cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validity of a personal and family history of cataract and cataract surgery in genetic studies.

Purpose To determine the accuracy of a history of cataract and cataract surgery (self-report and for a sibling), and to determine which demographic, cognitive, and medical factors are predictive of an accurate history. Methods All participants in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) project and their locally resident siblings were questioned about a personal and family history of cataract or cataract surgery. Lens grading at the slit lamp, using standardized photographs and a grading system, was performed for both SEE participants (probands) and their siblings. Cognitive testing and a history of systemic comorbidities were also obtained for all probands. Results Sensitivity of a history of cataract provided on behalf of a sibling was 32%, specificity 98%. The performance was better for a history of cataract surgery: sensitivity 90%, specificity 89%. For self-report of cataract, sensitivity was also low at 55%, with specificity at 77%. Self-report of cataract surgery gave a much better performance: sensitivity 94%, specificity 100%. Different cutoffs in the definition of cataract had little impact. Factors predicting a correct history of cataract included high school or greater education in the proband (odds ratio [OR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]1.02-1.25) and younger sibling (but not proband) age (OR = 0.94 for each year of age, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Gender, race and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) result were not predictive. Conclusions Whereas accurate self and family histories for cataract surgery may be obtainable, it is difficult to ascertain cataract status accurately from history alone.
Food, nutrition, and substitution in the late nineteenth century

Abstract Economic historians hypothesize that households in the nineteenth century substituted away from carbohydrates and fiber and towards protein and fat as their incomes rose. Anthropometric historians assert that there was increased nutrient intake without any nutritional substitution. I test these hypotheses using the 1888 Cost of Living Survey. I fail to reject the hypothesis that the income elasticity of fiber is greater than or equal to the income elasticities of protein, fat, or sugar—contrary to the nutritional substitution posited by economic historians. A food modified Engel curve reveals that the shares of carbohydrates, fat, and sugar in the diet vary with household income, but the shares of protein and fiber do not. I do find, however, that the share of protein from animal sources increases with household income. I also find that the diets of late nineteenth century industrial workers were surprisingly balanced by modern standards.
What Neurobiology has to Say About Why People Abuse Alcohol and Other Drugs

Abstract Four major hypotheses have been formulated to address the issue of why some people develop compulsive use of particular drugs. These hypotheses include: (1) Drugs that are abused sensitize the motivational systems of the brain such that the behavioral routines for acquisition of the drug become compulsive, (2) Drugs that are abused stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain, (3) People who abuse drugs are naturally in an aversive state that their drug use enables them to escape, and (4) Drugs of abuse are associated with aversive withdrawal phenomena which can be elicited by conditioned stimuli, therefore people continue to take drugs to avert conditioned withdrawal states. This paper examines each of these hypotheses in light of research findings from neurobiology.
A Reagentless Signal-On Architecture for Electronic, Aptamer-Based Sensors via Target-Induced Strand Displacement

Thrombin binding stabilizes the alternative G-quadruplex conformation of the aptamer, liberating the methylene blue (MB)-tagged oligonucleotide to produce a flexible, single-stranded DNA element. This allows the MB tag to collide with the gold electrode surface, producing a readily detectable Faradaic current at thrombin concentrations as low as ∼3 nM.
Hypertension Associated with Hyperparathyroidism Is Not Responsive to Angiotensin Blockade

Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism are frequently hypertensive. Studies were performed to determine whether the hypertension in this disorder could be corrected by saralasin infusion. Five patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and one patient with secondary hyperparathyroidism were salt depleted before saralasin testing by the administration of 1 mg/kg furosemide at 1700 h on the evening before testing. Blood pressure was measured every 2 min by an automatic recording device. Saralasin was given asa continuous iv infusion of 1, 3, 6, and 10 μg/kg · min for 30 min. Blood for measurement of PRA was drawn 4 min before, immediately before, and 4, 8, 12, 16, 22, 30, 60, and 90 min after the infusion was begun. Saralasin did not reduce blood pressure in these patients. The mean postsaralasin blood pressure (12–20 min after the start ofthe infusion) was 155/102 mm Hg compared to the control blood pressure of 156/101 mm Hg (blood pressure at –4 and 0 min). The inability of saralasin to effect a vasodep...
Dependence of LTX plasma performance on surface conditions as determined by in situ analysis of plasma facing components

Abstract The Materials Analysis and Particle Probe (MAPP) diagnostic has been implemented on the Lithium Tokamak Experiment (LTX) at PPPL, providing the first in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) surface characterization of tokamak plasma facing components (PFCs). MAPP samples were exposed to argon glow discharge conditioning (GDC), lithium evaporations, and hydrogen tokamak discharges inside LTX. Samples were analyzed with XPS, and alterations to surface conditions were correlated against observed LTX plasma performance changes. Argon GDC caused the accumulation of nm-scale metal oxide layers on the PFC surface, which appeared to bury surface carbon and oxygen contamination and thus improve plasma performance. Lithium evaporation led to the rapid formation of a lithium oxide (Li2O) surface; plasma performance was strongly improved for sufficiently thick evaporative coatings. Results indicate that a 5 h argon GDC or a 50 nm evaporative lithium coating will both significantly improve LTX plasma performance.
Potential role for TL1A, the new TNF-family member and potent costimulator of IFN-γ, in mucosal inflammation

