cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESEM-EDS: an improved technique for major element chemical analysis of fluid inclusions

Abstract Quantitative chemical analyses of fluid inclusions in sedimentary and diagenetic minerals can greatly improve our understanding of the chemistry of ancient surface and near surface waters. The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) with an attached X-ray energy dispersive system (EDS) is capable of producing rapid and accurate major element chemical analyses of individual fluid inclusions in crystals of halite greater than about 30 μm in diameter. The ESEM-EDS technique uses the same basic principles as the X-ray microanalysis of frozen fluid inclusions reported by Ayora and Fontarnau [Ayora, C., Fontarnau, R., 1990. X-ray microanalysis of frozen fluid inclusion. Chemical Geology, 89, pp. 135–148.] but operates in a low-vacuum environment, which allows direct observation of the fluid inclusions to be analyzed without the need for a conductive coating. Modifications of the technique of Ayora and Fontarnau [Ayora, C., Fontarnau, R., 1990. X-ray microanalysis of frozen fluid inclusion. Chemical Geology, 89, pp. 135–148.] also include a newly designed sample holder, modified methods for the preparation of standard brine solutions to obtain “glass-like” homogeneous freezing behavior by addition of ethylene glycol, and a technique to obtain flat smooth surfaces on standard brine solutions. The ability to observe samples before analysis led to the discovery of heterogeneous freezing behavior of some standard solutions and fluid inclusions, which adversely influenced measurement reproducibility. The ESEM-EDS technique yielded quantitative results for Ca, Mg, K, SO 4 , and Cl at concentrations above about 0.1 wt.%; for Na, quantitative analyses were achieved at concentrations above 0.5 wt.%. Accuracies for the major elements in aqueous standards were better than 7% and precisions (relative standard deviations) ranged from 2% to 7%. Results on fluid inclusions in laboratory-grown halite gave accuracies of 6% to 10% for Mg, Ca, and K and precisions from 3% to 16%.
DNA Strand Scission by Dioxygen + Light-Activated Cobalt Metallopeptides.

Co(II) complexes of H2N-Xaa-Gly-His-CONH2 peptides (Xaa = Gly or Lys) mediate DNA cleavage upon their oxidation to Co(III)·Xaa-Gly-His with ambient dioxygen and subsequent irradiation. DNA cleavage does not appear to occur through diffusible radical formation but, more likely, through a DNA-bound metallopeptide that produces locally-reactive hydroxyl radicals. These data suggest a method for activating metallopeptides that does not require the addition of exogenous chemical oxidants or reductants.
Double scattering of the plasma streams in a bi-thermal ionosphere

Double scattering of plasma streams by interactions with large moving bodies in bithermal ionosphere with and without magnetic field
Identification and Characterization of the Hydrolysis Products in TMOS and MTMS Monomers Using 29Si NMR and Polarization Transfer Techniques

High-resolution 29Si NMR was used to identify and characterize the hydrolysis products of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS). The identification of the different hydrolysis species was accomplished using the spectral editing properties of the DEPT and INEPT heteronuclear polarization transfer experiments. Previous resonances assignments for the hydrolyzed monomers in TMOS were quickly confirmed using these techniques. Unambiguous assignment of the MTMS hydrolysis products is complicated by a small spectral dispersion and the presence of two different hydrogen–silicon J couplings in these species. Analytical expressions for the INEPT signal response under multiple heteronuclear J couplings allowed these assignments. It is shown that the optimal polarization transfer efficiency in TMOS, MTMS and corresponding hydrolyzed products can only be obtained if the pulse sequence parameters are optimized for each species. The temperature dependences of the 29Si NMR resonances for the hydrolysis products in TMOS and MTMS were investigated and found to be very similar, with the magnitude and sign of the temperature response being dependent on the number of hydroxyl groups attached to the silicon. For MTMS hydrolysis products the small 29Si chemical shift dispersion along with the variation of chemical shift with temperature and solvent requires that resonance assignments be made for each experimental condition.
Indications for therapy in hepatitis B

Increased treatment options that are more efficacious and safe and new knowledge on the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have expanded the indications for therapy in hepatitis B. The question is no longer "Who should be treated?" but "When should treatment be initiated?" Treatment is clearly indicated in patients with life-threatening liver disease (acute liver failure, decompensated cirrhosis, or severe hepatitis flare) and in those with compensated cirrhosis and high levels of serum HBV DNA. For patients with precirrhotic liver disease, treatment indications should be based on clinical, biochemical, or histological evidence of liver disease, such as elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, abnormal histology, and high levels of serum HBV DNA. The cutoff for ALT and HBV DNA values are constantly being revised and should be set at a lower level for older patients who may have been infected for a longer period of time. High serum HBV DNA levels persisting for a few decades are associated with increased risk of clinical outcomes, but there is insufficient data to support the initiation of treatment based on high serum HBV DNA alone, particularly in young patients, those with persistently normal ALT levels, and those with a single high HBV DNA level. The decision to initiate treatment at the time of assessment or to defer treatment should take into consideration other factors such as desire to start a family, occupational requirement, family history of hepatocellular carcinoma, access to care and insurance coverage, and commitment to long-term treatment and medication compliance. All patients who are not initiated on treatment should continue to be monitored so treatment can be started if and when the indication arises.
Prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies by DNA analysis.

