cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disrupting ELL Teacher Candidates’ Identities: Indigenizing Teacher Education in One Study Abroad Program

In this article, the researchers describe and theorize the challenges and promises of exposing preservice teachers' identities to indigenous, critical second language teaching experiences in one study abroad program in Mexico. The eight teacher candidates who participated in this 4-week program were predominantly white, like the majority of teachers of English language learners in the United States today. By analyzing teacher candidates' self-assessments, course work samples, class discussions, focus group sessions, and ethnographic field notes, the researchers found three main themes of identity shifts: becoming socially aware, becoming empaths, and becoming creators of loving classroom spaces. These tentative changes appear to be the result of a carefully crafted curriculum, including the extracurricular activities organized in concert with the social justice language institute with whom the researchers partnered. At the same time, the teacher candidates' identities worked in tensions with former identities already created, such as being excellent “classroom managers.” The researchers show these tensions and realistic hopes regarding the teacher candidates. This program—and other alternatives to preparing preservice teachers attempting to work with culturally and linguistically minoritized communities—can serve as examples of beginning efforts to decolonize curricula. This critical approach to teacher preparation creates cracks between worlds (Anzaldua, 2002) that allow preservice teachers to rethink their identities as second language teachers in local and global contexts.
Decorated defect condensate: A window to unconventional quantum phases in Weyl semimetals

We investigate the unconventional quantum phases in Weyl semimetals. The emergent boson fields, coupling with the Weyl fermion bilinears, contain a Wess-Zumino-Witten term or topological $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}$ term inherited from the momentum space monopoles carried by Weyl points. Three types of unconventional quantum critical points will be studied in the following order. (1) The transition between two distinct symmetry breaking phases whose criticality is beyond Landau's paradigm. (2) The transition between a symmetry breaking state to a topological ordered state. (3) The transition between $3d$ topological order phase to trivial disordered phase whose criticality could be traced back to a ${Z}_{2}$ symmetry breaking transition in $4d$. The essence of these unconventional critical points lies in the fact that the topological defect of an order parameter carries either a nontrivial quantum number or a topological term so the condensation of the defects would either break some symmetry or give rise to a topological order phase with nontrivial braiding statistics.
A fresh perspective on dissecting action into discrete submotions

The hypothesis that reaching motions are constructed from discrete components has been explored since the earliest scientific investigations of human movement, although composition specifics have been contentious. We reinspect this process by analyzing the underlying motor intent (rather than actual motion) using our recently-developed intent determination technique. First, synthetic data analysis was used to determine our accuracy in detecting submotion events. Next, we evaluated this on healthy reaching movements and overcame the problem of indistinguishably blended submotions by exposing subjects to strong, abruptly changing forces, which lead to clear corrections identifiable using direction-based clustering. We were able to accurately recover submotion parameters and identify patterns in submotion count, peak kinetic energy, and peak-to-peak duration. These values were all exponentially distributed, which implies that selection of submotions may follow simple rules. This provides a novel opportunity to investigate human motor action using the tools of statistics.
David Lamelas’s The Desert People: An Odyssey for Authentic Representation

In The Desert People (1974) by Argentine artist David Lamelas, screened at the UCLA Hammer Museum (January-June 2016), five travelers contribute to an ethnographic documentary about the southeastern Arizonan Papago tribe. However, the travelers’ untimely doom triggers a paradox—their screened interviews could not have been filmed prior to their demise. This paradox prompts audiences to reevaluate the film’s authenticity in the representation of the Papago’s reality. The verdict may be that depiction of human relations in visual culture is inadequate. Yet, might fragmented truths that function to keep alive a dying society still be worthy alternatives to the total disappearance of a Native American culture? The Desert People explores this question.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Hip Labrum, Capsule, and Synovium

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice in the preoperative and postoperative assessment of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy. MRI offers high soft tissue contrast, sensitivity to fluid, and direct multi-planar acquisition and avoids exposure to ionizing radiation. With attention to scan parameters, accurate and reproducible imaging can be obtained allowing for precise assessment of the labrum, capsule, synovium, and cartilage. The MRI appearance of the labrum, capsule, and synovium is discussed with reference to the most common pathologies encountered at hip arthroscopy.
Filter feeding in the hermit crab : Pagurus bernhardus.

The hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus is able to remove both Artemia nauplii and unicellular algae from suspension. Crabs with wet weights of 1.1–9.2 g consumed all of the 300 Artemia nauplii contained in 200 ml of sea water within 1 h. Crabs weighing 0.7–1.1 g wet weight filtered suspended Dunaliella algae (8 μm) from concentrations of 10–350 million cells per liter at a rate of 26% and 47% within 2 and 5 h, respectively. A similar result was obtained with an 11 g crab. During filter feeding activity a water current is generated by the flagella of the exopods of the second and third maxillipeds. Artemia nauplii are caught by grasping movements of the endopods of the third maxillipeds, whereas filtering of unicellular algae is probably achieved by the two maxillae. It is assumed that filter feeding activity depends on the same structures and behavior as in deposit feeding. P. bernhardus is one more example of a benthic marine animal which may use any food source which becomes available in the course of the seasons.
Genome Sequences of Four Nonhuman/Nonclinical Salmonella enterica Serovar Kentucky ST198 Isolates Recovered between 1972 and 1973.

