cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
XMAP230 is required for the assembly and organization of acetylated microtubules and spindles in Xenopus oocytes and eggs

We used affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to characterize the distribution and function of XMAP230, a heat-stable microtubule-associated protein isolated from Xenopus eggs, during oogenesis. Immunoblots revealed that XMAP230 was present throughout oogenesis and early development, but was most abundant in late stage oocytes, eggs, and early embryos. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that XMAP230 was associated with microtubules in oogonia, post-mitotic stage 0 oocytes, early stage I oocytes, and during stage IV-VI of oogenesis. However, staining of microtubules by anti-XMAP230 was not detectable during late stage I through stage III. In stage VI oocytes, anti-XMAP230 stained a large subset of microtubules that were also stained with monoclonal antibodies specific for acetylated α-tubulin. During oocyte maturation, XMAP230 was associated with the transient microtubule array that serves as the precursor of the first meiotic spindle, as well as both first and second meiotic spindles. The extensive array of cytoplasmic microtubules present throughout maturation was not detectably stained by anti-XMAP230. Microinjection of anti-XMAP230 locally disrupted the organization and acetylation of microtubules in stage VI oocytes, and reduced the reacetylation of microtubules during recovery from coldinduced microtubule disassembly. Subsequent maturation of oocytes injected with anti-XMAP230 resulted in defects in the assembly of the transient microtubules array and first meiotic spindle. These observations suggest that XMAP230 is required for the stabilization and organization of cytoplasmic and spindle microtubules in Xenopus oocytes and eggs. SUMMARY
Microprocessor-based digital system design fundamentals and the development laboratory for hardware designers and engineering executives

This paper reviews the fundamentals of the basic digital computer sufficient enough for the hardware engineers and engineering executives to deal with microprocessors as components in digital system design. Two examples are used as a vehicle to guide the readers who are presumingly accustomed to thinking in hardware terms towards thinking in software. An algorithm utilizing state-minimization concepts to implement sequential logic by a set of mnemonic instructions is introduced. A brief view of microcomputer software is then presented as an attempt to arouse the designer's awareness of application, system, and development-aid softwares. Next, economic considerations are presented for overall decision making. Finally, a minicomputer-driven microprocessor laboratory oriented to both teaching and system development purposes is described. For completeness as well as for a comparison of the logic realization by INSTRUCTIONS with that implementation of logic by hardwire logic, ROM, and PLA, the latter age included in Appendices I and II. An extensive bibliography is provided for interested readers who wish to persue this topic further.
Dental caries prevalence in patients with Crohn's disease

Twenty-one patients with Crohn's disease have been studied with respect to caries activity and, when compared to two separate age-matched control groups, have evidenced a significantly greater number of decayed, missing, or filled teeth. Potential contributing factors, such as saliva constituents, oral hygiene, and diet, are discussed and implications for further research are presented.
Words and the word: Language, poetics and biblical intention

(1988). Words and the word: Language, poetics and biblical intention. History of European Ideas: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 365-367.
Applicability of the Marcus equation to proton transfer in symmetric and unsymmetric systems

The Marcus equation was tested, within the framework of ab initio calculations, in the simple proton transfer reaction within the pre-existing hydrogen bonds of complexes containing water and formic acid. Asymmetry was introduced into the transfer potential of (H2O·H·OH2)+ by addition of multiple external ions (e.g. Na+, Cl− and Li+) and point charges or dipoles. The Marcus equation predicts transfer barriers in excellent agreement with quantum calculations, as is also true when the ion approaches the otherwise symmetric protonated formic acid dimer. The situation is less favorable when an external ion introduces a perturbation into an intrinsically asymmetric transfer potential, as in the proton-bound dimer pairing a water with a formic acid molecule. Excellent predictions are obtained when the asymmetry parameter is taken as the effect of the ion itself, damped by a factor of two.
Community-based approaches to social exclusion among rural-to-urban migrants in China

Rural-to-urban migrants in China face numerous forms of social exclusion. This article argues that community-based approaches offer innovative ways with which to tackle the problems of social exclusion for rural-to-urban migrants, yet these approaches have been neglected. This article first provides an overview of the concept of social exclusion, as developed by Western European scholarship and policy discourse. Next, it examines the ways in which these concepts are relevant to the context of rural-to-urban migrants within China. Finally, this article conceptualizes the social exclusion paradigm from a community practice perspective and offers the implications of this paradigm for community-level interventions.
Theoretical performance of amorphous silicon imagers in diagnostic radiology

Flat-panel imaging arrays fabricated from hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) are being developed for application in diagnostic x-ray imaging. The potential performance of such imagers is analyzed by means of modeling the imaging system as a cascade of distinct gain and spreading stages. The relative number of image quanta at each stage in the system is represented in a quantum accounting diagram (QAD), and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of the imaging system under radiographic, fluoroscopic, and mammographic conditions is calculated. Such an analysis provides a means of quantitatively evaluating and optimizing imager performance for a given application.
Non-annual laminations and expansion of anoxic basin-floor conditions in Santa Monica Basin, California Borderland, over the past four centuries

