cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of endothelin-1 mRNA by angiotensin II in rat heart endothelial cells

In a series of experiments carried out in cultured endothelial cells derived from rat hearts (RHE), angiotensin II (AII) is shown to stimulate preproendothelin-1 mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The induction of preproendothelin-1 mRNA is rapid, reaching a maximal level 1 h after the addition of AII (1 x 10(-8) M). The mRNA levels decline rapidly to basal levels in 4 h. The addition of Losartan (Dup 753; 1 x 10(-6) M), an AII receptor (type I) antagonist, blocks the AII effect. Calphostin C, a potent protein kinase C inhibitor, is able to abolish this effect of AII suggesting that the induction of preproendothelin-1 mRNA is mediated by a protein kinase C-dependent pathway. Since endothelial cells line the inner surface of the myocardium and blood vessels and sense the rise of AII associated with renovascular hypertension at the endothelial surface, these data suggest that endothelin which is produced by RHE cells in response to AII could be an important mediator which may play a role in modulating gene expression in AII-mediated cardiac hypertrophy.
Utilizing fluid-structure interactions to improve energy efficiency of composite marine propellers in spatially varying wake

Flexible composite marine propellers, made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites, have a number of advantages over conventional rigid metallic propellers. In particular, composite propellers have great potential for performance improvement. In the current work, fluid–structure interaction effects are utilized to improve the performance of composite marine propellers under a wide range of operating conditions. Two important mechanisms, namely, the bending–twisting coupling effects of anisotropic composites and load-dependent self-adaptation behavior of composite blades are the primary sources for performance improvement of composite marine propellers. Systematically designed self-twisting composite propellers are evaluated under both steady and unsteady operating conditions. Response and performance curves are compared between the rigid and self-twisting propellers. Governing mechanisms and fluid–structure interaction effects are identified and analyzed. It is shown that the self-twisting propeller leads to significant improvement in energy efficiency over its rigid counterpart.
Continuous long-term replication of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) in an established canine cell culture (MDCK).

SummaryAn established monolayer line of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells was infected with FeLV. The infected culture grew in a steady-state noncytocidal manner during 57 subcultures over 1 year while continuously producing virus. Electron microscopic examination revealed virus budding from cells and in the 1.13 to 1.17 g/cm3 density range of sucrose gradients. FeLV antigen in the culture supernatant was found by immunodiffusion and complement-fixation techniques. Approximately the same amount of antigen was found at subcultivations 8, 12, 22, 33, and 57 following infection.
Influence of host plant, foliar phenology and larval dietary history on Lymantria dispar larval nutritional indices.

Quantitative nutritional indices were measured in 3rd instar gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar L. Analyses of the main and interactive effects of host plant consumed (oak or pine), foliar phenology (early or late season) and larval dietary history (whether fed artificial diet or foliage as second instars) indicate that larval performance was significantly affected by all three variables tested. Relative Growth Rate (RGR) was higher on oak than pine early in the season, but the reverse occurred one month later, owing largely to the slower Relative Consumption Rate (RCR) of late season oak feeders. Efficiency of Conversion of Digested food (ECD) was depressed in larvae fed pine foliage for two instars compared with those fed oak. The interaction between larval dietary history and foliar phenology produced significant effects on all indices measured. Foliar analyses showed that, as the season progressed, oak had a higher percent dry weight than did pine. On a dry weight basis, pine foliage had significantly less total and protein nitrogen than did oak collected at the same time. Resume Influence de la plante hote, de la phenologie foliaire et de l'alimentation anterieure sur les indices de nutrition larvaire de Lymantria dispar Les indices nutritionnels larvaires ont ete evalues sur des chenilles de L. dispar L. du troisieme stade. L'analyse des effets et des interactions de la nature de la plante consommee (Quercus microcarpa) ou Pinus strobus, de la phenologie foliaire (en debut de saison, c'est-a-dire seconde quinzaine de mai, ou en fin de saison, c'est-a-dire a la mi-juin), de l'alimentation anterieure (regime artificiel de germes de ble ou feuillage pendant le second stade) montre que les performances larvaires sont fortement modifiees par ces 3 variables. Le taux de croissance relative (RGR) est plus eleve sur chene que sur pin en debut de saison, mais s'inverse un mois plus tard avec une forte diminution sur chene. L'efficacite de conversion de l'aliment (ECD) est diminuee sur pin pendant les second et troisieme stades. L'interaction entre l'alimentation anterieure et le phenologie foliaire a des effets significatifs sur la digestibilite approchee (AD), sur l'efficacite de la conversion de l'aliment ingere (ECI), et sur ECD, RCR et RGR. Les analyses foliaires ont montre que, lorsque la saison avance, le poids sec du chene devient superieur a celui du pin. En considerant le poids sec, le feuillage de pin contient moins d'aliments et de proteines que le chene recolte au meme moment. La teneur en azote tend a diminuer chez les deux especes, de 17% pour le pin et 26% pour le chene. Nous pensons que certains de ces facteurs determinent la valeur de ces plantes pour L. dispar. Les chenilles âgees peuvent compenser plus ou moins la faible assimilation sur pin par des RCR plus eleves. Le meme comportement ne semble pas possible sur chene, une plus grande quantite de chene avance en saison que de feuilles jeunes ne pouvant etre consommee pour compenser la diminution de la digestibilite.
Corrigendum to “Bird's nest fungi (Nidulariales: Nidulariaceae) in Baltic and Dominican amber” [Fungal Biology 118 (2014) 325–329]

