cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Social Ethology of the White Rhinoceros Ceratotberium simum (Burchell 1817

In a 3½ year field study the social system of the 2000 white rhinoceros in Umfolozi Game Reserve, Zululand, was investigated in a 30 km5 area and four supplementary areas. Direct observation, individual recognition, tagging and attachment of radio transmitters gave copious information on spacing, grouping, movement, confrontation, territory occupation, rank order. Behaviour patterns are compared with those of the black and Indian rhinoceros, processes underlying their evolution are considered, weighing the influences of phylogeny, ecology, morphology, nutrition. Territorial structure was found to be a strong influence. Selective consequences for survival, reproductive success and progeny viability are discussed.
Genetics of Cerebral Vasospasm

Cerebral vasospasm (CV) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). It is thought that an inflammatory cascade initiated by extravasated blood products precipitates CV, disrupting vascular smooth muscle cell function of major cerebral arteries, leading to vasoconstriction. Mechanisms of CV and modes of therapy are an active area of research. Understanding the genetic basis of CV holds promise for the recognition and treatment for this devastating neurovascular event. In our review, we summarize the most recent research involving key areas within the genetics and vasospasm discussion: (1) Prognostic role of genetics—risk stratification based on gene sequencing, biomarkers, and polymorphisms; (2) Signaling pathways—pinpointing key inflammatory molecules responsible for downstream cellular signaling and altering these mediators to provide therapeutic benefit; and (3) Gene therapy and gene delivery—using viral vectors or novel protein delivery methods to overexpress protective genes in the vasospasm cascade.
Distinct mechanisms of neuronal apoptosis are triggered by antagonism of Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L) versus induction of the BH3-only protein Bim.

Primary cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) require depolarizing extracellular potassium for their survival. Removal of depolarizing potassium triggers CGN apoptosis that requires induction of Bim, a BH3-only Bcl-2 family member. Bim is classically thought to promote apoptosis by neutralizing pro-survival Bcl-2 proteins. To determine if this is the principal function of Bim in CGNs, we contrasted Bim-mediated apoptosis to neuronal death induced by HA14-1, a BH3-domain mimetic that antagonizes Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L). HA14-1 elicited CGN apoptosis characterized by caspase 3 and 9 activation, cytochrome c release, conformational activation of Bax, and mitochondrial depolarization. HA14-1 provoked CGN apoptosis in the absence of Bim induction and negative regulators of Bim transcription did not prevent HA14-1-induced cell death. However, the antioxidant glutathione and its precursor, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, suppressed HA14-1-induced apoptosis. Similarly, apoptosis induced by either a structurally distinct Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L) inhibitor (compound 6) or Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotides was diminished by glutathione. In contrast, antioxidants had no effect on CGN apoptosis provoked by either removal of depolarizing potassium or overexpression of a GFP–Bim fusion protein, two models of Bim-dependent death. These data show that antagonism of Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L) function elicits oxidative stress-dependent CGN apoptosis that is mechanistically distinct from Bim-mediated cell death. These results further indicate that, although Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L) antagonism is sufficient to induce neuronal apoptosis, Bim likely promotes neuronal death by interacting with additional proteins besides Bcl-2/Bcl-x(L).
Distribution Functions for Heavy Vector Bosons Inside Colliding Particle Beams

We present a derivation of the distribution functionsfVq/L(x) andfVq/T(x) for a longitudinally polarized (L) and transverse polarized (T) massive vector bosonV to carry a fractionx of the quark momentum in the limit of parallel momenta. The results can be applied to variousW± andZ0 weak boson initiated processes in future particle colliders with energies in the TeV region.
Further analysis of the occurrence of pigeon crop sac-stimulating activity (Prolactin) in the vertebrate adenohypophysis ☆

Abstract Extracts of acetone-dried pituitary glands from representatives of all vertebrate classes were tested for pigeon crop sac-stimulating (PCs) activity using objective, quantitative methods. Extracts of acetone-dried liver and brain tissue combined, or of acetone-dried liver tissue alone, were used to obtain quantitative assessment of nonspecific responses. The crop-sac responses were quantified by removing a standard 4-cm-diameter disc of mucosal epithelium from the site of injection. The dry weight, fat content, and RNA and DNA levels in this disc were determined. Only Tilapia mossambica and Mugil cephalus of eight teleostean species tested gave results which indicated that their “prolactic” had significantly, albeit minimally effective PCs capacity. Responses to other fish pituitaries, including a cyclostome and a chondrichthyean, were not significantly different from those to nonpituitary control tissue. In contrast with the results obtained with the control and fish-pituitary preparations, extracts of the glands of the African lungfish ( Protopterus aethiopicus ), and of anurans, urodeles, and a reptile, were as effectively crop sac-stimulating as extracts of pituitaries from homeotherms. The only species in the lungfish-tetrapod group whose pituitaries did not show more effective PCs activity than all of the fish pituitary preparations was the toad, Bufo marinus . However, the Bufo pituitaries were significantly more effective than the glands of six of the eight teleost species. The possibility that fish pituitaries contain factors which inactivate or interfere with the action of teleost “prolactin” on the crop sac was investigated. An extract of combined pigeon and pollack pituitaries was compared with pigeon pituitary extract alone. The combined extract did not prevent the pigeon prolactin from being fully effective. Extracts of pituitaries from pigeons, lungfish, and three teleostean species were tested for PCs activity at three dose levels. The pigeon and lungfish pituitary extracts gave, in part, log dose-response relationships which paralleled that obtained with ovine prolactin. None of the fish pituitary extracts gave log dose-response relationships which had slopes significantly different from zero. It is concluded that the prolactins of vertebrates in the lungfish-tetrapod line are characterized by a high degree of PCS efficacy. Although the prolactins of some teleostean species may have minimal PCS activity, the pituitaries of fishes characteristically showno specific capacity to stimulate the pigeon crop.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, PAOLO DAL POZZO TOSCANELLI AND FERNO DE RORIZ: NEW EVIDENCE FOR A FLORENTINE CONNECTION

