cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic OCE measurement of the biomechanical properties of gelatin phantom and mouse cornea in vivo

Here we demonstrate our use of phase stabilized swept-source optical coherence elastography (PhS-SSOCE) to assess elastic wave propagation in gelatin phantoms. From these measurements, Young’s moduli of the samples were determined. Low-amplitude (<10μm) mechanical waves were introduced using a focused air pulse on gelatin of different concentrations. Elastic wave amplitude and velocity were measured at multiple points on the phantom surface using a phase-resolved method. The results demonstrate that this method is capable of resolving very small changes in wave amplitude (~ 10 nm) as well as differences in wave velocity due to material stiffness. We further demonstrate use of this method for measurements with a contact lens, a silicone eye model and with the eye of an 18-month-old mouse in vivo. This non-destructive, non-invasive measurement system produces minimal tissue excitation and has high measurement sensitivity. These traits make this make this method useful for in vivo study of the biomechanical properties of ocular and other tissues.
Assessing the Reporting of Reliability in Published Content Analyses: 1985–2010

Content analysis is a common research method employed in communication studies. An important part of content analysis is establishing the reliability of the coding protocol, and reporting must be detailed enough to allow for replication of methodological procedures. This study employed a content analysis of published content analysis articles (N=581) in three communication journals over a 26-year period to examine changes in reliability sampling procedures and reporting of reliability coefficients across time. Findings indicate that general improvements have been made in the detail of reporting reliability, in the practice of reporting reliability coefficients that take chance into consideration, and in the reporting of reliability coefficients for more than one variable. However, explaining the reliability sampling process and use of a probability or census reliability sample did not change over time. In recent years, the preponderance of articles did not explain the reliability sampling method or report...
Brain ventricular size in female alcoholics: An MRI study

The brains of ten alcohol-dependent women between the ages of 21 and 65 were studied with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques. All women had MRI scans twice during the withdrawal period. Only one of the ten women had abnormally enlarged ventricles. At the time of the second scan there were no significant changes in ventricular size from the first scan. No correlations were found between age and ventricular size, or years of alcohol abuse and ventricular size.
Quality factor for high contrast grating resonators

The quality (Q) factor values of the high contrast subwavelength grating (HCG) resonator with different numbers of grating periods are studied. Q-factor >400 is achieved with only 2-period HCG having very small 0.58λ3 volume.
Deformation modeling of aluminum: Stress relaxation, transient behavior, and search for microstructural correlations

Abstract The inelastic behavior of high purity aluminum was measured by stress relaxation techniques following three mechanical histories: monotonie tensile loading, reversed cyclic loading, and elastic reloadings subsequent to an initial relaxation event. The data are used to test the validity of a model which had found previous success in describing simple stress relaxation of aluminum, stainless steels and solder alloys. The model is found to apply, in this work, to monotonie histories for strains greater than 0.6% and for the cyclic histories where total accumulated strains are greater than 0.5%. However, the model failed to describe relaxation after either small monotonie straining (
Efficient, stable, small, and water-soluble doped ZnSe nanocrystal emitters as non-cadmium biomedical labels.

Mn2+-doped ZnSe quantum dots (Mn:ZnSe d-dots) with a tunable photoluminescence (PL) peak position were made to be water soluble by coating them with a monolayer of mercaptopropionic acid, a very short hydrophilic thiol. If the dopant centers were located close to the surface, thiol-coating partially quenched the PL. With about 2−3 monolayers of pure ZnSe on the surface, the PL of d-dots was actually enhanced upon thiol coating. When the doping centers were placed reasonably inside a d-dot, with about four monolayers of pure ZnSe between the doping centers and the surface ligands, the thiol ligands did not quench the PL of the d-dots, even though they did completely quench the PL of intrinsic ZnSe quantum dots. The overall size of such d-dots/ligand complex is only about 7−8 nm, implying an excellent permeability in biological issues. These d-dots were found to be exceptionally stable against continuous UV radiation in air for at least 25 days. They were also stable in boiling water with air bubbling under...
Iterative channel estimation and partially coherent demodulation of CPFSK in time-selective fading channels

When continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK) is used over a fading channel, coherent demodulation can offer a significant performance gain over noncoherent demodulation. However, when the fading varies over a packet, pilot symbols must typically be inserted to help track the channel phase, thus reducing the data rate and energy efficiency. If the spacing between pilot symbols is greater than the channel coherence time, then the phase estimates for symbols that are far from the pilot symbols will be poor. In such scenarios, partially coherent demodulation can be utilized to properly demodulate symbols based on the quality of their phase estimates. In this paper, we apply iterative channel estimation, partially coherent demodulation in a system employing CPFSK modulation over a time-selective Rayleigh fading channel. We show that this approach can significantly improve the performance of CPFSK over schemes that use only noncoherent or coherent demodulation.
Metabolic optic neuropathies

