cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of embryoid bodies from Matrigel dots protocol

This protocol was developed in the Salk STEM Cell Core to enable the formation of uniform and large embryoid bodies (EBs) from pluripotent human stem cells. It assumes the cells have previously been cultured on Matrigel and typically requires 1–2 wells of a fairly confluent 6-well plate as starting material. This is a low cost alternative to commercial products like the AggreWell that has proven especially useful for the formation of larger sized EBs that show good potential for differentiation to all 3 germ layers
Antisense-mediated inhibition of the bcl-2 gene induces apoptosis in human malignant glioma

Abstract BACKGROUND The bcl -2 protooncogene represses a number of cellular apoptotic pathways and is known to be expressed in increasing amounts in glial tumors of higher malignancy. We tested whether antisense oligonucleotides to the bcl -2 gene would affect glioma cell viability. METHODS Antisense oligonucleotides directed to the first six codons of the human bcl -2 gene, and nonsense oligonucleotides as a control, were transfected into malignant glioma cells. Two human Bcl-2 positive glioblastoma cell lines from our tumor bank (Jon52 and Roc) were both transfected in vitro with bcl -2 antisense (AS) and nonsense (NS) oligonucleotides at 1 μm and 5 μm concentrations for 5 and 24 hr. Cell viability was assessed at 2, 4, 5, and 7 days by using an MTT mitogenic assay and by cell counting via direct visualization using a hemocytometer. RESULTS There was up to a log-fold decrease in cell growth of the bcl-2 AS treated cells compared to the NS transfected cells for both Roc ( p = 0.007 and p = 0.004) and Jon52 ( p = 0.02 and p = 0.004) at 5 and 24 hr of transfection. There was as much as 50% cytotoxicity in both glioblastoma cell lines at 1 μm and 5 μm concentrations after 24 hr transfection with AS bcl -2 oligonucleotides (all p p CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that transfection of human glioma cells with antisense bcl -2 results in an increase in apoptotic death. This provides evidence that Bcl-2 plays a role in tumor progression of glioma by acting as an oncogene, and suggests that inhibition of the bcl -2 gene could have a therapeutic effect.
Structural optimization of the direct methanol fuel cell passively fed with a high-concentration methanol solution

Abstract In a high-concentration direct methanol fuel cell (HC-DMFC), the methanol crossover is typically decreased to an acceptable level by two main mechanisms: high methanol transport resistance between the anode reservoir and the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and high water back flow from the cathode to the anode. Based on the semi-passive HC-DMFC fabricated in this work, the effects of methanol barrier layer (MBL) thickness and electrolyte membrane thickness on cell performance, methanol and water crossover, and fuel efficiency have been studied. The results showed that a thicker MBL could significantly decrease the methanol and water crossover by increasing the mass transport resistance between the anode reservoir and the MEA, while a thinner Nafion ® membrane could also significantly decrease the methanol and water crossover by enhancing the water back flow from the cathode through the electrolyte membrane to the anode. Using Nafion ® 212 as the electrolyte membrane, and a 6.4 mm porous PTFE plate as the MBL, a semi-passive HC-DMFC operating at 70 °C produced the maximum power density of 115.8 mW cm −2 when 20 M methanol solution was fed as the fuel.
Experimental disease in infant goats induced by a Mycobacterium isolated from a patient with Crohn's disease. A preliminary report.

Pilot studies were done to assess the pathogenicity of aMycobacterium which had been recovered from the diseased ileum of a patient with Crohn's disease. In four separate studies, pairs of infant goats served as subjects. One of each pair received an oral inoculum of freshly harvestedMycobacterium species strain Linda suspended in cream. A littermate or stablemate which received only cream served as control. Necropsies were done at three, five, six, and 10 months postinoculation. Each of the four inoculated animals developed segmental granulomatous disease of the ileum or ileum and more proximal segments of small intestine, and regional lymph nodes. The earliest lesion occurred in Peyer's patches of the ileum and consisted of granulomatous clusters of epithelioid cells and giant cells, without caseation, which often occurred in a mantle of lymphocytes between the germinal centers and the muscularis mucosae. Nine of 10 such granulomas were free of acid-fast bacilli. In more advanced lesions, there was confluence of granulomas and ulceration of the mucosal surface. Two of the four inoculated animals also had lymphocytic lymphangitis in affected segments. Although theMycobacterium Linda was recovered from intestinal segments of all four animals, acid-fast bacteria were not demonstrable in the intestines in two of them. Control animals remained free of lesions and acid-fast bacilli and were negative by bacteriologic culture. TheMycobacterium species strain Linda represents an enteric pathogen capable of inducing granulomas of the distal small intestine of susceptible species. The lesions produced have distinct similarities to those occurring in Crohn's disease.
The behavior of cracked cross-ply composite laminates under shear loading

