cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperglycemia-Enhanced Ischemic Brain Damage in Mutant Manganese SOD Mice Is Associated With Suppression of HIF-1α

Both preischemic hyperglycemia and reduction of manganese superoxide dismutase activity are known to enhance neuronal death induced by transient cerebral ischemia. Transcriptional factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) regulates multiple downstream genes that modulate cell metabolism, survival, death, angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and other functions. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) whether hyperglycemia is able to increase ischemic brain damage in mutant manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) mice and (ii) whether the reduction of SOD2 activity has a profound effect on HIF-1 protein expression under hyperglycemic ischemic condition. Both wild type and mutant SOD deficient (SOD2(-/+)) mice were induced to hyperglycemia 30min before induction of a 30-min transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Brains were extracted after 5 and 24h of reperfusion for immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. The results showed that preischemic hyperglycemia significantly increased infarct volume in SOD2(-/+)mice and that HIF-1alpha protein levels were significantly reduced in ischemic core area at 5- and 24-h of reperfusion in hyperglycemic SOD2(-/+) mice. However, the HIF-1alpha protein levels were not significantly decreased in hyperglycemic wild type animals subjected to stroke. The results suggest that the increased brain damage observed in hyperglycemic SOD2(-/+) mice is associated with HIF-1alpha suppression, while hyperglycemia per se does not seem to exert its detrimental effects on ischemic brain via modulating HIF-1 pathway.
Learning to Balance Assistance With Assessment: A Scholarship of Field Instruction

In this self-study, the author focuses on ways of embracing and managing a central dilemma of student teaching supervision: balancing assistance with assessment. Drawing on his practice as a field supervisor, the author chronicles conversations with student teachers over a 2-year period in the context of two distinct teacher education programs. Through qualitative methods of data analysis, the author finds that supervisors have access to specific discursive tools and strategies that allow them to balance support with assessment of their student teachers. In this article, he describes and explains five key strategies and concludes with implications for the preparation and support of supervisors that can help them engage in critical dialogue with their student teachers to push their practice forward.
FREE RADICAL ELIMINATION IN IRRADIATED UHMWPE THROUGH CRYSTAL MOBILITY IN PHASE TRANSITION TO THE HEXAGONAL PHASE.

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is radiation cross-linked to decrease wear in total joint applications. Irradiation decreases the strength of UHMWPE and introduces residual free radicals, which can cause oxidation in the long-term. We advanced a method eliminating the free radicals without a reduction in strength. UHMWPE exhibits a hexagonal phase at high pressure and temperature, where chain mobility in the crystalline phase is increased, leading to the formation of extended chain crystals. We hypothesized that the increased chain mobility during transformation from the orthorhombic to hexagonal phase could be used to eliminate the residual free radicals in irradiated UHMWPE. We eliminated the free radicals in 25-, 65- and 100-kGy irradiated UHMWPEs and these materials did not show oxidation after accelerated aging. The ultimate tensile strength and work-to-failure of 25 and 65-kGy irradiated UHMWPEs were improved significantly while that of 100-kGy irradiated UHMWPE was lower compared to irradiated UHMWPE melted at ambient pressure.
Pharmaceutical sponsorship bias influences thrombolytic literature in acute ischemic stroke.

Author(s): Radecki, Ryan P | Abstract: Background: The efficacy of thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke remains controversial in Emergency Medicine and has not been fully endorsed by either the American College of Emergency Physicians or the American Academy of emergency medicine. A growing recognition exists of the influence of pharmaceutical sponsorship on the reported findings of published clinical trials. Sponsorship bias has been suggested as a potential criticism of the literature and guidelines favoring thrombolytic therapy.Objective: The objective of this study is to review the most influential literature regarding thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke and document the presence or absence of pharmaceutical sponsorship.Methods: A publication-citation analysis was performed to identify the most frequently cited articles pertaining to thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke. Identified articles were reviewed for disclosures of pharmaceutical funding.Results: Of the 20 most-cited articles pertaining to thrombolytic therapy for acute stroke, 17 (85%) disclosed pharmaceutical sponsorship. These disclosures range from general sponsorship to direct employment of authors by pharmaceutical companies.Conclusion: An overwhelming predominance of the most influential literature regarding thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke is susceptible to sponsorship bias. This potential bias may provide a basis for physician concern regarding the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic therapy. Further, large, independent, placebo-controlled studies may be required to guide therapy and professional guidelines definitively for acute ischemic stroke. [West J Emerg Med. 2011;12(4):435–441.]
Radiogenetic therapy: strategies to overcome tumor resistance.

