cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CONTROL OF BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION

The properties of strains of Klebsiella pnuemoniae strain M5a1 which produce nitrogenase activity even in the presence of 15 mM NH 4 + are presented. These strains which require either glutamate or glutamine are found to export large quantities of fixed N 2 as NH 4 + . This information is used to study the physiological properties of Rhizobium sp. Rhizobium sp. ‘Cowpea’ strain 32H1 and R. japonicum strain CB 1809 were found to export 80% and 94% of the N 2 fixed into the medium, using 15 N-analysis. Various Rhizobium sp. were found to be incapable of utilizing NH 4 + as a major souce of nitrogen in the presence of glutamate in the meidum. Based on these results, a model for symbiotic N 2 fixation is presented. The model proposes that glutamate supplied by the plant cell prevents the assimilation of fixed N 2 (as NH 4 + ) into bacterial cell material and consequently exported out into the plant fraction where it is assimilated to the level of amino acids and transported out of the nodule. The possible use of NH 4 + -exporting strains of Azolla-Anabaena, in the cultivation of rice is also discussed.
Alcohol-induced microtubule acetylation leads to the accumulation of large, immobile lipid droplets.

Chronic alcohol consumption with the “Western diet” enhances the development of fatty liver and leads to impaired droplet motility, which may have serious deletrious effects on hepatocyte function.
Age-Dependent Changes of Kidney Injury Biomarkers in Pediatrics

Currently used creatinine-based parameters for monitoring kidney function are not reliable for early detection of kidney injury (KI), particularly tubular damage. Several KI biomarkers allow for early detection of glomerular and tubular damage and may help to prevent drug-related chronic kidney diseases in pediatrics. This literature review describes the state of current research and investigates reference values for these KI biomarkers in neonates, infants, and children to better understand age-related changes. A total of 12 of 237 screened studies fulfilled predefined criteria, including 219 preterm neonates, 70 neonates, 596 infants, and 1726 children. KI biomarkers were analyzed in urine (6 studies), in serum/plasma (5 studies) and in serum and urine (1 study). Four studies (n = 555) measured urinary kidney injury molecule-1, whereas urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was assessed in 5 studies (n = 888), and 2 studies (n = 203) investigated serum cystatin C. This review of KI biomarkers in different pediatric age groups indicates that (1) the majority of KI biomarkers are measured in urine; (2) the 3 most commonly analyzed KI biomarkers are urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, urinary kidney injury molecule-1, and serum cystatin C; (3) values of KI biomarkers appear to decrease from prematurity to infancy; and (4) there is an unmet need to further enhance knowledge on age-dependent changes of KI biomarkers in pediatrics. Studies are needed to better characterize reference values for these key KI biomarkers in healthy pediatric populations and to evaluate the value of these markers in the early detection of drug-related KI in neonates, infants, and children.
Wittgenstein, Consciousness, and The Golden Bowl: James’s Maggie Verver and the Linguistic Mind

This chapter explores the significance that Wittgenstein’s work in the philosophy of mind holds for self-understanding, looking into issues of the dualist-introspectionist model of the mind, its antithesis in behaviorism, and the role of language as what Wittgenstein called “the vehicle of thought”, where these considerations are all brought together as a way of investigating how we think of the contents of consciousness. It then takes these Wittgensteinian reflections into a discussion of the way in which Henry James illuminates both the contents and the nature of consciousness in The Golden Bowl. The self-understanding that Maggie Verver achieves is here seen not as a result of inner reflection on private pure or pre-linguistic thought within a metaphysically-sealed mental interior, but rather as the result of becoming ever more aware of the network of relations through which she moves and ever more aware of the power of the words and the subtly-developing narrative that gives shape to who she is and that determines what she will become.
Decreased heart dose with deep inspiration breath hold for the treatment of gastric lymphoma with IMRT

Abstract We hypothesized that deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) and computed-tomography image-guided radiotherapy (CT-IGRT) may be beneficial to decrease dose to organs at risk (OARs), when treating the stomach with radiotherapy for lymphoma. We compared dosimetric parameters of OARs from plans generated using free-breathing (FB) versus DIBH for 10 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving the stomach treated with involved site radiotherapy. All patients had 4DCT and DIBH scans. Planning was performed with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to 30.6 Gy in 17 fractions. Differences in target volume and dosimetric parameters were assessed using a paired two-sided t-test. All heart and left ventricle parameters including mean dose, V30, V20, V10, and V5 were statistically significantly lower with DIBH. For IMRT-FB plans the average mean heart dose was 4.9 Gy compared to 2.6 Gy for the IMRT-DIBH group (p
Mass spectrometry studies of the fragmentation patterns and mechanisms of protonated peptoids

