cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interference competition between wolves and coyotes during variable prey abundance.

Interference competition occurs when two species have similar resource requirements and one species is dominant and can suppress or exclude the subordinate species. Wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (C. latrans) are sympatric across much of their range in North America where white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can be an important prey species. We assessed the extent of niche overlap between wolves and coyotes using activity, diet, and space use as evidence for interference competition during three periods related to the availability of white-tailed deer fawns in the Upper Great Lakes region of the USA. We assessed activity overlap (Δ) with data from accelerometers onboard global positioning system (GPS) collars worn by wolves (n = 11) and coyotes (n = 13). We analyzed wolf and coyote scat to estimate dietary breadth (B) and food niche overlap (α). We used resource utilization functions (RUFs) with canid GPS location data, white-tailed deer RUFs, ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) densities, and landscape covariates to compare population-level space use. Wolves and coyotes exhibited considerable overlap in activity (Δ = 0.86-0.92), diet (B = 3.1-4.9; α = 0.76-1.0), and space use of active and inactive RUFs across time periods. Coyotes relied less on deer as prey compared to wolves and consumed greater amounts of smaller prey items. Coyotes exhibited greater population-level variation in space use compared to wolves. Additionally, while active and inactive, coyotes exhibited greater selection of some land covers as compared to wolves. Our findings lend support for interference competition between wolves and coyotes with significant overlap across resource attributes examined. The mechanisms through which wolves and coyotes coexist appear to be driven largely by how coyotes, a generalist species, exploit narrow differences in resource availability and display greater population-level plasticity in resource use.
Granting of Land Tenure in Medellin, Colombia’s Informal Settlements: Is Legalization the Best Alternative in a Landscape of Violence?

Colombia’s long history of internal violence has been characterized by the displacement of populations caused by the armed actors of the conflict. Colombia has one of the world's largest populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world, estimated to be as many as 4.3 million people (Yacoub, 2009). These populations, the majority of which are rural, seek safe(r) locations in large urban centers like the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cali (Lozano-Gracia N., Piras G., Hewings G.J.D., & Ibanez A.M., 2010), where they become part of the growing population of slum dwellers. This situation of displaced people’s in cities has been complicated in Colombia by the fact that the national conflict has escalated and extended into these same urban areas where displaced people have built housing (informal settlements). Today a subgroup of this displaced population that has arrived to the city, had to migrate again from one area of the city to others out of fear of leaving their homes or selling them under pressure of these urban armed illegal actors. All of this has happened in the context of an ongoing land granting process by the state (Rojas, 2010) that follows the logic that granting of land titles adds economic benefits both to the state and to the dwellers. This project has been developed at a national level and in Medellin for the last 15 years. This paper seeks to understand the challenges of policies that grant titles in informal settlements as a tool to deal with the growing problem of informality in Medellin, Colombia, against the backdrop of a landscape of urban violence. It also suggests how communal grant titles could be a tool that places these communities in a less dangerous position.
A Comparison of Future Course Enrollment among Students Completing One of Four Different Introductory Statistics Courses.

A central challenge of introductory statistics is the development of curricula that not only serve diverse students, but also leave them wanting more. To evaluate the potential impact of a multidisciplinary, project-based introductory statistics course, students’ future course decisions were compared against traditional statistics courses using administrative data from the fall 2009 through spring 2018 semesters. Results indicated that the project-based course helped promote continued interest in the field of statistics and data analysis based on subsequent selection of courses in the field. First published December 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives
Ten Year Sunset Rule for Healthcare Regulation Is a Nonstarter and Discouragement to Post-COVID-19 Investment

FROM THE PUBLISHER: It was my pleasure to interview the authors about this important subject matter. See the interview transcript U.S. healthcare delivery has not benefitted from the same productivity growth as many other service industries, such as bricks and mortar retailing, a loss that has gravely diminished cost control and access. Regulatory capture, which creates barriers to venture capital (VC) investment, has curtailed VC investment in the new entrants that can increase productivity. The important delivery innovations that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate what can happen with concurrent review of regulations. The new Health and Human Services’ ten-year period for review of regulations, which is longer than the VCs’ 5-6-year investment cycle, will deter their investment by permitting potentially obstructive regulations to remain in place.
Clip Reconstruction of a Previously Leaked Large Complex Posterior Communicating Segment Aneurysm with Extradural Anterior Clinoidectomy

