cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epitaxial growth of NiTiO3 with a distorted ilmenite structure

Abstract MTiO3 (M = Fe, Mn, Ni) compounds have received recent attention as possible candidates for multiferroic materials capable of magnetization switching by application of an electric field. In an attempt to stabilize NiTiO3 in the rhombohedral R3 structure, epitaxial Ni1 − xTi1 − yO3 films of different thickness and composition were deposited on Al2O3(0001) by pulsed laser deposition, and characterized using several techniques. Structural parameters for ilmenite-type NiTiO3 and the metastable LiNbO3-type NiTiO3 structure with the space group R3c were predicted using density functional theory calculations, and compared with the experimental results. Our structural data from X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicate that epitaxial ilmenite-type NiTiO3 films were grown. Furthermore, lattice strain exerted by the sapphire substrate results in a distorted ilmenite structure similar to the LiNbO3-type one. While R3c NiTiO3, the desired structure based on recent theory, cannot be claimed at this point, our results demonstrate the potential of oxide heteroepitaxy to stabilize metastable multiferroic phases that may be difficult to prepare or are inaccessible in the bulk.
Redox Activation of Aldose Reductase in the Ischemic Heart

Aldose reductase (AR) reduces cytotoxic aldehydes and glutathione conjugates of aldehydes derived from lipid peroxidation. Its inhibition has been shown to increase oxidative injury and abolish the late phase of ischemic preconditioning. However, the mechanisms by which ischemia regulates AR activity remain unclear. Herein, we report that rat hearts subjected to ischemia, in situ or ex vivo, display a 2–4-fold increase in AR activity. The AR activity was not further enhanced by reperfusion. Activation increased Vmax of the enzyme without affecting the Km and decreased the sensitivity of the enzyme to inhibition by sorbinil. Enzyme activation could be prevented by pretreating the hearts with the radical scavenging thiol, N-(2-mercaptoproprionyl)glycine or the superoxide dismutase mimetic, Tiron, or by treating homogenates with dithiothreitol. In vitro, the recombinant enzyme was activated upon treatment with H2O2 and the activated, but not the native enzyme, formed a covalent adduct with the sulfenic acid-specific reagent dimedone. The enzyme activity in the ischemic, but not the nonischemic heart homogenates was inhibited by dimedone. Separation of proteins from hearts subjected to coronary occlusion by two-dimensional electrophoresis and subsequent matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/mass spectrometry analysis revealed the formation of sulfenic acids at Cys-298 and Cys-303. These data indicate that reactive oxygen species formed in the ischemic heart activate AR by modifying its cysteine residues to sulfenic acids.
Mammalian X Upregulation Is Associated with Enhanced Transcription Initiation, RNA Half-Life, and MOF-Mediated H4K16 Acetylation

X upregulation in mammals increases levels of expressed X-linked transcripts to compensate for autosomal biallelic expression. Here, we present molecular mechanisms that enhance X expression at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Active mouse X-linked promoters are enriched in the initiation form of RNA polymerase II (PolII-S5p) and in specific histone marks, including histone H4 acetylated at lysine 16 (H4K16ac) and histone variant H2AZ. The H4K16 acetyltransferase males absent on the first (MOF), known to mediate the Drosophila X upregulation, is also enriched on the mammalian X. Depletion of MOF or male-specific lethal 1 (MSL1) in mouse ES cells causes a specific decrease in PolII-S5p and in expression of a subset of X-linked genes. Analyses of RNA half-life data sets show increased stability of mammalian X-linked transcripts. Both ancestral X-linked genes, defined as those conserved on chicken autosomes, and newly acquired X-linked genes are upregulated by similar mechanisms but to a different extent, suggesting that subsets of genes are distinctly regulated depending on their evolutionary history.
Insertion and deletion in a non-essential region of the nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus: effects on virulence and immunogenicity

Developing a vaccine that can differentiate infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA) is a new challenge in the design of a vaccine for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) is the single largest viral product, and it has multiple roles in polypeptide processing and replication complex formation. Using reverse genetics and an infectious PRRSV cDNA clone, we constructed several deletion mutants in the non-essential region of nsp2. One mutant, which has a 131 amino acid deletion within a relatively conserved region of nsp2, was recovered and found to produce a viable virus. The deleted region was replaced with a peptide tag encoding eight amino acids. A recombinant virus containing the 131 amino acid deletion was found to produce normal virus yields in MARC-145 cells and porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM); however, gross and micro-histopathology showed that the virus was less virulent in pigs. The 131 amino acid peptide was expressed as a recombinant protein and used to coat enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plates. This peptide was recognized by sera from pigs infected with wild-type virus, but not by sera from pigs infected with the deletion mutant. The results from this study show that nsp2 is an important target for the development of marker vaccines and for virus attenuation.
Relational Perceptions in Mother-Daughter Attachments

