cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microsphere-Based Rolling Circle Amplification Microarray for the Detection of DNA and Proteins in a Single Assay

We describe a high-density microarray for simultaneous detection of proteins and DNA in a single test. In this system, Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) was used as a signal amplification method for both protein and nucleic acid detection. The microsphere sensors were tested with synthetic DNA and purified recombinant protein analytes. The target DNA sequence was designed from a highly conserved gene that encodes the outer membrane protein P6 (OMP-P6) of both typeable and nontypeable strains of Haemophilus influenzae. The proinflammatory mediators IL-6 and IL-8 were selected as target proteins. Capture antibodies were first immobilized on fluorescently encoded microspheres. The microspheres were then loaded into the etched microwells of an imaging optical fiber bundle. A sandwich assay was performed for target proteins IL-6 and IL-8 using biotin-labeled secondary antibodies. Biotinylated capture DNA probes were then attached to the detection antibodies via an avidin bridge. A padlock probe, complementary to the target sequence, was subsequently hybridized to the capture probe. In the presence of the target sequence, the padlock probe was ligated, and this circular sequence was used for RCA. Following RCA, multiple fluorescently labeled signal probes were hybridized to each amplified sequence, and the microarray was imaged using an epi-fluorescence microscope. With this assay, detection limits down to 10 fM and 1 pM were achieved for proteins and target DNA, respectively. In addition to this new approach for detecting both protein and DNA in a single test using RCA, the limit of detection for IL-8 and IL-6 was improved by 3 orders of magnitude compared to similar microsphere-based assays.
Acquired factor X deficiency in patients with amyloid light-chain amyloidosis: incidence, bleeding manifestations, and response to high-dose chemotherapy.

Acquired deficiency of factor X occurs in patients with systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, presumably due to adsorption of factor X to amyloid fibrils. Of 368 consecutive patients with systemic AL amyloidosis evaluated at Boston Medical Center, 32 patients (8.7%) had factor X levels below 50% of normal. Eighteen of these patients (56%) had bleeding complications, which were more frequent and severe in the 12 patients below 25% of normal; 2 episodes were fatal. Ten factor X–deficient patients received high-dose melphalan chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. Of 7 patients alive 1 year after treatment, 4 had a complete hematologic response, and all 4 experienced improvement in their factor X levels. One of 2 additional patients with partial hematologic responses had improvement in factor X. Thus, aggressive treatment of the underlying plasma cell dyscrasia in AL amyloidosis can lead to the amelioration of amyloid-related factor X deficiency.
Vitamin A transport and the transmembrane pore in the cell-surface receptor for plasma retinol binding protein.

Vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids) play diverse and crucial functions from embryogenesis to adulthood and are used as therapeutic agents in human medicine for eye and skin diseases, infections and cancer. Plasma retinol binding protein (RBP) is the principal and specific vitamin A carrier in the blood and binds vitamin A at 1∶1 ratio. STRA6 is the high-affinity membrane receptor for RBP and mediates cellular vitamin A uptake. STRA6 null mice have severely depleted vitamin A reserves for vision and consequently have vision loss, even under vitamin A sufficient conditions. STRA6 null humans have a wide range of severe pathological phenotypes in many organs including the eye, brain, heart and lung. Known membrane transport mechanisms involve transmembrane pores that regulate the transport of the substrate (e.g., the gating of ion channels). STRA6 represents a new type of membrane receptor. How this receptor interacts with its transport substrate vitamin A and the functions of its nine transmembrane domains are still completely unknown. These questions are critical to understanding the molecular basis of STRA6′s activities and its regulation. We employ acute chemical modification to introduce chemical side chains to STRA6 in a site-specific manner. We found that modifications with specific chemicals at specific positions in or near the transmembrane domains of this receptor can almost completely suppress its vitamin A transport activity. These experiments provide the first evidence for the existence of a transmembrane pore, analogous to the pore of ion channels, for this new type of cell-surface receptor.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein (LMP) in tumor cells of Hodgkin's disease in pediatric patients.

Twenty-nine out of 31 consecutive pediatric patients with Hodgkin's disease treated at our hospital from 1988 to 1992 were studied. The selection criterion was the availability of sufficient formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue for analysis. Patient age ranged from 3 to 15 years with a median age of 7 years. Lymph node biopsies were examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP) in malignant cells by peroxidase immunolabeling. LMP positivity was present in 10/15 (67%) of mixed cellularity, 1/6 (17%) of lymphocyte predominance, 0/7 (0%) of nodular sclerosis, and 1/1 (100%) of lymphocyte depletion. Positive cases by age range were: 10/12 (83%) for 3–6 years and 2/17 (11%) for 7–15 years. The association between EBV and Hodgkin's disease in children appeared to be more frequent in patients with mixed cellularity and those in the 3–6 age range, though examples of EBV-positive tumors were found in other histologic subtypes, stages and ages. Findings indicate that Hodgkin's disease in children is at least as strongly linked to EBV as in adults. Furthermore, we suggest that the EBV is associated with a subgroup of patients which can be defined on the basis of the age at diagnosis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The role of some spatial parameters of gratings on the McCollough effect

