cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To Eat or not to Eat an Endangered Species: Views of Local Residents and Physicians on the Safety of Sea Turtle Consumption in Northwestern Mexico

Sea turtles have historically been an important food resource for many coastal inhabitants of Mexico. Today, the consumption of sea turtle meat and eggs continues in northwestern Mexico despite well-documented legal protection and market conditions providing easier access to other more reliable protein sources. Although there is growing evidence that consuming sea turtles may be harmful to human health due to biotoxins, environmental contaminants, viruses, parasites, and bacteria, many at-risk individuals, trusted information sources, and risk communicators may be unaware of this information. Therefore, we interviewed 134 residents and 37 physicians in a region with high rates of sea turtle consumption to: (1) examine their knowledge and perceptions concerning these risks, as a function of sex, age, occupation, education and location; (2) document the occurrence of illness resulting from consumption; and (3) identify information needs for effective risk communication. We found that 32% of physicians reported having treated patients who were sickened from sea turtle consumption. Although physicians believed sea turtles were an unhealthy food source, they were largely unaware of specific health hazards found in regional sea turtles, regardless of location. By contrast, residents believed that sea turtles were a healthy food source, regardless of sex, age, occupation, and education, and they were largely unaware of specific health hazards found in regional sea turtles, regardless of age, occupation, and education. Although most residents indicated that they would cease consumption if their physician told them it was unhealthy, women were significantly more likely to do so than men. These results suggest that residents may lack the necessary knowledge to make informed dietary decisions and physicians do not have enough accurate information to effectively communicate risks with their patients.
EigenJoints-based action recognition using Naïve-Bayes-Nearest-Neighbor

In this paper, we propose an effective method to recognize human actions from 3D positions of body joints. With the release of RGBD sensors and associated SDK, human body joints can be extracted in real time with reasonable accuracy. In our method, we propose a new type of features based on position differences of joints, EigenJoints, which combine action information including static posture, motion, and offset. We further employ the Naive-Bayes-Nearest-Neighbor (NBNN) classifier for multi-class action classification. The recognition results on the Microsoft Research (MSR) Action3D dataset demonstrate that our approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. In addition, we investigate how many frames are necessary for our method to recognize actions on the MSR Action3D dataset. We observe 15–20 frames are sufficient to achieve comparable results to that using the entire video sequences.
Catch, peak tension and atpase activity in glycerinated oyster adductor

Abstract 1. 1. The relationship between peak tension, tension remnant (catch) and ATPase activity of glycerinated muscle fibres (GMF) from translucent (OTAM) and white (OWAM) parts of Ostrea edulis adductor was examined. 2. 1. Decay of tension after previous contraction is a first-order reaction given by the equation: P= P 2 0 ƒ+P 0 .e −kt , where k is constant for any given P0. 3. 2. There is no difference between Ca activation of OTAM- and OWAM-GMF. 4. 3. The peak tension increases linearly with ATPase activity; the relation between tension remnant and ATPase activity is hyperbolic. 5. 4. The ratio OWAM/OTAM of the tension remnant is about 2·7 at low equal ATPase activity. The ratio of tension OWAM/OTAM is 1 3 at a Ca2+ concentration of 9·3 × 10−6 M; the corresponding ratio of ATPase activity is, after correction for protein concentration, also 1 3 . 6. 5. The Km is 0·56 mM for homogenized OTAM-GMF and 0·10 mM for OWAM, while the Vmx of OTAM is 53·9 and that of OWAM 5·4 μmole/mg per min. 7. 6. These results are discussed in relation to the capacity of OTAM- and OWAM-GMF to generate catch.
Machine short-cuts in the computation of chisquare and the contingency coefficient.

Rapid computational routines are presented for calculatingx2 from frequency data in the following cases: (1) test of goodness of fit between an observed and a theoretical distribution; (2) test of independence of distributions displayed in anr ×c table; (3) test of independence of distributions displayed in anr × 2 table. A rapid method of computing the contingency coefficient also follows from the procedure used in the second of these cases.
Problems in the Latina paradox: measuring social support for pregnant immigrant women from Mexico.

Women who have immigrated to the United States from Mexico have better than expected birth outcomes. Part of this apparent health ‘paradox’ has been explained by high levels of social support which are thought to offset known risk factors for low birth weight. Yet common measures of social support during pregnancy suffer from presumptions of cultural homogeneity and a-priori definitions of meaningful social support. Analysis of qualitative data from ethnographic research with 28 low-income immigrant women from Mexico living in south Texas demonstrates that preferences for certain kinds of social support vary considerably, based on how each woman makes meaning of being pregnant. This diversity is one more piece of evidence that minority cultures cannot be essentialised in health disparities research. By not measuring the diversity of desire for different kinds of support, existing correlations between social support and birth outcomes may obscure other important psychosocial mediators, such as pregnancy-re...
Design and analysis of enhanced Abacus switch

Combined input-output buffering with a moderate speedup for internal switch fabric has been considered as the most feasible solution to build large-capacity packet switches. This paper describes several schemes to further scale up our previously proposed Abacus switch [IEEE J. Select. Areas Commun. 15 (1997) 830] to multiple terabit per second. The Abacus switch implements the arbiter in a distributed manner, allowing the switch to be scaled in both the port speed and the switch capacity. The switch can be easily implemented using crosspoint switch chips with self-routing capability. The enhanced version can also route variable-length packets without doing packet reassembly at the output.
Update: varicocelectomy--a safe outpatient procedure.

