cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass spectra of substituted uracils

The mechanisms for the major fragmentations obtained with selected substituted uracils are discussed. Interpretation of data was facilitated by use of metastable peaks, high-resolution data, and low-voltage spectra. The major fragmentation obtained with N-alkyl substituted uracils, when the alkyl group contains 2 or more carbons, is due to cleavage of the alkyl substituent. This cleavage is accompanied by a rearrangement of 1 or 2 hydrogens from the alkyl group to the uracil ring. Possible mechanisms for the rearrangements are discussed. It was found that the molecular ion of 1- and 3-alkyl substituted uracils (where the alkyl group has 2 or more carbons) does not undergo the expected ‘retro Diels-Alder Reaction’. Instead, the odd-electron ion formed by loss of the alkyl substituent with a single hydrogen rearrangement undergoes this reaction (loses HNCO). Since it is formed as a secondary reaction product, the relative abundance of the ‘retro Diels-Alder’ fragment is low compared to what is obtained in the spectra of the simple uracils. The ‘retro Diels-Alder Reaction’ can be used to differentiate between 2- and 4-thiouracils, and between 1- and 3-methyl and phenyl substituted uracils. It was found that 1- and 3-alkyl substituted uracils (alkyl group of 2 or more carbons) can be differentiated by the mass of the M-alkyl fragment since the 3-substituted compounds give predominantly a double hydrogen rearrangement and the 1-substituted compound gives mainly a single hydrogen rearrangement. In addition the intensity of the molecular ion, relative to the M-alkyl ion, is considerably stronger in the 1-substituted uracils.
Effects of the Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Antagonist Rimonabant on Psychiatric Symptoms in Overweight People With Schizophrenia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Pilot Study

Weight gain is a major adverse effect of several second-generation antipsychotic medications. Rimonabant is a cannabinoid-1 receptor antagonist that promotes weight loss in the general population. We conducted a 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of rimonabant (20 mg/d) in people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria, who were clinically stable on second-generation antipsychotics. Participants had a body mass index of 27 kg/m or higher with hyperlipidemia or body mass index of 30 kg/m or higher, and no current substance abuse/dependence (except nicotine), more than weekly cannabis use, or recent depressive symptoms/suicidality. An exercise and dietary counseling group was offered weekly. Target enrollment was 60; the trial was terminated early because of withdrawal of rimonabant from the European market. Fifteen participants were randomized (7 rimonabant, 8 placebo); 5 completed in each group. Rimonabant was associated with a greater reduction in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total score versus placebo (mean ± SE difference, -1.9 ± 0.8, P = 0.02), driven by differences in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale anxiety/depression (-1.4 ± 0.35, P = 0.0004) and hostility (-0.7 ± 0.3, P = 0.02) factors. Group differences were not significant for the Calgary Depression Scale total score (P = 0.24), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms total score (P = 0.13), weight, blood pressure, or fasting lipids or glucose. Rimonabant was well tolerated with no significant adverse events. No significant weight loss, metabolic effects, or adverse psychiatric effects were associated with the cannabinoid-1 receptor antagonist rimonabant in this small sample of people with schizophrenia. The endocannabinoid system remains a promising target for pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia and obesity.
15 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Smooth Muscle Regulation Genes as Risk Factors for Spontaneous Preterm Delivery.

Preterm birth is a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality on the United States, occurring in 12% of all pregnancies. The aim of this study was to use single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that regulate smooth muscle activity to determine if specific allelic variants in one or more genes may contribute to an increased risk of preterm delivery. DNA was extracted from cord blood of babies admitted to the NICU at the Children's Hospital of Iowa, as well as their parents when available. A total of 14 SNPs from 8 different genes (PTGES, PTGES2, EDN1, NOS2A, PTGER1, PTGER2, PTGER4, and HPGD) were initially evaluated. Genotypes were determined using the PCR-based TaqMan assay platform, commercially available from Applied Biosystems, and analyzed on an ABI 7900 HT. A family-based association test was performed on genotyping data to evaluate for the presence of over-transmission of alleles of interest. A total of 392 infant samples were genotyped. 179 of these were from complete proband/parent triads while another 122 from were proband/parent diads. The remaining 91 were infants only. Gestational ages of the infants ranged from 22 weeks to 36 weeks with the mean gestational age being 31.2 +/− 3.6 weeks. Significant results, defined as a p-value of less than 0.05 were found for markers in prostaglandin E synthase1 (PTGES; p=0.00198), endothelin 1 (EDN1; p=0.0114), and nitric oxide synthase 2A (NOS2A; p=0.033). Our data suggests that there are SNPs in genes that regulate smooth muscle contraction moderated through the fetus that may act as markers for increased risk of preterm delivery. Once validated these markers may be used to identify high-risk pregnancies, plan preventative strategies and look for new drug targets for improved tocolysis.
Epithelial K channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes is inactivated by protein kinase C.

