Drinking in the pigeon (Columba livia): Topography and spatiotemporal organization.

Analyzed drinking response of 5 male White Carneaux pigeons by means of high-speed cinematography. Like eating, drinking may be subdivided into 3 movement patterns involving the effector systems of the neck, eyelids, and beak. The major topographic difference between the 2 responses involves beak opening (gape). In eating, beak opening begins prior to contact with the food, and the amount of gape is directly proportional to seed size. In drinking, the beak remains almost closed during descent and opens intermittently and with a relatively small gape during water intake. The topography of drinking in the pigeon differs from that of many birds, and these differences reflect a difference in the mechanism of water ingestion. Data in this study confirm previous observations of a general resemblance between certain features of the pigeon's drinking behavior and the topography of water-reinforced key pecks. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulating the effects of surface diffusion on electron beam induced deposition via a three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation

The effects that adsorbed precursor surface diffusion has on electron beam induced deposition are explored via a three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation. Initially the growth rate and resolution are compared for a common set of deposition conditions with a variable surface diffusion coefficient ranging from 0 to 1 × 10(-8)?cm(2)?s(-1). The growth rate and resolution are shown to both be enhanced as the growth changes from a mass transport limited regime to a reaction rate limited regime. The complex interplay between the vertical growth rate, the lateral growth rate, the interaction volume and the adsorbed and diffused precursor species are discussed. A second scenario is also simulated in which only gas diffused from a constant source at the perimeter of the simulation boundary is assumed (no gas phase adsorption). At low diffusion coefficients, the diffusing gas is consumed by secondary and backscattered electrons and experimentally observed ring-like structures are generated. At higher diffusion coefficients, the diffusion length is sufficient for the precursor atoms to diffuse to the center (and up the pillar sidewalls) to generate nanowires.     

Intramyocardial Inflammation after COVID-19 Vaccination: An Endomyocardial Biopsy-Proven Case Series

Myocarditis in response to COVID-19 vaccination has been reported since early 2021. In particular, young male individuals have been identified to exhibit an increased risk of myocardial inflammation following the administration of mRNA-based vaccines. Even though the first epidemiological analyses and numerous case reports investigated potential relationships, endomyocardial biopsy (EMB)-proven cases are limited. Here, we present a comprehensive histopathological analysis of EMBs from 15 patients with reduced ejection fraction (LVEF = 30 (14–39)%) and the clinical suspicion of myocarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty^® (Pfizer-BioNTech) (n = 11), Vaxzevria^® (AstraZenica) (n = 2) and Janssen^® (Johnson & Johnson) (n = 2). Immunohistochemical EMB analyses reveal myocardial inflammation in 14 of 15 patients, with the histopathological diagnosis of active myocarditis according the Dallas criteria (n = 2), severe giant cell myocarditis (n = 2) and inflammatory cardiomyopathy (n = 10). Importantly, infectious causes have been excluded in all patients. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been detected sparsely on cardiomyocytes of nine patients, and differential analysis of inflammatory markers such as CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells suggests that the inflammatory response triggered by the vaccine may be of autoimmunological origin. Although a definitive causal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and the occurrence of myocardial inflammation cannot be demonstrated in this study, data suggest a temporal connection. The expression of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein within the heart and the dominance of CD4⁺ lymphocytic infiltrates indicate an autoimmunological response to the vaccination.     

基于RDF4S的一种轻量语义Web服务组合

首先简要介绍语义Web服务资源描述框架(RDF4S),在此基础上提出语义Web服务包装机制,语义Web服务经包装后,分别通过组合接口和调用接口为组合语义Web服务的设计与调用提供支持.然后分别详细介绍组合语义Web服务的设计存储和调用执行:通过图形化的设计工具按照语义Web服务的3种基本逻辑关系设计组合结构图,然后将该图映射到组合结构信息表存储,组合语义Web服务执行时根据结构信息表生成语义Web服务代理对象和相应的语义消息,再根据语义消息传递机制调用Web服务实体.最后用一个实例展示组合语义Web服务执行时的消息传递,试验表明该方法有效.     

