cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishment of social rank among grouped male mice: Relative effects on circulating FSH, LH, and corticosterone ☆

Abstract Previously-isolated, adult, CF-1 male mice were grouped four per cage, killed after periods of time ranging from one hour to 14 days, and their plasma assayed for corticosterone, FSH and LH. Dominant and subordinate ranks were easily separable after 24 hr for comparison with each other and with isolated controls that were also killed throughout the 14-day experimental period. The one hour responses to grouping, during which all males were fighting intensely to establish rank, included a 5–6 fold increase in plasma corticosterone and concurrent depressions in circulating gonadotropins, 19% for FSH and a dramatic 94% for LH. Plasma corticosterone returned to baselevels between Days 1 and 3 in the case of dominant males and between Days 3 and 6 for subordinates. Adaptation was also observed for FSH in the plasma of dominants but later than that occurring for corticosterone. Plasma FSH in subordinates and circulating LH among both relative ranks were still depressed at the end of the 14-day period. A reciprocal relationship between adrenocortical activity and gonadotropin secretion was thus observed only during the early phases of dominance-subordination establishment; thereafter, secretory patterns for these three hormones functioned independently. Seminal vesicles were little affected by grouping but mean preputial weight increased markedly and progressively among dominant males and decreased with time in subordinates.
Crystal structure of the transcription factor sc-mtTFB offers insights into mitochondrial transcription

Although it is commonly accepted that binding of mitochondrial transcription factor sc-mtTFB to the mitochondrial RNA polymerase is required for specific transcription initiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, its precise role has remained undefined. In the present work, the crystal structure of sc-mtTFB has been determined to 2.6 A resolution. The protein consists of two domains, an N-terminal α/β-domain and a smaller domain made up of four α-helices. Contrary to previous predictions, sc-mtTFB does not resemble Escherichia coli σ-factors but rather is structurally homologous to rRNA methyltransferase ErmC'. This suggests that sc-mtTFB functions as an RNA-binding protein, an observation standing in contradiction to the existing model, which proposed a direct interaction of sc-mtTFB with the mitochondrial DNA promoter. Based on the structure, we propose that the promoter specificity region is located on the mitochondrial RNA polymerase and that binding of sc-mtTFB indirectly mediates interaction of the core enzyme with the promoter site.
Re-Bordering the Nation: Neoliberalism and Racism in Rural Greece

Over the last several decades, rural Greek society has undergone rapid changes. In large part these changes are due to two interrelated developments: the integration of Greece into the European Union and the arrival of large numbers of Eastern European migrant laborers. Social organization in Greek villages has been influenced by global systems of production and exchange for hundreds of years, if not longer, but since the early 1980’s, with the accession of Greece into the European Union, these relations seem to have been altered in novel ways. As Greece has become integrated into the transnational and global markets through the E.U., social relations are increasingly shaped by a pervasive global trend toward neoliberalism, that is, by a new round of market liberalization that has in effect redefined the way that local communities and international markets interact. This change has had a profound effect on the ways that rural Greeks participate in international markets as both producers and consumers. A related development, in fact a by-product of neoliberal policies in the formerly socialist countries of Eastern Europe, is the introduction of large numbers of immigrant laborers into rural Greece, which has significantly altered rural labor markets and allowed for important changes in patterns of the social reproduction of labor. While these changes have been for the most part not of their own making, except perhaps in an indirect way, Greek agriculturalists are not hapless victims in these developments. Globalization has indeed brought changes to rural society, but not exactly in the ways that policy-makers or others with a “top -- down” perspective have imagined. During ethnographic fieldwork that I conducted in several Greek villages between 2000 and 2004 I found that rural people have engaged these changes in the global political economy through an active process of adaptation, manipulation, resistance and accommodation. Here I will focus on changes in the mobilization of labor and the production of national identity, and the relationship between the two. I will argue that there has been a transformation in how national identities are being produced within the new configuration of nation and state that has important implications for understanding how inequality is structured and reproduced under global capitalism.
Morphology of strained and relaxed SiGe layers grown on high-index Si substrates

We have investigated the surface morphology of strained and relaxed SiGe layers grown on Si substrates with surface normals rotated off of the [001] axis towards [111] by 0, 13, and 25°. Atomic force microscopy has revealed surface corrugations in thin layers prior to plastic relaxation on each of the surfaces due to the initial deposition of the strained films. Thicker partially relaxed layers have previously been shown to contain networks of misfit dislocations which create patterns that are unique to each substrate orientation. We find on these relaxed layers that the surface corrugations are well aligned with the dislocation networks forming a modified crosshatch pattern on the off-axis substrates. More strikingly, though, we find that these corrugations are comprised of smaller nanostructured features which are also unique to each surface. Topographs of the unrelaxed surfaces show no such organization indicating a correspondence between the misfit dislocations and the surface corrugations.
Low-noise blue light source with large frequency-scanning range from frequency doubling of a diode laser

