cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Everyday Geometries: Synthetic Facts and Superficial Qualities

Streamlining becomes here an organic force as it relates to the dynamic equilibrium of the motion of the body within encompassed space. Frederick Kiesler
Knaster-like continua and complex dynamics

In this paper we discuss the topology and dynamics of Eλ(z) = λez when λ is real and λ > 1/e. It is known that the Julia set of Eλ is the entire plane in this case. Our goal is to show that there are certain natural invariant subsets for Eλ which are topologically Knaster-like continua. Moreover, the dynamical behavior on these invariant sets is quite tame. We show that the only trivial kinds of α- and ω-limit sets are possible.
Lacosamide inhibits calcitonin gene-related peptide production and release at trigeminal level in the rat.

Background Several classes of drugs are effective in prevention and treatment of migraine, although they may differ among each other in their mode of action and in indications. One such class is represented by antiepileptics. Lacosamide is an approved antiepileptic drug that also shows antinociceptive activity in animal models, including analgesic efficacy in central and trigeminal pain. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is considered the main neuro-mediator of trigeminal signalling, playing an essential role in headache, migraine in particular. Here, we investigated the effects of lacosamide on CGRP signalling in both in vitro and ex vivo/vitro models in the rat. Methods We assessed: (1) CGRP released from brainstem explants at baseline or after pharmacological challenges; and (2) CGRP levels in brain areas after in vivo treatments with test drugs. Results We found that: (1) lacosamide inhibits CGRP release from brainstem explants under basal conditions as well as after stimulation by 56 mM KCl, 10 μM veratridine or 1 μM capsaicin; and (2) the i.p. administration of nitroglycerine produces an increase in CGRP levels in the brainstem and trigeminal ganglia, which is inhibited by a pre-treatment with lacosamide. Conclusions These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that lacosamide is able to control pain transmission under conditions affecting the trigeminal system, such as migraine.
Role of Structural H2O in Intercalation Electrodes: The Case of Mg in Nanocrystalline Xerogel-V2O5

Cointercalation is a potential approach to influence the voltage and mobility with which cations insert in electrodes for energy storage devices. Combining a robust thermodynamic model with first-principles calculations, we present a detailed investigation revealing the important role of H2O during ion intercalation in nanomaterials. We examine the scenario of Mg2+ and H2O cointercalation in nanocrystalline Xerogel-V2O5, a potential cathode material to achieve energy density greater than Li-ion batteries. Water cointercalation in cathode materials could broadly impact an electrochemical system by influencing its voltages or causing passivation at the anode. The analysis of the stable phases of Mg-Xerogel V2O5 and voltages at different electrolytic conditions reveals a range of concentrations for Mg in the Xerogel and H2O in the electrolyte where there is no thermodynamic driving force for H2O to shuttle with Mg during electrochemical cycling. Also, we demonstrate that H2O shuttling with the Mg2+ ions in w...
Cytotoxic Action of Antisera to Cell Components of Normal and Leukemic Mouse Spleens.

SummaryAntisera to both normal and leukemic spleen cell components exhibit cytotoxic effects for leukemic cells, upon in vitro exposure. In every instance the leukemic antisera were much more effective than the corresponding normal antisera. These differences were greater than those obtained by complement fixation procedures. The anti-mitochondria sera exhibited the highest “titers” but the least difference between the normal and leukemic. The most significant differences occurred between the leukemic and normal Pi antisera, with the leukemic antiserum showing 8 times the activity of the normal. Highly significant differences were also demonstrated between the nuclei antisera. The leukemic antiserum proved over 6 times as effective as the normal. A slight active immunity was demonstrated in mice surviving the combination of leukemic cells and leukemic antisera.
Public policy recommendations for oversight of molecular laboratory tests.

NC Med J March/April 2007, Volume 68, Number 2 aboratory tests have long been used to help diagnose and classify disease. Increasingly, these assays are used to predict disease in healthy individuals or to predict outcomes in response to a specific therapy (See Table 1). The subspecialty of molecular genetic pathology (MGP) has recently emerged to promote and recognize physician expertise in DNAand RNA-based testing. In fact, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has the nation’s first accredited MGP fellowship training program to graduate a physician who subsequently became board-certified.
Designing Science Presentations: A Visual Guide to Figures, Papers, Slides, Posters, and More

Designing Science Presentations: A Visual Guide to Figures, Papers, Slides, Posters, and More Matt Carter 2013; 384 pages Publisher: Academic Press, Elsevier ISBN: 978-0-12-385969-3 Price: $49.95 (softcover) ![Graphic][1] It happens at every professional meeting: we see an exciting title for a talk and go to the session room. Then our spirits fade because the visual aids on the screen are too confusing, too cluttered with text the speaker may or may not be reading, or too crammed with small graphs or a table with 50 numbers. Our interest wanes, and we are disappointed with what we thought we would gain from the talk. Matt Carter prepared Designing Science Presentations so that we can enjoy a talk or poster that teaches us something or sparks a new idea. The author explicitly states four major goals in his book: 1) impress upon scientists they should care about designing science presentations rather than just making them; 2) provide specific, tangible recommendations and advice for designing excellent science presentations; 3) highlight inspiring examples of good presentation design; and 4) make the content accessible for quick and easy reference to a point. I believe the author accomplished these goals. The content of Carter's copiously illustrated book is divided among six parts. Part 1 explores the concepts of scientists as designers, presentation goals, and what exceptional presentations share. Chapter 1 addresses the philosophy, purpose, and need for designing (not decorating) a presentation. … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Secondary structure of Qβ RNA

