cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA breathing dynamics distinguish binding from nonbinding consensus sites for transcription factor YY1 in cells

The genome-wide mapping of the major gene expression regulators, the transcription factors (TFs) and their DNA binding sites, is of great importance for describing cellular behavior and phenotypic diversity. Presently, the methods for prediction of genomic TF binding produce a large number of false positives, most likely due to insufficient description of the physiochemical mechanisms of protein–DNA binding. Growing evidence suggests that, in the cell, the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is subject to local transient strands separations (breathing) that contribute to genomic functions. By using site-specific chromatin immunopecipitations, gel shifts, BIOBASE data, and our model that accurately describes the melting behavior and breathing dynamics of dsDNA we report a specific DNA breathing profile found at YY1 binding sites in cells. We find that the genomic flanking sequence variations and SNPs, may exert long-range effects on DNA dynamics and predetermine YY1 binding. The ubiquitous TF YY1 has a fundamental role in essential biological processes by activating, initiating or repressing transcription depending upon the sequence context it binds. We anticipate that consensus binding sequences together with the related DNA dynamics profile may significantly improve the accuracy of genomic TF binding sites and TF binding-related functional SNPs.
The Need for Programs for Young Gifted Children

Effective early education for gifted children must include both special policy and program considerations. Preschool/day-care efforts should be based on the child's needs, special program goals, appropriate placement or grouping, and active parent involvement. Administration convenience must give way to developmental efficacy in order to provide early admittance to school and other possible educational options for our gifted youngsters.
The hypersensitivity pneumonitis diagnostic index: use of non-invasive testing to diagnose hypersensitivity pneumonitis in metalworkers.

Background Since 1993, several outbreaks of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) have been reported in metalworkers. We report the largest outbreak of HP in metalworkers yet known. It occurred in a Connecticut factory that produces precision parts for the aerospace industry. The workers typically presented with systemic and respiratory problems (“sick fatigue,” myalgias, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and chest tightness). They had variable findings on clinical tests, which complicated diagnosis. An HP diagnostic index was developed to help reduce the uncertainties in case identification. Methods Data from 16 biopsy-confirmed cases and 14 non-HP patients were compared, and the HP diagnostic index was derived using variables that best discriminated between the two groups. The index is based on (a) work-related symptoms, (b) dry crackles on auscultation, (c) restrictive spirometry, (d) decreased diffusion capacity and/or increased A-a oxygen gradient, (e) elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, (f) abnormal radiographic images, and (g) abnormal gallium scans. We then applied the HP diagnostic index and, for comparison, the “Kenosha epidemiological case criteria” (developed during a recent HP outbreak in an automobile factory) to our data set. Results The HP diagnostic index and the Kenosha criteria confirmed HP in overlapping sets of 36 and 34 patients, respectively, that were both in good agreement with the clinical diagnoses. Conclusions The HP diagnostic index relies less heavily on symptoms, subjective evaluations, and invasive tests than the Kenosha criteria, but both identified similar subsets of the 61 patients as having HP. The HP diagnostic index could provide a useful tool in future HP outbreaks, which are increasingly being recognized in metalworking facilities. Am. J. Ind. Med. 42:150–162, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Compilance with isolation technique

We found that compliance with isolation precautions was less than optimal. It appeared that personnel were unaware of instances in which they had become contaminated. Increasing such awareness is indicated as an incentive to improve compliance. In addition, there were two areas in which education seemed to be indicated: for housekeeping staff to assure that they understood the need to contain infectious organisms within the isolation room as well as protecting themselves and for all personnel to identify the need for handwashing after removing gloves. Others have found that a careful monitoring program by an ICP can significantly reduce the overuse, but not underuse, of isolation. Such monitoring leads to considerable cost savings. We recommend that compliance with isolation technique be monitored on a periodic basis in other acute care institutions.
Regional Effects of Trade Reform: What Is the Correct Measure of Liberalization?

A growing body of research examines the regional effects of trade liberalization using a weighted average of trade policy changes across industries. This paper develops a specific-factors model of regional economies that provides a theoretical foundation for this intuitively appealing empirical approach and also provides guidance on treatment of the nontraded sector. In the context of Brazil's early 1990s trade liberalization, I find that regions facing a 10 percentage point larger liberalization-induced price decline experienced a 4 percentage point larger wage decline. The results also confirm the empirical relevance of appropriately dealing with the nontraded sector.
The Postsocialist Experience and Comparative Politics

I see four areas where the study of postsocialism has made significant contributions to our understanding of politics. One is in providing an ideal laboratory for comparison. Here, I refer to three aspects of the region. First, it contains a large number of cases-28 in all and a good deal more, once we take into account "patchwork" politics and economics of the Russian Federation, for example. Second, the "great transformation," to borrow from Polanyi and to refer in this instance to an even "greater" process involving the construction of economic and political regimes, nations, and states, deals with virtually all the fundamental issues of politics. Finally, the region exhibits enormous variation in political and economic outcomes, whether we focus on economic and political regime types and the institutional details of these regimes; economic performance, levels of economic development, types of economic reforms, and the role of foreign capital; the age and size of the state and its
Inclusionary Education in Italy A Literature Review and Call for More Empirical Research

