cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adult naris closure profoundly reduces tyrosine hydroxylase expression in mouse olfactory bulb

Peripheral afferent innervation appears to be required for the expression of the dopamine phenotype in the rodent main olfactory bulb. Experiments utilizing neonatal naris closure as a means of sensory deprivation also suggest that odor-induced afferent activity is required for the expression of the phenotype. These experiments are confounded, however, by the significant postnatal maturation of the dopamine system. The current experiments utilized adult unilateral naris closure to address this issue. As with neonatal closure, adult deprivation produces a profound reduction in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the first enzyme in the dopamine biosynthetic pathway. By 4 days a small decrease is observed in TH activity and immunoreactivity. Activity reaches a nadir of 12% of control levels at about 1 month. TH mRNA is reduced similarly when analyzed at about 2 months post-closure. Glutamic acid decarboxylase protein and mRNA expression, which are co-localized with TH, remain at close to control levels indicating the continued presence of the dopamine neurons. The time-course of the loss of TH is identical to that for zinc sulphate-induced denervation of the olfactory bulb. These data support the hypothesis that odor modulated afferent activity is required for expression of the dopamine phenotype and that, if a trophic factor is involved, its release is also activity dependent.
Functional morphology and physiology of slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors.

Since the original work by Hering and Breuer (1868) on slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (SARs), numerous studies have demonstrated that these receptors are the lung vagal afferents responsible for eliciting the reflexes evoked by moderate lung inflation. SARs play a role in controlling breathing pattern, airway smooth muscle tone, systemic vascular resistance, and heart rate. Both anatomical and physiological studies support the contention that SARs, by their close association with airway smooth muscle, continuously sense the tension within the myoelastic components of the airways caused by lung inflation, smooth muscle contraction, and/or tethering of small intrapulmonary airways to the lung parenchyma. As a result, the receptor field location within the tracheobronchial tree of a SAR plays an important role in its discharge pattern, with variations in airway transluminal pressure and airway smooth muscle orientation being important modulating factors. The disruption of airway myoelastic components in various pulmonary diseases would be expected to alter the discharge pattern of SARs, and contribute to changes in breathing pattern and airway smooth muscle tone.
A new self-balancing DC-substitution RF power meter

Problems intrinsic in self-balancing Wheatstone bridges have led to the development of a new dc substitution microwave power meter. The new instrument allows four-terminal measurement of bolometer resistance and affords improved accuracy and lower noise at a lower cost than earlier instruments. Measurement errors due to imperfect behavior of the servo system are typically less than 0.01 percent.
Total synthesis: expanding the art of synthesis.

The highly selective oxidation of just one carbon–hydrogen bond out of almost 50 in a late-stage precursor can be used to construct the macrocyclic core on which the erythromycin antibiotics are based, and demonstrates the potential of such C–H activation approaches for natural product synthesis.
Cellular detonation stability. Part 1. A normal-mode linear analysis

A detailed investigation of the hydrodynamic stability to transverse linear disturbances of a steady, one-dimensional detonation in an ideal gas undergoing an irreversible, unimolecular reaction with an Arrhenius rate constant is conducted via a normal-mode analysis. The method of solution is an iterative shooting technique which integrates between the detonation shock and the reaction equilibrium point. Variations in the disturbance growth rates and frequencies with transverse wavenumber, together with two-dimensional neutral stability curves and boundaries for all unstable low- and higher frequency modes, are obtained for varying detonation bifurcation parameters. These include the detonation overdrive, chemical heat release and reaction activation energy. Spatial perturbation eigenfunction behaviour and phase and group velocities are also obtained for selected sets of unstable modes. Results are presented for both Chapman–Jouguet and overdriven detonation velocities. Comparisons between the earlier pointwise determination of stability and interpolated neutral stability boundaries obtained by Erpenbeck are made. Possible physical mechanisms which govern the wavenumber selection underlying the initial onset of either regular or irregular cell patterns are also discussed.
Don't Call Me “Biker Chick”: Women Motorcyclists Redefining Deviant Identity

The majority of literature on women who participate in the world of motorcycling focuses on females associated with outlaw motorcycle clubs and hardcore bikers. Roles for those women tended to be subservient and demeaning. Women are the fastest growing segment in today's contemporary world of middle- and upper-middle-class motorcycling, where they fulfill more meaningful roles whether they are passengers or riders of their own bikes. This descriptive exploratory study utilizes a symbolic interaction framework to analyze approximately four years of participant observation and ethnographic interviews with some of these women. Findings indicate that female motorcyclists manipulate several meaningful symbols in order to redefine what has largely been viewed as a deviant identity. Riding motorcycles is what they do, not who they are. Women who ride feel a sense of freedom, excitement, and empowerment as they maintain their femininity while participating in what has traditionally been viewed as a masculine ende...
Analytical Failure Prediction of Spherical Composite Pressure Vessels

