cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Certain Uncertainty: Nature's Random Ways

Based around a series of real-life scenarios, this engaging introduction to statistical reasoning will teach you how to apply powerful statistical, qualitative and probabilistic tools in a technical context. From analysis of electricity bills, baseball statistics, and stock market fluctuations, through to profound questions about physics of fermions and bosons, decaying nuclei, and climate change, each chapter introduces relevant physical, statistical and mathematical principles step-by-step in an engaging narrative style, helping to develop practical proficiency in the use of probability and statistical reasoning. With numerous illustrations making it easy to focus on the most important information, this insightful book is perfect for students and researchers of any discipline interested in the interwoven tapestry of probability, statistics, and physics.
Mixing layer simulation by an improved three-dimensional vortex-in-cell algorithm

An extension is presented of the three-dimensional vortex-in-cell (VIC) method that allows for the simulation of incompressible turbulent flows such as plane mixing layers and wakes with exact boundary conditions in the normal direction. The vorticity is assumed to be confined between two parallel planes and the turbulence is assumed to be homogeneous in the two directions parallel to the planes. As an application, an analysis is presented of the evolution of the plane mixing layer subjected to random two- and three-dimensional initial disturbances.
Risk Factors for HIV/AIDS Among American Indian/Alaska Native Women

Abstract This article illuminates the main risks that American Indian/Alaska Native women face for contracting the human immunodeficiency virus, and their challenges in living with HIV disease, by presenting a case study of one Native woman's experiences. The woman, a member of a Midwestern Indian tribe, was a participant in a larger in-depth qualitative longitudinal study of 55 women living with HIV. The findings about her path to healing provide insights for understanding and serving this neglected ethnic population, and her words eloquently articulate the struggles of women of color living in dignity with HIV. The article explores potential venues for reaching Native women with culturally relevant prevention and intervention methods, emphasizing the importance of Native culture and Spirituality.
Making CS0 fun: an active learning approach using toys, games and Alice

The national decline in computer science enrollments has instructors everywhere searching for ways to reverse the trend. At the University of Mary Washington a new approach to CS0 was tested that focuses on making programming concepts both fun and accessible for students. The course utilized a variety of active learning techniques including kinesthetic learning activities, games, competitions, discussions, and hands-on labs to introduce the basics of computer programming, emphasize problem solving, and cover computer literacy topics. The details of these activities and an evaluation of the course are provided in this paper.
An Examination of the Rational Expectations of Vegetable Growers in the United States

ABSTRACT Survey data on expected and actual prices received by individual vegetable growers in Florida, Michigan, and Texas in 1990 are used to test the rational expectations hypothesis. The use of individual grower data overcomes many of the aggregation, risk premia and model specification issues that have limited previous tests of this hypothesis in agriculture. Overall, price expectations of vegetable growers are found to be inconsistent with the rational expectations hypothesis for the majority of vegetable/state combinations studied.
Studies on the assembly and secretion of fibrinogen

cDNAs of fibrinogen A alpha and gamma chains were individually subcloned into a eukaryotic expression vector by using the polymerase chain reaction. Triple cotransfection into COS cells of the two plasmids together with a B beta chain expression plasmid, constructed as described previously (Danishefsky, K.J., Hartwig, R., Banerjee, D., and Redman, C. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1048, 202-208), resulted in the secretion of complete fibrinogen into the media and the formation of four additional intracellular complexes which we also showed to be present in the hepatocyte cell line Hep 3B. The complexes, which have Mr = 232, 150, 135, and 128 (x 10(-3) conform with the Mr expected for A alpha B beta gamma 2, B beta gamma 2 and gamma 3, respectively. A A mechanism of assembly is proposed based on the assumption that all these complexes are precursors of complete fibrinogen. Each of the expressed fibrinogen chains in transfected COS cells interacts noncovalently with binding protein (BiP, GRP 78), but not to the same extent; gamma chain binds less BiP than the A alpha and B beta chains. Assembly of fibrinogen is not absolutely required for its secretion. In addition to complete fibrinogen, the conditioned media of hepatocytes and of transfected COS cells contained free A alpha, free gamma, and two of the above-mentioned complexes, A alpha gamma 2 and A alpha B beta gamma 2.
Inter-rater agreement and stability of functional assessment in the community-based elderly