Abstract An interlaminar-shear-stress analysis developed earlier by Tsai et al. (1990, Micro-cracking-Induced Damage in Composites ) for a [ φ m / θ n ], bi-directional composite laminate is used to solve the case of a cross-ply [0 m /90 n ] x laminate with the 90° layer only or both layers cracked under pure shear loading. Strains, forces and laminate shear modulus reduction due to matrix cracking were obtained. Experimental results for shear modulus as a function of crack densities were obtained by a simple shear test and they agree very well with the theoretical prediction.
Legal Invisibility and the Revolution: Statelessness in Egypt

Recent political turmoil has focused international attention on Egypt, yet there is little awareness of the country’s stateless populations—those who lack legal nationality to any state—or the challenges they face. Individuals in situations of protracted statelessness are denied their right to a nationality, resulting in an array of additional rights violations. Such violations include denied freedom of movement, equality before the law, and access to economic and social rights. Drawing from two years’ of fieldwork data, this study highlights the plight of those who are unable to achieve legal status in a country with harsh punishments for illegal presence, entry, and exit. It also evaluates potential solutions for eliminating statelessness in Egypt and protecting the rights of stateless populations. As Egypt seeks to move beyond revolution, it is vital that the government addresses the pervasive and systemic inequalities that deny individuals their right to a nationality.
Do younger and older adults differentially depend on an automated system

Various factors, including trust, system reliability, and error type have been found to affect how people interact with automated systems. Another variable that is becoming increasingly important is the role of age in human-automation interaction. As automation continues to emerge in numerous domains, including the home, older adults will likely interact with these types of systems to a greater extent than ever before. Therefore, understanding if age-related changes in cognition, such as diminished working memory capacity or processing speed, affect how older adults use automated systems is critical to ensure these systems are designed and implemented effectively. This study examined the role of age in a simulated dual task environment using an automated aid. Younger adults outperformed older adults in both tasks. When the automation was incorrect, younger adults exhibited less dependence than older adults. Further, when older adults verified the automation's suggestion, they took significantly more time to do so than younger adults. Additionally, older adults reported greater trust in the automation and higher workload compared to younger adults. Language: en
Measurement of bacterial surface protonation constants for two species at elevated temperatures

This study reports the first potentiometric titrations of bacterial surfaces at elevated temperatures. We used a hydrogen electrode concentration cell to examine the protonation behavior of Bacillus subtilis (an aerobic, gram-positive species present in a wide variety of low-temperature, near-surface environments) at 30, 50, and 75°C. We also investigate the protonation of TOR-39 (an anaerobic, Fe-reducing, thermophylic bacteria isolated from a deep sedimentary basin) at 50°C and compare its surface properties to those of B.subtilis. Using a surface complexation approach that has been previously applied only to room temperature experiments involving bacteria, we determine the number of functional group types present on each cell wall, their acidity constants, and their site concentrations. We also characterize the temperature dependence of the acidity constants for B.subtilis. Our results indicate that the surface acidity can be successfully described using site-specific reactions involving discrete surface functional groups. Our results indicate that the acidity constants for the surface functional groups on B. subtilis do not change significantly over the temperature interval studied, and that the surface protonation at each temperature can be estimated using a single set of acidity constants and site densities. The best fitting model for B. subtilis is a three- site model with pKa values of 4.1, 5.8, and 7.7. Average site abundances for the three dominant functional groups on B. subtilis were determined to be 9.5 · 10−5, 1.0 · 10−4, and 8.8 · 10−5 moles of sites/gm. For TOR-39, the best fitting model was also a 3-site model with pKa values of 4.5, 5.8 and 8.2, with site abundances of 6.0 · 10−5, 5.0 · 10−5 and 3.0 · 10−5. This study suggests that bacterial surface site protonation reactions are not strongly temperature dependent, at least to 75°C. The lack of significant temperature dependence could greatly simplify the task of modeling bacteria-water-rock interactions at elevated temperature.
Electron-beam irradiation effects on phytochemical constituents and antioxidant capacity of pecan kernels [ Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] during storage.

Pecans kernels (Kanza and Desirable cultivars) were irradiated with 0, 1.5, and 3.0 kGy using electron-beam (E-beam) irradiation and stored under accelerated conditions [40 °C and 55−60% relative humidity (RH)] for 134 days. Antioxidant capacity (AC) using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, phenolic (TP) and condensed tannin (CT) content, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) phenolic profile, tocopherol content, peroxide value (PV), and fatty acid profiles were determined during storage. Irradiation decreased TP and CT with no major detrimental effects in AC. Phenolic profiles after hydrolysis were similar among treatments (e.g., gallic and ellagic acid, catechin, and epicatechin). Tocopherol content decreased with irradiation (>21 days), and PV increased at later stages (>55 days), with no change in fatty acid composition among treatments. Color lightness decreased, and a reddish brown hue developed during storage. A proposed mechanism of k...
Example of exact trade-offs in linear controller design

