cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food chain length and trophic niche of a key predator in montane desert streams

Top predator foraging strategy and prey base community composition can influence food web structure and function. To investigate the role of functional trait diversity and taxonomic richness in determining food chain length and energy flow in high elevation desert streams, we examined aquatic invertebrate community data along with carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of a top predator, Abedus herberti (giant water bug). We also examined isotopic niche differences across different levels of population structure and seasons. We hypothesized that communities with higher richness would have longer food chains. We found food chain length did not vary substantially across a wide taxonomic and functional richness gradient, which contradicts theoretical mechanisms stating that more resources or higher functional diversity should lead to longer food chains. The isotopic niche of A. herberti was conserved across seasons and sites, and the majority of carbon in tissues came from allochthonous materials. Stable isotopes suggested that A. herberti occupy similar feeding niches in spring and autumn, despite seasonal changes in stream conditions, leaf litter inputs, and invertebrate community structure. Due to the strong aquatic–terrestrial linkages we identified, human activities and climate-driven alterations to the adjacent terrestrial environment may affect the dynamics and integrity of the within-stream ecosystem.
Use of electron microscopy when screening liver biopsies from neonates and infants: experience from a single tertiary children’s hospital (1991-2017)

Background: Although the role of electron microscopy is diminishing in several areas of adult pathology, it remains an essential tool for the study of pediatric liver biopsies.Methods: Clinical charts, histologic slides and EM materials of native liver biopsies from patients <1 year old (1991-2017) were reviewed.Results: 677 biopsies were performed on 353 males and 324 females. This study presents the concrete numbers for both the indications and the diseases, and describes the role of EM. EM was performed on 24.7% of liver biopsies and demonstrated key pathologic findings in 10 cases (6%), which led to the appropriate biochemical and/or genetic testing to confirm the diagnoses. The cases included five cases of glycogen storage disease with characteristic findings with cytoplasmic glycogen accumulation, two cases of mitochondrial disorder with pleomorphic mitochondria with crystalloid inclusions and one case each of Niemann-Pick Disease with abundant myelinosomes, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency with deposits in the endoplasmic reticulum and infantile Refsum disease with trilamellar inclusions and lack of peroxisomes. In this study, we describe the detailed histologic and EM findings of each case .Conclusion: EM played an important screening and diagnostic role in the challenging cases and was also used to rule out detectable pathologic conditions.
Phytoremediation of Explosives

The widespread use of civilian, industrial, and military munitions has led to pollution by explosive compounds in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Each step in the life cycle of a munition from production, transport, storage, distribution, and destruction can introduce explosives as pure liquid or solids via leaching, contaminant spills, trace particles, whole or partial unexploded and exploded ordnance. Remediating explosives is difficult because the behavior of any one explosive compound is rather difficult as a number of factors can vastly alter how it moves, where it binds, and how it is sequestered by organisms. The phytoremediation of explosives focuses largely on sequestering compounds in their parent forms or transforming and degrading the compounds to inert forms using inherent metabolic processes in the plants themselves.
Update on Pharmacist Workforce Data and Thoughts on How to Manage the Oversupply

The annual number of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates is projected to exceed the number of annual pharmacist job openings over the next 10 years. Loss of retail sector jobs will be partially offset by projected gains in several other sectors; however, oversupply will persist until the number of graduates is more reflective of job market capacity. Large-scale practice transformation will not happen overnight; consequently, schools and colleges of pharmacy must immediately change their perspective from producing graduates to fill pharmacist roles, to producing graduates who are prepared with expertise and professional skills to excel in many types of well-paying positions. Students need career advice including to convince potential employers how a PharmD education has prepared them with transferable high-level skills that are applicable beyond traditional pharmacist roles. Better communicating the value of pharmacy skills to students and employers may also have a positive impact on admission numbers as prospective applicants become more aware of the breadth of pharmacy career opportunities.
Contraceptive Beliefs, Needs, and Care Experiences Among Transgender and Nonbinary Young Adults

Abstract Purpose This qualitative study explores the contraceptive health-care needs of transgender and nonbinary young adults assigned female sex at birth. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 transgender and nonbinary young adults assigned female sex at birth (ages 22–29 years), recruited via online platforms and community agencies. Semistructured interviews elicited information on participants’ gender and reproductive histories, health-care experiences, sexual practices, and contraceptive use and decision-making processes. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Results Primary thematic domains centered on contraceptive experiences and needs, testosterone as contraception, and experiences with reproductive health care. Participants generally did not use hormonal contraception to prevent pregnancy; in situations where pregnancy was possible, participants relied on condoms. Some participants believed testosterone use would prevent pregnancy and subsequently did not use a contraceptive method. Participants described the lack of knowledge, among themselves and providers, of the impacts of testosterone on pregnancy risk and interactions with hormonal contraception. They described reproductive health-care experiences in which providers were unfamiliar with the needs of transgender and nonbinary patients; made assumptions about bodies, partners, and identities; and lacked adequate knowledge to provide effective contraceptive care. Conclusions Patient-centered reproductive care requires that providers be sensitive to the stress of gender-affirming care and engage with contraceptive counseling that addresses patients’ behavior, risks, and reproductive functions. In particular, providers should understand and communicate the impacts of testosterone therapy on pregnancy risk.
Trends in the Utilization of Palliative Care in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer Who Subsequently Died During Hospitalization.

