cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efference information flow during skill acquisition mediates its interaction with medical simulation technology

Despite substantial progress towards establishing virtual reality (VR) simulators as a replacement for physical ones for skill training, its effect on the brain network during skill acquisition has not been well addressed. In this study, we employed portable optical neuroimaging technology and Granger causality approach to uncover the impact of the two medical simulation technologies on the directed functional brain network of the subjects with two different skill levels. The mobile brain-behavior relantionship was evaluated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) while right-handed subjects performed well-established fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) pattern cutting task. A multiple regression path analysis found that the cognitive-action information flow from the right prefrontal cortex to the supplementary motor area statistically significantly predicted the FLS task performance. Here, the skill level (expert vs novice) affected the cognitive-action information flow from the right prefrontal cortex and the efference copy information flow from the left primary motor cortex via supplementary motor area as hub to the cognitiveperception at the left prefrontal cortex, i.e., the action-preception link. The simulation technology (physical vs VR simulator) affected solely the cognitive-action information flow from the right prefrontal cortex to the left primary motor cortex; however, the interaction between the medical simulation technology) and the skill level affected the efference information flow from the left primary motor cortex to the right prefrontal cortex and from the supplementary motor area to the left prefrontal cortex. These discriminative findings are crucial since our VR simulator had face and construct validity. Therefore, our study highlighted the importance of efference information flow within the framework of the perception-action cycle when comparing medical simulation technology for visuomotor skill acquisition.
Benchmarks for Needed Psychiatric Beds for the United States: A Test of a Predictive Analytics Model.

The ideal balanced mental health service system presupposes that planners can determine the need for various required services. The history of deinstitutionalization has shown that one of the most difficult such determinations involves the number of needed psychiatric beds for various localities. Historically, such assessments have been made on the basis of waiting and vacancy lists, expert estimates, or social indicator approaches that do not take into account local conditions. Specifically, this study aims to generate benchmarks or estimated rates of needed psychiatric beds for the 50 U.S. states by employing a predictive analytics methodology that uses nonlinear regression. Data used were secured primarily from the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey and from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Key predictors used were indicators of community mental health (CMH) service coverage, mental health disability in the adult population, longevity from birth, and the percentage of the 15+ who were married in 2018. The model was then used to calculate predicted bed rates based on the ‘what-if’ assumption of an optimal level of CMH service availability. The final model revealed an overall rate of needed beds of 34.9 per 100,000 population, or between 28.1 and 41.7. In total, 32% of the states provide inpatient psychiatric care at a level less than the estimated need; 28% at a level in excess of the need; with the remainder at a level within 95% confidence limits of the estimated need. These projections are in the low range of prior estimates, ranging from 33.8 to 64.1 since the 1980s. The study demonstrates the possibility of using predictive analytics to generate individualized estimates for a variety of service modalities for a range of localities.
Prenatal Exposure to Cadmium and Cotinine and CpG island DNA methylation in Mother-Infant Pairs.

A precise biological mechanism by which cadmium acts as a developmental toxicant is unknown but is suggested to include an epigenetic basis. In prior work, we analyzed CpG island methylation levels within gene promoters (n = 16,421) in leukocytes collected from mothers and their infants from a pregnancy cohort in Durham County, North Carolina. The CpG methylation levels were examined in relationship to prenatal exposure to cadmium and/or cotinine to identify genes and pathways influenced by in utero exposure. In the present article, we provide an enhanced description of the data collection and processing to facilitate cross-study comparisons. Data are available within the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE67976).
Inferring Thematic Places from Spatially Referenced Natural Language Descriptions

Places are more than just a location and spatial footprint. A sense of place is the result of subjective experience that a person has from being in a place or from interacting with information about a place. Although it is difficult to directly model a person’s conceptualization of sense of place in a computational representation, there exist many natural language data online that describe people’s experiences with places and which can be used to learn computational representations. In this paper we evaluate the usage of topic modeling on a set of travel blog entries to identify the themes that are most closely associated with places around the world. Using these representations we can calculate the similarity of places. In addition, by focusing on individual or sets of topics we identify new regions where topics are most salient. Finally we discuss how temporal changes in sense of place can be evaluated using these methods.
Seven new Arizona serotypes isolated from reptiles.

