cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seed water status and root tip characteristics of two annual grasses on lichen-dominated biological soil crusts

Biological soil crusts can affect seed germination and seedling establishment. We have investigated the effect of biological soil crusts on seed water status as a potential mechanism affecting seed germination. The seed water potential of two annual grasses, one exotic Bromus tectorum L. and another native Vulpia microstachys Nutt., were analyzed after placing the seeds on bare soil, on a crust that contains various lichens and mosses (mixed crust), or on a crust dominated by the crustose lichen Diploschistes muscorum (Scop.) R. Sant. (Diploschistes crust). Seed water potential and germination were similar on the bare soil and the mixed crust, except for the initial germination of V. microstachys, which was higher on the mixed crust than on the bare soil. For the two grasses studied, seed water potential was significantly higher on the bare soil and mixed crust than on the Diploschistes crust. These differences in water potential correlated with differences in germination, which was much lower on the lichen crust. Experiments were conducted under two watering regimens. Increasing the frequency of watering amplified the differences in seed water potential and germination between the Diploschistes crust and the other two surfaces. For a particular watering regimen, the bare soil, mixed crust, and Diploschistes crust received the same amount of water, but they reached significantly different water potentials. Throughout the experiments, the water potential of the soil and mixed crust remained above −0.6 MPa, while there was a marked decline in the water potential of the Diploschistes surface to about −4 MPa. To ascertain that water was the major factor limiting germination on the Diploschistes crust, we conducted germination tests in an environment with 100% relative humidity. Under these conditions, germination on the Diploschistes crust was similar to that on the bare soil. However, the seeds that germinated on the Diploschistes crust did not penetrate this surface and approximately 60% of their root tips became necrotic. Our results indicate that the presence of D. muscorum can inhibit seedling establishment by two mechanisms: a reduction in seed water absorption and an increase in root tip mortality.
Atomic force microscope investigation of the boundary-lubricant layer in articular cartilage

Summary Objective To determine the roles of superficial zone protein (SZP), hyaluronan (HA), and surface-active phospholipids (SAPL) in boundary lubrication of articular cartilage through systematic enzyme digestion using trypsin, hyaluronidase, and phospolipase-C (PLC) surface treatments. Methods The friction coefficient of articular cartilage surfaces was measured with an atomic force microscope (AFM) before and after enzyme digestion. Surface roughness, adhesion, and stiffness of the articular surface were also measured to determine the mechanism of friction in the boundary lubrication regime. Histology and transmission electron microscopy were used to visualize the surface changes of treatment groups that showed significant friction changes after enzyme digestion. Results A significant increase in the friction coefficient of both load-bearing and non load-bearing regions of the joint was observed after proteolysis by trypsin. Treatment with trypsin, hyaluronidase, or PLC did not affect the surface roughness. However, trypsin treatment decreased the adhesion significantly. Results indicate that the protein component at the articular cartilage surface is the main boundary lubricant, with SZP being a primary candidate. The prevailing nanoscale deformation processes are likely plastic and/or viscoelastic in nature, suggesting that plowing is the dominant friction mechanism. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that SZP plays an intrinsic and critical role in boundary lubrication at the articular surface of cartilage, whereas the effects of HA and SAPL on the tribological behavior are marginal.
How Mice Cope with Stressful Social Situations

Individuals differ greatly in their psychological responses to chronic stress. As a step toward understanding the neural basis for these individual differences, Krishnan et al. (2007) reveal molecular changes in the brain's reward circuits that make some mice resistant to the effects of social defeat.
Development indicators: A research problem, a policy problem

Abstract “Development” is an ambiguous term used normatively or descriptively, and designating either a better life or the means to reach it. Economics itself, meant to be of instrumental value at the service of larger ends, tends to displace these. Diverse economic philosophies and varying images of development's goals are reflected in varying indicators of performance. Development indicators presently in use are ethnocentric, reductionist, and misleadingly aggregative. These same failings also characterize mainstream development strategies. Indicators guide policy actors and serve as bases of judgment and comparison among societies. The search is now on for alternative development strategies and for alternative indicators. What is needed, however, is NOT a new indicator, but a KEY to read indicators meaningfully. The KEY presented here is a tool for use by two categories of social actors: non-elite populations, usually the targeted beneficiaries of development actions, to assess the quality of development proposed to them; and development specialists to gauge performance. Methodological problems of expressing qualitative dimensions in non-reductionist fashion with quantiative proxies are analyzed. A model KEY is presented in the form of a Development Flower represented graphically by a figure portraying either the fully developed person or some truncated, distorted version thereof.
Enterococcus spp. in endodontically treated teeth with and without periradicular lesions.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if Enterococcus spp. are more prevalent in endodontically treated teeth with periradicular lesions compared with teeth that require retreatment but have no periradicular rarefaction. Fifty-eight teeth that had received root canal therapy more than 1 yr previously and required retreatment were included. Designation of lesion versus no lesion was determined by two experienced endodontists. DNA extraction and PCR amplification were performed using ubiquitous 16S rDNA bacterial primers, as well as Enterococcus spp.-specific primers. The results showed that the overall prevalence of bacteria was 90% and Enterococcus spp. was 12%. χ 2 analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the presence of a lesion and the presence of bacteria, as detected by the universal primers (p = 0.032). Using logistic regression, a statistically significant relationship was found between teeth with normal periapex and the presence of Enterococcus spp. (p = 0.023). This study revealed that bacteria are significantly associated with endodontic treatment failure but enterococci are not associated with disease.
Regulation of connexin43 expression and function by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in osteoblastic cells.

