cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of cancer stem cells in multiple myeloma by hedgehog pathway signaling

3988 Cancer stem cells (CSC) represent the cellular compartment responsible for the initiation, maintenance, and progression of multiple human cancers. CSC retain the capacity to undergo self-renewal as well as produce differentiated cells that form the bulk of the tumor mass. Embryonic signaling pathways, such as Hedgehog (Hh), Wingless (Wnt), and Notch are required for somatic stem cell development. Aberrant re-activation of these pathways has been demonstrated in many human cancers, however their role in regulating CSC phenotypes has not been tested directly. We investigated the role of Hh signaling in the regulation of CSC by examining pathway activation within distinct cellular compartments that constitute the plasma cell malignancy multiple myeloma (MM), in which clonogenic progenitors resemble post-germinal center B cells. In both MM cell lines and clinical bone marrow samples, expression of the Hh signaling pathway components PATCHED (PTCH), SMOOTHENED (SMO), GLI1 as well as GLI-responsive reporter activity were markedly elevated compared to normal B cells and plasma cells. Furthermore, the expression of PTCH, SMO and GLI reporter activity was significantly higher in the CSC compartment compared to MM plasma cells. Treatment of MM CSC from cell lines or clinical specimens with the SMO antagonist cyclopamine inhibited clonal growth and induced phenotypic evidence of plasma cell differentiation. By contrast, treatment of MM CSC with Hh ligand induced marked expansion of this population without inducing plasma cell differentiation. We conclude that aberrant Hh signaling maintains the CSC population of MM. Inhibition of Hh signaling in MM may represent a novel therapeutic strategy that directly targets MM stem cells.
Ultrafast laser-based tools enhance solar cell efficiencies

Opportunities for process equipment incorporating ultrafast laser types within the solar industry are numerous and varied. Historic trends and legacy laser adoption provide some perspective to the challenges facing tool suppliers seeking to enter the marketplace. Understanding the different cell concepts produced is one of the first requirements for tool suppliers, with specific process flows within each production line. Thereafter, it is important to consider the limitations of alternative laser types - especially nanosecond lasers - and what if any cost benefit is available to cell manufacturers when switching to ultrafast laser sources. Opportunities are then enabled by appropriate choice of laser processing conditions and tool supply which yields the greatest return-on-investment to the cell and panel producers.
ECONOMIC THEORY AND AGRARIAN ECONOMICS

This chapter presents economic theory and agrarian economics. Agrarian economics—the economics of an overpopulated agricultural economy and not merely agricultural economics—has had a very unfortunate history. Noncapitalist economies simply presented no interest for Classical economists. Marxists, on the other side, tackled the problem with their characteristic impetuosity, but proceeded from preconceived ideas about the laws of a peasant economy. An overt scorn for quantitative theoretical analysis, however, prevented the Agrarians from constructing a proper theory of their particular object of study, and consequently from making themselves understood outside their own circle. The agrarian economy has to this day remained a reality without a theory. And the topical interest of a sound economic policy in countries with a peasant overpopulation calls for such a theory as at no other time in history. The chapter discusses the basic features that differentiate an overpopulated agricultural economy from an advanced economy.
Multiple Mimetic Forms in an Ant-Mimicking Clubionid Spider

Castianeira rica mimics about five classes of ant models. The multiple mimetic forms result from (i) sexual dimorphism, (ii) color variation in the adult female, and (iii) developmental changes in the preadult instars. A congeneric, sympatric, and nonmimetic species, Castianeira alba, acts as an evolutionary "control" for comparison.
Cyclocreatine phosphate, an analogue of creatine phosphate, does not improve hypoxic tolerance in mice

Dietary cyclocreatine has been reported to increase brain high-energy stores in mice and to prolong the generation and utilization of these stores following decapitation. A possible cerebral protective action after 50 days of dietary cyclocreatine 0.5 and 1.0% was therefore examined in mice. Cyclocreatine 0.5% did not increase survival time during hypoxia (5% O2). Cyclocreatine 1.0% in the absence of hypoxia caused significant mortality and decreased weight in survivors despite prophylactic antibiotic treatment. Dietary cyclocreatine offers no cerebral protection against hypoxia in mice.
Effects of glucagon like peptide-1 to mediate glycemic effects of weight loss surgery

To date, weight loss surgeries are the most effective treatment for obesity and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG), two widely used bariatric procedures for the treatment of obesity, induce diabetes remission independent of weight loss while glucose improvement after adjustable gastric banding (AGB) is proportional to the amount of weight loss. The immediate, weight-loss independent glycemic effect of gastric bypass has been attributed to postprandial hyperinsulinemia and an enhanced incretin effect. The rapid passage of nutrients into the intestine likely accounts for significantly enhanced glucagon like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion, and postprandial hyperinsulinemia after GB is typically attributed to the combined effects of elevated glucose and GLP-1. For this review we focus on the beneficial effects of the three most commonly performed bariatric procedures, RYGB, SG, and AGB, on glucose metabolism and diabetes remission. Central to this discussion will be the extent to which the effects of surgery are mediated by GLP-1. Better understanding of these mechanisms could provide insight to development of novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of diabetes as well as refinement of surgical techniques.
Antifeedant Effects of Citrus Limonoids Differing in A-Ring Structure on Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Larvae

