cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Judging Numbers: Global and Local Contextual Effects in Individual and Group Data

This study examined the generality of the result that linear or logarithmic functions best describe the relationship between numerical stimuli and people’s judgments about those stimuli. In Experiment 1, one group of participants was told that 2 was a perfect example of category x and 6 was a perfect example of category y; another group was told the same about 6 and 18. The participants then rated how well logarithmically spaced numbers matched the category x number. Exponential and logarithmic functions best fit the data of individual participants who did the “2 vs. 6” task; power functions did the same in the “6 vs. 18” task. When participants’ data were averaged, a logarithmic function was the best fit for the ratings produced by the “2 vs. 6” task; power and exponential functions were the best fits for the ratings produced by the “6 vs. 18” task. In Experiment 2, two groups of participants were given similar rules about two numbers (2 vs. 4 or 4 vs. 6) and then rated how well linearly spaced numbers matched the category x number. For both tasks, most individuals’ ratings best fit a linear function. When the data were averaged, though, a logarithmic function was the best fit for the ratings produced by both tasks. The results highlight the importance of presenting individuals’ data and suggest that global and local numerical contexts influence people’s judgments about the numbers. Stimulus generalization may be a mechanism by which the local influence occurs.
Effects of bicycle passing distance law on drivers’ behavior

Abstract This paper identifies the effect of passing distance laws on drivers’ perceptions and behaviors when passing bicycles. Using an instrumented bicycle, the study measured bicycle passing in a 25-h naturalistic field experiment using video recording and an ultrasonic distance-measuring device. In order to evaluate the effect of passing distance laws, the study examined jurisdictions with a three-foot passing law, a five-foot passing law, and no passing law. The experiment required a bicyclist to ride the instrumented bicycle in two-lane and three-lane roads to capture the distance between the bicycle and the overtaking motor vehicle. An Ordered Probit model was adopted to describe the relationship between a discrete dependent variable (i.e., passing distance) and independent variables. The results demonstrated that drivers’ overtaking distances were significantly greater in locations with the five-foot passing law than in other areas. The study also found that roads with paved shoulders, wider travel lanes, and a greater number of lanes contributed to greater passing distances. In contrast, we found that the passing distance was shorter on roads with shared lane markings (i.e., sharrows) or a higher share of heat vehicles. Moreover, a survey was conducted in locations with different passing laws and ordinances to determine drivers’ awareness and the effect of such policies on drivers’ behavior. The study illustrates that almost 70% of drivers in areas with a passing law were unaware of any existing laws requiring drivers to maintain a distance from bicyclists. These results can be useful to transportation engineers, policymakers, and legislators who intend to provide efficient designs for road infrastructure to better accommodate bicycles.
Feasibility Analysis of Conditional DAG Tasks is co-NPNP-Hard

Feasibility-analysis algorithms have traditionally been required to have running times no worse than pseudo-polynomial in their inputs, in order to be considered efficient. But this is changing: motivated by a vast improvement in the performance of Integer Linear Programming (ILP) solvers, some recent work has begun to consider the limited use of ILP solvers as acceptably efficient for the purposes of feasibility analysis. In this paper, a characterization is proposed for the class of feasibility-analysis problems that can be solved efficiently under this more expansive interpretation of efficiency. This characterization is applied to the conditional directed acyclic graph (DAG) workload model, and a demarcation is identified between the feasibility-analysis problems on DAGs that are efficiently solvable using ILP solvers and those that are not.
A potential role for restricted intertactical heritability in preventing intralocus conflict

Intralocus sexual conflict, which arises when the same trait has different fitness optima in males and females, reduces population growth rates. Recently, evolutionary biologists have recognized that intralocus conflict can occur between morphs or reproductive tactics within a sex and that intralocus tactical conflict might constrain tactical dimorphism and population growth rates just as intralocus sexual conflict constrains sexual dimorphism and population growth rates. However, research has only recently focused on sexual and tactical intralocus conflict simultaneously, and there is no formal theory connecting the two. We present a graphical model of how tactical and sexual conflict over the same trait could constrain both sexual and tactical dimorphisms. We then use Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), an important species currently protected under the Endangered Species Act, to investigate the possibility of simultaneous sexual and tactical conflict. Larger Coho males gain access to females through fighting while smaller males are favored through sneaking tactics, and female reproductive success is positively correlated with length. We tested for antagonistic selection on length at maturity among sexes and tactics and then used parent-offspring regression to calculate sex- and tactic-specific heritabilities to determine whether and where intralocus conflict exists. Selection on length varied in intensity and form among tactics and years. Length was heritable between dams and daughters (h2 ± 95% CI = 0.361 ± 0.252) and between fighter males and their fighter sons (0.867 ± 0.312), but no other heritabilities differed significantly from zero. The lack of intertactical heritabilities in this system, combined with similar selection on length among tactics, suggests the absence of intralocus conflict between sexes and among tactics, allowing for the evolution of sexual and tactical dimorphisms. Our results suggest that Coho salmon populations are unlikely to be constrained by intralocus conflict or artificial selection on male tactic.
IMPACT OF MISMATCHED CELL CHARACTERISTICS ON LEAD-ACID BATTERY CHARGING

