cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family environment and creativity in fashion design students

This study examined relationships among environmental influences and creativity of individuals majoring in fashion design at four-year universities. The framework was confluence theory which holds that multiple components must connect in order for creativity to occur. Participants from 10 universities completed electronic surveys designed to gather data on creativity, family background, and demographic information. Findings revealed: (1) exposure to media such as art and literature was positively correlated with creativity; (2) parental encouragement was positively correlated with creativity; (3) access to electronic media (i.e. television, computers, and Internet) was negatively correlated with creativity; (4) lessons (e.g. in sports, music, dance, cooking, or childcare) were negatively correlated with creativity; and (5) available space to create, explore, and experiment was negatively correlated with creativity. This information contributes to the existing knowledge on creativity. Parents and instructo...
An improved synthesis of PET dopamine D2 receptors radioligand [11C]raclopride

Abstract An improved synthesis of [11C]raclopride is reported. The precursor desmethyl‐raclopride was synthesized from 3,5‐dichloro‐2,6‐dimethoxybenzoic acid and (S)‐(−)‐2‐aminoethyl‐1‐ethylpyrrolidine via a straightforward, four‐step synthetic approach with 29% overall chemical yield. [11C]Raclopride was prepared by O‐[11C]methylation of the precursor with [11C]methyl triflate and purification with a semi‐preparative HPLC method in 20–34% radiochemical yield, based on [11C]methyl bromide, decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB).
An Optical/Digital Hybrid System for Calculating Geometric Moments

In this paper, a new system for calculating the geometric moments of an input image is presented. The system is based on a mathematical relationship that relates the geometric moments of the input image to the intensity of the Fourier transform of the image. A digital post-processor performs a differentiation process on the sampled Fourier intensities to obtain a set of values which are combined in a pre-determined fashion to provide the geometric moments of the original input function.
Evaluating the effects of variable water chemistry on bacterial transport during infiltration.

Abstract Bacterial infiltration through the subsurface has been studied experimentally under different conditions of interest and is dependent on a variety of physical, chemical and biological factors. However, most bacterial transport studies fail to adequately represent the complex processes occurring in natural systems. Bacteria are frequently detected in stormwater runoff, and may present risk of microbial contamination during stormwater recharge into groundwater. Mixing of stormwater runoff with groundwater during infiltration results in changes in local solution chemistry, which may lead to changes in both bacterial and collector surface properties and subsequent bacterial attachment rates. This study focuses on quantifying changes in bacterial transport behavior under variable solution chemistry, and on comparing the influences of chemical variability and physical variability on bacterial attachment rates. Bacterial attachment rate at the soil–water interface was predicted analytically using a combined rate equation, which varies temporally and spatially with respect to changes in solution chemistry. Two-phase Monte Carlo analysis was conducted and an overall input–output correlation coefficient was calculated to quantitatively describe the importance of physiochemical variation on the estimates of attachment rate. Among physical variables, soil particle size has the highest correlation coefficient, followed by porosity of the soil media, bacterial size and flow velocity. Among chemical variables, ionic strength has the highest correlation coefficient. A semi-reactive microbial transport model was developed within HP1 (HYDRUS1D-PHREEQC) and applied to column transport experiments with constant and variable solution chemistries. Bacterial attachment rates varied from 9.10 × 10− 3 min− 1 to 3.71 × 10− 3 min− 1 due to mixing of synthetic stormwater (SSW) with artificial groundwater (AGW), while bacterial attachment remained constant at 9.10 × 10− 3 min− 1 in a constant solution chemistry (AGW only). The model matched observed bacterial breakthrough curves well. Although limitations exist in the application of a semi-reactive microbial transport model, this method represents one step towards a more realistic model of bacterial transport in complex microbial–water–soil systems.
Religious Marketing is Different

The controversy surrounding the use of marketing by religious organizations is over two decades old and still raging. Theologians have been overwhelmingly opposed to any use of marketing by churches, while marketers have turned a blind eye toward their concerns and churned out books and articles on how to do church marketing. This article attempts to find common ground between the two camps by identifying the marketable components of church missions, and describing a way of marketing them that preserves the spiritual identity of the institution.
Risk factors associated with the increasing prevalence of pneumonia during pregnancy.