Restriction site polymorphisms are normal inherited variations in DNA that can be readily detected by restriction endonuclease analysis. Currently, 17 such polymorphisms are recognized within a 60 kb (kilobase) stretch of DNA which includes the β-globin gene complex. Because of their proximity to the β-globin gene, often these restriction site polymorphisms can be used to predict inheritance of β-globin variants that produce disease. For example. restriction site polymorphisms can be used for prenatal diagnosis for the large majority of couples at risk of having a child with β-thalassemia. When each member of such a couple is heterozygous at one or more of these 17 sites, family studies are usually successful in determining which forms of the polymorphism are co-inherited with the β-thalassemia genes in that particular family. Subsequently, study of fetal DNA isolated from amniocytes obtained by midtrimester amniocentesis or from chorionic villi obtained by first trimester chorion biopsy will reveal which DNA polymorphisms that fetus has inherited. By deductive reasoning one can then predict which β-globin gene it has co-inherited. Because of the general nature of these polymorphisms, which are related to the β-globin gene and its variants only because of their proximity on chromosome 11, they are potentially useful in the prenatal diagnosis of any β-chain hemoglobinopathy. Some hemoglobinopathies (including α-thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and some cases of β-thalassemia) can be detected directly by DNA analysis. In these cases in utero diagnosis does not need to rely on restriction site polymorphisms, which require preliminary family studies and are not applicable in all at risk pregnancies. Recently, genetic probes, which are necessary for detecting restriction site polymorphisms, have been isolated for sequences of several genes whose protein products are important in blood coagulation. These include probes for all three genes whose polypeptide products combine to form the fibrinogen molecule as well as probes for the prothrombin, Factor IX, Factor VIII, and antithrombin III genes. Defects in these genes are expected to be the causes of afibrinogenemia, prothrombin deficiency, hemophilia B, hemophilia A, and antithrombin III deficiency, respectively. From experience with other genes, it is expected that restriction site polymorphisms within and/or flanking these genes will be found. If the defects which produce the above disorders cannot be directly detected or if the disorders are found to be very heterogeneous, restriction site polymorphisms may be quite useful in the prenatal diagnosis of some of these disorders of blood coagulation.
Integrated diesel engine and selective catalytic reduction system active NO x control for fuel economy improvement

Diesel engine technologies have gone through significant progresses in the past decade. Though the tailpipe NOx and particulate matter emissions have been reduced to a large extent by the applications of after-treatment systems such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems and Diesel particulate filters, engine fuel economy usually needs to be compromised considerably to achieve appropriate engine-out emissions. Most of the current Diesel engine control studies focus only on the Diesel engines themselves, while most of the current aftertreatment controls are limited in the scope of aftertreatment systems alone. The opportunities of further improving the overall powertrain system performance by considering the engine and aftertreatment system in an integrative way have been rarely exploited. In this paper, a new framework for integrated control of both engine and aftertreatment system is devised. A backstepping-based active NOx control method is proposed by treating the engine-out NOx concentration as a control input for the ammonia coverage ratio control of a two-cell SCR system. Simulation results based on the UDDS driving cycle show that up to 5.86% of engine fuel consumption can be reduced without a significant penalty on the tailpipe emissions.
Physico-chemical properties and consumer acceptability of akara (fried paste) made from three cowpea cultivars

Abstract Akara, fried cowpea paste, is a popular West African food. Targeted to the USA, it would provide a novel form for the use of cowpeas. The objective of this study was to assess the acceptability of akara by Americans who are regular consumers of fried foods. Cultivars used were California Blackeye, California Cream, and a 2:1 mixture of California Cream:Kunde Giraffe. Akara from California Cream, Blackeye, and the mixture contained 48.3, 47.2, and 49.6% moisture, respectively; 25.3, 23.0, and 24.9% protein, respectively; and 31.8, 32.1, and 30.4% oil, respectively. California Cream produced akara balls that were lighter in color ( L *=48.0) than the other cultivars. Hue angles for each sample were 64.0 for Blackeye, 63.6 for California Cream and 61.2 for the mixture. Mean values for shear-compression force of akara balls ranged from 375 to 405 N. Sensory acceptability was not significantly affected by cultivar. Akara from all cultivars had acceptable ratings.
( p , α ) Reactions Induced by 23-Mev Protons

