cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IDENTIFICATION OF MIRANDA PROTEIN DOMAINS REGULATING ASYMMETRIC CORTICAL LOCALIZATION, CARGO BINDING, AND CORTICAL RELEASE

An important question in cellular and developmental biology is how a cell divides to produce daughter cells with different fates. Drosophila neuroblasts are a model system for studying asymmetric cell division: at each division, neuroblasts retain stem cell-like features, whereas their sibling ganglion mother cell (GMC) has a more restricted fate. Establishing neuroblast/GMC differences involves the asymmetric localization of proteins (Inscuteable, Miranda, Prospero, and Staufen) and RNA (prospero). All of these factors are apically localized during interphase, and all except Inscuteable move to the basal cortex at mitosis prior to being partitioned solely into the GMC. In this study, we show that Miranda is colocalized with Staufen and Prospero in neuroblasts, and is required for the asymmetric cortical localization of both proteins. Analysis of miranda mutants reveals three functional domains within the Miranda protein: (1) an N-terminal domain (1-290 aa) sufficient for association of Miranda with the cell cortex and basal localization in mitotic neuroblasts; (2) a central domain (446-727 aa) necessary for apical localization in interphase neuroblasts as well as for "cargo binding" of Prospero, Staufen, and prospero mRNA; and (3) a C-terminal domain (727-830 aa) necessary for the timely degradation of Miranda and release of its cargo from the cortex of the newborn GMC. In addition, Miranda is asymmetrically localized in epithelial cells that lack Inscuteable and divide symmetrically; thus the mechanism regulating Miranda localization is common to epithelial cells and neuroblasts, and Inscuteable is not an obligate component. Finally, we define a C-terminal domain of Staufen sufficient for Miranda-dependent cortical localization in neuroblasts.
A new surgical approach to the innominate and subclavian vein

A new technique extending the incision used for thoracic outlet decompression with a subclavicular approach to the first rib is presented. After the first rib and scalenotomy are removed, the subclavicular incision is continued into the sternum medially and superiorly to the sternal notch. This gives easy access to the innominate-subclavian-axillary vein segment. Eight patients with extensive chronic fibrotic obstruction of the subclavian-innominate vein segment underwent operation with this technique. It allows placement of either long patches of saphenous vein to reestablish normal caliber or replacement, as is our choice, with a small-sized cryopreserved descending thoracic aortic homograft. The operation is carried out in an extrapleural plane preserving the sternoclavicular joint, avoiding the deformity caused by transclavicular techniques. Repair of the sternotomy creates a stable incision. Follow-up to 14 months shows patency of the venous channel with no complications. This surgical approach is recommended to solve the problem of satisfactory exposure of the subclavian-innominate venous channel after decompression of the thoracic outlet.
What do diagnostic test data tell us about differences in the profiles of children diagnosed with reading disability or language impairments

Abstract A detailed evaluation of a child's strengths and weaknesses allows for a valid and reliable diagnosis of reading disability for the selection of optimal intervention practices. Using archival data from a clinic that specialized in the diagnosis of reading disabilities, we compared the performance of 60 children diagnosed with specific reading disability (SRD) and 31 children with language impairments and reading disability (LIRD) on measures of cognitive reasoning, verbal ability, phonological manipulation, rapid serial naming, and phonological memory. While the SRD and LIRD groups did not differ in their phonological processing, children with LIRD performed significantly below their peers with SRD on thinking ability and verbal ability measures. Rapid naming skills served as current predictors of text reading fluency and verbal ability skills served as concurrent predictors of reading comprehension in both groups. These findings highlight the need for reading diagnosticians to conduct comprehensive evaluations using a range of cognitive and language processes to ensure the most accurate and specific diagnoses of children with reading disabilities. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to (a) describe general characteristics of reading disabilities, (b) differentiate features of two learning disabilities, specific reading disability and language impairments and reading disability, and (c) identify key clinical issues and approaches for identification, diagnosis, and intervention of these two diagnostic profiles.
Moral Darwinism: Ethical evidence for the descent of man

Could an ethical theory ever play a substantial evidential role in a scientific argument for an empirical hypothesis? InThe Descent of Man, Darwin includes an extended discussion of the nature of human morality, and the ethical theory which he sketches is not simply developed as an interesting ramification of his theory of evolution, but is used as a key part of his evidence for human descent from animal ancestors. Darwin must rebut the argument that, because of our moral nature, humans are essentially different in kind from other animals and so had to have had a different origin. I trace his causal story of how the moral sense could develop out of social instincts by evolutionary mechanisms of group selection, and show that the form of Utilitarianism he proposes involves a radical reduction of the standard of value to the concept of biological fitness. I argue that this causal analysis, although a weakness from a normative standpoint, is a strength when judged for its intended purpose as part of an evidential argument to confirm the hypothesis of human descent.
AN EFFECTIVE MIXED-MODEL ASSEMBLY LINE SEQUENCING HEURISTIC FOR JUST-IN-TIME PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Abstract The commonly accepted objective of sequencing a mixed-model assembly line for a Just-In-Time (JIT) production system is to keep part usage rates at the assembly line close to constant. Sumichrast and Russell evaluated four existing sequencing methods and showed that the best method in achieving this objective is Miltenburg's algorithm 3 using heuristic 2 (M-A3H2). This paper presents a much simpler heuristic procedure compared to M-A3H2. The experiment on 9 problem sets conducted by Sumichrast and Russell is repeated for the new heuristic procedure and M-A3H2. The results show that the new heuristic procedure is as good as M-A3H2 in solution quality regarding the mean squared and absolute deviations and much more efficient in computation time. It is further noticed that the computation time required by M-A3H2 increases much faster than the new heuristic procedure as the number of products increases. Nevertheless, the most important benefit of this new heuristic procedure is its simplicity which should make it very desirable for practitioners.
Smyer H-chondrite impact-melt breccia and evidence for sulfur vaporization

