cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclease Activity of T7 RNA Polymerase and the Heterogeneity of Transcription Elongation Complexes

We have discovered that T7 RNA polymerase, purified to apparent homogeneity from overexpressing Escherichia coli cells, possesses a DNase and an RNase activity. Mutations in the active center of T7 RNA polymerase abolished or greatly decreased the nuclease activity. This nuclease activity is specific for single-stranded DNA and RNA oligonucleotides and does not manifest on double-stranded DNAs. Under the conditions of promoter-driven transcription on double-stranded DNA, no nuclease activity was observed. The nuclease attacks DNA oligonucleotides in mono- or dinucleotide steps. The nuclease is a 3' to 5' exonuclease leaving a 3'-OH end, and it degrades DNA oligonucleotides to a minimum size of 3 to 5 nucleotides. It is completely dependent on Mg2+. The T7 RNA polymerase-nuclease is inhibited by T7 lysozyme and heparin, although not completely. In the presence of rNTPs, the nuclease activity is suppressed but an unusual 3'-end-initiated polymerase activity is unmasked. RNA from isolated pre-elongation and elongation complexes arrested by a psoralen roadblock or naturally paused at the 3'-end of an oligonucleotide template exhibited evidence of nuclease activity. The nuclease activity of T7 RNA polymerase is unrelated to pyrophosphorolysis. We propose that the nuclease of T7 RNA polymerase acts only in arrested or paused elongation complexes, and that in combination with the unusual 3'-end polymerizing activity, causes heterogeneity in elongation complexes. Additionally, during normal transcription elongation, the kinetic balance between nuclease and polymerase is shifted in favor of polymerase.
Solving sequential conditions by finite-state strategies

Our main purpose is to present an algorithm which decides whether or not a condition 𝕮(X, Y) stated in sequential calculus admits a finite automata solution, and produces one if it exists. This solves a problem stated in [4] and contains, as a very special case, the answer to Case 4 left open in [6]. In an equally appealing form the result can be restated in the terminology of [7], [10], [15]: Every ω-game definable in sequential calculus is determined. Moreover the player who has a winning strategy, in fact, has a winning finite-state strategy, that is one which can effectively be played in a strong sense. The main proof, that of the central Theorem 1, will be presented at the end. We begin with a discussion of its consequences.
Disparate Proteome Responses of Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Aspergilli to Human Serum Measured by Activity-Based Protein Profiling (ABPP)

Aspergillus fumigatus is the primary pathogen causing the devastating pulmonary disease Invasive Aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. There is high genomic synteny between A. fumigatus and closely related rarely pathogenic Neosartorya fischeri and Aspergillus clavatus genomes. We applied activity-based protein profiling to compare unique or overexpressed activity-based probe-reactive proteins of all three fungi over time in minimal media growth and in response to human serum. We found 360 probe-reactive proteins exclusive to A. fumigatus, including known virulence associated proteins, and 13 proteins associated with stress response exclusive to A. fumigatus culture in serum. Though the fungi are highly orthologous, A. fumigatus has a significantly greater number of ABP-reactive proteins across varied biological process. Only 50% of expected orthologs of measured A. fumigatus reactive proteins were observed in N. fischeri and A. clavatus. Activity-based protein profiling identified a number of processes that were induced by human serum in A. fumigatus relative to N. fischeri and A. clavatus. These included actin organization and assembly, transport, and fatty acid, cell membrane, and cell wall synthesis. Additionally, signaling proteins regulating vegetative growth, conidiation, and cell wall integrity, required for appropriate cellular response to external stimuli, had higher activity-based probe-protein reaction over time in A. fumigatus and N. fisheri, but not in A. clavatus. Together, we show that measured proteins and physiological processes identified solely or significantly over-represented in A. fumigatus reveal a unique adaptive response to human protein not found in closely related, but rarely pathogenic aspergilli. These unique activity-based probe-protein responses to culture condition may reveal how A. fumigatus initiates pulmonary invasion leading to Invasive Aspergillosis.
Enhanced expansion and maturation of megakaryocytic progenitors by fibronectin

Background Megakaryopoiesis occurs as a result of a complex interaction between hemopoietic cells, stromal cells, hemopoietic growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM). Megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) or thrombopoietin is the main growth factor that induces megakaryocyte commitment. The role of adhesion proteins in the generation of megakaryocytic progenitors has not been well studied. Methods We isolated CD34 + cells from umbilical cord (UC) blood and cultured them in serum-free medium containing IL-3, IL-6, SCF and MGDF, with or without fibronectin. Cultures were sampled at Days 4 and 8 for cell count, immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, and megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-Mk) assay. Results Fibronectin in synergy with MGDF increased both total and CD34 + cell count. Immunophenotyping of the CD34 + and CD34 – cells showed that the percentage expression of CD61 and CD4 + a on CD34 – cells was increased by fibronectin compared with CD34 + cells by Day 8 of culture. The CFU-Mk assay confirmed that fibronectin increased generation of megakaryocytic progenitors by 2.4-fold by Day 8 of culture, but the absolute number was less than that of Day 4 culture. The cells in the CFU-Mk colonies derived from culture containing fibronectin were larger than those from cytokine-only culture. Conclusion It was concluded that the addition of fibronectin to the culture system enhanced MGDF, induced ex vivo expansion of megakaryocytic progenitors from CD34 + cells, as well as increasing their maturation towards later stages of megakaryocyte differentiation.
Finding the Evidence to Change Practice for Assessing Pain in Children Who Are Cognitively Impaired

