cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation procedure for estimating voltage ripple caused by cloud shadows moving over high-penetration PV distribution networks

Voltage ripple is a very old problem in power systems and has been, for the most part, solved for decades. Now, with the likely emergence of widespread photovoltaic generation on rooftops, combined with moving cloud shadows, voltage ripple problems could reappear. For example, if 50% of the load on a power distribution feeder in full sun is supplied by distributed PV, voltage ripple will obviously occur as clouds drift over, reducing individual PV outputs to 30% of full-sun levels. The question is “how large is the voltage ripple likely to be?” This paper presents a cloud shadow model, procedure, and simulation tool suitable for answering the question.
Synneusis of Kilauea Iki olivines

Olivine phenocrysts in the picritic scoria that erupted from Kilauea Iki in 1959 occur as glomeroporphyritic aggregates of 2–16 crystals. The compositions and three-dimensional textures of the olivines vary within an aggregate and within individual lapilli. The attachment of crystals from different environments indicates that these aggregates formed by synneusis — the swimming together of crystals. Most of the crystals are attached along faces with their a crystallographic axes parallel and their c axes either parallel or perpendicular, so that the structural mismatch and interfacial energy are minimized. Observed facial attachments are consistent with fluid dynamical interactions of crystals falling with their large {010} faces horizontal. The aggregates formed in a liquid-rich magma. Rough computations suggest that the minimum aggregation time could be on the order of minutes. Aggregation of very small crystals suggests that the yield strength was less than 3 dynes cm−2. The textures of the aggregates are similar to those of cumulate peridotites.
Energy-dependent sodium efflux and sodium-dependent α-aminoisobutyrate transport in purple photosynthetic bacteria

Abstract Uptake of alanine and its nonmetabolizable analog α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) by the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Chromatium vinosum is stimulated fivefold by Na + . Neither Li + nor K + have any stimulatory effect. AIB uptake can be supported by a Na + gradient in the absence of other energy sources. AIB uptake is also accompanied by Na + uptake. These results suggest that AIB is taken up by C. vinosum via a sodium symport. Cells of C. vinosum and the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum show energy-dependent Na + efflux and Na + uptake can be demonstrated with chromatophores prepared from these bacteria.
A mathematical model of motion of the heart for use in generating source and attenuation maps for simulating emission imaging

This manuscript documents the alteration of the heart model of the three-dimensional (3D) mathematical cardiac torso (MCAT) phantom to represent cardiac motion. The objective of the inclusion of motion was to develop a digital simulation of the heart such that the impact of cardiac motion on single-photon emission computed tomography(SPECT)imaging could be assessed and methods of quantitating cardiac function could be investigated. The motion of the gated 3D MCAT's (gMCAT) heart is modeled using 128 separate and evenly spaced time samples from a blood volume curve approximating an average heart cycle. Sets of adjacent time samples can be grouped together to represent a single time interval within the heart cycle. Maximum and minimum chamber volumes were selected to be similar to those of a normal healthy person while the total heart volume stayed constant during the cardiac cycle. Myocardial mass was conserved during the cardiac cycle and the bases of the ventricles were modeled as moving towards the static apex. The orientation of the 3D MCAT heart was changed during contraction to rotate back and forth around the long axis through the center of the left ventricle (LV) using the end systolic time interval as the time point at which to reverse direction. Simple respiratory motion was also introduced by changing the orientation of the long axis of the heart to represent its variation with respiration.Heart models for 24 such orientations spanning the range of motion during the respiratory cycle were averaged together for each time sample to represent the blurring of the heart during the acquisition of multiple cardiac cycles. Finally, an option to model apical thinning of the myocardium was included. As an illustration of the application of the gMCAT phantom, the gated heart model was evaluated by measuring myocardial wall thickening. A linear relationship was obtained between maximum myocardial counts and myocardial thickness, similar to published results. Similar results were obtained for full width at half maximum (FWHM) measurements. With the presence of apical thinning, an apparent increase in counts in the apical region compared to the other heart walls in the absence of attenuation compensation turns into an apparent decrease in counts with attenuation compensation. The apical decrease was more prominent in end systole (ES) than end diastole (ED) due to the change in the partial volume effect. These observations agree with clinical trends. It is concluded that the gMCAT phantom can be used to study the influence of various physical parameters on radionuclide perfusion imaging.
Monoterpenoid differentiation in relation to the morphology of Pinus discolor and Pinus johannis

Abstract Wood of Pinus discolor and Pinus johannis from 210 trees sampled in 21 localities throughout their range in the United States and Mexico has been analysed for monoterpenes. The trees of Pinus discolor produced mainly the sabinene-related monoterpenes (sabinene, thujene, γ-terpinene, terpinolene and p- cymene ) while the trees of P. johannis produced mainly α-pinene with sabinene-related monoterpenes in secondary or trace amounts. The strong chemical differences between P. discolor and P. johannis were only weakly reflected by morphology. No evidence for natural hybridization between P. cembroides subsp. cembroides and P. johannis could be obtained investgating trees from the common site.
The Secret of MIM: A Novel, MCL-1-Specific Small Molecule