Two examples of analytic methods for finding the exact form of trade-offs among such desirable qualities as fast response to commands without excessive overshoot, low actuator authority, robustness, low controller complexity, and so on are considered. They are linear quadratic Gaussian theory, where the plant actuator and output variance can be traded off, and Nevanlinna-Pick theory, where, for instance, the achievable disturbance rejection can be traded off in two different bandwidths. In many cases, the limit of performance achievable with a linear time-invariant controller, and thus the exact form of the tradeoffs, can be computed numerically. To demonstrate this trade-off, the design of a regulator for a very typical plant, a double integrator with some excess phase, is examined. The trade-offs are presented for two different measures of robustness with noise sensitivity. The exact form of the trade-offs is determined numerically by using the techniques described in the appendixes. >
Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease after Ablative and Nonmyeloablative Conditioning for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Transplantation

Abstract In this study, we evaluated the influence of nonmyeloablative and ablative conditioning regimens on the occurrence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). One hundred thirty-seven patients undergoing matched-related sibling transplantations received the same GVHD prophylaxis. Myeloablative regimens included intravenous busulfan/cyclophosphamide (n = 45) and fludarabine/melphalan (n = 29). Patients in the nonmyeloablative group (n = 63) received fludarabine/idarubicin/cytarabine, cisplatin/fludarabine/idarubicin, and fludarabine/cyclophosphamide. The actuarial rate of grade II to IV acute GVHD was significantly higher (hazard ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–8.8) in patients receiving ablative regimens (36%) compared with the nonmyeloablative group (12%). The cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was higher in the ablative group (40%) compared with the nonmyeloablative group (14%). The rates were comparable within the first 200 days and were significantly higher in the ablative group beyond day 200 (hazard ratio, 5.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–23.2). Nonrelapse and GVHD-related mortality were relatively low in both groups. The use of the described nonmyeloablative preparative regimens was associated with a reduced incidence of grade II to IV acute GVHD and chronic GVHD compared with the busulfan/cyclophosphamide and fludarabine/melphalan transplant regimens. It is interesting to note that nonrelapse mortality with nonmyeloablative regimens in older and more debilitated patients was low (14%) and comparable to that achieved with standard high-dose regimens in younger patients
Presence of a natriuretic factor in urine of normal men undergoing water immersion

Presence of a natriuretic factor in urine of normal men undergoing water immersion. Immersion of normal subjects in water to the neck (NI) results in a redistribution of blood volume, relative central hypervolemia, and a significant natriuresis which is equal in magnitude to that produced by 10% expansion of the extracellular fluid volume by isotonic saline. The natriuresis of NI is independent of changes in GFR and is not prevented by the administration of DOCA. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the NI natriuresis is associated with increased activity of the natriuretic factor (NF) that has been observed in volume-expanded dogs and uremic dogs and patients. Twelve normal subjects were studied following overnight water restriction for 10 hr. Each subject was studied under control conditions, during NI in the seated position, and at the same time of day. UNaV, while remaining constant during control studies, increased significantly during NI. Bioassays for natriuretic activity were performed in rats by using urine fractions from NI and control studies. The NI fractions in the test animals resulted in significant increments in both UNaV (1.27 ± 0.28µEq/min) and FENa (1.39 ± 0.21%) (P Presence d'un facteur natriuretique dans l'urine de sujets normaux soumis a l'immersion. L'immersion de sujets normaux jusqu'au cou (NI) a pour consequence une redistribution du volume sanguin, une hypervolemie centrale relative et une natriurese significative qui est egale, en importance, a celle produite par une expansion de 10% du volume des liquides extracellulaires au moyen de solute sale isotonique. La natriurese de NI est independante des modifications du debit de filtration glomerulaire et n'est pas empechee par l'administration prealable de DOCA. Ce travail a pour but de savoir si la natriurese d'immersion est associee a une augmentation de l'activite du facteur natriuretique (NF) telle qu'elle a ete observee chez des chiens soumis a une expansion ou des hommes ou des chiens uremiques. Douze sujets normaux ont ete etudies apres 10 hr de suppression des boissons. Chaque sujet a ete etudie dans des conditions controles et pendant la NI, en position assise et au meme moment de la journee. UNaV augmente significativement pendant la NI alors qu'il etait constant pendant les periodes controles. Le dosage biologique de l'activite natriuretique a ete realise chez des rats, a partir des fractions de l'urine recueillie pendant NI et pendant les periodes controles. Les fractions provenant de NI ont eu pour effet une augmentation significative de UNaV (1,27 ± 0,28µEq/min) et FENa (1,39 ± 0,21%) chez les animaux utilises. Les fractions controles n'ont pas eu d'effet significatif sur UNaV et ont determine une nette augmentation de FENa (0,7 ± 0,25%; P
Red blood cell membrane dynamics in schizophrenia. II. Fatty acid composition