We report on a quality improvement project whose purpose was to systematically review behavioral pain assessment tools for children who are cognitively impaired, with the goal of identifying a valid and reliable tool for clinical practice. In addition, we sought to partner with parents and/or caregivers to expand their role in pain assessment. The project team conducted an extensive synthesis of the literature to examine the availability and quality of published pain assessment tools for use with children with cognitive impairment (CI) or developmental disability. Once completed, we identified 2 of the available 10 tools to test in the clinical setting. Data from this quality improvement project provided evidence to support the adoption of the revised Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability pain assessment tool for children with CI into clinical practice.
Analysis of DC Power Systems Containing Multiple Induction Motor-Drive Loads

An analytical method used for conducting a power flow analysis on a DC power system containing multiple motor-drive loads is presented. The method is fast, simplistic, easy to implement, and produces results that are comparable to software packages such as PSPICE and Simulink. The method presented utilizes a simplified model of a voltage source inverter-fed induction motor that is based on the steady-state T-type harmonic equivalent circuit model of the induction motor and the input-output relationships of the inverter. In the simplified model, a V-I load characteristic curve is established that allows the inverter, motor, and load to be replaced by a current-controlled voltage source. The simplified model can be utilized in the analysis of a multiple-bus DC power system containing motor-drive loads by incorporating the V-I load characteristic curve of each motor-drive load into an iterative procedure based on the Newton-Raphson method. The analytical method presented is capable of analyzing DC power systems containing induction motor-drive loads fed from voltage source inverters with various types of switching schemes. The speed advantage of the analytical method presented versus simulation packages such as PSPICE is apparent when analyzing multiple motor-drive systems.
Tripodal Tris-tacn and Tris-DPA Platforms for Assembling Phosphate-Templated Trimetallic Centers

Multidentate tripodal ligands, N(CH2-m-C6H4-CH2tacn)3 (L1) and N(CH2-o-C6H4-CH2N(CH2py)2)3 (L2), have been devised for assembling high-nuclearity metal clusters. By using the same tripodal platform with different ligand appendages, either triazacyclononanes or dipicolylamines, and functionalizing either the ortho or the meta positions on the tris(xylyl) linker arms, discrete trimetal phosphate units of relevance to phosphate-metabolizing trimetallic centers in biology were prepared. Four such compounds, [(CuIICl)3(HPO4)L1](PF6) (1), [(CuIICl)3(HAsO4)L1](PF6) (2), Na2[MnIII6MnII2(H2O)2(HPO4)6(PO4)4(L1)2] (3), and [CoII3(H2PO4)Cl2(MeCN)L2](PF6)3 (4), all containing three metal centers bound to a central phosphate or arsenate unit bridging oxygen atoms, have been synthesized and structurally characterized. These results demonstrate the propensity of this novel tripodal ligand platform, in the presence of phosphate or arsenate, to assemble {M3(EO4)} units and thus structurally mimic trimetallic active sites o...
Cranial Arterial Circulation and Ocular Pulsations in the Dog

The form of the ocular pulse in anesthetized dogs resembled an arterial pressure tracing. Obstructing the carotid artery reduced the amplitude of the pulse in the ipsilateral eye, but if collateral circulation through the basilar artery remained intact, the pulse soon returned to normal. Division of the basilar artery by itself temporarily increased the pulse amplitude in both eyes, probably reflecting increased collateral circulation through the carotid arteries. A 14% reduction in carotid blood flow or a 4% reduction in carotid blood pressure reduced the amplitude of the ocular pulse by 10% in dogs.
The double-stranded RNA-binding protein, PACT, is required for postnatal anterior pituitary proliferation

Abstract PACT is a double-stranded RNA-binding protein that also binds and activates the latent protein kinase, PKR, which plays a major role in cellular antiviral defense in mammals. For evaluating PACT's contribution to the innate immune system, Pact−/− mice have been generated; these mice exhibit notable developmental abnormalities including microtia, with craniofacial, ear, and hearing defects. Here we report that, in addition, Pact−/− mice had smaller body size and fertility defects, both of which were caused by defective pituitary functions. Pact−/− mice exhibited anterior pituitary lobe (AL) hypoplasia, which developed postnatally, when the second phase of pituitary expansion occurs. Among the 5 cell types in AL, the numbers of corticotrophs, gonadotrophs, and somatotrophs were equally decreased in Pact−/− mice with a greater impact on lactotrophs and a lesser impact on thyrotrophs. PACT mRNA and protein were highly expressed in the pituitary of wild-type (Wt) mice during the postnatal wave of AL proliferation, the same period in which the hypoplasia developed in Pact−/− mice. During this time, the pituitaries of Pact−/− mice did not exhibit significantly increased apoptosis compared with Wt mice but showed a decrease in cell proliferation. The inhibition of cell proliferation observed in vivo could be recapitulated in vitro in GH3 somato/lactotroph and LβT2 gonadotroph cell lines; knockdown of PACT expression with siRNA diminished the rate of proliferation of these cells. Our study revealed a physiologically significant role for PACT in cell proliferation and an essential role of a dsRNA-binding protein in mammalian pituitary expansion.
Defending legitimate epidemiologic research: combating Lysenko pseudoscience