Reactivating apoptosis is a major goal of cancer research, and MCL-1 has emerged as a primary pharmacological target. A screen for small molecules that could compete with stabilized helical peptides for MCL-1 binding yielded small molecule MIM1 (see the article by Cohen et al. in this issue of Chemistry & Biology ). MIM1 selectively targets MCL-1, and can kill MCL-1-dependent leukemia cells.
Bone Tumor Radiology 101 for Pathologists

This review discusses how certain imaging features of bone tumors can give valuable clues as to their histology. The author emphasizes the clinical presentation of the patient, and how close cooperation among the radiologist, pathologist, and orthopedic surgeon are paramount in achieving an accurate diagnosis of bone tumors as well as optimizing their management.
Glucocorticoid therapy for asthma: clinical pharmacology.

We are now well aware that inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. This awareness comes at a time when we question the etiology of increased asthma prevalence and severity, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. I-3 Questions are now being raised regarding techniques of asthma education, patient compliance, access to medical care, restructuring the approach to asthma treatment, and possible harmful effects of each medication. Therefore, each medication must be scrutinized very carefully for efficacy and adverse effects. Glucocorticoids represent a group of extremely potent anti-inflammatory agents and are now highlighted as the treatment of choice for patients with persistent asthma.4 There are several excellent recent reviews available on glucocorticoid therapy for asthma.5-7 This review will focus on the rationale for the renewed interest in glucocorticoid therapy, recent information on glucocorticoid pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including the evolution of inhaled steroids, and an analysis of conditions that should be considered if patients fail to respond to glucocorticoid therapy.
Calcium-stimulated Phosphorylation of MAP-2 in Pancreatic ॆTC3-cells Is Mediated by Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Kinase II

An understanding of the role of CaM kinase II in the pancreatic -cell is dependent on the identification of its cellular targets. One of the best substrates of CaM kinase II in vitro that could function in secretory events is the microtubule-associated protein, MAP-2. By immunoblot analysis, a high molecular weight protein with electrophoretic properties characteristic of MAP-2, was identified in rat insulinoma TC3 cells and isolated rat islets. In immunoprecipitation experiments employing α-toxin-permeabilized TC3 cells, elevation of intracellular Ca2+ or addition of forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, induced significant phosphorylation of MAP-2 in situ. The effect of Ca2+ was rapid, concentration-dependent and closely correlated with activation of CaM kinase II under similar experimental conditions. H-89, a specific and potent inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), prevented forskolin-induced MAP-2 phosphorylation but had little effect on MAP-2 phosphorylation stimulated by elevated Ca2+. Phosphopeptide mapping revealed that the phosphorylation pattern observed in situ upon incubation of the TC3 cells with increased free Ca2+, was strikingly similar to that generated in vitro by CaM kinase II, most notably with regard to the increased phosphate incorporated into one prominent site. These data provide evidence that MAP-2 is phosphorylated by CaM kinase II in the pancreatic -cell in situ, and that this event may provide an important link in the mediation of Ca2+-dependent insulin secretion.
Effects of financial insecurity on social interactions

Abstract Little is known about the effects of financial insecurity on social interactions despite consistently observed income effects on social capital and a growing recognition of the potential importance of income volatility in affecting hardships, distress, and other aspects of well-being. We use data on women participating in a longitudinal study in the U.S. to investigate the effects of financial insecurity measured along two dimensions (safety nets and hardships) on two types of social interactions (participating in community organizations and having close friends). In auxiliary analyses we explore the potential mediating effects of mental health. We find that safety nets in the form of bank accounts, credit cards, and ability to borrow money increase both participation in organizations and friendships, whereas material hardships decrease friendships but increase participation in organizations. We find no evidence that mental health, as we have measured it, mediates the observed effects of financial insecurity on social interactions, although it has strong and negative independent associations with having close friends.
The critical thermal minimum of small rodents in hypothermia.

