cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed and dynamic storage of working memory stimulus information in extrastriate cortex

The predominant neurobiological model of working memory WM posits that stimulus information is stored via stable, elevated activity within highly selective neurons. On the basis of this model, which we refer to as the canonical model, the storage of stimulus information is largely associated with lateral PFC lPFC. A growing number of studies describe results that cannot be fully explained by the canonical model, suggesting that it is in need of revision. In this study, we directly tested key elements of the canonical model. We analyzed fMRI data collected as participants performed a task requiring WM for faces and scenes. Multivariate decoding procedures identified patterns of activity containing information about the items maintained in WM faces, scenes, or both. Although information about WM items was identified in extrastriate visual cortex EC and lPFC, only EC exhibited a pattern of results consistent with a sensory representation. Information in both regions persisted even in the absence of elevated activity, suggesting that elevated population activity may not represent the storage of information in WM. Additionally, we observed that WM information was distributed across EC neural populations that exhibited a broad range of selectivity for the WM items rather than restricted to highly selective EC populations. Finally, we determined that activity patterns coding for WM information were not stable, but instead varied over the course of a trial, indicating that the neural code for WM information is dynamic rather than static. Together, these findings challenge the canonical model of WM.
Aristotle's biology and the transplantation of organs

It would be redundant to repeat the general thesis and specific claims advanced in the introduction. Yet in concluding I should like to draw attention to several broader themes that run through the article. One is that understanding Aristotle's biology demands attention to his psychology and metaphysics as well as to what some readers may regard as his strictly biological writings. Another is that Aristotle's views on homonymy and potentiality
Effects of baseline skin temperature on pain ratings to suprathreshold temperature-controlled stimuli

Variations in baseline skin temperature can be encountered in experimental and clinical pain states. Such variations have been shown to greatly alter the response to radiant heat stimuli when the temperature of the stimulus is not controlled. We carried out a psychophysical investigation to examine the influence of baseline skin temperature on pain ratings to temperature-controlled heat stimuli. A CO(2) laser thermal stimulator was used to deliver heat stimuli under radiometer feedback temperature control to the volar forearm. Each stimulus consisted of a 30 s controlled baseline interval (at 34 or 38 degrees C) followed by a stepped increase in temperature (to 46 or 47 degrees C for 1, 2 or 4 s). A run comprised one presentation of each of these12 different stimuli to different locations. Each experiment contained three runs. In runs 2 and 3, the stimulus intensity and duration at a given location were not changed, but the baseline temperature was alternated between 34 degrees C and 38 degrees C. The intensity of pain was rated using the technique of magnitude estimation. Mean normalized pain ratings for suprathreshold stimuli applied from the higher base temperature (1.03+/-0.03) were slightly greater than from the lower base temperature (0.96+/-0.03). In contrast, pain ratings to the 47 degrees C stimuli (1.11+/-0.03) were substantially greater than to the 46 degrees C stimuli (0.88+/-0.03). Thus a 4 degrees C change in baseline temperature has a smaller affect (about 8%) on pain ratings than a 1 degrees C change in stimulus temperature (about 27%). This suggests that variations in baseline skin temperature encountered in experimental and clinical pain states have only a minor impact on pain sensitivity to suprathreshold temperature-controlled stimuli.
Raman scattering characterization of strain in Ge–Si core–shell nanowires

Strain relaxation in Ge–Si core–shell nanowires is studied by means of Raman spectroscopy. A recently developed model of strain in these structures is extended to allow for partial strain relaxation and used to calculate the core and shell Raman spectra of the nanowires. We find that all Ge–Si core–shell nanowires studied here, with core diameters of 11 nm or higher, have partially relaxed strains. This agrees with some theoretical predictions of critical thicknesses in these structures. Our Raman data also show strong evidence for Ge–Si intermixing at the core–shell interface.
Oral History in the Classroom: Fostering Positive Attitudes Toward Older Adults and the Aging Process

Oral history projects can create intergenerational dialogue between students and elders. The purpose of this research study was to evaluate changes in attitudes toward older adults and aging of undergraduate students (n = 14) enrolled in an introductory gerontology course after completion of an oral history project. Attitudes toward older adults and aging were measured with visual analogue scales and were evaluated using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. Results indicate that significant changes in attitudes toward older adults (p ≤ .01) and the aging process (p ≤ .001) occurred. Students perceived that the project contributed positively to changes in attitudes and to their classroom experience.
Seattle to Spokane: Mapping Perceptions of English in Washington State

This research explores perceptions of linguistic variation in English in Washington state (WA). Respondents marked on a map of WA the places where they believe people’s English sounds “different” and provided a label for that type of English. The analysis of the results used digital tools to create composite maps consisting of (1) respondents’ spatial perceptions of English in WA, (2) spatial perceptions of English in WA according to different demographic groups, and (3) affective values associated with regions identified by respondents. The results suggest that Washingtonians perceive that urban areas and eastern WA are places where English is different. The results also demonstrate that when respondents are surveyed about variation within their own state rather than variation across the country, local types of organizational categories, such as an urban/rural dichotomy or belief in a regional standard, can emerge.
Enhanced phosphoserine insertion during Escherichia coli protein synthesis via partial UAG codon reassignment and release factor 1 deletion.

