cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of potential gene flow limitation of behavioral adaptation in an aridlands spider

This study investigates the possibility that gene flow underlies the apparently maladaptive behavior of a riparian woodland population of the desert spider Agelenopsis aperta with respect to territorial, foraging, and antipredatory behaviors. I found that other local populations of A. aperta in the vicinity of the riparian woodland habitat are prey-limited and exhibit an “aridlands” phenotype (high aggressiveness in competitive interactions over energy-based territories and a lack of discrimination among potential prey types). The riparian woodland population deviates from surrounding populations in the area in that prey are abundant and this population shows a mixture of “aridlands” and “riparian” (low aggressiveness towards conspecifics and discrimination of prey profitability) phenotypes. Electrophoretic analyses of population subdivision in the area indicate that significant levels of gene flow have occurred, at least, sometime in the past. Drift fence analyses of spider movement futher indicate that there is marked unidirectional movement of spiders each year from the more arid habitats into the riparian woodland. Experimental manipulation of gene flow and predation pressure demonstrates that gene flow restricts adaptation in this habitat: one generation of predation pressure in the absence of gene flow is sufficient to cause a marked shift in spider behavior towards the expected “riparian” phenotype.
Preformatted charts improve documentation in the emergency department.

Study objectives: To determine if the use of programmed charts with complaint-specific entry criteria results in improved documentation of patient encounters and better clinical outcome. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Emergency department of an urban university hospital. Type of participants: Female patients presenting to the emergency department with gynecologic complaints of abdominal pain, bleeding, or vaginal discharge. Interventions: Programmed and blank charts were provided randomly for physicians in the ED. Measurements: Chart scores based on documentation criteria for patient history, physical examination, laboratory studies, diagnosis, and discharge instructions and patient outcome scores of 0% to 100% based on the persistence of their complaints at the time of the follow-up interview. Main results: Overall documentation of history, physical examination, and laboratory studies was more complete on programmed charts than on blank charts (81.1% vs 71%, P P 2 = 5.2, P Conclusion: Programmed charts improve documentation by facilitation of the documentation process and allow more time for patientphysician interaction. Quality of documentation alone, however, is not a reliable indicator of patient outcome or of the quality of care received.
Does uncomplicated diverticulosis of the colon cause symptoms

1. The records of 218 in-patients with diverticulosis of the colon were reviewed in an attempt to determine whether uncomplicated diverticulosis causes symptoms. 2. In only 17 patients (7.8%) of this series could it be reasonably assumed that symptoms were attributable to simple diverticulosis. 3. The relative infrequency of such symptoms suggests that patients exhibiting them may actually have diverticulitis not recognizable by our current criteria.
Expansion of the R4 H2O Maser Arc near Cepheus A HW2

We present new (2000 April) MERLIN observations of the H2O masers located near the protostar Cepheus A HW2. The MERLIN observations detect many of the structures found in earlier (1996) Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of Torrelles and collaborators, and the changed positions of these structures are compatible with the VLBA proper motions and astrometric uncertainties. The radius of curvature of the R4 structure of maser arcs appears to have grown by a factor of 2, and the displacement of the arcs between 1996 and 2000 is compatible with expansion about a common center. In addition, the MERLIN observations detect redshifted masers not previously found; taken with the newly discovered masers, the R4 structure now resembles patchy emission from an elliptical ring. We demonstrate that a simple bow shock model cannot simultaneously account for the shape and the velocity gradient of the R4 structure. A model involving a slow, hydromagnetic shock propagating into a rotating, circumstellar disk better describes the maser spot kinematics and luminosities. In this model, the central mass is 3 M☉, and we demonstrate that the mass of the disk is negligible in comparison. The expansion velocity of the postshock gas, ~5 km s-1, is slow compared to the shock velocity, vS ~ 13 km s-1, suggesting that the postshock gas is magnetically supported with a characteristic field strength of ~30 mG. We speculate that the expanding maser rings R4 and R5 may be generated by periodic, instability-driven winds from young stars that periodically send spherical shocks into the surrounding circumstellar material.
Power scaling of rare-earth-doped fiber sources

Single-mode (SM) fiber lasers and amplifiers are constrained to low output powers by fundamental physical limitations of the fiber, specifically, by low energy storage and by the onset of nonlinear processes in the fiber. The simplest way to overcome both limiting factors is to increase the core size, but maintaining SM operation imposes an upper limit. Further power scaling is possible with multimode (MM) fiber, but the poor beam quality generally associated MM fiber is unacceptable for many applications. We have developed a technique (bend-loss-induced mode filtering) that allows the core size to be increased significantly beyond the SM limit while maintaining diffraction-limited beam quality and high efficiency. In this method, coiling of the fiber is used as a form of distributed spatial filtering to suppress all but the fundamental mode of a highly MM fiber amplifier. Unlike conventional spatial filtering, in which high-order modes are discarded, the mode-filtering technique does not result is substantial loss of efficiency because high-order modes are suppressed along the entire length of the amplifier and are thus prevented from building up significant intensity. We will review this method and recent experimental results for both cw and pulsed fiber sources, including nonlinear frequency conversion of mode-filtered fiber lasers. Optical damage issues will also be discussed.
The Archives of the Jesuit Province of Toulouse Relating to Madagascar

