cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soluble Klotho, a biomarker and therapeutic strategy to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants

Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) have accelerated lung aging and poor long-term outcomes. Klotho is an antiaging protein that modulates oxidative stress, angiogenesis and fibrosis. Here we test the hypothesis that decreased cord Klotho levels in preterm infants predict increased BPD-PH risk and early Klotho supplementation prevents BPD-like phenotype and PH in rodents exposed to neonatal hyperoxia. In experiment 1, Klotho levels were measured in cord blood of preterm infants who were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. In experiment 2, using an experimental BPD-PH model, rat pups exposed to room air or hyperoxia (85% O2) were randomly assigned to receive every other day injections of recombinant Klotho or placebo. The effect of Klotho on lung structure, PH and cardiac function was assessed. As compared to controls, preterm infants with BPD or BPD-PH had decreased cord Klotho levels. Early Klotho supplementation in neonatal hyperoxia-exposed rodents preserved lung alveolar and vascular structure, attenuated PH, reduced pulmonary vascular remodeling and improved cardiac function. Together, these findings have important implications as they suggest that perinatal Klotho deficiency contributes to BPD-PH risk and strategies that preserve Klotho levels, may improve long-term cardiopulmonary outcomes in preterm infants.
Creating Inclusive and Equitable Cultural Practices by Linking Leadership to Systemic Change.

From a global pandemic to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and others in the Black community, the year 2020 has cast light on long-standing social injustices. With this has come a critical social movement and a call for change—specifically, a call for transformative solutions that address not only new challenges but also centuries of systemic issues, such as systemic oppression and systemic racism. Leadership across the globe has scrambled to answer the call, some issuing statements committed to change, others engaging in necessary action. What is critical, however, is that leadership understands the cultural factors that have given rise to centuries of oppressive practices, and that leaders are held accountable for the commitments they have expressed. Leadership must promote, create, and maintain prosocial, inclusive, and healthy work environments. This requires new cultural practices and a focused organizational model. Equally important is the need to resolve ambiguity and communicate effectively, with strategic consideration of constituent perspectives and needs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to discuss the contribution of behavior analysis to addressing systemic oppression, as well as the pivotal role leadership communication plays in occasioning social change. It is our hope that this conceptual work will inspire behavior scientists to advance the field of behavior analysis and social movements in the direction of equitable, prosocial change that dismantles systemic oppression.
Guest Editor's Introduction: Special Section on the IEEE Pacific Visualization Symposium

The articles in this special issue present extended versions of the five best papers from the 2013 IEEE Pacific Visualization Symposium (PacificVis?13) which was held in Sydney, Australia from February 26 to March 1, 2013. The objective of this symposium series is to foster greater exchange between visualization researchers and practitioners, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
Co-Created Messaging for Influenza Vaccination in a High-Risk Hispanic Community Provides Groundwork for COVID-19 Vaccine

Purpose: Influenza/pneumonia is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. The 2020-2021 influenza season is predicted to be further impacted by COVID-19 infections. Historical data reflect disproportionate morbidity and mortality rates in the Hispanic population for influenza and COVID-19. Influenza vaccination rates remain low in the Hispanic community. We aim to improve vaccination through a community-led event, partnering with the Cristo Rey School Dallas, located in a zip code with a higher age-adjusted influenza/pneumonia mortality rate. A survey was administered to adults attending the Influenza vaccine event to understand attitudes and perceptions about influenza, vaccination, and effective messaging strategies for the campaign. Methods: Messaging was cocreated with student health ambassadors to promote immunization and delivered through trusted sources. The health department administered vaccines to individuals >age 3 at no cost. Adults were asked to complete a 19-question survey postvaccination offered in both English and Spanish. Results: Two hundred and forty-one of 394 (61.2%) participants completed the survey. Ninety-eight percent identified as Hispanic/Latino, and the majority of surveys were administered in Spanish. Among Spanish language participants, the church bulletins (57.3%) and Spanish language radio (30.5%) were reported to be most effective modes of messaging versus word of mouth (32.9%) and social media (26.3%) for English-speaking participants. Sixteen percent of participants surveyed had never received an influenza vaccine before this event. Conclusion: Cocreated messaging delivered by trusted sources in the Hispanic community led to a successful Influenza vaccine drive with the Dallas County health department.
Hearing Aid Use in Children With Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial

Objectives/hypothesis In children with mild to moderately severe unilateral hearing loss (UHL), assess whether subject-reported quality of life (QOL) and teacher- and parent-reported perception of listening difficulty are affected by use of a hearing aid (HA) with baseline accommodations, compared to children receiving only baseline accommodations. Study design Randomized crossover clinical trial. Methods Thirty-seven children 6-12 years of age with mild to moderately severe UHL and ≥80% word recognition scores in the poorer hearing ear were randomized into arm 1, using baseline accommodations (frequency-modulated system and strategic seating) for 12 weeks, followed by addition of a HA for 12 weeks. The other participants were randomized into the reverse methodology: arm 2, using a HA in addition to baseline accommodations for 12 weeks, followed by baseline accommodations alone. Surveys of QOL (Hearing Environments and Reflection on Quality of Life) and listening difficulties or challenges with hearing amplification (CHILD and LIFE-R questionnaires) were administered at 6-week intervals. Differences in mean survey scores, percent change, and improvement over time were computed between the two arms and inter-arm intervals. Per-protocol analysis was used. Results Of the 37 children enrolled, 34 children underwent the study interventions and were included in the analysis, (arm 1 = 20, arm 2 = 14) (mean [standard deviation] age = 8 [1.5] years; 21 boys [61.8%]). Survey scores averaged across both arms during the HA interval (77.79 [15.13]) were significantly higher than during the baseline-only interval (69.67 [14.69], P = .036). There was no significant difference between trial arms in mean scores between the two HA intervals (P = .450) and two baseline-only intervals (P = .539). Conclusions Hearing-related QOL and listening ability improved in children who met eligibility criteria with mild to moderately severe UHL with HA use compared with baseline accommodations alone. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02269124. Level of evidence 1 Laryngoscope, 2021.
Feasibility of “natural surface” epicardial mapping from the pulmonary artery for management of atrial arrhythmias

Background The right and left pulmonary artery branches (RPA, LPA) overlie inaccessible left atrial (LA) epicardium, containing the Bachmann bundle (BB), that participate in arrhythmia pathogenesis and offer an opportunity for natural surface epicardial mapping (NSEM). Objective We sought to assess the feasibility of NSEM of BB and LA roof arrhythmias. Methods Electrogram recording, pacing, and ablation was performed in 2 swine. Subsequently, NSEM and pacing from the RPA and LPA was performed in 11 consecutive patients undergoing ablation of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Pacing entrainment and ablation of LA epicardium, from the pulmonary artery (PA), was performed in cases of atypical flutter. Results Swine specimens revealed no vascular disruption and LA epicardial lesions up to 7 mm in diameter and 3 mm in depth. In clinical cases, RPA mapping was performed in 11 (100%) and LPA mapping in 6 (55%) patients. Simultaneous leftward activation of the BB followed by rightward activation of the opposing LA endocardium was recorded during crista pacing. Right and left PA median signal amplitudes were 0.71 mV and 0.30 mV, respectively. Endocardial LA median distance was 9 mm to the RPA and 15.6 mm to the LPA and LA capture was successful in 7 of 8 (88%). In cases of atypical flutter, entrainment was successful in 3 of 3 (100%) and ablation was performed. Conclusion PA NSEM can enable safe recording and entrainment of the BB, providing otherwise inaccessible epicaridal arrhythmia measurements. The safety and efficacy of ablation from the PA requires further study.
Zinc Containing Small-Pore Zeolites for Capture of Low Concentration Carbon Dioxide.

The capture of low concentration CO 2 presents numerous challenges. Here, we report that zinc containing chabazite (CHA) zeolites can realize high capacity, fast adsorption kinetics, and low desorption energy when capturing ca. 400 ppm CO 2 . Control of the state and location of the zinc ions in the CHA cage is critical to the performance. Zn 2+ loaded onto paired anionic sites in the six-membered rings (6MRs) in the CHA cage are the primary sites to adsorb ca. 0.51 mmol CO 2 /g-zeolite with Si/Al= ca. 7, a 17-fold increase compared to the parent H-form. The capacity is increased further to ca. 0.67 mmol CO 2 /g-zeolite with Si/Al= ca. 2 due to more paired sites for zinc exchange. Zeolites with double six-membered rings (D6MRs) that orient 6MRs into the cages give enhanced uptakes for CO 2 adsorption with zinc exchange. The results reveal that zinc exchanged CHA and several other small pore, cage containing zeolites are worthy of further investigation for the capture of low concentration CO 2 .
Bacterial Short Chain Fatty Acids Push All The Buttons Needed To Reactivate Latent Viruses

The genomes of herpesviruses and HIV become silent during latency through multiple chromatin silencing mechanisms including: histone deacetylation, repressive histone methylation, and DNA methylation. Reactivation of the latent virus requires removal of the chromatin silencing marks and their replacement by activating modifications such as histone acetylation and activating histone methylation. In a complementary mechanism, RNA Polymerase II (RNAP II) elongation is regulated by the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb)-dependent phosphorylation of Ser2 residues on its C-terminal domain. In resting T-cells latently infected by HIV P-TEFb levels are extremely low. We found that a group of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by oral bacteria not only promote histone acetylation but also changes the histone methylation dynamics by decreasing repressive histone methylation while increasing activating histone methylation. SCFAs also block DNA methylation and activate P-TEFb to enable elongation of stalled RNA polymerase II. Thus these molecules do not simply act as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as previously claimed. Instead, they impact multiple complementary epigenetic regulatory mechanisms to promote highly efficient reactivation of latent viruses.
Computational methods for the structural alignment of molecules