Since the 1970s, Italy has had a national policy of integrating nearly all students with disabilities into the general education classroom. As a result, many advocates of inclusion in the United States have identified Italy as an excellent example of how wide-range inclusion can be accomplished. However, some U.S. and Italian educators have expressed concern that very little research has directly examined Italy's inclusion practices and outcomes. In this article, all of the available literature in English in a 20-year period that pertained to Italy's inclusion outcomes and classroom practices was reviewed. Of the studies directly addressing Italy's inclusion practices, survey studies were the most common, and very few studies used experimental methodology. Furthermore, survey studies generally found outcomes considered to be favorable toward inclusion practices, whereas the results from experimental studies called the benefits of full inclusion into question. Of the studies that described interventions fo...
HPMA Copolymer-Anticancer Drug-OV-TL16 Antibody Conjugates. 1. Influence of the Method of Synthesis on the Binding Affinity to OVCAR-3 Ovarian Carcinoma Cells in Vitro

The influence of different methods of binding the OV-TL16 antibody and its Fab' fragment to N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer--drug (adriamycin [ADR] or meso chlorin e6 mono(N-2-aminoethylamide) (Mce6)) conjugates on the affinity of conjugates to an ovarian carcinoma (OVCAR-3) cell associated antigen was investigated. The binding of the antibody to HPMA copolymer--drug (ADR or Mce6) conjugates via amino groups resulted in conjugates which were heterogeneous in their antigen binding. Coupling, the HPMA copolymer--Mce6 conjugate to the carbohydrate region of the antibody resulted in conjugates with a more homogeneous distribution of affinity constants than conjugates prepared by linking the antibody to the polymer via amino groups. However, both methods resulted in a decrease in the affinity constant compared to the native antibody. Conjugates prepared with the Fab' frgment of the OV-TL16 antibody demonstrated a more homogenous affinity than either conjugate prepared with the whole antibody. To verify the hypothesis that the changes in the binding affinity and homogeneity are a consequence of conformational changes in the antibody structure, a series of physiocochemical methods were employed to characterize the conjugates. The excitation energy transfer between OV-TL16 antibody and drugs (ADR and Mce6) and the spectral properties of Mce6 were used to monitor the interactions between the antibody and drugs. The quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of the antibody was also employed to study its conformational changes. An attempt has been made to correlate the biorecognition at the cellular surface with the interactions of drug with the antibody molecule and with the changes in antibody conformation.
Effects of elevated [CO2] and/or ozone on limitations to CO2 assimilation in soybean (Glycine max)

Soybean (Glycine max) was grown in open-top field chambers at ambient (360 μmol mol -1 ) or doubled [CO 2 ] either in charcoal-filtered air (20 nmol mol -1 [O 3 ]) or in non-filtered air supplemented to 1.5 x ambient [O 3 ] (70 nmol mol -1 ) to determine the major limitations to assimilation under conditions of elevated [CO 2 ] and/or [O 3 ]. Through plant ontogeny, assimilation versus intercellular CO 2 concentration (A/C i ) responses were measured to assess the limitations to assimilation imposed by the capacity for Rubisco carboxylation, RuBP regeneration, and stomatal diffusion. In the vegetative stages, no significant treatment effects of elevated [CO 2 ] and/or [O 3 ] were observed on Rubisco carboxylation efficiency (CE), light and CO 2 -saturated assimilation capacity (A max ), and chlorophyll content (Chl). However, for plants grown in elevated [CO 2 ], the assimilation rate at growth [CO 2 ] (A) was 60% higher than at ambient [CO 2 ] up to the seed maturation stage, and the potential rate of assimilation by Rubisco capacity (A p ) was increased. Also in elevated [CO 2 ]: A was 51% of A p ; the relative stomatal limitation (%Stomata) was 5%; and the relative RuBP regeneration limitation (%RuBP) was 44%. In ambient [CO 2 ], O 3 gradually decreased A per unit leaf area, but had little effect on A p and the relative limitations to assimilation where A remained 51% of A p , %Stomata was 27%, and %RuBP was 22%. During reproduction, CE declined for plants grown in elevated [CO 2 ] and/or [O 3 ]; A p was unaffected by elevated [CO 2 ], but was reduced by [O 3 ] at ambient [CO 2 ]; A increased to 72% of A p in elevated [CO 2 ] and/or [03]-fumigated air; the %Stomata increased; and the %RuBP decreased, to become non significant in elevated [CO 2 ] from the beginning of seed growth on, and in O 3 -fumigated air at ambient [CO 2 ] at the seed maturation stage. The decrease in %RuBP occured concomitantly with an increase in A max and Chl. Significant [CD 2 ] x [O 3 ] interactions support the lack of an O 3 effect on assimilation and its limitations at elevated [CO 2 ] during seed maturation. These data suggest that elevated [CO 2 ] alleviated some of the effects of O 3 on photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide fluxes in a southern plains prairie

