cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of the Effects of Information Revision on the Outcome of Housing-Market Search, with Special Reference to the Influence of Realty Agents

The paper examines a model of sequential search and information revision in a housing-market context and relates the outcome of search to the sequence of vacancies observed. The model implies the existence of a critical frontier that separates acceptable from nonacceptable vacancies in the price–quality plane characterizing housing vacancies. The searcher's beliefs concerning the distribution of vacancies change as vacancies are viewed, resulting in shifts in the frontier. In the present case, increases in perceived mean market price or price–quality covariance shift the frontier downwards, whereas increases in perceived mean market quality and in price and quality variances shift the frontier upwards. The observation of a single vacancy causes the frontier to shift downwards if and only if the vacancy is contained in a set of vacancies lying below the frontier. The set is characterized by finite upper and lower limits on the quality of the vacancy for any given price, and contains a line of maximally eff...
Character Displacement in Frogs

Additional evidence has accumulated over the past 20 years regarding the significance of the anuran mating call and regarding reinforcement of this premating isolating mechanism when hybridization occurs in zones of symnatry. No two sympatric species have the same call. That the mating call is a home-specific mate attractant has been demonstrated in five major anuran families. Discrimination against hybrid calls versus homospecific calls has been demonstrated in Bufo and Hyla . Principal examples of presumed reinforcement continue to be in Gastrophryne , Acris , and the Australian Hyla ewingi group. Reinforcement may be the basis for striking differentiation of some populations of Scaphiopus bombifrons . Sympatric species pairs of anurans show greater differentiation in call than do allopatric pairs in the same group. One hybridizing situation in Bufo appears to have changed over 30 years to discrete populations without intermediate calls. Effective call differences can evolve without sympatry, and there are sympatric situations in which no reinforcement is evident.
Fair Leadership Across Levels: A Multilevel Examination of Authentic Leadership and Justice

Answering long-standing calls for research on how leaders influence followers and organization performance, as well as for the integration of leadership and justice research, this study proposes an...
Use of High resolution 3D Diffusion tensor imaging to study brain white matter development in live neonatal rats

High resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can provide important information on brain development, yet it is challenging in live neonatal rats due to the small size of neonatal brain and motion-sensitive nature of DTI. Imaging in live neonatal rats has clear advantages over fixed brain scans, as longitudinal and functional studies would be feasible to understand neuro-developmental abnormalities. In this study, we developed imaging strategies that can be used to obtain high resolution 3D DTI images in live neonatal rats at postnatal day 5 (PND5) and postnatal day 14 (PND14), using only 3 hours of imaging acquisition time. An optimized 3D DTI pulse sequence and appropriate animal setup to minimize physiological motion artifacts are the keys to successful high resolution 3D DTI imaging. Thus, a 3D RARE DTI sequence with twin navigator echoes was implemented to accelerate imaging acquisition time and minimize motion artifacts. It has been suggested that neonatal mammals possess a unique ability to tolerate mild to moderate hypothermia and hypoxia without long term impact. Thus, we additionally utilized this ability to minimize motion artifacts in MR images by carefully suppressing the respiratory rate to around 15/min for PND5 and 30/min for PND14 using mild to moderate hypothermia. These imaging strategies have been successfully implemented to study how the effect of cocaine exposure in dams might affect brain development in their rat pups. Image quality resulting from this in vivo DTI study was comparable to ex vivo scans. FA values were also similar between the live and fixed brain scans. The capability of acquiring high quality in vivo DTI imaging offers a valuable opportunity to study many neurological disorders in brain development in an authentic living environment.
Reduced impedance and superconductivity of SnAgCu solder alloy at high frequency

Skin effect of lead-free solder joints is investigated over a wide frequency band. Contrary to common believe that ‘effective impedance of solder alloys increases with frequency’, resistance tends to saturate when frequency reaches a critical value, 10 MHz for SAC solder alloys. Negative surface impedance growth rate is observed when employs square waveform AC current loading at high current density. Further increased frequency causes a dramatic reduction of effective resistance. At 11 MHz with current density of 106 A/cm2, effective resistance of solder alloy drops to near zero value.
Linkage and association analysis of chromosomal regions containing genes related to neuroendocrine or serotonin function in families with early-onset, recurrent major depression