Genetically encoded phosphoserine incorporation programmed by the UAG codon was achieved by addition of engineered elongation factor and an archaeal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to the normal Escherichia coli translation machinery (Park et al., 2011) Science 333, 1151) [2]. However, protein yield suffers from expression of the orthogonal phosphoserine translation system and competition with release factor 1 (RF-1). In a strain lacking RF-1, phosphoserine phosphatase, and where seven UAG codons residing in essential genes were converted to UAA, phosphoserine incorporation into GFP and WNK4 was significantly elevated, but with an accompanying loss in cellular fitness and viability.
Enzymatic Milling of Corn: Optimization of Soaking, Grinding, and Enzyme Incubation Steps

ABSTRACT Enzymatic milling is a modified wet-milling process that uses proteases to significantly reduce the total processing time during corn wet milling and eliminates the need for sulfur dioxide as a processing agent. To optimize the overall enzymatic milling procedure and minimize the amount of enzyme, a series of experiments were done to determine the best first grind parameters and the optimal enzyme additions. The yields for germ, germ quality, and starch recovery were used for evaluation of first grind and enzyme addition, respectively. The specific processing conditions evaluated were the soaking time and first grind parameters. After soaking and first grind optimization, enzyme concentration and pH determinations were evaluated using bromelain as an example. The first grind procedure was optimized by evaluating a combination of different soaking and grinding conditions followed by a fixed enzyme addition and incubation step. The pH profile of bromelain for enzymatic milling was evaluated for pH ...
Helicobacter pylori and Gastrointestinal Disease

New paradigms are few and far between. The discovery that peptic ulcer disease is the result of an infection by a previously unrecognized microorganism rather than the consequence of excess secretion of gastric acid aptly qualifies as a paradigm shift. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori from the stomach by antibacterial agents heals ulcers at least as effectively as H2-blockers. Further, eradication of the organism results in long-term cures of peptic ulcers. In contrast, the relapse rate in patients successfully treated with H2-blockers exceeds 50% in the first year after healing. Also of interest is the role of H. pylori in gastric cancer.
NMDA receptor activation during status epilepticus is required for the development of epilepsy

Abstract NMDA receptor activation has been implicated in modulating seizure activity; however, its complete role in the development of epilepsy is unknown. The pilocarpine model of limbic epilepsy involves inducing status epilepticus (SE) with the subsequent development of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) and is widely accepted as a model of limbic epilepsy in humans. The pilocarpine model of epilepsy provides a tool for looking at the molecular signals triggered by SE that are responsible for the development of epilepsy. In this study, we wanted to examine the role of NMDA receptor activation on the development of epilepsy using the pilocarpine model. Pretreatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 does not block the onset of SE in the pilocarpine model. Thus, we could compare animals that experience similar lengths of SE in the presence or absence of NMDA receptor activation. Animals treated with MK-801 (4 mg/kg) 20 min prior to pilocarpine (350 mg/kg) (MK-Pilo) were compared to the pilocarpine treated epileptic animals 3–8 weeks after the initial episode of SE. The pilocarpine-treated animals displayed both ictal activity and interictal spikes on EEG analysis, whereas MK-801–pilocarpine and control animals only exhibited normal background EEG patterns. In addition, MK-801–pilocarpine animals did not exhibit any SRSs, while pilocarpine-treated animals exhibited 4.8±1 seizures per 40 h. MK-801–pilocarpine animals did not demonstrate any decrease in pyramidal cell number in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus, while pilocarpine animals averaged 15% decrease in cell number. In summary, the MK-801–pilocarpine animals exhibited a number of characteristics similar to control animals and were statistically significantly different from pilocarpine-treated animals. Thus, NMDA receptor inhibition by MK-801 prevented the development of epilepsy and interictal activity following SE. These results indicate that NMDA receptor activation is required for epileptogenesis following SE in this model of limbic epilepsy.
Comment: Why Meta-Analyses Rarely Resolve Ideological Debates

In their meta-analysis Wood, Kressel, Joshi, and Louie (2014) argue little evidence supports shifts in mating preferences across the menstrual cycle. They imply this may represent a critical weakness of evolutionary psychology theories of mating preferences more generally. This report represents a fairly common use of meta-analysis: to assemble data to support or reject a particular proposition over which there is debate. Yet, rarely do meta-analyses succeed at resolving ideological debates. Multiple decision points related to the selection, coding, effect size extraction, and interpretation of studies leaves considerable room for meta-analytic authors to interject their own beliefs. Meta-analyses are typically hailed by those who agreed a priori with their conclusion, and rejected as fatally flawed by those in disagreement. As such, meta-analyses have failed in replacing narrative reviews as more objective.
India's Debated Nuclear Policy

