cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ecosystem engineering: a trivialized concept?

As Wilby notes [1xSee all References][1], our article describes how pocket gophers directly affect the physical environment and thereby influence trophic and other ecological interactions [2xThe role of pocket gophers as subterranean ecosystem engineers. Reichman, O. and Seabloom, W. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2002; 17: 44–49Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | Scopus (173)See all References][2]. We agree with many of Wilby's comments, particularly the notion that influences of ecosystem engineering can be mediated through effects on the physical environment, and we find his remarks constructive.We understand the point that efforts by Wilby and his colleagues are directed toward formalizing the general concept of ecosystem engineering, however strong or weak the influences. However, we believe that many discussions about ecosystem engineering are trivialized by categorizing virtually every impact by organisms as engineering without quantifying the nature and scope of the influences. This is not to say that the broad definition is incorrect, but rather that relatively few of all of the impacts that organisms have on the physical environment generate significant influences on ecological processes, even though it is likely that virtually every impact on the physical environment ‘modulates the availability of resources to other organisms’.Given that physical alteration of the environment by organisms is widespread, we believe that the most productive research at this point is to quantify the strength of these interactions on ecological systems. Are there systems in which impacts are particularly strong or persistent? Are there organisms that have particularly strong effects on the environment? For example, the physical media in which organisms live vary greatly in their degree of elasticity. Alteration of relatively inelastic soil will have longer term effects than will alteration of fluid media, such as water.Accordingly, we suggest that the magnitude of the biotically driven physical influences must be relatively large to be of particular import. The same is true with trophic interactions. All organisms have some form of trophic interaction – many are important, but most are not very significant except to the consumer and the consumed. We should note that this does not imply that the pioneering work by Wilby and his colleagues is trivial, but rather that the concept could become diluted, much like the niche concept did decades ago, by applying it to all cases.As an ancillary issue, we believe that the term itself is unfortunate, because engineering implies a purposeful act (although we are certain that this is not the intent of the phrase.) Furthermore, we believe that trophic interactions and ecosystem engineering are not equivalent concepts. Rather ecosystem engineering is to a broader concept (disturbance?) what predation or herbivory are to trophic interactions. That is, it is a specific subset of influences in a larger phenomenon. Perhaps, as Wilby notes, it is the term that is trivial rather than the concept.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in the Demagnetized State

A discussion is given of experimental results and theoretical considerations which apply in the case of complete adiabatic demagnetization in the rotating frame (ADRF) for nuclear spin systems in solids. Although the net magnetization in this state is zero, both continuous wave and pulse signals are predicted and readily observed at the normal resonance frequency. These signals appear to be much like the derivative of the signals observed in the normal nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) cases with amplitudes comparable to normal NMR signal amplitudes and they persist for times comparable with ${T}_{1}$ at high fields even when the line is purely homogeneously broadened. A simple heuristic theory is used to calculate, after ADRF, the shape of the free-induction decay and the form of the absorption at $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\approx}0, \ensuremath{\Omega}, \mathrm{and} 2\ensuremath{\Omega}$, where $\ensuremath{\Omega}$ is the resonance frequency of the spin system. The density matrix method is then used to calculate line shapes and free-induction decay signals which are found to be in agreement with experiment and the heuristic model calculation. The concept of spin temperature is used to calculate the effect of applying an rf field to produce a line asymmetry in a homogeneously broadened system. It is also shown that, in general, the free induction decay signal is not the Fourier transform of the line shape and homogeneously broadened lines do not saturate uniformly. In addition, it is found experimentally that ADRF is reversible, spin systems are coupled, spectra at low frequency and double the resonance frequency are observed, and spin-system relaxation times vary rapidly with field at low dc fields but are of order of ${T}_{1}$ at high fields.
Connective Tissue XI. Chemical Pathology of Necrotic Wounds.

SummaryFour representative forms of necrotic injury were studied both chemically and histochemically. The results indicate that the inflammatory response was independent of the nature of the irritant employed to elicit this response. Therefore results of the study of croton oil-induced wounds are not unique to this irritant but are of general applicability to the inflammatory process itself. The general inflammatory response appears to involve primarily a loss of both soluble and insoluble collagen from the necrotic wound and accumulation of a glycoprotein within the wound.
THE EFFECT OF VICTIM IMPACT PANELS ON DUI REARREST RATES: A FIVE‐YEAR FOLLOW‐UP

Victim Impact Panels (VIPs) were introduced by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 1982 and have since spread throughout the United States in an attempt to reduce drunk driving. The objective of a VIP is to expose DUI offenders to the pain and suffering caused by drunk driving without necessarily condemning the DUI offender. The few scientific evaluations of the effectiveness of VIPs have produced mixed results. The present investigation draws on evidence from a quasi-experimental design and a five-year follow-up to probe further the effects of VIPs on DUI recidivism. Results show that 33.5% of the comparison group, but only 15.8% of the VIP group, were rearrested over the five-year period. Discrete-time event history analyses suggest that VIPs are associated with a 55.7% overall decrease in the hazard of rearrest; the VIP effect is strong in the first two years but then wanes dramatically. Methodological threats stemming from the study's design are considered. The implications of the differing styles of VIP and the resultant outcomes are also discussed.
Arthroplasty-associated malignant fibrous histiocytoma: two case reports.

