cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plants as Reef Fish: Fitting the Functional Form of Seedling Recruitment

Abstract: The life histories of many species depend first on dispersal to local sites and then on establishment. After dispersal, density‐independent and density‐dependent mortalities modify propagule supply, determining the number of individuals that establish. Because multiple factors influence recruitment, the dichotomy of propagule versus establishment limitation is best viewed as a continuum along which the strength of propagule or establishment limitation changes with propagule input. To evaluate the relative importance of seed and establishment limitation for plants, we (1) describe the shape of the recruitment function and (2) use limitation and elasticity analyses to quantify the sensitivity of recruitment to perturbations in seed limitation and density‐independent and density‐dependent mortality. Using 36 seed augmentation studies for 18 species, we tested four recruitment functions against one another. Although the linear model (accounting for seed limitation and density‐independent mortality) ...
Teachers as Course Developers.

1 Teachers as course developers 2 A framework of course design processes 3 Designing workplace ESOL courses for Chinese health care workers at a Boston nursing home 4 Designing a 7th grade social studies course for ESL students at an international school 5 Designing an English for academic purposes course for post-graduate students in Ecuador 6 Designing a writing component for Teen courses at a Brazilian educational institute 7 Planning an advanced listening comprehension elective for Japanese college students 8 A curriculum framework for corporate language programs
Contesting Slavery: The Politics of Bondage and Freedom in the New American Nation. Edited by John Craig Hammond and Matthew Mason . (Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 2011. Pp. xx, 344. $49.50.)

In recent years, economically pressed book publishers, citing shrinking readership, have reluctantly issued edited volumes. But a number of recent collections about eighteenth‐ and nineteenth‐centu...
Tunable microwave photonic filter with programmable apodization based on optical comb

We demonstrate the application of optical combs to implement microwave photonic filters with large number of taps. By utilizing optical delay and line-by-line pulse shaping we are able to tune and program the filter's bandpass.
Lithium and rapid rotation in chromospherically active single giants

The rotational velocities presently obtained via spectroscopic observations of a group of moderately rapidly rotating, chomospherically active single giants indicate that Gray's (1989) rotostat hypothesis requires modification. Their rapid rotation appears to be due to high Li abundances, and results in increased chromospheric activity. A scenario is projected in which the surface convection zone reaches the rapidly rotating core just as a star begins its first ascent of the giant branch, and dredges both high angular momentum material and freshly synthesized Li to the surface.
How adenylate cyclase choreographs the pas de deux of the receptors heteromerization dance

Abstract Our work suggests that heteromer formation, mainly involves linear motifs (LMs) found in disordered regions of proteins. Local disorder imparts plasticity to LMs. Most molecular recognition of proteins occurs between short linear segments, known as LMs. Interaction of short continuous epitopes is not constrained by sequence and has the advantage of resulting in interactions with micromolar affinities which suit transient, reversible complexes such as receptor heteromers. Electrostatic interactions between epitopes of the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) involved, are the key step in driving heteromer formation forward. The first step in heteromerization, involves phosphorylating Ser/Thr in an epitope containing a casein kinase 1/2- consensus site. Our data suggest that dopaminergic neurotransmission, through cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) slows down heteromerization. The negative charge, acquired by the phosphorylation of a Ser/Thr in a PKA consensus site in the Arg-rich epitope, affects the activity of the receptors involved in heteromerization by causing allosteric conformational changes, due to the repulsive effect generated by the negatively charged phosphate. In addition to modulating heteromerization, it affects the stability of the heteromers’ interactions and their binding affinity. So here we have an instance where phosphorylation is not just an on/off switch , instead by weakening the noncovalent bond, heteromerization acts like a rheostat that controls the stability of the heteromer through activation or inhibition of adenylate cyclase by the neurotransmitter Dopamine depending on which Dopamine receptor it docks at.
Extraskeletal Myxoid Chondrosarcoma: A Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Ploidy Analysis of 23 Cases

Twenty-three cases of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, evaluated at the Mayo Clinic between 1968 and 1996, were studied for clinicopathologic features, immunohistochemical profile, Ki-67 activity, and ploidy status to identify adverse prognostic factors. Females and males were equally affected, and the median age at diagnosis was 50 years. The tumors were located mainly in the lower extremities (83%), and the median tumor size was 9.5 cm. Sixteen tumors showed low cellularity (70%), and eight tumors had high mitotic activity (more than two per 10 high-power fields). The tumors were immunoreactive for vimentin (89%), synaptophysin (72%), epithelial membrane antigen (28%), and S-100 protein (17%). Nine tumors were diploid, three aneuploid, and one tetraploid. Mean Ki-67 activity was 11% (range, 1 to 45%). The 10-year overall survival rate was 78%. On univariate analysis, tumor size > or = 10 cm, high cellularity, presence of anaplasia or rhabdoid features, mitotic activity more than two per 10 high-power fields, Ki-67 > or = 10%, and Ki-67 "hot spot" > or = 25% were associated with decreased metastasis-free or overall survival. Ploidy status was not associated with any adverse outcome. The presence of any of these adverse prognostic factors can indicate the possibility of a more aggressive behavior in extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, and a closer follow-up is suggested.
Planetary science: Pluto's expanding brood.

