cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A promiscuous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that incorporates cysteine, methionine, and alanine homologs into proteins.

Abstract A mutant Escherichia coli leucyl-tRNA synthetase has been evolved for the selective incorporation of the methionine homolog 1 into proteins in yeast. This single aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase is capable of charging an amber suppressor Ec tRNA CUA Leu with at least eight different amino acids including methionine and cysteine homologs, as well as straight chain aliphatic amino acids. In addition we show that incorporation yields for these amino acids can be increased substantially by mutations in the editing CP1 domain of the E. coli leucyl-tRNA synthetase.
DISTRIBUTION OF RECENT MAMMALS ALONG THE PACIFIC COASTAL LOWLANDS OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

Coastal lowlands on the western side of the Americas are irregularly narrow and squeezed between the shoreline and adjacent montane country. The 407 species belonging to 189 genera (marine and insular forms excluded) that are recorded as living on this coastal strip are best arranged in sectors north to south as follows: in Nearctica, the Tundran (67?N to 61?N) with 25 species; the Coniferan (61?N to 38?N) with 92 species; the North Eremian (38?N to 260N) with 114 species; and in Neotropica, the North Subtropical (26?N to 160N), a temperate-tropical transition with 109, species; the Tropical (16?N to 70S) with 267 species; the South Eremian (70S to 290S) with a minimum of 18 species; the Nothofagian (290S to 550S) with 35 species; and the Patagonian (500S to 550S) with a minimum of 10 species. Northern sectors in Nearctica, somewhat comparable ecologically to southern sectors of Neotropica, are endowed with from two to six times as many species as the latter. Factors accounting for the paucity of species in southern sectors include (a) the progressive reduction of species as living space in continental South America dwindles in a southward direction, (b) the extreme narrowness of lowlands along much of the South American coast and (c) the abrupt insertion of sparsely-inhabited deserts (South Eremian Sector) in an otherwise latitudinally favorable environment of South America blocking north-south movements and preventing intermingling of tropical and temperate species, as has occurred in coastal North America. Holarctic species are conspicuous in the Tundran Sector but diminish rapidly to the southward, although 5 Holarctic genera are represented in Southern Chile. Our current knowledge of the distribution of Pacific coastal mammals indicates that their lowland habitats must be beset with assorted kinds of barriers to deter north-south dispersal of most mammals so that more than one-half (62 per cent) of the species are known only from single sectors. Consequently, mammalian affinities may be with inland faunas, in the Cordillera or the Atlantic coastal lowlands, rather than to sectors either north or south along the Pacific coast.
Donor-derived interferon γ separates graft-versus-leukemia effects and graft-versus-host disease induced by donor CD8 T cells

The graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)–inducing activity of CD8 T cells was compared in murine recipients of wild-type (WT) or interferon γ (IFN-γ)–deficient (GKO) allogeneic donor cells. CD8 T cells (or CD4-depleted splenocytes) from GKO donor mice induced more severe GVHD in lethally irradiated allogeneic recipients compared to the same cell populations from WT donors. Consistent with GVHD severity, donor CD8 T-cell expansion in allogeneic recipients was augmented in the absence of IFN-γ. These results demonstrate that IFN-γ does not stimulate but instead down-modulates GVHD induced by donor CD8 T cells. Remarkably, antihost lymphohematopoietic reactions, including GVL effects against host leukemia/lymphoma cells, of CD8 T cells correlated inversely with their GVHD-inducing activity, and those of GKO donors were markedly weaker than those mediated by WT donor CD8 T cells. These data show for the first time that GVHD-inducing activity and GVL effects of allogeneic CD8 T cells can be separated by a single cytokine, IFN-γ.
“Careful Village’s Grassland Dispute”: An A mdo Dialect Tibetan Crosstalk Performance by Sman bla skyabs

Two men stand before an almost all-Tibetan audience and begin speaking a fast-paced, scripted dialogue in an A mdo Tibetan dialect.1 One performer begins telling the story of his trip to a place ca...
Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke Time Is Prime

Marc Fisher MD Kennedy Lees MD Section Editors: On September 26, 2008, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the European Cooperative Stroke Study (ECASS) III,1 the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate safe and effective use of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) to treat patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) beyond 3 hours from stroke onset. The ECASS investigators studied the safety and efficacy of administering intravenous rtPA to patients with AIS 3 to 4.5 hours after AIS onset. Using the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days after stroke occurrence as the primary end point of the study, the investigators demonstrated a modest, statistically significant increase in the likelihood of having normal or near normal recovery (modified Rankin Scale=0 or 1) in favor of rtPA treatment compared with placebo (unadjusted OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.76; P =0.04). So, what impact will the results of the study have on acute stroke management and stroke research in the United States and elsewhere? With regard to the first part of the question, the answer is complex. First, the ECASS III results will hopefully help to increase the number of thrombolysis eligible patients with AIS who receive rtPA. Twelve years after the US Food and Drug Administration approved the management of AIS within 3 hours of symptom onset as an indication for the use of intravenous rtPA, less than 5% of patients with AIS are being treated worldwide with rtPA within 3 hours of stroke onset. One of the major factors contributing to this parlous state of affairs has been disagreement among healthcare professionals about the validity of the results of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) trial of rtPA for acute stroke.2 In the late 1990s, the stroke community unexpectedly …
The Protein 4.1 Tumor Suppressor, DAL-1, Impairs Cell Motility, But Regulates Proliferation in a Cell-Type-Specific Fashion

The neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor belongs to the Protein 4.1 family of molecules that link the actin cytoskeleton to cell surface glycoproteins. We have previously demonstrated that the NF2 protein, merlin, can suppress cell growth in vitro and in vivo as well as impair actin cytoskeleton-associated processes, such as cell spreading, attachment, and motility. Recently, we determined that expression of a second Protein 4.1 tumor suppressor, DAL-1, was lost in 60% of sporadic meningiomas, but not schwannomas. In this report, we demonstrate that DAL-1 suppresses cell proliferation in meningioma, but not schwannoma cells. Similar to merlin, DAL-1 interacts with other ERM proteins and βII-spectrin, but not the merlin interactor protein, SCHIP-1. In addition, we report the identification of the full-length DAL-1 tumor suppressor, termed KIAA0987. Collectively, these results suggest that the two Protein 4.1 meningioma tumor suppressors, merlin and DAL-1, may be functionally distinct proteins with different mechanisms of action.
Robust varying-resolution iris recognition

A less intrusive iris capturing system usually requires a long stand-off distance, large capture volume, and no restriction of a static subject. These factors make iris recognition more challenging than that from today's close-range iris systems. In this paper we propose a novel algorithm toward robust iris recognition in less intrusive environments. Our algorithm consists of two parts: 1) a novel iris segmentation method that can handle variable resolutions (from 50 pixels to 350 pixels), lighting, and partial occlusion, which can cause the majority of pixels or edges in a captured image are outliers. 2) a new feature encoding method that is robust for non-ideal iris images due to noise, blur, occlusion, and down-sampling. Through a careful analysis of the iris image acquisition process and extensive simulation, we show that, contrary to the common belief that iris diameter has a significant impact on recognition accuracy, it is the image noise that reduces accuracy in low resolution images when an accurate segmentation can be obtained. Using high-quality low noise images acquired by digital SLR cameras, we showed that our iris recognition algorithm can achieve state-of-the-art performance (e.g., FRR at 0.0015 with FAR 0.001) on very low resolution images with iris diameter around 60 pixels.
Processing quantitative data about risk and threat in news reports

Two experiments examined whether the apprehension and perceived victimization risk of individuals reading news reports depicting frequency of increases in threatening phenomena would be lowered by exposure to stories portraying population increases. Experiment 1 found higher apprehension and victimization risk levels among females, but no population data effects. In Experiment 2, males who received moderately risky threats manifested significantly lower levels of apprehension when population increase stories were presented before threatening messages. Neither females nor those who received low victimization risk threats showed such effects. Females who imagined threats displayed higher levels of apprehension than females receiving threatening messages. The influences of involvement and stress on complex information-processing are discussed.
Laser power delivery in infrared fiber optics (Invited Paper)

It is desirable in many surgical and industrial applications of infrared (IR) lasers to employ a flexible fiber optic delivery system to conveniently distribute energy to remote locations. While many different IR fibers have been developed only a few are suitable for the delivery of laser power. The best fiber candidates for the high power CO2 laser are the hollow metallic and hollow sapphire fibers, and at Er:YAG laser wavelengths the fluoride glass and solid-core sapphire fibers offer the greatest promise. Hollow metallic waveguides have been used to deliver up to 2,600 W of cw CO2 laser power.
Effect of Normative Masculinity on Males’ Dysfunctional Sexual Beliefs, Sexual Attitudes, and Perceptions of Sexual Functioning

Male sexual dysfunction is a prevalent and distressing condition, which may be exacerbated by the sufferer's perceptions of masculinity and normative sexual behavior. This study sought to investigate the effect of social context on males' beliefs regarding sexual behavior. The research examined the effect of male role modeling and masculine cues on males' dysfunctional sexual beliefs, sexual attitudes, and self-perceptions of sexual functioning. A sample of 140 male participants, with a mean age of 29 years, was exposed to pictorial and verbal cues that presented different versions of male behavior across three conditions. Results indicated that males exposed to models and cues of traditional masculinity showed significantly increased levels of dysfunctional sexual beliefs and traditional sexual attitudes relative to males exposed to models of modern masculinity. Results also indicated that males exposed to traditional masculine stimuli reported lower levels of sexual inhibition due to fear of performance failure than males exposed to models of modern masculinity. The potential role of social context is discussed in the development and maintenance of male sexual dysfunction and its implications for treatment.
Lateral thoracic expansion for Jeune's syndrome: midterm results.

