cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of Small Kidney Cancers in the New Millennium: Contemporary Trends and Outcomes in a Population-Based Cohort

Importance With the significant downward size and stage migration of localized kidney cancers, the management options for small kidney cancers have expanded and evolved. Objective To describe trends and outcomes in the management of small kidney cancers in the first decade of the new millennium. Design, Setting, and Participants Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry data linked to Medicare claims were used to identify patients 66 years or older with a pathologically confirmed small kidney cancer ( Main Outcomes and Measures The likelihood of receiving no surgery vs surgical intervention as a function of demographic and disease characteristics, as well as the relationships between treatment approach and overall and cancer-specific survival. Results Of 6664 patients, 5994 individuals (90.0%) had surgical treatment; the care of 670 patients (10.0%) was managed nonsurgically. Use of radical nephrectomy decreased over time (from 69.0% to 42.5%), and the use of nephron-sparing surgery (partial nephrectomy and ablation) increased (from 21.5% to 49.0%); the proportion of patients who did not undergo surgery remained stable (9.5% and 8.5%). During a median follow-up of 63 months (interquartile range, 43-89 months) (follow-up for vital status through December 31, 2011), 2119 patients (31.8%) patients died, including 293 individuals (4.4%) of kidney cancer. Although overall survival was better in patients who received surgical treatment, only nephron-sparing surgery was associated with a benefit in cancer-specific survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.31-0.69; P Conclusions and Relevance Surgery continues to be the most common treatment for patients with small kidney cancers. The use of nephron-sparing surgery exceeds radical nephrectomy in patients who receive surgery. Although our findings suggest that nonsurgical management is acceptable for certain patients, use of this approach remains low.
QCD resummation for the fully differential Drell -Yan cross section

We study an extension of resummation to the fully differential cross section in the Drell-Yan process. This new method extends the Collins-SoperSterman formalism to the longitudinal WL and double delta helicity structure function W∆∆, recovering the next-to-leading-order predictions. The new extension also modifies the transverse structure function WT obtained in previous extensions. The angular coefficients, λ and ν, used for parametrization of the angular distribution, were studied with the new structure functions. No violation of the Lam-Tung relation was found. A possible solution to explain the difference between theoretical and experimental results is proposed. This solution may also explain the existence of the azimuthal asymmetry. For completeness, leading-order and next-to-leading-order results are presented. The CollinsSoper-Sterman formalism is also reviewed.
ATLAS diboson excesses from the stealth doublet model

Abstract The ATLAS Collaboration has reported excesses in diboson invariant mass searches of new resonances around 2 TeV, which might be a prediction of new physics around that mass range. We interpret these results in the context of a modified stealth doublet model where the extra Higgs doublet has a Yukawa interaction with the first generation quarks, and show that the heavy CP-even Higgs boson can naturally explain the excesses in the WW and ZZ channels with a small Yukawa coupling, ξ ∼ 0.15 , and a tiny mixing angle with the SM Higgs boson, α ∼ 0.05 . Furthermore, the model satisfies constraints from colliders and electroweak precision measurements.
Public Finance in the Early United States: How Alexander Hamilton Combined Scottish Political Philosophy, English Mercantilism, American Federalism and Legal Construction with Bareknuckle Politics to Establish the Bank of the United States and Promote His Views of National Grandeur

This paper focuses most proximately on the efforts of the Federalists, specifically and arguably most influentially by Alexander Hamilton, to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the new republic after independence – the inability of the government of the United States to pay the debts it incurred during the revolutionary war and, more generally, to provide durable support for the public credit. While much attention has been paid by scholars to one aspect of Hamilton’s famous plan – the National Bank, and questions surrounding its’ Constitutionality – our focus is only partially concerned with that debate. Instead, this paper will attempt to show, by examining the arguments put forth by leading Federalist politicians from 1775-1790 to support a plan for the public credit and the national economy more broadly and by reviewing the historical, ideological and political context in which they were made, that Hamilton and the Federalists were operating more as effective political pragmatists promoting a specific view for the future of the United States as a mercantile trading power than as philosophical or constitutional ideologues.Specifically, we will argue that while Hamilton’s political philosophy – rooted in Hume and other Scottish Enlightenment thinkers – certainly did frame his worldview, and his legal arguments – which echoed Wilson and Blackstone – certainly were logical, it was often his economic thinking – borrowed from Smith, Steuart, Walpole and the Bank of England – which was most often brought to bear in his arguments for supporting the public credit. Additionally, this paper will suggest that while this approach proved successful in the short term in winning the day to charter the Bank and nudging the country toward Hamilton’s vision, the various arguments that the Federalists had marshalled in their support failed to provide a stable long term foundation for the bank and, more broadly, failed to reconcile in any meaningful way the ideological divides in the early United States.
Cytokine regulation of gap junction connectivity: an open-and-shut case or changing partners at the Nexus?

