cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A call to the custodians of deep time.

Palaeontologists must model the causes of biodiversity rather than simply cataloguing fossils, says Douglas Erwin, as they curate the only record of ecosystems undamaged by humans. This week's Nature is the third of three special issues (previously 20 November 2008 and 12 February 2009) marking the Darwin bicentenary. The theme is biodiversity and how to preserve it. Though still endangered, the golden lion tamarin is a conservation success story in an area where successes are rare: with re-introductions and efforts to preserve its Brazilian forest habitat, the population of the primate has been stabilized. The ecosystem services approach exemplified by the 1997 Nature review by Robert Costanza and colleagues, which puts a value on everything including biodiversity, is seen by many as a key to encouraging conservation: Gretchen Daily, a leading proponent, is optimistic. In an Opinion piece, Pavan Sukhdev puts the case for governmental investment in environmental services, with biodiversity properly costed as part of the broader picture. Taxonomists use part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase gene as a 'DNA bar code': more controversially, Dan Mishmar and colleagues propose that the bar code is not just a useful handle on the relatedness of species but a driver of diversity. With the Copenhagen conference looming, Will Turner, Michael Oppenheimer and David Wilcove explain how natural ecosystems and biodiversity can mitigate climate change. Robert Smith and colleagues stress the importance of local agencies — as opposed to NGOs and incomers — in setting biodiversity goals. The best biodiversity data set we have is provided by palaeontologists: Douglas Erwin thinks they could do more with it though, by adopting the techniques used by physicists. For a listing of all Darwin-related content from this issue, see the Editorial. All of this content, plus web-only material, is available at http://www.nature.com/darwin .
Iodine, bromine, and chlorine in winter aerosols and snow from Barrow, Alaska

Iodine, bromine, and chlorine have been determined in atmospheric aerosols and in snow collected in Barrow, Alaska, during January, 1965, by means of neutron activation analysis. Aerosols collected using both an aircraft collector by impaction and a ground-based 1.0 ? Type EA Millipore filter collector show concentrations of Cl to be much more variable than either Br or I, and I/Br points cluster at 0.1-0.2 gI/gBr for the filter samples. Cl varies from <0.02 to 4 ?g Cl/m 3 STP in the filter samples, and the aircraft concentrations agree with those taken by filter on the same days. Filter Br is 1–30 ngBr/m 3 STP and I is 0.3–10 ngI/m 3 STP, and the ratios I/Cl and Br/Cl increase sharply with decreasing Cl. Snow samples from the ground have Br/Cl somewhat greater than in sea water, although all halogen concentrations decrease with increasing distance from the sea up to 10 km. Assuming a mixture of undifferentiated sea salt and a more permanent atmospheric component, we estimate for the atmospheric component in the snows I/Br?0.2. Sea water, sea ice, and related samples were analyzed, and I/Cl = 4 times 10 ?6 gI/gCl is normal for sea water, although Br/Cl = 3.8 times 10 ?3 gBr/gCl stands a little high. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1966.tb00232.x
Can Breast MRI Predict Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Women Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Background Axillary lymph node status provides important staging information. We sought to evaluate the predictive value of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting axillary lymph node metastases prior to initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and in detecting residual lymph node metastases after NAC in women found to be node positive prior to NAC.
How clear and organized classroom instruction and deep approaches to learning affect growth in critical thinking and need for cognition

In this study the authors analyze longitudinal student survey data from the 17-institution Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education (WNS) to determine the extent that the influence of overall exposure to clear and organized instruction on four-year growth in two measures of cognitive development is mediated by student use of deep approaches to learning. The findings suggest that for one cognitive outcome, need for cognition, a substantial part of the effect of clear and organized instruction is significantly transmitted by all three dimensions of deep learning: higher-order learning, reflective learning, and integrative learning. This overall trend was not statistically significant for critical thinking, although the impact of clear and organized instruction on growth in critical thinking skills was significantly mediated through one dimension of deep approaches to learning – reflective learning.
Immunostaining of heat shock proteins in the retina and optic nerve head of normal and glaucomatous eyes