This analysis presents a detailed defense of my epidemiologic research in the May 17, 2003 British Medical Journal that found no significant relationship between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and tobacco-related mortality. In order to defend the honesty and scientific integrity of my research, I have identified and addressed in a detailed manner several unethical and erroneous attacks on this research. Specifically, I have demonstrated that this research is not "fatally flawed," that I have not made "inappropriate use" of the underlying database, and that my findings agree with other United States results on this relationship. My research suggests, contrary to popular claims, that there is not a causal relationship between ETS and mortality in the U.S. responsible for 50,000 excess annual deaths, but rather there is a weak and inconsistent relationship. The popular claims tend to damage the credibility of epidemiology. In addition, I address the omission of my research from the 2006 Surgeon General's Report on Involuntary Smoking and the inclusion of it in a massive U.S. Department of Justice racketeering lawsuit. I refute erroneous statements made by powerful U.S. epidemiologists and activists about me and my research and I defend the funding used to conduct this research. Finally, I compare many aspect of ETS epidemiology in the U.S. with pseudoscience in the Soviet Union during the period of Trofim Denisovich Lysenko. Overall, this paper is intended to defend legitimate research against illegitimate criticism by those who have attempted to suppress and discredit it because it does not support their ideological and political agendas. Hopefully, this defense will help other scientists defend their legitimate research and combat "Lysenko pseudoscience."
Technology segmentation for marketing: entrepreneurial approaches to intercollegiate athletics

This study examined the application of electronically mediated communication and interaction of university athletics programmes with internal consumers. The researchers explored a university's intercollegiate athletics marketing programme and efforts to develop the internal brand. Qualitative methods were used to explore how technology can foster internal branding and brand community among student-athletes at a large, public, Midwestern university in the USA with a Division I athletics programme. The research objective is exploratory in nature and seeks to examine student-athletes' and a university's mutually beneficial interaction and need satisfaction, especially those facilitated with interactions best suited to members of Generation Y, the current student-athletes. The long interviews reflect areas of opportunity for the university to enhance the evolving relationships with student-athletes through the use of advanced technology. Due to today's technologically based differences in consumer expectations and interactive marketing approaches, it is important for intercollegiate athletic administrators and staff to understand these techniques and their potential benefits. This study gives a real-life example of how to serve the universities' branding through support of student-athletes' needs to yield mutual benefits. It is the first in the literature that reports the analysis of student-athletes' co-producer role as it can be facilitated through application of interactive communications technologies.
Lions, tigers, and bears, oh God!: How the ancient problem of predator detection may lie beneath the modern link between religion and horror

Atran & Norenzyan (A&N) claim that an appreciation of the evolved inferential machinery underlying supernatural beliefs can greatly aid us in understanding regularities in culturally shared conceptions of religion. I explore how their model provides insight into why culturally shared tales of horror (e.g., horror movies) often combine religious and predatory content.
Variation in the hormonal stress response among larvae of three amphibian species.

In a series of studies, we examined how larval corticosterone treatment for several species of amphibians can impact fitness parameters both during exposure and after metamorphosis. We completed confinement stress series on larvae of three species in natural/semi-natural conditions: wood frogs (Rana sylvatica), Jefferson salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum), and Eastern spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus holbrooki). Two of the species had a typical vertebrate response of increasing corticosterone with confinement. However, Eastern spadefoot toads, which have a very short developmental period before metamorphosis, did not show any increase in corticosterone in response to confinement. In a second study, we treated the three species with a low and a high concentration of corticosterone (0.001 and 0.01mM dissolved in tank water) in the laboratory and examined effects on growth. Although we were successful in raising baseline corticosterone levels with our high corticosterone concentrations, this did not translate into changes in mean larval growth for any of the three species. The larval treatments also did not appear to translate into differences in the juvenile response to confinement stress after metamorphosis. Although juvenile wood frogs did respond to confinement with increasing corticosterone, there was no variation based on larval treatment. As with the larval responses, the juvenile Eastern spadefoot toads did not have a hormonal response to confinement. In summary, while our larval corticosterone exposures did elevate baseline corticosterone levels, we did not see effects of exposure on growth or any latent effects of larval exposure on juvenile responses to confinement. J. Exp. Zool. 313A, 2010. & 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. How to cite this article: Belden LK, Wingfield JC, Kiesecker JM. 2010. Variation in the hormonal stress response among larvae of three amphibian species. J. Exp. Zool. 313A:[page
A system-based comparison of gene expression reveals alterations in oxidative stress, disruption of ubiquitin-proteasome system and altered cell cycle regulation after exposure to cadmium and methylmercury in mouse embryonic fibroblast.

