cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General approach to hitless switching and FSR extension resonators in integrated photonic circuits

A hitless bypass switch for microphotonic channel add-drop filters that is based on /spl Delta//spl beta/ switches is described. We generalize the design to a large class of devices enabling variants of the switch and application to free-spectral-range extension in tunable filters.
Sources in posets and comparability graphs

A vertex ν in a poset is a source if its indegree is zero. Further, a vertex ν in a comparability graph G is a source if there is a transitive orientation of G in which ν is a source. We characterize sources in comparability graphs in terms of forbidden subgraphs. Certain results follow, including a brief proof of a theorem by Olariu.
Inflow occlusion for semilunar valve stenosis.

Abstract Twenty-nine patients have had valvotomy with inflow occlusion since 1975 at our institution: 7 for aortic stenosis and 22 for pulmonary stenosis. All patients with aortic stenosis and 11 with pulmonary stenosis were neonates. Six patients died, 3 with aortic stenosis and 3 with pulmonary stenosis. All of them were less than 2 days old. Two newborns with critical pulmonary stenosis required reoperation with an outflow patch at age 22 and 25 months. To determine morbidity and expense of inflow occlusion versus cardiopulmonary bypass for patients with pulmonary stenosis, we compared the 11 patients who were not infants and who had inflow occlusion (age range, 3.5 to 26.8 years) with 10 patients who were operated on concurrently and who required bypass to correct associated minor intracardiac lesions (age range, 2.6 to 26.4 years). Significant differences ( p
MACROSCALE AND MICROSCALE THERMAL TRANSPORT AND THERMO-MECHANICAL INTERACTIONS: SOME NOTEWORTHY PERSPECTIVES

Some noteworthy and historical perspectives and an overview of macroscale and microscale heat transport behavior in materials and structures are presented. The topic of heat waves is also discussed. The significance of constitutive models for both macroscale and microscale heat conduction are described in conjunction with generalizations drawn concerning the physical relevance and the role of relaxation and retardation times emanating from the Jeffreys type heat flux constitutive model, with consequences to the Cattaneo heat flux model and subsequently to the Fourier heat flux model. Both macroscopic model formulations for applications to macroscopic heat conduction problems and two-step models for use in specialized applications to account for microscale heat transport mechanisms are overviewed with emphasis on the proposition of a Generalized Two-Step relaxation / retardation time-based heating model. So as to bring forth a variety of issues in a single forum, illustrative numerical applications are ove...
Inhibition of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Protein Expression by Antisense Oligonucleotides Is Neuroprotective After Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rat

Background and Purpose— The present study was performed to determine whether antisense inhibition of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) protein expression decreases focal ischemic brain damage. Methods— Male spontaneously hypertensive rats underwent 1-hour middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and 24-hour reperfusion. Rats were infused with ICAM-1 antisense or control oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) (48 nmol/d ICV) or vehicle, starting 24 hours before MCAO and continuing until the time of death. ICAM-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) mRNA levels were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. ICAM-1 protein knockdown was confirmed by Western blotting. Infarct volume was quantified by the use of cresyl violet–stained brain sections. Neurological deficits were evaluated. Mean arterial blood pressure was recorded by laser Doppler. Tissue penetration of antisense was confirmed by the use of fluorescent ODNs. Results— Transient MCAO upregulated ICAM-1, but not VCAM-1, mRNA expressio...
Adaptation and perceptual norms

We used adaptation to examine the relationship between perceptual norms--the stimuli observers describe as psychologically neutral, and response norms--the stimulus levels that leave visual sensitivity in a neutral or balanced state. Adapting to stimuli on opposite sides of a neutral point (e.g. redder or greener than white) biases appearance in opposite ways. Thus the adapting stimulus can be titrated to find the unique adapting level that does not bias appearance. We compared these response norms to subjectively defined neutral points both within the same observer (at different retinal eccentricities) and between observers. These comparisons were made for visual judgments of color, image focus, and human faces, stimuli that are very different and may depend on very different levels of processing, yet which share the property that for each there is a well defined and perceptually salient norm. In each case the adaptation aftereffects were consistent with an underlying sensitivity basis for the perceptual norm. Specifically, response norms were similar to and thus covaried with the perceptual norm, and under common adaptation differences between subjectively defined norms were reduced. These results are consistent with models of norm-based codes and suggest that these codes underlie an important link between visual coding and visual experience.
An x-ray diffraction and calorimetric investigation of the compound Cu 6 Sn 5

A phase transformation has been reported to occur at approximately 460 K in the compound Cu6Sn5, which has the NiAs (B81 structure. Single-crystal and polycrystalline specimens of this compound were heat treated to produce the high-temperature Ŋ-phase and the low-tem-perature Ŋ’-phase. X-ray diffraction determinations confirmed that the transformation was of the type: Simple Superlattice Ŋ Long-Period Superlattice Ŋ’ An analysis proposed by Pauling for phases with the NiAs structure indicated that the nature of bonding in Cu6Sn5 is predominantly metallic. The heat of formation and the energy effect associated with the Ŋ-Ŋ’ transformation were measured by liquid metal solution calorimetry with tin as solvent. The heat of formation of the Ŋ’-phase is approximately —1.68 kcal per g-at., which also suggests metallic bonding. The energy effect of the Ŋ -Ŋ ’ transformation is approximately -0.06 kcal per g-at. and is consistent with the nature of the transformation of a simple superlattice to a long-period superlattice.
Steroid receptors in the developing and the adult rabbit endocervix and in endocervical epithelial cells isolated by flow cytometry.