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased because of changes in land use and burning of fossil fuels. Grasslands are important terrestrial ecosystems that, along with other temperate and arid rangeland resources, comprise more than 50% of the world’s land area. Even though grasslands dominate the world’s landscape, their role in the global C budget has not been adequately documented. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of vegetation structure and dynamics to CO2 fluxes for a grass and a sagebrush-dominated Southern Plains mixed-grass prairie (latitude 36 ◦ 36 � N, longitude 99 ◦ 35 � W, elevation 630 m) and evaluate their potential for carbon sequestration. The CO2 flux calculated at 20-min intervals was measured from mid-February to early May through mid to late December in 1995–1997 on both sites using Bowen ratio/energy balance instrumentation. Plant measurements included aboveground and belowground biomass, leaf area, and canopy height. Estimated annual net CO2 fluxes into these systems were 257 and 23 g m −2 yr −1 , respectively, for the grass and sagebrush-dominated sites. Average daily flux during the sampling period and estimated annual rate of daily CO2 flux for the grass-dominated prairie site were greater (1.54 and 0.70 g m −2 per day) than the sagebrush site (0.01 and 0.06 g m −2 per day). Water-use was similar for these two mixed-grass prairie sites. This study indicates that these Southern Plains mixed-grass prairie communities have the potential to sequester C. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
The information content of financial survey response data

Market data for financial studies typically derives from either historical transactions or contemporaneous surveys of sentiment and perceptions. The research communities analyzing data from these opposing categories of source data see themselves as distinct, with advantages not shared by the other. This research investigates these latter claims in an information theoretic context, and suggests where methods and controls can be improved. The current research develops a Fisher Information metric for Likert scales, and explores the effect of particular survey design decisions or results on the information content. A Fisher Information metric outperforms earlier metrics by converging reliably to values that are intuitive in the sense that they suggest that information captured from subjects is fairly stable. The results of the analysis suggest that varying bias and response dispersion inherent in specific surveys may require increases of sample size by several orders of magnitude to compensate for information loss and in order to derive valid conclusions at a given significance and power of tests. A prioritization of quality of design, and the factors relevant to survey design are presented in the conclusions, and illustrative examples provide insight and guidance to the assessment of information content in a survey.
Modular forms and modular symbols for noncongruence groups

Modular forms for congruence groups are a major area of research in number theory and have been studied extensively. Modular forms for noncongruence groups are less understood. In this thesis, we look at noncongruence groups from two points of view. The first is computational: We look at a method of computation with finite index subgroups of the modular group called Farey symbols. This method allows us to work with noncongruence groups as easily as with congruence groups. We present an algorithm that uses Farey symbols to calculate modular symbols, from which we can calculate cusp forms. The second point of view involves the modular forms of noncongruence groups and the unbounded denominator property. We show that large families of noncongruence groups can be constructed which satisfy the unbounded denominator property.
Developing synergies between promotions and brands in different price-quality tiers.

Abstract Brands are promoted in many different ways. In this research, the authors examine synergies between different types of promotions and characteristics of the brands that offer the promotions. Specifically, the authors examine interactions among feature advertising, display, price promotions, and the price–quality tier of the brand offering them. Using both scanner data and experiments, the authors find that high-tier brands benefit more than low-tier brands from price promotions, displays, or feature advertising when these promotional tools are used by themselves. This advantage disappears, however, when certain promotional tools are used in combination with one another. In particular, the authors find that price promotions have a more equal effect on low-tier and high-tier brands when these promotions are offered in settings where comparisons are difficult (end-of-aisle displays or feature advertising). Furthermore, the combined effects of displays and price promotions, or feature advertising and...
Edema disease as a model for systemic disease induced by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.

Edema disease (ED) is a naturally occurring disease of weaned pigs caused by host adapted strains of E. coli that produce Shiga toxin (STEC). We determined the temporal and quantitative relationships between intestinal colonization by STEC, levels of Shiga toxin (Stx2e) in the gut, in the blood, and clinical manifestations of ED. Bacterial colonization (108CFU/cm ileum) was highest 4 days post inoculation (pi) in animals that did not develop clinical disease and 6 days pi in animals with clinical signs of ED. The mean time for the development of clinical signs of ED was 6 days pi (range 4–10). Average peak titers of Stx2e in the ileum were 1:16,384 in asymptomatic animals and 1:32,768 in clinical animals. Titers of Stx2e in the feces reflected the toxin titers in the ileum but were lower. Intestinal titers of Stx2e and the density of bacterial colonization were predictive of clinical ED for a group of animals but not for individuals. Approximately 50% of the pigs that had Stx2e titers of ≥1:4096 and a bacterial density of ≥106 CFU/cm in their ileum, had clinical ED. Pigs that had intestinal Stx2e titers <1 :4096 were asymptomatic. Stx2e was detected in the red cell fraction of blood from some of the pigs with clinical ED and in some that were asymptomatic. Stx2e was not detected in the serum of any animals. ED may be a useful model for predicting the temporal and quantitative relationships between bacterial colonization, Stx levels in the gut and blood and systemic disease for STEC in other species.
Establishing Separate Federal Criminal and Civil Evidence Codes

