cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geospatial variations in trends of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition indicators at block level in Bihar, India, during scale-up of Ananya program interventions

Background Geographical variations in the levels and trajectory of health indicators at local level can inform the adaptation of interventions and development of targeted approaches for efficient scale-up of intervention impact. We examined the hypothesis that time trends of a set of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition (RMNCHN) indicators varied at block-level during the statewide scale-up phase of the Ananya program in Bihar, India. Methods We used data on 22 selected indicators from four rounds of the Community-based Household Survey carried out between 2014 and 2017. Indicator levels at each round were estimated for each block. We used hierarchical Bayesian spatiotemporal modelling to smooth the raw estimates for each block with the estimates from its neighbouring blocks, and to examine space-time interaction models for evidence of variations in trends of indicators across blocks. We expressed the uncertainty around the smoothed levels and the trends with 95% credible intervals. Results There was evidence of variations in trends at block level in all but three indicators: facility delivery, public facility delivery, and age-appropriate initiation of complementary feeding. Fifteen indicators showed trends in opposite directions (increases in some blocks and declines in others). All blocks had at least 97.5% probability of a rise in immediate breastfeeding, early pregnancy registration, and having at least four antenatal care visits. All blocks had at least 97.5% probability of a decline in seeking care for pregnancy complications. Conclusions The findings underscore the value of monitoring and evaluation at local level for targeted implementation of RMNCHN interventions. There is a need for identifying systematic factors leading to universal trends, or variable contextual or implementation factors leading to variable trends, in order to optimise primary health care program impact. Study registration ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02726230.
Clay-modified electrodes: Part II. Electrocatalysis at bis(2,2'-bipyridyl) (4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl)Ru(II)-dispersed ruthenium dioxide—hectorite layers

Etudes par voltammetrie cyclique du comportement electrochimique des composes amphoteres Ru[bpy] 2 [bpy(CO 2 ] 2 avec bpy= bipyridyle-2,2', en presence d'une electrode d'oxyde d'etain modifiee par le systeme RuO 2 -hectorite sodee
PPIT: an R package for inferring microbial taxonomy from nifH sequences

MOTIVATION Linking microbial community members to their ecological functions is a central goal of environmental microbiology. When assigned taxonomy, amplicon sequences of metabolic marker genes can suggest such links, thereby offering an overview of the phylogenetic structure underpinning particular ecosystem functions. However, inferring microbial taxonomy from metabolic marker gene sequences remains a challenge, particularly for the frequently sequenced nitrogen fixation marker gene, nitrogenase reductase (nifH). Horizontal gene transfer in recent nifH evolutionary history can confound taxonomic inferences drawn from the pairwise identity methods used in existing software. Other methods for inferring taxonomy are not standardized and require manual inspection that is difficult to scale. RESULTS We present Phylogenetic Placement for Inferring Taxonomy (PPIT), an R package that infers microbial taxonomy from nifH amplicons using both phylogenetic and sequence identity approaches. After users place query sequences on a reference nifH gene tree provided by PPIT (n = 6317 full-length nifH sequences), PPIT searches the phylogenetic neighborhood of each query sequence and attempts to infer microbial taxonomy. An inference is drawn only if references in the phylogenetic neighborhood are: (1) taxonomically consistent and (2) share sufficient pairwise identity with the query, thereby avoiding erroneous inferences due to known horizontal gene transfer events. We find that PPIT returns a higher proportion of correct taxonomic inferences than BLAST-based approaches at the cost of fewer total inferences. We demonstrate PPIT on deep-sea sediment and find that Deltaproteobacteria are the most abundant potential diazotrophs. Using this dataset we show that emending PPIT inferences based on visual inspection of query sequence placement can achieve taxonomic inferences for nearly all sequences in a query set. We additionally discuss how users can apply PPIT to the analysis of other marker genes. AVAILABILITY PPIT is freely available to non-commercial users at https://github.com/bkapili/ppit. Installation includes a vignette that demonstrates package use and reproduces the nifH amplicon analysis discussed here. The raw nifH amplicon sequence data have been deposited in the GenBank, EMBL, and DDBJ databases under BioProject number PRJEB37167. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Linking Tooth Shape to Strike Mechanics in the Boa constrictor

