cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RF1 knockout allows ribosomal incorporation of unnatural amino acids at multiple sites

Stop codons have been exploited for genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acids (Uaas) in live cells, but their low incorporation efficiency, which is possibly due to competition from release factors, limits the power and scope of this technology. Here we show that the reportedly essential release factor 1 (RF1) can be knocked out from Escherichia coli by 'fixing' release factor 2 (RF2). The resultant strain JX33 is stable and independent, and it allows UAG to be reassigned from a stop signal to an amino acid when a UAG-decoding tRNA-synthetase pair is introduced. Uaas were efficiently incorporated at multiple UAG sites in the same gene without translational termination in JX33. We also found that amino acid incorporation at endogenous UAG codons is dependent on RF1 and mRNA context, which explains why E. coli tolerates apparent global suppression of UAG. JX33 affords a unique autonomous host for synthesizing and evolving new protein functions by enabling Uaa incorporation at multiple sites.
An automated navigation system for deep brain stimulator placement using hidden Markov models.

OBJECTIVE Placement of deep brain stimulators (DBSs) currently involves the use of both image-based stereotaxy and intraoperative microelectrode recording (MER). Interpretations of MER data and integration with anatomical data are currently manual processes. Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are commonly used in signal processing, speech recognition, and a wide array of biologic applications. METHODS A 6-state HMM was designed and trained for evaluation in simulated surgery for subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS. RESULTS The accuracy of identifying the correct brain location was 98.5%. Sensitivity of detecting passes intersecting the STN was 100%, and specificity was 84.9%. Anatomical location of the MER passes was calculated with a mean error of 0.06 mm (95% confidence interval, -0.54 to 0.42 mm) in the medial-lateral axis. CONCLUSION Automated DBS intraoperative navigation using HMMs may be feasible based on promising results of this prototype system.
Parallel magnetic-field tuning of valley splitting in AlAs two-dimensional electrons

We demonstrate that, in a quasi-two-dimensional electron system confined to an AlAs quantum well and occupying two conduction-band minima (valleys), a parallel magnetic field can couple to the electrons' orbital motion and tune the energies of the two valleys by different amounts. The measured density imbalance between the two valleys, which is a measure of the valley susceptibility with respect to parallel magnetic field, is enhanced compared to the predictions of non-interacting calculations, reflecting the role of electron-electron interaction.
Efficacy and toxicity of conventionally fractionated pelvic radiation with a hypofractionated simultaneous versus conventionally fractionated sequential boost for patients with high-risk prostate cancer.

AbstractPurpose. To determine if high-risk prostate cancer responds differently to hypofractionation. Material and methods. One hundred and fifty-seven men with NCCN high-risk (T3, PSA > 20, or Gleason ≥ 8) clinically localized prostate cancer treated between 1998 and 2010 met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. Eighty-two were treated with conventional WPRT with a conventionally fractionated sequential boost to the prostate (cRT), with the prostate receiving 75–77 Gy in 1.8–2.0 Gy fractions. Seventy-five were treated with pelvic IMRT with a hypofractionated simultaneous boost to the prostate (hRT), with the prostate receiving 70 Gy in 2.5 Gy fractions. The dose to the pelvic lymph nodes was 45 Gy in the cRT group and 50.4 Gy in the hRT group, both at 1.8 Gy per fraction. Ninety-two percent received neoadjuvant hormonal ablation therapy, typically beginning two months prior to the start of RT. Results. Median follow-up was 6.5 years for men receiving cRT and 3.7 years for those receiving hRT. The act...
Infestation Rates of Papaya by Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Relation to the Degree of Fruit Ripeness

Infestation rates of oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel, and melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, were determined in mature green, color-break, quarter, half, three-fourth, and fully ripe papaya ( Carica papaya L. cv. Kapoho Solo) fruits. These qualitative ripeness descriptions were based on the extent of the fruits’ yellow color development. Infestation rates of papaya by the two species of Dacus increased with the increase in degree of fruit ripeness. The density of oriental fruit flies in papaya was much greater than that of melon flies, especially in half- to fully ripe fruits. The 1949-1981 survey record data and the 1979-1986 field infestation data revealed a gradual increase in the occurrence of melon flies in papaya, apparently because of changes in the farmers’ cultural practice. Papaya, which has been considered as an “occasional host” of the melon fly, is becoming a more common host under unsanitary field cultural conditions. Results of our study are discussed in relation to the biology and ecology of the two species of Dacus and in the development of regulatory quarantine treatments designed to disinfest papaya with the fruit flies.
American Geriatrics Society/Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs Curricular Milestones for Graduating Geriatric Fellows†