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky is a polyphyletic member of S. enterica subclade A1 with multiple sequence types that often colonize the same hosts but in different frequencies on different continents. To evaluate the genomic features involved in S. Kentucky host specificity, we sequenced the genomes of four isolates recovered in the 1970s.
Brief data report on prototype of moral personality and environmentalism

The data presented here was partially published in the article "Are Environmental Issues Moral Issues? Moral Identity in Relation to Protecting the Natural World" (Jia et al., 2017) [1]. The data was collected at State University of New York at Oneonta in 2016. It included a self-report questionnaire of moral identity, generativity, community engagement, environmental involvement, environmental identity, and demographic information.
Implementing Projects in Calculus on a Large Scale at the University of South Florida

This paper describes the development of a program of project-based learning in Calculus courses at a large urban research university. In this program, students developed research projects in consultation with a faculty advisor in their major, and supervised by their calculus instructors. Students wrote up their projects in a prescribed format based on scientific publishing norms. These write-ups were used as part of the basis for their course grades, typically as replacements for their final exams. Because this program involved a large number of students over several years, we were able to evaluate whether there were differences in how well students performed in subsequent courses (both mathematics and non-math courses required for engineering majors) (a) according to whether students were in sections offering projects, in concurrent non-project sections, or historical controls (prior to the project), and (b) among those in sections offering projects, according to whether they completed a project. We used as endpoints the pass and withdrawal rates in both the calculus courses themselves and in the follow-up courses. In Calculus II, students in project-option sections performed better than those in non-project-option sections, and this was true for every social subdivision examined (sex and race/ethnicity). There was a similar but smaller effect for Calculus III, which may thus be due to random fluctuations. Students submitting projects were more likely to go on to follow-up courses. Given enrollment in follow-up courses, there was no detectable performance difference between those who had and those who had not submitted projects; greater throughput does occur among those submitting projects, but this is associated with their greater enrollment in follow-up courses. In implementing this program, we encountered challenges in dealing with students, with the institution, and with individual faculty; we discuss the key challenges here.
Downregulation of heat shock protein B8 decreases osteogenic differentiation potential of dental pulp stem cells during in vitro proliferation.

Objectives Tissue-derived stem cells, such as dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), reduce differentiation capability during in vitro culture. We found that cultured DPSCs reduce expression of heat shock protein B8 (HspB8) and GIPC PDZ domain containing family member 2 (Gipc2). Our objectives were to evaluate the changes in DPSC composition during in vitro proliferation and to determine whether HspB8 and Gipc2 have function in differentiation potential of DPSCs. Materials and methods Different passages of rat DPSCs were evaluated for changes in CD90+ and/or CD271+ stem cells and changes in osteogenic potential. Real-time RT-PCR and immunostaining were conducted to determine expression of HspB8 and Gipc2. Expression of the genes in DPSCs was knocked down by siRNA, followed by osteogenic induction to evaluate the function of the genes. Results About 90% of cells in the DPSC cultures were CD90+ and/or CD271+ cells without dramatic change during in vitro proliferation. The DPSCs at passages 3 to 5 (P3 to P5) possess strong osteogenic potential, but such potential was greatly reduced at later passages. Expression of HspB8 and Gipc2 was significantly reduced at P11 versus P3. Knock-down of HspB8 expression abolished osteogenic potential of the DPSCs, but knock-down of Gipc2 had no effect. Conclusions CD90+ and CD271+ cells are the major components of DPSCs in in vitro culture. High-level expression of HspB8 was critical for maintaining differentiation potential of DPSCs.
Prevention of Infections in Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Infection with HIV in children is superimposed on the immunological naivety inherent to infancy and on an immature immune system undergoing developmental maturation. Therefore, in addition to the opportunistic infections characteristic of HIV infection in adults, severe infections with common bacterial and viral organisms are frequent early manifestations of HIV infection in children. Recurrent serious bacterial infections are the second most frequent AIDS-defining infection in children, with only Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) more common. Mycobacterium avium complex infection is also assuming increasing importance as a pathogen in HIV-infected children.
A General Framework and Maturity Model for Bioinformatics Pipeline Development

Bioinformatics pipelines are often constructed in chaotic, ad hoc environments. This ad hoc construction results in problems with quality control, pipeline maintainability, and code reusability. The application of process control to bioinformatics pipeline creation can address these issues, increasing the lifespan of pipelines and decreasing the amount of time and energy spent on recreating defunct pipelines. The description of a bioinformatics pipeline development lifecycle and maturity model presented here lays the groundwork of a defined process for pipeline development. As pipelines are tools used to conduct research, the decrease of resources used in pipeline creation can result in more resources dedicated to research productivity.
Wearable Devices for Weight Loss.

