cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancer RNA and NFκB-dependent P300 regulation of ADAMDEC1.

We observed increased expression of ADAMDEC1 RNA in monocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The precise role of ADAMDEC1 is uncertain and uniquely among metalloproteinases it utilizes a zinc-coordinating aspartic acid residue which allows it to escape inhibition by tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease-3 (TIMP-3). A closely related gene encodes the protein ADAM28, which is not up-regulated in lupus. We leveraged the ability to look at both gene’s promoters and enhancers simultaneously. ADAMDEC1 was up-regulated by LPS while ADAM28 was not upregulated in the short term. We identified MAP kinases and NFκB as critical cell pathways regulating the expression of ADAMDEC1. These same pathways were implicated in driving the expression of the ADAMDEC1 upstream enhancer RNAs. We demonstrated that binding of the enhancer RNAs produced from the upstream enhancer were critically important and that p300 bound to both the RNA from the enhancer and the DNA at the enhancer. P300 binding to the enhancer was dependent on NFκB. These data define the critical pathways regulating the expression of ADAMDEC1 and extend our knowledge of the roles of enhancer RNAs and mechanistically links p300 and enhancer RNAs.
Leveraging U.S. Army Administrative Data for Individual and Team Performance

The Army possesses vast amounts of administrative (archival) data about Soldiers. These data sources include screening tests, personnel action codes, training scores, global assessments, physical fitness scores, and more. However, the Army has yet to integrate these data to create a holistic operating picture. Our research focuses on repurposing Army administrative data to (1) operationalize social constructs of interest to the Army (e.g., Army Values, Warrior Ethos) and (2) model the predictive relationship between these constructs and individual (i.e., Soldier) and team (i.e., unit) performance and readiness. The goal of the project is to provide people analytics models to Army leadership for the purposes of optimizing human capital management decisions. Our talk will describe the theoretical underpinnings of our human performance model, drawing on disciplines such as social and industrial/organizational psychology, as well as our experience gaining access to and working with Army administrative data sources. Access to the archival administrative data is provided through the Army Analytics Group (AAG), Person-event Data Environment (PDE). The PDE is a business intelligence platform that has two central functions: (1) to provide a secure repository for data sources on U.S. military personnel; and (2) to provide a secure collaborative work environment where researchers can access unclassified but sensitive military data.
Using Professional Online Portfolios to Enhance Student Transition into the Poststudent World.

Although most students have learned to succeed academically, by the time they enter our business communication courses, their time as students is almost over. This article describes the challenges ...
Infrared Spectra and Structures of the Stable CuH2-, AgH2-, AuH2-, and AuH4- Anions and the AuH2 Molecule

Gold is noble, but excited gold is reactive. Reactions of laser-ablated copper, silver, and gold with H(2) in excess argon, neon, and pure hydrogen during condensation at 3.5 K give the MH molecules and the (H(2))MH complexes as major products and the MH(2)(-) and AuH(4)(-) anions as minor products. These new molecular anions are identified from matrix infrared spectra with isotopic substitution (HD, D(2), and H(2) + D(2)) and comparison to frequencies calculated by density functional theory. The stable linear MH(2)(-) anions are unique in that their corresponding neutral MH(2) molecules are higher in energy than M + H(2) and thus unstable to M + H(2) decomposition. Infrared spectra are observed for the bending modes of AuH(2), AuHD, and AuD(2) in solid H(2), HD, and D(2), respectively. The observation of square-planar AuH(4)(-) attests the stability of the higher Au(III) oxidation state for gold. The synthesis of CuH(2)(-) in solid compounds has potential for use in hydrogen storage.
Fused pyrimidines. 5. Methylated pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidines†

The Mannich reaction has been applied to pyrimidines possessing activating groups at positions 2, 4, and 6 and that have a methyl group attached at a ring nitrogen atom. The corresponding tetrahydropyrimido[4,5-d] pyrimidines were obtained. In one case there was a possibility of isomer formation. Chemical reactivity was not successful in determining the structure but through an nmr program called INAPT, a version of INEPT, we were able to assign the structure as that of 6
Synergistic Effect of Integrated Project Delivery, Lean Construction, and Building Information Modeling on Project Performance Measures: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

In the recent years, owners and construction management companies have shown an increasingly more interest in adopting approaches that result in enhanced quality and less risks, conflicts, and wastes on their projects despite potentially higher initial cost. Implementing advanced technology trends and incorporating more integrated methods of delivering projects have proven to be highly value-adding and forward-thinking approaches. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of and the synergy between three of such trending concepts in the construction industry, namely, integrated project delivery (IPD), lean principles, and building information modeling (BIM) in terms of cost and schedule performance measures. Data analysis was conducted on 72 vertical projects through interviews and study of the published articles, reports, and case studies. Qualitative analysis was performed through grounded theory while quantitative analysis was implemented using univariate and multivariate analysis of variance tests on schedule performance and cost performance. Results of the grounded theory analysis summarize six crucial characteristics required for an effective coordination between IPD, lean construction, and BIM. Statistical analysis on different combination of these three components revealed considerable effectiveness in terms of schedule performance while the effect on cost performance was not as much significant. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and practice in the field of construction by demonstrating the cost and schedule benefits realized through the use of IPD, lean construction, and BIM and identifying their collective conceptual advantages.
Just Playin’: Black mixed-race boys and the injustices of boyhood