In drug design, often enough, no structural information on a particular receptor protein is available. However, frequently a considerable number of different ligands is known together with their measured binding affinities towards a receptor under consideration. In such a situation, a set of plausible relative superpositions of different ligands, hopefully approximating their putative binding geometry, is usually the method of choice for preparing data for the subsequent application of 3D methods that analyze the similarity or diversity of the ligands. Examples are 3D-QSAR studies, pharmacophore elucidation, and receptor modeling. An aggravating fact is that ligands are usually quite flexible and a rigorous analysis has to incorporate molecular flexibility. We review the past six years of scientific publishing on molecular superposition. Our focus lies on automatic procedures to be performed on arbitrary molecular structures. Methodical aspects are our main concern here. Accordingly, plain application studies with few methodical elements are omitted in this presentation. While this review cannot mention every contribution to this actively developing field, we intend to provide pointers to the recent literature providing important contributions to computational methods for the structural alignment of molecules. Finally we provide a perspective on how superposition methods can effectively be used for the purpose of virtual database screening. In our opinion it is the ultimate goal to detect analogues in structure databases of nontrivial size in order to narrow down the search space for subsequent experiments.
Ion-Coupled Transport across Biological Membranes

Only a rudimentary understanding of the principles of classical thermodynamics is needed to appreciate that the flow of an uncharged substance from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration or the flow of a charged substance from a region of lower electrochemical potential to a region of higher electrochemical potential cannot take place unless the processes responsible for these flows are linked or coupled to a supply of energy. Such flows, loosely referred to as “active” or “uphill,” are commonplace in biological systems and the thrust of many investigations is to identify the immediately responsible source(s) of energy. The problem can perhaps be best stated in terms of the formalism of irreversible or nonequilibrium thermodynamics.(1) Thus, in a system in which there is only a single flow of a substance i we may write the straight phenomenologic coefficient relating the flow to the conjugate force and has units of conductance; R ii relates the force to the flow and has units of resistance. Clearly, in this simple system R ii = 1/L ii . Ohm’s law of current flow, Fick’s first law of diffusion, Fourier’s law of heat flow, and Poiseuille’s law of volume flow are but a few familiar examples of Eq. (1).
Aluminum nitride packaging

Due to its high thermal conductivity (TC) and a low thermal expansion coefficient, which is comparable to that of Si, aluminum nitride (AlN) has been adopted for packages requiring high thermal dissipation. Kyocera has been conducting research and development on AlN for more than ten years, and has produced many kinds of AlN products, such as Cer-Quad and multilayer packages, in addition to thin film substrates. We have developed a novel low-temperature co-fireable AlN composition (AN75W) to reduce cost. In this paper, we describe the thermal properties of the AN75W material, with a brief description of the general characteristics of packages produced with this ceramic.
Moderate copper deprivation during gestation and lactation affects dentate gyrus and hippocampal maturation in immature male rats

The hippocampal formation (HF) is involved in higher brain functions including learning and declarative memory. The possibility that dietary copper has a role in the morphological development, and therefore the function of the HF, has received little attention. A rat model of tiered copper deficiency, initiated during gestation, was employed to determine the susceptibility of the HF, regions of which develop postnatally, to copper deficiency. At postnatal 23, pups whose dams had received either 1.8 or 1.4 mg Cu/kg diet during both gestation and lactation, compared with offspring of a group that had received 4.3 mg Cu/kg diet during both periods had, significantly more cell nuclei in the infrapyrimidal arm of the dentate gyrus. Offspring of rats fed 1.4 mg Cu/kg diet, but not those fed 1.8 mg/kg, compared with those fed 4.3 mg/kg, exhibited smaller, shorter, and narrower cell nuclei in the infrapyrimidal and suprapyrimidal arms of the dentate gyrus and smaller cell nuclei in region CA3c of the hippocampus. A fourth group (gestation, 1.8 mg Cu/kg diet ; lactation, 0.9 mg Cu/kg diet) exhibited alterations less marked than those exhibited by the group fed 1.4 mg Cu/kg diet. All alterations in the groups fed low copper diets were consistent with slowed cell nuclear maturation. The findings indicate that copper is required for maturation of the dentate gyrus and hippocampus. Also, copper supplied at or below 1.8 mg/kg is insufficient for morphological maturation of the dentate gyrus and hippocampus. Because the HF is important for higher brain functions, further research is needed to determine whether the copper deficiency-induced alterations in dentate gyrus and hippocampus development are transient or permanent.
Shall We Talk? Conversing With Humans and Robots

