cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-coding DNA in macronuclear chromosomes of hypotrichous ciliates.

. Massive elimination of sequences occurs in the development of the macronucleus of hypotrichous ciliates. The surviving sequences are presumed to have functions in the macronucleus; what little is known about non-coding macronuclear sequences is reviewed. The 1.7 kbp macronuclear chromosome that carries a histone H4 gene consists primarily of non-coding DNA 5’of the histone gene. This region is shown by sequence comparison to carry several perfectly conserved sequence blocks up to 14 bp long, scattered amongst regions which have evolved greatly since the divergence of Oxytricha nova and Stylonychia lemnae. This result is consistent with the suggestion of Harper and Jahn [Harper, D. S. & Jahn, C. L. 1989. Actin, tubulin and H4 histone genes in three species of hypotrichous ciliated protozoa. Gene, 75:93–107] that this large non-coding 5’region may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of the histone H4 gene carried on the 1.7 kbp chromosome. Very little is known about transcriptional control in hypotrichs; identification of conserved non-coding sequences of orthologous hypotrich genes promises to provide clues to potential cis-acting control signals.
Call for nominations for 2012 William Kaula Award

The William Kaula Award recognizes unselfish service to the scientific community through extraordinary dedication to and exceptional efforts on behalf of AGU's publications program. Individuals may be recognized for contributions such as outstanding reviewing, editorial service beyond expectations, or innovative leadership. In even numbered years the Publications Committee selects a recipient, who is recognized at the Editors' Evening at the Fall Meeting and in Eos. The Publications Committee is asking the community to help identify those who are deserving of this award. If you would like to nominate someone, please send an e-mail to editors_relations@agu.org no later than 15 August 2012. Please outline as clearly as possible why this particular individual is a worthy recipient of the award.
Electron impact fragmentation of dimethylchlorotin carboxylates, tetramethyl-1,3-bis(carboxy)distannoxanes and tetramethyl-1-(carboxy)-3-hydroxydistannoxanes

Abstract Mass spectral studies of dimethylchlorotin carboxylates and their hydrolyses products, tetramethyl-1,3-bis(carboxy)distannoxanes and tetramethyl-1-(carboxy)-3-hydroxydistannoxanes show that the former are polymeric solids with some polymeric character retained in the gas phase, while the latter are dimeric solids. Evidence is found for carboxylate bridging in all of the compounds. Spectra of halogen-containing molecules contain numerous, relatively intense peaks assigned to recombination species with SnX bonds.
Characterization of microsatellite loci in Schoenoplectus americanus (Cyperaceae)

Schoenoplectus americanus is a model organism for studying ecological and ecosystem responses of salt marsh plant communities to global climate change. Here we characterize 16 microsatellite loci in S. americanus to facilitate studies on the genetic basis of phenotypic responses to changing climate conditions such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. Most loci also amplified in the morphologically similar sister species, Schoenoplectus pungens. Five loci exhibited species-specific alleles or distinct allelic size distributions that discriminate S. americanus from S. pungens.
FAST SEPARATIONS OF CATIONS USING ASCENDING PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Abstract Separations of microgram quantities of radioactive mercury, thallium, bismuth, and lead, and of non-radioactive platinum, gold, copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, cadmium, silver, and palladium, in from 2 to 20 min, have been achieved using a new method of ascending paper chromatography with acetone containing various complexing agents as the developer. The new technique involves the use of thick absorbent paper having high wettability, a developer of high wetting power, and, in particular, an atmosphere which is supersaturated with vapours of the solvent.
Monte Carlo renormalization group investigations of the SU(2) lattice gauge theory

We present the results of a Monte Carlo renormalization group calculation of the β-function for the SU(2) lattice gauge theory. We also use the same data to find an improved action for numerical simulations.
A pursuit and evasion problem with measurement uncertainty

Pursuit evasion game with uncertain state- dependent measurements, modifying Brown-Robinson algorithm for behavior strategies computation
Effect of depositional method on the undrained behavior and microstructure of sand with silt

It has been known for many years that depositional method plays an important part in the results of laboratory testing of clean sands. In this paper, undrained triaxial compression tests were performed on specimens composed of Nevada sand with 20% non-plastic silt content using a variety of depositional methods that include slurry deposition, water sedimentation, air pluviation, mixed dry deposition, and dry funnel deposition. It was found that there was a marked difference in the undrained behavior even though the density and stress conditions were identical. The conclusion was that the soil fabric was responsible for this result. Using the scanning electron microscope, a method was developed to examine and quantify the microstructure of silty sand. These results appear to indicate that there are internal particle structures in sand with silt and their relative quantities correlate with the observed macroscopic undrained behavior.
China׳s space development history: A comparison of the rocket and satellite sectors

