cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey and mapping of restriction endonuclease cleavage sites in bacteriophage T7 DNA.

Abstract A survey of restriction endonucleases having different cleavage specificities has identified 10 that do not cut wild-type bacteriophage T7 DNA, 11 that cut at six or fewer sites, four that cut at 18 to 45 sites, and 12 that cut at more than 50 sites. All the cleavage sites for the 13 enzymes that cut at 26 or fewer sites have been mapped. Cleavage sites for each of the 10 enzymes that do not cut T7 DNA would be expected to occur an average of 9 to 10 times in a random nucleotide sequence the length of T7 DNA. A possible explanation for the lack of any cleavage sites for these enzymes might be that T7 encounters enzymes having these specificities in natural hosts, and that the sites have been eliminated from T7 DNA by natural selection. Five restriction endonucleases were found to cut within the terminal repetition of T7 DNA; one of these, Kpn I, cuts at only three additional sites in the T7 DNA molecule. The length of the terminal repetition was estimated by two independent means to be approximately 155 to 160 base-pairs.
Managerial Risk Preferences for Below-Target Returns

This paper reports on the risk preferences for below target returns of 224 managers from the U.S. Canada, and Europe. When only non-ruinous losses were involved, 71% of the managers were risk seeking for below target returns. The distribution of risk preferences tended to be stable over a wide range of experimental conditions: diversity of background of the managers, the size of outcomes below target, and the context of the decision process personal versus managerial. When ruinous losses were introduced for 75 of the managers, 64% switched to risk averse behavior. Empirical findings concerning the relationship between risk preferences for below target returns and several demographic characteristics of managers are also reported.
Cutaneous Dermal Ia+ Cells Are Capable of Initiating Delayed Type Hypersensitivity Responses

The presence of Langerhans cells (LC) within the epidermis has been shown to be critical for inducing T-cell-mediated immune responses in the skin. The purpose of this study was to assess whether cells in the dermis can initiate T-cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in vivo. Initially, back skins from C3H mice were trypsinized to remove the epidermis. The dermis was enzymatically dispersed and filtered to obtain a cell suspension. However, dermal cells exposed to trypsin were contaminated with numerous disaggregated hair follicles. These hair follicles contained Ia+ cells (presumably LC), and upon haptenation in vitro with trinitrophenyl, initiated contact hypersensitivity reactions in vivo. We therefore used dispase in place of trypsin to prevent follicular disaggregation and to allow preparation of dermal cell suspensions free of hair follicles. These hair follicle-free dermal cells were haptenated with trinitrophenyl and injected intradermally. Elicitation of contact hypersensitivity by epicutaneous painting 6 d later revealed the mean +/- SEM incremental ear-swelling response to be 53 +/- 8 mm X 10(-3). In contrast, mice sensitized by injection with dermal cells depleted of Ia+ cells demonstrated only 10 +/- 1 mm X 10(-3) of ear swelling. Thus, like dendritic LC of the epidermis, perivascular dendritic Ia+ cells of the dermis are capable of initiating T-cell-mediated contact hypersensitivity in vivo and may be highly relevant for presentation of antigen to T cells trafficking through the dermis.
FRANÇOIS VIÈTE, FATHER OF MODERN CRYPTANALYSIS - TWO NEW MANUSCRIPTS

Two recently discovered manuscripts of Francois Viete clarify his methods of cryptanalysis. He claimed to have an “infallible rule” which could be extended to solve any nomenclator. His technique extends the analysis of frequencies to include digraphs and trigraphs in a systematic way. This yields information distinguishing vowels from consonants and delineates a limited set of alternative hypotheses at each step. In contrast with earlier writers, his methods rely on mathematical and logical approaches rather than on probable words and unsystematic guesswork. Thus he is the originator of modern methodical cryptanalysis. Leibniz and Wallis were aware of his achievements, if not of his exact methods. With Viete in mind they corresponded concerning the nature and scope of cryptanalysis.
Accuracy of Transthoracic Echocardiography for the Measurement of the Ascending Aorta: Comparison With Transesophageal Echocardiography

Background There has been a substantial increase in the number of imaging studies performed to assess thoracic aortic pathology. We sought to determine the accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) compared to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for measuring ascending aortic size. Hypothesis Transthoracic echocardiography is reasonably accurate for assessing ascending aortic dimension. Methods Fifty-two patients with or without aortic disease underwent both TTE with nonstandard views and TEE. The ascending aorta was measured at 4 levels by 2 blinded observers for each modality. Pearson's correlation coefficients were determined and Bland-Altman plots and analyses were constructed. Inter- and intraobserver variability was determined in a random subgroup of patients. Results The mean age of the group was 65.5 years old and 15% had aortic dilation >4.0 cm. A strong positive correlation between the 2 imaging modalities was seen at all levels with the highest correlation for the maximum diameter of the ascending aorta (r = 0.936, P < 0.0001). Interobserver and intraobserver variability showed a good intraclass correlation among readers and among the same reader at all levels. Conclusions Transthoracic echocardiography using nonstandard imaging windows is accurate in comparison to TEE for measurement of the ascending aorta at multiple levels in patients with or without aortic pathology. The findings of this study provide support for selected serial follow-up of patients with aortic disease by TTE only. Copyright © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Improving speech understanding in communication headsets: Simulation of adaptive subband processing for speech in noise

