cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are the ghosts of nature's past haunting ecology today?

Summary Humans have decimated populations of large-bodied consumers and their functions in most of the world's ecosystems. It is less clear how human activities have affected the diversity of habitats these consumers occupy. Rebounding populations of some predators after conservation provides an opportunity to begin to investigate this question. Recent research shows that following long-term protection, sea otters along the northeast Pacific coast have expanded into estuarine marshes and seagrasses, and alligators on the southeast US coast have expanded into saltwater ecosystems, habitats presently thought beyond their niche space. There is also evidence that seals have expanded into subtropical climates, mountain lions into grasslands, orangutans into disturbed forests and wolves into coastal marine ecosystems. Historical records, surveys of protected areas and patterns of animals moving into habitats that were former hunting hotspots indicate that — rather than occupying them for the first time — many of these animals are in fact recolonizing ecosystems. Recognizing that many large consumers naturally live and thrive across a greater diversity of ecosystems has implications for setting historical baselines for predator diversity within specific habitats, enhancing the resilience of newly colonized ecosystems and for plans to recover endangered species, as a greater range of habitats is available for large consumers as refugia from climate-induced threats.
Exploring the Intention to Use Computers: An Empirical Investigation of the Role of Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, and Perceived Ease of Use

This research utilizes the Integrated Model of Technology Acceptance (IMTA) to study the intention to use computers among first line managers in a mid-sized manufacturing organization (n=172). As h...
An Overview of Sacral Decubitus Ulcer

Pressure injuries, known as decubitus ulcers, are a challenge to the healthcare community. One of the most common sites involved is the sacrum. There are four main factors that cause pressure injuries: pressure over bony prominence, shear force, destruction of skin, and compromised blood flow. While primary prevention of pressure ulcers remains essential, sound wound care, optimization of nutrition, and secondary prevention of ulcer deterioration are the main components of management of this complex clinical entity. In addition, various novel surgical reconstruction flaps (e.g., V-Y fasciocutaneous advancement and gluteus maximus muscle rotation flaps) can help with early tissue coverage and fasten recovery.
Physicochemical and electrochemical characterization of cation-exchange membranes modified with polyethyleneimine for elucidating enhanced monovalent permselectivity of electrodialysis

Abstract Monovalent permselective cation-exchange membrane (CEM) CR671 was developed by coating polyethyleneimine onto the normal grade CEM CR67. Pilot-scale electrodialysis of brackish groundwater demonstrated excellent monovalent permselectivity of the modified CR671 as compared to the normal grade CR67. Advanced analytical approaches were employed to characterize the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the CEMs to elucidate the mechanisms of permselectivity. Ion-exchange capacities of the CR671 and CR67 were measured to be 2.0 and 2.1 meq/g dry membrane, respectively. Zeta-potential analysis revealed that the CR671 surface was positively charged as a result of polyethyleneimine coating. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data indicated larger impedance for the CR671 and fitted well to the Maxwell-Wagner model, which provided an equivalent electric circuit for the CEMs, as well as indication of the existence of polyethyleneimine layer. The time constants of different ions transporting through polyethyleneimine modification layer were calculated based on the EIS responses. The results revealed the polyethyleneimine modification layer led to longer transport time for Ca2+ ions through the CR671 than for Na+ ions, supporting the pilot-scale testing results that the CR671 improved the Na+ removal by selectively rejecting Ca2+ ions. However, the difference in ion transport time became less significant with increasing ionic strength of the feed water. The EIS results suggest the monovalent permselectivity decreased during treatment of higher salinity water, supporting the finding that the CR671 exhibited higher monovalent permselectivity during electrodialysis of brackish groundwater than reverse osmosis concentrate in which the salt concentration was 5.7 times higher than the brackish groundwater. This study demonstrates that ion transport time constant is a better indicator for permselectivity of modified ion-exchange membranes than electrical resistance measured by EIS.
Lazarus without limits: scripture, tradition and the cultural life of a text

The ‘raising of Lazarus’ is integrally connected with ‘the harrowing of hell’ in those liturgical traditions which rightly value the linkage between the two for reflection on the scope and meaning ...
Validation of leaf enzymes in the detergent and textile industries: launching of a new platform technology

Chemical catalysts are being replaced by biocatalysts in almost all industrial applications due to environmental concerns, thereby increasing their demand. Enzymes used in current industries are produced in microbial systems or plant seeds. We report here five newly launched leaf-enzyme products and their validation with 15 commercial microbial-enzyme products, for detergent or textile industries. Enzymes expressed in chloroplasts are functional at broad pH/temperature ranges as crude-leaf extracts, while most purified commercial enzymes showed significant loss at alkaline pH or higher temperature, required for broad range commercial applications. In contrast to commercial liquid enzymes requiring cold storage/transportation, chloroplast enzymes as a leaf powder can be stored up to 16 months at ambient temperature without loss of enzyme activity. Chloroplast-derived enzymes are stable in crude-leaf extracts without addition of protease inhibitors. Leaf lipase/mannanase crude extracts removed chocolate or mustard oil stains effectively at both low and high temperatures. Moreover, leaf lipase or mannanase crude-extracts removed stain more efficiently at 70 °C than commercial microbial enzymes (<10% activity). Endoglucanase and exoglucanase in crude leaf extracts removed dye efficiently from denim surface and depilled knitted fabric by removal of horizontal fibre strands. Due to an increased demand for enzymes in the food industry, marker-free lettuce plants expressing lipase or cellobiohydrolase were created for the first time and site-specific transgene integration/homoplasmy was confirmed by Southern blots. Thus, leaf-production platform offers a novel low-cost approach by the elimination of fermentation, purification, concentration, formulation and cold-chain storage/transportation. This is the first report of commercially launched protein products made in leaves and validated with current commercial products.
Imaging of Tissue-Specific and Temporal Activation of GPCR Signaling Using DREADD Knock-In Mice

