cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep-sea floor respiration as an indication of lateral input of biogenic detritus from continental margins

Sediment oxygen demand, estimated using in situ chambers on a benthic lander, incubations of recovered cores and values previously published by others, has been used as a measurement of the flux of organic matter to the sea floor from the continental shelf and slope out to the abyssal plain in the northwest Atlantic. Rates were highest on the continental margin, and decline precipitously offshore. On the middle continental slope, rates were almost as high as those on the continental shelf, supporting the idea that mid-slope depths at ca 1000 m depth are a “depocenter” for particulate organic debris. The sediment oxygen demand, in terms of carbon equivalents (mg C m−2 day−1), was generally lower than near-bottom POC fluxes measured in sediment traps. This imbalance is attributed to a combination of burial, anaerobic metabolism not reflected in oxygen demand, and continued lateral export along or offshore near the bottom. The exception to this pattern was the mid-slope depocenter, where the measured POC input was slightly less than the total organic carbon demand estimated with the lander. A comparison with other work suggests that at most depths on the continental margin the sediment oxygen demand is higher off the west coast of the U.S.A. than off the east coast. The upper to middle continental slope (500–1500 m depth) is the only zone over which sediment oxygen demand is higher on the east coast, but this can be attributed to the physiological limitations of low ambient oxygen concentration on heterotrophic metabolism in the pronounced oxygen minimum on the west coast.
Source of polarization entanglement in a single periodically poled KTiOPO4 crystal with overlapping emission cones.

We present a simple polarization entanglemenet source based on type-II phase-matched parametric down-conversion in periodically poled KTiOPO4. By use of noncritical phase matching in a noncollinear geometry the single-crystal source emits a cone of polarization-entangled photons. Two beams on opposite sides of the cone are selected for measurements to yield an observed flux of 820 pairs/s per mW of pump power with a two-photon fringe visibility of 96%. With this source we measure a violation of Bell’s inequality of 140 standard deviations in 160 s.
Borel summability and the renormalization group

The assumptions and results of recent work by Lipatov and others on the behavior of perturbation theory at high orders are delineated and used in conjunction with the Callan-Symanzik equation. Some consequences related to Borel summability and scaling are obtained for gphi/sup 4/ field theory in four dimensions. Our main result is to show that the above work implies that for this theory a contradiction exists between Borel summability in which the Borel sum fully determines the Euclidean Green's functions in a fixed interval, 0 < g < epsilon, and the existence of a nontrivial ultraviolet-stable fixed point for 0 < g < infinity.
Mental chronometry and individual differences in cognitive processes: Common pitfalls and their solutions

Abstract Three general problem areas are illustrated for the use of Chronometrie data and modeling techniques in the domain of basic mathematics performance. The focus of the article is on appropriate and inappropriate uses of latency data to determine which strategies govern an individual's performance on a set of specific mathematics basic facts problems. The three general problem areas in applying Chronometric methods are (1) data aggregation and model fitting, (2) covariance and relationships among models, and (3) strategy mixture. All three problem areas render it difficult to analyze latency data from the perspective that there is a single best model that characterizes an individual's performance. Solutions to this dilemma are provided in the form of methods of data collection and/or analysis procedures that explicitly examine strategy mixture. Consideration is given to the utility of analyzing multiple strategies in addressing issues of individual differences in cognitive skills.
Implications of atmospheric CO2 enrichment and climatic change for the geographical distribution of two introduced vines in the U.S.A.

The continuing increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration resulting from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation may change the ecological impact and geographical distribution of kudzu (Pueraria lobata Ohwi) and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) in the U.S.A. Both vines were introduced about a century ago from Japan and have become naturalized weeds. Westward range expansion is currently limited by drought during seedling establishment, while northward range expansion is limited by low temperature sensitivity of overwintering stems. Direct effects of CO2 enrichment on growth were assessed by growing the plants in controlled environment chambers at 350, 675, or 1000 μl/L CO2. In both species, CO2 enrichment increased instantaneous water use efficiency by increasing photosynthetic rates and reducing transpiration rates. During a drought stress, CO2 enrichment delayed significant decline in total water potential of kudzu by several days. When grown in a cool temperature regime of 18/12 °C day/night, the CO2 enrichment significantly increased leaf area and total biomass of both species and plants were taller and had more branches. These results suggested that atmospheric CO2 enrichment may allow westward and northward spread of both species in the U.S.A. Indirect effects of CO2 induced climate change (Greenhouse Effect) on the vines' distribution were assessed. Predictions based on current models of climatic response were used to project changes in winter temperatures at doubled CO2 concentrations. Increases in average and minimum winter temperatures by 3 °C could allow northward spread of both species by several hundred kilometers. Projected decreases in summer precipitation may minimize westward spread, despite improved water use efficiency and increased drought tolerance.
Modeling shear-induced CHO cell damage in a rotary positive displacement pump.