Ss were alternately adapted to vertical and horizontal gratings that consisted of black bars and colored slits. The slits of one grating were green and of the other, magenta. The widths of the black bars and the colored slits were varied independently during adaptation and testing. This design separates the relative influence of bar width, slit width, and spatial frequency on an orientation specific color aftereffect known as the McCollough effect. Black bar width had the major influence on the strength of the aftereffect, suggesting that the neurophysiological mechanism underlying the McCullough effect might consist of orientation specific units that are sensitive to both the widths of black bars and the chromatic characteristics of their surrounds.
Additive and synergistic effects of bFGF and hypoxia on leporine meniscus cell-seeded PLLA scaffolds.

Injuries to avascular regions of menisci do not heal and result in significant discomfort to patients. Current treatments, such as partial meniscectomy, alleviate these symptoms in the short term but lead to premature osteoarthritis as a result of compromised stability and changes in knee biomechanics. Thus, tissue engineering of the meniscus may provide an alternative treatment modality to overcome this problem. In this experiment, a scaffold-based tissue-engineering approach was utilized to regenerate the meniscus. Meniscus cells were cultured on poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds in normoxic (∼21% oxygen) or hypoxic (∼2% oxygen) conditions in the presence or absence of the growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). At t = 4 weeks, histological sections of constructs showed presence of collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) in all groups. Immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of collagen I in all groups and collagen II in groups cultured under hypoxic conditions. bFGF in the culture medium significantly increased cell number/construct by 25%, regardless of culture conditions. For GAG/construct, synergistic increases were observed in constructs cultured in hypoxic conditions and bFGF (two-fold) when compared to constructs cultured in normoxic conditions. Compressive tests showed synergistic increases in the relaxation modulus and coefficient of viscosity and additive increases in the instantaneous modulus for constructs cultured under hypoxic conditions and bFGF, when compared to constructs cultured under normoxic conditions. Overall, these results demonstrate that bFGF and hypoxia can significantly enhance the ability of meniscus cells to produce GAGs and improve the compressive properties of tissue-engineered meniscus constructs in vitro. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unionization and tenure and rank outcomes in Ohio Universities

We explore whether unionization affects tenure and promotion outcomes. Using data on 4,276 faculty from seven Ohio public universities, we find that unionization increases the probability that an individual will be tenured. Unionization also increases (decreases) the probability that an individual will be a full (assistant) professor. Moreover, unionization may standardize the promotion process across disciplines. The largest effect on the promotion process is related to length of service. Faculty who are with an institution longer are more likely to be tenured or in higher ranks. This result occurs for two reaization (1) The tenure and promotion processes are directly related to the number of years an individual works at an institution. Tenure decisions usually have time limitations, and although promotion decisions are not as directly tied to time, one generally becomes a full professor after the attainment of tenure and the rank of an associate professor; (2) Controlling for other factors, senior union faculty are more likely to be tenured or full professors, and they appear to be able to obtain higher ranks more easily.
Subfascial involvement in glomuvenous malformation

Glomuvenous malformation (GVM) is an inherited autosomal dominant trait. The lesions, which appear as bluish nodules or plaque-like cutaneous elevations, are usually tender and more firm than sporadic venous malformations. Conventionally, the lesions are thought to be limited to the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue planes. The objective was to characterize the depth of involvement of GVM lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in GVM were retrospectively evaluated by two radiologists. The signal characteristics, tissue distribution, pattern of contrast enhancement of the lesions in GVM were documented. Thirty patients (19 female) aged 1–35 years (mean 18 years) were diagnosed with GVM based on clinical features (n = 20) and/or histopathological findings (n = 10). The lesions were present in the lower extremity (n = 15), upper extremity (n = 6), cervico-facial region (n = 6), pelvis (n = 2), and chest wall (n = 1). All patients had skin and subcutaneous lesions. Fifty percent of the patients (n = 15) demonstrated subfascial intramuscular (n = 15), intra-osseous (n = 1), and intra-articular involvement (n = 1). Contrary to the conventional belief that GVMs are generally limited to the skin and subcutaneous tissue, deep subfascial extension of the lesions is common.
Signal transformations from cerebral cortex to superior colliculus for the generation of saccades.

