. Genetic tests demonstrate that MHC lacking only tailpiece residues is competent to support the timely onset of embryonic contractions, and therefore viability, in animals lacking full-length MHC. Antibody staining experiments show that this truncated molecule localizes as wild type in early stages of development, but may be defective in processes important for thick filament organization later in embryogenesis. Ultrastructural analysis reveals thick filaments of normal morphology in disorganized arrangement, as well as occasional abnormal assemblages. In contrast, molecules in which the four terminal residues of the coiled coil are absent or mutated fail to rescue animals lacking endogenous MHC. Loss of these four residues is associated with delayed protein localization and delayed contractile function during early embryogenesis. Our results suggest that these two MHC domains, the rod and the tailpiece, are required for distinct steps during muscle development.
Climatic responsive atrium design in Europe

This paper considers the relationship between atrium design and different climatic conditions in Europe. The analyses may be used to inform design proposals for buildings which seek to optimise the thermal buffering characteristics of atria. Particular attention is given to certain parameters witl a potential to form climatic responsive and energy efficient atrium buildings.
Provision of differentiated reliable services in distribution systems based on customer preferences

This paper proposes a market mechanism that provides differentiated higher reliability services beyond a standard level in distribution networks. To offer the higher reliability services, switching devices, as one of technologies for enhancing reliability, will be installed in the systems. The decisions on numbers and locations of these switches are made based on information from a service provider and customers.
A Newly Discovered Mycobacterial Pathogen Isolated from Laboratory Colonies of Xenopus Species with Lethal Infections Produces a Novel Form of Mycolactone, the Mycobacterium ulcerans Macrolide Toxin

Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, produces a macrolide toxin, mycolactone A/B, which is thought to play a major role in virulence. A disease similar to Buruli ulcer recently appeared in United States frog colonies following importation of the West African frog, Xenopus tropicalis. The taxonomic position of the frog pathogen has not been fully elucidated, but this organism, tentatively designated Mycobacterium liflandii, is closely related to M. ulcerans and Mycobacterium marinum, and as further evidence is gathered, it will most likely be considered a subspecies of one of these species. In this paper we show that M. liflandii produces a novel plasmid-encoded mycolactone, mycolactone E. M. liflandii contains all of the genes in the mycolactone cluster with the exception of that encoding CYP140A2, a putative p450 monooxygenase. Although the core lactone structure is conserved in mycolactone E, the fatty acid side chain differs from that of mycolactone A/B in the number of hydroxyl groups and double bonds. The cytopathic phenotype of mycolactone E is identical to that of mycolactone A/B, although it is less potent. To further characterize the relationship between M. liflandii and M. ulcerans, strains were analyzed for the presence of the RD1 region genes, esxA (ESAT-6) and esxB (CFP-10). The M. ulcerans genome strain has a deletion in RD1 and lacks these genes. The results of these studies show that M. liflandii contains both esxA and esxB.
Low Testosterone and Risk of Premature Death in Older Men: Analytical and Preanalytical Issues in Measuring Circulating Testosterone

Two recent papers in Circulation (1) and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2) reported that older men with lower serum testosterone concentrations had a greater risk of dying than did men with higher testosterone. This potentially clinically important finding was not observed in 2 other prospective cohort studies (3)(4), and another cohort study reported that low concentrations of a combination of hormones, but not of bioavailable testosterone alone, were associated with death (5). These studies raise important issues related to measuring testosterone for etiologic and clinical use. ### motivation for discussing issues in measuring testosterone An important question in clinical epidemiology is whether low testosterone concentrations are causally associated with premature death in older men. At least 3 scenarios (Fig. 1⇓ ) may underlie the observation that older men with low testosterone are more likely to die (1)(2). Scenario 1: Disease states cause low testosterone, which in turn causes premature death, although disease states also may cause death via other mechanisms. In this scenario, either preventing disease states or intervening to increase low testosterone secondary to disease states could, in theory, reduce risk of death. Scenario 2: Disease states cause both premature death and low testosterone. If low testosterone does not cause death, it will nevertheless appear to be a risk factor for death if disease states are not taken into account. In this scenario, only intervention on disease states, their risk factors, and other sequelae could, in theory, reduce risk of death. Scenario 3: Low testosterone causes disease states, and sequelae of disease states influence premature death. In this scenario, low testosterone also may influence death without causing disease states, and not all disease states that influence death are caused by low testosterone. In this scenario, prevention or intervention to address low testosterone could, in theory, prevent disease states and, thus, …
Teaching Narrative Comprehension Strategies to First Graders

Abstract This study provided 5 weeks of direct strategy instruction about narrative elements and relations in 4 first-grade classrooms (n = 83), all with materials that made minimal decoding demands on children's reading. Two comparison classrooms (n = 40) received comparable instruction on language development and poetry. A battery of assessments given at pretest and posttest showed that the intervention benefited children's comprehension of narratives in the picture-viewing modality as well as narrative meaning-making in listening comprehension and oral production modalities. Understanding and recall of main narrative elements improved, as did inference-making skills and understanding the psychological aspects of stories. Implications for enhancing beginning readers’ emerging narrative knowledge in primary grade classrooms are discussed.
Gelatinous zooplankton of the Arctic Ocean: in situ observations under the ice

The gelatinous zooplankton of the Canada Basin were observed with a deep-diving remotely oper- ated vehicle (ROV) during August-September, 2002. Taxa observed fell into four main groups: cnidarians, ctenophores, chaetognaths, and pelagic tunicates. We provide detailed data on the vertical distributions of many taxa from three sites which span the Canada Ba- sin. The most common gelatinous organisms in the surface waters were the ctenophores Mertensia ovum and Bolinopsis infundibulum. These two species were found in very large numbers in the near-surface mixed layer. In the mesopelagic zone, below the transition from the Pacific water layer and the Atlantic water layer, the most common species was Sminthea arctica. Surprising num- bers of the scyphomedusa Atolla tenella were found in the deep waters of the basin, along with an undescribed species of narcomedusae. The vertical distributions of the gelatinous zooplankton observed with the ROV show several trends related to the physical properties of the water and geographic location within the basin.
Victims of Severe Violence in Mediated Dialogue with Offender: The Impact of the First Multi-Site Study in the U.S.:

A small but growing number of jurisdictions across the U.S. offer victims of severe violence, including homicide, the opportunity to meet in a mediated dialogue session with their offender if they so desire. Such meetings are victim initiated and involve extensive preparation of the parties. This article reports on an intensive qualitative five-year study of mediated dialogue participants in two of the first states in the U.S. to do so, Texas and Ohio. Descriptions of the two programs and key characteristics of participants are provided, along with outcome data related to the experience of both crime victims and offenders in mediated dialogue in the context of severely violent crime.