Abstract One hundred ninety-two males with palpable varicoceles and subfertility who underwent varicocelectomy were studied. Fifty-five patients underwent inpatient varicocelectomy and 137 ambulatory varicocelectomy. We have shown that ambulatory varicocelectomy is safe and effective. Surgical success is not compromised. Most importantly, outpatient varicocelectomy is extremely cost-effective. The average cost of ambulatory varicocelectomy was less than 25 per cent that of an equivalent inpatient procedure, with a mean cost of $372 and $1,536 per person, respectivel.
A Quantitative Approach to Determining Product Platform Extent

In many cases, capabilities for providing product variety may be enhanced efficiently and effectively by creating families of products based on product platforms. However, the actual extent of a product platform--the range of products based upon the platform--is usually determined qualitatively. We present a quantitative method for determining the number of scaleable platforms for a specific market as well as the distribution of products among multiple platforms, recognizing that multiple factors determine optimal platform extent and that these factors often conflict. We model these factors quantitatively, at either the systems level or the individual product level, using the compromise Decision Support Problem including concepts derived from linear physical programming. We apply this approach to an example study of a family of absorption chillers. Our emphasis is on the approach rather than the results, per se.
Coordinate regulation of stress- and mitogen-activated protein kinases in the apoptotic actions of ceramide and sphingosine.

SUMMARY We characterized participation of the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) cascade in the lethal actions of the cytotoxic lipid messengers ceramide and sphingosine in U937 human monoblastic leukemia cells. Acute exposure of U937 cells to either lipid resulted in loss of proliferative capacity, degradation of genomic DNA, and manifestation of apoptotic cytoarchitecture. Ceramide robustly stimulated p46-JNK1/p54-JNK2 activity and increased expression of c-jun mRNA and c-Jun protein; in contrast, sphingosine moderately stimulated p46-JNK1/p54JNK2 and failed to modify c-jun/c-Jun expression. Dominantnegative blockade of normal c-Jun activity by transfection with the TAM-67 c-Jun NH2-terminal deletion mutant abolished the lethal actions of ceramide but was without effect on those of sphingosine, indicating that ceramide-related apoptosis is directly dependent on activation of c-Jun, whereas sphingosineinduced cell death proceeds via an unrelated downstream mechanism. Characterization of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in these responses revealed a further functional disparity between the two lipids: basal p42-ERK1/ p44-ERK2 activity was gradually reduced by ceramide but immediately and completely suppressed by sphingosine. Moreover, blockade of the MAPK cascade by the aminomethoxyflavone MEK1 inhibitor PD-98059 unexpectedly activated p46JNK1/p54-JNK2 and induced apoptosis in a manner qualitatively resembling that of sphingosine. Both lipids sharply increased p38-RK activity; selective pharmacological inhibition of p38-RK by the pyridinyl imidazole SB-203580 failed to mitigate the cytotoxicity associated with either ceramide or sphingosine, suggesting that p38-RK is not essential for lipid-induced apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that reciprocal alterations in the SAPK and MAPK cascades are associated with the apoptotic influence of either lipid inasmuch as (i) ceramide-mediated lethality is primarily associated with strong stimulation of SAPK and weak inhibition of MAPK, whereas (ii) sphingosine-mediated lethality is primarily associated with weak stimulation of SAPK and strong inhibition of MAPK. We therefore propose that leukemic cell survival depends on the maintenance of an imbalance of the outputs from the MAPK and SAPK systems such that the dominant basal influence of the MAPK cascade allows sustained proliferation, whereas acute redirection of this balance toward the SAPK cascade initiates apoptotic cell death.
Surgical Pearl: Preventing self-inflicted injuries to the dermatologic surgeon

