cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sortilin Associates with Transforming Growth Factor-β Family Proteins to Enhance Lysosome-mediated Degradation

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family proteins are synthesized as precursors that are cleaved to generate an active ligand. Previous studies suggest that TGF-β activity can be controlled by lysosomal degradation of both precursor proteins and ligands, but how these soluble proteins are trafficked to the lysosome is incompletely understood. The current studies show that sortilin selectively co-immunoprecipitates with the cleaved prodomain and/or precursor form of TGF-β family members. Furthermore, sortilin co-localizes with, and enhances accumulation of a nodal family member in the Golgi. Co-expression of sortilin with TGF-β family members leads to decreased accumulation of precursor proteins and cleavage products and this is attenuated by lysosomal, but not proteosomal inhibitors. In Xenopus embryos, overexpression of sortilin leads to a decrease in phospho-Smad2 levels and phenocopies loss of nodal signaling. Conversely, down-regulation of sortilin expression in HeLa cells leads to an up-regulation of endogenous bone morphogenic protein pathway activation, as indicated by an increase in phospho-Smad1/5/8 levels. Our results suggest that sortilin negatively regulates TGF-β signaling by diverting trafficking of precursor proteins to the lysosome during transit through the biosynthetic pathway.
Holographic Investigation Of Hydroelastic Modes And Waves In A Cochlear Model

The cochlea of the inner ear has attracted the attention of investigators in a wide variety of fields from physics to physiology. Of particular interest is the question of how much signal processing occurs before sound waves become neural codes. Studies with properly scaled mechanical models have revealed much qualitative information which correctly corresponds to physiology observations, such as a place principle and traveling wave motion of the basilar membrane. This membrane, which supports the neural sensors, resembles a slender tapered plate of trapezoidal platform with a length of about 35 millimeters and a width of a few tenths of a millimeter. This divides a tube of variable cross-sectional area into two chambers (scala vestibuli and scala tympani). A mechanical model, twenty-four times life size, that maintains dynamical similarity has been tested using both time averaged and stroboscopic holography. This model has been tested with both viscous and inviscid incompressible fluids. Also the thin plate, which represents the basilar membrane, has been modeled by a lossless material (aluminum) and a material with internal damping (polycarbonate). Results of the holography study are presented and compared to a parallel theoretical study. In the lossless case pure nodal patterns are observed and the prominence of the place principle increases with decreasing fluid density. At low frequency (corresponding to less than 500 Hz in the ear) with a viscous fluid the steady state sinusoidal response can be adequately described by a one dimensional theory. The waves are a combination of travelling and standing waves. The travelling component is solely a dissipative effect. Discrete resonances are readily observed in this frequency range. At higher frequencies dissipation smooths out the resonance effect. Also at higher frequencies three dimensional fluid motion becomes highly significant.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The symmetric inverse M-matrix completion problem

Necessary and sufficient conditions are given on the data for completability of a partial symmetric inverse M-matrix, the graph of whose specified entries is a cycle, and these conditions coincide with those we identify to be necessary in the general (nonsymmetric) case. Graphs for which all partial symmetric inverse M-matrices have symmetric inverse M-matrix completions are identified and these include those that arise in the general (positionally symmetric) case. However, the identification of all such graphs is more subtle than the general case. Finally, we show that our new cycle conditions are sufficient for completability of all partial symmetric inverse M-matrices, the graph of whose specified entries is a block graph.
Life-threatening air rifle injuries to the heart in three boys

Air rifles, or BB guns, are generally thought of as childhood toys. Although most injuries are not serious, life-threatening events have been reported. Within a 1-year period, 3 boys presented after BB gun shots to the chest, all requiring surgical intervention for penetrating injuries to the heart. A 15-year-old underwent window pericardiotomy for hemopericardium with thrombus 24 hours after admission. Another, 5 years of age, underwent emergent exclusion of the cardiac apex for a traumatic ventricular septal defect. The third, 8 years old, had a right ventricular injury requiring an urgent subxiphoid pericardial window for tamponade. All recovered uneventfully. Increased public awareness, adult supervision, safety training, and appropriate legislation are needed to decrease the risks of these potentially lethal weapons.
The Role of Culture and Ethnicity in the Degeneration of Democratic Firms

This paper is concerned with the oft-noted tendency for democratic workplaces to 'degenerate' over time. Prevailing theories of degeneration usually ascribe this tendency to a variety of economic incentives associated with the legal and capital structures of the firm. While acknowledging the tremendous power of these economic influences, this article demonstrates the importance of an additional set of ethnic and cultural factors that discussions of this problem are often inclined to overlook. This purpose is accomplished with the help of an analysis of the rapid degeneration of two taxi cooperatives that were formed in 1977 in the city of Los Angeles.
Photoreceptor structures:† Their molecular organization for energy transfer