Snakes, with the obvious exception of the fangs, are considered to lack the regional specialization of tooth shape and function which are exemplified by mammals. Recent work in fishes has suggested that the definition of homodont and heterodont are incomplete without a full understanding of the morphology, mechanics, and behavior of feeding. We investigated this idea further by examining changes in tooth shape along the jaw of Boa constrictor and integrating these data with the strike kinematics of boas feeding on rodent prey. We analyzed the shape of every tooth in the skull, from a combination of anesthetized individuals and CT scanned museum specimens. For strike kinematics, we filmed eight adult boas striking at previously killed rats. We determined the regions of the jaws that made first contact with the prey, and extrapolated the relative positions of those teeth at that moment. We further determined the roles of all the teeth throughout the prey capture process, from the initiation of the strike until constriction began. We found that the teeth in the anterior third of the mandible are the most upright, and that teeth become progressively more curved posteriorly. Teeth on the maxilla are more curved than on the mandible, and the anterior teeth are more linear or recurved than the posterior teeth. In a majority of strikes, boas primarily made contact with the anterior third of the mandible first. The momentum from the strike caused the upper jaws and skull to rotate over the rat. The more curved teeth of the upper jaw slid over the rat unimpeded until the snake began to close its jaws. In the remaining strikes, boas made contact with the posterior third of both jaws simultaneously, driving through the prey and quickly retracting, ensnaring the prey on the curved posterior teeth of both jaws. The curved teeth of the palatine and pterygoid bones assist in the process of swallowing.
Black Huntington: an Appalachian story: by Cicero M. Fain III, Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Press, 2019, xvi, 224 pp., $27.95 (paperback) ISBN: 978-0-252-08442-3

I had the opportunity to hear Cicero M. Fain III speak about this project before the book was published, and he addressed the audience with a great deal of passion and eloquence concerning the hist...
Daily experiences of type 1 diabetes stress across adulthood.

Aims Daily diabetes stressful events take a toll on individuals with type 1 diabetes, and these experiences may look different across adulthood. The aims of the current study were to understand the nature of daily diabetes stress across adulthood and explore whether these experiences differed by age. Methods In this qualitative study, adults with T1D (N = 199, Mage = 46.81 years) described the most stressful event related to their diabetes each evening as part of a 14-day diary. Using a grounded theory approach, diabetes stressful events were coded for where they occurred, the source of stress (i.e. interpersonal or not), and content (e.g. sleep; blood glucose checking; frustration). Results Participants reported having a diabetes-related stressful event on 58% (M = 0.58, SD = (0.25)) of days. Daily stressful events included issues of diabetes management, diabetes-related interference to or from other areas of life, and negative impact on psychological well-being, but rarely included a social component. Older adults were less likely to report having a diabetes-related stressful event, but were more likely to report that stressful events occurred at home, compared to younger adults. Conclusion The lived experience of diabetes-related stress appears similar across ages, with individuals continuing to experience generally the same types of diabetes-related events in similar frequencies. Interventions to help improve diabetes outcomes or well-being may benefit from targeting the most commonly experienced areas of stress, which includes reducing the interference of daily activities to and by diabetes management.
Spontaneous bile duct perforation with cystic fibrosis and meconium ileus

Abstract Spontaneous bile duct perforation in the newborn is rare, with less than 150 cases reported. A term male newborn presented with abdominal distention and respiratory distress on the first day of life. Paracentesis revealed 420 mL of bile without succus or meconium, and laparoscopic washout and drainage was performed. A follow-up contrast enema several days later revealed a microcolon. The second operation confirmed the spontaneous bile duct perforation, but also revealed meconium ileus with ileal perforation and thick meconium. A sweat chloride study was abnormal and the patient was homozygous for the delta-F508 mutation. This is the first reported case of spontaneous bile duct perforation in association with meconium ileus or cystic fibrosis.
C1q-Mediated Repression of Human Monocytes Is Regulated by Leukocyte-Associated Ig-Like Receptor 1 (LAIR-1)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by abnormal function of both the innate and the adaptive immune system, leading to a loss of tolerance to self-antigens. Monocytes are a key component of the innate immune system and are efficient producers of multiple cytokines. In SLE, inappropriate activation of monocytes is thought to contribute to the loss of self-tolerance. In this study, we demonstrate that type 1 interferon (IFN) production by CpG-challenged monocytes can be suppressed by C1q through activating leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1), which contains immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs). The phosphorylation of LAIR-1 and the interaction of LAIR-1 with SH2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) were enhanced after LAIR-1 engagement by C1q. Moreover, engagement of LAIR-1 by C1q inhibited nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3 and IRF5 in CpG-stimulated monocytes. These data suggest a model in which LAIR-1 engagement by C1q helps maintain monocyte tolerance, specifically with respect to Toll-like receptor-9-mediated monocyte activation.
The Mineral Nutrition of Corn as Related to Its Growth and Culture