Engineered G protein-coupled receptors (DREADDs, designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) are convenient tools for specific activation of GPCR signaling in many cell types. DREADDs have been utilized as research tools to study numerous cellular and physiologic processes, including regulation of neuronal activity, behavior, and metabolism. Mice with random insertion transgenes and adeno-associated viruses have been widely used to express DREADDs in individual cell types. We recently created and characterized ROSA26-GsDREADD knock-in mice to allow Cre recombinase-dependent expression of a Gαs-coupled DREADD (GsD) fused to GFP in distinct cell populations in vivo. These animals also harbor a CREB-activated luciferase reporter gene for analysis of CREB activity by in vivo imaging, ex vivo imaging, or biochemical reporter assays. In this chapter, we provide detailed methods for breeding GsD animals, inducing GsD expression, stimulating GsD activity, and measuring basal and stimulated CREB reporter bioluminescence in tissues in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. These animals are available from our laboratory for non-profit research.
CT bone density analysis of low-impact proximal femur fractures using Hounsfield units

Abstract Aim To quantify and compare changes in bone mineral density (BMD) via CT analysis in patients with and without spontaneous femoral fractures. Materials and methods Consecutive series of patients with CT imaging for spontaneous femoral fractures were compared to the age and gender matched controls. Bone density fixed region of interest measurements were obtained at the site of the fracture, proximally at the femoral head, and distally at the lesser trochanter in fracture patients and controls. Inter- and intrapatient comparisons were performed, including Chi-square and t-test analyses. Results 24 spontaneous fractures and 25 controls were analyzed with no significant differences in mean age, gender, or body mass index. There were differences in the bone density between the fracture and contralateral non-fracture sides at (p = 0.0001) and distal (p Conclusion Patients with spontaneous femoral fractures exhibit lower bone density than the asymptomatic controls. Bone insufficiency is best demonstrated proximal or distal to, rather than at the fracture site.
Convolution Estimates and Number of Disjoint Partitions

Let $X$ be a finite collection of sets. We count the number of ways a disjoint union of $n-1$ subsets in $X$ is a set in $X$, and estimate the number from above by $|X|^{c(n)}$ where $$ c(n)=\left(1-\frac{(n-1)\ln (n-1)}{n\ln n} \right)^{-1}. $$ This extends the recent result of Kane-Tao, corresponding to the case $n=3$ where $c(3)\approx 1.725$, to an arbitrary finite number of disjoint $n-1$ partitions.
Abstract #854: Role for FoxO3a in the apoptotic response of ZNF198-FGFR1-expressing leukemia cells to kinase inhibitor therapy

8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is a stem cell disease characterized by chromosomal translocations producing fusions of the tyrosine kinase FGFR1 with several partner proteins. ZNF198-FGFR1, product of the t(8;13) translocation, is a cytoplasmic, constitutively activated tyrosine kinase. Here, we show that PD173074, a potent and selective FGFR kinase inhibitor, inhibits the proliferation and survival of IL-3-independent Ba/F3 cell lines stably expressing FGFR1 fusion kinases (IC50 99%. Upon PD173074 treatment, there were lower levels of apoptosis in these cells and no induction of Bim. However, because ZNF198-FGFR1 was still inhibited, the cells were eventually sensitive to the drug in vitro. To assess the importance of FoxO3a to the response to kinase inhibitor therapy in vivo, we injected Balb/c mice with ZNF198-FGFR1 Ba/F3 cells expressing either a scrambled shRNA or FoxO3a shRNA, and treated them daily with 20 mg/kg PD173074 by oral gavage. Untreated mice succumbed by 19 days post-transplant, while PD173074 treatment prolonged the survival of mice injected with scrambled shRNA-expressing cells (median survival 50 days) without obvious drug toxicity. By contrast, PD173074 was much less effective in mice injected with FoxO3a shRNA-expressing cells (median survival 39 days, P Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 854.
Networking in the digital age: Identifying factors that influence adolescents’ online communication and relationship building

This study utilized social network analysis to examine the communication strategies of 54 high school students (2, 916 relationships) within a private online group. Communication strategies were id...
Pyrvinium Pamoate Use in a B cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Model of the Bone Tumor Microenvironment

