cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Excited-state structure by time-resolved X-ray diffraction.

X-ray crystallography has traditionally been limited to the study of the ground-state structure of molecules and solids. Recent technical advances are removing this limitation as demonstrated here by a time-resolved stroboscopic study of the photo-induced 50 µs lifetime excited triplet state of the [Pt2(pop)4]4− ion [pop = pyrophosphate, (H2P2O5)2−], performed at helium temperatures with synchrotron radiation. The shortening of the Pt—Pt bond by 0.28 (9) A upon excitation is compatible with the proposed mechanism involving promotion of a Pt—Pt antibonding dσ* electron to a weakly bonding p orbital. The contraction is accompanied by a 3° molecular rotation. The time-resolved diffraction technique described here is applicable to reversible light-driven processes in the crystalline solid state.
Is an intact cytoskeleton required for red cell urea and water transport

Abstract In order to determine the membrane protein(s) responsible for urea and water transport across the human red cell membrane, we planned to reconstitute purified membrane proteins into phosphatidylcholine vesicles. In preparatory experiments, we reconstituted a mixture of all of the red cell integral membrane proteins into phosphatidylcholine vesicles, but found that p -chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS), which normally inhibits osmotic water permeability by approximately 90%, has no effect on this preparation. The preparation was also unable to transport urea at the high rates found in red cells, though glucose transport was normal. White ghosts, washed free of hemoglobin and resealed, also did not preserve normal urea and pCMBS-inhibitable water transport. One-step ghosts, prepared in Hepes buffer in a single-step procedure, without washing, retained normal urea and pCMBS-inhibitable water transport. Perturbation of the cytoskeleton in one-step ghosts, by removal of tropomyosin, or by severing the ankyrin link which binds band 3 to spectrin, caused the loss of urea and pCMBS-inhibitable water transport. These experiments suggest that an unperturbed cytoskeleton may be required for normal urea and pCMBS-inhibitable water transport. They also show that the pCMBS inhibition of water transport is dissociable from the water transport process and suggest a linkage between the pCMBS water transport inhibition site and the urea transport protein.
History force on a sphere due to a step change in the free-stream velocity

Abstract Finite-difference solutions for unsteady flows over a stationary sphere due to a step change in the free-stream velocity from U 1 to U 2 (0 U 1 UZ ) are obtained, from which the unsteady drag is evaluated, for Reynolds numbers, Re (based on the diameter of the sphere and the free-stream velocity U 2 ), ranging from 0.1 to 100 over a large range of time. The history force on the sphere is determined by subtracting the quasi-steady drag from the computed total drag. The numerical result shows a complicated behavior of the history force at finite Re for both U 1 = 0 and U 1 > 0. It decays as t − 1 2 for small time; it then decays as t − n ( n ⩾ 2 with n = 2 for small Re) for an intermediate range of time; and it decays exponentially at large time. The numerical results are used to assess a recently developed expression for the history force for finite Re. Good overall agreement is observed for the history force between the analytical prediction and the finite-difference solution for small and intermediate time for the Re values tested.
Binding and neutralization of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and related ligands by VEGF Trap, ranibizumab and bevacizumab

Pharmacological inhibition of VEGF-A has proven to be effective in inhibiting angiogenesis and vascular leak associated with cancers and various eye diseases. However, little information is currently available on the binding kinetics and relative biological activity of various VEGF inhibitors. Therefore, we have evaluated the binding kinetics of two anti-VEGF antibodies, ranibizumab and bevacizumab, and VEGF Trap (also known as aflibercept), a novel type of soluble decoy receptor, with substantially higher affinity than conventional soluble VEGF receptors. VEGF Trap bound to all isoforms of human VEGF-A tested with subpicomolar affinity. Ranibizumab and bevacizumab also bound human VEGF-A, but with markedly lower affinity. The association rate for VEGF Trap binding to VEGF-A was orders of magnitude faster than that measured for bevacizumab and ranibizumab. Similarly, in cell-based bioassays, VEGF Trap inhibited the activation of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, as well as VEGF-A induced calcium mobilization and migration in human endothelial cells more potently than ranibizumab or bevacizumab. Only VEGF Trap bound human PlGF and VEGF-B, and inhibited VEGFR1 activation and HUVEC migration induced by PlGF. These data differentiate VEGF Trap from ranibizumab and bevacizumab in terms of its markedly higher affinity for VEGF-A, as well as its ability to bind VEGF-B and PlGF.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), VEGF Receptor (FLK-1) and Hypoxia Inducible Factor - Like Factor (HLF) mRNA Abundance Are Increased by Dexamethasone in Postnatal Mouse Lung

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), VEGF Receptor (FLK-1) and Hypoxia Inducible Factor - Like Factor (HLF) mRNA Abundance Are Increased by Dexamethasone in Postnatal Mouse Lung
Understanding epistemological development in first- and second-year chemistry students

