cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultracentrifugation as a probe of conformation of unhydroxylated procollagen and collagen.

Abstract Unhydroxylated and hydroxylated procollagen and collagen were compared by zone velocity and isopycnic centrifugation. The sedimentation coefficient of unhydroxylated procollagen(3.7 S) was slightly less than that of hydroxylated procollagen (3.9 S) and the sedimentation coefficient of unhydroxylated collagen (2.9 S) was slightly less than hydroxylated collagen (3.2 S). These differences could be accounted for largely by the slight increase in molecular weight and density of the hydroxylated molecules. The results indicate that the unhydroxylated molecules are in a triple helical conformation composed of three chains rather than analogous helical structures formed by the back-folding of individual chains. We conclude, therefore, that previous experiments demonstrating the decreased thermal stability of unhydroxylated collagen relative to hydroxylated collagen have measured the denaturation of true triple helices.
Effects of walking, jogging and cycling on strength, flexibility, speed and balance in 60- to 72-year olds

The effects of a moderate intensity endurance training program on strength, speed of muscle contraction, balance, gait and flexibility were assessed in fifty 60- to72- year-old men and women who had just completed a 3-month program of flexibility and strengthening exercise. Subjects trained for ∼45 minutes/day, 4.1 days a week, for one year. Before and after the endurance exercise program, exercise participants underwent isometric and dynamic strength testing (Cybex II®), standing balance tests, a gait examination, lower extremity flexibility testing, and a fatigue test for the quadriceps femoris muscle group. Fifteen control subjects who did not exercise were tested at thesame time periods as exercise subjects. Gains made during the low intensity strengthening and flexibility program in strength, range of motion and quadriceps endurance were maintained throughout the year of endurance exercise training. Additional significant improvements in speed of muscular contraction, walking velocity and standing balance occurred with the program of moderate intensity endurance training which produced a 24% increase in VO2max for men and a 21% increase for women. These results provide additional evidence that older adults are able to improve their functional capacity in response to exercise training. (Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 5: 427–434, 1993)
Moore’s Paradox and Moral Motivation

Assertions of statements such as ‘it’s raining, but I don’t believe it’ are standard examples of what is known as Moore’s paradox. Here I consider moral equivalents of such statements, statements wherein individuals affirm moral judgments while also expressing motivational indifference to those judgments (such as ‘hurting animals for fun is wrong, but I don’t care’). I argue for four main conclusions concerning such statements: 1. Such statements are genuinely paradoxical, even if not contradictory. 2. This paradoxicality can be traced to a form of epistemic self-defeat that also explains the paradoxicality of ordinary Moore-paradoxical statements. 3. Although a simple form of internalism about moral judgment and motivation can explain the paradoxicality of these moral equivalents, a more plausible explanation can be provided that does not rely on this simple form of internalism. 4. The paradoxicality of such statements suggests a more credible understanding of the thesis that those who are not motivated by their moral judgments are irrational.
Validation of the wall motion score and myocardial performance indexes as novel techniques to assess cardiac function in mice after myocardial infarction

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of wall motion score index (WMSI) and myocardial performance index (MPI) for measuring regional and global left ventricular (LV) ...
Inhibitory Effects of Ascorbic Acid on the Binding of [3H]Dopamine Antagonists to Neostriatal Membrane Preparations : Relationship to Lipid Peroxidation

Ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, and isoascorbic acid (the stereoisomer of ascorbic acid) inhibited the stereospecific binding of [3H]spiroperidol to neostriatal membrane preparations. Greater inhibitory effects were obtained at intermediate concentrations of the three ascorbic acid analogs (i.e., 0.06 and 0.6 mM) than at higher (6 mM) or lower (0.006 mM) concentrations. In parallel experiments, the three ascorbic acid analogs induced lipid peroxidation, which was also greater at the two intermediate than at higher or lower concentrations. Several known inhibitors of lipid peroxidation, including propyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, alpha-naphthol, and cobalt chloride, as well as the iron chelating agents EDTA and DETAPAC (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) were able to counteract the effects of the ascorbic acid analogs on both lipid peroxidation and on [3H]spiroperidol binding. These data strongly suggest that an iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation is responsible for the observed inhibitory effects on binding. In other experiments, neostriatal membrane preparations that were preincubated with ascorbic acid (0.6 mM) and subsequently washed still had greatly diminished capacity to bind [3H]spiroperidol, indicating that ascorbic acid need not be physically present during the binding assay in order to affect binding. This experimental procedure also appears to be a way in which [3H]spiroperidol binding sites can be inactivated and washed free of the inactivating agent.
Identification of gasolines, waxes, greases, and asphalts by evaporation chromatography

