cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuronal regeneration enhances the expression of the immunophilin FKBP- 12

Immunophilins are a group of proteins that serve as receptors for the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporin A and FK506. The immunophilin designated FK-506 binding protein-12 (FKBP-12) is concentrated more than 10 times higher in the brain than in immune tissues. The complex of FK506 and FKBP-12 inhibits the calcium activated phosphatase, calcineurin, increasing phosphorylated levels of calcineurin substrates with growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43), being most prominent in the brain. We now demonstrate an association of FKBP-12 with neuronal regeneration and GAP-43 disposition. Facial nerve crush markedly augments expression of FKBP-12 mRNA in the facial nucleus with a time course paralleling changes in GAP-43 mRNA. Following sciatic nerve lesions, similar increases in FKBP-12 mRNA occur in lumbar motor neurons and dorsal root ganglia neuronal cells. Increased FKBP-12 expression appears linked to regeneration rather than degeneration as facial nerve lesions elicited by ricin injection, which produce neuronal death without regeneration, fail to augment FKBP-12 expression in the facial nucleus. The time course for accumulation of FKBP-12 in sciatic nerve segments following nerve crush indicates rapid axonal transport at a rate similar to GAP-43.
Administration of Memantine During Ethanol Withdrawal in Neonatal Rats: Effects on Long-Term Ethanol-Induced Motor Incoordination and Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Loss

Background: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can damage the developing fetus, illustrated by central nervous system dysfunction and deficits in motor and cognitive abilities. Binge drinking has been associated with an increased risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, likely due to increased episodes of ethanol withdrawal. We hypothesized that overactivity of the N-methylD-aspartate (NMDA) receptor during ethanol withdrawal leads to excitotoxic cell death in the developing brain. Consistent with this, administration of NMDA receptor antagonists (e.g., MK-801) during withdrawal can attenuate ethanol’s teratogenic effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether administration of memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, during ethanol withdrawal could effectively attenuate ethanol-related deficits, without the adverse side effects associated with other NMDA receptor antagonists. Methods: Sprague–Dawley pups were exposed to 6.0 g ⁄ kg ethanol or isocaloric maltose solution via intubation on postnatal day 6, a period of brain development equivalent to a portion of the 3rd trimester. Twenty-four and 36 hours after ethanol, subjects were injected with 0, 10, or 15 mg ⁄ kg memantine, totaling doses of 0, 20, or 30 mg ⁄ kg. Motor coordination was tested on a parallel bar task and the total number of cerebellar Purkinje cells was estimated using unbiased stereology. Results: Alcohol exposure induced significant parallel bar motor incoordination and reduced Purkinje cell number. Memantine administration significantly attenuated both ethanol-associated motor deficits and cerebellar cell loss in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: Memantine was neuroprotective when administered during ethanol withdrawal. These data provide further support that ethanol withdrawal contributes to fetal alcohol spectrum
Sensitivity as a Privileged Predictor of Attachment: A Second Perspective on De Wolff and van IJzendoorn's Meta-Analysis.

De Wolff and van IJzendoorn’s meta-analysis supported the relation of parental behavior to attachment security; however, they concluded that sensitivity was not the best predictor of attachment security. This secondary analysis of their data re-examined their conclusion and tested moderators of the relation between sensitivity and attachment, such as socioeconomic status and study methodology. A different grouping of studies combining behavior types of sensitivity, mutuality, and synchrony showed significantly higher correlations with attachment than did other types of maternal behavior. An analysis of a similar dataset of individual correlations defined sensitivity as synchronous, responsive, and appropriate behavior, producing similar results. Tests of moderators validated differences between studies using measures of sensitivity as compared to other measures of maternal behavior. Sensitivity was a weaker predictor of attachment in studies of low-income families.
Embodied User Interfaces: Towards Invisible User Interfaces

There have been several recent examples of user interface techniques in which the user uses a computational device by physically manipulating the device. This paper proposes that these form an interesting new paradigm for user interface design, Embodied User Interfaces. This paper presents and defines this paradigm, and places it in the evolution of user interface paradigms leading towards the ideal of an invisible user interface. This paper outlines the space of design possibilities in this paradigm, presents a design framework for embodied user interface design, and articulates a set of design principles to guide design.
Undermining burrowing ulcer complicating post-traumatic prepatellar bursitis.