Environmental and occupational exposures to heavy metals such as methylmercury (MeHg) and cadmium (Cd) pose significant health risks to humans, including neurotoxicity. The underlying mechanisms of their toxicity, however, remain to be fully characterized. Our previous studies with Cd and MeHg have demonstrated that the perturbation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was associated with metal-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. We conducted a microarray-based gene expression analysis to compare metal-altered gene expression patterns with a classical proteasome inhibitor, MG132 (0.5μM), to determine whether the disruption of the UPS is a critical mechanism of metal-induced toxicity. We treated mouse embryonic fibroblast cells at doses of MeHg (2.5μM) and Cd (5.0μM) for 24 h. The doses selected were based on the neutral red–based cell viability assay where initial statistically significant decreases in variability were detected. Following normalization of the array data, we employed multilevel analysis tools to explore the data, including group comparisons, cluster analysis, gene annotations analysis (gene ontology analysis), and pathway analysis using GenMAPP and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Using these integrated approaches, we identified significant gene expression changes across treatments within the UPS (Uchl1 and Ube2c), antioxidant and phase II enzymes (Gsta2, Gsta4, and Noq1), and genes involved in cell cycle regulation pathways (ccnb1, cdc2a, and cdc25c). Furthermore, pathway analysis revealed significant alterations in genes implicated in Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis following metal exposure. This study suggests that these pathways play a critical role in the development of adverse effects associated with metal exposures.
Learning to Hash with Binary Reconstructive Embeddings

Fast retrieval methods are increasingly critical for many large-scale analysis tasks, and there have been several recent methods that attempt to learn hash functions for fast and accurate nearest neighbor searches. In this paper, we develop an algorithm for learning hash functions based on explicitly minimizing the reconstruction error between the original distances and the Hamming distances of the corresponding binary embeddings. We develop a scalable coordinate-descent algorithm for our proposed hashing objective that is able to efficiently learn hash functions in a variety of settings. Unlike existing methods such as semantic hashing and spectral hashing, our method is easily kernelized and does not require restrictive assumptions about the underlying distribution of the data. We present results over several domains to demonstrate that our method outperforms existing state-of-the-art techniques.
A Review of “Modern Measurement: Theory, Principles, and Applications of Mental Appraisal”

One hallmark of a skilled instructor is the ability to take a set of complex topics or issues and make them seem straightforward and uncomplicated. This is what Steve Osterlind has accomplished in ...
Downhole viscosity measurement platform using tuning fork oscillators

The viscosity of subsurface hydrocarbons is commonly determined by sampling produced fluids at the surface. However, bringing hydrocarbons to surface temperature and pressure can irreversibly alter their viscosity. There are wireline tools that make in-situ measurements, but these require long, heavy cables, specialized equipment and large service crews, making the process logistically challenging and expensive. In this paper we describe a novel sensor system for downhole measurements of viscosity, density, and other fluid properties. The sensing capabilities are realized by the use of a commercially available piezoelectric tuning fork oscillator, which probes the fluid through the interaction of its prongs with the boundary layer of fluid around it. The miniature footprint of the device allows us to integrate it into a small-scale untethered tool that can be easily deployed for well logging. We show our implementation and laboratory characterization of the tuning fork. To gauge its capabilities under harsh environmental conditions, the sensor was studied while immersed in fluids representative of those found downhole and, separately, under conditions of high pressure and temperature. The tool integration and measurement schemes are also described. This system is a first step toward the development of an inexpensive, integrated, and miniaturized sensing platform for the in-situ characterization of reservoir fluids.
Why Psychopaths Are Responsible

This book chapter argues that psychopaths should be held fully responsible for the criminal acts they commit. The law's current view, holding persons responsible for harms done for reasons that demonstrate basic disregard for others, has been challenged by a conception of moral responsibility based on reason-responsiveness: the capacity of an individual to recognize and respond to the special obligations of moral principles. The behavioral science of psychopathy suggests that psychopaths lack a capacity for appreciating the special force of moral reasons. Some therefore have argued that they lack the basic rationality required for moral responsibility. To resolve the tension between norms of reason-responsiveness and criminal law, the author examines the basic function of criminal law. In order to achieve its social, moral and political goals, the criminal law assesses the social-moral meaning of conduct, which justifies its view of culpability as harmful conduct demonstrating disregard. Under this approach, psychopaths are fully rational actors, following a me-now philosophy that often leads to harmful conduct demonstrating disregard. The argument for responsibility is illustrated by consideration of the Columbine massacre, in which one of the participants was likely a psychopath.
Electrospun scaffolds for cartilage regeneration

