cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modifying physical activity in a multiethnic sample of low-income women: one-year results from the IMPACT (Increasing Motivation for Physical ACTivity) project.

Background: Ethnic minorities or those with low socioeconomic status (SES) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality, compared to higher SES Whites. National surveys also indicate that low-income, ethnic minority women have the highest rates of inactivity in the United States.Purpose: This study (the Increasing Motivation for Physical ACTivity or IMPACT study) promoted adoption and maintenance of physical activity (PA) in sedentary, low-income women participating in federally funded job training programs.Methods: The study consisted of 2 months of weekly 1-hr classes, then random assignment to 10 months of either home-based telephone counseling for PA plus information and feedback via mailed newsletters (Phone + Mail Counseling condition) or just the mailed newsletters (Mail Support condition). The IMPACT intervention included behavior change strategies for PA as well as discussions related to motivational readiness for PA change. Participants completed surveys and physiological assessments at baseline after the classes ended (i.e., at 10 weeks) and at 6 and 12 months postbaseline. Seventy-three percent of randomized participants (n = 72) were Latina, with a mean age of 32 ± 10 years. More than half the women had not completed high school, and 73% had an annual income less than $20,000.Results: After 10 months of a homebased intervention, women in the phone + mail counseling condition had significantly greater increases in estimated total energy expenditure compared to women in the mail support condition (p < .05).Conclusions: Regular PA counseling delivered via the telephone and through the mail appears effective for encouraging regular PA among low-income women transitioning from welfare or job training to the workforce.
Mantle metasomatism: the REE story.

Refractory rocks with light REE/heavy REE ratios greater than chondrite are common as xenoliths in basalts and kimberlites and are found in some oceanic peridotite massifs. This has led to the supposition that large parts of the upper mantle have been metasomatically altered by addition of light REE and other hyperfusible constituents. Structural and major-element geochemical evidence from xenoliths and alpine peridotites, however, suggest that the metasomatic effects are local and are related to emplacement of partial melts. The melts are represented by dikes of pyroxenite, hydrous minerals, and gabbro that occur in mantle peridotites of all origins and were emplaced in them in the same sequence as indicated by crosscutting relations. REE distributions in both the peridotite and the dikes may be explained as a result of metasomatic interaction between dikes and peridotite wall rock in which the peridotite is enriched in light REE and the dikes depleted in light REE relative to the original liquid. Differentiation of the intrusions and separation of residual liquids may further reduce the light REE/heavy REE ratio in pyroxenite dikes; these residual liquids (hydrous mineral veins) enriched in light REE extend the volume of metasomatized peridotite as they too interact with their wall rocks. Differences in the relative abundances of altered peridotite (reacted wall rock) in xenoliths and massifs are seen as a sampling problem rather than a difference in process.
Acute pulmonary embolism during an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

A 76-year-old female patient presented for an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the removal of a biliary stent and lithotripsy. During the procedure, an acute drop in the end-tidal CO 2 , followed by cardiovascular collapse prompted the initiation of the advanced cardiac life support protocol. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated direct evidence of pulmonary embolism. The patient was promptly treated with thrombolytic therapy and subsequently discharged home on oral warfarin therapy, with no noted sequelae. Although, there have been case reports of air embolism during an ERCP presenting with cardiovascular collapse, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reported cases of acute pulmonary embolus during this procedure. While the availability of TEE in the operating suites is quite common, quick access and interpretation capabilities in remote locations may not be as common. With the expansion of anesthesia services outside of the operating rooms, it may be prudent to develop rapid response systems that incorporate resources such as TEE and trained personnel to deal with such emergent situations.
Effects of maternal attention-directing strategies on preterms' response to toys☆

Abstract The relationship between maternal attention-directing strategies in 12-month play interactions and infant response level was investigated for 40 preterm (subdivided into two risk groups) and 20 full-term infants. Mothers use of particular strategies (i.e., maintenance of infants' interests and use of verbal and nonverbal techniques that focus attention, were hypothesized to affect the various infant risk groups in different ways. Results indicated that mothers of preterms used different attention-directing strategies than mothers of full-terms. Mothers of preterms could be further differentiated by the severity of their infants' medical complications. These differences did not, however, adversely affect infant response level. Mothers across the three infant groups used strategies that facilitated infants' manipulation of toys. Discrepancies between the mothers of preterms and full-terms in their use of particular verbal and nonverbal techniques (e.g., questions, attention-directing gestures) can be explained in part by the relationship between the use of these techniques and the infants' developmental level.
Computational Systems Analysis of Glucose Sensitivity, Electrical Activity and Glucagon Secretion in Pancreatic Alpha-Cells