The aim of cancer gene therapy is to selectively kill malignant cells at the tumor site, by exploiting traits specific to cancer cells and/or solid tumors. Strategies that take advantage of biological features common to different tumor types are particularly promising, since they have wide clinical applicability. Much attention has focused on genetic methods that complement radiotherapy, the principal treatment modality, or that exploit hypoxia, the most ubiquitous characteristic of most solid cancers. The goal of this review is to highlight two promising gene therapy methods developed specifically to target the tumor volume that can be readily used in combination with radiotherapy. The first approach uses radiation-responsive gene promoters to control the selective expression of a suicide gene (e.g., herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase) to irradiated tissue only, leading to targeted cell killing in the presence of a prodrug (e.g., ganciclovir). The second method utilizes oxygen-dependent promoters to produce selective therapeutic gene expression and prodrug activation in hypoxic cells, which are refractive to conventional radiotherapy. Further refining of tumor targeting can be achieved by combining radiation and hypoxia responsive elements in chimeric promoters activated by either and dual stimuli. The in vitro and in vivo studies described in this review suggest that the combination of gene therapy and radiotherapy protocols has potential for use in cancer care, particularly in cases currently refractory to treatment as a result of inherent or hypoxia-mediated radioresistance.
Reply by Authors to N. Fishman

mechanical properties of a solid propellant to a high degree can be readily removed on exposure to vacuum, and can also be reabsorbed upon re-exposure to atmosphere. I suggest that in addition to pre-exposure properties, the weight loss noted by the authors was substantially recovered upon reexposure to the atmosphere. I also suggest that similar results could have been obtained had the specimens been tested in a desiccated environment.
Ultrastructural studies of the secretion of calcium carbonate by the serpulid polychaete worm, Pomatoceros caeruleus.

Pomatoceros caeruleus possesses a pair of simple acinar calcium-secreting glands lying in the ventral peristomium. Each gland has a single large secretory acinus containing columnar secretory cells with basal nuclei. Golgi complexes and flattened cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum are abundant in the midregion and secretory vacuoles fill the apical cytoplasm. Elongate microvilli extend from the apices of the cells into the gland lumen. An organelle-free zone, the intracellular channel, extends from near the base almost to the apex of the cells. It is bordered on one side by the lateral cell membranes and is separated from the organelle compartment by elongate profiles of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The secretory products of the calcium-secreting glands have the form of cubic or rhombohedral granules with average dimensions of 150–200 mμ on a side. The granules are composed of a fibrous organic matrix in which needle-like calcite crystals are deposited. The possible mode of synthesis of the calcified secretory granules is discussed.
A computer vision approach for drill wear measurements

A new wear criterion, namely, the flank wear area, has been employed to indicate the severeness of drill wear condition. This new wear criterion is much better than the conventional criterion and is justified by experimental results. A computer vision approach has been adopted to measure the flank wear area, which is very difficult to measure using conventional techniques.
New therapies for asthma

Asthma is an increasing global health problem, and many patients continue to suffer from chronic symptoms. However, current therapy with inhaled corticosteroids and a long-acting inhaled β 2 -agonist is highly effective, safe and inexpensive. This poses a major hurdle to the development of new therapies that aim to improve on current treatments. An important unmet need is the treatment of severe asthma, which has different characteristics to mild and moderate asthma and is more similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Several new treatments are now under development but many of them are too specific, targeting a single receptor, enzyme or mediator, and are unlikely to have a major clinical impact. Another unmet need is the development of an effective oral therapy for mild and moderate asthma, but it is unlikely that such a treatment will be discovered because side effects might be a major problem. Prospects for a cure are currently remote but might arise from the development of vaccines that target the aberrant immune function in asthma.
Biology and function of neuroimmune semaphorins 4A and 4D

Semaphorins belong to a family of membrane-bound and secreted molecules that regulate the functional activity of axons in the nervous system. Sema4A and Sema4D were the first semaphorins also found to be expressed in immune cells and were, therefore, termed “immune semaphorins”. It is known that Sema4A has three functional receptors, namely Plexin D1, Plexin B1, and Tim-2, whereas Sema4D binds to Plexin B1 and CD72. Recent studies suggest that immune semaphorins play critical roles in many physiological and pathological processes and such. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the biology of neuroimmune semaphorins and their corresponding receptors, their distribution in organs and tissues, function in the immune response, and critical regulatory roles in various diseases.
Asilomar conference on managing complexity in high energy physics: A summary and renaming of the conference

Abstract Even if it was not either concious or deliberate, physicists at the Asilomar Conference on Computing in High Energy Physics, probably for the first time, focussed a conference on the multitude of problems associated with the new scale of complexity in high energy physics experiments. This summary of the conference emphasizes issues of managing this complexity with new computer techniques. It also points to the emerging relevance of Artificial Intelligence subjects to particle physics.
Preparation and characterization of Cu2Zn1−xMnxGeS4

Abstract Single crystals of Cu2Zn1−xMnxGeS4 (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.10, 1.0) have been grown by chemical vapor transport. These crystallize with the wurtz-stannite structure. Magnetic measurements show that the Curie-Weiss law is obeyed. Manganese exhibits the expected spin only moment and the Weiss constants become more negative as the manganese concentration increases. Ambient temperature resistivities decrease with increasing manganese concentration. Two band transitions are observed for all materials in the range 1.9–2.1 eV.
Interim results from a screening trial say little about the efficacy of oral visual examination for reducing oral cancer mortality

