cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiographic appearance and treatment of arterial injuries secondary to partial nephrectomy. A single center retrospective review

Purpose The authors wish to report their experience with the angiographic appearance and management (selective transcatheter embolization) of arterial lesions following partial nephrectomy. Materials and Methods Between February 2007 and January of 2011, 947 patients underwent a partial nephrectomy at our institution. Of these, 22 patients ages 28-83 (19 men, 3 women), were referred for selective angiography to treat hemorrhage or a suspected arterial lesion. Retrospective chart review was performed for the 22 patients. Angiographic technique and therapy for each patient was at the discretion of the individual operator. Follow-up consisted of clinical evaluation for the cessation of hematuria and cross-sectional imaging as part of the patient’s routine oncologic management. Results 20/22 patients presented with symptomatic postprocedure bleeding occurring within 10 +/- 4 days of partial nephrectomy. Two incidentally-noted and asymptomatic pseudoaneurysms were found in 2 patients on routine follow-up CT exams 120 +/- 2 days postprocedure. The most common bleeding complication for all patients was a solitary pseudoaneurysm formation, documented in 12 of the 22 patients (69%). The second most common complication was AV fistula in addition to pseudoaneurysm formation, documented in 6 of the 22 patients (27%). Solitary AV fistula was documented in only 2 of the 22 patients (9%). 19/22 patients were treated with coil embolization only. 4 of 22 patients were treated with a combination of coil and either alcohol, Gelfoam, PVA-particles or Ivalon-assisted embolization. All patients experienced short-term technical success except for one patient who presented with recurrent bleeding secondary to extravasation from an untreated vessel, which was observed to be partially thrombosed on initial angiographic evaluation. Conclusion Arterial injury secondary to partial nephrectomy presents with variable and recognizable angiographic appearances and often affects more than one segmental or interlobar artery. Angiographic coil embolization with or without particle assistance is an effective treatment strategy allowing for selective branch occlusion.
Vetogates and American Public Law

In this article, I explore the ramifications of a vetogates model of the legislative process. The vetogates model focuses on the many points in the legislative process where proposed legislation can be stopped (vetoed). A political system where statutes must pass through a variety of filters, each motivated by somewhat different incentives and interests, is one where (1) statutes are hard to enact; (2) statutes that are enacted will tend to have compromises, logrolls, and delegations; and, (3) once enacted, statutes are hard to repeal. These consequences represent a significant cost of the vetogates model to our system of governance, but they also carry some potential benefits. I explore the ramifications of the vetogates model for legal doctrine. For example, the vetogates model supports judicial consultation of legislative history in statutory cases and suggests the virtue of deliberation-rewarding canons for judicial review of agency statutory interpretations.
Initial Sensory Evaluation of Bing Cherries Treated with Low Doses of Gamma-Radiation

Bing cherries from California were given low postharvest doses of gamma radiation (60-80 Krads) and were compared with nonirradiated controls during a period 3-11 days after harvest. Irradiated cherries showed a greater degree of shrivelling, a trend to be softer on chewing and also exhibited flavor differences. Trends for consistent differences in firmness tested manually, darkness of skin color and degree of brown blemishing were not noted.
The Task-Dependent Efficacy of Shared-Control Haptic Guidance Paradigms

Shared-control haptic guidance is a common form of robot-mediated training used to teach novice subjects to perform dynamic tasks. Shared-control guidance is distinct from more traditional guidance controllers, such as virtual fixtures, in that it provides novices with real-time visual and haptic feedback from a real or virtual expert. Previous studies have shown varying levels of training efficacy using shared-control guidance paradigms; it is hypothesized that these mixed results are due to interactions between specific guidance implementations (“paradigms”) and tasks. This work proposes a novel guidance paradigm taxonomy intended to help classify and compare the multitude of implementations in the literature, as well as a revised proxy rendering model to allow for the implementation of more complex guidance paradigms. The efficacies of four common paradigms are compared in a controlled study with 50 healthy subjects and two dynamic tasks. The results show that guidance paradigms must be matched to a task's dynamic characteristics to elicit effective training and low workload. Based on these results, we provide suggestions for the future development of improved haptic guidance paradigms.
Development and persistence of Cowdria ruminantium specific antibodies following experimental infection of cattle, as detected by the indirect fluorescent antibody test.