Abstract The resistance times of eight rodent species were compared (including two species of lemmings) at an ambient temperature of −40 °C. Of these, the collared lemming demonstrated a striking ability to withstand extremely cold environmental temperatures. The ecological and behavioral differences between the collared and brown lemming relative to the development of low temperature tolerance are discussed. Cold acclimation (induced in four of the species) increased the resistance time. The greatest magnitude of increase was found in the collared lemming (51 times). Little difference was found among liver temperatures of the eight species at the time of loss of coordination. The lower body temperature at which coordination is lost is redefined here for mammals as the critical thermal minimum.
Large scale reactor details and results for the formation and decomposition of methane hydrates via thermal stimulation dissociation

Abstract An in-situ heating method to efficiently produce methane gas from hydrates was recently developed. It is a modification of the thermal stimulation method using a down-hole combustion technique, to more efficiently bring necessary heat to the desired location within the reservoir. To test the concept of methane production via in-situ heating and characterize other alternative production methods, a 70 l reactor vessel has been designed, manufactured and assembled to simulate relevant field environments. Tests show that the reactor satisfies the conditions for both methane and carbon dioxide hydrate formation. During the tests hydrate was formed at 2.2 °C and 4.2 MPa using 99.97% pure methane gas and deionized water in unconsolidated porous quartz sand pack. Heating tests at 100 W resulted in a peak production rate of 1.5 standard liters per minute (slpm) of methane gas, resulting in the dissociation of 35% of total hydrate in the system. A thermal energy efficiency of 72% was calculated based on net thermal heat input and the total heating value of the methane produced during a 10 h test period. Based on mass balance and calculations using the Peng–Robinson EOS it was calculated that hydrate saturations of 4.5, 10.2, 21 and 33% were produced prior to heating tests. Phase equilibrium data is presented for mixed gas hydrates formed from a 50:50 mol fraction mixture of CO2:CH4. Measurements and simulations suggest that hydrate began forming at the top section of the reactor initially, and continued to form downwards within the sediment in a non-homogeneous manner.
Journal Rankings: Comparing Reputation, Citation and Acceptance Rates

Research productivity is important in school reputation as well as individual faculty evaluation. In order to evaluate research productivity, the quality of research is often measured by proxy through the number of journal articles and ratings of the journals in which they appear. Because of this there is significant pressure on faculty to publish in the "top journals". There are several metrics for evaluating and ranking journals, each of them with its own merits and limitations. Some commonly used quantitative measures of research quality are citation analyses, acceptance rates, and whether or not a journal is peer reviewed. Alternatively, journals can be ranked qualitatively into stratified groups based on reputation. Reputation, in turn, may be correlated with perceived values of quantitative measures, and thus is more subjective. The purpose of this research is to examine the extent of correlation between various measures of journal quality, in particular between quantitative and qualitative measures. The various measures are compared to examine the extent to which they are similar. Comparisons were also made among business departments. For this sample, overall journal rank was correlated with citation rate but not with acceptance rate. However, quantitative measures were not consistent among academic departments, indicating that journal rank can not be reliably used to make interdepartmental comparisons.
Strictly Stratified Systems

This paper is intended as a contribution to the formal theory of stratification systems. The paper has five sections. In Section 1, a method for analytically inducing an order over a multi-dimensional status is discussed. It is believed that such a technique can aid in the specification of conceptual tasks within stratification theory, as well as serve as a baseline in actual measurements. It is subsequently employed in the axiomatic work of Sections 3 and 4. In Section 2, there is a brief discussion of the axiomatic method as a prelude to the system developed in the following two sections. In Section 3, the axioms are stated. In Section 4, various elementary consequences of the axioms are shown; most importantly, various concepts which are intuitively important in stratification theory are shown to be definable (e.g., a class system with a determinate number of classes). Finally, in Section 5, there is a concluding discussion of the picture of stratification which emerges within this work.
Clearing the confusion about completed weeks of gestation.

It is important that all providers, including physicians and nurses, have a standard definition for completed weeks of gestation. The definition of the late preterm infant (LPT) varies despite being established in 2005 when the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommended that births between 34 completed weeks (34 0/7 weeks or day 239) and fewer than 37 completed weeks (36 6/7 weeks or day 259) gestation be referred to as late preterm (Raju, 2006). However, LPT infants are sometimes defined as infants born between 34 and 36 completed weeks gestation. The definition of completed weeks gestation needs clarification in that 36 weeks gestation is completed at 36 0/7 and not at 36 6/7. The 36th week of gestation is completed when the last day of week 36 (which ranges from 35 0/7– 35 6/7) is completed. In other words, week 36 of gestation begins on the first day 35 0/7 and ends on the last day 35 6/7. Week number 37 begins on the next day 36 0/7 and is completed on the last day of the 37th week, 36 6/7. Using the definition as infants born between 34 and 36 completed weeks for LPT infants is erroneous as it excludes the infants born between 36 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks.
Validation of a Second-Generation Echo PIV System in Patient-Specific Carotid Artery Models: In Vitro Studies Using Pulsatile Flow