In this issue, Chanson et al 1 present data that document the failure of airway cells expressing the mutant form of the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene to down-regulate gap junction connectivity after treatment with the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). However, this response could be restored by transfecting in the wild-type CFTR gene, suggesting that a functional CFTR gene is necessary for regulation of gap junctional communication by TNF-α. The authors postulate that the persistence of gap-junction connectivity in the inflamed CF airway epithelium permits the intercellular diffusion of signaling molecules that serve to activate neighboring cells, thus contributing to the excessive inflammatory response characteristic of the CF airway epithelium. Although these conclusions are based only on estimation of gap-junction connectivity using transfer of the gap-junction permeant dye Lucifer Yellow, the data fit well with several studies that have documented regulation of gap junction connectivity in a number of different cell types by proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). 2-8 These interesting observations raise the questions of how inflammatory cytokines might regulate gap junction connectivity and in what way expression of the mutant CFTR gene could influence this response.
A 5-6 GHz fully-integrated CMOS LNA for a dual-band WLAN receiver

A fully-integrated LNA is presented in context of a dual-band direct-conversion receiver architecture for 5-6 GHz wireless LAN applications. Designed and fabricated in a 0.24 /spl mu/m standard digital CMOS process, the LNA exhibits a wideband 50 ohm input matching with S/sub 11/ of -23.5 dB at 5.5 GHz. The measured IIP/sub 3/ and P/sub 1dB/ are +10 dBm and -1.5 dBm respectively. It has a noise figure of 4.8 dB at 5.5 GHz. The LNA is shown to meet the requirements of a dual-band receiver architecture for the IEEE 802.11a WLAN standard.
The Department of Energy's safeguards and security technology development program

The Department of Energy has a program that develops technologies to protect sensitive nuclear weapons facilities for more than thirty years. The program is nowhere near as large as it used to be, but nevertheless exists to help operational security systems overcome technical deficiencies. The mission of the program is overwhelmingly diverse, as it must be to protect an array of assets such as nuclear weapons, special nuclear material in various forms, components of nuclear weapons, and classified nuclear weapons design information. Considering that the nuclear weapons complex consists of dozens of facilities that are scattered all over the United States, and that no two facilities are alike, the technology development mission is very challenging. Complicating matters further is the ever uncertain future of the DOE and the national security role that it will play. The paper provides some examples of dramatic departmental mission changes that directly impact the security technology development program.
Electrofreezing of water in molecular dynamics simulation accelerated by oscillatory shear

We present a study of the effect of oscillatory shear on the crystallization of supercooled water in nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of simple water models. [The TIP4P model has been used throughout; calculations using the extended simple point charge (SPC/E) model were checked for consistency and gave qualitatively the same results.] The application of a planar Couette flow field alone did not result in crystallization but in combination with a static electric field different isomorphs of ice emerged depending on the state of the system. At high pressures ($3\ensuremath{-}5$ kbar) the oscillatory shear substantially speeded up the formation of the conjectured ice polymorph (ice XII). At ambient pressures lower density systems could be forced to order in situations where hitherto the application of the electric field alone has not resulted in ordering. These results suggest that this method will be very useful in exploration of the fluid-solid boundaries of the phase diagram of models for water.
Perceptions of the Roles of Religion and Spirituality in the Work and Lives of Professionals in Gerontology: Views of the Present and Expectations About the Future

The future of scholarly work in the field of religion, spirituality, and aging will need to address the various ways baby boomers understand and experience religious faith and spiritual practices. A survey of the membership of the American Society on Aging and the National Interfaith Coalition on Aging resulted in 457 responses to an e-mail survey and found that about 54% consider themselves spiritual and religious (R + S), while about 33% call themselves spiritual but not religious (SnR). This study also examined how these professionals in the aging field rate the sources of meaning in their lives today and what they think will provide meaning in the future. For both the present and future, relationships were deemed most important. There were significant differences between the R + S and SnR group regarding their views of whether religious organizations in the future will be prepared to meet the religious and spiritual needs of aging baby boomers. This study discusses the ways that religion and spiritual...
FINE STRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF A BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER TO EXOGENOUS PEROXIDASE

Horseradish peroxidase was administered to mice by intravenous injection, and its distribution in cerebral cortex studied with a recently available technique for localizing peroxidase with the electron microscope. Brains were fixed by either immersion or vascular perfusion 10–60 min after administration of various doses of peroxidase. Exogenous peroxidase was localized in the lumina of blood vessels and in some micropinocytotic vesicles within endothelial cells; none was found beyond the vascular endothelium. Micropinocytotic vesicles were few in number and did not appear to transport peroxidase while tight junctions between endothelial cells were probably responsible for preventing its intercellular passage. Our findings therefore localize, at a fine structural level, a "barrier" to the passage of peroxidase at the endothelium of vessels in the cerebral cortex. The significance of these findings is discussed, particularly with reference to a recent study in which similar techniques were applied to capillaries in heart and skeletal muscle.
Proteomic Analyses of Human Gingival and Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts

Background: Although human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) and human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) exhibit numerous phenotypic similarities, it has been suggested that the secretory and behavioral differences, which exist between these cell types, are a result of the membrane protein composition of these cells.Methods: Four matched pairs of hGFs and hPDLFs were cultured. Before confluence, membrane-bound and -associated proteins from cells of the fourth passage were extracted. The processed protein samples were evaluated using capillary-liquid chromatography-nanospray tandem mass spectrometry. Global protein identification was performed on an orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with a microspray source operated in positive ion mode. Proteome software was used to validate protein identifications derived from tandem mass spectrometry sequencing results.Results: Four hundred fifty proteins were common to both hGFs and hPDLFs. Of the proteins identified, 214 were known membrane-bound or -associated pr...
Loss of cell adhesion impairs the early response of TrkA to nerve growth factor (NGF).

Within the in vitro model of nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent differentiation of PC12 cells, loss of adhesion is known to interfere with certain neurotrophic responses and not with others. The present analysis of early NGF signaling shows that the upstream activation of TrkA, as well as the recruitment of the adaptor protein Shc, are dramatically attenuated upon loss of cell adhesion, while the downstream activation of ERK1/2 is unaffected. That loss of cell adhesion interferes with the primary signaling response to NGF (i.e. autophosphorylation of TrkA) may explain why suspended PC12 cells fail to morphologically differentiate in response to NGF. The possibility that established adhesion-driven mechanisms underlie the full responsiveness of TrkA to NGF is discussed.
Understanding the role of induced mixing for management of nuisance algal blooms in an urbanized reservoir

Abstract Mixed layer dynamics were studied during June to August in 2008 to 2012 in Ford Lake, Michigan, using real-time data acquisition from in situ water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll sensors plus a shore-side weather station. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of managed hypolimnetic discharge for inducing vertical mixing, preventing hypolimnetic anoxia, and reducing the incidences of cyanobacterial blooms. Maximum mixed layer thickness each day was deduced from vertical density profiles measured at 30-minute intervals plus estimated kinetic energy supplied by wind stress and convection. Surface heat flux and resulting convection was more important to mixing dynamics than was wind stress. Selective withdrawal of hypolimnetic water was practiced in 2008 to 2011 and resulted in enhanced vertical mixing, hypolimnetic oxygenation, and absence of nuisance cyanobacterial blooms. In 2012, drought conditions restricted upstream water availability to such an extent that ...
The first beryllium diorganoarsenide: synthesis and structure of (η5-C5Me5)BeAs(t-Bu)2

Abstract The compound (η5-C5Me5)BeAs(t-Bu)2 (1) was prepared by the reaction of (η5-C5Me5)BeCl with LiAs(t-Bu)2 in diethyl ether at 0°C. The structure of 1 has been determined by X-ray crystallography and is the first structurally characterized diorganoarsenide derivative of beryllium. It is monomeric in the solid state with the As-t-Bu2 ligand acting as a one electron donor.
A simple method for automated lung segmentation in x-ray CT images

We developed and tested an automated scheme to segment lung areas depicted in CT images. The scheme includes a series of six steps. 1) Filtering and removing pixels outside the scanned anatomic structures. 2) Segmenting the potential lung areas using an adaptive threshold based on pixel value distribution in each CT slice. 3) Labeling all selected pixels ingo segmented regions and deleting isolated regions in non-lung area. 4) Labeling and filling interior cavities (e.g., pleural nodules, airway wall, and major blood vessels) inside lung areas. 5) Detecting and deleting the main airways (e.g., trachea and central bronchi) connected to the segmented lung areas. 6) Detecting and separating possible anterior or posterior junctions between the lungs. Five lung CT cases (7-10 mm in slice thickness) with variety of disease patterns were used to train or set up the classification rules in the scheme. Fifty examinations of emphysema patients were then used to test the scheme. The results were compared with the results generated from a semi-automated method with manual interaction by an expert observer. The experimental results showed that the average difference in estimated lung volumes between the automated scheme and manually corrected approach was 2.91%±0.88%. Visual examination of segmentation results indicated that the difference of the two methods was larger in the areas near the apices and the diaphragm. This preliminary study demonstrated that a simple multi-stage scheme had potential of eliminating the need for manual interaction during lunch segmentation. Hence, it can ultimately be integrated into computer schemes for quantitative analysis and diagnosis of lung diseases.
Bile acids. LXXXI. Synthesis and structural assignment of E/Z isomers of substituted methyl hydroxy-5β-cholest-24-en-26-oates

Syntheses of the E and Z isomers of methyl 3 alpha-,3 alpha,7 alpha-,3 alpha,12 alpha-, and 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholest-24-en-26-oates are reported. Mass spectral studies show fragmentation patterns in support of assignment as the E or Z isomers, especially in differences in loss of the side chain. Chromatographic procedures, primarily gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, support these assignments. The E isomer predominates in either of two methods of synthesis.
A Lower Bound for the Average Sample Number of a Sequential Test