Abstract A retrospective chart review of 1120 antepartum admissions revealed the prevalence of antepartum pneumonia rose to 1 per 367 deliveries. A total of 26 cases in 9560 deliveries were identified with criteria of fever > 39° C, productive cough, and radiologic findings of infiltrates or consolidation. Pregnancy-related outcome variables studied were prevalence of preterm labor or birth, birth weight, and trimester of occurrence. Pneumonia characteristics studied were rate and type of organisms recovered, seasonality, and severity of the illness and radiologic findings. Exposure variables relating to the development of pneumonia studied were underlying medical conditions, hematocrit, human immunodeficiency virus status, and drug use. Birth weight, hematocrit, human immunodeficiency virus status, and drug use were compared with a randomly selected sample of women drawn from the general population delivered of infants during the study time period. One patient experienced preterm delivery, which occurred 1 month after cure of pneumonia. Birth weight was significantly lower in the study group (2770 ± 224 gm versus 3173 ± 99 gm, p Streptococcus pneumoniae . A total of 42% of patients had multilobar involvement and two required intubation. Cocaine use (52% in the study group versus 10% in the general population, p p
Thermalization constraints and spectral distortions for massive unstable relic particles

Spectral distortions to the cosmic background radiation due to massive unstable relic particles which decayed during the thermalization epoch are calculated. We impose stringent constraints on such particles from recent observations. Early energy injection of this type generates characteristic spectral distortions which could potentially serve to measure the baryon density of the Universe.
ON-LINE WIRE SPARK CHAMBER SYSTEM USED AS A MASS SPECTROMETER.

Abstract An on-line wire spark chamber system has been built and tested to measure the momentum spectrum of a high-energy secondary beam at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory's bevatron. The system consists of six dual-plane chambers with one spark per plane, interfaced to a PDP-5 computer. The interface also includes readout for a digital voltmeter, time-to-amplutide converter and scalers used in recording the beam. The computer permits accumulation of statistics for beam tuning and detection and measurement of the desired mass components. The observed spatial resolution of any one chamber is approximately ± 0.6 to ± 0.8 mm.
Magnetic resonance imaging of prosthetic cardiac valves in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Although radiologists do not hesitate to recommend or perform a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination on most patients, there have been reservations—on theoretical grounds—regarding MRI examinations for patients in whom prosthetic cardiac valves have been implanted. It is not known whether MRI is hazardous in the presence of a prosthetic valve. The questions that need to be resolved are whether these valves might malfunction when placed in a strong magnetic field, how much heat might be produced in the valves by radiofrequency pulses, whether induced electric currents might cause arrhythmias and whether unacceptable distortion of adjacent tissue might be generated in the image. Based on the preliminary in vitro work by Soulen et al,1 it seemed that MRI would be safe in patients with prosthetic valves. Other in vitro work by Hassler et al2 and the clinical work by Laakman et al3 in patients with other metallic implants also suggested that MRI in patients with prosthetic valves would be safe as well as display minimal metallic artifact. We undertook a 2-part study to examine the 5 prosthetic valves used at our institution. The valves were evaluated in vitro for heat production, deflection, torque (or a combination of these) that might present a hazard to the patient. Images of the valves were obtained in a saline bath under imaging conditions identical to those used in the in vivo studies. These images demonstrated the kinds of artifacts that would be produced by the valves and formed a baseline with which the patient images could be compared. In vivo, we studied the appearance of the valves and adjacent tissues. Patients were monitored for electrocardiogram changes as well as other symptoms.
Environmental Policy as a Political Problem

The politics of the environment may not be unique, but they present some distinctive characteristics. In undertaking policy analyses and administrative strategies an appreciation of concepts, assumptions and circumstances, and underlying environmental policy issues is needed. To ignore these fundamentals is to risk superficiality in analysis, and error in findings and conclusions. Yet getting down to basics is often rejected as diversion from the goal of analysis. It deviates from a “straight to the point” approach, adds cost and time to investigation, and seldom interests practical-minded analysts. Even so, this paper will be prefaced by a concise reminder of some basic factors that make environmental policy problematic. Among these are: (1) incompatible concepts of man-nature relationships—notably conflict between perceived facts and values, (2) inadequate comprehension of the complexities of nature, (3) sectoral subdivisions of knowledge, (4) assumptions, situations and motivations in environmental politics, (5) fractionated structure of laws and administration, and (6) short-range perception of time. In addition to these conceptual factors the widely varied subject-matter of environmental politics narrows the scope of generalization for policy purposes.
Assessing the cost of pneumococcal disease and the cost-effectiveness of vaccination with PNCRM7

Abstract Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading bacterial cause of sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, and otitis media among children in the United States. In the Northern California Kaiser Permanente clinical trial with the pneumococcal saccharide conjugated vaccine, adsorbed 1 1Trademark: Prevnar ® (Wyeth Lederle Vaccines, Pearl River, New York). (PNCRM7), the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was found to be highly effective against invasive disease and provided significant protection against otitis media and pneumonia. In addition to the efficacy component of the trial, an analysis of some of the costs associated with pneumococcal disease and the cost-effectiveness of vaccination was conducted. The cost-effectiveness of PNCRM7 was in the range of other routine preventive health measures.
Mechanisms of apoptosis in Crustacea: what conditions induce versus suppress cell death?