ABSTRACT Two-hundred-twenty-one matched pairs of post-adolescent females (Mean age = 20.2) and their mothers (Mean age = 46.5) participated in a study to examine the relational perceptions of mother-daughter attachments by evaluating their perceptions of reported autonomy, intimacy, conflict, self-esteem and quality of relationship. Results indicated that mothers and daughters differed significantly on one measure of autonomy (Family of Origin Scale) and conflict (Mother-Daughter Conflict Scale). No differences between mothers and daughters were found for measures of attachment, intimacy and self-esteem. Findings suggest close attachments yet differences reflective of individuation.
Knowledge discovery from massive healthcare claims data

he role of big data in addressing the needs of the present healthcare system in US and rest of the world has been echoed by government, private, and academic sectors. There has been a growing emphasis to explore the promise of big data analytics in tapping the potential of the massive healthcare data emanating from private and government health insurance providers. While the domain implications of such collaboration are well known, this type of data has been explored to a limited extent in the data mining community. The objective of this paper is two fold: first, we introduce the emerging domain of "big" healthcare claims data to the KDD community, and second, we describe the success and challenges that we encountered in analyzing this data using state of art analytics for massive data. Specifically, we translate the problem of analyzing healthcare data into some of the most well-known analysis problems in the data mining community, social network analysis, text mining, and temporal analysis and higher order feature construction, and describe how advances within each of these areas can be leveraged to understand the domain of healthcare. Each case study illustrates a unique intersection of data mining and healthcare with a common objective of improving the cost-care ratio by mining for opportunities to improve healthcare operations and reducing what seems to fall under fraud, waste, and abuse.
Transduction of PACAP38 protects primary cortical neurons from neurotoxic injury

Neurotrophic factors such as pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP38) are promising therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. However, delivery of trophic factors into brain neurons remains a challenge. The objective of this study is to determine whether adeno-associated virus (AAV) can mediate PACAP38 gene delivery into neurons in vitro and if transduction of AAV/PACAP38 into cortical neurons protects cells against neurotoxic insult. Primary cortical neuronal cultures are transduced with rAAV/PACAP38/GFP and cell survival against the nitric oxide releasing neurotoxin sodium nitroprusside (SNP) determined. GFP expression, a surrogate marker for successful transduction, is detected using fluorescent microscopy. The results show expression of GFP transgene and AAV capsid proteins in neurons. PACAP38 transduction significantly increases cell survival of neurons exposed to SNP. These results support the feasibility of using AAV-mediated delivery of PACAP38 to enhance neuronal survival and suggest that AAV-delivered PACAP38 maybe a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.
A Multipoint Flux Mixed Finite Element Method on Hexahedra

We develop a mixed finite element method for elliptic problems on hexahedral grids that reduces to cell-centered finite differences. The paper is an extension of our earlier paper for quadrilateral and simplicial grids [M. F. Wheeler and I. Yotov, SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 44 (2006), pp. 2082-2106]. The construction is motivated by the multipoint flux approximation method, and it is based on an enhancement of the lowest order Brezzi-Douglas-Duran-Fortin (BDDF) mixed finite element spaces on hexahedra. In particular, there are four fluxes per face, one associated with each vertex. A special quadrature rule is employed that allows for local velocity elimination and leads to a symmetric and positive definite cell-centered system for the pressures. Theoretical and numerical results indicate first-order convergence for pressures and subface fluxes on sufficiently regular grids, as well as second-order convergence for pressures at the cell centers. Second-order convergence for face fluxes is also observed computationally.
In vitro methylation of tobacco mosaic virus RNA with ribothymidine-forming tRNA methyltransferase of Escherichia coli Characterization and specificity of the reaction

A novel method has been developed for the detection and study of tRNA-like moieties in viral RNAs. Tobacco mosaic virus RNA is an acceptable substrate for crude Escherichia coli ribothymidine-forming tRNA methyltransferase. Under optimum reaction conditions at least 85% of the methylation product is ribothymidine (rT). The reaction is essentially quantitative, 1 mol of rT being formed per mol of tobacco mosaic virus RNA. The optimum reaction conditions include the presence of 6.6 μM S-adenosyl-l-[Me-3H]methionine, 25 μM spermine, 25 mM ammonium acetate, and 50 mM HEPES, pH 8.0. Sequence analysis of (Me-3H)-labeled tobacco mosaic virus RNA shows that all of the methylation occurs at a single site and strongly suggests that this site is the 32nd residue from the 3′-end of tobacco mosaic virus RNA. This site closely resembles the normal position of rT in transfer RNA.
448. Suicide Gene-Mediated Conditional Ablation of Tumors Derived from Transplanted Embryonic Stem Cells