Connexin43 (Cx43) forms gap junctions that mediate intercellular communication between osteoblasts. We have examined the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) on gap junctional communication in the rat osteogenic sarcoma cells UMR 106-01. Incubation with either PGE2 or PTH rapidly (within 30 min) increased transfer of negatively charged dyes between UMR 106-01 cells. This stimulatory effect lasted for at least 4 h. Both PGE2 and PTH increased steady-state levels of Cx43 mRNA, but only after 2-4 h of incubation. Transfection with a Cx43 gene construct linked to luciferase showed that this effect of PTH was the result of transcriptional upregulation of Cx43 promoter. Stimulation of dye coupling and Cx43 gene transcription were reproduced by forskolin and 8Br-cAMP. Exposure to PGE2 for 30 min increased Cx43 abundance at appositional membranes in UMR 106-01, whereas total Cx43 protein levels increased only after 4-6 h of incubation with either PGE2 or PTH. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide did not affect this early stimulation of dye coupling, but it significantly inhibited the sustained effect of PTH and forskolin on cell coupling. In summary, both PTH and PGE2, presumably through cAMP production, enhance gap junctional communication in osteoblastic cell cultures via two mechanisms: initial rapid redistribution of Cx43 to the cell membrane, and later stimulation of Cx43 gene expression. Modulation of intercellular communication represents a novel mechanism by which osteotropic factors regulate the activity of bone forming cells. J. Cell. Biochem.
Zeeman Splitting of Exciton Lines in CdS

The twofold splitting of three absorption lines in CdS in the wave- length region greater than 1840 A is reported. All other lines observed do not split in fields up to 19 kilogauss. The g values of the lines are dependent upon the orientation of the magnetic field with respect to the c axis of the crystal. Also observed was a small shift in the mean position of the spilt lines which is approximately quadratic with magnetic field strength. (W.D.M.)
Photosensitivity of the circadian rhythm and of visual receptors in carotenoid-depleted Drosophila.

Drosophila melanogaster was raised on aseptic diets, with and without β-carotene. The sensitivity of visual receptors in the carotenoid-depleted flies was lowered 3 log units, but the photosensitivity of the circadian rhythm was not affected. This result suggests that the chromophore of the photopigment which mediates light effects on the circadian rhythm is not a carotenoid derivative.
Slack in family firms: evidence from Italy (2006-2010)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between available slack and firm performance in Italian family-controlled public firms (FCPFs) from 2006 to 2010. In addition the authors analyze the moderating effects of specific board structure variables on the relationship between slack resources and firms’ performance. Design/methodology/approach – A pooled cross-section of family and non-family publicly traded firms was drawn from COMPUSTAT global and matched with corporate governance and family firm variables hand-collected from companies’ standard profiles from Italy's primary stock exchange, Borsa Italiana. The hypotheses were tested using the feasible generalized least square method in order to analyze the data from 583 firms-observations, controlling for self-selection bias and reverse causality. Findings – The study shows that FCPFs with available slack experience less than proportionate increases in performance, suggesting a concave curvilinear slack-performance relationship. ...
Parametric Frequency Upconversion, Optical Fiber Transmission, And Streak Camera Recording

Parametric frequency upconversion, optical fiber transmission, and streak camera recordingMark E. Lowry and Mark D. RotterLawrence Livermore National Laboratory,University of California, Livermore, California 94550IntroductionThe use of optical fiber for the transmission of information over relatively long distances is being recognized as the only viable solution tomany data transmission problems, particularly those requiring high information density and faithful temporal content. This necessary reliance upon
MO-F-WAB-02: Constancy of Time Lag Relationship Between External and Internal Signal in Abdominal Tumor Sites

