cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple macroecological laws do characterize various aspects of microbiota dynamics

In this letter we address the potential confusion related to our recent demonstration that multiple macroecological laws describe short- and long-term dynamics of microbial communities. Specifically, we clarify that these laws, similarly to many other relationships observed in nature, are characterized not just by the existence of scaling, but also by certain characteristic values of the scaling exponents. By performing proper statistical analysis, we demonstrate that the relationships sensitive to temporal bacterial dynamics are not reproduced in the shuffled data. We also discuss that there is no clear evidence in the data that macroecological relationships in microbiota are primarily driven by external or environmental factors. Proper statistical analyses of the data suggest that the dynamics of gut microbiota, even on a constant diet, contains rich temporal structure. Therefore, it is likely that complex and non-linear internal dynamics may be primarily responsible for the observed macroecological laws in microbiota and other ecological communities.
Comparative Evaluation of the Munt-Dash Air-Interface Diffusion Chamber and Franz Chamber for the In Vitro Examination of Topical Spray Formulations

Abstract In vitro diffusion testing of topical formulations has long been examined using Franz diffusion chambers, however, Franz chambers are typically used with relatively large volumes, lack the air/membrane interface present in vivo, and do not account for changes in formula characteristics as solvent evaporates. Here we present our patented Munt-Dash diffusion chamber designed for direct spray application onto a model membrane. Diffusion characteristics from topical spray formulations utilizing both the Munt-Dash chamber and Franz diffusion chambers were evaluated and compared. Using diclofenac sodium and lidocaine hydrochloride as model drugs and shed snakeskin as a model for stratum corneum, test solutions were applied to Franz diffusion chambers using a pipette and to the Munt-Dash chamber using a high-speed syringe pump and sprayer. Both chambers presented permeability data consistent with previously reported in vitro and in vivo studies. Significant differences were observed in permeability by formulation and temperature. This suggests that although Franz chambers produce relevant data, the failure to account for small volumes and drying during application may produce misleading results. The Munt-Dash chamber may improve in vitro testing by providing these factors. This data suggests the Munt-Dash chamber is a suitable alternative to the Franz chamber for topical spray formulations.
Fire on the Earth: Anselm Kiefer and the Postmodern World

Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Representation and Simulation in Postmodern Art 1. Windows, Mirrors, and Grids 2. The Crisis of Modernity: Reality and Hyperreality 3. Original Representation: Theatre of Cruelty Painting Part II: The Artist's Texts and Cultural Dissemination 4. The Death of the Subject and the Birth of the Text 5. Narrative Knowledge and Cultural Memory 6. Cosmological and Mythical Narratives Part III: Humanity in the Postmodern Moment 7. Technology and Historical Progress in the Postmodern Moment 8. The Postmodern Habitat Notes Bibliography Index
Resonance Neutron Radiography Using a Pulsed Neutron Source and a 2-Dimensional Scintillation Detector

Resonance neutron radiography is an imaging technique whereby a single exposure to neutrons produces several radiographs each of which shows a distribution of a different isotope in the object. The technique has been shown before to be feasible but it has not been practicable due to the lack of an intense pulsed epithermal neutron source and a suitable active imaging detector. An accelerator-based pulsed spallation source has recently been completed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). For energies higher than 1 eV, its peak flux is several orders of magnitude more intense than that of a chopped beam from a high-flux reactor. A 2-dimensional neutron-position scintillation detector was also recently developed here. It consists of a thin (1-2 mm) Li glass scintillator coupled to an array of photomultipliers. The prototype detector has a FWHM resolution of 3 mm and a sensitive area of 30×30 cm2. The neutron source and detector were used in a resonance radiography experiment in which a foil sample consisting of indium and gold were radiographed. Two images were obtained; one due to resonance absorption of 1.46 eV neutrons in 115In showing the extent of indium in the sample, and the other due to absorption of 4.91 eV neutrons in 197Au showing the extent of gold. A radiography experiment on nuclear fuel pellets showed resonances of the uranium and plutonium isotopes in the range of 0.3–10 eV. The area of potential applications of resonance radiography below 20 eV includes isotopes (Z>~40) of fission products, rare earths, heavy metals, and actinides. Resonance cross sections are generally 10–1000 times larger than thermal cross sections thereby providing higher isotopic detection sensitivity and better image contrast than in thermal radiography.
The evolutionary demography of duplicate genes

