cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antarctic sea ice variability and trends, 1979–2010

Abstract. Analyses of 32 yr (1979–2010) of Arctic sea ice extents and areas derived from satellite passive microwave radiometers are presented for the Northern Hemisphere as a whole and for nine Arctic regions. There is an overall negative yearly trend of −51.5 ± 4.1 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−4.1 ± 0.3% decade−1) in sea ice extent for the hemisphere. The yearly sea ice extent trends for the individual Arctic regions are all negative except for the Bering Sea: −3.9 ± 1.1 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−8.7 ± 2.5% decade−1) for the Seas of Okhotsk and Japan, +0.3 ± 0.8 × 103 km2 yr−1 (+1.2 ± 2.7% decade−1) for the Bering Sea, −4.4 ± 0.7 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−5.1 ± 0.9% decade−1) for Hudson Bay, −7.6 ± 1.6 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−8.5 ± 1.8% decade−1) for Baffin Bay/Labrador Sea, −0.5 ± 0.3 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−5.9 ± 3.5% decade−1) for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, −6.5 ± 1.1 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−8.6 ± 1.5% decade−1) for the Greenland Sea, −13.5 ± 2.3 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−9.2 ± 1.6% decade−1) for the Kara and Barents Seas, −14.6 ± 2.3 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−2.1 ± 0.3% decade−1) for the Arctic Ocean, and −0.9 ± 0.4 × 103 km2 yr−1 (−1.3 ± 0.5% decade−1) for the Canadian Archipelago. Similarly, the yearly trends for sea ice areas are all negative except for the Bering Sea. On a seasonal basis for both sea ice extents and areas, the largest negative trend is observed for summer with the next largest negative trend being for autumn. Both the sea ice extent and area trends vary widely by month depending on region and season. For the Northern Hemisphere as a whole, all 12 months show negative sea ice extent trends with a minimum magnitude in May and a maximum magnitude in September, whereas the corresponding sea ice area trends are smaller in magnitude and reach minimum and maximum values in March and September.
Level of Aspiration, Locus of Control and N-Achievement in Retardates and Normal Children

An exploratory study compared 49 educable retardates with 20 third and 19 sixth grade normal children on measures of locus of control, level of aspiration, and n-Achievement. The results were consistent with a developmental progression, sixth graders scoring more internal in locus of control and more realistic in level of aspiration than third graders. The retardates who were chronologically older than the sixth graders tended to resemble third graders on these various measures.
A novel approach to Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences: an integrated, longitudinal, residence-based program

Abstract Objective Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) became part of accreditation standards for schools of pharmacy in 2004. However, a novel practice experience program that places students in the community visiting patients began at Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy in 1997. This article will describe the structure and success of our IPPE program. Methods This IPPE is a longitudinal program that spans the first three professional years and focuses on patient care in residential settings. Student pharmacists and faculty collaborate in managing a patient caseload. During patient visits, student pharmacists conduct interviews and assessments that are then presented at weekly team meetings. Faculty members provide supervision and guidance to students during these meetings. Students document patient interactions in an electronic record. Teams meet to discuss patient status and explore patient care issues. Student pharmacists, faculty mentors and the IPPE coordinator make interventions on behalf of the patient if needed. Results Over the past four academic years, almost 97% of students have received grades of either satisfactory or excels . Student pharmacists' success in the course has been high and positive student feedback has been expressed through course evaluations and student focus groups. Conclusion This IPPE program is part of the culture of Harrison School of Pharmacy and provides student pharmacists with relevant, real-life pharmacy care responsibilities. The program teaches communication, patient and drug therapy assessment, health care issues, and promotes professional socialization. The program's design is a unique method for providing introductory pharmacy practice experiences.
Security and economic voting: support for incumbent parties in Colombian presidential elections

Theories of economic voting developed in the United States and Europe take security for granted. However, many countries in other regions of the world suffer from daily political violence. The Colombian experience suggests that additional sources of performance failure beyond traditional economic measures should be examined to understand support for incumbents. Colombia has suffered from political violence for decades. This paper examines whether or not political violence is a factor that should be taken into consideration when explaining support for incumbent parties. Given the peculiarities of its party system, accountability is not easy to assess in Colombia, so factors that may undermine the clarity of accountability are also examined. In addition to political violence, traditional economic voting variables such as unemployment, inflation, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth are included. Colombia has experienced varying intensities of political violence and differing economic conditions since the...
The use of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers in wheat

An evaluation was made of the use of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) as a genetic marker system in wheat. Reproducible amplification products were obtained from varietal, homozygous single chromosome recombinant line and wheat/alien addition line genomic DNA with selected primers and rigorously optimized reaction conditions. Factors influencing the RAPD patterns are DNA concentration, Mg2+ concentration, polymerase concentration and denaturing temperature. In wheat, the non-homoeologous, non-dose responsive and dominant behaviour of RAPD products devalues their use as genetic markers for the construction of linkage maps, and the high probability that the amplified fragments derive from repetitive DNA limits their use as a source of conventional RFLP probes. However, RAPD markers will most certainly find many applications in the analysis of genotypes where single chromosomes or chromosome segments are to be manipulated.
Toward An Understanding of Achievement‐Related Conflicts in Women