Eight hitherto unrecognizedArizona serotypes (5∶13, 15; 5∶27∶28; 13∶1, 6, 7; 19∶29∶25; 22∶1, 2, 5; 22∶23∶31; 26∶24∶25; and 30∶22∶21) are described. All of the cultures were isolated from reptiles. Action of the organisms on lactose as well as departures from the normal pattern of biochemical behavior of theArizona group are noted.
A Pound of Flesh: The Psychological, Familial and Social Consequences of Mandatory Long-Term Sentencing Laws for Drug Offenses

ABSTRACT Since the 1970s individual states in the United States have enacted mandatory long-term sentencing laws for drug offenses. These laws resulted in a 12-fold increase in prison population. The majority of people sentenced under these laws are nonviolent, first-time felony offenders with no or minimal drug use history. Based on open-ended qualitative interviews with 12 formerly incarcerated men and women sentenced for 15–20 years under these laws, the author describes the psychological, familial and social consequences of these mandatory long-term sentencing laws for drug offenses.
Does Empirical Legal Studies Shed more Heat than Light? The Case of Civil Damage Awards

Empirical investigation of legal systems is emerging as a leading trend in both the social sciences and the legal academy in the early twenty-first century. Law reviews are now filled with studies reporting empirical data. Because empirical investigation of law commonly seeks to inform contentious social and political debates, however, its research often fuels more debate than it resolves. Partisans on both sides of contentious issues now cite the same body of research to support their reform efforts. However, social science research on law is not a useless undertaking, as it can sharpen debate. But the hope that the new empirical legal studies movement will become a neutral source of information for policy makers is unlikely to be realized.
Biochemical Methane Potential of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Components

The biochemical methane potential of several MSW fractions was determined in order to compare extents and rates of their conversion to methane. Based on MSW samples analyzed, the methane yield of MSW was estimated to be as high as 0.20 m 3 kg −1 VS added, which indicates that more than 50% of the VS in MSW can be destroyed in anaerobic processing. Yard waste fractions of MSW can be expected to exhibit a high variability in yields due to the variety of plant materials which can be included. While some yard waste components, such as grass, exhibited yields as high as 0.21 m 3 kg −1 VS, yields for mixed yard waste were much lower, in the range of 0.14 m kg −1 . The make-up of the paper fraction can strongly affect the methane yields of MSW due to variations in methane yields of different paper classes. Bleached kraft papers, regardless of coating, exhibited maximum methane yields of 0.37 m 3 kg −1 VS, indicating complete conversion. Unbleached kraft paper found in corrugated box-board exhibited a yield of 0.28 m 3 kg −1 VS, while newsprint exhibited yields as low as 0.08 m 3 kg −1 VS. Inks used in newsprint did not lower methane yields over unprinted newsprint. The paper used in food packaging was highly biodegradable and its degradation was not affected by polymer coatings when samples were finely ground. These results provide a data base on extent and rates of the major biodegradable organic components of MSW and should be considered when contemplating anaerobic bioconversion of MSW.
Structure and Expression of a Rat κ Opioid Receptor Gene

A gene encoding the rat κ opioid receptor (KOR) was cloned and characterized. Results of rat genomic library screening and genomic Southern blot analysis show the gene represented at one copy/haploid genome. Three introns are present within the gene; however, polymerase chain reaction using different sets of primers specifying neighboring exons indicates that alternative splicing does not occur. Using reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction and primer extension techniques, we are able to demonstrate that two species of transcripts are differentially produced from the KOR gene in a tissue-specific manner. The first transcript that we designate as KOR1 is equivalent to the cDNA sequence reported by other groups and is believed to correspond to KOR subtype 1. KOR1 begins with exon 1 just downstream of two TATA boxes, whereas the second transcript, which we refer to as KORx, begins in intron 1 and thereby retains this intronic sequence in the mature mRNA. Within this intronic sequence there are two potential translation initiation codons that are in-frame with the proposed initiation codon of KOR. The potential open reading frame that starts further upstream in KORx may lead to the translation of a variant KOR protein having a novel peptide sequence at its amino terminus.
PSEUDOMONAS POPULATION CAUSING TOMATO PITH NECROSIS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Pseudomonas species causing pith necrosis on tomato were collected from 2005 to 2012 in different regions of the Republic of Macedonia and identified as Pseudomonas mediterranea and P. viridiflava. Other Pseudomonas spp. were also recovered, but they are still under identification. The obtained bacterial isolates were compared with reference strains on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, pathogenicity, sensitivity to antibiotics, BIOLOG tests, DNA fingerprinting by multiplex PCR using two specific primers [type I (PC5/1 and PC 5/2) and type II (PC1/1 and PC 1/2)], and 16S rRNA-RFLP analysis. Unique DNA bands from 10 representative strains isolated from symptomatic tomato plants disclosed the presence of P. mediterranea by amplification of their genomic DNA. All strains produced one specific band (600 bp) compared with the representative samples IPVCT9.1 (P. mediterranea). Also, we used another representative sample IPVCT10.3 (P. corrugata), to check if we already have P. corrugata or no, in our samples. In order to investigate the bacterial populations causing tomato pith necrosis in Macedonia, a total of 150 isolates were collected and compared with reference strains. This is the first report on Pseudomonas population causing pith necrosis of tomato in the Republic of Macedonia.
Discrete actuator array vectorfield design for distributed manipulation