The case reported is thought to be of interest and value because it illustrates the following features, which may be forgotten or overlooked. 1. Bacterial infection may not be controlled by antibiotic therapy even when in vitro tests indicate that the organism is sensitive to the specific antibiotic being used. 2. Antibiotic therapy is not a substitute for, but is an adjunct to, adequate surgical care and good surgical judgment. 3. In certain resistant infections, the solution of the problem presented may lie in the use of measures specific for the particular situation. Unless such unusual situations are promptly recognized, effective therapy may be unduly delayed.
Application of Appropriateness Criteria to Stress Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Sestamibi Studies and Stress Echocardiograms in an Academic Medical Center

Objectives The purpose of this study was to apply published appropriateness criteria for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in a single academic medical center. Background The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) have developed appropriateness criteria for stress SPECT MPI to address concern about the growth in cardiac imaging studies. Methods We retrospectively examined 284 patients who underwent stress SPECT MPI and 298 patients who underwent stress echocardiography before publication of these criteria. Results The overall level of agreement in characterizing appropriateness between 2 experienced cardiovascular nurse abstractors was modest (kappa = 0.56), but noticeably poorer (kappa = 0.27) for patients with previous SPECT or echo studies. Similar percentages of each imaging modality were assigned to the 3 appropriateness categories: 64% of stress SPECT and 64% of stress echo studies were classified appropriate; 11% of stress SPECT and 9% of stress echo were of uncertain appropriateness; and 14% of stress SPECT and 18% of stress echo were inappropriate. Of the inappropriate studies, 88% were performed for 1 of 4 indications. Approximately 10% of the patients were unclassifiable. Conclusions Application of existing SPECT MPI appropriateness criteria is demanding and requires an established database or detailed data collection, as well as a number of assumptions. Fourteen percent of stress SPECT studies and 18% of stress echo studies were performed for inappropriate reasons. Quality improvement efforts directed at reducing the number of these inappropriate studies may improve efficiency in the health care system.
Centric-relation recording techniques—a comparative investigation

Abstract A measuring device was used to determine levels of consistency and relative patterning of centric relation records obtained from 15 dentulous subjects. The subjects tested were between the ages of 21 and 45 years. Clinical methods used for recording centric relation were tested. Six records were made with each technique. The data were then analyzed in relation to consistency and displacement patterns.
Accessmonkey: enabling and sharing end user accessibility improvements

This paper proposes the Accessmonkey Framework for collaborative web accessibility improvement. The goal of the system is to provide a common platform on which end users and developers can create, share and use scripts that specify accessibility improvements. We propose browser plugins that will automatically retrieve user scripts from a common repository and apply helpful transformations to pages visited by users. End user interfaces will allow anyone to create and share new improvements and developer interfaces will allow content creators to edit and save changes scripts make to web content. Accessmonkey seeks to enable those most impacted by web accessibility challenges to directly and independently improve them. This work is being pursued with close consultation and participation by blind web users.
Higher-order associative learning in amnesia: Evidence from the serial reaction time task

Patients with anterograde amnesia are commonly believed to exhibit normal implicit learning. Research with the serial reaction time (SRT) task suggests that normal subjects can implicitly learn visuospatial sequences through a process that is sensitive to higher-order information that is more complex than pairwise associations between adjacent stimuli. The present research reexamined SRT learning in a group of amnesic patients with a design intended to specifically address the learning of higher-order information. Despite seemingly normal learning effects on average, the results suggest that amnesic patients do not learn higher-order information as well as control subjects. These results suggest that amnesic patients have an associative learning impairment, even when learning is implicit, and that the medial temporal lobe and/or diencephalic brain areas typically damaged in cases of amnesia normally contribute to implicit sequence learning.
Epicardial Control of Myocardial Proliferation and Morphogenesis

The epicardium is a critical tissue that directs several aspects of heart development, particularly via the secretion of soluble factors. This review summarizes recent approaches that implicate the epicardium as the source of mitogenic factors promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation, as the source of instructive signals that direct compact zone organization (morphogenesis), and as the tissue that directs formation of the coronary vasculature.
Dual-surface combined-field integral equation for three-dimensional scattering

In this paper, a dual-surface combined-field integral equation (DS–CFIE) formulation is presented for computing electromagnetic scattering from perfectly conducting arbitrary three-dimensional (3-D) bodies. The formulation has the advantage that it does not suffer from the internal resonance problem associated with the closed cavity modes. Convergence is typically obtained in a few iterations, and the formulation is relatively insensitive to the location of the virtual surface. Numerical results are presented for the case of plane-wave scattering from a conducting sphere and a cube to validate the present approach. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 29: 293–296, 2001.
MO-D-BRB-10: Modeling Inter-Patient Variation of Organ-At-Risk Sparing in IMRT Plans: An Evidence-Based Plan Quality Evaluation.