The ($p, \ensuremath{\alpha}$) reactions induced by 23-Mev protons in targets of a wide range of atomic number were studied by observing the outgoing alpha particles. Alpha-particle energy distributions and absolute differential cross sections were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 degrees. For targets of atomic number \ensuremath{\lesssim}50, the energy spectra and angular distributions indicate that most of the alpha particles are produced in compound nucleus reactions; however, there is evidence that the Coulomb barriers of the excited compound nuclei are somewhat lower than those of ground state nuclei. The alpha particles from the heaviest elements and the high-energy parts of the spectra from lighter targets are strongly forward peaked and are produced by direct interaction reactions. Total ($p, \ensuremath{\alpha}$) cross sections vary from 175 mb for Al to 3.8 mb for Pt.
Interaction of a wasp ovarian protein and polydnavirus in host immune suppression

During parasitization of Heliothis virescens, Campoletis sonorensis deposits an egg along with venom, polydnavirus particles (CsPDV), and ovarian proteins (OPs). Oviposited eggs are not encapsulated, while washed eggs are encapsulated rapidly by H. virescens. Early protection from encapsulation is afforded by a group of 29-36 kD OP glycoforms. These glycoforms are endocytosed by host hemocytes within 30 min post-parasitization (pp) and disrupt hemocyte spreading behavior and egg encapsulation through at least 24 h p.i. Purified CsPDV does not protect eggs from encapsulation early, but disrupts hemocyte spreading and egg encapsulation from 24 h through at least 5 days p.i. Functional activity of CsPDV appears to be correlated with time-dependent accumulation of virus-specific proteins in parasitized insects. We propose that the fast-acting 29-36 kD OP protects Campoletis eggs from encapsulation until accumulation of CsPDV proteins which sustain immunosuppression.
A moving target: challenges in treating BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer

SUMMARY Biomarker-oriented clinical studies have shown mounting evidence for improved efficacy with targeted therapy. Unfortunately, single-agent BRAF inhibition has shown limited efficacy in patients with metastatic BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer. Multiple mechanisms for potential BRAF inhibitor resistance demonstrate the complex biology behind tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer and highlight the obstacles of acquired and intrinsic drug resistance in treating this disease. Biomarker-related strategies with potential predictive value for specific molecular anomalies offer the possibility for improved targeted agents and rational combinations. Synthetic lethality gene array has become a major focus in current research for developing such agents. Combination therapy based on molecular profiles may further enhance individualized patient care.
Studies on the photosensitized reduction of resorufin and implications for the detection of oxidative stress with Amplex Red

Abstract The photosensitized reduction of resorufin (RSF), the fluorescent product of Amplex Red, was investigated using electron spin resonance (ESR), optical absorption/fluorescence, and oxygen consumption measurements. Anaerobic reaction of RSF in the presence of the electron donor reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) demonstrated that during visible light irradiation (λ > 300 nm), RSF underwent one-electron reduction to produce a semiquinoneimine-type anion radical (RSF• ‾) as demonstrated by direct ESR. Spin-trapping studies of incubations containing RSF, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and NADH demonstrated, under irradiation with visible light, the production of the superoxide dismutase (SOD)-sensitive DMPO/•OOH adduct. Both absorption and fluorescence spectra of RSF in the presence of NADH demonstrated that the RSF• ‾ was further reduced during irradiation with formation of its colorless dihydroquinoneimine form, dihydroresorufin (RSFH2). Both RSF• ‾ and RSFH2, when formed in an aerobic system, were immediately oxidized by oxygen, which regenerated the dye and formed superoxide. Oxygen consumption measurements with a Clark-type oxygen electrode showed that molecular oxygen was consumed in a light-dependent process. The suppression of oxygen consumption by addition of SOD or catalase further confirmed the production of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide.
Augmented collaborative spaces

As collaborative environments evolve beyond the desktop, we see the emergence of a new class of augmented collaborative spaces that employ various devices and technologies to merge electronic information with physical space to support collaboration, both local and remote. To be effective, such spaces should give people the flexibility to combine their individual resources with the resources available in the space, while presenting appropriate information, taking into account the larger process within which a collaborative activity takes place. This demands richer ways of capturing content and actions, new ways of presenting multimodal information, and developing an architecture and infrastructure that unifies individuals, spaces, and processes to facilitate collaboration. Our work in steerable interfaces represents a first step in this direction.
High temperature transport processes in lithium niobate