Glucagon, a 29-amino acid hormone secreted from the alpha-cells of the islets of the endocrine pancreas, is critical for blood glucose homeostasis by promoting liver production of glucose in hypoglycemia. A clearly defined, testable model for alpha cell glucagon secretion is lacking. Alpha-cells respond to rising blood glucose by increasing oxidative metabolism, closing ATP-sensitive K+ channels and the resulting depolarization of the plasma membrane leads to decreased glucagon secretion. This mechanism of glucose sensing involves the coupling of electrophysiological, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial processes. Here we describe a computational systems analysis of pancreatic alpha-cells including metabolic processes, electrical activity and Ca2+ dynamics in the regulation of glucagon secretion. This mathematical model of alpha-cell sensitivity to glucose is based on a previous model for pancreatic beta-cells. We also formulated a Hodgkin-Huxley-type ionic model for action potentials in alpha-cells that incorporates voltage-gated Ca2+, K+, Na+ and Cl- currents. The metabolic and ionic models are coupled to the equations describing intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and glucagon secretion that depends on an activation of specific voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. This model simulates the behavior of alpha-cell action potentials under a wide range of experimental conditions, including block of action potential firing at increased glucose levels or due to channel blockade. Paracrine regulation of glucagon secretion can be modeled following the effects of gamma aminobutyric acid or somatostatin secreted by other islet cells on corresponding alpha-cell ion channels and metabolism. This computational systems analysis aids in providing a more complete understanding of the complex process of alpha-cell glucose sensing and the pathways of treatment of diabetes.
The Classic: Repair of Bone in the Presence of Aseptic Necrosis Resulting from Fractures, Transplantations, and Vascular Obstruction

Dr. Dallas Burton Phemister is shown. Figure is ©1952 by the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc. and is reprinted with permission from Dallas Burton Phemister 1882–1951. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1952;34:746–747.
Radical prostatectomy after definitive radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Abstract Radical prostatectomy was performed in 14 patients following local failure of radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Ten patients were treated with external beam and 4 with interstitial radiation. The interval from beginning radiation therapy to biopsy-proved residual or recurrent disease was twenty-four to one hundred fourteen months (mean 61 months). Ten patients had significant anterior and. lateral fibrosis. Five patients had loss of tissue planes between the prostate and rectum, however, no rectal injuries occurred. Estimated blood loss was 300–8,000 cc (median 1,000 cc). Operative time was one hundred ten to three hundred seventy-five minutes median 185 minutes). Significant late complications are impotence (100%) and incontinence (55%) Tumor volume was 1.1-27.2 cc (mean 11.1 cc). Seven patients had seminal vesicle involvement 9 had level III capsule penetration, and 6 had positive surgical margins. Follow-up ranges from one to fifty-two months (median 18 months). Currently, 6 patients are clinically without disease and have serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 0.0 ng/mL. Four patients have no clinical evidence of disease but do have detectable serum PSA, and 4 patients have evidence of metastatic bone disease on bone scan with elevated serum PSA levels. Radical prostatectomy following radiation therapy has no greater immediate morbidity or mortality compared with radical prostatectomy without prior irradiation and takes only slightly longer to perform. However, there is a marked increased risk of impotence and incontinence. More patients followed for a longer time are needed to assess the benefit of radical prostatectomy on survival of patients who fail radiation therapy.
Meta-Analyst: software for meta-analysis of binary, continuous and diagnostic data

Meta-analysis is increasingly used as a key source of evidence synthesis to inform clinical practice. The theory and statistical foundations of meta-analysis continually evolve, providing solutions to many new and challenging problems. In practice, most meta-analyses are performed in general statistical packages or dedicated meta-analysis programs. Herein, we introduce Meta-Analyst, a novel, powerful, intuitive, and free meta-analysis program for the meta-analysis of a variety of problems. Meta-Analyst is implemented in C# atop of the Microsoft .NET framework, and features a graphical user interface. The software performs several meta-analysis and meta-regression models for binary and continuous outcomes, as well as analyses for diagnostic and prognostic test studies in the frequentist and Bayesian frameworks. Moreover, Meta-Analyst includes a flexible tool to edit and customize generated meta-analysis graphs (e.g., forest plots) and provides output in many formats (images, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word-ready RTF). The software architecture employed allows for rapid changes to be made to either the Graphical User Interface (GUI) or to the analytic modules. We verified the numerical precision of Meta-Analyst by comparing its output with that from standard meta-analysis routines in Stata over a large database of 11,803 meta-analyses of binary outcome data, and 6,881 meta-analyses of continuous outcome data from the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews. Results from analyses of diagnostic and prognostic test studies have been verified in a limited number of meta-analyses versus MetaDisc and MetaTest. Bayesian statistical analyses use the OpenBUGS calculation engine (and are thus as accurate as the standalone OpenBUGS software). We have developed and validated a new program for conducting meta-analyses that combines the advantages of existing software for this task.
LTL robot motion control based on automata learning of environmental dynamics