The purpose was to examine the inter-rater agreement and test-retest stability of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL) from the Multidimensional Functional Assessment of Older Adults. These two instruments were administered to 20 older persons living in the community. Two experienced raters administered the assessment instruments over either a short (7-10 days) or long (4 to 6 week) interval. The intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to analyze the data. ICC values were computed for agreement between and within raters and across short and long intervals. ICC values for inter-rater agreement and stability ranged from 0.90 to 0.99. The relation between scores on the FIM and IADL scale was also examined. The analysis produced an r value of 0.85, suggesting a positive statistical relationship among the items assessed. The high ICC values indicate that the Functional Independence Measure Instrument and IADL scale of the Multidimensional Functional Assessment of Older Adults provide consistent information across two experienced raters and over time when used with a sample of elderly persons residing in the community.
Research-Based Mathematics Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this chapter is to describe several advances and trends in teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities. Mathematics disabilities affect between 5% and 8% of students in the general population. These students generally experience serious difficulties in developing requisite concepts, skills, and strategies for success in mathematics and, consequently, are at risk for school failure and poor post-secondary outcomes. Research in special education has identified a number of evidence-based practices that have proven effective for teaching students with learning, attention, and/or behavioral disorders that interfere with success in mathematics. Following a discussion of student characteristics and evidence-based practices, two examples of research programs focusing on mathematical problem-solving interventions for students with learning disabilities are highlighted.
Soft recovery diodes with snappy behavior

This paper illustrates several issues that a user of high voltage PiN diodes may encounter in actual application conditions. It shows that high-voltage power diodes require specifiable on-time prior to entering their reverse recovery phase and offers 1D device simulations and measurements taken on several actual high power diodes to illustrate and explain all the concepts introduced.
Neither ibotenic acid nor volkensin lesions of the nucleus accumbens shell affect the expression of cocaine sensitization

Studies have shown that the nucleus accumbens shell plays an integral role in the expression of psychostimulant-induced behavioural sensitization. Dopaminergic regulation of excitatory amino acid inputs in this region of the brain could be a key factor in the neural influence of this phenomenon. Alterations in the dopaminergic innervation patterns in the shell have been demonstrated in rats that received repeated cocaine injections. Furthermore, lesions of brain regions that send projections to the shell alter psychostimulant-induced locomotion, both acutely and in sensitization paradigms. A previous study from our laboratory demonstrated that lesions of the shell before repeated cocaine treatment decrease the locomotor response to cocaine during the induction phase of behavioural sensitization. To better understand the role of this brain region during the expression phase of behavioural sensitization, the present study examined the effects of two forms of cytotoxic lesions of the shell. Rats received a sensitization-inducing regimen of cocaine (bi-daily injections of 15 mg/kg i.p. for 5 consecutive days). Two days after the last injection, rats demonstrating behavioural sensitization received one of three bilateral microinjections into the shell: (i) 0.5 micro L 0.9% saline; (ii) 2.5 micro g/0.5 micro L ibotenic acid (which lesions the cell bodies at the injection site); or (iii), 0.5 ng/0.2 micro L of volkensin (a retrograde suicide transport lectin). Upon challenge with cocaine (15 mg/kg) 12 days after surgery, neither ibotenic acid- nor volkensin-lesioned rats showed any difference in their locomotor response compared with sham controls. These data indicate that bilateral shell lesions do not affect the long-term expression of behavioural sensitization in cocaine-sensitized rats.
Expanded functions in the apical cell domain to regulate the growth rate of imaginal discs

The Drosophila expanded (ex) gene encodes a product (Ex) that shares homology with the Protein 4.1 family of proteins, many of which are enriched at specific lateral cell junctions and the apical cellular domain. Ex colocalizes with actin in the apical domain of imaginal disc epithelial cells, where it partially overlaps the distribution of phosphotyrosine (PY)-containing proteins. This suggests that Ex is present in or associated with adherens junctions. Genetic studies show that Ex is necessary for proper regulation of final cell number in adult wings and for the formation of eyes, distal leg, and distal antennal segments. We have generated mitotic clones that lack Ex using the twin spot technique, and demonstrated that the primary function of Ex is to regulate cell proliferation. Overexpressing Ex protein results in a decrease in final cell number in wings, suggesting a direct relationship between Ex function and proliferation rate.
Abstract 4168: PI3K/AKT pathway alterations in paired primary and recurrent endometrial carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Objectives: The PI3K/AKT pathway is frequently deregulated in endometrial cancer due to somatic mutations and other molecular mechanisms. New drugs directed toward these pathways are currently in clinical trials. Many patients have available primary tumor specimens for correlative studies or enrollment eligibility. It is unknown if the same genomic alterations found in primary disease are also present in recurrent specimens. We hypothesize the genomic landscapes of primary and recurrent endometrial cancers are similar. Methods: We identified 18 patients with available paired primary and recurrent endometrial cancer specimens. Histologic diagnoses were confirmed and categorized based on current FIGO criteria. DNA was extracted from microdissected FFPE tissue sections. Mass spectrometry mutation detection was used to assess 40 hot spot mutations in AKT1, KRAS, NRAS, and PIK3CA. Sanger sequencing was used to identify mutations in PTEN. PTEN IHC was performed using validated antibodies. Results: Specimens included 9 cases with endometrioid histology, 8 with serous histology and 1 with mixed serous-endometrioid histology. Five patients had specimens from 2 separate recurrences. Of the 18 primary tumors, 4 (22%) had PIK3CA mutations, 5 (28%) had PTEN mutations, and 1 (5.5%) had a KRAS mutation. One PIK3CA and two PTEN mutations were each present in a primary tumor but not identified in the paired recurrent specimen. One NRAS mutation was identified in a secondary recurrent specimen but not found in either the paired primary or initial recurrent specimen. One AKT1 mutation was identified in both an initial and secondary recurrent specimen but not found in the corresponding primary specimen. PTEN immunostaining was absent in 9 (50%) primary specimens and in one of these cases PTEN staining found to be present in the recurrence. Conclusions: As clinical trials increasingly incorporate molecularly targeted agents, mutational and other genomic profiling of tumors will be helpful to identify patients most likely to benefit from these drugs. These data suggest that most recurrent endometrial carcinomas harbor similar genomic alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway as their primary counterparts. Further studies will be required to expand upon these preliminary findings and determine if repeat biopsy of recurrent disease in clinical trial participants is necessary. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4168. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4168
Coumarins from the leaves of Murraya paniculata