Although gene duplication has generally been viewed as a necessary source of material for the origin of evolutionary novelties, the rates of origin, loss, and preservation of gene duplicates are not well understood. Applying steady-state demographic techniques to the age distributions of duplicate genes censused in seven completely sequenced genomes, we estimate the average rate of duplication of a eukaryotic gene to be on the order of 0.01/ gene/million years, which is of the same order of magnitude as the mutation rate per nucleotide site. However, the average half-life of duplicate genes is relatively small, on the order of 4.0 million years. Significant interspecific variation in these rates appears to be responsible for differences in species-specific genome sizes that arise as a consequence of a quasi-equilibrium birth-death process. Most duplicated genes experience a brief period of relaxed selection early in their history and a minority exhibit the signature of directional selection, but those that survive more than a few million years eventually experience strong purifying selection. Thus, although most theoretical work on the gene-duplication process has focused on issues related to adaptive evolution, the origin of a new function appears to be a very rare fate for a duplicate gene. A more significant role of the duplication process may be the generation of microchromosomal rearrangements through reciprocal silencing of alternative copies, which can lead to the passive origin of post-zygotic reproductive barriers in descendant lineages of incipient species.
Expression profile analysis of vulnerable CA1 pyramidal neurons in young-middle aged Ts65Dn mice

Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent cause of intellectual disability (ID). Individuals with DS show a variety of cognitive deficits, most notably in hippocampal learning and memory, and display pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with neurodegeneration of cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons. Elucidation of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of neuropathology has been assessed via gene expression analysis in a relevant animal model, termed the Ts65Dn mouse. The Ts65Dn mouse is a segmental trisomy model of DS that mimics DS/AD pathology, notably age-related cognitive dysfunction and degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs). To determine expression level changes, molecular fingerprinting of cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) pyramidal neurons was performed in adult (4–9 month-old) Ts65Dn mice, at the initiation of BFCN degeneration. To quantitate transcriptomic changes during this early time period, laser capture microdissection (LCM), terminal continuation (TC) RNA amplification, custom-designed microarray analysis, and subsequent validation of individual transcripts by qPCR and protein analysis via immunoblotting was performed. The results indicate significant alterations within CA1 pyramidal neurons of Ts65Dn mice compared with normal disomic (2N) littermates, notably in the downregulation of neurotrophins and their cognate neurotrophin receptors among other classes of transcripts relevant to neurodegeneration. The results of this single-population gene expression analysis at the time of septohippocampal deficits in a trisomic mouse model shed light on a vulnerable circuit that may cause the AD-like pathology invariably seen in DS that could help to identify mechanisms of degeneration, and provide novel gene targets for therapeutic interventions. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:61–74, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Apo-cytochrome b5 as an indicator of changes in heme accessability: preliminary studies with cytochrome P450 3A4.

Cytochrome P450s (P450 or CYP) are the largest family of hemeproteins yet characterized. X-ray crystallographic studies have shown that the heme of the P450 hemeproteins is buried in the interior of the protein molecule. Unexplored are answers to questions concerning the role of heme in the folding of newly synthesized apo-P450s and the factors that influence changes in heme accessibility following modification of the pattern of folding of the holo-P450s. We have carried out the present studies to measure changes in heme accessibility in P450s. This is an initial step to determining whether heme-binding confers structural and functional integrity and stability to a P450 molecule. Recently, we have shown that apo-high molecular weight cytochrome b5 (apo-HMWb5) is an efficient acceptor of heme when added to a preparation of purified recombinant CYP3A4. In the present work we have studied heme binding by apo-HMWb5 when mixed with a number of different hemeproteins (myoglobin, hemoglobin, catalase, CYP4A1, CYP101, and CYP3A4). These hemeproteins differ in the location of the heme (i.e., surface or internal) allowing one to study changes in structure as measured by the process of heme transfer from one protein to another. It was found that heme transfer to apo-HMWb5 occurs relatively rapidly from hemeproteins where the heme is located at or near the surface or when the hemeprotein is denatured. In contrast, heme transfer from P450s to apo-HMWb5 occurs only following modification of the P450 structure with chaotropic agents. An exception is CYP3A4 where a measurable amount of heme is transferred to apo-HMWb5 in the absence of denaturing agents. The preliminary results described here employs apo-HMWb5 as an indicator for assessing changes in heme-availability of P450s as the protein-folding of the molecule is altered.
Shared knowledge construction process in an open-source software development community: an investigation of the Gallery community

An investigation was conducted to study shared knowledge construction process in an Open-Source Software Development (OSSD) community. Using a qualitative study approach, we examined the resources, tools, and activities in the Gallery community to create a rich description of the interrelationships among people, activities, and media. Of particular interest was how the individuals contributed to the building of a shared knowledge base through collaborative problem-solving and decision-making processes, mediated with the OSSD environment. The study indicated that the collaboration process was symbolized by multiple rounds of discussions, which were means to pool individuals' expertise and experiences to obtain quality problem-solving and decision-making outcomes. The study also revealed that the OSSD environment mediated the collaborative efforts through virtual collaboration space, visual organization, and communication tools. The findings have important implications for designing effective instruction specifically for computing disciplines in promoting students' collaborative problem solving and decision making.
Formerly‐Aragonite Seafloor Fans from Neoproterozoic Strata, Death Valley and Southeastern Idaho, United States: Implications for “Cap Carbonate” Formation and Snowball Earth

