cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Investigations into the retro-Diels-Alder Reaction. Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

The manifestations of the retro-Diels Alder reaction in the ground-state structures of a range of cyclopentadiene and cyclohexadiene cycloadducts 9−15 have been investigated by a combination of techniques. These include low-temperature X-ray crystallography, density functional calculations (B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)) on both the ground states and transition states, and the measurement of 13C−13C coupling constants. We have found that the carbon−carbon bonds (labeled bonds a and b), which break in the rDA, are longer in the cycloadducts 9−15 than in their corresponding saturated analogues 9s−15s, which cannot undergo the rDA reaction. The degree of carbon−carbon bond lengthening appears to be related to the reactivity of the cycloadduct, thus the more reactive benzoquinone cycloadducts 5b and 13 have longer carbon−carbon bonds. Those cycloadducts 14 and 15 which are predicted to undergo asynchronous reactions show differing degrees of carbon−carbon bond lengthening, reflecting the differing degrees of bond breaking...
Control and coordination of reproduction and molting in the spiny lobster Panulirus argus

Behavioral and physiological correlates of vernal reproduction and molting were investigated experimentally in laboratory-held spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus Latreille) from Florida to determine their control by photoperiod and temperature. Behavioral measures included courtship, copulation and aggression; physiological measures included the timing and frequency of ecdysis, spermatophore emplacement, oviposition, egg hatching, and setal (pleopod) and gonadal development. Behavior resembled that observed in nature, as evidenced in the expression of complete reproductive cycles. Long daylengths and warmer temperatures enhanced courtship, spawning frequencies, and female gonadal development, although gonadal recrudescence occurred in large females irrespective of photoperiod. A significant interaction effect between photoperiod and temperature indicated a need to examine joint, non-independent factor effects upon reproductive parameters. Photoperiod and temperature did not significantly influence aggression and male gonadal development. Photoperiod did not affect molting rates significantly. However, warm temperatures enhanced molting and growth such that sub-adult and young adult lobsters (both sexes) had highest molting rates, followed by large adult males, which in turn had higher rates than reproductively active females. Female setal development correlated positively with female size, and changed abruptly at ecdysis. Although setal lengths were highly variable, setae of 9 mm or more signified sexual maturity. Reproduction and molting were size-dependent: the largest adults mated or spawned, the smallest molted, and intermediate-sized ones either mated, or molted before mating. Spiny-lobster reproductive and molting patterns were influenced by photoperiod and temperature in a complex manner depending upon sex, season, size and developmental state.
The effects of various b-site modifications on the dielectric and electrostrictive properties of lead magnesium niobate ceramics

Abstract Sintering characteristics, dielectric properties, and electrostrictive Q12 coefficients are reported for fourteen dopant cations incorporated in the perovskite A(B', B′′)O3 structure of lead magnesium niobate [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]. Two trends in the dielectric properties were found: the maximum permittivity appears to be directly proportional to the transition temperature, and secondly, the percent change in capacitance at 20 kV/cm is proportionally larger for the higher permittivity samples. Two methods to estimate the frequency dependence of the diffuseness of the phase transition showed good correlation with each other, but revealed no general trend with ionic size or valence of the modifier cations. Electrostrictive Q12 coefficients were found to generally decrease with increasing diffuseness of the phase transitions.
Natural Occupancy Rates in Hotels

s 103 NATURAL OCCUPANCY RATES IN HOTELS Jan A. deRoos ABSTRACT Calculation of natural occupancy rates can assist market analysts in assessing the relationship between supply and demand in a market. In turn, this could help determine whether the market could absorb more supply in the short term and the long term. This paper outlines the procedure for estimating natural occupancy rates within the lodging industry.
First-Order Reliability Analysis of Public Health Risk Assessment

This paper demonstrates a new methodology for probabilistic public health risk assessment using the first-order reliability method. The method provides the probability that incremental lifetime cancer risk exceeds a threshold level, and the probabilistic sensitivity quantifying the relative impact of considering the uncertainty of each random variable on the exceedance probability. The approach is applied to a case study given by Thompson et al.(l) on cancer risk caused by ingestion of benzene-contaminated soil, and the results are compared to that of the Monte Carlo method. Parametric sensitivity analyses are conducted to assess the sensitivity of the probabilistic event with respect to the distribution parameters of the basic random variables, such as the mean and standard deviation. The technique is a novel approach to probabilistic risk assessment, and can be used in situations when Monte Carlo analysis is computationally expensive, such as when the simulated risk is at the tail of the risk probability distribution.
Bmi-1-Green Fluorescent Protein-Knock-In Mice Reveal the Dynamic Regulation of Bmi-1 Expression in Normal and Leukemic Hematopoietic Cells

