cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vertebral fragility and structural redundancy.

The mechanisms of age-related vertebral fragility remain unclear, but may be related to the degree of “structural redundancy” of the vertebra; ie, its ability to safely redistribute stress internally after local trabecular failure from an isolated mechanical overload. To better understand this issue, we performed biomechanical testing and nonlinear micro-CT–based finite element analysis on 12 elderly human thoracic ninth vertebral bodies (age 76.9 ± 10.8 years). After experimentally overloading the vertebrae to measure strength, we used nonlinear finite element analysis to estimate the amount of failed tissue and understand the failure mechanisms. We found that the amount of failed tissue per unit bone mass decreased with decreasing bone volume fraction (r2 = 0.66, p < 0.01). Thus, for the weak vertebrae with low bone volume fraction, overall failure of the vertebra occurred after failure of just a tiny proportion of the bone tissue (<5%). This small proportion of failed tissue had two sources: the existence of fewer vertically oriented load paths to which load could be redistributed from failed trabeculae; and the vulnerability of the trabeculae in these few load paths to undergo bending-type failure mechanisms, which further weaken the bone. Taken together, these characteristics suggest that diminished structural redundancy may be an important aspect of age-related vertebral fragility: vertebrae with low bone volume fraction are highly susceptible to collapse because so few trabeculae are available for load redistribution if the external loads cause any trabeculae to fail. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Intermodal interaction: effect of sensory stimulation on flurothyl seizure threshold in normal and brain-damaged rats.

Summary Flurothyl seizure threshold in rats is decreased by intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) or by intermittent sonic stimulation (ISS), or bilateral lesions of the visual cortex. However, when IPS and ISS are presented simultaneously, thresholds return to normal (control) values. Also, when visual cortex lesions are combined with ISS the threshold returns to normal values. These experiments corroborate past reports of sensory-precipitation of seizures. Furthermore, the data suggest that seizurogenicity is influenced not only by the interplay of environmental multimodal inputs, but also by the intermodal interaction of sensory inputs and focal brain damage.
Investigation of gamma-ray induced polymer formation in the carboranes—III Factors which limit the molecular weight of the 1-vinyl-o-carborane polymer

Abstract The polymerization of 1-vinyl-o-carborane has been investigated in both the pure bulk material and in cyclohexane solution. The results in both cases indicate that the primary mechanism of polymerization is free radical. In the case of the pure bulk 1-vinyl-o-carborane polymerization, the principal factor which limits Dp n was found to be chain transfer. The propagation rate constant in the pure material was determined to be approximately 2 × 102 M−1 sec−1 with an Ea of 3·3 kcal/mole. Polymerization of 1-vinyl-o-carborane in cyclohexane solution results in both the G(−m) and Dpn being greatly reduced compared to the values obtained in the pure bulk material.
Comparison of the Amide I/II Intensity Ratio of Solution and Solid-State Proteins Sampled by Transmission, Attenuated Total Reflectance, and Diffuse Reflectance Spectrometry

The absolute and relative differences in amide I and amide II band intensities of albumin, β-lactoglobulin, and myoglobin as measured by attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectrometry, transmission of aqueous solutions, and KBr disks and diffuse reflectance (DR) spectrometry are compared. The amide I/II intensity ratios of the proteins sampled by ATR, DR, and transmission spectrometry of KBr disks were similar and were significantly different from the intensity ratios of the proteins in solution. The absolute amide II band intensity of dissolved proteins did not vary significantly with changes in pH. The difference in amide I/II intensity ratios between solution and adsorbed proteins was attributed to differences in secondary and possible tertiary structure. The thickness of each protein film was estimated with the use of the absorptivities calculated from the amide II band intensities of the KBr disk spectra. pH had a significant influence on the thickness of the adsorbed films. Differences in film thickness were attributed to a difference in the orientation of the protein molecules at the surface of the germanium internal reflection element.
Intracochlear salicylate reduces low-intensity acoustic and cochlear microphonic distortion products

Salicylate is well-known to produce reversible hearing loss and tinnitus. The site and mechanism of salicylate's ototoxic actions, however, remain unresolved. Recent experiments demonstrating primarily low-intensity effects on cochlear afferent outflow and effects on otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) suggest that salicylate acts to compromise active, energy-enhancing processes within the cochlea (i.e., the active process). We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of salicylate on distortion product emissions. Distortion product responses to two-tone stimulation were monitored in the guinea pig before, during, and after intracochlear administration of increasing concentrations of salicylate (0.6-5 mM). These responses were recorded as acoustic signals in the ear canal spectrum (ADP), and as present in the cochlear microphonic (CM) recorded from a wire in basal turn scala vestibuli (CMDP). We also recorded the CM response to a single tone. Cochlear perfusion of salicylate resulted in a dose-responsive reduction in ADPs that was greater for low intensities of stimulation. CMDPs also demonstrated a concentration-dependent reduction at low intensities, but were increased slightly, though not significantly, by salicylate when elicited by high intensity primaries. CM was essentially unchanged by intracochlear salicylate. These results are consistent with an action of salicylate that involves the outer hair cells (OHCs) and are in harmony with the hypothesis that salicylate may selectively compromise the active process.
Eosinophils in fungus-associated allergic pulmonary disease.