Seafloor-precipitated calcium carbonate fans, exceedingly rare in post-Paleoproterozoic time, make a dramatic reappearance in the post-glacial cap carbonates associated with Neoproterozoic low latitude glaciation (snowball Earth). Their presence is commonly interpreted to indicate elevated seawater alkalinity; the source of the anomalous alkalinity has been a critical, much-debated component in competing snowball Earth hypotheses. Two new Neoproterozoic seafloor fan occurrences have been reported recently in the Western United States (Death Valley and southeastern Idaho). Each were deposited during transgression and record negative δ 13 C values as do all known cap carbonates, but they lack a known underlying glacial deposit and do not necessarily rest on the transgressive surface. It is possible, but not likely, that the units represent post-glacial cap carbonates without a preserved/discovered underlying glaciogenic unit. More likely, processes independent of glaciation may cause negative δ 13 C excursions and cap carbonate-like facies and caution must be exercised when interpreting the meaning of seafloor precipitates in association with snowball Earth events.
Finding One’s Place in Transfer Space

Transfer'' is a venerable issue in cognitive development and education. However, its very existence is the subject of extensive debate, and there is as yet no consensus about its definition, measurement, and impli- cations. This article proposes a 3-dimensional conceptual model of transfer distance for thinking about transfer of concepts or strategies in children, and presents some recent findings on children's transfer of scientific reaso- ning strategies—task similarity, context similarity, and temporal interval—that exemplify these three dimensions. These studies yield several important and robust findings regarding children's learning and transfer in problem solving within this model, which provides a valuable organizing framework for objectively measuring transfer distance and for guiding future research in children's learning. KEYWORDS—scientific reasoning; children's learning; trans- fer space; analogical thinking; models of transfer; problem solving
Interface design elements for anti-phishing systems

Anti-phishing systems are developed to prevent users from interacting with fraudulent websites. However these tools are ineffective since users often disregard their warnings. We present a design science-based assessment of interface design elements for such systems. An extensive taxonomy of important design elements is constructed. A survey is used to evaluate the perceived saliency of various elements encompassed in the taxonomy. The results suggest preferred design elements are in line with efficient information processing of human vision, and indicate that existing tools often fail to consider users' preferences regarding warning design alternatives. The results of users' preference also show the presence of a subset of design elements that could potentially be customized for the population of our sample and others that could be personalized. These findings are being applied in an NSF-supported project, in which we evaluate the impact of customized and personalized warnings on user performance.
Evolutionary Models of Bargaining: Comparing Agent-based Computational and Analytical Approachesto Understanding Convention Evolution

This paper compares two methodologies that have been used to understand the evolution of bargaining conventions. The first is the analytical approach that employs a standard learning dynamic and computes equilibria numerically. The second approach simulates an environment with a finite population of interacting agents. We compare these two approaches within the context of three variations on a common model. In one variation agents randomly experiment with different demands. A second variation posits assortative interactions, and the third allows for sophistication in agent strategies. The simulation results suggest that the agent-based approach performs well in selecting equilibria in most instances, but exact predicted population distributions often vary from those calculated numerically. Classification Numbers: C63, C73, C78.
The Analytic Hierarchy Process

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) T. Saaty [1977, 1982]; R.W. Saaty [1987] is a technique for converting subjective assessments of relative importance into a set of weights. It has proven to be very useful in assisting selection from a finite set of alternatives (see Zahedi, 1986 and Shim, 1989 for surveys). AHP has also been used to develop linear utility functions reflecting the relative importance of decision objectives or problem features that have been used for mathematical programming, as well as for ranking things (such as seeding tennis tournaments or selecting the best cities to live in).
PULMONARY MECHANICS IN ASTHMA AND CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Maximum expiratory flow rates on flow-volume curves are often decreased below normal limits in children with asthma or cystic fibrosis who are clinically well and whose standard spirometric tests are within normal limits. In particular, maximum flow rates at small lung volumes (25% of vital capacity) are decreased. Maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves provide a sensitive and quantitative assessment of small airway obstruction in these and other obstructive lung conditions.
Split Spectrum Technique as a Preprocessor for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is the process of detecting, locating, characterizing and sizing of an anomaly in an engineering material. There are many methods of performing NDE of which ultrasound is a widely used technique. Ultrasound has been used for several decades as a tool for nondestructive evaluation and material characterization and has emerged as a powerful method of analysis with the on going computer revolution. Many powerful and computationally intensive methods and algorithms have become feasible with the availability of very fast and not-too-expensive computers. Analog-to-digital conversion and digital signal processing have become common in ultrasonic signal analysis for both nondestructive evaluation and noninvasive diagnosis. Some of the signal analysis techniques in use today are (1) deconvolutions [1], (2) Homomorphic signal processing techniques such as cepstrum analysis [1], (3) feature extraction and feature classification techniques [2] and (4) artificial neural networks [3, 4]. These signal analysis techniques have been shown to be very effective for all the phases of NDE ranging from detection to characterization and sizing.
The use of hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of p-aminopropiophenone-induced methemoglobinemia.