Over the operational life of a battery, the voltage characteristics of its individual cells become mismatched due to differences in self-discharge rates, individual charge efficiency, active material retention, etc. As these cell differences increase, excessive overcharging, operating temperatures, and/or electrolyte consumption result. In a series of tests performed on 6-volt, lead-acid modules, the degree of cell mismatch and the response of the modules to various charge methods were examined. The results show that after about 150 deep-discharge cycles, each module contained at least one cell whose full-charge voltage level was reduced. Prior to any decline in module capacity, cell voltage differences of more than 0.4 V were measured during charge. It was also observed that the application of a fixed battery voltage for charge control eventually caused excessive overcharging, elevated temperatures, and/or an extreme overvoltage condition on individual cells. This paper describes the test procedures employed, presents the test data, discusses the results obtained and solutions being investigated.
Developing commercial human space-flight regulations

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with various types of guidelines that can help in quality development of commercial human space flight regulations. The commercial human space flight industry is a developing one as several business houses are developing launch vehicles for carrying crew and space flight participants. A well-documented framework guiding commercial human space flight is currently in accordance with the issuance of human space flight rule by the Federal Aviation Administration. Some of the key features of this rule are enactment of legislation, formation of Federal Aviation Administration human space flight team, establishment of sub-orbital definitions, and licensing of sub-orbital reusable launch vehicle missions with a pilot on board. This chapter also encompasses effective reciprocation of the comments received during the development of the rule so that the future issues relating to the anticipated problematic areas in the domain of the commercial human space flight can be addressed with utmost remedial solutions possible.
Electrophysiological Analysis of the Echolocation System of Bats

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the emission and control of acoustic signals, the directional sensitivity of the echolocation system, and the processing of acoustic signals by bats. Anatomical studies of the larynx of bats revealed disproportionate development of laryngeal muscles, the cricothyroid muscle (CTM) in particular. The CTM, which is innervated by a branch of the vagus nerve, that is, the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN), regulates the tension of the vocal membranes during the exhalation of a bat to produce the intense ultrasonic signals. In an experiment described in the chapter, in the CF–FM bat—such as, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum—unilateral denervation of the SLN reduced the CF frequency by 4–6 kHz, but bilateral denervation reduced it by as much as 30 kHz and introduced several strong harmonics into its orientation sounds. The neural connection between the CTM and middle ear muscles (MEM) is through a branch of the sensory nerve in the SLN, but sensory nerves of the MEM do not make contact with the CTM. The amount of attenuation of incoming acoustic stimulation by the MEM reflex varied with stimulus frequency and intensity. The threshold of single-unit activity generally varied as a function of the location of a sound source. The latency of single units is known to be affected by a change in stimulus intensity. The auditory cortex of a CF–FM bat is specialized for the fine analysis of the predominant CF component of the orientation signals. Each orthogonal electrode penetration of the cortex was characterized by binaural interaction in which all the units encountered were either EE units, EI units, or varied with depth of electrode penetration.
From typed process calculi to source-based security

The source-based security problem is to build tools to check security properties of the actual source code of a system, as opposed to some abstract model. Static analysis of C for buffer overruns is one approach. Another is to introduce security types as a programming language feature so that the typechecker proves security properties; for example, languages like Jif and Flow Caml can check noninterference properties of application-level code. Independently, security types have arisen in the setting of process calculi, for checking secrecy and authentication properties of abstract models of low-level cryptographic protocols, for instance. My talk argues that recent developments in security types for process calculi can lead to better source-based security by typing. One development [2] removes a significant limitation of previous type systems and checks security in spite of the partial compromise of a dynamically-growing population of principals. Another [1] generalizes a type system for authentication to check authorization properties, by augmenting the typechecker with Datalog inference relative to a declarative authorization policy. Both developments rely on the idea of enriching process calculi with inert processes to represent both logical facts arising at runtime and also expected security invariants.
Disagreement between emergency physician and inpatient physician diagnosis of infection in older adults admitted from the emergency department.