Low-noise cw 8.7-mW blue light is generated by frequency doubling of the output of a Fabry–Perot diode laser in a KNbO3 crystal inside a bow-tie ring cavity. The blue output has a narrow linewidth and a greater than 10-GHz continuous tuning range, with intensity fluctuations of less than 0.02 dB. The blue light has a near-diffraction-limited Gaussian TEM00 mode with M2≈1.
CO stretch mode splitting in the formic acid dimer: Electrostatic models of the intermonomer interaction

The physical origin of the large (74 cm -1) splitting between the symmetric (Ag) and antisymmetric (B u) components of the C-~-~O stretch mode in the formic acid dimer has previously been attributed to tautomerism effects, transition dipole--dipole coupling, or dynamical charge transfer through the hydrogen bonds. We show that an electrostatic model involving atomic charge--charge interactions can account for a splitting of 56 cm -1, provided the atomic partial charges are allowed to vary in magnitude during vibrational motion. The charges and charge derivatives have been obtained from ab initio Hartree--Fock calculations up to the 6-31G** level. An additional 13 cm -1 of the remaining discrepancy in the splitting is shown to be due to a difference in diagonal cubic anharmonicity between the Ag and B u modes. The charge--charge model plus anharmonicity thus lead to a predicted splitting of 69 cm -1, compared to the observed value of 74 cm -1.
Acute Ethanol Effects on Local Cerebral Glucose Utilization in Select Central Nervous System Regions of Adolescent Alcohol-Preferring (P) and Alcohol-Nonpreferring (NP) Rats

Background Alcohol abuse among adolescents is a major health and developmental problem. The 2-[14C]deoxyglucose (2-DG) technique allows for the in vivo quantification of local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) as a measure of functional neuronal activity.
Effect of transmural versus nontransmural myocardial infarction on inducibility of ventricular arrhythmias during sympathetic stimulation in dogs

Abstract Transmural myocardial infarction interrupts sympathetic nerves and denervates viable muscle distal to myocardial infarction. The effect of sympathetic stimulation on responses to programmed ventricular stimulation was studied in dogs without myocardial infarction (Group I: n = 5), with transmural anterior wall myocardial infarction (Group II: n = 6) and with nontransmural anterior wall myocardial infarction (Group III: n = 9). Ventricular effective refractory period during sympathetic stimulation decreased by 16 ± 18, 1 ± 2 and 12 ± 8 ms (mean ± SD) in viable muscle of the inferoapical left ventricle in Groups I, II and III, respectively, suggesting efferent sympathetic denervation by transmural myocardial infarction only. Sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation was induced more easily during sympathetic stimulation in six of the six dogs with transmural infarction, but in only two of the nine dogs with nontransmural infarction (p It is concluded that the partial sympathetic denervation produced by transmural myocardial Infarction enhances the ease of induction of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation during sympathetic stimulation. A similar mechanism may lead to increased risk for lethal arrhythmias during periods of high sympathetic tone in patients with transmural myocardial infarction.
The geographic distribution of breast cancer incidence in Massachusetts 1988 to 1997, adjusted for covariates

Background The aims of this study were to determine whether observed geographic variations in breast cancer incidence are random or statistically significant, whether statistically significant excesses are temporary or time-persistent, and whether they can be explained by covariates such as socioeconomic status (SES) or urban/rural status?
Declining In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Undergoing Coronary Bypass Surgery in the United States Irrespective of Presence of Type 2 Diabetes or Congestive Heart Failure

Background: Significant advances in surgical techniques and postsurgical care have been made in the last 10 years. The goal of this study was to evaluate any decline in the age-adjusted in-hospital mortality rate of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using a national database from 1989 to 2004 in the United States. Hypothesis: Reduction in CABG related mortality in recent years. Methods: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we obtained specific ICD-9-CM codes for CABG to compile the data. To exclude nonatherosclerotic cause of coronary disease, we studied only patients older than 40 years. We calculated total and age-adjusted mortality rate per 100,000 for this period. Results: The NIS database contained 1 145 285 patients who had CABG performed from 1988 to 2004. The mean age for these patients was 71.05 ± 9.20 years. From 1989, the age-adjusted rate for all CABG-related mortality has been decreasing steadily and reached the lowest level in 2004: 300.3 per 100 000 in 1989, (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.4-575.9) and 104.69 per 100 000 (95% CI, 22.6-186.7) in 2004. Total death also declined from 5.5% to 3.06%. This decline occurred irrespective of comorbidities such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, or acute myocardial infarction, albeit increasing the number of CABG procedures performed in high-risk patients. Conclusions: The age-adjusted in-hospital mortality rate from CABG has been declining steadily and reached its lowest level in 2004, irrespective of comorbidities. This decline most likely reflects advances in surgical techniques and the use of evidence-based medicine in patients undergoing CABG.
Olanzapine reduces urge to drink after drinking cues and a priming dose of alcohol

