cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Duration judgment and the experience of change

Predictions based on storage size, processing effort, and change models of time estimation were tested in five experiments. The first of these presented subjects with stimulus patterns that varied on dimensions of sensory-event number and uncertainty. Subjects estimated the duration of time periods using the reproduction method. Duration estimates were most accurately predicted by the number of sensory events in each pattern. This relationship was generally positive, although the specific function relating these variables was dependent upon clock duration. The change model seemed to fit these data best. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the relationship between sensory change and judged duration was not due to the total time of sensory input. Experiments 3, 4, and 5 tested the effects of several different types of change. In Experiments 3 and 4, the number of sensory events was held constant, but the regularity of their spatial presentation was varied. In both experiments, duration judgments were positively related to the number of changes that occurred. Because the manipulations used in these experiments produced differences in the visual complexity of stimulus patterns, the argument could be made that storage size or processing effort accounted for the size of duration judgments. Experiment 5 tested the effects of change while holding the visual complexity of stimulus patterns constant. A positive relationship between duration judgments and number of changes was again found.
The Cosmopolitan Creative-Intellectual: The Creative Ideal of Paul Robeson

The focus of this article is Paul Robeson’s creative ideal (aesthetic). Though there is much literature that discusses the creative accomplishments and social activism of Robeson, with much agreeme...
Selection of Preoverlay Repair Methods for Asphalt Overlay on Asphaltic and Composite Pavements in Wisconsin Based on Cost Effectiveness

Asphalt concrete (AC) overlay is a commonly used rehabilitation technology for existing distressed pavements. Current practice regarding the selection of preoverlay repair is based on the experience of designers and field engineers. Therefore, the performance of asphalt overlays vary significantly. There is a need to develop a guideline to select the most cost-effective preoverlay repair methods. In this study, a database that includes 338 historic asphalt overlay projects is developed. The service lives of the asphalt overlays, based on each preoverlay repair method, are determined. The agency and user costs over the service lives are analyzed. The results indicate that the pavement distress index (PDI) development method based on the regression can be used to predict the service lives of overlays on AC and composite (COMP) pavements (concrete pavement that has been overlaid at least once). For existing AC pavements, milling is recommended when alligator cracking is extensive and no preoverlay repair is needed for other major preoverlay distresses. For existing COMP pavements, milling is recommended regardless of the preoverlay distresses’ extent and severity.
The New “York” Regression: Application of an Improved Statistical Method to Geochemistry

York's (1969) method of regression, determining the best-fit line to data with errors in both variables using a least-squares solution, has become an integral part of isotope geochemistry. Although other methods agree with York's best-fit line (e.g., maximum likelihood), there is little agreement on the standard-error estimates for slope and intercept values. The reasons for this are differing levels of approximation used to compute the standard error, doubts concerning procedures for determining a confidence interval once the standard error has been estimated, and a typographical error in the original publication. This paper examines York's method of regression and standard errors of the parameters of a best-fit line. A very accurate method for determining the standard error in slope and intercept values is introduced, which eliminates the need to multiply the standard-error estimate by the goodness-of-fit parameter known as MSWD. In addition, a derivation of a fixed-intercept method of regression is int...
Photoacoustic microscopy of ceramic engine hardware

Scanning photoacoustic microscopy (SPAM) was applied to silicon nitride turbine hardware for purposes of detecting fabrication defects. SPAM traces in selected areas of complex-shaped turbine stator vanes were obtained and indicate that surface-crack detection of the order of tens of microns is possible. Means were devised to allow for multiple scans in areas previously inaccessible to other nondestructive techniques capable of detecting defects in the 25- to 100-µm range. The results show that SPAM is applicable to reaction-bonded silicon nitride turbine components and capable of detecting small surface-related defects.
Expanding the chemical diversity of spirooxindoles via alkylative pyridine dearomatization.

A mild and practical synthesis of spirooxindole [1,3]oxazino derivatives from N-substituted isatins and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with pyridine derivatives is reported. The reactions provided good to excellent yields. Further exploration of the molecular diversity of these compounds is demonstrated through Diels–Alder reactions.
A note on the history of adjectival verbs in Newar

Most of the adjectival verbs in the Kathmandu and Dolakha dialects of Newar exhibit idiosyncratic phonotactic shapes, including rare disyllabic stems and heavy and nasalized rhymes. The same set of adjectival verbs exhibits irregular inflectional patterns in the derivation of lexical adjectives in Kathmandu Newar. Comparison of the modern forms of both varieties and Classical Newar suggests that we reconstruct a class of monosyllabic adjectives for Proto-Newar. In Classical and Kathmandu Newar, these adjectives received an /u/ augment; verbs were created with the infinitive -ye and the attendant Class III verb paradigm. By contrast, in Dolakha Newar the forms underwent a derivational process, probably originally compounding, with the verb yer- "come". This process resulted in disyllabic stems which now follow regular inflectional patterns, except under negation. The incorporation of the old adjectives into the modern verbal systems thus represents a separate wave in the development of modern verbs in Newar.
High-operating-temperature MWIR photon detectors based on type II InAs/GaSb superlattice