Publisher Summary Corn is one of the most important agricultural crops of the world. This chapter examines the more pertinent literature dealing with the field of mineral nutrition and growth of corn, particularly as it relates to various cultural aspects of corn production—probably one of the most comprehensive studies ever published on the accumulation and movement of various organic and inorganic materials in developing corn plant. This work represents the first great forward step in advancing the knowledge of the nutrition of corn. The uptake of nutrients and water by corn roots is influenced by many factors ranging from the rate of growth and location of the roots in the soil to the influence of one ion upon the entry of another. Many interrelationships and interactions exist between the various factors, all of that influence: directly or indirectly, the ability of the corn plant to absorb the nutrients and water essential to its growth. The approximate quantity of each element required, the pattern of its translocation within the plant during growth, and the final effects upon the composition and quality of the crop all have an important bearing in the determination of the nutrient needs of the crop and in developing and evaluating fertilizer and management practices. The corn plant exhibits characteristic symptoms of most of the common nutrient deficiencies. Nitrogen deficiency symptoms are by far the most prevalent and are observed in most localities where corn is grown. Lack of adequate soil moisture is one of the major limiting factors in corn production not only in the arid and subhumid regions but also in the humid eastern states. These include practices involving irrigation, thickness of planting, row spacing, fertilizing, and tilling.
RABIES SURVEILLANCE AMONG BATS IN TENNESSEE, USA, 1996–2010

Rabies virus (RABV) infects multiple bat species in the Americas, and enzootic foci perpetuate in bats principally via intraspecific transmission. In recent years, bats have been implicated in over 90% of human rabies cases in the US. In Tennessee, two human cases of rabies have occurred since 1960: one case in 1994 associated with a tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) RABV variant and another in 2002 associated with the tricolored/silver-haired bat (P. subflavus/Lasionycteris noctivagans) RABV variant. From 1996 to 2010, 2,039 bats were submitted for rabies testing in Tennessee. Among 1,943 bats in satisfactory condition for testing and with a reported diagnostic result, 96% (1,870 of 1,943) were identified to species and 10% (196 of 1,943) were rabid. Big brown (Eptesicus fuscus), tricolored, and eastern red (Lasiurus borealis) bats comprised 77% of testable bat submissions and 84% of rabid bats. For species with five or more submissions during 1996-2010, the highest proportion of rabid bats occurred in hoary (Lasiurus cinereus; 46%), unspecified Myotis spp. (22%), and eastern red (17%) bats. The best model to predict rabid bats included month of submission, exposure history of submission, species, and sex of bat.
Paths of Carbon in Gluconeogenesis and Lipogenesis III. THE ROLE AND REGULATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL PROCESSES INVOLVED IN SUPPLYING PRECURSORS OF PHOSPHOENOLPYRUVATE

The activity of pyruvate carboxylase in rat liver mitochondria was estimated by measuring the 14CO2 incorporation in the presence of pyruvate, adenosine triphosphate, magnesium, and inorganic phosphate. Malate, fumarate, and citrate were shown to be the main radioactive products. When glutamate was added to the system, radioactive aspartate was also formed. Oxalacetate accumulated in only minute amounts; it could not be trapped by enzymatic reactions outside the mitochondria. The amount of radioactive products was decreased by addition of creatine, and nearly abolished by glucose, when these were used as phosphoryl acceptors. About 40% of the incorporated 14CO2 in malate and aspartate was found in carbon 1 of these compounds, demonstrating that a high degree of randomization of the label had occurred. Pyruvate carboxylation was inhibited by ADP. The inhibition could be overcome by addition of inorganic phosphate which removed ADP by oxidative phosphorylation. Excess ATP did not relieve the inhibition. Addition of caprylate to the system caused a strong inhibition of pyruvate decarboxylation and promoted the formation of radioactive malate and fumarate, whereas the accumulation of the other radioactive compounds was decreased. The data, together with previous information, indicate that phosphoenolpyruvate is synthesized from pyruvate by a pathway involving pyruvate carboxylation and formation of aspartate and malate inside the mitochondria, diffusion of these compounds into the cytosol, and their conversion to phosphoenolpyruvate via oxalacetate. The regulation of this pathway is discussed and a hypothesis as to how fatty acids could control gluconeogenesis is outlined.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome versus Chronic Neuroendocrineimmune Dysfunction Syndrome

Abstract Since 1988, when the term chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) was coined, considerable discussion has occurred about stigma associated with this diagnostic term. In particular, patients with CFS have felt that this term trivializes the serious nature of this disorder. A Name Change Work group, appointed by the CFS Coordinating Committee, developed an umbrella term: chronic neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome (CNDS), and proposed that there would be sub-types under this term, one being CFS. The present study examined attributions of this new umbrella term when compared with CFS. Nurses and physician assistants (PAs) were presented a case study of a patient with symptoms of CFS. They were told that the patient had either “chronic fatigue syndrome,” “chronic neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome,” or “chronic neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome, which had formerly been called chronic fatigue syndrome.” The different terms led to different attributions, with PA respondents rating the “CNDS...
Transient performance comparison of switched doubly-fed machine propulsion drives