Abstract Electrospinning is a versatile scaffold-synthesis method to produce highly porous structures composed of extracellular matrix resembling nano- and microfibers from a variety of polymeric materials. This chapter will discuss electrospinning as a suitable method to create biomimetic-engineered cartilage tissue. Additionally, it will explore the current techniques, applications, and limitations in electrospun scaffolds for the regeneration of diseased or damaged cartilage.
Sensing Electrostatic Charge Generation During Granular Flow of Pharmaceutical Powders in a Flow Tester

The purpose of this study is to investigate the triboelectrification of pharmaceutical powders during continuous flow in terms of electrostatic charge accumulation and dissipation as the powder tumbles in a rotating cylinder. The intensity of electrostatic signal output, its frequency during particle interactions as the powder flows, and the dependency of particle charge on the shear rate which was captured by varying the rotational speed of the cylinder were studied. Various pharmaceutical blends were run at different rotational speeds in a flow tester and their charge accumulations and dissipations during the powder flow were captured using an electrometer and an oscilloscope. An interesting finding showed that the charge frequency generated during the powder flow was related to the powder flowability. The deterioration of powder flow was found to increase the frequency of voltage spikes. Voltage frequency from charge accumulations during powder flow increased with a corresponding increase in rotational speed of the cylinder. At low shear conditions, cohesive powder exhibited higher voltage peak intensity than the free flowing powder. The voltage charge intensity measured from the powder bed correlated to the powder flow of pure component powders. Voltage peak intensity for cohesive powders was found to decrease with time but remained stable for free flowing powders. Interestingly, voltage peak intensity for cohesive powders decreased with rotational speed but increased in the case of free flowing powders. A stronger correlation between electrostatic charge and powder flow existed in pure component powders than formulations containing additives.
Predicting Short-Term Changes in Market Share as a Function of Advertising Strategy:

This article presents the results of a series of multiple regression analyses in which past market share, advertising expenditure share, and test scores for television commercials were used to pred...
The Rise and Fall of James Beattie's Common-Sense Theory of Truth

Imagine a world in which the most extreme views of philosophical skeptics were put into practice. A hallmark of skepticism, for example, is to doubt everything; acting out on this, someone might bandage over his eyes, ears, and other sensory inlets, striving to become catatonic. Another theme of skepticism is to dispute endlessly; thus, two people might sit hundreds of feet apart and quarrel in such a soft whisper that they could not possibly hear each other. Skepticism also attempts to undermine all reasoning; to this end, someone might attempt an experiment in which a human-looking puppet inserts its feet into its mouth, swallows itself entire ly, and disappears. Skeptics believe that our most fundamental beliefs and behaviors result from social convention; to demonstrate this, a scientist might try to raise a human child to behave like a sheep, or deprogram a chicken from its usual custom of laying eggs. This is the nightmarish world that James Beattie describes in his fictional essay "The Castle of Scepticism."1 As bizarre and counter-intuitive as skepticism is, he believes that ordinary people are nevertheless psychologically drawn to it, usually out of pretentiousness, ignorance, conceit, fashion, moral depravity, ambi tion, or just plain speculative curiosity. Because so many common people latch onto the views of skeptics, he argues, it is not merely a game for philosophers. Instead, it can affect the behavior of the masses with dan gerous consequences?stripping people of their confidence in science, morality, and religion. As Beattie depicts it in "The Castle of Scepticism," the friendly skeptic, David Hume, welcomes people to his side, and, when within arm's reach, grabs them and throws them into a bottomless pit. Beattie's 1770 Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth was a valiant attempt to expose scepticism's absurdities and dangers. Inspired by Thomas Reid, he felt that God implanted several common-sense intu
Structure and Development of Mattirolella Crustosa (Termitariales, Deuteromycetes) on Panamanian Termites

Mattirolella crustosa is a peculiar entomogenous fungus that forms a discoid to hysterecioid pycnidial lesion on termites. Three species of termites, Nasutitermes corniger, N. ephratae, and N. columbicus, from Panama were found infected with several developmental stages of M. crustosa. Various aspects of primary infection and pycnidial development are discussed, including lesion spread, formation of haustorial mother cells, phialides, and conidia, spore release, and ostiole structure. Mattirolella is morphologically similar to species of Termitaria and Termitariopsis, but differing largely in its chambered, beaked pycnidium. Mattirolella was first described by Colla (1929) parasitizing the integument of the termite Rhinotermes marginales (L.) in British Guiana. She described a single species, M. sylvestrii Colla, noting the similarity to Termitaria, another genus with termite-inhabiting species described by Thaxter (1920). Mattirolella differed, however, in having its hymenium of sporogenous cells covered by a stromatic tissue and separated into chambers by rows of sterile cells. In their study of Termitaria, Khan and Kimbrough (1974a) found among the Thaxter collections at Harvard's Farlow Herbarium a slide labelled T. crustosa. From excellent sections on this slide they were able to determine that the collection represented not a species of Termitaria, but a Mattirolella. They proposed for this species the name M. crustosa, placing it in the newly created form-order Termitariales. They were also able to clarify many of the observations made by Colla (1929) in her study of M. sylvestrii. The sporogenous cells of the basal stratum were shown to be haustorial mother cells, and penetration pegs were noted in the termite exoskeleton. The hymenium of phialides was separated into chambers by rows of sterile cells and overlaid by a stromatic layer. The phialides broke at their apices and released small rectangular spores into an epihymenial cavity. Termitaria differed from Mattirolella in having an undivided hymenium of phialides without an epihymenial stromatic layer. The black-bordered, discoid lesion, phialidic hymenium, and basal layer of haustorial mother cells confirmed a relationship of the two genera. During a study of termites in Panama (BLT), colonies of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky), N. ephratae (Holmgren), and N. columbicus (Holmgren)
Analysis of constant modulus blind equalization algorithms base on "data reuse"