Peptoids belong to a class of sequence-controlled polymers comprising of N-alkylglycine. This study focuses on using tandem mass spectrometry techniques to characterize the fragmentation patterns of a set of singly and doubly protonated peptoids consisting of one basic residue placed at different positions. The singly protonated peptoids fragment by producing predominately high-abundant C-terminal ions called Y-ions and low-abundant N-terminal ions called B-ions. Computational studies suggest that the proton affinity (PA) of the C-terminal fragments is generally higher than that of the N-terminal fragments, and the PA of the former increases as the fragments are elongated. The B-ions are likely formed upon dissociating the proton-activated amide bonds via an oxazolone structure, and the Y-ions are produced subsequently by abstracting a proton from the newly formed B-ions, which is energetically favored. The doubly protonated peptoids prefer to fragment closest to either the N- or the C-terminus and produce corresponding B/Y-ion pairs. The basic residue seems to dictate the preferred fragmentation site, which may be the result of minimizing the repulsion between the two charges. Water and terminal neutral losses are a facile process accompanying the peptoid fragmentation in both charge states. The patterns appear to be highly influenced by the location of the basic residue.
T-wave morphology indices

Abstract Three different T-wave morphological indices that were previously found to be predictive of the risk of cardiovascular complications are considered; namely the spatial angle between the QRS complex and T-wave vectorcardiographic loops, the T-wave morphology dispersions (TMDs) that expresses the spread of vectorcardiographic projections into different leads of a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and the T-wave residua that measure nondipolar components of the T-wave signals in a standard ECG. The sex difference of these indices has been investigated in a population of 176 healthy female and 176 healthy male subjects in whom long-term daytime 12-lead Holter recordings were made. The heart rate dependency of the T-wave morphological indices has also been studied. Spatial QRS-T angles were found approximately 10–15 degrees smaller in females compared to males. In both sexes, QRS-T angles increased with increasing heart rate, but the sex difference was almost heart rate independent. TMD showed little heart rate dependency. On average, females showed TMD values approximately 3–4 degrees larger than males. Relative T-wave residuals were found substantially larger in females compared to males. In females compared to males, on average the residuals also increased approximately twice as fast with increasing heart rate.
Dedicated Education Unit: Improving graduating nursing students’ preparedness for practice

Background and Objective: Majority of new graduate nurses are not adequately prepared to assume the dynamic and complex role of today’s professional nurse. The Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) is a clinical teaching model developed in response to the limitations of traditional clinical model (TCM). The aim of the study is to examine the readiness for practice and level of confidence in clinical decision making among graduating nursing students in the DEU and compare it with the students in the TCM. Methods: A pre-test/post-test design was used. The Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice was utilized in the pre and post-test surveys and the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence in Clinical Decision-Making was used in the post test. Data were analyzed in aggregate and pre-test scores were compared to post-test scores at the cohort level using t -test. Results: The pre-test results showed no significant difference between the DEU and TCM groups. However, the post-test results showed higher levels of readiness for practice and higher self-confidence and lower anxiety in clinical decision making among the DEU students. Conclusions: The study provides evidence on the impact of the DEU in providing graduating nursing students with high quality clinical education to better prepare them for practice.
RNA-seq analysis reveals different drought tolerance mechanisms in two broadly adapted wheat cultivars ‘TAM 111’ and ‘TAM 112’

Wheat cultivars 'TAM 111' and 'TAM 112' have been dominantly grown in the Southern U.S. Great Plains for many years due to their high yield and drought tolerance. To identify the molecular basis and genetic control of drought tolerance in these two landmark cultivars, RNA-seq analysis was conducted to compare gene expression difference in flag leaves under fully irrigated (wet) and water deficient (dry) conditions. A total of 2254 genes showed significantly altered expression patterns under dry and wet conditions in the two cultivars. TAM 111 had 593 and 1532 dry-wet differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and TAM 112 had 777 and 1670 at heading and grain-filling stages, respectively. The two cultivars have 1214 (53.9%) dry-wet DEGs in common, which agreed with their excellent adaption to drought, but 438 and 602 dry-wet DEGs were respectively shown only in TAM 111 and TAM 112 suggested that each has a specific mechanism to cope with drought. Annotations of all 2254 genes showed 1855 have functions related to biosynthesis, stress responses, defense responses, transcription factors and cellular components related to ion or protein transportation and signal transduction. Comparing hierarchical structure of biological processes, molecule functions and cellular components revealed the significant regulation differences between TAM 111 and TAM 112, particularly for genes of phosphorylation and adenyl ribonucleotide binding, and proteins located in nucleus and plasma membrane. TAM 112 showed more active than TAM 111 in response to drought and carried more specific genes with most of them were up-regulated in responses to stresses of water deprivation, heat and oxidative, ABA-induced signal pathway and transcription regulation. In addition, 258 genes encoding predicted uncharacterized proteins and 141 unannotated genes with no similar sequences identified in the databases may represent novel genes related to drought response in TAM 111 or TAM 112. This research thus revealed different drought-tolerance mechanisms in TAM 111 and TAM 112 and identified useful drought tolerance genes for wheat adaption. Data of gene sequence and expression regulation from this study also provided useful information of annotating novel genes associated with drought tolerance in the wheat genome.
Gender Distribution and Geography of Highly Cited Papers in ACS Catalysis