Summary A technique whereby a modified form of chromatography is applied to various waxes, greases, asphalts, and gasolines, is described. The sample, dissolved directly in the developing solvent, is induced to flow up a paper strip in a system allowing slow evaporation of the solvent from the mixture. Under these circumstances, more bands are formed than in conventional chromatography, and the separation of ultraviolet-fluorescent materials is quite good. The strips may be developed two or more times with the same or different solvents, to enhance the differences between them.
Atomic Layer Deposition Growth Reactions of Al2O3 on Si(100)-2×1

Cluster calculations employing hybrid density functional theory have been carried out to examine the atomistic details and thermochemistry of the early stages of Al2O3 atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the Si(100)-2×1 surface using the gas-phase precursors, trimethylaluminum (TMA) and H2O. The critical point structures and enthalpies characterizing both the Al- and O-deposition half-reactions were investigated. Both sets of ALD half-reactions were found to be thermodynamically favorable and kinetically uninhibited. For all reactions the transition states and reaction products were determined to be lower in energy than the starting reactants. The H2O ALD half-reactions were found to have an overall reaction enthalpy between −1.45 and −1.63 eV, with a transition state energy of −0.13 to −0.21 eV. The TMA ALD half-reactions were found to be exothermic by 1.85−1.88 eV. The transition state energy for the Al deposition half-reactions were determined to be −0.19 to −0.27 eV. Careful comparison of the reaction en...
A study of future communications concepts and technologies for the national airspace system (the first six months)

Preliminary findings indicate that spectrum and technology certification will continue to pose a challenge, especially in areas where software is increasingly used to perform hardware functions. It is anticipated that although some spectrum will become available as a result of the decommissioning of technologies i.e. VOR, the demand for spectrum will increase and future technologies will need to provide the ability to maximize the use of finite spectrum resources. Advances in electronics and communications technology will enable the integration of services and applications and thus reduce the number of systems deployed to the aircraft. Finally, the future aviation radio technology will depend on numerous factors including: air traffic management procedures, airline operations business models and the configuration of the airspace, which is anticipated to include Unmanned Aircraft Systems, hypersonic flights and manned aircraft.
Biocompatible Copper(I) Catalysts for in Vivo Imaging of Glycans

The Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is the standard method for bioorthogonal conjugation. However, current Cu(I) catalyst formulations are toxic, hindering their use in living systems. Here we report that BTTES, a tris(triazolylmethyl)amine-based ligand for Cu(I), promotes the cycloaddition reaction rapidly in living systems without apparent toxicity. This catalyst allows, for the first time, noninvasive imaging of fucosylated glycans during zebrafish early embryogenesis. We microinjected embryos with alkyne-bearing GDP-fucose at the one-cell stage and detected the metabolically incorporated unnatural sugars using the biocompatible click chemistry. Labeled glycans could be imaged in the enveloping layer of zebrafish embryos between blastula and early larval stages. This new method paves the way for rapid, noninvasive imaging of biomolecules in living organisms.
Dolomite, Limestone Facies, and Insoluble Residue--A Relationship?: ABSTRACT

Almost 600 insoluble-residue and quantitative X-ray analyses have been performed on samples collected from the Callville and Pakoon Formations (Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian) of southern Nevada. The gross lithologies present are limestone, dolostone, and carbonate-cemented sandstone. The insoluble residues range from 0.7 to 77.0% and consist of fine-sand size quartz with varying amounts of illite (clay). Plots of the total insoluble residue against percent dolomite show that more than 500 of the samples fall into either limestone (greater than 90% calcite) or dolostone (greater than 90% dolomite) end members. Plots of the dolomite percentage in the 100 remaining, mixed-calcite-dolomite mineralogy specimens versus total insoluble residue showed no obvious trends. Plots of the mixed-mineralogy specimens versus the illitic clay content likewise showed no obvious trends. Five limestone facies (micrite, sparse micrite, packed micrite, biopelsparite and oosparite) were recognized. No relation was found between limestone facies and percent total insoluble residue or between percent dolomite and limestone facies. End_of_Article - Last_Page 791------------
Parallel Simulations of Rapid Fracture

Implementing molecular dynamics on the IBM SP2 parallel computer, we have studied the fracture of two-dimensional notched solids under tension using million atom systems. Brittle materials are modelled through the choice of interatomic potential function and the speed of the failure process, and our interest is to learn about the dynamics of crack propagation in ideal materials. Recent laboratory findings occur in our simulation experiments, one of the most intriguing is the dynamic instability of the crack tip as it approaches a fraction of the sound speed. A detailed comparison between laboratory and computer experiments is presented, and microscopic processes are identified. In particular, an explanation for the limiting velocity of the crack being significantly less than the theoretical limit is provided.
Space‐based measurement of river runoff