Abstract The complete set of possible secondary structures of a variant Qβ RNA sequenced by Schaffner has been found using a computer program which allows G-U pairing as well as the usual Watson-Crick A-U and G-C pairing. Of special interest are those secondary structures with the highest double-strandedness. Omitting G-U pairing, we find the structure with the maximum double-strandedness has a pairing of 62% and exhibits a similarity to the clover leaf structure of tRNA. Including G-U pairing, the complementary strands of RNA are asymmetrical. We find maximum pairings of 71% for both the plus and minus strands. These structures also exhibit a cloverleaf structure. A similar analysis has been carried out for the secondary structure of a larger Qβ variant sequenced by Mills, Kramer and Spiegelman, but in this case there are a large number of secondary structures with the same maximum number of pairs and it is therefore not possible to select a unique structure with the maximum double-strandedness.
Counseling and therapy for sexual problems in the elderly.

This article provides a brief overview of the sexual concerns of aging patients. Normal changes in sexual response during the aging process, the effects of age-associated illnesses and medications, and psychosocial issues are discussed. The impact of these factors on patients’ sexuality places special demands on the clinician for counseling as part of total health care for the elderly, and practical suggestions for counseling interventions are offered. The article concludes with a case study that illustrates these issues.
Financial Issues of African Americans

This chapter reviews research that highlights the financial issues of African Americans under the themes of financial knowledge, financial behaviors and outcomes, and financial attitudes. Both statistical trends and research show African Americans having inferior levels of financial knowledge, financial outcomes, and financial attitudes that do not align with pathways to financial security. Thus, the theory of cumulative disadvantage for African Americans in general seems to resonate across all these themes. Future research needs to focus on more in-depth and representative data with clearer racial delimitations to avoid generalizing African American financial issues with other minority groups whose financial socialization and financial outcomes are usually distinctly different in the presence of adequate data.
MenaINV mediates synergistic cross-talk between signaling pathways driving chemotaxis and haptotaxis.

MenaINV, an actin-regulatory protein known to promote metastasis, has roles in driving cross-talk between extracellular matrix, growth factor cues, and their downstream pathways during tumor cell i...
FSW of Al–Cu and Al–Cu–Mg Alloys

Friction stir welding (FSW) of precipitation-strengthened aluminum alloys results in a variety of microstructure and mechanical properties. Of course, initial microstructure and alloy chemistry play critical roles in determining the final microstructure. These factors along with the choice of welding parameters, thermal cycle during welding, use of auxiliary cooling systems, tool geometry, and workpiece thickness greatly influence the resultant microstructure and strength of the weld. In this chapter the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of welds of Al–Cu and Al–Cu–Mg alloys are discussed. The linkages among the starting temper, process parameters, and the postweld heat treatment have been discussed in great detail.
Design of lattice structure for additive manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology provides new opportunities to automatically and flexibly fabricate parts with complicated shapes and architectures that could not be produced by conventional manufacturing processes, thus enabling unprecedented design flexibilities and application opportunities. The lattice structure possesses many superior properties to solid material and conventional structures. It is able to integrate more than one function into a physical part, which makes it attractive to a wide range of applications. With AM technology the lattice structure can be fabricated by adding material layer-by-layer directly from a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model, rather than the conventional processes with complicated procedures. AM lattice structures have been intensively studied for more than ten years with significant progress having been made. This paper reviews and discusses AM processes, design methods and considerations, mechanical behavior, and applications for lattice structures enabled by this emerging technology.
A Passion for Intercessory Prayer: The Historic Vocation of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross:

At a time when the “bonds of affection” might well be prayerfully strengthened within the Anglican Communion, a relatively unknown and certainly an unheralded group of Episcopal women may be an ava...
Empire and the Reordering of Edibility: Deconstructing Betel Quid Through Metropolitan Discourses of Intoxication

AbstractExotic, plant-based stimulants such as sugar, tea, and coffee linked metropolitan bodies with colonial expansion in support of the formation of modern Europe. But, not all tropical commodities easily flowed along these metropolitan routes. Betel quid, a prepared comestible, was among the most widely consumed stimulants in the world, but it was not popularized as a masticatory in modern Europe. This article traces the reconfiguration of betel quid in the British metropole in the early modern and modern periods. Through discursive analysis of medical and herbal texts, advertisements, British guides, and parliamentary papers, it shows how evolving discourses of intoxication motivated the betel quid’s transition from stimulating fruit into a largely inedible substance. Shifting notions of intoxication – first as a form of dissolute inebriation, and later as a state of measurable toxicity – provided the tools, language and social context to dissolve the betel quid’s edibility in conjunction with a broa...
Aggression and the self: High self-esteem, low self-control, and ego threat.

