cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corneal reshaping using a pulsed UV solid-state laser

Replacing the gas ArF (193 nm) excimer laser with a solid state laser source in the far-UV spectrum region would eliminate the hazards of a gas laser and would reduce its size which is desirable for photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK). In this study, we investigated corneal reshaping using a frequency-quintupled (213 nm) pulsed (10 ns) Nd:YAG laser coupled to a computer-controlled optical scanning delivery system. Corneal topographic measurements showed myopic corrections ranging from 2.3 to 6.1 diopters. Post-operative examination with the slit-lamp and operating microscope demonstrated a smoothly ablated surface without corneal haze. Histological results showed a smoothly sloping surface without recognizable steps. The surface quality and cellular effects were similar to that of previously described excimer PRK. Our study demonstrated that a UV solid state laser coupled to an optical scanning delivery system is capable of reshaping the corneal surface with the advantage of producing customized, aspheric corrections without corneal haze which may improve the quality of vision following PRK.
Structural determination of NH3 adsorbed on Ni(100) using angle-resolved photoemission extended fine-structure spectroscopy.

The structure of ${\mathrm{NH}}_{3}$ adsorbed on the Ni(100) surface was studied using the angle-resolved photoemission extended fine-structure (ARPEFS) technique. The ARPEFS data were taken along the surface normal-emission direction at a sample temperature of 100 K. Multiple-scattering spherical-wave data analysis determined that ${\mathrm{NH}}_{3}$ adsorbs at the atop site of the Ni(100) surface with a N-Ni bond length of 2.01 \AA{} and a 2.8% expansion of the topmost Ni-Ni interlayer spacing.
Lymphocyte Development: Intrinsic checkpoints for lineage progression

Abstract A new T-cell receptor α -chain-like molecule has been identified in precursor T cells. This protein may be part of a receptor complex that induces T-cell maturation.
Detecting and analyzing relationships among anomalies

The HRL anomaly analysis tool was developed as part of the IEEE VAST Challenge 2009. One of the tasks involved processing badge and network traffic in order to detect and identify a fictitious embassy employee suspected of leaking information. The tool is designed to assist an analyst in detecting, analyzing, and visualizing anomalies and their relationships. Two key visualizations in our submission present how we identified the suspicious traffic using network visualization and how subsequently we connected that activity to an employee using an alibi table.
Generation and annealing of interface traps on oxidized silicon irradiated by keV electrons

Abstract Generation and annealing kinetics of interface traps in Al/SiO 2 /Si capacitors are measured in oxides exposed to 8 keV electrons. Post-oxidation conditions are varied. Two interface trap species were detected in all oxides. Higher trap generation rate and trap density were observed in the oxide subjected to DI water rinse, no post-oxidation anneal (in Argon), or no post-metallization anneal (in forming gas). Results suggest that the two traps are due to intrinsic dangling bonds initially hydrogenated (SiH or OH) or strained (SiO). The hydrogen bond model is further supported by a one-to-one experimental correlation between the annealing or hydrogenation of the interface traps and the hydrogenation of the boron acceptors in the silicon surface layer.
Living on the bleeding edge: creating and managing highly specialized student labs

As use of technology increases in the curriculum, more faculty want to use increasingly specialized hardware and software to meet their educational goals and keep their students on the leading edge of the technology used in their fields. The support needs of these highly specialized uses are usually well beyond those of general labs that central computing groups may maintain. Many individual academic departments do not have the expertise or resources to maintain lab facilities for a large number of users. Especially in the growing multimedia field, multiple departments may have similar or overlapping needs, making single department facilities an inefficient use of resources. This paper will compare the issues involved to create and support two such highly specialized facilities, one at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), and one at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Although the facilities presented are multimedia based, many of the issues are the same for any facility designed to meet highly specialized needs.
On Adaptive Refinement and Overset Structured Grids

The need for adaptive refinement for unsteady aerodynamic applications that may involve relative motion between configuration component parts is recognized. Computational advantages of structured data are reviewed. Properties of uniform Cartesian (structured) grids that lead to substantial computational advantages are identified. A grid component grouping algorithm is presented. A method of adaptive spatial partitioning and refinement (ASPaR) is used with the grouping algorithm to simulate unsteady viscous flow about two 3-dimensional test configurations.
Peritoneal carcinomatosis with urachal signet-cell adenocarcinoma

Urachal adenocarcinoma is an uncommon clinicopathologic entity associated with a dismal prognosis. We report a case of peritoneal carcinomatosis from urachal adenocarcinoma (signet cell type) treated with cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC). Prior to treatment, disease had progressed with systemic chemotherapy. The patient remained free of symptomatic peritoneal disease or local recurrence but eventually died 23 months after IPHC and 31 months after diagnosis due to widespread bone metastases.
The ecological significance of nickel hyperaccumulation: a plant chemical defense