A lower bound is derived for the expected number of observations required by an arbitrary sequential test which satisfies conventional conditions regarding the probabilities of erroneous decisions.
Benzothiadiazole-based polymer for single and double junction solar cells with high open circuit voltage

Single and double junction solar cells with high open circuit voltage were fabricated using poly{thiophene-2,5-diyl-alt-[5,6-bis(dodecyloxy)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole]-4,7-diyl} (PBT-T1) blended with fullerene derivatives in different weight ratios. The role of fullerene loading on structural and morphological changes was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD and AFM measurements showed that a higher fullerene mixing ratio led to breaking of inter-chain packing and hence resulted in smaller disordered polymer domains. When the PBT-T1:PC60BM weight ratio was 1 : 1, the polymer retained its structural order; however, large aggregated domains formed, leading to poor device performance due to low fill factor and short circuit current density. When the ratio was increased to 1 : 2 and then 1 : 3, smaller amorphous domains were observed, which improved photovoltaic performance. The 1 : 2 blending ratio was optimal due to adequate charge transport pathways giving rise to moderate short circuit current density and fill factor. Adding 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) additive into the 1 : 2 blend films further improved both the short circuit current density and fill factor, leading to an increased efficiency to 4.5% with PC60BM and 5.65% with PC70BM. These single junction solar cells exhibited a high open circuit voltage at ∼ 0.9 V. Photo-charge extraction by linearly increasing voltage (Photo-CELIV) measurements showed the highest charge carrier mobility in the 1 : 2 film among the three ratios, which was further enhanced by introducing the DIO. The Photo-CELIV measurements with varying delay times showed significantly higher extracted charge carrier density for cells processed with DIO. Tandem devices using P3HT:IC60BA as bottom cell and PBT-T1:PC60BM as top cell exhibited a high open circuit voltage of 1.62 V with 5.2% power conversion efficiency.
Peer Processes and Gender Role Development: Changes in Gender Atypicality Related to Negative Peer Treatment and Children’s Friendships

Peer socialization has been proposed to elicit gender norm adherence through: a) rebuke for exhibiting gender nonnormative characteristics and b) engagement in same-sex interactions. However, there is little evidence supporting these assumptions. Accordingly, the current study examined the unique and interactive contributions of negative peer treatment and same-sex and cross-sex friendships to gender conformity over one school year. Children from the upper-Midwest of the USA (196 girls; 170 boys; M age = 9.34 years) participated. Data included peer-ratings of harassment, friendship nominations, and teacher-ratings of gender atypicality. Peer harassment predicted decreased gender atypicality for children with many male friends and increased gender atypicality for boys with many female friends and few male friends. Implications for theories of gender development are discussed.
Integrated Control of Tire Normal Forces and Active Front Steering to Enhance Vehicle Handling

This paper presents the development of an active front steering (AFS) control system and normal force control (NFC) scheme utilizing fuzzy reasoning to track neutral steer yaw rate. The performance of the stand-alone controllers is compared with an integrated chassis management scheme combining the two. The simulation results indicate that the NFC by the active suspension as a stand-alone system shows improvement in vehicle handling response. The integrated chassis control scheme utilizing the steering and suspension controllers is proven to be more effective in attaining the desired performance that would not be attained individually.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
More Women in the Workplace: Is There a Payoff in Firm Performance?

The article reports on a study pertaining to the impact of gender diversity on firm performance. The researchers examined how firm performance varied with the percent of female employees employed in the company. The research indicated that there was an overall positive effect of female participation on firm performance. Firm performance increased with female participation up to a maximum of 50% and decreased after that. As the percentage of women in a firm increased, so did profitability. Profitability was highest at intermediate levels of female representation.
Correlation of the use of axillary ultrasound and lymph node needle biopsy with surgical lymph node pathology in patients with invasive breast cancer

Abstract Background Results vary regarding the utility of perioperative axillary ultrasound (AUS) and biopsy for detecting axillary metastases. Methods Patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 2004 through 2005 who underwent preoperative AUS with or without biopsy, and their surgical pathologic findings were reviewed. Results Of 152 patients who underwent preoperative AUS, 38% had abnormal AUS findings. Sixty-two percent of biopsy specimens were positive. The sensitivity of AUS both with and without biopsy was 54%, and specificity was 96%. The positive predictive value was 91%, and the negative predictive value was 71%. Conclusions Our results correlate favorably with published reports of preoperative AUS. Standardization of AUS report descriptors is needed. Preoperative AUS should be included in the preoperative workup of clinically node-negative patients. A positive biopsy specimen decreases the need for a sentinel lymph node biopsy specimen; however, a negative AUS result or biopsy specimen does not replace the need to obtain a sentinel lymph node biopsy specimen.
A Global Goodness‐of‐Fit Statistic for Cox Regression Models