I might mention first the most important Jesuit missionary journal of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries relating to Madagascar. Like most missionary periodical publications, this particular journal underwent several changes of title. Beginning publication in 1838 as Lettres des Scolastiques de Vals, the title was later changed to Lettres du scolasticat de Vals, and then to Lettres de Vals. From 1882 to 1897 it was known as Lettres d'Ucles, then until 1901, again as Lettres de Vals; finally, from 1903 until 1914 it was called Lettres de Gemert.2 The Toulouse archives has a complete set of these, none of which was originally issued for public consumption and hence are difficult to locate. As each of the titles suggests, this journal consisted of letters written from missionaries in the field to their Apostolic Vicars. Such letters were then excerpted and summarized and sent on to Vals, a Jesuit training seminary, for circulation among the missionaries in training there. Originally the excerpts were handcopied and arranged by region: Madagascar, India, Oceania, etc., but later they were lithographed or printed. Although, unlike the correspondence of the London Missionary Society from Madagascar at the same time, the various Lettres do not contain truly original correspondence, what is in them is extremely important, at least for Madagascar, because many of the original letters cannot now be found. The Lettres thus remain one of the best sources for the correspondence of the earliest of the Jesuit missionaries to Madagascar: Marc Finaz, Augustin Delbosc, Louis Jouen, Jean-Baptiste Cazet, JeanBaptiste Labaste, Antoine Abinal, Alphonse and Henri Taix, Frangois Callet, Hippolyte, Bregere, Pierre-Justin Causseque, and others.3
Long-term remission of myelofibrosis following nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation in older age: the Scripps Clinic experience

Long-term remission of myelofibrosis following nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation in older age: the Scripps Clinic experience
Lattice frameworks for multisource and bidirectional data flow problems

Multisource data flow problems involve information which may enter nodes independently through different classes of edges. In some cases, dissimilar meet operations appear to be used for different types of nodes. These problems include bidirectional and flow-sensitive problems as well as many static analyses of concurrent programs with synchronization. K-tuple frameworks, a type of standard data flow framework, provide a natural encoding for multisource problems using a single meet operator. Previously, the solution of these problems has been described as the fixed point of a set of data flow equations. Using our k-tuple representation, we can access the general results of standard data flow frameworks concerning convergence time and solution precision for these problems. We demonstrate this for the bidirectional component of partial redundancy suppression and two problems on the program summary graph. An interesting subclass of k-tuple frameworks, the join-of-meets frameworks, is useful for reachability problems, especially those stemming from analyses of explicitly parallel programs. We give results on function space properties for join-of-meets frameworks that indicate precise solutions for most of them will be difficult to obtain.
Orientation effects on indexing of electron backscatter diffraction patterns

Automated Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) has become a well-accepted technique for characterizing the crystallographic orientation aspects of polycrystalline microstructures. At the advent of this technique, it was observed that patterns obtained from grains in certain crystallographic orientations were more difficult for the automated indexing algorithms to accurately identify than patterns from other orientations. The origin of this problem is often similarities between the EBSD pattern of the correct orientation and patterns from other orientations or phases. While practical solutions have been found and implemented, the identification of these problem orientations generally occurs only after running an automated scan, as problem orientations are often readily apparent in the resulting orientation maps. However, such an approach only finds those problem orientations that are present in the scan area. It would be advantageous to identify all regions of orientation space that may present problems for automated indexing prior to initiating an automated scan, and to minimize this space through the optimization of acquisition and indexing parameters. This work presents new methods for identifying regions in orientation space where the reliability of the automated indexing is suspect prior to performing a scan. This methodology is used to characterize the impact of various parameters on the indexing algorithm.
A Case Study on the Effects of Heterogeneous Soil Moisture on Mesoscale Boundary-Layer Structure in the Southern Great Plains, U.S.A. Part I: Simple Prognostic Model

The atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) depth was observed by airborne lidar and balloon soundings during the Southern Great Plains 1997 field study (SGP97). This paper is Part I of a two-part case study examining the relationship of surface heterogeneity to observed ABL structure. Part I focuses on observations. During two days (12–13 July 1997) following rain, midday convective ABL depth varied by as much as 1.5 km across 400 km, even with moderate winds. Variability in ABL depth was driven primarily by the spatial variation in surface buoyancy flux as measured from short towers and aircraft within the SGP97 domain. Strong correlation was found between time-integrated buoyancy flux and airborne remotely sensed surface soil moisture for the two case-study days, but only a weak correlation was found between surface energy fluxes and vegetation greenness as measured by satellite. A simple prognostic one-dimensional ABL model was applied to test to what extent the soil moisture spatial heterogeneity explained the variation in north–south ABL depth across the SGP97 domain. The model was able to better predict mean ABL depth and variations on horizontal scales of approximately 100 km using observed soil moisture instead of constant soil moisture. Subsidence, advection, convergence/divergence and spatial variability of temperature inversion strength also contributed to ABL depth variations. In Part II, assimilation of high-resolution soil moisture into a three-dimensional mesoscale model (MM5) is discussed and shown to improve predictions of ABL structure. These results have implications for ABL models and the influence of soil moisture on mesoscale meteorology
Enhanced Specific Heat Capacity of Nanomaterials Synthesized by Dispersing Silica Nanoparticles in Eutectic Mixtures

Anomalous enhancements in the specific heat capacity values of nanomaterials were measured in this study. Silica nanoparticles (∼2―20 nm) were dispersed into eutectic of lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate (62:38 by molar ratio) at 1.5% mass concentration. The specific heat capacity measurements were performed using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The specific heat capacity of the silica nanocomposite (solid phase) was enhanced by 38―54% and the specific heat of the silica nanofluid (liquid phase) was enhanced by 118―124% over that of the pure eutectic. Electron microscopy of the samples shows that the nanoparticles induce phase change (forms a higher density "compressed phase") within the solvent material. Hence, a new model is proposed to account for the contribution of the compressed phase to the total specific heat capacity of the nanomaterials. The proposed model is found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. These results have wide ranging implications, such as for the development of efficient thermal storage systems that can enable significant reduction in the cost of solar thermal power.
Acupuncture: ancient art, modern enigma.

Western medical and scientific communities have recently experienced a proliferation of interest in the centuries-old art of acupuncture. Recently, it has been suggested that acupuncture may become a treatment modality of the future, with dental applications. A review of recent literature serves to introduce the dentist to this ancient art.
Synthesis and Transport of Hydroxyproline-rich Components in Suspension Cultures of Sycamore-Maple Cells

Plant cell walls contain a glycoprotein rich in hydroxyproline. To determine how Acer pseudoplatanus L. cells transport this glycoprotein to the wall, the pulse-chase technique was used to follow changes in specific radio-activity of hydroxyproline and proline in isolated, mitochondrial, Golgi, microsomal, soluble protein, and wall fractions. The turnover rates or changes in specific radioactivity of cytoplasmic hydroxyproline in these cell fractions indicated that the bulk of this hydroxyproline was transferred not by the Golgi apparatus but by a smooth membranous component.
Silencing Mediator of Retinoid and Thyroid Hormone Receptors (SMRT) regulates glucocorticoid action in adipocytes

Local modulation of glucocorticoid action in adipocytes regulates adiposity and systemic insulin sensitivity. However, the specific cofactors that mediate glucocorticoid receptor (GR) action in adipocytes remain unclear. Here we show that the silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) is recruited to GR in adipocytes and regulates ligand-dependent GR function. Decreased SMRT expression in adipocytes in vivo increases expression of glucocorticoid-responsive genes. Moreover, adipocytes with decreased SMRT expression exhibit altered glucocorticoid regulation of lipolysis. We conclude that SMRT regulates the metabolic functions of GR in adipocytes in vivo. Modulation of GR-SMRT interactions in adipocytes represents a novel approach to control the local degree of glucocorticoid action and thus influence adipocyte metabolic function.
Principles of cortical synchronization

Functional roles for cortical synchronization in self-organizing neural networks are described. These properties are best understood by models that link brain to behavior. Synchrony can express itself differently in cortical circuits that perform different behavioral tasks. Cortical temporal properties that seem inexplicable by synchrony are also mentioned.
Factors Influencing the Efficacy of Forward-Looking Infrared in Polar Bear Den Detection

Female polar bears construct maternal dens in snowdrifts in autumn. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) has been used to locate dens to prevent disruption of denning by human activities, but the results have been mixed. To identify limitations and optimal conditions for locating dens, we took handheld FLIR images of three artificial dens under varied conditions. We tested variables hypothesized to influence detectability with linear models using the zero-inflated negative binomial distribution. Solar radiation, wind speed, and den wall thickness reduced the likelihood of detecting dens. The negative effect of wind speed on detectability increased with increasing distance. To maximize the efficacy of ground-based FLIR, den surveys should be conducted when solar radiation is less than 16 watts per square meter (night) and when wind speed is less than 10 kilometers per hour. Adherence to these guidelines will maximize the protection that FLIR can afford to denning bears.
Salivary alpha-amylase as a longitudinal predictor of children's externalizing symptoms: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia as a moderator of effects

Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) was examined as a predictor of children's externalizing symptoms cross-sectionally when children were in the 3rd grade (T1; N=64) and again in the 5th grade (T2; N=54) and longitudinally over two years. Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), was examined as a moderator of the sAA and child externalizing link. Participants were healthy, typically developing children, 34% of whom were African American and the rest European American. At each time point, saliva samples were collected during afternoon laboratory visits and assayed for sAA. Children's RSA was measured during baseline conditions and in response to an inter-adult argument and a star-tracing task. Cross-sectional associations between sAA and externalizing symptoms at T1 and T2 were moderated by PNS functioning. Longitudinally, sAA was directly associated with changes in externalizing symptoms in a non-linear fashion. Specifically, lower externalizing symptoms were predicted for children with moderate levels of sAA, but higher externalizing was predicted for children with higher or lower levels of sAA. Findings highlight the importance of the contemporaneous assessment of SNS and PNS functioning in the prediction of child psychopathology, and the need to examine curvilinear relations between ANS functioning and behavior.
Assessment of Appropriateness of Cataract Surgery at Ten Academic Medical Centers in 1990

Purpose: To develop criteria for the appropriateness of cataract surgery (extracapsular cataract extraction or phacoemulsification with planned implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens) and to apply these criteria to patients from ten academic medical centers. Methods: The study is a retrospective case series from ten academic medical centers. One thousand one hundred thirty-nine patients who had had cataract surgery in 1990 at the medical centers were selected randomly. Patients, identified by specific ICD-9-CM or CPT-4 codes, had no other ocular surgery performed at the same time as cataract surgery. Rates of inappropriate, uncertain, appropriate, and appropriate and crucial surgeries were determined by application of the criteria established by a multidisciplinary expert panel. Results: Approximately 2% of the procedures were classified as inappropriate, after adjusting for missing or nonspecific visual function by use of discriminant analysis. Ninety-one percent of the procedures were classified as appropriate (52%) or appropriate and crucial (39%). Seven percent were designated as uncertain, either due to a median rating in the uncertain range or to disagreement in ratings among the panelists. Significant variation occurred in the results among the different institutions: inappropriate surgeries ranged from 0% to 4%, uncertain from 1 % to 14%, appropriate from 35% to 66%, and appropriate and crucial from 21 % to 62% ( P = 0.02). Conclusion: A small percentage of cataract surgeries was performed at these ten academic medical centers for inappropriate indications using the study criteria. Given the large number of cataract surgeries performed annually, the small percentage of uncertain and inappropriate surgeries may translate into a large number of surgeries performed for less than appropriate or appropriate and crucial indications. Significant variation existed among the institutions in the distribution of appropriate and crucial and appropriate compared with uncertain and inappropriate surgeries.
High-dimensional pseudo-logistic regression and classification with applications to gene expression data

High dimension low sample size data, like the microarray gene expression levels, pose numerous challenges to conventional statistical methods. In the particular case of binary classification, some classification methods, such as the support vector machine (SVM), can efficiently deal with high-dimensional predictors, but lacks the accuracy in estimating the probability of membership of a class. In contrast, the traditional logistic regression (TLR) effectively estimates the probability of class membership for data with low-dimensional inputs, but does not handle high-dimensional cases. The study bridges the gap between SVM and TLR by their loss functions. Based on the proposed new loss function, a pseudo-logistic regression and classification approach which simultaneously combines the strengths of both SVM and TLR is also proposed. Simulation evaluations and real data applications demonstrate that for low-dimensional data, the proposed method produces regression estimates comparable to those of TLR and penalized logistic regression, and that for high-dimensional data, the new method possesses higher classification accuracy than SVM and, in the meanwhile, enjoys enhanced computational convergence and stability.
Absolute linestrengths in the H2O2 v6 band

Absolute linestrengths at 295 K have been measured for selected lines in the nu6 band of H2O2 using a tunable diode-laser spectrometer. H2O2 concentrations in a flowing gas mixture were determined by ultraviolet (uv) absorption at 254 nm using a collinear infrared (ir) and uv optical arrangement. The measured linestrengths are approx. 60 percent larger than previously reported values when absorption by hot bands in H2O2 is taken into account.
Degradation of type IV collagen by matrix metalloproteinases is an important step in the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of the endocardial cushions.