India's Nuclear Bomb and National Security. By Karsten Frey. London; New York: Routledge, 2006. 238 pages. Hardcover, $39.95. India's Nuclear Policy. By Bharat Karnad, Westport, CT.: Praeger Securi...
Mitochondrial Muscle Pathology

The diagnosis of mitochondrial disease is challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach for investigation. Despite the complexity, a specific diagnosis can be achieved in many cases. A specific diagnosis may provide prognostic information for the patient and the option of prenatal testing for the family in a subsequent pregnancy. the case reports in this section nicely illustrate several common pediatric clinical presentations of mitochondrial disease and a systematic approach to investigation.
Buckling Analysis of Thick-Walled Composite Pipe Under Torsion

Composite pipes have been utilized in the petrochemical industries where corrosion resistance and light weight are important. There is a need to calculate the buckling load for the pipe under torsion which develops from the structural loadings. An analytical model of composite pipe in torsion is developed during this study. Laminated anisotropic plate theory is utilized to derive the kinematics and constitutive relations of the pipe wall laminates. Solutions are obtained by using the Ritz method with suitable boundary conditions. Good agreement is found when comparing the present results with the analytical and experimental results from previous research.
Sink or SLIM: A Local Response to Promote Global Sustainable Change Through Education, Partnerships, and Workforce Development

Maui's unique geographic location, culture, economy, and ecology provide a year-round sustainable living laboratory for the development of sustainable solutions to local and global challenges. Maui...
The Elastic and Inelastic Scattering of Electrons and Positrons from the s-states of Atomic Hydrogen

Total elastic and inelastic cross sections, for the scattering of electrons (without exchange) and positrons (neglecting the formation of positronium) from the 1s, 2s and 3s states of atomic hydrogen, have been calculated in three approximations using the method of partial waves. All significant partial wave contributions to the cross sections have been included. The results indicate that `s-state' distortion effects are negligible at incident energies greater than 30 ev.
Decision costs in the intelligence cycle

(1984). Decision costs in the intelligence cycle. Journal of Strategic Studies: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 318-335.
Inhibition of excitatory amino acid-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis as a possible mechanism of nitroprusside neurotoxicity

Inclusion of sodium nitroprusside {Na 2 [Fe 2+ -(CN) 5 NO]} into the culture medium is toxic to cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. A possible underlying mechanism may be the inhibition of phosphoinositide (PI) response to excitatory amino acids (EAAs) because activation of glutamate receptors can be neuroprotective and neurotrophic in differentiating neurons. Sodium nitroprusside selectively inhibited the PI response to EAAS (NMDA > glutamate = quisqualate > kainate) without affecting that to carbachol or KCl. In contrast, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP), another nitric oxide (NO) donor, potentiated NMDA-induced PI hydrolysis. Hemoglobin reversed the effects of nitroprusside and SNAP. However, NO may not be involved because NO solution was without effect and N-acetylpenicillamine, a SNAP analogue that does not contain a NO moiety, also potentiated NMDA-induced PI hydrolysis in a hemoglobin-sensitive manner. Furthermore, the metabolites of NO (nitrate and nitrite), L-arginine, reduced glutathione, 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine 3' :5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP), and atrial natriuretic peptide, which accelerates the production of cGMP independent of NO, were ineffective as modulators. However, potassium ferrocyanide {K 4 [Fe 2+ (CN) 6 ]}, but not potassium ferricyanide {K 3 [Fe 3+ (CN) 6 ]}, inhibited NMDA-induced PI hydrolysis as effectively as nitroprusside, but this inhibition was not reversed by hemoglobin. Cyanide, a product from the disintegration of nitroprusside, potentiated rather than inhibited NMDA-induced PI hydrolysis. Taken together, these results suggest that the parent molecule itself, nitroprusside, contributes primarily in inhibiting EAA-induced PI hydrolysis. Inhibition of EAA-induced PI hydrolysis may in part mediate the mechanisms of nitroprusside toxicity in primary cultures of differentiating cerebellar granule neurons.
Therapeutic social influence: sternly strike while the iron is hot.

Abstract Two studies tested social influence options in symbolic modeling therapy. The first gave a pretreatment interview in which the therapist behaved in a “warm” or “businesslike” manner, and then urged the clients to approach a snake as closely as possible when (immediately afterward) they repeated a prior runway BAT and fear assessment. The “businesslike” group reported less fear than the “warm” group, but differential therapist perceptions did not affect overt avoidance. Study 2 compared directive social influence or its omission when clients performed approach immediately vs . the next week. The strongest BAT gains occurred if social influence was followed by prompt execution of the relevant task, but these differences were not maintained after treatment. The data suggested that timing is critical for applying social influence, which should be given immediately before task demands. Continued efforts to capitalize on initial differences might sustain socially-influenced gains for enduring treatment purposes.
Temperature and development of the tailed frog, Ascaphus truei.

