cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Religious Drama and Ecclesiastical Reform in the Tenth Century

Historians of theatre usually discuss the quem quaeritis Easter tropes and Hroswitha’s plays as discrete phenomena: debating whether or not the quem quaeritis represents a first step in the development of liturgical drama, discussing Hroswitha’s plays as the first Christian plays based on saints’ lives and not tied to the liturgy. The Easter tropes and the plays of Hroswitha may not be as unrelated as they appear. The tropes may be more than mere tropes, more than just extensions of Scripture woven into special liturgical services. They may be consciously scripted “playlets” aimed at purposes far beyond beautifying and intensifying the liturgy. These “playlets” may relate to, and stem from, issues of educational and ecclesiastical reform that marked the efforts of tenth- and early eleventh-century, Lotharingian/German clerics, who in turn were connected in a sort of network to ecclesiastical reformers in France and England. Hroswitha, personally and institutionally, was part of this network, and her plays may well be another phenomenon reflecting those policies. To demonstrate that premise, it is necessary to trace the network Lotharingian/German, French and English reformers, Hroswitha’s place within that network, and the common interests and policies of these reformers in matters of ecclesiastical reform.
cDNA cloning and promoter analysis of rat caspase-9.

Caspase-9 is the apex caspase of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, which plays a critical role in apoptotic initiation and progression. However, gene regulation of caspase-9 is largely unknown. This is in part due to the lack of information on the gene promoter. Here we have cloned the full-length cDNA of rat caspase-9 and have isolated promoter regions of this gene. The rat caspase-9 cDNA of 2058bp predicts a protein of 454 amino acids, which contains a caspase-recruitment domain (‘CARD’) at the N-terminus and enzymic domains at the C-terminus. The enzyme9s active site, with a characteristic motif of QACGG, was also identified. Overall, rat and human caspase-9 have 71% identity. With the cDNA sequence, we subsequently isolated the proximal 5′-flanking regions of rat caspase-9 by the procedure of genomic walking. The 2270bp genomic segment is ‘TATA-less’, but contains several GC boxes. Elements binding known transcription factors such as Sp-1, Pit-1, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), glucocorticoid receptor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) were also identified. When cloned into reporter gene vectors, the genomic segment showed significant promoter activity, indicating that the 5′-flanking regions isolated by genomic walking contain the gene promoter of rat caspase-9. Of significance is that the cloned promoter segments were activated by severe hypoxia, conditions inducing caspase-9 transcription. Thus, the genomic sequences reported here contain not only the basal promoter of rat caspase-9 but also regulatory elements responsive to pathophysiological stimuli including hypoxia.
The Social Dimensions of Energy Transitions

The future of energy systems is one of the central policy challenges facing industrial countries. This challenge is complex and multifaceted. Energy systems are among the largest human enterprises,...
In vivo effects of dietary quercetin and quercetin-rich red onion extract on skeletal muscle mitochondria, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity

Red onions and low doses of the flavonoid, quercetin, increase insulin sensitivity and improve glucose tolerance. We hypothesized that dietary supplementation with red onion extract (RO) would attenuate high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and insulin resistance similar to quercetin supplementation by increasing energy expenditure through a mechanism involving skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations. To test this hypothesis, C57BL/6J mice were randomized into four groups and fed either a low fat diet (LF), HFD (HF), HFD + quercetin (HF + Q), or HFD + RO (HF + RO) for 9 weeks. Food consumption and body weight and composition were measured weekly. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by insulin and glucose tolerance tests. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured by indirect calorimetry. Skeletal muscle incomplete beta oxidation, mitochondrial number, and mtDNA-encoded gene expression were measured. Quercetin and RO supplementation decreased HFD-induced fat mass accumulation and insulin resistance (measured by insulin tolerance test) and increased energy expenditure; however, only HF + Q showed an increase in physical activity levels. Although quercetin and RO similarly increased skeletal muscle mitochondrial number and decreased incomplete beta oxidation, establishing mitochondrial function similar to that seen in LF, only HF + Q exhibited consistently lower mRNA levels of mtDNA-encoded genes necessary for complexes IV and V compared to LF. Quercetin- and RO-induced improvements in adiposity, insulin resistance, and energy expenditure occur through differential mechanisms, with quercetin—but not RO-induced energy expenditure being related to increases in physical activity. While both treatments improved skeletal muscle mitochondrial number and function, mtDNA-encoded transcript levels suggest that the antiobesogenic, insulin-sensitizing effects of purified quercetin aglycone, and RO may occur through differential mechanisms.
Exploring the foundations and functions of adolescent thriving within the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development: A view of the issues☆