title RIASSUNTO /title Si ritiene che Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli abbia mandato tre lettere in Portogallo tra il 1474 e il 1482: una, comprendente una mappa, indirizzata ad un canonico di Lisbona chiamato Fernando Martins; un'altra, contenente copie della prima lettera e della carta, a Cristoforo Colombo; e una terza ancora a Colombo. Sebbene l'autenticit delle tre lettere sia stata accettata dalla maggior parte degli studiosi colombiani, l'intera corrispondenza stata negata da alcuni, e le due lettere a Colombo da altri. In giuoco almeno una parte della stima per la scoperta del Mondo Nuovo. Martins stato spesso identificato col canonico portoghese Fernando de Roritz, che stato testimone al testamento di Niccol di Cusa insieme con Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli, ma nessun'altra prova della sua conoscenza con Toscanelli stata finora conosciuta. Nuovi documenti adesso confermano la presenza del Roritz a Firenze nel 1459, quando egli ha servito accanto al Toscanelli come medico del cardinale Giacomo di Portogallo ed stato testimone al testamento del cardinale, e di nuovo nel 1466, quando stato testimone all'atto di dote della cappella del cardinale in San Miniato al Monte.
Epidermal Growth Factor Activates Protein Kinase C in the Human Endometrial Cancer Cell Line HEC-1-A

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the tumor promoter, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), are mitogenic in the endometrial cancer cell line HEC-1-A. Since the effects of EGF have been shown to be mediated by the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway transduction system, we examined the possibility that the EGF-responsive signal in the endometrial cancer cell line HEC-1-A involves protein kinase C activation. HEC-1-A cells were grown to confluency in 100-mm dishes and maintained in a serum-free medium for 24 hr prior to treatment. The cells were treated with EGF at varying time intervals (0.25 to 60 min) and concentrations (0.1 to 200 ng/ml). The cells were then lysed, homogenized, and centrifuged at 105,000g for 1 hr at 4 degrees C. The supernatant was chromatographed on DEAE-Sephacel columns. The membranous pellet was resuspended in 5 ml of lysis buffer containing 1% Nonidet P-40 and also chromatographed on DEAE-Sephacel columns separately. The eluates were collected and assayed for protein kinase C activity by determining the amount of 32P transferred from [gamma-32P]ATP onto histones in the presence of the phospholipids, phosphatidylserine, and diolein. Our results show that the cytoplasmic and membrane fraction of the HEC-1-A cell line contained phosphotransferase activity which displayed kinetic characteristics typical of the protein kinase C enzyme. The optimal incubation time for protein kinase C activation in the cytosol by EGF was 5 min (30-fold stimulation). The protein kinase C activity was increased when the cell lines were incubated with increasing concentrations of EGF. Enzyme saturation was seen at a concentration of 10 ng/ml of EGF (4.5-fold stimulation). Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of the PKC enzyme in the cytosol and membranes of our cancer cell line. These results suggest that EGF, at least partially, exerts its effects on the endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line by activating protein kinase C through increased breakdown of phosphatidyl inositol (PI). The PI cascade appears to be an important signal transduction system mediating the growth stimulatory effects of EGF on endometrial carcinoma.
Stepping Performance During Obstacle Clearance in Women: Age Differences and the Association with Lower Extremity Strength in Older Women