Abstract Speech communication headsets are necessary for many high-noise environments to maintain interaction between individuals and facilitate safe working conditions. However, current hearing protection devices intended to protect hearing health can impede speech communication or expose persons to sound pressure levels (SPLs) that could lead to excessive noise exposure if a communication signal is presented improperly. This paper explores an adaptive subband communication algorithm, based on a delayless subband active noise reduction architecture, intended to adjust the communication channel gain to provide an appropriate speech signal power in relation to the instantaneous environmental noise power. The method monitors SPLs underneath the ear cup of a communication headset to provide a target speech signal-to-noise ratio without exceeding safe noise exposure thresholds. A series of computer simulations derived from a real-world communication headset model are used to compare the method developed with a traditional passive attenuation headset and a commercial active noise reduction design. The simulations demonstrate the ability of the adaptive subband communication algorithm to adjust automatically the speech signal gain for improved intelligibility while maintaining healthy noise exposure levels. Relevance to industry The electro-acoustic performance of an active speech communication headset is explored by simulation. The concept integrates a subband active noise control algorithm with an adaptive gain control structure to improve speech intelligibility in a noisy environment. The concept automatically selects appropriate communication channel gain levels without exceeding hearing damage thresholds or requiring user input, and is directly applicable to a practical device.
Further studies on the action of baclofen on neurons of the dorsolateral septal nucleus of the rat, in vitro

Abstract Baclofen hyperpolarizes rat dorsolateral septal neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. The apparent dissociation constant for this action is 200nM. The baclofen-induced hyperpolarization is due to an increase in potassium conductance with a reversal potential of −88 mV. Of the various potassium and calcium channel blockers we tested, only 4-aminopyridine blocked baclofen-induced hyperpolarizations. Our results suggest that baclofen does not activate a calcium-dependent potassium conductance.
Clinical implementation of electrical impedance tomography with hyperthermia

We describe the use of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for non-invasive thermal imaging in conjunction with a clinical treatment of a superficial scalp lesion utilizing a spiral microstrip antenna. This is our first reported use of EIT with a clinical hyperthermia treatment and perhaps the first world-wide. The thermal measurements recorded during treatment compare favourably with the images reconstructed from impedance data gathered during heating. A linear relation, measured in phantom material, between the change in temperature with the change in reconstructed impedance was assumed. The average discrepancy between the measured temperature changes with the temperatures reconstructed from the impedance changes was 1 -4°C, with the maximum being 8·9°C. These preliminary data suggest that impedance changes can be measued during hyperthermia delivery and temperature estimates based on these observed changes are possible in the clinical setting. These findings also point to the complex, yet critical na...
Cr, Mo and W alloy powders produced by laser-induced breakdown of metal carbonyl vapors

Very fine ( < 100 A) CrMoW alloy powder particles were produced from a mixture of metal (Cr, Mo, W) carbonyl vapors via laser-induced dielectric breakdown. Extensive STEM analyses revealed two types of particles, differentiated by morphology and chemistry. The much more abundant particles were basically amorphous, and rich in Cr and Mo. The second particle type was rich in Mo and depleted of Cr and consisted of very fine crystallites dispersed within an amorphous matrix.
Nonuniform glassy electronic phases from competing local orders

We study nonuniform states and possible glassiness triggered by a competition between distinct local orders in disorder-free systems. Both in Ginzburg-Landau theories and in simple field theories, such inhomogeneous states arise from negative gradient terms between the competing order parameters. We discuss applications of these ideas to a variety of strongly correlated systems.
Nomilin, Taste Threshold and Relative Bitterness

Aqueous taste thresholds for nomilin, a bitter citrus limonoid, were established by a combination of ascending series and sensory difference (triangle) tests. Results from the 25-member screened panel indicated a detection or stimulus threshold of 0.8 ppm and a recognition threshold of 2.1 ppm. Panelists described nomilin as either astringent or lingeringly bitter. Triangle taste thresholds determined from statistical and graphical techniques ranged from 3.5 ppm for LOGIT calculations to 1.7 ppm for log probability plots. Paired comparisons of individual nomilin and limonin solutions in equal concentrations of 1, 2, 3 and 4 ppm could not be differentiated with statistical significance (P = 0.05).
Amyloid imaging in dementias with atypical presentation.