Smyer is an H-chondrite impact-melt breccia containing approx.20 vol% 0.5- to 13-mm-thick silicate-rich melt veins surrounding unmelted subrounded chondritic clasts up to 7 cm in maximum dimension. At the interface between some of the melt veins and chondritic clasts, there are troilite-rich regions consisting of unmelted. crushed 0.2- to 140-micron-size angular silicate grains and chondrule fragments surrounded by troilite and transected by thin troilite veins. Troilite fills every available fracture in the silicates. including some as thin as 0.1 microns. Little metallic Fe-Ni is present in these regions: the FeS/Fe modal ratio ranges from -25: 1 to approx.500: 1, far higher than the eutectic weight ratio of 7.5: 1. The texture of these regions indicates that the sulfide formed from a fluid of very low viscosity. The moderately high viscosity (0.2 poise) and large surface tension of liquid FeS, its inability to wet silicate grain surfaces at low oxygen fugacities. and the supereutectic FeS/Fe ratios in the troilite-rich regions indicate that the fluid was a vapor. It seems likely that during the shock event that melted Smyer, many silicates adjacent to the melt veins were crushed. Upon release of shock pressure. some of the troilite evaporated and dissociated. Molecules of S2 were transported and condensed into fractures and around tiny silicate grains: there, they combined with Fe from small adjacent metallic Fe-Ni grains to form troilite. The Ni content at the edges of some of these metal grains increased significantly; Co from these Ni-rich grains diffused into nearby kamacite. Impact-induced S volatilization may have played a major role in depleting the surface of 433 Eros (and other chondritic asteroids) in S.
A Quantitative Analysis of the Increase in Public School Segregation in Delaware: 1989-2006

This study analyzes the increase in school segregation in Delaware from a quantitative perspective. The article tests the hypothesis that the declaration of unitary status that released the Wilmington area school districts from their desegregation order caused the increase in segregation. The research reveals that the declaration of unitary status contributed to an increase in segregation in the Wilmington area. However, the primary factor in the statewide increase in school segregation was the flight of White students from the Wilmington area schools, a result that might be expected from the imposition of a desegregation order but not from its termination.
Simplified Data Reduction Methods for the ECT Test for Mode III Interlaminar Fracture Toughness

Simplified expressions for the parameter controlling the load point compliance and strain energy release rate were obtained for the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) specimen for mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness. Data reduction methods for mode 3 toughness based on the present analysis are proposed. The effect of the transverse shear modulus, G(sub 23), on mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness characterization was evaluated. Parameters influenced by the transverse shear modulus were identified. Analytical results indicate that a higher value of G(sub 23) results in a low load point compliance and lower mode 3 toughness estimation. The effect of G(sub 23) on the mode 3 toughness using the ECT specimen is negligible when an appropriate initial delamination length is chosen. A conservative estimation of mode 3 toughness can be obtained by assuming G(sub 23) = G(sub 12) for any initial delamination length.
Role of Van Hove singularities and momentum-space structure in high-temperature superconductivity.

There is a great deal of interest in attributing the high critical temperatures of the cuprates to either the proximity of the Fermi level to a Van Hove singularity or to structure of the superconducting pairing potential in momentum space far from the Fermi surface; the latter is particularly important for spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing mechanisms. We examine these ideas by calculating the critical temperature [ital T][sub [ital c]] for model Einstein-phonon- and spin-fluctuation-mediated superconductors within both the standard, Fermi-surface-restricted Eliashberg theory and the exact Eliashberg theory, which accounts for the full momentum structure of the pairing potential and the energy dependence of the density of states. Our computations employ band structures chosen to model both the La[sub 2]Sr[sub 2[minus][ital x]]CuO[sub 4] and YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]] families. For our spin fluctuation calculations, we take the dynamical susceptibility to be the pairing potential and examine two models of this susceptibility in the cuprates. We compare and contrast these models with available magnetic neutron-scattering data, since these data provide the most direct constraints on the susceptibility. We conclude that a model constrained by neutron-scattering measurements will not yield the observed 90-K [ital T][sub [ital c]]'s regardless of the strength of the electron-spin fluctuationmore » coupling, even when the Van Hove singularity and momentum-space structure are accounted for; moreover, when transport constraints are applied to this type of model, we expect [ital T][sub [ital c]][approx]10 K, as was found in an earlier paper. We also find that the Van Hove singularity enhances [ital T][sub [ital c]] much less effectively than weak-coupling calculations would suggest.« less
A comparison of selected silicon and silicon-carbide switching devices for PV microinverter applications

Manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) microinverters are seeking cost reductions with the goal of reaching grid parity. Wide bandgap semiconductor devices, such as silicon carbide (SiC) JFETs and MOSFETs, have technical advantages over silicon (Si) counterparts, in particular within the 200V~1200V range. Wide bandgap devices can operate at higher switching frequencies for comparable system efficiencies enabling reductions in component sizes leading to reduced system volume and cost. It is anticipated that SiC device costs and other wide bandgap devices will be competitive with Si devices in three to five years as manufacturers recoup R&D investments and reduce manufacturing costs. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to compare the performances of selected Si MOSFET, SiC JFET and SiC MOSFET for the utility interface of a dual-stage PV microinverter capable of injecting reactive power into the grid. The comparison is based on gate driver requirements, switching waveforms, thermal management needs, and efficiency.
Observations of particle movement in a monitoring well using the colloidal borescope

Abstract The colloidal borescope consists of a set of lenses and miniature video cameras capable of observing natural particles in monitoring wells. Based on field observations of these particles, it appears possible to measure in situ groundwater velocity in a well bore. Field observations have shown that directional measurements using the colloidal borescope are generally in good agreement with expected flow directions. However, the magnitude of flow velocity is higher compared with values based on conventional test methods. High relative flow velocities, even after correction factors have been applied to compensate for well bore effects, are believed to be due to preferential flow zones in the surrounding aquifer. Low flow zones exhibit swirling multidirectional flow that does not allow for a linear velocity measurement. Consequently, groundwater flow velocities measured by the colloidal borescope in heterogeneous aquifers will be biased toward the maximum velocity values present in the aquifer. A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to assess the reliability of the instrument. Based on this work, a seepage velocity correction factor ( α ) of 1–4 was found for quantifying groundwater seepage velocity in the adjacent aquifer from observations in a well bore. Laboratory measurements also indicate that preferential flow in the surrounding aquifer dominates flow in the well. Results of this work suggest the possibility of quantifying higher-flow velocities associated with preferential flow zones in the subsurface.
Beyond the Culture Wars: An Agenda for Research on Communication and Culture

Les AA. etudient l'evolution du champ de la communication depuis quatre siecles. Ils distinguent deux grands moments : l'ere moderne, du 16 eme siecle a la premiere moitie du 20 eme siecle (modernisme), et la periode post-moderne apres la seconde guerre mondiale (post-modernisme). Ils montrent comment le contenu de la recherche en matiere de communication a ete influence par le declin du modernisme et comment son avenir se joue aujourd'hui dans l'etude des changements sociaux du monde post-moderne
A matter of time: individual differences, contextual dynamics, and goal progress effects on multiple-goal self-regulation.

Abstract The authors examined contextual dynamics and individual differences as moderators of the relationship between goal-performance discrepancies and time allocation among competing demands. As hypothesized, a complex 3-way interaction was observed among environmental volatility, relative progress, and time on resource allocation. When goal progress was determined only by the performers' actions (low environmental volatility), greater time was allocated to the least discrepant goal early on and to the most discrepant goal toward the end of available time. In contrast, when goal progress was also influenced by unpredictable external factors (high environmental volatility), greater time was allocated to the most discrepant goal early on and to the least discrepant goal as the deadline neared. Individual differences in goal orientation further influenced this relationship within a volatile context, with these relationships also varying across time. Under such conditions, those with a strong mastery orientation allocated more time to toward the most discrepant task, whereas those with a strong avoidance orientation allocated more time to the goal closest to being attained. The implications for theory and research on dynamic time allocation are discussed.
Applying the ISO/IEEE 11073 standards to wearable home health monitoring systems.

Objective. The goal of this effort was to investigate the feasibility of applying the ISO/IEEE 11073 (a.k.a. X73) standards, originally intended for bedside monitoring in hospital environments, to wearable, multi-sensor monitoring systems designed for home healthcare. Methods. The X73 upper-layer sub-standards (i.e., nomenclature specification, domain information model, application profiles, and vital sign device descriptions) were adopted and implemented on microcontroller-based sensor hardware to provide plug-and-play medical components. Three types of system elements (base stations, data loggers, and sensor units) perform the functionality required in this standards-based home health monitoring system and communicate using Bluetooth wireless modules. The base station incorporates a LabVIEW interface running on a personal computer. Each data logger and sensor unit is implemented on a microcontroller-driven embedded platform. Sensor units include wearable sensors (e.g., electrocardiograph, pulse oximeter) and nearby sensors (e.g., weight scale, ambient environment sensors). Results. The standards-based prototype system with an open architecture achieves plug-and-play performance suitable for a home environment. Each wireless element in the body/home area network can automatically detect other nearby devices, associate with them, and exchange data with them as appropriate. Conclusions. With minor modifications, the X73 standards can be successfully applied to wearable, wireless, point-of-care systems in the home.
Some recent vital rates and trends in the Philippines: Estimates and evaluation