Rationale: Haloperidol, a D2 antagonist, has been shown to moderate the effects of alcohol consumption on craving. Objective: The present study was designed to determine whether a single 5-mg dose of olanzapine (a D2/5-HT2 antagonist) would influence responses to alcohol cues or an alcohol challenge. It was hypothesized that olanzapine would attenuate cue-elicited urge to drink, attenuate the effects of alcohol consumption on urge to drink, and reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol. Methods: To test these hypotheses, 26 heavy social drinkers were randomized to receive either 5 mg olanzapine or placebo approximately 8 h before each of two experimental sessions. Participants consumed a moderate dose of alcohol in one experimental session and a non-alcohol control beverage in another session. Results: Results indicated that mere exposure to alcohol cues and consumption of alcohol increased urge to drink and that olanzapine attenuated these effects. Results also indicated that alcohol increased subjective stimulation and high while olanzapine did not moderate these effects. Conclusions: These results suggest that olanzapine did not influence the rewarding effects of alcohol but did attenuate the effects of alcohol cues and an alcohol challenge on urge to drink.
THE EFFECTS OF PROPYLTHIOURACIL AND PERCHLORATE ON THE BIOGENESIS OF THYROID HORMONE1

Graded doses of propylthiouracil (PTU), administered to rats 30 minutes prior to tracer doses of I131 and 270 minutes prior to sacrifice, resulted in progressive reductions in total I131 uptake, I131 organic-uptake, and alterations in the relative proportions of the radioiodinated amino acids. Progressive blockade was associated with an increasing proportion of MIT, and a decreasing proportion of DIT and total thyronines. Comparable reductions in thyroidal I131 organic-uptake induced by perchlorate were not attended by alterations in relative composition of the radioiodinated amino acids. Administration of PTU to rats previously treated with TSH resulted in alterations in radioiodinated amino acid composition similar to those observed with PTU alone, despite a normal I131 organic-uptake. The effects of PTU cannot therefore be ascribed to the reduction in the flux of iodine into organic moieties. Triiodothyronine was detected in less than half of the glands from treatment-free controls and in none of the g...
Spatial reasoning for the automatic recognition of machinable features in solid models

Discusses an automatic feature recognizer that decomposes the total volume to be machined into volumetric features that satisfy stringent conditions for manufacturability, and correspond to operations typically performed in 3-axis machining centers. Unlike most of the previous research, the approach is based on general techniques for dealing with features with intersecting volumes. Feature interactions are represented explicitly in the recognizer's output, to facilitate spatial reasoning in subsequent planning stages. A generate-and-test strategy is used. OPS-5 production rules generate hints or clues for the existence of features, and post them on a blackboard. The clues are assessed, and those judged promising are processed to ensure that they correspond to actual features, and to gather information for process planning. Computational geometry techniques are used to produce the largest volumetric feature compatible with the available data. The feature's accessibility, and its interactions with others are analyzed. The validity tests ensure that the proposed features are accessible, do not intrude into the desired part, and satisfy other machinability conditions. The process continues until it produces a complete decomposition of the volume to be machined into fully-specified features. >
Reduced complexity interpolation for soft-decoding of reed-solomon codes

The re-encoding based interpolation algorithm (R. Koetter et al. 2003) is modified such that intermediate interpolation results are also useful towards solving the algebraic soft-decoding problem. By factorization of a chosen subset of intermediate results, desired coding gains are obtained at lower interpolation costs
Cefamandole in Treatment of Peritonitis

Cefamandole was evaluated as the sole antimicrobial agent used to treat bacterial peritonitis in 113 patients. Dosage varied between 1 and 2 g given intravenously every 6 hr. Laparotomy for excision of infected or gangrenous tissues, closure of gastrointestinal perforations, or drainage of an established abscess was required in 99 of the cases. A good clinical response was obtained in 107 patients, or 95% of the total group. Of the six deaths only one could be attributed to infection. No evidence of renal, hepatic, or hematopoietic toxicity was noted. There were no allergic reactions, although 13 patients (12%) developed phlebitis in a vein used for antibiotic administration. Bacteriological studies revealed aerobic peritonitis in 99% of the patients, with anaerobe participation in 60% of these cases. Sensitivity testing by the disk diffusion and tube dilution methods confirmed the appropriateness of cefamandole therapy; 91% of the gram-negative rods and 61% of the anaerobes were susceptible. From results of this study, it would appear that cefamandole is a reliably effective antibiotic for use in treatment of most forms of acute peritonitis. Its role in surgical prophylaxis may be even more promising.
Preliminary results of RMS emittance measurements performed on the Sub-Picosecond Accelerator using beam position monitors

