cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GIRK2 deficient mice. Evidence for hyperactivity and reduced anxiety.

Abstract G-protein activated inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK2)-deficient (null mutant) mice were examined in three tests for anxiety: the elevated plus–maze, light/dark box and “canopy” test. In the elevated plus–maze test, GIRK2 null mutant mice spent a higher percentage of time in the open arms and showed a higher number of total entries. A short (6 days) period of social isolation decreased anxiety and also increased the total activity in GIRK2 mutant mice. However, the increase of total activity in GIRK2 null mutant mice was mostly due to an increase in the number of entries into the open arms. The behavior of the wild-type animals was not substantially changed after social isolation. In the light/dark box, GIRK2 homozygous (−/−) mice demonstrated a higher level of locomotion and a higher number of rearings in the light area. In the “canopy” test, GIRK2 mutant mice displayed an increased locomotion in the exposed area and a strong trend to decrease in the number of stretched attend postures (SAP) in the most secure “canopy” area. GIRK2 heterozygous (+/−) animals showed behavioral changes intermediate between wild-type and null mutants only in the elevated plus–maze test after social isolation. In all other tests, GIRK2 heterozygous (+/−) animals did not differ from wild-type mice. Taken together, this data demonstrates that GIRK2 null mutant mice have reduced anxiety with signs of hyperactivity. We suggest that the functional block of dopamine D3 receptors may be a reason for this phenotype.
NEW ASPECTS OF DISLOCATION THEORY

SYNOPSIS The basic dislocation concepts are briefly reviewed. Some of the characteristics of dislocation behaviour in crystalline materials are examined, and notably their elastic interaction mobility, and network formation, together with some established features of their role in such processes as crack formation and thermal ageing. Recent evidence relating to more detailed dislocation events, such as loop-formation, is reviewed, and the extension of dislocation concepts to non-metallic crystals examined, covering both the (brittle) ceramic type, and crystalline polymers. The concept of a continuous distribution of dislocations is considered, and the possibilities opened up by this important branch of the subject are generally assessed. The aim of the review as a whole is to demonstrate the degree of correlation which has been achieved between theory and experiment (particularly with work in electron microscopy), and to give an indication of the way in which the subject is developing at the present time.
The Potential Mediating Role of Parenting Practices in the Development of Conduct Problems in a Clinic-Referred Sample

Research has consistently found associations among parenting practices, socioeconomic disadvantage, ethnicity and conduct problems in children. We investigated whether parenting practices might mediate the relation between ethnicity and conduct problems and the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and conduct problems. The subjects were 141 clinic-referred children between the ages of 6 and 17 and their primary custodial parents. Using multiple indicators for each construct, except ethnicity, the mediational role of parenting was tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the effects of SES on conduct problems was largely mediated by the influence of ineffective parenting practices. In contrast, ethnicity was not associated with conduct problems in this clinic-referred sample, even prior to controlling for SES and parenting practices, suggesting that the link between minority status and conduct problems may be dependent on the demographic characteristics of the sample. Exploratory analyses also revealed that there were ethnic differences in the types of parenting practices that were most strongly associated with conduct problems.
Communication in a visual mode: papal apse mosaics

ABSTRACTApse mosaics are a form of visual communication employed by popes throughout the Middle Ages, from the sixth through to the thirteenth centuries. This essay examines the nature of this visu...
Rehabilitating Botany in the Postwar Moment: National Promise and the Encyclopedism of Eduardo Quisumbing’s Medicinal Plants of the Philippines (1951)

In 1951, plant taxonomist Eduardo Quisumbing published Medicinal Plants of the Philippines , a 1,234–page volume on the palliative and curative applications of Philippine flora. Considered the standard contemporary reference on medical botany, Quisumbing’s work has informed generations of human scientists, botanists, and chemists from the archipelago. This paper, however, poses the question: What did Quisumbing, a trained orchidist, have to do with such a wide-ranging postwar publication—one quite distant from his scientific specialization—that would be (mistakenly) remembered as his magnum opus ? Through a close reading of the text informed by the work’s intertextuality and Quisumbing’s personal archive, I argue that Medicinal Plants of the Philippines captures a type of encyclopedism undertaken in order to recuperate Manila’s Bureau of Science following World War II . This encyclopedism speaks to the book’s curious character: strictly speaking, it is neither a pharmacopoeia nor a flora. Instead, it is a compendium of principally invasive species and their medicinal uses around the world that draws from over 630 academic publications. Caught within the tangle of postwar national reconstruction efforts, Quisumbing’s book evidences a considerable investment in intellectual knowledge production to assert the country’s newfound independence while shoring up public support for Philippine botanic and scientific research.
The Safety and Efficacy of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training for Rehabilitation After Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy: A Pilot Investigation.