Publisher Summary This chapter examines two important links between self and aggression. It discusses the link between self-esteem and violence, and explores the role of self-control and self-regulation in aggression. Low self-esteem has long been asserted to be one of the most important determinants of violent behavior. The term high self-esteem has acquired a very favorable connotation and people are reluctant to acknowledge that it may have an undesirable side, but the terms arrogance, conceitedness, egotism, and narcissism have less favorable connotations while carrying the same denotative meaning of a favorable self-appraisal. A number of research findings support the notion that individuals with inflated self-opinions may be prone to violent or aggressive behavior. The chapter discusses the 1990 work by Gottfredson and Hirschi called A General Theory of Crime arguing that lack of self-control may be the broadest and most important cause of crime. Violent and aggressive behavior may be viewed as one important type of failure to regulate behavior. The most promising candidate for a psychological antidote to violence is self-control.
4 – FRET Imaging in the Wide-Field Microscope

This chapter reviews the principals of acquiring of Forster resonance (radiationless) energy transfer (FRET) measurements using wide-field microscopy (WFM) of cells expressing the fluorescent proteins (FP). FRET microscopy dramatically improves the spatial resolution between the FP-labeled proteins by detecting the direct transfer of excitation energy from donor to acceptor fluorochromes. WFM is an excellent choice for detecting the FRET signals from living cells, and the use of the combination of an optimized WFM and sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) camera to acquire the images of thin specimens, such as cells grown in a monolayer, can provide the most accurate measurements of dim fluorescence signals. The chapter also focuses on different methods of detecting FRET signals from living cells and potential problems associated with the expression of proteins fused to the FPs for FRET-based measurements from living cells. Despite limitations, the live-cell FRET studies provide the most physiologically relevant method for studying protein interactions.
Reduced pO 2 melt processing of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x

The melt processing of YBa2Cu3O6+x (Y123) in a reduced oxygen partial pressure has been investigated. Due to the depression of the peritectic in reduced pO2 the maximum temperature of the process cycle was 955°C. The resulting microstructure is comparable to that obtained through melt processing in air. The lower process temperature allows the use of a 90Ag/10Pd alloy sheath to contain the peritectic liquid during the texturing process and to lend additional mechanical strength to textured Y123 wires.
Contaminant Attenuation and Natural Aquifer Treatment

Both operational and experimental results demonstrate that the concentrations of pathogens and some chemical contaminants decrease during infiltration, percolation, and saturated-zone flow and residence. The improvement in water quality may be either unplanned (incidental) or intentional. The intentional use of natural contaminant attenuation process to improve water quality is referred to as “natural aquifer treatment” (NAT). Recharge of “impaired” water (i.e., water that does not meet drinking water standards) potentially introduces pathogens and chemical contaminants into aquifers. NAT can improve water quality through filtration, fluid-rock interactions, and microbial-mediated processes, and by providing residence time for pathogen inactivation and the biodegradation of slowly degradable compounds. The effectiveness of NAT varies between pathogens and compounds, hence it is important to assess what pathogens and chemical contaminants might be present in recharged water and their likely attenuation rates under system-specific physical and chemical conditions.
Epigenetic Aging Clocks in Ecology and Evolution.

The development of ‘epigenetic clocks’ is changing how biomedical scientists approach age-associated disease and leads to new insights and questions of wider significance. We highlight recent findings concerning epigenetic aging and discuss their relevance to life history evolution and their potential for advancing the field of ecological and evolutionary aging.
Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in hospitalized stroke patients in the United: Is there a racial disparity?

Background Racial disparity in stroke is well documented. Whether such disparity exists in the frequency of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) closure among patients with ischemic stroke (IS) is unclear. Objective To investigate the rate, trends, and racial determinants of PFO closure among hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke in the U.S. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried from 2006 to 2014 for patients older than 18-years of age with a primary discharge diagnosis of IS excluding those with a secondary discharge diagnosis of congenital heart diseases other than PFO. Patients were categorized by their PFO closure status. First, we determined the rate and 9-year trend in the rate of PFO closure. We then performed a logistic regression analysis to study the independent association between race and PFO closure. Results We identified a total of 1,028,565 patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke, of whom 384 had PFO closure. In univariate analysis, PFO closure was more likely to be performed in younger patients, Hispanic patients, privately insured patients, those seen in large bed size academic center, and in patients in the high-income categories. We also observed that the rate of PFO closure decreased overtime overall and in all races, particularly after 2010. In multivariable logistic regression, Non-Hispanic Blacks were less likely to have PFO closure (OR: 0.51, 95%, CI: 0.35-0.74) when compared to Non- Hispanic Whites meanwhile the high rate of PFO closure in Hispanics observed in the univariate model was attenuated and did not reach statistical significance (OR: 1.57, CI: 0.90-2.72). Conclusions Although the rate of PFO closure has declined over time across all races after 2010, overall, Non-Hispanic Blacks were two times less likely to have a PFO closure after ischemic stroke than Non-Hispanic Whites after adjusting for demographic and socio-economic factors.
Have your cake and eat it too: how invoking post-purchase hyperopia mitigates impulse purchase regret

