cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commodifying Culture: Mattel’s and Disney’s Marketing Approaches to “Latinx” Toys and Media

The 2010s saw a rise in media and artifacts for children that featured elements from Latinx culture. This trend was not new. In 1988, for instance, Mattel introduced Teresa, Barbie’s new best friend who was mostly read as Latina. Over the decades, it had also introduced dolls from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, Chile, and Brazil as part of the Dolls of the World line. Yet, from 2014 to the present, movies, toys, and television programming for children increasingly began to feature Latinx characters and culture. This chapter examines these broader trends while paying special attention to Mattel and Disney, two of the biggest producers of toys and media for children, including recent products such as Disney’s Elena of Avalor (2016–2020) and Coco (2017) and Mattel’s Frida Kahlo (2018) and Dia de Muertos (2019 and 2020) Barbie dolls. This chapter highlights how the companies’ early efforts in marketing Latinx culture relied on strategic ambiguity, but eventually engaged in assertive “Latinx” product labeling.
Autism spectrum disorder prevalence and proximity to industrial facilities releasing arsenic, lead or mercury

Prenatal and perinatal exposures to air pollutants have been shown to adversely affect birth outcomes in offspring and may contribute to prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For this ecologic study, we evaluated the association between ASD prevalence, at the census tract level, and proximity of tract centroids to the closest industrial facilities releasing arsenic, lead or mercury during the 1990s. We used 2000 to 2008 surveillance data from five sites of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) network and 2000 census data to estimate prevalence. Multi-level negative binomial regression models were used to test associations between ASD prevalence and proximity to industrial facilities in existence from 1991 to 1999 according to the US Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory (USEPA-TRI). Data for 2489 census tracts showed that after adjustment for demographic and socio-economic area-based characteristics, ASD prevalence was higher in census tracts located in the closest 10th percentile compared of distance to those in the furthest 50th percentile (adjusted RR = 1.27, 95% CI: (1.00, 1.61), P = 0.049). The findings observed in this study are suggestive of the association between urban residential proximity to industrial facilities emitting air pollutants and higher ASD prevalence.
In vivo dipeptidylation of the amino terminus of recombinant glucagon-like peptide-1(7-37) produced in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica as a fusion protein

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the in vivo dipeptidylation of the amino terminus of recombinant glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1(7-37) produced in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica as a fusion protein. Y. lipolytica is engineered to produce the insulin-mobilizing peptide hormone glucagon-like peptide-1(7-37) [GLP-1(7-37)], a potential therapeutic agent for type II diabetes. This single-chain peptide lacks any disulfide bond or other posttranslational modification. In the recombinant system, it was derived by proteolytic processing from a fusion protein where GLP-1(7-37) represented the C-terminal portion and whose N- terminal segment was derived from the host alkaline extracellular protease (AEP), an important secreted activity of the yeast. Use of the AEP leader allowed GLP-1(7-37) to be made as a secreted product, as this portion of the AEP precursor contains the information that designates the mature form of the protease for export.
Corporate and International Tax Reform: Long-, Medium-, and Short Term Proposals

The current controversy surrounding President Obama’s international tax proposals seems like an opportune moment to try to consider them in context. How do these proposals fit in with an agenda for US corporate and international tax reform? Few observers doubt that such reforms are sorely needed, for several reasons. First, the long-term budgetary outlook is unsustainable. Second, the US corporate tax rate is among the highest in the OECD. Third, the current system raises relatively little revenue and large amounts of corporate income go untaxed. Finally, the system is horrendously convoluted and imposes high transaction costs. This paper will attempt to raise some proposals for US corporate and international tax reform. It will begin by asking why we need to tax corporations at all, since the rationale for the corporate tax is important for assessing reform proposals. It will then discuss options for corporate and international tax reform, beginning with long-term options (a 10 year horizon), continuing with the medium term (2-5 years) and concluding with short-term options like the Obama proposals (1-2 years).
A perspective on the development of Intelligent neural Control Systems

This is a short position statement for the panel “Lights and Shadows of the Intelligent Control,” organized by Pedro Albertos for the 2007 European Control Conference on the Isle of Kos. It shows how the developments of Intelligent Control Systems based on neural networks have followed three main generations. This statement provides a short, broadbrush perspective on the development of intelligent neural feedback controllers. More detail on the historical development, the contributions, and the key results can be found in [1].
Classrooms Socio-Mathematical Discourse: Two Nine-Grade-Dyads’ Non-Routine Problem-Solving Engagement

