cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metacontrast and Saccadic Suppression

A vertical slit of light illuminated during horizontal saccadic eye movements appeared as a horizontally extended smear when stimulation was terminated before the saccade ended. However, on trials for which duration of illumination of the slit was extended into the period after the saccade, the smear appeared shorter and dimmer, and a clear image of the slit was seen. With further increases in duration, no smears were seen at the highest luminance of the slit employed, although smears were more than 2 log units above threshold when flashes were brief. This saccadic suppression is discussed in terms of metacontrast, with the accumulated luminance in the period after the saccade primarily responsible for masking the effects of the stimulation received during the movement of the eye.
Family, Kinship and Marriage in India . Edited by Patricia Uberoi. Oxford in India Readings in Sociology and Social Anthropology. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993. x, 502 pp. $39.95.

Oxford in India Readings in Sociology and Social Anthropology have been carefully planned to suit the needs of the general reader, students, teachers, as well as scholars from other disciplines. Problems have been posed in general theoretical terms, but Indian ethnography has been used as far as possible to illustrate them. Each volume is devoted to a core area in sociology and social anthropology and brings within one cover important writings, some of which are very difficult to find. In this way it serves the useful purpose of short-circuiting the vast body of writing in a discipline, and at the same time presenting the current state of the art in it. Family, Kinship and Marriage in India attempts to capture the great variety of family types and kinship practices that are to be found in the South Asia region, and the several theoretical formulations which posit an underlying unity in this variety. The readings have been organized into four sections: Regional Varieties, North and South: Descent Groups and the Kindred; Marriage, Alliance and Affinal Transactions; Family, Household, and Social Change. Some sophisticated new analyses of family and kinship have not made a general impact as yet. These have been presented in as accessible a form as possible in this volume. The readings also try to integrate a concern for gender issues into the study of Indian family and kinship. They offer the best of recent work as well as some celebrated classical writings. The volume editor has a long introduction followed by long section introductions explaining the rationale behind her selctions in each section. She also intervences to explain the text when she feels it to be necessary in the form of editorial notes. Each section introduction ends with an annotated bibliography of additional readings and there is an exhaustive bibliography at the end of the book. This volume includes an extremely useful glossary of technical terms in Kinship studies. Patricia Uberoi teaches sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and is one of the editors of Contributions to Indian Sociology, Delhi.
Structuring a Successful Instruction Internship

Internships and practicums allow MLS students the opportunity to gain knowledge of and experience with information literacy instruction. These experiences can supplement the theoretical information learned in graduate information literacy classes. Yet, the literature on structuring and creating a successful internship experience is sparse. This article reports on a survey of interns who completed an instruction internship at George Washington University's (GWU) Gelman Library and provides seven recommendations for creating a successful internship program.
The effect of portal infusions of epinephrine on ingestion, plasma glucose and insulin in dogs.

Abstract Preabsorptive satiety has been hypothesized to occur as the result of food activating oral and gastrointestinal receptors that cause the release of catecholamines in the liver. The catecholamines were then proposed to hyperpolarize hepatic glucoreceptors and produce satiety. In the present study the hepatic portal vein was chronically cannulated in six mongrel dogs. Upon recovery the dogs were infused, over three minutes, with either saline or epinephrine (0.83 and 1.5 μg/kg b.wt.). Infusions ended 10 minutes prior to the animals' daily one-hour feeding period. The epinephrine infusions resulted in physiological increases in plasma glucose and insulin, but did not inhibit food consumption. The animals were next prefed 20% of their normal daily food intake 30 minutes prior to infusion of epinephrine at the above noted doses. Again plasma glucose and insulin increased, but food consumption was not affected. These data show that epinephrine infusions which produce physiological changes in plasma glucose and insulin do not alter feeding behavior of mongrel dogs. These findings are in agreement with previous data that question the physiological importance of the preabsorptive catecholamine satiety hypothesis.
Synthesis of Cyclopentenyl Carbocyclic Nucleosides as Potential Antiviral Agents Against Orthopoxviruses and SARS

A practical and convenient methodology for the synthesis of chiral cyclopentenol derivative (+)-12a has been developed as the key intermediate that was utilized for the synthesis of biologically active carbocyclic nucleosides. The selective protection of allylic hydroxyl group followed by the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction with Grubbs catalysts provided (+)-12a on a 10 g scale with 52% overall yield from D-ribose (4). The key intermediate (+)-12a was utilized for the synthesis of unnatural five-membered ring heterocyclic carbocyclic nucleosides. The newly synthesized 1,2,3-triazole analogue (17c) exhibited potent antiviral activity (EC(50) 0.4 microM) against vaccinia virus and moderate activities (EC(50) 39 microM) against cowpox virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARSCoV) (EC(50) 47 microM). The 1,2,4-triazole analogue (17a) also exhibited moderate antiviral activity (EC(50) 21 microM) against SARSCoV.
The QR algorithm