Echo Particle Image Velocimetry (Echo PIV), a novel opaque flow velocimetry technique developed in our laboratory, has been shown to be an effective 2-D flow measurement velocimetry method in prior studies for both steady and pulsatile flow conditions [1,2]. However, certain limitations remained in the first-generation system. These include inconsistent spatial resolution caused by the phased array transducer, and the relatively low frame rate (i.e., lower temporal resolution) [2]. To overcome these limitations, we developed a second-generation Echo PIV system with a custom-designed linear array transducer (5–14MHz, center frequency 10MHz) and customized post-processing of backscatter data. In vascular applications, the new system can provide frame rates up to 1428 fps (temporal resolution of 0.7 ms). The transducer has a consistent axial resolution of 150um, which brings a maximal velocity field resolution around 500um in axial direction. An ECG module was also integrated to enable the capture of ensemble data over the cardiac cycle.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Publishing characteristics of chairpersons of physical medicine and rehabilitation departments

Previous studies note that specific factors intrinsic to an academic department of physical medicine and rehabilitation influence the academic productivity of individual faculty members. To determine whether one of these factors is related to the productivity of departmental chairpersons, this issue was studied for the period from 1983 to 1993. The productivity of chairpersons serving 4 or more consecutive years in the same department significantly declined. Moreover, the productivity of long-term chairpersons (greater than 10 years) was significantly below that of the group of high-frequency publishing chairpersons. Departments with long-term chairpersons also had fewer publications than departments with high-frequency publishing chairpersons. The academic productivity of the chairperson is a factor likely to influence the productivity of the department.
Systematic microstructure variability in double-diffusively stable coastal waters of nonuniform density gradient

[1] Conductivity microstructure, water velocity, and stratification were measured during a tow-yo transect near the New England shelf/slope front in early August 1997. Velocity data were collected with an acoustic Doppler profiler on the ship. The other data were collected with a towed platform. Estimates of χ, the rate of dissipation of temperature variance, were computed from the conductivity data with vertical resolution of 0.3 m. Relationships between χ and shear, temperature gradient, buoyancy frequency (N), and gradient Richardson number (Ri) were explored, with special focus on measurements taken in waters stable to double-diffusive processes (to avoid ambiguity of interpretation) and exhibiting variable density gradient (N ranging from 5 to 40 cph). For this subset of data, χ computed from data grouped into classes of local mean temperature gradient (/dz) was proportional to /dz to the 0.7 power, which is consistent with diapycnal thermal eddy diffusivity K being proportional to (/dz)−1.3 within the framework of the Osborn-Cox model that relates χ and the mean temperature gradient to the heat flux. No correlation between K and Ri was observed, with Ri computed at 4 m vertical scale, so that systematic inhomogeneous large-scale forcing is not responsible for a false correlation of K and /dz. Water mass salinity characteristics in the area caused N2 to be proportional to (/dz)4/5, rather than to /dz as in the isohaline case, giving rise to the steep inverse relation K = 10−10N−3.3, with N in radians/s and diffusivity in m2/s. The fit K = 2 × 10−9N−2.5 results if one questionable data ensemble is disregarded. These relations are comparable to results obtained previously from the near-bottom tow data. They are not intended to be universal formulae but are meant to describe the conditions we encountered. They are not expected to hold at high and low values of N outside of our measurement range. An interpretation is that under these conditions the less strongly stratified (lower N) layers in this shelf area are more prone to instability of the larger-scale shear than the intervening interfaces, with the subsequent greater energy dissipation in the layers leading to higher buoyancy flux KN2 in the layers than in the interfaces.
The peroral pneumocolon revisited: a valuable fluoroscopic and CT technique for ileocecal evaluation

The peroral pneumocolon represents a time-honored but somewhat forgotten and underutilized technique for improved ileocecal evaluation at small bowel fluoroscopy. The peroral pneumocolon entails fluoroscopically guided gaseous insufflation per rectum following the arrival of barium at the cecum at conventional small bowel follow-through examination. In most cases, high-quality double contrast evaluation of the terminal ileum can be achieved, often superior to enteroclysis examination for this critical location. The peroral pneumocolon improves diagnostic confidence, including assessment of disease activity, and may result in a reversal of the diagnostic impression. This simple procedure will be discussed and a spectrum of fluoroscopic findings with CT and endoscopic correlation will be provided to demonstrate the added yield of this technique in the evaluation of known or suspected Crohn’s disease. Application of the pneumocolon technique to CT for combined small and large bowel evaluation (“CT coloenterography”) will also be discussed, which represents an attractive new option for investigating inflammatory bowel disease and other bowel-related conditions. Through the use of automated low-pressure carbon dioxide delivery per rectum, supplemented by IV glucagon for relaxation of the ileocecal valve, a CT-based pneumocolon examination may prove to be a useful hybrid technique for bowel evaluation in the future.
The effect of very low birth weight and social risk on neurocognitive abilities at school age