Abstract China is the most recent great power to emerge in aerospace. It has become the first developing nation to achieve some measure of aerospace production capability across the board. Outside the developed aerospace powers, only China has demonstrated competence concerning all aspects of a world-class aerospace industry: production of advanced rockets, satellites, and aircraft and of their supporting engineering, materials, and systems. As an emerging great power during the Cold War, China was still limited in resources, technology access, and capabilities. It thereby faced difficult choices and constraints. Yet it achieved increasing, though uneven, technological levels in different aerospace sub-sectors. Explaining this variance can elucidate challenges and opportunities confronting developing nations sharing limitations that previously constrained China. Rockets (missiles and space launch vehicles/SLVs) and satellites (military and civilian) were two areas of early achievement for China, and represent this article׳s two in-depth case studies. Initial import of American and Soviet knowledge and technology, coupled with national resources focused under centralized leadership, enabled China to master missiles and satellites ahead of other systems. Early in the Cold War, great power status hinged on atomic development. China devoted much of its limited technical resources to producing nuclear weapons in order to “prevent nuclear blackmail,” “break the superpowers׳ monopoly,” and thereby secure great power status. Beijing׳s second strategic priority was to develop reliable ballistic missiles to credibly deliver warheads, thereby supporting nuclear deterrence. Under Chairman Mao Zedong׳s direction and the guidance of the American-educated Dr. Qian Xuesen (H.S. Tsien), missile development became China׳s top aerospace priority. Satellites were also prioritized for military-strategic reasons and because they could not be purchased from abroad following the Sino-Soviet split. By the Cold War׳s end, China had achieved comprehensive rocket and satellite capabilities. Today it is pursuing cutting-edge systems in both areas, continuing formidable indigenous development while absorbing foreign technology where possible. To understand the reasons for China׳s aerospace development trajectory it is necessary to consider closely its specific history and larger context. The article will therefore examine the decision-making, organization, and technological development that made such progress possible. 2
The Effects of Smoking on the Peripheral Circulation

Because a man in good health may feel that smoking is bad only for one who is ill, information concerning the effect of smoking on normal individuals is important. Therefore, a total of 425 smoking tests was carried out on 100 normal individuals. The standard smoking test, as finally devised, used the skin temperatures as a measurement of blood flow together with measurements of blood pressure and pulse rate. Our studies disclosed that on the normal person tolerance does not develop to tobacco so far as the vascular effects are concerned; the blood pressure and pulse rate increase and the skin temperature of the extremities decreases on smoking tobacco; nicotine appears to be the most important factor in producing the vascular effects, and alcohol does not nullify the effect of smoking. The effects of smoking on patients with peripheral vascular disease as determined by the smoking test are similar to those of normal subjects and most likely are in association with the basal metabolic rate. The evidence that smoking plays a role in the progression of peripheral vascular disease is no longer controversial. We found no vasoconstriction as indicated by a decrease in the skin temperature of the toes during smoking when lumbar sympathectomy was complete, but smoking decreased the skin temperatures of the fingers. Rehder and Roth found also that the levels of the fasting blood sugar and the epinephrinelike substances of the systemic blood did not rise appreciably with smoking.
Neurophysiological Considerations Related to Interactive Multimedia.

How media affects learning and memory has not been carefully examined from the joint perspective of research in neuroscience and mass communication. This article reviews selected literature from both neuroscience and communication and relates research findings to interactive multimedia. It is proposed that research evidence from both fields should be used in the design and interpretation of studies on the effects of media on learning and memory. Neurological research may also have implications for interactive learning in classrooms and other contexts. Incorporating evidence from neurological studies of learning and memory into multimedia research may help us better understand the effects of interactive multimedia on short-term and longer-term student learning.
The role of altered sodium currents in action potential abnormalities of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons from trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) human fetuses.

Abstract Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) results in abnormalities in electrical membrane properties of cultured human fetal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Action potentials have faster rates of depolarization and repolarization, with decreased spike duration, compared to diploid neurons. In order to analyze the faster depolarization rate observed in trisomic neurons, we examined sodium currents of cultured human fetal DRG neurons from trisomy 21 and control subjects, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The neurons were replated in culture to reduce dendritic spines. Two components of the sodium current were identified: (1) a fast, tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive current; and (2) a slow, TTX-resistant component. The inactivation curves of both current types in trisomic neurons showed a shift of approximately 10 mV towards more depolarized potentials compared to control neurons. Thus, whereas essetially all of the fast sodium channels were inactivated at normal resting potentials in control neurons, approximately 10% of these channels were available for activation in trisomy 21 cells. Furthermore, the fast current showed accelerated activation kinetics in trisomic neurons. The slow sodium current of trisomic neurons showed slower deactivation kinetics than control cells. No differences were observed between trisomic and control neurons in the maximal conductance or current densities of either fast or slow current components. These data indicate that the greater rate of depolarization in trisomy 21 neurons at resting potentials is primarily due to activation of residual fast sodium channels that also have a faster time course of activation.
Leukemia cells make ruthless competitors