Abstract Immunocytochemistry with monoclonal antibodies H222 and JZB39 was used to study nuclear estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptors, respectively, in the cervix during differentiation and in the adult rabbit. The undifferentiated state of the cervix of 2-week-old rabbits correlates with a paucity of immunoreactive nuclear ER, while the epithelium of most of these animals showed moderate immunostaining for the nuclear PgR. The cervical epithelium, stroma and muscle cells of 1-month-old rabbits, showed weak immunostaining for the ER, while staining for PgR remained comparable to that of 2-week-old rabbits. For 2–4-month old rabbits the epithelium was characterized by moderate immunostaining for the nuclear ER and strong immunostaining for the PgR. Strong, heterogeneous immunostaining for nuclear ER and PgR receptors in endocervical epithelial cells from 6-month-old (adult), estrous rabbits suggested there are subpopulations of cells that express differential sensitivity to steroid hormones. In order to characterize such subpopulations, live endocervical epithelial cells were sorted with a flow cytometer on the basis of forward angle light scatter (FSC) and side scatter (SSC) signals which correlated with cell size and secretory granule content, respectively. Secretory cells, as verified by ultrastructural analysis and histochemical staining, expressed the highest FSC and SSC signals and were designated fraction “a”. Changes in the hormonal status of the animals altered the intrinsic light scatter properties of fraction “a” cells as follows: maximum FSC and SSC signals were reported for cells from estrous animals; ovariectomy or progesterone-dominance decreased cell size (FCS) and secretory granule content (SSC), while treatment of ovariectomized rabbits with estradiol increased both parameters. When fraction “a” cells from estrous rabbits were incubated with the monoclonal antibodies, two distinct subpopulations of secretory cells were identified by intensity and pattern of nuclear staining for the ER and PgR. Changes in the hormonal status of the animals produced changes in the intensity of nuclear immunostaining, however both cell types remained distinguishable on the basis of immunostain pattern reflecting either permanent or transitory differences in them, and differential hormone sensitivity. The presence of nuclear ER and PgR proteins in these cells confirms their function is bireceptor-mediated.
β2 microglobulin-like polypeptide of the goldfish, Carassius auratus

Abstract Antisera to human β2 microglobulin (β2M) detected a plasma membrane molecule on goldfish ( Carassius auratus ) cells in immunofluorescence. A goldfish molecule detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA) co-eluted with human β2M on gel filtration. By affinity chromatography on immobilized antibody to human β2M, a molecule was purified (from extracts of goldfish) that showed, on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a mobility similar to that of human β2M (apparent Mr 12,800 ± 500).
Discovering Communicative Competencies in a Nonspeaking Child With Autism

Purpose This article is intended to demonstrate that adapted conversation analysis (CA) and speech act analysis (SAA) may be applied by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to (a) identify communica...
Increased In Vivo Glucose Recovery via Nitric Oxide Release

The in vivo glucose recovery of subcutaneously implanted nitric oxide (NO)-releasing microdialysis probes was evaluated in a rat model using saturated NO solutions to steadily release NO. Such methodology resulted in a constant NO flux of 162 pmol cm−2 s−1 from the probe membrane over 8 h of perfusion daily. The in vivo effects of enhanced localized NO were evaluated by monitoring glucose recovery over a 14 day period, with histological analysis thereafter. A difference in glucose recovery was observed starting at 7 days for probes releasing NO relative to controls. Histological analysis at 14 days revealed lessened inflammatory cell density at the probe surface and decreased capsule thickness. Collectively, the results suggest that intermittent sustained NO release from implant surfaces may improve glucose diffusion for subcutaneously implanted sensors by mitigating the foreign body reaction.
Distributed caching independent of the network size

We consider distributed caching strategies for networks in a model that takes in addition to remote accesses also local accesses into account. The goal is to minimize the congestion while obeying memory capacity constraints in the network. The on-line strategies are evaluated in a competitive analysis in which their costs are compared with the cost of an optimal off-line strategy. Previous results either depend on the network size or assume that the on-line strategies have increased memory capacity constraints in comparison to an optimal off-line strategy.(MATH) Our main result is a strategy for complete networks. For each node v, we are given memory capacity m(v) and load d(v) for a remote access. The load for a local access is one. For each application concerning a set X of shared data objects, with |X| ≤ Σv m(v) / d(v), the strategy achieves a competitive ratio of O(rmax / ravg · maxv(log(min(d(v),m(v))))) w.h.p., with respect to the congestion at the nodes, where rmax = maxv(m(v)) / minv(d(v)) and ravg = Σv m(v) / d(v) / number of nodes.
A Review of the Effects of Financial Incentives on Performance in Laboratory Tasks: Implications for Management Accounting