The purpose of this case study is to explore the complex interplay among student beliefs, problem solving engagement, problem type, and mathematics understanding as well as dynamics within group discourse among four ninth-grade mathematics students. The analysis of both these dyad’s 16-week long collaboration reveals that the role of conversation, prolonged problem solving interactions, and on-going negotiations and relationships is key in their transformation. The results suggest, as students developed a culture within their dyads, of problem solving and problem posing, and collaboration, that engagement was increased. After evaluating the various data relating to problem type and participant engagement, it became evident that certain problem types engaged the students more than the others. While it was no surprise that routine problems were not engaging to them, it was also evident that their collaboration and discourse were very different under these circumstances. They were much less likely to question, challenge, argue, negotiate, or probe each other’s thinking, and were much more likely to rely on and accept the first answer. There were no efforts to modify, extend, or apply these routine problems to other contexts. The implication of this study for 21st Century classrooms discourse sheds light on the envisioning of curriculum alternatives for mathematics education amidst the many constraints of current and traditional problem solving contexts. This implication for today's technological and information-sensitive classrooms environment is a key for developing learners who are mathematically literate and intellectually autonomous.
Carbon dioxide fixation by cells of Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens.

Extracts of cells of Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens strain 31 incorporated 14CO2 into aspartate. Dialyzed extracts produced radioactive oxalacetate in the absence of exogenously added glutamate and pyridoxal-5′-phosphate and produced radioactive aspartate in the presence of these components. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate could not be substituted for adenosine triphosphate (ATP); phosphoenolpyruvate even in the presence of nucleoside diphosphates could not replace pyruvate plus ATP; propionate plus coenzyme A (CoA) could not replace pyruvate in supporting CO2 fixation by cell extracts. Fixation by dialyzed cell extracts required pyruvate, ATP, MgSO4, and was stimulated by biotin, KCl, 2-mercaptoethanol, CoA, and acetyl CoA. Inhibition of fixation occurred when avidin, NaCl, oxalacetate, or aspartate was added to dialyzed extracts. On the basis of the products formed and the effects of substrates and cofactors on the fixation reaction, it was concluded that pyruvate carboxylase is responsible for CO2 fixation in this microorganism.
Innovative Linear Formulation for Transportation Reconstruction Planning

AbstractFollowing disasters, the pace of restoring transportation networks can have a significant impact on economic and societal recovery. However, reconstruction and repair efforts are typically ...
PUVA Therapy is Preferable to UVB Phototherapy in the Management of HIV‐Associted Dermatoses

Both methoxsalen plus UVA (PUVA) therapy and UVB phototherapy are commonly used in the management of human immunodeficiency virus-associated dermatoses but UVB phototherapy appears to be the preferred treatment. There are several considerations, in particular therapeutic efficacy and therapeutic profile, which suggest that PUVA therapy might be more effective, This needs to be established in clinical trials.
Evaluation and management of thoracolumbar injuries in the elderly population

The prevalence of thoracolumbar injuries in the elderly population is expected to increase. Treating this population after thoracolumbar injury is a complicated process, unique in some aspects from the younger population. Although validated injury classification systems have recently been defined, a comprehensive evaluation tool to assess the elderly patient's physical and cognitive function is lacking. Risk stratification remains a difficult process, individually tailored to the patient. Outcomes of treatment are fraught with higher complications and mortality than younger populations. Given the expected growth of spinal injuries and the anticipated financial impact, further investigation into the elderly population is needed.
Geometric Optimization of a Piezoelectric Power Harvesting Plate for Increased Bandwidth

The continual advances in wireless technology and low power electronics have allowed the deployment of small remote sensor networks. However, current portable and wireless devices must be designed to include electrochemical batteries as the power source. The use of batteries can be troublesome due to their limited lifespan, thus necessitating their periodic replacement. Furthermore, the growth of battery technology has remained relatively stagnant over the past decade while the performance of computing systems has grown steadily, which leads to increased power usage from the electronics. In the case of wireless sensors that are to be placed in remote locations, the sensor must be easily accessible or of disposable nature to allow the device to function over extended periods of time. For this reason the primary question becomes how to provide power to each node. This issue has spawned the rapid growth of the energy harvesting field. Energy scavenging devices are designed to capture the ambient energy surrounding the electronics and convert it into usable electrical energy. The concept of power harvesting works towards developing self-powered devices that do not require replaceable power supplies. However, when designing a vibration based energy harvesting system the maximum energy generation occurs when the resonant frequency of the system is tuned to the input. This poses certain issues for their practical application because structural systems rarely vibrate at a signal frequency. Therefore, this effort will investigate the optimal geometric design of two dimensional energy harvesting systems for maximized bandwidth. Topology and shape optimization will be used to identify the optimal geometry and experiments will be performed to characterize the energy harvesting improvement when subjected to random vibrations.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Bone Implants: Processing, Embedding, Cutting, and Histopathology