Abstract We introduce this special issue on the foundations and functions of adolescent thriving by summarizing the developmental systems theory-based, positive youth development (PYD) perspective that frames much of contemporary research about health and positive development across the adolescent period and that, more specifically, frames the 4-H Study of PYD, the data set from which the empirical work in this special issue is drawn. We discuss the different ways in which the articles in this special issue elucidate different facets of the PYD perspective and summarize the implications of this research for future scholarship and for applications aimed at improving the life chances of diverse adolescents.
Distribution of Anadromous Fishes in the Upper Klamath River Watershed Prior to Hydropower Dams—A Synthesis of the Historical Evidence

Abstract Knowledge of the historical distribution of anadromous fish is important to guide management decisions regarding the Klamath River including ongoing restoration and regional recovery of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Using various sources, we determined the historical distribution of anadromous fish above Iron Gate Dam. Evidence for the largest, most utilized species, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchustshawytscha), was available from multiple sources and clearly showed that this species historically migrated upstream into tributaries of Upper Klamath Lake. Available information indicates that the distribution of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) extended to the Klamath Upper Basin as well. Coho salmon and anadromous lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) likely were distributed upstream at least to the vicinity of Spencer Creek. A population of anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) may have occurred historically above Iron Gate Dam. Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), chum salmon (Oncorhynchus k...
Structure of an aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) LiI solution from X-ray scattering

Abstract Wide-angle X-ray scattering is used to study the structure of lithium iodide in a mixed solvent of D 2 O and deuterated poly(ethyleneoxide) (DPEO) at 25 °C. The local structure is extracted from the measured structure function, including C–C and C–O bond lengths, C–C–O and C–O–C geometry, and Li + …O, D 2 O…D 2 O, and I − …D 2 O correlations. The results are compared to a recent neutron scattering study on the same solution, with good agreement found with those results. Some of the findings such as the I − …D 2 O correlations are complementary to the neutron measurements.
Previewing Policy Sciences: Multiple Lenses and Segmented Visions

In setting an agenda for policy sciences, Harold Lasswell argued that the field would be shaped by its contextuality, problem orientation, and methodological diversity. The review of developments in the field in this article shows that scholars have divided into positivist and post-positivist orientations that employ multiple frameworks and models. I argue that theoretical diversity should be expected and welcomed given the complexity of policy processes and phenomena. The article encourages positivists and post-positivists alike to allow the problem being studied to drive analysis and to seek ways to integrate different theoretical and methodological approaches.
Singular surfaces, mod 2 homology, and hyperbolic volume, II☆

Abstract If g is an integer ⩾2, and M is a closed simple 3-manifold such that π 1 ( M ) has a subgroup isomorphic to a genus- g surface group and dim Z 2 H 1 ( M ; Z 2 ) ⩾ max ( 3 g − 1 , 6 ) , we show that M contains a closed, incompressible surface of genus at most g . As an application we show that if M is a closed orientable hyperbolic 3-manifold such that Vol M ⩽ 3.08 , then dim Z 2 H 1 ( M ; Z 2 ) ⩽ 5 .
Performance comparison of gene family clustering methods with expert curated gene family data set in Arabidopsis thaliana

With the exponential growth of genomics data, the demand for reliable clustering methods is increasing every day. Despite the wide usage of many clustering algorithms, the accuracy of these algorithms has been evaluated mostly on simulated data sets and seldom on real biological data for which a "correct answer" is available. In order to address this issue, we use the manually curated high-quality Arabidopsis thaliana gene family database as a "gold standard" to conduct a comprehensive comparison of the accuracies of four widely used clustering methods including K-means, TribeMCL, single-linkage clustering and complete-linkage clustering. We compare the results from running different clustering methods on two matrices: the E-value matrix and the k-tuple distance matrix. The E-value matrix is computed based on BLAST E-values. The k-tuple distance matrix is computed based on the difference in tuple frequencies. The TribeMCL with the E-value matrix performed best, with the Inflation parameter (=1.15) tuned considerably lower than what has been suggested previously (=2). The single-linkage clustering method with the E-value matrix was second best. Single-linkage clustering, K-means clustering, complete-linkage clustering, and TribeMCL with a k-tuple distance matrix performed reasonably well. Complete-linkage clustering with the k-tuple distance matrix performed the worst.
On the cosmological evolution of the X-ray emission from quasars

The average dependence of the ratio of X-ray luminosity to optical luminosity as a function of redshift and optical luminosity for quasars is derived, and it is found that the explicit dependence of this ratio is predominantly on optical luminosity. For a wide class of models for the cosmological evolution of quasars, the results imply that the evolution of the X-ray luminosity function is weaker than the evolution of the optical luminosity function. Implications for physical models of quasars and for global properties of the quasar population are indicated.
Three-dimensional structure of the type III secretion chaperone SycE from Yersinia pestis.