The antifeedant effects of three citrus limonoids (limonin, obacunone, and nomilin) which differ only in the structure of the A-ring were compared in feeding assays with fourth-instar Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemljneata (Say). In contrast to studies with other insects, the results of choice assays showed no differences among the three limonoids in their ability to deter feeding. No-choice assays also indicated no differences among the limonoids and, along with incidental observations, suggested that all three Iimonoids acted as toxins. The changes in the A-ring represented by obacunone and nomilin may be important in enhancing deterrency against some insect species but have no effect in increasing the toxicity of limonoids against Colorado potato beetle larvae.
Experimental studies on the ecological role of antibiotic production in bacteria

Genetically well-characterized strains of antibiotic-producing soil bacteria (Streptomyces griseus andStreptomyces coelicolor) were used to examine the ecological role of antibiotic production. Streptomycetes were competed against sensitive and resistantBacillus subtilis, another soil bacterium, on surface (agar) culture. The ecological role of antibiotics was examined in three levels of competition. (1) Capacity of antibiotics to allow invasion of producing organisms (B. subtilis established and streptomycetes added later). (2) Capacity of antibiotics to mediate competition between established populations (B. subtilis and streptomycetes co-inoculated). (3) Capacity of antibiotics to prevent invasion by competitors (streptomycetes established andB. subtilis added later). Antibiotic production was found to play a significant role in preventing the invasion of competitors in these experiments. Antibiotic production did not improve the ability of producers to invade a population of sensitive cells nor did it play a strong role in mediating competition between established populations. Antibiotic production also selected for antibiotic-resistant bacteria among invading competitors.
Commonalities of Creative Resistance: The Regional Nationalism of Rapiyel Tennakoon’s Bat Language and Sunil Santa’s “Song for the Mother Tongue”

This article highlights commonalities of regional nationalism between the poetry and song of two Hela Havula (The Pure Sinhala Fraternity) members: Rapiyel Tennakoon and Sunil Santha. I reveal how their creative works advocated indigenous empowerment in opposition to Indian cultural hegemony, and against state solicitations for foreign consultation about Sinhala language planning and Sinhalese music development. Tennakoon challenged the negative portrayal of Sri Lankan characters in the Indian epic, the Ramayana, and Santa fashioned a Sri Lankan form of song that could stand autonomous from Indian musical influence. Tennakoon lashed out against the Sinhala-language dictionary office’s hire of German professor Wilhelm Geiger as consultant, and Santa quit Radio Ceylon in 1953 when the station appealed to Professor S.N. Ratanjankar, from North India, for advice on designing a national form of Sri Lankan music. Such dissent betrays an effort to define the nation not in relation to the West, but to explicitly position it in relation to India. A study of Tennekoon’s and Santa’s careers and compositions supplement the many works that focus on how native elite in South Asia fashioned a modern national culture in relation to the West, with an awareness of the regional nationalist, non-elite communities—who also had a stake in defining the nation— that were struggling against inter-South Asian cultural hegemony. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljh.v38i1-2.7211 The Sri Lanka Journal of Humanities XXXVIII (1&2) 2012; 1-24
“Myth plus psychology” in Thomas Mann's “der kleine herr friedemann”

The novella exhibits the rich and manifold complexity of the tightly-woven fabric commonly associated with Mann's literary oeuvre commencing with Buddenbrooks. Mann achieves this primarily by incorporating “myth plus psychology” about 15 years before he did so in “Tod in Venedig.” The young writer uses the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite for Gerda von Rinnlingen, the lame Greek god Hephaestus for the hunchback Friedemann, and Ares for the commandant, Gerda von Rinnlingen's husband (Mann uses this mythological trio again in Buddenbrooks). Mann wrote Otto Grautoff that beginning with “Der kleine Herr Friedemann,” he was able “die diskreten Formen und Masken zu finden, mit denen ich mit meinen Erlebnissen unter die Leute gehen kann.” The prime masks in the novella are provided by Greek mythology which also aids the author in establishing distance between himself and unpredictable sexuality, the main theme of the story and the malady affecting Mann. Although homosexuality is not presented overtly in the novella, it informs the psychological subtext. It is evoked in Friedemann's — and Hephaestus' kindred — infimity which excludes him — and Mann — from a “normal” existence.
Arabidopsis MBP1 gene encodes a conserved ubiquitin recognition component of the 26S proteasome