Abstract Hyperbaric oxygen (HPO) has been shown to reduce the mortality as well as the methemoglobinemia produced by sodium nitrite, a direct hemoglobin oxidant. In order to test the universality of HPO treatment, p-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) was chosen as a prototype drug to represent the class of indirect hemoglobin oxidants. HPO treatment of rats had no effect in reducing the toxicity of PAPP. PAPP-induced methemoglobin concentrations remained high with a corresponding elevation of PAPP blood concentrations. It has been shown that these sustained blood concentrations were due to an inability of the rat to conjugate the drug. In vitro HPO exposure had no effect on the ability of the erythrocytes to reduce methemoglobin, suggesting that the site of action of HPO on PAPP-induced methemoglobinemia is an interference with the drug conjugation mechanism.
Genetic and molecular characterization reveals a unique nucleobase cation symporter 1 in Arabidopsis

Locus At5g03555 encodes a nucleobase cation symporter 1 (AtNCS1) in the Arabidopsis genome. Arabidopsis insertion mutants, AtNcs1-1 and AtNcs1-3, were used for in planta toxic nucleobase analog growth studies and radio-labeled nucleobase uptake assays to characterize solute transport specificities. These results correlate with similar growth and uptake studies of AtNCS1 expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both in planta and heterologous expression studies in yeast revealed a unique solute transport profile for AtNCS1 in moving adenine, guanine and uracil. This is in stark contrast to the canonical transport profiles determined for the well-characterized S. cerevisiae NCS1 proteins FUR4 (uracil transport) or FCY2 (adenine, guanine, and cytosine transport).
Nonregulatory Approaches to the Environment: Coasean and Pigouvian Perspectives

AbstractThis article introduces a symposium on decentralized approaches to environmental management. These approaches include voluntary contributions to public goods, bundling contributions with pr...
The Distribution of Surface Fluxes and Boundary Layer Divergence in Midlatitude Ocean Storms

Abstract Surface meteorological observations have been used to calculate the distributions of surface fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, and latent heat and the distributions of surface divergence and curl of surface stress which are characteristic of ocean storms in the Gulf of Alaska. Flux calculations were based on aerodynamic equations which include the effects of high wind speed and stratification of the surface layer. Distributions of divergence determined directly from surface winds were compared with those calculated using the curl of the surface stress. Results indicate that heat fluxes were weak or oven negative for the most intense storms in a band about 300 km wide immediately east of strong cold or occluded fronts. Maximum upward latent heat fluxes occurred to the west of the front, with secondary maxima along the eastern edge of the storm, beyond the 300 km band of weak flux. Surface convergence occurred to the east and divergence to the west of cold or occluded fronts. Vertical velocities c...
Pontriagin's maximum principle and the principle of optimality☆

Abstract This paper demonstrates that Pontriagin's Maximum Principle may be derived from the principle of Optimality. It considers a control system described by ẋ = f(x, u, t) where the control vector u is restricted to a closed and bounded set. The optimal control steers the system from an initial state x0 at 0 to a moving target in such a way that the cost of control along the optimal trajectory ∫t0t1f0[x0(τ), u0(τ)dτ is minimized. The optimal control u0 satisfies the maximum principle at each point of the trajectory: max〈g(x), f(x, u)〉 = 〈ḡ(x), f(x, u0)〉 where the vector g(x) is related to ∇Γ where Γ(x0, x) is the minimal cost of going from x0 to x.
SYLLEPTIC BRANCHING IN MYRSINE FLORIDANA (MYRSINACEAE)

Myrsine floridana produces all of its vegetative branches, other than those resulting from pruning or damage, by syllepsis, i.e. by the continuous development of an axillary meristem into a branch without an intervening stage of rest. These sylleptic branches, produced in series, have long and conspicuous hypopodia, broad pith connections with the parent axis, and expanded prophylls. Bud dormancy may be imposed when an axillary meristem is in the axil of the sixth or seventh youngest leaf of the parent shoot. Such axillary meristems may remain at the bud stage with only two pairs of scalelike leaves but these may later give rise to inflorescences or proleptic branches. Proleptic branches lack hypopodia, have narrow piths at their bases, and a series of leaves transitional from the original prophylls to normal foliage leaves within about ten leaves. Myrsine floridana has cortical bundles in the stem, related to the formation of minor lateral leaf traces. The hypopodia of sylleptic branches, since they are leafless, do not have cortical bundles.
Those Naughty Teenage Girls: Japanese Kogals, Slang, and Media Assessments

This article examines Kogals, young Japanese women who challenge dominant models of gendered language and behavior through linguistic and cultural innovation. The article describes the linguistic resources Kogals use to construct female-centered subcultural identities and the condemnation and fetishistic interest they provoke in mainstream media. Media focus on these “misbehaving” girls places them at the center of an ongoing struggle over female self-definition and autonomy. The study of Kogals contributes to scholarly analysis of youth subcultures and to understanding of linguistic diversity and cultural heterogeneity in Japan.
An oncogenic role for the phosphorylated h-subunit of human translation initiation factor eIF3.