OBJECTIVE: To compare stepping performance during obstacle clearance in younger and older women, and to examine the relationship between lower extremity strength and stepping performance during obstacle clearance in older women. DESIGN: Correlational study. SETTING: A small community. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four older women (mean age = 74.4), and 16 younger women (mean age = 20.7). The older participants lived independently in the community and were able to walk unaided. MEASUREMENTS: Lower extremity muscle strength, measures of stepping performance including reaction time, movement time, extent of obstacle clearance, time to clear obstacle, among others. MAIN RESULTS: The older women were far slower in stepping than the younger women. Toe trajectories differed between older and younger women during the initial portion of the step. The younger women tended to lift the toe straight up, whereas the older women tended to move the toe backward, away from the obstacle, passing farther from the obstacle when the toe cleared the obstacle height. There was little, if any, association between relative lower extremity strength and stepping performance during obstacle clearance in older women. CONCLUSIONS: Dramatic differences in the speed of volitional stepping performance were found between younger and older women. Among the older women, lower extremity strength was not related to volitional stepping performance.
Determination of Free-Radical Propagation Rate Coefficients for Alkyl Methacrylates by Pulsed-Laser Polymerization

Values of free-radical propagation rate coefficients (kp) for two new methacrylate monomers2-ethylhexyl and isodecyl methacrylateshave been measured in the temperature range 10−90 °C by analyzing molecular weight distributions of polymer produced by pulsed-laser polymerization (the PLP/MWD technique). In addition, new PLP/MWD results for n-butyl and n-dodecyl methacrylates are reported, and previously published data for ethyl and isobutyl methacrylates are reanalyzed. The temperature dependence of kp for these six monomers is compared to that recently reported for methyl methacrylate. A consistent increase of kp with size of the ester group is observed, with values for n-dodecyl methacrylate 50−60% higher than those for methyl methacrylate. Although this increase is statistically significant, it is less certain whether it is attributable to a decrease in the activation energy or an increase in the frequency factor. The experimental results favor the former explanation.
Conventionality in family conversations about everyday objects

Children's developing understanding that words have conventional meanings and objects have conventional functions emerges in parent-child activity and conversation. Drawing on family conversations in everyday settings, the chapter explores an apparent paradox between a global analysis of conventionality as stable shared knowledge and a local notion of conventions as flexibly negotiated in activity.
Real-time power system dynamic equivalencing to preserve system center of oscillations via PMU-based dynamic state estimator

This paper presents a novel scheme for real-time dynamic equivalencing of a power system to preserve the system center of oscillations. It is based on real-time dynamic monitoring of the system achieved through the implementation of a distributed, substation based, dynamic state estimator. The dynamic state estimator utilizes local (substation) synchronized and non-synchronized measurements and provides the evolution of the dynamic state of the system (real-time dynamic model) at rates of 60 times per second. The information provided by the dynamic state estimator, is used for the identification of the center of oscillations of the oscillating system. The center of oscillations is utilized as a reference physical point in the system in order to derive a dynamic simplified equivalent of the original system on the other side of the center of oscillations. The derived equivalent system mimics the dynamics of the original system and can be used for online dynamic security assessment of the system. The theoretical background and the methodology for the derivation of the dynamic equivalent system are provided. The accuracy of the derived dynamic equivalent model is also demonstrated.
TH‐E‐BRB‐08: Water Calorimetry of High‐Energy Electron Beams at Room Temperature under Steady State Conditions

Purpose: The present work summarizes preliminary dosimetry measurements, obtained via room‐temperature water calorimetry, of high‐energy electron beams available from a Clinac 2100C. Our objective is to assess any limitations to the use of the existing photon standard with electron beams at 6, 9, 12, 16 and 20 MeV. Methods: Vertical 12‐, 16‐ and 20‐MeV electron beams, provided by a Clinac 2100C, were preset to deliver a nominal dose rate at dmax in water of 2.4 Gy/min. The calorimeter system, whose operation has been described earlier, was used essentially as it has been used with photon beams; however, for this preliminary work the sensor depth was fixed at 5 cm (thus, SDD = 105 cm, SSD = 100 cm). With this arrangement, we were able to vary both the dose rate and the gradient in the falloff region overlapping the vessel, and thereby subject the calorimeter to conditions that approximate normal dosimetric conditions (at near‐reference depth) but also, in the case of 12 MeV, test the importance of gradient effects on the calorimeter response. Several runs were conducted at each beam quality, and for each run, 20 cycles of radiation (each cycle consisting of one minute on, one minute off) were delivered. Results: Dose measurements obtained from the calorimeter at each of the three qualities generally follow expectation, based upon depth‐dose profiles of the respective beams. More detailed comparison with preliminary results from runs we conducted with a Farmer‐type cylindrical chamber show small but significant discrepancies, indicating a possible systematic error within the calorimeter system. Conclusions: Follow‐on studies are currently underway to address these discrepancies both in terms of the calorimeter response and reference dosimetry with the ionization chamber.
Adventitious shoot regeneration from ovaries of Hosta ‘Golden Scepter’