Epistemological beliefs—a learner’s perspective about knowledge and the nature of learning—have been found to play a vital role in learning. Much research has been conducted, both in general and in specific fields, to explore epistemological development in college-aged students; however, little of that research has been done specifically in chemistry. Prior research has documented how chemistry-specific epistemological beliefs change as students progress through their study of chemistry. The current research, which uses a qualitative, longitudinal approach, expands upon this work and explores factors, both curricular and extracurricular, that influence the development of students’ epistemological beliefs about learning chemistry. This manuscript specifically focuses on development during students’ study of chemistry during their first and second years.
Distal orogenic effects on peripheral bulge sedimentation: Middle and Upper Ordovician of the Nashville Dome

ABSTRACT A major switch in depositional style in the Ordovician carbonates of the Nashville Dome corresponds closely with the onset of the late Middle Ordovician Taconic orogeny. This time marks a shift from tropical-type to temperate-type carbonates, the initiation of widespread major phosphate deposition, the introduction of large amounts of terrigenous silt and clay, the occurrence of widespread seismically induced soft-sediment deformation, and a change from a low-energy flat-topped carbonate shelf to a high-energy doubly dipping carbonate ramp. Soft-sediment deformation and the introduction of siliciclastics are direct effects of the Taconic orogeny; the switch from tropical-type to temperate-type carbonates, the initiation of phosphate deposition, and the switch in carbonate ramp are lar ely oceanographic effects triggered by the orogeny. In particular, phosphate deposition and the switch to temperate-type limestones appears to have been driven by upwelling along the eastern side of the Nashville Dome within the newly deepened Taconic foreland basin. A fourfold decrease in the rate of relative sea-level rise occurred on the Nashville Dome nearly 3 m.y. following the onset of thrusting and foreland basin initiation. Subsidence rates were constant before and after this decrease, and no evidence of a change in subsidence rates is seen to coincide with the onset of thrusting. The slowing of subsidence may reflect viscoelastic uplift of the Nashville Dome, but the abrupt change from one constant subsidence rate to another is not predicted by existing foreland basin models.
Small modulation of ongoing cortical dynamics by sensory input during natural vision

During vision, it is believed that neural activity in the primary visual cortex is predominantly driven by sensory input from the environment. However, visual cortical neurons respond to repeated presentations of the same stimulus with a high degree of variability. Although this variability has been considered to be noise owing to random spontaneous activity within the cortex, recent studies show that spontaneous activity has a highly coherent spatio-temporal structure. This raises the possibility that the pattern of this spontaneous activity may shape neural responses during natural viewing conditions to a larger extent than previously thought. Here, we examine the relationship between spontaneous activity and the response of primary visual cortical neurons to dynamic natural-scene and random-noise film images in awake, freely viewing ferrets from the time of eye opening to maturity. The correspondence between evoked neural activity and the structure of the input signal was weak in young animals, but systematically improved with age. This improvement was linked to a shift in the dynamics of spontaneous activity. At all ages including the mature animal, correlations in spontaneous neural firing were only slightly modified by visual stimulation, irrespective of the sensory input. These results suggest that in both the developing and mature visual cortex, sensory evoked neural activity represents the modulation and triggering of ongoing circuit dynamics by input signals, rather than directly reflecting the structure of the input signal itself.
An Unusual Cause of Painless Jaundice

Question: A 79-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and benign prostatic hyperplasia presented to our institution with a 2to 3-week history of progressively worsening painless jaundice. The jaundice was associated with anorexia, a 15-lb unintentional weight loss, pruritus, nausea, and acholic stools. The patient otherwise had no complaints. He denied any fevers, chills, night sweats, diarrhea, or vomiting. The patient denied recent travel and had not started any new medications or over-the-counter herbal remedies. His home medications included insulin, felodepine, benazepril, and Flomax. On admission, the patient was afebrile with a temperature of 36.8 C, blood pressure was 154/72 mmHg, and his pulse rate was 65 beats per minute. He seemed to be jaundiced and he had icteric sclera. He had excoriation marks on his skin as a consequence of severe pruritus. His abdomen was soft, nondistended, and nontender with no hepatosplenomegaly appreciated. Admission blood work revealed a normal white blood cell count, hemoglobin 10.1 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume 89.6 mm, and normal platelet count. His liver panel showed a total bilirubin of 15.4 mg/dL (normal, 0.2-1.0) with a direct bilirubin of 10.6 mg/dL (normal, <0.2), alanine aminotransferase, 314 IU/L (normal, 12-78), aspartate aminotransferase, 248 IU/L (normal, 15-37), alkaline phosphatase, 656 IU/L (normal, 50-136), g-glutamyl transpeptidase, 995 IU/L (normal, 15-85), and normal albumin and International Normalized Ratio. Urinalysis showed 2þ bilirubinuria and 3þ hematuria. To further evaluate the abnormal liver enzymes, a contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis was performed. There was no evidence of intrahepatic or extrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation seen. A very large mass encompassing the majority of the right kidney was noted (Figures A–C). What is the most likely cause for the elevated liver enzymes? Look on page 1138 for the answer and see the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Effect of acute endotoxemia on analog estimates of mean systemic pressure