After a brief sketch of the early days of eigenvalue hunting, the author describes the QR (or orthogonal triangular) matrix factorization algorithm and its major virtues. The symmetric case brings with it guaranteed convergence and an elegant implementation. An account of the impressive discovery of the algorithm brings the article to a close.
On a problem of Chern—Akivis—Shelekhov on hexagonal three-webs

In the following we discuss the infinitesimal theory of analytic multidimensional hexagonal three-webs. It is known that the structure of any such three-web in a neighborhood of an arbitrary point is uniquely determined by four tensor values at the given point. We prove that three of them are sufficient and we analyze the corresponding integrability conditions.
Tritiated thymidine autoradiographic study on the influence of sensory and sympathetic innervation on periodontal wound healing in the rat

Abstract Understanding of wound healing mechanisms is important in designing preventive and therapeutic approaches to inflammatory periodontal diseases, which are a major cause of dental morbidity. In this study, cell proliferation was assessed after an experimental gingival wound; this was preceded by either resection of 3 mm of the inferior alveolar nerve, total extirpation of the superior cervical ganglion, trauma to those structures or sham operations. At different times, animals were pulsed with 0.5 μ Ci/g body weight of tritiated thymidine; histological sections were processed for quantitative autoradiography of different compartments of the peridontium. Wounding led to a significant increase in cell proliferation in the epithelial layer, the fibroblast compartment and the periodontal ligament, but not in the alveolar crest compartment. Sympathetic denervation significantly enhanced this response in the epithelial layer, the fibroblast compartment and the alveolar crest, whereas sensory denervation only modified the response in the fibroblast layer. Thus it appears that sympathetic innervation plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation in the periodontium and that pharmacological modulation of sympathetic activity should be further studied as a therapeutic approach in periodontal disease.
Blue-collar workers and the post-communist transitions in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine

Abstract The three articles that follow are part of a larger project analysing the responses of blue-collar workers to the post-communist transitions in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The project, covering the period from 1989 to the end of 1993, includes a set of focused case studies designed to re-evaluate and test theories of political and social change. The research was jointly directed by Mark Kramer and Linda Cook and was funded by the National Council for Soviet and East European Research. The purpose of this brief introduction is to set out the major issues and common questions addressed by the three articles here and by the project as a whole.
Dense Collagen-I Matrices Enhance Pro-Tumorigenic Estrogen-Prolactin Crosstalk in MCF-7 and T47D Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancers that express estrogen receptor alpha (ERα+) constitute the majority of breast tumors. Estrogen is a major driver of their growth, and targeting ER-mediated signals is a largely successful primary therapeutic strategy. Nonetheless, ERα+ tumors also result in the most breast cancer mortalities. Other factors, including altered characteristics of the extracellular matrix such as density and orientation and consequences for estrogen crosstalk with other hormones such as prolactin (PRL), may contribute to these poor outcomes. Here we employed defined three dimensional low density/compliant and high density/stiff collagen-I matrices to investigate the effects on 17β-estradiol (E2) activity and PRL/E2 interactions in two well-characterized ERα+/PRLR+ luminal breast cancer cell lines in vitro. We demonstrate that matrix density modulated E2-induced transcripts, but did not alter the growth response. However, matrix density was a potent determinant of the behavioral outcomes of PRL/E2 crosstalk. High density/stiff matrices enhanced PRL/E2-induced growth mediated by increased activation of Src family kinases and insensitivity to the estrogen antagonist, 4-hydroxytamoxifen. It also permitted these hormones in combination to drive invasion and modify the alignment of collagen fibers. In contrast, low density/compliant matrices allowed modest if any cooperation between E2 and PRL to growth and did not permit hormone-induced invasion or collagen reorientation. Our studies demonstrate the power of matrix density to determine the outcomes of hormone actions and suggest that stiff matrices are potent collaborators of estrogen and PRL in progression of ERα+ breast cancer. Our evidence for bidirectional interactions between these hormones and the extracellular matrix provides novel insights into the regulation of the microenvironment of ERα+ breast cancer and suggests new therapeutic approaches.
LECITHIN CONSUMPTION RAISES SERUM-FREE-CHOLINE LEVELS

Consumption of choline by rats sequentially increases serum-choline, brain-choline, and brain-acetylcholine concentrations. In man consumption of choline increases in levels in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid; its administration is an effective way of treating tardive dyskinesia. We found that oral lecithin is considerably more effective in raising human serum-choline levels than an equivalent quantity of choline chloride. 30 minutes after ingestion of choline chloride (2-3 g free base), serum-choline levels rose by 86% and returned to normal values within 4 hours; 1 hour after lecithin ingestion, these levels rose by 265% and remained significantly raised for 12 hours. Lecithin may therefore be the method of choice for accelerating acetylcholine synthesis by increasing the availability of choline, its precursor in the blood.
Modeling the effect of geographically diverse pv generation on California's distribution system