Pyrvinium pamoate (PP) is an anthelmintic drug that has been found to have anti-cancer activity in several cancer types. In the present study, we evaluated PP for potential anti-leukemic activity in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines, in an effort to evaluate the repurposing potential of this drug in leukemia. ALL cells were treated with PP at various concentrations to determine its effect on cell proliferation. Metabolic function was tested by evaluating Extracellular Acidification Rate (ECAR) and Oxygen Consumption Rate (OCR). Lastly, 3D spheroids were grown, and PP was reformulated into nanoparticles to evaluate distribution effectiveness. PP was found to inhibit ALL proliferation, with varied selectivity to different ALL cell subtypes. We also found that PP’s cell death activity was specific for leukemic cells, as primary normal immune cells were resistant to PP-mediated cell death. Metabolic studies indicated that PP, in part, inhibits mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. To increase the targeting of PP to a hypoxic bone tumor microenvironment (BTME) niche, we successfully encapsulated PP in a nanoparticle drug delivery system and demonstrated that it retained its anti-leukemic activity in a hemosphere assay. We have demonstrated that PP is a novel therapeutic lead compound that counteracts the respiratory reprogramming found in refractory ALL cells and can be effectively formulated into a nanoparticle delivery system to target the BTME.
The Kabuliwalas: Afghan moneylending and the credit cosmopolis of British India, c. 1880–1947:

Immortalised in Rabindranath Tagore’s short story ‘The Kabuliwala’, the Afghan moneylender has appeared in many studies about rural and urban India as an unwanted interloper. This article presents ...
Embodied value: Wealth‐in‐people

In a world of social inequality, health disparities, and poverty, the economic value of people remains unrecognized, undervalued, and exploited Recently, the ongoing conflict between capitalist markets and human value came to the fore again during the coronavirus pandemic, when many health systems were unprepared In the United States, business and government leaders feared that quarantines would damage the economy Their public statements urging the reopening of stores and public spaces pitted market value against the value of human lives How can anthropology bring the value of people to light? How have varied societies valued human lives, qualities, and works? The articles in this special issue develop the 2019 Society for Economic Anthropology conference theme "Wealth‐in‐People " Inspired by ethnographies of certain African societies, the wealth‐in‐people literature has moved from politics and demography to inequality and marginalization to the pricing of life, and has settled on wealth‐in‐people as a collective that assembles individuals with diverse and complementary qualities Collectives of wealth‐in‐people build on these qualities, including knowledge, skill, beauty, emotional and distributive labor, and artistic expression They become more than the sum of their parts Seen from our current moment, wealth‐in‐people as a theory of value takes us beyond false choices between the economy and people By illuminating forms of economic life from the ground up, the wealth‐in‐people approach, like similar recent concepts, including the human economy and social worth, can catalyze a more democratic economy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Economic Anthropology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )
Genetic pathways disrupted by ENPP1 deficiency provide insight into mechanisms of osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and paradoxical mineralization

Abstract Ectonucleotide phosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) deficiency results in either lethal arterial calcifications (‘Generalized Arterial Calcification of Infancy’ – GACI), phosphate wasting rickets (‘Autosomal Recessive Hypophosphatemic Rickets type 2’ – ARHR2), early onset osteoporosis, or progressive spinal rigidity (‘Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament’ – OPLL). As ENPP1 generates a strong endogenous mineralization inhibitor – extracellular pyrophosphate (PPi) – ENPP1 deficiency should not result in reduced bone volume, and therefore the mechanism ENPP1 associated osteoporosis is not apparent given current understanding of the enzyme's function. To investigate genetic pathways driving the skeletal phenotype of ENPP1 deficiency we compared gene expression in Enpp1asj/asj mice and WT sibling pairs by RNAseq and qPCR in whole bones, and in the liver and kidney by qPCR, directly correlating gene expression with measures of bone microarchitectural and biomechanical phenotypes. Unbiased analysis of the differentially expressed genes compared to relevant human disease phenotypes revealed that Enpp1asj/asj mice exhibit strong signatures of osteoporosis, ARHR2 and OPLL. We found that ENPP1 deficient mice exhibited reduced gene transcription of Wnt ligands in whole bone and increased transcription of soluble Wnt inhibitors in the liver and kidney, suggestive of multiorgan inhibition of Wnt activity. Consistent with Wnt suppression in bone, Collagen gene pathways in bone were significantly decreased and Fgf23 was significantly increased, all of which directly correlated with bone microarchitectural defects and fracture risk in Enpp1asj/asj mice. Moreover, the bone findings in 10-week old mice correlated with Enpp1 transcript counts but not plasma [PPi], suggesting that the skeletal phenotype at 10 weeks is driven by catalytically independent ENPP1 function. In contrast, the bone findings in 23-week Enpp1asj/asj mice strongly correlated with plasma PPi, suggesting that chronically low PPi drives the skeletal phenotype in older mice. Finally, correlation between Enpp1 and Fgf23 transcription suggested ENPP1 regulation of Fgf23, which we confirmed by dosing Enpp1asj/asj mice with soluble ENPP1-Fc and observing suppression of intact plasma FGF23 and ALP. In summary, our findings suggest that osteoporosis associated with ENPP1 deficiency involves the suppression of Wnt via catalytically independent Enpp1 pathways, and validates Enpp1asj/asj mice as tools to better understand OPLL and Paradoxical Mineralization Disorders.
Autophagy-mediated reduction of miR-345 contributes to hepatic cystogenesis in polycystic liver disease.