Nickel hyperaccumulating plants have more than 1000 mg Ni kg−1 dry weight when grown on nickel-bearing soils. We hypothesized that Ni hyperaccumulation could serve as a chemical defense against herbivores In feeding experiments with potential insect herbivores and Ni hyperaccumulating plants, only those inseets fed leaves from plants grown on non-nickel-bearing soil survived or showed a weight gain. Among chemical parameters measured, only Ni content of plants was sufficient to explain this result. When subjected to herbivory by lepidopteran larvae, plants grown on Ni-amended soil showed greater survival and yield than plants on unamended soil. Ni hyperaccumulation may be an effective plant chemical defense against herbivores because of its high lethality, apparent low cost, and broad spectrum of toxicity.
An efficient method for identifying and filling surface depressions in digital elevation models for hydrologic analysis and modelling

Identification and removal of surface depressions is a critical step for automated modelling of surface rainfall runoff based on Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). At present, nearly all GIS and hydrologic software packages employ Jenson and Domingue's method for preparing depressionless DEMs for hydrologic analysis. This conventional method is computationally intensive and time‐consuming. With the growing availability of high‐resolution DEMs produced by airborne LIDAR and InSAR techniques, GIS‐based hydrologic applications often need to handle larger geographic areas at finer resolutions. In the face of high‐resolution DEMs, the conventional method becomes inadequate and deficient. In this paper, we present a new method for efficiently identifying and filling surface depressions in DEMs. This method can simultaneously determine flow paths and spatial partition of watersheds with one pass of processing. A novel concept of spill elevation and the least‐cost search for optimal flow paths are the two cornersto...
Acute glial activation by stab injuries does not lead to overt damage or motor neuron degeneration in the G93A mutant SOD1 rat model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease where motor neurons within the brain and spinal cord are lost, leading to paralysis and death. Recently, a correlation between head trauma and the incidence of ALS has been reported. Furthermore, new invasive neurosurgical studies are being planned which involve inserting needles directly to the spinal cord. We therefore tested whether acute trauma to the spinal cord via a knife wound injury would lead to accelerated disease progression in rodent models of ALS (SOD1(G93A) rats). A longitudinal stab injury using a small knife was performed within the lumbar spinal cord region of presymptomatic SOD1(G93A) rats. Host glial activation was detected in the lumbar area surrounding a micro-knife lesion at 2 weeks after surgery in both wild type and SOD1(G93A) animals. However, there was no sign of motor neuron loss in the injured spinal cord of any animal and normal motor function was maintained in the ipsilateral limb. These results indicate that motor neurons in presymptomatic G93A animals are not affected by an invasive puncture wound injury involving reactive astrocytes. Furthermore, acute trauma alone does not accelerate disease onset or progression in this ALS model which is important for future strategies of gene and cell therapies directly targeting the spinal cord of ALS patients.
Rhodopsin content and rod outer segment length in albino rat eyes: modification by dark adaptation.

Abstract Whole eye rhodopsin content and rod outer segment length have been determined in albino rat eyes after different periods of dark adaptation, dark-rearing or cyclic light maintenance. The rhodopsin content in the eyes of dark-reared albino rats is approximately 50% higher than that in the eyes of littermates reared in cyclic light (in-cage illumination less than 15 ft-cd). The same increase in rhodopsin can be obtained in albino rats after only a 10-day dark adaptation period. Furthermore, the increased level of rhodopsin is the same as that in the eyes of pigmented rats reared in cyclic light. The increase in rhodopsin content in the albino rat eyes is due at least in part to an increase in rod outer segment length. The increase in length with dark adaptation and dark-rearing was somewhat variable, with an average increase of approximately 25%. No apparent increase was found in rod outer segment diameter, rod outer segment disc packing density or eye size. Rod outer segment lengths were consistently longer in the superior hemisphere of the eye than in the inferior hemisphere in both dark-adapted albino rats and pigmented rats maintained in cyclic light, but not in albino rats maintained in cyclic light.
Differential phylogenetic expansions in BAHD acyltransferases across five angiosperm taxa and evidence of divergent expression among Populus paralogues

BAHD acyltransferases are involved in the synthesis and elaboration of a wide variety of secondary metabolites. Previous research has shown that characterized proteins from this family fall broadly into five major clades and contain two conserved protein motifs. Here, we aimed to expand the understanding of BAHD acyltransferase diversity in plants through genome-wide analysis across five angiosperm taxa. We focus particularly on Populus, a woody perennial known to produce an abundance of secondary metabolites. Phylogenetic analysis of putative BAHD acyltransferase sequences from Arabidopsis, Medicago, Oryza, Populus, and Vitis, along with previously characterized proteins, supported a refined grouping of eight major clades for this family. Taxon-specific clustering of many BAHD family members appears pervasive in angiosperms. We identified two new multi-clade motifs and numerous clade-specific motifs, several of which have been implicated in BAHD function by previous structural and mutagenesis research. Gene duplication and expression data for Populus-dominated subclades revealed that several paralogous BAHD members in this genus might have already undergone functional divergence. Differential, taxon-specific BAHD family expansion via gene duplication could be an evolutionary process contributing to metabolic diversity across plant taxa. Gene expression divergence among some Populus paralogues highlights possible distinctions between their biochemical and physiological functions. The newly discovered motifs, especially the clade-specific motifs, should facilitate future functional study of substrate and donor specificity among BAHD enzymes.
Dissociation of Enzyme Oligomers: A Mechanism for Allosteric Regulation