Based on their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency, embryonic stem cells (ESC) are being developed as regenerative medicines, but transplantation protocols using differentiated ESC have been hindered by the fact that even small numbers of undifferentiated ESC within a transplant can lead to the development of teratomas. Within the limitations of current technology, it has not been possible to ensure that a population of differentiated ESC is entirely free of undifferentiated ESC. In this context, the safety profile of ESC transplants would be enhanced if uncontrolled cell growth could be suppressed using external stimuli. To address this issue, we hypothesized that gene transfer to the ESC of conditional elements that could kill the transduced cells if activated, would permit control of inappropriate outgrowth of ESC in vivo. To assess this strategy, we developed a replication-defective recombinant lentiviral gene transfer vector containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene (a suicide gene able to convert the nontoxic prodrug nucleotide analog ganciclovir (GCV) to a toxic form), an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter, and used this vector to genetically modify murine ESC (CGR8 strain). Fluorescence microscopy and FACS analysis demonstrated that 100% of these cells were killed in the presence of GCV (50 |[mu]|M) in vitro. To assess the ability of the HSVtk suicide strategy to eliminate ESC outgrowth, cloned undifferentiated ESC (105 cells) carrying the HSVtk-IRES-GFP transgene were administered subcutaneously into SCID mice to induce teratomas. Teratoma formation was verified by the histological identification of primitive ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm within the tumor mass. On day 14, when the tumor was 261|[plusmn]|52 mm3 in size, intra- peritoneal GCV administration was initiated and continued for 4 wk (30 mg/kg, twice per day), while a control group received no GCV. Reduction of tumor mass in the group receiving GCV was evident by 2 wk and the tumors were completely eliminated by 4 wk (10/10 treated, 0/3 untreated). Residual fibrous, fat and cartilage tissue were observed at the site of the tumor in the GCV group, but histologic analysis showed no live tumor cells. Mice followed after cessation of GCV treatment did not show any recurrence of tumor growth, suggesting that the tumor-forming cells were killed and not simply arrested. The HSVtk gene is small (1.3 kb) and the use of an IRES avoids the need for a separate promoter, leaving sufficient space for most transgenes. These data demonstrate that this strategy can be used to deliver a therapeutic gene with additional conditional genetic elements that can be activated to control undifferentiated ESC outgrowth and transduced ESC that have escaped growth control due to insertional mutagenesis associated with the use of integrating vectors.
A class of monotone interpolation schemes

Abstract This paper discusses a class of monotone (nonoscillatory) interpolation schemes convenient for applications with a variety of problems arising in computational fluid dynamics. These interpolators derive from the flux-corrected-transport finite difference advection schemes. It is shown that any known dissipative advection algorithm may be implemented as an interpolation scheme. The resulting interpolation procedure retains the formal accuracy of the advection scheme and offers such attractive computational properties as preservation of a sign or monotonicity of the interpolated variable. The derived class of interpolators consists of schemes of different levels of accuracy, efficiency, and complexity reflecting a rich variety of available advection schemes. Theoretical considerations are illustrated with idealized examples and selected applications to atmospheric fluid dynamics problems.
A survey seeking a definition of a smart distribution system

Recently, the U.S. Government has mandated the transformation of the existing electric grid into a “smart” grid through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA07) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. To create a “smart” grid, intelligence must be incorporated at all levels of the electric power grid, especially at the distribution level. Using Title XIII of the EISA07 as a guide, a survey to define a “smart distribution system” was designed to study the implications of the smart grid initiative on distribution engineering. The objectives of this survey are threefold: 1) to provide a definition of a smart distribution system from the perspective of the industry, 2) to identify existing tools from transmission engineering that can be applied at the distribution level, and 3) to guide investigation into the technical requirements and implications of a smart distribution system. The motivation and methods used in the design of this survey, which has been circulated among potential respondents in academia and the U.S. industry, are presented in this paper. This paper also includes a contemporary list of references on the topic of a smart grid.
The Pollyanna hypothesis.

The Pollyanna Hypothesis asserts that there is a universal human tendency to use evaluatively positive words (E+) more frequently and diversely than evaluatively negative words (E−) in communicating. Drawing on existing cross-cultural and developmental data, it was demonstrated that (a) across a sample of 13 language/culture communities E+ members of evaluative scales are used significantly more frequently and diversely than their E− opposites, (b) across 11 of these communities negative affixes are applied significantly more often to the E+ members of pairs (to make the E− opposite) than to the E− members (to make the E+ opposite), and (c) across age levels from 7 through 11 E+ members of evaluative pairs appear earlier, have higher frequencies and diversities of usage and take the negative affix more frequently than their E− opposites. Possible biases in the data and alternatives to the Pollyanna hypothesis are considered.
A specific, high affinity, saturable binding site for the 16-kilodalton fragment of prolactin on capillary endothelial cells.