The Sub-Picosecond Accelerator at Los Alamos National Laboratory is a 1300 MHz, 8 MeV photoinjector. Concerned mainly with the exploration of bunched electron beams, the Sub-Picosecond Accelerator facility is also used for a variety of other research. One ongoing task is the exploitation of the second moment properties of beam position monitor signals to measure the RMS emittance. The unique properties of photoinjector beams make Gaussian assumptions about their distribution inaccurate and traditional methods of measuring the RMS emittance fail. Using beam position monitors to measure the emittance, however, requires no beam distribution assumptions. Presented here are our first emittance measurements with this method on the Sub-Picosecond Accelerator.
Pathogenesis I: interactions of host cells and fungi

The interactions of host cells and fungi during infection represent a complex interplay. Although T helper 1 (Th1)-mediated immunity is primarily responsible for acquired resistance to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, studies have demonstrated that polymorphonuclear neutrophils play a critical role in providing an early resistance to this organism. One study has shown that the invasiveness of Candida albicans requires adherence, particularly to endothelial cells, which in turn are stimulated to express various cell-markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines as part of a proactive resistance to invasion. Somewhat in contrast to infection with C. albicans, it has been shown that the capsular glucuronoxylomannan of Cryptococcus neoformans causes the shedding of host-cell adherence molecules (L-selectins) needed for the migration of host-inflammatory cells to sites of infection and likely explains, in part, the reduced host inflammatory response to this organism. Resistance to aspergillosis is often associated with...
Unequal exchange and regional disparities

1. I N T R O D U C T I O N The notion of unequal exchange was given impetus by the work of Emmanuel [5] in an attempt to explain uneven econonomic development on a world scale. As the title of Emmanuel's book suggests, "unequal exchange" amounts to "imperialism of trade." That is, trade between the advanced sector or center and the less-developed countries or periphery of the world economy effects an asymmetrical transfer of economic value from the periphery to the center--rich countries "exploit" poor countries through international trade. One is tempted to contemplate whether mechanisms of this type operate at the level of interregional trade that could account for the existence of regional inequalities. This is precisely the question with which this paper is concerned. The issue of unequal exchange is primarily investigated at the level ofintersectoral trade within a multisectoral national economy. It is the sector and not the region that is taken as the basic unit of analysis. Sectoral disparities are in turn translated into regional inequalities by giving the economy a multiregional structure. Thus it is the spatial division of labor that translates intersectoral to interregional unevenness, and not any "intrinsic attributes" of space. The question of unequal exchange raises some fundamental problems regarding Marxian values and their transformation to prices. The traditional treatment of this transformation, as formalized by Morishima, is critically reviewed in Section 2. While mathematically rigorous, such a framework is shown to be inconsistent with the Marxian theory of value. The very idea of comparing values to prices as a criterion of unequal exchange is also challenged. We are thus motivated, in Section 3, to reconstruct an alternative theoretical setting by drawing on recent advances in the Marxian theory of value and Sraffa's theory of prices. The key idea here is to link the substance of value (abstract labor) to its monetary form. Based on the framework developed in Section 3, we discuss unequal exchange in Section 4. Sectoral and regional disparities are shown to arise from capital-intensity and wage differentials across sectors and regions. Section 5 is devoted to some concluding remarks.
Bottom-up proteomic analysis of single HCT 116 colon carcinoma multicellular spheroids

Rationale Proteomic analysis of single multicellular spheroids has not been previously reported. As three-dimensional cell cultures are an increasingly popular model system for biological research, there is interest in obtaining proteomic profiles of these samples. We investigated the proteome of single HCT 116 multicellular spheroids using protocols optimized for small sample sizes. Methods Six biological replicates were analyzed via microscopy for size. Total protein content was assessed via the bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA assay). Five separate biological replicate spheroids were analyzed via mass spectrometry in technical duplicate. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system coupled with an LTQ Orbitrap Velos was used for peptide separation, analysis, and identification. Results The average diameter of six replicate HCT 116 spheroids was 940 ± 30 µm and the average total protein amount was determined to be 39 ± 4 µg. At least 1300 protein groups were identified in each single LC/MS/MS run with 10% of the material from each single spheroid loaded. Database search results showed variation between spheroid protein group identifications. Pearson correlations show that the disparity in identifications is due to random variations in spectra and protocol. Conclusions We detected more than 1350 protein groups in each replicate HCT 116 spheroid. While some variation was detected between replicates, differences in the number of protein groups identified were determined to be the result of random variations in mass spectra acquisition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toward a processor core for real-time capable autonomic systems

This paper proposes a processor core that allows to support the autonomic computing principles in embedded hard-real-time systems. The simultaneous multithreaded CAR-core processor features hardware-integrated scheduling schemes that isolate the hard-real-time thread from non-real-time threads. It is binary compatible with Infineon's TriCore processor and designed as IP core for a system-on-chip. The challenge for the processor design is to implement simultaneous multithreading such that a thread cannot influence the timing behavior of another thread in order to allow predictable thread execution times. Therefore new instruction issue and data memory access techniques are proposed. The autonomic computing requirements shall be implemented by autonomic managers running as helper threads in own thread slots concurrent to the real-time application. The autonomic manager threads monitor the application and decide if self-configuration, self-healing, self-optimization, or self-protection must be triggered
Independent filters for texture classification