The ability of primates to make rapid and accurate saccadic eye movements for exploring the natural world is based on a neuronal system in the brain that has been studied extensively and is known to include multiple brain regions extending throughout the neuraxis. We examined the characteristics of signal flow in this system by recording from identified output neurons of two cortical regions, the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) and the frontal eye field (FEF), and from neurons in a brainstem structure targeted by these output neurons, the superior colliculus (SC). We compared the activity of neurons in these three populations while monkeys performed a delayed saccade task that allowed us to quantify visual responses, motor activity, and intervening delay activity. We examined whether delay activity was related to visual stimulation by comparing the activity during interleaved trials when a target was either present or absent during the delay period. We examined whether delay activity was related to movement by using a Go/Nogo task and comparing the activity during interleaved trials in which a saccade was either made (Go) or not (Nogo). We found that LIP output neurons, FEF output neurons, and SC neurons can all have visual responses, delay activity, and presaccadic bursts; hence in this way they are all quite similar. However, the delay activity tended to be more related to visual stimulation in the cortical output neurons than in the SC neurons. Complementing this, the delay activity tended to be more related to movement in the SC neurons than in the cortical output neurons. We conclude, first, that the signal flow leaving the cortex represents activity at nearly every stage of visuomotor transformation, and second, that there is a gradual evolution of signal processing as one proceeds from cortex to colliculus. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Addition of Polarization and Diffuse Functions to the LANL2DZ Basis Set for P-Block Elements

Diffuse and polarization functions have been optimized for the LANL2DZ basis set for elements in groups 14−17. The optimized exponents are in most cases similar to those optimized with different effective core potentials, valence basis sets, or computational models. The average of the LANL2DZ results for different models is taken to be the best generalized set of exponents. The extended basis set gives good results (average deviation from experiment 0.11 eV) for atomic electron affinities with the B3LYP model, but is consistently low with the MP2 model. The extended basis set gives similar performance to the all-electron 6-31+G(d) basis set in calculations of vibrational frequencies and bond energies in selected main-group compounds, and is intermediate in speed between the 6-31+G(d) basis set and the unmodified LANL2DZ basis set.
Response of joints to impact loading, III: relationship between trabecular microfractures and cartilage degeneration

Abstract The knee joints of adult rabbits were subjected to daily one hour intervals of impulsive loading equivalent to their body weight at 60 cpm. They developed changes in their knee joints consistent with those of degenerative joint disease. The cartilage destruction was preceded by stiffening of the underlying subchondral bone. Numerous healing trabecular microfractures were associated with this increased stiffening. Similar microfractures have been observed in human specimens. The implications of these findings to bone remodelling and osteoarthritis are discussed.
Heart Failure and Skilled Nursing Facilities: Review of the Literature

Abstract Background Almost one-fourth of older adults hospitalized with heart failure (HF) are discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The purpose of this review was to evaluate knowledge about HF patients discharged to SNFs to provide a foundation for future studies. Methods and Results A search was conducted of Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Key words were heart failure, congestive heart failure, skilled care, skilled nursing care, skilled nursing facilities, nursing home, postacute care, postacute services, and subacute care. Publications (n = 37) were reviewed and categorized into case studies, editorials, clinical care, evaluation projects, and data-based publications. Of 29 data-based publications, 6 were focused on factors associated with hospital readmission from postacute settings, 3 on trends in hospitalizations, 12 on hospital discharge to postacute services, 5 on rehabilitation services in postacute settings, 1 on cost, and 2 on interventions. Patients discharged to SNFs were at high risk for mortality and multiple hospitalizations. No HF-specific care or guidelines were found at SNFs. Only 1 study evaluated quality of life at SNFs. Conclusions Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the clinical condition of HF patients discharged to SNFs and the interventions they receive.
Real-Time Analysis of Renal Interstitial Metabolites During Induced Renal Ischemia*

Purpose: Microdialysis is an innovative technique used to monitor the chemistry of the interstitial fluid in living tissue. We documented changes in concentration of interstitial fluid metabolites before, during, and after induced renal ischemia. Materials and Methods: Under general anesthesia, a microdialysis probe was laparoscopically positioned into the renal cortex of six pigs. Isotonic sterile perfusion fluid was pumped through the probe at 2 μL/min. After collecting a baseline sample, the renal artery was occluded with a Satinsky clamp for 90 (n = 3) or 120 (n = 3) minutes. A dialysate sample was collected every 30 minutes during the ischemic and 3-hour postischemic period. The samples were analyzed for glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, urea, and glycerol concentrations with the CMA/600 Microdialysis Analyzer. Serum metabolic panels from peripheral venous samples drawn before ischemia, after ischemia, and 3 hours after ischemia were analyzed. Results: Glucose and pyruvate concentrations signifi...
Wound Roll Dielectric Elastomer Actuators: Fabrication, Analysis, and Experiments

Wound roll electroactive polymer actuators fabricated with dielectric elastomer (DE) materials provide high bandwidth actuation for robots, minipumps, loudspeakers, valves, and prosthetic devices. In this paper, we develop a DE wound roll actuator fabrication process that produces high strain (12%), reliable (3480 cycles at maximum strain), and stiff (144 N/m) actuators. An axisymmetric Unite element model with electrostatic and radial bulk modulus nonlinearity predicts actuator displacement and stress. The maximum compressive radial stress occurs at the center of the innermost active layer. This layer also has the thinnest material, indicating the most likely failure point. The nonlinear model predicts actuator displacement in response to applied voltage and load, matching experiments to within 1 mm.
Estimation of historical exposures to machining fluids in the automotive industry