Purpose To examine immunostaining of 60-kd and 27-kd heat shock proteins (HSP 60 and HSP 27), which are known to increase cell survival in response to stress, in glaucomatous retina and optic nerve head. Methods Six postmortem eyes from patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, 6 eyes from patients with normal-pressure glaucoma, and 6 eyes from age-matched normal subjects were studied by immunohistochemistry. The sections of the retina and optic nerve head were examined after immunostaining with antibodies to HSP 60 and HSP 27. Results The intensity of the immunostaining and the number of labeled cells for heat shock proteins (HSPs) were greater in retina sections from glaucomatous eyes than in sections from normal eyes from age-matched donors. Retinal immunostaining of HSP 60 was prominent in the retinal ganglion cells and photoreceptors, whereas immunostaining of HSP 27 was prominent in the nerve fiber layer and ganglion cells as well as in the retinal vessels. In addition, retinal immunostaining of these HSPs exhibited regional and cellular differences. Optic nerve heads of glaucomatous eyes exhibited increased immunostaining of HSP 27, but not HSP 60, which was mostly associated with astroglial cells in the lamina cribrosa. Conclusion The increased immunostaining of HSP 60 and HSP 27 in the glaucomatous eyes may reflect a role of these proteins as a cellular defense mechanism in response to stress or injury in glaucoma. Clinical Relevance These findings suggest that immunoregulation is an important component of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Conjectures and manipulations: computational modeling and the extra-theoretical dimension of scientific discovery

Computational philosophy (CP) aims at investigating many important concepts and problems of the philosophical and epistemological tradition in a new way by taking advantage of information-theoretic, cognitive, and artificial intelligence methodologies. I maintain that the results of computational philosophy meet the classical requirements of some Peircian 'pragmatic ambitions'. Indeed, more than a 100 years ago, the American philosopher C.S. Peirce, when working on logical and philosophical problems, suggested the concept of pragmatism ('pragmaticism', in his own words) as a logical criterion to analyze what words and concepts express through their practical meaning. Many words have been spent on creative processes and reasoning, especially in the case of scientific practices. In fact, many philosophers have usually offered a number of ways of construing hypotheses generation, but they aim at demonstrating that the activity of generating hypotheses is paradoxical, obscure, and thus not analyzable. Those descriptions are often so far from Peircian pragmatic prescription and so abstract to result completely unknowable and obscure. To dismiss this tendency and gain interesting insight about the so-called 'logic of scientific discovery' we need to build constructive procedures, which could play a role in moving the problem-solving process forward by implementing them in some actual models. The 'computational turn' gives us a new way to understand creative processes in a strictly pragmatic sense. In fact, by exploiting artificial intelligence and cognitive science tools, computational philosophy allows us to test concepts and ideas previously conceived only in abstract terms. It is in the perspective of these actual computational models that I find the central role of abduction in the explanation of creative reasoning in science. I maintain that the computational philosophy analysis of model-based and manipulative abduction and of external and epistemic mediators is important not only to delineate the actual practice of abduction, but also to further enhance the development of programs computationally adequate in rediscovering, or discovering for the first time, for example, scientific hypotheses or mathematical theorems. The last part of the paper is devoted to illustrating the problem of the extra-theoretical dimension of reasoning and discovery from the perspective of some mathematical cases derived from calculus and geometry.
A Comprehensive General Chemistry Demonstration.

This article describes the use of a comprehensive demonstration suitable for a high school or first-year undergraduate introductory chemistry class. The demonstration involves placing a burning candle in a container adjacent to a beaker containing a basic solution with indicator. After adding a lid, the candle will extinguish and the produced carbon dioxide will react with the water to yield enough carbonic acid to neutralize the basic solution resulting in a change to the indicator. This demonstration includes aspects of most of the topics discussed in a typical general chemistry course. Two different methods are described to use this demonstration in a class: as a recurrent demonstration revisited regularly or as the basis for a cumulative oral final exam.
A comparison of scaphoid-trapezium-trapezoid fusion and four-bone tendon weave for scapholunate dissociation

The contact characteristics of the radiocarpal joint (area, pressure, and ratios of scapholunate area, pressure and force transmitted) were determined with the use of pressure-sensitive film in seven normal wrists after ligament sectioning to create scapholunate instability, with reconstruction involving a scaphoid-trapezium-trapezoid fusion, and with reconstruction involving a four-bone tendon weave procedure. The results demonstrated that the scaphoid-trapezium-trapezoid fusion significantly altered the contact characteristics of the wrist, transferring load, pressure, and area to the radioscaphoid joint, thereby unloading the lunate. In contrast, the tendon weave reconstruction produced characteristics similar to those of the normal joint.
What is WHIM syndrome

[Comment on Kawai et al, page 78][1]In this issue of Blood , Kawai and colleagues report careful and detailed studies on the effects of expression of mutant CXCR4 in mobilized human CD 34+ cells (peripheral blood progenitor cells or PBSCs) studied in ex vivo cultures and with engraftment into NOD/
Effective and Low-Cost Platinum Electrodes for Microbial Fuel Cells Deposited by Electron Beam Evaporation

