cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesoscale physical–biological–biogeochemical linkages in the open ocean : an introduction to the results of the E-Flux and EDDIES programs

Mesoscale currents, fronts, and eddies are ubiquitous and energetic features of ocean circulation. These phenomena, sometimes referred to as the “internal weather of the sea,” accommodate a diverse set of physical, chemical, and biological interactions that influence marine biogeochemistry on a wide range of timescales. These biogeochemical processes include the “biological pump”, i.e. the transfer or flux of biologically produced organic matter and associated elements from the surface ocean to depth (Ducklow et al., 2001; Volk and Hoffert, 1985). Within ~ 80% of the world’s oceans, the productivity and species composition of the autotrophic organisms that contribute to the biological pump are typically limited by major nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica), or trace metals (e.g. iron). Primary production in such oligotrophic regions therefore depends mostly on intense recycling of nutrients within the surface sunlit waters, with only a small fraction supported by that entering from the atmosphere, or from the physical transport of nutrients from nutrient-rich deep waters below. Evidence that mesoscale and submesoscale phenomena play a role in the latter process dates back more than two decades (Angel and Fasham, 1983; Franks et al., 1986; Ring Group, 1981; Tranter et al., 1980; Venrick, 1990; Woods, 1988).
Preliminary investigations into solutal flow about growing tetragonal lysozyme crystals

A series of preliminary experiments were done to investigate solutal flow about growing lysozyme crystals and its effects. Density-gradient-driven flow was observed using a schlieren optical system. Crystals used ranged from 0.3 to 1.72 mm across the (110) face, and protein concentrations were from 3.7 to 23.7 mg/ml. The convective plume velocities were found to be from 10 to 50 microns/s, which correlated with those predicted to occur based upon a diffusive-convective model. When microcrystals of lysozyme, less than 20 microns across the (110) face were subjected to directed solution flows, the growth rate was found to rapidly decrease over the 8-20 h course of the experiment. Solution flow rates used ranged from 18 to 40 microns/s, and protein concentrations were from 7.3 to 11.7 mg/ml, conditions typical of larger (greater than 0.5 mm) crystals in the terminal phases of a typical crystal growth procedure.
Regulation of IKKβ by miR-199a affects NF-κB activity in ovarian cancer cells

Cancer progression is an abnormal form of tissue repair characterized by chronic inflammation. IkappaB kinase-beta (IKKbeta) required for nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation plays a critical role in this process. Using EOC cells isolated from malignant ovarian cancer ascites and solid tumors, we identified IKKbeta as a major factor promoting a functional TLR-MyD88-NF-kappaB pathway that confers to EOC cell the capacity to constitutively secrete proinflammatory/protumor cytokines and therefore promoting tumor progression and chemoresistance. Furthermore, we describe for the first time the identification of the microRNA hsa-miR-199a as a regulator of IKKbeta expression. Our study describes the property of ovarian cancer cells to enhance the inflammatory microenvironment as a result of the expression of an active IKKbeta pathway. Identification of these markers in patients' tumor samples may facilitate the adequate selection of treatment and open new venues for the development of effective therapy for chemoresistant ovarian cancers.
The identification, management, and prevention of conflict with faculty and fellows: A practical ethical guide for department chairs and division chiefs

The relationship between chairs and divisions chiefs with faculty colleagues in departments of obstetrics and gynecology has important but heretofore unexplored ethical dimensions. Based on the ethical concept of fiduciary responsibility and contractual obligations, this paper provides ethically justified practical guidance for academic physician leaders in the identification, management, and prevention of conflicts in their relationships with faculty colleagues. The framework is developed in contrast with the fiduciary-contractual dimensions of the physician–patient relationship and is articulated in terms of the ethical principles of beneficence, respect for autonomy, and justice. The distinctive nature of the academic physician leader–colleague relationship is that beneficence-based obligations and justice-based obligations to colleagues can often justifiably override autonomy-based obligations to colleagues, about which it is crucial for academic leaders to be transparent in making and implementing leadership decisions.
Computer Training Needs of Older Adults.

An introductory computer course was offered to adults age 60 years or older. A computer attitude survey was administered before and after the course to uncover preexisting concerns and to reveal which attitudes were changed by the course. Highly positive changes in attitudes toward computer technology were found after the course: The participants felt better acquainted with computer terminology, less left out of our increasingly technological society because of unfamiliarity with computers, less apprehensive about using a computer, and more certain of their ability to interpret a computer printout. A computer interaction diary kept by each of the participants revealed enthusiastic learners who were eager to take more courses in the future. Contrary to widely held stereotypes, many of the older adults viewed computer technology favorably and believed they could benefit from acquisition of basic computer skills. Perhaps because of the stereotypes, however, little attention has been devoted to understanding,...
Category Attitude Measures: Exemplars as Inputs