Background & Aims Polycystic liver disease (PLD) is characterised by increased autophagy and reduced miRNA levels in cholangiocytes. Given that autophagy has been implicated in miRNA regulation, we tested the hypothesis that increased autophagy accounts for miRNA reduction in PLD cholangiocytes (PLDCs) and accelerated hepatic cystogenesis. Methods We assessed miRNA levels in cultured normal human cholangiocytes (NHCs), PLDCs, and isolated PLDC autophagosomes by miRNA-sequencing (miRNA-seq), and miRNA targets by mRNA-seq. Levels of miR-345 and miR-345-targeted proteins in livers of animals and humans with PLD, in NHCs and PLDCs, and in PLDCs transfected with pre-miR-345 were assessed by in situ hybridisation (ISH), quantitative PCR, western blotting, and fluorescence confocal microscopy. We also assessed cell proliferation and cyst growth in vitro, and hepatic cystogenesis in vivo. Results In total, 81% of miRNAs were decreased in PLDCs, with levels of 10 miRNAs reduced by more than 10 times; miR-345 was the most-reduced miRNA. In silico analysis and luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-345 targets included cell-cycle and cell-proliferation-related genes [i.e. cell division cycle 25A (CDC25A), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), E2F2, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)]; levels of 4 studied miR-345 targets were increased in PLDCs at both the mRNA and protein levels. Transfection of PLDCs with pre-miR-345 increased miR-345 and decreased the expression of miR-345-targeted proteins, cell proliferation, and cyst growth in vitro. MiR-345 accumulated in autophagosomes in PLDCs but not NHCs. Inhibition of autophagy increased miR-345 levels, decreased the expression of miR-345-targeted proteins, and reduced hepatic cystogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion Autophagy-mediated reduction of miR-345 in PLDCs (i.e. miRNAutophagy) accelerates hepatic cystogenesis. Inhibition of autophagy restores miR-345 levels, decreases cyst growth, and is beneficial for PLD. Lay summary Polycystic liver disease (PLD) is an incurable genetic disorder characterised by the progressive growth of hepatic cysts. We found that hepatic cystogenesis is increased when the levels of miR-345 in PLD cholangiocytes (PLDCs) are reduced by autophagy. Restoration of miR-345 in PLDCs via inhibition of autophagy decreases hepatic cystogenesis and thus, is beneficial for PLD.
African-American Catholic serial literature prior to 1960 : Titles and sources

This study identifies the titles and discusses the sources of periodical literature regarding African-American Catholics prior to two roughly coinciding and momentous events-the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church, 1962-1965, and the start of this century's American civil rights movement. Beginning in the 1880s, serials about and for black Catholics were published by both religious and secular individuals and institutions. Most of the titles were short-lived and inadequately preserved, providing an uneven but important record of African-American Catholics-a religious minority within a racial minority.
Body water compartments in children: changes during growth and related changes in body composition.

During growth of infants and children, certain characteristic changes are found. A rapid decrease of the relative volumes of total body water and of extracellular water occurs during the first year of life, followed by a smaller decrease of volume of extracellular water later in childhood. At the same time an increased heterogeneity of the extracellular water takes place. On the other hand, the volume of intracellular water increases a little during the first months of life and remains more or less constant from then on. Formulas and nomograms from which these body water compartments can be predicted are presented. Finally, data on the corresponding changes in the total body water and in body specific gravity are discussed.
ESEM Development and Application in Cultural Heritage Conservation

This chapter reviews the use of the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) as a general research and experimental tool in the study aid conservation of cultural property. As such, it departs from a typical survey of the literature and instead concentrates on the practical development and application of the ESEM system — based chiefly on personal experience in the allied fields of Museum and Conservation Science. These are both multidisciplinary fields, applying information from chemistry, materials science, art history and other areas to problems such as material degradation mechanisms, the testing of new preservation techniques and the study of ancient materials and technologies.
Evaluating Ecosystem Management Capabilities at the Local Level in Florida: Identifying Policy Gaps Using Geographic Information Systems