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability ofHosta Golden Scepter (GS) ovary explants to generate adventitious shootsin vitro. Ovaries were transversely cut into halves and transferred to petri dishes containingHosta initiation medium supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 2.5 μM and N6-benzyladenine (BA) at 10 μM. GS produced adventitious shoots from the ovary base via organogenesis. The number of adventitious shoots regenerated from callus increased linearly with repeated subculturing on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.5 μM NAA and 10 μM BA. The number of multiple shoots developing from callus (15.8), shoot tip (8.4), leaf (6.7), and root (4.3) occurred on MS medium supplemented with 2.5 μM NAA and 20–30 μM BA. There were significant differences in the number of shoots regenerated from shoot tips and callus on MS medium with 50 and 100 mgmyo-inositol per l. Similarly, there were significant differences in the number of axillary shoots and adventitious shoots produced with 20 g/l sucrose treatment.
Black lipid membranes stabilized through substrate conjugation to a hydrogel

Recent research in stabilizing lipid bilayer membranes has been directed toward tethering the membrane to a solid surface or contacting the membrane with a solid support such as a gel. It is also known that the solvent annulus plays an important role in lipid bilayer stability. In this work, the authors set out to stabilize the solvent annulus. Glass substrates with ∼500 μm apertures were functionalized with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane to allow cross-linking with a surrounding polyethyleneglycol dimethacrylate hydrogel. The hydrogel makes a conformal mold around both the lipid bilayer and the solvent reservoir. Since the hydrogel is covalently conjugated with the glass substrate via vinyl groups, the solvent annulus is prevented from leaving the aperture boundary. Measurements of a membrane created with this approach showed that it remained a stable bilayer with a resistance greater than 1 GΩ( for 12 days. Measurements of the ion channel gramicidin A, α-hemolysin, and alamethicin incorporated into these membranes showed the same conductance behavior as conventional membranes.
Rac-Dependent Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Production Is Induced by Nutrient Deprivation

Under ischemic conditions, the vessel wall recruits inflammatory cells. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) exposed to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation produce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1); however, most experiments have been performed in the presence of nutrient deprivation (ND). We hypothesized that ND rather than hypoxia mediates endothelial MCP-1 production during ischemia, and that the small GTP-binding protein Rac1 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in this process. ND was generated by shifting HAECs from 10% to 1% FBS. Superoxide production by HAECs was increased 6 to 24 hours after ND, peaking at 18 hours. MCP-1 production was increased over a similar time frame, but peaked later at 24 hours. These effects were blocked by treatment with antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase mimetic and N -acetylcysteine (NAC), or NADPH oxidase inhibitors, DPI and gp91ds-tat. Superoxide and MCP-1 production were enhanced by RacV12 (constitutively active) in the absence of ND, and were inhibited by RacN17 (dominant-negative) adenoviral transduction under ND, suggesting that the small G-protein Rac1 is required. In conclusion, ND, an important component of ischemia, is sufficient to induce MCP-1 production by HAECs, and such production requires a functional Rac1, redox-dependent pathway.
Markov chains with almost exponential hitting times

Abstract If a Markov chain converges rapidly to stationarity, then the time until the first hit on a rarely-visited set of states is approximately exponentially distributed; moreover an explicit bound for the error in this approximation can be given. This complements results of Keilson.
Nonparametric estimation of mean residual functions

Situations frequently arise in practice in which mean residual life (mrl) functions must be ordered. For example, in a clinical trial of three experiments, let e1, e2 and e3 be the mrl functions, respectively, for the disease groups under the standard and experimental treatments, and for the disease-free group. The well-documented mrl functions e1 and e3 can be used to generate a better estimate for e2 under the mrl restriction e1 ≤ e2 ≤ e3. In this paper we propose nonparametric estimators of the mean residual life function where both upper and lower bounds are given. Small and large sample properties of the estimators are explored. Simulation study shows that the proposed estimators have uniformly smaller mean squared error compared to the unrestricted empirical mrl functions. The proposed estimators are illustrated using a real data set from a cancer clinical trial study.
The origin of chiral representation mixing

Abstract The relation between the quark model and PCAC is studied. The Melosh transformation is derived in theories where chiral symmetry is realized in the Nambu-Goldstone mode.
Evaluation of thrombogenicity of β-propiolactone/ultraviolet (β-PL/UV) treated PPSB in chimpanzees

The thrombogenicity of beta-PL/UV-treated PPSB (factor IX concentrate) was evaluated in chimpanzees. PPSB isolated from beta-propiolactone-treated and UV-irradiated plasma was injected into chimpanzees at a dose of approximately 100 units/kg body weight. An FDA licensed PPSB preparation served as the negative control, and a preparation containing activated as well as precursor clotting factors served as the positive control. 15 minutes, 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h after the PPSB application the following parameters were determined in the chimpanzee blood: factors II, VII, IX, X, VIII, fibrinogen, AT III, thrombin coagulase, Quick value, APTT and platelet count. Neither the untreated control preparation, nor the PPSB isolated from beta-propiolactone-treated and UV-irradiated plasma, showed signs of thrombogenicity in the chimpanzee model. The positive control indicated that the chimpanzee is a suitable model for the thrombogenicity testing of activated clotting factors.
Toward an epistemology of a brown body