Asthma is frequently caused and/or exacerbated by sensitization to fungal allergens, which are ubiquitous in many indoor and outdoor environments. Severe asthma with fungal sensitization is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and bronchial constriction in response to an inhaled allergen that is worsened by environmental exposure to airborne fungi and which leads to a disease course that is often very difficult to treat with standard asthma therapies. As a result of complex interactions among inflammatory cells, structural cells, and the intercellular matrix of the allergic lung, patients with sensitization to fungal allergens may experience a greater degree of airway wall remodeling and progressive, accumulated pulmonary dysfunction as part of the disease sequela. From their development in the bone marrow to their recruitment to the lung via chemokine and cytokine networks, eosinophils form an important component of the inflammatory milieu that is associated with this syndrome. Eosinophils are recognized as complex multi-factorial leukocytes with diverse functions in the context of allergic fungal asthma. In this review, we will consider recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that are associated with eosinophil development and migration to the allergic lung in response to fungal inhalation, along with the eosinophil’s function in the immune response to and the immunopathology attributed to fungus-associated allergic pulmonary disease.
Thinking outside of the box: the role of environmental adaptation in the acquisition of skilled and expert performance.

Abstract According to current theories of expert performance, experts gain an advantage by acquiring through practice cognitive skills and strategies that increase the efficiency with which information specific to their domain is processed. Consequently, experts are able to circumvent natural processing limitations. In this study, a description is provided of how experts make use of strategies that involve adapting physical elements of their domain environment to reduce cognitive workload during performance. Telephone interviews were conducted with 15 expert orienteers and six coaches of national orienteering squads about how expert orienteers carry and arrange their navigational equipment while orienteering. A content analysis of the interview data revealed that expert orienteers adapt their navigational equipment to reduce the cognitive and, more specifically, attentional workload during performance. A theory of how experts circumvent natural processing limitations requires consideration of the role of ...
Food-deprivation induced arousal: evidence against "behavioral inhibition" in electrocortical hypersynchrony.

Hypersynchronous activity was recorded from the visual cortex of the rat in the form of photically evoked after-discharges following 0, 24, 48, and 72 hr. of food deprivation. After-discharge activity was affected at only the 48-hr. level of deprivation and only in terms of a decrease in the frequency of occurrence. All other measures—after-discharge burst duration, after-discharge spindle amplitudes, and spindle waves per after-discharge burst—were unaffected by conditions of food deprivation. These results are discussed in terms of evidence against the uniform role of behavioral inhibition in hypersynchronous brain activity.
Theory of cochlear mechanics.

This paper attempts to define the current state of the theory of cochlear mechanics on the basis of past and current experimental and theoretical work. It begins with von Bekesy's discovery of traveling transversal waves in the cochlea and with related early mathematical theory and ends with insights engendered by Russell and Sellick's demonstration that inner hair cells are as sharply tuned as the auditory-nerve fibers and by the finding of the M.I.T. groups of Weiss and Peake that sharp tuning of hair cells can exist in the absence of basilar-membrane tuning. Evidence for a sharpening of tuning beyond basilar-membrane vibration is reviewed and two mechanisms for such sharpening are considered--one arising from an interaction between basilar-membrane wavelength and longitudinal coupling within the tectorial membrane and one from the radial-mode resonance of the tectorial membrane and its viscoelastic coupling to the organ of Corti. Simple calculation reveals that damping of the radial-mode vibration should be small enough to allow such a resonance.
Thermal Stimulation of the Oral Mucosa and Nasal Airway Resistance

A procedure for measuring nasal airway resistance using posterior rhinorheotnetry is descrihed. Baseline nasal airway resistances ± 1 S.D. at an airflow of 0.5 L/sec were found to be 1.077 ± 0.683 cm H2O for inhalation and 1.359 ± 0.792 cm H 2O for exhalation. Application of either cold water (4 to 6 C) or warm water (44 to 52 C) to the oral mucosa significantly increased nasal airway resistance. Application of tepid water (26 to 28 C) did not alter nasal airway resistance significantly.
WAS ADAM SMITH AN ECONOMIST? COMMENT ON MEARDON AND ORTMANN

