cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integration of classical and molecular approaches of genetic selection: egg production

Abstract Poultry breeding has demonstrated success from the use of a complex mixture of assessment tools. New proposals are regularly sought out and tested for their ability to translate data into information that enhances genetic gain from selection. Details long hidden from view are already being uncovered by molecular genetics, calling for great skill and discipline to discern and harness their real potential. Some aspects of egg production grudgingly may yield to the influence of new associations suggested from molecular work. In particular, diverse environments call for the kind of genetic variation found only under expensive multiple-location testing, longer flock production life calls for better early predictors, and new egg products call for novel measures of egg component value. In the final analysis, selection on a mix of phenotypic and molecular data is an essential step in evaluating its worth for improving a physiologically complex trait like egg production.
Dynamic investigation of the transport current in YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films

The current density evolution in YBa2Cu3O7?? thin films is studied by time-resolved magneto-optical imaging as a function of the phase of an ac current applied simultaneously with a perpendicular dc magnetic field. We present a new empirical method to separate the total current distribution into a circulating current, which screens the applied field, and the applied transport current. The latter shows an asymmetric profile with pronounced peaks at the edges of the sample and its phase-dependent self-field is contained in the flux region bound by the circulating current. Threading dislocations provide the necessary pinning sites for the observed high local values of the transport current.
Overcoming the Nyquist limit with intensity modulation spectral analysis

Power spectral density measurements of any sampled signal are typically restricted by both acquisition rate and frequency response limitations of instruments. We present a new method called Intensity Modulation Spectral Analysis (IMSA) that circumvents these limitations, extending the effective bandwidth of potentially any measurement device. We demonstrate this for the specific case of video imaging, where oscillating an LED illumination source allows us to quantify fluctuations of an optically-trapped microsphere at frequencies over 10 times higher than the Nyquist limit.
Effect of type of oil and site of administration on the fate of fatty acids in sheep

Safflower oil (S) and methyl myristate (M) were administered in the rumen (R) and abomasum (A) of sheep for 28 days. The digestibility of nitrogen and fiber were not affected by treatment. A larger proportion of fatty acids were digested with SA than with SR while the reverse was found with MR and MA. These differences were reflected in the fecal fatty acid composition. Regardless of treatment, the free fatty acid constituted approximately 75% of the fecal fat. MR and to a lesser extent SR increased the molar % of rumen propionate with a corresponding decrease in acetate. Fatty acid composition of rumen bacteria reflected the composition of the administrated oils. SR resulted in increased stearic and decreased linoleic acids in liver lipids while the adipose tissue remained constant. SA increased linoleic in both tissues. Markedly larger increases in myristic acid were found in adipose and liver lipids with MR compared to MA. Large increases in myristic acid in tissues were associated with decreased linoleic acid.
Exceptional fossil preservation during CO2 greenhouse crises

Abstract Exceptional fossil preservation may require not only exceptional places, but exceptional times, as demonstrated here by two distinct types of analysis. First, irregular stratigraphic spacing of horizons yielding articulated Triassic fishes and Cambrian trilobites is highly correlated in sequences in different parts of the world, as if there were short temporal intervals of exceptional preservation globally. Second, compilations of ages of well-dated fossil localities show spikes of abundance which coincide with stage boundaries, mass extinctions, oceanic anoxic events, carbon isotope anomalies, spikes of high atmospheric carbon dioxide, and transient warm-wet paleoclimates. Exceptional fossil preservation may have been promoted during unusual times, comparable with the present: CO 2 greenhouse crises of expanding marine dead zones, oceanic acidification, coral bleaching, wetland eutrophication, sea level rise, ice-cap melting, and biotic invasions.
A reasoning‐based approach to machine learning

This paper describes a novel approach to machine learning, based on the principle of learning by reasoning. Current learning systems have significant limitations such as brittleness, i.e., the deterioration of performance on a different domain or problem and lack of power required for handling real-world learning problems. The goal of our research was to develop an approach in which many of these limitations are overcome in a unified, coherent and general framework. Our learning approach is based on principles of reasoning, such as the discovery of the underlying principle and the recognition of the deeper basis of similarity, which is somewhat akin to human learning. In this paper, we argue the importance of these principles and tie the limitations of current systems to the lack of application of these principles. We then present the technique developed and illustrate it on a learning problem not directly solvable by previous approaches. Cet article decrit une nouvelle methode d'apprentissage automatique basee sur le principe de l'apprentissage par le raisonnement. Les systemes existants possedent d'importantes limites comme la fragilitye, c'est-a-dire la deterioration du rendement dans le cas d'un domaine ou d'un probleme different, ainsi que le manque de puissance necessaire au traitement de problemes d'apprentissage reels. Le but de eette recherche etait de mettre au point une methode ou bon nombre de ces lacunes seraient eliminees a l'interieur d'un cadre general, unifie et coherent. Cette methode est basee sur des principes de raisonnement comme la decouverte du principe sous-jacent et la reconnaissance de la base plus profonde de similarite, qui s'apparente a l'apprentissage de l'homme. Les auteurs discutent de l'importance de ces principes et ils etablissent un lien entre les limites des systemes actuels et le manque d'application de ces principes. IIs presentent ensuite la technique elaboree et l'illustrent a l'aide d'un probleme qu'il a ete impossible de resoudre avec les methodes precedentes.
Staining of blue-sensitive cones of the macaque retina by a fluorescent dye