In this paper we propose a framework for texture classification through filtering. Given a set of textures, the filters are derived as the independent components of the input images and each texture is then characterized by the marginal distributions of its filter responses. The marginal distributions provide a low-dimensional representation of images and result in a significant dimension reduction compared to the full joint distribution. When the components are independent, the dimension reduction does not incur any information loss for classification. The texture classification problem is posed as classifying the textures based on their marginal distributions. Preliminary results demonstrate significant improvement in texture classification performance.
Phylogenetic Relationships among the Mosses Based on Heterogeneous Bayesian Analysis of Multiple Genes from Multiple Genomic Compartments

Nucleotide sequences from eight nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genes were obtained from 30 mosses (plus four outgroup liverworts) in order to resolve phylogenetic relationships among the major clades of division Bryophyta. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood (ML), and Bayesian inference. Inferences were compared from Bayesian analyses using homogeneous and several heterogeneous models. Estimates of clade confidence were based on bootstrap analyses, posterior probabilities (in Bayesian analyses) and novel combined approaches. Most ingroup relationships were congruent among analyses, but support for individual clades depended on the analytical approach. Increasingly parameterized models of nucleotide substitution in the likelihood analyses provided significantly higher goodness-of-fit to the data. The results suggest that 1) the Bryophyta, including Sphagnum and Takakia, are monophyletic, 2) Andreaea and Andreaeobryum form a monophyletic group, 3) Oedipodium griffithianum is sister to all other operculate taxa, 4) mosses with nematodontous peristomes are paraphyletic and basal to arthrodontous mosses, 5) Diphyscium is sister to all other arthrodontous mosses, 6) Encalypta is sister to the Funariaceae, and 6) mosses with diplolepideous-alternate peristomes form a monophyletic group. Implications of the phylogenetic hypothesis for morphological evolution in mosses include 1) a pseudopodium has arisen independently in Sphagnum and Andreaea, 2) the mucilage hairs of Andreaeobryum and Takakia are non-homologous, 3) the stomata found in Sphagnum are not homologous to those of other mosses, and 4) that stomata were absent in the ancestor of all mosses.
Long-term urological outcomes in cloacal anomalies

Cloacal anomalies are the most complex and severe form of congenital anorectal malformations (ARM) and urogenital malformations, and it has been well documented that increased severity of ARM leads to worse outcomes. While short-term data on persistent cloaca are available, a paucity of data on long-term outcomes exists, largely because of a lack of uniform terminology, inclusion with other ARM and evolution of the operative technique. On comprehensive review of the published literature on long-term urological outcomes in patients with cloacal anomalies, we found a significant risk of chronic kidney disease and incontinence, however, with improvements in surgical technique, outcomes have improved. Continence often requires intermittent catheterization and in some cases, bladder augmentation. The complexity of cloacal malformations and associated anomalies make long-term multidisciplinary follow-up imperative.
Superconducting Field-Effect Devices

Field effect transistors, the dominant active devices in modern microelectronics, are based on the use of electric fields to modulate carrier transport in semiconductors. The possible use of electric field effects in superconductive electronics is interesting because no truly satisfactory transistor-like superconducting device has been developed to date. Several superconducting field-effect devices have been proposed or demonstrated. They are based on the use of the field effect to directly modulate the surface properties of superconducting films or to induce superconductivity at the surfaces of insulating films, field-effect control of the proximity effect in superconductor-semiconductor bilayers, and semiconductor field-effect transistors with superconducting source and drain contacts which result in superconductivity in the channel due to proximity-effect-induced Josephson coupling. In this paper, the principles, advantages, and limitations of field-effect transistors with superconductor channels will he discussed, with emphasis on experimental results where available and discussion of future prospects.
Review: The Wild Borderlands of Science and Technology

Today’s scientific eccentrics and ‘‘wingnuts’’ might turn out to be tomorrow’s geniuses—or become the sincere but quixotic failures whose work is only partially remembered by historians. Operating on the edges, in the wings, or at the cutting edges of science—depending on the ultimate fate of the work— they are usually treated as sidelines in the histories of the winners. Yet the rigid borders between outsiders and insiders are more porous than previously acknowledged, and indeed such fluidity ought to be taken seriously as a contributor to the development of scientific ideas and forms of public engagement with science and technology. These three books take eccentrics and the scientifically marginalized seriously in their own right, as a class or type in what the historian W. Patrick McCray calls scientific ‘‘ecosystems.’’1 Using controversies within, at the edges,
Floral damage induces resistance to florivory in Impatiens capensis