Because ecosystem approaches to management adhere to ecological systems rather than human-defined boundaries, collaboration across jurisdiction, agencies, and land ownership is often necessary to achieve effective management of transboundary resources. Local natural resource and land use planners increasingly recognize that while ecosystem management requires looking beyond specific jurisdictions and focusing on broad spatial scales, the approach will partly be implemented at the local level with the coordination of local policies across larger landscapes. This article evaluates the collective capabilities of local jurisdictions to manage large transboundary ecological systems in Florida. Specifically, it combines plan evaluation with geographic information systems (GIS) techniques to map, measure, and analyze the existing mosaic of management across selected ecosystems in the southern portion of the State. Visual and statistical results indicate significant gaps in the management framework of southern Florida that, if filled, could achieve a greater level of consistency and more complete coverage of ecosystem management policies. Based on the spatial distribution of 58 ecosystem management indicators, notable gaps persist in the southwest coast, southeast coast, and central Everglades ecosystems, particularly for wildlife corridors and collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions. We also test for spatial autocorrelation of ecosystem planning scores and find that local jurisdictions with strong ecosystem management capabilities tend to cluster within specific ecosystems. Based on the findings, we make recommendations on how and where local plans can be strengthened to more effectively attain the objectives of ecosystem approaches to management.
Parameters for the Treatment of Urticaria and Angioedema

This month's CPG column reviews "The Diagnosis and Management of Urticaria: a Practice Parameter Part I: Acute Urticaria/Angioedema and Part II: Chronic Urticaria/Angioedema." As many as 15%-24% of the U.S. population may experience at least one episode of urticaria and/or angioedema in their lifetime. Evaluation and treatment is dependent on whether the urticaria/angioedema is acute or chronic because they are fundamentally different disorders. Acute urticaria is frequently self-limited and usually caused by an allergic reaction to an identifiable agent. Chronic urticaria is usually due to an endogenous cause, one that is difficult to identify and to treat. Due to the magnitude, potential seriousness and chronicity of urticaria and angioedema, this CPG should be quite useful to nurse practitioners in a variety of settings.
Characterization of repetitive elements in several Cucurbita species.

About 1.3×105 copies of a tandemly arranged, 351 base pair element constitute from 4 to 8% of the Cucurbita pepo genome. A homologous, high copy number repetitive element is present in the genomes of C. moschata and C. foetidissima, but not in C. maxima or Cucumis sativus. Array lengths of at least 65 members have been detected for C. pepo, and 140 for C. moschata. The nucleotide sequence of six C. pepo repeat units were determined and each was found to be unique, differing from the others at from 7 to 23 positions. The element was composed of highly modified DNA as evidenced by the fact that only one of its two Hpa I restriction sites is subject to digestion and by the observation that all internal Cs and about half of the external Cs of its single Hpa II site are methylated. At least 5 cellular RNA species contain sequences complementary to one of the DNA strands of the element. These have discrete sizes of 3.0, 2.3, 1.8, 1.3 and 0.5 kb. Such transcripts are detected in C. pepo, C. moschata and C. foetidissima stem and/or leaf RNA, but not root RNA and are probably not polyadenylated. No transcripts were found which contain sequences complementary to the other DNA strand of the element.
A Note on the Linear Stability of Burgers Vortex

A two-parameter family of analytical solutions of the linearized equations for axially dependent disturbances to the three-dimensional base strain field associated with the well-known axisymmetric Burgers vortex is presented. The solutions are valid asymptotically at large axial distances from the stagnation point. By a formal perturbation analysis, perturbative solutions are also found for disturbances to the Burgers vortex for small Reynolds numbers. The solutions are believed to provide important insights into the nature of the as-yet-unsolved problem of the linear stability of Burgers vortex to axially varying disturbances.
Exploring Literacy Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs: Potential Sources at Play.

Abstract This study explored the antecedents of self-efficacy beliefs for literacy instruction and the relationship of these beliefs to self-efficacy for teaching in general. Factor analysis demonstrated construct validity of the measure of TSELI developed. Moderate correlations between TSELI and the more general TSES suggest that while there is some overlap, they are not the same thing. In a regression analysis, the quality of university preparation, highest level of education, participation in a book club, school level, resources available for classroom books, teachers’ sense of efficacy for instructional strategies and for student engagement all explain variance in TSELI.
Tris(t-butyl)terpyridine-copper(ii) complexes and ligand field effects.

A series of [Cu(L3′)(NCS)(L/X)]+/0 complexes (L3′ = 4,4′,4″-tri-tert-butyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine; L = CH3OH; X = NCS, [NCAuCN]) has been prepared and characterized with X-ray crystallography, UV-vis and IR spectroscopies, and DFT calculations. The structure of starting material [Cu(L3′)(NO3)2], 1b, was determined as well as the structures of the five-coordinate copper isothiocyanate complexes [Cu(L3′)(NCS)(MeOH)](PF6), 2b, [Cu(L3′)(NCAuCN)(NCS)], 4, and two pseudo-polymorphs of bis-isothiocyanate [Cu(L3′)(NCS)2], 3a and 3b·CH3CN. The square pyramidal structures of 3a and 3b differ markedly from the more trigonal bipyramidal [Cu(terpy)(NCS)2]. Electronic structure calculations suggest that the σ-donor ability of the polyimine ligand controls the metal center geometry. The IR spectroscopic analysis shows that the ν(CN) stretching frequencies do not correlate predictably with structural parameters, such as the Cu–N–CS bond angle, demonstrating the oversimplification of the linear Cu–NC–S vs. bent Cu–NCS modelling of isothiocyanate bonding.
Bibliographic Instruction in Physics Libraries: A Survey of Current Practice and Tips for Marketing BI.