The geometrical complexity of winding patterns for fiber composite spherical pressure vessels has most often resulted in design and analysis based on use of assumed spherical symmetry. Development of computer programs for detailed geometrical description of the fabricated structure winding pattern provides the data needed to perform a finite element analysis and make design improvements. Stress distributions are evaluated by the Weibull statistical failure theory and a failure pressure is predicted. Selected results for a specific case are presented.
Variations in responses of potato germplasm to deficit irrigation as affected by soil texture

The response to irrigation of three parental potato cultivars was studied on loam and sandy soils by use of the line source sprinkler technique, which provided a continuous irrigation variable from 0 to 100% or more replacement of estimated evapotranspiration (Et). Solid-set sprinkler irrigation from planting until near full ground cover provided optimal early plant growth and a soil profile filled with water when the irrigation variable was started in July. On the loam soil this residual soil water provided most of the water needs of the three cultivars over a 10–12 week period until harvest. On this soil, irrigation levels providing replacement above 20 to 40% Et had little beneficial effect. In fact, higher irrigation levels had serious deleterious effects, especially on grade and solids of Nooksack. On the loam soil, Nooksack performed best in every regard at deficit irrigation levels below 50% Et. In contrast, on this loam soil, differing irrigation levels had very little effect on the productivity of Lemhi. The response of all cultivars on sandy soil was much different than on loam soil. On sand, total and U.S. No. 1 yield of all cultivars increased greatly as irrigation levels increased, up to 70 to 80% Et. Levels above this had minimal effect. Nooksack again performed better than the other two cultivars under deficit irrigation. The results of these and other studies show there is potential for identifying or developing potato cultivars which are more efficient users of irrigation water.
Providing conceptual framework support for distributed Web-based simulation within the high-level architecture

Web-based simulation, a subject of increasing interest to both simulation researchers and practitioners, has the potential to significantly influence the application and availability of simulation as a problem-solving technique. Web technologies also portend cost-effective distributed modeling and simulation. These applications will require solutions to the systems interoperability problem similar to the DoD High Level Architecture (HLA). The suitability of the HLA to serve 'mainstream' simulation is examined.Approaches for incorporating discrete event simulation conceptual frameworks within the HLA are described and ongoing research in this area noted. Issues raised include a discussion of the appropriate roles for a simulation-support language and a simulation-support architecture.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Factor structure replication and bias investigation of the teacher rating of social skills

Abstract The factor congruence and an analysis of potential bias of the Teacher Ratings of Social Skills (TROSS) were the focus of this study. Preliminary research on the TROSS has shown it to possess adequate reliability and validity. A sample of 250 mainstreamed school-age children from four different groups that were behavior-disordered, learning-disabled mildly mentally retarded/educationally handicapped, and nonhandicapped was used to examine (a) rater, ratee, and sex biases in TROSS ratings by teachers, (b) concurrent validity and reliability, and (c) factor congruence with a previous investigation of nonhandicapped children The results indicate that the TROSS discriminated between mainstreamed handicapped and nonhandicapped students at a reasonably high level. No rater, ratee, or sex biases were found. Coefficient alphas indicate that the TROSS is a highly reliable instrument. The factor structures of the present and previous research were essentially equivalent. In view of these results, the TROSS appears to be an instrument that can confidently be used as a screening instrument in a social skills assessment package.
Comments on ‘‘The influence of wind and temperature gradients on sound propagation, calculated with the two way wave equations’’ [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 87, 1987–1998 (1990)]

In a recent paper Nijs and Wapenaar [J. Acoust. Am. 87, 1987–1998 (1990)] have developed a method for solving for the effects of horizontal winds on sound propagation in the atmosphere. In this development, Nijs and Wapenaar neglect terms containing the density gradient of the atmosphere which in their notation are comparable to the effects of the adiabatic temperature lapse rate on the sound‐speed gradient. Their method represents a significant improvement over the use of an effective sound‐speed gradient to express the effects of the wind only for high propagation angles. For these situations, one would expect errors due to the change in ambient pressure and density to be greatest. In this letter, a numerically attractive method to incorporate horizontal winds and a hydrostatic density gradient into a two‐dimensional transform solution for sound propagation in the atmosphere is developed. In addition, Nijs and Wapenaar approximate the two‐dimensional Fourier transforms by a single one‐dimensional transf...
A graph for NP-complete problems