The photoreceptors of plant and animal cells, the chloroplasts and retinal rods and cones, are highly ordered lamellar structures which suggest properties of crystalline or quasi-crystalline nature. The number of lamellae are related to the number of pigment molecules, and provide sufficient space and surface area for the pigment molecules of the complex to orient as monomolecular layers. The photoreceptors can be solubilized in 1–2% aqueous digitonin; the digitonin micelles of these pigment-complexes possess structural and photochemical properties similar to those of the photoreceptors. It is suggested then, that the lamellar structure is an efficiency mechanism for light capture; it may also be a critical functioning device.
Impact of Alternate Assessment on Curricula for Students With Severe Disabilities: Purpose Driven or Process Driven?

In this article, the authors highlight the impact of alternate assessment on curriculum content for students with severe disabilities. Alternate assessment is a requirement of the Individuals with ...
Safety and Liability Issues Related to Field Trips and Field Courses

Fieldwork plays an important role in initiating students into the geoscience community of practice, providing learning opportunities not possible through classroom lectures, lab work, or computer exercises alone [Mogk and Goodwin, 2012]. It's no wonder, then, that fieldwork is a mainstay of any well-balanced university geoscience program, with activities ranging from local field trips to in-residence field camps at remote sites.
Effects of electroconvulsive shock and prior stress on brain amine levels

Abstract An effort was made to determine whether the changes in activity levels of rats that received electroconvulsive shock (ECS) after either cold stress or foot shock could be related to changes in serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine levels in various parts of the brain. The brain regions sampled were the frontal pole, the caudate nucleus, and the remainder. There were some changes in the levels of these amines as a consequence of ECS treatment but the more significant changes were related to the type of stress the rats had been subjected to before ECS treatment. No clear relationships between changes in the levels of these amines in the brain and the reported changes in activity levels following ECS could be identified.
Unoccupied surface states on metal surfaces as revealed by inverse photoemission

Abstract We have discovered the first unoccupied electronic surface states on Ag(110) using k-resolved inverse photoemission. We call these surface states intrinsic, as they are split-off from bulk bands into projected bandgaps owing to the jump of the electrostatic potential at the surface. They reveal a material property and may be occupied or unoccupied. In contrast, the image potential at a metal surface gives rise to a series of bound electronic states with energies near the vacuum level. Their wavefunction maxima are located several angstroms away from the surface z = 0. On Ag(100), both image and intrinsic surface states exist at different k in the surface Brillouin zone. Both states can be quenched with oxygen or water at 110 K. However, Xe due to its lower interaction potential causes only a shift of the image-state emission, which follows the workfunction change of the substrate, while the intrinsic surface-state emission is again quenched by only 1 monolayer of Xe at 50 K. Finally, we find an increased effective mass (m ∗ = 1.5m) for the image-state band on Ag(100), which we attribute to the surface corrugation the electron is following in its x, y movement. This allows the identification of the binding energies of the different n image states, also on the Cu(110), Au(110) and Ag(111) surfaces.
Looking inside and out: perceptions of physical activity in childcare spaces

This study addresses the need to better understand how providers' perceptions of indoor and outdoor childcare settings can set the stage for arranging play spaces to optimise children's moderate-to-vigorous physical play. Childcare providers' perceptions of the level of physical activity, safety, and quality that children experience in childcare settings were examined. Childcare providers rated coloured photographs of indoor and outdoor childcare centres and family childcare homes. The providers rated higher levels of physical activity outdoors as compared with indoors and in childcare centres as compared with family childcare homes. When asked to select specific features of the childcare settings that contributed to their physical activity, safety, and quality ratings, open space was frequently selected, among other features. The findings also suggest that prior provider training on physical activity promotion results in providers' greater sensitivity when critiquing the physical environment.
Reevaluating the Sonographic Criteria for Acute Appendicitis in Children: A Review of the Literature and a Retrospective Analysis of 246 Cases

Rationale and Objectives There has been little rigorous evaluation of the sonographic criteria for acute appendicitis in children. Our clinical experience has called the traditional diagnostic criteria into question. We set out to review the literature, evaluate the most commonly applied diagnostic criteria for acute appendicitis, and identify those criteria that best predict the presence of disease. Materials and Methods A critical review of the literature concerning the sonographic diagnosis of acute appendicitis was performed. Based on diagnostic criteria identified in that review, two independent, blinded pediatric radiologists retrospectively reviewed 246 right lower quadrant ultrasound examinations in which the appendix was identified with attention to commonly described diagnostic criteria for acute appendicitis. Multivariate and classification and regression tree analysis were performed to identify criteria that predict appendicitis. Results In a multivariate analysis, inflammation of the periappendiceal fat is the only finding that statistically significantly predicts acute appendicitis (OR = 68.93, P Conclusion Periappendiceal fat infiltration is the most important diagnostic criterion for acute appendicitis in children. Strict application of other criteria such as diameter should be avoided.
Bright light, dark and melatonin can promote circadian adaptation in night shift workers