Rotary lobe pumps are commonly used in the biotechnology industry for a variety of purposes. Shear damage to animal cells within the rotary lobe pump can adversely affect the product yield or purity during, for example, cell concentration via cross-flow filtration. In this research, CHO cells grown in 20-L bioreactors were fed to a rotary lobe pump in both single pass and recycle experiments were conducted at different RPMs and “slip” conditions. The results indicate that the slip flow rate more severely impacts the viability of the CHO cells than the pump RPM. A novel mathematical modeling approach is presented that predicts shear rates in all of the positive displacement pump's slip regions, and then predicts cell death vs. operating conditions. This model accounts for the complex flow situation that results from changes to RPM, backpressure and pump geometry (i.e., clearances). © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Adaptive optimisation methods in system-level bridge management

In infrastructure management, the slow accumulation of facility condition data and incomplete understanding of the deterioration process can lead to inaccurate deterioration models and subsequently, suboptimal maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction decisions and increased system costs. State-of-the-art bridge management systems (such as Pontis) address this problem by successively updating deterioration models over time, by using a class of adaptive control methods known as the certainty-equivalent control (CEC). In this paper, we demonstrate that CEC does not necessarily guarantee improvement in deterioration model accuracy or savings in system costs for realistic heterogeneous bridge systems undergoing non-Markovian deterioration. We further apply an alternative, the open-loop feedback control (OLFC), and demonstrate its superiority to CEC in a simulation study, in which we consider a planning agency managing a system of facilities with limited prior knowledge of the deterioration models over a ...
β -Alanine metabolism and high salinity stress in the sea anemone, Bunodosoma cavernata

During high salinity stress, β-alanine accumulates to high levels in the sea anemone,Bunodosoma cavernata. Following a salinity increase from 26‰ to 40‰ β-alanine increased 28-fold from 1.5 to 41.9 μmoles/g dry weight. Both whole animal studies and experiments with cell free homogenates indicate that under high salinity conditions an increase in the rate of β-alanine synthesis from aspartic acid as well as a decrease in the rate of β-alanine oxidation are responsible for the observed accumulation of β-alanine. The rate of aspartic acid decarboxylation to β-alanine is about 3 times greater in anemones acclimated to 40‰ than for those in normal salinity water (26‰). β-alanine oxidation to CO2 and acetyl-CoA proceeds 2.5 to 3 times slower in high salinity adaptedB. cavernata than in those acclimated to normal salinity. There is always a rapid degradation of uracil to β-alanine, but this does not change with salinity.
Government-Driven PR in Japan: Got Milk?

This case study presents how the Japanese national government and a leading dairy, Meiji, became aligned on a social goal, the improved calcium intake of children. Email interviews were conducted with a corporate representative and five public school teachers who experienced their classroom lesson about calcium. Meiji’s outstanding communication skills and its creative lesson content captured the hearts and trust of public school teachers. A significant difference from other food makers is that Meiji was able to catch the wave of a government-driven national campaign for promoting calcium intake. Using exceptional communicators as lesson instructors, Meiji successfully turned their CSR activity into forging a better corporate image in the public domain and the company entered a previously untapped school market.
Turbulent Boundary-Layer Separation Control with Single Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators

An experimental study was conducted to determine the effect of single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators on turbulent boundary-layer separation control. Two-component particle image velocimetry and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements showed the effect of plasma actuators on ambient air, a canonical zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer, and a two-dimensional turbulent boundary-layer separation from a convex ramp section. Different actuator configurations and control strategies were implemented. Spanwise actuators were operated in both steady and unsteady modes. Plasma streamwise vortex generators were also used to enhance boundary-layer mixing. Flow visualization using a high-speed camera captured the temporal aspects of the separation control process and helped discern the physical mechanisms associated with each actuation strategy. The steady spanwise actuation produced a wall jet effect that augmented near-wall momentum and reattached the separated boundary layer. The streamwise oriented actuators also showed effective control authority by creating counter-rotating vortices within the boundary layer that promote mixing of high and low momentum fluid.
Assessment of Proton Microbeam Analysis of 11B for Quantitative Microdistribution Analysis of Boronated Neutron Capture Agents in Biological Tissues