AbstractThe purpose of this review is to discuss the processing, embedding, and cutting/sectioning techniques used for bone implants and their associated histopathology. It is well known that all specimen-handling procedures, such as fixation, infiltration, embedding, and cutting/sectioning, impact the quality of the histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical analysis of specimens. Bone specimens containing implants are particularly difficult specimens to handle for several reasons. First, specimens and their associated embedding material must be of equivalent hardness for quality sections to be obtained. For bone this means either decalcification and subsequent embedding in paraffin or embedding bone specimens in plastic. Second, the hardness of the implant material must be taken into consideration. In addition to influencing the type of embedding material used, the type of implant and whether the bone is decalcified also dictates which types of equipment must be used for cutting/sectioning spe...
The Initial Wave Front Emitted by a Suddenly Extending Crack in an Elastic Solid

It is the purpose here to determine the pressure discontinuity radiated out from a crack tip when the crack, which is initially at rest, begins to extend. A half-plane crack in an unbounded body of homogeneous, isotropic elastic materials is considered.
Visual preferences of elderly public housing residents: Residential street scenes

Multiple regression predictors related judged visual attributes of housing exteriors to evaluative responses by elderly persons living in public housing in two different cities. In one city, the safety and composite preference evaluations of the 30 neighborhoods portrayed in photographs were found inversely related to both the dilapidation and diversity of the street scenes. In the other city the same evaluations were found related to the dullness and openness of the street scenes. In both cases, the responses predicted by the multiple regression equations for the sample in one city showed significant correlations with the obtained evaluative responses by the sample in the other city. However, the equations with dilapidation and diversity were the better predictors.
Pharmaceutical websites and the communication of risk information.

This study examines the pharmaceutical websites of 44 leading direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertised drugs to determine the extent to which risk information was completely communicated. Three operational definitions of “completeness” were used: communication of the single highest incidence side effect, communication of top three highest incidence side effects, and communication of side effects with incidence of ≥ 10% (all measured in terms of absolute percentage). Results indicated that regardless of the measures used, pharmaceutical websites are unlikely to completely communicate risk information. About two thirds of all sites communicated the single highest incidence side effect or all top three side effects. For drugs with side effects at ≥ 10% incidence, only about half of their websites fully reported all effects at this level of incidence. Implications for advertisers and regulatory agencies are presented.
Social Services, Faith-Based Organizations, and the Poor

This project evaluates the degree to which faith-based organizations in Marion County Indiana offer programs that may impact low-income populations. Using a representative sample of 285 churches in Marion County, Indiana, this study investigates the relationship between race and social service provision and the potential impact on low-income communities. The findings of this study identify race as a significant factor in the type of social service delivery offered through faith organizations. Although several studies have identified social service activities, few studies consider specific economic activities. Although both African American and White faith organizations provide similar social service and educational activities, African American organizations are more likely to provide economic activities. These activities include employment services, job training, business development and assistance, and other economic activities that include credit repair, financial classes, and counseling.
Telomeres and viruses: common themes of genome maintenance.

Genome maintenance mechanisms actively suppress genetic instability associated with cancer and aging. Some viruses provoke genetic instability by subverting the host’s control of genome maintenance. Viruses have their own specialized strategies for genome maintenance, which can mimic and modify host cell processes. Here, we review some of the common features of genome maintenance utilized by viruses and host chromosomes, with a particular focus on terminal repeat elements. The terminal repeats of cellular chromosomes, better known as telomeres, have well-established roles in cellular chromosome stability. Cellular telomeres are themselves maintained by viral-like mechanisms, including self-propagation by reverse transcription, recombination, and retro-transposition. Viral terminal repeat elements, like cellular telomeres, are essential for viral genome stability and propagation. We review the structure and function of viral repeat elements and discuss how they may share telomere-like structures and genome protection functions. We consider how viral infections modulate telomere regulatory factors for viral repurposing and can alter normal host telomere structure and chromosome stability. Understanding the common strategies of viral and cellular genome maintenance may provide new insights into viral-host interactions and the mechanisms driving genetic instability in cancer.
Photocatalytic properties of perovskites for H2 and CO oxidation—Influence of ferroelectric properties

Abstract The oxidation of H2 and CO was studied over LaCoO3, SrTiO3, BaTiO3, and related materials such as Ba(Fe0.33Ti0.67)O2.67, ZnO, and TiO2 in the dark and while being irradiated with band-gap light. No effect of light on the rate of H2 oxidation was found with any of these materials, but a strong photocatalytic effect was observed for CO oxidation over TiO2, ZnO, SrTiO3, and BaTiO3. In addition, a very similar behavior related to the ferroelectric properties of the catalyst was observed for CO oxidation, and less clearly for H2 oxidation, over BaTiO3 in the dark. The effect of light is discussed in terms of band-to-band transitions followed by hole capture, whereas the influence of ferroelectricity is thought to arise from the effect of polarized surface layers on the shape of the energy bands.
Subunits of Placobdella haemoglobin.

