cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Skinner Is Difficult

Skinner's views are commonly misrepresented. One reason for this difficulty is that changes in the way that Skinner formulated his views occurred in a gradual evolution over time throughout Skinner's career, and the changes and their significance were not as conspicuously marked as they might have been. Among these changes were a movement from a two-term necessity to a three-term contingency; a movement from discriminative stimulus to setting as the first term in his three-term contingency; and a movement from determinism to random variation as a foundational principle in his selectionist behaviorism. When not seen in their historical development over time, a sample reading of Skinner's views may readily result in misleading or inaccurate interpretations, particularly in respect to his later work. Seen in historical context, however, the accounts that survived after the changes Skinner made are well integrated in a selectionist theory of behavior.
In-Store Pickup and Returns for a Dual Channel Retailer

The Internet and technology have changed how products are sold and delivered to consumers. Today, the most significant growth in online retailing comes from multichannel retailers that sell products both in stores and over the Internet. Recently, these retail/e-tail organizations have attempted to leverage their “brick” locations by allowing customers to pick up or return orders purchased online at retail store locations. Such options let online customers avoid both long carrier lead times and high shipping costs. However, these options come at a cost to the retailer. This paper develops a mathematical model for analytically examining the cost and value of providing in-store pickup and return options in multi-echelon retail/e-tail organizations. In this light, the model determines the optimal subset of a retailer/e-tailer's stores that should be set up to handle in-store pickups and online returns under stochastic channel demands. Computational results show that optimizing the set of pickup and return locations can reduce system cost by up to 20% on average over arbitrarily enabling all stores with Internet pickup/return capabilities, and firms can substantially increase customer value while maintaining cost minimization as an important selection criterion in choosing pickup and return locations.
Introduction to part 1 of the special issue on Emotion-Focused Therapy

The special issue is devoted to developments in emotion-focused therapy (EFT). The papers presented here demonstrate the growth and development of EFT, showing theoretical and research developments...
The Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Tennessee: Distribution of Species, Seasonal Adult Activity, and New State Records

Efforts to document species of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) occurring in Tennessee have not been updated since 1973. To address this knowledge gap, institutional, research, and private collections in Tennessee were reviewed to provide faunal distribution assessments and seasonal activity data for the cerambycid beetle species active in Tennessee. Examinations of 9,918 specimens and records yielded a list of 230 cerambycid beetle species within 5 subfamilies. Twenty-seven species are reported as new state records from Tennessee. Adult seasonal activity data that were recorded on specimen labels are presented. Where available, notes on collection method, adult resources, and larval host plants are provided for species within a supplementary table. Supplemental figures report the distribution for species collected across the state and from 85 of the 95 Tennessee counties, as well as the ecoregions from which each species is reported. The bias-corrected Chao1 species richness estimator predicts another 11 species remain to be identified across the state. Future collection efforts in the Central Appalachian, Mississippi Alluvial and Valley Loess Plains, Southeastern Plains, and western portions of the Interior Plateau ecoregions could yield additional new state records. Developmental host and adult resource plants, collection methods, as well as regional collection notes from adjacent states are discussed for several additional candidate longhorned beetle species.
Childhood attachment and adult personality: A life history perspective

According to attachment theory, being securely attached to one’s primary caregiver early in life should be related to personality adulthood. However, no studies to date have investigated this key p...
Solution and solid-state characterization of Zn(II) complexes containing a new tridentate N2S ligand

Abstract A new N2S ligand bis(pyridyl)(2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl)methane (2, Py2MeImS) has been synthesized and characterized. Treatment of this ligand with bromide and triflate salts of Zn(II) results in the complexes (Py2MeImS)ZnBr2 (3) and [(Py2MeImS)2Zn](OTf)2 (4), respectively. The solid-state structure of (Py2MeImS)ZnBr2 shows bidentate N,N-coordination of Py2MeImS to the zinc ion, with the sulfur atom of the 2-mercaptoimidazole moiety uncoordinated. Two conformers of 3 rapidly interconvert in solution at room temperature, and variable temperature NMR studies and DFT calculations were used to help assign the likely identity of these conformers. In contrast, the crystal structure of [(Py2MeImS)2Zn](OTf)2 exhibits a zinc ion with a distorted octahedral geometry where the two sulfur atoms of the two ligands are coordinated to the zinc center in a cis-configuration. Even though the cis-isomer (4-cis) is calculated to be lower in energy than the trans-isomer (4-trans), the low temperature 1H NMR spectrum of 4 reveals a single symmetric species that is inconsistent with the cis-isomer observed in the solid-state structure. DFT calculations propose alternative higher energy structures, including a trans-configuration of the coordinated S-atoms of the two Py2MeImS ligands, as well as structures in which the 2-mercaptoimidazole groups are no longer coordinated to the zinc(II) center. These studies provide valuable insight into the potential binding modes of this new ligand and its behavior in solution.
Rabbinic Understandings of Marital Rape in the Talmud