The author regrets that the legend for figure 1 should read “Lateral view of Nidula baltica in Baltic amber” instead of “Lateral view of Lepidiosomus balticus”, the legend for figure 2 should read “Top view of peridium of N. baltica in Baltic amber” instead of “Top view of peridium of L. balticus” and the legend for figure 3 should read “Lateral view of peridium of C. dominicanus in Dominican amber” instead of “Lateral view of peridium of C. dominicana”. The author would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Molecular constituents of neuronal AMPA receptors

Dynamic regulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) underlies aspects of synaptic plasticity. Although numerous AMPAR-interacting proteins have been identified, their quantitative and relative contributions to native AMPAR complexes remain unclear. Here, we quantitated protein interactions with neuronal AMPARs by immunoprecipitation from brain extracts. We found that stargazin-like transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs) copurified with neuronal AMPARs, but we found negligible binding to GRIP, PICK1, NSF, or SAP-97. To facilitate purification of neuronal AMPAR complexes, we generated a transgenic mouse expressing an epitope-tagged GluR2 subunit of AMPARs. Taking advantage of this powerful new tool, we isolated two populations of GluR2 containing AMPARs: an immature complex with the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone immunoglobulin-binding protein and a mature complex containing GluR1, TARPs, and PSD-95. These studies establish TARPs as the auxiliary components of neuronal AMPARs.
A Reliable Low Gate Bias Model Extraction Procedure for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

A reliable low gate bias model extraction procedure for AlGaN/GaN is discussed. This method does not bias the device at a untenable high gate voltage in order to extract the parasitic inductance and resistance. The modeling procedure is reliable and simple with high accuracy up to 40GHz. The influence of extracted parasitic components is discussed.
Synthesis of Some Glycidic Hydrazides and Amides as Potential Psychotropic Agents and Anticholinergic Agents

A series of glycidic hydrazides and amides was prepared by hydrazinolysis or aminolysis of glycidic esters obtained via a modified Darzens condensation. The hydrazides thus obtained were subjected to suitable acylating or alkylating reagents to obtain N- substituted hydrazides. The results of a preliminary pharmacological evaluation are summarized. The synthesized compounds were tested for their ability to reverse reserpine hypothermia in mice. Compounds synthesized as potential anticholinergics were evaluated for their spasmolytic activity using isolated rabbit ileum.
Zeeman Anisotropy Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Characteristic Radiative Lifetimes, and Novel Site Symmetries in KCl: Sm 2 +

By means of Zeeman anisotropy fluorescence (ZAF) and its field dependence (up to 55.8 kG), the authors have investigated the 4.2 K narrow-line fluorescence of KCl:${\mathrm{Sm}}^{2+}$ and identified some hitherto unreported ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{2+}$ sites. The strong no-field line at 7693.5 \AA{} ($^{5}D_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{7}F_{3}$) and a very weak no-field line at 8742.8 \AA{} ($^{5}D_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{7}F_{5}$) are shown to be of ${C}_{3v}$ symmetry origin. The 24.5-kG ZAF pattern observed in the 7696-7700-\AA{} ($^{5}D_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{7}F_{3}$) region has been identified to originate from a type-II ${C}_{s}$ site. The 26.5-kG ZAF patterns of the ${C}_{3v}$ no-field line at 7693.5 \AA{} and the type-I ${C}_{s}$ no-field line at 7694.5 \AA{} overlap in the 7693-7695.3-\AA{} region, and are elucidated through the field dependence of their Zeeman components. Characteristic radiative lifetimes of the $^{5}D_{0}$ level in several ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{2+}$ symmetry types have been determined from dominant transitions to the $^{7}F_{J}$ ($Jl~4$) levels. There are two distinct ${C}_{4v}$ sites: one with a lifetime of 9.5 msec, and the other 11.2 msec. ${C}_{2v}$ and type-I ${C}_{s}$ sites have lifetimes of 10.5 and 10.8 msec, respectively, which are indistinguishable within the experimental error. The role of ${\mathrm{O}}^{2\ensuremath{-}}$ compensation of ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{2+}$ in addition to ${\mathrm{K}}^{+}$ vacancy compensation in KCl is discussed in terms of these findings.
Sulfur oxyacid production as a consequence of parathion desulfuration