This article suggests that the Federal Rules of Evidence (Rules) should be separated into distinct criminal and civil evidence codes. The arguments for this separation are both practical and theoretical, and this article is the first comprehensive discussion of this proposed separation. The most important of the arguments for bifurcation is that our current unified evidence code leads to inappropriate admission decisions. These inappropriate admission decisions most often occur when the interpretation of a rule in a criminal case is applied in later civil law cases. This result is in part because our rules, and their interpretations, are transubstantive; they apply across substantive law areas, including the very diverse areas of criminal and civil law. The inappropriateness is also the result of the non-explicit infusion of constitutional and criminal law principles into courts' interpretations of the Rules and the criminal law normative considerations that implicitly affect courts' decisions. Practical arguments supporting bifurcation include the substantive area specific provisions in our Rules, the varying interpretations of the Rules by some courts, the vast differences between criminal and civil discovery and trial practices, and the increasing specialization of law practice. While a unified code was appropriate when the Federal Rules of Evidence were adopted in 1975, the state of our evidence law now suggests the need for separate codes.
Mammographic Screening: Sensitivity of General Radiologists

High quality mammography can detect early, curable breast cancer and decrease mortality. Much research effort is being expended to improve mammography (digital mammography, computer-aided diagnosis [CAD]), and develop alternative modalities (ultrasound, MRI, radionuclide imaging). However, the human observer is at this point potentially the weakest link in the diagnostic imaging chain, and the range of performance in routine practice is unknown. We have conducted a large observer study using a standardized test base to further investigate this issue.
Palaeoanthropology: What teeth tell us.

Models based on developmental mechanisms described in mice and shared by most mammals are shown to accurately predict tooth size in extinct hominins, and can explain the small third molars in our species. See Letter p.477
Long-Term Stabilization of Uranium By U(VI) Phosphate Mineralization in Weathered Bedrock and Soils Developed Over a Granite-Hosted Uranium Deposit

The unmined Coles Hill U deposit in the Virginia Piedmont represents a unique natural laboratory for studying the long-term containment of U by phosphate minerals. The primary ore assemblage consists of coffinite and apatite and is hosted in foliated granite. Geochemical and mineralogical studies of the weathered bedrock and soils developed over the primary ore body indicate that U transport is inhibited by the precipitation of meta-autunite group minerals. The lower part of the profile, which consists of ground water saturated saprolite, contains 1400 mg/kg U (in the solid). This concentration is 1.5 times greater than the mean ore grade of the deposit, indicating that the saprolites are enriched in U relative to the underlying primary ore. Uranium within the saprolite is dominantly associated with 10 to 500 μm long, tabular crystals of (Ba, Ca, Sr) meta-autunite. Ground waters from this zone contain less than 14 μg/L dissolved U suggesting that the U(VI) phosphate minerals present are capable of controlling dissolved U concentrations at values lower than the US-EPA maximum contaminant level (30 μg/L). Mineralogical characterization of the unsaturated soil horizons indicate that geochemical conditions in these zones are not conducive to U stabilization by meta-autunite mineralization. In the vadose zone U is primarily associated with Al phosphate (crandallite) and with P adsorbed or coprecipitated with iron oxide mineral coatings. Geochemical gradients suggest that significant amounts of U have been leached from the vadose zone by infiltrating fluids and reprecipitated below the water table, where the activity ratio of dissolved phosphate to carbonate increases. Based on regional weathering rates, the processes responsible for stabilization of U within the Coles Hill system are estimated to have been active for hundreds of thousands of years.
Studies on Calvatia Gigantea. I. Germination of the Basidiospores