From the Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Reprint requests: Zoltan Trizna, MD, PhD, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Department of Dermatology, 3601 4th St, Lubbock, TX 79430. J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;44:520-2. Copyright © 2001 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. 0190-9622/2001/$35.00 + 0 16/74/110394 doi:10.1067/mjd.2001.110394 A mong medical and surgical house staff, needlesticks are the most common injuries (74%), with an average frequency of 0.63 per resident-year among nonsurgical residents and 3.8 per resident-year among surgical residents.1 More than 20 pathogens can be transmitted by needlesticks, most frequently hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV.2 The average risk associated with occupational exposure to HIV through percutaneous injury is between 0.2% and 0.36% (ie, one seroconversion per 278 to 500 injuries).3,4 The calculated probability for a surgeon to acquire HIV infection over a 30-year period is between 0.3% and 5.82%.5 The cumulative 30-year risks of contracting hepatitis B and C viruses are 42.7% and 34.8%, respectively.6 The cost of follow-up for a high-risk exposure is almost $3000 per needlestick injury even when no infection occurs, whereas actual infection by blood-borne pathogens can add up to $1 million.7 There are several safety devices on the market, including face shields, fit-over glasses, punctureresistant surgical gloves, finger guards, glove liners, disposable surgical tray organizers, and sheathed needles. However, by improving personal exposure protection alone, the risk of exposure to blood and body fluids can be decreased by more than 70%.8 We have prepared a list of a few important recommendations based on situations repeatedly observed among medical students, interns, and residents performing outpatient dermatologic procedures, such as injection of local anesthetics, intralesional injections, biopsies, and excisions. RECOMMENDATIONS Work away from your hands. A sharp or pointed instrument pointing toward the surgeon’s own hand or toward the assistant’s hand (Fig 1) can easily lead to injury. Instruments should point away from the surgeon’s fingers (Fig 2). If stabilization is needed, pull the skin 180 degrees away from the lesion, parallel to the line of injection, with the nondominant hand (arrow in Fig 2 indicates the direction of force). Handle the tissue with instruments only. The surgical needle can injure the surgeon’s hand (Fig 3). PEARLS
Effects of prolonged warm and cold ischemia in a solitary kidney animal model after partial nephrectomy: an ultrastructural investigation.

aBstra Ct Ischemia–reperfusion injury can be detrimental to the solitary kidney, especially when it is accompanied by ablation. To the authors’ knowledge, the effects of partial nephrectomy with prolonged application of ischemia have never been described at the ultrastructural level. Therefore, the authors used an animal model and focused on putative structural effects in the glomerular basement membrane and the podocytes. They demonstrate the advantageous role of cold ischemia, even in up to 120 min. In contrast, more than 60 min of warm ischemia leads to catastrophic lesions in all the cellular structures, as is reflected by mortality due to acute renal failure.
Use of hemoglobin A1c as an early predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Use of hemoglobin A1c as an early predictor of gestational diabetes mellitusLaxmi V. Baxi, Margaret DziadoszPII: S0002-9378(15)00202-1DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.03.008Reference: YMOB 10295To appear in: American Journal of Obstetrics and GynecologyReceived Date: 26 December 2014Accepted Date: 3 March 2015Please cite this article as: Baxi LV, Dziadosz M, Use of hemoglobin A1c as an early predictor ofgestational diabetes mellitus, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2015), doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.03.008.This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service toour customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergocopyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Pleasenote that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and alllegal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Abasic sites preferentially form at regions undergoing DNA replication

We investigated whether apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP/abasic) sites were more frequent in regions of DNA replication in cells and whether their number increased during oxidative stress. DNA fiber spreading and fluorescent immunostaining were used to detect areas of DNA replication and sites of AP lesions in extended DNA fibers. The distribution of AP sites was determined in DNA fibers from vertebrate cells maintained under normal culture conditions or stressed with exogenous H2O2. AP lesions per unit length were enumerated in bulk DNA or at replication sites. The background density of AP sites in DNA fibers was 5.4 AP sites/106 nt, while newly replicated DNA contained 12.9 AP sites/106 nt. In cells exposed to 20 μM H2O2, AP sites in newly replicated DNA increased to 20.8/106 nt. Determinations of AP site density in bulk DNA by fiber analysis or standard slot blot assays agreed to within 10%. Our findings show that the fiber assay not only accurately determines the frequency of AP sites but also shows their distribution. They also reveal that there is increased susceptibility to oxidative damage in DNA regions undergoing replication, which may explain the previously observed clustering of AP sites.—Chastain II, P. D., Nakamura, J., Rao, S., Chu, H., Ibrahim, J. G., Swenberg, J. A., Kaufman, D. G. Abasic sites preferentially form at regions undergoing DNA replication.
Bit loss and gain correction code

A block code is presented that will correct an error consisting of the gain or loss of a bit (binary digit) within the block. The code can be generalized to correct the loss or gain of a burst of bits. A further feature is the possibility of correcting additive errors appearing in the vicinity of the bit loss or gain. An additive error is a bit changed from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0. The code is constructed by inserting a known character into a burst-error-correcting code at periodic intervals. The known character locates the approximate position of the bit loss or gain. At the location a bit is inserted or removed from the block, depending on whether a loss or a gain has occurred. The error-correcting code then corrects the erroneous bits between where the error occurred and where the correction took place.
Comprehensive trend analysis of nutrients and related variables in a large eutrophic estuary: A decadal study of anthropogenic and climatic influences