A weighted directed graph GQ = (V, E) is defined for Q, the set of problems known to be NP-complete, with a vertex vi in V being an NP-complete problem pi in Q and the weight of an edge in E being the complexity of the transformation used to prove the NP-completeness of a problem. If the complexity of problem p1 relative to problem p2 is defined as the minimum complexity of a reduction from p1 to p2 (considering all paths from v1 to v2 in V) then the relative complexity graph of Q is the weighted graph GQR = (V, E'), with the weight of edge e'ij being the minimum complexity of p1 relative to p2. An O(n3) variant of the shortest path problem on directed graphs that is similar to the Floyd algorithm for all-pairs shortest paths is used to construct GQR. GQR can be updated with an O(n2) algorithm when a reduction with smaller complexity is found or a new edge is added to the graph, and with an O(n) algorithm if a new vertex (corresponding to the discovery of a new NP-complete problem) is added to the graph.
Current concepts in infant nutrition

Nutritional needs vary during the first year of life according to the infant's individualized pattern of growth and amount of physical activity. After delivery, the infant must make many physiologic adjustments, develop immunologic defenses, and take in adequate nutrients for survival. The type and consistency of foods change as the gastrointestinal system matures and becomes able to metabolize the components and excrete the needed metabolites of increasingly complex foods. The recommended dietary allowance for infancy is based on the amount of nutrients provided to healthy infants in human milk during the first six months of life and on the consumption of formula and increasing amounts of solid food during the second six months. The introduction of solid foods should parallel the developmental changes that occur within the central nervous system throughout the first year; these provide a level of readiness for the infant to manage foods of various textures from full liquid to soft. Even though significant technologic advances have led to changes in the way infants can be fed, human milk is still the optimal choice. Most women can be encouraged to breast-feed regardless of their own nutritional status or dietary intake. Contraindications can be managed on an individual basis. If women do not elect to breast-feed, suitable commercial formulas are available. The important issue in feeding is that of providing a variety of appropriately prepared foods offered in a nonjudgmental atmosphere so that the foundation is laid for the development of good food habits.
The System Bi2O3‐SiO2

The Bi2O3-rich side of the system Bi2O3-SiO2 was studied with powder X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. In the composition 6Bi2O3. xSiO2, the metastable γ phase (bcc) was observed to exist over the range of 0 < x≤ 1. In most of the compositions studied, metastable phases of water-quenched melts transformed into another metastable phase before reaching stable phases. A modification of the phase diagram is proposed.
Thermopower in highly reduced n-type ferroelectric and related perovskite oxides and the role of heterogeneous nonstoichiometry

Nonstoichiometric perovskite-structured alkaline-earth titanates with ferroelectric, paraelectric, and paraelastic phases were investigated for thermoelectric properties. Depending on the degree of reduction, different trends are noted. In ferroelectric ${\text{BaTiO}}_{3}$, thermopower anomalies are observed in and around the paraelectric $(Pm3m)$-ferroelectric $(P4mm)$ and ferroelectric $(P4mm)$-ferroelectric $(Cmm2)$ phase transition temperatures, and the nature of these trends was found to depend on the degree of reduction. This indicates a coupling between the thermoelectric effect and the ferroelectric phase transition, a phenomena also noted in the recent work of Kolodiazhnyi [T. Kolodiazhnyi, Phys. Rev. B 78, 045107 (2008)]. Heavily reduced ${\text{SrTiO}}_{3\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ showed a strong metallic behavior in the thermopower and conductivity data without anomalies as the phase is paraelastic in the temperature range studied. The nature of the reduction from the low oxygen partial pressure anneals is heterogeneous; clusters of defects $\ensuremath{\sim}3\text{ }\text{nm}$ wide meander through the crystallites. The defective regions have high oxygen vacancy concentrations, and the chemical nature of the Ti changes from ${\text{Ti}}^{4+}$ to ${\text{Ti}}^{3+}$. The complex nature of the thermochemical reduction near the metal-insulator transition will challenge simple physical models for oxide thermoelectrics. Traditional thermopower models are discussed in relation to the reported thermopower and the conductivity in the paraelectric and ferroelectric phases.
The patient with sore throat

Sore throat is a common medical complaint seen by the emergency practitioner, internist, pediatrician, and otolaryngologist. The differential for sore throat is vast. However, with a directed history this can often be narrowed down to 2 to 3 possible diagnoses. By paying particular attention to the associated symptoms and duration of symptoms, common self-limited etiologies like viral pharyngitis and nonstreptococcal tonsillitis can be distinguished from those that require more investigation, such as supraglottitis and tonsillar cancer. A sore throat is most commonly caused by an infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic etiologic factor.
Region-based parametric motion segmentation using color information

This paper presents pixel-based and region-based parametric motion segmentation methods for robust motion segmentation with the goal of aligning motion boundaries with those of real objects in a scene. We first describe a two-step iterative procedure for parametric motion segmentation by either motion-vector or motion-compensated intensity matching. We next present a region-based extension of this method, whereby all pixels within a predefined spatial region are assigned the same motion label. These predefined regions may be fixed- or variable-size blocks or arbitrary-shaped areas defined by color or texture uniformity. A particular combination of these pixel-based and region-based methods is then proposed as a complete algorithm to obtain the best possible segmentation results on a variety of image sequences. Experimental results showing the benefits of the proposed scheme are provided.
Steady-state heat conduction in a circular cone