ABSTRACTIn this article, the author explores the question: in what ways do multiracial boys and their mothers explain play and violence in their everyday experiences at school, home, and in their n...
On the Identity of Victoria's Mouse Opossum, Marmosa regina Thomas, 1898

Phylogenetic analyses of molecular sequence data obtained from the holotype of Marmosa reginaThomas, 1898, together with a reassessment of its morphological characters indicate that this species does not belong to the subgenus Micoureus as previously believed. Instead, both molecular and phenotypic data are consistent with the hypothesis that M. regina is a senior synonym of M. isthmica Goldman, 1912, in the subgenus Exulomarmosa. Because replacing isthmica with regina would create nomenclatural confusion, we recommend maintaining current usage of the former name and suppressing usage of the latter.
Enhanced detection limits for radiokrypton analysis

We present a method for improving detection limits of Atom Trap Trace Analysis for the krypton radioisotopes 85Kr and 81Kr. For the case of 85Kr this work demonstrates that systematic use of isotopically depleted gas for calibration and extended conditioning of the instrument results in a detection limit of 900 85Kr atoms per 11 µl of Kr gas, equivalent to a 85Kr/Kr isotopic abundance of 3 × 10–15. This improvement of roughly two orders of magnitude over previously reported limits will help to expand the reach of radiokrypton dating towards longer age ranges where most of the radioisotopes have decayed. Additionally, the method offers an opportunity to investigate radiokrypton production via spontaneous fission within naturally occurring minerals to understand potential underground production of these isotopes.
Elastically Anisotropic Phantoms Constructed from 3D-printed PLA Fibers

Many tissues, such as muscle, kidney, and breast, are mechanically anisotropic. Appropriately exploited, mechanical anisotropy can be a clinically relevant target for noninvasive imaging. An imaging method's potential for interrogating mechanical anisotropy can be experimentally evaluated using tissue-mimicking materials, also known as phantoms. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing mechanically anisotropic phantoms using 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) fibers embedded in gelatin hydrogel or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cryogel. Four identical fiber sets were printed; two were embedded in gelatin and two in PVA. Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) imaging was performed on the constructed phantoms, with data acquisitions at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° concentric orientations, where 0° and 90° corresponded to the long-axis of the spatially asymmetric ARF excitation being aligned across and along the fibers, respectively. Degree of anisotropy (DoA) was calculated as the ratio of peak displacements achieved at 90° versus 0° orientations. While both gelatin and PVA embedded fibers demonstrated elastic anisotropy, DoA values were 32% higher in gelatin. These pilot experimental results demonstrate that phantoms constructed of 3D-printed PLA fibers embedded in gelatin or PVA exhibit mechanical anisotropy as assessed by ARFI ultrasound.
Sex-dimorphic neuroestradiol regulation of ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus glucoregulatory transmitter and glycogen metabolism enzyme protein expression in the rat.

Ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN) gluco-regulatory transmission is subject to sex-specific control by estradiol. The VMN is characterized by high levels of aromatase expression. The aromatase inhibitor letrozole (LZ) was used with high-resolution microdissection/Western blot techniques to address the hypothesis that neuroestradiol exerts sex-dimorphic control of VMN neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and glutamate decarboxylase65/67 (GAD) protein expression. Glycogen metabolism impacts VMN nNOS and GAD profiles; here, LZ treatment effects on VMN glycogen synthase (GS) and phosphorylase brain- (GPbb; glucoprivic-sensitive) and muscle (GPmm; norepinephrine-sensitive) variant proteins were examined. VMN aromatase protein content was similar between sexes. Intracerebroventricular LZ infusion of testes-intact male and ovariectomized, estradiol-replaced female rats blocked insulin-induced hypoglycemic (IIH) up-regulation of this profile. LZ exerted sex-contingent effects on basal VMN nNOS and GAD expression, but blocked IIH-induced NO stimulation and GAD suppression in each sex. Sex-contingent LZ effects on basal and hypoglycemic patterns of GPbb and GPmm expression occurred at distinctive levels of the VMN. LZ correspondingly down- or up-regulated baseline pyruvate recycling pathway marker protein expression in males (glutaminase) and females (malic enzyme-1), and altered INS effects on those proteins. Results infer that neuroestradiol is required in each sex for optimal VMN metabolic transmitter signaling of hypoglycemic energy deficiency. Sex differences in VMN GP variant protein levels and sensitivity to aromatase may correlate with sex-dimorphic glycogen mobilization during this metabolic stress. Neuroestradiol may also exert sex-specific effects on glucogenic amino acid energy yield by actions on distinctive enzyme targets in each sex.
Why cylindrical screens in the Columbia River (USA) entrain few fish