Metabolic optic neuropathies form a rubric of disease characterized by bilaterally symmetrical visual impairment with loss of central visual acuity, dyschromatopsia, centrocecal visual field defects, temporal optic disc atrophy, and specific loss of the nerve fiber layer in the papillomacular bundle. The three subcategories of metabolic optic neuropathies are heredodegenerative (such as Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy), nutritional deficiencies (such as vitamins B12 or folic acid), or toxicities (such as ethambutol or cyanide). It's interesting to note that the first of these three is a congenital cause of mitochondrial impairment, whereas the latter two are acquired injuries to mitochondria. Hence, most if not all causes of metabolic optic neuropathies are, in fact, related to mitochondrial impairment. At the present time there is no effective treatment for heredodegenerative optic neuropathy. Nutritional deficiency metabolic optic neuropathies are treated by giving supplements of the appropriate nutrient or vitamin, whereas toxic metabolic optic neuropathies are treated by removing or preventing exposure to the toxin in question.
ATDNet research at the National Security Agency

The National Security Agency (NSA) is a military support agency with a significant requirement to deliver timely, relevant information to the warfighter in a secure manner. In these austere budget times, the Department of Defense (DoD) can no longer afford to build and operate its own private networks to support this requirement. The Global Grid project is a fitting vehicle for researching those areas that NSA has identified as critical in enabling public networks to satisfy its information delivery requirement: asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) interoperability, distributed computing, information security (INFOSEC), and high-speed network connections.
New grand unified models with intersecting D6-branes, neutrino masses, and flipped SU(5)

Abstract We construct new supersymmetric SU ( 5 ) grand unified models based on Z 4 × Z 2 orientifolds with intersecting D6-branes. Unlike constructions based on Z 2 × Z 2 orientifolds, the orbifold images of the three-cycles wrapped by D6-branes correspond to new configurations and thus allow for models in which, in addition to the chiral sector in 10 and 5 ¯ representations of SU ( 5 ) , only, there can be new sectors with ( 15 + 15 ¯ ) and ( 10 + 10 ¯ ) vector-pairs. We construct an example of such a globally consistent, supersymmetric model with four-families, two Standard Model Higgs pair-candidates and the gauge symmetry U ( 5 ) × U ( 1 ) × Sp ( 4 ) . In an N = 2 sector, there are 5 × ( 15 + 15 ¯ ) and 1 × ( 10 + 10 ¯ ) vector-pairs, while another N = 1 sector contains one vector-pair of 15 -plets. The N = 2 vector-pairs can obtain a large mass dynamically by parallel D6-brane splitting in a particular two-torus. The 15 -vector-pairs provide, after symmetry breaking to the Standard Model (via parallel D-brane splitting), triplet pair candidates which can in principle play a role in generating Majorana-type masses for left-handed neutrinos, though the necessary Yukawa couplings are absent in the specific construction. This model can also be interpreted as a flipped SU ( 5 ) × U ( 1 ) X grand unified model where the 10 -vector-pairs can play the role of Higgs fields, though again there are phenomenological difficulties for the specific construction.
Optically induced THz electromagnetic radiation from planar photoconducting structures

We describe a novel optoelectronic technique to generate and detect THz electromagnetic waves by using large-aperture planar photoconductive antennas and antenna arrays. This approach is an effective method of producing directional and steerable sub-millimeter wave pulses in free space.
Refining Globigerinoides ruber Mg/Ca paleothermometry in the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract The Mg/Ca ratio of the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber (white) has become a widely used proxy for reconstructing sea surface temperature (SST), as numerous studies have shown that temperature is the primary control on Mg/Ca ratios in foraminiferal calcite. However, a recent study of core-top sediments across an Atlantic meridional transect suggests that salinity might have a stronger control on foraminiferal Mg/Ca ratios than previously thought. By analyzing Mg/Ca ratios and δ O 18 values in G. ruber (white), Arbuszewski et al. (2010) found a 27% increase in G. ruber Mg/Ca ratios per 1 salinity unit increase for seawater salinities above 35.5. Here, we use shell weight analyses and SEM images from a subset of the core-tops used in the Arbuszewski et al. (2010) study across a narrow depth range (3197–3733 m) to show that G. ruber shells from the equatorial region are highly dissolved compared to those from the subtropical North and South Atlantic gyres, significantly impacting their Mg/Ca-SSTs. Shell weights from the higher-productivity equatorial region of the Atlantic are on average 20% and 15% lower than those from the oligotrophic North and South Atlantic gyres, respectively. Given the large preservation gradient along the transect studied by Arbuszewski et al. (2010) , application of a single dissolution-corrected Mg/Ca:SST calibration equation ( Dekens et al., 2002 ) on cores from the subtropical gyres and the equatorial region is not appropriate. When regional differences in preservation are considered, as well as realistic habitat depths and calcification seasons for G. ruber in temperate latitudes, we find a strong correlation between observational SSTs and calculated G. ruber Mg/Ca-SSTs in core-top samples spanning 43°N to 25°S in the Atlantic. In addition, our re-calibrated Mg/Ca-SSTs are more strongly correlated with isotopic calcification temperatures across the transect than originally reported by Arbuszewski et al. (2010) . This study provides evidence that regional differences in preservation, rather than salinity, significantly affects G. ruber Mg/Ca-SSTs in the Atlantic, and supports culturing experiments that found salinity only has a minor influence on foraminiferal Mg/Ca ratios.
Delta-sigma (ΔΣ) frequency synthesizers for wireless applications