Observations of river inundation areas, water levels, and flow variability from orbital sensors have the potential to directly measure the runoff component of the Earth's hydrologic cycle [Birkett et al., 2002; Brakenridge et al., 1998; Sippel et al., 1994, 1998; Townsend, 2001]. A remote-sensing-based measurement strategy for rivers and streams is emerging: Surface water data can be collected, their accuracy evaluated, and the results disseminated without regard to political boundaries. The results can be used to address a wide variety of applications. In this article, the needs for such measurements, a river reach-based methodology for their collection, and some sample results are presented. Because the international observational capability is increasing, some future opportunities for improving this strategy are also described.
Energy and materials conversion with the help of regeneration and energy transformation

Abstract The comprehension of the unity of materials and energy conversion is the basis for energetic effective design of materials conversion processes. Besides regenerative heat utilisation energy transformation can open up further possibilities of energy saving. The principal procedure for the design of energetic effective regenerative heat transfer systems and the effects which are within reach with regeneration are shown through the instance of a brewery — a typical multilevel heat consumer. Brewery process offers possibilities for heat transformation both in open and closed cycles. For the purpose of an equally good description of heat fluxes and material fluxes in open heat transformation processes, a concept for exergetic evaluation of material fluxes is necessary. Normalised exergy and corresponding generalised temperature are developed as evaluation characteristics and illustrated with help of an energy–entropy diagram. Heat transformation in the sense of open cycles appears also in single processes or unit operations. Aspects of energy transformation in connection with materials conversion are discussed through the examples of absorption and dehumidification. The regard of chemical reactions from the view of heat transformation opens interesting aspects for the evaluation of the conversion potential of fuels and other chemical compounds. This is discussed for some thermochemical cycles, reversible combustion and fuel cell.
De-repressing LncRNA-Targeted Genes to Upregulate Gene Expression: Focus on Small Molecule Therapeutics

Non-protein coding RNAs (ncRNAs) make up the overwhelming majority of transcripts in the genome and have recently gained attention for their complex regulatory role in cells, including the regulation of protein-coding genes. Furthermore, ncRNAs play an important role in normal development and their expression levels are dysregulated in several diseases. Recently, several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to alter the epigenetic status of genomic loci and suppress the expression of target genes. This review will present examples of such a mechanism and focus on the potential to target lncRNAs for achieving therapeutic gene upregulation by de-repressing genes that are epigenetically silenced in various diseases. Finally, the potential to target lncRNAs, through their interactions with epigenetic enzymes, using various tools, such as small molecules, viral vectors and antisense oligonucleotides, will be discussed. We suggest that small molecule modulators of a novel class of drug targets, lncRNA-protein interactions, have great potential to treat some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders.
Creation and the empirical validation of the dignity card-sort tool to assess factors influencing erosion of dignity at life's end.

Abstract Patients often experience erosion of dignity as they cope with the dying process. Preserving patient dignity is a sentinel premise of palliative care. This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of factors influencing erosion of dignity at the end of life. We conducted an open-ended written survey of 100 multidisciplinary providers (69% response rate) and responses were categorized to identify 18 themes that were used to create a card-sort tool. The initial 18-item tool was administered to nurses (n = 83), nonhospice community-dwelling subjects (n = 190) and hospice patients (n = 26) and a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the 6 primary factors. The key item in each factor as identified by the PCA was used to create the final 6-item dignity card-sort tool (DCT). The DCT was also administered to physicians caring for palliative care patients (n = 21). For each of the final 6 items, the correlation between the respondents (nurses, physicians, nonterminally ill subj...
Modeling submergence success of discarded yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) and quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger): Towards improved estimation of total fishery removals

Abstract Identification of variables that can be used to predict discard mortality is an important step towards improving estimates of total fishery removals. I explored the utility of capture depth, six external signs of barotrauma, two behavioral responses, and an impairment index that summed the physical and behavioral impairment associated with rapid decompression at predicting the submergence success of hook-and-line captured yelloweye ( n = 95) and quillback ( n = 65) rockfish that were released at the water's surface. Random forests classification models were used to identify the relative importance of predictor variables ( n = 11) for each species and to explore the ability of these variables to accurately predict individual submergence success. Capture depth was identified as the most important variable in predicting yelloweye rockfish submergence but provided little improvement to the quillback rockfish model. The impairment index and the barotrauma sign associated with maximal gas retention were identified as important predictor variables for both yelloweye and quillback rockfish. These findings suggest that the impairment index, unlike capture depth, was able to account for individual variability in submergence success or failure of quillback rockfish.
High Throughput Synthesis of 2,3,6-Trisubstituted-5,6-Dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole Derivatives

A facile approach to the synthesis of 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole was reported. A resin bound cyclic thiourea was formed by the treatment of a resin bound diamine with 1,1′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole, and then reacted with a α-haloketone to generate a resin bound isothiourea. HF treatment of the resin bound isothiourea resulted in the cleavage of the product and simultaneous formation of an enamine bond. This led to the formation of the 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole in high yield and purity.
Improving throughput at airports with a dependency between arrival and departure operations