Objectives:Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is a safe, effective intervention that can be performed at home and may be beneficial for individuals with voice and swallowing disorders. To d...
Total brachial artery reactivity and first time incident coronary heart disease events in a longitudinal cohort study: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Background Brachial artery reactivity (BAR) is usually determined as the maximum brachial artery diameter (BAD) following release of an occluding pressure cuff compared to a BAD before cuff inflation. BAD early after cuff deflation can also serve as baseline for estimating total brachial artery reactivity (TBAR). We investigate whether TBAR is associated with first time coronary heart disease events. Methods Participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n = 5499) consisting of whites, African-Americans, Chinese and Hispanics were followed longitudinally for a mean of 12.5 years. Brachial artery ultrasound was performed following five minutes of cuff occlusion at the forearm. TBAR was estimated from BAD following cuff release as the difference between maximum and minimum brachial artery diameters divided by the minimum diameter multiplied by 100%. TBAR was added to multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with Framingham risk factors as predictors and time to first coronary heart disease event as outcome. Results Average TBAR was 9.7% (9.7 SD). Mean age was 61.7 years, 50.9% women. Increased TBAR was associated with lower risk of CHD events with a hazard rate of 0.78 per SD increase (95% C.I. 0.67, 0.91; p = 0.001). A TBAR below the median of 7.87% (Inter Quartile Range: 4.16%, 13.0%) was associated with a 31% lower risk of coronary heart disease event (Hazard Ratio: 0.69; 95% C.I.: 0.55, 0.87). Conclusion TBAR is an independent predictor of first time coronary heart disease events and is exclusively measured after release of a blood pressure occlusion cuff.
20-OR: GPR142 Agonists Increase Glucose-Dependent Insulin Secretion and Differentially Regulate Hormone Secretion in Preclinical and Phase 1 Studies

Agonists of G-protein-coupled receptor 142 (GPR142) are reported to increase insulin secretion and lower glucose in preclinical models. We identified a novel agonist, LY3325656 (LY) that selectively activates GPR142 in humans and mice. In preclinical models, LY increased glucose-dependent insulin secretion (GDIS) and secretion of glucagon and incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP. To elucidate mechanisms of LY in humans, we designed a multi-part, single-dose study in 24 healthy volunteers (HV) and 12 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) (NCT03115099). LY was well tolerated through dose escalation up to 1950 mg in HV, with a median time to peak concentration of 4 hours and half-life of 4.59 hours. A graded glucose infusion evaluated GDIS, and LY demonstrated increased insulin secretion at higher doses (750-1950 mg). A 4-period, crossover design consisting of placebo (Pb), LY (1950mg), LY+DPP-IV inhibitor, and GLP-1R agonist treatment investigated glucose-lowering and incretin pharmacology in patients with T2D. LY significantly reduced post-meal glucose levels (2-hour glucose AUC) by >10% during a mixed meal tolerance test. Increases in post-meal GLP-1 AUC concentrations with LY compared to Pb were seen in a few, but not all patients with T2D. Serum glucagon levels were consistently increased by LY in patients with T2D and HV. We conclude that GPR142 activation in humans increases GDIS and augments glucagon secretion but does not substantively augment GIP or GLP-1 secretion. Our data suggest that acute stimulatory effects of GPR142 on insulin and glucagon secretion translate from preclinical models to man, unlike preclinical effects on gut peptide secretion. Innovative and efficient single-dose studies can provide key mechanistic understanding of the translatability of preclinical findings for the treatment of T2D. Disclosure E.J. Pratt: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. T. Oura: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. X. Ma: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. H.V. Lin: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Forkhead BioTherapeutics, Inc. Employee; Spouse/Partner; Novo Nordisk A/S. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Forkhead BioTherapeutics, Inc. Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; Novo Nordisk A/S. T. Ma: None. A.M. Efanov: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. M.K. Thomas: Employee; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Eli Lilly and Company.
Cetylpyridinium chloride produces increased zeta-potential on Salmonella Typhimurium cells, a mechanism of the pathogen’s inactivation

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a quaternary ammonium sanitizer approved for fresh poultry animal carcass sanitization from microbial human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica. Nonetheless, the interactions of CPC with Salmonella cells, and the mechanism of the sanitizer's neutralization by lecithin remains largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the interaction of CPC with lecithin and Salmonella Typhimurium to determine the interactions of the sanitizer and neutralizer impacting the bacterium's survival. Application of 0.8% CPC is proposed to produce loss of microbial membrane integrity with loss of electrostatic repulsion between individual cells, resulting in the eventual emulsification of membrane lipids with cytoplasmic contents leakage. Our findings point to a two-phase interaction between CPC and lecithin impacting S. Typhimurium survival. The first consists of electrostatic attraction and charge neutralization between oppositely charged components of pathogen cell and CPC. The second involves formation of aggregates between sanitizer and pathogen, or between sanitizer, pathogen membrane lipids, and lecithin.
Image events amidst eco-ruins: social media and the mediated earth

An idea, a concept, a book: all have lives of their own over which a writer has no control. For 20 years now, I have been surprised by the journey of Image Politics: The New Rhetoric of Environment...
Direct measurement of force configurational entropy in jamming.