Intravitreal injection of a fluorescent dye, Procion yellow, results in the complete and systematic staining of a cone population in the monkey retina. These cones form an approximately regular array whose separation varies with retinal eccentricity. They are absent in the very center of the fovea, and their density peaks at 1 degree. The distribution of stained cones resembles that reported for blue-sensitive cones of other primates and, consistent with such an identification, they are found with less incidence in species having lower concentrations of blue cones.
Practical limits on up-gradient crystallization

Abstract The kinetic processes relevant to up-gradient crystallization are analyzed in detail. Crystallization occurs upon moving an amorphous sample up through a temperature gradient which is the reverse of traditional crystallization from the melt. Both nucleation and growth processes are important to the present technique. To obtain a highly oriented microstructure, bulk nucleation must be prevented. Generally, a liquid with small nucleation rate and large crystal growth rate is favorable for the present route. The model was tested for the lithium diborate glass system, which yielded a highly oriented microstructure with only isolated additional nucleation events.
On enhanced impact strength of calcium carbonate-reinforced high-density polyethylene composites

Abstract The micromechanism of plastic deformation during impact loading of 20% calcium carbonate-reinforced polyethylene micrometric composite is investigated through scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the behavior compared with the un-reinforced polyethylene under identical conditions of processing. The impact strength of composites is linked to structural studies by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy observations. The adoption of calcium carbonate in polyethylene has two primary effects: the reinforcement and the nucleating effect. The reinforcement effect increases the bulk crystallinity and modulus, while the nucleating effect decreases the spherulite size. The addition of calcium carbonate to polyethylene increases impact strength in the investigated temperature range of −40 to +70 °C and alters the primary micromechanism of plastic deformation from crazing–tearing and brittle behavior in neat polyethylene to particle-induced cavitation and fibrillation in the composite.
Gender-related differences in susceptibility of A/J mouse to benzo[a]pyrene-induced pulmonary and forestomach tumorigenesis

Abstract Benzo[ a ]pyrene (BP) is a suspected human carcinogen and is known to produce tumors in the lung and forestomach of mice. Glutathione (GSH) S-transferases (GST) play a major role in the detoxification of the ultimate carcinogen of BP, (+)- anti- 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[ a ]pyrene ((+)- anti- BPDE). Previous studies have shown gender-related differences in the expression of GST isoenzymes in mice. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis whether gender-related differences in the expression of GST isoenzymes can affect the susceptibility of mice to BP-induced lung and forestomach tumorigenesis. The expression of π class isoenzyme mGSTP1-1, which is highly efficient in the detoxification of (+)- anti- BPDE, was approximately 3.0- and 1.5-fold higher in the liver and forestomach of male A/J mouse, respectively, as compared with the female. The levels of other major GST isoenzymes, mGSTA3-3 ( α class), mGSTM1-1 ( μ class) and mGSTA4-4 ( α class), were also significantly higher in the liver of the male mouse as compared with the female. While pulmonary mGSTP1-1 expression did not differ significantly between male and female A/J mice, the expression of mGSTA3-3, mGSTM1-1 and mGSTA4-4 was significantly higher (1.4–4.0-fold) in the lung of the male A/J mouse as compared with the female. At lower concentrations of BP (0.5 mg BP/mouse), the tumor incidence/multiplicity was significantly higher in the lung as well as in the forestomach of female mice as compared with male mice. For example, while 30% of the female mice developed pulmonary tumors 26 weeks after the first 0.5 mg BP administration, none of the male mice had tumors in their lungs. At higher doses of BP (1.5 mg BP/mouse), however, this differential was either abolished or relatively less pronounced. Our results suggest that up to a certain threshold of BP exposure the levels of GST isoenzymes may be an important determinant of susceptibility to BP-induced tumorigenesis in mice.
Measurements of 7Be and 210Pb in Rain, Snow, and Hail