Fusiform or near-fusiform aneurysms that involve the long segment of the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) pose significant challenges to neurovascular surgeons. Involvement of the origin of vital branching arteries in this segment may preclude safe treatment with flow diverting stents. In addition, clip reconstruction may also not be possible in this region due to entire or near-entire involvement of the circumference of the ICA ( Fig. 1 ). In this video article, we present a case of a complex and previously leaked, (visualized with hemosiderin) aneurysm of the posterior communicating segment of the ICA, in a 60-year-old female. Multiple complexities made this aneurysm challenging to treat. These included (1) a 270-degree encirclement of the ICA with multiple lobulations that left only a small section of nondiseased vessel wall, (2) a relatively short segment of the supraclinoidal ICA that made proximal control challenging thus requiring an extradural anterior clinoidectomy, (3) a fetal posterior communicating artery that originated immediately proximal to the beginning of the aneurysm, and lastly, (4) an anterior choroidal artery that was firmly adherent over the aneurysm dome. In this video, we present the microsurgical steps for dealing with this complex aneurysm, including extradural clinoidectomy and clip reconstruction ( Fig. 2 ). Postoperatively, the patient woke up without any deficits. Angiography showed complete obliteration of the aneurysm. The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/3Zz-ecvlDIc .
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure, maternal metabolomic perturbation, and fetal growth in African American women: A meet-in-the-middle approach

Abstract Background Prenatal exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to reduced fetal growth. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. This study aims to investigate biological pathways and intermediate biomarkers underlying the association between serum PFAS and fetal growth using high-resolution metabolomics in a cohort of pregnant African American women in the Atlanta area, Georgia. Methods Serum perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) measurements and untargeted serum metabolomics profiling were conducted in 313 pregnant African American women at 8–14 weeks gestation. Multiple linear regression models were applied to assess the associations of PFAS with birth weight and small-for-gestational age (SGA) birth. A high-resolution metabolomics workflow including metabolome-wide association study, pathway enrichment analysis, and chemical annotation and confirmation with a meet-in-the-middle approach was performed to characterize the biological pathways and intermediate biomarkers of the PFAS-fetal growth relationship. Results Each log2-unit increase in serum PFNA concentration was significantly associated with higher odds of SGA birth (OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.07, 1.63); similar but borderline significant associations were found in PFOA (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 0.94, 1.49) with SGA. Among 25,516 metabolic features extracted from the serum samples, we successfully annotated and confirmed 10 overlapping metabolites associated with both PFAS and fetal growth endpoints, including glycine, taurine, uric acid, ferulic acid, 2-hexyl-3-phenyl-2-propenal, unsaturated fatty acid C18:1, androgenic hormone conjugate, parent bile acid, and bile acid-glycine conjugate. Also, we identified 21 overlapping metabolic pathways from pathway enrichment analyses. These overlapping metabolites and pathways were closely related to amino acid, lipid and fatty acid, bile acid, and androgenic hormone metabolism perturbations. Conclusion In this cohort of pregnant African American women, higher serum concentrations of PFOA and PFNA were associated with reduced fetal growth. Perturbations of biological pathways involved in amino acid, lipid and fatty acid, bile acid, and androgenic hormone metabolism were associated with PFAS exposures and reduced fetal growth, and uric acid was shown to be a potential intermediate biomarker. Our results provide opportunities for future studies to develop early detection and intervention for PFAS-induced fetal growth restriction.
Chapter 2 The complete structures of human apolipoprotein B-100 and its messenger RNA

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the complete structure of human apolipoprotein B (ApoB)-100 and its messenger RNA. ApoB is an important component in the system of plasma lipoproteins. It functions as the ligand for the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor in peripheral cells, and is a component of plasma chylomicrons (CM), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). ApoB-100 is synthesized by the liver and is an obligatory constituent of VLDL, IDL, and LDL. Apo-B is insoluble in both 4.2 M tetramethyl urea and aqueous buffers after extraction with organic solvents. The composition of ApoB following partial tryptic digestion and cyanogen bromide cleavage are all similar to one another. Human plasma LDL contains approximately 80% lipid and 20% protein by weight. About 4–10% of the mass of apoB consists of carbohydrate chains containing galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, and sialic acid residues. ApoB-100 in LDL is highly immunogenic, and high-titer antibodies against human LDL can be consistently produced by injection of LDL into rabbits.
Modelling Tumour Tissue Interactions

First page of article Keywords: angiogenesis; breast; extracellular matrix; growth factors; heterogeneity; interactions; metastasis; progression; protease; stroma
The metabolism of isolated fat cells

The sections in this article are: 1 Preparation of Fat Cells 2 Morphology of Fat Cell and Stromal-Vascular Fractions 3 Metabolism of Glucose and Response to Insulin 4 Effects of Other Hormones on Glucose Metabolism 5 Potassium Requirement for Insulin Response by Fat Cells 6 Effects of Lipolytic Hormones on Fatty Acid and Glycerol Release
Rights and Obligations of Americans in Mexico in Immigration Law and in Other Areas of Mexican Law

