cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baroclinic tidal flows and inundation processes in Cook Inlet, Alaska: numerical modeling and satellite observations

A wetting and drying (WAD) algorithm is implemented in a baroclinic three-dimensional ocean circu- lation model of Cook Inlet, Alaska, where large tidal ranges (≈10 m) regularly expose extensive mudflats. The model includes tides and wind- and buoyancy-induced flows. In the upper Inlet, the model successfully simulates large amplification of tides and propagation of fast (3∼ 4ms −1 ) tidal bores over shallow mudflats. The simulated return flows during ebb expose large areas (∼100 km 2 )o f the mudflats. Medium-resolution (250- and 500-m) images obtained from the moderate resolution imaging spectro- radiometer(MODIS) instrumentsaboardthe Terraand Aqua satelliteswereused toverify the modelresults byidentifying the location, extent, and temporal changes of the exposed mudflat regions. The results demonstrate the value of operational, medium-resolution remote sensing data in evaluating the WAD model. Sensitivity tests show that WAD produces approximately 20% larger tidal amplitude and 10% slower phase than the corresponding experiment without WAD. In the deep channel of the central Inlet, the confluence of saline water of the lower Inlet with brackish water from rivers and melting ice from land around the upper Inlet produces a salinity front. At the simulated front, strong vertical circulation cells and surface convergence and currents develop, especially during the flood. The char- acteristics resemble those of "rip tides" often observed in this region.
Old and new forms, old and new meanings: the form-function hypotheses revisited

The spontaneous speech of fifteen children was examined in order to test two hypotheses: (1) newly acquired forms are first used to express previously acquired meanings; (2) newly acquired meanings are first expressed by pre viously acquired forms. The data provide support for these hypotheses, but also demonstrate other relations between the acquisition of linguistic forms and meanings. The implications of the findings for theories of language development are briefly considered.
Better redistribution with inefficient allocation in multi-unit auctions with unit demand

For the problem of allocating one or more items among a group of competing agents, the Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (VCG) mechanism is strategy-proof and efficient. However, the VCG mechanism is not strongly budget balanced: in general, value flows out of the system of agents in the form of VCG payments, which reduces the agents' utilities. In many settings, the objective is to maximize the sum of the agents' utilities (taking payments into account). For this purpose, several VCG redistribution mechanisms have been proposed that redistribute a large fraction of the VCG payments back to the agents, in a way that maintains strategy-proofness and the non-deficit property. Unfortunately, sometimes even the best VCG redistribution mechanism fails to redistribute a substantial fraction of the VCG payments. This results in a low total utility for the agents, even though the items are allocated efficiently. In this paper, we study strategy-proof allocation mechanisms that do not always allocate the items efficiently. It turns out that by allocating inefficiently, more payment can sometimes be redistributed, so that the net effect is an increase in the sum of the agents' utilities.Our objective is to design mechanisms that are competitive with the omnipotent perfect allocation in terms of the agents' total utility. We define linear allocation mechanisms. We propose an optimization model for simultaneously finding an allocation mechanism and a payment redistribution rule which together are optimal, given that the allocation mechanism is required to be either one of, or a mixture of, a finite set of specified linear allocation mechanisms. Finally, we propose several specific (linear) mechanisms that are based on burning items, excluding agents, and (most generally) partitioning the items and agents into groups. We show or conjecture that these mechanisms are optimal among various classes of mechanisms.
Production and characterization of Acidothermus cellulolyticus endoglucanase in Pichia pastoris

Abstract The endoglucanase (E1) from Acidothermus cellulolyticus has been used extensively in cellulase research. The goal of this work was to produce high levels of this enzyme in a system that facilitates purification. A codon-optimized synthetic gene for A. cellulolyticus E1 with a C-terminal histidine tag was cloned into the genome of Pichia pastoris . Strain KM71H expressed the most enzyme, with a yield of 550 mg/L culture supernatant. The temperature optimum (80 °C) and pH optimum (5.1) of the purified enzyme agree with previously determined values for the enzyme produced in other systems. Michaelis–Menten kinetic parameters were determined, using a fluorescent substrate (methylumbelliferyl-β- d -cellobioside) at various temperatures. This thermostable enzyme can be used in future cellulosic biofuels-related research.
Standardization and calibration of whole-body autoradiography for routine semiquantitative analysis of the distribution of 14C-labeled compounds in animal tissues.

