cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental Transmission of Discrete Epidermal Hyperplasia in Walleyes

Abstract Two related retroviruses, designated walleye epidermal hyperplasia virus type 1 (WEHV1) and type 2 (WEHV2), have been identified in discrete epidermal hyperplasia skin lesions from adult walleyes Stizostedion vitreum. A transmission experiment was conducted in an effort to provide evidence for a viral etiology and to develop a model for pathogenesis studies. Cell-free filtrates derived from discrete epidermal hyperplasia lesions and known to harbor WEHV1 and WEHV2 were injected into young-of-the-year (age-0) walleyes. Discrete epidermal hyperplasia developed in 97% of walleyes inoculated with lesion filtrates; whereas those injected with a cell-free filtrate of normal walleye skin did not develop lesions. The presence of WEHV1 or WEHV2 was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Amplified DNA products from the PCR assays indicated the presence of viral sequences in 100% and 69% of the skin lesions for WEHV2 and WEHV1, respectively.
REQUIREMENTS OF BATTERY SYSTEMS

Since 1973, the energy economy of the U.S. has been changing very rapidly. Our perceptions of the value of energy, and the price of petroleum are very different from what they were just a few short years ago. It is interesting to examine the total energy economy of the U.S., and to consider in which directions the shifts of supply and demand will go. As members of the scientific and electrochemical communities, we ask ourselves where our field can contribute to achieving a more nearly optimal distribution of energy supplies and energy demands, and how can electrochemical energy storage help them mesh in an effective, economically sound manner.
The role of lymph node density in bladder cancer prognostication

Pelvic lymph node metastases from bladder cancer occur in about 25% of patients undergoing radical cystectomy. While the majority of patients with lymph node metastases will develop progressive disease, some patients do exhibit long-term survival with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. The concept of lymph node density has been proposed as a means to stratify patient prognosis since it takes into account two important factors—the number of positive nodes (tumor burden) and the total number of nodes removed/examined (extent of dissection). Due to the lack of agreement on the extent of lymphadenectomy, lymph node density facilitates standardization of lymph node staging, thus allowing for adjuvant therapies and clinical trials to be more uniformly applied. Whether lymph node density provides improved prognostication over the standard nodal staging or absolute number of positive lymph nodes remains controversial. We review the literature regarding the role of lymph node density in the prognostic stratification of node-positive bladder cancer.
Are pacifiers associated with early weaning from breastfeeding

Background The pacifier, a non-nutritive sucking device, is commonly used for calming infants. The World Health Organization/United Nation's Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF) Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative recommends avoiding pacifiers in breastfed term infants because it is thought to lead to early weaning. Most studies that found early weaning to be associated with pacifier use were observational in design. This Critically Appraised Topic evaluates a randomized controlled trial that examines pacifiers and early weaning. Purpose The objectives of the study analyzed were to test whether regular pacifier use has a causal effect on early weaning from the breast by 3 months of age and to assess the difference in results when the data are examined using randomized intervention allocation (intention to treat) versus observational use of pacifiers. Methods Two hundred eighty-one breastfeeding women and their healthy term infants were allocated randomly to 1 of 2 counseling interventions. Both groups received basic breastfeeding promotion information. In addition, the experimental group mothers (n = 140) were asked to avoid pacifiers and were given other alternatives for comforting a crying infant. Logs detailing infant crying, fussing, and pacifier use were completed at 4, 6, and 9 weeks of age, and an interview at 3 months determined the duration of breastfeeding. Results The experimental group had a higher rate of total avoidance of pacifier use (38.6% v 16% in the control group) and less daily use of pacifiers (40.8% v 55.7%). When the data were analyzed based on the intention to treat (randomized allocation), the experimental intervention group had similar rates of early weaning as the control group (18.9% v 18.3%). When the data were analyzed on the treatment given (ignoring randomization), a strong observational association was found between daily exposure to pacifiers and weaning by 3 months (25% v 12.9% of exposed versus unexposed groups). Conclusion The results imply that pacifier use may be a marker of breastfeeding difficulties or decreased maternal motivation to breastfeed, as opposed to being the causal agent in early weaning.
T-jump fluorescence relaxation study of the binding of ethidium cation to natural DNA.