Abstract The electrical conductivity of single crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3) was determined as a function of temperature for various oxygen partial pressures. The electrical conductivity is proportional to P o 2 − 1 4 which can be explained by a defect equilibrium involving singly ionized oxygen vacancies and electrons. Measurements of electrical transport numbers at 1000°K show the electrical conductivity of LiNbO3 to be ionic at one atmosphere of oxygen and electronic at low oxygen partial pressures. Thermoelectric measurements indicate that LiNbO3 at low oxygen partial pressures is n-type and that the concentration of electrons at 1000°K and in an atmosphere of 50% C0/50% CO2a is 4 × 1017cm3 with a mobility of 1.7 cm2V sec. The diffusion of oxygen in LiNbO3 was determined as a function of temperature at an oxygen partial pressure of 70 Torr. by measuring O18/O16 isotope exchange with the gas phase as a function of time. The diffusion data may be represented by D = 3.03 × 10 −6 exp ( −29.4 kcal mole −1 RT )cm 2 sec . Consideration of the Nernst-Einstein relation for oxygen and the variation in conductivity with Li2O activity indicate that the ionic conduction is caused by transport of lithium ions.
Need for Reinforced Strategies to Support Delivery of HIV Clinical Services during the Ebola Outbreak in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. The Ebola outbreak has led to the disruption of already fragile but essential health services and drug distribution systems; HIV clinical services in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea were particularly affected. Targeted approaches are necessary to protect the continuity of HIV treatment for people living with HIV and should be integrated within the broader Ebola response; this will save lives, prevent drug resistance, and decrease the likelihood of HIV transmission.
Extracting Sequences from the Web

Classical Information Extraction (IE) systems fill slots in domain-specific frames. This paper reports on SEQ, a novel open IE system that leverages a domain-independent frame to extract ordered sequences such as presidents of the United States or the most common causes of death in the U.S. SEQ leverages regularities about sequences to extract a coherent set of sequences from Web text. SEQ nearly doubles the area under the precision-recall curve compared to an extractor that does not exploit these regularities.
Preinvasive Pancreatic Neoplasia of Ductal Phenotype Induced by Acinar Cell Targeting of Mutant Kras in Transgenic Mice

Activating mutation of the Kras oncogene is the most frequent and perhaps the earliest genetic alteration associated with pancreatic cancer. To examine the link between mutant Kras and exocrine pancreatic cancer, we generated transgenic mice carrying an elastase-mutant Kras transgene, which targets expression to pancreatic acinar cells. Most elastase-Kras founder mice displayed perinatal pancreatic acinar cell hyperplasia and dysplasia. However, adult mice in two surviving lineages displayed preinvasive pancreatic neoplastic lesions with ductal morphology, thereby providing a unique mouse model in which lesion histotype and initiating genetic alteration overlap with the human disease. Our findings suggest that Kras mutation is associated with development of early stage duct-like lesions in pancreas, but that additional alterations must accompany progression to malignancy.
HOW COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUE AND SPIKE TRAIN PROPERTIES AFFECT COHERENCE DETECTION

Abstract Spike train coherence is used to characterize common inputs that drive motor unit synchronization. However, data segmentation, overlap, and taper can affect coherence magnitude, thereby influencing the incidence at which significant coherence is detected. Also, the effect of spike train firing rate and common input variability on the detection of significant coherence is unknown. We used a pool of simulated synchronized spike trains with various firing rates (7–19 Hz), coefficients of variation (CV) (0.05–0.50), common input frequencies (10, 20, and 30 Hz, CV: 0.05–0.50), trial durations (30, 60, 90 and 120 s), and synchronization strength to explore the effects of segment length (1024 and 2048 1-ms samples), tapering (Hann, Nuttall, and rectangular), and overlap (0, 37.5, 50, 62.5, and 75%). Tapered segments overlapped by at least 50% maximized coherence, regardless of taper type. Coherence for 30-s trials revealed significant coherence for less than half of the motor unit pairs, demonstrating the advantages of longer trails. The 2048-sample segments produced similar coherence values with twice the frequency resolution. Increasing the common input variability from 0.15 to 0.50 reduced coherence incidence by approximately 60%, indicating that synchronized physiological motor unit pairs may fail to show significant coherence if the common input frequency is sufficiently unstable.
A review of semiconductor lasers for optical communications

Semiconductor lasers have the potential to meet demands for next generation high speed optical networks. Their low cost, wide tunability, low power consumption, and very good spectral response make them ideal transmission sources. This paper presents a review of the current applications, commercial availability, and future directions of semiconductor lasers. Comparative analysis of these lasers identifies their deployment in different optical networks.
CAUSAL ASCRIPTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM: THE VARIETIES AND USES OF CAUSAL EXPLANATIONS FOR BEHAVIORS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM

Ascriptions of causality for physical, human, and supernatural events represent a pervasive activity in all cultures. Every occurrence, both human and physical, in reality has myriad causes. If one individual strikes another, that action can be explained as having been the result of provocation, childhood experiences, personality, or intentions. But, depending upon whether one is the striker or the one being struck, an actor or witness, the type of cause selected to explain that behavior will
ARID1A Deficiency Impairs the DNA Damage Checkpoint and Sensitizes Cells to PARP Inhibitors