The role of exemplars in formation of attitudes toward a category has, surprisingly, been ignored in prior consumer research. In the present research we seek to develop a better understanding of the relationship between category exemplars (e.g., the products in a brand category) and overall attitudes toward the category. Attitude measures that incorporate evaluations of individual branded products may be useful, both conceptually and practically, and can complement more traditional multi-attribute measures of attitude. Across 3 studies we present evidence that a composite index of attitudes toward category exemplars, weighted by exemplar typicality, is related to overall category attitudes, sometimes more strongly than a traditional multi-attribute index. We also demonstrate that elaboration upon the individual exemplars further strengthens the relationship between category attitudes and this composite index. Theoretical implications for attitude theory, as well as managerial implications, are discussed.
Pole expansion of the Lorenz-Mie coefficients

A spectral approach to the Lorenz-Mie problem was adopted to obtain a pole expansion of the Lorenz-Mie coefficients in the complex variable z = 4=(n2 - 1), where n2 is the dielectric permittivity of the scatterer. In the absence of magnetic properties (which is assumed), n is the refractive index of the scatterer. It is shown that the Lorenz-Mie coefficients are meromorphic functions of z with simple poles. The poles and the residues are functions of the size parameter x = ka = 2a/ and of the order of the Lorenz-Mie coefficient, l, but are independent of the material properties. This leads to a numerically efficient representation of the Lorenz-Mie coefficients.
Label-free quantitation: A new glycoproteomics approach

We demonstrate herein a method for quantifying glycosylation changes on glycoproteins. This novel method uses MS data of characterized glycopeptides to analyze glycosylation profiles, and several quality control tests were done to demonstrate that the method is reproducible, robust, applicable to different types of glycoproteins, and tolerant of instrumental variability during ionization of the analytes. This method is unique in that it is the first label-free quantitative method specifically designed for glycopeptide analysis. It can be used to monitor changes in glycosylation in a glycosylation site-specific manner on a single glycoprotein, or it can be used to quantify glycosylation in a glycoprotein mixture. During mixture analysis, the method can discriminate between changes in glycosylation of a given protein, and changes in the glycoprotein’s concentration in the mixture. This method is useful for quantitative analyses in biochemical studies of glycoproteins, where changes in glycosylation composition can be linked to functional differences; it could also be implemented in the pharmaceutical industry, where glycosylation profiles of glycoprotein-based therapeutics must be quantified. Finally, quantification of glycopeptides is an important aspect of glycopeptide-based biomarker discovery, and our quantitative approach could be a valuable asset to this field as well, provided the compositions of the glycopeptides to be quantified are identifiable using other methods.
Intelligent behavior generator for autonomous mobile robots using planning-based AI decision making and supervisory control logic

In earlier research the Center for Self-Organizing and Intelligent Systems (CSOIS) at Utah State University (USU) have been funded by the US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command's (TACOM) Intelligent Mobility Program to develop and demonstrate enhanced mobility concepts for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). One among the several out growths of this work has been the development of a grammar-based approach to intelligent behavior generation for commanding autonomous robotic vehicles. In this paper we describe the use of this grammar for enabling autonomous behaviors. A supervisory task controller (STC) sequences high-level action commands (taken from the grammar) to be executed by the robot. It takes as input a set of goals and a partial (static) map of the environment and produces, from the grammar, a flexible script (or sequence) of the high-level commands that are to be executed by the robot. The sequence is derived by a planning function that uses a graph-based heuristic search (A* -algorithm). Each action command has specific exit conditions that are evaluated by the STC following each task completion or interruption (in the case of disturbances or new operator requests). Depending on the system's state at task completion or interruption (including updated environmental and robot sensor information), the STC invokes a reactive response. This can include sequencing the pending tasks or initiating a re-planning event, if necessary. Though applicable to a wide variety of autonomous robots, an application of this approach is demonstrated via simulations of ODIS, an omni-directional inspection system developed for security applications.
Subproblem learning: A misnomer

Abstract Among other things, K. J. Rust and T. S. Kendler (1987, Developmental Review, 7, 326–362) tested and disconfirmed the Tighes' independent subproblem learning hypothesis experimentally. The Tighes defended themselves by claiming that independent subproblem learning (ISPL) is a label, not a hypothesis and that our tests were invalid. In this reply we showed that ISPL is either an erroneous hypothesis or a misnomer because our tests were valid demonstrations that for young children the so-called “subproblems” are dependent rather than independent.
Animal Models of Cerebral Neglect and Its Cancellation

The purpose of this perspective is twofold: 1) to alert and inform the neurospychology and neurology communities on how animal models can improve our understanding of spatial neglect in humans, and 2) to serve as a guide to rehabilitation strategies. Spatial neglect is a neurological syndrome that is inextricably linked to the ability to overtly or covertly reorient attention to new loci. Literature describing variants of neglect leads to the perception of lesion-induced neglect as a uniquely human syndrome for which there are limited treatment options. To the contrary, neglect has been reversed in laboratory animals, and results show that adequate neural representations and motor mechanisms for reversal are present despite damaged or deactivated cerebral cortex. These results and conclusions provoke thought on strategies that can be employed on humans to cancel neglect, and they suggest that long-term amelioration of neglect can be induced by training of specific bypass circuits.
The Trouble in Suriname, 1975-1993:

Preface The Difficult Flowering of Suriname Oude Rotten, Foetoebois, and Ruziemakers The Coup: "Leuk, toch?" Confronting de Jongens Zig-Gezag The Jungle Commando Redemocratization--After a Fashion Democracy Bent, but not Broken Civilian Authority Resurgent Conclusion Bibliography Glossary Index
AEG-1 Promoter–Mediated Imaging of Prostate Cancer

We describe a new imaging method for detecting prostate cancer, whether localized or disseminated and metastatic to soft tissues and bone. The method relies on the use of imaging reporter genes under the control of the promoter of AEG-1 (MTDH), which is selectively active only in malignant cells. Through systemic, nanoparticle-based delivery of the imaging construct, lesions can be identified through bioluminescence imaging and single photon emission-computed tomography in the PC3-ML murine model of prostate cancer at high sensitivity. This approach is applicable for the detection of prostate cancer metastases, including bone lesions for which there is no current reliable agent for non-invasive clinical imaging. Further, the approach compares favorably to accepted and emerging clinical standards, including positron emission tomography with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and [18F]sodium fluoride. Our results offer a preclinical proof of concept that rationalizes clinical evaluation in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Transformations in dissolved organic carbon through constructed wetlands

Abstract Constructed wetlands have emerged as a viable option for addressing a wide range of water quality problems, especially in treating wastewater effluent. This paper presents longitudinal profiles in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and structural characteristics across a full-scale wastewater treatment wetland receiving lagoon-treated wastewater (DOC=15–25 mg/L). DOC removal through the wetland varied seasonally, achieving a maximum net removal of 47% in February and minimum net removal of 9% in June. During summer months, when the wetland plants were actively growing, DOC decreased across the first half of the wetland and then increased through the second half of the wetland. Specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm always increased across the wetland, with the largest increases (>130%) occurring during summer months. DOC lability decreased across the wetland. DOC reactivity to form trihalomethanes was also reduced on both an absolute and per carbon mass basis. Laboratory experiments employing a series of wetland microcosms with HRTs ranging from 1.6 to 7.4 days were employed to determine the amount of DOC leached from Typha wetland plant material. During fifty-six day steady-state experiments, roughly 5–8% of the total Typha biomass added was leached as DOC, 45–60% remained in the reactor as accumulated biomass, the remainder of the carbon (30–50%) exited as particulate organic carbon or was microbially respired. We hypothesized that DOC in the wastewater effluent biodegraded over the first-half of the wetland, and that DOC leaching from plant material occurred throughout the wetland. A DOC-wetland model was developed, and the results suggested that the percentage of plant-derived DOC increases with longer HRTs, and while the overall DOC concentration exiting a wetland may only be slightly lower than influent levels that a majority of the DOC, which contains a large percentage of refractory DOC, could be plant-derived. Wetlands with short HRTs would reduce the amount of DOC leached from plant material.
Automated metal-free multiple-column nanoLC for improved phosphopeptide analysis sensitivity and throughput.

We report on the development and characterization of automated metal-free multiple-column nanoLC instrumentation for sensitive and high-throughput analysis of phosphopeptides with mass spectrometry analysis. The system implements a multiple-column capillary LC fluidic design developed for high-throughput analysis of peptides (Anal. Chem. 2001, 73, 3011–3021), incorporating modifications to achieve broad and sensitive analysis of phosphopeptides. The integrated nanoLC columns (50 µm i.d. × 30 cm containing 5 µm C18 particles) and the on-line solid phase extraction columns (150 µm i.d. × 4 cm containing 5 µm C18 particles) were connected to automatic switching valves with non-metal chromatographic accessories, and other modifications to avoid the exposure of the analyte to any metal surfaces during handling, separation, and electrospray ionization. The nanoLC developed provided a separation peak capacity of ∼250 for phosphopeptides (and ∼400 for normal peptides). A detection limit of 0.4 fmol was obtained when a linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometer (Finnegan LTQ) was coupled to a 50-µm i.d. column of the nanoLC. The separation power and sensitivity provided by the nanoLC-LTQ enabled identification of ∼4600 phosphopeptide candidates from ∼60 µg COS-7 cell tryptic digest followed by IMAC enrichment and ∼520 tyrosine phosphopeptides from ∼2 mg of human T cells digests followed by phosphotyrosine peptide immunoprecipitation.
Technology-Focused Early Field Experiences in Preservice Teacher Education.