Abstract TNF can potentiate IFN-γ production by activated T cells and other members of the TNF-superfamily play key roles in this effect. A newly discovered TNF-superfamily cytokine (TL1A) could also be involved in initiating or promoting the Th1 response by enhancing IFN-γ production. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of recombinant TL1A on IFN-γ production by cultured PBMC and lamina propria LPMC and to determine whether TL1A expression is altered in inflammatory bowel disease. IFN-γ, but not IL-4 or IL-10 production by PBMC and LPL, was dose-dependently augmented by TL1A (or by activation of its receptor, death domain receptor 3 [DR3], with specific mAb) independently of, but in synergy with, IL-12 and IL-18. T cell activating stimuli induced expression of TL1A on the cell membrane (mb-TL1A) in a fraction of peripheral blood (PB) T cells. In the intestinal mucosa, a fraction of lamina propria (LP) T cells, especially CD4+ cells, constitutively expressed mb-TL1A, and the fraction increased in mucosal inflammation. A higher fraction of cells also express the TL1A receptor DR3 in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. TL1A transcript was several times more abundant in RNA from mucosal biopsies taken from inflamed Crohn's disease lesions than in those taken from uninvolved areas. Expression of TL1A and its receptor DR3 by lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) could have significant influence on the severity of mucosal inflammation.
Effects of Substrates on the Self-Assembling of FePt Nanocrystals

Fe48Pt52 nanoparticles were synthesized by the simultaneous chemical reduction of platinum acetylacetonate and thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl. As-prepared the particles were spherical with an average diameter of 3 nm and a polydispersity of less than 5%. The particles were superparamagnetic and had a fcc structure. Highly ordered self-assembled supercrystals of particles were formed in TEM grids by deposition from dispersions in hydrocarbon solvents. Nanoparticles deposited on amorphous carbon-coated and SiO2-coated Cu grids tend to assemble into small domains of hexagonal arrays. Larger domains of hexagonal arrays formed on Si3N4 membrane TEM grids. For thin multilayers, the FePt nanoparticles tends to assemble into hexagonal close-packed lattices (ABABAB stacking). For the thicker multilayers, ABCABC stacking was observed. Small angle X-ray reflectivity of the particles on a Si (100) substrate show highly ordered multiplanar structure with d-spacing of 6.2 nm. The coercivity of self-assembled FePt films strongly depended on the annealing temperature. After annealing at 700°C for 30 minutes, the particles transformed from FCC to “FCT” phase and the coercivity of film increased up to 11570 Oe. However, the particle size increased to 16 nm due to sintering.
High-throughput sample preparation procedures for the quantitation of a new bone integrin ανβ3 antagonist in human plasma and urine using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

High throughput LC-MS/MS assays to quantitate a new alpha(nu)beta(3) bone integrin antagonist (I) in human plasma and urine have been developed using instruments programmed to automate sample preparation procedures. Packard liquid handling system-MultiPROBE II EX was programmed for preparing calibration standards in control plasma and urine, acidifying all standards, quality control (QC), and clinical samples with necessary dilutions, and adding the internal standard to the acidified samples. TOMTEC Quadra 96 was programmed to perform the solid phase extraction (SPE) process on a 3M 96-well mixed phase cation standard density (MPC-SD) plate to isolate the analytes from the sample matrix. The extract collected from both types of matrices was directly injected into reversed-phase LC-MS/MS system with a Turbo Ion Spray (TIS) interface in the positive ionization mode. The plasma and urine assays have the calibration range of 0.5-1500 and 2-6000 ng/mL, respectively. Validation of the automated and the manual plasma assays showed that application of MultiPROBE II to sample preparation gave comparable accuracy and precision. Overall, the automated approaches with minimum manual intervention enhanced the throughput of sample preparation.
Strategic consensus and organizational performance in the lodging industry.