Cooling-water intakes often entrain large numbers of larval and juvenile fish, leading to questions why a water intake on the Columbia River, USA, with axial flow, cylindrical screens on a T-screen...
Developing School Leaders: Findings From a Randomized Control Trial Study of the Executive Development Program and Paired Coaching:

Principals are the second-largest school-based contributor to K–12 students’ academic progress. However, there is little research evaluating whether efforts to develop principals’ skills improve sc...
Mathematical gain models of large-aperture Earth station antennas for Space Research Service

Compatibility studies between Space Research Service (SRS) earth stations and high-density fixed systems are being conducted in the 31.8-32.3 GHz and 37-38 GHz bands. One of the key parameters in determining the level of interference that may occur at SRS earth stations is the antenna pattern to be used in the calculations. There are a number of antenna pattern models proposed in the literature and in various International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommendations. In this paper, we propose and present a new gain model representing a peak envelope of the class of large aperture antennas currently in use at the SRS earth stations. This model takes into account the effect of surface tolerance on gain distribution in the main beam and at side-lobes. It includes aperture efficiency in away affecting both the peak and the side-lobe regions. It is demonstrated to have properties superior to the existing models in many respects. We also propose the use of the integrated average gain value as a validity check in evaluating the general accuracy of any model compared to an actual antenna pattern. An "average gain" model is also proposed to allow more accurate estimation of aggregate interference of a large number of distributed interfering sources. Many examples and plots are provided to clarify the concepts and compare and validate the proposed models.
Defining the Molecular Landscape of Ependymomas

Ependymomas have a variable prognosis. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Pajtler and colleagues identify nine subgroups of ependymoma using DNA methylation profiles. Two subgroups, predominately pediatric, are responsible for most of the mortality, with all others having nearly 100% overall survival after 5 years.
Cognitively-inspired direction giving

Online mapping services and portable GPS units make it easy to get very detailed driving directions. While these directions are sufficient for an automaton to follow, they do not present a big picture description of the route. As a result, while people can follow these detailed turn-by-turn directions, it can be difficult for them to actually comprehend where they are going. Our goal is to make such directions more comprehensible. Our approach is to apply findings from human spatial cognition, the study of how people conceptualize and organize their knowledge of large-scale space, to create a system that generates written route overviews. Route overviews provide a big picture description of a route, and are intended to supplement the information in turn-by-turn directions. Our route overviews are based on cognitively-inspired design criteria such as: the use of spatial hierarchy, goal-directed descriptions, selective suppression of detail, and the use of the trunk segments and cognitive anchor points along the route. In our experiments, we show that we can make directions more comprehensible—independent of the particular places a person knows—by using what we know about how people think about space to structure the way we present spatial information. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Micro-RNAs and macrophage diversity in atherosclerosis: New players, new challenges…new opportunities for therapeutic intervention?

Efforts in experimental therapeutics of atherosclerosis are mostly focused on identifying candidate targets that can be exploited in developing new strategies to reduce plaque progression, induce its regression and/or improve stability of advanced lesions. Plaque macrophages are central players in all these processes, and consequently a significant amount of research is devoted to understanding mechanisms that regulate, for instance, macrophage apoptosis, necrosis or migration. Macrophage diversity is a key feature of the macrophage population in the plaque and can impact many aspects of lesion development. Thus, searching for molecular entities that contribute to atherorelevant functions of a specific macrophage type but not others may lead to identification of targets that can be exploited in phenotype selective modulation of the lesional macrophage. This however, remains an unmet goal. In recent years several studies have revealed critical functions of micro-RNAs (miRs) in mechanisms of macrophage polarization, and a number of miRs have emerged as being specific of distinctive macrophage subsets. Not only can these miRs represent the first step towards recognition of phenotype specific targets, but they may also pave the way to reveal novel atherorelevant pathways within macrophage subsets. This article discusses some of these recent findings, speculates on their potential relevance to atherosclerosis and elaborates on the prospective use of miRs to affect the function of plaque macrophages in a phenotype selective manner.
The effects of supplementation with P-Synephrine alone and in combination with caffeine on resistance exercise performance