Abstract Parathion desulfuration in vitro by the rat liver microsomal oxidase system gives rise to reactive sulfur atoms which either covalently bind to microsomal macromolecules, most likely as hydrodisulfides (-SSH) or appear as water-soluble metabolites. The latter were tentatively identified as sulfate, thiosulfate, and a minor amount of sulfite. Production of sulfate was enhanced by glutathione. Moreover, glutathione and other thiols removed covalently bound sulfur from the microsomal membranes and partially restored activity to enzymes known to be inactivated during parathion metabolism. A semilogarithmic plot of sulfur removal with time indicated at least two populations of covalently bound sulfur differing in the stability of the hydrodisulfide bond or accessibility to thiol compounds. The significance of transient hydrodisulfide formation with regard to the production of sulfur oxyacids is discussed. Both macromolecular and low molecular weight endogenous sulfhy dryl-containing biochemicals may play a role in preventing sulfur binding in vivo since only low level sulfur binding in liver homogenates was observed after the in vivo administration of parathion.
Situated cultural development among youth separated by war

Abstract Families migrating out of a war zone are often perceived as the lucky ones because they escape at least some of the devastating consequences of war. Nevertheless, we know little about the relative developmental effects of war for refugees and domestic survivors. This inquiry addresses that gap by focusing on how two groups of young people sharing a traditional culture used narrating as a tool to make sense of the circumstances of their post-war environments. The analysis presented in this paper draws on narratives by 64 young people whose experiences with war began when they were babies and children in Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH), 38 youth whose families remained in BiH and 26 who migrated to the United States. Analyses based cultural–historical activity theory reveal major differences in how these Bosnian Muslim youth growing up in diverse post-war circumstances narrated conflicts. The pattern of results indicates, for example, that the U.S. participants focused on how things work in society and an orientation to other people more than themselves, while BiH participants focused critically on adults in their society and on their own personal identity clarifications. Such uses of narrating to mediate self-society relations differ from those expected in research assuming universal orientations, such as an adolescent emphasis on identity, or assuming that traditional cultural mores organize experience. The study underscores the need for ongoing research to examine the context-sensitive nature of development. Implications for future research in normative and problematic situations are discussed.
Plasma lipid concentrations and subsequent coronary occlusion after a first myocardial infarction

ABSTRACT This study correlated plasma lipid values with angiographic evidence of progression to complete coronary occlusion. Baseline triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (Chol), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and HDL/LDL and HDL/Choi ratios were compared with coronary angiograms taken at baseline, 3 and 5 years in a prospective angiographic study. Results were from part of the multicenter trial of plasma lipid reduction in patients after a single myocardial infarction (POSCH). Comparison of patient’s baseline lipids in the absence or presence of a new total coronary occlusion at 3 years showed a significant difference (p = 0.01) in TGs of 197 ± 147 versus 250 ± 162 mg/dl (p = 0.02) and VLDL of 30 ± 23 (n = 284) versus 40 ± 30 (n = 49) mg/dl. Stratification by the mean HDL/Chol ratio (16%) demonstrated that baseline TG levels were significantly increased in patients with a new coronary occlusion by 3 years despite a higher HDL/Choi ratio. When measured at the 3-year visit, plasma TG (176 ± 91 versus 212 ± 146 mg/dl; p = 0.02) and VLDL (28 ± 18 versus 35 ± 29 mg/dl; p = 0.04) were significantly elevated in the presence of a new 3-year coronary occlusion. Stratification by the mean HDL/Choi ratio (16%) demonstrated that 3-year TG levels increased significantly in patients with a new 3-year coronary occlusion despite a higher HDL/Chol ratio. A comparison of the baseline lipid results with angiographic evidence of occlusion by 5 years showed a significant difference (p = 0.04) in Chol in patients with a new total coronary occlusion (255 ± 35 mg/dl) versus patients without a new total coronary occlusion (247 ± 30 mg/dl). Both LDL and the HDL/LDL ratio were not significantly different between groups. When measured at 5 years, TGs were higher in patients who did (213 ± 165 mg/dl) than in patients who did not (182 ± 91 mg/dl) occlude by 5 years (p
Electronic structure of the Li2 [X 1Σ g+] Li [2p] excited 2A″ surface

Potential energy surface calculations are reported for the lowest 2 A surface arising from the Li2 (X 1 g ) Li* ( 2 P) interaction. The 2 A surface with Cs symmetry, which correlates to the 2 B1 surface in C2v symmetry and to the 2 Pi surface in Cv, has been calculated using second order restricted open-shell Moller-Plesset theory. Our calculated surface has a minimum in C2v symmetry that resembles the ground state surface but does not exhibit the Jahn-Teller splitting found for the ground state potential energy surface. Dipole transition moments are calculated in C2v geometry near the 2 A minima using the internally contracted multireference singles and doubles configuration interaction theory. We have also analyzed the long range behavior of this 2 A surface by fitting the ab initio calculations at long range with a functional series of the form Cn/R n . © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 109: 3626 -3631, 2009
Microhabitat Features at Mexican Spotted Owl Nest and Roost Sites in the Guadalupe Mountains

