cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine-grained, nonlinear image registration of live cell movies reveals spatiotemporal organization of diffuse molecular processes

We present an application of non-linear Image registration that allows spatiotemporal analysis of extremely noisy and diffuse molecular processes across the entire cell. To produce meaningful local tracking of the spatially coherent portion of diffuse protein dynamics, we improved upon existing non-linear image registration to compensate for cell movement and deformation. The registration relies on a subcellular fiducial marker, a cell motion mask, and a topological regularization that enforces diffeomorphism on the registration without significant loss of granularity. We demonstrate the potential of this approach in conjunction with stochastic time-series analysis through the discovery of distinct zones of coherent Profillin dynamics in symmetry-breaking U2OS cells. Further analysis of the resulting Profilin dynamics revealed strong relationships with the underlying actin organization. This study thus provides a framework for extracting functional interactions between cell morphodynamics, protein distributions, and signaling in cells undergoing continuous shape changes. Author SummaryBy adapting optical flow based nonlinear image registration we created a method specific for live cell movies that preserves the dynamics of a signal of interest by remapping using a separate measurable subcellular location fiducial. This is an extension as well on our labs previously published method of cell edge-based referencing of subcellular locations that was incapable of extracting interpretable subcellular time series more than a few microns away from the cell edge. We showed that our method overcomes this key limitation and allows sampling of subcellular time series from every subcellular location through our discovery of organized profilin dynamics in moving cell and that these profilin dynamics are related to actin dynamics due to their ability to bind growing actin structures likely through actin polymerizing factors. Most importantly, our method is applicable to discovering subcellular organization and coordination in a widely used form of live cell microscopy data that hitherto has been largely limited to anecdotal analysis.
The Gay Lifewriting of Reinaldo Arenas: Antes que anochezca

(1995). The Gay Lifewriting of Reinaldo Arenas: Antes que anochezca. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 10, Terms of Identity: Essays on the Theoretical Terminology of Lifewriting, pp. 126-144.
Genesis and Sustenance

As amazing as it may seem, the study of the birth and life of explosions, that is of the chemical and gasdynamic processes that are associated with the generation, growth and sustenance of explosions, escaped up to now, by far and wide, the attention of the scientific community.
malloc() performance in a multithreaded Linux environment

Network servers make special demands that other types of applications may not make on memory allocators. We describe a simple malloc() microbenchmark suite that tests the ability of malloc() to divide its work efficiently among multiple threads and processors. The purpose of this suite is to determine the suitability of an operating system's heap allocator for use with network servers running in an SMP environment.
Rational Coordination in Multi-Agent Environments

We adopt the decision-theoretic principle of expected utility maximization as a paradigm for designing autonomous rational agents, and present a framework that uses this paradigm to determine the choice of coordinated action. We endow an agent with a specialized representation that captures the agent's knowledge about the environment and about the other agents, including its knowledge about their states of knowledge, which can include what they know about the other agents, and so on. This reciprocity leads to a recursive nesting of models. Our framework puts forth a representation for the recursive models and, under the assumption that the nesting of models is finite, uses dynamic programming to solve this representation for the agent's rational choice of action. Using a decision-theoretic approach, our work addresses concerns of agent decision-making about coordinated action in unpredictable situations, without imposing upon agents pre-designed prescriptions, or protocols, about standard rules of interaction. We implemented our method in a number of domains and we show results of coordination among our automated agents, among human-controlled agents, and among our agents coordinating with human-controlled agents.
Use of Animal Models for Projection of Clinical Drug–Drug Interactions for Therapeutic Proteins

The use of in vitro human systems to predict clinical drug–drug interactions (DDIs) of small molecules mediated through cytochrome P450 metabolism has seen significant value. However, DDI mediated through non-P450 mechanisms requires greater effort to understand in vitro–in vivo correlations (IVIVCs). Although, as shown in this chapter, the preclinical DDI assessment for therapeutic proteins can theoretically be addressed by using in vitro human systems alone, the relevance of the in vitro data in the context of a more complex in vivo system requires greater validation. In vivo animal models can potentially help bridge this gap. Keywords: animal models; cytochrome P450; small molecule drugs; anti-drug antibodies; cytokines; drug–drug interactions
Hegel en América

this paper reinterprets Hegel and his vision of history from the global s outh. the paper locates Hegel’s l ectures on the Philosophy of History in the context of the e uropean colonial expansion to the Americas in 1492 and the u. s. empire emergence from 1898 up to present. It develops a criticism about the Hegelian vision of the future and 1
Integrating genetic information resources with an EHR.