Abstract Background . In 1995, we reported the use of lateral thoracic expansion in a patient with symptomatic Jeune's asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy. We have subsequently used lateral thoracic expansion 16 times on 10 patients during 7 years. This article reports our outcomes and provides surgical details. Methods . Charts of all patients undergoing lateral thoracic expansion were reviewed. Eight of the 10 patients had symptomatic Jeune's syndrome. The other 2 had similar thoracic deformities limiting thoracic capacity. In half of the patients the procedures were performed bilaterally. Results . All patients older than 1 year of age were symptomatically benefited by lateral thoracic expansion. Functional and anatomic measurements documented thoracic enlargement in several patients who had comparable preoperative and postoperative studies. However, 2 infants with significant underlying airway disease did not improve and went on to succumb to that aspect of their disease despite enlargement of the thorax. Fracture of the titanium ministruts has been a recurrent problem, and we now use larger struts. Conclusions . Lateral thoracic expansion is a safe and effective procedure in selected patients with Jeune's syndrome older than 1 year of age as judged by short-term and midterm follow-up. More experience and longer follow-up are required to discern the place of the lateral thoracic expansion in the overall management of these patients.
High-Velocity Rain: The Terminal Velocity Model of Galactic Infall

A model is proposed for determining the distances to falling interstellar clouds in the galactic halo by measuring the cloud velocity and column density and assuming a model for the vertical density distribution of the Galactic interstellar medium. It is shown that falling clouds with N(H I) 1019 cm-2 may be decelerated to a terminal velocity which increases with increasing height above the Galactic plane. This terminal velocity model correctly predicts the distance to high-velocity cloud Complex M and several other interstellar structures of previously determined distance. It is demonstrated how interstellar absorption spectra alone may be used to predict the distances of the clouds producing the absorption. If the distance, velocities, and column densities of enough interstellar clouds are known independently, the procedure can be reversed, and the terminal velocity model can be used to estimate the vertical density structure (both the mean density and the porosity) of the interstellar medium. Using the data of Danly and assuming a drag coefficient of CD 1, the derived density distribution is consistent with the expected density distribution of the warm ionized medium, characterized by Reynolds. There is also evidence that for z 0.4 kpc one or more of the following occurs: (1) the neutral fraction of the cloud decreases to ~31 ? 14%, (2) the density drops off faster than characterized by Reynolds, or (3) there is a systematic decrease in CD with increasing z. Current data do not place strong constraints on the porosity of the interstellar medium.
Mobilization of labelled N in soybean leaves during early podfill

Abstract Soybeans accumulate N in vegetative tissues up to pod initiation after which total vegetative N may remain constant during early phases of pod development. Eventually much of the vegetative N is mobilized to the pods. The mobilization of N from vegetative tissue to pods during the first few days of pod development is poorly understood but is important to an overall understanding of soybean N nutrition. The vegetative tissues of field grown soybeans were labelled with 15N and sampled weekly during the reproductive phase of plant growth. Three foliar applications of (15NH4)2SO4 were made prior to pod initiation at a combined rate of 3.3 kg N/ha. To immobilize soil N and to increase soybean dependance on N2‐fixation, sawdust was applied at a rate of 52 t ha‐1 . Irrigation was required almost weekly because of a shallow soil profile and below normal summer precipitation. Mobilization of vegetative N began immediately upon pod initiation and continued at a linear rate through pod development. It appea...
Generation mechanism and reduction methods of post-passivation-etch silklike polymers

Silk-like polymers (SLP) are inspected after photoresist stripping at the post-passivation-etch stage. They mainly distribute on the scribe lines between the die chips, but partially generate from the bonding pads and stay on the passivation films. Their width is around 100 - 200 nm, but the length could be extended to several hundred micrometers. The SLP will act as a mask with respect to the following low-power CF 4 plasma treatment and leave the SLP-shaped replicas on the passivation films. They even remain on the bonding pads to affect the bonding performance. An O 2 plasma cleaning chemicals was found with the ability to successfully remove the SLP. The formation mechanism of the SLP will be investigated and the prevention methods also discussed in the study.
The natural history of a phoretic sphaerocerid Diptera fauna