In its current emphasis on all that is analytic and cognitive, the absence and elusiveness of the body in educational research defines and delineates any consideration of how new identities, particularly the emerging identities of Latina/o lesbian and gay youth, are being invented within a contestation of dominant discourses of race, class, gender, and sexuality. In a reevaluation of the writings of Chicana theorists Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua, this paper locates the brown body as central in an ongoing practice of negotiation in which multiple, often opposing, ideas and ways of being are addressed, appropriated, and negotiated. The brown body, with its multiple and often oppositional intersections of sociopolitical locations, must be acknowledged in its centrality in creating new knowledges. For the educational researcher, understanding the brown body and the regulation of its movements is fundamental in the reclamation of narrative and the development of radical projects of transformation and lib...
The complex II inhibitor atpenin A5 protects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury via activation of mitochondrial KATP channels.

The cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) can be mimicked or blocked by pharmacologic agents, which modulate the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (mKATP) channel, thereby implicating this channel in the mechanism of IPC. Cardioprotection can also be achieved via inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory complex II, and significant pharmacologic overlap exists between complex II inhibitors and mKATP channel agonists. However, the relationship between complex II and the mKATP channel remains unclear. Atpenin A5 (AA5) is a potent and specific complex II inhibitor, and herein we report that AA5 (1 nM) also activates the mKATP channel and protects against simulated ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in isolated cardiomyocytes. Similar to known mKATP agonists, AA5-mediated protection was sensitive to the mKATP antagonists 5-hydroxydecanoate (5HD) and glyburide. Notably, the optimal mKATP opening and protective concentration of AA5 had no effect on complex II enzymatic activity, suggesting an interaction of AA5 with complex II, but not inhibition of the complex per se, is necessary for protection. A cardioprotective effect of AA5 was also observed in isolated perfused hearts, wherein AA5 increased post-IR contractile function and decreased infarct size, in a 5HD-sensitive manner. In conclusion, the specific complex II inhibitor AA5 is the most potent mKATP activator discovered to date, and provides a novel method of activating mKATP channels and protecting the heart from IR injury.
HEAVY METALS STRUCTURE BENTHIC COMMUNITIES IN COLORADO MOUNTAIN STREAMS

The development of field sampling designs that employ multiple reference and polluted sites has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional upstream vs. down- stream approach used in most biomonitoring studies. Spatially extensive monitoring pro- grams can characterize ecological conditions within an ecoregion and provide the necessary background information to evaluate future changes in water quality. We measured physi- cochemical characteristics, heavy-metal concentrations, and benthic macroinvertebrate com- munity structure at 95 sites in the Southern Rocky Mountain ecoregion in Colorado, USA. Most sites (82%) were selected using a systematic, randomized sampling design. Each site was placed into one of four metal categories (background, low, medium, and high metals), based on the cumulative criterion unit (CCU), which we defined as the ratio of the instream metal concentration to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criterion concentration, summed for all metals measured. A CCU of 1.0 represents a conservative estimate of the total metal concentration that, when exceeded, is likely to cause harm to aquatic organisms. Although the CCU was less than 2.0 at most (66.3%) of the sites, values exceeded 10.0 at 13 highly polluted stations. Differences among metal categories were highly significant for most measures of macroinvertebrate abundance and all measures of species richness. We observed the greatest effects on several species of heptageniid mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae), which were highly sensitive to heavy metals and were reduced by .75% at moderately polluted stations. The influence of taxonomic aggregation on responses to metals was also greatest for mayflies. In general, total abundance of mayflies and abundance of heptageniids were better indicators of metal pollution than abundance of dominant mayfly taxa. We used stepwise multiple-regression analyses to investigate the relationship between benthic community measures and physicochemical characteristics at the 78 randomly se- lected sites. Heavy-metal concentration was the most important predictor of benthic com- munity structure at these sites. Because of the ubiquitous distribution of heavy-metal pol- lution in the Southern Rocky Mountain ecoregion, we conclude that potential effects of
Methane hydrate induced permeability modification for multiphase flow in unsaturated porous media

[1] An experimental study was performed using X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning to capture three-dimensional (3-D) methane hydrate distributions and potential discrete flow pathways in a sand pack sample. A numerical study was also performed to develop and analyze empirical relations that describe the impacts of hydrate accumulation habits within pore space (e.g., pore filling or grain cementing) on multiphase fluid migration. In the experimental study, water was injected into a hydrate-bearing sand sample that was monitored using an X-ray CT scanner. The CT images were converted into numerical grid elements, providing intrinsic sample data including porosity and phase saturations. The impacts of hydrate accumulation were examined by adapting empirical relations into the flow simulations as additional relations governing the evolution of absolute permeability of hydrate bearing sediment with hydrate deposition. The impacts of pore space hydrate accumulation habits on fluid migration were examined by comparing numerical predictions with experimentally measured water saturation distributions and breakthrough curves. A model case with 3-D heterogeneous initial conditions (hydrate saturation, porosity, and water saturation) and pore body–preferred hydrate accumulations best captured water migration behavior through the hydrate-bearing sample observed in the experiment. In the best matching model, absolute permeability in the hydrate bearing sample does not decrease significantly with increasing hydrate saturation until hydrate saturation reaches about 40%, after which it drops rapidly, and complete blockage of flow through the sample can occur as hydrate accumulations approach 70%. The result highlights the importance of permeability modification due to hydrate accumulation habits when predicting multiphase flow through high-saturation, reservoir quality hydrate-bearing sediments.
Neonatal seizures: multicenter variability in current treatment practices.