At airports where there is an air traffic control (ATC) dependency between arrival and departure operations, it is challenging for air traffic controllers to maximize airport throughput due to a lack of dynamic information exchange and coordination between arriving and departing flights. This challenge exists at airports that conduct arrival and departure operations to the same runway and airports with crossing or converging runway operations. At airports where such a dependency exists, approach control generally establishes a static arrival interval sufficient to allow aircraft departures in the gaps between successive arrivals. Quite often the interval is only adjusted by means of verbal coordination between controllers in the tower and the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). At these airports, arrival/departure throughput may be improved by providing dynamic arrival spacing guidance to approach controllers based on the type of aircraft in the departure queue. The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) is exploring a concept, Arrival - Departure Runway Integration Schedule, which provides automated arrival spacing guidance to approach controllers based on the aircraft queued or taxing to a dependent runway. Identifying the precise type and order of aircraft in the departure queue and the time required for each to enter the runway and depart allows for arrival spacing guidance to be provided to the approach controller. The guidance conveys the appropriate arrival intervals to accommodate aircraft in the departure queue, or may indicate that no gap beyond minimum allowable spacing is needed in the case that no flights are ready to depart. Airport throughput, departure queue wait time, and the time arrival aircraft spend in terminal airspace all stand to benefit from this concept. This paper reviews current operations, details the proposed concept, discusses how it might be applied, identifies parameters of interest, and highlights when benefits are likely to be realized.
Optical Processing Techniques For Advanced Intelligent Robots And Computer Vision

Coherent optical processors capable of producing various feature spaces in parallel exist. Those feature spaces that can be optically generated include fourier coefficients, space variant Mellin transforms and polar transform coefficients, moments, chord distribu-tions and Hough/Radon transforms. Optical correlators capable of simultaneous identification and location of multiple objects are well-known and have reached significant levels of compact fabrication. New methods of matched spatial filter synthesis allow these correlators to achieve multi-class distortion-invariant object recognition. New optical computer architectures performing matrix-vector and linear algebra operations represent a class of general purpose systems similiar to digital systolic and multiple processor systems. These various optical architectures will be reviewed and reference will be made to initial results obtained on these systems. In all instances, all architectures are hybrid optical/digital systems that utilize the best features of optical and digital processors. In all cases, attention is given to multi-class distortion-invariant pattern recognition.
Attenuation of retinal vascular development and neovascularization during oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy in Bcl-2-/- mice.

Abstract Bcl-2 is a death repressor that protects cells from apoptosis mediated by a variety of stimuli. Bcl-2 expression is regulated by both pro- and anti-angiogenic factors; thus, it may play a central role during angiogenesis. However, the role of bcl-2 in vascular development and growth of new vessels requires further delineation. In this study, we investigated the physiological role of bcl-2 in development of retinal vasculature and retinal neovascularization during oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy (OIR). Mice deficient in bcl-2 exhibited a significant decrease in retinal vascular density compared to wild-type mice. This was attributed to a decreased number of endothelial cells and pericytes in retinas from bcl-2−/− mice. We observed, in bcl-2−/− mice, delayed development of retinal vasculature and remodeling, and a significant decrease in the number of major arteries, which branch off from near the optic nerve. Interestingly, hyaloid vessel regression, an apoptosis-dependent process, was not affected in the absence of bcl-2. The retinal vasculature of bcl-2−/− mice exhibited a similar sensitivity to hyperoxia-mediated vessel obliteration compared to wild-type mice during OIR. However, the degree of ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization was significantly reduced in bcl-2−/− mice. These results suggest that expression of bcl-2 is required for appropriate development of retinal vasculature as well as its neovascularization during OIR.
Corporate Codes of Conduct

A survey of 673 financial officers of U.S. corporations finds that having a corporate code of conduct is becoming the norm. A content analysis identifies seventeen subject areas found in the codes, but discovers little agreement on what subjects a code should cover.
The Politics of Responsibility: A Theory of Program Planning Practice for Adult Education.