Thermal fluctuations are not large enough to lead to state changes in granular materials. However, in many cases, such materials do achieve reproducible bulk properties, suggesting that they are controlled by an underlying statistical mechanics analogous to thermodynamics. While themodynamic descriptions of granular materials have been explored, they have not yet been concretely connected to their underlying statistical mechanics. We make this connection concrete by providing a first-principles derivation of the multiplicity and thus the entropy of the force networks in granular packings. We directly measure the multiplicity of force networks using a protocol based on the phase space volume of allowed force configurations. Analogous to Planck's constant, we find a scale factor, ${h}_{f}$, that discretizes this phase space volume into a multiplicity. To determine this scale factor, we measure angoricity over a wide range of pressures using the method of overlapping histograms and find that in the absence of a fundamental quantum scale it is set solely by the system size and dimensionality. This concretely links thermodynamic approaches of angoricity with the microscopic multiplicity of the force network ensemble.
High temperature extensional rheology of commercially available polycarbonate mixed with flame retardant salts

In this paper, we present a study of the dripping properties of polycarbonate (PC) modified with combinations of earth metal salts of inorganic sulfur, potassium perfluorobutane sulfonate (Rimar); non-halogenated flame retardant additives, potassium diphenyl sulfone-3-Sulfonate (KSS); and block co-polymers-polytetrafluoroethylene encapsulated with styrene acrylonitrile resin (T-SAN). Measurements of the extensional rheology of polycarbonate with different concentration of each flame retardant additive were performed using a custom-built high temperature Capillary Breakup Extensional Rheometer (CaBER) at temperatures up to T=400°C. From these measurements, the evolution of the apparent transient extensional viscosity was monitored as a function of time and strain both in air and in an inert nitrogen environment. The evolution of extensional viscosity has been shown to be an excellent tool for predicting the dripping behavior of polymers exposed to heat and a valuable tool for understanding the mechanism of polymer degradation which is typically dominated by either crosslinking or charring. We show that extensional rheology measurements are significantly more sensitive to temperature-induced changes to the polymer microstructure than shear rheology measurements. We have also performed systematic concentration of specific flame retardant salts and through variation in extensional rheology and investigated the optimum concentration required to achieve a V0 rating. Finally, we will show that extensional rheology is a powerful method for predicting the effect of flame retardant modifiers and optimizing their use in new flame resistant materials.
Meeting Kids Where They Are At-A Substance Use and Sexual Risk Prevention Program via Telemedicine for African American Girls: Usability and Acceptability Study.

Background: Rural African American youth lack access to drug and sexual risk–taking prevention programs available in more urban areas. Recent data indicate that rural youth now use substances at higher rates and at younger ages than their urban peers. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the initial usability and acceptability of a low-cost, technology-based approach to delivering effective, culturally tailored, integrated substance use disorder (SUD) and HIV risk behavior prevention programs to African American female youth to inform the use of this intervention via telemedicine for rural youth. Methods: Effective SUD prevention strategies and emotion regulation skills were integrated into an existing evidence-based HIV risk reduction program culturally tailored for African American female adolescents—Sisters Informing, Healing, Living, and Empowering (SIHLE)—and delivered to 39 African American female youth via group telehealth. The evaluation of the resulting program, 12-session SIHLEplus, was completed by 27 girls who also completed self-report measures that assessed sexual risk behaviors (eg, number of partners and age of sex initiation), substance use, exposure to traumatic events, and emotion regulation. Results: The descriptive and qualitative results of the pilot study demonstrate the initial usability and acceptability of delivering evidence-based prevention successfully via telehealth to help address health disparities in this vulnerable population. Conclusions: Although more research is needed, the findings from this study suggest that SIHLEplus has demonstrated initial usability and acceptability.
Literature Review and Technical Survey on Bridge Inspection Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

AbstractThis paper aims to summarize central findings from a literature review and technical survey on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) techniques for bridge inspection and damage quantification. This...
Predictive Student Modeling in Game-Based Learning Environments with Word Embedding Representations of Reflection

Game-based learning environments are designed to provide effective and engaging learning experiences for students. Predictive student models use trace data extracted from students’ in-game learning behaviors to unobtrusively generate early assessments of student knowledge and skills, equipping game-based learning environments with the capacity to anticipate student outcomes and proactively deliver adaptive scaffolding or notify instructors. Reflection is a key component of self-regulated learning, and it is critical in effective learning. However, there is currently limited work exploring the utility of reflection for inducing accurate predictive student models. This article presents a predictive student modeling framework that leverages natural language responses to in-game reflection prompts to predict student learning outcomes in a game-based learning environment for middle school microbiology, CRYSTAL ISLAND. With data from a pair of classroom studies involving 118 middle school students, we investigate the accuracy of early prediction models that utilize features extracted from student trace data combined with word embedding-based representations (i.e., GloVe, ELMo) of student reflection responses. We evaluate the accuracy of the predictive models over time using data from incremental segments of each student’s interaction with the game-based learning environment, and we compare against models that omit student reflection features. Results reveal that models encoding students’ natural language reflections with ELMo word embeddings yield significantly improved accuracy compared to other representations, with the greatest accuracy demonstrated by an ensemble of predictive models. We discuss the implications of these results for the design of game-based learning environments.
Environmental Factors Involved in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