(WITH 4 FIGURES) The importance of the discovery of new tumor-retarding agents of potential value in the inhibition of human malignant growths has been emphasized in recent years through the rapid increase in laboratory and clinical testing of oncostatic substances. The discovery of such a substance(s) in Calvatia gigantea (Pers.) Lloyd developed from a study of higher fungi initiated by the late Dr. Eugene H. Lucas. Synonyms for Calvatia gigantea are: Lycoperdon giganteum Persoon, Bovista gigantea Nees, Lycoperdon Bovista Fries, Calvatia maxima Morgan, Calvatia Bovista MacBride, Calvatia primitiva Lloyd. As a possible method for obtaining strains which might produce a greater yield of the oncostatic principle(s), germination of C. gigantea spores was attempted. Stevens (1957) reported on environmental factors influencing in vitro growth of basidiomycetes and their elaboration of biologically active substances. A portion of his study included C. gigantea. Sedlmayr (1960) studied the nutritional requirements of C. gigantea and other Calvatia spp., with particular emphasis on vitamins. She demonstrated that each of the investigated strains was totally deficient for thiamine. Reports of attempts to germinate basidiospores of C. gigantea are relatively absent from the literature. Hoffman (1859) appears to have been the first investigator to report germination experiments on Lycoperdon spp. He reported that he germinated spores of L. constellatum Fr., L. gemmatum Batsch, and Bovista plumbea Pers. using a hanging drop technique. His paper mentioned the possibility that the germinat
Observations on mechanism of potassium excretion due to administration of hydrochlorothiazide.

SummaryPotassium excretion with hydrochlorothiazide in adrenalectomized rats was significantly influenced by the presence of small amounts of DOC. Hydrochlorothiazide alone caused kaliuresis only at relatively large doses. These studies demonstrate that K loss with thiazide diuretics is in part dependent upon body fluid titers of aldosterone-like steroids.
A new genus of the Meliolaceae on the roots of Solanum species

A superficial blackening of the fibrous root system of potatoes, Solanum tuberosum L., has been observed annually since 1944 (1, 3) in a series of crop rotation plots at the Irrigation Experiment Station, Prosser, Washington. Although conspicuous on the fibrous roots, the mycelium has never been observed on the tubers or on above-ground parts of potato plants. It has been reported previously (1, 3) that this discoloration is due to a dense reticulum of dark brown hyphae of a fungus that is apparently an undescribed member of the Meliolaceae. Since most of the known species of this family occur on the leaves of tropical plants, the occurrence of a black mildew (5) on roots in a temperate region prompted detailed study of its morphology and taxonomic relationships.
Prenatal diagnosis, hospital characteristics, and mortality in transposition of the great arteries.

Background The role of prenatal diagnosis in reducing neonatal mortality from transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is controversial. Factors affected by prenatal diagnosis such as proximity at birth to a cardiac surgical center (CSC) and CSC volume are associated with mortality in congenital heart disease. The purpose of the study was to determine the associations between prenatal diagnosis, distance from birthplace to a CSC, CSC TGA volume, and neonatal mortality in patients with TGA. Methods The Texas Birth Defects Registry was queried for all live born infants with TGA from 1999 to 2007. Four hundred sixty-eight cases of TGA were included. Results Forty-eight patients (10.3%) were prenatally diagnosed, and 20 patients died before age 28 days (4.3%). Neither prenatal diagnosis nor close proximity to a CSC at birth (p > 0.05) were associated with decreased mortality. Low CSC TGA volume was associated with increased mortality (p 10 patients per year had 2.3% mortality. In multivariable logistic regression, only preterm birth (odds ratio, 7.05; 95% confidence interval, 4.13–12.05) and lower CSC volume (p < 0.001) were associated with neonatal mortality, although prenatal diagnosis attenuated the detrimental association of lower volume CSCs with higher mortality (p for interaction = 0.047). Conclusion Lower CSC TGA patient volume was associated with higher neonatal mortality. Prenatal diagnosis may improve survival in lower volume CSCs. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:739–748, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Decisions, Stories, and Viewers

This chapter discusses the factors that influence the makeup of newscasts into the norms that govern gatekeeping, decision making, and the application of the gatekeeping norms in national and local news operations. The principal feature of gatekeeping is norms and values that specify newsworthiness. Routines help gatekeepers proceed in an orderly manner. These conventions are to newsroom operation what gears are to an old-fashioned watch. The two principal perspectives in explaining exposure to the news have been the seeking of particular gratifications that derive from the internal motives of viewers and structural factors in which regularities of viewing predict the size of the audience. Gratifications represent the preferences of individual viewers. Structural factors represent the options for their expression. The most prominent motive behind choosing to view the news is that of surveillance with an emphasis on events.
Image Control: The Visual Rhetoric of President Obama

ABSTRACTPresident Barack Obama was elected upon a wave of change he described as “hope.” On the front of image control, the Obama administration has offered little hope in providing greater access to information compared to previous administrations, exemplified by the exclusion of photojournalists from a number of events. Using Althusser's Ideological State Apparatus and visual rhetoric, this analysis examines the process of image control and interprets official photographs from these events to argue against such practices. Findings suggest that photographer exclusion altered media rituals, allowed through White House power to change its relationship with the press and communicate directly with the public through new media channels. Image control seen in analyzed photographs produced mundane perspectives and presidential legitimacy conveyed in symbols and meanings that reinforce norms, and potentially lessen impact of race. Implications for Obama's legacy and future White House practices are discussed.
Is My Case Good Enough