Purpose: To investigate constancy, within a treatment session, of the time lag relationship between implanted markers in abdominal tumors and an external motion surrogate. Methods: Six gastroesophageal junction and three pancreatic cancer patients (IRB‐approved protocol) received a respiration‐correlated CT (RCCT), and two cone‐beam CTs (CBCT), one before and one after the treatment. Time between initial and final scan varied from about 1 to 3 h. Each patient had at least one implanted fiducial marker near the tumor. In all scans, abdominal displacement (Varian RPM) was recorded as the external motion signal. In‐house software tracked fiducials, representing internal signal, in CBCT projection images and amplitude‐sorted RCCT. For each set of projection images, time lag between internal and external signals was found by maximizing the correlation coefficient in each breathing cycle and averaging over all cycles. For the RCCT, these quantities were calculated for the 1 –2 cycles during which the fiducial was imaged. Results: Mean ± standard deviation in time lag, over all scans and patients, was 0.10 ± 0.07 s (range 0.01 – 0.36 s). External signal lagged the internal in 20/27 scans. Change in time lag between pre‐and post‐RT CBCT was 0.06 ± 0.07s (range 0.01 – 0.22 s), corresponding to 3.1 ± 3.7% (range 0.6 – 10.8%) of the gate width (range 1.6 – 3.1 s). Including the RCCT scan, change in time lag increased to 6.5 ± 5.4% (range 0.2 – 16.1%) of the gate width, and in three patients, change in time lag exceeded 10% of the gate width. Conclusion: Time lag between internal and external signal is small compared to the treatment gate width in all patients. Change in time lag within a treatment session, inferred from pre to post‐RT measurements is also small, suggesting that a single measurement at the session start is adequate. NIH/NCI award R01 CA126993 and a research grant from Varian.
The dynamic reorganization of the default-mode network during a visual classification task

The default-mode network has been reported to possess highly versatile and even contrasting functions but the underlying functioning mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we adopt a dynamic view of the default-mode network structure and hypothesize that it could potentially contribute to different functions through dynamic reorganization of its functional interaction pattern within and across network boundaries depending on the ongoing cognitive demands. With four experimental states and functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging, we show that the default-mode network is characterized by within-network desynchronization and outside-network integration during the transition from resting state to an external visual classification task. Such default-mode network dynamics are task demand dependent and return to their original status during the transition back to resting. More importantly, the degree of within-network desynchronization correlates with reaction time while the level of outside-network integration indexes task performing accuracy. Overall, the documented dynamic reorganization of the default-mode network and the significant behavioral correlations provide new insights into our understanding of this complex network and emphasize a dynamic view in future search for its functioning mechanism.
Optimal Design Of High Speed Analog APD Receivers

In order to provide optical to electrical conversion of high speed analog signals, an avalanche photodiode receiver must be optimized for several parameters. Among these parameters are receiver amplifier noise, APD noise, and bandwidth.
Mohs micrographic surgery of a plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor.

Background. Plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor (PFT) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm first described by Enzinger and Zhang in 1988. Clinically it is characterized by slow growth, frequent local recurrences, and rare systemic metastasis. These tumors occur chiefly in children and young adults and are most commonly located on the shoulders and forearms. Objective. To present a case report of an incompletely excised PFT, its complete resection using simple excision and Mohs micrographic surgery, and review of the literature. Methods. An 11-year-old Hispanic girl was evaluated for the treatment of an incompletely excised plexiform fibrohistiocytic neoplasm located in the right axilla. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) was chosen because of the ill-defined borders and the need for tissue conservation. The patient underwent a two-stage, six section, micrographically controlled excision. Upon completion of the MMS a 2 mm final stage, taken as a peripheral and deep section around and underneath the cleared area, was submitted for paraffin embedding. Residual plexiform histiocytic tumor was found at the margin of resection in one location. Reevaluation of the Mohs slides demonstrated the possible presence of tumor at one deep focus. The tumor was reexcised with a 5 mm margin and repeat hematoxylin and eosin staining showed no residual tumor. There has been no evidence of recurrence in 4 years. Results. Complete resection of the PFT and absence of tumor recurrence 4 years later. Conclusion. Over the past few years the list of neoplasms for which MMS is the treatment of choice has steadily grown. PFT is a recently described locally aggressive mesenchymal neoplasm with potential for distant metastasis. To our knowledge this is the first time MMS has been used to resect this tumor. To ensure the chance of complete extirpation we recommend the harvest of an additional stage for hematoxylin and eosin staining, as is done in some aggressive squamous cell carcinomas.
Stimulation of 14C-cyclic AMP accumulation by FSH and LH in testis from mature and immature rats.

The stimulatory effects of FSH and LH upon 14C-cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in “total” testis tissue and isolated seminiferous tubules from weanling, weaned and sexually mature rats were studied. Adenylate cyclase activity was evaluated by measuring 14C-cAMP formed from endogenous ATP pools prelabeled with 14Cadenine, in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. The effects of aminophylline, papaverine or 1-methyl, 3-isobutylxanthine (MIX) on basal and hormone-stimulated 14C-cAMP accumulation were compared. MIX was found to be more effective than aminophylline or papaverine in enhancing FSH- and LH-evoked accumulation of 14C-cAMP. In weanling rats a significant FSH effect was found with all of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors employed. In older rats a conclusive and reproducible FSH effect was detected only with MIX. The FSH-responsive adenylate cyclase appears to be located in the cellfs) of the seminiferous tubules while the LH-responsive adenylate cyclase is in the interstitium. These adenylate ...
Time-dependent kinetics model for a helium discharge plasma