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19:908–915 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives: Older adults with infection are at increased risk of misdiagnosis while they are patients in the emergency department (ED) due to the common presence of nonspecific signs and symptoms. The primary objective was to determine the proportion of admitted older adult patients thought by the emergency physician (EP) to be infected, as compared with the diagnostic impression of inpatient physicians. The secondary objective was to determine the agreement between EP and inpatient physician diagnosis of specific infection types. Methods: The authors conducted a prospective, observational, convenience sampling of a cohort of ED patients ≥65 years old admitted to the hospital with diagnoses of acute infection. EPs noted at least one suspected source of infection. Inpatient diagnosis of infection was determined by chart review of the inpatient chart. Outcomes included the presence of any infection and of specific infectious sources diagnosed within 48 hours of admission. EP and inpatient diagnoses were compared using proportions, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR−), and the phi coefficient. Results: The study included 103 patients diagnosed with a suspected infection by the EP. Nineteen patients (18.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.5% to 27.3%) were not diagnosed with any infection by the inpatient physician. For specific infection sources, ED diagnosis of bloodstream infection often did not agree with the inpatient diagnosis. Sensitivity was 40.0% and specificity 78.4% with an LR+ of 1.85 and LR− of 0.76. The phi coefficient was 0.15. EPs overdiagnosed pulmonary infection, with 72.1% specificity and an LR+ of 3.24. EP diagnosis had good accuracy for skin and soft tissue infection (sensitivity = 78.6% and specificity = 96.6%), with adequate LRs (LR+ of 23.3 and LR− of 0.22). Urinary tract infection (UTI) was underdiagnosed in the ED (sensitivity = 58.3%), but it is unclear if this is due to true ED underdiagnosis or due to overdiagnosis of UTI in the inpatient setting. Conclusions: In older patients admitted from the ED, the provisional ED diagnosis and the inpatient diagnosis of an acute infection often disagree. In this sample, 18% of older ED patients diagnosed with infection during an ED stay were not diagnosed as infected by the inpatient physician. Regarding infection types, EPs were poor at diagnosing bacteremia and overdiagnosed pulmonary infections. EP diagnosis of skin and soft tissue infection generally agreed with the inpatient physician. There was also disagreement regarding presence of UTI, but the true nature of this difference is unclear from the data obtained in this study.
The GT-225-An Engine for Passenger-Car Gas-Turbine Research

The intensive search for an alternative low-emission powerplant for passenger cars has led to a re-evaluation of the gas turbine for this type of service. The GT-225 engine was designed as a research tool. Vehicle tests of the engine fitted with a low-emission combustor demonstrated the following emissions: 0.11 g/km (0.18 g/mile) HC; 1.2 g/km (2.0 g/mile) CO; and 0.23 g/km (0.38 g/mile) NOx. In addition, fuel economy competitive with that of conventional passenger cars at turnpike speeds, substantially improved throttle response in comparison with earlier heavy-duty turbine engines and engine braking equal to that provided by the typical powertrain in today's cars were demonstrated. /GMRL/
Reading the worm genome.

The genome sequencing of complex organisms has reaped a wealth of information about genes. The next step is to find out what the proteins encoded by these genes do and how they interact with each other. In a Perspective, [Stuart Kim,][1] discusses the application of yeast two-hybrid technology to working out the complex interactions between the many proteins of the worm C. elegans ([ Walhout et al. ][2]). This new work is a first step in the creation of a global protein interaction map for the nematode. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/287/5450/52 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/287/5450/116
Estrogen sulfotransferase(est/sult1e1) promotes human adipogenesis (LB606)

The estrogen sulfotransferase (EST/SULT1E1) is known to catalyze the sulfoconjugation and deactivation of estrogens. The goal of this study is to determine whether and how EST plays a role in human...
A rare find - cells that improve bone marrow transplantation.

A rare population of bone marrow-derived ‘facilitating cells’ promote hematopoietic stem cell engraftment without causing graft-versus-host disease, but little is known about the identity of these cells. A new facilitating cell surface marker will make them easier to study and may lead to improvements in bone marrow and solid organ transplantation ( 904–909 ).
When People Die: Cause of Death versus Time of Death

A sample of 4,920 disease-related deaths from New York City for 1979 (8.7 percent of all relevant data from New York City's files) showed a 60 percent rise in death rate beginning at 2 a.m. and reaching a peak at 8 a.m. A smaller peak was also noted at 6 p.m. The rise in human mortality beginning at 2 a.m. and peaking at 8 a.m. might be explained by: (1) artifact of deaths occurring anytime during the night that are discovered after daybreak, (2) effect of less efficient health care between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m., and (3) disease processes that somehow increase risk of death between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. An attempt was made to differentiate among these possibilities by comparing time of death for various subsamples. The bimodal pattern appeared only in the temporal distribution of deaths of persons over 65 years of age; deaths of persons under 65 did not show significant temporal concentration. There were also prominent differences in the distribution of deaths for different reported causes of death. Ischemic heart disease, which numerically accounted for over 50 percent of the sample, showed peak mortality at 8 a.m. for both males and females. Hypertensive disease showed a significant peak in mortality at 1 a.m. for females only. Cerebrovascular disease peaked significantly at 6 a.m. with a significant peak only for males. The age and disease specificity of the 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. rise in death is consistent with a disease-related explanation for the bimodal circadian pattern in mortality. The quality and efficiency of health care could be improved with more precise information on peak periods of risk for specific morbid conditions.
Identification of a Cytosolically Directed NADH Dehydrogenase in Mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The reoxidation of NADH generated in reactions within the mitochondrial matrix of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is catalyzed by an NADH dehydrogenase designated Ndi1p (C. A. M. Marres, S. de Vries, and L. A. Grivell, Eur. J. Biochem. 195:857-862, 1991). Gene disruption analysis was used to examine possible metabolic functions of two proteins encoded by open reading frames having significant primary sequence similarity to Ndi1p. Disruption of the gene designated NDH1 results in a threefold reduction in total mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase activity in cells cultivated with glucose and in a fourfold reduction in the respiration of isolated mitochondria with NADH as the substrate. Thus, Ndh1p appears to be a mitochondrial dehydrogenase capable of using exogenous NADH. Disruption of a closely related gene designated NDH2 has no effect on these properties. Growth phenotype analyses suggest that the external NADH dehydrogenase activity of Ndh1p is important for optimum cellular growth with a number of nonfermentable carbon sources, including ethanol. Codisruption of NDH1 and genes encoding malate dehydrogenases essentially eliminates growth on nonfermentable carbon sources, suggesting that the external mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase and the malate-aspartate shuttle may both contribute to reoxidation of cytosolic NADH under these growth conditions.
Difference methods for transonic flows about airfoils