Impulse purchases are encouraged by retailers and can comprise a significant portion of a retailer’s sales. However, both consumers and researchers generally see impulse purchases as something to be avoided because they tend to be incongruent with consumers’ long-term goals. Using a goal congruence framework, this research finds that taking a broader temporal perspective of a virtuous choice made some time ago (i.e., a distant-past hyperopic choice) is one way for consumers to reduce the regret associated with an impulse purchase. Specifically, recalling a distant-past virtuous choice provides justification for a recent impulse purchase, reducing goal incongruity and thereby reducing associated regret. This effect allows retailers to both encourage impulse purchases and mitigate their potential negative consequences.
Assessing within-task verbal fluency performance: the utility of individual time intervals in predicting incident mild cognitive impairment.

The current study aimed to determine whether word generation performance on individual within-task 20-second time intervals predicted conversion to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) status. Longitudi...
Impact of 18-Month Soy Protein Supplementation on Steroid Hormones and Serum Biomarkers of Angiogenesis, Apoptosis, and the Growth Hormone/IGF-1 Axis: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Males Following Prostatectomy.

Many studies have addressed the effects of dietary supplementation with soy protein on cancer risk and mortality, but there are only few randomized studies with soy in males. We used serum samples ...
Risk Factors Associated with Vitamin D Status among Older Puerto Rican Adults.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with health problems globally, but there is limited information on vitamin D status and associated risk factors among adults in underserved populations. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify risk factors for vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency among Puerto Rican adults from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS). METHODS A total of 822 adults (45-75 y, at baseline) were included in these analyses. Deficiency was defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] <30 and insufficiency as 30 to <50 nmol/L. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated FFQ. Associations between risk factors, including dietary vitamin D, supplement use, ancestry, skin pigmentation, months in the past year spent in a southern climate, and serum 25(OH)D were assessed with multivariable general linear models. RESULTS Approximately 13% of participants were deficient in 25(OH)D and another 43% insufficient. Skin pigment was associated with 25(OH)D using 3 measures, greater African ancestry (β ± SE) (-7.74 ± 2.91, P = 0.01); interviewer assessed dark or medium, compared with white, skin tone, (-5.09 ± 2.19, P = 0.02 and -5.89 ± 1.58, P < 0.001, respectively); and melanin index of the upper inner right arm, assessed using a spectrophotometer (-2.04 ± 0.84, P = 0.02). After adjusting for ancestry, factors associated with lower serum 25(OH)D included smoking (-4.49 ± 1.58, P = 0.01); BMI (-0.21 ± 0.10, P = 0.04); and spring compared with autumn blood draw (-4.66 ± 1.68, P = 0.004). Factors associated with higher serum 25(OH)D included female sex compared with male (4.03 ± 1.58, P = 0.01); dietary vitamin D intake μg/d (0.71 ± 0.25, P < 0.004); vitamin D supplement use (4.50 ± 1.87, P = 0.02); income to poverty ratio (0.01 ± 0.01, P = 0.06), and months in a southern climate during the past year (0.96 ± 0.56, P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was prevalent in this Puerto Rican population living in the northeastern USA. Several factors were associated with this, which may assist in identifying those at risk. Interventions are needed to improve serum 25(OH)D concentration, particularly among those with limited exposure to sunlight.
Ethnic differences in behavioral and physiological indicators of sensitivity to threat

Abstract The clinical presentation of anxiety may differ between Hispanics/Latinx (H/L) and non-H/L, although findings on ethnic differences in self-reported anxiety symptoms have been mixed. Fewer studies have focused on ethnic differences in quick and relatively automatic laboratory-assessed indicators of anxiety symptoms, which have the potential to be more objective indicators than self-report. Therefore, the present study examined ethnic differences in two laboratory-assessed indicators of threat sensitivity (an important transdiagnostic mechanism of anxiety): attentional bias to threat and electromyography startle reactivity to threat. White H/L (n = 117) and White non-H/L (n = 168) adults who were matched on demographics and lifetime psychopathology (including anxiety) completed a dot-probe task to assess attentional bias to threat and the No-Predictable-Unpredictable threat (NPU) task to assess startle reactivity to threat. Results indicated that H/L displayed less Slow OrientationRB (β = -0.27, p = 0.032, R2β∗ = 0.02), and increased Slow DisengagementRB (β = 0.31, p = 0.016, R2β∗ = 0.02) compared to non-H/L. H/L exhibited blunted overall startle compared to non-H/L (β = -0.30, p = 0.014, R2β∗ = 0.02), but groups did not differ in startle reactivity to either predictable or unpredictable threat. In summary, H/L and non-H/L may differ in their experience and presentation of anxiety symptoms and such differences may vary across indicators of sensitivity to threat.
A Grammar Characterization of Logarithmic-Space Computation

It is shown that nondeterministic logarithmic space-bounded Turing machines recognize exactly the closure (under log-space reduction) of the languages generated by a variant of regular parallel communicating grammars systems.
Assessing the Impact of Indian Gaming on American Indian Nations: Is the House Winning?