ABSTRACT We tested the hypothesis that very low birth weight (VLBW > 1.5 kg) children would have significantly poorer neurocognitive abilities at school age than would normal birth weight full-term age mates, that differences would persist after control for neurologic impairment and social risk, and that VLBW would interact with social risk. Two hundred forty-nine VLBW children and a randomly selected sample of 363 normal birth weight age mates born 1977 through 1979 were tested at 8 years. A neurologic examination and tests of intelligence, language, speech, reading, mathematics, spelling, visual and fine motor abilities, and behavior were performed. Twenty-four (10%) VLBW had a major neurologic abnormality compared with none of the controls. VLBW had significantly poorer scores on all tests, with the exception of speech and the total behavior score. These differences persisted among VLBW children without major neurologic abnormality, with the exception of social competence, reading, and spelling. Even normal IQ, neurologically normal VLBW had significantly poorer scores than did controls in expressive language, memory, visuomotor, and fine motor function, and measures of hyperactivity. When social risk was controlled in multiple regression analyses, VLBW still had an adverse effect on all outcome measures with the exception of speech. Social risk was, however, the major determinant of outcome. We found an interaction between VLBW and social risk only in verbal IQ and in the opposite direction than hypothesized.
Combined Chemotherapy and Radiation for Locally Advanced Cervical Carcinoma

Summary Phase II/III trials demonstrate improved 3–5-year overall survival of 40%–80%, but these data are difficult to interpret further because these trials include different numbers of patients with varying FIGO stages and treatment protocols, and all but two trials had no randomized control group. Disease progression following chemoradiation is more often systemic than local when compared with RT alone. This implies improved local control but inadequate systemic control, either due to para-aortic disease or to distant microscopic metastases. This suggests a need for further adjuvant treatment but practice is limited by the lack of efficacy of currently available regimens. Late toxicity in early studies is generally greater than those with RT alone [1,58,68]. Subsequent studies modified chemotherapy and RT dose and technique to less toxic regimens [62,69], but it may be questioned whether combination therapy represents a true gain over the optimal use of a single modality [70]. More recent studies maintain that, although acute toxicities are worse, late toxicities are unchanged and acceptable. Three multicentre Phase III trials randomizing between RT alone and chemotherapy/RT have recently closed (Table 5) and two are still active. Data from these studies should be available in the near future.
Trauma system development in a theater of war: Experiences from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Background:Medical lessons learned from Vietnam and previous military conflicts led to the development of civilian trauma systems in the United States. Operation Iraqi Freedom represents the first protracted, large-scale, armed conflict since the advent of civilian trauma systems in which to evaluat
Experimental Study of Multiple Scattering in X-Ray-Absorption Near-Edge Structure

An experimental study of the magnitude of multiple scattering of the photoelectron in the x-ray-absorption near-edge structure is presented. Two types of multiple-scattering events are distinguished: type 1, in which the scattering atoms are approximately collinear with the center atom; and type 2, in which the various scattering atoms are far from collinear. Type 1, which is known to be important in the extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure range, has a similar importance in the x-ray-absorption near-edge structure range, while type 2 is important above the edge only when the bond distances are less than \ensuremath{\sim} 1.6 \AA{}.
Optimization of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) Immunohistochemical Staining: A Comparison of Methods Using Three Commercial Antibodies, Various Fixation Times, and Antigen Retrieval Solution

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to identify the optimal staining for cell proliferation in paraffin embedded sections of rabbit and pig ileum. Methods comparing zinc formalin or 10 % buffered formalin, 3 PCNA antibodies (19A2, PC10, MAB424), fixation time intervals at 4, 8,24, and 48 hr, and antigen retrieval solution were developed. Staining of nuclei in rabbit ileum was optimal after 4–8 hr in zinc formalin with the PC10, 19A2, and MAB424 antibodies, without antigen retrieval. All 3 antibodies produced optimal staining of nuclei in pig ileum fixed in zinc formalin 4–8 hr without antigen retrieval.After 4 hr fixation in 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), nuclei in both pig and rabbit were lightly stained in comparison to those fixed in zinc formalin. Minimal or no staining was seen at 8, 24, and 48 hr fixation in 10% NBF for rabbit ileum. Weak staining was seen at 28 and 48 hr in 10% NBF for pig ileal nuclei.Antigen retrieval methods did enhance nuclear staining with zinc formalin fixation and 10...
Genetic population structure in two tropical sponge-dwelling shrimps that differ in dispersal potential