Siendo muy incompleto el registro de los nacimienlos y las defunciones en las Islas Filipinas, los demografos deben determinar las tasas vitales a base de encuesios, censos y otros datos similares. Los demografos de las Naciones Unidas Mendoza Pascual, Madigan y Avancena, y otros experios en problemas de poblacion, estiman la tasa bruta nacional de natalidad en mas o menos 50 nacimienios por cada 1,600 personas y no encuentran signos de un descenso significativo de la fecundidad en el curso de los ultimos 60 anos. El acuerdo no es tan obsoluio en lo que respecta al nivel actual de la tasa bruta de mortalidad. En anos recientes, Aromin has estimado dicha tasa en no mas de 12.9 defunciones por cada 1,000 personas, en tanto que los demografos de las Naciones Unidas la han cifrado entre 25 y 31 defunciones por 1,000. Madigan y Avancena estimaron la tasa correspondiente a 1954–60 en 18.5 defunciones por cada 1,000 personas, aproximadamente, o sea, en un valor algo mas alto que el de 16 estimado por Mendoza-Pascual. Existen tosas diferenciales por seciores urbanos y rurales, como existen tambien, diferencias variables en su magnitud.
Theoretical Stances and Environmental Debates: Reconciling the Physical and the Symbolic

Several sociologists arc currently debating the relationship of sociology to the physical environment. Their debates beg a question of more general importance to sociology: How do we organize our thinking about phenomena that are at once physical or material and symbolic or ideal? Our intention is not to add another voice in favor of or opposed to theorizing material, physical, or organic characteristics, but to examine the process of thinking about environments and more generally the realist-idealist divide. Environment (like the body) is unlike typical social science concepts in so far as it is both physical and social. If, for example, status and role are purely social concepts, environment is always more than social. I low do sociologists approach what is always more than social in the study of physical environments? Theorizing environments, we propose, is fashioned by the analytic stance of the investigator as legislative, interpretive, or symbolic realist. The strengths and weaknesses of these stances are discussed, and throughout our discussion empirical work representing each ol them is introduced. A final inquiry examines how sociologists can approach these three stances. Two strategies are identified: to assume each stance mirrors the environment as it actually exists or assume the stances are terminologies for exploring various combinations of the physical-symbolic properties ol environments. A brief plea is made for the second strategy.
In vivo enhanced expression of patched dampens the sonic hedgehog pathway.

The sonic hedgehog (SHH)–patched (PTCH) pathway functions in normal embryonic development of the brain, musculoskeletal system, and hair follicles, and in normal post-natal control of hair follicles. Dysregulation of the pathway has been implicated in a variety of neoplasias, including those of skin and brain. Based on the knowledge that generalized, prolonged PTCH expression can inhibit the effects of SHH signaling, we tested the hypothesis that localized transient overexpression of PTCH would inhibit the phenotype of SHH-induced accelerated growth of hair follicles. Adenovirus (Ad)-mediated transient over-expression of Shh (AdShh) in telogen (8 weeks) mouse skin induced anagen hair growth as demonstrated by histology and gross appearance. Strikingly, local intradermal administration of a Ptch-expressing adenovirus (AdPtch), but not a Null control adenovirus (AdNull), 18 hours before AdShh injection, significantly blocked this phenotype, with 100% of AdPtch+AdShh mice failing to advance to anagen compared with AdNull+AdShh mice and AdShh mice (30% and 45% failing to advance to anagen, respectively). Thus, PTCH expression mediated by gene transfer can modulate the SHH signaling pathway in the adult mammal and may serve as a starting point for therapies relevant to clinical conditions resulting from dysregulation of this pathway as well as for strategies to suppress normal SHH-dependent processes, such as hair growth.
Idolatry, Paganism, and Trust in Nature

Since nature is the wellspring of all life, I suggest that, in contrast to the Abrahamic view, a type of idolatry of nature is valuable to humanity, even though it need not involve perceptions of or beliefs in non-material divine beings. Indeed, a spirituality that considers nature to be intrinsically valuable and sacred and that advances kinship ethics with non-human organisms and expresses a deep sense of humility about the human place in the biosphere is growing rapidly in the world, largely outside of explicitly Pagan subcultures.
Small molecule suppression of carbapenem resistance in NDM-1 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The already considerable global public health threat of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria has become even more of a concern following the emergence of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1) producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Gram-negative bacteria. As an alternative approach to the traditional development of new bactericidal entities, we have identified a 2-aminoimidazole-derived small molecule that acts as an antibiotic adjuvant and is able to suppress resistance of a NDM-1 producing strain of K. pneumoniae to imipenem and meropenem, in addition to suppressing resistance of other β-lactam nonsusceptible K. pneumoniae strains. The small molecule is able to lower carbapenem minimum inhibitory concentrations by up to 16-fold, while exhibiting little bactericidal activity itself.
STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF VISUAL TESTING