This paper examines the relationship between strategic consensus within top management teams and organizational performance in a sample of 36 firms from the lodging industry. Findings suggest that there may be a curvilinear relationship between these two variables. Too much agreement by a firm's top management team may be just as unhealthy as too little agreement. Although strategic consensus is only one of many factors influencing performance, these results indicate that it should not be ignored. Key Words: Strategic Consensus, Organization Performance.
Simultaneously fitting multiple parameters from one single autocorrelation function in diffuse correlation spectroscopy

Simultaneously fitting of flow index αDB, absorption/scattering coefficient μa/μs’, and coherence factor β from one autocorrelation curve in diffuse correlation spectroscopy was investigated. Fitting both β and αDB generates more accurate results.
Coupling in multilayered magnetic films

A coupling between the magnetization of two ferromagnetic films separated by a thin metallic layer has been observed. It is shown that when the intermediate layer is palladium the coupling results from diffusion of magnetic atoms into the palladium which makes it weakly ferromagnetic. The main systems in which ferro-antiferromagnetic coupling is observed are Co-CoO, Ni-NiO, FeNi-FeNiMn. In the latter case domain patterns and ripple are observed by electron microscopy.
Short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in brain death

Simultaneous recording of somatosensory evoked potentials to median nerve stimulation above the upper and lower neck in brain-dead patients revealed that all cervical responses were preserved in 10%, whereas a marked reduction in amplitude or even loss of N 13b at the level of the C2 spinous process was observed in 90%. Of the patients, 55% revealed an additional loss of N 13a, recorded at the level of the C7 spinous process; in 15% all cortical and spinal evoked potentials were missing, but Erb's point waves were still normal. These results suggest two different origins of the main negative waves (N 13a and N 13b), recorded above the upper and lower cervical spinal cord. N 13a (C7) is supposed to arise in the dorsal horn at the C6/7 level, N 13b (C2) in the cervicomedullary junction.
Interactions of Metabolic Hormones, Adipose Tissue and Exercise

Physiological and psychological systems work together to determine energy intake and output, and thus maintain adipose tissue. In addition, adipose tissue secretes leptin and cytokines, which induces satiety and has been linked to catecholamines, cortisol, insulin, human growth hormone, thyroid hormones, gonadotropin and lipolysis. Thus, adipose tissue is acted upon by a number of physiological stimuli, including hormones, and simultaneously, is an active component in the regulation of its own lipid content. All of the hormones mentioned above are associated with each other and respond to exercise and exercise training. Thus, exercise is one of the major links between the hormonal modulators of energy intake and output. It appears that the sympathetic nervous system and the catecholamines are key components facilitating the lipolytic activity during exercise. These two neuroendocrine factors directly affect adipose metabolism and metabolic hormones that influence adipose metabolism. Acute low- and moderate-intensity exercise causes hormonal changes that facilitate lipolytic activity. Exercise training reduces these hormonal responses, but the sensitivity to these hormones increases so that lipolysis may be facilitated. Large amounts of adipose tissue blunt the metabolic hormonal responses to exercise, but the sensitivity of these hormones is increased; thus maintaining normal lipolytic activity. Although the physiological role of the endocrine system during exercise and training is significant, other training effects may have as great, or greater influence on lipolytic activity in adipose tissue.
PALATINOSE ELEMENT OF THE RECEPTOR OF THE MELEZITOSE LOCUS IN SACCHAROMYCES.

THE receptor1,2 of the melezitose (MZ) gene-system comprises at least five ‘elements’ corresponding to five α-glucosidic inductors of the enzyme melezitase, an α-glucosidase capable of splitting the five different α-glucosidic inductors of MZ, namely, turanose, maltose, sucrose, α-methyl-glucoside and melezitose3,4. The totipotent allele, which responds adaptively to all five substrates, is designated MZTMSGZ (abbreviated to TMSGZ). Partially recessive alleles, for example, TMSGz, TMSgz, TMsgz, Tmsgz, and the totally recessive allele, tmsgz, were obtained by ultra-violet irradiation5. (The small letters indicate specific inabilities of cultures to respond adaptively to the corresponding substrates.) The multiple alleles are inferred, on the receptor-hypothesis1,2, to reflect mutations (heritable changes in folding) of the proteinaceous receptor, a component of the gene controlling the capacity to respond to different inductors. It is of special interest to know if the synthetic α-glucoside, palatinose (α-glucosido-6-fructofuranose), can act as a substrate and an inductor of this particular enzyme. Emeis6 has already shown that Saccharomyces cultures carry genes controlling the fermentation of palatinose, but since there are other genes which split α-glucosides (and fructofuranosides), and since he did not have genetically identified MZ cultures with which to make specific tests, further analysis was necessary to implicate MZ. The totipotent TMSGZ cultures of the Lindegren Breeding Stock are able to ferment palatinose after 48 h, but specific partial mutants, for example, TMsgz and recessive tmsgz cultures, do not ferment palatinose when tested on EMB-agar and by the Durham tube technique (remained negative for five days)7. The fact that the TMSGZ cultures fermented palatinose suggested that palatinose might be one of the substrates (and possibly an inductor) by which the different alleles of the MZ locus may be distinguished from each other.
Solving the eltrut problem with hybrid evolutionary algorithms

The Eltrut problem is an optimization problem concerning the educational robot known as the LOGO turtle. In this study, I describe my formulation of the Eltrut problem and my attempts to solve it using evolutionary computing techniques. Motivation is given for the use of hybrid evolutionary algorithms. Preliminary results are presented.
Could we have known? A qualitative analysis of data from women who survived an attempted homicide by an intimate partner.