Objective:To determine factors associated with the utilization of palliative care (PC) in patients with metastatic gynecologic cancer who died while hospitalized.Methods:Data were abstracted from t...
A gyroresonant phase filter for the enhancement of traveling wave gain and efficiency

The growth rate and efficiency of a general traveling wave interaction (TWI) can be significantly enhanced by selectively suppressing those electrons which are phased to gain energy from the wave. We have observed in simulations of a particular TWI, a cyclotron autoresonant maser (CARM), the increase of efficiency by a factor of three and growth rate by two.
Types of Cosmetic Procedures Requested by Different Types of Patients and the Reasons for These Preferences.

Background The type of cosmetic dermatologic procedures patients' desire may be influenced by demographic factors. Objective To better understand the type of cosmetic procedures requested by patients of different age, gender, education, race, and geographic location. To understand the most common motivations of patients who requested particular types of treatments. Materials and methods Multicenter data from the Cosmetic Motivation Database were analyzed. Bivariable analyses and linear regressions were undertaken to determine whether patient demographic features were associated with particular procedures of interest. Results Patients younger than 45 years were more interested in acne scar treatment, laser hair removal, liposuction, and tattoo removal. Older patients were more likely to want soft-tissue fillers and wrinkles and jowls tightening treatment. Non-White patients were more likely to be interested in laser hair removal, liposuction, cellulite treatment, and tattoo removal. Types of procedures desired varied by the geographic region but not by the educational level. Different motivations drove patients who wanted different types of treatments. Conclusion Different types of patients demand different types of cosmetic treatments, and the motivations of patients who ask for particular procedures also differ. Better understanding of patient preferences may help physicians allocate resources and meet patient needs.
Unpacking learner's growth in geometric understanding when solving problems in a dynamic geometry environment: Coordinating two frames

Abstract The emergence of dynamic geometry environments challenges researchers in mathematics education to develop theories that capture learner’s growth in geometric understanding in this particular environment. This study coordinated the Pirie-Kieren theory and instrumental genesis to examine learner’s growth in geometric understanding when solving problems in a dynamic geometry environment. Data analysis suggested that coordinating the two theoretical approaches provided a productive means to capture the dynamic interaction between the growth in mathematical understanding and the formation/application of utilization scheme during a learner’s mathematical exploration with dynamic geometry software. The analysis of one episode on inscribing a square in a triangle was shared to illustrate this approach. This study contributes to the continuing conversation of “networking theories” in the mathematics education research community. By networking the two theoretical approaches, this paper presents a model for studying learner's growth in mathematical understanding in a dynamic learning environment while accounting for interaction with digital tools.
Universal Active Metasurfaces for Dynamic Beam Steering and Reconfigurable Focusing at Telecommunication Wavelengths

We report the design and experimental demonstration of a ‘universal’ reconfigurable metasurface, which by electrical control of individual metasurface elements, enables both dynamic beam steering and reconfigurable focusing.
The Effects of Pulmonary Risk Factors on Hospital Resource Use After Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Correction.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the impact of preoperative pulmonary risk factors (PRFS) on surgical outcomes after posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program–Pediatric database from 2016 to 2018. All pediatric patients with AIS undergoing PSF were identified. Patients were then categorized by whether they had recorded baseline PRF or no-PRF. Patient demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative variables, complications, length of stay, discharge disposition, and readmission rate were assessed. Results A total of 4929 patients were identified, of whom 280 (5.7%) had baseline PRF. Compared with the no-PRF cohort, the PRF cohort had higher rates of complications (PRF, 4.3% vs. no-PRF, 2.2%; P = 0.03) and longer hospital stays (PRF, 4.6 ± 4.3 days vs. no-PRF, 3.8 ± 2.3 days; P Conclusions Our study showed that PRF may be a risk factor for slightly longer hospital stays without higher rates of complication or unplanned readmission for patients with AIS undergoing PSF and thus should not preclude surgical management.
How hypoxia slows fetal growth: insights from high altitude.