Little is known concerning the potential ergogenic effects of p-synephrine supplementation. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of supplementation with p-synephrine alone and in combination with caffeine on free-weight resistance exercise performance. Twelve healthy, college-aged men performed a control (CT) resistance exercise protocol consisting of 6 sets of squats for up to 10 repetitions per set using 80 % of their one repetition-maximum (1RM) with 2 min of rest in between sets. Each subject was randomly assigned (in double-blind, balanced manner) to a treatment sequence consisting of use of 3 supplements: p-synephrine (S; 100 mg), p-synephrine + caffeine (SCF; 100 mg of p-synephrine plus 100 mg of caffeine), or a placebo (P). For each supplement treatment (separated by 1 week), subjects consumed the supplement for 3 days prior to each protocol and the morning of each protocol, and subsequently did not consume any supplements for 3 days following (i.e. wash-out period). On each protocol day, subjects reported to the lab at a standard time, consumed a supplement, sat quietly for 45 min, performed the resistance exercise protocol, and sat quietly for 30 min post exercise. Performance (repetition number, force, velocity and power), blood lactate, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) data were collected during each protocol. Supplements SCF and S produced a significantly (P < 0.05) greater number of repetitions performed than CT (by 11.0 ± 8.0 %) and P (by 6.0 ± 7.0 %) and a 10.6 ± 12.0 % greater increase in volume load per protocol than CT and P. Most of the differences were seen during the last 3 sets. Mean power and velocity for all 6 sets were significantly higher in SCF compared to CT and P by ~6.2 ± 8.0 %. No supplement effects were observed in RPE or blood lactate, and no adverse side effects were observed or reported. S and SCF augmented resistance exercise performance (total repetitions, volume load) without increasing blood lactate or RPE. The addition of caffeine in SCF increased mean power and velocity of squat performance. These results indicate supplementation with S and SCF can enhance local muscle endurance during resistance exercise.
TOPS-a distributed operating system kernel for transputer systems

The authors describe a programming environment (TOPS) that creates an abstraction level such that a network of transputers is regarded as a virtual machine independent of the network topology. TOPS provides an extended process model and higher level of message passing than is provided by a bare transputer. The development of TOPS arose in the context of various projects requiring a higher level of flexibility. The discussion covers the transputer system, functionality of TOPS, the task model in TOPS, event handling, dynamic memory measurement, input-output in TOPS, and an evaluation of TOPS. >
Radiation hazards due to activated corrosion and neutron sputtering products in fusion reactor coolant and tritium breeding fluids

Abstract The accumulation of radioactive corrosion and neutron sputtering products on the surfaces of components in fusion reactor coolant and tritium breeding systems can cause significant personnel access problems. Remote maintenance techniques or special treatment may be required to limit the amount of radiation exposure to plant operational and maintenance personnel. A computer code, RAPTOR, has been developed to estimate the transport of this activated material throughout a fusion heat transfer and/or tritium breeding material loop. A method is devised which treats the components of the loop individually and determines the source rates, deposition and erosion rates, decay rates, and purification rates of these radioactive materials. RAPTOR has been applied to the MARS and Starfire conceptual reactor designs to determine the degree of the possible radiation hazard due to these products. Due to the very high corrosion release rate by HT-9 when exposed to LiPb in the MARS reactor design, the radiation fields surrounding the primary system will preclude direct contact maintenance even after shutdown. Even the removal of the radioactive LiPb from the system will not decrease the radiation fields to reasonable levels. The Starfire primary system will exhibit radiation fields similar to those found in present pressurized water reactors.
Application of the Gini Correlation Coefficient to Infer Regulatory Relationships in Transcriptome Analysis

One of the computational challenges in plant systems biology is to accurately infer transcriptional regulation relationships based on correlation analyses of gene expression patterns. Despite several correlation methods that are applied in biology to analyze microarray data, concerns regarding the compatibility of these methods with the gene expression data profiled by high-throughput RNA transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology have been raised. These concerns are mainly due to the fact that the distribution of read counts in RNA-Seq experiments is different from that of fluorescence intensities in microarray experiments. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of the existing correlation methods and, if necessary, introduction of novel methods into biology is appropriate. In this study, we compared four existing correlation methods used in microarray analysis and one novel method called the Gini correlation coefficient on previously published microarray-based and sequencing-based gene expression data in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and maize (Zea mays). The comparisons were performed on more than 11,000 regulatory relationships in Arabidopsis, including 8,929 pairs of transcription factors and target genes. Our analyses pinpointed the strengths and weaknesses of each method and indicated that the Gini correlation can compensate for the shortcomings of the Pearson correlation, the Spearman correlation, the Kendall correlation, and the Tukey’s biweight correlation. The Gini correlation method, with the other four evaluated methods in this study, was implemented as an R package named rsgcc that can be utilized as an alternative option for biologists to perform clustering analyses of gene expression patterns or transcriptional network analyses.
Performance and operational characteristics of the Yale tandem accelerator