Standardized approaches to the treatment of neonatal seizures remain undeveloped. We assessed the type and number of anticonvulsants selected, blood levels attained, and postdischarge anticonvulsant treatment of neonatal seizures among five neonatal intensive care units in the United States between 2000-2003. Almost all of the 480 neonates (94%) with seizures were treated, initially with phenobarbital (82%), lorazepam (9%), phenytoin (2%), other anticonvulsants (1%), or a combination of the first two drugs (6%). While the majority of neonates were treated with one drug (59%), the number of anticonvulsants varied (P < 0.0001), as did the peak serum phenobarbital levels (P < 0.0001). The majority (75%) of survivors received anticonvulsant treatment after discharge. These neonates were more likely to have had abnormal electroencephalography or brain imaging, or to have needed a second anticonvulsant, compared with neonates whose drug therapy was discontinued. Anticonvulsant therapy is used in the majority of neonates with seizures, mostly with phenobarbital, and treatment is continued beyond discharge. The observed wide therapeutic variability may reflect a lack of standardized diagnostic and treatment approaches, particularly for seizures refractory to initial phenobarbital therapy. Trials of anticonvulsants with long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up are needed to develop evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Desenvolvimento da técnica de deposição de filmes finos por gaiola catódica

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver a tecnica de Deposicao por plasma em descarga de gaiola catodica. Deposicoes de camadas de nitretos de ferro e de titânio foram realizadas sobre substrato de vidro em gaiola catodica, a partir de condicoes variadas de temperatura, tempo de deposicao e razao da mistura N2-H2. Foram feitas analises de difratogramas de raios-X e ensaios de corrosao. As propriedades eletroquimicas dos filmes foram analisadas por de Espectroscopia de Impedância Eletroquimica (EIE) e curva de polarizacao, ambos em solucao de NaCl 3,5% em peso. Com base nos espectros (EIE) foi possivel observar que os filmes depositados possuem uma boa resistencia a corrosao.
Phylogenetic analysis of the New World Ptininae (Coleoptera: Bostrichoidea)

Summary A phylogenetic analysis of the New World Ptininae (Anobiidae) was conducted with representatives of nine of ten New World genera, several Old World genera and seven more of the ten subfamilies of Anobiidae. One hundred and two characters (forty-three multistate) from thirty-four taxa were used. The single cladogram shows Ptininae as monophyletic and the sister group of the remaining Anobiidae, supporting their placement as subfamilies of a monophyletic Bostrichidae. Genus Niptus Boieldieu is polyphyletic supporting recognition of Pseudeurostus Heyden and the creation of a new genus to encompass the remaining New World species of Niptus. Flightlessness has evolved a minimum of three times within Ptininae and myrmecophily has probably evolved three times within just the New World taxa. The classifications of Ptininae and the remaining Anobiidae are examined and the evolution of feeding habits, myrmecophily and wing loss are discussed.
Lambert albedo retrieval and analyses over Aram Chaos from OMEGA hyperspectral imaging data

[1] The DISORT radiative transfer model was used to retrieve Lambert albedos from 0.4 to 4.0 μm over hydrated sulfate deposits in Aram Chaos for the Mars Express OMEGA instrument. Albedos were also retrieved for a relatively anhydrous area to the north to use as a control for comparison to the hydrated sulfate spectra. Atmospheric gases and aerosols were modeled, along with both solar and thermal radiance contributions and retrieved Lambert albedos are similar for multiple OMEGA observations over the same areas. The Lambert albedo spectra show that the control area is dominated by electronic transition bands due to nanophase iron oxides and low-calcium orthopyroxenes, together with the ubiquitous 2.98μm band due in part to water adsorbed onto particle surfaces. The retrieved Lambert albedos for Aram Chaos show an enhanced 2.98 μm water band and bands located at 0.938, 1.46, 1.96, and 2.41 μm. We infer the presence of nanophase iron oxides, schwertmannite, and starkeyite based on consideration of these band locations, inferred electronic and vibrational absorptions, stability under Mars conditions, and pathways for formation. This mineral assemblage, together with gray, crystalline hematite previously detected from TES data (Glotch and Christensen, 2005), can be explained as a result of iron oxidation and evaporation of iron-, magnesium-, and sulfur-rich fluids during periods of rising groundwater.
Early Intervention in Preventing Reading Problems