. 1 Three species of phoretic Sphaeroceridae kleptoparasitize the dung caches of scarab beetles in north Florida. Ceroptera sivinskii Marshall intercepts beetles under dung, then accompanies them into their burrows. Borborillus frigipennis (Spuler) rides on ball rolling and tunnelling scarabs. It perches on beetles both underground and in flight. B.singularis (Spuler) is similar in habits but is principally nocturnal. 2 Kleptoparasitism is probably a means of escaping environmental decay and competition in‘parent’faeces. Nonscarab competitors and predators are less abundant in beetle stored dung, and Borborillus spp. are among the few spaerocerids that flourish when large, rapidly developing calypterate flies are abundant. 3 Since oviposition in B.frigipennis occurs only underground, phoresy is an inexpensive and safe means to maintain contact with hosts. Males ride in order to find mates.
A note on the effect of lateral bending stiffness of stringers attached to a plate with a crack

An infinite stringer partially bonded to a plate through a layer of adhesive is considered. The stringer had bending as well as longitudinal stiffness. The effect of the stringer's bending rigidity on the stress intensity factor at the tip of the crack is illustrated. Shear stress distribution between the plate and the stringer and the stress intensity factors are obtained from the solution of a system of Fredholm integral equations. The continuity of displacements along the line of bond is represented by the equations.
Challenges in the diagnostic work-up and management of patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome and bilateral adrenal masses.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the challenges encountered in the diagnostic work-up and management of patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) and bilateral adrenal masses to aid in the case description of a patient with SCS and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH). Methods We describe our experience managing a patient with AIMAH and SCS. This case report is followed by an extensive review of the literature regarding differential diagnoses, work-up including adrenal venous sampling (AVS), and treatment of SCS with bilateral adrenal masses. Results A 51-year-old female who was diagnosed with recent onset hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 was evaluated for adrenal masses discovered incidentally on computed tomography (CT). She did not have any Cushingoid features. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of abdomen was performed for further evaluation. Hormonal evaluation came back consistent with SCS. The AVS results were consistent with bilateral autonomous cortisol hypersecretion without lateralization. Collectively, the findings favored the diagnosis of bilateral AIMAH. A left adrenalectomy was performed, and the patient's clinical response was favorable with improvement in blood pressure (BP) accompanied by significant weight loss. Follow-up hormonal testing for autonomous cortisol hypersecretion was within the target range. Conclusions AIMAH is a rare cause of SCS. AVS is a useful diagnostic tool that helps localize the source of autonomous cortisol hypersecretion in ACTH-independent SCS with bilateral adrenal masses, especially if radiological features are inconclusive. Patients undergoing unilateral adrenalectomy should be followed for monitoring of clinical response, as well as progression of AIMAH in the contralateral adrenal gland. (Endocr Pract. 2013;19:515-521)
Baryogenesis from a Chern-Simons condensate

We study a new mechanism of baryon asymmetry generation at the electroweak scale proposed by Shaposhnikov. We give an alternative derivation of the effective action in the presence of background fermion density by showing that the gauge current becomes anomalous in a finite-chemical-potential background. We distinguish between the (physically irrelevant) change in the Chern-Simons number due to large gauge transformations and the (physically relevant) change in it due to a finite chemical potential. At high temperatures, \ensuremath{\Delta}B created by tunneling between gauge-invariant vacua can be stored as a Chern-Simons condensate. At the phase transition, this state becomes unstable, but naively it decays to (a gauge transform of) the trivial vacuum with the same Chern-Simons number and hence no baryons are produced.
PHORBOL ESTERS INHIBIT FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR-2-STIMULATED FIBROBLAST PROLIFERATION BY A P38 MAP KINASE DEPENDENT PATHWAY

Treatment of fibroblasts with the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), specifically inhibits fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) induced proliferation. TPA treatment has little or no effect on FGF receptor activation but specifically inhibits the activation of p38 MAPK but not other downstream signaling pathways implicated in cell proliferation. p38 MAPK was recently shown to be required for the FGF-2-stimulated proliferation of fibroblasts. The effect of TPA on both p38 MAPK activation and cell proliferation can be reversed by treatment with the PKC inhibitor Go6983. The TPA-mediated inhibition of p38 MAPK activation requires phosphatase activity and is at least partially mediated by ERKs since it is reduced by treatment with the MEK inhibitor PD98059. In contrast, the FGF-2-stimulated differentiation of PC12 cells, which express the same FGF receptor as Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, is not affected by TPA treatment, consistent with a lack of involvement of p38 MAPK activity in this process. These data indicate that the effects of TPA treatment on cellular function are not only cell type but also stimulus specific and are dependent upon the distinct pathways activated downstream of each stimulus.
Airborne signalling by methyl salicylate in plant pathogen resistance

Methyl salicylate, a volatile liquid, also known as oil of winter-green, is made by a number of plants1–9. Here we show that methyl salicylate is a major volatile compound produced by tobacco plants inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus. Methyl salicylate is synthesized from salicylic acid, a non-volatile chemical signal required for the establishment of acquired resistance10 and local and systemic induction of antimicrobial pathogenesis-related proteins11. Methyl salicylate acts by being converted back to salicyclic acid. We conclude that methyl salicylate may function as an airborne signal which acitvates disease resistance and the expression of defence-related genes in neighbouring plants and in the healthy tissues of the infected plant.
Influences of predatory polychaetes and epibenthic predators on the structure of a soft-bottom community in a maine estuary