AbstractMost enzymes exist as oligomers or polymers, and a significant subset of these (perhaps 15% of all enzymes) can reversibly dissociate and reassociate in response to an effector ligand. Such a change in subunit assembly usually is accompanied by a change in enzyme activity, providing a mechanism for regulation. Two models are described for a physical mechanism, leading to a change in activity: (1) catalytic activity depends on subunit conformation, which is modulated by subunit dissociation; and (2) catalytic or regulatory sites are located at subunit interfaces and are disrupted by subunit dissociation. Examples of such enzymes show that both catalytic sites and regulatory sites occur at the junction of 2 subunits. In addition, for 9 enzymes, kinetic studies supported the existence of a separate regulatory site with significantly different affinity for the binding of either a substrate or a product of that enzyme.Over 40 dissociating enzymes are described from 3 major metabolic areas: carbohydrate...
A different approach to safety in emergency medicine.

The scientific study of safety in complex sociotechnical systems was, in many ways, born in the aftermath of the accident at Three Mile Island1 and has grown and prospered by the careful, detailed, and nuanced analyses of specific incidents, accidents, and adverse events. We have learned a great deal about how safety is dynamically created and destroyed from these investigations in quite diverse areas: the space program,2 civil aviation,3 wildfire accidents,4 nuclear power,5,6 nuclear weapons systems,7 marine transportation,8 and military operations,9,10 to name only a few.11 Thus, it seems natural that, when interest in patient safety began to develop, much of the initial effort was focused on investigation and understanding of specific incidents and accidents. Several journals now regularly publish brief case analyses of incidents,12,13 the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations requires investigation of sentinel events, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publishes short accident case studies on the Internet.14 Although the depth of these efforts does not yet match what has been done in other areas,15 as we gain greater skill and experience in analysis we can expect to reap benefits similar to those seen in other domains. However, it is important not to be seduced by these dramatic stories. Safety science has also benefitted from the careful study of normal operations,16 when no dramatic events are unfolding.17,18 Important contriT H E P R A C T I C E O F E M E R G E N C Y M E D I C I N E / E D I T O R I A L
Patch estimation by group foragers: what information is used?

. The information that social foragers use to estimate the quality of food patches might include (1) patch-sample information alone, or it might be used in combination with (2) pre-harvest and/or (3) public information. Four possible patch-assessment strategies resulting from combinations of these sources of information make different predictions concerning how individual foraging success should influence patch persistence and the order of patch departure of individuals in the group. Laboratory data on pairs of budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, are consistent with the hypothesis that these birds combine patch-sample and pre-harvest information to estimate the quality of artificial resource patches.
Search for quantum oscillations in field emission current from bismuth.

approved: (Signature ) Laird C. Brodie An experimental search. based on previous published theoretical work. was made for de Haas-van Alphen~like quantum oscillations in field emission current, The study was motivated by the possible applicability of de Haas-van Alphen measurements to the study of Fermi surfaces near real surfaces, Field emitters were fabricated from bismuth single crystals grown from the melt by a modified Bridgeman technique. Field emission current was measured with the field emitter cooled by contact with a liquid helium bath. Most measurements were made at 4,2 0 K. although a few measurements were made at 2.02°K, Fowler-Nordheim plots of the experimental current-voltage data were linear over several orders of magnitude. The field emission current was measured as a function of magnetic field strength to twenty kilogauss and as a function of direction, with respect to the emitter axis t for a steady field of ten kilogau~s. The results of measurerrents on four'field emitter crystals are reported in this thesis. In most of this work, de Haas-van Alphenlike quantum oscillations were not observed. In one set of data, however, de Haas-van Alphen-like oscillations havin,g a period of -5 -1 0.50 x 10 G appear to be present. The published theoretical work was reevaluated. As a result of a lar~ effective Dingle temperature for field emitters, and because the effective masses of carriers in bismuth are anisotropic, the de Haasvan Alphen effect ,in field emission current could be several times smaller than has been suggested in the literature. The sensitivi ty of the experiments reported in this thesis was not sufficient to allow unambi guous identification of quantum oscillations at the reduced level. An outline of an experimental 'procedure sui table for observation of the de Haas-van Alphen-like effect in field emission current at the reduced level is provided in the final chapter. Search for Quantum Oscillations in Field Emission Current from Bismuth
Phenylalanine as a hydroxyl radical-specific probe in pyrite slurries