Abstract Recent efforts have been paid to elevate the operating temperature of Type II InAs/GaSb superlattice Mid Infrared photon detectors. Optimized growth parameters and interface engineering technique enable high quality material with a quantum efficiency above 50%. Intensive study on device architecture and doping profile has resulted in almost one order of magnitude of improvement to the electrical performance and lifted up the 300K-background BLIP operation temperature to 166K. At 77K, the ~4.2 m cut-off devices exhibit a differential reP sistance area product in excess of the measurement system limit (10 6 Ohm.cm 2 ) and a detectivity of 3x10 13 cm.Hz 1/2 /W. High quality focal plane arrays were demonstrated with a noise equivalent temperature of 10mK at 77K. Uncooled camera is capable to capture hot objects such as soldering iron. Keywords: Type II superlattice, InAs/GaS b, M-structure, photodetector s, MWIR, focal plane arrays. INTRODUCTION: TYPE II ANTIMONIDE BASED SUPERLATTICES
Self‐Injurious Behaviors: Assessment and Diagnosis

This article examines the diagnosis and assessment of self-injurious behaviors. A classification model for conceptualizing self-injury is discussed, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) diagnoses associated with self-injury are addressed. Assessment questions and issues to consider when assessing clients who self-injure are provided.
Portable optical tissue flow oximeter based on diffuse correlation spectroscopy.

A portable diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) flowmeter has been extended to measure both tissue blood flow and oxygenation (namely, DCS flow oximeter). For validation purposes, calf muscle blood oxygenation during cuff inflation and deflation was measured concurrently using the DCS flow oximeter and a commercial tissue oximeter. The oxygenation traces from the two measurements exhibited similar dynamic responses, and data were highly correlated (rmean>0.9, P<10−5, n=10). The portable, inexpensive, and easy-to-use DCS flow oximeter holds promise for bedside monitoring of tissue blood flow and oxygenation in clinics.
Nucleic Acid Synthesis in the Chloroplasts of Acetabularia mediterranea

Radioautographic and radiochemical techniques were used to establish the presence of replicating DNA in the chloroplasts of Acetabularia mediterranea. These techniques also demonstrated that these chloroplasts synthesize RNA. It was found that label from thymine was also incorporated into DNA and RNA in these chloroplasts. With the establishment of protein and nucleic acid synthesis in Acetabularia chloroplasts, it is clear that these chloroplasts carry out those metabolic processes which are most characteristic of autonomous cells.
Darwin and the political economists: Divergence of character

Several stages can be identified in Darwin's effort to formulate natural selection. The first stage corresponded, roughly speaking, to the period up to 1844. It was characterized by Darwin's attempt to base his model of geographic speciation on an individualistic dynamics, with species understood as reproductively isolated populations. Toward the end of this period, Darwin's ignorance of the laws of variations and heredity led him to adopt varieties and species as the units of variations. This had the extremely important effect of stimulating him to consider the process of speciation as involving populations. At the end of this period, Darwin also began to regard adaptation as being exclusively toward places in the economy of nature. Thus he faced the problem of integrating the process of natural selection with the process of speciation. Individual variants were the units that fueled the first process, whereas varieties produced new speices. There was no link between adaptation and speciation, except whatever could be supplied by a quasi-historical, developmental idea of optimizing the amount of life. In the second stage, I contend, Darwin's reading of Milne-Edwards crystallized his previous insights into a coherent whole. Milne-Edwards' comments on the advantage of functional specialization could readily be understood in terms of the advantage accruing to the individual, relative to other members of its species, from occupying a different niche. Milne-Edwards' discussion of the division of labor suggested that organisms which moved into unoccupied niches would enjoy reduced competition, and hence a differential advantage in survival and reproduction; thus they would induce the species to do likewise. Rather than base his explanation on an analogy with the artificial economy, Darwin chose the principle of the optimalization of the amount of life per unit area as the overall explanatory principle. The difficulties connected with integrating different levels of description were therefore circumvented, insofar as the problem of diversity and speciation was concerned. Although natural selection considered individuals as the units of selection, and the units of variations were varieties and species, the dynamics of the process understood in terms of natural selection, competition, division of labor and niches could give a plausible account of how individual advantage could be transferred to the species, and how diversity resulted from this mechanism. The problem of the different levels of descriptions was confined to how the properties of variations in individuals (in particular, the frequency of variations and their transmission) were responsible for the assumed variability characteristic of varieties and species. This problem Darwin never solved. A third stage occurred in 1858 with the amalgamation of the tree-of-life vizualization of the process of speciation. Speciation, geographic distribution, and systematics were all then embedded in a conceptual matrix with vast explanatory powers.
Nonlinear transverse effects in second-harmonic generation