Switched doubly-fed machines (DFM) offer unique opportunities for creating drives for wide speed range operation with reduced power converter requirements. Seamless performance of the drive is desirable in these applications across the complete speed range, that is, a smooth transition between operating modes and speed ranges. This paper presents a comparison of two switched-DFM drive topologies based on the transient performance specifically around the mode transition speed. Thyristor-based transfer switch operation is compared for the two topologies.
Dependency Stereotypes and Aging: The Implications for Getting and Giving Help in Later Life

Older adults are often stereotyped as dependent on others. This study explored how seeing an older adult receiving help triggers the dependency stereotype, by examining perceptions of older and younger adults helping and being helped by others. Participants (183 younger and older adults) read vignettes of young and old people helping others and rated the helpers and helpees on 2 variables: one a composite of dependency and capability; and the other composed of thoughtfulness, generosity, and unselfishness (i.e., considerateness). Participants rated older helpees as dependent, no matter who helped them. Younger helpers and those who helped the elderly rated high on considerateness. Females rated helpers more positively than did males. Implications of these findings for older adults are discussed.
Delay discounting and self‐reported impulsivity in adolescent smokers and nonsmokers living in rural Appalachia

Background and Objectives This study evaluated whether impulsivity (delay discounting and BIS-11-A) is associated with adolescent smoking status in a region with strong environmental risk factors for smoking. Methods Forty-two adolescent smokers and nonsmokers from rural Appalachia completed discounting and self-reported impulsivity assessments. Results The BIS-11-A, but not the measure of discounting, was associated with smoking status; however, neither assessment predicted smoking status once parent/best-friend smoking variables were statistically accounted for. Discussion and Conclusions In regions with strong environmental risk factors for smoking, delay discounting may play a more limited role in risk of initiation. Scientific Significance Helps to better define impulsivity as risk factors for smoking in relation to familial and broader cultural variables.
Efficient Shaping of User-Specified QoS Using Aggregate-Flow Control

Architecting networks capable of providing scalable, efficient, and fair services to users with diverse QoS requirements is a pressing problem. The two principal issues are: design of "good" per-hop behavior and edge control. In previous work [2,3], we studied aggregate-flow QoS control from a noncooperative resource provisioning context. In [20], the framework was generalized by, one, solving an optimal aggregate-flow per-hop behavior problem, and two, showing how it can be used coupled with end-to-end label control to facilitate scalable and fair QoS when driven by selfish users and service providers. In this paper, we focus on optimal aggregate-flow per-hop control and complement analysis by experimental performance evaluation. We show that user-specified, diverse QoS is efficiently facilitated over the optimal per-hop behavior network substrate using adaptive label control end-to-end.
Introduction to Hardware Security

Hardware security has become a hot topic recently with more and more researchers from related research domains joining this area. However, the understanding of hardware security is often mixed with cybersecurity and cryptography, especially cryptographic hardware. For the same reason, the research scope of hardware security has never been clearly defined. To help researchers who have recently joined in this area better understand the challenges and tasks within the hardware security domain and to help both academia and industry investigate countermeasures and solutions to solve hardware security problems, we will introduce the key concepts of hardware security as well as its relations to related research topics in this survey paper. Emerging hardware security topics will also be clearly depicted through which the future trend will be elaborated, making this survey paper a good reference for the continuing research efforts in this area.
Constrained Least Squares Estimation of Mixed Population Stock Composition from mtDNA Haplotype Frequency Data

Nuclear allozymes have provided the markers of choice for genetic stock identification, especially for Pacific salmonids. For other species, a dearth of allozyme variation has led workers to pursue mtDNA markers. Haploid mtDNA markers obviate methods based on Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium; all mtDNA markers are rigidly linked, violating the independence assumption; and mtDNA sample sizes are small. Based on a conditional weighted least squares approach for the case of known source population genotype frequencies, we develop an unconditional method for estimated genotype frequencies. We compare the methods with Monte Carlo simulation, evaluating effects of source population and mixed harvest sample sizes and those of source population divergence and mixture composition. When genetic resolution is poor or sample sizes are inadequate, the conditional method works better, but with larger sample sizes and reasonable population resolution, the unconditional method is superior.
MACROMOLECULE SYNTHESIS AND THE INFLUENCE OF ACTINOMYCIN ON EARLY DEVELOPMENT.