Abstract Two new coumarins, murrayanone and murraculatin, together with seven known coumarins have been isolated from the leaves of Murraya paniculata var. omphalocarpa . The structures of murrayanone and murraculatin were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.
Microclimate, temperature and water relations of two species of desert cockroaches

Abstract 1. 1. Two species of desert cockroach (Arenivaga apacha (Saussere) and Arenivaga investigata (Friauf & Edney)) were compared with respect to their microenvironments and their water and temperature relations. 2. 2. The microhabitat of A. investigata was found to be hotter and drier than that of A. apacha. A. investigata was found to have a higher temperature tolerance in both summer and winter acclimated animals ( X = 47.4 and 38.6 in summer and winter acclimated A. investigata and X = 42.0 and 36.7 in summer and winter acclimated A. apacha). 3. 3. Rates of water loss were about 2.5 times higher in A. apacha than in A. investigata. 4. 4. Differences in xeric adaptiveness were also seen in the rates of oxygen consumption in the two species. 5. 5. A. apacha showed an oxygen consumption Q10 of 1.8 between 20 and 30°C while A. investigata showed only a 1.2 Q10 for the same temperature increase. However, from 30–40°C, A. apacha showed a decrease in Q10 while A. investigata showed an increase (2.4). The decrease on the part of A. apacha may be due to dramatically greater heat sensitivity on this species' part.
Synthetic analogues of the termite trail-following pheromone, structure and biological activity

Abstract Several synthetic analogues of the trail-following pheromone of a southern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes virginicus, were prepared to study the structural basis of the biological activity of the pheromone in this species. It appeared from the results of comparison that the pheromone-mimicking compounds owe their activities to two strategically situated cis or equivalent double bonds, adjacent to the hydroxy end of the alcohol to form a ∪-shape. Any deviation from this form or the lack of suitable double bonds results in a loss of the activity.
Melting and Freezing Behavior of Methyl Stearate

Investigations into the mechanism and kinetics of melting and crystallization of the stable form of methyl stearate as followed by changes in its specific volume have shown that: (a) the melting behavior was a sensitive function of its immediate history in a manner not associated with polymorphic transitions, (b) the thermodynamic equilibrium point was apparently displaced by stirring and that this displacement was proportional to the rate of stirring, (c) the rate of crystal growth for the present system was governed largely by the intrinsic rate of two-dimensional nucleation of a crystal plane, and (d) the rate of melting was a function of heat transport at higher temperature potentials. The extreme sensitivity of the method used allows the measurement of phase changes where they were of the order of parts per million and enabled the study under very small temperature potentials.
The Japanese privy council

For more than a decade, the Privy Council has been the subject of political controversy in Japan. Today, a group of liberals look upon the Council as an obstruction to the progressive development of parliamentary government and urge its reform, if not abolition. Under these circumstances, there is a tendency to subject the Council to considerable scrutiny from a utilitarian viewpoint. What is its purpose? Does it adequately fulfill this purpose, or does it obstruct the present trend of representative government in Japan? What reforms in its structure and functions are to be recommended? The answers to these questions are suggested largely by the varying liberal or conservative views of the various critics.An evaluation of the achievements of an organ of government such as the Privy Council may be guided by several standards of value. One standard aims to measure the success of the institution in achieving the purpose of the states men who were the architects of its being. Another attempts to measure the success of the institution in promoting what is generally accepted at the present time by intelligent persons as good government. Measured by the first of these standards, the Privy Council would probably disappoint the author of the constitution, or at least disappoint his expectations as expressed in the almost naive language of the celebrated Commentaries on the Constitution wherein the Council was designed “to serve as the highest body of the emperor's constitutional advisers,” and was “to be impartial, with no leanings to this or that party, and to solve all difficult problems.”
Evolution: Geology and climate drive diversification.