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy through the catalytic reaction of microorganisms. In this paper, electricity generation was investigated in microbial fuel cells using e-beam deposited Pt electrodes to improve efficiency and minimize Pt loading. We deposited Pt on carbon paper electrodes using an e-beam evaporator and imaged microscopic structures of the Pt deposited electrodes using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Although the e-beam electrode had the least thick Pt layer (1000 A) among many tested electrode types (Pt-black = 1500 A and commercial electrode = 2500 A), it showed excellent coverage and Pt uniformity, resulting in minimal loading of Pt. In MFC testing, the e-beam Pt electrode installed only on the anode (carbon paper electrode on the cathode) produced the highest peak value of 0.42 A/m2 in the current density, which was about 2 times higher than when the Pt-black anode electrode or E-Tek commercial Pt anode ...
Coup d'Etat Attempt in Trinidad: Its Causes and Failure:

This article analyzes the factors and processes involved in the failed coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago by the Jamaat Muslimeen in July 1990. After a brief overview of historical and economic de...
A syndrome of pseudohermaphroditism, Wilms' tumor, hypertension, and degenerative renal disease

This report concerns observations on two unrelated children originally evaluated because of sexual ambiguity. One was reared as a male, the other as a female. The first was buccal smear negative and had a unilateral intra-abdominal testis. The second had negative buccal smear, 46,XY peripheral leukocyte karyotype, and bilateral intra-abdominal testes. Their clinical courses were similar. Hypertension and proteinuria were detected early in life. Death resulted eventually from progressive renal failure in each child. A unilateral Wilms' tumor was discovered early in the course of observation of one child and as an incidental postmortem finding in the other. Deterioration in renal function was not related to the presence of the tumor. This constellation of findings, reported only once previously, probably represents an intrauterine alteration of cellular differentiation, affecting renal, gonadal, and other internal and external sexual structures.
Serum ethylene glycol by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for detection and quantitation of ethylene glycol in serum is described. Ethylene glycol and internal standard are derivatized with benzoyl chloride under alkaline conditions, purified by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by HPLC with UV detection. Analytical recovery of ethylene glycol ranges between 96 and 103%. The calibration curve is linear from 20 to 2000 mg/l. The limits of detection and quantitation are 10 and 20 mg/l, respectively. Assay imprecision is 4.8% or less. The assay is free from common interferences and provides increased sensitivity, improved precision and extended linearity.
A surface spectroscopy study of thin layers of uranium on polycrystalline palladium

Thin layers of U on polycrystalline Pd have been prepared by magnetron sputter deposition at room temperature. Mode of growth, annealing induced surface rearrangement, bulk diffusion and the electronic structure of the surface have been investigated by AES, XPS and UPS. It was shown that for U coverages well below one monolayer the decreased coordination at the surface produces localization of the 5f electrons in U. At low dosages U stays on the top surface, while at higher coverages near-surface diffusion takes place, even at room temperature. Strong chemical interaction between deposited U and Pd was detected by the surface core level shifts of the Pd 3d line and by the evolution of the Pd valence band. At dosages above one monolayer, the U 5f electrons are clearly delocalized. Annealing triggers diffusion of U into Pd. Two types of diffusion were observed: one at temperatures below 250°C which results in U-Pd surface compound formation and one at temperatures above 500°C which is associated with bulk diffusion of U. Low temperature diffusion is thought to result in non-stoichiometric UPd3.
Incremental learning on random trials

Abstract When a subject is required to learn to make a certain response in the course of a sequence of consistently corrected trials, and when it is not clear which of success or failure is more efficacious for learning, the possibility suggests itself that acquisition might sometimes proceed incrementally but with a certain probability, constant over trials, that no learning occurs on a trial. In this paper many of the properties which one would expect acquisition of this type to possess if the incremental process were linear in the response probabilities are derived, and details of an application of this model to a paired-associate experiment are presented.
Effect of topiramate on cognitive function and activity level following neonatal seizures

Topiramate, an antiepileptic drug with a number of mechanisms of action including blockade of AMPA/KA receptor subtypes, was assessed as a neuroprotective agent following seizures. We administered topiramate or saline chronically during and following a series of 25 neonatal seizures. After completion of the topiramate treatment, animals were tested in the water maze for spatial learning and the open field for activity level. Brains were then examined for cell loss and sprouting of mossy fibers. Rats treated with topiramate performed significantly better in the water maze than rats treated with saline. Topiramate treatment also reduced the amount of seizure-induced sprouting in the supragranular region. There were no differences between topiramate- and saline-treated rats in activity level in the open field, swimming speed, or weight gain. These findings show that long-term treatment with topiramate after neonatal seizures changes the long-term consequences of seizures and improves cognitive function.
gifted children's, teachers', and parents' perceptions of influential factors on gifted development