There is conflicting evidence about the effectiveness of adding a wearable device to intensive lifestyle interventions for weight loss.
Electroweak relaxation of cosmological hierarchy

A simple model for the late-time cosmic acceleration problem is presented in the Starobinsky inflation with a negative bare cosmological constant as well as a nonminimal coupling to the Higgs boson. After electroweak symmetry breaking, the Starobinsky inflaton has been frozen until very recently, becoming a thawing quintessence, and a comparable magnitude to the observed dark energy density can be achieved without fine-tuning. Our proposal essentially reduces the cosmological constant problem into the electroweak hierarchy problem, and its late-time behavior is also consistent with the recently proposed swampland criteria.
An Electronic Health Record Order Entry-Enabled Educational Intervention Is Not Effective in Reducing STAT Inpatient Radiology Orders.

Abstract Objective Assess whether introducing order priorities with defined performance expectations in the electronic health record (EHR) reduces immediate inpatient radiology orders. Materials and Methods This Institutional Review Board–approved, retrospective study was performed at a 776-bed academic hospital conducting 164,000+ inpatient radiology examinations annually. Study period was January 2, 2017, to July 23, 2017; 14 weeks pre- and postimplementation of an education-only intervention including replacing urgent and as soon as possible priorities with imaging within next 6, 12, or 24 hours; imaging in the morning; and required for discharge priorities. STAT routine, timed, today order priorities remained unchanged. Institution-wide training immediately pre- and postimplementation was provided through two waves of e-mail and electronic tip sheets. Primary outcome measure was total STAT studies ordered of total radiology studies ordered per week (STAT rate). Secondary outcomes were non-STAT, non-routine (non-SR) order rate, and routine order rate. Paired t test and statistical process control (SPC) analysis were performed. Results STAT rate pre- (22.5%, 7,150 STAT of 31,765 total; weeks 1-14) and postintervention (23.4%, 7,481 STAT of 32,034 total; weeks 16-29) remained unchanged (P = .37). SPC demonstrated no special cause variation. Postintervention non-SR rate increased 3-fold (2.7%, 859 non-SR of 31,765 total pre-intervention versus 8.2%, 2,615 non-SR of 32,034 total postintervention; 8.2%/2.7% = 3.0; P Conclusion Implementing ordering priorities with defined performance expectations in the EHR reduced routine but did not reduce STAT inpatient radiology orders. More stringent interventions may be needed to reduce unnecessary STAT inpatient radiology ordering to improve use of limited imaging resources.
Development of a fundamentals of endoscopic surgery proficiency-based skills curriculum for general surgery residents.

Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) has become a board certification requirement for general surgery residents. While the FES program provides a robust didactic curriculum, an endoscopic skills curriculum is lacking for this high stakes assessment. The aims of this study were to develop a proficiency-based endoscopic skills curriculum and assess its effectiveness on success in the FES exam. Endoscopy experts developed a multiple-choice questionnaire based on the FES online didactics. Five training cases from the GI Mentor II simulator were selected, and expert performance defined proficiency levels for each case. Participating surgery residents were required to review online didactics and achieve proficiency twice on selected simulator cases. The multiple-choice questionnaire, simulator-generated metrics of two endoscopy cases, Global Assessment of Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Skills (GAGES), NASA-Task Load Index (TLX), and the manual portion of the FES exam were used for assessment before and after training. The curriculum was implemented either alongside a clinical endoscopy rotation or independent of the rotation. Clinical endoscopic skills of participants with a dedicated rotation were assessed using GAGES. Twenty-eight general surgery residents (PGY 2–5) participated in the study, of which 25 (89%) completed the curriculum. Scores of the multiple-choice questionnaire and all simulator-generated metrics improved in the post-training assessment, with the exception of the percentage of mucosal surface examined, which was slightly decreased. Simulated and clinical GAGES scores and the NASA-TLX score improved after training. Performance scores on four of five FES exam tasks were significantly improved. The proficiency-based endoscopic skills curriculum was successfully implemented both alongside the clinical endoscopy rotation and independent of the rotation. Participating residents acquired skills to pass the FES exam. This curriculum will be valuable to general surgery residency programs.
Behavioral Hearing Thresholds and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Cannabis Smokers.