Dysregulation of protein synthesis has been implicated in oncogenesis through a mechanism whereby “weak” mRNAs encoding proteins involved in cell proliferation are strongly translated when the protein synthesis apparatus is activated. Previous work has determined that many cancer cells contain high levels of eIF3h, a protein subunit of translation initiation factor eIF3, and overexpression of eIF3h malignantly transforms immortal NIH-3T3 cells. This is a general feature of eIF3h, as high levels also affect translation, proliferation, and a number of malignant phenotypes of CHO-K1 and HeLa cells and, most significantly, of a primary prostate cell line. Furthermore, overexpressed eIF3h inhibits Myc-dependent induction of apoptosis of primary prostate cells. eIF3h appears to function through translation, as the initial appearance of overexpressed eIF3h in rapidly induced NIH-3T3 cells correlates tightly with the stimulation of protein synthesis and the generation of malignant phenotypes. This oncogenic potential of eIF3h is enhanced by phosphorylation at Ser183. Finally, reduction of eIF3h levels in breast and prostate cancer cell lines by short interfering RNA methods reduces their rates of proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. The results provide compelling evidence that high eIF3h levels directly stimulate protein synthesis, resulting in the establishment and maintenance of the malignant state in cells.
Cytokines: promoters and dampeners of autoimmunity

Cytokines are the co-ordinators of the immune system and, as such, are important targets for immunomodulation. Progress has been made towards the use of IL-10 for immunosuppressive therapy to prevent autoimmunity. Interest has also recently focused on the role of cytokines in controlling the activation of dendritic cells and NK cells, and the consequences of this for the development of autoaggressive responses. Genes involved in IFN-activated pathways that control the survival of lymphocytes have been strongly linked to lupus susceptibility, and IFN-mediated defenses against viral infection have been shown to determine susceptibility to a model of viral-induced diabetes.
An automatic drive for micro-electrodes

Abstract A circuit, used in conjunction with a motor-operated micro-electrode drive to scan for optimal recording from micro-electrodes, is described.
Vertebrate Limb Bud Formation Is Initiated by Localized Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Vertebrate limbs first emerge as small buds at specific locations along the trunk. Although a fair amount is known about the molecular regulation of limb initiation and outgrowth, the cellular events underlying these processes have remained less clear. We show that the mesenchymal limb progenitors arise through localized epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the coelomic epithelium specifically within the presumptive limb fields. This EMT is regulated at least in part by Tbx5 and Fgf10, two genes known to control limb initiation. This work shows that limb buds initiate earlier than previously thought, as a result of localized EMT rather than differential proliferation rates.
Wide-area detection of land mines and unexploded ordnance

Advanced electromagnetic modelling tools are discussed, focused on sensing surface and buried land mines and unexploded ordnance, situated in a realistic soil environment. The results from these forward models are used to process scattered-field data, for target detection and identification. We address sensors directed toward the wide-area-search problem, for which one is interested in detecting a former mine field or bombing range. For this problem class we process data measured from an actual airborne radar system. Signal-processing algorithms applied include Bayesian processing and a physics-based hidden Markov model.
Delayed Onset of Positive Feedback Activation of Rab5 by Rabex-5 and Rabaptin-5 in Endocytosis

Background Rabex-5 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that specifically activates Rab5, i.e., converting Rab5-GDP to Rab5-GTP, through two distinct pathways to promote endosome fusion and endocytosis. The direct pathway involves a pool of membrane-associated Rabex-5 that targets to the membrane via an early endosomal targeting (EET) domain. The indirect pathway, on the other hand, involves a cytosolic pool of Rabex-5/Rabaptin-5 complex. The complex is recruited to the membrane via Rabaptin-5 binding to Rab5-GTP, suggesting a positive feedback mechanism. The relationship of these two pathways for Rab5 activation in the cell is unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings We dissect the relative contribution of each pathway to Rab5 activation via mathematical modeling and kinetic analysis in the cell. These studies show that the indirect pathway constitutes a positive feedback loop for converting Rab5-GDP to Rab5-GTP on the endosomal membrane and allows sensitive regulation of endosome fusion activity by the levels of Rab5 and Rabex-5 in the cell. The onset of this positive feedback effect, however, contains a threshold, which requires above endogenous levels of Rab5 or Rabex-5 in the cell. We term this novel phenomenon “delayed response”. The presence of the direct pathway reduces the delay by increasing the basal level of Rab5-GTP, thus facilitates the function of the Rabex-5/Rabaptin-5-mediated positive feedback loop. Conclusion Our data support the mathematical model. With the model's guidance, the data reveal the affinity of Rabex-5/Rabaptin-5/Rab5-GTP interaction in the cell, which is quantitatively related to the Rabex-5 concentration for the onset of the indirect positive feedback pathway. The presence of the direct pathway and increased Rab5 concentration can reduce the Rabex-5 concentration required for the onset of the positive feedback loop. Thus the direct and indirect pathways cooperate in the regulation of early endosome fusion.
Transient Liquid-Phase Bonding in the Ni-Al-B System