Following the editorial series presented in ACS Catalysis in 2020, I investigated the gender distribution in highly cited ACS Catalysis papers. As a main result, I found that from the 155 highly cited papers that showed up in my analysis, only 15 papers have female corresponding author(s) (9.7%), and only 5 of these 15 papers have solely female corresponding author(s) (3.2%). I also analyzed geographical distribution and found that two new categories "Small Countries", including for example Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, and Ireland, and "Developing Countries", including Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam, provide significant contributions to ACS Catalysis, larger than Canada or UK, based on the defined metrics.
Interleukin-1 induces aggrecanase-mediated cleavage in human articular cartilage without up-regulating stromelysin or glycosaminoglycan release

Normal turnover of cartilage proteoglycan as well as loss in arthritic conditions involves proteolytic cleavage of the aggrecan core protein within the interglobular domain (IGD) releasing a large GAG-containing aggrecan fragment which diffuses out of the cartilage matrix. However, the proteinases responsible for the normal turnover and pathological loss of aggrecan have not been identified. Two major sites of proteolytic cleavage have been identified within the IGD between amino acid residues Asn341-Phe342 and Glu373-Ala374. Many matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -8 and -9) have been shown to cleave in vitro at the Asn341-Phe342 site [1–3]. However, attempts to generate cleavage at the Glu373-Ala374 site with a number of purified proteinases [1–4] have been unsuccessful, indicating that this cleavage is the result of a novel, as yet unidentified, proteinase, given the name “aggrecanase” based on its ability to cleave the aggrecan core protein. Analysis of aggrecan fragments from several in vi...
Molecular modelling of ionic liquids in the ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-5

AbstractWe performed classical molecular dynamics simulations of the ionic liquids (ILs) [dmim+][Cl−] and [emim+][NTf2−], confined in a model CMK-5 material, which consists of amorphous carbon nanopipes (ACNPs) arranged in a hexagonal array. We compare our findings against the behaviour of the same ILs inside an isolated ACNP (i.e. no IL adsorbed on the outer surface of the ACNP) and inside a model CMK-3 material (which is similar to CMK-5, but is formed by amorphous carbon nanorods). Our results indicate that the presence of IL adsorbed in the outer surface of an uncharged ACNP in CMK-5 affects the dynamics and the density of an IL adsorbed inside the ACNP and vice versa. ILs adsorbed outside the nanopipes in CMK-5 (i.e. with IL also adsorbed inside the nanopipes) have faster dynamics and remain closer to the carbon surfaces when compared to the same ILs adsorbed on CMK-3 materials. The trends are IL-specific: [dmim+][Cl−] has slower dynamics when inside an isolated ACNP than when inside the ACNPs in CMK...
Зловещее в сказах Бажова

P. P. Bazhov’s tales are considered through the prism of S. Freud’s theory of the uncanny (Unheimlich). The analysis focuses on the previously unstudied motifs of death and sexuality in the tales and connects the inner atmosphere of Malachite Casket with the atmosphere of fear and terror, which accompanied the creation of tales, as well as substantiates the new interpretation of The Mistress of the Copper Mountain as an alternative to the nationalism of Stalin’s epoch. The phantasm of escape, clearly present in the tales, corresponds to the situation of escape from Soviet history. The elimination of historical traumas by means of sinister images connects Bazhov’s creative work to magical historism (A. Etkind). Bazhov’s tales were at once frightening for the Soviet reader, as they told of death, fatal temptation and paralyzing impotence in one’s hometown, but also soothing, since they made it possible to articulate the trauma resulting from the historical loss of local culture and the fear of grand motherland. Thus, Bazhov’s tales resonated within the Soviet individual and the collective unconscious. This can explain the success of Malachite Casket with generations of Soviet people and the tale’s cultural untranslatability.
The Role of Carbonic Anhydrase in Respiration, Ion Regulation and Acid-Base Balance in the Aquatic Crab Calunectes Sapidus and the Terrestrial Crab Gecarcinus Lateraus

The enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), which is concentrated mainly in the osmoregulatory tissue of the gills, appears to be required for ion regulation but not for CO2 excretion. An injection of the CA inhibitor acetazolamide produced an inhibition of between 90 and 100%, which took 6 h to be fully effective, and 48–96 h to wear off. During the period of inhibition in Callinectes sapidus there was no change in either O2 uptake or CO2 excretion, nor was there any increase in blood Pcoco2. In blue crabs acclimated to 250 mosM salinity, at which the animals are ion regulators, inhibition of CA caused both Na+ and Cl− concentrations in the blood to be lowered, with Cl− being lowered to a greater degree. As a result of an increase in the Na+-Cl− difference the animal experienced a ‘metabolic’ alkalosis: elevated blood pH and HCO3− at constant Pco2. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that branchial CA functions in providing H+ and HCO3− as counterions for Na+ and Cl− transport through the hydration of respiratory CO2. In the terrestrial Gecarcinus lateralis , inhibition of CA caused an increase in blood Pco2, but did not alter O2 uptake or CO2 excretion. After an initial acidosis, blood pH and HCO3− increased and remained elevated. Blood osmolality, Na+, Cl− and Ca2+ concentrations all increased, and the animals experienced a high rate of mortality. These data suggest that CA in the land crab is also important in blood ion regulation, probably to combat desiccation.
Tharsis block tectonics on Mars

