cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SOCIAL THEORY WITHOUT WHOLES

Language is the tradition of nations; each generation describes what it sees, but it uses words transmitted from the past. When a great entity like the British Constitution has continued in connected outward sameness, but hidden inner change, for many ages, every generation inherits a series of inapt words — of maxims once true, but of which the truth is ceasing or has ceased. As a man’s family go on muttering in his maturity incorrect phrases derived from a just observation of his early youth, so, in the full activity of an historical constitution, its subjects repeat phrases true in the time of their fathers, and inculcated by those fathers, but now true no longer.
TOTALSYNTHESE VON VANCOMYCIN

Viele Wege fuhren nach Rom, aber bisher nur zwei zum Vancomycin-Aglycon 1. Bei allen Gemeinsamkeiten dieser Wege, die kurzlich von Evans et al. sowie Nicolaou et al. beschritten wurden, bestehen doch auch wesentliche strategische Unterschiede. Diese werden hier vergleichend gegenubergestellt.
Characterization and Analysis of Conserved Motifs in a Peroxisomal ATP-binding Cassette Transporter

The adrenoleukodystrophy protein (ALDP) and the 70-kDa peroxisomal membrane protein are half ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in the human peroxisome membrane. Both are implicated in genetic disorders of peroxisome biogenesis and function. Proteins homologous to ALDP and the 70-kDa peroxisomal membrane protein have been discovered in other eukaryotic organisms and form a growing group of peroxisomal half ABC transporters. Amino acid sequence alignment of these and other ABC transporters reveals several protein motifs that are highly conserved both in sequence and location. Here we characterize two of these, designated the EAA-like and the loop1 motifs. We study them by introducing missense mutations in Pxa1p, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae ortholog of ALDP, and show that both motifs are important for Pxa1p function. Interestingly, missense mutations in corresponding amino acids in ALDP cause adrenoleukodystrophy in humans. We conclude that these motifs are important for ABC transporter function and that the yeast protein Pxa1p is a useful system for understanding the molecular basis of adrenoleukodystrophy.
Growth pattern of zirconium-carbon clusters. Further evidence for formation of multicage structures

Abstract A time-of-flight mass spectrometer coupled with a laser vaporization source is utilized to study the intensity distributions of metal-carbon clusters, namely, Zr m C n and Ta m C n . Two distinct cluster growth patterns are observed under the present experimental conditions. i.e. Zr m C n building through a metal:carbon ratio of 2:3 while Ta m C n through a 1:1 ratio. These different growth patterns lead to two completely different cluster distributions, observed magic numbers, and cluster structures. The Ta m C n clusters can be well accounted for by the formation of face-centered cubic (fcc) structures. Importantly, both the growth pattern and the magic numbers in the Zr m C n clusters are rigorously consistent with expectations for the formation of multicage structures.
Serpentinite Flows on Joaquin Ridge, Southern Coast Ranges, California

Flows of serpentinite extend downslope more than 1.5 km from the northeastern margin of a large source body of serpentinite exposed on Joaquin Ridge in western Fresno County, California. The parent body, oval in plan, consists of almost completely serpentinized peridotite and dunite in fault contact with surrounding Franciscan metamorphic rocks and upturned strata of the Upper Cretaceous Panoche Group. The serpentinite flows have an external form which strikingly resembles the forms of debris-flow deposits and solidified lava flows. On the basis of topographic position and surface morphology, flows of several ages can be recognized. Remnants of older flows cap ridges or are perched above valley floors, whereas younger flows respect modern topography and fill present-day canyons which extend into the main serpentinite body. The flows consist of rounded blocks of serpentinized peridotite and dunite enclosed in a matrix of flaky, intensely sheared serpentine. Shear surfaces locally define a weak foliation that diverges around large, un-sheared residual blocks. These internal features are strikingly similar to those encountered in the parent serpentinite body. The lower parts of flows of all ages unconformably overlie sandstones and shales of the Panoche Group. The geometric form of the Joaquin Ridge flows approximates the theoretical form of a rigid-plastic substance in critical equilibrium. Calculations involving the flow dimensions and the density of serpentine indicate that the sheared serpentinite comprising the flows had a shear strength on the order of 10 6 dynes cm −2 (1 bar) at atmospheric confining pressure and normal surface temperature. This relatively low value of strength contrasts significantly with much higher values determined experimentally by Raleigh and Paterson (1965) on solid, unsheared serpentinite. The low values indicate that tabular masses of sheared serpentinite found along thrusts in the California Coast Ranges and Klamath Mountains could have been tectonically emplaced by plastic flow at modest stresses and temperatures that were much lower than hitherto suspected. Surface flows similar to those on Joaquin Ridge may have contributed to the formation of some enigmatic “sedimentary” or “detrital” serpentinites of Cretaceous and Miocene age found in the Coast Ranges.
Propagation of a shock wave of arbitrary strength in two half planes containing a free surface