In this paper, a global goodness-of-fit test statistic for a Cox regression model, which has an approximate chi-squared distribution when the model has been correctly specified, is proposed. Our goodness-of-fit statistic is global and has power to detect if interactions or higher order powers of covariates in the model are needed. The proposed statistic is similar to the Hosmer and Lemeshow (1980, Communications in Statistics A10, 1043-1069) goodness-of-fit statistic for binary data as well as Schoenfeld's (1980, Biometrika 67, 145-153) statistic for the Cox model. The methods are illustrated using data from a Mayo Clinic trial in primary billiary cirrhosis of the liver (Fleming and Harrington, 1991, Counting Processes and Survival Analysis), in which the outcome is the time until liver transplantation or death. The are 17 possible covariates. Two Cox proportional hazards models are fit to the data, and the proposed goodness-of-fit statistic is applied to the fitted models.
Using value modeling to evaluate social media messages: The case of Hurricane Irene

Abstract Emerging technologies, advances in social media, and new communication platforms have transformed how crisis communicators reach their audiences and partner agencies in a variety of situations. Not only do individuals and organizations communicate differently during a crisis, but they are also perceived very differently; social media platforms and messages add to the challenges involved in maintaining the overall reputation of brands and corporations. To better understand the new messaging system and its effects, the researchers analyzed social media crisis messages and messaging theory through various qualitative and quantitative value modeling techniques and generated a simple baseline model for what constitutes a “good” crisis message. Using data collected during Hurricane Irene, the researchers used this baseline model to rank effective and ineffective messages to determine whether the most followed/forwarded messages fit this model, and to identify a set of new best practices for crisis communicators and reputation management monitors using social media platforms.
The Contribution of Inhibitory Control to Preschoolers' Social-Emotional Competence.

Abstract Social–emotional competence is a key developmental task during early childhood. This study examined concurrent relationships between maternal education and employment status, children's sex, ethnicity, age, receptive vocabulary, emotional knowledge, attention skills, inhibitory control and social–emotional competence in a sample of 146 preschool, low-income, ethnically diverse children from Head Start classrooms. Multilevel models demonstrated that inhibitory control played a significant role in the concurrent prediction of teacher ratings of social–emotional competence above and beyond other variables associated with social–emotional competence. Children who demonstrated better inhibitory control were more likely to be rated higher on social skills and lower in internalizing behaviors. Findings suggest that early identification of inhibitory control difficulties may be beneficial for targeting children at risk for maladaptive outcomes. The contribution of environmental experience to the development of inhibitory control skills suggests there are many opportunities to intervene during early childhood.
dps expression in Escherichia coli O157:H7 requires an extended -10 region and is affected by the cAMP receptor protein.

Abstract The D NA binding p rotein from s tarved cells (Dps) is a general stress protein that provides Escherichia coli protection from osmotic, oxidative, and acid stresses. While Dps production and accumulation is primarily associated with stationary phase, during log phase, this protein protects against oxidative stress in an OxyR-dependent manner. In this study, evidence is provided that expands the role of Dps in acid tolerance to both log- and stationary-phase E. coli O157:H7. The transcription of dps occurred in log-phase cells without OxyR or stress and was upregulated during entry into stationary phase. The expression in log and stationary phase involved σ 70 and σ s , respectively, with both sigma factors recognizing the same promoter region. Site-directed mutagenesis identified an extended − 10 region that was essential to both σ 70 and σ s transcription of dps . cAMP receptor protein (CRP) was found to repress dps expression as a crp mutant had a significant increase in the dps mRNA level. However, a CRP binding site was not found in the dps promoter and upregulation of dps in the crp mutant was absent in a crp rpoS double mutant. The findings from this study demonstrated that dps was expressed at a basal level during growth, both σ 70 - and σ s -driven transcription required an extended − 10, and CRP repression is mediated through the alternative sigma factor σ s ( rpoS ).
Excimer Formation in a Naphthalene-Labeled Dendrimer†

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were conducted on newly synthesized Frechet-type dendrimers with naphthalene peripheral groups in homogeneous and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar solutions. Intense excimer emission was observed for the third-generation dendrimer 3 but not for the first-generation dendrimer 1a. This different spectroscopic behavior was attributed to the geometry of dendrimer 3, where excimeric interactions between adjacent π-stacked naphthyl groups are present.
Fire as the dominant driver of central Canadian boreal forest carbon balance

