cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of the Parasitoid Wasp, Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Hymenopterans make up about 20% of all animal species, but most are poorly known and lack high-quality genomic resources. One group of important, yet under-studied hymenopterans, are parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae. Among this under-studied group are braconid wasps in the genus Cotesia; a clade of ~1,000 species routinely used in studies of physiology, ecology, biological control, and genetics. However, our ability to understand these organisms has been hindered by a lack of genomic resources. We helped bridge this gap by generating a high-quality genome assembly for the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata (Braconidae; Microgastrinae). We generated this assembly using multiple sequencing technologies, including Oxford Nanopore, whole-genome shotgun sequencing, and 3-D chromatin contact information (Hi-C). Our assembly is one of the most contiguous, complete, and publicly available hymenopteran genomes, represented by 3,355 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 of ~28Mb and a BUSCO score of ~99%. Given the genome sizes found in closely related species, our genome assembly was ~50% larger than expected, which was apparently induced by runaway amplification of three types of repetitive elements: simple repeats, Long Terminal Repeats (LTRs), and Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements (LINEs). This assembly is another step forward for genomics across this hyper-diverse, yet understudied, order of insects. The assembled genomic data and metadata files are publicly available via Figshare (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13010549).
Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor of the stomach: A case report

Abstract Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor (ASPLT) is a newly accepted entity that belongs to the group of low-grade adipocytic neoplasms. ASPLT commonly manifests a soft tissue mass in both upper and lower extremities but is extremely rare in the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report a case of a gastric ASPLT in a 59-year-old male, who presented for the evaluation of new onset of dysphagia. To our best knowledge, this is the first case report of ASPLT in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Bat activity response to fire regime depends on species, vegetation conditions, and behavior

Abstract Disturbances such as fire play an important role in shaping forests and the wildlife they support. As such, forest managers employ prescribed fire to restore ecosystem function, promote forest biodiversity, and maintain wildlife habitat. To better understand how bats respond to variation in fire regime, we used acoustic recorders to quantify bat activity in forests maintained by frequent fire in southern Florida, USA and modelled this variation as a function of both fire regime and vegetation characteristics. Next, to better understand the mechanisms underlying these responses, we quantified variation in bat foraging efficiency and activity during the important early evening period. We found that even in regions historically maintained by frequent fire, bat activity was more closely associated with vegetation conditions, such as canopy cover and woody understory volume, than fire regime. When vegetation and fire frequency were considered together, the bat activity response was nuanced. Activity across the bat community was greater in forests that had burned more frequently in the previous two decades, but bats appeared more likely to encounter prey in forests that burned less frequently. Species-specific responses added additional complexity, potentially related to size and wing morphology, with larger bats responding more strongly to fire, whereas activity of smaller bats was primarily related to vegetation characteristics. Similarly, activity during the early-evening shifted as a function of fire frequency, but in different directions for different species. Our results suggest that investigations of occurrence or overall bat activity may provide an incomplete understanding of the complex responses to fire regimes that become more apparent when activity is partitioned into more refined metrics. These nuances have implications for management of fire-maintained forests. Though frequent burning may best promote the ecosystem services associated with insectivorous bat activity, a more heterogenous approach to fire management that considers bat species diversity, bat behavior, and vegetation conditions may provide additional benefits to bats.
Development of New Water Resources in Egypt with Earth Observation data: Opportunities and Challenges

The work presented here shows some preliminary results from an on-going U.S. – Egypt collaborative project that deals with the assessment of natural resources in an area located west of the Nile Valley near Aswan and Kom Ombo in the Western Desert of Egypt. The exploration and assessment of new untapped groundwater resources may enable the gradual expansion of urban and agricultural areas away from the Nile Valley into the desert. In the Western Desert of Egypt these additional water resources are mainly found in the Nubian aquifer systems where large quantities of groundwater accumulated during previous pluvial times. Present recharge of the Nubian aquifer is limited to areas near mountains or permanent water bodies (such as the River Nile and Lake Nasser), where occasional rainfall events and excess water from rivers and lakes may recharge the aquifer. Often this recharge occurs along open and well-connected fractures, which act as preferential water conduits. However, in desert areas (such as the Western Desert of Egypt) these fracture zones are often difficult to locate because they are covered by windblown sand deposits. Ground penetrating radar together with a new generation of satellite borne radar images are revolutionizing the way we map and identify these hidden structures. Some of the fracture systems revealed by radar technology seem to be particularly promising in terms of bringing groundwater from the Nubian aquifer and possibly excess water from the River Nile or Lake Nasser into the study area. Detecting and mapping these potential water conduits will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the geo-structural framework of the underlying aquifer, and its potential to support agriculture and other land development plans in a sustainable way. In addition, optical satellite sensors (such as Landsat) provide useful information for monitoring and assessing the rate of land use change along the Nile River and its tributaries.
Analysis of Radially Cracked Ring Segments Subject to Forces and Couples

Results of planar boundary collocation analysis are given for ring segment (C-shaped) specimens with radial cracks, subjected to combined forces and couples. Mode I stress intensity factors and crack mouth opening displacements were determined for ratios of outer to inner radius in the range 1.1 to 2.5 and ratios of crack length to segment width in the range 0.1 to 0.8.
La bête, Dieu sans l’être. La déconstruction derridienne peut-elle fonder une communauté politique et morale entre vivants humains et non humains?