We study a three-dimensional model of interaction of fundamental-frequency and second-harmonic beams in a quadratically nonlinear medium. Numerical simulations of the three-dimensional propagation problem in the presence of diffraction and anisotropy are performed under the paraxial approximation. The role of the transverse effects in various regimes is investigated. We demonstrate the effect of phase modulation and an induced nonlinear focusing during the interaction of the fundamental frequency with the generated second harmonic.
High Throughput Continuous Fabrication of Large Surface Area Microstructured PDMS

Rapid creation of devices with microscale features is a vital step in the commercialization of a wide variety of technologies, such as microfluidics, fuel cells and self-healing materials. The current standard for creating many of these microstructured devices utilizes the inexpensive, flexible material poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to replicate microstructured molds. This process is inexpensive and fast for small batches of devices, but lacks scalability and the ability to produce large surface-area materials. The novel fabrication process presented in this paper uses a cylindrical mold with microscale surface patterns to cure liquid PDMS prepolymer into continuous microstructured films. Results show that this process can create continuous sheets of micropatterned devices at a rate of 3.94 in2 /sec (100 mm2 /sec), almost an order of magnitude faster than soft lithography, while still retaining submicron patterning accuracy.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Complex resistivity of fault gouge and its significance for earthquake lights and induced polarization

We have measured complex resistivity of 2 water-saturated San Andreas fault gouges from 10−3 to 106 Hz and confining pressures of 0.2 to 200 MPa. Consistent with earlier observations of clays and common rocks, large low-frequency permittivities were observed in all cases. Comparisons were made to induced polarization (IP) measurements by inversion of the data into the time domain, where we found that principal features of the IP response curves were due to these large low-frequency permittivities. The results also suggest that following large earthquakes, significant electrical charge could remain for many seconds and could result in a variety of reported electromagnetic effects.
Erythrocyte Survival in Guinea Pigs

SummaryDisappearance curves of autologous, isologous, and homologous guinea pig erythrocytes labeled with Cr51 were compared. The T1/2 for autologous and isologous cells was about 16 days, and 5% of the activity remained on day 66. Calculations from a model used to describe survival curves indicated that disappearance rates of autologous and isologous erythrocytes were not significantly different. From the data, a value of 80–90 days was suggested as an estimate of life span for guinea pig erythrocytes. The T1/2 for homologous erythrocytes was 12 days, and 5% of the activity remained on day 46. Although the survival curve did not indicate immune clearance characteristics, homologous erythrocytes disappeared at a moderately but significantly faster rate than normal.
Improved Aperture Synthesis for Digital Holography

We demonstrated aperture synthesis for digital holography in the laboratory by mosaicking an array of single frames. We developed improved focus correction, frame-to-frame sub-pixel registration, and piston phase-error correction.
Increased atrial natriuretic factor response to exercise after coarctation repair.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is primarily secreted in response to stretching of the atrial tissue.1 Recent evidence suggests that owing to its natriuretic and vasorelaxant properties, ANF may be involved in the regulation of blood pressure.2 Because children who have undergone repair of coarctation of the aorta have a propensity for either resting or exercise-related hypertension later in life, this study was designed to evaluate the response of ANF to dynamic exercise many years after coarctation repair and compare the results with those of an age-matched control group.
The pattern of plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretion in normal and hypertensive subjects before and after saline infusions

Abstract The pattern of plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretion was studied in 56 unselected patients with essential hypertension and in 10 hypertensive patients with renal complications. The results were compared to responses found in 17 normal subjects and 6 patients with verified primary aldosteronism. In all cases, plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretion rates were measured under precise conditions of metabolic balance, initially during dietary salt restriction and then after physiologic saline infusions. Abnormally low responses in plasma renin activity to salt restriction were found in 13 patients with essential hypertension (25 percent), and in 4 there was no significant increase with standing. The expected increase in aldosterone secretion also failed to occur in 9 patients, 6 of whom demonstrated low plasma renin activity. The great majority of patients with essential hypertension responded normally to saline infusions with decreased plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretion, but in 4 patients the latter was greater than 300 μg/day after saline infusion. The response of hypertensive patients with renal complications was not different from that seen in uncomplicated cases. Although there was great variation in the responses seen in individual patients with essential hypertension, the combination of suppressed plasma renin activity and autonomous, excessive aldosterone secretion was found in only 1 patient. In this unselected series, the maximal incidence of primary aldosteronism (using the currently accepted criteria) was less than 5 percent.
On the growth of nanoscale fatigue cracks