A procedure is described and evaluated for the standardization and densitometric calibration of whole-body autoradiography (WBAR) using 14C-labeled compounds. Calibration was achieved using uniform 14C-labeled poly(methyl)methacrylate standards. The mathematical relationship between activity and autoradiographic image density was linear, resulting in a convenient method for the comparison of relative radioactivity in tissues. Temperature and duration of autoradiographic exposure effected the slope but not the linearity of this relationship. The range of linearity of this function allows for a comparison of radioactivity over two orders of magnitude. The effects of section thickness on autoradiographic density were evaluated and determined to be linear over a range of from 10 to 100 μm. It was concluded that this procedure provides a reliable and reproducible semiquantitative method for the routine evaluation of compound or metabolite distribution and can be a valuable adjunct to pharmacokinetic studies.
What Do Infants Know about Continuous Quantity

We investigated infants' sensitivity to amount of continuous quantity and to change in amount of continuous quantity. Using a habituation procedure, Experiment 1 examined whether 6-month-old infants can distinguish between different amounts of liquid in a container. Infants looked significantly longer at a novel quantity than at the familiar quantity. Using a violation-of-expectation paradigm, Experiment 2 examined whether 9-month-old infants expect a change in amount when liquid is added to a hidden container which is already one-fourth full of liquid. Infants looked significantly longer at the impossible event than at the possible event. These findings indicate that infants are sensitive to amount, calling into question claims that infants have a quantitative mechanism which is exclusive to number.
Nanoballs: nanoscale faceted polyhedra with large windows and cavities

Self-assembly of molecular polygons by linking their vertices provides nanosized faceted polyhedra that are porous, contain chemically accessible sites on their facets, are chemically robust, neutral and soluble in common laboratory solvents.
Equational axiomatizability for coalgebra

A characterization result for equationally definable classes of certain coalgebras (including basic hidden algebra) shows that a class of coalgebras is definable by equations if and only if it is closed under coproducts, quotients, sources of morphisms and representative inclusions. The notions of equation and satisfaction are axiomatized in order to include the different approaches in the literature.
Effect of glucagon on rat heart adenyl cyclase

Abstract Washed particulate preparations of adenyl cyclase from rat heart were used to catalyze the formation of cyclic 3′,5′-AMP from ATP in the presence of Mg++ and caffeine. Similar preparations from other tissues have been previously used to study the effects of a variety of hormones on adenyl cyclase. In the present study, the effect of glucagon on heart adenyl cyclase was compared to that of epinephrine in the same experiments. Glucagon was about 1.5 times more effective than l -epinephrine on a molar basis in stimulating cyclic 3′,5′-AMP formation. The effects of glucagon and epinephrine were not additive indicating a single adenyl cyclase activity in the preparations. The effect of l -epinephrine but not of glucagon could be blocked by beta-adrenergic blocking agents. These observations indicated that these hormones increased heart adenyl cyclase activity by different mechanisms. Cyclic 3′,5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase was effectively blocked with caffeine in the incubation mixtures. In the absence of caffeine, moderate amounts of added cyclic 3′,5′-AMP were hydrolyzed by this enzyme, but this was similar in the absence and presence of glucagon.
Scale structure as evidence of growth patterns in fossil semionotid fishes

(1984). Scale structure as evidence of growth patterns in fossil semionotid fishes. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: Vol. 4, Essays Presented to Dr. Bobb Schaeffer, pp. 422-429.
VISUALIZATION OF BUBBLE-WAKE INTERACTIONS FOR A STREAM OF BUBBLES IN A TWO-DIMENSIONAL LIQUID-SOLID FLUIDIZED BED

Abstract In-line bubble-bubble interactions were studied visually for a stream of bubbles injected from a single nozzle into a two-dimensional liquid-solid fluidized bed. The bubble size varied from 12 to 35 mm in breadth, with corresponding bubble Re ranging from 2000 to 13000. Coalescence may take place due to suction of the trailing bubble into the primary wake of the leading bubble driven by the pressure defect in this region. Breakup probably occurs when the trailing bubble roof is flattened due to free shear layer penetration and/or vortical flow in the near wake of the leading bubble. The structure of the “apparent” primary wake for bubble aggregates in close contact varies depending on the geometric configuration of the aggregates. The wake shedding frequency was obtained for both colliding and non-colliding bubbles. For a given bubble Re, the St was found to be within the same range as that for single-bubble conditions for non-colliding bubbles but to be lower for colliding bubbles.
The sella in childhood hypothyroidism.

Two sellar configurations have been noted in primary childhood hypothyroidism. In the older child the sella appears unusually round and slightly enlarged, and the term “cherry” sella has been used to describe its appearance. Enlargement is due to rebound hypertrophy of the pituitary gland and is reversible with adequate, early treatment. If reversal of these changes is not accomplished one should consider the possibility of an adenoma having developed. In the young child and infant the sella appears more immature and “bowl-like”. Enlargement is not a prominent feature in this age group, and indeed was difficult to detect with certainty. Both configurations, but especially the “cherry” sella of the older child, are characteristic enough to enable one to suggest the diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism from lateral skull films.
Simple kinetic information for transparent depth