Sediments from box cores in the deep portion of Santa Monica Basin have been examined by X-radiography, and the upper 10–20 cm are characterized by laminations 1–5 mm in thickness. Age dating of 9 cores by 210Pb analysis has shown that accumulation rates on the central basin floor have been remarkably constant during the past century, averaging 16.0 ± 0.4 mg/cm2/yr. Densitometer analysis of the X-radiography films from 7 cores and spectral analysis of the resulting time series indicates that most lamination couplets have a periodicity in the 3–7 year range, a range matching that of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation periodicity. The median periodicity appears to have decreased slightly during the past 3 centuries, from 7.0 years during 200–300 yrs B.P. to 5.2 yrs during 0–100 yrs B.P. This trend could be due to a decreasing sedimentation rate, an increasing forcing frequency, or an increasingly faithful response of the Basin in more recent years. Multiple processes have contributed to creation of the laminations in Santa Monica Basin. The principal factors appear to be (1) variations in porosity due to the relative abundance of organic filaments probably formed by Beggiatoa mats, and (2) compositional variations that reflect variations in carbonate/lithogenous ratios and in grain size. Both of these are expected to respond to ENSO events. The presence of near anoxic bottom waters has prevented bioturbation, permitting laminations to be preserved. Basin bottom waters became nearly anoxic about 350 years ago, at the onset of warming as the Little Ice Age waned. Expansion of the near anoxic area during the past century may have been augmented by 20th Century anthropogenic effects. The style of these non-annual laminations in Santa Monica Basin matches that of the annual laminations in the adjacent Santa Barbara Basin, and demonstrates the need for caution in interpreting all laminations as representing annual varves.
A Test of the Accuracy of Trap-Nest Records

Abstract IN A recent paper Amiet (1936) suggested that the methods of statistics might be used to good advantage in record of performance inspection work. As a contribution to this field, Hendricks (1937) showed that the familiar chi-square distribution may be employed to test the accuracy of trap-nest records. Although the development of the test invloved some mathematical theory with which flock inspectors and supervisors are usually not familiar, the practical application of the test is quite simple. The present paper offers a detailed explanation of the practical application of the test to those workers who may have some occasion to employ it. The test is designed to determine whether or not the numbers of eggs produced by a given flock of birds on inspection days, when the trap-nesting is done by the inspector, differ significantly from the numbers of eggs which would be expected on the basis of the production . . .
Dimensional analysis for robust control of planar vehicle dynamics

Most engineered systems with similar functions, which are designed under strict external constraints, share similar dynamics. Using a dimensionless model as system representation, a dimensionless robust controller can be designed and implemented for a class of dynamically similar systems that are different in physical dimension. Dimensionless transformations of timescale, inputs and outputs determine a nominal plant model and plant-to-plant uncertainties in a dimensionless form. Using parameter-dependent normalization, a normalized dimensionless model can be derived that has lower levels of plant-to-plant uncertainty than previous formulations (IEEE Trans. Contr. Syst. Technol. 2005; 13(4):624–630). The benefit of this dimensional analysis is demonstrated by the dynamic analysis of different types of planar vehicle systems. Numerical results show that, by using dimensional analysis, it is possible to obtain a controller that is robust to plant-to-plant parametric uncertainties among specific classes of systems designed with widely varying physical dimensions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evidence for neutral and selective processes in the recruitment of enzyme-crystallins in avian lenses

Abstract In apparent contrast to most other tissues, the ocular lenses in vertebrates show striking differences in protein composition between taxa, most notably in the recruitment of different enzymes as major structural proteins. This variability appears to be the result of at least partially neutral evolutionary processes, although there is also evidence for selective modification in molecular structure. Here we describe a bird, the chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica), that lacks delta-crystallin/argininosuccinate lyase, usually the major crystallin of avian lenses. Clearly, delta-crystallin is not specifically required for a functionally effective avian lens. Furthermore the lens composition of the swift is more similar to that of the related hummingbirds than to that of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), suggesting that phylogeny is more important than environmental selection in the recruitment of crystallins. However differences in epsilon-crystallin/lactate dehydrogenase-B sequence between swift and hummingbird and other avian and reptilian species suggest that selective pressures may also be working at the molecular level. These differences also confirm the close relationship between swifts and hummingbirds.
Image Reconstruction from Videos Distorted by Atmospheric Turbulence