A retrospective exposure assessment study in the automotive parts industry conducted in conjunction with a cancer mortality and respiratory morbidity study [Kennedy et al. (1989): Am J Ind Med 15:627-641; Eisen et al. (1992): Am J Ind Med 22:809-824; Tolbert et al. (1992): Scand J Work Environ Health 18:351-360] describes exposure to different types of machining fluids and selected components that may contribute to the conditions investigated. A dataset of 394 industrial hygiene measurements made between 1958 and 1987 was used to estimate past machining fluid levels using a linear statistical model. The effects of different plants, machining fluid types, machining operations, and time periods were examined in the model. Separate analyses examined the effects of different sampling and analysis methods and other measurement variables. Machining fluid levels prior to 1970 were generally two to five times higher than subsequent measurements. The arithmetic mean exposure of all measurements taken before 1970 was 5.42 mg/m3. Arithmetic means for different subgroups ranged from 0.59 to 20.28 mg/m3, depending upon plant, machining fluid, and operation. The arithmetic mean exposure after 1980 was 1.82 mg/m3 with subgroups ranging from 0.45 to 2.79 mg/m3. Changes in exposure levels generally corresponded with reported changes in plant environments such as installation of enclosures and local exhaust ventilation on machines.
A Cost-Effective Way To Extend an Instrument’s Life

Extending the usefulness of the instruments we have has never been more important. The current economic crisis has prompted all of us to re-examine how money is spent and to try to minimize our expenditures because of future uncertainties. We have been able to breathe new life into an aging 60 MHz NMR spectrometer used by hundreds of undergraduates each year in the second-year organic chemistry sequence. Minor repairs have been necessary over the years but the recent loss of the plotter necessitated a more extensive “repair”. With the help of a physicist, the instrument output is now routed through a two-channel data acquisition device to a laptop. The data gathered is saved as a comma-delimited text file, and an Excel spreadsheet is used for analysis of the data. Not only does the new system allow faster data collection and processing, it also allows students to save data to a thumb drive. With minimal expense, the 20-year-old spectrometer has been modernized and continues to be an essential part of the organic laboratory.
Mechanism of Intestinal Mucosal Immune Dysfunction Following Trauma–Hemorrhage: Increased Apoptosis Associated with Elevated Fas Expression in Peyer's Patches

Although intestinal mucosal immune dysfunction occurs after trauma and hemorrhage and appears to contribute to infectious complications, the mechanism is not known. In this regard, the inappropriate induction of immune cell apoptosis may contribute to the immune dysfunction following trauma and hemorrhage. To study this, we examined Peyer's patch cells for evidence of apoptosis and changes in Fas protein expression, as well as alterations in the relative lymphocyte subpopulations after trauma and hemorrhagic shock. Male C3H/HeN mice underwent sham operation, trauma (i.e., laparotomy), hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial blood pressure of 35 +/- 5 mmHg for 90 min, followed by adequate crystalloid resuscitation), or trauma plus hemorrhage. Peyer's patch cells were isolated at 24 and 72 hr after the procedure. The percentage of apoptotic cells, Fas protein expression, and cell percentage of phenotype were determined by flow cytometry. The results indicate that trauma alone induced no significant change in the measured parameters. However, (i) there were a significant decrease in total viable cell yield and an increased apoptosis in Peyer's patch cells at 24 and 72 hr following hemorrhage or trauma plus hemorrhage; (ii) the increased apoptosis in Peyer's patch was predominantly in cells of the B-cell lineage; (iii) the increased apoptosis was associated with an elevated Fas expression. In conclusion, hemorrhage alone or trauma plus hemorrhage can induce increased apoptosis in Peyer's patch cells, which is associated with the increased Fas expression. Thus, apoptotic involution may play an important role in the depression of intestinal mucosal immune function after trauma and hemorrhagic shock.
Thoratec left ventricular assist device as a bridge to recovery in a child weighing 27 kilograms.

Limited organ availability and prolonged waiting periods for donor hearts has led to the increased use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) as a bridge to transplantation. Recognition of potential myocardial recovery in some reversible cardiac diseases has prompted the use of these devices as a bridge to recovery. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is often the only choice for circulatory support in infants and smaller children. There are currently no pulsatile VADs approved for use in infants and children in the United States. Adult devices such as the Thoratec VAD (Pleasanton, Calif) have been used in some children as a bridge to transplantation. However, the discrepancy in size between the device and the patient limits its use, particularly if bridge to recovery and removal of the device are planned.
Conical similarity of shock/boundary-layer interactions generated byswept and unswept fins