We develop a technique to automatically generate a control policy for a robot moving in an environment that includes elements with partially unknown, changing behavior. The robot is required to achieve an optimal surveillance mission, in which a certain request needs to be serviced repeatedly, while the expected time in between consecutive services is minimized. We define a fragment of Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) to describe such a mission and formulate the problem as a temporal logic game. Our approach is based on two main ideas. First, we extend results in automata learning to detect patterns of the partially unknown behavior of the elements in the environment. Second, we employ an automata-theoretic method to generate the control policy.We show that the obtained control policy converges to an optimal one when the unknown behavior patterns are fully learned. We implemented the proposed computational framework in MATLAB. Illustrative case studies are included.
Characterization of adult human heart fibroblasts in culture: a comparative study of growth, proliferation and collagen production in human and rabbit cardiac fibroblasts and their response to transforming growth factor-beta1

Fibroblasts constitute the majority of non-myocyte cells in the heart, but little is known about the biology of human cardiac fibroblasts. We have cultured and characterized fibroblasts from young adult human heart and compared their biological features with those of cells obtained from the ventricular tissue of sex- and developmental-stage-matched rabbits. Cell morphology and growth was determined by light microscopy and by measuring protein synthesis. The proliferative capacity of cells was determined by measuring the doubling time and the level of incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA under normal conditions of cell culture and in response to several growth factors. Production of collagen type I was determined at the mRNA level by assessing the steady state level of pro α1 20(l) collagen mRNA in cardiac fibroblasts under normal culture conditions and in response to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and at the protein level by immuno-slot blot analysis. Ventricular tissue from adult human heart was used successfully for the preparation of passagable (up to nine passages) cultured cardiac fibroblasts. They had a significantly larger surface area per cell than rabbit cells. Under normal culture conditions, they showed a lower rate of DNA synthesis and longer doubling time than rabbit cardiac fibroblasts at the matching passage. The magnitude of growth-factor-induced changes in the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA was lower in human cells than in rabbit cardiac fibroblasts, as was the level of mRNA for pro α1(l) collagen. The TGF-β1-induced increase in pro α1(l) collagen mRNA was modest in human cardiac fibroblasts. Thus, significant differences exist between the biological properties of human and rabbit cardiac fibroblasts in culture.
A 120-kDa Alkaline Peptidase from Trypanosoma cruzi Is Involved in the Generation of a Novel Ca2+-signaling Factor for Mammalian Cells

Trypomastigotes, the infective stages of the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, induce rapid and repetitive cytosolic free Ca2+ transients in fibroblasts. Buffering or depletion of intracellular free Ca2+ inhibits cell entry by trypomastigotes, indicating a role for this signaling event in invasion. We show here that the majority of the Ca(2+)-signaling activity is associated with the soluble fraction of parasites disrupted by sonication. Distinct cell types from different species are responsive to this soluble factor, and intracellular free Ca2+ transients occur rapidly and reach concentrations comparable to responses induced by thrombin and bombesin. The Ca(2+)-signaling activity does not bind concanavalin A and is strongly inhibited by a specific subset of protease inhibitors. The only detectable protease in the fractions with Ca(2+)-signaling activity is an unusual alkaline peptidase of 120 kDa, to which no function had been previously assigned. The activity of the protease and cell invasion by trypomastigotes are blocked by the same specific inhibitors that impair Ca(2+)-signaling, suggesting that the enzyme is required for generating the response leading to infection. We demonstrate that the 120-kDa peptidase is not sufficient for triggering Ca(2+)-signaling, possibly being involved in the processing of precursors present only in infective trypomastigotes. These findings indicate a biological function for a previously identified unusual protozoan protease and provide the first example of a proteolytically generated parasite factor with characteristics of a mammalian hormone.
An Analytical Model to Predict Condensation of R-410A in a Horizontal Rectangular Channel

An analytical model to predict condensation heat transfer coefficient in a horizontal rectangular channel was developed. The total local condensation heat transfer coefficient was represented as the weighted average of heat transfer coefficients for each wall. The analytical predictions compared well with the experimental data on the condensation of R-410A in a rectangular channel. The mean deviation was 6.75 percent.
TENSIONS IN THE GROWTH MACHINE: OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO VALUE-FREE DEVELOPMENT*

Cities and towns in the United States have traditionally welcomed capital investment, with little regard to the social or fiscal costs involved. But under tensions generated by the growing international concentration of capital, communities are realizing that the costs of such investments have risen. Some localities are resisting the usual growth agenda, and both the property-oriented “rentier” elite and the middle and working classes are trying to substitute other local goals. Capital is responding with new efforts to penetrate localities by activating their branch managers, increasing political campaign contributions, and directly participating in the property development business. President Ronald Reagan's “New Federalism” helps capital by manipulating urban policy to provide advantageous sites.
MISSILE AUTOPILOT CONTROLLED BY AERODYNAMIC LIFT AND DIVERT THRUSTERS VIA SECOND-ORDER SLIDING MODE

Abstract A new approach to the design of a kinetic-kill longitudinal autopilot steering the missile trajectory by the combination of aerodynamic lift and divert-thrusters and with its attitude oriented by attitude-thrusters is presented. The pitch plane autopilot design is based on high order sliding mode control. A robust high accuracy tracking of the missile normal acceleration guidance command is achieved in presence of considerable model uncertainties created by the interactions between the airflow and the thruster's jets. Results of the computer simulation demonstrate excellent robust high accuracy tracking performance of the proposed design.
Developmental changes in the functional, biochemical and molecular properties of rat bladder endothelin receptors.