Pluto is no lone ranger in the farthest expanses of the Solar System — its travelling companions now number three. And if Pluto can have so many, why shouldn't other objects in the distant, icy Kuiper belt?
The impact of core labour standards on exports

Abstract Developed countries contend that trade in goods whose production is not in conformity with internationally recognized basic labour standards should be restricted, while developing countries view any attempt to link trade and labour standards as a form of protectionism that intends to end their comparative advantage. This paper provides an empirical examination of the relation between trade and core labour standards. It develops an export supply function and uses OLS techniques to test it for 58 non-OECD countries. It finds that only one core standard, the right to organize and collective bargaining, has a statistically significant negative impact on exports. The results are insensitive to the level of development of the countries included in the study. The main conclusion that emerges is that, ignoring the right to organize and collective bargaining, core labour standards do not play a significant role in trade performance.
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY OF MARRIED OR ENGAGED PARTNERS

Summary.-A causal-comparative research dcsign was employed to analyze he number of years of formal education completed by idividuals publicly announcing their marriage or engagement to marry. For the majority of couples, men and women had equivalent years of formal education completed. Among the remainder of couples, women more often than men had completed more years of formal education. Over-all, more men than women had completed no postsecondary education, but more men than women had completed an associate's degree and more men than women had completed an advanced degree. Far more women than men had completed a bachelor's degree.
Coronal mass ejections and the solar wind: New results from LASCO

Abstract The LASCO and EIT experiments on SOHO have provided a revolutionary picture of coronal dynamics. In the past, the corona has largely been thought to be a region where the evolution of the coronal structures occurred on relatively large time scales, aside from the intermittent coronal mass ejection. The outflows in the polar coronal holes were largely considered to be time-independent. The picture now presented by the LASCO and EIT observations are of a highly dynamic corona. Continual small scale sporadic outflows are observed in quiet streamers and in the polar coronal holes. The LASCO images of CMEs shows that many appear to have circular structures that indicate that they consist of helical magnetic flux ropes. In addition, a new class of CMEs has been observed and are called ‘global’ CMEs since they appear to involve regions of the corona separated by as much as 180°.
Rapid and unambiguous detection of DNase I hypersensitive site in rare population of cells.

DNase I hypersensitive (DHS) sites are important for understanding cis regulation of gene expression. However, existing methods for detecting DHS sites in small numbers of cells can lead to ambiguous results. Here we describe a simple new method, in which DNA fragments with ends generated by DNase I digestion are isolated and used as templates for two PCR reactions. In the first PCR, primers are derived from sequences up- and down-stream of the DHS site. If the DHS site exists in the cells, the first PCR will not produce PCR products due to the cuts of the templates by DNase I between the primer sequences. In the second PCR, one primer is derived from sequence outside the DHS site and the other from the adaptor. This will produce a smear of PCR products of different sizes due to cuts by DNase I at different positions at the DHS site. With this design, we detected a DHS site at the CD4 gene in two CD4 T cell populations using as few as 2×104 cells. We further validated this method by detecting a DHS site of the IL-4 gene that is specifically present in type 2 but not type 1 T helper cells. Overall, this method overcomes the interference by genomic DNA not cut by DNase I at the DHS site, thereby offering unambiguous detection of DHS sites in the cells.
Indirect and direct relations between aerobic fitness, physical activity, and academic achievement in elementary school students

Abstract Background There is evidence to suggest that increasing physical activity (PA) improves academic achievement (AA) in children and that aerobic fitness is associated with both cognitive function and AA. However, it is not known how these variables are interrelated and analyses with adequate control for socioeconomic variables are needed. It was hypothesized that PA would not directly affect AA but would have an indirect effect on AA through its effect on aerobic fitness. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesized mediation using path analysis. Methods Cross-sectional data including AA, aerobic fitness, and daily PA assessed through accelerometry were collected from a large sample (N = 687) of 2nd and 3rd grade students. Demographic data were assessed via parent self-report. Results A total of 401 students wore the accelerometer for at least 10 h on 3 days or more and were included in the final path analysis to evaluate potential relations among PA (predictor), aerobic fitness (mediator), and WIAT-III subtest standard scores (outcomes; i.e., reading, spelling, and mathematics). Findings showed a direct effect of PA on aerobic fitness (b = .009, p Conclusions Mediation analysis indicated that PA exerted an influence on math achievement through its effects on aerobic fitness but was not associated with reading or spelling achievement scores.
The effect of hindbrain lesions on a variety of measures of feeding behavior in rats