Abstract The problem of propagation of an initially plane shock wave along a fluid interface is solved numerically, using the method of characteristics in conjunction with Whitham's technique. The results are limited to differences in shock velocity in the two fluid media of about 30 %. Greater degrees of shock diffraction will be accompanied by wave reflexions which have not been considered in Whitham's technique. The diffracted shock is found to be remarkably uniform, except in the vicinity of the free surface and the undisturbed shock, where it undergoes large changes in curvature.
Genetic Structure and Community DNA Similarity of Picoplankton Communities from the Laurentian Great Lakes

Abstract The similarity of picoplankton assemblages in the epilimnia (5 m) and mid-hypolimnia (45 to 70 m) of several Laurentian Great Lakes was compared by quantitative 16S rRNA-based and community DNA hybridizations to determine if different picoplankton communities develop during the summer in these water masses. Total nucleic acids were extracted and purified from picoplankton collected in Lakes Erie, Ontario, Huron, Michigan, and Superior during July and August 1992. Based on 16S Rrna hybridizations, the majority of picoplanktonic nucleic acids (91% to 98%) were from bacteria. Microeucaryotes accounted for less than 3% of the total nucleic acids. Up to 2% of the picoplanktonic nucleic acids were contributed by archaea. The genetic similarity of picoplankton communities was estimated by pair wise hybridization of heterogeneous DNA samples. This similarity is an estimate of the fraction of total DNA shared in common between two communities. Total picoplanktonic DNA in the epilimnia of all lakes except Lake Superior was similar during August (≥ 70% similarity). At most sites in these lakes, however, the community DNA of epilimnetic and hypolimnetic picoplankton was different. A high abundance of cyanobacterial nucleic acids in Lake Ontario's epilimnion may explain why the community DNA of epilimnetic and hypolimnetic picoplankton was different in this lake. Together, the results verify that bacteria account for the majority of picoplankton in these great lakes but also indicate that different picoplankton communities can form in the epilimnion and hypolimnion during summer after these lakes become thermally stratified.
Causality in social theory via linguistic fuzzy logic

I present a new approach to the study of causality in social theory using linguistic fuzzy logic as a framework. This approach differs from conventional analysis of causality on two fronts. First, all variables are considered to possess two degrees of freedom (or variation): a linguistic nuance value, which corresponds to what we conventionally refer to as interval or categorical value, and a linguistic truth value, which measures our confidence level in this nuance value. Second, combining this double fuzzification of variables with linguistic fuzzy logic I propose new tools for studying fuzzy causality. The linguistic fuzzy logic approach is illustrated through a re-examination of Skocpol’s (1979, States and social revolutions: a comparative analysis of France, Russia, and China. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge) theory of social revolution.
Mining photo-sharing websites to study ecological phenomena

The popularity of social media websites like Flickr and Twitter has created enormous collections of user-generated content online. Latent in these content collections are observations of the world: each photo is a visual snapshot of what the world looked like at a particular point in time and space, for example, while each tweet is a textual expression of the state of a person and his or her environment. Aggregating these observations across millions of social sharing users could lead to new techniques for large-scale monitoring of the state of the world and how it is changing over time. In this paper we step towards that goal, showing that by analyzing the tags and image features of geo-tagged, time-stamped photos we can measure and quantify the occurrence of ecological phenomena including ground snow cover, snow fall and vegetation density. We compare several techniques for dealing with the large degree of noise in the dataset, and show how machine learning can be used to reduce errors caused by misleading tags and ambiguous visual content. We evaluate the accuracy of these techniques by comparing to ground truth data collected both by surface stations and by Earth-observing satellites. Besides the immediate application to ecology, our study gives insight into how to accurately crowd-source other types of information from large, noisy social sharing datasets.
The stability and nonlinear flow developments of a viscoelastic draining film with shear thinning

Abstract The surface-wave instability of a draining viscoelastic film is studied. The Oldroyd four-constant model is used to incorporate elastic and shear-thinning effects into the previous analysis for a Newtonian fluid. A long-wave evolution equation is derived, and used in the subsequent linear-stability analysis, dynamical system approach, and nonlinear spectral computation. Nonlinear developments of the instability are discussed, including the damping effect of shear thinning, not explained by a linear theory.
Regulation of C-Terminal and Intact FGF-23 by Dietary Phosphate in Men and Women†