In this chapter, Mari Rethelyi uses religious studies and textual approaches to consider attitudes towards marital rape expressed in the Jewish rabbinic traditions, particularly the Babylonian Talmud. Rethelyi notes that, from the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmudim up to the present day, rabbinic texts discuss female rape within the context of proper/improper and legitimate/illegitimate sexual relations between married men and women. To explore their approach to marital sexual violence, she considers first the broader topic of sexuality within marriage, which is subject to two distinct legal regulations within Judaism: the laws of onah (regulating male sexuality and men’s conjugal duties) and the laws of niddah (regulating women’s menstrual cycles, purity status, and their “availability” to have marital sexual relations). Drawing on these legal traditions, Rethelyi maps out rabbinic understandings of and responses to marital rape. While the laws do, to some degree, offer women a form of protection from spousal sexual violence, they nevertheless remain rooted within patriarchal discourses, which sustain certain gender inequalities while also evoking rape-supportive understandings of sexuality and gender relations.
Consequences of Multi-Scale Habitat Selection on Reproductive Success of Riverine Sandbar-Nesting Birds in Cambodia:

Habitat selection occurs at multiple spatial scales and affects demographic processes including reproductive success. Few studies, however, have linked multi-scale habitat selection to reproductive...
Hierarchical Micro- and Nanopatterning of Metallic Glass to Engineer Cellular Responses

Nano and micropatterning of biomaterials is a rapidly evolving technology used in the engineering sciences to control cell behavior. Specifically, altering the topographies and hence surface mechanical properties has been shown to induce changes in cell morphology and function. Here, we show a method for fabricating hierarchical micro- and nanopatterns of Pt57.5Cu14.7Ni5.3P22.5 (Pt-BMG) on the relevant length scales comparable to that of proteins and cells. Leveraging the amorphous nature of Pt-BMGs, we have a versatile toolbox to manipulate patterns on the nano/micro level and combine multiple length scales to examine specific cell responses. We assay the morphology of macrophages and fibroblasts, two cell types critical to the foreign body response. Furthermore, we show that nanotopography is critical for reducing macrophage fusion and that high levels of fusion on both unpatterned and micropatterned substrates can be mitigated with the addition of nanotopographical features. Interestingly, we show that...
The reovirus μ1 protein contributes to the environmental stability of virions

The mammalian orthoreovirus (reovirus) outer capsid is composed of 200 μ1-σ3 heterohexamers and a maximum of 12 σ1 trimers. During cell entry, σ3 is degraded by luminal or intracellular proteases to generate a metastable intermediate, called infectious subviral particle (ISVP). Prior to disassembly, σ3 stabilizes the virion by capping μ1. Reovirus fails to establish a productive infection when σ3 degradation is prevented, suggesting proteolytic priming is required for entry. Once uncovered, ISVPs are converted to ISVP*s, which is accompanied by a μ1 rearrangement. Nonetheless, whether σ3 degradation can be bypassed for virions to adopt an altered conformation is undetermined. In this report, we utilized the T1L/T3D M2 reassortant, which encodes a mismatched outer capsid, to further investigate the determinants of reovirus stability. When μ1-σ3 were derived from different strains, virions resembled wild type in structure and protease sensitivity. Using heat as a surrogate for environmental assault, T1L/T3D M2 ISVPs were more susceptible to inactivation than wild type ISVPs. In contrast, virions of each strain were equally stable. Surprisingly, virion associated μ1 rearranged into an ISVP*-like conformation concurrent with loss of infectivity. Despite the presence σ3, a hyperstable variant of μ1 also contributed to heat resistance. The dual layered architecture of reovirus allowed for differential sensitivity to inactivating agents; the inner capsid (core) displayed exceptional resistance to heating. Together, these findings reveal a previously undefined contribution from μ1 in maintaining virion stability.
Sorting signals from protein NMR spectra: SPI, a Bayesian protocol for uncovering spin systems.

Grouping of spectral peaks into J-connected spin systems is essential in the analysis of macromolecular NMR data as it provides the basis for disentangling chemical shift degeneracies. It is a mandatory step before resonance and NOESY cross-peak identities can be established. We have developed SPI, a computational protocol that scrutinizes peak lists from homo- and hetero-nuclear multidimensional NMR spectra and progressively assembles sets of resonances into consensus J- and/or NOE-connected spin systems. SPI estimates the likelihood of nuclear spin resonances appearing at defined frequencies given sets of cross-peaks measured from multi-dimensional experiments. It quantifies spin system matching probabilities via Bayesian inference. The protocol takes advantage of redundancies in the number of connectivities revealed by suites of diverse NMR experiments, systematically tracking the adequacy of each grouping hypothesis. SPI was tested on 2D homonuclear and 2D/3D(15)N-edited data recorded from two protein modules, the col 2 domain of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and the kringle 2 domain of plasminogen, of 60 and 83 amino acid residues, respectively. For these protein domains SPI identifies approximately 95% unambiguous resonance frequencies, a relatively good performance vis-a-vis the reported 'manual' (interactive) analyses. Abbreviations and Acronyms: SPI, SPin Identification; BMRB, BioMagResBank (Madison, WI).
Biotic soil crust community composition 12–16 years after wildfires in Idaho, U.S.A.

Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) are important components of sagebrush steppe ecosystems that may be affected by wildfire frequency and severity. As wildfires become more frequent and severe with exotic annual grasses and climate change, it is unknown how BSCs will be affected. We examined the sites of four 12–16 year-old wildfires in Idaho, U.S.A. and adjacent unburned habitats. We found that several lichen and bryophyte species were more frequent and abundant in unburned plots but no species were significantly associated with burned plots. Burned BSC communities were largely a subset of unburned communities. We compared sampling methods using eight 1 m × 1 m subplots per plot to eight 0.25 m × 0.25 m microplots per plot. We observed 80 total taxa in the subplots, as compared with 68 in the microplots. However, even using the smaller sampling area, the difference in community composition between burned and unburned plots was evident. The number of observed taxa was unusually high for BSC studies in the area and may reflect our sampling in varied plant communities in four wildfire sites, unusually well-developed BSCs, larger plot sizes, or greater attention to taxonomic detail. These results add to our understanding of longer-term BSC community recovery following wildfires in the western United States.
Complete arsenic-based respiratory cycle in the marine microbial communities of pelagic oxygen-deficient zones

Microbial capacity to metabolize arsenic is ancient, arising in response to its pervasive presence in the environment, which was largely in the form of As(III) in the early anoxic ocean. Many biological arsenic transformations are aimed at mitigating toxicity; however, some microorganisms can respire compounds of this redox-sensitive element to reap energetic gains. In several modern anoxic marine systems concentrations of As(V) are higher relative to As(III) than what would be expected from the thermodynamic equilibrium, but the mechanism for this discrepancy has remained unknown. Here we present evidence of a complete respiratory arsenic cycle, consisting of dissimilatory As(V) reduction and chemoautotrophic As(III) oxidation, in the pelagic ocean. We identified the presence of genes encoding both subunits of the respiratory arsenite oxidase AioA and the dissimilatory arsenate reductase ArrA in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP) oxygen-deficient zone (ODZ). The presence of the dissimilatory arsenate reductase gene arrA was enriched on large particles (>30 um), similar to the forward bacterial dsrA gene of sulfate-reducing bacteria, which is involved in the cryptic cycling of sulfur in ODZs. Arsenic respiratory genes were expressed in metatranscriptomic libraries from the ETNP and the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) ODZ, indicating arsenotrophy is a metabolic pathway actively utilized in anoxic marine water columns. Together these results suggest arsenic-based metabolisms support organic matter production and impact nitrogen biogeochemical cycling in modern oceans. In early anoxic oceans, especially during periods of high marine arsenic concentrations, they may have played a much larger role.
Ethics of identity in the time of big data

Compartmentalizing our distinct personal identities is increasingly difficult in big data reality. Pictures of the person we were on past vacations resurface in employers’ Google searches; LinkedIn which exhibits our income level is increasingly used as a dating web site. Whether on vacation, at work, or seeking romance, our digital selves stream together. One result is that a perennial ethical question about personal identity has spilled out of philosophy departments and into the real world. Ought we possess one, unified identity that coherently integrates the various aspects of our lives, or, incarnate deeply distinct selves suited to different occasions and contexts? At bottom, are we one, or many? The question is not only palpable today, but also urgent because if a decision is not made by us, the forces of big data and surveillance capitalism will make it for us by compelling unity. Speaking in favor of the big data tendency, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg promotes the ethics of an integrated identity, a single version of selfhood maintained across diverse contexts and human relationships. This essay goes in the other direction by sketching two ethical frameworks arranged to defend our compartmentalized identities, which amounts to promoting the dis-integration of our selves. One framework connects with natural law, the other with language, and both aim to create a sense of selfhood that breaks away from its own past, and from the unifying powers of big data technology.
Identification of charged amino acids required for nuclear localization of human L1 ORF1 protein

Long Interspersed Element 1 (LINE-1) is a retrotransposon that is present in 500,000 copies in the human genome. Along with Alu and SVA elements, these three retrotransposons account for more than a third of the human genome sequence. These mobile elements are able to copy themselves within the genome via an RNA intermediate, a process that can promote genome instability. LINE-1 encodes two proteins, ORF1p and ORF2p. Association of ORF1p, ORF2p and a full-length L1 mRNA in a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particle, L1 RNP, is required for L1 retrotransposition. Previous studies have suggested that fusion of a tag to L1 proteins can interfere with L1 retrotransposition. Using antibodies detecting untagged human ORF1p, western blot analysis and manipulation of ORF1 sequence and length, we have identified a set of charged amino acids in the C-terminal region of ORF1p that are important in determining its subcellular localization. Mutation of 7 non-identical lysine residues is sufficient to make the resulting ORF1p to be predominantly cytoplasmic, demonstrating intrinsic redundancy of this requirement. These residues are also necessary for ORF1p to retain its association with KPNA2 nuclear pore protein. We demonstrate that this interaction is significantly reduced by RNase treatment. Using co-IP, we have also determined that human ORF1p associates with all members of the KPNA subfamily. The prediction of NLS sequences suggested that specific sequences within ORF1p could be responsible for its subcellular localization by interacting with nuclear binding proteins. We have found that multiple charged amino acids in the C-terminus of ORF1p are involved in ORF1 subcellular localization and interaction with KPNA2 nuclear pore protein. Our data demonstrate that different amino acids can be mutated to have the same phenotypic effect on ORF1p subcellular localization, demonstrating that the net number of charged residues or protein structure, rather than their specific location, is important for the ORF1p nuclear localization. We also identified that human ORF1p interacts with all members of the KPNA family of proteins and that multiple KPNA family genes are expressed in human cell lines.
Too Much of a Good Thing? Large Choice Sets, Parties, and Representation in Multimember Districts