Book Symposium on Gary Steiner's Animals and the Limits of Postmodernism . New York: Columbia University Press, 2013. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
MMS: a user-centric portal for e-learning

Recent years have seen an increasing social, political and economic emphasis on the use of e-learning methodologies that hold out the promise of wider access, higher quality and lower costs. There are now a plethora of proprietary platforms - some commercial and closed, some homegrown and open - whose only common feature is their incompatibility with each other. Recently, the notion of a portal has gained credence as a guiding technical principle that can be used to integrate diverse information services and provide an organisational focus. Portals promise a common environment and single access point for everyone from anonymous Web site visitors to indentured users of e-learning resources. In 1999 the UK JISC Committee on Integrated Learning Environments (JCIEL) was formed in recognition of the need for understanding integration issues. INSIDE, an Institutionally Secure Integrated Data Environment was one of several projects sponsored by the JCIEL programme. It proposed the creation of a user-centric portal that provided managed learning functionality for academic staff and their students. The result, which is described in this paper, is MMS, a module management system.
CLOWER ON EFFECTIVE DEMAND

This note examine's Clower's recent criticisms of Keynes' theory of effective demand and argues that Keynes added much to Marshallian theory when he extended to the aggregate level, that his theory does have implications for unemployment without requiring wage rigidity, that his theory does not depend on the non-clearance of the good market, and the main difference between Keynes and the Keynesians concerns the consequences of wage-price flexibility.
Transoral robotic retropharyngeal node dissection

Background Surgical access to metastases in the retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) could be difficult. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) can be utilized to access RPLNs. The purpose of this study was to describe a TORS approach to RPLN dissection. Methods A case series of patients undergoing RPLN dissection by TORS was conducted and compared to matched controls (1:2). Results Twelve patients underwent robotic RPLN dissection. Median age was 63 years (range, 43–73 years). Pathology was oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 9 patients and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in 3 patients. The feeding tube dependence duration was 12 days (range, 1–46 days) on average. Complications occurred in 8 patients (66%); most commonly, aspiration pneumonitis in 6 patients. In comparison to the matched controls (24), there was no difference in length of stay or feeding tube dependence. Complications were higher in patients with oropharyngeal SCC. Conclusion TORS is feasible for accessing RPLNs. The procedure is well tolerated in patients with PTC; whereas patients with oropharyngeal SCC are at increased risk of complications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
Commentary: Some Prospects for Connecting Concepts and Methods of Individual Cognition and of Situativity

Development of the situative perspective for analyzing cognition and learning was situated, of course. At the time—in the mid- and late 1980s—a program of empirical and theoretical research focused...
The Impact of High-Quality Firm Achievements on Shareholder Value: Focus on Malcolm Baldrige and J. D. Power and Associates Awards:

Marketing managers face increasing pressure to justify any strategic action with financial metrics that facilitate comparative evaluations with alternative options. Using event study method, the authors focus attention on the impact of high-profile quality achievement awards on the stock prices of the award-winning firms. Two types of awards are investigated: the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) and J. D. Power and Associates Awards (JDPAA). Previous event studies found no major impact of MBNQA announcements on the stock price of MBNQA winners; in contrast, this study’s results show that these awards generate significant shareholder value for MBNQA winners. With respect to the JDPAA, the authors— analyses did notfind any such impact in the Automotive, Travel, and Finance categories. Multiple regression analyses suggest that firms with higher amounts of intangible assets are more likely to create shareholder value. Implications of the results for different decision horizon perspectives are derived.
Enhanced excitability of primary sensory neurons and altered gene expression of neuronal ion channels in dorsal root ganglion in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy

BACKGROUND The mechanism of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy after paclitaxel treatment is not well understood. Given the poor penetration of paclitaxel into central nervous system, peripheral nervous system is most at risk. METHODS Intrinsic membrane properties of dorsal root ganglion neurons were studied by intracellular recordings. Multiple-gene real-time polymerase chain reaction array was used to investigate gene expression of dorsal root ganglion neuronal ion channels. RESULTS Paclitaxel increased the incidence of spontaneous activity from 4.8 to 27.1% in large-sized and from 0 to 33.3% in medium-sized neurons. Paclitaxel decreased the rheobase (nA) from 1.6 ± 0.1 to 0.8 ± 0.1 in large-sized, from 1.5 ± 0.2 to 0.6 ± 0.1 in medium-sized, and from 1.6 ± 0.2 to 1.0 ± 0.1 in small-sized neurons. After paclitaxel treatment, other characteristics of membrane properties in each group remained the same except that Aδ neurons showed shorter action potential fall time (ms) (1.0 ± 0.2, n = 10 vs. 1.8 ± 0.3, n = 9, paclitaxel vs. vehicle). Meanwhile, real-time polymerase chain reaction array revealed an alteration in expression of some neuronal ion channel genes including up-regulation of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 1 (fold change 1.76 ± 0.06) and Nav1.7 (1.26 ± 0.02) and down-regulation of Kir channels (Kir1.1, 0.73 ± 0.05, Kir3.4, 0.66 ± 0.06) in paclitaxel-treated animals. CONCLUSION The increased neuronal excitability and the changes in gene expression of some neuronal ion channels in dorsal root ganglion may provide insight into the molecular and cellular basis of paclitaxel-induced neuropathy, which may lead to novel therapeutic strategies.
SIGNIFICANCE OF HAEMOLYMPH JUVENILE HORMONE TITER CHANGES IN TIMING OF MIGRATION AND REPRODUCTION IN ADULT ONCOPELTUS FASCIATUS

Previous studies had shown that both migratory flight and ovarian maturation in Oncoprltus fasciatus were stimulated by juvenile hormone (JH), yet the two behaviors were mutually exclusive. To understand the relationship of this hormone to these behaviors. haemolymph juvenile hormone titers were determined in both sexes of Onconelrus throughout the adult stage by the Manduca pigmen- tation bioassay. Animals reared under long day conditions (17L:7D, 24°C) showed an immediate rise in haemolymph titers of JH after adult emergence whereas those reared in a short day photoperiod (12L: IZD, 24°C) had a more gradual increase in hormone titers. Migratory Right behavior occurred during periods of intermediate hormone titers while oviposition did not begin until JH titers had reached their peak. It was concluded that lower JH titers normally stimulate flight in the prereproduc- tive adult whereas higher titers are required for complete ovarian development. The corpus allatum in Oncoprltus thus coordinates migration and reproduction in response to the environmental cues of photoperiod. temperature, and food quality. INTRODUCI'ION INSECT migration has been shown to be associated with a distinct set of physiological characteristics similar to those which accompany adult diapause
Evolution of the Stx2-Encoding Prophage in Persistent Bovine Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen that resides asymptomatically in its bovine host. The level of Shiga toxin (Stx) produced is variable in bovine-derived strains in contrast to human isolates that mostly produce high levels of Stx. To understand the genetic basis for varied Stx production, chronological collections of bovine isolates from Wisconsin dairy farms, R and X, were analyzed for multilocus prophage polymorphisms, stx(2) subtypes, and the levels of stx(2) transcript and toxin. The E. coli O157:H7 that persisted on both farms were phylogenetically distinct and yet produced little to no Stx2 due to gene deletions in Stx2c-encoding prophage (farm R) or insertional inactivation of stx(2a) by IS1203v (farm X). Loss of key regulatory and lysis genes in Stx2c-encoding prophage abolished stx(2c) transcription and induction of the prophage and stx(2a)::IS1203v in Stx2a-encoding prophage generated a truncated stx(2a) mRNA without affecting phage production. Stx2-producing strains were transiently present (farm R) and became Stx2 negative on farm X (i.e., stx(2a)::IS1203v). To our knowledge, this is the first study that details the evolution of E. coli O157:H7 and its Stx2-encoding prophage in a chronological collection of natural isolates. The data suggest the bovine and farm environments can be niches where Stx2-negative E. coli O157:H7 emerge and persist, which explains the Stx variability in bovine isolates and may be part of an evolutionary step toward becoming bovine specialists.
Theory of relaxation spectra; the kinetics of coupled chemical reactions.