Abstract In some portions of their range, Mexican Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis lucida) are found occupying conifer-dominated forests, whereas in other portions of their range, they occupy narrow and steep-walled canyons. Although the characteristics of this owl's nesting and roosting habitat have been studied extensively in predominately forested environments, there is far less information describing microhabitat features associated with nesting and roosting sites in canyon systems. In this report, we quantitatively describe microhabitat characteristics of nest and roost sites of Mexican Spotted Owls within the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, where Spotted Owls dwell primarily in narrow, rocky, and semiarid canyons. We measured 21 habitat features describing the geomorphology of the canyon and finer-scaled variables at accessible owl nest or roost sites (n = 10) and at nearby random sites up- (n = 10) and down-canyon (n = 10); we found that tree canopy cover (%) wa...
On the Relation of 6.7 μm Water Vapour Features to Isentropic Distributions of Potential Vorticity

Currently available isentropic maps of potential vorticity (IPV maps) are of low resolution. In this note, the possibility of using 6.7-micron satellite-derived water vapor measurements to obtain higher resolution information about IPV distributions is examined. While attempts to related the two data sets analytically have so far proved unsuccessful, a qualitative comparison shows very similar features in both. The results obtained here suggest that, over limited areas, it may be possible to use 6.7-micron brightness temperatures to obtain approximate contours for water vapor mixing ratio on a particular isentropic surface in the upper troposphere. For areas free of high clouds, these contours are expected to parallel the IPV contours on this surface. In a case study, the resulting map exhibits dramatically increased horizontal resolution compared with present IPV maps, detailing an intriguing upper-tropospheric feature at subsynoptic scales.
Functional Activation and Effective Connectivity Differences in Adolescent Marijuana Users Performing a Simulated Gambling Task

Background. Adolescent marijuana use is associated with structural and functional differences in forebrain regions while performing memory and attention tasks. In the present study, we investigated neural processing in adolescent marijuana users experiencing rewards and losses. Fourteen adolescents with frequent marijuana use (>5 uses per week) and 14 nonuser controls performed a computer task where they were required to guess the outcome of a simulated coin flip while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging. Results. Across all participants, “Wins” and “Losses” were associated with activations including cingulate, middle frontal, superior frontal, and inferior frontal gyri and declive activations. Relative to controls, users had greater activity in the middle and inferior frontal gyri, caudate, and claustrum during “Wins” and greater activity in the anterior and posterior cingulate, middle frontal gyrus, insula, claustrum, and declive during “Losses.” Effective connectivity analyses revealed similar overall network interactions among these regions for users and controls during both “Wins” and “Losses.” However, users and controls had significantly different causal interactions for 10 out of 28 individual paths during the “Losses” condition. Conclusions. Collectively, these results indicate adolescent marijuana users have enhanced neural responses to simulated monetary rewards and losses and relatively subtle differences in effective connectivity.
Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in the vomeronasal system and terminal nerve of the hamster.

The vomeronasal system of mammals is a specialized chemosensory pathway that parallels the main olfactory system but is anatomically distinct from its peripheral aspect through its projections into the central nervous system.'.' Recent evidence suggests a predominant role for the vomeronasal system in conveying the influence of odor stimuli upon neuroendocrine and on a variety of motivated behaviors, including sex,6 aggression,' and maternal behavior.' This functional role probably reflects the relatively direct projections of this chemosensory system to areas of the ventral forebrain important in the control of neuroendocrine and behavioral events. The sole central target of the vomeronasal organ is the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), neurons which in turn project to several nuclei of the medial amygdala.'.' In particular, the medial nucleus of the amygdala (M), has projections to the preoptic area and hypothalamus, and has been strongly implicated in mediating the influence of odor cues upon the neuroendocrine system and behavior.'".'' Axons containing immunoreactive luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) are found throughout the vomeronasal system in the rat and Sparse LHRH fibers are seen within the neuroepithelium of the vomeronasal organ itself.'*." LHRH fibers and cells, defined as a subset of the terminal are present in close proximity to the vomeronasal nerve in the nasal cavity. Centrally, a dense plexus of LHRH fibers innervates the glomerular layer of the AOB, the site of the first synapse in this sensory system. Occasionally, isolated LHRH perikarya are found within the AOB as well. Further caudally, LHRH fibers are seen adjacent to the optic tract within the superficial plexiform layer of M, that layer which receives
A subjective method for the measurement of monochromatic* aberrations of the eye

We have designed an aberroscope that differs from Tscherning’s classical instrument in that it makes use of an artificial astigmatism rather than an artificial myopia to defocus the image of a point source of light. A subject views the source through a ±5 D crossed cylinder lens with axes at 45° to the principal axes of an intercalated grid and sees a shadow image of the grid. The distortions of this grid image are quantitatively related to the wave aberration of the eye. Using this device we have obtained drawings for more than 50 subjects. These drawings of the grid pattern have been analyzed by means of a two-dimensional polynomial curve Fitting technique that computes Taylor polynomial terms to the fourth order. From the Taylor coefficients it is possible to reconstruct the wave aberration surface. Examination of the Taylor terms so obtained shows that the monochromatic aberrations of the eye are dominated by third-order Taylor terms within the range of physiological pupil sizes, and that spherical aberration frequently appears predominantly about one axis only, a condition that we have termed “cylindrical” aberration. We have computed the optical MTF of our subjects’ eyes and find that the role of aberrations in degrading the MTF may be greater than generally believed.
Human Rights Reaffirmed