The spatial context in which “host races” of parasitic animals originate is a central issue in the controversial theory of sympatric speciation. Sponge-dwelling shrimps in the genus Synalpheus provide a good system for evaluating the possibility of resource-associated divergence in sympatry. I used allozyme electrophoresis to assess the genetic population structure of two Caribbean Synalpheus species sampled in 1988 to 1990 at a hierarchy of spatial scales. S. brooksi Coutiere is a host-generalist, using several sponge species in an area, and develops directly, with no planktonic larval stage. G-tests and estimates of F ST revealed highly structured populations in this species, with significant differentiation among samples from individual reefs within a region, and strong divergence among regions (Panama, Belize, Florida). Moreover, samples of S. brooksi taken from the two sponges Spheciospongia vesparium (Lamarck) and Agelas clathrodes (Schmidt) in Panama, and separated by ≤3 km, showed significant differentiation at both of the loci that were polymorphic in these populations. Genetic distances between these host-associated populations averaged >60% greater than distances between samples from the same host species and were comparable to, or greater tha, those for some inter-regional comparisons. These genetic data corroborate a previous finding of demographic differences between the same populations. The second species, S. pectiniger Coutiere, occurs only in Spheciospongia vesparium, and produces swimming larvae. Although allele frequencies in this species differed significantly among the three regions, S. pectiniger showed no differentiation within regions, and significantly lower differentiation (F ST) among regions than its direct-developing congener. These data suggest that genetic population structure in these two commensal crustaceans is related to dispersal potential, and that restricted dispersal may allow the divergence of host-associated populations on a local scale.
Fractionally charged topological point defects on the kagome lattice

We study a two-dimensional system of spin-polarized fermions on the kagome lattice at filling fraction $f=1/3$ interacting through a nearest-neighbor interaction $V$. Above a critical interaction strength ${V}_{c}$ a charge-density wave with a broken ${Z}_{3}$ symmetry is stabilized. Using the unrestricted mean-field approximation, we present several arguments showing that elementary topological point defects in the order parameter bind a fractional charge. Our analysis makes use of two appealing properties of the model: (i) For weak interaction, the low-energy degrees of freedom are described by Dirac fermions coupled to a complex-valued mass field (order parameter). (ii) The nearest-neighbor interaction is geometrically frustrated at filling $f=1/3$. Both properties offer a route to fractionalization and yield a consistent value $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1/2$ for the fractional charge as long as the symmetry between the up and the down triangles of the kagome lattice is preserved. If this symmetry is violated, the value of the bound charge varies continuously with the strength of the symmetry-breaking term in the model. In addition, we have numerically computed the confining potential between two fractionally charged defects. We find that it grows linearly at large distances but can show a minimum at a finite separation for intermediate interactions. This indicates that the polaron state, formed upon doping the charge-density wave, can be viewed as a bound state of two defects.
EVALUATION OF VITAMIN D REPLETION REGIMENS TO CORRECT VITAMIN D STATUS IN ADULTS

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of commonly prescribed regimens for the treatment of vitamin D insufficiency.Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 306 consecutive patien...
A parallel software toolkit for statistical 3-D virus reconstructions from cryo electron microscopy images using computer clusters with multi-core shared-memory nodes

A statistical approach for computing 3-D reconstructions of virus particles from cryo electron microscope images and minimal prior information has been developed which can solve a range of specific problems. The statistical approach causes high computation and storage complexity in the software implementation. A parallel software toolkit is described which allows the construction of software targeted at commodity PC clusters which is modular, reusable, and user-transparent while at the same time delivering nearly linear speedup on practical problems.
The Number of Proved Sons Necessary to Evaluate the Transmitting Ability of a Dairy Sire

Summary A total of 174 Holstein-Friesian sires with eight or more D.H.I.A.-proved sons was studied to determine the least number of proved sons necessary to estimate accurately the performance of those to be proved later. The results showed that the average butterfat production of the sons' daughters increased as more sons were proven, a tendency that also was reflected in greater daughters' fat difference as compared to their dams. This increase probably was due more to environmental than genetic causes. Highly significant correlations ( r = 0.46 to 0.62) indicated that the average butterfat production of the daughters of the first three or four sons was nearly as accurate as data on more sons in estimating the average butterfat production of the daughters of the next five or ten proved sons. Similarly, the significant correlations ( r =0.19 to 0.31) for the sons' daughters' average increase or decrease in butterfat production from their dams indicated that data on the first three or four proved sons were nearly as accurate as data on a larger number in predicting what might be expected from the next five or ten proved sons in this respect. The correlations for per cent sons improving production were lower than those for fat level or fat difference. Figures on the first three or four sons were as accurate as data on a larger number of sons in predicting percentage of improvers in the next five or ten proved sons.
ACQUIRED STAT4 DEFICIENCY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4) is a transcription factor that is activated by IL-12 signaling and promotes Th1-cell differentiation and IFN-γ production. Defective IFN-γ production because of STAT4 mRNA and protein deficiency occurs after autologous stem cell transplantation for lymphoma. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of STAT4 deficiency in lymphoma patients. The tumor-bearing state is not responsible, because STAT4 levels were not significantly different in PBMCs obtained from healthy control subjects compared with those from lymphoma patients before treatment. STAT4 protein levels were significantly decreased in PBMCs and T cells obtained from lymphoma patients after standard-dose chemotherapy. Furthermore, treatment of control PBMC cultures or a natural killer cell line with chemotherapy drugs in vitro also resulted in reduced STAT4 protein and diminished, IL-12–induced IFN-γ production. Translation of STAT4 protein was not impaired in chemotherapy-treated cells, whereas the STAT4 protein half-life was significantly reduced. Chemotherapy drugs promoted the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of STAT4. Treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib reversed chemotherapy-induced STAT4 deficiency and defective IFN-γ production. We conclude that acquired STAT4 deficiency in lymphoma patients is a consequence of treatment with chemotherapy, results that have important implications for the design of optimal immunotherapy for lymphoma.
FLIGHT OF AUKS (ALCIDAE) AND OTHER NORTHERN SEABIRDS COMPARED WITH SOUTHERN PROCELLARIIFORMES: ORNITHODOLITE OBSERVATIONS