Abstract Multiubiquitin chain attachment is a key step leading to the selective degradation of abnormal polypeptides and many important regulatory proteins by the eukaryotic 26S proteasome. However, the mechanism by which the 26S complex recognizes this posttranslational modification is unknown. Using synthetic multiubiquitin chains to probe an expression library for interacting proteins, we have isolated an Arabidopsis cDNA, designated MBP1, that encodes a 41-kDa acidic protein exhibiting high affinity for chains, especially those containing four or more ubiquitins. Based on similar physical and immunological properties, multiubiquitin binding affinities, and peptide sequence, MBP1 is homologous to subunit 5a of the human 26S proteasome. Structurally related proteins also exist in yeast, Caenorhabditis, and other plant species. Given their binding properties, association with the 26S proteasome, and widespread distribution, MBP1, S5a, and related proteins likely function as essential ubiquitin recognition components of the 26S proteasome.
Welfare reform's impact on caseload decline in the United States: An application of latent trajectory model

Abstract This paper examines the effect of welfare reform policies on caseload changes during 1992–2005. Using state-level panel data we estimate latent trajectory models to determine if welfare reform has contributed to changes in the trajectories of caseload growth (decline) beyond what would have naturally occurred through the passage of time. Our results show that (a) states vary considerably in both their mean initial level as well as linear trajectories of caseload changes; (b) welfare reform was responsible for the major share of the decline in caseloads; (c) the economy played a minor role in hastening caseload declines; and (d) other income support policies like EITC and minimum wage also had a role to play.
Insulin resistance in adipocytes from fed and fasted obese rats: Dissociation of two insulin actions

Adipocytes from 26-week-old Zucker rats (>600 g) and controls of the same strain and age (>400g) served as models of insulin resistance and obesity. Adipocytes from fatty rats demonstrated insulin resistance of glucose metabolism and resistance to the antilipolytic effect of insulin which was not improved by fasting. Adipocytes from fatty rats were also resistant to the lipolytic action of norepinephrine. Control rats displayed insulin resistance of glucose metabolism and resistance to the antilipolytic effect of insulin. However, fasting for 6.5 days restored the antilipolytic action of insulin without affecting the insulin sensitivity of glucose metabolism. This dissociation of the responsiveness of insulin actions by fasting indicates that there may be at least two mechanisms of insulin resistance in the same cell.
Instantiating “the law” and its dissents in Korematsu v. United States: A dramatistic analysis of judicial discourse

In the case of Korematsu v. United Stales, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that excluding Japanese‐Americans from the East Coast following the Bombing of Pearl Harbor was not unconstitutional. This essay extends Kenneth Burkes brief dramatistic analysis of the case to show that the chief rhetorical work of this and other judicial opinions involves the strategic representation of a plethora of acts‐from the acts that give rise to the case to the judicial act of decision itself. Such representations are complex because they are constrained by the “grammar of motives” both within and between the represented acts.
Structural transition in a filamentous protein

The filamentous bacterial virus Pf1 exhibits two distinct fiber diffraction patterns. The transition between these patterns can best be explained by a fractional change in the number of units per turn in the coat protein helix. The stereochemistry of the transition has been examined for a detailed molecular model, and found to be energetically feasible.
Cell Lineages and Determinants of Cell Fate in Development

The cell lineage phenomenon in ascidian embryos appears to be based in large part on the occurrence of maternally derived egg cytoplasmic determinants. These factors are localized in certain cytoplasmic regions of the zygote and are differentially segregated during early cleavages into specific later tissues and regions of the embryo, where they presumably play some role in establishing the selective developmental fate of larval tissues. Commitment to muscle differentiation is correlated with segregation of a discrete “myoplasmic” region of the zygote; developmental autonomy (self-differentiation) of isolated muscle lineage cells confirms a very early commitment to the restricted fates suggested by the classic cell lineage map. Transfer of myoplasm to other cell lineages by artificial displacement results in some conversion of those cells to muscle expression. Larval muscle acetylcholinesterase, one of the transformation markers used, originates from newly synthesized acetylcholinesterase mRNA at gastrulation; this mRNA first appears only in muscle lineage cells. Indirect evidence suggests that the muscle determinant is a positively acting control factor related to the expression of this and other muscle genes
Respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis undergoing lung transplantation

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease characterised by chronic respiratory infections associated with bronchiectasis. Lung transplantation has helped to extend the lives of patients with cystic fibrosis who have advanced lung disease. However, persistent, recurrent, and newly acquired infections can be problematic. Classic cystic fibrosis-associated organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are generally manageable post-transplantation, and are associated with favourable outcomes. Burkholderia cenocepacia poses particular challenges, although other Burkholderia species are less problematic. Despite concerns about non-tuberculous mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium abscessus, post-transplantation survival has not been definitively shown to be less than average in patients with these infections. Fungal species can be prevalent before and after transplantation and are associated with high morbidity, so should be treated aggressively. Appropriate viral screening and antiviral prophylaxis are necessary to prevent infection with and reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus and their associated complications. Awareness of drug pharmacokinetics and interactions in cystic fibrosis is crucial to prevent toxic effects and subtherapeutic or supratherapeutic drug dosing. With the large range of potential infectious organisms in patients with cystic fibrosis, infection control in hospital and outpatient settings is important. Despite its complexity, lung transplantation in the cystic fibrosis population is safe, with good outcomes if the clinician is aware of all the potential pathogens and remains vigilant by means of surveillance and proactive treatment.
A STUDY OF GRAPHITE SURFACE WITH STM AND ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE CALCULATIONS

