cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gating of cardiac Na+ channels in excised membrane patches after modification by alpha-chymotrypsin.

Single cardiac Na+ channels were investigated after intracellular proteolysis to remove the fast inactivation process in an attempt to elucidate the mechanisms of channel gating and the role of slow inactivation. Na+ channels were studied in inside-out patches excised from guinea-pig ventricular myocytes both before and after very brief exposure (2–4 min) to the endopeptidase, alpha-chymotrypsin. Enzyme exposure times were chosen to maximize removal of fast inactivation and to minimize potential nonspecific damage to the channel. After proteolysis, the single channel current-voltage relationship was approximately linear with a slope conductance of 18 +/- 2.5 pS. Na+ channel reversal potentials measured before and after proteolysis by alpha-chymotrypsin were not changed. The unitary current amplitude was not altered after channel modification suggesting little or no effect on channel conductance. Channel open times were increased after removal of fast inactivation and were voltage-dependent, ranging between 0.7 (-70 mV) and 3.2 (-10 mV) ms. Open times increased with membrane potential reaching a maximum at -10 mV; at more positive membrane potentials, open times decreased again. Fast inactivation appeared to be completely removed by alpha-chymotrypsin and slow inactivation became more apparent suggesting that fast and slow inactivation normally compete, and that fast inactivation dominates in unmodified channels. This finding is not consistent with a slow inactivated state that can only be entered through the fast inactivated state, since removal of fast inactivation does not eliminate slow inactivation. The data indicate that cardiac Na+ channels can enter the slow inactivated state by a pathway that bypasses the fast inactivated state and that the likelihood of entering the slow inactivated state increases after removal of fast inactivation.
Collaborative Air Traffic Decision Support Based on Web-based Intelligent Argumentation

Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) is a process of reaching consensus on a potential solution of an issue through the evaluation of the different possible alternatives. The web-based intelligent computational argumen- tation system allows concerned decision making agents to post their arguments on different alternatives, assign degree of strengths to their arguments and identify the most favorable alternative using our system over the internet. Agents are a group of people who participate in the argumentation process for the collaborative decision making process. Our system resolves the conflicts through intelligent argumentation and captures the rationale of the agents from their arguments. The exchange of information among the agents in the form of arguments helps them present their views and opinions and drives the group towards collective intelligence. In this article, we present an approach on how the intelligent argumentation based collaborative decision support system can facilitate the resolution of conflicts in air traffic management. It could enhance the Ground Delay Program (GDP) and help the Air Traffic Control System Com- mand Center (ATCSCC) to take a better decision depending on the argumentation of Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) and agents from different airlines.
Reality abstraction and OO pedagogy: results from 5 weeks in virtual reality

A five week program which involved extensive exposure to a complex object-oriented virtual environment was evaluated for efficacy in learning fundamental object-oriented principles. Students (n=57) from two CS1 classes were asked to write essays on their knowledge of object-oriented programming concepts following their participation in the program. A systematic method for evaluating student knowledge was followed by rating the student's knowledge on a one-to-five rating scale. The results indicated that the students understood, by virtue of their ability to write intelligibly, the concepts of abstraction, inheritance and method override. Demonstrated knowledge of the concept of state was far less convincing.
The PD programs: a method for the quantitative description of motor patterns.

Abstract We describe a family of 6 computer programs that measure, analyse and create graphic displays of complex motor patterns. The programs create lists of times at which successive bursts of impulses in different nerves started and stopped, and use these lists to calculate the periods and durations of these bursts and to calculate their phases relative to some specified frame of reference. When calculating phases, the programs take into account missing bursts or extra bursts in each reference interval. Individual programs then calculate descriptive statistics for these parameters, select lists of paired data for plotting and regression analysis, and prepare files for graphical display of statistics as boxplots. A final-program plots these files on a digital plotter. These programs are available for non-commercial use.
Urban Schools and Appalachian Children

For decades, city schools have neglected children emigrating from Appalachia and their unique values and heritage.
Estrogen-stimulated uptake of plasminogen by the mouse uterus.

Administration of a single low dose of estradiol to the immature (4- to 5-week-old) female mouse caused a rapid, uterine-specific increase in the uptake of radiolabeled plasminogen from plasma. A significant increase in uptake was detectable within 30 min and reached a maximum 2–4 h after administration of the hormone. After 4 h, a substantial amount (42%) of the newly taken up plasminogen was found in the uterine lumen. Half-maximal stimulation of uptake occurred at a dose of 0.20 μg estradiol/animal. Estrogen stimulation of uptake was not blocked by puromycin, indicating that new protein synthesis was not required. Similar results were obtained with mouse plasma albumin. Estrogen-stimulated uptake was not blocked by indomethacin (10 μg/g BW, iv), but was blocked by prednisolone. Approximately 50% inhibition of the stimulation induced by 0.5 μg estradiol in these 10-g animals was accomplished with 50 μg prednisolone. This study extends our initial findings on the estrogen-stimulated uptake of plasma prot...
Interval criteria for oscillation of nonlinear second-order dynamic equations on time scales