Many plants produce defense chemicals that are induced in response to damage. In spite of the tight links between floral tissue and plant reproduction, very little is known about whether floral defenses are induced in response to floral damage. We manipulated Impatiens capensis flowers to determine whether floral damage reduces subsequent florivory, whether it induces anthocyanins or condensed tannins in floral tissues, and whether responses are localized or systemic. We damaged one flower per plant at one of three damage levels (0, 30, or 60 % tissue removal), collected subsequent flowers at set time intervals and branch locations, and measured whole-plant florivory for 3 weeks following damage. We also observed a flower color polymorphism and analyzed responses separately for red- and yellow-flowered plants. Moderate damage to a single flower reduced subsequent whole-plant florivory, but heavy damage did not. Moderate damage to a focal flower also increased anthocyanins in subsequent flowers on the same branch of red-flowered plants, but decreased anthocyanins on parallel-branch flowers of yellow-flowered plants. Damage did not affect floral tannins. Because the reduction in florivory was systemic and induced anthocyanins were not consistently induced systemically, there may be other secondary compounds not measured in this study that were systemically induced, or effects of visual or olfactory cues of damage itself that reduced subsequent florivory. This is the first study demonstrating that damage to a single flower can reduce subsequent whole-plant florivory in the field, indicating that initial damage can have cascading effects on subsequent interactions.
Atomic layer deposition of metal sulfide materials.

ConspectusThe field of nanoscience is delivering increasingly intricate yet elegant geometric structures incorporating an ever-expanding palette of materials. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a powerful driver of this field, providing exceptionally conformal coatings spanning the periodic table and atomic-scale precision independent of substrate geometry. This versatility is intrinsic to ALD and results from sequential and self-limiting surface reactions. This characteristic facilitates digital synthesis, in which the film grows linearly with the number of reaction cycles. While the majority of ALD processes identified to date produce metal oxides, novel applications in areas such as energy storage, catalysis, and nanophotonics are motivating interest in sulfide materials. Recent progress in ALD of sulfides has expanded the diversity of accessible materials as well as a more complete understanding of the unique chalcogenide surface chemistry.ALD of sulfide materials typically uses metalorganic precursors ...
Structural mechanisms of plant glucan phosphatases in starch metabolism

Glucan phosphatases are a recently discovered class of enzymes that dephosphorylate starch and glycogen, thereby regulating energy metabolism. Plant genomes encode two glucan phosphatases, called Starch EXcess4 (SEX4) and Like Sex Four2 (LSF2), that regulate starch metabolism by selectively dephosphorylating glucose moieties within starch glucan chains. Recently, the structures of both SEX4 and LSF2 were determined, with and without phosphoglucan products bound, revealing the mechanism for their unique activities. This review explores the structural and enzymatic features of the plant glucan phosphatases, and outlines how they are uniquely adapted to perform their cellular functions. We outline the physical mechanisms used by SEX4 and LSF2 to interact with starch glucans: SEX4 binds glucan chains via a continuous glucan-binding platform comprising its dual-specificity phosphatase domain and carbohydrate-binding module, while LSF2 utilizes surface binding sites. SEX4 and LSF2 both contain a unique network of aromatic residues in their catalytic dual-specificity phosphatase domains that serve as glucan engagement platforms and are unique to the glucan phosphatases. We also discuss the phosphoglucan substrate specificities inherent to SEX4 and LSF2, and outline structural features within the active site that govern glucan orientation. This review defines the structural mechanism of the plant glucan phosphatases with respect to phosphatases, starch metabolism and protein-glucan interaction, thereby providing a framework for their application in both agricultural and industrial settings.
Writing in the Masculine: Gertrude Lowthian Bell, Gender, and Empire

Succeeding as a woman in the male-dominated fields of archaeology, geography, and statecraft in the early twentieth century was an unusual achievement for Gertrude Lowthian Bell (1868–1926), and her life seems at odds with stereotypes about the marginalization of and restrictions placed on women in this period. As a woman, Bell occupies one of the sandy margins of history, but as a white, aristocratic, educated, professional, British woman, her feet also rested on the firm foundations of the British Empire. Rather than rebel against gender convention, Bell employed masculine and imperialist strategies in her writing and career to place herself within communities of knowledge and power. Her travel narratives, government works, diaries, and letters reveal the careful navigation of gender and class expectations necessary to gain a unique position in the intellectual and imperial establishments of her time.
Clinical Embodiments of Laser Speckle Imaging for Real-Time Blood-Flow Monitoring

Laser Speckle Imaging (LSI) is used widely in preclinical studies of blood flow, especially in neurobiology. However, clinical application of LSI remains underexplored. Here, I describe our experiences in developing clinic-friendly embodiments of LSI.
Thermodynamics of Solvophobic Interaction between Hydrophobic Surfaces in Ethanol