Hyperphagia following hypothalamic (HYP) lesions appears to be due to the disruption of neural fibers ascending from more posterior structures. Direct connections exist between the locus coeruleus (LC) and subcoeruleus (SC), and several HYP nuclei. These experiments examined the effects of LC and SC lesions on food intake, taste responsivity, meal patterns, and the circadian aspects of feeding. Experiment 1 examined the effects of bilateral LC lesions on feeding in rats maintained on a sweetened milk diet. One week after the lesions, the rats became hyperphagic. Histological analyses revealed that the critical area involved in the hyperphagia was ventral to the LC. Experiment 2 examined the effects of SC lesions in rats maintained on a solid food diet. These rats became hyperphagic, but not hyperdipsic. Histological and neurochemical analyses indicate that SC, rather than LC, destruction is responsible for the hyperphagia.
The Relative Effectiveness of Direct and Indirect Persuasion.

Summary In a study to investigate why indirect influence may be greater than direct influence, 93 introductory psychology students imposed sentences in two criminal cases. Experimental Ss gave their sentences in the first case before and after reading a judge's (harsh) sentence. The difference between the two sentences was the measure of direct influence. No significant direct influence effect was noted, in comparison to a control group. The difference between the first sentence imposed in each of the cases was the measure of indirect influence. In one condition Ss anticipated seeing the judge's sentence in the second case; in the other condition Ss did not anticipate seeing the judge's sentence in that case. In comparison to the control group, indirect influence was significant (p < .025) in the anticipation condition, but not in the no-anticipation condition. Indirect influence in the anticipation condition, without direct influence, was interpreted as reflecting a social strategy for avoiding the appea...
Oscillator strengths and effective collision strengths for electron excitation of Mg VI

Aims. Electron impact excitation collision strengths and oscillator strengths for the astrophysically important lines in Mg VI are reported. Thermally averaged collision strengths are presented as a function of electron temperature for application to solar and other astrophysical plasmas.Methods. The collision strengths were calculated in a close-coupling approximation using the B-spline Breit-Pauli R-matrix method. The multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock method with term-dependent, non-orthogonal orbitals was employed for an accurate representation of the target wave functions. The close-coupling expansion includes 74 bound levels of Mg VI covering the n = 2 and n = 3 terms. The present calculations led to a total of 2701 forbidden, intercombination, and allowed transitions between fine-structure levels. The effective collision strengths were obtained by averaging the electron collision strengths over a Maxwellian distribution of velocities.Results. The accuracy of present oscillator strengths is evaluated by the agreement between the length and velocity formulations combined with the agreement between the calculated and measured excitation energies. The calculated excitation energies are in excellent agreement with experiments and other extensive configuration-interaction calculations. The oscillator strengths for all E1 transitions are listed. The effective collision strengths are tabulated for all 2701 transitions among the 74 fine-structure levels at 11 electron temperatures in the range from 10 000 to 200 000 K. The present results are compared with other close-coupling and distorted-wave calculations. Overall good agrement is generally found with the calculations by Ramsbottom & Bell and by Landi & Bhatia for many transitions, but significant differences are also noted for some transitions.
The SciLink project: from document-centric to resource-oriented publications

The World Wide Web has changed the way of publishing and distributing scholarly results. However, scholarly publications are still organized linearly and point to supplemental or related information only by textual references or at most by hyperlinks embedded into PDF documents. They are stored in closed repositories and we can hardly access, navigate, and use scholarly resources the way we do it with other Web resources. The goal of the SciLink project is to analyze scholarly practices in certain pilot communities, to learn how scholars currently use Web resources in their publications, and to design tools that help scholars in aggregating and publishing the building blocks of their works in a way that integrates with the resource-oriented Architecture of the World Wide Web. In that way, we want to allow humans and machine agents to access and interact with scholarly resources just like with any other Web resource.
Exploratory antimony containing heterojunction bipolar transistors

The advantages of using Sb containing III-V compounds in bipolar type devices are discussed with recent experimental results of two different applications of GaAsSb in Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs). The performance of a prototype AlGaAs/GaAsSb/GaAs double HBT (DHBT) that exhibits a current gain of five and a maximum collector current density of 5 X 104 A/cm2 and a pnp AlGaAs/GaAs HBT with a superlattice GaAsSb emitter ohmic contact, with specific contact resistivity of 5 +/- 1 X 10-7 (Omega) -cm2 across the sample, are examined.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
AAK1 Regulates Numb Function at an Early Step in Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis

Numb is an endocytic protein that is proposed to influence clathrin-coated pit assembly, although its mode of action and the mechanisms that regulate its activity are unknown. In this study, we show that Numb binds to and is phosphorylated by adaptor-associated kinase 1 (AAK1), a key endocytic kinase. We find that AAK1 redistributes Numb to perinuclear endosomes when overexpressed, while kinase depletion causes Numb to accumulate at the plasma membrane. Overexpression of a Numb point mutant (T102A) that lacks the AAK1 phosphorylation site potently disrupts transferrin and low-density lipoprotein internalization but does not impact EGF uptake. Consistent with Numb redistribution results, we find that T102A Numb no longer localizes to perinuclear endosomes. Instead, it is enriched at the plasma membrane where it shows elevated levels of colocalization with coated pit markers. Collectively, these observations demonstrate that Numb endocytic activity is regulated by AAK1 and that phosphorylation may be a critical step in promoting coated pit maturation.
Providing students 24/7 virtual access and hands-on training using vmware GSX server

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, offers Management Computer Systems courses to provide practical experience in Networking Systems Administration. We need to provide each student with an accessible environment to work on their projects both from on campus and remotely We have successfully implemented a cost effective and flexible solution that closely resembles real life environment, easily adaptable to the changing needs of the courses, without the need of purchasing and managing a large number of workstation.This paper shows how the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater provides this virtual learning space.
Walking flexibility after hemispherectomy: split-belt treadmill adaptation and feedback control

Walking flexibility depends on use of feedback or reactive control to respond to unexpected changes in the environment, and the ability to adapt feedforward or predictive control for sustained alterations. Recent work has demonstrated that cerebellar damage impairs feedforward adaptation, but not feedback control, during human split-belt treadmill walking. In contrast, focal cerebral damage from stroke did not impair either process. This led to the suggestion that cerebellar interactions with the brainstem are more important than those with cerebral structures for feedforward adaptation. Does complete removal of a cerebral hemisphere affect either of these processes? We studied split-belt walking in 10 children and adolescents (age 6–18 years) with hemispherectomy (i.e. surgical removal of one entire cerebral hemisphere) and 10 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Hemispherectomy did not impair reactive feedback control, though feedforward adaptation was impaired in some subjects. Specifically, some showed reduced or absent adaptation of inter-leg timing, whereas adaptation of spatial control was intact. These results suggest that the cerebrum is involved in adaptation of the timing, but not spatial, elements of limb movements.
Thyroid hormone and the regulation of testicular development

Abstract Although adult testis function appears to be minimally dependent on thyroid hormone, thyroid hormone may be critical for normal development of Sertoli cells and testis as a whole. Thyroid hormone receptor is expressed at high levels in developing, but not adult, testis. Furthermore, transient neonatal hypothyroidism increases adult testis weight and daily sperm production by 80% and 140%, respectively. This increase results from prolonged Sertoli cell mitogenesis during postnatal life in hypothyroid rats, leading to increased adult Sertoli cell populations. Thyroid hormone may directly cause neonatal Sertoli cells to differentiate from a mitogenic to a non-mitogenic, secretory state characteristic of more mature animals. Hypothyroidism causes delayed Sertoli cell differentiation and prolonged mitogenesis. The increased Sertoli cell population may then produce increased numbers of Leydig and germ cells, a characteristic of adult testes from PTU-treated rats. Although additional research is needed, thyroid hormone is emerging as a major endocrine regulator of postnatal testis.
Advertised quality and resource value affect aggression and social vigilance in paper wasp contests

Animals frequently compete over limited resources such as food, territories or mating opportunities. Contest behaviour varies based on factors such as the value of the contested resources and the agonistic ability of rivals. Much work on animal contests has examined aggression, but vigilance, or a state of heightened alertness directed towards specific stimuli, may also be an important component of competition in many species. In this study, we measure the relationships among social vigilance, aggression, agonistic ability and resource value during staged contests over nest ownership in Polistes dominula nest-founding wasps. Our results show that both social vigilance and aggression are involved in mediating social risk during contests. Nest owner vigilance towards a rival increased with the time of season, a measure of nest value. Owner vigilance was also positively associated with aggression such that more aggressive owners were more vigilant. During contests, aggression of owners and rivals was influenced by different factors. Owner aggression was positively associated with nest size, another measure of nest value, while rival aggression was unrelated to nest size. Instead, rival aggression was associated with facial patterns that function as signals of agonistic ability; rivals were less aggressive to owners that signalled high agonistic ability than they were to owners that signalled low agonistic ability. The distinct predictors of contest behaviour between owners and rivals indicate that competitive role has a surprisingly strong influence on cues used to inform contest behaviour. Differences may occur because owners and rivals have different information and/or motivation. These results also suggest that social vigilance and aggression may be complementary behaviours that animals use to mitigate social threat.
Vectors Based on Modified Vaccinia Ankara Expressing Influenza H5N1 Hemagglutinin Induce Substantial Cross-Clade Protective Immunity