The concept of block tectonics provides a framework for understanding many aspects of Tharsis and adjoining structures. This Tharsis block tectonics on Mars is manifested partly by mantle-related doming and partly by response to loading by subsequent volcanic construction. Although the origin of the volcanism from beneath Tharsis is a subject of controversy explanations have to include inhomogeneities in Martian internal structure, energy distribution, magma accumulation and motion below the lithosphere. Thermal convection can be seen as a necessary consequence for transient initial phase of Martian cooling. This produced part of the elevated topography with tensional stresses and graben systems radial to the main bulge. The linear grabens, radial to the Tharsis center, can be interpreted to indicate rift zones that define the crustal block boundaries. The load-induced stresses may then have contributed on further graben and ridge formation over an extended period of time.
Cellular physiological assessment of bivalves after chronic exposure to spilled Exxon Valdez crude oil using a novel molecular diagnostic biotechnology.

The objective of this study was to determine the cellular physiological status of the bivalves Mya arenaria and Mytilus trossulus in an area experiencing a 10-yr chronic exposure of spilled Exxon Valdez crude oil in Prince William Sound. Bivalves were collected from well-characterized oiled and unoiled sites. We used a novel biotechnology (Environmental Cellular Diagnostic System) to determine (i) if bivalves were physiologically stressed, (ii) the nature of the altered physiological state, and (iii) whether the bivalves were responding to an exposure of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Molecular diagnostic analysis indicated that bivalves at the oiled site were experiencing both oxidative and xenobiotic stress, resulting in increased protein turnover and chaperone activity. Bivalves from the impacted area were responding specifically to a PAH-xenobiotic exposure and accumulating protein−PAH adducts. Finally, species-specific responses were observed that could be related to the habitat preferences of each...
High-Quality Narrow Quadrupole Magnets

Two sizes of narrow quadrupole magnets (8 and 12 in. diam) have been designed and built at Berkeley for use in Bevatron experiments. The quadrupole magnets have a small width for the given aperture, so two or more secondary beams can look at the same target at small production angles. The computer program RNIL was used to develop the pole-tip contour, and the resulting design produced a quadrupole with very small harmonic content. Measurements of the line integral for the 8-in. quadrupole at a gradient of 2800 G/in., measured at a radius of 3.67 in., give harmonic contents, expressed as per cent of second harmonic, of 0.1% for the sixth, ?0.03% for the tenth, and 0.05% for the fourteenth.
Optimal fueling strategies for locomotive fleets in railroad networks

Railroad companies spend billions of dollars each year to purchase fuel for thousands of locomotives across the railroad network. Each fuel station charges a site-dependent fuel price, and the railroad companies must pay an additional flat contracting fee in order to use it. This paper presents a linear mixed-integer mathematical model that integrates not only fuel station location decisions but also locomotive fueling schedule decisions. The proposed model helps railroads decide which fuel stations to contract, and how each locomotive should purchase fuel along its predetermined shipment path, such that no locomotive runs out of fuel while the summation of fuel purchasing costs, shipment delay costs (due to fueling), and contracting charges is minimized. A Lagrangian relaxation framework is proposed to decompose the problem into fueling schedule and facility location selection sub-problems. A network shortest path formulation of the fueling schedule sub-problem is developed to obtain an exact optimal solution to the fueling schedule sub-problem. The proposed framework is applied to a large-scale empirical case and is shown to effectively reduce system costs.
Prazosin Administration Enhances Proliferation of Arteriolar Adventitial Fibroblasts

Chronic vasodilation stimulates the formation of new arterioles in skeletal muscle, a process that requires the differentiation of mesenchymally derived precursor cells on the abluminal surface of capillaries. Fibroblast proliferation and migration to the arterializing capillary likely precede this differentiation process. In the current study, we investigated the effects of chronic vasodilation with the α1adrenergic blocker prazosin, a treatment that produces enhanced terminal arteriolar development, on the proliferation of fibroblasts present in the adventitia of transverse arterioles. Dual-immunofluorescence labeling for the smooth muscle contractile protein SM-myosin heavy chain (MHC) and for bromodeoxyuridine (BRDU) uptake revealed that prazosin treatment for 4 days stimulated a threefold increase in the density of proliferating fibroblasts surrounding transverse arteriolar trees. This increase was primarily due to an eightfold increase in the density of S-phase fibroblasts surrounding <8 μm diameter terminal arterioles and a 280% increase in the density of S-phase fibroblasts surrounding 8- to 12-μm terminal arterioles. Alcian blue counterstaining indicated that no proliferating cells were mast cells. Anin vitrostudy demonstrated that prazosin, at concentrations of 0.5 and 0.05 mg/liter, has no direct effect on fibroblast proliferation. It is concluded that chronic vasodilation with prazosin, a treatment that elicits elevated levels of hemodynamic stress, stimulates the proliferation of adventitial fibroblasts, particularly at the terminal endings of transverse arteriolar trees.
Characterization of galacturonosyl transferase genes rgtA, rgtB, rgtC, rgtD, and rgtE responsible for lipopolysaccharide synthesis in nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont Rhizobium leguminosarum: lipopolysaccharide core and lipid galacturonosyl residues confer membrane stability.