AFM surface force measurements were conducted in pure ethanol using gold surfaces hydrophobized with alkanethiols (CnSH) with n = 2–16. The forces measured at 5–35 °C were net attractive and became stronger with decreasing temperature and with increasing surface hydrophobicity. Thermodynamic analysis of the experimental data showed that the macroscopic solvophobic interactions were enthalpic but exhibited significant enthalpy–entropy compensations. The enthalpy decreases may represent the energy gained in forming H-bonded structures of ethanol, while the entropy decreases represent the thermodynamic costs for building structures. These results are consistent with those obtained previously in pure water.
Question-and-Answer Forum

The presentations and clinical courses of patients with bipolar disorder differ greatly by gender. In addition, medical therapy must be tailored differently for men and women because of emerging safety concerns unique to the female reproductive system. In November 2005, these topics were explored by a panel of experts in psychiatry, neurology, and reproductive health at a closed roundtable meeting in Dallas, Texas. This clinical information monograph summarizes the highlights of that meeting.Compared to men with bipolar disorder, women have more pervasive depressive symptoms and experience more major depressive episodes. They are also at higher risk for obesity and certain other medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Mood changes across the menstrual cycle are common, although the severity, timing, and type of changes are variable. Bipolar disorder is frequently associated with menstrual abnormalities and ovarian dysfunction, including polycystic ovarian syndrome. Although some cases of menstrual disturbance precede the treatment of bipolar disorder, it is possible that valproate and/or antipsychotic treatment may play a contributory role in young women.Pregnancy does not protect against mood episodes in untreated women. Maintenance of euthymia during pregnancy is critical because relapse during this period strongly predicts a difficult postpartum course. Suspending therapy in the first months of pregnancy may be an option for some women with mild-to-moderate illness, or those with a long history of euthymia during pre-pregnancy treatment. However, a mood stabilizer should be reintroduced either in the later stages of pregnancy or in the immediate postpartum period. Preliminary data suggest that fetal exposure to some mood stabilizers may raise the risk of major congenital malformations and neurodevelopmental delays. For women planning to become pregnant, clinicians may consider switching to other drugs before conception. The value and drawbacks of breastfeeding during treatment must be considered in partnership with the patient, with close monitoring of nursing infants thereafter. The risks and benefits of medical treatment for women with bipolar disorder should be carefully reconsidered at each stage of their reproductive lives, with a flexible approach that is responsive to the changing needs of patients and their families.
European Unification: Institutions and Loyalties

Napoleon once said that he would rather fight than join a coalition. Few states, however, are powerful enough to act on their own. Britain in the nineteenth century and the United States in the mid-twentieth century did have enough power and wealth relative to their rivals to do pretty much as they pleased around the world. Geoeconomically if not geopolitically, Japan is powerful enough to expand everywhere while ignoring the pleas of other states for Tokyo to open its markets and cease its dumping offensives. But most states must follow the simple tenet that there is safety in numbers.
Complications of invasive mycoses in organ transplant recipients.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Opportunistic mycoses remain a significant complication in organ recipients.Areas covered: This review is an evidence-based presentation of current state-of-knowledge and our perspective on recent developments in the fieldExpert commentary: Invasive fungal infections are associated with reduced allograft and patient survival, increase in healthcare resource utilization, and newly appreciated but largely unrecognized immunologic sequelae, such as immune reconstitution syndrome. Given adverse outcomes associated with established infections, prophylaxis is a widely used strategy for the prevention of these infections. Currently available biomarkers that detect circulating fungal cell wall constituents i.e., galactomannan and 1, 3-β-D-glucan have not proven to be beneficial as screening tools for employing targeted prophylaxis or as diagnostic assays in this patient population. However, subsets of patients at risk for opportunistic fungal infections can be identified based on clinically ...
The sickle-unsickle cycle: a cause of cell fragmentation leading to permanently deformed cells.

We are reporting in vitro observations of sickle-unsickle transformation of freely suspended single cells (HbSS) induced by oxygenation-deoxygenation. The events were recorded by cinematography (phase optics, 16 mm cinematography). In addition, cells were fixed after progressive increments of oxygenation for subsequent scanning-beam electron microscopy. These studies seem to warrant the following conclusions regarding HbSS erythrocytes: (1) There is variability in the propensity to sickling of cells seemingly subjected to the same environment. (2) Repetitive sickling of a single cell does not result in identical sickle deformities. (3) Disk to sickle to disk transformation may occur without apparent membrane loss or distortion or may be accompanied by the shedding of microspherules or by the loss of microspherules and permanent cell deformation. (4) Red cell "flicker" normally seen by phase-contrast cinemicrophotography disappears early in the sickling process and recurs during unsickling. (5) Sickling and unsickling as visually detected required 10-15 sec.
Outcomes of tibial endovascular intervention in patients with poor pedal runoff