1. 1. Reproduction in the primitive tailed frog, Ascaphus truei, was studied in a montane population in the Pacific Northwest. Egg laying occurs in July while mating takes place in September and October. Stream temperatures during embryonic development range from 4 to 10°C, and embryonic development requires about 6 weeks. 2. 2. Normal fertilized eggs were obtained from gravid female Ascaphus by injections of amphibian pituitary glands or human chorionic gonadotropin. The number of eggs laid by a female ranged from 37 to 82 (average of 62·6). 3. 3. Embryonic temperature tolerance and rate of development are unusual. Tolerance range is low and narrow (5–18·5°C), and rate of development is very slow. 4. 4. Ascaphus eggs have the narrowest range of tolerance (13·5°C), the lowest upper limiting temperature for development (18·5°C) and the slowest developmental rate of any cold-adapted frog studied in North America. 5. 5. It is suggested that there is selection for slow rate of development in Ascaphus eggs.
Target pattern solutions to reaction-diffusion equations in the presence of impurities

We consider reaction-diffusion equations of the special type c"t = F(c,x) +@? ^2c, with F(c,x) = (@l-@W@W @l)c, @l = @l(|c|^2), @W = \@?gw(|c|^2) + @e^2@W(x), @l' = 0, @W @? 0, then @? a unique target pattern solution which stays locally close to the homogeneous limit cycle solution. If x has dimension three, there is such a solution provided that @W(x) is sufficiently large. Thus this paper shows that the phenomena uncovered formally by Hagan for a much larger class of kinetic equations can be rigorously substantiated for @l - @w systems.
Composite laminates with negative through-the-thickness Poisson's ratios

A simple analysis using two dimensional lamination theory combined with the appropriate three dimensional anisotropic constitutive equation is presented to show some rather surprising results for the range of values of the through-the-thickness effective Poisson's ratio nu sub xz for angle ply laminates. Results for graphite-epoxy show that the through-the-thickness effective Poisson's ratio can range from a high of 0.49 for a 90 laminate to a low of -0.21 for a + or - 25s laminate. It is shown that negative values of nu sub xz are also possible for other laminates.
Multi-angle sclera recognition system

Sclera patterns can be used for human classification and identification; however image quality can significantly affect the recognition accuracy. In this paper, we studied and analyzed four multi-angle sclera recognition fusion methods. The experimental results show that these proposed multi-angle sclera recognition systems can achieve better performance in general. In addition, it shows that it is important to take system application needs into account when selecting the fusion method.
Are teachers teaching to the test? A case study of the College English Test (CET) in China

The College English Test (CET) in China is a high-stakes standardized test to assess college students' English ability. One frequent claim against this test is that teachers may teach to the test, which could narrow the curriculum and turn regular English classes into CET coaching. This study aims to find out whether teachers are truly teaching to the test and the potential reasons involved. In order to gain deeper and more focused insight into the influence of the CET on classroom teaching, only its writing section was examined. Based on data collected from some students and teachers at a University in Beijing, China, it was found that the overall influence of the CET writing was not as substantial as what has been claimed. Due to different stakeholders' perceptions of the CET, the influence on teachers was weak and indirect compared to a stronger and more direct influence on students. Also, teachers did not teach to the test due to the lower priority of writing among the four language skills. The relatively low requirement of the CET writing and its restrictive testing format also prevented the teachers from teaching to the test. Finally, the teachers' lack of professional training and some logistic factors outweighed the influence of the CET writing. It is pointed out that teacher factor may outweigh the influence of the CET, and thus rigorous teacher training should be provided to improve the efficiency of classroom teaching.
Microdomain organization and frequency-dependence of CREB-dependent transcriptional signaling in heart cells

Voltage-gated Cav1.2 calcium channels couple membrane depolarization to cAMP response-element-binding protein (CREB)-dependent transcriptional activation. To investigate the spatial and temporal organization of CREB-dependent transcriptional nuclear microdomains, we combined perforated patch-clamp technique and FRET microscopy for monitoring CREB and CREB-binding protein interaction in the nuclei of live cells. The experimental approach to the quantitative assessment of CREB-dependent transcriptional signaling evoked by cAMP- and Cav1.2-dependent mechanisms was devised in COS1 cells expressing recombinant Cav1.2 calcium channels. Using continuous 2-dimensional wavelet transform and time series analyses, we found that nuclear CREB-dependent transcriptional signaling is organized differentially in spatially and temporally separated microdomains of 4 distinct types. In rat neonatal cardiomyocytes, CREB-dependent transcription is mediated by the cAMP-initiated CaMKII-sensitive and Cav1.2-initiated CaMKII-inse...
Variance‐ratio Statistics and High‐frequency Data: Testing for Changes in Intraday Volatility Patterns