Solutions to the problem of steady transonic flow of an inviscid perfect gas past plane lifting airfoils are computed using a time dependent formulation. The steady solution to the system of hyperbolic partial differential equations is obtained as the asymptotic limit of flow for large times. A coordinate system, which makes use of a conformal map of the interior of the unit circle onto the exterior of the airfoil, is used. The conservation laws are expressed in terms of polar coordinates on the interior of the unit disc and are solved using a second order accurate method. To extend the numerical solution to the boundary of the unit disc the method of characteristics is used.
Measuring social integration among residents in a dementia special care unit versus traditional nursing home: A pilot study:

The physical and mental health of older adults with dementia is affected by levels of social integration. The development of dementia special care units (D-SCU) arose, in part, to facilitate more m...
A phase I trial of immunostimulatory CpG 7909 oligodeoxynucleotide and 90yttrium ibritumomab tiuxetan radioimmunotherapy for relapsed B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) for relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma produces overall response rates (ORR) of 80% with mostly partial remissions. Synthetic CpG oligonucleotides change the phenotype of malignant B-cells, are immunostimulatory, and can produce responses when injected intratumorally and combined with conventional radiation. In this phase I trial, we tested systemic administration of both CpG and RIT. Eligible patients had biopsy-proven previously treated CD20+ B-cell NHL and met criteria for RIT. Patients received rituximab 250 mg/m(2) days 1,8, and 15; (111) In-ibritumomab tiuxetan days 1, 8; CpG 7909 days 6, 13, 20, 27; and 0.4 mCi/kg of (90) Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan day 15. The doses of CpG 7909 tested were 0.08, 0.16, 0.32 (six patients each) and 0.48 mg/kg (12 patients) IV over 2 hr without dose limiting toxicity. The ORR was 93% (28/30) with 63% (19/30) complete remission (CR); median progression free survival of 42.7 months (95% CI 18-NR); and median duration of response (DR) of 35 months (4.6-76+). Correlative studies demonstrated a decrease in IL10 and TNFα, and an increase in IL1β, in response to therapy. CpG 7909 at a dose of 0.48 mg/kg is safe with standard RIT and produces a high CR rate and long DR; these results warrant confirmation.
Subsoil ridge tillage and lime effects on soil microbial activity, soil pH, erosion, and wheat and pea yield in the Pacific Northwest, USA

Abstract Soil erosion and the gradual acidification of soils are two major obstacles limiting crop productivity in the Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho. New tillage practices that replace the traditional moldboard plow are needed to maintain more surface cover to reduce erosion. Two tillage systems and lime were compared at two locations on silt loam soils. Treatment combinations were two levels of tillage (subsoil ridge till (SSRT) and plowing) and two levels of lime (0 and 2.68 Mg ha −1 ). Crop rotations were barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.)–pea ( Pisum sativum L.)–wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) at both sites in the US that receive 500–560 mm precipitation annually. Tillage and lime options were implemented after barley stubble and studied for 2 years. Microbial biomass, respiration, and dehydrogenase enzyme activity were enhanced at the Washington site under SSRT because of the initially higher residue levels and because residues were maintained at or near the soil surface compared to plowing. Liming increased soil pH and respiration and maintained microbial biomass at about 100 ug C g −1 higher than for the unlimed plots at the end of 2 years. Soil moisture increased under SSRT at some profile depths. Pea seed yield at the Washington site and wheat yield at the Idaho site were significantly higher for SSRT compared to plowing. Lime significantly increased wheat yield only at the Washington site. Significantly higher surface residue was maintained during the study period from SSRT compared to plowing which contributed to lower rates of soil erosion in winter wheat 30 months after plot establishment. At the Washington site, surface residue levels were 20% in spring of 1992 for SSRT compared to less than 1% for plowing. One year later, soil erosion under winter wheat in spring of 1993 was 1.3 Mg ha −1 for SSRT compared to 8.4 Mg ha −1 for plowing. In general, the higher surface residue maintained under SSRT increased microbial activity, maintained higher surface residue, and reduced erosion in winter wheat, the vulnerable phase in the crop rotation for erosion.
Demystifying the Chameleonic Nature of Chinese Leadership