The constant modulus blind equalization algorithm based on "data reuse" could be used to solve the problem of blind equalization of short burst signals,but its important properties hadn't been studied.The ill-convergence caused by data reuse was analyzed and the restriction was given firstly,and secondly,the conditions of data reuse constant modulus algorithm reaching to the performance of long time signals equalization was analyzed in detail and gave the corresponding results.The validity of these analyses is proved by computer simulation.
Realization of Integrated Project Monitoring System by Use of COM+ Component Technology

A method to realize the integrated project monitoring system by use of COM+ component technology is described.The multi-system integration technology is highlighted.The techniques and characteristics of COM+ components are introduced.The design methods and working principles of the multi-system integration technology are also illustrated.Difficulties in the structure of the monitoring system and the design of component software are discussed.
Effects of number of viral respiratory disease vaccinations during preconditioning on health, performance, and carcass merit of ranch-direct beef calves during receiving and finishing

Angus × Hereford calves (n = 430; initial BW = 230 ± 32 kg) were stratified by sex, age, and BW and assigned randomly to receive 0, 1, 2, or 3 doses of modified-live respiratory disease (BRD) vaccine before feedlot placement (0X, 1X, 2X, or 3X, respectively). Calves from 2 sources were weaned 29 d before feedlot placement and placed in a weaning facility at each ranch of origin. Initial BRD vaccination occurred at weaning, and calves were revaccinated according to treatment assignments at 14-d intervals. There were no differences (P = 0.49) in the incidence of morbidity during the 29-d weaning period among treatments (11.6, 5.2, 7.4, and 5.3% incidence for 0X, 1X, 2X, and 3X, respectively). Calf ADG, DMI, and G:F during weaning were not different (P ≥ 0.56) among treatments. Calf BW and ADG were similar (P ≥ 0.54) among treatments at 27 d after receiving and 55 d after receiving. Degree of BRD vaccination had no effect (P ≥ 0.59) on DMI or G:F during receiving. Incidence of morbidity was not different (P = 0.66) among treatments during receiving. Finishing ADG, DMI, G:F, days on feed, and final BW were not different (P ≥ 0.62) among treatments. Likewise, marbling score, USDA YG, LM area, and KPH were not different (P ≥ 0.07) among treatments. Vaccination regimens did not affect (P ≥ 0.70) incidence of liver abscesses or lung lesions. Vaccination for BRD before feedlot placement did not affect receiving performance, finishing performance, or carcass characteristics of calves preconditioned on the ranch of origin.
Evaluation and Management of Adnexal Masses

The adnexa refers to the region that usually contains the ovary, fallopian tube, any associated vessels, ligaments, and connective tissue. At times, pathology coming from the uterus, bowel, retroperitoneum, and/or metastatic disease may also be within the adnexal region. Although variable, the prevalence of adnexal masses is highest during premenopausal years at approximately 6–8 % and decreases in the menopausal state. Of utmost concern with these adnexal masses is to rule out malignancy.
Intervention, covert movement, and focus computation in multiple wh-questions

Dayal (2002) develops a theory of the readings of multiple wh-questions that is based on this judgment, crucially requiring movement of the lower wh-phrase to the question Complementizer in order to yield a pair-list reading. The single-pair reading is derived using a choice-function mechanism (Reinhart, 1998). The judgment in (1) has recently been contested by Cheng and Demirdache (C&D, 2010), citing Chris Tancredi (p.c.). C&D offer the context in (2) with the judgment that a pair-list answer (2a) is forced in this case and the single-pair answer is deviant (2b).
Exceptionalism or Chinamerica: Measuring Religious Change in the Globalizing World Today

Religion is changing fast in this era of globalization. Major global trends include the growth of Muslims, the shrinking percentage of unaffiliated, and the rapid rise of Christianity in global China. By 2030, China is likely to become the largest Christian country in the world while retaining large numbers of Buddhists, Muslims, and folk religious believers. To capture religious changes more accurately, social scientists of religion must sharpen their measurement tools regarding religiosity; pay more attention to the reality of nonalignment among religious identity, belief, and practice; and acknowledge the reality of nonexclusive/multiple religious beliefs, practices, and identities. Scholars must also take responsibility for developing a clear and nuanced definition of religion, abandon exceptionalist thinking, and seek to discover common patterns of religious change across societies. Conceptual and measurement tools at the disposal of social scientists of religion should enable us to perceive and understand the converging changes of religion in China, the United States, and other societies, without ignoring their historical differences and contemporary particularities.
Irish Essays: Reading Gulliver's Travels