Recent studies in Mexico suggest that the presence of U.S. citizens in Mexico is becoming larger, more varied and more permanent in that country. Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur) reports that twenty million Americans visited Mexico as tourists in 2005. Today, according to INEGI (National Institute on Statistics, Geography and Information), a total of 492,617 foreigners live in Mexico today, out of which 477,838 are Americans. This article discusses the rights and obligations of Americans while residing in Mexico as Temporary residents or Permanent residents (Inmigrados). The article starts with the legal definition of a "Foreigner" (Extranjero) and discusses each of the constitutional rights (Garantias individuales) that Mexico's 1917 Federal Constitution prescribes in favor of foreign nationals. A special section is devoted to describing the different immigration categories (with their respective rights and obligations) within each of these two large groups: Immigrants and Non-Immigrants, pursuant to Mexican Immigration Law. The article ends with a discussion on the special legal restrictions imposed by Mexican law upon foreigners regarding the entering into certain "Legal Acts and Contracts" and the ways of becoming a Mexican citizen by naturalization.
Little or No Repair of Cyclobutyl Pyrimidine Dimers Is Observed in the Organellar Genomes of the Young Arabidopsis Seedling

A Southern-blot-based, site-specific assay for ultraviolet (UV)-induced cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), employing the CPD-specific enzyme T4 endonuclease V, was used to follow the repair of this lesion in particular DNA sequences in 5- to 6-d-old Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. CPDs, measured as enzyme-sensitive sites, in nuclear sequences were removed rapidly in the light but were repaired slowly, if at all, in the dark. This result was identical to that obtained in prior analyses of CPDs in total cellular DNA. Assay of representative chloroplast and mitochondrial sequences in the same DNA preparations revealed that, in contrast to nuclear sequences, enzyme-sensitive sites are inefficiently eliminated in both the presence and absence of visible light. These observations suggest that Arabidopsis seedlings possess little or no capacity for the repair of CPDs in the organellar genomes. Given the fact that the UV dose employed only marginally affected the growth of the seedlings, we suggest that Arabidopsis seedlings must possess very efficient mechanism(s) for the tolerance of UV-induced DNA damage.
A theory-guided approach to molecular electronics

The analysis, design, and simulation of molecular electronics systems requires of a theoretical bottom-up approach as an alternative to the top-down or phenomenological approach still used for microelectronics. Our approach consists in the use precise quantum first-principles (ab initio) theories to analyze, design, and simulate molecular electronic devices and systems for molecular electronics in order to obtain precise characteristics of all elements involved on a molecular chip. These ab initio results are used in nonlinear circuit solvers that permit us to combine highly nonlinear devices in a molecular circuit allowing us to determine "programmability" features of molecular devices. If this is the case, the molecules are proposed as potential candidates for chemical synthesis and further more precise analyses are performed including molecular dynamics simulations that allow studying the effects of pressure and temperature on the molecular chip.
LiveNet: Using Passive Monitoring to Reconstruct Sensor Network Dynamics

We describe LiveNet, a set of tools and analysis methods for reconstructing the complex behavior of a deployed sensor network. LiveNet is based on the use of multiple passive packet sniffers co-located with the network, which collect packet traces that are merged to form a global picture of the network's operation. The merged trace can be used to reconstruct critical aspects of the network's operation that cannot be observed from a single vantage point or with simple application-level instrumentation. We address several challenges: merging multiple sniffer traces, determining sniffer coverage, and inference of missing information for routing path reconstruction. We perform a detailed validation of LiveNet's accuracy and coverage using a 184-node sensor network testbed, and present results from a real-world deployment involving physiological monitoring of patients during a disaster drill. Our results show that LiveNet is able to accurately reconstruct network topology, determine bandwidth usage and routing paths, identify hot-spot nodes, and disambiguate sources of packet loss observed at the application level.
The Artifacts of Wartime Art Crime: Evidence for a Model of the Evolving Clout of Cultural Property in Foreign Affairs

Reflection on wartime treatment of artworks, historic buildings, and religious monuments since World War I reveals the compounding value of cultural property in foreign affairs. The poignant plunder of artworks during World War II has led to a history of restitution that suggests a model for the resolution of wartime art crime. The exploitation of cultural artifacts in developing nations during the Cold War era tests the model for repatriation of antiquities, and the destruction of historic and religious monuments in the post-Cold War period offers an opportunity to apply the model in predictive analysis for strategies in foreign policy. Specific examples illustrate the maturing market value of Nazi plunder. Successful restitution cases and an expanding art market inspire repatriation of looted antiquities. The financial and political significance of artworks decades after the wartime art crime indicate that the clout of displaced cultural property in foreign affairs increases with time.
Maternal and perinatal outcomes of indicated inductions of labor.