Original Article Ramadas K, Sankaranarayanan R, Jacob BJ, Thomas G, Somanathan T, Mahe C, et al. Interim results from a cluster randomized controlled oral cancer screening trial in Kerala, India. Oral Oncol 2003;39(6):580-8. Level of Evidence 2b Purpose The authors sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based screening program in reducing oral cancer mortality Source of Funding Government: Primary source: International Association for Research on Cancer (IARC, Lyon, France); Additional funding: Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF; UK) Type of Study/Design Community-based, cluster-randomized, controlled intervention trial
Nonlinear refraction at the absorption edge in InAs

The results of measurements of nonlinear refraction at the absorption edge in InAs between 68 and 90 K taken with an HF laser are compared with those of a band-gap resonant model in which the contribution of the light-hole band is included and found to account for more than 40% of the observed nonlinear refraction. A generalized expression for the nonlinear index is derived by using the complete Fermi–Dirac distribution function. Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained, with no free parameters.
Small cell carcinoma of the oesophagus: a rare cause of dysphagia

Primary small cell carcinoma of the oesophagus is a rare, highly aggressive malignancy with diagnosis usually occurring at the most advanced stages. We report a case of small cell carcinoma of the oesophagus presenting with dysphagia and melena. A 79-year-old Caucasian man presented to an outside hospital with dizziness, light-headedness, chest pain and melena for 3 days. He had a history of intermittent dysphagia for solids and a 25-pound weight loss in the past 2 months. He underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy that revealed a large polypoid, well-circumscribed friable oesophageal mass causing near complete obstruction of the lumen. This mass extended into the gastric cardia. Oesophageal biopsies were consistent with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. He underwent chemotherapy with subsequent remission and developed recurrence of disease in the oesophagus 2 years later. Overall, the patient has had two recurrences of his disease but has survived for more than 2 years with chemotherapy alone.
WHAT MOLECULES CAN TELL US ABOUT POPULATIONS: CHOOSING ANDUSING A MOLECULAR MARKER

The rapid development of molecular techniques offers a palette of technical approaches for population biologists interested in a wide range of questions. For example, these tools can be used to determine individual reproductive success or to measure rates of genetic divergence among populations. Which technique is most appropriate for a par- ticular question depends upon (1) the extent of genetic polymorphism required to best answer the question, (2) the analytical or statistical approaches available for the technique's application, and (3) the pragmatics of time and costs of materials. Here we evaluate the application of several major techniques (protein electrophoresis, nuclear and mitochondrial RFLPs (restriction fragment length polymorphisms), minisatellite and microsatellite VNTRs (variable number tandem repeats), RAPDs (random amplified polymorphic DNA), and DNA sequencing) to an array of questions regarding individual identification, exclusion and assignment of parentage, and various levels of population structure. In our evaluation, we briefly explain the technical components of each molecular approach and assess whether the typical outcomes expected from each approach will provide useful information as applied to each level of inquiry. For studies of population genetic structure, protein electrophoresis remains a powerful tool for most taxa, although techniques based on nucleic acids (par- ticularly DNA sequencing and mitochondrial DNA RFLPs) are useful here as well. Recently developed nucleic acid techniques (e.g., VNTRs) can often identify enough genetic vari- ability to address questions of self-identification or parentage. Some of the newest tech- niques (RAPDs and microsatellites) are potentially useful across a number of levels of inquiry, although procedures for adopting them are still developing.
Theoretical basis for sodium and potassium MRI of the human heart at 1.5 T

Knowledge of the extent and location of viable tissue is important to clinical diagnosis. In principle, sodium ( 23 Na) and potassium ( 39 K) MRI could noninvasively provide information about tissue viability. In practice, imaging of these nuclei is difficult because, compared with water protons ( 1 H), 23 Na and 39 K have lower MR sensitivities (9.2 and 0.051%, respectively), and lower in vivo concentrations (ca. 1000-fold). On the other hand, the relatively short T 1 relaxation times of 23 Na and 39 K (ca. 30 and 10 ms, respectively) suggest that optimized imaging pulse sequences may in part alleviate the weak signal of these nuclei. In this study, numerical simulations of highspeed imaging sequences were developed and used to maximize 23 Na and 39 K image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per unit time within the constraints of existing gradient hardware. The simulation demonstrated that decreasing receiver bandwidth at the expense of echo time (TE) results in a substantial increase in 23 Na and 39 K image SNR/time despite the short T 2 and T 2 * of these nuclei. Referenced to the available 1 H signal on existing 1.5 T scanners, the simulation suggested that it should be possible to acquire three-dimensional 23 Na images of the human heart with 7 x 7 x 7 mm resolution and 39 K images with 26 x 26 x 26 mm resolution in 30 min. Experimentally in humans at 1.5 T, three-dimensional 23 Na images of the heart were acquired in 15 min with 6 x 6 x 12 mm resolution and signal-to-noise ratios of 11 and 7 in the left ventricular cavity and myocardium, respectively, which is very similar to the predicted result. The results demonstrate that by choosing imaging pulse sequence parameters that fully exploit the short relaxation times of 23 Na and 39 K, potassium MRI is improved but remains impractical, whereas sodium MRI improves to the point where 23 Na imaging of the human heart may be clinically feasible on existing 1.5 T scanners.
Downregulation of migration inhibitory factor is critical for estrogen-mediated attenuation of lung tissue damage following trauma-hemorrhage