A common barrier in writing a case report is the author’s lack of confidence that the case is novel enough to warrant publication. The reality is that most cases will be of interest to someone, somewhere. Even with this knowledge, it is tempting to forgo the effort required to write and submit a case report manuscript when there is uncertainty regarding its value. This chapter reviews commonly held criteria regarding the suitability of a case for publication and provides a stepwise process to assess your case.
Muting and Mutating Suffering: Sexism, Racism, and Class Struggle

Rogers-Vaughn identifies neoliberalism as an intrinsically sexist and racist project that both mutes and mutates racism and sexism as it intentionally re-institutes new forms of patriarchy and white supremacy, meanwhile claiming to promote equality, diversity, and multiculturalism. Under neoliberalism, he argues, both sexism and racism are privatized and deregulated, resulting in a loss of collective voice for both women and people of color. With the dissolution of collectives and individualization of racism, the conceptual possibility of structural racism is erased, and equal opportunity supersedes substantive equality. Meanwhile class, Rogers-Vaughn observes, is largely ignored or misunderstood as a determining issue in the lives of women and people of color. Rogers-Vaughn concludes with suggestions for how intersectionality theory, with its radical commitment to social justice and well-being, can be understood as a post-capitalist project.
Transcription of Frog Virus 3

Frog virus 3 (FV3) genes are expressed in infected cells in an orderly stepwise fashion that resembles the pattern of temporal gene activation that occurs during cellular development. To carry out this sequential and quantitative regulation of transcription, FV3 produces a cascade of trans-acting regulatory proteins that (i) cause a switch-off of host cell transcription; (ii) cooperate with host cell RNA polymerase II to initiate transcription from specific viral sequences; and (iii) enable the host polymerase to transcribe highly methylated promoters that are normally refractory to transcription.
Understanding the Sources of Satellite Passive Microwave Rainfall Retrieval Systematic Errors Over Land

AbstractAnalyses of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite rainfall estimates reveal a substantial disagreement between its active [Precipitation Radar (PR)] and passive [TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI)] sensors over certain regions. This study focuses on understanding the role of the synoptic state of atmosphere in these discrepancies over land regions where passive microwave (PMW) retrievals are limited to scattering signals. As such the variability in the relationship between the ice-induced scattering signal and the surface rainfall is examined. Using the Amazon River and central Africa regions as a test bed, it is found that the systematic difference seen between PR and TMI rainfall estimates is well correlated with both the precipitating system structure and the level of its organization. Relying on a clustering technique to group raining scenes into three broad but distinct organizational categories, it is found that, relative to the PR, deep-organized systems are typically overestima...
Dynamic Expression of Serotonin Receptor 5-HT3A in Developing Sensory Innervation of the Lower Urinary Tract

Sensory afferent signaling is required for normal function of the lower urinary tract (LUT). Despite the wide prevalence of bladder dysfunction and pelvic pain syndromes, few effective treatment options are available. Serotonin receptor 5-HT3A is a known mediator of visceral afferent signaling and has been implicated in bladder function. However, basic expression patterns for this gene and others among developing bladder sensory afferents that could be used to inform regenerative efforts aimed at treating deficiencies in pelvic innervation are lacking. To gain greater insight into the molecular characteristics of bladder sensory innervation, we conducted a thorough characterization of Htr3a expression in developing and adult bladder-projecting lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Using a transgenic Htr3a-EGFP reporter mouse line, we identified 5-HT3A expression at 10 days post coitus (dpc) in neural crest derivatives and in 12dpc lumbosacral DRG. Using immunohistochemical co-localization we observed Htr3a-EGFP expression in developing lumbosacral DRG that partially coincides with neuropeptides CGRP and Substance P and capsaicin receptor TRPV1. A majority of Htr3a-EGFP+ DRG neurons also express a marker of myelinated Aδ neurons, NF200. There was no co-localization of 5-HT3A with the TRPV4 receptor. We employed retrograde tracing in adult Htr3a-EGFP mice to quantify the contribution of 5-HT3A+ DRG neurons to bladder afferent innervation. We found that 5-HT3A is expressed in a substantial proportion of retrograde traced DRG neurons in both rostral (L1, L2) and caudal (L6, S1) axial levels that supply bladder innervation. Most bladder-projecting Htr3a-EGFP+ neurons that co-express CGRP, Substance P, or TRPV1 are found in L1, L2 DRG, whereas Htr3a-EGFP+, NF200+ bladder-projecting neurons are from the L6, S1 axial levels. Our findings contribute much needed information regarding the development of LUT innervation and highlight the 5-HT3A serotonin receptor as a candidate for future studies of neurally mediated bladder control.
Fast and accurate face recognition based on image compression