In this issue of Blood , Kagoya et al provide evidence for an important role for factors secreted by leukemia cells in damaging and suppressing normal hematopoiesis.[1][1] ![Figure][2] Secretion of Lcn2 by JAK2V617F+ MPN cells induces ROS and DNA damage in coexisting JAK2V617F− normal
Annihilation of polarized positrons in magnetized iron

An attempt is made to describe the integral, angular correlations for annihilation of polarized positrons in iron for a saturating magnetic field. A comparison with experiment is made. The positron wave function used to calculate the angular correlation for annihilation of the 3s, 3p, and 3d electrons of iron was that obtained by a WignerSeitz calculation for zero crystal momentum, the potential in the Schrodinger equation being taken as the ion core potential. The inner electron wave functions were assumed to be those of free atomic iron. The angular correlation for the conduction electron annihilation was calculated assuming a degenerate Fermi gas for the electrons and a zero-momentum wave function for the positron.
Numerical analysis of printed strip dipole hyperthermia applicators

The performance of a planar printed strip dipole hyperthermia applicator is simulated using a computer. The applicator is modeled using an exact integral equation formulation, and Galerkin's method is used to obtain the approximate current distribution on the dipole antenna. These currents are then used to compute the input impedance and heating pattern for the applicator. The computer model is used to investigate, and eliminate, the problem of "hot-spots" in the fat layer. >
Fundamental limits of optical microrheology.

Abstract We estimate the fundamental limits of different microrheological techniques based on optical detection. It is suggested that particle tracking systems using nondifferential detection have a minimum detectable displacement given by 0.2(λ 0 / NA )(1/ SNR ) , where λ0 is the wavelength, NA is the numerical aperture of the focusing objective, and SNR is the signal-to-noise ratio of the system. This limit has important consequences in microrheology, since the noise contributes with an apparent diffusion constant of Dl≈0.02(λ0/NA)2(B/SNR), where B is the bandwidth of the detection unit. As the SNR of ordinary microscopes is limited, one should be extra careful when probing soft materials with low diffusion constants. On the other hand, in differential systems based on laser detection, the SNR is considerably increased due to reduced laser noise, and the minimum detectable displacement is given by 0.4(λ0/NA)(1/SNR). One may therefore expect to measure the diffusion constant with higher accuracy if the SNR is large. Finally, we find that total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM) has a minimum detectable displacement given by 0.1λ0/SNR.
A c-Myc Activation Sensor-Based High-Throughput Drug Screening Identifies an Antineoplastic Effect of Nitazoxanide

Deregulation of c-Myc plays a central role in the tumorigenesis of many human cancers. Yet, the development of drugs regulating c-Myc activity has been challenging. To facilitate the identification of c-Myc inhibitors, we developed a molecular imaging sensor based high throughput-screening (HTS) system. This system uses a cell-based assay to detect c-Myc activation in a HTS format, which is established from a pure clone of a stable breast cancer cell line that constitutively expresses a c-Myc activation sensor. Optimization of the assay performance in the HTS format resulted in uniform and robust signals at the baseline. Using this system, we performed a quantitative HTS against approximately 5,000 existing bioactive compounds from five different libraries. Thirty-nine potential hits were identified, including currently known c-Myc inhibitors. There are a few among the top potent hits that are not known for anti-c-Myc activity. One of these hits is nitazoxanide (NTZ), a thiazolide for treating human protozoal infections. Validation of NTZ in different cancer cell lines revealed a high potency for c-Myc inhibition with IC50 ranging between 10 - 500nM. Oral administration of NTZ in breast cancer xenograft mouse models significantly suppressed tumor growth by inhibition of c-Myc and induction of apoptosis. These findings suggest a potential of NTZ to be repurposed as a new anti-tumor agent for inhibition of c-Myc associated neoplasia. Our work also demonstrated the unique advantage of molecular imaging in accelerating discovery of drugs for c-Myc targeted cancer therapy.
Vertical tectonic deformation associated with the San Andreas fault zone offshore of San Francisco, California

Abstract A new fault map of the shelf offshore of San Francisco, California shows that faulting occurs as a distributed shear zone that involves many fault strands with the principal displacement taken up by the San Andreas fault and the eastern strand of the San Gregorio fault zone. Structures associated with the offshore faulting show compressive deformation near where the San Andreas fault goes offshore, but deformation becomes extensional several km to the north off of the Golden Gate. Our new fault map serves as the basis for a 3-D finite element model that shows that the block between the San Andreas and San Gregorio fault zone is subsiding at a long-term rate of about 0.2–0.3 mm/yr, with the maximum subsidence occurring northwest of the Golden Gate in the area of a mapped transtensional basin. Although the long-term rates of vertical displacement primarily show subsidence, the model of coseismic deformation associated with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake indicates that uplift on the order of 10–15 cm occurred in the block northeast of the San Andreas fault. Since 1906, 5–6 cm of regional subsidence has occurred in that block. One implication of our model is that the transfer of slip from the San Andreas fault to a fault 5 km to the east, the Golden Gate fault, is not required for the area offshore of San Francisco to be in extension. This has implications for both the deposition of thick Pliocene–Pleistocene sediments (the Merced Formation) observed east of the San Andreas fault, and the age of the Peninsula segment of the San Andreas fault.
Further observations on the effect of reverse isolation from birth on cognitive and affective development.