Abstract T-jump chemical relaxation experiments with fluorescence detection were carried out on the binding of ethidium cation to call thymus DNA over the temperature range from 11 to 35°C for ethidium concentrations from 500 nM to 2 μM, DNA concentrations from 7.5 to 60 μM (base pairs), and KCl concentrations from 20 to 500 mM. In contrast to the findings of earlier investigations, no salt or DNA concentration or temperature dependences were seen that would support a mechanism of intercalation directly from solution or from an electrostatically bound exterior site in rapid equilibrium with solution. It is suggested that the rate-determining process of intercalation in vivo involves large scale dynamics of the DNA itself.
The Global Flea Market: Migration, Remittances and the Informal Economy in Tonga

Some common assumptions about the form and use of migrants' remittances in the South Pacific are examined and questioned in the light of information from a micro-economic study of one group of remittance recipients in the flea market of Nuku'alofa, the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. The findings of this study suggest that economic analysis and policy recommendations based on the existing macro-economic data on recorded remittances and other economic aggregates should be treated with caution. The unrecorded inflows of remittances in kind and the associated spread of the domestic informal sector have had some important implications for the functioning of Tonga's economy. There is some evidence to suggest that the growth of informal, international trade is fostering other significant changes in the domestic economy. The functioning of remittance-dependent economies such as Tonga is much more complex than existing economic analysis suggests, and involves substantial investment – not just consumption – with the emergence of entrepreneurs and the manipulation of dependence, rather than merely passive receipt of cash and expenditure focused on consumption.
Protease inhibitors and indoleamines selectively inhibit cholinesterases in the histopathologic structures of Alzheimer disease.

Abstract Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques express acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity in Alzheimer disease. We previously reported that traditional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as BW284C51, tacrine, and physostigmine were more potent inhibitors of the acetylcholinesterase in normal axons and cell bodies than of the acetylcholinesterase in plaques and tangles. We now report that the reverse pattern is seen with indoleamines (such as serotonin and its precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan), carboxypeptidase inhibitor, and the nonspecific protease inhibitor bacitracin. These substances are more potent inhibitors of the cholinesterases in plaques and tangles than of those in normal axons and cell bodies. These results show that the enzymatic properties of plaque and tangle-associated cholinesterases diverge from those of normal axons and cell bodies. The selective susceptibility to bacitracin and carboxypeptidase inhibitor indicates that the catalytic sites of plaque and tangle-bound cholinesterases are more closely associated with peptidase or protease-like properties than the catalytic sites of cholinesterases in normal axons and cell bodies. This shift in enzymatic affinity may lead to the abnormal protein processing that is thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. The availability of pharmacological and dietary means for altering brain indoleamines raises therapeutic possibilities for inhibiting the abnormal cholinesterase activity associated with Alzheimer disease.
The TIR-domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-β-dependent signaling cascade plays a crucial role in ischemia–reperfusion-induced retinal injury, whereas the contribution of the myeloid differentiation primary response 88-dependent signaling cascade is not as pivotal

Toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4) plays an important role in ischemia–reperfusion (IR)-induced retinal inflammation and damage. However, the role of two Tlr4-dependent signaling cascades, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (Myd88) and TIR-domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-β (Trif), in retinal IR injury is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the contribution of the Myd88-dependent and Trif-dependent signaling cascades in retinal damage and inflammation triggered by IR, by using Myd88 knockout (Myd88KO) and Trif knockout (TrifKO) mice. Retinal IR injury was induced by unilateral elevation of intraocular pressure for 45 min by direct corneal cannulation. To study IR-induced retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in vitro, we used an oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model. Our data suggested that Myd88 was present in many retinal layers of sham-operated and ischemic mice, whereas Trif was mainly present in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). The level of Myd88 was increased in the retina after IR. We found that retinas of TrifKO mice had a significantly reduced neurotoxic pro-inflammatory response and significantly increased survival of the GCL neurons after IR. Although Myd88KO mice had relatively low levels of inflammation in ischemic retinas, their levels of IR-induced retinal damage were notably higher than those of TrifKO mice. We also found that Trif-deficient RGCs were more resistant to death induced by OGD than were RGCs isolated from Myd88KO mice. These data suggested that, as compared with the Myd88-dependent signaling cascade, Trif signaling contributes significantly to retinal damage after IR.
The inverse isotope effect in PdH and PdD

Abstract Calculations of the superconducting transition temperature ratio of PdH and PdD are presented, using a recent model introduced by Hertel, but allowing the first neighbor force constants to differ somewhat in these two substances, as predicted from the thermodynamic measurements by Sicking. The central result is to show that the calculated transition temperature difference is in good agreement with experimental results, contrary to the conclusion of Hertel, who set the PdH and PdD force constants equal.
Incautiously Optimistic: Positively-Valenced Cognitive Avoidance in Adult ADHD.

Clinicians who conduct cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) targeting attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood have noted that their patients sometimes verbalize overly positive automatic thoughts and set overly optimistic goals. These cognitions are frequently related to failure to engage in compensatory behavioral strategies emphasized in CBT. In this paper, we offer a functional analysis of this problematic pattern, positively valenced cognitive avoidance, and suggest methods for addressing it within CBT for adult ADHD. We propose that maladaptive positive cognitions function to relieve aversive emotions in the short term and are therefore negatively reinforced but that, in the long term, they are associated with decreased likelihood of active coping and increased patterns of behavioral avoidance. Drawing on techniques from behavioral activation, we offer a case example to illustrate these concepts and describe step-by-step methods for clinicians to help patients recognize avoidant patterns and engage in more active coping.
Phorbol ester provokes insulin-like effects on glucose transport, amino acid uptake, and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in BC3H-1 cultured myocytes.