The circadian rhythms of shift workers do not usually phase shift to adapt to working at night and sleeping during the day. This misalignment results in a multitude of negative symptoms including poor performance and reduced alertness during night work and poor daytime sleep at home. After an introduction to circadian principles, we discuss the efficacy of appropriately timed bright light exposure (natural and artificial) and exogenous melatonin administration for producing circadian adaptation to night work. Interventions that generate alternative 24h light/dark patterns that facilitate appropriate circadian phase shifting are discussed. Such interventions include minimizing night workers' exposure to the external light/dark cycle, and the use of intermittent and moving patterns of bright light at work. The efficacy of melatonin in phase shifting circadian rhythms in the field is also addressed and compared to that of bright light. We present sleep/light exposure schedules that could produce circadian adaptation in permanent night workers. We conclude this review by discussing the impact of individual differences on possible circadian interventions and issues associated with the use of bright light interventions in the field.
Rheological characterization of fast-reacting thermosets through spiral flow experiments

The standard spiral flow test is normally used to assess the “moldability” of thermosetting materials. It is proposed that such tests can be modified and analyzed to yield rheological information as from a viscometer. Specifically, a “parameter-identification” scheme is developed to determine the constants in a viscosity model by minimizing the difference between the outcome of spiral flow tests and the results of numerical simulations of these tests. The proposed scheme is particularly applicable to fast-reacting thermosets for which typical viscometers cannot be used. Successful application of the scheme is demonstrated for a particular encapsulating epoxy material, where constants are obtained for a modified WLF equation viscosity model. These constants are used to predict the outcome of spiral flow experiments not involved in the minimization procedure. A favorable comparison between experiment and simulation occurs at most operating conditions. The method requires no elaborate equipment or delicate instrumentation.
Rapidity distributions of Ks0's and Λ's produced by 14.6×A GeV/cSi beams on Si and Pb targets

Abstract We present the first measurement at AGS energies of rapidity distributions of K s 0 and Λ production with silicon beams on silicon and lead targets. The measurements cover the rapidity region of 2.0 y K s 0 's and 1.4 y Λ 's.
Plant-Cell-Wall-Degrading Enzymes Produced by the White-Rot Fungus Ceriporiopsis Subvermispora

The production of various plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes by the white-rot fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora was monitored in shake-flask cultures. Analyses included various cellulolytic (i.e. endo-1,4-b-glucanase, exo-1,4-b-glucanase, 1,4-b-glucosidase), hemicellulolytic (i.e. xylanases, 1,4-b-xylosidases, mannanases, 1,4-b-mannosidases), and ligninolytic (i.e. laccase and manganese peroxidase) enzymes. Other enzymes studied were polyendogalacturonase, proteases, amylases, phenolic acid esterases and lipases. Glucose, cellobiose, avicel and Whatman cellulose were the primary carbon sources used. Other substrates were birch-wood xylan, galacto-mannan and citrus pectin. Ground stems of two fibrous plants, flax and kenaf, were the substrates representing a complete cell-wall composition used. Endo-1,4-b-glucanase and 1,4-b-glucosidase activities were detected in certain culture solutions but, interestingly, no significant amount of exo-1,4-b-glucanase activity was found in cultures of any of the carbon sources. Avicel, in general, gave rise to higher fungal growth and enzyme production compared to the more crystalline Whatman cellulose. Xylanase and mannanase activities were readily detected under all culture conditions used. Flax and kenaf flour generally induced more enzyme production over xylan, mannan and pectin. Laccase and manganese peroxidase were the two ligninolytic enzymes produced. Pectin, xylan and mannan induced more polyendogalacturonase than other substrates. Proteases and amylases were also produced, but no lipase activity was detected. C. subvermispora also produced phenolic acid esterases in the avicel and xylan cultures. Preference for a more amorphous cellulose, avicel and hemicelluloses over a more crystalline Whatman cellulose as substrates for active growth is most likely the reason for the lignin specificity of C. subvermispora. Enzyme profiles suggest that C. subvermispora shows a potential for various industrial applications where removal of the lignin components, while maintaining cellulosic fibre strength property, is important.
Optimal treatment of knee monarthritis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a decision analysis.