Management accounting information plays an important role in motivating individuals to improve performance (cf., Atkinson, Banker, Kaplan, and Young 1997). This role tends to be operationalized by linking compensation to performance, typically through the provision of financial incentives. Theoretically, financial incentives motivate people to exert additional effort, which in turn should improve task performance. However, a large body of empirical evidence indicates that financial incentives frequently do not lead to increased performance (e.g., Young and Lewis 1995; Jenkins et al. 1998). Consequently, it is important to examine variables that may interact with financial incentives in affecting task performance. This paper presents an extensive review of laboratory studies on financial incentives and examines the relations between type of task and type of incentive scheme, respectively, and task performance. We posit that performance in tasks of varying types (which we view as a surrogate for the gap bet...
Activation of the Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in ATF3-Induced Mammary Tumors

Female transgenic mice that constitutively overexpress the transcription factor ATF3 in the basal epithelium of the mammary gland develop mammary carcinomas with high frequency, but only if allowed to mate and raise pups early in life. This transgenic mouse model system reproduces some features of human breast cancer in that about 20% of human breast tumor specimens exhibit overexpression of ATF3 in the tumor cells. The ATF3-induced mouse tumors are phenotypically similar to mammary tumors induced by overexpression of activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes. We now show that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is indeed activated in ATF3-induced tumors. β-catenin is transcriptionally up-regulated in the tumors, and high levels of nuclear β-catenin are seen in tumor cells. A reporter gene for Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity, TOPGAL, is up-regulated in the tumors and several downstream targets of Wnt signaling, including Ccnd1, Jun, Axin2 and Dkk4, are also expressed at higher levels in ATF3-induced tumors compared to mammary glands of transgenic females. Several positive-acting ligands for this pathway, including Wnt3, Wnt3a, Wnt7b, and Wnt5a, are significantly overexpressed in tumor tissue, and mRNA for Wnt3 is about 5-fold more abundant in transgenic mammary tissue than in non-transgenic mammary tissue. Two known transcriptional targets of ATF3, Snai1 and Snai2, are also overexpressed in the tumors, and Snail and Slug proteins are found to be located primarily in the nuclei of tumor cells. In vitro knockdown of Atf3 expression results in significant decreases in expression of Wnt7b, Tcf7, Snai2 and Jun, suggesting that these genes may be direct transcriptional targets of ATF3 protein. By chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, both ATF3 and JUN proteins appear to bind to a particular subclass of AP-1 sites upstream of the transcriptional start sites of each of these genes.
A yeast Golgi E-type ATPase with an unusual membrane topology.

E-type ATPases are involved in many biological processes such as modulation of neural cell activity, prevention of intravascular thrombosis, and protein glycosylation. In this study, we show that a gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, identified by similarity to that of animal ectoapyrase CD39, codes for a new member of the E-type ATPase family (Apy1p). Overexpression of Apy1p in yeast cells causes an increase in intracellular membrane-bound nucleoside di- and triphosphate hydrolase activity. The activity is highest with ADP as substrate and is stimulated similarly by Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+. The results also indicate that Apy1p is an integral membrane protein located predominantly in the Golgi compartment. Sequence analysis reveals that Apy1p contains one large NH2-terminal hydrophilic apyrase domain, one COOH-terminal hydrophilic domain, and two hydrophobic stretches in the central region of the polypeptide. Although no signal sequence is found at the NH2-terminal portion of the protein and no NH2-terminal cleavage of the protein is observed, demonstrated by the detection of NH2-terminal tagged Apy1p, the NH2-terminal domain of Apylp is on the luminal side of the Golgi apparatus, and the COOH-terminal hydrophilic domain binds to the cytoplasmic face of the Golgi membrane. The second hydrophobic stretch of Apy1p is the transmembrane domain. These results indicate that Apylp is a type III transmembrane protein; however, the size of the Apy1p extracytoplasmic NH2 terminus is much larger than those of other type III transmembrane proteins, suggesting that a novel translocation mechanism is utilized.
Correlation of relative muzzle width and relative incisor width with dietary preference in ungulates