A 16-kilodalton N-terminal fragment of PRL (16K PRL) is formed by enzymatic cleavage of intact 23-kilodalton PRL (23K PRL) in the pituitary gland and in target tissues for PRL. 16K PRL inhibits the growth of capillary endothelial cells, while intact PRL was inactive suggesting that 16K PRL acted via a receptor other than the PRL receptor. To analyze whether this inhibitory effect could be mediated through an specific 16K PRL receptor, we characterized the binding of 16K PRL to membrane preparations of bovine brain capillary endothelial (BBE) cells. 16K PRL was generated by the proteolysis of rat 23K PRL with a particulate fraction from rat mammary gland homogenates and purified by gel filtration. The specific binding of [125I]16K PRL to BBE cell membranes was high affinity (Kd = 9.9 nM), saturable (Bmax = 4.8 pmol/mg protein), and reversible. In competition studies for [125I]16K PRL binding, 16K PRL was most potent, while little displacement was observed with high concentrations of 23K PRLs, growth hormon...
Do improvements in substance use and mental health symptoms during treatment translate to long-term outcomes in the opposite domain?

Abstract Providers who treat adolescents with co-occurring substance use and mental health issues may prioritize treatment of one set of symptoms believing that improvements in one domain will result in improvements of the other. However, limited empirical data for adolescents provide evidence of such “spillover effects.” Using data from 2900 youth in an outpatient treatment, we examined whether during-treatment changes in substance use or mental health symptoms predicted 12-month outcomes in the analogous and opposite domains. There was very little evidence of spillover effects, only that youth with no internal distress at 0 and 3 months reported lower levels of substance use problems at 12-months relative to youth with internal distress that stayed the same from 0 to 3 months. These findings suggest that providers treat both sets of substance use and mental health symptoms in an integrated manner given that these symptoms commonly co-occur among youth with either set.
QM/MM studies of gas-liquid collisional energy transfer

In this manuscript we describe a molecular dynamics method that has recently been developed to model collisional energy transfer in collisions of hyperthermal gas-phase molecules with ionic liquid surfaces. This method is based on a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) partitioning in which electronic structure methods are used to determine forces for the hyperthermal gaseous molecule and molecules in the liquid which it directly interacts with during the first 10 ps of the collision process, while empirical potentials are used for atoms in the liquid that are not directly involved in interacting with the gaseous molecule. Collisions of the gaseous molecule with the liquid surface are simulated using molecular dynamics methods, and from this it is possible to determine energy transfer associated with the gas-surface collision, including scattering of the molecule from the liquid that leads to energy and momentum transfer, and trapping of the gas molecule in the liquid. We illustrate this approach...
Top Technologies for Integrating Online Instruction

Online learning is the epitome of applied technology and should be integrated into as many levels of online curriculum as possible. To prepare students for the future, teachers must seize every opportunity to infuse the technologies their students will be using whenever possible. Most importantly, teachers must know what works best in an online classroom situation, i.e., podcasting, interactive whiteboards, blogs, wikis, social networking, virtual classrooms, and others. In this regard, this paper reviews specific technology-based tools that have demonstrated a rapid implementation in higher education in general and online learning specifically. In addition, it explores best practices that lead to the best use of these tools in the virtual classroom. Links to online videos demonstrating each technology are provided and an emphasis is placed on many real-world examples of how technology has already improved student learning. This paper calls for greater inclusion of specific technologies by teachers in the online classroom.
Self-injury among early adolescents: identifying segments protected and at risk

BACKGROUND: Self-injury has been described as a "silent school crisis," reflecting insufficient knowledge, confusion, lack of effective interventions, and the tendency for adults and youth to shy away from dealing directly with the issue. This purpose of this study was to identify distinct subgroups of youth who may be at increased risk of or reduced risk of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). METHODS: The middle-school Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered in 8 district public middle schools in a large, southeastern county in Florida. A final sample size of 1748, representing approximately 92% of participants who self-reported attendance at 1 of the 8 middle schools (N = 1907) and 74% of the 2350 surveys originally distributed, was used in this study. Chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) was used to identify distinct segments at risk for or protected from NSSI. RESULTS: CHAID analyses suggested large groups of youth at risk for (and not at risk) having ever tried self-injury including suicidal tendencies, substance use, low belief in life possibilities, and exposure to peer self-injury. Protective factors identified included having low to zero levels of suicidal tendencies, high belief in life possibilities, lack of substance use, and not being a victim of bullying. CONCLUSION: Engaging adolescents in prevention programs at early stage can reduce the chances of suicidal behavior as well as physical injury. Schools should take the lead in advocating for the development of evidence-based interventions that are capable of addressing factors that contribute to self-injury at multiple levels of youth's environments. Language: en
Characterization of Plant Carbohydrates and Changes in Leaf Carbohydrate Chemistry Due to Chemical and Enzymatic Degradation Measured by Microscopic ATR FT-IR Spectroscopy