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the labor characteristics and maternal/perinatal consequences following indicated induction of labor.Methods: This retrospective study examined all of the indicated inductions over 24 months and at two institutions evaluated mode of delivery (vaginal versus cesarean) as well as a comprehensive list of labor characteristics and maternal/perinatal outcomes.Results: There were 1577 indicated inductions with 1097/1577 (69.6%) delivering vaginally. Women with a cesarean delivery had lower parity (p < (0).0001) and Bishop’s score (p < (0).0001), and higher body mass indices (p = 0.022). Indication for induction due to preeclampsia increased the risk of a cesarean delivery (p = 0.008). Chorioamnionitis, post-partum complications and NICU admissions were greater in the women delivered by cesarean section.Conclusions: Indicated inductions which result in cesarean delivery were more likely in women with higher body mass indexes, lower parity, and Bishops sc...
Chapter 4 Sputtering

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews progress made over the past few years in the preparation of amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) films by the method of radiofrequency (rf) diode reactive sputtering. It outlines a brief historical background of the evolution of this method and describes the physical and chemical effects in sputter deposition of a-Si:H films on the mechanisms of film growth and on methods to control structural and compositional inhomogeneities. The alternative technology of reactive sputtering, inherently, has many advantages as a deposition process. Principal among these is the ability to uncouple the two source materials, Si and H, and independently to optimize the role that each plays in forming the network and in determining the ensuing electro-optical properties. This type of control is not possible for glow-discharge decomposition of silane, because the source materials are initially chemically bonded in the feed gas SiH 4 . In addition, sputtered films in general are mechanically strong and the process is easily scalable.
Concentrations and stability of methyl methacrylate, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and nickel sulfate in commercial patch test allergen preparations

Stability of the allergen in the epicutaneous patch test preparation is extremely important for the demonstration of contact allergy and the proper diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis. Currently, the TRUE Test® ready-to-use system includes a very limited of number of contact allergens, and is currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, although use of the traditional Finn Chambers® prepared with commercially available patch test allergens in syringes has been reported to be more suitable for detecting clinically relevant moderate or weak patch test reactions (1). Finn Chambers® are individually prepared with commercially available patch test allergens, which are most often incorporated in petrolatum, and occasionally water, and supplied in syringes or, occasionally, dropper bottles. A few studies have investigated the stability of specific patch test allergen preparations. These include thiurams (2), mercapto mix (3), diisocyanates (4–6), limonene hydroperoxide (7), triglycidyl isocyanurate (8), methyldibromo glutaronitrile (9), and acrylates /methacrylates (10). In these studies, potential patch test preparation stability problems were identified for diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate, methyl methacrylate, and triglycidyl isocyanurate. Reactions between test components found in thiuram disulfides and mercapto test mixes, forming new chemical species, were also reported. In the present study, commercial nickel(II) sulfate hexahydrate (NiSO4), methyl methacrylate, glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde patch test preparations were obtained from several dermatology clinics, and assayed for specific allergen concentrations. These specific allergen reagents were chosen because of their chemical properties, or because of clinician concerns that false-negative test results may be, at least in part, attributable to the test reagent. In addition, the consistency of allergen within the pet. throughout the reagent syringe was assessed.
Simplifying the measurement of gastric accommodation using SPECT

Background Non-invasive single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been validated as a test for postprandial gastric volume accommodation, with volumes measured twice over 30 min and averaged. The purpose of this study is to simplify the SPECT measurement of gastric accommodation. Methods The primary aim of this study was to compare two postprandial gastric volume measurements with data collected retrospectively from 443 patients and healthy volunteers who had undergone SPECT in the last decade. The differences in the two gastric volumes were compared in the entire group and each subgroup, and the correlation between the two measurements and their differences across a wide range of gastric volumes were plotted. Key Results There was a median difference of <2% (P = 0.041) between postprandial scan 1 (757 mL) and scan 2 (743 mL), with significant correlation (rs = 0.859, P < 0.01) and excellent agreement (SD 60 mL) between the two scans across the entire range of observed postprandial gastric volumes. Conclusions & Inferences A single postprandial scan can detect gastric accommodation with the same accuracy as averaging two postprandial scans. These data support simplifying SPECT measurement of postprandial gastric volume with a scan in the first 15 min after a meal.
An Examination of Special Education Due Process Hearings

Due process is a key dispute resolution feature approved by Congress in accordance with the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, whose goal is to facilitate resolution and minimize conflict...
Bayesian analysis of conditional autoregressive models