The modular distributed manipulator system (MDMS) is a macroscopic actuator array which can manipulate objects in the plane. The piecewise-constant dynamics of manipulation on the MDMS are developed based on an exact discrete representation of the system. The resulting dynamics are inverted enabling the calculation of an open-loop vectorfield which provides arbitrary uniform object dynamics. The vector field positions, and under certain assumptions, orients objects.
Simulation of large scale networks III: ROSS.Net: optimistic parallel simulation framework for large-scale internet models

ROSS.Net brings together the four major areas of networking research: network modeling, simulation, measurement and protocol design. ROSS.Net is a tool for computing large scale design of experiments through components such as a discrete-event simulation engine, default and extensible model designs, and a state of the art XML interface. ROSS.Net reads in predefined descriptions of network topologies and traffic scenarios which allows for in-depth analysis and insight into emerging feature interactions, cascading failures and protocol stability in a variety of situations. Developers will be able to design and implement their own protocol designs, network topologies and modeling scenarios, as well as implement existing platforms within the ROSS.Net platform. Also using ROSS.Net, designers are able to create experiments with varying levels of granularity, allowing for the highest-degree of scalability.
Solvatochromic Studies on Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatographic Phases. 2. Characterization of Stationary and Mobile Phases

UV−visible spectra of three solvatochromic dyes, 4,6-dichloro-2-[2-(1-methyl-4-pyridinio)vinyl]phenolate, N-methyl-2-nitroaniline, and 2-nitroaniline, are employed to characterize the octadecyl-derivatized silica (ODS2) stationary phase and the corresponding mobile phases used in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The mobile phases studied are methanol−water, acetonitrile−water, and tetrahydrofuran−water, with composition ranges from 100% to 5% of organic modifier. Across the whole mobile phase composition range, the ODS2 stationary phase shows three distinct behaviors upon variation of the mobile phase composition, which are described as nonretentive, solvated, and collapsed.
Finding New Genes for Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss through an In Silico Prioritization Study

At present, 51 genes are already known to be responsible for Non-Syndromic hereditary Hearing Loss (NSHL), but the knowledge of 121 NSHL-linked chromosomal regions brings to the hypothesis that a number of disease genes have still to be uncovered. To help scientists to find new NSHL genes, we built a gene-scoring system, integrating Gene Ontology, NCBI Gene and Map Viewer databases, which prioritizes the candidate genes according to their probability to cause NSHL. We defined a set of candidates and measured their functional similarity with respect to the disease gene set, computing a score () that relies on the assumption that functionally related genes might contribute to the same (disease) phenotype. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, comparing the pair-wise distribution on the disease gene set with the distribution on the remaining human genes, provided a statistical assessment of this assumption. We found at a p-value that the former pair-wise is greater than the latter, justifying a prioritization strategy based on the functional similarity of candidate genes respect to the disease gene set. A cross-validation test measured to what extent the ranking for NSHL is different from a random ordering: adding 15% of the disease genes to the candidate gene set, the ranking of the disease genes in the first eight positions resulted statistically different from a hypergeometric distribution with a p-value and a power. The twenty top-scored genes were finally examined to evaluate their possible involvement in NSHL. We found that half of them are known to be expressed in human inner ear or cochlea and are mainly involved in remodeling and organization of actin formation and maintenance of the cilia and the endocochlear potential. These findings strongly indicate that our metric was able to suggest excellent NSHL candidates to be screened in patients and controls for causative mutations.
Generalizations of the Forelli-Rudin estimates

We give elementary proofs of the Forelli–Rudin estimates and generalizations of these estimates. As an application we obtain Lp-boundedness results for classes of integral operators that include Bergman projections and Hankel operators.
Intracellular trafficking of Niemann-Pick C proteins 1 and 2: obligate components of subcellular lipid transport

Niemann-Pick C 1 (NPC1) is a large integral membrane glycoprotein that resides in late endosomes, whereas NPC2 is a small soluble protein found in the lumen of lysosomes. Mutations in either NPC1 or NPC2 result in aberrant lipid transport from endocytic compartments, which results in lysosomal storage of a complex mixture of lipids, primarily cholesterol and glycosphingolipids. What are the biological functions of the NPC1 and NPC2 proteins? Here we review what is known about the intracellular itinerary of these two proteins as they facilitate lipid transport. We propose that the intracellular trafficking patterns of these proteins will provide clues about their function.
Kinetics of cellular morphogenesis in gill epithelium during sea water adaptation of oncorhynchus (walbaum)