Abstract Bench, G., Grant, P. G., Ueda, D. L., Autry-Conwell, S. A., Hou, Y. and Boggan, J. E. Assessment of Proton Microbeam Analysis of 11B for Quantitative Microdistribution Analysis of Boronated Neutron Capture Agents in Biological Tissues. Radiat. Res. 160, 667–676 (2003). The 11B(p,α)8Be* nuclear reaction was assessed for its ability to quantitatively map the in vivo subcellular distribution of boron within gliosarcomas treated with a boronated neutron capture therapy agent. Intracranial 9L gliosarcomas were produced in Fischer 344 rats. Fourteen days later, the majority of the rats were treated with f-boronophenylalanine and killed humanely 30 or 180 min after intravenous injection. Freeze-dried tumor cryosections were imaged using the 11B(p,α)8Be* nuclear reaction and proton microbeams obtained from the nuclear microprobe at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The 11B distributions within cells could be imaged quantitatively with spatial resolutions down to 1.5 μm, minimum detection limits of ...
Cognitive Style and Political Learning in the 2000 U.S. Presidential Campaign

This article explores the impact of cognitive style, as measured by need to evaluate and need for cognition, on information acquisition during the 2000 U.S. presidential campaign. Using data from the 2000 National Election Study I show that both constructs are related to measures of candidate information, i.e., correct ideological placement, correct policy placement, and number of candidate articulations; but that need to evaluate has a much stronger and more consistent effect than does need for cognition. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Reaction of liver pyruvate kinase with sulfhydryl reagents: effect on its activity.

Abstract Homogeneous liver pyruvate kinase was reacted with different sulfhydryl reagents, which included o-iodosobenzoate, 5′,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and N-ethylmaleimide. Activity determinations of the treated enzyme made with and without Fru(1,6)P2 indicate that the protein contains two sulfhydryl groups per subunit important to its properties, one more accessible than the other. Fru(1,6)P2 added to mixtures prevented loss of activity obtained with o-iodosobenzoate and 5′,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). It appears that Fru(1,6)P2 does not interfere with the reaction of the reagent with the sulfhydryl group, but prevents an ensuing conformational change, which leads to changes in the enzyme's properties.
The Meaning and Legacy of the Magna Carta

The six essays of this symposium address different aspects of the meaning and legacy of the Magna Carta—“the Great Charter” in Latin. Although social scientists and legal scholars routinely describe the Magna Carta as foundational for concepts of justice and liberty, the charter itself is rarely assigned in political science classes or scrutinized by political theorists. The aim of the symposium is twofold: first, to affirm the document's historical rootedness and intellectual richness, and, second, to explore the ways in which the Magna Carta's text and reputation have informed the development of common law and modern politics. The Magna Carta was the product of times very different from our own, yet it continues to be cited by jurists and human rights activists around the globe. This symposium makes the case for why political scientists should take an interest in the Magna Carta, not just as a cultural icon, but as a durable political text.
Medico-legal aspects and concerns in quality assurance in the United States

Quality assurance data – essential to successful efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare – is more important than ever in today’s environment. Robust quality assurance activities are required to achieve the accreditation necessary to obtain Medicare reimbursement and for participation in the Accountable Care Organization shared savings programs proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”). The federal government and US states require reporting of quality assurance data to a variety of independent and governmental agencies. Commercial insurance carriers and innovative employers are developing new reimbursement models that require demonstrable achievement of quality performance standards based on quality performance data. Such data can consist of both aggregate performance information and individualized outcomes. This chapter reviews the potential vulnerabilities of quality assurance programs and data and the legal concerns related to disclosure of the information. Available legal protections and some effective strategies for protecting that information are also discussed. This information will enable providers to develop effective quality assurance programs structured to maximize opportunities to protect the confidentiality of the data.
Luciferase immunoprecipitation systems for measuring antibodies in autoimmune and infectious diseases.

Antibody profiles have the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine by providing important information related to autoimmunity against self-proteins and exposure to infectious agents. One immunoassay technology, luciferase immunoprecipitation systems (LIPS), harnesses light-emitting recombinant proteins to generate robust, high-quality antibody data often spanning a large dynamic range of detection. Here, we describe the general format of LIPS and discuss studies using the technology to measure autoantibodies in several human autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and immunodeficiencies secondary to anticytokine autoantibodies. We also describe the usefulness of evaluating antibodies against single or multiple antigens from infectious agents for diagnosis, pathogen discovery, and for obtaining individual exposure profiles. These diverse findings support the notion that the LIPS is a useful technology for generating antibody profiles for personalized diagnosis and monitoring of human health.
Error-Monitoring Ability Predicts Daily Stress Regulation

This study examined whether individual differences in error-related self-regulation predict emotion regulation in daily life, as suggested by a common-systems view of cognitive and emotional self-regulation. Participants (N = 47) completed a Stroop task, from which error-related brain potentials and behavioral measures of error correction were computed. Participants subsequently reported on daily stressors and anxiety over a 2-week period. As predicted by the common-systems view, a physiological marker of error monitoring and a behavioral measure of error correction predicted emotion regulation in daily life. Specifically, participants higher in cognitive control, as assessed neurally and behaviorally, were less reactive to stress in daily life. The results support the notion that cognitive control and emotion regulation depend on common or interacting systems.
Near-end solution for lidar signals that includes a multiple-scattering component.