This article describes the curricular milestones for geriatric fellows and the process used to develop them. The curricular milestones were developed to determine what every graduating geriatric fellow should be able to demonstrate to ensure that they will be able to practice effectively and safely in all care settings and with different older adult populations. Three major domains were identified: Caring for the Elderly Patient, Systems-Based Care for Elder Patients, and Geriatric Syndromes. Six hundred thirty-five geriatricians each reviewed and commented on one domain. These geriatricians represented important stakeholder groups: geriatric fellowship program directors; Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) members, who are primarily geriatric program and fellowship directors; the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and ADGAP Education Committee; the AGS Teacher's Section; Geriatric Academic Career Award awardees; and through the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine, board-certified geriatricians who spend more than 50% of their time in clinical practice. The AGS and ADGAP boards approved the final set of 76 Geriatric Curricular Milestones, which were posted on the Portal of Geriatric Online Education in December 2012. These curricular milestones are intended to assist geriatric fellowship directors as they develop curricula and assessments to inform program director reporting to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in the Next Accreditation System, which begins in July 2014.
Is routine postaneurysmectomy hemodynamic assessment of the inferior mesenteric artery circulation helpful

All patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm treated during a 27-year period by one surgical group at the MidAmerica Heart Institute were included in this study. A prospective routine postaneurysmectomy hemodynamic assessment of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) circulation was performed in a test group of consecutive patients operated on by one surgeon. When a mean IMA stump pressure ≤∼50 mmHg was found, the IMA was reimplanted. Postoperatively, patients were monitored for clinical evidences of ischemic colitis. The occurrence of ischemic colonic injury was documented by colonoscopy, laparotomy, or autopsy. The incidences of ischemic colitis in the test group, a historical control group, and a concomitant control group were determined and compared. Routine hemodynamic assessment of the postaneurysmectomy IMA circulation did not favorably affect the outcome with regard to the occurrence of clinically evident ischemic colitis.
Socioemotional adaptation of preterm infants at three years

This study investigated the relationship of risk status at birth and attachment in the second year of life to measures of socioemotional adaptation at age 3. The subjects were 52 preterm infants stratified into three groups according to the severity and chronicity of their respiratory illness. Two videotaped laboratory procedures were used to code both the quality of mother-child interactions in a structured teaching task situation and the child's functioning under stress. The results show that although early risk history alone does not manifest itself as a pervasive disruption to the mother-child relationship, attachment history was associated with differential dyadic interactions. Moreover, when placed under stress without adequate maternal support, the fragility of the high-risk infants emerged. The article concludes with implications for clinical practice.
Zebrafish Naked1 and Naked2 antagonize both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling

Wnt signaling controls a wide range of developmental processes and its aberrant regulation can lead to disease. To better understand the regulation of this pathway, we identified zebrafish homologues of Naked Cuticle (Nkd), Nkd1 and Nkd2, which have previously been shown to inhibit canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Zebrafish nkd1 expression increases substantially after the mid-blastula transition in a pattern mirroring that of activated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, being expressed in both the ventrolateral blastoderm margin and also in the axial mesendoderm. In contrast, zebrafish nkd2 is maternally and ubiquitously expressed. Overexpression of Nkd1 or Nkd2a suppressed canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling at multiple stages of early zebrafish development and also exacerbated the cyclopia and axial mesendoderm convergence and extension (C&E) defect in the non-canonical Wnt/PCP mutant silberblick (slb/wnt11). Thus, Nkds are sufficient to antagonize both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling. Reducing Nkd function using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides resulted in increased expression of canonical Wnt/β-catenin target genes. Finally, reducing Nkd1 function in slb mutants suppressed the axial mesendoderm C&E defect. These data indicate that zebrafish Nkd1 and Nkd2 function to limit both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling.
Packet Acquisition Performance of Frequency-Hop Spread-Spectrum Systems in Partial-Band Interference

For a frequency-hop (FH) spread-spectrum communication system, the packet error rate is dependent on both the performance of the error-correcting code and the ability of the receiver to detect and acquire timing of incoming packets. The performance of coding in FH systems in the presence of partial-band interference has been well studied, and it has been shown that turbo codes can work well in partial-band jamming. If the noise and interference are sufficient, however, the receiver will likely fail to correctly acquire the packet due to loss of the synchronization symbols, thus increasing the packet error rate. In this paper, we analyze packet acquisition for FH systems in the presence of partial-band jamming and determine optimal acquisition techniques. Simpler, near-optimal acquisition methods are also considered. We further consider the impact of imperfect acquisition along with established results on turbo error-correcting coding for FH systems to examine the overall packet error probability for partial-band interference channels.
Mathematical modeling of cellulose conversion to ethanol by the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process