As the knowledge about the genetic factors associated with clinical conditions increases, access to information that can help practicing clinicians better understand these factors becomes essential for optimal care and communication with patients. We describe the implementation of "infobuttons" from the problem list module of an electronic health record (EHR) to on-line genetic resources.
The health implications of civic association in Russia

Abstract Can civic and political participation influence health outcomes, and if so, does the general aversion to joining community activities have some connection to poor health outcomes in Russia? Using data from surveys of 18,000+ urban Russians conducted from 2003 to 2005 and controlling for a wide range of variables, we find that individuals who join collective civic and political activities report better health than non-joiners and that living in a participatory community may enhance one’s health, regardless of one’s own participation.
Group invariant Peano curves

Our main theorem is that, if M is a closed hyperbolic 3-manifold which fibres over the circle with hyperbolic fibre S and pseudo-Anosov monodromy, then the lift of the inclusion of S in M to universal covers extends to a continuous map of B 2 to B 3 , where B n = H n U S n-1 ∞ . The restriction to S 1 ∞ maps onto S 2 ∞ and gives an example of an equivariant S 2 -filling Peano curve. After proving the main theorem, we discuss the case of the figure-eight knot complement, which provides evidence for the conjecture that the theorem extends to the case when S is a once-punctured hyperbolic surface.
Fermion mutilation on a body-centered tesseract

We construct a chiral Lagrangian on a body-centered four-dimensional hypercubic lattice. A form of fermion doubling is observed in the continuum limit. However, because some of the spurious excitations do not propagate as particles, the resulting continuum field theory is not Lorentz invariant.
Pedagogy in Counselor Education: A 10-Year Content Analysis of Journals

This content analysis includes 230 peer-reviewed articles regarding teaching and learning published in journals of the American Counseling Association and its divisions between January 2001 and December 2010. Results include examination of focus, pedagogical foundations, and the methodologies used. Implications for the scholarship of teaching and learning in counselor education are discussed.
Availability of heavy metals in compost-amended soil

Abstract Composted municipal wastes can be applied to cropland to supply nutrients and improve soil physical properties, but farmers are concerned about heavy metal availability. Three municipal composts were applied at 0, 25, 50 and 100 × 10 6 g ha −1 in 1994 to an unlimed and limed (pH 6.5) Dyke clay (clayey, mixed, mesic Typic Rhodudults), and burley tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) was planted in 1994 and 1995. The composts were municipal solid waste (MSWC), wastewater biosolids (WBC) and co-composted municipal solid waste/wastewater biosolids (COC). Leaf samples were collected three times in each year and analyzed for heavy metal concentration. Soil samples were collected three times in each year, extracted with DTPA and extracts were analyzed for heavy metal concentration. With the exception of Cd in 1994 cured burley leaves, Cd, Ni, and Pb concentrations were generally undetectable for all treatments in both years. When leaf Cu and Zn concentrations in cured leaves from COC and WBC in 1994 were regressed against amounts of Cu and Zn applied with respective compost treatments, mean leaf Cu and Zn were significantly higher in COC (215 mg Cu kg −1 and 738 mg Zn kg −1 ) than in WBC (173 mg Cu kg −1 and 499 mg Zn kg −1 ) treatments. Because compost Cu and Zn concentrations in MSWC (53 mg Cu kg −1 and 96 mg Zn kg −1 ) were much lower than in other composts, cured leaf Cu and Zn in MSWC treatments were not compared with cured leaf Cu and Zn in COC or WBC treatments. DTPA-extractable Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu concentrations increased with increasing soil pH at the 100 × 10 6 g ha −1 rates of COC addition in September, 1994. Higher metal composts were associated with higher metal extractability than were lower metal composts: when equal rates of metal addition to soil from different composts were compared, DTPA-extractable Cu and Pb concentrations in September 1994, were significantly higher in COC than in WBC treatments, and DTPA-extractable Cd concentration was significantly lower in MSWC treatments than in COC or WBC treatments.
How Donald R. Field Built the Infrastructure for Natural Resource Social Science Research

Since I have known Don Field from our graduate school days, I thought I was invited to come to the Madison, Wisconsin ISSRM to toast and tell stories about all the funny and good things he has done...
Release of Chromium from Soils with Persulfate Chemical Oxidation

An important part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of persulfate in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) for treating organic contaminants is to identify and understand its potential impact on metal co-contaminants in the subsurface. Chromium is a redox-sensitive and toxic metal the release of which poses considerable risk to human health. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of persulfate chemical oxidation on the release of chromium from three soils varying in physical-chemical properties. Soils were treated with unactivated and activated persulfate [activated with Fe(II), Fe(II)-EDTA, and alkaline pH] at two different concentrations (i.e., 41 mM and 2.1 mM persulfate) for 48 h and 6 months and were analyzed for release of chromium. Results show that release of chromium with persulfate chemical oxidation depends on the soil type and the activation method. Sandy soil with low oxidant demand released more chromium compared to soils with high oxidant demand. More chromium was released with alkaline pH activation. Alkaline pH and high Eh conditions favor oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), which is the main mechanism of release of chromium with persulfate chemical oxidation. Unactivated and Fe(II)-activated persulfate decreased pH and at low pH in absence of EDTA chromium release is not a concern. These results indicate that chromium release can be anticipated based on the given site and treatment conditions, and ISCO system can be designed to minimize potential chromium release when treating soils and groundwater contaminated with both organic and metal contaminants.
Construction and characterization of three BAC libraries for analysis of the chicken genome.