Recurrent unipolar depression with an early age of onset is a severe form of unipolar depression that has both genetic and environmental components. We genotyped the members of 16 families identified by probands with early onset (⩽25 years), recurrent unipolar, major depression for 38 simple sequence tandem repeat polymorphisms (SSTRPs) from chromosomal regions containing 12 genes involved in neuroendocrine or serotonergic functioning. Pairwise linkage analysis was performed with the software package FASTLINK. The affected phenotype was defined four ways, and both dominant and recessive models of depression were analyzed. Seven SSTRPs showed lod scores >1.00 at θ values between 0.10–0.20. The members of an additional 18 families were genotyped for these seven SSTRPs, and the complete sample of 34 families was evaluated using lod score analysis, affected pedigree member linkage analysis, and within-family association analysis. Evidence for linkage between D11S929 and affective illness remained positive, necessitating the analysis of four additional SSTRPs within 3 cM of D11S929. After all confirmatory analyses were completed, no evidence suggestive of linkage remained between any of the 38 SSTRPs and the affected phenotypes. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 81:443–449, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Screening of natural compounds as activators of the keap1-nrf2 pathway.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 is a master regulator that promotes transcription of cytoprotective genes in response to oxidative/electrophilic stress. A large number of natural dietary compounds are thought to protect against oxidative stress, and a few have been reported to induce genes involved in antioxidant defense through activating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. Therefore, a library of 54 natural compounds were collected to determine whether they are nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 activators and to compare their efficacy and potency to activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. The assay utilized AREc32 cells that contain a luciferase gene under the control of antioxidant response element promoters. Each natural compound was tested at 13 concentrations between 0.02 and 30 µM. Known nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 activators tert -butylhydroquinone and 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-diene-28-imidazolide were used as positive controls in parallel with the natural compounds. Among the 54 tested natural compounds, andrographolide had the highest efficacy, followed by trans -chalcone, sulforaphane, curcumin, flavone, kahweol, and carnosol, all of which had better efficacy than tert -butylhydroquinone. Among the compounds tested, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-diene-28-imidazolide was the most potent, having an EC 50 of 0.41 µM. Seven of the natural compounds, namely andrographolide, trans -chalcone, sulforaphane, curcumin, flavone, kahweol, and cafestol had lower EC 50 values than tert -butylhydroquinone but higher than 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-diene-28-imidazolide. The present study provides insights into which natural compounds activate the Keap1-nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway and thus might be useful for detoxifying oxidative/electrophilic stress.
How Living Wage Legislation Affects U.S. Poverty Rates

I investigate how living wage legislation affects poverty. I find evidence that living wage ordinances modestly reduce poverty rates where such ordinances are enacted. However, there is no evidence that state minimum wage laws do so. The difference in the impacts of the two types of legislation conceivably stems from a difference in the party responsible for bearing the burden of the cost.
In situ analysis of adenylate cyclase activity in permeabilized rat adipocytes: Sensitivity to GTP, isoproterenol, and N6-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine

Abstract 1. 1. Adenylate cyclase activity in rat adipocyte suspensions was assayed in situ using a digitonin permeabilization technique. Recovery of activity was dependent on digitonin concentration, reaching a maximum at 20 μg/ml digitonin and paralleling the effect on cell permeability. 2. 2. Maximum adenylate cyclase activity recovered in permeabilized cells was 75% of that in comparable homogenates. 3. 3. Isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist, activated adenylate cyclase by 1.4, 2.2 and 4.5 fold at 10 −6 , 10 −5 and 10 −3 M, respectively, despite perturbation of the plasma membrane. 4. 4. Exogenous GTP was not required for expression of β-adrenergic activation, but 10 −5 M GTP maximally increased both basal and isoproterenol-dependent activity. The response to 10 −6 M isoproterenol was increased 2.1 fold by 10 −5 M GTP. 5. 5. N 6 -(Phenylisopropyl)adenosine at 10 −6 M inhibited both basal and isoproterenol-dependent adenylate cyclase activity by approximately 30%, demonstrating that the adenosine-dependent inhibitory pathway ( N i ) remained functional in the digitonin-permeabilized cells. 6. 6. In situ analysis of adenylate cyclase is not only simple and rapid, but provides a unique approach to studying regulation of this key enzyme.,
Synthesis of Multi-Domain Proteins Using Expressed Protein Ligation: Strategies for Segmental Isotopic Labeling of Internal Regions

Abstract Here we describe how a sequential version of the protein semi-synthesis technique, Expressed Protein Ligation (EPL), can be used to assemble multiple (i.e. 3 or more) recombinantly-derived polypeptides segments into a target protein. Sequential EPL was successfully used to assembly the 304 amino acid eukaryotic adaptor protein, Crk-II, from three recombinant polypeptide segments in good yield. Moreover, the resulting multi-component ligation product was found to possess the expected biological activity in a series of ligand binding studies. By allowing the controlled assembly of 3 or more recombinant polypeptide segments, sequential EPL opens the door to the segmental isotopic labeling of internal regions of large proteins with NMR probe-nuclei.
Crystal structure of serine dehydratase from rat liver.

SDH (l-serine dehydratase, EC 4.3.1.17) catalyzes the pyridoxal 5‘-phosphate (PLP)-dependent dehydration of l-serine to yield pyruvate and ammonia. Liver SDH plays an important role in gluconeogenesis. Formation of pyruvate by SDH is a two-step reaction in which the hydroxyl group of serine is cleaved to produce aminoacrylate, and then the aminoacrylate is deaminated by nonenzymatic hydrolysis to produce pyruvate. The crystal structure of rat liver apo-SDH was determined by single isomorphous replacement at 2.8 A resolution. The holo-SDH crystallized with O-methylserine (OMS) was also determined at 2.6 A resolution by molecular replacement. SDH is composed of two domains, and each domain has a typical αβ-open structure. The active site is located in the cleft between the two domains. The holo-SDH contained PLP−OMS aldimine in the active site, indicating that OMS can form the Schiff base linkage with PLP, but the subsequent dehydration did not occur. Apo-SDH forms a dimer by inserting the small domain into...
Sesquiterpene lactones: Acid-catalysed color reactions as an aid in structure determination

Abstract Red and blue color reactions produced by certain sesquiterpene lactones in strong acid have been investigated. The results indicate that the color reactions can be correlated with a number of structural requirements.
Method for in vitro screening of aquatic fungicides.