Over the past twenty years, much research has been conducted and emphasis placed on gifted children, their education and development. This article examines differing perceptions of influential factors on gifted children's development. In one study, parents, teachers and gifted children were surveyed regarding their perception of the factors that have contributed to "giftedness." In a second study, attitudes, as well as behavioral concerns, are addressed. A third study surveys a cross-cultural sample of British educational professionals. The results of these studies are explored and implications for instruction and assessment are offered. The development of gifted children has been examined from many differing perspectives over the past twenty years. The role of internal variables has been explored as well as external and environmental factors. The cognitive development and structures of the gifted have been examined (Shaughnessy, 1991) as well as relevant, salient variables operative in the development of the gifted. At the same time, certain external factors have also been seen to be operative such as mentoring (Shaughnessy, 1989). Sternberg (1986) has examined a number of relevant variables operative in the success or failure of gifted individuals. Shaughnessy and Neely (1992) have explored the personality elements that may be critical for academic and life success. Odom and Shaughnessy (1989) have explored personality factors relevant to giftedness in the mathematical domain and Ham and Shaughnessy (1992) have discerned especially critical factors in scientific thinking skill development. Shaughnessy, Jausovec and Lehtonen (1992) have written on the conception of giftedness in various cultures and nations.
Implementation of newborn screening for cystic fibrosis varies widely between states.

To the Editor .— Newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States has been implemented by some states for up to a decade. However, complex technical and ethical issues still surround NBS for CF, including considerations regarding clinical benefits of early diagnosis, availability of follow-up, therapies to treat CF, and optimum screening protocols.1–3 Amid ongoing discussion, we conducted a survey of state programs to understand how they perform CF screening. The National Newborn Screening & …
Heterogeneity of tibial plateau cartilage in response to a physiological compressive strain rate

Knowledge of the extent to which tibial plateau cartilage displays non-uniform mechanical topography under physiologically relevant loading conditions is critical to evaluating the role of biomechanics in knee osteoarthritis. Cartilage explants from 21 tibial plateau sites of eight non-osteoarthritic female cadaveric knees (age: 41-54; BMI: 14-20) were tested in unconfined compression at 100% strain/s. The elastic tangent modulus at 10% strain (E(10%) ) was calculated for each site and averaged over four geographic regions: not covered by meniscus (I); covered by meniscus-anterior (II); covered by meniscus-exterior (III); and covered by meniscus-posterior (IV). A repeated-measures mixed model analysis of variance was used to test for effects of plateau, region, and their interaction on E(10%) . Effect sizes were calculated for each region pair. E(10%) was significantly different (p<0.05) for all regional comparisons, except I-II and III-IV. The regional pattern of variation was consistent across individuals. Moderate to strong effect sizes were evident for regional comparisons other than I-II on the lateral side and III-IV on both sides. Healthy tibial cartilage exhibits significant mechanical heterogeneity that manifests in a common regional pattern across individuals. These findings provide a foundation for evaluating the biomechanical mechanisms of knee osteoarthritis.
Some interactions of cadmium with other elements in plants

Abstract Cadmium in solution culture at 10‐4 M decreased Mn concentrations in bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. C.V. Improved Tendergreen) at both low and high concentrations of Mn (noncompetitive inhibition). When Mn was decreased, the concentrations of Fe and several other ions were simultaneously increased, particularly in leaves and roots. Toxicity due to the 10‐6 M Cd and the 10‐4 M Mn was additive in the experiment. When barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Atlas57)was grown in amended soil, 15μg Fe as DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) per g soil resulted in increased uptake of Cd and in somewhat greater yield depression for soil pH of 3.9, 6. 0, and 7.6. Acidification of soil without DTPA also increased Cd uptake to high levels with associated yield decrease. The Cd decreased the uptake of Mn and Cu most when CaCO3 had also been added to the soil. When salts were added to soil with Cd before bush beans were grown, KCl (200 μg K/g soil), and equivalent KH2PO4 increased Cd concentrations of leaves wh...
Parabolic dune reactivation and migration at Napeague, NY, USA: Insights from aerial and GPR imagery

Abstract Observations from mapping since the 19th century and aerial imagery since 1930 have been used to study changes in the aeolian geomorphology of coastal parabolic dunes over the last ~ 170 years in the Walking Dune Field, Napeague, NY. The five large parabolic dunes of the Walking Dune Field have all migrated across, or are presently interacting with, a variably forested area that has affected their migration, stabilization and morphology. This study has concentrated on a dune with a particularly complex history of stabilization, reactivation and migration. We have correlated that dune's surface evolution, as revealed by aerial imagery, with its internal structures imaged using 200 MHz and 500 MHz Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys. Both 2D (transect) and high-resolution 3D GPR imagery image downwind dipping bedding planes which can be grouped by apparent dip angle into several discrete packages of beds that reflect distinct decadal-scale episodes of dune reactivation and growth. From aerial and high resolution GPR imagery, we document a unique mode of reactivation and migration linked to upwind dune formation and parabolic dune interactions with forest trees. This study documents how dune–dune and dune–vegetation interactions have influenced a unique mode of blowout deposition that has alternated on a decadal scale between opposite sides of a parabolic dune during reactivation and migration. The pattern of recent parabolic dune reactivation and migration in the Walking Dune Field appears to be somewhat more complex, and perhaps more sensitive to subtle environmental pressures, than an idealized growth model with uniform deposition and purely on-axis migration. This pattern, believed to be prevalent among other parabolic dunes in the Walking Dune Field, may occur also in many other places where similar observational constraints are unavailable.
Symplectic calculation of Lyapunov exponents.