To correct geometric distortion and reduce blur in videos that suffer from atmospheric turbulence, a multi-frame image reconstruction approach is proposed in this paper. This approach contains two major steps. In the first step, a B-spline based non-rigid image registration algorithm is employed to register each observed frame with respect to a reference image. To improve the registration accuracy, a symmetry constraint is introduced, which penalizes inconsistency between the forward and backward deformation parameters during the estimation process. A fast Gauss-Newton implementation method is also developed to reduce the computational cost of the registration algorithm. In the second step, a high quality image is restored from the registered observed frames under a Bayesian reconstruction framework, where we use L1 norm minimization and a bilateral total variation (BTV) regularization prior, to make the algorithm more robust to noise and estimation error. Experiments show that the proposed approach can effectively reduce the influence of atmospheric turbulence even for noisy videos with relatively long exposure time.
Induced compositional layering in a convecting fluid layer by an endothermic phase transition

Abstract An endothermic phase change in the presence of chemical heterogeneities can act as an efficient filter, such that heavy material is sequestered below the phase change and light material is trapped above the phase change. Due to the fact that the endothermic phase change damps thermal convection, it can act as a “trap door” for chemical heterogeneities. Ascending flows which are chemically dense will need more thermal buoyancy to rise through the transition than ascending flows whose composition is closer to the background composition. Likewise, descending flows which are chemically light need more thermal buoyancy to sink through the transition. The results of a suite of numerical calculations of two-dimensional, double diffusive convection in a fluid layer with an endothermic phase change suggests that, if the 670 km seismic discontinuity has a steep enough Clapeyron slope, compositional layering may be induced and dynamically maintained by the transition. Furthermore, these calculations also show that the phase change and compositional boundaries will approximately coincide.
Evaluating patterns of a white-band disease (WBD) outbreak in Acropora palmata using spatial analysis: a comparison of transect and colony clustering.

Background Despite being one of the first documented, there is little known of the causative agent or environmental stressors that promote white-band disease (WBD), a major disease of Caribbean Acropora palmata. Likewise, there is little known about the spatiality of outbreaks. We examined the spatial patterns of WBD during a 2004 outbreak at Buck Island Reef National Monument in the US Virgin Islands. Methodology/Principal Findings Ripley's K statistic was used to measure spatial dependence of WBD across scales. Localized clusters of WBD were identified using the DMAP spatial filtering technique. Statistics were calculated for colony- (number of A. palmata colonies with and without WBD within each transect) and transect-level (presence/absence of WBD within transects) data to evaluate differences in spatial patterns at each resolution of coral sampling. The Ripley's K plots suggest WBD does cluster within the study area, and approached statistical significance (p = 0.1) at spatial scales of 1100 m or less. Comparisons of DMAP results suggest the transect-level overestimated the prevalence and spatial extent of the outbreak. In contrast, more realistic prevalence estimates and spatial patterns were found by weighting each transect by the number of individual A. palmata colonies with and without WBD. Conclusions As the search for causation continues, surveillance and proper documentation of the spatial patterns may inform etiology, and at the same time assist reef managers in allocating resources to tracking the disease. Our results indicate that the spatial scale of data collected can drastically affect the calculation of prevalence and spatial distribution of WBD outbreaks. Specifically, we illustrate that higher resolution sampling resulted in more realistic disease estimates. This should assist in selecting appropriate sampling designs for future outbreak investigations. The spatial techniques used here can be used to facilitate other coral disease studies, as well as, improve reef conservation and management.
Saturation of intersubband transitions in p-type semiconductor quantum wells

Saturation behavior of intersubband optical transitions in /ital p/-typesemiconductor quantum wells is examined theoretically with the multibandeffective-mass model. Carrier-phonon scatterings are taken into account withinthe deformation-potential approximation. Deviation of the hole distributionfrom thermal equilibrium due to optical pumping is calculated by solvingcoupled rate equations. Pump-and-probe absorption spectra are also studied, andpossible applications for light-by-light modulation are discussed.
Uncertainty in seasonal snow reconstruction: Relative impacts of model forcing and image availability