. Methods were developed for in vitro screening of candidate aquatic fungicides for efficacy against Achlya flagellata, A. racemosa, Saprolegnia hypogyna and S. megasperma. Agar plugs containing fungal hyphae, removed from the edge of actively growing colonies, were placed in the depressions of spot plates containing 1.0, 10.0 and 100 mg/l of the candidate compounds for 15 or 60 min. After exposure, the plugs were transferred on to filter papers (0.45-μm pore) in a holder, rinsed, and then placed on cornmeal agar medium in tri-petri dishes. The plates were checked for mycelial growth after 48, 96 and 168 h of incubation in a lighted (400–800 μm) environmental control chamber at 20±2°C. Criteria for the acceptance or rejection of candidate aquatic fungicides for further study were based on the antifungal spectrum index (ASI) comparisons between respective compounds and malachite green after 48 h and the concentration level producing complete growth inhibition. Candidate compounds whose ASI was Jess than 50% that of malachite green after 48 h or did not inhibit growth at levels less than 100 mg/l were rejected. This method provides a base from, which in vivo and definitive test regimens can be developed. Preliminary in vitro screening of candidate fungicides reduces the need for costly in vivo tests on compounds that have low antifungal activity.
The cyclin B2 component of MPF is a substrate for the c-mosxe proto-oncogene product

Abstract Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that purified MPF from Xenopus eggs contains cyclin B2 complexed with cdc2 kinase. The activation of MPF during oocyte maturation is known to require expression of the c- mos xe proto-oncogene. We show here that immunoprecipitates of either v- mos from Moloney murine sarcoma virus-transformed NIH 3T3 cells or c- mos from Xenopus eggs phosphorylate cyclin B2 in vitro. Phosphopeptide analysis reveals a pattern similar to that observed with cdc2 kinase. Moreover, ablation of c- mos xe from oocytes by antisense oligonucleotide injection reduces the rate of cyclin B2 phosphorylation in oocyte extracts by 40%. These results suggest that the mechanism of activation of MPF by c- mos xe involves phosphorylation of the cyclin component.
Alfred Blalock and thymectomy for myasthenia gravis

In 1936, Alfred Blalock performed the successful removal of a thymic tumor in a patient with myasthenia gravis. The patient experienced marked and sustained improvement for several years. Blalock prophesized then that exploration of the thymic region would be indicated in all patients with severe myasthenia gravis. A few years later, in 1941, he applied this theory by introducing thymectomy for nonthymomatous myasthenia and achieved similar improvement. Despite modern sophisticated knowledge about the disease and advances in thoracic surgical techniques, Blalock's original observations remain valid, and thymectomy has become a standard treatment for myasthenia gravis the world over.
Endotoxin induces a delayed loss of TH-IR neurons in substantia nigra and motor behavioral deficits.

Abstract We have previously reported that a single injection of endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg, i.p.), causes a delayed and progressive loss of TH-IR neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) in C57BL/six male mice. In this study, we determined sex differences and behavioral deficits accompanying the loss of TH-IR neurons in response to peripheral LPS injection. A single injection of LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p.) failed to produce any loss of TH-IR neurons in the SN of female mice over a 12-month period. To determine if multiple-injections were required, female mice received five injections of LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p.) at either weekly or monthly intervals. Behavioral motor ability and TH-IR neuronal loss were determined after the first injection of LPS. We found significant differences in both behavioral activities and neuronal loss between these two injection paradigms. Between 7 and 20 months after the first injection of LPS, progressive behavioral changes, measured by rotor-rod and open-field activities, and neuronal loss in SN were observed in monthly injected, but not in weekly injected mice. In addition, reduced rotor-rod ability in monthly injected mice were restored following treatment of l -dopa/carbidopa (30 mg/3 mg/kg), i.p.). Approximately 40 and 50% loss of TH-IR neurons at 9 and 20 months, respectively, was observed after exposure to LPS, suggesting that the behavioral deficit is related to loss of dopamine function in the nigra-striatal pathway. More intense immuno-staining of α-synuclein and inflammatory markers were detected in brain sections exposed to LPS. In conclusion, these results show that multi-LPS monthly injections can induce a delayed and progressive loss of TH-IR neurons and motor deficits which resemble the progressive nature of Parkinson's disease. Further, the present study reveals a clear sex difference: female mice are more resistant to LPS than male mice. Repeated monthly LPS injections are required to cause both motor behavioral deficits and DA neuronal loss in female mice.
100 ASSESSMENT OF LOCUS-SPECIFIC DNA METHYLATION: OPTIMIZATION FOR BOVINE EMBRYOS