Ethanol, a promising alternative fuel, can be produced by the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of lignocellulosic biomass, which combines the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose and the fermentation of glucose to ethanol by yeast in a single step. A mathematical model that depicts the kinetics of SSF has been developed based on considerations of the quality of the substrate and enzyme, and the substrate-enzyme-microorganism interactions. Critical experimentation has been performed in conjunction with multiresponse nonlinear regression analysis to determine key model parameters regarding cell growth and ethanol production. The model will be used for rational SSF optimization and scale-up.
Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis: Reaction mechanisms for iron catalysts

Abstract The reaction mechanism for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis with iron catalysts under low-temperature conditions is described. Our data are considered to support an oxygenate intermediate. The structure of the chain initiating species is considered to be, or closely resembles, the formate species responsible of the water-gas shift reaction. Chain propagation is considered to involve a different species that is either CO or a species derived from CO. The growing chain is considered to lose the final oxygen during the chain termination step. The structure of the stable low-temperature iron catalyst is considered to consist of a core that is Fe3O4 with the core surrounded by a layer of iron carbide. The data show that iron carbide is the active phase and that there is a synergistic interaction between the alkali and structural promoter that maintains an adequate iron carbide layer.
A system for automatically scanning tissue culture dishes to detect fluorescently labeled cell colonies

A microprocessor‐controlled system has been developed to automatically scan tissue culture dishes in order to detect and locate fluorescently labeled cell colonies for subsequent cloning. An X‐Y recorder mechanism moves an 80‐mm‐diam dish in a raster scan through a stationary laser beam adjacent to a photomultiplier tube equipped with an emission filter. Front‐end electronics processes the PMT signal to screen out small‐scale fluorescent artifacts of selectable size (e.g., <0.2 mm). Appropriate signals are input to the computer which then interrupts the raster scan to perform a limited fine scan of the dish to accurately localize the fluorescent spot position. An additional artifact test using a different filter is then performed. The underside of the dish is scribed at the location of spots that pass this test. Using fluorescein as a label, fluorescence as low as 25% above intrinsic cell background fluorescence can be detected. The fluorescence signal level threshhold can be set (e.g., 70% above intrinsi...
Synthesis of vinyliodides: progress toward the total synthesis of a jatrophane diterpene

Abstract A noticeable effort toward the total synthesis of a jatrophane diterpene has been made via the synthesis of various vinyliodides utilizing highly stereoselective Tanino–Miyashita olefination reaction; and utilizing the dithiane moiety as an acyl anion equivalent.
Qualitative and quantitative nonintrusive study of flow patterns, velocities and pressure effects in banks of cylindrical tubes in a rectangular tunnel

The recent years have seen an ever increasing amount of work in the field of brush seals. Fundamental and prototypal industrial research have attested to the improved fluidic and dynamic performance of such seals when compared to other classes of seals. This paper presents a continuation of the basic research performed by Braun et al. and further explores the nature of the flow and pressure patterns in configurations of dense array of cylinders simulating brush seal behavior. The investigation follows through the method of Full Field Flow Tracking (FFFT). The images supplied by the FFFT system are processed by means of a computer-integrated image quantification method (CIIQ) into quantitative information for flow trajectories and velocities. The tracking method permits identification and tracking of the same particle in a lagrangian frame of reference.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Social Theory Applied to Body Image and Chronic Illness in Youth

Changes in appearance and functional limitations of youth with chronic illness place them at greater risk for negative body image and poor psychosocial and medical outcomes compared with their healthy peers. Sociocultural pressures from the media, family, and peers, as well as social comparison processes to some extent explain the development of negative or positive body image in young people. This article discusses social theories applied to body image in young people with chronic illness, an overlooked population. A review of risk and protective factors of body dissatisfaction in this population and suggested treatment strategies/interventions in the prevention of body dissatisfaction are also considered. Reported findings may help health care providers become more aware of body image issues their young patients with chronic illness face, and posit the importance of regularly monitoring their psychosocial well-being in the efforts to curtail development of body dissatisfaction and consequential poor hea...
THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE TREATMENT ON PENETRANT TRANSPORT IN COAL

Abstract The macromolecular structure of coals thermally treated at 35°C, 100°C and 150°C was investigated by dynamic penetrant transport in thin coal sections. The effects of temperature, carbon content in coal, and penetrant type on the transport mechanism were investigated. Dynamic swelling studies showed that penetrant transport into coal is a function of the average molecular weight between crosslinks, Mc. The penetrant transport mechanism at low activity is Fickian diffusion. The transport mechanism deviates from Fickian diffusion to anomalous transport, when the carbon content in coal and penetrant activity increase. Variations of the diffusion coefficients and relaxation constants were determined using a diffusion/relaxation coupled model.
A comparison of preconditioned iterative techniques using rapid operator application against direct solution methods