The eighteenth century is often termed the `Age of Reason,' and it is correctly so termed if by the phrase is meant that it was the age in which philosophers held that the credibility of all things should be tested by reason. But from the point of view of its prevailing psychological doctrines, it could more properly be called the `Age of the Passions' because of its stress on the emotions and the instincts, the affections and aversions, and its playing down of the role of reason in the behavior of ordinary man.
Performance scalability of a multi-core web server

Today's large multi-core Internet servers support thousands of concurrent connections or ows. The computation ability of future server platforms will depend on increasing numbers of cores. The key to ensure that performance scales with cores is to ensure that systems software and hardware are designed to fully exploit the parallelism that is inherent in independent network ows. This paper identifies the major bottlenecks to scalability for a reference server workload on a commercial server platform. However, performance scaling on commercial web servers has proven elusive. We determined that on web server running a modified SPEC-web2005 Support workload, throughput scales only 4.8 x on eight cores. Our results show that the operating system, TCP/IP stack, and application exploited ow-level parallelism well with few exceptions, and that load imbalance and shared cache affected performance little. Having eliminated these potential bottlenecks, we determined that performance scaling was limited by the capacity of the address bus, which became saturated on all eight cores. If this key obstacle is addressed, commercial web server and systems software are well-positioned to scale to a large number of cores.
The effects of selenium on the distribution of mercury in the organs of the black bullhead (Ictalurus melas).

Abstract 1. Following i.p. mercuric chloride injections, the mercury was deposited primarily in the kidneys. 2. Simultaneous selenium injections prevented mercury induced osmoregulatory failure even though selenium strongly promoted the movement of mercury to the kidneys and its deposition in an approximate 1:1 mercuric selenite ratio. 3. Whole-body retention of mercury was not altered by simultaneous subcutaneous injections of sodium selenite.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest-the solution is shocking

Sudden cardiac arrest claims 350,000 lives per year in the United States alone. Dr. David J. Callans explains how the prospects for resuscitation changed with the development of automated external defibrillators.
Biochemical and morphological assessments of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in rats

Abstract Low doses (5 units) or high doses (15 units) of bleomycin were administered ip twice weekly to separate groups of male rats. A progressive dose-dependent reduction in body weight gain with a concomitant increase in wet lung weight to body weight ratio was observed over 6 weeks of treatments. Light microscopic confirmation of perivascular edema suggested that the increase in wet lung weight resulted from fluid accumulation. Although histological evidence of mild fibrosis was also present following low-dose treatment, only a slight increase in collagen content was observed biochemically. In vivo elevation of prolyl hydroxylase activity was observed in lungs of animals treated with low-dose bleomycin for 6 weeks. High-dose bleomycin regimen did not accelerate fibrosis, but rather inhibited the prolyl hydroxylase activity. In vitro, this enzyme activity was also stimulated at 1–10 μ m concentration, but was inhibited at 0.1 m m . Lung angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was examined as an indication of damage to endothelial cells. This activity was unchanged after low-dose bleomycin treatments until 6 weeks, at which time a 59% decrease in activity was observed. High-dose bleomycin treatment produced a biphasic response in angiotensin-converting enzyme activity, with an initial 32% stimulation after 1.5 weeks of treatment followed by a 41% inhibition after 3 weeks. Kinetic analysis of the in vitro interaction of purified porcine plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme with bleomycin indicated that bleomycin acts as a competitive inhibitor with a Ki of 3.7 μ m . Stimulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity following acute high-dose bleomycin administration could be due to the initial endothelial cell repair, while the inhibition at later stages may indicate extensive destruction of endothelial surface upon repeated bleomycin administration. Direct inhibition of the enzyme by the chelating effect of bleomycin may also be a possibility.
Skeletal muscle as a regulator of the longevity protein, Klotho

Klotho is a powerful longevity protein that has been linked to the prevention of muscle atrophy, osteopenia, and cardiovascular disease. Similar anti-aging effects have also been ascribed to exercise and physical activity. While an association between muscle function and Klotho expression has been previously suggested from longitudinal cohort studies, a direct relationship between circulating Klotho and skeletal muscle has not been investigated. In this paper, we present a review of the literature and preliminary evidence that, together, suggests Klotho expression may be modulated by skeletal muscle activity. Our pilot clinical findings performed in young and aged individuals suggest that circulating Klotho levels are upregulated in response to an acute exercise bout, but that the response may be dependent on fitness level. A similar upregulation of circulating Klotho is also observed in response to an acute exercise in young and old mice, suggesting that this may be a good model for mechanistically probing the role of physical activity on Klotho expression. Finally, we highlight overlapping signaling pathways that are modulated by both Klotho and skeletal muscle and propose potential mechanisms for cross-talk between the two. It is hoped that this review will stimulate further consideration of the relationship between skeletal muscle activity and Klotho expression, potentially leading to important insights into the well-documented systemic anti-aging effects of exercise.
Parental-F1 hybrid bone marrow chimeras: high incidence of donor-type lymphomas.