This article proposes a theory of program planning practice that takes power and interests as central to action and asks what educators can do to plan responsibly. Program planning is defined as a social activity in which educators negotiate interests in organizational contexts structured by power relations. We explain four central concepts on which the theory is based: power, interests, negotiation, and responsibility. By tying these four concepts together, the theory urges planners to nurture a substantively democratic planning process in the face of power relations that either support or threaten this vision. We argue that this theory meets the criteria for any social theory to be empirically fitting, practically appropriate, and ethically illuminating.
Vortex filament stability and boundary layer dynamics

Coherent structures in fluid boundary layers at high Reynolds numbers are a prominent feature of these flows. The structures appear as concentrations of vorticity into hairpin'' and other shapes. We explore the inviscid interaction and stability of vortex filaments initially situated spanwise to the mean flow in a model of a boundary layer. Both for a single vortex filament and its image through the boundary and for an infinite line of such filaments with their images we find a linear instability associated with deformations of the filament along its length with maximum instability having a wavelength on the order of the height of the filament above the boundary. The linear unstable manifold for this instability points at approximately 45[degree] from the plane of the boundary in accord with experimental observations and numerical modeling of these coherent structures. This provides a dynamical origin to the observations of the orientation of these coherent structures.
Endothelin-A receptors mediate vasoconstriction of capillaries in the spiral ligament.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin-2 (ET-2) or endothelin-3 (ET-3) alter the vascular diameter of capillaries in the spiral ligament. Changes in vascular tone were measured in capillaries from the isolated spiral ligament in vitro. Capillaries were occluded on one end and opened on the other end. Red blood cells trapped in the capillaries served as markers for a luminal volume defined by the red cell itself, the capillary wall and the occluder. Movement of the red cell toward the open end was taken as evidence for vasoconstriction and movement of the red cell toward the occluder was taken as evidence for vasodilation. The inner diameter of the capillaries was 7.0 μm and decreased maximally by a factor of 0.8 in response to ET-1 and ET-2 (both 10 −8 M). Vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 and ET-2 was concentration-dependent in the range between 10 −12 and 10 −8 M whereas ET-3 (10 −8 M) had no effect. The EC 50 S for ET-1 and ET-2 were 1.2 × 10 −10 M and 1.4 × 10 −9 M, respectively. Thus, the potency order was ET-1 > ET-2 ⪢ ET-3. Vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 and ET-2 was completely inhibited by the competitive antagonist 10 −6 M BQ-123 (cyclic d -Asp- l -Pro- d -Val- l -Leu- d -Trp). Vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 or ET-2 continued for more than 1 min after removal of agonist from the perfusate. Rapid vasodilation of capillaries preconstricted by ET-1 was observed in response to 10 −3 M sodium nitroprusside. Sodium nitroprusside, however, had no significant effect on the vascular diameter of resting capillaries. These results demonstrate that capillaries in the spiral ligament can constrict and the endothelin-mediated vasoconstriction occurs via ET A receptors.
Olfactory Bulbs Influence Testosterone Feedback on Gonadotropin Secretion in Male Hamsters on Long or Short Photoperiod

Previous studies have shown that prepubertal olfactory bulbectomy will prevent the testicular regression associated with short photoperiod in golden hamsters. The gonadal regression which normally occurs in hamsters on short photoperiod is known to be due in part to an increased responsiveness of the reproductive neuroendocrine system to the negative feedback actions of testosterone on LH and FSH secretion. The present study tested whether the olfactory bulbs influence the feedback effects of testosterone on gonadotropin secretion. Twenty-four- to 26-day-old male golden hamsters were either olfactory-bulbectomized (BX) or sham-olfactory-bulbectomized. Eight weeks later, all hamsters were castrated, and one half of each group was placed in LD 10:14 (this was called week -8 of the study), while the other half was returned to long photoperiod (LD 14:10). Eight weeks following castration (week 0 of the study), all animals were implanted with silastic capsules containing 0, 4, 8 or 16 mm of testosterone. All hamsters were bled by cardiac puncture at -8, -4, 0, +2, +4, +6 and + 8 weeks. The concentration of LH and FSH in these samples was then determined by RIA. BX completely prevented the negative feedback of testosterone on gonadotropin secretion in hamsters on either long or short photoperiod at all levels of testosterone tested in this study. In addition, there were seemingly steroid-independent effects of BX on gonadotropin levels in the castrated hamsters prior to testosterone replacement at weeks -4 and 0. These results are the first indication that the olfactory bulbs have an important role in regulating the responsiveness of the reproductive neuroendocrine axis to the feedback of testosterone on LH and FSH secretion. The data indicate that the ability of BX to prevent short-photoperiod-induced testicular regression may be one part of a much larger effect of the olfactory bulbs, and that the olfactory bulbs have an important influence on gonadotropin secretion in hamsters maintained on long or short photoperiod.
A position domain relative RAIM method

The GNSS evolutionary architecture study (GEAS) Panel was formed by the FAA in October 2006 with the objective of evaluating future GNSS-based architectures to provide robust worldwide instrument approach guidance known as LPV-200 in the 2025 to 2030 time frame. One of the architectures being considered by GEAS is based on a new concept called Relative Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RRAIM). In this architecture, RRAIM is used with a WAAS-like system or an integrity-assured GPS III system that meets all LPV-200 requirements except for the integrity time-to-alert requirement. Such a system provides integrity but with a delay of several seconds up to a few minutes. During the period of this delay, RRAIM fills the gap as follows. User equipment estimates the change in user position by measuring accumulated carrier phase single differences of range measurements of satellites used in the position solution. Then Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) is used to assure integrity in the change in position. Since the nominal errors associated with the carrier phase measurements are significantly smaller than those of pseudorange measurements, much tighter thresholds and thus smaller vertical protection level (VPL) can be obtained in times of relatively poor geometry, resulting in improved service availability.
The relationship between tree biodiversity and biomass dynamics changes with tropical forest succession.