Changes in climate, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and fire regimes have been occurring for decades in the global boreal forest, with future climate change likely to increase fire frequency--the primary disturbance agent in most boreal forests. Previous attempts to assess quantitatively the effect of changing environmental conditions on the net boreal forest carbon balance have not taken into account the competition between different vegetation types on a large scale. Here we use a process model with three competing vascular and non-vascular vegetation types to examine the effects of climate, carbon dioxide concentrations and fire disturbance on net biome production, net primary production and vegetation dominance in 100 Mha of Canadian boreal forest. We find that the carbon balance of this region was driven by changes in fire disturbance from 1948 to 2005. Climate changes affected the variability, but not the mean, of the landscape carbon balance, with precipitation exerting a more significant effect than temperature. We show that more frequent and larger fires in the late twentieth century resulted in deciduous trees and mosses increasing production at the expense of coniferous trees. Our model did not however exhibit the increases in total forest net primary production that have been inferred from satellite data. We find that poor soil drainage decreased the variability of the landscape carbon balance, which suggests that increased climate and hydrological changes have the potential to affect disproportionately the carbon dynamics of these areas. Overall, we conclude that direct ecophysiological changes resulting from global climate change have not yet been felt in this large boreal region. Variations in the landscape carbon balance and vegetation dominance have so far been driven largely by increases in fire frequency.
Where chaperones and nascent polypeptides meet

Two recent studies provide evidence for a direct interaction between the ribosomal protein L23 at the exit tunnel of the ribosome and the bacterial chaperone trigger factor, and between the eukaryotic L23 homolog and the signal recognition particle. These findings indicate that the exit site of the ribosome may physically link translation to the cytosolic components that guide nascent polypeptides to their correct fate.
Variation in Forest Canopy Composition of Riparian Networks from Headwaters to Large River Floodplains in the Southeast Coastal Plain, USA

Data on canopy trees (stems ≥ 15 cm DBH) in riparian wetlands, spanning from headwaters to large river floodplains, were used to test whether forest canopy composition differed among hydrogeomorphic (HGM) riverine subclasses and among physiographic sub-regions (Major Land Resource Areas; MLRA) within a given HGM subclass. Riverine stands (n = 225) were sampled in four MLRA regions of the Southeastern U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Physiographic Provinces. Composition data were analyzed using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and Multiple-Response Permutation Procedures to evaluate differences among HGM subclasses and MLRA regions. Analyses showed that canopy composition differed among three a priori subclasses related to Strahler stream order: headwater complex (along 1st-3rd order streams), mid-gradient floodplain (4th-6th order), and low-gradient floodplain (> 6th order). Further, composition also differed by MLRA region within each subclass. Thus, not only was species composition related to riverine hydrogeomorphology across a wide physiographic area, but differences in composition within HGM subclasses were also related to sub-region. These data could be useful in defining floristic reference standards when evaluating floodplain condition in southeastern USA Coastal Plain stream networks.
Joint neuronal tuning for object form and position in the human lateral occipital complex.

Abstract A long-standing heuristic in visual neuroscience holds that extrastriate visual cortex is parceled into a dorsal “where” pathway concerned with stimulus position and motion and a ventral “what” pathway concerned with stimulus form. Several recent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), however, have shown that small changes in the position of a single object can produce reliable changes in activity patterns in object-selective lateral occipital complex (LOC). Although these data demonstrate that information about both object form and position is present at the region level in LOC, the extent to which they reflect joint neuronal tuning to these dimensions is unclear. To measure joint tuning for form and position, we used fMRI to record patterns of activity evoked in LOC and other visual areas while subjects viewed pairs of objects that varied in category content, overall position, and relative object position. Consistent with previous results, multivoxel activity patterns in LOC varied reliably with the category content and position of object pairs. Moreover, activity patterns in the lateral occipital (LO) subregion of LOC varied significantly with the relative positions of objects within pairs, even when absolute pair position was constant. This result provides strong evidence for the existence of neuronal populations in LO which are jointly tuned for both object form (i.e., category) and position.
Preparation, separation and degradation of oligouronides produced by the polygalacturonic acid transeliminase of bacillus pumilus

Abstract Production of the end products of polygalacturonic acid degradation on a large scale was done by reacting free galacturonic acid with Bacillus pumilus polygalacturonic acid transeliminase (PATE, EC 4.2.2.2) to obtain a mixture of the barium salts of several oligouronides. Small amounts of the unsaturated oligouronides were separated by paper chromatography. Large quantities of unsaturated oligouronides were separated on a AG-I-X8 (formate) column by applying a sample of mixed oligouronides and stepwise elution was carried out with sodium formate buffer (pH 4.7). The unsaturated oligouronides were identified on the basis of chromatographic mobilities, Sephadex gel filtration data, COOH/CHO ratio, thiobarbituric acid-reacting material, bromine uptake, and chemical and enzymatic degradation data as unsaturated tri-, tetra-, and hexagalacturonic acids. The chemical degradation of these unsaturated oligouronides, done with 6 N HCl by heating at 100° for 30 min, gave qualitatively identical products of hydrolysis. These products compared with authentic standards, were identified as galacturonic acid, formic acid, 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid, and 2-furancarboxylic acid. Analysis of the enzymatic breakdown products of the higher unsaturated uronides showed that a minimum of four galacturonic acid units was required for the action of purified endo-PATE from B. pumilus. The unsaturated trimer was not attacked, thus accounting for its accumulation as the major end product of polygalacturonate degradation by this enzyme.
Cellular mechanisms for resolving phase ambiguity in the owl's inferior colliculus.