The effect of aging on functional, biochemical, anatomical and molecular properties of endothelin (ET) receptors in bladder smooth muscle of the 3-week-, 3-month- and 22-month-old rats was examined using isolated muscle bath techniques, radioligand binding on membrane particulates and slide mounted tissue sections, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ET-1 induced significantly larger contractile responses in bladder dome muscle strips from 3-week- than from 3-month- and 22-month-old rats. The expression level of total ET receptors, determined by saturation binding experiments with [125I]ET-1, was higher in detrusor from 3-week- than 22-month-old rats. Inhibition studies with BQ123, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, indicated the predominance of the ETA receptor subtype and a similar proportion of ETA to ETB receptor subtypes in the rat detrusor at all ages studied. Autoradiographic data support the age-dependent decrease in the density of ET receptors and also indicate that the ETA receptor subtype is primarily located in the smooth muscle layer, whereas the ETB receptor subtype is located in both the urothelial and smooth muscle layers. Determined by real-time RT-PCR, ET 1, ET-3, ECE-1 and ET receptor subtype (ETA and ETB) mRNAs were shown to be higher in bladders of 3-week- compared to 3-month- or 22-month-old rats. This study indicates age-dependent alterations in the ET receptor system at both gene transcript and protein levels in the Fischer rat detrusor.
Copper-titanium diboride coatings obtained by plasma spraying reactive micropellets

Electrotribological applications require materials with both high electrical conductivity and wear resisance. For this purpose, a copper- base plasma sprayed coating containing titanium diboride particles was developed. The process for fabricating this CU- TiB2 coating consists of plasma spraying reactive powders that contain a Cu- Ti alloy and boron. The reaction between the copper alloy and boron proceeds in different steps going from solid- state diffusion of titanium and copper to the synthesis of TiB2 in a liquid below 1083 ‡C. Plasma sprayed copper coatings contain finer TiB2 crystals than Cu- TiB2 materials synthesized in a furnace at 1200 ‡C. Coatings with 25 vol% TiB2 have hardnesses that are comparable to Cu- Co- Be and Cu- Ni- Be alloys and to Cu- W and Cu- Mo alloys used in spot welding. Their low electrical resistivity of 52 ΜΩ cm could be increased by lowering the oxygen content with coatings and controlling the formation of TiB2 clusters, the titanium content in solution in copper remaining low after the synthesis reaction.
A source release model with application to the LANL LLRW disposal site performance assessment

A source release model was developed to quantify time dependent liquid phase releases of radioactive material to the vadose zone from a disposal site. The model has been implemented to evaluate the source terms in the Performance Assessment for the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) Disposal Facility at Area G, an analysis of the long term post-closure impact of disposal operations required by the USDOE orders. Analytic solutions describe transport through the model compartments: the solid phase waste package, the liquid phase within each waste package and the liquid phase within the disposal unit. The model accounts for elemental solubility limits and retardation coefficients (Rf) separately in the waste package and in the disposal unit. Several parameters define the site specific aspects of the disposal unit. In our case for example, the disposal unit is waste buried with crushed volcanic tuff, and a small net infiltration rate is determined from independent numerical studies. The analytic solution allows efficient explorations of the sensitivity to the input parameters. Numerical solutions extend the model to account for decay product ingrowth which may have different transport properties than the parent nuclides. Results show source release rates verses package or disposal unit Kd, and effects of solubility limits. At the LANL LLRW disposal site, only thorium, uranium and some low-level nuclides are solubility limited. Otherwise, a {open_quote}rapid rinse{close_quote} waste package category dominates the peak disposal unit efflux which occurs for the LANL disposal site at about 100 years for nuclides with Kd=0 (Rf=1) and for proportionately longer times as Kd or Rf increases. Additional simple analytic models or detailed numerical codes can be coupled to these results to predict groundwater concentrations.
Readmissions in neurosurgery: a qualitative inquiry.