The ability to self-renew is essential for all kinds of stem cells regardless of tissue type. One of the best candidate genes involved in conferring self-renewal capacity is Bmi-1, which has been proven to be essential for the maintenance of both normal adult hematopoietic and leukemia stem cells, as well as adult neural stem cells. To investigate the possible role of Bmi-1 in other cell types that also self-renew, we generated Bmi-1-green fluorescent protein (GFP)-knock-in mice, in which GFP was expressed under the endogenous transcriptional regulatory elements of the Bmi-1 gene. Using these targeted reporter mice, we demonstrated that Bmi-1 is expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) at its highest levels and downregulated upon commitment to differentiation. An in vivo reconstitution assay revealed that the frequency of HSCs was 1/16 in Bmi-1high c-kit+ lin -Sca-1+ bone marrow (BM) cells and 1/49 in Bmi-1 high lin- BM cells, suggesting that Bmi-1 may serve as a marker for normal HSCs. In murine leukemia models induced by P210BCR/ABL or TEL/PDGFbetaR + AML1/ETO, Bmi-1 was not overexpressed in leukemic HSCs, despite the increase in the HSC numbers. Bmi-1 was expressed at its highest levels in undifferentiated leukemia cells. Furthermore, in several other nonhematopoietic tissues, cells could be separated into distinct subpopulations with differential Bmi-1 expression. Thus, these mice allow for the isolation of viable Bmi-1-expressing cells and have the potential to become a useful tool for understanding the role of Bmi-1 in normal and cancer stem cells in multiple tissue types. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Intracolonial genetic diversity in honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) colonies increases pollen foraging efficiency

Multiple mating by honeybee queens results in colonies of genotypically diverse workers. Recent studies have demonstrated that increased genetic diversity within a honeybee colony increases the variation in the frequency of tasks performed by workers. We show that genotypically diverse colonies, each composed of 20 subfamilies, collect more pollen than do genotypically similar colonies, each composed of a single subfamily. However, genotypically similar colonies collect greater varieties of pollen than do genotypically diverse colonies. Further, the composition of collected pollen types is less similar among genotypically similar colonies than among genotypically diverse colonies. The response threshold model predicts that genotypic subsets of workers vary in their response to task stimuli. Consistent with this model, our findings suggest that genotypically diverse colonies likely send out fewer numbers of foragers that independently search for pollen sources (scouts) in response to protein demand by the colony, resulting in a lower variety of collected pollen types. The cooperative foraging strategy of honeybees involves a limited number of scouts monitoring the environment that then guide the majority of foragers to high quality food sources. The genetic composition of the colony appears to play an important role in the efficiency of this behavior.
Internal migration in Turkey: socioeconomic characteristics by destination and type of move, 1965-70.

Based on examination of internal migration in Turkey during the 1965-70 period the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of migrants and the variation in these properties by type of move undertaken (first repeat and return migration) and by choice of destination are described. The volume rates and differentials of migration are discussed in this context. A very rapid rural-urban migration occurred in the 1950-70 period; urban population increased from 18.8 to 35.8% of the total. The emphasis on industrialization the mechanization and relatively slower growth of agricultural production the scarcity of new lands to cultivate and the construction of a large road network connecting cities with their hinterland and rural communities contributed to this increased movement. The 1970 Turkish census questionnaire included a question on "place of usual residence 5 years ago" for the 1st time. Along with information on place of birth and usual residence in 1970 the census provides information on place of residence at 3 points in time. The study is based on a 1/1000 sample selected from the household records of the 1970 Population Census of Turkey. Discussion is restricted to the migration of the adult population; the migration of children (up to age 15) which is viewed as involuntary is excluded. The working file contains 20602 cases. Variables analyzed include age sex education labor force status occupation and place of residence in 1970. The migration-defining variables are province of birth and usual residence in 1965 and 1970. Census data indicated that 9.2% of the population 15 years of age and older changed their place of residence during the 1965-70 period moving to another province. An additional 4% moved to another place within the same province. There were strong indications of stage migration if movements both within and between provinces are considered. All urban places showed population grew through intraprovincial migration. Only large metropolitan cities have grown through interprovincial migration. Migrants from rural areas 1st move to towns and cities within the same province and then make a 2nd move to other mostly larger urban areas and metropolitan cities. The majority of the interprovincial migrants (60%) were interurban movers and only 1/5 were rural to urban migrants. +a large group of repeat migrants who moved primarily between urban places were relatively older better educated and skilled and more likely to be employed in white-collar occupations than their counterparts. Although interprovincial migration was dominated by young and single males there was considerable variation in migrant properties according to the type of move made and the place of destination. Socioeconomic characteristics of the 2 basic migration types are included.
Reorganization energies of TEMPO/TEMPO+ in water

Abstract 4-Amino-TEMPO is attached to a self-assembled monolayers of HS(CH 2 ) 10 COOH on gold electrodes and the kinetics of the TEMPO /TEMPO + redox couple are measured over a wide range of scan rates in 1 M H 2 SO 4 . Analysis of the rate constants yields the standard rate constant (1.2 s −1 ) and the reorganization energies for TEMPO (1.5 eV) and TEMPO + (1.3 eV). These values are the first experimental measurements of reorganization energies of TEMPO in aqueous solution.
Synthesis of optically active polynucleotide analogs with polytrimethylenimine backbones and thymine moieties

