cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of thermal history on crystal nucleation in silicate melt: Numerical simulations

[1] We have used a numerical treatment to investigate time-dependent phenomena associated with transient crystal nucleation in a model silicate melt. Our approach is the first to explicitly account for both thermodynamic (surface and bulk free energies) and kinetic (equilibrium and nonequilibrium transport) driving forces in molten silicates. The degree of undercooling, transient nucleation behavior, and structural relaxation effects are included in our model. Our model can simulate a variety of natural processes, ranging from the rapid cooling of fragmenting melt during a volcanic eruption to the slow devitrification of a chilled lava flow. To illustrate the utility and generality of our approach, we present numerical solutions for T–t paths that mimic the conditions of experimental studies on the one-component lithium disilicate system [Davis et al., 1997]. Our numerical simulations suggest that the formation of a finite number of crystalline clusters occurs on quench of starting materials. Nucleation is enhanced initially by preexisting nuclei when quenched glasses are subjected to a nucleation treatment. The simulations further suggest that the effect of preexisting nuclei, cooling rate, and nonequilibrium viscosity becomes negligible for longer nucleation treatments (>1000 min). We also provide simulation results for the geologically relevant physical model of the devitrification of a lava flow following burial by a new flow, including the calculation of the crystal size distribution (CSD). This example exhibits several interesting features, indicating multiple nucleation events, negative nucleation rates, and widely disparate final CSDs depending on the position within the flow.
Religious Coping: The Role of Religion in Attenuating the Effect of Sexual Victimization of College Women on Trust

Recent reports concerning violence against women estimate that over 3 % of female college students are sexually assaulted each year. If other forms of non-consensual sexual contact are included in these numbers, the estimates climb to upwards of 20 %. With such high victimization rates, there is a resounding call for study of both offenders and victims in an effort to decrease these rates and to mitigate the social effects of being victimized. The present research focuses specifically on the latter, using a victimology-based approach. Using data from a longitudinal study of female college students, this paper outlines the effects of victimization on the generalized trust held by the victims. It is proposed that religion may serve as a means to attenuate these negative effects. Using ordered logistic regressions, religious service attendance is tested as a potential medium for the proposed attenuation.
Transcending the Coloniality of Development Moving Beyond Human/Nature Hierarchies

At this particular historical conjuncture, human-made crises—from ecological disasters such as the BP oil spill or the Fukushima nuclear accident, to food shortages and national economic calamities...
Radiochlorine as a tracer in fat deposition

Radiochlorine38 was evaluated and found to be suitable for use as a tracer in studying the deposition of fat in porcinepanniculus adiposus tissue. Its short half-life makes its preparation from natural chlorine simple and inexpensive, and also minimizes long-term contamination problems, and its energetic beta and gamma rays makes its radio-assay simple and rapid. For swine, the threshhold level for a statistical counting accuracy of 1% was found to be approx 8 × 10−2 mc/lb of live wt. The time required for the digestion, absorption, transport and deposition of statistically sufficient detectable radioactive material was 3 1/2 hr. The incorporation of radiochlorine38 into lipid molecules does not appear to alter their normal metabolic pathways.
The effects of chemical concentration on liquid waste evaporation from the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs) system

Abstract In this paper, a mathematical model for the evaporation of water from low level liquid radioactive waste (LLLRW) has been developed. This model includes bubble chain formation, heat and mass transfer inside the bubble chain, and the effects of chemical concentration on the evaporation rate. This model has been used to predict the rate of evaporation in storage tanks at the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs) system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The predicted results are in good agreement with the five-month, in-field measurement results. The model has also been used to predict the evaporation performance for the MVSTs system for the next five years. Based on the results of this analysis, some recommendations are provided to improve air sparging of the MVSTs system.
Dissociation of RNA synthesis from the calcium requirement for serum-increased ornithine decarboxylase activity in rat glioma cells.

Abstract When C6-2B rat glioma cells were stimulated with calf serum in the presence of calcium, ornithine decarboxylase activity increased maximally in 6–8 h after an initial 2–3 h lag period wherein RNA synthesis occured. The increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity in serum-stimulated C6-2B cells was prevented by the calcium chelator EGTA, but EGTA had no effect upon RNA synthesis as judged by [ 3 H]uridine incorporation into RNA. In addition, the calcium requirement for increased ornithine decarboxylase activity was temporally distal to the lag period. EGTA appeared to inhibit the synthesis of ornithine decarboxylase, because the half-life values of ornithine decarboxylase activity were similar (37–47 min) in the presence of EGTA or protein synthesis inhibitors such as cycloheximide or emetine. Also, calcium readdition rapidly reversed EGTA inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity by a mechanism which could be blocked by cycloheximide.
The antitachycardia pacing ICD: impact on patient selection and outcome.