The p-version of the finite element method which uses high order hierarchic basis functions within an element allows for ease of adaptive computation, and high accuracy with relatively few degrees of freedom. However, the solution time and storage requirements for large 3-D problems can be very high when direct methods are used to factor global matrices. Iterative techniques with rapid operator application have minimal storage requirements because neither element nor global matrices are formed, but may not converge rapidly enough. We study an approach that attempts to combine the two methods by using direct factorization of the matrix corresponding to low level polynomials as a preconditioner to an iterative method at a higher polynomial level. This resulting solution scheme converges more rapidly than an unpreconditioned scheme but has much lower storage requirements than direct methods. We illustrate the effectiveness of this scheme on some large three-dimensional problems in structural analysis.
Nitrosative damage to free and zinc‐bound cysteine thiols underlies nitric oxide toxicity in wild‐type Borrelia burgdorferi

Borrelia burgdorferi encounters potentially harmful reactive nitrogen species (RNS) throughout its infective cycle. In this study, diethylamine NONOate (DEA/NO) was used to characterize the lethal effects of RNS on B. burgdorferi. RNS produce a variety of DNA lesions in a broad spectrum of microbial pathogens; however, levels of the DNA deamination product, deoxyinosine, and the numbers of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites were identical in DNA isolated from untreated and DEA/NO-treated B. burgdorferi cells. Strains with mutations in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway genes uvrC or uvrB treated with DEA/NO had significantly higher spontaneous mutation frequencies, increased numbers of AP sites in DNA and reduced survival compared with wild-type controls. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in B. burgdorferi cell membranes, which are susceptible to peroxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS), were not sensitive to RNS-mediated lipid peroxidation. However, treatment of B. burgdorferi cells with DEA/NO resulted in nitrosative damage to several proteins, including the zinc-dependent glycolytic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (BB0445), the Borrelia oxidative stress regulator (BosR) and neutrophil-activating protein (NapA). Collectively, these data suggested that nitrosative damage to proteins harbouring free or zinc-bound cysteine thiols, rather than DNA or membrane lipids underlies RNS toxicity in wild-type B. burgdorferi.
Insomnia With Physiological Hyperarousal Is Associated With Hypertension

Previous studies have suggested that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with a higher risk of hypertension, and it has been speculated that the underlying mechanism is physiological hyperarousal. In this study, we tested whether insomnia with physiological hyperarousal measured by Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), a standard test of sleepiness/alertness, is associated with increased risk of hypertension. Two hundred nineteen chronic insomniacs and 96 normal sleepers were included in this study. Chronic insomnia was defined based on standard diagnostic criteria with symptoms lasting ≥6 months. All subjects underwent 1 night in laboratory polysomnography followed by a standard MSLT. We used the median mean MSLT value (ie, >14 minutes) and the 75th percentile of mean MSLT value (ie, >17 minutes) to define hyperarousal. Hypertension was defined based either on blood pressure measures or on diagnosis treatment by a physician. After controlling for age, sex, body mass index, apnea-hypopnea index, diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine use, insomnia combined with MSLT >14 minutes increased the odds of hypertension by 300% (odds ratio=3.27; 95% confidence interval=1.20-8.96), whereas insomnia combined with MSLT >17 minutes increased even further the odds of hypertension by 400% (odds ratio=4.33; 95% confidence interval=1.48-12.68) compared with normal sleepers with MSLT ≤14 minutes. Insomnia associated with physiological hyperarousal is associated with a significant risk of hypertension. Long MSLT values may be a reliable index of the physiological hyperarousal and biological severity of chronic insomnia.
Talent, purpose, and goal orientations: case studies of talented adolescents

A key concern in research on talented adolescents is what adult achievements they will have. This paper examine the intentions of two (n=2) talented college students before they transition into adulthood. One of these adolescents is pursuing a goal primarily in order to impact the world, while the other is pursuing his goal for self‐oriented reasons. This research explores the relation of these adolescents’ goals to their primary goal orientation and to the Houndstooth Model (Renzulli, Koehler, & Fogarty, 2006, Operation Houndstooth intervention theory: Social capital in today’s schools, Gifted Child Today, 29(1), 14–24) through case studies. Two goal orientations emerged from these case studies, one a contribution orientation, the other a challenge orientation. In addition, this analysis suggests that vision, a characteristic in the Houndstooth Model, is important in coordinating talented adolescents’ efforts and moral strengths. Implications and considerations for future research on the intentions of ta...
Implementation and Validation of Sandia Outdoor Photovoltaic Test Method and Performance Model at Arizona State University