Deployment of high-penetration photovoltaic (PV) power is expected to have a range of effects - both positive and negative - on the distribution grid. The magnitude of these effects may vary greatly depending upon feeder topology, climate, PV penetration level, and other factors. In this paper we present a simulation study of eight representative distribution feeders in two California climates at PV penetration levels up to 100%, supported by a unique database of distributed PV generation data. We find that PV penetrations up to 50% reduce system losses and feeder peak loads while having positive or negligible effects on transformer aging, voltage regulator wear, and voltage quality. At higher penetrations we observe diminishing benefits for system losses and, in some scenarios, undesirable impacts on other metrics. We present data illustrating the range of variation with feeder topology and climate.
Lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt are common among HIV+ individuals

Abstract Background Estimates of the prevalence of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt, and risks for new-onset suicidality, among HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals are not widely available in the era of modern combined antiretroviral treatment (cART). Method Participants (n = 1560) were evaluated with a comprehensive battery of tests that included the depression and substance use modules of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) as part of a large prospective cohort study at six U.S. academic medical centers. Participants with possible lifetime depression (n = 981) were classified into five categories: 1) no thoughts of death or suicide (n = 352); 2) thoughts of death (n = 224); 3) thoughts of suicide (n = 99); 4) made a suicide plan (n = 102); and 5) attempted suicide (n = 204). Results Twenty-six percent (405/1560) of participants reported lifetime suicidal ideation and 13% (204/1560) reported lifetime suicide attempt. Participants who reported suicidal thoughts or plans, or attempted suicide, reported higher scores on the BDI-II (p Limitations Study assessments focused on lifetime, rather than current, suicide. Data was not collected on the timing of ideation or attempt, frequency, or nature of suicide attempt. Conclusions High rates of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt, and the relationship of past report with current depressed mood, suggest that mood disruption is still prevalent in HIV. Findings emphasize the importance of properly diagnosing and treating psychiatric comorbidities among HIV persons in the cART era.
Reliability and validity of children's reports of migraine headache symptoms

The present study was concerned with whether children's responses to a questionnaire correspond with parents' reports of the child's headache symptoms and whether these responses correlate with self-monitored headache activity. Twenty-eight children, ages 7 years–16 years, participated in the study. Using a questionnaire format, data on a wide variety of headache characteristics were gathered from parents and children. During the subsequent 4 weeks, children monitored their headache activity and medication usage. Results were generally supportive of the validity and reliability of children's reports via a questionnaire format. The responses to the frequency of headache and medication usage were found to predict the responses over the next month, whereas the response on the duration of headache did not. Significant correlations for most headache-symptom items indicated that children and parents agree on their presence and severity. This investigation is the first step in developing a systematic assessment procedure for childhood headache.
Locating the sciences in eighteenth-century Egypt

In the last years of the eighteenth century, Egypt famously witnessed the practice of European sciences as embodied in the members of Bonaparte's Commission des sciences et des arts and the newly founded Institut d'Egypte. Less well known are the activities of local eighteenth-century Cairene religious scholars and military elites who were both patrons and practitioners of scientific expertise and producers of hundreds upon hundreds of manuscripts. Through the writings of the French naturalist Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844) and those of the Cairene scholar and chronicler Abd al-Rahmān al-Jabartī (1753-1825), I explore Egypt as a site for the practice of the sciences in the late eighteenth century, the palatial urban houses which the French made home to the Institut d'Egypte and their role before the French invasion, and the conception of the relationship between the sciences and social politics that each man sought. Ultimately, I argue that Geoffroy's struggle to create scientific neutrality in the midst of intensely tumultuous political realities came to a surprising head with his fixation on Paris as the site for the practice of natural history, while al-Jabartī's embrace of this entanglement of knowledge and power led to a vision of scientific expertise that was specifically located in his Cairene society, but which--as Geoffroy himself demonstrated--could be readily adapted almost anywhere.
High-resolution monolithic delay-line readout techniques for two-dimensional microchannel plate detectors