Variance-ratio tests are routinely employed to assess the variation in return volatility over time and across markets. However, such tests are not statistically robust and can be seriously misleading within a high-frequency context. We develop improved inference procedures using a Fourier Flexible Form regression framework. The practical significance is illustrated through tests for changes in the FX intraday volatility pattern following the removal of trading restrictions in Tokyo. Contrary to earlier evidence, we find no discernible changes outside of the Tokyo lunch period. We ascribe the difference to the fragile finite-sample inference of conventional variance-ratio procedures and a single outlier.
A laboratory for public scholarship and democracy

The founder of Penn State's Laboratory for Public Scholarship and Democracy and chair of Penn State's Public Scholarship Associates establishes public scholarship's connections with democracy by distinguishing public scholarship from service, outlining a curriculum of consequence, and suggesting the constitutional roots of public scholarship.
Mass Transfer of Ozone in a Novel In Situ Ozone Generator and Reactor

A porous tubular reactor that also served as an electrode for ozone generation was studied in this research to determine the effects of in situ ozone generation on mass transfer and reaction rates. Experimental data over a range of gas flow rates and ozone generation rates gave KL a values in the range 0.77–1.14 min−1 . These values are more than double the values typically reported for bubble columns, and about 30% higher than that for packed beds. The specific power requirement for the laboratory-scale in situ reactor is an order of magnitude lower than that for bubble columns and stirred tank reactors that are used for ozone dissolution. A compartments-in-series fluid flow model was developed to describe the reactor system, and this model provides a good comparison to the experimental data for dissolved ozone and off-gas concentrations in the reactor. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the dissolved and off-gas ozone profiles are most sensitive to the gas–liquid partition coefficient and the overall ma...
Molecular Theory of Membrane Potentials

An expression for the electrical potential difference observed when a uniform membrane with fixed charges separates electrolyte solutions containing permeable ions at different concentrations is obtained from molecular theory. The membrane is considered as a multi-component system of ions and neutral molecules with the restriction that a subset of these species have zero mobility. The electric potential is equated to the isothermal steady state electrical contribution to the stress tensor. The expression for the membrane potential thus derived is shown to be in agreement with the experimental results. A brief analysis of assumptions involved is included.
Wooden splinter induced "pseudotumors" and "osteomyelitis-like lesions" of bone and soft tissue.

When a toothpick or other wooden splinter is embedded in the soft tissues, chronic irritation occurs and secondary infection is commonplace. It is likely that both of these factors lead to the bone and soft tissue changes which result in so-called "pseudotumors" or "osteomyelitis-like lesions." Delay in diagnosis is not uncommon, for the history of foreign body embedment may be nebulous. However, when the roentgenographic findings of: (1) deep soft tissue thickening or swelling; (2) periosteal new bone reaction; on (3) osteolytic or osteoblastic bone change are seen in the presence of prolonged soft tissue infection, with or without a draining sinus, the diagnosis of such a chronically embedded foreign body should be strongly suspected. Surgical exploration and removal of the foreign body is mandatory, for if the foreign body is not removed, inflammation and infection do not resolve. If the foreign body is removed, complete clinical and roentgenographic resolution is the rule.
A new technique to measure the neutralizer cell gas line density applied to a DIII-D neutral beamline

The DIII-D tokamak employs eight ion sources for plasma heating. In order to obtain the maximum neutralization of energetic ions (providing maximum neutral beam power) and reduce the heat load on beamline internal components caused by residual energetic ions, sufficient neutral gas must be injected into the beamline neutralizer cell. The neutral gas flow rate must be optimized, however, since excessive gas will increase power losses due to neutral beam scattering and reionization. It is important, therefore, to be able to determine the neutralizer cell gas line density. A new technique which uses the ion source suppressor grid current to obtain the neutralizer cell gas line density has been developed. The technique uses the fact that slow ions produced by beam-gas interactions in the neutralizer cell during beam extraction are attracted to the negative potential applied to the suppressor grid, inducing current flow in the grid. By removing the dependence on beam energy and beam current a normalized suppressor grid current function can be formed which is dependent only on the gas line density. With this technique it is possible to infer the gas line density on a shot by shot basis.
Retention-aware placement in DRAM (RAPID): software methods for quasi-non-volatile DRAM

Measurements of an off-the-shelf DRAM chip confirm that different cells retain information for different amounts of time. This result extends to DRAM rows, or pages (retention time of a page is defined as the shortest retention time among its constituent cells). Currently, a single worst-case refresh period is selected based on the page with the shortest retention time. Even with refresh optimized for room temperature, the worst page limits the safe refresh period to no longer than 500 ms. Yet, 99% and 85% of pages have retention times above 3 seconds and 10 seconds, respectively. We propose retention-aware placement in DRAM (RAPID), novel software approaches that can exploit off-the-shelf DRAMs to reduce refresh power to vanishingly small levels approaching non-volatile memory. The key idea is to favor longer-retention pages over shorter-retention pages when allocating DRAM pages. This allows selecting a single refresh period that depends on the shortest-retention page among populated pages, instead of the shortest-retention page overall. We explore three versions of RAPID and observe refresh energy savings of 83%, 93%, and 95%, relative to the best temperature-compensated refresh. RAPID with off-the-shelf DRAM also approaches the energy levels of idealized techniques that require custom DRAM support.
Pathogenesis of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Virion Host Shutoff (vhs) Mutants