Interval oscillation criteria are established for a second-order nonlinear dynamic equation on time scales by utilizing a generalized Riccati technique and an integral averaging technique. The theory can be applied to second-order dynamic equations regardless of the choice of delta or nabla derivatives.
Supporting Location-Based Services through Composable Stream-Processing Flows

A stream processing flow can be represented as a directed graph that describes how streaming data is obtained from one or more sources, processed by one or more components, and finally sent to one or more sinks. In this paper, we show how stream processing flows can be used to support location based services for a variety of end-users. In particular, we show how these flows can be customized for specific end-user requests from a set of reusable software components. For this, we use a language called Cascade that we had proposed in previous work for describing commonly used patterns of flows. The patterns cover different possible variations of the flows, including variations in the structure of the flow, the components in the flow and the possible parameterizations of these components. We provide examples of flows composed in the domain of intelligent transportation services.
Assessing Potential Removal of Low-Head Dams in Urban Settings: An Example from the Ottawa River, NW Ohio

This is a study of the scientific component of an effort to restore an urban river by removing a low-head dam. The Secor Dam is owned by a local government entity near Toledo, Ohio. The proposed removal of the last structure impeding flow on the Ottawa River has broad appeal, but the owner is concerned about liability issues, particularly potential changes to the flood regime, the presence of contaminated sediments behind the dam, and possible downstream transport of reservoir sediments. Assessing sediment contamination involved sediment sampling and analysis of trace metals and organic contaminants. Forecasting sediment transport involved field methods to determine the volume and textural properties of reservoir and upstream sediment and calculations to determine the fate of reservoir sediments. Forecasting changes in the flood regime involved HEC-RAS hydrological models to determine before and after dam removal flood scenarios using LiDAR data imported into an ArcGIS database. The resulting assessment found potential sediment contamination to be minor, and modeling showed that the removal of the dam would have minimal impacts on sediment transport and flood hazards. Based on the assessment, the removal of the dam has been approved by its owners.
Spin-Echo Resolved Grazing Incidence Scattering (SERGIS) at Pulsed and CW Neutron Sources

We have used SERGIS to probe the surface structure of a silicon diffraction grating of period 140 nm. Experiments were performed at: the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) pulsed neutron source and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) continuous wave (CW) reactor neutron source. Although both sets of data show peaks of the spin echo polarization at integer multiples of the grating period, as expected, the results differ in detail. We have developed a dynamical theory, based on a Bloch wave expansion, to describe neutron diffraction from a grating. The theory explains the differences between the two sets of data without any adjustable parameters.
New insights into the enigma of boron carbide inverse molecular behavior

Abstract Equation of state and compression mechanism of nearly stoichiometric boron carbide B4C were investigated using diamond anvil cell single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique up to a maximum quasi-hydrostatic pressure of 74.0(1) GPa in neon pressure transmitting medium at ambient temperature. No signatures of structural phase transitions were observed on compression. Crystal structure refinements indicate that the icosahedral units are less compressible (13% volume reduction at 60 GPa) than the unit cell volume (18% volume reduction at 60 GPa), contrary to expectations based on the inverse molecular behavior hypothesis, but consistent with spectroscopic evidence and first principles calculations. The high-pressure crystallographic refinements reveal that the nature of the chemical bonds (two, versus three centered character) has marginal effect on the bond compressibility and the compression of the crystal is mainly governed by the force transfer between the rigid icosahedral structural units.
CARCINOMA OF THE OROPHARYNX

Carcinoma of the oropharynx poses particular challenges and problems to head and neck clinicians. These include relative anatomic inaccessibility, field cancerization and the need to minimize speech and swallowing dysfunction. The aim of this review is to bring together an appreciation of the issues involved in the management of this disease and the more recent results of its treatment.
Effects of wet meadow riparian vegetation on streambank erosion. 1. Remote sensing measurements of streambank migration and erodibility

We quantified how rates of stream channel migration in a montane meadow vary as a function of the riparian vegetation community. The South Fork of the Kern River at Monache Meadow, located in California's southern Sierra Nevada range, supports two distinct types of vegetation: a dry meadow community dominated by sagebrush and non-native grasses (xeric scrub and meadow), and a wet meadow community dominated by rushes and sedges (hydric graminoids). We measured rates of lateral stream migration for dry versus wet meadow reaches from aerial photographs spanning a 40-year period (1955–1995). While stream migration rates averaged only 0·24 ± 0·02 m a−1 in the wet meadow, the dry meadow channel migrated an average of 1·4 ± 0·3 m a−1. We used a linear model of meander migration to calculate coefficients that characterize bank migration potential, or bank erodibility, independent of channel curvature. These calculations demonstrate that, at Monache Meadow, banks without wet meadow vegetation are roughly ten times more susceptible to erosion than banks with wet meadow vegetation. Where stream bank heights consistently exceed 1 m, low water availability creates riparian habitats dominated by dry meadow vegetation. Thus, channel incision may reduce bank stability not only by increasing bank height, but also by converting banks from wet meadow to dry meadow vegetation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of intranuclear capsids made by ts morphogenic mutants of HSV-1