The abundant iron sulfide mineral pyrite has been shown to catalytically produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical ( . OH) in slurries of oxygenated water. Understanding the formation and fate of these reactive oxygen species is important to biological and ecological systems as exposure can lead to deleterious health effects, but also environmental engineering during the optimization of remediation approaches for possible treatment of contaminated waste streams. This study presents the use of the amino acid phenylalanine (Phe) to monitor the kinetics of pyrite-induced . OH formation through rates of hydroxylation forming three isomers of tyrosine (Tyr) - ortho-, meta-, and para-Tyr. Results indicate that about 50% of the Phe loss results in Tyr formation, and that these products further react with . OH at rates comparable to Phe. The overall loss of Phe appeared to be pseudo first-order in [Phe] as a function of time, but for the first time it is shown that initial rates were much less than first-order as a function of initial substrate concentration, [Phe]o. These results can be rationalized by considering that the effective concentration of . OH in solution is lower at a higher level of reactant and that an increasing fraction of . OH is consumed by Phe-degradation products as a function of time. A simplified first-order model was created to describe Phe loss in pyrite slurries which incorporates the [Phe]o, a first-order dependence on pyrite surface area, the assumption that all Phe degradation products compete equally for the limited supply of highly reactive . OH, and a flux that is related to the release of H2O2 from the pyrite surface (a result of the incomplete reduction of oxygen at the pyrite surface). An empirically derived rate constant, K pyr , was introduced to describe a variable . OH-reactivity for different batches of pyrite. Both the simplified first-order kinetic model, and a more detailed numerical simulation, yielded results that compare well to the observed kinetic data describing the effects of variations in concentrations of both initial Phe and pyrite. This work supports the use of Phe as a useful probe to assess the formation of . OH in the presence of pyrite, and its possible utility for similar applications with other minerals.
Determination of optimal unit hydrographs and green-ampt parameters for watersheds

AbstractDetermination of unit hydrographs using observed rainfall-runoff events can be accomplished by minimizing the deviations between the derived and the observed direct runoff hydrograph ordinates, and accurate estimation of loss rate parameters. Linear programming is an optimization tool that can be used to determine the optimal composite unit hydrograph for a watershed from observed multiple rainfall-runoff data, but requires infiltration losses prior to using the model. Nonlinear programming models overcome this problem and can be used to simultaneously determine the unit hydrograph and loss rate parameters. In fact, several known rainfall-runoff events can be used simultaneously to develop a composite unit hydrograph based upon all those events. Such a model has been developed and applied to multiple storms for watersheds near Buckeye, Arizona; Fort Worth, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas. The nonlinear optimization procedures used for this investigation are the general algebraic modeling system (GAM...
Human tyrosine hydroxylase natural genetic variation: delineation of functional transcriptional control motifs disrupted in the proximal promoter.

Background— Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis. Common genetic variation at the human TH promoter predicts alterations in autonomic activity and blo...
On the Surprising Longevity of Flogged Horses: Why There Is a Case for the Significance Test

Criticisms of null-hypothesis significance tests (NHSTs) are reviewed Used as formal, two-valued decision procedures, they often generate misleading conclusions However, critics who argue that NHSTs are totally meaningless because the null hypothesis is virtually always false are overstating their case Critics also neglect the whole class of valuable significance tests that assess goodness of fit of models to data Even as applied to simple mean differences, NHSTs can be rhetorically useful in defending research against criticisms that random factors adequately explain the results, or that the direction of mean difference was not demonstrated convincingly Principled argument and counterargument produce the lore, or communal understanding, in a field, which in turn helps guide new research Alternative procedures–confidence intervals, effect sizes, and meta-analysis–are discussed Although these alternatives are not totally free from criticism either, they deserve more frequent use, without an unwise ban on NHSTs
Effects of near-infrared laser irradiation of biodegradable microspheres containing hollow gold nanospheres and paclitaxel administered intraarterially in a rabbit liver tumor model

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the effects of near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation of microspheres (MS) containing hollow gold nanospheres (HAuNS) and paclitaxel (PTX) administered intraarterially in an animal model. Materials and Methods For the ex vivo experiments, VX2 tumor–bearing rabbits underwent administration of MS-HAuNS or MS via the hepatic artery (HA). The animals were killed, the liver tumors were subjected to NIR irradiation, and temperature changes were estimated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. For the in vivo study, VX2 tumor–bearing rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups: MS-HAuNS-PTX-plus-NIR, MS-HAuNS-PTX, and saline-plus-NIR. Laser irradiation was delivered at 1 hour and at 3 days after administration of saline or MS-HAuNS-PTX via the HA. Animals were euthanized, and tumors were analyzed for necrosis and apoptosis. Plasma samples were collected from the MS-HAuNS-PTX-plus-NIR animals for PTX analysis. Results Ex vivo experiments showed intratumoral heating in animals that received MS-HAuNS but no temperature change in animals that received MS. Animals treated with MS-HAuNS-PTX-plus-NIR showed a transient increase in plasma PTX levels after each NIR irradiation and significantly greater tumor necrosis than animals that received MS-HAuNS-PTX or saline-plus-NIR (44.9% vs 13.8% or 23.7%; P P = .0013). Conclusions NIR laser irradiation after MS-HAuNS-PTX administration results in intratumoral heating and increases the efficacy of treatment. Further studies are required to evaluate the optimal laser settings to maximize therapeutic efficacy.
Identification and Mutational Analysis of a Rej Response Element in Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus RNA