This paper addresses a basic set of questions about the ability of voters to make satisfactory choices in multimember districts. Increasing district magnitude expands voters' choice sets and increases the probability that one of the candidates in a voter's district will be a good match for him or her. On the other hand, increasing the number of candidates in a district can negatively affect voter performance by making it more difficult for voters to identify a good representative. This paper tests for the impact of district magnitude on voter performance in multimember districts. Using data from a survey experiment conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I test for a relationship between the number of candidates competing in a district and the ability and willingness of voters to select candidates. I also test for the ability of parties to facilitate vote choice in challenging electoral environments. I find evidence of a positive relationship between the size of voters' choice sets and abstention rates. I also find that the presence of party labels does not reduce the probability of abstention. This finding provides evidence of some of the cognitive costs to voters that are inherent to higher magnitude districts and a tradeoff between the representativeness of the pool of candidates and the ability of voters to make choices.
Local Field Potentials and ECoG

The ability to record human neural activity in the form of field potentials from deep brain leads or surface brain electrodes has given us immense insight into the pathophysiology of movement disorders. These recordings have shed light on the oscillatory nature of neural network and its role in normal brain physiology as well as in disease. Based on these field potential recordings, excessive synchronization of the motor network in different frequency bands may be phenomenologically associated with diverse motor symptoms of movement disorders. Similar phenomena may also be present in other neurological and psychiatric diseases, allowing novel application of stereotactic procedures to understand and treat these disorders. In this chapter, we discuss recent findings regarding the role of network oscillatory activities in movement disorders, based on studies from local field potentials and electrocorticography potentials. We also examine how this knowledge is relevant for clinical practice, both in understanding the mechanism of existing deep brain stimulation therapy as well as in refining and improving existing treatments.
Abstract 37: Healthy Eating Patterns and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Results From Three Large Prospective Cohort Studies

Introduction: The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) recommend three major healthy dietary patterns: the Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, the Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Patte...
Evaluating sexual function in adolescent and young adult childhood cancer survivors.

e24180Background: Up to half of adolescent and young adult (AYA) childhood cancer survivors (CCS) experience sexual dysfunction (SD) as a result cancer or its treatment. SD in CCS is under-recogniz...
The Girl in Building C: The True Story of a Teenage Tuberculosis Patient

Review of: The Girl in Building C: The True Story of a Teenage Tuberculosis Patient, edited by Mary Krugerud.
Plasma N-terminal tau fragment levels predict future cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in healthy elderly individuals.

The availability of blood-based assays detecting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology should greatly accelerate AD therapeutic development and improve clinical care. This is especially true for markers that capture the risk of decline in pre-symptomatic stages of AD, as this would allow one to focus interventions on participants maximally at risk and at a stage prior to widespread synapse loss and neurodegeneration. Here we quantify plasma concentrations of an N-terminal fragment of tau (NT1) in a large, well-characterized cohort of clinically normal elderly who were followed longitudinally. Plasma NT1 levels at study entry (when all participants were unimpaired) were highly predictive of future cognitive decline, pathological tau accumulation, neurodegeneration, and transition to a diagnosis of MCI/AD. These predictive effects were particularly strong in participants with even modestly elevated brain β-amyloid burden at study entry, suggesting plasma NT1 levels capture very early cognitive, pathologic and neurodegenerative changes along the AD trajectory. Previously it was shown that an N-terminal tau fragment (NT1) measured in plasma can differentiate individuals with Alzheimer’s disease from healthy controls. Here the authors show that plasma levels of NT1 can associate with future cognitive decline in cognitively normal elderly individuals.
Developing Elementary Education Candidates’ Skills to Elicit and Interpret Student Thinking through a Mathematics Tutoring Clinical Experience