Many bacterial pathogens utilize a type III (contact-dependent) secretion system to inject cytotoxic effector proteins directly into host cells. This ingenious mechanism, designed for both bacterial offense and defense, has been studied most extensively in Yersinia spp. To be exported efficiently, at least three of the effectors (YopE, YopH and YopT) and several other proteins that transit the type III secretion pathway in Yersinia (YopN, YopD and YopB) must first form transient complexes with cognate-specific Yop chaperone (Syc) proteins. The cytotoxic effector YopE, a selective activator of mammalian Rho-family GTPases, associates with SycE. Here, the structure of Y. pestis SycE at 1.95 A resolution is reported. SycE possesses a novel fold with an unusual dimerization motif and an intriguing basic cavity located on the dyad axis of the dimer that may participate in its interaction with YopE.
Australasian microtektites and the stratigraphic age of the australites

The study of age relations among the Australian tektites (australites) has led to a paradox. On the one hand, K-Ar and fission-track studies give an age of 700,000 yr. On the other hand, stratigraphic studies in Australia indicate that the australites fell between 7,000 and 20,000 yr ago. Age, chemical, petrographic, morphological, and geographical studies link the australites to tektites found in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines. These tektites have stratigraphic ages consistent with their K-Ar and fission-track ages of 700,000 yr. The discovery of microtektites in deep-sea sediments adjacent to Australia that have a stratigraphic age of 700,000 (based on their association with the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal boundary) indicates that the australites also fell 700,000 yr ago. However, Chalmers and others (1976) have recently questioned the relationship between the microtektites and australites and have reaffirmed the low stratigraphic age of the australites. This paper reviews the evidence and concludes that the microtektites are indeed part of the Australasian strewn field and that the occurrence of australites in what are apparently late Pleistocene to post-Pleistocene deposits indicates that they were probably eroded and redeposited at this time.
Technique of traction-free nerve-sparing robotic prostatectomy: delicate tissue handling by real-time penile oxygen monitoring.

It is postulated that intraoperative injury to the cavernosal nerves results in hemodynamic and histologic changes within the penis, which manifest clinically as ED. We hypothesize that non-neuronal cause, such as vascular insults due to intraoperative tissue handling, may also have a minor but definite role in penile ischemia and consequent postoperative sexual dysfunction. Between May 2008 and July 2008, 64 patients were enrolled in the study (group 1). Following sterilization, the Odissey Tissue Oximeter probe was placed on the shaft of the penis, 2 cm from its base. The patient underwent continuous penile tissue saturation monitoring. Surgical dissection was altered whenever the oxygen saturation alarm went off until it was restored to ⩾85%. In addition, 192 patients, matched for age, preoperative prostate-specific antigen, clinical stage, baseline sexual function, Charlson comorbidity index and nerve-sparing status operated between October 2007 and July 2008, formed the control group (group 2). These patients did not have any intraoperative tissue oxygenation monitoring. Opening of the endopelvic fascia and steps of nerve sparing were associated with significant drops in oxygen levels, especially if done using torque. Drop in oxygen levels were also noted whenever excessive traction was applied on the Foley catheter, seminal vesicles or prostate during apical dissection. We deliberately modified our surgical steps to make surgery more traction free. A significantly higher percentage of group 1 patients with bilateral nerve sparing had no ED compared with group 2 patients at 6 weeks (24.5% vs 10.4%; P=0.014) and 52 weeks (83.7% vs 68%; P=0.029). Overall, 93.9% of patients in study group had Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) score of ⩾17 (mild to no ED) at 1 year compared with 78.4% of patients in the control group. We demonstrated that avoidance of ischemic stress, aided by intraoperative penile oxygenation monitoring, may help surgeons improve their technique and thus functional outcomes in patients.
Sharing the divisions of the colonial past: an assessment of the Netherlands–Indonesia shared cultural heritage project, 2003–2006

While recognised for advancing historical scholarship on collecting in the colonial Netherlands East Indies, the Netherlands-Indonesia Shared Cultural Heritage Project of 2003–2006 merits analysis in its own right as a ‘heritage process’. From the perspective of heritage studies theory, this article demonstrates how the project both illustrates and contradicts several influential conceptions of heritage. It also reveals that such heritage negotiations can benefit states dealing with the legacy of the colonial past in European museums, when they forgo competition in the interest of a workable consensus. However, the project also offers counterpoints and paradoxes connected to remembering and forgetting, between its orientation to the present and to the past, and in its relationship to the tangible and intangible heritage of Dutch colonialism.
Reflex Cardiovascular Effects of Epicardial Stimulation by Acetylstrophanthidin in Dogs

Application of 25 to 100 µg of acetylstrophanthidin to the epicardium of the left ventricle of anesthetized and unanesthetized dogs caused hypotension and bradycardia without signs of discomfort. The response developed after an average latency of 8 seconds and lasted up to 12 minutes. Cooling the cervical vagi to 8 to 10°C or prior application of 0.1% procaine hydrochloride to the epicardium of the heart blocked the response. The response was, therefore, a reflex; the sensory receptors were located in the surface layers of the left ventricle. Electrophysiological recordings from single and multifiber preparations of the right recurrent cardiac nerve showed that the receptors for this reflex were mechanoreceptors whose fibers belonged to the C group. The sinus bradycardia caused by digitalis glycosides may result partly from excitation of these receptors.
Palliative care in advanced cancer patients in a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand

Aim: Advanced cancer, irrespective of the site of the cancer, is characterized by a number of associated symptoms that impair the quality of life of patients. The management of these symptoms guides palliative care. The present study aims to describe the symptoms and appropriate palliation provided in patients with advanced cancer in a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand. Methods: This was an observational study. A total of 100 patients with advanced cancer were included in the study. The data obtained from the patients included symptoms reported by the patients, currently prescribed treatments and the site of cancer. Results: The average number of symptoms reported per patient was 5.33 ± 0.67 (mean ± SE). The most common symptoms were pain, weakness/fatigue, anorexia, insomnia, nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, constipation and cough. Polypharmacy was frequent. Patients consumed approximately 8.7 ± 0.38 (mean ± SE) drugs on average during the 2-month period of follow-up. Conclusion: The result gives insight into the varied symptomatology of patients with advanced cancer. Polypharmacy was quite common in patients with advanced cancer, predisposing them to complicated drug interactions and adverse drug reactions.
A SIMULATED FRUIT GEL SUITABLE FOR FREEZE DEHYDRATION

Acceptance of new food resources may be achieved by simulation of traditional foods. Sodium alginate gels may be used to produce a desirable fruit-like texture useful as a base for fabricated nutrient-controlled foods. A two-step gelation process has been used to produce fruit-like textured products. These products can be flavored as desired and utilized without further processing to simulate fresh fruit pieces, or they may be either frozen and thawed, or freeze dried and rehydrated without loss of desirable texture. The freeze-dried materials rehydrate rap idly and when incorporated into food products such as yogurt, the rehydrated material compares favorably with rehydrated freeze-dried fruits or currently available commercial fruit yogurts.
Tolerability Profile of Atypical Antipsychotics in Children and Adolescents

Antipsychotics are frequently used in the treatment of a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions in children and adolescents. Atypical antipsychotics have come to the forefront in child psychiatry due largely to their tolerability profiles as well as their efficacy. Potential treatment options include clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine and ziprasidone. A number of studies investigating the use of clozapine have been published in children; however, owing to the frequent monitoring required for agranulocytosis, the use of clozapine may be restricted to patients with treatment-refractory disease. With accumulating data on the development of glucose intolerance in adults receiving clozapine, closer monitoring of bodyweight and fasting blood glucose is imperative. Clozapine also has an increased seizure risk, therefore a baseline electroencephalogram should be performed, as well as continued vigilance for this adverse effect. Risperidone is an atypical antipsychotic that is generally well tolerated and numerous studies have been published investigating this drug in children. Unlike clozapine, its receptor interaction profile lends itself toward increased risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and hyperprolactinaemia. Bodyweight gain is a common adverse effect, although somewhat less than that reported with olanzapine. Baseline liver function studies prior to initiation of this medication are recommended. Risperidone-induced mania has been reported in adults and, therefore, increased caution should be used when deciding to treat children and adolescents with risperidone, particularly in those with a predisposition toward mania. Olanzapine, like risperidone, has also been associated with onset of mania in adults. Olanzapine has a receptor profile that results in significant risk for bodyweight gain and sedation. Furthermore, this drug has been linked to the development of glucose intolerance; thus, it is important to monitor bodyweight and fasting blood glucose on a frequent basis. Less information is known about quetiapine in children and adolescents. Reports about its efficacy and tolerability vary. Quetiapine appears to have increased risk for sedation and bodyweight gain, albeit less than that of olanzapine. The compound appears to be less likely to induce EPS. Finally, ziprasidone has recently been approved for use in the adult population. This compound, in terms of its receptor profile, has more in common with risperidone. This suggests a potential for increased risk of EPS and hyperprolactinaemia. It also has an increased risk of QTc prolongation; thus, a baseline electrocardiogram is suggested, particularly in those patients with a history of cardiovascular illness. Lack of evidence for bodyweight gain with ziprasidone is a considerable advantage.
Mobile documentation: Usability guidelines, and considerations for providing documentation on Kindle, tablets, and smartphones