Abstract We have characterized capsids made by seven temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of HSV-1 previously shown to be defective in viral DNA processing and packaging at the nonpermissive temperature (NPT). The empty capsids isolated from mutant-infected cells at the NPT were devoid of DNA, cosedimented in sucrose with wt B capsids, and contained the same structural proteins found in wt B capsids ( W. Gibson and B. Roizman (1972) . J. Virol. 10, 1044–1052). The presence of VP22a in empty capsids suggests that the processing of this protein from higher-molecular-weight precursors and its association with capsids is required, but not sufficient, for DNA encapsidation. Mutants made no detectable A capsids at the NPT, but did so at the permissive temperature (PT), suggesting that A particles are generated during or subsequent to, rather than prior to, encapsidation. In temperature-shift experiments, it was demonstrated that capsids of one of the mutants, F18, made at the NPT did not participate in DNA encapsidation when cells were subsequently shifted to the PT. Only those capsids made after temperature shift to the PT acquired viral DNA, implying that the is mutation in F18 may lie in a gene coding for a structural protein, or in a protein involved in the processing of viral DNA.
Generalized expressions for interfacial resistance to mass transfer in two-phase systems

Abstract Interfacial resistance to mass transfer between two quiescent liquid phases is analyzed by modeling the solute molecules as Brownian particles and solving the associated Fokker-Planek equation for their distribution in phase space. As in previous work on this problem, the motion of the solute particles is assumed to be influenced by spatially varying diffusivity and potential energy functions in the immediate vicinity of the interface. The use of a Fokker—Planck equation, howeer, permits the investigation of systems in which the potential energy varies so rapidly with position that a description in terms of the simpler Smoluchowski equation is inadequate. An approximate analytical solution is obtained by expanding the velocity dependence of the phase-space distribution function in a series of orthogonal polynemials, the interfacial resistance then being given as an expansion in powers of a characteristic diffusivity. An evaluation of the first two terms in this expansion is seen to provide a convenient means of assessing the accuracy of results based on the Smoluchowski equation. A closed-form expression for the interfacial resistance is also derived for the case of arbitrary diffusivity by assuming the existence of a reasonably high potential energy barrier; this result is expected to be particularly useful for situations in which the series solution is only slowly convergent. Finally, the accuracy of these analytical results is determined by choosing appropriate (qualitatively correct) expressions for the potential energy and diffusivity functions and solving the Fokker Planck equation numerically, and the expected trends are thereby confirmed.
Microbial Reduction of Fe(III) in the Fithian and Muloorina Illites: Contrasting Extents and Rates of Bioreduction

Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 reduces Fe(III) within two illites which have different properties: the Fithian bulk fraction and the <0.2 µm fraction of Muloorina. The Fithian illite contained 4.6% (w/w) total Fe, 81% of which was Fe(III). It was dominated by illite with some jarosite (∼32% of the total Fe(III)) and goethite (11% of the total Fe(III)). The Muloorina illite was pure and contained 9.2% Fe, 93% of which was Fe(III). Illite suspensions were buffered at pH 7 and were inoculated with CN32 cells with lactate as the electron donor. Select treatments included anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as an electron shuttle. Bioproduction of Fe(II) was determined by ferrozine analysis. The unreduced and bioreduced solids were characterized by Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The extent of Fe(III) reduction in the bulk Fithian illite was enhanced by the presence of AQDS (73%) with complete reduction of jarosite and goethite and partial reduction of illite. Mossbauer spectroscopy and chemical extraction determined that 21–25% of illite-associated Fe(III) was bioreduced. The extent of bioreduction was less in the absence of AQDS (63%) and only jarosite was completely reduced with partial reduction of goethite and illite. The XRD and TEM data revealed no significant illite dissolution or biogenic minerals, suggesting that illite was reduced in the solid state and biogenic Fe(II) from jarosite and goethite was either released to aqueous solution or adsorbed onto residual solid surfaces. In contrast, only 1% of the structural Fe(III) in Muloorina illite was bioreduced. The difference in the extent and rate of bioreduction between the two illites was probably due to the difference in layer charge and the total structural Fe content between the Fithian illite (0.56 per formula) and Muloorina illite (0.87). There may be other factors contributing to the observed differences, such as expandability, surface area and the arrangements of Fe in the octahedral sheets. The results of this study have important implications for predicting microbe-induced physical and chemical changes of clay minerals in soils and sediments.
Identification of genes expressed during Xenopus laevis limb regeneration by using subtractive hybridization