The motive to avoid success is conceptualized within the framework of an expectancy-value theory of motivation. It is identified as an internal psychological representative of the dominant societal stereotype which views competence, independence, competition, and intellectual achievement as qualities basically inconsistent with femininity even though positively related to masculinity and mental health. The expectancy that success in achievement-related situations will be followed by negative consequences arouses fear of success in otherwise achievement-motivated women which then inhibits their performance and levels of aspiration. The incidence of fear of success is considered as a function of the age, sex, and educational and occupational level of subjects tested between 1964 and 1971. Impairment of the educational and interpersonal functioning of those high in fear of success is noted and consequences for both the individual and society are discussed.
Mating systems of antipodal agarics: An unreported taxon and range extensions

A bifactorial mating system, a detailed morphological description, and intercompatibility among three Tasmanian collections are reported for Conchomyces bursaeformis. Collections of Pleurotopsis lo...
Radioactive ion beams and explosive nucleosynthesis

Abstract Explosive hydrogen burning involves (p, γ) reactions on proton-rich, unstable nuclei. The knowledge of the reaction rates for these reactions is important to calculate the energy production and reaction paths in different astrophysical scenarios, e.g. nova, supernova and supermassive stars. A direct measurement of these reaction rates requires the use of radioactive ion beams. Two examples, 13N(p, γ)14O and 19Ne(p, γ)20Na, are used to define demands, which such a facility should meet to enable the direct measurements of these reaction rates.
Arities of Permutation Groups

We introduce an invariant of finite permutation groups called the arity which is well known to model theorists but has not been examined from an algebraic point of view. There are few cases in which this invariant is known explicitly. We analyze the behavior of this invariant in power representations of wreath products. We compute it exactly for the action of the symmetric group onnletters on the set ofk-sets from ann-element set, and we estimate it rather closely for symmetric powers of these actions. In the casek=1 we formulate an explicit combinatorial conjecture which would pin down the values exactly in all cases.
Kelvin–Helmholtz instability for parallel flow in porous media: A linear theory

Two fluid layers in fully‐saturated porous media are considered. The lighter fluid is above the heavier one so that in the absence of motion the arrangement is stable and the interface is flat. It is shown that when the fluids are moving parallel to each other at different velocities, the interface may become unstable (the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability). The corresponding conditions for marginal stability are derived for Darcian and non‐Darcian flows. In both cases, the velocities should exceed some critical values in order for the instability to manifest itself. In the case of Darcy’s flow, however, an additional condition, involving the fluids’ viscosity and density ratios, is required.
The evolution of clusters of galaxies. I - Very rich clusters.

A multiple one-body Monte Carlo code is used to investigate the evolution of galaxies in a steady cluster potential under the influence of dynamical friction, two-body relaxation, tidal stripping, and galaxy mergers. The basic assumptions, estimated time scales, method and computer program, and effects of uncertainties in galaxy encounter physics are addressed. Numerical experiments in which the mass initially carried by galaxies and the mass function are varied are reported. It is shown that the formation of a very massive cluster galaxy depends critically on the number of galaxies, the initial division of cluster material between galaxies and a smooth intracluster medium, the mass spectrum of the galaxies, and chance. By the end of all simulations, less than half of the mass in the central regions of the cluster is bound to galaxies. It appears possible to produce any of the Bautz-Morgan classes from very similar initial conditions.
The history of noise [on the 100th anniversary of its birth]

In this paper, the author conveys some of the vibrant history of noise that has been involved in the solution of some of the greatest scientific, mathematical, and technological problems. This paper aims to show that the history of noise is an exciting story filled with drama and worth telling.
New insights into the classical and non-classical actions of estrogen: evidence from estrogen receptor knock-out and knock-in mice.

Abstract Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) mediates estrogen (E2) actions in the brain and is critical for normal reproductive function and behavior. In the classical pathway, ERα binds to estrogen response elements (EREs) to regulate gene transcription. ERα can also participate in several non-classical pathways, including ERE-independent gene transcription via protein–protein interactions with transcription factors and rapid, non-genotropic pathways. To distinguish between ERE-dependent and ERE-independent mechanisms of E2 action in vivo, we have created ERα null mice that possess an ER knock-in mutation (E207A/G208A; “AA”), in which the mutant ERα cannot bind to DNA but retains activity in ERE-independent pathways (ERα−/AA mice). Understanding the molecular mechanisms of ERα action will be helpful in developing pharmacological therapies that differentiate between ERE-dependent and ERE-independent processes. This review focuses on how the ERα−/AA model has contributed to our knowledge of ERα signaling mechanisms in estrogen regulation of the reproductive axis and sexual behavior.
CTD kinase associated with yeast RNA polymerase II initiation factor b