Qualitative observations suggest that grazing ungulates have relatively broader muzzles than browsing ones, and that grazers have incisors that are all of a similar size, as opposed to the large central and smaller lateral incisors seen in browsers. These differences may be correlated respectively with the need for grazing ungulates to maintain a large daily intake, or for browsing ungulates to forage selectively in a stand of vegetation. Quantitative examination of relative muzzle width and incisor width ratio in 95 species of living ungulates, correlated with seven different types of dietary preferences, substantiated these observations, although phylogenetic history may exhort a strong influence on morphological proportions. For example, equids have relatively narrower muzzles than grazing ruminants despite their less selective mode of feeding. The narrowest relative muzzle widths are not found in regular browsers, but in high level browsers and in mixed feeders in open habitats. Incisor width ratio can distinguish grazers from browsers, but can not be used to discriminate mixed feeders from other feeding types, and grazers appear to have incisors that are relatively broader overall than those of other dietary types, in correlation with their relatively broader muzzles.
Characterization of glass on electronics in MEMS

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have been around for many years. However, reliability issues, increasing costs, and die sizes are pushing the technology beyond its current capabilities. Integrating a micromachined sensor with its control circuitry on a single piece of silicon offers a cost and a performance advantage over the conventional two chip sensor. The enhancements offered by an integrated MEMS device are leading to many new challenges. The ability to encapsulate the MEMS device without affecting the integrated circuit is a key concern. One method of hermetically sealing the MEMS uses a frit glass which can cause potential damage to the integrated circuit because of the sealing parameters used. In standard CMOS processing, the integrated circuit is not subjected to high temperatures once the devices are built, whereas in wafer level packaging, high temperatures are involved. The high temperatures and the glass composition associated with the sensor capping process could be detrimental to these devices. A test vehicle was developed, therefore, to evaluate the compatibility of the CMOS and the sensor capping processes. The electrical results suggest that the glass and bonding process do not degrade the transistor performance.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Revisited: The future of general systems research: Update on obstacles, potentials, case studies

This paper updates observations made 25 years ago on more than 33 impediments, possibilities, and developments relative to the development of systems awareness. It briefly describes three new ‘generations’ of systems awareness that were only partly anticipated at that time, but spontaneously appeared since the original article. These three new ‘movements’ include “complex systems” research and tools from the hard sciences, systems science approaches in the descriptive sciences of geology and biology, and the computer simulation or systems engineering approaches of the new ‘system of systems’ (SOS) movement. Some trends in developments in systems education are cited. The article emphasizes the continuing need for stronger coupling of systems theories and systems applications as well as faster transfer from science to application. It ends with one sentence updates on each of the original 33 needs including information on how 4 have been substantially answered while 14 have shown only very limited progress, and 15 no progress at all. The paper also cites appearance of a significant new obstacle, namely incompatibility of systems modeling tools for hybrid system of systems problems. Overall, the conclusion is that this field devoted to synthesis and integration is actually becoming more fragmented and unintegrated while the information and tools for its eventual synthesis multiply in a healthy manner. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Influence of Islam on AIDS Prevention among Senegalese University Students.

Few studies have attempted to quantify Islam's contributions to HIV/AIDS prevention. Senegal has involved Muslim leaders in its prevention campaign for over a decade. Senegal also has the lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines how Islam influences AIDS prevention by testing whether Senegalese participants' religiosity scores explain their risky decisions associated with sex, condom use, and drug use. Participants with higher religiosity scores were more likely to abstain from sex. However, participants high in religiosity were not more likely to report that they did not use condoms when sexually active.
Hillslope runoff and erosion as affected by rolled erosion control systems : a field study

A replicated field study using rainfall simulation and overland flow application was conducted in central Oahu, Hawaii, on a clay-dominated Oxisol with a 9% slope. Three main treatment groups were examined: a bare treatment, a group of four rolled erosion control systems (RECSs) with open weave designs, and a group of five randomly oriented fibre RECSs. A total of 1122 measurements of runoff and erosion were made to examine treatment differences and to explore temporal patterns in runoff and sediment flux. All erosion control systems significantly delayed the time required to generate plot runoff under both simulated rainfall (35 mm h � 1 ) and the more intense trickle flow application (114 mm h � 1 ). Once runoff was generated during the rainfall application phase, the bare treatment runoff coefficients were significantly lower than those from the two groups of RECSs, as surface seal disruption by rilling is inferred to have enhanced infiltration in the bare treatments. During the more intense phase of overland flow application, the reverse pattern was observed. Interrill contributing-area roughness was reduced on the bare treatment, facilitating increased runoff to well-developed rill networks. Meanwhile, the form roughness associated with the RECSs delayed interrill flow to the poorly organized rills that formed under some of the RECSs. Regardless of runoff variations between treatments, sediment output was significantly lower from all surfaces covered by RECSs. The median cumulative sediment output from the bare surfaces was 6Ð9 kg, compared with 1Ð2 kg from the open-weave RECSs and 0Ð2 kg from the random-fibre RECSs. The random-fibre systems were particularly effective under the more stressful overland flow application phase, with 63 times less sediment eroded than the bare treatments and 12 times less than that from the open-weave systems. Architectural design differences between the two groups of RECSs are discussed in light of their relation to erosion process dynamics and shear stress partitioning. Copyright  2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The better angels of our nature: group stability and the evolution of moral tension