Suppression polymerase chain reaction-based subtractive hybridization was used to identify genes that are expressed during Xenopus laevis hindlimb regeneration. Subtractions were done by using RNAs extracted from the regeneration-competent stage (stage 53) and regeneration-incompetent stage (stage 59) of limb development. Forward and reverse subtractions were done between stage 53 7-day blastema and stage 53 contralateral limb (competent stage), stage 59 7-day pseudoblastema and stage 59 contralateral limb (incompetent stage), and stage 53 7-day blastema and stage 59 7-day pseudoblastema. Several thousand clones were analyzed from the various subtracted libraries, either by random selection and sequencing (1,920) or by screening subtracted cDNA clones (6,150), arrayed on nylon membranes, with tissue-specific probes. Several hundred clones were identified from the array screens whose expression levels were at least twofold higher in experimental tissue vs. control tissue (e.g., blastema vs. limb) and selected for sequencing. In addition, primers were designed to assay several of the randomly selected clones and used to assess the level of expression of these genes during regeneration and normal limb development. Approximately half of the selected clones were differentially expressed, as expected, including several that demonstrate blastema-specific enhancement of expression. Three distinct categories of expression were identified in our screens: (1) clones that are expressed in both regeneration-competent blastemas and -incompetent pseudoblastemas, (2) clones that are expressed at highest levels in regeneration-competent blastemas, and (3) clones that are expressed at highest levels in regeneration-incompetent pseudoblastemas. Characterizing the role of each of these three categories of genes will be important in furthering our understanding of the process of tissue regeneration.
Language Curriculum Development

In this survey paper the field of language curriculum develop ment is defined as encompassing the processes of needs analysis, goal setting, syllabus design, methodology and evaluation. Each of the...
Current State of Pedicle Screw Constructs in Children with Spinal Deformity

Pedicle screw use in children is a balance of safety and efficacy. Regardless of patient age or technique, pedicle screws provide 3-column fixation, load sharing surgical correction, long-term fixation, and continued growth for growing constructs. Pedicle screws are essential for 3-column fixation associated with vertebral column resection, hemivertebra excision, or fracture fixation. For nonfusion techniques, pedicle screws are excellent foundations at ends of implant constructs. The unique needs of young children for nonfusion techniques, such as traditional growing rods, Shilla, and staples, with associated regulatory challenges have led to off-label use of adult devices.
Comparison of Organic and Inorganic Phosphorus Fractions in an Established Buffer and Adjacent Production Field

Abstract Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program was established in 1985, thousands of acres of cropland have been converted to conservation buffers. The distributions of soil phosphorus (P) in various organic and inorganic fractions in a buffer and an adjacent crop production field were compared. Most of the extractable inorganic P (32 to 39%) in both the crop field and the buffer was present in the calcium (Ca)‐P fraction. Levels of the most labile P fractions were higher in the cropped area; however, more P was in the iron (Fe)‐P fraction in the buffer (23 vs. 18%). There were few differences among organic P fractions between the buffer and crop field. Soil sampling depth had a significant effect on the distribution of P. Differences between the cropped area and the buffer were less significant as depth increased. These results suggest that care should be taken in choosing sampling depths when relating P fraction distribution to potential P loss.
Has Grocery Store Loyalty Changed? An Analysis of Determinant Characteristics and Strategy

This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of those grocery store customers who tend to be store loyal versus those who are not store loyal. The study examines the relative importance of characteristics such as service, physical facilities, promotions, pricing structure, and various demographic factors that may impact store loyalty. Findings indicate that customer service and physical characteristics of a store (i.e., convenient store hours and parking) are of fundamental importance to the store-loyal shopper. Interestingly, it was found that loyal shoppers are more concerned with pricing issues than nonloyal shoppers. Additionally, based upon the loyalty literature, it would seem logical to assume that the findings presented in this study may well be applicable to other food-related industries, including the foodservice industry. Managerial strategies are discussed.
Cell surface relocalization of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone and unfolded protein response regulator GRP78/BiP

The recent discovery that GRP78/BiP, a typical endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumenal chaperone, can be expressed on the cell surface, interacting with an increasing repertoire of surface proteins and acting as receptor in signaling pathways, represents a paradigm shift in its biological function. However, the mechanism of GRP78 trafficking from the ER to the cell surface is not well understood. Using a combination of cellular, biochemical, and mutational approaches, we tested multiple hypotheses. Here we report that ER stress actively promotes GRP78 localization on the cell surface, whereas ectopic expression of GRP78 is also able to cause cell surface relocation in the absence of ER stress. Moreover, deletion of the C-terminal ER retention motif in GRP78 alters its cell surface presentation in a dose-dependent manner; however, mutation of the putative O-linked glycosylation site Thr648 of human GRP78 is without effect. We also identified the exposure of multiple domains of GRP78 on the cell surface and determined that binding of extracellular GRP78 to the cell surface is unlikely. A new topology model for cell surface GRP78 is presented.
Reactivity Toward Phenol of Lignin from the Hydrolysis of Sweetgum Wood with Concentrated Sulfuric Acid