Fatty acid compositions were determined in red blood cell (RBC) ghost membranes of schizophrenic patients before and after haloperidol withdrawal, as well as with age-matched normal male control subjects (n = 22). Patients on haloperidol (HD) received treatment in doses between 5 and 20 mg/day for at least 5 weeks (n = 24). Drug-free patients (n = 19) were free of all psychotropic medications for an average of 40 days. A highly significant decrease in the levels (nmol/ml packed RBC) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly 18:2(n - 6) and 20:4(n - 6), was found in both HD-treated and drug-free patients. This decrease remained in those patients who had withdrawn from HD for more than 5 weeks (n = 10). Concomitantly, the percentage of saturated and monoenoic fatty acids to total fatty acids increased significantly in schizophrenic patients. The resultant fatty acid profile consequently lowers the unsaturation index (UI), which represents the average number of double bonds per fatty acid molecule, in RBC ghost membranes of schizophrenic patients. Furthermore, the decreases in UI were significantly correlated to the increases in "structure order" of RBC ghost membranes as measured by the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy (rs) in normal control and drug-free schizophrenic subjects. Therefore, it is likely that decreased levels of PUFAs in schizophrenic patients might result from a defective uptake of 18:2(n - 6) into RBC membrane phospholipids. Since fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids affects the relative degree of membrane fluidity, the present results lend further support that RBC membrane dynamics are altered in schizophrenia.
The impact of health care reform on training and research in pediatric cardiology

Abstract The health care proposal submitted by the Clinton administration contained several items that may very well have an impact on the training of pediatric cardiologists and the research components of this subspecialty [1]. It is the purpose of this review to cite specific parts of the proposal that appeared to affect future pediatric manpower, specifically both the number of pediatric cardiologists who would be trained to meet future needs, and the ability of these physicians to participate in basic science as well as clinical research. With these facets of the proposal on the table, possible reactions by the pediatric cardiology community to these items will be considered. These include funding issues, care of the adult with congenital heart disease and alternative support for research. We know now, however, that these proposals will be modified considerably. At this point, therefore, the final product clearly is speculative. Segments in the original proposal that appeared to affect the training of specialists included the number of specialists to be trained and the role of academic health centers. Both of these issues would have potential effects on pediatric cardiology manpower needs.
Improving MapReduce Performance by Streaming Input Data from Multiple Replicas

The MapReduce programming model, along with its open-source implementation Hadoop has provided a cost effective solution for many data-intensive applications. Hadoop stores data distributively and exploits data locality by assigning tasks to where data is stored. In many cases, however, accessing remote data (rack-local and off-rack) is inevitable. In this paper we are evaluating the possibility of improving the remote data accessing performance by streaming data from multiple available replicas. The proposed design consists of a circular buffer, a slice reader and a enhanced Data Node. Such system is capable of adapting to both the static performance variance caused by network topology as well as dynamic variance caused by congestion. Extensive experiments show that mutil-source streaming can significantly improve the throughput of remote data access and accelerate the related map tasks by 10%-20%. In some imbalanced environment, the proposed system can even achieve as much as 4x speedup.
Who Rides and Who Pays

A comprehensive benefit-cost assessment of motorcycle use is offered, along with the characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes of motorcycle riders. U.S. motorcyclists are at high risk of crashing, with rates 24 times higher than those of passenger car and light-duty truck drivers per mile traveled. However, motorcycles require only one-quarter the parking space of a car and can reduce congestion by doubling network capacity (in vehicles per hour). Most motorcycles have high fuel economy, but low seating capacities render them little or no better than most cars and some light-duty trucks (assuming average vehicle occupancies) when compared in terms of fuel consumption per rider (or vehicle occupant) mile traveled. Motorcycles emit fewer grams of many polluting emissions but more volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide than most cars if a catalytic converter is not installed. Noise impacts are a serious issue, with an inconsistent patchwork of regulations applied across states and localities. Result...
Contact Moment and Friction Force in Elastic Contact of Two Rough Surfaces

It is reasonable to expect that when two nominally flat rough surfaces are brought into contact by an applied resultant force, they must support, in addition to the compressive load, an induced moment. The existence of a net applied moment would imply non-even distribution of contact force so that there are more asperities in contact over one region of the nominal area. In this paper we consider the contact between two rectangular rough surfaces that provide normal and tangential contact force as well as contact moment to counteract the net moment imposed by the applied forces. The surfaces are permitted to develop slight angular misalignment and through this contact moment is derived. Through this scheme it is possible to also define elastic contribution to friction since the half-plane tangential contact force on one side of an asperity is no longer balanced by the half-plane tangential force component on the opposite side. The elastic friction force however is shown to be of a much smaller order than the contact normal force.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
A transgenic triple scores a home run.