L'idee que tout individu en raison de sa nature humaine possede des droits fondamentaux et inalienables a ete severement attaquee par l'empirisme, le scientisme, le scepticisme, le holisme etc... Cependant, l'idee des droits de l'homme est judicieuse et viable
New hierarchical model using SOM improves accuracy of classifiers for multiclass data sets

It is our observation that a classification model for a multiclass problem creates a large number of rules in the model and reduces its accuracy, especially if the number of features is large. Many strategies have been outlined in the literature to reduce the multiclass problem into smaller tasks (mostly creating two classes) and combining the results of the same to obtain the complete classification. In this paper, we present a solution for reducing the misclassification rate of the rule-based model using hierarchical clustering. The method uses a two-step approach. First, Self Organizing Maps (SOM), a visual clustering technique is used to identify the number of clusters that are naturally formed. This number of clusters is used as an indication of the number of classes that reduce the misclassification rate. The second step is to use the concept of hierarchical classification, and One versus All (OVA) to systematically reduce the number of classes. These results are encouraging, with a significantly reduced misclassification rate along with reduced number of evaluations (number of classifier runs) and simplified decision trees.
Reduced Signal Intensity on MR Images of Thalamus and Putamen in Multiple Sclerosis: Increased Iron Content?

High-field-strength (1.5-T) MR imaging was used to evaluate 47 patients with definite multiple sclerosis and 42 neurologically normal control patients. Abnormal, multiple foci of increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images, most prominent in the periventricular white matter, were apparent in 43 of 47 MS patients and in two of 42 control patients. A previously undescribed finding of relatively decreased signal intensity most evident in the putamen and thalamus on T2-weighted images was seen in 25 of 42 MS patients and correlated with the degree of white-matter abnormality. In the normal control patients a prominently decreased signal intensity was noted in the globus pallidus, as compared with the putamen or thalamus, correlating closely with the distribution of ferric iron as determined in normal Perls'-stained autopsy brains. The decreased signal intensity (decreased T2) is due to ferritin, which causes local magnetic field inhomogeneities and is proportional to the square of the field strength. The...
Effects of overt rehearsal on recall of paired associates

It has been reported that overt rehearsal of lists eliminates negative recency effects in free recall (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1971). However, in probe paired-associates tests, overt rehearsal appears only to lower recall levels, relative to “silent” rehearsal conditions; the extent of negative recency effects is unaltered.
The Forge: A Short Pulse X-Ray Diagnostic Development Facility

A new short pulse x-ray calibration facility has been brought on line at Los Alamos. This facility is being used for the development, testing and calibration of fast x-ray diagnostic systems. The x-ray source consists of a moderate size, sub-nanosecond laser focused at high intensity on an appropriate target material to generate short pulses of x-ray emission from the resulting plasma. Dynamic performance parameters of fast x-ray diagnostic instruments, such as x-ray streak cameras, can be conveniently measured using this facility.
Crystal Structure of the Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding Protein 1 (Chd1) DNA-binding Domain in Complex with DNA

Chromatin remodelers are ATP-dependent machines that dynamically alter the chromatin packaging of eukaryotic genomes by assembling, sliding, and displacing nucleosomes. The Chd1 chromatin remodeler possesses a C-terminal DNA-binding domain that is required for efficient nucleosome sliding and believed to be essential for sensing the length of DNA flanking the nucleosome core. The structure of the Chd1 DNA-binding domain was recently shown to consist of a SANT and SLIDE domain, analogous to the DNA-binding domain of the ISWI family, yet the details of how Chd1 recognized DNA were not known. Here we present the crystal structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chd1 DNA-binding domain in complex with a DNA duplex. The bound DNA duplex is straight, consistent with the preference exhibited by the Chd1 DNA-binding domain for extranucleosomal DNA. Comparison of this structure with the recently solved ISW1a DNA-binding domain bound to DNA reveals that DNA lays across each protein at a distinct angle, yet contacts similar surfaces on the SANT and SLIDE domains. In contrast to the minor groove binding seen for Isw1 and predicted for Chd1, the SLIDE domain of the Chd1 DNA-binding domain contacts the DNA major groove. The majority of direct contacts with the phosphate backbone occur only on one DNA strand, suggesting that Chd1 may not strongly discriminate between major and minor grooves.
Stability versus change, dependability versus error: Issues in the assessment of personality over time