A variant of the near-end solution is presented that allows one to consider a multiple-scattering component in lidar measurements of distant clouds or dense smoke. It is assumed that the lidar signal, contaminated by multiple scattering, obeys a single-scattering lidar equation in which an additional term, which is related to the range-dependent ratio of a multiple-to-single-scattering component, is included. For the inversion, a brink solution is proposed that does not require an a priori selection of the extinction-to-backscatter ratio in the optically dense aerosol formation under investigation. The solution requires either knowledge of the multiple-to-single-scattering ratio (e.g., determined experimentally with a multiangle lidar) or the use of the analytical dependence of the multiple-to-single-scattering ratio on the aerosol optical depth. In the latter case, an iterative technique is used.
Effects of material properties on sedimentation and aggregation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles of anatase and rutile in the aqueous phase.

Abstract This study investigated the sedimentation and aggregation kinetics of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with varying material properties (i.e., crystallinity, morphology, and chemical composition). Used in the study were various types of commercially available TiO2 nanoparticles: three spherical anatase (nominal diameters of 5, 10, and 50 nm) and two rutile nanoparticles (10 × 40 and 30 × 40 nm). The 50 nm anatase and 10 × 40 nm rutile showed higher stability in deionized water and 5 mM NaCl solutions at pH 7 than the 5, and 10 nm anatase nanoparticles in sedimentation experiments. In aggregation experiments, critical coagulation concentration values for the 50 nm anatase were the highest, followed by the 10 × 40 nm rutile and the 5 nm anatase nanoparticles in NaCl and CaCl2 solutions. The aggregation kinetics was fitted reasonably well with the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) equations for the TiO2 nanoparticles tested. Results showed that crystallinity and morphology are not influential factors in determining the stability of TiO2 nanoparticle suspensions; however, the differences in their chemical compositions, notably, the varying concentrations of impurities (i.e., silicon and phosphorus) in the pristine materials, determined the surface charge and therefore the sedimentation and aggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles in the aqueous phase.
A 995MHz fundamental nonlinear quartz MEMS oscillator

A quartz resonator operating at 995 MHz in the fundamental mode has been characterized in a closed loop oscillating system under different drive levels to determine its nonlinear behavior and optimum phase noise performance. The best phase noise achieved was -106 dBc/Hz at a 1 kHz offset frequency. The same quartz technology was used to build VCXOs in both the Colpitts and Pierce configurations at several frequencies above 650 MHz. The lowest phase noise level achieved in the Colpitts configuration operating at 705 MHz is -111 dBc/Hz at a 1 kHz offset frequency while a Pierce Oscillator operating at 662 MHz achieved a phase noise of -112.8 dBc/Hz at the same offset. Power consumption in these VCOs is typically on the order of 30-90 mW.
The Ethnicity of Adolescent Research

The study of adolescence may have come of age, but it remains debatable whether research appropriately considers the ethnic diversity of adolescence. Given a heightened interest in supporting a more inclusive approach to adolescent research, this study takes stock of how seriously we actually are pursuing a more inclusive study of adolescence. To do so, this study examines the extent to which six leading journals dedicated to the study of adolescence publish articles that include ethnic participants, report the nature of that inclusion, and present findings that consider the ethnic dimensions of their samples. Although results reveal some diversity among journals, trends do emerge. For example, the study of adolescence is quite international: overall, more than 40% of 1283 empirical articles (published from 2000 to and including 2006) report findings from non-U.S. samples. If we remove international studies from our analyses, we find that the vast majority of studies (93%) describe the ethnic composition of their samples. That finding diverges considerably from reports from other fields of research. Also unlike other fields of research, studies from journals on adolescence do tend to include ethnic groups. The majority (68%) of articles actually do not have samples with a majority of participants from European American groups. Over 40% of articles present empirical analyses relating to identified ethnic groups, and at least 19% present findings that focus on one ethnic group (rather than comparing one to another). We do, however, find relatively ignored groups (such as Native and Asian Americans) and a tendency to lump diverse groups into five dominant ethnic groups or into "other" groups. We place these findings in the context of research on adolescence and explore their significance.
Chemical speciation via X‐ray emission spectra