Abstract When sea urchin eggs are fertilized and permitted to develop in the presence of actinomycin D, cell divisions continue for many hours, at normal or slightly subnormal rates. Cellular differentiation is completely inhibited, so that at the end of a period during which controls have progressed through gastrulation, the actinomycin-treated embryos are inert, multicellular masses. There is an increasing turnover of RNA in these embryos, but no net synthesis during early development. Actinomycin stops turnover after the first 3–4 hr of development; less than 2 per cent of the normal incorporation of 14 C-uracil remains in embryos treated with low concentrations of the antibiotic. DNA synthesis is depressed, but continues in the presence of actinomycin. The lower rates of incorporation of labeled thymidine into DNA are related to somewhat slower cleavages. Incorporation of labeled amino acids into protein is not affected at all by concentrations of actinomycin sufficient to shut down RNA synthesis and to prevent any normal morphogenesis. Autoradiographic data show that the precursors used to label RNA, DNA, and protein do label these polymers and are incorporated intracellularly. The autoradiograms confirm qualitatively all of the bulk-labeling data. It is suggested, in connection with the results described, that the unfertilized egg contains a store of masked template material (messenger RNA), whose information concerns in part the proteins which must be made for cell division. These templates, which are probably not attached to the ribosomes of the unfertilized egg, become functional and attached upon activation, and are responsible for the actinomycin-resistant protein synthesis. They are also endowed with high stability. Cellular differentiation, however, appears to be under direct genomic control, and to depend upon the synthesis after fertilization, of appropriate messengers. This synthesis is stopped by actinomycin.
Conformation and antimicrobial activity of linear derivatives of tachyplesin lacking disulfide bonds.

Tachyplesin is a potent antimicrobial peptide isolated from the hemocytes of the horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus. Previous studies have shown that the 17-residue peptide has an intrinsic amphipathic structure conferred by two antiparallel beta-sheets held rigidly by two disulfide bonds. Taking its short length into account and the potential of such a small polypeptide to take on multiple conformational states, one may assume that the disulfide bonds are relevant determinants of function. However, in order to gain a global perspective on the tolerance of cysteine residues in tachyplesin to amino acid substitutions, a series of linear peptides have been synthesized and their physicochemical properties analyzed. In these linear peptides, the cysteines have been replaced with amino acids possessing different side-chain properties, i.e., aliphatic hydrophobic (Ala, Leu, Ile, Val, and Met), aromatic hydrophobic (Phe and Tyr), and acidic (Asp). Activity assays using natural and synthetic membranes, and conformational measurements, highlight the subtle influence and variability of the amino acid side-chain properties on peptide structure. While an unequivocal interpretation of the results will have to await more refined structural measurements, our results indicate that a rigidly held disulfide-bonded beta-pleated sheet structure may not be absolutely essential for antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, the results challenge the accepted dogma of structure-activity relationships among antimicrobial peptides and suggest that the maintenance of peptide hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance may be a critical parameter, in addition to structure, in the design of peptides with pharmaceutical relevance.
Sonographic and Vascular Assessment of Axillary Lymph Nodes: A Review

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Angular correlation, spin alignment, and resonance behavior in 12 C+ 12 C inelastic scattering

We have studied $\ensuremath{\alpha}{\ensuremath{-}}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ angular correlations for peaks observed in the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}{[}^{12}\mathrm{C}{,}^{12}\mathrm{C}{(3}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}}){]}^{12}\mathrm{C}{(0}_{1}^{+})$ inelastic-scattering excitation function in the energy range between ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=25$ to 35 MeV. The excitation-function data for $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle angles that correspond to the population of specific magnetic substates in the excited, decaying ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ nucleus suggest that these peaks are associated with a preferentially aligned configuration. The angular-correlation data are consistent with spin assignments of ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}{=16}^{+}$ and ${18}^{+}$ for the resonancelike structures observed at ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=27.5 \mathrm{MeV}$ and 33.1 MeV, respectively. The observed alignment, and the deduced spin values are consistent with a dinuclear configuration for these peaks.
PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES AS A FUNCTION OF STIMULUS-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY WITH RAPID SERIAL VISUAL PRESENTATION AND SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED PRESENTATION STYLES

A means of presenting information temporally has been developed from the basic research on reading. Temporal displays allowed for faster processing speeds by reducing the number of saccades normally required to process spatially distributed information; however, a potential disadvantage to using temporal displays was an increased rate of error. Payne and Lang reported that a tradeoff between speed and accuracy is sometimes the result of using temporally distributed displays. As they used an alphabetic coding scheme which may not have facilitated the most optimal stimulus-response mapping, the current experiment tested the effects of a directional coding scheme on a temporally distributed display with 24 subjects. Analysis indicated the coding scheme did improve processing speed on the temporal display, but the error rate for the temporal display was higher than with the alphabetic coding scheme. Therefore, the limitation of temporal displays in a tradeoff between speed and accuracy persisted using the directional coding scheme.
Probing the Barrier Function of the Outer Membrane with Chemical Conditionality

A key function of biological membranes is to exclude toxic small molecules while allowing influx of nutrients. Cells achieve this by controlling the composition of different types of proteins and lipids within the membrane by a process called membrane biogenesis. We have recently proposed a strategy to identify genes involved in membrane biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli by selecting for suppressors of mutations that render the outer membrane (OM) leaky. We predicted that different small molecules could select different suppressors because mutations that answer a specific selection will correct the membrane permeability defect to different degrees depending on the structure of the small molecule. We have tested this hypothesis by selecting for resistance to bile acids in an imp4213 strain, which contains a compromised OM owing to a defect in lipopolysaccharide biogenesis. We report here that a suppressor mutation in yaeT, which specifies an essential protein involved in the ass...
Geography and political science