Although studies have shown that 17β-estradiol (E2) prevents neutrophil infiltration and organ damage following trauma-hemorrhage, the mechanism by which E2 inhibits neutrophil transmigration remai...
Conduction-based modeling of the biofilm anode of a microbial fuel cell

The biofilm of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) experiences biofilm-related (growth and mass transport) and electrochemical (electron conduction and charger-transfer) processes. We developed a dynamic, one-dimensional, multi-species model for the biofilm in three steps. First, we formulated the biofilm on the anode as a "biofilm anode" with the following two properties: (1) The biofilm has a conductive solid matrix characterized by the biofilm conductivity (kappa(bio)). (2) The biofilm matrix accepts electrons from biofilm bacteria and conducts the electrons to the anode. Second, we derived the Nernst-Monod expression to describe the rate of electron-donor (ED) oxidation. Third, we linked these components using the principles of mass balance and Ohm's law. We then solved the model to study dual limitation in biofilm by the ED concentration and local potential. Our model illustrates that kappa(bio) strongly influences the ED and current fluxes, the type of limitation in biofilm, and the biomass distribution. A larger kappa(bio) increases the ED and current fluxes, and, consequently, the ED mass-transfer resistance becomes significant. A significant gradient in ED concentration, local potential, or both can develop in the biofilm anode, and the biomass actively respires only where ED concentration and local potential are high. When kappa(bio) is relatively large (i.e., > or =10(-3) mS cm(-1)), active biomass can persist up to tens of micrometers away from the anode. Increases in biofilm thickness and accumulation of inert biomass accentuate dual limitation and reduce the current density. These limitations can be alleviated with increases in the specific detachment rate and biofilm density.
Radial evolution of the solar wind from IMP 8 to Voyager 2

Voyager 2 and Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP) 8 data from 1977 through 1994 are presented and compared. Radial velocity and temperature structures remain intact over the distance from 1 to 43 AU, but density structures do not. Temperature and velocity changes are correlated and nearly in phase at 1 AU, but in the outer heliosphere temperature changes lead velocity changes by tens of days. Solar cycle variations are detected by both spacecraft, with minima in flux density and dynamic pressure near solar maxima. Differences between Voyager 2 and IMP 8 observations near the solar minimum in 1986-1987 are attributed to latitudinal gradients in solar wind properties. Solar rotation variations are often present even at 40 AU. The Voyager 2 temperature profile is best fit with a R(exp -0.49 +/- 0.01) decrease, much less steep than an adiabatic profile.
Characterization of Milk Proteins in Ultrafiltration Permeate

Abstract Pasteurized, unhomogenized whole milk was ultrafiltered with a Dorr-Oliver, Series S, plate and frame pilot unit containing seven commercial S-10 polysulfone membranes with a 10,000 molecular weight cut-off. Permeate was collected and protein was isolated from the permeate. Proteins precipitated from the UF permeate by 12.5% TCA were weighed and then characterized by SDS-PAGE. Only a very small amount of protein (.25g/l) was present in the permeate and approximately 90% of that protein was α -lactalbumin.
Hyponatremia in the general population. What does it mean

Hyponatremia is a frequent problem in clinical practice and is known to be associated with a variety of serious adverse outcomes. Estimates from the US general population and several community-based cohorts indicate that hyponatremia is also relatively common in these settings, especially among seniors, individuals with underlying disease, and those taking a variety of prescription medications. Prevalence is greatly increased when persons with a "low normal" level of serum sodium are considered. Population-based studies have identified a U-shaped relationship between serum sodium and all-cause mortality, with the increased risk at the lower end of the distribution being seen in persons with a "low normal" level of serum sodium as well as those meeting the traditional definition of hyponatremia. The hyponatremia associated risk in epidemiologic studies is of lesser magnitude than in hospital-based studies but of great potential importance give the much larger number of persons with a low serum sodium in the general population. An important challenge for the research community is to determine whether low levels of serum sodium are a direct cause of increased risk. Population-based studies are likely to provide the best opportunity to resolve this question.
Planning System Success: A Conceptualization and an Operational Model

Research on strategic planning has been handicapped by lack of an appropriate operationalizing scheme for measuring the success of planning systems. In this paper, an operational model for measuring planning system success is developed in terms of two interrelated dimensions—improvements in the capabilities of the planning system and extent of fulfillment of key planning objectives. Multiple items reflecting these dimensions are proposed. Construct validity of the two dimensions are evaluated by applying Joreskog's analysis of covariance structures approach on data on the planning practices of 202 strategic planning units. Validated measurement schemes for the two model dimensions are offered for use in future research efforts on strategic planning effectiveness.
Using Graphs Instead of Tables in Political Science