Data from the Galapagos Islands exemplify how geology and climate can interact to cause episodes of isolation and fusion of the biota across a landscape. Different scales of such cycles dictate varying mechanisms of species generation.
Templates for antiserum application in immunoelectro-phoresis and two-dimensional electroimmunodiffusion

Two forms of template are described for use with flat-cast agarose gels to simplify and improve immunoelectrophoresis and two-dimensional electroimmunodiffusion tests.
Quantitation of fatty acids from flue-cured tobacco by combined preparative thin layer chromatography-gas chromatography

Flue-cured tobacco was subjected to alkaline hydrolysis, and, after acidification, the fatty acids and nonsaponifiables were extracted into hexane. Treatment of the hexane extract with diazomethane yielded fatty acid methyl esters. The methyl esters were separated from interfering hydrocarbons and sterols by preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC). After addition of an internal standard, the esters were quantitated by gas chromatography on the column packing, Silar 10C. Quantitation of the C14-C32 fatty acid esters was possible by means of temperature programming.
Children's Adjustment in Conflicted Marriage and Divorce: A Decade Review of Research

ABSTRACT Objectives To review important research of the past decade in divorce, marital conflict, and children's adjustment and to describe newer divorce interventions. Method Key empirical studies from 1990 to 1999 were surveyed regarding the impact of marital conflict, parental violence, and divorce on the psychological adjustment of children, adolescents, and young adults. Results Recent studies investigating the impact of divorce on children have found that many of the psychological symptoms seen in children of divorce can be accounted for in the years before divorce. The past decade also has seen a large increase in studies assessing complex variables within the marriage which profoundly affect child and adolescent adjustment, including marital conflict and violence and related parenting behaviors. This newer literature provides provocative and helpful information for forensic and clinical psychiatrists in their work with both married and divorcing families. Conclusions While children of divorced parents, as a group, have more adjustment problems than do children of never-divorced parents, the view that divorce per se is the major cause of these symptoms must be reconsidered in light of newer research documenting the negative effects of troubled marriages on children.
Evidence that maternal ventral skin substances promote suckling in infant rats.

Abstract Washing a lactating rat's ventral skin with acetone, alcohol and water markedly reduces the effectiveness with which her 2-week-old infants can initiate suckling on the anesthetized mother. Control experiments with detailed thermal and behavioral measures give evidence tending to rule out lowered skin temperature, altered thermal gradients, changed tactile characteristics of abdominal fur or nipples and aversion to remaining traces of the organic solvents as responsible for the infants' failure to find and attach to nipples. The data suggest that some substance(s) on the skin of the mother's ventrum act as olfactory and/or gustatory cues for the infants' orientation and attachment to nipples.
Opioid effects on spinal [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine release are not related to their antinociceptive action.

Abstract Several opioid compounds were evaluated for an ability to modulate the K+-stimulated release of [3H]serotonin ([3H]5-hydroxytryptamine, [3H]5-HT) from rat spinal cord synaptosomal and tissue slice preparations. Selective κ-opioid receptor agonists depressed K+-stimulated release of the radiolabelled transmitter from both tissue preparations, an effect which was reversed by norbinaltorphimine. Conversely, the selective μ- and δ-opioid receptor agonists [ d -Ala2,NMePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO) and [ d -Pen2, d -Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE), respectively, enhanced the K+-stimulated release of [3H]5-HT. This effect was only seen using the tissue slice preparation. When used at concentrations near its reported Kd for μ-opioid receptors, the selective μ-opioid receptor antagonist d -Phe-Cys-Tyr- d -Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP) blocked the action of DAMGO, but had no effect on the action of DPDPE. However, higher concentrations of CTOP, as well as all effective concentrations of selective δ-opioid receptor antagonists, blocked the action of both DAMGO and DPDPE. All agonist effects on spinal 5-HT release, regardless of the tissue preparation, were only seen at high (μM) concentrations. Moreover, effects of the opioid agonists were not consistent with the reported involvement of spinal 5-HT neurotransmission in the mediation of their antinociceptive action. Thus, the ability of opioids to modulate spinal 5-HT release appears to be of minimal physiological significance.
New method for the generation of surface acoustic waves of high frequency