Assessment of chromatin remodeling in early embryos is a major focus of studies today, and evaluation of DNA methylation at specific loci is one approach to study these epigenetic modifications. Our objective was to optimize the bisulfite sequencing methodology for use with very small cell numbers originating from pre-implantation embryos, making the process more time- and cost-efficient. The optimized steps include bisulfite conversion of small samples, bisulfite primer design, high-throughput plasmid DNA amplification, and preparation for sequencing. Methylation at 2 loci, Satellite I and Oct4, was investigated in bovine in vitro-produced (IVP) embryos collected at the 2-cell, 8-cell, and blastocyst stages. Bovine skin fibroblasts were first used to optimize the particular steps of the process. All reactions were run in duplicate and no-template negative and somatic cell-positive controls were treated alongside samples. Incorporating the use of Methyl Primer Express (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA), MacVector (Oxford Molecular Ltd., Campbell, CA), and Mfold software (Mathews DH et al. 1999 J. Mol. Biol. 288, 911–940; Zuker M 2003 Nucleic Acids Res. 31, 3406–3415) improved the specificity of bisulfite primers by exclusion of secondary or tertiary structures. The DNA from bisulfite treatment for 15 to 16 h was of better quality than DNA treated for 18 h. After initial PCR optimization, different cell concentrations were used to establish that detectable PCR products and subsequent methylation data could be obtained from DNA isolated from as few as 8 cells. Treating single blastocysts and pools of ten 8-cell and forty 2-cell embryos was sufficient for the entire scope of the experiment, allowing use of the same samples across all loci. After molecular cloning, plasmid DNA was amplified by 3 different methods and evaluated for efficiency: miniprep, TempliPhi (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, NJ), or 96-well glycerol stocks and automated TempliPhi format. Although TempliPhi alone was better than miniprep for small-scale experiments, it was the 96-well format that saved weeks of time and was most cost-effective. Sequencing was performed on a minimum of 8 clones/sample using ABI Prism sequencers (Applied Biosystems), and results were analyzed using Chromas Pro software (Technelysium Pty. Ltd., Helensvale, Australia). Percentage methylation of bovine IVP 2-cell, 8-cell, and blastocyst stage embryos for Satellite I was 25, 10, and 22%, respectively, and for Oct4 was 88, 88, and 79%, respectively. However, somatic cell methylation was 74% for Satellite I and 88% for Oct4, implying that Satellite I is demethylated during early embryo development, whereas Oct4 remains hypermethylated. In conclusion, these improved methods will benefit further studies of chromatin remodeling in early bovine pre-implantation embryos. This project was supported by National Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2006-35203-16620 from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
The Evolution of Macroeconomic Theory and Implications for Teaching Intermediate Macroeconomics

The evolution of macroeconomic theory from Keynes to modern endogenous growth theory is reviewed, with recommendations for narrowing the gap between what is taught in graduate school and what is taught to undergraduates.
MULTIPLER EFFECTS AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE: APPLYING ECONOMIC BASE ANALYSIS TO SMALL ECONOMIES

Multiplier models (economic base, input-output, Keynesian) implicitly assume that pre-impact and post-impact interindustry transaction patterns are, for all practical purposes, identical. However, in very small regional economies this assumption is invariably violated because the economy undergoes a structural transformation during the impact process. That is, the economy often clearly shifts away from one functional type (e.g., service-oriented) toward another functional type (e.g., manufacturing-oriented) during the economic impact. Using marginal economic base analysis this paper outlines a model for predicting small-area impacts that captures not only the traditional multiplier effect but other effects related to (i) employment-based structural shifts and (ii) nonemployment-based contextual shifts. Algebraic and numerical derivations are given for the expected employment shifts in a hypothetical impacted economy. All numerical results follow from an earlier statistical analysis of the Arizona Community Data Set (ACDS).
On the fundamental group of a unirational 3-fold

The aim of this paper is to show that if X is a unirational 3-fold defined over an algebraically closed field k, then the algebraic fundamental group nj(X) is zero. Dimension 3 is the first non-trivial case since unirational curves and surfaces are rational (by Ltiroth's theorem and Castelnuovo's criterion) and consequently simply-connected. On the other hand there are unirational 3-folds that are not rational ([1]). In his paper [12] Serre observed that if X--, Y is an 6tale covering of degree n then the Riemann-Roch theorem implies that X(Cx)=nX(Or), so if X(~x)= 1 the covering is trivial. The fact that the fundamental group of a unirational variety is finite ([4]) and the fact that any 6tale cover of a unirational variety is again unirational implies the existence of a maximal 6tale cover which is unirational so the problem reduces to showing that X(Cx)= 1 for X a simplyconnected unirational variety. Serre shows that H~ V i>0; in characteristic 0 the Hodge symmetry gives Hi(X, (gx) =0, V i > 0 and hence X(0x)= 1. If the characteristic of the ground field is positive the Hodge symmetry is no longer available so the problem here is to show H i (X, (gx)= 0, V i> 0, we do this by studying the crystalline cohomology H*rys(X/W) of X.
No Place Like Home