We evaluated the possibility that diacylglycerol may function as a second messenger in insulin action. To thisend, we employed 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA)to mimic diacylglycerol in BC3H-1 myocytes. Like insulin, TPAprovoked rapid increases in 2-deoxyglucose transport and pyruvatedehydrogenase activity in mature insulin-responsive BC3H-1 cultured myocytes. TPA also stimulated amino acid uptake, asevidenced by uptake of a-methylaminoisobutyric acid; the relativelyslow time course of this effect paralleled that of insulin.In contrast, the effects of TPA were not apparent in undifferentiatedBC3H-1 myoblasts, which were also unresponsive toinsulin. The insulin-like effects in the myocytes appeared to bespecific for TPA, the biologically active phorbol diester whichactivates protein kinase C, as other tested phorbol derivativeswere without effect. Effects of maximally effective concentrationsof TPA and insulin were nonadditive. Two syntheticdiacylglycerols, 1,2-diolien and l-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-g...
Global symmetry restoration in high temperature Higgs theories

A simple high temperature expansion is developed for lattice gauge theories with scalar matter fields. The expansion is used to prove the absence of global symmetry breaking for sufficiently high temperature.
Social context, financial stakes and hypothetical bias: an induced value referendum experiment

This article investigates the effect of social context in an induced value, public good referendum experiment. In a split-sample treatment, social context is simulated by requiring participants to potentially have to disclose their vote to the group (voting disclosure) across both hypothetical and real settings. The experimental design also varies the cost (a coercive tax), and includes an uncertain level of benefit from the public good. The design allows investigation of the role of social context in both hypothetical and real referenda and its interaction with changes in the financial stakes involved (costs and potential benefits). Results show evidence of hypothetical bias, but also a social context effect that occurs in both real and hypothetical settings. This social context effect is larger than the effect of hypothetical bias, but is muted by the magnitude of costs and potential benefits. Hypothetical cases are also shown to be more prone to the social context effect.
Schistosoma mansoni : females enhance [14C]-tyrosine incorporation in males maintained in vitro

Incorporation of radiolabelled tyrosine was examined in males of Schistosoma mansoni maintained in vitro. Adult worms were recovered from mice and only those that were paired were used. Males and females were separated and placed in 4 degrees C RPMI 1640 containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Individual males were incubated for 1 h either alone or with a female. Other males were incubated in a medium containing 40 ng ml-1 recombinant tumour necrosis factor alpha (rTNF alpha). Subsequently, males were incubated with or without females for 1 h in a medium containing 20 muCi ml-1 [14C]-tyrosine. All incubations were carried out in RPMI 1640 containing 10% FCS at 37 degrees C under 5% CO2. Untreated single males incorporated small amounts of labelled tyrosine. Pretreatment of single males with rTNF alpha did not affect their tyrosine incorporation (P = 0.693). However, males maintained in vitro with females incorporated 221% more tyrosine than the controls (P = 0.00008), suggesting that a chemical stimulus from the female affects tyrosine incorporation in males.
INHIBITION OF EGG MATURATION IN A PREGNANT VIVIPAROUS COCKROACH.

IN 1955, Luscher and Engelmann1 described the sexual cycle in females of the viviparous cockroach, Leucophaea maderae. The essentials of the original findings in Leucophaea, that is, the periodic change of the corpus allatum activity paralleled by egg maturation, have since been confirmed2–4. The bulk of work that ensued concentrated on the elucidation of the control of the sexual cycle in Leucophaea2,3,5 and related species of the following genera: Byrsotria, Blaberus, Nauphoeta, Pycnoscelus6,7 and Diploptera8,9. In the regulation of this cycle a nervous and a humoral mechanism seemed to operate independently in Leucophaea5, whereas in some other species investigated6,7 a nervous pathway alone accounted for the control of the activity of the corpora allata. In all these cases the severance of the ventral nerve cord during pregnancy resulted in activation of the corpora allata followed by egg maturation; in Leucophaea, however, egg maturation was significantly delayed. In Leucophaea and the other species mentioned the nervous pathway was assumed to involve the activation of stretch receptors associated with the genital apparatus as the brood sac was filled. It was thought that this information was then transmitted via the ventral nerve cord to the brain; the brain in turn inhibited the corpora allata.
Self-Assembly at High Pressures: SANS Study of the Effect of Pressure on Microstructure of C8E5 Micelles in Water