Summary.-To assess students' perceptions toward visual testing 152 university students were randomly assigned to one of seven treatment groups. Each student received a 50-item multiple-choice criterion measure and a Student ~referen'ce Questionnaire within a 5-wk. period. Students preferred to be evaluated via the conventional unpaced pencil-paper format. Regardless of their personal preference for the printed over the examiner-paced slide format, students \ achieved as well on the visual test as on the printed one. Considerable attention is currently being focused on the use of visual materials to complement regular classroom instruction. The planning and sequencing of instructional content plus the evaluation of students' performance are functions performed by all teachers. The literature strongly suggests that these functions be carefully selected on the basis of instructional goals and objectives. There are a number of disciplines in which the major portion of the content is presented to students through various types of instructional media, but the students are evaluated typically in only one format, the standard paper-pencil test. This study involved such a course at the Pennsylvania State University to identify and assess students' preferences toward different evaluation formats, i.e., visual testing; conventional paper-and-pencil testing. METHOD Subjects One hundred fifty-two subjects enrolled in an instructional media course were randomly assigned to one of seven treatment groups. Groups A, B, and C were evaluated using projected slides; Groups D and E were evaluated via a combination of projected slides and printed tests; and Groups F and G were considered to be the control group and were evaluated totally by printed tests. These treatments were externally paced in that the amount of time subjects were permitted to view the projected items was controlled by the experimenter.
Risk-Informed Decision Making for High-Consequence Outcomes

The issues faced during the operation of high-consequence facilities or systems require a blended quantitative and qualitative risk-informed approach to decision-making. For example, in the case of the operation of nuclear power plants or manned space missions, a risk-informed metric one might consider is the probability of loss of the plant or failure of the mission, where this probability is balanced by the consequences of the event. However, as we will discuss, one should focus on the observable event itself (e.g., the actual loss or failure) rather than the probability of the event. We will describe the general approach of making probabilistic decisions, including the focus on predictive distributions for outcomes such as a complex system failure.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Microcystic congenital pulmonary airway malformation with hydrops fetalis: steroids vs open fetal resection.

Abstract Background/Purpose Congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAM) are rare lesions often diagnosed during routine prenatal ultrasound. The presence of hydrops fetalis is an indicator of poor prognosis. Here we present a retrospective review of fetuses undergoing either open fetal surgery or steroids for predominantly microcystic CPAM with hydrops fetalis. Method A retrospective review of patients undergoing open fetal surgery or steroids for CPAM at our institution was performed. The primary outcome was survival. Results A retrospective review of all patients referred to our institution with the diagnosis of CPAM was performed. Fetuses with predominantly microcystic CPAM and the presence of hydrops fetalis treated with steroid or surgery were included. Thirteen patients were treated with steroids, and 11 patients underwent open fetal surgery. In the steroid group 12 (92%) of 13 fetuses survived to delivery versus 9 (82%) of 11 in the open fetal surgery group. Only 5 (56%) of 9 of the patients in the open fetal surgery group survived to neonatal discharge compared to 10 (83%) of 12 in the steroid group. Conclusions In the present retrospective study, improved survival was seen in fetuses with hydrops fetalis and predominantly microcystic CPAM treated with steroids when compared with open fetal surgery. Steroids should be considered for first-line therapy in these cases.
Effect of neostigmine on concentration and extraction fraction of acetylcholine using quantitative microdialysis

A quantitative microdialysis method was used to determine the effect of local perfusion of 0, 100, 200, and 300 nM neostigmine (NEO) on acetylcholine (ACh) extracellular concentration and microdialysis extraction fraction (E(d)) in the striatum of the rat. Because of the efficiency of AChE, the inhibition of this enzyme is expected to result in a substantial increase in ACh levels and a decrease in the E(d) of ACh. The extracellular concentration of ACh increased linearly with increasing concentrations of NEO. The control ACh concentration was determined to be 18.4 +/- 11.8 nM (n = 10; mean +/- S.E.M.) The ACh extracellular concentration for the remaining groups was determined to be 173 +/- 14 nM (n = 5), 329 +/- 52.5 nM (n = 13), and 581 +/- 109 nM (n = 10) for the 100, 200, and 300 nM NEO groups, respectively. Perfusion with 300 nM NEO resulted in a significant reduction in the E(d) of ACh (64.5 +/- 3.5% vs. 43.6 +/- 7.5%, P < 0.05). In contrast to ACh, perfusion with 0, 1, and 10 microM hemicholinium-3, an inhibitor of high-affinity choline uptake, increased choline levels but did not affect the E(d) of choline. The effects on E(d) are consistent with E(d) being influenced by rapid clearance mechanisms.
Feldspathic clast populations in polymict ureilites: Stalking the missing basalts from the ureilite parent body