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Bestimmung des stationaren Temperaturfeldes, das in einem Kreiskegel durch eine unstetige Verteilung der vorgegebenen Oberflachentemperatur hervorgerufen wird. Die Temperatur der Mantelflache wird oberhalb und unterhalb einer festen Entfernung von der Kegelspitze konstant angenommen. Dieses Problem wird mit Hilfe der Mellin-Transformation streng gelost. Die so erhaltene Losung wird in einer spater erscheinenden Arbeit auf die Bestimmung der zugehorigen Temperaturspannungen angewendet.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Post-Operative Mortality following Congenital Heart Surgery

Objectives This study assessed racial/ethnic disparities in post-operative mortality after surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) and explored whether disparities persist after adjusting for access to care. Study design We used the Pediatric Health Information System database to perform a retrospective cohort study of 44 017 patients with 49 833 CHD surgery encounters in 2004-2008 at 41 children’s hospitals. We used χ 2 analysis to compare unadjusted mortality rates by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic) and constructed Poisson regression models to determine adjusted mortality risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. Results In-hospital post-operative mortality rate was 3.4%; non-Hispanic whites had the lowest mortality rate (2.8%), followed by non-Hispanic blacks (3.6%) and Hispanics (3.9%) ( P Conclusions There are notable racial/ethnic disparities in post-operative mortality after CHD surgery that do not appear to be explained by differences in access to care.
An in vitro model for adhesion of bacteria to human tooth root surfaces.

Abstract A model mimicking bacterial colonization of dentine has been developed. It employs uniform particles of pulverized human tooth root tissue incubated with radioactively labelled bacteria. After incubation, the number of attaching bacteria is quantified. Attachment of Streptococcus mutans UA140, Actinomyces viscosus T14, and Lactobacillus casei 101 was found to be time dependent and complete within 1–3 h. Dissociation constants (Kd) of the interactions equalled 2.5 × 108 and 1.6 × 108 cells/ml, for Strep. mutans and A. viscosus, respectively. The Kd for L. casei could not be determined as attachment was not saturable. The putative tissue components involved in adherence were studied by determining the attachment of bacteria in the presence of competing strains. The results suggest that Strep. mutans and A. viscosus recognized and competed for the same ligand (probably collagen) in the dentine. L. casei attachment did not compete with the attachment of Strep. mutans and A. viscosus. Attachment of all strains was modified by preincubation with saliva and varied with bacterial strain and saliva donor.
Evidence for multiple coordination modes in the formation constants of the 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethylbutanoato rare earth chelate species

Abstract The consecutive stepwise formation constants of the 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 chelate species formed by the interaction of 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethylbutanoato anions with the tripositive lanthanon and yttrium cations were determined potentiometrically at an ionic strength of 0.1 (KNO 3 ) and 25°C. The results indicate that at least three different coordination modes, one tridentate and two bidentate, are in evidence.
hFS: a hybrid file system prototype for improving small file and metadata performance

Two oft-cited file systems, the Fast File System (FFS) and the Log-Structured File System (LFS), adopt two sharply different update strategies---update-in-place and update-out-of-place. This paper introduces the design and implementation of a hybrid file system called hFS, which combines the strengths of FFS and LFS while avoiding their weaknesses. This is accomplished by distributing file system data into two partitions based on their size and type. In hFS, data blocks of large regular files are stored in a data partition arranged in a FFS-like fashion, while metadata and small files are stored in a separate log partition organized in the spirit of LFS but without incurring any cleaning overhead. This segregation makes it possible to use more appropriate layouts for different data than would otherwise be possible. In particular, hFS has the ability to perform clustered I/O on all kinds of data---including small files, metadata, and large files. We have implemented a prototype of hFS on FreeBSD and have compared its performance against three file systems, including FFS with Soft Updates, a port of NetBSD's LFS, and our lightweight journaling file system called yFS. Results on a number of benchmarks show that hFS has excellent small file and metadata performance. For example, hFS beats FFS with Soft Updates in the range from 53% to 63% in the PostMark benchmark.
Effects of changes in word length on proactive interference in short-term memory