We identify nanoscale mechanisms of fatigue-crack growth in copper single crystals using molecular dynamics. By quantifying the nanoscale fatigue-crack growth rates, we can compare the growth rates for fatigue cracks on microstructural and macrostructural length scales. Computed crack growth rates in the nanometer range are shown to be very similar to those experimentally measured for small cracks (micron range), and at stress-intensity-factor ranges lower than the threshold for long cracks (millimeter range). Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that reversible plastic slip along the active crystallographic directions at the crack tip is responsible for advancing the crack during a fatigue cycle. In the case of single or double plastic slip localization at the crack tip, a typical Mode I fatigue crack deviates along a slip band, resulting in a mixed Mode I + Mode II crack-growth mechanism. For crystal orientations characterized by multiple slip systems concomitantly active at the crack tip, the crack ...
The Baltic in east European studies at American universities 1

Summary Work in the Baltic area is not easy and will not become so in the near future. One has to command a number of languages in order to contribute. The number of scholars interested in the Baltic is not great and they are widely dispersed. Hence, cooperation is impeded. A student or scholar must become a Baltic specialist in terms of some other academic discipline. Materials needed for studying the Baltic at a distance are scarce and dispersed. Even the best library holdings are none too extensive and existing collections are all too often not catalogued. There are, however, positive aspects. One can go to the area for short‐term visits with an idea of gaining insight into the locality and establishing personal contacts with resident scholars. Funds, while not ample, are no more restricted than in other academic enterprises. In some respects, money is the resource most available.
AMINOGLYCOSIDE USE AND THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF GRAM-NEGATIVE PATHOGENS IN A NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT 1756

The extensive use of aminoglycosides is associated with selection for resistant bacteria. Therefore, aminoglycoside use and the susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are monitored in our neonatal intensive care unit(NICU). We previously reported on the exclusive use of amikacin (AMK) in our nursery from 11/80 through 12/85 (Ped Inf Dis J. 6:461,1987). From 1/86 - 9/91 AMK continued to be the aminoglycoside of choice (period I). During period I, there were 5,836 admissions and AMK was used for 24,025 of 24,111 total aminoglycoside patient days (99.6%). GNB were isolated from 189 of 14,961 clinical specimens cultured during period I. 1.1% of the gram-negative isolates were amikacin-resistant and 2.7% were gentamicin-resistant.
The Region Encoded by the Alternatively Spliced Exon IIIA in Mesenchymal Fibronectin Appears Essential for Chondrogenesis at the Level of Cellular Condensation

Fibronectin in the extracellular matrix of tissues acts as a substrate for cell adhesion and migration during development. Heterogeneity in the structure of fibronectin is largely due to the alternative splicing of at least three exons (IIIB, IIIA, and V) during processing of a single primary transcript. Fibronectin mRNA alternative splicing patterns change from B+A+V+ to B+A−V+ during chondrogenesis. In this report, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates that while fibronectin protein containing the region encoded by exon IIIB is present throughout the limb at all stages of development, fibronectin protein containing the region encoded by exon IIIA disappears from cartilaginous regions just after condensationin vivoand in high-density mesenchymal micromass culturesin vitro.Treatment of mesenchymal micromass cultures prior to condensation with an antibody specific for the region encoded by exon IIIA disrupts the formation of cellular condensations and inhibits subsequent chondrogenesis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, microinjection of the exon IIIA antibody into embryonic chick limb primordiain vivoresults in malformations characterized by smaller limbs and loss of limb skeletal elements. These results strongly suggest that the presence of the region encoded by exon IIIA in mesenchymal fibronectin is necessary for the condensation event that occurs during chondrogenesis.
Characteristics of Mackerel Mince Lipid Hydrolysis

The lipid hydrolysis products in minced mackerel stored under vacuum at 2–3°C for 15 days were free fatty acids (FFA) and 1,2-diglycerides (DG); no 1,3-DG br monoglycerides were obsrved, Lysophosphati-dylcholine fLPC and lvsoohosohatidvlethanolamine (LPE) increased and then ddcreased with time: Lysiphosphatidylserie was not observed. More FFA, 1,2-DG, LPC, and LPE were detected in dark muscle than in light muscle. The initial fatty acid composition, by GC, showed no significant differences (α-0.05) among whole, light and dark muscles. When the lipid extracts were separated into three fractions (1: mostly triglycerides; 2: mostly FFA, DG, and cholesterol; and 3: mostly phospholipid), the degree of unsaturation of the lipids in fraction 2 was between those in fraction 1 and 3 and increased with time. These findings support the possibility that fish lipid hydrolysis may affect fish wholesomeness.
N-Terminal peptidic boronic acids selectively inhibit human ClpXP

The synthesis and development of N-terminal peptidic boronic acids as protease inhibitors is reported. N-Terminal peptidic boronic acids interrogate the S′ sites of the target protein for selectivity and provide a new strategy that complements the currently known peptidic α-amino boronic acids (C-terminal boronic acids). After screening a series of N-terminal peptidic boronic acids, the first selective inhibitor of human ClpXP, an ATP-dependent serine protease present in the mitochondrial matrix, was discovered. This should facilitate the understanding of the physiological function of this protease
Fast photoneutrons from tantalum and gold