Since the early days of X-ray spectrometry, X-ray emission and fluorescence spectra have been used to investigate chemical speciation, e.g. the dependence on the formal oxidation state. Laboratory wavelength-dispersive spectrometers have adequate resolution for these measurements. However, almost all studies have employed empirical methods to interpret the spectra. We aim to place such methods on a quantitative basis by means of efficient ab initio calculations of the X-ray emission line shapes based on a self-consistent, real-space Green's function approach, as implemented in the X-ray spectroscopy code FEFF8.2. Calculations are presented for the phosphorus K-M2, 3, and the chromium L-series emission lines for a selection of simple compounds. These lines exhibit changes depending on the oxidation state and on the neighboring atoms in the compounds that can be observed with instruments available in many XRF laboratories. The calculated spectra, as modified by convolution with a model monochromator response function, are compared with measured spectra. Simulated and measured spectra are found to be in reasonable agreement, and show that the approach has the potential to yield quantitative information about the chemical state. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long-term results of Swanson silicone arthroplasty for proximal interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis

Purpose To review the long-term outcome of the Swanson silicone arthroplasty in the osteoarthritic proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint at a single institution. Methods We identified 51 patients who had undergone PIP joint Swanson silicone arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and included in the study only those 22 patients (38 joints) who responded and could follow up. These patients returned for follow-up evaluation at an average of 10 years (range, 2–24 y). Subjective outcomes were assessed using the Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire, visual analog pain scale, and Likert questionnaire scores. Clinical and radiographic objective data were collected by measuring range of motion and coronal plane deformation and assessing final radiographs. Results Silicone arthroplasty at the PIP joint consistently provided pain relief in patients who returned for follow-up. The average Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was 17 and the average pain visual analog scale score was 0.4. The Likert questionnaire revealed that on average, patients agreed or strongly agreed that they would have surgery again, would recommend surgery to another patient, and were satisfied at an average of 10 years after surgery. Patients had neutral responses when they rated appearance, functional improvement, and range of motion. Objectively, range of motion (flexion arc of 50°) did not significantly change from the preoperative flexion arc (55°). Radiographically, 31 implants had deformation, including 21with implant fracture. There were 3 revisions for symptomatic implant fractures and 1 implant was removed for infection. There was no correlation between radiographs and satisfaction. Conclusions Despite unchanged range of motion and considerable radiographic implant deformation or fracture, patients obtained consistent pain relief and satisfaction. With an implant survivorship of 90% at average of 10 years postoperatively, silicone implant arthroplasty remains our treatment of choice for the symptomatic osteoarthritic PIP joint. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Characteristic cardiovascular anomalies of XO Turner syndrome, XX and XY phenotype and XO/XX Turner mosaic☆

Abstract Forty patients with unequivocal Turner stigmata and cardiovascular disease were studied. Every patient had complete documentation of both his cardiovascular disease and chromosomal constitution by physical examination, electrocardiogram, roentgenogram and cardiac catheterization, chromosome preparation and buccal mucosal smear. Two clusters of cardiovascular lesions were observed. Coarctation of the aorta occurred in 11 of 16 patients with XO Turner syndrome but not in any of the patients with Turner phenotype or Turner mosaic constitution. Pulmonic stenosis was present in 21 of 24 patients with Turner phenotype and Turner mosaic constitution but was not encountered in those with XO Turner syndrome.
N-body modeling of nonlinear, free surface liquid flow

Abstract In this paper a new, n-body approach is developed for the modeling of liquid phenomena. Both long and short range forces are included. Computer examples of several prototype, nonlinear, free surface problems are described and discussed.
PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL AND ACETALDEHYDE BY TOMATOES.

ditions seed plants produce small quantities of alcohol. Lechartier and Bellamy (10) were the first to show that fruits, when deprived of air, produce alcohol as well as CO2. These workers studied a number of varieties of fruits and always found some alcohol produced. They inclosed their fruits in tight containers for several months and in many cases the fruits were considerably disintegrated although they were sterile. From his extensive studies on the maturing of fleshy fruits, Gerber (3) came to the conclusion that in many fruits alcohol is formed during the process of ripening, together with volatile acids and esters. Muller-Thurgau and Osterwalder (13) found alcohol in pears. Thomas (18) found alcohol in apples. Although Gerber studied apples he does not mention having found alcohol in these fruits. Onslow and Barker (17) found alcohol in oranges. The concentration was particularly high when the fruits had been stored in an atmosphere high in CO2, but even in ordinary air alcohol was present to the extent of about 0.03 to 0.10 per cent. It is thus evident that alcohol is produced in fruits when they are surrounded by air. Under anaerobic conditions alcohol has been found in many plant structures, and reference to much literature on the subject is to be found in the monographs (8) on plant respiration. It has been shown by a number of investigators that acetaldehyde is formed in plants. Maze (11) found acetaldehyde in unripe seeds of corn and pear. This acetaldehyde he believed prevented them from germinating. In 1912 Kostytschew (7) demonstrated that acetaldehyde was produced in the alcoholic fermentation of yeast. His method of demonstrating acetaldehyde consisted in adding zinc chloride to the fermenting liquid, which brought about polymerization of the acetaldehyde, preventing it from being reduced to alcohol. Kostytschew et al. (9) found acetaldehyde in poplar blossoms. Acetaldehyde has also been found in other plants: by Muller-Thurgau and Osterwalder (13) in pears and apples; by Neuberg and Eeinfurth (14) in alcoholic fermentation; by Neuberg and Gottschalk (15) in crushed peas and bananas; by Thomas (18) in apples; by Bodnar and co workers (1) in whole seeds of peas; by Klein and Pirschle (6) in flowers, leaves, seedlings, and seeds of a number of different species of plants ; by Harley and Fisher (5) in ripe pears.
The BAM complex subunit BamE (SmpA) is required for membrane integrity, stalk growth and normal levels of outer membrane β-barrel proteins in Caulobacter crescentus