The effects of changes in word length on proactive interference (PI) were assessed in an STM situation. Four trials with words of the same length or three trials of one length and the fourth with words of the other length were given. Length of the retention interval on Trial 4 was varied. Evidence for PI was found after Trial 1. Recall remained depressed when word length did not change, but retention on Trial 4 improved when word length changed. Variation in retention interval had no effect. The results indicate that word length is a stimulus feature that Ss encode, and that a change in this feature reduces interference.
Surgery for the obstetric vesicovaginal fistula: a review of 100 operations in 82 patients.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Vesicovaginal fistula resulting from prolonged obstructed labor remains a major problem in developing countries where medical care is limited. For many years surgical closure of the fistula was almost impossible. However, closure rates today range between 65% and 95%. Attention now is being focused on training more surgeons to repair simple fistulas, identifying and preventing complications that occur even with successful vesicovaginal fistula closure, developing new techniques to close the most difficult fistulas to repair, and working to improve obstetric care to prevent future vesicovaginal fistulas. This study reviews contemporary efforts to manage vesicovaginal fistulas with these goals in mind. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred consecutive vesicovaginal fistula repair operations that I performed in 82 patients are reviewed. Specific repair techniques are described for each vesicovaginal fistula type by anatomic vesicovaginal fistula classification. Primary closure rates and complications are examined by vesicovaginal fistula type, location, size, and number of prior repair attempts. RESULTS: After 100 operations, 78 of the 82 patients (95%) had successful vesicovaginal fistula closure. Primary closure rates were noted to be 31 of 33 (94%) for suburethral fistulas, 10 of 14 (71%) for midvaginal fistulas, 9 of 10 (90%) for juxtacervical fistulas, 10 of 12 (83%) for urethral fistulas, 6 of 6 (100%) for uterovesical fistulas, but only 4 of 7 (57%) for combined vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas. Repairs were only 50% successful on second attempts and only 33% successful on third attempts. Even in those patients who had successful closure of the fistula, serious complications occurred in 59% of patients, including other types of urinary incontinence, gynatresia, amenorrhea, and leg weakness. CONCLUSION: Basic principles of fistula surgery remain important in all types of vesicovaginal fistula repairs. Further research is needed into prevention and management of associated complications, into innovative repair of those few patients who do not have successful closure, and into training more surgeons to address the vesicovaginal fistula problem. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1994; 170:1108-20.)
Genetic analysis of ventricular arrhythmia in young German Shepherd Dogs.

Background: Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden death are inherited in German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs). Objectives: To estimate the genetic parameters (heritabilities and correlations) of 3 traits of VA (single premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), 2 consecutive PVCs (couplets), and 3 or more consecutive PVCs—ventricular tachycardia [VT]). Animals: Three hundred and ninety-eight GSDs. Methods: Prospective, observational, case control study. Dogs were phenotyped by 24-hour ambulatory ECG from 6 to 45 weeks of age. Edited ECG records included the number of incidents of (1) single PVCs, (2) couplets, and (3) VT. Results: A data set of 1,239 Holter records from 398 GSDs was used to estimate genetic variables. Phenotypic correlations for affectedness (binarily coded 0/1) of the 3 traits ranged from 0.55 to 0.74, whereas correlations for severity (continuous values of 24-hour VA counts) ranged from 0.26 to 0.39. Estimates of genetic correlation among the severity traits were 0.06 to 0.27. Estimated heritabilities were 0.54, 0.54, and 0.46 for affectedness and 0.33, 0.69, and 0.69 for severity of PVCs, couplets, and VT, respectively. Month and year of birth and age at ECG recording had significant effects on all 3 traits. Season of ECG recording had a significant effect on the number of single PVCs, but not couplets or incidents of VT. Age of onset differed, with single PVCs appearing an average of 4 days earlier than couplets and VT. Conclusion: These results imply a strong genetic component for this disease but suggest that differences in the 3 traits should be taken into consideration in studies to identify the underlying genes.
Redundant arrays of independent libraries (RAIL): the StarFish tertiary storage system

Abstract Increased computer networking has sparked a resurgence of the ‘on-line’ revolution of the 1970's, making ever larger amounts of data available on a world wide basis and placing greater demands on the performance and availability of tertiary storage systems. In this paper, we argue for a new approach to tertiary storage system architecture that is obtained by coupling multiple small and inexpensive ‘building block’ libraries (or jukeboxes) together to create larger tertiary storage systems. We call the resulting system a RAIL and show that it has performance and availability characteristics superior to conventional tertiary storage systems, for almost the same dollar/megabyte cost. A RAIL system is the tertiary storage equivalent of a fixed magnetic disk RAID storage system, but with several additional features that enable the ideas of data striping and redundancy to function efficiently on dismountable media and robotic media mounting systems. We present the architecture of such a system called StarFish I and describe the implementation of a prototype. We also introduce the idea of creating a log-structured library array (LSLA) on top of a RAIL architecture (StarFish II) and show how it can have write performance equivalent to that of secondary storage, and improved read performance along with other advantages such as easier compression and the elimination of the 4 × RAID/RAIL write penalty.
Diet of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) in West-Central Louisiana