Abstract Sweetgum wood was hydrolyzed at 20°C and 50°C for different time periods with 68% sulfuric acid. The lignin residues obtained were subjected to a phenolation reaction. For lignin prepared at the lower temperature the maximum phenol uptake was 9.5%, and at the higher temperature only 5–6%. When wood prehydrolyzed with dilute acid was used the phenol uptake rose to 12.5%. However, all the sulfuric acid hydrolysis lignins showed much lower reactivity toward phenol than the 20% phenol uptake exhibited by lignin isolated using concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Transmission of a Bacillus thuringiensis cry3Aa transgene from diploid to tetraploid potato using 4x-2x hybridization: effect of ploidy increase on transgene expression and implications for TPS hybrid production

The study examined the effect of ploidy elevation through unreduced gametes on transgene expression in potato. Tetraploid transgenic progenies were obtained from one tetraploid potato cultivar crossed with 2n pollen producing diploid clones harbouring an exogenous transgene (cry3Aa). Both single- and multiple-insert diploid transgenic lines that were regenerated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens leaf disc inoculation were used in crosses. A DAS-ELISA system and no-choice feeding bioassay enabled characterization of the parental lines as either 'high' or 'low' expressers of the Cry3Aa protein. High Cry3Aa expression was observed for both single-insert transgenic diploids and their 4x-2x progeny. On the contrary, 68% of 4x-2x progeny derived from a multiple-insert, diploid transgenic had significantly reduced Cry3Aa expression compared with the parent, with 32% demonstrating nearly complete silencing of the transgene. Multiple copies of a transgene, like homologous native genes, may be susceptible to transgene silencing following polyploidization. Therefore, incorporation of exogenous transgenes into a true potato seed (TPS) production system is feasible if a single-insert diploid parent is used. Gene-centromere mapping of the cry3Aa transgene demonstrated that a non-transgenic refuge might be naturally created in a TPS hybrid system through genetic recombination.
Cohort effects on gender differences in alcohol dependence.

Aims The present study investigated the presence of cohort effects on gender differences in the course, severity and symptomatology of DSM-III-R alcohol dependence in a community-based sample. Design A comparison of substance-related variables among men and women divided into two groups based on the median birth year of the sample was conducted. Participants Participants were 468 men and 132 women with life-time alcohol dependence, the vast majority of whom were born between 1941 and 1960. Measurements Substance use and DSM-III-R substance use disorders were assessed by a structured interview administered in person. Findings Individuals born after 1951 had higher rates of alcohol dependence. Among individuals with alcohol dependence, those born after 1951 had an earlier onset and longer duration of alcohol-related problems. Significant interactions indicated that these effects were stronger for women than men. Conclusions Risk for alcohol dependence appears to be rising in younger generations, and particularly for younger women, making them an important target group for prevention and treatment programs.
Motivational interviewing with hazardous drinkers.

Purposes: To test the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in a population of hazardous drinkers utilizing community health care centers in rural southeastern Idaho. Data sources: This study targeted rural people at risk for alcohol dependence utilizing low-income community health care centers in rural southeastern Idaho. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to screen interested clients’ alcohol use. Clients achieving an AUDIT score indicating hazardous alcohol use were recruited into the study and randomized into a control or treatment group. Twenty-six hazardous drinkers attending five low-income community health centers participated in the study. The experimental group participated in one motivational interviewing session with the investigator, a family nurse practitioner (NP). The comparison group received no treatment. Alcohol use was tracked for 6 weeks after successful recruitment into the program. Conclusions: Participants in the study significantly decreased their average number of drinks per day. At time 1 (pretreatment), the control group drank 4.37 drinks per day and the treatment group drank 4.65 drinks per day. At time 2 (posttest), the control group drank 3.77 drinks per day and the treatment group drank 1.95 drinks per day. The effects of the motivational interviewing treatment on hazardous drinking also were measured by serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a liver function test. There was also a significant decrease in the GGT from pretest to posttest in the treatment group. Implications for practice: The results of this investigation found that motivational interviewing shows promise as an effective intervention for hazardous drinkers attending low-income community clinics. Although other possible explanations could be postulated for the positive changes in sample participants, the data indicate that the motivational interviewing approach was responsible for a significant portion of the positive changes within the current sample. The information collected from the study adds to the literature on hazardous drinking, research, and treatment of this significant problem. Negotiating change in behavior is part of the practice of NPs. People struggling with alcohol use are more likely to encounter NPs, family doctors, or social workers than counselors specializing in alcohol treatment. Motivational interviewing is specifically designed for preparing people for change. Because most people resist being told what to do, that is, “you have to stop drinking,” use of motivational interviewing principles can decrease resistance and optimize change. Additionally, identifying and intervening with hazardous drinking in a primary care setting can reduce healthcare costs and reduce the stigma of specialist care. Adding this valuable communication skill to the competencies of NPs is important to both clients and NPs.
Age differences in the nature and origin of individual differences in memory: a behavior genetic analysis.