ARID1A, SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex subunit, is a recently identified tumor suppressor that is mutated in a broad spectrum of human cancers. Thus, it is of fundamental clinical importance to understand its molecular functions and determine whether ARID1A deficiency can be exploited therapeutically. In this article, we report a key function of ARID1A in regulating the DNA damage checkpoint. ARID1A is recruited to DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) via its interaction with the upstream DNA damage checkpoint kinase ATR. At the molecular level, ARID1A facilitates efficient processing of DSB to single-strand ends and sustains DNA damage signaling. Importantly, ARID1A deficiency sensitizes cancer cells to PARP inhibitors in vitro and in vivo , providing a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with ARID1A -mutant tumors. Significance: ARID1A has been identified as one of the most frequently mutated genes across human cancers. Our data suggest that clinical utility of PARP inhibitors might be extended beyond patients with BRCA mutations to a larger group of patients with ARID1A -mutant tumors, which may exhibit therapeutic vulnerability to PARP inhibitors. Cancer Discov; 5(7); 752–67. ©2015 AACR . This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, [p. 681][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/5/681?iss=7
Materials to clinical devices: technologies for remotely triggered drug delivery.

Abstract Background Technologies in which a remote trigger is used to release drug from an implanted or injected device could enable on-demand release profiles that enhance therapeutic effectiveness or reduce systemic toxicity. A number of new materials have been developed that exhibit sensitivity to light, ultrasound, or electrical or magnetic fields. Delivery systems that incorporate these materials might be triggered externally by the patient, parent or physician to provide flexible control of dose magnitude and timing. Objectives To review injectable or implantable systems that are candidates for translation to the clinic, or ones that have already undergone clinical trials. Also considered are applicability in pediatrics and prospects for the future of drug delivery systems. Methods We performed literature searches of the PubMed and Science Citation Index databases for articles in English that reported triggerable drug delivery devices, and for articles reporting related materials and concepts. Results Approaches to remotely-triggered systems that have clinical potential were identified. Ideally, these systems have been engineered to exhibit controlled on-state release kinetics, low baseline leak rates, and reproducible dosing across multiple cycles. Conclusions Advances in remotely-triggered drug delivery have been brought about by the convergence of numerous scientific and engineering disciplines, and this convergence is likely to play an important part in the current trend to develop systems that provide more than one therapeutic modality. Preclinical systems must be carefully assessed for biocompatibility, and engineered to ensure pharmacokinetics within the therapeutic window. Future drug delivery systems may incorporate additional modalities, such as closed-loop sensing or onboard power generation, enabling more sophisticated drug delivery regimens.
The effect of L-canavanine and L-canaline on the hemolymph amino acid composition of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.) (Sphingidae)

Tobacco hornworm larvae, Manduca sexta (L.) (Sphingidae), were administered L-canaline either by parenteral injection or by dietary consumption. The overt toxicity and the alteration of hemolymph amino acids caused by these nonprotein amino acids were evaluated. The LD50 value for parenterally administered canavanine and canaline is 1.0 and 2.5 mg/g fresh body weight, respectively. A dietary concentration of 5.2 mM for canavanine and over 20 mM for canaline represent the respective LC50 values. A large percentage of the larvae reared on diets supplemented with additional arginine, ornithine, or 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in addition to canavanine or canaline were unable to complete larval-pupal ecdysis. These toxic effects were associated with a decreased glutamic acid hemolymph titer and dramatically elevated ornithine. On the other hand, larvae administered canavanine or canaline alone, either by dietary consumption or parenteral injection, experienced less drastic developmental aberrations. These symptoms were in some cases correlated with increased ornithine and glutamic acid titers. Evidence is presented that even a canavanine- and canaline-sensitive insect such as M. sexta has a marked ability to eliminate these protective allelochemicals.
SVD representation of unitarily invariant matrices

It often happens that a signal processing application will involve a matrix operator that is invariant under specific preunitary and postunitary matrix multiplications. This invariance feature may be exploited to establish algebraic invariance properties possessed by the singular vectors associated with that matrice's SVD representation. This characterization can be of considerable theoretical as well as computational value. To illustrate the utility of this approach, the new class of bisymmetric matrices will be examined in detail. Interest in bisymmetric matrices arises from their frequent appearance in signal processing applications. For instance, it is shown that the forward-backward data matrix arising in linear prediction is bisymmetric. The more general class of exponential bisymmetric matrices, which includes among its members the discrete Fourier transform, is also briefly examined.
A G-Protein β Subunit Required for Sexual and Vegetative Development and Maintenance of Normal Gα Protein Levels in Neurospora crassa