Arthroplasty-associated malignant fibrous histiocytoma: two case reports Aims: Sarcoma localized to the site of an arthroplasty procedure is a rare occurrence, and detailed histological depictions and descriptions are limited. We report the clinicopathological findings in two cases of arthroplasty-associated malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) and review the literature. Methods and results: The patients were an elderly man and woman. Medical histories, radiographs and slides were reviewed. Immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, cytogenetics, and electron dispersion spectroscopy were performed in one case. Both were destructive femoral bone tumours that appeared 2 and 8 years post-total hip arthroplasty, and pursued aggressive clinical courses. The histology was similar in both tumours, consisting of high-grade, pleomorphic sarcoma with numerous osteoclastic giant cells, prominent phagocytic activity, and entrapped particles of bone cement. Literature review disclosed 14 previous reports of arthroplasty-associated MFH, representing the most common phenotype. A number of materials and factors related to arthroplasty procedure, such as metal corrosion, wear debris, osteonecrosis, and chronic inflammation, have been implicated as causative agents. Conclusions: Arthroplasty-associated MFH is a rare and aggressive tumour. Although the aetiology remains unclear, the small number of arthroplasty-associated sarcomas compared with the large number of joint replacement operations performed over the past four decades suggests a coincidental as opposed to a causal relation.
A Longitudinal, Multi-Method Approach for the Study of Marketing Strategy Processes

Studies of marketing strategy processes require rich, contextual data. This paper presents an innovative methodology for studying the formulation and implementation of marketing strategy. In particular, it is argued that close attention should be given to the social and political context in which a strategic decision is made. Understanding these factors, in turn, can provide rare insights into the beliefs and actions of decision participants. In the recommended approach, multiple methods are used in a longitudinal design to elicit and compare the beliefs of decision participants regarding a focal strategy. The beliefs are then linked to a social network analysis to reveal rich and compelling portraits of the diverse "thought worlds" that create intergroup barriers to strategy processes.
Comparative gene identification 58/α/β hydrolase domain 5 lacks lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase activity.

Mutations in the gene encoding comparative gene identification 58 (CGI-58)/α/β hydrolase domain 5 (ABHD5) cause Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome, characterized by excessive triacylglycerol storage in cells and tissues. CGI-58 has been identified as a coactivator of adipose TG lipase (ATGL) and a lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT). We developed a molecular model of CGI-58 structure and then mutated predicted active site residues and performed LPAAT activity assays of recombinant WT and mutated CGI-58. When mutations of predicted catalytic residues failed to reduce LPAAT activity, we determined that LPAAT activity was due to a bacterial contaminant of affinity purification procedures, plsC, the sole LPAAT in Escherichia coli. Purification protocols were optimized to reduce plsC contamination, in turn reducing LPAAT activity. When CGI-58 was expressed in SM2-1(DE3) cells that lack plsC, lysates lacked LPAAT activity. Additionally, mouse CGI-58 expressed in bacteria as a glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein and human CGI-58 expressed in yeast lacked LPAAT activity. Previously reported lipid binding activity of CGI-58 was revisited using protein-lipid overlays. Recombinant CGI-58 failed to bind lysophosphatidic acid, but interestingly, bound phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PI(3)P] and phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate [PI(5)P]. Prebinding CGI-58 with PI(3)P or PI(5)P did not alter its coactivation of ATGL in vitro. In summary, purified recombinant CGI-58 that is functional as an ATGL coactivator lacks LPAAT activity.
Informal Civil—Military Relations in Latin America: Why Politicians and Soldiers Choose Unofficial Venues

This study examines the phenomenon of informal civil—military relations. Informal behaviors are those that normally do not occur within the chain of command, are not mandated by law, and do not conform to official procedures. Politicians and soldiers discover that formal, institutional routines are sometimes too constraining and that they can advance their interests more effectively by amending, circumventing, or violating those routines. The party most aggrieved by the rules of the game initiates an informal solution. Whether the other side goes along depends on how divergent its preferences are with the aggrieved party. Greatly divergent preferences result in unilateral informalities, less divergent but still negotiable positions yield bilateral-conflictive encounters, and convergent preferences result in cooperative ventures. Case studies on Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia exemplify three different kinds of informal encounters and their impacts on civilian policy choices and military interests.
On the meaning of meaning when being mean: commentary on Berkowitz's "on the consideration of automatic as well as controlled psychological processes in aggression".