We used a decadal data set, with weekly to biweekly sampling in April‐October and monthly sampling in November‐ March, to characterize climatic (hurricane-level storms, a sustained 3-yr drought) and anthropogenic influences on N and P concentrations and loadings to a large eutrophic, poorly flushed estuary, the Neuse Estuary of the Albemarle‐Pamlico Estuarine System. Mass volume transport data were obtained with cross-estuary transect flow measurements taken near the entrance to the estuary. Although trends were minimally influenced by hurricanes, analyses were significantly affected by the sustained drought near the end of the study. As examples, decreasing trends in total N (TN), total P (TP), and bottom-water dissolved oxygen concentrations, and in TN loadings were significant considering all data, but these trends were not significant when the sustained drought was excluded from analysis. In addition, the trend in TN loading was especially sensitive to the initial sampling period. NH concentrations dramatically increased (overall by ;500%) as a 1 4 persistent trend regardless of attempts to control for climatic events. An increasing trend in NH also was documented 1 4 in an adjacent, rapidly flushed Coastal Plain estuary, the Cape Fear. The NH data suggest a regional-scale effect of high 1 4 inputs from inadequately controlled, increasing nonpoint sources. The fragility of TN loading trends, the striking increase in NH concentrations, and the lack of management emphasis on controlling nonpoint sources such as ‘‘new’’ industri1 4 alized swine production collectively do not support recent reports of achievement of a 30% reduction in TN loading to the Neuse. Nonpoint sources remain a critical target for reduction to alleviate the negative effects of cultural eutrophication in this system, as in many estuaries throughout the world.
Pseudocholinesterase hyperactivity with succinylcholine resistance: An unusual cause of difficult intubation

Abstract We describe a case of difficult intubation, possibly due to marked pseudocholinesterase hyperactivity that caused rapid inactivation of succinycholine. Possible causes of difficult intubation and pseudocholinesterase hyperactivity are discussed. Literature on genetic variants associated with markedly increased pseudocholinesterase activity are reviewed. It is concluded that pseudocholinesterase hyperactivity may be a rare cause of difficult intubation. We recommend that pseudocholinesterase activity should be determined in all patients who appear to be resistant to the action of normal doses of Succinylcholine or mivacurium.
Recasting the Link Between Applied and Theory Research: Using Applied Findings to Advance Communication Theory Development

Applied research, especially in the communication discipline, has been met with resistance and criticism by some who advocate adherence to theoretically-based research. This dilemma is exacerbated by ongoing debates among applied scholars about how to define applied research and how to conceptualize its relationship to theory development. Definitions emerging from these discussions yield two explanations-dialectical tension and interdependent-for how applied and theory research are connected. We join the conversation by proposing an integral perspective whereby applied scholarship can become more clearly situated and helpful to the creation, extension, and challenge of theoretical explanations for communication.
MEMORY CD4+T CELLS ARE REQUIRED FOR OPTIMAL NK CELL EFFECTOR FUNCTIONS AGAINST THE OPPORTUNISTIC FUNGAL PATHOGEN, PNEUMOCYSTIS MURINA

Little is known about the role of NK cells or their interplay with other immune cells during opportunistic infections. Using our murine model of Pneumocystis pneumonia, we found that loss of NK cells during immunosuppression results in substantial Pneumocystis lung burden. During early infection of C57B/6 CD4(+) T cell-depleted mice, there were significantly fewer NK cells in the lung tissue compared with CD4(+) T cell-intact animals, and the NK cells present demonstrated decreased upregulation of the activation marker NKp46 and production of the effector cytokine, IFN-γ. Furthermore, coincubation studies revealed a significant increase in fungal killing when NK cells were combined with CD4(+) T cells compared with either cell alone, which was coincident with a significant increase in perforin production by NK cells. Finally, however, we found through adoptive transfer that memory CD4(+) T cells are required for significant NK cell upregulation of the activation marker NK group 2D and production of IFN-γ, granzyme B, and perforin during Pneumocystis infection. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate a role for NK cells in immunity to Pneumocystis pneumonia, as well as to establish a functional relationship between CD4(+) T cells and NK cells in the host response to an opportunistic fungal pathogen.
High-level expression of ABCG5 and ABCG8 attenuates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in Ldlr-/- mice.

Transgenic mice expressing human ABCG5 (G5) and ABCG8 (G8) have decreased fractional absorption and increased biliary secretion of cholesterol, but their plasma cholesterol levels are unchanged (males) or modestly reduced (females). To determine whether increased expression of G5 and G8 can ameliorate hypercholesterolemia in mice lacking LDL receptors (LDLRs), we examined the effects of G5G8 transgene expression on cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerosis in Ldlr−/− mice. In chow-fed Ldlr−/− mice, the G5G8 transgene reduced fractional absorption of dietary cholesterol by 50% and increased biliary cholesterol levels by 60% but did not affect plasma cholesterol levels. On a Western diet (21% fat, 0.2% cholesterol), G5G8Tg; Ldlr−/− mice had a 30% reduction in the level of hepatic cholesterol and 45% lower plasma cholesterol levels than the Ldlr−/− mice. After 6 months on the Western diet, the atherosclerotic lesion area in the aortic root and arch was ∼70% lower in the G5G8Tg;Ldlr−/− than in the Ldlr−/− mice and was correlated with the plasma cholesterol levels. These results demonstrate that increased expression of G5 and G8 attenuates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in Ldlr−/− mice, resulting in a significant reduction in plasma levels of cholesterol and aortic atherosclerotic lesion area.
Volatiles from the symbiotic fungus Raffaelea lauricola are synergistic with Manuka lures for increased capture of the Redbay ambrosia beetle Xyleborus glabratus