Abstract The (0001) surface of graphite has been investigated using the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) over a relatively wide area containing many unit cells. We do not observe trigonal symmetry but rather find one preferred direction which remains unaffected even by extended defect areas. Corrugations over several angstroms are easily discernible. We have performed an extensive set of self-consistent electronic structure calculations for a monolayer and three-layer graphite slabs with the ideal and slipped configurations. Based on the detailed charge-density analysis we find that the large corrugation arises neither from the total charge density, nor from the local density of states around the Fermi surface. Somewhat larger corrugation (but still smaller than the one observed) and the absence of trigonal symmetry can be explained by an atomic configuration, in which the top layer of graphite is slipped relative to sub-surface layers. Our results point to the fact that the huge corrugation observed may have several origins, one possibility being the elastic deformations induced by the tip.
The impact of flash floods on microbial distribution and biogeochemistry in the parafluvial zone of a desert stream

Summary 1. The impact of flash flooding on microbial distribution and biogeochemistry was investigated in the parafluvial zone (the part of the active channel lateral to the surface stream) of Sycamore Creek, a Sonoran Desert stream in central Arizona. 2. It was hypothesized that subsurface bacteria were dependent on the import of algal-derived organic matter from the surface stream, and it was therefore predicted that microbial numbers and rates of microbially mediated processes would be highest at locations of surface to subsurface hydrologic exchange and at times when algal biomass was high. 3. Prior to a flash flood on 19 July 1994, chlorophyll a was high (≈ 400 mg m–2) in the surface stream and microbial numbers were highest at the stream–parafluvial interface and declined along parafluvial flowpaths, supporting the hypothesized algal–bacterial linkage. Immediately following the flash flood, chlorophyll a was low (≈ 7 mg m–2), and microbial numbers were reduced at the stream–parafluvial interface. 4. Counter to expectations, parafluvial functioning (in terms of nitrate production and dissolved oxygen decline along flowpaths) re-established immediately after the flood receded. Therefore, material other than algal exudates supported parafluvial metabolism immediately postflood, and terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter is the likely source. 5. Algae in the surface stream recovered quickly following flooding, but recovery of parafluvial bacteria lagged somewhat behind. These results highlight the importance of surface–subsurface interaction to stream ecosystem functioning and show that the nature of these interactions changes substantially in successional time.
Early Protein Undernutrition and Subsequent Realimentation in Turkeys. 1. Effect of Performance and Body Composition

Male and female Large White Nicholas turkeys were fed corn and soybean meal diets for 24 and 20 wk, respectively. Control and low protein (75% of control in protein and 66% of control in lysine and methionine) diets were fed during 0 to 6 wk of age. Thereafter, both groups received the control diet. Body composition of turkeys was determined at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 (males), and at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 (females) wk of age. Compared with controls, undernourished turkeys had depressed body weight gain, lower feed intake, poorer feed efficiency, reduced carcass protein, increased carcass fat, and better efficiency of protein retention at 6 wk of age. During realimentation (after 6 wk of age), undernourished turkeys increased average daily feed consumption to that of controls and showed increased weight gains. By 24 and 20 wk of age, weights of undernourished male and female turkeys were no longer different from the weights of their respective controls. Feed efficiency of undernourished turkeys was better than that of controls during realimentation. Differences in body composition of undernourished and control turkeys were no longer evident after realimentation.
TOF Sensor Network for AAL Monitoring Services

Abstract The main goal of Ambient Assisted Living solutions is to provide assistive technologies and services in smart environments allowing to elderly people to have high quality of life. Since Time-Of-Flight vision technologies are increasingly investigated as monitoring solution able to outperform traditional approaches, in this work a monitoring framework based on a Time-Of-Flight sensor network has been investigated with the aim to provide a wide-range solution suitable in several assisted living scenarios. Detector nodes are managed by a low-power embedded PC to process Time-Of-Flight streams and extract features related with person's activities. The feature level of detail is tuned in an application-driven manner in order to optimize both bandwidth and computational resources. The event detection capabilities were validated by using data collected in real-home environments.
PREDICTING CHEMICAL SHIFTS IN PROTEINS : STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF VALINE RESIDUES BY USING AB INITIO AND EMPIRICAL GEOMETRY OPTIMIZATIONS