AbstractAlthough a broad body of research exists on field experiences in teacher education, one specific area of inquiry lacking substantial current research is that of technology-focused early field experiences, or field experiences that occur prior to student teaching and more formal clinical experiences. To address this gap, I conducted this investigation to better understand how preservice teachers’ participation in a technology-focused early field experience called Tech Club influenced their perceptions of teaching and learning. At the conclusion of the early field experience, preservice teachers completed a pilot survey that addressed how their perceptions of teaching and learning changed as a result of their participation in the Tech Club. Findings highlight the importance of early field experiences and establish a rationale for providing preservice teachers early opportunities to practice with technology in authentic contexts.
Safety concerns regarding the use of visual programming in civilian avionics software

The paper examines the regulatory oversight of flight critical avionic software using Visual Programming Languages (VPLs) as a specific example and points out shortcomings with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) process of verifying software. VPLs and environments are being applied in conjunction with Automatic Generated Code (AGC) to create software for safety critical avionics systems which will control the fate of commercial vehicles and their passengers. There are no empirical, statistically significant studies which demonstrate that using VPLs to generate source code has any real advantage over text based programming languages. The paper describes the need for empirical software development studies.
Expression of the Secondary Sigma Factor σX in Streptococcus pyogenes Is Restricted at Two Levels

Secondary RNA polymerase sigma factors in many bacteria are responsible for regulating a vast range of processes including virulence. A protein (sigma(X)) in the gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (the group A Streptococcus or GAS) was recently shown to function in vitro as a secondary sigma factor. We report here the isolation of a mutant in which both sigX genes are inactivated, show that sigma(X) functions in GAS cells, and show that the amount of sigma(X) is controlled at two levels. Primer extension analysis indicates that sigX transcription is low in GAS cells grown in Todd-Hewitt yeast broth, and immunoblot assays with a sigma(X)-specific polyclonal antibody demonstrate that the protein does not accumulate in these cells. To increase the level of sigX transcription in GAS, we constructed a strain that constitutively expresses the sigX gene from a heterologous promoter. Expression of sigX from this promoter led to transcription of the sigma(X)-dependent cinA promoter in GAS cells. We found that expression of the sigX gene in a clpP mutant strain resulted in greater accumulation of sigma(X) protein, which resulted in higher levels of transcription from the sigma(X)-dependent promoters cinA, smf, and cglA. In addition, a clpP mutant containing sigX only at its wild-type loci on the chromosome generated more transcription from the sigma(X)-dependent cinA promoter than did the wild-type parental strain. Therefore, sigma(X) activity in GAS is limited by low-level transcription of the sigX structural genes and by clpP, which appears to negatively regulate sigma(X) accumulation.
Mixed Layer-Thermocline Interaction in a Three-Dimensional Isopycnic Coordinate Model

Abstract The annual buildup and obliteration of the seasonal thermocline and the associated ventilation of the permanent thermocline in a wind- and thermally driven ocean basin are simulated numerically. The model developed for this purpose is a combination of a single-layer model of the oceanic mixed layer, based on a simple closure of the turbulence kinetic energy equation, and a three-dimensional isopycnic coordinate model of the stratified oceanic interior. The joint model, set in a rectangular ocean basin, is forced by annually varying wind stress and radiative plus turbulent heal fluxes approximating zonnaly averaged conditions over the North Atlantic. Special emphasis is placed on the description of the mixed-layer detrainment process, which requires distributing mixed-layer water of continuously variable density among constant-density interior layers. The truncation errors associated with this process are found to be numerically tolerable. The quasi-Lagrangian character of the model's vertical coo...
Apoptosis: Conserved Roles for Integrins in Clearance

Summary A recent study shows that one of the two known Caenorhabditis elegans homologs of the mammalian integrin α subunit plays an essential role in the clearance of apoptotic cells — efferocytosis — during nematode development. These new findings reveal that integrins have evolutionarily conserved functions in efferocytosis in metazoans.
Sputtered thin-film pH electrodes of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, and iridium oxides

Abstract Thin-film metal oxides have been investigated for use as pH electrodes. These materials may have potential for measuring pH under conditions that are not favorable for glass electrodes. Reactive sputtering of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, and iridium metal targets in argon-oxygen atmospheres is used to produce 1 μm thick electrodes on alumina and silicon substrates. The structure of the deposits is determined and compared to the fully crystalline structure developed after annealing at 420 °C. The pH response is measured for pH 2-11 versus a glass electrode. Exposures of up to 24 h at pH 2–11 are used to study the stability under harsh conditions. Palladium and platinum oxides are found to be less stable than ruthenium oxide. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies are used to determine the surface chemical state and verify the stoichiometry of the sensing surface. The stability of thin-film RuO 2 indicates the usefulness of further testing at high temperatures and wider pH ranges.
Magnetic detection and localization using multichannel Levinson-Durbin algorithm