Source/description: Large-insert BAC libraries have been essential components in the physical mapping and sequencing of the human genome and those of other species. Crooijmans et al. constructed a chicken BAC library with a 5.5-fold representation of the chicken genome using HindIII partial digest fragments. However, this is unlikely to provide full coverage by itself, as the use of only a single enzyme will bias against regions of the genome with unusually high or low densities of restriction sites. Kato et al. recently described a HindIII-based library of similar size, but this is not publicly available. This paper describes chicken BAC libraries constructed with three different restriction enzyme-generated inserts (HindIII, BamHI and EcoRI). Together, the three libraries should provide nearly full coverage of the chicken genome, suitable for high-resolution physical mapping and sequence analysis. All three libraries are publicly available, distributed as duplicated libraries, individual BACs and high-density colony filters. A female of the Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus gallus) line UCD001 was the DNA source. A single bird from an inbred line was chosen to minimize heterozygosity that could impede eventual BAC contig assembly using fingerprint analysis. In addition, comparison of the UCD001 sequence to numerous available White Leghorn accessions should generate dense single-nucleotide polymorphism coverage of the genome...
Combined retinal-retina pigment epithelial hamartoma presenting as a vitreous hemorrhage

A 2-year-old healthy white boy had a vitreous hemorrhage in the left eye but no history or external signs of trauma. Computed tomographic and ultrasonographic examinations were not diagnostic. A pars plana vitrectomy performed when the patient was 2 1/2 years old revealed a posterior pole lesion diagnosed clinically as a combined retinal-retina pigment epithelial hamartoma. Such lesions may be symptomatic because of decreased vision, macular puckering, and strabismus; vitreous hemorrhage has not previously been reported as the presenting clinical sign or the predominant cause for reduced vision.
A simple quantitative procedure using monolayer cultures for cytotoxicity assays (HTD/NR-90)

A sensitive quantitative procedure for assaying viable cells in monolayer cultures is described. The two-component test involves (a) microscopic screening for morphological alterations after an experimental protocol for cytotoxicity studies and (b) quantitation of surviving cells by incubation with the supravital dye neutral red, followed by colorimetric analysis of the dye extracted from the lysosomes of the viable cells. Both assays, conveniently carried out within the same culture, have been standardized for use with 96-well microtiter plates and automatic reading with a Dynatech spectrophotometric microplate reader. The test can be adapted for use with conventional spectrophotometers.
A rough road to the information highway. Project INTREX: a view from the CLR archives

In the mid-1960s, America's richest library foundation sponsored a far-reaching and very expensive attempt to redefine the library and its technology. The Council on Library Resources, along with other foundations and agencies, supported the near decade-long INTREX Project at MIT. The Council on Library Resources was the only large-scale foundation committed to the general purpose library and it was directed by librarians and others interested in the humanities. But INTREX was not by or for the general library, even the general research library. Rather, the project was shaped and run by engineers and was oriented to the needs of the engineering and applied science communities. Much to the disappointment of the council and its science advisors, INTREX produced little and did not establish the basis for the hoped for fundamental changes in library methods and technology.
Is Your Enterprise Warming Up to Carbon 2.0

CIOs and IT professionals should know the status of carbon management systems as well as the evolutionary trend in this software to better position themselves to exploit future opportunities in a low-carbon economy.
Renal Failure Associated With Captopril

To the Editor.— We are beginning to see certain clinical situations wherein captopril therapy has been temporally associated with the development of acute renal failure. 1,2 For the most part, these observations have been made in persons exhibiting serious degrees of renal artery stenosis in the setting of a solitary kidney or with bilateral renal artery disease. We have observed two such persons (ages 63 and 55 years) with chronic renal failure (serum creatinine level, 3 to 4 mg/dL) and high-grade renal artery stenosis, both of whom had a solitary functioning kidney and experienced reversible renal failure (serum creatinine level, 7 to 7.3 mg/dL) concomitant with captopril administration. Although renal biopsies were not performed, clinical history, urinalysis, and rate of recovery after captopril therapy discontinuation argued against short-term toxic effects of the drug as being responsible for the renal failure. In patients with serious renal artery stenosis, overvigorous diuresis and/or
Clogging potential of tire-shred drainage layer in landfill cover systems