A continuous oxygen supply is vital for fueling fetal growth, yet we know surprisingly little as to the precise mechanisms by which hypoxia reduces fetal growth. Animal models, while important, are limited by the enormous variability in mammalian physiologic responses to pregnancy. One of the earliest models for understanding hypoxia-induced reductions in fetal growth came from studies at high altitude that showed high altitude to have one of the strongest depressant effects on fetal growth. But all populations are not equally affected. Dolma et al. have added valuable information now showing that that Ladakhis, like Tibetans and Andeans, have a lower-than-expected frequency of small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants. Consistent with previous reports, these authors also found that uterine artery diameters at mid pregnancy (weeks 26–28) were larger in women giving birth to appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) than SGA infants at high but, interestingly, not at low altitude. Much remains to be learned about the physiologic pathways by which hypoxia impairs fetal growth. The variability among high-altitude populations and increasing sophistication of tools for investigating causal mechanisms have the potential to expand our presently limited means for identifying new treatments for hypoxia-related complications of pregnancy and fetal life.
Bradycardia resulting in cardiac arrest in a critically ill patient receiving dexmedetomidine

Dexmedetomidine is an alpha-2 agonist sedative and analgesic used in anesthesia practice, and it has become more prevalent in the critically ill patients requiring short-term mechanical ventilation. While dexmedetomidine is known to have minimal effects on respiratory drive, it has been well-documented to cause bradycardia and hypotension, especially in patients with existing comorbidities. We present a patient without cardiovascular comorbidities who was in the surgical ICU under dexmedetomidine sedation. The patient went into asystole cardiac arrest after vagal stimulation. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved using ACLS protocol. We offer a review of reported cases and make recommendations on the management of similar situations that may arise given the increasing use of dexmedetomidine.
TU-F-BRB-01: Resolving and Characterizing Breathing Motion for Radiotherapy with MRI

The current clinical standard of organ respiratory imaging, 4D-CT, is fundamentally limited by poor soft-tissue contrast and imaging dose. These limitations are potential barriers to beneficial “4D” radiotherapy methods which optimize the target and OAR dose-volume considering breathing motion but rely on a robust motion characterization. Conversely, MRI imparts no known radiation risk and has excellent soft-tissue contrast. MRI-based motion management is therefore highly desirable and holds great promise to improve radiotherapy of moving cancers, particularly in the abdomen. Over the past decade, MRI techniques have improved significantly, making MR-based motion management clinically feasible. For example, cine MRI has high temporal resolution up to 10 f/s and has been used to track and/or characterize tumor motion, study correlation between external and internal motions. New MR technologies, such as 4D-MRI and MRI hybrid treatment machines (i.e. MR-linac or MR-Co60), have been recently developed. These technologies can lead to more accurate target volume determination and more precise radiation dose delivery via direct tumor gating or tracking. Despite all these promises, great challenges exist and the achievable clinical benefit of MRI-based tumor motion management has yet to be fully explored, much less realized. In this proposal, we will review novel MR-based motion management methods and technologies, the state-of-the-art concerning MRI development and clinical application and the barriers to more widespread adoption. Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the need of MR-based motion management for improving patient care in radiotherapy. 2. Understand MR techniques for motion imaging and tumor motion characterization. 3. Understand the current state of the art and future steps for clinical integration. Henry Ford Health System holds research agreements with Philips Healthcare. Research sponsored in part by a Henry Ford Health System Internal Mentored Grant.
Some New World Lessons for the Old World

... [Y]ou are called upon to deliberate on a new Constitution for the United States of America. The subject speaks its own importance; comprehending in its consequences nothing less than . . . the fate of an empire in many respects the most interesting in the world. It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force. . . . [A] wrong election of the part we shall act may, in this view, deserve to be considered as the general misfortune of mankind.1
merAligner: A Fully Parallel Sequence Aligner

Aligning a set of query sequences to a set of target sequences is an important task in bioinformatics. In this work we present merAligner, a highly parallel sequence aligner that implements a seed -- and -- extend algorithm and employs parallelism in all of its components. MerAligner relies on a high performance distributed hash table (seed index) and uses onesided communication capabilities of the Unified Parallel C to facilitate a fine-grained parallelism. We leverage communication optimizations at the construction of the distributed hash table and software caching schemes to reduce communication during the aligning phase. Additionally, merAligner preprocesses the target sequences to extract properties enabling exact sequence matching with minimal communication. Finally, we efficiently parallelize the I/O intensive phases and implement an effective load balancing scheme. Results show that merAligner exhibits efficient scaling up to thousands of cores on a Cray XC30 supercomputer using real human and wheat genome data while significantly outperforming existing parallel alignment tools.
Probes for Special Purposes