The present paper reports three investigations of new kinetic information for transparent depth using computer-generated dot patterns. An initial demonstration showed that separation in depth could be obtained by translating rectangular lattices of dots through one another like intersecting columns of marching soldiers. The first two experiments showed that diagonal interactions between lattices created significantly stronger separation than did horizontal or vertical interactions (horizontal was, in turn, stronger than vertical) and that patterns which translated through one another without any of the individual elements intersecting were better separated than those whose rows or columns intersected in register. The third experiment showed that random patterns interacting in any direction created the strongest separations of all the patterns observed. Results were taken to indicate that a unified theory of depth information, developed in the context of James Gibson’s ecological optics, must incorporate both spatial and kinetic structure in its specification of necessary and sufficient stimulus conditions.
Growth Performance, Tissue Fatty Acid Composition, and Consumer Appeal of Rainbow Trout Reared on Feeds Containing Terrestrially Derived Rendered Fats

Abstract We evaluated the growth, fillet fatty acid composition and consumer appeal of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss raised on feeds containing fish oil or blends of fish oil and terrestrially derived rendered fats. The fish (128 ± 2 g, mean ± SE) were stocked in a recirculation system (eight fish/tank) and fed a fish-oil-based feed or feeds containing 50/50 blends of fish oil and beef tallow, pork lard, poultry fat, or restaurant grease exclusively (18 weeks) or in combination with a finishing feed (10 weeks grow out + 8 weeks finishing). Survival (94 ± 2%, mean ± SE), weight gain (384 ± 11%), specific growth rate (1.14 ± 0.02% body weight/d), feed conversion ratio (1.57 ± 0.03), cumulative individual consumption (755 ± 13 g), and feed intake (1.97 ± 0.03% body weight/d) were equivalent among the feeding regimens. The fillet fatty acid composition changed during grow out to more closely resemble the composition of the rendered-fat-based feeds, but at harvest the fillets were quite similar across all ...
Interactions of spermatozoa with the female reproductive tract: inspiration for assisted reproduction

Artificial insemination with sexed semen, in vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection have been used to reproduce animals, but often not as successfully as natural mating. Learning more about how spermatozoa normally interact with the female tract can provide inspiration for developing improvements in assisted reproduction. The present review focuses on Bos taurus, because more is known about this species than others. At coitus, bull spermatozoa are deposited into the anterior vagina, where they rapidly enter the cervix. Cervical mucus quickly filters out seminal plasma from spermatozoa, unlike most assisted reproduction protocols. Spermatozoa that reach the uterus may require certain cell surface proteins to swim through the uterotubal junction. Shortly after passing through the junction, most spermatozoa are trapped in a storage reservoir by binding to oviducal epithelium, in the case of cattle via bovine seminal plasma (BSP) proteins coating the sperm head. As ovulation approaches, spermatozoa capacitate and shed BSP proteins. This reduces sperm binding to the epithelium and releases them from storage. Motility hyperactivation assists spermatozoa in leaving the storage reservoir, swimming through oviducal mucus and the cumulus oophorus, and penetrating the oocyte zona pellucida. Chemotactically regulated switching between asymmetrical (i.e. hyperactivated) and symmetrical flagellar beating may also guide spermatozoa to the oocyte.
Polysensory evoked potentials in rat parietotemporal cortex: combined auditory and somatosensory responses

Abstract A 64 channel microelectrode array was used to map auditory evoked potentials (AEP), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) as well as combined auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials (ASEP) from a 7 × mm 2 area in rat parietotemporal neocortex. Cytochrome oxidase (CO) stained sections of layer IV were obtained in the same animals to provide anatomical information underlying epicortical field potentials. Epicortical responses evoked by click or vibrissa stimuli replicated earlier findings from our laboratory, and appeared as a family of waveforms centered on primary auditory (AI) or somatosensory (SI) cortical areas as determined from CO histology. Selective microinjections of HRP to AI and SI further confirmed their specific sensory relay nuclei in the thalamus. A small polysensory area between AI and SI, responded uniquely with an enhanced negative sharp wave to combined auditory and somatosensory stimuli. HRP retrograde labeling revealed that the thalamocortical projections to this area were from the posterior nuclear group (Po) and medial division of the medial geniculate (MGm). These data establish close relationships between epicortical AEP, SEP, and especially ASEP and corresponding cortical structures and thalamocortical projections. The neurogenesis of unimodal and polysensory evoked potentials is discussed in terms of specific and non-specific systems.
Film boiling from a partly submerged sphere

Abstract An experimental study of film boiling from a partly submerged sphere is carried out. The experimentally obtained results are compared with theoretically predicted data. At high temperature differences, the experimental Nusselt numbers are larger than the predicted Nusselt numbers.
Platelet, Not Endothelial, P-Selectin Is Required for Neointimal Formation After Vascular Injury