Airspeeds in flapping and flap-gliding flight were measured at Foula, Shetland for three species of auks (Alcidae), three gulls (Landae), two skuas (Stercorariidae), the fulmar (Procellariidae), the gannet (Sulidae) and the shag (Phalacrocoracidae). The airspeed distributions were consistent with calculated speeds for minimum power and maximum range, except that observed speeds in the shag were unexpectedly low in relation to the calculated speeds. This is attributed to scale effects that cause the shag to have insufficient muscle power to fly much faster than its minimum power speed. The wing adaptations seen in different species are considered as deviations from a ‘procellariiform standard’, which produce separate effects on flapping and gliding speeds. Procellariiformes and the gannet flap-glide in cruising flight, but birds that swim with their wings do not, because their gliding speeds are too high in relation to their flapping speeds. Other species in the sample also do not flap-glide, but the reason is that their gliding speeds are too low in relation to their flapping speeds.
Marking the start site of RNA polymerase III transcription: the role of constraint, compaction and continuity of the transcribed DNA strand

The effects of breaks in the individual strands of an RNA polymerase III promoter on initiation of transcription have been examined. Single breaks have been introduced at 2 bp intervals in a 24 bp segment that spans the transcriptional start site of the U6 snRNA gene promoter. Their effects on transcription are asymmetrically distributed: transcribed (template) strand breaks downstream of bp –14 (relative to the normal start as +1) systematically shift the start site, evidently by disrupting the normal mechanism that measures distance from DNA-bound TBP. Breaks placed close to the normal start site very strongly inhibit transcription. Breaks in the non-transcribed strand generate only minor effects on transcription. A structure-based model interprets these observations and explains how the transcribed strand is used to locate the transcriptional start site.
Surface information retrieval from optical/microwave data: potentials and limits of synergistic approaches

In retrieving surface parameters from remotely sensed data, especially over vegetated land surfaces, synergistic use of optical and microwave instruments appears to be a more powerful tool than when each considered alone. Although this is especially true in the case of SAR data because of the complexity in the interpretation of the measured signal, the same is also true for optical data when working in highly vegetated areas or when dealing with the retrieval of parameters related to the water content of soil/vegetation systems. In this paper, the authors demonstrate the capabilities of synergistic approaches by using polarimetric AIRSAR and Landsat TM data by means of a combined modeling approach, where the information content of each data type is explicitly separated into the parameters which are intrinsic to only one type of data and those which really provide the combined information potentially retrievable by means of data synergy.
How Students and School Counselors Use College Computer Search Programs Differently.

The ways in which students use a computer college search program on their own are compared with the ways in which school counselors use the same program. Twelve high school juniors completed two computer searches using the Peterson's College Quest Program, one alone and one with a counselor. Three major areas of differences were found. The lists of colleges resulting from the searches differed as a result of the factors selected. The use and understanding of the search process options presented in the computer program differed. Finally, the level of student frustration differed, which affected the decision-making approach. All students expressed more comfort and confidence in the search conducted with the counselor. School counselors need to recognize the potential difficulties that students using the computer college search independently experience in order to best utilize this technological tool.
Visual angle and the word superiority effect

Two experiments are reported in which a word superiority effect is obtained under conditions where a fixed set of alternatives are employed with positional certainty as to the critical letter, trial type (word or nonword) is mixed, and the subject is told to fixate the position of the critical letter. A third experiment employed the same methodology except for the fact that the stimuli subtended a larger retinal angle. No word superiority effect was observed in the third experiment. It is suggested that the visual angle of the stimulus display is a crucial factor in experiments on the word superiority effect.
Aligning Ideologies and Institutions: Reorganization in the HIV/AIDS Services Administration of New York City

How effective was organizational reform implemented inside one critical New York City health agency? Specifically, we examine the extent to which the reorganization of the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) into the Medical Insurance Services Administration (MICSA) achieved three goals: (1) realizing synergies among the component MICSA programs; (2) cross-fertilizing ideas among MICSA agencies; and (3) facilitating HASA operations through the lens of organization change theory. Qualitative methods including interviews, site visits, and document analysis triangulate the effects of the reorganization. Implications for organization change literature are explored, especially highlighting where more theoretical and empirical studies are needed.
Paired Associate Learning: Age Differences