Abstract Measurements of the levels of 7Be and 210Pb are reported for rain, snow, and hail samples taken at Argonne, Illinois, and Socorro, New Mexico. These natural radioisotopes are indicators of the sources of the aerosols contributing materials to the precipitation samples. The data presented indicate that the more soluble 7Be is enriched in the precipitation samples with respect to 210Pb, as compared to the ratios of these radioisotopes found in aerosol samples. Use of the 210Po/210Pb activity ratios as an internal clock indicated that the aerosols contributing to the precipitation ranged in age from 10 to 47 days. Levels of 7Be ranged from 11 to 55 pCi L−1 for the samples, with the highest levels in a stratus precipitation event and in a thunderstorm with the lowest wet deposition rate. These results are discussed with regard to the potential for use of these radioisotopes in the determination of stratospheric-tropospheric mixing and in their geochemical usage as indicators of sedimentation rates.
Comparison of the chemical states of chromium in yeast and higher plants

Abstract Chromium in plants has been reported to be in two very different complexes. The glucose-tolerance factor (GTF) was reported to be a 400 dalton cation [1] whereas the complex purified from higher plants (HPC) was reported to be a 3000 dalton anion [2, 3]. The purification procedures for these complexes were different. It was desired to measure the charge and relative molecular size of the chromium complexes obtained using both purification procedures on yeast and on a representative higher plant. Chromium-51 labeled Brewers yeast ( Saccaromyces carlesbergensis ) and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L. ) were fractionated by two published procedures for the preparation of the glucose-tolerance factor and by a procedure for the preparation of the chromium-containing complex from higher plants. One GTF procedure used a 50% n-butanol extraction followed by dialysis and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose [4] and the other used a 50% ethanol extraction followed by activated charcoal purification [5]. The HPC preparation used water extraction followed by molecular sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-25 [2]. Aqueous solutions of all three preparations from both yeast and alfalfa were chromatographed on Sephadex G-25 and the ionic charge determined by ion exchange chromatography. The results are summarized in Table I. The GTF procedures applied to yeast produced a positively charged complex with R f of 1.71 to 1.76 and a rather diffuse peak. The GTF procedures applied t001 . Properties of Chromium Complexes prepared from Yeast and Alfalfa. Preparation method R f on Sephadex G-25 Inonic charge Yeast Alfalfa Yeast Alfalfa GTF-ethanol [5] 1.71 1.69 + − GTF-n-butanol [4] 1.76 1.68 + − HPC [2] 1.45–1.55 1.61 ± 0.04 – – to alfalfa produced a negatively charged complex with an R f of 1.68. The HPC procedure with yeast or alfalfa gave a negatively charged complex with an R f of 1.5 to 1.6. The GTF procedures produce a smaller complex than the HPC procedure. Yeast and alfalfa complexes purified by either GTF procedure have opposite charges, the yeast complex having the charge reported for the GTF. With the HPC procedure only anionic complexes were found from either starting material. The chromium-containing complex found in higher plants is different from the GTF even though both are alcohol soluble. A complex similar to the HPC complex can be isolated from yeast.
Delirium in the Acute Care Setting: Characteristics, Diagnosis and Treatment

Delirium is a neurobehavioral syndrome caused by the transient disruption of normal neuronal activity secondary to systemic disturbances. It is also the most common psychiatric syndrome found in the general hospital setting, its prevalence surpassing better known psychiatric disorders. This article reviews the published literature on delirium and addresses the epidemiology, known etiologic factors, presentation and characteristics of delirium, while emphasizing what is known about treatment strategies and prevention. Given increasing evidence that delirium is not always reversible and the many sequelae associated with its development, physicians must do everything possible to prevent its occurrence or shorten its duration, by recognizing its symptoms early, correcting underlying contributing causes, and using treatment strategies proven to help recover functional status.
Organic tracts in the enamel of completely unerupted human third molars.

Abstract Unerupted human third molars have been studied to determine the gross distribution of protein in the enamel. It is emphasized that organic tracts of developmental origin can only be demonstrated in the enamel of unerupted teeth which have never been exposed to the oral environment because other organic tracts may be formed in cracks or by bacterial invasion. A modification of Ehrlich's reagent was used to indicate protein. Indications of proteins were found at the dentinoenamel junction, under pits and fissures, and, in some cases, penetrating from the smooth, vertical tooth surfaces to the dentinoenamel junction. It has been established that organic tracts of developmental origin may occur in unerupted third molars.
The invention of the passport : surveillance, citizenship and the state

In order to distinguish between those who may and may not enter or leave, states everywhere have developed extensive systems of identification, central to which is the passport. This innovative book argues that documents such as passports, internal passports and related mechanisms have been crucial in making distinctions between citizens and non-citizens. It examines how the concept of citizenship has been used to delineate rights and penalties regarding property, liberty, taxes and welfare. It focuses on the US and Western Europe, moving from revolutionary France to the Napoleonic era, the American Civil War, the British industrial revolution, pre-World War I Italy, the reign of Germany's Third Reich and beyond. This innovative study combines theory and empirical data in questioning how and why states have established the exclusive right to authorize and regulate the movement of people.
Homework compliance, perceptions of control, and outcome of cognitive-behavioral treatment of social phobia