While social robots are the creation of human beings, it is not obvious what kinds of conversation people desire to have with computer-based devices. Progressive improvements in speech recognition, natural language parsing, and physical embodiment are making it technologically possible for social robots to engage with humans in essentially the full range of conversational modes that we do with one another. However, when we examine the variety of possible human linguistic functions, we discover reasons people may not wish for total verisimilitude when interacting linguistically with robots. Informational and empathetic functions are likely to be more welcomed than those involving social control or critique.
Earth and Physical Science: Content and Learning Strategies (Science Through Active Reading [STAR] Series) Mary Ann Christison and Sharron Bassano

N According to the authors, Earth and Physical Science is designed to teach ESL and EFL students to think critically during their language learning activities. This textbook presents very elementary English structures within a specific English for Science and Technology (EST) context which beginners can easily manage. It seems to fit well into the interests and proficiency level of EFL secondary students in the type of courses I am familiar with, for example, in Mexico. These classes consist of approximately 80-90 hours of instruction and assume little or no prior L2 exposure. The authors' pedagogical philosophy encourages students to acquire and use learning strategies through active reading (i.e., the students are told to perform tasks using appropriate reading strategies for each specific task, such as using background knowledge or imagery). Christison and Bassano base this textbook on O'Malley and Chamot's (1990) cognitive academic language learning approach (CALLA). The authors' implicit goal is to provide practice in learning strategies that good language learners use. It is suggested that these strategies are not restricted to highly capable individuals, but that they can be learned by less effective language learners who have not discovered them on their own (O'Malley & Chamot, 1990). The book is divided into six sequenced chapters or content units: Meteorology, Topography, Oceanography, Physics and Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy. However, one drawback of this text is that there is no increase in difficulty level across the units. As a result, the students will not be challenged to develop linguistically in the later chapters. At first glance, one might think that this textbook is difficult for students of general English because of its subject matter. However, in my view, the textbook is appropriate for ESOL students during their first or second years in an English-speaking academic context. This book can be used by native or nonnative teachers. The authors provide good examples for each of the topics presented, which help both the students and teachers to follow the explanations; at the same time, the texts are reinforced with clear pictures or illustrations, which are undoubtedly one of the strengths of this volume because they promote comprehension through imagery. The authors provide a series of prereading and postreading activities that help the students comprehend and process the information in the passages. These activities include consulting and sharing ideas with others, making and experimenting with hypotheses, reading and classifying new information, and doing vocabulary building exercises. At the end of each chapter there is a glossary, providing students quick reference to the
Sick sinus syndrome

Sick sinus syndrome and its possible etiologies are discussed, symptoms are outlined, and electrocardiographic features are summarized. Various presentations are detailed. Electrophysiologic procedures, although rarely indicated, are outlined and treatment is summarized.
Spectral decomposition of a Hilbert space by a Fredholm operator

Abstract Let T be a Fredholm operator in a Hilbert space H with spectrum σ ( T ) = { λ i } i = 1 ∞ . Let T ( λ i ) = T λ i m i , where m i is the ascent of the operator T λ i = λ i I − T , and let P i denote the projection of H onto the generalized eigenspace N ( T (γ i )) along R ( T (γ i )). In this paper it is shown that S ∞ = S ∞ and H = S ∞ ⊕ M ∞ (topological direct sum) iff there exists M > 0 such that ∥∑ i − 1 N P i ∥ ⩽ M , N = 1, 2, …, where S ∞ = {xϵH| = ∑ ∞ i=1 x i , x i ϵ N (T(γ i ))} and M ∞ is the zero or infinite-dimensional subspace ⋃ ∞ i=1 R (T(γ i )). This result is then applied to a differential operator L in L 2 [0, 1], showing that S ∞ ≠ S ∞ = L 2 [0, 1] for this L . Also, an example with M ∞ ≠ {0} is presented.
Categorical Abstract Algebraic Logic: Partially Ordered Algebraic Systems

An extension of parts of the theory of partially ordered varieties and quasivarieties, as presented by Palasinska and Pigozzi in the framework of abstract algebraic logic, is developed in the more abstract framework of categorical abstract algebraic logic. Algebraic systems, as introduced in previous work by the author, play in this more abstract framework the role that universal algebras play in the more traditional treatment. The aim here is to build the generalized framework and to formulate and prove abstract versions of the ordered homomorphism theorems in this framework.
Role of lattice matching in epitaxy: Novel Ce phase and new fcc-bcc epitaxial relationship

We have grown a novel epitaxial phase of cerium on vanadium using molecular-beam epitaxy and characterized by high-energy electron and x-ray diffraction. The results show that the Ce phase is contracted about 8% in the basal plane and expanded 2% out of the plane when compared to the ambient-temperature and ambient-pressure fcc, \ensuremath{\gamma}-Ce. Furthermore, the relative orientation of the Ce(111) and the V(110) planes is different from the well-known epitaxial relationships found to date experimentally and theoretically. The present results imply that electronic structure beyond simple geometrical lattice-matching considerations is important for epitaxial growth.
Malignant epithelioid peripheral nerve sheath tumor arising in a benign schwannoma