Abstract Field manipulations were used to determine the importance of two predatory polychaetes, Nereis virens Sars and Glycera dibranchiata Ehlers, and epibenthic predators in structuring an intertidal soft-bottom community in Maine. Epibenthic predators were excluded from portions of the soft bottom using cages which also enclosed elevated densities of the predatory polychaetes. The experiments ran 10 wk and 20 wk beginning in June 1979. Exclusion of epibenthic predators had no effect on infaunal densities after 10 wk but produced ≈ 1.5-fold increase in total density after 20 wk. Since gulls ( Larus spp.) avoided all cages, including those not designed to exclude epibenthic predators, the effect of gull predation on infaunal abundances was not tested using exclusion cages. Crabs, Carcinus maenas (Linnaeus) and Cancer irroratus Say were observed in cages not designed to exclude predators. Densities of Nephtys incisa Malmgren, Polydora ligni Webster, Streblospio benedicti Webster, Scoloplos robustus Verrill, phyllodocids, and bivalves were highest in cages containing elevated Glycera dibranchiata density and lowest in cages containing elevated Nereis virens density. N. virens was the only taxon whose abundance was reduced in the presence of Glycera dibranchiata which may account for high infaunal densities in the G. dibranchiata treatment. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that G. dibranchiata are capable of preying on Nereis virens . Additional field experiments revealed that the presence of N. Virens reduced the abundance of some taxa within the first 10 days of colonization. N. virens may have reduced infaunal densities by predation and/or disturbance at the sediment surface. These results suggest that complex interactions within the infauna are important in structuring marine soft-bottom communities.
Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS1 and PTGS2) expression and prostaglandin production by normal monkey ovarian surface epithelium.

Objective To determine whether hCG regulates the expression of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis enzymes and the production of PGs by normal monkey ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). Design Experimental animal study. Setting Research laboratory. Animal(s) Adult cynomolgus macaques. Intervention(s) Monkeys received exogenous gonadotropins to stimulate multiple follicular development. Ovarian surface epithelium cells and whole ovaries were obtained before (0 hours) and 36 hours after an ovulatory dose of hCG. Main Outcome Measure(s) Ovarian surface epithelium expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (PTGS1) and PTGS2 proteins was determined by immunocytochemistry. Prostaglandin synthesis enzyme messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined by RT-PCR. Prostaglandin E 2 and PGF 2α production was assessed by enzyme immunoassays. Result(s) Ovarian surface epithelium maintained in long-term culture expressed mRNA and protein for PTGS1 and PTGS2 (n = 6); inhibition of PTGS1, but not PTGS2, reduced PGE 2 synthesis (n = 3). Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 was present in OSE of ovarian tissue sections obtained 0 (n = 4) and 36 (n = 3) hours after hCG; PTGS2 was not detected. Ovarian surface epithelium collected 0 (n = 3) and 36 (n = 4) hours after hCG expressed mRNAs for PTGS1, PTGS2, and three PGE synthases; the ratio of PTGS2 to PTGS1 increased in response to hCG exposure. Conclusion(s) Monkey OSE expresses mRNA for PTGS1, PTGS2, and all PGE synthases and produces PGE 2 both before and 36 hours after hCG. Detection of PTGS1, but not PTGS2, protein in OSE in vivo supports the hypothesis that PTGS1 is the enzyme responsible for PGE 2 production by primate OSE in vivo.
Random differential equations as models of ecosystems— III. bayesian inference for parameters

Abstract The usefulness of the Bayesian inference for specifying and updating the parameters of the models of ecological systems based on long-term investigations has been examined. Our analyses indicate that in these systems this inferential procedure provides a rational basis for specifying the parameters and other input quantities of the model. Thus a modeling approach based on random differential equations, the principle of maximum entropy, and Bayesian inference is more useful than the deterministic modeling for applied problems in ecology and resource management.
Quantum channel capacity for OAM based free-space optical communications

We study the channel capacity for orbital angular momentum (OAM) based quantum free-space optical communications. Inspired by recent demonstrations for OAM-based single-photon communication, we construct the quantum density operator in matrix form, based on OAM eigenkets, and determine the quantum channel model suitable for study of the quantum communication over atmospheric turbulence channels. The quantum channel model is derived from OAM eigenkets transition probabilities. By using this model we determine the OAM quantum channel capacity in the presence of atmospheric turbulence. The proposed quantum channel model is of high importance for future study of quantum error correction coding to extend the transmission distance and data rate of free-space quantum communications.
The infleunce of factors associated with pancreatic proteolytic enzymes on HeLa cell colonial morphology.