Abstract Different breeds of cattle were experimentally infected with Palm River, a Zimbabwean isolate, or Ball-3, a South African isolate of Cowdria ruminantium, derived from tissue culture or tick or blood stabilates. C. ruminantium specific antibody responses were detected by an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) using C. ruminantium-infected bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cell cultures as antigen. The first detection of antibodies to C. ruminantium generally coincided with the peak of the febrile reaction and the antibodies remained detectable for a period of 8–30 weeks in the Palm River infected group and 18–30 weeks in the Ball-3 infected group. Peak reciprocal antibody titres in both groups ranged from 64 to 2048 between 3 and 6 weeks post-infection. No apparent serological differences were observed among the various C. ruminantium isolates when tested in homologous and heterologous IFATs. Post-infection sera to Anaplasma marginale, Theileria parva parva, Babesia bigemina and Rickettsia conorii did not exhibit reactivity with the C. ruminantium antigen. These results indicate the possible use of C. ruminantium-infected cultures as antigen in IFATs to detect similar C. ruminantium-specific antibody responses in the field in clinically sick, recovered and carrier animals.
Superfluidity without symmetry breaking: The time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation for Bose-condensed condensates

We develop a time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation that is appropriate for Bose-condensed systems. Defining a depletion Green's function allows the construction of condensate and depletion particle densities from eigenstates of a single time-dependent (oscillating) Hamiltonian, guaranteeing that our approach is a number-conserving approximation. The poles of this Green's function yield the energies of number-changing excitations for which the condensate particle number is held fixed, which we show has a gapped spectrum in the superfluid state. The linearized time-dependent version of this has poles at the collective frequencies of the system, yielding the expected zero sound mode for a uniform infinite system. We show how the approximations may be expressed in a general linear response formalism.
STM abilities in LTM tasks

The study investigated the relationship between STM and LTM using the same type of stimuli and the same format of presentation for both measures. It was shown that Ss who perform well on a reliable span task get similar items into LTM faster than Ss with smaller short term capacities.
Can Revelation Be Formally Described

HE story of theology's flirtation with European philosophies of the twentieth century is a familiar one. I mention it because this story is the background of Ray L. Hart's Unfinished Man and the Imagination: Toward an Ontology and a Rhetoric of Revelation.' Discounting Marxist philosophy and occasional pockets of logical empiricism, European philosophy for the most part is the story of a spiralling reciprocation between phenomenology and existentialist philosophy. It could be said in general that phenomenology's influence on religious studies has until recently been limited to history of religions and philosophy of religion,2 while existentialist philosophy has for half a century left its mark on theology.3 The lack of attention paid by theologians to Husserlian or pre-Heidegger phenomenology is slightly mysterious. At present only a few brief monographs represent attempts to apply phenomenological method as such to theological matters."
The innate immunity of maize and the dynamic chemical strategies regulating two-component signal transduction in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The naturally occurring 2-hydroxy-4,7-dimethoxybenzoxazin-3-one (HDMBOA), essentially the sole component of maize seedling organic exudate, was shown to be a potent inhibitor of the VirA–VirG two-component system which mediates host recognition and activates virulence gene transcription in the soil pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The hydrolytic lability of HDMBOA creates a steady-state zone of inhibition circumscribing the young maize seedling. We now show that rather than the HDMBOA natural product, an o-imidoquinone decomposition intermediate, (3Z)-2,2-dihydroxy-N-(4-methoxy-6-oxocyclohexa-2,4-dienylidene)acetamide, can function as an inhibitor of virulence gene expression in A. tumefaciens. Structural characterization of this o-imidoquinone intermediate clarifies several issues related to the decomposition pathways available to this class of antibiotics. Of direct ecological importance, this species is produced rapidly and quantitatively within the more neutral pH ranges of the A. tumefaciens cytop...
The Innervation Of The Maxillary First Permanent And Primary Molars As Determined By The Deposition Of Local Anesthetic Solutions A Preliminary Report

(1965). The Innervation Of The Maxillary First Permanent And Primary Molars As Determined By The Deposition Of Local Anesthetic Solutions A Preliminary Report. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 147-162.
Methods by Which Poultry Staff Members Become Involved in High School Student Science Stimulation

Abstract CONSIDERABLE recognition is given to the fact that the youth of our nation are stimulated by the many disciplines in which they may pursue career training. Attractions may be in the form of incentive programs with large financial rewards, or they may involve adventurous challenges, or there may be aesthetic considerations. Poultry majors may be exposed to all three of these attractions. This report describes general as well as specific methods by which staff members at this university have exerted efforts to be in contact with precollege students and to expose them to opportunities available in poultry science. The steps involved are: (1) Initial contact with the students individually or in groups; (2) Stimulation of the students generally, in terms of science oriented or human oriented interests; and (3) Relating the theme to parallel or pilot studies with avian materials. Before delving into specifics, some of which may be unique. . .
Sepsis-induced alterations in pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in rat skeletal muscle: effects on plasma lactate

The pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex undergoes reversible phosphorylation catalyzed by a PDH kinase (inactivating) and a PDH phosphatase (activating). In skeletal muscle, a decreased proportion of PDH complex in the active, nonphosphorylated form (PDHa) limits glucose oxidation and promotes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. Increased lactate formation with the accompanying hyperlactatemia is a frequent metabolic complication of sepsis. The time course for inactivation of the PDH complex in skeletal muscle during sepsis was contrasted with changes in PDHa during sterile inflammation 3,7, or 14 days following the implantation of the foreign body nidus. Total PDH complex activity was not altered in any of the conditions examined. Sepsis, but not sterile inflammation, caused a reduction in the muscle PDHa measured 3 or 7 days following induction of sepsis. The inhibition of the muscle PDHa during sepsis was associated with a sustained hyperlactatemia. PDH kinase activity measured in extracts of mitochondria was enhanced twofold during this period. Fourteen days after induction of sepsis, there were no differences in the PDHa or plasma lactate concentrations in septic rats compared with either control or sterile inflammation. Furthermore, the PDH kinase activity was decreased to values observed in control values. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that a reduced PDHa in skeletal muscle during sepsis is responsible, in part, for the hyperlactatemia characteristic of septic hypermetabolism. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that the decrease in PDHa results from a stable stimulation of PDH kinase activity.
Effect of iso-propyl-thio-β-D-galactoside concentration on the level of lac-operon induction in steady state Escherichia coli

In steady state E. coli cells growing at their maximal rate in broth, maximum induction of beta-galactosidase occurs at 0.10 mM isopropyl-thio-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG). Although induction of lac is near zero in steady state cells that are growing in 0.01 mM IPTG, induction at mildly subdued levels persists down to at least 0.001 mM in post-steady state cultures. Meanwhile, thiogalactoside transacetylase remains uninduced over the full range in which the cells are in steady state.
Changes in prostaglandin E1 stimulation of glucose oxidation in rat adipocytes during maturation and aging

Abstract Prostaglandin E 1 stimulates glucose oxidation in isolated rat adipocytes in a time and concentration dependent manner. Maximal stimulation requires 2 hours exposure to prostaglandin, although effects can be detected by 0.5 hours or earlier. In contrast to prostaglandin E 1 , prostaglandin F 2 α has essentially no effect on glucose oxidation. Maximal stimulation by prostaglandin E 1 at all ages tested occurs at concentrations of 10 −5 − 10 −4 M. Stimulation is greatest in cells of mature (10–12 month old) animals at 81 ± 9% above basal levels of glucose oxidation. This is to reduced to 48 ± 8% in cells of senescent (23–26 month old) animals, and at 23 ± 18% in cells of young (2–3 month old) rats is not significantly different from basal oxidation in most animals. These results are consistent with data for adipocytes and other cell types indicating that responsiveness to certain hormones is altered during maturation and aging.
Split Thickness Hypothenar Grafts for Skin Defects of the Hand

Split thickness hypothenar grafts provide excellent coverage for fingertips as well as other areas of the hand. The method is simple and readily applied in the emergency room with little additional equipment.
On the kinetics of enzyme amplifier systems

Abstract In this article we study the system of differential equations proposed by S. N. Levine (Science 152(1966), 651–653) to describe the kinetics of enzyme amplifier systems. In particular, we consider a probabilistic generalization of the Levine model that is based on the assumption that the activation time characterizing the enzyme amplifier system is a random variable.
Emancipatory Politics, Emancipatory Political Science: On Erik Olin Wright's Envisioning Real Utopias

This article examines Erik Olin Wright's concept of an “emancipatory social science.” I consider two key questions: First, whether “emancipatory social science” makes sense as the basis for a syste...
Evaluating diversified search results using per-intent graded relevance

Search queries are often ambiguous and/or underspecified. To accomodate different user needs, search result diversification has received attention in the past few years. Accordingly, several new metrics for evaluating diversification have been proposed, but their properties are little understood. We compare the properties of existing metrics given the premises that (1) queries may have multiple intents; (2) the likelihood of each intent given a query is available; and (3) graded relevance assessments are available for each intent. We compare a wide range of traditional and diversified IR metrics after adding graded relevance assessments to the TREC 2009 Web track diversity task test collection which originally had binary relevance assessments. Our primary criterion is discriminative power, which represents the reliability of a metric in an experiment. Our results show that diversified IR experiments with a given number of topics can be as reliable as traditional IR experiments with the same number of topics, provided that the right metrics are used. Moreover, we compare the intuitiveness of diversified IR metrics by closely examining the actual ranked lists from TREC. We show that a family of metrics called D#-measures have several advantages over other metrics such as α-nDCG and Intent-Aware metrics.
Spin dependent Drell-Yan beyond leading order: Non-singlet corrections to O(αs2)

Abstract We present parton-level analytical results for the next-to-leading order non-singlet virtual and real corrections to the Drell-Yan differential cross-section. The dependence of the differential cross section on the helicity of the initial state partons is shown explicitly (the spins of the final state partons are summed). The calculation is implemented in dimensional regularization within the MS scheme and with the 't Hooft-Veltman prescriptions for the n -dimensional γ 5 . Both the polarized initial state and the unpolarized cross sections can be obtained from our result. Our unpolarized cross section agrees with the previous result of Ellis, Martinelli and Petronzio in the non-singlet sector.
Improving software reliability and security with automated analysis