When political scientists present empirical results, they are much more likely to use tables than graphs, despite the fact that graphs greatly increases the clarity of presentation and makes it easier for a reader to understand the data being used and to draw clear and correct inferences. Using a sample of leading journals, we document this tendency and suggest reasons why researchers prefer tables. We argue that the extra work required in producing graphs is rewarded by greatly enhanced presentation and communication of empirical results. We illustrate their benefits by turning several published tables into graphs, including tables that present descriptive data and regression results. We show that regression graphs emphasize point estimates and confidence intervals and that they can successfully present the results of regression models. A move away from tables towards graphs would improve the discipline's communicative output and make empirical findings more accessible to every type of audience.Jonathan P. Kastellec (jpk2004@columbia.edu) and Eduardo L. Leoni (eleoni@hmdc.harvard.edu) are Doctoral Candidates in Political Science at Columbia University. The authors' names appear in alphabetical order. They would like to thank Andrew Gelman, Rebecca Weitz-Shapiro, Gary King, David Epstein, Jeff Gill, Piero Stanig, and three anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and suggestions. We also thank Noah Kaplan, David Park, and Travis Ridout for generously making their data publicly available. Eduardo Leoni is grateful for support from the Harvard MIT Data Center, where he was a fellow while working on this project.We have created a web site, http://tables2graphs.com, that contains complete replication code for all the graphs that appear in this article, as well as additional graphs that we did not present due to space limitations.
Management of in-sent restenosis after carotid artery stenting in high-risk patients.

Background Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has emerged as an acceptable treatment alternative in patients with carotid bifurcation disease. Although early results of CAS have been promising, long-term clinical outcomes remain less certain. We report herein the frequency, management, and clinical outcome of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after CAS at a single academic institution. Methods Clinical records of 208 CAS procedures in 188 patients with carotid stenosis of 80% or greater, including 48 (26.5%) asymptomatic patients, during a 42-month period were analyzed. Follow-up serial carotid duplex ultrasound scans were performed. Selective angiography and repeat intervention were performed when duplex ultrasound scans showed 80% or greater ISR. Treatment outcomes of ISR interventions were analyzed. Results Over a median 17-month follow-up, 33 (15.9%) ISRs of 60% or greater were found, according to the Doppler criteria. Among them, seven patients (3.4%) with a mean age of 68 years (range, 65-87 years) developed high-grade ISR (≥80%), and they all underwent further endovascular interventions. Six patients with high-grade ISR were asymptomatic, whereas one remaining patient presented with a transient ischemic attack. Five of seven ISRs occurred within 12 months of CAS, and two occurred at 18 months' follow-up. Treatment indications for initial CAS in these seven patients included recurrent stenosis after CEA (n = 4), radiation-induced stenosis (n = 1), and high-cardiac-risk criteria (n = 2). Treatment modalities for ISR included balloon angioplasty alone (n = 1), cutting balloon angioplasty alone (n = 4), cutting balloon angioplasty with stent placement (n = 1), and balloon angioplasty with stent placement (n = 1). Technical success was achieved in all patients, and no periprocedural complications occurred. Two patients with post-CEA restenosis developed restenosis after ISR interventions, both of whom were successfully treated with cutting balloon angioplasty at 6 and 8 months. The remaining five patients showed an absence of recurrent stenosis or symptoms during a mean follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-37 months). By using the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the freedom from 80% or greater ISR after CAS procedures at 12, 24, 36, and 42 months was 97%, 97%, 96%, and 94%, respectively. Conclusions Our study showed that ISR after CAS remains uncommon. Successful treatment of ISR can be achieved by endovascular interventions, which incurred no instance of periprocedural complications in our series. Patients who developed ISR after CEA were likely to develop restenosis after IRS intervention. Diligent ultrasound follow-up scans are important after CAS, particularly in patients with post-CEA restenosis.
Learning How Scientists Work: Experiential Research Projects to Promote Cell Biology Learning and Scientific Process Skills

Facilitating not only the mastery of sophisticated subject matter, but also the development of process skills is an ongoing challenge in teaching any introductory undergraduate course. To accomplish this goal in a sophomore-level introductory cell biology course, I require students to work in groups and complete several mock experiential research projects that imitate the professional activities of the scientific community. I designed these projects as a way to promote process skill development within content-rich pedagogy and to connect text-based and laboratory-based learning with the world of contemporary research. First, students become familiar with one primary article from a leading peer-reviewed journal, which they discuss by means of PowerPoint-based journal clubs and journalism reports highlighting public relevance. Second, relying mostly on primary articles, they investigate the molecular basis of a disease, compose reviews for an in-house journal, and present seminars in a public symposium. Last, students author primary articles detailing investigative experiments conducted in the lab. This curriculum has been successful in both quarter-based and semester-based institutions. Student attitudes toward their learning were assessed quantitatively with course surveys. Students consistently reported that these projects significantly lowered barriers to primary literature, improved research-associated skills, strengthened traditional pedagogy, and helped accomplish course objectives. Such approaches are widely suited for instructors seeking to integrate process with content in their courses.
Estimation of Parameters in Models for Cesium Beam Atomic Clocks