This study examined the relationship of compliance with homework assignments and posttreatment anxiety in patients who received cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for social phobia. Greater homework compliance measured in the first and latter periods of CBGT was associated with lower levels of social interactional anxiety after treatment. Surprisingly, homework compliance during the middle sessions of CBGT was positively related to posttreatment fears of scrutiny and criticism. Perceptions of control in social phobia and their potential effect on homework compliance and the homework compliance/treatment outcome relationship were also examined using the Levenson (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41, 397-404, 1973) Locus of Control Scale. Social phobics were less likely to believe in their own control over events than a comparison sample of community subjects but attributed greater control over events to other powerful persons. Among patients, higher Internality and lower Powerful Others subscale scores were associated with higher levels of pretreatment anxiety. However, neither subscale was significantly related to measures of homework compliance. Furthermore, when included in multiple regression analyses, neither subscale or its interaction with homework compliance added to the prediction of posttreatment anxiety. Limitations of this study and future research to improve assessment of homework compliance and perceptions of control among social phobic patients are discussed.
The utility of the plain radiograph "shunt series" in the evaluation of suspected ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure in pediatric patients.

Background To our knowledge, the sensitivity of plain radiography, known as the shunt series, in diagnosing an etiology of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt malfunction in children has not been previously investigated.
Vertebral Artery Anomalies at the Craniovertebral Junction: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Study Design Case report. Objective The objective of this study was to report a case of an unstable C1 burst fracture in the setting of a vertebral artery anomaly at the craniovertebral junction. Methods A 55-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with severe neck pain after falling approximately 15 feet and landing on his head. Computed tomography scan of the cervical spine revealed an unstable fracture of the C1 ring with magnetic resonance imaging evidence of a transverse ligament rupture as well as a congenital synchondrosis of the posterior arch of C1. He was neurologically intact. CT angiography (CTA) of the neck revealed an anomalous course of the right vertebral artery at the C1–C2 level. Results Surgical intervention consisted of occiput–C3 fusion, thus avoiding the placement of C1 lateral mass screws and risking vertebral artery injury. Conclusion We present a case of an unstable C1 burst fracture with an anomalous course of the right vertebral artery demonstrated by CTA. The presence of vertebral artery anomalies at the craniovertebral junction may prevent safe placement of C1 lateral mass screws and therefore influence the treatment options for upper cervical spine pathologies. To minimize the risk of vertebral artery injury, we elected to perform an occiput to C3 fusion. Thorough assessment of the vascular anatomy is recommended before operative intervention in the upper cervical spine to minimize the risk of complications.
Anodic oxidation of substituted [4-hydroxy-3-coumarinyl]-phenylthiomethanes in acetonitrile. Evidence for a cationic intermediate in carbon-sulfur bond fragmentation

Abstract The anodic oxidation of substituted [4-hydroxy-3-coumarinyl]-phenylthiomethanes, 1a–1c, in acetonitrile is shown to correspond to a one electron process. The radical cation produced undergoes carbon–sulfur bond fragmentation through loss of a phenylthio radical to give a cation which is trapped by Ritter reaction with acetonitrile to yield the final products 2a–2c in 64–82% yield. In the case of geranyl [4-hydroxy-3-coumarinyl]-phenylthiomethane, 1d, the intermediate allylic cation is attacked intramolecularly by a hydroxy nucleophile followed by loss of a proton, to give 2d in 40% yield.
The effects of nerve growth factor on the spinal ganglia of Ambystoma maculatum.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) isolated from mouse submaxillary glands was injected three times weekly into late embryos and young larvae of Ambystoma maculatum for a period of three weeks, producing an enlargement of the spinal ganglia owing to hyperplasia. This hyperplasia corresponds to the method of normal growth of ganglia at this late embryonic period of development, which is similarly one of cell multiplication rather than cell enlargement. The response of animals kept in the cold (12°C) during the experimental period, and which had reached Harrison stage 41 by the end of the experiment, was of doubtful significance, contrasted with that of animals maintained at room temperature and which had become 15 mm larvae by the end of the experiment. The latter group showed an increase in ganglion size of 100% over controls. The difference in magnitude of response of the two groups is believed to be due to the existence of a limited period in development when the animal is sensitive to NGF. The slowly developing animals in the cold had probably just reached the sensitive period by the end of the experiment, thus accounting for their small response compared with that of the animals which were allowed to develop further.
A boundary element method for steady convective heat diffusion in three-dimensions

A higher-order boundary element method recently developed by the current authors [Numer. Heat Trans. Part B: Fundamentals 45 (2004) 109] for two-dimensional steady convective heat diffusion is generalized to three-dimensions. In order to facilitate an accurate and efficient boundary element formulation, we introduce an influence domain due to these convective kernels and then localize the surface integrations only within the domain of influence. The localization of the kernels becomes more prominent as the Peclet number of the flow increases. This, in turn, leads to increasing sparsity and improved conditioning of the global matrix. Consequently, iterative solvers for sparse matrices become the primary choice. In this paper, we consider an example problem with an exact solution and investigate the accuracy and efficiency of the boundary element formulation for Peclet numbers in the range from 10 to 1000. The bi-quartic boundary elements included in this study are shown to provide acceptable levels of resolution.
Metabias: a challenge for comparative effectiveness research.