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is an essential compartment containing a specific complement of lipids and proteins that constitute a protective, selective permeability barrier. Outer membrane β-barrel proteins are assembled into the membrane by the essential hetero-oligomeric BAM complex, which contains the lipoprotein BamE. We have identified a homologue of BamE, encoded by CC1365, which is located in the outer membrane of the stalked alpha-proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus. BamE associates with proteins whose homologues in other bacteria are known to participate in outer membrane protein assembly: BamA (CC1915), BamB (CC1653) and BamD (CC1984). Caulobacter cells lacking BamE grow slowly in rich medium and are hypersensitive to anionic detergents, some antibiotics and heat exposure, which suggest that the membrane integrity of the mutant is compromised. Membranes of the ΔbamE mutant have normal amounts of the outer membrane protein RsaF, a TolC homologue, but are deficient in CpaC*, an aggregated form of the outer membrane secretin for type IV pili. ΔbamE membranes also contain greatly reduced amounts of three TonB-dependent receptors that are abundant in wild-type cells. Cells lacking BamE have short stalks and are delayed in stalk outgrowth during the cell cycle. Based on these findings, we propose that Caulobacter BamE participates in the assembly of outer membrane β-barrel proteins, including one or more substrates required for the initiation of stalk biogenesis.
Collaboration technology impaction on flightline maintenance

In flightline maintenance, collaboration is an important factor in the maintainerpsilas quest to complete a difficult or unusual repair. When the aircraft maintenance intuitive troubleshooting (AMIT) research project design team was evaluating collaboration technologies to incorporate within the AMIT job performance aid (JPA), three questions kept coming to mind. First, what is truly needed? Second, what will improve performance? Thirdly, what would the end user prefer? To obtain these answers, the research team hosted several aircraft maintenance user group (AMUG) sessions and design consideration tests (DCTs) to identify both user preferences and performance issues associated with various collaborative tools that could be used in the flightline maintenance arena. Based on the results of this work, the team selected a text-based messaging system to embed in the final AMIT interface. The text-based system was a simple, yet effective method to solve many collaboration issues in flightline maintenance. The AMIT team then embarked on a 4 month constrained field test of the final AMIT JPA prototype at Luke Air Force Base to measure performance improvements between current processes (Without-AMIT) and future processes (With-AMIT). The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the results of the collaboration segment of the field test.
Measuring a Consumer Energy Conservation Ethic: An Analysis of Components

An energy future based on conservation will require that consumers subscribe to a Consumer Energy Conservation Ethic. This study identifies the components and best predictors of a conservation ethic.
Chain dimensions in plastically deformed semicrystalline polymers

The effect of plastic deformation on the chain dimensions of polymers in the semicrystalline state was investigated using linear hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB), a model ethylene/butene-1 copolymer having about 40% crystallinity at room temperature. Dilute blends of deuterium-labeled chains with various molecular weights (20,000 ≤ M ≤ 214,000) in the same unlabeled matrix (M = 95,000) were uniaxially stretched at 25°C to extension ratios of α = 2.4 and 4.4. Radius of gyration normal to the stretch direction R⊥ was measured for the labeled chains by small-angle neutron scattering. The molecular extension ratio inferred from these data αm = R/R was significantly smaller than α for short chains (M 100,000. This variation in αm/α closely parallels the molecular weight dependence of mechanical strength and ductility in HPB over the same range.
The eye organizes neural crest cell migration

