cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Phylogenetics of Anogramma Species and Related Genera (Pteridaceae: Taenitidoideae)

Anogramma is a genus of eight putative species with small annual sporophytes and potentially perennating gametophytes. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus as well as its relationships with other putatively taenitidoid genera and with traditionally cheilanthoid Cosentinia vellea have been poorly resolved and are investigated here. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference analyses of rbcL sequences were used to test 1) the monophyly of Anogramma, 2) support for the proposed specific distinctness of A. guatemalensis and A. caespitosa from A. leptophylla, and 3) the asserted close (sister) relationship between Anogramma and Pityrogramma, as well as to infer the phylogenetic relationships among these genera. Results reveal that Anogramma in the traditional sense is polyphyletic. Anogramma guatemalensis and A. caespitosa nest within A. leptophylla. Pityrogramma is not sister to Anogramma as a whole but only to A. chaerophylla and A. novogaliciana. Anogramma osteniana is deeply separated from its traditional congeners and the new combination Jamesonia osteniana (Dutra) Gastony is made. Cosentinia vellea should not be subsumed within Cheilanthes but instead should be considered a taenitidoid genus closely related to A. leptophylla and A. lorentzii. Neighbor joining analysis of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism data sets inferred relationships among the A. leptophylla accessions, embedding A. guatemalensis and A. caespitosa in respective New World and Old World clades of A. leptophylla.
Analysis of PVC blends by three‐dimensional solubility parameters

An investigation was undertaken on the application of the three-dimensional solubility parameter method to predict miscibility of polyblends. The three-dimensional method attempts to account for the combined effects of dispersion, polar, and hydrogen bonding interactions between molecules. This study focused mainly on the miscibility of blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with homopolymers as well as with copolymers. The three components of solubility parameters were calculated from the group contributions of the structural units of the polymers. By comparing the parameters of different PVC blends in two categories, PVC/homopolymer and PVC/copolymer blends, the miscibility trend of PVC blends was revealed. The three-dimensional solubility parameter approach successfully predicted the miscibility of several homopolymers. For copolymers, the chance of miscibility was increased because of the ability to adjust the solubility parameter through composition. This was reflected in a smaller distance between the solubility parameter of copolymer and that of PVC. Experimental results reported in the literature confirmed this conclusion. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Linking molecular insight and ecological research

Abstract Significant environmental challenges, including the genetic and physiological effects of environmental pollutants, the rapid spread of diseases and invasive species, the release of transgenic organisms and global climate change, affect our daily lives and the sustainability of ecosystems. Managing these environmental problems will require new approaches that span the biology of genes, organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems. In parallel with these practical concerns is the basic need to study gene functions in their natural context. The Arabidopsis 2010 project, for example, seeks to understand the functions of all 25 000 Arabidopsis genes within a decade but, to do so, we must also understand the role of the environment in determining gene function. A new priority is evident – understanding the interplay of molecular mechanisms with organismal and ecosystem biology. Combining genomic and ecological research perspectives will answer crucial unresolved questions, but will require significant new multidisciplinary resources, infrastructure and training.
Multi-parametric MRI findings of transitional zone prostate cancers: correlation with 3-dimensional transperineal mapping biopsy

Purpose A preliminary project to correlate MR findings with mapping prostate biopsy to help differentiate malignant transitional zone lesions form benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) nodules. Materials and Methods Institutional IRB approved retrospective study with 14 patients suspected of having prostate cancer who underwent both prostate 3T MRI using endorectal coil and 3D transperineal mapping prostate biopsy. MR exams were independently reviewed by two abdominal radiologists blinded to pathology with disagreement resolved by consensus. An MRI lesion was defined as having hypointense T2 signal subjectively without corresponding T1 high signal intensity and low signal on ADC maps in the central gland. Mapping biopsy consisted of systematic transperineal US guided biopsy with 55–108 cores per patient. Results Twenty-nine lesions were detected on MRI. Of these, 13 correlated with Gleason 6 or higher biopsy samples. 16 were biopsy negative. Among the various MRI characteristics assessed, lack of T2 hypointense rim demonstrated the highest specificity (93%) and positive predictive value (89%). Highest sensitivity (85%) and negative predictive value (78%) were seen with ill-defined nodules. When suspicious MR characteristics were combined, the specificity and PPV rose to 100% while sensitivity decreased to 45% and NPV decreased to 73%. Conclusions Preliminary study indicates MR findings which can help differentiate a BPH nodule from transitional zone prostate cancers which could help direct biopsy in the large and growing number of people suspected of having prostate cancer. Further work will be needed for validation.
Whole Blood Gene Expression and Atrial Fibrillation: The Framingham Heart Study