Polynucleotide analogs with polytrimethylenimine backbones and optically active 2-(thymin-1-yl)propionic acids as pendants were prepared. Linear polytrimethylenimines were obtained by ring-opening polymerization of 2-phenyl-5,6-dyhydro-4H-1,3-oxazine and subsequent hydrolysis of the resulting polymers. 2-(Thymin-1-yl)propionic acids were reacted with N-hydroxy succinimide to form active esters. Optical purities of active esters were determined by NMR with chiral chemical shift reagents. The polynucloetide analogs and related monomer and dimer model compounds were prepared by grafting reactions using active esters.
A fracture mechanics and mechanistic approach to the failure of cortical bone

The fracture of bone is a health concern of increasing significance as the population ages. It is therefore of importance to understand the mechanics and mechanisms of how bone fails, both from a perspective of outright (catastrophic) fracture and from delayed/time-dependent (subcritical) cracking. To address this need, there have been many in vitro studies to date that have attempted to evaluate the relevant fracture and fatigue properties of human cortical bone; despite these efforts, however, a complete understanding of the mechanistic aspects of bone failure, which spans macroscopic to nanoscale dimensions, is still lacking. This paper seeks to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of the fracture and fatigue of cortical bone, and to address these issues, whenever possible, in the context of the hierarchical structure of bone. One objective is thus to provide a mechanistic interpretation of how cortical bone fails. A second objective is to develop a framework by which fracture and fatigue results in bone can be presented. While most studies on bone fracture have relied on linear-elastic fracture mechanics to determine a single-value fracture toughness (e.g., K c or G c ), more recently, it has become apparent that, as with many composites or toughened ceramics, the toughness of bone is best described in terms of a resistance-curve (R-curve), where the toughness is evaluated with increasing crack extension. Through the use of the R-curve, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting its toughness are separately addressed, where 'intrinsic' refers to the damage processes that are associated with crack growth ahead of the tip, and 'extrinsic' refers to the shielding mechanisms that primarily act in the crack wake. Furthermore, fatigue failure in bone is presented from both a classical fatigue life (S/N) and fatigue-crack propagation (da/dN) perspective, the latter providing for an easier interpretation of fatigue micromechanisms. Finally, factors, such as age, species, orientation, and location, are discussed in terms of their effect on fracture and fatigue behaviour and the associated mechanisms of bone failure.
Enrichment, resolution, and identification of nickel porphyrins in petroleum asphaltene by cyclograph separation and atmospheric pressure photoionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

We report here the first high resolution mass spectrometric evidence of nickel porphyrins in petroleum. A petroleum asphaltene sample is fractionated by a silica-gel cyclograph. Nickel content is enriched by ∼3 fold in one of the cyclograph fractions. The fraction is subsequently analyzed by atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) with an average mass resolving power of over 500 K (M/ΔMfwhm). Similar to vanadyl porphyrins, monocylcoalkano-type (presumed to be deocophylerythro-etioporphyrin DPEP) Ni porphyrins are found to be the most abundant family followed by etio, bicycloalkano-type, and rhodo-monocylcoalkano-type Ni porphyrins. A Z number ranging from −28 to −44 and a carbon number ranging from 26 to 41 were observed. A significant amount of nickel and vanadyl geoporphyrins are in more condensed tetrapyrrolic cores than just chlorophyll-derived DPEP- and etioporphyrins. Ni has a higher etio/DPEP ratio and rhodo-etio/rhodo-DPEP ...
Psychological depth is the internalization of dialogical breadth: Modal clitics and mental states in Q’eqchi’-Maya

Abstract This essay provides a detailed account of the morphosyntax, semantics, and pragmatics of modal clitics in Q’eqchi’-Maya. It builds on previous arguments that status, or epistemic modality, is a shifter that marks the speaker’s commitment to a narrated event relative to the speech event; and that commitment should be understood as a kind of participant role. It details the complicated types of commitment events that are encoded and implicated in various contexts. It shows the ways in which multiple commitment events—inhabited by the speaker, addressee, and actor—combine in various contexts to serve complex functions, ranging from satiatives and dubitives to bluffatives and suprisitives. And it shows the ways in which these complicated, overlapping commitment events may be understood in terms of intentional states—from desire and worry to belief and hope. In this way, it grounds the ‘possible worlds’ of logicians and the ‘intentional worlds’ of psychologists in terms of participant roles; and it thereby reinterprets logical and psychological presumptions in terms of social and semiotic practices. In short, it shows the ways in which we are merely minding language when we talk about mind. Finally, while focused on the forms and functions of Q’eqchi’-Maya, it provides an analytic typology that may be used to analyze other languages (and other minds).
Subject-specific functional parcellation via prior based eigenanatomy.