We describe a variation of the picosecond ultrasonic technique that can be used to generate high-frequency surface waves. A transmission diffraction grating is formed on a transparent wafer, and then placed very close to the surface of the sample. A light pulse passing through the grating will give rise to a spatially varying light intensity on the sample. This sets up a periodic thermal stress on the sample surface, which in turn generates a standing surface acoustic wave. This wave has a wavelength equal to the line spacing of the grating. The range of frequencies of waves that can be generated by this technique is limited only by the lithographic techniques available for the fabrication of the grating. In this paper, we will present a number of experimental results obtained with this new method, and will also report on measurements made with gratings deposited directly onto the samples.
Luteinizing hormone, prolactin and ovarian 20 -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase levels during pregnancy and pseudopregnancy in the rat.

Ovarian α—hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (α—OH—SDH) activity and serum and pituitary concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin were determined in individual rats at selected times during the estrous cycle, normal pseudopregnancy, prolonged pseudopregnancy due to hysterectomy or induced deciduomata, and pregnancy. During die 5-day cycle, α—OHSDH activity was lowest at diestrus II (38.8 ± 2.5 mU enzyme/mg protein), increased 2-fold at proestrus, then declined at estrus (52.8 ± 4.8). Except for sharp peaks at proestrus, serum LH and prolactin levels were consistently low at diestrus and estrus (mean ± SE over 3 days of diestrus = 15.5 ± 1.4 ng LH/ml serum and 48.1 ± 3.1 ng prolactin/ml serum). During normal pseudopregnancy, enzyme activity on Day 1 was comparable to that found at diestrus II of the cycle, then declined 3-fold at Day 6. After Day 6, α— OH—SDH increased steadily until Day 13 (60.9 ± 4.6 mU/mg protein). From Days 1-6, enzyme levels in pregnant rats were quite similar to those in no...
Identification of heat shock protein 10 within the equine embryo, endometrium, and maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Early pregnancy factor has been identified as a 10-kDa extracellular homolog of heat shock protein 10 (Hsp10). Hsp10 has been detected during early pregnancy in serum of mice, sheep, pigs, horses, cows, and humans by the rosette inhibition test. Hsp10 has also been associated with several neoplastic and autoimmune diseases. The goal of the present study was to determine if Hsp10 could be detected in the early equine embryo through the use of immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, analysis of systemically harvested peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from both pregnant and nonpregnant mares was evaluated to determine expression levels of HSP10. Embryos were collected from Quarter Horse mares by uterine lavage at either 8 or 25 days after ovulation. Collection and separation of PBMCs occurred on Day 8 for both pregnant and nonpregnant mares. Immunohistochemistry revealed cytoplasmic localization of HSP10 throughout the single layer of ectodermal cells forming the trophoblast in Day-8 embryos. Day-25 embryos demonstrated intense localization focally along the apical border of ectodermal cells forming the trophoblast layer of the developing chorion. There was no nuclear staining in either embryonic population. Quantitative real-time PCR detected the presence of mRNA for HSP10 in both 8- and 25-day equine embryos. Day-25 embryos exhibited an elevated degree of expression (P = 0.006) compared with the 8-day embryos for HSP10. Endometrial samples did not display any significant difference in degree of expression for HSP10 (P = 0.10). Finally, PBMCs from pregnant mares demonstrated elevated (P = 0.03) expression of HSP10 compared to the nonpregnant mares on Day 8 of the estrous cycle. This study confirmed the presence of HSP10 protein and mRNA expression of HSP10 in equine embryos at two maturation stages. Additionally, the presence of increased gene expression within PBMCs of pregnant mares suggests communication, possibly leading to necessary immunomodulatory effects between the embryo and mare.
The Development and Evaluation of a New Nebulization-Burner System for Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Abstract Sample introduction is central to the use of flame atomizers in atomic absorption spectroscopy. It is generally inefficient but has the potential for improvement.
The Ill-conditioning of infinite element stiffness matrices☆

Abstract In this paper, a method for improving the conditioning of infinite element stiffness matrices is proposed and examined for one-dimensional and two-dimensional infinite elements. This method is a preconditioning technique which is based on a Gram-Schmidt-like transformation induced by general sesquilinear forms. Although the preconditioning method can be applied to many types of infinite elements, it will be applied to improve the conditioning of the popular multipole infinite element. The paper is concluded with numerical examples demonstrating improved conditioning and convergence properties of the preconditioned multipole infinite elements.
Wavelet coherence model for diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