Theory predicts shifts in the magnitude and direction of biodiversity effects on ecosystem function (BEF) over succession, but this theory remains largely untested. We studied the relationship between aboveground tree biomass dynamics (Dbiomass) and multiple dimensions of biodiversity over 8–16 years in eight successional rainforests. We tested whether successional changes in diversity–Dbiomass correlations reflect predictions of niche theories. Diversity–Dbiomass correlations were positive early but weak later in succession, suggesting saturation of niche space with increasing diversity. Early in succession, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity in two leaf traits exhibited the strongest positive correlations with Dbiomass, indicating complementarity or positive selection effects. In mid-successional stands, high biodiversity was associated with greater mortality-driven biomass loss, i.e. negative selection effects, suggesting successional niche trade-offs and loss of fast-growing pioneer species. Our results demonstrate that BEF relationships are dynamic across succession, thus successional context is essential to understanding BEF in a given system.
Tales of Tutors: The Role of Narrative in Language Learning and Service-Learning.

This article examines the role of narrative in the learning process of language tutors in a university service-learning course involving collaboration between an institution of higher learning and public high schools in an urban setting. The tutors' personal narrative reflections offer multiple perspectives on interactions of tutors with high school students, tutors with cooperating teachers, and cooperating teachers with high school students. For near-peer tutors, more advanced students close in age to those they assist (Imel, 1994; Whitman, 1988), narratives not only provide a vehicle for structured reflection upon their contributions to the language learning process and classroom setting, but also develop their insight into broader personal, institutional, and social issues that impact education systems.
High efficiency n-type silicon solar cell with a novel inkjet-printed boron emitter

Formation of boron emitters for mass production of low-cost and high efficiency n-type silicon solar cells is a major challenge in the PV industry. In this paper, we report on the successful fabrication of high efficiency screen-printed 19.3% n-type silicon cell with V oc of 646 mV, J sc of 39.4 mA/cm2, and FF of 75.6 %, using boron dopant ink applied by inkjet printing to create boron-doped emitter. The detailed internal quantum efficiency (IQE) analysis showed excellent front surface recombination velocity (FSRV) of 15,000 cm/s and back surface recombination velocity (BSRV) of 66 cm/s. This demonstrates for the first time the promise of boron dopant ink for high performance n-type silicon solar cells.
Reassurance seeking and depression in adults with mild intellectual disability.

Background Adults with intellectual disability (ID) experience a high prevalence of depression. Yet, little research has investigated interpersonal processes related to depression in this population. In the general population, depressed persons behave in ways that elicit negative and rejecting reactions from others. In particular, excessive reassurance seeking, defined as excessively and persistently seeking assurance from others that one is lovable and worthy, indirectly contributes to depressive symptoms through evoking negative and rejecting social interactions. We examined the relation between excessive reassurance seeking, negative and rejecting social interactions and depression in adults with mild ID.
Interaction of two plasmon modes in the organic photovoltaic devices with patterned back-electrode

Localized surface plasmon (LSP) and surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) are identified in silver grating structure on back-electrode organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Their strong interaction indicated by anti-crossing behavior affects absorption enhancement of OPV devices.
A high performance adaptive image compression system using a generative neural network: DynAmic Neural Network II (DANN II)

The system is guaranteed theoretically to compress to any feasible rate, with as low a distortion rate as required. It also exhibits user selectable compression and error rates, ability to compress general data types, and adaptation to the data source. The compression system is based on a novel family of connectionist algorithms and generative algorithms used in conjunction with new artificial neural network models that permit the determination of a quasi-optimal architecture for compressing a given data source. >
Genetic diversity in Chihuahuan Desert populations of creosotebush (Zygophyllaceae: Larrea tridentata)