SummaryAdult LAF1 hybrid mice received a whole-body exposure to 500 R of X-rays, followed by a single intravenous injection of 4 × 106 normal, parental strain (A/He) bone marrow cells, which produced no overt graft-versus-host morbidity or mortality. On sacrifice, 2 years later, a striking increase in the incidence of malignant lymphoma (76%) over that of appropriate controls, was observed. Transplantation tests with cell suspensions prepared from these lymphomas revealed that they are of donor strain—rather than host—origin. The key point for lymphomagenesis here may be the persistent, tolerated histoincompatibility associated with the parental strain-F1 hybrid bone marrow cell chimerism, rather than immunosuppression by graft-versus-host reaction.
Relating individual control, social understanding, and gender to child-friend interaction: A relationships perspective

According to a relationships perspective, it is critical to consider how the individual behaviors and characteristics of both partners shape their social interaction. Adopting a relationships approach to the investigation of children's friendships, we examined how preschool children's and their friends’ controlling behaviors, social understanding, and gender were related to their dyadic interaction. Child–friend dyads (n = 49) were videotaped in two laboratory play sessions (free play and sharing task), and child interviews assessed understanding of emotions and false beliefs. Both children's indirect control was associated with coordinated play during the free play session, and both children's direct control was associated with conflict during the sharing task. Moreover, dyadic interaction varied as a function of study children's social understanding, friends’ social understanding, and play session. An interaction between gender composition and play session also emerged for dyadic conflict. Multiple regression analyses suggested that study children's controlling behaviors accounted for associations between dyadic interaction and more ‘distal’ individual factors (i.e., social understanding, gender). The findings underscore the need to examine how both children's individual competencies are related to the quality of their dyadic interaction and illuminate how the associations between individual factors and dyadic interaction are moderated by the interactive context.
Bus energy minimization by transition pattern coding (TPC) in deep sub-micron technologies

The energy dissipation associated with driving long wires accounts for a significant fraction of the overall system energy. This is particularly the case with the increasing importance of the inter-wire parasitic capacitance in deep sub-micron technology. A closed form solution for estimating the energy dissipation of a data bus is presented that uses an elaborate parasitic wire model. This includes the distributed RLC effects of wires as well as the coupling between wires. We also propose a general class of coding techniques to reduce energy dissipation for data transmission by trading-off between computation and communication costs. An algorithm is presented to design efficient coding strategies to minimize energy. When the effects of inter-wire capacitance are taken into account, the best coding strategy is not to simply minimize transitions - an approach followed by previous research. Instead, Transition Pattern Coding (TPC) modifies the transition profile to minimize energy, and in many cases higher transition activity can result in lower energy. Results show that up to a factor of 2 reduction in energy.
Fitting and testing a ‘predator‐prey’ model*

Students of political competition and of social influence processes have long recognized the insights afforded by a particular nonlinear, dynamical formalism commonly known as a “predator‐prey” model. Yet, to date there remain relatively few research reports in which this model has been fit to actual observations and used to predict behavior. This is largely attributable to the fact that the predator‐prey cannot easily be fit to observations using such common estimation procedures as ordinary least‐squares. This paper presents a relatively simple method of fitting the predator‐prey to observations. And it illustrates the method using data on Finnish parliamentary elections.
Calibration of prestack inversions using Bayes' theorem

The ability of seismic processing centers to invert data already exceeds our capacity to interpret the inversion output. Many seismic interpreters still ask “What should we do with this additional, new information?” Here we apply Bayes’ Theorem to calibrate the inversion output to lithologic well data. Calibration to lithology clarifies inversion interpretation. Oftentimes it also substantiates the need for prestack, rather than poststack, inversion.
Daily n-3 fatty acid supplements did not reduce CV events in high-risk patients with dysglycemia

Source Citation ORIGIN Trial Investigators, Bosch J, Gerstein HC, et al. n-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with dysglycemia. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:309-18. 22686415
Exact explicit time integration of hyperbolic partial differential equations with mesh free radial basis functions

Abstract This study is a progress report that examines the numerical solution of inviscid hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) without the need for upwind differencing and other numerical artifacts. The fixed frame PDEs are locally transformed by rotating and translating the coordinate system at each local discretization point. These transformations yield a simpler PDE system that is effectively linearized. It is assumed that in this transformed local frame within a time interval, Δ t , the dependent variables are products of the spatial dependent radial basis functions (RBFs), and the time dependent expansion coefficients, χ ( t ) . This linearization is exploited by transforming the PDEs into systems of linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in terms of the expansion coefficients. The affine space decomposition is used to obtain an ODE system of N i ODEs in N i unknowns that can be integrated exactly in time. Then the entire set of N expansion coefficients is found. Numerical results show that hyperbolic PDEs can be integrated in time without upwinding and the root mean square errors between the exact and numerical solutions are indeed very small.
Political Learning and Democratic Consolidation: Korean Industrial Relations, 1987-1992