We present the results of a high-pressure small-angle neutron scattering study of the effect of pressure on surfactant microstructure. The study was carried out on a solution of 1 wt % C 8 E 5 in D 2 O at 29.4 °C and pressures up to 310 MPa. The C 8 E 5 micelles that form under these conditions are noninteracting. We find that applying pressure leads to a pronounced decrease in the micelle radius of gyration and the forward scattering intensity over the pressure range from ambient to 150 MPa. The partial molecular volume of the surfactant and the extent of hydration of the surfactant head groups in the micelle were also determined using the method of solvent contrast variation. Both quantities decrease with the application of pressure up to 150 MPa. Core-shell model fits to the scattering spectra over the entire q-range indicate that the shell radius decreases, while the hydrophobic core radius increases slightly with pressure. The pressure dependence of the shell radius is notably similar to that observed for the radius of gyration. Collectively, these observations lead to the conclusion that the effect of pressure on C 8 E 5 micellization is to induce the dehydration of surfactant head groups and the collapse of the hydrophilic micelle shell at pressures between ambient and 150 MPa.
The debiasing effect of counterfactual mind-sets: Increasing the search for disconfirmatory information in group decisions

We hypothesized that the activation of a counterfactual mind-set minimizes decision errors resulting from the failure of groups to seek disconfirming information to test an initial hypothesis. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two experiments examining the decision making processes of groups. The task for both experiments was modeled after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and groups had to actively seek disconfirmatory information to make a correct decision. Prior to beginning the group decision making task, groups were exposed to one of two pre-task scenarios in which the salience of counterfactual thoughts was manipulated. In Experiment 1, groups in the counterfactual prime condition were significantly more likely to make the correct decision than groups in the non-counterfactual prime condition. In Experiment 2, we replicated the effect of counterfactual primes on decision accuracy and demonstrated that groups in the counterfactual prime condition were more likely to seek disconfirmatory information than groups in the non-counterfactual prime condition. We also conducted mediation analyses that clarify the decision making process. Implications for group decision making are discussed.
Giant thymolipoma in an infant

Thymolipomas are benign neoplasms that usually occur in adults and are rarely described in children. They are usually detected incidentally but can be of massive size and lead to respiratory compromise. A 6-month-old boy presented with respiratory distress and an anterior mediastinal mass which proved to be a thymolipoma. He underwent surgical resection and remains well on follow-up. Although rare, thymolipomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis even in infants presenting with an anterior mediastinum mass.
Implicitly Intersecting Weighted Automata using Dual Decomposition

We propose an algorithm to find the best path through an intersection of arbitrarily many weighted automata, without actually performing the intersection. The algorithm is based on dual decomposition: the automata attempt to agree on a string by communicating about features of the string. We demonstrate the algorithm on the Steiner consensus string problem, both on synthetic data and on consensus decoding for speech recognition. This involves implicitly intersecting up to 100 automata.
A new approach to assess gambling-like behavior in laboratory rats: using intracranial self-stimulation as a positive reinforcer

Pathological gambling is one manifestation of impulse control disorders. The biological underpinnings of these disorders remain elusive and treatment is far from ideal. Animal models of impulse control disorders are a critical research tool for understanding this condition and for medication development. Modeling such complex behaviors is daunting, but by its deconstruction, scientists have recapitulated in animals critical aspects of gambling. One aspect of gambling is cost/benefit decision-making wherein one weighs the anticipated costs and expected benefits of a course of action. Risk/reward, delay-based and effort-based decision-making all represent cost/benefit choices. These features are studied in humans and have been translated to animal protocols to measure decision-making processes. Traditionally, the positive reinforcer used in animal studies is food. Here, we describe how intracranial self-stimulation can be used for cost/benefit decision-making tasks and overview our recent studies showing how pharmacological therapies alter these behaviors in laboratory rats. We propose that these models may have value in screening new compounds for the ability to promote and prevent aspects of gambling behavior.
Consumer-Based Brand Equity and Firm Risk:

Investors and managers evaluate potential investments in terms of risk and return. Research has focused on linking marketing activities and resource deployments with returns but has largely neglected marketing’s role in determining risk. Yet the theoretical literature asserts that investments in market-based assets, such as brands, should lead to reductions in firm risk. Adopting risk measures that are well established in the finance literature, the authors use credit ratings to capture debt-holder risk and the standard deviation of stock returns to measure equityholder risk, which they then decompose into systematic and unsystematic equity risk. The authors examine the impact of consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) on firm risk using data covering 252 firms from EquiTrend, COMPUSTAT, and the Center for Research in Security Prices over the 2000‐2006 period. They find that a firm’s CBBE is associated with firm risk and explains variance in the risk measures beyond that explained by existing finance models (i.e., it has “risk relevance”). They also find that CBBE has a stronger role in predicting firm-specific unsystematic risk than systematic risk but that it also has a particularly strong role in protecting equity holders from downside systematic risk. The results have clear economic significance and suggest that managers should make brand management part of the firm’s risk management strategy and protect or even increase CBBE investments during periods of economic uncertainty.
Response of a rocky intertidal ecosystem engineer and community dominant to climate change.