A kinase activity specific for the C-terminal repeat domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II is associated with nearly homogeneous yeast general initiation factor b by three criteria: cofractionation on the basis of size and charge and coinactivation by mild heat treatment. The kinase phosphorylates the CTD at multiple sites in a processive manner. Factor b may possess a DNA-dependent ATPase activity as well. Both kinase and DNA-dependent ATPase activities exhibit the same nucleotide requirements as previously demonstrated for the initiation of transcription. These results support the idea that phosphorylation of the CTD lies on the pathway of transcription initiation and identify a catalytic activity of a general factor essential for the initiation process.
Rosiglitazone-Mediated Effects on Skeletal Muscle Gene Expression Correlate with Improvements in Insulin Sensitivity in Individuals with HIV-Insulin Resistance

Rosiglitazone, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPARγ), improves insulin sensitivity by increasing insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into muscle tissue. This study was undertaken to assess changes in expression of PPAR-regulated genes in muscle tissue following treatment of HIV-associated insulin resistance with rosiglitazone. Muscle gene expression was assessed in twenty-two seronegative HIV subjects (control), 21 HIV-infected individuals with normal insulin sensitivity (HIV-IS) and 19 HIV-infected individuals with insulin resistance (HIV-IR). A subset of the HIV-IR group (N=10) were re-evaluated 12 weeks after treatment with 8 mg/d of rosiglitazone. The HIV-IR group's rosiglitazone-mediated improvement in insulin sensitivity was highly correlated with increased expression of PPARγ and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1), (r=0.87, Pl.001) and (r=0.95, Pl.001), respectively. The changes in PPARγ expression were also correlated with the changes in CPT1 expression (r=0.75, P=.009). The results suggest that rosiglitazone; may have a direct effect on muscle tissue to improve insulin sensitivity.
Reconstruction of the chloroplast noncyclic electron transport pathway from water to NADP with three integral protein complexes

Abstract Reconstruction of photosynthetic noncyclic electron transport from water to NADP has been accomplished by using three integral protein complexes isolated from chloroplast thylakoid membranes: photosystems I and II and the cytochrome b6-f complex. This system shows an absolute dependence on the presence of all three protein complexes for NADP reduction, in addition to plastocyanin, ferredoxin, and ferredoxin-NADP reductase. The reconstructed system was found to be sensitive to low concentrations of known inhibitors of noncyclic electron transport. Depletion of the Rieske iron-sulfur center and bound plastoquinone from the cytochrome b6-f complex resulted in an inhibition of the photoreduction of NADP.
TU-F-BRF-09: Feasibility Study of Spatial and Temporal Fractionation Using a Table-Top Image-Guided MRT System

Purpose: Microbeam radiation therapy is a promising experimental radiotherapy method for cancer treatment. Synchrotron studies have shown that MRT can preferentially ablate tumors while mostly preserving the surrounding normal tissues. Our purpose is to develop a compact microbeam irradiator that can be accessible for laboratory research on MRT's therapeutic mechanism, with the ultimate goal of translating this technique for clinical applications. Utilizing a carbon nanotube field emission X-ray source array, our lab has developed a first of its kind table-top microbeam irradiator. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of increasing the total dose to the tumor region using spatial and temporal fractionation. Methods: MRI and CT scans were acquired and registered to locate both the target region and the landmark in the treatment coordinate space. A crossbeam treatment configuration was planned to achieve the desired dosage and tumor coverage. One array of 300 μm-thick microbeams was delivered to the target on the first day. Another array, perpendicular to the first one, was delivered the next day targeting the same region. The feasibility of this image-guided MRT procedure was evaluated using a phantom. Gafchromic EBT2 film was employed to characterize the targeting accuracy and the delivered tumormore » dose. Results: The preliminary phantom study showed that a cross-pattern of microbeam arrays was successfully delivered with sub-millimeter targeting accuracy. The delivered dose in the target region was doubled. The fraction of tumor volume that received the peak dose was increased. Conclusion: Temporal fractionation of crosspatterned microbeams can be delivered to the same target region. The feasibility of this procedure was investigated with a phantom study. Once implemented, this procedure has the potential of increasing the tumor control effect of MRT and of achieving better normal tissue recovery.« less
Mandarin tone learning in L2 adults: A test of perceptual and sensorimotor contributions

Abstract Adult second language learners (L2) of Mandarin have to acquire both new perceptual categories for discriminating and identifying lexical pitch variation and new sensorimotor skills to produce rapid tone changes. Perceptual learning was investigated using two perceptual tasks, musical tone discrimination and linguistic tone discrimination, which were administered to 10 naive adults (native speakers of English with no tonal language exposure), 10 L2 adults, and 9 Mandarin-speaking adults. Changes in sensorimotor skills were examined with a pitch-shift paradigm that examines rapid responses to unexpected pitch perturbations in auditory feedback. Discrimination of musical tones was correlated significantly with discrimination of Mandarin tones, with the clearest advantage (better performance) among Mandarin speakers and some advantage among L2 learners. Group differences were found in the fundamental frequency (F0) contours of responses to pitch-shift stimuli. The F0 contours of Mandarin speakers were least affected quantitatively by the amplitude and direction of pitch perturbations, suggesting more stable internal tone models, while the F0 contours of naive speakers and L2 learners were significantly altered by the perturbations. Discriminant analysis suggests that pitch-shift responses and tone discrimination predict class membership for the three groups. Discrimination of variations in tone appears to change early in L2 learning, possibly reflecting a process whereby new pitch representations are internalized. These findings indicate that tone discrimination and internal models for audio–vocal control are sensitive to language experience.
Gasoline-range hydrocarbon production using biomass derived synthesis gas over Mo/H+ZSM-5

