cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Addressing economic vulnerability among low-income families in America: is the basic income approach a viable policy option?

Income instability characterizes the lives of many low-income families in America. Growing income inequality, wage stagnation, unstable jobs, and limited savings are only a few of the factors contr...
Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Traditional Observation Versus Virtual Observation

One of the most important stages in preservice teacher training is the student teaching experience. The university supervisor (US) plays an integral role in this developmental stage by maintaining a connection between the cooperating teacher, student teacher (ST), and the university. While the traditional method of observing STs has been found to be effective, universities are seeking alternative means of conducting teaching observations that alleviate time, distance, and financial constraints. One such option is virtual observation through video chat programs. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine STs’ perceptions of the effectiveness and feasibility of virtual observation versus traditional observation in physical education teacher education (PETE). Results showed STs prefer virtual observation with a PE content expert over traditional visits if the US did not have PE content expertise. STs noted technological challenges such as Wi-Fi connectivity and environmental distraction with virtual observation. Benefits of virtual observation include increased ability to hear STs’ interactions with students, improved feedback potential, less travel time, and financial savings. Results of this study suggest that while traditional on-site observation visits are preferred and ideal, virtual observation is a viable alternative when technological challenges are appropriately addressed.Subscribe to TPE
Skincare Products – A Risky Path

Skin is the largest organ of the human integumentary system, that interacts with the environment and role in protecting the body from pathogens and toxic chemicals. It comes into touch with the environment directly or indirectly in daily life from many sources such as skincare products available in the markets. In this work, we look at a list of a few chemicals that have been shown to treat skin disorders but also cause serious acute diseases. Most skin care products contain sodium lauryl sulphate, diethanolamine, nanoparticles (zinc oxide, titanium oxide), monoethanolamine, triethanolamine, propylene glycol, and butylene glycol, which have both beneficial and harmful effects. The main objective of this study is to give clarity about the skincare products that involve certain chemicals which have been proven to be harmful to the human body.
Lessons Learned From Implementing a Novel Bayesian Adaptive Dose-Finding Design in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

PURPOSENovel Bayesian adaptive designs provide an effective way to improve clinical trial efficiency. These designs are superior to conventional methods, but implementing them can be challenging. T...
Ecological Theory and International Relations

David Fidler's article raises a number of important questions existing at the nexus of international relations theory, globalization, and emerging and resurgent infectious diseases.1 I would like to explore more deeply some of these ideas in the context of international relations theory. Most traditional theoretical approaches to international relations fail to acknowledge even the most basic ecological factors in explaining interstate behavior and the emergence of global issues. In this article, I suggest an ecological approach to international relations, capable of increasing understanding of the causes and consequences of globalization, that provides an efficient and useful alternative to realism, liberalism, and critical international relations theory?the three commonly accepted theoretical frameworks mentioned by Fidler. An ecological approach to explaining the evolution of the international system and the emergence of global issues begins with the observation that Homo sapiens is but one species among millions sharing the global ecosystem. Human beings live in basic units called populations. The thousands of individual populations that once roamed the Earth's surface are now being consolidated into a global system increasingly composed of semisovereign states. Just as human interactions with nature directly determined the early successes and failures of human populations, ecological factors continue to shape human societies, human conflicts, the international distribution of power, and the nature of emerging global issues. Even though Homo sapiens has developed impressive technologies to deal with some of the limits imposed by nature, the contemporary world, beset by an AIDS epidemic and many other emerging and resurgent infectious diseases, is still being very much impacted by human interactions with nature.
Using Edge-Valued Decision Diagrams for Symbolic Generation of Shortest Paths

We present a new method for the symbolic construction of shortest paths in reachability graphs. Our algorithm relies on a variant of edge-valued decision diagrams that supports efficient fixed-point iterations for the joint computation of both the reachable states and their distance from the initial states. Once the distance function is known, a shortest path from an initial state to a state satisfying a given condition can be easily obtained. Using a few representative examples, we show how our algorithm is vastly superior, in terms of both memory and space, to alternative approaches that compute the same information, such as ordinary or algebraic decision diagrams.
An Empirical Approach to Identify Information Misuse by Insiders (Extended Abstract)

Rogue employees with access to sensitive information can easily abuse their access to engage in information theft. To help differentiate malicious from benign behavior, this study measures how participants, given a common search topic, seek information. This study uses double-blind procedures, a stratified sample, and carefully designed control and experimental conditions. We seek to validate previously identified network indicators (ELICIT), find new host-based behaviors, and consider other human attributes that affect the information-use of malicious insiders by comparing their behavior to equivalent non-malicious users.
Phylogeography of Pogonomyrmex barbatus and P. rugosus harvester ants with genetic and environmental caste determination.