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is a simple betaretrovirus causing a contagious lung cancer of sheep. JSRV encodes unspliced and spliced viral RNAs, among which unspliced RNA encodes Gag and Pol proteins and a singly spliced mRNA encodes Env protein. In another study we found that JSRV encodes a regulatory protein, Rej, that is responsible for synthesis of Gag polyprotein from unspliced viral RNA. Rej is encoded in the 5′ end of env, and it enhances nuclear export or accumulation of cytoplasmic unspliced viral RNA in 293T cells but not in most other cell lines (A. Hofacre, T. Nitta, and H. Fan, J. Virol. 83:12483-12498, 2009). In this study, we found that mutations in the 3′ end of env in the context of a cytomegalovirus-driven full-length JSRV expression construct abolished Gag protein synthesis and released viruses in 293T cells. These mutants also showed deficits in accumulation of unspliced viral RNA in the cytoplasm. These mutants defined a Rej-responsive element (RejRE). Inhibition of CRM1 but not Tap function prevented nuclear export/accumulation of cytoplasmic unspliced RNA in 293T cells, similarly to other complex retroviruses that express analogous regulator proteins (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus Rev). Structural modeling of the RejRE with Zuker M-fold indicated a region with a predicted stable secondary structure. Mutational analysis in this region indicated the importance of both secondary structures and primary nucleotide sequences in a central stem-bulge-stem structure. In contrast to 293T cells, mutations in the RejRE did not affect the levels of cytoplasmic unspliced RNA in 293 cells, although the unspliced RNA showed partial degradation, perhaps due to lack of translation. RejRE-containing RNA relocalized Rej protein from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in 293 and rat 208F cells, suggesting binding of Rej to the RejRE.
The early laser years at Hughes Aircraft Company

The ruby laser, the Q -switched laser, stimulated Raman scattering, noble gas ion lasers, and laser rangefinding were the most noteworthy early laser contributions by scientists and engineers of the Hughes Aircraft Company. This paper provides a history of these accomplishments. Several other early Hughes achievements are mentioned.
LOCALIZED ELECTRONS IN A MAGNETIC FIELD

We briefly review recent developments on the response of localized electrons to an external magnetic field. They originate from subtle interference effects between forward-scattered paths which, in the localized regime, make the dominant contribution to the transition amplitude. On a lattice the correlations between the paths produce self-similar (quasiperiodic) spatial interference patterns for commensurate (incommensurate) ratios of the applied magnetic flux per plaquette with the flux quantum. If localization is due to strong disorder (as in lightly doped semiconductors), this is augmented by a logarithmic averaging. They give rise to striking quantum interference phenomena observed in mesoscopic and macroscopic insulators: Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with periods of one and one half flux-quantum, the Hall effect, pronounced conductance fluctuations, and anomalous negative (and positive in presence of spin-orbit scattering) magnetoresistance. The theoretical works based on the “directed paths” approach ...
Bacterial growth on dissolved organic carbon from a blackwater river.

Different nominal molecular weight (nMW) fractions of DOC from a southeastern blackwater river were concentrated by ultrafiltration and added to sieved river water to assess each fraction's ability to stimulate bacterial growth. Bacterial growth was measured using change in bacterial biomass from direct counts and using3H-thymidine incorporated into DNA. Bacterial growth and amount of DOC used was greatest in the low MW enrichment ( 10,000 nMW) supported more growth than did the intermediate MW fraction, apparently because of lower MW compounds complexed with a high MW refractory core. The low MW fraction of DOC from a clearwater mountain stream, a boreal blackwater river, and leachate from water oak and willow leaves also stimulated more bacterial growth than did other fractions. However, the high MW DOC from these other sources was not as biologically available as high MW DOC from a blackwater river. Bacteria converted blackwater river DOC to bacterial biomass with an efficiency of 31%. Bacteria produced at the expense of abundant riverine DOC provide a trophic resource for protozoa and higher levels of the microbial food web of a blackwater river.
TRPA1 Contributes to Cold, Mechanical, and Chemical Nociception but Is Not Essential for Hair-Cell Transduction