Abstract Background With the potential emergence of disease specific therapies, an accurate biomarker of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology is needed in cases in which the underlying etiology is uncertain. We explored the potential value of amyloid imaging in patients with atypical presentations of dementia. Methods Twenty-eight patients with atypical dementia underwent positron emission tomography imaging with the amyloid imaging tracer Pittsburgh compound B (PiB). Twenty-six had [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography scans. After extensive clinical evaluation, this group of patients generated considerable diagnostic uncertainty and received working diagnoses that included possible Alzheimer’s disease (AD), focal dementias (e.g., posterior cortical atrophy [PCA]), or cases in which no clear diagnostic category could be determined (dementia of uncertain etiology). Patients were classified as PiB-positive, PiB-negative, or PiB-intermediate, based on objective criteria. Anterior–posterior and left–right indices of PiB and [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake were calculated to examine differences in distribution of amyloid pathology and metabolic changes associated with clinical phenotype. Results Eleven patients (39%) were PiB positive, 16 were PiB negative (57%), and one (4%) was PiB intermediate. By diagnostic category, three of 10 patients (30%) with dementia of uncertain etiology, one of five (20%) with primary progressive aphasia, three of five (60%) with PCA, and four of seven (57%) with possible AD were PiB positive. Brain metabolism of both PiB-positive and PiB-negative patients was generally similar by phenotype, but appeared to differ from typical AD. PCA patients also appeared to differ in their relative distribution of PiB compared with typical AD, consistent with their atypical phenotype. Conclusions AD pathology is frequently present in atypical presentations of dementia and can be identified by amyloid imaging. Clinical phenotype is more related to the pattern of cerebral hypometabolism than the presence/absence of amyloid pathology. These findings have diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications.
Impact of modifications in acid development on the insoluble calcium content and rheological properties of Cheddar cheese.

Cheddar cheese was made from milk concentrated by reverse osmosis (RO) to increase the lactose content or from whole milk. Manufacturing parameters (pH at coagulant addition, whey drainage, and milling) were altered to produce cheeses with different total Ca contents and low pH values (i.e., <5.0) during ripening. The concentration of insoluble (INSOL) Ca in cheese was measured by cheese juice method, buffering by acid-base titration, rheological properties by small amplitude oscillatory rheometry, and melting properties by UW-Melt Profiler. The INSOL Ca content as a percentage of total Ca in all cheeses rapidly decreased during the first week of aging but surprisingly did not decrease below approximately 41% even in cheeses with a very low pH (e.g., ∼4.7). Insoluble Ca content in cheese was positively correlated (r = 0.79) with cheese pH in both RO and nonRO treatments, reflecting the key role of pH and acid development in altering the extent of solubilization of INSOL Ca. The INSOL Ca content in cheese was positively correlated with the maximum loss tangent value from the rheology test and the degree of flow from the UW-Melt Profiler. When cheeses with pH <5.0 where heated in the rheometer the loss tangent values remained low (<0.5), which coincided with limited meltability of Cheddar cheeses. We believe that this lack of meltability was due to the dominant effects of reduced electrostatic repulsion between casein particles at low pH values (<5.0).
The Tyranny of Population Growth

The proximate cause behind the decline of biodiversity is most often reduction or change of habitat and isolation of wildlife populations. In the western United States, as in much of the world, these problems can ultimately be attributed to increases in human population and percapita consumption. This journal has published several articles concerning the burdens of human population growth (e.g., Meffe 1994; Gehrt 1996); indeed, we have not met many conservation biologists who are not firmly aboard the Malthusian ship. We argue that population growth also burdens personal liberty by creating a need for greater regulation. Parsons (1971) discussed the relationship between population and liberty; we extend that argument to conservation. People unmoved on the population issue with conservation arguments may be moved by our regulation argument. The problems faced by conservationists have changed. One hundred years ago, the predominant problem facing wildlife in North America was overexploitation. Waterfowl, forest carnivores, and ungulates were exploited, largely for market, and were minimally regulated, to the point where most were near extinction. Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations were especially depleted and heading toward extirpation throughout the eastern United States. The American colonies began limiting hunting methods, seasons, and equipment in the mid-1600s to deal with overexploitation (Trefethen 1961). Passage of the Lace Act of 1900, which made it a federal offense to transport illegally killed wildlife across state borders, further defined the public right to wildlife and helped curb overexploitation. These regulations marked the beginning of the end of wildlife populations being considered unprotected public property. Unregulated taking had exacted a lasting toll on some North American wildlife. For example, the passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), which once flew in flocks of billions, was extinct by 1914, largely because of unregulated taking of pigeons for market (Blockstein & Tordoff 1985). At about the same time, carnivores such as lynx (Lynx canadensis) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) were exploited to local extinction in the northeastern United States (Godin 1977). As the human population grew, wildlife conservation and management developed as an applied scientific discipline with a focus on reducing or controlling consumption by humans and increasing production of wildlife. Specifically, the works of Aldo Leopold, particularly Game Management (Leopold 1933) and "The Upshot" (in A Sand County Almanac, Leopold 1949), focused our attention on wildlife as a renewable but finite resource
A histochemical study of glycogen and mucin in developing human foetal epithelia