Arthropoda is the largest of all animal phyla and includes about 90% of extant species. Our knowledge about regulation of apoptosis in this phylum is largely based on findings for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Recent work with crustaceans shows that apoptotic proteins, and presumably mechanisms of cell death regulation, are more diverse in arthropods than appreciated based solely on the excellent work with fruit flies. Crustacean homologs exist for many major proteins in the apoptotic networks of mammals and D. melanogaster, but integration of these proteins into the physiology and pathophysiology of crustaceans is far from complete. Whether apoptosis in crustaceans is mainly transcriptionally regulated as in D. melanogaster (e.g., RHG ‘killer’ proteins), or rather is controlled by pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins as in vertebrates needs to be clarified. Some phenomena like the calcium-induced opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) are apparently lacking in crustaceans and may represent a vertebrate invention. We speculate that differences in regulation of the intrinsic pathway of crustacean apoptosis might represent a prerequisite for some species to survive harsh environmental insults. Pro-apoptotic stimuli described for crustaceans include UV radiation, environmental toxins, and a diatom-produced chemical that promotes apoptosis in offspring of a copepod. Mechanisms that serve to depress apoptosis include the inhibition of caspase activity by high potassium in energetically healthy cells, alterations in nucleotide abundance during energy-limited states like diapause and anoxia, resistance to opening of the calcium-induced MPTP, and viral accommodation during persistent viral infection. Characterization of the players, pathways, and their significance in the core machinery of crustacean apoptosis is revealing new insights for the field of cell death.
Microcavity InGaN light emitting diodes with a single Fabry‐Pérot mode

We report on InGaN microcavity light-emitting diodes supporting a single Fabry-Perot mode with an effective thickness of 450 nm and a cavity order of 5 at the emission wavelength of 415 nm. The device is a simple asymmetric cavity structure bounded by a highly reflective mirror at the bottom and air at the top. The single Fabry-Perot mode alters the emission pattern, so that a larger fraction of the generated light can be coupled to the light extraction cone. The device is fabricated by utilizing flip-chip bonding, laser lift-off, dry-etch thinning, mesa formation, and contact deposition processes. Of particular challenge in the processing is the high-precision control of final microcavity thickness. The control of microcavity thickness afforded by our selective dry-etch thinning method can be further complemented by photonic crystal patterning and roughening, leading to highest improvements in light extraction efficiency. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Observations and Reflections of a Perpetual Fieldworker

This article is based on the author’s five decades of experience as a “perpetual fieldworker, engaged ethnographer,” and teacher of field methods of social research. After dealing with what she perceives as a false dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative methods of research, she considers some of the cognitive characteristics of ethnographic research and distinctive properties of field data. She pays special attention to the complex role of participant observer within which an ethnographer conducts field research, focusing on the delicate balance between involvement and detachment that it entails and between listening and questioning. The article ends with an acknowledgement of the pivotal part that informants play in this kind of inquiry and with a tribute to the enduring meaning of a researcher’s relationship to these “companions in the field” and her indebtedness to them.
A physically based approach to granular media mechanics: grain-scale experiments, initial results and implications to numerical modeling

It is generally appreciated that the mechanical behavior of granular media depends fundamentally on the interaction of the constituent particles, and that the validity of numerical models of granular media would be greatly improved with knowledge of the grain-scale mechanics. However, most supporting experimental work has been conducted on highly idealized materials, and a limited amount of information exists on grain-scale force–displacement relationships for naturally occurring materials. To address this shortcoming, we are conducting a program that integrates laboratory experiments on grains of naturally occurring aggregate with the discrete element modeling method, with the goal of relating the grain-scale physical and mechanical properties of granular media to bulk behavior. The paper describes the equipment and methods that have been developed to conduct close-loop controlled, grain-scale experiments under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions, and presents results from an initial set of experiments on unbonded grains. The implications of the grain-scale results to the discrete element model are discussed. Discussions center on the applicability of a physically based approach to the mechanics of granular media in general. In light of future exploration missions and the resulting need to predict the mechanical properties of lunar and planetary regoliths, the paper examines the potential usefulness of our physically based approach to the problem of predicting the behavior of the types of materials found in those environments.
Modeling of carbon dioxide condensation in the high pressure flows using the statistical BGK approach