Developments in high resolution double delay line (DDL) and cross delay line image readouts for applications in UV and soft X-ray imaging and spectroscopy are described. Our current DDL's achieve approximately equals 15 micrometers X 25 micrometers FWHM over 65 X 15 mm (> 4000 X 500 resolution elements) with counting rates of > 105 (10% dead time), good linearity (+/- approximately equals 1 resolution element) and high stability. We have also developed 65 mm X 15 mm multilayer cross delay line anodes with external serpentine delay lines which currently give approximately equals 20 micrometers FWHM resolution in both axes, with good linearity (approximately equals 30 micrometers ) and flat field performance. State of the art analog to digital converter and digital signal processor technology have been employed to develop novel event position encoding electronics with high count rate capability (2 X 105 events sec-1).© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ectopic pregnancy after cesarean hysterectomy.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Ectopic pregnancy after a total abdominal hysterectomy is rare and, for this reason, delay in diagnosis may occur when such a patient presents with abdominal pain. CASE: A multiparous patient with a history of cesarean hysterectomy 12 years before presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and incidental positive urine beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). A computed tomography scan revealed a loculated left cystic mass in the pelvis. Laparotomy findings revealed a left adnexal mass; pathology revealed chorionic villi consistent with pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Ectopic pregnancy may occur after hysterectomy, but typically presents near the time of surgery and is more commonly associated with vaginal hysterectomy. However, because ectopic pregnancy is possible after hysterectomy, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adnexal mass in such a patient.
Successful surgical treatment of a pregnancy-induced Petersen's hernia after laparoscopic gastric bypass.

c h o l a Rates of bowel obstruction after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y astric bypass (LRGB) range from 1.8% to 7.3% [1–3]. A ignificant percentage of these obstructions are due to inernal hernias through mesenteric defects at the mesocolon, ejunojejunostomy, or Roux mesentery (Petersen’s defect). orbidity and mortality increase with delays in diagnosis nd/or surgical treatment. A recent report documented a ase of maternal and fetal death after gastric bypass surgery or obesity secondary to gangrenous bowel from an internal ernia [4]. We report a case of a 25-week pregnant patient ho underwent successful surgical treatment of a Petersen’s ernia that developed 10 months after LRGB.
Exposure to airborne particulate matter in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, has severe air pollution, although few studies examine air pollution and health in this region. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies in Nepal used time-activity diaries or conducted personal monitoring of individuals’ exposures. We investigated personal exposure of particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) by location, occupation, and proximity to roadways. PM2.5 monitoring, time-activity diary, respiratory health questionnaire, and spirometer testing were performed from 28 June 2009 to 7 August 2009 for 36 subjects, including traffic police (TP), indoor officer workers next to main road (IOWs_NMR) and away from main road (IOWs_AMR), in urban area (UA), urban residential area, and semi-UA (SUA). TP had the highest exposure of all the occupations (average 51.2 μg/m3, hourly maximum >500 μg/m3). TP levels were higher at the UA than other locations. IOW_NMR levels (averaged 46.9 μg/m3) were higher than those of IOW_AMR (26.2 μg/m3). Exposure was generally higher during morning rush hours (0800–1100 hours) than evening rush hours (1500–1800 hours) for all occupations and areas (78% of days for TP and 84% for urban IOW). PM2.5 personal exposures for each occupation at each location exceeded the World Health Organization ambient PM2.5 guideline (25 μg/m3). Findings suggest potential substantial health impacts of air pollution on this region, especially for TP.
Local Mixed-Effects Fitting for Detecting Reproductive Hormone Surge Times

Hormone secretion processes remain part of the biological mystery as they are highly regulated and individual specific. When hormone trajectories from multiple subjects are under investigation, both population-average mechanism and subject-specific deviations are of great interest. In particular, statistical methodologies that enable us not only to identify surge times and surge magnitudes but also to make inference on these biological features is in need. In this paper, we propose a local kernel smoothing method to perform the analysis of multiple hormone curves using the nonparametric mixed-effects model. We develop a local quadratic mixed-effects (LQME) fitting procedure that detects local maxima of the population-average profile curve and the individual profile curves. Related statistical inference is established to carry out a hypothesis test for the local surge and to construct a confidence interval for a detected surge feature. This method is illustrated by simulation studies and a reproductive hormone data analysis.
The beginning of the road for non-coding RNAs in normal hematopoiesis and hematologic malignancies

The field of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) encompasses a wide array of RNA classes that are indispensible for the regulation of cellular activities. However, deregulation of these ncRNAs can also play key roles in malignant transformation and cancer cell behavior. In this article we survey a select group of microRNAs and long ncRNAs that appear critical in the development of acute and chronic leukemias, as well as contribute to their diagnosis, prognosis, and potentially, the treatment of disease.
Reevaluation of Human Muscle Fast-Twitch Subtypes: Evidence for a Continuum

Muscle biopsies were removed from the vastus lateralis muscle of four healthy individuals with a unique fiber type distribution. Fibers were divided into slow-twitch (type I) and fast-twitch (types IIA, IIAB, and IIB) based upon the pH lability of myofibrillar ATPase. An unusually high percentage of types IIB and IIAB allowed a quantitative ultrastructural characterization of the subtype populations, especially with regard to type IIAB fibers. Using a cryostat retrieval method, histochemically-identified fibers were investigated by stereological electron microscopy. The volume percent mitochondria was significantly different for all fiber types. Likewise, lipid volume percent was significantly different between type I and type II fibers and between the fast-twitch subtypes IIA and IIB. However, these ultrastructural data revealed considerable overlap between the fiber types for metabolic parameters, as has been described through quantitative histochemistry by others. The fiber type which stained intermediately between types IIA and IIB at a preincubation pH of 4.6 (type IIAB) was also found to be intermediate in its oxidative components. These data suggest a continuum of fast-twitch fiber types which may tranform in response to the amount and type of usage.
Discovery of Quasi-periodic Oscillations in the AM Herculis Object BL Hydri