Objective The objective of this article is to examine the impact of Indian gaming on reservation conditions in the contiguous American states following passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. Methods Utilizing 1990 and 2000 Census data for 330 Indian nations, a pretest/posttest design permits a comparison of nongaming nations to three different types of gaming nations on eight economic measures, while controlling for multiple tribal characteristics and considering the effects of certain state contextual factors confronting nations due to location. Results The analysis reveals (1) that the overall impact of gaming, while generally positive, is not as extensive after controlling for certain tribal features, (2) that there are differential effects evident across the three types of gaming nations, and (3) that the state context makes a difference in influencing the relationship between gaming and reservation conditions. The most substantial impacts are for a small subset of nations with Class III gaming and making per capita payments to their members in larger, wealthier states prohibiting non-Indian casinos. Conclusion These results challenge some of the core assumptions about Indian gaming radically changing the poor economic conditions endemic to Indian country.
No Parting Ways: The Crypto-Zionism of Judith Butler

Parting Ways: Jewishness and the Critique of Zionism is a curious thing in amalgamating Jewish ethics in terms of self-dispersal and political critique. The book hits its mark by pressing in on Zionism from multiple margin-points. In the form of a negation, its author, Judith Butler, argues the case against Zionism as a historical form of settler-colonialism, while philosophically she positions Jewish ethics against political forms of sovereign power and state violence. As a construction, the utopian core of the project is to advance a common space for Jews and Palestinians as a non-sovereign, binational compact, to open up new forms of cultural, political, and social cohabitation. Readings of Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, Mahmoud Darwish, Emmanuel Levinas, and Edward Said are themselves exemplary. Iconic figures, they have been brought in by Butler from their place either at the margins or from outside the boundaries of Jewishness. Their purpose is to perform critical work in Jewish philosophy by calling into question static notions of Jewishness in the name of a just and capacious criticalcosmopolitanism. Historically, Butler’s own anti-Zionism recalls the ideological heyday of east European Jewish socialism and of liberal cosmopolitanism and Reform Judaism in central Europe before the Holocaust and then the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. But with no little irony, Butler’s critique of Zionism bears no little resemblance to Zionism itself, historically considered. Indeed, the interpenetration of Jewishness, secularism, and cosmopolitanism were bedrock principles in the classical Zionist theories penned by writers as diverse across the ideological spectrum as Theodore Herzl, Max Nordau, Joseph Hayyim Brenner, Micah Joseph Berdichevsky, A.D. Gordon, Martin Buber, and Vladimir Jabotinsky. While these figures go unnamed and unmentioned in Parting Ways, they all rejected static notions of Jewishness no less vociferously than does Butler today. These were the most important critics undermining models that pegged Jewishness as “religion,” be that the German Jewish liberal religion of ethical monotheism or the orthodox
TFIIH is negatively regulated by cdk8-containing mediator complexes

The mammalian cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (cdk8) gene has been linked with a subset of acute lymphoblastic leukaemias, and its corresponding protein has been functionally implicated in regulation of transcription. Mammalian cdk8 and cyclin C, and their respective yeast homologues, Srb10 and Srb11, are components of the RNA polymerase II holoenzyme complex where they function as a protein kinase that phosphorylates the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (ref. 7). The yeast SRB10 and SRB11 genes have been implicated in the negative regulation of transcription. The cdk8/cyclin C protein complex is also found in a number of mammalian Mediator-like protein complexes, which repress activated transcription independently of the CTD in vitro. Here we show that cdk8/cyclin C can regulate transcription by targeting the cdk7/cyclin H subunits of the general transcription initiation factor IIH (TFIIH). cdk8 phosphorylates mammalian cyclin H in the vicinity of its functionally unique amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal alpha-helical domains. This phosphorylation represses both the ability of TFIIH to activate transcription and its CTD kinase activity. In addition, mimicking cdk8 phosphorylation of cyclin H in vivo has a dominant-negative effect on cell growth. Our results link the Mediator complex and the basal transcription machinery by a regulatory pathway involving two cyclin-dependent kinases. This pathway appears to be unique to higher organisms.
Transverse Septum Formation in Budding Cells of the Yeastlike Fungus Candida albicans

Septum formation is initiated in Candida albicans by an electron transparent primary septum, which is then thickened on both sides to form secondary septa. Primary and secondary septa are incorporated into the bud scar, and secondary septum material only is incorporated into the birth scar.
Assessing microsite and regeneration niche preferences through experimental reintroduction of the rare plant Tephrosia angustissima var. corallicola