Static-analysis tools that identify defects and security vulnerabilities in source and executables have advanced significantly over the last few years. A brief description of how these tools work is given. Their strengths and weaknesses in terms of the kinds of flaws they can and cannot detect are discussed. Methods for quantifying the accuracy of the analysis are described, including sources of ambiguity for such metrics. Recommendations for deployment of tools in a production setting are given.
The use of obstetrical ultrasound in the obese gravida

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States, especially among the pregnant population. Obesity is responsible for an increase in fetal anomalies and adverse outcome of both mother and fetus. Due to difficulty in penetrating to the depth of the uterus, the ultrasound image in obese patients is inadequate, fuzzy, and high in artifacts. Hence, obese patients often require multiple scans as well as special scanning techniques just to get borderline image quality. These techniques and the data regarding quality and frequency of scans for the obese pregnant population are discussed in this paper.
Novel Strategy To Create Hypoallergenic Peanut Protein–Polyphenol Edible Matrices for Oral Immunotherapy

Peanut allergy is an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. Upon peanut consumption by an allergic individual, epitopes on peanut proteins bind and cross-link peanut-specific IgE on mast cell and basophil surfaces triggering the cells to release inflammatory mediators responsible for allergic reactions. Polyphenolic phytochemicals have high affinity to bind proteins and form soluble and insoluble complexes with unique functionality. This study investigated the allergenicity of polyphenol-fortified peanut matrices prepared by complexing various polyphenol-rich plant juices and extracts with peanut flour. Polyphenol-fortified peanut matrices reduced IgE binding to one or more peanut allergens (Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6). Attenuated total reflectance−Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) suggested changes in secondary protein structure. Peanut protein–cranberry polyphenol fortified matrices triggered significantly less basophil degranulation than unmodified flour in an ex vivo assay using h...
Gender and Candidate Communication: Effects of Stereotypes in the 2008 Election

The purpose of this study was to revisit the trait and belief approaches tested by Huddy and Terkildsen (1993a, 1993b) to determine to what extent these are still used by voters in evaluating female and male candidates, particularly after exposure to campaign communication run on behalf of the candidates. Through an experimental design, participants were exposed to candidate’s advertising in two mixed-gender congressional races from the 2008 election cycle. The results indicate that traditional trait stereotypes continue to be generated in the evaluation of female candidates, although the generation of belief (policy) stereotypes are more complicated. Whereas party affiliation influences perceptions of issue competency, vote choice also produces effects on both trait evaluations and perceptions of issue competency. These results ultimately suggest that voters’ application of belief and trait stereotypes encourages still further study by scholars and consideration by female candidates running for office.
Degradation of Human IgM Anti-γ-Globulin by Pepsin provides Evidence of an Active Fragment

RABBIT antibodies of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) class have been shown to be cleaved by pepsin, in the absence of mercaptans, into bivalent fragments1. These fragments, termed F(ab′)2-fragments, sediment in the ultracentrifuge at 5S and are resistant to further cleavage. Similar products have been observed after peptic digestion of human IgG antibodies2. In contrast, others found that human immunoglobulin M (IgM) was rapidly degraded by pepsin into a heterogeneous mixture of small fragments3–5. Incubation of IgM cold agglutinins with the enzyme in buffer at pH. 4.0 and 37° C for 30 min, or 4° C for 48 h, resulted in the complete loss of red cell agglutinating activity3. Efforts to demonstrate residual combining activity by an indirect agglutination technique were unsuccessful. Similarly, treatment of IgM anti-γ-globulins (rheumatoid factors) by pepsin at 4° C for 48 h resulted essentially in complete loss of activity, as measured by several agglutination methods3. I have examined further the degradation of human IgM anti-γ-globulins by pepsin and present evidence of the production of fragments that retain the capacity to combine with human IgG.
The effects of planting and harvesting on endangered species in discrete competitive systems

The influence of planting the endangered species in a discretely reproducing ecosystem is studied. By applying constant rate and variable rate planting strategies we obtain that coexistence of species that would otherwise exclude each other with no planting occurs. We also show that with a high planting rate the endangered species not only recovers from the brink of extinction but it excludes the other competing species. A similar reversal of exclusion principles occurs if the dominant species is harvested with a sufficiently high harvesting constant while the endangered species is left undisturbed. In addition, we obtain mutual exclusion of species with harvesting where there is exclusion of only one species without harvesting.
Resolution of estrogen binding species in hypothalamus and pituitary.