Morphogenesis of some tissues and organs in the developing embryo requires the transformation of epithelial cells into mesenchyme followed by cell motility and invasion of surrounding connective tissues. Details of the mechanisms involved in this important process are beginning to be elucidated. The epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) process involves many steps, one of which is the upregulation and activation of specific extracellular proteinases including members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. Here we analyze the role of MMPs in the initiation of the mesenchymal cell phenotype in the developing heart, and find that they are necessary for the invasion of mesenchymal cells into the extracellular matrix of the endocardial cushion tissues. An important requirement in the formation of this mesenchyme is the turnover of type IV collagen along the basal surface of endocardial cells. In vitro experiments suggest that type IV collagen does not provide a suitable migratory substrate for endocardial cushion cells unless MMP-2 and MT-MMP are active. Relevant MMPs were found to be upregulated by factors known to be involved in the induction of the EMT such as TGFbeta3. These results provide evidence of an important role for MMPs during a specific stage of the epithelial mesenchymal transformation in the embryonic heart, and suggest that specific cell-matrix interactions which facilitate cell migration only occur when the composition of the surrounding extracellular matrix is proteolytically altered.
Impaired balance and higher prevalence of falls in subjects with intermittent claudication

Background . The purpose of this study was to determine whether peripheral arterial disease (PAD) subjects have impaired balance and a higher prevalence of falls than non-PAD controls and to determine whether balance and falls are related to the severity of PAD and functional status. Methods . A total of 367 PAD subjects (aged 68 � 1 years; meanSEM ) and 458 non-PAD controls (aged 67 � 1 years) were recruited. Unipedal stance time, history of ambulatory stumbling and unsteadiness, and history of falling were recorded. Additionally, subjects were characterized on age, ankle/brachial index (ABI), anthropometry, measured and self-reported ambulatory function, and monitored daily physical activity. Results . Unipedal stance time was 28% shorter ( p � .001) in the PAD subjects than in the non-PAD controls (15.9 � 0.9 vs 22.1 � 1.0). History of ambulatory stumbling and unsteadiness was 86% more prevalent ( p � .001) in the PAD group (150/367 � 41%) than in the controls (101/458 � 22%), and history of falling was 73% more prevalent ( p � .001) in the PAD subjects (95/367 � 26%) than in the controls (69/458 � 15%). Within the PAD group, 6-minute walk distance, self-reported ambulatory function, and daily physical activity were significantly related to the balance and fall- ing measures ( p � .05), whereas ABI was unrelated ( p � .05). Conclusions . Compared with the controls, PAD subjects with intermittent claudication had impaired balance and a greater likelihood of falling, both of which were associated with ambulatory function and daily physical activity. YMPTOMATIC peripheral arterial disease (PAD) af- flicts 6% of the American population above the age of 55 (1). PAD is a leading cause of morbidity due to ambula- tory limitations associated with intermittent claudication (2). PAD subjects frequently experience intermittent claudi- cation during ambulation because the peripheral circulation is inadequate to meet the energy needs of the active lower- extremity musculature. The ambulatory dysfunction in subjects with intermittent claudication (3) may trigger a decline in other domains of physical function. For example, PAD subjects with intermittent claudication have a lower daily physical activity level (4), worse self-perceived ambulatory function (5), and lower health-related quality of life (6). The ability to maintain balance and how it relates to falls is a domain of physical function that has important health consequences (7) but has not been as- sessed in the PAD population. PAD subjects may be particu- larly susceptible to poor balance and a greater rate of falling be- cause impaired peripheral circulation is associated with sensory and motor nerve dysfunction of the lower extremities (8). The purposes of this study were (i) to determine whether PAD subjects have impaired balance and a higher preva- lence of falls than non-PAD controls and (ii) to determine whether balance and falls are related to the severity of PAD and functional status.
Habitat Features Determine the Basking Distribution of Introduced Red-Eared Sliders and Native Western Pond Turtles

Abstract We quantified basking site usage by native western pond turtles (Emys [ = Actinemys] marmorata) and introduced red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in an urbanized waterway. A lower frequency of human disturbance, steeper slopes, shallower water adjacent to basking sites, and a concrete substrate were all associated with a higher abundance of native threatened pond turtles relative to introduced sliders. These differences suggest new habitat management practices that could favor native pond turtles in the face of competition from invasive sliders.
RF propagation in tunnel environments

A review of radio propagation in subterranean tunnels is presented. Such environments are of interest for homeland security as subways are a vulnerable target, and in a military context. A theoretical analysis of the waveguide nature of tunnels is presented along with the loss mechanisms due to surrounding walls. Propagation losses associated with corners, bends and antenna coupling are also presented. Modeling techniques such as finite difference, time domain, parabolic approximations and ray tracing approximations are discussed and some numerical results for straight, curved and cornered tunnels are presented.
Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among Haitian immigrant students: implications for access to mental health services and educational programming