With the growth of mobile devices outpacing that of desktop systems in 2011[1], mobile devices are the new PC. For example, as of July, 2011, 93% of U.S. consumers own mobile phones, 38% use smartphones, and a half-million Android devices are being activated every day worldwide [2, 3, 4]. The proliferation of applications for mobile devices means that users increasingly turn to smartphones and tablets to access products and services. They are also increasingly using mobile e-readers to read books. The New York Times Best Sellers list now includes e-books, and Amazon.com recently reported that it sells more e-books than hardcover and paperback combined [5]. In spite of these trends, usability for mobile applications lags far behind desktop systems, and the mobile user experience is often difficult and disappointing [6]. To alleviate this, mobile developers can take advantage of emerging mobile usability standards to increase user satisfaction. However, for technical communicators who provide mobile user assistance, there is comparatively little research on documentation for smartphones and tablets. This paper summarizes emerging mobile usability trends and suggests best practices for developing user assistance for mobile devices. It also shows how Oracle's Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Information Development department delivered mobile documentation in online libraries. It concludes by suggesting a method for providing usable, single-sourced documentation files that can be read on e-readers as well as tablets, such as iPad and Xoom, and smartphones, such as iPhone and Android.
Low entanglement wavefunctions

We review a class of efficient wavefunction approximations that are based around the limit of low entanglement. These wavefunctions, which go by such names as matrix product states and tensor network states, occupy a different region of Hilbert space from wavefunctions built around the Hartree–Fock limit. The best known class of low entanglement wavefunctions, the matrix product states, forms the variational space of the density matrix renormalization group algorithm. Because of their different structure to many other quantum chemistry wavefunctions, low entanglement approximations hold promise for problems conventionally considered hard in quantum chemistry, and in particular problems which have a multireference or strong correlation nature. In this review, we describe low entanglement wavefunctions at an introductory level, focusing on the main theoretical ideas. Topics covered include the theory of efficient wavefunction approximations, entanglement, matrix product states, and tensor network states including the tree tensor network, projected entangled pair states, and the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz.
Cellular Response to Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Depends on Release Kinetics and Extracellular Matrix Interactions

The extracellular matrix plays an important role in growth factor biology, serving as a potential platform for rapid growth factor mobilization or a sink for concentrated sequestration. We now demonstrate that when a growth factor binds reversibly to the matrix, its effects are augmented by this interaction, and when the factor is absorbed irreversibly to the extracellular matrix, it becomes sequestered. These findings call into question the notion that all growth factors are best presented to cells and tissues in a sustained and controlled fashion. In our studies, we examined basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) release kinetics from synthetically fabricated microsphere devices and naturally synthesized extracellular matrix. While the sustained release of bFGF was up to 3.0-fold more potent at increasing vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation than bolus administration, the reverse was true for TGF-β1. A bolus of TGF-β1 inhibited vascular cells up to 3.8-fold more efficiently than the same amount of TGF-β1 if control-released. Both growth factors bound to the extracellular matrix, but only bFGF was released in a controlled fashion (2.8%/day). Contact with the extracellular matrix and subsequent release enhanced bFGF activity such that it was 86% more effective at increasing smooth muscle cell numbers than equal amounts of growth factor diluted from frozen stock. TGF-β1 remained tightly adherent. The small amount of TGF-β1 released from the extracellular matrix was ∼30% less effective than bolus administration at inhibiting vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell growth. Sustained growth factor release may be the preferable mode of administration, but only when a similar mode of metabolism is utilized endogenously.
A computer analysis of high frequency disturbances in arterial blood flow.

Abstract High frequency velocity disturbances have been observed in arterial blood flow. In their most developed form, such disturbances may manifest themselves as turbulence, a condition which can be recognized by its characteristic frequency spectrum. As part of a study of such disturbances, flow signals obtained with a hot-film anemometer system were recorded in anesthetized dogs with various pharmacological interventions and in an unanesthetized horse. These signals were processed on a digital computer to derive a mean square disturbance signal for a cardiac cycle, to accomplish Fourier analysis on data from small time intervals within that cycle, and to cross-correlate disturbance signals observed at two separate vascular sites. Experiments indicate that under the effects of ephedrine sulfate, there is a definite increase in the high frequency content during systole that is suggestive of the presence of turbulence. The technique will prove valuable as a tool for further study of flow disturbances.
Oblivious equilibrium: An approximation to large population dynamic games with concave utility

We study stochastic games with a large number of players, where players are coupled via their payoff functions. A standard solution concept for such games is Markov perfect equilibrium (MPE). It is well known that the computation of MPE suffers from the “curse of dimensionality.” Recently an approximate solution concept called “oblivious equilibrium” (OE) was developed by Weintraub et. al, where each player reacts to only the average behavior of other players. In this work, we characterize a set of games in which OE approximates MPE. Specifically, we show that if system dynamics and payoff functions are concave in state and action and have decreasing differences in state and action, then an oblivious equilibrium of such a game approximates MPE. These exogenous conditions on model primitives allow us to characterize a set of games where OE can be used as an approximate solution concept.
Habitat selection in slowly regenerating environments