Abstract Polymict ureilites DaG 164/165, DaG 319, DaG 665, and EET 83309 are regolith breccias composed mainly of monomict ureilite-like material, but containing ∼2 vol% of feldspathic components. We characterized 171 feldspathic clasts in these meteorites in terms of texture, mineralogy, and mineral compositions. Based on this characterization we identified three populations of clasts, each of which appears to represent a common igneous (generally basaltic) lithology and whose mafic minerals show a normal igneous fractionation trend of near-constant Fe/Mn ratio over a range of Fe/Mg ratios that extend to much higher values than those in monomict ureilites. The melts represented by these populations are unlikely to be impact melts, because the ubiquitous presence of carbon in polymict ureilites (the regolith of the ureilite parent body) implies that impact melts would have crystallized under conditions of carbon redox control and therefore have highly magnesian mafic mineral compositions with constant Mn/Mg ratio. Therefore, these melts appear to be indigenous products of igneous differentiation on the ureilite parent body (UPB), complementary to the olivine-pigeonite residues represented by the majority of monomict ureilites. The most abundant population is characterized by albitic plagioclase in association with pyroxenes, phosphates, ilmenite, silica, and incompatible-element enriched glass. Model calculations suggest that it formed by extensive fractional crystallization of the earliest melt(s) of precursor materials from which the most magnesian (shallowest) olivine-pigeonite ureilites formed. A less abundant population, characterized by labradoritic plagioclase, may have formed from melts complementary to more ferroan olivine-pigeonite ureilites, and derived from deeper in the UPB. The third population, characterized by the presence of olivine and augite, could only have formed from melts produced at greater depths in the UPB than the olivine-pigeonite ureilites. Many other feldspathic clasts cannot be positively associated with any of these three populations, because their mafic mineral compositions exhibit carbon redox control. However, they may be products of early crystallization of basaltic melts produced on the UPB, before carbon was exhausted by reduction. Partial melting on the ureilite parent body was a fractional (or incremental) process. Melts were produced early in UPB history, and most likely extracted rapidly, thus preserving primitive chemical and oxygen isotopic signatures in the residues.
Association Between Peripheral Immune Markers and Functional Neuroimaging Findings Among Healthy Older Adults

Author(s): Moore, Raeanne; Jones, Savannah R; Dev, Sheena I; Soontornniomkij, Benchawanna; Joseph, Jamie; Achim, Cristian L; Jeste, Dilip V; Eyler, Lisa T
Enantioselective Synthesis of the C(1)-C(6) Subunit of Zaragozic Acid C

Preparation of the C(1)-C(6) subunit of Zaragozic acid C is described. The C(5) methyl-bearing stereocenter is installed by rapid, regioselective opening of a phenylcyclopropyl carbinol with Pearlmans catalyst (1 atm H2) in 2% triflic acid/methanol.
Quantification of regional DNA methylation by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Promoter hypermethylation-associated tumor suppressor gene (TSG) silencing has been explored as a therapeutic target for hypomethylating agents. Promoter methylation change may serve as a pharmacodynamic endpoint for evaluation of the efficacy of these agents and predict the patient's clinical response. Here a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay has been developed for quantitative regional DNA methylation analysis using the molar ratio of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5mdC) to 2'-deoxycytidine (2dC) in the enzymatic hydrolysate of fully methylated bisulfite-converted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons as the methylation indicator. The assay can differentiate 5% of promoter methylation level with an intraday precision ranging from 3 to 16% using two TSGs: HIN-1 and RASSF1A. This method was applied to characterize decitabine-induced promoter DNA methylation changes of these two TSGs in a breast cancer MCF-7 cell line. Promoter methylation of these TSGs was found to decrease in a dose-dependent manner. Correspondingly, the expression of these TSGs was enhanced. The sensitivity and reproducibility of the method make it a valuable tool for specific gene methylation analysis that could aid characterization of hypomethylating activity on specific genes by hypomethylating agents in a clinical setting.
Incidence and natural history of dysplasia of the anal transitional zone after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis: results of a five-year to ten-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: Preservation of the anal transitional zone during ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is still controversial because of the risk of dysplasia and the theoretical risk of associated cancer. Without long-term follow-up data, the natural history and optimal treatment of anal transitional zone dysplasia are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term risk of dysplasia in the anal transitional zone and to evaluate the outcome of a conservative management policy for anal transitional zone dysplasia. METHODS: Two hundred ten patients undergoing anal transitional zone-sparing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative or indeterminate colitis between 1987 and 1992 and who were studied with serial anal transitional zone biopsies for at least five years postoperatively were included. Median follow up was 77 (range, 60–124) months. RESULTS: Anal transitional zone dysplasia developed in seven patients 4 to 51 (median, 11) months postoperatively. There was no association with gender, age, preoperative disease duration or extent of colitis, but the risk of anal transitional zone dysplasia was significantly increased in patients with prior cancer or dysplasia in the colon or rectum. Dysplasia was high grade in one and low grade in six. Two patients each with low-grade dysplasia detected on three separate occasions underwent mucosectomy 29 and 38 months after detection of low-grade dysplasia, but no cancer was found. The five other patients with dysplasia on one or two occasions were treated expectantly and were apparently dysplasia-free for a median of 72 (range, 48–100) months. CONCLUSIONS: Anal transitional zone dysplasia after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is infrequent, is most common in the first two to three years postoperatively and may apparently disappear on repeated biopsy. Anal transitional zone preservation did not lead to the development of cancer in the anal transitional zone after five to ten years of follow-up. Long-term surveillance is recommended to monitor dysplasia. If repeat biopsy confirms persistent dysplasia, anal transitional zone excision with neoileal pouch-anal anastomosis is recommended.
Direct Observation of Anomalous Single-Molecule Enzyme Kinetics