Abstract Temporal instability can reflect either true psychological change or measurement error. I offer several recommendations to improve stability research and enhance the ability to detect error; these include the use of (a) theoretically meaningful retest intervals, (b) larger sample sizes, and (c) benchmark scales that permit comparative tests of stability. I illustrate this approach using retest data of obsessive–compulsive symptoms, dissociative tendencies, trait affectivity, and the Big Five. These data demonstrate that highly correlated measures of the same target constructs show significantly different levels of stability, even over 2-month retest intervals during which true change should be minimal. These discrepancies are not simply due to broad differences in content, but reflect more subtle differences in wording, instructions, and response formats.
Mechanism of Cyclic Dye Regeneration During Eosin-Sensitized Photoinitiation in the Presence of Polymerization Inhibitors

A visible light photoinitiator, eosin, in combination with a tertiary amine coinitiator is found to initiate polymerization despite the presence of at least 1000-fold excess dissolved oxygen which functions as an inhibitor of radical polymerizations. Additionally, 0.4 µM eosin is able to overcome 100-fold excess (40 µM) 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) inhibitor, initiating polymerization after only a 2 minute inhibition period. In contrast, 40 µM Irgacure-2959, a standard cleavage-type initiator, is unable to overcome even an equivalent amount of inhibitor (40 µM TEMPO). Through additional comparisons of these two initiation systems, a reaction mechanism is developed which is consistent with the kinetic data and provides an explanation for eosin’s relative insensitivity to oxygen, TEMPO and other inhibitors. A cyclic mechanism is proposed in which semi-reduced eosin radicals react by disproportionation with radical inhibitors and radical intermediates in the inhibition process to regenerate eosin and effectively consume inhibitor. In behavior similar to that of eosin, rose bengal, fluorescein, and riboflavin are also found to initiate polymerization despite the presence of excess TEMPO, indicating that cyclic regeneration likely enhances the photoinitiation kinetics of many dye photosensitizers. Selection of such dye initiation systems constitutes a valuable strategy for alleviating inhibitory effects in radical polymerizations.
Regulation of Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase in Germinating Lettuce Seeds (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids): Effects of Abscisic Acid and Water Stress*

Summary Abscisic acid (ABA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG, 35%) completely inhibited germination of Grand Rapids lettuce seeds in light. A parallel inhibition of the activity of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) was also observed under these conditions. Effects of ABA were not reversed by GA 3 and only slightly reversed by benzyladenine. Seeds germinated in water showed a steady increase in PAL activity during a 20 h period. If seeds germinated in water were transferred to 0.02 mM ABA, the activity of PAL in these seeds significantly declined during the next 24 h. Transfer of germinated seeds to PEG resulted in a much faster loss of PAL activity during this period. The disappearance of PAL activity on transfer to ABA and PEG occurred with calculated half-lives of 11 and 3 h, respectively. The loss of PAL caused by PEG was readily reversible on removal of the osmoticum.
Numerical study of interacting particles approximation for integro-differential equations

The paper develops a numerical method based on the interacting particles approximation (propagation of chaos) for the solution of a large class of evolution problems involving the fractional Laplacian operator and a non-local quadratic-type non-linearity. Coupled stochastic differential equations driven by Levy symmetric @a-stable processes are integrated numerically using Euler's method and the solutions of the governing equations are obtained from their statistics. The method is tested on several one- and two-dimensional examples, and established analytical properties of the solutions are verified for the numerical approximates when they are available. For initial conditions that are either integrable or monotone bounded functions, it is shown that these methods represent viable tools for constructing the solution to the Cauchy problem.
Contouring algorithm for ion figuring

Abstract Ion beam figuring provides a highly deterministic method for the final precision figuring of optical components with advantages over conventional methods. The ion-figuring process involves bombarding a component with a stable beam of accelerated particles, which selectively removes material from the surface. The specific figure corrections are achieved by rastering the fixed-current beam across the workpiece at varying velocities. Unlike conventional methods, ion figuring is a noncontract technique that avoids such problems inherent in traditional fabrication processes as edge roll-off effects, tool wear, and force loading of the work piece. Other researchers have demonstrated that ion beam figuring is effective for correcting of large optical components. This work is directed toward the development of the precision ion-machining system (PIMS) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This system is designed for processing small (≅ 10 cm diameter) optical components. The ion-figuring process involves obtaining an interferometric error map of the surface, choosing a raster pattern for the beam, and determining the velocities along that path. Because the material removed is the convolution of the fixed ion beam removal and the rastering velocity as a function of position, determining the appropriate velocities from the desired removal map and the known ion beam profile is a deconvolution process. A unique method of performing this deconvolution was developed for the project, which is also applicable to other mathematically similar processes, including computer-controlled polishing. This paper presents the deconvolution algorithm, a comparison of this technique with other methods, and a simulation analysis. Future research will implement this procedure at MSFC.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Suppresses Dendritic Cell-Induced, Antigen-Dependent CD4 T Cell Proliferation