Although the concept of political learning is recognized as a key to understanding the success of democratic consolidation, it has been difficult to operationalize it. The author argues that if we ...
THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS IN GRADUATE SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: THEN AND NOW

Social workers recognize the necessity of using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association) but question its compatibility with social work education. The data in this study were compared with the data from P. R. Raffoul and K. A. Holmes (1986) regarding the extent to which the DSM was included in graduate social work programs. The authors' findings show that since 1986, schools have increased DSM content. Although educators continue to express concern about conflicts with the DSM, they also appreciate its usefulness in diagnosis and treatment planning. It is recommended that DSM be taught in human behavior courses and that social workers have a stronger voice in the process of DSM revision.
Secretion without membrane fusion: Porocytosis

We have recently proposed a mechanism to describe secretion, a fundamental process in all cells. That hypothesis, called porocytosis, embodies all available data and encompasses both forms of secretion, i.e., vesicular and constitutive. The current accepted view of exocytotic secretion involves the physical fusion of vesicle and plasma membranes; however, that hypothesized mechanism does not fit all available physiological data. Energetics of apposed lipid bilayers do not favor unfacilitated fusion. We consider that calcium ions (e.g., 10−4 to 10−3 M calcium in microdomains when elevated for 1 ms or less), whose mobility is restricted in space and time, establish salt bridges among adjacent lipid molecules. This establishes transient pores that span both the vesicle and plasma membrane lipid bilayers; the diameter of this transient pore would be ∼ 1 nm (the diameter of a single lipid molecule). The lifetime of the transient pore is completely dependent on the duration of sufficient calcium ion levels. This places the porocytosis hypothesis for secretion squarely in the realm of the physical and physical chemical interactions of calcium and phospholipids and places mass action as the driving force for release of secretory material. The porocytosis hypothesis that we propose satisfies all of the observations and provides a framework to integrate our combined knowledge of vesicular and constitutive secretion. Anat Rec (Part B: New Anat) 282B:18–37, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Photochemical reactions in micelles of biological importance

Abstract The fluorescence decay of pyrene solubilized in aqueous micellar solution of sodium taucholate, n -dodecyl betain and mixed micelles of both with sodium lauryl sulphate (NaLS) has been investigated by nanosecond laser-photolysis technique to explore the permeability of these micelles with respect to nonionic and ionic quenchers. Microviscosities of the micellar interior were obtained from fluorescence polarization measurements using 2-methylanthracene as a fluorescent probe. Bile salt micelles were found to have a more rigid interior and wider spacing of the anionic head groups than NaLS micelles. In n -dodecyl betain micelles, singlet excited pyrene reacts with the quaternary ammonium haed groups to form an excimer. Neutralization of the ammonium groups suppresses this quenching reaction.
Transport through Unimak Pass, Alaska

We examined inflow through Unimak Pass (<200 m deep), which is the only major connection between the shelves of the North Pacific Ocean and the eastern Bering Sea. Geostrophic transport was generally northward from the Gulf of Alaska into the Bering Sea. The flow through the pass appeared to be modulated by the seasonal cycle of freshwater discharge. On shorter time scales, transport also was affected by semi-daily variations in tidal mixing. This effect was significant and not anticipated. Near-bottom currents, measured from moorings, were maximum during winter, and significantly correlated (r=0.7) with the alongshore winds. Although the flow through Unimak Pass transported some nutrients from the North Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Alaska shelf is not the major source of nutrients to the Bering Sea shelf.
Differential expression of glucose transporters in normal and pathologic thyroid tissue.

Malignant cells demonstrate increased glucose uptake and utilization. Immunohistochemical studies have suggested that enhanced glucose uptake in cancer cells may be caused by the overexpression of ...
Project Planning: The Effects of Using Formal Planning Techniques on Creative Problem‐Solving

Two lines of research have emerged in the study of planning techniques. The psychological approach emphasizes the cognitive processes that underlie planning while project management researchers have focused on applications of planning in organizational settings. The purpose of this study is to examine how the use of formal planning techniques influences planners’ creative problem-solving. Specifically, three planning techniques, Gantt charts, casebased planning and critical path analysis, were examined. We attempted to ascertain the impact of using these techniques on a planner’s ability to develop innovative solutions. It was found that participants demonstrated higher levels of creativity when they were encouraged to consider events that could jeopardize successful goal attainment rather than using cases from memory and planning specific tasks to be done.
IBM POWER6 microarchitecture