Purpose Cannabis is a widely used drug both medically and recreationally. The aim of this study was to determine if cannabis smoking is associated with changes in auditory function, as measured by ...
Social and spatial networks in labour markets

Social connections and referrals are ubiquitous in the labour market, both on the job-seeker side and on the employer side. This article reviews recent developments in the study of referrals, highlighting what we have learned regarding the use and impact of referrals on various labour market outcomes and pointing out the increasingly nuanced picture we are gaining on the effects of referrals. It then discusses directions for future research, emphasizing the importance of using newly available data (and combinations of datasets) and of making tighter connections with the burgeoning macro-labour research that is based on a search and matching framework. Finally, it evaluates the role of referrals from the point of view of policy-makers, discussing their social welfare implications and ways in which they could be explicitly incorporated into various labour market policies. The importance of tighter collaboration between policy-makers, researchers, employers and practitioners is stressed, to conduct more rigorous experimentation and evaluation of potential referral-based policies and programmes.
Myofibroblast activation in synthetic fibrous matrices composed of dextran vinyl sulfone

Abstract Mechanical interactions between fibroblasts and their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) guide fundamental behaviors such as spreading, migration, and proliferation that underlie disease pathogenesis. The challenges of studying ECM mechanics in vivo have motivated the development of in vitro models of the fibrous ECM in which fibroblasts reside. Natural materials such as collagen hydrogels bear structural and biochemical resemblance to stromal ECM, but mechanistic studies in these settings are often confounded by cell-mediated material degradation and the lack of structural and mechanical tunability. Here, we established a new material system composed of electrospun dextran vinyl sulfone (DexVS) polymeric fibers. These fibrous matrices exhibit mechanical tunability at both the single fiber (80–340 MPa) and bulk matrix (0.77–11.03 kPa) level, as well as long-term stability in mechanical properties over a two-week period. Cell adhesion to these matrices can be either user-defined by functionalizing synthetic fibers with thiolated adhesive peptides or methacrylated heparin to sequester cell-derived ECM proteins. We utilized DexVS fibrous matrices to investigate the role of matrix mechanics on the activation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, a key step of the fibrotic progression. In contrast to previous findings with non-fibrous hydrogel substrates, we find that fibroblasts in soft and deformable matrices exhibit increased spreading, focal adhesion formation, proliferation, and myofibroblast activation as compared to cells on stiffer matrices with equivalent starting architecture. Statement of significance Cellular mechanosensing of fibrillar extracellular matrices plays a critical role in homeostasis and disease progression in stromal connective tissue. Here, we established a new material system composed of electrospun dextran vinyl sulfone polymeric fibers. These matrices exhibit architectural, mechanical, and biochemical tunability to accurately model diverse tissue microenvironments found in the body. In contrast to previous observations with non-fibrous hydrogels, we find that fibroblasts in soft and deformable fibrous matrices exhibit increased spreading and focal adhesion formation as compared to those in stiffer matrices with equivalent architecture. We also investigated the role of matrix stiffness on myofibroblast activation, a critical step in the fibrotic cascade, and find that low stiffness matrices promote increased myofibroblast activation.
Natural Canine Distemper Virus Infection in Linnaeus’s 2-Toed Sloths (Choloepus didactylus):

An outbreak of canine distemper virus in a private zoo in eastern Tennessee in July 2016 led to fatal clinical disease in 5 adult, wild-caught Linnaeus's 2-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus). Clinical signs included hyporexia, lethargy, mucopurulent nasal discharge, and oral and facial ulcers. At necropsy, affected animals had crusts and ulcers on the lips, nose, tongue, and oral cavity. Microscopically, all sloths had widespread, random, hepatic necrosis; lymphoid depletion; and bronchointerstitial pneumonia. The central nervous system did not contain gross or histopathologic lesions in any of the 5 sloths, although immunoreactivity for viral antigen was present within vessel walls. Epithelial cells and histiocytes within numerous organs contained intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions and occasional syncytial cells. Canine distemper virus was confirmed with immunohistochemistry and virus isolation. Viral sequencing identified the novel American-4 strain prevalent in eastern Tennessee wildlife. This is the first pathologic characterization of canine distemper virus infection in sloths (family Choloepodidae, order Pilosa) and emphasizes the significant morbidity and mortality in this species.
The Moral Conditions of Work

In 2000, I wrote The Working Life: The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work. The book explored the history of work and how people find meaning in it. Whether meaningful work has objective qualities and conditions that are always present when people experience it, or whether it is purely subjective, is an open question. I settled on the idea that meaningful work was in the eye of the beholder. We know it when we have it, because it has a way of lighting up our lives or making the time that we spend working good in a certain way. If this sounds fuzzy, it’s because it is. Given the variety of people and what they find meaningful, I was not ready to proclaim what meaningful work is for everyone. There are, however, certain aspects of work that tend to make it meaningful, such jobs that help others or creative work.
Impacts of Mixed‐Wettability on Brine Drainage and Supercritical CO 2 Storage Efficiency in a 2.5‐D Heterogeneous Micromodel

Author(s): Chang, Chun; Kneafsey, Timothy J; Wan, Jiamin; Tokunaga, Tetsu K; Nakagawa, Seiji
Leukoreduction in ex vivo perfusion circuits: comparison of leukocyte depletion efficiency with leukocyte filters.