Berkowitz (this issue) makes a cogent case for his cognitive neo-associationist (CNA) model that some aggressive behaviors occur automatically, emotionally, and through conditioned association with other stimuli. He also proposes that they can occur without "processing," that is, without meaning. He contrasts his position with that of social information processing (SIP) models, which he casts as positing only controlled processing mechanisms for aggressive behavior. However, both CNA and SIP models posit automatic as well as controlled processes in aggressive behavior. Most aggressive behaviors occur through automatic processes, which are nonetheless rule governed. SIP models differ from the CNA model in asserting the essential role of meaning (often through nonconscious, automatic, and emotional processes) in mediating the link between a stimulus and an angry aggressive behavioral response. Language: en
Bispectrum phase transformation for non-minimum phase signal reconstruction

The authors present a Fourier-series-based approach for recovering the phase of a signal from samples of its bispectrum along the omega /sub 1/= omega /sub 2/ line in the bispectrum frequency plane. The Fourier series coefficients of the signal phase are recovered from the Fourier series of the bispectrum phase. The implementation of the method is simplified by using the FFT (fast Fourier transform) to compute the Fourier series coefficients. An important advantage of the approach is that while using a finite number of samples of the bispectrum phase, it provides estimates for the phase of the signal at all frequencies. Also there are computational advantages in that the FFT can be used and it may not be necessary to consider a large number of Fourier series coefficients. >
Lyophilization of hypha-forming tropical wood-inhabiting Basidiomycotina

Mycelial isolates of tropical wood-inhabit- ing basidiomycetes are not normally considered can- didates for preservation by lyophilizatio n because these fungi do not form resistant propagules. This study investigated alternative methods of lyophiliza- tion of such mycelial isolates. Media components, freezing rates, dehydration and rehydration, and lyo- protectants were assessed for effects on viability. Re- sults showed that these fungi can survive lyophiliza- tion. No noticeable changes in viability, growth rates, or morphological and biochemical characteristics oc- curred after lyophilization.
Draft Genome Sequences of Antibiotic-Resistant Commensal Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health issue. We report here the draft genome sequences of three drug-resistant strains of commensal Escherichia coli isolated from a single healthy college student. Each strain has a distinct genome, but two of the three contain an identical large plasmid with multiple resistance genes.
Specific antibodies to recombinant allergens of Aspergillus fumigatus in cystic fibrosis patients with ABPA

Background Aspergillus fumigatus, a widely distributed fungus, has been implicated in causing life threatening infections as well as severe asthma and allergic diseases in man. Allergic affliction like allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a disabling lung disease frequently seen in patients with asthma and cystic fibrosis. Immunodiagnosis of the former is comparatively easier due to the availability of purified antigens and sensitive methods. However, this is not true with cystic fibrosis patients where the prevalence of ABPA is fairly high and the morbidity and mortality are significant.
Trends and challenges in wireless application processors

The rapid deployment of 3G wireless networks is accelerating the demand for application processors to deliver multimedia-rich wireless services to end-customers. Texas Instruments has pioneered the way with OMAP(tm) technology. Each generation of OMAP application processors has delivered breakthrough performance with ultra-low power consumption. This challenging combination has been achieved by applying state-of-the art power management technologies to application processors manufactured with leading edge silicon technologies. The trend towards more performance will continue to drive innovation.
Donor Testing and Risk: Current Prevalence, Incidence, and Residual Risk of Transfusion-Transmissible Agents in US Allogeneic Donations

Over the past 20 years, there has been a major increase in the safety of the blood supply, as demonstrated by declining rates of posttransfusion infection and reductions in estimated residual risk for such infections. Reliable estimates of residual risk have been possible within the American Red Cross system because of the availability of a large amount of reliable and consistent data on donations and infectious disease testing results. Among allogeneic blood donations, the prevalence rates of infection markers for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus have decreased over time, although rates for markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus did not. The incidence (/100 000 person-years) of HIV and HCV among repeat donors showed apparent increases from 1.55 and 1.89 in 2000 through 2001 to 2.16 and 2.98 in 2007 through 2008. These observed fluctuations confirm the need for continuous monitoring and evaluation. The residual risk of HIV, HCV, and human T-cell lymphotropic virus among all allogeneic donations is currently below 1 per 1 million donations, and that of hepatitis B surface antigen is close to 1 per 300 000 donations.
Surfing into Spirituality and a New, Aquatic Nature Religion