Objective To identify the optimal initial treatment strategy for knee monarthritis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) using a decision model and parents' preferences. Methods We utilized a decision analysis model with Markov states and a 6-month multi-attribute outcome with 7 dimensions pertinent to the treatment decision. The 3 most common treatment strategies for knee monarthritis were compared: nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) only, NSAID trial followed by intraarticular corticosteroid injection (IACI) if arthritis was not resolved after 2 months, and initial IACI. Probability estimates for the efficacy and adverse effects of NSAIDs and IACIs were derived from a systematic review of the literature. Parents' preferences for the 7 dimensions of the multi-attribute outcome were elicited by a unique hybrid of the time tradeoff and magnitude estimation techniques. These preferences were then combined with the outcomes of the decision analysis to determine an individual's preferred treatment. Results The NSAID trial strategy may avert IACIs in some patients, but at a cost of continued active arthritis. The number of patients that need to be treated with the NSAID trial strategy to avoid a single IACI compared with the initial IACI strategy is 3.8 with an expected additional cost of 6.7 months of active arthritis. Of the 12 parent subjects, 11 (92%) preferred the initial IACI strategy and 1 preferred the NSAID-only strategy. These preferences were not sensitive to model assumptions or probability estimates. Conclusion Initial IACI appears to be the optimal treatment strategy for knee monarthritis in JIA.
Executive Decree Authority in Brazil: How Reactive Legislators Influence Policy

At first glance, wide-ranging presidential decree authority suggests executive branch domination of legislatures. However, decree power may also be a rational delegation of authority by legislators, in accord with their political objectives. Seen in this light, the key issue for legislators is not halting decree authority but reducing the agency losses that result from delegation. This paper shows how decree authority, as practiced in Brazil, constitutes an example of rational delegation by a legislature in which seniority and policy specialization are relatively undervalued. Brazilian legislators prefer to endow presidents with broad decree power and then monitor presidents on an issue-by-issue basis by amending executive decrees. This method of “oversight after delegation” lowers the transaction costs of delegation and speaks to the influence of Brazilian legislators over what is typically seen as an important source of presidential power.
Analysis of Mechanically Laminated Timber Beams Using Shear Keys

Small timber layers can be mechanically laminated into a larger timber cross section using shear keys to prevent slip between the layers. These mechanically laminated beams are commonly referred to as keyed beams and their use has a strong historical precedence. Current building codes and design standards do not provide adequate guidelines for the analysis of keyed beams. This project examined the applicability of an interlayer slip model to predict the partially composite behavior of the keyed beams. Solutions to the interlayer slip model for common loading configurations were developed, as were stiffness parameters for the semirigid wooden shear keys used to provide composite action. Small and full-scale testing of timber components was also performed to verify the interlayer slip model’s ability to predict the stiffness of specific keyed beam specimens. A comparison of the interlayer slip model to historical keyed beam test data was also conducted. The interlayer stiffness model, as well as the analyti...
Inflammation and neovascularization associated with clinically used vascular prosthetic materials.

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate and compare healing characteristics, specifically neovascularization and inflammation, of polymeric vascular graft materials commonly used in clinical applications. Our hypotheses were (i) polymeric materials used in vascular graft manufacture stimulate chronic inflammation and (ii) inflammation and neovascularization of polymeric materials are related. Impra and Gore-Tex ePTFE, Meadox weavenit and woven Dacron, Hemashield microvel and woven Dacron, and Golaski microknit Dacron were implanted as 6-mm diameter disks within rat subcutaneous and adipose tissue. Following 5 weeks of implantation samples were evaluated by histological and immunocytochemical analysis. Sections were stained using hematoxylin and eosin or reacted with ED1 antibody and GS1 lectin to quantify inflammation and neovascularization, respectively. The extent of inflammation and neovascularization were influenced by both tissue site of implantation and polymer characteristics. For subcutaneous implants, inflammation was graded as follows: Meadox weavenit > Hemashield woven > Meadox woven > Gore-Tex ePTFE > Hemashield microvel > Impra ePTFE > Golaski microknit, while only the Golaski microknit neovascularized. Inflammation was graded as follows for adipose implants: Hemashield woven > Hemashield microvel > Meadox weavenit > Meadox woven > Gore-Tex ePTFE > Golaski microknit > Impra ePTFE, while the following order of neovascularization was observed: Impra ePTFE > Gore-Tex ePTFE > Golaski microknit. The degree of inflammation following biomaterial implantation has a profound effect on implant neovascularization. These data suggest an inverse relationship exists between inflammation and neovascularization.
Safety and tolerability of bosentan in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Endothelin receptor antagonism has emerged as an important therapeutic approach in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Bench to bedside scientific research has clearly shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1) is over-expressed in several forms of pulmonary vascular disease and plays an important pathogenetic role in the development and progression of PAH. Oral endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) have been shown to improve exercise capacity, functional status, pulmonary hemodynamics, and delay the time to clinical worsening in several randomized placebo-controlled trials. Bosentan, the first oral ERA, was approved in 2001 and since that time it has established a strong record of safety and efficacy in PAH. More recently, two additional ERAs, ambrisentan and sitaxsentan, have been approved for use. The objective of this review is to evaluate the available evidence supporting the efficacy, pharmacology, safety and tolerability, and patient-focused perspectives for bosentan, the first approved ERA for PAH. Ongoing and forthcoming randomized trials are also highlighted including the application of bosentan in combination with other PAH therapies.
The behavior of clomazone in the soil environment.