In this work, we propose a new heat accommodation model to simulate freely expanding homogeneous condensation flows of gaseous carbon dioxide using a new approach, the statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook method. The motivation for the present work comes from the earlier work of Li et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 114, 5276 (2010)] in which condensation models were proposed and used in the direct simulation Monte Carlo method to simulate the flow of carbon dioxide from supersonic expansions of small nozzles into near-vacuum conditions. Simulations conducted for stagnation pressures of one and three bar were compared with the measurements of gas and cluster number densities, cluster size, and carbon dioxide rotational temperature obtained by Ramos et al. [Phys. Rev. A 72, 3204 (2005)]. Due to the high computational cost of direct simulation Monte Carlo method, comparison between simulations and data could only be performed for these stagnation pressures, with good agreement obtained beyond the condensation onset point, in the farfield. As the stagnation pressure increases, the degree of condensation also increases; therefore, to improve the modeling of condensation onset, one must be able to simulate higher stagnation pressures. In simulations of an expanding flow of argon through a nozzle, Kumar et al. [AIAA J. 48, 1531 (2010)] found that the statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook method provides the same accuracy as direct simulation Monte Carlo method, but, at one half of the computational cost. In this work, the statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook method was modified to account for internal degrees of freedom for multi-species polyatomic gases. With the computational approach in hand, we developed and tested a new heat accommodation model for a polyatomic system to properly account for the heat release of condensation. We then developed condensation models in the framework of the statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook method. Simulations were found to agree well with the experiment for all stagnation pressure cases (1-5 bar), validating the accuracy of the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook based condensation model in capturing the physics of condensation.
Binary ionic liquid mixtures as gas chromatography stationary phases for improving the separation selectivity of alcohols and aromatic compounds

Binary mixtures of two ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM-Cl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (BMIM-NTf2), have been studied for the first time as gas chromatographic stationary phases. The two ILs differ only in the nature of the associated anion. The solvation parameter model was used to examine the change of solvation interactions with the IL stationary phase composition. The hydrogen bond basicity increased linearly as the stationary phase was enriched with the BMIM-Cl IL. The retention factor of short-chained alcohols increased by as much as 1100% when performing the separation on a column containing an IL mixture of 25% BMIM-NTf2/75% BMIM-Cl compared to that of the neat BMIM-NTf2 IL column. By tuning the composition of the IL-stationary phase, the separation selectivity and resolution factors of alcohols and aromatic compounds were improved. A reversal of elution order was observed for specific classes of analytes with enhancements in the stationary phase hydrogen bond basicity.
Impact of oxygen concentration on growth of mesenchymal stromal cells from the marrow of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells interact in the marrow with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which can enhance CLL-cells' resistance to spontaneous or drug-induced apoptosis. Here we examined the effect of oxygen on the growth and function of MSCs from marrow aspirates of CLL patients.
MemBrain: improving the accuracy of predicting transmembrane helices.

Prediction of transmembrane helices (TMH) in α helical membrane proteins provides valuable information about the protein topology when the high resolution structures are not available. Many predictors have been developed based on either amino acid hydrophobicity scale or pure statistical approaches. While these predictors perform reasonably well in identifying the number of TMHs in a protein, they are generally inaccurate in predicting the ends of TMHs, or TMHs of unusual length. To improve the accuracy of TMH detection, we developed a machine-learning based predictor, MemBrain, which integrates a number of modern bioinformatics approaches including sequence representation by multiple sequence alignment matrix, the optimized evidence-theoretic K-nearest neighbor prediction algorithm, fusion of multiple prediction window sizes, and classification by dynamic threshold. MemBrain demonstrates an overall improvement of about 20% in prediction accuracy, particularly, in predicting the ends of TMHs and TMHs that are shorter than 15 residues. It also has the capability to detect N-terminal signal peptides. The MemBrain predictor is a useful sequence-based analysis tool for functional and structural characterization of helical membrane proteins; it is freely available at http://chou.med.harvard.edu/bioinf/MemBrain/.
Large-Scale Applications of Real-Space Multigrid Methods to Surfaces, Nanotubes, and Quantum Transport

The development and applications of real-space multigrid methods are discussed. Multigrid techniques provide preconditioning and convergence acceleration at all length scales, and therefore lead to particularly efficient algorithms. When using localization regions and optimized, non-orthogonal orbitals, calculations involving over 1000 atoms become practical on massively parallel computers. The applications discussed in this chapter include: (i) dopant incorporation and ordering effects during surface incorporation of boron, which lead to the formation of ordered domains at half-monolayer coverage; (ii) incorporation of Mg into GaN during growth, and in particular the conditions that would lead to maximum p-type doping; (iii) optical fingerprints of surface structures for use in real-time feedback control of growth: and (iv) mechanisms of stress release and quantum transport properties of carbon nanotubes.
Cultural influences on developmental processes and outcomes: Implications for the study of development and psychopathology.