We present a phylogeographic study of at least six reproductively isolated lineages of new world harvester ants within the Pogonomyrmex barbatus and P. rugosus species group. The genetic and geographic relationships within this clade are complex: Four of the identified lineages show genetic caste determination (GCD) and are divided into two pairs. Each pair has evolved under a mutualistic system that necessitates sympatry. These paired lineages are dependent upon one another because their GCD requires interlineage matings for the production of F1 hybrid workers, and intralineage matings are required to produce queens. This GCD system maintains genetic isolation among these interdependent lineages, while simultaneously requiring co-expansion and emigration as their distributions have changed over time. It has also been demonstrated that three of these four GCD lineages have undergone historical hybridization, but the narrower sampling range of previous studies has left questions on the hybrid parentage, breadth, and age of these groups. Thus, reconstructing the phylogenetic and geographic history of this group allows us to evaluate past insights and hypotheses and to plan future inquiries in a more complete historical biogeographic context. Using mitochondrial DNA sequences sampled across most of the morphospecies’ ranges in the U.S.A. and Mexico, we conducted a detailed phylogeographic study. Remarkably, our results indicate that one of the GCD lineage pairs has experienced a dramatic range expansion, despite the genetic load and fitness costs of the GCD system. Our analyses also reveal a complex pattern of vicariance and dispersal in Pogonomyrmex harvester ants that is largely concordant with models of late Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene range shifts among various arid-adapted taxa in North America.
Export of the outer membrane lipoprotein is defective in secD, secE, and secF mutants of Escherichia coli.

The export of major outer membrane lipoprotein has been found to be affected in secD, secE, and secF mutants of Escherichia coli, which are defective in protein export in general. After a shift to the nonpermissive temperature, the kinetics of accumulation of prolipoprotein and pre-OmpA protein was indistinguishable from that of pre-OmpA protein accumulation in the secD and secF mutants but different in the secE mutant. The prolipoprotein accumulated in the secD, secE, and secF mutants at the nonpermissive temperature was not modified with glyceride. We conclude from these results and those of previous studies that the export of lipoprotein requires all common sec gene products except the SecB protein, i.e., the SecA, SecD, SecE, SecF, and SecY proteins.
Automatic Performance Tuning in the UHFFT Library

In this paper we describe the architecture-specific automatic performance tuning implemented in the UHFFT library. The UHFFT library is an adaptive and portable software library for fast Fourier transforms (FFT).
Persistence of virulent canine distemper virus in lymphoblastoid cell lines

Persistent infection with virulent canine distemper virus (CDV-SH) was established in 2 human lymphoblastoid B cell lines (Wi-L2 and Raji), and one human (HSB), one simian (1670) and one canine (CT-45-S) lymphoblastoid T cell line. Cell free virus from persistently infected T cell lines was avirulent for dogs but virulence was maintained during 31 cell passages in persistently infected B cell lines.
Polarization of Neutrons and Protons by Scattering

Neutrons and protons can be polarized by scattering provided there is a spin-orbit interaction between the incident particle and the scattering nucleus. The polarization effect has been found for a nucleus of spin zero allowing for the possibility of resonance scattering. Particular attention has been paid to the resonance scattering of neutrons by ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ where almost full polarizations can be obtained, together with large cross sections. The polarization can be detected by a double scattering experiment, since the second scattering will be axially asymmetric with respect to the direction of the first scattered neutron. The existence of this effect and a preliminary treatment of it was first pointed out by Schwinger.The scattering of polarized neutrons by protons has been studied for potentials suggested by the symmetrical, charged and neutral meson theories. The polarization effect on the differential cross section is negligible for the symmetrical theory, but is significant for the other two.
Serum pesticide levels in patients with childhood colorectal carcinoma.

From September 1974 through November 1976, 13 adolescent patients with mucin-producing colorectal adenocarcinoma were treated at a Memphis, Tennessee, pediatric oncology center. Ten of these children were from the rural areas of the Mississippi Delta, areas of high pesticide use. None of them had a family history of colorectal cancer, familial polyposis, or ulcerative colitis. Levels of pesticide residues, however, were not generally higher in blood samples from patients and their families than from controls.
Comparative surface‐to‐hand and fingertip‐to‐mouth transfer efficiency of gram‐positive bacteria, gram‐negative bacteria, and phage