We have investigated the carbon-13 solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of Cα, Cβ, and Cγ carbons of 19 valine residues in a vertebrate calmodulin, a nuclease from Staphylococcus aureus, and a ubiquitin. Using empirical chemical shift surfaces to predict Cα, Cβ shifts from known, X-ray φ,ψ values, we find moderate accord between prediction and experiment. Ab initio calculations with coupled Hartree−Fock (HF) methods and X-ray structures yield poor agreement with experiment. There is an improvement in the ab initio results when the side chain χ1 torsion angles are adjusted to their lowest energy conformers, using either ab initio quantum chemical or empirical methods, and a further small improvement when the effects of peptide-backbone charge fields are introduced. However, although the theoretical and experimental results are highly correlated (R2 ∼ 0.90), the observed slopes of ∼−0.6−0.8 are less than the ideal value of −1, even when large uniform basis sets are used. Use of density ...
Glucocorticoid Receptor Activation Signals through Forkhead Transcription Factor 3a in Breast Cancer Cells

Activation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) plays a critical role in the stress response of virtually all cell types. Despite recent advances in large-scale genomic and proteomic data acquisition, identification of physiologically relevant molecular events downstream of nuclear hormone receptor activation remains challenging. By analyzing gene expression changes 30 min after dexamethasone (Dex) treatment, we previously found that immediate induction of serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase-1 (SGK-1) expression is required for GR-mediated mammary epithelial cell survival signaling. We now report that activation of the GR mediates Forkhead transcription factor 3a (FOXO3a) phosphorylation and inactivation in mammary epithelial cells. GR-mediated induction of SGK-1 expression is required for FOXO3a inactivation; additional growth factor stimulation is not required. To further explore the gene expression changes that occur downstream of GR-mediated FOXO3a inactivation, we analyzed temporal gene expression data and selected GR-down-regulated genes containing core FOXO3a binding motifs in their proximal promoters. This approach revealed several previously unrecognized transcriptional target genes of FOXO3a, including IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). Endogenous IGFBP-3 expression was confirmed to be dependent on the GR-SGK-1-FOXO3a signaling pathway. Moreover, GR activation decreased FOXO3a-induced apoptosis in SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells. Collectively, our data suggest that GR-mediated FOXO3a inactivation is an important mechanism contributing to glucocorticoid-mediated mammary epithelial cell survival.
The compass within

Head direction cells have been hypothesized to form representations of an animal's spatial orientation through internal network interactions. New data from mice show the predicted signatures of these internal dynamics.
Measurement of Pectoralis Minor Muscle Length: Validation and Clinical Application

Study Design Clinical measurement validity study. Objectives To validate the measurement of the pectoralis minor muscle length using palpable landmarks and to explore the accuracy of the measurement using a clinical instrument. Background The pectoralis minor is believed to adaptively shorten. Individuals with a relatively short pectoralis minor demonstrate scapular kinematic alterations that have been associated with shoulder impingement. Methods and Measures A 3 dimensional electromagnetic motion capture system was used to calculate the length of the pectoralis minor in 11 cadavers, using 2 measurement techniques. In addition, a measurement with the electromagnetic system using palpable landmarks was compared to a measurement with both a caliper and tape measure in vivo. Results In cadavers, a measurement using palpable landmarks was determined to be a valid measure of the actual muscle length visualized and measured following dissection. There was a high intraclass correlation coefficient and a small r...
Progress in GaN-based materials and optical devices

Recent advances in the epitaxial growth of GaN and its alloys with Al and In have led to major improvements in the performance of short-wavelength visible and UV diode lasers and solar-blind detectors for UV wavelengths. A decrease in defect densities to less than 106 cm-2 by an epitaxial lateral overgrowth technique has enabled the fabrication of 405-nm InGaN lasers emitting 30 mW continuously with 15000-h lifetimes. Laser wavelength coverage has been extended to 366 nm in the UV. Initial results in the development of quantum dot lasers have been reported and active mode locking of 409-nm lasers has yielded 30-ps-long pulses, of interest for frequency upconversion. AlGaN photodiodes with a band-edge wavelength of 285 nm, appropriate for solar-blind detection, have been fabricated and low dark-current densites (10 nA/cm2 at -5-V bias) have ben reported. Gains of 10 when operated in the linear mode and gains of ~106 in Geiger-mode operation have been obtained in GaN avalanche photodiodes.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Logical Analysis of Some Value Concepts

The purpose of this paper is to provide a partial logical analysis of a few concepts that may be classified as value concepts or as concepts that are closely related to value concepts. Among the concepts that will be considered are striving for, doing, believing, knowing, desiring, ability to do, obligation to do, and value for. Familiarity will be assumed with the concepts of logical necessity, logical possibility, and strict implication as formalized in standard systems of modal logic (such as S4), and with the concepts of obligation and permission as formalized in systems of deontic logic. It will also be assumed that quantifiers over propositions have been included in extensions of these systems.
Using Paleosols to Elucidate Episodic Sedimentation in Alluvial Rocks: ABSTRACT