Redbay ambrosia beetle Xyleborus glabratus is an invasive wood boring beetle that has become established in the southeastern U.S.A. and transmits a fungus Raffaelea lauricola that causes lethal laurel wilt. Among susceptible Lauraceae hosts are redbay Persea borbonia and avocado Persea americana. There is a crucial need for detection of this pest as it moves into new areas. Consequently, our goal was to create a better lure for the monitoring and control of redbay ambrosia beetle. We analyzed volatile emissions of R. lauricola, created a synthetic odour blend based on this analysis and tested this odour blend as a potential attractant in a redbay forest infested with X. glabratus. The synthetic Raffaelea odour blend was not attractive to the beetles by itself. However, it synergistically increased attraction to host-mimic volatiles. We tested four commercial release devices for dispensing Raffaelea odour at various release rates. Two prototypes with the highest release rate, when paired with commercial manuka oil lures, captured more beetles than manuka oil lures alone. These results indicate that a synthetic blend of volatiles based on the odour of the symbiotic fungus of X. glabratus may be useful for the development of more sensitive monitoring lures for this invasive pathogen vector.
Measuring Life Stress and Assessing Its Impact on Mental Health

Men and women throughout the ages have often felt overwhelmed by life’s demands. They have long ruminated about the implications these adversities have for their physical health and mental well-being (Rosen, 1959). Interestingly, the words of people expressing such concerns across the different ages portray similar themes of “stress, distress, and dis-ease” (Rees, 1976; see also Hinkle, 1977; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984; Monroe & Johnson, 1992). Overall, it seems clear that people are prone to perceive their worlds as filled with almost constant, if not excessive, demands, and that they frequently employ such perceptions to explain a great variety of psychological and physical phenomena.
A linear diagnosis of the coupled extratropical ocean–atmosphere system in the GFDL GCM

Abstract Summary: Diagnosing a coupled system with linear inverse modelling (LIM) can provide insight into the nature and strength of the coupling. This technique is applied to the cold season output of the GFDL GCM, forced by observed tropical Pacific SSTs and including a slab mixed layer ocean model elsewhere. It is found that extratropical SST anomalies act to enhance atmospheric thermal variability and diminish barotropic variability over the east Pacific in these GCM runs, in agreement with other theoretical and modelling studies. North-west Atlantic barotropic variability is also enhanced. However, all these feedbacks are very weak. LIM results also suggest that North Pacific extratropical SST anomalies in this model would rapidly decay without atmospheric forcing induced by tropical SST anomalies.
The use of conditional probability functions and potential source contribution functions to identify source regions and advection pathways of hydrocarbon emissions in Houston, Texas

In this study, we demonstrate the utility of conditional probability functions (CPFs), potential source contribution functions (PSCFs), and hierarchical clustering analysis (HAC) to identify the source region and transport pathways of hydrocarbons measured at five photochemical assessment monitoring stations (PAMS) near the Houston Ship Channel from June to October 2003. In contrast to scatter plots, which only show the pair-wise correlation of species, commonality in CPF figures shows both correlation and information on the source region of the species in question. In this study, we use over 50 hourly volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations and surface wind observations to show that VOCs with similar CPF patterns likely have common transport pathways. This was established with the multivariate technique, which uses the hierarchical clustering analysis to define clusters of VOCs having similar CPF patterns. This method revealed that alkenes, and in particular those with geometric isomers such as cis-/trans-2-butene and cis-/trans-2-pentene, have similar CPF patterns and hence, a common area of origin. The alkane isomers often show CPF patterns among themselves, and similarly, aromatic compounds often show similar patterns. We also show how calculated trajectory information can be used in the PSCF analysis to produce a graphic picture that identifies specific geographic areas associated with a given VOC (or other pollutant). The use of these techniques in the chemically and meteorologically complex environment of Houston, Texas, suggests its further utility in other areas with relatively simpler conditions.
The use of microorganisms as food source for Penaeus paulensis larvae

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to test the usefulness of microorganisms as food source for the Penaeus paulensis larvae. Larvae fed only bacteria survived longer (3 days) than those cultured in filtered (
An examination of the preparation and practice of grades 7–12 mathematics teachers from the Shandong Province in China

This paper presents the findings of a study that examined the preparation and teaching practice of ten teachers of grades 7-12 from the Shandong province in China. This study revealed that a multi-dimensional training system has been developed to help the teachers gradually build up their knowledge base for teaching. The findings of this study indicated that the prospective teacher education emphasized a deep understanding of advanced mathematics, while the teacher professional development provided meaningful and effective ongoing activities for the enhancement of teaching skills. The teacher pro- fessional development appears to be an essential supplement to the prospective teacher education for improving teachers' performance and developing teaching expertise.
High gradient insulator technology for the dielectric wall accelerator

Insulators composed of finely spaced alternating layers of dielectric and metal are thought to minimize secondary emission avalanche (SEA) growth. Most data to date was taken with small samples (order 10 cm/sup 2/ area) in the absence of an ion or electron beam. We have begun long pulse (>1 /spl mu/s) high voltage testing of small hard seal samples. Further, we have performed short pulse (20 ns) high voltage testing of moderate scale bonded samples (order 100 cm/sup 2/ area) in the presence of a 1 kA electron beam. Results thus far indicate a 1.0 to 4.0 increase in the breakdown electric field stress is possible with this technology.
Deletion of TGF-β signaling in myeloid cells enhances their anti-tumorigenic properties