This paper describes the state-of-the-art design approaches to delta-sigma (@[email protected]) frequency synthesizers for wireless transceiver applications. Various synthesizer architectures, including the integer and fractional-N synthesizers, and frequency-to-digital converters (FDC) based digital frequency synthesizers are described. Design specifications for several loop parameters such as noise shaper order in the feedback modulator, loop filter bandwidth, VCO phase noise are based on modulation accuracy and frequency resolution specifications. Advantages of digital loop filter based @[email protected] frequency synthesizers are analyzed.
Mercury Reduces Avian Reproductive Success and Imposes Selection: An Experimental Study with Adult- or Lifetime-Exposure in Zebra Finch

Mercury is a global pollutant that biomagnifies in food webs, placing wildlife at risk of reduced reproductive fitness and survival. Songbirds are the most diverse branch of the avian evolutionary tree; many are suffering persistent and serious population declines and we know that songbirds are frequently exposed to mercury pollution. Our objective was to determine the effects of environmentally relevant doses of mercury on reproductive success of songbirds exposed throughout their lives or only as adults. The two modes of exposure simulated philopatric species versus dispersive species, and are particularly relevant because of the heightened mercury-sensitivity of developing nervous systems. We performed a dosing study with dietary methylmercury in a model songbird species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), at doses from 0.3 – 2.4 parts per million. Birds were exposed to mercury either as adults only or throughout their lives. All doses of mercury reduced reproductive success, with the lowest dose reducing the number of independent offspring produced in one year by 16% and the highest dose, representing approximately half the lethal dose for this species, causing a 50% reduction. While mercury did not affect clutch size or survivorship, it had the most consistent effect on the proportion of chicks that fledged from the nest, regardless of mode of exposure. Among birds exposed as adults, mercury caused a steep increase in the latency to re-nest after loss of a clutch. Birds exposed for their entire lifetimes, which were necessarily the offspring of dosed parents, had up to 50% lower reproductive success than adult-exposed birds at low doses of methylmercury, but increased reproductive success at high doses, suggesting selection for mercury tolerance at the highest level of exposure. Our results indicate that mercury levels in prey items at contaminated sites pose a significant threat to populations of songbirds through reduced reproductive success.
COSAR: commitment-oriented "sense and respond" system for microelectronic manufacturing

Microelectronic manufacturing is a discipline of supply chain management, and deals with the efficient coordination of manufacturing processes and owning enterprise along a value chine to provide products to customers. The systems for microelectronic manufacturing processes are usually linear, rigid and producing solutions that are far from optimal. This paper presents a commitment-oriented "sense and respond" system, called COSAR, for microelectronic manufacturing. COSAR enables the development of adaptive and configurable manufacturing systems. We will explain both the concept of commitment and also the foundation and architecture of COSAR.
ASSESSMENT OF CHANGE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE USING THE UPDATED 2009 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY/ AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NUCLEAR CARDIOLOGY FOR APPROPRIATENESS CRITERIA SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING

In 2009 the American College of Cardiology/ American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ACC/ASNC) updated the 2005 appropriateness criteria categorizing the various indications for the performance of Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (SPECT MPI). We sought to
Evaluation of Early Second Trimester Maternal Serum Creatine Kinase Isoenzyme BB as a Marker of Poor Pregnancy Outcome

We hypothesized that maternal serum levels of the isoenzyme creatine kinase (CK)-BB, which is highly expressed in the placenta, may be elevated during the early second trimester in gestations destined to deliver prematurely or of a small-for-gestational-age infant (birthweight below 10th percentile). To test this hypothesis, we compared maternal serum CK-BB levels and percentage of CK-BB over total CK, in 69 normal pregnancies (delivering at term of appropriate-for-gestational-age infants) with those of 25 cases complicated by preterm delivery at < or = 34 weeks (n = 14), of a small-for-gestational-age infant (n = 8), or both (n = 3). No differences were present in maternal serum CK BB levels between normal and complicated pregnancies. Moreover, no correlation was found between gestational age at delivery and CK BB levels (r = 0.03; p = 0.7).
Implications of instructional technologies for the future of education

We can’t accurately predict the future, but we can make some good guesses and approximations to help us plan for it. As individuals and organizations, we want to be on a winning team and use our energies to support good ideas. Good projections of the future will help us to make better decisions. Let us hope that by attempting to get a clearer picture of the future we will be able to participate more fully in it.
COLLISION DYNAMICS AND SURFACE WETTING OF NANO-SCALE POLYMER PARTICLES ON SUBSTRATES