To evaluate how climate change might impact a competitively dominant ecological engineer, we analysed the growth response of the mussel Mytilus californianus to climate patterns [El Nino-Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)]. Mussels grew faster during warmer climatic events. Growth was initially faster on a more productive cape compared to a less productive cape. Growth rates at the two capes merged in 2002, coincidentally with a several year-long shift from warm to cool PDO conditions. To determine the mechanism underlying this response, we examined growth responses to intertidal sea and air temperatures, phytoplankton, sea level and tide height. Together, water temperature (32%) and food (12.5%) explained 44.5% of the variance in mussel growth; contributions of other factors were not significant. In turn, water temperature and food respond to climate-driven variation in upwelling and other, unknown factors. Understanding responses of ecosystem engineers to climate change will require knowing direct thermal effects and indirect effects of factors altered by temperature change.
Predicting particle selection by deposit feeders: A model and its implications 1

A feeding model for a generalized, benthic deposit feeder is derived from a filter-feeding model and used to predict how such a deposit feeder would adjust its feeding to maximize its net energy gain. Under the assumption that deposit feeders are utilizing the bacterial fraction of the sediment or other surface organic coatings as food, the model predicts that the smallest particles should always be ingested, while the selection of larger particles depends on several parameters, including gut passage time and assimilation efficiency of the deposit feeder. The model also predicts relationships among particle size selection, assimilation efficiency, gut passage time, gut volume, and particle rejection costs.
The relationship of verb morphology to second language reading comprehension and input processing

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of varying the morphological characteristics of input on comprehension and input processing. The input varied as follows. The text used in this study contained nine, targeted subjunctive verbs. These verbs were substituted in other versions of the passage with infinitives and with a nonsense morpheme. Results revealed that passage comprehension, as measured by recall, was significantly lower for the correct, subjunctive forms than for the infinitives and nonsense forms. Input processing, as measured by a word recognition task, was not affected by verb form. No significant correlations were found between comprehension and input processing scores.
Effects of Dance on Gait and Balance in Parkinson’s Disease: A Comparison of Partnered and Nonpartnered Dance Movement

Partnered tango dance can improve balance and gait in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Partnered dance may allow these individuals to challenge balance more than nonpartnered dance. Alternatively, partnered practice could reduce balance gains because the participant may rely on the partner as a balance aid when challenged. The authors compared the effects of partnered and nonpartnered dance on balance and mobility in 39 people (11 women) with mild-moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-III). Participants were randomly assigned to partnered or nonpartnered tango and attended 1-hour classes twice per week, completing 20 lessons within 10 weeks. Balance and gait were evaluated in the weeks immediately before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention. Both groups significantly improved on the Berg Balance Scale, comfortable and fast-as-possible walking velocity, and cadence. Improvements were maintained at the 1-month follow-up. The nonpartnered class improved as much as the partnered class; however, partnered participants expressed more enjoyment and interest in continuing.
Toward an interdisciplinary science of consumption

Scientific perspectives on the drive to consume were presented in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the conference entitled "The Interdisciplinary Science of Consumption: Mechanisms of Allocating Resources Across Disciplines." The meeting, which took place May 12-15, 2010 and was sponsored by Rackham Graduate School and the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan, included presentations on human, primate, and rodent models and spanned multiple domains of consumption, including reward seeking, delay discounting, food-sharing reciprocity, and the consumption and display of material possessions across the life span.
Crack Formation and Swelling of TiB2-Ni Ceramics in Liquid Aluminum

TiB2 ceramics are of interest for use as cathodes in aluminum reduction cells. The behavior of hot-pressed TiB2 ceramics (containing 0 to 10 wt% nickel with a 5- to 12-μm boride grain) in liquid aluminum at 950°C is reported.
The zone of inertia: absorptive capacity and organizational change

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how interruptions in organizational learning effect institutional absorptive capacity and contribute to organizational inertia.Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory model is presented as a heuristic to describe how interruptions in organizational learning affect absorptive capacity.Findings – A number of pivotal factors may result in a zone of inertia hindering organizational learning and process.Originality/value – This paper describes the concept of a zone of inertia and introduces a model placing the notion in context.
5-Year Progress Report