Abstract The analysis of multi-step reaction kinetics—an important problem in the study of biological systems—is inherently complex and requires the techniques of matrix algebra. The recent development of chemical relaxation methods allows the experimental investigation of such systems, even when some or all of the individual steps are extremely rapid. A general treatment of the theory of chemical relaxation in multi-step systems of any order and any degree of complexity is presented in this paper. The theory is developed in terms of the groups of chemical constituents that participate in the elementary reactions. A general derivation is given for the form of [ K L ], the matrix which determines the kinetic behavior of the system near the stationary state. A proof is given that the eigenvalues of [ K L ], the negative reciprocals of the relaxation times, are all either negative or zero if detailed balance (microscopic reversibility) holds at the stationary state. The number of zero eigenvalues is shown to be determined by constraints related to conservation of mass for the system and by linear dependences among the groups of reactants. Diagonalization of [ K L ] expresses the behavior of the system in terms of normal coordinates, each with its own relaxation time. Apparent oscillations, due to the superposition of relaxation curves for the normal coordinates, are discussed.
The speech communication teacher workshop program at Penn state: Twenty years of service to classroom teachers

Penn State's “Speech Communication Teacher Workshop Program” began working with in‐service classroom teachers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania more than twenty years ago. As an academic service of the Department of Speech Communication, with financial and administrative support now provided by the University Division of Continuing Education, the program has given hundreds of workshops and credit courses in communication content and methods for thousands of classroom teachers. This article describes the history of one of the first major programs to work with public school teachers and provides a perspective on the relationship between communication and instruction.
Abstract LB-137: Reversibility of click beetle luciferase heteroprotein fragment complementation systems for imaging cancer pathways in live cells

Fragment complementation systems based on various luciferase enzymes have allowed for a more complete exploration of the protein interactome within the context of the cellular environment over biologically-relevant timescales. However, this strategy has been plagued by lingering questions regarding the reversibility of the systems that involve luciferase complementation fragments. To further address the need for tools to study the protein interactome, we have developed a novel set of multicolored heteroprotein fragment complementation systems based on various firefly and click beetle luciferases that utilize the same substrate, D-luciferin. Selected heteroprotein fragment complementation systems enabled simultaneous dual-color quantification of multiple protein interactions within live cells in realtime through use of spectral deconvolution analysis. Importantly, we have rigorously characterized the reversibility that is inherent in these systems. Reversibility was noted by the reproduction of association and dissociation constants when probing FK506 blockade of rapamycin-induced mTOR/FKBP interactions. The mean apparent K d value upon rapamycin induction was 0.25 ± 0.05 nM, irrespective of the composition of the paired luciferases, spectral characteristics, total photon flux, or fold-inducibility. Competitive inhibition by FK506 with all the different pairs, when tested in the presence of 10 nM rapamycin, yielded a mean apparent Ki value of 1.6 ± 0.9 nM, consistent with conventional protein assays. Additionally, using split click-beetle green luciferase fused to the C-termini of EGFR, a more temporally dynamic system, we were able to monitor reversible protein conformational changes associated with the cytoplasmic domains of EGFR upon ligand-induced activation. Addition of EGF resulted in a biphasic response, characterized by an immediate drop in luciferase activity within the first minute after EGF addition followed by a rapid recovery of signal. The initial signal loss correlated with asymmetric movement of the cytosolic C-termini of EGFR dimers and adoption of a constrained conformation after phosphorylation. The subsequent recovery in luciferase activity corresponded to additional conformational changes that placed the relaxed C-terminal tails once again in close proximity. Addition of the MAPK inhibitor U0126 (10 µM) resulted in a blunted recovery of click-beetle green luciferase activity, again demonstrating the requirement for MAPK-mediated phosphorylation to induce post-activation rearrangements of the cytoplamic domain of the receptor. These dual-color reversible protein interaction reporters should enable dynamic analysis of a variety of protein networks in living cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-137.
Anomalous fluctuations of directed polymers in random media.

A systematic analysis of large-scale fluctuations in the low-temperature pinned phase of a directed polymer in a random potential is described. These fluctuations come from rare regions with nearly degenerate ground states.'' The probability distribution of their sizes is found to have a power-law tail. The rare regions in the tail dominate much of the physics. The analysis presented here takes advantage of the mapping to the noisy Burgers' equation. It complements a phenomenological description of glassy phases based on a scaling picture of droplet excitations and a recent variational approach with broken replica symmetry.'' It is argued that the power-law distribution of large thermally active excitations is a consequence of the continuous statistical tilt'' symmetry of the directed polymer, the breaking of which gives rise to the large active excitations in a manner analogous to the appearance of Goldstone modes in pure systems with a broken continuous symmetry.
The role of memory in the construction of linear orderings

Two experiments examined the construction of linear orderings (e.g., ABCD) from presented pairs of adjacent items (e.g., AB, BC, CD) in an attempt to determine why some orders of presentation are more difficult than others. Experiment 1 found order effects when participants constructed orderings but not when they simply recalled presented pairs, suggesting that order effects reflect processing difficulties encountered during construction. Experiment 2 used several different orders and successive and simultaneous visual presentation of pairs. Results showed that order effects can be attributed to the memory load imposed by certain pairs, the type of processing demanded, the need to reorder previously stored information, and the loss of information with continued rehearsal. Results strongly support the Foos, Smith, Sabol, and Mynatt (1976) model of linear construction.
The Development of a Corporate Risk Policy for Capital Investment Decisions