Purpose: To develop a predictive model to assess the quality of critical organ dose sparing in IMRT plans by providing patient specific dose sparing references, based on an array of patient anatomical features and prior planning experience. Methods: Contributions of various patient anatomical features to the inter‐patient OAR dose sparing variation in IMRT planning were systematically studied using machine learning method based on high quality prior plans. The dependence of anatomical factor on OAR dosimetric parameters is formulated into predictive models. The OAR dosimetric parameters generated by these predictive models represent the “best feasible” clinical outcomes based on past planning experiences. IMRT plans of 88 prostate, 106 head‐and‐neck (HN) and 21 spine SBRT treatments were used to train the models. The final models were tested by additional 24 prostate and 48 HN plans. The model for spine SBRT was tested by the leave‐one‐out method. Results: For HN and prostate planning, the significant patient anatomical features that affect OAR sparing are: the distance between OAR and PTV, the portion of OAR volume within an OAR specific distance range, the overlap volume between OAR and PTV, and the portion of OAR volume outside the primary treatment field. For spine SBRT planning, the most significant patient anatomical feature that affects cord sparing is the tightness of the geometric enclosure of PTV surrounding the cord and the homogeneity of PTV dose coverage. The dosimetric parameters predicted for the test patient cases using the models were in agreement with those from the clinical plans in more than 75% of the cases. Conclusions: The developed predictive models indicated substantial correlation between some important patient anatomical features and OAR dose sparing based on expert experiences. These models can be used as effective tools for evaluating the quality of treatment plans customized to individual patient's anatomy. Partially supported by a master research agreement with Varian Medical System, Inc.
Teratogen-induced Decrements of Postnatal Functional Capacity

Differences in response to pharmacologic or other exogenous agents occur when they are applied to individuals of different ages. The present report presents a discussion of the relative vulnerabilities of various early stages in the life cycle. Various published results, using several systems, including lung, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, and immune system, have clearly established that unique developmental events take place not just in embryonic development but also during fetal development and that the latter period may be highly vulnerable to perturbation by a teratogenic agent. Defects may be manifest in subtle ways and result in neonates that, although they may appear to be normal, in fact lack physiologic reserves or capabilities beyond those necessary for simply surviving. In the clinical world, it is possible that a prenatal insult often undetected by routine types of clinical evaluation could put an individual at jeopardy or increase its postnatal vulnerability to an insult tolerated by unalter...
The Political Foundations of Post-communist Regimes: Marketization, Agrarian Legacies, or International Influences

This article explores the causes of differing post-communist regime transitions in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, emphasizing the increasingly prominent thesis that economic liberalization promotes political democratization. We explore this argument in light of findings from other regions that have emphasized modernization, agrarian class structure, and international influences. Our results are based on a multilevel design strategy, first analyzing data on 26 post-communist countries over a 7-to 9-year period using time-series/cross-sectional methods and then turning to a comparative analysis of four purposively selected cases to explore the causal mechanisms implied but not tested in the quantitative analysis. Our results suggest that faith in economic liberalization as a cause of democratization may be misplaced. However, there is support for the notion that large agrarian sectors are unfavorable to democratic development, whereas positive democratic conditionality from outside agents can p...
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the parietal cortex leads to increased false recognition.

Abstract A robust finding is that brain activity in the lateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC) correlates with successful recognition. Here we test whether the PPC has a causal role in memory retrieval using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Participants were given a modified version of the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm, a well-established method for producing false recognition with high confidence. In Experiment 1, false recognition was significantly greater for active compared to sham tDCS when the anode was placed over left parietal cortex (CP3) and the cathode over right parietal cortex (CP4). These findings were replicated in Experiment 2, with both anode CP3/cathode CP4 and anode CP4/cathode CP3 active stimulation leading to greater false recognition. Differences also emerged, with anode CP4/cathode CP3 active stimulation leading to greater hits. Our findings support the proposal that the lateral PPC plays a causal role in episodic memory retrieval and can lead to enhanced subjective aspects of memory.
Freedom in Dress: Legal Sanctions

The specific purposes of this paper were to identify dress choices which resulted in legal sanctions, to examine the legal basisfor sanctions, to specify stituations in which sanctions were upheld,...
Impact of low concentration factor microfiltration on milk component recovery and Cheddar cheese yield.

The effect of microfiltration (MF) on the composition of Cheddar cheese, fat, crude protein (CP), calcium, total solids recovery, and Cheddar cheese yield efficiency (i.e., composition adjusted yield divided by theoretical yield) was determined. Raw skim milk was microfiltered twofold using a 0.1-microm ceramic membrane at 50 degrees C. Four vats of cheese were made in one day using milk at lx, 1.26x, 1.51x, and 1.82x concentration factor (CF). An appropriate amount of cream was added to achieve a constant casein (CN)-to-fat ratio across treatments. Cheese manufacture was repeated on four different days using a randomized complete block design. The composition of the cheese was affected by MF. Moisture content of the cheese decreased with increasing MF CF. Standardization of milk to a constant CN-to-fat ratio did not eliminate the effect of MF on cheese moisture content. Fat recovery in cheese was not changed by MF. Separation of cream prior to MF, followed by the recombination of skim or MF retentate with cream resulted in lower fat recovery in cheese for control and all treatments and higher fat loss in whey when compared to previous yield experiments, when control Cheddar cheese was made from unseparated milk. Crude protein, calcium, and total solids recovery in cheese increased with increasing MF CF, due to partial removal of these components prior to cheese making. Calcium and calcium as a percentage of protein increased in the cheese, suggesting an increase in calcium retention in the cheese with increasing CF. While the actual and composition adjusted cheese yields increased with increasing MF CF, as expected, there was no effect of MF CF on cheese yield efficiency.
Double-entry bookkeeping in the technique of milanese accounting