Background Previous studies of Haitian immigrant and refugee youth have emphasized "externalizing" behaviors, such as substance use, high risk sexual behavior, and delinquency, with very little information available on "internalizing" symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. Analyzing stressors and "internalizing" symptoms offers a more balanced picture of the type of social and mental health services that may be needed for this population. The present study aims to: 1) estimate the prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Haitian immigrant students; and 2) examine factors associated with depression and PTSD to identify potential areas of intervention that may enhance psychosocial health outcomes among immigrant youth from Haiti in the U.S.
How Do Predators Cope With Chemically Defended Foods

Many prey species (including plants) deter predators with defensive chemicals. These defensive chemicals act by rendering the prey's tissues noxious, toxic, or both. Here, I explore how predators cope with the presence of these chemicals in their diet. First, I describe the chemosensory mechanisms by which predators (including herbivores) detect defensive chemicals. Second, I review the mechanisms by which predators either avoid or tolerate defensive chemicals in prey. Third, I examine how effectively free-ranging predators can overcome the chemical defenses of prey. The available evidence indicates that predators have mixed success overcoming these defenses. This conclusion is based on reports of free-ranging predators rejecting unpalatable but harmless prey, or voluntarily ingesting toxic prey.
Silver nanoparticle characterization using single particle ICP-MS (SP-ICP-MS) and asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation ICP-MS (AF4-ICP-MS)

Methods to detect, quantify, and characterize engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in environmental matrices are highlighted as one of the areas of highest priority research needs with respect to understanding the potential environmental risks associated with nanomaterials. More specifically, techniques are needed to determine the size and concentration of ENPs in a variety of complex matrices. Furthermore, data should be collected at environmentally and toxicologically relevant concentrations. Both single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) and asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation (AF4) ICP-MS offer substantial advantages for detecting ENPs and assessing many of the above parameters in complex matrices over traditional characterization methods such as microscopy, light scattering, and filtration. In this study, we compared the ability of two emerging techniques to detect well characterized, monodisperse silver ENPs and examined their overall applicability to environmental studies specifically with respect to their: (A) size and concentration detection limits, (B) resolution and (C) multi-form elemental analysis. We find that in terms of concentration detection limit (both, on a mass basis and particle number basis) SP-ICP-MS was considerably more sensitive than AF4-ICP-MS (ng L−1vs. μg L−1, respectively), and offers the unique ability to differentiate dissolved and nanoparticulate fractions of total metal. With a variety of optimization parameters possible, AF4-ICP-MS can detect a much smaller NP size (2 nm vs. 20 nm for SP-ICP-MS), provides the possibility for greater size resolution.
A Three‐Dimensional Dynamic Tire Model for Vehicle Dynamic Simulations

Abstract Traditional multibody dynamic (MBD) tire models concentrate on the tire patch force development and the tire in‐plane characteristics. The tire lateral dynamics and nonlinear effects caused by the tire compliances during rough terrain driving and severe maneuvers are mostly neglected in vehicle analytical simulations. The tire finite element models, though capable of dealing with these phenomena, are basically not designed for quick vehicle dynamic evaluations. A simple three‐dimensional (3‐D) MBD tire model for full vehicle performance and maneuvering simulations over various road surfaces is therefore desirable for the ever expanding analysis capabilities and the improved accuracy of the computer‐aided vehicle design analysis. In this paper a tire modeling concept to extend the in‐plane dynamic tire model to full 3‐D tire dynamics is proposed. Essentially, this tire model divides the traditional tire/wheel system model into three elements: two rigid bodies representing the wheel mass/inertia an...
An unreleased mm-wave Resonant Body Transistor

In this work, we present the first fully unreleased Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEM) resonator. The 1st harmonic longitudinal resonance of a silicon FinFET fully clad in SiO 2 is demonstrated. The device exhibits two resonances at 39 and 41 GHz, corresponding well with simulation results. The quality factor (Q) of 129 at 39 GHz is ∼4x lower than that of its released counterpart. Methods to improve Q and reduce spurious modes are introduced. This first demonstration of unreleased resonators in a hybrid MEMS-CMOS technology can provide RF and microwave CMOS circuit designers with active high-Q devices monolithically integrated in Front-End-of-Line (FEOL) processing without the need for post-processing or special packaging.
Candida albicans-Conditioned Medium Protects Yeast Cells from Oxidative Stress: a Possible Link between Quorum Sensing and Oxidative Stress Resistance