Aims: To determine the transfer efficiency of micro-organisms from fomites to hands and the subsequent transfer from the fingertip to the lip. Methods and Results: Volunteers hands were sampled after the normal usage of fomites seeded with a pooled culture of a Gram-positive bacterium (Micrococcus luteus), a Gram-negative bacterium (Serratia rubidea) and phage PRD-1 (Period A). Activities included wringing out a dishcloth/sponge, turning on/off a kitchen faucet, cutting up a carrot, making hamburger patties, holding a phone receiver, and removing laundry from the washing machine. Transfer efficiencies were 38·47% to 65·80% and 27·59% to 40·03% for the phone receiver and faucet, respectively. Transfer efficiencies from porous fomites were <0·01%. In most cases, M.luteus was transferred most efficiently, followed by phage PRD-1 and S. rubidea. When the volunteers' fingertips were inoculated with the pooled organisms and held to the lip area (Period B), transfer rates of 40·99%, 33·97%, and 33·90% occurred with M. luteus, S. rubidea, and PRD-1, respectively. Conclusions: The highest bacteral transfer rates from fomites to the hands were seen with the hard, non-porous surfaces. Even with low transfer rates, the numbers of bacteria transferred to the hands were still high (up to 106 cells). Transfer of bacteria from the fingertip to the lip is similar to that observed from hard surfaces to hands. Significance and Impact of the Study: Infectious doses of pathogens may be transferred to the mouth after handling an everyday contaminated household object.
Equilibrium acidities and homolytic bond dissociation enthalpies of the acidic C ? H bonds in dialkyl malonates and related compounds

The equilibrium acidities, pKHA, of 18 dialkyl malonates, five alkyl 2-cyanoacetates and nine malononitriles and the oxidation potentials of their conjugate anions, EOX(A−), were measured in dimethyl sulfoxide solution. The homolytic bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of their acidic C–H were estimated by combining their pKHA and EOX(A−) values. The pKHA values of the dialkyl malonates were found to increase from 15·9 to 16·4 to 18·4 as the dialkyl groups were changed from dimethyl to diethyl to di-tert-butyl, but the BDEs of the acidic C–H bonds remained constant [95·3±0·3 kcal mol−1] (1 kcal = 4·184 kJ). Introduction of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and tert-butyl groups into the 2-position of diethyl malonate caused the equilibrium acidities to increase by 2·0, 2·4, 3·8 and 8·0 pKHA units, respectively, and the BDE values to decrease by 4·4, 3·7, 2·5 and 0·8 kcal mol−1, respectively. Introduction of a phenyl group into the 2-position of diethyl malonate had no effect on the acidity, but weakened the acidic C–H bond by 10 kcal mol−1. The effects on acidity and BDE of introducing 3,4,5- (MeO)3C6H2CO, CF3, Me3N+, c-C5H10N, p-MeC6H4, p-NO2C6H4, PhO, F and c-C5H5N+ groups into the 2-position of diethyl malonate were also examined.
Sudden enhancement and partial disruption of thin current sheets in the magnetotail due to Hall MHD effects

Multi-satellite observations indicate the development of thin current sheets and a rapid intensification of the cross-tail current density at near-Earth distances during a short interval (<1 min) just before onset, after a period of sluggish growth (∼ 0.5–1.5 hr). These observational features are described by a Hall MHD simulation in which we include the effects of the electron pressure gradient and the Hall current. These Hall MHD effects decouple the spatial scales of the parallel electric field and current density. The thin current sheet exhibits an impulsive pre-onset enhancement at near-Earth distances on a near-Alfvenic time scale, weakly dependent on the value of the Lundquist number. The amplitude of the pre-onset current sheet is larger, and its subsequent disruption faster than in a resistive MHD simulation. Agreement and discrepancies between theory and observation are discussed.
Dynorphin up-regulation in the dentate granule cell mossy fiber pathway following chronic inhibition of GluN2B-containing NMDAR is associated with increased CREB (Ser 133) phosphorylation, but is independent of BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways

Emerging evidence suggests that neuronal responses to N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDAR) activation/inactivation are influenced by subunit composition. For example, activation of synaptic NMDAR (comprised of GluN2A>GluN2B) phosphorylates cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) at Ser 133, induces BDNF expression and promotes neuronal survival. Activation of extrasynaptic NMDAR (comprised of GluN2B>GluN2) dephosphorylates CREB (Ser 133), reduces BDNF expression and triggers neuronal death. These results led us to hypothesize that chronic inhibition of GluN2B-containing NMDAR would increase CREB (Ser 133) phosphorylation, increase BDNF levels and subsequently alter downstream dynorphin (DYN) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression. We focused on DYN and NPY because these neuropeptides can decrease excitatory neurotransmission and seizure occurrence and we reported previously that seizure-like events are reduced following chronic treatment with GluN2B antagonists. Consistent with our hypothesis, chronic treatment (17-21days) of hippocampal slice cultures with the GluN2B-selective antagonists ifenprodil or Ro25,6981 increased both CREB (Ser 133) phosphorylation and granule cell mossy fiber pathway DYN expression. Similar treatment with the non-subtype-selective NMDAR antagonists d-APV or memantine had no significant effect on either CREB (Ser 133) phosphorylation or DYN expression. In contrast to our hypothesis, BDNF levels were decreased following chronic treatment with Ro25,6981, but not ifenprodil, d-APV or memantine. Blockade of BDNF actions and TrkB activation did not significantly augment hilar DYN expression in vehicle-treated cultures and had no effect in Ro25,6981 treated cultures. These findings suggest that chronic exposure to GluN2B-selective NMDAR antagonists increased DYN expression through a putatively pCREB-dependent, but BDNF/TrkB-independent mechanism.
Amblyomma americanum: Requirement for host Fc receptors in antibody-mediated acquired immune resistance to ticks