Both mammals and birds use the interaural time difference (ITD) for localization of sound in the horizontal plane. They may localize either real or phantom sound sources, when the signal consists of a narrow frequency band. This ambiguity does not occur with broadband signals. A plot of impulse rates or amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic potentials against ITDs (ITD curve) consists of peaks and troughs. In the external nucleus (ICX) of the owl's inferior colliculus, ITD curves show multiple peaks when the signal is narrow-band, such as tones. Of these peaks, one occurs at ITDi, which is independent of frequency, and others at ITDi ± T, where T is the tonal period. The ITD curve of the same neuron shows a large peak (main peak) at ITDi and no or small peaks (side peaks) at ITDi ± T, when the signal is broadband. ITD curves for postsynaptic potentials indicate that ICX neurons integrate the results of binaural cross-correlation in different frequency bands. However, the difference between the main and side peaks is small. ICX neurons further enhance this difference in the process of converting membrane potentials to impulse rates. Inhibition also appears to augment the difference between the main and side peaks.
Change in corneal shape and corneal wave-front aberrations with accommodation

This study investigated the change in corneal curvature and corneal wave-front aberrations with accommodation. The corneal curvature of the right eyes of 12 young adults was measured using a corneal topography system, while subjects fixated far (4.0 m) and near (0.2 m) targets with their left eyes. Convergence was controlled. Both the mean corneal radius at the vertex and the shape parameter significantly increased from the far to the near viewing condition. No significant change in root mean square of wave-front aberrations with accommodation was observed for the group, but there was individual variation in the change of wave-front aberration. A significant mean change for the group in both x-axis coma and spherical aberration was found. The change in corneal surface with accommodation suggests an increase in peripheral curvature with flattening at the vertex.
Activation of human neutrophil NADPH-oxidase in vitro by the catalytic fragment of protein kinase-C.

Abstract Phorbol ester treatment of intact neutrophils both stimulates protein kinase C (PK-C) and causes the rapid proteolytic conversion to a cytosolic, cofactor independent fragment, protein kinase M (PK-M). In intact neutrophils, phorbol ester treament activates the NADPH-oxidase, the enzyme responsible for the oxidative burst. Addition of purified PK-M to resting neutrophil light density membranes activated the NADPH-oxidase in the presence of PS, ATP and Mg2+. A 3.5-fold greater stimulation of oxidase (ca. 25 nmoles O2−/min/mg membrane protein) was obtained with comparable PK-M concentrations to that observed with the reconstituted PK-C system, and approximately 1 3 that obtained with arachidonic acid (AA) or SDS. In contrast to the reconstituted system using PK-C, PMA and Ca++ were neither required nor affected activity. The effect of PS was unexpected, since PK-M does not require phospholipids for enzymatic activity, and likely represents the action of PS on the oxidase itself or on another component in the plasma membrane fraction. Our studies demonstrate for the first time that purified PK-M permits reconstitution of a physiologic phorbol ester response
Paul among the Philosophers: The Case of Sin in Romans 6–8

Against the prevailing view that Paul is (at most) marginally influenced by Greek intellectual traditions, this article argues that Romans 6…8 manifests certain Platonic traditions about the soul. ...
Three-dimensional simulation of the coupled convective, conductive, and radiative heat transfer during decay heat removal in an HTR

Abstract A three-dimensional model has been constructed to simulate the passive heat removal in a modular prismatic-block high temperature reactor during a loss of active cooling accident. This model, developed using the STAR-CD general computational fluid dynamics code, solves the combined conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer within a 30° section of the core and reactor vessel. To accommodate the different spatial scales, it uses homogeneous equivalent media to represent the coolant flow and the prismatic fuel blocks. A customized procedure that manages solving alternatively the dynamic and thermal fields permits the computation of very long transients, which typically are performed for 100 or more hours of simulated time. The global methodology and specific modeling procedures are explained, and key points of the CFD analysis are highlighted. Next, the results of several calculations are presented, and the physical phenomena represented are described. Two commonly investigated loss of active cooling scenarios are considered: depressurized conduction cooldown and pressurized conduction cooldown. The results for these two scenarios are compared to assess the effect of heat transfer via internal natural convection – which is negligible during the depressurized event – on the thermal behavior of the system. In addition, the evolution of the natural convection flow through the core and in the annular spaces is examined and discussed.
Two-photon dissociation of SO2 in the region 285 – 311 nm

Absorption biphotonique produite par laser dans SO 2 a 285-311 nm conduisant a des atomes S( 3 P) et S( 1 D) et des molecules SO. Seuils d'energie des dissociations SO 2 →SO(X 3 Σ − ) + O( 3 P) et SO 2 →O 2 (X 3 Σ − )+S( 3 P): 5,69 eV (219 nm) et 5,90 eV(210 nm)
Modal analysis applied to quantum waveguide structures and discontinuities