Ancient alluvial deposits are believed to be incomplete because flood-plains undergo relatively infrequent episodes of sedimentation for which the cumulation of time is geologically limited. However, many alluvial sequences contain superposed paleosols that preserve not only the record of deposition but also the geologically lengthier record of nondeposition and nonerosion. The only time that is not represented in an alluvial sequence with paleosols is that time represented by sediments and paleosols that have been eroded. Erosion can reflect channel migration, which produces coarse sediment filled scours and is a process common to both degrading and aggrading fluvial systems. In contrast, deep and laterally extensive scours, filled dominantly by fine sediments, are evide ce for lengthy periods of degradation. This second type of scour, whose recognition End_Page 275------------------------------ is enhanced by color differences between paleosols developed on the scoured and scour-fill deposits, is a valuable indicator of climatically and/or tectonically controlled base level changes in continental basins. Because paleosols preserve the record of nondeposition and nonerosion and are useful in identifying periods of degradation, their analysis is essential to reconstructing the complete geologic history of alluvial sediments. End_of_Article - Last_Page 276------------
A Cellular Model for Studying Accommodation to Environmental Stressors: Protection and Potentiation by Cadmium and Other Metals

Abstract Exposure of P. polycephalum to a subthreshold challenge of Cd 2+ , which did not delay mitosis, elicited a protective response against a mitotic delay resulting from subsequent exposure to a suprathreshold challenge of Cd 2+ . Some characteristics of this protective response are herein identified. The concentration of Cd 2+ in the subthreshold challenge could be lowered to 10 −5 m and maintain complete protection against a suprathreshold challenge of 5 × 10 −4 m Cd 2+ . A subthreshold challenge of 10 −4 m provided full protection against a Cd 2+ concentration of 7 × 10 −4 m. A subthreshold challenge of 10 −4 m Cd 2+ could be placed anywhere in the cell cycle approaching but not abutting a suprathreshold challenge of 5 × 10 −4 m Cd 2+ in late G 2 and still provide complete protection with the exception of one point in early S. At that point, 10 −4 m Cd 2+ by itself was toxic to the cell; partial protection, however, developed. Other responses developed when metals were substituted for cadmium. Cd 2+ protected against exposure to Hg 2+ and Ni 2+ but potentiated exposures to Co 2+ , Cu 2+ , Pb 2+ , or Zn 2+ . A curious observ ation is that exposure to Hg 2+ and Ni 2+ protected against exposure to Cd 2+ , while exposure to Co 2+ , Pb 2+ , or Zn 2+ potentiated exposure to Cd 2+ . Hg 2+ and Ni 2+ protected against reexposure to themselves.
The outpouring of development: place, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit in Zion Ministries

This article explores a Pentecostal vision of economic development in Central America and considers how it becomes ‘really real’ for adherents, in part, through a sense of place. These Christians maintain that economic progress can only occur through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit, whose role in development becomes apparent to them as they encounter a correspondence between three elements at three different churches: the church's level of prosperity; the intensity of the Holy Spirit; and the level of development associated with the broader locality. The article first describes this development project and explores the town of Copan Ruinas, Honduras – considered the least developed of the three places – and then provides an ethnographic account of all three churches, moving ‘up’ from Copan Ruinas through San Pedro Sula (the wealthiest city in Honduras) and ending in Guatemala City. To track the differences between these churches, the article attends to the variations in texture between them.
The Optimization of Convergence for Chebyshev Polynomial Methods in an Unbounded Domain

Grosch and Orszag (1977) have performed a numerical analysis of the problem of solving differential equations in a semiinfinite or infinite domain using Chebyshev polynomials. The principal limitation of the conducted study was that it was entirely empirical. Various differential equations were solved in different ways and the numbers were compared. The present investigation has the objective to extend the studies conducted by Grosch and Orszag by deriving asymptotic approximations to the Chebyshev coefficients of simple model functions. This approach makes it possible to conduct more systematic comparisons of different methods, extend the range of comparisons, and, perhaps most important, give simple analytic formulas for choosing the optimum domain size or mapping parameter L for various situations.
Advocacy: Bringing Science to Policy and Practice

. During the 1997 Congress on Gerontology the issue of advocacy was prominently raised in numerous sessions. The delegates affirmed the Declaration of Adelaide, an important statement which called attention to the policy implications of scientific findings. The Declaration set research, practice and education agendas and urged increased resources for gerontological research and programs affecting the well-being of older persons and their families. The wisdom of “linking what we know and can do with what we hope for and desire,” as the theologian Jurgen Moltman has written, requires a systematic effort on the part of gerontologists to influence public policy, standards and professional practice. In short, gerontologists must become advocates. To be effective advocates they must raise awareness of critical issues, form coalitions with those who share the goal of a better world, and exchange information and best practices if the elders of society today - and those who will be the elders of tomorrow - are to benefit from science translated into sound policies and effective practices. Gerontologists must take their scientific findings - and questions - to the forums where policies are discussed and standards and practices developed.
Calcium deposits and new bone formation in muscle in rabbits