This paper deals with the technology transfer of a specific photovoltaic (PV) module characterization procedure from Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) to Arizona State University Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory (ASU-PTL). This effort was intended to meet industry requests for independent module performance testing that provides the parameters (coefficients) required by the Sandia performance model. The objective of this work was two fold: (i) implement Sandia's experimental methodology at ASU-PTL to collect and analyze sunrise-to-sunset module performance data; and (ii) validate Sandia's performance model by comparing the modeled performance based on analysis of daylong data sets with performance determined using traditional standardized procedures. This paper reports lessons learned as well as the successful completion of this effort.
Protection of small computers from disturbances on the mains

The author gives simple rules for the protection of a small computer system (200 VA to 800 VA, 120 V RMS, 60 Hz) from disturbances on the mains. It is recommended that all systems be protected from transient overvoltages by metal-oxide varistors, since overvoltages can damage electronic equipment. If a system is also susceptible to malfunction by common changes in RMS voltage, the addition of a line conditioner and possibly a standby uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is also recommended. If a system's operation is critical, the combination of varistors, line conditioner, and a standby UPS is recommended. >
Controls of Microalgal Biomass and Lipid Production in Municipal Wastewater-Fed Bioreactors

The use of wastewater as a nutrient source for algal growth as a biodiesel feedstock could increase the viability of this process and reduce wastewater discharge of nitrogen- and phosphorus-bearing compounds. In this study, four algal bioreactors were fed continuously with municipal wastewater effluent over a 6-month period; these were monitored weekly to determine algal biomass and lipid production, nutrient removal, and carbon and nutrient availability. Algal biomass production ranged from 0.78 to 15.9 g dry weight m−2 d−1 over the experimental period. Algal reactors removed 19% of dissolved nitrogen and 43% of dissolved phosphorus from wastewater effluent. A stoichiometric analysis of particulates revealed that algal biomass had far lower C:P ratios (67:1) and N:P ratios (6:1), but higher C:N ratios (17:1), than Redfield values. These data suggest that the algae produced were rich in phosphorus, and that nitrogen was likely to be growth-limiting in these systems. Nonetheless, numerous studies suggest that algal biomass can be enhanced by providing CO2 in excess of normal atmospheric concentrations, and that algal biofuel production can contribute to CO2 sequestration efforts. To optimize nutrient removal in wastewater-fed algal reactors, and to determine the potential for CO2 sequestration, future reactor engineering research should continue to incorporate the expertise of ecological stoichiometry. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2012
Spatial interactions minimize relative disparity between adjacent surfaces

Computational models of stereopsis employ a number of algorithms that constrain stereo matches to produce the smallest absolute disparity and to minimize the relative disparity between nearby features. In some natural scenes, such as large slanted textured surfaces, these two constraints lead to different matching solutions. The current study utilized a stimulus in which there was a large discrepancy in both the magnitude and direction of matches that solved for minimum absolute and minimum relative disparity. This discrepancy revealed a dominance for the minimum relative disparity over the minimum absolute disparity matching solution that increased with spatial proximity, spatial frequency and width of adjacent features. The likelihood of a minimum-relative-disparity matching solution also increased when the difference between the amplitudes of the alternative relative disparities was large. When alternative relative disparity matching solutions had similar amplitudes but opposite signs (crossed vs. uncrossed), an idiosyncratic depth bias served as a tie-breaker. The present results show that absolute disparity matches are constrained to minimize relative disparity between adjacent features.
Hydrological Land Surface Response in a Tropical Regime and a Midlatitudinal Regime

A statistical‐dynamical study was performed on the role of hydrometeorological interactions in the midlatitudes and the semiarid Tropics. For this, observations from two field experiments, the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE) and the Hydrological Atmospheric Pilot Experiment (HAPEX)‐Sahel, representative of the midlatitudes and the semiarid tropical conditions, and simulated results from a land surface model, Simplified Simple Biosphere (SSiB) model were statistically analyzed for direct and interaction effects. The study objectives were to test the hypothesis that there are significant differences in the land surface processes in the semiarid tropical and midlatitudinal regimes and to identify the nature of the differences in the evapotranspiration exchanges for the two biogeographical domains. Results suggest there are similarities in the direct responses but the interactions or the indirect feedback pathways could be very different. The arid tropical regimes are dominated through vegetative pathways (via variables such leaf area index, stomatal resistance, and vegetal cover); the midlatitudes show soil wetness (moisture)‐related feedback. In addition, for the midlatitudinal case, the vegetation and the soil surface acted in unison, leading to more interactive exchanges between the vegetation and the soil surface. The water-stressed semiarid tropical surface, on the other hand, showed response either directly between the vegetation and the atmosphere or between the soil and the atmosphere with very little interaction between the vegetation and the soil variables. Thus, the semiarid Tropics would require explicit bare ground and vegetation fluxes consideration, whereas the effective (combined vegetation and soil fluxes) surface representation used in various models may be more valid for the midlatitudinal case. This result also implied that with higher resource (water) availability the surface invested more in the surrounding environment. On the other hand, with poor resource availability (such as water stress in the tropical site), the surface components retain individual resources without sharing.
The potency of indigenous “bibles” and biographies: Mapuche shamanic literacy and historical consciousness