Background— P-selectin blockade significantly inhibits inflammation and neointimal formation after arterial injury; however, the independent roles of platelet and endothelial P-selectins in this process are unknown. In atherosclerosis, both platelet and endothelial cell P-selectins are important. This study was designed to determine whether P-selectin expression on platelet, endothelial, or both surfaces is critical to the inflammatory response and neointimal formation after arterial injury. Methods and Results— Using wild-type (WT) and P-selectin–knockout (Psel −/− ) mice, we performed bone marrow transplantation to generate chimeric mice that expressed either platelet P-selectin (Plt-Psel) or endothelial P-selectin (EC-Psel). Double injury of the carotid artery was performed in these mice as well as in WT and Psel −/− mice. Animals were euthanized 4 or 21 days after arterial injury. Morphometric data showed that there was more neointimal formation in the WT mouse group when compared with the Psel −/− mouse group (0.015±0.004 vs 0.004±0.004 mm 2 , P 2 ) compared with Plt-Psel mice (0.011±0.005 mm 2 , P =0.026) and WT mice (0.015±0.004 mm 2 , P =0.001). No significant differences were observed between WT and Plt-Psel mice or between Psel −/− and EC-Psel mice. Decreased neointimal formation was accompanied by a reduced inflammatory response, as evidenced by immunostaining of RANTES and MCP-1 4 days after injury. Conclusions— Platelet P-selectin expression, but not endothelial P-selectin, plays a crucial role in the development of neointimal formation after arterial injury, and therapeutic strategies targeting leukocyte-platelet interactions could be effective in inhibiting restenosis.
Vasomotor tone does not affect perfusion heterogeneity and gas exchange in normal primate lungs during normoxia

To determine whether vasoregulation is an important cause of pulmonary perfusion heterogeneity, we measured regional blood flow and gas exchange before and after giving prostacyclin (PGI(2)) to baboons. Four animals were anesthetized with ketamine and mechanically ventilated. Fluorescent microspheres were used to mark regional perfusion before and after PGI(2) infusion. The lungs were subsequently excised, dried inflated, and diced into approximately 2-cm(3) pieces (n = 1,208-1,629 per animal) with the spatial coordinates recorded for each piece. Blood flow to each piece was determined for each condition from the fluorescent signals. Blood flow heterogeneity did not change with PGI(2) infusion. Two other measures of spatial blood flow distribution, the fractal dimension and the spatial correlation, did not change with PGI(2) infusion. Alveolar-arterial O(2) differences did not change with PGI(2) infusion. We conclude that, in normal primate lungs during normoxia, vasomotor tone is not a significant cause of perfusion heterogeneity. Despite the heterogeneous distribution of blood flow, active regulation of regional perfusion is not required for efficient gas exchange.
An algorithm for parallel incremental compaction

Garbage collectors of the mark-sweep family may suffer from memory fragmentation and require the use of compaction. Known compaction methods are expensive and work while program activity is stopped, so that compaction is often a major contributor to garbage collection pause times. We present a parallel incremental compaction algorithm that reduces pause times by working in parallel and evacuating a part of the heap when the program threads are stopped for garbage collection. Our algorithm works with collectors based on mark-sweep, including mostly concurrent collectors. We have implemented a prototype of our algorithm as part of the garbage collector in the IBM JVM. Measurements of our prototype show that even with the most simple-minded policies, e.g., for choosing the area to evacuate, parallel incremental compaction can successfully reduce maximum garbage collection pause times with a minimal performance penalty.
Lactation in yearling Alaskan reindeer: Implications for growth, reproduction, and survival

Unlike most Rangifer herds, free-ranging female reindeer {Rangifer tarandus) on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska frequently give birth as yearlings (12 months). In other reindeer herds this early reproduction has led to negative effects such as decreased future weight gain and reproduction. We analyzed reindeer data collected on the Seward Peninsula between 1987 and 1997 to determine what effect lactating as yearlings had on future weight gain, reproductive rates, and survival. Reindeer were rounded up during June and early July. Individual ear tag numbers were recorded, females were visually inspected for the presence of a distended udder, and some animals were weighed. Females with distended udders as yearlings had subsequent recapture rates, survival rates, weight gain, and future reproductive success comparable to females that did not have distended udders as yearlings. These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of increased calf weight gain outweigh potential negative effects of early reproduction in these reindeer. This may be due to high quality range leading to heavy calves and the ability of females to maintain body reserves during lactation.
Mechanical analysis of the prototype undulator for the Linac Coherent Light Source

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) will require undulators with unprecedented mechanical precision in order to achieve the magnetic field requirements. Distortion of the undulator strongback due to the thermal effects and magnetic and gravitational forces could seriously degrade the performance. To minimize the distortion, a C-type, fixed-gap undulator with titanium strongback will be used. An analysis of the design of the structure and a comparison of the predicted results with the mechanical requirements and with magnetic measurements is presented.
Utilizing manhattan's present traffic facilities

Proposals for immediate traffic relief which can be introduced while large projects are in process of construction.
Positron range correction in PET using an alternating EM algorithm