OBJECTIVE: To examine in-depth the lives of women whose partners attempted to kill them, and to identify patterns that may aid in the clinician’s ability to predict, prevent, or counsel about femicide or attempted femicide. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth interviews. SETTING: Six U.S. cities. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty women, aged 17–54 years, who survived an attempted homicide by an intimate partner. RESULTS: All but 2 of the participants had previously experienced physical violence, controlling behavior, or both from the partner who attempted to kill them. The intensity of the violence, control, and threats varied greatly, as did the number of risk factors measured by the Danger Assessment, defining a wide spectrum of prior abuse. Approximately half (14/30) of the participants did not recognize that their lives were in danger. Women often focused more on relationship problems involving money, alcohol, drugs, possessiveness, or infidelity, than on the risk to themselves from the violence. The majority of the attempts (22/30) happened around the time of a relationship change, but the relationship was often ending because of problems other than violence. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should not be falsely reassured by a woman’s sense of safety, by the lack of a history of severe violence, or by the presence of few classic risk factors for homicide. Efforts to reduce femicide risk that are targeted only at those women seeking help for violence-related problems may miss potential victims.
The effects of laser energy on the arterial wall

Laser energy has been proposed as a method of resecting atherosclerotic plaque since the mid 1960s. However, only over the past several years have we come to understand some of the unique interactions of the laser with cardiovascular tissue. In laser angioplasty a major challenge has been choosing the optimal laser and duration of laser exposure to achieve adequate resection of plaque, while minimizing such complications as thrombosis, perforation, embolization, aneurysm formation, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Ultimately we must develop a more selective laser that resects plaque while leaving adjacent arterial wall uninjured. This review describes the physics of laser energy, the different lasers available for use in the cardiovascular system, laser-arterial wall interactions, and some of the limitations of laser angioplasty.
Possibilities for photoimaging using onium salts

The recent discovery that the photolysis of certain onium salts produces strong Bronsted acids presents a unique opportunity to design novel photoimaging systems based on these materials. For example, when used as photoinitiators, they can induce the negative image wise cationic polymerization of multifunctional epoxides, vinyl ethers, and lactones. Alternatively, they may be used to catalyze the degradation of hydrolytically sensitive polymers to give positive photoresists. The ability of still other onium salts to generate radical species as well as strong acids has been exploited to develop photoimaging processes which have no parallel in present photoresist technology. The processes consist of simultaneous radical polymerization and acid-induced cationic polymerization. Finally, the recent observation that the onium salts can be dye-sensitized allows them to be responsive to both the ultraviolet and visible regions of the spectrum and to be used with many commercial optical imaging systems.
Plasma homovanillic acid correlates inversely with history of childhood trauma in personality disordered and healthy control adults

Studies of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) level of the dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA), suggest a relationship between CSF HVA concentration and history of childhood trauma. In this study, the authors test the hypothesis that this relationship is also present using peripheral levels of HVA in healthy volunteers and in personality disordered subjects. 68 personality disordered (PD) and healthy control (HC) subjects were chosen, in whom morning basal plasma HVA (pHVA) concentrations and an assessment of childhood trauma were obtained. History of childhood trauma was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). A significant inverse correlation was found between CTQ Total scores and pHVA concentration across all subjects. In addition, pHVA was lower, and CTQ scores were higher, in PD as compared with HC subjects. Correlations with other personality and behavioral measures were not statistically significant. The data suggest that pHVA concentrations are inversely correlated with history of childhood trauma and that variability in this index of dopamine function may be affected by the history of childhood trauma in healthy and personality disordered subjects.
Dispersion relations for the linearized field equations of dislocation dynamics

Abstract The field equations for a Yang-Mills type gauge theory of dislocations are obtained that describe the anelastic behavior of a partially (hyper) elastic material, due to the presence of dislocation fields. Dispersion relations are calculated for an infinetely extended space-time domain and for the first order approximation (linear) to the field equations. Dispersion of both the longitudinal and transverse elastic waves is observed for sufficiently large wavelengths. Realization of the dispersion curves in a laboratory experiment could result in an actual measurement of the additional material constants, needed for a full description of the constitutive behavior of a deformable body with dislocations, according to the predictions of the theory.
A practical, convergent route to the key precursor to the tetracycline antibiotics

Here we describe a 5-step sequence to prepare the AB enone 1, the key precursor to fully synthetic tetracyclines, that begins with a diastereoselective Michael–Claisen coupling of two simple starting materials, a cyclohexenone (compound 2 or, in a refinement, a substituted variant, vide infra) and the isoxazole ester 3. This advance defines an 8-step linear sequence to 6-deoxytetracycline antibiotics from three components of similar complexity (cyclohexenone 2, isoxazole ester 3, and structurally diverse D-ring precursors) in which sequential diastereoselective Michael–Claisen cyclization reactions form the A- and C-rings, respectively, of the linearly fused ABCD tetracycline skeleton. In addition to providing a readily scalable, practical route to fully synthetic tetracyclines of broad structural diversity, the sequence reported comprises a series of non-obvious stereoselective transformations, including a novel means for C12a hydroxylation.
Methylmalonic aciduria: metabolic block localization and vitamin B12 dependency.