FGF-23 is a novel regulator of phosphate metabolism. We studied the regulation of FGF-23 by dietary phosphate in 66 men and women using two assays. Dietary phosphate restriction decreased FGF-23 and loading increased FGF-23 significantly. An assay that measured intact FGF-23 showed the effects of dietary phosphate much more clearly than an assay that also measures presumed biologically inactive fragments. Dietary phosphate is a key regulator of circulating FGF-23; choice of assay is critical when studying FGF-23 physiology. Introduction Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is a novel phosphaturic factor discovered through genetic studies of patients with renal phosphate wasting disorders. Ablation of the FGF-23 gene in mice reduces renal phosphate excretion and increases serum phosphate, suggesting that FGF-23 is critical for normal phosphate homeostasis. We examined the role of dietary phosphate in the regulation of FGF-23 in humans. Materials and methods Sixty-six healthy males and females were randomized to either phosphate-depleted or -loaded diets for 5 days, after a 4-day run-in diet. FGF-23 was measured using an "intact" assay that only detects intact FGF-23 peptide and with a "C-terminal" assay that measures both intact FGF-23 peptide and presumed biologically inactive carboxyl terminal fragments. The main outcome was the within group change in FGF-23 with either phosphate depletion or loading. Results Using the intact FGF-23 assay, mean FGF-23 area under the curve (AUC) decreased by 9 +/- 16% with phosphate depletion (p = 0.0041) and increased by 35 +/- 29% with loading (p Conclusions Dietary phosphate is a key regulator of circulating FGF-23 levels in humans. Additionally, choice of assay is critical when performing physiologic investigations of FGF-23.
Promoting mental health concepts in a doctor of nursing practice curriculum: An integrated and global approach

Mental health disorders represent a significant burden across all nations with the vast majority of people being undiagnosed and/or undertreated. There is an urgent need to address these mental health disparities and to implement strategies that will improve appropriate diagnosis and treatment at both the local and international level. Two solutions will be discussed in this paper. First, an integrated care model which has the potential to decrease fragmentation of care and barriers to appropriate treatment. Second, the training and education of nurses in basic mental health competencies. This paper argues that nurses are well positioned to help meet the growing need for mental health care in a variety of health care settings. This paper will describe an educational workshop that was part of a plan to incorporate mental health concepts across a Doctor of Nursing Practice curriculum. It is believed that the underlying concepts of this educational model are transferrable to other countries and can serve as a template for improving the ability to identify, treat, and manage mental health care.
Overall hemodynamic studies after the chronic inhibition of endothelial-derived nitric oxide in rats.

Previous studies have demonstrated that an acute intravenous administration of nitro- L -arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) causes a sustained hypertension and widespread vasoconstriction. However, little information is available regarding the chronic effect of L-NAME on circulatory hemodynamics. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to characterize both the systemic and regional hemodynamics after the chronic inhibition of endothelium-derived nitric oxide in male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were divided into two groups: control (n = 8) and L-NAME (n = 8). The rats in the control group received only tap water and the rats in the L-NAME group received oral L-NAME solution at a dose of 0.1 mg/mL in the drinking water ad libitum. Four weeks after L-NAME or tap water treatment the rats were anesthetized with inactin, and mean arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, and individual organ flows were measured. Cardiac output and individual organ flows were measured using radioactive microspheres. Chronic administration of L-NAME resulted in a significant increase in mean arterial blood pressure from a control value of 118 ± 4 mm Hg to 174 ± 8 mm Hg (P
Lys40 but not Arg143 influences selectivity of angiotensin conversion by human α-chymase

Human α-chymase is an efficient angiotensin (AT) converting enzyme, selectively hydrolyzing AT I at Phe8 to generate bioactive AT II, which can promote cardiac hypertrophy, vascular stenosis, and hypertension. Some related enzymes, such as rat β-chymase 1, are much less selective, destroying AT by cleaving at Tyr4. Comparisons of chymase structure and activity led to speculation that interaction between AT and the side chain of Lys40 or Arg143 accounts for the human enzyme’s marked preference for Phe8 over Tyr4. To test these hypotheses, we compared AT hydrolysis by wild-type chymase with that by mutants changing Lys40 or Arg143 to neutral residues. Lys40 was exchanged for alanine, the residue found in canine α- and rat β-chymase 1, the latter being dramatically less selective for hydrolysis at Phe8. Arg143 was exchanged for glutamine found in rat β-chymase 1. The Lys40Ala mutant is a dog-like enzyme retaining strong preference for Phe8 but with Tyr4 hydrolytic rates enhanced 16-fold compared to wild-type human enzyme. Thus, of 40 residues mismatched between dog and human enzymes, a single residue accounts for most of the difference in specificity between them. The Arg143Gln mutant, contrary to prediction, remains highly Phe8-selective. Therefore, Lys40, but not Arg143, contributes to human chymase’s remarkable preference for AT II generation over destruction.
Feminists and the Forum: Is It Worth the Effort?