This article presents a wavelet coherence investigation of electroencephalograph (EEG) readings acquired from patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and healthy controls. Pairwise electrode wavelet coherence is calculated over each frequency band (delta, theta, alpha, and beta). For comparing the synchronization fraction of 2 EEG signals, a wavelet coherence fraction is proposed which is defined as the fraction of the signal time during which the wavelet coherence value is above a certain threshold. A one-way analysis of variance test shows a set of statistically significant differences in wavelet coherence between AD and controls. The wavelet coherence method is effective for studying cortical connectivity at a high temporal resolution. Compared with other conventional AD coherence studies, this study takes into account the time–frequency changes in coherence of EEG signals and thus provides more correlational details. A set of statistically significant differences was found in the wavelet coherence among...
Mineral uptake and growth of sorghum colonized with VA mycorrhiza at varied soil phosphorus levels

Abstract Mineral nutrient uptake can be enhanced in plants inoculated with vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF). The effects of the VAMF Glomus fasciculatum on uptake of P and other mineral nutrients in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] were determined in greenhouse experiments for plants grown on a low P (3.6 mg kg‐1) soil (Typic Argiudolls) with P added at 0, 12.5, 25.0, and 37.5 mg kg‐1 soil. Enhancements of growth and mineral nutrient uptake because of the VAMF association decreased as soil applications of P increased above 12.5 nig kg‐1 soil. Root colonization with VAMF without added soil P resulted in increased dry matter yield equivalent to 12.5 mg P kg‐1 soil (25 kg P ha‐1). Total root length colonized with VAMF decreased as soil P level increased. Regardless of P added to the soil, mycorrhizal plants had higher leaf P concentrations and contents than did nonmycorrhizal plants. Enhanced contents, but not necessarily concentrations, of the other mineral nutrients were noted in shoots o...
Dynamic organization and plasticity of sponge bodies

Sponge bodies, cytoplasmic structures containing post-transcriptional regulatory factors, are distributed throughout the nurse cells and oocytes of the Drosophila ovary and share components with P bodies of yeast and mammalian cells. We show that sponge body composition differs between nurse cells and the oocyte, and that the sponge bodies change composition rapidly after entry into the oocyte. We identify conditions that affect sponge body organization. At one extreme, components are distributed relatively uniformly or in small dispersed bodies. At the other extreme, components are present in large reticulated bodies. Both types of sponge bodies allow normal development, but show substantial differences in distribution of Staufen protein and oskar mRNA, whose localization within the oocyte is essential for axial patterning. Based on these and other results we propose a model for the relationship between P bodies and the various cytoplasmic bodies containing P body proteins in the Drosophila ovary. Developmental Dynamics 238:918–930, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The effect of undercount on the accuracy of small-area population estimates: Implications for the use of administrative data for improving population enumeration

The effects of underenumeration on the accuracy of alternative methods of population estimation have not been sufficiently analyzed. Although the US Bureau of the Census has decided not to adjust either the counts or its estimates for underenumeration in 1990, the extent to which local population estimates may account for underenumeration is of importance both for those who may wish to adjust existing estimates and in anticipation of future census adjustments. This paper examines the accuracy of small-area population estimation methods with and without adjustment. Mean Percent Errors, Mean Absolute Percent Errors, and Mean Percent Absolute Differences between local estimates for 1990 and 1990 adjusted and unadjusted census counts are computed. Population estimates for 1990 made using housing unit, ratio correlation, and component methods are compared for 451 counties and 2,633 places in the states of California, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin. An analysis of the data for counties shows little indication that local estimates more accurately estimate the adjusted than the unadjusted population counts. The results for places show clear improvements in accuracy for places in Florida and Texas. Implications of the findings for issues related to undercount adjustment and local population estimates are discussed.
Role of Hepatic Resection for Patients With Carcinoid Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of resection of hepatic carcinoid metastases on progression and prognosis of carcinoid heart disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS From our database of 265 consecutive patients diagnosed as having carcinoid heart disease from January 1, 1980, through December 31, 2005, we calculated survival from first diagnosis of cardiac involvement. Hepatic resection during follow-up was entered as a time-dependent covariable in a multivariable analysis. In patients with serial echocardiograms more than 1 year apart without intervening cardiac surgery, a previously validated cardiac severity score was calculated. A score increase that exceeded 25% was considered relevant progression. RESULTS Hepatic resection was performed in 31 patients (12%) during follow-up. Five-year survival was significantly higher in these patients (86.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 73.5%-100.0%) than in patients without hepatic resection (29.0%; 95% CI, 23.3%-36.1%; univariable hazard ratio for hepatic resection, 0.25; 95% CI 0.12-0.53; P P =.003). Among 77 patients (29%) with serial echocardiograms, 10 (13%) underwent hepatic resection during follow-up; resection was independently associated with decreased risk of cardiac progression (odds ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.06-0.75; P =.03). CONCLUSION Despite the limitations of this retrospective nonrandomized study, our data suggest that patients with carcinoid heart disease who undergo hepatic resection have decreased cardiac progression and improved prognosis. Eligible patients should be considered for hepatic surgery.
Multilayer fiber optic chemical sensors employing organically modified SiO2 and mixed TiO2/SiO2 sol gel membranes