Abstract We present a new framework for prior-constrained sparse decomposition of matrices derived from the neuroimaging data and apply this method to functional network analysis of a clinically relevant population. Matrix decomposition methods are powerful dimensionality reduction tools that have found widespread use in neuroimaging. However, the unconstrained nature of these totally data-driven techniques makes it difficult to interpret the results in a domain where network-specific hypotheses may exist. We propose a novel approach, Prior Based Eigenanatomy (p-Eigen), which seeks to identify a data-driven matrix decomposition but at the same time constrains the individual components by spatial anatomical priors (probabilistic ROIs). We formulate our novel solution in terms of prior-constrained l1 penalized (sparse) principal component analysis. p-Eigen starts with a common functional parcellation for all the subjects and refines it with subject-specific information. This enables modeling of the inter-subject variability in the functional parcel boundaries and allows us to construct subject-specific networks with reduced sensitivity to ROI placement. We show that while still maintaining correspondence across subjects, p-Eigen extracts biologically-relevant and patient-specific functional parcels that facilitate hypothesis-driven network analysis. We construct default mode network (DMN) connectivity graphs using p-Eigen refined ROIs and use them in a classification paradigm. Our results show that the functional connectivity graphs derived from p-Eigen significantly aid classification of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as well as the prediction of scores in a Delayed Recall memory task when compared to graph metrics derived from 1) standard registration-based seed ROI definitions, 2) totally data-driven ROIs, 3) a model based on standard demographics plus hippocampal volume as covariates, and 4) Ward Clustering based data-driven ROIs. In summary, p-Eigen incarnates a new class of prior-constrained dimensionality reduction tools that may improve our understanding of the relationship between MCI and functional connectivity.
A nonlinear partial least squares algorithm using quadratic fuzzy inference system

We introduce a new nonlinear partial least squares algorithm ‘Quadratic Fuzzy PLS (QFPLS)’ that combines the outer linear Partial Least Squares (PLS) framework and the Takagi–Sugeno–Kang (TSK) fuzzy inference system. The inner relation between the input and the output PLS score vectors is modeled by a quadratic TSK fuzzy inference system. The performance of the proposed QFPLS method is tested and compared against four other well-known partial least squares methods (Linear PLS (LPLS), Quadratic PLS (QPLS), Linear Fuzzy PLS (LFPLS), and Neural Network PLS (NNPLS)) on various different types of randomly generated test data. QFPLS outperformed competitors based on two comparison measures: the output variables cumulative per cent variance captured by the PLS latent variables and the root mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phagotrophy of fluorescently labeled bacteria by an oceanic phytoplankter

Using fluorescently-labeled bacteria and detection by flow cytometry and epifluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate inducible mixotrophy in a marine photosynthetic flagellate, Ochromonas sp. (class Chrysophyceae). Phagotrophic uptake of bacteria increases under conditions of low or limiting light and nutrients, but deceases in periods of prolonged darkness; sustained phagotrophy may require light. In addition, this alga appears to discriminate between and preferentially ingest different types of bacteria. Although this clone is primarily photosynthetic, phagotrophy contributes to its nutrition, especially when light or nutrients limit photosynthesis.
Raman difference spectroscopy in measurements of molecules and molecular groups inside proteins

In order to obtain the Raman spectra of small molecules inside proteins (or other large macromolecules) and/or small molecular groups of a protein, techniques were developed to perform sensitive Raman difference spectroscopy. The macromolecule–small molecule complex Raman spectrum is taken in addition to the Raman spectrum of the macromolecule, and the two are computer subtracted. For studies on proteins, it is necessary to use optical multichannel detectors, as spectrometers employing photomultiplier detectors are too slow optically to collect signals from dilute samples. The apparatus is described and characterized in detail. A subtraction fidelity of 0.1% can be achieved for samples, such as proteins, which contain broad bands in their Raman spectra. Hence it is possible to obtain fairly good Raman spectra of very small molecular groups inside proteins. An example from recent work is presented.
Engineering and scale-up considerations for microwave induced reactions

Researchers in the area of microwave induced reactions have used many types of hardware, from modified kitchen microwave ovens to commercial generators with waveguide applicators. While in many instances the engineering performance of the hardware is not important in laboratory scale, there are also performance-sensitive experiments. When an experiment becomes successful enough to make one think of scale-ups, then microwave engineering considerations become critical. In this paper figures of merit of microwave systems and applicator configurations are discussed. Prospects for scale-up of microwave chemical reactions are considered by citing recent development in the commercial microwave industry, as well as off-the-shelf equipment. Various large scale applicator configurations are also compared for their possible suitability for inducing reactions.
Assessment of parameter settings for SPM5 spatial normalization of structural MRI data: Application to type 2 diabetes