The purpose of this paper is to trace the role of culture as an explanatory construct in developmental processes and outcomes, and its implications in the understanding of developmental psychopathology. Literature reviews were conducted by historical period: 1930–1939, 1960–1969, and 1990–1999. The percentage of the total articles and chapters pertaining to cultural issues increased as a function of time. Both conceptual and methodological continuities and discontinuities were observed among the three periods. The preponderance of comparative studies using deficit models still remains, but more enlightened alternative conceptual models, within culture studies, and measures of cultural processes, are emerging. In contrast, although contextual influences are considered important in developmental psychopathology, the field lags in its empirical consideration of cultural influences. The need to seriously address these issues will increase as globalization and rapid cultural change become even more the norm than the exception.
Marketplace substitution of Atlantic salmon for Pacific salmon in Washington State detected by DNA barcoding

Accurate identification of seafood in the marketplace is an issue of international concern, due to high rates of market substitution of cheaper or more widely available species for expensive or high-demand species. Salmon samples from stores and restaurants throughout western Washington, USA were tested using DNA sequencing of a short section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene (DNA barcoding) to identify Atlantic salmon substituted for Pacific salmon. Of 99 salmon samples, 11 (11%) were Atlantic salmon sold as Pacific salmon. More than 38% of restaurant samples were mislabeled to species, while only 7% of store samples were mislabeled. Market substitution rates were significantly greater in restaurants compared to stores, and consistently greater in winter compared to spring, although not significantly. The high market substitution rate in restaurants documents a pressing need for more monitoring and enforcement specifically in restaurants. DNA barcoding is a valuable tool for rapid and definitive authentication of salmon in the marketplace, and should be more widely adopted to discourage market substitution.
Update of high-risk research: 1987-1997

In this article, prospective high-risk studies of schizophrenia are reviewed, with a focus on the studies that have reported new findings since 1987. It is concluded that the major findings generated by the first generation of high-risk studies are as follows: (1) genetic transmission of a susceptibility to schizophrenia is strongly supported; (2) environmental risk factors have not as yet been conclusively identified; (3) impaired attention remains the strongest candidate biobehavioral marker of a susceptibility to schizophrenia; (4) eye-movement dysfunctions also have considerable marker potential, but have not yet been demonstrated to be valid childhood predictors of illness; and (5) there is increasing evidence in support of neuromotor abnormalities in early childhood (up to age two) to be susceptibility markers. A newly initiated second generation of high-risk studies, which has the potential to resolve many of the unanswered questions about risk factors, is also discussed.
Molecular chaperones and substrate ubiquitination control the efficiency of endoplasmic reticulum‐associated degradation

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) must contend with a large protein flux, which is especially notable in cells dedicated to secreting hormone-regulated gene products. Because of the complexity of the protein folding pathway and the potential for genetic or stochastic errors, a significant percentage of these nascent secreted proteins fail to acquire their native conformations. If these species cannot be cleared from the ER, they may aggregate, which leads to cell death. To lessen the effects of potentially toxic polypeptides, aberrant ER proteins are destroyed via a process known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD). ERAD substrates are selected by molecular chaperones and chaperone-like proteins, and prior to degradation most substrates are ubiquitin-modified. Together with the unfolded protein response, the ERAD pathway is a critical component of the protein quality control machinery in the ER. Although emerging data continue to link ERAD with human diseases, most of our knowledge of this pathway arose from studies using a model eukaryote, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this review, we will summarize the discoveries that led to our current understanding of this pathway, focusing primarily on experiments in yeast. We will also indicate links between ERAD and disease and emphasize future research avenues.
Zinc finger protein Zn72D promotes productive splicing of the maleless transcript.

In organisms with sex chromosomes, dosage compensation equalizes gene expression between the sexes. In Drosophila melanogaster males, the male-specific lethal (MSL) complex of proteins and two noncoding roX RNAs coat the X chromosome, resulting in a twofold transcriptional upregulation to equalize gene expression with that of females. How MSL complex enrichment on the X chromosome is regulated is not well understood. We performed an RNA interference screen to identify new factors required for dosage compensation. Using a Drosophila Schneider S2 cell line in which green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged MSL2 localizes to the X chromosome, we assayed ∼7,200 knockdowns for their effects on GFP-MSL2 distribution. One factor identified is the zinc finger protein Zn72D. In its absence, the MSL complex no longer coats the X chromosome. We demonstrate that Zn72D is required for productive splicing of the transcript for the MSL protein Maleless, explaining the dosage compensation defect. However, Zn72D is required for the viability of both sexes, indicating its functions are not sex specific. Consistent with this, Zn72D colocalizes with elongating RNA polymerase II, implicating it as a more general factor involved in RNA metabolism.
Testing the link between functional diversity and ecosystem functioning in a Minnesota grassland experiment.