Abbreviations: Five years ago, having just finished my degree and having been eager to enter the work world, I wrote an article about laboratory efficiency that appeared in the March 2007 issue of LabMedicine . In the past 5 years, I’ve worked in 3 different hospitals, closed 1 hospital, and served twice as a supervisor. During that time I observed everything I could and tried to retain as much information as possible as I journeyed forward in my career. So much has happened in a short time that I wish to give a summary of my experiences. * Abbreviations : AABB-CAP : American Association of Blood Banks/College of American Pathologists ACO : accountable care organization POC : point-of-care
Computation of DNA structural variability—a new predictor of DNA regulatory regions

Motivation: Local separation of the two strands of the DNA duplex is an essential step in important biological activities, including the initiation of transcription and replication. This conformational transition occurs in response to imposed stresses, which are stringently regulated in vivo. Results: This paper describes two computational methods to analyse this phenomenon: an approximate statistical mechanical method and a Monte Carlo sampling technique. Analysis of genomic DNA sequences shows that sites of predicted duplex destabilization are closely associated with regions regulating transcription, with the most destabilized sites coinciding with 3' gene termini. Experimental results supporting this conclusion are described. The incorporation of this technique into computational searches for regulatory regions is discussed. Availability: Because the programs implementing these calculations are complex to use and not completely developed, they have not been released yet. However, the author will analyze any DNA sequences upon request. Sequences may be submitted electronically to benham@msvax.mssm.edu.
THERMOREGULATION AND HABITAT PREFERENCE IN MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES AND JUNIPER TITMICE

Abstract The Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) and the Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) are closely related, ecologically similar passerines sympatric in portions of their range. However, Mountain Chickadees prefer higher altitude, cooler habitats than Juniper Titmice. We measured oxygen consumption, evaporative water loss, body temperature, and thermal conductance on seasonally acclimatized individuals to determine if thermoregulatory differences correlate with habitat preference. The Mountain Chickadee's lower critical temperature was 4.2°C lower than the Juniper Titmouse's in summer and 2.4°C lower in winter. Thermal conductance decreased significantly in winter relative to summer in Mountain Chickadees but not in Juniper Titmice. The Mountain Chickadee's upper critical temperature was 4.2°C lower than the Juniper Titmouse's in summer. Also in summer, Mountain Chickadees had significantly higher body temperature above the upper critical temperature than Juniper Titmice, indicating less heat to...
Serum Creatinine and Functional Limitation in Elderly Persons

THE association between severe kidney disease and poor physical performance is well established (1–4); however, less research has focused on physical function in persons with mild reductions in kidney function. Mild to moderate kidney disease is associated with an increased likelihood of frailty, functional limitation, decreased exercise capacity, and decreased strength (5–8). Together, these studies suggest that impaired kidney function is associated with reduced physical function across a spectrum of outcomes. Understanding characteristics of this association may be of particular importance in elderly populations where kidney disease and functional limitation are common conditions. One reason for the paucity of literature on this association may be the difficulty in accurate assessment of kidney function in the elderly. Most epidemiological and clinical studies have used creatinine-based measures of kidney function. Creatinine is filtered by the glomerulus; therefore, the serum creatinine level is used as an indirect measure of glomerular filtration. However, creatinine is derived largely from skeletal muscle, which limits the ability of creatinine to assess kidney function accurately among persons with different levels of muscle mass (9,10). This is an important limitation in elderly persons because of the high prevalence of frailty and other chronic diseases that are associated with loss of muscle mass. Creatinine-based equations have been developed to overcome this limitation and to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR); however, several recent reports have suggested that these equations are less accurate among persons with early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) or in the elderly (6,11–13 ). In the present study, we hypothesized that lower levels of kidney function, estimated by serum creatinine, would be associated independently with self-reported functional limitation in elderly adults. Because kidney function and muscle mass are believed to be the dominant determinants of the level of serum creatinine, we also hypothesized that the association of creatinine with functional limitation would be J shaped—low creatinine levels, indicative of lower muscle mass, would also be associated with a higher likelihood of functional limitation. To account for differences in muscle mass, we explored alternative strategies to adjust for the effects of muscle mass on serum creatinine.
A Note on a Greenland Tardigrade: Milnesium eurystomum Maucci, 1991 Eating an Amoeba.

Milnesium eurysionmm Maucci 1991 is an infrequently reported species. It has been found primarily in Greenland and is characterized by an extremely wide buccal tube, The genus is carnivorous, and it is not unusual to find the mastexes of rotifers or the buccal structures of other tardigrades within their stomachs. This is the first report and image of a Milnesium eurystomum consuming an amoeba.
Looking ahead: racial trends in the United States