Metabias poses unique challenges for comparative effectiveness research and evidence-based healthcare. Dechartres and colleagues' study in this issue raises the specter of a new metabias that is pa...
Malformed, a mutation of Drosophila melanogaster producing mirror-image duplication of a portion of the orbit

Abstract Clonal analysis using mitotic recombination in Drosophila melanogaster shows that the region of the orbit duplicated within the compound eye of the mutant Malformed often originates from a cell population different from that giving rise to the normal orbital region, although, occasionally, both regions may arise from the same progenitor cell. We prefer an interpretation of the action of this mutation based on the misreading of the positional information at the time late in development when imaginal cells are specified to differentiate into particular cuticular structures, rather than an interpretation based on early localized cell death followed by mirror-image duplication.
New World monkey phylogeny based on X-linked G6PD DNA sequences.

Abstract The Platyrrhini, or New World monkeys, are an infraorder of Primates comprised of 16 genera. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have consistently sorted these genera into three groups: the Pitheciidae (e.g., saki and titi monkeys), Atelidae (e.g., spider and howler monkeys), and Cebidae (e.g., night monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and tamarins). No consensus has emerged on the relationships among the three groups or within the Cebidae. Here, ∼0.8 kb of newly generated intronic DNA sequence data from the X-linked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) locus have been collected from nine New World monkey taxa to examine these relationships. These data are added to 1.3 kb of previously generated G6PD intronic DNA sequence data [Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 11 (1999) 459]. Using distance and parsimony-based techniques, G6PD sequences provide support for an initial bifurcation between the Pitheciidae and the remaining platyrrhines, linking Atelidae and Cebidae as sister taxa. Bayesian methods provided a conflicting phylogeny with Atelidae as outgroup. Within the Cebidae, a sister relation between Aotus and the Cebus/Saimiri clade is favored by parsimony analysis, but not by other analyses. Potential reasons for the difficulty in resolving family level New World monkey phylogenetics are discussed.
Photoacoustic microscopy using Evans Blue dye as a contrast agent

Complete and continuous imaging of microvascular networks is crucial for a wide variety of biomedical applications. Photoacoustic tomography can provide high resolution microvascular imaging using hemoglobin within red blood cells (RBC) as an endogenous contrast agent. However, intermittent RBC flow in capillaries results in discontinuous and fragmentary capillary images. To overcome this problem, we used Evans Blue (EB) dye as a contrast agent for in vivo photoacoustic imaging. EB has strong optical absorption at 610 nm and distributes uniformly in the blood stream by chemically binding to albumin. By intravenous injection of EB (6%, 200 μL), complete and continuous microvascular networks-especially capillaries-of the ears of nude mice were imaged. The diffusion of EB (3%, 100 μL) leaving the blood stream was monitored for 2 hours. At lower administration dose of EB (3%, 50 μL), the clearance of the EB-albumin complex was imaged for 10 days and quantitatively investigated using a two-compartment model.
Gastroenteritis Outbreak Among Mountaineers Climbing the West Buttress Route of Denali—Denali National Park, Alaska, June 2002

Objective.—To determine the burden of and risk factors for diarrheal illness among mountaineers climbing Denali during the spring of 2002. Methods.—We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all willing and available climbers who returned to base camp from June 11 to 14, 2002. We used a questionnaire that addressed illness status, demographics, and potential risk factors for illness. A case of diarrhea was defined as self-reported diarrhea (loose stool) in a Denali climber who did not have diarrhea before arrival at base camp. Results.—Thirty-eight (29%) of the 132 climbers who were interviewed reported experiencing diarrhea at some point on the mountain. Spending 8 or more days at the 17 200-foot high camp; being a member of a climbing party in which at least 1 other person also had diarrhea, especially if tent occupancy was 3 or more; and not receiving education about disease risk-reduction techniques among climbers who were on a guided expedition were associated with increased risk of illness. Conclusions.—To prevent infectious diarrheal outbreaks among mountaineers climbing Denali (and other highly trafficked alpine routes), we recommend that park staff provide climbers with detailed information related to minimizing disease risk and develop more effective strategies for preventing climbers from depositing fecal material directly into snow along the route, such as establishing and enforcing firmer penalties for noncompliance with existing human waste disposal regulations and requiring the use of personal stool-hauling devices.
Measurement of mixed-mode fracture parameters near cracks in homogeneous and bimaterial beams