In 1887 Florence Nightingale wrote: "my view, you know is that the ultimate destination of all nursing is the nursing of sick in their own homes ... I look to the abolition of all hospitals, but no use to talk about the year 2000" (p. 1). Like Nightingale, many nurses throughout history have argued that home care is the preferred, rationale, cost effective alternative to institutional care. Yet the history of home care suggests otherwise. Buhler-Wilkerson explains that home care has remained a marginalized experiment in care giving for over one hundred years and has yet to find its place in modern health care. She examines how race, ethnicity gender, disease and illness, and patterns of practice and custom have sculpted the history of home care. In 1813 the ladies of Charleston, South Carolina, were the first to organize home care under the auspices of the Ladies' Benevolent Society (LBS) in the antebellum south developing a system of care that was compatible with the needs of the poor and the southern way of life. At that time privately endowed institutions, administered by boards appointed by city government, provided care for orphans and the sick and the elite distributed charity from both public and private sources. In addition, more than thirty private and religious organizations included "charity" to the destitute, the poor, the insane, vagrants, chronic invalids, and drunkards. The LBS provided relief to those who lay outside the extant Charleston "health care system," namely, free blacks and poor whites sick in the home. Organized by 125 women of Charleston's wealthiest families, the LBS women believed the rich were obligated to improve the conditions of the poor while the poor, in turn, were expected to manifest their gratitude to the rich (p. 5). According to the ladies, the LBS was not a mutual benefit association, but rather one that depended on an intimate understanding of the poor and reflected the "proper" female attitude of meekness, humility, and desire to serve. During the first decade (1813-1823), the ladies cared for 290 patients, who were mostly women, each year. While the patients were screened to
Too many Ph.D.s

A colleague recently complained to me of his difficulties in attracting good graduate students. He had unfilled assistantships and was concerned about maintaining his research program. Such complaints are not uncommon. Many Earth scientists have expressed concern that the shortage of “new blood” may compromise the future vitality of the field.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus and deep white matter stroke: A case report

The symptoms of urinary incontinence, ataxia, and mental confusion are an integral part of the clinical presentation of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). They are also common presentations in the rehabilitation setting of patients who have had a cerebral vascular accident. The concurrence of these entities challenges the physiatrist to carefully diagnose and properly manage the patient to maximize the rehabilitation outcome. In the older population the clinical picture may be clouded by several overlapping conditions such as dementia, deconditioning, and age-related decline in bladder control. A case is presented in which the diagnosis of NPH was made after the patient showed a lack of progress in ambulation despite dramatic improvement in strength of the lower extremities.
Harold Knapp and the geography of normal controversy: radioiodine in the historical environment.

In 1962, after high levels of the isotope Iodine-131 were detected in Utah milk supplies, Dr. Harold Knapp, a mathematician working for the AEC's Division of Biology and Medicine, developed a new model for estimating, first, the relation between a single deposition of radioactive fallout on pasturage and the levels of Iodine-131 in fresh milk and, second, the total dose to human thyroids resulting from daily intake of the contaminated milk. The implications of Knapp's findings were enormous. They suggested that short-living radioiodine, rather than long-living nuclides such as radiostrontium, posed the greatest hazard from nuclear test fallout and that children raised in Nevada and Utah during the 1950s had been exposed to internal radiation doses far in excess of recommended guidelines. This paper explores the explicit historical revisionism of Knapp's study, his refusal, contra normal AEC practices of knowledge production and spatial representation, to distance himself from the people and places downwin...
Hémorragie intra-vitréenne et « whole-body vibration training » — une association ?

Whole-body vibration training, i.e., standing in different static positions or exercising on a vibrating platform, has been promoted as an attractive and efficient complement, or even alternative, to resistance training. No ocular side effects have been described until now. We describe the case of a 43-year-old man who presented 2 weeks after starting whole-body vibration training with a spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage. We briefly discuss the ocular effects of habitual exposure to vibration described in the literature. This case suggests that whole body vibration training can cause spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a possible ocular side effect of whole-body vibration training.
The Metabolism of Cellulose‐digesting, Symbiotic Flagellates of the Genus Trichonympha from the Termite Zootermopsis

SUMMARY. Manometric and culture experiments were designed to study factors influencing the metabolism of Trichonympha from Zootermopsis. A starvation period of 36–44 hours for the termites lowered the endogenous metabolism of Trichonympha and made possible the testing of substrates in the Warburg apparatus. In the presence of antibiotics, cellulose and cellobiose were utilized at approximately the same rate by the protozoa. Yeast extract stimulated cellulose fermentation in Trichonympha from starved termites, but the effect could not be demonstrated in protozoa from recently fed termites. Yeast extract, blood serum, and liver fractions improved the survival of the flagellates in anaerobic cultures.
A Metaphysics of Ordinary Things and Why We Need It