Competing Interests: All authors are employees and shareholders of Baxter BioScience, a manufacturer of biologicals including influenza vaccines. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PloS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. Funding: This study was funded by Baxter BioScience. The funders were involved in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, and preparation of the manuscript.
Effect of ornithine in parenteral nutrition regimens on difluoromethylornithine-induced platelet suppression and changes in tumor polyamine content

We have demonstrated that DFMO-induced thrombocytopenia can be ameliorated with concomitant ornithine (Orn) in chow-fed rats; a reversal in DFMO-associated tumor polyamine reduction and antitumor activity, however, was also evident. To determine the effect of Orn in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) regimens on DFMO-induced thrombocytopenia and changes in tumor polyamine concentrations, Ward-colon-tumor-bearing (WCT) rats were given TPN with arginine (ENA) or with ornithine substituted for arginine (ENO) alone or with DFMO (1.5 g/day) added directly to the infusate. After 4 days, the peripheral blood platelet counts for ENA (917 +/- 151 x 10(3)/mm3) or ENO (908 +/- 67 x 10(3)/mm3) were equivalent to those of chow fed rats (901 +/- 42 x 10(3)/mm3). ENA/DFMO rats had significant thrombocytopenia (607 +/- 185 x 10(3)/mm3), which was completely ameliorated for ENO/DFMO rats (939 +/- 111 x 10(3)/mm3). Peripheral white blood count, hematocrit, and other hematological parameters were not affected. Tumor putrescine content for ENA rats (46.9 +/- 8.7 nmol/g) was equal to that for chow-fed rats (44.8 +/- 6.2 nmol/g) and ENO rats (53.6 +/- 8.3 nmol/g). The reduction in tumor putrescine content for ENO/DFMO rats (19.6 +/- 6.9 nmol/g) was equivalent to that of ENA/DFMO rats (14.7 +/- 3.0 nmol/g). Tumor spermidine was reduced only for the ENA/DFMO rats while spermine was slightly elevated. Tumor spermine content for ENO/DFMO rats (57.2 +/- 12.0 nmol/g) was equal to that for ENO rats (65.6 +/- 8.7 nmol/g) but was significantly (p = 0.004) reduced when compared with rats receiving ENA/DFMO (89.4 +/- 20.4 nmol/g). The results of this study show that TPN with Orn substituted for arginine can be used with a chemotherapeutic dose of DFMO to ameliorate the thrombocytopenia. The DFMO-induced reduction in tumor putrescine content, however, was not affected when Orn was substituted for arginine in a parenteral nutrition regimen. These results suggest that the antitumor activity of DFMO would not be adversely affected by coadministering DFMO with a TPN regimen with Orn substituted for arginine.
Lipid and Detergent Effects on the Kinetic Stability of the GPCR, Rhodopsin

The photoreceptor, rhodopsin is a kinetically stable G-Protein Coupled Receptor that is located in rod outer segment disk membranes. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies have shown that rhodopsin exhibits an irreversible scan rate dependent endothermic transition (Tm) at approximately 72 oC. The activation energy for thermal denaturation (Eact) calculated from the scan rate dependence of the Tm is sensitive to the integrity of the lipid bilayer. It is also sensitive to proteolytic cleavage of the extramembraneous loops of rhodopsin. Here we investigate the influence of palmitoylation, membrane cholesterol and digitonin solubilization on rhodopsin kinetic stability. DSC experiments were performed using a MicroCal VP-DSC microcalorimeter. Samples were scanned at 15, 30, 60 and 90o/hr. Because the protein transitions are irreversible, a second scan was used to determine the baseline. Rhodopsin palmitoylation at cys 322 and cys 323 anchors the C-terminus to the membrane. The Eact for rhodopsin in disk membranes treated with hydroxylamine to remove these palmitate groups was approximately 35 Kcal/mole less than that of native rhodopsin. The Eact for rhodopsin was also determined at different membrane cholesterol levels. These data indicated a decrease in stability both above and below native membrane cholesterol levels. Finally, unlike solubilization in other detergents, solubilization in digitonin had little effect on rhodopsin kinetic stability.
Bringing the Social Back in: A Critique of the Biomedicalization of Dementia