By crossing LysM-Cre and TGF-β type II receptor (Tgfbr2) floxed mice we achieved specific deletion of Tgfbr2 in myeloid cells (Tgfbr2(MyeKO) mice). S.c.-injected (LLC, EL4-OVA) and implanted (MMTV-PyMT) carcinoma cells grow slower in Tgfbr2(MyeKO) mice. The number of CD45(+) cells in the tumor tissue was the same in both genotypes of mice, but upon analysis, the percentage of T cells (CD45(+)CD3(+)) in the KO mice was increased. By flow cytometry analysis, we did not detect any differences in the number and phenotype of TAMs, CD11b(+)Gr1(+), and DCs in Tgfbr2(MyeKO) compared with Tgfbr2(MyeWT) mice. ELISA and qRT-PCR data showed differences in myeloid cell functions. In Tgfbr2(MyeKO) TAMs, TNF-α secretion was increased, basal IL-6 secretion was down-regulated, TGF-β did not induce any VEGF response, and there was decreased MMP9 and increased MMP2 and iNOS expression. TGF-β did not have any effect on CD11b(+)Gr1(+) cells isolated from Tgfbr2(MyeKO) mice in the regulation of Arg, iNOS, VEGF, and CXCR4, and moreover, these cells have decreased suppressive activity relative to T cell proliferation. Also, we found that DCs from tumor tissue of Tgfbr2(MyeKO) mice have increased antigen-presented properties and an enhanced ability to stimulate antigen-specific T cell proliferation. We conclude that Tgfbr2 in myeloid cells has a negative role in the regulation of anti-tumorigenic functions of these cells, and deletion of this receptor decreases the suppressive function of CD11b(+)Gr1(+) cells and increases antigen-presenting properties of DCs and anti-tumorigenic properties of TAMs.
Arabidopsis enhanced ethylene response 4 encodes an EIN3-interacting TFIID transcription factor required for proper ethylene response, including ERF1 induction

eer4 was isolated as an Arabidopsis mutant with an extreme response to ethylene in dark-grown seedlings that was also found to have partial ethylene insensitivity at the level of ethylene-dependent gene expression, including ERF1. Subsequent cloning of eer4 revealed an inappropriate stop codon in a previously uncharacterized TFIID-interacting transcription factor homologous to human TAF12 and yeast TAF61. Genetic and pharmacological analysis demonstrated that the eer4 phenotype is strictly ethylene dependent in seedlings, yet a double mutant with the partially ethylene-insensitive Arabidopsis mutant, ein3-1, had restored ethylene responsiveness, indicating that eer4 also regulates a previously unknown resetting or dampening mechanism for the ethylene signalling pathway. Consistent with the absolute requirement of EER4 for ERF1 expression, biochemical analysis showed that EER4 is localized to the nucleus where it probably recruits EIN3 and probably other transcription factors along with components of the TFIID complex for expression of a subset of genes required for either manifestation or subsequent dampening of the response to ethylene.
Group Cultures and the Everyday Life of Organizations: Interaction Orders and Meso-Analysis

Drawing on sociological conceptions of interaction, small groups, and group cultures, we argue that organizational studies benefits from a meso-analysis of everyday life. Small group cultures are a means through which colleagues and co-workers share embedded and powerful self-referential meanings that shape ongoing organizational activity. Through this perspective we argue for a group-level approach to organizations that emphasizes the local production of knowledge and structure. Drawing upon ethnographic research on field offices of the US National Weather Service, we emphasize the importance of shared awareness and memory, performance, and differentiation, building on a vibrant group culture in which workers collaborate and challenge each other. In conclusion we examine connections and differences among the group culture approach, and related approaches that emphasize inhabited institutions, institutional logics, institutional work, and organizational culture.
Atmospheric Response to North Pacific SST: The Role of Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling*

Atmospheric response to a midlatitude winter SST anomaly is studied in a coupled ocean‐atmosphere general circulation model. The role of ocean‐atmosphere coupling is examined with ensemble experiments of different coupling configurations. The atmospheric response is found to depend critically on ocean‐atmosphere coupling. The full coupling experiment produces the strongest warm-ridge response and agrees the best with a statistical estimation of the atmospheric response. The fixed SST experiment and the thermodynamic coupling experiment also generate a warm-ridge response, but with a substantially weaker magnitude. This weaker warm-ridge response is associated with an excessive heat flux into the atmosphere, which tends to force an anomalous warmlow response and, therefore, weakens the warm-ridge response of the full coupling experiment. This study suggests that the atmospheric response is associated with both the SST and heat flux. The SST forcing favors a warm-ridge response, while the heat flux forcing tends to be associated with a warm-low response. The correct atmospheric response is generated in the fully coupled model that produces the correct combination of SST and heat flux naturally.
Toward a scalable quantum computing architecture with mixed species ion chains