Abstract Biomass-derived hydrocarbons that include gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel can help replace finite fossil fuel hydrocarbons of the same range. The objective of this study was to prove that gasoline-range hydrocarbons could be created from gasified woody biomass (producer gas) using thermochemical conversion with a Mo/H + ZSM-5 catalyst and compare these results to gasoline-range hydrocarbons created from contaminate-free synthesis gas (syngas). This study was also performed to help understand obstacles related to a scaled-up reactor system using a Mo/H + ZSM-5 catalyst with producer gas. The CO conversion, C selectivity and amount of product created from each type of gas were examined. Contaminate-free syngas composed of 40% H 2 , 20% CO, 12% CO 2 , 2% CH 4 , and 26% N 2 (2:1 H 2 –CO) was used to test near ideal stoichiometric molar values comparable to producer gas for gas to liquid creation. Contaminate-free syngas composed of 19% H 2 , 20% CO, 12% CO 2 , 2% CH 4 , 47% N 2 and producer gas composed of 19% H 2 , 20% CO, 12% CO 2 , 2% CH 4 , and 46% N 2 was also used in this study to determine the feasibility of using gasified biomass syngas to produce gasoline-range hydrocarbons. The liquid hydrocarbon (organic phase) yield for the 2:1 syngas, 1:1 syngas and producer gas was 0.00844 ± 0.00315, 0.00327 ± 0.00101, and 0.00040 ± 0.00058%, respectively.
Multielemental speciation analysis of fungi porcini (Boletus edulis) mushroom by size exclusion liquid chromatography with sequential on-line UV-ICP-MS detection.

An analytical methodology to determine the molecular weight (MW) distribution patterns of several elements among different compounds present in commonly consumed edible mushrooms is presented in this work. A hyphenated technique based on size exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) coupled on-line to UV and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection was used. The association of the elements to high and low MW fractions was confirmed with sequential detection by UV and ICP-MS. Separation of the fractions was performed by injecting a 100 μL sample volume to a Superdex 75 column. The effect of different mobile phases on the separation was evaluated. Additionally, three different extraction conditions including 0.05 mol L-1 NaOH, 0.05 mol L-1 HCl, and hot water at 60 °C were applied to extract the elemental species from the mushroom samples. Significant differences were observed in the chromatograms depending on the extraction conditions utilized. Optimization of the experimental variables ...
Studies on the Synthesis of Olivin: Diastereoselective Synthesis of a Functionalized D-Fucose Derivative

Abstract A short, highly diastereoselective synthesis of D-fucose derivative 4 by a route involving the addition of allylboronate reagent 7 to aldehyde 6 is described.
A genetic map of soybean (Glycine max L.) using an intraspecific cross of two cultivars: 'Minosy' and 'Noir 1'

Genetic markers were mapped in segregat- ing progeny from a cross between two soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars: 'Minsoy' (PI 27.890) and 'Noir 1' (PI 290.136). A genetic linkage map was con- structed (LOD ~> 3), consisting of 132 RFLP, isozyme, morphological, and biochemical markers. The map defined 1550 cM of the soybean genome comprising 31 linkage groups. An additional 24 polymorphic markers remained unlinked. A family of RFLP markers, identi- fied by a single probe (hybridizing to an interspersed repeated DNA sequence), extended the map, linking other markers and defining regions for which other markers were not available.
Nitric oxide modulates human chorionic gonadotropin-induced ovulation in the rabbit