Plaques and tangles populate the brains of people with Alzheimer disease. A mouse model that contains both of these lesions is providing insights into how the proteins that make up these hallmarks of the disease interact.
Alzheimer’s Silent Partner: Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, which completely lacks a viable, long-term therapeutic intervention. This is partly due to an incomplete understanding of AD etiology and the possible confounding factors associated with its genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common, yet frequently overlooked, pathology associated with AD. CAA manifests with deposition amyloid-beta (Aβ) within the smooth muscle layer of cerebral arteries and arterioles. The role of Aβ in AD and CAA pathophysiology has long been controversial. Although it has demonstrated toxicity at super-physiological levels in vitro, Aβ load does not necessarily correlate with cognitive demise in humans. In this review, we describe the contributions of CAA to AD pathophysiology and important pathomechanisms that may lead to vascular fragility and hemorrhages. Additionally, we discuss the effect of Aβ on smooth muscle cell phenotype and viability, especially in terms of the complement cascade.
Relative Calculus and Tooth Structure Loss with Use of Power-Driven Scaling Instruments

Rotary, vibratory, and ultrasonic power-driven scalers were tested in this study for a comparison of the amount of calculus loss to tooth structure loss with the use of the instruments. The ultrasonic instrument removed less tooth structure than either of the other two scaling instruments; the vibratory scaler removed less tooth structure than the rotary scaling instrument.
The association between rank and reproductive success of male rhesus monkeys.

The paternity of 202 of 220 offspring of rhesus monkeys housed in six separate half-acre field cages at the California Primate Research Center was determined by genetic marker techniques. Reproductive success of the adult males was statistically significantly correlated (r = 0.76, P <0.0005) with rank. Marked systematic changes in reproductive success were, however, observed for two adult males during the three years covered by this study. Based upon these results and those of another study, it is argued that changes in rank position typically follow, rather than precede, changes in reproductive success.
T-matrix-based inverse algorithm for morphologic characterization of nonspherical particles using multispectral diffuse optical tomography

An inverse algorithm is presented for tomographically imaging morphologic characteristics of nonspherical particles in heterogeneous turbid media. The particles are assumed to have spheroidal shapes with random orientations. The inverse algorithm is based on a relationship of the particle scattering spectra, obtained from multispectral diffuse optical tomography, and the size, concentration, and aspect ratio of spheroidal particles through the T-matrix method. The algorithm is implemented based on Tikhonov–Marquardt regularization techniques that minimize the difference between the observed and calculated scattering spectra. Different statistical models are assumed for the suspended nonspherical particles and the performance of the inverse algorithm is tested using noise-corrupted data up to 50% noise added to the observed scattering spectra.
259: Factors associated with fetal overgrowth in pregnancies affected by type 1 and type 2 pregestational diabetes mellitus

QALY. RESULTS: Treating patients in Glucose Category 5 was the dominant strategy. Treatment was more expensive ($11,491.75 with treatment vs $10,734.42 without treatment) but more effective (56.914924 QALYs with treatment vs 56.897791 without treatment), with an incremental cost of $44203.00/QALY. In a one-way sensitivity of analysis of the degree of treatment efficacy, treatment remained cost-effective as long as it met 64% of its reported efficacy. CONCLUSION: Treating patients in Glucose Category 5 of the HAPO Trial is cost-effective in terms of improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. How the health care system will provide this expanded care to this group of women will need to be examined.
Observational spatial memory in Clark's nutcrackers and Mexican jays

Recent work has demonstrated that pinyon jays,Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus, can remember the locations at which they have seen conspecifics cache food. Pinyon jays are both highly dependent on cached food and live in large social groups. To examine the importance of food caching and social living for observational spatial memory, Clark's nutcrackers,Nucifraga columbiana, and Mexican jays,Aphelocoma ultramarina, were tested on the same spatial memory tasks as used with pinyon jays. Clark's nutcrackers are highly adapted for caching food and live alone or in family groups, and Mexican jays are non-specialized cachers that live in highly structured groups. In these experiments, Clark's nutcrackers performed poorly at relocating caches they had seen conspecifics create. Observer nutcrackers were significantly more accurate than expected by chance at one but not two days after cache creation. Caching nutcrackers were more accurate at recovering caches than were observers. In contrast, Mexican jay observers performed at above-chance levels on both intervals after cache creation and were as accurate during cache recovery as were caching Mexican jays. These results suggest that observational spatial memory could be common among corvids and that its degree of development may be influenced by group living.
An extraterrestrial ^3He-based timescale for the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) from Walvis Ridge, IODP Site 1266