Candida albicans, the most frequent fungal pathogen of humans, encounters high levels of oxidants following ingestion by professional phagocytes and through contact with hydrogen peroxide-producing bacteria. In this study, we provide evidence that C. albicans is able to coordinately regulate the oxidative stress response at the global cell population level by releasing protective molecules into the surrounding medium. We demonstrate that conditioned medium, which is defined as a filter-sterilized supernatant from a C. albicans stationary-phase culture, is able to protect yeast cells from both hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion-generating agents. Exponential-phase yeast cells preexposed to conditioned medium were able to survive levels of oxidative stress that would normally kill actively growing yeast cells. Heat treatment, digestion with proteinase K, pH adjustment, or the addition of the oxidant scavenger alpha-tocopherol did not alter the ability of conditioned medium to induce a protective response. Farnesol, a heat-stable quorum-sensing molecule (QSM) that is insensitive to proteolytic enzymes and is unaffected by pH extremes, is partly responsible for this protective response. In contrast, the QSM tyrosol did not alter the sensitivity of C. albicans cells to oxidants. Relative reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicates that Candida-conditioned growth medium induces the expression of CAT1, SOD1, SOD2, and SOD4, suggesting that protection may be mediated through the transcriptional regulation of antioxidant-encoding genes. Together, these data suggest a link between the quorum-sensing molecule farnesol and the oxidative stress response in C. albicans.
Does cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety outperform usual care in community clinics? An initial effectiveness test.

Objective Most tests of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety disorders have shown beneficial effects, but these have been efficacy trials with recruited youths treated by researcher-employed therapists. One previous (nonrandomized) trial in community clinics found that CBT did not outperform usual care (UC). The present study used a more stringent effectiveness design to test CBT versus UC in youths referred to community clinics, with all treatment provided by therapists employed in the clinics. Method A randomized controlled trial methodology was used. Therapists were randomized to training and supervision in the Coping Cat CBT program or UC. Forty-eight youths (56% girls, 8 to 15 years of age, 38% Caucasian, 33% Latino, 15% African-American) diagnosed with DSM-IV anxiety disorders were randomized to CBT or UC. Results At the end of treatment more than half the youths no longer met criteria for their primary anxiety disorder, but the groups did not differ significantly on symptom (e.g., parent report, eta-square = 0.0001; child report, eta-square = 0.09; both differences favoring UC) or diagnostic (CBT, 66.7% without primary diagnosis; UC, 73.7%; odds ratio 0.71) outcomes. No differences were found with regard to outcomes of comorbid conditions, treatment duration, or costs. However, youths receiving CBT used fewer additional services than UC youths (χ 2 1 = 8.82, p = .006). Conclusions CBT did not produce better clinical outcomes than usual community clinic care. This initial test involved a relatively modest sample size; more research is needed to clarify whether there are conditions under which CBT can produce better clinical outcomes than usual clinical care. Clinical trial registry information—Community Clinic Test of Youth Anxiety and Depression Study, URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov, unique identifier: NCT01005836.
Issues in incorporating new technologies into the new produce prototyping process

The issues which face an organization when new technologies are incorporated into the product-development process, and specifically in the prototyping phase of product development, are considered. Five industrial case studies are reviewed and the insights gained concerning prototyping processes, prototyping technologies, and managerial techniques used to optimize the processes are discussed generally. These cases are examined to provide a detailed understanding of the process of prototyping as well as to observe bottlenecks in the process and methods to minimize the impact of these bottlenecks. The issues which result from these cases are summarized. These issues include the following: finding the appropriate new technologies; understanding these technologies and their limitations; understanding the current process of product development; knowledge of the barriers which prevent process improvement; prioritization of these barriers; the problems associated with altering standard operating procedures; linking the process with the organizational strategy; understanding that the incorporation of new technologies requires careful management; addressing implementation issues; and measuring the benefits of incorporating new technologies. >
The evaluation of large, complex UML analysis and design models

This paper describes techniques for analyzing large UML models. The first part of the paper describes heuristics and processes for creating semantically correct UML analysis and design models. The second part of the paper briefly describes the internal DesignAdvisor research tool that was used to analyze Siemens models. The results are presented and some interesting conclusions are drawn.
Nano biosensors for neurochemical monitoring

Neurochemicals such as dopamine (DA) and serotonin (S-HT) are linked to disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, addiction and many others. Detection of and monitoring these neurochemicals in vivo and in vitro has become important in treating various disorders. The electroactive nature of DA and S-HT has enabled employing electrochemical techniques to detect them at low concentrations, and a variety of electrodes and approaches have been reported. The use of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and nanowires has been advocated in recent years for the sensitive detection of neurochemicals. This article reviews the advances in nano biosensors for this application and discusses the future outlook and challenges.
Experimental Tests of a Selection Index