Objective: To examine the potential role of the L-arginine: nitric oxide pathway in hCGinduced ovulation in the rabbit. Design: Randomized, controlled animal study. Setting: University research laboratory. Intervention(s): Nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme that produces nitric oxide (NO), was immunohistochemically localized in the ovary. n G -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), an analogue of l-arginine, which inhibits the enzyme NO synthase, and the inactive d-enantiomer were administered in vivo and/or in vitro via an isolated, perfused ovary preparation during the periovulatory period. Main Outcome Measure(s): Rate of follicular rupture (ovulatory efficiency). Result(s): Immunohistochemical staining for NO synthase was localized specifically to the granulosa cell layer of the follicle and the endothelium and adventitia of ovarian blood vessels. In vivo administration of l-NAME significantly reduced the percentage of large follicles that ovulated in response to hCG (treated 24.6%, control 68.1%). Similarly, exposure of the in vitro-perfused ovary to l-NAME significantly reduced follicular rupture (treated 32.8%, control 64.2%). In contrast, addition of an equimolar concentration of d-NAME to the perfusion medium had no significant effect on the rate of ovulation (treated 83.3%, control 61.3%). Conclusion(s): The stereospecific inhibition of follicular rupture by the arginine analogue suggests that NO production by the ovary is an important feature of the normal physiologic processes of the periovulatory period.
Dual inhibition of Jak2 and STAT5 enhances killing of myeloproliferative neoplasia cells.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of clonal disorders that arise from the transformation of hematopoietic stem cells. In 2005, several groups reported a single acquired point mutation in the Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) gene in the majority of patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative MPN.1 The mutation is believed to have a critical role in the pathogenesis of these disorders,2, 3 and it has been suggested that most patients harbor mutations (some of which remain to be identified) that potentially serve as a molecular target for selective Jak2 inhibition.4 Although small molecule Jak2 inhibitors are entering clinical trials, their ultimate efficacy is unclear.5 In addition to the concern of insufficient inhibition of mutated Jak2 in vivo or the emergence of resistance through activation of complementary pathways, many MPNs contain other mutational events (for example, mutation in exon12 of Mpl,6 or the KIT D618V mutation in patients with systemic mastocytosis7), and thus are not sensitive to Jak inhibitors. Therefore, the development of inhibitors to common mediators of diverse signaling pathways in this disease is very desirable.
The phase diagram for the binary system indium-tellurium and electrical properties of In3Te5

The phase diagram for the binary system indium-tellurium has been clarified and corrected, particularly in the region near the composition InsTes. This material is a potentially important semiconductor, either alone or in combination with other materials, such as CusTe. AgsTe, CdTe, etc. Results of this study were obtained by correlating differential thermal analysis (DTA), chemical
Abstract 1859: Breast cancer risk:tp53 genotyping in a Nigerian population

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Background: Women of African descent have a lower incidence of breast cancer than other ethnicities but higher mortality rates. Their tumors are characterized by an earlier age of onset, aggressive behavior, poor prognosis, and molecular characteristics of “triple negative” status (i.e. lacking detectable ER, PR, and HER2/neu expression). These characteristics are also typical of tumors carrying somatic TP53 mutations. Experimental evidence has shown that somatic inactivation of the TP53 pathway is necessary for tumor development. Null or strongly hypomorphic TP53 mutations inherited through the germline are associated with a high likelihood of tumorigenesis. Studies on different ethnic populations show inheritance of TP53 variants, especially the R72P polymorphism, to be associated with risk of tumor formation in breast and other tissues. These observations suggest that TP53 gene activity plays a significant role in promoting tumor development in tissues. Hypothesis: As the TP53 R72P polymorphism has been associated with cancer risk in non-African populations, and patients of African ancestry frequently have tumors with TP53 mutation-like characteristics, we hypothesize the R72P variant may be associated with low-penetrance breast cancer risk in a Nigerian/Yoruba population. In addition, this variant may be associated with the triple negative tumor subtype. Methods: The study is a case-control analysis using 213 breast cancer patients and 213 unaffected controls from the University Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. The TP53 R72P genotype was determined by direct sequencing of TP53 exon 4, amplified by PCR from peripheral genomic DNA. Chi-square statistical analysis was used to compare frequencies of individual alleles and genotypes in between cases and controls. Results and Conclusions: 130 cases and 207 controls have been genotyped so far. Genotype frequencies for G/G, G/C, and C/C were 21%, 38%, and 41% in cases and 12%, 46% and 42% in the controls, respectively with a p value of 0.11 and an odds ratio of 1.24 at 95% CL. Preliminary results indicate a trend toward risk associated with the G/G genotype, though these results do not yet reach statistical significance. This analysis may provide important clues to the genetic basis of cancer risk and tumor etiology in patients of African ancestry. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1859.
Production of branched-chain alcohols by recombinant Ralstonia eutropha in fed-batch cultivation.

Abstract Branched-chain alcohols are considered promising green energy sources due to their compatibility with existing infrastructure and their high energy density. We utilized a strain of Ralstonia eutropha capable of producing branched-chain alcohols and examined its production in flask cultures. In order to increase isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol (isoamyl alcohol) productivity in the engineered strain, batch, fed-batch, and two-stage fed-batch cultures were carried out in this work. The effects of nitrogen source concentration on branched-chain alcohol production were investigated under four different initial concentrations in fermenters. A maximum 380 g m−3 of branched-chain alcohol production was observed with 2 kg m−3 initial NH4Cl concentration in batch cultures. A pH-stat control strategy was utilized to investigate the optimum carbon source amount fed during fed-batch cultures for higher cell density. In cultures of R. eutropha strains that did not produce polyhydroxyalkanoate or branched-chain alcohols, a maximum cell dry weight of 36 kg m−3 was observed using a fed-batch strategy, when 10 kg m−3 carbon source was fed into culture medium. Finally, a total branched-chain alcohol titer of 790 g m−3, the highest branched-chain alcohol yield of 0.03 g g−1, and the maximum branched-chain alcohol productivity of 8.23 g m−3 h−1 were obtained from the engineered strain Re2410/pJL26 in a two-stage fed-batch culture system with pH-stat control. Isobutanol made up over 95% (mass fraction) of the total branched-chain alcohols titer produced in this study.
Changes in Human Meibum Lipid Composition with Age Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