Abstract 1. 1. The extracellular haemoglobin of the leech Placobdella possessed a sedimentation constant of 54 S at pH 7·4. 2. 2. The haemoglobin appeared to be homogenous by isoelectric focusing. Its isoelectric point occurred at pH 5·49. 3. 3. The subunit structure of the haemoglobin was investigated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, with and without mercaptoethanol. The results obtained suggest that Placobdella haemoglobin consists of at least four polypeptide chains possessing molecular weights of approximately 13,000, 15,000, 17,000 and 26,000. 4. 4. The subunit structure of the leech haemoglobin was compared to the structure of the extracellular haemoglobins of an oligochaete and a polychaete.
Investor Owned VS. Publicly Owned Water Agencies: AN Evaluation of the Property Rights Theory of the Firm

: The property rights theory of the firm is evaluated by comparing the cost structures of a sample of water agencies under two alternative modes of ownership - public and investor owned. On the basis of the sample, investor owned water agencies appear to have lower cost structures.
Two-Pore-Domain TASK-1 Potassium Channels Modulate Pancreatic Islet Glucagon Secretion

Glucose regulation of pancreatic alpha-cell Ca2+ entry through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels is essential for normal glucagon secretion and becomes defective during the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. The two-pore-domain potassium (K2P) channel, TASK-1, is an important modulator of membrane voltage and Ca2+ entry, however, its role in alpha-cells has not been determined. Therefore, we addressed how TASK-1 channels modulate alpha-cell electrical activity, calcium entry and glucagon secretion. We find that TASK-1 channels are expressed in human and rodent alpha-cells. Furthermore, alpha-cell K2P currents are blocked by the specific and potent TASK-1 channel inhibitor A1899. Alpha-cell K2P currents are also significantly reduced following ablation of mouse alpha-cell TASK-1 channels. Inhibition of TASK-1 channels with A1899 causes membrane potential depolarization in both the human and mouse alpha-cells, which results in increased Ca2+ influx. While A1899 augments alpha-cell Ca2+ influx under low (1 mM) and high (14 mM) glucose conditions, treatment of mouse and human islets with A1899 only increases glucagon secretion under elevated (14 mM) glucose conditions. Therefore, these data suggest an important role for TASK-1 channels in limiting alpha-cell excitability and glucagon secretion during glucose stimulation. Interestingly, we also find that TASK-1 expression is reduced during the progression of type-2 diabetes mellitus in human islets. Thus, decreased TASK-1 channel activity may exacerbate the defective glucose inhibition of glucagon secretion observed in type-2 diabetes mellitus.
How do people apprehend large numerosities

People discriminate remarkably well among large numerosities. These discriminations, however, need not entail numerical representation of the quantities being compared. This research evaluated the role of both non-numerical and numerical information in adult judgments of relative numerosity for large-numerosity spatial arrays. Results of Experiment 1 indicated that judgments of relative numerosity were affected by the amount of open space in the arrays being compared. Further, the accuracy of verbal estimates of the numerosities of the arrays made upon completion of the comparison task bore little relation to performance on that task. Experiment 2, however, showed that numerical estimates for individually presented arrays were affected in much the same way by open space within or around the edges of the array as were the comparative judgments examined in Experiment 1. The findings suggest that adults heuristically utilize non-numerical cues as well as numerical information in apprehending large numerosities.
The sorting receptor for yeast vacuolar carboxypeptidase Y is encoded by the VPS10 gene

The S. cerevisiae VPS10 (vacuolar protein sorting) gene encodes a type I transmembrane protein of 1577 amino acids required for the sorting of the soluble vacuolar protein carboxypeptidase Y (CPY). Mutations in VPS10 result in the selective missorting and secretion of CPY; all other vacuolar proteins tested are delivered to the vacuole in vps10 mutants. Chemical cross-linking studies demonstrate that Vps10p and the Golgi-modified precursor form of CPY directly interact. A single amino acid change in the CPY vacuolar sorting signal prevents this interaction. Vps10p also interacts with a hybrid protein containing the CPY sorting signal fused to the normally secreted enzyme invertase. Subcellular fractionation indicates that the majority of Vps10p is localized to a late Golgi compartment where vacuolar proteins are sorted. We propose that VPS10 encodes a CPY sorting receptor that executes multiple rounds of sorting by cycling between the late Golgi and a prevacuolar endosome-like compartment.
Issues in sports biomechanics

The purpose of this paper is to consider three current issues in sports biomechanics. The issues to be addressed are the development of a satisfactory procedure for the qualitative analysis of human movements; the provision of biomechanical support services to coaches and athletes; and the relative merits of cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches in sports biomechanics.
Interaction between biofilms formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis and quinolones.