This paper describes the implementation of the IBM POWER6™ microprocessor, a two-way simultaneous multithreaded (SMT) dual-core chip whose key features include binary compatibility with IBM POWER5™ microprocessor-based systems; increased functional capabilities, such as decimal floating-point and vector multimedia extensions; significant reliability, availability, and serviceability enhancements; and robust scalability with up to 64 physical processors. Based on a new industry-leading high-frequency core architecture with enhanced SMT and driven by a high-throughput symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) cache and memory subsystem, the POWER6 chip achieves a significant performance boost compared with its predecessor, the POWER5 chip. Key extensions to the coherence protocol enable POWER6 microprocessor-based systems to achieve better SMP scalability while enabling reductions in system packaging complexity and cost.
IBM research in interactive data mining and scientific computing

A number of research and development efforts from IBM are described in the areas of data mining and visualization of large data sets. Some useful principles for data mining and visualization are discussed, and a few research programs and available products are described. In addition, the current IBM line of hardware and support software for scientific computing is briefly described.
Small Molecule Modulators of Endogenous and Co-chaperone-stimulated Hsp70 ATPase Activity *

The molecular chaperone and cytoprotective activities of the Hsp70 and Hsp40 chaperones represent therapeutic targets for human diseases such as cancer and those that arise from defects in protein folding; however, very few Hsp70 and no Hsp40 modulators have been described. Using an assay for ATP hydrolysis, we identified and screened small molecules with structural similarity to 15-deoxyspergualin and NSC 630668-R/1 for their effects on endogenous and Hsp40-stimulated Hsp70 ATPase activity. Several of these compounds modulated Hsp70 ATPase activity, consistent with the action of NSC 630668-R/1 observed previously (Fewell, S. W., Day, B. W., and Brodsky, J. L. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 910-914). In contrast, three compounds inhibited the ability of Hsp40 to stimulate Hsp70 ATPase activity but did not affect the endogenous activity of Hsp70. Two of these agents also compromised the Hsp70/Hsp40-mediated post-translational translocation of a secreted pre-protein in vitro. Together, these data indicate the potential for continued screening of small molecule Hsp70 effectors and that specific modulators of Hsp70-Hsp40 interaction can be obtained, potentially for future therapeutic use.
Regional variation in the postcranial robusticity of late Upper Paleolithic humans.

Early modern humans from the European Upper Paleolithic (UP) demonstrate trends in postcranial biomechanical features that coincide with the last glacial maximum (LGM). These features have been interpreted as evidence that ecological changes of the LGM played a critical role in cultural and biological adaptation in European UP populations. In areas outside of Europe, similar environmental changes occurred with the LGM. This analysis introduces postcranial material from the Late Upper Paleolithic (LUP) of North Africa and Southeast Asia and tests two related hypotheses: 1) LUP samples across the Old World had similar patterns of postcranial robusticity and 2) relative to an available Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) sample, regional LUP samples demonstrate similar trends in robusticity that may be attributable to climatic effects of the LGM. Cross-sectional geometric data of the humeri and femora were obtained for 26 EUP and 100 LUP humans from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Despite regional differences, LUP samples are similar relative to the EUP sample. In the humerus, bilateral asymmetry decreases in all LUP samples relative to the EUP sample. In the femur, LUP samples demonstrate increasingly circular femoral midshaft sections, reflecting reduced anteroposterior bending strength relative to the EUP sample. These patterns suggest changes in subsistence behavior and mobility after the LGM across the Old World that are most consistent with reduced mobility and broad-spectrum resource exploitation. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bone formation as a potential motive force of tooth eruption in the rat molar

The objectives of this anatomical study were to (1) determine if significant bone growth occurs in the base of the alveolar bony crypt of the first mandibular molar to move the tooth through the eruption pathway; (2) determine if the osteogenesis in the crypt correlates with the published chronological gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the dental follicle; and (3) determine chronologically and regionally the crypt bone activity. To accomplish this, the alveolar bony crypts of rat mandibular molars from postnatal days 3 to 18 were processed and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, mandibles and teeth of ages 12–18 were prepared for light microscopy. SEM demonstrated that bone formation occurs in the basal (apical) portion of the alveolar bony crypt at day 3, whereas bone resorption concurrently is ongoing in the coronal region of the crypt. By day 9, the crypt is beginning to be reduced in depth as the result of basal bone formation, and by day 14, the base of the crypt immediately under the tooth is almost completely filled with bone to form the interradicular septum. At day 18, the tooth erupts as bone formation likely elevates the molar. Bone growth in the basal area of the crypt correlates with a previous study showing enhanced BMP-2 expression in the dental follicle. Thus, SEM indicates that the motive force of tooth eruption likely is bone formation at the base of the alveolar crypt and this osteogenesis may relate to BMP-2 production in the dental follicle. Clin. Anat. 20:632–639, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Surface bloom on improperly tempered chocolate