In January of 2004 I attended my first World Social Forum in Mumbai, India, and my experience there was transformative in ways that I never could have predicted. I traveled to the Forum seeking insight into the direction of transnational feminist activism, and upon my return felt inspired both intellectually and emotionally by the critical analysis and the vibrant energy I encountered there. Since that time I have been listening and learning, observing the questions, visions, and challenges of women’s and feminist activism in transnational spaces, all the while seeking ways that academic research might strengthen women’s movements for social justice. In this paper, I engage in critical methodological reflection and empirical analysis as equally but differently important endeavors that I hope will be useful for movement activists situated in a variety of settings, including the academy. In the first section, I attempt to make visible the ways in which my commitment to feminist research influences my scholarly practice, including the development of my question, the gathering of my data, and the interpretation of my findings. I reflect explicitly on the methodological challenges of scholar-activism, and highlight several tenets of feminist methodology that bear particular importance for scholar-activists participating in and researching the social forum process. I then discuss my methodological approach and articulate the importance of the central 1) Generous funding from the Center for Ethics at Vanderbilt University has supported this research. Th anks also to Brooke Ackerly, Marina Karides, and Sonalini Sapra for their thoughtful feedback on earlier drafts of the paper.
Content and criterion validity evaluation of National Public Health Performance Standards measurement instruments.

Objective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) has developed instruments to measure the performance of local and state public health departments on the 10 “Essential Services of Public Health,” which have been tested in several states. This article is a report of the evaluation of the content and criterion validity of the local public health performance assessment instrument, and the content validity of the state public health performance assessment instrument. Methods. Health department performance is measured using a set of indicators developed for the 10 Essential Services of Public Health and a model standard for each indicator. Content validity of each model standard in the local instrument was addressed by community partners along the following dimensions: the importance of each standard as a measure of the associated Essential Service, its completeness as a measure, and its reasonableness for achievement. All standards for each Essential Service were then judged in terms of their completeness in measuring performance in that service. Content validity of the state instrument was evaluated in a group interview of health department staff members from three states. Criterion validity of the local instrument was assessed for a sample of eight public health departments in Florida and six in New York by examining documentary evidence for selected responses. Criterion validity was also evaluated for a sample of Florida local public health departments and one Hawaii public health department by comparing state health department staffs’ judgments of performance against the instrument score. Results. Criterion validity was upheld for a summary performance score on the local instrument, but was not upheld for performance judgments on individual Essential Services. The NPHPSP standards based on the Essential Services have validity for measuring local public health system performance, according to community partners. The model standards are valid measures of state performance, according to state public health departments in three states. Conclusions. Within the scope of the validity evaluations completed, the NPHPSP state and local performance assessment instruments were found to be valid measures of public health performance.
Analysis of Finite Element Domain Embedding Methods for Curved Domains using Uniform Grids

We analyze the error of a finite element domain embedding method for elliptic equations on a domain $\omega$ with curved boundary. The domain is embedded in a rectangle $R$ on which uniform mesh and linear continuous elements are employed. The numerical scheme is based on an extension of the differential equation from $\omega$ to $R$ by regularization with a small parameter $\epsilon$ (for Neumann and Robin problems), or penalty with a large parameter $\epsilon^{-1}$ (for the Dirichlet problem), or a mixture of these (for a mixed boundary value problem). For Neumann and Robin problems, we prove that when $\epsilon\le h$ (the mesh size), the error in the $H^1(\omega)$ norm is of the optimal order $\mathcal{O}(h)$. For the Dirichlet problem, when $\epsilon\le h^{1/2}$, the error is $\mathcal{O}(h^{1/2})$ that is not optimal. If the mesh is adjusted around $\partial\omega$ to fit it, then the optimal convergence rate $\mathcal{O}(h)$ holds for the Dirichlet problem if $\omega$ is convex and $\epsilon\le h$. If $\omega$ is not convex, then the convergence rate can only be improved to $\mathcal{O}(h^{2/3})$ by such mesh adjustment, with the parameter being $\epsilon=h^{2/3}$. In this latter case, a parameter smaller than $h^{2/3}$ thwarts the convergence rate, which is verified by a numerical result.
‘Vulnerability’, an Interesting Concept for Public Health: The Case of Older Persons

Fil: Luna, Florencia. Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina
Flight experiments on the effects of step excrescences on swept-wing transition

A 30° swept-wing model with a movable, leading-edge extending to 15% chord is used in flight tests to study the effect of two-dimensional, step excrescences on swept-wing transition, where stationary-crossflow waves are typically the dominant instability. Transport unit Reynolds numbers are achieved using a Cessna O-2A Skymaster. Forward- and aft-facing steps are modulated in-flight. Pressure measurements are compared with CFD. Infrared thermography is used to globally detect boundary-layer transition. When the 2-D pressure gradient matches the unswept case, the swept-wing case has a lower Rekk,crit. However, there is still potential to relax conventional, laminar-flow tolerances for steps.
Operational Evaluation of Dynamic Lane Merging In Work Zones with Variable Speed Limits