Methylmalonic aciduria is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by neonatal or infantile ketoacidosis. Leukocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of a 1-year-old child with this disorder converted negligible quantities of propionate-3-C(14) to carbon dioxide, but oxidized succinate-1,4-C(14) normally, an indication of a block in the conversion of propionate to succinate. Parenteral administration of vitamin B(18) resulted in a reduction in methylmalonic acid excretion and an increase in propionate oxidation by leukocytes in vitro. The results suggest a mutation of methylmalonyl-CoA isomerase, a vitamin B(12), dependent enzyme which converts methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, and provide the first demonstration of vitamin B(12) "dependency" in man.
Rope Sluts, and Bottoms, and Subs, Oh My: 50 Shades of Grey and the Shifting Discourse on Female Submission in Feminist Kink Porn

To date, feminists have conflated (and continue to conflate) historical understandings of bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism (BDSM) as pathological and representations of BDSM in literature and popular media with the lived experiences of feminist BDSM practitioners. Feminist BDSM practitioner Madison Young’s pornographic film 50 Shades of Dylan Ryan (2012) takes the recent resurgence of the ongoing debate on women, submission, and popular literature as a starting point for reconsideration and possibility. By adapting the discourse surrounding 50 Shades of Grey, Young’s pornographic film points to the ways in which feminism also contributes to that which makes pleasure possible. Young’s film reimagines the dualities that have traditionally dominated feminist cultural critique through concepts the author calls “mediated authenticity” and “formal simultaneity.” Beginning with a brief, rigorous examination of the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon, this article analyzes Madison Young’s...
On Spectral Analysis of Signed and Dispute Graphs

This paper presents a study of signed networks from both theoretical and practical aspects. On the theoretical aspect, we conduct theoretical study based on matrix perturbation theorem for analyzing community structures of complex signed networks and show how the negative edges affect distributions and patterns of node spectral coordinates in the spectral space. We prove and demonstrate cluster orthogonality for two types of signed networks: graph with dense inter-community mixed sign edges and k-dispute graph. We show why the line orthogonality pattern does not hold in the spectral space for these two types of networks. On the practical aspect, we have developed a clustering method to study signed networks and k-dispute networks. Empirical evaluations on both synthetic and real networks show our algorithm outperforms existing clustering methods on signed networks in terms of accuracy.
Psychological Differences between Patients that Elect Operative or Nonoperative Treatment for Trapeziometacarpal Joint Arthrosis

Among 44 consecutive patients electing operative treatment of trapeziometacarpal arthrosis, three age- and gender-matched controls that presented during the same time period but had not yet requested operative treatment were selected from billing records. Each patient and control was mailed a survey that included an upper extremity-specific health status measure (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire; DASH) and a set of questionnaires evaluating psychological factors including the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Center for the Epidemiological Study of Depression (CES-D) instrument. Seventy-two patients (45%; 31 that elected operative and 41 nonoperative care) returned a completed questionnaire with usable data. Older age was the only significant predictor of choice for nonoperative treatment among survey responders. Arm-specific disability (DASH) correlated with the CES-D, PASS, and PCS scores, and the influence of radiographic severity was near significant (p = 0.06). Stepwise multiple linear regression resulted in a model including the CES-D and PCS scores and accounting for 51% of the variability in DASH scores for patients from both cohorts. For both the operative and nonoperative cohorts, a model including CES-D alone accounted for 50% of the variability in DASH scores (p < 0.01). This study suggests that depression, pain anxiety, and pain catastrophizing are strong correlates of arm-specific disability but do not predict election of operative treatment in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthrosis.
Group Sequential Design for Randomized Phase III Trials under the Weibull Model

In this article, a parametric sequential test is proposed under the Weibull model. The proposed test is asymptotically normal with an independent increment structure. The sample size for a fixed sample test is derived for the purpose of group sequential trial design. In addition, a multi-stage group sequential procedure is given under the Weibull model by applying the Brownian motion property of the test statistic and sequential conditional probability ratio test methodology.
The Earliest Works of Fra Bartolommeo