The Lyapunov exponents of a chaotic system quantify the exponential divergence of initially nearby trajectories. For Hamiltonian systems the exponents are related to the eigenvalues of a symplectic matrix. We make use of this fact to develop a new method for the calculation of Lyapunov exponents of such systems. Our approach avoids the renormalization and reorthogonalization of usual techniques. It is also easily extendible to damped systems. We apply our method to two examples of physical interest: a model system that describes the beam halo in charged particle beams and the driven van der Pol oscillator.
Estimation of the effective permeability of thin surface layers created by exposure of polyethylene to fluorine

The significantly improved barrier properties of polyethylene, that, result from surface treatment with small amounts of fluorine are explained in terms of the reduced permeability of a thin layer produced by such treatments. Several approaches for correlating the permeabilities of the treated and untreated polymer layers to various penetrants are discussed. An analysis is also presented that permits estimation of the treatment depth corresponding to a given loss rate is related explicitly to the relative permeabilities of the penetrant in the treated and untreated polymer regions.
Evaluation of micromachined actuators based on electrostrictive P(VDF-TrFE) polymers

We report on the performance of micromachined unimorph actuators (PMAT) based on the electrostrictive poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer. Because of the high electrostrictive strain and high elastic energy density of the active polymer, the PMAT exhibits a very high stroke level with high load capability and high displacement voltage ratio. In addition, the experimental data also demonstrate that the PMAT is capable of operating over a broad frequency range. The PMAT performance was modeled and the agreement between the modeling results and experimental data confirms that the response of the PMAT indeed follows the design parameters.
Evaluation of an immobilised macrocyclic material for on-line column preconcentration and separation of cadmium, copper and lead for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The determination of trace amounts of Cd, Cu and Pb in riverine, estuarine, sea water and in urine samples, using a flow injection on-line preconcentration procedure coupled with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, was investigated. The sorption material used consists of macrocyclic ligand immobilised on a silica gel support. The sample at pH 1.6 is loaded onto a 50 μl column for a specific time interval. The column is then washed with a dilute nitric acid solution (pH 3) and emptied by pumping air through the column. The column is eluted with 40 μl of 2.5 mol 1 -1 nitric acid solution and the eluate introduced into the electrothermal atomiser. Detection limits (3σ) of 0.8, 46 and 20 ng l - 1 were obtained for Cd, Cu and Pb, respectively. The accuracy of the procedure was tested with water and urine certified reference materials.
Flow measurements in film cooling flows with lateral injection

Measurements of mean velocity and turbulence intensity are presented for the mixing region of a film cooling situation in which the coolant is laterally injected. Measurements are performed using triple-sensor anemometry so that all three velocity components are documented. Flow with one row of film cooling holes inclined 35° to the surface, with lateral injection (Φ = 90°), is documented. The freestream turbulence intensity level is 12%, and coolant-to-mainstream velocity ratios are 0.5 and 1.0 (the density ratio is unity). General flow field characteristics ore discussed and compared. Additional comparisons are made with similar measurements in a flow in which the injection is streamwise (Φ = 0°).Copyright © 1998 by ASME
Using JIT Compilation and Configurable Runtime Systems for Efficient Deployment of Java Programs on Ubiquitous Devices

As the proliferation of ubiquitous devices moves computation away from the conventional desktop computer boundaries, distributed systems design is being exposed to new challenges. A distributed system supporting a ubiquitous computing application must deal with a wider spectrum of hardware architectures featuring structural and functional differences, and resources limitations. Due to its architecture independent infrastructure and object-oriented programming model, the Java programming environment can support flexible solutions for addressing the diversity among these devices. Unfortunately, Java solutions are often associated with high costs in terms of resource consumption, which limits the range of devices that can benefit from this approach. In this paper, we present an architecture that deals with the cost and complexity of running Java programs by partitioning the process of Java program execution between system nodes and remote devices. The system nodes prepare a Java application for execution on a remote device by generating device-specific native code and application-specific runtime system on the fly. The resulting infrastructure provides the flexibility of a high-level programming model and the architecture independence specific to Java. At the same time the amount of resources consumed by an application on the targeted device are comparable to that of a native implementation.
Chapter 12 Species-Specific Variations in ENaC Expression and Localization in Mammalian Respiratory Epithelium