Guinea pig recipients of anti-tick immune serum or immune peritoneal exudate cells expressed 25 and 30% tick rejection, respectively, when challenged with Amblyomma americanum larval ticks. Previous studies have shown that IgG1 antibodies are responsible for the ability of immune serum to transfer resistance to ticks and to mediate the accompanying, and required, cutaneous basophil response. Since IgG1 antibodies induce mast cell-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and cutaneous basophil responses by interaction with cell surface Fc receptors, we investigated whether host Fc receptors were involved in the mechanism of antibody-mediated immune resistance to ticks. Recipients of immune serum pretreated intravenously with rabbit IgG failed to express resistance when challenged. In contrast, recipients of immune peritoneal exudate cells similarly pretreated expressed normal resistance. Sheep IgG had no inhibitory effect on the transfer of resistance by either immune serum or peritoneal exudate cells. Furthermore, recipients of immune serum pretreated with the Fc fragment from papain digestion of rabbit IgG failed to express resistance when challenged with ticks. Rabbit Fab and sheep Fc and Fab had no effect on the transfer of resistance by immune serum. Purity of rabbit Fc preparations was verified by the ability to inhibit mast cell-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis due to high-titered IgG1 antiovalbumin antibodies. Rabbit Fab and sheep Fc fractions did not inhibit passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reactions. These findings suggest that immunoglobulin Fc receptors on host cells, such as mast cells and basophils, are required for antibody-mediated immune rejection of ticks from guinea pigs.
Differentiating between the Living Standards of Husbands and Wives in Two-Wage-Earner Families, 1968 and 1979

This paper applies a feminist analysis to the measurement of living standards during the 1970s. It suggests that widely made assumptions of homogeneous pooling and redistribution of income, labor, and expenditures within families mask inequalities and uneven changes in the living standards of wage-working husbands and wives. Two waves of the Panel Study of Income dynamics are used to create two rough indicators, that is, reproduction pay and surplus, to test for inequalities and uneven changes in 1968 and again in 1979. In general, the findings show differential living standards between husbands and wives when assumptions of homogeneous pooling and redistribution are not made. The paper concludes that the suggested rough indicators are useful for the measurement of living standards.
Enzymic evidence of a galactosemic trait in parents of galactosemic children.

Summary new and quantitative assay for the enzyme Gal-l-Puridyl transferase in human erythrocytes makes possible a study of the disease galactosemia and the heterozygous carriers of galactosemia, in which this enzyme is involved. Most heterozygous individuals can be identified by having enzymic activities intermediate between those of normal controls and those of the diseased, in whom no discernible activity is present. The authors wish to express appreciation to Dr Herman M. Kalckar, in whose laboratory this work was performed, for his encouragement and valuable suggestions. We are greatly indebted to the following persons for procuring samples of blood used in this study: Drs V. L. O'Donnell, S. P. Dawson, A. Lambdin and especially Drs Jerome Harris, George Donnell and William Bergren.
APOGEE: Equity in the identification of gifted and talented students

The Academic Programs for Gifted with Excellence and Equity (APOGEE) serves over 3,000 students in 30 schools in eight school districts. The program was designed to address equity in identification of gifted and talented. The top 25% of students in various categories, such as disadvantaged, minorities, underachievers, limited English speakers, and students with disabilities, are identified and placed in these APOGEE classes. The teachers receive a 45-hour graduate course to train them in implementing a talent development program based on a student-centered curriculum in which choices, group work, projects, and self-regulation are encouraged. Preliminary results indicate significant differences on a pre-post administration of the Comell Critical Thinking Test and on the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The subgroups of the student population are proportionately represented in the program classes.
Effective communication of uncertainty in the IPCC reports

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes periodical assessment reports informing policymakers and the public on issues relevant to the understanding of human induced climate change. The IPCC uses a set of 7 verbal descriptions of uncertainty, such as unlikely and very likely to convey the underlying imprecision of its forecasts and conclusions. We report results of an experiment comparing the effectiveness of communication using these words and their numerical counterparts. We show that the public consistently misinterprets the probabilistic statements in the IPCC report in a regressive fashion, and that there are large individual differences in the interpretation of these statements, which are associated with the respondents’ ideology and their views and beliefs about climate change issues. Most importantly our results suggest that using a dual (verbal—numerical) scale would be superior to the current mode of communication as it (a) increases the level of differentiation between the various terms, (b) increases the consistency of interpretation of these terms, and (c) increases the level of consistency with the IPCC guidelines. Most importantly, these positive effects are independent of the respondents’ ideological and environmental views.
Differentiating Phenols from Certain Inorganic Ions by Paper Chromatography