Spatial normalization is the process of standardizing images of different subjects into the same anatomical space. The goal of this work was to assess standard and unified methods in SPM5 for the normalization of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data acquired in mid-life/elderly subjects with diabetes. In this work, we examined the impact of different parameters (i.e. nonlinear frequency cutoff, nonlinear regularization and nonlinear iterations) on the normalization, in terms of the residual variability. Total entropy was used to assess the residual anatomical variability after spatial normalization in a sample of 14 healthy mid-life/elderly control subjects and 24 mid-life/elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes. Spatial normalization was performed using default settings and by varying a single parameter or a combination of parameters. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used to examine differences in total entropy. Statistical parametric mapping analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of parameter settings on the spatial normalization. Total entropy results and SPM analyses suggest that the best parameters for the spatial normalization of mid-life/elderly image data to the MNI template, when applying the standard approach, correspond to the default cutoff (25 mm), heavy regularization, and the default number of nonlinear iterations (16). On the other hand, when applying the unified approach, the default parameters were the best for spatial normalization of mid-life/elderly image data to the MNI priors. These findings are relevant for studies of structural brain alterations that may occur in normal aging, chronic medical conditions, neuropsychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for high-risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A high incidence of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) has limited the use of allogeneic transplantation for poor prognosis non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We sought to improve the outcome of allografting by utilizing Filgrastim-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in combination with either standard ablative or reduced-intensity conditioning. A total of 21 patients with intermediate/high-grade lymphoma and seven patients with low-grade histology were enrolled on protocols using PBSC. All patients were considered high risk for recurrence and/or NRM because of age >50 (n=16), refractory disease (n=17), failed autologous transplant (n=11) and abnormal organ function (n=2). In all, 17 patients received ablative regimens and 11 received modified conditioning including fludarabine, intravenous busulfan and ATG. Tacrolimus and mini-dose methotrexate were used for graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Median follow-up was 38 months. Disease-free and overall survival were 57 and 58%. Seven of the 11 patients who relapsed after a previous transplant remain disease free. Four of the 10 patients with recurrent/persistent disease post transplant responded to additional therapy including withdrawal of immunosuppression±DLI. These results support a potent graft-versus-lymphoma effect and suggest that patients who relapse after an autologous transplant can be salvaged with an allogeneic transplant.
Ser médico. Misión del médico

Juramento (Hokos) "No dare a nadie, aunque me lo pida, ningun farmaco letal, ni hare semejante sugerencia. Igualmente tampoco proporcionare a mujer alguna pesario abortivo. En pureza y santidad mantendre mi vida y mi arte. A cualquier casa que entrare acudire para asistencia del enfermo, fuera de todo agravio intencionado o corrupcion, en especial de practicas sexuales con las personas, ya sean hombres o mujeres, esclavos o libres"...
Geographic distribution of genetic variation among native and introduced populations of Chinese tallow tree, Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae)

 Premise of the study: Invasive plants often display genetically determined variation in patterns of growth and resource allocation between native and introduced genotypes, as well as among genotypes within different regions of the introduced range. We examined patterns of genetic variation within and among native and introduced populations of the tetraploid Chinese tallow tree ( Triadica sebifera , Euphorbiaceae) to determine whether nonselective evolutionary processes or the introduction history could contribute to previously observed phenotypic differences between native and introduced populations as well as among introduced populations.  Methods: We used six microsatellite markers to study 12 native populations in China, 51 introduced populations in the southeastern USA, and one introduced population in Australia.  Key results: Genetic diversity was greater within and among native populations than introduced populations. Within the southeastern USA, populations in Georgia and South Carolina differed substantially in their genetic composition and had greater genetic diversity than the rest of the southeastern USA. Greater genetic similarity between some populations in the native range and introduced range indicate a common provenance for Georgia and South Carolina populations that could have come from any of several western or southern Chinese populations and a different provenance for other southeastern USA populations and the Australian population, which were most similar to more northeastern Chinese populations.  Conclusions: Differences among introduced populations in potentially adaptive traits (e.g., herbivore tolerance, herbivore resistance, growth rates) may result in part from the introduction history, in particular from differences present among source populations in the native range.
Variation in carbohydrate source-sink relations of forest and treeline white spruce in southern, interior and northern Alaska

Two opposing hypotheses have been presented to explain reduced tree growth at the treeline, compared with growth in lower elevation or lower latitude forests: the carbon source and sink limitation hypotheses. The former states that treeline trees have an unfavorable carbon balance and cannot support growth of the magnitude observed at lower elevations or latitudes, while the latter argues that treeline trees have an adequate carbon supply, but that cold temperatures directly limit growth. In this study, we examined the relative importance of source and sink limitation in forest and treeline white spruce (Picea glauca) in three mountain ranges from southern to northern Alaska. We related seasonal changes in needle nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content with branch extension growth, an approach we argue is more powerful than using needle NSC concentration. Branch extension growth in the southernmost Chugach Mountains was much greater than in the White Mountains and the Brooks Range. Trees in the Chugach Mountains showed a greater seasonal decline in needle NSC content than trees in the other mountain ranges, and the seasonal change in NSC was correlated with site-level branch growth across mountain ranges. There was no evidence of a consistent difference in branch growth between the forest and treeline sites, which differ in elevation by approximately 100 m. Our results point to a continuum between source and sink limitation of growth, with high-elevation trees in northern and interior Alaska showing greater evidence of sink limitation, and those in southern Alaska showing greater potential for source limitation.
Acute and long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stent implantations in aorto-ostial, left anterior descending artery-ostial, and nonostial lesions.