Teacher educators and educational leaders have emphasized the importance of teachers who can effectively elicit and interpret their students’ thinking. This study included the development of elementary education candidates’ capacity to elicit and interpret student thinking while serving as tutors to primary grades students who had not yet met grade level expectations from the previous year. This multi-methods study included data from written reflections and surveys. In reflections, candidates reported growth in their questioning techniques, seeing their primary students’ grow in their understanding of mathematics concepts. A one-way ANOVA with survey data indicated statistically significant differences on pre- and post-surveys on candidates’ eagerness to work with individual students in mathematics, their preparation to work with students in math, and their willingness to teach mathematics to students experiencing poverty. The article closes with implications for teacher education programs to promote candidates’ enactment of practices related to eliciting and interpreting students’ thinking in early childhood and elementary education settings.
Vapour-liquid equilibria (VLE) and gas hydrate phase equilibria predictions using the cubic-plus association equation of state: CSMGem extension to association EoS model

Abstract Inaccurate predictions of the vapour-liquid equilibria of polar gas hydrate formers and organic inhibitors can lead to erroneous hydrate phase equilibrium predictions for these associating components. In this work, parameters of the cubic plus association equation of state (CPA-EoS) were optimized for associating components by simultaneous minimization of absolute errors of saturated liquid densities and vapour pressures compared to experimental data. Model prediction accuracies were compared with experimental data after optimizing binary interaction parameters. The proposed association equation of state (based on CPA-EoS) was employed to predict vapour-liquid equilibria of water/N2/H2+non-associating hydrate formers. Water was modelled using a 4C association scheme, i.e., comprising two proton donor and acceptor sites on each water molecule, which has been used previously (Chapman, 1989; Hammerschmidt, 1934; Kontogeorgis, 2006a; Tsivintzelis, 2010; Tsivintzelis et al., 2014; Wichterle and Kobayashi, 1972; Williams and Katz, 1954). For model development and validation, phase envelopes were predicted and validated with experimental solubility data for several systems. Furthermore, the CPA-EoS was also coupled with the Colorado School of Mines Gibbs Energy Minimization (CSMGem) algorithm for hydrate phase equilibria predictions. The predictions were in close agreement with experimental hydrate phase equilibria measurements.
AMPK: restoring metabolic homeostasis over space and time

The evolution of AMPK and its homologs enabled exquisite responsivity and control of cellular energetic homeostasis. Recent work has been critical in establishing the mechanisms that determine AMPK activity, novel targets of AMPK action, and the distribution of AMPK-mediated control networks across the cellular landscape. The role of AMPK as a hub of metabolic control has led to intense interest in pharmacologic activation as a therapeutic avenue for a number of disease states, including obesity, diabetes, and cancer. As such, critical work on the compartmentalization of AMPK, its downstream targets, and the systems it influences has progressed in recent years. The variegated distribution of AMPK-mediated control of metabolic homeostasis has revealed key insights into AMPK in normal biology and future directions for AMPK-based therapeutic strategies.
Utility and Safety of Perampanel in Pediatric FIRES and Other Drug-Resistant Epilepsies:

Perampanel is a novel antiepileptic drug, which antagonises AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) glutamate receptor. We describe perampanel as an adjunctive treatment for...
Commentary on the Hypermetabolic State and the Role of Oxygen in Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury

Centrilobular hypoxia has been postulated as a mechanism for the development of hepatocellular necrosis and fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease. Chronic ethanol ingestion in rodents results in increased hepatic oxygen consumption and in a steeper fall in oxygen tension between the periportal and the pericentral area of the lobule, rendering the pericentral area susceptible to hypoxia. Hepatocellular necrosis occurs when ethanol-fed animals are exposed to low atmospheric oxygen. In man, the existence of a hypermetabolic state is more tenuous, but suggested by an increased rate of ethanol elimination after chronic ethanol consumption that has been linked to increased oxygen consumption in animals. Also, decreases in hepatic blood flow and hepatic vein oxygen tension were found in alcoholics with histological evidence of liver-cell necrosis as compared to those without necrosis. It is postulated that in man, reduction in the availability of oxygen to the liver may be caused by miscellaneous conditions such as anemia, respiratory depression or infection, cigarette-smoking, or reduction of hepatic blood flow, but the contribution of one or more of these factors remains to be proven. Trials of the effect of propylthiouracil (PTU) on alcoholic hepatitis are based on the effect of this drug in decreasing the ethanol-induced hypermetabolic state and in preventing hepatocellular necrosis in animals exposed to low atmospheric oxygen. A tentative conclusion of the two small trials that have been completed is that PTU may be beneficial in moderately ill patients with a low mortality, but not useful in severely ill patients with a high mortality.
Method for Evaluating Periodic Trends in Measured Signals Based on the Number of Zero Crossings

A method is proposed for evaluating the frequency of periodic trends based on the number of zero crossings by a signal. This method is distinguished by low computation time requirements. Test results demonstrate the possible use of this method in practical applications.
Zoonotic Agents, Arthropod-Borne