Abstract 1. 1. A study of the cellular differentiation of the gill structure in juvenile salmonids, Oncorhynchus kisutch and O. tshawytscha , with emphasis on the extrarenal excretion of monovalent ions, was performed upon animals maitained in both sea-water and fresh-water environments. 2. 2. The rate of cellular renewal in the gill epithelium was determined through the utilization of tritiated thymidine ( 3 H-TdR) that was incorporated into newly synthesized deoxyribonucleic acid. 3. 3. Labelling patterns with 3 H-TdR showed that the cells involved in the regeneration of the gill epithelium are basally located, primarily in the interlamellae region of the filament. 4. 4. Animals which had made a transition from fresh water to sea water and subsequently became adapted to sea water exhibited a greater turnover rate of 3 H-TdR deoxyribonucleic acid than the steady-state fresh-water-adapted animals. 5. 5. Preparations of mitochondria isolated from gills of animals adapted to sea water appear to have a greater enzymatic activity than do those from gills of fresh-water animals.
Diverse effects of prolonged physical training on learning of the delayed non-matching to sample by rats

The physiological effects of physical exercise have been extensively studied. Nevertheless, its influence on cognitive functioning remains a matter of controversy. In this study we have attempted to assess the effects of repeated exercise (6 weeks of daily treadmill running, meant to resemble human physical training), on parallel learning of a complex task [delayed non matching to sample (DNMS)] by rats. The trained rats appeared to learn the procedure slower and made a significantly lower percentage of correct choices (P<0.01) as compared to those in the non-trained control group. However, when only those rats, from both the groups, which reached the criterion of 80% correct choices in two consecutive sessions were compared, no significant differences were observed. These results suggest an adverse influence of long term physical exercise on rats' ability to learn complex tasks, but only by the 'poor performers'. The 'good performers' were insensitive to the deleterious effects of the exercise.
Estimation of the net primary productivity of even-aged stands with a carbon-allocation model

Abstract The estimation of the time-course of net primary productivity (NPP) is of general ecological interest. Solutions of Pipestem , a model of carbon allocation and growth, show a waxing and waning of NPP in even-aged stands of Pinus taeda between establishment and maturity. Peak productivity occurs at the time of stand closure. Estimation of NPP is inextricably linked with estimation of the production and loss of components of dry matter (foliage, feeder roots, and woody tissues). The fraction of available carbon allocated to the production of each of these components varies considerably over the course of stand development. Analyses also indicate that the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO 2 is elevating the NPP of stands of P. taeda .
Reaction Mechanism of Chorismate Mutase Studied by the Combined Potentials of Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Mechanics

The reaction path for the rearrangement of chorismate to prephenate in B.subtilis has been determined in a QM/MM study including the entire protein environment while treating the reaction with ab i...
Seat belts pay off: The evaluation of a community-wide incentive program

Abstract This research explores the effectiveness of a seat-belt incentive program in an entire community. The project was conducted during 1983 in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, North Carolina, a community with a population of 50,000. The campaign, entitled “Seat Belts Pay Off,” comprised several steps: (a) planning and developing support, (b) developing data collection and other evaluative procedures, (c) implementing a public education/involvement campaign, and (d) giving modest economic incentives to belted occupants of vehicles passing checkpoints over a 6-month period. Belt use matching the highest level recorded in a U.S. community was achieved. Incentives, generally ranging in value from $3 to $5, were donated by many community businesses. The prizes, which included meals, containers of soft drinks, $5 cash coupons, T-shirts, and gift certificates, were given out for 6 months (April 19 to October 17, 1983). Additionally, six monthly $500 drawings were held, along with a $1,000 grand prize drawing. Eligible participants were those who had been stopped and rewarded for wearing their seat belt(s) and who then mailed in a preaddressed, postage-paid entry card. The drawings were conducted to stimulate public interest at selected intervals in the campaign. The effectiveness of the effort was measured by monitoring driver shoulder-belt use in passenger cars equipped with shoulder belts before, during, and after the education and incentive phases. A systematic, stratified sample was used to obtain weekly belt use data from 7 of 17 permanent data collection stations located around the community. Results indicate that driver overall belt use increased from 24 % in the baseline phase to a peak value of 41 % in the last week of the incentive phase. During the initial 6 months of the follow-up phase, weekly belt use held consistently around 36%. Over the next year, use rates increased slightly, although a small scale 2-month follow-up intervention introduced in the fall of 1984 had little, if any, impact.
Polyelectrolytes. I. Picrates of 4‐vinylpyridine‐styrene copolymers

The conductance in diphenyl ether at 35°C. and 60 cycles of the picrate of a 4-vinylpyridine-styrene copolymer (10:90) has been measured. The equivalent conductance, based on the nitrogen content, is of the same order as that of picoline picrate, and varies with concentration in accordance with the law of ion association.
Regeneration of Attachment Apparatus Lost Due to Disease of Endodontic Origin