Objective To identify deficiencies leading to readmissions to the University of Florida Neurosurgery Service by using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement STate Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations Readmissions diagnostic tool and to report the opinions of patients, their families, and health care providers. Methods A retrospective review of hospital admission and discharge data was conducted. All patients who met eligibility criteria and who were discharged from the neurosurgery service between January 1 and March 31, 2012, and readmitted within 30 days after discharge ( n = 74; 66 patients; 7 multiple readmissions) were included. A chart review revealed potential precipitating factors. Health care providers, patients, and family members were also interviewed. Median values and frequencies were used to summarize the data. Results The 30-day readmission rate on the neurosurgery service was 14%. Problems associated with wound care accounted for 24% of readmissions, neurologic conditions accounted for 50%, and other medical conditions accounted for 26%. Patients and providers agreed on the medical diagnoses resulting in readmission, but providers also often named "patient noncompliance" as a factor leading to readmission, whereas patients often thought they either were "sent home too early" or had a "general decline with no improvement." Conclusions Systematic patterns and common themes associated with patient readmissions were identified for a neurosurgical service. These findings are now being used to implement changes in discharge planning.
Effects of Oral Sunflower Oil on Serum and Cutaneous Fatty Acid Concentration Profiles in Seborrheic Dogs

— Twenty-one dogs with chronic seborrhea were evaluated in this study. Serum fatty acid concentration profiles of the seborrheic dogs were within normal reference ranges. However, cutaneous fatty acid concentration profiles showed elevations in oleic acid and arachidonic acid with decreased levels of linoleic acid. Following supplementation with oral sunflower oil (1.5 ml/kg body weight/day) for 30 days, the cutaneous fatty acid concentration profiles returned to near normal values and clinical signs of seborrhea lessened in severity. Clinical signs of seborrhea in dogs may be partly attributable to a localized deficiency of linoleic acid and/or elevated levels of arachidonic acid in the skin. Resume— Cette etude a porte sur vingt et un chiens presentant une seborrhee chronique. Les concentrations plasmatiques d'acides gras des chiens seborruelaques etainet dans les limites des valeurs usuelles. Toutefols, les concentration d'acides gras au niveau cutane ont montre des elevations des concentrations d'acide oleique et d'acide archidonique et une diminution des concentrations d'acide linoleqiue. Apres 30 jours d'une supplementation a base d'huile d'onagre (0,5 ml/kg PV/j), les concentrations cutanees d'acides gras etaient revenues ala normales et les signes cliniques de seborrhees avaient diminue. Les signes cliniques de la seborrhee chez le chien pourraient en partie etre dus a une concentration cutanee trop elevee d'acide obeique et d'acide arachidonique et/ou trop faibie d'acide linoleique. Zusammenfassung— In dieser Studie wurde chronische Seborrhoe bei einundzwanzig Hunden ausgewertet. Die Konzentrationsprofile der Serumfettsauren der Hunde mit Seborrhoe lagen innerhalb der normalen Referenzbereiche. Die Konsentrationsprofile der kutanen Fettsauren zeigten eine Erhohung der ol-und Arachidonsaure sowie verminderte Mengen an Linolsaure. Nach einer oralen Erganzung mit Sonnenblumenol (1,5 ml/kg Korpergewicht und Tag) uber 30 Tage kehrten die Konzentrationsprofile der kutanen Fettsauren nahe an die Normalwerte zuruck und die klinischen Symptome der Seborrhoe verminderten sich in ihrem Ausmas. Die klinischen Veranderungen der Seborrhoe bein Hund konnen teilweise durch einen lokalisierten Mangrel an Linolsaure und/oder durch einen erhoten Spiegel an Arachidonsaure in der Haut bedingt sein. Resumen En este estudio se evaluan 21 perros con seborrea de tipo cronico. Los valores de las concentraciones de acidos grasos en el suero resultaron hallarse dentro del rango normal. Sin embargo, las concentracions du acido oleico y araquidonico en la piel entaban aumentadas, y las de acido linoleico reducidas. Despues de una suplementacion con aceite de girasol, (1.5 ml/kg de peso corporal/dia), por un periodo de 30 dias, la concentracion de acidos grasos cutaneos se vio casi normalizada y los signos clinicos de seborrea disminuyeron de severidad. El cuadro clinico de seborrea en perros podria ser atribuido parcialmente a la deficiencia local de acido linoleico, y/o a la elevacion de acido araquidonico en la piel.
Optimizing search for malware by hashing smaller amounts of data

The current information security threat landscape now includes advanced persistent attackers whose tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) are designed to provide for a stealthy infiltration of systems, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and exfiltration of sensitive data (typically for purposes of corporate espionage). Once forensically detected, these same TTPs act as `fingerprints' (called indicators), locating where the attackers have been elsewhere with a network of host computers. A very commonly used technique to locate compromised systems is to calculate the MD5 hash values for each file within a filesystem and compare against a known `bad fingerprint' (hash value of known malware components). Our research demonstrates that of all of the indicators, the exhaustive computation of MD5 hash values across the full file contents of every file within the entire filesystem consumes the largest amount of time. Given the goal of reducing the time to determine if a system is compromised, we develop a novel approach to optimizing the creation of these indicators. Our experiments identify that computing a MD5 hash value of just the first four kilobytes (4KB) of each file provides a substantially faster method to search for specific MD5-based indicators with a very low false positive rate.
Canada Thistle Biological Control Agents on Two South Dakota Wildlife Refuges