Background:Leukodepletion of whole blood-based perfusates remains a challenge in experimental models of ex vivo perfusion. This study investigated the leukoreduction efficacy of the commonly used L...
Acne, Hirsutism, and Other Signs of Increased Androgens

Hyperandrogenism, defined as elevated circulating C19 androgen (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS], androstenedione, and testosterone) concentrations, presents with a variety of clinical and biochemical characteristics. Typically, in females, hyperandrogenism is due to increased adrenal and/or ovarian C19 steroid androgen production. Hyperandrogenism is often associated with an underlying endocrine disorder. Common presenting features in adolescent girls include hirsutism, severe acne that is unresponsive to topical medications, and irregular menses. Evaluation includes a thorough history and physical exam followed by laboratory studies to assess for elevated circulating androgens. Suspicion for polycystic ovary syndrome, disorders of steroidogenesis, or an androgen-secreting tumor should prompt referral to pediatric endocrinology for evaluation and management. Topical or cosmetic treatments may benefit some patients with familial isolated hirsutism and acne, a diagnosis of exclusion. Poor response to these treatments should prompt further evaluation to assess for hyperandrogenism with a specialist.
Small-Signal Dynamic and High-Bandwidth Design of LLC Resonant Converters

For high-frequency power conversion, resonant converters are gaining increasing popularity. However, the lack of an accurate small-signal model becomes an impediment for performance optimization. The existing equivalent circuit model and its simplified were based on fundamental approximation where the resonant tank was deemed as a good band-pass filter. These models work well for series resonant converter with high Q (quality factor) while inadequately for LLC resonant converter. The recent modeling breakthrough was based on the extended describing function method and was demonstrated to be accurate at all frequency. Following this method, a simplified third-order equivalent circuit model was proposed which predicted accurately the small-signal behavior up to 1/2 switching frequency. Based on the simplified model, this paper discusses the small-signal dynamics and the corresponding physics of LLC converter in detail. These insights lead to a new guideline in designing resonant tank with additional consideration for transient performance.
Platelet-like particles reduce coagulopathy-related and neuroinflammatory pathologies post-experimental traumatic brain injury.

Coagulopathy may occur following traumatic brain injury (TBI), thereby negatively affecting patient outcomes. Here, we investigate the use of platelet-like particles (PLPs), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic-acid) microgels conjugated with a fibrin-specific antibody, to improve hemostasis post-TBI. The objective of this study was to diminish coagulopathy in a mouse TBI model (controlled cortical impact) via PLP treatment, and subsequently decrease blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and neuroinflammation. Following an acute intravenous injection of PLPs post-TBI, we analyzed BBB permeability, ex vivo coagulation parameters, and neuroinflammation at 24 hr and 7 days post-TBI. Both PLP-treatment and control particle-treatment had significantly decreased BBB permeability and improved clot structure 24 hr post-injury. Additionally, no significant change in tissue sparing was observed between 24 hr and 7 days for PLP-treated cohorts compared to that observed in untreated cohorts. Only PLP-treatment resulted in significant reduction of astrocyte expression at 7 days and percent difference from 24 hr to 7 days. Finally, PLP-treatment significantly reduced the percent difference from 24 hr to 7 days in microglia/macrophage density compared to the untreated control. These results suggest that PLP-treatment addressed acute hypocoagulation and decreased BBB permeability followed by decreased neuroinflammation and fold-change tissue loss by 7 days post-injury. These promising results indicate that PLPs could be a potential therapeutic modality for TBI.
Supercharged Cellulases Show Reduced Non-Productive Binding, But Enhanced Activity, on Pretreated Lignocellulosic Biomass

Non-productive adsorption of cellulolytic enzymes to various plant cell wall components, such as lignin and cellulose, necessitates high enzyme loadings to achieve efficient conversion of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars. Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), appended to various catalytic domains (CDs), promote lignocellulose deconstruction by increasing targeted substrate-bound CD concentration but often at the cost of increased non-productive enzyme binding. Here, we demonstrate how a computational protein design strategy can be applied to a model endocellulase enzyme (Cel5A) from Thermobifida fusca to allow fine-tuning its CBM surface charge, which led to increased hydrolytic activity towards pretreated lignocellulosic biomass (e.g., corn stover) by up to [~]330% versus the wild-type Cel5A control. We established that the mechanistic basis for this improvement arises from reduced non-productive binding of supercharged Cel5A mutants to cell wall components such as crystalline cellulose (up to 1.7-fold) and lignin (up to 1.8-fold). Interestingly, supercharged Cel5A mutants that showed improved activity on various forms of pretreated corn stover showed increased reversible binding to lignin (up to 2.2-fold) while showing no change in overall thermal stability remarkably. In general, negative supercharging led to increased hydrolytic activity towards both pretreated lignocellulosic biomass and crystalline cellulose whereas positive supercharging led to a reduction of hydrolytic activity. Overall, selective supercharging of protein surfaces was shown to be an effective strategy for improving hydrolytic performance of cellulolytic enzymes for saccharification of real-world pretreated lignocellulosic biomass substrates. Future work should address the implications of supercharging cellulases from various families on inter-enzyme interactions and synergism.
Methods for population genetic analysis of zooplankton