Abstract A survey of physics librarians reveals that undergraduate physics majors rarely receive formal bibliographic instruction, despite a perception that those students are using many kinds of library resources. In addition, less than half of the responding institutions gave any formal instruction to graduate students. Some institutions have been successful in creating library instruction programs in physics, however. The kinds of instruction given are described, and tips from respondents of how to maximize the chances of obtaining instruction opportunities from faculty are shared.
Accelerated direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells with the MyoD transactivation domain

Aims Fibroblasts can be directly reprogrammed to cardiomyocyte-like cells by introducing defined genes. However, the reprogramming efficiency remains low, delaying the clinical application of this strategy to regenerative cardiology. We previously showed that fusion of the MyoD transactivation domain to the pluripotency transcription factor Oct4 facilitated the transcriptional activity of Oct4, resulting in highly efficient production of induced pluripotent stem cells. We examined whether the same approach can be applied to cardiac transcription factors to facilitate cardiac reprogramming. Methods and results We fused the MyoD domain to Mef2c, Gata4, Hand2, and Tbx5 and transduced these genes in various combinations into mouse non-cardiac fibroblasts. Transduction of the chimeric Mef2c with the wild-types of the other three genes produced much larger beating clusters of cardiomyocyte-like cells faster than the combination of the four wild-type genes, with an efficiency of 3.5%, >15-fold greater than the wild-type genes. Conclusion Fusion of a powerful transactivation domain to heterologous factors can increase the efficiency of direct reprogramming of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes.
Global structure of families of multivariable linear systems with an application to identification

The identification problem for linear stochastic systems may be stated roughly as follows: given observations on two stochastic processes which are the input and output of some unknown linear system, determine some estimate of the parameters of the system. A set of candidate linear systems which contains the “true” system is introduced, and probabilistic assumptions on the two stochastic processes turn the identification problem into the deterministic problem of minimizing some objective function over this candidate model set. If this set is a manifold, the existence of globally convergent identification algorithms hinges on the critical point behavior of the objective functions which it carries. By way of Morse Theory, the critical point behavior of objective functions on a manifold has implications with regard to the topology of the manifold. This paper analyzes the topology and critical point behavior of objective functions on a specific manifold of linear systems which appears frequently as the candidate model set in identification problems. This manifold is the set Σ of allm-input,p-output linear systems of fixed McMillan degree with real or complex coefficients. Over this manifold sits the principal bundle\(\tilde \Sigma\) of minimal realizations of systems in Σ It is shown that there exist three natural analytic metrics on the associated vector bundle. It is also shown that, in the real case, the first Stiefel-Whitney class of the bundle\(\tilde \Sigma\) has min(m, p)-1 nonvanishing powers; the same conclusion is drawn about the first Chern class of\(\tilde \Sigma\) in the complex case. These results, which follow from Morse Theory and some elementary homotopy and homology theory, imply that the category of the bundle\(\tilde \Sigma\) is at least min(m, p), and hence that the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of Σ is at least min(m, p). It follows that canonical forms (i.e. sections of\(\tilde \Sigma\)) may exist only when min(m, p) = 1 and that any objective function on Σ with compact sublevel sets has at least min(m, p) critical points. In particular, there exist on Σ no globally convergent gradient algorithms when min(m, p) > 1.
CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, two hydrocarbon-inducible cytochromes P450, are constitutively expressed in neonate and adult goat liver, lung and kidney.

: The ontogeny of cytochrome P-450 isozymes (P450) in goat liver, lung and kidney was studied using anion exchange HPLC separation of solublized microsomal proteins and Western immunoblotting. Comparison of the overall HPLC profile of goat P450 isozymes between liver, lung and kidney showed that while the P450's of goat liver were equally separated into five peaks of isozyme(s), only two peaks constitute the majority of P450 isozyme(s) in lung and kidney, thus demonstrating the tissue specific differences in P450 isozyme distribution in goats. Immunoblotting analysis using polyclonal antibodies against rat CYP1A1, and mouse CYP1B1, polyaromatic hydrocarbon-regulated P450's, revealed that goat orthologs of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 are expressed constitutively in goats. The CYP1A1 was expressed in goat liver and lung as early as 1st day of age, and the levels of its expression in adult lung and liver were, respectively, 1.3 and 5.5 pmol per mg microsomal proteins. CYP1B1 was expressed in goat livers in substantial levels as of 1 week of age and increased thereafter to reach approximately 4.5 pmol per mg microsomal proteins in adult livers, while low level was detectable only in adult but not neonate lung tissues. Furthermore, polyclonal antibodies against rat CYP1A2 detected very high levels of CYP1A2 in livers of adult and 6 week old goats. The Ah receptor which controls the expression of CYP1A1/1A2 and CYP1B1, was detected in cytosolic fractions from these tissues as a 104 kDa and a minor level of the 106 kDa form. These are potentially very important findings in light of the role of CYP1A1/1A2 and CYP1B1 in activation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines and nitroaromatic hydrocarbons to genotoxic metabolites, and the health consequences of these metabolites on humans, as consumers of goat milk and meat. Using polyclonal antibodies against rat hepatic CYP2B1 and CYP3A1, the goat CYP2B and CYP3A forms were not detectable in livers of goats at any age, but lungs of adult and 6 week old goats expressed these two CYPs in levels equivalent to the livers of phenobarbital-induced rats. On the other hand, anti-rat CYP2C6 antibodies specifically detected two goat ortholog forms which were expressed in all three tissues and exhibited age-dependent changes. In conclusion, results from both immunoblot and HPLC analyses confirmed that, as in other species, the expression of P450 isozymes in goat is under both developmental-and tissue-specific regulatory factors.
The three eras ofThe American Sociologist