Leaf litter decomposition is largely effected by the enzymatic action of fungal colonizers of leaf material. Microscopic attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy would be a useful tool to evaluate changes in leaf litter carbohydrate chemistry over time during the colonization process at the scale of resolution of the fungal hyphae. This paper reports the first studies to use microspectroscopy in the mid-infrared (IR) region to perform analyses within an area of 250 X 250 μm to gain spectra of single species of sugars and complex carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) to identify characteristic IR reflectance peaks and to be able to separate the species in complex media. Changes in leaf surface carbohydrate chemistry were interpreted from spectra obtained from leaf material that underwent the following: (1) treatment with acetone (to remove surface waxes), (2) treatment with enzymes, and (3) observation after colonization by fungi. Analysis of spectra obtained from random locations or from the same points on the leaf surface over time permitted changes in carbohydrate chemistry to be detected. Comparative analysis of spectra was carried out by using timeseries analysis of variance of selected characteristic peak heights and multivariate statistics.
The uses and abuses of time: globalization and time arbitrage in India's outsourcing industries

Globalization has undoubtedly altered our conceptions and experience of time. It has sped up the pace of life and some scholars even suggest that a new temporal order is supplanting ‘natural’ and pre-existing cycles and rhythms. Yet time is not dissolved in the global circuits of capital. Rather, globalization has brought about a complex mixture of temporal orientations; the workplaces of ‘new economy’, for example, are traversed by novel and retrograde modes of work pace, rhythm and time-discipline. In this article, I explore the temporal implications of the outsourcing of information technology-based service work to India. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews with workers, managers and executives in the Indian IT and Business Processing Outsourcing industries, I address the following questions: (1) How are corporations using time arbitrage to reap the full benefits of a globally dispersed labour pool? (2) What impacts are these temporal changes having on the health and social lives of Indian workers? For corporations, time arbitrage means increased efficiency and cost-savings. But for workers, it results in long hours, an intense work pace, and temporal displacement. Night-shift employees, such as call centre workers, are particularly vulnerable to such displacement, as manifested in health and safety problems and social alienation. Globalization therefore does not entail the loosening of temporal chains, but their reconfiguration: a combination both rigid and flexible that binds even as it liberates.
Assessment response surface: Investigating utility dependence on probability

On developpe le concept de «surface de reponse» sur des loteries elementaires pour etudier la violation des axiomes de von Neumann-Morgenstein conduisant a la dependance empirique de l'utilite par rapport a la probabilite d'evaluation
Müllerian duct cyst masquerading as chronic prostatitis: diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging using a phased array surface coil

Prostatitis is a common clinical syndrome that on rare occasions may result from mass lesions in the pelvis. This report concerns a man with debilitating prostatitis that was caused by a mullerian duct cyst. The diagnosis was facilitated by examination with magnetic resonance imaging using a pelvic phased array surface coil and a small field of view.
Approach to the small renal mass: Weighing treatment options

The increased detection of incidental renal masses has introduced new challenges into the management of patients with newly discovered renal masses. Much interest has been focused on the diagnostic accuracy and the prognostic ability of imaging studies. These studies have elucidated trends that can guide management but remain woefully inaccurate for predicting the exceptions to the rule, many of which can produce untoward outcomes. Renal biopsy may aid in the management of patients with indeterminate imaging; however, the role of biomarkers remains unclear. Active surveillance has emerged as an attractive option in certain patient populations, although the lack of reliable predictors of tumor behavior based upon currently available surveillance techniques understandably raises concerns about its propriety. For patients who would benefit from operative management, nephron-sparing procedures such as ablation and partial nephrectomy have gained increasing acceptance as an alternative to radical nephrectomy.
Optical measurement of the center of rotation for human joints

Abstract A photo-optical technique, based on the theory of Moire fringes, is presented for use in locating the two-dimensional instantaneous center of rotation for human joints. The technique is demonstrated for the motion of the human shoulder complex when undergoing elevation.
An adaptable low density parity check (LDPC) engine for space based communication systems

Space communication systems are characterized by the severe limitations to the on-board computational power and the tight constraints of received signal strengths. Also, these systems observe degradation in signals caused by large propagation latencies, extreme distances traveled, as well as data corruption causing high biterror rates. LDPC codes provide powerful error correction capability where signal power is very low, making them an ideal candidate for space based applications. A hardware architecture that is configurable to dynamic changes in channel conditions is a necessity for error resilient communication systems. In this study we demonstrate the feasibility of designing an FPGA based adaptable LDPC decoder architecture that also matches the throughput demand of current space based communications requirements. We design an LDPC engine that is adaptable to three code rates by taking advantage of the partial reconfiguration technology and parallel nature of the FPGA architecture. We evaluate the tradeoff between the level of parallelism to exploit on the FPGA when implementing LDPC codes and resource demand for each code rate under the constraints of delivering a partially reconfigurable and adaptable solution. Based on the implementation using a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA, our design handles context switching between the codes on board in 92µs.
The use of bees for the purpose of inter-mating in potato