Fiber-optic sensors have been developed that incorporate multi-layer organically modified silica sol-gel membranes. pH sensors use a single layer hydrophilic organo-silica sol-gel membrane with a covalently attached pH sensitive dye, hydroxypyrene trisulfonic acid. The hydrophilic coating is made by copolymerizing silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and tetraethylorthosilicate with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Unlike previous methods, which use acid as a catalyst, we have found that a base catalyst produces optically transparent gels. The sol-gel coated sensors are simple to make and require drying and aging times of as little as one day. Sensors made using these gels exhibit very good long-term stability, fast response times and no dye leaching. pCO2 sensors were fabricated using the same pH sensitive sol-gel layer overcoated with a hydrophobic high organic content sol- gel membrane. The response of the pH and pCO2 sensors is very fast due to the high porosity of the sol-gel membranes. Although in-situ sensors have been described for a number of organic and inorganic species, many volatile organochloride compounds (VOCs), such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), have been difficult to measure using current fiber-optic sensor transduction schemes. One of the optical sensors described here is a multilayer (3-4) sol-gel system that incorporates a TiO2/SiO2 membrane to degrade VOCs into smaller, detectable products. Upon exposure to UV light, TiO2, a semiconductor with a bandgap of 3.2 eV, produces highly reactive electron-hole pairs that are capable of photodegrading most organic compounds. The VOCs mentioned above are sensitive to degradative oxidation on TiO2 surfaces. During photodegradation of VOCs a number of products are formed including H+, HCl, CO2 and a number of smaller hydrocarbons. These products are produced in the TiO2 membrane and on TiO2 surfaces and the products diffuse into the nearby indicator membrane where they are detected. Carbon dioxide and protons produced are detected by the pH sensitive indicator layer described above. pH and CO2 sensors, and preliminary data for the measurement of VOCs will be presented.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Uniform strong 2-cell imbeddings of bridgeless graphs

Abstract A strong 2- cell imbedding of a graph G is an open 2-cell imbedding of G in which the image of every edge of G separates distinct regions of the imbedding. An imbedding is uniform if every region is bounded by the same number of sides. A k -pattern is a uniform, strong 2-cell imbedding in which every region is bounded by exactly k sides. The existence of k -patterns for all values of k ⩾ 3 and all possible numbers of regions is illustrated for the sphere, the projective plane, the torus, and the Klein bottle. Characterizations of uniform imbeddings as k -patterns, based on the number of sides bounding each region (the index), are given. These characterizations are shown to be sharp.
National survey of Korean dentists' knowledge and opinions: dental caries etiology and prevention.

Objectives: Dentists have the potential to influence what their patients know and do regarding dental caries prevention. The practices of dentists and what they tell their patients are influenced, in part, by their own knowledge and opinions. The purposes of this study were to determine the level of knowledge and opinions about caries etiology and prevention among Korean dentists and to describe related factors. Methods: A pretested, 27-item questionnaire was mailed to 2,047 dentists, selected by a stratified random sampling allocated proportionately. A postcard reminder was sent to all dentists after one week. Nonrespondents were sent additional complete mailings after three, seven, and nine weeks. The response rate was 83 percent (n= 1,700 dentists). Results: Analysis of six factors thought to be related to knowledge about caries etiology and prevention showed that recent graduates and dentists who worked in public health centers were likely to be more knowledgeable about caries etiology and prevention than their counterparts Pc.05). In regression analysis of perceived effectiveness of cariespreventive procedures for children, recent graduates, males, and dentists who worked in public health centers tended to rate caries-preventive procedures more effective than other dentists (Pc.05). Dentists who had experience with schoolbased preventive programs and dentists in rural areas were likely to rate cariespreventive procedures for adults more effective than other dentists pc.05). Conclusions: Overall, results of this study suggest that the majority of dentists do not know current information concerning etiology and prevention of dental caries, mechanisms of action of fluoride, and effectiveness of preventive procedures for children and adults. Efforts to enhance the level of knowledge and practices of Korean dentists about caries prevention should focus on strategies to educate older graduates and female dentists, especially those in private practice. [J Public Health Dent 1998;58(1):51-561
An in Vitro Model of Divergent Gene Regulation in the Acute Phase Response (Apr) † 556