This paper presents the argument that social gerontologists have adopted a biomedical model of senile dementia, neglecting social factors involved in the definition and interpretation of brain disease and in the experience of dementing illness. This biomedical model is critiqued, including the definition of pathology, the attribution of behavioral changes to disease stages, and the legitimation of medical control over persons with dementing illnesses.
Does Plethodon cinereus Affect Leaf Litter Decomposition and Invertebrate Abundances in Mixed Oak Forest

Although investigators have determined that some anurans can influence nutrient availability in terrestrial systems, ecological interactions among salamanders, invertebrates, and leaf litter decomposition in the detrital ecosystem are poorly understood. We examined the effects of the Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) on leaf litter decomposition rates and invertebrate populations in the mixed oak forests of southwestern Virginia from May 2006 to June 2008. We constructed 12 in situ mesocosms with 0, 1.0, or 2.0 P. cinereus/m2 (4.0 P. cinereus/m2 in year 2). We quantified decomposition rates of leaf litter and numbers of invertebrates with litter bags that were removed from mesocosms monthly throughout the experiment. Further, we assessed what taxa of invertebrates were preyed upon by salamanders with gastric lavage. Across our 2-year experiment, we were unable to detect an effect of salamander abundance on rates of leaf litter decomposition, numbers of broad invertebrate taxonomic groupings, or functional guilds of invertebrates. Stomach analysis confirmed that salamanders were euryphagic, but they consumed more herbivores than detritivores or predators. Although we are unclear why these results conflict with earlier work indicating that salamanders can influence invertebrates and leaf litter decomposition, variability of canopy trees or microclimate may have contributed to a lack of control of invertebrate populations or litter decomposition by salamanders in the complex mixed-oak forests of the Appalachian Mountains.
Multi-level risk factors and developmental assets associated with aggressive behavior in disadvantaged adolescents.

The current study examined multilevel risk factors and developmental assets on longitudinal trajectories of aggressive behavior in a diverse sample of rural adolescents. Using ecological and social capital theories, we explored the impact of positive and negative proximal processes, social capital, and contextual characteristics (i.e., school and neighborhood) on adolescent aggression. Data came from the Rural Adaptation Project, which is a 5-year longitudinal panel study of more than 4,000 middle and high school students from 40 public schools in two rural, low income counties in North Carolina. A three-level HLM model (N = 4,056 at Wave 1, 4,251 at Wave 2, and 4,256 at Wave 3) was estimated to predict factors affecting the change trajectories of aggression. Results indicated that negative proximal processes in the form of parent-adolescent conflict, friend rejection, peer pressure, delinquent friends, and school hassles were significant predictors of aggression. In addition, social capital in the form of ethnic identity, religious orientation, and school satisfaction served as buffers against aggression. Negative proximal processes were more salient predictors than positive proximal processes. School and neighborhood characteristics had a minimal impact on aggression. Overall, rates of aggression did not change significantly over the 3-year study window. Findings highlight the need to intervene in order to decrease negative interactions in the peer and parent domains.
Minimalism and the Syntax of Graphs

Four experiments examined Tufte's syntactic rule that graphs should have maximal data-ink ratios produced by erasing non-data-ink and redundant data-ink. In Experiment 1, the data-ink ratios of bar...
Addition of 18F-FDG PET/CT to Clinical Assessment Predicts Overall Survival in HNSCC: A Retrospective Analysis with Follow-up for 12 Years

18 F-FDG PET/CT is used in the follow-up of patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). However, its impact on clinical decision making and patient outcome is not fully established. The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic value of 18 F-FDG PET/CT for overall survival (OS) of HNSCC patients when performed in addition to clinical assessment between 4 and 24 mo after treatment. Methods: This was a retrospective study at a single tertiary center. The institutional review board approved this study, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. The study included 134 biopsy-proven HNSCC patients with 227 followup PET/CT scans. The primary outcome measure was OS. Median follow-up was 40 mo (range, 7–145 mo). Survival is presented as Kaplan–Meier plots with Mantel–Cox log-rank test. The multivariate Cox model included clinical covariates. Results: Of the 227 PET/CT scans, 41 (18%) were positive for tumor and 186 (82%) were negative for tumor. PET/CT identified recurrence in 5% (9/194) of scans performed without prior clinical concern and ruled out tumor in 51.5% (17/33) of scans performed to evaluate clinical suspicion or uncertainty of recurrence. The median survival of PET-positive and -negative groups from the date of the scan was 20 and 30.5 mo, respectively (P , 0.0001). There was a significant difference in OS from the scan date between patients who had a positive PET/CT result for tumor and those who had a negative result (log-rank, P , 0.0001), with a hazard ratio of 29.74. Human papillomavirus status (P 5 0.001) and PET/CT result (P 5 0.04) were the only factors significantly associated with OS, adjusted for all other covariates. Conclusion: 18FFDG PET/CT performed between 4 and 24 mo after treatment adds value to clinical assessment at the time of the study, especially when there is clinical suspicion or uncertainty, and can serve as a prognostic marker of OS in HNSCC.
Modeling membrane proteins based on low-resolution electron microscopy maps: a template for the TM domains of the oxalate transporter OxlT.