Nongenetic, environmental factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality through chemical exposures via air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Pregnancy represents a particularly sensitive window of susceptibility during which physiological changes to every major organ system increase sensitivity to chemicals that can impact a woman's long-term health. Nonchemical stressors, such as low socioeconomic status, may exacerbate the effects of chemical exposures on maternal health. Racial/ethnic minorities are exposed disproportionately to both chemicals and nonchemical stressors, which likely contribute to the observed health disparities for maternal morbidities and mortality. Epidemiological studies linking exposures to adverse maternal health outcomes underscore the importance of environmental health impacts, and mechanistic studies in model systems reveal how chemicals perturb biological pathways and processes. Environmental stressors are associated with a variety of immediate maternal health impacts, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fibroids, and infertility, as well as long-term maternal health impacts, such as higher risk of breast cancer and metabolic disorders. Identifying and reducing a pregnant woman's environmental exposures is not only beneficial to her offspring but also important to preserve her short- and long-term health.
Mathematics Literacy, Identity Resilience, and Opportunity Sixty Years since "Brown v. Board": Counternarratives of a Five-Generation Family.

In this chapter, the authors use Black Feminist Thought (BFT) to examine the mathematics education and the educational attainment of African American females in a matrilineal line that spans five generations. A cross analysis of school experiences, from a maternal great-great-grandmother to her great-great-granddaughter, reveal a portrait of segregation, desegregation, and resegregation. The impact of these educational contexts on the mathematics literacy and mathematics identity of four African American women and the hope and promise of a young girl in the class of 2026 are also presented. From sharecropper schools in Mississippi to prestigious universities in the eastern United States, the challenges and successes of one family’s struggle to obtain mathematics literacy and the American dream are discussed through the historical lens of Brown v. Board of Education. Using this historical context, the specific experiences of these five family members encourage a dialogue about a larger narrative—the mathematics attainment of all Black children.
The crystal structures and magnetic properties of TiFeSi coexisting in hexagonal and orthorhombic symmetries

Abstract The intertwisted helix framework of the chiral FeSi-type structure with the space group P213 (S.G. P213) inspired us to investigate other non-centrosymmetric compounds, particularly 111-type phases with different FeSi frameworks. Various FeSi-containing 111-type phases have been summarized according to their valence electron counts and space group. In this work we have focused on the non-centrosymmetric TiFeSi phase. The crystal structure analysis of the hexagonal Fe2P-type and the reported orthorhombic TiFeSi-type (α-TiFeSi) indicate a superlattice relationship exists between the two structures, which drove us to perform the total energy calculations of the hexagonal and orthorhombic models of TiFeSi. Following the theoretical predictions, a hexagonal TiFeSi phase (β-TiFeSi) is proposed and successfully synthesized at high temperature using arc melting. The crystal structure of the high-temperature hexagonal phase was determined by powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction. After the annealing of the arc-melted samples, TiFeSi crystallizes into an orthorhombic structure with the space group Ima2. The systematic magnetic characterizations indicate ferromagnetic properties are present in the non-centrosymmetric orthorhombic α-TiFeSi phase with possible helical magnetic ordering at low temperatures. Moreover, to compare with the centrosymmetric cases, the electronic and magnetic properties of the antiferromagnetic TiNiSi-type MFeSi (M = Zr and Hf) compounds were also examined using both density functional theory and experimental magnetic measurements.
Expanding control of the tumor cell cycle with a CDK2/4/6 inhibitor

Summary The CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib (PAL), significantly improves progression-free survival in HR+/HER2− breast cancer when combined with anti-hormonals. We sought to discover PAL resistance mechanisms in preclinical models and through analysis of clinical transcriptome specimens, which coalesced on induction of MYC oncogene and Cyclin E/CDK2 activity. We propose that targeting the G1 kinases CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 with a small-molecule overcomes resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition. We describe the pharmacodynamics and efficacy of PF-06873600 (PF3600), a pyridopyrimidine with potent inhibition of CDK2/4/6 activity and efficacy in multiple in vivo tumor models. Together with the clinical analysis, MYC activity predicts (PF3600) efficacy across multiple cell lineages. Finally, we find that CDK2/4/6 inhibition does not compromise tumor-specific immune checkpoint blockade responses in syngeneic models. We anticipate that (PF3600), currently in phase 1 clinical trials, offers a therapeutic option to cancer patients in whom CDK4/6 inhibition is insufficient to alter disease progression.
Study on the Effect of Product Brand and Pricing Using Biosignals