Osseous defects may be due to endodontic or to periodontic involvement or a combination of the two. Careful diagnosis is required to determine the correct form of treatment.
Agonist-specific Transactivation of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Signaling Pathway Mediated by the Dopamine D2 Receptor

Bromocriptine, acting through the dopamine D2 receptor, provides robust protection against apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in PC12-D2R and immortalized nigral dopamine cells. We now report the characterization of the D2 receptor signaling pathways mediating the cytoprotection. Bromocriptine caused protein kinase B (Akt) activation in PC12-D2R cells and the inhibition of either phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), or c-Src eliminated the Akt activation and the cytoprotective effects of bromocriptine against oxidative stress. Co-immunoprecipitation studies showed that the D2 receptor forms a complex with the EGFR and c-Src that was augmented by bromocriptine, suggesting a cross-talk between these proteins in mediating the activation of Akt. EGFR repression by inhibitor or by RNA interference eliminated the activation of Akt by bromocriptine. D2 receptor stimulation by bromocriptine induced c-Src tyrosine 418 phosphorylation and EGFR phosphorylation specifically at tyrosine 845, a known substrate of Src kinase. Furthermore, Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor or dominant negative Src interfered with Akt translocation and phosphorylation. Thus, the predominant signaling cascade mediating cytoprotection by the D2 receptor involves c-Src/EGFR transactivation by D2 receptor, activating PI 3-kinase and Akt. We also found that the agonist pramipexole failed to stimulate activation of Akt in PC12-D2R cells, providing an explanation for our previous observations that, despite efficiently activating G-protein signaling, this agonist had little cytoprotective activity in this experimental system. These results support the hypothesis that specific dopamine agonists stabilize distinct conformations of the D2 receptor that differ in their coupling to G-proteins and to a cytoprotective c-Src/EGFR-mediated PI-3 kinase/Akt pathway.
Review Of E-Beam Electrical Test Techniques

Electron beams as a viable technique for contactless testing of electrical functions and electrical integrity of different active devices in VLSI-chips has been demonstrated over the past years. This method of testing electronic networks, most widely used in the laboratory environment, is based on an electron probe which is deflected from point to point in the network. A current of secondary electrons emitted in response to the impingement of the electron probe is converted to a signal indicating the presence of a voltage or varying potential at the different points. Voltage contrast, electron beam induced current, dual potential approach, stroboscopic techniques and other methods have been developed and are used to detect different functional failures in devices. Besides the VLSI application, the contactless testing of three dimensional conductor networks of a 10cm x 10cm x .8cm multilayer ceramic module poses a different and new application for the electron beam test technique. A dual potential electron beam test system allows to generate electron beam induced voltage contrast. The same system at a different potential is used to detect this voltage contrast over the large area without moving the substrate and thus test for the electrical integrity of the networks. Less attention in most of the applications has been paid to the electron optical environment, mostly SEM's were upgraded or converted to do the job of a "voltage contrast" machine. This by no means will satisfy all requirements and more thoughts have to be given to aspects such as: low voltage electron guns: thermal emitter, Schottky emitter, field emitter, low voltage electron optics, two lens systems, different means of detection, signal processing - storage and others. This paper will review available E-beam test techniques, specific applications and some critical components.
Review of: Promoting Peace, Inciting Violence: The Role of Religion and Media, by J. Mitchell

Mitchell, J. (2012). New York, NY: Routledge, 311 pp., $44.95 (paperback).The word “media” can evoke many meanings. In Promoting Peace, Inciting Violence, it is primarily used to symbolize art, fil...
The Evolution of satellite III DNA subfamilies among primates.

We demonstrate that satellite III (SatIII) DNA subfamilies cloned from human acrocentric chromosomes arose in the Hominoidea superfamily. Two groups, distinguished by sequence composition, evolved nonconcurrently, with group 2 evolving 16–23 million years ago (MYA) and the more recent group 1 sequences emerging ∼4.5 MYA. We also show the relative order of emergence of each group 2 subfamily in the various primate species. Our results show that each SatIII subfamily is an independent evolutionary unit, that the rate of evolution is not uniform between species, and that the evolution within a species is not uniform between chromosomes.
Sample size tables for logistic regression

Sample size tables are presented for epidemiologic studies which extend the use of Whittemore's formula. The tables are easy to use for both simple and multiple logistic regressions. Monte Carlo simulations are performed which show three important results. Firstly, the sample size tables are suitable for studies with either high or low event proportions. Secondly, although the tables can be inaccurate for risk factors having double exponential distributions, they are reasonably adequate for normal distributions and exponential distributions. Finally, the power of a study varies both with the number of events and the number of individuals at risk.
Thermal diffusivity of green river oil shale by the laser-flash technique