From the third to the sixth month of foetal life abundant glycogen is found in all foetal epithelia. It declines thereafter, except in certain squamous mucosae in which it persists into adult life. Foetal epithelial glycogen or its products of degradation may function as sources of carbohydrate for the energy requirements of the developing organism as a whole or they may have a local metabolic role.
The counseling service as a growth center

A description of the traditional model of the role and function of college and university counseling centers is presented along with supporting research data. It is suggested that this model is inadequate, and a new one, the human development center or growth center, is proposed. This center would be a proactive agency concerned with educative and developmental as well as remedial aspects of human personality. The center would offer a triadic relationship among the three necessary functions of service, education, and research. Suggestions are then offered for implementing this model.
Competitive 15N kinetic isotope effects of nitrogenase-catalyzed dinitrogen reduction.

Biological N2 fixation is achieved under ambient conditions by enzymatic catalysis. The enzyme nitrogenase has been studied extensively, but the N2 chemical reduction step is, by far, not rate limiting and hard to examine. A new method was developed that allows studying the reduction transition state within the enzyme's complex kinetic cascade by means of the 15N kinetic isotope effect on the reaction's second-order rate constant, V/K. A value of 1.7% ± 0.2% was measured.
The Arp2/3 complex is required for lamellipodia extension and directional fibroblast cell migration

The Arp2/3 complex nucleates the formation of the dendritic actin network at the leading edge of motile cells, but it is still unclear if the Arp2/3 complex plays a critical role in lamellipodia protrusion and cell motility. Here, we differentiated motile fibroblast cells from isogenic mouse embryonic stem cells with or without disruption of the ARPC3 gene, which encodes the p21 subunit of the Arp2/3 complex. ARPC3−/− fibroblasts were unable to extend lamellipodia but generated dynamic leading edges composed primarily of filopodia-like protrusions, with formin proteins (mDia1 and mDia2) concentrated near their tips. The speed of cell migration, as well as the rates of leading edge protrusion and retraction, were comparable between genotypes; however, ARPC3−/− cells exhibited a strong defect in persistent directional migration. This deficiency correlated with a lack of coordination of the protrusive activities at the leading edge of ARPC3−/− fibroblasts. These results provide insights into the Arp2/3 complex’s critical role in lamellipodia extension and directional fibroblast migration.
New crack-imaging procedure using spatial autocorrelation function

An innovative method of applying a spatial autocorrelation function to analyze pavement image data is presented in this paper. One of the major advantages of using a spatial autocorrelation function is its capability of suppressing the noise. By calculating the autocorrelation function of the pavement image, we can measure direction and area of the crack under the presence of background noise. An algorithm is developed and programmed using C language to identify crack type and to measure crack density automatically. The algorithm is illustrated using artificially prepared crack images. Randomly selected sample video images of real cracks are used to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed automated crack-imaging procedure. Based on the limited set of data, it is concluded that the proposed automated procedure can identify crack type and density with a reasonable accuracy. It is proposed that the crack-density measure could be used as a combined index of various crack types for managing pavements at the network level.
Highly reduced organometallics XXVII. Synthesis, isolation and characterization of trisodium tricarbonylcobaltate(3 -), and initial studies on its derivative chemistry☆