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the zoonotic agents that are transmitted from other vertebrates to humans through arthropods. It does not include nonzoonotic disease agents that are transmitted solely from person-to-person by arthropods e.g., malaria. Zoonoses can be transmitted to humans by direct contact with an infectious vertebrate host or a fomite (i.e., an inanimate object such as an article of clothing that can harbor an agent); by ingestion of contaminated water, food, or other organic matter; by inhalation; or by arthropod vectors. Zoonoses comprise nearly three-fifths of the 1407 infectious organisms known to cause disease in humans. Among the zoonotic pathogens, 22% are transmitted by arthropods, and many arthropod-borne diseases have either emerged or reemerged since the 1970s. Various factors have contributed to the emergence or resurgence of vectorborne zoonotic pathogens, but foremost among them are ecological changes that give rise to increased densities of arthropod vectors. The economic and societal impacts of certain vector-borne diseases can be staggering, with estimated annual costs averaging up to several thousand dollars per patient. Knowledge of the specific environmental factors, arthropod vectors, and vertebrate hosts contributing to the maintenance of zoonotic agents is a sine qua non for developing and implementing effective preventive or control strategies. This kind of information is vitally important because few vaccines currently are available globally for personal protection against vector-borne infections.
A survey and comparison of tree generation algorithms

This paper discusses and compares five major tree-generation algorithms for genetic programming, and their effects on fitness: RAMPED HALF-AND-HALF, PTC1, PTC2, RANDOM-BRANCH, and UNIFORM. The paper compares the performance of these algorithms on three genetic programming problems (11-Boolean Multiplexer, Artificial Ant, and Symbolic Regression), and discovers that the algorithms do not have a significant impact on fitness. Additional experimentation shows that tree size does have an important impact on fitness, and further that the ideal initial tree size is very different from that used in traditional GP.
Lime and Tillage Research Project

Introduction Farmers growing corn and soybeans in northwest Iowa have to consider the cost of aglime when liming their soils. This is because of the high limestone cost and the fact that the soils in northwest Iowa have high pH subsoil, which moderates the negative effect of acid surface soils. Another factor that must be considered is the variable mixing of limestone into the soil with different tillage systems. The different amounts of soil mixing between no-till systems, ridge till systems, and conventional tillage systems may affect the amount of limestone needed to correct the soil pH, crop yields, and the needed limestone rate.
6,6′-Disulfide Cross-Links in Cotton Cellulose; Part II: Effects of Different Cross-Linking Conditions1

The effects of covalent, intermolecular cross-linking resulting from the introduction into cellulose of thio (SH) groups which are subsequently oxidized to form disulfide (S—S) linkages between the cellulose chains are discussed. When the reactions described herein are carried out on cotton fabrics, there is enhanced wet and/or dry wrinkle recovery, depending upon the mode of thio group oxidation. The results of oxidation in aqueous, nonaqueous, and gas-phase systems are compared. The relation between the degree of cross-linking and wrinkle recovery is described in quantitative terms. The effects of intermediate reactions and disulfide cross-linking on strength as well as on wrinkle recovery are also described.
Polyinstantation for Cover Stories

In this paper we study the use of polyinstantiation, for the purpose of implementing cover stories in multilevel secure relational database systems. We define a particular semantics for polyinstantiation called PCS (i.e., polyinstantiation for cover stories). PCS allows two alternatives for each attribute (or attribute group) of a multilevel entity: (i) no polyinstantiation, or (ii) polyinstantiation at the explicit request of a user to whom the polyinstantiation is visible. PCS strictly limits the extent of polyinstantiation by requiring that each entity in a multilevel relation has at most one tuple per security class. We demonstrate that PCS provides a natural, intuitive and useful technique for implementing cover stories. A particularly attractive feature of PCS is its run-time flexibility regarding the use of cover stories. A particular attribute may have cover stories for some entities and not for others. Even for the same entity, a particular attribute may be polyinstantiated at some time and not at other times.
MORS PHILOSOPHI : THE DEATH OF JESUS IN LUKE

The death of Jesus of Nazareth by crucifixion was the source of numerous difficulties for early proponents of Christianity. Paul's statement to the Corinthians, “We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause of offense and to the Gentiles foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23), was not hyperbolic rhetoric, but a sober assessment of the difficulty of proclaiming a condemned criminal to be the “Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8). The fundamental problem is obvious: a crucified Lord struck most ancients as an oxymoron.Early Christian authors were keenly aware of the negative associations of the cross; see Justin, 1 Apol. 13.4; Origen, Cels. 6.10; Lactantius, Inst. 4.26 and Epit. 50–51. The gospels did little to overcome the problem from a pagan perspective; in some cases they even exacerbated it. For example, Celsus, the learned and perceptive second-century critic of Christianity, found that the manner in which the evangelists described Jesus as he faced death undermined Christian claims for him. He wrote: “Why does he howl, lament, and pray to escape the fear of destruction, expressing himself in a manner like this: ‘Oh Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass’?”Origen, Cels. 6.10. Origen countered by pointing out that Celsus had doctored the texts by adding “lament” and omitting the all-important qualifying clause that demonstrates Jesus' voluntary obedience to the Father, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”Origen, Cels. 2.24. All translations are my own. I have used the edition of Paul B. Koetschau, Origenes Werke 1 (GCS; Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1899). However, he found it difficult to offer much more of a rebuttal and was forced to conclude: “But these matters, which require extended discussion by the wisdom of God, and which may reasonably be considered by those whom Paul calls ‘perfect’ …we, for the present, pass by …”Ibid.
HYDROLYSIS PATHWAY LEADING TO THE FORMATION OF NOVEL OXO- AND HALO-BRIDGED TIN(IV) LADDER COMPOUNDS. THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF THE DIMERIC DISTANNOXANES [Ph2(CI)SnOSnPh2(OH)]2.2(CH3)2CO AND [Ph2(CI)SnOSnPh2(CI]2