Abstract Objective Tibial interventions for critical limb ischemia are now commonplace. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of pedal runoff on patient-centered outcomes after tibial endovascular intervention. Methods A database of patients undergoing lower extremity endovascular interventions at a single urban academic medical center between 2006 and 2016 was retrospectively queried. Patients with critical ischemia (Rutherford 5 and 6) were identified. Preintervention angiograms were reviewed in all cases to assess pedal runoff. Each dorsalis pedis, lateral plantar, and medial plantar artery was assigned a score according to the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery (0, no stenosis >20%; 1, 21%-49% stenosis; 2, 50%-99% stenosis; 2.5, half or less of the vessel length occluded; 3, more than half the vessel length occluded). A foot score (dorsalis pedis + medial plantar + lateral plantar + 1) was calculated for each foot (1-10). Two runoff score groups were identified: good vs poor, Results There were 1134 patients (56% male; average age, 59 years) who underwent tibial intervention for critical ischemia, with a mean of two vessels treated per patient and a mean pedal runoff score of 6 (47% had a runoff score ≥7). Overall major adverse cardiac events were equivalent at 30 days after the procedure in both groups. At 5 years, vessels with compromised runoff (score ≥7) had significantly lower ulcer healing (25% ± 3% vs 73% ± 4%, mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]) and a lower 5-year limb salvage rate (45% ± 6% vs 69% ± 4%, mean ± SEM) compared with those with good runoff (score Conclusions Pedal runoff score can identify those patients who will not achieve ulcer healing and patient-centered outcomes after tibial intervention. Defining such subgroups will allow stratification of the patients and appropriate application of interventions.
A hierarchical integration of person-centered comorbidity models: Structure, stability, and transition over time.

Person-centered analyses of mental disorder comorbidity typically identify a single optimal latent group structure. We took an alternate approach, modeling every estimable comorbidity class model i...
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Mesenteric Arteries Buffers Stimulated Ca2+ Entry

The effect of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ depletion on the efficacy of Ca2+ entry to cause contraction was investigated by sequentially exposing small mesenteric arteries to Ca2+-free experimental solutions containing EGTA with or without agonist. The agonist-mediated Ca2+ depletion of the SR markedly reduced the rate and magnitude of the contraction due to Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated channels. This buffering of Ca2+ influx by the norepinephrine-sensitive SR fits in with a two compartment model for the SR in mesenteric arteries in which norepinephrine, through the intermediate action of inositol-1, 4, 5-trisphosphate, releases Ca2+ from the superficial SR, which can be replenished from the deeper SR. This functional model was deduced from earlier observations in small mesenteric arteries that norepinephrine in Ca2+-free experimental solutions activated a biphasic contraction with an amplitude of half the magnitude of the rapid monophasic contraction induced by caffeine. It is concluded that norephinephrine potentiates the contractile effect of Ca2+ entry in mesenteric arteries by shunting out the superficial buffer barrier.
Building Broadband Networks

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM Networks) Optical Network Solutions Ethernet Networks Frame Relay and Fibre Channel (FC) Technologies Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and Powerline Networks Cable Networks Cellular Technologies and Networks Wireless Technologies and Networks Satellite Networks Next-Generation Networks Network Security
Fragmentation and sequencing of cyclic peptides by MALDI-PSD mass spectrometry

In spite of recent improvements in mass spectrometric techniques, determination of the amino acid sequence of cyclic peptides is not straightforward and the interpretation of fragment ion spectra is more difficult than for analogous linear peptides. Most published studies [1] used ionization methods such as FAB/liquid-assisted secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS) or electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI MS/MS). This work represents the first systematic MALDI post source decay (MALDI-PSD) study investigating biologically relevant cyclic peptides [2]. The goal of this study was to develop an easy mass spectrometric method for structural elucidation and analysis of unknown cyclic peptides. We synthesized several cyclic decapeptides and other smaller cyclic peptides that were originally used as inhibitors of (Src) [3], a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) that is an attractive target for anti-cancer drug design [4]. These cyclic peptides were investigated by MALDI-PSD and we were especially interested in cyclic peptide fragmentation pattern depending on the amino acid composition.
Freezing in Transitions

A freezing in transition is a non equilibrium transformation from an equilibrium state to a state where some aspect of the configuration is fixed, changing neither with time nor with small changes in the external variables. The long studied glass transition is a prime example of a freezing in transition. Its phenomenology is reviewed with special emphasis on the significance of the Lillie number. Non equilibrium transitions in both crystalline and glassy systems are shown to display behavior characteristic of a glass transition, and it is argued that the methodology of studying the glass transition can be usefully applied to a wider class of materials.
Ergonomic design of a portable musical instrument

A handheld electronic musical instrument, named the Bento-Box, was developed. The motivation was to develop an instrument which one can easily carry around and play in moments of free time, for example when riding public transportation or during short breaks at work. The device was designed to enable quick learning by having various scales programmed for different styles of music, and also be expressive by having hand controlled timbral effects which can be manipulated while playing. Design analysis and iteration lead to a compact and ergonomic device. This paper focuses on the ergonomic design process of the hardware.