"Soul surfers" consider surfing to be a profoundly meaningful practice that brings physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits. They generally agree on where surfing initially developed, that it assumed a religious character, was suppressed for religious reasons, has been undergoing a revival, and enjoins reverence for and protection of nature. This subset of the global surfing community should be understood as a new religious movement-a globalizing, hybridized, and increasingly influential example of what I call aquatic nature religion. For these individuals, surfing is a religious form in which a specific sensual practice constitutes its sacred center, and the corresponding experiences are constructed in a way that leads to a belief in nature as powerful, transformative, healing, and sacred. I advance this argument by analyzing these experiences, as well as the myths, rites, symbols, terminology, technology, material culture, and ethical mores that are found within surfing subcultures.
Discovering transcription factor regulatory targets using gene expression and binding data

Motivation: Identifying the target genes regulated by transcription factors (TFs) is the most basic step in understanding gene regulation. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology, together with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), enable mapping TF binding sites genome wide, but it is not possible to infer function from binding alone. This is especially true in mammalian systems, where regulation often occurs through long-range enhancers in gene-rich neighborhoods, rather than proximal promoters, preventing straightforward assignment of a binding site to a target gene. Results: We present EMBER (Expectation Maximization of Binding and Expression pRofiles), a method that integrates high-throughput binding data (e.g. ChIP-chip or ChIP-seq) with gene expression data (e.g. DNA microarray) via an unsupervised machine learning algorithm for inferring the gene targets of sets of TF binding sites. Genes selected are those that match overrepresented expression patterns, which can be used to provide information about multiple TF regulatory modes. We apply the method to genome-wide human breast cancer data and demonstrate that EMBER confirms a role for the TFs estrogen receptor alpha, retinoic acid receptors alpha and gamma in breast cancer development, whereas the conventional approach of assigning regulatory targets based on proximity does not. Additionally, we compare several predicted target genes from EMBER to interactions inferred previously, examine combinatorial effects of TFs on gene regulation and illustrate the ability of EMBER to discover multiple modes of regulation. Availability: All code used for this work is available at http://dinner-group.uchicago.edu/downloads.html Contact: dinner@uchicago.edu Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Microstructure rearrangement during the heat‐treatment of melt‐drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

Etude des changements microstructuraux suivis par gravite specifique, diffusion RX aux grands et aux petits angles, birefringence optique et essais mecaniques statiques
Scattering at oblique incidence from ionospheric irregularities(Abstract)

THE PURPOSE of this paper is to supply a review of the experimental investigations conducted by a research group at the National Bureau of Standards on the subject of oblique incidence ionospheric scatter at very high frequencies. Emphasis is placed on the results which contribute to further understanding of the behavior of the scattered signals and the physics of the ionosphere. The main topics discussed are long- and short-term characteristics of scattered signals. Included under the latter are the results of simultaneous observations at closely spaced receiving points. Next experimental techniques are discussed from which the heights of the ionospheric irregularities can be deduced and results of their use at different seasons and times of day are given. It is found that all the scatter which could be observed with the available techniques resulted from irregularities in the E region of the ionosphere, and most of it came from the lower parts of the E region. The following section deals with the dependence of the scattering on frequency; a range of frequencies from 27.775 mc to 107.8 mc is examined. The main part of the report concludes with the results of an experiment which gave information on the dependence of ionospheric scatter on the angle of scatter. A final section reviews the results of some simultaneous observations in Alaska dealing with the characteristics of ionospheric scattering in the auroral zone. This section emphasizes the different and new results from the Arctic.
Inplane crush response and energy absorption of circular cell honeycomb filled with elastomer

Compressive response and energy absorption of a composite honeycomb is studied. The base material is a circular cell hexagonally packed thin-wall polycarbonate honeycomb. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer is used as the filler material. Filled honeycomb specimens are quasi-statically loaded under controlled displacement along an inplane direction. Synergistic energy absorption in the filled specimen is observed, as its load response is much greater than the sum of the individual load responses of unfilled honeycomb and the filler material, respectively. Analysis of the crush response is conducted using two methods: (a) Digital image correlation (DIC) to monitor strains and displacement fields in the sample during initial stages of loading and in the vicinity of first failure. (b) Finite element (FE) modeling of the filled honeycomb using the ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code, accounting for the hyperelastic compression response of the PDMS filler. The smeared crack approach (SCA) is implemented in the honeycomb to simulate the longitudinal tearing of the cell wall and to subsequently capture the localization failure in the model. Good agreement between experiment and analysis is reported.
Electrocortical evidence of increased post-reappraisal neural reactivity and its link to depressive symptoms

Few studies have examined whether effortful emotion regulation has a protracted impact on subsequent affective appraisal, and even fewer have investigated this effect on a trial-by-trial basis. In this study, we hypothesized that engaging cognitive resources via reappraisal during a trial would result in a subsequent period of increased reactivity on the next trial, as quantified using event-related potentials and oscillations. Forty-eight healthy individuals passively viewed unpleasant and neutral pictures followed by an auditory instruction to either continue viewing normally or reappraise emotional response to pictures. Viewing unpleasant pictures yielded increased late positive potential (LPP) and decreased posterior alpha (8–13 Hz)
Wheelchair pushrim kinetics: body weight and median nerve function.