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a study on species-specific variations in epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) expression and localization in mammalian respiratory epithelium. Because of the complex morphology of the respiratory tract, a good understanding of the in vivo physiology of Na + and Cl - transport and associated water flow and the ways in which these processes affect the composition and volume of the airway surface liquid layer is poorly understood. Electrophysiological studies done on airway and alveolar epithelia have suggested some differences in the pulmonary tissues relative to aldosterone-sensitive Na + reabsorbing epithelia of the kidney and colon. Respiratory epithelia are broadly defined by anatomic region and morphology and include the nasal epithelia lining the turbinates, the proximal airway epithelium (that is, the cartilaginous airways), the distal (bronchiolar) airway epithelium, and the alveolar epithelium. The respiratory nasal epithelium and the epithelium lining the proximal airways are pseudostratified and comprised of the following three major cell types: ciliated cells, secretory (goblet) cells, and basal cells. In situ hybridization studies of distal lung produce two distinct patterns of ENaC mRNA expression.
Investigation of the Role Played by the RNA G-Quadruplex Structure in ALS/FTD Pathology

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder resulting in motor neuron loss in brain and spinal cord. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the most common forms of young onset dementia and second most common form of dementia overall, after Alzheimer's, resulting in degeneration of temporal lobes along with personality changes and language impairment. ALS and FTD are now recognized as members of a broad continuum of neurodegenerative disorders, linked by similar pathology, mechanisms, and overlapping clinical symptoms. Two RNA-binding proteins of interest that link the two diseases are TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and the fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma protein (FUS), which are the major protein components in over 90% of ALS and over 50% of FTD inclusions. We hypothesize that the G-quadruplex RNA structure might play an essential role in the pathogenic mechanisms of FUS in ALS and FTD. In this study, the G-quadruplex RNA binding properties of the wild type and C-terminal NLS mutant FUS protein implicated in ALS/FTD will be analyzed.
Decreased serum 24, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentration during long-term anticonvulsant therapy in adult epileptics

Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25-(OH)2D], and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1, 25-(OH)2D] were measured in 30 ambulatory adult epileptic patients during long-term anticonvulsant treatment with phenytoin, phenobarbital, or carbamazepine. For the entire group, serum 24,25-(OH)2D was decreased (p less than 0.0005) as compared to normal subjects to a mean value of 0.7 +/- 0.1 (SEM) ng/ml. However, serum 1, 25-(OH)2D was increased at 50 +/- 7 pg/ml (p less than 0.025). Serum 25-OHD declined insignificantly to 19 +/- 3 ng/ml. All three drugs caused a significant reduction of serum 24,25-(OH)2D concentrations. A significant decrease in serum 25-OHD was observed only for the phenobarbital-treated patients. Serum 1, 25-(OH)2D was high in patients receiving phenytoin or carbamazepine but not in those taking phenobarbital. The findings suggest that while various anticonvulsant drugs appear to exert different effects on vitamin D metabolism, a universal finding is diminished serum 24,25-(OH)2D. The results support the notion that 24,25-(OH)2D deficiency may play an important role in the pathogenesis of anticonvulsant-induced osteomalacia.
In pursuit of independence: the political economy of Catalonia's secessionist movement

This article examines the fiscal dimensions of recent support for Catalan secession. Since the region is a cultural community distinct from the rest of Spain, much research has spotlighted national identity features in the calculus of Catalan political aspirations. This study supplements this work by contextualising support for Catalan independence in terms of the state's fiscal arrangements with the use of public opinion survey data. Even after controlling for self-reported cultural identity and other relevant factors, it argues that support for independence is a function of grievances rooted in the desire for Catalonia to assume responsibility for taxation and spending policy. Meanwhile, it validates some observations about Catalonia's separatist movement, while bringing others into question, and offers support for the theoretical framework linking political economy to secessionism. The results suggest that Spain might be able to stave off Catalonia's separatist bid through some form of political and taxation policy reconfiguration, with the caveats that cultural identity factors and the existence of other separatist movements across the country complicate this strategy.
Generic Incident Model for Investigating Traffic Incident Impacts on Evacuation Times in Large-Scale Emergencies

Traffic incidents cause a ripple effect of reduced travel speeds, lane changes, and the pursuit of alternative routes that results in gridlock on the immediately affected and surrounding roadways. The disruptions caused by the secondary effects significantly degrade travel time reliability, which is of great concern to the emergency planners who manage evacuations. Outcomes forecast by a generic incident model embedded in a microscopic evacuation simulation, the Real-Time Evacuation Planning Model (RtePM), were examined to quantify the change in time required for an emergency evacuation that results from traffic incidents. The incident model considered vehicle miles traveled on each individual segment of the studied road network model. The two scenarios considered for this investigation were evacuations of (a) Washington, D.C., after a simulated terrorist attack and (b) Virginia Beach, Virginia, in response to a simulated hurricane. These results could help the emergency planning community understand and ...
EFFECT OF ESTROGENS ON ASCORBIC ACID IN THE PLASMA AND BLOOD VESSELS OF GUINEA PIGS