Abstract K homeostasis is maintained in higher animals by epithelia of the kidney and intestine. Little is known regarding the molecular regulation of K secretion. We injected Xenopus oocytes with mRNA from teleost intestine, a K-secreting epithelium with apical membrane K channels. Oocytes expressed a conductance that displayed whole-cell current properties with the following characteristics: marked selectivity for K over Na and Cl, voltage-independent kinetics, Ca insensitivity, tonic activation, and inward rectification in symmetrical K. Barium, quinine, and tetraethylammonium blocked the conductance, whereas apamin, charybdotoxin, and 4-aminopyridine did not. The K conductance was rapidly (t1/2 = 10 min) and completely inactivated by 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate but not by 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate. Sucrose density gradient fractionation revealed that mRNA required for expression is in the 1- to 2-kilobase size range, suggesting the possibility that a single subunit encodes the channel. The K conductance expressed from injection of size-fractionated mRNA was identical in all respects to that seen using unfractionated mRNA, including response to 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The results suggest that protein kinase C regulates K secretion in epithelia by modulation of apical K channels.
Old and New Gods in the Modern World: Toward a Theory of Religious Transformation

Both in the popular mind and in the social sciences, images of the modern world and the forces that brought it into existence frequently incorporate some notion of secularization as an essential process. Challenging the secularization thesis is the focal concern of this essay; claims of diminishing religious significance are reinterpreted as evidence of religious transformation. The argument unfolds initially by outlining the secularization thesis and identifying its principal weaknesses. Next, the contributions of key sociological theorists (Durkheim and Marx, in particular). serve as a basis for extracting some useful elements of the transformation thesis. Finally, the hypothesis of religious transformation is presented with special reference to the relation between the evolution of sacred symbols and the market and polity dimensions of sovereign organization in the modern world. Theologically conservative Christians denounce the threat of "secular humanism" in the United States and actively oppose their perceived enemy in the political arena. Latin American priests and Catholic laity struggle to reconcile the deeply entrenched antagonisms of Christian theology and Marxist praxis. Shi'ite mullahs in Iran establish a theocracy in the wake of the crumbling influence of Western capitalism. The most recent phase of sectarian hostility in Ulster is about to enter its third decade. One needs only to mention the Middle East, and thoughts quickly turn to a bewildering complex of religiopolitical strife. Across the globe, traditional faith wages intense ideological struggle against competing sacred conceptions of individual dignity and national identity. This warfare between the old
Indexing: Another way for authors to communicate

In submitting articles to some journals and bulletins, authors are responsible for indexing their own works. Indexing consists of identifying concepts and translating those concepts into indexing terms appropriate to the discipline and to indexing constraints. The constraints help an author/indexer decide how to determine the number and specificity of terms. In some systems indexing vocabulary is controlled by a thesaurus, which helps in selecting terms and considering alternatives. Authors as indexers should pursue the goal of all indexing — to match indexing assignments to the terms most likely to be chosen by prospective readers.
Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsyfor stones in solitary kidney

Abstract Twelve extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatments were performed on 10 patients with a solitary kidney. Nine patients had a ureteral stent placed pretreatment. Nine patients were available for follow-up. Seven (78 %) were stone free or had insignificant fragments at three months. Complications were seen in 4 patients, including two instances of pyelonephritis. Failures were associated with an increased stone burden. ESWL is an effective and safe treatment for upper urinary tract stones in patients with a solitary kidney. We recommend pretreatment stenting in patients with a solitary kidney.
Physical oceanography: Super spin in the southern seas

The southern oceans are generally considered as isolated systems, much like their northern counterparts. But a combination of historical data and new density profiles suggests that they may be connected on a global scale.
The electrical coupling of two simple oscillators: load and acceleration effects

We consider two electrically coupled oscillators described by modified Fitzhugh-Nagumo equations. We study the relative influence of the individual cellular characteristics and the electrical coupling on the behavior of the coupled system. We show that, for similar oscillators, the load effect of the slow oscillator increases with the coupling strength. We prove that an asymmetry between the uncoupled bursters can accelerate the system with respect to the free cells, this effect depending on the characteristics of the coupling.
Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Wurmbaeae

The two genera of Buxbaum's tribe Wurmbaeae, Anguillaria and Wurmbea, have multiovulate carpels. There are deep septal indentations between the carpels of Anguillaria, but the wings of adjoining carpels are fused to solid septa in most species of Wurmbea. In Anguillaria the carpels have open sutures or prominent commissural markings; in Wurmbea the carpels generally lack these characteristics, and some species have a vascularized, columella-like axis in the centre of the pistil. In both genera there are a dorsal bundle, lateral bundles, and two placental bundles in each carpel. At the inner edge of the septum there are one or two septal bundles in Anguillaria and one or none in Wurmbea. The ovules are monotegmic, the integument and funiculus being partly fused in Anguillaria and mostly fused in Wurmbea. An obturator is present in Anguillaria but absent from most species of Wurmbea.
Evaluating the boundaries of SEC regulation