In Positron Emission Tomography (PET), positrons travel a short distance before annihilating with an electron resulting in blurred reconstructed imaged because of the difference between the positions of the emitted positrons and their annihilation points. For radionuclides which have a long mean positron range, this results in a significant loss in spatial resolution. This blurring occurs in the image space and is independent of the tomographic imaging process. In this paper we propose a reconstruction algorithm that models the PET imaging problem as a two step process positron emission followed by annihilations which are detected by the imaging system. Within the first step of this approach, the standard EM algorithm for PET is viewed as reconstructing an annihilation distribution rather than the actual activity distribution. Second, the annihilation distribution is then viewed as a blurred version of the activity distribution which can be recovered by image deconvolution with a density dependant positron range kernel. Our proposed algorithm is expressed as an alternating maximization algorithm that maximizes the likelihood of the annihilation and activity distributions given the data.
Parallelized Architecture of Multiple Classifiers for Face Detection

This paper presents a parallelized architecture of multiple classifiers for face detection based on the Viola and Jones object detection method. This method makes use of the AdaBoost algorithm which identifies a sequence of Haar classifiers that indicate the presence of a face. We describe the hardware design techniques including image scaling, integral image generation, pipelined processing of classifiers, and parallel processing of multiple classifiers to accelerate the processing speed of the face detection system. Also we discuss the parallelized architecture which can be scalable for configurable device with variable resources. We implement the proposed architecture in Verilog HDL on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA and show the parallelized architecture of multiple classifiers can have 3.3× performance gain over the architecture of a single classifier and an 84× performance gain over an equivalent software solution.
Diagnostic testing for coronary heart disease in women: new information generates new questions.

Although coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the principal cause of death for US women, only recently have sex-specific data become available to guide its recognition and management.1 During the past decade, there has been a doubling of coronary arteriography and a threefold increase in the performance of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft surgery in women. But the diagnostic antecedents of these procedures are less comprehensively tabulated. Because angina is the predominant initial and subsequent presentation of CHD in women (in contrast to myocardial infarction and sudden death for men),2 information regarding the optimal approach to the evaluation of chest pain in women assumes enormous importance, both in terms of clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness. The evidence-based model presented by Kim et al3 in this issue of the Journal (see page •••) addresses the cost-effectiveness of test strategies for 55-year-old women able to perform an exercise-based test, who have high, intermediate, and low pre-test likelihoods of CHD: that is, those with definite angina, probable angina, and nonspecific chest pain. New approaches suggested by such models, for example, the cost-effectiveness of exercise echocardiography cited by the authors for 55-year-old women with nonspecific chest pain, must be validated by prospective clinical application; undoubtedly such will rapidly be undertaken. But the changing landscape of the demography and clinical characteristics of women, noninvasive testing, and outcomes of therapeutic interventions challenge these and other authors to undertake the development of new models based on additional contemporary variables.
Structures and Phase Relations of Aluminum‐Substituted Calcium Silicate Hydrate

The structures of aluminum-substituted calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) forming in a series of aqueous suspensions formulated with colloidal silica, reactive alumina, and lime and aged for 1 year have been studied using {sup 29}Si and {sup 27}Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (with and without cross polarization (CP)), solution pH, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. As in earlier work dealing with the nature of C-S-H in the system CaO-SiO{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O, two aluminum-substituted C-S-H phases, having distinctly different anionic structures on the atomic level (Q{sub 2} versus Q{sub 1}Q{sub 2}), were found to extend into the system CaO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-SiO{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O. X-ray diffraction patterns of the two aluminum-containing C-S-H phases are nearly identical, suggesting that their intermediate-range order is very similar, but MASNMR spectra show that these two phases have markedly different silicate structures on the atomic-level scale. Both C-S-H structures can accommodate approximately 5 mol% of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in tetrahedral and possibly octahedral coordination as well.
Voltage Stability Risk Analysis

This paper focuses on the important aspect of estimating and quantifying the voltage stability risk with and without VAR support It is motivated by the perception that VAR support guarantees additional security and is economically justifiable. A decision tree based model is designed for estimating the risk, which accounts for both future system uncertainties and consequences associated with violation of limits and voltage collapse. A case study on the standard IEEE 24 bus reliability test system investigates the different scenarios and evaluates the risk. The results prove that in spite of high installation costs, an SVC can make the system more reliable and ensure cost savings.
The 'understanding' of natural language in CAI and analogous mental processes

The use of open-ended natural language interaction is essential in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) aimed at teaching clinical decision-making and in interactive tests that emulate oral examinations. Lessons learned in developing CASIP (computer-assisted socratic instructional program) a CAI authoring tool, about the scope and limitations of computerized natural language interaction are examined. Different approaches were tested, and the most effective of these was found to involve a conditionally branched search of key words from among clusters of contextually synonymous words. This mode of man-machine interaction offers a multistage model for certain aspects of human verbal interaction. Possible ways of testing this model are suggested as well as uses for diagnosing certain cognitive dysfunctions, especially in children. >
The Identification of Spiritual Content in Dream Reports