The photonuclear cross sections for the prcduction of neutrons with energies greater than the Si/sup 28/(n,p)Al/sup 28/ threshold were determined for tantalum and gold from a maximum bremsstrahlung energy of 18 to 65 Mev. The integrated cross section to 65 Mev is about 800 Mev x mb for tantalum and 700 Mev x mb for gold. The fast neutron integrated cross section is compared with total neutron production cross section at several energies and is about 10% at all energies. (auth)
Cell population balance, ensemble and continuum modeling frameworks: Conditional equivalence and hybrid approaches

The cell population balance, ensemble and continuum modeling frameworks are widely used for the mathematical description of microbial populations. Each of these approaches focuses on different aspects of the processes of growth, division and intracellular reaction occurrence. Therefore, each framework can output different information at different computational expense. Continuum models assume lumped biomasses, capture the dynamics of bulk intracellular concentrations and are easy to simulate. Ensemble models account for heterogeneity due to different initial conditions or kinetic constants, and are more computationally expensive. Finally, cell population balances capture the partitioning of the intracellular contents in detail, but can quickly become intractable, as the number of biochemical species taken into consideration increases. It is thus natural to ask whether one can adequately simulate cell populations with a simpler approach. In this paper, starting from an (n+1) cell population balance, for n biochemical species and the cell volume, we investigate biologically plausible conditions, under which two exact hybrid models are derived. Provided that the conditions hold true, both hybrid models are exact but much simpler alternatives of the cell population balance; no approximation is involved. In the first, the evolution of the species concentrations is captured by an ensemble model, and in the second by a continuum model. Both hybrid models also contain a 1-dimensional population balance for the cell volume. This work should provide a guideline for choosing the modeling approach which is the most appropriate for the particular application. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Thermal response of a 3 He-superfluid- 4 He mixture

The response of a layer of superfluid mixture to an ac heat source,Q(t)=Q 0 exp(iωt), is determined. In the low-frequency regime, the temperature response at the heated side of a superfluid layer is essentially identical to that of an ordinary fluid having a thermal conductivity κeff and a thermal diffusion coefficient Γ 0 /2. Here κeff is the effective conductivity of Khalatnikov, and Γ 0 is the diffusion coefficient of Griffin. At much higher frequencies, the results are more complicated. The low-frequency regime is defined in terms of the second sound velocityu 2 by ω≪u /Γ 0 . The ac response function is valuable in a number of ways. It can be used to obtain the system response to more complicated time-dependent variations inQ such as step changes inQ. A knowledge of the response function in the low-frequency regime provides a mechanism for directly determining the Kapitza resistance in mixtures. Finally, a knowledge of the response function provides an additional opportunity to test two-fluid hydrodynamics. Alternative tests of superfluid hydrodynamics are of particular interest in light of recent experiments that show anomalous values for κeff in the low 3 He concentration limit
Paradoxical embolism in Ebstein's anomaly.

A 30-year-old woman presented with sudden onset left flank pain 10 days following an uncomplicated delivery. She was normotensive with an electrocardiogram showing sinus-rhythm and pre-excitation ( Panel A ). Abdominal-computed tomography revealed a large wedge-shaped infarct in the left kidney ( Panel B , arrows). Lower-extremity doppler-imaging showed small bilateral deep-vein thromboses and anti-coagulation was initiated. Echocardiography suggested apical displacement of the …
On the convergence of common FDTD feed models for antennas

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is routinely used to calculate the input admittance/impedance of simple antennas. The value of the input admittance/impedance depends on the level of discretization used in the method, and should converge to a final value as the discretization becomes finer. In this paper, the level of discretization necessary for convergence is studied using two common feed models: the hard-source feed and the transmission-line feed. First, the simplest and most naive methods for introducing the voltage and the current in these models are considered, and the results for the admittance are shown not to converge. Next, improved methods for introducing the voltage and current in these models are constructed. The results for the admittance are then shown to converge, and guidelines are offered for the level of discretization needed for convergence. In addition, two general problems associated with the computation of the admittance are discussed: the agreement between admittances computed with different simple feed models, and the agreement between these admittances and measurements.
Online Solving of Inverse Problems in Critical Infrastructure Monitoring

In this paper online monitoring issues for infrastructure disaster preparedness was analyzed taking into account the difficulties in monitoring due to ill-posed inverse problems. For this case of real-time sensing followed by online inverse problem solving was investigated. Difficulties resulting from the ill-posed problem of estimation of internal variables of a distributed parameters system from local measurements on the boundary of the system will be analyzed using a generic simulator developed for such problems. The paper illustrates these issues by focusing on monitoring explosions to be sensed in real-time using distance temperature sensing, away from explosion location and online reconstruction of the explosion parameter
Sneaky egg-eating in Telmatherina sarasinorum, an endemic fish from Sulawesi