In the anterior vertebrate head, a population of neural crest cells (NCCs) migrates to the periocular mesenchyme and makes critical contributions to the developing eye and orbit. Improper migration and differentiation of these NCCs have been implicated in human diseases such as congenital glaucoma and anterior segment dysgenesis syndromes. The mechanisms by which these cells migrate to their target tissues within and around the eye are not well understood. We present a fate map of zebrafish diencephalic and mesencephalic NCC contributions to the eye and orbit. The fate map closely resembles that in chick and mice, demonstrating evolutionary conservation. To gain insight into the mechanisms of anterior NCC guidance, we used the eyeless mutant chokh/rx3. We show that, in chokh mutants, dorsal anterior NCC migration is severely disorganized. Time-lapse analysis shows that NCCs have significantly reduced migration rates and directionality in chokh mutants.
Pain catastrophizing: a critical review

Pain catastrophizing is conceptualized as a negative cognitive–affective response to anticipated or actual pain and has been associated with a number of important pain-related outcomes. In the present review, we first focus our efforts on the conceptualization of pain catastrophizing, highlighting its conceptual history and potential problem areas. We then focus our discussion on a number of theoretical mechanisms of action: appraisal theory, attention bias/information processing, communal coping, CNS pain processing mechanisms, psychophysiological pathways and neural pathways. We then offer evidence to suggest that pain catastrophizing represents an important process factor in pain treatment. We conclude by offering what we believe represents an integrated heuristic model for use by researchers over the next 5 years; a model we believe will advance the field most expediently.
Update in Vitamin D

The past decade, particularly the last 18 months, witnessed a vigorous increase in interest in vitamin D from both the lay and biomedical worlds. Much of the growing interest in vitamin D is powered by new data being extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The newest statistics demonstrate that more than 90% of the pigmented populace of the United States (Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians) now suffer from vitamin D insufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D <30 ng/ml), with nearly three fourths of the white population in this country also being vitamin D insufficient. This represents a near doubling of the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency seen just 10 yr ago in the same population. This review attempts to provide some explanation for: 1) the rapid decline in vitamin D status in the United States; 2) the adverse impact of vitamin D insufficiency on skeletal, infectious/inflammatory, and metabolic health in humans; and 3) the therapeutic rationale and reliable means for vigorous supplementation of our diets with vitamin D.
Cotranscriptional Splicing of a Group I Intron Is Facilitated by the Cbp2 Protein

The nuclear CBP2 gene encodes a protein essential for the splicing of a mitochondrial group I intron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This intron (bI5) is spliced autocatalytically in the presence of high concentrations of magnesium and monovalent salt but requires the Cbp2 protein for splicing under physiological conditions. Addition of Cbp2 during RNA synthesis permitted cotranscriptional splicing. Splicing did not occur in the transcription buffer in the absence of synthesis. The Cbp2 protein appeared to modify the folding of the intron during RNA synthesis: pause sites for RNA polymerase were altered in the presence of the protein, and some mutant transcripts that did not splice after transcription did so during transcription in the presence of Cbp2. Cotranscriptional splicing also reduced hydrolysis at the 3* splice junction. These results suggest that Cbp2 modulatesthesequentialfoldingoftheribozymeduringitssynthesis.Inaddition,splicingduringtranscription led to an increase in RNA synthesis with both T7 RNA polymerase and mitochondrial RNA polymerase, implying a functional coupling between transcription and splicing. Group I introns are found in bacteria, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and the nuclei of simple eukaryotes (11, 40). While some introns of this class, notably that in the precursor to the large rRNA ofTetrahymena thermophila, can be spliced autocatalytically in vitro, many cannot. In genetically malleable organisms, like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it has been possible to use mutations to identify proteins required for the removal of intervening sequences from precursor RNA molecules (9, 50). Some of these proteins (called maturases) are encoded within the introns themselves (10, 34, 35). Others are encoded byseparategenes,usuallyinthenucleus,andactonmitochondrial transcripts. For example, the cyt18 gene of Neurospora crassaencodesatyrosyl-tRNAsynthetasethatalsoparticipates inthesplicingofseveralmitochondrialintronsin(1,14,37).In
Towards a hybrid network model for wireless packet data networks

We study the performance trade-offs between conventional cellular and ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless networks. We compare, through simulations, the performance of the two network models in terms of throughput, delay, power consumption, per-flow fairness, impact of mobility, impact of traffic locality, and impact of node distribution on the network performance. The simulation results show that while peer-to-peer networks perform better in terms of throughput, delay, and power, they suffer from unfairness, and poor performance in the event of mobility and low traffic locality. We discuss the trade-offs involved in the performance of the two network models and contend that the trade-offs preclude the adoption of either of the network models as a clear solution for future wireless packet data networks. Thus, we present a simple hybrid wireless network model that uses peer-to-peer network and conventional cellular network models in tandem. It supports a dual mode of operation and has the combined advantages of cellular and peer-to-peer wireless networks without suffering from the disadvantages of either. We present simulation results showing that the hybrid network model outperforms the conventional cellular network model in terms of throughput, delay, and power consumption, and achieves better fairness and resilience to mobility than the peer-to-peer network model.
Examining Lesson Plan Use Among Instrumental Music Education Majors During Practice Teaching