The surface composition, in terms of sugar and fat content, on untempered and over-tempered chocolates was estimated by carefully scraping the surface layer and analyzing fat and sugar melting enthalpies by differential scanning calorimetry. The dull surface of over-tempered chocolate had a fat and sugar composition similar to the initial chocolate mass, whereas the surface bloom formed on untempered chocolate was nearly depleted of fat, containing primarily sugar and cocoa solids. This was confirmed qualitatively by using polarized light microscopy, where no fat crystals could be observed in the bloom spots. Bloom on untempered chocolate corresponded to a phase separation between fat, sugar and cocoa solids. In contrast, the grey, dull aspect of the surface of over-tempered chocolate had essentially the same sugar-to-fat ratio as the intact chocolate and was due to a diffuse reflection of light on a rough surface, most likely induced by large cocoa butter crystals. Bloom on untempered chocolate developed regardless of the relative humidity of storage (between 0 and 75%). However, bloom developed more quickly and to a greater extent at lower relative humidity. Whiteness was directly related to the number, diameter and growth speed of the white bloom spots.
When good intentions are not enough: A response to increasing diversity in an early childhood setting

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the process of adaptation to a recent increase in cultural and linguistic diversity in a school for grades K-2. Data were collected for eight weeks through interviews, observations, and documents. The informants were the principal, 18 classroom teachers, five specialist teachers, and one paraprofessional. All participants were Euro-American with the exception of the one paraprofessional. Eisner's five dimensions of educational settings were used as a framework for exploring and discussing the findings. The school has made some efforts to address cultural diversity; despite the good intentions of the teachers, however, the findings indicate that stated school goals and practices do not match. Implications for educational settings serving culturally and linguistically students are shared.
Exploratory and Normative Technological Forecasting: A Critical Appraisal

Abstract Comparison of the still evolving approaches to “exploratory” and “normative” technological forecasting yields marked contrasts. In particular the simple schemes used by those trying to predict the technology of the future look pallid when matched against the intricate techniques designed by those who are allocating the resources that will create the future. Exploratory technological forecasts are largely based either on aggregates of “genius” forecasts (e.g., the Delphi technique) or on the use of leading indicators and other simple trend-line approaches. The practitioners of economic forecasting, in contrast, long ago recognized the need for multivariate systems analysis and cause-effect models to develop reliable predictions. So-called “normative” forecasting is at the opposite extreme on the sophistication scale, fully utilizing Bayesian statistics, linear and dynamic programming, and other operations research tools. Here, despite the uniqueness, uncertainty, and lack of uniformity of research and development activities, the typical designer of a normative technique has proposed a single-format wholly quantitative method for resource allocation. Along the dimensions of unjustified standardization and needless complexity, for example, the proposed R & D allocation methods far exceed the general cost-effectiveness approach used by the Department of Defense in its program and system reviews. For both exploratory and normative purposes, dynamic models of broad technological areas seem worthy of further pursuit. In attempting to develop “pure predictions” the explicit recognition of causal mechanisms offered by this modeling approach seems highly desirable. This feature also has normative utility, provided that the dynamic models are limited in their application to the level of aggregate technological resource allocation and are not carried down to the level of detailed R & D project funding.
Ecology of threespot damselfish: Social organization, age structure, and population stability*

The threespot damselfish, Eupomacentrus planifrons Cuvier, population in the back reef of Discovery Bay, Jamaica was found to be positively correlated with the size of Acropora cervicornis Lamarck patches. Densities of these damselfish, however, were negatively correlated with patch size indicating an intraspecific territorial spacing mechanism on larger patches with contiguous territories. Male threespots competitively exclude smaller males and dusky damselfish from A. cervicornis patches, while female threespots preferentially select Montastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander) heads for territory sites. Four age classes of threespot damselfish were evident from dissection of individuals. Breeding was on a year-round lunar cycle with females laying clutches within male territories. Experimental removals of threespots indicated that replacements within 48 h were in a hierarchical order: (1) replacements from a non-breeding pool of wanderers, (2) replacements by resident damselfish abandoning their territories, and (3) replacements by dusky and immature threespot damselfish. Reduced aggression and cooperative behavior by threespots withinlarge coral patches imparted a high degree of persistence stability to the population with adjustment stability being from replacement of threespots from the pool of wanderers.
SEASONAL AND SUCCESSIONAL UNDERSTORY VASCULAR PLANT DIVERSITY IN SECOND-GROWTH HARDWOOD CLEARCUTS OF WESTERN MARYLAND, USA