Moral systems require individuals to act in service to their social groups. Despite the human tendency to view moral norms as invariant and constantly deserving of adherence, we vary not only in the moral norms that we espouse but also in the degree to which our behavior reflects those norms. Nevertheless, moral systems exhibit patterns and complexity that suggest the action of natural selection. We propose that much observed variation in commitment to the group can be explained by a rule of stabilitydependent cooperation, where the adaptive level of individual commitment varies inversely with the stability of the social group. This hypothesis is rooted in the understanding that humans are caught in an evolutionary trade-off between two methods of increasing reproductive success: competing with fellow group members, and increasing the stability of the group relative to other groups. If cooperation is stability dependent, however, human groups in times of high stability and low cooperation may be susceptible to fast-acting extrinsic threats, as well as self-destructive competitive races to the bottom. In light of this, we hypothesize that the absolutism and unchangeableness commonly attributed to moral norms serve a group stability insurance function and we present predictions from this hypothesis.
Temperature-sensitive paralytic mutants are enriched for those causing neurodegeneration in drosophila

Age-dependent neurodegeneration is a pathological condition found in many metazoans. Despite the biological and medical significance of this condition, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are poorly understood. The availability of a large collection of mutants exhibiting neurodegeneration will provide a valuable resource to elucidate these mechanisms. We have developed an effective screen for isolating neurodegeneration mutants in Drosophila. This screen is based on the observation that neuronal dysfunction, which leads to observable behavioral phenotypes, is often associated with neurodegeneration. Thus, we used a secondary histological screen to examine a collection of mutants originally isolated on the basis of conditional paralytic phenotypes. Using this strategy, we have identified 15 mutations affecting at least nine loci that cause gross neurodegenerative pathology. Here, we present a genetic, behavioral, and anatomical analysis of vacuous (vacu), the first of these mutants to be characterized, and an overview of other mutants isolated in the screen. vacu is a recessive mutation located cytologically at 85D-E that causes locomotor defects in both larvae and adults as well as neuronal hyperactivity. In addition, vacu exhibits extensive age-dependent neurodegeneration throughout the central nervous system. We also identified mutations in at least eight other loci that showed significant levels of neurodegeneration with a diverse array of neuropathological phenotypes. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our screen in identifying mutations causing neurodegeneration. Further studies of vacu and the other neurodegenerative mutants isolated should ultimately help dissect the biochemical pathways leading to neurodegeneration.
Pushing the limits of Full-duplex: Design and Real-time Implementation

Recent work has shown the feasibility of single-channel full-duplex wireless physical layer, allowing nodes to send and receive in the same frequency band at the same time. In this report, we first design and implement a real-time 64-subcarrier 10 MHz full-duplex OFDM physical layer, FD-PHY. The proposed FD-PHY not only allows synchronous full-duplex transmissions but also selective asynchronous full-duplex modes. Further, we show that in over-the-air experiments using optimal antenna placement on actual devices, the self-interference can be suppressed upto 80dB, which is 10dB more than prior reported results. Then we propose a full-duplex MAC protocol, FD-MAC, which builds on IEEE 802.11 with three new mechanisms -- shared random backoff, header snooping and virtual backoffs. The new mechanisms allow FD-MAC to discover and exploit full-duplex opportunities in a distributed manner. Our over-the-air tests show over 70% throughput gains from using full-duplex over half-duplex in realistically used cases.
Structural Basis of Chemokine Sequestration by a Herpesvirus Decoy Receptor

The M3 protein encoded by murine gamma herpesvirus68 (gamma HV68) functions as an immune system saboteur by the engagement of chemoattractant cytokines, thereby altering host antiviral inflammatory responses. Here we report the crystal structures of M3 both alone and in complex with the CC chemokine MCP-1. M3 is a two-domain beta sandwich protein with a unique sequence and topology, forming a tightly packed anti-parallel dimer. The stoichiometry of the MCP-1:M3 complex is 2:2, with two monomeric chemokines embedded at distal ends of the preassociated M3 dimer. Conformational flexibility and electrostatic complementation are both used by M3 to achieve high-affinity and broad-spectrum chemokine engagement. M3 also employs structural mimicry to promiscuously sequester chemokines, engaging conservative structural elements associated with both chemokine homodimerization and binding to G protein-coupled receptors.
Pionic atom spectroscopy in the (d,3 He) reaction at finite angles

We study the formation of deeply bound pionic atoms in the (d, 3He) reactions theoretically and show the energy spectra of the emitted 3He at finite angles, which are expected to be observed experimentally. We find that the different combinations of the pion-bound and neutron-hole states dominate the spectra at different scattering angles because of the matching condition of the reaction. We conclude that the observation of the (d, 3He) reaction at finite angles will provide the systematic information of the pionic bound states in each nucleus and will help to develop the study of the pion properties and the partial restoration of chiral symmetry in nuclei.
Teachers' Perceptions of Their Preparation for Teaching Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Learners in Rural Eastern North Carolina.