The genome of the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa contains a single gene encoding a heterotrimeric G-protein β subunit, gnb-1. The predicted GNB-1 protein sequence is most identical to Gβ proteins from the filamentous fungi Cryphonectria parasitica and Aspergillus nidulans. N. crassa GNB-1 is also 65% identical to the human GNB-1 protein but only 38 and 45% identical to Gβ proteins from budding and fission yeasts. Previous studies in animal and fungal systems have elucidated phenotypes of Gβ null mutants, but little is known about the effects of Gβ loss on Gα levels. In this study, we analyzed a gnb-1 deletion mutant for cellular phenotypes and levels of the three Gα proteins. Δgnb-1 strains are female-sterile, with production of aberrant fertilized reproductive structures. Δgnb-1 strains conidiate more profusely and have altered mass on solid medium. Loss of gnb-1 leads to inappropriate conidiation and expression of a conidiation-specific gene during growth in submerged culture. Intracellular cyclic AMP levels are reduced by 60% in vegetative plate cultures of Δgnb-1 mutants. Loss of gnb-1 leads to lower levels of the three Gα proteins under a variety of conditions. Analysis of transcript levels for the gna-1 and gna-2 Gα genes in submerged cultures indicates that regulation of Gα protein levels by gnb-1 is posttranscriptional. The results suggest that GNB-1 directly regulates apical extension rate and mass accumulation. In contrast, many other Δgnb-1 phenotypes, including female sterility and defective conidiation, can be explained by altered levels of the three N. crassa Gα proteins.
A Gummel-Poon model for single and double heterojunction bipolar transistors

An analytical model for single- and double-heterojunction bipolar transistors developed by using the concepts of the Gummel-Poon model is discussed. The equations for injected minority carrier concentrations are developed using thermionic diffusion theory. Linking current and total charges in the base are calculated. The early voltages are treated as a function of the applied voltage rather than as a constant. The tunneling effect is considered for abrupt heterojunctions. The resemblance of this model to the SPICE bipolar junctions transistor (BJT) model makes it easy to implement in SPICE. >
Novel Determinants of Intestinal Colonization of Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium Identified in Bovine Enteric Infection

Cattle are naturally infected with Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and exhibit pathological features of enteric salmonellosis that closely resemble those in humans. Cattle are the most relevant model of gastrointestinal disease resulting from nontyphoidal Salmonella infection in an animal with an intact microbiota. We utilized this model to screen a library of targeted single-gene deletion mutants to identify novel genes of Salmonella Typhimurium required for survival during enteric infection. Fifty-four candidate mutants were strongly selected, including numerous mutations in genes known to be important for gastrointestinal survival of salmonellae. Three genes with previously unproven phenotypes in gastrointestinal infection were tested in bovine ligated ileal loops. Two of these mutants, STM3602 and STM3846, recapitulated the phenotype observed in the mutant pool. Complementation experiments successfully reversed the observed phenotypes, directly linking these genes to the colonization defects of the corresponding mutant strains. STM3602 encodes a putative transcriptional regulator that may be involved in phosphonate utilization, and STM3846 encodes a retron reverse transcriptase that produces a unique RNA-DNA hybrid molecule called multicopy single-stranded DNA. The genes identified in this study represent an exciting new class of virulence determinants for further mechanistic study to elucidate the strategies employed by Salmonella to survive within the small intestines of cattle.
Global Positioning System (GPS) Time Dissemination for Real-Time Applications

This paper presents an overview of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for the potential precise time and time interval user with special reference to real-time systems. An overview of GPS operation is presented, and GPS error sources are described as they relate to the timing user. A review of receiver types and receiver tasks provides the basis for understanding GPS time transfer techniques. The accuracies provided by different techniques are reviewed and the special requirements for GPS time and frequency receivers as well as modern timing receiver enhancements are described. The precise time standard provided by GPS is traced through its path from global standards to the user application. GPS time dissemination failure modes that result from control problems, space craft failures, and receiver failures are outlined.
Multiple Scale Den Site Selection by Swift Foxes, Vulpes velox , in Southeastern Colorado

Predation by Coyotes ( Canis latrans ) is a major source of mortality in Swift Fox ( Vulpes velox ) populations. Year-round den use by Swift Foxes is likely to be a predator avoidance strategy. Due to the importance of denning to Swift Fox ecology, we recorded den site selection of Swift Foxes in southeastern Colorado. Den site selection was recorded at two scales: microhabitat characteristics at the den and den placement within the home range. The number of den entrances, height and width of each entrance, aspect, hill position, slope, percent rock in soil, vegetative cover, and horizontal foliar density of 42 Swift Fox dens were examined during December 1999 – April 2000. This was compared to the same microhabitat characteristics at 42 random sites within Swift Fox home ranges to determine if Swift Foxes were using site characteristics according to their availability. Our results indicated that Swift Foxes were not highly selective of den sites based on the microhabitat characteristics evaluated in this study, although Swift Foxes selected areas of intermediate rock percentages. In addition, Swift Foxes were radio-tracked throughout the sample period and the location and frequency of use of known dens were recorded. Within the core area of home ranges, Swift Foxes used more dens (mean = 3.51 ± 1.70 (SD)), and had a higher frequency of use of dens (mean = 8.20 ± 6.01) than in the mid-range area (number of dens, mean = 0.90 ± 0.94; frequency, mean = 1.27 ± 2.12) and the boundary area (number of dens, mean = 0.34 ± 0.53; frequency, mean = 0.45 ± 0.93) of the home range. We discuss our results in terms of the importance of dens in facilitating escape from Coyotes. These results illustrate the need for examining den site selection at multiple scales to determine all selection factors, and to provide information useful for recovery and management efforts for this species.
Conservation implications of flooding rice fields on winter waterbird communities