Mainstream metaphysicians today take little ontological interest in the world as we interact with it. They interpret the variety of things in the world as variety only of concepts applied to things that are basically of the same sort—e.g., sums of particles or temporal parts of particles. I challenge this approach by formulating and defending for a contrasting line of thought. Using what I call ‘the Constitution View,’ I argue that ordinary things (like screwdrivers and walnuts) are as ontologically significant as particles. I further argue for why we need recourse to such ordinary things in our basic ontology.
U.S. Presidential election impact on Canadian and Mexican stock markets

Recent empirical evidence indicates that the delay in the 2000 presidential election results impacted the stock market performance in the United States. In the present study we examine the impact of the same delay on the performance of the Canadian and Mexican stock markets. We find evidence indicating that both the Canadian and the Mexican stock markets were affected negatively during the period. This study not only shows that the Mexican and Canadian stock markets are closely integrated with their American counterparts but also indicates that the markets of these countries follow the U.S. presidential elections as closely as U.S. markets do.
The evolution of free radicals and oxidative stress

The superoxide free radical has come to occupy an amazingly central role in a wide variety of diseases. Our metabolic focus on aerobic energy metabolism in all cell types, coupled with some chemical peculiarities of the oxygen molecule itself, contribute to the phenomenon. Superoxide is not, as we once thought, just a toxic but unavoidable byproduct of oxygen metabolism. Rather it appears to be a carefully regulated metabolite capable of signaling and communicating important information to the cell's genetic machinery. Redox regulation of gene expression by superoxide and other related oxidants and antioxidants is beginning to unfold as a vital mechanism in health and disease.
Ojibwe Singers: Hymns, Grief, and a Native Culture in Motion

Introduction & Overview Sacred Musics: Traditional Ojibwe Music & Protestant Hymnody Ojibwes, Missionaries, & Hymn Singing, 1828-1867 Music as Negotiation Uses of Hymn Singing, 1868-1934 Twentieth-Century Hymn Singing as Cultural Criticism Music as Memory: Contemporary Hymn Singing & the Politics of Death in Native America Conclusion: Does Hymn Singing Work? Notes on the Logic of Ritual Practice Glossary.
100 Consecutive liver transplants in infants and children: An 8-year experience☆

Orthotopic liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for most children and infants with end-stage liver disease. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the results of 100 consecutive liver transplants performed in infants and children at a single institution. During an 8-year study period (July 1984 to December 1992), 100 pediatric liver transplants were performed in 76 patients. Thirty-four patients (44.7%) were infants (mean age, 7.0 months; mean weight, 6.1 kg), and 42 (55.3%) were children (mean age, 8.2 years; mean weight, 30.6 kg). There were 36 reduced-size liver transplants (RLT) and 64 whole-size transplants (WLT). Eight infants (23.5%) and 10 children (20.7%) required retransplantation. After transplantation, 71% of the patients had one or more rejection episodes, 66% had one or more infections, 17.1% had biliary complications, and 39.4% required one or more reoperations. There were 17 deaths. The actuarial 8-year survival rate for the patients with biliary atresia was 82.3%; for all infants in this series, it was 77.6%. No difference in patient survival was noted when RLT was compared with WLT. The overall 8-year actuarial patient survival rate for infants and children was 77.3%.
Effects of Inhibiting Transglutaminase During Egg Fertilization and Development

Abstract Transglutaminase inhibitor (1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-2-[(2-oxopropyl)thio]imidazolium chloride or L-682777) affected the appearance of the fertilization envelope (FE) and subsequent development in Sphaerechinus granularis and Arbacia punctulata in a concentration-dependent manner. Abnormalities were first visible in forming FE′s at the lowest concentration (0.001 mM) of the inhibitor used. The wrinkled appearance of FE′s suggested that the treatment prevented the I-T transition, whereas the finding of numerous denuded cells and empty FE′s indicated that the inhibitor acted by rendering the FE′s very fragile. Cell division by the 2-cell stage was also affected by this active-site-directed transglutaminase inhibitor. With 0.05 mM of the inhibitor, about 50% of all cells were polynucleated. In view of earlier findings that other transglutaminase inhibitors can produce abnormalities with regard to FE wrinkling and deranged cell division, it can be suggested that different forms of transglutaminases might be involved at various stages in embryonic development.
Transnational absentee voting in the 2006 Mexican presidential election: The roots of participation

In many of the major migrant-sending countries of the developing world, governments have extended political rights to expatriates, often including the right to vote via absentee ballot. Little is known about the factors that shape transnational electoral participation, however. Using official records provided by the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute, we model the incidence of expatriate ballot solicitations prior to the 2006 presidential election in Mexico. Based on a series of event count regression analyses conducted at the level of U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, we find that transnational involvement in the election depended not only on socioeconomic factors but also on the concentration of Mexican civic associations within the local community, the presence of Spanish-language media, and distance from the Mexican border. This suggests that the roots of immigrant transnational participation include factors familiar to social scientists as well as dynamics uniquely relevant to immigrant communities.
Permeability characteristics of multilayer fiber reinforcements. Part II: Theoretical model