As the world’s biodiversity is increasingly threatened by destruction and/or climate change, rare species reintroductions may be necessary to conserve species threatened with extinction. When ecological processes change or a species’ range is heavily fragmented, it may be difficult to determine microsite characteristics needed for a successful reintroduction. In such cases, experimental reintroductions can be used to learn more about the species’ reproductive niche while establishing new self-sustaining populations. We reintroduced the Florida endangered species, Tephrosia angustissima var. corallicola, to examine native microsite requirements and feasibility of reintroduction into nearby suitable habitat. We transplanted Tephrosia into three microsites with varying light and substrate and characterized their wet and dry season soil moisture, soil bulk density, and light conditions. We monitored transplant and recruited seedling growth, reproduction, and survival and seedling germination in each microsite for 6 years. The microsite supporting greatest survival changed across developmental stages and time. Although no original transplants survived to 2009, the reintroduced population persists in 2015 through recruitment. Highest recruit growth, flowering, and survival occurred in shady, dry microsites. Recruits germinated more in the wettest microsite, reproduced most in the driest, and persisted longest in the wettest. Recruits germinated in shadier locations than where adults were planted. Although assessing whether a reintroduction is self-sustaining will require decades of monitoring, this experimental reintroduction elucidated the necessity for heterogeneous microsites at recipient sites and the efficacy of planting reproductive individuals for rapid next generation recruitment. Determining appropriate microsites for species requiring human assisted migration may also benefit from these techniques.
Minmax Entropy Estimation of Models for Vector Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces a criterion based on entropy, which is aimed at supplying the missing structure-dependent term. The chapter introduces the problem, or at any rate, what is thought to be a problem and suggests a remedy in the form of a criterion that is based on a very broad and intuitively attractive principle. In all the studies known, the structure is estimated separately from the other parameters, in contrast with the approach taken in the chapter. The chapter discusses the numerical computations required for performing the minimization in the optimum estimations with respect to the parameter vectors θ. These calculations are the same as those required in the maximum-likelihood method.
Constructing a nuclear wavefunction with splines

We describe a procedure which enables us to systematically construct a trial wavefunction from a small number of cubic splines. To show the accuracy of this method, we have computed the ground state energy of the alpha particle using variational Monte Carlo. Our result, −31.35 ± 0.04 MeV, has a lower confidence level (E + σ) than all earlier calculations.
On the measurement of dislocation damping forces at high dislocation velocity

In direct mobility experiments in single crystals, dislocation velocity is studied as a function of stress by the application of short-duration stress pulses. The stress pulse consists of a loading wave, followed microseconds later, by an unloading wave. At high velocities, dislocation inertia effects become important if the dislocation damping force is a decreasing function of dislocation velocity. In general, the magnitude of this force can be determined only if the relative velocity between the applied stress wave and the dislocation is considered.
Analysis of trends in hospitalizations for heart failure

Background: Over the past 10 years, efforts have been made to control the cost of care for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) through reducing hospitalizations and shortening lengths of stay. Few data are available regarding the effectiveness of these intervention strategies on a community basis. Methods and Results: We analyzed the Oregon hospital discharge database. Multivariable methods were used to assess trends while controlling for confounding factors, such as age, sex, and comorbidity. The hospital admission rates for CHF were stable over time in all age groups. The age- and sex-standardized admission rate among people aged 65 years or older decreased slightly from 13.9/1,000 in 1991 to 12.9/1,000 in 1995. The annual hospital readmission rate remained constant over time, with an average rate of 15.3%. The average length of hospital stay decreased from 5.01 days in 1991 to 3.95 days in 1995. The in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 6.9% in 1991 to 4.7% in 1995, independent of length of stay. Conclusion: We observed stable hospital admission and readmission rates for CHF, accompanied by a decreasing trend in the length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality. Our findings raise the possibility of improved care management for heart failure over time.
Geometric interpretation of the string vertex operator.

We link the moments of the vertex operator describing photon emission to a vielbein satisfying Maurer-Cartan structure equations connected with the Virasoro algebra. We also discuss string theory in terms of the Abelianized Virasoro operators and describe the consequences of our approach for the structure of the spectrum-generating algebra.
Design of resilient processing plants. VI: The effect of right-half-plane zeros on dynamic resilience

Abstract The quality of control achievable on a given system, its dynamic resilience, represents a new and important concept in control. This paper extends the concept of dynamic resilience to right-half-plane-transmission zeroes. In particular it provides quantitative measures of how the location of the zero affects the achieveable performance for both single and multiple input systems. For multiple input systems it is demonstrated how the impact of the zero can be isolated to a single output. It is also shown how the presence or absence of these zeros influence the choice of decoupled as opposed to “interactive” control.
Design rules for selective binding of nuclear localization signals to minor site of importin α.