In the deep-sea, the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is often marked by clay-rich condensed intervals caused by dissolution of carbonate sediments, capped by a carbonate-rich interval. Constraining the duration of both the dissolution and subsequent cap-carbonate intervals is essential to computing marine carbon fluxes and thus testing hypotheses for the origin of this event. To this end, we provide new high-resolution helium isotope records spanning the Paleocene–Eocene boundary at ODP Site 1266 in the South Atlantic. The extraterrestrial ^3He, ^3He_(ET), concentrations replicate trends observed at ODP Site 690 by Farley and Eltgroth (2003). By assuming a constant flux of ^3He_(ET) we constrain relative changes in accumulation rates of sediment across the PETM and construct a new age model for the event. In this new chronology the zero carbonate layer represents 35 kyr, some of which reflects clay produced by dissolution of Paleocene (pre-PETM) sediments. Above this layer, carbonate concentrations increase for ~165 kyr and remain higher than in the latest Paleocene until 234 ^(+48)/_(−34) kyr above the base of the clay. The new chronology indicates that minimum δ^(13)C values persisted for a maximum of 134 ^(+27)/_(−19) kyr and the inflection point previously chosen to designate the end of the CIE recovery occurs at 217 ^(+44)/_(−31) kyr. This allocation of time differs from that of the cycle-based age model of Rohl et al. (2007) in that it assigns more time to the clay layer followed by a more gradual recovery of carbonate-rich sedimentation. The new model also suggests a longer sustained δ^(13)C excursion followed by a more rapid recovery to pre-PETM δ^(13)C values. These differences have important implications for constraining the source(s) of carbon and mechanisms for its subsequent sequestration, favoring models that include a sustained release of carbon after an initial pulse.
'Can I get an amen?' The Black gospel church as discourse community and pedagogical model

Too often times, educators assume that Standard English is static, that it is prone to infection from non-school discursive practices, and subsequently take on the role of "language police" by banning non-standard English from the classroom. This narrow view of 'what counts' as academic discourse ignores the organic nature of language, alienates increasing numbers of linguistically diverse students, and ultimately affirms linguistic ethnocentrism. This paper, conversely, highlights the fact that there are ways of teaching Standard English that celebrate linguistic diversity and facilitate students’ buy in. One of such examples is the Black gospel church. The most successful preachers from this tradition show that language can be at once culturally relevant and “standard”. Their liturgical and pedagogical style makes use of both code switching and code meshing, a new take on code switching in which dyadic linguistic lines are blurred to create new hybrid discourses that both reify and strengthen the underlying tenets of each discursive form. Key words: Discourse processes, academic English, black vernacular English, code meshing, code switching.
SFO: A Toolbox for Submodular Function Optimization

In recent years, a fundamental problem structure has emerged as very useful in a variety of machine learning applications: Submodularity is an intuitive diminishing returns property, stating that adding an element to a smaller set helps more than adding it to a larger set. Similarly to convexity, submodularity allows one to efficiently find provably (near-) optimal solutions for large problems. We present SFO, a toolbox for use in MATLAB or Octave that implements algorithms for minimization and maximization of submodular functions. A tutorial script illustrates the application of submodularity to machine learning and AI problems such as feature selection, clustering, inference and optimized information gathering.
Failure to Thrive: An Expanded Conceptual Model

Growth failure or failure to thrive (FTT) in infancy has been a perplexing problem for more than a century. The first edition of the textbook, The Diseases of Infancy and Childhood, by L.E. Holt (1899) addressed the problem under the section “Malnutrition in Infants.” During the first two decades of the twentieth century, FTT was synonymous with infantile dystrophy, single dystrophy and marasmus (Holt & Howland, 1913).
Developing Adaptive Software with Multiple QoS Requirements

As software systems become more complex and computing environments become more dynamic, there is an increasing need of developing adaptive software capable of monitoring its own status and adapting to the changing environment to meet multiple QoS requirements of users. Recent research in various areas, such as autonomic computing and software cybernetics, aims to tackle this problem, but many research challenges still remain. During this panel session, the current state of the art on developing such adaptive software will be briefly summarized, and the challenging issues and possible research directions will be discussed.
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Effect of Organic Nitrates in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure Treated With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition

Background —Organic nitrates are widely used in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). No information, however, is available regarding their effect in patients already treated with ACE inhibitors. Methods and Results —In a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, we studied the effects of high-dose (50 to 100 mg) transdermal nitroglycerin (NTG) and placebo given daily for 12 hours in 29 patients with CHF (NYHA functional classes II to III). Exercise time (4 hours after patch application) showed a progressive improvement during NTG administration, with an increase of 38±35 seconds (9±7%) at the end of the first month ( P =NS), 76±28 seconds (16±6%) at the end of the second month ( P =0.01), and 117±34 seconds (27±6%) at the end of the third month ( P =0.003). No significant change was seen during placebo administration (12±20, 5±26, and 19±28 seconds, all P =NS). Exercise time 8 hours after NTG application measured at 3 months was also significantly longer, with a difference of 87±28 seconds ( P =0.006), but not with placebo (23±36 seconds, P =0.53). Assessment of quality of life and need for additional diuretics or hospitalizations for CHF failed to demonstrate a significant difference between the 2 treatment periods. In contrast, NTG decreased left ventricular end-diastolic (−2.1±0.1%, P <0.05) and end-systolic (−3.2±1.3%, P <0.05) dimensions and augmented LV fractional shortening (24.7±10.5%, P <0.03). The effect of placebo on these parameters was not statistically significant. Conclusion —High-dose nitrate therapy significantly improves exercise tolerance and left ventricular size and systolic function in patients with chronic, mild to moderate CHF already treated with ACE inhibitors. These findings support the role of organic nitrates as an adjunctive therapy to ACE inhibitors in patients with chronic CHF.
Anterior pituitary adenomas: inherited syndromes, novel genes and molecular pathways