We report on progress toward implementing mixed ion species quantum information processing for a scalable ion-trap architecture. Mixed species chains may help solve several problems with scaling ion-trap quantum computation to large numbers of qubits. Initial temperature measurements of linear Coulomb crystals containing barium and ytterbium ions indicate that the mass difference does not significantly impede cooling at low ion numbers. Average motional occupation numbers are estimated to be $$\bar{n} \approx 130$$n¯ź130 quanta per mode for chains with small numbers of ions, which is within a factor of three of the Doppler limit for barium ions in our trap. We also discuss generation of ion---photon entanglement with barium ions with a fidelity of $$F \ge 0.84$$Fź0.84, which is an initial step towards remote ion---ion coupling in a more scalable quantum information architecture. Further, we are working to implement these techniques in surface traps in order to exercise greater control over ion chain ordering and positioning.
High-Resolution Faraday Rotation and Electron-Phonon Coupling in Surface States of the Bulk-Insulating Topological Insulator Cu 0.02 Bi 2 Se 3

We have utilized time-domain magnetoterahertz spectroscopy to investigate the low-frequency optical response of the topological insulator Cu_{0.02}Bi_{2}Se_{3} and Bi_{2}Se_{3} films. With both field and frequency dependence, such experiments give sufficient information to measure the mobility and carrier density of multiple conduction channels simultaneously. We observe sharp cyclotron resonances (CRs) in both materials. The small amount of Cu incorporated into the Cu_{0.02}Bi_{2}Se_{3} induces a true bulk insulator with only a single type of conduction with a total sheet carrier density of ~4.9×10^{12}/cm^{2} and mobility as high as 4000 cm^{2}/V·s. This is consistent with conduction from two virtually identical topological surface states (TSSs) on the top and bottom of the film with a chemical potential ~145 meV above the Dirac point and in the bulk gap. The CR broadens at high fields, an effect that we attribute to an electron-phonon interaction. This assignment is supported by an extended Drude model analysis of the zero-field Drude conductance. In contrast, in normal Bi_{2}Se_{3} films, two conduction channels were observed, and we developed a self-consistent analysis method to distinguish the dominant TSSs and coexisting trivial bulk or two-dimensional electron gas states. Our high-resolution Faraday rotation spectroscopy on Cu_{0.02}Bi_{2}Se_{3} paves the way for the observation of quantized Faraday rotation under experimentally achievable conditions to push the chemical potential in the lowest Landau level.
Rebuilding Our Power Without Procedural Safeguards: A Federal Response to the 2005 Hurricanes that Outlasted the 'Emergency'

This Article suggests that by providing incentives for pipeline companies to reconstruct the nation’s natural gas infrastructure for fifteen months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast region of the U.S., the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unjustifiably used the hurricanes as an excuse to go beyond what was necessary for an “emergency” that, in fact, lasted no longer than five months for the natural gas industry. The article briefly discusses how FERC had a significant reason to want to extend its “emergency” response beyond five months without procedural “encumbrances”- before the hurricanes, America’s natural gas infrastructure was already deficient. The article then shows that the changes FERC made to its regulation of pipeline companies necessitated more regulatory protection for the rights of the public, the environment, and landowners than it had provided. Beyond these practical concerns, the article discusses how, in extending the “emergency” response beyond five months without any public input, FERC violated the Natural Gas Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. The paper further discusses the theoretical importance of these doctrines.
The Pituitary-Adrenal Glucocorticoid Response Is Altered by Gender and Disease

BACKGROUND This study examined the role of age, gender, and disease in the regulation of the pituitary-adrenal axis. METHODS Serum cortisol and immunoreactive corticotropin (ACTH) were measured for five hours after a bolus administration of ovine corticotropin releasing hormone (oCRH, 1 microgram/kg) during three separate investigations: 1) age: comparison was made between young men (26 +/- 3 years [means +/- SE]) vs old men (73 +/- 2 years); 2) gender: comparison between old men (73 +/- 2 years) vs old women (68 +/- 3 years); and 3) disease: comparison was made between healthy subjects (no disease, 44 +/- 6 years) vs subjects with a chronic stable disease (diabetes mellitus [DM] or hypertension [HBP], 48 +/- 5 years). RESULTS Basal concentrations of cortisol were significantly higher in younger men (127 +/- 17 vs 74 +/- 11 nmol/L, p < .03), as were peak cortisol levels (499 +/- 30 vs 397 +/- 36 nmol/L, p < .05, ANOVA). However, the 5-hour nadir of cortisol, area under the curve, delta area under the curve, time to peak, and variability of the responses during three separate admissions were similar in young and old. When the responses to oCRH in old men and old women were compared, old women had significantly higher basal values of cortisol (163 +/- 30 vs 75 +/- 11 nmol/L, p < .02), peak levels of cortisol (p < .0001) and the 5-hour nadir of cortisol was 124% higher in older women (657 +/- 61 vs 298 +/- 50 nmol/L, p < .0006). When the response to oCRH was examined in healthy subjects and subjects with disease (DM and HBP), men with disease had a peak cortisol response 40% higher (p < .003) than healthy men and the level remained 85% higher (p < .0005) at 5 hours. The responses of ACTH to oCRH were not different in the groups being compared for any study. The variation of cortisol response could be explained by the peak cortisol levels (R2 = .718, p < .0001), with a small significant contribution from disease (R2 = .013, p < .002). In summary, the adrenal response to oCRH remained elevated throughout the period of study in elderly women. In addition, subjects with a chronic disease (DM and HBP) had a greater response of cortisol to oCRH compared with healthy subjects. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that the pituitary-adrenal response to oCRH in the elderly is gender specific and chronic stable disease (DM and HBP) is associated with altered regulation of the adrenal glucocorticoid response.
Adsorption isoterms and capillary condensation in a nanoslit with rough walls: a density functional theory.