Measures of memory performance and cognitive and lifestyle variables were obtained from 147 younger twin pairs (27 to 60 years) and 194 older twin pairs (60 to 94 years) as part of the Minnesota Twin Study of Adult Development and Aging. Correlational and behavior genetic analyses were combined to investigate age differences in 1) the relationship between memory performance and cognitive and lifestyle variables, 2) genetic and environmental influences on memory performance, and 3) genetic and environmental mediation of the relationship between memory and predictor variables. No age differences in heritability were found. Qualitative age differences in memory processes were suggested by age group differences in the correlations between memory and cognitive factors. Even though age differences in phenotypic correlations had been demonstrated, no age differences in the genetic and environmental mediation of the correlations were found. In other words, the magnitude of the correlation between memory and cogni...
Flash Coding Scheme Based on Error-Correcting Codes

Flash memory is a non-volatile computer storage device which consists of blocks of cells. While increasing the voltage level of a single cell is fast and simple, reducing the level of a cell requires the erasing of the entire block containing the cell. Since block erasures are costly, traditional flash coding schemes have been developed to maximize the number of writes before a block erasure is needed. A novel coding scheme based on error-correcting codes allows the cell levels to increase as evenly as possibly and as a result, increases the number of writes before a block erasure. The scheme is also capable of combating noise in flash memories in order to enhance data reliability.
The capacity of roadside vegetated filter strips and swales to sequester carbon

Abstract Carbon capture and storage within vegetation and soil is impacted by changing land uses, which results in either a net source or sink of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Transportation corridors are present world-wide, and the vegetated filter strip and vegetated swale (VFS/VS), a common stormwater control measure, often constitutes the right-of-way (ROW) adjacent to roadways. The roadway environment, specifically carbon pools in North Carolina highway ROWs, were studied for carbon sequestration potential, an important ecosystem service. The study was conducted in two North Carolina physiographic regions: the Piedmont (characterized by clay-influenced soils) and the Coastal Plain (predominantly sandy soils). Approximately 700 soil samples were collected in VFS/VSs and wetland swales alongside major highways and analyzed for percent total soil C (% total C) and bulk density to obtain the C density. Mean soil C densities (per unit area) were 2.55 ± 0.13 kg C m −2 (mean ± standard error, n = 160, 0.2 m sample depth) in the Piedmont and 4.14 ± 0.15 kg C m −2 ( n = 160, 0.2 m depth) in Coastal Plain highway VFS/VSs. Previous studies on grasslands had similar C density values to those observed in this study; thus, grasslands could be a surrogate land use for highway VFS/VSs. A thirty-seven year soil chronosequence characterized C accumulation in Piedmont VFS/VSs. Carbon density increases showed an association with age in Piedmont VFS/VSs only, which were calculated to reach maximum C density of 3.34 kg C m −2 , at age = 21.5 years. Previous studies on grasslands show similar C density and accumulation values to those observed in this study; thus, again grasslands could be a surrogate land use for highway VFS/VSs. Carbon density did not differ between dry or wetland swales, although % total C was significantly greater in wetland swales. The mean VS C density was 3.05 ± 0.13 kg C m −2 ( n = 40, 0.2 m depth), while that for wetland swales was 5.04 ± 0.73 kg C m −2 ( n = 44, 0.2 m depth). To promote C sequestration in the vegetated ROW, wetland swales appear preferable to dry swales.
Lactose in Animal and Human Feeding: A Review

Summary An attempt has been made to review the available information on the uses of lactose in animal and human feeding. From the information reviewed, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. Lactose is tolerated by the rat up to about 25% of the diet. Above this level poor growth, diarrhea, alopecia, and cataract formation result. 2. Young pigs and dairy calves are able to tolerate extremely high levels of lactose. This tolerance for lactose decreases with the age of the animal. 3. Poultry, either young or old, are unable to utilize even moderate levels of lactose. 4. Lactose has a definite effect on the intestinal tract of all animals. This effect is characterized by a lowering of the acidity and a change of the intestinal flora to an acidophilic type. 5. Lactose stimulates the synthesis of B-vitamins by the intestinal bacteria in both mammals and poultry. 6. Lactose feeding causes a change in the phospholipids of the tissues of animals fed diets containing large amounts of lactose. 7. Lactose favorably influences the absorption, retention, and utilization of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This may or may not be related to the change in pH of the intestinal tract following lactose feeding. 8. Lactose is well-tolerated by the human adult and it may be used in therapy against constipation and diarrhea. 9. Lactose finds wide use in infant feeding and should be considered the carbohydrate of choice for the modification of cow's milk and for the formulation of infant foods. It is especially useful as an additive to human milk for the feeding of premature infants. 10. Lactose has been shown to improve the problem-solving ability of rats, which suggests a nutritive value not found in other carbohydrates. 11. Lactose has been shown to protect the rat against alloxan poisoning. Sucrose and starch did not give this protecting action against alloxan poisoning. 12. Lactose has been shown to be a lipotropic agent and a sparer of choline. 13. Lactose allows normal reproduction in the rat. This was not true for sucrose.
Larval Food Supply Constrains Female Reproductive Schedules in Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Reproductive schedules are a critical aspect of life history intrinsically linked to a species' ecology. We explored dynamic trajectories of daily fecundity, egg size, and egg fertility in three size classes of Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville produced by varying larval access to food, eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. Adult pairs were held with ad libitum food and eggs were collected daily, counted, and a subsample measured. Egg fertility declined steeply over 25 clutches in small females, gradually in large females, but remained relatively stable in medium females. In small females, egg size and daily fecundity declined in a linear manner. There was no clear indication of an egg size-number tradeoff. In medium females, both egg size and daily fecundity peaked around the 16th day of oviposition, after which both declined. Large females began oviposition earlier and achieved peak egg size about day 7, and peak fecundity around day 12. Large females thus expressed a larger proportion of their reproductive effort early in adult life, a strategy inferred to be adaptive in the context of aphidophagy; a larger proportion of progeny would develop early in the exponential growth phase of the prey population when food is most abundant. Increases in egg size during this period may improve the survival of later-developing progeny; prey become scarce as aphid outbreaks decline and competition intensifies, favoring offspring with a larger body size at eclosion. Larval diet restriction appeared to constrain these presumably adaptive changes in egg size and daily fecundity, largely through effects on maternal body size.
Increased stiffness of the rat liver precedes matrix deposition: implications for fibrosis