The functional diversity of a community can influence ecosystem functioning and reflects assembly processes. The large number of disparate metrics used to quantify functional diversity reflects the range of attributes underlying this concept, generally summarized as functional richness, functional evenness, and functional divergence. However, in practice, we know very little about which attributes drive which ecosystem functions, due to a lack of field-based tests. Here we test the association between eight leading functional diversity metrics (Rao’s Q, FD, FDis, FEve, FDiv, convex hull volume, and species and functional group richness) that emphasize different attributes of functional diversity, plus 11 extensions of these existing metrics that incorporate heterogeneous species abundances and trait variation. We assess the relationships among these metrics and compare their performances for predicting three key ecosystem functions (above- and belowground biomass and light capture) within a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment. Many metrics were highly correlated, although unique information was captured in FEve, FDiv, and dendrogram-based measures (FD) that were adjusted by abundance. FD adjusted by abundance outperformed all other metrics in predicting both above- and belowground biomass, although several others also performed well (e.g. Rao’s Q, FDis, FDiv). More generally, trait-based richness metrics and hybrid metrics incorporating multiple diversity attributes outperformed evenness metrics and single-attribute metrics, results that were not changed when combinations of metrics were explored. For light capture, species richness alone was the best predictor, suggesting that traits for canopy architecture would be necessary to improve predictions. Our study provides a comprehensive test linking different attributes of functional diversity with ecosystem function for a grassland system.
ATP synthase is responsible for maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential in bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei.

The mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream form maintains a membrane potential, although it lacks cytochromes and several Krebs cycle enzymes. At this stage, the ATP synthase is present at reduced, although significant, levels. To test whether the ATP synthase at this stage is important for maintaining the mitochondrial membrane potential, we used RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down the levels of the ATP synthase by targeting the F1-ATPase α and β subunits. RNAi-induced cells grew significantly slower than uninduced cells but were not morphologically altered. RNAi of the β subunit decreased the mRNA and protein levels for the β subunit, as well as the mRNA and protein levels of the α subunit. Similarly, RNAi of α subunit decreased the α subunit transcript and protein levels, as well as the β-subunit transcript and protein levels. In contrast, α and β RNAi knockdown resulted in a 60% increase in the F0 complex subunit 9 protein levels without a significant change in the steady-state transcript levels of this subunit. The F0-32-kDa subunit protein expression, however, remained stable throughout induction of RNAi for α or β subunits. Oligomycin-sensitive ATP hydrolytic and synthetic activities were decreased by 43 and 44%, respectively. Significantly, the mitochondrial membrane potential of α and β RNAi cells was decreased compared to wild-type cells, as detected by MitoTracker Red CMXRos fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. These results support the role of the ATP synthase in the maintenance of the mitochondrial membrane potential in bloodstream form T. brucei.
Growth Kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes in Broth and Beef Frankfurters—Determination of Lag Phase Duration and Exponential Growth Rate under Isothermal Conditions

The objective of this study was to develop a new kinetic model to describe the isothermal growth of microorganisms. The new model was tested with Listeria monocytogenes in tryptic soy broth and frankfurters, and compared with 2 commonly used models-Baranyi and modified Gompertz models. Bias factor (BF), accuracy factor (AF), and root mean square errors (RMSE) were used to evaluate the 3 models. Either in broth or in frankfurter samples, there were no significant differences in BF (approximately 1.0) and AF (1.02 to 1.04) among the 3 models. In broth, the mean RMSE of the new model was very close to that of the Baranyi model, but significantly lower than that of the modified Gompertz model. However, in frankfurters, there were no significant differences in the mean RMSE values among the 3 models. These results suggest that these models are equally capable of describing isothermal bacterial growth curves. Almost identical to the Baranyi model in the exponential and stationary phases, the new model has a more identifiable lag phase and also suggests that the bacteria population would increase exponentially until the population approaches to within 1 to 2 logs from the stationary phase. In general, there is no significant difference in the means of the lag phase duration and specific growth rate between the new and Baranyi models, but both are significantly lower than those determined from the modified Gompertz models. The model developed in this study is directly derived from the isothermal growth characteristics and is more accurate in describing the kinetics of bacterial growth in foods.
Smoking Status and Exercise in relation to PTSD Symptoms: A Test among Trauma-Exposed Adults.

The present investigation examined the interactive effect of cigarette smoking status (i.e., regular smoking versus non-smoking) and weekly exercise (i.e., weekly metabolic equivalent) in terms of posttraumatic stress (PTSD) symptom severity among a community sample of trauma-exposed adults. Participants included 86 trauma-exposed adults (58.1% female; Mage = 24.3). Approximately 59.7% of participants reported regular (≥ 10 cigarettes per day) daily smoking over the past year. The interactive effect of smoking status by weekly exercise was significantly associated with hyperarousal and avoidance symptom cluster severity (p ≤ .05). These effects were evident above and beyond number of trauma types and gender, as well as the respective main effects of smoking status and weekly exercise. Follow-up tests indicated support for the moderating role of exercise on the association between smoking and PTSD symptoms, such that the highest levels of PTSD symptoms were observed among regular smokers reporting low weekly exercise levels. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
OnabotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of a "gummy smile".