Abstract Classical trajectory calculations are used to study collisions of nano-scale polyethylene (PE) particles on Si, C, and Al surfaces in a vacuum. The PE particles generated with up to 12 000 atoms have been propagated up to 100 ps for those surfaces to investigate the self-organization of polymer particles (mechanical memory) via collisions. It is shown that particles with the initial velocity greater than 8 A/ps lose some chains while spreading on (coating) the surfaces during impact. In the simulation, the nano-scale PE particles with the initial velocity less than 5 A/ps can self-organize back to their original spherical shape and do not show deformation of the shape. The results suggest that the experimentally observed deformation of a polymer particle on a substrate is due mainly to the surface interaction between the polymer particle and the substrate (surface wetting) and not to the collision.
On-line mercury speciation in exhaust gas by using solid-phase chemical reduction

Speciation of mercury species in exhaust gas from combustion sources is important for both the design of equipment for mercury pollution control and incinerator operation control. A simple, portable atomic absorption spectrometer is described that can monitor, in real time, the mercury species present in stack gas. A SnCl2-loaded reduction column was used to convert molecular mercury to mercury atoms, which were then detected by atomic absorption spectrometry. The adoption of solid-phase reduction of the molecular species simplified the instrument design and made analysis easier. Results presented in this paper demonstrate the potential of the proposed method for field application.
Involvement of RNA polymerase in the synthesis of DNA by growing and toluene-treated cells of bacillusbrevis*

Summary The incorporation of [3H] thymidine into DNA by growing cultures of bacillus brevis as well as other Bacilli was strongly inhibited by rifampicin and streptolydigin, suggesting a role for RNA polymerase in DNA replication. On the other hand, DNA synthesis in toluene-treated cells of B . brevis , which was dependent on the presence of ATP or other ribonucleoside triphosphates, was unaffected by streptolydigin or rifampicin. However, upon storage of toluene-treated cells at −20°, sensitivity to inhibition by streptolydigin developed progressively (up to 76% inhibition) over a period of 4 weeks, while the overall rate of DNA synthesis remained constant.
Polyacrylamide gel miniaturization improves protein visualization and autoradiographic detection.

Polyacrylamide gels shrink to one-quarter of their original area when soaked in a 50% (w/v) solution of polyethylene glycol. Gel miniaturization improves the contrast of protein bands, with four valuable consequences. (i) A 5- to 10-fold increase in sensitivity for Coomassie blue is observed. (ii) Gels are more durable; i.e., they resist tearing when wet and they do not crack during drying under vacuum. (iii) Shrunken gels give sharper photographic images and provide better interlane protein band comparisons. (iv) Condensed protein bands lead to an increased sensitivity for detecting low-abundance, radioactively-labeled proteins by fluorography.
The formation of terrains antipodal to major impacts

The SALE, or Simplified Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian code is presently used to calculate the antipodal pressures generated by large impacts on icy satellites and planets of various compositions and core sizes. While in a high density core/lower density mantle planet there is a refraction of the incident pressure wave away from the antipode by the core, resulting in a low antipodal pressure, a planet with a low velocity core with a higher-wave speed mantle will focus the waveform to maximize antipodal pressure. Specific impact basins on the moon, Mercury, and several icy satellites are modeled to ascertain whether the impacts were capable of producing the observed antipodal features.
Sexual and Seasonal Variations of Mercury in Smallmouth Bass

ABSTRACT We assessed sexual and seasonal variations of total mercury in the muscle tissue of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, Virginia. The average concentration of total mercury in the muscle tissue of bass sampled was 0.79 μg/g wet weight and ranged from 0.30 to 1.38 μg/g. There were significant positive relationships between the mercury level in muscle tissue and the length, weight, and age of bass sampled. Mean concentrations of total mercury differed significantly between sexes following adjustment for length and weight and were 20% higher in females than males. Differences among seasons were nearly significant after adjustment for length and were 14 and 21% higher during spring than summer and fall following adjustment for length and weight. Results of this study indicate that state and federal agencies should account for sex and season during mercury monitoring and assessment programs to assure more accurate and precise data that can be compared amon...
Renormalizing SMD: The Renormalization Approach and Its Use in Long Time Simulations and Accelerated PMF Calculations of Macromolecules

Simulations of long time process in condensed phases, in general, and in biomolecules, in particular, present a major challenge that cannot be overcome at present by brute force molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. This work takes the renormalization method, intruded by us sometime ago, and establishes its reliability and potential in extending the time scale of molecular simulations. The validation involves a truncated gramicidin system in the gas phase. This system is small enough to allow for very long explicit simulations and sufficiently complex to present the physics of realistic ion channels. The renormalization approach is found to be reliable and arguably presents the first approach that allows one to exploit the otherwise problematic steered molecular dynamics (SMD) treatments in quantitative and meaningful studies. It is established that we can reproduce the long time behavior of large systems by using Langevin dynamics (LD) simulations of a renormalized implicit model. This is done without spending the enormous time needed to obtain such trajectories in the explicit system. The present study also provides a promising advance in accelerated evaluation of free energy barriers. This is done by adjusting the effective potential in the implicit model to reproduce the same passage time as that obtained in the explicit model under the influence of an external force. Here having a reasonable effective friction provides a way to extract the potential of mean force (PMF) without investing the time needed for regular PMF calculations. The renormalization approach, which is illustrated here in realistic calculations, is expected to provide a major help in studies of complex landscapes and in exploring long time dynamics of biomolecules.
Lactate Oxidation Coupled to Iron or Electrode Reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA

Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA completely oxidized lactate and reduced iron or an electrode, producing pyruvate and acetate intermediates. Compared to the current produced by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, G. sulfurreducens PCA produced 10-times-higher current levels in lactate-fed microbial electrolysis cells. The kinetic and comparative analyses reported here suggest a prominent role of G. sulfurreducens strains in metal- and electrode-reducing communities supplied with lactate.
Glucose modulation of the disposal of an acute potassium load in patients with end-stage renal disease

Abstract purpose: Extrarenal potassium disposal plays an important role in the tolerance of an acute potassium load and is particularly critical in patients with renal failure. Insulin is known to stimulate this disposal by enhancing potassium uptake into the cells. Since dietary potassium is generally ingested in combination with carbohydrates, the predictable stimulation of endogenous insulin release may blunt the expected increase in plasma potassium. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effect of oral glucose on the disposition of an acute oral potassium load in hemodialysis patients and in normal controls. patients and methods: Eight hemodialysis patients and eight normal control subjects were studied after an overnight fast. Each subject received an oral load of potassium chloride elixir (0.25 mmol/kg). Plasma potassium was measured at baseline and at 30-minute intervals for 3 hours. On a separate study day, the subjects underwent the identical protocol, with the addition of 50 g of oral glucose to the potassium load to stimulate endogenous insulin release. The identical two experimental protocols were repeated in each subject during concomitant β blockade with propranolol. results: The maximal increase in plasma potassium after the potassium load was significantly greater in the hemodialysis patients than in the controls (0.93 ± 0.08 versus 0.52 ± 0.04 mmol/L, p conclusions: Exogenous glucose, by stimulating endogenous secretion of insulin, enhances extrarenal disposal of a potassium load. This protective effect of exogenous glucose against hyperkalemia is independent of adrenergic stimulation. The beneficial effect of exogenous glucose defends against the development of severe hyperkalemia after dietary potassium ingestion, and is critically important in hemodialysis patients, due to their negligible renal potassium excretion.
CoSMoS Unravels Mysteries of Transcription Initiation

Using a fluorescence method called colocalization single-molecule spectroscopy (CoSMoS), Friedman and Gelles dissect the kinetics of transcription initiation at a bacterial promoter. Ultimately, CoSMoS could greatly aid the study of the effects of DNA sequence and transcription factors on both prokaryotic and eukaryotic promoters.
Modeling Annotators: A Generative Approach to Learning from Annotator Rationales

A human annotator can provide hints to a machine learner by highlighting contextual "rationales" for each of his or her annotations (Zaidan et al., 2007). How can one exploit this side information to better learn the desired parameters θ? We present a generative model of how a given annotator, knowing the true θ, stochastically chooses rationales. Thus, observing the rationales helps us infer the true θ. We collect substring rationales for a sentiment classification task (Pang and Lee, 2004) and use them to obtain significant accuracy improvements for each annotator. Our new generative approach exploits the rationales more effectively than our previous "masking SVM" approach. It is also more principled, and could be adapted to help learn other kinds of probabilistic classifiers for quite different tasks.
The importance of seed reserves for seedling performance: an integrated approach using morphological, physiological, and stable isotope techniques

To investigate how seed reserves affect early seedling performance, we conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment using Lithocarpus densiflora (Tanoak). Seedlings were grown from large (5.8±0.7 g) and small (3.2±0.4 g) seeds and, following shoot emergence, seeds were either removed or left attached. Seedlings were harvested for quantification of biomass and δ13C at seven time periods following seed removal (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 days) and seedling photosynthesis was measured three separate time periods (2–4, 49–82, 95–128 days after seed removal). Biomass increased for all seedlings, but the increase was significantly larger for seedlings with attached seeds than with removed seeds. Seed removal just after shoot emergence significantly decreased seedling biomass, but seed removal 64 days after shoot emergence had no effect on seedling biomass. Seedling photosynthesis per unit leaf area varied by time and seed presence, but not by seed size. At the first period, seedlings with attached seeds had significantly higher photosynthetic rates than seedlings with removed seeds, at the second period there was no effect of seed removal, and at the third time period seedlings with attached seeds had significantly lower photosynthetic rates than seedlings with removed seeds. Despite temporal variation in photosynthesis per unit leaf area, seedlings with attached seeds always had significantly greater leaf area than seedlings with removed seeds, resulting in significantly higher total plant photosynthesis at all three time periods. The δ13C values of both the leaves and roots were more similar to that of the seed for seedlings with attached seeds than for seedlings with removed seeds, however, seed removal and seed size strongly affected root δ13C. This study demonstrates that seed reserves have important effects on the early growth, physiology, and δ13C of L. densiflora seedlings.
The Importance of Embedding Argument Within Science Classrooms