We examined isozyme variation in the dominant Chihuahuan Desert shrub, Larrea tridentata (creosotebush), to determine the genetic variation within and among populations, the biogeographic relationships of populations, and the potential inbreeding in the species. We surveyed 17 populations consisting of 20 to 50 individuals per population along a 1600-km north-south transect across the Chihuahuan Desert. The southernmost population was near Villa Hidalgo, Mexico, and the northernmost near Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico. All 12 isozyme loci examined were polymorphic (H(t) = 0.416), with up to nine alleles per locus. Despite high levels of variation, we detected moderate inbreeding in L. tridentata populations. Most variation was found within rather than among populations (G(ST) = 0.118). Furthermore, recently established populations in the northern limits of the Chihuahuan Desert did not show decreased levels of genetic variation (H(o) = 0.336). A significant correlation was found between pairwise genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.305). Larrea tridentata showed and continues to show a massive range expansion into the arid and semi-arid regions of the American Southwest, but as shown by the high genetic variation, this expansion took place as a wave, rather than a series of founder events.
Paranoid delusions and cognitive impairment suggesting Fahr's disease

The authors present the case of a 60-year-old woman with elaborate paranoid delusions and cognitive impairment found during a workup for atypical chest pain. Clinical evaluation revealed mild dementia, and radiography showed basal ganglia calcification consistent with Fahr's disease. She was treated with risperidone and transferred to a psychiatric inpatient unit for definitive care. Psychiatrists should consider Fahr's disease as a differential diagnosis in the evaluation of psychosis and cognitive impairment when neuroimaging reveals calcification of the basal ganglia.
Adsorption of novel insensitive munitions compounds at clay mineral and metal oxide surfaces

Environmental context Insensitive munitions compounds are increasingly used in the manufacture of military energetic materials because of their lower unintentional explosion risk during transport and handling. The current study was designed to better resolve the environmental chemistry of two of these insensitive munitions compounds. In particular, we investigated the solid–solution partitioning that occurs when aqueous solutions containing dissolved unexploded ordinances come into contact with soil mineral media. Abstract Insensitive munitions compounds (IMCs) are increasingly used for military energetic materials, yet their environmental fate is poorly understood. Prior work has shown that the nitroaromatic 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and the heterocyclic nitrogen compound 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO), both newly introduced IMCs, can undergo microbially mediated reduction under anoxic conditions to form 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (MENA) and 3-amino-1,2,4,triazole-5-one (ATO) respectively. In the present work, DNAN, MENA, NTO and ATO were subjected to batch adsorption–desorption experiments with specimen soil mineral adsorbents that included montmorillonite, birnessite and goethite. DNAN and MENA exhibited high affinity, linear adsorption to montmorillonite, with enhanced surface excess at a given aqueous equilibrium concentration for K+-saturated relative to Na+-saturated forms, but negligible adsorption to the metal oxides. Powder X-ray diffraction data and surface occupancy calculations indicate interlayer intrusion by DNAN and MENA and adsorption at siloxane sites. Conversely, NTO and ATO exhibited low sorptive affinity and apparent anion exclusion upon reaction with the negatively charged layer silicate clays. However, both of the N-heterocycles showed positive adsorption affinities for goethite (Kd values of 11.1 and 3.1, and HI values of 1.8 and 0.50 respectively), consistent with anion adsorption to the positively charged goethite surface. Both ATO and MENA were subjected to apparent oxidative, abiotic chemical transformation during reaction with birnessite. The results indicate that the IMCs studied will exhibit adsorptive retardation – and their biodegradation products may undergo further abiotic transformation – upon reaction at soil mineral surfaces.
Inheritance in Programming Languages

Inheritance is a powerful concept employed in computer science, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), object-oriented programming (OOP), and object-oriented databases (OODB). In the field of AI, inheritance has been primarily used as a concise and effective means of representing and reasoning with common-sense knowledge (Thirunarayan, 1995). In programming languages and databases, inheritance has been used for the purpose of sharing data and methods, and for enabling modularity of software (re)use and maintenance (Lakshmanan & Thirunarayan, 1998). In this paper, we present various design choices for incorporating inheritance into programming languages from an application programmer’s perspective. In contrast with the language of mathematics which is mature and wellunderstood, the embodiment of object-oriented concepts and constructs in a concrete programming language is neither fixed nor universally accepted. We exhibit programs with similar syntax in different languages that have very different semantics, and different looking programs that are equivalent. We compare and contrast method inheritance, interaction of type system with method binding, constructs for method redefinition, and their implementation in widely used languages such as C++ (Stroustrup, 1997), Java (Arnold et al, 2005), and C# (Hejlsberg et al, 2006), to illustrate subtle issues of interest to programmers. Finally, we discuss multiple inheritance briefly.
Spectroscopic evidence for organic diacid complexation with dissolved silica in aqueous systems—I. Oxalic acid

Abstract Increased solubility of quartz and mobilization in contaminated groundwater due to the complexation with dissolved organic acids has been recently proposed [Bennett and Siegel, Nature 326 , 684–686 (1987)]. Using laser Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, we have examined mixed solutions of oxalic and silicic acids at near neutral pH in the tenth molar concentration ranges in an attempt to directly observe the proposed organo-silicate complexes. In both laser Raman and infrared spectra, product bands were observed that indicate an oxalate/silicic acid ester is being formed in the reaction. These data support the observation that organic diacids can lead to enhanced solubility of quartz in hydrogeological systems.
Clinical Significance of ABCB1 Genotyping in Oncology