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Transmission Line Theory 3 Two- and Three-Frequency Probes 4 Traps 5 Summary 6 Biographical Sketch Related Articles
Effect of metabolic inhibitors and anaerobiosis on rat lens

The effect of the inhibitors of aerobic metabolism on the transport of rubidium and ATP content in rat lens has been studied under organ culture system. The inhibitors used were malonate, monofluoroacetate, cyanide, antimycin A, 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HQNO), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and dicumarol. All these compounds inhibited the transport of rubidium, reflecting a decrease in the ability of the lens to transport potassium. The levels of ATP also decreased. The results were similar to those obtained under anaerobic conditions where the lenses were incubated in a nitrogen atmosphere without the inhibitors. The degree of inhibition observed by the metabolic inhibitors as well as by anaerobiosis indicate that the rat lens depends substantially on aerobic oxidation for its energy needs, unlike bovine and rabbit lenses studied before.
STS-133/ET-137 Tanking Test Photogrammetry Assessment

Following the launch scrub of Space Shuttle mission STS-133 on November 5, 2010, an anomalous condition of cracked and raised thermal protection system (TPS) foam was observed on the External Tank (ET). Subsequent dissection of the affected TPS region revealed cracks in the feet of two Intertank (IT) metallic stringers. An extensive investigation into the cause(s) and corrective action(s) for the cracked stringers was initiated, involving a wide array of material and structural tests and nondestructive evaluations, with the intent to culminate into the development of flight rational. One such structural test was the instrumented tanking test performed on December 17, 2010. The tanking test incorporated two three-dimensional optical displacement measurement systems to measure full-field outer surface displacements of the TPS surrounding the affected region that contained the stringer cracks. The results showed that the radial displacement and rotation of the liquid oxygen (LO2) tank flange changed significantly as the fluid level of the LO2 approached and passed the LO2 tank flange.
329 II-DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE (DOC) AND 18-HYDROXY-DOC(18-OH-DOC) IN JUVENILE HYPERTENSION

Plasma DOC concentration and urinary excretion of tetrahydro-DOC (THDOC), free DOC and 18-OH-DOC, measured by specific radio-immunoassay, were similar in 7 children with essential hypertension and 4 patients with dexamethasone-suppressible hyperaldoste-ronism when compared with 5 normotensive controls (plasma DOC: 16.3±3.0 ng/dl, urinary excretion (μg/m2/24h) of THDOC: 23.5±5.0 free DOC: 0.1±0.01, free 18-OH-DOC: 0.8±0.2). There was no correlation between DOC and 18-OH-DOC levels and plasma renin activity, severity or type of hypertension. During a continuous 5-day ACTH infusion (40 U/24h) urinary 18-OH-DOC increased 20-50 fold in all groups. Plasma DOC concentration and urinary THDOC excretion increased 20 fold, and urinary free DOC rose 20-50 fold in the control group and in the children with essential hypertension. The highest increase of THDOC (50 fold) and free DOC (100 fold) after ACTH was seen in the children with dexamethasone-suppressible hyperaldosteronism. However neither the observed salt retention nor the rise in blood pressure after ACTH stimulation were correlated with DOC or 18-OH-DOC in any of the groups. The rise in blood pressure after ACTH was independent of changes in salt and water balance. Conclusions: 1) DOC and 18-OH-DOC do not appear to play a major role in most cases of juvenile hypertension. 2) The marked rise of DOC and 18-OH-DOC may contribute to the rise in blood pressure with ACTH. 3) The blood pressure elevation after ACTH cannot be solely attributed to salt retention resulting from an increase in DOC secretion.
Traveling fronts and wave propagation failure in an inhomogeneous neural network

We use averaging and homogenization theory to study the propagation of traveling wavefronts in an inhomogeneous excitable neural medium. Motivated by the functional architecture of primary visual cortex, we model the inhomogeneity as a periodic modulation in the long-range neuronal connections. We derive an expression for the effective wavespeed and show that propagation failure can occur if the speed is too slow or the degree of inhomogeneity is too large. We find that there are major qualitative differences in the wavespeed for different choices of the homogenized weight distribution.
Geographical variation in Aedes atropalpus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Field collections of Aedes atropalpus (Coquillett) were made from 22 sites in the United States, Canada, and El Salvador. Laboratory colonies were established from each site. Among the 22 strains, 4 distinct types were evident. These correspond to 4 subspecies: A. a. atropalpus (Coquillett), A. a. epactius Dyar & Knab, A. a. perichares Dyar, and A. a. nielseni O'Meara & Craig. Based on adult and larval morphology, 16 diagnostic characters were discovered. In addition, A. a. atropalpus differed from the other subspecies in several physiological and behavioral characteristics. Type-form females were autogenous and reluctant blood feeders, whereas females of the other 3 subspecies were predominantly anautogenous and avid blood feeders. Moreover, the rate of larval development was considerably slower in all type-form strains. Although each form possessed many distinctive characteristics, all 4 forms were interfertile. Both museum specimens and live material were examined in an effort to determine the distribution of each form. Each subspecies is confined to a limited portion of the range of the species. A. a. atropalpus was found along the east coast, in the Appalachian Mountains, and in the northern Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada. A. a. epactius was observed in the United States (Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas) and in Mexico, while A. a. perichares was found in El Salvador and Costa Rica. A. a. nielseni was obtained from Utah and Arizona. Several U. S. National Museum of Natural History specimens from El Salvador appeared to be intergrades between A. a. epactius and A. a. perichares . Additional sampling in southwestern United States and Central America would improve our knowledge of both the range of the 3 southern subspecies and the extent of their intergradation.
Calculating extinction coefficients for enzymatically produced o-quinones.