We monitored populations of Canada thistle biocontrol agents Cassida rubiginosa, Ceu- torhynchus litura, Larinus (= Hadroplantus) planus, Urophora cardui, Orellia (= Terellia) ruficauda, and Rhinocyllus conicus on Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) at two national wildlife refuges in South Dakota from 1999 through 2003. C. litura, U. cardui, O. ruficauda, and R. conicus were present on both refuges. Agent populations were low except for C. litura, which was present in up to 90% of stems in some plots. C. litura infestation did not reduce thistle flowering, stem length, or over-winter survival. There was no change in thistle stem numbers over the study period and no difference in stem numbers in areas of high C. litura populations compared to areas of low C. litura populations. Our results suggest that insect biological control agents are inadequate for reduction of Canada thistle in southern South Dakota.
Entropic chiral symmetry breaking in self-organized two-dimensional colloidal crystals

Long-range chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) has been recently observed in 2D self-organized rhombic crystals of hard, achiral, 72 degree rhombic microparticles. However, purely entropic selection of a CSB crystal in an idealized system of hard achiral shapes, in which attractions are entirely absent and the shape does not dictate a chiral tiling, has not yet been quantitatively predicted. Overcoming limitations of a purely rotational cage model, we investigate a translational–rotational cage model (TRCM) of dense systems of hard achiral rhombs and quantitatively demonstrate that entropy can spontaneously drive the preferential self-organization of a chiral crystal composed of achiral shapes that also tile into an achiral crystal. At different particle area fractions, ϕA, we calculate the number of accessible translational–rotational microstates, Ω, of a mobile central rhomb in a static cage of neighboring rhombs, which can have different orientation angles, γ, relative to the bisector of the crystalline axes. As we raise ϕA, two maxima emerge in Ω(γ) at non-zero cage orientation angles, ±γmax. These maxima correspond to additional translational microstates that become accessible in the CSB crystalline polymorph through reduced translational tip–tip interference. Thus, entropy, often associated with structural disorder, can drive CSB in condensed phase systems of non-attractive achiral objects that do not tile into chiral structures. The success of the TRCM in explaining the entropic origin of CSB in systems of hard rhombs indicates that the TRCM will have significant utility in predicting the self-organized behavior of dense systems of other hard shapes in 2D.
The regenerative capacity of zebrafish reverses cardiac failure caused by genetic cardiomyocyte depletion

Natural models of heart regeneration in lower vertebrates such as zebrafish are based on invasive surgeries causing mechanical injuries that are limited in size. Here, we created a genetic cell ablation model in zebrafish that facilitates inducible destruction of a high percentage of cardiomyocytes. Cell-specific depletion of over 60% of the ventricular myocardium triggered signs of cardiac failure that were not observed after partial ventricular resection, including reduced animal exercise tolerance and sudden death in the setting of stressors. Massive myocardial loss activated robust cellular and molecular responses by endocardial, immune, epicardial and vascular cells. Destroyed cardiomyocytes fully regenerated within several days, restoring cardiac anatomy, physiology and performance. Regenerated muscle originated from spared cardiomyocytes that acquired ultrastructural and electrophysiological characteristics of de-differentiation and underwent vigorous proliferation. Our study indicates that genetic depletion of cardiomyocytes, even at levels so extreme as to elicit signs of cardiac failure, can be reversed by natural regenerative capacity in lower vertebrates such as zebrafish.
Relative performance as a strategic commitment mechanism

Can managers' personality traits be of use to profit maximizing firm owners? We investigate the case where managers have a variety of attitudes toward relative performance that are indexed by their type. We consider two stage games where profit maximizing owners select managers in the first stage, and these managers, knowing each other's types, compete in a duopoly game in the second stage. The equilibria of various types of competition are derived and comparisons are made to the standard case where managers are profit maximizers. We show that managers' types can be used as a strategic commitment device that can increase firm profits in certain environments. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular cloning and characterization of a cellular protein that interacts with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivator and encodes a strong transcriptional activation domain.