This investigation was designed to evaluate a new dream content measure, the Casto Spirituality Scoring System. Therefore, our research question was: "Can the spiritual content of dream reports be identified and measured?" We randomly selected 20 male and 20 female dream reports obtained in dream seminars in each of six countries. We added 20 dream reports from one U.S. female and one U.S. male undergoing "spiritual development" programs. Of the 280 dream reports in our collection, 59 contained spiritual content, according to our definition of "spiritual" as one's focus on, and/or reverence, openness, and connectedness to something of significance believed to be beyond one's full understanding and/or individual existence. The research question was answered affirmatively in so far as the Casto Spirituality Scoring System yielded high reliability when the scores of two judges, working independently, were compared. These initial results are promising but further research needs to be done before the usefulness of this system can be fully demonstrated. Key words: dreams, spirituality, consciousness, survey
Honeybees can learn the relationship between the solar ephemeris and a newly-experienced landscape

Many species learn the sun's daily pattern of azimuthal movement (the solar ephemeris function) for use in sun-compass orientation. In honeybees, this learning is accomplished with much innate guidance and yields stubborn, imprinting-like retention of certain aspects of the stored information. One such case involves the failure of transplanted bees to update their memories of the relationship between the solar ephemeris and a new landscape, even after many days' experience at the new site. In the present study, I ask whether the bees in previous transplantation experiments failed to update their memories of the relationship between the sun and landscape because the source and recipient landscapes were (rotated) panoramic twins of each other, each dominated by a conspicuous treeline. To test this hypothesis, I transplanted bees from their natal site at the bottom of a valley to a panoramically different, treelined site and later tested the bees' knowledge of the sun's course in relation to the treeline. The test involved observing the bees' communicative dances under overcast skies at a second treeline that was a mirror image of the first. The cloudy-day dances show that the bees had indeed learned the relationship between sun's pattern of movement and the (panoramically novel) treelined site, indicating that the bees' memory of the relationship between the ephemeris function and the landscape is not incapable of revision as the earlier results had suggested. I discuss these results in the context of a brief summary of our current understanding of solar ephemeris learning in bees.
Mirror, Mirrors on the Wall, Who is the Most Powerful of All? A Self-Study Analysis of Power Relationships in Science Methods Courses

This study explored the dynamics of power relationships in secondary science methods courses taught at an urban university in Southern California for credential candidates. Data collection extended over 10 academic semesters. Employing frameworks of power, self-study, and critical pedagogy, the study analyzes the multifaceted and intricate roads (or multimirrored reflections) of an instructor on her way to becoming a transformative intellectual. Findings suggested that power sources and their use may vary according to the credential candidates' needs and the demands and perceptions of the different tasks performed in class. Perceptions of the instructor's goals and perceived attitudes during classroom tasks seemed to relate to power shifts ultimately influencing classroom dynamics. The major implications of this study was to reemphasize the acute need for instructor self-studies in science education as a way of improving practice and fulfilling the demands of the changing and challenging science credential candidate population as well as their K–12 students. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1370–1388, 2007
Cell Polarization Defects in Early Heart Development

See related article, pages 137–145 Planar Cell Polarity defects have been associated with a range of phenotypes in vertebrates, most notably the closure of the neural tube, the orientation of stereociliary bundles in the inner ear, and the orientation of hair and fur. In a new study in this issue of Circulation Research , Phillips and colleagues present data that implicate PCP signaling in the developing mouse heart. Characterized originally as the mechanism governing the polarity of cells in Drosophila , 25 years of genetic and molecular dissection has established Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) as a morphogenetic mechanism in embryonic development that is indispensable for the formation of the body plan. PCP can be defined broadly as a signaling cascade that involves cell/tissue polarity within the plane of the epithelium, which, in Drosophila and to a certain extent in vertebrates, is typically mediated by a small set of “core” proteins. In flies, the best known examples of PCP have been described in relation to the organization of 2 structures: the hexagonal wing cells and their connected hairs, and the omatidia of the compound eye. In each case, the asymmetric distribution of key proteins, such as Strabismus , Prickle , and Flamingo initiates a signaling cascade that passes polarizing information to cells undergoing remodeling.1 In vertebrates, classic examples of PCP events include convergent extension in zebrafish and xenopus, and neural tube closure, stereociliary bundle organization, hair follicle orientation in the skin, and eyelid closure in mammals (see ref. 2 for a recent representative review of the topic; Figure). Notably, PCP studies in vertebrates (primarily mouse and zebrafish) have unveiled a host of PCP proteins, some of which are functionally conserved with the Drosophila PCP pathway, such as members of the Frizzled (Fz) serpentine receptor family and the Disheveled family …
Splittings of symmetric matrices and a question of Ortega

A complete answer is given to a problem posed in 1988 by Ortega concerning convergent splittings of symmetric matrices.
Biophysical dynamics in disorderly environments.