Abstract The MP-1 tandem Van de Graaff accelerator which was initially commissioned at Yale in 1966 is presently being converted to higher gradient operation. In April 1973 the charging belt was replaced by six Pelletron chains; the installation of a newly designed set of stainless-steel electrode acceleration tubes is currently in progress. This paper summarizes performance data and operational experience gained with the original MP-1 facility and the Pelletron charging system; it also discusses the characteristics and design of the more recent conversion modifications.
Calmodulin and wound healing in the coenocytic green alga Ernodesmis verticillata (Kützing) Børgesen : ultrastructure of the cortical cytoskeleton and immunogold labeling

Ultrastructural changes in the cortical cytoskeleton during wound-induced cytoplasmic contraction were examined in the coenocytic green alga Ernodesmis verticillata. Both calmodulin (CaM) and actin were localized in intact and contracting cells by immunogold labeling. Within 5 min after wounding, compact microfilament (MF) bundles were observed which increase in diameter as cytoplasmic contraction proceeds. Calmodulin labeling is associated with amorphous material studding the MF bundles, whereas actin labeling occurs along the individual MFs. No MF bundles were ever observed during contraction that were not also labeled with anti-CaM antibodies. In cells treated with the CaM antagonist W-7 (N-[6-aminohexyl]-5-chloro-1-naphtha-lenesulfonamide), MF bundles do not form, and the formation of loosely arranged MFs (similar to nascent bundles in untreated cells) is greatly retarded. We propose that CaM binds indirectly to actin by activating an actin-binding regulatory protein which functions in early stages of the transduction sequence leading to functional MF bundles. Additionally, ultrastructural evidence is presented for a plasma-membrane skeleton or undercoating in this alga.
Tasting and Judging the Unknown Terroir of the Bulgarian Wine: The Political Economy of Sensory Experience

Some Bulgarian winemakers insist that their unique terroir (taste of place) and native grapes can deliver a “distinctive” product in the global market. Such beliefs are the driving force for marginal producers to continue with their wine production in a fiercely competitive global wine market despite the lack of brand equity and cultural capital compared to the world's elite wines. How can the global consumer sense this unique “taste of place” which is itself an elusive culturally cultivated concept? What does gastronomic connoisseurship entail in a highly globalized world where knowledge of local products and taste are exchanged and experienced in a standardized way as a global foodway? Understanding these questions from the viewpoints of the Bulgarian wine sector, this article discusses the intersection of the sensory experience and the implicit global hierarchy of value that wine producers and consumers employ to objectify and communicate the subjective taste knowledge and identity of place.
Dynamic characteristics of the national full-scale aerodynamic complex drive fan blades

An extensive experimental test program was conducted to define the dynamic characteristics of the newly installed fan blades of the NASA Ames 40- by 80-/80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel. The tests were intended to substantiate the blade design and manufacturing process, verify installation integrity, and guarantee safe fan-drive operation. The program included a shake test of each fan blade after installation and before operation as well as the monitoring of blade strain levels during initial operation. Structural characteristics, as determined by the shake test, include the modal frequency and damping values for elastic bending and torsion modes between 5 and 130 Hz. Operational testing defined the maximum and oscillatory blade-bending strains throughout the drive-system operational envelope. Results are presented for the shake test and initial operation of the 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel circuit.
Toward a theoretical model to understand teacher emotions and teacher burnout in the context of student misbehavior: Appraisal, regulation and coping

Compared with other professions, teachers in P-12 schools appear to experience a higher level of emotional exhaustion (see review in Maslach et al. in Ann Rev Psychol 52(1):397, 2001; Schaufeli and Enzmann in The burnout companion to study and practice: a critical analysis, Taylor & Francis, Philadelphia, 1998). The purpose of this study is to examine teacher emotions within the context of teachers’ appraisals and the ways they regulate and cope with their emotions. The study explores teachers’ appraisals of disruptive classroom behavior situations and investigates the adaptive coping and emotion regulation strategies that ease teacher burnout. Data were collected from 492 teachers in the US Midwest and subjected to hypothesis testing using structural equation modeling. The model provides evidence supporting a pathway between teachers’ antecedent judgments and their experience of emotion, as well as providing evidence for how the consequent emotions contribute to teachers’ feelings of burnout. This study further validates the relationships between the appraisals teachers make about an incident and the correlative intensity of emotions. Several hypotheses are either supported or partially supported after testing alternate models. Discussion and implications regarding teacher emotion regulation and coping are provided.
Chromatographic Method Validation: A Review of Current Practices and Procedures. II. Guidelines for Primary Validation Parameters.