The availability of both EM and high-resolution crystallographic data for several membrane proteins (MPs) permits a detailed evaluation of the ability of molecular modeling techniques to complement EM data in the development of models of MPs. A protocol for this purpose is presented, consisting of (1) identifying transmembrane (TM) domains from sequence; (2) assigning buried and lipid-exposed faces of the TM domains; and (3) assembling the TM domains into a bundle, based on geometric restraints obtained from the EM data. The protocol is validated by predicting the structures of several 7- and 12-TM MPs to within 3-5 A r.m.s.d. from their crystal structures. The protocol is applied to generate a model of the oxalate transporter OxIT, for which a high-resolution structure is not yet available.
Reviews in Medical Ethics

Ana S. Iltis What the Doctor Didn’t Say, by Jerry Menikoff and Edward P. Richards, is a courageous and well-written volume that examines some of the fundamental debates pertaining to the ethics of clinical research. The volume deserves a careful reading by anyone with a potential role in clinical research: clinicians who might serve as investigators or refer patients to clinical trials; research staff; Institutional Review Board (IRB) members and administrators; sponsors who design clinical trials; and the book’s intended audience, namely, potential research participants and their families. A cursory reading of this volume might lead one to think that Menikoff and Richards have declared war on clinical research. They have not. Instead, they offer an in-depth study of the conduct and oversight of clinical research through the lens of law and ethics. They shed light on old issues and initiate discussion of new questions, challenging readers to think critically about the relationship between medical ethics, research ethics, the law, and the conduct of clinical research. A central theme throughout the volume is that the clinical research enterprise asks physicians and patients to assume dual identities, each of which entails different goals, moral responsibilities, and legal rights and duties. Clinicians, who presumably are responsible for helping patients recover from or manage medical conditions as well as possible, also are investigators whose primary goal is to minimize risks to research participants while securing generalizable knowledge. Patients, who generally are seeking treatment to recover from or manage a medical condition, are research participants who assume risks and burdens primarily for the benefit of others. Early in the volume, Menikoff and Richards establish the difference between these identities:
An energy-efficient noise-tolerant dynamic circuit technique

Noise in deep submicron technology combined with the move toward dynamic circuit techniques have raised concerns about reliability and energy efficiency of VLSI systems in the deep submicron era. To address this problem, a new noise-tolerant dynamic circuit technique is presented. The average noise threshold energy (ANTE) and the energy normalized ANTE (NANTE) metrics are proposed to quantify the noise immunity and energy efficiency, respectively. Simulation results in 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS for NAND gate and full-adder designs indicate that the proposed technique improves the ANTE and NANTE by 2/spl times/ and 1.4/spl times/ over conventional domino circuits. The improvement in the NANTE is 11% higher than the existing noise-tolerance techniques. Furthermore, the proposed technique has a smaller area overhead (36%) as compared to static circuits whose area overhead is 60%. Also presented in this paper is an ASIC developed in 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique. Experimental results demonstrate a 27% average improvement in noise immunity over conventional dynamic circuits.
Evaluation of structure-function relationships in asthma using multidetector CT and hyperpolarized He-3 MRI.

Rationale and Objectives Although multiple detector computed tomography (MDCT) and hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance imaging (HP MRI) have demonstrated ability to detect structural and ventilation abnormalities in asthma, few studies have sought to exploit or cross-validate the regional information provided by these techniques. The purpose of this work is to assess regional disease in asthma by evaluating the association of sites of ventilation defect on HP MRI with other regional markers of airway disease, including air trapping on MDCT and inflammatory markers on bronchoscopy. Materials and Methods Both HP MRI using helium-3 and MDCT were acquired in the same patients. Supervised segmentation of the lung lobes on MRI and MDCT facilitated regional comparisons of ventilation abnormalities in the lung parenchyma. The percentage of spatial overlap was evaluated between regions of ventilation defect on HP MRI and hyperlucency on MDCT to determine associations between obstruction and likely regions of gas trapping. Similarly, lung lobes with high defect volume were compared to lobes with low defect volume for differences in inflammatory cell number and percentage using bronchoscopic assessment. Results There was significant overlap between sites of ventilation defect on HP MRI and hyperlucency on MDCT suggesting that sites of airway obstruction and air trapping are associated in asthma. The percent (r = 0.68; P = .0039) and absolute (r = 0.61; P = .0125) number of neutrophils on bronchoalveolar lavage for the sampled lung lobe also directly correlated with increased defect volume. Conclusions These results show promise for using image guidance to assess specific regions of ventilation defect or air trapping in heterogeneous obstructive lung diseases such as asthma.
Survival and energetic costs of repeated cold exposure in the Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica: a comparison between frozen and supercooled larvae