PURPOSE. Human tear film stability decreases with increasing age. In this study, the changes in meibum composition were measured in search of markers of tear film instability. METHODS. 1 H NMR nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of 43 normal donors aged 1 to 88 years were acquired. RESULTS. Compared with meibum from adolescents and adults, meibum from infants and children contains less CH3 and CAC groups and an increased aldehyde-to-lipid hydroperoxide ratio. CONCLUSIONS. It is reasonable that tear film stability is higher in infants than in adults. Their meibum contains less CH3 and CAC groups and higher levels of protein, and as a result, the lipid is more ordered because of the tighter and stronger lipid‐lipid interactions. For water to evaporate, it must first pass through the tight lipid‐lipid barrier. For tears to break up, lipid‐lipid interactions must be broken. It is reasonable that because the lipid‐lipid interactions are stronger in infants’ and children’s tears compared with those of adolescents and adults, the tear film in the younger groups is more stable and provides a better barrier to evaporation than does the tear film of adults. Lipid saturation could be the critical feature in meibum that stabilizes tears in infants. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53:475‐482) DOI:10.1167/iovs.11-8341
Management Plane Analytics

While it is generally held that network management is tedious and error-prone, it is not well understood which specific management practices increase the risk of failures. Indeed, our survey of 51 network operators reveals a significant diversity of opinions, and our characterization of the management practices in the 850+ networks of a large online service provider shows significant diversity in prevalent practices. Motivated by these observations, we develop a management plane analytics (MPA) framework that an organization can use to: (i) infer which management practices impact network health, and (ii) develop a predictive model of health, based on observed practices, to improve network management. We overcome the challenges of sparse and skewed data by aggregating data from many networks, reducing data dimensionality, and oversampling minority cases. Our learned models predict network health with an accuracy of 76-89%, and our causal analysis uncovers some high impact practices that operators thought had a low impact on network health. Our tool is publicly available, so organizations can analyze their own management practices.
Three Female Roles in Television Commercials.

We analyze 307 television commercials' depiction of three female roles. The maternal and housekeeping roles encase women in the family. The aesthetic role of beautification enhances women's individuality. The imagery of commercials suggests effects of the technological rationalization of housework and the hedonistic consumer ideology: Women's autonomy is reduced as men become the technical experts on housework, the role of the mother as moral socializer is eroded, and children become self-centered consumers without family responsibilities. The family rarely appears as a close social unit, but is shown as a loose-knit collection of people held together by the wife-mother who supplies their separate wants. Commercials portray generational and sex-role differentiation greater than exist in the real world.
Comparison of Total Mortality of White Grunt from the Headboat Fishery on the Gulf Coast of Florida during Spawning and Postspawning Seasons

Abstract White grunts Haemulon plumieri were sampled from catches of the headboat fishery operating on the Gulf Coast of Florida to determine sex-specific total mortality by using catch curve analyses. Sampling was conducted during the peak of the spawning season (April–June) and in a postspawning season (July–October). In total, 1,051 white grunts were sampled in the spawning season, and 1,141 were sampled in the postspawning season. Recruitment to the fishery occurred at age 2, and the majority of males and females landed in the fishery during both the spawning and postspawning seasons were ages 2–4. The maximum age of females sampled was 18 years; for males, the maximum was 15 years. Instantaneous total mortality (Z) estimates from the catch curves did not differ significantly between spawning females, spawning males, postspawning females, and postspawning males; the pooled Z was estimated to be 0.357 (95% confidence interval, 0.284–0.430). Total annual mortality (A) was therefore estimated to be 30% (...
Affinity of spotted cucumber beetle (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) larvae to cucurbitacins

Adults of several species of cucumber beetles compulsively eat bitter triterpene cucurbitacins, but it is unknown if their larvae exhibit the same behavior. The affinity of spotted cucumber beetle larvae to cucurbitacins was tested by performing feeding choice experiments using bitter ( Cucurbita andreana Naudin) and nonbitter ( C. palmeri Bailey) root cuttings and nonbitter roots of Cucumis sativas L. coated exogenously with cucurbitacin B. Within a 24-h period, larvae ate significantly more of the bitter than the nonbitter roots in both experiments.
Radiolytically-Induced Gas Production in Plutonium-Spiked Wipp Brine

Gas generation due to alpha particle deposition was investigated in four WIPP relevant brines; WIPP brine A, ERDA-6, DH-36 and G8-B. This was done by spiking each brine with plutonium-239 and periodically sampling the gas phase to determine the nature of the gaseous products and the rates of gas generation. The predominant gas generated radiolytically was hydrogen, with yields ranging from 0.6 to 1.5 molec/100 eV for the four brines tested. Plutonium (VI) was stable in two synthetic brines, WIPP brine A and ERDA-6 but was rapidly reduced in the underground collected brines DH-36 and G8-B, although most of the plutonium remained in solution.
Effects of Particle Orientation in Silicon Carbide Particulate Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite Extrusions on Ultrasonic Velocity Measurement