The Levinson-Durbin (LD) algorithm has been used for decades as an alternative to Fast-Fourier Transforms (FFTs) in cases where several cycles of a signal are not available or too expensive to obtain. We describe a new application of this LD algorithm using spectral estimation to locate a magnetic dipole, such as a submarine or magnetic mine, relative to a high-sensitivity probe (i.e. gradiometer/magnetometer sensor) moving through the magnetic field. The weakness of the FFT is assuming periodic inputs, thus when the sample ends at a different level than the input, the FFT incorrectly inserts a step at the 'break' between cycles; the LD algorithm benefits by assuming that nothing outside the sampling window will change the spectrum. The iterative LD algorithm is also well suited for real-time operations since it can be solved continuously while the probe moves toward the subject. By establishing spectral templates for different measurement paths relative to the source dipole, we use correlation in the spectral domain to estimate the distance of the dipole from our current path. Direction, and thus location, is obtained by simultaneously sending a second probe to complement the information gained by the first probe, together with a multidimensional LD algorithm.
An examination of two mental workload measurement approaches to understanding multimedia learning

This study reports on an examination of two measures of mental workload: the NASA-TLX and Paas' Subjective Cognitive Load (SCL) measure. The goal was to assess the relative efficacy of the measures in the design and research of multimedia learning environments. Benchmarks based on the literature as to the goals for mental workload measurement in learning research are established. A multifaceted study was conducted which manipulated various aspects of mental workload in order to study the utility of these two measures in detecting changes in load and their relationship to learning outcomes. The results indicate that the weighted version of the NASA-TLX provided little additional value over the unweighted version of the measure. While both the NASA-TLX and SCL measures were sensitive to changes in both intrinsic and extraneous load, the study revealed differences in the measures based on levels of each of these load factors. The study also concludes that a better understanding of the third factor, germane load, will be needed to both expand the theoretical framework about mental workload in instructional settings and further understand the utility of these two measures.
Towards a theory for cyber-physical systems modeling

Modeling the heterogeneous composition of physical, computational and communication systems is an important challenge in engineering Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), where the major sources of heterogeneity are causality, time semantics, and different physical domains. Classical physical laws capture acausal continuous-time dynamics, thus the behavior of physical systems are inherently characterized by acausal continuous-time equations. On the other hand, computational and communication systems are based on the notion of causality and discrete-time semantics. Connecting the two worlds is challenging, and calls for proper formalization of the composition. In this paper, we discuss a formalism that captures both acausal physical laws, unidirectional analog signals, and is capable of describing causal computational systems, as well as the composition of CPS models.
Local History in Global Context: Social and Economic Transitions in Western Guatemala

It is increasingly fashionable for anthropologists to castigate themselves (or at least to castigate other anthropologists) for failing to take into account the larger or global processes that affect the small communities they study. We accuse ourselves, for example, of treating peasant communities as if they were primitive isolates and of failing to consider the external forces that created those communities and that cause them to operate the way they do. While this accusation may be warranted for the earliest work on peasant communities, I suggest that for quite some time now the anthropological perspective regarding these communities has shifted. In fact, I will argue here that many anthropologists have been all too ready to accept global views of peasant communities and social relations without proper consideration of the interplay between local and global processes.
Revisiting the noise figure design metric for digital communication receiver

Noise figure is a commonly used system parameter that quantifies the degradation in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as the signal passes through a receiving system. Because of the difficulty in defining the SNR, NF depends on how the SNR is computed and the underlying assumptions that are made. Existing NF measures and their shortcomings are explained. A new NF suitable for digital communication receiver is proposed by redefining the SNR, so that the NF measures the degradation in the achievable performance caused by the receiving system. The proposed NF, which we refer to as the effective NF, can be readily determined based on the existing NF measurement techniques.
Development of the Resolution Theory for Electrophoretic Exclusion

Electrophoretic exclusion, a technique that differentiates species in bulk solution near a channel entrance, has been demonstrated on benchtop and microdevice designs. In these systems, separation occurs when the electrophoretic velocity of one species is greater than the opposing hydrodynamic flow, while the velocity of the other species is less than that flow. Although exclusion has been demonstrated in multiple systems for a range of analytes, a theoretical assessment of resolution has not been addressed. To compare the results of these calculations to traditional techniques, the performance is expressed in terms of smallest difference in electrophoretic mobilities that can be completely separated (R = 1.5). The calculations indicate that closest resolvable species (Δμmin ) differ by approximately 10(-13) m(2) /Vs and peak capacity (nc ) is 1000. Published experimental data were compared to these calculated results.
RTeQTL: Real-Time Online Engine for Expression Quantitative Trait Loci Analyses