The number of English language learners (ELL) students in the US is increasing dramatically. The growth is even more evident in rural areas of the United States such as North Carolina where teachers are facing classrooms with a majority of second language learners. The authors conducted a study interviewing 24 teachers at a rural elementary school in eastern North Carolina. Teachers were interviewed regarding their perceptions of their preparedness to teach English language learners in the mainstream classrooms. Findings revealed that teacher training programs have not prepared these individuals for the student population they face today regardless of the year in which they received their teaching licenses. All teachers showed a strong desire to learn more at this time in their careers, but emphasized their lack of prior training. The study found that even though teachers lacked confidence, they were effectively educating this growing population. The authors discuss the responsibility of Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to provide formal education in teaching students from diverse language backgrounds.
Modulating Epigenetic HAT Activity: A Promising Therapeutic Option for Neurological Disease?

Modulating Epigenetic HAT Activity: A Promising Therapeutic Option for Neurological Disease? The epigenome (epi- derived from Greek for ‘over’ or ‘above’) with its rich cache of highly regulated structural modifications to the DNA, histone residues and histone variants, defines the threedimensional structure of chromatin, the genetic material within the eukaryotic cell nucleus, and serves as the molecular bridge between transcriptional gene control and our environment.
Edge gradients provide evidence of ecological interactions in planktonic thin layers

Physical, optical, and acoustical data from Monterey Bay, California, USA, describing the distributions of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and small fish as well as gradients in the physical habitat were used to examine the interactions between vertically compressed plankton structures (thin layers), their consumers, and the local physical forces they experience. The relationship between upper and lower edge gradients of a layer were used to define layer ‘shape’. The steepness of the vertical gradient on the top vs. the bottom of the plankton layer was correlated to the difference in the relative abundance of consumers above and below the layer. Phytoplankton layer gradients were steeper when more zooplankton were present on one side of the layer vs. the other while zooplankton layers were more diffuse when a greater number of fish were adjacent to one side of the layer than the other. Both layer types showed nearly symmetrical gradients when predators were in low abundance or absent. Predator-associated differences in phytoplankton and zooplankton layer shape were not correlated with vertical gradients in shear or mixing potential surrounding layers. In the absence of strong physical gradients, grazers can play an important role in structuring plankton thin layers. These observations likely represent one end of a continuum of biological and physical forcing responsible for formation and maintenance of thin plankton layers.
Membrane targeting properties of a herpesvirus tegument protein-retrovirus Gag chimera.

The retroviral Gag protein is capable of directing the production and release of virus-like particles in the absence of all other viral components. Budding normally occurs after Gag is transported to the plasma membrane by its membrane-targeting and -binding (M) domain. In the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) Gag protein, the M domain is contained within the first 86 amino acids. When M is deleted, membrane association and budding fail to occur. Budding is restored when M is replaced with foreign membrane-binding sequences, such as that of the Src oncoprotein. Moreover, the RSV M domain is capable of targeting heterologous proteins to the plasma membrane. Although the solution structure of the RSV M domain has been determined, the mechanism by which M specifically targets Gag to the plasma membrane rather than to one or more of the large number of internal membrane surfaces (e.g., the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear, mitochondrial, or lysosomal membranes) is unknown. To further investigate the requirements for targeting proteins to discrete cellular locations, we have replaced the M domain of RSV with the product of the unique long region 11 (UL11) gene of herpes simplex virus type 1. This 96-amino-acid myristylated protein is thought to be involved in virion transport and envelopment at internal membrane sites. When the first 100 amino acids of RSV Gag (including the M domain) were replaced by the entire UL11 sequence, the chimeric protein localized at and budded into the Golgi apparatus rather than being targeted to the plasma membrane. Myristate was found to be required for this specific targeting, as were the first 49 amino acids of UL11, which contain an acidic cluster motif. In addition to shedding new light on UL11, these experiments demonstrate that RSV Gag can be directed to internal cellular membranes and suggest that regions outside of the M domain do not contain a dominant plasma membrane-targeting motif.
Su1358 Acute Pancreatitis After Removal of Retained Prophylactic Pancreatic Stents