A parametric experimental investigation has been made of the class of three-dimensional shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions generated by swept and unswept leading-edge fins. The fin sweepback angles were 0-65 deg at 5, 9, and 15 deg angles of attack. Two equilibrium two-dimensional turbulent boundary layers with a freestream Mach number of 2.95 and a Reynolds number of 6.3 x 10 to the 7th/m were used as incoming flow conditions. All of the resulting interactions were found to possess conical symmetry of the surface flow patterns and pressures outside of an initial inception zone. Further, these interactions were found to obey a simple conical similarity rule based on inviscid shock wave strength, irrespective of fin sweepback or angle of attack. This is one of the first demonstrations of similarity among three-dimensional interactions produced by geometrically dissimilar shock generators.
Optical BRDF and BSDF measurements of human incisors from visible to mid-infrared wavelengths

The optical bi-directional reflectance distribution functions (BRDR) and bi-directional scattering distribution functions (BSDF) of human incisors were measured form -180° to 180° using a scatterometer at 632.8 nm, 1.064 μm, and 3.39 μm. Results from these measurements show that multiple scattering events dominate the optical characteristics of the tooth at the measurement wavelengths in the visible and near-IR. Results form the 3.39 μm wavelength indicate that very little scatter or absorption occurs. This allowed us to obtain an estimated absorption coefficient of about 0.7 cm -1 , which is much smaller than previously reported for the visible and near-IR wavelengths.
Florivory affects pollinator visitation and female fitness in Nemophila menziesii.

While herbivory has traditionally been studied as damage to leaves, florivory – herbivory to flowers prior to seed set – can also have large effects on plant fitness. Florivory can decrease fitness directly, either through the destruction of gametes or through alterations to plant physiology during fruit set, and can also change the appearance of a flower, deterring pollinators and reducing seed set. In order to distinguish between these hypotheses, it is necessary to both damage flowers and add pollen in excess to study the effects of damage on pollen limitation. Very few studies have used this technique over the lifetime of a plant. Here I describe a series of experiments showing the effects of natural and artificial damage on reproductive success in the annual plant Nemophila menziesii (Hydrophyllaceae, sensu lato). I show that natural and artificial petal damage decreased radial symmetry relative to controls and that both types of damage deterred pollinator activity. Both naturally damaged flowers and artificially damaged flowers in the field set fewer fruit or seed relative to undamaged control flowers. Finally, in an experiment crossing artificial petal damage with pollen addition, petal damage alone over the lifetime of this plant decreased female fitness, but only after a threshold of damage was reached. The fitness effect appeared to be direct because there was no detectable effect of pollen addition on the relationship between florivory and fitness. This result implies that both damaged and undamaged plants show similar amounts of pollen limitation and suggests that pollinator-mediated effects contributed little to the negative effects of florivory on female fitness. Florivores may thus be an under-appreciated agent of selection in certain plants, although more experimental manipulation of florivory is needed to determine if it is important over a range of taxa.
Influence of maize starch granule-associated protein on the rheological properties of starch pastes. Part I. Large deformation measurements of paste properties ☆

Abstract Starch granule-associated proteins, mainly consisting of granule bound starch synthase (GBSS), were shown to influence the rheological properties of starch pastes measured under large deformation steady shear conditions. A normal, a waxy null mutant, and two GBSS-containing waxy mutant maize starches (waxy protein was synthesized with no GBSS activity) were isolated (isolation procedure I, IP I) and further purified (isolation procedure II, IP II) using the toluene method. Further purification removed additional residual proteins in starches including the majority of GBSS in the two GBSS-containing waxy starches, and increased the paste viscosity in all four starches, especially at high shear rates. IP I starch paste of the waxy null mutant exhibited higher viscosity at high shear rate than starch pastes of the GBSS-containing waxy mutants that was attributed to the absence of GBSS in the former. Shear sweep tests (up to a shear rate of 120 l/s) showed that the IP I GBSS-containing waxy mutant starches had less shear-induced breakdown than the waxy null mutant starch; removal of additional granule-associated protein in the former, including GBSS, caused an increase in shear-induced breakdown. This study showed that granule-associated protein reduced paste viscosity, and GBSS specifically reduced shear-induced breakdown of starch pastes.
A Single Question Can Make the Diagnosis

Alopecia areata is the only condition that can cause complete hair loss in 3 months without symptoms or signs.
Electronic energy transfer processes and symmetry conservation in reactions in inclusion compounds

Abstract The results are presented of a study on the electronic energy transfer (EET) processes in inclusion host-guest compounds irradiated by gamma or UV photons. The host cavity site symmetry is correlated with the guest molecular symmetry and with the stereocontrol of the reaction products formed under irradiation; a specific “heteroexcimer” or “excithrate” is suggested as an excited host-guest intermediate radical-pair; in particular, symmetry correlations are suggested in order to explain reaction pathways into cavities of inclusion compounds in the excited state.
Karl Mannheim, Epistemology and the Sociology of Knowledge

(1966). Karl Mannheim, Epistemology and the Sociology of Knowledge. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 229-233.
How does the ecological foraging behavior of desert kangaroo rats (Dipodomys deserti) relate to their behavior on radial mazes