Rhizobium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contains four terminally linked galacturonic acid (GalA) residues; one attached to the lipid A and three attached to the core oligosaccharide moiety. Attachment of the GalA residues requires the lipid donor dodecaprenyl-phosphate GalA (Dod-P-GalA), which is synthesized by the GalA transferase RgtE reported here. The galacturonosyl transferases RgtA, -B, and -C utilize Dod-P-GalA to attach GalAs on the LPS core region, and RgtD attaches GalA to the lipid A 4′ position. As reported here, the functions of the rgtD and rgtE genes were determined via insertion mutagenesis and structural characterization of the mutant lipid A. The rgtE− mutant lacked Dod-P-GalA as determined by mass spectrometry of total lipid extracts and the inability of rgtE− mutant membranes to provide the substrate for heterologously expressed RgtA activity. In addition, we created single mutations in each of the rgtA, -B, -C, -D, and -E genes to study the biological function of the GalA residues. The structures of the core oligosaccharide region from each of the rgt mutants were elucidated by glycosyl linkage analysis. Each mutant was assayed for its sensitivity to sodium deoxycholate and to the antimicrobial cationic peptide, polymyxin B (PmxB). The rgt mutants were more sensitive than the parent strain to deoxycholate by varying degrees. However, the rgtA, -B, and -C mutants were more resistant to PmxB, whereas the rgtD and E mutants were less resistant in comparison to the parent strain.
Stacking Characteristics of Composite Cardboard Boxes

This paper presents a simplified model and method for finding the deflection char acteristics of stacked cardboard boxes, provided the load-deflection characteristic of the box is known. A computer program, based on this model, allows the stability of stacked boxes to be investigated and to indicate the limits to the height of the stack and box parameters required to prevent stack toppling.
Altruism in the wild: when affiliative motives to help positive people overtake empathic motives to help the distressed.

Psychological theories of human altruism suggest that helping results from an evolved tendency in caregiving mammals to respond to distress or need with empathy and sympathy. However, theories from biology, economics, and social psychology demonstrate that social animals also evolved to affiliate with and help desirable social partners. These models make different predictions about the affect of those we should prefer to help. Empathic models predict a preference to help sad, distressed targets in need, while social affiliative models predict a preference for happy, positive, successful targets. We compared these predictions in 3 field studies that measured the tendency to help sad, happy, and neutral confederates in a real-world, daily context: holding the door for a stranger in public. People consistently held the door more for happy over sad or neutral targets. To allow empathic motivations to compete more strongly against social affiliative ones, a 4th study examined a more consequential form of aid for hypothetical hospital patients in clear need. These conditions enhanced the preference to help a sad over a happy patient, because sadness made the patient appear sicker and in greater need. However, people still preferred the happy patient when the aid required a direct social interaction, attesting to the strength of social affiliation motives, even for sick patients. Theories of prosocial behavior should place greater emphasis on the role of social affiliation in motivating aid, particularly in everyday interpersonal contexts.
Inositol phosphate signaling and gibberellic acid.

To respond to physical signals and endogenous hormones, plants use specific signal transduction pathways. We and others have previously shown that second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] is used in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, and that some mutants with altered Ins(1,4,5)P3 have altered responses to ABA. Specifically, mutants defective in the myo-inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5PTases) 1 and 2 genes that hydrolyze 5-phosphates from Ins(1,4,5)P3 and other PtdInsP and InsP substrates, have elevated Ins (1,4,5)P3, and are ABA-hypersensitive. Given the antagonistic relationship between ABA and gibberellic acid (GA), we tested the response of these same mutants to a GA synthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol (PAC). We report here that 5ptase1, 5ptase2 and 5ptase11 mutants are hypersensitive to PAC, suggesting a relationship between elevated Ins(1,4,5)P3 and decreased GA signal transduction. These data provide insight into signaling cross-talk between ABA and GA pathways.
Obsidian Source Characterization and Hunter–gatherer Mobility: an Example from the Tucson Basin

Abstract Obsidian source characterization is another tool that can be used by archaeologists to examine hunter–gatherer mobility strategies by allowing them to reconstruct the potential geographic extent of group mobility. In this paper, data on obsidian source characterization from nine Archaic sites in the Tucson Basin of southern Arizona are used to determine whether changes in obsidian procurement ranges are associated with a reduction in residential mobility documented in the area between the Middle and Late Archaic/Early Agricultural periods. Analysis of the data reveals that not only do procurement ranges change, but procurement strategies may also have changed. It is argued that obsidian source characterization is a useful tool for examining group mobility when used in conjunction with other site data.
Inhibition of a SNARE-Sensitive Pathway in Astrocytes Attenuates Damage following Stroke