Liver fibrosis, the response to chronic liver injury, results from the activation of mesenchymal cells to fibrogenic myofibroblasts. We have recently shown that two key myofibroblast precursor popu...
Beyond Nescience: the intersectional insights of health humanities

Through a comparison of two graphic novels concerned with the experience of cancer diagnosis and treatment, Brian Fies's Mom's Cancer (2006) and Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner's Our Cancer Year (1994), this essay suggests some of the strengths and limitations of the medical humanities in responding to the experience of illness. It demonstrates how the graphic medium enables us to generate a new set of reading strategies and thus to articulate a more complex and powerful analysis of illness, disability, medicine, and health. Finally, the essay considers the question raised by the comparison of the graphic novels: whether the term "health humanities" might not be preferable to its predecessor, "medical humanities."
Wolf-avoidance strategies of moose

Two possible anti-predator strategies of prey were suggested by the distribution of moose at Isle Royale, a 544 km2 island with numerous offshore islets. Aerial surveys in winter indicated that moose density on small islets (<1.5 km2) averaged 415% greater than on the main island, with about 11% of the calf population existing on the small islets which comprise less than 2% of the total land area. On small islets and shorelines, protection from wolves (in the form of escape terrain) is provided by nearby water in summer and coniferous cover in winter. Calves on islands appear to have a higher survival rate. In summer, cow moose with calves were seen more commonly in camps with human activity (and no wolves) than away from camps, suggesting that people provided a refuge from wolf predation for this unhunted moose population. These subtle patterns of habitat selection by moose are attributed to the intensive natural selection pressure of wolf predation.
An efficient algorithm to explore liquid association on a genome-wide scale

The growing wealth of public available gene expression data has made the systemic studies of how genes interact in a cell become more feasible. Liquid association (LA) describes the extent to which coexpression of two genes may vary based on the expression level of a third gene (the controller gene). However, genome-wide application has been difficult and resource-intensive. We propose a new screening algorithm for more efficient processing of LA estimation on a genome-wide scale and apply its use to a Saccharomyces cerevisiae data set. On a test subset of the data, the fast screening algorithm achieved >99.8% agreement with the exhaustive search of LA values, while reduced run time by 81-93 %. Using a well-known yeast cell-cycle data set with 6,178 genes, we identified triplet combinations with significantly large LA values. In an exploratory gene set enrichment analysis, the top terms for the controller genes in these triplets with large LA values are involved in some of the most fundamental processes in yeast such as energy regulation, transportation, and sporulation. In summary, in this paper we propose a novel, efficient algorithm to explore LA on a genome-wide scale and identified triplets of interest in cell cycle pathways using the proposed method in a yeast data set. A software package named fastLiquidAssociation for implementing the algorithm is available through http://www.bioconductor.org .
Epinephrine-induced QT interval prolongation: a gene-specific paradoxical response in congenital long QT syndrome.