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology has been developed to improve the safety and mobility of traffic in and around work zones. In several states in the US, use of Dynamic Lane Merge (DLM) system has been initiated to enhance traffic safety and smooth traffic operations in work zone areas. The DLM usually takes two forms; dynamic early merge and dynamic late merge. The use of variable speed limit (VSL) systems at work zones is also one of those measures. It is anticipated that the VSL systems improve safety by helping the driver in determining maximum speed that he or she should travel. Besides adding improvement to safety, they are also expected to improve mobility at the work zones. The main goal of this paper is to report on an evaluation of operational effectiveness of the DLMS systems i.e. the Dynamic Early Lane Merge and Dynamic Late Lane Merge, in presence of a VSL system. More specifically, the VISSIM model was utilized to simulate a 2-to-1 work zone configurations for six scenarios namely: Work Zone without VSL and without DLMS, Work Zone with VSL and without DLMS, Work Zone with VSL and Early DLMS, and Work Zone with VSL and Late DLMS, Zone with Early DLMS and without VSL and Zone without VSL and with Late DLMS. Assessment of the effectiveness of these scenarios in terms of throughput to various traffic demands and motorists’ adherence level were conducted. It was found through the simulation of above mentioned scenarios that for low and medium demand volume levels (V0500, V1000 and V1500), that there is no significant difference between the Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plans for mean throughputs. However, for higher demand volume levels (V2000 and V2500), late SDLMS with and without VSL produced higher mean throughputs for all compliance rates and truck percentages except when the demand volume was 2,500 vph and compliance of 60%, where it produces the significantly lower mean throughputs.
Do women legislators matter? Female legislators and state abortion policy.

This study evaluates the impact of women state legislators on state abortion policies. Two dimensions of state abortion policy were identified and it was found that women state legislators, once th...
Regional differentiation among populations of the Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

The Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a brackish-water turtle species whose populations have been fragmented due to anthropogenic activity such as development of coastal habitat and entrapment in commercial blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) fishing gear. Genetic analyses can improve conservation efforts for the long-term protection of the species. We used microsatellite DNA analysis to investigate levels of gene flow among and genetic variability within 21 geographically separate collections of the species distributed from Massachusetts to Texas. Quantified levels of genetic variability (allelic diversity, genotypic frequencies, and heterozygosity) revealed three zones of genetic discontinuity, resulting in four discrete populations: Northeast Atlantic, Coastal Mid-Atlantic, Florida and Texas/Louisiana. The average number of alleles and expected heterozygosity for the four genetic clusters were NA = 6.54 and HE = 0.050, respectively. However, the geographic boundaries of the populations did not correspond to accepted terrapin subspecies limits. Our results illuminate not only the need to sample terrapins in additional sites, specifically in the southeast, but also the necessity for allowing uninterrupted gene flow among population groupings to preserve current levels of genetic diversity.
Colostomy closure. Ochsner Clinic experience.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively reviewed the records from our past five years of experience with colostomy closure at a large mutispecialty hospital to determine postoperative morbidity. RESULTS: From March 1988 to April 1993, 46 patients underwent colostomy closure. Patients ranged in age from 24 to 87 (mean, 41.8) years, and 25 (54 percent) were women. Stomas had been created during emergency operations in 40 patients (87 percent); most operations (54 percent) were for complications of acute diverticulitis. Of the 46 procedures, 40 (87 percent) were end colostomies, and 6 were loop colostomies. Stomas were closed at a range of 11 to 1,357 days after creation (mean, 207 days; median, 116 days). Twenty-six patients (57 percent) underwent colostomy closure alone, and the remainder underwent additional procedures ranging from appendectomy to hepatic lobectomy. Duration of operations ranged from 1 to 9.5 (mean, 4.2) hours, and estimated blood loss averaged 400 ml. Overall hospital stay for closure was 6 to 62 (mean, 11.5) days. Inpatient complications occurred in 15 percent of patients, including congestive heart failure (2 percent), cerebrovascular accident (4 percent), pneumonia (2 percent), enterocutaneous fistula (2 percent), and pulmonary embolus with death (2 percent). The most common long-term complication was midline wound hernia, which occurred in 10 percent of surviving patients. Overall, complications occurred in 24 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Colostomy closure is a major operation; however, with good surgical judgment and technique, associated morbidity and mortality can be minimized.
MazF, an mRNA Interferase, Mediates Programmed Cell Death during Multicellular Myxococcus Development

In prokaryotes, the toxin-antitoxin systems are thought to play important roles in growth regulation under stress conditions. In the E. coli MazE-MazF system, MazF toxin functions as an mRNA interferase cleaving mRNAs at ACA sequences to inhibit protein synthesis leading to cell growth arrest. Myxococcus xanthus is a bacterium displaying multicellular fruiting body development during which approximately 80% of cells undergo obligatory cell lysis. Here, we demonstrate that M. xanthus has a solitary mazF gene that lacks a cotranscribed antitoxin gene. The mazF deletion results in elimination of the obligatory cell death during development causing dramatic reduction in spore formation. Surprisingly, MrpC, a key developmental regulator, functions as a MazF antitoxin and a mazF transcription activator. Transcription of mrpC and mazF is negatively regulated via MrpC phosphorylation by a Ser/Thr kinase cascade. These findings reveal the regulated deployment of a toxin gene for developmental programmed cell death in bacteria.
The use of ancient DNA in paleontological studies