Background. P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is a drug efflux pump that transports natural products, including taxanes and other chemotherapeutic agents, from cells. Several frequent polymorphisms in ATP binding cassette gene B1 (ABCB1) may influence Pgp levels and drug efflux. The purpose of this review was to assess the clinical significance of ABCB1 polymorphisms in oncology.Methods. Peer-reviewed studies were identified through a search of PubMed/MEDLINE (1990—2008) and the ASCO abstracts (2003—2008) database. Included studies described clinical trials where ABCB1 genotyping was performed in patients with cancer. Search terms included ABCB1, Pgp, docetaxel, paclitaxel, irinotecan, imatinib, and anticancer agent. Studies were excluded if the manuscript was not available in English.Results. The influence of polymorphisms in ABCB1 2677G>T/A, 3435C>T, and 1236C>T and progression-free and overall survival in 309 patients from the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin demonstrated that com...
The quasar mass–luminosity plane – II. High mass turn-off evolution and a synchronization puzzle

We use 62 185 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR5 sample and standard virial mass scaling laws based on the widths of Hβ ,M gII and C IV lines and adjacent continuum luminosities to explore the maximum mass of quasars as a function of redshift, which we find to be sharp and evolving. This evolution is in the sense that high-mass black holes cease their luminous accretion at higher redshift than lower mass black holes. Further, turn-off for quasars at any given mass is more highly synchronized than would be expected given the dynamics of their host galaxies. We investigate potential signatures of the quasar turn-off mechanism, including a dearth of high-mass quasars at low Eddington ratio. These new results allow a closer examination of several common assumptions used in modelling quasar accretion and
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Versus Pharmacotherapy for Chronic Primary Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a treatment for chronic primary insomnia. Design A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Setting The study was conducted at a university health center. Patients Thirty adults with primary chronic insomnia based on criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Text Revision, 4th Edition were randomized 2:1 to MBSR or pharmacotherapy (PCT). Interventions Mindfulness-based stress reduction, a program of mindfulness meditation training consisting of eight weekly 2.5 hour classes and a daylong retreat, was provided, with ongoing home meditation practice expectations during three-month follow-up; PCT, consisting of three milligrams of eszopiclone (LUNESTA) nightly for eight weeks, followed by three months of use as needed. A 10-minute sleep hygiene presentation was included in both interventions. Main Outcomes The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), sleep diaries, and wrist actigraphy were collected pretreatment, posttreatment (eight weeks), and at five months (self-reports only). Results Between baseline and eight weeks, sleep onset latency (SOL) measured by actigraphy decreased 8.9 minutes in the MBSR arm ( P P 01, all) from baseline to five-month follow-up in the MBSR arm. Changes of comparable magnitude were found in the PCT arm. Twenty-seven of 30 patients completed their assigned treatment. This study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of MBSR as a viable treatment for chronic insomnia as measured by sleep diary, actigraphy, well-validated sleep scales, and measures of remission and clinical recovery.
Expression Patterns of SP1 and SP3 During Mouse Spermatogenesis: SP1 Down-Regulation Correlates with Two Successive Promoter Changes and Translationally Compromised Transcripts

Because of their prominent roles in regulation of gene expression, it is important to understand how levels of Krupple-like transcription factors SP1 and SP3 change in germ cells during spermatogenesis. Using immunological techniques, we found that both factors decreased sharply during meiosis. SP3 declined during the leptotene-to-pachytene transition, whereas SP1 fell somewhat later, as spermatocytes progressed beyond the early pachytene stage. SP3 reappeared for a period in round spermatids. For Sp1, the transition to the pachytene stage is accompanied by loss of the normal, 8.2-kb mRNA and appearance of a prevalent, 8.8-kb variant, which has not been well characterized. We have now shown that this pachytene-specific transcript contains a long, unspliced sequence from the first intron and that this sequence inhibits expression of a reporter, probably because of its many short open-reading frames. A second testis-specific Sp1 transcript in spermatids of 2.4 kb also has been reported previously. Like the 8.8-kb variant, it is compromised translationally. We have confirmed by Northern blotting that the 8.8-, 8.2-, and 2.4-kb variants account for the major testis Sp1 transcripts. Thus, the unexpected decline of SP1 protein in the face of continuing Sp1 transcription is explained, in large part, by poor translation of both novel testis transcripts. As part of this work, we also identified five additional, minor Sp1 cap sites by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends, including a trans-spliced RNA originating from the Glcci1 gene.