UNLABELLED Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) currently undergoing clinical investigation incorporate antitachycardia pacing capabilities, but little is known about their effect on patient selection and outcome. The Bilitch registry database was reviewed to compare the 1,553 patients who initially received standard devices with the 242 patients initially implanted with antitachycardia pacing ICDs (ANT). Baseline characteristics including mean age, ejection fraction, sex, type of cardiac disease, and percent presenting with sudden cardiac death were reviewed. Cumulative first shock occurrence and survival from arrhythmic and all cause mortality were calculated for the two groups. RESULTS Patient characteristics were similar in the two groups except that the ANT population had a greater male predominance and initially presented with a lower sudden cardiac death incidence (P < 0.05). Cumulative occurrence of first shock was significantly lower in the ANT group up to 24 months of follow-up (28% vs 36%, P < 0.05). ANT group survival from arrhythmic death (99% vs 96%) and all cause mortality (89% vs 94%) was significantly higher at 24 months of follow-up (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The addition of antitachycardia pacing to ICD therapy appears to significantly limit the occurrence of first ICD shock without adversely affecting mortality in a patient population similar to those implanted with standard ICDs.
A bipolar ±40 mV self-starting boost converter with transformer reuse for thermoelectric energy harvesting

This paper presents a converter for boosting the low-voltage output of thermoelectric energy harvesters to power standard CMOS circuits. The converter can start up from a fully de-energized state off a bipolar ±40 mV input and can harvest net positive energy from voltages as low as ±30 mV in steady state. A single transformer is multiplexed between an oscillator that is used during startup and a flyback converter that is used during steady-state operation. During steady-state operation, the converter is automatically shut off if the input power is found to be too low. Simulation results on the converter designed in a 0.35 µm CMOS process demonstrate a peak steady-state conversion efficiency of 68% at an output voltage of 5.5 V and input voltage range between 30 mV and 500 mV in magnitude.
Comparison of cell culture systems for duck hepatitis B virus using SyBr green quantitative PCR.

Abstract The Hepadnaviridae family contains DNA viruses such as human hepatitis B virus (HBV), woodchuck hepatitis B virus (WHV), and duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV). DHBV is distributed in both wild and domestic ducks. HBV is a worldwide health problem with carriers at risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. All medical staff and scientists working with HBV must be vaccinated, because of its highly contagious nature. DHBV is a safe surrogate for HBV because of their similarities. Several cell culture systems have been developed to study anti-DHBV drugs and disinfectants. However, differences in their capabilities to support DHBV propagation have not been reported. Therefore, a sensitive and reproducible quantitative PCR based on SyBr green dye was developed. This system does not need electrophoresis for analysis of PCR products, thus reducing processing time and potential for cross-contamination. It allowed precise quantification of DHBV over 8-logarithm dynamic range with a good correlation ( R 2 =0.9689) and showed minimal run-to-run deviation. Sensitivity was 820 copies of DHBV genome and specificity was confirmed by melting curve analysis. It demonstrated good repeatability in quantification of DHBV loads from serum of infected ducks. This assay compared DHBV yields from different cultured cells. All cells had similar kinetic curves for DHBV replication and replication peaks appeared 4 days post-infection. Duck embryonic hepatocytes showed the highest ( P >0.05) replication peak for DHBV. Therefore, duck embryonic hepatocytes and quantitative PCR based on SyBr green dye are a good choice for anti-DHBV drug and disinfectant testing.
Interaction of aircraft and explosive eruption clouds - A volcanologist's perspective

Eruption clouds contain a variety of solid, liquid, and gaseous materials. Silicate glass particles with melting temperatures of 800-1200°C are often the dominant solid material, and can cause significant problems in turbine aircraft engines. Plinian eruptions propel silicate glasses to altitudes of up to 60 km, and are then dispersed over large areas by prevailing winds. The basic characteristics of these clouds are described, and suggestions about how to avoid aircraft mishaps are listed.
Lupus autoantibodies interact directly with distinct glomerular and vascular cell surface antigens