Abstract Because he was considered at risk for combined immune deficiency disease an otherwise healthy boy was delivered by Caesarean section and placed at once in a germ-free environment. He has been maintained in reverse isolation since. The present report reviews aspects of his developmental progress during his first 52 months. Despite the highly atypical character of his living situation, he shows, at this time, no evidence of deviant emotional or intellectual development.
Representations of Trauma in Clinical Psychology and Fiction

ABSTRCT Representations of trauma in fiction offer significant insight regarding consciousness and psychopathology that can enhance available approaches in clinical psychology. This article considers elements of consonance and dissonance in psychological and literary approaches to trauma in the areas of individual experience, emotions, dissociation, communication, meaning, and healing and recovery. Some of the ways psychological and fictional approaches converge include examining the impact of disclosing traumatic events, common post-traumatic reactions, processes of dissociation, and pathways to recovery. The fields differ, though, in their attention to individual experience, range of emotional responses to traumatic events, description of cultural and historical context, use of language and classification, and approaches to the meaning of trauma. The novels under discussion situate trauma in specific social and historical contexts that allow readers to grasp the complex interplay between characters' ind...
Innovation in Collaboration: The Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring as a university-community partnership

The Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring (SIYM) at Portland State University is an intensive week-long seminar designed to offer a highly interactive educational opportunity for experienced professionals and leading researchers in the field of youth mentoring. The current study explores the extent to which SIYM represents an example of a successful university-community partnership and identifies ways in which SIYM innovates on established partnership models. Using grounded theory methods and typological analysis, the researchers analysed questionnaire responses from SIYM participants and research fellows to compare key characteristics of SIYM with the elements of effective partnerships described in the literature. Findings suggest that SIYM reflects many essential partnership qualities, including the presence of a shared vision; strong, mutually beneficial relationships; and a partnering process that includes communication and work for positive change. SIYM also introduces several innovations in format and structure that could inform the improvement or development of effective partnership efforts across disciplines. Implications for service providers, researchers and other stakeholders are discussed. Keywords communication, collaboration, mutually beneficial relationships, innovation
Simulation of Soil-Plant Nitrogen Interactions for Educational Purposes.

A computer model characterizing the balance of soil-plant N is described, which is coded in a language that provides a graphic interface for use by students and others with minimal programming experience. Equations representing simultaneous water, C, and N balance reactions in a soil-plant system are solved over time. Both qualitative and quantitative relationships between various interacting system components are presented in graphic form to facilitate an intuitive understanding of the dynamic interactions between system functions. By manipulat­ ing various combinations of input functions, the student can see the likely consequences of different biological and weather related parameters upon the N cycle. Three uses for the model are proposed: (i) orienting beginning students toward an un­ derstanding of fundamental components of the soil N cycle, (ii) providing in-depth information for advanced students in­ cluding access to the defining equations and citations of rele­ vant journal articles, and (iii) supplying source-equations for scientists who may wish to extend the model or explore the dy­ namic consequences of using alternate formulations.
Liberating the Liberal Arts Through Leadership Studies: An Essay:

At one time, the liberal arts were the principal method by which educated people understood and engaged the world. For a number of reasons, the liberal arts lost their social utility and became marginalized. Because of changes in the last decade in the nature of work and how organizations view their participants, there is an opportunity and a need to restore the liberal arts to a central societal role. Concepts drawn from contemporary leadership studies have considerable utility in effecting that restoration.
CREDIT‐SCORING MODELS AND THE CUT‐OFF POINT—A SIMPLIFICATION

The article presents a simple method for establishing the optimal cut-off point on a credit-scoring index under a variety of conditions. A procedure for choosing an index from several candidates is also proposed, and the use of credit information in such an index is discussed.
Volatilization of polychlorinated biphenyls from sediment during drying at ambient conditions