We obtained high-speed optical photometry of the AM Her object BL Hyi at the Las Campanas Observatory and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory during 1989-1996. BL Hyi was in its faint-luminosity state in 1989; it subsequently brightened and was in its high-luminosity state for our 1994-1996 observations. We discovered broad, 0.2-0.8 Hz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) and narrower QPOs superposed on the broad QPOs when BL Hyi was in its high-luminosity state. The broad QPOs had widths of Δf/fp ~ 0.5-1 and rms pulsed amplitudes of ~1%-4%, where fp is the frequency of the QPO peak. The narrow QPOs had widths of Δf/fp < 0.1 and rms pulsed amplitudes of less than 1%. BL Hyi showed stronger QPOs and was slightly brighter in 1994 than in 1995-1996. The amplitudes of the broad and narrow QPOs were modulated on the orbital period of the system; they were strongest during the bright orbital phase. BL Hyi is the fifth AM Her system to show the short-period QPOs discovered by Middleditch.
Cholesterol and Hyperbaric Oxygen in Swimbladders of Deep Sea Fishes

WE have found an accumulation of cholesterol within the oxygen-filled swimbladders of some deep sea benthic fishes, which suggests that certain steps in cholesterol biosynthesis and/or degradation are affected by hyperbaric oxygen. The lipid content of these swimbladders included as much as 49 % (dry wt basis) of cholesterol. The lipid included major amounts of unsaturated fatty acids which resist auto-oxidative processes within the swimbladder which contains oxygen at pressures up to 380 atmospheres.
Carbon-13/Carbon-12 Isotope Fractionation of Organic Matter Associated with Uranium Ores Induced by Alpha Irradiation

Analyses of stable carbon isotopes from two sample suites from sandstone uranium (tabular) ores show interesting variations. Organic carbon associated with high-grade uranium ore is heavy (delta(13)C = -16.9 to -19.6 per mil, where delta(13)C = (13)C/(12)C relative to the Pee Dee belemnite standard) relative to the adjacent lower-grade samples (-22.7 to -26.4 per mil). It is suggested that the heavy isotopic values for the are samples are related to a radiation and chemical isotope effect that has occurred mainly because of an alpha-radiation dose of 10(11) rads.
Religion and Suicide Acceptability: A Cross‐National Analysis

Four perspectives (moral community thesis, religious integration, religious commitment, and social networks) guide the selection of variables in this study. Data are from the combined World Values/European Values Surveys for 2000 (50,547 individuals nested in 56 nations). The results of a multivariate hierarchical linear model support all four perspectives. Persons residing in nations with relatively high levels of religiosity, who are affiliated with one of four major faiths, are religiously committed, and are engaged with a religious network are found to be lower in suicide acceptability. The religious integration perspective, in particular, is empirically supported; affiliation with Islam is associated with low suicide acceptability. The findings provide strong support for an integrated model and demonstrate the usefulness of the moral community thesis in understanding suicide acceptability.
Progress toward a 92-mm diameter microchannel plate phototube with helical delay line readout

A large area, high resolution detector containing microchannel plates (MCPs) and a helical wire wound delay line anode is currently being fabricated. We describe the performance of another recently constructed device with a similar design, and discuss design modifications which will result in improved performance from the current detector. In particular, we describe a modified delay line anode designed to read out the same size MCPs (100 mm X 100 mm) as in the earlier tube, but with more compact size, lower attenuation, and less dispersion. Results are presented of measurements of pulse risetimes and attenuation, and of anode geometric linearity and resolution as a function of MCP charge.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The histopathology of a nuclear polyhedrosis in larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, related to symptoms and mortality

Abstract A thorough histopathological study of larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni , infected with a nuclear-polyhedrosis virus revealed the relationship between the histological changes and the progression of external signs and symptoms. Although considerable variation occurred, even when the time of inoculation was controlled, all larvae contained polyhedra in the cells of susceptible tissues 72 hr later. An incubation period of 72 to 84 hr proved optimum for sampling and diagnosing the disease: at that time, the susceptible tissues were heavily infected though lysis of infected cells was minimum. Infected nuclei were found in the tracheal matrix, hypodermal, blood, and fat-body cells and also in and associated with muscle, Malpighian tubule, and nerve tissues.
Light-scattering-noise limits to two-wave-mixing gain in Kerr media

The coupled-mode equations for two-wave mixing are extended to include light-scattering noise and are solved using the stochastic noise model. Solutions are given for amplitude, phase, and output-power fluctuations during weak-signal amplification. Minimum power requirements for low-noise signal amplification in Kerr media are determined.
A clinical tool for nonorganic failure-to-thrive feeding interactions*