Our database tool, called Real-Time Engine for Expression Quantitative Trait Loci Analyses (RTeQTL), can efficiently provide eQTL association results that are not available in existing eQTL databases browsers. These functions include (i) single SNP (singlenucleotide polymorphism) and (ii) two-SNP conditional eQTL effects on gene expression regardless of the magnitude of P-values. The database is based on lymphoblastoid cell lines from >900 samples with global gene expression and genome-wide genotyped and imputed SNP data. The detailed result for any pairs of gene and SNPs can be efficiently computed and browsed online, as well as downloaded in batch mode. This is the only tool that can assess the independent effect of a disease- or trait-associated SNP on gene expression conditioning on other SNPs of interest, such as the top eQTL of the same gene. It is also useful to identify eQTLs for candidate genes, which are often missed in existing eQTL browsers, which only store results with genome-wide significant P-value. Additional analyses stratifying by gender can also be easily achieved by this tool. Database URL: http://eqtl.rc.fas.harvard.edu/
Student Narratives on Relationship, Learning, and Change in Comprehensives Turned “Small”

The article draws on an ethnographic study of students' experiences in a restructured campus of several schools, located in a densely populated northeastern city, serving a multiracial, largely working class and poor Latino neighborhood. The authors underscore student narratives of a chronology of opportunity and loss, while also noting an increasing sense of agency among students, within a context of reciprocity made possible by educators' engagement with them. They explore this interrelated set of factors and the extent to which agency within reciprocity was strengthened for students and educators by their experience of the campus's capacity to change in ways beneficial to students. Preliminary findings suggest that the students and the young schools moved in parallel trajectories, realizing potential, and moving the campus toward a state of greater legitimacy.
Quantitative Micro-CT analysis of mineralized matrix formation on natural and synthetic 3D scaffolds in vitro

This study quantified mineralized matrix formation within novel poly(L-lactide-co-D, L-lactide 70:30) (PLDL) and human demineralized trabecular bone matrix (DTBM) porous scaffolds in vitro. Scaffolds were seeded with either rat calvarial or rat stromal cells and cultured for 8 weeks in osteogenic media. Microcomputed tomography (/spl mu/CT) imaging was used to nondestructively monitor mineralized matrix formation within the constructs as a function of time. From weeks 4 to 8, the constructs were imaged weekly under sterile conditions to quantify mineralization and then returned to tissue culture. Analysis of /spl mu/CT images showed that total mineralization within each of the constructs increased consistently with time. Mineralization was distributed throughout PLDL constructs but was localized to the periphery of DTBM constructs for both cell types. Total volume of mineralization was significantly higher within DTBM constructs compared to PLDL constructs. However, analysis of acellular control scaffolds exposed to osteogenic media indicated some remineralization of the DTBM scaffolds only. Histological analysis confirmed that DTBM constructs contained both cell-mediated matrix mineralization and regions of acellular remineralization. Expression of several bone marker genes indicating osteoblast differentiation was demonstrated in all groups at 8 weeks using quantitative RT-PCR. Alkaline phosphatase, osteonectin, osteocalcin, and osteopontin expression were significantly higher (p<0.05) in calvarial/PLDL constructs compared to calvarial/DTBM constructs.
Algorithms for finding paths with multiple constraints

Let G = (V, E) be a graph with weight function w:E rightarrow Z+ and length function l:E /rightarrow Z+. The problem of determining for v1, V2 /in V whether there is a path from v1 to v2 with weight at most W and length at most L is NP-complete. This paper gives two approaches to meeting or approximating the length and weight constraints. The first approach is to use a pseudopolynomial-time algorithm which determines whether a path meets the constraints. Its running time is O (n5b log nb) where n = |V| and b is the largest length or weight. If tables with O (n3b) entries are kept then all instances of multiple constraints may be decided. Table size may be substantially decreased if one is willing to tolerate incorrect answers to rare instances. The algorithm is suitable for distributed execution. In the second approach, an objective function is defined which evaluates a path's distance from meeting the constraints. Polynomial-time algorithms attempt to find good paths in terms of the objective function. One algorithm is at most 1.62 times worst than optimal. A notion of “average worst-case behavior” is defined. The algorithm's “average” behavior is 1.51 times worse than optimal.
Discourse Strategies, Pragmatics and ESL: Where are we going?

This paper demonstrates how cultural differences are reflected in the characteristic conventions of language and its use in different linguistic communities. The data are drawn from the non-native varieties of English — both institutionalized and performance (B. Kachru 1985). It is shown that in order to interpret such texts at an optimum level, readers need three types of competence: linguistic, cultural, and textual (Beaugrande 1980). The theoretical implications of discourse strategies adopted by non-native speakers of English to second language acquisition research, especially as they relate to research on ESL, are pointed out.
The Underway Conductivity–Temperature–Depth Instrument