Dynamic estimates of mean systemic pressure based on a Guytonian analog model (Pmsa) appear accurate under baseline conditions but may not remain so during septic shock because blood volume distribution and resistances between arterial and venous beds may change. Thus, we examined the effect of acute endotoxemia on the ability of Pmsa, estimated from steady-state cardiac output, right atrial pressure, and mean arterial pressure, to reflect our previously validated instantaneous venous return measure of mean systemic pressure (Pmsi), derived from beat-to-beat measures of right ventricular stroke volume and right atrial pressure during positive pressure ventilation. We studied 6 splenectomized pentobarbital-anesthetized close chested dogs. Right ventricular stroke volume was measured by a pulmonary arterial electromagnetic flow probe. Instantaneous venous return measure of mean systemic pressure and Pmsa were calculated during volume loading and removal (±100-mL bolus increments×5) both before (control) and 30 minutes after endotoxin infusion (endo). Cardiac output increased (2628±905 vs 3560±539 mL/min; P<.05) and mean arterial pressure decreased (107±16 vs 56±12 mm Hg; P<.01) during endo. Changes in Pmsi and Pmsa correlated during both control and endo (r2=0.7) with minimal bias by Bland-Altman analysis (mean difference±95% confidence interval, 0.47±5.04 mm Hg). We conclude that changes in Pmsa accurately tracts Pmsi under both control and endo.
Motion and Bone Regeneration

Bone is a living material composed of cells and an extracellular matrix (ECM) that has a multi-component structure [4]. The ECM of bone is composed of three phases: an inorganic mineral phase, an organic phase, and an aqueous phase. The inorganic phase of bone is calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. The organic phase consists primarily of collagen fibers and associated noncollagenous ECM proteins. The molecular configuration of collagen provides binding sites for hydroxyapatite crystal nucleation and growth. The ECM is created and maintained by active bone cells: osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes. Osteoblasts and osteocytes are involved in bone formation and maintenance, respectively, whereas osteoclasts promote resorption of bone [2], [99]. Bone is, in general, dynamic and constantly being remodeled by the action of these cells, and thus can regenerate itself.
Identifying the radiation belt source region by data assimilation

We describe how assimilation of radiation belt data with a simple radial diusion code can be used to identify and adjust for unknown physics in the model. We study the drop-out and the following enhancement of relativistic electrons during a moderate storm on October 25, 2002. We introduce a technique that uses an ensemble Kalman Filter and the probability distribution of the forecast ensemble to identify if the model is drifting away from the observations and to find inconsistencies between model forecast and observations. We use the method to pinpoint the time periods and locations where most of the disagreement occurs and how much the Kalman Filter has to adjust the model state to match the observations. Although the model does not contain explicit source or loss terms, the Kalman Filter algorithm can implicitly add very localized sources or losses in order to reduce the discrepancy between model and observations. We use this technique with multi-satellite observations to determine when simple radial diusion is inconsistent with the observed phase space densities indicating where additional source (acceleration) or loss (precipitation) processes must be active. We find that the outer boundary estimated by the ensemble Kalman filter is consistent with negative phase space density gradients in the outer electron radiation belt. We also identify that specific regions in the radiation belts (L 5 6 and to a minor extend also L 4)where simple radial diusion fails to adequately capture the variability of the observations, suggesting local acceleration/loss mechanisms.
Next Steps in TeamSTEPPS®: Creating a Just Culture With Observation and Simulation

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to propose a strategy for ensuing simulation training following the implementation of a thorough Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient S...
Water-Splitting Photoelectrolysis Reaction Rate via Microscopic Imaging of Evolved Oxygen Bubbles

Bubble formation and growth on a water-splitting semiconductor photoelectrode under illumination with above-bandgap radiation provide a direct measurement of the gas-evolving reaction rate. Optical microscopy was used to record the bubble growth on single-crystal strontium titanate immersed in basic aqueous electrolyte and illuminated with UV light at 351/364 nm from a focused argon laser. By analyzing the bubble size as a function of time, the water-splitting reaction rate was determined for varying light intensities and was compared to photocurrent measurements. Bubble nucleation was explored on an illuminated flat surface, as well as the subsequent light scattering and electrode shielding due to the bubble. This technique allows a quantitative examination of the actual gas evolution rate during photoelectrochemical water splitting, independent of current measurements.
Poly(dA:dT)-Rich DNAs Are Highly Flexible in the Context of DNA Looping