Background: Excessive gingival display, or a “gummy smile,” is defined as 2 mm or more of gingival exposure upon smiling. Such excessive gingival exposure can be aesthetically unappealing to patients. One factor that contributes to a gummy smile is hyperfunctional lip elevator muscles. Objectives: The authors evaluate onabotulinumtoxinA as a safe and minimally invasive treatment for a gummy smile. Methods: In this prospective study, 14 patients (13 women, 1 man) underwent pretreatment photographs and measurements, followed by bilateral injection of onabotulinumtoxinA into their lip elevator muscles. All patients selected for the study had more than 2mm of gingival show and were classified as having a “cuspid smile,” where action of all elevator muscles raised the upper lip— like a window shade—to expose the upper teeth and gingival scaffold; these patients were thought to have a better chance for a more superior result. Repeat measurements and photographs were collected at 2 weeks and 3 months. Patient-reported outcomes were collected at 2 weeks, and data were compared to determine the correlative relationship. Results: An average of 5 units (range, 4–6 U) of onabotulinumtoxinA were injected into 3 sites bilaterally. The average preinjection gingival show over the central incisors and canines were 4.89 mm and 4.25 mm, respectively. Postinjection gingival show decreased to an average of 0.75 mm (85% improvement) and 0.74 mm (83% improvement) over the central incisors and canines, respectively. Average follow-up time was 12.6 days. One patient felt the resulting smile was unattractive and opted not to undergo repeat injections, while all other study participants experienced no negative effects and wished to undergo repeat treatment. Conclusions: As treatment for a “gummy smile,” onabotulinumtoxinA provides an effective, minimally invasive, and safe therapy. This treatment option can lead to significant improvement in smile aesthetics with high patient satisfaction. Level of Evidence: 3 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Improving Lookup Performance Over a Widely-Deployed DHT

During recent years, Distributed Hash Tables (DHTs) have been extensively studied through simulation and analysis. However, due to their limited deployment, it has not been possible to observe the behavior of a widely-deployed DHT in practice. Recently, the popular eMule file-sharing software incorporated a Kademlia-based DHT, called Kad, which currently has around one million simultaneous users. In this paper, we empirically study the performance of the key DHT operation, lookup, over Kad. First, we analytically derive the benefits of different ways to increase the richness of routing tables in Kademlia-based DHTs. Second, we empirically characterize two aspects of the accuracy of routing tables in Kad, namely completeness and freshness, and characterize their impact on Kad’s lookup performance. Finally, we investigate how the efficiency and consistency of lookup in Kad can be improved by performing parallel lookup and maintaining multiple replicas, respectively. Our results pinpoint the best operating point for the degree of lookup parallelism and the degree of replication for Kad.
Analytical Model for Ductility Assessment of Fixed-Head Concrete Piles

Under seismic loading, restraint provided by the anchorage of the pile reinforcement in the pile-cap of a foundation may induce a large curvature demand in the pile. For performance-based design of the foundation, the severity of local damage in the pile may be controlled by limiting the curvature ductility demand in the potential plastic hinge region of the pile. The curvature ductility demand depends on the strength and stiffness of the soil-pile system, as well as the equivalent plastic hinge length of the pile. In this paper, a kinematic model relating the displacement ductility factor to the local curvature ductility demand is proposed. The analytical model, which is amenable for a wide range of pile and soil properties, is useful for the design of fixed-head piles. The versatility of the model is illustrated using a numerical example of a reinforced concrete pile embedded in two soil types currently classified in building codes.
Progress in active integrated antennas and their applications

Active integrated antennas (AIAs) provide a new paradigm for designing modern microwave and millimeter-wave architecture with desirable features such as compactness, light weight, low cost, low profile, minimum power consumption, and multiple functionality. This paper reviews recent research and development related to this emerging technology with emphasis on its applications in high-efficiency radio-frequency (RF) front-end, millimeter-wave power combining, beam steering, and retrodirective arrays, as well as wireless sensors. Optical controlling techniques for AIA's are also described.
A principal skeleton algorithm for standardizing confocal images of fruit fly nervous systems