Measurements of electron density and electron temperature at various times during a cathode discharge in helium have been recorded with a Langmuir probe in the UCLA large plasma device. The measured electron temperatures were then used in a time-dependent collisional-radiative model to propagate the electron density as a function of time for plasma conditions corresponding to population densities far from equilibrium. The initial gas density was extracted from pressure measurements and used in the calculations so there were no adjustable parameters in the model. The calculated and measured densities are in good agreement for three different radial positions in the plasma. The results show that the plasma formation becomes dominated by bulk thermal electrons early in the discharge. The detailed model is compared with several simplified models to study the role of metastable levels and excited states in the plasma kinetics. The relative importance of the various atomic processes in the calculation of plasma formation is also discussed.
Transparency and credible commitment: most-favoured-customer provisions and the sustainability of price discrimination

Lump-sum rebates can protect price-discriminators against reselling. Large customers, however, can bargain for a larger rebate. This paper shows how sellers can make a credible commitment to not bargain: a price discriminating formula is published as a Most-Favoured-Customer (MFC) contract: if any MFC gets a rebate greater than specified by formula, so do all. The larger the rebate asked for, or the finer the degree of discrimination, the more groups affected by deviations from this formula. Thus the seller loses more revenue. Incentive and welfare effects are illustrated with global incomes data.
Identification of human TERT elements necessary for telomerase recruitment to telomeres

Human chromosomes terminate in telomeres, repetitive DNA sequences bound by the shelterin complex. Shelterin protects chromosome ends, prevents recognition by the DNA damage machinery, and recruits telomerase. A patch of amino acids, termed the TEL-patch, on the OB-fold domain of the shelterin component TPP1 is essential to recruit telomerase to telomeres. In contrast, the site on telomerase that interacts with the TPP1 OB-fold is not well defined. In this study, we identify separation-of-function mutations in the TEN-domain of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) that disrupt the interaction of telomerase with TPP1 in vivo and in vitro but have very little effect on the catalytic activity of telomerase. Suppression of a TEN-domain mutation with a compensatory charge-swap mutation in the TEL-patch indicates that their association is direct. Our findings define the interaction interface required for telomerase recruitment to telomeres, an important step towards developing modulators of this interaction as therapeutics for human disease.
Callus distraction for humeral nonunion with bone loss and limb shortening caused by chronic osteomyelitis

Nonunion of the humerus with bone loss and shortening due to osteomyelitis is rare but difficult to treat. We describe our experience with a callus distraction technique using a monolateral external fixator for the treatment of this condition. Between October 1994 and January 2004, 11 patients were treated. There were seven males and four females, with a mean age of 14 years (10 to 17). The mean bone loss was 1.9 cm (1 to 2.7) and the mean length discrepancy in the upper limb was 5.6 cm (3.5 to 8.0). The mean follow-up was for 106 months (54 to 166). The mean external fixation index was 34.8 days/cm (29.8 to 40.5). The mean lengthening was 9.5 cm (5.5 to 13.4). There were seven excellent results, three good and one poor. There were nine excellent functional results and two good. The treatment of humeral nonunion with bone loss and shortening due to osteomyelitis by callus distraction is a safe and effective means of improving function and cosmesis.
Establishing the First Mobile Stroke Unit in the United States

Background and Purpose—Recently, the Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) concept was introduced in Germany demonstrating prehospital treatment of more patients within the first hour of symptom onset. However, the details and complexities of establishing such a program in the United States are unknown. We describe the steps involved in setting up the first MSU in the United States. Methods—Implementation included establishing leadership, fund-raising, purchase and build-out, knitting a collaborative consortium of community stakeholders, writing protocols to ensure accountability, radiation safety, purchasing supplies, licensing, insurance, establishing a base station, developing a communication plan with city Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medical Service training, staffing, and designing a research protocol. Results—The MSU was introduced after ≈1 year of preparation. Major obstacles to establishing the MSU were primarily obtaining funding, licensure, documenting radiation safety protocols, and establishing a...
Hierarchical test generation using precomputed tests for modules

A novel test generation technique for large circuits with high fault coverage requirements is described. The technique is particularly appropriate for circuits designed by silicon compilers. Circuit modules and signals are described at a high descriptive level. Test data for modules are described by predefined stimulus/response packages that are processed symbolically using techniques derived from artificial intelligence. The packages contain sequences of stimulus and response vectors which are propagated as units. Since many test vectors are processed simultaneously, a substantial increase in test generation speed can be achieved. A prototype test generator which uses the technique to generate tests for acyclic circuits has been implemented. Preliminary results from this program suggest that for circuits composed of datapath elements, speed improvements of three orders of magnitude over conventional techniques may be possible. >
Optimal groundwater monitoring design using an ant colony optimization paradigm