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) involves substantial electrophysiological, structural and contractile remodeling. We hypothesize that characterizing gene expression might uncover important pathways related to AF. Methods and Results: We performed genome-wide whole blood transcriptomic profiling (Affymetrix Human Exon 1.0 ST Array) of 2446 participants (mean age 66±9 years, 55% women) from the Offspring cohort of Framingham Heart Study. The study included 177 participants with prevalent AF, 143 with incident AF during up to 7 years follow up, and 2126 participants with no AF. We identified seven genes statistically significantly up-regulated with prevalent AF. The most significant gene, PBX1 (P=2.8610 27 ), plays an important role in cardiovascular development. We integrated differential gene expression with gene-gene interaction information to identify several signaling pathways possibly involved in AFrelated transcriptional regulation. We did not detect any statistically significant transcriptomic associations with incident AF. Conclusion: We examined associations of gene expression with AF in a large community-based cohort. Our study revealed several genes and signaling pathways that are potentially involved in AF-related transcriptional regulation.
Organization of multiple regulatory elements in the control region of the adenovirus type 2-specific VARNA1 gene: fine mapping with linker-scanning mutants.

Abstract The adenovirus type 2-specific virus-associated RNA 1 (VARNA1) gene is transcribed by eucaryotic RNA polymerase III. Previous studies using deletion mutants for transcription have shown that the VARNA1 gene has a large control region which is composed of several regulatory elements. Twenty-five exact linker-scanning mutations in the control region, from -33 to +77, of this gene were used for definition of the number and boundaries of these elements. The effects of these mutations on transcription and competition for transcription factors in human KB cell extracts revealed five positive regulatory elements. The essential element, which coincided with the B block, was absolutely required for both transcription and formation of stable complexes. A second element, which included the A block, was also required for both transcription and formation of stable complexes. Although this element is not as essential as the B-block element, together with the B-block element it may be necessary for formation of the most basal form of transcription machinery. Therefore, these two elements are the promoter elements in this gene. In addition, one possible element in the interblock region and two elements in the 5' flanking region were also required for efficient transcription, but they were moderately required for formation of stable complexes. Transcription of these mutants and the wild-type gene using an extract of 293 cells was stimulated at least threefold over that with the KB cell extract, as expected. Similar regulatory elements of this gene were revealed, however, when the 293 cell extract was used for transcription of these mutants, suggesting that the E1A-mediated specific transcription factors act on the transcription machinery in a sequence-nonspecific manner.
Robust Stabilization Over Communication Channels in the Presence of Unstructured Uncertainty

This technical note is concerned with the problem of controlling plants over communication channels, where the plant is subject to two types of unstructured uncertainty: additive uncertainty and stable coprime factor uncertainty. Necessary lower bounds on the rate of transmission (or channel capacity) C, for robust stabilization, are computed explicitly. In particular, it is shown that the lower bound in the additive uncertainty case corresponds to a fixed point of a particular function. In the stable coprime factor uncertainty case, the derivation relies on linear fractional transformation concepts. The results are important in determining the minimum channel capacity needed in order to stabilize plants subject to unstructured uncertainty over communication channels. For instance, the bounds obtained can be used to analyze the effect of uncertainty on the channel capacity. An illustrative example is provided.
Soft Balancing against the United States

The George W. Bush administration's national security strategy, which asserts that the United States has the right to attack and conquer sovereign countries that pose no observable threat, and to do so without international support, is one of the most aggressively unilateral U.S. postures ever taken. Recent international relations scholarship has wrongly promoted the view that the United States, as the leader of a unipolar system, can pursue such a policy without fear of serious opposition. The most consequential effect of the Bush strategy will be a fundamental transformation in how major states perceive the United States and how they react to future uses of U.S. power. Major powers are already engaging in the early stages of balancing behavior against the United States, by adopting “soft-balancing” measures that do not directly challenge U.S. military preponderance but use international institutions, economic statecraft, and diplomatic arrangements to delay, frustrate, and undermine U.S. policies. If th...
Determination of the Biomasses of Small Bacteria at Low Concentrations in a Mixture of Species with Forward Light Scatter Measurements by Flow Cytometry

The forward light scatter intensity of bacteria analyzed by flow cytometry varied with their dry mass, in accordance with theory. A standard curve was formulated with Rayleigh-Gans theory to accommodate cell shape and alignment. It was calibrated with an extinction-culture isolate of the small marine organism Cycloclasticus oligotrophus, for which dry weight was determined by CHN analysis and 14C-acetate incorporation. Increased light scatter intensity due to formaldehyde accumulation in preserved cells was included in the standard curve. When differences in the refractive indices of culture media and interspecies differences in the effects of preservation were taken into account, there was agreement between cell mass obtained by flow cytometry for various bacterial species and cell mass computed from Coulter Counter volume and buoyant density. This agreement validated the standard curve and supported the assumption that cells were aligned in the flow stream. Several subpopulations were resolved in a mixture of three species analyzed according to forward light scatter and DNA-bound DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) fluorescence intensity. The total biomass of the mixture was 340 μg/liter. The lowest value for mean dry mass, 0.027 ± 0.008 pg/cell, was for the subpopulation of C. oligotrophus containing cells with a single chromosome. Calculations from measurements of dry mass, Coulter Counter volume, and buoyant density revealed that the dry weight of the isolate was 14 to 18% of its wet weight, compared to 30% for Escherichia coli. The method is suitable for cells with 0.005 to about 1.2 pg of dry weight at concentrations of as low as 103 cells/ml and offers a unique capability for determining biomass distributions in mixed bacterial populations.
Replication of DNA minicircles in kinetoplasts isolated from Crithidia fasciculata: structure of nascent minicircles.