The development of the Underway Conductivity–Temperature–Depth (UCTD) instrument is motivated by the desire for inexpensive profiles of temperature and salinity from underway vessels, including volunteer observing ships (VOSs) and research vessels. The UCTD operates under the same principle as an expendable probe. By spooling tether line both the probe and a winch aboard ship, the velocity of the line through the water is zero, the line drag is negligible, and the probe can get arbitrarily deep. Recovery is accomplished by reeling the line back in. Recovering the UCTD has some advantages: 1) the cost per profile decreases with increasing use, 2) sensors can be calibrated postdeployment, 3) the UCTD carries a pressure sensor so depth is measured directly, and 4) no hazardous materials are left behind. The design goal for the UCTD was to obtain profiles deeper than 100 m at 20 kt (typical of a VOS). This goal has been surpassed, as it is able to profile to over 150 m at 20 kt and to over 400 m at 10 kt. The first operational use of the UCTD occurred during a May–June 2004 cruise, the purpose of which was to examine the effect of internal waves and spice on long-range acoustic propagation. Over 160 UCTD casts were completed, resulting in a hydrographic section with resolutions of 10 km horizontally and 5 m vertically.
The Amino-Terminal Domain of Alphavirus Capsid Protein Is Dispensable for Viral Particle Assembly but Regulates RNA Encapsidation through Cooperative Functions of Its Subdomains

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a pathogenic alphavirus, which circulates in the Central, South, and North Americas, including the United States, and represents a significant public health threat. In recent years, strong progress has been made in understanding the structure of VEEV virions, but the mechanism of their formation has yet to be investigated. In this study, we analyzed the functions of different capsid-specific domains and its amino-terminal subdomains in viral particle formation. Our data demonstrate that VEEV particles can be efficiently formed directly at the plasma membrane without cytoplasmic nucleocapsid preassembly. The entire amino-terminal domain of VEEV capsid protein was found to be dispensable for particle formation. VEEV variants encoding only the capsid's protease domain efficiently produce genome-free VEEV virus-like particles (VLPs), which are very similar in structure to the wild-type virions. The amino-terminal domain of the VEEV capsid protein contains at least four structurally and functionally distinct subdomains, which mediate RNA packaging and the specificity of packaging in particular. The most positively charged subdomain is a negative regulator of the nucleocapsid assembly. The three other subdomains are not required for genome-free VLP formation but are important regulators of RNA packaging. Our data suggest that the positively charged surface of the VEEV capsid-specific protease domain and the very amino-terminal subdomain are also involved in interaction with viral RNA and play important roles in RNA encapsidation. Finally, we show that VEEV variants with mutated capsid acquire compensatory mutations in either capsid or nsP2 genes.
Improved Modeling of In Vivo Kinetics of Slowly Diffusing Radiotracers for Tumor Imaging

success in immuno-PET for imaging of specific cell surface biomarkers. However, previous work has shown that localization of such tracers shows high levels of heterogeneity in target tissues, due to both the slow diffusion and the high affinity of these compounds. In this work, we investigate the effects of subvoxel spatial heterogeneity on measured time–activity curves in PET imaging and the effects of ignoring diffusion limitation on parameter estimates from kinetic modeling. Methods: Partial differential equations (PDE) were built to model a radially symmetric reaction-diffusion equation describing the activity of immuno-PET tracers. The effects of slower diffusion on measured time–activity curves and parameter estimates were measured in silico, and a modified Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm with Bayesian priors was developed to accurately estimate parameters from diffusion-limited data. This algorithm was applied to immuno-PET data of mice implanted with prostate stem cell antigen– overexpressing tumors and injected with 124 I-labeled A11 anti–prostate stem cell antigen minibody. Results: Slow diffusion of tracers in linear binding models resulted in heterogeneous localization in silico but no measurable differences in time–activity curves. For more realistic saturable binding models, measured time–activity curves were strongly dependent on diffusion rates of the tracers. Fitting diffusionlimited data with regular compartmental models led to parameter estimate bias in an excess of 1,000% of true values, while the new model and fitting protocol could accurately measure kinetics in silico. In vivo imaging data were also fit well by the new PDE model, with estimates of the dissociation constant (Kd) and receptor density close to in vitro measurements and with order of magnitude differences from a regular compartmental model ignoring tracer diffusion limitation. Conclusion: Heterogeneous localization of large, high-affinity compounds can lead to large differences in measured time–activity curves in immuno-PET imaging, and ignoring diffusion limitations can lead to large errors in kinetic parameter estimates. Modeling of these systems with PDE models with Bayesian priors is necessary for quantitative in vivo measurements of kinetics of slowdiffusion tracers.
Pentecost and Trinity

Luke’s story of Pentecost gathers into itself many biblical motifs having to do with the work of the Spirit, which creates and re-creates communities of faith, even if it remains out of their control. Trinity Sunday returns us to the richness of Scripture’s reflections on God, where we find the constant feature to be the claim that, in all God’s doing, God acts for us and for our salvation.
Serologic markers of viral hepatitis A, B, C, and D in patients with hemophilia