Abstract Groundwater long-term monitoring (LTM) is required to assess the performance of groundwater remediation and human being health risk at post-closure sites where groundwater contaminants are still present. The large number of sampling locations can make the LTM costly, especially since LTM may be required over several decades. An optimization algorithm based on the ant colony optimization (ACO) paradigm is developed to minimize the overall data loss due to fewer sampling locations for a given number of monitoring wells. The ACO method is inspired by the ability of an ant colony to identify the shortest route between their nest and a food source. The developed ACO-LTM algorithm is applied to a field site with an existing 30-well LTM network. When compared to the results identified through complete enumeration, the ACO-LTM solutions are globally optimal for the cases with 21 to 27 remaining wells. Results from the developed ACO-LTM algorithm provide a proof-of-concept for the application of the general ACO analogy to the groundwater LTM sampling location optimization problem. A major contribution of this work is the successful development of an efficient and effective stochastic search algorithm for solving the LTM optimization problem based on the ACO paradigm.
Carbon fluxes, nitrogen cycling, and soil microbial communities in adjacent urban, native and agricultural ecosystems

Urban ecosystems are expanding globally, and assessing the ecological consequences of urbanization is critical to understanding the biology of local and global change related to land use. We measured carbon (C) fluxes, nitrogen (N) cycling, and soil microbial community structure in a replicated (n=3) field experiment comparing urban lawns to corn, wheat–fallow, and unmanaged shortgrass steppe ecosystems in northern Colorado. The urban and corn sites were irrigated and fertilized. Wheat and shortgrass steppe sites were not fertilized or irrigated. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in urban ecosystems (383±11 C m−2 yr−1) was four to five times greater than wheat or shortgrass steppe but significantly less than corn (537±44 C m−2 yr−1). Soil respiration (2777±273 g C m−2 yr−1) and total belowground C allocation (2602±269 g C m−2 yr−1) in urban ecosystems were both 2.5 to five times greater than any other land-use type. We estimate that for a large (1578 km2) portion of Larimer County, Colorado, urban lawns occupying 6.4% of the land area account for up to 30% of regional ANPP and 24% of regional soil respiration from land-use types that we sampled. The rate of N cycling from urban lawn mower clippings to the soil surface was comparable with the rate of N export in harvested corn (both ∼12–15 g N m−2 yr−1). A one-time measurement of microbial community structure via phospholipid fatty acid analysis suggested that land-use type had a large impact on microbial biomass and a small impact on the relative abundance of broad taxonomic groups of microorganisms. Our data are consistent with several other studies suggesting that urbanization of arid and semiarid ecosystems leads to enhanced C cycling rates that alter regional C budgets.
Attachment in Adult Romantic Relationships: Style of Conflict Resolution and Relationship Satisfaction

This study considers the issue of adult attachment style in relation to conflict resolution and relationship satisfaction. Subjects selected into one of three styles: secure, anxious/ambivalent, or avoidant. Analyses revealed significant differences among the groups on three styles of conflict resolution (compromising, obliging, and integrating) and on relationship satisfaction. The results are interpreted with regard to attachment theory.
Preparation of polyclonal antibody specific for AtPLC4, an Arabidopsis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C in rabbits.

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase Cs (PI-PLCs) are important enzymes in eukaryotes, which catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate into the two second messengers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. The Arabidopsis genome contains nine putative PI-PLC genes. AtPLC4, an abiotic stress induced gene, has been reported to encode an active PI-PLC isoform. However, the exact roles of putative AtPLC4 in plant remain to be elicited. The first 108 amino acid residues of the N-terminal of AtPLC4, referred to as AtPLC4 N, was expressed as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli and used as antigen in generating antibody. Purified recombinant proteins including AtPLC1 to AtPLC5, AtPLC8, AtPLC9 and AtPLC4 N were transferred onto the same blot to test specificity of the prepared antibody. Western blot result shows that only AtPLC4 and AtPLC4 N can be recognized by the antibody. The antibody recognized a protein of approximately 68 kDa in the plasma membrane fraction and cytosolic fractions prepared from Arabidopsis thaliana plants. This corresponds very well with the calculated molecular weight of AtPLC4. The results suggest that AtPLC4 may encode a plasma membrane-associated protein.
FUNCTIONAL VARIABILITY OF HABITATS WITHIN THE SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA: RESTORATION IMPLICATIONS

We have now entered an era of large-scale attempts to restore ecological functions and biological communities in impaired ecosystems. Our knowledge base of complex ecosystems and interrelated functions is limited, so the outcomes of specific restoration actions are highly uncertain. One approach for exploring that uncertainty and anticipating the range of possible restoration outcomes is comparative study of existing habitats similar to future habitats slated for construction. Here we compare two examples of one habitat type targeted for restoration in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. We compare one critical ecological function provided by these shallow tidal habitats—production and distribution of phytoplankton biomass as the food supply to pelagic consumers. We measured spatial and short-term temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass and growth rate and quantified the hydrodynamic and biological processes governing that variability. Results show that the production and distribution of phytopl...
Genome-Wide Transcriptional Profiling in a Histidine Kinase Mutant of Helicobacter pylori Identifies Members of a Regulon