Abstract Objectives: Individuals who use manual wheelchairs are at high risk for median nerve injury and subsequent carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). To gain a better understanding of the mechanism behind CTS in manual wheelchair users, this study examined the relation between (1) pushrim biomechanics and function of the median nerve, (2) pushrim biomechanics and subject characteristics, and (3) median nerve function and subject characteristics. Design: Case series. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory and an electromyography laboratory. Participants: Thirty-four randomly recruited individuals with paraplegia who use a manual wheelchair for mobility. Intervention: Subjects propelled their own wheelchair on a dynamometer at 0.9m/sec and 1.8m/sec. Bilateral biomechanical data were obtained using a force- and moment-sensing pushrim and a motion analysis system. Bilateral nerve conduction studies focusing on the median nerve were also completed. Main Outcome Measures: Pearson's correlation coefficients between subject characteristics, median nerve conduction studies, and propulsion biomechanics; a regression model of nerve conduction studies incorporating subject characteristics and pushrim biomechanics. Results: Subject weight was significantly related to median nerve latency ( r = .36, p = .03) and median sensory amplitude ( r = −.43, p = .01). Height was also significantly related to median sensory amplitude ( r = −.58, p = .01). Subject weight was significantly related to the peak resultant force applied to the pushrim ( r = .59, p r = .63, p r = .54, p Conclusion: This study found subject weight to be related to pushrim forces and median nerve function. Independent of subject weight, pushrim biomechanics were also related to median nerve function. Through weight loss and changes in pushrim biomechanics, it may be possible to prevent median nerve injury in manual wheelchair users.
Function of Granule Perform and Esterases in T Cell-Mediated Reactions

Cognate T cell-mediated functions require antigen and MHC-restricted recognition of target cells. T-effector functions comprise the delivery of signals for help, for suppression, or for cell death of the target cell. In the case of the delivery of cytotoxicity and of help for B-cell antibody production, it is known that the secretory apparatus of the effector cell participates. Prior to secretion, many components of the effector cell are stored in cytoplasmic granules. Among the important and apparently constant constituents of granules are pore-forming proteins (perforins) and proteinases (granzymes). The putative role of perforin has been thought to mediate direct cytotoxicity. It is postulated here that, in addition, perforin at low concentrations may induce target-cell endocytosis through the formation of Ca channels. Localized endocytosis of the target at the contact site in turn may lead to the uptake of locally secreted effector-cell factors, such as cytotoxic factors (CTL), lymphokines (helper cells), or suppressor factors (suppressor cells). The potential importance of such a mechanism is the delivery and uptake of secreted effector-cell components into the endosomes of target cells, bypassing the need for appropriate target-cell receptors. Perforin thus may subserve two functions depending on its intragranular concentration: one, as a killer molecule, and two, as a delivery system for additional granule factors. One of the roles of esterases in T cell-mediated cognate-effector functions may be to allow recycling of the effector cell. This apparently is achieved by an active process of detachment of the effector T cell from the target cell, possibly by way of the proteolytic cleavage of adhesion molecules. Esterases are secreted, together with perforin and other factors, during granule release at the effector target-contact site, where they can cleave intercellular adhesion molecules and thus allow effector-cell recycling and attachment to new target cells. Other roles of esterases, not discussed here, may include participation directly in the cytotoxic process through uptake into the target cell. The evidence for a common intercellular molecular delivery mechanism of cognate effector T-cell function involving perforin and esterases is summarized. This concept represents a unifying hypothesis for MHC-restricted, contact-requiring, intercellular T cell-signal delivery as well as for the delivery of cytotoxicity by non-MHC-restricted T cells and natural killer cells.
THE WOMEN OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE ‐ THROUGH THE EYES OF JOURNALISTS

The Texas Almanac says it best: “Politics in Texas can be deadly serious or silly. The candidates can be statesmen or clowns. But one thing is for certain, politics in Texas are full of drama and they are rarely boring.” Today, we are interested in the role that women have played in the lawmaking process. The political integration of women into the political arena road has been long and arduous. However, important developments have taken place, and women are no longer considered an oddity in the Texas Legislature. There are several ways to study the accomplishments of women in elected office. Certainly, there are survey instruments or face-to-face interviews that provide valuable information. One can review the actual achievements of women in the legislative process by reviewing their records in office in terms of laws actually passed or submitted. However, this analysis reviews the progress of women as revealed by the press throughout their tenure in the Texas legislature. It begins by setting the stage for women in the political arena in Texas and reviews some of the historical information that has been gathered on the entry of women into politics. Then it analyzes reports by the major newspapers around the state of Texas as they have reported on women serving in the legislature.
History of Cultural Context in Positive Psychology: We Finally Come to the Start of the Journey