The administration of mestranol to guinea pigs resulted in a marked reduction of the ascorbic acid concentration in their blood plasma and an even greater reduction in the ascorbic acid concentration in their blood vessels. Theoretically, these changes could lower the negative potential of the blood vessel wall and might therefore predispose to intravascular thrombosis.
The 2008 William M. Feinberg Lecture Prioritizing Stroke Research

Stroke is a tremendous burden to health worldwide both in the developed and developing world. Current levels of research funding do not adequately reflect this burden, particularly when expected increases in stroke rates are considered. Of course, an investment in stroke research is only justified if a return can be expected. The ultimate goal of stroke research is to reduce the burden of disease, and clinical trials are the clearest expression of the value of research because their results can directly impact health. In a review of stroke trials funded by the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, we found that the overall impact of the trials was dramatically positive and justified the entire research budget of the Institute. Nonetheless, there were obvious opportunities for improvement. Methods for selecting trials to fund could be improved and better aligned with disease burden and potential impact. Furthermore, clinical trial costs are increasing rapidly and reversing this trend ...
Use of Novel Technology-Based Techniques to Improve Alcohol-Related Outcomes in Clinical Trials

With a better understanding of the biologic basis of alcohol dependence and the considerable financial burden of alcohol abuse and dependence, the number of alcohol-related clinical pharmacotherapy trials has been on the rise. Subsequently, the potential to find efficacious treatments is more promising. Unfortunately, alcohol-related trials face a number of challenges, as a result of the difficulties that arise from traditional and outdated methods to collect data and ensure medication adherence. Novel technology-based assessments, such as ecological momentary assessment, interactive voice response, transdermal sensor and medication-event monitoring system provide a prospective solution—albeit not without possible concerns—to the difficulties faced in alcohol-related clinical trials. Clinical trials are meant to define the efficacy of the treatment and to determine an effective and safe dosage. However, due to lack of adherence a drug could inappropriately or mistakenly be judged as ineffective for treating a specific disorder. The described technologies may be important tools to prevent false negatives in validating drug efficacy, to provide consistency in clinical trials and to improve available data regarding the study of pharmacotherapies for alcohol dependence.
Safety of Universal Provision of Iron through Home Fortification of Complementary Foods in Malaria-Endemic Areas

Home fortification of complementary foods with iron and other micronutrients is a low-cost strategy for filling nutrient gaps in the diets of infants and young children, but there has been uncertainty about the safety of universal provision of iron via home fortification in malaria-endemic areas. Based on the current understanding of the potential mechanisms of adverse effects of iron, the risk can probably be minimized by using the lowest possible efficacious dose of iron, preferably delivered in small amounts throughout the day with food, to minimize spikes in plasma nontransferrin-bound iron and large amounts of unabsorbed iron in the gastrointestinal tract. Results from 6 home fortification studies in malaria-endemic areas showed no increased risk of morbidity (including malaria), but these studies were not powered to rule out a modest increase in the risk of severe adverse events. At present, the safest option is to implement home fortification in the context of comprehensive malaria control strategies, as recommended in recent WHO guidelines.
The Virasoro conjecture for Gromov-Witten invariants

The Virasoro conjecture is a conjectured sequence of relations among the descendent Gromov-Witten invariants of a smooth projective variety in all genera; the only varieties for which it is known to hold are a point (Kontsevich) and Calabi-Yau threefolds (S. Katz). We review the statement of the conjecture and its proof in genus 0, following Eguchi, Hori and Xiong. This version incorporates many changes and improvements compared with the first, and a small number of misprints from the second. It will appear in the AMS volume "Hirzebruch 70", edited by P. Pragacz et al.
What Makes it Feminist?: Mapping the Landscape of Feminist Social Work Research:

Social work as an academic discipline has long included women and gender as central categories of analysis; the social work profession, started and maintained largely by women, has been home to several generations of feminists. Yet, social work is curiously and strikingly absent from broader multidisciplinary discussions of feminist research. This article explores contemporary feminist social work research by examining 50 randomly selected research-based articles that claimed feminism within their work. The analysis focused on the authors’ treatment of the gender binary, their grounding in theory, their treatment of methodology, and their feminist claims. Feminist social work researchers are invited to reconceptualize feminisms to include third-wave feminist thought and more explicitly engage theory and reflexivity in their work.
User-centered virtual environment design for virtual rehabilitation