Abstract Reduction of A[Co(CO) 4 ] by three equivalents of A (A = sodium or potassium) in liquid ammonia provides salts containing tricarbonylcobaltate(3 -). A satisfactorily pure sodium compound, Na 3 [Co(CO) 3 ] is described for the first time. Reactions of A 3 [Co(CO) 3 ] with two equivalents of Ph 3 ECl (E = Ge, Sn, Pb) provides 50–70% yields of trans -(Ph 3 E) 2 Co(CO) 3 − which have been isolated as analytically pure Et 4 N + salts. Treatment of liquid ammonia slurries of K 3 [Co(CO) 3 ] with three equivalents of NH 4 Cl in the presence of PR 3 or CNR, results in evolution of hydrogen gas and the formation of Co(CO) 3 L − . In the case of L = t-BuNC, the first such isocyanide substituted carbonylcobaltate(1 -) species was prepared and isolated in a 67% yield by this procedure. A possible pathway for the formation of Co(CO) 3 L − from K 3 [Co(CO) 3 ] is discussed in light of similar protonation reactions reported for other carbonylmetallate trianions.
Seasonal variations in the speciation of dissolved iodine in the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract The speciation of dissolved iodine and the distributions of the iodine species in the deep Chesapeake Bay underwent seasonal variations in response to changes in the prevailing redox condition. In the deep water, the ratios of iodate to iodide and iodate to inorganic iodine decreased progressively from the Winter through the Summer as the deep water became more poorly oxygenated before they rebounded in the Fall when the deep water became re-oxygenated again. The composition of the surface water followed the same trend. However, in this case, the higher biological activities in the Spring and the Summer could also have enhanced the biologically mediated reduction of iodate to iodide by phytoplankton and contributed to the lower ratios found during those seasons. Superimposed on this redox cycle was a cycle of input and removal of dissolved iodine probably as a result of the interactions between the water column and the underlying sediments. Iodine was added to the Bay during the Summer when the deep water was more reducing and removed from the Bay in the Fall when the deep water became re-oxygenated. A third cycle was the inter-conversion between inorganic iodine and ‘dissolved organic iodine’, or ‘‘DOI’’. The conversion of inorganic iodine to ‘DOI’ was more prevalent in the Spring. As a result of these biogeochemical reactions in the Bay, during exchanges between the Bay and the North Atlantic, iodate-rich and ‘DOI’-poor water was imported into the Bay while iodide- and ‘DOI’-rich water was exported to the Atlantic. The export of iodide from these geochemically reactive systems along the land margins contributes to the enrichment of iodide in the surface open oceans.
Rapidly solidified prealloyed powders by laser spin atomization

A new technique, termed laser spin atomization, for the production of rapidly solidified prealloyed powders is described. The results of experiments involving the production of powders of two alloys, one based on Ni, the other on Ti, are presented. The powders have been characterized using light optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Auger elec-tron spectroscopy, and these various observations are described.
Whole-cell patch clamp recordings from rhythmically active motoneurons in the isolated spinal cord of the chick embryo.

Abstract Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were obtained during motor activity from electrically identified motoneurons within the spinal cord of the chick embryo maintained in vitro. Most recordings were performed on E11-E13 motoneurons although it was also possible to record from younger cells (E7-E9). Voltage clamp recordings were used to characterize the synaptic currents expressed in femorotibialis (extensor) motoneurons during motor activity. These motoneurons exhibited rhythmic excitatory currents with reversal potentials near 0 mV. This powerful technique enables high resolution recordings from identified motoneurons in situ and allows investigation of the membrane and synaptic mechanisms involved in the development of embryonic motility.
Calabi's conjecture and some new results in algebraic geometry

Abstract We announce a proof of Calabi's conjectures on the Ricci curvature of a compact Kahler manifold and then apply it to prove some new results in algebraic geometry and differential geometry. For example, we prove that the only Kahler structure on a complex projective space is the standard one.
Examining ourselves: exploring assumptions about teaching pelvic examinations in midwifery education.

A time-honored tradition in many midwifery programs isthe “pelvic exam lab”: an opportunity for students tolearn how to do a thorough and competent pelvic examby examining and being examined by each other. Propo-nents of this educational experience feel that being apatient is a valuable experience for beginning practi-tioners. They also believe that the opportunity to providefeedback to one’s classmates during an exam provides asource of helpful information in the early stages ofestablishing one’s comfort and skill while performingpelvic exams. Recently, students have questioned thispractice, raising a variety of concerns. In addition to theinvasion of privacy represented by the “intimate exami-nation” of another person’s reproductive organs, con-cerns about the potential for harassment and battery havebeen identiﬁed. In our increasingly liability-consciousenvironment, it is time to reﬂect on the usefulness of thispractice in contemporary midwifery education.The experience of genital self-examination was ahallmark of the feminist women’s health movement ofthe 1970s. This experience became a symbol of self-discovery for the activist women of this generation. Theopportunity to visualize one’s vulva, vagina, and cervixrepresented the ultimate reclamation of self-knowledgeand self-determination. As one feminist women’s healthadvocate expressed, “. . . the fact that this particular areaof the body that has been inaccessible to us is nowvisualized . . . It was so revolutionary! Just the simple actof putting a speculum in the vagina ourselves andbringing up that part of the body and being able to see itin the same commonsense way we look at our face everymorning.”
Theoretical Transition Probabilities and Lifetimes

The beam-foil method and the computation of oscillator strengths with correlated wave functions both had their beginning in the late 1960s. The stimulating interplay between theory and experiment will be reviewed. With the power of todays computers, great progress has been made in computation. The current state of spectrum calculations using the multiconfiguration Hartree–Fock method will be described and the importance of relativistic effects mentioned.
Diurnal variations of the fattening response to prolactin in the White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis☆

Abstract Increases in body weight and fat deposits were induced in the photorefactory White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis , by injections of prolactin. The increases in lipid reserves were comparable to photoperiodically induced fattening and to that observed during the migratory seasons. However, the time of injection was of fundamental importance. Daily injections of prolactin at 5 and 10 hours after the beginning of a 16-hour photoperiod were stimulatory to fattening; injections made at 0 and 5 hours after the beginning of the photoperiod suppressed body weight and lipid reserves. These results suggest that the phasing of diurnal rhythms of prolactin release from the pituitary by the photoperiod may be important in regulating the annual cycle of fat stores.
Mountain Plover responses to deltamethrin treatments on prairie dog colonies in Montana.