Theories of density dependent habitat selection (isoleg theories) have been used to deduce community phenomena from the behavior of the individual. Previous theories assume either that at any point in geographical space representatives of a single patch type have the same resource density, or that any spatial variation in resource density is not perceived by potential foragers. We extend these theories by allowing patches of a particular type to vary perceptibly in resource density in space (as well as time). We analyze a model incorporating distinct-preference community structure: each species does best in a different habitat type. The results differ greatly from similar models with no spatial variance. First, so long as some patches achieve their maximum resource density, the isolegs (the lines in state space separating regions of qualitatively different behaviors) have negative or vertical slopes. Previous models have had positive slopes. Second, opportunistic foragers are only semi-opportunists: they exhibit partial preferences by accepting only a fraction of their secondary patches. Third, isolegs are isoclines (lines of constant per capita growth rate). Fourth, although the habitat selection promotes the coexistence of species (as it does in zero variance models), there is little likelihood of it producing “the ghost of competition past” (i.e. interaction coefficients of zero in the neighborhood of the density equilibrium). Fifth, niche shifts can behave perversely: increase of a competitor's density may actually increase niche breadth. Or it may cause niche breadth to decrease, in agreement with other theories. As might be expected, models which allow intermediate amounts of spatial variation produce conclusions intermediate between the two extremes of: (1) zero variation and (2) sufficient variation to produce some patches at resource carrying capacity no matter how low the mean resource density.
Stationary chest tomosynthesis using a CNT x-ray source array

Chest tomosynthesis is an imaging modality that provides 3D sectional information of a patients thoracic cavity using limited angle x-ray projections. Studies show that tomosynthesis can improve the detection of subtle lung nodules comparing to conventional radiography at a lower radiation dose than CT. In the conventional design, the projection images are collected by mechanically moving a single x-ray source to different viewing angles. We investigated the feasibility of stationary chest tomosynthesis using the distributed CNT x-ray source array technology, which can generate a scanning x-ray beam without any mechanical motion. A proof-of-concept system was constructed using a short linear source array and a at panel detector. The performance of the source including the flux was evaluated in the context of chest imaging. The bench-top system was characterized and images of a chest phantom were acquired and reconstructed. The preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of stationary chest tomosynthesis using the CNT x-ray source array technology.
Electrochemical and enzymatic oxidation of 2,6-diaminopurine*

Abstract Electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were used to study the mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of 2,6-diaminopurine in aqueous solutions. Experimental evidence indicates that the oxidation pathway depends on potential. At less positive potentials 2,6-diaminopurine is initially oxidized in a 2 e, 2 H+ reaction to 2,6-diamino-8-purinol, which is immediately further oxidized to the 2,6-diaminopurinol-diimine in a 2 e, 2 H+ reaction. At more positive potentials 4 e and 4 H+ are exchanged to form the diimine. The diimine is not stable and decomposes in a series of hydrolysis reactions to the final products 5-hydroxyhydantoin-5-carboxamide and 1-carbohydroxy-2,4,6,8-tetraaza-3,7-dioxo-4-ene-bicyclo[3,3,0]octane (BCA). The products were identified by GC/MS. A mechanism is proposed to explain the observed results. The significance of this mechanism with respect to the enzymatic oxidation and deamination of 2,6-diaminopurine is discussed.
Prediction of leisure participation from behavioral, normative, and control beliefs: An application of the theory of planned behavior

Abstract The theory of planned behavior (Ajzen 1985, 1987) is offered as a comprehensive framework for understanding of leisure participation. Salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs, theoretically the basic determinants of behavior, were assessed with respect to five leisure activities: spending time at the beach, jogging or running, mountain climbing, boating, and biking. College students completed a questionnaire containing measures of these beliefs and of global expressions of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. One year later the participants reported how often they had performed each behavior in the preceding 12 months. Behavioral beliefs were found to partition into beliefs about affective reactions and beliefs about costs and benefits. Participation in leisure activities was influenced by these affective and instrumental beliefs, as well as by normative beliefs about the expectations of important others and by control beliefs about required resources and other f...
In vitro and in vivo enhancement of chemoradiation using the oral PARP inhibitor ABT-888 in colorectal cancer cells.

Purpose Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase plays a critical role in the recognition and repair of DNA single-strand breaks and double-strand breaks (DSBs). ABT-888 is an orally available inhibitor of this enzyme. This study seeks to evaluate the use of ABT-888 combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) in colorectal carcinoma models. Methods and Materials RT clonogenic assays were performed on HCT116 and HT29 cells treated with 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, or oxaliplatin with or without ABT. The surviving fraction at 2 Gy and dose-modifying factor at 10% survival were analyzed. Synergism was assessed by isobologram analysis for combination therapies. γH2AX and neutral comet assays were performed to assess the effect of therapy on DSB formation/repair. In vivo assessments were made by use of HCT116 cells in a xenograft mouse model. Tumor growth delay was measured at a volume of 500 mm 3 . Results Both lines were radiosensitized by ABT alone, and ABT further increased chemotherapy dose-modifying factors to the 1.6 to 1.8 range. All combinations were synergistic (combination indices P =.017) and delayed repair. We found tumor growth delays of 7.22 days for RT; 11.90 days for RT and ABT; 13.5 days for oxaliplatin, RT, and ABT; 14.17 days for 5-fluorouracil, RT, and ABT; and 23.81 days for irinotecan, RT, and ABT. Conclusion ABT-888 radiosensitizes at similar or higher levels compared with classic chemotherapies and acts synergistically with these chemotherapies to enhance RT effects. In vivo confirmation of these results indicates a potential role for combining its use with existing chemoradiation regimens.
The High-Affinity cAMP-Specific Phosphodiesterase 8B Controls Steroidogenesis in the Mouse Adrenal Gland