Pituitary adenomas are common tumors. Although rarely malignant, pituitary adenomas cause significant morbidity due to mass effects and/or hormonal hypo- and/or hyper-secretion. Molecular understanding of pituitary adenoma formation is essential for the development of medical therapies and the treatment of post-operative recurrences. In general, mutations in genes involved in genetic syndromes associated with pituitary tumors are not a common finding in sporadic lesions. By contrast, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) mutations may be more frequent among specific subgroups of patients, such as children and young adults, with growth hormone-producing adenomas. In this article, we present the most recent data on the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas and discuss some of the most recent findings from our laboratory. Guidelines for genetic screening and clinical counseling of patients with pituitary tumors are provided.
Characteristic Basis Finite Element Method (CBFEM) — A non-iterative domain decomposition finite element algorithm for solving electromagnetic scattering problems

Efficient and accurate solution of electromagnetic boundary value problems involving electrically-large and geometrically complex objects continue to challenge us, because they present a heavy burden on the CPU time and memory. During recent years, various domain decomposition schemes that are based on iterative techniques have been proposed to solve large-scale electromagnetic scattering problems by partitioning the original problem into smaller and manageable subproblems [1-4].
The Types and Interactions of Vertical Migrations of Functions in a Multilevel Interpretive System

A successful technique for improving system performance has been to migrate often used software functions into firmware. An extension of this technique, called vertical migration, has been developed that deals with migrations of functions between any two levels in a multilevel interpretive hierarchy. In both of these approaches the effect of multiple migrations on system performance is not fully understood and has not been formally analyzed. In this paper the effects of multiple migrations on system performance are formally described. Three distinct types of migration are identified and formulas for the execution time savings of each type are derived.
Correlating bioaerosol load with PM2.5 and PM10cf concentrations: a comparison between natural desert and urban-fringe aerosols

Abstract Seasonal allergies and microbial mediated respiratory diseases, can coincide with elevated particulate matter concentrations, often when dry desert soils are disturbed. In addition to effects from the allergens, allergic and asthmatic responses may be enhanced when chemical and biological constituents of particulate matter (PM) are combined together. Because of these associations and also the recent regulatory and health-related interests of monitoring PM2.5, separately from total PM10, the biological loading between the fine ( d p d p p
Protein accumulation and distribution in floodplain soils and river foam

Many processes contribute to nutrient transfer from terrestrial to aquatic systems, but in most cases the contribution of particular organisms is unknown. In this study, we explore how a Bradford-reactive soil protein (BRSP) produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may provide nutrients to river ecosystems. Along a floodplain in Montana, we extracted BRSP from soils and related the protein concentrations to the age of soil surfaces. We identified BRSP in surface soils, as well as to a depth of 1.4 m, and found that the protein accumulates through time. We also detected BRSP in foam from five rivers in the western United States. Experiments were conducted that demonstrate that the protein may be leached or washed from soils and become a constituent of foam when mixed into turbulent water. We propose that terrestrially derived soil protein may enter rivers via erosion and leaching and serve as a nutrient source for aquatic organisms.
Genetic Consequences of Pleistocene Sea-Level Change on Hawaiian Megalagrion Damselflies

The Hawaiian Islands have long been an important laboratory for evolutionary research because their geological histories offer many natural experiments. For example, the Maui Nui complex, 4 islands that have been repeatedly connected and separated by fluctuating sea levels, lie near Hawaii Island, which has never been connected to another island. Here, we examine the genetic consequences of fluctuating island areas and connectivity using microsatellite analysis of 2 widespread, endemic Hawaiian damselflies. We screened 152 Megalagrion xanthomelas individuals from 5 islands at 14 loci and 34 Megalagrion pacificum from 3 islands at 11 loci to explore dispersal patterns and genetic diversity. Our data suggest that Pleistocene fluctuations in sea level alternated between creating land bridges that facilitated gene flow between once and future islands, and ocean channels that inhibited dispersal. Furthermore, interglacial periods of high sea stands likely reduced suitable habitat availability, causing the loss of genetic diversity on Maui Nui due to bottlenecks and founder events. Finally, we propose that gene flow from Molokai to Lanai may be enhanced by assisted dispersal from the trade winds that are channeled between volcanoes on western Maui and eastern Molokai. Our results emphasize the importance of variable microevolutionary processes in Hawaiian biogeography.
A synoptic model of animal space use: Simultaneous estimation of home range, habitat selection, and inter/intra-specific relationships