Observations of a novel behavioural tactic employed by egg-eating male Telmatherina sarasinorum are described. Four T. sarasinorum males were observed actively courting females of closely related Telmatherina antoniae, enticing the female to spawn, and then eating the eggs. The possible evolutionary implications of sneaky egg-eating behaviour are discussed.
Diacylglycerol Kinase Is Involved in Regulation of Expression of the Lantibiotic Mutacin II of Streptococcus mutans

Genetic characterization of a Tn916 transposon mutant, Streptococcus mutans T8-1, defective in mutacin II production, revealed that the transposon was inserted into the 3′ region of a diacylglycerol kinase (dgk) gene. The insertion occurred in the same region as described for another S. mutans mutant, GS5Tn1, which was altered in its ability to respond to environmental stress (Y. Yamashita, T. Takehara, and H. K. Kuramitsu, J. Bacteriol. 175:6220–6228, 1993). Quantitative primer extension from the mutacin structural gene mutA showed a decreased level (about eightfold) of mutA transcription for mutant T8-1. Mutacin production was restored by transforming mutant T8-1 with integration vector pVA891 containing an intact dgk gene. These data indicated that the full-length dgk gene product along with the mutacin biosynthetic operon are required for the production of the mutacin II lantibiotic.
ERGC: an efficient referential genome compression algorithm

MOTIVATION Genome sequencing has become faster and more affordable. Consequently, the number of available complete genomic sequences is increasing rapidly. As a result, the cost to store, process, analyze and transmit the data is becoming a bottleneck for research and future medical applications. So, the need for devising efficient data compression and data reduction techniques for biological sequencing data is growing by the day. Although there exists a number of standard data compression algorithms, they are not efficient in compressing biological data. These generic algorithms do not exploit some inherent properties of the sequencing data while compressing. To exploit statistical and information-theoretic properties of genomic sequences, we need specialized compression algorithms. Five different next-generation sequencing data compression problems have been identified and studied in the literature. We propose a novel algorithm for one of these problems known as reference-based genome compression. RESULTS We have done extensive experiments using five real sequencing datasets. The results on real genomes show that our proposed algorithm is indeed competitive and performs better than the best known algorithms for this problem. It achieves compression ratios that are better than those of the currently best performing algorithms. The time to compress and decompress the whole genome is also very promising. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The implementations are freely available for non-commercial purposes. They can be downloaded from http://engr.uconn.edu/∼rajasek/ERGC.zip. CONTACT rajasek@engr.uconn.edu.
Dronedarone: An Amiodarone Analog for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter:

Objective:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and safety profile of dronedarone for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.Data Sources:A literature search was conducted using the search terms dronedarone, SR 33589, atrial fibrillation, and antiarrhythmic medication in MEDLINE (1966–February 2007), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–February 2007), and EMBASE (1990–February 2007). References from the identified trials and selected review articles were evaluated. Additional information, including abstracts and posters, was obtained from Sanofi-Aventis.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Published studies and meeting abstracts evaluating the effects of dronedarone in humans and animals were reviewed.Data Synthesis:Dronedarone is a novel antiarrhythmic medication to treat atrial fibrillation. Dronedarone has a multifaceted mechanism of action similar to that of amiodarone. Dronedarone works by blocking potassium, sodium, and calcium channels and exhibits antiadrenergic pr...
Collective physics in the closed bosonic string.

A second-quantized analysis is performed to examine many-body phenomena in closed bosonic strings. The covariant nonpolynomial closed-string field theory is developed in terms of particle fields and shown to contain interactions triggering a nonperturbative condensation of the tachyon field. We study the possibility that the higher-dimensional Lorentz symmetry spontaneously breaks. We show that the theory has asymptotic freedom due to a tree-level running coupling. The spectrum of states in the nonperturbative ground state is radically changed relative to the free case; in particular, there is no massless graviton. Similar effects are anticipated in any nonperturbative vacuum.
Geology of southern Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska

Geologic mapping on southern Prince of Wales Island combined with U-Pb (zircon) geochronologic, geochemical, and conodont studies yield new information about the early Paleozoic geologic framework and evolution of the southern Alexander terrane. The oldest rocks recognized consist of arc-type(?) meta-volcanic and metasedimentary rocks (Wales metamorphic suite) which were derived from late Proterozoic(?)-Cambrian protoliths. These rocks were deformed, metamorphosed, and uplifted during the Middle Cambrian-Early Ordovician Wales orogeny. Beginning soon after this orogenic event and continuing into Early Silurian time, basaltic to rhyolitic rocks and marine clastic strata (Descon Formation) were deposited, and dioritic to granitic plutons were emplaced. A variety of geochemical data suggest that these Ordovician-Early Silurian rocks formed in a volcanic-arc environment. The middle Silurian-earliest Devonian Klakas orogeny marked the end of arc-type magmatism; it is manifest on southern Prince of Wales Island by regional imbrication on southwest-vergent thrust faults, penetrative brecciation and pervasive hydrothermal alteration of pre-Devonian rocks in some areas, and at least several kilometres of structural uplift. Lower Devonian strata (Karheen Formation) record the waning stages of this event: conglomeratic redbeds low in the section were deposited in topographically rugged, subaerial to shallow-marine environments, whereas strata high in the section were deposited in more distal marine environments. Post-Devonian rocks on southern Prince of Wales Island include the Bokan Mountain Granite (Jurassic), basaltic to dacitic(?) dike swarms, and mid-Cretaceous granodiorite and diorite bodies. Prior to emplacement of the mid-Cretaceous plutons, the Devonian and older rocks were offset along several sets of strike-slip faults and then downdropped along the Keete Inlet fault.
Automatic pool allocation for disjoint data structures

This paper presents an analysis technique and a novel program transformation that can enable powerful optimizations for entire linked data structures. The fully automatic transformation converts ordinary programs to use pool (aka region) allocation for heap-based data structures. The transformation relies on an efficient link-time interprocedural analysis to identify disjoint data structures in the program, to check whether these data structures are accessed in a type-safe manner, and to construct a Disjoint Data Structure Graph that describes the connectivity pattern within such structures. We present preliminary experimental results showing that the data structure analysis and pool allocation are effective for a set of pointer intensive programs in the Olden benchmark suite. To illustrate the optimizations that can be enabled by these techniques, we describe a novel pointer compression transformation and briefly discuss several other optimization possibilities for linked data structures.
Refined glufosinate selection in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill].

Modern genetic analysis and manipulation of soybean (Glycine max) depend heavily on an efficient and dependable transformation process, especially in public genotypes from which expressed sequence tag (EST), bacterial artificial chromosome and microarray data have been derived. Williams 82 is the subject of EST and functional genomics analyses. However, it has not previously been transformed successfully using either somatic embryogenesis-based or cotyledonary-node transformation methods, the two predominant soybean transformation systems. An advance has recently been made in using antioxidants to enhance Agrobacterium infection of soybean. Nonetheless, an undesirable effect of using these antioxidants is the compromised recovery of transgenic soybean when combined with the use of the herbicide glufosinate as a selective agent. Therefore, we optimized both Agrobacterium infection and glufosinate selection in the presence of l-cysteine for Williams 82. We have recovered transgenic lines of this genotype with an enhanced transformation efficiency using this herbicide selection system.
The Consequences of Increased Competition on Alternative Health Care Practitioners in the United States

The economic and political environment of health care in the United States has changed markedly during the 1980s. Medical reforms that stress cost-containment, bolster competition and promote the profit motive have spread rapidly. The consequences of these changes on conventional medicine have received a great deal of attention. However, little is known about their impact on alternative practitioners.In an effort to examine this impact, 91 alternative practitioners in New Jersey were surveyed. New Jersey was selected because its medical markets closely resemble those nationwide. The ‘typical’ alternative practitioner was male, middle-aged and in a solo practice. He worked 36 hours and treated 110 patients per week, spent 22 minutes with each patient and earned $54,000 per year.Most respondents reported that their practices and personal incomes significantly increased between 1980 and 1987. Although most were optimistic about the future, they were worried about prepaid groups, inadequate insurance coverage...
EFECTS OF SED DISPERSER SOCIAL BEHAVIOR ON PATTERNS OF SED MOVEMENT AND DEPOSITION

Seed dispersal is critical to the maintenance of healthy terrestrial habitats and to the regeneration of degraded habitats. As anthropogenic deforestation, fragmentation, and defaunation continue, animal-mediated seed dispersal mutualisms are likely to be disrupted, with potentially serious consequences for forest dynamics. In this review, we examine the degree to which disperser sociality may influence seed dispersal outcomes. Available data are sparse and suggest that the relationship is complex, but some basic trends do emerge from the work to date. Degree of sociality, or group size, may increase the distance seeds are dispersed but also can lead to increased clumped distributions. Territoriality and the resulting defense of resources are likely to reduce the scale of dispersal and lead to clumped seed distributions. Nesting and mating behaviors such as male display are also likely to lead to more clumped distributions. Clumped deposition can have either positive or negative impacts on seed fate, depending on microsite quality, which can vary greatly. In all cases, however, there are exceptions and caveats and the one clear finding from this review is that more work is needed on this subject. We suggest that comparative studies which assess seed dispersal services offered by closely related, syntopic species that vary in key behavioral parameters will be most enlightening. We also highlight the recent use of molecular markers as a particularly effective tool to infer the dispersal services of given species, and to assess the consequences for genetic structure of the plants they disperse.
Murugesu Sivapalan receives 2010 Hydrologic Sciences Award: Response