Argument is a critical element to science instruction as it serves as a tool for the building of student conceptual understanding and is the fundamental component to the knowledge construction process in science. The past two decades have been witness to a significant increase in research related to science argument. This chapter explores how scientific argument is fostered in science classrooms. In doing so, the authors will juxtapose embedded forms of argument with methods that teach argument as an external component to doing science. Specific examples from the research literature will be cited to highlight these critical differences and serve as a platform for the exploration of key questions such as: What is the role of language in science? And, what is the relationship between data and evidence? Additionally, the authors will provide evidence supporting an approach that scaffolds embedded argument within scientific investigations.
Serum Steroid Concentrations at Different Phases of Production and Brain Monoamine Oxidase Type A Messenger Ribonucleic Acid in Buller Steers1

One field study was conducted to evaluate serum steroid hormone profiles of steers exhibiting characteristics attributed to buller steer syndrome and to assess the potential association between buller steer syndrome and the monoamine neurotransmitter enzyme monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) mRNA. Whole blood serum was collected at 3 time points from 600 crossbred steers: 1) before placement on intensively stocked early summer pastures (pregrass), 2) after arrival to a commercial feedlot (feedlot arrival; BW = 403 kg), and 3) when a steer exhibited classical buller characteristics (diagnosis of buller; n = 25). The pregrass progesterone period was suppressed (P < 0.05) only in sera obtained from bullers as compared with control animals (342 vs. 673 pg/mL). From feedlot arrival to the diagnosis of buller, a reduction (P < 0.05) in progesterone occurred in bullers (349 vs. 217 pg/mL). An increase (P < 0.05) in testosterone occurred in bullers from feedlot arrival to diagnosis of a buller (7.4 vs. 21.7 pg/mL). Estradiol-17β from bullers and controls increased (P < 0.01) from pregrass to feedlot arrival. Buller and control estradiol and testosterone levels were not different at any sampling time. From the same group of steers, 10 bullers and 12 controls, MAO-A mRNA levels were analyzed in postmortem samples removed from the frontal cortex region of the brain. The MAO-A mRNA levels measured by the real-time quantitative PCR method were 74.5% greater (P = 0.03) in bullers than controls. This study indicates bullers have suppressed serum concentrations of progesterone and a potential predisposition for heightened MAO-A activity.
An index of reservoir habitat impairment

Fish habitat impairment resulting from natural and anthropogenic watershed and in-lake processes has in many cases reduced the ability of reservoirs to sustain native fish assemblages and fisheries quality. Rehabilitation of impaired reservoirs is hindered by the lack of a method suitable for scoring impairment status. To address this limitation, an index of reservoir habitat impairment (IRHI) was developed by merging 14 metrics descriptive of common impairment sources, with each metric scored from 0 (no impairment) to 5 (high impairment) by fisheries scientists with local knowledge. With a plausible range of 5 to 25, distribution of the IRHI scores ranged from 5 to 23 over 482 randomly selected reservoirs dispersed throughout the USA. The IRHI reflected five impairment factors including siltation, structural habitat, eutrophication, water regime, and aquatic plants. The factors were weakly related to key reservoir characteristics including reservoir area, depth, age, and usetype, suggesting that common reservoir descriptors are poor predictors of fish habitat impairment. The IRHI is rapid and inexpensive to calculate, provides an easily understood measure of the overall habitat impairment, allows comparison of reservoirs and therefore prioritization of restoration activities, and may be used to track restoration progress. The major limitation of the IRHI is its reliance on unstandardized professional judgment rather than standardized empirical measurements.
Unexpected Role for Granzyme K in CD56bright NK Cell-Mediated Immunoregulation of Multiple Sclerosis

Functional NK cell deficiencies are associated with autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. NK cells can promote or inhibit adaptive immunity via either cytokine production or cytotoxicity toward immature dendritic cells and activated T cells. In humans, this immunoregulatory role resides in the CD56 bright NK cell subset, which is selectively expanded by daclizumab, a CD25-blocking Ab that suppresses multiple sclerosis-associated inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the cytotoxicity of NK cells toward activated T cells. We demonstrated that NK cells induce caspase-independent apoptosis that requires NK cell degranulation and causes mitochondrial dysfunction in activated T cells. Although both granzyme A and granzyme K (GrK) can mediate this form of apoptosis, quantitatively we observed preferential transfer of GrK to target cells. Consequently, gene silencing of GrK in the NK-92 cell line, which retains functional characteristics of CD56 bright NK cells, profoundly inhibited the ability of NK-92 cells to kill activated syngeneic T cells. Finally, we demonstrated that daclizumab treatment significantly enhanced this newly defined mechanism of cytotoxicity by CD56 bright NK cells. Our study describes the important physiological role that GrK plays in immunoregulation of adaptive immunity in humans and indicates that therapeutic exploitation of this pathway is beneficial in controlling autoimmunity.
A Meta-Analysis of Video Modeling and Video Self-Modeling Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of video modeling and video self-modeling (VSM) interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Twenty-three single-subject design studies were included in the meta-analysis. Intervention, maintenance, and generalization effects were measured by computing the percentage of nonoverlapping data points (PND). Results suggest that video modeling and VSM are effective intervention strategies for addressing social-communication skills, functional skills, and behavioral functioning in children and adolescents with ASD. Results also indicate that these procedures promote skill acquisition and that skills acquired via video modeling and VSM are maintained over time and transferred across persons and settings. The results suggest that video modeling and VSM intervention strategies meet criteria for designation as an evidence-based practice.
Fluid wall shear stress measurements in a model of the human abdominal aorta: oscillatory behavior and relationship to atherosclerosis