AbstractIn addition to the classic Type I estrogen receptor, a second estrogen binding species has been reported in rat uterine nuclear material. We have examined nuclear material from hypothalamus and pituitary for the presence of Type II estrogen receptor by the sucrose pad/exchange assay. Extensive (0.05–40.0 nM) saturation analyses were performed on crude chromatin isolated from hypothalami and pituitaries of hyperestrogenized ovariectomized rats. Analysis of data by an adaptation of the graphical method of Rosenthal suggests that there is only a single class of estrogen binding sites in these tissues with a Kd (0.2 nM) close to that reported for Type I receptors in other systems. However, a definitive resolution of the binding component(s) was not possible due to noise in the upper regions of the saturation plot. Therefore, we pooled 7 hypothalamic and 4 pituitary saturation experiments and analyzed the data with LIGAND, a nonlinear curve fitting program. Computer generated curves indicate that the d...
A survey of N2H+ in dense clouds: Implications for interstellar nitrogen and ion-molecule chemistry

Spectra of the N 2 H + J=1→0, J=3→2 and 15 NNH + and N 15 NH + J=1→0 rotational transitions have been obtained toward a sample of star-forming and cold dark clouds in the Galaxy. Toward the star-forming regions, line profiles are relatively narrow (typically 1-5 km/s) and show no evidence of line wings, in contrast to the spectra of HCO + . The apparent absence of N 2 H + in hot, shocked gas suggests that this ion may be a selective tracer of extended, quiescent material
American Death Penalty Attitudes A Critical Examination of Recent Evidence

Public support for the death penalty is something of an American tradition. Yet the bases of the American tradition of support for the death penalty are not well understood. An understanding of Ame...
Distribution of Fusarium molds and fumonisins in dry-milled corn fractions

ABSTRACT The distribution of Fusarium molds and fumonisins was determined in commercial and experimental dry-milled corn fractions. Fusarium infection of the commercial whole corn samples ranged from 10 to 28%; F. moniliforme was the predominant species. Fusarium counts in corn fractions were <100 colony-forming units (CFU)/g in flaking grits, <100 - 6.4 × 104 CFU/g in bran, <100 − 1.6 × 104 CFU/g in germ, and <100 − 2.7 × 103 CFU/g in flour. Fumonisin concentrations were ≤0.1 μg/g in flaking grits, 0.2–1.1 μg/g in flour, 0.1–2.0 μg/g in germ, and 1.5–3.2 μg/g in bran. Yellow, blue, and white dent corns naturally contaminated with varying levels of fumonisins (25.4, 3.9, and 0.3 μg of fumonisin B1 per gram) and Fusarium molds (3.9 × 106, 8.0 × 105, and 2.6 × 104 CFU/g) were experimentally dry milled with a horizontal drum degermer. Number 5 grits contained significantly lower Fusarium counts and fumonisin concentrations than the whole kernel corn. Fusarium counts and fumonisins increased as grit size decr...
Tenure: Incentivize Faculty

In his Education Forum “Tenure and the future of the university” (29 May, p. [1147][1]), D. Clawson makes salient points about the damaging effects of a permanent untenured faculty underclass, but he understates the role that many tenured and tenure-track faculty play in supporting this disturbing trend. When unprotected faculty teach and tenured faculty focus on research and departmental decision-making, students are less likely to be prioritized. This occurs despite national calls for greater scientific literacy and a broadening of participation in science. Tenured and tenure-track faculty as well as university administrators need an incentive to meet student needs and to value those faculty who provide teaching services. A simple solution would be to tie a university's overhead rate on federal grants to the percentage of teaching services provided by tenured and tenure-track faculty. In such a system, a department delivering 75% of its teaching services with non–tenure-track faculty would receive only 25% of the normal overhead payment on the grants of its faculty. Such a system would give both tenured and tenure-track faculty and administrators a financial incentive to extend tenure to more of their colleagues and to reevaluate departmental decisions to farm out large introductory courses to non–tenure-track faculty. The balance of funds could be placed in a national fund reserved for professional development and research for non–tenure-track faculty, fulfilling a serious need, as these faculty generally have no access to the regular research funds needed to remain active in research and to escape the academic underclass. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1172995
Potentials for almost Markovian random fields

A positive almost Markovian random field is a probability measure on a lattice gas whose finite set conditional probabilities are continuous and positive. We show that each such random field has a potential and in the translation invariant case an absolutely convergent potential. We give a criterion for determining which random fields correspond to pair potentials, or in generaln-body potentials. We show that two translation invariant positive almost Markovian random fields have the same finite set conditional probabilities if and only if one minimizes the specific free energy of the other.
Detecting insider threats in software systems using graph models of behavioral paths

Insider threats are a well-known problem, and previous studies have shown that it has a huge impact over a wide range of sectors like financial services, governments, critical infrastructure services and the telecommunications sector. Users, while interacting with any software system, leave a trace of what nodes they accessed and in what sequence. We propose to translate these sequences of observed activities into paths on the graph of the underlying software architectural model. We propose a clustering algorithm to find anomalies in the data, which can be combined with contextual information to confirm as an insider threat.
Rainfall and fluctuating plant populations in relation to distributions and numbers of desert rodents in southern Nevada.