Validation of analytical methodologies is an important aspect of their development/utilization and is widely required in support of product registration applications. In this manuscript, definitions, procedures and acceptance criteria which appear in the pharmaceutical literature are summarized for the more commonly encountered validation parameters. Parameters examined include accuracy, precision, specificity, linearity and sensitivity limits.
Suppression of adjuvant‐induced arthritis in da rats by incomplete freund's adjuvant

Objective. To define the effects of incomplete Freund's adjuvant (ICFA) on subsequent arthritis induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and type II collagen (CII) in DA and Lewis rats.
ETI: Our first impressions

Abstract Despite scant or ambiguous information, people are capable of developing comprehensive and detailed impressions. Consequently, if the detection of an electromagnetically-active civilization is announced, many people will rapidly form impressions of what the extraterrestrials and their civilization are “like”. First impressions are crucial, not only because of their immediate psychological, social, and political consequences on Earth, but because they can influence the future of interstellar communication. Initial impressions will rest less on hard data than on the nature and tone of the “evidence” that is gleaned from the transmission; the interpretation and dissemination of this evidence; and the hard wiring, psychological programming, cultural conditioning, and social influence processes that shape human perception. We consider how dispositional inferences, implicit theories of personality, negatively toned or adverse information, physical appearance, prior expectations, the confirmation bias, and thinking and unthinking approaches to attitude formation are likely to affect human impressions of ETI.
Delayed clinical and ex vivo response to mammalian meat in patients with IgE to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose

Background In 2009, we reported a novel form of delayed anaphylaxis to red meat related to serum IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). Although patients were remarkably consistent in their description of a 3- to 6-hour delay between eating mammalian meat and the appearance of symptoms, this delay has not been demonstrated under observed studies. Objectives We sought to formally document the time course of clinical symptoms after the ingestion of mammalian meat in subjects with IgE to alpha-gal and to monitor ex vivo for the appearance of markers of an allergic reaction. Methods Open food challenges were performed with mammalian meat in 12 subjects with a history of severe urticarial reactions 3 to 6 hours after eating beef, pork, or lamb, as well as in 13 control subjects. Blood samples were taken hourly during each challenge. Results Ten of 12 subjects with IgE to alpha-gal had clinical evidence of a reaction during the food challenge (vs none of the control subjects, P Conclusion The results presented provide clear evidence of an IgE-mediated food allergy that occurs several hours after ingestion of the inciting allergen. Moreover, here we report that in vivo basophil activation during a food challenge occurs in the same time frame as clinical symptoms and likely reflects the appearance of the antigen in the bloodstream.
ALADURA CHRISTIANITY: A YORUBA RELIGION

Aladura Christianity among the Yoruba of Nigeria is a distinctive form of Christianity that bears the full imprint of Yoruba traditional religion. While many churches in Nigeria exhibit certain Yoruba features, these are recognizably superficial and do not involve the deeply Yoruba religious stamp that is found among the Aladura. This, I should point out, is not merely the judgment of western observers but of Yoruba scholars as well. The nature and extent of this Yoruba 'imprint' has not, however, been fully examined. Although several scholars have identified certain Yoruba elements, there has been no systematic explanation of how they have combined with Christian elements to form a distinctly new Christian religious synthesis. Excellent studies by Harold Turner, J. Akinyele Omoyajowo, Albert A. Agbaje, and David O. Olayiwola concentrate on the history, institutional organization, and theology of several Aladura churches.1 These works often dismiss the Yoruba elements as theologically unorthodox, and leave them unexamined. J.D.Y. Peel's pioneering sociological study (1968) and Diedre Crumbley's more recent anthropological work (1989) have also identified a number of Yoruba aspects of the Aladura churches but not with the intent to show how they are involved in shaping a new version of Christianity.2 Since my purpose is descriptive and not theological, I want to avoid at the outset the normative implications that the term 'syncretism' usually conveys and speak instead of the Aladura churches as constituting a distinctive synthesis of Yoruba and Christian beliefs and practices. In agreement with Peel,3 I am not interested simply in the question of acculturation, that is, in identifying the Yoruba origins of certain elements of Aladura Christianity. Isolating and labelling Yoruba traits is not particularly useful and,
Angiopoietin-1 Requires p190 RhoGAP to Protect against Vascular Leakage in Vivo

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), a ligand of the endothelium-specific receptor Tie-2, inhibits permeability in the mature vasculature, but the mechanism remains unknown. Here we show that Ang-1 signals Rho family GTPases to organize the cytoskeleton into a junction-fortifying arrangement that enhances the permeability barrier function of the endothelium. Ang-1 phosphorylates Tie-2 and its downstream effector phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. This induces activation of one endogenous GTPase, Rac1, and inhibition of another, RhoA. Loss of either part of this dual effect abrogates the cytoskeletal and anti-permeability actions of Ang-1, suggesting that coordinated GTPase regulation is necessary for the vessel-sealing effects of Ang-1. p190 RhoGAP, a GTPase regulatory protein, provides this coordinating function as it is phosphorylated by Ang-1 treatment, requires Rac1 activation, and is necessary for RhoA inhibition. Ang-1 prevents the cytoskeletal and pro-permeability effects of endotoxin but requires p190 RhoGAP to do so. Treatment with p190 RhoGAP small interfering RNA completely abolishes the ability of Ang-1 to rescue endotoxemia-induced pulmonary vascular leak and inflammation in mice. We conclude that Ang-1 prevents vascular permeability by regulating the endothelial cytoskeleton through coordinated and opposite effects on the Rho GTPases Rac1 and RhoA. By linking Rac1 activation and RhoA inhibition, p190 RhoGAP is critical to the protective effects of Ang-1 against endotoxin. These results provide mechanistic evidence that targeting the endothelium through Tie-2 may offer specific therapeutic strategies in life-threatening endotoxemic conditions such as sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Study of positron surface states on the alkali-metal-covered transition-metal surface