Abstract The interaction between pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin and biofilms formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (20 clinical isolates) was studied. In the presence of 1/2-MIC and 1/8-MIC of quinolones, the optical density of the biofilms was reduced to 22–24% and 65–74% of the controls, respectively. Treatment of preformed biofilms with quinolones in concentrations ranging from 12.5 μg/ml to 400 μg/mL caused reduction in the optical density of the adherent biofilms to 45–77% of the control. In an in vitro model of vascular catheter colonization, subinhibitory concentrations (12, 14 and 1/8 MIC) of fluoroquinolones reduced the number of adherent bacteria to 24–28%, 48–55% and 58–76% of the controls, respectively. The vascular catheter segments precolonized with Staphylococcus epidermidis for 24 h and exposed to the fluoroquinolones in 8–16 times MIC (100 μg/mL) for 2 h showed no growth of adherent cells. The activity of pefloxacin in reducing the bacterial adhesion and eradicating the preformed biofilms was demonstrated by scanning electron microscope. These data show that subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, pefloxacin, and ofloxacin inhibit the adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis to plastic surfaces and vascular catheters. Higher concentrations of fluoroquinolones were able to eradicate the preformed biofilms on vascular catheters.
The GALEX public archive at MAST

The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) was successfully launched on April 28, 2003. Over the last 7 years, the GALEX mission has expanded our understanding of the process of star formation and galaxy evolution. GALEX data, consisting of far-UV (1344-1786A) and near-UV (1771-2831A) imaging over most of the sky, and grism spectroscopy, are available to the entire astronomical community and to the general public via the Multi-mission Archive at Space Telescope (MAST). The main characteristics and access tools to the large data archive (16TB) are presented. Groups within the GALEX Science Team, and the MAST archive teams, have undertaken complementary projects to conduct all-sky searches for time-variable and transient sources within GALEX data (e.g. Welsh et al. in Astron. J. 130:823, 2005; Wheatley et al. in Astron. J. 136:259, 2008). Results and tools for variability searches developed by MAST during this process, will be made available to the general community.
Design and analysis of photonic crystal coupled cavity arrays for quantum simulation

We performed an experimental study of coupled optical cavity arrays in a photonic crystal platform. We find that the coupling between the cavities is significantly larger than the fabrication-induced disorder in the cavity frequencies. Satisfying this condition is necessary for using such cavity arrays to generate strongly correlated photons, which has potential application in the quantum simulation of many-body systems.
NASA rotorcraft technology for the 21st century

Current and planned rotorcraft technology-related research at NASA's Ames, Lewis, and Langley research centers is discussed with a view to the fruits of these efforts beyond the year 2000. Examples of promising technologies are higher-harmonic and dynamic rotor controls, advanced structural composites, aerodynamics and acoustics simulation models for design predictions, automated flight controls, and high-reliability rotor drivetrains. The overall payoff from an integration of these technologies will allow safe automated flying in all weather conditions, as well as precision-hover and exceptionally low noise and vibration levels.
Patient-physician racial concordance and the perceived quality and use of health care.

Background Patients from racial and ethnic minority groups use fewer health care services and are less satisfied with their care than patients from the majority white population. These disparities may be attributable in part to racial or cultural differences between patients and their physicians. Objective To determine whether racial concordance between patients and physicians affects patients' satisfaction with and use of health care. Methods We analyzed data from the 1994 Commonwealth Fund's Minority Health Survey, a nationwide, telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults. For the 2201 white, black, and Hispanic respondents who reported having a regular physician, we examined the association between patient-physician racial concordance and patients' ratings of their physicians, satisfaction with health care, reported receipt of preventive care, and reported receipt of needed medical care. Results Black respondents with black physicians were more likely than those with nonblack physicians to rate their physicians as excellent (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55-3.72) and to report receiving preventive care (adjusted OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.01-2.98) and all needed medical care (adjusted OR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.10-7.87) during the previous year. Hispanics with Hispanic physicians were more likely than those with non-Hispanic physicians to be very satisfied with their health care overall (adjusted OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.01-2.99). Conclusions Our findings confirm the importance of racial and cultural factors in the patient-physician relationship and reaffirm the role of black and Hispanic physicians in caring for black and Hispanic patients. Improving cultural competence among physicians may enhance the quality of health care for minority populations. In the meantime, by reducing the number of underrepresented minorities entering the US physician workforce, the reversal of affirmative action policies may adversely affect the delivery of health care to black and Hispanic Americans.
Direct extraction of large quality factors and resonant frequencies from Pade interpolated resonance spectra