We have previously described an isolated kinetoplast system from Crithidia fasciculata capable of ATP-dependent replication of kinetoplast DNA minicircles (L. Birkenmeyer and D.S. Ray, J. Biol. Chem. 261: 2362-2368, 1986). We present here the identification of two new minicircle species observed in short pulse-labeling experiments in this system. The earliest labeled minicircle species (component A) contains both nascent H and L strands and is heterogeneous in sedimentation and electrophoretic migration. Component A has characteristics consistent with a Cairns-type structure in which the L strand is the leading strand and the H strand is the lagging strand. The other new species (component B) has a nascent 2.5-kilobase linear L strand with a single discontinuity that mapped to either of two alternative origins located 180 degrees apart on the minicircle map. Component B could be repaired to a covalently closed form by Escherichia coli polymerase I and T4 ligase but not by T4 polymerase and T4 ligase. Even though component B has a single gap in one strand, it had an electrophoretic mobility on an agarose gel (minus ethidium bromide) similar to that of a supercoiled circle with three supertwists. Treatment of component B with topoisomerase II converted it to a form that comigrated with a nicked open circular form (replicative form II). These results indicate that component B is a knotted topoisomer of a kinetoplast DNA minicircle with a single gap in the L strand.
Signal Generation from Switchable Polydiacetylene Fluorescence

Chemical and biological sensors require a material component to act as a transducer from the molecular level event of interest to a discernable output measurable in the macroscopic world. One such material is polydiacetylene (PDA), a conjugated polymer that can switch from harnessed to provide signal generation for bio-sensors and assays as a more sensitive alternative to the previously reported monitoring of PDA colorimetric shifts. While providing a more sensitive transduction mechanism the fluorescence behavior of PDA is also more complicated than the absorbance, in particular the emission profile of PDA in liposomes is strongly affected by the extent of polymerization. Incorporating small molecule fluorophores into the PDA materials further increases the overall emission of fluorescent PDA materials. The fluorophores accept energy from the excited state of the polymer and fluoresce, leading to both an overall increase in the quantum yield of the system and an increase in the Stokes shift. Basic photophysical properties of fatty acid PDA liposomes and a model assay for phospholipase A2 are presented. The model assay results show that the fluorescence response is greater than the colorimetric, and is further enhanced by addition of fluorophores.
Essential roles of PI-3K/Akt/IKKβ/NFκB pathway in cyclin D1 induction by arsenite in JB6 Cl41 cells

Skin is a major target of carcinogenic trivalent arsenic (arsenite, As3+). It has been thought that cell proliferation is one of the central events involved in the carcinogenic effect of arsenite. Cyclin D1, a nuclear protein playing a pivotal role in cell proliferation and cell cycle transition from G1 to S phases, has been reported to be induced in human fibroblast by arsenite via uncertain molecular mechanisms. In the present study, the potential roles of PI-3K/Akt/IKKbeta/NFkappaB signal pathway in cyclin D1 induction by arsenite were addressed in mouse epidermal Cl41 cells. We found that exposure of Cl41 cells to arsenite was able to induce cell proliferation, activate PI-3K-->Akt/p70(S6k) signal pathway and increase cyclin D1 expression at both transcription and protein levels. Pre-treatment of Cl41 cells with PI-3K inhibitor, wortmannin, significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and p70(S6k) and thereby dramatically impaired the cyclin D1 induction by arsenite, implicating the importance of the PI-3K signal pathway in the cyclin D1 induction by arsenite. Furthermore, inhibition of PI-3K/Akt by overexpression of Deltap85 or DN-Akt blocked arsenite-induced IKK phosphorylation, IkappaBalpha degradation and cyclin D1 expression, indicating that IKK/NFkappaB is the downstream transducer of arsenite-triggered PI-3K/Akt cascade. Moreover, inhibition of IKKbeta/NFkappaB signal pathway by overexpression of its dominant negative mutant, IKKbeta-KM, also significantly blocked arsenite-induced cyclin D1 expression. Overall, arsenite exposure triggered PI-3K/Akt/IKKbeta/NFkappaB signal cascade which in turn plays essential roles in inducing cyclin D1 expression.
Longitudinal Studies of Diabetes in Environmental Epidemiology: Is Incident Diabetes the Right Outcome?