Fluctuations in rainfall and size of desert rodent and plant populations for each of five consecutive years were documented on 68 sites in Mojave, Great Basin, and transition desert communities of central-southern Nevada. Post-reproduction rodent densities in the summer usually followed the seasonal patterns of winter annual success the previous spring, in turn directly related to the success of germination the preceding autumn. In the “Dipodomys merriami environment”, at the lower elevations with relatively low rainfall and high temperatures of the Mojave Desert, D. merriami and D. deserti numbers (indicating success or failure of reproduction) closely followed the seasonal and site patterns of winter annual success. In the “Dipodomys microps environment”, at the middle and higher elevations with the relatively high rainfall and lower temperatures of the transition and Great Basin deserts, D. microps numbers followed winter annual success patterns in years of high or low rainfall in the months preceding reproduction, but there was reproduction in years of intermediate rainfall whether or not there were winter annuals in the environment. Reproductive patterns of D. merriami in the “D. microps environment” followed those of D. microps. Perognathus longimembris, the ubiquitous heteromyid of the region, also exhibited both reproductive patterns, depending on whether it was in the “D. merriami” or the “D. microps environment”. The Mojave Desert P. formosus, edaphically restricted in the region, followed the patterns of the “D. merriami environment” and its numbers were highly correlated with winter annual success. Herbaceous perennials, capable of large germinations of plants behaving as biennials or winter annuals, are shown to have large effects on D. merriami numbers. Size of populations of Eurasian annual species of Bromus and Salsola were not correlatable with rodent reproduction patterns. From all patterns in all environments, it is inferred that environmental conditions affecting water balance in the rodents play the key role in initiation of reproduction. Environmental moisture levels during the winter season are usually under the control of rainfall of late autumn-early winter, coincidentally the period of greatest predictability of heavy rains. The herbaceous plants, present in the winter months most years, are available sources of water (and vitamins) at the time of initiation of reproductive activity. For D. microps, identified with the mesic environments of the region, the herbaceous plants may or may not be necessary sources of water for reproduction, depending on the seasonal rainfall regime. For D. merriami, herbaceous plants appear to serve as a water reservoir required for reproduction in its usual environments. The same relationships evidently obtain for the other heteromyids, and the cricetids as a group.
Consensus, Conflict, and Partisanship in House Decision Making: A Bill-Level Examination of Committee and Floor Behavior

Although conflict and partisanship are deeply entrenched in the public's view of the U.S. Congress, political scientists have noted that consensus characterizes much of the legislative branch's operations. We build on an expanding literature that moves beyond a focus on roll call voting and explore individual bills as the unit of analysis in an attempt to obtain an accurate picture of the broader context in which House decision making occurs. Drawing on evidence spanning 24 years, we document the extent to which consensus rather than conflict typifies House decision making. Our bill-level analysis facilitates a unique examination of the context in which committees operate as well as the ensuing floor environment. The results provide insight into the factors attending to the degree of consensus and conflict associated with bills—particularly the salience of the issue and the committee of origin—while painting a more complete picture of the day-to-day environment of the U.S. House.
Photoperiod influences the critical caloric intake necessary to maintain reproduction among male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus).

The concept of critical day length is well established among rodents; reproductive function Is maintained when day lengths are greater than some specific threshold. In addition to day length cues, seasonal breeding in deer mice can also be regulated by food availability. The caloric threshold necessary to support reproduction remains unspecified for seasonally breeding rodents. The present study examined the interaction between photoperiod and food availability on reproductive function in adult male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). A critical caloric intake profile was constructed in long (16L:8D) and short (8L:16D) photoperiods; groups of deer mice in both photoperiods either received food ad libitum or 90, 80, or 70% of their individual ad libitum food intake for 10 wk. At autopsy, paired testes, epididymides, and seminal vesicles were removed and weighed. Body mass, total body fat, and total body water contents were also obtained. Short, as compared to long, day lengths inhibited the reproductive systems of male deer mice. However, food consumption interacted with photoperiod to affect reproductive function. Significant reductions in reproductive organ size as well as spermatogenic activity were observed among short-day mice after a 10% reduction in ad libitum food intake. Long-day animals required a 20% reduction in caloric intake to depress reproductive function. Body mass and total body water content were generally unaffected by either photoperiod or food consumption. Total body fat content was reduced in short- as compared to long-day mice. Individual reproductive responsiveness to short days increased as food availability decreased. Reproductive organ mass and spermatogenic activity were comparable between longday males restricted to 70% of their ad lib food intake and short-day males fed ad libitum; i.e., both groups exhibited significant reproductive regression as compared to long-day males with unrestricted access to food. However, few of these ‘regressed’ males were aspermic. In contrast, the inhibitory effects of short day lengths plus 30% restricted food intake caused virtually all mice to stop spermatogenesis. Taken together, these results confirm that short photoperiods cause statistically significant reduction in gonadal size and sperm production; however, food availability may determine whether the reduction in sperm number is functionally significant.
Interferometric investigation of photonic band-structure effects in pure and doped colloidal crystals