Pyrethroid insecticides containing deltamethrin provide broad spectrum insect control that can adversely affect food supplies of insectivorous birds. I hypothesized that this could result in lowered nest survival for a ground-nesting insectivorous bird, the Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus), which preferentially nests on prairie dog colonies. I studied Mountain Plover nest survival in 2003–2010 at a small cluster of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies in north-central Montana. Three colonies were treated with deltamethrin to control fleas and limit the spread of plague; four untreated colonies served as controls. I monitored 412 plover nests during the 8 year study (264 on treatment colonies and 148 on control colonies) and found a strong negative effect of deltamethrin treatments on nest survival (βDust = −1.24, 95 % CI was −2.00 to −0.48) in the years following the actual treatment (2004–2006). I conclude that the observed treatment effect most likely occurred because of changes in insect (food) availability for the plover, and this in turn lowered nest survival because adults spent more time off nests or switched to less desirable insect prey. These results lend support to the need to consider the indirect effects of insecticide treatments on non-target species and suggest a potential conflict in current plague management strategies for prairie dogs.
Comparing Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty

Finkelstein et al1have attempted to provide objective data regarding laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Their study represents an important and ambitious undertaking because there is a paucity of anatomical studies in the literature. There are several significant concerns in the design of the protocol, however, that require caution in the interpretation and application of the results.
Single fiber microbuckling in a model composite

Fiber microbuckling, a compressive failure mechanism in unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites, was studied in a model system composed of a single polyamide fiber in a silicone matrix. The transparent matrix permitted direct observation of fiber microbuckling during compression. In all instances the shape of the microbuckling was planar and sinusoidal. The effects of fiber diameter, fiber modulus, and matrix modulus on the critical wavelength were observed. Excellent agreement with predictions from the stability analyses of Sadowsky et al. and Darby and Kanellopoulos was obtained.
Secondary grafting in the alveolar cleft patient

The initial attempts at the treatment of alveolar cleft defects date back to 1901, when Von Eiselberg used pedicled bone to fill an alveolar defect [1]. Since that time, the complex management of a cleft patient has advanced tremendously. These progressions have been made possible by the visionary work of multiple clinicians (Table 1). It is important to recognize that these advancements were achieved in the face of strong antagonists, who advocated no treatment of the alveolar cleft defect. Continued surgical advancements and refinement in techniques have brought about controversies in the timing of repair and the source of graft material. These controversies however, have not detracted from the goal of this treatment, which includes closing of the oronasal fistula, establishing continuity between the cleft segments, constructing proper alveolar contour, preventing tooth loss caused by lack of periodontal bone support, providing proper support for eruption of teeth and orthodontic tooth movement, and creating firm support for the nasal floor [2]. Although the repair of the alveolar cleft may be one of the last considerations in the global treatment of a cleft patient, if these goals are achieved, it provides tremendous enhancement of oral function and aesthetics for a cleft patient. By reviewing the incidence, etiology, indications for treatment, timing, source of graft material, patient evaluation and assessment, presurgical orthodontics, surgical techniques, postoperative care, and complications, the authors hope to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of alveolar clefts and their repair. This is an exciting area of oral and maxillofacial surgery that allows for integration and participation with multiple clinicians from other specialties who are also intimately involved in the care of the cleft patient. Proper communication, understanding, and coordination with these clinicians allows for optimum treatment of these unique individuals.
Safety Risk Quantification for High Performance Sustainable Building Construction

AbstractA recent study found that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings have a recordable injury rate that is 9% higher than traditional, non-LEED buildings. A follow-up study showed that there are distinct aspects of the design elements and means and methods of construction used to achieve LEED certification that have negative impacts on worker safety. The research described in this paper builds on previous knowledge by quantifying the percent increase in base-level safety risk resulting from the design strategies and construction methods implemented to earn specific LEED credits. A total of 26 interviews and 11 validation interviews were conducted with designers and contractors who had completed an average of four LEED projects, 100 traditional projects, in their average of 18 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. The results indicate that design elements and means and methods of construction implemented to achieve 12 of the 4...
Nash equilibria of n -player repeated games with semi-standard information

The folk theorem is extended here to the case where after each stage of the repeated game each player is informed only about the equivalence classes of the pure actions which were used by the other players. The sets of upper equilibrium payoffs and of lower equilibrium payoffs are characterized here, and they are found to be different.
Relaxation distribution functions of polyisobutylenes in concentrated solutions