Understanding the wants and needs of consumers is critical for assessing product demand and making strategic marketing decisions. Therefore, consumer behavior has been extensively studied through market analysis methods such as surveys and focus groups. However, these approaches have a number of flaws because they depend on answers that can be deceptive and easily manipulated. Neuromarketing, on the other hand, studies customer choices, desires, and motives by measuring physiological and neural signals. Neuromarketing has recently been shown to be successful in predicting customer behavior and product performance. In this paper, the effect of product brand and pricing on subjects' product preference is investigated using electroencephalogram (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements.
Calculated Bets: Computers, Gambling, and Mathematical Modeling to Win

This is a book about a gambling system that works. It tells the story of how the author used computer simulations and mathematical modeling techniques to predict the outcome of jai-alai matches and bet on them successfully - increasing his initial stake by over 500% in one year! His results can work for anyone: at the end of the book he tells the best way to watch jai-alai, and how to bet on it. With humour and enthusiasm, Skiena details a life-long fascination with computer predictions and sporting events. Along the way, he discusses other gambling systems, both successful and unsuccessful, for such games as lotto, roulette, blackjack, and the stock market. Indeed, he shows how his jai-alai system functions just like a miniature stock trading system. Do you want to learn about program trading systems, the future of Internet gambling, and the real reason brokerage houses don't offer mutual funds that invest at racetracks and frontons? How mathematical models are used in political polling? The difference between correlation and causation? If you are curious about gambling and mathematics, odds are this book is for you!
Investigation of vibration, oscillation and noise in the car test

The phenomena of interior noise, load cycle behaviour and idle vibration were treated as examples for investigations into comfort in cars. The interior noise problem analysed concerns excessive second order levels of engine noise. In order to identify the main transfer paths, the engine mounts and exhaust system were disconnected. The noise at the orifice of the exhaust end pipe was eliminated by an absolute muffler. Load cycle behaviour involves the fore–aft and vertical vibrations in the vehicle measured as a transient phenomenon by changing the throttle pedal position. It was discovered that, in a high gear, the associated vibrations were not perceived singly by the occupants. A subjective overall assessment was made from the peak–to–peak values of fore–aft and vertical accelerations and the decay constants. As an example of the problem of idle vibration, the report describes experimental investigations on a car with a transverse–mounted diesel engine and automatic transmission. The drive shaft, engine mounts and exhaust system were disconnected one by one and acceleration was measured at the driver's seat. Of overwhelming significance is the transfer path in standstill via the drive shaft pretensioned with the selector lever in position D.
The Global Numerical Simulation of the Distribution of CO in the Troposphere

In recent years, much scientific effort has been focussed on achieving a better understanding of the effect of human activities on the environment. More than thirty years ago, the atmosphere was considered to be an infinite capacity sink in which one could dump any sort of gaseous waste stream. Air pollution was viewed largely as a local problem which in many cases could be alleviated by simply building taller stacks, thus dispersing the pollutants at higher altitudes and relieving a locally noticed nuisance. Twenty years ago, with the advent of the acid rain phenomenon, air pollution began to be perceived also as a regional problem both in Europe and North America. Only in the past few years, with the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole and discussion of a possibly imminent greenhouse effect, has a realization emerged that human activity can indeed significantly affect the global environment and possibly cause irreversible damage to worldwide ecosystems. In this context, it is vital that we gain a deeper understanding of global biogeochemical cycles so that more effective control measures can be designed.
The expression of interferon-stimulated gene 15 in equine endometrium.

Contents Establishment of pregnancy is critically dependent upon a precisely orchestrated embryo–maternal interaction leading to a receptive uterine environment. The up-regulation of the interferon-stimulated protein 15 kDa (ISG15) during pregnancy has been described in various species and has been hypothesized to be part of the molecular repertoire that makes the uterus receptive to conceptus development. In the current study, the expression of ISG15 and enzymes involved in ISG15ylation was examined at the mRNA and protein level in equine endometrium at Day 14 of the luteal phase and at Day 14 and 50 of pregnancy. ISG15 mRNA showed a 2.63-fold higher expression at Day 14 of pregnancy when compared to Day 14 of the cycle, while mRNA abundance at Day 50 of pregnancy was unchanged compared to Day 14 of the cycle. Upon Western blot analysis using anti-ISG15 antibody, several higher molecular weight bands could be observed, representing proteins conjugated to ISG15. No free ISG15 could be detected. The pattern of ISG15 reactive proteins differed from those observed in non-uterine samples. Upon immunohistochemistry, ISG15 reactive proteins located primarily to luminal and glandular epithelial cells, while stromal cells showed weaker staining. In conclusion, the expression of ISG15-conjugated proteins in equine endometrium did not differ between cyclic and pregnant 14 days after ovulation and Day 50 of pregnancy. It is hypothesized that the unique subset of ISG15ylated proteins expressed in endometrial tissue contributes to normal cellular function and that, unlike other species, the modification of ISG15-conjugated proteins is not an active contributor to conceptus–maternal interaction in the mare.
Extremal properties of the derivatives of the Newman polynomials