Experiment 1 showed that laboratory-reared desert kangaroo rats, like domestic Norway rats, efficiently search for food on a radial arm maze (RAM) by avoiding revisiting arms within a trial. By placing an RAM on the floor so the animals could approach food from any direction, Experiment 2 tested whether efficient search by kangaroo rats was based on tactics of distance minimizing, central-place foraging, trail following, or meandering. In contrast to the dominant trail-following tactic of domestic Norway rats (Hoffman, Timberlake, Leffel, & Gont, 1999), kangaroo rats tended to distance minimize, whether maze arms were present or not. Experiment 3 indicated that kangaroo rats treated a floor configuration of eight food cups as twopatches of four, based on beeline travel between patches and meandering within them. We conclude that similar performance in an elevated RAM by different species can be based on different tactics, and we suggest that a laboratory apparatus can be used to cast light on niche-related mechanisms.
Distribution of point symmetry types in the normal modes of macroscopic crystals

Abstract It is shown that the relative number of normal modes of point symmetry type Γα in a macroscopic lattice is ( n 2 α /g) + 0(N -1 3 , where N is the number of cells in the lattice, nα is the dimension of Γα, and g is the order of the symmetry group. In addition to providing a count of specific modes, this theorem shows that, as one might expect, in a crystal with inversion symmetry, the numbers of odd and even modes are equal (to within terms of order N 1 3 .
Stochastic Model of Clathrin-Coated Pit Assembly

In recent years, fluorescence microscopy has enabled researchers to observe the dynamics of clathrin-coated pit (CCP) assembly in real time. The assembly dynamics of CCPs shows striking heterogeneity. Some CCPs are long-lived (productive CCPs); they bind cargo and grow in size to form clathrin-coated vesicles. In contrast, other CCPs (abortive CCPs) are relatively short-lived and disassemble well before reaching vesicle size. Within both populations there is significant variance in CCP lifetime. We propose a stochastic biophysical model that links these observations with the energetics of CCPs and kinetics of their assembly. We show that without cargo, CCP assembly faces a high energy barrier that is difficult to overcome. As a consequence, CCPs without cargo are almost always abortive. We suggest a mechanism by which cargo binding stabilizes CCPs and facilitates their growth. The lifetime distribution of abortive pits calculated from our model agrees well with published experimental data. We also estimate the lifetimes of productive CCPs and show that the stochastic nature of CCP assembly plays a crucial role in causing their observed wide distribution.
“The Savage Ethic of Speech”: Tim O'Brien's “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” as Travel Narrative

Read against Michel de Certeau's theory of travel narratives, Tim O'Brien's “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” becomes a depiction of Mary Anne Bell's emergence as an ethical speaker. According to de Certeau, the savage other guarantees the authenticity of his speech through his body. Mary Anne's transformation into a “savage” allows her to invest her body in the process of language, thus generating her own authentic, ethical speech.
Electromagnetic beam propagation in turbulent media: An update

In 1975, we reviewed the recent developments on wave propagation in turbulent media. In this paper, we update that paper to include recent results on adaptive optics, intensity scintillations, pulse propagation, atmospheric measurements at visible, IR, and millimeter wave frequencies, speckle interferometry, and other related topics.
Mind-mapping for lung cancer: towards a personalized therapeutics approach.

There were over 220,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer and over 160,000 people dying of lung cancer during 2010 alone in the United States. In order to arrive at better control, prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutics for lung cancer, we must be able to personalize the approach towards the disease. Mind-mapping has existed for centuries for physicians to properly think about various “flows” of personalized medicine. We include here the epidemiology, diagnosis, histology, and treatment of lung cancer—in particular, non-small cell lung cancer. As we have new molecular signatures for lung cancer, this is further detailed. This review is not meant to be a comprehensive review, but rather its purpose is to highlight important aspects of lung cancer diagnosis, management, and personalized treatment options.
Hydrogen-bond-mediated tuning of the redox potential of the non-heme Fe site of superoxide dismutase.

The highly homologous proteins of Fe-containing superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) and MnSOD from Escherichia coli nonetheless exert very different redox tuning on the active site metal ion [Vance; Miller J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 461−467; Biochemistry 2001, 40, 13079−13087]. This was proposed to stem from different hydrogen bonding between the protein and the metal ion's coordinated solvent molecule, and the tight coupling between the protonation state of coordinated solvent and the oxidation state of the metal ion. We now present density functional theory (DFT) calculations on Fe2+ and Fe3+ bound to models of both FeSOD and MnSOD. The calculations support a very important role for the conserved second sphere Gln in MnSOD in specifically destabilizing coordinated H2O relative to coordinated OH-, and thus disfavouring the oxidized state of the metal ion. To test these results we have mutated this Gln to Glu, which is isosteric and isoelectronic to Gln but functions as an H-bond acceptor instead of an H-bond ...
The sGC activator BAY 60-2770 has potent erectile activity in the rat