The case of a patient with malignant degeneration of a solitary abdominal schwannoma and endobronchial metastasis is presented. The patient presented clinically with dyspnea referable to her lung mass, anorexia, and night sweats. The lung mass, initially diagnosed as a large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma, was later found to be histologically identical to the malignant portion of the abdominal tumor. The light microscopic, electron microscopic, and immunoperoxidase staining characteristics of the tumor are reported, and previous reports in the literature are reviewed.
Intraseptal injections of 192 IgG saporin produce deficits for strategy selection in spatial-memory tasks

The involvement of the cholinergic septohippocampal system in strategies used to reach a spatial goal was examined by functionally inactivating this system with infusions of 192 IgG saporin, a potent cholinergic immunotoxin. Rats were initially trained on a win-shift radial arm maze (RAM) task and then given injections of either 192 IgG saporin (LES) or saline vehicle (CON) into the medial septum and vertical limb of the diagonal band. Rats were then retested postoperatively on the RAM to assess whether allocentric spatial strategies used to solve the task were impaired. The results indicated that injections of 192 IgG saporin into the septum of rats produced deficits in allocentric strategies used to locate the spatial goal when retested. In addition, place and response learning was also examined in a modified version of the Morris water maze task. In this task, rats with cholinergic lesions were mildly impaired in their ability to learn a place response. In order to clarify further whether rats may have been relying on allocentric or egocentric learning strategies to locate the platform, a probe trial was given on the final test day in which the visible platform was moved to a new location. Control rats swam either to the new platform location or the old platform location indicating the use of both an allocentric and egocentric response. However, rats with the cholinergic septal lesions swam to the new platform location indicating an egocentric response. Taken together, these results suggest that selective cholinergic lesions of the septum produce deficits in spatial strategies used to locate a spatial goal.
The Role of Gradient Effects in the Piezoelectricity of Bone

Stress-gadient effects in piezoelectricity are obtained from general nonlocality considerations. A nonlocal continuum representation of bone is appropriate, in view of bone's structure.
Prospective investigation of major dietary patterns and risk of cardiovascular mortality in Bangladesh

Background Dietary pattern analysis is emerging as a practical, effective tool for relating comprehensive dietary intake to risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. However, no studies have applied this technique to a population outside of the developed world.
Stereoselective Synthesis of the C11-N26 Fragment of Griseoviridin.

The C11-N26 fragment of griseoviridin has been prepared enantioselectively. The 1,3-syn diol synthon was derived from lipase-catalyzed selective acylation of(±)-1-(benzyloxy)pent-4-en-2-ol. The conjugated (E,E)-dienylmethyl azide functionality was installed by a Pd-catalyzed allylic azidation reaction.
First-principles theory of ionic diffusion with nondilute carriers

Many multicomponent materials exhibit significant configurational disorder. Diffusing ions in such materials migrate along a network of sites that have different energies and that are separated by configuration dependent activation barriers. We describe a formalism that enables a first-principles calculation of the diffusion coefficient in solids exhibiting configurational disorder. The formalism involves the implementation of a local cluster expansion to describe the configuration dependence of activation barriers. The local cluster expansion serves as a link between accurate first-principles calculations of the activation barriers and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. By introducing a kinetically resolved activation barrier, we show that a cluster expansion for the thermodynamics of ionic disorder can be combined with a local cluster expansion to obtain the activation barrier for migration in any configuration. This ensures that in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, detailed balance is maintained at all times and kinetic quantities can be calculated in a properly equilibrated thermodynamic state. As an example, we apply this formalism for an investigation of lithium diffusion in ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{CoO}}_{2}.$ A study of the activation barriers in ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{CoO}}_{x}$ within the local density approximation shows that the migration mechanism and activation barriers depend strongly on the local lithium-vacancy arrangement around the migrating lithium ion. By parametrizing the activation barriers with a local cluster expansion and applying it in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, we predict that lithium diffusion in layered ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{CoO}}_{2}$ is mediated by divacancies at all lithium concentrations. Furthermore, due to a strong concentration dependence of the activation barrier, the predicted diffusion coefficient varies by several orders of magnitude with lithium concentration x.
The determinants of covered margins