Large-scale DNA deformation is ubiquitous in transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes alike. Though much is known about how transcription factors and constellations of binding sites dictate where and how gene regulation will occur, less is known about the role played by the intervening DNA. In this work we explore the effect of sequence flexibility on transcription factor-mediated DNA looping, by drawing on sequences identified in nucleosome formation and ligase-mediated cyclization assays as being especially favorable for or resistant to large deformations. We examine a poly(dA:dT)-rich, nucleosome-repelling sequence that is often thought to belong to a class of highly inflexible DNAs; two strong nucleosome positioning sequences that share a set of particular sequence features common to nucleosome-preferring DNAs; and a CG-rich sequence representative of high G+C-content genomic regions that correlate with high nucleosome occupancy in vivo. To measure the flexibility of these sequences in the context of DNA looping, we combine the in vitro single-molecule tethered particle motion assay, a canonical looping protein, and a statistical mechanical model that allows us to quantitatively relate the looping probability to the looping free energy. We show that, in contrast to the case of nucleosome occupancy, G+C content does not positively correlate with looping probability, and that despite sharing sequence features that are thought to determine nucleosome affinity, the two strong nucleosome positioning sequences behave markedly dissimilarly in the context of looping. Most surprisingly, the poly(dA:dT)-rich DNA that is often characterized as highly inflexible in fact exhibits one of the highest propensities for looping that we have measured. These results argue for a need to revisit our understanding of the mechanical properties of DNA in a way that will provide a basis for understanding DNA deformation over the entire range of biologically relevant scenarios that are impacted by DNA deformability.
Diversity in the sialic acids

Historical background It is now more than 50 years since N-acetyl-neuraminic acid was first discovered and subsequently characterized by several groups (reviewed in Roseman, 1970; Gottschalk, 1972; Rosenberg and Schengrund, 1976; Schauer, 1982; Faillard, 1989). Relatively soon after its discovery, it became apparent that this molecule was actually the major member of a family of compounds related to neuraminic acid that were christened the 'sialic acids' (Blix etai, 1957). Early studies paid close attention to the different types of sialic acids and the interrelationships between them. However, interest in these complexities subsequently waned and unpublished 'folk-lore' had it that modified sialic acids were species-specific curiosities found only in a few tissues, such as erythrocytes and submaxillary glands. In fact, many investigators in the 1970s and 80s used the terms W-acetyl-neuraminic acid' and 'sialic acid' synonymously. Thus, for example, when structural or biological changes were noted following treatments with a sialidase (neuraminidase), it was often assumed that the sialic acid released was A^-acetyl-neuraminic acid. It is now clear tjiat the different types of sialic acids are much more widely distributed than previously thought. This review attempts to briefly summarize current knowledge concerning the occurrence, structure, biochemistry and biological significance of this diversity in the sialic acids. Particular attention is given to the two most common and better studied modifications: the addition of 0-acetyl esters to the hydroxyl groups at the 4-, 7-, 8- and 9-positions, and the conversion of the 7V-acetyl group to an /V-glycolyl group. Given the breadth of the review, the bibliography is only representative, and tends to emphasize more recent studies.
Sacred and Secular Spheres: Religious Women in Golden Age Spain

This article examines the lives of religious women in Golden Age Spain as they managed their institutions and expressed their vocations in an increasingly constrained religious environment. Although convents were supposed to be bound by the Council of Trent's decree of 1563 that nuns observe strict enclosure, the demands of administering their estates and maintaining ties with secular families and patrons meant that nuns often simply ignored or substantially modified this expectation. Prominent ecclesiastics also sought to limit the influence of unenclosed holy women (beatas). Yet these women were often revered figures in their communities. Thus, patronage networks and local acclaim made it possible for them to occupy significant roles despite attempts to silence their voices. Counter to prevailing interpretations of Spain's repressive religious culture during this period, then, the experiences of nuns and beatas demonstrate that religious women continued to exert a visible and influential presence in Tridentine Spain.
Plant phenology: a critical controller of soil resource acquisition

Plant phenology, the timing of plant growth and development, is changing in response to global climate change. Changing temperature, soil moisture, nitrogen availability, light, and elevated CO(2) are all likely to affect plant phenology. Alteration of plant phenology by global climate change may alter the ability of plants to acquire soil resources (water and nutrients) by altering the timing and duration of the deployment of roots and leaves, which drive resource acquisition. The potential importance of phenologically-driven changes in soil resource acquisition for plant fitness and productivity have received little attention. General hypotheses are proposed for how plant acquisition of soil resources may be affected by the alteration of phenology. It is expected that the acquisition of mobile resources will be approximately proportional to total transpiration. Alteration of phenology that increases total transpiration should increase, while changes in phenology that reduce transpiration should decrease the acquisition of mobile resources. The acquisition of immobile resources will be approximately proportional to root length duration, thus changes in phenology that increase growth duration should increase the acquisition of immobile resources and vice versa. For both groups of resources, longer growing seasons would tend to increase resource acquisition, and shorter growing seasons would tend to decrease resource acquisition. In the case of resources that exhibit seasonal variability in availability, the synchrony of resource availability and acquisition capacity is important, and subject to disturbance by the alteration of phenology.
Surface-wave band gaps and leaky modes on integrated circuit structures with planar periodic metallic elements