A strong body of research has defined the role of excitotoxic glutamate in animal models of brain ischemia and stroke; however, clinical trials of glutamate receptor antagonists have demonstrated their limited capacity to prevent brain damage following ischemia. We propose that astrocyte-neuron signaling represents an important modulatory target that may be useful in mediating damage following stroke. To assess the impact of astrocyte signaling on damage following stroke, we have used the astrocyte-specific dominant-negative SNARE mouse model (dnSNARE). Recent findings have shown that the astrocytic SNARE signaling pathway can affect neuronal excitability by regulating the surface expression of NMDA receptors. Using focal photothrombosis via the Rose Bengal method, as well as excitotoxic NMDA lesions, we show that dnSNARE animals exhibited a sparing of damaged tissue quantified using Nissl and NeuN staining. At the same time point, animals were also tested in behavioral tasks that probe the functional integrity of stroke- or lesion-damaged motor and somatosensory areas. We found that dnSNARE mice performed significantly better than littermate controls on rung walk and adhesive dot removal tasks following lesion. Together, our results demonstrate the important role of astrocytic signaling under ischemic conditions. Drugs targeting astrocyte signaling have a potential benefit for the outcome of stroke in human patients by limiting the spread of damage.
Clonal Attenuation of Somatic Cells in Aging Mammals: A Review of Supportive Evidence and Its Biomedical Significance

Clonal attenuation can be defined as the gradual depletion of the replicative potentials of individual clones of mammalian somatic cells. Publications from the author's laboratory and from other laboratories are reviewed that support the proposition that clonal attenuation is a continuous process throughout the life course and that it occurs in vivo in primates. The puzzling discordance between the mass culture results from the laboratories of the late Vincent Cristofalo (tissue from living subjects) and those from the Martin laboratory (tissue predominately from autopsy subjects) is discussed. Finally, the implications of clonal attenuation and replicative senescence, for such major age-related pathologic processes as neoplasia, atherosclerosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and osteoarthritis, are addressed; these and other disorders of aging can be characterized as a mixture of atrophy and hyperplasia, presumably related to a failure of homeostatic cell-cell interactions in aging tissues. For the case of neoplasia, an argument can be made that such failures precede what is increasingly regarded as the most critical step in carcinogenesis-the evolution of a mutator phenotype.
Postshunt Hemochromatosis Leading to Cardiogenic Shock in a Patient Presenting for Orthotopic Liver Transplant: A Case Report

Introduction. In this case report, we have presented a patient whose liver transplant course was greatly affected by a previously undiagnosed disease process that ultimately led to an unexpected perioperative death. Case Report. A 52-year-old woman with idiopathic hepatoportal sclerosis presented for liver transplantation 2 years postmesocaval shunt placement. Lab and pathology studies at the time of liver biopsy and shunt placement were negative for iron deposition. Preoperative workup was negative for cardiac disease. At the outset of her liver transplant, the patient developed refractory hypotension secondary to cardiogenic shock. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and postoperative transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated dilated cardiomyopathy with severely depressed systolic function. Upon succumbing to ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest, an autopsy revealed hemochromatosis of the heart, pancreas, kidneys, adrenals, and explanted liver. Conclusion. Dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and other unexpected disease processes resulting from hemochromatosis can greatly influence the care of postshunt liver failure patients.
Tuberculosis control in New York City--a changing landscape.

In New York City, which was the epicenter of the U.S. tuberculosis epidemic in the 1990s, funding for tuberculosis control has been cut by more than 50%, and in 2014 the city reported its first increase in cases after a decade of continuous reductions.
Choosing when to die

What would make it the right time for you to die, or the wrong one? In particular, could it be the right time for you to die even if your loved ones want to make the sacrifices needed to prolong your life, because that would cost them too dearly? The worry is that it would be selfish to permit these sacrifies, and wrong for that reason. I think it matters that the sacrifies would occur within a relationship of mutual devotion, and I try to say how it matters. In particular, I argue against some fairly simple views of what constitutes impermissible selfishness in this context, and in favor of approaching such decisions in a different way.
Coordinating distributed actions via agent voting

This paper investigates the use of voting policies to coordinate routing decisions in a phone network. Although the social metaphor of voting has been applied to network coordination decision tasks, this study presents the first operational example of a vote-theoretic group decision support system (GDSS) for nodes. The experimental evidence shows that a collective choice voting policy dominates a policy of individual, hierarchical voting in minimizing movement toward system saturation and promoting load balancing. This result provides a basis for using voting policies to create more complex self-correcting networks.
PP1α, PP1β and Wip-1 regulate H4S47 phosphorylation and deposition of histone H3 variant H3.3