The hepatic APR includes reproducible changes in the synthesis of specific subsets of proteins after a stimulus. To identify DNA elements regulating transcriptional responses to inflammation we developed a system that mimics the in vivo APR, including positive (Spi 2.2 gene) and negative (Spi 2.1 gene) responses to inflammation. Primary hepatocytes were isolated from rats and transfected with one of two plasmids before addition of Matrigel, dexamethasone, and growth hormone (GH): either pSpi2.1(-275 to +85)/CAT or pSpi 2.2 (-319 to +85)/CAT. After 24 hours, half the media was replaced with media alone or with activated monocyte products (MoCM). By ELISA, MoCM contained 487, 140, and 490 pg/ml of TNF-a, IL-1b, or IL-6, respectively. Untreated media contained no cytokines. Below, untreated hepatocytes are compared to those treated with GH, GH + media, and GH + MoCM. Shown is the percent conversion of chloramphenicol to acetylated forms, the average of duplicate assays. MoCM is capable of stimulating the Spi promoters in a qualitatively and quantitatively similar manner to the effect of inflammation on the Spi genes in vivo. The response to inflammation for both genes is mediated via proximal promoter elements containing GAS sites. Figure
Quantitative analysis of template-based attenuation compensation in 3D brain PET

An atlas-guided attenuation correction method was recently proposed for 3D brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging eliminating the need for acquisition of a patient-specific measured transmission scan. The algorithm was validated through comparison to transmission-based attenuation correction (gold standard) using voxelwise statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis of clinical data. In contrast to brain 'activation' studies for which SPM is primarily developed, brain PET research studies often involve absolute quantification. In the preliminary validation study published earlier, there is no validation as to how such quantification can be affected by the two methods as the assessment was carried out by an SPM group analysis alone. It is quite important to demonstrate how the proposed method performs individually, particularly for diagnostic applications or individual quantification. In this study, we assess the quantitative accuracy of this method in clinical setting using automated volume of interest (VOI)-based analysis by means of the commercially available BRASS software. There is a very good correlation (R(2)=0.91) between the atlas-guided and measured transmission-guided attenuation correction techniques and the regression line agreed well with the line of identity (slope=0.96) for the grouped analysis of patient data. The mean relative difference between the two methods for all VOIs across the whole population is 2.3% whereas the maximum difference is less than 7%. No proof of statistically significant differences could be verified for all regions. These encouraging results provide further confidence in the adequacy of the proposed approach demonstrating its performance particularly for research studies or diagnostic applications involving quantification.
Slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptor spike patterns carry lung distension information

Slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (SARs) provide the respiratory and cardiovascular control systems with information regarding the rate and depth of breathing. Previous information theoretical analysis demonstrated that SAR spike count provides a reliable representation of lung distension. This study examines whether SAR spike patterns may also provide information about lung distension. To investigate this, artificial spike trains were generated with the same number of spikes (but randomized intervals) as those recorded from SARs in response to three different lung inflation volumes in urethane-anesthetized rabbits. Three different spike train classification methods were applied to estimate which stimulus evoked them, and the accuracy with which artificial spike trains were classified was compared to that of real SAR spike trains using the same methods. Because real SAR spike trains were classified with higher accuracies than artificial ones containing the same number of spikes, we conclude that SAR spike patterns, in addition to spike counts, contain information concerning the amplitude of lung distension.
Role for Eurasian Arctic shelf sea ice in a secularly varying hemispheric climate signal during the 20th century

A hypothesized low-frequency climate signal propagating across the Northern Hemisphere through a network of synchronized climate indices was identified in previous analyses of instrumental and proxy data. The tempo of signal propagation is rationalized in terms of the multidecadal component of Atlantic Ocean variability—the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Through multivariate statistical analysis of an expanded database, we further investigate this hypothesized signal to elucidate propagation dynamics. The Eurasian Arctic Shelf-Sea Region, where sea ice is uniquely exposed to open ocean in the Northern Hemisphere, emerges as a strong contender for generating and sustaining propagation of the hemispheric signal. Ocean-ice-atmosphere coupling spawns a sequence of positive and negative feedbacks that convey persistence and quasi-oscillatory features to the signal. Further stabilizing the system are anomalies of co-varying Pacific-centered atmospheric circulations. Indirectly related to dynamics in the Eurasian Arctic, these anomalies appear to negatively feed back onto the Atlantic‘s freshwater balance. Earth’s rotational rate and other proxies encode traces of this signal as it makes its way across the Northern Hemisphere.