The issue of age related differences in performance during the acqusition phase of a paired associate learning task is discussed within the framework of a precise mathematical tool. A two-stage, four-state Markov model is employed to analyze the data sets from two age groups consisting of 24 subjects each. The relative efficiencies of the acqusition processes of the younger and the older groups of adults are reflected in the different values of parameters. (These values were obtained by optimizing the fit of the model to the two data sets). The two major findings are: (i) the younger adults form associations (even temporary ones more easily) and (ii) these associations tend to decay less quickly, again in the younger adults. The results speak against the general decrement hypothesis, allthough further investigation is needed.
Effects of Coordinated Services for Drug-Abusing Women Who Are Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

This article summarizes outcomes from a demonstration project on collaboration between substance abuse and domestic violence agencies. Researchers recruited women seeking services for substance abuse or intimate partner violence at 1 of 6 participating agencies. Admitted women were both victims of domestic violence and abusing alcohol or drugs. Following an initial screening, participants were interviewed at program entry (n = 255) and again 4 to 6 months later (n = 128, 50%). Key outcomes were the number of days substances were used in the past 30 days, women's perceptions of harm from battering, and domestic violence self-efficacy. Results suggest participants used substances less frequently and experienced themselves as more efficacious following services, but they were also more fearful of the consequences of domestic violence. Repeated-measures MANOVA found that substance abuse days and domestic violence self-efficacy significantly contributed to the multivariate function. Implications for services for women with co-occurring substance abuse and domestic violence victimization are discussed.
Terry Nichols Clark (ed.) 2011: The City as an Entertainment Machine. New York: Lexington Books.Olaf Kaltmeier (ed.) 2011: Selling EthniCity: Urban Cultural Politics in the Americas. Farnham: Ashgate.Heiko Schmid, Wolf‐Dietrich Sahr and John Urry (eds.) 2011: Cities and Fascination: Beyond the Surplus of Meaning. Farnham: Ashgate.

The article reviews the books "The City as an Entertainment Machine," edited by Terry Nichols Clark, "Selling EthniCity: Urban Cultural Politics in the Americas," edited by Olaf Kaltmeier, and "Cities and Fascination: Beyond the Surplus of Meaning," edited by Heiko Schmid, Wolf-Dietrich Sahr and John Urry.
Soil Water Flow at Different Spatial Scales

A major challenge in hydrological sciences is the modeling of flow and transport processes and their measurement across a range of spatial or temporal scales. Such needs arise, for example, when watershed processes must be determined from soil hydrological data collected from a limited number of in situ field measurements or analysis of small soil cores in the laboratory. The scaling problem cannot be solved by simple consideration of the differences in space or timescale, for several reasons. First, spatial and temporal variability in soil hydrological properties create uncertainties when changing between scales. Second, flow and transport processes in vadose zone hydrology are highly nonlinear. As a result, vadose zone properties are nonunique and scale-dependent, resulting in effective properties that vary across spatial scales and merely serve as calibration parameters in hydrologic models. Therefore, their estimation for heterogeneous materials can only be accomplished using scale-appropriate measurements and models. We present examples of soil water flow at the pore, local, and regional scales. The inherent complexity of flow in heterogeneous soils, and the need to integrate theory with experiment, requires innovative and multidisciplinary research efforts to overcome limitations imposed by current understanding of scale-dependent soil water flow and transport processes. Keywords: vadose zone; unsaturated water flow; flow modeling; scaling; calibration
Implementing Public Policy Education: The Role of the School or College

What is the role of the school or college within the larger university setting in implementing policy studies in applied developmental science? The answer to this question largely depends on whether academic critical mass lies within or across college boundaries, and if within, determining whether it cuts across departmental lines. Critical mass refers to the depth of expertise in public policy analysis and program management among the disciplines and fields of developmental science.
Loughry, W. J., and C. M. McDonough. 2013. The Nine-Banded Armadillo: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, 323 pp. ISBN 978-0-8061-4310-1, price (hardbound), $40.00

W. J. Loughry, C. M. McDonough 2013. The Nine-Banded Armadillo: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, 323 pp. ISBN 978-0-8061-4310-1, price (hardbound), $40.00. I got as far as the Preface in this marvelous book when I noticed a not-so-obvious truth. The authors point out that many researchers initiated studies on the nine-banded armadillo only to become discouraged because of difficulty in acquiring data, subsequently changing to another mammal (as I did early in my graduate work). This intriguing animal is so difficult to study that the authors should be applauded for their persistence over 20 years. The result of their steadfastness is the standard reference for this animal for many years. For those not familiar with this armored mammal, …