AbstractThis paper investigates the clogging potential of shredded scrap tire drainage layers in landfill covers. Laboratory clogging tests were conducted using soil and shredded tire profiles in a large-scale permeameter. In each test, a layer of shredded tire overlain by a soil layer was subjected to flow under a constant hydraulic gradient condition. Two types of shredded tires were used for this study and they contained individual tire chips with sizes ranging from 2.5 cm to 50 cm. The soil layer consisted of silty clay that is commonly used as cover soil in landfill cover systems. Tests were also conducted by placing a geotextile filter between the soil and the shredded tire layers. During the testing, the outflow from the bottom of the shredded tire layer was measured. After a specified number of days, the inflow was stopped and the soil layer was removed. The soil was dried and weighed. If a geotextile was used, it was also removed, dried, and weighed. The mass of the soil that remained after compl...
Farnesol as a Regulator of HMG-CoA Reductase Degradation: Characterization and Role of Farnesyl Pyrophosphatase

We have recently reported that the isoprenoid compound farnesol accelerates degradation of the cholesterologenic enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, when added to cultured cells. We have thus proposed that farnesol is a required nonsterol regulator of this degradation event (T. E. Meigs, D. S. Roseman, and R. D. Simoni, 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271, 7916-7922). In this report, we have studied the enzyme farnesyl pyrophosphatase (FPPase) in Chinese hamster ovary cells. We demonstrate that FPPase activity increases under conditions of increased metabolic flow through the isoprenoid pathway. Also, we show that a nonhydrolyzable analog of farnesyl pyrophosphate, an isoprenoid (phosphinylmethyl)phosphonate, inhibits FPPase in vitro, and when added to cells this inhibitor blocks the mevalonate-dependent, sterol-induced degradation of HMG-CoA reductase. Furthermore, exogenous farnesol overcomes the effect of this inhibitor. These results suggest an isoprenoid-mediated regulatory mechanism governing intracellular farnesol production and support the hypothesis that farnesol is a nonsterol regulator of reductase degradation.
Regulation of APC development, immune response, and autoimmunity by Bach1/HO-1 pathway in mice

APCs are essential for innate and adaptive immunity as well as self-immune tolerance. Here, we show that the Cap'n'collar member Bach1 regulates the generation of APCs, specifically macrophages and dendritic cells, in mice. The impaired APC development in Bach1−/− mice was accompanied by defects in downstream T-cell responses and partial protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Genomewide analyses identified a panel of Bach1 target genes and ablation of the direct Bach1 target gene HO-1 exacerbated the impaired APC development observed in Bach1−/− mice. This was attributed to the impaired ability of HO-1−/−Bach1−/− double mutants to produce upstream APC progenitor cells, including common myeloid progenitor (CMP)–Flk2+. By contrast, we observed an increase in hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSPCs) in these mice, suggesting a developmental block in the progression of HSPCs to CMP-Flk2+ and subsequently APCs.
Duration ratio discrimination in pigeons: a criterion-setting analysis.

Pigeons received trials beginning with a sequence of two colors (blue → yellow) on the center key of a three-key array. The colors lasted different lengths of time. At the end of the sequence pigeons chose between two keys based on a criterial ratio of the temporal sequence. One choice was reinforced if the time ratio was less than the criterion and the alternate choice was reinforced if the time ratio was greater than the criterion. The criterial ratios (first to second duration) were 1:1, 1.5:1, and 3:1. The same set of intervals was used for the different criterion ratios, producing a balanced distribution of time ratios for the 1.5:1 condition, and unbalanced distributions for the 1:1 and 3:1 conditions. That is, for the 1.5:1 condition half of the duration pairs were less than the criterion and half were greater. However, for the 1:1 and 3:1 conditions, more duration pairs were less than (3:1) or greater than (1:1) the criterion. Accuracy was similar across criterion ratios, but response bias was influenced by the asymmetries of time ratios in the 1:1 and 3:1 conditions. When these asymmetries were controlled, the response biases were reduced or eliminated. These results indicate that pigeons are flexible in establishing a criterion for discriminating duration ratios, unlike humans, who are less flexible and are bound to categorical distinctions in the discrimination of duration ratios.
The etiology and treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A review

Abstract This paper is a review of the literature regarding the etiology and treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. The review is organized around the four basic theoretical approaches that have guided research in the area: the anatomical approach, the psychological approach, the biochemical approach, and an interactive (psychological and physiological) approach. A critical analysis of the research on both etiology and treatment is presented, and methodological problems and issues in research on dysmenorrhea are examined. Suggestions for future research are also presented
Survival and Virulence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis Filaments Induced by Reduced Water Activity