Abstract Acid-base adduct formation occurs in benzene solutions of Ph2SnCl2 with quinuclidine, Dabco, and acridine as ligands. By use of the latter base, the dichlorodistannoxane [Ph2CISnOSnPh2Cl]2 (6) also was isolated. In more polar solvents, hydrolysis reactions of Ph2SnCl2 occur more readily, leading to dimeric distannoxanes. The hydroxystannoxane [Ph2C1SnOSnPh2OH]2.2(CH3)2CO (5) is isolated from the reaction of Ph2SnCl2 and quinuclidine in acetonitrile solution. It is also obtained by the analogous reaction of Dabco in acetone. Further characterized from these reactions were anionic complexes [Ph2SnC14][base H]2 (base = quinuclidine, Dabco, or acridine). The isolation and structural characterization of successive members in the hydrolysis lead to a mechanism of formation of the dimeric distannoxanes 5 and 6. X-ray analysis shows they both possess “ladder” structures with tin atoms in trigonal-bipyramidal conformations. This is the first structural study of distannoxanes containing directly bonded ary...
Honokiol activates LKB1-miR-34a axis and antagonizes the oncogenic actions of leptin in breast cancer

Leptin, a major adipocytokine produced by adipocytes, is emerging as a key molecule linking obesity with breast cancer therefore, it is important to find effective strategies to antagonize oncogenic effects of leptin to disrupt obesity-cancer axis. Here, we examine the potential of honokiol (HNK), a bioactive polyphenol from Magnolia grandiflora, as a leptin-antagonist and systematically elucidate the underlying mechanisms. HNK inhibits leptin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), and mammosphere-formation along with a reduction in the expression of stemness factors, Oct4 and Nanog. Investigating the downstream mediator(s), that direct leptin-antagonist actions of HNK; we discovered functional interactions between HNK, LKB1 and miR-34a. HNK increases the expression and cytoplasmic-localization of LKB1 while HNK-induced SIRT1/3 accentuates the cytoplasmic-localization of LKB1. We found that HNK increases miR-34a in LKB1-dependent manner as LKB1-silencing impedes HNK-induced miR-34a which can be rescued by LKB1-overexpression. Finally, an integral role of miR-34a is discovered as miR-34a mimic potentiates HNK-mediated inhibition of EMT, Zeb1 expression and nuclear-localization, mammosphere-formation, and expression of stemness factors. Leptin-antagonist actions of HNK are further enhanced by miR-34a mimic whereas miR-34a inhibitor results in inhibiting HNK's effect on leptin. These data provide evidence for the leptin-antagonist potential of HNK and reveal the involvement of LKB1 and miR-34a.
A new optical design method and its application to an extreme ultraviolet varied line spacing plane grating monochromator

Abstract A new design method has been developed for a double-element optical system. The method incorporates a very simple ray tracing procedure into an analytic merit function that closely represents the variance of an infinite number of ray-traced spots in the image plane. A 174° constant-deviation objective Monk-Gillieson monochromator consisting of a highly demagnifying ( ∼ 1 10 ) spherical mirror, varied spacing plane grating, and elliptic cylindrical focusing mirror has been designed for a bending-magnet beamline using the new design method. Ray-tracing results show that the new design can provide higher spectral purity and throughput as compared to a design based on the light path function and that the monochromator design gives slit-width-limited resolutions over a wavelength range of 2–5 nm.
Genetic and cellular mechanisms regulating anterior foregut and esophageal development.

Abstract Separation of the single anterior foregut tube into the esophagus and trachea involves cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as dynamic changes in cell–cell adhesion and migration. These biological processes are regulated and coordinated at multiple levels through the interplay of the epithelium and mesenchyme. Genetic studies and in vitro modeling have shed light on relevant regulatory networks that include a number of transcription factors and signaling pathways. These signaling molecules exhibit unique expression patterns and play specific functions in their respective territories before the separation process occurs. Disruption of regulatory networks inevitably leads to defective separation and malformation of the trachea and esophagus and results in the formation of a relatively common birth defect, esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). Significantly, some of the signaling pathways and transcription factors involved in anterior foregut separation continue to play important roles in the morphogenesis of the individual organs. In this review, we will focus on new findings related to these different developmental processes and discuss them in the context of developmental disorders or birth defects commonly seen in clinics.
Nicotinic receptor binding site probed with unnatural amino acid incorporation in intact cells