Abstract Political geography can make distinctive and important contributions to both geography and political science, but this will require attention to the boundaries of these disciplines, emphasis on the comparative advantage of geographers with respect to the study of the shapes of physical space, and systematic consideration of boundaries as problematically institutionalized norms. Mapping, per se, cannot be the core of any discipline.
Effects of inserting fluorescent proteins into the α1S II–III loop: insights into excitation–contraction coupling

In skeletal muscle, intermolecular communication between the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) and RYR1 is bidirectional: orthograde coupling (skeletal excitation–contraction coupling) is observed as depolarization-induced Ca2+ release via RYR1, and retrograde coupling is manifested by increased L-type Ca2+ current via DHPR. A critical domain (residues 720–765) of the DHPR α1S II–III loop plays an important but poorly understood role in bidirectional coupling with RYR1. In this study, we examine the consequences of fluorescent protein insertion into different positions within the α1S II–III loop. In four constructs, a cyan fluorescent protein (CFP)–yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) tandem was introduced in place of residues 672–685 (the peptide A region). All four constructs supported efficient bidirectional coupling as determined by the measurement of L-type current and myoplasmic Ca2+ transients. In contrast, insertion of a CFP–YFP tandem within the N-terminal portion of the critical domain (between residues 726 and 727) abolished bidirectional signaling. Bidirectional coupling was partially preserved when only a single YFP was inserted between residues 726 and 727. However, insertion of YFP near the C-terminal boundary of the critical domain (between residues 760 and 761) or in the conserved C-terminal portion of the α1S II–III loop (between residues 785 and 786) eliminated bidirectional coupling. None of the fluorescent protein insertions, even those that interfered with signaling, significantly altered membrane expression or targeting. Thus, bidirectional signaling is ablated by insertions at two different sites in the C-terminal portion of the α1S II–III loop. Significantly, our results indicate that the conserved portion of the α1S II–III loop C terminal to the critical domain plays an important role in bidirectional coupling either by conveying conformational changes to the critical domain from other regions of the DHPR or by serving as a site of interaction with other junctional proteins such as RYR1.
Shopping center wheelchair accessibility: ongoing advocacy to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Although the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 were phased in by 1992, monitoring and enforcement continue to be problematic. This study of three large shopping centers in the Southwest included one mall that was opened in the mid-1990s, and two malls that were constructed prior to the law (but have undergone recent renovations). Use of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines Checklist for Buildings and Facilities ( Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board [ATBCB], 1992) generated data which were analyzed descriptively to determine the frequency and percent compliance in: parking lots, entrances, ramps, elevators, telephones, restrooms, food courts, and 12 specific store-types. No mall was fully compliant in any area, other than telephone specifications. In other areas, compliance ranged from 0% (ramp slopes in the newer mall) to many areas of 100% compliance (for example, outdoor curb ramps and food court seating spaces and aisles). The implications are that shoppers who are wheelchair mobile cannot count on complete compliance and cannot predict which physical architectural barriers they will find in shopping centers.
On the relationship of hope and gratitude to corporate social responsibility

A longitudinal study of 308 white-collar U.S. employees revealed that feelings of hope and gratitude increase concern for corporate social responsibility (CSR). In particular, employees with stronger hope and gratitude were found to have a greater sense of responsibility toward employee and societal issues; interestingly, employee hope and gratitude did not affect sense of responsibility toward economic and safety/quality issues. These findings offer an extension of research by Giacalone, Paul, and Jurkiewicz (2005, Journal of Business Ethics, 58, 295-305).
Delayed fluorescence and delayed excimer fluorescence from fluid solutions of poly(2-vinylnaphthalene) in the nanosecond time regime

Abstract The time dependence of delayed fluorescence (DF) and delayed excimer fluorescence (DEF) of poly (2-vinylnaphthalene) (P2VN) has been measured in fluid solution at ambient temperature. Within the time resolution of the apparatus, the DF decreases monotonically with time but DEF exhibits a maximum intensity near 300 ns. The time dependence of the DEF signal suggests that one of the triplet partners must be trapped prior to the annihilative event. Model calculations have been carried out yielding a trapping rate constant of (2.0±0.5)×10 9 M −1 s −1 . The rate-controlling step for triplet trapping may involve internal rotation of the chain backbone.
Characterization of calcium-activated and magnesium-activated ATPases of brain nerve endings.