This chapter summarizes how issues of culture have been approached across the history of psychology, with particular attention paid to cultural considerations in positive psychology. It is argued that one main criticism leveled by leaders in the twenty-first century positive psychology movement – namely, that psychology on the whole had largely ignored questions of human flourishing over its history before the founding of positive psychology – is not wholly supported. Examples tracing back as far as William James, Wilhelm Wundt, and G. Stanley Hall are offered, and the disciplines of developmental psychology, humanistic psychology, and counseling psychology receive special attention. Regarding culture, however, it is concluded that interest in strengths and protective factors associated with culture is only beginning in earnest, and the knowledge base in this area is yet far too small. Continuing work in this area is critical to redress past injustices and present disparities related to cultural group membership.
Functional reconstitution, membrane targeting, genomic structure, and chromosomal localization of a human urate transporter

Elevated serum levels of uric acid have been associated with an increased risk for gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal failure. The molecular mechanisms for the diminished excretion of urate in these disorders, however, remain poorly understood. Human galectin 9, which is highly homologous to the rat urate transporter rUAT, has been reported to be a secreted or cytosolic protein. We provide data that galectin 9 is hUAT, the first identified human urate transporter. hUAT is a highly selective urate ion channel when inserted in lipid bilayers. When expressed in renal epithelial cells it is an integral plasma membrane protein with at least two transmembrane domains. The gene for hUAT consists of 11 exons and is mapped to chromosome 17; a highly homologous gene, hUAT2, maps to a nearby region of chromosome 17 and is also likely to be a urate transporter. hUAT is expressed in a wide variety of tissues and is present in at least three isoforms; hUAT2 is less widely expressed at severalfold lower levels than hUAT. Further knowledge about the functions of hUAT, its isoforms, and hUAT2, as well as mutational analysis of hUAT1 and hUAT2 in individuals or families with hyperuricemia, should significantly improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of urate homeostasis.
Energy-optimized image communication on resource-constrained sensor platforms

Energy-efficient image communication is one of the most important goals for a large class of current and future sensor network applications. This paper presents a quantitative comparison between the energy costs associated with 1) direct transmission of uncompressed images and 2) sensor platform-based JPEG compression followed by transmission of the compressed image data. JPEG compression computations are mapped onto various resource-constrained sensor platforms using a design environment that allows computation using the minimum integer and fractional bit-widths needed in view of other approximations inherent in the compression process and choice of image quality parameters. Detailed experimental results examining the tradeoffs in processor resources, processing/transmission time, bandwidth utilization, image quality, and overall energy consumption are presented.
An Oct4-Sall4-Nanog network controls developmental progression in the pre-implantation mouse embryo

Landmark events occur in a coordinated manner during pre-implantation development of the mammalian embryo, yet the regulatory network that orchestrates these events remains largely unknown. Here, we present the first systematic investigation of the network in pre-implantation mouse embryos using morpholino-mediated gene knockdowns of key embryonic stem cell (ESC) factors followed by detailed transcriptome analysis of pooled embryos, single embryos, and individual blastomeres. We delineated the regulons of Oct4, Sall4, and Nanog and identified a set of metabolism- and transport-related genes that were controlled by these transcription factors in embryos but not in ESCs. Strikingly, the knockdown embryos arrested at a range of developmental stages. We provided evidence that the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3b has a role in determining the extent to which a knockdown embryo can develop. We further showed that the feed-forward loop comprising Dnmt3b, the pluripotency factors, and the miR-290-295 cluster exemplifies a network motif that buffers embryos against gene expression noise. Our findings indicate that Oct4, Sall4, and Nanog form a robust and integrated network to govern mammalian pre-implantation development.
Assisted Living and Residential Care in Oregon: Two Decades of State Policy, Supply, and Medicaid Participation Trends

Purpose The study describes Oregon state policy and supply developments for licensed long-term-care settings, particularly apartment-style assisted living facilities and more traditional residential care facilities. Design and methods Data came from a variety of sources, including state agency administrative records, other secondary data sources, and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics examined public financing, Medicaid reimbursement, and licensed bed supply trends from 1986 to 2004, as well as Medicaid resident use between 1990 and 2004. Results Residential care expansion, combined with nursing facility contraction, has transformed Oregon's supply of licensed long-term-care settings in favor of less institutional options. State financing, reimbursement, and licensing policies varied across provider type, with greater public resources supporting growth of assisted living facilities. By 2004, such settings were more likely to be Medicaid providers than residential care facilities and had a higher proportion of Medicaid residents relative to available bed supply. Implications State financing and reimbursement policies may play a role in stimulating the supply of apartment-style assisted living available to low-income and/or rural service users. Less favorable policy conditions may have unintended consequences for the supply and use of other residential care settings.
Effective well-child care☆