Adsorption isoterms and capillary condensation in an open slit with walls decorated with arrays of pillars are examined using the density functional theory. Compared with the main substrate, the pi...
The paleobotanical character of log assemblages necessary to differentiate blow-downs resulting from cyclonic winds

The traumatic effects of cyclonic winds on forest vegetation are documented for a regional storm front that was accompanied by a localized tornado. In assessing an ancient thanatocoenosis (death assemblage) that may be the result of blow-downs, it is important to document the regional scatter of trees in order to determine whether or not the traumatic event represents merely violent windstorms or is the result of cyclonic winds. The recognition of such situations in the rock record would allow for a more detailed assessment of prevailing paleoclimate
Imaging Spatial Variations in the Dissipation and Transport of Thermal Energy within Individual Silicon Nanowires Using Ultrafast Microscopy

Thermal management is an important consideration for most nanoelectronic devices, and an understanding of the thermal conductivity of individual device components is critical for the design of thermally efficient systems. However, it can be difficult to directly probe local changes in thermal conductivity within a nanoscale system. Here, we utilize the time-resolved and diffraction-limited imaging capabilities of ultrafast pump–probe microscopy to determine, in a contact-free configuration, the local thermal conductivity in individual Si nanowires (NWs). By suspending single NWs across microfabricated trenches in a quartz substrate, the properties of the same NW both on and off the substrate are directly compared. We find the substrate has no effect on the recombination lifetime or diffusion length of photogenerated charge carriers; however, it significantly impacts the thermal relaxation properties of the NW. In substrate-supported regions, thermal energy deposited into the lattice by the ultrafast laser...
Hydrogen Bonding and Chirality in Functionalized Thioether Self- Assembly

Thioethers represent an interesting alternative to thiols as monomers for molecular self-assembly on metal surfaces. In contrast to thiols, and due to their unique adsorption geometry, thioethers offer the opportunity to control molecular packing in the dimension parallel to the surface, and their weaker surface binding can lead to monolayers with a lower defect density. In a step toward designing thioether monolayers with multiple functionalities, we have investigated the molecular-scale assembly of 3- (methylthio)propanol on Au(111). Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals that the hydroxyl groups drive the formation of an array of novel structures that are not observed with the analogous thioether, butyl methyl sulfide. The hydrogen-bonding-driven ordering yields linear chains and hexamer rings that are very similar in structure to methanol assemblies on Au(111). At near- monolayer coverage, very ordered monolayers are observed. The adsorption is strong enough to lift the native herringbone reconstruction of the Au(111) surface but stops short of removing additional atoms, as is the case with thiols. While these monolayer structures are similar to those of nonfunctionalized butyl methyl sulfide, hydrogen bonding between adjacent rows leads to lamellar structures with a hydrophilic core and hydrophobic exterior. As such, these assemblies are one-dimensional analogues of the lipid bilayer.
Workshop/Professional Development Sessions

When presenters review the call for presentation proposals from different organizations, they typically have choices about the type of session they prefer to make. These sessions vary, not only in the length of time allocated but also with respect to the purpose. Each type of conference session at each venue has to be understood in order to maximize a prospective presenter’s success at that meeting. This chapters provides guidance in the major types of conference presentations: workshops/professional development, roundtables, posters, papers, symposia/panel discussions, distance/virtual presentations, and keynote addresses or other invited sessions.
Arms Supply and Proliferation Networks

The study of the transfer of small arms and light weapons, major conventional weapons, and weapons or mass destruction is ripe for the use of network theories and methods. Yet so far, there has been little quantitative or qualitative network analysis of these networks. Questions pertaining to global and regional arms flows and the related matters of international insecurity and criminality should lend themselves quite well to this mode of analysis. Some of the main challenges for their application to these questions derive from the limited availability of data. Nonetheless, the extant literature contains a number of implicit or explicit hypotheses that could be explored or tested using network analysis. This chapter gives an overview of the main factors shaping these networks through supply and demand. It then discusses these networks’ structural characteristics, focusing on the tradeoffs between security and efficiency embodied in them; the pressures on networks to adopt more or less centralized forms; and how different layers in networks relate to each other and adapt to different constraints such as geography. Finally, it reviews some existing datasets and network analyses (surprisingly few at present) and concludes with a discussion of the potential for network analysis to inform the study of arms transfer networks. Given the general import of these networks for both security studies and policy relevance, we expect to see a renaissance in the study of arms supply and proliferation networks.