Two case studies of early intervention programs show the benefits of intervention before entrance into the first grade.
From the Dark to the Light: The Open Government Debate in Britain

The campaign in Britain to reduce official secrecy has had a number of broad and ill-defined objectives. This article argues that four basic values underpin demands for more open government: to promote more ethical conduct; to enhance executive accountability; to advance more informed policy-making; and to help individual citizens and groups advance particular rights and interests. This analytical framework is then applied to the three main strategies of open government that have so far been pursued. First, it is argued that the reform of Section 2 of the i 9ii Official Secrets Act, while legally desirable, will not promote any of the above values. Second, a freedom of information act would principally satisfy the fourth objective, while providing more executive accountability on a pragmatic basis. Finally, an analysis of official publications released under the Croham Directive reveals that the British interpretation of open government, the discretionary release of consultative documents, has been designed and implemented to reinforce the dominant policy style of bureaucratic accommodation.
A fuzzy, nonparametric segmentation framework for DTI and MRI analysis

This paper presents a novel statistical fuzzy-segmentation method for diffusion tensor (DT) images and magnetic resonance (MR) images. Typical fuzzy-segmentation schemes, e.g. those based on fuzzy-C-means (FCM), incorporate Gaussian class models which are inherently biased towards ellipsoidal clusters. Fiber bundles in DT images, however, comprise tensors that can inherently lie on more-complex manifolds. Unlike FCM-based schemes, the proposed method relies on modeling the manifolds underlying the classes by incorporating nonparametric data-driven statistical models. It produces an optimal fuzzy segmentation by maximizing a novel information-theoretic energy in a Markov-random-field framework. For DT images, the paper describes a consistent statistical technique for nonparametric modeling in Riemannian DT spaces that incorporates two very recent works. In this way, the proposed method provides uncertainties in the segmentation decisions, which stem from imaging artifacts including noise, partial voluming, and inhomogeneity. The paper shows results on synthetic and real, DT as well as MR images.
Ogt-Dependent X-Chromosome-Linked Protein Glycosylation Is a Requisite Modification in Somatic Cell Function and Embryo Viability

The Ogt gene encodes a glycosyltransferase that links N-acetylglucosamine to serine and threonine residues (O-GlcNAc) on nuclear and cytosolic proteins. Efforts to study a mammalian model of Ogt deficiency have been hindered by the requirement for this X-linked gene in embryonic stem cell viability, necessitating the use of conditional mutagenesis in vivo. We have extended these observations by segregating Ogt mutation to distinct somatic cell types, including neurons, thymocytes, and fibroblasts, the latter by an approach developed for inducible Ogt mutagenesis. We show that Ogt mutation results in the loss of O-GlcNAc and causes T-cell apoptosis, neuronal tau hyperphosphorylation, and fibroblast growth arrest with altered expression of c-Fos, c-Jun, c-Myc, Sp1, and p27. We further segregated the mutant Ogt allele to parental gametes by oocyte- and spermatid-specific Cre-loxP mutagenesis. By this we established an in vivo genetic approach that supports the ontogeny of female heterozygotes bearing mutant X-linked genes required during embryogenesis. Successful production and characterization of such female heterozygotes further indicates that mammalian cells commonly require a functional Ogt allele. We find that O-GlcNAc modulates protein phosphorylation and expression among essential and conserved cell signaling pathways.
Roost and Forage Site Fidelity of Western Small-Footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) in an Oregon Desert Canyon

Abstract. We describe the roosting and foraging behavior patterns of western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) observed during a vertebrate inventory of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in north central Oregon. We used radiotelemetry to track 9 adult females, including 3 lactating and 6 postlactating bats, during July-September 2003. We found that these bats showed considerable fidelity to a common foraging area at the confluence of the John Day River and a tributary creek along which bats commuted and roosted. Individual bats did not roost together, but each showed high fidelity to local clusters of rock outcrops in small side canyons along the tributary. Roosts were not found in large, exposed cliff faces, despite the availability of such features. Rather, radio-tagged bats roosted in smaller outcrops that averaged 4.5 m in height. Bats commuted up to 12 km from roosts in the tributary canyon to the common foraging site at the river confluence and remained on the wing to forage for up t...
Intercellular and extracellular mechanotransduction in cardiac myocytes