An interdisciplinary team of professionals developed and piloted a clinical tool, the Feeding Checklist, for assisting observations of feeding interactions with nonorganic failure-to-thrive (NOFTT) clients. The piloting process involved two phases. During the development phase, content validity and reliability were established with three NOFTT experts. The tool was compared with a standardized feeding interaction assessment instrument to determine concurrent validity. Both tools revealed similar behavior patterns significantly differentiating between NOFTT and Thriving dyads. The results also concurred with NOFTT literature findings. During the second phase of the study, pediatric nursing staff significantly improved the nursing documentation of NOFTT feeding interactions when using the Feeding Checklist.
The Rabinal Achi: A Mayan Drama of War and Sacrifice

The Rabinal Achi:A Mayan Drama of War and Sacrifice. Dennis Tedlock, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. 361 pp.
A history of sex and the state in Southeast Asia: class, intimacy and invisibility

This essay offers a history of international marriages that questions the definition of marriage and what it meant to belong, as a legal subject or citizen, to a colonial state in Southeast Asia. European imperial states deployed monogamous marriage alongside other weapons of empire as a justification for intervention into Southeast Asian societies. With monogamous marriage came also European notions of belonging that traced surnames and legal subject status (later citizenship) via husbands and fathers. The ramifications for individuals in international marriages between Asian women and European men are well known. However, the vast majority of ‘international marriages’ were not those between colonial Europeans and Southeast Asian women, but between Southeast Asian women and lower class Asian men from India and China. Colonial states ignored or failed to register these lower class intra-Asian intimacies because their unions did not threaten colonial rule so long as they ensured a continuous pool of labor ...
Robust 3-D configurated metal oxide nano-array based monolithic catalysts with ultrahigh materials usage efficiency and catalytic performance tunability

Constructed with parallel or honeycomb channels micrometer to millimeter in diameter, monolithic catalysts and reactors have been utilized in various business sectors ranging from mechanical, automotive, fine chemicals, pharmaceutical, to biotechnology industries. However, the performance of state-of-the-art washcoating monolithic catalysts in industry suffers from some long-standing problems such as mediocre-uniformity, need for high catalyst loading, low materials utilization, random catalytic sites, poor washcoat adhesion, short life-time, degradation tendency, all of which lead to much compromised and less-than desirable catalytic performance. In this work, we significantly mitigated these issues and reduced precious metal and metal oxide usages by 10–40 folds, by directly integrating bare monolith structures with ultra-efficient, thermally stable, and physically and chemically well-defined nanostructure arrays. The well-defined nanostructure array monolithic catalysts represent a new and effective model platform for bridging catalytic nanomaterials science and engineering with the practical industrial catalysis.
Advances in serpentine geoecology: A retrospective

Serpentine habitats have long provided model settings for geoecological research (reviewed in Alexander et al. 2007, Brady et al. 2005, Brooks 1987, Kazakou et al. 2008, Kruckeberg 1984, Proctor and Woodell 1975, Rajakaruna et al 2009). Serpentine loosely refers to a broad group of minerals associated with the weathering of ultramafi c (high iron and magnesium-rich) rocks found along continental margins and orogenic belts. Soils associated with such rocks often differ from more widespread soils, being less fertile and having high concentrations of some heavy metals. The unique geochemistry of serpentine soils generates habitats worldwide that are biologically unique, providing model settings for research on how geology and soils can shape the biotic world around us. Serpentine outcrops worldwide are known to harbor high rates of plant endemism (Brooks 1987, Kruckeberg 2002). For example, of the 1410 plant species endemic to California, 176 (12.5%) are restricted to serpentine (Safford et al. 2005), a substrate covering less than 1.5% of the state. This number is remarkably high given only 669 taxa are associated with serpentine soils in California. Thus, it is no surprise that serpentine fl oras are well-studied in California and other parts of western North America (Alexander et al. 2007, Harrison and Viers 2007), not only for their taxonomic value but also for their usefulness in testing ecological and evolutionary scenarios. Additional examples include the tropical islands of New Caledonia and Cuba, which also provide remarkable cases of serpentine endemism (Boyd et al. 2004, Brooks 1987, Kruckeberg 2002). In New Caledonia, 3178 taxa, approximately half the native fl ora, are endemic to serpentine soils (Jaffre 1992). In Cuba, 920 species, approximately one-third of the taxa endemic to Cuba, are found solely on serpentine soils (Borhidi 1992). Similar restrictions and notable fl oristic associations are also found in serpentine areas of the Mediterranean, Africa, Australasia, and Asia (Baker et al. 1992, Balkwill 2001, Boyd et al. 2004, Brooks 1987, Chiarucci and Baker 2007, Jaffre et al. 1997). Thus, it was no surprise that the recently concluded Sixth International Conference on Serpentine Ecology (www.coa.edu/serpentine) at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME attracted 93 delegates from all corners of the world, including Albania, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Iran, Italy, Japan, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia,
H3PO4-imbibed three-dimensional polyacrylamide/polyacrylamide hydrogel as a high-temperature proton exchange membrane with excellent acid retention