Background: As physical and cognitive rehabilitation protocols utilizing virtual environments transition from single applications to comprehensive rehabilitation programs there is a need for a new design cycle methodology. Current human-computer interaction designs focus on usability without benchmarking technology within a user-inthe-loop design cycle. The field of virtual rehabilitation is unique in that determining the efficacy of this genre of computer-aided therapies requires prior knowledge of technology issues that may confound patient outcome measures. Benchmarking the technology (e.g., displays or data gloves) using healthy controls may provide a means of characterizing the “normal” performance range of the virtual rehabilitation system. This standard not only allows therapists to select appropriate technology for use with their patient populations, it also allows them to account for technology limitations when assessing treatment efficacy. Methods: An overview of the proposed user-centered design cycle is given. Comparisons of two optical seethrough head-worn displays provide an example of benchmarking techniques. Benchmarks were obtained using a novel vision test capable of measuring a user’s stereoacuity while wearing different types of head-worn displays. Results from healthy participants who performed both virtual and real-world versions of the stereoacuity test are discussed with respect to virtual rehabilitation design. Results: The user-centered design cycle argues for benchmarking to precede virtual environment construction, especially for therapeutic applications. Results from real-world testing illustrate the general limitations in stereoacuity attained when viewing content using a head-worn display. Further, the stereoacuity vision benchmark test highlights differences in user performance when utilizing a similar style of head-worn display. These results support the need for including benchmarks as a means of better understanding user outcomes, especially for patient populations. Conclusions: The stereoacuity testing confirms that without benchmarking in the design cycle poor user performance could be misconstrued as resulting from the participant’s injury state. Thus, a user-centered design cycle that includes benchmarking for the different sensory modalities is recommended for accurate interpretation of the efficacy of the virtual environment based rehabilitation programs.
No photosynthetic down‐regulation in sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) after three years of CO2 enrichment at the Duke Forest FACE experiment

Photosynthetic capacity and leaf properties of sun and shade leaves of overstorey sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) were compared over the first 3 years of growth in ambient or ambient + 200 mL L -1 CO2 at the Duke Forest Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment. We were interested in whether photosynthetic downregulation to CO2 occurred in sweetgum trees growing in a forest ecosystem, whether shade leaves down-regulated to a greater extent than sun leaves, and if there was a seasonal component to photosynthetic down-regulation. During June and September of each year, we measured net photosynthesis (A) versus the calculated intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) in situ and analysed these response curves using a biochemical model that described the limitations imposed by the amount and activity of ribulose-1,5bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Vcmax) and by the rate of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) regeneration mediated by electron transport (Jmax). There was no evidence of photosynthetic down-regulation to CO2 in either sun or shade leaves of sweetgum trees over the 3 years of measurements. Elevated CO2 did not significantly affect Vcmax or Jmax. The ratio of Vcmax to Jmax was relatively constant, averaging 2·12, and was not affected by CO2 treatment, position in the canopy, or measurement period. Furthermore, CO2 enrichment did not affect leaf nitrogen per unit leaf area (Na), chlorophyll or total non-structural carbohydrates of sun or shade leaves. We did, however, find a strong relationship between Na and the modelled components of photosynthetic capacity, Vcmax and Jmax. Our data over the first 3 years of this experiment corroborate observations that trees rooted in the ground may not exhibit symptoms of photosynthetic down-regulation as quickly as tree seedlings growing in pots. There was a strong sustained enhancement of photosynthesis by CO2 enrichment whereby light-saturated net photosynthesis of sun leaves was stimulated by 63% and light-saturated net photosynthesis of shade leaves was stimulated by 48% when averaged over the 3 years. This study suggests that this CO2
Subsurface agricultural irrigation drainage: the need for regulation

Subsurface drainage resulting from irrigated agriculture is a toxic threat to fish and wildlife resources throughout the western United States. Studies by the U.S. Department of the Interior show that migratory waterfowl have been poisoned by drainwater contaminants on at least six national wildlife refuges. Allowing this poisoning to continue is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act under U.S. Federal law. Critical wetlands and waterfowl populations are threatened in both the Pacific and Central flyways. The public is also at risk and health warnings have been issued in some locations. Subsurface irrigation drainage is a complex effluent containing toxic concentrations of trace elements, salts, and nitrogenous compounds. Some of the contaminants are classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as priority pollutants and they can be present in concentrations that exceed EPA's criteria for toxic waste. The on-farm drainage systems used to collect and transport this wastewater provide point-source identification as well as a mechanism for toxics control through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process. A four-step approach is presented for dealing with irrigation drainage in an environmentally sound manner. This regulatory strategy is very similar to those commonly used for industrial discharges and includes site evaluation, contaminant reduction through NPDES, and compliance monitoring. The EPA must recognize subsurface irrigation drainage as a specific class of pollution subject to regulation under the NPDES process. Active involvement by EPA is necessary to ensure that adequate controls on this wastewater are implemented.