Let Λ n-1 := {λ 1 , λ 2 ,... λ n } be a set of n distinct positive numbers. The span of {e -λ 1 t , e -λ 2 t ,..., e -λ n t } over R will be denoted by E(Λ n-1 ):= span{e -λ 1 t , e -λ 2 t ,... e -λ n t }. Our main result of this note is the following. Theorem. Suppose 0 0 and c 2 (p,q,μ) > 0 depending only on p, q, and μ such that c 1 (p, q, μ) (Σ n j=1 λ j ) μ + 1/q - 1/p ≤ sup Q ∈ E(Λn-1) ∥Q (μ) ∥ Lp[0, ∞ ) /∥Q∥ Lq[0, ∞ ) ≤ c 2 (p,q,μ) (Σ n j=1 λ j ) μ + 1/q - 1/p where the lower bound holds for all 0 0, while the upper bound holds when μ = 0 and 0 1, p > 1, and 0 < q ≤ p ≤ ∞.
New Estimates of the Jumbo-Conforming Mortgage Spread

We use Monthly Interest Rate Survey (MIRS) data for April 1997 through May 2003 to estimate the effect of “conforming” status on the effective interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. We show that plausible econometric refinements materially affect the “jumbo-conforming spread” as measured in the existing literature, and that the treatment of loan size is particularly important. We borrow from the discrimination literature to derive a new way to estimate this effect and conclude that the jumbo-conforming spread is about 25 basis points, with some evidence of decline since late 2001.
A simplified method for freeze-drying electron microscope specimens.

Abstract A technique is described for obtaining frozen-dried specimens for electron microscopy using only a mechanical pump for sublimation of the ice. Representative pictures show the method gives results comparable with those of other freeze-drying methods which require much more handling of specimens and a somewhat longer time for processing.
Serum chorionic "growth hormone-prolactin" and serum pituitary growth hormone in mother and fetus at term.

Chorionic “growth hormoneprolactin” (CGP) and pituitary growth hormone (HGH) were measured in maternal and fetal blood obtained simultaneousy at term from 29 pregnant women and their fetuses utilizing sensitive radioimmunoassay procedures. The mean concentration of serum CGP in maternal venous blood was 5.6 μg/ml (sem 0.39), whereas in umbilical venous serum the mean concentration was 0.019 μg/ml (sem 0.003), a 300-fold difference. Contrariwise, the mean concentration of serum HGH in maternal serum was 5.0 mμg/ml (sem 0.52) and in umbilical venous serum the level was 33.5 mμg/ml (sem 4.6). The ratio of serum CGP/HGH in maternal venous serum was 1076 in contrast to 0.57 in umbilical venous serum. These findings strongly suggest that CGP is secreted by the syncytiotrophoblast almost exclusively in a unidirectional manner into the maternal circulation. Further, it is unlikely that an appreciable exchange of HGH occurs between the maternal and fetal circulations. The data support the view that the growth horm...
Allopregnanolone Activates GABAAReceptor/Cl− Channels in a Multiphasic Manner in Embryonic Rat Hippocampal Neurons

Although 3α-substituted metabolites of progesterone are well established to interact with GABAA receptor/Cl− channels, the nature of the interaction(s) remains uncertain. We used patch-clamp record...
Mitigation Evaluations: A Survey of Current Practices

This study examined the scope and components of mitigation assessments in a first effort to develop some guidelines for conducting mitigation evaluations. Using the mitigation evaluations survey (MES) we developed for this research, we surveyed 266 psychologists about the characteristics and content of mitigation evaluations. A high percentage of participants endorsed each of the 14 content areas presented in the MES as essential or recommended for inclusion in mitigation evaluations. However, when the participants were given a hypothetical open-end referral question regarding a mitigation evaluation, fewer participants included all 14 content areas in their responses. This discrepancy and information regarding the qualifications and expertise of the participants are discussed.
IDIOPATHIC VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION

Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation is defined as cardiac arrest in the absence of structural heart disease and other identifiable causes of ventricular fibrillation. It occurs in 1% to 9% of survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The mean age of these patients is 35 to 40 years, and 70% to 75% are male. The pathogenesis is unknown; psychosocial factors may play a role. Baseline clinical characteristics have not been found to identify the 20% to 30% of patients who will have recurrent cardiac arrest. At present, implantation of an automatic defibrillator is the treatment of choice. Two registries have been established to enhance our knowledge of this unusual catastrophic entity.
Surviving a search engine overload