Selectivity is a critical issue in molecular recognition. However, design rules that underlie selectivity are often not well understood. Here, we studied five classical nuclear localization signals (NLSs) that contain the motif KRx(W/F/Y)xxAF and selectively bind to the minor site of importin α. The selectivity for the minor site is dissected by building structural models for the NLS-importin α complexes and analyzing the positive design and negative design in the NLSs. In our models, the KR residues of the motif occupy the P1’ and P2’ pockets of importin α, respectively, forming hydrogen-bonding and cation-π interactions. The aromatic residue at the P4’ position plays dual roles in the selectivity for the minor site: by forming π-stacking with W357 of importin α to reinforce the minor-site binding; and by clashing with the P5 pocket in the major binding site. The F residue at the P8’ position occupies a deep pocket, providing additional stabilization. The P7’ position sits on a saddle next to the P8’ pocket and hence requires a small residue; the A residue fulfills this requirement. The principal ideas behind these blind predictions turn out to be correct in an evaluation against subsequently available X-ray structures for the NLS-importin α complexes, but some details are incorrect. These results illustrate that the selectivity for the minor site can be achieved via a variety of design rules.
Preferential block of inactivation-deficient Na+ currents by capsaicin reveals a non-TRPV1 receptor within the Na+ channel.

Abstract Capsaicin elicits burning pain via the activation of the vanilloid receptor (TRPV1). Intriguingly, several reports showed that capsaicin also inhibits Na+ currents but the mechanisms remain unclear. To explore this non-TRPV1 action we applied capsaicin to HEK293 cells stably expressing inactivation-deficient rat skeletal muscle Na+ mutant channels (rNav1.4-WCW). Capsaicin elicited a conspicuous time-dependent block of inactivation-deficient Na+ currents. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of capsaicin for open Na+ channels at +30 mV was measured 6.8 ± 0.6 μM (n = 5), a value that is 10–30 times lower than those for resting (218 μM) and inactivated (74 μM) wild-type Na+ channels. On-rate and off-rate constants for capsaicin open-channel block at +30 mV were estimated to be 6.37 μM−1 s−1 and 34.4 s−1, respectively, with a calculated dissociation constant (KD) of 5.4 μM. Capsaicin at 30 μM produced ∼70% additional use-dependent block of remaining rNav1.4-WCW Na+ currents during repetitive pulses at 1 Hz. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the local anesthetic receptor was not responsible for the capsaicin block of the inactivation-deficient Na+ channel. Interestingly, capsaicin elicited little time-dependent block of batrachotoxin-modified rNav1.4-WCW Na+ currents, indicating that batrachotoxin prevents capsaicin binding. Finally, neuronal open Na+ channels endogenously expressed in GH3 cells were as sensitive to capsaicin block as rNav1.4 counterparts. We conclude that capsaicin preferentially blocks persistent late Na+ currents, probably via a receptor that overlaps the batrachotoxin receptor but not the local anesthetic receptor. Drugs that target such a non-TRPV1 receptor could be beneficial for patients with neuropathic pain.
Ethylene Complexes of the Early Transition Metals: Crystal Structures of [HfEt4(C2H4)2−] and the Negative-Oxidation-State Species [TaHEt(C2H4)33−] and [WH(C2H4)43−]

Alkylation of HfCl4 with 6 equiv of ethyllithium followed by the addition of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine gives the d2 hafnium(II) alkyl/alkene complex [Li(tmed)]2[HfEt4(C2H4)]. The X-ray crystal structure of this complex shows that the ethylene ligand has considerable metallacyclopropane character. The C−C distance of 1.49(6) A and the 1JCH coupling constant of 119 Hz both support this formulation. A labeling study showed that the ethylene ligand is formed by means of a β-hydrogen abstraction process. Similar treatment of TaCl2(OMe)3 and WCl3(OMe)3 with ethyllithium affords the d6 tantalum(−I) and d8 tungsten(−II) complexes [Li(tmed)]3[TaHEt(C2H4)3]·1/2tmed and [Li(tmed)]3[WH(C2H4)4]. Both trianionic complexes, in which the metal centers have negative oxidation states, adopt distorted-square-pyramidal geometries with the hydride group in the axial position. The C−C bond lengths of 1.484(8), 1.502(8), and 1.515(8) A for the ethylene groups in the tantalum complex are somewhat longer than those of ...
OPTICAL ALIGNMENT AND DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE ATF MICROUNDULATOR FEL OSCILLATOR

Abstract Alignment of the BNL-MIT microundulator FEL components, including transverse alignment of the FEL cavity, coalignment of the cavity with the undulator and with the electron beam are described. Cavity length measurements are made by coupling an external laser into the FEL oscillator. Diagnostics for the optical beam, including energy, pointing stability, and spectra are presented. Electron beam diagnostics for charge, position, and energy spread are also described.
Crystal Structure Analysis of Si- and Zn-Codoped Tricalcium Phosphate by Neutron Powder Diffraction