We have identified monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies derived from lupus prone MRL-lpr/lpr mice that produce glomerular immune deposits and nephritis after passive transfer to normal mice. Particularly noteworthy is that the location of immune deposition varied among nephritogenic Ig, and this was associated with distinctive histologies and clinical disease profiles. Although their autoantigen binding properties differed, they were highly cross-reactive, in a manner similar to Ig deposited in glomeruli of lupus mice. This antigen binding profile was also typical of other previously described nephritogenic autoantibodies that bound directly to glomerular antigens to initiate immune deposit formation. In this study, we questioned whether ligation of different glomerular antigens by individual autoantibodies could contribute to the observed differences in the location of immune deposits. To examine this possibility, monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies (IgG2a) that produced glomerular immune deposits in different locations were evaluated. H221 produced mesangial, intracapillary (that is, intraluminal or within the capillary lumen) and subendothelial deposits associated with heavy proteinuria, whereas H147 produced mesangial, subendothelial and linear basement membrane deposits associated with proliferative glomerulonephritis. Initially, the capacity of H221 and H147 to bind directly to glomerular and vascular cell surfaces was evaluated. As demonstrated by FACS, H221 bound preferentially to mesangial cells whereas H147 bound preferentially to endothelial cells. To identify possible target cell surface antigens, Western blots, immunoprecipitation of surface labeled cells, and 2D gel electrophoresis were employed. H221 reacted with a 108 kDa protein on mesangial cells not identified by H147, whereas H147 reacted with a 45 kDa protein on endothelial cells not identified by H221. These results support the hypothesis that some nephritogenic lupus autoantibodies initiate immune deposit formation through direct interaction with glomerular antigens. Furthermore, they suggest that the site of immune deposition is determined by both antigen binding properties of the relevant antibody and the location of its target ligand within the glomerulus. In a given individual, therefore, the predominant autoantibody-glomerular antigen interaction may influence the morphologic and clinical phenotype expressed. Variation in the predominant interaction may also contribute to variations in disease expression among individuals with lupus nephritis.
In-flight flow visualization of F-106B leading-edge vortex using the vapor-screen technique

A flight program was conducted with the objective to study the vortex flow systems existing around the F-106B aircraft. Level 1-G decelerating flight with varying angle of attack was considered along with conditions involving G levels in the range from 4.5 to 5.5 and angles of attack in the range from 16 to 19 degrees. It was demonstrated that the vapor screen technique can be applied successfully to flight vehicles under a variety of test conditions, taking into consideration the transonic maneuver performed by fighter aircraft. Details regarding the employed in-flight flow visualization technique are discussed, taking into account the seeding system, the light sheet system, the video system, the control system, and the recording of the data. Attention is also given to the flight program, the data development, and the scientific observations.
An essential role for P38 MAP kinase signalling in oligodendrocyte differentiation

Proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitors (OLPs) cease to divide and undergo differentiation to express myelin-specific markers and genes upon growth factor withdrawal. We report here that signalling via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathway plays an essential role in this process. SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, interferes with the characteristic morphological transformation (i.e. from a simple bi-/tri-polar shape to a complex multipolar structure) of OLPs and the expression of oligodendrocyte differentiation-specific antigenic markers, i.e. O4, O1 and myelin basic protein (MBP). RT–PCR analysis reveals a reduced level of mRNA for MBP and myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) in the inhibitor-treated cultures. Switching of OLPs from a growth medium to a mitogen-free differentiation medium leads to an increased phosphorylation of CREB, a transcription factor implicated in myelin gene expression, in a p38 MAPK-dependent manner. Kinase assays indicate a differential regulation of the p38 MAPK isoforms i.e. a decline, with time in culture, in the activity of the α isoform from an initial high level present in OLPs, in contrast to increased activity levels of the β isoform in differentiating cells. Enforced activation of p38 MAPK by transfection with activated forms of its upstream kinases i.e. MAPK kinase 6 [MKK6b(E)] and [MKK3b(E)], results in a precocious induction of MBP and MAG mRNAs and a marked stimulation of the activity of an MBP promoter-reporter which can be blocked by the p38 MAPK inhibitor. The results presented strongly support a prominent role for p38 MAPK pathway in oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin-specific gene expression. Acknowledgements: Supported in part by NINDS grant # NS41035-01.
Pentoxifylline reduces lung allograft reperfusion injury

Early graft dysfunction remains a significant problem in clinical lung transplantation. Pentoxifylline, a methylxanthine derivative, has been shown to have various beneficial effects on neutrophil-induced lung injury. We investigated effects of pentoxifylline on early posttransplantation lung function in a canine allograft model. Ten dogs underwent left lung allotransplantation. Donor lungs were flushed with modified Euro-Collins solution (50 mL/kg) and stored in an inflated state for 18 hours at 1 degrees C. In five experiments (group I), pentoxifylline was added to the flush and storage solutions (200 mg/L) at the time of harvest. The recipient animals received pentoxifylline (20 mg/kg intravenously) before reperfusion followed by pentoxifylline (0.1 mg.kg-1.min-1 intravenously) during the 6-hour posttransplantation assessment period. In group II, donors and recipients received no pentoxifylline. To evaluate only allograft function, the right main pulmonary artery and bronchus were ligated immediately after implantation. For 6 hours thereafter hemodynamics and gas exchange were assessed at 15-minute intervals while the animal was ventilated at an inspired oxygen fraction of 1.0. After 1 hour of assessment there was a significant difference in gas exchange between the groups, which persisted until the end of the study. By the end of the 6-hour assessment, the mean arterial oxygen tension was 236.7 mm Hg for group I versus 101.1 mm Hg for group II (p < 0.01), and the alveolar-arterial oxygen difference was 443.1 mm Hg versus 562.2 mm Hg (p < 0.015). Hemodynamics were not different between groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An end-to-end system for designing mechanical structures for print-and-fold robots