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strain E40 filaments were developed under conditions of a reduced water activity (aw) of 0.95 in tryptic soy broth (TSB) or tryptic soy agar (TSA) supplemented with 8% or 7% NaCl, respectively. Filament formation was accompanied by an increase of biomass without an increase in CFU and was affected by incubation temperature and the physical milieu. The greatest amount of filaments was recovered from TSA with 7% NaCl and incubation at 30°C. Within 2 h of transfer to fresh TSB, filaments started to septate into normal-sized cells, resulting in a rapid increase in CFU. S. Enteritidis E40 filaments were not more tolerant of low- or high-temperature stresses than nonfilamented control cells. However, there was greater survival of filaments in 10% bile salts after 24 to 48 h of incubation, during pH 2.0 acid challenge for 10 min, and under desiccation on stainless steel surfaces at 25°C and 75.5% relative humidity for 7 days. S. Enteritidis E40 filaments invaded and multiplied within Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells to a similar degree as control cells when a comparable CFU of filaments and control cells was used. S. Enteritidis E40 filaments established a successful infection in mice via intragastric inoculation. The filaments colonized the gastrointestinal tract and disseminated to the spleen and liver at levels comparable to those attained by control cells, even when animals were inoculated with 10- to 100-fold fewer CFU. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of virulence of stress-induced Salmonella filaments in vitro and in vivo. Formation of filaments by Salmonella in food products and food processing environments is significant to food safety, because detection and quantitation of the pathogen may be compromised. The finding that these filaments are virulent further enhances their potential public health impact.
Quantitative Literacy for Social Justice

In this article, we argue that many adults lack the “numeracy” needed to function in a maximally effective manner in their vocational, civic, and personal lives. We believe schools need to foster skills in quantitative literacy (QL), an inclination and ability to make reasoned decisions using general world knowledge and fundamental mathematics in authentic everyday circumstances. We explain how schools might begin to make inroads in preparing more quantitatively literate students and how this goal coincides with efforts toward greater social justice.
Real-Time Integrated Airport Surface Operations Management (RTI-ASOM)

• Real-Time Integrated Airport Surface Operations Management (RTI-ASOM) - An integration of airport surface improvement with runway, taxiway, and gate management - Prepare for NextGen with automation of surface movement control • Substantial MIP approach - Balance two objective functions - Operational constraints & safety requirements • Solution Algorithm - Linearization - Dynamic Programming for runway sequence - GAMS for reduced MIP - VBA modules to automate the algorithm • Case study at LGA - Average taxi time is reduced from 9 min to 2 min - Gate holding absorb excess taxi time - 6-minute time saving for runway usage
Recruitment Dynamics of Lake Trout in Western Lake Superior during 1988–1995

Abstract Stocks of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush in Lake Superior are recovering from historical collapse. Stocking, control of sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus, and harvest restrictions have aided lake trout recovery, but the contribution of stocked lake trout to contemporary recruitment has not been quantified in western Lake Superior. Using variants of the Ricker stock–recruit model, we evaluated the production of age-7 lake trout (recruits) by examining age-8 and older wild and stocked parental lake trout (spawners). We found that density of wild lake trout spawners and recruits increased during 1980–2003, whereas the density of stocked spawners decreased in all management areas. Two competing models best described recruit density of the 1988–2003 year-classes: (1) wild and stocked parents each contributed to recruitment but stocked parents contributed negatively and (2) only wild parents contributed to recruitment. Recruitment rates declined significantly with increasing spawner density in four of f...
Combining Exercise with Pharmacologic Stress to Optimize the Accuracy and Risk Stratification of SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging: A Systematic Review

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Due to the substantial morbidity and mortality related to CAD, stress single photon emission CT (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging has emerged as an important noninvasive means of evaluating patients with suspected and known CAD. The preferred stress modality is exercise. However, many patients require pharmacologic stress with vasodilators or β-agonists due to the inability to perform adequate exercise. Compared to exercise stress, pharmacologic stress is associated with more adverse effects, poorer nuclear image quality, and higher cardiac event rates. Protocols which combine pharmacologic stress with exercise improve the side effect profile of pharmacologic stress, improve image quality, and provide the clinician with objective data on functional capacity and prognosis.
CNS Targets Support and Sustain Differentiation of Cultured Neuronal and Retinal Progenitor Cells

Superior colliculus (SC) is the target of retinal neurons, allowing them to form connections. Cultured stem cells/progenitors can potentially be used as donor tissue to reconstruct degenerated retina including perhaps replacing lost ganglion cells in glaucoma. In which case, it will be essential for these cells to integrate with the central nervous system targets. Here, we have investigated if the mid-brain region containing superior colliculus (SC) provides a permissive environment for the survival and differentiation of neural progenitors, including retinal progenitor cells propagated in cultures. Neural (NPCs) and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice were cultured. Passage two through four neural and retinal progenitor cells were subsequently cocultured with the SC organotypic slices and maintained in culture for 17 and eight days respectively. Differentiation of the neurons was studied by immunocytochemistry for retinotypic neuronal markers. Retinal progenitor cells cocultured with SC slices were able to differentiate into various neuronal morphologies. Some cocultured progenitor cells differentiated into neurons as suggested by class III β tubulin immunoreactivity. In addition, specific retinotypic neuronal differentiation of RPC was detected by immunoreactivity for calbindin and PKC. SC provides a permissive environment that supports survival and differentiation of the progenitor cells.
Digital computer solutions of the rigorous equations for scattering problems