Tricalcium phosphate (TCP) is a candidate for a temporary bone implant. Attempts were made to tune the resorption rate of implant for bone reforming by doping different levels of Si and Zn. In this paper, the crystal structure of Si- and Zn-codoped TCP (Si,Zn-Ca3(PO4)2 (Si,Zn-TCP)) was studied by using a time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction and the Rietveld analysis method. Si,Zn-TCP was confirmed to have a rhombohedral structure (space group R3c, Z=21), with the unit cell parameters a=b=10.3958(1) A, c=37.3122(7) A, α=β=90°, and γ=120° in the hexagonal setting. Of the five cation sites, Ca(1), Ca(2), and Ca(3) positions are still occupied by Ca with minor change in Ca–O bond distance compared with the pure β-TCP. Whereas the Ca(5) site was totally occupied by Zn. Compared with the original Ca(5)···O distance, the shorter and more uniform Zn(5)···O bond distances show the smaller cation substitution effect and a more ideal octahedral geometry. The site Ca(4) was partially substituted by Zn and Ca,Zn(4)···O(9) bond distance is 2.808(5) A, much shorter than the original 3.041(1). The Zn substitution content is calculated to be 10% of total Ca sites. A fraction of Si substitutes for P(1) sites and the substitution content is calculated to be 3.9% of total phosphorus sites. The bond valence sums of Ca,Zn(4) is 0.97, higher than 0.67 for Ca(4) in β-TCP. Other Ca and Zn(5) sites are close to 2.0.
In vivo Reconstitution of the Mitochondrial Uniporter

The mitochondrial uniporter is a highly selective calcium channel present broadly in eukaryotes, but absent in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Therefore, we used yeast as a reconstitution system to identify the minimal components sufficient for in vivo uniporter activity. First, we considered Dictyostelium discoideum and showed that it has a highly simplified uniporter machinery: the expression of DdMCU, a single transmembrane component alone is sufficient to reconstitute mitochondrial calcium uniporter activity. Second, to establish human uniporter activity, the coexpression of MCU and - the animal specific protein - EMRE is necessary, whereas expression of MCU alone is insufficient. Our work established yeast as a powerful in vivo reconstitution system for the uniporter to study the evolution and function of this channel.
Antepartum dental radiography and low birth weight.

To the Editor: I am concerned about 2 possible confounding factors in the study by Dr Hujoel and colleagues. First, in December 2000 the Washington State Department of Health alerted state health departments throughout the United States to the discovery of lead oxide powder in shielded boxes used to store radiographic films in dental offices. Subsequent testing demonstrated the possibility of the transfer of substantial amounts of lead to patients’ mouths from contaminated film and the technicians’ hands. Because maternal lead exposure has been associated with low birth weight (LBW), and because the study population was located in Washington state, the possibility that lead exposure was contributory to LBW in this study cannot be excluded. Second, radiation doses delivered to the thyroid gland remain unknown, despite the authors’ careful attempts to estimate them retrospectively. This is due in part to lack of documentation about the use of thyroid shielding, which would have significantly reduced the radiation dose delivered to the thyroid. The authors’ unsupported assertion that the use of thyroid shielding was low in their population is inconsistent with the recommendation of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the results of surveys that indicate rates of thyroid collar use exceeding 49% in dental practices.
Simulations of Gas-Phase Chemical Reactions: Applications to SN2 Nucleophilic Substitution.

Computer simulations and animations of the motion of atoms as a chemical reaction proceeds give a detailed picture of how the reaction occurs at a microscopic level. This information is particularly useful for testing the accuracy of statistical models, which are used to calculate various attributes of chemical reactions. Such simulations and animations, in concert with experimental and ab initio studies, have begun to provide a microscopic picture of the intimate details of a particular class of gas-phase ion-molecule bimolecular reactions known as SN2 nucleophilic substitution. In these reactions, a nucleophile is displaced from a molecule by another nucleophile. The dynamical model of SN2 reactions that emerges from the computer studies, and its relation to statistical theories, is discussed here.
LPS promotes CB3-induced myocarditis in resistant B10.A mice

Coxsackie virus B3 (CB3) infection of A/J or A.SW mice results in autoimmune myocarditis characterized by a diffuse mononuclear cell infiltrate and heart-specific autoantibodies. C57BL/10 congenic mice that are identically treated are resistant to this disease. CB3-infected resistant B10.A mice were treated with LPS to determine if this immunomodulator alters disease susceptibility. In contrast to mice infected only with CB3 or treated only with LPS. CB3-infected/LPS-treated (CB3/LPS) B10.A mice developed autoimmune myocarditis similar to that observed in susceptible A/J or A.SW mice. By Day 14, CB3/LPS-induced disease was characterized by significant mortality, myocardial immunoglobulin deposition, and mononuclear cell infiltration of the heart. Immunohistochemical examination revealed deposits of IgG in the heart tissue and serum IgG autoantibodies reactive with sarcolemmal and fibrillary antigens in normal heart tissue. This serum IgG reacted with normal mouse cardiac antigens of a wide range of molecular weights by Western immunoblotting. Because LPS treatment is capable of increasing cytokine levels as well as MHC Class I and Class II expression in heart tissue, it suggests that these factors may contribute to susceptibility to autoimmune myocarditis in CB3-infected mice.