The permeability characteristics of multilayer fiber networks generally differ from those of the constituent layers. In heterogeneous assemblies, the effective in-plane permeabilities and flow anisotropies are governed by the high permeability layers or directions. Based on the observation that a transverse flow mechanism contributes to filling the low permeability layers, a semipermeable wall model has been constructed to analyze encroaching flows into multilayer systems. The model identifies three flow regimes: a region in which the layers act independently and are governed by single layer solutions, a region in which the layers act as a unified homogeneous system governed by the single layer solution with weighted average properties, and a region intermediate to these extremes. A comparison of model simulations and experimental data demonstrates that the model has good predictive capabilities.
CT of intraabdominal desmoid tumors : is the tumor different in patients with Gardner's disease ?

A retrospective study of abdominal CT scans of patients with proved intraabdominal desmoid tumors was done to determine if any objective characteristics exist to differentiate desmoids related to Gardner's syndrome from isolated desmoids. Because the desmoid tumors of Gardner's syndrome can predate the diagnosis of Gardner's syndrome, it would be helpful to know which patients with desmoids need careful follow-up studies as well as initial workup for Gardner's syndrome and all its ramifications. Also, it would be important to differentiate benign from malignant desmoids associated with Gardner's syndrome. It was hoped that the location, enhancement characteristics, and/or the presence or absence of infiltration might be of value. We were interested in noting if, over time, the growth characteristics of desmoids found in Gardner's syndrome were different from those of isolated desmoids.We reviewed 101 abdominal CT scans obtained in 23 patients during a 13-year period. Forty desmoid tumors were intraabdomin...
Factors affecting frequency of communication about family health history with family members and doctors in a medically underserved population

Objective Family history contributes to risk for many common chronic diseases. Little research has investigated patient factors affecting communication of this information.
Between efficiency and politics rhetoric and ethics in technical writing

Traditional textbook rationales for the technical writing course locate the essence of technical writing in objectivity, clarity, and neutrality, and the need for teaching it in its usefulness to employers. Such rationales, however, are unable to accommodate a notion of ethics and responsibility: if the writer merely serves the interests that employ her by reporting facts in an objective way, how can she exercise choice when ethical problems arise? An alternative view is to see technical writing as always rhetorical and involved with potentially conflicting agendas and interests, with objectivity, clarity, and neutrality serving merely as stylistic devices in the writer's rhetorical toolbox. Technical writers are rhetoricians who continually make ethical choices in serving diverse interests and negotiating between conflicting demands. The recognition of the fundamental rhetoricity of technical writing is the first step towards accommodating a meaningful notion of ethics into the technical writing curriculum.
The secretion of bile

Separate active transport mechanisms may account for the entry of bile salts and bilirubin into the biliary canaliculi from the hepatic parenchymal cells. Extracellular fluid follows in response to osmotic gradients and possibly also by an independent secretory mechanism. This “primary bile” probably is modified, as it passes down the bile ducts, by bidirectional movements of electrolytes across the epithelium. At least one active transport process involving bicarbonate is involved in a secretory mechanism in the distal ducts. The control of bile secretion involves three major factors: the presence of bile salts, gastrointestinal hormones, and vagal innervation. It is likely that the hepatic circulation may also influence bile secretion; presumably, the bile salt concentration of portal venous blood determines the secretion of bile salts by the parenchymal cells, but the details of the mechanism are missing. Gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, and glucagon all increase bile flow, particularly by increasing the flow of sodium chloride and bicarbonate solutions. Therefore, the control of bile secretion can be divided into the secretion of bile salts and the secretion and reabsorption of water and electrolyte. The latter seems to be particularly subject to neurohumoral influences. Factors determining the secretion of bilirubin are less well understood but may include the effects of glucagon.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Restriction by Human–Rhesus Chimeric Tripartite Motif 5α (TRIM 5α) in CD34+ Cell-Derived Macrophages In Vitro and in T Cells In Vivo in Severe Combined Immunodeficient (SCID-hu) Mice Transplanted with Human Fetal Tissue