A corporate utility function plays a key role in the application of decision theory. This paper describes how such a utility function was evolved as a risk policy for capital investment decisions. First, 36 corporate executives were interviewed and their risk attitudes were quantified. From the responses of the interviewees, a mathematical function was developed that could reflect each interviewee's attitude. The fit of the function was tested by checking the reaction of the interviewees to adjusted responses. The functional form that led the interviewees to prefer the adjusted responses to their initial responses was finally accepted. The mathematical form of the function was considered a flexible pattern for a risk policy. The assumption was made that the corporate risk policy would be of this pattern. With the pattern for a risk policy set, it was possible to simplify the method of deriving a particular individual's risk attitude. Using the simplified method, the corporate policy makers were interviewed once more. The results from these interviews were then used as a starting point in two negotiation sessions. As a result of these negotiation sessions, the policy makers agreed on a risk policy for trial purposes. They also agreed to develop a number of major projects using the concepts of risk analysis and the certainty equivalent.
Some acoustic cues for the perceptual categorization of American English regional dialects

The perception of phonological differences between regional dialects of American English by naive listeners has received little attention in the speech perception literature and is still a poorly understood problem. Two experiments were carried out using the TIMIT corpus of spoken sentences produced by talkers from a number of distinct dialect regions in the United States. In Experiment 1, acoustic analysis techniques identified several phonetic features that can be used to distinguish different dialects. In Experiment 2, recordings of the sentences were played back to naive listeners who were asked to categorize talkers into one of six geographical dialect regions. Results showed that listeners are able to reliably categorize talkers using three broad dialect clusters (New England, South, North/West), but that they have more difficulty categorizing talkers into six smaller regions. Multiple regression analyses on the acoustic measures, the actual dialect affiliation of the talkers, and the categorization responses revealed that the listeners in this study made use of several reliable acoustic–phonetic properties of the dialects in categorizing the talkers. Taken together, the results of these two experiments confirm that naive listeners have knowledge of phonological differences between dialects and can use this knowledge to categorize talkers by dialect.
Benthic control on the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon in a low-gradient stream

Summary Results from a numerical model that simulates particulate organic carbon source, fate and transport were used to generate the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon in a low-gradient, agriculturally-impacted stream over a five-year model simulation. Results suggest that the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon is Gamma distributed (RMSEA = 0.066) for the low-gradient stream. The distributional form of transported sediment carbon is governed by seasonal variability of temporarily stored benthic carbon and the relative contributions of benthic, bank and upland carbon sources. Results of the study suggest that shape and skew of the Gamma distribution are governed by biological activity (i.e., autochthonous production and decomposition) of the streambed. Analysis was performed to examine how field sampling factors, including flow conditions during sampling, sampling frequency, and the sampling temporal domain including event, seasonal and annual variability, capture the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon. Contrary to conventional wisdom, sampling flow conditions and sampling frequency showed little impact on the sampled distribution of transported sediment carbon, which reflects the amalgamation of streambank and upland carbon sources on the stream bed in this low-gradient stream. Annual variability, i.e., wet and dry years, and seasonal variability were needed to adequately capture the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon, which reflects the stochastic nature of the hydrologic regime annually and the seasonal variability of biological processes. The results provide a testable hypothesis, and a sampling design approach, for the statistical distribution of transported sediment carbon in low-gradient systems where benthic biological processes are prominent.
“And ain't i a woman?” African American women and affirmative action

Les aspects signifiants de l'histoire des femmes noires americaines sont presentes dans une exploration des dimensions critiques des luttes contemporaines et dans une revue des articles traitant de leurs aspects relationnels, socio-economiques et educationnels
Interaction between pressor and depressor areas in cat ventrolateral medulla.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether stimulation of the caudal depressor area (CA) in the medulla lowered blood pressure (BP) by enhancing GABA release at the intermediate pressor area (IA) of the medulla. Application of the excitotoxin kainic acid (KA; 40 mM solution) to the caudal area lowered BP as has been previously described (Gatti, et al.,Brain Research, 330 (1985) 21–29). Subsequent IA application of the GABA receptor antagonists picrotoxin (100 μg/side) or bicuculline (10 μg/side) consistently reversed this hypotensive effect. Picrotoxin raised BP by92 +- 10mmHg(n = 5) after KA while by itself, picrotoxin only increased BP by 23 +- 7.0mmHg (n = 3) when applied to the IA. This effect was significantly greater following KA application to the caudal area (P < 0.05). Likewise, bicuculline raised BP by 74 +- 8.7mmHg(n = 7) following KA while by itself, bicuculline only incresed BP by 24 +- 8.2mmHg while applied to the IA (n = 4). This also was significantly different. This potentiation was not seen with the glycine receptor antagonist, strychnine. These data indicate that there is a GABAergic input from the caudal to the intermediate ventral surface areas of the cat which is involved in the central control of BP.
Origin of supercharging in electrospray ionization of noncovalent complexes from aqueous solution