Image compression is desired for many image-related applications especially for network-based applications with bandwidth and storage constraints. The face recognition community typical reports concentrate on the maximal compression rate that would not decrease the recognition accuracy. In general, the wavelet-based face recognition methods such as EBGM (elastic bunch graph matching) and FPB (face pattern byte) are of high performance but run slowly due to their high computation demands. The PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis) algorithms run fast but perform poorly in face recognition. In this paper, we propose a novel face recognition method based on standard image compression algorithm, which is termed as compression-based (CPB) face recognition . First, all gallery images are compressed by the selected compression algorithm. Second, a mixed image is formed with the probe and gallery images and then compressed. Third, a composite compression ratio (CCR) is computed with three compression ratios calculated from: probe, gallery and mixed images. Finally, the CCR values are compared and the largest CCR corresponds to the matched face. The time cost of each face matching is about the time of compressing the mixed face image. We tested the proposed CPB method on the “ASUMSS face database” (visible and thermal images) from 105 subjects. The face recognition accuracy with visible images is 94.76% when using JPEG compression. On the same face dataset, the accuracy of FPB algorithm was reported as 91.43%. The JPEG-compressionbased (JPEG-CPB) face recognition is standard and fast, which may be integrated into a real-time imaging device.
The Interpersonal Network Questionnaire: A Tool for Social Network Assessment.

The Interpersonal Network Questionnaire measures constructs of social networks such as social participation, confidant supports, size, and frequency of contact. Item generation, reliability, admini...
A Severe Ranavirus Outbreak in Captive, Wild-Caught Box Turtles

A Ranavirus outbreak in a captive population of wild-caught individuals was monitored using clinical evaluations and real-time PCR in 317 wild box turtles held in captivity during translocation. During the 2-year study period, the population experienced 71.6% mortality, suggesting that ranaviruses can rapidly attenuate populations. Wide variation in infection rate (7-94% per sampling period) was observed, which may have been driven by clearing and reinfection, adaptive immunity, or imperfect detection using noninvasive samples. Only nasal clinical signs were significantly related to infection status, and agreement among sample types was low. Subsequent to the initial outbreak, low mortality but high real-time PCR prevalence of Ranavirus was observed, suggesting that surviving individuals might be tolerant.
p38α: A Profibrotic Signaling Nexus.

Article, see p 549 Fibrosis of the heart is driven by the reprogramming of resident fibroblasts into contractile myofibroblasts that express high levels of extracellular matrix. Cardiac fibrosis may be beneficial, replenishing regions of myocyte loss with a structural scar after infarction, or maladaptive, involving excess extracellular matrix deposition in response to long-standing stress. Uncontrolled cardiac fibrosis can have dire consequences. For example, fibrosis increases the passive stiffness of the myocardium, contributing to diastolic dysfunction, and disrupts electric conduction in the heart, causing arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Clinical trials aimed at treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, in part by blocking cardiac fibrosis, have mainly centered on inhibiting components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and have largely been unsuccessful.1 As such, cardiac fibrosis is a major unmet medical need, and the discovery of new mechanisms that control fibrosis in the heart is required for development of innovative therapies for this prominent and devastating process. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a cytokine that controls fibrosis across organ systems. Binding of TGF-β to its cell surface receptor triggers phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of SMAD transcription factors, which bind regulatory elements in a variety of profibrotic genes. An article published by Molkentin et al in this issue of Circulation 2 defines a crucial role for noncanonical, SMAD-independent TGF-β signaling in the control of cardiac fibrosis. In a tour-de-force of elegant genetic gain- and loss-of-function studies, the authors demonstrate that the mitogen-activated protein kinase p38α is a nodal effector of profibrotic TGF-β signaling in the heart. These findings were reported in this seminal article: 1. p38α ( Mapk14 gene) deletion in cultured fibroblasts blocked differentiation of the cells into α-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts in response to TGF-β, angiotensin II, or cyclic stretching. 2. The block to myofibroblast differentiation in cultured fibroblasts lacking p38α could be …
Diverse Approaches to the Ottoman Past

The chapters in this volume abundantly illustrate the need and value of an archaeology of the Ottoman Empire that is conceived as a regional manifestation of a global historical archaeology, a discipline concerned with the emergence and establishment of mercantile and industrial capitalism throughout the world (cf. Orser 1996:11). The form this historical archaeology takes will reflect the complex political history of the Middle East over the past 500 years and more, and the editors persuasively argue for an archaeology of the Ottoman polity, the material consequences of the extension of Ottoman imperial rule. Obviously, this expansionary process took place at different times and affected different regions differentially. Thus, for example, Kuniholm’s compendium of dendrochronologically dated ‘Ottoman’ monuments abundantly shows the presence of first ‘Turkish’ and then Ottoman remains in Anatolia several hundred years prior to the capture of Con stantinople in 1453; the eleventh-century Bekdemir mosque, so valuable for dating purposes, extends the temporal span of concern nearly an additional half millennium or uncomfortably approximate with the largely ignored ‘Late Islamic’ period (1200–1900 CE) in Israel, a lumping category which Baram rightly criticizes. When does one begin the archaeology of this empire and how should one subdivide its extended temporal expanse?
Photophysics of J-Aggregate-Mediated Energy Transfer on DNA