retrieved again, the user is not aware that a change has occurred. In the accounting package used in this paper, a program was written to change information in the data file. When the accounting package was used to access the information in the data file, all the accounts balanced. Simple procedures, such as CRC calculations, can be used to alert the user that a change has occurred [Schwaderer, David W., C Programmer's Guide to Netbios, Indiana: Howard W. Sams and Company, 1988].
Determination of fluoride by analate additions potentiometry

A novel direct potentiometric technique called analate additions potentiometry has been applied to the determination of fluoride using a fluoride ion selective indicator electrode. As expected, the analytical results are comparable to those obtained by the standard additions technique. An error of less than 1 part in 1000 and a precision of about 0.5% was achieved. The technique should be most useful in the determination of small sample volumes which cannot be done by the standard additions method without prior dilution.
EVALUATION OF ENRICHMENT MEDIA FOR DETECTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 IN GROUND BEEF USING IMMUNOMAGNETIC-ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE

Various enrichment media were evaluated in developing a process for the rapid detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef samples using an immunomagnetic separation (IM)/electrochemiluminescent (ECL) procedure. Ground beef was inoculated with different levels of E. coli O157:H7 and enriched in either brilliant green bile (BGB) 2% broth, modified E. coli broth with novobiocin (mEC), mEC without novobiocin (mEC w/o N) or Gram-negative (GN) broth, Hajna containing vancomycin, cefixime and cefsuludin at 37C for 6 h. Following enrichment, boiled samples were filtered, concentrated by IM and assayed using ECL. Using this process, the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef spiked at a level of 1 cfu/10 g could be detected by IM-ECL in samples that had been enriched in BGB, mEC or mEC w/o N. IM-ECL assays that were performed on samples enriched in GN broth were inconsistent, even with inocula as high as 100 cfu of E. coli O157:H7. The boiled samples prepared after enrichment with mEC or mEC w/o N required considerable filtration time to remove particulate material; however, the boiled samples prepared after enrichment in BGB could be filtered rapidly. Thus, BGB enrichment coupled with an IM-ECL procedure allowed a more facile, and potentially more rapid, method for the detection of low numbers of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef samples.
Genetic Analysis of Propargite Resistance in Pacific Spider Mites and Twospotted Spider Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Tetranychus pacificus McGregor, the mode of inheritance of propargite resistance is consistent with the model of control by one major, nearly completely recessive, gene. No extranuclear effects were found, but minor modifying genes appeared to be involved. Some incompatibility between the susceptible (S)and resistant (R) strains of T. pacificus was found in the F2 generation. For T. urticae Koch, F1 females were intermediate in response between the Sand R strains. Data for T. urticae indicated probable involvement of more than one gene. Results of previous propargite resistance surveys of spider mites in almond orchards are consistent with the theoretical predictions for the observed inheritance of resistance found for T. pacificus and T. urticae.
State of the art in high-temperature fiber optic sensors

The objective of the work presented was to develop a suite of sensors for use in high-temperature aerospace environments, including turbine engine monitoring, hypersonic vehicle skin friction measurements, and support ground and flight test operations. A fiber optic sensor platform was used to construct the sensor suite. Successful laboratory demonstrations include calibration of pressure sensors to 500psi at a gas temperature of 800°C. Additionally, pressure sensors were demonstrated at 800°C in combination with a high-speed (1.0MHz) fiber optic readout system enabling previously unobtainable dynamic measurements at high-temperatures. Temperature sensors have been field tested up to 1400°C and as low as -195°C. The key advancement that enabled the operation of these novel harsh environment sensors was a fiber optic packaging methodology that allowed the coupling of alumina and sapphire transducer components, optical fiber, and high-temperature alloy housing materials. The basic operation of the sensors and early experimental results are presented. Each of the sensors described here represent a quantifiable advancement in the state of the art in high-temperature physical sensors and will have a significant impact on the aerospace propulsion instrumentation industry.
Correlating community college students' perceptions of community of inquiry presences with their completion of blended courses