Abstract We present a first-principles study of annihilation probabilities of surface trapped positrons with core electrons at the Cu(100) surface with sub-monolayers of Cs adsorbed. Image-potential-induced positron surface states are calculated using a corrugated-mirror model in a full three-dimensional geometry. These states are studied for various arrangements of Cs atoms below and above the critical alkali-metal coverage of approximately 0.7 physical monolayer. Computer simulations of the deposition of Cs atoms are used to show that hexagonal close-packed Cs islands are formed at about 0.7 physical monolayer coverage of Cs. It is found that the abrupt decrease in the positron annihilation rate with Cu 3p electrons observed experimentally results from a metallization of the Cs islands. This causes a shift in the localization of the positron bound state from the Cs Cu interface to the vacuum side of the Cs overlayer, with the corresponding abrupt decrease in the positron annihilation probability with Cu electrons. Annihilation probabilities for positrons with Cs electrons are also computed and compared with experiment.
Catch 22 in the NIH peer review system

Summary The peer review system for the assessment of research proposals is widely respected by working scientists. Nevertheless two problems associated with the operation of this system by the US National Institutes of Health are identified. First the scientist has no control over which committee will review an application and it may be considered by a quite inappropriate group. Second analysis of the committee composition suggests that in some of the groups several members are not active scientists and therefore not the “peers” of the applicant.
Foredune Texture: Landscape Metrics and Climate

Coastal dunes are sensitive ecosystems because of their location at the juncture of terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric environments. This is especially the case for foredunes and the vegetation they support. Considerable attention is paid to the characteristics of foredunes and dune vegetation, but there has been no systematic study of patterns of bare sand on foredune surfaces—foredune textures—and the climate variables controlling those patterns. We used landscape metrics to quantify foredune textures for twenty-two coastal locations in the contiguous United States and cluster analysis to classify textures using those metrics. Four types of texture were identified: (1) active, where bare sand averages more than 80 percent of the dune surface and sand patches are close together; (2) composite, with about 50 percent bare sand area and sand patches that are close together and of minimal complexity; (3) aggregated, where bare sand is about 23 percent of the surface and the sand patches are moderately adja...
Conditions for Regge Behavior of an Absolutely Convergent Veneziano Series

We investigate the conditions for the validity of a Regge asymptotic expansion of a scattering amplitude, $A(s, t)$, which can be written in the form of an absolutely convergent series as $A(s, t)=\ensuremath{\Sigma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\infty}}{l,h=0}{C}_{\mathrm{lh}}\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(l+h\ensuremath{-}S)\ensuremath{\Gamma}(l+h\ensuremath{-}T)}{l!\ensuremath{\Gamma}(l+2h\ensuremath{-}S\ensuremath{-}T)}$ where $S=\ensuremath{\alpha}(s)$, a real linear Regge trajectory, and $T$ is similarly defined. We find both necessary and sufficient conditions for Regge behavior when $|S|\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ at fixed $T$ with $|\mathrm{arg}(\ensuremath{-}S)|l\ensuremath{\pi}$, and for Regge behavior when $|S|\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ with fixed $u$ and $0l|\mathrm{arg}(S)|l\ensuremath{\pi}$, in terms of the analyticity of two functions which are defined in terms of the coefficients ${C}_{\mathrm{lh}}$. We show also that the absolute convergence of the Veneziano series is sufficient to guarantee that $A(s, t)$ is a meromorphic function, the residues of whose poles are given by summing the residues of the corresponding pole in each term of the series. Several specific examples of Veneziano series are investigated to illustrate the utility of the methods.
Characterization of a Deoxyguanosine Adduct of Tetrachlorobenzoquinone: Dichlorobenzoquinone-1,N2-etheno-2‘-deoxyguanosine

Pentachlorophenol (PCP), a widespread environmental pollutant that is possibly carcinogenic to humans, is metabolically oxidized to tetrachloroquinone. DNA adducts attributable to tetrachloroquinone have been observed previously in vitro and detected in vivo. In addition, an unidentified adduct in these studies coeluted with the product of the reaction of deoxyguanosine (dG) and tetrachlorobenzoquinone (Cl4BQ). We have synthesized, isolated, purified, and characterized the predominant adduct formed from the reaction of dG and Cl4BQ. The preparation of a 13C-labeled version of this adduct facilitated its structural characterization. On the basis of 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS, IR, UV, and cyclic voltammetry, we propose that the adduct is a dichlorobenzoquinone nucleoside in which two chlorine atoms in Cl4BQ have been displaced by reaction at the 1- and N2-positions of dG. The 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts are consistent with the dichlorobenzoquinone assignment. In contrast, under standard analytical conditions, L...
The two-gap paradigm in the chinese case: a pedagogical exercise