Abstract Molar extinction coefficients of o -quinones produced from o -diphenols by the action of o -diphenol: O 2 oxidoreductase were calculated by least-squares linear regression at several wavelengths in the pH range 5.8–7.8. The accuracy of each extinction coefficient is verified by the standard errors of the regression coefficient and the estimate, and by 95% confidence limits. The seven o -diphenols used in the present study were pyrocatechol, 4-methylcatechol, 4-tertiarybutylcatechol, 3,4- l -dihydroxyphenylalanine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid.
Protecting the piping plover under section 7 of the endangered species act

Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act directs federal agencies to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize the continued existence of endangered and threatened species. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issues jeopardy or nonjeopardy biological opinions on proposed federal actions that affect endangered and threatened species. We summarize several biological opinions issued by the USFWS to protect the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus). These opinions address federal actions involving hundreds of piping plovers on the Missouri River system and a few piping plover pairs on short stretches of Atlantic coast beach. Some of these opinions are decisive, but most allow the proposed action to proceed conditional upon a lengthy set of reasonable and prudent alternatives to protect the piping plover. These conditions may prove difficult to track and will add to the workload of the USFWS.
An adhesion-based method for plasma membrane isolation: Evaluating cholesterol extraction from cells and their membranes

A method to isolate large quantities of directly accessible plasma membrane from attached cells is presented. The method is based on the adhesion of cells to an adsorbed layer of polylysine on glass plates, followed by hypotonic lysis with ice-cold distilled water and subsequent washing steps. Optimal conditions for coating glass plates and time for cell attachment were established. No additional chemical or mechanical treatments were used. Contamination of the isolated plasma membrane by cell organelles was less than 5%. The method uses inexpensive, commercially available polylysine and reusable glass plates. Plasma membrane preparations can be made in 15 min. Using this method, we determined that methyl-beta-cyclodextrin differentially extracts cholesterol from fibroblast cells and their plasma membranes and that these differences are temperature dependent. Determination of the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio from intact cells does not reflect methyl-beta-cyclodextrin plasma membrane extraction properties.
Perceived Needs of Home Economics Faculty Regarding the Acquisition and Management of Sponsored Research Funding

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceived needs of home eco nomics faculty members regarding the acquisition and management of sponsored research funding. Current and desired levels of skill were assessed, using the Faculty Needs Assessment: Acquisition and Management of Sponsored Funding. Both current and desired skill levels were perceived to be highest in the area of proposal writing and lowest in the area of project management. There were sig nificant positive relationships between current and desired skill levels. Analyses based on demographic variables revealed significant differences on current levels of skill for gender, academic rank, and tenure status. On desired levels of skill, significant differences were found for gender and length of experience. The re sults provide a basis for designing development activities which will enable home economics faculty members to compete more effectively in the research arena.
Population and social characteristics in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem

Abstract Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding areas are acclaimed for the quality and preservation of their natural environment. The social system enmeshed with that natural environment has received minimal theoretical consideration. The natural and human environments are interdependent, each largely dependent yet conceptually independent of the other. The national parks and adjacent wilderness exist by political fiat and are subject to future modification because of social and cultural factors. Conversely, the natural system presents considerable opportunities and limitations for human uses. A human ecological perspective is utilized to describe the relationships between the natural area and the social system, following Park and Burgess (1925) and Schnore (1958). Characteristics of the population, their technology, and social organization are summarized for five concentric zones emanating out from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The processes of development and preservation in the re...
Highly Linear Broadband Photonic-Assisted Q-Band ADC