Abstract Community colleges enroll more online learners than any other institution in higher education in the United States. While online community college courses expand access to higher education, their high attrition rates negatively impact student success. At writing, no researchers have applied the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to community college students' completion of online courses. This study uses a pre/posttest CoI survey design to explore the nature and development of students' perceptions of the CoI presences in 17 blended courses at Queensborough Community College, one of the seven community colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Students' perceptions of these presences, in addition to demographic and status variables, are then correlated with a measure of their course completion. As no significant differences between course completers and non-completers on any CoI indicators or demographic/status variables are found, new directions for community colleges and the research literature on the CoI framework are proposed.
High Flow Rate Circulating Tumor Cell Capture Device

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may become a new foundation for early stage cancer diagnosis requiring minimal patient effort [1]. This approach can overcome the limitations of current diagnostic technologies, including computer-aided tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray mammography, and ultrasound (UR) which can detect only highly calcified tumors at relatively high cost. Several studies have demonstrated CTC capture using microfluidic devices to identify the presence of human breast cancer, and the CellSearch™ immunomagnetic system (Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for monitoring post-treatment therapy, but all of the systems reported have either a long diagnosis time or unacceptable capture rates [2, 3]. CTCs in human peripheral blood are very rare events, typically 1 ∼ 2 CTCs in 1 mL of circulating blood. This low concentration of CTCs requires a large sample volume (∼7.5 mL) to ensure detection. However, current affinity-based microfluidic devices for cell capture usually operate at very low flow rates to increase the capture rate. Therefore, developing high flow rate microfluidic devices for CTC capture is essential and challenging. A new concept of high flow rate device is introduced, simulated, and tested at high flow rates.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Escapability and generalization: effect on 'behavioral despair'.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate (1) whether ‘behavioral despair’ was related to inescapability of the warm swim and (2) whether ‘behavioral despair’ would generalize to a shock escape task. Results indicated that rats exhibited ‘behavioral despair’ independent of the escapability of the warm swim and that the phenomenon did not generalize to a shock escape task. Implications for the validity of the behavioral despair model are discussed.
Dual capacitor technique for measurement of through‐plane modulus of thin polymer films

Polymer thin films are widely used as coatings and interlevel dielectrics in microelectronic applications. In thin-film structures, stresses are generated due to interaction with adjacent layers and film shrinkage due to solvent evaporation or curing. This causes polymer chain orientation resulting in anisotropic (direction dependent) film properties. The dual capacitor technique has been developed to measure in situ, the through-plane (z) stress-strain behavior of thin polymer films. A parallel plate capacitor device and an interdigitated electrode structure were used as sensors to detect changes in dielectric permittivity and thickness of thin polymer films under compression. The analytical and finite element models used to interpret the capacitance measurements have been presented. The Clausius–Mossotti equation was used to determine the volume change in the film from the permittivity measurements. Results have been reported for 10–14 μm thick, Cyclotene 4026-46 benzocyclobutene films and 10–12 μm thick films of polyimide PI-2611. The Cyclotene 4026-46 films were found to be mechanically isotropic, whereas the PI-2611 films were highly anisotropic. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1634–1644, 2000
An Audience Effect on Smile Production in 10-Month-Old Infants

This report presents evidence that smile production in 10-month-old infants is affected by the presence or absence of an audience for the facial display. The audience effect does not appear to be mediated by emotion. The evidence indicates that the production of facial expressions is at least partly independent of emotion and partly dependent on a social-communicative context from a very early age.
Testing technological practices: neutron activation analysis of neolithic ceramics from Valencia, Spain

Abstract Using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of prehistoric pottery, daub, and modern clay samples from Valencia, Spain, we tested expectations on changes in raw material use with socio-economic shifts during the Neolithic (ca. 5600–2800 BC). Elemental analysis identified three distinctive clay source groups used by Neolithic potters. Contrary to expectations, a shift in raw material use was identified between the Early and Middle Neolithic despite general similarities in technological practices. In the Late Neolithic, pottery production became more specialized, but potters used the same range of clay sources documented earlier. This study illustrates the utility of INAA for testing hypotheses of prehistoric craft production.
Eukaryote evolution: A view based on cytochromec sequence data

We have compared the amino acid sequences of cytochromec's from 45 species of organisms representing all five kingdoms, including one species each for the Protista and Monera. We have made a phylogeny for these data by reconstructing probable ancestral sequences which generate the present descendants through a minimum number of mutations. Several trials with different data sets produced the same minimal configuration. Assuming the occurrence of no major shifts in mutation acceptance rate, we find an early differentiation between prokaryote and eukaryote stocks. Afterward the eukaryote stem gave rise first to the protozoan flagellate branch and later to the multicellular green plant branch; after this the fungi and multicellular animal stems diverged from each other. A probable ancestral sequence was estimated for each kingdom of multicellular organisms. The basic eukaryote ancestor was probably a non-photosynthetic, heterotrophic flagellate. The photosynthetic apparatus could have been a later symbiotic acquisition in the plant ancestry. The dicotyledons had differentiated into two stocks before the emergence of a monocotyledon line as did the Ascomycetes before the emergence of the Basidiomycetes. The mollusc and chordate lines may have had a common acoelomate ancestor at the divergence of the arthropod stock. The numbers of mutations on all of the branches of the phylogenetic tree were calculated as well as the numbers of mutations and repeated mutations at each amino acid position.
Laboratory analog and numerical study of groundwater flow and solute transport in a karst aquifer with conduit and matrix domains