Abstract Understory vegetation of 17 clearcuts (1–26 years old) and three mature secondary forested sites in Garrett County, MD, USA was sampled three times (June, August, and October) during a single growing season to investigate vascular plant species diversity during forest regeneration. Vegetation was sampled in 0.1 ha quadrats and nested subplots to determine species richness and derive species-area relations which served as a measure of diversity. Subplots of 1-m2 were established to yield percent cover estimates of understory vegetation. These data were used to calculate Shannon–Wiener diversity values and mean species richness m−2. Twelve of the study sites were established on opposite aspects (northwest and southeast) to investigate potential differences in plant diversity on sites of varying soil moisture. Diversity and species richness remained constant from June to August but decreased in October. However, percent cover of understory vegetation was greatest in August, and June vegetation was more abundant than in October. Therefore, data collected from June to August were comparable regarding diversity and richness but not abundance. Overall, there were no significant trends in diversity with stand age; clearcutting did not have a dramatic influence on plant diversity in this chronosequence. However, diversity may have been slightly higher on recently clearcut sites, lower on older clearcut sites, and higher again on control sites. Dominance by Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniesis) may have had a greater influence on diversity than tree canopy closure on recent clearcuts. Percent cover of understory vegetation was negatively correlated with stand age. No differences in diversity or richness were found between sites with northwest and southeast aspects.
Assessment of Compensatory Growth in Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus R. and Associated Changes in Body Condition indices

A feeding trial was undertaken to evaluate compensatory growth in channel catfish and to chronicle the changes in body condition associated with the imposed feeding strategy. Four 1200-L circular tanks were each stocked with approximately 600 fingerling channel catfish (mean initial weight 32 g). Two tanks represented control fish which were fed to apparent satiation once daily throughout the trial. The two remaining tanks of fish were unfed for 4 wk and subsequently refed daily to apparent satiation for the following 10 wk in order to elicit a compensatory growth response. Fish fed to apparent satiation during the first 4 wk of the trial had a 41% increase in body weight, while the fasted fish decreased in weight by 20%. During the subsequent refeeding period, previously unfed fish were not able to increase growth rates sufficiently to overcome weight loss imposed by the 4-wk feed restriction. However, after 8 wk of refeeding, total increase in body weight of the previously unfed fish was 179 % of initial weight and similar to that of control fish which gained 231 % of initial weight. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) and condition factor decreased rapidly during the fasting period and increased rapidly to control levels during subsequent refeeding. The intraperitoneal fat (1PF) ratio and muscle ratio responded more slowly to feed restriction with IPF ratio decreasing consistently after 2 wk feed restriction. Muscle ratio showed little effect from the 4-wk period of feed deprivation. It appears that not feeding channel catfish fingerlings for 4 wk is too long to induce a compensatory growth response that is optimal for aquaculture; however, HSI may be the index of choice for detecting when refeeding should begin to maximize compensatory growth.
The phase diagram of KNO3 to 40 kbars

The phase diagram of KNO3 was determined by differential thermal analysis to 40 kbars and 600°C. Three new polymorphs, KNO3 V, VI, VII, were found. The melting curve passes through a broad maximum at 6.4 kbars, possibly through a second one at 11 kbars, and then rises steeply with increasing pressure. Above 15 kbars the phase diagram of KNO3 is very similar to those of RbNO3 and CsNO3.
Ball Lightning in Zero Gravity

Summary form only given. We have made what appears to be ball lightning in a simulated zero gravity environment. This experiment continues the work that was previously reported. The apparatus comprises a horizontal discharge tube filled with atmospheric air. The apparatus is rotated around the horizontal axis to reduce the vertical thermal convection that removes thermal energy from the ball during formation. The discharge is produced by five neon sign transformers in parallel, producing 15000 V at 300 mA. A sixth transformer is used over a short gap to trigger the discharge. The result produces an elliptical "ball" 2 1/2 inches by 5 inches that survives for about one second. This is the largest ball we have created so far. The ball has been photographed both in visible and in infrared light, and we have several successive shots made with an ordinary 35 mm camera. The discharge was pulsed during the rotational period, and to provide a time base, a neon lamp operating at 60 Hz was included
Phenomenology and Artificial Intelligence

Phenomenology is often thought to be irrelevant to artificial-intelligence and cognitive-science research because first-person descriptions do not reach to the level of genuine causal explanations. Although phenomenology taken in this weak sense may not be useful, the method of phenomenology taken more formally may well produce fruitful results. Husserl’s phenomenological reduction, or epoche, sets the right frame of reference for a science of cognition because it makes explicit the difference between what belongs to cognition and what belongs to the natural world. Isolating this critical difference helps us assign the correct procedures to cognition and describe their functions. A formalized phenomenology of cognition can therefore aid initiatives in cognitive computing.