Conditional autoregressive (CAR) models have been extensively used for the analysis of spatial data in diverse areas, such as demography, economy, epidemiology and geography, as models for both latent and observed variables. In the latter case, the most common inferential method has been maximum likelihood, and the Bayesian approach has not been used much. This work proposes default (automatic) Bayesian analyses of CAR models. Two versions of Jeffreys prior, the independence Jeffreys and Jeffreys-rule priors, are derived for the parameters of CAR models and properties of the priors and resulting posterior distributions are obtained. The two priors and their respective posteriors are compared based on simulated data. Also, frequentist properties of inferences based on maximum likelihood are compared with those based on the Jeffreys priors and the uniform prior. Finally, the proposed Bayesian analysis is illustrated by fitting a CAR model to a phosphate dataset from an archaeological region.
Targeted deletion of C1q/TNF-related protein 9 increases food intake, decreases insulin sensitivity, and promotes hepatic steatosis in mice

Transgenic overexpression of CTRP9, a secreted hormone downregulated in obesity, confers striking protection against diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the physiological relevance of this adiponectin-related plasma protein remains undefined. Here, we used gene targeting to establish the metabolic function of CTRP9 in a physiological context. Mice lacking CTRP9 were obese and gained significantly more body weight when fed standard laboratory chow. Increased food intake, due in part to upregulated expression of hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptides, contributed to greater adiposity in CTRP9 knockout mice. Although the frequency of food intake remained unchanged, CTRP9 knockout mice increased caloric intake by increasing meal size and decreasing satiety ratios. The absence of CTRP9 also resulted in peripheral tissue insulin resistance, leading to increased fasting insulin levels, impaired hepatic insulin signaling, and reduced insulin tolerance. Increased expression of lipogenic genes, combined with enhanced caloric intake, contributed to hepatic steatosis in CTRP9 knockout mice. Loss of CTRP9 also resulted in reduced skeletal muscle AMPK activation and mitochondrial content. Together, these results provide the genetic evidence for a physiological role of CTRP9 in controlling energy balance via central and peripheral mechanisms.
Group Art Therapy with Incarcerated Women.

Art therapy in groups with incarcerated individuals may be effective when participants are defensive and possess limited education. The authors provide procedures, techniques, and case examples from the New Beginnings program for working with women in a detention facility.
Inhibition of key aroma compound generated during ultrahigh-temperature processing of bovine milk via epicatechin addition.

The ability of epicatechin (EC) to inhibit the thermal development of aroma compounds (i.e., Maillard reaction products) formed during ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) processing of bovine milk was evaluated. Volatile extracts were prepared for two UHT-processed milk samples made from (1) raw milk and (2) raw milk containing 0.1% EC by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and subsequently analyzed by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Sensory evaluation was also conducted by a trained panel on the intensity of cooked flavor and bitterness in four UHT-processed milk samples (0.00, 0.01, 0.10, and 0.20% EC added prior to processing), as well as a commercial pasteurized milk sample for comparison. AEDA indicated that addition of EC to raw fluid milk prior to UHT processing reduced the overall thermal formation of key aroma-active compounds in comparison to the traditional UHT milk sample. The largest changes in FD values were reported for methional, furfural, 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 2-acetyl-1-p...
Lack of increase in cell transformation frequency of C3H cells after exposure to pulsed ultrasound.

Abstract Libeskind et al. 1 reported that ultrasound from a diagnostic ultrasound unit caused an increase in cell transformation of in vitro C3H cells. The objective of this study was to attempt verification of this result, using the same cell line and a similar ultrasound exposure regimen. Four experiments were undertaken, each involving an ultrasound, X-ray (positive control) and sham exposure regimen. There was no increase in cell transformation frequency with the ultrasound exposure, but a small and statistically significant increase with the X-ray regimen.
Sexual violence perceptions among Christian college students

Sexual violence is a persistent problem, both nationally and globally, with college females having an elevated risk over their non-college peers. However, there have been limited studies exploring the beliefs that specific sub-populations, such as religious groups, have about sexual violence. A central objective of this study was to provide a better understanding of student needs in order to assist administrators and student service professionals as they offer support for students in Christian higher education settings. This study was a comprehensive, exploratory survey into the attitudes and perceptions of rape myth acceptance, sexism, authoritarianism, violence, and safety, as well as occurrence of sexual violence, among Christian college students at a mid-Atlantic Christian university was conducted. The results demonstrate which concepts relate to or were predicted by students’ rape myth acceptance, as well as ascertaining similarities and differences between secular and religious colleges. Recommendat...
DNA methylation detection using MS-qFRET, a quantum dot-based nanoassay