In recent years, there has been significant interest in complete surface-wave elimination (meaning in all-possible directions) with the use of periodic elements in integrated circuit structures. However, leaky-waves with complex propagation constants may exist within the surface-wave bandgap zone, and these have not been taken into account previously. These leaky-waves may result in more energy loss and cross talk than the surface-wave modes. This paper presents the theory and experimental results for guided surface-wave and leaky modes on a printed circuit structure consisting of planar periodic metallic patches or dipoles over a grounded substrate. It is found that fast periodic leaky modes may exist within a surface-wave band-gap zone These leaky modes should be taken into account in circuit design.
Prevalence of blood circulation misconceptions among prospective elementary teachers

Research shows that misconceptions about human blood circulation and gas exchange persist across grade levels. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to investigate the prevalence and persistenc...
DETERMINING TOURIST ARRIVALS IN UGANDA: THE IMPACT OF DISTANCE, TRADE AND ORIGIN-SPECIFIC FACTORS

This study investigated the impact of origin-specific factors on Uganda’s tourist arrivals. Of the countries with visitors to Uganda, tourist numbers were as low as 28 from the Czech Republic in 2000, and as high as 220,000 from Kenya in 2004. Using panel data (2000-2004) and the gravity trade model, we estimated Uganda’s inbound tourist flows. According to results, Real GDP in the visitor’s country, distance, trade with Uganda, and exchange rates explained 73 percent of the variation in tourist arrivals. The greatest impact on tourist arrivals was distance (negative impact). Neighboring countries had significantly more visitors to Uganda, ceteris peribus. The number of visitors was significantly greater for countries with higher GDP. A country’s exports to Uganda (Uganda’s imports) had a positive effect on tourist arrivals. The effect of Uganda’s exports was smaller but still significantly positive. A relatively strong Ugandan shilling had a negative effect on tourist arrivals.
Self-propagating mal-packets in wireless sensor networks: Dynamics and defense implications

Self-propagating mal-packets have become an emergent threat against information confidentiality, integrity, and service availability in wireless sensor networks. While playing an important role for people to interact with surrounding environment, wireless sensor networks suffer from growing security concerns posed by mal-packets because of sensor networks' low physical security, lack of resilience and robustness of underlying operating systems, and the ever-increasing complexity of deployed applications. In this paper, we study the propagation of mal-packets in 802.15.4 based wireless sensor networks. Based on our proposed mal-packet self-propagation models, we use TOSSIM, a simulator for wireless sensor networks, to study their propagation dynamics. We also present a study of the feasibility of mal-packet defense in sensor networks. Specifically, we apply random graph theory and percolation theory to investigate the immunization of highly-connected nodes, i.e., nodes with high degrees of connectivity. Our goal is to partition the network into as many separate pieces as possible, thus preventing or slowing down the mal-packet propagation. We study the percolation thresholds of different network densities and the effectiveness of immunization in terms of connection ratio, remaining link ratio, and distribution of component sizes. We also present an analysis of the distribution of component sizes.
Compiler-Based Register Name Adjustment for Low-Power Embedded Processors

We present an algorithm for compiler-driven register name adjustment with the main goal of power minimization on instruction fetch and register file access. In most instruction set architecture (ISA) designs, the register fields reside in fixed positions within the instruction encoding, hence forming streams of indices on the instruction bus and to the register file address decoder. The number of bit transitions in these streams greatly determines the power consumption on the address bus and the register file decoder. While general-purpose registers are semantically indistinguishable and hence interchangeable, the particular register indices do have a direct impact on power consumption. The algorithms presented in this paper address this power minimization problem by reassigning/encoding the registers so that the bit transitions within the register index streams are minimized.
Limited benefit of repeating a sensitive question in a cross-sectional sexual health study.

Sexual health research relies heavily on self-reported data. We explored whether repeating a key measure – number of lifetime sexual partners – improved the validity of this self-reported response. Using data from a study of Tanzanian plantation residents, we examined which of 505 participants changed their responses when a question about sexual partners was repeated. We examined which variable (first, second, or maximum response) was more predictive of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seropositivity, a biomarker strongly associated with number of lifetime partners. HSV-2 status was assessed using the HerpeSelect 2 ELISA IgG test. When asked a second time, 10.7% of participants increased and 3.6% decreased their reported number of partners. Participants using audio computer-assisted self-interviews were more likely to change than those interviewed in person (p = 0.006). The increased odds of HSV-2 seropositivity with each additional partner ranged from 10% to 13% in men, and 33% to 37% in women, depending on which partner variable was used. Estimates had considerable confidence interval overlap and no substantial differences in precision. Some participants change their responses when asked a sensitive question a second time, but in this population, changes did not meaningfully affect associations between lifetime partners and HSV-2.
Characterization of the bovine type I IFN locus: rearrangements, expansions, and novel subfamilies