This paper is intended to serve as an introduction to the use of the Kalman filter in modeling atomic clocks and obtaining maximum likelihood estimates of the model paramaters from data on an ensemble of clocks. Tests for the validity of the model and confidence intervals for the parameter estimates are discussed. Techniques for dealing with unequally spaced and partially or completely missing maltivariate data are described. The existence of deterministic frequency drifts in clocks is established and estimates of the drifts are obtained. The recursive updating of least squares estimates that would later become a special case of the Kalman "filter" was apparently known to Gauss 111,' and published in the modern statistical literature by Plackett (2). Kalman's contribution (3) was the generalization to dynamic systems. Kalman's filter has found immense application in diverse areas of engineering. In classical applications, recursive estimates are obtained of the "state" of the system but parameters appearing elsewhere in the state space representation for the system and the mathematical model for the system must be considered known. In our application, Kalman's recursive equations allow us to compute the likelihood function for given values of parameters occurring anywhere in the state space representation. Nonlinear optimization techniques, can then be used to find the maximum likelihood estimates. The recursive residuals, or innovations, may be examined to judge the adequacy-of-fit of the model, and generalized likelihood ratio tests may be used to test the significance of model parameters such as frequency drifts and obtain confidence intervals for the estimated parameters. Kalman filter techniques make it quite easy to deal with unequally spaced and completely or partially missing multivariate data. We describe these methods in this paper. The next article in this issue, "Estimating Time from Atomic Clocks, " by Jones and Tryon (41 describes statistical procedures for detecting clock errors and allowing for the insertion or deletion of clocks in the ensemble during the parameter estimation process. It also describes the development of a time scale algorithm based on the model developed in this paper.
Large Gaussian Covariance Matrix Estimation With Markov Structures

Covariance matrix estimation for a large number of Gaussian random variables is a challenging yet increasingly common problem. A fact neglected in practice is that the random variables are frequently observed with certain temporal or spatial structures. Such a problem arises naturally in many practical situations with time series and images as the most popular and important examples. Effectively accounting for such structures not only results in more accurate estimation but also leads to models that are more interpretable. In this article, we propose shrinkage estimators of the covariance matrix specifically to address this issue. The proposed methods exploit sparsity in the inverse covariance matrix in a systematic fashion so that the estimate conforms with models of Markov structure and is amenable for subsequent stochastic modeling. The present approach complements the existing work in this direction that deals exclusively with temporal orders and provides a more general and flexible alternative to exp...
Narcissism and Social Networking Web Sites

The present research examined how narcissism is manifested on a social networking Web site (i.e., Facebook.com). Narcissistic personality self-reports were collected from social networking Web page owners. Then their Web pages were coded for both objective and subjective content features. Finally, strangers viewed the Web pages and rated their impression of the owner on agentic traits, communal traits, and narcissism. Narcissism predicted (a) higher levels of social activity in the online community and (b) more selfpromoting content in several aspects of the social networking Web pages. Strangers who viewed the Web pages judged more narcissistic Web page owners to be more narcissistic. Finally, mediational analyses revealed several Web page content features that were influential in raters’ narcissistic impressions of the owners, including quantity of social interaction, main photo selfpromotion, and main photo attractiveness. Implications of the expression of narcissism in social networking communities are discussed.
Broadband transmission gratings with wide field of view based on efficient optimization of polynomial sidewall profiles

A new method for designing broadband transmission gratings with wide field of view for solar cell applications is proposed. The method is based on forming the sidewalls of the gratings according to polynomial functions. To achieve the optimal response, the roots of the polynomial are optimized. This method allows for generating complex sidewall profiles while keeping the number of variables at a manageable level. As an example a transmission filter for the visible band is designed that shows mean transmittance values of greater than 95% over the entire range for angles up to 60 degrees.
Leak detection&#8212;Ultrasensitive techniques employing the helium leak detector

The development of closures for electron devices often requires that leaks far below the usual range of the helium mass spectrometer-type leak detector be localized and measured. It has been possible, by using new techniques, to extend the sensitivity of detection several orders of magnitude beyond the normal limit of the instrument. Two highly sensitive methods with similar techniques but separate sensitivity ranges are discussed. In seals similar to those of color television picture tube closures, it is noted that the character of small leaks is such that long times are required to reach a constant maximum rate of helium leakage. Methods for predicting this maximum rate from early observations are discussed. Methods for establishing procedures necessary for sensitivity requirements for any particular seal type are given. Time and sensitivity limitations are discussed. Increases in the sensitivity of detection of the order of 40,000 are attained easily. Leaks as small as 1.5 × 10-10µliters/second have been detected and measured in 22-inch rectangular color television picture tube closure seals. In one year, a leak of this size would only cause an increase in pressure in an ungettered tube of 10-7mm Hg. This represents an increase in the sensitivity of detection of about one million.
Patterns of Blunt Use Among Rural Young Adult African-American Men