The empirical evidence of the covered margin regressions tends to corroborate the theoretical analysis of theCM indicator. The hedging and opportunity-cost-of-arbitrage variables, as well as the speculative variable, appear in many cases as significant determinants of the size of the covered margin. This undermines the accuracy of theCM indicator because its accuracy requires that speculation alone heavily dominates the determination ofCM. Furthermore, the view that primitive arbitrage facilities interfere with the ability of arbitrage to restrain covered margins to small values was supported by the examination of the Canadian experience of the 1950's.
Holocene pollen stratigraphy from a lake and small hollow in north-central Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Abstract Comparison of pollen frequencies and accumulation rates derived from Wood Lake and a nearby small Sphagnum depression (Kellys Hollow) provides better resolution of the vegetational history in north‐central Wisconsin than is available from analysis of data from lacustrine sediments alone. This increase in resolution is a result of contrasting pollen collection properties of the two types of sedimentary basins. Four local assemblage zones were recognized from Wood Lake and Kellys Hollow. These are: (1) a basal Picea‐herb zone (ca. 13,000 to 10,000 yr B.P.), (2) a Pinus banksiana/resinosa‐Betula‐Ulmus zone (10,000 to 8,000 yr B.P.), (3) a Pinus strobus zone (8,000 to 3,500 yr B.P.), and (4) a Betula‐Pinus strobus‐Tsuga zone with an increase in the percentages of Ambrosia‐type pollen in the upper few cm. At 7,800 yr B.P., an increase in the pollen accumulation rate at Kellys Hollow indicates the time when the canopy closed over this site. White pine was a dominant component of the vegetation in north...
Vasculitic neuropathy associated with minocycline use.

Introduction Minocycline is an antibiotic used for the treatment of acne. It has been associated with several autoimmune syndromes, including drug-induced lupus, autoimmune hepatitis, and vasculitis. Method and results We report a case of a 28-year-old previously healthy woman who developed a left sciatic mononeuropathy 2 weeks after starting minocycline for acne. Magnetic resonance imaging studies supported the localization. A biopsy of the left sural nerve revealed acute nerve large arteriole necrotizing vasculitis. Her condition improved after the withdrawal of minocycline and a course of treatment with methylprednisolone. Conclusion This case provides further evidence that minocycline may induce a nonsystemic necrotizing vasculitis.
Parallel computational microhydrodynamics: scalable load-balancing strategies

Abstract The hydrodynamic interactions in a suspension of small particles in a viscous fluid is computed by a boundary integral velocity representation featuring a completed double-layer potential (completed double-layer boundary integral equation method or CDL = BIEM). A multiple expansion is used to represent interactions between distance particles, leading to a considerable improvement in computational speed. The resulting large linear system of equations provides an ideal setting for asynchronous iterative solvers (block Gauss-Seidel) on a message-passing MIMD parallel computer (Intel i PSC/860 Hypercube) using a supervisor-workers load-balancing strategy. Our benchmark results as a function of problem size and number of processors suggest that our algorithm will scale successfully to the massively parallel computers of the future.
Reliable on-demand management operations for large-scale distributed applications

This paper argues for attention to, and proposes a novel direction to solving, instant monitoring and management tasks for large-scale distributed applications running across hundreds of hosts. We present the MON (Management Overlay Networks) approach1, which uses a novel concept called on-demand overlays, in order to support instant commands such as queries and software pushes. On-demand overlays are built on-the-fly and probabilistically, by leveraging weakly-consistent gossip-style membership information underneath. Thus, they are lightweight in terms of memory, computation, and bandwidth. We augment on-demand overlays with several notions of application-specified reliability, and show how MON detects and adheres to these. MON is available atop PlanetLab, and we present experimental results. We conclude with a series of promising open problems in this direction.
The Diffusion of a Task Recommendation System to Facilitate Contributions to an Online Community

This paper studies the diffusion of SuggestBot, an intelligent task recommendation system that helps people find articles to edit in Wikipedia. We investigate factors that predict who adopts SuggestBot and its impact on adopters' future contributions to this online community. Analyzing records of participants' activities in Wikipedia, we found that both individual characteristics and social ties influence adoption. Specially, we found that highly involved contributors were more likely to adopt SuggestBot; interpersonal exposure to innovation, cohesion, and tie homophily all substantially increased the likelihood of adoption. However, connections to prominent, high-status contributors did not influence adoption. Finally, although the SuggestBot innovation saw limited distribution, adopters made significantly more contributions to Wikipedia after adoption than nonadopter counterparts in the comparison group.
Test-retest reliability of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures

The test-retest reliability of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures (ABP) was examined using correlational analyses as well as idiographic and nomothetic time-series regression analyses. Thirty normotensives (equal males and females) underwent ABP monitoring on three occasions, each of which was separated by a week. When analyzing the data, various postural positions, activities, and locations were controlled for in order to differentially assess the effects of these variables independently. Correlational analyses found the overall test-retest reliability of the ABPs to be quite good (SBP r =.84–.88, DBP r =.83–.86, HR r =.91–.95). Correlations examined within specific postural positions, activities, and locations were also significant. The time-series regression analyses used confirmed the reproducibility of the ABPs, with no greater than 20% of the subjects showing significant changes in ABPs over the three monitoring periods. Gender effects were also examined. In general, males had significantly higher systolic ABPs overall, although there was no influence of gender in terms of the test-retest reliability of the ABPs.
The Integrated Business Curriculum: An Examination of Perceptions and Practices