The Type I interferons (IFN) have major roles in the innate immune response to viruses, a function that is believed to have led to expansion in the number and complexity of their genes, although these genes have remained confined to single chromosomal region in all mammals so far examined. IFNB and IFNE define the limits of the locus, with all other Type I IFN genes except IFNK distributed between these boundaries, strongly suggesting that the locus has broadened as IFN genes duplicated and then evolved into a series of distinct families. The Type I IFN locus in Bos taurus has undergone significant rearrangement and expansion compared to mouse and human, however, with the constituent genes separated into two sub-loci separated by >700 kb. The IFNW family is greatly expanded, comprising 24 potentially functional genes and at least 8 pseudogenes. The IFNB (n = 6), represented in human and mouse by one copy, are also present as multiple copies in Bos taurus. The IFNT, which encode a non-virally inducible, ruminant-specific IFN secreted by the pre-implantation conceptus, are represented by three genes and two pseudogenes. The latter have sequences intermediate between IFNT and IFNW. A new Type I IFN family (IFNX) of four members, one of which is a pseudogene, appears to have diverged from the IFNA lineage at least 83 million years ago, but is absent in all other sequenced genomes with the possible exception of the horse, a non-ruminant herbivore. In summary, we have provided the first comprehensive annotation of the Type I IFN locus in Bos taurus, thereby providing an insight into the functional evolution of the Type I IFN in ruminants. The diversity and global spread of the ruminant species may have required an expansion of the Type I IFN locus and its constituent genes to provide broad anti-viral protection required for foraging and foregut fermentation.
The Political Economy of Polarization: The Italian Case, 1963–1987

Economic voting in Italy has received scant attention in the literature, and the few studies available show little or no empirical support for economic voting hypotheses as applied to Italy. We argue that this dearth of results is primarily due to poor operationalization and study design. In contrast to previous studies that focused on the relationship between the state of the economy and the electoral performance of individual parties, we investigate the impact of prices, employment, and economic output on the polarization of the party system. Using data on seven Italian national elections covering the period 1963-87, we show that polarization is, in fact, closely related to macroeconomic performance. Additionally, in contrast to past studies of Italy, the results are robust with respect to the lag period of the economic variables.
House Finches Are Not Just What They Eat: A Reply To Hill

HILL, G. E. 1998. An easy, inexpensive means to quantify plumage coloration. Journal of Field Ornithology 69:353-363. HILL, G. E. 1999. Mate choice, male quality, and carotenoid-based plumage coloration. Pages 16541668 in Proceedings XXII International Ornithological Congress (N. Adams and R. Slotow, Eds.). University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. HILL, G. E. 2000. Energetic constraints on expression of carotenoid-based plumage coloration. Journal of Avian Biology 31:559-566. HILL, G. E., AND W. R. BRAWNER. 1998. Melaninbased plumage coloration in the House Finch is unaffected by coccidial infection. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 265:11051109. HILL, G. E., AND R. MONTGOMERIE. 1994. Plumage colour signals nutritional condition in the House Finch. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 258:47-52. HUDON, J. 1994. Showiness, carotenoids, and captivity: A comment on Hill (1992). Auk 111:218-221. MICHENER, H., AND J. R. MICHENER. 1926. Studies on 1,170 banded House Finches. Condor 28:254257. MICHENER, H., AND J. R. MICHENER. 1931. Variation in color of male House Finches. Condor 33:1219. MOORE, R. T. 1939. A review of the House Finches of the subgenus Burrica. Condor 41:177-205. MUNSELL. 1976. Munsell Book of Color: Glossy Finish Collection. Munsell /MacBeth /Kollmorgen Corp., Baltimore, Maryland. OLSON, V. A., AND I. P. F. OWENS. 1998. Costly sexual signals: Are carotenoids rare, risky or required? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 13:510-514. RUFF, M. D., W. M. REID, AND J. K. JOHNSON. 1974. Lowered blood carotenoid levels in chickens infected with coccidia. Poultry Science 53:18011809. SLAGSVOLD, T., AND J. T. LIFJELD. 1985. Variation in plumage coloration in the Great Tit Parus major in relation to habitat, season, and food. Journal of Zoology (London) 206:321-328. SMITHE, F. B. 1975. Naturalist's Color Guide. American Museum of Natural History, New York. THOMPSON, C. W., N. HILLGARTH, M. LEU, AND H. E. MCCLURE. 1997. High parasite load in House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) is correlated with reduced expression of a sexually selected trait. American Naturalist 149:270-294. ZAHN, S. N., AND S. I. ROTHSTEIN. 1999. Recent increase in male House Finch plumage variation and its possible relationship to avian pox disease. Auk 116:35-44. ZUK, M., AND J. G. DECRUYENAERE. 1994. Measuring individual variation in colour: A comparison of two techniques. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 53:165-173.
The effect of phenotypic outliers and non-normality on rare-variant association testing