TRPA1, a member of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels, is expressed by dorsal root ganglion neurons and by cells of the inner ear, where it has proposed roles in sensing sound, painful cold, and irritating chemicals. To test the in vivo roles of TRPA1, we generated a mouse in which the essential exons required for proper function of the Trpa1 gene were deleted. Knockout mice display behavioral deficits in response to mustard oil, to cold (∼0° C), and to punctate mechanical stimuli. These mice have a normal startle reflex to loud noise, a normal sense of balance, a normal auditory brainstem response, and normal transduction currents in vestibular hair cells. TRPA1 is apparently not essential for hair-cell transduction but contributes to the transduction of mechanical, cold, and chemical stimuli in nociceptor sensory neurons.
Female green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) do not selectively respond to signals with a harmonic structure in noise

1. Females of the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea, communicate in noisy environments, with spectrally complicated signals. A previous study (Megela Simmons 1988), using the reflex modification technique, found that the masked threshold of green treefrogs to two-tone signals differed by about 10 dB depending on whether or not the two components were harmonically-related. The present study used the same two-component stimuli to test the prediction that gravid females would better detect harmonic sounds in noise than inharmonic ones. 2. We offered gravid treefrogs simultaneous choices between alternative two-component synthetic sounds: (1) an inharmonic sound of 831 + 3100 Hz, and a harmonic sound of 828 + 2760 Hz. We varied the sound pressure level (SPL in decibels [ 3. At a signal playback level of 75 dB SPL, one-third of the females responded in the presence of background noise. Subtracting the spectrum level yields a critical ratio estimate of 23 dB, a value that is very similar to estimates for single pure tones in noise reported in other studies of this species (Ehret and Gerhardt 1980; Moss and Megela Simmons 1986). Females did not, however, choose the harmonic sound over the inharmonic sound in this condition, at the higher signal-to-noise ratio, or in either of the unmasked situations. li]4. 3. At a signal playback level of 75 dB SPL, one-third of the females responded in the presence of background noise. Subtracting the spectrum level yields a critical ratio estimate of 23 dB, a value that is very similar to estimates for single pure tones in noise reported in other studies of this species (Ehret and Gerhardt 1980; Moss and Megela Simmons 1986). Females did not, however, choose the harmonic sound over the inharmonic sound in this condition, at the higher signal-to-noise ratio, or in either of the unmasked situations. li]4.
Bundling Human Capital with Organizational Context: The Impact of International Assignment Experience on Multinational Firm Performance and CEO Pay

We develop resource- and dynamic capability-based arguments that CEOs with international assignment experience create value for their firms and themselves through their control of a valuable, rare,...
Measurement of Orem’s Basic Conditioning Factors: A Review of Published Research

The purpose of this review was to examine published research on basic conditioning factors described in Orem's self-care deficit theory of nursing, in order to identify operational definitions, measurement strategies, and the results of the analyses. Thirty-five research articles published between 1987 and 1997 met the criteria for inclusion in the review. Consensus or lack of consensus in operational definitions for specific factors was determined and successful measurement methods were identified. Recommendations are made for revising conceptual and operational definitions. Suggested measurement strategies for the factors are discussed.
European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2001 Meeting

This report is on the 37th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held in Glasgow, U.K., from 9 to 13 September 2001. It covers such topics as the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes and potential therapeutic strategies for diabetic neuropathy. At the Robert Turner Memorial Lecture opening the 37th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Stephen O’Rahilly (Cambridge, U.K.) discussed the relationship between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ and human metabolic disease. He tried to “get some of the flavor of Robert [Turner]” in his analysis of “extreme human phenotypes” having abnormality of the PPAR-γ gene, pointing out that “experiments of nature” are serious diseases with high morbidity and mortality that can illuminate normal biology and act as models for common diseases. He noted that similar studies of individuals who lack estrogen receptor or IGF-1 have illuminated other more common clinical syndromes. His Genetics of Obesity program has enrolled children with prepubertal onset and weight >3 SDs. Studies of two related children with severe obesity lacking functional leptin have shown that deficiency of this hormone in humans causes pathology similar to that described in mice. Two other pedigrees with the same mutation were subsequently discovered. Treatment of four leptin-deficient patients with recombinant human leptin markedly decreased energy intake and lowered fat mass. These children had decreased interferon (IFN)-γ production by T-cells that was reversed by leptin treatment. Individuals without leptin fail to enter puberty. Normal age-appropriate gonadotropin response is seen with replacement treatment. O’Rahilly speculated that the physiologic role of leptin may be particularly important when levels are very low and that the main function of leptin may be to signal the transition between the fed and starved states. Heterozygotes from these families may have an abnormal relationship …
The doughboy premium: an empirical assessment of the relative wages of American veterans of World War I

AbstractThis article examines 1940 US census data to assess the relative wages of World War I (WWI) veteran and nonveteran men. Our empirical analysis indicates a 3.6% wage premium for veterans, after controlling earnings-related characteristics. Although lower than comparable estimates for WWII veterans, our results suggest that American veterans of the Great War earned a higher wage premium than those of the Vietnam or Korean conflicts.
10 The Hallowed Touch: A Reflection on the Assembly of God Church, North Queensland, 1924-1949.