Constituents often criticize business schools for failing to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how business organizations function. Business schools have responded to the mandate with attempts to integrate discipline-specific functional knowledge into a coherent understanding of the evolving business organization. Successful integration of the undergraduate business curriculum will result in students who are more directly involved in the learning process and will increase curricular relevance by translating functional knowledge into business skills. However, curriculum integration is an extensive and potentially disruptive curricular change that may involve cost and is fraught with pitfalls. The authors surveyed deans at member schools of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International to assess the extent to which and the manner in which integration has taken place within the business curriculum.
Biased estimation for nonparametric identification of linear systems

Abstract A technique for solving convolution-type integral equations, previously investigated by the author for the inverse problem of radiography, is extended in this article to biological identification problems. The properties of solutions to convolution-type integral equations are formulated in terms of the eigenvalues of a circulant matrix, the eigenvalues being obtained by diagonalization by the discrete Fourier transform. Statistical properties of the solution, the bias and covariance matrix, are derived, and a discrete Fourier transform technique for computing the covariance matrix is also derived. A brief criticism of biological identification problems in the published literature is also given.
Behavioral discrimination of sexually dimorphic calls by male zebra finches requires an intact vocal motor pathway.

Vocal communication between zebra finches includes the exchange of long calls (LCs) as well as song. By using this natural call behavior and quantifying the LCs emitted in response to playbacks of LCs of other birds, we have previously shown that adult male zebra finches have a categorical preference for the LCs of females over those of males. Female LCs are acoustically simpler than male LCs, which include complex acoustic features that are learned during development. Production of these male-typical features requires an intact nucleus RA, the sexually dimorphic source of the main telencephalic projection to brainstem vocal effectors. We have now made bilateral lesions of RA in 17 adult males and tested their discrimination behavior in the call response situation. Lesioned birds continue to call, but lose the male-typical preference for female LCs. The degree of loss is correlated with the extent of RA damage. Further, the simplified LCs of males with RA lesions have a variable duration that is correlated with stimulus features. In effect, the call response behavior of lesioned males becomes like that of females. Apparently, in the absence of RA, the remaining intact structures receive different call information than RA normally does, and/or process it differently. This suggests that the vocal motor nucleus RA could play a role in the transformation of a signal encoding the salience of stimulus parameters into a control signal that modulates the probability and strength of responding. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 47: 109–120, 2001
Cassette analysis of eight beta-blockers in bovine eye sclera, choroid-RPE, retina, and vitreous by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract A simple, selective, and sensitive LC–MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous extraction and determination of eight beta-blockers (atenolol, sotalol, nadolol, pindolol, timolol, metoprolol, betaxolol and propranolol) in various bovine eye tissues including sclera, choroid–RPE, retina, and vitreous. The analytes were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction after samples were alkalinized with 2% NaOH solution in water. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Hypersil-ODS C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.9 μm) using a gradient mixture of (A) 5 mM ammonium formate in water (pH 3.5 adjusted with formic acid) and (B) acetonitrile:methanol (75:25) containing 0.02% triethyl amine (pH 4.0; adjusted with formic acid) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min. The compounds were ionized in the positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode and detected in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The average recoveries in all four eye tissues for all beta-blockers were >82%, except for sotalol (>51%). The matrix effect for beta-blockers ranged from 81 to 110% in the four eye tissues. This analytical method was validated and applied successfully for simultaneous quantification of the beta-blockers in sclera after tissue exposure using cassette dosing method. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 10–2000 ng/ml for all analytes, with the correlation coefficient >0.996. Intra-day and inter-day precision (% CV) was less than 15%, and accuracy ranged from 85 to 110% for all analytes. Scleral uptake was the lowest for sotalol and atenolol, two hydrophilic beta-blockers, and the highest for propranolol, a lipophilic beta-blocker.
Measuring written linguistic accuracy with weighted clause ratios: A question of validity

Abstract Determining linguistic improvement in L2 writing requires a precise measure of linguistic accuracy. Although numerous metrics of linguistic accuracy have been used in L2 research, Wigglesworth and Foster (2008) proposed a new kind of measure—a weighted clause ratio—based on the adequacy of the writer's conveyed meaning. This paper evaluates the validity of this metric and compares it to two of the most similar measures of linguistic accuracy currently in use: the error-free T-unit ratio and the error-free clause ratio. The data collected and analyzed in this study were drawn from over 350 writing samples generated by 81 ESL writers whose language abilities range from low or intermediate to advanced. To provide baseline, comparative data, this study also analyzed writing samples from 16 native English-speaking students. This study utilized Many-Facet Rasch Measurement and other analyses to identify variables affecting the validity of the weighted clause ratio.
Energetics of the forms of hydrogen and hydrogen diffusion in realistic models of a-Si:H

Using ab initio density functional calculations we investigate the energetics of hydrogen in a-Si:H starting from basic supercells that contain 142 and 134 atoms and are completely free of defects. The study includes H atoms bonded to dangling bonds (dbs), bond centered (BH) hydrogen, molecular hydrogen, and interstitial hydrogen that turns out to be either in a floating bond configuration or at a tetrahedral site. The results are discussed with particular emphasis on H diffusion.
Active control of a free jet using a synthetic jet