Abstract SELECTION indexes have been advocated on statistical and genetical grounds as a means of combining information on several measured traits into a single selection criterion. Theoretically, it is expected that selection decisions based on such indexes would, under mass selection, give maximum genetic gains in terms of assumed economic values. Following initial derivations of selection indexes by Smith (1936) and by Hazel (1943), a large number of studies has been carried out with the aim of providing the genetic information necessary for constructing selection indexes. Sometimes indexes have been constructed based on simplified assumptions of economic variables. However, only a few applications of indexes have been reported (Manning, 1955; Dickerson, 1955; and Christian, 1957). Apparently, no experimental verification of the results anticipated under index selection is on record. This lack of experimental validation may reflect the convincing genetic and statistical arguments that have been made in favor of selection indexes, …
Mdm12p, a Component Required for Mitochondrial Inheritance That Is Conserved between Budding and Fission Yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking the MDM12 gene product display temperature-sensitive growth and possess abnormally large, round mitochondria that are defective for inheritance by daughter buds. Analysis of the wild-type MDM12 gene revealed its product to be a 31-kD polypeptide that is homologous to a protein of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. When expressed in S. cerevisiae, the S. pombe Mdm12p homolog conferred a dominant-negative phenotype of giant mitochondria and aberrant mitochondrial distribution, suggesting partial functional conservation of Mdm12p activity between budding and fission yeast. The S. cerevisiae Mdm12p was localized by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and by subcellular fractionation and immunodetection to the mitochondrial outer membrane and displayed biochemical properties of an integral membrane protein. Mdm12p is the third mitochondrial outer membrane protein required for normal mitochondrial morphology and distribution to be identified in S. cerevisiae and the first such mitochondrial component that is conserved between two different species.
Postmodern media studies: Analysis or symptom?

There is much current discussion about “the postmodern condition”‐a sea change in the configuration of society that has brought about a dramatic new set of cultural forms and social experiences. At the center of the postmodern condition are the issues of communication and the nature of signification and language. Here, we identify the major insights concerning contemporary communication and media practices associated with the postmodern condition and evaluate their contribution to critical media studies.
Prostate-specific antigen screening and prostate cancer mortality: implications of a randomized European study

Evaluation of: Schroder FH, Hugosson J, Roobol MJ et al.: Screening and prostate-cancer mortality in a randomized European study. N. Engl. J. Med. 360, 1320–1328 (2009). Over the past two decades, prostate-specific antigen has become the primary modality for prostate cancer screening and has led to earlier detection. However, the question remains as to whether earlier detection actually leads to reductions in prostate cancer-specific mortality, especially since prostate cancer treatment can be associated with significant quality-of-life issues, including impotence and incontinence. Recently, long-term studies from Europe and the USA have demonstrated conflicting results with regard to this question. The European study demonstrated a 20% reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality in men receiving routine screening, but concluded that 1410 men would need screening and 48 men would need treatment for prostate cancer in order to prevent one death. These findings demonstrated that prostate-specific antige...
Toward Solutions for Minimizing Disparities in Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Update

The higher burden that many diseases pose on racial and ethnic minorities in the United States represents one of the most significant public health problems facing modern society. Stroke is no exception, with dramatic disparities in incidence and outcome among racial and ethnic minorities, rural, and disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) efforts to address health disparities in stroke are guided by a report from the NINDS Strategic Planning Advisory Panel on Health Disparities Research, which recommended ways for the institute to achieve maximal impact with its investments in health disparities research (see http://www.ninds.nih.gov/about\_ninds/plans/NINDS\_health\_disparities\_report.htm). As outlined below, NINDS has implemented recommendations within this report and continues to incorporate the expert panel’s suggestions as new health disparities initiatives are developed and executed. The impact of stroke is higher among racial and ethnic minority groups, with an increased overall incidence and especially at younger ages among blacks, Mexican Americans, and Native populations. Geographic differences also exist with a 20% higher mortality rate in the so-called stroke belt of the …
Are Small, Isolated Wetlands Expendable?

What is most evident in the recent debate concerning new wetland regulations drafted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is that small, isolated wetlands will likely continue to be lost. The critical biological question is whether small wetlands are expendable, and the fundamental issue is the lack of biologically rele- vant data on the value of wetlands, especially so-called "isolated" wetlands of small size. We used data from a geographic information system for natural-depression wetlands on the southeastern Atlantic coastal plain (U.S.A.) to examine the frequency distribution of wetland sizes and their nearest-wetland distances. Our re- sults indicate that the majority of natural wetlands are small and that these small wetlands are rich in am- phibian species and serve as an important source of juvenile recruits. Analyses simulating the loss of small wetlands indicate a large increase in the nearest-wetland distance that could impede "rescue" effects at the metapopulation level. We argue that small wetlands are extremely valuable for maintaining biodiversity, that the loss of small wetlands will cause a direct reduction in the connectance among remaining species pop- ulations, and that both existing and recently proposed legislation are inadequate for maintaining the biodi- versity of wetland flora and fauna. Small wetlands are not expendable if our goal is to maintain present lev- els of species biodiversity. At the very least, based on these data, regulations should protect wetlands as small as 0.2 ha until additional data are available to compare diversity directly across a range of wetland sizes. Furthermore, we strongly advocate that wetland legislation focus not only on size but also on local and re- gional wetland distribution in order to protect ecological connectance and the source-sink dynamics of spe- cies populations.