This work presents a script-based development environment aimed at allowing users to easily design and create mechanical bodies for folded plastic robots. The origami-inspired fabrication process is inexpensive and widely accessible, and the tools developed in this work allow for open source design sharing and modular reuse. Designs are generated by recursively combining mechanical components – from primitive building blocks, through mechanisms and assemblies, to full robots – in a flexible yet well-defined manner. This process was used to design robotic elements of increasing complexity up to a multi-degree-of-freedom compliant manipulator arm, demonstrating the power of this system. The developed system is extensible, opening avenues for further research ultimately leading to the development of a complete robot compiler.
Local Redistribution Financed by Income Tax

In this article, a positive model of local income redistribution financed by income tax is developed. The tax rate and the level of redistribution within a community are determined through majority voting. The amount of redistribution that each local government can undertake is constrained by housing market distortions and by the ability of people to freely move from one jurisdiction to another. The author establishes a number of equilibrium conditions with a general form of the utility function. The three different sets of numerically computed equilibria are developed. The first set of computational equilibria is developed assuming voters are less sophisticated. These results are compared with the results of the property tax-financed redistribution-computed equilibria in Epple and Romer’s study. The second set of computational equilibria are developed assuming voters are highly sophisticated. The third set are developed assuming that land rents are equally divided among the entire population.
Evolution of the deaminase fold and multiple origins of eukaryotic editing and mutagenic nucleic acid deaminases from bacterial toxin systems

The deaminase-like fold includes, in addition to nucleic acid/nucleotide deaminases, several catalytic domains such as the JAB domain, and others involved in nucleotide and ADP-ribose metabolism. Using sensitive sequence and structural comparison methods, we develop a comprehensive natural classification of the deaminase-like fold and show that its ancestral version was likely to operate on nucleotides or nucleic acids. Consequently, we present evidence that a specific group of JAB domains are likely to possess a DNA repair function, distinct from the previously known deubiquitinating peptidase activity. We also identified numerous previously unknown clades of nucleic acid deaminases. Using inference based on contextual information, we suggest that most of these clades are toxin domains of two distinct classes of bacterial toxin systems, namely polymorphic toxins implicated in bacterial interstrain competition and those that target distantly related cells. Genome context information suggests that these toxins might be delivered via diverse secretory systems, such as Type V, Type VI, PVC and a novel PrsW-like intramembrane peptidase-dependent mechanism. We propose that certain deaminase toxins might be deployed by diverse extracellular and intracellular pathogens as also endosymbionts as effectors targeting nucleic acids of host cells. Our analysis suggests that these toxin deaminases have been acquired by eukaryotes on several independent occasions and recruited as organellar or nucleo-cytoplasmic RNA modifiers, operating on tRNAs, mRNAs and short non-coding RNAs, and also as mutators of hyper-variable genes, viruses and selfish elements. This scenario potentially explains the origin of mutagenic AID/APOBEC-like deaminases, including novel versions from Caenorhabditis, Nematostella and diverse algae and a large class of fast-evolving fungal deaminases. These observations greatly expand the distribution of possible unidentified mutagenic processes catalyzed by nucleic acid deaminases.
SCALE-DEPENDENT ASSOCIATIONS AMONG FISH PREDATION, LITTORAL HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF CRAYFISH SPECIES

To predict how species establish and disperse within novel communities, the spatial scale at which competition, predation, and habitat interact must be understood. We explored how these factors affect the distribution and abundance of the exotic crayfishes Orconectes rusticus and O. propinquus and the native O. virilis at both the site-specific and whole-lake scales in northern Wisconsin lakes. During summer 1990, we quantified crayfish, fish predators, and fish diets in cobble and macrophyte sites in Trout Lake, com- paring resulting patterns to those in 21 lakes surveyed during summer 1987. Within and across lakes, fish abundance was unrelated to habitat. Within Trout Lake, O. rusticus and O. propinquus were common in both cobble and macrophyte. Orconectes virilis was re- stricted to macrophyte, probably due to strong displacement by the invaders in cobble. Across lakes, O. rusticus increased where habitat was more than 16.7% cobble, O. pro- pinquus was generally rare, and O. virilis abundance was unrelated to cobble. Crayfish were generally small in cobble and large in macrophyte, perhaps because of habitat-specific, size-selective fish predation or because large crayfish leave cobble when it no longer pro- vides refuge. Orconectes virilis, the largest of three congeners, may have a size refuge in macrophyte but not in cobble. Across lakes, O. rusticus was only abundant when fish biomass was low; O. virilis abundance varied positively with fish. Effects of fish predation and habitat on the ability of invaders Orconectes rusticus and O. propinquus to establish and replace O. virilis appear to be scale dependent. At local (site-specific) scales, cobble likely interacts with selective predation for O. virilis to allow the invaders to establish and replace the native. At the lake-wide scale, high cobble facilitates invaders but predation may curb their successful dispersal and establishment at new sites. Models of community assembly and invasions need to incorporate scale dependencies in habitat availability and biotic interactions to effectively assess the invasion potential of novel species.
SOURCES OF FINANCING FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY FIRMS: EVIDENCE FROM THE KAUFFMAN FIRM SURVEY