Detection of aberrant promoter hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes can be used as a prognostic or predictive marker for carcinogenesis. Since epigenetic modifying agents are FDA approved for treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, laboratory correlative tools to monitor response to this targeted therapy are important. Methylation specific quantum dot fluorescence resonance energy transfer (MS-qFRET) is a nanotechnology assay that enables the detection of methylation and its changes in a sensitive, quantifiable manner. It utilizes quantum dot-mediated fluorescence resonance energy transfer to achieve highly sensitive detection of DNA methylation. Template DNA is first treated with sodium bisulfite such that unmethylated cytosines are converted to uracil while methylated cytosines remain unconverted. Thereafter, the converted template is amplified using biotinylated methylation-specific primers. Quantum dots, functionalized with streptavidin, serve both as a scaffold to capture amplicons and as a donor for transferring energy to the Cy5 acceptor that is incorporated into the amplicons during PCR. Thus, the status of DNA methylation can be determined according to the level of FRET. In this report, MS-qFRET is validated in cell lines and then used to detect the status of p15(INK4B) methylation in clinical samples from eight patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
Automated identification of rivers and shorelines in aerial imagery using image texture

A method has been developed which automatically extracts river and river bank locations from arbitrarily sourced high resolution (~1m) visual spectrum imagery without recourse to multi-spectral or even color information. This method relies on quantifying the difference in image texture between the relatively smooth surface of the river water and the rougher surface of the vegetated land or built environment bordering it and then segmenting the image into high and low roughness regions. The edges of the low roughness regions then define the river banks. The method can be coded in any language without recourse to proprietary tools and requires minimal operator intervention. As this sort of imagery is increasingly being made freely available through such services as Google Earth or Worldwind this technique can be used to extract river features when more specialized imagery or software is not available.
Voltage-dependent gap junction channels are formed by connexin32, the major gap junction protein of rat liver

We report here experiments undertaken in pairs of hepatocytes that demonstrate a marked voltage sensivity of junctional conductance and, thus, contradict earlier findings reported by this laboratory (Spray, D.C., R.D.ginzberg, E.A., E. A. Morales, Z. Gatmaitan and I.M. Arias, 1986, J. Cell Biol. 101:135–144; Spray C.D. R.L. White, A.C. Campos de Carvalho, and M.V.L. Bennett. 1984. Biophys. J. 45:219–230) and by others (Dahl, G., T. Moller, D. Paul, R. Voellmy, and R. Werner. 1987. Science [Wash. DC] 236:1290–1293; Riverdin, E.C., and R. Weingart. 1988. Am. J. Physiol. 254:C226-C234). Expression in exogenous systems, lipid bilayers in which fragments of isolated gap junction membranes were incorporated (Young, J.D.-E., Z. Cohn, and N.B. Gilula. 1987. Cell. 48:733–743.) and noncommunicating cells transfected with connexin32 cDNA (Eghbali, B., J.A. Kessler, and D.C. Spray. 1990. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 87:1328–1331), support these findings and indicate that the voltage-dependent channel is composed of connexin32, the major gap junction protein of rat liver (Paul, D. 1986. J. Cell Biol. 103:123–134).
Space transportation briefings

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began a comprehensive series of media briefings on the development and utilization of the nation's space transportation system September 10 at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The series will continue throughout the initial flight testing of Columbia, the first space shuttle in the United States fleet of new Earth-orbiting vehicles. During the first briefing on ‘Technological Innovation in the Design and Development of the Space Shuttle,’ NASA Administrator Robert Frosch presented an overview of the technological innovation required to design the country's first generation of reusable space vehicles. He identified and described the major advances required by the transition from the country's expendable Saturn launch vehicle capability, developed for the Apollo program, to the first generation of reusable space shuttle vehicles. He also reviewed how NASA and its contractors organized and conducted the various activities associated with those efforts.
Corrigendum to “Distribution of estrogen receptor beta containing cells in the brains of bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice” [Brain Res. 1351 (2010) 74–96]

TeresaA.Milner⁎, Louisa I. Thompson, GangWang, JustinA. Kievits, EugeneMartin, Ping Zhou, Bruce S. McEwen, Donald W. Pfaff, Elizabeth M. Waters Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
The Impact of Wireless Technology on Order Selection Audits at an Auto Parts Distribution Center

Audits of store order pallets or totes performed by auditors at five distribution centers (two experimental and three comparison distribution centers) were used to check for picking accuracy prior to being loaded onto a truck for store delivery. Replacing the paper audits with wireless handheld computers that included immediate auditory and visual feedback was instrumental in increasing the number of audits by nearly 89% without incurring overtime hours for the auditors. Increasing the number of audits meant that more orders were checked for accuracy within an 8-hr shift. The errors and inefficiencies noted with paper audits were eliminated immediately at implementation. The role of the organizational behavior management (OBM) practitioner in designing work procedure changes using technical solutions to accelerate key operational processes was examined.
Determination of organic oxygen in ambient particulate matter

A sample of ambient particulate matter is pyrolyzed in N2 at 1135°C, and the evolved oxygen is detected by nondispersive infrared spectrometry after conversion to CO. Oxygen in organic compounds, carbonates, silicates, sulfates, nitrates, water, and adsorbed oxygen-containing gases is quantitated; but silica and alumina are not detected. Organic oxygen is determined by analyzing an evaporated extract of the sample. A procedure is also presented for determining oxygen thermograms. The organic fraction of ambient particulate matter is highly oxygenated (C/O ⋍ 2).
Variation in Odor Thresholds for l-carvone and Cineole and Correlations with Suprathreshold Intensity Ratings