Born in 1472, Fra Bartolommeo was barely thirteen years old when he entered Cosimo Roselli's workshop as an apprentice.1 Yet twelve years later in his first documented work, the Last Judgment painted in 1497–1500 for Santa Maria Nuova, he emerges as a fully formed artist in command of a highly personal style that has little to do with the modest talents of his first master or indeed with the prevailing trends of Quattrocento art. In the context of Florentine painting of the late 1490's—one thinks of the late works of Botticelli and Filippino Lippi—Bartolommeo appears as an independent exponent of the new High Renaissance style, anticipating the Florentine works of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo of the first lustrum of the next century. How Bartolommeo came to take this leading role in Florentine painting is a question which can be answered only by an analysis of his youthful works.
ß-glucosidases in the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae:Purification, properties, and activity levels in wheat- and legume-feeding strains

s-Glucosidase activity in the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), measured with the substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-s-d-glucoside (MUsGlu), is present in the soluble fraction of gut tract homogenates (105,000 g supernatant) with 13% found in foregut and 82% found in midgut regions. About 16% of s-glucosidase activity in whole body and gut tract homogenates was lost after storage for 16 weeks at −70°C. However, stability of the enzyme was generally independent of buffer pH from pH 5.5 to 8.5. A minor and a major s-glucosidase fraction, peaks I and II, respectively, were partially-purified from S. oryzae by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL6B. Relative substrate specificities (Vmax·Km−1 of peak I (Rm0.51) were helicin > amygdalin > NPsGlu > cellobiose ⪢ salicin. Relative substrate specificities of II (Rm 0.59 were cellobiose >helicin > p-nitrophenyl-s-d-glucopyranoside(NPsGlu) > amygdalin ⪢ salicin. Arbutin, phloridzin, and methyl-s-glucopyranoside were poor substrates for both fractions. Molecular masses of peaks I and II were estimated to be 140 and 170 kDa by gel filtration, respectively. There were no qualitative differences between s-glucosidase activity in the Savannah strain of S. oryzae and two rice weevil strains, Burma and Trinidad, adapted to yellow split pea, as determined by electrophoretic zymogram analysis with the substrate MUsGlu. In addition, activities in the Savannah strain against cellobiose, NPsGlu, helicin, amygdalin, and salicin were intermediate between those of Burma and Trinidad. When weevils from the Burma and Trinidad strains were transferred to wheat for 3 weeks, s-glucosidase activity based on gut equivalents was reduced. Nevertheless, based on results with these tested substrates, there is no obvious relationship between s-glucosidase activity in adults of these rice weevil strains and their adaptation to feeding and breeding on legumes.
Varying the condensable water vapor content in an expansion cloud chamber

Abstract We have investigated using a water and tetraethylene glycol mixture to reduce, substantially, the equilibrium vapor pressure of water in our expansion cloud chamber. The experiments were performed with a mixture that reduced the water vapor content to 2.5% relative humidity. They verify that the chamber with this mixture can be expanded to temperatures from −30°C to −40°C accompanied by water vapor pressures from below saturation to supersaturation ratios up to 1.6. The experiments indicate that the very low concentration of tetraethylene glycol in the vapor does not influence the water nucleation process.
Uncertain reasoning and forecasting

Abstract We develop a probability forecasting model through a synthesis of Bayesian belief-network models and classical time-series analysis. By casting Bayesian time-series analyses as temporal belief-network problems, we introduce dependency models that capture richer and more realistic models of dynamic dependencies. With richer models and associated computational methods, we can move beyond the rigid classical assumptions of linearity in the relationships among variables and of normality of their probability distributions. We apply the methodology to the difficult problem of predicting outcome in critically ill patients. The nonlinear, dynamic behavior of the critical-care domain highlights the need for a synthesis of probability forecasting and uncertain reasoning.
26 Al in kenna and other ureilites

Recent observations indicate that, as a class, ureilites have diminished 26A1 activities relative to elemental production rate predictions. The 26Al activity, 49.3 ± 3.7 dpm/kg, in the recentlydiscovered Kenna ureilite fits this pattern also. The cause of this depletion is not clear, but the possibility of exotic orbits experiencing reduced cosmic-ray fluxes has been raised. Comparison of ureilites with chondrites on a plot of (26Al)obs/(26Al)calc vs 22Ne/21Ne (a cosmic-ray shielding indicator) suggests that low shielding alone may account for the observed deficiency.
Identification of an endocrine disrupting agent from corn with mitogenic activity.

A mitogenic agent in corncob bedding and fresh corn products disrupts sexual behavior and estrous cyclicity in rats. The mitogenic activity resides in an isomeric mixture of linoleic acid derivatives with a tetrahydrofuran ring and two hydroxyl groups (THF-diols) that include 9, (12)-oxy-10,13-dihydroxystearic acid and 10, (13)-oxy-9,12-dihydroxystearic acid. Synthetic THF-diols stimulated breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro and disrupted the estrous cycle in female rats at oral doses of ∼0.30 mg/kg body weight/day. Exposure to THF-diols may disrupt endocrine function in experimental animals at doses ∼200 times lower than classical phytoestrogens, promote proliferation of breast or prostate cancer, and adversely affect human health.
THE RECEPTIONS OF ELIE HALEVY’S LA FORMATION DU RADICALISME PHILOSOPHIQUE IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE

That Elie Halevy's The Growth of Philosophical Radicalism is a classic text of history and theory is a judgment repeated too often to be in doubt. But what makes it a classic? The most obvious sign—that it is widely recommended as a standard work in its field generations after its publication—raises the question of why and how a text becomes a leading work or “master” piece. Literary classics are sometimes said to fuse style, substance, and significance in a mysterious alchemy that continues to stimulate thought beyond the original context. Similarly, discussions of historical works that enlarge the imagination sometimes center on the literary qualities of these texts. Most famously, Hayden White dwells on their allegedly fruitful exploitation of a preexisting “linguistic protocol” such as tragedy or irony. White also notes, however, that a necessary condition for any work of history to resonate powerfully with its audience is that readers are subconsciously prepared to be moved by it.
Role of redox-regulated transcription factors in inflammation, aging and age-related diseases

A progressive rise of oxidative stress due to the altered redox homeostasis appears to be one of the hallmarks of the aging process. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) also serve as signaling agents for inflammation, a systemic defensive reaction against microbial pathogens and other foreign bodies. Changes in the pattern of gene expression through ROS-sensitive transcription factors give rise to both aging and inflammation phenotypes. Chronic oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction also lead to many age-associated diseases such as atherosclerosis and arthritis. Transcription factors that are directly influenced by ROS and proinflammatory cytokines include nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), activator protein 1 (AP-1), specificity protein 1 (Sp1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Here we describe the basic components of the intracellular redox control machinery and their dysregulation with age leading to altered transcription factor function and age-associated pathophysiology.
Information system success as impacted by risks and development strategies

The high failure rates long associated with information system (IS) projects, despite advances in techniques for information technology development, suggest that organizations need to improve their ability to identify and to manage associated risks. Until recently, studies of specific risks and successes were limited by the lack of formal measures that were both comprehensive and multifaceted. This paper proposes and tests a model based on literature that relates sources of risk to strategies and success. One hundred ninety-six project managers were surveyed to begin an exploration of the types of risks encountered, the impact they have on different categories of success, and the types of strategies that are deployed to mitigate known risks. Analysis of responses indicates that risk-reduction strategies influence success. Strategies involving behavioral aspects tend to be more influential in risk reduction than are those aimed at technical risks. Suggestions for both practitioners and researchers are discussed.
Synthetically programmable DNA binding domains in aggregates of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles.

Polyvalent DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticle conjugates (DNA–Au NPs) have proven useful in a variety of assembly,[1–3] biodiagnostic,[4–6] and nanotherapeutic[7–10] applications. Their widespread use is a consequence of: 1) their novel hybridization properties and 2) straightforward methods for synthesizing macroscopic quantities of them in relatively monodisperse form.[1,11,12] In some applications, the utility of DNA–Au NPs relies on their ability to assemble via DNA hybridization into polymeric aggregates (Scheme 1A).[1] This reaction is accompanied by a concomitant red-to-blue color change, a consequence of the dampening and red-shifting of the nanoparticle surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at ~520 nm (for a 15-nm nanoparticle).[13] As the temperature is increased above the melting temperature of the duplex DNA linkages connecting the gold nanoparticles, the polymeric structure dehybridizes, the spectroscopic signature associated with the dispersed particles is restored, and a single, highly cooperative melting transition is observed. The melting transition occurs at a higher temperature and over a more narrow temperature range than free duplex DNA of the same sequence.[1,14,15]
Translating Evidence into Practice: Use of Statins in Real-World Patients with Heart Failure

Heart failure is a common and serious disorder affecting more than 5 million patients in the United States. Although clinical trials have shown that several therapies improve outcomes, translation of evidence into practice is imperfect. This "quality chasm" ultimately leads to lost opportunities for decreasing morbidity and mortality. As more evidence is gathered for statins in heart failure, it will be important to continuously assess implementation of statins in eligible heart failure patients, as well as to identify opportunities for and barriers to improvement. This article reviews the conceptual basis for driving evidence-based medicine by focusing on quality of care for heart failure patients.
TLRR (lrrc67) interacts with PP1 and is associated with a cytoskeletal complex in the testis