The pollination behavior of bumblebees and honey bees was studied on potato flowers in screened enclosures and in the field. In enclosures, the domestic honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) and the bumblebee species,Bombus fervidus Fabricius, seemed to lack any “cue” to initiate visitation of the flowers. When honey was placed on a few flowers, visitation was stimulated. The honey bee tore and chewed at the anther cone to collect pollen, whileB. fervidus probed for nectar which was not present. Shortly afterward, both species ceased visitation and could not be induced to visit further, regardless of the honey stimulus. Neither species was effective as a pollinator.
Computations of mode-scattering coefficients due to ionospheric perturbations and comparison with v.l.f. radio measurements

Computations of mode-scattering coefficients arising from ionospheric perturbations at sunrise and sunset lines are reported in the paper. The computations are based on an analysis that exploits the concept that radio waves at low frequencies propagate in a nonuniform, spherical, `Earth-ionosphere waveguide? with finite, surface-impedance boundaries. The computed data are compared with available experimental data at 18kHz for both day-night and night-day propagation paths. The computed data for v.l.f. radio frequencies indicate that, for an ionospheric effective-height change of 20km, the magnitudes of the first-second and second-first mode-conversion coefficients pass through minima about 16kHz provided that the length of the transition region is less than 800km.
Characterization of the tumor-promoting activity of m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in SENCAR mouse skin and its inhibition by gallotannin, oligomeric proanthocyanidin, and their monomeric units

m-Chloroperoxybenzoic acid (CPBA). which induces ornithine decarboxylase activity as much as 12-0- terradecanoy Iphorbol-13-acetate (TP A). was tested for its ability to induce DNA synthesis. bydroperoxide (HPx) production. and tumor promotion in mouse epidennis in vivo. After an early inhibition. CPBA stimulates DNA synthesis. a response which is maintained between 16 and 72 hand maximal after tWo U'eabnents. CPBA at O.6-S mg stimulates DNA synthesis more than other organic peroxides. and nearly as much as TPA. The HPx-producinl activity of the epidermis is maximally stimulated 48 b after two CPBA trcabnents at a 24-h interval. However. the HPx response to CPBA is much smaller than that to TPA. Aleppo gall tannic acid (AGT A) and loblolly pine bark condensed tannin (LPCT) inhibit both the DNA and HPx responses to CPBA. In contrast. their respective monomeric units. gallic acid (GA) and catechin (Cat) inhibit the DNA response to CPBA but fail to alter CPBA-stimulated HPx production. Although it is more potent than benzoyl peroxide. CPBA is a complete tumor promoter much weaker than TP A and even less effective than mezerein (MEZ). CPBA in stage 1 cannot enhance like TP A the tumor-promoting ~tivity of MEZ in stage 2. And in contrast to that of MEZ. the very weak tumor-promoting activity of CPBA is not enhanced after stage 1 U'eabnent with TPA. At equal mg doses. AGTA. GA. LPCT. and Cat pretreabnents all remarkably inhibit complete skin tumor promotion by CPBA. In spite of their antioxidant activities. AGT A post-treatments have no or very little inhibitory effects on the development of skin tumors by CPBA during 2-stage or complete tumor promotion.
BLOCH ELECTRON DYNAMICS IN SPATIALLY HOMOGENEOUS ELECTRIC FIELDS

The theory of Bloch electron dynamics in spatially homogeneous electric fields of arbitrary strength and time dependence is presented. In the formalism, the electric field is described through the use of the vector potential, and the instantaneous eigenstates of the Hamiltonian are used as basis stated to depict the Bloch dynamics and quantum properties. This approach leads to a natural indication of high- and low-filed limits, and allows for the inclusion of general band-structure effects and multiband coupling in the quantum dynamics. A variety of dc electric field effects, such as Bloch oscillations, Zener tunneling, and localization, and ac electric field effects, such as interband absorption, and phonon-assisted transport, will be discussed.
Laparoscopic and Thoracoscopic Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy With Colonic Interposition

Minimally invasive esophagectomy is a feasible and safe alternative to open esophagectomy. The stomach is the preferred conduit for gastrointestinal reconstruction after esophagogastrectomy; however, if the stomach is not usable, the colon can be interposed as an alternative conduit. We describe the technique of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy in a patient with a gastric cardia cancer involving the gastric body and distal esophagus. Laparoscopic colonic interposition using the right colon based on the middle colic vessels was used to restore gastrointestinal continuity.
High-resolution studies of the A2Π-X2Π system of rotationally cooled SO+

Abstract Rotationally cold emission has been recorded for the A-X band system of SO+ at high resolution using a slot-shaped corona excited supersonic expansion. Bands with v′ = 0 up to 8 and v″ = 3 up to 11 have been assigned and analyzed at high resolution using both cold spectra and spectra recorded using a higher temperature flowing afterglow. The derived parameters obtained from these spectra have been merged with those from previously published spectra of SO+ to obtain substantially improved equilibrium constants and to calculate RKR turning points.
Space station astronauts discuss life in space during AGU interview