Mapuche oral shamanic biographies and performances—some of which take the form of “bibles” and involve shamanic literacies—play a central role in the production of indigenous history in southern Chile. In this article, I explain how and why a mixed-race Mapuche shaman charged me with writing about her life and practice in the form of such a “bible.” This book would become a ritual object and a means of storing her shamanic power by textualizing it, thereby allowing her to speak to a future audience. The realities and powers her “bible” stored could be extracted, transformed, circulated, and actualized for a variety of ends, even to bring about shamanic rebirth. Ultimately, I argue, through their use and interpretation of this kind of “bible,” Mapuche shamans expand academic notions of indigenous history and literacy. [shaman, text, Bible, mestizo, history, literacy, Mapuche, Chile]
Photopolarimetric retrievals of snow properties

Abstract. Polarimetric observations of snow surfaces, obtained in the 410–2264 nm range with the Research Scanning Polarimeter onboard the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft, are analyzed and presented. These novel measurements are of interest to the remote sensing community because the overwhelming brightness of snow plagues aerosol and cloud retrievals based on airborne and spaceborne total reflection measurements. The spectral signatures of the polarized reflectance of snow are therefore worthwhile investigating in order to provide guidance for the adaptation of algorithms currently employed for the retrieval of aerosol properties over soil and vegetated surfaces. At the same time, the increased information content of polarimetric measurements allows for a meaningful characterization of the snow medium. In our case, the grains are modeled as hexagonal prisms of variable aspect ratios and microscale roughness, yielding retrievals of the grains' scattering asymmetry parameter, shape and size. The results agree with our previous findings based on a more limited data set, with the majority of retrievals leading to moderately rough crystals of extreme aspect ratios, for each scene corresponding to a single value of the asymmetry parameter.
Microvascular Changes in the Diabetic Foot

Impairment of the microcirculation of diabetic patients may contribute to secondary complications in the lower extremity, such as foot infections and ulcerations. These microcirculatory changes, which are mainly functional rather than structural, are responsible for the impaired ability of the microvasculature to vasodilate in response to injury. Dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells both contribute to the reduction in vasodilation that is observed in diabetic patients. Nerve-axon reflex related microvascular vasodilation is also impaired in the diabetic population, and there is a growing belief that both the failure of the vessels to dilate and the impairment of the nerve axon reflex are major causes for impaired wound healing in diabetic patients. Further studies are necessary to clarify the precise etiology of endothelial and smooth muscle dysfunction in diabetic patients so that potential therapeutic interventions may be identified.
From Knowledge to Action? Exploring the Relationships Between Environmental Experiences, Learning, and Behavior

On the basis of qualitative research and two surveys with 786 and 1004 Swiss respondents, this article presents a new “life-world” approach to exploring the complex relationships between environmental experience, learning, and behavior. Contrary to traditional views, the author shows that environmental information, knowledge, and awareness predict little of the variability in most forms of environmental behavior. (The primary behaviors that information and knowledge acquisition appear to foster are protest actions). Rather than fostering behavior, environmental learning is more often used as a means to cope with environmental fear and anxiety. Consistent with the life-world approach, the main factors predicting environmental behavior, or absence thereof, are experiences in and with the environment (e.g., previous environmental activism, experiences with nature, and exposure to environmental catastrophes).
Cross-Layer Packetization and Retransmission Strategies for Delay-Sensitive Wireless Multimedia Transmission

Existing wireless networks provide dynamically varying resources with only limited support for the quality of service required by the bandwidth-intense, loss-tolerant and delay-sensitive multimedia applications. This variability of resources does not significantly impact delay insensitive data transmission (e.g., file transfers), but has considerable consequences for multimedia applications. Recently, the research focus has been to adapt existing algorithms and protocols at the lower layers of the protocol stack to better support multimedia transmission applications and conversely, to modify application layer solutions to cope with the varying wireless networks resources. In this paper, we show that significant improvements in wireless multimedia performance can be obtained by deploying a joint application-layer adaptive packetization and prioritized scheduling and MAC-layer retransmission strategy. We deploy a state-of-the-art wavelet coder for the compression of the video data that enables on-the-fly adaptation to changing channel conditions and inherent prioritization of the video bitstream. We pose the cross-layer problem as a distortion minimization given delay constraints and derive analytical solutions by modifying existing joint source-channel coding theory aimed at fulfilling rate, rather than delay, constraints. We also propose real-time algorithms that explicitly consider the available information about previously transmitted packets. The obtained results show significant improvements in terms of video quality as opposed to ad-hoc optimizations currently deployed, while the complexity associated with performing this optimization in real time, i.e., at transmission time, is limited
Theory of Point Defects and Complexes in GaN