The nonsense codon suppression method for unnatural amino acid incorporation has been applied to intact cells and combined with electrophysiological analysis to probe structure-function relations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Functional receptors were expressed in Xenopus oocytes when tyrosine and phenylalanine derivatives were incorporated at positions 93, 190, and 198 in the binding site of the alpha subunit. Subtle changes in the structure of an individual side chain produced readily detectable changes in the function of this large channel protein. At each position, distinct features of side chain structure dominated the dose-response relation, probably by governing the agonist-receptor binding.
Congenitally osteopetrotic (op/op) mice are not cured by transplants of spleen or bone marrow cells from normal littermates

Congenital mammalian osteopetrosis is characterized by a generalized skeletal sclerosis due to reduced bone resorption by osteoclasts. This condition can be cured in several mutant strains of mice and rats by transplantation of spleen or bone marrow cells from normal littermates. The ability of this regimen to cure osteopetrosis in oplop mice was examined in 23 mice treated with spleen or bone marrow cells from normal littermates and followed for up to 80 days. In no instance was there radiographic or histologic evidence of removal of the excessive skeletal mass characteristic of the disease. These data show that spleen or bone marrow cells do not cure osteopetrosis in this mutation. Recent demonstrations that not all children with congenital osteopetrosis are cured by bone marrow transplants from HLA-matched donors suggest that the oplop mouse mutation may be a useful model system in which to develop alternate treatments.
Even-harmonic generation in free-electron lasers

A harmonic-generation mechanism that relies on the coupling modulation between an electron orbit and an electromagnetic mode is proposed. Applications of this mechanism to harmonic generation in linearly polarized free-electron lasers predicts the emission of even-harmonic radiation in the forward direction primarily in the ${\mathrm{TEM}}_{01}$ mode.
Lectins as probes of glycoprotein and glycolipid oligosaccharides in rods and cones.

Abstract The oligosaccharides of rod and cone membranes were investigated with the aid of fluorescence and 125 I-labeled lectins. Additionally, the ability of lectins to cause agglutination in ROS suspensions was used as an index for the presence of the corresponding lectin receptors. The specificities of lectin-ligand interactions were determined from studies of inhibition by various haptene sugars. The membranes of both rods and cones have receptors for Con A, PNA, RCA-120, RCA-60, SBA and WGA. The affinity of PNA for accessory cones is much higher than for the principal cones. There do not appear to be receptors for UeA and LTA on rods or cones. Additionally, receptors for HPA and DBA were identified on ROS. These results suggest the existance of the following sugar residues: There is no evidence for . The binding of Con A and WGA to ROS membrane proteins electrophoresed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels was also investigated. In addition to rhodopsin, these lectins also bind to the 291,000-dalton protein, indicating that it is a glycoprotein containing mannose and G1cNAc.
An amphioxus nodal gene (AmphiNodal ) with early symmetrical expression in the organizer and mesoderm and later asymmetrical expression associated with left–right axis formation

The full-length sequence and zygotic expression of an amphioxus nodal gene are described. Expression is first detected in the early gastrula just within the dorsal lip of the blastopore in a region of hypoblast that is probably comparable with the vertebrate Spemann's organizer. In the late gastrula and early neurula, expression remains bilaterally symmetrical, limited to paraxial mesoderm and immediately overlying regions of the neural plate. Later in the neurula stage, all neural expression disappears, and mesodermal expression disappears from the right side. All along the left side of the neurula, mesodermal expression spreads into the left side of the gut endoderm. Soon thereafter, all expression is down-regulated except near the anterior and posterior ends of the animal, where transcripts are still found in the mesoderm and endoderm on the left side. At this time, expression also begins in the ectoderm on the left side of the head, in the region where the mouth later forms. These results suggest that amphioxus and vertebrate nodal genes play evolutionarily conserved roles in establishing Spemann's organizer, patterning the mesoderm rostrocaudally and setting up the asymmetrical left-right axis of the body.
Fermion simulations in systems with negative weights

We investigate the use of two methods---Langevin and molecular dynamics---for simulating fermion systems with real, nonpositive definite probability functions. The methods are tested on a simple one-dimensional model. Both methods have difficulties associated with the nodes of the probability function. While the Langevin equation can cross the nodes even for time steps as small as ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}10}$, the crossing may be so violent that an equilibrium distribution is not readily achieved. The molecular-dynamics system is trapped within regions bounded by the nodes, not sampling all of phase space. A hybrid Monte Carlo--molecular-dynamics method is proposed which avoids these difficulties in the Langevin and molecular-dynamics techniques.
Dried gel hybridization in place of southern hybridization for detection of Listeria monocytogenes DNA fragments.

A simple, sensitive, dried gel DNA hybridization method for detection of Listeria monocytogenes DNA fragments is described. DNA samples were fractionated on an agarose gel. The gel was then denatured in NaOH-NaCl and neutralized in Tris-NaCl. The resulting agarose gel was dried and hybridized with 32 P-labelled DNA probe. No transfer to nitrocellulose membranes was used