[1] Murugesu Sivapalan received the 2010 Hydrologic Sciences Award at the 2010 AGU Fall Meeting, held 13–17 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is for outstanding contributions to the science of hydrology.
The Role of Hofstede's Individualism in National-Level Creativity

It is a widely held belief that culture is a factor that influences creativity. The influence of culture on creativity is, however, relatively understudied and the majority of creativity research focuses on creativity at the level of the individual or organization. In this article, the relationship between Hofstede's cultural values (individualism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance) and national level scores on two separate creativity indexes—the Global Creativity Index (GCI) and the Design and Creativity Index (DCI) was examined. A multivariate multiple linear regression analyses showed a strong positive relationship between individualism and national ranking on the GCI and DCI. No significant relationship was found between the creativity measures and Hofstede's power distance and uncertainty avoidance. The positive relationship between individualism and creativity suggests that autonomy, independence, and freedom—beliefs associated with individualism—are needed for a nation to be creative.
Expression of P2 nucleotide receptors varies with age and sex in murine brain microglia

Microglia are implicated in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, many of which display sexual dimorphisms and have symptom onsets at different ages. P2 purinergic receptors are critical for regulating various microglial functions, but little is known about how their expression varies with age or sex. Therefore, comprehensive information about purinergic receptor expression in normal microglia, in both sexes, over age is necessary if we are to better understand their roles in the healthy and diseased CNS. We analyzed the expression of all fourteen rodent P2X and P2Y receptors in CD11b+ cells freshly-isolated from the brains of C57Bl/6 mice at five different ages ranging from postnatal day 3 to 12 months, in males and females, using quantitative RT-PCR. We also compared purinergic receptor expression in microglia freshly-isolated from 3 day-old pups to that in primary neonatal microglial cultures created from mice of the same age. We observed patterns in P2 receptor expression with age, most notably increased expression with age and age-restricted expression. There were also several receptors that showed sexually dimorphic expression. Lastly, we noted that in vitro culturing of neonatal microglia greatly changed their P2 receptor expression profiles. These data represent the first complete and systematic report of changes in purinergic receptor expression of microglia with age and sex, and provide important information necessary for accurate in vitro modeling of healthy animals.
Plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration: impact of age and gender.

Abstract Objectives We wished to examine the effects of age and gender on plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration in a population-based study. Background Measurement of BNP concentration is approved for use in the diagnosis of heart failure and may aid in the detection of left ventricular dysfunction. Although BNP is approved for clinical use, there are few data regarding the range of BNP observed in persons without cardiovascular disease or cardiac dysfunction. These data are essential for the interpretation of BNP. Methods In 2,042 randomly selected residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, >44 years old, BNP (Shionogi and Biosite assays), Doppler echocardiography, and medical record review were performed. A normal subset of subjects (n = 767) in sinus rhythm without cardiovascular, renal, or pulmonary disease or diabetes; on no cardiovascular medications; and with normal systolic, diastolic, and valvular function was identified. Results Within the normal subset, the distribution of BNP differed by age, gender, and assay system. With both assays, BNP increased significantly with age and was significantly higher in women than men, leading to age-, gender-, and assay-specific reference ranges. Receiver operating characteristic analysis for the ability of BNP to detect an ejection fraction ≤40% was performed in each age/gender stratum in the entire cohort (n = 2,042) and confirmed that discriminatory values for BNP for detection of reduced ejection fraction were higher in women and older persons and were different between the two assays. Conclusions Interpretation of BNP should include consideration of age-, gender-, and assay-specific partition values.
Flat beam spot sizes measurement in the SLC-final focus

With the switch to flat beam operation in the SLC during the 1993 run, it has become necessary to develop an algorithm that is capable of measuring the beam spot sizes at the Final Focus Interaction Point (IP). This algorithm uses the correct beam-beam deflection formula for the more general flat-beam case, since the round beam approximation is no longer valid. The application of this formula to the IP spot size measurements in the SLC Final Focus is the subject of this paper.
A single-crystal silicon 3-axis CMOS-MEMS accelerometer

The paper presents a single-crystal silicon (SCS)-based, integrated 3-axis accelerometer fabricated using a post-CMOS micromachining process. This new CMOS-MEMS process provides monolithic integration of electronics and SCS microstructures, and electrical isolation of silicon. By employing a unique vertical sensing mechanism, 3-axis acceleration sensing is achieved with a single proof mass. The symmetric structures and fully differential configuration of all the sensing electrodes can greatly reduce the cross coupling among the 3 axes. By sacrificing one interconnect metal layer, the silicon undercut of the sensing comb fingers is minimized, resulting in much higher sensitivity with the same device footprint. A wet Al etching process was also developed to remove the top Al layer without attacking the Al layers exposed from the sidewalls of the multilayer Al/oxide stacks. A two-stage, open-loop, continuous time chopper stabilized amplifier is integrated on the chip.