Transient liquid-phase (TLP) bonding experiments were performed using a Ni-10.3 at. pct Al alloy and a Ni-10 at. pct B filler material, and the results were compared to simulations performed using the finite-difference diffusion code, DICTRA. For the simulations, a thermodynamic assessment of the Ni-Al-B system was used to define the phase diagram and the thermodynamic factors of the diffusion coefficients. Composition-dependent diffusion mobilities were assessed for the ternary system. Predicted liquid widths as functions of time were in good agreement with the experiments. The calculated and experimental Al composition profiles agree in the matrix but not in the liquid. The simulations qualitatively predicted the observed precipitation and later dissolution of the intermetallic τ phase (Ni20Al3B6) in the base material. This research demonstrated the potential for modeling the formation of spurious phases during TLP bonding of practical superalloy systems.
Test Particle Energization by Current Sheets and Nonuniform Fields in Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

We perform numerical experiments of test particle energization in turbulent magnetic and electric fields obtained from pseudospectral direct numerical solutions of compressible three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with a strong background magnetic field. The natural tendency of turbulent MHD fields is to form current sheets along the magnetic field direction, as well as strong nonuniform fields in the transverse directions. By associating the MHD dissipation length scale with the ion inertial scale, we found differential energization in parallel and perpendicular directions according to the type of particles considered. Electrons develop large parallel velocities, especially in current sheets. Protons instead show higher perpendicular energization due to the nonuniform perpendicular induced electric field produced by the plasma MHD velocity, which varies on proton length scales. Implications for dissipation mechanisms in a coronal heating model are discussed.
The bean leaf skeletonizer, Autoplusia egena, and its control on bush snap beans in the Everglades.

Autoplusia egena (Guen.) infestations occurred in the Everglades in the spring of 1957, 1958, and 1959. The mean time required from egg to adult approximated 35 days. The parasite genera A panteles, Meteorus, and Copidosoma, and predatory Pentatomidae Podisus spp. attacked the larvae. Of the materials tested toxaphene, dieldrin, Thiodan® (6,7,8,9,10,10-hexaehloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide), Phosdrin® (1-methoxyearbonyl-1-propen-2-yl dimethyl phosphate, 60% technical), Kepone® (1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,10-decachlorotetracyclo [5.2.1.02.6 .03.9 .05.8] decan-4-one), Perthane® (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis( p -ethylphenyl) ethane), SD-4402 (1,3,4,5,6,7,8,8-0etaehloro-3a,4,7,7 a -tetrahydro-4,7-methanophthalan), and Bacillus thuringiensis gave best control.
Effect of thyroxine on DNA synthesis and thymidine kinase activity during cerebellar development.

Abstract Body growth, cerebellar growth, cerebellar DNA content, and cerebellar thymidine kinase activity were studied in rats made hyperthyroid from birth, and littermate controls. Hyperthyroidism caused the following. (1) Significantly decreased body weight in treated animals aged 3 days and older. (2) A significant decrease in cerebellar wet weight at age 12 days and later in treated animals. (3) A significant increase in cerebellar DNA by the age of 2 days in treate animals, continuing through the age of 6 days. By the age of 12 days, cerebellar DNA content was significantly decreased below control values in treated animals. (4) An induction of cerebellar thymidine kinase activity in treated animals by age 1 day continuing through age 5 days, with maximum elevation being 137% of control values at age 4 days. By age 9 days, cerebellar thymidine kinase activity in treated animals had fallen to levels significantly below control values and activity was minimal at age 15 days in comparison to disappearance of activity around age 18 days in cerebella of control animals. (5) DNA synthesis is thus accelerated in cerebella of thyroxine treated animals aged 2 to 6 days and subsequently total cerebellar DNA fails to reach normal values. Thymidine kinase activity in cerebella of treated animals is induced by age 1 day, prior to the increase of cerebellar DNA content in treated animals, and subsequently falls below control values by age 9 days, prior to a significant decrease in DNA below control values. This apparent shift to the left in the developmental spectrum of cerebellar thymidine kinase activity compared to the effects of thyroxine on DNA synthesis is discussed in the light of what is known about the effects of hormones on enzyme systems and possible mechanisms of action of thyroid hormones. The conclusions are drawn that thyroxine appears to induce thymidine kinase activity in early cerebellar development and appears to be related to premature decrease of enzyme activity. In addition, our findings support the possibility that thymidine kinase may be an essential regulatory enzyme in DNA biosynthesis, and that the effects on thymidine kinase and DNA biosynthesis of thyroxine in developing cerebellum may be secondary to a modulation of gene activity by the hormone.
Seasonal changes in the diets of migrant and non-migrant nectarivorous bats as revealed by carbon stable isotope analysis