We investigated the diet of Corynorhinus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat) in west-central Louisiana by examining fecal pellets collected from beneath 3 bridges used by these bats as day roosts. Fresh fecal material was found under the bridges during every month of the year. We detected 5 insect orders, including 5 families, in fecal pel- lets collected from 25 August 2005 to 5 January 2007. Lepidoptera represented 93.7% of the total volume and was the only order observed in 100% of our samples. Coleopterans, mostly Scarabaeidae, were the second most abundant food item and represented 5.8% of the total volume. Hemiptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera together represented 0.4 % of the total volume. We observed Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera in fecal pel- lets collected under some, but not all bridges. No insect orders were observed that had not previously been reported as prey of Rafinesque's Big-eared Bats. Our results were similar to those reported in studies conducted in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida, and we concluded that Rafinesque's Big-eared Bats primarily prey upon lepidopterans in Louisiana.
Drosophila Stardust interacts with Crumbs to control polarity of epithelia but not neuroblasts

Establishing cellular polarity is critical for tissue organization and function. Initially discovered in the landmark genetic screen for Drosophila developmental mutants1,2,3,4, bazooka, crumbs, shotgun and stardust mutants exhibit severe disruption in apicobasal polarity in embryonic epithelia, resulting in multilayered epithelia, tissue disintegration, and defects in cuticle formation5. Here we report that stardust encodes single PDZ domain MAGUK (membrane-associated guanylate kinase) proteins that are expressed in all primary embryonic epithelia from the onset of gastrulation. Stardust colocalizes with Crumbs6 at the apicolateral boundary, although their expression patterns in sensory organs differ. Stardust binds to the carboxy terminus of Crumbs in vitro, and Stardust and Crumbs are mutually dependent in their stability, localization and function in controlling the apicobasal polarity of epithelial cells. However, for the subset of ectodermal cells that delaminate and form neuroblasts, their polarity requires the function of Bazooka7,8, but not of Stardust or Crumbs.
Long-Term Consequences of Radiation-Induced Bystander Effects Depend on Radiation Quality and Dose and Correlate with Oxidative Stress

Widespread evidence indicates that exposure of cell populations to ionizing radiation results in significant biological changes in both the irradiated and nonirradiated bystander cells in the population. We investigated the role of radiation quality, or linear energy transfer (LET), and radiation dose in the propagation of stressful effects in the progeny of bystander cells. Confluent normal human cell cultures were exposed to low or high doses of 1GeV/u iron ions (LET ∼ 151 keV/µm), 600 MeV/u silicon ions (LET ∼ 51 keV/µm), or 1 GeV protons (LET ∼ 0.2 keV/µm). Within minutes after irradiation, the cells were trypsinized and co-cultured with nonirradiated cells for 5 h. During this time, irradiated and nonirradiated cells were grown on either side of an insert with 3-µm pores. Nonirradiated cells were then harvested and allowed to grow for 20 generations. Relative to controls, the progeny of bystander cells that were co-cultured with cells irradiated with iron or silicon ions, but not protons, exhibited r...
Parametric search engines: what makes them effective when shopping online for differentiated products?

Many online retailers try to assist consumers via parametric search engines (PSEs), i.e., attribute-based search engines. The objective of this study is to model the effectiveness of four PSEs in using search effort and domain knowledge to increase decision quality, decision confidence, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Our model comprises a set of behavioral decision theory antecedents to the technology acceptance model. We tested users with four PSEs in a laboratory experiment and modeled the results with partial least squares (PLS) analysis. The main result of this paper is a PLS model showing that the effects of search effort and domain knowledge are mediated through decision quality and decision confidence to impact perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. The model explains the variance in decision quality (17.3%), decision confidence (28.3%) and perceived usefulness (27.0%). Overall, this study shows that input, process and outcome variables are important for predicting the effectiveness of PSEs. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The Palæontological Evidence for the Transmission of Acquired Characters 1

MUCH of the evidence brought forward in France and Germany in support of the transmission of acquired characters, which has been so ably criticized in Weismann's recent essays, is of a very different order from that forming the main position of the so-called Neo-Lamarckians in America. It is true that most American zoologists, somewhat upon Semper's lines, have supported the theory of the direct action of environment, always assuming, however, the question of transmission. But Cope, the able if somewhat extreme advocate of these views, with Hyatt, Ryder, Brooks, Dall, and others, holding that the survival of the fittest is now amply demonstrated, submit that, in our present need of an explanation of the origin of the fittest, the principle of selection is inadequate, and have brought forward and discussed the evidence for the inherited modifications produced by reactions in the organism itself—in other words, the indirect action of environment. The supposed arguments from pathology and mutilations have not been considered at all: these would involve the immediate inheritance of characters impressed upon the organism and not springing from internal reactions, and thus differ both in the element of time and in their essential principle from the above. As the selection principle is allowed all that Darwin claimed for it in his later writings, this school stands for Lamarckism plus—not versus—Darwinism, as Lankester has recently put it. There is naturally a diversity of opinion as to how far each of these principles is operative, not that they conflict.
Magnesium in Calcite of Marine Ostracoda