This article uses data from the Kauffman Firm Survey to explore the financing sources and strategies of new technology-based firms. Findings reveal that technology-based firms, and particularly high tech firms, raise larger amounts of capital at startup than firms on average. These findings also suggest that, contrary to the Pecking Order and Life Cycle theories, owners of high tech firms are both willing and able to use external equity as a financing source.
An analysis of linear models, linear value-function approximation, and feature selection for reinforcement learning

We show that linear value-function approximation is equivalent to a form of linear model approximation. We then derive a relationship between the model-approximation error and the Bellman error, and show how this relationship can guide feature selection for model improvement and/or value-function improvement. We also show how these results give insight into the behavior of existing feature-selection algorithms.
Emerging Role of Epidemiologic Literacy

Background:The ability to understand and apply epidemiology methods is a growing part of pharmacy practice, pharmacy accreditation standards, and evidence-based practice.Objective:TO examine the trends in epidemiology-related terminology used in the literature over the past 20 years.Methods:The frequency of the use of epidemiology-related terminology in 3 representative pharmacy Journals, 2 representative medical journals, and 1 public health journal from January through December 1984, 1994, and 2004 was recorded. The 3 pharmacy journals were the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (formerly American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy), The Annals of Pharmacotherapy (formerly Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy), and Pharmacotherapy. The 2 medical journals were the New England Journal of Medicine and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the public health journal was the American Journal of Public Health. The number of times an epidemiology-related term was used was summed for e...
Prey capture and caste-specific payload capacities in the European paper wasp Polistes dominulus

Here, we present a detailed ethogram for the foraging behavior of the eusocial paper wasp, Polistes dominulus. The animal’s foraging process can be sub-divided into four main stages: (1) approach, (2) attack, (3) butchering, and (4) balling. Although considerable behavioral variation exists within each stage, an analysis of more than 20 individual foraging bouts reveals a single “common path” leading from prey approach to its transportation back to the nest; elucidating this path and separating it into distinct stages is useful when identifying targets for future ethological studies. Of particular interest here is the balling phase, i.e., the preparation of a bolus of flesh for transportation back to the colony. Using an experimental approach, we show that foundresses can carry significantly heavier payloads than workers, suggesting a foraging advantage during the initial stages of colony development. We also show that wasp body mass is significantly positively correlated with payload capacity in foundresses, a relationship not seen among workers or late reproductives. This correlation suggests a beneficial adaptation of foundresses for combating early season pressures associated with the foundation of a new colony.
Perioperative cardiovascular care for patients undergoing noncardiac surgical intervention

The field of perioperative medicine has garnered legitimacy during the past 3 decades. Adverse cardiovascular events in the perioperative period account for significant morbidity and mortality. Although testing patients preoperatively to detect ischemia and identify those who may benefit from modifications in care is a tempting strategy, risk assessment should account for posterior probability. Validated risk stratification tools, such as the Revised Cardiac Risk Index or the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program risk calculator, can assist in the identification of patients for whom preoperative noninvasive testing is justified and may change the plan of care. Furthermore, current guidelines emphasize that prophylactic coronary revascularization should not be performed exclusively for the purposes of reducing the risk of perioperative events. There has been enthusiasm for medical therapies that may reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in the perioperative period. Current guidelines encourage the perioperative use of β-blockade in patients already receiving such therapy and caution against initiating such therapy on the day of the surgical procedure. Reduction of morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period relies on an understanding of the myriad physiological perturbations in this period and thoughtful selection of patients for further testing and treatment.
Replication of the Learning Behaviors Scale Factor Structure With an Independent Sample

This study reports on the replication of the four-factor structure and the internal consistency of the Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS) with an independent sample of 241 students in Grades 1 through 7. Internal consistency estimates were as high or higher than those obtained with the standardization sample. Substantial replication of the four LBS factors (Competence Motivation, Attitude Toward Learning, Attention/Persistence, and Strategy/Flexibility) was found. Most items in the study were associated with the identical factor found with the standardization sample. Coefficients of congruence tested the factorial invariance and resulted in “good” to “excellent” matches to the exploratory factor analysis results based on the LBS standardization sample. Furthermore, three of the five LBS items that cross-loaded in this study were also items that cross-loaded in the standardization sample and did so on the same factors. Substantial evidence was found for the internal consistency and construct (factorial) validity of the LBS.
Ensemble-Based Sensitivity Analysis