ABSTRACT In the past several years the analysis of ancient DNA has become widely used in paleontology and archeology. DNA has been reported to have been isolated from a variety of organisms up to a hundred million years old. The analysis of these DNA molecules has been used to draw conclusions about phylogenetic relationships, migration of populations, and the emergence of pathogens. It has become apparent, however, that many experimental artifacts are associated with the study of ancient DNA and in several cases the DNA purported to have been of ancient origin has been shown to be due to contamination. This review will summarize the sources of ancient DNA, the information contained within it, the methods of analysis, and the limitations of these techniques.
Soybean yield in delayed plantings as affected by alleles increasing vegetative weight

Abstract The reduction in soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield with delayed planting can be partially attributed to reduced vegetative growth. Alleles altering stem termination, internode length, and time of flowering can increase vegetative growth. The objective of this experiment was to determine if allele combinations which increase vegetative size at beginning pod fill (growth stage R5) would increase seed yield in delayed plantings. Nine isolines in the ‘Clark’ genetic background were planted at normal (18 May) and delayed (3 July) planting dates in wide (0.76-m) and narrow (0.38-m) row widths for 3 years at Lexington, KY. Isolines with indeterminate stem termination and elongated internodes (allele s − t ) produced greater vegetative growth at growth stage R5 averaged over both planting dates than isolines with semi-determinate or determinate stem termination and normal internodes (allele S ). Isolines with delayed flowering (alleles E 1 e 2 ) did not produce greater vegetative growth at R5 than isolines with earlier flowering (alleles e 1 E 2 ). The isolines with increased vegetative growth did not show a yield advantage averaged over both planting dates, and planting date X isoline interactions for yield were nonsignificant. Thus, increased vegetative growth conditioned by these alleles was not automatically advantageous to yield in delayed plantings.
THE DEVELOPMENTAL STREAM OF COTTONWOODS AFFECTS RAMET GROWTH AND RESISTANCE TO GALLING APHIDS

We define the “developmental stream” of a plant as the gradient of increasingly mature phenotypes its shoots express over its lifetime. This pattern has important implications for studies of morphology, physiology, reproduction, and interactions with other organisms. Using cottonwoods, we test two major hypotheses about their developmental streams. First, within a tree, the developmental stage expressed by a shoot is dependent on its growth distance from the ground. Second, the distribution and fitness of Pemphigus betae, an aphid that is sensitive to host maturity, are positively related to increasingly mature shoot phenotypes within a tree. We show that the developmental variation in plant morphology and reproductive output within a tree are as great as that found among different-aged trees within a clone. In addition, we show that within-tree patterns of variation are stable from year to year and that P. betae responds to this variation by preferentially colonizing branches expressing more mature pheno...
Large jet multiplicities and new physics at the LHC

A broad class of scenarios for new physics involving additional strongly interacting fields generically predicts signatures at hadron colliders which consist solely of large numbers of jets and substantial missing transverse energy. In this work, we investigate the prospects for discovery in such scenarios using a search strategy in which jet multiplicity and missing transverse energy are employed as the primary criteria for distinguishing signal from background. We examine the discovery reach this strategy affords in an example theory (a simplified supersymmetric model whose low-energy spectrum consists of a gluino, a light stop, and a light neutralino) and demonstrate that it frequently exceeds the reach obtained via other, alternative strategies.
Laboratory investigations of the deposition of oxidation products of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to aqueous solutions

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the deposition to aqueous media of the gas phase oxidation products of the following hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): HCFC-22 (CClF2H), HFC-41 (CH3F), HCFC-123 (CCl2HCF3), HCFC-124 (CClFHCF3), HFC-125 (CF3CF2H), HFC-134a (CF3CFH2), HCFC-141b (CCl2FCH3), HCFC-142b (CClF2CH3), and HFC-152a (CF2HCH3). Single component experiments were conducted were the oxidation products CF3CFO, COF2, CF3C(O)Cl were exposed under laminar flow conditions to alkaline, acidic, and neutral solutions in a aluminum exposure trough. The anionic composition of the exposure solutions were used to determine the effective deposition velocity. Exposures to neutral solutions were also conducted for irradiated HFC and HCFC/Cl2/air mixtures. The combined single component and irradiated mixture experiments were used to measure the effective deposition velocities of C(O)F2, C(O)FCl, HFC(O), CF(O)OOCF(O), CF3CCl(O), CF3CF(O). The deposition velocities differed by as much as a factor of two with the largest velocities found for C(O)F2 and CF3CF(O). The data were insufficient to determine the extent to which gas and liquid phase resistance controlled the overall deposition. However, the data were used to estimate lower limits for the laboratory aqueous resistance and the results were found to be consistent with the recent conclusions of Wine and Chameides who reported the deposition of the oxidation products to oceans and cloudwater was sufficiently fast that there was little likelihood that the products would be transported to the stratosphere.
Demonstration and science experiment (DSX) space weather experiment (SWx)