Extracting the quality factor and resonant frequency of photonic crystal resonators simulated using the finite-difference time-domain algorithm is investigated. The Pade interpolation method is applied to the resonance spectra, and closed form expressions for the quality factor and center frequency in terms of the coefficients in the Pade function are presented. The method is applied to simulations of the photonic crystal double heterostructure cavity.
Delayed tree mortality in the Atchafalaya Basin of Southern Louisiana following Hurricane Andrew

Hurricanes can damage trees in forested wetlands, and the potential for mortality related to these storms exists due to the effects of tree damage over time. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew passed through the forested wetlands of southern Louisiana with winds in excess of 225 kph. Although more than 78% of the basal area was destroyed in some areas, most trees greater than 2.5 cm dbh were alive and resprouting prolifically the following year (98.8%). Survival of most tree species was similarly high two years after the hurricane, but mortality rates of some species increased dramatically. For example, Populus heterophylla (swamp cottonwood) mortality increased from 7.8 to 59.2% (n = 76) and Salix interior (sandbar willow) mortality increased from 4.5 to 57.1% (n = 21). Stem sprouts on many up-rooted hardwood trees of other species were still alive in 1998, 6 years after the hurricane. Due to the understory tree species composition, regeneration, and high levels of resprouting, there was little change in species composition or perhaps a slight shift toward more shade and flood tolerant species six years following the hurricane event. Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) was found on some of the sites heavily disturbed by Hurricane Andrew, and may proliferate at the expense of native tree species.
Captivity or Autonomy? Philipp Melanchthon's Theological Anthropology

Abstract Theology may well provide useful insights into the question of human autonomy—if one is willing to entertain the existence and authority of God as expressed through the scriptures. Accordingly, the Bible presents humanity as designed to exercise much autonomy. But, humanity immediately abused that freedom, resulting in the present universal captivity of the human will to sin and death. The will can now only be liberated from its self-centered bondage through the substitutionary death and resurrection of the God–Man Jesus Christ, received by grace through faith (according to the Protestant soteriological framework). With the acceptance of Christ by faith, the Holy Spirit enters into the believer, causing the will to begin a process of regeneration in which the old self-centered deformation of the will is gradually liberated to a restoration of its original design—a God-centered existence characterized by freedom in pursuing a life of genuine love and righteousness. Within this general theological ...
Abstract 2547: Caveolin-1 inhibits survivin and increases sensitivity to paclitaxel in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in women and approximately 194,280 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2009. The chemotherapeutic drugs known as taxanes disrupt the microtubule function and arrest cell cycle. Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a taxane that is commonly used to treat patients with breast cancer as well as other types of cancer. However, resistance to paclitaxel remains a hindrance to successful treatment. Previously, we have shown that signaling associated with caveolin-1 (CAV1), a structural protein, is an essential determinant of paclitaxel sensitivity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. CAV1 is part of this family of proteins that has multiple functions in different cancers but it has been proposed to function as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. Here we show that CAV1 may promote cell death in response to paclitaxel by inhibiting the function of a pro-survival protein called survivin. Survivin is encoded by the BIRC5 gene and is part of the inhibitors of apoptosis (IAP) family. This protein has numerous functions including inhibition of apoptosis and regulation of the cell cycle. Evidence shows that survivin inhibits cell apoptosis by preventing the activation of caspases, which are proteases associated with cell-mediated apoptosis. Up-regulation of survivin is associated with cancer and usually indicates a poor prognosis. We show that while over-expression of CAV1 down-regulates survivin, over-expression of survivin down-regulates CAV1 in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, MCF-7 cells that over-express survivin show decreased inhibition of cell proliferation in response to 10 nM paclitaxel compared to MCF-7 cells expressing the empty vector (EV, control). Thus, our work highlights the role of CAV1 expression in breast cancer cells as an essential determinant of paclitaxel sensitivity. Findings from this research can help researchers and clinicians to evaluate whether CAV1 expression in breast tumors can help predict its responsiveness to taxanes. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2547.
An asynchronous based approach to improve concurrency control in mobile web servers

The recent boom in mobile computing has created a juncture where it is now possible to host web services on a mobile web server. However, there remain challenges due to limitations in available mobile hardware and software capable of managing resource intensive applications. This paper addresses the issues related specifically to concurrency control improvement in mobile web servers. We propose a Dynamic Resource Management Strategy (DRMS), which uses an asynchronous based approach to reduce the number of discarded incoming client requests by a mobile web server. The DRMS strategy includes identifying the incoming heavy requests from the clients, which require relatively heavy system resources on the mobile server to generate a response, and adding those requests to a heap for them to be processed asynchronously. Based on I-Jetty we designed and developed Dynamo, an implementation of DRMS, for Android-based mobile devices. We conducted an experimental study on Dynamo. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of DRMS with the improvement in Dynamo's concurrency control management as compared to the same in I-Jetty.
Chemistry: molecular socks in a drawer.