The proteolytic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin in sublethal concentration modify HeLa cell colonial morphology by increasing compact colonies. There is no correlation between the amount of tryptic or chymotryptic activity of a given enzyme preparation and its ability to increase compact colonies. Proteolytic fractions containing high levels of “compact factor” activity, with low tryptic and chymotryptic activity, have been prepared from crude trypsin by disc electrophoresis. We propose that these preparations induce alteration in colonial morphology by changing cell membrane and surface charge.
Development of the N1-P2 auditory evoked response to amplitude rise time and rate of formant transition of speech sounds

Abstract We investigated the development of weighting strategies for acoustic cues by examining the morphology of the N1–P2 auditory evoked potential (AEP) to changes in amplitude rise time (ART) and rate of formant transition (RFT) of consonant–vowel (CV) pairs in 4–6-year olds and adults. In the AEP session, individuals listened passively to the CVs /ba/, /wa/, and a /ba/ with a superimposed slower-rising /wa/ envelope (/ba/ wa ). In the behavioral session, individuals listened to the same stimuli and judged whether they heard a /ba/ or /wa/. We hypothesized that a developmental shift in weighting strategies should be reflected in a change in the morphology of the N1–P2 AEP. In 6-year olds and adults, the N1–P2 amplitude at the vertex reflected a change in RFT but not in ART. In contrast, in the 4–5-year olds, the vertex N1–P2 did not show specificity to changes in ART or RFT. In all groups, the N1–P2 amplitude at channel C4 (right hemisphere) reflected a change in ART but not in RFT. Behaviorally, 6-year olds and adults predominately utilized RFT cues (classified /ba/ wa as /ba/) during phonetic judgments, as opposed to 4–5-year olds which utilized both cues equally. Our findings suggest that both ART and RFT are encoded in the auditory cortex, but an N1–P2 shift toward the vertex following age 4–5 indicates a shift toward an adult-like weighting strategy, such that, to utilize RFT to a greater extent.
DNA assembly and enzymatic cutting in solutions: a gold nanoparticle based SERS detection strategy

The ability to monitor biomolecular recognition such as DNA hybridization and enzymatic reactivity in solutions with high sensitivity is important for developing effective bioassay strategies. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based on use of solid substrates to produce the SERS effect for the detection often requires substrate preparation which is ineffective for rapid monitoring. This report describes a new strategy exploiting a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) based interparticle “hot-spot” for SERS monitoring of DNA mediated assembly and enzyme induced cleavage of the assembly in solution phase. The DNAs consist of two different complementary DNA strands with a thiol modification for attachment to AuNPs of selected sizes. In a solution containing AuNPs conjugated with one of the single-stranded (ss) DNA and other AuNPs labeled with a Raman reporter molecule, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA), the introduction of the complementary DNA strand leads to a linkage of the two types of AuNPs, producing double-stranded (ds) DNA–AuNP assembly (ds-DNA–AuNPs) with an interparticle “hot-spot” for SERS detection of the diagnostic bands of the reporter. Upon introducing a restriction enzyme (e.g. MspI) into the ds-DNA–AuNP assembly solution, the removal of the interparticle “hot-spot” due to restriction enzyme cleavage of the ds-DNA leads to a decrease of the SERS signals. While the detailed cleavage process may depend on the reaction time and the amount of enzyme, the viability of using gold nanoparticle “hot-spot” based SERS monitoring of DNA assembly and enzyme cleavage is clearly demonstrated, which has important implications for developing new strategies for bioassays.
A Central-U.S. Summer Extreme Dew-Point Climatology (1949-2000)

Daily average dew points (DADPs) were examined at 68 central-U.S. weather stations from 1949 to 2000 to identify temporal trends in the occurrence of summer (June—August) extreme surface dew-point days (DADP ≥22°C). Data homogeneity testing revealed that changes in equipment, station location, and instrument height, in addition to calculated DADPs based on available hourly data caused very few statistically significant changes in the data. Temporal patterns based on four 13-yr. periods indicated that much of the Midwest experienced a consistent increase in extreme DADPs through time while those along the Gulf Coast remained generally unchanged. Using accumulated DADP departure from the median graphs, the 52-yr. record was separated into two periods. A comparison of the mean frequency from an earlier (1949-1976) to later (1977-2000) period indicated that the greatest percent increases also occurred in the Midwest. Smaller increases to the south of this area suggest that these increases are not primarily li...
An explanation of ecological and developmental constants

HUTCHINSON1 noted that congeneric species which diverge in size when sympatric tend to differ in the length of their feeding structures by a factor of about 1.28. He postulated that this average amount of character displacement represented the lower limit to similarity for competing species. It has also been noted that the relative size increase between larval instars of many arthropods (Dyar's constant)2, or between year classes in many salamanders (as reported here), has the same magnitude as Hutchinson's constant. The similarity of this developmental constant to the ecological constant suggests that the degree of divergence between age classes has the same ecological basis as that between competing species. Although many examples of these apparent ecological and developmental constants have been documented, there is yet no mechanism to explain either their relative degree of constancy or their average magnitude3. Here I offer a possible explanation for both.
Reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract in neonates and infants using valved cryopreserved femoral vein homografts