Air drying sediment from a Federal Superfund Site for 24 hours at ambient conditions (T=20°C; RH=25%) resulted in PCB volatilization losses of 14–23%, with 80–90% of the total loss occurring within the first eight hours. A sample dried for 24 hours lost 21.3% of PCBs via volatilization and an additional 7.5% during a second 24 hour drying period after rewetting. PCB loss was positively correlated with water loss (R2 > .99). Sediment samples (∼0.25 grams) suspended in 100 milliliters of double deionized water that was allowed to evaporate over a 7 day period lost 74–76% of their initial PCB concentration. Lower orthochlorinated congeners volatilized preferentially. These data indicate PCB loss through volatilization during drying at ambient conditions is more significant than previously recognized, particularly for sediments that have undergone extensive anaerobic microbial PCB dechlorination.
An algD-bioluminescent reporter plasmid to monitor alginate production in biofilms

A broad-host range algD-lux bioluminescent reporter plasmid was developed to examine the role of exopolymer production in biofilm function. The algD-lux reporter plasmid will allow rapid on-line in situ detection of environmental factors that induce alginate biosynthesis. The algD promoter was stimulated by factors previously reported to induce alginate production, including ethanol and NaCl, and differences were observed with different nitrogen sources. With growth on minimal media with either glucose or succinate as a carbon source, succinate had a greater inductive effect on the algD promoter. An increase in light output of 1.3-fold and 1.7-fold was seen with cultures amended with 50 and 150 mM NaCI, respectively, compared to cultures with succinate alone. NaCl induction of the algD promoter was confirmed by algD RNA slot blots. Light output increased 2.0-fold and 1.7-fold with 0.25% and 0.5% ethanol, respectively, compared with controls grown with succinate only. While the rate of algD promoter response was initially similar when either NH4 or NO3 was used as a nitrogen source, NH4-grown cultures maintained a higher light output during late log phase compared to NO3-grown cultures.
Natural Selection in Gene-Dense Regions Shapes the Genomic Pattern of Polymorphism in Wild and Domesticated Rice

Levels of nucleotide variability are frequently positively correlated with recombination rate and negatively associated with gene density due to the effects of selection on linked variation. These relationships are determined by properties that frequently differ among species, including the mating system, and aspects of genome organization such as how genes are distributed along chromosomes. In rice, genes are found at highest density in regions with frequent crossing-over. This association between gene density and recombination rate provides an opportunity to evaluate the effects of selection in a genomic context that differs from other model organisms. Using single-nucleotide polymorphism data from Asian domesticated rice Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and ssp. indica and their progenitor species O. rufipogon, we observe a significant negative association between levels of polymorphism and both gene and coding site density, but either no association, or a negative correlation, between nucleotide variability and recombination rate. We establish that these patterns are unlikely to be explained by neutral mutation rate biases and demonstrate that a model of background selection with variable rates of deleterious mutation is sufficient to account for the gene density effect in O. rufipogon .I nO. sativa ssp. japonica, we report a strong negative correlation between polymorphism and recombination rate and greater losses of variation during domestication in the euchromatic chromosome arms than heterochromatin. This is consistent with Hill‐Robertson interference in low-recombination regions, which may limit the efficacy of selection for domestication traits. Our results suggest that the physical distribution of selected mutations is a primary factor that determines the genomic pattern of polymorphism in wild and domesticated rice species.
Discrete underdamped vortex flow devices

Vortex flow devices consisting of discrete arrays of underdamped Josephson junctions have been fabricated and measured. These devices and their long, continuous junction counterparts are based on the ability to magnetically control the Eck voltage in an underdamped system. We find that both transistor and oscillator parameters are improved by placing the arrays above a superconducting ground plane and by connecting two arrays in series. We developed models for the device behavior which numerically account for the measured parameters. Our models also suggest that junctions with smaller capacitances will further improve the device parameters. >
Comparison of Macroinvertebrate‐Derived Stream Quality Metrics Between Snag and Riffle Habitats

Abstract: We compared benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage structure at snag and riffle habitats in 43 Wisconsin streams across a range of watershed urbanization using a variety of stream quality metrics. Discriminant analysis indicated that dominant taxa at riffles and snags differed; Hydropsychid caddisflies (Hydropsyche betteni and Cheumatopsyche spp.) and elmid beetles (Optioservus spp. and Stenemlis spp.) typified riffles, whereas isopods (Asellus intermedius) and amphipods (Hyalella azteca and Gammarus pseudolimnaeus) predominated in snags. Analysis of covariance indicated that samples from snag and riffle habitats differed significantly in their response to the urbanization gradient for the Hilsenhoff biotic index (BI), Shannon’s diversity index, and percent of filterers, shredders, and pollution intolerant Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) at each stream site (p ≤ 0.10). These differences suggest that although macroinvertebrate assemblages present in either habitat type are sensitive to detecting the effects of urbanization, metrics derived from different habitats should not be intermixed when assessing stream quality through biomonitoring. This can be a limitation to resource managers who wish to compare water quality among streams where the same habitat type is not available at all stream locations, or where a specific habitat type (i.e., a riffle) is required to determine a metric value (i.e., BI). To account for differences in stream quality at sites lacking riffle habitat, snag-derived metric values can be adjusted based on those obtained from riffles that have been exposed to the same level of urbanization. Comparison of nonlinear regression equations that related stream quality metric values from the two habitat types to percent watershed urbanization indicated that snag habitats had on average 30.2 fewer percent EPT individuals, a lower diversity index value than riffles, and a BI value of 0.29 greater than riffles.
Fronts in the vicinity of the tropopause