Three areas where time-independent disorder plays a key role in biological dynamics far from equilibrium are reviewed. We first discuss the anomalous localization dynamics that arises when a single species spreads in space and time via diffusion and fluid advection in the presence of frozen heterogeneities in the growth rate. Next we treat the unzipping of double-stranded DNA as a function of force and temperature, a challenge that must be surmounted every time a cell divides. Heterogeneity in the DNA sequence dominates the physics of single-molecule force-extension curves for a broad range of forces upon approaching a sharp unzipping transition. The dynamics of the unzipping fork exhibits anomalous drift and diffusion in a similar range above this transition, with energy barriers that scale as the square root of the genome size. Finally, we describe how activated peptidoglycan strand extension sites, called dislocations in materials science, can mediate the growth of bacterial cell walls. Enzymatically d...
POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITS OF MEDICAL SCIENCE: DEBATES OVER DOUBLE-BLIND CLINICAL TRIALS OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER

. This article traces the intellectual history of scientific studies of intercessory prayer published in English between 1965 and the present by focusing on the conflict and discussion they prompted in the medical literature. I analyze these debates with attention to how researchers articulate the possibilities and limits medical science has for studying intercessory prayer over time. I delineate three groups of researchers and commentators: those who think intercessory prayer can and should be studied scientifically, those who are more skeptical and articulate the limits of science around this topic, and those who focus primarily on the pragmatic applications of this knowledge. I analyze these contests as examples of what Thomas Gieryn calls “epistemic authority” as medical researchers engage in what he describes as “boundary-work” or “the discursive attribution of selected qualities to scientists, scientific methods, and scientific claims for the purposes of drawing a rhetorical boundary between science and some less authoritative residual non-science.” (Gieryn 1999, 4 (Gieryn 1999, 4)).
Pseudotumor of left kidney due tosarcoidosis

Abstract Presence of granulomas in the kidney have been reported in up to 40 percent, of patients with sarcoidosis. However, granulomatous infiltration producing renal enlargement with distortion of the normal renal contour, and mimicking renal “pseudotumor” is exceedingly rare and is the subject of this case report. Radiographic, scintigraphic, and histologic findings are presented.
The growth of laser oscillations at high excitation

The buildup of single-mode laser oscillations is investigated for the 0.633-μ transition of a helium-neon laser at levels of relative excitation significantly above threshold ( 1.5 \leq n \leq 4 ) using a fast intra-cavity chopper. The time response agrees with theory. The evolution of the signal provides information on the saturation mechanism and allows a very simple determination of resonator quality, relative excitation, unsaturated gain, and degree of saturation of a laser. The saturation parameter is found to depend on the discharge current. This is attributed to a variation of the gas density in the capillary discharge tube caused by gas heating, which affects the collision-dominated atomic lifetimes.
A Joint Model for Discovery of Aspects in Utterances

We describe a joint model for understanding user actions in natural language utterances. Our multi-layer generative approach uses both labeled and unlabeled utterances to jointly learn aspects regarding utterance's target domain (e.g. movies), intention (e.g., finding a movie) along with other semantic units (e.g., movie name). We inject information extracted from unstructured web search query logs as prior information to enhance the generative process of the natural language utterance understanding model. Using utterances from five domains, our approach shows up to 4.5% improvement on domain and dialog act performance over cascaded approach in which each semantic component is learned sequentially and a supervised joint learning model (which requires fully labeled data).
Female Urethral Reconstruction

Purpose: Female urethral reconstruction can be used successfully to treat a heterogeneous group of urethral disorders through an expanding number of unique approaches. Understanding the diverse etiologies of female urethral stricture and loss is essential in evaluating and diagnosing patients. Although there is an appreciable body of literature addressing female urethral reconstruction individually, there is a paucity of resources that approach this issue holistically. We discuss the relevant female urethral anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnosis and evaluation of female urethral disorders, and current reconstructive techniques, as well as published outcomes data and potential future directions for female urethral reconstruction.Materials and Methods: We reviewed articles published in English and indexed in the PubMed®, Embase® and Google Scholar™ databases, and consulted textbooks. Key search terms used were female, urethra, urethral reconstruction, urethroplasty, pathology, stricture, vaginal flap, bladder...
Possible Phase Transition in UPt3 in a Magnetic Field