THE identification of phenols in materials containing large amounts of iron and other transition-metal cations is often determined by paper chromatography. Classification of the phenolic compounds is made by reference to RF values, characteristic colour reactions with spray reagents, and spectra of the eluted areas of the chromatogram. In the course of an investigation of the extractives of the Orgueil meteorite1, we found that iron, nickel and cobalt salts possess chromatographic properties which are remarkably similar to those of phenols. Because of the widespread interest in the organic constituents of carbonaceous meteorites, we wish to point out these similarities and suggest analytical techniques for differentiating the two classes of substances.
Shear thickening and jamming in densely packed suspensions of different particle shapes.

We investigated the effects of particle shape on shear thickening in densely packed suspensions. Rods of different aspect ratios and nonconvex hooked rods were fabricated. Viscosity curves and normal stresses were measured using a rheometer for a wide range of packing fractions for each shape. Suspensions of each shape exhibit qualitatively similar discontinuous shear thickening. The logarithmic slope of the stress vs shear rate increases dramatically with packing fraction and diverges at a critical packing fraction ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$ which depends on particle shape. The packing fraction dependence of the viscosity curves for different convex shapes can be collapsed when the packing fraction is normalized by ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$. Intriguingly, viscosity curves for nonconvex particles do not collapse on the same set as convex particles, showing strong shear thickening over a wider range of packing fraction. The value of ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$ is found to coincide with the onset of a yield stress at the jamming transition, suggesting the jamming transition also controls shear thickening. The yield stress is found to correspond with trapped air in the suspensions, and the scale of the stress can be attributed to interfacial tension forces which dramatically increase above ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$ due to the geometric constraints of jamming. Using this connection we show that the jamming transition can be identified by simply looking at the surface of suspensions. The relationship between shear and normal stresses is found to be linear in both the shear thickening and jammed regimes, indicating that the shear stresses come from friction. In the limit of zero shear rate, normal stresses pull the rheometer plates together due to the surface tension of the liquid below ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$, but push the rheometer plates apart due to jamming above ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{c}$.
Microstructural Examination of Semi-Interpenetrating Networks of Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) with Cellulose or Chitin Synthesized in Lithium Chloride/N,N-Dimethylacetamide

Semi-interpenetrating networks (SIPNs) of poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (DMAm) containing cellulose or chitin were prepared in 9%LiCl/N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) as the homogeneous reaction medium. N,N-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBAm) was utilized as the cross-linking agent with 2,2‘-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The respective SIPNs contained 25, 12, and 6 wt % cellulose or 6 wt % chitin. A control DMAm hydrogel (without polysaccharide) was also synthesized in 9%LiCl/DMAc. The 25 wt % cellulose DMAm SIPN was found to be unique, differing from the other compositions prepared, possessing a 6-fold higher modulus than the DMAm control. The enhancement in mechanical stiffness was attributed to intimate molecular interactions and complexation between cellulose and DMAm. The presence of the extended cellulose chains within the DMAm matrix creates a more open network in the nonsolvated state as reflected in DSC and fluorescence experiments. It is this molecular level interaction of cellulose with ...
Tunnel development over a 12 year period in a semi‐arid catchment of the Loess Plateau, China

The tunnel systems in a semi-arid catchment of the Loess Plateau of China were repeatedly surveyed prior to the rainy seasons of 1989, 1999 and 2001. The surveys aimed to: (1) measure tunnel development over the 12 year period 1989–2001; (2) explore how the physiographical conditions affect the spatio-temporal variability of tunnel development; and (3) to identify the geomorphic processes associated with tunnel development. The ultimate goal was to quantify the geomorphic significance of tunnel systems in the catchment. Over the 12 year period, the number of tunnel inlets was more than doubled and most of the newly increased inlets were initiated in the few catastrophic storm events. However, tunnel enlargement can occur in storm or inter-storm periods, mainly through earth falls and slumps in inlets, and water erosion and roof cave-in collapses in tunnel paths. Tunnel development varied with material properties, land uses and topographic conditions. Net tunnel erosion may contribute at least 25–30% of the catchment sediment yield and was mainly produced by the initiation and enlargement of tunnel inlets rather than tunnel paths. To protect the areas against tunnel erosion, terracing of the upper slopes seems to be more effective than planting vegetation on the lower slopes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Background characterization of The University of Texas PGAA Facility