To identify putative members of a regulon controlled by the H. pylori sensory histidine kinase HP0164 (HK0164), we constructed HK0164 null mutant H. pylori strains and analyzed bacterial gene transcription using DNA arrays. Seven genes were differentially expressed in multiple HK0164 mutant strains compared to their expression in control strains. Strain-dependent variations in differential expression were also detected. These results indicate that the signal transduction circuit utilizing HK0164 controls the transcription of at least seven genes in H. pylori.
IQ CONSTANCY IN DISADVANTAGED NEGRO CHILDREN

-A longirudinal followup of 59 disadvantaged Negro children from age 3 to 8 indicated that: (1) their mean Binet IQ was relatively stable, while their Peabody IQ rose appreciably; ( 2 ) the magnitude of the correlation becween earlier and later IQ scores was a function of the interval between testretest and the age of the child on the initial comparison test; (3) ratings on testtaking behavior yielded significant sex differences and age trends; ( 4 ) ratings specific to formal test performance were significantly correlated with IQ scores of tests taken concurrent to the ratings and of tests taken one or more years later; ( 5 ) these ratings did not, however, enhance in multiple regression the correlation which obtained for predictor and criterion IQ scores alone. Findings were discussed in relation to other studies.
Consumption of Bing Sweet Cherries Lowers Circulating Concentrations of Inflammation Markers in Healthy Men and Women

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of consuming sweet cherries on plasma lipids and markers of inflammation in healthy humans. Healthy men and women (n = 18) supplemented their diets with Bing sweet cherries (280 g/d) for 28 d. After a 12-h fast, blood samples were taken before the start of cherry consumption (study d 0 and 7), 14 and 28 d after the start of cherry supplementation (study d 21 and 35), and 28 d after the discontinuation (study d 64) of cherry consumption. After cherries were consumed for 28 d, circulating concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES), and NO decreased by 25 (P < 0.05), 21 (P < 0.05), and 18% (P = 0.07) respectively. After the discontinuation of cherry consumption for 28 d (d 64), concentrations of RANTES continued to decrease (P = 0.001), whereas those of CRP and NO did not differ from either d 7 (pre-cherries) or d 35 (post-cherries). Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and its soluble receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 did not change during the study. Cherry consumption did not affect the plasma concentrations of total-, HDL-, LDL-, and VLDL- cholesterol, triglycerides, subfractions of HDL, LDL, VLDL, and their particle sizes and numbers. It also did not affect fasting blood glucose or insulin concentrations or a number of other chemical and hematological variables. Results of the present study suggest a selective modulatory effect of sweet cherries on CRP, NO, and RANTES. Such anti-inflammatory effects may be beneficial for the management and prevention of inflammatory diseases.
Teleconnection Mechanisms for Tropical Pacific Descent Anomalies during El Niño(.

Abstract Teleconnection mechanisms in relative descent zones are examined using the quasi-equilibrium tropical circulation model (QTCM). The regions of anomalous descent neighboring the warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean during the 1997/98 El Nino are used as an example, and results are verified for three other El Nino warm events (1982, 1987, and 1991). By analyzing the moisture and moist static energy budgets over these regions, it is found that the physical processes responsible for the descent anomalies are different for each region. Anomalous dry advection is the dominant mechanism for the reduced precipitation to the north of the El Nino warm region. On the other hand, the relative descent to the south of the El Nino warm SSTs is caused by reduced surface wind speed and reduced air–sea contrast and resulting weaker than normal evaporation. Budget analysis based on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction P...
MB-07PRIMARY EWING SARCOMA OF THE SCALP WITH APPARENT EPIDURAL EXTENSION: CASE ILLUSTRATION

INTRODUCTION: Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive, rapidly growing, malignant tumor originating from postganglionic parasympathetic neural crest cells, most commonly originating in the pelvis and long bones. We describe a rare case of primary Ewing sarcoma of the scalp, in which imaging was suggestive of intracranial extension not seen on operative exploration. CASE REPORT: An 11 year old boy with a rapidly growing subcutaneous mass on the forehead was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma by needle biopsy. Brain CT and MRI showed an extracranial mass with a smaller corresponding epidural lesion. Metastatic evaluation was negative. The patient was treated with chemotherapy to shrink the lesion, followed by surgical resection of the residual mass. In surgery, only partial-thickness erosion of the extracranial tumor mass through the bone was observed. The involved area of skull with margins was removed as a single bone flap. The inner table of the bone and epidural space appeared grossly normal, and there was no subdural mass on ultrasound. The patient subsequently completed further chemotherapy and radiation, and has remained disease-free. No residual or recurrent abnormal tissue has been seen on surveillance imaging. DISCUSSION: Ewing sarcoma of the scalp is a rarely reported disease entity, relatively less common than primary disease of the skull. Good outcomes have been reported when wide local excision is carried out. The phenomenon of radiographic epidural pseudoextension has not previously been described and does not seem to have adversely affected outcome in this case. CONCLUSIONS: MRI may overestimate extent of disease in cases adjacent to the epidural space. In cases of localized disease, wide local excision combined with chemotherapy and radiation can offer significant progression-free survival.
Warming of the Global Ocean: Spatial Structure and Water-Mass Trends