A survey of recently developed techniques for solving the rigorous equations that arise in scattering problems is presented. These methods generate a system of linear equations for the unknown current density by enforcing the boundary conditions at discrete points in the scattering body or on its surface. This approach shows promise of leading to a systematic solution for a dielectric or conducting body of arbitrary size and shape. The relative merits of the linear-equation solution and the variational solutions are discussed and numerical results, obtained by these two methods, are presented for straight wires of finite length. The computation effort required with the linear-equation solution can be reduced by expanding the current distribution in a series of modes of the proper type, by making a change of variables for integration, and by employing interpolation formulas. Solutions are readily obtained for a scattering body placed in an incident plane-wave field or in the near-zone of a source. Examples are included for both cases, using a straight wire of finite length as the scattering body. The application of these techniques to scattering by a dielectric body is illustrated with dielectric rods of finite length.
Measures of Sexual Minority Status and Suicide Risk among Young Adults in the United States

Multiple measures of sexual minority status are necessary to accurately describe the diversity of attractions, identities, and behaviors in sexual minority populations. We investigated whether four measures of sexual minority status (sexual minority attraction, sexual minority identity, sexual minority lifetime behavior, and sexual minority recent 12-month behavior) were associated with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among young adults ages 24 to 34 in the United States. We analyzed data from Wave IV (2007-2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. We employed logistic regression models in the analysis. Multiple sexual minority status measures had significant associations with increased suicidal thoughts among women and men. Multiple sexual minority status measures had significant associations with increased suicide attempts among women, but not among men. Diverse sexual minority populations are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. Multiple measures of sexual minority status should be utilized in future studies of sexual minority status and suicide risk. Suicide prevention programs should ensure intervention is available across diverse sexual minority populations.
Experimental Evolution of Mating Discrimination in Budding Yeast

Summary Assortative mating, when individuals of similar phenotypes mate, likely plays a key role in preventing gene flow during speciation. Reinforcement occurs when two previously geographically separated (allopatric) groups meet after having evolved partial postzygotic isolation; they are selected to evolve or enhance assortative mating to prevent costly intergroup matings that produce only maladaptive or sterile hybrids [1–4]. Studies in Drosophila have shown that the genetic architectures of mating discrimination could differ significantly with or without reinforcement [5], suggesting that the evolution of assortative mating may be more complicated than expected. To study the evolution of assortative mating, we evolved mating discrimination in populations of the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae . After 36 cycles of selection, these cells are five times more likely to mate with each other than to their ancestors, despite detectable one-way gene flow between the selected and reference populations. Several individual cultures evolved mating discrimination by changing their mating kinetics, with some mating more rapidly and others more slowly than the ancestral population. Genetic analysis indicates that multiple mutations have accumulated to produce the altered mating preference. Our results show that subtle details of mating behavior can play an important role in the evolution of reproductive isolation.
Impacts of Alternative Trading Institutions and Methods of Delivery on Laboratory Market Outcomes

Producer groups and policy makers continue to call for investigations into the market structure and conduct of firms in agricultural production and processing (Combest, Hahn and Nelson, OCM, WORC). One focus of attention is price discovery (Koontz and Purcell, Tomek). Trading has shifted away from open market auction transactions toward privately negotiated contracting. Private negotiation tends to rely on the forward delivery of goods. As a consequence, the open exchange of goods for immediate sale describes less of the total
Synthesis and electrical properties of Sr4Mn2CuO9 ceramics

Abstract The crystal structure of the compound Sr4Mn2CuO9 is closely related to the hexagonal perovskite structure. In this work, Sr3.95Mn2CuO9 was synthesized by solid state methods and the electrical properties of the polycrystalline ceramics were measured. The conductivity was observed to increase four orders of magnitude over the temperature range 100 to 700 K, with a room temperature conductivity of 5×10−5 S/cm. The conductivity closely followed an Arrhenius equation with an activation energy of approximately 0.14 eV.
Polarized photon emission following He+He charge capture collisions

Abstract The polarization of 3889 A photons from the 2 3 S3 3 P transition of fast helium atoms produced by charge capture in a He + He collision has been measured as a function of the reduced angle τ = Eθ . An impact parameter selection method was employed with ions having energies between 2 and 3 keV, and at scattering angles of a few degrees. Circular polarizations, and in some cases linear polarization, of the light was measured. Large circular polarization, corresponding to collisional orientation, were observed. The results are discussed with reference to other measurements, and to the electron promotion model.
Understanding Member Use of Social Networking Sites from a Risk Perspective