Abstract Ostensibly, the SEC's new round of regulatory activity is motivated by a bout of well-publicized business scandals and an explosive increase in financial innovations and instruments. Many critics of the “new” SEC question the proportionality and usefulness of the responses, which move the SEC well beyond reliance on disclosure and promotion of transparency. Others argue that more heavy-handed and far-reaching regulation is necessary given the vast changes in financial markets, the increasing importance of (largely unregulated) hedge funds and private equity, and corporate scandals that allege fraud and deception. This paper provides a rationale for studying recent regulatory changes and for addressing the overarching question of how to define the boundaries of SEC intervention in financial markets. The study provides an overview of papers in this special issue and concludes with suggestions for how policymakers can use research to better evaluate the costs and benefits of regulation.
Ion channels and transporters in the electroreceptive ampullary epithelium from skates

Two ampullary epithelial properties necessary for electroreception were used to identify the types of ion channels and transporters found in apical and basal membranes of ampullary receptor cells of skates and to assess their individual role under voltage-clamp conditions. The two essential properties are (1) a steady-state negative conductance generated in apical membranes and (2) a small, spontaneous current oscillation originating in basal membranes (Lu and Fishman, 1995). The effects of pharmacological agents and ion substitutions on these properties were evaluated from transorgan or transepithelial complex admittance determinations in the frequency range 0.125 to 50 Hz measured in individual, isolated ampullary organs. In apical membranes, L-type Ca channels were found to be responsible for generation of the steady-state negative conductance. In basal membranes, K and Ca-dependent Cl (Cl(Ca)) channels were demonstrated to contribute to a net positive membrane conductance. L-type Ca channels were also evident in basal membranes and are thought to function in synaptic transmission from the electroreceptive epithelium to the primary afferent nerve. In addition to ion channels in basal membranes, two transporters (Na+/K+ pump and Na(+)-Ca+ exchanger) were apparent. Rapid (minutes) cessation of the current oscillation after blockage of any of the basal ion channels (Ca, Cl(Ca), K) suggests critical involvement of each of these channel types in the generation of the oscillation. Suppression of either Na+/K+ transport or Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange also eliminated the oscillation but at a slower rate, indicating an indirect effect.
The Embryology of the Central Nervous System of Phormia Regina, Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The maggot of the Black Blow-fly (Phormia regina Meigen) has already been of value in the treatment of Osteomyelitis and infected wounds (Robinson 1933). Therefore information concerning the embryology of the nervous system should be of interest. In the course of this study more than five hundred embryos were embedded, sectioned, mounted on slides, stained by various techniques and studied under several magnifications.[1][1] [1]: #fn-1
Simulation of Pulsatile Blood Flow With a Wall Step Transition

Implantable devices in direct contact with flowing blood, for example, coronary stents, continuous flow and pulsatile flow ventricular assist devices, prosthetic heart valves, catheters and cannulae are currently being used to treat many medical conditions. However, thromboembolism and the attendant risk for ischemic stroke remains an impediment for all these devices. A prudent approach to developing these devices in a cost effective manner should include optimization for thrombogenic performance before going into expensive preclinical and clinical trials.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Role of the Xist Gene in X Chromosome Choosing

In female mammals a "random choice" mechanism decides which of the two X chromosomes will be inactivated. It has been postulated that Xist is crucial for heterochromatinization and thus functions downstream of the choice mechanism. Here we report that females heterozygous for an internal deletion in the Xist gene, which includes part of exon 1 and extends to exon 5, undergo primary nonrandom inactivation of the wild-type X chromosome. The Xist gene, therefore, not only has a role in chromatin remodeling, but also includes an element required for X chromosome choosing. In conflict with the prevailing view of how choosing occurs, the element identified by the deletion plays a positive role in the choice mechanism and forces a reassessment of how X chromosome choosing is thought to occur.
Effects of temperature on mechanical properties of SU-8 photoresist material

A representative fabrication processing of SU-8 photoresist, Ultraviolet (UV) lithography is usually composed of spin coat, soft bake, UV exposure, post exposure bake (PEB), development and optional hard bake, etc. The exposed region of SU-8 is crosslinked during the PEB process and its physical properties highly depend on UV exposure and PEB condition. This work was initiated to investigate if thermal baking after fabrication can affect the mechanical properties of SU-8 photoresist material because SU-8 is trying to be used as a structural material for MEMS operated at high temperature. Since a temperature of 95°C is normally recommended for PEB process, elevated temperatures up to 200°C were considered for the optional hard bake process. The viscoelastic material properties were measured by dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA). Also, pulling tests were performed to obtain Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio as a function of strain rate in a wide temperature range. From this study, the effects of temperature on the elastic and viscoelastic material properties of SU-8 were obtained.
Effects of four noise conditions on arithmetic performance.