AbstractThis study investigates the multidecadal warming and interannual-to-decadal heat content changes in the upper ocean (0–700 m), focusing on vertical and horizontal patterns of variability. These results support a nearly monotonic warming over much of the World Ocean, with a shift toward Southern Hemisphere warming during the well-observed past decade. This is based on objectively analyzed gridded observational datasets and on a modeled state estimate. Besides the surface warming, a warming climate also has a subsurface effect manifesting as a strong deepening of the midthermocline isopycnals, which can be diagnosed directly from hydrographic data. This deepening appears to be a result of heat entering via subduction and spreading laterally from the high-latitude ventilation regions of subtropical mode waters. The basin-average multidecadal warming mainly expands the subtropical mode water volume, with weak changes in the temperature–salinity (θ–S) relationship (known as “spice” variability). Howeve...
Water Splitting on Composite Plasmonic-Metal/Semiconductor Photoelectrodes: Evidence for Selective Plasmon-Induced Formation of Charge Carriers near the Semiconductor Surface

A critical factor limiting the rates of photocatalytic reactions, including water splitting, on oxide semiconductors is the high rate of charge-carrier recombination. In this contribution, we demonstrate that this issue can be alleviated significantly by combining a semiconductor photocatalyst with tailored plasmonic-metal nanostructures. Plasmonic nanostructures support the formation of resonant surface plasmons in response to a photon flux, localizing electromagnetic energy close to their surfaces. We present evidence that the interaction of localized electric fields with the neighboring semiconductor allows for the selective formation of electron/hole (e−/h+) pairs in the near-surface region of the semiconductor. The advantage of the formation of e−/h+ pairs near the semiconductor surface is that these charge carriers are readily separated from each other and easily migrate to the surface, where they can perform photocatalytic transformations.
Effect of hypertonic and hypotonic infusions on aldosterone in conscious sodium-depleted dogs

1. The role of the plasma sodium concentration in the regulation of aldosterone secretion and sodium excretion was investigated by comparing in 13 conscious sodium-depleted dogs the effects of the same sodium load (2.5 mmol/kg) given as either a hypertonic or hypotonic infusion. 2. The plasma sodium concentration was significantly higher and the plasma aldosterone concentration and urinary aldosterone excretion were significantly lower after the hypertonic infusion as compared with the hypotonic infusion. 3. The cumulative urinary sodium excretion during the 22 h after beginning the infusion was significantly greater after the hypertonic infusion, but this difference was not observed in five sodium-depleted dogs who were treated with deoxycorticosterone acetate before the infusions were given. 4. These data suggest that elevations in plasma sodium concentration are effective in decreasing aldosterone secretion and, hence, in increasing sodium excretion in conscious sodium-depleted dogs.
The surgical management of acute injury to the thoracic aorta.

Early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment is necessary in the treatment of subjects with acute injury to the thoracic aorta. In this report we shall describe our experience with 28 patients who had blunt and penetrating trauma to the thoracic aorta. Most of these patients had severe associated injuries as well. Although in some cases thoracotomy was necessary in the emergency room, a number of patients were able to be transferred to the operating room for definitive repair. We found the availability of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortography to be vital in the treatment of these subjects. The over-all mortality rate for this series was 32 per cent. In these patients, the severity of associated injuries and the time interval to operation are determining factors for survival.
Juvenile "chronic granulocytic" leukemia: a panmyelopathy with prominent monocytic involvement and circulating monocyte colony-forming cells.

Peripheral blood (PB) from two children with so-called juvenile-type (Ph1 chromosome negative) "chronic granulocytic" leukemia (CGL) was found to contain cells capable of forming large numbers of exclusively monocytic colonies in vitro. These results are markedly different from those reported for classic adult-type (Ph1 chromosome positive) CGL where predominantly granulocytic colonies are produced in vitro from PB. Spontaneously dividing PB and bone marrow (BM) cells from one patient contained a translocation between chromosome 3 and a C-group chromosome; phytohemagglutinin-stimulated PB cells from this patient had normal chromosome morphology, however. Since the translocation was present in 141 of 142 karyotypes from the BM at a time when it contained many dividing erythroid and myeloid cells, the pathologic process is not exclusively confined to the monocyte line, but involves all hematopoietic cells. So-called juvenile CGL is neither a chronic nor a granulocytic leukemia; it is a panmyelopathy with monocyte predominance and should thus be classified as a variant of myelomonocytic leukemia.
Avoiding Monotone Chains in Fillings of Layer Polyominoes