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the second most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Diseases associated with N. gonorrhoeae cause localized inflammation of the urethra and cervix. Despite this inflammatory response, infected individuals do not develop protective adaptive immune responses to N. gonorrhoeae. N. gonorrhoeae is a highly adapted pathogen that has acquired multiple mechanisms to evade its host's immune system, including the ability to manipulate multiple immune signaling pathways. N. gonorrhoeae has previously been shown to engage immunosuppressive signaling pathways in B and T lymphocytes. We have now found that N. gonorrhoeae also suppresses adaptive immune responses through effects on antigen presenting cells. Using primary, murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and lymphocytes, we show that N. gonorrhoeae-exposed dendritic cells fail to elicit antigen-induced CD4+ T lymphocyte proliferation. N. gonorrhoeae exposure leads to upregulation of a number of secreted and dendritic cell surface proteins with immunosuppressive properties, particularly Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1). We also show that N. gonorrhoeae is able to inhibit dendritic cell- induced proliferation of human T-cells and that human dendritic cells upregulate similar immunosuppressive molecules. Our data suggest that, in addition to being able to directly influence host lymphocytes, N. gonorrhoeae also suppresses development of adaptive immune responses through interactions with host antigen presenting cells. These findings suggest that gonococcal factors involved in host immune suppression may be useful targets in developing vaccines that induce protective adaptive immune responses to this pathogen.
A statistical approach to adaptive problem solving

Domain independent general purpose problem solving techniques are desirable from the standpoints of software engineering and human computer interaction. They employ declarative and modular knowledge representations and present a constant homogeneous interface to the user, untainted by the peculiarities of the specific domain of interest. Unfortunately, this very insulation from domain details often precludes effective problem solving behavior. General approaches have proven successful in complex real-world situations only after a tedious cycle of manual experimentation and modification. Machine learning offers the prospect of automating this adaptation cycle, reducing the burden of domain specific tuning and reconciling the conflicting needs of generality and efficacy. A principal impediment to adaptive techniques is the utility problem: even if the acquired information is accurate and is helpful in isolated cases, it may degrade overall problem solving performance under difficult to predict circumstances. We develop a formal characterization of the utility problem and introduce COMPOSER, a statistically rigorous learning approach which avoids the utility problem. COMPOSER has been successfully applied to learning heuristics for planning and scheduling systems. This article includes theoretical results and an extensive empirical evaluation. The approach is shown to outperform significantly several other leading approaches to the utility problem.
The Effects of Athletic Competition on Character Development in College Student Athletes

AbstractThis article argues that there are inherent problems in athletic competition relating to character development in college student athletes. A review of the research supports the claim that athletic competitions do not build character. The author proposes ways to address this problem and provides personal observations and published research to support her position.
A Model of Professional Identity Expression for Mental Health Counselors

Because professional identity is one of the most controversial and confusing issues within counseling, it is often studied and discussed. Yet there are no studies examining how professional identity is actually expressed. Because the topic is theoretical and sometimes abstract, counseling students in particular may struggle to understand how to express professional identity. This article fuses ideas expressed by Boyer (1990) in Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate and the concept of practical intentionality into a theory-grounded model to help counselors to conceptualize, contextualize, and express their professional identity through application, discovery, teaching, and integration.
Implosion dynamics and radiation output of wire-array z-pinches on the cobra pulsed-power generator

Experimental results are presented which characterize the implosion dynamics and subsequent radiation output of wire-array Z-pinches on the 1-MA, 100-ns rise-time COBRA pulsed-power generator. Diagnostics fielded include an optical streak camera, a time-gated XUV framing camera, a laser shadowgraph system, filtered time-integrated pinhole cameras, an X-ray focusing spectrometer with spatial resolution (FSSR), a load voltage monitor, a Faraday cup, a bolometer, silicon diodes and diamond photoconducting detectors (PCDs). The load geometries investigated include hollow cylindrical arrays ranging from 4 to 16 mm in diameter, and consisting of 8, 16, or 32 wires of either tungsten (W), aluminum (Al), or Invar. The data produced by the entire suite of diagnostics are analyzed and presented to provide an overall picture of implosion dynamics and timing on COBRA. In particular, data fitting to various implosion trajectory models, as well as X-ray pulse shape dependencies on various loads and implosion characteristics are presented and discussed. From this study, it was determined that by moving the stagnation time earlier (i.e., before the peak in the driving load current, where dI/dt is positive), the total X-ray yield is increased by ~1.5-2times on COBRA. From bolometer measurements, we recorded ~10 kJ of total X-ray energy, which is a conversion efficiency of -10% for the 100-kJ discharge of a typical COBRA pulse. Load scaling for an earlier stagnation time was accomplished by dropping to a smaller initial array diameter (i.e., 4 mm) and using smaller initial wire diameters (i.e., 5-mum W; 12-mum Al). The use of fine wire and a small array diameter also allowed for enough wires and a tight enough wire-spacing to provide good implosion uniformity (i.e., 16 wires on a 4-mm array diameter for 785-mum wire spacing).
The effect of physical rehabilitation on mandibular function after ramus osteotomies.