During lytic infection, the virion host shutoff (vhs) protein mediates the rapid degradation of mRNA and the shutoff of host protein synthesis. In vivo, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) mutants lacking vhs activity are profoundly attenuated. Homologs of vhs exist in all of the neurotropic herpesviruses, and the goal of this study was to determine the virulence of HSV-2 mutants lacking vhs. Two HSV-2 recombinants were used in this study: 333-vhsB, which has a lacZ cassette inserted into the N terminus of vhs, and 333d41, which has a 939-bp deletion in vhs. As expected, both 333-vhsB and 333d41 failed to induce the cellular RNA degradation characteristic of HSV. Corneal, vaginal, and intracerebral routes of infection were used to study pathogenesis. Both viruses grew to significantly lower titers in the corneas, trigeminal ganglia, vaginas, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cords, and brains of mice than wild-type and rescue viruses, with a correspondingly reduced induction of disease. Both viruses, however, reactivated efficiently from explanted trigeminal ganglia, showing that vhs is dispensable for reactivation. The lethality of 333d41 following peripheral infection of mice, however, was significantly higher than that of 333-vhsB, suggesting that some of the attenuation of 333-vhsB may be due to the presence of a lacZ cassette in the vhs locus. Taken together, these data show that vhs represents an important determinant of HSV-2 pathogenesis and have implications for the design of HSV-2 recombinants and vaccines.
Instructional Leadership in Turkish Primary Schools: An Analysis of Teachers' Perceptions and Current Policy

School leadership, one of the most important aspects of school improvement, has not received much attention from either policymakers or researchers in Turkey despite many countries embrace creating and developing effective leaders as one of the important first steps to improve their education. This research looked at the instructional leadership skills of Turkish principals from the teacher's perspective measured through a survey collected from primary school teachers in five different cities in Turkey, first, to describe the current situation and, second, to find out if teachers’ experience and gender affect their views. The results show that Turkish principals practice their instructional leadership roles only occasionally and teachers’ gender significantly affects their perception.
Stray sparks from the induction coil: The volta prize and the page patent

In 1864, following the recommendation of a committee of eminent French scientists, Emperor Napoleon III awarded "Le Prix Volta," 50 000 francs, to a Paris instrument maker, Heimich D. Ruhmkorff, for "l'invention de la bobine d'induction." When news of this reached Washington, Charles G. Page, a patent examiner, claimed to have anticipated Ruhmkorff's first coils by 13 years. Page was subsequently able to secure a special Act of Congress authorizing an extraordinary patent for the coil. While this patent was ostensibly designed simply as a formal tribute and to "vindicate our own nationality in the paths of science," Page's attorney, in league with the Western Union Company, began to press charges of infringement. Even though there is no evidence that Page conspired to exploit his "honorific" patent-indeed, he died shortly after it issued-many of his one-time partisans denounced it as "an outrage on the public." Controversy eventually subsided, and most authorities conceded that Page's priority claim was valid. Nevertheless, Page was virtually forgotten, while historians of science have continued to treat Ruhmkorff as a noteworthy figure on the basis of the recognition accorded him for his work on the coil. Yet, by standard criteria such as publication Ruhmkorff was not a scientist at all, whereas Page was a bona fide experimental physicist, a worthy peer of Joseph Henry. The story of the Volta Prize and the Page Patent, then, reveals something about scientific chauvinism, and about the capricious basis of scientific repute.
Promoter-Like Mutation Affecting HPr and Enzyme I of the Phosphoenolpyruvate:Sugar Phosphotransferase System in Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract A promoter-like mutation, ptsP160, has been identified which drastically reduces expression of the genes specifying two proteins, HPr and enzyme I, of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) in Salmonella typhimurium. This mutation lies between trzA, a gene specifying susceptibility to 1,2,4-triazole, and ptsH, the structural gene for HPr. It leads to a loss of active transport of those sugars that require the PTS for entry into the cell. Pseudorevertants of strains carrying this promoter-like mutation have additional lesions very closely linked to ptsP160 by transduction analysis and are noninducible for HPr and enzyme I above a basal level. Presumably, strains carrying ptsP160 are defective in the normal induction mechanism for HPr and enzyme I, and the pseudorevertants derived from them result from second-site initiation signals within or near this promoter-like element. The induction of HPr and enzyme I above their noninduced levels apparently is not required for transport of at least one PTS sugar, methyl α-d-glucopyranoside, since this sugar is taken up by the pseudorevertants at the same rate as by the wild type. The existence of a promoter-like element governing the coordinate inducibility of both HPr and enzyme I suggests that ptsH and ptsI constitute an operon. Wild-type levels of a sugar-specific PTS protein, factor III, are synthesized in response to the crr+ gene in both a ptsP160 strain and its pseudorevertants; this suggests that the crr+ gene has its own promoter distinct from ptsP.
Expression and Purification of HIV-I p15NC Protein inEscherichia coli