A highly linear broadband photonic-assisted analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on high-frequency optical sampling utilizing a dual output Mach–Zehnder modulator operating with signal frequencies up to 50 GHz is presented. The pulses employed in the optical sampling were generated by a cavity-less pulse source operated at 10 GHz in preference to conventional mode-locked lasers. The optical sampling front-end greatly extends the operational frequency range of the Nyquist limited electronic digitization back-end. The performance of the sampling system is characterized with 7.1 effective number of bits (ENOBs) at 40 with 5 GHz fully accessible bandwidth, and greater than 99 dB·Hz2/3 spurious free dynamic range for the 30–40 GHz frequency range. Furthermore, more than 8 ENOB was achieved by reducing the effective bandwidth to 1 GHz with a digital filter, demonstrating the additional advantage of using a higher sampling rate compared to previous demonstrations. A new figure of merit of photonic-assisted sub-sampled ADCs is also presented accompanied with a comparison to previous implementations.
Preventive intervention with a depressed mother with mental retardation and her infant: A quantitative case study

A quantitative single case study is presented to illustrate how an early intervention program treated a depressed mother with mental retardation and her infant son. Drawing upon an ecological model of development, the case study utilized a multimethod, longitudinal approach to assess the infant's developmental competence and attachment status, the mother's history and current emotional and intellectual functioning, mother-infant social transactions, and components of the family's social ecology. Measures were administered during a baseline period, systematically repeated throughout the 1-year period of intervention, and repeated at the conclusion of treatment. The treatment consisted of individual therapy sessions for the mother. The infant was present in these sessions in order to make the interaction problems immediately salient and therefore more easily explored in the therapeutic relationships. The findings indicated increased maternal and infant competence and more adaptive patterns of mother-infant social transaction. Therapeutic issues in providing preventive intervention to this high-risk population of mothers and infants are discussed.
Second-order receptive fields reveal multidigit interactions in area 3b of the macaque monkey

Linear receptive field (RF) models of area 3b neurons reveal a three-component structure: a central excitatory region flanked by two inhibitory regions that are spatially and temporally nonoverlapp...
Evaluation of soft x-ray average recombination coefficient and average charge for metallic impurities in beam-heated plasmas

The soft x‐ray continuum radiation in tokamak fusion test reactor (TFTR) low‐density neutral‐beam discharges can be much lower than its theoretical value obtained by assuming a corona equilibrium. This reduced continuum radiation is caused by an ionization equilibrium shift toward lower states, which strongly changes the value of the average recombination coefficient of metallic impurities γ, even for only slight changes in the average charge Z. The primary agent for this shift is the charge exchange between the highly ionized impurity ions and the neutral hydrogen, rather than impurity transport, because the central density of the neutral hydrogen is strongly enhanced at lower plasma densities with intense beam injection. In the extreme case of low‐density, high neutral‐beam power TFTR operation (energetic ion mode) the reduction in γ can be as much as one‐half to two‐thirds. We calculate the parametric dependence of γ and Z for Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni impurities on neutral density (equivalent to beam power), electron temperature, and electron density. These values are obtained by using either a one‐dimensional impurity transport code or a zero‐dimensional code with a finite particle confinement time. As an example, we show the variation of γ and Z in different TFTR discharges.
Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to the κ-1 receptor block the antinociceptive effects of Δ9-THC in the spinal cord

Abstract Intrathecal pretreatment of mice with an antisence oligodeoxynucleotide directed against the κ-1 receptor significantly reduced the antinociceptive effects of the kappa receptor agonist U50,488 as well as Δ 9 -THC, the major psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis. A mismatched oligodeoxynucleotide which contained four switched bases did not block the antinociception produced by U50,488 orΔ 9 -THC. Furthermore, κ-1 antisense did not alter the antinociceptive effects of either the mu receptor-selective opioid DAMGO, or the delta receptor-selective opioid DPDPE. By using κ-1 antisense, we were able to demonstrate that an interaction occurs between the cannabinoids and opioids in the spinal cord.
Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of human temporal lobe epilepsy at 4.1 T

We performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at high magnetic field (4.1 T) to study N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline levels in the brains of normal control subjects and patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. We compared the results of MRSI to those of other presurgical techniques to determine the sensitivity of this method in the lateralization of the epileptic focus. The normal hippocampal creatine-N-acetylaspartate ratio was 0.7 ± 0.14 with no differences between left and right. Using the mean control hippocampal creatine-N-acetylaspartate ratio plus 2 standard deviations to identify statistically significant changes, we found lateralizing metabolic abnormalities corresponding to the operated temporal lobe in all patients. Four patients (40%) had contralateral abnormalities, and 2 of them had bilateral independent seizure onset confirmed by intracranial electroencephalographic studies. Statistically significant increases in the choline-N-acetylaspartate ratio in comparison to healthy volunteers were observed in 8 of the 10 patients. With the creatine-N-acetylaspartate ratio, MRSI demonstrated a 100% sensitivity compared to magnetic resonance imaging, which identified pathology in 70% of the patients. These findings suggest that proton MRSI yields a distinctive metabolic profile in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and is sensitive in detecting bilateral metabolic abnormalities in some patients. These preliminary findings suggest that MRSI is more sensitive than magnetic resonance imaging in the lateralization of epileptic foci in temporal lobe epilepsy.
Pterostilbene induces mitochondrially derived apoptosis in breast cancer cells in vitro