Results of 255 microprobe analyses of Holocene marine Ostracoda show that, for the 21 specimens analyzed, the greatest variation in mole percent MgCO 3 occurs within calcite of individual carapaces rather than between carapaces collected from warm and cold water. Within a single genus, however, differences between specimens from different environments may reflect differences in water temperature.
Frontogenesis and frontal motion due to confluent deformation with a translating dilatation axis

A two-dimensional model of primitive-equation frontogenesis is formulated in which the forcing is due to a basic-state field of confluent deformation with a dilatation axis that translates in the cross-front direction. Although the translation speed and direction of motion of the basic-state dilatation axis have no effect on frontal structure when the total deformation is spatially uniform, they can influence considerably the motion of the front. At the surface, this motion may be separated into two components: (i) internal motion, directed towards the warm air, which is associated with the secondary ageostrophic circulation of the front itself; and (ii) external motion, either towards cold or warm air, which is associated with the initial location and translation speed of the basic-state dilatation axis. The latter component ultimately dominates, and thus the motion of a mature front may be thought of as being controlled by the large-scale flow. However, the former may dominate early on in the frontal evolution, resulting in significantly different frontal trajectories depending on the initial location of the basic-state dilatation axis and on whether this axis is moving towards the cold or the warm air. The relative locations of various conventional frontal measures are examined in the special case of a uniformly translating dilatation axis. Of these measures the axes of maximum baroclinicity and vorticity become collocated at the surface as the front intensifies. However, the basic-state dilatation axis and the confluence axis, the latter being defined as the location of zero total wind in the cross-front direction, may be displaced considerably from this merger point, with this displacement depending on the initial location and subsequent motion of the basic-state dilatation axis. Potential extensions of the model are discussed with regard to improved understanding of the difference in structure and motion between cold and warm fronts.
Eye contact as a setting event for infant learning.

Abstract Three-month-old human infants received social reinforcement contigent upon each vocalization. The experimenter wore eye glasses with lenses composed of clear acetate, skin-toned opaque shields, or life-size photographs of the experimenter's eyes (with direct or averted gaze), and maintained visual contact with the infant's eyes (via pinholes in the lenses) during all sessions. Each group of three subjects experienced two of the four possible lens conditions. During baseline and extinction sessions vocalization rate was quite similar under each lens condition. During conditioning sessions, however, vocalizations exceeded baseline rates in all but the opaque lens condition. In this study eye contact was neither a reinforcing, discriminative, nor eliciting stimulus. Eye contact was a setting stimulus (catalyst) for the response-reinforcement relationship.
Financial and political resources of nine major public sector unions in the 1980s

Current research offers two potentially competing perspectives on union strength: membership and financial/political resources. We update and broaden the research on the financial and political resources of nine major public sector unions in the U.S. by reporting these unions’ financial assets, net worth, revenues, and political action committee (PAC) receipts during the 1980s and the early 1990s. We find that unions may expand their financial and political resources even though membership levels stagnate or decline. Overall, the unions have amassed larger asset bases, even though some have actually lost members. On a per member basis, federal executive branch unions do not appear as financially weak as the level of their financial resources suggests. Postal unions as a group are clearly the strongest in terms of per member financial and political resources. Federal executive branch unions have experienced a striking reduction in their PAC activity, while the postal and the state and local union PACs have grown substantially. Our analysis indicates that union membership may not adequately measure union strength.
The Hop-Count Effect on the Optimal Spare Capacity for P-Cycles, Rings and All-Routes

In this paper, we present a comparison study among rings, p-cycles and all-paths to show the effect of the hop-count limit on the optimal spare capacity performance of the protection path. With such restriction on the protection path length, we formulate a ratio to observe how different optimal cost and spare capacity product of one scheme would perform with respect to each other. We also use the stability point (after which there is no significant improvement on this ratio) as a comparison measure. For small-sized network (15-20 nodes), the stability point in both rings and all-paths was found to be around 2 to 3 hops less than the p-cycles, and it occurs at hop-length equals half of the max possible path length. For larger networks with an average nodal degree of at least 3, this point appears to occur at hop-length equals 30-35% of the max possible path length.
Predictors of Occupational and Organizational Commitment in Information Technology: Exploring Gender Differences and Similarities