The mechanism by which human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivates the long terminal repeat promoter is not understood. It is generally believed that Tat has one or more transcription factors as its cellular target. One might expect a cellular target for Tat to possess several properties, including (i) the ability to bind to the Tat activation region, (ii) the possession of a transcriptional activation domain, and (iii) the ability to contact the cellular transcription machinery. Here we describe the cloning, expression, and characterization of a human protein, termed TAP (Tat-associated protein), which possesses some of these properties. TAP is highly conserved in eukaryotes and is expressed in a variety of human tissues. The major intracellular species of TAP is a highly acidic 209-amino-acid protein that likely is formed by removal of a highly basic 70-amino-acid N-terminal segment from a primary translation product. By deletion analysis, we have identified a TAP C-terminal region rich in acidic amino acids and leucine residues which acts as a strong transcriptional activator when bound through GAL4 sites upstream of the core long terminal repeat promoter, as well as flanking sequences that mask the activation function. Amino acid substitution of two leucine residues within the core activation region results in loss of the TAP activation function. Two lines of evidence suggest that Tat interacts with TAP in vivo. First, promoter-bound Tat can recruit a TAP/VP16 fusion protein to the promoter. Second, transiently expressed Tat is found associated with endogenous TAP, as demonstrated by coimmuno-precipitation analysis. As shown in an accompanying report, the TAP activation region binds the Tat core activation region and general transcription factor TFIIB (L. Yu, P.M. Loewenstein, Z. Zhang, and M. Green, J. Virol. 69:3017-3023, 1995). These combined results suggest the hypothesis that TAP may function as a coactivator that bridges Tat to the general transcription machinery of the cell via TFIIB.
Quantitative estimates of visual performance features in fossil birds.

Eyeball structures such as the lens diame- ter (LD) and axial length are generally assumed to be highly correlated with optically meaningful parameters. However, these optical constraints on eyeball macroanat- omy have never been tested explicitly. Tradeoffs between benefits of improved visual performance and cost of ad- aptation from an increase of tissue production predict that when eyeball size increases, optical parameters such as posterior nodal distance and maximum entrance pupil diameter should increase isometrically with eye- ball axial length and LD, respectively. Here I show quantitatively that the interspecific allometry of the avian eye largely follows this predicted isometry. Addi- tionally, I elaborate a method to estimate optically sig- nificant eyeball soft-tissue dimensions from scleral ring and orbit morphology based on analyses of interspecific allometry in Aves. The stringent correlations between avian eyeball morphology and optical function render this system ideal for the analysis of form-function rela- tionships and allow for an accurate estimate of optically significant eyeball soft-tissue dimensions such as diame- ter, axial length, and LD in fossil species. J. Morphol. 270:759-773, 2009. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Lesion procedures in psychiatric neurosurgery

Objective Lesion procedures for psychiatric indications have a history that spans more than a century. This review provides a brief history of psychiatric surgery and addresses the most recent literature on lesion surgery for the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. Methods Relevant data described in publications from the early 1900s through the modern era regarding lesion procedures for psychiatric indications, both historical and current use, are reported. Results The early procedures of Burkhardt, Moniz, and Freeman are reviewed, followed by descriptions of the more refined techniques of Leksell, Knight, Foltz, White, and Kelly. The application of lesion procedures to obsessive-compulsive disorder, mood disorders, and addiction are discussed. Conclusions Lesioning procedures have informed modern deep brain stimulation targets. Recent lesioning studies demonstrate the efficacy and durability of these procedures in severely disabled patients. Judicious application of these techniques should continue for appropriately selected patients with severe, refractory psychiatric disorders.
Changes in attachment during the third year: Consequences and predictions

Crittenden has proposed a system for classifying attachment during the preschool years. Ninety-six boys and girls were tested in the Strange Situation at 18 months and 30 months of age. Eighteen-month-olds were coded using the Ainsworth coding system, and the 30-month-olds were coded using Crittenden's preschool attachment coding system. When children changed classification categories, it was not random movement but was in accordance with Crittenden's predictions of reorganization of the child's capacities. Mothers and children were also observed in the home at 18 and 30 months of age, and children were observed in playgroups from 18 to 30 months of age. The children were rated by their teachers on problem behaviors and peer relations and given achievement tests at age 7 years. Parenting of the children and child behaviors at 30 months differed by attachment classification and predicted both children's performance on achievement tests and teacher reports of children's behavior at 7 years. The findings are discussed in terms of reorganization of working models of attachment on the basis of changing child competencies.
Microchip‐Based Trapped‐Atom Clocks

This is a chapter of a recently published book entitled Atom Chips, edited by Jakob Reichel and Vladan Vuletic. The contents of this chapter include: Basic Principles; Atomic-Fountain versus Trapped-Atom Clocks; Optical-Transition Clocks versus Microwave Clocks; Clocks with Magnetically Trapped Atoms--Fundamental Limits and Experimental Demonstrations; Readout in Trapped-Atom Clocks; and Spin Squeezing.
Relative impact of form-induced stress vs. uniaxial alignment on multipotent stem cell myogenesis.