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the principles and practices behind some of the technical approaches used by population geneticists, marine biologists, and biological oceanographers to assay genetic diversity in the natural populations. The chapter provides a cursory consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each technique in addressing questions about the ecology and evolution of marine organisms. Zooplankton are not merely passive passengers in the ocean's currents. Many species are active swimmers, and may control their vertical position and influence how and where ocean currents transport them. Despite the obvious influence of swimming on advective transport, many biological oceanographers have assumed that zooplankton populations are virtually homogenized by ocean currents, and constitute a single, well-mixed population across their entire distributional range. The extent of subdivision of a species reflects the patterns and pathways of dispersal across the distributional range, the effects of differing types of natural selection in different portions of the range, and the random variation in gene frequencies caused by a genetic drift.
Non-linear porous plug heat flow - Large pore limit versus size-dependent flux density

Sintered stainless steel porous plugs have been used in the present research in the range covered for vapor-liquid phase separation (VLPS). The experiments performed have employed the zero net mass flow (ZNMF) mode with emphasis on non-linear phenomena. The Darcy permeability has been between 10-10 and 10-9 cm2. A step input in power has been applied for ZNMF to extract long time behavior of quasi-steady heat flow. Data have been analyzed using two methods: the departure function from wide duct disorder (“chaos”), and the simplest normal fluid convection model which incorporates size-dependent heat flux densities. Limits of both approaches are discussed on the basis of the experimental data obtained.
The development of a stepped frequency microwave radiometer and its application to remote sensing of the Earth

The design, development, application, and capabilities of a variable frequency microwave radiometer are described. This radiometer demonstrated the versatility, accuracy, and stability required to provide contributions to the geophysical understanding of ocean and ice processes. A closed-loop feedback method was used, whereby noise pulses were added to the received electromagnetic radiation to achieve a null balance in a Dicke switched radiometer. Stability was achieved through the use of a constant temperature enclosure around the low loss microwave front end. The Dicke reference temperature was maintained to an absolute accuracy of 0.1 K using a closed-loop proportional temperature controller. A microprocessor based digital controller operates the radiometer and records the data on computer compatible tapes. This radiometer exhibits an absolute accuracy of better than 0.5 K when the sensitivity is 0.1 K. The sensitivity varies between 0.0125 K and 1.25 K depending upon the bandwidth and integration time selected by the digital controller. Remote sensing experiments were conducted from an aircraft platform and the first radiometeric mapping of an ocean polar front; exploratory experiments to measure the thickness of lake ice; first discrimination between first year and multiyear ice below 10 GHz; and the first known measurements of frequency sensitive characteristics of sea ice.
Distributed Smart Cameras and Distributed Computer Vision

Distributed smart cameras are multiple-camera systems that performcomputer vision tasks using distributed algorithms. Distributed algorithms scale better to large networks of cameras than do centralized algorithms.However, newapproaches are required to many computer vision tasks in order to create efficient distributed algorithms. This chapter motivates the need for distributed computer vision, surveys background material in traditional computer vision, and describes several distributed computer vision algorithms for calibration, tracking, and gesture recognition.
Efficient mutation testing of multithreaded code

SUMMARY Mutation testing is a well-established method for measuring and improving the quality of test suites. A major cost of mutation testing is the time required to execute the test suite on all the mutants. This cost is even greater when the system under test is multithreaded: not only are test cases from the test suite executed on many mutants but also each test case is executed—or more precisely, explored—for multiple possible thread schedules. This paper introduces a general framework for efficient exploration that can reduce the time for mutation testing of multithreaded code. The paper presents five techniques (four optimizations and one heuristic) that are implemented in a tool called MuTMuT within the general framework. Evaluation of MuTMuT on mutation testing of 12 multithreaded programs shows that it can substantially reduce the time required for mutation testing of multithreaded code.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Additive manufacturing of heat exchangers: A case study on a multi-layered Ti–6Al–4V oscillating heat pipe