Three species of nectar-feeding bats migrate from tropical and subtropical Mexico into the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts during the spring and summer months. We examined geographic and seasonal changes in the diet of one migrant species, Leptonycteris curasoae, using carbon stable isotope techniques to determine the relative importance of C3 and CAM (Cactaceae, Agavaceae) plants in its diet. We also examined the diet of a non-migratory nectar-feeding bat, Glossophaga soricina, from southern Mexico using the same techniques. We found that L. curasoae feeds extensively or exclusively on CAM plants during migration and in the northern part of its range and feeds mostly on C3 plants in southern Mexico. This bat is a year-round resident on Baja California where it is a CAM specialist. The non-migrant G. soricina feeds mostly on C3 plants year-round. Phenological data suggest that certain species of columnar cacti and at least one group of paniculate Agaves on the Mexican mainland provide a spatio-temporally predictable nectar corridor along which nectarivorous bats may migrate in the spring and fall, respectively. Different flowering schedules of Agaves in Baja California appear to promote year-round dietary specialization and perhaps non-migratory behavior in nectar-feeding bats living there.
Pharmacogenomics and Warfarin

It wasn’t so long ago that the idea of dosing medications based on the genetic makeup of patients was the stuff of science fiction. A genetic component to warfarin response was first implicated in 1965 when warfarin resistance was described in identical twins and their family.[1][1] In this issue
Gas cell for in situ soft X-ray transmission-absorption spectroscopy of materials

A simple gas cell design, constructed primarily from commercially available components, enables in situ soft X-ray transmission-absorption spectroscopy of materials in contact with gas at ambient temperature. The cell has a minimum X-ray path length of 1 mm and can hold gas pressures up to ∼300 Torr, and could support higher pressures with simple modifications. The design enables cycling between vacuum and gas environments without interrupting the X-ray beam, and can be fully sealed to allow for measurements of air-sensitive samples. The cell can attach to the downstream port of any appropriate synchrotron beamline, and offers a robust and versatile method for in situ measurements of certain materials. The construction and operation of the cell are discussed, as well as sample preparation and proper spectral analysis, illustrated by examples of spectral measurements. Potential areas for improvement and modification for specialized applications are also mentioned.
Minimum energy consumption of soil working cyclic processes

Abstract Analysis of some experimental studies concerning the processes of soil penetration and cutting indicates that the loading stages of both these processes as well as their unloading stages are respectively analogous. This means that the relationships between the frontal resistance forces of soil and tool displacement for penetration and cutting can be characterized by an identical mathematical model of soil. An analytical investigation of energy consumption for a generalized cyclic soil working process is carried out. This investigation shows that the minimum energy consumption can be reached if, on the loading stage, the tool displacement is equal to a so-called optimum displacement per cycle, which can be calculated according to the formulas derived in this analysis. The necessary and sufficient conditions of existence of optimum displacements per cycle are determined. These conditions are expressed by a definite correlation between some mechanical characteristics of soil. It is shown that the energy consumption of a corresponding quasistatic soil working process considerably exceeds the minimum energy consumption of a cyclic process.
Attentional factors in the occurrence of stimulus-response compatibility effects☆

Abstract Two major hypotheses have been advanced to account for stimulus-response compatibility effects in the situation in which the location of the target is irrelevant for choosing the correct response. According to the attentional hypothesis, compatibility effects reflect a response bias, favoring the effector on the same side as the stimulus. According to the coding hypothesis compatibility effects result from a correspondence between the spatial codes of the stimulus and effector. In the present study, two components of attention—selective attention and intention—were independently manipulated by providing selective preparatory information before onset of a target stimulus. Attentional information indicated where the target stimulus would occur; intentional information indicated which hand would have to be used to respond. Compatibility effects were observed only in the condition in which intentional information, but no attentional information, was provided. These findings support the attentional hypothesis and indicate that a specific aspect of attention, namely a selective readiness to respond to the stimulus, is a necessary condition for compatibility effects to occur.
High-performance liquid chromatography with reductive electrochemical detection of mutagenic nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel exhausts

A method is described for the measurement of nitro-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) which employs high-performance liquid chromatography with reductive electrochemical detection. A series of reference nitro-PAHs has been separated with a reversed-phase column and quantified over a linear range of 103 with a sensitivity of 10–100 pg per compound. Extracts of several samples of diesel-exhaust particulates contained numerous compounds which were reduced at an electrode potential of −0.6 V (vs. AgAgCl). By comparing retention times and hydrodynamic voltammograms of these peaks with those of reference nitro-PAHs it was possible to confirm the presence of 1-nitropyrene at levels of between 5 and 44 ng/mg in 5 of 6 diesel extracts and to differentiate peaks representing nitro-PAHs from those representing other reducible species (e.g., aldehydes, ketones and quinones).
Pressure and flow distribution in internal gas manifolds of a fuel-cell stack