An investigation of deformation fields and evaluation of fracture parameters near mixed-mode cracks in homogeneous and bimaterial specimens under elastostatic conditions is undertaken. A modified edge notched flexural geometry is proposed for testing bimaterial interface fracture toughness. The ability of the specimen in providing a fairly wide range of mode mixities is demonstrated through direct optical measurements and a simple flexural analysis. A full field optical shearing interferometry called ‘Coherent Gradient Sensing’ (CGS) is used to map crack tip deformations in real time. Experimental measurements and predictions based on beam theory are found to be in good agreement. Also, for a large stiffness mismatch bimaterial system, the interface crack initiation toughness is evaluated as a function of the crack tip mode mixity.
Priming Partisan Evaluations of Congress

Congress has been the scene of increasingly partisan and ideologically polarized conflict in recent years. I examine the extent to which the national political climate mutes or amplifies the effect of partisanship on evaluations of Congress. Using data from the National Election Studies and a content analysis of national media coverage, I find that public evaluations of Congress divide most sharply along party lines when elite-level discourse is most partisan (as during an election season or a highly charged partisan debate in Congress). This finding is consistent with an opinion leadership or priming hypothesis of public opinion. In addition, the most knowledgeable citizens are most likely to be primed by the partisan political climate in Washington. In contrast, less attentive citizens tend to rely on nonpartisan cues when evaluating Congress. I discuss the implications of these findings for public opinion and improving the public standing of Congress in an increasingly partisan climate.
The role of sex hormones and the tissue environment in immune protection against HIV in the female reproductive tract.

Despite extensive studies of the mucosal immune system in the female reproductive tract (FRT) and its regulation by sex hormones, relatively little attention has been paid to the tissue environment in the FRT that regulates immune cell function. Consisting of secretions from epithelial cells (EC), stromal fibroblasts, and immune cells in tissues from the upper (Fallopian tubes, uterus, and endocervix) and lower (ectocervix and vagina) tracts, each tissue compartment is unique and precisely regulates immune cells to optimize conditions for successful pregnancy and protection against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. Our goal in this review is to focus on the mucosal (tissue) environment in the upper and lower FRT. Specifically, this review will identify the contributions of EC and fibroblasts to the tissue environment and examine the impact of this environment on HIV-target cells. Much remains to be learned about the complex interactions with the tissue environment at different sites in the FRT and the ways in which they are regulated by sex hormones and chemical contraceptives. Awareness of the involvement of the tissue environment in determining immune cell function and HIV acquisition is crucial for understanding the mechanisms that lead to HIV prevention, acquisition, and the development of new therapeutic modalities of immune protection.
Dispersion Compensation of up to 25,200ps/nm Using IIR Filtering

Digital infinite impulse response filtering is used to compensate for 25,200ps/nm of chromatic dispersion at 10G Baud accumulated in a recirculating loop.
Virus assay using antibody-functionalized peptide nanotubes

Robust trace-level detection of viruses is crucial to meet urgent needs in fighting the spread of disease or detecting bioterrorism events. We report a new method for rapid and highly sensitive detection of viruses utilizing fluorescent antibody nanotubes. When viral pathogens were mixed with these antibody nanotubes, the nanotubes rapidly aggregated around the viruses to form a networking structure. Trace quantities of viruses such as herpes simplex virus type 2, adenovirus, vaccinia and influenza type B were detected on attomolar order by changes in fluorescence and light scattering intensities associated with aggregation of dye-loaded antibody nanotubes around viruses. High specificity of each antibody nanotube toward its targeted virus was demonstrated by quantifying concentrations of two different viruses in mixtures. This antibody nanotube assay detects targeted pathogens within 30 minutes after incubation with antibody nanotubes. This antibody nanotube assay could fill a pressing need to detect and quantify viruses both rapidly and sensitively.
Periaqueductal gray neuronal activity associated with laryngeal EMG and vocalization in the awake monkey

Extracellular recordings were made from 73 periaqueductal gray (PAG) neurons in an awake, vocalizing monkey (Macaca fascicularis). About 50% of the neurons were inactive and only began discharging prior to laryngeal EMG activity and vocalization; they reached their peak firing rate near the onset of vocalization and then became inactive again. Spike-triggered averaging of laryngeal EMG from the PAG unit discharge revealed in most cases an increase in laryngeal EMG immediately following the unit spike. Other cells appeared to be related to other oral-facial behaviors. The role of the PAG in vocalization is discussed.
Pilot evaluation of a novel clinical test of reaction time in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division i football players

Abstract Context: Evidence suggests that concussion prolongs reaction time (RT). We have developed a simple, reliable clinical tool for measuring reaction time that may be of value in the assessmen...
Communication, Conflict, and Commitment: Insights on the Foundations of Relationship Success from a National Survey