Abstract There is no accepted paradigm for the macro model of a developing country. A two-gap model, which is, in fact, an open economy version of the Harrod Domar Model, has been constructed for China based on recently available national accounting data. Some problems of growth in relation to domestic policies and the trade accounts can be handled for this type of system. The small two-gap model also serves as a useful pedagogical tool, and is very easily programmed for student use.
The grand mal pattern of Gibbs, Gibbs and Lennox.

Abstract The “grand mal” pattern of Gibbs, Gibbs and Lennox was observed in records of 14 patients during the past 3 years. It occurs most commonly in those epileptic patients who suffer from primary generalized seizures of more than one seizure type and in whom akinetic attacks are the main clinical problem. In addition, there is usually some degree of intellectual limitations. The EEG features and clinical accompaniments of the discharge were described and since the term “grand mal” discharge is not appropriate, it is suggested that it be replaced by either “generalized repetitive fast discharge”, as had been suggested in the European literature, or “beta band seizure pattern”.
An Integrative Conceptual Model

ABSTRACT International entrepreneurship is an emerging research area. It seems to be divided into two main research streams: a traditional area of SME internationalisation and an emerging area of international start-ups. Our study attempts to integrate the two streams by proposing an integrative conceptual model of international entrepreneurship. The model is built around the concept of internationalisation that consists of internationalisation properties (time and mode) and internationalisation performance. Other building blocks of the model are internationalisation antecedents (environmental conditions and organisational characteristics) and internationalisation consequences (organisational performance). A set of propositions about relationships in the conceptual model is developed and implications are proposed.
Total Parenteral Nutrition-Induced Steatosis: Reversal by Parenteral Lipid Infusion

Prolonged use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may be associated with hepatic complications, primarily steatosis and cholestasis. A case is reported of an 18-year-old woman with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome who was on prolonged home parenteral nutrition without lipid supplementation and developed steatosis. This finding was reversed by addition of lipid emulsion, at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day, to the parenteral nutrition solution. The lack of lipid supplementation as a possible cause of steatosis, as well as other mechanisms of liver steatosis associated with TPN, are discussed.
Evolving physical design paradigms in the transition from 20/14 to 10nm process technology nodes

Advanced IC process technology nodes (28,20,14nm and below) have relied on the synergy of process-aware physical design and physical verification methodologies with design-aware yield engineering (on the manufacturing side), in order to fulfill ITRS scaling and performance requirements. These capabilities include not only additional design rules, or additional modeling capabilities, or incremental verification tools, but rather a qualitatively new set of DFM/DEM (Design For Manufacturing — Design Enabled Manufacturing) methodologies aimed at variability management, i.e. at characterization and remapping of systematic variability effects caused by design/process interaction. A typical example is a “correct by construction” router flow, augmented with yield detractor and yield enhancer patterns, implemented for 20nm high performance processor designs. In such a flow, timing (on the design side) and yield (on the manufacturing side) are co-optimized, in order to guarantee high yield and specified parametric performance in the first silicon run. In spite of current successes the incremental path down to 14nm will be disrupted, because of the hard physical limits simultaneously occurring in geometric scaling and electrical scaling, and the transition to 10 and 7 nm nodes will require a (re)volutionary DFM (Design For Manufacturing) paradigm. Building on the state-of-the-art in design/technology co-optimization this work will review the three most likely design/process scenarios for 10 and 7nm design enablement, which could potentially allow the synthesis of the “design gap” and “patterning gap” altogether.
The relativistic Burnett equations and sound propagation

Abstract A relaxation-time model for the relativistic Boltzmann equation of a single-component gas is solved to second, or “Burnett”, order using the relativistic version of the Chapman-Enskog method developed by Marle. Expressions are obtained from this second order solution for the “Burnett” contributions to the heat flux and pressure tensor of the gas. Using the “Burnett” equations, which incorporate these contributions, expressions are then derived for the dispersion and absorption of sound in the gas which agree, in the classical limit, with the results of Wang Chang and Uhlenbeck.
Long‐range mapping of DNA

Sequence-specific optical signals are used to establish long-range sequence order and identification for fragments hundreds of kilo bases in length. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 1019–1031, 2013.
Ultrastructure of Spermatozoa of the Asiatic Elephnat (Elephas maximus)

A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of semen collected with the aid of an artificial vagina was carried out. The ultrastructural characteristics of Asiatic bull elephants is compared with that of other mammalian species.