Abstract The control of an axisymmetric free jet ( Re U e = 6600 ) using a single synthetic jet was investigated experimentally. The interaction was examined for a range of momentum coefficients, Strouhal numbers, and synthetic jet orientations (with respect to the main jet). To better explore the complex flow field resulting from the interaction, a rendering technique was used where three-dimensional flow fields were calculated from multiple two-dimensional measurement planes. The synthetic jet deflects the majority of the main jet flow away from it, while drawing some of the flow back toward it. Also, the synthetic jet is shown to appreciably raise the main jet’s turbulent quantities, suggesting that mixing has been enhanced. Using triple decomposition, it was shown that the random and coherent motions have similar contributions to the turbulent stresses near the interaction region; whereas the coherent motions prevail farther downstream (and along the shear layers). Measurements of the streamwise vorticity showed that the interaction results in the formation of counter-rotating streamwise vortices, similar to the effect of passive tabs. The size and strength of these structures can be controlled by changing the synthetic jet’s momentum coefficient, actuation frequency, or orientation. At low momentum coefficients, the largest effect is obtained for a Strouhal number of 0.32; while at higher momentum coefficients saturation is obtained due to the high excitation level. A steady control jet, which only utilizes the direct impact mechanism, results in vectoring and a deep penetration into the main jet. However, it yields decreased spreading compared to a synthetic jet with the same momentum coefficient.
Phase-change oscillations in silicon wires

Relaxation oscillations are observed in systems where an element with resistance switching characteristic, such as discharge tubes, tunnel diodes, bistable quantum hall effect devices, phase-change memory (PRAM) devices, is connected in parallel with a capacitor (C) and biased through a load resistor (R L ) (Figure 1). The hysteretic behavior in the resistance switching of these elements allows the capacitor to charge when the device is in high-resistance state and discharge when the device switches to low-resistance state in repeated cycles. We have recently reported observations of large amplitude oscillations of this nature due to solid-liquid phase changes in silicon (Si) wires. These oscillations had frequencies on the order of 1–2 MHz (Figure 2).
Resting cortisol levels and the emergence of dominant status among male vervet monkeys

Resting serum cortisol was measured in adult male vervet monkeys (Cercopithicus aethiops sabaeus) in four different conditions: (1) among groups with unaltered group membership and established dominance hierarchies; (2) among groups from which the original dominant male had been removed and in which the remaining males competed for dominant status; (3) among newly formed groups of three unfamiliar males each of which had been the dominant male in his previous group; and (4) among groups from which a dominant male was temporarily separated and returned. In Condition 1, cortisol concentrations did not differ between dominant and subordinate males. The second condition showed that cortisol levels were highest among males who eventually emerged as the dominant male. In the third condition, however, cortisol levels did not differentiate eventually dominant from eventually subordinate males. In the last condition, cortisol levels were highest in the animals that became or remained dominant following reintroduction. These data indicate that cortisol concentration does not differ between dominant and subordinate males in stable groups and that cortisol rises during competition for dominance among familiar males.
Flow localization accompanying the intergranular fracture of Ni3Al

Localized plastic flow that accompanies intergranular fracture within the strongly ordered L1/sub 2/ aluminide Ni/sub 3/Al is discussed. The work is part of a larger study on the brittle-to-ductile transition of this material, and was carried out to answer the question: is the plastic strain which accompanies the propagation of cracks along grain boundaries greater than that which occurs throughout the bulk of the aggregate. The question is a qualitative one and is answered by utilizing the qualitative aspects of the selected area channeling pattern (SACP) technique in scanning electron microscopy. The test material contained 25.0 at. pct Al (nominal) and was prepared by extruding to rod at 1260/sup 0/C rapidly solidified powders.
The effect of acoustic reflections on combustor noise measurements

Pressure fluctuations measured in turbine engine combustors at low engine speed show good agreement with theory. Above idle speed, the turbine chokes and a significant change in the shape of the measured combustor pressure spectrum is observed. A theoretical model of the acoustic pressure generated in the combustor due to the turbulence/flame front interaction did not account for acoustic waves reflected from the turbine. By retaining this combustion noise source model and adding a reflecting plane at the turbine and combustor inlet, a theoretical model has been developed that reproduces the undulations in the combustor fluctuating pressure spectra. Plots of the theoretical combustor fluctuating pressure spectra are compared to the measured pressure spectra obtained from the CF6-50 turbofan engine over a range of engine operating speeds. Reasonable agreement exists. It is thus concluded that the simplified combustion noise theory, when modified by a simple turbine reflecting plane, adequately accounts for the changes in measured combustor pressure spectra. The shape of the pressure spectra downstream of the turbine, neglecting noise generated by the turbine itself, will be the combustion noise spectra essentially unchanged, except for the level reduction due to the energy blocked by the turbine.