We herein report the use of polyacrylamide/polyacrylamide interpenetrating polymer network (PAM/PAM IPN) hydrogel as a matrix to imbibe proton conducting H3PO4, forming a robust proton exchange membrane (PEM) suitable for high-temperature PEM fuel cells by combining excellent acid retention, simple synthesis, and low cost. Its extraordinary ability to absorb large quantity of aqueous solution is fully utilized to achieve high H3PO4 loading, showing a proton conductivity of 0.0833 S cm−1 at 183 °C in dry air. The synthesized membrane also shows excellent acid retention even under mechanical load and high humidity. These profound advantages along with simple and low-cost synthesis promise the new membrane to be a strong candidate as a high-temperature PEM.
Selective mutism: A three-tiered approach to prevention and intervention.

Selective mutism is a rare anxiety disorder that prevents a child from speaking at school or other community settings, and can be detrimental to a child’s social development. School psychologists can play an important role in the prevention and treatment of selective mutism. As an advocate for students, school psychologists can work with teachers, parent caregivers, speech pathologists, and other support staff toward helping children who may develop or have selective mutism. The purpose of this article is to present school-based prevention and intervention approaches within a three-tiered approach that may reduce the incidence and severity of selective mutism. We present theories and research on the etiology and prevalence of the disorder, followed by a review of intervention methods and research at each tier. Based on the theoretical and research literature base, we conclude that early intervention may result in the prevention and amelioration of many occurrences of selective mutism.
MEMS-enabled multi-unit neural recording from Drosophila melanogaster

Penetrating microelectrodes designed for neural recording from the tiny cephalic ganglion of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) have been fabricated, characterized, and tested in-vivo. Because of the extensive genetic techniques available in Drosophila, and its ever-expanding use in neuroscience, multi-unit ensemble recordings would elucidate general neurobiological mechanisms. Mechanical simulations predicted buckling failure at 283.5 µN, which was validated by experimental results within 2%. Electrochemical characterization measured mean impedance values of 2.74 MΩ (n = 12). We demonstrate that our microfabricated electrodes are able to penetrate the fly cuticle and are capable of acquiring electroretinogram (ERG) signals from the compound eye of the fly.
Microbial enzymatic responses to drought and to nitrogen addition in a southern California grassland

Microbial enzymes play a fundamental role in ecosystem processes and nutrient mineralization. Therefore understanding enzyme responses to anthropogenic environmental change is important for predicting ecosystem function in the future. In a previous study, we used a reciprocal transplant design to examine the direct and indirect effects of drought and nitrogen (N) fertilization on litter decomposition in a southern California grassland. This work showed direct and indirect negative effects of drought on decomposition, and faster decomposition by N-adapted microbial communities in N-fertilized plots than in non-fertilized plots. Here we measured microbial biomass and the activities of nine extracellular enzymes to examine the microbial and enzymatic mechanisms underlying litter decomposition responses to drought and N. We hypothesized that changes in fungal biomass and potential extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) would relate directly to litter decomposition responses. We also predicted that fungal biomass would dominate the microbial community in our semi-arid study site. However, we found that the microbial community was dominated by bacterial biomass, and that bacteria responded negatively to drought treatment. In contrast to patterns in decomposition, fungal biomass and most potential EEA increased in direct response to drought treatment. Potential EEA was also decoupled from the decomposition response to N treatment. These results suggest that drought and N alter the efficiencies of EEA, defined as the mass of target substrate lost per unit potential EEA. Enzyme efficiencies declined with drought treatment, possibly because reduced water availability increased enzyme immobilization and reduced diffusion rates. In the N experiment, the efficiencies of β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, and polyphenol oxidase were greater when microbes were transplanted into environments from which they originated. This increase in enzymatic efficiency suggests that microbial enzymes may adapt to their local environment. Overall, our results indicate that drought and N addition may have predictable impacts on the efficiencies of extracellular enzymes, providing a means of linking enzyme potentials with in-situ activities.
Teaching Students With Learning Disabilities: Constructivism Or Behaviorism?