Longitudinal sound attenuation was measured in a magnetic field in UPt3. A possible phase transition is indicated by the appearance of a small peak in the attenuation at about 0.6 Hc2. Below this peak, at low fields, the attenuation αs/αn varies linearly with the magnetic field H; close to Hc2, the attenuationhas a parabolic dependence αs/αn~(Hc2-H)2. The peak, at the change over from linear to parabolic behavior may correspond to a phase transition in the vortex lattice.
Differences in Perceived Need for Medical, Therapeutic, and Family Support Services Among Children With ASD.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying racial and ethnic differences in perceived need for treatment among families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will improve understanding of disparities in care seeking. We described racial and ethnic differences in perceived need for services that children with ASD and their families frequently use. METHODS: We conducted bivariate analyses of racial and ethnic categories and perceived need for 6 common services used by children with ASD as found in the 2005 to 2006 ( n = 2123) and the 2009 to 2010 ( n = 3055) National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs data sets. Multivariate logistic regressions within concatenated data sets were conducted to examine associations between racial and ethnic category and perceived service needs while controlling for predisposing, enabling, and child factors. RESULTS: Compared with caregivers of white non-Hispanic children with ASD, caregivers of Hispanic children reported less need for prescription medications in adjusted multivariate analyses. Caregivers of black non-Hispanic children with ASD reported less need for prescription medications and for child and family mental health services than caregivers of white non-Hispanic children. Both English-speaking Hispanic caregivers and black non-Hispanic caregivers reported greater need for occupational, speech, and physical therapy than white non-Hispanic caregivers. No racial or ethnic differences were found in perceived need for specialty medical care or respite care. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers of children with ASD from different racial and ethnic backgrounds may differentially perceive need for different types of care. Their perceptions may in turn affect how they prioritize and seek care, independent of their child’s specific needs.
Multigenerational Effects of Rearing Atmospheric Oxygen Level on the Tracheal Dimensions and Diffusing Capacities of Pupal and Adult Drosophila melanogaster

Insects are small relative to vertebrates, and were larger in the Paleozoic when atmospheric oxygen levels were higher. The safety margin for oxygen delivery does not increase in larger insects, due to an increased mass-specific investment in the tracheal system and a greater use of convection in larger insects. Prior studies have shown that the dimensions and number of tracheal system branches varies inversely with rearing oxygen in embryonic and larval insects. Here we tested whether rearing in 10, 21, or 40 kPa atmospheric oxygen atmospheres for 5–7 generations affected the tracheal dimensions and diffusing capacities of pupal and adult Drosophila. Abdominal tracheae and pupal snorkel tracheae showed weak responses to oxygen, while leg tracheae showed strong, but imperfect compensatory changes. The diffusing capacity of leg tracheae appears closely matched to predicted oxygen transport needs by diffusion, perhaps explaining the consistent and significant responses of these tracheae to rearing oxygen. The reduced investment in tracheal structure in insects reared in higher oxygen levels may be important for conserving tissue PO2 and may provide an important mechanism for insects to invest only the space and materials necessary into respiratory structure.
Effects of tillage and light environment on emergence of 13 annual weeds.

Seeds of many plant species require a brief exposure to light to induce germination. Modifying the light environment during soil tillage may alter weed emergence in agricultural systems. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of secondary tillage conducted during daylight and at night on the emergence of 13 summer annual weed species under the same soil and environmental conditions. Annual grass and large-seeded broadleaf species showed little response to light environment during tillage. However, emergence was often less when no tillage was conducted than with any tillage by light environment combination. Emergence of small-seeded broadleaf species often was lower when tillage was conducted during darkness than with tillage during the light. Reductions varied by experiment and species and ranged from 70% for common lambsquarters to less than 30% for Pennsylvania smartweed. Large variations in response also occurred within species.
RF Dielectric Loss Due to MOCVD Aluminum Nitride on High Resistivity Silicon

The contribution of high-frequency losses from an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer on high resistivity silicon (Si) is reported. The AlN, deposited on silicon via metalorganic chemical vapor phase deposition as a nucleation layer for subsequent gallium nitride growth, is analyzed for its contribution to the dielectric losses from 6–20 GHz and differentiated from the loss due to the p-type layer formed in the silicon substrate. It is found that AlN is a stronger contributor to overall dielectric loss in comparison with the silicon substrate.
3D printed remendable polylactic acid blends with uniform mechanical strength enabled by a dynamic Diels–Alder reaction

Here we report a 3D printable polymer that retains uniform mechanical strength after printing and can be used with a conventional fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer. To achieve this, a synthetic polymer containing dynamic Diels–Alder functionality was blended with commercially available polylactic acid (PLA). This new polymer contains cross-links that are reversible at the temperatures typically used for FFF 3D printers. By increasing the cross-link density of the polymer system, we were able to dramatically improve both ultimate strength and toughness along the interfilament junctions of the printed material up to ∼290% and ∼1150% respectively. The final achieved ultimate strength and toughness values for the optimized system are isotropic within error along the three representative print directions X, Y, and Z. Self-healing studies on the Z print direction of the optimized blend showed a 77% recovery of the ultimate strength vs. control PLA having only a 6% recovery, further proving the advanced interfilamentous adhesion via the fmDA dynamics.