Background This study was designed to evaluate the acute and long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantations in aorto-ostial, left anterior descending artery (LAD)-ostial and nonostial lesions. Method From the CAPTAIN (cardiovascular atherosclerosis and percutaneous transluminal interventions) registry, a total of 61 patients with 61 aorto-ostial, 173 patients with 173 LAD-ostial, and 1,954 patients with 2,391 nonostial lesions were treated with DES implantations. Results Compared to patients with LAD-ostial and nonostial lesions, those with aorto-ostial lesions had a larger late loss (0.43 ± 0.66, 0.42 ± 0.63, and 0.95 ± 0.93 mm, respectively, P = 0.001), higher loss index (0.18 ± 0.28, 0.18 ± 0.26, and 0.39 ± 0.38, respectively, P = 0.001), and restenosis rate (7%, 6%, and 25%, respectively, P < 0.001) at a 6–9 months angiographic follow-up. During the long-term follow-up period of 34 ± 26 months, the aorto-ostial group had a higher rate of target vessel failure (21.7% vs. 12.3% vs. 10.9%, respectively, P = 0.030) and a lower cardiovascular event-free survival rate, as determined by the Kaplan-Meier analysis, than the other two groups (P = 0.002). Conclusions In spite of treatment with DES implantation, aorto-ostial stenosis is still associated with higher restenosis and lower cardiovascular event-free survival rates than LAD-ostial and nonostial lesions during a long-term follow-up; however, LAD-ostial stenoses are not associated with a higher risk than nonostial lesions.© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preserving privacy in location-based mobile social applications

Location-based social applications (LBSAs) rely on the location coordinates of the users to provide services. Today, smartphones using these applications act as simple clients and send out user locations to untrusted third-party servers. These servers have the application logic to provide the service, and in the process collect large amounts of user location information over time. This design, however, is shown to be susceptible to large-scale user privacy compromises even if several location cloaking techniques are employed. In this position paper, we argue that the LBSAs should adapt an approach where the untrusted third-party servers are treated simply as encrypted data stores, and the application functionality be moved to the client devices. The location coordinates are encrypted, when shared, and can be decrypted only by the users that the data is intended for. This approach significantly improves user location privacy. We argue that this approach not only improves privacy, but it is also flexible enough to support a wide variety of location-based applications used today. In this paper, we identify the key building blocks necessary to construct the applications in this approach, give examples of using the building blocks by constructing several applications, and outline the privacy properties provided by this approach. We believe our approach provides a practical alternative design for LBSAs that is deployable today.
Dietary supplement adverse events: report of a one-year poison center surveillance project.

Background The safety and efficacy of dietary supplements is of growing concern to regulators, health-care providers and consumers. Few scientific data exist on clinical effects and potential toxicities of marketed products. Harmful supplements may not be identified for months or years with existing adverse event monitoring mechanisms. Retrospective review of poison center statistics to capture supplement-associated toxicity also has limitations.
A β-arrestin 2 Signaling Complex Mediates Lithium Action on Behavior

Besides their role in desensitization, beta-arrestin 1 and 2 promote the formation of signaling complexes allowing G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) to signal independently from G proteins. Here we show that lithium, a pharmacological agent used for the management of psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression, regulates Akt/glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) signaling and related behaviors in mice by disrupting a signaling complex composed of Akt, beta-arrestin 2, and protein phosphatase 2A. When administered to beta-arrestin 2 knockout mice, lithium fails to affect Akt/GSK3 signaling and induce behavioral changes associated with GSK3 inhibition as it does in normal animals. These results point toward a pharmacological approach to modulating GPCR function that affects the formation of beta-arrestin-mediated signaling complexes.
The journal review column

The journal review column is established to provide readers of SIGACT News with up-to-date information on journals and journal-like publications which carry articles of potential interest to theoretical computer scientists. It will include research, survey, review and "popular" publications, theory journals and applied journals, general journals and specialized journals, with the common thread being that they are receptive to theoretical computer science. The term "theoretical computer science" will be interpreted broadly.It is the intent of the column to inform, not to rank or in any way pass judgement on the quality of journals or the articles published therein. Journals to be reviewed include, but are not necessarily restricted to the list appearing in the first column (SIGACT News, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 27--28, 1989). Suggestions from readers of the column are welcome.
Phenylalanine fluorescence studies of calcium binding to N-domain fragments of Paramecium calmodulin mutants show increased calcium affinity correlates with increased disorder

Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous, essential calcium-binding protein that regulates diverse protein targets in response to physiological calcium fluctuations. Most high-resolution structures of CaM-target complexes indicate that the two homologous domains of CaM are equivalent partners in target recognition. However, mutations between calcium-binding sites I and II in the N-domain of Paramecium calmodulin (PCaM) selectively affect calcium-dependent sodium currents. To understand these domain-specific effects, N-domain fragments (PCaM1–75) of six of these mutants were examined to determine whether energetics of calcium binding to sites I and II or conformational properties had been perturbed. These PCaM(1–75) sequences naturally contain 5 Phe residues but no Tyr or Trp; calcium binding was monitored by observing the reduction in intrinsic phenylalanine fluorescence at 280 nm. To assess mutation-induced conformational changes, thermal denaturation of the apo PCaM(1–75) sequences, and calcium-dependent changes in Stokes radii were determined. The free energy of calcium binding to each mutant was within 1 kcal/mole of the value for wild type and calcium reduced the Rs of all of them. A striking trend was observed whereby mutants showing an increase in calcium affinity and Rs had a concomitant decrease in thermal stability (by as much as 18°C). Thus, mutations between the binding sites that increased disorder and reduced tertiary constraints in the apo state promoted calcium coordination. This finding underscores the complexity of the linkage between calcium binding and conformational change and the difficulty in predicting mutational effects.
Influence of Cuticular Waxes on Penetration of Pear Leaf Cuticle by 1-Naphthaleneacetic Acid

Removal of waxes from the upper pear leaf cuticle by chloroform extraction greatly increased sorption of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) into the cuticle. Penetration of NAA through isolated upper pear leaf cuticle was likewise increased following wax removal by chloroform extraction. Plating pear leaf wax back onto dewaxed cuticle surfaces reduced sorption and penetration. The significance of cuticular, especially epicuticular, waxes in determining leaf wettability has been extensively studied.'-6 The role of these waxes in determining cuticular permeability to foliar applied chemicals is much less well understood. This is probably due to the difficulty of interpreting data from traditional intact leaf methods of studying foliar penetration. Disruption, and especially removal, of these waxes usually results in death of the leaf. Techniques employing isolated cuticle offer several advantages over those using living plants.' This is especially true for studies attempting to evaluate the role of cuticular waxes in regulating cuticle permeability. This paper reports the dramatic effect of cuticular waxes on penetration of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) through isolated pear (Pyrus communis L. cv. Bartlett) leaf cuticle.
The Tongues of Seismology in Nineteenth-Century Switzerland

Between 1878 and 1880, Switzerland, Italy, and Japan initiated the world's first national earthquake commissions, but only the Swiss made ordinary citizens a vital part of this undertaking. This paper examines the texture of communication between Swiss scientists and lay observers and traces the development of a language for seismology that was simultaneously scientific and vernacular. This is the story of an aborted dialogue between scientists and citizens about living with environmental risk, an alternative abandoned on the way to the increasingly technical science of the twentieth century.
Pain in the Act: The Meanings of Pain among Professional Wrestlers

This paper draws upon the relational turn in the study of pain to understand and explain the ways in which professional wrestlers manage and make sense of physical suffering. The paper focuses on how pain-laden interactions in the ring and the gym give form to the ways in which participants of wrestling think and feel about pain. The research is based on a long-term ethnography of professional wrestling. The article does two things: (a) explores the bodily skills that wrestlers cultivate to handle a context of ever-present pain, and (b) explains what the wrestlers’ interactions tell us about the meanings of pain that wrestlers come to share. Based on the reconstruction of participants’ lived experience of pro wrestling, I suggest that pain becomes attractive to wrestlers because it is given substantive meaning which encompasses denial, authenticity, solidarity, and dominance.
Simulated reduction in Atlantic hurricane frequency under twenty-first-century warming conditions

Using projected boundary conditions for the end of the twenty-first century, the frequency of Atlantic tropical cyclones and hurricanes in a regional climate model of the Atlantic basin is reduced compared with observed boundary conditions at the end of the twentieth century. This is inconsistent with the idea that higher levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases will result in increased Atlantic hurricane activity. Increasing sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and measures of Atlantic hurricane activity have been reported to be strongly correlated since at least 1950 (refs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), raising concerns that future greenhouse-gas-induced warming6 could lead to pronounced increases in hurricane activity. Models that explicitly simulate hurricanes are needed to study the influence of warming ocean temperatures on Atlantic hurricane activity, complementing empirical approaches. Our regional climate model of the Atlantic basin reproduces the observed rise in hurricane counts between 1980 and 2006, along with much of the interannual variability, when forced with observed sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions7. Here we assess, in our model system7, the changes in large-scale climate that are projected to occur by the end of the twenty-first century by an ensemble of global climate models8, and find that Atlantic hurricane and tropical storm frequencies are reduced. At the same time, near-storm rainfall rates increase substantially. Our results do not support the notion of large increasing trends in either tropical storm or hurricane frequency driven by increases in atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations.
Tectonic Implications of Geosat-GM Geoid in the Southern Oceans, 30°S – 72°S