Abstract The thermal diffusivity of Green River oil shale has been measured by the laser-flash technique. Measurements were carried out in the temperature range 25–350°C and for various grades of shales ranging from 6 to 100 gal./ton. The thermal diffusivity (α) is seen to decrease with increasing temperature, especially for shales with low organic content. Richer shales, on the other hand, show very little sensitivity in their α values to temperature and grade. The α values measured for Green River oil shales fall in the range 0.1–0.9×10 −2 cm 2 /sec. Anisotropic effects were also observed for these α values; shales cored parallel to their bedding planes the diffusivities about 20–30% higher than those for the samples cored perpendicular to the stratigraphic planes. The presence of pore water in the shale is also shown to have a significant effect on α.
Jurassic paleopole controversy: Contributions from the Atlantic-bordering continents

The Early-early Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous mean paleopoles for North America, Europe, South America, and Africa are very well grouped in appropriate continental reconstructions, but the intervening late Middle and Late Jurassic segment of the apparent polar wander path (APWP) is poorly defined and controversial. The available paleopoles, reconstructed for the partial opening of the central Atlantic Ocean, form a scattered grouping with no coherent age patterns, illustrating that they do not constitute a robust data set. Uncertainties in the reconstruction parameters between North America and Europe also play a role. However, excellent paleomagnetic results exist for tectonic elements near the margin of west Gondwana that are unlikely to have been significantly displaced with respect to cratonic Africa and South America. These results have not previously been used for APWP reconstructions, because local rotations are thought to have deflected the paleopoles in many cases. The inclinations of such results, however, can be used to determine a locus of paleopole positions. Paleopole loci for about 150 and 170 Ma were determined from results from Spain, Italy, Lebanon, and the Chilean Andes, and these were rotated with appropriate parameters to give locus intersections in North American coordinates. A late Middle Jurassic (early Callovian) best estimate of the paleopole in North American coordinates is located at about lat 70°N, long 135°E, and a Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) best estimate is located at about 70°N, 155°E. The resulting Jurassic-Early Cretaceous APWP follows roughly the 70th parallel, passing through the middle of the scattered individual paleopoles from the cratonic parts of the Atlantic-bordering continents.
The interplay between Mad and Myc in proliferation and differentiation

Members of the Myc family of transcription factors are key regulators of cell proliferation, and excessive levels of Myc lead to tumor formation. Mad family proteins are related to Myc, but they antagonize the oncogenic activity of Myc in cell-culture assays. Here, we examine current models of Mad function and the relationship between Mad and Myc in cell proliferation, differentiation and tumorigenesis.
Supercritical fluid solvents in organic chemistry

Abstract The solubility of complex organic molecules in supercritical solvents is well-established. Under isothermal conditions, slightly above the critical temperature, this phenomenon, as well as most other physical properties of the solvent, exhibits a substantial pressure dependence. This behavior makes supercritical solvents attractive as media for organic reactions, both from a synthetic and a physical organic perspective. An apparatus has been constructed and techniques have been developed to investigate the effects of supercritical solvent interactions on organic reaction rates and equilibria. The construction and operation of a supercritical reactor is described. Finally the reactor is used to investigate the photoisomerization of trans-stilbene in supercritical carbon dioxide.
El alto nivel de resistencia a los carbapenemes en Acinetobacter baumannii es un problema multifactorial

1 . Durante la pasada decada, se han descrito casos de infecciones adquiridas en hospitales implicando a cepas de A. baumannii multirresistentes, a menudo asociado con contaminacion de equipo hospitalario o a traves de manos colonizadas del personal de cuidados intensivos 2 . El tratamiento antimicrobiano de estas infecciones puede estar comprometido por el patron de multirresis- tencia a los betalactamicos, aminoglucosidos y fluoroqui- nolonas. Atendiendo a los betalactamicos, diferentes mecanismos estan implicados en la resistencia de las cepas clinicas de A. baumannii, aunque como en otros bacilos gramnegativos, el principal mecanismo de resis- tencia es la produccion de betalactamasas codificadas cromosomicamente o por plasmidos 3
Pharmacology and the Treatment of Complicated Skin and Skin-Structure Infections

Skin and skin-structure infections are estimated to cause more than 15 million infections1 and 870,000 hospital admissions2 annually in the United States. Rates of these infections are substantially higher than they were 10 to 20 years ago, owing in part to the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the community.3 Two articles in this issue of the Journal report the results of phase 3, randomized, double-blind clinical trials (one of dalbavancin4 and the other of oritavancin5) for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections. Although neither antibiotic agent is new (both date to the 1990s), they could . . .
Nonrenormalization of the superstring tension.