A Mach–Zehnder interferometer was developed for accurately measuring relative phase shifts of light propagating in photonic colloidal crystals deep into the stop bands. These phase shifts can be used to determine the change in index of refraction and the optical dispersion relation from photonic band structure near the band edges. Phase measurements of colloidal crystals incorporating an impurity peak in the transmission spectrum are also presented.
AN EYE FOR DETAIL: SELECTIVE SEXUAL IMPRINTING IN ZEBRA FINCHES

To investigate the idea that sexual imprinting creates incipient reproductive isolation between phenotypically diverging populations, I performed experiments to determine whether colony-reared zebra finches would imprint on details of artificial white crests. In the first experiment, adults in one breeding colony wore white crests with a vertical black stripe, while in another colony adults wore crests having a horizontal black stripe; except for their crests, breeders possessed wild-type plumage and conformation. Offspring of both sexes reared in these colonies developed mate preferences for opposite-sexed birds wearing the crest type with which they were reared; neither sex developed a social preference for crested individuals of the same sex. In a second experiment, females reared by crested parents preferred crested males versus males with red leg bands, while control females (reared in a colony of wild-type, uncrested birds) preferred red-banded males in the same test. Results of a third experiment that used sexually dimorphic crest phenotypes indicate that both sexes of offspring imprinted on maternal crest patterns. Results support the hypothesis that sexual imprinting can facilitate isolation both by engendering a preference for population-typical traits and by prioritizing such an imprinting-based preference over species-typical preferences for other traits used in mate choice. Comparison with results of other recent studies indicates that imprinting tendencies of both sexes vary with the characteristics of traits presented as an imprinting stimuli. Tendency to imprint may vary with the perceived information content (e.g., kin, sex, or population indicator) of parental traits, a process dubbed selective sexual imprinting.
Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Therapeutic Benefits of Their Inhibition in Spinal Cord Injury

This review will focus on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors in the context of spinal cord injury (SCI). MMPs have a specific cellular and temporal pattern of expression in the injured spinal cord. Here we consider their diverse functions in the acutely injured cord and during wound healing. Excessive activity of MMPs, and in particular gelatinase B (MMP-9), in the acutely injured cord contributes to disruption of the blood-spinal cord barrier, and the influx of leukocytes into the injured cord, as well as apoptosis. MMP-9 and MMP-2 regulate inflammation and neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury and may contribute to SCI-induced pain. Early pharmacologic inhibition of MMPs or the gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) results in an improvement in long-term neurological recovery and is associated with reduced glial scarring and neuropathic pain. During wound healing, gelatinase A (MMP-2) plays a critical role in limiting the formation of an inhibitory glial scar, and mice that are genetically deficient in this protease showed impaired recovery. Together, these findings illustrate complex, temporally distinct roles of MMPs in SCIs. As early gelatinase activity is detrimental, there is an emerging interest in developing gelatinase-targeted therapeutics that would be specifically tailored to the acute injured spinal cord. Thus, we focus this review on the development of selective gelatinase inhibitors.
Transient amorphous calcium phosphate in forming enamel

Enamel, the hardest tissue in the body, begins as a three-dimensional network of nanometer size mineral particles, suspended in a protein gel. This mineral network serves as a template for mature enamel formation. To further understand the mechanisms of enamel formation we characterized the forming enamel mineral at an early secretory stage using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectromicroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR microspectroscopy and polarized light microscopy. We show that the newly formed enamel mineral is amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), which eventually transforms into apatitic crystals. Interestingly, the size, shape and spatial organization of these amorphous mineral particles and older crystals are essentially the same, indicating that the mineral morphology and organization in enamel is determined prior to its crystallization. Mineralization via transient amorphous phases has been previously reported in chiton teeth, mollusk shells, echinoderm spicules and spines, and recent reports strongly suggest the presence of transient amorphous mineral in forming vertebrate bones. The present finding of transient ACP in murine tooth enamel suggests that this strategy might be universal.
Geant4 estimation model of high Z atom concentration for tumor vessel ablation

In our novel technique of tumor vessels treatment, High Z (HZ) contrast atoms are injected into the blood vessel and the tumor region is irradiated with “narrowband” fluorescence photon (FP) beam tuned to the “resonance energies”. Theoretically, this technique guarantees a dose 102 − 103 higher than that achieved in conventional radiation therapy (RT). Meanwhile, this high dose is confined to a region of tens of micrometers. This will minimize the side effects caused by the high dose to the surrounding tissues. The FPs are generated by electrons impinging onto target made of the same material as the HZ contrast. In order to support the experiment, an estimation model has been developed based on Geant4 Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. This model takes into account physical and biological factors, which can be determined separately. In this work, the derivation of the model was described in detail, and four HZ atoms, gadolinium (Gd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au) and uranium (U) were evaluated using the model. The scaling law for the capability to yield FPs from IEs had been deduced for these HZ atoms. The results also showed that the minimum molar concentration required for apoptosis of tumor endothelial cells (ECs) for Gd, Pt, Au and U in normal experimental condition were 220.44 nmol/ml, 55.57 nmol/ml, 49.78 nmol/ml and 9.05 nmol/ml, respectively.
Photoluminescence studies of self-assembled InAs quantum dots formed on InGaAs/GaAs quantum well