: The properties of Ca2 + -activated and Mg2 + -activated ATPases of nerve endings from mouse brain were investigated. Ca2 + and Mg2 + each can activate ATP hydrolysis in synaptosomes and its subfractions. Both Ca2 + -ATPase and Mg2 + -ATPase exhibit high and low affinity for their respective cations. At millimolar concentrations of Ca2 + or Mg2 +, several nucleoside triphosphates could serve as substrate for the two enzymes and their specific activities were about three to four times higher in synaptic vesicles than in synaptosomal plasma membranes (SPM). Both in SPM and in synaptic vesicles the relative activity in the presence of Ca2 + was in the order of CTP > UTP > GTP = ATP, but with Mg2 + the activity was higher with ATP than with the other three triphosphates. Mg2 +-ATPase was more active than Ca2 + -ATPase in SPM, but in synaptic vesicles the two enzymes exhibited similar activity. Kinetic studies revealed that Mg2 + -ATPase was inhibited by excess ATP and not by excess Mg2 +. The simultaneous presence of Na++ K+ stimulated Mg2 + -ATPase and inhibited Ca2 + -ATPase activity in intact synaptosomes and SPM. The stimulation of Mg2 + -ATPase by Na2++ K+ was further increased by increasing Mg2 + concentration and was inhibited by Ca2 + and by ouabain. When Ca2 + and Mg2 + are present together in SPM or synaptic vesicles, the total Pi liberated by the two cations may either increase or decrease, depending on their relative concentrations. Kinetic analyses indicate that Ca2 + and Mg2 + bind independently to the enzyme alone or together at different sites. The results suggest that Ca2 + -ATPase and Mg2 + -ATPase in SPM or synaptic vesicles may be separate and distinct systems.
Structurally defined alternatives and lexicalizations of XOR

In his recent paper on the symmetry problem Roni Katzir argues that the only relevant factor for the calculation of any Quantity implicature is syntactic structure. I first refute Katzir’s thesis with three examples that show that structural complexity is irrelevant to the calculation of some Quantity implicatures. I then argue that it is inadvisable to assume—as Katzir and others do—that exactly one factor is relevant to the calculation of any Quantity implicature.
Selecting for Age at First Egg: Effects on Social dominance,

Abstract Pullets of strains selected for early and late age at first egg were compared, along with unselected control strains, for relative social dominance ability in flocks assembled at 21 and 36 weeks of age. An apparent correlated response was found at 21, but not at 36 weeks. Early-strain pullets dominated nearly twice as many other-strain females as did late-strain pullets (P = 0.08) in flocks assembled at 21 weeks of age. Relative social dominance potential appeared to vary with age.
Measuring the Perceived Degree of Parent Empowerment in Home-School Relationships through a Home-School Survey

Parent and family involvement in educational programs for children with disabilities recently is expanding beyond its earlier emphasis on limited participation in decision-making and intervention to a more family-centered approach to programming. Central to most family-centered program approaches is the desire to increase family empowerment. The Home-School Survey was developed to address the need for a brief instrument to measure changes in a family's perceived sense of empowerment that result from collaborative interactions between the family and the school staff. The current study reports on the development and initial pilot-testing of the Home-School Survey in a sample of families who have children with primarily moderate to severe disabilities.
Relativistic flux tube model calculation of the Isgur-Wise function.

The relativistic flux tube model is used to calculate the Isgur-Wise (IW) functions describing the exclusive semileptonic decays of B\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} and B${\mathrm{\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}}_{\mathit{s}}$ mesons. The light quark mass dependence is investigated and the predicted universal function agrees well with the results of lattice simulations, and with the experimental data. Recent experimental measurements of the B\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\mathit{D}}^{\mathrm{*}}$l\ensuremath{\nu}${\mathrm{\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}}_{\mathit{l}}$ decay distribution yield the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa element ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathit{b}\mathit{c}}$=0.035\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001. The IW function slope and second derivative at the zero recoil point are predicted to be \ensuremath{\xi}'(1)=-0.93\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 and \ensuremath{\xi}''(1)=1.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 for a range of light quark masses. The importance of including higher derivatives in analyses of experiment is emphasized.
One diffusion acquisition and different white matter models: How does microstructure change in human early development based on WMTI and NODDI?

White matter microstructural changes during the first three years of healthy brain development are characterized using two different models developed for limited clinical diffusion data: White Matter Tract Integrity (WMTI) metrics from Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) and Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI). Both models reveal a non-linear increase in intra-axonal water fraction and in tortuosity of the extra-axonal space as a function of age, in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum and the posterior limb of the internal capsule. The changes are consistent with expected behavior related to myelination and asynchrony of fiber development. The intra- and extracellular axial diffusivities as estimated with WMTI do not change appreciably in normal brain development. The quantitative differences in parameter estimates between models are examined and explained in the light of each model's assumptions and consequent biases, as highlighted in simulations. Finally, we discuss the feasibility of a model with fewer assumptions.
Middle Level Students' Goal Orientations and Motivation.