An efficient method for the expression and purification of nucleocapsid precursor protein (p15NC) from HIV-I (BH 10 isolate) was developed and used to obtain large quantities of this viral protein for structural studies, protein biochemistry, and high-throughput screening efforts. We have engineered an existing p15NC clone into a new vector developed at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Using PCR, we introduced new restriction sites and a strong ribosome-binding site in the p15NC gene and expressed authentic p15NC protein. Our protocol enabled us to rapidly obtain soluble and highly stable p15NC expressed in Escherichia coli and to purify several milligrams of p15NC to homogeneity. In the current purification scheme, lysis of cell paste followed by a simple three-step FPLC procedure yields about 0.4-0.5 mg of purified p15NC per gram of E. coli cell paste expressing the protein with an overall yield of 45%. The purified p15NC retained its ability to bind full-length HIV-I p15NC mRNA in solution- or solid-phase-based assays. A specific stem-loop forming RNA fragment (24-mer) and its antisense DNA oligomer (21-mer) derived from the full-length p15NC mRNA were also able to bind to p15NC. In addition, antisense DNA oligos with bulky 5-iodouracil and 5-iodocytidine substituents were able to bind to p15NC with little or no perturbations as assessed by their ability to compete with the full-length p15NC mRNA in filter-binding competition assays. In addition, RNA-dependent cleavage of the purified p15NC in vitro by HIV-I protease occurred at rates similar to those reported previously.
Intraoperative vertical gas breakthrough during clear corneal incision creation with the femtosecond cataract laser.

We report the occurrence and management of intraoperative vertical gas breakthrough during clear corneal incision creation with the femtosecond laser (Catalys) in 2 patients. Both eyes were managed by creation of a keratome incision, and the surgery was completed uneventfully. There were no postoperative complications. We believe that wound architecture and corneal clarity in the area of wound creation predispose to the occurrence of vertical gas breakthrough. Careful inspection of wound integrity can provide clues to an incomplete wound. Financial Disclosure Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Intrinsic motivation and attentional capture from gamelike features in a visual search task

In psychology research studies, the goals of the experimenter and the goals of the participants often do not align. Researchers are interested in having participants who take the experimental task seriously, whereas participants are interested in earning their incentive (e.g., money or course credit) as quickly as possible. Creating experimental methods that are pleasant for participants and that reward them for effortful and accurate data generation, while not compromising the scientific integrity of the experiment, would benefit both experimenters and participants alike. Here, we explored a gamelike system of points and sound effects that rewarded participants for fast and accurate responses. We measured participant engagement at both cognitive and perceptual levels and found that the point system (which invoked subtle, anonymous social competition between participants) led to positive intrinsic motivation, while the sound effects (which were pleasant and arousing) led to attentional capture for rewarded colors. In a visual search task, points were awarded after each trial for fast and accurate responses, accompanied by short, pleasant sound effects. We adapted a paradigm from Anderson, Laurent, and Yantis (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(25):10367-10371, 2011b), in which participants completed a training phase during which red and green targets were probabilistically associated with reward (a point bonus multiplier). During a test phase, no points or sounds were delivered, color was irrelevant to the task, and previously rewarded targets were sometimes presented as distractors. Significantly longer response times on trials in which previously rewarded colors were present demonstrated attentional capture, and positive responses to a five-question intrinsic-motivation scale demonstrated participant engagement.
Cell balance equation for chemotactic bacteria with a biphasic tumbling frequency

Alt's three-dimensional cell balance equation characterizing the chemotactic bacteria was analyzed under the presence of one-dimensional spatial chemoattractant gradients. Our work differs from that of others who have developed rather general models for chemotaxis in the use of a non-smooth anisotropic tumbling frequency function that responds biphasically to the combined temporal and spatial chemoattractant gradients. General three-dimensional expressions for the bacterial transport parameters were derived for chemotactic bacteria, followed by a perturbation analysis under the planar geometry. The bacterial random motility and chemotaxis were summarized by a motility tensor and a chemotactic velocity vector, respectively. The consequence of invoking the diffusion-approximation assumption and using intrinsic one-dimensional models with modified cellular swimming speeds was investigated by numerical simulations. Characterizing the bacterial random orientation after tumbles by a turn angle probability distribution function, we found that only the first-order angular moment of this turn angle probability distribution is important in influencing the bacterial long-term transport.
The Option Value of Modularity in Design An Example from Design Rules, Volume 1: The Power of Modularity