This article provides a survey of the scholarly literature on Chinese culture and leadership. Chinese culture has mainly been conceptualized as Confucianism, collectivism, and communist ideology in the literature. The influences and implications of each of the three value systems have been examined in the context of leadership practices. Future directions in this area of research have been discussed.
Consideration of Kaolinite Interference Correction for Quartz Measurements in Coal Mine Dust

Kaolinite interferes with the infrared analysis of quartz. Improper correction can cause over- or underestimation of silica concentration. The standard sampling method for quartz in coal mine dust is size selective, and, since infrared spectrometry is sensitive to particle size, it is intuitively better to use the same size fractions for quantification of quartz and kaolinite. Standard infrared spectrometric methods for quartz measurement in coal mine dust correct interference from the kaolinite, but they do not specify a particle size for the material used for correction. This study compares calibration curves using as-received and respirable size fractions of nine different examples of kaolinite in the different correction methods from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) 7603 and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) P-7. Four kaolinites showed significant differences between calibration curves with as-received and respirable size frac...
Moral Judgment, Historical Reality, and Civil Disobedience

Critique de deux aspects de la theorie de la desobeissance civique: celui qui implique le jugement moral des theoriciens, celui qui concerne le jugement moral des theoriciens sur ceux qui s'engagent a desobeir. Rejetant a la fois l'idee d'obligation politique, fondee sur l'obligation morale d'obeir a la loi, et la signification historique de la resistance comprise comme reconnaissance de la raisonnable justice de la loi, l'A. montre que certains theoriciens adoptent un jugement insoutenable sur la societe americaine et une fausse conception de la resistance politique, a travers l'analyse de trois resistants paradigmatiques et des injustices qu'ils denoncent: Thoreau contre le commerce esclavagiste americain, Gandhi contre la loi coloniale anglaise et Martin Luther King contre le racisme du systeme Jim Crow
Selection under assortative mating in mice.

1. Approximately 25000 mice have been produced over twelve generations of selection in nine lines. The experimental design involved a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of direction of selection with mating system. The primary character measured was 6-week body weight.2. Consistently high phenotypic correlations between mates have been achieved, positive in the assortative lines, negative in the disassortative lines. Correlations were low and inconsistent in direction in the random-bred lines. These correlations have had very little, if any, effect in redistributing the genetic variance as estimated from the variance component analysis; the expected higher variances in the assortative lines and expected lower variances in the disassortative lines have not appeared, thus leaving heritability unaffected.3. Selection differentials likewise show no consistent advantage for the assortative lines, so that the progress from selection has been virtually identical in all three mating systems in each direction.4. Assortment of mates, either positively or negatively, for characters of even moderate heritability appears to have little influence on the outcome of selection. On the other hand, selection has been singularly effective in modifying the mean 6-week weight, with progress markedly greater in the downward direction; indeed it appears that the lower limit, may already have been approximately attained.5. Environmental effects operating in the various generations have affected all lines in remarkably consistent fashion.
Enhancing School Connectedness: Teachers' Perceived Confidence in Positively Connecting Students to School.

The present study examined teachers' perceived confidence in using strategies to positively connect students to school. A total of 419 teachers in Ohio elementary and middle schools were surveyed (60% response rate). Results indicated that teachers felt slightly confident to confident in their abilities to positively connect students to school. Teachers in elementary (grades 1–3) and rural schools felt significantly more confident than those in middle (grades 4–6) and urban schools in their abilities to use school connectedness strategies. Those who felt positively connected to their students felt significantly more likely than their counterparts to use school connectedness strategies. Teachers reporting high use of school connectedness strategies felt significantly more confident than teachers who reported low use of strategies to connect students to school. These findings should be considered when developing school connectedness training programs for teachers.
Hedgehog signaling: From basic research to clinical applications

Studies of the major signaling pathways have revealed a connection between development, regeneration, and cancer, highlighting common signaling networks in these processes. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway plays a central role in the development of most tissues and organs in mammals. Hh signaling is also required for tissue homeostasis and regeneration in adults, while perturbed Hh signaling is associated with human cancers. A fundamental understanding of Hh signaling will not only enhance our knowledge of how the embryos are patterned but also provide tools to treat diseases related to aberrant Hh signaling. Studies have yielded a basic framework of Hh signaling, which establishes the foundation for addressing unresolved issues of Hh signaling. A detailed characterization of the biochemical interactions between Hh components will help explain the production of graded Hh responses required for tissue patterning. Additional cell biological and genetic studies will offer new insight into the role of Hh signaling in homeostasis and regeneration. Finally, drugs that are capable of manipulating the Hh pathway can be used to treat human diseases caused by disrupted Hh signaling. These investigations will serve as a paradigm for studying signal transduction/integration in homeostasis and disease, and for translating discovery from bench to bedside.
Frequency modulation coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (FM-CARS) microscopy based on spectral focusing of chirped laser pulses