Relaxation distribution functions for concentrated solutions of six polyisobutylene samples, using three different solvents, have been derived from measurements by the methods of the single transducer, wave propagation, and stress relaxation following cessation of steady-state flow. The ranges of molecular weight, concentration, and temperature were about 0.3 to 2.5 × 106, 5 to 40%, and −5 to 40°C., respectively. When plotted with reduced variables with a reference state of unit density and viscosity at a standard temperature, data at different temperatures superpose; data at different concentrations superpose except for the two samples of highest molecular weight, where there are perceptible deviations. The reduced distribution functions for all the samples lie close together at long times where there is a drop associated with the finite lengths of the molecules. The theory of Rouse for viscoelastic properties of dilute solutions, when modified for concentrated solutions by assuming that all segmental mobilities are equally affected by interlacing of neighboring molecules, agrees with the reduced mechanical properties at long times fairly well. However, it does not predict the plateau region characteristic of distribution functions of polymers of high molecular weight. The existence of this plateau in concentrated solutions and undiluted polymers represents an abnormal prolongation of the longest relaxation times in these systems, which is attributed to molecular coupling by entanglement as discussed by Bueche with respect to steady flow viscosity.
The role of certification in international ecotourism operators’ internet promotion of education

Ecotourism is a growing international tourism trend with unique demands on natural, cultural, and human resources. To ensure that operations are managed sustainably across environmental, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions, operating standards are implemented through ecotourism certification programmes. This study examined international ecotourism operators’ internet promotion of educational offerings, viewed as interpretive products, and interpretive sustainability practices. The primary focus was to understand differences in internet promotion of educational offerings between certified and non-certified operators. Stratified systematic sampling techniques rendered sampling of 29.9% (227/759) of the population. Data were analysed using domain analysis and logistic regression. The results revealed that certified and non-certified operators promote and practice education in the delivery of their ecotourism services; however, divergences existed between certified and non-certified operators with non-cer...
Reliability constrained packet-sizing for linear multi-hop wireless networks

We consider optimizing the packet-sizes and the reuse factor to minimize the delay required to send a message between two nodes in a linear multi-hop wireless network subject to a reliability constraint. Initially assuming no re-use, we give a bound on the required delay. Next, in an infinite system with re-use, we analyze the rate of growth of the delay as a function of the message size. Two cases are considered: one in which packets are decoded/re-encoded on each hop and one in which this is concatenated with an end-to-end outer code. The later is shown to result in lower delays.
Surface shear near the contact line of a binary evaporating curved thin film

A model for surface shear in the contact line region of a steady state two-component evaporating thin film in the shape of a meniscus is developed. A constant vapor pressure boundary condition at the liquid-vapor interface is combined with experimental meniscus profile data to obtain temperature and composition profiles. The results are used to delineate the relative effects of meniscus shape, temperature, and composition on fluid flow toward the higher temperature in an evaporating meniscus. For the system analyzed, it is found that surface shear due to composition gradients and temperature gradients is the single most important contribution to flow in the evaporating, two-component capillary meniscus in the film thickness range 10−6 m ≤ δ ≤ 10−5 m. The effect of concentration on the vapor pressure leads to a maximum evaporation rate at a thickness of approximately 6 μm for the conditions studied. Theoretical results are discussed in the light of experimental observations.
Outcomes of treatment with immunomodulatory therapy in patients with corticosteroid-resistant juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated chronic iridocyclitis.

Purpose: To describe the clinical outcome of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated chronic iridocyclitis unresponsive to conventional therapy, in whom inflammation was eventually controlled using immunomodulatory therapy (IMT), and to determine if patients treated early with IMT have better visual acuity outcomes than those treated with corticosteroid alone. Methods: Patients with JIA-associated chronic iridocyclitis receiving immunomodulatory therapy at the Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Service of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary between 1981 and 2001 were studied. Inclusion criteria: JIA with chronic corticosteroid-dependent uveitis; IMT for a minimum of one year; minimum follow-up of three years; inflammation eventually controlled for a minimum of six consecutive months by IMT. Results: At last visit, 51% of eyes (23 eyes) had acuity of 20/20 to 20/40, 16% (7 eyes) had 20/50 to 20/100, and 33% (15 eyes) had 20/200 or less. In patients whose chronic inflammation was eventua...
Asymptotic slowing down of the nearest-neighbor classifier

If patterns are drawn from an n-dimensional feature space according to a probability distribution that obeys a weak smoothness criterion, we show that the probability that a random input pattern is misclassified by a nearest-neighbor classifier using M random reference patterns asymptotically satisfies PM(error) - P∞(error) + a/M2/n, for sufficiently large values of M. Here, P∞(error) denotes the probability of error in the infinite sample limit, and is at most twice the error of a Bayes classifier. Although the value of the coefficient a depends upon the underlying probability distributions, the exponent of M is largely distribution free. We thus obtain a concise relation between a classifier's ability to generalize from a finite reference sample and the dimensionality of the feature space, as well as an analytic validation of Bellman's well known "curse of dimensionality."
Network coding in multicore processors