Nitric oxide (NO) is the principal mediator of penile erection, and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is the receptor for NO. In pathophysiological conditions when sGC is inactivated and not responsi...
Book review: Neural Networks for Pattern Recognition by Albert Nigrin (MIT Press, 1993)

Newly minted assistant professors often super-charge their careers and their curriculum vitae by publishing elaborations of their dissertations in the form of books. Indeed, the practice is so common and so effective that it is recommended in "Getting what you came for: The smart student's guide to earning a Master's or a Ph.D." by Robert L. Peters. Albert Nigrin's "Neural Networks for Pattern Recognition" is such a book. The dissertation from which the book springs was written under the direction of Alan Biermann at Duke University.
Variability of transionospheric signal time delay at subauroral latitudes

Faraday observations were conducted at Anchorage, AK ( 61.04\deg N, 149.75\deg W), utilizing beacon transmissions from a geostationary satellite during the period just following the minimum phase of solar cycle 21, and, for comparison purpose, during a short period following the maximum phase of that same cycle. Near the minimum phase average maximum monthly values of total electron content (TEC), which is proportional to transionospheric signal time delay, were below 15 \times 10^{16} el m-2, while individual daily maximum values never exceeded 20 \times 10^{16} el m-2. Near the maximum phase TEC average monthly values were larger by a factor of two. Seasonal and day-to-day variabilities were observed. Unique representation of the data has permitted the study of day-to-day variability of TEC. For example, near minimum phase during all seasons the TEC structure appears uniform from day to day during the buildup and decay phases of the local ionosphere. During the maximum and minimum of the diurnal phase, the TEC structure variability is seasonally dependent. During periods of magnetic sudden commencements, which rarely occurred in the observation periods, significant positive phase responses of TEC did not materialize near solar minimum, but were correlated near solar maximum.
Flow separation through annular constrictions in tubes

The separation of a flow through a tube having a local annular constriction was studied experimentally. Empirical expressions for the Reynolds number at which separation occurs and for the length of the separation zone were determined in terms of the flow and of the constriction characteristics. The implications of this phenomenon are discussed in relation to an occlusive vascular stenosis.
Selective Proteolysis of Arrestin by Calpain: MOLECULAR CHARACTERISTICS AND ITS EFFECT ON RHODOPSIN DEPHOSPHORYLATION

Visual arrestin (48 kDa) plays a role in the deactivation of rhodopsin by binding to the light-activated, phosphorylated form of the receptor. In bovine rod outer segments that were prepared in the presence of protease inhibitors, two faster migrating forms of arrestin, with apparent molecular masses of 46 and 44 kDa, were observed by Western blot analysis. The 46-kDa form was more evident in rod outer segments of eyes kept in the light than those placed in darkness and was found to be identical to that generated by in vitro proteolysis of arrestin by pure retinal calpain II. In vitro analysis showed that arrestin was proteolyzed only when bound to rhodopsin; soluble arrestin was not significantly cleaved by calpain. Proteolysis involves sequential cleavage at two, possibly three sites, resulting in the removal of 27 amino acids from the COOH terminus. The remaining 46-kDa protein was resistant to further proteolysis by calpain. Unlike intact arrestin, the 46-kDa truncated arrestin was not readily released from the receptor after the receptor had lost its chromophore, nor was it released upon the addition of 11-cis-retinal to regenerate the receptor. Truncated arrestin was found to inhibit receptor dephosphorylation to the same extent as intact arrestin. In conclusion, these results provide evidence that a 46-kDa form of arrestin in rod outer segments is a product of selective proteolysis by calpain. Furthermore, they suggest that this proteolysis may provide a mechanism for prolonging the phosphorylated state of the visual receptor.
The Climates of Liberty: Natural Rights in the Creole Case and “The Heroic Slave”

Hyde reassesses the relationship between natural and civil rights by tracking the climatological metaphors that shape representations of the 1841 slave revolt aboard the Creole, in which 135 slaves obtained freedom by redirecting a US ship to the British territory of Nassau, Bahamas. Reading Frederick Douglass's fictional reconstruction of the revolt in "The Heroic Slave" (1853) in conjunction with the diplomatic letters it revises, Hyde shows how the conceit of natural law allowed writers to portray national statutes as mere "local fictions." Whereas Secretary of State Daniel Webster symptomatically invoked the rhetoric of weather and natural disaster to negate the agency of the slaves on the Creole, Douglass uses natural phenomena to portray emancipation as a force of nature that controverts the geopolitical partitioning of freedom. Douglass's objective, however, is not ultimately postnational or cosmopolitan, as critics have suggested. Instead, "The Heroic Slave" uses the universalizing rhetoric of natural law to denaturalize exclusionary laws within the United States, even as it attempts to salvage the potential of US democracy. Douglass never forfeits the idea that rights ought to be inalienable by nature, but by recognizing that rights are alienable in practice-not simply that they are often divested and withheld, but that they can be transferred to those who do not already possess them-he narrates the extralegal drama of political legitimation.
External validation of a pre-operative nomogram predicting peri-operative mortality risk after liver resections for malignancy