We demonstrate a new CARS microscopy method based on fast switching of effective vibrational excitation frequency from chirped femtosecond laser pulses. Broadband pump and Stokes pulses excite a single vibrational mode with a high spectral resolution when the two pulses are identically chirped and their pulse durations are approaching the dephasing time of the excited vibrational state. This "spectral focusing" mechanism is applied to CARS microscopy with a single broadband Ti:Sapphire laser. The vibrational excitation frequency is controlled simply by the time delay between the pump and Stokes pulses and fast switching of the excitation frequency (~100 kHz) is achieved with a Pockels cell and polarization optics. Lock-in detection of the difference between the two CARS signals at nearby vibrational frequencies not only eliminates the non-resonant background but also generates a spectral line shape similar to the spontaneous Raman scattering. We demonstrate both micro-spectroscopy and vibrational imaging with various samples.
The risk of asthma exacerbation after stopping low-dose inhaled corticosteroids: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background Current asthma guidelines suggest that patients and their providers consider decreasing or stopping controller medications when asthma is stable. Objective We sought to estimate the risk of asthma exacerbation in patients who stop low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) compared with those who continue ICSs in randomized controlled trials. Methods We identified relevant trials from a systematic review of English-language and non–English-language articles using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (inception to January 21, 2012). Articles were screened at the abstract and full-text level by 2 independent reviewers. We included randomized controlled trials with a stable asthma run-in period of 4 weeks or more, an intervention to stop or continue ICSs, and a follow-up period of at least 3 months. We pooled results using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results The search strategy identified 1798 potential articles, of which 172 were reviewed at the full-text level and 7 met the criteria for inclusion. The relative risk for an asthma exacerbation in patients who stopped ICSs compared with those who continued use was 2.35 (95% CI, 1.88-2.92; P 2 = 0%), as determined by using data pooled from trials with a mean follow-up of 27 weeks. The pooled absolute risk difference for an asthma exacerbation was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.16-0.30; P 2 = 44%). Patients who discontinued ICSs also had a decreased FEV 1 of 130 mL (95% CI, 40-210 mL; P = .003; I 2 = 53%), a decreased mean morning peak expiratory flow of 18 L/min (95% CI, 6-29 L/min; P = .004; I 2 = 82%), and an increased mean standardized asthma symptom score of 0.43 SDs (95% CI, 0.28-0.58 SDs; P 2 = 0%). Conclusion Patients with well-controlled asthma who stop regular use of low-dose ICSs have an increased risk of an asthma exacerbation compared with those who continue ICSs.
Intragastric color photography in the diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Intragastric color photography has been performed routinely for approximately ten years at the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute by the use of 1) directed photography, with the intra- or extragastric camera attached to a gastroscope, and 2) blind photography, with only the intragastric camera in the inflated stomach. The value of the blind photography method in the early diagnosis of gastric cancer is now being assessed. Direct photography is firmly established as a method for recording the gross features of neoplastic lesions, for evaluation of equivocal findings, and for the training of endoscopists. The ability to take color pictures of the interior of the stomach may in time improve the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer.
Abelian difference sets of order n dividing λ

We show that difference sets satisfying the condition n|? have a product property which can be exploited to construct more difference sets. Many of the newly discovered difference sets arise in precisely this way.
Mechanistic mathematical modelling of mercaptopurine effects on cell cycle of human acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells

The antimetabolite mercaptopurine (MP) is widely used to treat childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). To study the dynamics of MP on the cell cycle, we incubated human T-cell leukaemia cell lines (Molt-4 sensitive and resistant subline and P12 resistant) with 10 μM MP and measured total cell count, cell cycle distribution, percent viable, percent apoptotic, and percent dead cells serially over 72 h. We developed a mathematical model of the cell cycle dynamics after treatment with MP and used it to show that the Molt-4 sensitive controls had a significantly higher rate of cells entering apoptosis (2.7-fold, P 1.4-fold, P<0.01). Lastly, in contrast to the other cell lines, the Molt-4 resistant subline continued to cycle, though at a rate slower relative to its control, rather than proceed to apoptosis. This led to a larger S-phase block in the Molt-4 resistant cell line, but not a higher rate of cell death. Gene expression of apoptosis, cell cycle, and repair genes were consistent with mechanistic dynamics described by the model. In summary, the mathematical model provides a quantitative assessment to compare the cell cycle effects of MP in cells with varying degrees of MP resistance.
Turbulence Structure of Vertical Adiabatic Wall Plumes