BACKGROUND: Clomazone is a herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses. Clomazone use in agriculturally important crops and forests for weed control has increased and is a potential water contaminant given its high water solubility (1100 µg mL−1). Soil sorption is an environmental fate parameter that may limit its movement to water systems. The authors used model rice and forest soils of California to test clomazone sorption affinity, capacity, desorption, interaction with soil organic matter and behavior with black carbon. RESULTS: Sorption of clomazone to the major organic matter fraction of soil, humic acid (HA) (Kd = 29–87 L kg−1), was greater than to whole soils (Kd = 2.3–11 L kg−1). Increased isotherm non-linearity was observed for the whole soils (N = 0.831–0.893) when compared with the humic acids (N = 0.954–0.999). Desorption isotherm results showed hysteresis, which was greatest at the lowest solution concentration of 0.067 µg mL−1 for all whole soils and HA extracts. Aliphatic carbon content appeared to contribute to increased isotherm linearity. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that clomazone does not sorb appreciably to sandy or clay soils. Its sorption affinity and capacity is greater in humic acid, and consequently clomazone has difficulty desorbing from soil organic matter. Sorption appears to follow processes explained by the dual-mode model, the presence of fire residues (black carbon) and a recently proposed sorption mechanism. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
MICROSITE‐LIMITED RECRUITMENT CONTROLS FERN COLONIZATION OF POST‐AGRICULTURAL FORESTS

Assessing the relative roles of dispersal limitation and environmental effects in population dynamics and community assembly is fundamental to understanding patterns of species distribution and diversity. In forests growing on abandoned agricultural lands, both legacies of vegetation disturbance and changes in the abiotic environment shape the diversity and composition of recovering communities. Here I specify how interactions among historical, environmental, and biological factors influence species distributions, focusing on three fern species with contrasting distributions across forests of different history in central New York, USA: Dryopteris carthusiana, Dryopteris intermedia, and Polystichum acrostichoides. Using population surveys, spore-trap and spore-bank studies, and a three-year field experiment, I compare demographic rates among species and between forest types to determine which life history stages limit colonization and which traits explain species distributions. Adult plants of all three species were larger and more likely to produce spores in post-agricultural forests than in adjacent, uncleared stands. Though lower population densities led to fewer spores in post-agricultural soils, spore availability still exceeded recruitment by four to five orders of magnitude. Sowing additional spores had relatively little effect, while microhabitat conditions had the greatest impact on establishment rates. Given similar microsites, the two forest types had equal rates of establishment, but some forest-floor features preferentially occupied by juvenile plants were less frequent in post-agricultural stands. The availability of suitable sites for establishment, created by small-scale heterogeneity on forest floors, thus limits both the growth of fern populations and the colonization of new habitats. In fact, reduced microtopographic variation in post-agricultural forests may represent a greater hindrance to plant establishment than changes in mean environmental conditions. Among the three fern species, establishment rates differed as species distributions would predict, with the strongest colonizer consistently having the highest rates and the slowest colonizer the lowest. Rather than random or trait-mediated dispersal, the different distributions of these species reflect life history traits that determine establishment rates and thus colonization ability. This case study demonstrates that ecological interactions based on the unique life histories of individual species can override dispersal in determining species distributions.
The relevance of marketing for child welfare agencies

Abstract While several child welfare organizations have instinctively been practicing marketing to acquire community acceptance and support (Stoner, 1986), many practitioners still appear to doubt the ethical basis of consciously using a marketing approach for resource attraction and allocation. This paper explores the relevance of the marketing process for child welfare agencies and presents the necessary ingredients for the development of an effective program of marketing.
Vacuum Polarization Effects in Proton-Proton Scattering

The problem of vacuum polarization scattering of protons by protons is treated to first order in the vacuum polarization interaction. The phase shifts caused by the interaction are calculated, and the corresponding addition to the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering matrix is constructed. The phase shifts are calculated using Coulomb wave functions as the unperturbed wave functions. The corresponding addition to the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering matrix is then constructed, including exactly the Coulomb phase shift factors $\mathrm{exp}[2i({\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{L}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{0})]$ appearing in the series representation of the scattering amplitudes. Other electromagnetic and relativistic modifications of the Coulomb scattering amplitudes are also examined in the limit of low energies. Numerical results are given for the vacuum polarization contributions to the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering cross section over the energy range 1.4-4.2 Mev. It is found that vacuum polarization scattering may easily be confused with nuclear $P$-wave scattering.
Conus medullaris enterogenous cyst.