From a study of five cases of pronounced fronts in the upper troposphere, it is concluded that the “waterspout” model offers the most satisfactory solution to the problem of connecting frontal boundaries and tropopauses. Composite cross sections of temperature, potential temperature, normal wind component and potential vorticity are presented for the five cases. On the basis of the potential vorticity measurements it is suggested that the most likely explanation for the formation of the high-level front is a folding of the tropopause.
Taste Loss and Recovery Following Radiation Therapy

Previous investigators have reported deficits in taste acuity in patients following radiation therapy for oropharyngeal cancer. In the present longitudinal study, 13 patients (mean age = 51.6 yrs) received conventional or hyperfractionated radiotherapy (63-76.8 Gy) for primary tumors of the oropharynx. One or both parotid glands and at least two-thirds of the tongue were included in the radiation field. Smell recognition and taste detection thresholds were determined at baseline, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post-radiation. Differences for smell recognition and the 4 taste qualities were assessed (independently) at the 4 time intervals, with a one-way ANOVA. Smell recognition was unaffected by radiation. There were significant elevations in thresholds for sweet (p < 0.005), salty (p < 0.005), bitter (p < 0.005), and sour (p< 0.001) during radiation therapy that were restored to baseline levels at 6 months and 1 year after radiation. This study demonstrated that radiation-induced taste deficits can be recovered by 6 months.
Electronic Noise Modeling in Statistical Iterative Reconstruction

We consider electronic noise modeling in tomographic image reconstruction when the measured signal is the sum of a Gaussian distributed electronic noise component and another random variable whose log-likelihood function satisfies a certain linearity condition. Examples of such likelihood functions include the Poisson distribution and an exponential dispersion (ED) model that can approximate the signal statistics in integration mode X-ray detectors. We formulate the image reconstruction problem as a maximum-likelihood estimation problem. Using an expectation-maximization approach, we demonstrate that a reconstruction algorithm can be obtained following a simple substitution rule from the one previously derived without electronic noise considerations. To illustrate the applicability of the substitution rule, we present examples of a fully iterative reconstruction algorithm and a sinogram smoothing algorithm both in transmission CT reconstruction when the measured signal contains additive electronic noise. Our simulation studies show the potential usefulness of accurate electronic noise modeling in low-dose CT applications.
Gordon Tullock: A Maverick Scholar of Law and Economics

This essay sketches the central features of Gordon Tullock’s (1922-2014) contributions to law and economics. My reference to Tullock as a “maverick scholar” is to indicate that he stood apart from the mainstream of law and economics scholarship as this is represented by Richard Posner’s canonical statement that the common law reflects a relentless pursuit of economic efficiency. In contrast, Tullock denied efficiency claims on behalf of common law. Examination of Tullock’s contrary claim illustrates how any analytical claim necessarily rests on and is derived from some preceding set of conceptual presuppositions because such qualities as “efficiency” are not objects of direct apprehension but rather are inferences from particular theoretical frameworks.
Nitrogen Fertilization Has a Stronger Effect on Soil Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterial Communities than Elevated Atmospheric CO2

ABSTRACT Biological nitrogen fixation is the primary supply of N to most ecosystems, yet there is considerable uncertainty about how N-fixing bacteria will respond to global change factors such as increasing atmospheric CO2 and N deposition. Using the nifH gene as a molecular marker, we studied how the community structure of N-fixing soil bacteria from temperate pine, aspen, and sweet gum stands and a brackish tidal marsh responded to multiyear elevated CO2 conditions. We also examined how N availability, specifically, N fertilization, interacted with elevated CO2 to affect these communities in the temperate pine forest. Based on data from Sanger sequencing and quantitative PCR, the soil nifH composition in the three forest systems was dominated by species in the Geobacteraceae and, to a lesser extent, Alphaproteobacteria. The N-fixing-bacterial-community structure was subtly altered after 10 or more years of elevated atmospheric CO2, and the observed shifts differed in each biome. In the pine forest, N fertilization had a stronger effect on nifH community structure than elevated CO2 and suppressed the diversity and abundance of N-fixing bacteria under elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. These results indicate that N-fixing bacteria have complex, interacting responses that will be important for understanding ecosystem productivity in a changing climate.
Nonclassical platinum antitumor agents: perspectives for design and development of new drugs complementary to cisplatin.