Search engines are an essential component of the web, but their web crawling agents can impose a significant burden on heavily loaded web servers. Unfortunately, blocking or deferring web crawler requests is not a viable solution due to economic consequences. We conduct a quantitative measurement study on the impact and cost of web crawling agents, seeking optimization points for this class of request. Based on our measurements, we present a practical caching approach for mitigating search engine overload, and implement the two-level cache scheme on a very busy web server. Our experimental results show that the proposed caching framework can effectively reduce the impact of search engine overload on service quality.
Structure-guided reprogramming of serine recombinase DNA sequence specificity

Routine manipulation of cellular genomes is contingent upon the development of proteins and enzymes with programmable DNA sequence specificity. Here we describe the structure-guided reprogramming of the DNA sequence specificity of the invertase Gin from bacteriophage Mu and Tn3 resolvase from Escherichia coli. Structure-guided and comparative sequence analyses were used to predict a network of amino acid residues that mediate resolvase and invertase DNA sequence specificity. Using saturation mutagenesis and iterative rounds of positive antibiotic selection, we identified extensively redesigned and highly convergent resolvase and invertase populations in the context of engineered zinc-finger recombinase (ZFR) fusion proteins. Reprogrammed variants selectively catalyzed recombination of nonnative DNA sequences > 10,000-fold more effectively than their parental enzymes. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis revealed the molecular basis of resolvase and invertase DNA sequence specificity. When used as rationally designed ZFR heterodimers, the reprogrammed enzyme variants site-specifically modified unnatural and asymmetric DNA sequences. Early studies on the directed evolution of serine recombinase DNA sequence specificity produced enzymes with relaxed substrate specificity as a result of randomly incorporated mutations. In the current study, we focused our mutagenesis exclusively on DNA determinants, leading to redesigned enzymes that remained highly specific and directed transgene integration into the human genome with > 80% accuracy. These results demonstrate that unique resolvase and invertase derivatives can be developed to site-specifically modify the human genome in the context of zinc-finger recombinase fusion proteins.
Sex Differences in the Creation of Fictional Heroes with Particular Emphasis on Female Heroes and Superheroes in Popular Culture: Insights from Evolutionary Psychology:

Cultural and psychological perspectives have been used to examine the characteristics of modern fictional heroes, but rarely if ever has an evolutionary approach been applied to this topic, an appr...
SU-E-T-427: Beam-Attenuation in the Aktin a Memorial Body Cradle: An SBRT Frame

Purpose: Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) frames are used to immobilize the patient during hypo‐fractionated treatments. Ideally, a frame would provide 100% transmission of treatment beams. However, attenuation must be accounted for during treatment planning. This study measures the attenuation of the Aktina Memorial Body Cradle and compares the results to treatment planning calculations. Methods: Attenuation was measured by making two sets of ion chamber readings in an homogeneous solid water phantom (CNMC Best Medical) with a ion chamber (Exradin A16)‐one with the phantom in the frame and one with the phantom directly on the couch. Five coplanar 6 MV beams, 5 × 5 cm field size, (180, 230, 250, 270, 285) designed to intersect with specific cradle components were evaluated. To determine calculated transmission, a CT scan of the phantom in the cradle was acquired and two plans were then generated; one with the cradle included in the body contour and one with the cradle excluded (GE Lightspeed; Eclipse). Each plan was calculated with the pencil beam convolution algorithm (PBC) and with the anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA). Results: The cross‐bars resulted in a measured attenuation of the beam of 4.8%, while the attenuation through the side paddles was small, at 1.4%. The beam passing through the intersection of the base frame and the crossbar fixation hardware (250°) resulted in the largest measured attenuation of 19.7%. The corresponding calculated attenuation was 21.9% and 22.5% for PBC and AAA, respectively. Inclusion of the frame in the body contour during calculation resulted in close agreement between calculations and measurements. Conclusion: The positioning of movable SBRT frame components should be carefully considered during simulation as attenuation can vary from 1.4% for paddles to 20% for fixation hardware. Inclusion of the frame in treatment planning calculations allows flexibility in choice of treatment angles.
Some novel oxime ethers. The synthesis of 1,1-difluoro-2-alkoxymethanimines

Abstract The syntheses of four novel 1,1-difluoro-2-alkoxymethanimines, RONCF 2 , are reported. The oxime ethers are prepared in excellent yield by dehydrofluorination of the amines, RON(H)CF 3 (RCF 3 , (CF 3 ) 2 CF, CH 3 , (CH 3 ) 3 C) with KF. These oxime ethers are thermally stable at 24°C and are characterized by IR, NMR, and physical properties. The two perfluoro compounds undergo dimerization to give CF 3 N(OR)CFNOR in the presence of CsF at room temperature.
Pharmacological properties of isolated fish horizontal cells.