Abstract Modal expansions of the wave function together with a mode-matching method are utilized to analyze quantum waveguide structures and discontinuities. The modal expansion in the discontinuity region is simplified by employing a decomposition technique. The numerical behavior of the method is illustrated for a step discontinuity. It is shown that the computational cost is significantly reduced when the mode ratio is approximately 1.5 times the corresponding ratio in widths. Assuming an infinite lateral potential confinement, conductance calculations for a single and double bend configuration are compared to the idealized uniform quantum waveguide and display a reduction in the overall slope. The infinite lateral potential (hard wall) confinement is compared to a more realistic parabolic-like potential (soft wall) confinement for the case of a uniform narrow constriction. Utilizing the method of moments, the lateral eigensolutions for soft wall confinement are expanded in infinite square-well eigenfunctions. Conductance calculations for the uniform narrow constriction show a small increase in the resonant structure for soft wall confinement compared to hard wall confinement.
Dechlorination of Aryl Chlorides with Sodium Formate Using a Homogeneous Palladium Catalyst

The dechlorination of substituted aryl chlorides using a homogeneous palladium catalyst system and sodium formate in refluxing methanol is described. The catalyst was formed in situ from the air-stable precursors 2-(di-tert-butylphosphino)biphenyl and Pd(OAc)2. The reaction conditions were successful for a range of aryl chlorides with activating and deactivating groups at a position para to the chloride. The reactions gave high yields (90−98%) of the product of reduction within several hours.
A hereditary disorder of cornification and multiple congenital defects in five Rottweiler dogs.

The clinical, biochemical, histological, or ultrastructural abnormalities of five related female Rottweiler dogs with a hereditary disorder of cornification are reported. Three of the five dogs also had multiple noncutaneous congenital defects. Cutaneous abnormalities included generalized, hyperkeratotic, variably pigmented plaques, which in one dog were distributed along Blaschko's lines. Moderate to severe parakeratosis involving the follicular infundibula and ostia and focal orthokeratosis with variable vacuolation of spinous cells was observed on histopathologic examination of all skin specimens. Supplementation with oral zinc in two dogs and vitamin A alcohol and calcitriol in one dog did not result in clinical or histological improvement of the hyperkeratotic lesions. This disorder of cornification in dogs is similar to human disorders of cornification that follow the lines of Blaschko. Blaschko's lines follow a V-shape over the spine, an S-shape on the abdomen, and an axial distribution on the limbs. No related male dogs were affected, suggesting an X-linked dominant mode of inheritance. Many features of this hereditary DOC correspond to the human condition CHILD syndrome.
Mass transport at interfaces in single component systems

Mass transport at interfaces is induced by a gradient of chemical potential along the interface; typically, at surfaces, this is caused by a gradient in curvature and, at grain boundaries, by a gradient of normal stress. In addition, interface mass transport in metallic conductors is induced by strong electric fields/currents. On a sufficiently small scale, depending on the temperature, this interface transport dominates bulk diffusion. Continuum equations that specify the interface fluxes in terms of the preceding driving forces and continuity equations that describe the consequences of a divergence of these fluxes are presented; the chemical potential whose gradient is used as a driving force is that in local equilibrium with an element of interface. The equations are subject to boundary conditions at interface junctions that require the total emerging flux to vanish and that require, at junctions that pass flux freely, the chemical potential to be continuous. With the use of several approximations, solutions of the equations are given to describe, in a unified way, basic models of surface morphological evolution, Coble creep and diffusion-based models of sintering, and electromigration. Some of the approximations, not necessarily made simultaneously, are (1) isotropy of interface properties, both within the interface and with regard to the interface orientation; (2) surface slopes everywhere small compared to a reference plane; and (3) steady-state stress in grain boundaries. Limitations and possible extensions of the framework are discussed.
Identification and characterization of a cDNA encoding a crustin-like, putative antibacterial protein from the American lobster Homarus americanus

Pathogenic challenges in decapod crustaceans are combated by innate immune responses, including the production and secretion of soluble antibacterial proteins into the hemolymph. Among the antibacterials that have been identified in decapod species are the crustins, a group of four-disulfide core/whey-acidic-protein (WAP) domain-containing proteins, which target marine/salt tolerant Gram-positive bacteria. To begin to assess the possible role of crustins in combating bacterial invasion in the American lobster Homarus americanus, we identified and sequenced a 744 base pair cDNA that encodes a novel 96 amino acid crustin-like protein. Comparison of H. americanus crustin (Hoa-crustin) with crustins from other decapod species showed that it is most similar to an isoform predicted from the European lobster Homarus gammarus (∼86% identity). With our identification of the Hoa-crustin cDNA, we are positioned to begin molecular and physiological investigations of the regulation and function of this putative antibacterial protein in H. americanus.