Abstract Anecdotal evidence suggests that online users’ concern about risks may deter them from using social networking sites. Unfortunately, the existing literature did not develop a clear conceptualization of the key risk factors and failed to identify and differentiate the underlying facets of risks. In addition, prior studies did not systematically capture the imperative antecedents of members’ risk perception. The current study fills these research gaps. Drawing upon pertaining literature, we develop a succinct research model to understand risk factors that daunt members’ site use. Specifically, we explore the underlying risk factors embedded in site use and identity their sources of influence. The research model was validated by survey data collected from real users and the analysis results provided strong support to the research model. The current study generates new knowledge on the literature of social networking sites; it also sheds light on management strategies for networking service vendors to promote members’ extent of site use.
Evidence of Incomplete Motor Programming in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract One of the essential questions regarding movement deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) is whether they stem from impaired selecting and switching among movements, impaired use of predictive information to prepare movement, or impaired execution of movement. PD subjects (n = 9) and age-matched control subjects (n = 8) performed a cued, sequential-response RT task. The cue provided either no information, accurate information, or inaccurate information about the upcoming response. PD subjects used predictive information to prepare and to switch among movement sequences normally, but second and third key press latencies were prolonged in comparison with the first key press latency. In Experiments 2 and 3, the effects of choice set and sequence length on key press latencies were examined. These results provide evidence that PD subjects initiate movement before the entire response sequence is prepared. PD does not impair motor programming or execution processes themselves but impairs the smooth coordin...
Norwalk virus minor capsid protein VP2 associates within the VP1 shell domain.

The major capsid protein of norovirus VP1 assembles to form an icosahedral viral particle. Despite evidence that the Norwalk virus (NV) minor structural protein VP2 is present in infectious virions, the available crystallographic and electron cryomicroscopy structures of NV have not revealed the location of VP2. In this study, we determined that VP1 associates with VP2 at the interior surface of the capsid, specifically with the shell (S) domain of VP1. We mapped the interaction site to amino acid 52 of VP1, an isoleucine located within a sequence motif IDPWI in the S domain that is highly conserved across norovirus genogroups. Mutation of this isoleucine abrogated VP2 incorporation into virus-like particles without affecting the ability for VP1 to dimerize and form particles. The highly basic nature of VP2 and its location interior to the viral particle are consistent with its potential role in assisting capsid assembly and genome encapsidation.
Separation, Detection, and Qua.gification of Galacturonic Acid Oligomers with a Degree of Polymerization Greater than 50

A high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC)–evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD)‐method was developed to detect, separate, and qua.gify galacturonic acid (GA) oligomers. Follow...
Association of an Asn40Asp (A118G) polymorphism in the μ-opioid receptor gene with substance dependence : A meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction The μ-opioid receptor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of dependence on opioids, alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine. Studies examining the association of the μ-opioid receptor gene (genetic locus OPRM1 ) with substance dependence (SD) have focused on the Asn40Asp (A118G) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Method We used meta-analysis to examine the literature on the association of Asn40Asp with SD. Twenty-two articles describing 28 distinct samples and over 8000 subjects were included. A variety of factors (i.e., ethnicity, type of SD, rigor with which controls were screened, severity of SD among cases) were examined as potential moderators of the association. Results Four studies showed a significantly higher frequency of the Asp40 allele among SD cases, while three studies showed a significantly higher frequency of the Asp40 allele among controls. There was no significant association between Asn40Asp and SD (OR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.86–1.19), nor was there substantial evidence of a moderator effect. Conclusion The Asn40Asp SNP in OPRM1 does not appear to affect risk for SD. Additional research is needed to determine whether these findings reflect no role for OPRM1 in determining risk for SD or whether another polymorphism in the gene influences receptor function and risk for SD.
Cognitive informational styles in the process of coping with threat and frustration

In this paper, I first present a theoretical framework the «Monitoring and Blunting Hypothesis», which delineates the circumstances under which individuals prefer and disprefer threat-relevant information. I then go on to discuss the behavioral, subjective and physiological concomitants of these cognitive informational styles, their consistency across positively- and negatively-valenced contexts, and their modification via cognitive-behavioral techniques
Bioherbicidal potential of Xanthomonas campestris for controlling Conyza canadensis