Work has been conducted at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) to analyze the detection capabilities of the prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) facility. The PGAA facility utilized the cold neutron beam from the UT Triga reactor. Multiple background measurements and sample blank measurements were taken so that the various sources of background could be identified and quantified. Detection limits and background interferences for a number of elements including H, B, Be, Li, and N have been determined.
Multiple long lived emissions from p-dimethoxybenzene in rigid media

Abstract Two long lived emissions have been observed simultaneously from p -dimethoxybenzene (DMB) in 3-methylpentane at 77°K. These emissions are attributed to the existence of two unique conformers in the DBM triplet state whose relative concentrations depend on environment controlled kinetics.
Extra-pair paternity in monogamous and polygynous Savannah sparrows, Passerculus sandwichensis

Abstract Extra-pair paternity can influence mating systems by affecting the fitness costs associated with polygyny. Polygyny is disadvantageous to males when the time and energetic demands of multiple pairings decrease either a male's success at gaining extra-pair fertilizations or his ability to ensure paternity among harem members. In Savannah sparrows, Passerculus sandwichensis on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada, multilocus DNA fingerprinting of 136 adults and young revealed substantial female infidelity: overall, 31 of 92 young (33.7%) in 15 of 24 nests (62.5%) were the product of extra-pair fertilizations. Male mating status was a strong predictor of paternity. Each of seven monogamous females produced at least one extra-pair offspring, but only six of 11 primary females (54.5%) and two of six secondary females (33.3%) were unfaithful. As a result, nearly 80% of the young in nests of polygynous males resulted from within-pair fertilizations, compared with only 40% of the young in nests of monogamous males. Kent Island Savannah sparrows are simultaneously polygynous, and the absence of paternity costs associated with polygyny is surprising. The observed pattern of paternity suggests the operation of female choice, although male control of parentage cannot be excluded.
Solubilization and methanogenesis of a particulate industrial waste: Impact of solids loading and temperature

Abstract Effective anaerobic treatment of particulate wastes requires solubilization and acid formation prior to methanogenesis. In this case study of a particulate waste from a corn-processing industry, the influence of solids loading in solubilization, acid formation and methanogenesis was studied under mesophilic (35°C) and thermophilic (60°C) conditions. The waste was concentrated by centrifugation to initial suspended solids concentrations (TSS i ) of 150 to 350 g/L (15% to 35%). Anaerobic batch tests were conducted for 20 days, and significant solubilization of the particulate organic matter occurred in all cases. The thermophilic systems were more effective than the mesophilic systems with respect to solubilization of particulates, volatile solids destruction, acetic acid uptake, and methane generation. Methanogenesis appreared to be a rate-limiting step at higher TSS i values, indicated by accumulation of volatile organic acids in the batch systems. Slower rates of methane production led to identification of the limiting solids loading for both temperature regimes. The results of this study can be used to evaluate the limitations of a single stage system for anaerobic treatment of organic particulate industrial wastes.
Ultrathin micropatterned porphyrin films assembled via zirconium phosphonate chemistry

The synthesis of a phosphonic-acid-functionalized porphyrin is presented and a procedure for the reproducible assembly of the porphyrins into thin films on glass or conductive glass surfaces is described. The assembly scheme, which utilizes established zirconium phosphonate (ZrP) chemistry, yields highly oriented films (normal to the surface) of well-defined thicknesses. In the lateral direction (plane parallel to the surface) the porphyrins interact by edge-on-edge contact and are characterized by significant porosity. Electrochemical redox-probe experiments indicate the existence of openings or pores of several angstroms in width in both monolayer and multilayer ZrP porphyrin films. Micropatterned versions of the films, capable of diffracting visible light, have also been prepared and have been used for the direct evaluation of film thicknesses via atomic force microscopy.
Medial plantar artery pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous pinning for Lisfranc fracture-dislocation.

We report a pseudoaneurysm of the medial plantar artery that developed after percutaneous pinning for a Lisfranc fracture-dislocation in a 68-year-old male. Postembolization ultrasound and arteriography demonstrated successful ablation of the pseudoaneurysm following intra-arterial thrombin injection. Postoperative pulse volume recording and photoplethysmograph of the digits revealed excellent perfusion following ablation. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 99(1): 58–60, 2009)
Enigmatic tubes in Ordovician limestones of the Mohawk Valley, New York

Organically-produced tubes occur in mudcracked, Ordovician limestones in Ingham Mills, New York. The tubes are usually between 0.5 and 1 cm in diameter and form branching and anastomosing systems up to 0.5 m long. The tubes contain quartz, calcite, pyrite, feldspar, illite and organic carbon that has measured δ 13 C ratios between −23.4 and −25.0, considerably less negative than the δ 13 C ratios of anthraxolite found elsewhere in the Mohawk Valley
The “Color” of Money: The Ruble, Competing Currencies, and Conceptions of Citizenship in Manchuria and the Russian Far East, 1890s–1920s