Specific anosmias have been reported for l-carvone and cineole, two compounds of importance in food flavor perception. Detection thresholds were assessed in groups of 50+ individuals by ascending forced-choice tests conducted in quadruplicate. Wide individual differences in thresholds were observed. Within the same session, threshold correlations were in the range of +0.8 to +0.9, showing good short-term reliability. Correlations with suprathreshold ratings were moderate (in the range of r = -0.5) after subtraction of false positive ratings for blank samples. However, a cineole mixture experiment failed to show any differences between subgroups that were previously classified as high or low sensitivity on the basis of threshold measurements. Re-testing selected groups after a period of months showed considerable within-individual variation in the thresholds, especially for l-carvone. These results call into question the stability and utility of threshold classification for these two compounds.
The Complex Rupture Process of the 1996 Deep Flores, Indonesia Earthquake (Mw 7.9) from teleseismic P‐waves

From an analysis of broadband teleseismic P-waveforms we resolve the complex rupture characteristics of the 17 June 1996, Flores earthquake (Mw 7.9, depth 590 km). This earthquake was unusual because of its large rupture length and the variation in rupture velocity and stress drop. The 20 s rupture propagated westward at 2–3 km/s to a distance of 20–30 km, and eastward at 4 km/s over 75 km. Average static stress drop was about 15 MPa, but the stress drop during the episode of main moment release was a factor of four higher. The oblique normal faulting mechanism is consistent with the stress expected as the slab descends along a highly curved trench. Significant rupture complexity is also reported for the deep 1994 Mw 7.7 Fiji and Mw 8.2 Bolivia earthquakes and is evident in the source-time functions of many smaller earthquakes at depths >300 km. Thus source complexity of deep earthquakes appears no less common than for shallow earthquakes, and requires the existence of significant heterogeneity in the physical properties that control deep earthquake rupture.
Analysis of tritium transport in irradiated beryllium

Abstract A tritium transport model called BETTY has been developed to describe and predict the kinetics of tritium transport in beryllium in fusion blanket applications. The model incorporates surface processes and trapping in He bubbles, in addition to bulk diffusion. A comparison of the results available for irradiated beryllium samples from the tritium release experiments SIBELIUS with those predicted by the model show reasonable agreement. In addition, a parametric sensitivity analysis for the variation of surface activation energies and diffusion coefficient is performed and the results of the analysis are presented and discussed.
Preferential preservation of noncollagenous protein during bone diagenesis: Implications for chronometric and stable isotopic measurements

Abstract Preferential preservation of noncollagenous proteins (NCP) in diagenetically altered bone will affect amino acid compositions, inflate D L aspartic acid ratios, and increase C N ratios. Human skeletal remains representing both well preserved (collagenous) and diagenetically altered (noncollagenous) bones were selected from several southern California coastal archaeological sites that date from 8400 to 4100 years B.P. Amino acid compositions of the poorly preserved samples resembled NCP, which are probably retained by adsorption to the hydroxyapatite mineral phase of bone whereas collagen is degraded and lost to the environment over time. Since the racemization rate of aspartic acid in NCP is an order of magnitude faster than in collagen, the conservation of NCP in diagenetically altered bone can explain the high D L aspartic acid ratios, and the erroneous Upper Pleistocene racemization ages calculated from these ratios, for several California Indian burials. Amino acid compositional analyses also indicated a non-amino acid source of nitrogen in the poorly preserved samples, which may account for their lower C N ratios despite the acidic amino acid profiles typical of NCP. Preservation of NCP rather than collagen also precludes the extraction of a gelatin residue for radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analyses, but remnant NCP can yield apparently accurate radiocarbon dates. As collagen and phosphoprotein purified from a sample of modern human dentin have the same δ13C and δ15N values, remnant NCP may also be useful for paleodiet reconstructions based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions. Dentin collagen appears to be more resistant to diagenetic changes than does bone collagen. Consequently, dentin promises to be a more reliable material than bone for chronometric and stable isotope measurements.
Cast-in crystals in amorphous alloy ribbons

Abstract Cast-in crystals were observed in amorphous alloy ribbons of CoB, FeB, NiB, (Fe,Ni)B and (Fe,Co)B prepared by the chill-blockcasting technique. Their presence was determined by optical microscopy, microradiography, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopies and Bitter and Kerr domain observation techniques. The cast-in crystals are often very large, indicating growth velocities greater than 1 cm s−1 and growth temperatures greater than 1000 °C. Most of the crystals are of the expected stable phase but in the FeB series the cast-in crystals are of the metastable body-centered tetragonal Fe3B phase.
Work done and energy balance in RF discharges