The key relationship dynamics of communication, conflict, and commitment were investigated using data from a randomly sampled, nationwide phone survey of adults in married, engaged, and cohabiting relationships. Findings on communication and conflict generally replicated those of studies using more indepth or objective measurement strategies. Negative interaction between partners was negatively associated with numerous measures of relationship quality and positively correlated with divorce potential (thinking or talking about divorce). Withdrawal during conflict by either or both partners, though quite common, was associated with more negativity and less positive connection in relationships. The most frequently reported issue that couples argue about in first marriages was money, and in re-marriages it was conflict about children. Overall, how couples argue was more related to divorce potential than was what they argue about, although couples who argue most about money tended to have higher levels of negative communication and conflict than other couples. Further, while the male divorce potential was more strongly linked to levels of negative interaction, the female was more strongly linked to lower positive connection in the relationship. Consistent with the commitment literature, higher reported commitment was associated with less alternative monitoring, less feeling trapped in the relationship, and greater relationship satisfaction.
Flavored Cigar Smoking Induces Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia

Two cases of acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) following smoking of flavored cigars were analyzed for characteristic features. None of our patients had a history of smoking flavored cigars/cigarettes in the past. One of them had never smoked, and the second patient was an ex-smoker who quit 17 years ago. Both patients presented with community-acquired pneumonia-like symptoms that did not respond to treatment with antibiotics. Their chest radiographs revealed bilateral diffuse infiltrates. The diagnosis of AEP was established based on the clinical picture, BAL that revealed an average eosinophil count > 45%, and immediate clinical improvement after introducing corticosteroids. All other possible causes were excluded during the initial workup.
Interaction of linolenic acid with bound quinone molecules in Photosystem II. Time-resolved optical and electron spin resonance studies.

Abstract Time-resolved spectroscopic techniques, including optical flash photolysis and electron spin resonance spectroscopy, have been utilized to monitor electron-transport activity in Photosystem II subchloroplast particles. These studies have indicated that in the presence of 100 μM linolenic acid (1) a high initial fluorescence yield ( F i ) is observed upon steady-state illumination of the dark-adapted sample; (2) flash-induced absorption transients ( t > 10 μs) in the region of 820 nm, attributed to P-680 + , are first slowed, then abolished; and (3) electron spin resonance Signal II s and Signal II f (Z + ) are not detectable. Upon reversal of linolenic acid inhibition by washing with bovine serum albumin, optical and electron spin resonance transients originating from the photooxidation of P-680 are restored. Similarly, the variable component of fluorescence is recovered with an accompanying restoration of Signal II s and Signal II f . The data indicate that linolenic acid affects two inhibition sites in Photosystem II: one located between pheophytin and Q A on the reducing side, and the other between electron donor Z and P-680 on the oxidizing side. Since both sites are associated with bound quinone molecules, we suggest that linolenic acid interacts at the level of quinone binding proteins in Photosystem II.
The drosophila EcR gene encodes an ecdysone receptor, a new member of the steroid receptor superfamily

The steroid hormone ecdysone triggers coordinate changes in Drosophila tissue development that result in metamorphosis. To advance our understanding of the genetic regulatory hierarchies controlling this tissue response, we have isolated and characterized a gene, EcR, for a new steroid receptor homolog and have shown that it encodes an ecdysone receptor. First, EcR protein binds active ecdysteroids and is antigenically indistinguishable from the ecdysone-binding protein previously observed in extracts of Drosophila cell lines and tissues. Second, EcR protein binds DNA with high specificity at ecdysone response elements. Third, ecdysone-responsive cultured cells express EcR, whereas ecdysone-resistant cells derived from them are deficient in EcR. Expression of EcR in such resistant cells by transfection restores their ability to respond to the hormone. As expected, EcR is nuclear and found in all ecdysone target tissues examined. Furthermore, the EcR gene is expressed at each developmental stage marked by a pulse of ecdysone.
Associations between cortical thickness and general intelligence in children, adolescents and young adults

Neuroimaging research indicates that human intellectual ability is related to brain structure including the thickness of the cerebral cortex. Most studies indicate that general intelligence is positively associated with cortical thickness in areas of association cortex distributed throughout both brain hemispheres. In this study, we performed a cortical thickness mapping analysis on data from 182 healthy typically developing males and females ages 9 to 24 years to identify correlates of general intelligence (g) scores. To determine if these correlates also mediate associations of specific cognitive abilities with cortical thickness, we regressed specific cognitive test scores on g scores and analyzed the residuals with respect to cortical thickness. The effect of age on the association between cortical thickness and intelligence was examined. We found a widely distributed pattern of positive associations between cortical thickness and g scores, as derived from the first unrotated principal factor of a factor analysis of Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) subtest scores. After WASI specific cognitive subtest scores were regressed on g factor scores, the residual score variances did not correlate significantly with cortical thickness in the full sample with age covaried. When participants were grouped at the age median, significant positive associations of cortical thickness were obtained in the older group for g-residualized scores on Block Design (a measure of visual-motor integrative processing) while significant negative associations of cortical thickness were observed in the younger group for g-residualized Vocabulary scores. These results regarding correlates of general intelligence are concordant with the existing literature, while the findings from younger versus older subgroups have implications for future research on brain structural correlates of specific cognitive abilities, as well as the cognitive domain specificity of behavioral performance correlates of normative gray matter thinning during adolescence.
Hazard Rates and Generalized Beta Distributions