We report the direct measurement of the single-molecule enzymatic cleavage rates of ApaI−DNA complex in the presence of various concentrations of MgCl2 solution with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We made use of the native adsorption properties of the two 12-base sticky ends of the DNA molecules to partially immobilize and stretch out the ApaI−DNA complex onto a glass surface. Synchronous initiation of reaction was achieved by the influx of Mg2+ solution. Once the DNA was cut, the two fragments (38 and 10 kb) would either collapse or further stretch out depending on the solution flow. The time required for cleaving each ApaI−λ-DNA complex was recorded and analyzed. At low concentrations, the higher the concentration of Mg2+, the faster the DNA was cut. However, Mg2+ ion is no longer the limiting factor when its concentration is greater than 5 mM. A surprising result is that at all concentrations the decrease in intact DNA population as a function of time is linear rather than exponenti...
Mutual orbits and masses of six transneptunian binaries

Abstract We present Hubble Space Telescope observations of six binary transneptunian systems: 2000 QL 251 , 2003 TJ 58 , 2001 XR 254 , 1999 OJ 4 , (134860) 2000 OJ 67 , and 2004 PB 108 . The mutual orbits of these systems are found to have periods ranging from 22 to 137 days, semimajor axes ranging from 2360 to 10500 km, and eccentricities ranging from 0.09 to 0.55. These orbital parameters enable estimation of system masses ranging from 0.2 to 9.7 × 10 18 kg . For reasonable assumptions of bulk density (0.5 to 2.0 g cm −3 ), the masses can be combined with visible photometry to constrain sizes and albedos. The resulting albedos are consistent with an emerging picture of the dynamically “Cold” Classical sub-population having relatively high albedos, compared with comparably-sized objects on more dynamically excited orbits.
The lamprey isolated spinal cord as a model for anesthetic effects on vertebrate locomotor systems

Abstract The lamprey has been used extensively as a model for vertebrate locomotion. Relatively much is known about the anatomical and functional organization of lamprey sensorimotor circuits. The ability to induce locomotion and selectively perfuse the isolated spinal cord enables the assessment of anesthetic effects on locomotor interneurons. We selectively delivered isoflurane (ISO) to the mid-portion of lamprey isolated spinal cords and measured its effect on fictive locomotion using spectral analyses. Concentrations that depressed or abolished motor output also disrupted locomotor activity and intersegmental coordination in spinal regions outlying ISO application. The results suggest that ISO's immobilizing effect in lampreys is attributed to a direct action on central pattern generator interneurons. The results might be extended to mammals, as our studies in rats also suggest that ISO acts preferentially on spinal locomotor systems. Thus, the lamprey isolated nervous system can serve as a useful tool to investigate the neurophysiological and pharmacological processes that underlie anesthetic immobilizing action.
Phylogenomic Analysis Supports the Monophyly of Cryptophytes and Haptophytes and the Association of Rhizaria with Chromalveolates

Here we use phylogenomics with expressed sequence tag (EST) data from the ecologically important coccolithophore-forming alga Emiliania huxleyi and the plastid-lacking cryptophyte Goniomonas cf. pacifica to establish their phylogenetic positions in the eukaryotic tree. Haptophytes and cryptophytes are members of the putative eukaryotic supergroup Chromalveolata (chromists [cryptophytes, haptophytes, stramenopiles] and alveolates [apicomplexans, ciliates, and dinoflagellates]). The chromalveolates are postulated to be monophyletic on the basis of plastid pigmentation in photosynthetic members, plastid gene and genome relationships, nuclear "host" phylogenies of some chromalveolate lineages, unique gene duplication and replacements shared by these taxa, and the evolutionary history of components of the plastid import and translocation systems. However the phylogenetic position of cryptophytes and haptophytes and the monophyly of chromalveolates as a whole remain to be substantiated. Here we assess chromalveolate monophyly using a multigene dataset of nuclear genes that includes members of all 6 eukaryotic supergroups. An automated phylogenomics pipeline followed by targeted database searches was used to assemble a 16-protein dataset (6,735 aa) from 46 taxa for tree inference. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of these data support the monophyly of haptophytes and cryptophytes. This relationship is consistent with a gene replacement via horizontal gene transfer of plastid-encoded rpl36 that is uniquely shared by these taxa. The haptophytes + cryptophytes are sister to a clade that includes all other chromalveolates and, surprisingly, two members of the Rhizaria, Reticulomyxa filosa and Bigelowiella natans. The association of the two Rhizaria with chromalveolates is supported by the approximately unbiased (AU)-test and when the fastest evolving amino acid sites are removed from the 16-protein alignment.
Frequency Effects on Fatigue Behavior of a Silicon Carbide Fiber‐Reinforced Glass–Ceramic Composite (SiC/MAS)