Background Blunts are hollowed-out cigars or leaf tobacco filled with marijuana. Use of blunts has increased since the 1990s and, in 2005, 3.5% of all American youth were estimated to have used blunts in the past month. Blunt smokers may have greater odds of cannabis and tobacco dependency and are at risk of smoking-related diseases. Previous studies have suggested that blunt use is more common among blacks, older teens, and men. However, data pertaining to blunt use in non-adolescent African-American populations are scarce. Purpose To assess patterns of blunt use among young adult African-American men aged 19–30 years residing in five rural Black Belt counties in Alabama and to compare these data with those from tobacco cigarette smokers within the same study population. Methods Verbal, face-to-face interviewer-administered survey of 415 participants collected and analyzed between December 2008 and February 2011. Results 159 respondents (38.3%) smoked cigarettes and 45 smoked blunts (10.8%). Of blunt smokers, 33 also smoked cigarettes (73.3%). Use of blunts was prevalent among unemployed, single men, and occupational blunt use was uncommon. Factors important in the initiation, maintenance, and cessation of product use were similar for blunt and cigarette smokers, especially product use and acceptance by friends. Legal concerns were an important factor facilitating blunt cessation. Conclusions Blunt use is relatively common among male African Americans aged 19–30 years and is frequently associated with concomitant cigarette use. Tobacco control efforts in this male African-American population should also address blunt usage.
Shape Recovery of Elastic Capsules from Shear Flow Induced Deformation

Red blood cells undergo substantial shape changes in vivo. Modeled as a viscoelastic capsule, their deformation and equilibrium behavior has been exten- sively studied. We consider how 2D capsules recover their shape, after having been deformed to 'equilibrium' behavior by shear flow. The fluid-structure interaction is modeled using the multiple-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann (LBM) and immersed boundary (IBM) methods. Characterizing the capsule's shape recovery with the Tay- lor deformation parameter, we find that a single exponential decay model suffices to describe the recovery of a circular capsule. However, for biconcave capsules whose equilibrium behaviors are tank-treading and tumbling, we posit a two-part recovery, modeled with a pair of exponential decay functions. We consider how these two recov- ery modes depend on the capsule's shear elasticity, membrane viscosity, and bending stiffness, along with the ratio of the viscosity of the fluid inside the capsule to the am- bient fluid viscosity. We find that the initial recovery mode for a tank-treading bicon- cave capsule is dominated by shear elasticity and membrane viscosity. On the other hand, the latter recovery mode for both tumbling and tank-treading capsules, depends clearly on shear elasticity, bending stiffness, and the viscosity ratio. AMS subject classifications: 74F10
The chromaffin granule and possible mechanisms of exocytosis.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chromaffin granule and possible mechanisms of exocytosis. Chromaffin granules and chromaffin cells have been subjects of biological and chemical investigation for over a quarter of a century, and fundamental, seminal information has been obtained about the general process of secretion from cells. Chromaffin granules play several roles in adrenal medullary cells, some of which may be amenable to biochemical analysis. This view presumes that chromaffin granules are assembled in the Golgi apparatus, by analogy to studies on other cells such as those of the pancreas, though in fact studies on the ultrastructural biochemistry of chromaffin-granule assembly are in a relatively primitive stateThis chapter describes current information on the biochemical basis of exocytosis as viewed from the vantage point of the chromaffin granule. It presents a general view of exocytosis and included granule assembly, the mechanism of calcium action, the release event, and recovery of the granule membrane after secretion.
Genetic parameters for nuclear and nonnuclear inheritance in three synthetic lines of beef cattle differing in mature size.

Genetic parameters for nuclear and cytoplasmic genetic effects were estimated from preweaning growth data collected on three synthetic lines of beef cattle differing in mature size. Lines of small-, medium-, and large-framed calves were represented in each of two research herds (Rhodes and McNay). Variance components were estimated separately by herd and size line for birth weight and 205-d weight (WW) by REML with an animal mode using an average of 847 and 427 calf records from Rhodes and McNay, respectively. Model 1 included effects of fixed year, sex of calf, age of dam, and random additive direct (a), additive maternal genetic (m), covariance (a,m), permanent environment affecting the dam, and residual error. Model 2 differed from Model 1 by including random cytoplasmic lineage effects and by ignoring permanent environmental effects. Model 1--direct (maternal) heritability estimates for birth weight at Rhodes were .62(.03) for small, .67(.06) for medium, and .30(.11) for large lines. Genetic correlations between direct and maternal effects for birth weight were .67, -.16, and .48 for the respective size groups. For WW at Rhodes, direct (maternal) heritability estimates were .30(.29), .30(.14), and .10(.16) for small, medium, and large lines, respectively, with genetic correlations of -.34 (small), -.12 (medium), and .17 (large). Heritability estimates at McNay were similar to those at Rhodes, except that maternal genetic heritabilities for WW were smaller (.10, small; .01, medium; .00, large). Model 2--estimates for nuclear genetic effects were consistent with the estimates from Model 1. Cytoplasmic variance accounted for 0 to 5% of the total random variance in birth weight. For WW, cytoplasmic variance was negligible at Rhodes and accounted for 4% of the total random variance in the large line at McNay, averaging less than the permanent environment. Results failed to indicate that cytoplasmic variance was important for preweaning performance.
1-Aminocyclopropane-l-Carboxylic Acid (ACC)-Dependent Ethylene Synthesis in Vacuoles of Pea and Bean Leaves