This paper considers the behavior of the hazard rates of the Generalized gamma, and beta of the first and second kind. The hazard functions include strictly decreasing, constant, strictly increasing, ? and ? shaped hazard rates. By considering the generalized distributions a unified development for such distributions as beta type 1, beta type 2, Burr types 3 and 12, power, Weibull, gamma, Lomax, Fisk, uniform, Rayleigh, and exponential are included as special cases. The results are conveniently summarized in three figures. The generalized distributions considered in this paper are seen to provide models for all of the different shaped hazard rates mentioned above. This flexibility permits the data to determine the nature of the hazard function without its being inadvertently imposed through the selection of an improper model. For example, the selection of a Weibull distribution permits a decreasing, constant, or increasing hazard rate, but not a ? or ? shaped one. The use of the generalized gamma or either of the generalized beta functions considered in section II does permit realization of these additional shapes for the hazard rate.
Mid‐contract management of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands provides benefits for ring‐necked pheasant nest and brood survival

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields may provide good habitat for nesting and brood-rearing ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during early stages of succession. But, the success of hens in early successional CRP, relative to late successional CRP and other grassland habitats, has yet to be evaluated. The reproductive period is especially critical for populations of pheasants, and CRP's benefits to hens and chicks may decrease as fields age because of loss of vegetative diversity, decrease in vegetation density, and accumulation of residual litter. During 2005–2006, we evaluated spatial and temporal variation in nest and brood survival for radio-marked hen pheasants in areas of northeastern Nebraska where portions of CRP fields had been recently disced and interseeded (DICRP) with legumes. Nests in DICRP tended to have a higher daily survival rate (0.984; 95% CI: 0.957–0.994) than nests in grasslands (including CRP) that were unmanaged (0.951; 95% CI: 0.941–0.972). The probability of 23-day nest success was 0.696 (95% CI: 0.631–0.762) for DICRP and 0.314 (95% CI: 0.240–0.389) for unmanaged grasslands. Daily brood survival rates varied by habitat type, brood age, and date of hatch. The probability of a brood surviving to day 21 was 0.710 (95% CI: 0.610–0.856). Brood survival rates increased with time spent in DICRP and as the brood aged. Survival decreased as broods spent more time in cropland and peaked seasonally with broods that hatched on 15 June. Brood survival probability, to 21 days, would be reduced to 0.36 (95% CI: 0.100–0.701) if broods in our sample had not used DICRP. We combined nest and brood survival in a productivity model that suggested 2,000 hens, in a landscape with no DICRP, would produce 1,826 chicks, whereas the same hens in a landscape of 100% DICRP would produce 5,398 chicks. Production of first-year roosters more than doubled when hens nested in DICRP. Without DICRP, population growth rates of pheasant populations usually declined; with DICRP, populations stabilized with at annual survival rates of 0.3 or greater. The positive response of nest and brood survival to discing and interseeding CRP provides further evidence that CRP fields must be managed to optimize wildlife benefits. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Special feature: Information system attacks: A preliminary classification scheme

It is hoped that this list will be a starting point and not an ending point. If all goes well and many of the readers comment on this listing, efforts will be made to improve and expand upon the list in the future and to relate our results to the readership again at a later date.
Eating patterns and cardiovascular disease Risk in a detroit Mexican American population

The purpose of this study was to examine dietary patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in Hispanic adults living in Southwest Detroit. A descriptive design was used. Self-report baseline data were collected using The Rate Your Plate and Personal Health Risk Assessment questionnaires. A nonrandom sample of 32 Mexican American adults was recruited from a large Roman Catholic Church in Southwest Detroit. Participants were selected if they were enrolled in the larger parent research study to test the effects of a lay health educator intervention and planned to participate in the nutrition education portion of the intervention. Unhealthy eating patterns outnumbered heart healthy eating practices. The majority used higher fat salad dressings; ate fried foods, sweets, and high fat snacks; consumed greater than the desired amounts of regular cheese; drank whole milk; and ate few fruits and vegetables. Lack of physical activity, being overweight, and exposure to second-hand smoke were the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. The data suggest that effective community-based heart disease prevention programs that emphasize risk factor screening and cardiovascular risk reduction through heart healthy eating are needed.