Transformed by Russian colonial expansion in the late 1890s, the Chinese territory of Manchuria turned from a remote frontier into a locus of global metropolises in the making, where a complex money economy comprising of multiple currencies took root. Mirroring localized contestations and global rivalries, Russian proposals first advocated supporting a Chinese currency to “squeeze out” Mexican and “English” dollars, but settled on creating a ruble for Manchuria, to inscribe Manchuria as Russian. As depicted by Georg Simmel contemplating the European metropolis in the 1900s, money was “colorless,” an instrument of equivalence without intrinsic quality, or “color,” that homogenized qualitative differences. In the colonial and multiethnic setting of Manchuria, however, money took the form of competing currencies that by the 1920s included various Russian rubles, the Soviet chervonets, a Japanese yen, and a variety of Chinese dollars. In this form, money in Manchuria was “colored”–by the qualitative differences associated with supposed national character and perceptions of strengths and weaknesses that found expression in the way currency exchange rate became an everyday concern for the local urban population. This paper traces Russian and Chinese efforts to render their currencies “colorless” in the sense understood by Simmel, with colorlessness meaning uniformity and absence of qualities that would hinder the currencies' ideal function. The paper explores how these efforts–such as Soviet currency “unification” policies in the Russian Far East after 1922–worked to erase the diversity of the region with respect to monetary practices. Reading these efforts at achieving uniformity and eliminating “color” in another light, my paper suggests that the experience of living with competing currencies in the Manchurian urban environment also had a socializing effect that worked toward acceptance of difference and diversity, reflected in the emphasis on a currency's convertibility to another, rather than on any one currency's unique presence. This paper thus also investigates the ways competing currencies in Manchuria might have shaped Russian and Chinese conceptions of citizenship in the direction of disregarding the “color”–the supposed intrinsic qualities marking their differences–of the diverse ethnicities of the region's population, in favor of a vision of functional equivalence, equality, and equal participation indicated by the principle of currency circulation.
Processor chip design on submicron ASICs

The processor chip set of the Low End ES/9000 is implemented on five CMOS VLSI Chips containing 2.8 Million transistors with an effective channel length of 0.5 mu m. The chips are packaged on multi-chip and single-chip modules. The worst case operating frequency is 35 MHz. The experience gained during the design of this processor is used to extrapolate into submicron technology down to 0.25 mu m. The result is the expectation of a tremendous density and performance increase within the next decade. >
UV Raman Excitation Profiles of Imidazole, Imidazolium, and Water

Preresonance absolute differential Raman cross sections have been measured between 217 and 600 nm for the symmetric ring mode vibrations of imidazole and imidazolium and for the 1645-cm−1 bending vibration of water. For imidazole and imidazolium the Raman intensities observed with visible wavelength excitation derive mainly from states in the far-UV. The two 190-210 nm π → π* transitions in these species dominate the Raman intensities only for excitation below 300 nm. Both π → π* transitions appear to contribute equally to preresonance enhancement. The data project that selective imidazole ring enhancement from histidine residues in proteins will require excitation below 210 nm. The intensities of the 1645-cm−1 bending vibration of water derive from states in the far-UV. The Raman cross section of this vibration increases only slightly faster than the scattered frequency to the fourth power. This Raman band can now be used as an internal intensity standard for aqueous Raman studies. Preresonance Raman enhancement dominated by transitions which occur at extraordinarily high energies have now been observed for water, acetonitrile, acetone, sulfate, and perchlorate. This behavior may result because molecular valence transitions in the vacuum UV spectral region of condensed phase samples are strongly mixed with ionizing, charge transfer, and Rydberg transitions and have no separate and discrete existence.
Assemblies of particles in the cell membranes of developing, mature and reactive astrocytes

Orthogonal arrays of small intramembranous particles characterize freeze-fractured astrocytic plasma membranes. The normal variation of assemblies in plasma membranes of subpial astrocytic processes in mature and developing rats was established and compared with assemblies in plasma membranes of reactive astrocytes. In mature rats, subpial astrocytic processes had the greatest number of assemblies. As the parenchyma was approached, this number decreased in each successive layer of astrocytic processes. The advent of assemblies within the plasma membrane is a new criterion of astrocytic differentiation. The foot processes of subpial astrocytes in foetal rats began to acquire assemblies between day 19 and 20 and continued to mature postnatally by a constant addition and rearrangement of assemblies. In contrast to the paucity of assemblies in deeper laminae of the normal brain, reactive astrocytes comprising the lower lamellae in glial scars had an increased number of assemblies while the most striking feature of the superficial, astrocytic processes within the scar was a rearrangement of assemblies. Although the function of these intramembranous particles is still unknown, it appears from our measurements that they are localized primarily in the outermost astrocytic foot process and to a progressively lesser degree in the underlying astrocytic lamellae.
Abstract 3925: RNF138, a novel ubiquitin E3 ligase is overexpressed in colon cancer cell lines and interacts with RAD51D