Summary form only given, as follows. It is pointed out that the fields applied to a parallel-plate RF discharge do work on the plasma particles (deposit energy) nonuniformly in space and time at a rate given by J t E . Similarly, energy is lost by the plasma particles when they strike the electrodes or collide with neutrals or radiate. The work done and the losses are being characterized as a function of time and space in a manner similar to that of D. Vender and R.W. Boswell (1988) self-consistently. These results have been compared to discharge models and other simulations. The simulation code is PDP1, which utilizes particle-in-cell techniques plus Monte Carlo simulation of electron-neutral (elastic, excitation, and ionization) and ion-neutral (scattering and charge-exchange) collisions. The code can simulate different environments with various gases and various pressures commonly used in RF discharges needed in plasma processing
Long- and short-term transience in a groundwater/lake system in Wisconsin, USA

Abstract A 10 year record of water level fluctuations in a groundwater/lake system in northern Wisconsin shows that system dynamics are strongly influenced by seasonal transient effects as well as transience over the 10 year period of record. These data were collected for the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program at the North Temperate Lakes site in northern Wisconsin, USA. The record included a period of relatively high lake levels from 1981 to 1985, followed by declining levels in 1986–1987 and low levels in 1988–1990. Short-term transient effects in the form of seasonal groundwater mounds consistently occurred on all sides of the lake during 1981–1985 when regional water levels were high and during 1986–1988 when groundwater levels were high relative to the declining lake level. Mounds did not form after 1988. These observations point to the importance of a long-term record in assessing the significance of short-term effects. Short-term transience affects the groundwater component of the lake budget because the mounds induce groundwater to flow toward the lake; when the mounds are not present, water flows away from the lake. Shifts in the groundwater regime will affect the lake's chemical budget in the long term. However, the trends in the chemical budget that occurred within our 10 year record, an interval shorter than the hydraulic residence time of the lake (12.7 year), are influenced more by changes in precipitation inputs than groundwater inputs.
Interpretations of the low-velocity zone

Abstract The physical interpretation of the low-velocity zone of the upper mantle depends critically upon details of the velocity variation which are still uncertain. As examples, Gutenberg's solution is roughly consistent with a homogeneous layer of peridotite affected only by temperature and pressure, while Anderson's is not. Partial melting, relaxation of elasticity and compositional changes are among the suggested explanations. New evidence derived from the free oscillations by Press indicates that the low-velocity layer may also be a high-density layer; this might be eclogite or iron-rich peridotite.
Functional Assessment of Precursors from Murine Bone Marrow Suggests a Sequence of Early B Lineage Differentiation Events

Most lineage marker-negative (Lin-)TdT+ cells from murine marrow lack CD34 but display c-kit at low density as well as IL-7Ralpha and Flk-2/Flt-3 receptors. Single cells with these characteristics generated CD45RA+CD19- as well as CD19+ lymphocytes in culture. CD45RA+CD19- marrow cells were resolved into three nonoverlapping subsets. One subset, lacking DX5 and Ly-6C antigens, yielded CD19+ cells in culture. Further analysis demonstrated CD24 on most Lin-TdT+ cells and all CD45R+CD19-DX5-Ly-6C- cells. Mac-1/CD11b was absent from these two subsets of B lineage precursors, while IL-7Ralpha was retained during subsequent differentiation to a CD19+ and stromal cell-independent stage. These findings contrast with previous descriptions of B lymphocyte precursors and suggest a sequence of early differentiation events.
The NASA Lunar Impact Monitoring Program

NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office has implemented a program to monitor the Moon for meteoroid impacts from the Marshall Space Flight Center. Using off-the-shelf telescopes and video equipment, the Moon is monitored for as many as 10 nights per month, depending on weather. Custom software automatically detects flashes which are confirmed by a second telescope, photometrically calibrated using background stars, and published on a website for correlation with other observations. Hypervelocity impact tests at the Ames Vertical Gun Range facility have begun to determine the luminous efficiency and ejecta characteristics. The purpose of this research is to define the impact ejecta environment for use by lunar spacecraft designers of the Constellation manned lunar program. The observational techniques and preliminary results will be discussed.
THEORIES OF ELASTIC SLENDER CURVED RODS

The linear and nonlinear theories of elastic slender curved rods are formulated in a systematic manner. Equations of equilibrium for stress resultants and moments are derived. The generalized strains are defined based on the principle of virtual work. Constitutive equations corresponding to small strains are obtained. The field equations for finite deformations of curved rods can be simplified in the case of small axial strain and moderately small rotations. Further simplifications can be made for the case of slightly curved rods. Two examples are presented to illustrate applications of the developed theories.