Policymakers, researchers, and clinicians have questioned the effectiveness of well-child care for many years. As the nation faces decreasing resources for health care, the cost-effectiveness of all medical interventions must be critically examined. Simultaneous provision of universal access to care and containment of costs can only be accomplished if basic benefit packages are defined in a way that confines the services available to those procedures and treatments that have proven benefit at reasonable costs. Disease prevention and health promotion are activi-
Islamic Law and the Politics of Water

This chapter analyzes the legal, political, and social dimensions of water in Islamic law (sharia), incorporating some comparisons with Western and inter- national law. The issues considered include the law and the political challenges of water, the fundamentals of sharia and water, the centrality of custom ('urf) to that relationship, the development of modern secular water codes in Muslim nations and their connection with sharia, reforms in the modern epoch, the ascendancy of Western law and its consequences, the continued relevance of sharia to water, and conclusions.
Ensuring that Regional Trade Agreements Complement the WTO System: US Unilateralism a Supplement to WTO Initiatives?

In the mid-1990s, the policy debate within the WTO focused on whether regional trade agreements (RTAs) were building blocks or stumbling blocks for the WTO system, essentially questioning whether regionalism was appropriate at all from an economic policy perspective. Given the proliferation of RTAs since that time and the inability to roll back the clock, that policy debate has been replaced by a search for strengthened constraints on RTA activity that might ensure it complements the WTO system. Three major controversies within many existing RTAs are the exclusion of agriculture from coverage, complex and restrictive rules of origin, and varied treatment of the application of trade remedies. Despite some competing policy considerations, it is likely, on balance, that the WTO system would benefit if agriculture was required to be included in RTA coverage, if RTA rules of origin were simplified and liberalized, and if the controversy surrounding RTA treatment of trade remedies was cleared up. However, the search for constraints within the WTO system to achieve these results, either through the Doha negotiations or the dispute settlement system seems unlikely to succeed in the near future. Accordingly, enhanced and extended efforts by the US, either unilaterally or in conjunction with its RTA partners utilizing its negotiating leverage, may be a necessary supplement to efforts within the WTO in ensuring a more harmonious relationship between RTAs and the WTO system.
HEMATOLOGIC STUDIES IN PATIENTS RECEIVING MULTIPLE INFUSIONS OF LIPOMUL I. V.

ministration of Lipomul#{174} IV. (Upjohn) in man have virtually disappeared, continuous multiple infusion therapy has been associated with a severe reaction, sometimes called the ‘ ‘over-loading syndrome, ‘ ‘ but better referred to as the long-term 3 The latter is characterized by the abrupt onset of fever, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia and hemorrhagic manifestations. It may develop at any time, even several days after completion of the series, but never before at least the twelfth infusion, and more frequently after sixteen or more. Although one or all the features of the syndrome may be present in any one patient, the anemia arid hemorrhagic complications are the most striking and lifethreatening. The incidence of these reactions is difficult to ascertain, since most investigators have been rightly unwilling to explore the regularity of occurrence for ethical reasons. Since a similar syndrome cannot be produced in animals with comparable dosage schedules, we may never know its true incidence. Nonetheless, it should be noted that many patients can be given extremely large quantities of the emulsion without ever having any serious complications. However, regardless of incidence, the threat of such a reaction precludes general acceptance of Lipomul IV. except for shortterm administration.
FLEXIBLE CRINOIDS FROM THE UPPER ORDOVICIAN MAQUOKETA FORMATION OF THE NORTHERN MIDCONTINENT AND THE EVOLUTION OF EARLY FLEXIBLE CRINOIDS

Abstract Three flexible crinoids occur in the Upper Ordovician Maquoketa Formation of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota: Protaxocrinus girvanensis Ramsbottom, 1961, Clidochirus anebos new species, and Proanisocrinus oswegoensis (Miller and Gurley, 1894). Protaxocrinus girvanensis is also found in the Upper Ordovician of Scotland which indicates that the ocean was narrow enough to allow at least one crinoid species to cross the barrier. The Upper Ordovician of North America and Scotland also share many common crinoid genera. Both phenetic and cladistic methods result in similar phylogenies of flexible crinoids. Protaxocrinus was derived from a cupulocrinid ancestor during the Middle Ordovician. Clidochirus evolved from Protaxocrinus or its ancestral stock prior to the Richmondian of the Late Ordovician. The Richmondian Proanisocrinus and later anisocrinids are most closely related to Clidochirus or its immediate predecessor. Thus, three major lineages of flexible crinoids, Protaxocrinus (taxocrinid group), Cli...
Access Restrictions and Confidentiality Protections in the Health and Retirement Study