The Air Force Research Laboratory has developed the Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) to research technologies needed to significantly advance the capability to operate spacecraft in the harsh radiation environment of medium-earth orbits (MEO). The ability to operate effectively in the MEO environment significantly increases the capability to field space systems that provide high-speed satellite-based communication, lower-cost GPS navigation, and protection for satellites from space weather effects. The one of DSX's physics based research areas is the Space Weather Experiment (SWx), characterizing and modeling the space radiation environment in MEO, an orbital regime attractive for future space missions.
Interaction patterns of premarital couples: Typological assessment over time

Abstract The central purpose of this research was to study the interaction styles of premarital couples and to develop a typology of couple interaction at two points in time before marriage. The Inventory of Premarital Conflict was used to generate couple discussion, which was tape-recorded. These tapes were coded on dimensions of task leadership, conflict and affect. The stability of interaction dimensions and couple types was compared between pretest and posttest and the possibility of making predictions about the direction of change which might be expected was explored. The typologies developed in this study were compared objectively and by means of a descriptive couple-by-couple analysis. Only 7% of the couples had the same type of interaction at the two testings, which supports the hypothesis that premarital relationships are fluid with considerable change occurring.
Structure of a new pyrimidine from Bacillus subtilis phage SP-15 nucleic acid.

THE unusual modified base1 of the nucleic acid of the large, generalized transducing phage of Bacillus subtilis SP-15 was predicted from the low denaturation temperature of the native nucleic acid. The base was detected as a fifth ultraviolet-absorbing component once the nucleic acid had been hydrolysed with formic acid; it partially replaces the thymine and represents 12 mol per cent of all the bases1. It is responsible for the low Tm of the nucleic acid, since once all other unusual components have been removed, the remaining material melts at the same temperature as the native nucleic acid. We report here the isolation and characterization of this new pyrimidine.
Use of evidence-based practice in the neonatal intensive care unit

The process change described is an ongoing project in the HICN. Through this process we found that developmentally sensitive care can be accomplished as early as the time of birth by minimizing trauma to ELBW infants, keeping them nested with minimal handling. This also supports the goal for this population of minimizing cold stress and its effects. Gentle ventilation can be achieved in the delivery room by understanding physiology and the effects of ventilation on the ELBW lung tissue.
The conformal killing anomaly of the Polyakov string

Abstract For world sheets with the topology of the disc or sphere, part of the gauge group for the Polyakov string is broken by any regulator, namely the group of conformal isometries×Weyl rescalings which leave the metric unchanged. there exist no local counterterms that can restore the symmetry. This implies that the factor of 1/(volume of conformal isometries) in the computation of string amplitudes is not equivalent to fixing this gauge symmetry, but rather corresponds to averaging over inequivalent gauges.
Cross training for efficient and flexible service system portfolios

This paper proposes using cross training to create efficient server portfolios for multi-class service systems which usually use specialized access channels and servers for different types of service. Such a system is seen to satisfy customers with the high service quality, but it isn't robust enough to the volatile demand coming from each channel. Workforce flexibility, which can be obtained by cross training, provides the possibility of centralizing demands from all channels and thus increases system responsiveness. However, cross training may decrease system efficiency, in the sense that it lowers servers' average skill level. It is desirable for service systems to satisfy responsiveness and efficiency simultaneously. Therefore, we seek a reasonable tradeoff betweens these two criteria. In this paper, cross training decisions are supported by multi-criteria optimization models, and thus efficient server portfolios can be generated if servers are cross trained in this way.
Organizational-historical analysis of the "failure to respond to alarm" problems

Large healthcare organizations are complex sociotechnical systems in many senses. Understanding how such complex systems adapt to their internal and external environment may help us devise effective strategies in building robust, high-reliability organizations. In this paper, we report findings of an in-depth study of auditory alarms in acute care settings in an attempt to study complex organizations. Investigations into incidents with adverse outcomes often lead to blames of not responding to auditory alarms which, in most cases, sound at audible levels. We interviewed a number of clinicians and stakeholders to understand the reasons why in some circumstances alarms are not responded to. The findings illustrate a spectrum of reasons that predispose care providers in certain responding patterns, such as large numbers of alarms, confusion of alarms, temporary episodes of high workload, and external economic pressures. We also uncovered a number of proactive interventions at unit and organizational levels that sometimes had unanticipated effects.
Alterations in peak ground-reaction force during 60-cm drop landings caused by a single session of repeated Wingate anaerobic tests.