Summary 1. A total of 365 muscles in rabbits were injected with solutions of various volumes and concentrations of inorganic and organic chemical substances. Extracts of skeletal and various non-skeletal tissues made with the same solutions were similarly injected in 106 muscles. Contrary to expectation, nonspecific injury and inflammation did not produce ectopic bone formation. 2. Alcohol produced a homogeneous spherical area of destruction in the center of the belly while calcium chloride produced patches and streaks of hemorrhagic tissue throughout the entire length of the muscle. 3. Between 4 and 12 weeks after the injection, 40 per cent alcohol and acid-alcohol produced cartilage or bone in 9 and 31 per cent respectively; however, in all except one instance the new bone was found in the walls of calcified blood vessels on the periphery of the area of damaged muscle. Cartilage without bone was found in small masses between the muscle fibers. Only one muscle showed a discrete ossicle produced by endochondral new bone formation. More commonly, there were scattered deposits of calcium salt in the cytoplasm of hyalinized muscle cells and necrotic debris. 4. Injections of calcium chloride characteristically produced calcified plaques of amorphous material in: (a) elastic fibers in the walls of small arteries and veins; (b) an organic coagulum, possibly mucoprotein, between atrophied muscle cells; and (c) bundles of calcified collagen fibers or needles of hyalinized connective tissue. There was no new bone or cartilage. 5. Although areas of osteogenesis were frequently seen in close relationship to areas of pathologic calcification, the two were also found to develop independent of each other. 6. Intramuscular injections of various extracts of cartilage and bone were less effective than the extracting solution alone for induction of ectopic osteogenesis. 7. Factors other than mechanical injury and necrosis of tissue are required to produce an induction system for new bone formation in muscle. Although the nature of the inductor is unknown, the experimental evidence is against the idea that it is a diffusible substance and in favor of the view that it may be transmissible and related to the interaction of dividing young connective tissue cells and surfaces of various calcified and noncalcified living, degenerating or dead tissues.
Comparative Anatomy and Evolution of the Cardiac Innervation in New World Monkeys (Platyrrhini, E. Geoffroy, 1812)

The morphology of the autonomic cardiac nervous system (ACNS) was examined in 24 sides of 12 New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) of all four families to document the morphology systematically and to study the evolutionary changes of the ACNS in this primate lineage. We report the following: (1) Although several trivial intra- and inter-specific variations are present, a family-dependent morphology of the ACNS does not exist in New World monkeys. (2) The sympathetic ganglia in New World monkeys consist of the superior cervical, the middle cervical, and the cervicothoracic which is composed of the inferior cervical and first and second thoracic, and the thoracic ganglia starting with the third thoracic. The general cardiac nervous system is the sympathetic middle and inferior cardiac nerves and all parasympathetic vagal cardiac branches. (3) The morphology of the ACNS in the New World monkeys is almost consistent regardless of the number of vertebrae, the cardiac position and deviation (axis), and the great arterial branching pattern of the aortic arch, and it is very similar to that in the Old World monkeys, with only one difference: the superior cervical ganglion in the New World monkeys tends to be relatively smaller, higher, and provides a narrower contribution to the spinal nerves than in the Old World monkeys. The ACNS morphology exhibits significant evolutionary changes within the primate lineage from New and Old World monkeys to humans. The comparative morphology within the lineage is concordant with the phylogeny, suggesting that the primate ACNS preserves its evolutionary history in close alignment with phylogeny.
Vernier acuity through night vision goggles.

Abstract : Night vision goggles (NVG) are being used increasingly in military and civilian environments. Despite the use of these devices, relatively few tests exist to assess visual performance through NVGs. Hyperacuity tasks may provide a sensitive index of performance through night vision devices. In this study, grating vernier acuity was measured through NVGs. As reported previously, a power law relation was observed between vernier acuity and stimulus contrast. Comparison of vernier acuity with and without NVGs indicated that performance is limited by the contrast transfer of the device. Vernier acuity measurements can be used to assess the quality of vision and quantity of contrast transferred through night vision devices. Night vision goggles, Image intensifiers, Vernier acuity, Contrast sensitivity.
Induction of hepatic mixed-function oxidase enzymes in adult and neonatal mice by kepone and mirex