There is much controversy concerning the use of constructivist and behaviorist principles for teaching children with learning disabilities. Although many educators support the use of one paradigm exclusively, the author recommends combining ideas from both perspectives for the most effective instruction. This article includes a brief discussion of learning disabilities, a summary of key constructivist and behaviorist principles and their impact on students with learning disabilities, and a list of recommendations for practice in the classroom.
Role of the clinical laboratory in personalized medicine: challenges and opportunities

Michael Langley1 & Karen E Weck2† †Author for correspondence 1University of North Carolina Health Care, Medical Laboratory Specialist, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, Chapel Hill, NC, USA 2University of North Carolina, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Pharmacogenomics & Individualized Therapy, Chapel Hill, NC, USA Tel.: +1 919 966 4408; Fax: +1 919 966 6351; E-mail: kweck@unc.edu
BioMEMS devices for drug delivery

Successful therapeutic outcomes following the administration of drugs, including small molecules and large biomolecules, require not only the selection of a proper drug but also its delivery to the proper site of action, with proper temporal presentation. Drug delivery is an extremely broad area of research, as each molecule presents its own absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicology (ADMET) profile. Moreover, timing of drug release may affect the efficacy of a pharmacologic agent. Any means by which drug delivery can be actuated and controlled is, therefore, of interest, and there should be no surprise that microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have received considerable attention over the past decade in the drug delivery field. The ability to generate two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) material constructs accurately and reproducibly using MEMS may lead to substantial advances over conventional drug delivery systems.
Multi-sensor system for an articulated robotic hand

How a sensor system equipped with fingertip sensors and strain gauges can provide proper feedback to drive the grasp kinematics of an articulated robotic hand is discussed. The grasp kinematics that provide the robotic hand with precision and dexterity are based on impedance control. The fingertip sensor and the strain gauges are designed with piezoresistive materials for force transduction. Through optimization based on the sensitivity and capability of the sensors, a synergism of force and contact information can be obtained to achieve precise control and dexterous manipulation of the robotic hand. >
A propagating algorithm for determining nth-order polynomial, least-squares fits

An algorithm is described which iteratively solves for the coefficients of successively higher‐order, least‐squares polynomial fits in terms of the results for the previous, lower‐order polynomial fit. The technique takes advantage of the special properties of the least‐squares or Hankel matrix, for which Ai,j=Ai+1,j-1. Only the first and last column vectors of the inverse matrix are needed at each stage to continue the iteration to the next higher stage. An analogous procedure may be used to determine the inverse of such least‐squares type matrices. The inverse of each square submatrix is determined from the inverse of the previous, lower‐order submatrix. The results using this algorithm are compared with the method of fitting orthogonal polynomials to data points. While the latter method gives higher accuracy when high‐order polynomials are fitted to the data, it requires many more computations. The increased accuracy of the orthogonal‐polynomial fit is valuable when high precision of fitting is require...
The alpha subunit of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae oligosaccharyltransferase complex is essential for vegetative growth of yeast and is homologous to mammalian ribophorin I

Oligosaccharyltransferase mediates the transfer of a preassembled high mannose oligosaccharide from a lipid-linked oligosaccharide donor to consensus glycosylation acceptor sites in newly synthesized proteins in the lumen of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae oligosaccharyltransferase is an oligomeric complex composed of six nonidentical subunits (alpha-zeta), two of which are glycoproteins (alpha and beta). The beta and delta subunits of the oligosaccharyltransferase are encoded by the WBP1 and SWP1 genes. Here we describe the functional characterization of the OST1 gene that encodes the alpha subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase. Protein sequence analysis revealed a significant sequence identity between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ost1 protein and ribophorin I, a previously identified subunit of the mammalian oligosaccharyltransferase. A disruption of the OST1 locus was not tolerated in haploid yeast showing that expression of the Ost1 protein is essential for vegetative growth of yeast. An analysis of a series of conditional ost1 mutants demonstrated that defects in the Ost1 protein cause pleiotropic underglycosylation of soluble and membrane-bound glycoproteins at both the permissive and restrictive growth temperatures. Microsomal membranes isolated from ost1 mutant yeast showed marked reductions in the in vitro transfer of high mannose oligosaccharide from exogenous lipid-linked oligosaccharide to a glycosylation site acceptor tripeptide. Microsomal membranes isolated from the ost1 mutants contained elevated amounts of the Kar2 stress-response protein.
A Review of the Radiometric Data Placing the Hawaiian–Emperor Bend at 50 Ma; Placing Constraints on Hypotheses Concerning the Origin of the Hawaiian–Emperor Volcanic Chain

Recent 40Ar/39Ar work reveals that the Bend in the Hawaiian–Emperor Chain (HEB) occurred at 50 Ma, not at 43 Ma, as postulated over 30 years ago. All relevant argon data for seamounts in the Hawaiian–Emperor Chain have been evaluated for statistical validity, as well as for accuracy, based on the freshness of the phases dated. The Pacific Plate motion decreased steadily from ∼65 to ∼35 Ma. No marked change in the rate of plate motion occurred at the time of the Bend. Hypotheses pertaining to the formation of the Hawaiian–Emperor Chain must (1) be based on radio metric data that have been critically evaluated and (2) explain both the geometry and timing of various features, such as the HEB.