Context: Lower extremity injury is prevalent among individuals participating in sports. Numerous variables have been reported as predisposing risk factors to injury; however, the effects of muscle fatigue on landing kinetics are unclear. Objectives: To investigate the effects of a single session of repeated muscle fatigue on peak vertical ground-reaction force (GRF) during drop landings. Design: Mixed factorial with repeated measures. Setting: Controlled laboratory. Participants: 10 female and 10 male healthy recreational athletes. Intervention: Subjects performed 3 fatigued drop landings (60 cm) after four 20-s Wingate anaerobic tests (WATs) with 5 min of active recovery between fatigued conditions. Main Outcome Measures: Kinetic data of peak forefoot (F1) force, peak rear-foot (F2) force, and anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) forces at both F1 and F2. Results: A significant main effect was observed in the nonfatigued and fatigued drop landings in respect to peak F2 force. The greatest significa...
Eradication of metastatic mouse cancers resistant to immune checkpoint blockade by suppression of myeloid-derived cells

Meeting abstracts Recent clinical trials have shown highly promising responses in a subset of patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitory anti-programmed cell death-1, anti-programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-1), and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 antibodies (CTLA-4) [[1][1
Electron spin resonance studies of fatty acid-induced alterations in membrane fluidity in cultured endothelial cells.

Endothelial cell dysfunction has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Of vital importance to the maintenance of endothelial cell integrity is the preservation of membrane functional and structural properties, such as membrane fluidity. The aim of this study was to develop a model for studying the relationship between endothelial cell integrity and membrane fluidity alterations in a well-defined cell culture setting. Alterations in membrane fluidity were assessed using electron spin resonance after labeling endothelial cells with the lipid-specific spin labels, CAT-16 and 12-nitroxide stearic acid. Endothelial cells were exposed to various 18-carbon fatty acids, i.e. stearic (18:0), oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2), or linolenic (18:3), in addition to lipolyzed HDL (L-HDL) and benzyl alcohol. Membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition of endothelial cells supplemented with these fatty acids was analyzed using gas chromatography. All fatty acids, except 18:0, decreased membrane fluidity. A relationship between membrane fluidity and fatty acid compositional alterations in cellular phospholipids was observed. In particular, the arachidonic acid content decreased following exposure to 18:1, 18:2, or 18:3. Exposure of endothelial cells to L-HDL, lipoprotein particles which contain high levels of 18:1 and 18:2, also decreased membrane fluidity. The stabilization of cytoskeletal actin filaments by phalloidin partially prevented 18:2-induced increases in albumin transfer, thus implicating a cytoskeletal involvement in the 18:2-induced membrane fluidity changes involved in endothelial cell dysfunction. The present study shows that the exposure of endothelial cells to various lipids causes membrane fluidity alterations which may contribute to endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis.
Burn pain and dressing changes

Abstract The management of pain associated with trauma and burn injury presents a challenge to the pain practitioner. This is because the pain associated with injury and burns adds to the already activated stress response. Management is further complicated by hypovolemia, which may result in rapid decompensation if sympathetic activity is blunted by opioid or local anesthetic analgesia. Pain after burn injuries is due to stimulus of nociceptors in the skin, the accompanying inflammatory response, and nerve damage. As such, baseline pain management must include treatment of both nociceptive and neuropathic components. In addition to the baseline requirements, analgesic needs for painful procedures, such as dressing changes, must be addressed. Dressing change analgesia is a difficult problem because of the requirements of intense, but short-duration, analgesia. Ketamine, regional anesthesia, and alfentanil have been used successfully. Because injury and burns have multisystem effects, the approach to pain management must be multidisciplinary and include anesthesiologists, surgeons, critical care specialists, nurses, psychologists, and social workers. Copyright © 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company
Inhibition of Protease Production of Various Bacteria by Ammonium Salts: Its Effect on Toxin Production and Virulence

Production of protease by many bacteria was found to be inhibited by ammonium salts, and the enzyme production was more sensitive to the salts than was growth of the organisms. Inhibition of protease production by some pathogenic bacteria may result in the recognition of an exotoxin which otherwise would have been digested by the protease. In the case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, qualitatively different toxicities could be demonstrated in the culture fluids, depending on the presence or absence of protease in such a fluid. The toxicity of the culture in the presence of a high titer of protease may be due primarily to the protease, whereas the toxicity exhibited in the absence of protease could be due to proteinacious exotoxin. Producers of high titers of protease tended to be less virulent in vivo than producers of low titers of the enzyme, which exert their toxicities by a separate exotoxin.
"But I didn't do it!": ethical treatment of sex offenders in denial.

This article addresses ethical questions and issues related to the treatment of sex offenders in denial, using the empirical research literature and the ethical codes of American Psychological Association (APA) and National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to guide the ethical decision-making process. The empirical literature does not provide an unequivocal link between denial and recidivism, though some studies suggest that decreased denial and increased accountability appear to be associated with greater therapeutic engagement and reduced recidivism for some offenders. The ethical codes of APA and NASW value the client’s self-determination and autonomy, and psychologists and social workers have a duty to empower individual well-being while doing no harm to clients or others. Clinicians should view denial not as a categorical construct but as a continuum of distorted cognitions requiring clinical attention. Denial might also be considered as a responsivity factor that can interfere with treatment pro...