Forty-one patients with hemophilia A were studied for the prevalence of serological markers for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C (non-A and non-B hepatitis), and delta hepatitis (hepatitis D). Ten of 41 (24.4%) patients demonstrated hepatitis A antibody and 31 of 41 (75.6%) patients had a serologic marker for previous hepatitis B infection; four of these 31 patients (13%) also demonstrated antibody to delta agent (hepatitis D). Thirty-seven of 41 (90.2%) patients demonstrated antibody for hepatitis C. Nine of 31 (29%) patients with a hepatitis B marker (no hepatitis B vaccinees) were negative for anti-HBc but positive for anti-HBs; all of these nine patients were HIV antibody positive, although they had no overt immunodeficiency. Twenty-six of 41 (63.5%) patients were HIV antibody positive. Of HIV antibody positive patients, 27%, 88%, and 100% demonstrated evidence of a previous hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, respectively. Of HIV antibody negative patients; 20%, 53%, and 73% of the patients demonstrated evidence of a previous hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infections, respectively. The difference between HIV antibody positive and HIV antibody negative groups was not significant for hepatitis A but was significant for hepatitis B (P < 0.001) and hepatitis C (P < .001). Of the 31 patients with a hepatitis B serologic marker, all had antibody to hepatitis C. Of 10 patients, without a hepatitis B serologic marker, only 6 (60%) had antibody to hepatitis C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The use of retro-reflective tape for improving spatial resolution of scintillation detectors

We are investigating the use of a retro-reflective tape (3M Industries), which reflects light along a line parallel to the incident light, as a substitute for Teflon tape or other reflective material used with scintillation crystals. We expect this retro-reflective property to improve the spatial resolution in large continuous crystals relative to that seen with Teflon, or other reflective coatings, when the reflective tape is coupled to the front (radiation incident) side of the crystal. Three CsI(TI) crystals of dimensions 5.8 cm /spl times/ 5.6 cm /spl times/ 5 mm, 6 cm /spl times/ 6 cm /spl times/ 12 mm, and 6 cm /spl times/ 6 cm /spl times/ 20 mm were evaluated by stepping a collimated /sup 99m/Tc source across the crystal face. Images were taken with the crystal coupled to a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube. The energy resolution and signal amplitude were similar for both the reflector and Teflon. The average spatial resolution in the central region of the 5-mm-thick crystal with black sides was measured to be 3.6 /spl plusmn/ 0.3 mm and 5.0 /spl plusmn/ 0.3 mm for retro-reflective tape and Teflon tape, respectively.
Exploration of The Vector Fusion Method for Basic Behavior Unit Segmentation from Visual Data

It becomes an increasingly important research area to automatically analyze object behaviors from visually captured data (e.g., motion) or video recordings. Among this research, the automatic basic behavior unit (BBU) discovery is very important. In this paper, we explore the applicability of the vector fusion (SBP) method, a multi-variate vector visualization technique, in BBU segmentation. This technique is also inherently a data dimension reduction technique: it reduces the multiple dimensional data into two dimensional (SBP) space, and the spatial and temporal analysis in SBP space can help discover the underlying data groups. We present results on a physical system and a synthetic mouse-in-a-cage scenario. The vector fusion method provides a good distinction and interpretation for the bouncing ball example and the analytical data from the synthetic video simulation upon certain selected features. Our experiments show that several factors influence the effectiveness of the vector fusion method in BBU segmentation. The temporal analysis in SBP space seems to be very effective to detect periodic BBUs. Overall, this method is simple and effective for grouping BBUs with periodic motion.
The putative Poc complex controls two distinct Pseudomonas aeruginosa polar motility mechanisms

Each Pseudomonas aeruginosa cell localizes two types of motility structures, a single flagellum and one or two clusters of type IV pili, to the cell poles. Previous studies suggested that these motility structures arrive at the pole through distinct mechanisms. Here we performed a swimming motility screen to identify polar flagellum localization factors and discovered three genes homologous to the TonB/ExbB/ExbD complex that have defects in both flagella-mediated swimming and pilus-mediated twitching motility. We found that deletion of tonB3, PA2983 or PA2982 led to non-polar localization of the flagellum and FlhF, which was thought to sit at the top of the flagellar localization hierarchy. Surprisingly, these mutants also exhibited pronounced changes in pilus formation or localization, indicating that these proteins may co-ordinate both the pilus and flagellum motility systems. Thus, we have renamed PA2983 and PA2982, pocA and pocB, respectively, for polar organelle co-ordinator to reflect this function. Our results suggest that TonB3, PocA and PocB may form a membrane-associated complex, which we term the Poc complex. These proteins do not exhibit polar localization themselves, but are required for increased expression of pilus genes upon surface association, indicating that they regulate motility structures through either localization or transcriptional mechanisms.
Cost efficiency and scale/scope economies among S&Ls

Reviews the literature on economies of scale and scope in savings and loan institutions and uses 1980‐1987 US data to explore the cost effects of simultaneous production of outputs (mortgage loans, other loans and deposits), the impact of size and product‐specific economies of scale. Includes interest as a non‐operating cost and divides the sample into four groups based on asset values. Shows that total costs rose faster than assets, deposits or loans over the period; that there are product‐specific diseconomies of scale for deposits and loans‐ and that economies of scope were made by the larger firms following deregulation.