The functions of the phosphodiesterase 8B (PDE8) family of phosphodiesterases have been largely unexplored because of the unavailability of selective pharmacological inhibitors. Here, we report a novel function of PDE8B as a major regulator of adrenal steroidogenesis using a genetically ablated PDE8B mouse model as well as cell lines treated with either a new PDE8-selective inhibitor or a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) construct against PDE8B. We demonstrate that PDE8B is highly enriched in mouse adrenal fasciculata cells, and show that PDE8B knockout mice have elevated urinary corticosterone as a result of adrenal hypersensitivity toward adrenocorticotropin. Likewise, ablation of PDE8B mRNA transcripts by an shRNA construct potentiates steroidogenesis in the commonly used Y-1 adrenal cell line. We also observed that the PDE8-selective inhibitor (PF-04957325) potentiates adrenocorticotropin stimulation of steroidogenesis by increasing cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in both primary isolated adrenocortical cells and Y-1 cells. It is noteworthy that PDE8s have their greatest control under low adrenocorticotropin-stimulated conditions, whereas other higher Km PDE(s) modulate steroidogenesis more effectively when cells are fully stimulated. Finally, both genetic ablation of PDE8B and long-term pharmacological inhibition of PDE8s cause increased expression of steroidogenic enzymes. We conclude that PDE8B is a major regulator of one or more pools of cAMP that promote steroidogenesis via both short- and long-term mechanisms. These findings further suggest PDE8B as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of several different adrenal diseases.
The interaction of a beam with a beam line higher-order mode absorber

Plans for CESR-B, the proposed upgrade of the CESR e/sup +/e/sup -/ storage ring to a B-factory, call for beam currents of /spl sim/1 A. Studies indicate that the beams will be unstable unless the higher-order modes (HOMs) in the superconducting cavities are strongly damped; Q >
Will texting help student learning? A case study of using mobile devices in university classrooms

The use of Student Response Systems (SRS) has been shown to increase student attendance, participation, and learning. Prevailing systems at universities are typically SRS that require installation of software by the university and purchasing of “clickers”. Thus, the adoption of SRS usually requires a sizable initial investment. Given the diffusion of mobile phones and wide-spread use of mobile technology by students, the possibility of using them as a cost-effective alternative to clickers is attracting more attention. The emergence of audience response systems hosted in the cloud instead of being physically connected to a computer triggered WPI faculty and staff to explore the use of mobile technology as a response tool through Poll Everywhere. First, we present our motivations for adopting this technology (limited clicker supply, desire for open-ended response option, etc.). Second, using our experience in the classroom and findings from extant literature, we make suggestions related to course design to enable faculty to take full advantage of cloud-based SRS. We evaluate whether students concur with our perceived benefits of Poll Everywhere in terms of ease of use and facilitation of learning. We close with discussion and suggestions for future research.
Ethical controversies surrounding the management of potential organ donors in the emergency department.

Abstract Background On a daily basis, emergency physicians are confronted by patients with devastating neurological injuries and insults. Some of these patients, despite our best efforts, will not survive. However, from these tragedies, there may be benefit given to others who are awaiting organ transplantation. Steps taken in the emergency department (ED) can be critical to preserving the option of organ donation in patients whose neurologic insult places them on a potential path to declaration of brain death. Much of the literature on this subject has focused on the utilitarian value of clinical interventions in the potential organ donor to optimize the likelihood of effective organ procurement. Case Presentation In this article, we present an actual case that reveals additional ethical perspectives to consider in how emergency physicians manage patients in the ED who can be confidently predicted to progress to death, as attested by neurologic criteria, and become organ donors. The case involves a patient with a devastating, nonsurvivable intracerebral hemorrhage who rapidly progressed to hemodynamic instability. Discussion This case reveals how the current organ donor referral and maintenance system raises ethical tensions for emergency physicians and ED personnel. Conclusion This process imposes limitations on communication with patient surrogate decision-makers while calling for interventions with the primary purpose of benefiting off-site patients awaiting transplantation.
Internal-node waveform probing of MMIC power amplifiers

A novel internal-node waveform probing technique has been demonstrated on a MMIC. The error of the measurement and its perturbance to circuit operation was estimated and verified to be less than 20%. Valuable insight was obtained from the variation of waveforms as a function of frequency, drive and location. >
Evaluations of three factors that might influence responses to tests of academic achievement motivation.