Motivation: The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is a commonly used model organism in biology. We are currently building a 3D digital atlas of the fruit fly larval nervous system (LNS) based on a large collection of fly larva GAL4 lines, each of which targets a subset of neurons. To achieve such a goal, we need to automatically align a number of high-resolution confocal image stacks of these GAL4 lines. One commonly employed strategy in image pattern registration is to first globally align images using an affine transform, followed by local non-linear warping. Unfortunately, the spatially articulated and often twisted LNS makes it difficult to globally align the images directly using the affine method. In a parallel project to build a 3D digital map of the adult fly ventral nerve cord (VNC), we are confronted with a similar problem. Results: We proposed to standardize a larval image by best aligning its principal skeleton (PS), and thus used this method as an alternative of the usually considered affine alignment. The PS of a shape was defined as a series of connected polylines that spans the entire shape as broadly as possible, but with the shortest overall length. We developed an automatic PS detection algorithm to robustly detect the PS from an image. Then for a pair of larval images, we designed an automatic image registration method to align their PSs and the entire images simultaneously. Our experimental results on both simulated images and real datasets showed that our method does not only produce satisfactory results for real confocal larval images, but also perform robustly and consistently when there is a lot of noise in the data. We also applied this method successfully to confocal images of some other patterns such as the adult fruit fly VNC and center brain, which have more complicated PS. This demonstrates the flexibility and extensibility of our method. Availability: The supplementary movies, full size figures, test data, software, and tutorial on the software can be downloaded freely from our website http://penglab.janelia.org/proj/principal_skeleton Contact: pengh@janelia.hhmi.org Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The North/South Divide in NGO Hyperlink Networks

Globalization and communication scholars have argued that technology is transforming the ‘‘third sector’’, the set of organizations that are not-for-profit and non-governmental (NGOs). This research examines the local and global linkages among a hyperlink network of 248 HIV/AIDS NGOs. This research examines the north/south NGO divide in the context of these new technology-based associations. Results suggest that the north/ south divide is as great a concern in the virtual world as it is in the physical one. This research implies that globalization theorists’ argument that communication technologies break down economic and geographic barriers may be overstating the empirical reality. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00402.x According the 2006 UNAIDS report, approximately 40 million people globally are living with HIV and approximately 4.5 million contracted the virus in 2006. There are currently 17 times more HIV cases in the global south (i.e., Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe) than in the global north (i.e., North America, Western Europe, Oceania). It goes without saying that the regions most devastated by this pandemic have the fewest internal resources to deal with it. Thus, connections between those working in the global north to address HIV/AIDS and those organizations indigenous to the global south have important implications for the global ability to address this disease. Case studies abound of non-profit, non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) use of information communication technologies (ICTs) to cross vast distances. The Zapatista movement, an indigenous movement in Chiapas, Mexico, somewhat famously used ICTs to alert activists in the global north of their plight and was able to influence their government indirectly through the governments of the global north (Castells, 1997; Ronfeldt, Arquilla, Fuller, & Fuller, 1998). In another case study, Juris (2004) argues that the global justice movement demonstrates that NGOs using ICTs are performing ‘‘globalization from below,’’ due to the truly
Cross-sensitivity of patient-perceived adverse cognitive effects with antiepileptic drug use

article i nfo Objective: The extent to which adverse cognitive effects (ACEs) to a specific antiepileptic drug (AED) affect the chance of developing ACEs to other AEDs (i.e., cross-sensitivity) is unknown. We investigated the rates of cross-sensitivity of ACEs among AEDs and examined the association between clinical characteristics and occur- rence of having ACEs to multiple AEDs in adults with epilepsy. Methods:The ratesofcross-sensitivityofintolerableACEs(IACEs;i.e.,ACEsleadingtodosagereductionordiscon- tinuation) and the non-AED predictors of IACEs were investigated in 2269 patients who had taken at least two AEDs at a single center. We accounted for AED load and looked for specific cross-sensitivities between AEDs as well as cross-sensitivity based on the AED mechanism of action. Results:Amongthe 2269 patients,thehighestratesofIACEswereseenwith TPM (26.3%), ZNS(9.8%),PHT(8.8%), and VPA (8.5%). Intolerable ACEs to two or more AEDs occurred in 100 patients (4.4%). History of psychiatric condition(s) and absence seizure type were independent predictors of IACEs to two or more AEDs. High rates of cross-sensitivity of IACEs were seen between phenytoin (PHT) and lamotrigine (LTG), valproate (VPA) and phenytoin, and valproate and zonisamide (ZNS). For example, of patients who had IACEs to VPA and were also prescribed ZNS, 46.2% had IACEs to ZNS (abbreviated as VPA → ZNS: 46.2%); of patients who had IACEs to ZNS and were also prescribed VPA, 37.5% had IACEs to VPA (abbreviated as ZNS → VPA: 37.5%). Other results are as follows: LTG → PHT: 28.6%, PHT → LTG: 20.0%, PHT → VPA: 42.9%, and VPA → PHT: 27.3%. No specific cross-sensitivities were found among AEDs sharing a similar mechanism of action. Significance: The probability of ACE intolerability to an AED can increase if a patient developed ACE intolerability to another AED. The cross-sensitivity rates for ACE intolerability between LTG and PHT, PHT and VPA, and VPA and ZNS were found to be particularly high. The cross-sensitivity rates provided here may be clinically useful for predicting ACE intolerability in patients taking certain AEDs and for AED selection in individual patients.