New mathematical and laboratory methods have been developed for simulating groundwater flow and solute transport in karst aquifers having conduits imbedded in a porous medium, such as limestone. The Stokes equations are used to model the flow in the conduits and the Darcy equation is used for the flow in the matrix. The Beavers-Joseph interface boundary conditions are adopted to describe the flow exchange at the interface boundary between the two domains. A laboratory analog is used to simulate the conduit and matrix domains of a karst aquifer. The conduit domain is located at the bottom of the transparent plexiglas laboratory analog and glass beads occupy the remaining space to represent the matrix domain. Water flows into and out of the two domains separately and each has its own supply and outflow reservoirs. Water and solute are exchanged through an interface between the two domains. Pressure transducers located within the matrix and conduit domains of the analog provide data that is processed and stored in digital format. Dye tracing experiments are recorded using time-lapse imaging. The data and images produced are analyzed by a spatial analysis program. The experiments provide not only hydraulic head distribution but also capture solute front images and mass exchange measurements between the conduit and matrix domains. In the experiment, we measure and record pressures, and quantify flow rates and solute transport. The results present a plausible argument that laboratory analogs can characterize groundwater water flow, solute transport, and mass exchange between the conduit and matrix domains in a karst aquifer. The analog validates the predictions of a numerical model and demonstrates the need of laboratory analogs to provide verification of proposed theories and the calibration of mathematical models.
The Fanner Honey Bee: Behavioral Variability and Environmental Cues in Workers Performing a Specialized Task

We tested the hypothesis that Apis mellifera workers exhibit plasticity in moving from fanning to guarding behavior. Bees marked when fanning are more likely to guard than fan on subsequent days, but guard to fanner reversals were common. Our findings suggest that bees can switch between these tasks, but that their bias between the two tasks changes over time, rather than a strict serial progression of worker tasks. The number of fanning workers is positively correlated with ambient temperature and negatively correlated with humidity; this conclusion gives insight into the environmental triggers for worker behavior.
Monsoon Climate of the Early Holocene: Climate Experiment with the Earth's Orbital Parameters for 9000 Years Ago

Values for the precession and obliquity of the earth 9000 years ago indicate that the global average solar radiation for July 9000 years ago was 7 percent greater than at present. When the estimated solar radiation values are used in a low-resulation climate model, the model simulates an intensified continent-scale monsoon circulation. This result agrees with paleoclimatic evidence from Africa, Arabia, and India that monsoon rains were stronger between 10,000 and 5000 years ago than they are today.
Stress relaxation in fine fibrin films: Comparison of films prepared with thrombin and ancrod

Measurements of stress relaxation in uniaxial extension have been made on fibrin film prepared from fine bovine fibrin clots (i.e., clots in which there is minimal lateral aggregation of protofibrils), both ligated and unligated, and polymerized with both thrombin and ancrod, plasticized with either aqueous buffer or glycerol. The stress 100 s after imposition of strain was approximately proportional to In λ, where λ is the stretch ratio. Ligated thrombin films showed comparatively little relaxation over a period of one day and almost complete recovery after release of stress. In unligated thrombin films, there was substantial relaxation in two stages, as previously observed for coarse films, and substantial irrecoverable deformation. The extent of relaxation and the proportion of strain that was irrecoverable increased with the magnitude of the strain. In ancrod films (unligated), there was much more relaxation (stress decaying by as much as a factor of 10) and much more irrecoverable deformation (about 70% of the initial deformation); these results did not depend on the magnitude of the strain. When an ancrod film was released after relaxation and submitted to a second stretch, the extent of the second relaxation was much less. These observations are discussed in relation to the structure of fine films and possible mechanisms for relaxation and irrecoverable deformation.
Fumarates: unique nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents that are antagonized by cysteine.