Summary. The effects of three manipulations in test conditions were compared for a forced-choice and a Likert-type test of academic achievement motivation. (1) Answering as one's friends would, rather than for one's self, slightly decreases mean score, depending upon the school rather than the type of test, and significantly increases variability. (2) Administration of tests by an authority figure (staff member) rather than an outsider produces no significant change in mean score for either type of test when the written instructions indicate confidentiality of responses. (3) Instructions to ‘fake’ so as to please a teacher produce large and significant changes in mean score in both kinds of test. Satisfactory reliabilities of the tests and mostly significant relations to criteria of academic motivation are reported. It was concluded that under the conditions typically used in these studies, the Likert test shows somewhat greater effects of social desirability than the forced-choice test, but that more important than test format were the instructions to answer truthfully, and the promise of confidentiality of responses.
Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization-Based Identification of Candida albicans and Its Impact on Mortality and Antifungal Therapy Costs

The impact of rapid identification of Candida albicans blood isolates by peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) on the selection and expenditure of antifungal therapy was evaluated. PNA FISH was 100% sensitive and specific in the rapid identification of 31 out of 72 candidemias as C. albicans and resulted in a significant reduction of caspofungin usage, with an overall cost savings of $1,729 per patient.
Differential proteoglycan and hyaluronan distribution in calcified aortic valves

Abstract Background While the prevalence of calcified aortic valve disease continues to rise and no pharmacological treatments exist, little is known regarding the pathogenesis of the disease. Proteoglycans and the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan are involved in calcification in arteriosclerosis and their characterization in calcified aortic valves may lend insight into the pathogenesis of the disease. Methods Fourteen calcified aortic valves removed during valve replacement surgery were immunohistochemically stained for the proteoglycans decorin, biglycan, and versican, as well as the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan. Staining intensity was evaluated in the following regions of interest: center of calcified nodule, edge of nodule, tissue directly surrounding the nodule; center and tissue surrounding small “prenodules”; and fibrosa layer of normal regions of the leaflet distanced from the nodule. Results Decorin, biglycan, and versican, as well as hyaluronan, were abundantly present immediately surrounding the calcified nodules, but minimally within the nodule itself. Expression of decorin and biglycan in and surrounding prenodules was greater than in the edge and center regions of mature nodules. The levels of expression of the proteoglycans and hyaluronan were highly correlated with one another in the different regions of the valve. Conclusions The three proteoglycans and hyaluronan demonstrated distinctive localization relative to nodules within calcified aortic valves, where they likely mediate lipid retention, cell proliferation, and extracellular matrix remodeling, and motivate further study. Comparisons between expression of these components in mature nodules and prenodules suggest distinct roles for these components in nodule progression, especially in the tissues surrounding the nodules.
Identification of a phosphoenolpyruvate:fructose phosphotransferase system (fructose-1-phosphate forming) in Listeria monocytogenes.

Abstract Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacterium whose carbohydrate metabolic pathways are poorly understood. We provide evidence for an inducible phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):fructose phosphotransferase system (PTS) in this pathogen. The system consists of enzyme I, HPr, and a fructose-specific enzyme II complex which generates fructose-1-phosphate as the cytoplasmic product of the PTS-catalyzed vectorial phosphorylation reaction. Fructose-1-phosphate kinase then converts the product of the PTS reaction to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. HPr was shown to be phosphorylated by [32P]PEP and enzyme I as well as by [32P]ATP and a fructose-1,6-bisphosphate-activated HPr kinase like those found in other gram-positive bacteria. Enzyme I, HPr, and the enzyme II complex of the Listeria PTS exhibit enzymatic cross-reactivity with PTS enzyme constituents from Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.
Fluoroquinolones Impair Tendon Healing in a Rat Rotator Cuff Repair Model A Preliminary Study

Background:Recent studies suggest that fluoroquinolone antibiotics predispose tendons to tendinopathy and/or rupture. However, no investigations on the reparative capacity of tendons exposed to fluoroquinolones have been conducted.Hypothesis:Fluoroquinolone-treated animals will have inferior biochemical, histological, and biomechanical properties at the healing tendon-bone enthesis compared with controls.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Ninety-two rats underwent rotator cuff repair and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) preoperative (Preop), whereby animals received fleroxacin for 1 week preoperatively; (2) pre- and postoperative (Pre/Postop), whereby animals received fleroxacin for 1 week preoperatively and for 2 weeks postoperatively; (3) postoperative (Postop), whereby animals received fleroxacin for 2 weeks postoperatively; and (4) control, whereby animals received vehicle for 1 week preoperatively and for 2 weeks postoperatively. Rats were euthanized at 2 weeks postoperative...