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) allows for layer-by-layer fabrication of complex metallic parts with features typically unobtainable via conventional manufacturing. For heat exchangers, such complex features are desirable for enhancing their heat transfer capability and conformability to specific applications. In this case study, Selective Laser Melting (SLM), a laser-based additive manufacturing process, was utilized to fabricate a compact (5.08 cm × 3.81 cm × 1.58 cm) flat-plate oscillating heat pipe (FP-OHP) with innovative design features, including a Ti–6Al–4V casing and a closed-loop, circular mini-channel (1.53 mm in diameter) consisting of four interconnected layers. Venting holes were integrated to intersect each layer to allow for a unique layer-by-layer, plug-and-pressurize de-powdering procedure. The device channel surface was inspected via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) – and it was found that the channel wall consisted of partially un-melted particles, as well as amorphous melt regions; surface characteristics influential on surface/fluid capillarity and heat transfer. This study also highlights important design and manufacturing concerns encountered during SLM of channel-embedded parts, such as channel surface quality and de-powdering. The Ti–6Al–4V FP-OHP was found to operate successfully with an effective thermal conductivity of approximately 110 W/m K at a power input of 50 W; demonstrating a 400–500% increase relative to solid Ti–6Al–4V.
Lipid Bilayer Membranes: Their Permeability Properties as Related to Those of Cell Membranes

Of the numerous functions that plasma membranes perform, the maintenance of the internal milieu of the cell through selective permeability and transport characteristics is perhaps the most essential, and certainly the most studied. One approach, with a long and distinguished tradition, for investigating this aspect of cell membranes is the building and analysis of model systems that emulate some of the properties of natural membranes. Of the models that have been investigated over the years, the lipid bilayer membrane (which is currently in vogue) has by far proved to be the most suitable and interesting—suitable, because a lipid bilayer is the major structural feature of all cell membranes; and interesting, because (a) many of the permeability characteristics of cell membranes can be reproduced with this model, and (b) reconstitution in artificial bilayers of natural transporting systems is possible. In this chapter, I review some highlights of the research involving this model system, and indicate possible future avenues of investigation.
Plague bacterium as a transformer species in prairie dogs and the grasslands of western North America

Invasive transformer species change the character, condition, form, or nature of ecosystems and deserve considerable attention from conservation scientists. We applied the transformer species concept to the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis in western North America, where the pathogen was introduced around 1900. Y. pestis transforms grassland ecosystems by severely depleting the abundance of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) and thereby causing declines in native species abundance and diversity, including threatened and endangered species; altering food web connections; altering the import and export of nutrients; causing a loss of ecosystem resilience to encroaching invasive plants; and modifying prairie dog burrows. Y. pestis poses an important challenge to conservation biologists because it causes trophic-level perturbations that affect the stability of ecosystems. Unfortunately, understanding of the effects of Y. pestis on ecosystems is rudimentary, highlighting an acute need for continued research. La Bacteria de la Peste como una Especie Transformadora en los Perritos de las Praderas y los Pastizales del Oeste de Norteamerica Resumen Las especies invasoras transformadoras cambian el caracter, la condicion, la forma o la naturaleza de los ecosistemas y merecen atencion considerable por parte de los cientificos de la conservacion. Aplicamos el concepto de especie transformadora a la bacteria de la peste Yersinia pestis en el oeste de Norteamerica, en donde el patogeno fue introducido alrededor de 1900. Y. pestis transforma los ecosistemas de pastizal al disminuir severamente la abundancia de los perritos de las praderas (Cynomys spp.) y por lo tanto causa declinaciones en la abundancia y diversidad de las especies nativas, incluidas las especies amenazadas y en peligro; altera las conexiones de las redes alimenticias; altera la importacion y exportacion de nutrientes; causa la perdida de resiliencia del ecosistema ante las plantas invasoras; y modifica las madrigueras de los perritos. Y. pestis es un reto importante para los biologos de la conservacion ya que causa perturbaciones de nivel trofico que afectan la estabilidad de los ecosistemas. Desafortunadamente, el entendimiento de los efectos de Y. pestis sobre los ecosistemas es rudimentario, lo que resalta una necesidad aguda de investigacion continua.
Calcium signaling in microglial cells

Receptor-mediated changes in the free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) represent one of the major signal transduction pathways by which information from extracellular signals is transferred to intracellular sites. The signal is conveyed by the magnitude, duration and location of the changes in [Ca2+]c, and is usually initiated by the binding of an extracellular signaling molecule / ligand to its plasma membrane receptor. This chapter will provide a brief overview of the basic mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling, describe the available data about microglial [Ca2+]c signals, and discuss current challenges and future directions of this emerging field.
Long term therapy of ulcerative colitis with 6-mercaptopurine: a personal series.