Dynamic combinatorial chemistry is a deft way to identify the most stable forms in a complex mixture of interconverting compounds. Even more cunningly, it can also be used to sort related molecules by crystallization.
Emergence and Seedling Structure of Temperate Grasses at Different Planting Depths

Some producers have adopted ecologically based practices such as planting complex forage mixtures in their grazing systems to exploit the potential benefits of biodiversity. An understanding of grass seedling emergence and structure under different planting conditions could help develop planting recommendations for establishing multispecies swards. We conducted controlled-environment and field studies to compare the seedling emergence and morphology of several grasses at three planting depths. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; diploid and tetraploid cultivars), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), prairiegrass (Bromus catharticus Vahl), and bromegrass (Bromus stamineus Desv.) were planted at 1, 3, and 6 cm in the growth chamber and greenhouse. Seedlings were destructively sampled 14 d after emergence, and leaves, tillers, and roots were counted. Mesocotyl length and coleoptile width were measured. The grasses were planted in two field experiments to determine emergence and seedling size when planted at 1, 3, or 6 cm. Both perennial ryegrass and orchardgrass elongated the mesocotyl from 1 to 4 cm depending on planting depth, but bromegrass and prairiegrass did not. Seedlings of bromegrass and prairiegrass had greater mass but fewer tillers and roots than perennial ryegrass. Increased planting depth reduced seedling size by reducing the number and size of leaves and number of tillers by 15 to 30% in all grasses. Differences in seedling size and structure among cultivars within species were positively correlated (r of 0.8 to 0.9, P < 0.05) with seed mass. Variation in seed mass and coleoptile width, however, did not explain differences among grasses in seedling emergence in the field.
Creating a Smarter Conditional Consensus Forecast

We examine analyst forecasts of 26 macroeconomic statistics over the August 1998 to March 2007 time period. We pose four research questions: (1) Does forecast accuracy persist?; (2) What are the determinants of such persistence?; (3) Do analysts who exhibit these characteristics make more accurate forecasts than the simple consensus?; and (4) Is a "smart" consensus based on individuals exhibiting these characteristics more accurate than the simple consensus? We show that analyst forecast accuracy persists and is determined by long-term, past accuracy and the overall ability in forecasting all statistics. That is, analyst long-term track record is more important than short-term track record, and track record in forecasting other statistics (general ability) is more important than track record in forecasting the macroeconomic statistic in question (specific ability). We demonstrate that a smart consensus conditioned on forecasts of analysts with superior long-term, general ability outperforms commonly reported mean and median consensus forecasts.
Effect of microstructure on fatigue life and fracture morphology in an aluminum alloy

The effect of grain refinement on the fatigue life of 7075Al alloy was evaluated using a subsize fatigue specimen. High-cycle fatigue of fine-grained 7075Al showed substantial improvement over the parent 7075-T6 material. This improvement in fatigue life is ascribed to retardation of crack propagation caused by grain boundaries acting as barriers and a crack closure effect due to crack deflection.
Midline corpus callosum is a neuroanatomical focus of fetal alcohol damage

Prenatal exposure to high levels of alcohol often induces birth defects that combine morphological stigmata with neurological or neuropsychological deficits. But it has proved problematic to diagnose these syndromes in adolescents and adults, in whom the morphological signs are absent or attenuated, the behavioral deficits nonspecific, and the exposure history often difficult to reconstruct. Localizing the associated brain abnormalities might circumvent most of these difficulties. To this end, three-dimensional (3D) locations were recorded for 67 homologous points on or near the corpus callosum in magnetic resonance (MR) brain images from 60 adolescents and adults who were normal, 60 diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, and 60 diagnosed with fetal alcohol effects. We combined the standard statistical approach to this type of geometric data, Procrustes analysis, with a multivariate strategy focusing on differences in variability. In this data set, the shape of the corpus callosum and its vicinity proves systematically much more variable in the alcohol-affected brains than in those of the normal subjects. From this excess variability follows a promising classification rule, having both high sensitivity (100 out of 117) and high specificity (49 out of 60) in this sample. The discrimination uses four landmark points and two summary scores of callosal outline shape. The information from the corpus callosum and vicinity, as viewed in MR brain images of full-grown subjects, may serve as a permanent record of the prenatal effects of alcohol, even in patients who are first suspected of these syndromes relatively late in life or who lack the facial signs of prenatal alcohol damage. The statistical pattern underlying the callosal diagnosis also leads to speculations on mechanisms of the prenatal damage.
CO2 adsorption in Y and X zeolites modified by alkali metal cation exchange

Abstract Ion exchange was performed on NaY and NaX zeolites with alkali metal cations Li+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ and studied by adsorption of CO2. This is the first study to examine adsorption equilibrium isotherms and capacities of CO2 on the alkali metal series for both Y and X zeolites under mild conditions. CO2 capacity increased as Cs
Gelsolin overexpression alters actin dynamics and tyrosine phosphorylation of lipid raft-associated proteins in Jurkat T cells