Abstract Tissue engineering strategies based on multipotent stem cells (MSCs) hold significant promise for the repair or replacement of damaged smooth muscle tissue. To design scaffolds which specifically induce MSC smooth muscle lineage progression requires a deeper understanding of the relative influence of various microenvironmental signals on myogenesis. For instance, MSC myogenic differentiation has been shown to be promoted by increases in active RhoA and FAK, both of which can be induced via increased cell–substrate stress. Separate studies have demonstrated MSC myogenesis to be enhanced by uniaxial cell alignment. The goal of the present study was to compare the impact of increased peak cell–substrate stresses vs. increased uniaxial cell alignment on MSC myogenic differentiation. To this end, MSC fate decisions were compared within two distinct multicellular “forms”. A “stripe” multicellular pattern was designed to induce uniaxial cell alignment. In contrast, a second multicellular pattern was designed with “loops” or curves, which altered cell directionality while simultaneously generating regional peak stresses significantly above that intrinsic to the “stripe” form. As anticipated, the higher peak stress levels of the “loop” pattern were associated with increased fractions of active RhoA and active FAK. In contrast, two markers of early smooth muscle lineage progression, myocardin and SM-α-actin, were significantly elevated in the “stripe” pattern relative to the “loop” pattern. These results indicate that scaffolds which promote uniaxial MSC alignment may be more inductive of myogenic differentiation than those associated with increased peak, cell–substrate stress but in which cell directionality varies.
Results of biaxial total wrist arthroplasty with a modified (long) metacarpal stem.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the results of Biaxial (DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., Warsaw, IN) total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) with a long metacarpal stem. Methods: A retrospective review of the results of 17 long-stem metacarpal components for the Biaxial TWA implanted between 1993 and 1997 is presented. Results: After surgery pain and grip strength improved markedly. Overall motion improved but only radial deviation was significantly better. All of the patients were satisfied. At the most recent follow-up evaluation 4 cases showed evidence of radiographic lucency about the cement mantle, but with no gross loosening or settling. No failures at a greater than 6-year average (4-year minimum) follow-up period have been noted. Two cases of intraoperative third metacarpal fracture and one case of dorsal metacarpal component placement were encountered but did not affect the outcomes. Conclusions: To date the survivorship of the Biaxial TWA with the long stem is favorable compared with previous reports with the standard Biaxial distal component.
Methods of Reflection about Service Learning: Guided vs. Free, Dialogic vs. Expressive, and Public vs. Private

Reflection is a key component of service learning, but research shows that in order to maximize learning, the reflection must be of high quality. This paper compares the affordances of three different models of written reflection in engendering students’ higher-order thought processes. Student reflections were compared across axes of guided versus free response, dialogic versus expressive reflection, and public versus private reflection. Results indicate that guided reflection yields more response than free reflection does. Dialogic and guided reflections both yield more integration of knowledge from service learning activities within a larger context. Results for public reflection versus private were mixed. Ethical considerations for public reflection are also discussed.
Guiding Parents From Diverse Cultural Backgrounds to Promote Language Skills in Preschoolers With Language Disorders: Two Challenges and Proposed Solutions for Them

In providing culturally sensitive services for the families of young children with language disorders, the SLP is often confronted with a set of challenges. The first relates to avoiding making assumptions about the communication practices of any particular family, and is called the “avoid stereotyping” challenge. The solution offered is to repurpose the routines-based interview that is becoming more widely used in early intervention services (e.g., Bernheimer & Weisner, 2007; McWilliam, 2012; McWilliam, Casey, & Sims, 2009) in order to help the SLP determine (in a nonjudgmental fashion) the frequency and specific nature of interactions that occur in the home. When families do not display interaction patterns that evidence suggests foster language development and school success, how does the SLP both value the family's preferred practices and offer suggestions for interaction that may contradict them? The solution offered for this challenge, referred to as the “avoiding mixed messages” challenge, is to ta...
Acceleration of vegetation turnover and element cycling by mammalian herbivory in riparian ecosystems

Summary 1 We examined the effects of browsing by moose and snowshoe hares on vegetation structure, species composition, plant demography and element cycling in 25 riparian (willow) vegetation stands along the Tanana River, interior Alaska, across a 250-km gradient that represented a fivefold range in moose densities (0.2–1.0 km−2). 2 Browsing frequency was much greater in areas with high moose densities. The combined browsing pressure (% of annual browse production consumed by herbivores) of moose (Alces alces) and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) on forage species was over fivefold greater in the high moose density areas (33%) than the low moose density areas (6%), reflecting the fivefold difference in moose densities. 3 Above-ground biomass of preferred willow species was lower in high moose density areas, and the age structure of the vegetation was significantly skewed towards younger age classes. This shift in age structure was accompanied by higher proportion of dead to live ramets, indicating higher mortality under increased browsing pressure. Increasing browsing pressure favoured later-successional species (Alnus tenuifolia and Populus balsamifera) on the landscape, as shown by both a reduction in the number and size of willow stands in high-density areas. 4 High rates of fecal input resulted in a doubling of above-ground N input in high moose density areas. The rates of carbon and nitrogen input from willow communities to the soil as mediated by moose herbivory were approximately fivefold and eightfold greater in high moose density areas than in low moose density areas, respectively. 5 Synthesis. The effects of herbivory were manifested at several ecological hierarchies, including the individual, the community, and the landscape. Across these spatial scales herbivory appears to accelerate the ecosystem turnover of carbon and nitrogen by a combination of both plant- and animal-based processes.