Houses of decay, mine, his and all. You told the Clongowes gentry you had an uncle a judge and an uncle a general in the army. Come out of them, Stephen. Beauty is not there. Nor in the stagnant bay of Marsh's library where you read the fading prophecies of Joachim Abbas. For whom? The hundredheaded rabble of the cathedral close. A hater of his kind ran from them to the wood of madness, his mane foaming in the moon, his eyeballs stars. Houyhnhnm, horsenostrilled. The oval equine faces, Temple, Buck Mulligan, Foxy Campbell, Lanternjaws. Abbas father, furious dean, what offence laid fire to their brains? Paff! Descende, calve, ut ne amplius decalveris . On October 28, 1726, the London printer Benjamin Motte issued the first volume of Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World by Lemuel Gulliver, “first a surgeon, and then a captain of several ships.” A few readers knew that the real author was Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral – “the cathedral close” – in Dublin. Presumably they took the book as a squib thrown off from the Dean's official life, or a satire on those in power in London who had banished him to Dublin in 1714. The book was an immediate success: two further editions were required in 1726 and two more in 1727. John Gay wrote to Swift on November 17, 1726 to report that “from the highest to the lowest it is universally read, from the cabinet-council to the nursery.”
Sbg1 Is a Novel Regulator for the Localization of the β-Glucan Synthase Bgs1 in Fission Yeast

Glucan synthases synthesize glucans, complex polysaccharides that are the major components in fungal cell walls and division septa. Studying regulation of glucan synthases is important as they are essential for fungal cell survival and thus popular targets for anti-fungal drugs. Linear 1,3-β-glucan is the main component of primary septum and is synthesized by the conserved β-glucan synthase Bgs1 in fission yeast cytokinesis. It is known that Rho1 GTPase regulates Bgs1 catalytic activity and the F-BAR protein Cdc15 plays a role in Bgs1 delivery to the plasma membrane. Here we characterize a novel protein Sbg1 that is present in a complex with Bgs1 and regulates its protein levels and localization. Sbg1 is essential for contractile-ring constriction and septum formation during cytokinesis. Sbg1 and Bgs1 physically interact and are interdependent for localization to the plasma membrane. Bgs1 is less stable and/or mis-targeted to vacuoles in sbg1 mutants. Moreover, Sbg1 plays an earlier and more important role in Bgs1 trafficking and localization than Cdc15. Together, our data reveal a new mode of regulation for the essential β-glucan synthase Bgs1 by the novel protein Sbg1.
Pharmacological and Genetic Inhibition of Autophagy Decreases the Secretion of High Molecular Weight Von Willebrand Factor from Endothelial Cells in Vitro and in Vivo

The regulation of von Willebrand factor (VWF) processing, packaging, and secretion is important for primary hemostasis. Recently, autophagy has been implicated in modulating VWF maturation and Weibel-Palade body (WPB) morphology. Additionally, treatment of mice and humans with chloroquine (CQ), an anti-malarial agent and pharmacological inhibitor of autophagy, is shown to increase bleeding time. Therefore, we hypothesize that targeting autophagic flux may be therapeutic for arterial thrombotic disorders such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). To test this hypothesis, we first treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with CQ in culture and showed that CQ dose-dependently decreased VWF antigen levels and multimer sizes in the conditioned medium of histamine-stimulated cells (not shown). Knockdown of an autophagy-related protein (Atg7) with shRNA in HUVECs had similar effect to CQ treatment in VWF secretion and multimer distribution (not shown). More interestingly, daily injections (i.p.) of CQ at 60 mg/kg into Adamts13-/- mice (CAST/Ei strain) for 7 days reduced plasma VWF concentration by more than 60% compared to vehicle control ( Fig. 1 ). Interestingly, VWF secreted from CQ-treated mice remained functional as collagen binding activity/antigen ratio was comparable to vehicle control mice. However, multimer analysis demonstrated the selective lack of ultra large VWF in plasma of Adamts13-/- mice treated with CQ as compared with those treated with vehicle alone ( Fig. 2 ). These results indicate that targeting autophagy pathway with a pharmacological agent, such as CQ, may modulate VWF secretion and, thereby, arterial thrombosis. Our ongoing experiments are to determine the therapeutic efficacy of CQ and other autophagy inhibitors in murine models of arterial thrombosis and TTP. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer: evidence, experience and clinical potential.

Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) are considered one of the most active and exciting new therapies for the treatment of ovarian cancer. The anticancer activity of PARP inhibitors is ...
A Putative DNA Gyrase Mutant of E.Coli

The E.coli chromosome, as well as plasmid DNA, many viral genomes, and mitochondrial DNA can be isolated as supercoiled molecules. The chromosome is presumably supercoiled in the native state as it can be quantitatively isolated as a folded structure even when replication is not occurring and in the absence of protein synthesis (1,2). In addition, in Vitro RNA synthesis increases with increased supercoiling of template DNA (3). Proteins which relax supercoiled DNA have been isolated from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes (4,5).
Improving the Electronic Capture of Advance Care Directives in a Healthcare Delivery System.