We have studied the electronic and energetic properties of native defects, impurities and complexes in GaN applying state-of-the-art first-principles calculations. An analysis of the numerical results gives direct insight into defect concentrations and impurity solubility with respect to growth parameters (temperature, chemical potentials) and into the mechanisms limiting the doping levels in GaN. We show how compensation and passivation by native defects or impurities, solubility issues, and incorporation of dopants on other sites influence the acceptor doping levels. The role of hydrogen in enhancing the p-type doping is explained in detail. We also discuss the mechanisms responsible for the experimentally observed limitation of the free-carrier concentration in p-type GaN.
An Extracelluar Protease, SepM, Generates Functional Competence-Stimulating Peptide in Streptococcus mutans UA159

Cell-cell communication in Gram-positive bacteria often depends on the production of extracellular peptides. The cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans employs so-called competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) to stimulate mutacin (bacteriocin) production and competence development through the activation of the ComDE two-component pathway. In S. mutans, CSP is secreted as a 21-residue peptide; however, mass spectrometric analysis of culture supernatant indicates the presence of an 18-residue proteolytically cleaved species. In this study, using a transposon mutagenesis screening, we identified a cell surface protease that is involved in the processing of 21-residue CSP to generate the 18-residue CSP. We named this protease SepM for streptococcal extracellular protease required for mutacin production. We showed that the truncated 18-residue peptide is the biologically active form and that the specific postexport cleavage is a prerequisite to activate the ComDE two-component signal transduction pathway. We also showed that the CSP and the mutacins are exported outside the cell by the same ABC transporter, NlmTE. Our study further confirmed that the ComDE two-component system is absolutely necessary for mutacin production in S. mutans.
Passive RF Tomography: Signal Processing and Experimental Validation

Abstract : Radio frequency (RF) tomography is an imaging technique based upon a set of distributed transmitters and receivers surrounding the area under observation. This method requires prior knowledge of the transmitters' and receivers' locations. In some circumstances the transmitters may be uncooperative, while in other cases extrinsic emitters may be used as source of opportunity. In these scenarios, RF tomography should operate in a passive modality. A previous work postulated the principles and feasibility of passive RF tomography. This research further develops the underlying theory through concise and ad-hoc signal processing. Experimental verification and validation corroborate the effectiveness of passive RF tomography for object detection and imaging.
A New LIM Protein Containing an Autoepitope Homologous to "Senescent Cell Antigen"

Autoantibody eluted from aged human red blood cells was used to immunoscreen a human fetal liver expression library and led to the isolation of a cDNA encoding a novel 35.8 kDa protein with five LIM domains. An autoepitope homologous to the "senescent cell antigen" on the red blood cell membrane anion exchange protein identified by Kay et al. (P.N.A.S. 87:5734, 1990) was present in the first zinc finger of the third LIM domain. The gene for this novel protein is highly conserved in vertebrates, and its 4.6 kb mRNA is widely expressed in human tissues. Recombinant autoantigens such as the one reported here have potential applications in vitro for the purification, identification and quantitation of autoantibodies, and in vivo for the removal of autoantibodies, increasing red blood cell lifespan and reducing the need for transfusion.
Biologic comparison of partial breast irradiation protocols.

Purpose To analyze the dose/fractionation schedules currently used in ongoing clinical trials of partial breast irradiation (PBI) by comparing their biologically effective dose (BED) values to those of three standard whole breast protocols commonly used after segmental mastectomy in the treatment of breast cancer. Methods and materials The BED equation derived from the linear-quadratic model for radiation-induced cell killing was used to calculate the BEDs for three commonly used whole breast radiotherapy regimens, in addition to a variety of external beam radiotherapy, as well as high-dose-rate and low-dose-rate brachytherapy, PBI protocols. Results The BED values of most PBI protocols resulted in tumor control BEDs roughly equivalent to a 50-Gy standard treatment, but consistently lower than the BEDs for regimens in which the tumor bed receives a total dose of either 60 Gy or 66 Gy. The BED values calculated for the acute radiation responses of erythema and desquamation were nearly all lower for the PBI schedules, and the late-response BEDs for most PBI regimens were in a similar range to the BEDs for the standard treatments. Conclusion Biologically effective dose modeling raises the concern that inadequate doses might be delivered by PBI to ensure optimal in-field tumor control.
Absence of the Cdk5 activator p35 causes adult-onset neurodegeneration in the central brain of Drosophila