The use of m-nitrobenzyl alcohol (m-NBA) to enhance charging of noncovalent complexes formed by electrospray ionization from aqueous solutions was investigated. Addition of up to 1% m-NBA can result in a significant increase in the average charging of complexes, ranging from ∼13% for the homo-heptamer of NtrC4-RC (317 kDa; maximum charge state increases from 42+ to 44+) to ∼49% for myoglobin (17.6 kDa; maximum charge state increases from 9+ to 16+). Charge state distributions of larger complexes obtained from heated solutions to which no m-NBA was added are remarkably similar to those containing small amounts of m-NBA. Dissociation of the complexes through identical channels both upon addition of higher concentrations of m-NBA and heating is observed. These results indicate that the enhanced charging upon addition of m-NBA to aqueous electrospray solutions is a result of droplet heating owing to the high boiling point of m-NBA, which results in a change in the higher-order structure and/or dissociation of the complexes. For monomeric proteins and small complexes, the enhancement of charging is lower for heated aqueous solutions than from solutions with m-NBA because rapid folding of proteins from heated solutions that do not contain m-NBA can occur after the electrospray droplet is formed and is evaporatively cooled.
GPA in Research Studies: An Invaluable but Neglected Opportunity

Grade point average (GPA) often correlates highly with variables of interest to educational researchers and thus offers the potential to greatly increase the statistical power of their research stu...
A Permutation Approach to Testing Interactions for Binary Response by Comparing Correlations Between Classes

To date testing interactions in high dimensions is a challenging task. Existing methods often have issues with sensitivity to modeling assumptions and heavily asymptotic nominal p-values. To help alleviate these issues, we propose a permutation-based method for testing marginal interactions with a binary response. Our method searches for pairwise correlations that differ between classes. In this article, we compare our method on real and simulated data to the standard approach of running many pairwise logistic models. On simulated data our method finds more significant interactions at a lower false discovery rate (especially in the presence of main effects). On real genomic data, although there is no gold standard, our method finds apparent signal and tells a believable story, while logistic regression does not. We also give asymptotic consistency results under not too restrictive assumptions. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Recombination and phylogeny: effects and detection

The role of phylogeny in guiding comparative studies is rapidly growing in the post genomic era. Most phylogeny reconstruction methods though, assume a single tree underlying a given alignment of sequences. However, when events such as recombination occur, different regions in the alignment may have different underlying trees. In this paper, we demonstrate via simulations, the effect of recombination on the accuracy of phylogeny reconstruction methods. Our results, coupled with the significance of recombination as an evolutionary mechanism, make it imperative to devise efficient and accurate methods for detecting recombination in sequence datasets. Hence, we introduce a simple, yet effective, method for detecting recombination in a given alignment, based on incongruence among phylogenetic trees in different regions of the alignment. We have studied the performance of our method on synthetic and biological datasets, and obtained good results.
Field Development of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Foliar applications of commercial formulations of the insecticidal spore-crystal protein complex of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki caused development of resistance in field populations of a major lepidopteran pest of vegetables, diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). Laboratory bioassays of larvae showed that the LC50 and LC95 for a field population of diamondback moth treated repeatedly with B. thuringiensis were 25 to 33 times greater than the respective LC50’s and LC95’s for two susceptible laboratory colonies. Mortality at the field rate of B. thuringiensis was 34-35% in two resistant populations compared with 90-100% in two susceptible laboratory colonies. The results suggest that the potential for resistance development in pest populations is an important consideration for deployment of B. thuringiensis toxin genes in genetically-engineered crop plants and use of B. thuringiensis in related tactics.
A Distinct Catabolic to Anabolic Threshold Due to Single-Cell Static Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Cartilage Biokinetics Model.