Objectives To determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted quality improvement intervention in outpatient clinics at an integrated healthcare delivery system on capture rate of advance directives (ADs) in the electronic medical record (EMR). Design Interrupted time series analysis with control groups between January 2010 and June 2015. Setting Oncology, nephrology, and primary care outpatient clinics in an integrated healthcare delivery system. Participants All individuals aged 65 and older with at least one office visit in any outpatient clinic in the care delivery system (n = 77,350 with 502,446 office visits). Intervention A series of quality improvement interventions to improve rates of advance care planning discussions and capture of those discussions in the EMR between 2010 and 2014. Measurements Capture rate of ADs in the EMR. Results Visits in the intervention primary care clinic were twice as likely to mention ADs in the EMR (53.4%) than visits in nonintervention primary care clinics (26.5%). Visits in the intervention oncology clinic were more than eight times as likely to mention ADs in the EMR (49.3% vs 6.0%), and visits in the intervention nephrology clinic were 2.5 times as likely to mention ADs (15.4% vs 6.0%) than visits in other specialty clinics. Conclusions A series of quality improvement interventions to increase discussions about advance care planning and capture of advance care directives in the EMR significantly increased the rate of capture in primary care and specialty care outpatient settings.
Leveraging the Total Market Offering in the Agile Enterprise

Agile competitive strategies focus not only on what buyers receive (product attributes) but also on how buyers and sellers interact (interpersonal process attributes) in creating and delivering value to customers. Increased emphasis on interpersonal pro..
An Acquisition and Budgeting Primer

Chapter 3 provides concise explanations of how the Department of Defense acquires equipment, the internal Pentagon budget cycle, congressional budget activity, and the critical personal and professional relationships that facilitate the budget’s movement through each phase. Although this book is mostly concerned with the budget’s path through Congress, understanding basic acquisition principles and the process by which the budget is crafted inside the Pentagon provides useful and necessary insight.
Response to Comment on Harlan. Islet Transplantation for Hypoglycemia Unawareness/Severe Hypoglycemia: Caveat Emptor. Diabetes Care 2016;39:1072-1074.

Hering et al. (1) frame their comments around solitary islet transplant’s benefit for some of the Clinical Islet Transplantation Consortium phase 3 trial (CIT-07) study’s 48 patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes (T1D) and severe hypoglycemic episodes (SHE) (2). I endorsed their assertion that some patients benefited (3). I framed my commentary (3) in a different light, however. Quoting from the study report (2), CIT-07 was performed “to serve as a license-enabling study” for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as it weighs licensing isolated pancreatic islets as an appropriate therapy for some individuals with T1D. Such licensing decisions are adjudicated by the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Office of Cellular, Tissue and …
Induction of HLA-DR expression in human lamina cribrosa astrocytes by cytokines and simulated ischemia.

PURPOSE: Recent evidence strongly suggests that activated immunity occurs during the neurodegenerative process of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Although activation of lamina cribrosa astrocytes has been identified in glaucomatous optic nerve head, their role on the activated immune responses seen in glaucoma patients is unknown. Here, the authors aimed to study the potential role of lamina cribrosa astrocytes as a component of activated immune responses seen in glaucoma patients. METHODS: Expression of HLA-DR in optic nerve head astrocytes was studied using immunohistochemistry in postmortem eyes of patients with glaucoma and normal donors. Serum cytokine levels of patients with glaucoma and control subjects were measured using enzyme-linked, immunosorbent assay. In addition, in vitro experiments were performed using astrocyte cultures derived from human optic nerve head or fetal human brain. The cultured astrocytes were incubated under selected stress conditions such as exposure to cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-10, or simulated ischemia for up to 48 hours. The expression of HLA-DR was studied in these cells using flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry demonstrated an upregulation of the HLA-DR expression in the optic nerve head astrocytes in glaucoma. In addition, serum levels of IL-10 was higher in the patients with normal pressure glaucoma compared to age-matched control subjects (P: = 0.001). Regarding in vitro experiments, unlike brain astrocytes, the percentage of cells expressing HLA-DR was approximately 3 times higher in the cultures of optic nerve head astrocytes exposed to simulated ischemia compared to cultures incubated under normal conditions (P: = 0.09). Incubation with IFN-gamma induced HLA-DR expression in brain and lamina cribrosa astrocytes, up to 25-fold, (P < 0.001) either in the absence or presence of simulated ischemia. Induction of HLA-DR expression by IL-10 was approximately 6 times higher in lamina cribrosa astrocytes incubated under simulated ischemia compared to that incubated under normal condition (P: = 0.004) and was not prominent in brain astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that optic nerve head astrocytes function as antigen-presenting cells and that their immunogenic capacity is more sensitive to ischemia than brain astrocytes. Taken together, these findings provide novel evidence that regulation of immunogenic capacity of optic nerve head astrocytes by cytokines or ischemic stress may have a role during the neurodegeneration process in patients with glaucoma.