Clinically significant atherosclerosis in the human aorta is most common in the infrarenal segment. This study was initiated to test the hypothesis that flowfield properties are closely related to the localization of plaques in this segment of the arterial system. Wall shear stress was calculated from magnetic resonance velocity measurements of pulsatile flow in an anatomically accurate model of the human abdominal aorta. The wall shear stress values were compared with intimal thickening from 15 post-mortem aortas measured by quantitative morphometry of histological cross sections obtained at standard locations. Wall shear stress oscillated in direction throughout most of the infrarenal aorta, most prominently in the distal region. The time-averaged mean wall shear stress (-1.7 to 1.4 dyn/cm2) was lowest near the posterior wall in this region. These hemodynamic parameters coincided with the locations of maximal intimal thickening. Statistical correlation between oscillatory shear and intimal thickness yielded r = 0.79, P < 0.00001. Low mean shear stresses correlated nearly as well (r = -0.75, P < 0.00005). Comparison of our data with surface maps of Sudan Red staining and early lesions as reported by others revealed similar conclusions. In contrast, pulse and maximum shear stresses did not correlate with plaque localization as has been shown for other sites of selective involvement by atherosclerosis (r < 0.345). Simulated exercise conditions markedly changed the magnitude and pattern of wall shear stress in the distal abdominal aorta. These results demonstrate that in the infrarenal aorta, regions of low mean and oscillating wall shear stresses are predisposed to the development of plaque while regions of relatively high wall shear stress tend to be spared.
Evidence of hybrid vigor in subspecific hybrids of the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis).

The effect of hybridization on infant survival was investigated in subspecific crosses of the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis) at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Marmoset Research Center (Oak Ridge, TN). Cox Proportional Hazards Regression was used to compare infant survival between (1) pure subspecies, (2) F1, F2, and backcrossed hybrids, and (3) hybrids and their parental subspecies. Also, effects of management changes, sex, and litter size on infant survival were investigated. There were no significant differences in infant survival between the pure subspecies. Also, degree of hybridization (F1, F2, or backcross) did not have a significant effect on infant survival. Progeny of hybrid crosses between S. f. lagonotus and S. f. illigeri was found to have significantly (P < 0.05) higher infant survival than both of their parental subspecies. Individuals born after diet and management changes in the colony had significantly (P < 0.05) higher survival than those born before. There were no significant sex differences in infant survival. Individuals born into triplet litters had significantly (P < 0.05) lower survival than those born into twin litters. These results show heterosis (hybrid vigor) for infant survival in one subspecific S. fuscicollis cross (S. f. lagonotus × S. f. illigeri). The results suggest genetic divergence between the subspecies populations and possible reproductive isolation in the wild. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
T-cell receptors and collagen induced arthritis in H-2r mice.

Mouse strains BIO, B10.RIII, RIIIS/J and the Fl and backcross progeny arising from them were tested for susceptibility to porcine type II collagen-induced arthritis (PII-CIA). The clinically severe arthritis of rapid onset that is characteristic of PII-immunized B10.RIII mice developed predominantly in hybrid offspring that had inherited at least one copy of wild type T cell receptor (TCR) genes (Vβb genotype) from the B10 or B10.RIII parent. The results indicate that, in the development of PII-CIA, mice expressing the H-2r/r haplotype preferentially utilize TCR Vp genes that are normally encoded within the TCR Vβ genomic deletion region of RIIIS mice (Vβc). After aggressive immunization with PII, the use of alternative TCR Vβ genes, encoded outside of the RIIIS deletion region, produced a high IgG antibody response that was cross-reactive with mouse type II collagen (MII) and equivalent to that of B10.RIII mice, but only a very mild, late onset arthritis of 56% (27/48) incidence in RIIIS male mice and 28...
Studies of double-sided, double metal silicon strip detectors

Abstract We have studied double-sided, double-metal silicon microstrip detectors for the CLEO-II vertex detector. The double-layer structure permits the transverse strips to be connected via longitudinal readout traces to preamplifiers located at the end of the detectors. The detectors are manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics. They are full size AC coupled detectors with polysilicon bias resistors on the n-side and punchthrough biasing on the p-side. We present measurements of detector static properties, including the extra capacitance due to the double layer structure, as well as measurements of signal and noise.
Improved Cell-Free RNA and Protein Synthesis System