Fourteen patients with ulcerative colitis who were considered “failures of therapy with adrenal steroids and salicylazosulfapyridine” but who did not have an absolute indication for surgical intervention were treated with 6-mercaptopurine. The dose ranged from 50 to 150 mg daily and the mean period of treatment was 2 years. The current status is excellent or good in 11, fair in 2 and one patient has had elective surgery. In 8 patients the sigmoidoscopic appearance was recently normal, 6 have not required steroid therapy for many months and in the other 7, maintenance doses have been very small. Transient vomiting complicated therapy in 6 and leukopenia occurred 19 times in 10 patients. No serious complications occurred. The results suggest that responses to 6-mercaptopurine are not as dramatic as those observed with steroids but the former drug has a sustaining or supplementary role. It serves to decrease the frequency and severity of recurrences and eliminates or reduces the need for steroids. Complications are infrequent, not severe, and occur early in the course of therapy so that the drug may be used for long periods. The favorable results justify undertaking long-term, double-blind controlled studies of 6-mercaptopurine therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis when other forms of medical treatment have failed.
Application of a deconvolution technique to enforce a priori object constraints to 2-D IR speckle data.

ABSTRACT Recently, an iterative deconvolution algorithm has been proposed to enforce a priori object constraintson speckle interferometric data. This paper demonstrates its application to both simulated and real 2-D infrared speckle data and compares its performance to that of an iterative transform algorithm. This iterative deconvolution algorithm differs from the iterative transform algorithm in that the object's Fouriermodulus, as well as the Fourier phases, is also constrained by the a priori information.1. INTRODUCTION The application of two-dimensional array detectors at near-infrared wavelengths has revolutionized infrared astronomy' . Such arrays are also applicable to infrared speckle interferometry and there are currently a number of such cameras, some of which have been in use for a number of years. One of these is the Kitt Peak National Obser-vatory (KPNO) infrared imager2, 3, as modified for use as a speckle camera4. This instrument has been routinely usedto obtain IR speckle data which is currently being reduced by using Power Spectrum analysis to obtain the Fourieramplitudes and an application of Knox-Thompson algorithm5 to obtain the Fourier phases. The Knox-Thompsonalgorithm, like the bispectrum6 and unlike the power spectrum, is an image correlation technique which retains theobject's Fourier phases, albeit scrambled in the form of phase differences. Recently alternative reduction procedureshave also been used for the data reduction and these are discussed elsewhere in this volume7'8.For the analysis presented in this paper the data was reduced as follows. Firstly the raw data frames are calibratedfor detector bias, "bad" pixels and fiatfield when necessary (a more detailed discussion of this procedure is given byChristou ei at.5). The ensemble average power spectra and Knox-Thompson cross-spectra are then computed for theobject data, the point source reference data and nearby "sky" data. These sky measurements allow the calibrationof the measured Fourier spectra for additive noise due to thermal emission from the sky and telescope and readoutnoise from the detector.Representing apecklegram (individual short-exposure image) as the convolution of the object distribution O(r) withan instantaneous combined telescope-atmosphere point spread function, P(1), i.e.
What makes a grammar green? A reply to Goatly

Abstract This response to Goatly (1996) reviews his and Halliday and Martin's (1993) perspectives on how nominalization affects the way we construe the world. Research on the language of environmental education is then reported, which indicates that nominalization has a negative impact on middle school students' understanding of environmental issues. However, expressing the nominalization as a full clause also fails to provide information about social agency when linguistic agents are expressed through the generic and indeterminate use of people or human . An informative representation of social agency is the more critical issue in discussion of the relationship between language and ecology, at least for pedagogical contexts.
Measurement of Platelet Surface‐Bound IgG by a Monoclonal 125I‐Anti‐IgG Assay

We have described the use of a monoclonal 125I-labeled anti-IgG (125I-MA) to assay IgG antibody displayed on the surface of platelets from normal and immune thrombocytopenic patients and reported levels of IgG 10-100-fold lower than previous studies. This report describes the immunologic characteristics of the 125I-MA and the assay for surface IgG. The 125I-MA has a high binding affinity for surface-displayed IgG (2.22 X 10(9) M-1), reacts equally well with all four subclasses of IgG and not at all with IgM or IgA. In our assay, the binding of 125I-MA was found to be greater than or equal to 99% specific for IgG (no nonspecific association of 125I-MA with platelets) and the binding ratio of 125I-MA to IgG displayed on the cell surface was 0.91 (close to unity). Finally, platelet lysates were found to contain large amounts of IgG protein (39,597 +/- 27,418 molecules/platelet) as compared to surface-displayed IgG (124 +/- 86 molecules/platelet). This assay has excellent characteristics for quantitation of IgG on platelets and the discrepancy with other techniques may, in part, be due to intentional or inadvertent lysis of platelets during assay conditions.
Mining incomplete data with lost values and attribute-concept values

This paper presents novel research on an experimental comparison of two interpretations of missing attribute values: lost values and attribute-concept values. Experiments were conducted on 176 data sets, with preprocessing using three kinds of probabilistic approximations (lower, middle and upper) and then the MLEM2 rule induction system. The performance was evaluated using the error rate computed by ten-fold cross validation. Our main objective was to check which interpretation of the two missing attribute values is better in terms of the error rate. In our experiments, the better performance, in 10 out of 24 cases, is accomplished using lost values. In remaining 14 cases the difference in performance is not statistically significant (5% significance level).