Objectives Aortic or pulmonary homografts (A/PHs) are common biomaterials used for restoration of right ventricle to pulmonary artery continuity for repair of various congenital heart defects. The smaller sized homografts required for early primary repair in neonates and infants are prone to early failure and are in short supply. Due to these limitations, since 2008 it has been our preference to use valved segments of cryopreserved femoral vein homograft (cFVH) for right ventricle to pulmonary artery reconstruction. This study was undertaken to assess the performance of cFVH compared with A/PH in neonates and infants. Methods A retrospective review of all infants and neonates who underwent biventricular early primary repair with right ventricle to pulmonary artery reconstruction using homograft conduits at a single center was conducted. Patients who received cFVH constituted the study group, whereas all other patients received A/PH and formed the control group. Patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and major aortopulmonary collaterals who had conduits placed to promote pulmonary artery growth or to unifocalized pulmonary vasculature were excluded from the study because they have different clinical indications for reoperation and reintervention. Demographic, anatomical, perioperative, and follow-up variables were compared between the groups using univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests were used to identify intergroup differences in freedom from catheter intervention, reoperation, or overall freedom from reintervention (catheter and/or surgical). Results A total of 36 patients (20 cFVH and 16 A/PH) were included in the study. There were no intergroup differences in the demographic, anatomic, and perioperative variables, except for significantly shorter aortic crossclamp time in the cFVH group. Univariate analysis revealed a higher catheter reintervention rate as well as higher reoperation rate in the A/PH group. Multivariate Cox regression correcting for the intergroup differences in the length of follow-up revealed comparable freedom from catheter intervention, freedom from reoperation, or freedom from either intervention in the cFVH and the A/PH groups. Conclusions Valved femoral vein homografts have comparable short- and intermediate-term performance to A/PHs for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction and are an attractive alternative to other small conduits for use in neonates and infants.
Electrochemical investigations into polypyrrole/aluminum flake pigmented coatings

In this study polypyrrole was synthesized in the presence of aluminum flake to produce polypyrrole/aluminum flake hybrids. The resulting flakes were incorporated into a standard epoxy coating at relatively high pigment volume concentrations with the end goal of producing a conducting film capable of providing corrosion inhibition to an aluminum alloy. To further investigate the coatings, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to characterize the effects of the pigment volume concentration (PVC) on the impedances of the coatings. Additionally, the nature of the polypyrrole, chemical composition, and surface morphology of the hybrid were characterized by a density test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Disentangling Fine Motor Skills’ Relations to Academic Achievement: The Relative Contributions of Visual-Spatial Integration and Visual-Motor Coordination

ABSTRACT Recent research has established a connection between children's fine motor skills and their academic performance. Previous research has focused on fine motor skills measured prior to elementary school, while the present sample included children ages 5–18 years old, making it possible to examine whether this link remains relevant throughout childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, the majority of research linking fine motor skills and academic achievement has not determined which specific components of fine motor skill are driving this relation. The few studies that have looked at associations of separate fine motor tasks with achievement suggest that copying tasks that tap visual-spatial integration skills are most closely related to achievement. The present study examined two separate elements of fine motor skills—visual-motor coordination and visual-spatial integration—and their associations with various measures of academic achievement. Visual-motor coordination was measured using tracing tasks...
German literary culture at the zero hour

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, German intellectuals and writers were forced to confront perhaps the most difficult complex of problems ever faced by modern intellectuals in the western world: the complete defeat and devastation of their country, the crimes of the Hitler dictatorship, the onset of the Cold War, and ultimately the political division of the nation. To a large extent these debates took place in literature and literary discourse, and they continue to have pressing relevance for Germany today, when the country is rediscovering and exploring this previously neglected period in literature and film. Yet the period has been neglected in scholarship, and is little understood; for the first time in English, this book offers a systematic overview of the hotly contested intellectual debates of this period: the problem of German guilt, the question of the return of literary and political emigres such as Thomas Mann, the relevance of the cultural tradition of German humanism for the postwar period, the threat of nihilism, the politicization of literature, and the status of German young people who had been indoctrinated by the Nazis. Stephen Brockmann challenges the received wisdom that the immediate postwar period in Germany was intellectually barren, characterized primarily by silence on the major issues of the day; he reveals, in addition to attempts to obfuscate those issues, a German intellectual-and literary-world characterized by an often high level of dialogue and debate. Stephen Brockmann is professor of German at Carnegie Mellon University. He is the recipient of the 2007 DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Prize for Distinguished Scholarship in German and European Studies/Humanities.
On the Observability of Extrasolar Planetary Systems