In this paper, we present our initial results of improving communication performance in chip multicore processors by applying Network Coding (NC) at intermediate routers. Routers with NC capability enable two flit flows on the same communication links at the same time. Consequently, simulation results show that throughput and delay are improved with the proposed NC architecture. For saturated uni-cast communications in a 6-core network-on-a-chip, throughput can be improved up to 2.3 times with a negligible penalty of average latency at about 2.5 cycles. On the other hand, for saturated multi-cast communications in a 9-core network-on-a-chip, average latency can be reduced from over 1000 cycles to just about 37 cycles and throughput can be increased by 1.4 times.
Mouse nasal epithelial innate immune responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecules require taste signaling components.

We previously observed that the human bitter taste receptor T2R38 is an important component of upper respiratory innate defense because it detects acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum-sensing molecules secreted by Gram-negative bacteria. T2R38 activation in human sinonasal epithelial cells stimulates calcium and NO signals that increase mucociliary clearance, the major physical respiratory defense against inhaled pathogens. While mice do not have a clear T2R38 ortholog, they do have bitter taste receptors capable of responding to T2R38 agonists, suggesting that T2R-mediated innate immune mechanisms may be conserved in mice. We examined whether AHLs activate calcium and NO signaling in mouse nasal epithelial cells, and utilized pharmacology, as well as cells from knockout mice lacking important components of canonical taste signal transduction pathways, to determine if AHL-stimulated responses require taste signaling molecules. We found that AHLs stimulate calcium-dependent NO production that increases muc...
A comparison between Hankel norms and induced system norms

A general definition is formulated for the Hankel norms as the induced norms of a strictly proper stable linear time-invariant (LTI) system mapping vector-valued L/sup p/-past inputs to vector-valued L/sup q/-future outputs. Some Hankel norms are derived by the maximum principle and duality. A property termed the system integral invariance is introduced by the derivation of those Hankel norms. Furthermore, the norm-induced initial conditions and the comparison between the Hankel norms and the induced system norms are also presented.
Effects of immobilization on growth, fermentation properties, and macromolecular composition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae attached to gelatin

The kinetic properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized on crosslinked gelatin were found to be substantially different from those of the suspended yeast. Batch fermentation experiments conducted in a gradientless reaction system allowed comparison of immobilized cell and suspended cell performance. The specific rate of ethanol production by the immobilized cells was 40-50% greater than for the suspended yeast. The immobilized cells consumed glucose twice as fast as the suspended cells, but their specific growth rate was reduced by 45%. Yields of biomass from the immobilized cell population were lower at one-third the value for the suspended cells. Cellular composition was also affected by mobilization. Measurements of intracellular poly-saccharide levels showed that the immobilized yeast stored larger quantities of reserve carbohydrates and contained more structural polysaccharide than did suspended cells. Flow cytometry was used to obtain DNA, RNA, and protein frequency functions for immobilized and suspended cell populations. These data showed that the immobilized cells have higher ploidy than cells in suspension. The observed changes in immobilized cell metabolism and composition may have arisen from disturbance to the yeast cell cycle by cell attachment, causing alterations in the normal pattern of yeast bud development, DNA replication, and synthesis of cell wall components.
Growth Factor Control of Cultured Rat Uterine Stromal Cell Proliferation is Progesterone Dependent

Uterine stromal cells undergo mitosis and differentiate into the decidua just prior to the expected time of implantation in humans and rodents. We have utilized a culture system that will be suitable for study of the molecular mechanisms regulating stromal cell proliferation. Stromal cells were isolated from the uteri of ovariectomized rats and were cultured in chemically defined medium. Cultured cells express the mesenchymal markers vimentin and desmin. They do not express the epithelial marker cytokeratin. Serum-starved stromal cells were stimulated to proliferate in a time frame consistent with the cell cycle through addition of a panel of growth factors (basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF], epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor alpha, insulin-like growth factor I) and hormones to the culture medium. None of the growth factors tested significantly stimulated proliferation in the absence of progesterone. Furthermore, progesterone was the only steroid of those tested that stimulated mitosis in the presence of growth factors. Stromal cell proliferation in response to progesterone and bFGF was dose dependent and saturable. Addition of the progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone (RU486) and an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase receptor activation (suramin) abolished stromal cell mitosis. Progesterone receptors and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) were identified by immunoblot analysis in proliferating stromal cells. Taken together, these results show that cultured stromal cells maintain progesterone-dependent cell cycle control that is mediated via progesterone receptors. Moreover, the data indicate that bFGF control of stromal cell proliferation is modulated via a specific isoform of FGFR1 containing the three-loop immunoglobulin-like domain.