Understanding physicochemical interactions during biokinetic regulation will be critical for the creation of relevant nanotechnology supporting cellular and molecular engineering. The impact of nanoscale influences in medicine and biology can be explored in detail through mathematical models as an in silico testbed. In a recent single-cell biomechanical analysis, the cytoskeletal strain response due to fluid-induced stresses was characterized (Wilson, Z. D., and Kohles, S. S., 2010, “Two-Dimensional Modeling of Nanomechanical Strains in Healthy and Diseased Single-Cells During Microfluidic Stress Applications,” J. Nanotech. Eng. Med., 1(2), p. 021005). Results described a microfluidic environment having controlled nanometer and piconewton resolution for explorations of multiscale mechanobiology. In the present study, we constructed a mathematical model exploring the nanoscale biomolecular response to that controlled microenvironment. We introduce mechanical stimuli and scaling factor terms as specific input values for regulating a cartilage molecule synthesis. Iterative model results for this initial multiscale static load application have identified a transition threshold load level from which the mechanical input causes a shift from a catabolic state to an anabolic state. Modeled molecule homeostatic levels appear to be dependent upon the mechanical stimulus as reflected experimentally. This work provides a specific mathematical framework from which to explore biokinetic regulation. Further incorporation of nanomechanical stresses and strains into biokinetic models will ultimately lead to refined mechanotransduction relationships at the cellular and molecular levels.
Job and Career Satisfaction Among Pharmacy Preceptors

Objectives. To examine the perceived benefit of job and career satisfaction among pharmacist preceptors and to explore other factors that might influence satisfaction.Methods. A cross-sectional sel...
Using real world data in education

The integration of real world data into classrooms is a powerful mechanism to increase student interest and understanding of concepts. An increasing number of sources of real world data are becoming available for use in education. It is important for the sources of reliable data to be accessible by non-expert audiences. Teacher training opportunities will expand the use of these educational materials and data in classrooms. However more research and development is needed to improve methods of data display and visualizations to better facilitate the understanding of real world data by non-expert audiences, including teachers and students.
Postoperative CPAP Use Impacts Long-Term Weight Loss Following Bariatric Surgery

Introduction:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common among bariatric surgery candidates. After surgical weight loss, OSA frequently persists and untreated OSA can lead to weight gain. Long-term con...
Mesenchymally “stemming” angiogenesis

In this issue of Blood , Otsu and colleagues provide evidence that high concentrations of bone marrow–derived MSCs have the capacity to induce endothelial cell apoptosis in culture and inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth in murine melanomas. Initial interest in bone marrow–derived mesenchymal
An X-ray system for visualizing fluid flows

Abstract A unique flow visualization facility, based on X-ray imaging, has been developed to study, characterize, and measure various flow characteristics in large vertical systems that have internal diameters of up to 32 cm and are as tall as 4 m. This facility provides digital X-ray radiography and stereography imaging to visualize and time-resolve 3D flow structures in multiphase and opaque fluid flows at up to 60 frames/s. In addition, X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging records local time-averaged phase distributions in multiphase flows with a spatial resolution of less than 0.5 mm (∼0.15% of a 32-cm-diameter object). The X-ray hardware and image processing software for this facility are described. Selected imaging results are then presented for various single and multiphase fluid flows.
Regulation of collagenase-3 gene expression in osteoblastic and non-osteoblastic cell lines.

Collagenase-3 expression in osteoblastic (UMR 106-01, ROS 17/2.8) and non-osteoblastic cell lines (BC1, NIH3T3) was examined. We observed that parathyroid hormone (PTH) induces collagenase-3 expression only in UMR cells but not in BC1 (which express collagenase-3 constitutively) or ROS and NIH3T3 cells. Since we know from UMR cells that the AP-1 factors and Cbfa1 are required for collagenase-3 expression, we analyzed the expression and PTH regulation of these factors by gel shift and Northern blot analysis in all cell lines. Gel mobility shift with a [(32)P]-labeled collagenase-3 AP-1 site probe indicated the induction of c-Fos in osteoblastic cells upon PTH treatment. While c-fos was induced in UMR cells, both c-fos and jun B were induced in ROS cells. Since Jun B is inhibitory of Fos and Jun in the regulation of the rat collagenase-3 gene in UMR cells, it is likely that high levels of Jun B prevent PTH stimulation of collagenase-3 in ROS cells. When we carried out gel shift analysis with a [(32)P]-labeled collagenase-3 RD (runt domain) site probe and Northern blot analysis with a Cbfa1 specific probe, we have observed the presence of Cbfa1 in both osteoblastic and non-osteoblastic cell lines, but there was no change in the levels of Cbfa1 RNA or protein in these cells under either control conditions or PTH treatment. From our studies above, it is evident that the expression of collagenase-3 and its regulation by PTH in osteoblastic and non-osteoblastic cells may be influenced by differential temporal stimulation of the AP-1 family members, especially c-Fos and Jun B along with the potential for posttranslational modification(s) of Cbfa1.
Purification of Protease from the Fungus Endothia parasitica