Longitudinal Studies of Diabetes in Environmental Epidemiology: Is Incident Diabetes the Right Outcome? While numerous cross-sectional studies have shown associations between environmental pollutants and diabetes, the results of longitudinal studies have been mixed. The question remains, why do some longitudinal studies of incident diabetes and environmental pollutants have negative results?
Ischemic injury suppresses hypoxia-induced electrographic seizures and the background EEG in a rat model of perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

The relationship among neonatal seizures, abnormalities of the electroencephalogram (EEG), brain injury, and long-term neurological outcome (e.g., epilepsy) remains controversial. The effects of hypoxia alone (Ha) and hypoxia-ischemia (HI) were studied in neonatal rats at postnatal day 7; both models generate EEG seizures during the 2-h hypoxia treatment, but only HI causes an infarct with severe neuronal degeneration. Single-channel, differential recordings of acute EEG seizures and background suppression were recorded with a novel miniature telemetry device during the hypoxia treatment and analyzed quantitatively. The waveforms of electrographic seizures (and their behavioral correlates) appeared virtually identical in both models and were identified as discrete events with high power in the traditional delta (0.1-4 Hz) and/or alpha (8-12 Hz) bands. Although the EEG patterns during seizures were similar in Ha- and HI-treated animals at the beginning of the hypoxic insult, Ha caused a more severe electrographic seizure profile than HI near the end. Analyses of power spectral density and seizure frequency profiles indicated that the electrographic seizures progressively increased during the 2-h Ha treatment, while HI led to a progressive decrease in the seizures with significant suppression of the EEG background. These data show that 1) the hypoxia component of these two models drives the seizures; 2) the seizures during Ha are substantially more robust than those during HI, possibly because ongoing neuronal damage blunts the electrographic activity; and 3) a progressive decrease in background EEG, rather than the presence of electrographic seizures, indicates neuronal degeneration during perinatal HI.
Effect of the Hadley Circulation on the Reflection of Planetary Waves in Three-Dimensional Tropospheric Flows

The nonlinear behavior of quasi-stationary planetary waves excited by midlatitude orographic forcing is considered in a three-dimensional primitive equation model that includes a representation of the Hadley cir- culation. The Hadley circulation is forced by Newtonian cooling to a zonally symmetric reference temperature and vertical diffusion on the zonally symmetric component of the flow. To quantify the effect of the Hadley circulation on wave propagation, breaking, and nonlinear reflection, an initial state with no meridional flow, but with the same zonal flow as the Hadley state, is also considered. In order to allow the propagation of large- scale waves over extended periods, Rayleigh friction is applied at low levels to delay the onset of baroclinic instability. As in the absence of a Hadley circulation, the waves in the Hadley state propagate toward low latitudes where the background flow is weak and the waves are therefore likely to break. Potential vorticity fields on isentropic surfaces are used to diagnose wave breaking. Nonlinear pseudomomentum conservation relations are used to quantify the absorption-reflection behavior of the wave breaking region. In the presence of a Hadley circulation representative of winter conditions, the nonlinear reflection requires more forcing to get established, but a reflected wave train is still present in the numerical simulations, both for a longitudinally symmetric forcing and for the more realistic case of an isolated forcing. The effect of the thermal damping on the waves is more severe in the current three-dimensional simulations than in the shallow water case considered in an earlier study. Both the directly forced wave train and the reflected wave train are quite barotropic in character; however, in the shallow water case one is essentially assuming an infinite vertical scale.
Enhancement of the Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Topological Insulators.

We investigate the shift current bulk photovoltaic response of materials close to a band inversion topological phase transition. We find that the bulk photocurrent reverses direction across the band inversion transition, and that its magnitude is enhanced in the vicinity of the phase transition. These results are demonstrated with first principles density functional theory calculations of BiTeI and ${\mathrm{CsPbI}}_{3}$ under hydrostatic pressure, and explained with an analytical model, suggesting that this phenomenon remains robust across disparate material systems.
Internet-based outpatient telerehabilitation following total knee arthroplasty.

Outcomes achieved via telerehabilitation 6 weeks following total knee arthroplasty were comparable to those achieved via conventional rehabilitation.
Glaucomas: Sturge Weber Syndrome

Not only is SWS associated with intracranial and facial angiomas (nevus flammeus, see Fig. 46.1), it can also be associated with several anomalous ocular features. Most frequently, hemangiomas of the lid, episclera or conjunctiva (see Fig. 46.2), iris or ciliary body are present. Less common features include hyperchromia, iris neovascularization, tortuous retinal vessels (see Fig. 46.3), scleral melanosis, strabismus, and homonomyous hemianopsia because of cerebral hemangiomas. Anderson’s rule says that when a hemangioma involves the upper lid, there is ipsilateral intraocular involvement. Sturge-Weber syndrome is a disorder of neural crest cells, also known as encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis. The facial cutaneous angioma is usually unilateral, present at birth, and distributed over the first and second divisions of the trigeminal nerve. However, it can be bilateral in 10–30% of the cases. Meningeal hemangiomas are associated with progressive calcification of arteries and cerebral cortex resulting in mental defects in 60%, seizures in 85% and reduced life expectancy [14]. SWS has no race or sex predilection and no hereditary pattern has been established. The onset of glaucoma in SWS ranges from early childhood to adulthood.
MIMO Radar: Concepts, Performance Enhancements, and Applications