This report discusses the unique presentation and outcome of a patient with a conus medullaris enterogenous cyst. The incidence of enterogenous cysts, differential diagnosis, imaging, presentation, and management are discussed. The unique aspects of this case presentation include a patient of advanced age with an atypical enterogenous cyst at clinical presentation and postoperative motor recovery despite prolonged cord compression.
Intercept Telemetry of the Hudson River Striped Bass Resident Contingent: Migration and Homing Patterns

Abstract Hudson River striped bass Morone saxatilis show highly variable migration patterns, as observed through past tagging studies and otolith microchemical analyses. Recent studies have shown resident, estuarine, and ocean migratory contingents in the Hudson River. We undertook a directed study to more precisely characterize the seasonal migrations of the resident contingent. Remote biotelemetry was conducted on 12 resident striped bass during a 14-month period in 2004–2005. All tagged striped bass migrated downriver from October 2004 to January 2005 and returned upriver from March to May 2005. Observed seasonal migration patterns were similar to those expected from previous tagging and otolith microchemistry studies: Directed downriver emigration to brackish-water overwintering habitats was followed by upriver migration to spring–summer freshwater feeding and spawning habitats. Eight of 12 fish showed directed spring migrations upriver to their original tagging site and were repeatedly located there,...
Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) filtration, biodeposition, and sediment nitrogen cycling at two oyster reefs with contrasting water quality in Great Bay Estuary (New Hampshire, USA)

Benthic deposition of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N)-rich oyster biodeposits may increase denitrification, or anaerobic respiration of nitrate (NO3 −) to di-nitrogen gas (N2). However, environmental drivers of C and N dynamics in oyster biodeposits and reef-adjacent sediments require clarification. In July 2012, we collected intact sediment cores adjacent to and 15–20 m away from two oyster reefs (Crassostrea virginica) in Great Bay, New Hampshire, USA: one reference site and one site with cultural eutrophication. We also measured seston, chlorophyll a, and in situ oyster feeding and biodeposition. Cores were incubated in continuous-flow chambers where inflow water received 15N-ammonium (NH4 +), 15NO3 −, or no isotopes (control). We quantified fluxes of dissolved nutrients and gasses (oxygen, 28N2, 29N2, 30N2, and argon) after 24 h. Finally, we measured size-fractionated sediment organic matter. At the eutrophic site, abundant phytoplankton in the 5–28 µm size range was correlated with enhanced oyster feeding rates and biodeposit quality (lower C:N). This site had greater denitrification rates in reef-adjacent cores relative to distal cores. Low production of 29,30N2 in 15NH4 + amended cores suggested water column or biodeposit NH4 + were unlikely to be converted to N2. At both sites, reef-adjacent cores had more shell and higher 29,30N2 production with 15NO3 − addition relative to distal cores, suggesting direct denitrification enhancement near reefs. Oysters likely increased sediment N2 production via high quality biodeposits (eutrophic site), and NO3 − diffusion via structural complexity of reef-adjacent sediment (both sites). Overall, results suggest oyster-mediated ecosystems services may be expected to vary with environmental conditions.
R2: Does it Matter for Firm Valuation?

A considerable amount of research has been devoted to why R2 differs across firms or markets, but little attention has been paid to the consequences of this difference. We fill this gap by investigating how differing R2 affects investors’ assessment of firm value. Using a sample of 90,111 firm-year observations from 1970 to 2004, we find that higher R2 leads to higher firm valuation and that, on average, high-R2 firms experience significant underperformance in the long run. These results suggest that high-R2 firms tend to be overpriced.
The Ctp Type IVb Pilus Locus of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Directs Formation of the Common Pili and Contributes to Reversible Surface Attachment

Agrobacterium tumefaciens can adhere to plant tissues and abiotic surfaces and forms biofilms. Cell surface appendages called pili play an important role in adhesion and biofilm formation in diverse bacterial systems. The A. tumefaciens C58 genome sequence revealed the presence of the ctpABCDEFGHI genes (cluster of type IV pili; Atu0216 to Atu0224), homologous to tad-type pilus systems from several bacteria, including Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Caulobacter crescentus. These systems fall into the type IVb pilus group, which can function in bacterial adhesion. Transmission electron microscopy of A. tumefaciens revealed the presence of filaments, significantly thinner than flagella and often bundled, associated with cell surfaces and shed into the external milieu. In-frame deletion mutations of all of the ctp genes, with the exception of ctpF, resulted in nonpiliated derivatives. Mutations in ctpA (a pilin homologue), ctpB, and ctpG decreased early attachment and biofilm formation. The adherence of the ctpA mutant could be restored by ectopic expression of the paralogous pilA gene. The ΔctpA ΔpilA double pilin mutant displayed a diminished biovolume and lower biofilm height than the wild type under flowing conditions. Surprisingly, however, the ctpCD, ctpE, ctpF, ctpH, and ctpI mutants formed normal biofilms and showed enhanced reversible attachment. In-frame deletion of the ctpA pilin gene in the ctpCD, ctpE, ctpF, ctpH, and ctpI mutants caused the same attachment-deficient phenotype as the ctpA single mutant. Collectively, these findings indicate that the ctp locus is involved in pilus assembly and that nonpiliated mutants, which retain the CtpA pilin, are proficient in attachment and adherence.
High conversion efficiency microscopic tin-doped droplet target laser-plasma source for EUVL