The study used a phenomenological lens to explore middle level classroom goal perceptions and classroom experiences that were pivotal in motivating students to achieve their learning goals. A total of 46 participants (31 students and 15 teachers) from two middle schools in a Midwestern city participated in focus group discussions and one-on-one interview sessions respectively. Findings indicated that teachers endorsed long-term goals with mastery emphasis. However, students’ classroom goals were more performance and less mastery oriented. In addition, thematic analyses of participants’ perspectives showed that: classroom lessons that are more engaging, teachers’ positive disposition and personality, personal connection with learning experience, application of varied instructions, and supportive teacher relationships are key classroom experiences in driving middle level students to achieve their learning goals. Implications for middle level classroom instructions and future research directions have been discussed.
Effect of acceptor strength on optical and electronic properties in conjugated polymers for solar applications.

Four new low-bandgap electron-accepting polymers—poly(4,10-bis(2-butyloctyl)-2-(2-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,1-dioxido-3-oxo-2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-d]isothiazol-4-yl)thieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno[3,2-c]isoquinoline-5,11(4H,10H-dione) (PNSW); poly(4,10-bis(2-butyloctyl)-2-(5-(2-ethylhexyl)-4,6-dioxo-5,6-dihydro-4H-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrol-1-yl)thieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno[3,2-c]isoquinoline-5,11(4H,10H)-dione) (PNTPD); poly(5-(4,10-bis(2-butyloctyl)-5,11-dioxo-4,5,10,11-tetrahydrothieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno[3,2-c]isoquinolin-2-yl)-2,9-bis(2-decyldodecyl)anthra[2,1,9-def:6,5,10-d′e′f′]diisoquinoline-1,3,8,10(2H,9H)-tetraone) (PNPDI); and poly(9,9-bis(2-butyloctyl)-9H-fluorene-bis((1,10:5,6)2-(5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[b]thiophene-4-ylidene)malonitrile)-2-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine)) (PECN)—containing thieno[2′,3′:5′,6′]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno[3,2-c]isoquinoline-5,11(4H,10H)-dione and fluorenedicyclopentathiophene dimalononitrile, were investigated to probe their structure–function relationshi...
Individual differences in autistic trait load in the general population predict visual working memory performance

Prior studies have reported instances of both intact and impaired working memory (WM) performance in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to investigate the relation between autistic traits that extend into the normal population and WM, 104 normal college-aged students who varied in their levels of autistic traits were tested. The loading of ASD-associated traits in the normal population leads to differing predictions about WM performance. ASD traits related to a local processing style (or “attention to detail”) might enhance WM while ASD-associated traits related to difficulty switching attention and reorienting focus (or “social interaction”) might impair WM performance. To assess these predictions, participants filled out the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and performed a working memory task with both visual and verbal variants. AQ scores were then broken into “attention to detail” and “social interaction” factors, as proposed by Hoekstra and colleagues. The results showed that AQ scores...
Functional status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, other fatiguing illnesses, and healthy individuals

Abstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that may be associated with substantial disability. The Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36) is an instrument that has been widely used in outpatient populations to determine functional status. Our objectives were to describe the usefulness of the SF-36 in CFS patients and to determine if subscale scores could distinguish patients with CFS from subjects with unexplained chronic fatigue (CF), major depression (MD), or acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM), and from healthy control subjects (HC). An additional goal was to ascertain if subscale scores correlated with the signs and symptoms of CFS or the presence of psychiatric disorders and fibromyalgia. Design Prospectively collected case series. setting Patients with CFS and CF were seen in a university-based referral clinic and had undergone a complete medical and psychiatric evaluation. Other study subjects were recruited from the community to participate in research studies. Participants The study included 185 patients with CFS, 246 with CF, 111 with AIM, and 25 with MD. There were 99 HC subjects. Measures The SF-36 and a structured psychiatric interview were used. The SF-36 contains 8 subscales: physical, emotional, social, and role functioning, body pain, mental health, vitality, and general health—and a structured psychiatric interview. Results Performance characteristics (internal reliability coefficients, convergent validity) of the SF-36 were excellent. A strikingly consistent pattern was found for the physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, general health, and body pain subscales, with the lowest scores in CFS patients, intermediate scores in AIM patients, and the highest scores in the HC subjects. The CFS patients had significantly lower scores than patients with CF alone on the physical functioning ( P ≤0.01), role functioning ( P ≤0.01), and body pain ( P ≤0.001) subscales. The emotional functioning and mental health scores were worst among those with MD. The presence of fibromyalgia, being unemployed, and increasing fatigue severity all were associated with additional functional limitations across multiple functional domains, with increasing fatigue appearing to have the greatest effect. Conclusions The SF-36 is useful in assessing functional status in patients with fatiguing illnesses. Patients with CFS and CF have marked impairment of their functional status. The severity and pattern of impairment as documented by the SF-36 distinguishes patients with CFS and CF from those with MD and AIM, and from HC, but does not discriminate between CF and CFS.