In silicon carbide particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composite extrusions, the particles are nonspherical in general and are randomly oriented due to the extrusion process, resulting in sometimes significant anisotropic elastic stiffness. Since the ultrasonic velocity depends upon the elastic stiffness, ultrasonic velocity measurement is employed to characterize the anisotropic elastic stiffness of the composite extrusions. To establish the relationship between the materials' macroscopic response (ultrasonic velocity) and the microstructure, the measured statistical particle orientation distribution has been taken into account in theoretical modeling to predict the velocity of ultrasound that propagates in the composite extrusions, an attempt that has never been made before. The numerically calculated velocity agreed well with the measured velocity. Both numerical calculations and ultrasonic measurements have shown that the randomly oriented particles have led to a higher velocity (stiffness) in the ...
OCCUPATIONAL COMMITMENT AND INTENT TO LEAVE THE COACHING PROFESSION: Differences According to Race

Despite the predominance of Black athletes in much of collegiate athletics today, Black coaches constitute a small proportion of the total coaching population. To this end, we posited that the defi...
THE TEACHING OF FRENCH CIVILIZATION

THE HISTORY of civilization is not a new-fangled or a pseudoscience: no less than 170 years ago, Voltaire practiced it with dazzling success, and neither Le Siecle de Louis XIV nor L'Essai sur les Moeurs have been allowed to run out of print. Yet the subject is coming into its own, in our days, with such dramatic suddenness, that many of us are still wondering-maybe with a sneer: "What is Civilization, anyway? And how on earth can it be taught?" To answer the first question with any thoroughness would take us into the Philosophy of History: a fascinating realm no doubt, all the more fascinating because it might well be a phantasmal one. The teacher of languages would have a perfect right to consider it as outside his practical sphere. Fortunately there is enough upon which we are all agreed to provide a workable definition of Civilization, and a firm basis for its study. Our task is to teach French, that is to say to train our students in the use of an instrument, the French language. That instrument is composed of words grouped into sentences. But words are only symbols. They stand for a certain reality in the speaker's or writer's mind. Unless they stand for approximately the same reality in the hearer's or reader's mind, they will be meaningless sounds. They exist only in function of the speaker's and of the hearer's experience. They change their colouring, chamaleonlike, according to their background; and if there were no background whatever-if they did not represent something either material or conceptual-they would be sheer nonsense. The
Magnitude and time course of beta-adrenergic antagonism during oral amiodarone therapy.

Abstract To examine the presence and time course of betaadrenergic antagonism produced by amiodarone, the heart rate, QT interval and arrhythmia frequency in response to graded doses of isoproterenol were evaluated in eight patients treated with oral amiodarone for sustained ventricular tachycardia. Measurements were made before and every 2 days after beginning oral amiodarone therapy (600 mg twice daily). Isoproterenol was given in doses of 12.5, 25 and 50 ng/kg body weight per min. The mean heart rate at rest decreased from 73.1 ± 17.8 beats/min on day 0 to 57.8 ± 15.0 beats/min after 12 days of amiodarone therapy. A significant linear decline in heart rate at rest was observed until day 6 (p On all days isoproterenol produced a progressive increase in heart rate that reached 115.5 ± 20.2 beats/min on day 0 and 94.2 ± 18.5 beats/min on day 12. Amiodarone blunted the heart rate increase produced by isoproterenol on days 2 to 12 (p It is concluded that 1) attenuation of the chronotropic and proarrhylhmic effects of isoproterenol by amiodarone provides in vivo evidence of beta-adrenergic antagonism by orally administered amiodarone; and 2) adrenergic antagonism occurs within 2 days after the onset of amiodarone therapy and may be responsible for some of this drug's early efficacy.
Estimation of Extreme Quantiles Based on Sensitivity Tests: A Comparative Study

In reliability applications, it is often of interest to estimate extreme quantiles of the distribution of critical stimulus levels based on a limited number of sensitivity tests. To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of available sequential-design sensitivity tests in this setting, several such tests were compared through Monte Carlo simulation. Samples of size 20, 35, and 50 were used to estimate the .99 and, 999 quantiles of the probit model. Each test was evaluated using initial parameter estimates equal to the parameters of the model and then using inaccurate estimates. The effect of assuming the probit model when the true model was logit, generalized logistic, or Type I extreme-value was also studied. Our results show that, when the model is correctly specified, tests designed to estimate the model parameters and subsequently to estimate quantiles as a function of the model parameters provided more accurate quantile estimates than tests designed to estimate a specified quantile. The tests that es...
Public perceptions and attitudes toward environmental rehabilitation of the lower green bay watershed