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Notation MIMO Radar Virtual Aperture MIMO Radar in Clutter-Free Environments Optimality of MIMO Radar for Detection MIMO Radar with Moving Targets in Clutter: GMTI Radars Summary Appendix 2A A Localization Principle Appendix 2B Bounds on R(N) Appendix 2C An Operator Norm Inequality Appendix 2D Negligible Terms Appendix 2E Bound on Eigenvalues Appendix 2F Some Inner Products Appendix 2G An Invariant Inner Product Appendix 2H Kr��necker and Tensor Products Acknowledgments References
IRS Improves Employee Plans Determinations Process

This article describes a number of actions the IRS has taken in the past year and continues to take to make the Employee Plan determination letter process work better for all concerned. The article discusses significant changes in the application procedures that will make the process simpler and more flexible, while accommodating this year's new law (EGTRRA). The authors also discuss some changes in the Service's internal procedures designed to make the process run smoother and they invite readers to participate in a dialogue on the future of the EP determination letter program. Since this article was written the remedial amendment period for the GUST amendments for individually designed plans has been extended an additional two months by Revenue Procedure 2001-55 to the end of February 2002. This extension applies to all individually designed plans that otherwise had a remedial amendment period expiring before February 28, 2002. This extension responds to requests from many plan sponsors and the professionals who serve them that the events of September 11, 2001, and subsequent disruptions have interrupted progress toward amending plans by year end. Further, the remedial amendment is extended until June 30, 2002, for plans that were directly impacted by the events in New York. A further extension is available for these plans in cases of substantial hardship.
Useful Fictions: Debt and Equity Classification in Corporate Tax Law

This Article observes that the debt-equity distinction is premised upon a fiction that it is possible fully to distinguish corporate equity investors who share in risks of an enterprise from debt holders who do not. It is a fiction in service of a deeper fiction that it is possible correctly to identify corporate income with the return to equity. Corporation's have no income in an economic sense, yet the fiction that they do is a useful one. It allows the imposition of a corporate income tax that may serve policy goals that cannot be addressed directly. All of the tax law is an artificial construct. The Article concludes that tax law should abandon the pretense that it can correctly distinguish true debt from true equity, but this Article does not advocate abandoning these useful fictions. Instead, the tax law should admit what finance theory teaches, that all investments in the corporation share in the risks and returns of the enterprise. The Article establishes a risk and return framework in which to decide how to make the fictional distinction between debt and equity. That framework would compel Congress explicitly to address the fictions and to construct them with a direct eye to the underlying policy goals of the corporate income tax.
Raising Parental Awareness about Game-based Learning

The main argument presented in this paper is that educators, researchers and school administrators must develop effective techniques to educate parents about potential benefits of digital game based learning. Authors suggest that one of the reasons schools are hesitant to introduce video games into the curriculum is the fear of parental objection. This paper provides a few suggestions on what factors might contribute to negative parental attitude toward video games in the classroom; lack of experience with video game play, inadequate understanding of the complex nature of video games, limited knowledge about benefits of game play and negative media messages are among them.
Memory activity of LIP neurons for sequential eye movements simulated with neural networks.

Many neurons in macaque lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) maintain elevated activity induced by visual or auditory targets during tasks in which monkeys are required to withhold one or more planned eye movements. We studied the mechanisms for such memory activity with neural network modeling. Recurrent connections among simulated LIP neurons were used to model memory responses of LIP neurons. The connection weights were computed using an optimization procedure to produce desired outputs in memory-saccade tasks. One constraint for the training process is the “single-purpose” rule, which mimics the fact that once LIP neurons hold the memory activity of a saccade, they are insensitive to further stimuli until the motor action is completed. After training, excitatory connections were developed between units with similar preferred saccade directions, while inhibitory connections were formed between units with dissimilar directions. This “push-pull” mechanism enables the network to encode the next intended eye movement and is essential for programming sequential saccades. In simulating double saccades, the push-pull connections locked the on-going activity in the network for the first saccade until the saccade was made, then a new population of units became active to prepare for the second saccade. The simulated LIP neurons exhibited sensory responses and memory activities similar to those recorded in LIP neurons. We propose that push-pull recurrent connections might be the basic structure mediating the memory activity of area LIP in planning sequential eye movements.
Seroepidemiological Investigation of Hepatitis E Virus in Shenzhen City