Abstract There are many areas of uncertainty when solving the inverse problems of snow water equivalent (SWE) reconstruction. These include (i) the ability to infer the Final Date of the Seasonal Snow (FDSS) cover, particularly from remote sensing; (ii) errors in model forcing data (such as air temperature or radiation fluxes); and (iii) weaknesses in the snow model used for the reconstruction, associated with both the fidelity of the equations used to simulate snow processes (structural uncertainty) and the parameter values selected for use in the model equations. We investigate the trade-offs among these sources of uncertainty using 10,000 station-years worth of data from the western US SNOTEL network. Model structural and parameter uncertainty are eliminated by using a perfect model scenario i.e. comparing results to modelled control runs. The model was calibrated for each station-year to ensure that the model simulations reflect reality. Results indicate that for a temperature index model, a ±5 days error in FDSS gives a median −25%/+32% error in maximum SWE. A 1 °C air temperature bias produces a SWE error larger than a 5 days error in the FDSS for 50% of the 10,000 cases. Similarly, a 5 days error in FDSS could be accounted for by a net radiation error of 13 W m−2 or less during the melt period, in 50% of cases. Mean absolute errors of 1 °C or more are typically reported in the literature for air temperature interpolations at high elevations. Observed solar radiation during the melt season can differ by 30 W m−2 over relatively short distances, while estimates from reanalysis (NARR, ERA-Interim, MERRA, CFSRR) and GOES satellites typically span more than 40 W m−2. Using data from both MODIS sensors (Terra & Aqua) at all snow covered points in the western US, a consecutive 5 days gap in imagery at time of FDSS is likely to occur only 5–10% of the time. This work shows that errors in model forcing data are at least as important, if not more, than image availability when reconstructing SWE.
Remote sensing of impervious surfaces in the urban areas: Requirements, methods, and trends

Abstract The knowledge of impervious surfaces, especially the magnitude, location, geometry, spatial pattern of impervious surfaces and the perviousness–imperviousness ratio, is significant to a range of issues and themes in environmental science central to global environmental change and human–environment interactions. Impervious surface data is important for urban planning and environmental and resources management. Therefore, remote sensing of impervious surfaces in the urban areas has recently attracted unprecedented attention. In this paper, various digital remote sensing approaches to extract and estimate impervious surfaces will be examined. Discussions will focus on the mapping requirements of urban impervious surfaces. In particular, the impacts of spatial, geometric, spectral, and temporal resolutions on the estimation and mapping will be addressed, so will be the selection of an appropriate estimation method based on remotely sensed data characteristics. This literature review suggests that major approaches over the past decade include pixel-based (image classification, regression, etc.), sub-pixel based (linear spectral unmixing, imperviousness as the complement of vegetation fraction etc.), object-oriented algorithms, and artificial neural networks. Techniques, such as data/image fusion, expert systems, and contextual classification methods, have also been explored. The majority of research efforts have been made for mapping urban landscapes at various scales and on the spatial resolution requirements of such mapping. In contrast, there is less interest in spectral and geometric properties of impervious surfaces. More researches are also needed to better understand temporal resolution, change and evolution of impervious surfaces over time, and temporal requirements for urban mapping. It is suggested that the models, methods, and image analysis algorithms in urban remote sensing have been largely developed for the imagery of medium resolution (10–100 m). The advent of high spatial resolution satellite images, spaceborne hyperspectral images, and LiDAR data is stimulating new research idea, and is driving the future research trends with new models and algorithms.
Mouth-to-mouth transmission of the bacterium Streptococcus mutans between mother and child

Abstract The production of bacteriocins by 314 Streptococcus mutans isolates from 20 mother-infant pairs was studied to test the likelihood of maternal transmission of this species. The patterns of inhibition were sufficiently different to allow differentiation of the 314 isolates into 41 bacteriocin types. The bacteriocin codes of isolates within one pair did not correspond to the codes of strains isolated from any other pair. The number of infant strains (per infant isolates) matching maternal strains within each mother-infant pair were 10 10 , 10 10 , 10 10 , 12 12 , 2 3 , 10 10 , 10 10 , 10 10 , 3 3 , 5 10 , 8 8 , 3 3 , 8 8 , 3 3 , 7 7 , 4 4 , 3 3 , 8 8 , 3 3 and 4 4 for pairs 1–20, respectively. Statistical analysis, utilizing a randomization test, generated a p value
Methylation of dna in hela cells after ultraviolet irradiation

Abstract The synthesis of DNA and its methylation were measured in HeLa cells after exposure to increasing doses of ultraviolet (UV). The extent of methylation relative to DNA synthesis increases in a dose dependent manner. “Old” and “new” DNA were separated by gradient centrifugation and the effect of UV on the methylation of the two species was determined. Methylation of “new” DNA is affected more extensively than the methylation of “old” DNA by exposure to irradiation. The possible significance of aberrant methylation of DNA in potentiating UV induced damage is discussed.
Aging of human glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is dependent on its subcellular localization