Phosphorylation of histone H4 serine 47 (H4S47ph) is catalyzed by Pak2, a member of the p21-activated serine/threonine protein kinase (Pak) family and regulates the deposition of histone variant H3.3. However, the phosphatase(s) involved in the regulation of H4S47ph levels was unknown. Here, we show that three phosphatases (PP1α, PP1β and Wip1) regulate H4S47ph levels and H3.3 deposition. Depletion of each of the three phosphatases results in increased H4S47ph levels. Moreover, PP1α, PP1β and Wip1 bind H3-H4 in vitro and in vivo, whereas only PP1α and PP1β, but not Wip1, interact with Pak2 in vivo. These results suggest that PP1α, PP1β and Wip1 regulate the levels of H4S47ph through directly acting on H4S47ph, with PP1α and PP1β also likely regulating the activity of Pak2. Finally, depletion of PP1α, PP1β and Wip1 leads to increased H3.3 occupancy at candidate genes tested, elevated H3.3 deposition and enhanced association of H3.3 with its chaperones HIRA and Daxx. These results reveal a novel role of three phosphatases in chromatin dynamics in mammalian cells.
Peak Flow as a Measure of Airway Dysfunction in Swine Confinement Operators

To evaluate the usefulness of a portable peak flow meter in predicting airway dysfunction in symptomatic swine confinement workers, we conducted a study using an established cohort of swine workers in Iowa. Participants were randomly selected from a group of 207 swine confinement workers and a group of nonconfinement farmers who had been followed longitudinally. Swine confinement workers with work-related symptoms were identified, and two control groups (swine confinement workers and nonconfinement workers) without work-related symptoms were frequency matched by age, sex, and smoking status to the symptomatic swine confinement workers. Peak flow measures were obtained for 7 days using a mini-Wright peak flow meter and comparisons were made between the symptomatic swine confinement farmers (n=24) and both groups of asymptomatic workers: swine confinement workers (n=21) and neighborhood farmer controls (n=25). Peak flow readings were recorded by subjects five times per day for 7 days, initially on awakening, then after chores, before lunch, before dinner, and before bedtime. The actual hour of day for each measurement of peak flow was similar between the three groups. Percent changes from initial am peak flow did not significantly differ between subject groups. However, symptomatic swine confinement workers consistently exhibited significantly lower initial and subsequent mean peak flow values compared with asymptomatic swine confinement workers and neighborhood control farmers, controlling for age, height, gender, and smoking status. These differences occurred on most of the measures of peak flow throughout the work day. The persistence of these lower values throughout the work day is remarkably consistent during the study period and is suggestive of airway disease in the symptomatic swine confinement workers. Our findings suggest that peak flow meters are a useful indicator of potential airway injury and offer an additional portable, diagnostic tool in the assessment of symptomatic workers.
Macular Capillary Hemodynarmc Changes Associated with Raynaud's Phenomenon

Background: Raynaud's phenomenon is an episodic, reversible spasm of the digital arterioles. Previous studies have suggested that Raynaud's phenomenon may be associated with alterations in the ocular circulation. The authors used the blue field entoptic simulation technique to study macular retinal capillary hemodynamics in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon. Methods: Forty-two volunteers participated in the study: 18 with a connective tissue disease and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon, 8 with a connective tissue disease and no Raynaud's phenomenon, and 16 healthy volunteers. The mean of three blue field entoptic density and velocity measurements was determined before as well as during and 10 minutes after the immersion of one hand in ice water. Results: Patients with severe Raynaud's phenomenon demonstrated a statistically significant 30% decrease in retinal capillary flow during immersion of a hand in ice water ( P P Conclusion: The prolonged reduction in retinal capillary flow observed in subjects with Raynaud's phenomenon is probably caused by retinal arteriolar vasoconstriction and is similar to concurrent arteriolar vasoconstriction reported in other systemic vascular beds. In the retina, the recurrent ischemic episodes may result in dysfunction or injury.
Using competitive intelligence: Antecedents and consequences

Through a better understanding of how businesses make use of knowledge, professionals can more fully leverage the intellectual capital available in their firms. To further this understanding, the authors conducted a study examining the impact, either directly or indirectly, of environmental and relational factors on CI usage. Specifically, the study focused on the influence of six environmental factors (centralization, formalization, market turbulence, speed culture, innovative culture, and openness culture) and five relational factors (involvement, communication, credibility, trust, and usefulness) on CI usage. In addition, it explores two consequences of using CI instrumentally and/or conceptually (decision-making ability and attitude toward CI). Among the study findings: Relational factors affect the usage of CI, which, in turn, affects the CI users' decision-making ability and their attitude toward CI. Environmental factors affect both the level of involvement of the CI user and the intensity of communication among the key players involved in the CI project, which, in turn, indirectly affect CI usage, the user's decision-making ability, and attitude toward CI. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Internal jugular vein Thrombosis after functional and selective neck dissection