Adult cardiomyocytes are terminally differentiated with minimal replicative capacity. Therefore, long-term preservation or enhancement of cardiac function depends on structural adaptation. Myocytes interact with the extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, and vascular cells and with each other (end to end; side to side). We review the current understanding of the mechanical determinants and environmental sensing systems that modulate and regulate myocyte molecular machinery and its structural organization. We feature the design and application of engineered cellular microenvironments to demonstrate the ability of cardiac cells to remodel their cytoskeletal organization and shape, including sarcomere/myofibrillar architectural topography. Cell shape-dependent functions result from complex mechanical interactions between the cytoskeleton architecture and external conditions, be they cell–cell or cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion contact-mediated. This mechanobiological perspective forms the basis for viewing the cardiomyocyte as a mechanostructural anisotropic continuum, exhibiting constant mechanosensory-driven self-regulated adjustment of the cytoskeleton through tight interplay between its force generation activity and concurrent cytoarchitectural remodeling. The unifying framework guiding this perspective is the observation that these emerging events and properties are initiated by and respond to cytoskeletal reorganization, regulated by cell–cell and cell–ECM adhesion and its corresponding (mutually interactive) signaling machinery. It is important for future studies to elucidate how cross talk between these mechanical signals is coordinated to control myocyte structure and function. Ultimately, understanding how the highly interactive mechanical signaling can give rise to phenotypic changes is critical for targeting the underlying pathways that contribute to cardiac remodeling associated with various forms of dilated and hypertrophic myopathies, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and reverse remodeling.
Nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) communications network

This manuscript describes the need for the development of a nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) communications network and the different components that went into building the network nodes for the network. The NBC communications network is a system of network nodes that allow sensors to communicate with a host computer to alert military personnel if a hazardous material has entered their area. This project is important because of the value it places on human life. If implemented correctly, this project will eliminate any unnecessary trips into a zoned hazardous area, thus protecting the lives of military personnel. The adaptability of this project allows the network could be transferred to cities and buildings to protect the lives of civilians. The desire for safety drives this project to continue to improve accuracy of the sensors and decrease the need for human involvement
Simultaneous correction of ghost and geometric distortion artifacts in EPI using a multiecho reference scan

A computationally efficient technique is described for the simultaneous removal of ghosting and geometrical distortion artifacts in echo-planar imaging (EPI) utilizing a multiecho, gradient-echo reference scan. Nyquist ghosts occur in EPI reconstructions because odd and even lines of k-space are acquired with opposite polarity, and experimental imperfections such as gradient eddy currents, imperfect pulse sequence timing, B/sub 0/ field inhomogeneity, susceptibility, and chemical shift result in the even and odd lines of k-space being offset by different amounts relative to the true center of the acquisition window. Geometrical distortion occurs due to the limited bandwidth of the EPI images in the phase-encode direction. This distortion can be problematic when attempting to overlay an activation map from a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment generated from EPI data on a high-resolution anatomical image. The method described here corrects for geometrical distortion related to B/sub 0/ inhomogeneity, gradient eddy currents, radio-frequency pulse frequency offset, and chemical shift effect. The algorithm for removing ghost artifacts utilizes phase information in two dimensions and is, thus, more robust than conventional one-dimensional methods. An additional reference scan is required which takes approximately 2 min for a matrix size of 64/spl times/64 and a repetition time of 2 s. Results from a water phantom and a human brain at 3 T demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for removing ghosts and geometric distortion artifacts.
Functional communication training using assistive devices: effects on challenging behavior and affect

Functional communication training involves teaching students who display severe challenging behavior to appropriately request the stimuli previously obtained by their behavior problems. In the pres...
Post-Synthetic Modification of Hangman Porphyrins Synthesized on the Gram Scale

We report a multi-gram scale synthesis of methyl 6-formyl-4-dibenzofurancarboxylate and its subsequent use in the gram scale synthesis of a dibenzofuran-functionalized hangman porphyrin containing a pendant carboxylic acid (HPD-CO2H). HPD-CO2H can be isolated as a free carboxylic acid in high purity with minimal purification. Post-synthetic modification of HPD-CO2H allows for the introduction of any desired pendant group in good yields, resulting in a practical amount of hangman porphyrin ligand with an easily customizable second coordination sphere. The cobalt complexes of these hangman porphyrins are shown to be active proton reduction electrocatalysts.
Future‐imbedded innovation methodologies

The double challenge is how to upgrade problem solving so that it is also innovative and how to position solutions so that they enjoy future longevity. It is possible to do both by employing future‐imbedded innovation methodologies. The new thinking and positioning involved are not only discussed in detail but also applied to leadership innovations in education and business. In addition, further demonstrations, in the areas of corporate training and performance evaluation, are explored. Finally, a profile of a new senior executive position, that of chief learning officer(CLO), and its focus on innovation management is offered as the current state of the art.
Thermal Stability of Supported Platinum Clusters Studied by in Situ GISAXS

Sintering of supported nanocatalysts often leads to the loss of the catalytic activity and selectivity. This paper reports on synchrotron X-ray studies of the thermal stability of supported platinum nanoparticles producedby cluster deposition on the naturally oxidized surface of a silicon wafer (SiO 2 /Si(111)). The temperature region of aggregation was determined by gradually heating the samples up to above 400 °C, and recording two-dimensional in situ X-ray scattering images during the heat treatment. The data analysis reveals an unexpectedly high stability of the supported particles, which preserve their original size up to about 320 °C, at which an abrupt onset of the agglomeration takes place.