The effects of cyclic frequency on the fatigue behavior of silicon carbide (Nicalon) fiber-reinforced glass–ceramic matrix (SiC/magnesium aluminosilicate (MAS)) were investigated. Tension–tension fatigue tests were conducted at two frequencies, 10 and 900 Hz, to establish stress versus cycles to failure (S–N) relationships. Cycles to failure at a given stress level decreased with an increase of the applied frequency. Analysis of damage mechanisms suggests that there was an enhancement of fiber/matrix interfacial bonding at the higher frequency due to the formation of SiO2 from the reaction of oxygen species of the matrix with SiC of the fiber.
Injection schemes for TWT linearization

Summary form only given, as follows. Summary form only given. Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs), widely used as microwave amplifiers for communication applications due to their high power outputs, are desired to have high linearity and efficiency. The nonlinear behavior of these tubes leads to significant intermodulation and harmonic distortion in the output spectrum. A scheme based on amplitude and phase optimized second-harmonic injection to suppress nonlinear products in a TWT, has been proposed and studied both experimentally and analytically. Equalizers that effectively employ IM3 (third-order intermod) injection have been used to balance the nonlinear AM/AM (amplitude distortion) and AM/PM (phase distortion) effects. We are performing a detailed investigation of the harmonic and IM3 injection schemes, both experimentally and by simulations. Experimental studies have shown comparable IM3 suppression of /spl sim/30dB for both schemes, at the same time providing some insights into why harmonic injection might be preferable. Another scheme utilizing simultaneous harmonic and IM3 injection has been conceptually demonstrated, that has the prospect of eliminating the phase sensitivity of the two latter schemes. Simulations using the frequency domain, large-signal TWT code, LATTE are being carried out to interpret the experimental observations and device physics.
Simultaneous separation of common mono- and divalent cations by ion chromatography with indirect photometric detection using an unmodified silica gel column and tyramine-oxalic acid-15-crown-5 as eluent

The application of an unmodified silica gel (Zorbax BP-SIL) column (150 × 4.6 mm id) to ion chromatography with indirect photometric detection (IC-IPD) using 4-aminoethylphenol (tyramine) as the eluent was carried out for the simultaneous separation of common mono- and divalent cations (Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+). By using 1 mmol dm−3 tyramine–0.2 mmol dm−3 oxalic acid at pH 4.75 as the eluent, complete separation of the divalent cations and incomplete separation of the monovalent cations were achieved in 12 min. Hence, the addition of 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane (15-crown-5) to the eluent was carried out. By using 1 mmol dm−3 tyramine–0.2 mmol dm−3 oxalic acid–20 mmol dm−3 15-crown-5 at pH 4.75 as the eluent, highly sensitive indirect UV photometric detection at 265 nm and excellent simultaneous separation of the mono- and divalent cations were achieved in 17 min. The proposed IC-IPD method was successfully applied to the determination of major mono- and divalent cations in natural water samples.
Energy and CO 2 flow networks of the electronics industry sector in South Korea

The electronics industry is a dynamic sector in which the manufacturing process undergoes continual innovation. With the lifecycle of some products measured in months rather than years, new equipment, chemicals and processes are being introduced to the manufacturing and development fabricators on an ongoing basis, as are new product designs, which are themselves platforms for changing software and service packages. Although the global electronics industry is increasingly being influenced by events in the Far East and in particular China, the European and American electronics industries continue to account for significant production and consumption. Also, increasing social and regulatory pressures such as the EU Waste Electronics and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) take back requirements and restriction of hazardous substances (“RoHS”) policies are driving changes in reverse logistics systems, product design, and manufacture [1].
Cultural Characters and Climate Change: How Heroes Shape Our Perception of Climate Science†

Objective. This research examines how narrative communication structures influence the public’s perceptions of risk and policy preferences related to climate change. Methods. An Internet-based experiment is used to expose roughly 1,500 censusbalanced U.S. respondents to climate change information. Four experimental treatments are operationalized: a baseline control fact list and three culturally nuanced narratives. Results. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis indicates that narrative structure, particularly through the hero character, plays a powerful role in shaping climate change perceptions of risk and policy preferences. Conclusion. Explanations of the public’s perceptions of risk and climate change policy preferences should more explicitly account for the role of dominant climate narratives.