We propose a simple multivariate model for describing and understanding animal space use that estimates an animal's probability of occurrence as an explicit function of the animal's association with a fixed spatial area (i.e., home range), the spatial distribution of resources within that area, and the occurrence of other animals. We begin with a null model of space use to describe an animal's utilization distribution in the absence of effects from environmental covariates. We then use this null model as the foundation for a set of candidate models of space use that incorporate different combinations of environmental covariates where each model is chosen to reflect various hypotheses about important drivers of space use. Models are parameterized via maximum likelihood using location data collected from individuals at discrete times (e.g., telemetry) and spatially explicit environmental covariates. Information theoretic criteria are used to select the model(s) with most support from the data. The best model(s) is then used for both estimating the animal's home range and for inferring the relative importance of various environmental factors on space use. As an example, we applied our approach using male white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) location data collected in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe. The best synoptic model was able to capture the complexities of the utilization distribution while the model structure and parameter estimates provided a basis to infer the importance of various ecological factors affecting male rhino space use.
Taxonomic Reappraisal of the Freshwater Brown Algae Bodanella, Ectocarpus, Heribaudiella, and Pleurocladia (Phaeophyceae) on the Basis of rbcl Sequences and Morphological Characters

Abstract This study examines the phylogenetic relations among freshwater species of brown algae using RUBISCO large subunit (rbcL) sequences, in conjunction with diagnostic morphological and developmental traits. We focused on the phylogenetic and taxonomic placement of five freshwater species, Bodanella lauterborni, Ectocarpus siliculosus, Heribaudiella fluviatilis, Pleurocladia lacustris, and Porterinema fluviatile, each of which has traditionally been assigned to the Ectocarpales by most authors. These freshwater species were compared with 26 marine taxa of brown algae from nine orders, with particular emphasis on families within the Ectocarpales. Results of BLASTn searches and later phylogenetic analyses placed all freshwater taxa within the Phaeophyceae, but phylogenetic inferences do not support their traditional classifications at the ordinal level. There was no support for the inclusion of H. fluviatilis or B. lauterborni in the Ectocarpales, but instead formed a well-supported clade intermediate ...
Gallium nitride based light emitting diodes (LEDs) for energy efficient lighting and displays

InGaN based materials have been used to fabricate LEDs fabricated from gallium nitride materials have lead to the realization of high-efficiency white solid-state lighting. Using advanced light extraction structures we have fabricated advanced GaN white LEDs structures which exhibit luminous efficacy greater than 150 lm/Watt, and external quantum efficiencies higher than 60% at low current densities(20A/cm2) on c-plane. New LED structures grown on semipolar orientations of bulk GaN have shown remarkable efficiencies with EQE greater than 45% at high current densities(400A/cm2). Equally impressive are GaN based blue and green laser diodes are displaying high efficiencies at even higher current densities (>2000A/cm2). Further improvements in materials quality and cost reduction are necessary for wide-spread adoption of LEDs for lighting. Solid-state lighting has the potential to achieve 85% energy efficiency, corresponding to 255 lm/watt, and be able to run entirely off sustainable energy sources such as either solar, thermoelectric or wind.
Reliability of Wikipedia as a medication information source for pharmacy students

Abstract Objective To assess the accuracy, completeness, and referencing of medication information in Wikipedia compared with information found in the manufacturer's package insert. Methods Wikipedia articles for the 20 most frequently prescribed drugs per published lists of top 200 brand and generic drugs were evaluated. Four drug information residency-trained pharmacists independently assessed the articles for specific categories of information typically found in medication package inserts. Each category was evaluated for presence in the Wikipedia article, accuracy, completeness, and referencing (fully, partially, or none). Package inserts, Micromedex Drugdex Evaluations, Clinical Pharmacology, and Lexi-Comp databases were used to verify accuracy, and completeness was evaluated by comparing article contents to package inserts alone. Results Of the 20 categories of information assessed, a mean of twelve (range, 8–16) categories were present in each of the 20 Wikipedia articles. Categories most frequently absent were drug interactions and medication use in breastfeeding. No article contained all categories of information. Information on contraindications and precautions, drug absorption, and adverse drug events was most frequently found to be inaccurate; descriptions of off-label indications, contraindications and precautions, drug interactions, adverse drug events, and dosing were most frequently incomplete. Referencing was poor across all articles, with seven of the 20 articles not supported by any references. Conclusion Wikipedia does not provide consistently accurate, complete, and referenced medication information. Pharmacy faculty should actively recommend against our students' use of Wikipedia for medication information and urge them to consult more credible drug information resources.