Abstract Background The ability of a breast cancer cell to evade apoptosis has a key role in tumor progression and sensitivity to treatment. High levels of Bcl-2–associated X protein (Bax) in tumor cells have been found to promote apoptosis and sensitize cells to anti-cancer therapies. Bcl-2–associated X protein redistribution to the mitochondrial membrane results in the release of proapoptotic factors including cytochrome C, second-mitochondrial-derived activator of caspase/direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding protein with low PI (Smac/DIABLO), and Ca2+. We aimed to explore this pathway in cancerous breast cell lines treated with the naturally occurring antioxidant 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene (pterostilbene). Methods We used whole cell lysates +/− Bax SiRNA from the cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantify Bax, cytochrome C, Smac/DIABLO expression, and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity after treatment with pterostilbene. We quantified cell death using histone-related DNA complexes from cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions and used methylthiazol tetrazolium assay to analyze cell proliferation, in the presence of Bax-silencing or scrambled RNA. We measured changes in cytosolic calcium using the ratiometric calcium-sensitive dye fura-2-AM using an inverted ratiometric monochromator microscope. Results Treatment of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (MDA) cells with pterostilbene caused concentration-dependent increases in intracellular Bax at all doses tested. RNA silencing of Bax resulted in reduced rates of apoptosis in both cells types and increased cell survival when treated with pterostilbene. We observed an increase in cytochrome C in MDA cells after treatment with pterostilbene. The MCF-7 cells showed a net increase in cytosolic cytochrome C, with a corresponding reduction in mitochondrial cytochrome C after treatment with 50 and 75 μmol/L pterostilbene. We observed this again in Smac/DIABLO expression in both cell types. In MCF-7 cells, pterostilbene treatment caused an increase in cytosolic but a decrease in mitochondrial Smac/DIABLO protein concentrations. Pterostilbene significantly increase MnSOD activity in MDA-MB-231 cells. Finally, pterostilbene resulted in significant increases in cytosolic calcium concentrations. Conclusions The natural dietary compound pterostilbene has an anti-proliferative effect and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells in vitro via Bax activation and overexpression, resulting in increased MnSOD, Smac/DIABLO, and cytochrome C activity and cytosolic Ca2+ overload.
The New Look in Principal Preparation Programs

Principal preparation programs nationwide are closely analyzing their curricula and responding to the current challenges through meaningful change. This article addresses seven trends in new programs and their role in the success and failure of principals and their ability to affect student achievement.
Jump conditions for strings and sheets from an action principle

Abstract I present conditions for compatibility of velocities, conservation of mass, and balance of momentum and energy across moving discontinuities in inextensible strings and sheets of uniform mass density. The balances are derived from an action with a time-dependent, non-material boundary, and reduce to matching of material boundary conditions if the discontinuity is stationary with respect to the body. I first consider a point discontinuity in a string and a line discontinuity in a sheet, in the context of classical inertial motion in three Euclidean dimensions. I briefly comment on line discontinuities terminating in point discontinuities in a sheet, discontinuous line discontinuities in a sheet, and an approach to dynamic fracture that treats a crack tip in a sheet as a time-dependent boundary point. I provide two examples of general solutions for conservative sheet motions near a line discontinuity. The approach also enables treatment of actions depending on higher derivatives of position; I thus derive balances for an elastica which are applicable to moving contact problems.
Improving Textbook Selection

This study describes an objective index-based textbook evaluation method that can be efficiently and reliably applied to large collections of introductory textbooks. The method was designed to help an instructor or textbook review committee reduce the pool of available introductory textbooks to a manageable number for more in-depth treatments. Initial results indicated that there was a great deal of variability among introductory educational psychology textbooks in the extent of their coverage of recent developments in cognitive psychology. Based on the dimensions assessed (key concepts and major theorists referenced), the majority of textbooks were eliminated from further consideration. The advantages and limitations of this and other textbook evaluation procedures are discussed.
Estimation of ozone concentrations based on measurements of solar ultraviolet radiation in the Antarctic using the BSI PUV-510 instrument