10 The Hallowed Touch: A Reflection on the Assembly of God Church, North Queensland, 1924-1949.
Communicating Probabilistic Forensic Evidence in Court

This chapter examines the different ways that forensic science matches may be characterized at trial and how jurors think about those matches. The focus is on common but erroneous match characterizations, and misconceptions jurors may have about the meaning of a match. There is also discussion about the significance of error rates and how presentation of match statistics affects jurors’ beliefs about the strength of the evidence. A final section counsels forensic scientists to avoid mischaracterizing the strength of match evidence and to be forthcoming about the assumptions behind the statistics they offer.
Growth and Strategic Savings

We model the relationship between a firm’s growth opportunities and its financing policy. Financially constrained firms have an incentive to maintain reserve borrowing capacity when expected future investment opportunities are high. These strategic savings allow firms to respond optimally to new opportunities when there are frictions on equity financing. The incentive for saving decreases with the cost of borrowing, and thus shifts in monetary policy can have a stronger impact on the financing of high growth firms. We show that, based on differences in growth opportunities alone, the model can explain differences in financing and performance we document between high and low growth IT firms during the Dot-Com boom and its subsequent bust.
Directed Acyclic Graphs for Oral Disease Research

Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are nonparametric graphical tools used to depict causal relations in the epidemiologic assessment of exposure-outcome associations. Although their use in dental research was first advocated in 2002, DAGs have yet to be widely adopted in this field. DAGs help identify threats to causal inference such as confounders, bias due to subject selection, and inappropriate handling of missing data. DAGs can also inform the data analysis strategy based on relations among variables depicted on it. This article uses the example of a study of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), investigating causal effects of facial injury on subsequent risk of TMD. We illustrate how DAGs can be used to identify 1) potential confounders, 2) mediators and the consequences of attempt to estimate direct causal effects, 3) colliders and the consequences of conditioning on colliders, and 4) variables that are simultaneously mediators and confounders and the consequences of adjustment for such variables. For example, one DAG shows that statistical adjustment for the pressure pain threshold would necessarily bias the causal relation between facial injury and TMD. Finally, we discuss the usefulness of DAGs during study design, subject selection, and choosing variables to be measured in a study.
Valuing Coastal Natural Capital in a Bioeconomic Framework

The wetlands of the Gulf Coast region of the United States are under pressure from relative sea level rise and subsidence pressures that threaten to alter fishery breeding grounds and increase expected damage from stochastic storm events, among other issues. Barrier islands, marshes, and swamps are thus forms of natural capital that serve an intermediate role in supporting fishery stocks, as well as a final demand role in providing direct protection to infrastructure. In order to make good policy choices related to land loss, the values associated with these interacting stocks must be estimated. In this paper, the numerical approach of Fenichel and Abbott (2014) is extended as a proof of concept in order to illustrate the valuation of fish and wetlands stocks, allowing for the recovery of final demand and intermediate service values, and taking into account the scarcity value of each resource. Examples of policies which, when implemented, will change the subsequent valuation of each resource are also presented.
Abstract 4215: Integrin-dependent mechanisms for sensitizing melanomas to chemotherapy

BRAF is mutated in 50-70% of human melanomas, resulting constitutive activation of the MEK-ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway and resistance to apoptosis. Agents that target the oncogenic BRAF signaling pathway are revolutionizing the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, it is already evident that there is both intrinsic and acquired resistance to this class of compounds suggesting that combinatorial therapies may be needed to combat melanoma resistance. We recently described a novel compound, denoted vinculin activating peptide (VAP) that engages defective integrins with the extracellular matrix and consequently sensitizes melanomas to chemotherapy. VAP is relatively large and the minimal sequences required for the sensitization of melanomas to chemotherapy are not known. In this study, we investigated the smallest domains of VAP that are required for its chemosensitizing effects. Here, we report that VAP contains three small domains, termed vinculin binding sites (VBSs) which are sufficient to bind the integrin-associated protein, vinculin and sensitize melanoma cells to chemotherapeutics. Out of the three VBSs within VAP, VBS3 exhibits stronger binding to vinculin and increases cell-matrix adhesion and focal adhesion number to a greater extent. Furthermore, VBS3 enhances melanoma sensitivity to chemotherapy more than VBS1 or VBS2. The residues of VBS3 required for the sensitization of melanomas have been investigated and suggest that divergent residues are important for chemosensitization. Collectively these data suggest that small molecule mimetics of VBS3 would be an ideal therapy to overcome the resistance of metastatic melanomas to chemotherapeutic agents. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4215. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4215
Documenting Your Dance Performance: Tips for Great Videos