It is argued that the superstring tension is not renormalized in perturbation theory for vacua which preserve N=1 spacetime supersymmetry. Some implications of this result for macroscopic superstrings are discussed, as well as some analogies between macroscopic superstrings and solitons in supersymmetric theories.
Effects of Ethephon on Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Population Development, Cotton Fruiting, and Boll Opening

Ethephon (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid) (“Prep”) was applied in 1985 and 1986 to cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), during early to late September to remove late season fruiting forms and to determine the effects on boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, population development, cotton quality, lint yield, fiber quality, and boll opening. In 1985, boll weevils ranged from approximately one to five per 4 m of cotton row at the time of application on 6 and 13 September. Populations decreased in ethephon-treated plots thereafter, and average numbers found in infested bolls and squares were reduced >95% as compared with infestations in untreated check plots. In 1986, boll weevils ranged from zero to less than one per 4 m of row at the time of treatments on 15, 23, and 29 September. Populations increased in all plots thereafter, but were on average 9.5 times greater in check plots than in ethephon-treated plots 30 to 44 d following treatment. In 1985, ethephon at rates of 1.12 kg (AI)/ha applied 6 or 13 September did not affect cotton lint yield, but 2.24 kg (AI)/ha applied 6 September reduced yield significantly, possibly because of delayed cotton harvest. In 1986, ethephon at 1.68 kg (AI)/ha had no effect on cotton yields or cotton fiber quality characteristics, but the fiber-length uniformity ratio was significantly higher in the ethephon-treated plots. Ethephon accelerated mature boll opening in the experimental plots in both years, demonstrating the potential for earlier harvest, stalk destruction, and cotton plow down, which are desirable cultural practices that help reduce overwintering boll weevil populations.
A Program for Computing Fisher's Exact Probability Test and the Coefficient of Association λ for n × m Contingency Tables

Fisher's exact probability test is a nonparametric statistical technique for determining the significance of a difference for independent groups with discrete data. Whenever computing the exact test for tables larger than 2 × 2, two problems arise (Hays, 1973): (1) the computations become very tedious and (2) there is a need to measure the strength of statistical association in each sample. The purpose of this paper was to provide a mathematical algorithm for Fisher's test (1) which is adaptable to n × m contingency tables and (2) which provides the user with lambda (λ), an index of predictive association designed for crosstabulations of nominal-level variables.
Inhibitory effects of quinolone antibacterial agents on eucaryotic topoisomerases and related test systems.

In summary, the available data indicate that most quinolones examined are not highly inhibitory for eucaryotic topoisomerases or other enzymes involved in DNA replication. Although a number of positive in vitro genotoxicity test results have been documented with several different 4-quinolones, the effective concentrations would be clinically achieved predominantly in the urinary tract (4, 5). It has been suggested that in vitro genotoxicity test results should not be of concern, since corroborating positive in vivo test results have not been observed with these antimicrobial agents. It appears that future research in the area of topoisomerases will be helpful in understanding these issues
Temporal and spatial variation of atmospherically deposited organic contaminants at high elevation in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Contaminants used at low elevation, such as pesticides on crops, can be transported tens of kilometers and deposited in adjacent mountains in many parts of the world. Atmospherically deposited organic contaminants in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, USA, have exceeded some thresholds of concern, but the spatial and temporal distributions of contaminants in the mountains are not well known. The authors sampled shallow-water sediment and tadpoles (Pseudacris sierra) for pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls in four high-elevation sites in Yosemite National Park in the central Sierra Nevada twice during the summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008. Both historic- and current-use pesticides showed a striking pattern of lower concentrations in both sediment and tadpoles in Yosemite than was observed previously in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks in the southern Sierra Nevada. By contrast, PAH concentrations in sediment were generally greater in Yosemite than in Sequoia-Kings Canyon. The authors suggest that pesticide concentrations tend to be greater in Sequoia-Kings Canyon because of a longer air flow path over agricultural lands for this park along with greater pesticide use near this park. Concentrations for DDT-related compounds in some sediment samples exceeded guidelines or critical thresholds in both parks. A general pattern of difference between Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon was not evident for total tadpole cholinesterase activity, an indicator of harmful exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides. Variability of chemical concentrations among sites, between sampling periods within each year, and among years, contributed significantly to total variation, although the relative contributions differed between sediment and tadpoles.
Role-Programme Models and the Analysis of Institutional Structure:

Our aim is the development of a formal basis for the analysis of institutional structure. While the concept of an institution is a central one in sociology, there has been much doubt about its analytical utility (Buckley, 1967: 161). The notion of a role-programme model, set out and discussed in this paper, appears to offer a precise analytical version of the institution concept. Its formal basis rests on representational techniques developed in information science. The approach is presented and exemplified with reference to a common institution, the restaurant, specifically waitress-customer interaction patterns, and its main implications for the analysis of institutional structure are discussed.
In vivo and in vitro observations on permeabi diffusion pathways of tracers in rat and frog lenses