The sensitivity of forecasts to observations is evaluated using an ensemble approach with data drawn from a pseudo-operational ensemble Kalman filter. For Gaussian statistics and a forecast metric defined as a scalar function of the forecast variables, the effect of observations on the forecast metric is quantified by changes in the metric mean and variance. For a single observation, expressions for these changes involve a product of scalar quantities, which can be rapidly evaluated for large numbers of observations. This technique is applied to determining climatological forecast sensitivity and predicting the impact of observations on sea level pressure and precipitation forecast metrics. The climatological 24-h forecast sensitivity of the average pressure over western Washington State shows a region of maximum sensitivity to the west of the region, which tilts gently westward with height. The accuracy of ensemble sensitivity predictions is tested by withholding a single buoy pressure observation from this region and comparing this perturbed forecast with the control case where the buoy is assimilated. For 30 cases, there is excellent agreement between these forecast differences and the ensemble predictions, as measured by the forecast metric. This agreement decreases for increasing numbers of observations. Nevertheless, by using statistical confidence tests to address sampling error, the impact of thousands of observations on forecast-metric variance is shown to be well estimated by a subset of the O(100) most significant observations.
Book review: Savannas of Our Birth: People, Wildlife, and Change in East Africa

Reid, RS Savannas of Our Birth: People, Wildlife, and Change in East Africa. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press; 2012. Hardcover, 416 pages; ISBN: 9780520273559
Isolation of Medicago truncatula Mutants Defective in Calcium Oxalate Crystal Formation

Plants accumulate crystals of calcium oxalate in a variety of shapes, sizes, amounts, and spatial locations. How and why many plants form crystals of calcium oxalate remain largely unknown. To gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms of crystal formation and function, we have initiated a mutant screen to identify the genetic determinants. Leaves from a chemically mutagenized Medicago truncatula population were visually screened for alterations in calcium oxalate crystal formation. Seven different classes of calcium oxalate defective mutants were identified that exhibited alterations in crystal nucleation, morphology, distribution and/or amount. Genetic analysis suggested that crystal formation is a complex process involving more than seven loci. Phenotypic analysis of a mutant that lacks crystals, cod 5, did not reveal any difference in plant growth and development compared with controls. This finding brings into question the hypothesized roles of calcium oxalate formation in supporting tissue structure and in regulating excess tissue calcium.
Nonlinear thermal-distortion predictions of a silicon monochromator using the finite element method

Silicon crystal monochromators at cryogenic temperatures have been used with great success at third-generation synchrotron radiation sources. At the Advanced Photon Source the unique characteristics of silicon at liquid nitrogen temperatures (80 K) have been leveraged to significantly reduce the thermally induced distortions on beamline monochromators. Finite element simulations of the nonlinear (temperature-dependent material properties) thermal stress problem were performed and compared with the experimental measurements. Several critical finite element modeling considerations are discussed for their role in accurately predicting the highly coupled thermal and structural response of the optical component's surface distortion to the high thermal heat flux. Once an understanding of the effects of (i) local element mesh size, (ii) area/surface heat flux versus volumetric heat generation, and (iii) uniform volumetric absorbed power versus a depth-dependent absorbed power, a final series of simulations was performed. Depending on the estimated convection heat-transfer coefficient, the final refined finite element model's predictions correlated well with the experimental measurements. In general, the use of the finite element method in predicting the overall thermal and structural behavior of the surface of the optical components with a high heat flux was shown to be quite effective.
Human Performance in Space

Human factors is a critical discipline for human spaceflight. Nearly every human factors research area is relevant to space exploration -- from the ergonomics of hand tools used by astronauts, to the displays and controls of a spacecraft cockpit or mission control workstation, to levels of automation designed into rovers on Mars, to organizational issues of communication between crew and ground. This chapter focuses more on the ways in which the space environment (especially altered gravity and the isolated and confined nature of long-duration spaceflight) affects crew performance, and thus has specific novel implications for human factors research and practice. We focus on four aspects of human performance: neurovestibular integration, motor control and musculo-skeletal effects, cognitive effects, and behavioral health. We also provide a sampler of recent human factors studies from NASA.
Can a blind person understand your world

Computers have changed the lives of blind people by allowing us to access vast amounts of information on the net. Now we can read daily newspapers, hear digital textbooks, shop for goods online, and join online social networks. However, "sensing the surrounding real world" is still challenging for such tasks as checking the colors of merchandise, responding to street signs, or recognizing smiling faces. Driving a car is still one of the largest challenges, but technology is continually breaking new ground. The expansion of online data is now pushing machine learning techniques and crowd sourcing methods, which together enable blind people to understand ever more about the real world. Just as importantly, these same technologies can help sighted people better understand the world, too. We have entered an era of assisted cognition, not only for persons with disabilities, but for everyone. In this talk, I will offer predictions about near-future possibilities and discuss how these technologies can change our lives.
NKp30 is a functional activation receptor on a subset of rat natural killer cells