Weakly buoyant turbulent adiabatic wall plumes along vertical surfaces were studied. Instantaneous velocities and concentrations were measured using laser-Doppler anemometry and laser-induced fluorescence. Earlier work reported mean properties and their comparison with predictions of simplified mixing-length and k-{epsilon}-g turbulence models. Velocity and concentration fluctuations and their correlations are reported in the present paper. The results show considerable deficiencies in the simplified models concerning turbulence properties, e.g., anisotropy of turbulence properties, lack of coincidence of maximum velocity and zero Reynolds stress points, and variability of the turbulence Prandtl/Schmidt number. Density/velocity correlations were found which provide a means of estimating differences between Reynolds and Favre averages, effects of turbulence fluxes on conserved quantities, and effects of buoyancy/turbulence interactions on turbulence properties.
Bracing Grids of Cubes

The paper describes the minimally redundant sets of diagonal braces in a grid of cubes in space. The language developed is essentially graphical. The methods extend those of the first few sections of an earlier work by Bolker and Crapo (1977).
Mechanistic aspects of boron hydride reactions

Abstract The information regarding the mechanistic details of selected systems of borane and borane anion reactions has been surveyed. For each family of reactions, the data from different investigations over a substantial time period were gathered together to make these data more accessible. The reaction systems studied were: preparation of B3H8 −, the preparations, NMR spectra and structures of the five known B5 anions, the preparation of bridge-substituted B5H9 derivatives, the equilibrium between the isomers of Me–B5H10, conversions between nido and arachno structures in B6 compounds and a variety of cluster growth reactions. Information and proposals regarding mechanisms are given where they are available. In some cases we have advanced proposals of our own. An important aim of this review is to stimulate additional experiments and calculations that will advance understanding of the mechanisms of reactions of boron compounds.
Realization of 479 nm (2.59 eV) emission CdZnO nanorods and the application on solar cells

Abstract CdZnO nanorods were grown by chemical vapor deposition. The structural and compositional properties of CdZnO nanorods were characterized. Photoluminescence studies show that CdZnO nanorods with emissions from 2.98 eV (415 nm) to 2.59 eV (479 nm) were realized. Temperature dependent photoluminescence confirmed that the origin of CdZnO's near band edge emissions. The n-CdZnO/p-GaN heterojunction diode functions as a solar cell and achieved a prominent open circuit voltage of 1.32 V at 100 mW/cm 2 , indicating that CdZnO nanomaterials are promising in visible wavelength optoelectronics application.
Geochemistry of Proterozoic volcanic and granitic rocks from the Gold Hill-Wheeler Peak area, northern New Mexico

Abstract Early Proterozoic supracrustal and plutonic rocks from the Gold Hill-Wheeler Peak area in northern New Mexico define three populations: amphibolite—diorite—tonalite, hornblendite—cumulus amphibolite and felsic volcanics and porphyries. Also present are mid-Proterozoic granites. Amphibolites are similar in Ti, Zr, Cr, Ni and REE contents to young calc-alkaline and arc basalts and diorites and tonalites are similar in composition to young andesites and to high-Al2O3 tonalites, respectively. Felsic volcanics resemble young felsic volcanics from mature arc systems in their immobile-element contents. Geochemical model studies suggest that the amphibolites, hornblendites, diorites and tonalites are related by progressive fractional crystallization of a hydrous parent tholeiite magma produced from partial melting of undepleted lherzolite. Amphibolites represent parent tholeiites modified by olivine removal. Hornblendite is an early solid residue comprised chiefly of hornblende, clinopyroxene, and olivine; diorite and cumulus amphibolite represent respectively residual solid (clinopyroxene, plagioclase, hornblende) and liquid, after 50% crystallization. Tonalite represents a residual liquid after 80% crystallization. Felsic volcanic rocks are produced by partial melting of a tonalite or diorite source with granulite-facies mineralogy in the lower crust. Granites have a similar origin to felsic volcanics although requiring an inhomogeneous source with the presence of residual hornblende or garnet. The calc-alkaline igneous rocks in the Gold Hill-Wheeler Peak area suggest the presence of an arc system in northern New Mexico during the Early Proterozoic. The fact that these rocks interfinger with and are overlain by mature clastic sediments favors a model in which a continental arc system is uplited, eroded and buried by cratonic sediments from the north.
On-orbit propulsion requirements and performance assessment of ion propulsion subsystems for future GEO large satellite missions

It is pointed out that a large class of future spacecraft, referred to as large space structures (LSS), will require advanced stationkeeping thrust subsystems. The present investigation is concerned with the performance requirements of such advanced stationkeeping thrust subsystems. An analytical model is employed to evaluate the sensitivity of the total stationkeeping thrust-system mass, for geosynchronous spacecraft, to variations in the mission parameters and thrust-system performance, taking into account ion propulsion thrust systems. The model is formulated for geosynchronous missions and considers only the N-S orbit perturbations due to sun-moon forces and the E-W orbit perturbations due to solar pressure, since these are the dominant orbit perturbations of LSS missions. The thrust system is scaled in relation to the performance capabilities of the existing 8- and 30-cm diameter ion-thruster technology and consists of separate N-S and E-W thrusters.
Olivine in Antarctic micrometeorites: Comparison with other extraterrestrial olivine