(1993). Nonclassical Platinum Antitumor Agents: Perspectives for Design and Development of New Drugs Complementary to Cisplatin. Cancer Investigation: Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 578-589.
Ontology translation on the semantic web

Ontologies are a crucial tool for formally specifying the vocabulary and relationship of concepts used on the Semantic Web. In order to share information, agents that use different vocabularies must be able to translate data from one ontological framework to another. Ontology translation is required when translating datasets, generating ontology extensions, and querying through different ontologies. OntoMerge, an online system for ontology merging and automated reasoning, can implement ontology translation with inputs and outputs in OWL or other web languages. Ontology translation can be thought of in terms of formal inference in a merged ontology. The merge of two related ontologies is obtained by taking the union of the concepts and the axioms defining them, and then adding bridging axioms that relate their concepts. The resulting merged ontology then serves as an inferential medium within which translation can occur. Our internal representation, Web-PDDL, is a strong typed first-order logic language for web application. Using a uniform notation for all problems allows us to factor out syntactic and semantic translation problems, and focus on the latter. Syntactic translation is done by an automatic translator between Web-PDDL and OWL or other web languages. Semantic translation is implemented using an inference engine (OntoEngine) which processes assertions and queries in Web-PDDL syntax, running in either a data-driven (forward chaining) or demand-driven (backward chaining) way.
CASE STUDY: Comparison of fatty acid content in homogenized and nonhomogenized milk from Holstein and Jersey cows

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate fatty acid concentrations of homogenized and nonhomogenized milk from Jersey and Holstein cows. Twenty-two lactating Holstein (n = 11) and Jersey (n = 11) cows were fed the same ration twice daily. Feed offered was adjusted daily according to the amount of orts from the previous day. Body weight and measurements, blood, and ruminal samples were collected weekly, as were feed and orts samples. Ruminal fluid was collected from 6 Holstein and 6 Jersey cows weekly (n = 42). Milk weights were collected daily, and samples were taken at 0300 and 1500 h and pooled by week. No differences were observed in fatty acid concentrations in feed, refusals, or rumen fluid. Fatty acids C16, C18, and C18:1 were found in the greatest concentrations in all types of milk. In this study, these 3 fatty acids made up approximately 60% of the total fatty acids in milk across breeds and treatments. Fatty acid C16 was greater in milk than were other fatty acids, and there was a trend for greater C16 in milk from Jersey cows than in milk from Holstein cows (30.6 vs. 28.5%; P
Autonomy vs. Solidarity: Liberal, Totalitarian and Communitarian Traditions

This article examines how liberal, totalitarian, and communitarian traditions attempt to balance individual autonomy with communal solidarity. Modernity has been a great liberator, freeing individuals from restrictions of tradition, clan, and place. Liberalism celebrates this freedom in market, politics, and society. But the result, according to critics, is a society of unencumbered individuals who have lost the language of cooperation and community. The totalitarian response to the failings of liberalism is to subsume the individual within the total state. Individual autonomy is suppressed so that the true social self can be discovered in solidarity with the state that is the truth bearer of culture and historical destiny. The communitarian response is to preserve the advantages of liberalism with its emphasis on human rights, universal tolerance, and free association, while attempting to revive a type of communal solidarity that is similar yet different from that found in traditional societies and totalitarian regimes. But the similarity of communitarian and totalitarian responses is problematic, as is the communitarian emphasis on romantic localism and its tendency to leave serious questions of economic power unexamined.
A Method for the Evaluation of the Critical Temperature of Brittleness with Regard for the Spread of the Experimental Data on Impact Toughness

We propose an original physically justified method for the evaluation of the spread of values of the critical temperature of brittleness. Its principal distinction from the standard method and advantage over this method is that the spread of data is determined according to the source data used for the evaluation of the critical temperature of brittleness but not according to the set of values of this temperature. We introduce quantitative characteristics of a series of impact-toughness tests aimed at finding the critical temperature of brittleness: the effective number of experimental points and the weight (degree of influence) of each of these points on the critical temperature of brittleness. A criterion of sufficiency of the number of values of impact toughness for the adequate determination of the critical temperature of brittleness according to these values is also proposed. We describe numerous experiments that reveal good correlation between the spread of values of the critical temperature of brittleness obtained by the proposed method and the corresponding standard deviations.
Competition and Selection in Political Economy

Any competitive process selects among qualities possessed by the competitors, and with different processes selecting for different qualities. With respect to athletic competition, for instance, diving selects for different qualities than swimming. This paper compares electoral and market competition in terms of the qualities for which they select. Markets and politics are both forms of competitive endeavor that generate forms of cooperation, but the particular qualities selected should be observed to differ due to differences in the environments in which selection occurs. While it is possible to imagine institutional circumstances under which similar qualities will be selected through both processes, the weight of plausible reasoning is on the side of notable differences between electoral and market competition.
Health care professionals and treatment of HIV-positive patients. Is there an affirmative duty to treat under common law, the Rehabilitation Act, or the Americans with Disabilities Act?