This article outlines the history ofThe American Sociologist from its inception more than fifty years ago to the present. The views of its first editor, L.L. Bernard, reflected one side of the humanist-scientist split that would characterize sociology for generations to come. The second phase of TAS was sponsored by the ASA, under the successive guidance of several editors, each with differing priorities regarding the nature of the journal. Amid increasing conflict regarding content, TAS was dropped by the ASA Council in 1982.
High throughput kinetic analysis of photopolymer conversion using composition and exposure time gradients

In this work, monomer composition and exposure time gradients were produced, allowing for rapid, parallel measurements of conversion as a function of composition and exposure time using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. A more comprehensive understanding of how composition affects photopolymerization kinetics is needed due to the complexity of current industrial formulations. In nearly all cases, these applications use multiple monomers, fillers, initiators, and other components to achieve the required properties. The developed technique allows for photopolymerization kinetics to be analyzed rapidly over a large range of compositions, giving a unique insight into the role composition contributes to polymerization kinetics and ultimate conversion within complex formulations. This work analyzed three varied two-component systems, each showing different effects from composition on polymerization kinetics due to formulation changes in functionality, viscosity, and reactivity.
Step Shear of Entangled Linear Polymer Melts: New Experimental Evidence for Elastic Yielding

This work studies the most basic and important behavior of entangled linear polymer melts in sudden large shear deformations. In particular, melt elasticity resulting from the large step shear is extensively shown to produce cohesive breakdown. Unlike entangled solutions studied in Macromolecules 2007, 40, 8031, the residual elastic forces in sheared melts struggle quiescently for a significant induction period before bringing down the entanglement network. The induction time for the elastic yielding can be much longer than the longest Rouse relaxation time τR, making it difficult to associate this cohesive failure with a chain retraction process envisioned in the tube theory. The cohesive failure also occurs upon a step strain produced at rates too slow to produce chain stretching, again making it unreasonable to invoke the concept of chain retraction due to chain stretching.
Molecular and cytological characterization of a cytoplasmic-specific mutant in pima cotton ( Gossypium barbadense L.)

A cytoplasmic mutant of Gossypium barbadense L., cyt-V was characterized at the morphological, cellular, genetic and molecular levels using comparison analysis with v 7 v 7, a nuclear virescent mutant to identify molecular effects of the cyt-V mutation. The yellow phenotype was specific only to leaves in the cyt-V mutant (CM-1-90) but the same phenotype was present in both leaves and cotyledons of v 7 v 7, a nuclear virescent mutant, suggesting that cyt-V and v 7 v 7, had different organ-specific gene actions. Chlorophyll and carotenoid levels of CM-1-90, CM-1-90 × PS-7 and CM-1-90 × v 7 v 7 true leaves were significantly lower than in the true leaves of PS-7 × CM-1-90, v 7 v 7 × CM-1-90 and PS-7. Anatomical studies of chloroplast showed that CM-1-90, CM-1-90 × PS-7 and CM-1-90 × v 7 v 7 lacked grana in the thylakoids of the mesophyll cells. This indicated that chlorophyll and carotenoid levels correlated with chloroplast structure. SDS-PAGE analysis of thylakoid preparations revealed decreases of several granalocalized PSII proteins in CM-1-90, CM-1-90 × PS-7 and CM-1-90 × v 7 v 7. cDNA-AFLP differential display studies identified several differentially expressed transcripts in the leaves of reciprocal crosses (PS-7 × CM-1-90, v 7 v 7 × CM-1-90 and CM-1-90 × PS-7 and CM-1-90 × v 7 v 7), including one possessing a high sequence homology to a psbA gene. Western blot analysis further confirmed the absence of D1 protein encoded by psbA in CM-1-90 × PS-7′ CM-1-90 × v 7 v 7 and CM-1-90 true leaves. Overall, we studied cyt-V and v 7 v 7 that both are developmental mutants, as all the virescents of cotton mutants, and as such it was difficult to separate cause and effect in the observation; however, we verified that the source of cyt-V mutation was in chloroplast and elucidated that its gene action was different from v 7 v 7. Results indicated that cyt-V is inherited as a single gene but it affects several chloroplast and nucleus-encoded genes. We identified several transcripts that associated with the cyt-V mutation. This study also suggested that chloroplast-encoded gene products might affect the expression of nuclear genes, possibly at the transcriptional stage.
Pioneer Venus Infrared Radiometer: Design, Implementation And Preliminary Results