Objective To understand the anti-HEV antibody levels of hepatitis E in Shenzhen city,and provide the evidence for the prevention,control and the immunization strategies for the hepatitis E. Methods Multiple stage stratified chester random sampling method was used in this research.People were divided to three levels according to the administrative level by this method.A total of 3 771 citizens from 8 regions of Shenzhen city aged 1-59 years old were tested for anti-HEV IgG by enzyme immunoassay(ELISA). Results The positive rate of anti-HEV IgG in male and female were 23.72% (1 834/3 771) and 23.64% (1 937/3 771), respectively. The positive rate of anti-HEV IgG was 19.08% (1 389/3 771) in residences of Shenzhen,while it was 26.36% (2 382/3 771) in non-residences. The positive rate of anti-HEV IgG increased with age, and was related to education attainment. People with higher education level had the lowest positive rate of anti-HEV IgG (28.50%). Conclusion The prevalence of hepatitis E in Shenzhen should never be neglected. It is necessary to pay more attention to the surveillance of the hepatitis E.
Role of Static and Dynamic Obstacles in the Protein Search for Targets on DNA

Protein search for specific sequences on DNA marks the beginning of major biological processes. Experiments indicate that proteins find and recognize their targets quickly and efficiently. Because of the large number of experimental and theoretical investigations, there is a reasonable understanding of the protein search processes in purified in vitro systems. However, the situation is much more complex in live cells where multiple biochemical and biophysical processes can interfere with the protein search dynamics. In this study, we develop a theoretical method that explores the effect of crowding on DNA chains during the protein search. More specifically, the role of static and dynamic obstacles is investigated. The method employs a discrete-state stochastic framework that accounts for most relevant physical and chemical processes in the system. Our approach also provides an analytical description for all dynamic properties. It is found that the presence of the obstacles can significantly modify the protein search dynamics. This effect depends on the size of the obstacles, on the spatial positions of the target and the obstacles, on the nature of the search regime, and on the dynamic nature of the obstacles. It is argued that the crowding on DNA can accelerate or slow down the protein search dynamics depending on these factors. A comparison with existing experimental and theoretical results is presented. Theoretical results are discussed using simple physical-chemical arguments, and they are also tested with extensive Monte Carlo computer simulations.
PU.1 and an HLH family member contribute to the myeloid-specific transcription of the Fc gamma RIIIA promoter.

Abstract Expression of the low-affinity Fc receptor for IgG (murine Fc gamma RIIIA) is restricted to cells of myelomonocytic origin. We report here the promoter structure, the proximal DNA sequences responsible for transcription of Fc gamma RIIIA in macrophages and the protein factors which interact with these sequences. A 51 bp sequence, termed the myeloid restricted region (MRR), was both necessary and sufficient for conferring cell type-specific expression in macrophages. Reporter constructs containing mutations in this sequence result in the loss of MRR activity upon transfection into the macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Two cis-acting elements have been identified and are required for full promoter function. These same elements analyzed by EMSA define two binding sites recognized by nuclear factors derived from macrophages. A 3' purine tract (-50 to -39) within the MRR binds the macrophage and B cell-specific factor, PU.1, and a second E box-like element, termed MyE, upstream of the PU.1 box (-88 to -78) binds the HLH factors TFE3 and USF. EMSA studies using RAW cell extracts suggest that both PU.1 and MyE factors may bind simultaneously to the MRR resulting in a ternary complex that is responsible, in part, for the myeloid-specific activity of the Fc gamma RIIIA promoter.
Enhanced rates of cytochrome P450 metabolic-intermediate complex formation from nonmacrolide amines in rifampicin-treated rabbit liver microsomes

The formation of cytochrome P450 metabolic-intermediate (MI) complexes from amine-containing drugs unrelated to macrolide antibiotics was investigated in hepatic microsomes from rifampicin-induced rabbits. Rifampicin treatment doubled the amount of total cytochrome P450 present. As evidenced by increased rates of erythromycin N-demethylation and MI complex formation from troleandomycin without increases in other isozyme selective oxidation reactions, the increase was predominately in the cytochrome P4503A subfamily. Fluoxetine, benzylamphetamine, propoxyphene, and norpropoxyphene formed MI complexes at rates similar to that for troleandomycin. Rates for 1-alpha-acetylmethadol and SKF 525A were 2- to 3-fold higher, and rates for the secondary amine derivatives of these two compounds, nor-1-alpha-acetylmethadol and SKF 8742A, were approximately 5-fold higher than with troleandomycin. For the SKF and acetylmethadol compounds, the rates were much higher in rifampicin-induced microsomes, compared with phenobarbital-induced microsomes. MI complex formation from benzylamphetamine was the reverse. The rate of MI complex formation from benzylamphetamine in phenobarbital-induced microsomes was similar to that from SKF 8742A and nor-1-alpha-acetylmethadol in microsomes from rabbits treated with the highest dose of rifampicin. Cytochrome P450 MI complex formation from all compounds was either low or absent from microsomes of vehicle-treated animals.
Design and Conduct of Observational Studies and Clinical Trials