By the time the sun sets today, between 100 and 250 more Americans will become infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)...
Effect of intracameral administration of carbachol on the postoperative increase in intraocular pressure in dogs undergoing cataract extraction

OBJECTIVE To determine whether intracameral injection of carbachol at the completion of phacoemulsification in dogs would prevent the increase in intraocular pressure (i.o.p) that can develop during the first 24 hours after surgery. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. ANIMALS 32 adult dogs undergoing elective unilateral or bilateral phacoemulsification. PROCEDURE Dogs were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups with 8 dogs/group: phacoemulsification and intracameral administration of 0.5 ml of 0.01% carbachol at the end of surgery; phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation, and intracameral administration of 0.5 ml of 0.01% carbachol; phacoemulsification and intracameral administration of 0.5 ml of balanced salt solution; and phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation, and intracameral administration of 0.5 ml of balanced salt solution. Intraocular pressure was measured at 3 and 6 hours and the morning after surgery. Aqueous flare was also measured 6 hours and the morning after surgery. RESULTS None of the dogs treated with carbachol developed postoperative ocular hypertension (i.e., IOP > 27 mm of Hg), whereas 12 of 16 control dogs had ocular hypertension 3 hours after surgery. Intraocular pressure 3 hours after surgery was not significantly associated with phacoemulsification time or phacoemulsification power or with whether the dog received an intraocular lens implant. Severity of aqueous flare was similar for treated and control dogs. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Results suggested that intracameral administration of 0.01% carbachol at the end of surgery was a safe and efficacious method of preventing the postoperative increase in IOP associated with phacoemulsification in dogs.
The effect of vocal fry on pitch perception

Vocal fry is an aperiodic phonation that is naturally associated with low pitch production. This study aims to examine whether vocal fry can affect people's perception of pitch range. A two-alternative-forced-choice task is used to test whether vocal fry can facilitate the "low pitch" perception, and non-fry and fry sounds are played in pairs. The synthetic vocal fry stimuli vary in the f0 range and the ratio of pulse-to-pulse variability. The results show that people generally hear a lower pitch during vocal fry, and the magnitude of this effect depends on the f0 range as well as the ratio of fry. Heavy fry almost always sounds lower. The finding of this study further supports the hypothesis that voice quality is integrated in pitch perception.
SEP Montage Variability Comparison during Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring

Intraoperative monitoring is performed to provide real time assessment of the neural structures that can be at risk during spinal surgery. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are the most commonly used modality for intraoperative monitoring. SEP stability can be affected by many factors during the surgery. This study is a prospective review of SEP recordings obtained during intraoperative monitoring of instrumented spinal surgeries that were performed for chronic underlying neurologic and neuromuscular conditions, such as scoliosis, myelopathy and spinal stenosis. We analyzed multiple montages at the baseline, and then followed their development throughout the procedure. Our intention was to examine the stability of the SEP recordings throughout the surgical procedure on multiple montages of cortical SEP recordings, with the goal of identifying the appropriate combination of the least number of montages that gives the highest yield of monitorable surgeries. Our study shows that it is necessary to have multiple montages for SEP recordings, as it reduces the number of non-monitorable cases, improves IOM reliability, and therefore could reduce false positives warnings to the surgeons. Out of all the typical montages available for use, our study has shown that the recording montage Cz-C4/Cz-C3 (Cz-Cc) is the most reliable and stable throughout the procedure and should be the preferred montage followed throughout the surgery.
The Misfit Chorus Line: Ireland from the Margins in Patrick McCabe’s Call Me the Breeze

The resounding acclaim and success Patrick McCabe may have enjoyed with two novels listed as Booker Prize finalists certainly escaped his efforts in Call Me the Breeze. “Beware of a story that comes bearing many type faces,” Lizzy Skurnick warns in “On the Borderline.” “While an aggressive use of italics and exclamation points is the intrepid writer’s prerogative…these graphical distractions, along with a jumble of increasingly unreadable fonts, serve only to partition what would otherwise remain an undifferentiated mash.”1 Journalists and mainstream media reviews were luke-warm in their reception of McCabe’s endeavor. And while some reviews were certainly more forgiving than others, like David Crane’s “A Refusal to Join the Ghosts” where he claims, “McCabe’s method does work, and the gradual move from chaos and randomness to pattern and form, the slow teasing of plot and meaning out of Joey’s incoherent junkie ramblings, cleverly mirror the central theme of the novel,” the resounding response to the ambitious work was certainly mixed at best.2 But was the novel anything more than a self-indulgent “writerly” text depicting a grown-up, less charming Francie Brady? Or had McCabe’s work aggravated a sensitive national and international response to his tender though unabashed portrayal of provincial Ireland waking up from decades of cultural and economic isolation?