Undergraduate instrumental music education majors (N = 18) taught a series of 5-minute lessons to an ensemble of their peers. Investigators compared participants’ written lesson plans with activiti...
ELI LILLY AND COMPANY GLOBAL MEDICAL INFORMATION: PHARMACY STUDENT CLERKSHIPS IN INDUSTRY

With the growing need for clinical clerkship sites, Eli Lilly and Company continues to expand opportunities available to PharmD students. This paper presents the drug information clinical clerkship program for Eli Lilly and Company in Global Medical Information within the regulatory component. Goals for the drug information clerkship program include: providing the student with experience in drug information, exposing the student to the pharmaceutical industry, strengthening the student’s verbal and written communication skills, improving the student’s ability to perform computerized literature searching, and more importantly, improving the student’s literature evaluation skills. These goals are accomplished through five objectives consisting of: 1. Developing a familiarity with various drug information sources, 2. Completing special projects, 3. Answering requests from health care professionals, 4. Developing an appreciation of differences in industrial versus institutional settings, and 5. Developing an awareness of corporate organization and responsibilities. Benefits of this drug information clerkship are appreciated by the student, by the school, and by Eli Lilly and Company.
Image understanding of oblique ionograms: the autoscaling problem

The paper presents an image understanding system for oblique ionograms, which are a two dimensional measurement of the high frequency properties of the ionosphere. The system for image understanding of oblique ionograms (called "autoscaling") presented here involves three stages. Firstly, the ionogram is filtered by estimating the noise in each pixel of the image by fitting orthogonal second order multinomials to its 3 by 3 neighbourhood. Secondly, feature vectors for each trace of the filtered ionogram are extracted using a process of thinning, trimming, model fitting, and a final merging stage that accounts for broken traces. The model used for ionogram traces is an implicit quartic equation, and is fitted to the cleaned up skeleton of the trace using orthogonal distance regression. A third stage of the overall system uses the feature vectors to identify the prominent modes and other important features of the ionograms, and to track these modes and features as they evolve across sequences of ionograms. This work will automate the task of identifying and tracking ionospheric propagation modes in oblique ionograms. The resulting system will be used to process current data streams to extract large volumes of significant information: this will help the understanding of ionospheric processes and can be used as input to automatic frequency management systems for communications networks.
Surface modification of polypyrrole via affinity peptide: quantification and mechanism.

The conducting polymer, polypyrrole (PPy), is an exciting substrate for basic research to study cell behavior in the presence of exogenous electric fields and has potential for clinical application as a coating for neural electrodes. However, typical surface modification approaches (e.g., copolymerization of pyrrole and pyrrole derivatives, post-polymerization modification, doping with functional biomolecules) reduce the electrical conductivity and hence the utility of the material. In previous work, a 12 amino acid peptide, T59, was evolved to bind to PPy and provide a novel means of surface modification that does not reduce the bulk conductivity. In the current study, we have used equilibrium binding assays and force spectroscopy to determine that the affinity of T59 to PPy is 92.6 ± 21.4 nM, with a maximum surface density of 5.1 ± 1.7 femtomoles per cm2 by equilibrium binding assay, and that the off-rate of this binding pair is 2.5 s−1, with a calculated on-rate of 2.6 × 107 M−1 s−1. This suggests that T59 possesses a high affinity for PPy with binding that occurs in a rapid equilibrium. We also present evidence in support of a proposed mechanism of binding for T59 to PPy; an association of an aspartic acid (D8) and the delocalized positive charge on the backbone of oxidized PPy is indicated as the key interaction. Understanding the binding parameters and mechanism of this novel bio/synthetic interface is important as we try to understand how best to employ PPy-based materials.
Measuring the effect of refrigerant type on the starting characteristics of residential air conditioning compressor motors

This paper describes a project wherein the primary goal was to determine if refrigerant type affects the starting characteristics of a typical residential air conditioning compressor motor. It has been known for some time that during heavy summer loading conditions, air conditioning load can lead to voltage instability of a large power system following a disturbance that causes large quantities of air conditioning load to start simultaneously. With new environmental regulations taking effect, the older R22 refrigerant systems used in residential systems will be phased out and replaced by R410 systems. These new R410 systems operate at much higher refrigerant pressures, which could possibly cause increased starting time for the compressor motor and exacerbating the voltage stability problem caused by air conditioning load following a power system disturbance. Therefore, a test apparatus for measuring the electrical quantities, and system pressures, for both types of refrigerant systems was developed. The test apparatus was then used to test typical units of both refrigerant types to determine if the new R410 systems produced less favorable compressor motor starting characteristics as compared to existing R22 units.