In this paper we give simple bijective proofs that the number of fillings of layer polyominoes with no northeast chains is the same as the number with no southeast chains. We consider 01-fillings and \({{\mathbb{N}}}\)-fillings and prove the results for both strong chains where the smallest rectangle containing the chain is also in the polyomino, and for regular chains where only the corners of the smallest rectangle containing the chain are required to be in the polyomino.
The Creation of the Workplace Social Courage Scale (WSCS): An Investigation of Internal Consistency, Psychometric Properties, Validity, and Utility

The current article reviews extant knowledge on courage and identifies a dimension of courage relevant to modern organizations, social courage, which is an (a) intentional, (b) deliberate, and (c) altruistic behavior that (d) may damage the actor’s esteem in the eyes of others. Through a multiple-study process, quantitative inferences are derived about social courage, and the Workplace Social Courage Scale (WSCS) is created. Four studies using seven samples analyze the WSCS’s psychometric properties, internal consistency, method effects, discriminant validity, convergent validity, concurrent validity, and utility. Many of these are investigated or replicated in largely working adult samples. Each aspect of the WSCS approaches or meets specified guidelines. Also, social courage is significantly related to organizational citizenship behaviors, and the construct may relate to many other important workplace outcomes. The current study is among the first to quantitatively demonstrate the existence of courage as a construct, and the discovered relationships are the first statistical inferences about social courage. Future research and practice can now apply the WSCS to better understand the impact of social courage within the workplace. Despite many attempts, no author has created a satisfactory measure of courage, and the current article presents the first successful measure through focusing on a particular courage dimension—social courage. Future research should take interest in the created measure, the WSCS, as its application can derive future inferences about courage and social courage.
Frequency Modulation (FM)

In Frequency Modulation (FM), the frequency of the carrier changes in accordance with the input analog signal, while the amplitude of the carrier remains the same. The modulated carrier contains several spectral components, requiring frequency domain analysis. The key concept and the underlying principle of FM and FM bandwidth dilemma are presented with numerous illustrations to make them easier for readers to grasp.
Diamond — A quantum engineer's best friend

Diamond possesses remarkable physical and chemical properties, and in many ways is the ultimate engineering material. For example, it is transparent from the ultra-violet to infrared, has a high refractive index (n = 2.4), strong optical nonlinearity (Kerr and Raman) and a wide variety of light-emitting defects. These properties make diamond a highly desirable material for many applications, including those in quantum and nonlinear photonics, high power optics and optomechanics.
Low-cost transparent graphene electrodes made by ultrasonic substrate vibration-assisted spray coating (SVASC) for thin film devices

In an attempt to replace expensive and rigid transparent conductive oxides, used as electrodes in thin film devices, in this study, transparent graphene electrodes (TGEs) are fabricated by conventional spray coating and ultrasonic substrate vibration-assisted spray coating. Systematic characterizations of the TGEs and indium tin oxide (ITO) demonstrate comparable and even better surface and morphological characteristics, film coverage, surface potential distribution and suitable work function of the spray-on TGEs compared to those of the reference ITO electrode. A lower transmittance, electrical conductivity and charge quenching potential are observed in the TGEs compared to those of the reference ITO, which may be further improved by process optimization. As a proof of concept, the TGE was incorporated into a perovskite solar cell, where power conversion efficiency of 3.54% was achieved, which is promising given that the developed graphene electrode was fabricated using scalable and low-cost spray coating.
Femtosecond laser rejuvenation of nanocrystalline metals

Abstract Nanocrystalline metals are distinct from traditional engineering materials due to their high concentration of grain boundaries and corresponding structural disorder at grain boundaries. The effect of local disorder in nanocrystalline materials manifests in ways reminiscent of fully amorphous materials, such as mesoscale shear localization and pressure-dependent yielding, owing to the high concentration of grain boundaries and their predominance in governing plasticity. Relaxation processes in nanocrystalline materials that facilitate reconfigurations of grain boundaries and lower their energy, such as low temperature annealing, have been shown to enhance mechanical strength. However, processes that raise the energy of a nanocrystalline metal have not been observed, limiting the tunability of properties and the prospect for suppressing shear localization. Here, we use femtosecond laser processing as a unique non-equilibrium process that can generate complex stress states due to ultrafast electronic excitation and subsequent relaxation events. Experiments on nanocrystalline Al-O and Cu-Zr alloys indicate that sub-ablation femtosecond laser pulses cause up to an 87% reduction in hardness with no change in grain size, which can be ascribed to grain boundary-mediated processes. Parallels between our results and rejuvenation processes in glassy systems will be discussed in the context of controlling metastable structural configurations through novel processing routes.