Organizations involved in statistical surveys of human subjects face two important and competing challenges: protecting data confidentiality while maximizing data accessibility to potential researchers. This note examines how the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), conducted by the Institute for Social Research of the University of Michigan, attempts to balance data confidentiality with the desire to broaden the pool of potential data users. Current HRS procedures are summarized and compared with those of organizations with similar programs, and potential ways to expand HRS use without compromising confidentiality are discussed.
Neutrophil Biology and the Next Generation of Myeloid Growth Factors

Neutrophils are the body's critical phagocytic cells for defense against bacterial and fungal infections; bone marrow must produce approximately 10 x 10(9) neutrophils/kg/d to maintain normal blood neutrophil counts. Production of neutrophils depends on myeloid growth factors, particularly granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). After the original phase of development, researchers modified these growth factors to increase their size and delay renal clearance, increase their biologic potency, and create unique molecules for business purposes. Pegylated G-CSF is a successful product of these efforts. Researchers have also tried to identify small molecules to serve as oral agents that mimic the parent molecules, but these programs have been less successful. In 2006, the European Medicines Agency established guidelines for the introduction of new biologic medicinal products claimed to be similar to reference products that had previously been granted marketing authorization in the European community, called bio-similars. Globally, new and copied versions of G-CSF and other myeloid growth factors are now appearing. Some properties of the myeloid growth factors are similar to other agents, offering opportunities for the development of alternative drugs and treatments. For example, recent research shows that hematopoietic progenitor cells can be mobilized with a chemokine receptor antagonist, chemotherapy, G-CSF, and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Advances in neutrophil biology coupled with better understanding and development of myeloid growth factors offer great promise for improving the care of patients with cancer and many other disorders.
Low-temperature mechanisms for the formation of substituted azanaphthalenes through consecutive CN and C2H additions to styrene and N-methylenebenzenamine: a theoretical study.

Ab initio G3(MP2,CC)/B3LYP/6-311G** calculations of potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the reactions of cyano and ethynyl radicals with styrene and N-methylenebenzenamine have been performed to i...
106 ASSESSMENT OF ANTI-BACTERIAL EFFECTS OF PEGYLATED SILVER-COATED CARBON NANOTUBES ON CAUSATIVE BACTERIA OF BOVINE INFERTILITY USING BIOLUMINESCENCE IMAGING SYSTEM

Pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. are the major causative agents of endometritis and can cause infertility in livestock animals. Antibiotics are commonly used to terminate bacterial infections, but the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance is often encountered. Nanotechnology associated with silver nanoparticles has been highlighted as an alternative anti-bacterial agent, and pegylated silver-coated single-walled carbon nanotubes have high anti-bacterial effects and are non-toxic to human and murine cells in vitro. Here we verified whether a real-time bioluminescence monitoring system could be an alternative tool to assess anti-bacterial effects of nanotubes in a noninvasive approach. Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. were transfected with plasmids containing constructs for luciferase enzyme (LuxCDABE) and substrate (luciferin) to create self-illuminating bioluminescent bacteria. Pathogens were grown in LB broth at 37°C, adjusted to 107 cfu mL−1, and placed in 96-well plates for treatments. Pegylated (pSWCNTs-Ag) and non-pegylated (SWCNTs-Ag) nanotubes were prepared and added to culture wells at various concentrations (31.25–125 µg mL−1). The control group corresponded to bacteria without nanotubes (0 µg mL−1). Anti-bacterial effects of nanotubes were determined every 10 min until 1 h, then every 30 min up to 6 h incubation through optical density (600 nm) measurements and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and quantification using an IVIS system. Optical density and BLI data were compared at each time-point using 2-way ANOVA, with P 0.05); meanwhile, pSWCNTs-Ag nanotubes exhibited stronger anti-bacterial effects than SWCNTs-Ag during the same period using BLI (P < 0.05). In summary, we confirmed previous reports showing dose-dependent eliminations of pathogenic bacteria by silver nanotubes. Pegylated nanotubes exhibited high anti-bacterial activity compared to non-pegylated nanotubes. Bioluminescence imaging system revealed superior resolution to enable precise investigation of anti-bacterial kinetics of silver nanotubes. This feature could be useful for the study of bacterial infections that impair livestock fertility. Work was supported by USDA-ARS Biophotonics Initiative grant #58-6402-3-018.