Objective To determine the effect of epinephrine on the QT interval in patients with genotyped long QT syndrome (LQTS). Patients and Methods Between May 1999 and April 2001, 37 patients (24 females) with genotyped LQTS (19 LQT1, 15 LQT2, 3 LQT3, mean age, 27 years; range, 10–53 years) from 21 different kindreds and 27 (16 females) controls (mean age, 31 years; range, 13–45 years) were studied at baseline and during gradually increasing doses of intravenous epinephrine infusion (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 μg • kg −1 • min −1 ). The 12-lead electrocardiogram was monitored continuously, and heart rate, QT, and corrected QT interval (QTc) were measured during each study stage. Results There was no significant difference in resting heart rate or chronotropic response to epinephrine between LQTS patients and controls. The mean ± SD baseline QTc was greater in LQTS patients (500±68 ms) than in controls (436±19 ms, P 30 milliseconds) during high-dose epinephrine. Low-dose epinephrine (0.05 μg • kg −1 • min −1 ) completely discriminated LQT1 patients (?QT, +82±34 ms) from controls (?QT, −7±13 ms; P Conclusions Epinephrine-induced prolongation of the QT interval appears pathognomonic for LQT1. Low- dose epinephrine infusion distinguishes controls from patients with concealed LQT1 manifesting an equivocal QTc at rest. Thus, epinephrine provocation may help unmask some patients with concealed LQTS and strategically direct molecular genetic testing.
Über Struktur und Eigenschaften von Phosphor(III/V)-oxiden

Das fruher beschriebene „(PO2)n” stellt ein Phosphor(III/V)-oxid der Zusammensetzung P4O8 dar und besitzt eine dem P4O6 bzw. dem P4O10 analoge Struktur. Daruber hinaus wird die Existenz eines weiteren strukturanalogen Phosphor(III/V)-oxides, P4O9, bewiesen und die des Phosphor(III/V)-oxides P4O7 wahrscheinlich gemacht. Die Kristallgitterstrukturen von P4O9 und P4O8 ahneln sich sehr. Ohne Anderung der Gitterstruktur konnen im P4O9-Gitter, dem α-Phosphor(III/V)-oxid-Gitter, bis zu 90% der P4O9-Molekeln durch P4O8-Molekeln kontinuierlich ersetzt werden. Ein analoger kontinuierlicher Ersatz der P4O8-Molekeln im P4O8-Gitter (β-Phosphor(III/V)-oxid-Gitter) durch P4O7-Molekeln scheint moglich zu sein. Phosphor(III/V)-oxide sind auser durch thermische Zersetzung von Phosphor(III)-oxid durch Reaktion zwischen Phosphor(V)-oxid, P4O10, bzw. Phosphor(III/V)-oxid und rotem Phosphor darstellbar. The phosphorus oxide hitherto described as “(PO2)n” is shown to be a phosphorus(III, V) oxide of the composition P4O8 having a molecular structure resembling those of P4O6 and P4O10. The existence of a further structure analogue oxide, P4O9, is proved, and evidence is given for an oxide consisting of P4O7 molecules. Without any change of the P4O9 (α-)lattice structure, P4O8 molecules can be successively substituted for P4O9 molecules up to a 90 percent substitution. There is evidence for an analogue substitution of P4O7 for P4O8 molecules within the P4O8 (β-)lattice. The phosphorus(III, V) oxides have been prepared either by thermal decomposition of P4O6 or by reacting P4O10 and P(III, V) oxide, respectively, with red phosphorus.
Sarcomere Mechanics in Capillary Endothelial Cells

Tension generation in endothelial cells of the aorta, spleen, and eye occurs in actin stress fibers, and is necessary for normal cell function. Sarcomeres are the tension-generating units of actin stress fibers in endothelial cells. How sarcomeres generate and maintain tension in stress fibers is not well understood. Using femtosecond laser ablation, we severed living stress fibers and measured sarcomere contraction under zero tension. The length of the sarcomere decreased in two phases: an instantaneous initial response, followed by a slower change in length attributed to myosin activity. The latter phase ceased abruptly after a minimum sarcomere length was reached, suggesting a rigid resistance that prevents further contraction. Furthermore, severed, contracted stress fibers did not relax when treated with myosin inhibitors, indicating that contracted stress fibers do not store elastic potential energy. These novel measurements combined with modeling suggest that myosin-generated forces in adjacent sarcomeres are directly in balance, and argue against sarcomere models with springlike elements in parallel with myosin contractile elements. We propose a new model for tension generation in the sarcomere, which provides a mechanistic interpretation for our observations and previous observations of inhomogeneous sarcomere contraction and apparent stress fiber viscoelastic behavior.
Voices of Experienced Meditators: The Impact of Meditation Practice on Intimate Relationships

Using a qualitative methodology, we explored advanced meditators’ understandings of the effect of the meditation traits on close relationships. Seven participants were interviewed. The meditative traits that the participants identified were (1) awareness of body sensations and emotions; (2) disidentification from emotions and thoughts; (3) acceptance of situations, oneself, and others; and (4) compassion and loving kindness for oneself and others. The relational effects of these traits were (1) less reactivity in relationships; (2) greater freedom and safety in relationships; and (3) a new understanding of the nature of connection between people, marked by unity, separation, intimacy and independence. Implications for further research and for clinical practice are proposed.
Superconductivity in the Case of Overlapping Bands

The equations for the superconductivity energy gap and transition temperature in the case of overlapping bands are derived by the Nambu-Schrieffer formalism. (auth)