The paper discusses the Pioneer Venus infrared radiometer design and operation. Its main function is to measure the thermal emission from the atmosphere at seven pressure levels above the Venus clouds, allowing a determination of the vertical temperature structure. In addition to the temperature sounding channels, there are two channels operating in the visible and near infrared to study the structure of the upper clouds, and a far infrared channel sensitive to water vapor in and above the clouds. The instrument can operate in four modes including a calibration sequence; by utilizing the spinning action of the spacecraft and short integration times, a substantial portion of the planet can be mapped within a 90 min data taking period centered about periapsis time. Temperature profiles retrieved during the course of the mission will clarify the dynamical processes in the upper atmosphere.
Direct imaging of transient molecular structures with ultrafast diffraction.

Ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) has been developed to study transient structures in complex chemical reactions initiated with femtosecond laser pulses. This direct imaging of reactions was achieved using our third-generation apparatus equipped with an electron pulse (1.07 ± 0.27 picoseconds) source, a charge-coupled device camera, and a mass spectrometer. Two prototypical gas-phase reactions were studied: the nonconcerted elimination reaction of a haloethane, wherein the structure of the intermediate was determined, and the ring opening of a cyclic hydrocarbon containing no heavy atoms. These results demonstrate the vastly improved sensitivity, resolution, and versatility of UED for studying ultrafast structural dynamics in complex molecular systems.
A short-term diffusive sampler for nitrogen dioxide monitoring in epidemiology.

An automated timed exposure diffusive sampler (TEDS) for sampling nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was developed for use in epidemiological studies. The TEDS sequentially exposes four passive sampling devices (PSD) by microprocessor controlled valves while a pump and air flow guide prevent sampler "starvation." Two TEDS units and two portable, real-time NO2 monitors were tested for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and linearity of response. The accuracy of the TEDS was within 10 percent of the calibrated NO2 values, and precision was within 10 percent of the means of the measured values. The TEDS sensitivity was 20 to 30 ppb-hour for NO2. Co-location of the TEDS with a chemiluminescent NOX monitor (EPA reference method) showed similar responses to ambient NO2 (R2 = 0.9991). TEDS allows better time resolution than traditional diffusive samplers (i.e., Palmes tube) while sharing their ability to sample a variety of gases.
September 11, 2001: How can peace psychologists be most helpful?

It's so hard to know how to be truly helpful in response to the September 11, 2001, catastrophe. In these pages (Volume 8, No. 1), we made a first effort, publishing Herbert Blumberg's (2002) culling of relevant research from electronic indexes of psychological publications, noting as well the pertinence of several other articles (Azar & Mullet, 2002; Suleiman, 2002) in that issue. We also made clear our hope that we would receive manuscripts concerning psychological aspects of terrorism. The desired flood of high quality articles has not materialized. Should we have been surprised? No, not really. The norm in psychology for years has been that respectable publications must be methodologically "Western" (i.e., based on data collected in well-controlled, value-free correlational or experimental studies) and that they should not be presented in an evaluative manner. But how do you conduct such research on unique experiences, on events that cannot meaningfully be duplicated in the laboratory or through hypot...
Diversity of Neotropical Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) Inhabiting Logs and Palm Fronds in the Rain Forests of Trinidad

In July and August 2005, we investigated the use of two distinct microhabitats by harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) in crappo-cocorite seasonal forest, lower montane rain forest, and upper montane rain forest of the Northern Range of Trinidad, West Indies. In addition to new locality records, geographic distributions, and microhabitat use, this article provides a preliminary understanding of the species diversity, compositional similarity, and relative harvestmen abundance among forest stands located within three types of rain forest of different altitudes found in Trinidad. We collected harvestmen inhabiting the space within and underneath decaying logs as well as the leaf litter associated with the logs. In upper montane rain forest, in addition to logs, we sampled the sheaths of palm (Euterpe broadwayi Becc. ex Broadway) fronds, another shelter commonly used by harvestmen that was especially abundant at the higher elevations. We collected 173 individuals representing eight families and 14 species. The number of harvestmen per shelter varied from 3.2 individuals per log in crappo-cocorite forest to 0.8 individual per log or palm frond sheath in upper montane rain forest. In the crappo-cocorite seasonal forest, cosmetids, sclerosomatids and stygnids were most abundant. In upper montane rain forest, cranaids and manaosbiids were the most abundant taxa, whereas cosmetids and sclerosomatids were relatively rare. Crappo-cocorite and lower montane forests were very similar in species composition but differed greatly from upper montane forest. The cosmetids Paecilaema inglei Goodnight and Goodnight 1947, Cynortula granulata Roewer 1912, and the stygnid Stygnoplus clavotibialis (Goodnight and Goodnight 1947) were found to be strongly correlated with the crappo-cocorite and lower montane forests, whereas in upper montane forests Santinezia serratotibialis Roewer 1932 and Cranellus montgomeryi Goodnight and Goodnight 1947 were closely correlated.