Just one day after China's Shenzhou-9 capsule, carrying three Chinese astronauts, docked with the Tiangong-1 space lab on 18 June, Donald Pettit, a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS), said it is “a step in the right direction” that more people are in space. “Before they launched, there were six people in space,” he said, referring to those on ISS, “and there are 7 billion people on Earth.” The astronauts were “like one in a billion. Now there are nine people in space,” Pettit said during a 19 June interview that he and two other astronauts onboard ISS had with AGU. Pettit continued, “So the gradient of human beings going into space is moving in the right direction. We need to change these numbers so that more and more human beings can call space their home so we can expand off of planet Earth and move out into our solar system.”
An illustration of the need for situational responsiveness in technology-related evaluations

Abstract Rapid proliferation of technology in education and many other fields accentuates the need for greater situational responsiveness by evaluators. Patton (1997) provides a theoretical framework for situational responsiveness in evaluations designed to encourage utilization. This article uses the authors' experience in an evaluation that involved two dimensions of technology-based instruction to illustrate the need for evaluators to quickly but thoughtfully make situational adaptations, particularly in evaluations of objects based upon rapidly evolving technologies. The authors conclude that to successfully respond to shifting situations, evaluators must become effective inquirers, able to accurately and quickly familiarize themselves with the changing interests of stakeholders, who are often associated with emerging technologies.
Systems biology asks new questions about sex differences

Females and males differ in physiology and in the incidence and progression of diseases. The sex-biased proximate factors causing sex differences in phenotype include direct effects of gonadal hormones and of genes represented unequally in the genome because of their X- or Y-linkage. Novel systems approaches have begun to assess the magnitude and character of sex differences in organization of gene networks on a genome-wide scale. These studies identify functionally related modules of genes that are coexpressed differently in males and females, and sites in the genome that regulate gene networks in a sex-specific manner. Measurement of the aggregate behavior of genes uncovers novel sex differences that can be related more effectively to susceptibility to disease.
Effect of hot exhaust gas recirculation on the performance and emissions of an advanced injection low pilot-ignited natural gas engine

The development of the advanced injection low pilot-ignited natural gas (ALPING) combustion concept that employs very small diesel pilots (1-5 per cent by energy) to compression ignite a premixed natural gas-air mixture to achieve very low NOx (0.2 g/kWh) and high efficiencies (about 41 per cent) has been described in a previous work. However, at part loads the ALPING combustion mode suffers from higher HC emissions (mostly unburned methane) and poor engine stability. To resolve this problem, tests were carried out employing various levels of hot EGR (0-26 per cent) at different loads on a single-cylinder research engine at a constant speed of 1700 r/min. Experimental results compared with baseline ALPING mode (0 per cent EGR) for quarter load operation are presented in the current paper. The results show that, at 60Â° BTDC injection timing, the application of hot EGR reduced HC emissions by up to 70 per cent without any significant NOx emissions penalty. The fuel conversion efficiencies were improved by 8 percentage points, while COVi.m.e.p. and CO emissions decreased 20 percentage points and 40 per cent, respectively. To identify the upper limits of hot EGR substitution, engine knock tests, which were conducted to identify audible knock limits, are also presented for a representative case (half load). The progress made by this project better positions ALPING combustion as a potentially viable approach to meet the regulatory and economic challenges of the future.(A)
Polymorphism control of nanosized glycine crystals on engineered surfaces

Crystallization in a constrained environment was used to prepare organic molecular nanocrystals of glycine. Bifunctional patterned surfaces, with hydrophilic islands as small as 1 µm surrounded by hydrophobic regions, were prepared by photolithography. Individual nanosized glycine crystals were formed from the confined solution droplets on each hydrophilic island. Supersaturation was controlled by slow cooling or by slow evaporation. Individual crystals were characterized with AFM and Raman spectroscopy. Slow cooling produced the least stable β-form except for the slowest cooling rate (0.001 °C min−1) which produced both α- and β-form. Slow evaporation (100 hours) resulted in the concomitant nucleation of all three glycine forms.
Design, optimization, calibration, and a case study of a 3D-printed, low-cost fingertip sensor for robotic manipulation

We describe a low-cost 3-axis fingertip force sensor for robotic manipulation. Our design makes the most of 3D printing technology, and takes important factors such as maintainability and modification into consideration. The resulting sensor features a detachable fingertip made of 3Dprinted materials, and a cantilever mechanism that allows the detection of contact forces via three off-the-shelf, low-cost force sensors. To improve our design concept, optimization on the configuration of the fingertip sensor is performed under statistical analysis of the hysteresis performance. The optimized fingertip sensor is experimentally investigated and calibrated. At the end, through a case-study, we demonstrate that our proposed design can measure the direction of contact forces in the radial plane of the fingertip sensor.
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate: a risk factor for cervical stenosis after loop electrosurgical excisional procedure management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia?