SUMMARY In this study, we examined the effects of repeated cold exposure (RCE) on the survival, energy content and stress protein expression of larvae of the Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica (Diptera: Chironomidae). Additionally, we compared results between larvae that were frozen at –5°C in the presence of water during RCE and those that were supercooled at –5°C in a dry environment. Although >95% of larvae survived a single 12 h bout of freezing at –5°C, after five cycles of RCE survival of frozen larvae dropped below 70%. Meanwhile, the survival of control and supercooled larvae was unchanged, remaining around 90% for the duration of the study. At the tissue level, frozen larvae had higher rates of cell mortality in the midgut than control and supercooled larvae. Furthermore, larvae that were frozen during RCE experienced a dramatic reduction in energy reserves; after five cycles, frozen larvae had 25% less lipid, 30% less glycogen and nearly 40% less trehalose than supercooled larvae. Finally, larvae that were frozen during RCE had higher expression of hsp70 than those that were supercooled, indicating a higher degree of protein damage in the frozen group. Results were similar between larvae that had accumulated 60 h of freezing at –5°C over five cycles of RCE and those that were frozen continuously for 60 h, suggesting that the total time spent frozen determines the physiological response. Our results suggest that it is preferable, both from a survival and energetic standpoint, for larvae to seek dry microhabitats where they can avoid inoculative freezing and remain unfrozen during RCE.
Understanding less than nothing: children's neural response to negative numbers shifts across age and accuracy

We examined the brain activity underlying the development of our understanding of negative numbers, which are amounts lacking direct physical counterparts. Children performed a paired comparison task with positive and negative numbers during an fMRI session. As previously shown in adults, both pre-instruction fifth-graders and post-instruction seventh-graders demonstrated typical behavioral and neural distance effects to negative numbers, where response times and parietal and frontal activity increased as comparison distance decreased. We then determined the factors impacting the distance effect in each age group. Behaviorally, the fifth-grader distance effect for negatives was significantly predicted only by positive comparison accuracy, indicating that children who were generally better at working with numbers were better at comparing negatives. In seventh-graders, negative number comparison accuracy significantly predicted their negative number distance effect, indicating that children who were better at working with negative numbers demonstrated a more typical distance effect. Across children, as age increased, the negative number distance effect increased in the bilateral IPS and decreased frontally, indicating a frontoparietal shift consistent with previous numerical development literature. In contrast, as negative comparison task accuracy increased, the parietal distance effect increased in the left IPS and decreased in the right, possibly indicating a change from an approximate understanding of negatives' values to a more exact, precise representation (particularly supported by the left IPS) with increasing expertise. These shifts separately indicate the effects of increasing maturity generally in numeric processing and specifically in negative number understanding.
Detection efficiency and habitat use to inform inventory and monitoring efforts: juvenile coho salmon in the Knik River basin, Alaska

Imperfect detection associated with sampling gear presents challenges for wildlife inventory and monitoring efforts. We examined occupancy dynamics and habitat use of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, in shallow lake environments over a summer and early fall season in the Knik River area of south central Alaska using models which control for and estimate sampling gear detection efficiency. In addition, we present statements for the probability that observed absences at a survey site or from a survey area (a collection of sites) are true absences given some amount of sampling effort and analysts' beliefs about site occupancy and sampling gear detection efficiency which can be used to guide inventory and monitoring efforts for juvenile salmon or other wildlife and plant species. Occupancy modelling results demonstrate that minnow traps were effective at sampling juvenile coho in shallow lake environments, with a mean probability of detection across the study period of 0.68 (i.e., probability of detecting the presence of juvenile coho given that they are present at a trap site; SE = 0.03). Juvenile coho salmon migrated into shallow water lakes in late summer and early fall, presumably to seek out overwinter habitat. N-mixture modelling examination of habitat use demonstrated that once in shallow lake environments, juvenile coho were widely distributed across a range of microhabitats, with some evidence for preference for shallower depths and warmer water temperatures.
An observation of synthetic ball lightning

Ball lightning has been extensively researched for many centuries. Here, in this paper, we present one form of ball lightning where plasma spheres several centimeters in diameter were produced in atmospheric pressure air. These spheres persisted for up to a half second after the power supply was turned off. A mathematical theory was derived that predicts the observed lifetime. The theory predicts that the sphere lifetime should scale as the sphere radius squared, which means that large spheres should persist for many seconds.