When the design of an artifact is "modularized," the elements of the design are split up and assigned to modules according to a formal architecture or plan. Some of the modules are "hidden," meaning that design decisions in those modules do not affect decisions in other modules; some of the modules are "visible," meaning that they embody "design rules" that hidden-module designers must obey if the modules are to work together. Modular designs offer alternatives that non-modular ("interdependent") designs do not provide. Specifically, in the hidden modules, designers may replace early, inferior solutions with later, superior solutions. Such alternatives can be modeled as "real options." In Design Rules, Volume 1: The Power of Modularity (MIT Press, 2000) we sought to categorize the major options implicit in a modular design, and to explain how each type can be valued in accordance with modern finance theory. This paper provides an example of the valuation of the modular options "splitting" and "substitution." We show that the key drivers of the "net option value" of a particular module are (1) its "technical potential" (labeled s, because it operates like volatility in financial option theory); (2) the cost of mounting independent design experiments; and (3) the "visibility" of the module in question. The option value of a system of modules in turn can be approximated by adding up the net option values inherent in each module and subtracting the cost of creating the modular architecture. A positive value in this calculation justifies investment in a new modular architecture.
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Enhances Its Own Expression in Sympathetic Neurons after Injury

Neurons in the adult rat superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG) dramatically increase their content of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and its mRNA after axotomy in vivo and after explantation. Because the VIP gene contains a functional cAMP response element, the effects of cAMP-elevating agents on VIP expression were examined. VIP, forskolin, or isoproterenol increased cAMP accumulation in explanted ganglia. Secretin, a peptide chemically related to VIP, or forskolin increased VIP levels above those seen in ganglia cultured in control medium, whereas treatment with VIP or secretin increased the level of peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI), a peptide coded for by the same mRNA that encodes VIP. VIP or forskolin also increased VIP-PHI mRNA. In contrast, isoproterenol did not alter levels of VIP, PHI, or VIP-PHI mRNA. Although VIP or forskolin increased cAMP levels in both dissociated neurons and in non-neuronal cells, isoproterenol significantly stimulated cAMP accumulation only in the latter. VIP6-28 was an effective antagonist of the actions of exogenous VIP on cAMP and VIP-PHI mRNA in neuron-enriched cultures. When adult SCG explants were cultured in defined medium, endogenous VIP immunoreactivity was released. When VIP6-28 was added to such cultures, it significantly inhibited the increase in VIP-PHI mRNA that normally occurs. These data indicate that VIP, or a closely related molecule, produced by adult neurons after injury can enhance the expression of VIP. Such a mechanism may prolong the period during which VIP is elevated after axonal damage. The possibility is also discussed that, because VIP is present in preganglionic neurons in normal animals, its release during periods of increased sympathetic nerve activity could alter VIP expression in the SCG.
Transcriptome Analysis of the Human Striatum in Tourette Syndrome

Abstract Background Genome-wide association studies have not revealed any risk-conferring common genetic variants in Tourette syndrome (TS), requiring the adoption of alternative approaches to investigate the pathophysiology of this disorder. Methods We obtained the basal ganglia transcriptome by RNA sequencing in the caudate and putamen of nine TS and nine matched normal control subjects. Results We found 309 downregulated and 822 upregulated genes in the caudate and putamen (striatum) of TS individuals. Using data-driven gene network analysis, we identified 17 gene coexpression modules associated with TS. The top-scoring downregulated module in TS was enriched in striatal interneuron transcripts, which was confirmed by decreased numbers of cholinergic and gamma-aminobutyric acidergic interneurons by immunohistochemistry in the same regions. The top-scoring upregulated module was enriched in immune-related genes, consistent with activation of microglia in patients' striatum. Genes implicated by copy number variants in TS were enriched in the interneuron module, as well as in a protocadherin module. Module clustering revealed that the interneuron module was correlated with a neuronal metabolism module. Conclusions Convergence of differential expression, network analyses, and module clustering, together with copy number variants implicated in TS, strongly implicates disrupted interneuron signaling in the pathophysiology of severe TS and suggests that metabolic alterations may be linked to their death or dysfunction.
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY DETERMINATION OF THE REACTION PATH OF Sb4 ON Si(001)

The complex reaction path of the chemisorption of Sb4 on Si(001) is directly determined with the scanning tunneling microscopy. Four distinct types of precursors are observed which can be converted to the final state either by thermal annealing or by a STM tip-induced conversion process. The thermal conversion path of the precursors to the final state is identified.
Mitogen-Inducible Gene-6 Is a Multifunctional Adaptor Protein with Tumor Suppressor-Like Activity in Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Mig-6 is consistently underexpressed in papillary thyroid cancer; Mig-6 regulates NF-κB activation, EGFR and ErbB2 autophosphorylation, and the MAPK/ERK pathway.