Cell-free RNA and protein synthesis (CFPS) is becoming increasingly used for protein production as yields increase and costs decrease. Advances in reconstituted CFPS systems such as the Protein synthesis Using Recombinant Elements (PURE) system offer new opportunities to tailor the reactions for specialized applications including in vitro protein evolution, protein microarrays, isotopic labeling, and incorporating unnatural amino acids. In this study, using firefly luciferase synthesis as a reporter system, we improved PURE system productivity up to 5 fold by adding or adjusting a variety of factors that affect transcription and translation, including Elongation factors (EF-Ts, EF-Tu, EF-G, and EF4), ribosome recycling factor (RRF), release factors (RF1, RF2, RF3), chaperones (GroEL/ES), BSA and tRNAs. The work provides a more efficient defined in vitro transcription and translation system and a deeper understanding of the factors that limit the whole system efficiency.
Knowing Where They Stand: The Role of Inferred Distributions of Others in Misestimates of Relative Standing

People often estimate how they compare to other consumers when they make purchase decisions. Unfortunately, they tend to err in this task, and this can lead to negative consequences in their choices. Previous literature has largely argued that these errors in estimates of relative standing are due to underweighting or ignoring the reference group. Using a novel measure of people’s perception of the reference group, we show that consumers do attend to that information but err in their estimates of relative standing because they tend to overestimate the dispersion of others’ performances and attributes. Three studies support this argument and provide insights that enable marketers to alter consumers’ relative assessment process in formerly discounted ways. We demonstrate straightforward tools that can change consumers’ impressions of others and thus change relative assessments and purchase decisions.
The Maze as a Classroom-Based Reading Measure: Construction Methods, Reliability, and Validity:

Twenty years of research on the Maze is reviewed to help ascertain the potential usefulness of this classroom-based reading measure for students with learning disabilities. Alternative methods of construction, administration, and scoring are examined. We examined evidence for three types of reliability: test-retest, alternate forms, and internal consistency. In addition, we scrutinized the use of Maze scores for instructional-level text placement. Finally, we summarized evidence on three types of validity criteria: standardized tests, teacher judgment, and reading group placement. The extant research on various Maze formats is supportive; however, the most common version of the Maze (Guthrie, 1973) needs to be revised to obtain minimum construct validity. Additional research is urgently needed on the Maze's alternate forms reliability and its usefulness in making instructional decisions.
Cavity Length Scaling of Quantum Cascade Lasers for Single-Mode Emission and Low Heat Dissipation, Room Temperature, Continuous Wave Operation

Single-mode operation of Fabry-Perot quantum cascade (QC) lasers is achieved through the systematic shortening of the cavity length from 764 to 110 μm. The increased mirror loss is mitigated using highly reflective (HR) metallic facet coatings (R >; 95%). Ultrashort cavity QC lasers operate single mode with the best device having a mode-hop free current tuning range of 3.44 cm-1. Using combined heat-sink temperature and current tuning, the largest single-mode tuning range attained was 8.56 cm-1. The heat dissipation of a 110-μm ultrashort cavity QC laser is 0.23 W at 80 K and 0.43 W at 150 K. With a 500-μm cavity and both facets HR coated with reflectivities of ~95% and 75%, room-temperature continuous wave operation is realized with heat dissipation of 1.2-1.7 W.
Midline cerebral morphometry distinguishes frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease

We investigated and contrasted midline cerebral structures in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). FTD and AD may be difficult to distinguish clinically. FTD typically affects frontal and anterior temporal regions, whereas AD tends to involve more posterior temporal and parietal areas. We hypothesized that disease-specific cerebral alterations would be differentially reflected in corresponding regions of the corpus callosum (CC), pericallosal CSF space (PCS), or their ratio (CC:PCS). Regions-of-interest (ROIs) from midsagittal MRIs in 17 AD, 16 FTD, and 12 elderly control (EC) subjects were analyzed. ROIs were divided into four regions using an anatomic landmark-based computer algorithm and were adjusted for head size variation. FTD subjects had a much smaller anterior CC region and significantly larger PCS area, particularly in anterior regions. AD and EC subjects did not differ significantly in any total or regional ROI measure. Total and anterior CC:PCS ratios were markedly lower in FTD patients. Across groups, total CC:PCS correlated significantly with midsagittal cerebral area and was similarly associated with Mini-Mental State Examination score. Anterior CC (AD) and PCS (FTD) regions exhibited disease-specific relationships to these variables. A discriminant model using two ROI variables correctly classified 91% of AD and FTD patients, comparing favorably with blind clinical MRI diagnostic ratings. Midline cerebral structural alterations reflect differential patterns of cerebral degeneration in AD and FTD, yielding morphometric indices that may facilitate the study of brain-behavior relationships and differential diagnosis of dementia.