ABSTRACTDocumenting dance through video has become increasingly important in our age of social media. In addition to videoing student performances for archival purposes, dance teachers share student work through various online outlets as a celebration as well as a recruitment tool. In this article, the author shares some best practices for video documentation of dance events, offering tips to ensure high-quality video products whether using a professional videography service or filming dance performances oneself.
New development of research on water-soluble polymer of hydrophobic association

This paper summarized the new development of water-soluble polymer of hydrophobic association on such aspects as molecular structure, polymerization method, properties of polymers solution and influence factors. Water-soluble polymer of hydrophobic association(HAWP)is a kind of water-soluble high molecular material, and its the water-wetted main chains contain a few hydrophobic groups of witch the content of hydrophobic groups is less than 2 mole. Water-soluble polymer of hydrophobic association not only has strong temperature and salt resistance, but also can improve the fluid mechanics volume of polymer and make solution viscosity increase significantly due to the formation of space reticular structure by association action of a few hydrophobic groups.Finally, this paper discussed the application prospect of water-soluble polymer of hydrophobic association in petroleum industry, dope industry, sewage treatment, medical material and so on.
The detection of serum vitamin A level in school-age children

Objective: To establish the reversed-phase ultra performance liquid chromatography( UPLC) with internal standard method for detecting the serum vitamin A level of children,in order to understand the school-age children vitamin A nutritional status,and provide reference in formulating the dietary nutrition plan. Methods: The 100 μl standard was added to the 100 ml serum of school aged children in Fuyang city Yingshang county,which was oscillated,mixed,extracted using 1. 0 ml of hexane extraction and centrifugated.The supernatant was dried with N2,redissoluting using 200 μl of anhydrous ethanol,and which was determined by UPLC. The chromatographic column was the chromatographic conditions,which included Waters C18 column( 2. 1 mm × 100 mm,1. 7 μm),secondary array detector; mobile phase,acetonitrile: water( 96∶ 4) prodegassing before using. The detection wavelength was 325 nm,the column temperature was 40 ℃,the flow rate was 0. 3 ml / min and the adding sample was 2 μl. Results: The serum vitamin A concentration in 360 school-age children was 0. 072 8 to 0. 728 μg / ml,the range of which showed a good linear relationship( r 0. 999). The mean value of vitamin A was 39. 6 μg / dl,CV was less than 5%. The lowest detection limit of vitamin A was 0. 020 μg /ml,which could be detected within 4. 0 min. Among 360 school aged children,the children with vitamin A level equal to or less than20 μg / dl,equal to 30 μg / dl and more than or equal to 30 μg / dl were accounted for 1. 11%,19. 17% and 79. 72%,respectively.Conclusions: The overall survey results meet the requirements of dietary nutrition plan. The reversed-phase ultra performance liquid chromatography with internal standard method in detecting the serum vitamin A level of children is fast,sensitive,accurate and reproducible.
Rural Teachers’ Literacy Practices In and Out of the Classroom: Exploring Teacher Characteristics and Literacy Tools

Scholars who recognize the socially constructed nature of literacy acknowledge that important literacy processes take place across settings both in and out of school. Most of what is known about these trans-literacy practices relates to students, but little is known about the literacy practices of teachers in and outside of school. This study examines through survey research the in- and out-of-school literacy practices of teachers in a rural K-12 school district. The findings of the study suggest that for early career teachers, their out-of-school literacy practices are more deliberately connected to their literacy practices in school than for mid- and later-career teachers. This study calls for more descriptive research on the relationships between teachers’ literacy practices and use of literacy tools outside of school, and their literacy practices and pedagogical approaches to literacy in school.
K-12 Neuroscience Education Outreach Program: Interactive Activities for Educating Students about Neuroscience

The University of New England’s Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences has developed a successful and growing K-12 outreach program that incorporates undergraduate and graduate/professional students. The program has several goals, including raising awareness about fundamental issues in neuroscience, supplementing science education in area schools and enhancing undergraduate and graduate/professional students’ academic knowledge and skill set. The outreach curriculum is centered on core neuroscience themes including: Brain Safety, Neuroanatomy, Drugs of Abuse and Addiction, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, and Cognition and Brain Function. For each theme, lesson plans were developed based upon interactive, small-group activities. Additionally, we’ve organized our themes in a “Grow-up, Grow-out” approach. Grow-up refers to returning to a common theme, increasing in complexity as we revisit students from early elementary through high school. Grow-out refers to integrating other scientific fields into our lessons, such as the chemistry of addiction, the physics of brain injury and neuronal imaging. One of the more successful components of our program is our innovative team-based model of curriculum design. By creating a team of undergraduate, graduate/professional students and faculty, we create a unique multi-level mentoring opportunity that appears to be successful in enhancing undergraduate students’ skills and knowledge. Preliminary assessments suggest that undergraduates believe they are enhancing their content knowledge and professional skills through our program. Additionally, we’re having a significant, short-term impact on K-12 interest in science. Overall, our program appears to be enhancing the academic experience of our undergraduates and exciting K-12 students about the brain and science in general.