Abstract Under the terms of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada, remedial action plans (RAPs) must be prepared for 42 areas of concern along the shores of the Great Lakes. A plan for the environmental rehabilitation of the Upper Fox River and Lower Green Bay of Lake Michigan was one of the first such plans prepared. The Green Bay Remedial Action Plan is often cited as one of the more complete and appropriate among RAPs submitted to date. This article examines public perceptions and attitudes toward the Green Bay RAP using survey methods. The survey found the public poorly informed about the RAP but widely supportive of the action items in the plan. Further, the survey found the public unwilling to create a new agency to implement the RAP. Implementation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was favored instead. Finally, the survey found few and usually small, but some potentially important, differences in attitudes and perceptions between recreational us...
Some factors in the morphogenesis of vertebrate embryonic epithelia

This paper correlates the various aspects of the author's previous work on embryonic columnar epithelia and deals especially with the mechanical factors that determine the form of an epithelium. The origin of the terminal bars, the various forms the terminal bars assume, and the significance of the terminal bar net in maintaining the epithelial structure are discussed. The paper also gives detailed consideration to the elongation of columnar cells after division. When this change in shape cannot be attributed to crowding from without, it is suggested that a thrusting action of elongating spindle fibers is the internal force responsible. In either case elongation is influenced by the development of the terminal web limiting the free surface. Further observations on this structure, first described by the author in 1935, are presented. The terminal web, which is generally present in columnar epithelia, is a specialized part of fixed cytoplasm, condensed, and lying in the plane of the terminal bars. It disappears in mitosis, but its reappearance as the new cell elongates limits the area of the free end of the cell. Hence, the terminal web plays an important part in determining the form of columnar cells.
On the Kirchhoff index of graphs with diameter 2

We identify the graphs of diameter 2 with largest, second largest, third largest, smallest, second smallest and third smallest Kirchhoff indices. The main tools are standard results of electric networks.
Regeneration of plants from prtoplasts of potato virus X-infected tobacco leaves. II. Influence of virazole on the frequency of infection

Abstract Virazole (1-β- d -ribofuranosyl-1,2,4,-triazole-3-carboxamide) at final concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 mg/liter did not effectively eradicate potato virus X (PVX) when administered to infected mesophyll protoplasts of tobacco or proliferating calli raised from protoplasts (p-calli). However, treating the same p-calli (or ones without a prior exposure) with 10 mg/liter of Virazole on a medium that promoted the onset of shoot morphogenesis resulted in the absence of PVX infection in most (491 of 523) regenerated tobacco plants. It is concluded that the drug has definite therapeutic potential for certain in vitro plant propagation systems.
Comparison of Two Teaching Strategies Adherence to a Home Monitoring Program

Two strategies for teaching lung and heart-lung transplant subjects to use an electronic sptrometer/diary instrument at home to input and transmit daily respiratory, vital sign, and symptom measure...
The 2‐Year Cost‐Effectiveness of 3 options to Treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Patients

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) may result from degenerative changes of the spine, which lead to neural ischemia, neurogenic claudication, and a significant decrease in quality of life. Treatments for LSS range from conservative management including epidural steroid injections (ESI) to laminectomy surgery. Treatments vary greatly in cost and success. ESI is the least costly treatment may be successful for early stages of LSS but often must be repeated frequently. Laminectomy surgery is more costly and has higher complication rates. Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (mild(®) ) is an alternative. Using a decision-analytic model from the Medicare perspective, a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed comparing mild(®) to ESI or laminectomy surgery. The analysis population included patients with LSS who have moderate to severe symptoms and have failed conservative therapy. Costs included initial procedure, complications, and repeat/revision or alternate procedure after failure. Effects measured as change in quality-adjusted life years (QALY) from preprocedure to 2 years postprocedure. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were determined, and sensitivity analysis conducted. The mild(®) strategy appears to be the most cost-effective ($43,760/QALY), with ESI the next best alternative at an additional $37,758/QALY. Laminectomy surgery was the least cost-effective ($125,985/QALY).
Reducing sensitivity to errors in free electron laser amplifiers

Abstract Random errors that affect the transport of electron beams through long wigglers can degrade the performance of free electron laser amplifiers. We describe the origin and magnitude of the degradation, and test (with simulations) possible ways to improve amplifier performance in the presence of errors.
On a Conjecture about Trees in Graphs with Large Girth

The girth of a graph G is the length of a shortest cycle in G. Dobson (1994, Ph. D. dissertation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA) conjectured that every graph G with girth at least 2t+1 and minimum degree at least k/t contains every treeT with k edges whose maximum degree does not exceed the minimum degree of G. The conjecture has been proved for t?3. In this paper, we prove Dobson's conjecture.
Comparison of p(bar)p annihilations and πp and Kp backward elastic scattering using crossing relations

In a recent series of experiments, π±p and K±p backward scattering and p(bar)p annihilations into π+π- and K+K- in the forward-backward direction have been measured. These data are compared assuming the dominance of a baryon-exchange amplitude and the validity of the crossing-symmetry relations.
Behavior of an aramid fiber under uniform compression

A new method of applying small (<3 percent) and uniform compressive strains to organic fibers by shrinkage of a surrounding polymer matrix is reported. The results of this matrix-induced compression on the morphology and tensile properties of Kevlar fiber are examined.