Background information. Spermatozoa are formed via a complex series of cellular transformations, including acrosome and flagellum formation, nuclear condensation and elongation and removal of residual cytoplasm. Nuclear elongation is accompanied by the formation of a unique cytoskeletal structure, the manchette. We have previously identified a leucine-rich repeat protein that we have named TLRR (testis leucine-rich repeat), associated with the manchette that contains a PP1 (protein phosphatase-1)-binding site. Leucine-rich repeat proteins often mediate protein–protein interactions; therefore, we hypothesize that TLRR acts as a scaffold to link signalling molecules, including PP1, to the manchette near potential substrate proteins important for spermatogenesis. Results. TLRR and PP1 interact with one another as demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation and the yeast two-hybrid assay. TLRR binds more strongly to PP1γ2 than it does to PP1α. Anti-phosphoserine antibodies immunoprecipitate TLRR from testis lysate, indicating that TLRR is a phosphoprotein. TLRR is part of a complex in testis that includes cytoskeletal proteins and constituents of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. The TLRR complex purified from 3T3 cells contains similar proteins, co-localizes with microtubules and is enriched at the microtubule-organizing centre. TLRR is also detected near the centrosome of elongated, but not mid-stage, spermatids. Conclusion. We demonstrate here that TLRR interacts with PP1, particularly the testis-specific isoform, PP1γ2. Immunoaffinity purification confirms that TLRR is associated with the spermatid cytoskeleton. In addition, proteins involved in protein stability are part of the TLRR complex. These results support our hypothesis that TLRR links signalling molecules to the spermatid cytoskeleton in order to regulate important substrates involved in spermatid transformation. The translocation of TLRR from the manchette to the centrosome region suggests a possible role for this protein in tail formation. Our finding that TLRR is associated with microtubules in cultured cells suggests that TLRR may play a common role in modulating the cytoskeleton in other cell types besides male germ cells.
Predicting altered connectivity of patchy forests under group selection silviculture

Group selection silviculture creates canopy openings that can alter connectivity in patchy forests, thereby affecting wildlife movement and fire behavior. We examined effects of group selection silviculture on percolation (presence of continuously forested routes across a landscape) in Sierra Nevada East-side pine forest in northern California, USA. Four ~ 250 ha project areas were analyzed at three map resolutions in three ways: analyzing forest cover maps for percolation before and after group-selection treatment, placing simulated group openings in forest cover maps until fragmentation occurred, and comparing project areas to neutral maps that varied in forest cover and self-adjacency. Two project areas were fragmented (i.e., did not percolate) prior to treatment, one resisted fragmentation, and the other became fragmented by treatment when analyzed at 30 m cell resolution. Median simulated openings required to create fragmentation agreed well with the actual number. There was a well-defined transition between percolating and non-percolating neutral maps; increased aggregation of forest lowered the critical value at which forests percolated. A logistic model based on these maps predicted percolation behavior of the project areas effectively, but alternative generating algorithms gave slightly different predictions. A graph of this model provides a straightforward way to visualize how close a landscape is to fragmentation based on its forest cover and aggregation. In East-side Sierran landscape, fragmentation from group-selection openings may make the landscape less hospitable to the American marten but more resistant to crown fire.
Gender and C-reactive protein: data from the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort.

Background American Heart Association/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines support the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) to further risk stratify individuals at intermediate risk (10%-20% 10-year risk) for heart disease. Determining gender-specific differences in CRP may alter how CRP levels are interpreted and used to determine risk. Methods MESA is a prospective cohort consisting of 6814 men and women aged 45 to 84 years recruited from 6 US communities. Nonparametric analyses were performed to determine differences in CRP levels by gender in the entire cohort and after stratifying by use of estrogen medication (n = 944). Stratifying by median body mass index (BMI) and generalized linear models were also used to account for confounding variables associated with CRP. Results Overall, women had substantially higher median CRP levels compared with men (2.56 vs 1.43 mg/L, P 10 mg/L, median CRP levels remained higher in women compared with men (1.85 vs 1.33 mg/L, P Conclusions C-reactive protein levels were higher in women compared with men despite accounting for BMI and other common confounding variables. This gender difference was maintained across all ethnic subgroups. These results suggest that evaluation of gender-specific CRP cut points to determine cardiovascular risk should be considered.
Autoregressive Stochastic Volatility Models with Heavy-tailed Distributions: A Comparison with Multifactor Volatility Models

This paper examines two asymmetric stochastic volatility models used to describe the heavy tails and volatility dependencies found in most financial returns. The first is the autoregressive stochastic volatility model with Student’s t-distribution (ARSV-t), and the second is the multifactor stochastic volatility (MFSV) model. In order to estimate these models, the analysis employs the Monte Carlo likelihood (MCL) method proposed by Sandmann and Koopman (1998). To guarantee the positive definiteness of the sampling distribution of the MCL, the nearest covariance matrix in the Frobenius norm is used. The empirical results using returns on the S&P 500 Composite and Tokyo stock price indexes and the Japan–US exchange rate indicate that the ARSV-t model provides a better fit than the MFSV model on the basis of Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Bayes information criterion (BIC).
Magnetic Anisotropy Dispersion in FeCo Films

We report on our study of magnetic and nonmagnetic parameters such as coercivity, anisotropy , magnetic dispersion, and stress on FeCo films of various thicknesses from 25 A to 500 A . We used 10 A Ru or NiFe seed layers for two sets of FeCo films. All films showed so-called hard-axis coercivity rocking, i.e., the hard-axis coercivity exhibits two local minima close to the nominal hard axis. Magnetic properties and stress change dramatically with FeCo thickness, but with little difference between the two types of seed materials. We found a correlation between the angular separation of the two local coercivity minima and easy-axis coercivity. The results stress the need to differentiate between two levels of dispersion, one at the microscopic and the other at the macroscopic level.