Rare-variant association studies (RVAS) have made important contributions to human complex trait genetics. These studies rely on specialized statistical methods for analyzing rare-variant associations, both individually and in aggregate. We investigated the impact that phenotypic outliers and non-normality have on the performance of rare-variant association testing procedures. Ignoring outliers or non-normality can significantly inflate Type I error rates. We found that rank-based inverse normal transformation (INT) and trait winsorisation were both effective at maintaining Type I error control without sacrificing power in the presence of outliers. INT was the optimal method for non-normally distributed traits. For RVAS of quantitative traits with outliers or non-normality, we recommend using INT to transform phenotypic values before association testing.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in resected pancreatic cancer

4094 Background: EMT plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastases; its detection may have prognostic significance. We examined expression of EMT related proteins in resected pancreatic ...
Design of a varactor-based coupling QVCO using bulk-injection technique

A quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (QVCO) using bulk injection technique is presented in this paper. This QVCO is based on the coupling of two LC-VCOs without using any additional coupling devices. The proposed topology is compared with the conventional QVCO in terms of phase noise, quadrature phase error, tuning range, and power consumption. The QVCO achieves a simulated quadrature phase error of 0.65° and a measured phase noise of ?119.7 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset with a center frequency of 3.7 GHz. The proposed QVCO consumes 0.36 mW from a 0.45 V supply voltage. The QVCO is implemented in a standard 0.13 μm CMOS process with core area of 0.315 mm2.
Relationships between Atomic Level Surface Structure and Stability/Activity of Platinum Surface Atoms in Aqueous Environments

The development of alternative energy systems for the clean production, storage, and conversion of energy is strongly dependent on our ability to understand, at atomic molecular levels, the functional links between the activity and stability of electrochemical interfaces. Whereas structure–activity relationships are rapidly evolving, the corresponding structure–stability relationships are still missing. This is primarily because there is no adequate experimental approach capable of monitoring the stability of well-defined single crystals in situ. Here, by utilizing the power of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) connected to a stationary probe and coupling this technique to the rotating disk electrode method, it was possible to simultaneously measure the dissolution rates of surface atoms (as low as 0.4 pg cm–2 s–1) and correlate them with the kinetic rates of electrochemical reactions in real time. Making use of this unique probe, it was possible to establish almost “atom by atom” stru...
Effects of 2, 4-dinitrophenol upon oxygen consumption and ciliary activity in the ctenidia of Mytilus.

Summary1. The effects of 2,4-dinitro-phenol (DNP) upon oxygen consumption and ciliary activity in the excised ctenidia of Mytilus edulis were investigated. 2. The maximal stimulation of oxygen uptake was estimated to occur when the DNP was 5 × 10-4 M. 3. Ciliary beat was increasingly inhibited as the concentration of DNP was raised. 50% inhibition was estimated at 4 × 10-4 M DNP, and inhibition was complete in the presence of 7.7 × 10-3 M DNP. 4. The possible role of DNP in uncoupling exergonic from endergonic processes receives support from the close coincidence of these effective concentrations. The close correspondence also suggests a single site of action for DNP.
False-Positive Rabbit Ileal Loop Reactions Attributed to Vibrio parahaemolyticus Broth Filtrates

Vibrio parahaemolyticus broth filtrates have previously been shown to produce positive reactions in rabbit ileal loops only if concentrated 10-fold by lyophilization. This method of concentration produces solutions that contain greater than 20% NaCl. In the present study, however, concentrations of NaCl of greater than or equal to 4% induced positive responses in ileal loops, and desalting rendered previously reactive, concentrated broth filtrates negative. Therefore, enterotoxin was not demonstrated in our broth filtrates of V. parahaemolyticus, a finding which suggests that previous studies require further evaluation. Since most culture media contain 0.5% NaCl, it is important to determine and to control the NaCl content and the osmolality of all lyophilized concentrates tested in the ligated rabbit ileum.
Moiré Patterns and their Suppression during Digital Recording and Reconstruction of Fresnel Holograms

Moire patterns during digital recording and reconstruction of Fresnel holograms have been analyzed for 1-D and 2-D objects. Elimination of these Moire patterns can be achieved using pulsed, instead of CW, illumination.
TRAINING TASKS AND ABILITY JN ARITHMETIC PERFORMANCE

On the basis of laboratory research on learning sets (Harlow, 1959) it can be expected that increasing the variety of training tasks will aid in transfer. In the present research the hypothesis was tested in an educational setting. High (N = 24) and low (N = 24) mathematical ability fifth-grade students were pretested on 23 story problems involving addition and multiplication of fractions. The stratification into high and low ability was based on scores on three arithmetic subtests of the Stanford Achievement Test. The lowest composite of the stanine scores in the highability group was 15. Subjects were then randomly assigned to either one method, two methods or four methods of training for eight 25-min. classroom sessions. Pretest means and standard deviations (in parentheses) for the high-ability groups were 3.70 (1.79), 2.60 (2.33), 6.00 (3.97). for the one, two, and four variety of method groups, respectively; posttest means and standard deviations were 5.90 (4.64). 5.50 (5.12), 9.60 (6.04), respectively. For the low-ability groups, pretest means and standard deviations were 1.75 (1.50), 1.00 (1.22). 1.38 (1.93), respectively; posttest means were 2.50 (2.83), 1.63 (2.60), 3.38 (4.18), respectively. On rhe posttest, Ss gave morc correct responses than on the pretest, high-ability Ss gave more correct responses than low-ability Ss, and Ss with four methods performed more correct responses than Ss with one or two methods of training. Since the pretest performance was ordered as were postrest scores an analysis of covariance was performed. The variety of methods factor was nonsignificant. A 3 X 2 X 2 analysis of variance with variety of methods, pre-posttest, and ability as factors also yielded a nonsignificant methods factor (F2,.,B = 2.80). In addition, analysis yielded a significant pre-post factor (&.a = 16.83, p < .05) and a significant ability factor (F,,,s = 15.75, 9 < .05). The failure
Analysis of the ATP-TCA in cervical squamous cell carcinoma chemosensitivity testing