Abstract The effects of flooding harvested rice fields on waterbird communities were studied during winter. Variation in the number of waterbird species, overall densities of all waterbirds, wading birds, waterfowl, and shorebirds, and a measure of conservation value that weighted species according to their relative abundance and population trends were examined. Each variable was tested for differences among: (a) flooded and unflooded fields; (b) flooded fields that received different rice straw manipulations; and (c) fields with different water depths. Flooded fields were used by waterbirds more than unflooded fields according to most criteria, although wading bird densities did not differ between flooded and unflooded fields. In terms of conservation value, flooded fields contributed considerably more to waterbird conservation than unflooded fields. The number of waterbird species, total waterbird density, and the density of wading birds differed significantly among straw management treatments, though in different ways. Water depth significantly affected all measures, but in all cases most of the variation went unexplained. Bird densities were explained best by asymptotic relationships, with shorebird densities greatest in shallow water and waterfowl and wading bird densities greatest in deeper conditions. Waterbird richness and conservation value both were greatest at depths of 10–15 cm. Intentionally flooding fields during winter significantly affected numerous aspects of the waterbird community. The method of flooding also influenced the waterbird community, although these effects often were small.
Drosophila Sperm Motility in the Reproductive Tract

Motile cilia and flagella exhibit many waveforms as outputs of dynein activation sequences on the highly conserved axoneme. Motility change of sperm in the reproductive tract is difficult to study and remains an important area of investigation. Sperm typically execute a sinusoidal waveform. Increased viscosity in the medium induces somewhat unusual arc-line and helical waveforms in some sperm. However, whether the latter two waveforms occur in vivo is not known. Using green fluorescence protein imaging, we show that Drosophila sperm in the uterus move in circular foci via arc-line waves, predominantly in a tail-leading orientation. From the uterus, a small fraction of the sperm enters the seminal receptacle (SR) in parallel formations. After sperm storage and coincident with fertilization of the egg, the sperm exit the SR via head-leading helical waves. Consistent with the observed bidirectional movements, the sperm show the ability to propagate both base-to-tip and tip-to-base flagellar waves. Numerous studies have shown that sperm motility is regulated by intraflagellar calcium concentrations; in particular, the Pkd2 calcium channel has been shown to affect sperm storage. Our analyses here suggest that Pkd2 is required for the sperm to adopt the correct waveform and movement orientation during SR entry. A working model for the sperm's SR entry movement is proposed.
Functional Antifreeze Glycoprotein Genes in Temperate-Water New Zealand Nototheniid Fish Infer an Antarctic Evolutionary Origin

The fish fauna of the Antarctic Ocean is dominated by five endemic families of the Perciform suborder Notothenioidei, thought to have arisen in situ within the Antarctic through adaptive radiation of an ancestral stock that evolved antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) enabling survival as the ocean chilled to subzero temperatures. The endemism results from geographic confinement imposed by a massive oceanographic barrier, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which also thermally isolated Antarctica over geologic time, leading to its current frigid condition. Despite this voluminous barrier to fish dispersal, a number of species from the Antarctic family Nototheniidae now inhabit the nonfreezing cool temperate coasts of the southern continents. The origin of these temperate-water nototheniids is not completely understood. Since the AFGP gene apparently evolved only once, before the Antarctic notothenioid radiation, the presence of AFGP genes in extant temperate-water nototheniids can be used to infer an Antarctic evolutionary origin. Genomic Southern analysis, PCR amplification of AFGP genes, and sequencing showed that Notothenia angustata and Notothenia microlepidota endemic to southern New Zealand have two to three AFGP genes, structurally the same as those of the Antarctic nototheniids. At least one of these genes is still functional, as AFGP cDNAs were obtained and low levels of mature AFGPs were detected in the blood. A phylogenetic tree based on complete ND2 coding sequences showed monophyly of these two New Zealand nototheniids and their inclusion in the monophyletic Nototheniidae consisted of mostly AFGP-bearing taxa. These analyses support an Antarctic ancestry for the New Zealand nototheniids. A divergence time of approximately 11 Myr was estimated for the two New Zealand nototheniids, approximating the upper Miocene northern advance of the Antarctic Convergence over New Zealand, which might have served as the vicariant event that lead to the northward dispersal of their most recent common ancestor. Similar secondary northward dispersal likely applies to the South American nototheniid Paranotothenia magellanica, which has four AFGP genes in its DNA, but not to the sympatric nototheniid Patagonotothen tessellata, which does not appear to have any AFGP sequences in its genome at all.
Restricted Movement: Nativity, Citizenship, Legal Status, and the Residential Crowding of Latinos in Los Angeles