Based on the U. S. Navy’s Geosat Geodetic Mission (GM) altimetric measurements, we present here together with other data of geologic interest separate images* of the total oceanic geoid, an intermediate wavelength (150–4000 km) geoid, and a short wavelength (20–150 km) geoid for the southern ocean. The intermediate wavelength residual geoid was obtained by subtracting both long-wavelength model components (cosine-tapered harmonic coefficients between degrees 2 and 15) and geoid effects due to thermal cooling of lithosphere with time (plate model) from the total GM geoid. The resulting residual geoid generally exhibits relative lows over the mid-ocean ridge axes and relative highs over the older ocean basins, which may be due to either that long wavelength components were removed twice or that a wrong geoid-age relationship has been used. Yet the map of residual geoid shows a significant asymmetry in the S. Atlantic Ocean, and prominent intermediate wavelength (ca 1500–2000 km) circular lows over mid-ocean ridge axes near 50°S, 115°E; 33°S, 130°W; 65°S, 170°W, which may imply downwelling convection cells there. The high-pass GM geoid is presented as black and white residuals superposed on crustal age. This combined image is particularly well suited to depict the plate tectonic character and evolution of the crust below the southern oceans. We exploit the correlation of seafloor topography with gravity in the 20–150 km wavelength band and convert the high-pass GM geoid into topographic values which are then added to the well-known low-pass filtered long wavelength bathymetry. Since sediment thicknesses were not accounted for, some of the predicted features could be of sub-seafloor origin. We delineate plate boundaries, fracture zone traces, and seamounts/volcanoes based on the geoid data and present these features superposed on a current crustal-age map together with earthquake epicenters. Fracture zone (FZ) traces delineated from the altimetric GM geoid and published crustal age maps are in reasonable agreement throughout the study area, although they are drawn from two independent sources. In areas of disagreement we have adjusted FZ locations for consistency with the geoid data.
SYNTHESIS OF 3-DEUTERIOCYCLOPENTANONE AND CYCLOPENTANONE-18O,

Abstract : 3-Deuteriocyclopentanone and cyclopentanone-18O were prepared by pyrolysis of 3-deuterioadipic acid and adipic acid-18O4. The synthesis of the labelled adipic acids is described. (Author)
Long noncoding RNAs in T lymphocytes

Long noncoding RNAs are recently discovered regulatory RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but influence a vast array of biologic processes. In vertebrates, the number of long noncoding RNA genes is thought to greatly exceed the number of protein-coding genes. It is also thought that long noncoding RNAs drive the biologic complexity observed in vertebrates compared with that in invertebrates. Evidence of this complexity has been found in the T-lymphocyte compartment of the adaptive immune system. In the present review, we describe our current level of understanding of the expression of specific long or large intergenic or intervening long noncoding RNAs during T-lymphocyte development in the thymus and differentiation in the periphery and highlight the mechanisms of action that specific long noncoding RNAs employ to regulate T-lymphocyte function, both in vitro and in vivo.
Effect of boron doping on nanostructure and magnetism of rapidly quenched Zr2Co11-based alloys.

The role of B on the microstructure and magnetism of Zr16Co82.5-xMo1.5Bx ribbons prepared by arc melting and melt spinning is investigated. Microstructure analysis show that the ribbons consist of a hard-magnetic rhombohedral Zr2Co11 phase and a minor amount of soft-magnetic Co. We show that the addition of B increases the amount of hard-magnetic phase, reduces the amount of soft-magnetic Co and coarsens the grain size from about 35 nm to 110 nm. There is a monotonic increase in the volume of the rhombohedral Zr2Co11 unit cell with increasing B concentration. This is consistent with a previous theoretical prediction that B may occupy a special type of large interstitial sites, called interruption sites. The optimum magnetic properties, obtained for x = 1, are a saturation magnetization of 7.8 kG, a coercivity of 5.4 kOe, and a maximum energy product of 4.1 MGOe.
Modelling the vasculature of the stem of Cyperus involucratus Rottb.: evidence for three patterns of vascular bundles.

Three independent patterns of vein formation in Cyperus involucratus Rottb. were identified based on rare spontaneous interruptions of scape vein development. A number of developmental anomalies of vascular bundles in Cyperus involucratus Rottb. were identified and they include “turnabout”, “absent”, “twins”, “doublet”, amphivasal and various stages of “arrested”. These were used to develop a computer program to explain the three vasculature patterns of the scape of (a) ordered deployment of vascular bundles, (b) arrangement of tissues within vascular bundles and (c) orientation of vascular bundles with respect to stem edge. The computer model is a cell-by-cell determination of cell types and facet states.