The proportion of correct responses for simple arithmetic problems was compared for the following noise conditions: quiet, speech, music, and industrial noise. Results show that is answered a significantly higher proportion correctly for the music condition than for the industrial noise condition. In all other conditions, the proportion of correctly answered responses was no different from one to another.
Downward Accountability in Unequal Alliances: Explaining NGO Responses to Zapatista Demands

Summary This paper examines the conditions that foster downward accountability among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). To do so, I compare how NGOs responded in an unusual case where, from 1999–2003, the Zapatista Movement demanded more say over projects. I compare 77 NGOs, some that dropped out and others that accommodated the movement’s demands. I argue that funders' reporting requirements inhibited NGOs from being responsive to beneficiaries. However, living alongside the movement pushed inner-circle NGOs to practice downward accountability to sustain their legitimacy. In turn, horizontal pressure among NGOs influenced organizations further afield, especially those that identified closely with the movement.
Dietary iron intake and risk of coronary disease among men.

BACKGROUNDWe prospectively studied iron intake in relation to the incidence of coronary disease in a 4-year follow-up of 44,933 men (with no previous history of cardiovascular disease) aged 40 to 75 years in 1986 who completed a food frequency questionnaire at baseline.METHODS AND RESULTSWe documented 844 incident cases of coronary disease (249 nonfatal myocardial infarctions, 137 coronary disease fatalities, and 458 bypass operations or angioplasties). After adjustment for established risk factors, there was no significant association between total iron intake and risk of coronary heart disease. Men in the highest quintile of total intake (median, 37 mg/d) had a relative risk (RR) of fatal coronary disease or nonfatal myocardial infarction of 0.73 (95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.51, 1.06) compared with men in the lowest quintile of intake (median, 11 mg/d). Dietary intake of heme iron--mainly from red meat--also was not significantly associated with risk of coronary heart disease. However, incidence of...
Effect of an Aqueous Phase on CO2/Tetradecane and CO2/Maljamar-Crude-Oil Systems

L'influence d'une solution aqueuse (eau ou saumure) sur le melange CO 2 /tetradecane ou petrole brut Maljamar est mesuree puis determinee par deux techniques: la loi de Henry et l'equation d'etat Peng-Robinson
Modulation of Protein Adsorption by Poloxamer 188 in Relation to Polysorbates 80 and 20 at Solid Surfaces

Poloxamer 188 (BASF Pluronic® F68) is widely used as a shear-protective excipient to enhance cell yield in agitated cultures and reduce cell adhesion in stationary cultures. However, little is known in any quantitative sense of its effect on protein adsorption and aggregation. Optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy was used here to compare the adsorption kinetics exhibited by poloxamer 188, and polysorbates 80 and 20, in the presence and absence of a model protein (chicken egg white lysozyme) and in separate experiments, a recombinant protein (human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) at hydrophilic, silica–titania surfaces. Experiments were performed in sequential and competitive adsorption modes, enabling the adsorption kinetic patterns to be interpreted in a fashion revealing the dominant mode of surfactant-mediated stabilization of protein in each case. Kinetic results showed that polysorbates 80 and 20 are able to inhibit protein adsorption only by their preferential location at an interface to which they show sufficient affinity, and not by formation of less surface active, protein–surfactant complexes. On the other hand, poloxamer 188 is able to inhibit protein adsorption by entering into formation of protein–surfactant complexes of low adsorption affinity (i.e., high colloidal stability), and not by its preferential location at the interface. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 103:1043–1049, 2014
Biosynthesis of fatty acids in the roach Eurycotis floridana

Abstract After ingestion of [1-14C]acetate, fatty acids of the roach Eurycotis floridana show a labelling pattern consistent with biosynthesis by condensation of C2 units. Oleic acid is efficiently synthesized by direct conversion of stearic acid. Synthesis of a C18 dienoic acid may occur at a very low rate. Oleic acid constitutes about half of the total fatty acid content, and palmitic is the most abundant saturated acid. There is only a trace of fatty acids of chain length greater than C18; arachidonic acid is entirely absent.
Race in the Courtroom: Perceptions of Guilt and Dispositional Attributions

The present studies compare the judgments of White and Black mock jurors in interracial trials. In Study 1, the defendant’s race did not influence White college students’ decisions but Black students demonstrated ingroup/outgroup bias in their guilt ratings and attributions for the defendant’s behavior. The aversive nature of modern racism suggests that Whites are motivated to appear nonprejudiced when racial issues are salient; therefore, the race salience of a trial summary was manipulated and given to noncollege students in Study 2. Once again, the defendant’s race did not influence Whites when racial issues were salient. But in the non-race-salient version of the same interracial case, White mock jurors rated the Black defendant more guilty, aggressive, and violent than the White defendant. Black mock jurors demonstrated same-race leniency in both versions of the trial, suggesting that racial issues are generally salient in the minds of Black jurors in interracial cases with Black defendants.
Diabetes impairs the angiogenic potential of adipose-derived stem cells by selectively depleting cellular subpopulations