Species-specific innate resistance against viral infections offers novel avenues for antiviral therapeutics. The retroviral restriction factor TRIM5α (tripartite motif 5α protein) has been shown to potently restrict human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection in otherwise susceptible cell lines and CD34+ cell-derived macrophages. A 13-amino acid patch in the C-terminal B30.2 (SPRY) domain of rhesus macaque TRIM5α has been shown to be involved in HIV-1 capsid recognition and is critical for viral inhibition. A chimeric human–rhesus TRIM5α (TRIM5α-HRH) was generated by replacing an 11-amino acid patch in the human isoform with the rhesus 13-amino acid patch. Here we show that lentiviral vector expression of this human–rhesus chimera in HIV-1-permissive MAGI-CXCR4 cells conferred resistance as well as a selective survival advantage on HIV-1 challenge. To apply these findings in a stem cell gene therapy setting, TRIM5α-HRH was expressed in CD34+ cell-derived macrophages in vitro and in SCID-hu mouse-derive...
Resveratrol Sensitizes Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells to Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors through Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Activation of the Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) activate the prosurvival nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway by hyperacetylating RelA/p65, whereas the chemopreventive agent resveratrol inhibits NF-κB by activating the class III histone deacetylase Sirt1. Interactions between resveratrol and pan-HDACIs (vorinostat and panobinostat) were examined in human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells. Pharmacologically achievable resveratrol concentrations (25–50 μM) synergistically potentiated HDACI lethality in AML cell lines and primary AML blasts. Resveratrol antagonized RelA acetylation and NF-κB activation in HDACI-treated cells. However, short hairpin RNA Sirt1 knockdown failed to modify HDACI sensitivity, which suggests that factors other than or in addition to Sirt1 activation contribute to resveratrol/HDACI interactions. These interactions were associated with death receptor 5 (DR5) up-regulation and caspase-8 activation, whereas cells expressing dominant-negative caspase-8 were substantially protected from resveratrol/HDACI treatment, which suggests a significant functional role for the extrinsic apoptotic pathway in lethality. Exposure to resveratrol with HDACI induced sustained reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which was accompanied by increased levels of DNA double-strand breaks, as reflected in γH2A.X and comet assays. The free radical scavenger Mn(III)tetrakis(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin chloride blocked ROS generation, DR5 up-regulation, caspase-8 activation, DNA damage, and apoptosis, which indicates a primary role for oxidative injury in lethality. Analyses of cell-cycle progression and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation through flow cytometry revealed that resveratrol induced S-phase accumulation; this effect was abrogated by HDACI coadministration, which suggests that cells undergoing DNA synthesis may be particularly vulnerable to HDACI lethality. Collectively, these findings indicate that resveratrol interacts synergistically with HDACIs in AML cells through multiple ROS-dependent actions, including death receptor up-regulation, extrinsic apoptotic pathway activation, and DNA damage induction. They also raise the possibility that S-phase cells may be particularly susceptible to these actions.
An Improved Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Laboratory Structure and Curriculum: Design and Assessment:

The mechanical engineering department at Clemson University reevaluated its undergraduate laboratory experience and focused on improving various aspects of the three required laboratory courses. The faculty believe that these laboratory courses are a defining feature of the bachelor of science degree, as many graduates accept entry-level manufacturing positions or pursue graduate studies. The mechanical engineering laboratory courses at Clemson are stand-alone offerings in the undergraduate program, in contrast those schools which attach the labs to select courses. This structure allows a variety of experiments to be offered during each course, which can encompass various scientific and engineering topics. This paper reviews various changes to the laboratories, describes their implementation and presents evidence of their effectiveness. Examples of the improvements were: the development of printed manuals for both students and teaching assistants, the development of a unified training program for the teac...
Accuracy of 3 conceptually different die systems used for implant casts

Abstract Statement of Problem. Given that meticulous implant prosthodontic procedures are recommended to obtain the best possible intraoral fit, the die systems used for multi-implant casts warrant further investigation. Purpose. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the accuracy of implant casts fabricated from 3 conceptually different die systems at the solid, sectioned, and repeated stages. Material and Methods. Thirty direct transfer implant impressions were made of the master cast with a polyether impression material. Ten experimental implant casts were fabricated for each of the 3 different die systems tested: double-pour (Pindex), plastic base (DVA), and die tray (KO Tray). The solid experimental casts were sectioned and then removed from the die system 30 times. Linear distances between steel balls placed on each abutment replica were measured with a traveling microscope to determine the accuracy of the experimental casts at different stages. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance (α=.05) and the post hoc Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch multiple-range test (REGWQ). Results. Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction between the die systems and different stages ( P =.0432). REGWQ showed the die tray system to be significantly more accurate at the solid than at the sectioned and repeated stages. The die tray system was significantly less accurate than the double-pour and plastic base systems at the sectioned stage. Conclusion. Within the limitations of this study, the use of a double-pour or plastic base die system is recommended when sectioned dies are needed for a multi-implant-retained prosthesis. (J Prosthet Dent 2002;87:23-9.)
Integrated Routing and Wavelength Assignment and signaling in shared protection framework for survivable WDM optical mesh networks

This paper presents a novel shared protection framework for online provisioning in distributed controlled survivable wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) mesh networks. This framework contains two integrated protocols. The protocol is the signaling technique that probes each path as both a candidate working path and a candidate shared protection path at the same time. The second protocol is the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) protocol that is an intelligent destination routing protocol based on fixed alternative routing to select the connectionpsilas working and shared protection paths. We propose a new enhanced version of the most sharing scheme to select the wavelength for the shared protection path. This new scheme aims to maximize the usage of shared protection wavelengths, thus improving the network resource utilization. The significant contribution of this integrated framework in terms of connection request blocking probability is discussed and we show, using extensive simulation experiments, the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.