Abstract The protease from the fungus Endothia parasitica has been purified, by two methods, one leading to crystalline enzyme. The first method involved ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Sephdex G-100, and chromatography twice on DEAE-cellulose at pH 4.60. The second method involved ammonium sulfate fractionation, acetone fractionation, charcoal treatment, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and crystallization from water-isopropanol. The crystallized material had only one-half the specific activity of the material purified by the first method. Chromatography of the crystallized enzyme on DEAE-cellulose gave a fraction with the same specific activity as that obtained by the first method. The enzyme is maximally stable at pH 4 to 5, but quite unstable at pH 7. It has a molecular weight of 37,500 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The activity of the enzyme is not affected by iodoacetamide, N-ethylmaleimide, p -chloromercuribenzoate, sodium tetrathionate, and mercuric chloride, or by α -N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone or α -N-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone. Its isoelectric point is below pH 4.6.
Characteristics of Nursing Doctoral Programs in The United States

The expansive growth of doctoral programs in the United States has necessitated a need to determine demographic attributes of the academic program, characteristics of the students, admission criteria, and curriculum patterns. Seventy-eight doctoral programs were sent a researcher-designed survey and 48 (62 per cent) responded. Results show an increasing shift away from clinical doctorates to the research doctorate, although few differences exist within the research focus of doctoral nursing programs. Consistent with previous reports in the literature, curricula are fairly standard and few differences were noted based on a number of criteria including geographic location, type of degree granted, Carnegie classification of the university, or by the length of time the program has been in existence. Discussion of these findings is included.
Recruitment and retention: Nursing research among low-income pregnant women

E CONOMICALLY and/or socially disadvantaged persons frequently are excluded from nursing research because some researchers perceive or have found difficulty in locating, enrolling, or retaining subjects from such populations. This paper is based on the author's experience in a randomized prospective trial of a nursing intervention with more than 1,500 low income pregnant women. Issues of recruitment and retention of low-income subjects in a longitudinal study are examined.
What Do Symptoms Mean to The Chiropractor

ABSTRACT Objectives To clarify misconceptions surrounding the writings of DD Palmer, BJ Palmer, and Ralph Stephenson concerning patient's symptoms and to describe the importance of understanding the patient's presentation in chiropractic care. Discussion The founders of the chiropractic wrote extensively about the need to understand the patient's symptomatic presentation. From this information the chiropractor understands the patient has lost the ability to properly adapt to the internal and external environment. The philosophical basis of chiropractic is that the body is self- regulating and self-maintaining, directed by a vitalistic force called Innate Intelligence. Lack of ability to adapt to the internal and external environment results in dysfunction. Therefore, if a person demonstrates physical signs and symptoms, it is due to lack of ability of Innate Intelligence to maintain the body in health. The founders of the profession believed that a patient's symptomology is an important indicator of the need for chiropractic care, though not the focus of that care. Conclusion To function in the present day health care world, it is essential for the doctor of chiropractic to understand the status of his patient's health, how it relates to the care he renders, and just what care he is rendering. The chiropractic model of health acknowledges the importance of understanding a patient's symptoms. What makes chiropractic unique is the meaning ascribed to the patient's symptomology, essentially, that the patient has lost the ability to self regulate body physiology.
The measurement of returns in asset pricing models

Abstract Common to most capital asset pricing studies is the use of a market model to derive an estimate of beta. The market model assumes that returns are measured in percentage form as opposed to some other measure such as net present value. A recently developed ML estimation procedure and associated likelihood ratio testing are applied to judge whether the use of percentage return measures is consistent with the observed market data.
Changes in fatty acid distribution and thermotropic properties of phospholipids following phosphatidylcholine depletion in a choline-requiring mutant of Neurospora crassa

Abstract Growth of a choline requiring auxotroph of Neurospora crassa on medium lacking exogenous choline produces large changes in the levels of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. Whole cell fatty acid distributions were found to vary widely between different phospholipid species of normally growing, choline-supplemented cultures with phosphatidylcholine showing the highest levels of unsaturation and anionic phospholipids and cardiolipin having the lowest. In these lipids, choline deprivation produced little change in fatty acid profiles of phosphatidylethanolamine, whereas changes in fatty acids of phosphatidylcholine and acidic phospholipids resulted in increased levels of unsaturation at both growth temperatures. Microsomal phospholipids also showed fatty acid variability with sharp decreases in phosphatidylcholine unsaturates and increases in acidic phospholipid unsaturated fatty acids at low growth temperatures. Fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenylhexatriene in vesicles formed from total cellular and microsomal lipids showed that choline deprivation produces changes in thermotropic properties in the lipids in deprived cultures at either growth temperature. The effective differences in fluorescence polarization between choline-deprived and supplemented cultures grown at a given temperature were found to be comparable to those produced by temperature acclimation in normally growing cultures over a temperature range of 22 K.