Protoplasts formed ACC and evolved ethylene during incubation. ACC and ethylene synthesis were promoted by light and inhibited by DCMU, CCCP and AVG. When protoplasts were incubated on L-[U-14C] methionine, the specific radioactivity of ACC increased much more rapidly than that of ethylene (1).
Where Do You Go for Human Resource Management Knowledge? The Importance of Inter-Organizational Networks

This study untangles the social processes and inter-organizational mechanisms underlying human resource management (HRM) knowledge networks. The research questions serve to advance understanding of how HRM knowledge flows between firms under contractual relationships and in the absence of formal relationships. The study analyzes data from a complete network of 51 high-technology firms located in a science and technology park to report the structural properties and relational dimensions of inter-diffusion of HRM knowledge. The results from this social network analysis show that the firms in the study actively engage in the diffusion of HRM knowledge. Specifically, the results not only indicate the preeminence of formal ties but also of relational factors relating to firm legitimacy, prestige, and reciprocity. Participation in inter-organizational knowledge networks appears to be an effective tool for obtaining HRM knowledge as well as for enhancing trust between firms and establishing legitimacy and prestige among participating firms.
Os usos da diversidade

Ao discorrer sobre o “Futuro do Etnocentrismo”, este artigo parte da premissa de que a globalizacao, apesar de ter – em muitos casos – diminuido as diferencas entre povos, nao tem amenizado os preconceitos e as formas de discriminacao que ocorrem em nome dessas diferencas. Ele resgata a importância do antropologo neste cenario lembrando que a diversidade cultural faz parte da sociedade complexa, remetendo-se nao apenas a grupos etnicos ou nacionais bem delimitados, mas tambem a diferencas de geracao, genero, sexo e classe, entre outros. Neste contexto, a tolerância passiva de modos distantes de vida assim como a aceitacao pragmatica de nosso proprio paroquialismo sao atitudes nao somente intelectualmente desonestas mas tambem moralmente repreensiveis. E no encontro incomodo de subjetividades variantes na sua propria sociedade que o antropologo define seu lugar.
Elements of the Diagenesis of Sedimentary Rocks

Three of the most important elements of the diagenesis of sedimentary rocks are consolidation, porosity reduction, and pressure dissolution or cementation. These are discussed qualitatively with special emphasis on the central role of contact formation in controlling both the driving forces and the kinetics of morphological change. It is shown, in particular, that the equilibrium forces would drive the rocks towards collapse of their porosity earlier in diagenesis were they not prevented by kinetic barriers. At greater depths these barriers are effectively removed by pressure concentration at the small contacts. We propose an explicit, qualitative mechanism leading to the observed morphologies and identify specific problems for quantitative analysis.
Después de tantos años: Filme espectral y metaforicidad ruinosa en la España post-92

ABSTRACTMucho mas que una secuela o segunda parte de El desencanto (Chavarri, 1976), el documental de Ricardo Franco Despues de tantos anos (1994) es un texto en mas de un sentido “espectral” a la vez que una reflexion filmica sobre la post-ruina en esa etapa de espectaculos europeistas y politicas neoliberales en la que entra Espana en la decada de los 90. Tras un analisis de los mecanismos cinematograficos por los que representar el sentido fantasmagorico tanto del filme mismo como de sus personajes, este articulo estudia, via Mark Fisher, lo que significa para el pais una espectralidad de futuros perdidos y, via Walter Benjamin, la post-ruina existencial y representacional que la familia Panero sigue aportando al imaginario nacional incluso en las primeras decadas del siglo XXI.
Chain shifts, strident vowels, and expanded vowel spaces

Chain shifts among vowels proceed along tightly prescribed articulatory paths: peripheral vowels raise, and high vowels, butting up against the top of the vowel space, must instead diphthongize or centralize (Labov 2004). I argue that high vowels may also further increase their constriction degree, resulting in spirantized vowels with phonetic characteristics of voiced fricatives (Connell 2007). I account for the rare emergence of these vowels with basic principles of dispersion (Liljencrants and Lindblom 1972): tongue height sufficient to produce frication may be integrated into the articulatory vowel space as the end result of raising in push chains.