The compositions of 5-micron or larger Mg-rich olivines from 26 Antarctic micrometeorite particles were examined and compared with those of other extraterrestrial olivine. The following differences were noted between the Antarctic meteorites and the generally recognized meteorite groups: (1) while refractory-rich (e.g., high Al2O3 or CaO) are common in C2, C3, and UOC meteorites, there are only rare, or possibly no refractory-rich olivines in Antarctic micrometeorites; (2) Mg-rich olivine compositions with FeO less than 1.9 wt pct are underrepresented in the Antarctic micrometeorites, relative to other unequilibrated meteorites; and (3) no Mn-rich, high-Mg olivines were found similar to those described in interplanetary dust, C1, C2, C3, and UOC meteorites.
DURATION OF ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO SOLUBLE ANTIGEN: INCORPORATION OF SULPHUR-35 METHIONINE INTO NORMAL AND ANTIBODY GLOBULIN.

WE recently reported1 that precipitating antibodies were present in chicken serum more than 300 days after two spaced intravenous injections of bovine serum albumin. Antibody remains detectable at 470 days post-injection with no apparent decrease in concentration having occurred over the last 300 days. It is of theoretical interest to know if these antibodies represent the product of continued synthesis, approximating a steady state, or alternatively reflect the gradual release from tissue depots of antibodies synthesized at a much earlier time. The present communication provides evidence favouring the former hypothesis.
A(nother) day in the life of neonatal platelets.

In this issue of Blood , Liu et al demonstrate that neonatal platelets survive longer than their adult counterparts, which provides the rapidly growing fetus and neonate with a mechanism to expand platelet mass and maintain hemostasis during the transition from fetal to adult hematopoiesis. 1
Thermal activation of the visual transduction mechanism in retinal rods

INVERTEBRATE photoreceptors show electrical changes which apparently result from isomerisation of single rhodopsin molecules by light or thermal energy1–3. Observation of corresponding phenomena in vertebrates has been prevented by intercellular electrical coupling, which averages membrane potential over many photoreceptors4–6. Recently, however, recordings of membrane current from individual rod outer segments have revealed responses to single photons7,8. Here we report that similar electrical events occasionally occur in darkness, perhaps because of thermal isomerisation of rhodopsin.
Bacterial Argonaute samples the transcriptome to identify foreign DNA

Eukaryotic Argonautes bind small RNAs and use them as guides to find complementary RNA targets and induce gene silencing. Though homologs of eukaryotic Argonautes are present in many bacteria and archaea, their small RNA partners and functions are unknown. We found that the Argonaute of Rhodobacter sphaeroides (RsAgo) associates with 15–19 nt RNAs that correspond to the majority of transcripts. RsAgo also binds single-stranded 22–24 nt DNA molecules that are complementary to the small RNAs and enriched in sequences derived from exogenous plasmids as well as genome-encoded foreign nucleic acids such as transposons and phage genes. Expression of RsAgo in the heterologous E. coli system leads to formation of plasmid-derived small RNA and DNA and plasmid degradation. In a R. sphaeroides mutant lacking RsAgo, expression of plasmid-encoded genes is elevated. Our results indicate that RNAi-related processes found in eukaryotes are also conserved in bacteria and target foreign nucleic acids.
Carbon dioxide reforming of methane with supported rhodium

Rhodium supported on γ-Al2O3 was an effective catalyst for reforming methane with carbon dioxide at low ratios of CO2/CH4. Unlike other metals tested, no carbon deposited on the catalyst in the temperature range 600–800°C. Kinetic experiments on a 0.5 wt.-% Rh/Al2O3 catalyst gave rate equations for the reforming and shift reactions. A model was constructed for conversion in a pellet by incorporating both the reverse reaction and the effect of external and internal diffusion. This model, when tested with the data from a pellet string reactor, gave very good agreement with conversions and product distributions. External diffusion was negligible but internal effectiveness factors were about 0.3 or more. The model was expanded to a large-scale packed bed with appropriate heat transfer parameters. Adjustable factors were determined by matching measured temperature profiles from pilot unit experiments. The catalyst later performed successfully in a solar receiver/reactor and shows potential for conventional processing.
A Small Error-Correction Code for Protecting Three-Qubit Quantum Information ¶

We present a quantum error correction code which protects three quantum bits (qubits) of quantum information against one erasure, i.e., a single-qubit arbitrary error at a known position. The present code has a high encoding efficiency, since only one auxiliary qubit is needed for one message qubit on average. In addition, we note that the code can also work even in a worse case that the interaction with the environment causes a leakage out of the qubit space. The code may have some applications in the storage of quantum information for small-scale quantum computing, quantum information processing, and quantum communication.
Leading Wnt down a PCP Path: Cthrc1 Acts as a Coreceptor in the Wnt-PCP Pathway

Wnt signaling regulates many aspects of development through canonical and PCP signaling pathways. A paper by Yamamoto et al. in this issue of Developmental Cell identifies collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 as a Wnt-binding cofactor that specifically activates the Wnt-PCP pathway.