The effects of environmental parameters on bioherbicidal activity of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, against glyphosate-resistant and – susceptible Conyza canadensis (horseweed), were studied under greenhouse conditions. Rosette leaf-stage plants were more susceptible than older plants, and increasing inoculum from 105 to 109 cells/mL caused significantly greater plant mortality and biomass reduction of plants in both the rosette and bolting growth stages. A dew period at 25°C was required to cause an 80% and 60% mortality of plants in the rosette and bolting growth stages, respectively. Results indicate that X. campestris can infect and kill horseweed, demonstrating its bioherbicidal potential.
Antihypertensive drugs and diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of endstage renal disease in the United States. Hypertension is a major risk factor that predisposes individuals with diabetes to the development of renal disease and is very common in patients with diabetes. The benefit of blood pressure control on the rate of progression of diabetic nephropathy is being increasingly demonstrated in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors have proven renoprotective benefits in human studies, but the results of studies with calcium channel blockers are somewhat inconclusive. The other classes of antihypertensives also may have certain indications in the population of patients with diabetic nephropathy. In this paper we will critically review current strategies for the treatment of hypertension in patients with established diabetic nephropathy.
Character Education: Seven Crucial Issues

Defining character education as the cultivation of virtue, this article addresses seven questions: (1) What is the Relationship Between Character and Virtue? (2) What is the Nature of Character Education? (3)What are the Goals of Character Education? (4) What are the Psychological Components of Character? (5) What is the Content of Character? (6) What is the Comprehensive Approach to Character Development? (7) How Can Schools of Education Prepare Effective Character Educators?
Studies on the mechanism of chemosensitization by misonidazole in vitro

Abstract Misonidazole (MI[SO) depletes intracellular glutathione and is more toxic in glutathione depleted cells. The depletion is time, temperature, drug concentration and cell line dependent. The role of glutathione depletion in the chemosensitization to alkylating agents obtained after hypoxic pretreatments with MISO was investigated using diethylmaleate (DEM), a thiol-removing agent with specificity for glutathione, to simulate the effects of MISO on intracellular glutathione levels. Melphalan cytotoxicity and binding to macromolecules were measured after pretreatments with MISO or DEM in vitro . From these studies we found that glutathione depletion could account for only a part of the Chemosensitization to melphalan and that this component of sensitization was quantitively related to an increased rate of melphalan binding. Assessments of DNA damage by the alkaline elution assay suggest that DNA strand breaks and DNA crosslinks are enhanced by sublethal pretreatments with MISO.
Tsubame-2 - a 2.4 PFLOPS peak performance system

We have jointly developed, with our customer, Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITECH), and our software integration partner, NEC, a multi-PETA-scale supercomputer system that consists of commodity processors, graphics processors, and full bi-section InfiniBand topology across 3 rooms over 2 floors and occupying less than 200 ft2. The talk introduces our field experience with large-scale system design and deployment. The dual Infiniband fabric using optical fiber technology in the form of active optical cables will be described.
Equipment Replacement in Agriculture: The Case of a 110-HP Tractor with an Overhauling Option

Smith, and subsequently others, have argued that equipment replacement decisions concern the minimization of cost in producing a given output. Faris and Perrin were the first to delineate a point-input, point-continuous, outputreplacement model for farm machinery. This model was later extended by incorporating specific expressions for taxes and inflation (Chisholm; Kay and Rister; Bates, Rayner, and Custance; Perry and Nixon; Perry, Bayaner, and Nixon). Reid and Bradford used a multiperiod, mixedinteger programming model to determine replacement intervals within the overall strategies for a farm. Chisholm; Leatham and Baker; and Perrin recast the replacement decision as one where the entrepreneur maximizes the present value of the future stream of residual earnings from the productive process associated with the asset.
Cotton Fiber Quality is Related to Boll Location and Planting Date

Early cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) planting in the Texas Coastal Bend has the potential for improved performance through drought avoidance. This 2-yr field study was conducted to compare the effect of boll position on fiber properties across planting dates and to determine how flowering date, boll position, and environmental factors affect fiber quality. Cotton ('Deltapine 5409') was planted early March, late March, and mid-April each year. In 1997, lint yield for the early planting date (731 kg ha -1 ) was significantly higher than the middle (622 kg ha -1 ) and late (533 kg ha -1 ) planting dates. No significant differences in yield were found in 1999. Boll distribution patterns for middle-and late-planted cotton were similar. In 1997, the drier of the 2 yr, fiber length and micronafis values increased at all boll locations with earliness of planting while in 1999, the longest and most mature fiber was associated with a number of boll locations in the middle planting date. High temperatures before and during boll development accompanied by adequate moisture increased fiber maturity.
Evaluation of water degradation of vinylester and epoxy matrix composites by single fiber and composite tests

Degradation of the mechanical properties of vinylester and epoxy matrix composites exposed to water has been approached by monitoring the strengths of glass and carbon fibers and resins. In addition, the fiber/matrix (F/M) interface strengths and debond lengths of single-fiber composites were determined and test results were compared to test results of macroscopic composite specimens. The single-fiber tensile test results indicate a substantial loss of the tensile strength of glass fibers and the fragmentation tests reveal loss of F/M shear strength and substantial debonding for both glass and carbon fiber composites after water exposure. The transverse strengths of the composites are also degraded to large extents. The tests results identify water degradation of the F/M interface as a major strength limiting mechanism.