Pathophysiologic changes associated with diabetes impair new blood vessel formation and wound healing. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ASCs) have been used clinically to promote healing, although it remains unclear whether diabetes impairs their functional and therapeutic capacity. In this study, we examined the impact of diabetes on the murine ASC niche as well as on the potential of isolated cells to promote neovascularization in vitro and in vivo. A novel single-cell analytical approach was used to interrogate ASC heterogeneity and subpopulation dynamics in this pathologic setting. Our results demonstrate that diabetes alters the ASC niche in situ and that diabetic ASCs are compromised in their ability to establish a vascular network both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, these diabetic cells were ineffective in promoting soft tissue neovascularization and wound healing. Single-cell transcriptional analysis identified a subpopulation of cells which was diminished in both type 1 and type 2 models of diabetes. These cells were characterized by the high expression of genes known to be important for new blood vessel growth. Perturbations in specific cellular subpopulations, visible only on a single-cell level, represent a previously unreported mechanism for the dysfunction of diabetic ASCs. These data suggest that the utility of autologous ASCs for cell-based therapies in patients with diabetes may be limited and that interventions to improve cell function before application are warranted.
Teleseismic body waveforms and receiver structures beneath seismic stations

SUMMARY In this paper we describe a practical method for determining crustal structure by comparing observations of teleseismic body waves with synthetics constructed using generalized ray theory. Layered crustal structure beneath a seismic station strongly influences teleseismic body waves arriving in the 50 s or so after the initial P; however, the effect of crustal structure differs significantly for vertical-component and radialcomponent records. For any proposed crustal structure, we develop an approximate theoretical formulation to predict the radial-component seismogram as a function of the vertical-component observations. Then, we compare the observed and predicted radial-component seismograms in the time domain, and vary the proposed crustal structure using a grid-search scheme until we obtain an optimum match. The theoretical approximation is complete to second order in the reflection and transmission coefficients, and is accurate to within a few per cent for modelling teleseismic waveforms. We demonstrate the feasibility of this second-order, radial-vertical comparison (SORVEC) method by testing it on synthetically generated waveforms having complicated source properties and significant levels of background noise. We illustrate the application to real data by determining the crustal structure beneath two seismic stations in Tibet, LZH and AMDO. Beneath station LZH, the crustal thickness is about 65 km. Beneath station AMDO, the crustal thickness is about 75 km, and there is a low-velocity layer in the lower crust.
MicroRNA-708 induces apoptosis and suppresses tumorigenicity in renal cancer cells

Cancer pathogenesis is restricted by stresses that compromise cell division and survival. In this study, we identify miR-708, a little studied member of a set of microRNAs that have been implicated in stress control, as an important tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). miR-708 expression was attenuated widely in human RCC specimens. Restoration of miR-708 expression in RCC cell lines decreased cell growth, clonability, invasion, and migration and elicited a dramatic increase in apoptosis. Moreover, intratumoral delivery of miR-708 was sufficient to trigger in vivo regression of established tumors in murine xenograft models of human RCC. Investigation of the targets of miR-708 identified the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin as important. siRNA-mediated knockdown of survivin partially phenocopied miR-708 overexpression suggesting that the proapoptotic role of miR-708 may be mediated primarily through survivin regulation. Additionally, we identified the E-cadherin regulators ZEB2 and BMI1 as likely miR-708 targets. Taken together, our findings define a major tumor suppressive role for miR-708, which may offer an attractive new target for prognostic and therapeutic intervention in RCC.
Residual Stresses in Alumina/Ceria‐Stabilized Zirconia Composites

Measurements of the residual stresses in Al2O3/Ce-TZP (12 mol% CeO2) sintered composites, containing 10, 20, and 40 vol% zirconia, obtained by neutron diffraction and by piezospectroscopy using optical fluorescence and Raman are compared. The techniques give essentially the same values for the spatial average of the hydrostatic residual stresses in the two phases despite the difference in the parameters measured in the two techniques. The measured stresses are also in accord with those predicted from a stochastic stress analysis for materials cooling from a stressfree temperature of ∼1180°C. Over the range of volume fraction investigated the hydrostatic stress in the alumina phase varies linearly with zirconia content, corresponding most closely to the upper Hashin bound.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLASMID DNA TOPOLOGICAL FORMS AND IN VITRO TRANSFECTION