It has been almost 20 years since the introduction of the last new nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent into clinical practice, and research is ongoing to fill a clinical need for a nondepolarizing agent with a fast onset of effect and a short duration of action, as described by Savarese and Kitz [1] in 1975. That, coupled with an increasing awareness of the adverse effects or residual neuromuscular block [2,3], has led to the identification of a new series of compounds, the chlorofumarates, as neuromuscular blockers.
Rural-Urban Differences in Discussions of Cancer Treatment Clinical Trials

Abstract Objective Compare the characteristics of rural and urban callers to NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS), and explore the association of geographic location and discussion of cancer clinical trials. Methods Using CIS call data from 2006 to 2008, we assigned a rural or urban designation to caller ZIP codes using Rural–Urban Commuting Area Codes. Calls which discussed clinical trials were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The CIS received 227,579 calls from 2006 to 2008 where geographic location could be determined. Overall, 10.3% of calls included a discussion of clinical trials; there were significantly more discussions among urban dwellers than rural individuals (10.5% versus 9.4%, respectively). Multivariate regression analyses supported the univariate findings. In addition, compared to other callers, patients (OR 5.58 [95% CI: 4.88, 6.39]) and family and friends (6.26 [5.48, 71.5]) were significantly more likely to discuss clinical trials. Conclusion Urban callers were more likely than their rural counterparts to discuss cancer treatment trials, placing individuals living in rural areas at a disadvantage in learning about and communicating with their providers about possible participation in clinical trials. Practice implications Through its multiple access points, the CIS can serve as an important source of clinical trials information for rural cancer patients, family members, and providers.
Effects of stall or small group gestation housing on the production, health and behaviour of gilts

The effects of housing gestating gilts in groups of four (G, n = 8) or individual stalls (S, n = 14) on production, health and behavioural time budget were evaluated. Gilts were allocated to a gestation treatment by d 7 after breeding. They were housed in a single room, floors were fully slatted with no bedding, and all conditions except for housing type were identical. Gilts were weighed and their backfat measured at wk 1 (just after moving to gestation housing), 5, 9 and 13 of pregnancy. After farrowing, litter size, sex ratio, piglet weights and mortality percentages were recorded. Skin lesions were scored using a 6-point scale every 2 wk. Gait was scored using a 6-point scale at the end of gestation. Heart rate was assessed at wk 14 to 15 after breeding. Behaviour was videotaped to collect data on body postures and ingestive behaviour for 24 h at wk 4, 6, 9 and 13 of gestation. Apart from at wk 5, when S gilts had higher backfat than G (P < 0.05), G and S gilts did not differ in body weight or backfat during the study. Reproductive performance did not differ. While skin lesion scores did not differ at wk 1, by wk 13 lesion scores for several regions of the head, face, body, feet and legs were higher in G than S animals (P < 0.05). There were no differences in heart rate, but gait scores at the end of pregnancy tended to be poorer in G than S gilts (P < 0.1). As gestation progressed gilts spent less time standing (P < 0.0001) and more time lying (P < 0.05), but behavioural time budgets (percentages of time spent standing, lying, sitting, eating and drinking) of animals housed in G and S did not differ. In conclusion, there were few differences detected between gilts housed for one pregnancy in groups of four or stalls. Stalls in this study were relatively spacious, while group pens were relatively small and barren. Effects of gestation housing on sows' welfare may be cumulative, taking several parities to emerge, and care must be taken in the design and management of group housing systems to ensure that they achieve their objective of improved welfare for all group members.
Electrochemical oxidation for low concentration of aniline in neutral pH medium: application to the removal of aniline based on the electrochemical polymerization on a carbon fiber.

Aniline, which causes serious environmental problems, was electrochemically treated and thereby removed from aqueous solution. This method demonstrated herein is based on the formation of polyaniline at an electrode surface by electrochemical oxidation. Initially, the electrode behavior of aniline at several conditions was investigated on a platinum, glassy carbon (GC), and carbon fiber (CF) electrode using voltammetric techniques. On the platinum electrode, aniline did not polymerize at low concentrations. However, electropolymerization of aniline was observed on both the GC and CF electrodes even at low concentrations in neutral pH solutions. The removal of aniline was carried out using a CF bundle with a large surface area. High removal efficiency for aniline was obtained by applying potentials greater than 0.8 V. Although generation of p-benzoquinone as a byproduct was observed during electrochemical treatment, its generation was suppressed by applying a potential lower than 0.9 V. The cyclic voltammo...
Growing Up With a Physical Difference

Although childhood is supposed to be a time of well-being, many of our nation's children have significant, continuing physical health problems that make them distinctly different from their healthy peers As a result, these children face special challenges as they grow up This article explores the implications of growmg up with a physical difference by focusing on four issues Why are physical differences important? To what extent can we appropriately generalize across diagnoses? What are the developmental and familial consequences of chronic health impairments? What can be done to improve the situation? The author discusses developments contributing to a heightened concern for these children and reviews objective data underlymg a noncategorial approach to childhood chronic illness Attention is paid to the consequences of a chronic illness for the child, the family, and the school--and how health care providers can minimize the negative consequences As a whole, the evidence indicates that chronically ill ch...
No New Gimmicks: Continued Budget Challenges in Washington State

DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2012-0038 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2012; 4(3): 244–258 Research Article Jenny L. Holland* and Francis Benjamin No New Gimmicks: Continued Budget Challenges in Washington State** Abstract: As with many states, Washington faced multiple economic challenges between 2010 and 2011. In the 2011 legislative cycle, the state had to close a $4.6 billion shortfall for the 2011–2013 biennium. This budgetary challenge was accomplished through a combination of budget cuts and revenue enhancements. Primarily, the legislature adopted a series of additional cuts to the governor’s already-reduced original budget proposal, and implemented some revenue- producing options such as going to the voters for a tax increase. In this report, we explore these budget shortfall issues and characterize the political context within which they occurred. Keywords: budget cuts; economic challenge; revenue; shortfall; special session *Corresponding author: Jenny L. Holland, Political Science, Washington State University, P.O. Box 644880, Pullman, WA 99164-4880, e-mail: j_holland@wsu.edu Francis Benjamin: Political Science, Washington State University, Washington State University, P.O. Box 644880, Pullman, WA 99164-4880, e-mail: benjamin@wsu.edu 1 Introduction Washington State experienced continued economic challenges throughout the 2011 regular legislative session and subsequently held a 30-day special session to close budget shortfalls that had not yet been resolved. In December 2010, ­Governor Christine Gregoire released a budget proposal to the legislature that estimated a $4.6 billion shortfall for the 2011–2013 biennium, which runs July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013. By March 2011 – in the middle of the regular session – this projected shortfall grew to $5.1 billion. In addition to closing the growing budget gap for the **The information presented in this report is current as of June 2011. We thank Nicholas P. Lovrich for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of this report.
Network Congestion Control of Airport Surface Operations

This paper presents a novel approach to managing the aircraft taxi-out process at airports, by posing the problem in a network congestion control framework. A network model of the airport surface with stochastic link travel times is first developed. The model parameters for Boston Logan International Airport are estimated using empirical data from a surface surveillance system. Using the entry times of aircraft into the network as the control variables, a control algorithm that aims to reduce taxi-out times is proposed. This algorithm regulates network congestion while limiting the adverse effect on throughput performance. Performance characteristics of the proposed control algorithm are derived using simplified theoretical analysis, and are shown to agree with simulations of traffic on a network model of Boston Logan International Airport.
A modification of a truncated partial sequential procedure

SUMMARY Recently Billard (1977) introduced a truncated partial sequential procedure for testing a null hypothesis about a normal mean with known variance against a two-sided alternative hypothesis. That procedure had a disadvantage that a large number of observations was necessary if the null hypothesis was to be accepted. A new procedure is introduced which reduces the expected sample size for all mean values with considerable reductions for values near the null mean value. Theoretical operating characteristic and average sample number functions are derived.
Insulin signaling as a mechanism underlying developmental plasticity: the role of FOXO in a nutritional polyphenism.

We investigated whether insulin signaling, known to mediate physiological plasticity in response to changes in nutrition, also facilitates discrete phenotypic responses such as polyphenisms. We test the hypothesis that the gene FOXO – which regulates growth arrest under nutrient stress – mediates a nutritional polyphenism in the horned beetle, Onthophagus nigriventris. Male beetles in the genus Onthophagus vary their mating strategy with body size: large males express horns and fight for access to females while small males invest heavily in genitalia and sneak copulations with females. Given that body size and larval nutrition are linked, we predicted that 1) FOXO expression would differentially scale with body size (nutritional status) between males and females, and 2) manipulation of FOXO expression would affect the nutritional polyphenism in horns and genitalia. First, we found that FOXO expression varied with body size in a tissue- and sex-specific manner, being more highly expressed in the abdominal tissue of large (horned) males, in particular in regions associated with genitalia development. Second, we found that knockdown of FOXO through RNA-interference resulted in the growth of relatively larger copulatory organs compared to control-injected individuals and significant, albeit modest, increases in relative horn length. Our results support the hypothesis that FOXO expression in the abdominal tissue limits genitalia growth, and provides limited support for the hypothesis that FOXO regulates relative horn length through direct suppression of horn growth. Both results support the idea that tissue-specific FOXO expression may play a general role in regulating scaling relationships in nutritional polyphenisms by signaling traits to be relatively smaller.
Induced androgenesis in rainbow trout

Androgenesis was induced in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, when eggs were irradiated with Co60 gamma-radiation prior to fertilization. Peak survival of the androgenetic haploids occurred at a radiation dosage of 3 × 104 roentgen (R). The survival of these androgenetic haploid embryos was not significantly lower than that of the gynogenetic haploids. Haploidy and all-paternal inheritance were confirmed by chromosome counts and by the use of a recessive albino color marker. If androgenetic diploids can be produced, androgenesis should prove useful in the production of inbred lines for genetic studies and breeding programs.