Abstract Gas-flow dynamics in internal gas manifolds of a fuel-cell stack are analyzed to investigate overall pressure variation and flow distribution. Different gas-flow patterns are considered in this analysis. Gas-flow through gas channels of each cell is modeled by means of Darcy’s law where permeability should be determined on an experimental basis. Gas-flow in manifolds is modeled from the macroscopic mechanical energy balance with pressure-loss by wall friction and geometrical effects. A systematic algorithm to solve the proposed flow model is suggested to calculate pressure and flow distribution in fuel-cell stacks. Calculation is done for a 100-cell molten carbonate fuel-cell stack with internal manifolds. The results show that the pressure-loss by wall friction is negligible compared with the pressure recovery in inlet manifolds or loss in outlet manifolds due to mass dividing or combining flow at manifold–cell junctions. A more significant effect on manifold pressure possibly arises from the geometrical manifold structure which depends on the manifold size and shape. The geometrical effect is approximated from pressure-loss coefficients of several types of fittings and valves. The overall pressure and flow distribution is significantly affected by the value of the geometrical pressure-loss coefficient. It is also found that the flow in manifolds is mostly turbulent in the 100-cell stack and this way result in an uneven flow distribution when the stack manifold is incorrectly, designed.
Transformation of chlorinated aliphatic compounds by ferruginous smectite

A series of chlorinated aliphatic compounds (RCI, including carbon tetrachloride (PCM), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA), pentachloroethane (PCA), hexachloroethane (HCA), trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloronitromethane (chloropicrin, CP), and trichloroacetonitrile (TCAN)) was reacted with ferruginuous smectite (sample SWa-1 from The Source Clays Repository), SWa, in aqueous suspension under anoxic conditions. Compounds highly polarizable or sharing substituents that facilitate charge delocalization adsorbed faster by reduced (SWa-R) than by unaltered (SWa-U) clay, indicating stronger dipole--dipole interactions between the substituents and the clay surface and/or hydrating water molecules. The reduction of the clay accelerated RCI adsorption up to 100-fold. Incubations with SWa-R promoted RCI reduction (CP, TCAN) or dehydrochlorination (TeCA and PCA). The reduction of structural Fe catalyzes the transformation of RCI via Bronsted and Lewis-basic promoted pathways. This study indicates that oxidation state of the structural Fe in SWa greatly alters surface chemistry and has a large impact on clay-organic interactions.
Properties of some common igneous rocks and their melts at high temperatures

The properties of four igneous rocks (a tholeiitic and an alkali-olivine basalt, an andesite, and a rhyolite) and a synthetic lunar sample have been determined at atmospheric pressure over a range of temperatures including their melting interval. Viscosity, density, electrical and thermal conductivity, ultrasonic wave velocities, surface tension, and vesiculation rates were measured directly; these data have been used to calculate values for thermal expansion, compressibility, ultrasonic wave attenuation, and activation-energy coefficients.
Impact of development of the gastrointestinal tract on infant feeding.

We have described the developmental pattern of the gastrointestinal tract under optimal conditions (i.e., low risk pregnancy and normal labor and delivery at term). The tissues do not develop simultaneously, and morphologic and functional development are not concurrent. An important consideration is the effect of suboptimal or even adverse conditions on the developmental sequence and attainment of maturity. Malnutrition during both the prenatal and postnatal periods may restrict the morphologic and biochemical development of the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary modifications have been shown to alter the developmental pattern of intestinal and pancreatic enzymes in animal models. Drugs and hormonal therapy given during pregnancy and early infancy have been known to cause developmental defects, but the specific effects on the gastrointestinal tract have not been evaluated. For further understanding of digestibility of nutrients and absorption in the perinatal period, these departures from the normal development of the gastrointestinal tract and the mechanisms by which these potential effects occur remain to be described. In view of these undetermined factors, in the case of intolerance or unavailability of milk from the natural mother, feedings should be individualized, with attention to direct measurement of enzyme concentrations, balance studies, or both, especially in the case of extreme prematurity or unusual requirements.
Bank size, lending paradigms, and usage of Farm Service Agency's guaranteed loan programs

Purpose – An established paradigm in small business lending is segmented by bank size with large banks more likely to lend to large informationally transparent firms while small banks are more likely to lend to small informationally opaque firms. In light of banking consolidation, this market segmentation can have implications for credit availability. Federal loan guarantees, such as those provided by USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) may reduce the risks of lending to informationally opaque firms thereby mitigating the impacts of the bank size lending paradigm. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This analysis utilized a binomial logit procedure to determine if there was any empirical evidence that smaller community banks served a unique clientele of farmers when making FSA-guaranteed loans. The analysis relied on a unique data set which incorporated detailed data on farm businesses receiving FSA-guaranteed loans, loan characteristics, as well as information about the or...