The RAD51 protein family provides core components of the Homologous Recombination (HR) complex, which is critical for repairing DNA double-strand breaks and maintaining genome stability. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins that regulate HR processes through post-translational modification of the RAD51 paralogs. A yeast two-hybrid screen was performed using the RAD51 paralogs RAD51C, RAD51D, and XRCC2 as bait against a normalized universal mouse cDNA library. Fifty-eight primary candidates were isolated, and five are predicted to function in the ubiquitination pathway. Within this group, Ring Finger Protein 138 (RNF138) is of particular interest since RNF138 is a novel E3-ubiquitin ligase having both an N-terminal RING finger domain and a putative C-terminal ubiquitin interaction motif. Presence of both domains indicates RNF138 induces the transfer of ubiquitin to target substrates and also recognizes ubiquitin moieties on other proteins. Expression of RNF138 is increased by 12-fold in the HCC38 breast cancer cell line and 4-fold in SW-48, RKO, and Wi-DR colon cancer cell lines compared to non-tumorigenic controls. Yeast two-hybrid results indicate that RNF138 interaction is unique to RAD51D, as RNF138 failed to directly interact with RAD51C and XRCC2. Further analysis using N- and C-terminal truncated RAD51D constructs revealed that the RAD51D core domain rather than the N-terminal linker region that governs the interaction between RAD51D and XRCC2 mediates the association with RNF138. Moreover, K113A and K113R mutations of the highly conserved RAD51D Walker A ATP binding motif abolished RAD51D-RNF138 association, suggesting that ATP binding and hydrolysis may regulate the interaction. As further demonstration of this association, Myc-RNF138 co-immunoprecipitated with HA-RAD51D following transient transfections. Future studies will determine whether RNF138 is directly required for HR repair and if the mechanism specifically involves RAD51D ubiquitination. Understanding the regulation of HR proteins by ubiquitination processes will provide important insights into cancer progression and guide the identification of new therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3925.
Unexpected but authentic use of an ethnically–marked dialect

Recent work on language crossing in the U.S. has examined the temporary appropriation of African American Vernacular English by white youth in an effort to participate in the current popularity and prestige of hip-hop culture, or in order to highlight racial boundaries. While such verbal behavior probably encompasses most white use of AAVE, it is not the only way in which whites (or other non-blacks) can use the variety. This paper presents a case study of the language of a 23 year old white female who makes consistent use of many distinctive linguistic features associated with AAVE. I argue that the interaction of ideologies of race, class, localness and language allow her to be considered an ingroup member despite her biographical race. This suggests that there is a tension between academic linguistic theory and actual speaker practice in assigning authenticity to individuals, and I conclude that language ideologies and other forms of qualitative evidence should be taken into account by sociolinguists looking at the link between language and race.
Comparison of Theoretical Biases in Estimating Polarimetric Properties of Precipitation With Weather Radar Using Parabolic Reflector, or Planar and Cylindrical Arrays

Planar or cylindrical phased arrays are two candidate antennas for future polarimetric weather radar. These two candidate antennas have distinctly different attributes when used to make quantitative measurements of the polarimetric properties of precipitation. Of critical concern is meeting the required polarimetric performance for all directions of the electronically steered beam. The copolar and cross-polar radiation patterns and polarimetric parameter estimation performances of these two phased array antennas are studied and compared with that obtained using a dual-polarized parabolic reflector antenna. Results obtained from simulation show that the planar polarimetric phased array radar has unacceptable polarimetric parameter biases that require beam to beam correction, whereas biases obtained with the cylindrical polarimetric phased array radar are much lower and comparable to that obtained using the parabolic reflector antenna.
Photocatalytic cellulosic electrospun fibers for the degradation of potent cyanobacteria toxin microcystin-LR

Non-woven, high surface area photocatalytic cellulosic electrospun fibers were fabricated for solar-light-driven water treatment purposes and tested for photocatalytic decomposition of the potent cyanobacteria toxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Electrospun fibers of cellulose acetate were converted to succinylated cellulose and then loaded with titania nanoparticles using a simple solution based technique. It was found that the type of titania nanoparticle (visible light activated or UV light activated), the surface area of the fiber mat, and loading solution pH all have an effect on the distribution of titania along the fibers. The titania coverage and surface area of the fiber mats were found to correlate well with the degree of MC-LR degradation under both visible and solar light irradiation. The difference in titania coverage, determined using X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), was two to three times smaller in the lower surface area samples. These photocatalytic electrospun fibers could be advantageously used for drinking water and wastewater treatment applications using solar light as a renewable source of energy.