Aim A pre-operative nomogram using a population-based database to predict peri-operative mortality risk after liver resections for malignancy has recently been developed. The aim of the present study was to perform an external validation of the nomogram using data from a high volume institution.
Changes in Ba0.6K0.4BiO3 produced by fast neutron irradiation

Abstract Fast ( E ⩾0.1 MeV) neutron irradiation of Ba 0.6 K 0.4 BiO 3 suppresses its superconducting transition temperature T c at a rate substantially less than in high- T c cuprates. Also unlike the cuprates, neutron irradiation has little effect on the magnetization critical current density. A neutron fluence of ∽1.4×10 18 n/cm 2 qualitatively alters the temperature dependence of the normal state susceptibility of Ba 0.6 K 0.4 BiO 3 .
A probabilistic approach to polycrystalline plasticity part II: applications

Abstract Using our constitutive theory for polycrystalline plasticity, we have calculated characteristic yield conditions for several sample materials in which the dependence of the dislocation velocity on stress is given by an empirical power function. The shape of the yield surfaces for these materials varies resembling that of von Mises when the stress exponent is small and that of Tresca when the exponent is large. Additional examples illustrate the ability of the proposed theory to model such phenomena as the development of anisotropy during plastic deformation, material hardening and softening, the occurrence of upper and lower yield points, and a Bauschinger effect.
Genetics and molecular pathology of Stargardt-like macular degeneration

Stargardt-like macular degeneration (STGD3) is an early onset, autosomal dominant macular degeneration. STGD3 is characterized by a progressive pathology, the loss of central vision, atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium, and accumulation of lipofuscin, clinical features that are also characteristic of age-related macular degeneration. The onset of clinical symptoms in STGD3, however, is typically observed within the second or third decade of life (i.e., starting in the teenage years). The clinical profile at any given age among STGD3 patients can be variable suggesting that, although STGD3 is a single gene defect, other genetic or environmental factors may play a role in moderating the final disease phenotype. Genetic studies localized the STGD3 disease locus to a small region on the short arm of human chromosome 6, and application of a positional candidate gene approach identified protein truncating mutations in the elongation of very long chain fatty acids-4 gene (ELOVL4) in patients with this disease. The ELOVL4 gene encodes a protein homologous to the ELO group of proteins that participate in fatty acid elongation in yeast. Pathogenic mutations found in the ELOVL4 gene result in altered trafficking of the protein and behave with a dominant negative effect. Mice carrying an Elovl4 mutation developed photoreceptor degeneration and depletion of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA). ELOVL4 protein participates in the synthesis of fatty acids with chain length longer than 26 carbons. Studies on ELOVL4 indicate that VLCFA may be necessary for normal function of the retina, and the defective protein trafficking and/or altered VLCFA elongation underlies the pathology associated with STGD3. Determining the role of VLCFA in the retina and discerning the implications of abnormal trafficking of mutant ELOVL4 and depleted VLCFA content in the pathology of STGD3 will provide valuable insight in understanding the retinal structure, function, and pathology underlying STGD3 and may lead to a better understanding of the process of macular disease in general.
A MULTIPLE-OBJECTIVE DECISIONMAKING APPROACH FOR ASSESSING SIMULTANEOUS IMPROVEMENT IN DIE LIFE AND CASTING QUALITY IN A DIE CASTING PROCESS

A statistical procedure that involves experimental design and simultaneous optimization is proposed to search for appropriate machine settings such that both casting quality and die life are considered. Specifically, experimental design is used to colle..
Alternative Structures for Investment in Creditand Operations in MBS Securitization

This article examines the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs) across a wide range of activities related to securitization as a vehicle for housing finance, with focus on a few key aspects that are undergoing a transition. The two main categories of GSE participation are their role as investors and their role in securitization operations. As the GSEs experiment with attracting private capital via structured products and insurance-based models to invest in mortgage credit risk, the author proposes two alternative models using the respective channels. The objective is to show a path to attract a wide base of investors at the “front end” so that risk taking by other players happens simultaneously with GSE securitization and shifts some operational burden of securitization from the GSEs to the private sector. The author explores the economics of recent risk transfer transactions in light of the guarantee fees charged by the GSEs for their overall role in securitization and offer insights about further participation of private entities in other operational roles. One such role is the post-securitization credit risk management that the GSEs perform. Going forward, risk-sharing arrangements with the private sector leave the investors facing credit risk, in addition to mortgage-backed security holders, dependent on the efficiency of such service provided by the GSEs in a principal/agent framework.
A Multi-Method Approach for Near Real Time Conflict and Crisis Early Warning

This chapter describes a system that was developed by the Department of Defense to monitor, assess and forecast a variety of de-stabilizing events throughout the world, including insurgencies, rebellions, international crises, domestic political crises, and ethnic/religious violence. The chapter describes each of the key components of the system, and the lessons the author learned as he integrated basic research and transformed it into an operationally useful system for crisis early warning.