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), long considered a traditional glycolytic protein, displays multiple activities independent of its role in energy generation. This functional diversity is dependent on its membrane, cytoplasmic or nuclear localization. GAPDH is encoded by one active gene and is synthesized as a single 37 kDa protein without alternate splicing. Accordingly, the identical protein would be present in each subcellular fraction. The accumulation of post-translational errors in protein structure as a function of oxidative stress is thought to provide a basic molecular mechanism for the aging process. Thus, during aging, the GAPDH protein should contain the identical degree of oxidative sequence alteration irrespective of its distribution. This would result in equivalent effects on GAPDH activity. However, conformational differences in GAPDH structure due to its subcellular protein, nucleic acid or membrane interactions could affect its degree of modification thereby selectively affecting its function. For that reason, we examined the subcellular expression and intracellular activity of GAPDH as a function of human aging. Subcellular GAPDH expression was quantitated by immunoblot analysis in fetal and senior human cells (postnuclear, nuclear, perinuclear). GAPDH activity was determined by in vitro assay. We now report that the aging of human GAPDH was subcellular dependent. Reductions of nuclear and postnuclear GAPDH activity in senior cells were twofold lower than that observed for the perinuclear protein. In contrast, the subcellular expression of the GAPDH protein was age-independent. These results suggest the possibility that subcellular interactions may mitigate oxidative stress-induced GAPDH modification in human aging. Such selective effects on GAPDH could affect its functional diversity.
2-channel Kondo scaling in conductance signals from 2 level tunneling systems.

The temperature (T) and voltage (V) dependence of conductance signals in metal point contacts, previously asserted to be due to 2-channel Kondo scattering from atomic 2 level tunneling systems, collapse onto a universal scaling curve dependent on eV/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$T, for all T and eV/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$ below a characteristic Kondo scale. Measurements determine a conductance exponent of 1/2, as expected from conformal field theory solution of the 2-channel Kondo model. The magnetic field (H) dependence at low T is nonanalytic at H=0 (\ensuremath{\propto}\ensuremath{\Vert}H\ensuremath{\Vert}) in contrast to Fermi-liquid theory but in agreement with conformal field theory.
Modeling of non-Gaussian array data using cumulants: DOA estimation of more sources with less sensors

Abstract Multichannel, non-Gaussian linear processes are modeled via direct and inverse cumulant-based methods using noisy, multivariate output data. The proposed methods are theoretically insensitive to additive Gaussian noise (perhaps colored, with unknown covariance matrix), and are guaranteed to uniquely identify the system matrix within a post-multiplication by a permutation matrix. Asymptotically optimal and computationally less intensive modeling criteria are also discussed. Further, it is proved that using higher-than-second-order cumulants, it is possible to estimate more angles-of-arrival (or harmonics) with fewer sensors. The problem of detecting the number of sources (or inputs) using output cumulants only is also addressed. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms outperform the traditional correlation-based methods.
Collaboration inflation: Egocentric source monitoring errors following collaborative remembering

Abstract Following collaborative remembering, people may adopt their partner's contributions as their own memory. In two studies, we asked people to study partially overlapping lists of words. During collaborative remembering, dyads either worked to include all words no matter who studied them or limited recall to only words studied by both dyad members. This differential focus on source information during collaborative recall impacted performance on a later source memory test. Nonetheless we found frequent source monitoring errors that displayed an egocentric bias. People were more likely to claim their partner's contributions as their own memories than attribute their memories to their partners. In collaborative remembering, people work to construct an agreed upon version of the past that quickly becomes each individual's memory.
Conflicting Versions of Valentinian Eschatology: Irenaeus' Treatise vs. the Excerpts from Theodotus*

For more than a hundred years the Excerpts from Theodotus (especially 42–65) and Irenaeus' Treatise have served as primary sources of Valentinian eschatology. Since Dibelius' article appeared in 1908, discussion of Valentinian eschatology has followed his premise that these two sources contain essentially the same teaching, and may be derived from a common source. Dibelius makes this claim on the basis of observable parallels of terminology and structure between the two passages.
Tumors and cysts arising near the apex of the orbit

This paper gives a brief summary of the characters and symptoms of such tumors, and reports eight cases. These cases all came to operation and the microscopic examination of the growth is included in the report. Read before the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto-Laryngology, September, 1922.
Relationships among democratic freedoms in the former Soviet Republics: a causality analysis

Empirical studies often use Freedom House ratings for Political Rights and/or Civil Liberties as institutional proxies for the degree of democracy. In this study, Granger-causality tests are used which reveal that Political Rights tend to precede Civil Liberties, but not the reverse, in a panel data set of former Soviet Republics. For transition nations, Freedom House also publishes a separate breakdown of democratic characteristics. Empirical tests suggest Civil Society and Judicial Framework Granger-cause Electoral Process, Governance Granger-causes Civil Society, and all four components Granger-cause Independent Media. Each measure of democracy is related to at least one other but no evidence for dual causation is found.
Changes in Titer of Ecdysone in Bombyx mori during Metamorphosis

The amount of ecdysone extracted from Bombyx mori rose precipitously immediately before, and fell immediately after, transition from the larval to the pupal stage, and thereafter a secondary rise in titer was observed. These observations correlate very well with physiologic sequences of metamorphosis, critical period, and oxygen uptake.
Multi-objective restructuring in social networks