We have characterized self-assembled InAs quantum dots grown on the top of a single InGaAs/GaAs quantum well (QD's:QW) by measuring photoluminescence (PL) spectra as an effective technique. We have found that the linewidths of the PL peaks for the QD's:QW are narrower than that for the InAs quantum dots grown on a GaAs layer by an amount as large as 35 meV. In addition, the wavelength-integrated PL intensity for the QD's:QW is about twice higher. Within the lateral plane, the energies for the optical transitions stay more or less the same for the QD's:QW whereas for the InAs quantum dots they shift quite a lot from one location to the next. Furthermore, the QD's:QW exhibit much stronger band-filling effect than the InAs quantum dots. In order to explain our experimental results, we have introduced the concept of a strong coupling between the InAs quantum dots and the InGaAs/GaAs quantum well strained by the quantum dots.
An Exceptionally Stable, Porphyrinic Zr Metal–Organic Framework Exhibiting pH-Dependent Fluorescence

A reaction between a Zr IV salt and a porphyrinic tetracarboxylic acid leads to a metal−organic framework (MOF) with two types of open channels, representing a MOF featuring a (4,8)-connected sqc net. The MOF remains intact in both boiling water and aqueous solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 11, a remarkably extensive pH range that a MOF can sustain. Given its exceptional stability and pH- dependent fluorescent intensity, the MOF can potentially be applied in fluorescent pH sensing.
THE D-ALANYL CARRIER PROTEIN IN LACTOBACILLUS CASEI : CLONING, SEQUENCING,AND EXPRESSION OF DLTC

The incorporation of D-alanine into membrane-associated D-alanyl-lipoteichoic acid in Lactobacillus casei requires the 56-kDa D-alanine-D-alanyl carrier protein ligase (Dcl) and the 8.9-kDa D-alanyl carrier protein (Dcp). To identify and isolate the gene encoding Dcp, we have cloned and sequenced a 4.3-kb chromosomal fragment that contains dcl (dltA). In addition to this gene, the fragment contains three other genes, dltB, d1tC, and a partial dltD gene. dltC (246 nucleotides) was subcloned from this region and expressed in Escherichia coli. The product was identified as apo-Dcp lacking the N-terminal methionine (8,787.9 Da). The in vitro conversion of the recombinant apo-Dcp to holo-Dcp by recombinant E. coli holo-ACP synthase provided Dcp which accepts activated D-alanine in the reaction catalyzed by Bcl. The recombinant D-alanyl-Dcp was functionally identical to native D-alanyl-Dcp in the incorporation of D-alanine into lipoteichoic acid. L. casei Dcp is 46% identical to the putative product of dltC in the Bacillus subtilis dlt operon (M. Perego, P. Glaser, A. Minutello, M. A. Strauch, K. Leopold, and W. Fischer, J. Biol. Chem. 270:15598-15606, 1995), and therefore, this gene also encodes Dcp. Comparisons of the primary sequences and predicted secondary structures of the L. casei and B. subtilis Dcps with that of the E. coli acyl carrier protein (ACP) were undertaken together with homology modeling to identify the functional determinants of the donor and acceptor specificities of Dcp. In the region of the phospho-pantetheine attachment site, significant similarity between Dcps and ACPs was observed. This similarity may account for the relaxed acceptor specificity of the Dcps and ACPs in the ligation Of D-alanine catalyzed by Dcl. In contrast, two Dcp consensus sequences, KXXVLDXLA and DXVKXNXD, share little identity with the rest of the ACP family and, thus, may determine the donor specificity of D-alanyl-Dcp in the D-alanylation of membrane-associated D-alanyl-lipoteichoic acid.
Canonical Forms for Symmetric and Skewsymmetric Quaternionic Matrix Pencils

Canonical forms are given for pairs of quaternionic matrices, or equivalently matrix pencils, with various symmetry properties, under strict equivalence and symmetry respecting congruence. Symmetry properties are induced by involutory antiautomorphisms of the quaternions which are different from the quaternionic conjugation. Some applications are developed, in particular, canonical forms for quaternionic matrices that are symmetric or skewsymmetric with respect to symmetric or skewsymmetric quaternion-valued inner products. Another application concerns joint numerical cones of pairs of skewsymmetric quaternionic matrices.