OBJECTIVE:To explore the feasibility of the ATP bioluminescence tumor chemosensitivity assay(ATP-TCA) applied in cervical squamous cell carcinoma chemosensitivity for testing and screening the sensitive drugs,and investigate the relation between chemotherapy-sensitive spectrum of cervical squamous cell carcinoma and clinicopathological parameters.METHODS: ATP-TCA was used to detect the sensitivity of 34 specimens of fresh cervical squamous cell carcinoma to 11 cytotoxic drugs(16 grapes).RESULTS: Thirty-two assays were completed successfully,with an evaluability rate of 94.12%(32/34).There was a marked heterogeneity of chemosensitivity in cervical squamous cell carcinoma,and no significant association was found between the sensitivity and clinicopathologic feature such as clinical stage,organization type and cell differentiation.The in vitro sensitive rate of PTX+CBP,MMC+5-FU,GEM+DDP,5-FU+DDP were 71.88%(23/32),62.50%(20/32),56.25%(18/32),53.12%(17/32).CONCLUSIONS: ATP-TCA can be used to individualize chemotherapy by selecting agents for particular patients in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.The sensitive rates of PTX+CBP,MMC+5-FU,GEM+DDP and 5-FU+DDP are higher than other cytotoxic drugs.
A Study on Procurement Management of Fire Equipment

The procurement of fire equipment,as the key link for the fire equipment update and management,determines the quality,efficiency and service of fire equipment.This article,based on the status quo of the fire equipment in fire fighting forces,analyzes the existing problems and puts forward constructive ideas to solve them.
Clinical, Pathologic, and Imaging Features and Biological Markers of Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma has unique clinical and pathologic features including virtually exclusive metastasis to the liver in high-risk cases. In this chapter, the clinical findings in uveal melanoma and diagnostic methods including imaging tests and serum markers are described. Additionally, the histopathologic features including the modified Callender classification and immunohistochemical findings of uveal melanoma are described.
Hypertension Induced Alterations in Copper and Zinc Metabolism: A Link to Vascular Disease?

Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and other industrialized countries. Although the etiology of disease is without question multifactorial in nature, several potential risk factors have been agreed upon. These risk factors include hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, electrocardiogram abnormalities, cigarette smoking and diabetes.1 During the last decade it has been proposed that Cu deficiency may also be a significant risk factor for vascular disease. This hypothesis has been based on the observations that severe Cu deficiency in experimental and domestic animals can result in connective tissue defects producing myocardial damage and aortic aneurysms, and that the dietary intake of Cu is often below that suggested by health agencies.2,3 Furthermore, the risk of Cu deficiency is thought to be increased by the consumption of excess Zn in the diet, as these two elements can be biologically antagonistic.3–5
Effect of Various Inhibitors on the Growth of Lactic Acid Bacteria in a Model Grape Juice System.

Various compounds were tested to determine whether they would substitute for SO2 as inhibitors of strains of Leuconostoc oenos when inoculated into a model fruit beverage containing 5°C Brix Concord grape and 0.1% yeast extract. The following additives and their maximal concentrations exhibited varying degrees of inhibitory activity: fumaric acid, 1.5 mg/ml; sorbic acid, 300 μg/ml; decanoic acid, 20 μg/ml; nisin, 100 IU/ml; and carbon dioxide, 2.8 volumes. Effectiveness of the inhibitors was enhanced by the presence of 8 to 10% ethanol, and was inversely related to the size of the inoculum.
Attenuated Vaccines for Augmented Immunity

Live attenuated vaccines are more immunogenic and have the capacity to elicit long-lasting immune responses. In two recent studies, Wang et al. (2017) and Si et al. (2016) describe strategies for the generation of live attenuated influenza viruses, which elicited robust humoral, mucosal, and cellular immunity against diverse virus strains.
Depression is Associated With Prolonged and Complicated Recovery Following Colorectal Surgery

Background There are little data regarding the impact of depression on outcomes after gastrointestinal surgery. We hypothesize that depression would be associated with prolonged hospital stay and changes in discharge disposition for patients undergoing colon and rectal surgery.