NKp30 is a stimulatory receptor on human NK cells implicated in tumor immunity, and is capable of promoting or terminating dendritic cell maturation. To gain a better understanding of NKp30 biology, we have investigated the expression and function of rat NKp30 (rNKp30). We generated stable transfectants of rNKp30 in RNK16 cells, a rat NK lymphoma line, and used a novel panel of mAb against rNKp30 to study this receptor. Using agonistic rNKp30 mAb, we demonstrated that rNKp30 mediates robust IFN-gamma production and cytolytic responses from rNKp30-transfected RNK16 cells. We determined by flow cytometry that rNKp30 is expressed by a subset of primary NK cells isolated from the blood and spleen, and to a lesser extent also on liver NK cells. Stimulation of rNKp30 on primary NK cells led to IFN-gamma production. Liver NK cells expressed low levels of NKp30 and had reduced rNKp30-mediated IFN-gamma responses. During an alloimmune response in vivo, the proportion of the rNKp30(+) NK cell subset in the peripheral blood significantly increased, suggesting that rNKp30 may play an important role during alloactivation. Thus, our data demonstrate that NKp30 is indeed expressed in rodents and is a functional stimulatory receptor in a subset of rat NK cells.
Bystander effect: Biological endpoints and microarray analysis

In cell populations exposed to ionizing radiation, the biological effects occur in a much larger proportion of cells than are estimated to be traversed by radiation. It has been suggested that irradiated cells are capable of providing signals to the neighboring unirradiated cells resulting in damage to these cells. This phenomenon is termed the bystander effect. The bystander effect induces persistent, long-term, transmissible changes that result in delayed death and neoplastic transformation. Because the bystander effect is relevant to carcinogenesis, it could have significant implications for risk estimation for radiation exposure. The nature of the bystander effect signal and how it impacts the unirradiated cells remains to be elucidated. Examination of the changes in gene expression could provide clues to understanding the bystander effect and could define the signaling pathways involved in sustaining damage to these cells. The microarray technology serves as a tool to gain insight into the molecular pathways leading to bystander effect. Using medium from irradiated normal human diploid lung fibroblasts as a model system we examined gene expression alterations in bystander cells. The microarray data revealed that the radiation-induced gene expression profile in irradiated cells is different from unirradiated bystander cells suggesting that the pathways leading to biological effects in the bystander cells are different from the directly irradiated cells. The genes known to be responsive to ionizing radiation were observed in irradiated cells. Several genes were upregulated in cells receiving media from irradiated cells. Surprisingly no genes were found to be downregulated in these cells. A number of genes belonging to extracellular signaling, growth factors and several receptors were identified in bystander cells. Interestingly 15 genes involved in the cell communication processes were found to be upregulated. The induction of receptors and the cell communication processes in bystander cells receiving media from irradiated cells supports the active involvement of these processes in inducing bystander effect.
A second dilemma in cardiovascular medicine: personalized medicine versus personal interaction with the patient.

![Figure][1] In our rapid and ambitious quest to achieve personalized medicine, mainly driven by technological diagnostics and therapeutics, we are in danger of losing what is truly personal about medicine, that is, the interaction between a doctor and his or her patient. Thus, in a
Charting the Relationship of English Learners and the ESEA: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

The signing of the Bilingual Education Act in 1968 presumed that the federal government had a role to play in the equitable education of immigrant and English learner students, who had been largely invisible to most of the country. Initial language of the Act was intended to build on these students’ assets. Nonetheless, the language that survived in the BEA limited its effectiveness and created ongoing challenges for educators, including an ever-changing definition of the goals and purposes of funding; a deficit rather than an asset-based orientation that cast English learners as “remedial students”; unresolved tensions between the goals of desegregation and bilingual education; and fluctuating and inadequate attention to the capacity development needs of the field. The latest iteration of the ESEA removed the BEA from federal legislation altogether, failed to resolve any of the ongoing issues, and reinforced the remedial framing of ELs, arguably placing them at even greater educational risk.
Una casa llena de oscuridad: Shenoute y los paganos (y una traducción al español de "No porque un zorro ladre")

Shenoute of Atripe was one the most important agents of the emergence of monasticism in Egypt in late antiquity. This article examines two aspects of that agency as it emerges in his sermons. In his role as abbot of a large congregation, he insisted on punishing disobedience or evil behaviour within the monastery. Beyond the walls of the monastery, Shenoute presents himself as a representative of god and Christ in the local community. With recent imperial antipagan legislation in hand, he felt authorized in his attacks against those he presents as pagans or paganizing, including local imperial administrators, who were (or at least represented themselves as) Christian. In an appendix we include the translation of Not because a fox barks, a text in which these latter aspects of Shenoute’s agency emerge clearly.
Alemtuzumab levels impact acute GVHD, mixed chimerism, and lymphocyte recovery following alemtuzumab, fludarabine, and melphalan RIC HCT

Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) with alemtuzumab, fludarabine, and melphalan is an effective approach for patients with nonmalignant disorders. Mixed chimerism and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) remain limitations on success. We hypothesized that higher levels of alemtuzumab at day 0 would result in a low risk of acute GVHD, a higher risk of mixed chimerism, and delayed early lymphocyte recovery and that alemtuzumab level thresholds for increased risks of these outcomes would be definable. We collected data from 105 patients to examine the influence of peritransplant alemtuzumab levels on acute GVHD, mixed chimerism, and lymphocyte recovery. The cumulative incidences of initial grades I-IV, II-IV, and III-IV acute GVHD in patients with alemtuzumab levels ≤0.15 vs ≥0.16 μg/mL were 68% vs 18% (P 4.35 μg/mL (P = .003). Patients with alemtuzumab levels ≤0.15 or 0.16 to 0.56 μg/mL had higher lymphocyte counts at day +30 and higher T-cell counts at day +100 compared with patients with levels ≥0.57 μg/mL (all P < .05). We conclude that peritransplant alemtuzumab levels impact acute GVHD, mixed chimerism, and lymphocyte recovery following RIC HCT with alemtuzumab, fludarabine, and melphalan. Precision dosing trials are warranted. We recommend a day 0 therapeutic range of 0.2 to 0.4 μg/mL.
Influence of IAA, NAA and 2,4-D on ethylene production by potato discs (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Red Pontiac)

Various auxins induced an increase of ethylene production by potato discs (Solarium tuberosum L. cv. Red Pontiac). 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 10 μM was the most effective in stimulating ethylene (C2H4) production. Napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) also stimulated ethylene production with optimal concentrations of 50 μM and 100 μM, respectively. The periderm of the tuber was found to produce the highest levels of C2H4 with sections taken toward the center of the tuber producing much lower levels. In this system, it was shown that pH 4.0 was the optimum pH tested and methionine was required.
Electronic energy levels of cinnabar ( α -HgS)

We have calculated the electronic energy levels of trigonal mercury sulfide in the semiempirical tight-binding scheme. The atomic levels $3s$, $3p$ of sulfur and $6s$, $6p$ of mercury constitute the starting basis set. The computed two-center overlap integrals are subsequently scaled by a common multiplicative factor to reproduce the experimental optical gap. The effect of the atomic virtual level $4s$ of sulfur on the conduction bands is also taken into account. The calculated valence-band structure agrees well with the ultraviolet-photoelectron-spectroscopy (UPS) data. The complete band structure is consistent with the absorption measurements which indicate an indirect absorption edge immediately followed by the direct one (at the zone center). This picture can also explain the dependence of the absorption coefficient on the polarization of the exciting light in terms of the symmetry of the levels and the selection rules.
The Affordable Care Act and Diabetes Diagnosis and Care: Exploring the Potential Impacts

This article reviews available data on the implications of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the diagnosis and care of type 2 diabetes. We provide a general overview of the major issues for diabetes diagnosis and care, and describe the policies in the ACA that affect diabetes diagnosis and care. We also estimate that approximately 2.3 million of the 4.6 million people in the USA with undiagnosed diabetes aged 18-64 in 2009-2010 may have gained access to free preventive care under the ACA, which could increase diabetes detection. In addition, we note two factors that may limit the success of the ACA for improving access to diabetes care. First, many states with the highest diabetes prevalence have not expanded Medicaid eligibility, and second, primary care providers may not adequately meet the increase in Medicaid patients because federal funding to increase provider reimbursement for Medicaid visits recently expired. We close by discussing current gaps in the literature and future directions for research on the ACA's impact on diabetes diagnosis, care, and health outcomes.
Catholicism and the Supreme Court Reorganization Proposal of 1937

On 5 February 1937 Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a reor ganization of the federal judiciary that, among other changes, would authorize him to appoint one additional judge for every Supreme Court justice over seventy years of age. Historian Wil liam E. Leuchtenburg described the plan as having the most momentous consequences in the long history of the Supreme Court. President Roosevelt felt it was among the most important domestic achievements of his first two terms. The proposal's immediate effect, however, was to exacerbate political differences.1 Although reaction was sharply, and sometimes bitterly, divided, many contemporaries seemed to think that one institution, the Roman Catholic Church, was practically unified in its opposi tion. Commentators such as Robert S. Allen, Joseph Alsop, and Turner Catledge placed much of the blame for the proposal's defeat at the doors of the Church, while Nation magazine identi fied Catholicism as one of the reactionary forces attacking the reform.2 Roosevelt's secretary of the interior, Harold Ickes, noted opposition from religious groups in general and Catholics in particular, sarcastically observing that many of the latter were "professional Irish who can't be reached by an appeal to their