The greatly reduced stratospheric ozone concentrations over the Antarctic continent (popularly known as the Antarctic ozone hole), the consequent increase in short wavelength ultraviolet radiation (UVB), and the influence of this increased UVB on the Antarctic ecosystem has led to the development of new instruments for the measurement of these effects. One instrument, arguably a compromise between a more complex and expensive full spectral narrow-band instrument and a simpler broad-band instrument, is manufactured by Biospherical Instruments (BSI) for the measurement of surface and in-water UV radiation. Here we present preliminary results of direct observations of springtime UVB, using the BSI PUV-510, under the Antarctic ozone hole and provide an algorithm, using the radiative transfer code of Wan, for the accurate estimation of column ozone based upon these measurements. We show that data from the PUV-510 can be used to estimate column ozone, given a rough estimate of surface albedo, to within an accuracy of +/- 10 DU and that this algorithm is robust, working well for both clear and cloudy skies.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A fine-grained alternative to the subsumption architecture for mobile robot control

An architecture is presented for robot control which can be viewed as a very fine-grained layered architecture motivated by the principles underlying the subsumption architecture. The subsumption architecture provides a powerful means for defining intelligent robot control mechanisms through the layered composition of simple behaviors. However, the authors have found that there are basic limitations inherent in this architecture due to the inaccessibility of information internal to a behavior. While adhering to the basic concept of building a robot control system through successive layers of competence, task-achieving behavior in this system is fragmented into many smaller decision-making units. Each of these units simply has the task of transforming a set of input activations into an output activation, so that the role that any unit plays in the system is defined entirely by how it is connected to other units. This fine-grained nature of the architecture permits a more flexible arbitration of commands between behaviors and provides incrementally added behaviors with complete access to the internal state of existing behaviors. >
Collisional relaxation of HCl (υ = 1) by selected polyatomic molecules

Abstract HCl (υ = 1) collisional relaxation rates have been measured for a number of polyatomic collision partners. The data suggest that for the polyatomic hydride (RH) species tested, the energy transfer proceeds via a vibration to vibration mechanism. The relaxation efficiencies of RCl species with lone pair or π electrons correlate well with the basicities of particular groups within the molecules.
Chronic and selective inhibition of basolateral membrane Na-K-ATPase uniquely regulates brush border membrane Na absorption in intestinal epithelial cells

Na-K-ATPase, an integral membrane protein in mammalian cells, is responsible for maintaining the favorable intracellular Na gradient necessary to promote Na-coupled solute cotransport processes [e....
Yields and Profitability during and after Transition in Organic Grain Cropping Systems

Published in Agron. J. 106:871–880 (2014) doi:10.2134/agronj13.0286 Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ABSTRACT
Attrition Resistance and Catalytic Performance of Spray-Dried Iron Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts in a Stirred-Tank Slurry Reactor

Attrition properties of two spray-dried iron Fischer−Tropsch (F−T) catalysts with compositions 100:5:4.2:11 Fe/Cu/K/(P)SiO2 (catalyst P; P = precipitated) and 100:5:4.2:1.1 Fe/Cu/K/(B)SiO2 (catalyst B; B = binder) were studied under reactive conditions in a stirred-tank slurry reactor (STSR) by determining particle size distribution and morphology before and after reaction tests. Catalyst P experienced a large reduction in Sauter mean diameter (87%) after 380 h of testing in the STSR, which is attributed to its morphology (large number of irregularly shaped particles). Low attrition strength of this catalyst was also evident from considerable generation of fine particles (<10 μm) during the STSR test (62.5% increase in fraction of fines). Catalyst B, consisting of largely spherical particles, experienced a smaller reduction in Sauter mean diameter (39.9%) and generation of fine particles was much smaller (3.7%). These two catalysts had excellent selectivity characteristics (low methane and high C5+ yields...
Athermal simulation of plastic deformation in amorphous solids at constant pressure

An algorithm is introduced for the molecular simulation of constant-pressure plastic deformation in amorphous solids at zero temperature. This allows to directly study the volume changes associated with plastic deformation(dilatancy) in glassy solids. In particular, the dilatancy of polymer glasses is an important aspect of their mechanical behavior. The new method is closely related to Berendsen’s barostat, which is widely used for molecular dynamics simulations at constant pressure. The new algorithm is applied to plane strain compression of a binary Lennard-Jones glass. Conditions of constant volume lead to an increase of pressure with strain, and to a concommitant increase in shear stress. At constant (zero) pressure, by contrast, thshear stress remains constant up to the largest strains investigated, while the system density decreases linearly with strain. The linearity of this decrease suggests that each elementary shear relaxation event brings about an increase in volume which is proportional to the amount of shear. In contrast to the stress–strain behavior, the strain-induced structural relaxation, as measured by the self-part of the intermediate structure factor, was found to be the same in both cases. This suggests that the energy barriers that must be overcome for their nucleation continually grow in the case of constant-volume deformation, but remain the same if the deformation is carried out at constant pressure.