Light sources based on laser plasmas using tin as target material are known to provide high conversion efficiency of laser power to emission in the 13.5 nm spectral region. In addition, laser plasmas produced from microscopic droplet targets enable the utilization of the mass-limited concept which minimizes the effect of target debris produced from the laser plasma interaction. By combining the mass-limited target concept and tin as the choice of target material, we are developing an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light source that can supply high power while remaining essentially debris-free. This source uses tin-doped microscopic droplet liquid targets that are generated at high-repetition rates (>30 kHz), which allows convenient upward power scaling when coupled with a high averaged-power laser. Detailed studies of the radiation from this source have been made using a precision Nd:YAG laser. Broad parametric studies of the conversion efficiency along with in-band spectroscopy of this EUV source have been performed. The parametric dependence of conversion efficiency is established based on measurements made by the Flying Circus diagnostic tool and a calibrated high-resolution flat-field spectrometer. These measurements have been independently confirmed by the Flying Circus 2 team.
Performance evaluation of non-ideal iris based recognition system implementing global ICA encoding

We describe and analyze the performance of a non-ideal iris recognition system. The system is designed to process non-ideal iris images in two steps: (i) estimation of the gaze direction and (ii) processing and encoding of the rotated iris image. We use two objective functions to estimate the gaze direction: Hamming distance and Daugman's integro-differential operator and determine an estimated angle by picking the value that optimizes the selected objective function. After the angle is estimated, the off-angle iris image undergoes geometric transformations involving the estimated angle and is further processed as if it were a frontal view image. The encoding technique developed in this work is based on application of the global independent component analysis (ICA) to masked iris images. We use two datasets: CASIA dataset and a special dataset of off-angle iris images collected at WVU to verify the performance of the encoding technique and angle estimator, respectively. A series of receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) demonstrates various effects on the performance of the non-ideal iris based recognition system implementing the global ICA encoding.
Mesh computer algorithms for computational geometry

Asymptotically optimal parallel algorithms are presented for use on a mesh computer to determine several fundamental geometric properties of figures. For example, given multiple figures represented by the Cartesian coordinates of n or fewer planar vertices, distributed one point per processor on a two-dimensional mesh computer with n simple processing elements, Theta (n/sup 1/2/>or=-time algorithms are given for identifying the convex hull and smallest enclosing box of each figure. Given two such figures, a Theta (n/sup 1/2/>or=-time algorithm is given to decide if the two figures are linearly separable. Given n or fewer planar points, Theta (n/sup 1/2/>or=-time algorithms are given to solve the all-nearest neighbor problems for points and for sets of points. Given n or fewer circles, convex figures, hyperplanes, simple polygons, orthogonal polygons, or iso-oriented rectangles, Theta (n/sup 1/2/>or=-time algorithms are given to solve a variety of area and intersection problems. Since any serial computer has worst-case time of Omega (n) when processing n points, these algorithms show that the mesh computer provides significantly better solutions to these problems. >
Dopamine-dependent postnatal development of enkephalin and tachykinin neurons of rat basal ganglia

: The influence of deprivation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) on the development of [Met5]-enkephalin (ME) and substance P (SP) neuropeptide systems of the stria-turn was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was used to induce DA deficiency on postnatal day 3 in rats, and the animals were killed at different postnatal time points until 35 days of age. The levels of ME and SP were determined by radioimmu-noassay, and the abundance of preproenkephalin (PPE) and preprotachykinin (PPT) mRNA in the striatum was assessed by Northern blot hybridization analysis. The concentrations of DA, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and their acid metabolites were determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The postnatal development of the PPE-derived pep-tide ME and the PPT-derived peptide SP closely paralleled the appearance of the respective mRNAs coding for these peptides. The dopaminergic lesion with 6-OHDA led to a marked depletion of DA and its metabolites but produced an increase in content of 5-HT and its metabolite in the striatum. The lesion did not affect the ME and PPE mRNA levels in the striatum up to 25 days but increased the levels at 35 days. In contrast, a decreased developmental expression in SP and PPT mRNA was observed throughout the observation period. The lesion failed to influence the development of the mRNA coding for the structural protein β-actin. The results indicate that the normal development of enkephalin, tachy-kinin, and 5-HT systems of the striatum is dependent on the availability of DA, the integrity of dopaminergic neurons, or both. The studies provide evidence for an interrelationship and interdependence between the development of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems. It is suggested that an early developmental abnormality in the DA system could permanently alter the neuropeptide systems, which in turn could influence the progression and expression of the DA-deficiency state parkinsonism, Lesch-Nyhan disease, or both.
INVOLVEMENT AND THE CONSISTENCY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS

The proposition that consistency among people's knowledge (K), attitudes (A), and behaviors (B) is contingent on high levels of involvement was tested in a long-term health intervention campaign. Support varied depending upon the indicator of involvement used. Cognitive involvement with the health topic, as indicated by number of responses to an open-ended question about heart disease, produced the clearest support. Using LISREL procedures, high K-A, K-B, and A-B correlations were found only in the high cognitive response group. Affective indicators of involvement produced mixed support. Perceived risk of heart disease was related to K-A-B consistency in a direction opposite to the hypothesis, but extremity of affective response was associated with the predicted high K-B correlation. A behavioral indicator of involvement based on reading the campaign literature produced results consistent with the hypothesis, although less so as the campaign progressed. The experimental health education campaign produced ...
Interventions in heart and thyroid surgery: can they be safely combined?

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid diseases are relatively common problems in patients with cardiac disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of combined interventions in heart and thyroid surgery. METHODS: A retrospective study of 2530 cardiac operations yielded six patients who underwent thyroid intervention combined with cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting, valvular surgery or both) between 1996 and 2003. All patients were examined for age, gender, cardiac problems, thyroid pathology and related symptoms. RESULTS: four males and two females were operated for coronary artery disease, valvular disease or both and for thyroid pathologies. All patients had anticoagulation with intravenous heparin peroperatively and then postoperatively. No patient suffered from bleeding at the neck neither per- or postoperatively. No hemodynamic or cardiovascular compromises were noted. CONCLUSION: The combined staged thyroid and cardiac surgery was feasible with a little risk for the both operations.
Model for Predicting the Mechanical Properties of Composites at Elevated Temperatures

A model is presented for predicting the changes in the mechanical properties of organic matrix composites exposed to elevated temperatures. The model can be used to calculate changes in the tensile...
Gender differences in the negative affective priming of aggressive behavior

The negative affective priming of aggression was examined across different aversive contexts (general stress exposure and frustration) with a laboratory aggression paradigm that measured the intensity of shocks participants delivered to a putative employee. Participants' emotional responses were gauged via startle eyeblink reactions and self-report mood ratings. Aside from gender differences in overall aggression, men but not women exposed to general stress showed significant increases in aggression across blocks. However, frustration produced increases in aggression in both genders. Although both genders showed robust startle increases during stress, startle activation was related to increases in aggression in men and decreases in aggression in women. These findings suggest that general stress and experiences of negative emotion trigger physical aggressive responses more strongly in men than in women.
Host activity and the risk of nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds

Proportions of nests parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) vary greatly among host species, but factors underlying this variation remain poorly understood. Cowbirds are believed to find nests by watching host behavior. We tested the hypothesis that the activity of hosts during nest building correlates with the probability of parasitism among and within four sympatric hosts: dusky flycatchers (Empidonax oberholseri), warbling vireos (Vireo gilvus), yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia), and American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla). Daily probability of parasitism varied substantially among these species, from 3% for dusky flycatchers to more than four times that for warbling vireos. The four species did not differ in the proportion of cowbirds fledged from their nests. Differences in nest placement did not explain differences in probability of parasitism among or within species. Parasitism frequencies increased among species that made longer nest-building visits, had a greater propensity to perch during nest approach, spent more time near their nests, and had males that vocalized more often near nests. Within species, females that visited their nests less often, spent more time on the nest per visit, and males that sang more and were active in a smaller area around their nests were more likely to be parasitized by cowbirds. These data support the hypothesis that cowbirds use the activity of hosts during nest building to locate nests. Key words: American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), brood parasitism, brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri), host behaviors, host quality, nest building, nest concealment, nest visitation, perching frequency, vocalization rates, warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus), yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia). [Behav Ecol 12:31–40 (2001)]
The effects of neonatal tactile stimulation on adult emotional reactivity in BALB-c mice.

The authors attempted to isolate tactile stimulation as a major independent variable treatment and to investigate the effects of 2 levels of neonatal tactile stimulation on the ontogenesis of emotional reactivity in BALB/c mice. The findings of this study strongly indicate differential reactivity as a function of intensity of tactile stimulation, with moderate levels of intensity producing the lowest levels of emotionality and the highest levels producing the highest emotionality.