Daedalus Winter 2005 In April of 2004, the quarterly newsletter Migration News summarized the most recent data on race and ethnicity from the U.S. Census Bureau: “In 2000, the racial/ethnic makeup of US residents was: White, 69 percent; Hispanic and Black, 13 percent each; and Asian and other, six percent. By 2050, these percentages are projected to be: 50, 24, 15, and 13.”1For anyone who has been studying racial trends in America these 1⁄2gures weren’t surprising.1 But the newsletter’s conclusion certainly was: “It is possible that, by 2050, today’s racial and ethnic categories will no longer be in use.” Migration News is a scholarly publication that “summarizes the most important immigration and integration developments.”2 It is produced by Migration Dialogue, a group at the University of California, Davis, that aspires to provide “timely, factual and nonpartisan information and analysis of international migration issues.” Migration News cannot by any stretch of the imagination be described as fanciful or ideological–and yet in the middle of a summary of census data its authors produced the astonishing prognosis that “by 2050, today’s racial and ethnic categories will no longer be in use.” If Migration News is correct, residents of the United States will, within the lifetime of many readers of this issue of Daedalus, no longer talk of blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans, but will instead speak of–what? Jennifer L. Hochschild
Functional characterization of mouse sodium/glucose transporter type 3b.

Despite belonging to a family of sugar cotransporters, human sodium/glucose transporter type 3 (hSGLT3) does not transport sugar, but it depolarizes the cell in the presence of extracellular sugar,...
A Theory of the Interday Variations in Volume, Variance, and Trading Costs in Securities Markets

In an adverse selection model of a securities market with one informed trader and several liquidity traders, we study the implications of the assumption that the informed trader has more information on Monday than on other days. We examine the interday variables in volume, variance, and adverse selection costs, and find that on Monday the trading costs and the variance of price changes are highest, and the volume is lower than on Tuesday. These effects are stronger for firms with better public reporting and for firms with more discretionary liquidity trading.
Novette facility: activation and experimental results

From the neodymium glass laser system Novette with two beams of 74 cm diameter and 18 kJ energy per pulse output in the nanosecond range, the design, the steps of the construction, and results of the system are reported. The two beams are synchronized to 5 psec and conversion to green light up to 78% has been realized. Conversion to four times the laser frequency is measured with more than 25% conversion. Simulation and measurement of laser beam properties at several locations permit an analysis to define the final Nova configuration. About half of Novette's experiments were to study short wave length laser–plasma interactions for the then better coupling by inverse bremsstrahlung mechanisms for inertial confinement fusion with laser intensities up to 1017 W/cm2. Experiments were divided between high density implosion research and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium plasma conditions.
Evaluation of the prostatic artery anatomy and its variants with cone beam CT scan

Learning Objectives: Cone beam CT scan (CBCT) pictorial review of the Prostatic artery (PA) anatomic variants.Discussion of optimal CBCT protocols in terms of location of the microcatheter, rate and volume of contrast injection as well as reconstruction algorithm during Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) Background: Thorough knowledge of PA anatomy and its variants is important in performing PAE successfully. Significant variability of the antero-lateral PA (AT) and posterolateral PA (PT) is observed in terms of origin, course and anastomosis with other important arteries. Identification and catheterization of these arteries is important during PAE to prevent nontarget embolization leading to ischemic damage to critical pelvic organs. Optimal quality of CBCT is important in identifying these arteries, their origins and atherosclerotic changes guiding the superselective catheterization of these arteries. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details: AT primarily supplies the central gland and benign prostatic hyperplasia nodules and most important artery to embolize. It frequently arises from the superior vesical artery. PT supplies peripheral portion of the gland and has frequent anastomosis with anal and rectal arteries. AT and PT may arise from the single artery (branch of internal iliac artery IIA) in more than 50% of cases. CBCT can identify these arteries and their anastomosis with other critical arteries in great detail. Size and location of the microcatheter, rate and volume of the contrast injection as well as reconstruction algorithm determines the CBCT quality. We have been successfully doing CBCT with microcatheter nonselectively (arterial phase) and superselective at AT or PT (parenchymal phase) without any periprocedure morbidity. Conclusion and/or Teaching Points: PAE can be performed safely and effectively with thorough knowledge of PA anatomy and its anatomic variants as well as optimizing CBCT protocols.
An experimental analysis of replicated copy control site failure and recovery

The authors examine the effect of failures on the consistency of replicated copies, measure the rate at which inconsistency can be removed, and measure the overheads associated with replicated copy control. They have extended the prototype system RAID to utilize the ideas of session numbers, nominal session vectors, fail-locks, and control transactions for replicated copy control. The authors discuss the results of three experiments. In the first experiment the authors measured the overhead for fail-locks maintenance, the overhead for copier transactions. In the second experiment they observed the effects of site failure on data availability. In the last experiment they examined the maintenance of consistency of replicated copies during site failure and recovery. >
Quantitative measurement and control of oxygen levels in microfluidic poly(dimethylsiloxane) bioreactors during cell culture.