Two tracers [horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and lanthanum]with different properties were injected separately into eyes of the rat and frog to determine the diffusion pathways of tracers in the lens. HRP can diffuse rapidly into lens tissue and can also be washed out, whereas lanthanum has opposite properties. In a short (2–5 min) in vivo intravitreal injection of HRP into the rat eye using an automated micro syringe, tracer reached the entire intercellular space between lens epithelium and fiber cells, and between epithelial cells primarily at the peripheral region; however, it reached the central zone in a longer period (10–20 min) of injection, as examined with light microscope and transmission electron microscope. HRP in epithelial intercellular spaces basal to the tight junctions was washed away upon 5–15 min washing with TC-199, but was retained in the spaces apical to the junctions and between epithelium and fiber cells. Lanthanum studies in both rat and frog lenses showed that within 3–4-hr incubation, tracer was seen in epithelial intercellular spaces only basal to the tight junctions at the central epithelium. At the peripheral zone, however, tracer was visualized in the entire intercellular spaces between epithelial cells, and between epithelium and fiber cells. These studies strongly suggest that both tracers seen in the intercellular space between epithelium and fiber cells are derived from the most equatorial region of the lens, and they may not leak out to the anterior lens surface through tight junctions between epithelial cells in the rat and frog. This leads us to conclude that the equatorial region of the lens is the major site of efflux and influx of substances for the anterior lens region.
A defect in dystrophin causes a novel porcine stress syndrome

Losses of slaughter-weight pigs due to transport stress are both welfare and economic concerns to pork producers. Historically, the HAL-1843 mutation in ryanodine receptor 1 was considered responsible for most of the losses; however, DNA testing has effectively eliminated this mutation from commercial herds. We identified two sibling barrows in the USMARC swine herd that died from apparent symptoms of a stress syndrome after transport at 12 weeks of age. The symptoms included open-mouth breathing, skin discoloration, vocalization and loss of mobility. We repeated the original mating along with sire-daughter matings to produce additional offspring. At 8 weeks of age, heart rate and electrocardiographs (ECG) were monitored during isoflurane anesthesia challenge (3% for 3 min). Four males from the original sire-dam mating and two males from a sire-daughter mating died after one minute of anesthesia. Animals from additional litters were identified as having a stress response, sometimes resulting in death, during regular processing and weighing. Affected animals had elevated plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels before and immediately after isoflurane challenge and cardiac arrhythmias. A pedigree containing 250 pigs, including 49 affected animals, was genotyped with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 Beadchip and only one chromosomal region, SSCX at 25.1-27.7 Mb over the dystrophin gene (DMD), was significantly associated with the syndrome. An arginine to tryptophan (R1958W) polymorphism in exon 41 of DMD was the most significant marker associated with stress susceptibility. Immunoblots of affected heart and skeletal muscle showed a dramatic reduction of dystrophin protein and histopathology of affected hearts indicated muscle fiber degeneration. A novel stress syndrome was characterized in pigs and the causative genetic factor most likely resides within DMD that results in less dystrophin protein and cardiac abnormalities that can lead to death under stressful conditions. The identification of predictive markers will allow us to determine the prevalence of this disease in commercial swine populations. This defect also provides a unique biomedical model for human cardiomyopathy associated with muscular dystrophy that may be superior to those available because of the similarities in anatomy and physiology and allow advances in gene therapies for human disease.
Counselors' Perspectives on Using the Career Style Interview With Clients

The authors investigated counselors' perspectives on using the Career Style Interview (CSI) with clients who had career concerns. Participants were a purposive sample of 34 counselors who had been trained in and who had used the CSI with clients. The findings indicated that the counselors viewed the CSI as a helpful and positive career counseling intervention. It was most effective at identifying clients' life themes and assisted them with making meaningful career decisions. Implications of these findings for career counseling practice and research are also discussed.
The formation and molecular structure of (η5-nitrocyclopentadienyl)dicarbonylrhodium

A reaction between sodium or lithium nitrocyclopentadienide and dichlorotetracarbonyldirhodium produces (η 5 -nitrocyclopendtadienyl)dicarbonylrhodium in 22–30% yield, the first η-nitrocyclopentadienyl-transition metal compound to be synthesized directly from nitrocyclopentadienide anion. The product has been characterized by spectroscopic and by X-ray diffraction techniques, the latter representing the first such structural determination for a nitrocyclopentadienylmetal compound. Red crystals of the title compound are triclinic, P ?, with a  6.247(4), b  6.484(4), c  11.311(6) A, α  76.79(5), β  79.40(5), γ  72.95(5)°, and D c  2.12 g cm -3 for Z  2. Least-squares refinement gave a final conventional R value of 0.056 for 1438 independent observed reflections. The nitrocyclopentadienyl ligand is significantly nonplanar.