Topological isomers of plasmid DNA might be a factor affecting transfection efficiency. This study investigated the relationship between three major topoisomers of plasmid DNA, (supercoiled, open circular, and linear forms) and their biological activity. The three topoisomers of pDNA were transfected into CHO cells (Chinese Hamster Ovary) or SKnSH (human neuroblastoma) cells by (1) cationic liposomes, DOTAP/DOPE (1,2-dioleoyloxy-3-trimethylammonium propane/dioleolylphosphatidylethanolamine) or (2) electroporation. The open circular form of pCMV-luciferase demonstrated higher transfection efficiency (TE) than either supercoiled or linear while plasmid pGL3 showed no significant difference in TE for either delivery method. CHO and SKnSH cells showed similar patterns in transfection efficiency although the extent of expression was different. In order to test its stability in cell cytoplasmic lysate, pDNA was incubated at 37 degrees C in NP40 lysate preparation. Surprisingly, supercoiled pDNA was the least stable in lysate solution (detected up to 4 min) whereas the open circular pDNA and linear form were degraded with a half-life value of 6 and 10 min respectively. To measure cellular associated pDNA, fluorescein labeled pDNA was complexed with DOTAP/DOPE liposome and transfected into CHO cells. The amount of pDNA associated with the cell was determined by flow cytometry. The flow cytometry studies demonstrated that the open circular form associated with the cell more than the linear forms when delivered with cationic liposomes. In conclusion, the three studied topoisomers of pDNA are transcriptionally active. The pattern of transgene production of the topoisoform of pDNA was independent of cell line and delivery method even though the level of expression was different.
Personality and Conformity: The Learning of Political Attitudes

Why do some men embrace society's values while others reject them? Is conformity a general trait, more uniformly manifested by some people than by others? What social or psychological forces lie behind the tendency to conform or deviate? Although these questions obviously have significance for the conduct of political life, they have received far less attention from political scientists than from scholars in other disciplines such as psychology and sociology. In view of current challenges to the legitimacy of existing political institutions, the mounting debate over the acceptable limits of protest, and the growing disdain for democratic decision-processes shown by some segments of the population, the need for political scientists to understand the nature and sources of conformity and deviation has become, if anything, more urgent. We hope, in the present paper, to explore the psychological—and to some extent the social and political—meaning of conformity and deviation as reflected in citizen responses to political beliefs. To that end we shall review briefly the present state of psychological theory and research on conformity behavior; suggest, in light of our own research findings, some ways in which current psychological explanations might be modified and extended to account for conformity and deviation within the mass public; and furnish data that might help to explain why individuals who have different personality characteristics and who occupy different roles in the society are likely to accept or reject political norms.
Development of an Intelligent Videogrammetric Wind Tunnel Measurement System

A videogrammetric technique developed at NASA Langley Research Center has been used at five NASA facilities at the Langley and Ames Research Centers for deformation measurements on a number of sting mounted and semispan models. These include high-speed research and transport models tested over a wide range of aerodynamic conditions including subsonic, transonic, and supersonic regimes. The technique, based on digital photogrammetry, has been used to measure model attitude, deformation, and sting bending. In addition, the technique has been used to study model injection rate effects and to calibrate and validate methods for predicting static aeroelastic deformations of wind tunnel models. An effort is currently underway to develop an intelligent videogrammetric measurement system that will be both useful and usable in large production wind tunnels while providing accurate data in a robust and timely manner. Designed to encode a higher degree of knowledge through computer vision, the system features advanced pattern recognition techniques to improve automated location and identification of targets placed on the wind tunnel model to be used for aerodynamic measurements such as attitude and deformation. This paper will describe the development and strategy of the new intelligent system that was used in a recent test at a large transonic wind tunnel.
Home blood pressure management and improved blood pressure control: results from a randomized controlled trial.

Background To determine which of 3 interventions was most effective in improving blood pressure (BP) control, we performed a 4-arm randomized trial with 18-month follow-up at the primary care clinics at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Methods Eligible patients were randomized to either usual care or 1 of 3 telephone-based intervention groups: (1) nurse-administered behavioral management, (2) nurse- and physician-administered medication management, or (3) a combination of both. Of the 1551 eligible patients, 593 individuals were randomized; 48% were African American. The intervention telephone calls were triggered based on home BP values transmitted via telemonitoring devices. Behavioral management involved promotion of health behaviors. Medication management involved adjustment of medications by a study physician and nurse based on hypertension treatment guidelines. Results The primary outcome was change in BP control measured at 6-month intervals over 18 months. Both the behavioral management and medication management alone showed significant improvements at 12 months—12.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6%-24.1%) and 12.5% (95% CI, 1.3%-23.6%), respectively—but not at 18 months. In subgroup analyses, among those with poor baseline BP control, systolic BP decreased in the combined intervention group by 14.8 mm Hg (95% CI, −21.8 to −7.8 mm Hg) at 12 months and 8.0 mm Hg (95% CI, −15.5 to −0.5 mm Hg) at 18 months, relative to usual care. Conclusions Overall intervention effects were moderate, but among individuals with poor BP control at baseline, the effects were larger. This study indicates the importance of identifying individuals most likely to benefit from potentially resource intensive programs. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00237692
Design and performance analysis of a Digital Acoustic Telemetry System for the short range underwater channel