SUMMARY Altered function of Cdk5 kinase is associated with many forms of neurodegenerative disease in humans. We show here that inactivating the Drosophila Cdk5 ortholog, by mutation of its activating subunit, p35, causes adult-onset neurodegeneration in the fly. In the mutants, a vacuolar neuropathology is observed in a specific structure of the central brain, the ‘mushroom body’, which is the seat of olfactory learning and memory. Analysis of cellular phenotypes in the mutant brains reveals some phenotypes that resemble natural aging in control flies, including an increase in apoptotic and necrotic cell death, axonal fragmentation, and accumulation of autophagosomes packed with crystalline-like depositions. Other phenotypes are unique to the mutants, notably age-dependent swellings of the proximal axon of mushroom body neurons. Many of these phenotypes are also characteristic of mammalian neurodegenerative disease, suggesting a close relationship between the mechanisms of Cdk5-associated neurodegeneration in fly and human. Together, these results identify the cellular processes that are unleashed in the absence of Cdk5 to initiate the neurodegenerative program, and they provide a model that can be used to determine what part each process plays in the progression to
Experimental and theoretical studies of the reaction of the OH radical with alkyl sulfides: 3. Kinetics and mechanism of the OH initiated oxidation of dimethyl, dipropyl, and dibutyl sulfides: reactivity trends in the alkyl sulfides and development of a predictive expression for the reaction of OH with DMS.

A pulsed laser photolysis-pulsed laser-induced fluorescence technique has been employed to measure rate coefficients for the OH-initiated oxidation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), its deuterated analog (DMS-d6), dipropyl sulfide (DPS), and dibutyl sulfide (DBS). Effective rate coefficients have been measured as a function of the partial pressure of O2 over the temperature range of 240-295 K and at 200 and 600 Torr total pressure. We report the first observations of an O2 enhancement in the effective rate coefficients for the reactions of OH with DPS and DBS. All observations are consistent with oxidation proceeding via a two-channel oxidation mechanism involving abstraction and addition channels. Structures and thermochemistry of the DPSOH and DBSOH adducts were calculated. Calculated bond strengths of adducts increase with alkyl substitution but are comparable to that of the DMSOH adduct and are consistent with experimental observations. Reactivity trends across the series of alkyl sulfide (C2-C8) reactions are analyzed. All reactions proceed via a twochannel mechanism involving either an H-atom abstraction or the formation of an OH adduct that can then react with O2. Measurements presented in this work, in conjunction with previous measurements, have been used to develop a predictive expression for the OH-initiated oxidation of DMS. This expression is based on the elementary rate coefficients in the two-channel mechanism. The expression can calculate the effective rate coefficient for the reaction of OH with DMS over the range of 200-300 K, 0-760 Torr, and 0-100% partial pressure of O2. This expression expands on previously published work but is applicable to DMS oxidation throughout the troposphere.
Finite element simulation of piezoelectric wafer active sensors for structural health monitoring with coupled-filed elements

Crack detection with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) is emerging as an effective and powerful technique in structural health monitoring (SHM). Modeling and simulation of PWAS and host structure play an important role in the SHM applications with PWAS. For decades finite element method has been extensively applied in the analysis of piezoelectric materials and structures. The advantage of finite element analysis over analytical solutions is that stress and electrical field measurements of complex geometries, and their variations throughout the device, are more readily calculated. FEM allows calculation of the stress and electric field distributions under static loads and under any applied electrical frequency, and so the effect of device geometry can be assessed and optimized without the need to manufacture and test numerous devices. Coupled field analysis taking both mechanical motions and electrical characteristics into account should all be employed to provide a systemic overview of the piezoelectric sensors/actuators (even arrays of them) and the host structures. This use of PWAS for SHM has followed two main paths: (a). Wave propagation (b). Electromechanical impedance; Previous research has shown that PWAS can detect damage using wave reflections, changes in wave signature, or changes in the electromechanical (E/M) impedance spectrum. The primary goal of this paper is to investigate the use of finite element method (FEM) to simulate various SHM methods with PWAS. For the simulation of Electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance technique, simple models, like free PWAS of different shapes and 1-dimmension beam with PWAS are investigated and the simulated structural E/M impedance was presented. For the wave propagation SHM technique, a long beam with several PWAS installed was studied. One PWAS is excited by tone burst signals and elastic wave will propagate along the beam. The existence of a crack will affect the structure integrity and the echo reflected by crack can be observed through the simulations. By using the coupled field elements, direct simulation of electro-mechanical interaction of the PWAS and the host structure was made possible. The electrical potential generated on the PWAS surface by the stimulation of elastic wave can be examined in our FEM analysis. The simulation results are then compared to analytical calculation and experimental data.