Microfluidic bioreactors fabricated from highly gas-permeable poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) materials have been observed, somewhat unexpectedly, to give rise to heterogeneous long term responses along the length of a perfused mammalian cell culture channel, reminiscent of physiologic tissue zonation that arises at least in part due to oxygen gradients. To develop a more quantitative understanding and enable better control of the physical-chemical mechanisms underlying cell biological events in such PDMS reactors, dissolved oxygen concentrations in the channel system were quantified in real time using fluorescence intensity and lifetime imaging of an oxygen sensitive dye, ruthenium tris(2,2’-dipyridyl) dichloride hexahydrate (RTDP). The data indicate that despite oxygen diffusion through PDMS, uptake of oxygen by cells inside the perfused PDMS microchannels induces an axial oxygen concentration gradient, with lower levels recorded in downstream regions. The oxygen concentration gradient generated by a balance of cellular uptake, convective transport by media flow, and permeation through PDMS in our devices ranged from 0.0003 (mg/l)/mm to 0.7 (mg/l)/mm. The existence of such steep gradients induced by cellular uptake can have important biological consequences. Results are consistent with our mathematical model and give insight into the conditions under which flux of oxygen through PDMS into the microchannels will or will not contribute significantly to oxygen delivery to cells and also provide a design tool to manipulate and control oxygen for cell culture and device engineering. The combination of computerized microfluidics, in situ oxygen sensing, and mathematical models opens new windows for microphysiologic studies utilizing oxygen gradients and low oxygen tensions.
MAPPING WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN AREAS USING LANDSAT ETM+ IMAGERY AND DECISION-TREE-BASED MODELS

The location and distribution of wetlands and riparian zones influence the ecological functions present on a landscape. Accurate and easily reproducible land-cover maps enable monitoring of land-management decisions and ultimately a greater understanding of landscape ecology. Multi-season Landsat ETM+ imagery from 2001 combined with ancillary topographic and soils data were used to map wetland and riparian systems in the Gallatin Valley of Southwest Montana, USA. Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) and Stochastic Gradient Boosting (SGB) decision-tree-based classification algorithms were used to distinguish wetlands and riparian areas from the rest of the landscape. CTA creates a single classification tree using a one-step-look-ahead procedure to reduce variance. SGB uses classification errors to refine tree development and incorporates multiple tree results into a single best classification. The SGB classification (86.0% overall accuracy) was more effective than CTA (73.1% overall accuracy) at detecting a variety of wetlands and riparian zones present on this landscape.
Evaluating the sensitivity of agricultural model performance to different climate inputs.

AbstractProjections of future food production necessarily rely on models, which must themselves be validated through historical assessments comparing modeled and observed yields. Reliable historical validation requires both accurate agricultural models and accurate climate inputs. Problems with either may compromise the validation exercise. Previous studies have compared the effects of different climate inputs on agricultural projections but either incompletely or without a ground truth of observed yields that would allow distinguishing errors due to climate inputs from those intrinsic to the crop model. This study is a systematic evaluation of the reliability of a widely used crop model for simulating U.S. maize yields when driven by multiple observational data products. The parallelized Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (pDSSAT) is driven with climate inputs from multiple sources—reanalysis, reanalysis that is bias corrected with observed climate, and a control dataset—and compared wit...
A dynamic analysis of US banana demand by source: a focus on Latin American suppliers

We estimated US banana demand disaggregated by exporting country using the generalised dynamic Rotterdam model. Results indicated that dynamic factors, prices, and total expenditures played an important role in determining how the USA allocated banana imports across supplying countries. We were particularly interested in Guatemala's emergence as the leading US supplier and Costa Rica's decline. Overall, there was no significant difference in the demand estimates between the two countries. The dynamic adjustment estimates indicated that both countries were positively affected by their past exports, and the long-run expenditure elasticities indicated that both were particularly sensitive to changes in total US expenditures. However, demand estimates indicated that there is significant price competition between the two countries and the uncompensated price elasticities indicated that the demand for Costa Rican bananas was relatively more elastic in the long run.
Role of Na+ andCa2+ Fluxes in Terminal Differentiation of Murine Erythroleukemia Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of Na + and Ca 2+ fluxes in terminal differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells. A useful model for investigating the regulation of terminal differentiation is the murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cell line. These cells can multiply indefinitely in culture, but if treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (or a variety of other agents), they become committed to terminal differentiation. Committed cells differentiate into “reticulocytes,” and cease dividing, even if the inducing agent has been removed. A decrease in Na, K–ATPase activity has been implicated as an early step in commitment. However, it has been found that an increase in Ca uptake accompanies commitment, and that commitment may be blocked by chelation of external Ca.
Identification of genes mediating lipophosphoglycan biosynthesis by functional complementation of Leishmania donovani mutants.

A powerful approach for identifying the genes involved in the infectious cycle of pathogens is functional genetic complementation. Here, the current status of this technology in Leishmania is revie...