The efficacy of a systematic regimen of rehabilitation of mandibular function after ramus osteotomy was investigated. Forty-eight patients who had had either sagittal split ramus osteotomy to advance the mandible or intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy to retract the mandible were studied; 24 patients received rehabilitation and 24 did not. Pre- and postsurgical maximal mandibular opening, lateral and protrusive mandibular movements, maximum bite force, muscle fatigability, and clinical evaluation of the temporomandibular joints were compared between the two groups. Patients who underwent an intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy did not show a significant decrease in any of the parameters measured whether or not rehabilitation was used. However, patients who underwent sagittal split ramus osteotomies without subsequent rehabilitation had significant decreases (P < 0.05) in mean mandibular opening and bite force as well as increases (P < 0.05) in muscular fatigability compared with patients who underwent rehabilitation. These findings indicate the need for routine pre-operative evaluation of mandibular and temporomandibular joint function and postsurgical physical rehabilitation after ramus osteotomies.
Glucocorticoid suppression of pituitary prolactin release in the nonhuman primate.

The administration of 8 mg dexamethasone daily for 8 days significantly lowered basal and TRH-stimulated PRL levels in ovariectomized rhesus monkeys. A single acute injection of dexamethasone attenuated the total amount of PRL released after TRH stimulation, although basal and peak PRL levels were not significantly different from those found in controls. In an attempt to determine the site of action of glucocorticoids on PRL secretion, baboon pituitaries were incubated with cortisol.Cortisol at a concentration of 3 × 10 −5 M significantly inhibited PRL secretion in vitro, while a concentration of 3 × 10−5 M was needed to block TRH-stimulated prolactin release. In conclusion, glucocorticoids can suppress pituitary PRL secretion by a direct action on the pituitary gland, although a hypothalamic site of action may also be involved.
Cell Signaling During Primitive Hematopoiesis

Primitive hematopoiesis is the first wave of blood development that occurs in development, and it produces the first red and white blood cells of the embryo. Although primitive hematopoiesis produces a largely transient population of primitive blood cells, some blood progenitors that function later in development to produce definitive blood cells also develop in the primitive hematopoietic site. Studies of mouse, chick, zebrafish, and Xenopus embryos have revealed that many of the molecular events that regulate primitive hematopoiesis are conserved among vertebrates. In addition, roles for nonhematopoietic tissues in regulating primitive hematopoiesis have been discovered. In this article, we review what is known about vertebrate primitive hematopoiesis at the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. Keywords: Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC); Hematopoietic Progenitor; Primitive Hematopoiesis; Definitive Hematopoiesis
Phosphoinositides and calcium as regulators of cellular actin assembly and disassembly.

Cell locomotion and changes in cell structure initiated by the binding of extracellular ligands to transmembrane receptors are generally accompanied by a transient increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+], and by the synthesis and hydrolysis of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol lipids, or polyphosphoinositides (PPls). These two potential signals to the cyto­ skeleton are not necessarily the immediate consequence of receptor stimu­ lation, but are themselves modulated by upstream signals that include GTPases, protein kinases, ion channels, and probably other agents (reviewed in 118). Cell motility and changes in morphology also require spatially and temporally coordinated changes in the mechanical properties of the cell cortex, and these changes are brought about by transitions between gel (solid) and sol (liquid) states of the cytoskeleton (32, 119, 120). A link between Ca2+ and phospholipids, on the one hand, and changes in cell rigidity, on the other, was apparent enough to suggest nearly 40 years ago (52) that "the rigidity of the cortex depends on the fact that it contains
Hallucinated Humans as the Hidden Context for Labeling 3D Scenes

For scene understanding, one popular approach has been to model the object-object relationships. In this paper, we hypothesize that such relationships are only an artifact of certain hidden factors, such as humans. For example, the objects, monitor and keyboard, are strongly spatially correlated only because a human types on the keyboard while watching the monitor. Our goal is to learn this hidden human context (i.e., the human-object relationships), and also use it as a cue for labeling the scenes. We present Infinite Factored Topic Model (IFTM), where we consider a scene as being generated from two types of topics: human configurations and human-object relationships. This enables our algorithm to hallucinate the possible configurations of the humans in the scene parsimoniously. Given only a dataset of scenes containing objects but not humans, we show that our algorithm can recover the human object relationships. We then test our algorithm on the task of attribute and object labeling in 3D scenes and show consistent improvements over the state-of-the-art.
Habit Formation from Correlation Aversion

Making plans about how much to consume and how much to invest in risky assets over an uncertain lifetime is a fundamental economic challenge. The leading models of this planning problem use either additive or habit-forming preferences. For the most part, these models assume an individual is either correlation neutral or correlation seeking in consumption, respectively. In this paper, we introduce two habit-forming, correlation-averse preference models. With these preferences, we find closed-form solutions to the classic consumption and portfolio planning problem. Our solutions recommend that a correlation-averse decision maker follow a habit in their consumption plans. While such habits traditionally have been associated with correlation-seeking preferences, our model leads to consumption habits from correlation-averse preferences.