In most social networks that are observed over time, we find that some individuals leave and others join the network. It is often important to modify the connections in the resulting network to satisfy desired properties associated with the network as well as individual nodes. We formulate this as a multi-objective optimization problem that requires maximization of two measures: the network Information Flow Quality (IFQ) and the Personal Satisfaction Quality(PSQ). Algorithms are developed to accomplish these optimization tasks, and shown to result in satisfactory network reconfiguration.
The Effect of Sex-linked Barring and Rate of Feathering Genes, and of Stock, Upon Egg Yolk Cholesterol

Abstract TAYLOR (1960), after a comprehensive search of the literature, observed that “of all the structures of the egg, the yolk seems to be the least influenced by hereditary factors.” Current interest in cholesterol as related to human health has stimulated the study of hereditary and other factors which influence yolk cholesterol level in chicken eggs. Harris and Wilcox (1958) found significant differences in egg yolk cholesterol among dams in a Randombred population of Leghorns. Edwards et al. (1960) observed significant strain or breed differences in cholesterol content of the fat of eggs. The phenotypic correlation between yolk cholesterol and egg production in a randombred population from October through December was estimated by Harris and Wilcox (1963a,b). The correlation coefficient (r) for November cholesterol and for March cholesterol was the same, −0.17. Correlation coefficients between body weight in March and yolk cholesterol in November and in March were +0.15 and +0.13, . . .
Archaeal Assemblages Inhabiting Temperate Mixed Forest Soil Fluctuate in Taxon Composition and Spatial Distribution over Time

This study explored the persistence and spatial distribution of a diverse Archaeal assemblage inhabiting a temperate mixed forest ecosystem. Persistence under native conditions was measured from 2001 to 2010, 2011, and 2012 by comparison of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The Archaeal assemblages at each of these time points were found to be significantly different (AMOVA, ), and the nature of this difference was dependent on taxonomic rank. For example, the cosmopolitan genus g_Ca. Nitrososphaera (I.1b) was detected at all time points, but within this taxon the abundance of s_SCA1145, s_SCA1170, and s_Ca. N. gargensis fluctuated over time. In addition, spatial heterogeneity (patchiness) was measured at these time points using 1D TRFLP-SSCP fingerprinting to screen soil samples covering multiple spatial scales. This included soil collected from small volumes of 3 cubic centimeters to larger scales—over a surface area of 50 m2, plots located 1.3 km apart, and a separate locality 23 km away. The spatial distribution of Archaea in these samples changed over time, and while g_Ca. Nitrososphaera (I.1b) was dominant over larger scales, patches were found at smaller scales that were dominated by other taxa. This study measured the degree of change for Archaeal taxon composition and patchiness over time in temperate mixed forest soil.
Comparative Public Policy at the Crossroads

This article seeks to acquaint the reader with the intellectual landscape of comparative policy studies, and to raise the level of self-consciousness of scholars active in the field. To this end it discusses why comparative policy studies emerged when and where it did in the 1970s. Then it grapples with the reasons and possible effects of the fact that the very term 'comparative policy' is so difficult to translate into non-English languages, and links this to a discussion of problems of conceptual cohesion. The last part assesses the prospects of a field which is seeking to gain and retain intellectual coherence and respect, though not nestled comfortably within a single discipline, and is subject to contending pulls from national and international academic, political and bureaucratic forces.
Development of tandem mass spectrometry: one perspective

Abstract The historical roots of tandem mass spectrometry or MS/MS (an invaluable tool for determining molecular structure and mixture analysis) are reviewed from the perspective of an active participant. The driving force for creating the first (and only) five-sector tandem mass spectrometer in the period 1962–1965 was to establish mechanisms of low energy ion–molecule reactions unequivocally and to evaluate the dependence of these reactions on ion kinetic energy. The invention and deployment of several other specialized instruments in the 1970s (drift cell and tandem ion cyclotron resonance spectrometers, hybrid tandems, and triple quadrupole instruments) also had fundamental studies of ion reactions as the research objective. The focus on low energy ion chemistry has evolved into collisional activation, the basis of analytical applications of MS/MS, as a natural evolution of scientific interest. The first such studies utilizing a crossed-beam hybrid MS/MS addressed single collision gas phase activation and has recently been extended to surface collision activation. The important parallel development of these methods and the metamorphosis of MS/MS from a suite of research tools into analytical practice using commercial instrumentation are discussed briefly.
The influence of reasons on interpretations of probability forecasts

When providing a probability estimate for an event, experts often supply reasons that they expect will clarify and support that estimate. We investigated the possible unintended influence that these reasons might have on a listener's intuitive interpretation of the event's likelihood. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that people who read positive reasons for a doctor's probability estimate regarding a hypothetical surgery were more optimistic than those who read negative reasons for the identical estimate. Experiment 3 tested whether a doctor's failure forecast for a surgery would result in differing levels of pessimism when the potential risk was attributed to one complication that had a probability of 0.30 versus three complications that had a disjunctive probability of 0.30. Overall, the findings are consistent with the argument that a probability estimate, albeit numerically precise, can be flexibly interpreted at an intuitive level depending on the reasons that the forecaster provides as the basis for the estimate. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LASTING BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES : II. LASTING DEPRESSION OF WEIGHT CAUSED BY NEONATAL CONTAMINATION