Residential crowding is linked with the well-being of children and adults. Although extensive U.S. research indicates variation in crowding by race/ethnicity and nativity, far less work investigates differences in crowding by immigrants’ citizenship and legal status. Data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (L.A.FANS) are used to focus on Latinos, the group most likely to experience crowding in the United States. The analyses examine heterogeneity in crowding among four distinct groups of Latinos: U.S.-born naturalized citizens, authorized noncitizen immigrants, and unauthorized noncitizen immigrants. Theories of locational attainment and immigrant assimilation are used to develop hypotheses about whether intra-Latino variation in crowding is explained by differences in individual, household, and other characteristics, and which structural factors also interfere in this process. Multivariate analyses indicate that neither nativity nor citizenship status are linked with residential crowding, net of other variables. In contrast, lacking legal status does have residual impacts on the outcome: unauthorized noncitizen immigrants are more crowded than authorized noncitizens and all other groups. The results offer support for the spatial assimilation and place stratification perspectives on locational attainment. These findings contribute to emerging scholarship documenting the unique structural challenges that unauthorized Latino immigrants experience in residential outcomes and other domains in the United States.
Nonresectoscopic Endometrial Ablation in High-Risk Surgical Patients: A Cohort Study

Abstract Study Objective To evaluate the use of nonresectoscopic endometrial ablation in women with high anesthetic and surgical risk compared with low-risk women based on the American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) physical status stratification. Design This is a cohort study of women who were classified as high-risk (HR) or low-risk (LR) cohorts based on ASA physical status stratification. The ASA classification includes 6 grades: ASAP1, a normal healthy person; ASAP2, mild systemic disease; ASAP3, severe systemic disease; ASAP4, severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life; ASAP5, a critically ill patient who is not expected to survive without the operation; and ASAP6, declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes. Baseline characteristics including comorbidities were obtained. Outcome measures included amenorrhea, treatment failure, and operative complications. The time to treatment failure was compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Risk adjustments were performed using regression models. Setting Academic medical center in the Upper Midwest. Patients Seven-hundred eleven women underwent nonresectoscopic endometrial ablation at our institution between January 1998 and December 2005. Interventions Bipolar radiofrequency was used in 448 women and thermal balloon ablation in 263 women. Measurements and Main Results The HR cohort had a higher proportion of women with cardiac disease (27.1% vs 6.7%, p Conclusion For women who are high anesthetic and surgical risks because of serious underlying comorbidities, nonresectoscopic endometrial ablation can provide minimally invasive, safe, and effective therapy for menorrhagia.
Chronic sinusitis in children

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of acute sinusitis in children have been published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Of note is that in this document, a brief discussion of chronic disease concluded that the bacterial pathogens causing disease, pathogenesis and management are essentially unknown. Although there are insufficient data in the literature to develop evidence-based clinical guidelines, a careful review of the literature and clinical experience of experts who manage pediatric chronic sinusitis is presented in an effort to develop specific recommendations and to offer practical treatment options. It is apparent that anaerobic bacteria play a major role in this infection thereby influencing the natural history of disease and directing, to a great degree, medical management.
On Improving 4-km Mesoscale Model Simulations

Abstract A previous study showed that use of analysis-nudging four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) and improved physics in the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) produced the best overall performance on a 12-km-domain simulation, based on the 18–19 September 1983 Cross-Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX) case. However, reducing the simulated grid length to 4 km had detrimental effects. The primary cause was likely the explicit representation of convection accompanying a cold-frontal system. Because no convective parameterization scheme (CPS) was used, the convective updrafts were forced on coarser-than-realistic scales, and the rainfall and the atmospheric response to the convection were too strong. The evaporative cooling and downdrafts were too vigorous, causing widespread disruption of the low-level winds and spurious advection of the simulated tracer. In this study, a series of experiments was designed to address this g...
Cuba’s Distinct Religious Traditions: Better Social Changes Come Oh Soooo Slowly

This chapter is a descriptive presentation of current social realities for most of the 6 to 7 distinct religious traditions of Cuba. I begin with a description of these traditions, including a brief review of their individual histories which is necessary because too much of the reading as well as academic public tends to collectivize the traditions into a single category on which they believe they have some knowledge. Following this introduction, I discuss the differences among the traditions and how they are part of Cuba’s current religions landscape. Of major interest are the new social spaces that these and other religious traditions share in contemporary Cuban society. My ability to speak to each about the issues is based on more than 15 years of systematic field research on the island nation.
Health center 2000: the mission development challenge.

Abstract College and university health centers are facing a dynamic era of change. In fact, change is the constant that permeates the organization. The one essential ingredient to dealing most effectively with change is to have a clearly defined mission. The author outlines a seven-step process that can be used by college and university health center personnel to create, reaffirm, and/or revise their mission statements, which serve as a beacon for decision making, organizational culture, and responsible action.