Twenty‐five years of the Information Systems Journal: A bibliometric and ontological overview

The Information Systems Journal (ISJ) published its first issue in 1991, and in 2015, the journal celebrated its 25th anniversary. This study presents an overview of the leading research trends in the papers that the journal has published during its first quarter of a century via a bibliometric and ontological analysis. From a bibliometric perspective, the analysis considers the publication and citation structure of the journal. The study then develops a graphical analysis of the bibliographic material by using visualization of similarities software that employs bibliographic coupling and cocitation analysis. The work produces an ontological framework of impact and analyses the journal papers to assess qualitatively ISJ's impact. The results indicate that the journal has grown significantly over time and is now recognized as one of the leading journals in information systems. Yet challenges remain if the journal is to meet its aims in impacting and setting the agenda for the development of the Information Systems field.     

A global optimization strategy for predicting alpha-helical protein tertiary structure

We present a global optimization strategy that incorporates predicted restraints in both a local optimization context and as directives for global optimization approaches, to predict protein tertiary structure for alpha-helical proteins. Specifically, neural networks are used to predict the secondary structure of a protein, restraints are defined as manifestations of the network with a predicted secondary structure and the secondary structure is formed using local minimizations on a protein energy surface, in the presence of the restraints. Those residues predicted to be coil, by the network, define a conformational sub-space that is subject to optimization using a global approach known as stochastic perturbation that has been found to be effective for Lennard-Jones clusters and homo-polypeptides. Our energy surface is an all-atom 'gas phase' molecular mechanics force field, that is combined with a new solvation energy function that penalizes hydrophobic group exposure. This energy function gives the crystal structure of four different alpha-helical proteins as the lowest energy structure relative to other conformations, with correct secondary structure but incorrect tertiary structure. We demonstrate this global optimization strategy by determining the tertiary structure of the A-chain of the alpha-helical protein, uteroglobin and of a four-helix bundle, DNA binding protein.     

有关建筑教育和理论的当代思索——菲利普·乌尔施布隆访谈

访谈中菲利普·乌尔施布隆首先讨论了当前历史性面临的危机,并得出"建筑理论已失去它的自主性"的观点.他认为当代理论已不存在中心化的大师理论,而是呈现出多元化的概念,恰如米克·巴尔的"微型理论"般运作.基于巴尔关于"概念旅行"的理论,他探讨了全球化语境下建筑教育的新机遇,最后由此出发分析中国与西方国家当代建筑教育之间的相互...     

Functions and Mechanisms of Pro-Lysyl Oxidase Processing in Cancers and Eye Pathologies with a Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy

Lysyl oxidases are multifunctional proteins derived from five lysyl oxidase paralogues (LOX) and lysyl oxidase-like 1 through lysyl oxidase-like 4 (LOXL1–LOXL4). All participate in the biosynthesis of and maturation of connective tissues by catalyzing the oxidative deamination of lysine residues in collagens and elastin, which ultimately results in the development of cross-links required to function. In addition, the five LOX genes have been linked to fibrosis and cancer when overexpressed, while tumor suppression by the propeptide derived from pro-LOX has been documented. Similarly, in diabetic retinopathy, LOX overexpression, activity, and elevated LOX propeptide have been documented. The proteolytic processing of pro-forms of the respective proteins is beginning to draw attention as the resultant peptides appear to exhibit their own biological activities. In this review we focus on the LOX paralogue, and what is known regarding its extracellular biosynthetic processing and the still incomplete knowledge regarding the activities and mechanisms of the released lysyl oxidase propeptide (LOX-PP). In addition, a summary of the roles of both LOX and LOX-PP in diabetic retinopathy, and brief mentions of the roles for LOX and closely related LOXL1 in glaucoma, and keratoconus, respectively, are included.     

Experimental investigation of a cook-off temperature in a hot barrel

The experimental investigations of the effect of contact time/temperature on initiating the cook-off using 7.62 mm calibre cartridge cases （CC） were conducted previously. These cartridges were filled with commercial off-the-shelf （COTS） double based （DB） propellant （Bulls Eye） and were loaded in a hot chamber. The thermal explosion temperature is of great significance to both weapon designers and safety inspectors as it provides the operational limit and safe operating temperature. For CC under test, it was found that the cook-off temperatures of this propellant were encountered with the heat transfer profile of the simulated gun barrel between 151.4 ℃ and 153.4 ℃, with a reaction occurring in less than 300 s after the round was chambered. Usefully, each experiment was found to be consistent and repeatable.