Abstract The effects of 1, 10, and 50 ppm dietary kepone on hepatic mixed-function oxidases of adult male mice were measured. After 14 days dose-dependent increases in liver weight, hepatic microsomal protein, cytochrome P-450, Type I and Type II ligand binding to cytochrome P-450 and O - and N -demethylation of p -nitroanisole and aminopyrine were observed. Induction was approximately two-fold for all parameters measured at the 50-ppm level. The results obtained suggest that kepone is a nonspecific inducer, the no-effect level for induction based on O -demethylase activity in mice being less than 10 ppm. Body weight gain decreased in mice treated with 50 ppm kepone for 14 days. The effects of kepone and mirex fed to the mother after parturition on hepatic tissue of male and female neonatal mice were also measured. It is suggested that the increases observed in O - and N -demethylation of p -nitroanisole and aminopyrine in hepatic tissue from neonates result from the transfer of kepone and mirex through the milk. Induction in neonates was greater than that observed in adult male mice treated with kepone.
The Influence of Task Difficulty and Participant Age on Balance Control in ASD

Impairments in sensorimotor integration are reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Poor control of balance in challenging balance tasks is one suggested manifestation of these impairments, and is potentially related to ASD symptom severity. Reported balance and symptom severity relationships disregard age as a potential covariate, however, despite its involvement in balance development. We tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers, and investigated relationships between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity metrics for participants with ASD, including age as a covariate. Balance deficits in ASD were exacerbated by stance alterations, but were not related to symptom severity when age was considered. These findings support impaired balance in ASD, especially in challenging conditions, but question a link between balance and symptom severity.
A Method for Determining Mortality Rates Using the Leslie Matrix

Abstract The Leslie matrix algorithm has been utilized to estimate mortality of a year class assuming an equilibrium population for a species. Under this assumption an estimate of the mortality for the 0th year class of the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus thynnus) has been made indicating about five survivors from 10 million eggs in the first year of life. The mortality rates for later year classes were derived from empirical data.
“Let's Get on Speaking Terms with Our Neighbors”

Author's Summary— Respect for traditional methods of language instruction, misinterpretation of democratic education, and “Frontier Psychology” have led us into the compromise of the “Reading Knowledge” objective. If teachers of foreign languages wish to make their contribution to international amity they must emphasize first of all the spoken language. We must be on speaking terms with our neighbors.
An analysis of the performance of an anaerobic dual anode-chambered microbial fuel cell

Abstract The performance of a dual anode-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) inoculated with Shewanella oneidesis MR-1 was evaluated. This reactor was constructed by incorporating two anode chambers flanking a shared air cathode chamber in an electrically parallel, geometrically stacked arrangement. The device was shown to have the same maximum power density (approximately 24 W m −3 , normalized by the anode volume) as a single anode-, single cathode-chambered MFC. The dual anode-chambered unit generated a maximum current of 3.66 mA (at 50 Ω), twice the value of 1.69 mA (at 100 Ω) for the single anode-chambered device at approximately the same volumetric current density. Increasing the Pt-coated cathode surface area by 100% (12 to 24 cm 2 ) had no significant effect on the power generation of the dual anode-chambered MFC, indicating that the performance of the device was limited by the anode. The medium recirculation rate and substrate concentration in the anode were varied to determine their effect on the anode-limited power density. At the highest recirculation rate, 5 ml min −1 , the power density was about 25% higher than at the lowest recirculation rate, 1 ml min −1 . The dependence of the power density on the lactate concentration showed saturation kinetics with a half-saturation constant K s on the order of 4.4 mM.
Factors influencing the long-term success of periurethral collagen therapy in the office.

Glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen has been used for periurethral bulking for the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence since 1989 with variable success. A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the factors involved in the long-term success of glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen used for periurethral bulking in the office. Patients were followed objectively with stress testing after receiving periurethral collagen injection in the office under local anesthesia. Repeat injections were done as necessary during their follow-up appointments. The “success” group was defined as those women who demonstrated negative stress tests for over 1 year following their first injection. Nineteen of 184 women (10.3%) demonstrated negative stress tests for over 1 year following only one initial injection of glutaraldehyde crosslinked collagen. Their success lasted a mean of 829 days up to the time of follow-up. Prior anti-incontinence surgery was the one factor analyzed that showed a trend toward this long lasting success. No other factors were predictive of negative stress tests for over 1 year. Prior anti-incontinence surgery seems to represent a factor involved in the long-term success of periurethral bulking in the office with glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen for the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence.
A journey through the DQDB network literature

Abstract The Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB) network has been adopted as the subnetwork for the IEEE 802.6 metropolitan area network (MAN) standard. Since its original proposition a few years back, DQDB has attracted significant attention because of the simplicity of its medium access control (MAC) protocol. The intense scrutiny that DQDB has been subjected to has lead to the identification of a number of its potential problems, and a number of “add-on” strategies have been proposed to “fix” such problems. Moreover, a number of architectural variations have also been proposed to improve the network behavior. Since there has been a literature explosion on DQDB over the past few years, this article is intended to extract the significant features of various DQDB-based investigations, and to present them in an unified manner.