Objective: To determine the incidence of internal jugular vein thrombosis after functional or selective neck dissection. Design: Patients underwent serial Doppler ultrasonographic examinations of their internal jugular veins, on postoperative days 1 and 7, following functional neck dissection. Long-term follow-up was conducted at a minimum of 3 months. Setting: Department of Otolaryngology, West Virginia University, Morgantown. Patients: Sixty-five patients (51 men and 14 women) underwent 100 functional neck dissections between 1993 and 1995. Thirty-five patients had NO, 10 had N1, and 20 had N2 node involvement, respectively. Thirty-five patients underwent bilateral neck dissection, 17 underwent left neck dissection, and 13 underwent right neck dissection. Main Outcome Measures: Thrombosis of the internal jugular veins was determined using duplex Doppler scanning. Correlation with the length of the procedure, intraoperative blood loss, preoperative radiation therapy, stage of neck disease, presence of extracapsular spread, wound infection, and pedicled musculocutaneous flap closure was determined. Results: Of the 100 internal jugular veins studied, 20 (24.7%) of 81 and 19 (26.4%) of 72 were found to have evidence of thrombosis on postoperative days 1 and 7, respectively. On long-term follow-up, the incidence of internal jugular vein thrombosis was significantly lower (5.8%;P Conclusions: Our results indicate that even though the incidence of internal jugular vein thrombosis is relatively high immediately following neck dissection, a significant number of these veins will undergo recanalization and have excellent long-term patency. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1997;123:969-973
Physics-based computational complexity of nonlinear filters

Our theory is based on the mapping between two Fokker-Planck equations and two Schroedinger equations (see [1] & [2]), which is well known in physics, but which has not been exploited in filtering theory. This theory expands Brockett's Lie algebra homomorphism conjecture for characterizing finite dimensional filters. In particular, the Schroedinger equation generates a group, whereas the Zakai equation (as well as the Fokker-Planck equation) does not, owing to the lack of a smooth inverse. Simple non-pathological low-dimensional linear-Gaussian timeinvariant counterexamples show that Brockett's conjecture does not reliably predict when a nonlinear filtering problem will have an exact finite dimensional solution. That is, there are manifestly finite dimensional filters for estimation problems with infinite dimensional Lie algebras. There are three reasons that the Lie algebraic approach as originally formulated by Brockett is incomplete: (1) the Zakai equation does not generate a group; (2) Lie algebras are coordinate free, whereas separation of variables in PDEs is not coordinate free, and (3) Brockett's theory aims to characterize finite dimensional filters for any initial condition of the Zakai equation, whereas SOV for PDEs generally depends on the initial condition. We will attempt to make this paper accessible to normal engineers who do not have Lie algebras for breakfast.
An Empirical Study of a Leadership Development Training Program and Its Impact on Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) Scores

This study examined the effects of a leadership training program on participants’ emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) scores. It sought to determine if the program made a significant difference in the EQ scores of participants by comparing their scores prior to and after the training. Findings are presented that should help practitioners wishing to incorporate emotional intelligence training programs in their organizations explore how to design programs that are most effective in improving performance. Limitations of the study and implications of the findings for HRD theory building, research, and practice are also discussed.
Predicting the Size and Properties of Dendrimersomes from the Lamellar Structure of Their Amphiphilic Janus Dendrimers

Dendrimersomes are stable, monodisperse unilamellar vesicles self-assembled in water from amphiphilic Janus dendrimers. Their size, stability, and membrane structure are determined by the chemical structure of Janus dendrimer and the method of self-assembly. Comparative analysis of the periodic arrays in bulk and dendrimersomes assembled by ethanol injection in water of 11 libraries containing 108 Janus dendrimers is reported. Analysis in bulk and in water was performed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, and cryo-TEM. An inverse proportionality between size, stability, mechanical properties of dendrimersomes, and thickness of their membrane was discovered. This dependence was explained by the tendency of alkyl chains forming the hydrophobic part of the dendrimersome to produce the same local packing density regardless of the branching pattern from the hydrophobic part of the dendrimer. For the same hydrophobic alkyl chain length, the largest, toughest, and m...
A "No Prescriptives, Please" Proposal Postscript: When Desperate Times Require Desperate Measures.

We appreciate the thoughtful reactions of our colleagues to the “no prescriptives, please” proposal of Robinson et al. (2013), as well as the opportunity to respond to them. For the most part, our colleagues seem to agree that a problem exists in terms of unwarranted recommendations for practice appearing too often in educational research journals. At the same time, we realize that because our proposed policy is rather Draconian—in that it seeks to eliminate all recommendations for practice in all primary research journals—every responder mentioned that it was too extreme. This was intentional on our part. If, as Harris (2013) suggested, increased awareness and scrutiny become topics for further discussion among APA editors, then our modest mission will have been accomplished. In this rejoinder, we attempt to restate and clarify our proposal, along with its entailments, followed by brief comments on each responder's response.
A computer-controlled tension monitoring system for drift chamber wires

Abstract We describe a wire tension monitor used in the construction and operation of a large drift chamber. This system monitored the tensions of up to 64 wires by locating their resonant frequencies using a sinusoidal current in a weak magnetic field. Wires of 20 μm tungsten and 100 μm aluminum whose lengths varied from 7 to 70 cm were monitored, with resonant frequencies ranging from 160 to 1850 Hz. A multiplexing scheme was implemented which dwelled on each wire for about half a minute. This monitor combined custom electronics with a commercial I/O board and a PC/286 computer. The short-term reproducibility (σ) of the measurements was ±0.05g (±0.1%) for tungsten wires and 1.1 g (±1.0%) for aluminum wires. Limitations of the method are discussed.