This chapter provides an overview of various study designs and their advantages and disadvantages. Epidemiologic study designs are rich and diverse, spanning studies involving single patients observed at the bedside to those conducted on a population-wide, national, or international basis. Epidemiologic study designs are rich and diverse, spanning studies involving single patients observed at the bedside to those conducted on a population-wide, national, or international basis. There are various types of study designs. The simplest study design is a description of a particular clinical phenomenon in a case report or case series. Other complex study designs include cross-sectional survey design, case-control study, prospective longitudinal studies, and clinical trials.
MANTLE CONVECTION IN THE EARTH AND PLANETS.: G. Schubert, D. L. Turcotte, and P. Olson. Cambridge University Press, 2001, 940 p. $200.00 hardback ($74.95 paperback).

Earth’s mantle overturns itself about once every 200 Million years (Myrs). Prima facie evidence of this overturn is the motion of Earth’s tectonic plates, about thirteen major ones today. This number waxes and wanes as we go back in time. In fact, plate motion reconstructions based upon the magnetic isochron record of the ocean floor reveal that even during the relatively recent 100 Myrs of Earth history some plates have been lost almost entirely to subduction while new plates have appeared in their place. Supporting evidence also comes from seismic tomograms of Earth’s interior, i.e. from “cat scans” of our planet. Over the past five years these cat scans have dramatically improved in quality, yielding high-resolution images of Earth’s interior that would have seemed impossible two decades ago. The tomographic images reveal sub-ducted oceanic plates plunging to the bottom of the mantle, effectively marking cold, downwelling currents and providing us with a snapshot of highly time-dependent convection inside the planet. The fluid behavior of the mantle over geologic time, of course, places mantle convection firmly into the realm of fluid dynamics, and that is where the new book ”Mantle Convection in the Earth and Planets” by Gerald …
A novel band-to-band tunneling induced convergence mechanism for low current, high density flash EEPROM applications

A new low current two-step erasing scheme for "repairing" over-erased flash EEPROM cells has been developed. The cell convergence is achieved with 10 V on the control gate and 5 V on the source and drain for 50 ms. The convergence current is kept to below 1 nA per cell. A substrate BTBT tunneling induced hot electron injection mechanism is proposed for convergence. No significant oxide degradation is seen in the method. >
Urban Avatars of “El Maligno”: Sacredness in Álex de la Iglesia’s El día de la bestia and Manuel Martín Cuenca’s Caníbal

El dia de la Bestia and Canibal are horror films that problematize distinctions between modernity and the sacred. In El dia de la Bestia, the KIO Towers embody the push of global contemporary capital toward a flat world beyond the end of history, a realm of extreme abstraction and erased materiality. The film offers an image of a Madrid on the verge of resacralization under the sign of transcendental catastrophe and the End. In Canibal, a serial killer shows no sacrificial excess in his murders, and turns his victims into indistinguishable packages of meat. However, premodern sacrificial practices and modern avatars of sacred excess are never fully erased, and the city becomes a space haunted by repressed sacredness.
The Ndc80 complex bridges two Dam1 complex rings

Strong kinetochore-microtubule attachments are essential for faithful segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis. The Dam1 and Ndc80 complexes are the main microtubule binding components of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae kinetochore. Cooperation between these two complexes enhances kinetochore-microtubule coupling and is regulated by Aurora B kinase. We show that the Ndc80 complex can simultaneously bind and bridge across two Dam1 complex rings through a tripartite interaction, each component of which is regulated by Aurora B kinase. Mutations in any one of the Ndc80p interaction regions abrogates the Ndc80 complex's ability to bind two Dam1 rings in vitro, and results in kinetochore biorientation and microtubule attachment defects in vivo. We also show that an extra-long Ndc80 complex, engineered to space the two Dam1 rings further apart, does not support growth. Taken together, our work suggests that each kinetochore in vivo contains two Dam1 rings and that proper spacing between the rings is vital.
Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptibility and Fitness for Duty.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is an inherited hypermetabolic condition characterized by uncontrolled calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle, usually from exposure to inhaled general anesthetics and/or the depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent succinylcholine. Multiple case reports now reveal that crises may be precipitated by environmental factors such as exercise or high ambient temperatures. Common signs of an MH crisis include life-threatening hyperthermia, metabolic acidosis, muscle rigidity, and tachycardia. Treatment consists of stopping triggering agents, administering dantrolene, and actively cooling the patient. MH is a medically disqualifying condition for service in the U.S. Armed Forces. However, patients with MH-causative mutations may never have experienced an MH episode. If they previously have had an event concerning for MH, details are often sparse and a formal evaluation is absent. Materials and Methods: We present 2 case reports with ...
Bias against Disconfirmatory Evidence in a large Nonclinical Sample: Associations with Schizotypy and Delusional Beliefs:

Bias against disconfirmatory evidence (BADE) is associated with delusion-like ideation and delusion-related aspects of schizotypy in nonclinical populations. Using a well-validated BADE assessment,...
Tightness–looseness: Implications for consumer and branding research

Abstract This commentary highlights the importance of the tightness–looseness distinction to provide a more nuanced understanding of cross-cultural consumer behavior (Li, Gordon & Gelfand, this issue). We provide guidelines to integrate the tightness–looseness distinction into existing cross-cultural models of consumer behavior, and suggest how doing so can help to refine predictions about the persuasiveness of message appeals. We also discuss how the tightness–looseness distinction can enrich branding research, by suggesting future research opportunities in the domains of brand extension research and brand protection.
Human amygdala stimulation effects on emotion physiology and emotional experience.

Abstract The amygdala is a key structure mediating emotional processing. Few studies have used direct electrical stimulation of the amygdala in humans to examine stimulation-elicited physiological and emotional responses, and the nature of such effects remains unclear. Determining the effects of electrical stimulation of the amygdala has important theoretical implications for current discrete and dimensional neurobiological theories of emotion, which differ substantially in their predictions about the emotional effects of such stimulation. To examine the effects of amygdala stimulation on physiological and subjective emotional responses we examined epilepsy patients undergoing intracranial EEG monitoring in which depth electrodes were implanted unilaterally or bilaterally in the amygdala. Nine subjects underwent both sham and acute monopolar electrical stimulation at various parameters in electrode contacts located in amygdala and within lateral temporal cortex control locations. Stimulation was applied at either 50 Hz or 130 Hz, while amplitudes were increased stepwise from 1 to 12 V, with subjects blinded to stimulation condition. Electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR) were simultaneously recorded and subjective emotional response was probed after each stimulation period. Amygdala stimulation (but not lateral control or sham stimulation) elicited immediate and substantial dose-dependent increases in EDA and decelerations of HR, generally without affecting RR. Stimulation elicited subjective emotional responses only rarely, and did not elicit clinical seizures in any subject. These physiological results parallel stimulation findings with animals and are consistent with orienting/defensive responses observed with aversive visual stimuli in humans. In summary, these findings suggest that acute amygdala stimulation in humans can be safe and can reliably elicit changes in emotion physiology without significantly affecting subjective emotional experience, providing a useful approach for investigation of amygdala-mediated modulatory effects on cognition.
Impact of the Aged Brain Environment on Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with no disease-modifying therapy currently available. Viral vectors are currently being used as a preclinical tool in PD animal models and in gene therapy clinical trials to attempt to slow disease progression. Although multiple clinical trials have tested the efficacy of this therapy for PD, all strategies have failed to provide neuroprotection. Age is the greatest risk factor for developing PD and failing to consider aging as a covariate in preclinical trials may have contributed to these results. We recently characterized a robust age-related deficiency in viral vector-mediated transgene expression targeted to brain regions associated with PD. Future preclinical and clinical studies using gene therapy should consider the role of the aged brain environment in development of disease-modifying treatments for age-related diseases such as PD.
AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF NON-AGGRESSIVE SOCIAL SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT This paper will examine what evidence anthropological studies of non-aggressive traditional social systems and their methods of socialization can offer to our understanding of contemporary society. The approach followed in the paper will be evolutionary and comparative. Special consideration is given to the role of formal and informal education in relationship to peace and the quality of life in cultural development.
Bridging Research, Policy and Practice of Inquiry in Singaporean Classrooms

The focus of these four chapters—inquiry teaching and learning in Singaporean science classrooms—is an area of utmost importance in preparing children to be scientifically literate in the twenty-first century. Most science educators believe strongly that the time for change in the way science is taught has arrived. First, there is virtually no way anyone can learn all the exponentially increasing volume of new science facts by simply memorising this information. Second, there is no evidence that memorisation leads children to be critical thinkers. Third, in today’s rapidly changing world and with advances in scientific discoveries, it is important for children to understand what science is, and what science is not, and aspects of the nature of science. Research suggests that inquiry-based science instruction has the potential to move diverse children towards independent and critical thinking (see Blanchard et al., 2010; Cuevas, Lee, Hart & Deaktor, 2005). Yet, the reality is that little change is taking place in many classrooms in the United States and in other countries (see Capps & Crawford, 2013). Understanding how we can support teachers in changing the way science is taught to children is a worldwide issue. Internationally, there is a distinct shift from expecting teachers to use primarily lectures and fact-based instruction to use reform-based inquiry pedagogy in their science classrooms. In Singapore, the national science curriculum was updated in 2008 to include inquiry as the core and guiding philosophy. In Europe there is increased attention to the question of how to effectively support teachers in changing their practice to involve students in asking and answering questions, using data as evidence and justifying their explanations (i.e. Osborne & Dillon, 2008).