Despite growing demand, the information technology (IT) field suffers from a labor shortage compounded by the underrepresentation of women in the IT field. This study examined predictors of occupational and organizational commitment outcomes among IT professionals and explored gender differences and similarities in the relative importance of predictors. 1,229 IT professionals provided web-based survey data, which were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling and relative weight analysis. Satisfaction with growth opportunities, job security, job stress, and work–family culture generally were related to commitment outcomes as expected, accounting for the greatest variance in organizational commitment. Relative weights for men and women differed in the prediction of occupational commitment, where growth satisfaction and work–family culture were weighted more strongly by women and job stress was more strongly weighted by men. For organizational commitment, the relative weights among predictors were similar for men and women, except that men weighted job security more strongly than women. Findings suggest that garnering commitment to the IT field requires a gender-specific approach, highlighting growth and work–family support for women and addressing job stress for men. Increasing organizational commitment for both men and women calls for an emphasis on opportunities for growth and development. This is the first study to simultaneously examine predictors for organizational and occupational commitment among IT professionals and to assess the relative importance of predictors discussed in the extant literature. Results inform efforts to increase retention in the IT field and provide guidance for improving the representation of women in IT.
How drunk am I? Misperceiving one's level of intoxication in the college drinking environment

One effective event-level index that can assist in identifying risky intoxication levels among college students is blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Despite widespread exposure to BAC information, doubt exists as to whether American college students can accurately estimate their own BAC level or drinking behaviors while intoxicated. This study assessed whether students can accurately guesstimate their BAC level and drinking behaviors used to estimate BAC (eBAC) while drinking in social college settings. Participants (N = 225; 56.4% male) consisted of emerging adults attending either a 2- or 4-year college who had at least one alcoholic drink within the 2 hr before assessment. Participants were approached at night when returning from parties and/or alcohol-serving establishments. They completed an initial questionnaire, gave a breath sample to assess breath alcohol content, and then completed an online follow-up questionnaire within 48 hr of baseline assessment. Participants at lower levels of intoxication tended to slightly overestimate their BAC level, while those at higher levels tended to markedly underestimate their BAC level. In addition, discrepancies among breath alcohol content, guesstimated BAC, and eBAC were found as a function of gender. Lastly, differences in eBAC scores did not differ when drinking behaviors were obtained via in vivo versus retrospective methodology. Findings suggest that college students generally have difficulty assessing their BAC level and drinking behaviors while drinking in the college social setting. This study offers particular insight for research relying on estimates of BAC as well as interventions utilizing BAC education.
Natural person-following behavior for social robots

We are developing robots with socially appropriate spatial skills not only to travel around or near people, but also to accompany people side-by-side. As a step toward this goal, we are investigating the social perceptions of a robot's movement as it follows behind a person. This paper discusses our laser-based person-tracking method and two different approaches to person-following: direction-following and path-following. While both algorithms have similar characteristics in terms of tracking performance and following distances, participants in a pilot study rated the direction-following behavior as significantly more human-like and natural than the path-following behavior. We argue that the path-following method may still be more appropriate in some situations, and we propose that the ideal person-following behavior may be a hybrid approach, with the robot automatically selecting which method to use.
Neurocognitive profiles of preterm infants randomly assigned to lower or higher hematocrit thresholds for transfusion.

Objective: Preterm infants are frequently transfused with red blood cells based on standardized guidelines or clinical concerns that anemia taxes infants' physiological compensatory mechanisms and thereby threatens their health and well-being. The impact of various transfusion guidelines on long-term neurocognitive outcome is not known. The purpose of this study is to evaluate long-term neurocognitive outcome on children born prematurely and treated at birth with different transfusion guidelines. Methods: Neurocognitive outcomes were examined at school age for 56 preterm infants randomly assigned to a liberal (n = 33) or restrictive (n = 23) transfusion strategy. Tests of intelligence, achievement, language, visual-spatial/motor, and memory skills were administered. Between-group differences were assessed. Results: Those in the liberal transfusion group performed more poorly than those in the restrictive group on measures of associative verbal fluency, visual memory, and reading. Conclusions: Findings hig...
Density Profiles of Semi-Dilute Polymer Solutions Near a Hard Wall: Monte Carlo Simulation

A semi-dilute polymer solution is one in which polymers overla1p. The bulk properties of semi-dilute polymer solutions have been studied extensively and much has been known. The scaling theory has been very successful. 1,2 The predictions of the scaling theory about various physical quantities as a function of polymer concentration, c, have been confirmed experimentally. 1,3
Exploring Spatial Resolution in Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction Experiments via Monte Carlo Simulation

A Monte Carlo model was used to simulate specimen-electron beam interactions relevant to electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). Electron trajectories were calculated for a variety of likely experimental conditions to examine the interaction volume of the incident electrons as well as that of the subset of incident electrons that emerge from the specimen, i.e., back-scattered electrons (BSEs). The spatial resolution of EBSD was investigated as functions of both materials properties, such as atomic number, atomic weight, and density, and experimental parameters, such as specimen thickness, tilt, and incident beam accelerating voltage. These simulations reveal that the achievable spatial resolution in EBSD is determined by these intrinsic and extrinsic parameters.