Acute Pancreatitis After Removal of Retained Prophylactic Pancreatic Stents Divyanshoo R. Kohli*, Amit Kashyap, Bikram S. BAL, Mitesh Patel, Roshan M. Bashir Internal Medicine, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC Background: Prophylactic placement of pancreatic stents has been shown to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) in high risk subjects. Recent evidence has suggested that removal of these stents may cause mild to moderate pancreatitis in 3% patients (Moffat et al; Gastrointest Endosc 2011). We hypothesized that retained prophylactic pancreatic stent removal is associated with acute pancreatitis (PPSRP). Methods: In this retrospective analysis we included subjects in whom pancreatic stents were placed solely to prevent post ERCP pancreatitis and failed to dislodge spontaneously. We excluded patients who did not follow up or had manipulation of the pancreatic duct immediately prior or after stent removal. We did not include patients with chronic pancreatitis as the pancreatic physiology is changed and incidence of acute pancreatitis is possibly decreased. PPSRP was defined as new or worsened abdominal pain and a serum concentration of pancreatic enzymes (amylase or lipase) that was two or more times the upper limit of normal; requiring hospitalization. The severity of PPSRP was graded according to the duration of hospitalization as per the recommendations of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board of Washington Hospital Center. Results: Forty-four subjects who underwent prophylactic placement and subsequent removal of pancreatic stents 48 times from 2007 through 2011 were included in the study. Of these 4 satisfied the criteria for PPSRP (incidence: 8.3%). Pancreatitis was graded as mild in 3 subjects and severe in 1. All 4 subjects had stents with internal flanges (P 0.04). In contrast to the previous study, we did not find association of PPSRP with history of PEP, use of large diameter stents of caliber 5 Fr or prolonged duration of stent placement in pancreatic duct. Further, the gender, age, indication of the stent placement, length of the stent or stent migration were not found to be significant risk factors for PPSRP. Conclusions: Our study shows that removal of prophylactic stents may be associated with development of acute pancreatitis. This phenomenon was solely seen with stents with an internal flange. The internal flange likely prevents spontaneous dislodgement of the pancreatic stent and may cause pancreatic duct injury during stent removal. In conclusion, PPSRP has a very low incidence but is a real complication that impacts the efficacy of prophylactic pancreatic stents. A prospective clinical trial to validate these findings is currently underway at our institution.
The science and technology of superconducting cavities for accelerators

Rapid advances in the performance of superconducting cavities have made RF superconductivity a key technology for accelerators that fulfil a variety of physics needs: high-energy particle physics, nuclear physics, neutron spallation sources and free-electron lasers. New applications are forthcoming for frontier high-energy physics accelerators, radioactive beams for nuclear astrophysics, next-generation light sources, intense proton accelerators for neutron and muon sources. There are now nearly one kilometre of superconducting cavities installed in accelerators around the world, providing more than 5 GV of acceleration. The most recent installation of 20 m for a free-electron laser realized an average gradient a factor of four higher than existing applications. Improved understanding of the physics of RF superconductivity, together with advances in technology, are responsible for the spectacular increases in performance. RF superconductivity is a mature science going well beyond technological know-how and trial-and-error approaches to genuine understanding of the underlying physics. Research continues to push performance levels towards the theoretical limit, which is another factor of two higher than the levels yet achieved.
Comprehensive personalized information access in an educational digital library

This paper explores two ways to help students locate most relevant resources in educational digital libraries. One method gives a more comprehensive access to educational resources, through multiple pathways of information access, including browsing and information visualization. The second method is to access personalized information through social navigation support. This paper presents the details of the Knowledge Sea II system for comprehensive personalized access to educational resources and also presents the results of a classroom study. The study delivered a convincing argument for the importance of providing multiple information presentations modes, showing that only about 10% of all resource accesses were made through the traditional search interface. We have also collected some solid evidence in favor of the social navigation support.
Labor's Enduring Divide: The Distinct Path of Public Sector Unions in the United States

Why did public sector unionization rise so dramatically and then plateau at the same time as private sector unionization underwent a precipitous decline? The exclusion of public sector employees from the centerpiece of private sector labor law—the 1935 Wagner Act—divided U.S. labor law and relegated public sector demand-making to the states. Consequently, public sector employees' collective bargaining rights were slow to develop and remain geographically concentrated, unequal and vulnerable. Further, divided labor law put the two movements out of alignment; private sector union density peaked nearly a decade before the first major statutes granting public sector collective bargaining rights passed. As a result of this incongruent timing and sequencing, the United States has never had a strong union movement comprised of both sectors at the height of their membership and influence.
Temperature Dependence of Strength and Fracture Toughness of ZrO2 Single Crystals

Results of strength and fracture–toughness tests on single crystals of partially stabilized ZrO2 at temperatures above and below the tetragonal–monoclinic transformation temperature are reported. The temperature dependence of toughening mechanisms is discussed with respect to theories for phase–transformation toughening and other toughening mechanisms.
Greater Access to Capital Is Needed to Unleash the Local Economic Development Potential of Minority-Owned Businesses:

Limited access to financing restricts the ability of minority business enterprises (MBEs) to achieve viability, to generate new jobs, and, generally, to reach their full potential to contribute to ...
A chemokine-to-cytokine-to-chemokine cascade critical in antiviral defense

Macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha) promotes natural killer (NK) cell inflammation in livers during murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infections, and NK cell-produced interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) contributes to defense against MCMV infections. A specific role for local NK cell IFN-gamma production, however, has not been established. The importance of MIP-1alpha and NK cell-produced IFN-gamma in shaping endogenous immune responses and defense in different compartments was examined. MIP-1alpha deficiency profoundly decreased resistance to MCMV and was associated with dramatically reduced NK cell accumulation and IFN-gamma production in liver. MIP-1alpha-independent IFN-gamma responses were observed in serum and spleen, and infection-induced elevations in blood NK cell populations occurred in absence of the factor, but peak liver expression of another chemokine, the monokine induced by IFN-gamma (Mig), depended upon presence of MIP-1alpha, NK cells, and IFN-gamma. The Mig response was also important for viral resistance. Thus, serum cytokine responses are insufficient; MIP-1alpha is critical for NK cell migration and IFN-gamma delivery to mediate protection; and Mig induction in tissues is a downstream protective response resulting from the process. These results define a critical chemokine-to-cytokine-to-chemokine cascade required for defense during a viral infection establishing itself in tissues.
Gamma‐Aminobutyric Acid System Genes—No Evidence for a Role in Alcohol Use and Abuse in a Community‐Based Sample

Background: While twin and adoption studies point to substantial genetic influence upon alcohol use, dependence, and other alcohol-related phenotypes, few of the genes underlying variation in these phenotypes have been identified. Markers in genes related to GABAergic activity—a system integral to many of alcohol’s biological effects—have been implicated in alcohol use and alcohol-related psychopathology in linkage and association studies. Methods: Using multiple methods, we conducted a comprehensive examination of the effects of markers in c-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system genes in a community-based sample of 7,224 individuals assessed in early and middle adulthood. In addition to testing the effect of individual single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers on alcohol-related phenotypes, we computed a polygenic score reflecting the aggregated effects of multiple GABA system SNPs. We also estimated the variance in alcohol-related phenotypes attributable to all GABA system markers considered simultaneously and conducted gene-based association tests. Results: No method produced results indicative of an effect of GABA system variants on measures of alcohol use or misuse. Conclusions: These results reflect alcohol-related behaviors in a population-representative sample, many of whom are still in adolescence, and in which the incidence of heavy drinking and alcohol-related symptomatology are relatively low. Contrasted with existing studies of the association between alcohol use and GABA system genes, our results suggest that the relationship may be limited to particular contexts, such as when accompanied by polysubstance abuse or a familial history of alcoholism.
Space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization algorithm

The expectation-maximization (EM) method can facilitate maximizing likelihood functions that arise in statistical estimation problems. In the classical EM paradigm, one iteratively maximizes the conditional log-likelihood of a single unobservable complete data space, rather than maximizing the intractable likelihood function for the measured or incomplete data. EM algorithms update all parameters simultaneously, which has two drawbacks: 1) slow convergence, and 2) difficult maximization steps due to coupling when smoothness penalties are used. The paper describes the space-alternating generalized EM (SAGE) method, which updates the parameters sequentially by alternating between several small hidden-data spaces defined by the algorithm designer. The authors prove that the sequence of estimates monotonically increases the penalized-likelihood objective, derive asymptotic convergence rates, and provide sufficient conditions for monotone convergence in norm. Two signal processing applications illustrate the method: estimation of superimposed signals in Gaussian noise, and image reconstruction from Poisson measurements. In both applications, the SAGE algorithms easily accommodate smoothness penalties and converge faster than the EM algorithms. >
Hep-G2 glucose transporter gene polymorphism in Caucasian, black, Hispanic and Japanese patients with NIDDM

DNA from non-diabetic Caucasians (n = 16), Blacks (n = 22), Hispanics (n = 13) and Japanese (n = 21), as well as DNA from 34 Caucasian, 19 Black, 19 Hispanic and 20 Japanese non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients were examined for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) after digestion with enzymes BglII and XbaI, and hybridization with the glucose transporter probe, hGT2-2. There were significant differences in the incidence of the RFLPs between Caucasians and Blacks, both controls and patients with NIDDM. Digestion with XbaI revealed a higher incidence of the homozygotic state for allele I in NIDDM Caucasians (12 vs. 0%) than in controls. In NIDDM Blacks and Hispanics, we found a high incidence of a combination of two traits: 42% of the Black and 47% of the Hispanic NIDDM patients were homozygous for the BglII allele I and heterozygous for XbaI. Only 23% of non-NIDDM Blacks or Hispanics had this combination (P less than 0.05). There was no association between RFLP frequency and NIDDM among Japanese subjects. These data support the influence of race on both BglII and XbaI RFLPs. The homozygotes for XbaI in Caucasians and the presence of two specific traits in Blacks and Hispanics appear with higher frequency in NIDDM.
Efficient compression of wavelet coefficients for smooth and fractal-like data

The authors show how to integrate wavelet-based and fractal-based approaches for data compression. If the data is self-similar or smooth, one can efficiently store its wavelet coefficients using fractal compression techniques resulting in high compression ratios. >