AbstractObjectives:In our anecdotal experience and sporadically in the literature, gynecologists have observed a connection between patient's use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and increased occurrence of cervical stenosis during follow-up after loop electrosurgical excisional procedure
Aggregated Low Density Lipoprotein Induces and Enters Surface-connected Compartments of Human Monocyte-Macrophages: UPTAKE OCCURS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN RECEPTOR

Aggregation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) stimulates its uptake by macrophages. We have now shown by electron microscopic and chemical experiments that aggregated LDL (produced by vortexing (VxLDL) or treatment with phospholipase C) induced and became sequestered in large amounts within surface-connected compartments (SCC) of human monocyte-derived macrophages. This occurred through a process different from phagocytosis. Formation of SCC and accumulation of aggregated LDL in SCC are cell-mediated processes that were temperature-dependent (10 x greater cell association at 37 degrees C than at 4 degrees C) and blocked by cytochalasin D but not by nocodazole. Because of the surface connections of SCC, trypsin could release aggregated LDL from SCC. Degradation of 125I-VxLDL through the SCC pathway showed delayed and a lower rate of degradation (10-55%) compared with nonaggregated 125I-acetylated LDL that did not enter SCC. However, similar to 125I-acetylated LDL degradation, 125I-VxLDL degradation occurred through a chloroquine-sensitive pathway. Uptake of VxLDL into SCC was not mediated by the LDL receptor. Methylation of LDL prevents its binding to the LDL receptor. However, methylated LDL still entered SCC after it was aggregated by vortexing. On the other hand, degradation of 125I-VxLDL was substantially decreased by methylation of LDL and by cholesterol enrichment of macrophages, which decreases macrophage LDL receptor expression. The results suggest that whereas uptake of aggregated LDL into SCC occurs independently of the LDL receptor, movement of aggregated LDL from SCC to lysosomes may depend in part on LDL receptor function. Sequestration into SCC is a novel endocytosis pathway for uptake of aggregated LDL that allows the macrophage to store large amounts of this lipoprotein before it is further processed.
Bench-Scale Pyrolysis of Wood Pellets

Past work has demonstrated the feasibility of pyrolyzing biomass and condensing the resulting vapor to form a low quality combustible liquid. The product, often termed pyrolysis oil, bio-oil, or bio-crude, can be refined to a transportation grade fuel. Because the pyrolysis process is comparatively simple, we speculate that a mobile pyrolysis system might be able to process the biomass at the site of harvest, generating a dense liquid for transportation. This would be expected to result in improved transportation economics compared to transporting the raw biomass fuel. This technology is being considered for northern New Mexico forests that are presently managed by periodic thinning efforts with little utilization of the products. We have designed a bench-scale system and pyrolyzed biomass pellets, which function in these tests as surrogate material for the forest trimmings. The system features controllable furnace temperatures, augur feed, gas recirculation, and multi-stage condensation. We have analyzed gases, chars, and liquids resulting from various operating conditions and report product quantities and qualities through various standard chemical methods. Good liquid mass yields of over 50% of the original material are typically found, with varying product quality and quantity depending on the operating temperature. Our results suggest the current configuration gives better yields and functions more optimally at pyrolysis temperatures around 525°C. For a practical system, combustion of the non-condensable fuel gases may be able to replace the electrically heated furnace used in these tests.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Balancing selection in species with separate sexes: insights from fisher's geometric model

How common is balancing selection, and what fraction of phenotypic variance is attributable to balanced polymorphisms? Despite decades of research, answers to these questions remain elusive. Moreover, there is no clear theoretical prediction about the frequency with which balancing selection is expected to arise within a population. Here, we use an extension of Fisher’s geometric model of adaptation to predict the probability of balancing selection in a population with separate sexes, wherein polymorphism is potentially maintained by two forms of balancing selection: (1) heterozygote advantage, where heterozygous individuals at a locus have higher fitness than homozygous individuals, and (2) sexually antagonistic selection (a.k.a. intralocus sexual conflict), where the fitness of each sex is maximized by different genotypes at a locus. We show that balancing selection is common under biologically plausible conditions and that sex differences in selection or sex-by-genotype effects of mutations can each increase opportunities for balancing selection. Although heterozygote advantage and sexual antagonism represent alternative mechanisms for maintaining polymorphism, they mutually exist along a balancing selection continuum that depends on population and sex-specific parameters of selection and mutation. Sexual antagonism is the dominant mode of balancing selection across most of this continuum.
Self-discrepancy as an important factor in addressing women's emotional reactions to infertility.

Infertility is approached in this article as a personal crisis that is based on a conflict between an ideal self as mother and woman and a real self as infertile. E.T. Higgins (1987) self-discrepancy theory is proposed as a model for understanding the variability in the levels of distress and the types of emotional reactions to infertility.