Achieving nanoscale spatial and electronic control over the formation of dye aggregates is a major synthetic challenge due to their typically inhomogeneous self-assembly, which limits control over their higher-order organization. To address these challenges, synthetic DNA-templated pseudoisocyanine (PIC) J-aggregates were recently introduced. However, the dependence of the photophysics of the superradiant exciton on the underlying DNA template length and the impact of static disorder on energy transfer through these PIC J-aggregates remain unknown. We examine the delocalization length progression of superradiant PIC excitons by varying the length of poly-A DNA tracts that template PIC J-aggregates. We then investigate the energy-transfer efficiency from PIC J-aggregates with DNA duplex template length, which we found to be limited by static disorder. Utilizing the self-assembled and selective formation of superradiant excitons on DNA provides a platform to determine the function of delocalized excitons in...
Predictive Control of a Series-Interleaved Multicell Three-Level Boost Power-Factor-Correction Converter

This paper presents a new predictive power-factor-correction (PFC) controller for series-interleaved three-level boost (TLB) converters. Compared to the state-of-the-art TLB PFC controllers, where a two-cycle prediction and a detection of an operating region are necessary, the proposed controller achieves a low total harmonic distortion of the input current by using a single equation to predict the input current in all operating regions of the converter, in just one operating cycle. The average current control is achieved by sampling at the peak of the triangular carrier. The proposed PFC controller significantly reduces the distortion of the input ac current near the zero-crossing points, resulting in a low total harmonic distortion of the input current. The operation of the proposed controller was evaluated, and its stability and robustness to parameter changes was confirmed analytically. The controller operating principles were verified in simulations and validated by experiments on a medium-voltage 50-kW converter prototype.
Regulatory Divergence in the Stress Response of Tomato

Humans have domesticated crops for thousands of years by artificially selecting plants for numerous traits including morphology, lower toxicity, or higher yield. As a result, plant domestication often altered plant fitness and resistance to stress under controlled conditions ([Meyer and Purugganan,
Large-Scale Generation of Recombinant Granulin Peptides in E. coli

Generating milligram quantities of correctly folded granulin molecules with properly formed disulfide bonds and biologically relevant activities may represent a considerable challenge. Here I describe a protocol for obtaining well-folded human granulins A, C, and F by expressing them as thioredoxin fusion proteins in Origami (DE3) Escherichia coli cells promoting disulfide bond formation in the cytoplasm environment. The thioredoxin tag is removed by proteolytic cleavage with enterokinase and granulins which are purified by reversed-phase HPLC. Well-folded disulfide species display lower retention time than misfolded species and therefore can be readily purified.
PRINCIPLES OF INERTIAL GUIDANCE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the background theory for guidance systems that are not based on the use of lines of sight or radiation contacts, but depend instead on the inertial properties of matter. Systems of this kind have the advantages of being self-contained, so that they do not require co-operating ground equipment and operate without interference from optical, radio, or radar radiation or from weather conditions. The chapter discusses the physical principles available for inertial systems and calls attention to the essential problems involved by the means of an illustrative system. Inertial-system operation depends on the availability of four mechanism components: (1) an inertial reference package, which provides signals depending on the deviation of the package from an orientation, that is, nonrotating in regard to inertial space. (2) A specific force receiving package that provides signals depending on the resultant of gravitational forces and inertia reaction forces because of the linear acceleration in regard to inertial space that acts on the package. (3) A time signal generator that gives an output accurately representing sidereal time. (4) An indicating system that (a) shows the change in direction of the local vertical in regard to a direction related to the point of departure by the inertial reference package and sidereal time, and (b) generates guidance information by comparing the angle between these two directions with a guidance program. These four components may be combined in a number of different ways to form inertial guidance systems of various types.
The genetics of polycystic ovary syndrome: From genome-wide association to molecular mechanisms

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, characterized by excessive ovarian androgen production and frequently increased adrenal androgen levels. Family and twin studies suggest that PCOS is a heritable trait, and recent genome-wide association studies have identified 22 candidate loci associated with PCOS. One of these loci encodes DENND1A, a clathrin-associated protein that is positioned to influence signal transduction cascades triggered by plasma membrane receptors for gonadotrophins and insulin. PCOS theca cells have elevated levels of a DENND1A splice variant 2 (DENND1A.V2). Forced overexpression of DENND1A.V2 was shown to modulate androgen production by human theca cells in culture, providing evidence for a functional contribution of DENND1A to the PCOS phenotype of hyperandrogenemia. Epigenetic control of DENND1A.V2 expression has also been documented leading to the conclusion that PCOS is a complex trait determined by both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.