Certain specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice bred and maintained under semiprotected conditions have an intestinal flora which is qualitatively simpler (although not quantitatively smaller) than that of mice of the same genetic stock produced under ordinary conditions. They are also heavier at weaning time, grow at a faster rate, and reach a greater adult weight than ordinary mice. When SPF mice are contaminated per os shortly after birth with certain bacterial cultures isolated from the intestinal contents of adult ordinary mice, these bacteria multiply extensively throughout the gastrointestinal tract and persist at extremely high levels until weaning time. Such bacterial infections do not affect significantly either weaning weight, growth rate, or maximum adult weight. In contrast, weight depression could be consistently brought about by contaminating newborn SPF mice per os with bacteria-free filtrates of homogenates of intestines from ordinary mice. The weight-depressing agent passed through Millipore discs of 0.45 and 0.22 µ porosity, but was held back at 0.10 µ porosity. The depression of weight caused by either intestine homogenate or filtrates thereof could be detected within a few days after contamination (of 2 day old mice) and persisted throughout the adult life of the contaminated animals. When intestine homogenate of the SPF mice used in this study were introduced per os into newborn SPF mice, they did not affect their growth rate or adult weight. On several occasions, but not consistently, bacteria-free filtrates capable of depressing the weight curve of SPF mice produced alterations in the appearance of tissue cultures of BHK-21 and mouse embryo cells. When tissue cultures so infected were introduced into newborn SPF mice, the weight of these animals was depressed early and lastingly. An agent exhibiting weight-depressing activity has been transferred from mouse to mouse over many passages by contaminating newborn SPF animals per os. Weight depression was achieved with extremely small doses of material (10–5 ml of intestine homogenate of 10–4 of mouse embryo culture). Under these conditions, none of the animals showed obvious signs of disease except reduced weight. Only very young SPF mice (preferably less than 3 days old) proved susceptible to the weight-depressing effect of the filtrates of intestine homogenates or of infected tissue cultures prepared therefrom. After oral contamination, it took approximately 1 wk before the intestinal homogenate obtained from contaminated animals exhibited a high level of weight-depressing activity. The growth-depressing effect could be transmitted from one generation to the next by mating SPF mice that had been contaminated shortly after birth and that were consequently smaller than control SPF animals.
Sobolev's Φ-function of radiative transfer in planar and spherical scattering media

In recent years Sobolev's Φ-function of radiative transfer has been discussed in connection with the resolvent of Milne's integral equation such that it plays an important role in the determination of the radiation field in semi-infinite (or finite) atmospheres with internal sources (cf. Sobolev, 1963). In the present paper, the part of Sobolev's Φ-function in plane-parallel and spherical, isotropically scattering, atmospheres with internal source distribution is investigated from analytical and numerical aspects. With the aid of invariant imbedding (cf. Bellmanet al., 1968), we computed Sobolev's Φ-function of Milne's integral equation for the planar case by solving the Cauchy system for the auxiliary function and Chandrasekhar'sX- andY-functions. The corresponding Φ-function for the spherical case is readily obtained from the for the planar case.
A Case for Heterogeneous Flash in the Datacenter

We explore the idea of heterogeneous NAND flash which possesses pages and blocks of multiple sizes. This heterogeneity can then be exploited to accommodate the diversity in data access patterns found in most datacenter storage workloads. We identify various tradeoffs offered by such pages and blocks. By characterizing seven real-world I/O traces, we identify metrics that have a bearing on the efficacy as well as design of such a heterogeneous flash. We use the observations of our workload characterization to discuss the pros and cons of different implementation styles, management schemes and implications for datacenters.
Pharmacokinetics of gallium nitrate in man

Gallium nitrate is a new antineoplastic agent that has shown activity in a number of in vitro tumor systems. During a Phase I clinical trial, the pharmacokinetics of two methods of administration of gallium nitrate were studied: a seven-day continuous intravenous infusion, and a weekly rapid intravenous infusion. During the continuous infusion of 200 mg/M2 of gallium nitrate, plasma gallium concentrations of 0.9 +/- 0.2 microgram/ml in one patient, and 1.9 +/- 0.4 microgram/ml in a second were noted. Urine excretion of gallium approximated the daily administered dose by day 2-3. Overall, 68-107% of the total administered dose was recovered in the urine. Following a rapid intravenous infusion, a biphasic curve was generated. The T1/2 alpha ranged from 8.3-26 minutes; the T1/2 beta from 6.3-196 hours. From 69-91% of the administered dose was recovered in the urine. The effects of gallium nitrate on tissue localization and body retention of 67Ga are also presented.
Ultrastructure of sporozoites and zoites of Hammondia heydorni.