Abstract At least three distinct receptors for neurotransmitter substances are present on carp horizontal cells. Activation of two of the receptor types, by dopamine and vasoactive intestinal peptide respectively, results in the accumulation of cyclic AMP within the cells. Activation of the third receptor type, by l -glutamate or its analogues, causes a large, 60–80 mV depolarization of the cells. Similar glutamate receptors are found on skate horizontal cells, which also possess receptors specific for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Activation of the GABA receptors on skate horizontal cells also results in a large. 60–80 mV cell depolarization.
An Overview of Undergraduate ESL Program Models: A Comparison of Administrative Policies for International Students

U The focus of most research in academic ESL has been on methodology and applied linguistics-the classroom and the textbook. Little attention has been paid to the larger issue of how ESL programs as a whole serve the needs of the university and the international student. Thus, ESL teachers or administrators attempting to gain an overview of their own local program in regard to national trends have been hampered by the inaccessibility of data in this area. To help overcome this obstacle to effective program evaluation and innovation, a survey of ESL programs in higher education was undertaken to explore the following issues:
The discovery of mRNA interferases : Implication in bacterial physiology and application to biotechnology

Escherichia coli contains a large number of suicide or toxin genes, whose expression leads to cell growth arrest and eventual cell death. This raises intriguing questions as to why E. coli contains so many toxin genes and what are their roles in bacterial physiology. Among these, MazF has been shown to be a sequence-specific endoribonuclease, which cleaves mRNAs at ACA sequences to completely inhibit protein synthesis. MazF is therefore called mRNA interferase. A number of other mRNA interferases with different cleavage specificities have been discovered not only in E. coli, but also in other bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Induction of MazF in the cell leads to cellular dormancy termed quasi-dormancy. In spite of complete cell growth inhibition, cells in the quasi-dormant state are fully capable of energy metabolism, amino acids and nucleic acids biosynthesis and RNA and protein synthesis. The quasi-dormancy may be implicated in cell survival under stress conditions and may play a major role in pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis. The quasi-dormant cells provide an intriguing novel biotechnological system producing only a protein of interest in a high yield. MazF causing Bak-dependent programmed cell death in mammalian cells may be used as a tool for gene therapy against cancer and AIDS. The discovery of a novel way to interfere with mRNA function by mRNA interferases opens a wide variety of avenues in basic as well as applied and clinical sciences.
Transient kinetic methods

Abstract Transient kinetic methods allow for assessment of the reactivity and the abundancy of catalyst-bound intermediates. These methods are therefore instrumental in placing the comparison between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic pathways on a quantitative basis. The following is a brief analysis of transient kinetic data and of the factors affecting transient kinetic experiments in ‘homogeneous’ and heterogeneous catalysis.
Passion, System, and First Amendment Jurisprudence

What is the point of the First Amendment, or at least that part of it that states that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech"? One may be tempted to resist the question by saying that its asker misses the point: The First Amendment, someone trained in the tradition of Justice Hugo L. Black might say, "means what it says," which is that Congress (and, more controversially, the states, because of the Fourteenth Amendment) are simply without power to pass laws limiting persons' rights to say whatever they wish. Justice Black's purportedly "literal" approach to the First Amendment made him the hero of liberals throughout the 1940s and 1950s who properly admired his willingness to speak eloquently against the Cold War repression identified with that era. He condemned all of those, most notably his great adversary Felix Frankfurter, who, Black argued, amended the clear words of the amendment by transforming it into merely a prohibition of "unreasonable" abridgments of speech. Instead of firmly enforcing the command of the framers to remain steadfast against all abridgments, the Court "balanced away" the right of free speech by weighing the importance of speech interests against other interests, most notably regarding the presumed claims of national security as against the legitimacy of advo-
Series-resonant inverter for photovoltaic applications

This paper describes a single-phase, series-resonant inverter which injects a sinusoidal current into a load while a standard AC utility source is connected to the load and which can be used in photovoltaic applications. At moderate power levels the inverter requires DC input in the kilovolt range but will operate over a wide input voltage range. Control of the inverter is relatively simple and parallel operation with multiple DC sources with different DC input levels is easily accomplished. The circuit has no stand-alone capability at the present stage of development.
Differential contributions of majority and minority influence

In most studies comparing majority and minority influence, there is an emphasis on influence in the sense of “prevailing.” Within this context, evidence exists that majorities exert more public influence and that minority influence, when it occurs, tends to operate primarily at the latent level. In the present formulation, it is proposed that the differences between majority and minority influence are in fact more extensive once influence is considered in a broader context. In particular, it is proposed that exposure to persistent minority views fosters greater thought about the issue. Furthermore, this thought tends to be divergent rather than convergent, and as a result, people tend to be better decision makers because they attend to more aspects of the situation and reexamine premises. By contrast, it is proposed that exposure to persistent majority views fosters convergent thinking and leads to an unreflective acceptance of the majority position. Three experimental studies are reported that directly test some of the propositions, and the formulation is linked to available knowledge in the areas of social cognition, creativity, and problem solving both at the individual and group levels. Finally, some practical implications of this formulation for small group decision making and for society at large are offered.