This paper presents the design and performance description of a microprocessor based Digital Acoustic Telemetry System (DATS). The system was used to transmit data over short range underwater paths and to measure the fading characteristics of a group of CW tones. This work reports on the test results from Woods Hole Harbor. The system has also been used for under-ice propagation experiments in Lake Caanan, NH, and in the Marginal Ice Zone near Svalbard. Geometries chosen for the tests are representative of the short range marine work site paths for which high data rate communications systems are desirable.
The Promise of Performance in the Arab World

PAJ 106 (2014), pp. 113–118.  113 doi:10.1162/PAJJ _a_00183 Theatre entails the physical practice and site of performance, and as such exists in an ephemeral state with unique methodologies to document and present this research. Contemporary efforts — evident in both The Theatres of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and Doomed by Hope — peel back layers of live art from their historical, political, and cultural contexts to resituate this medium squarely within our present day.
The teaching of evaluation in psychology: Northwestern University

The character and content of Northwestern's joint program in methodology research and clinical research is described and the subject matter for the core evaluation courses is discussed.
The aetiology of bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection among women of childbearing age. This condition is notorious for causing severe complications related to the reproductive health of women. Five decades of intense research established many risk factors for acquisition of BV; however, because of the complexity of BV and lack of a reliable animal model for this condition, its exact aetiology remains elusive. In this manuscript, we use a historical perspective to critically review the development of major theories on the aetiology of BV, ultimately implicating BV-related pathogens, healthy vaginal microbiota, bacteriophages and the immune response of the host. None of these theories on their own can reliably explain the epidemiological data. Instead, BV is caused by a complex interaction of multiple factors, which include the numerous components of the vaginal microbial ecosystem and their human host. Many of these factors are yet to be characterized because a clear understanding of their relative contribution to the aetiology of BV is pivotal to the formulation of an effective treatment for and prophylaxis of this condition.
On a fully three-dimensional finite-strain viscoelastic damage model: Formulation and computational aspects

Abstract A fully three-dimensional finite-strain viscoelastic model is developed, characterized by: (i) general anisotropic response, (ii) uncoupled bulk and deviatoric response over any range of deformations, (iii) general relaxation functions, and (iv) recovery of finite elasticity for very fast or very slow processes; in particular, classical models of rubber elasticity (e.g. Mooney-Rivlin). Continuum damage mechanics is employed to develop a simple isotropic damage mechanism, which incorporates softening behavior under deformation, and leads to progressive degradation of the storage modulus in a cyclic test with increasing amplitude (Mullins' effect). A numerical integration procedure is proposed which trivially satisfies objectivity and bypasses the use of midpoint configurations. The resulting algorithm can be exactly linearized in closed form, and leads to symmetric tangent moduli. Quasi-incompressible response is accounted for within the context of a three-field variational formulation of the Hu-Washizu type.
Alloglossidium floridense n. sp. (Digenea: Macroderoididae) from a Spring Run in North Central Florida

Abstract: A new species of Alloglossidium is described from the intestines of 2 madtom species (Noturus leptacanthus and Noturus gyrinus) that were collected from the run of a small, unnamed spring system that drains into the Santa Fe River, Florida. Alloglossidium floridense n. sp. is morphologically very similar to other nonprecocious Alloglossidium spp. that use ictalurids as definitive hosts, but can be distinguished by a combination of its smaller overall size (length and width), large eggs in relation to its small body size, position of the vitellaria, ovary shape, and position of the ovary in relation to the cirrus sac. A comparison of nuclear rDNA sequences (spanning partial 18s, complete ITS1, 5.8s, ITS2, and partial 28s regions) showed that A. floridense n. sp. diverged by 0.70–3.17% from the other 4, nonprecocious species that infect ictalurids (Alloglossidium corti, Alloglossidium fonti, Alloglossidium geminum, and Alloglossidium kenti). The new species of Alloglossidium, described herein, is...
Automation of Digital Historical Map Analyses

This paper addresses the problem of automating analyses of historical maps. The problem is motivated by the lack of accuracy and consistency in the current comparison process of geographical objects found in historical maps by visual inspections. The objective of our work is to compare shape characteristics of the Great Lakes region in a dataset of approximately 40 French and British historical maps created in the 17th through the 19th centuries. Our approach decomposes the visual inspection into steps such as object segmentation, spatial scale calibration, extraction of calibrated object descriptors and comparison of descriptors over time and multiple cartographer houses. The automation of object segmentation is achieved by template shape-based segmentation using the Hu moments as shape descriptors and ball-based region growing. The automation of spatial calibration is accomplished by detection and classification of lines along map borders and by mapping striped boundaries intersected by latitude and longitude lines into degrees of arc length. Thus, shape characteristics of segmentation results in pixels can be converted to geographical units, for example, an area of a lake in square miles. We report experimental evaluations of automation accuracy based on comparison with manual segmentation results, as well as the knowledge obtained from the area comparisons.
Broad band impedance matching via Wiener-Lee transforms