The ultrastructure of sporozoites and zoites of Hammondia heydorni was studied in cultured bovine cells. In addition to ultrastructural features typical of coccidian parasites, H. heydorni sporozoites and zoites contain rhoptries that are located posteriorly as well as anteriorly. Also, sporozoites contain a posteriorly located crystalloid body (1.2 μm in diameter); a small crystalloid body (0.5 μm in diameter) was occasionally seen in the anterior end. Zoites resulting from the 1st division of endodyogeny contain a posteriorly located crystalloid body, which is absent in zoites formed by subsequent divisions. Zoites contain posteriorly located amylopectin granules and a relatively large anterior vacuole which is not present in sporozoites. During penetration, the host cell plasmalemma ballooned laterally around the sporozoite creating a large cavity, which later disappeared. Sporozoites and zoites undergoing cell penetration usually exhibit partially empty anterior rhoptries; no changes occur in posterior rhoptries. Lysosomes fuse with the par-asitophorous vacuole surrounding killed sporozoites but not live sporozoites.
Effects of increased overnight supervision on resident education, decision-making, and autonomy

BACKGROUND: New supervisory regulations highlight the challenge of balancing housestaff supervision and autonomy. To better understand the impact of increased supervision on residency training, we investigated housestaff perceptions of education, autonomy, and clinical decision-making before and after implementation of an in-hospital, overnight attending physician (nocturnist). METHODS: We established a nocturnist program in July 2010 at our academic, tertiary care medical center. We administered pre-surveys and post-surveys of internal medicine residents on night float rotation during the 2010–2011 academic year. We surveyed residents before and after experiencing the nocturnist program. RESULTS: Housestaff reported an increase in the clinical value of the night float rotation (3.95 vs 4.27, P = 0.01) and the adequacy of overnight supervision (3.65 vs 4.30, P < 0.0001) without a change in decision-making autonomy (4.35 vs 4.45, P = 0.44). Trainees agreed that nocturnist supervision positively impacted patient outcomes (3.79 vs 4.30, P = 0.002). Housestaff contacted attendings more frequently for transfers from outside facilities (2.00 vs 3.20, P = 0.006), during adverse events (2.51 vs 3.25, P = 0.04), prior to ordering invasive diagnostics (1.75 vs 2.76, P = 0.004), and prior to vasopressor use (1.52 vs 2.40, P = 0.004). Residents' fear of revealing knowledge gaps and desire to make decisions independently did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Increased overnight supervision enhanced the clinical value of the night float rotation, increased rates of attending contact during critical clinical decision-making, and improved perception of patient care. These changes occurred without a decrease in housestaff's perceived decision-making autonomy. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
Adhesion of dry nano-coated microparticles to stainless steel: A physical interpretation

Abstract During the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, it is desirable to modify the surface of powder particles to alter their adhesion characteristics without changing their dissolution rates or their chemical or biological characteristics. In this study, dry silica nanoparticle coatings were applied to spheroidal micron-scale aluminum host particles to alter their surface morphology and adhesion behavior. The host particles were coated with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic fumed nanosilica using a magnetically assisted impact coating technique. The adhesion between polished or unpolished stainless steel and all three particle types, including uncoated aluminum and aluminum coated with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanosilica, was examined at 30% relative humidity. On both steel surfaces, the measured adhesion force towards the uncoated aluminum was greater than towards either type of coated aluminum. The uncoated aluminum adhered more strongly to the polished substrate than to the unpolished one. The hydrophobic- and hydrophilic-coated particles adhered to both substrates with roughly the same force, such that there was no effect of either the substrate type or the coating type on the adhesion. To confirm that capillary forces had no influence on the measured adhesion, the adhesion behavior between the uncoated aluminum particles and the steel was measured at 15 and 30% RH, and no change in adhesion force was observed.
The contribution of buried polar groups to the conformational stability of the GCN4 coiled coil.

The dimeric interface of the leucine zipper coiled coil from GCN4 has been used to probe the contributions of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions to protein stability. We have determined the energetics of placing Ile or Asn residues at four buried positions in a two-stranded coiled coil. As expected, Ile is favored over Asn at these buried positions, but not as much as predicted by considering only the hydrophobic effect. It appears that interstrand hydrogen bonds form between the side-chains of the buried Asn residues and these contribute to the conformational stability of the coiled-coil peptides. However, these contributions are highly dependent on the locations of the Asn pairs. The effect of an Ile to Asn mutation is greatest at the N terminus of the peptide and decreases almost twofold as we move the substitution from the N to C-terminal heptads.