Abstract An unresolved companion to a variable star can in principle be detected by taking the apparent autocovariance function of a suitable photometric record of the system.
Factors Influencing the Acoustic-Immittance Characteristics of the Acoustic Reflex

Measurements of the aural acoustic-immittance (admittance and impedance) characteristics of the middle-ear transmission system in humans during the quiescent (static) and reflexive states were made...
Different administrative directions and student ratings of instruction: Cognitive versus affective effects

A manipulation of the instructions students received prior to completing the 7-item Endeavor Instructional Rating card differentially affected their ratings on two types of items. Specifically, when students were led to believe their ratings would have a strong impact on the instructor's career, they tended to be more lenient on items measuring rapport (i.e., the affective domain); this same effect was not observed for items measuring pedagogical skill (i.e., the cognitive domain). The different items on our instructional rating instrument appear to be measuring different things. One implication of this observation is that the inconsistent findings reported in past research on student ratings of instruction may be due to the differential mix of items from one instrument to another. When instructors are compared on ratings given them by students, unbiased interpretation requires that the multidimensional nature of teaching (and of the rating instrument) be considered.
Application of PSCF and CPF to PMF-Modeled Sources of PM2.5 in Pittsburgh

Ambient PM 2.5 composition data in Pittsburgh, PA have been used with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to determine the major sources of PM 2.5 sampled. This paper describes the use of the potential source contribution function (PSCF) with the PMF-modeled source contributions to locate the sources in a grid of 0.1° × 0.1° cells. The domain extends from the Pittsburgh Supersite at 40.44°N, 79.94°W over the range 35°–50° north latitude and 75°–90° west longitude. Six-hour back trajectories have been obtained from HYSPLIT four times each day for the 13 months of the study for use with PSCF. Using the results, higher probability locations are compared with known locations of specific source types, based on information from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and the EPA AIRS Database. PSCF results for several sources are compared to the conditional probability function (CPF) analysis, which uses 15-minute wind direction data to determine the most probable direction of a source. Using PSCF and CPF togethe...
Creating Digital Places for Culture and Community

This abstract discusses a doctoral research at the Harvard Design School. This research is focused around a set of Kumeyaay Native American communities based in the San Diego region of Southern California. This paper discusses the mechanism of collecting, structuring, and disseminating video, audio, and image-based narratives and artifacts that are submitted by community members. In particular, this paper discusses my hypothesis that an intelligently designed Web infrastructure that employs a proactive agent can provide communities with the ability to archive cultural information, expand their social networks, and engage in important processes of communication that may be currently lacking as a result of existing dynamics
Differential geometry on Grassmann algebras

H. C. Lee [1] developed the analogue of Riemannian geometry on a real symplectic manifold — the fundamental skew two-form taking the place of the symmetric tensor. The usual Riemannian concepts do not adapt themselves very well, thus ‘curvature’ is represented by a tensor of the third rank and ‘Killing's equations’ now involve this ‘curvature tensor’. The immediate reason for this is that otherwise familiar terms appear with the wrong sign. We have found that these unaesthetic features disappear, and formal elegance is marvellously restored, when the manifold is replaced by a Grassmann algebra. The connection with supersymmetry is explained but applications are not reported here.
Microtomography-Based Simulation of Transport through Open-Cell Metal Foams

Important heat transfer parameters of aluminum foams of varying pore sizes are investigated through CT-scanning at 20 micron resolution. Small sub-samples from the resulting images are processed to generate feature-preserving, finite-volume meshes of high quality. All three foam samples exhibit similar volumetric porosity (in the range ∼91–93%), and thereby a similar thermal conductivity. Effective tortuosity for conduction along the coordinate directions is also calculated. Permeability simulations in the Darcy flow regime with air and water show that the foam permeability is isotropic and is of the order of 10−7 m2. The convective heat transfer results computed for this range of Reynolds numbers exhibit a dependence on the linear porosity, even though the corresponding volumetric porosity is the same for all the samples considered.
Central salivary gland tumors of the maxilla and mandible: A clinicopathologic study of 11 cases with an analysis of the literature

Centrally occurring salivary gland neoplasms of the jaws are rare. The clinical and histologic features of 11 cases including mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma were reviewed. The patients ranged in age from 10 to 67 years, with a mean age of 45 years. Males and females were almost equally affected. Ten cases were intramandibular and 1 case was of maxillary origin. Eight of 11 tumors either were histologically associated with an odontogenic cyst, or there was some recent history of exodontia in the tumor area. A review of the pertinent literature yielded 127 previously reported centrally occurring primary salivary gland tumors arising within the maxilla and mandible. An analysis of these cases, their clinical and histologic characteristics, as well as a discussion regarding their probable histogenesis and new suggestions for clinical staging, has been included.