The author presents a new concept for solving the classical problem of designing an optimum lossless equalizer network for broad band matching of an arbitrary complex load to a complex impedance source, with special emphasis on load as numerical data. The application of Wiener-Lee transforms results in a very simple design algorithm. A new optimization index that does not require iteration and hence no initial guess for element values of the equalizer is presented. The approach is illustrated with an example. >
Runaway relativistic electron avalanche seeding in the Earth's atmosphere

[1] Relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREAs) occur when relativistic electrons undergo avalanche multiplication when driven by electric fields. The RRE avalanche has been studied extensively, but existing results typically assume a rudimentary source of seed relativistic electrons. Here we focus on the seeding process and simulate effective seeding efficiencies for various seed particle types, energies, and geometries. Including known results from cosmic ray physics, we calculate total seed particle distributions and their statistical fluctuations and use the seeding efficiency results to determine the total number of effective RREA seed particles at various points in the atmosphere. The results indicate that effective seed flux is quite large with only moderate statistical fluctuations.
Predictors of increases in marital distress in newlywed couples: A 3-year prospective longitudinal study.

Predictors of increases in marital distress over the first 3 years of marriage were identified for husbands and wives of 310 couples. Using Year 1 variables as predictors, linear increases in marital distress over 3 years for husbands were predicted by few years of education, few months of living together, and not pooling finances. For wives, the Year 1 predictors were few years of education, low income, living with stepchildren on a full- or part-time basis, many rewards, few costs, not pooling finances, and high emotional investment. Linear increases in marital distress were related to linear changes in both contextual and investment model variables for both spouses
Activation of the STAT signaling pathway can cause expression of caspase 1 and apoptosis.

Protein tyrosine kinases activate the STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) signaling pathway, which can play essential roles in cell differentiation, cell cycle control, and development. However, the potential role of the STAT signaling pathway in the induction of apoptosis remains unexplored. Here we show that gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) activated STAT1 and induced apoptosis in both A431 and HeLa cells, whereas epidermal growth factor (EGF) activated STAT proteins and induced apoptosis in A431 but not in HeLa cells. EGF receptor autophosphorylation and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in response to EGF were similar in both cell lines. The breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-468 exhibited a similar response to A431 cells, i.e., STAT activation and apoptosis correlatively resulted from EGF or IFN-gamma treatment. In addition, in a mutant A431 cell line in which STAT activation was abolished, no apoptosis was induced by either EGF or IFN-gamma. We further demonstrated that both EGF and IFN-gamma induced caspase 1 (interleukin-1beta converting enzyme [ICE]) gene expression in a STAT-dependent manner. IFN-gamma was unable to induce ICE gene expression and apoptosis in either JAK1-deficient HeLa cells (E2A4) or STAT1-deficient cells (U3A). However, ICE gene expression and apoptosis were induced by IFN-gamma in U3A cells into which STAT1 had been reintroduced. Moreover, both EGF-induced apoptosis and IFN-gamma-induced apoptosis were effectively blocked by Z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (ZVAD) in all the cells tested, and studies from ICE-deficient cells indicated that ICE gene expression was necessary for IFN-gamma-induced apoptosis. We conclude that activation of the STAT signaling pathway can induce apoptosis through the induction of ICE gene expression.
Characterization of Soymar1, a Mariner Element in Soybean

Mariner elements, a family of DNA-mediated transposable elements with short, inverted terminal repeats, have been reported in a wide variety of arthropods, as well as planarians, nematodes, and humans. No such element has been reported in a plant. Here we report a mariner element in the plant soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Although this sequence belongs to the mariner family, it is clearly distinct from previously reported mariner-like elements, as well as from the Tc1 transposon family. Novel aspects of its sequence could be useful as a starting point to identify mariner-like elements in new organisms, and it may prove useful in creating a transformation vector for plants.
Increasing language awareness and self-efficacy of FL students using self-assessment and the ACTFL proficiency guidelines

This study describes how oral language was assessed in an advanced-level college foreign language (FL) conversation course. Learners used the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines to guide self-analyses of their oral production at intervals throughout the course. The intent was to provide opportunities for learners to develop an understanding of what constitutes oral proficiency, gauge their own progress, and set personal goals. Learners' self-analysis narratives suggested they began to notice different aspects of their speech and to better articulate their abilities and limitations. Broadly speaking, the results suggest that self-assessment of oral performance guided by the Proficiency Guidelines is an effective way to increase FL students' language awareness and self-efficacy. Pedagogical implications and limitations to this approach are discussed.