Upon T cell receptor engagement, both the actin cytoskeleton and substrates of tyrosine phosphorylation are remodeled to create a signaling complex at the interface of the antigen-presenting cell and responding T cell. While T cell signaling has been shown to regulate actin reorganization, the mechanisms by which changes in actin dynamics affect early T cell signaling have not been fully explored. Using gelsolin, an actin-binding protein with capping and severing activities, and latrunculin, an actin-depolymerizing agent, we have further investigated the interplay between actin dynamics and the regulation of T cell signaling. Overexpression of gelsolin altered actin dynamics in Jurkat T cells, and alteration of actin dynamics correlated with dysregulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of raft-associated substrates. This perturbation of tyrosine phosphorylation was correlated with inhibition of activation-dependent signaling pathways regulating Erk-1/2 phosphorylation, NF-AT transcriptional activation and IL-2 production. Modification of actin by the depolymerizing agent latrunculin also altered the tyrosine phosphorylation patterns of proteins associated with lipid rafts, and pre-treatment with latrunculin inhibited anti-CD3 mAb-mediated NF-AT activation. Thus, our data indicate that actin cytoskeletal dynamics modulate the tyrosine phosphorylation of raft-associated proteins and subsequent downstream signal transduction.
The relationship of the California Achièvement Test to the Degrees of Reading Power Test

The California Achievement Test (CAT) and Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) tests were administered to 28,000 students in 1981 and 33,000 students in 1982 in seven different grades to determine the relationship between the two instruments as measures of reading. The correlation between the tests ranged from .77 to .86. It was concluded that even though the publishers of both tests have maintained that their tests measured different aspects of reading achievement, either test may be used to make valid predictions to the other by use of locally constructed conversion tables.
Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Pollutants on Children’s Development: Tang and Perera Respond.

The study we reported in our article “Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Coal-burning Pollutants on Children’s Development in China” (Tang et al. 2008) was conducted in the Tongliang County of Chongqing City, an area in western China. In his letter, Dorea suggests that the children who participated in our study may have been exposed to thimerosal in vaccinations. Because the actual levels of thimerosal used in each vaccine are a trade secret, we were not able to directly control for possible exposure to thimerosal in our analysis. We note that in the United States, all routinely recommended vaccines for U.S. infants are available only as thimerosal-free formulations or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal. We do not know whether that has been the case for vaccines used in China. On the other hand, the children’s vaccination schedule is well enforced in China, so any thimerosal exposure would have been similar among all the children who participated in our study. Therefore, this exposure would not have been likely to confound the observed relationship between Gesell Developmental scores (GDS) and PAH–DNA adducts and lead concentrations in newborn umbilical cord blood. We did not observe a significant adverse impact of the Hg levels in cord blood on neurodevelopment at 2 years of age. The main concern for mercury exposure and neurodevelopment concerns prenatal exposures to methylmercury in fish consumed by pregnant women, and the consumption of fish is low in Tongliang. Reports have shown high Hg levels in rice from a mining area of Guizhou, a province located in southwestern China (Qiu et al. 2008; Feng et al. 2008). The Hg levels in the rice from other areas in China did not seem to exceed normal levels (Zhang and Wang 2007). Our study area, Tongliang County, is not within the Hg mining areas of Guizhou Province; thus, it is unlikely that the consumption of rice could expose the study sample to notable Hg levels. In reference to Dorea’s suggestion to account for breast-feeding, we did incorporate a breast-feeding variable in our initial analysis. However, because the effect of breast-feeding was not generally statistically significant, the final model did not include a breastfeeding variable.
Louis Wirth: comentarios sobre el modo de vida urbano

La problematica territorial a la luz de los procesos de cambio experimentado en los ambitos sociales y ecologicos.
Jovian radio “bullseyes” observed by Ulysses

We report the observation of extremely rare semi-bullseye or target-like features in the dynamic spectra of Jupiter obtained in 1991–1994 by the Ulysses Unified Radio and Plasma wave instrument. The emissions lie in the 20–50 kHz band and consist of narrow band (∼1–2 kHz) semi-concentric wisps on frequency-time dynamic spectra. The individual wisps correspond to a 4π steradian radiated power in the range of tens of kilowatts to more than ten megawatts. The emissions show a tendency to occur in groups every 25–27 days with a spacing between some individual episodes of about 10.5 hours. The 25–27 day periodicity is strongly correlated with solar wind ram pressure at Jupiter. Speculation on the cause of these events includes constructive-destructive interference or diffraction of a previously known radio source viewed through the Io plasma torus, or perhaps radio emission from Ganymede or from the magnetic flux tube threading through Ganymede.