cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption and capillary condensation in porous media as a function of the chemical potential of water in carbon dioxide

The chemical potential of water may play an important role in adsorption and capillary condensation of water under multiphase conditions at geologic CO2 storage sites. Injection of large volumes of anhydrous CO2 will result in changing values of the chemical potential of water in the supercritical CO2 phase. We hypothesize that the chemical potential will at first reflect the low concentration of dissolved water in the dry CO2. As formation water dissolves into and is transported by the CO2 phase, the chemical potential of water will increase. We present a pore-scale model of the CO2-water interface or menisci configuration based on the augmented Young-Laplace equation, which combines adsorption on flat surfaces and capillary condensation in wedge-shaped pores as a function of chemical potential of water. The results suggest that, at a given chemical potential for triangular and square pores, liquid water saturation will be less in the CO2-water system under potential CO2 sequestration conditions relative to the air-water vadose zone system. The difference derives from lower surface tension of the CO2-water system and thinner liquid water films, important at pore sizes <1 × 10−6 m, relative to the air-water system. Water movement due to capillary effects will likely be minimal in reservoir rocks, but still may be important in finer grained, clayey caprocks, where very small pores may retain water and draw water back into the system via adsorption and capillary condensation, if dry-out and then rewetting were to occur.
V380 Cygni Once More: A Close Detached Binary with an Evolved B-Type Component. I. Spectroscopic Orbits

New spectroscopic and photometric observations of V380 Cygni, a bright early B-type binary with an eccentric orbit and an evolved primary, B1.5 II-III, make possible a thorough study of this important, if not unique, system. In this first of two papers, the spectroscopic material is discussed. Values of the masses and provisional values of the radii are given, as is a spectroscopic estimate of the light ratio. The second paper will analyze the photometric material, including apsidal motion. The determination, with some degree of reliability, of the fundamental properties of an evolved early B-type star in the 10 solar mass range will enable its structure and evolutionary status to be compared with the predictions of models, including a sensitive test of convective-core overshooting.
Histomorphometric assessment of Haversian canal and osteocyte lacunae in different-sized osteons in human rib

There is no detailed information available concerning the variations in bone, the Haversian canal, and osteocyte populations in different-sized osteons. In this study a total of 398 secondary osteons were measured in archived rib sections from nine white men (20-25 years old). The sections were stained with basic fuchsin. The parameters included the osteon area (On.Ar), Haversian canal area (HC.Ar) and perimeter (HC.Pm), bone area (B.Ar), and osteocyte lacunar number (Lc.N). From these primary measurements the following indices were deduced: 1) lacunar number per bone area (Lc.N/B.Ar) and per osteon (Lc.N/On); 2) the ratio between Haversian canal perimeter and bone area (HC.Pm/B.Ar); and 3) the fraction of Haversian canal area (HC.Ar/On.Ar) and its complement, the fraction of bone area (B.Ar/On.Ar). The results showed that the osteons varied greatly in size, but very little in the fraction of bone area. Regression analyses showed that HC.Ar, HC.Pm, and Lc.N/On were positively associated with On.Ar (P < 0.001 for all). A significant negative correlation was found between On.Ar and Lc.N/B.Ar (P < 0.05) and HC.Pm/B.Ar (P < 0.0001). HC.Ar and HC.Pm increased significantly with increasing Lc.N/On (both P < 0.0001) rather than Lc.N/B.Ar. Lc.N/B.Ar had a significant positive correlation with HC.Ar/On.Ar (P < 0.05) and HC.Pm/B.Ar (P < 0.01). We conclude that: 1) the size of the osteon is determined by the quantum of bone removed by osteoclasts, 2) the osteon is well designed for molecular exchange, and 3) a well designed osteon may be produced via the regulation of bone apposition by osteocytes during the process of osteon refilling.
Growth of tiger muskellunge fed different amounts of protein at three water temperatures

Abstract Growth rates of tiger muskellunge (muskellunge Esox masquinongy ♀ x northern pike E. lucius ♂) fed diets containing 35, 45, or 55% crude protein for 5 weeks at 17, 20, or 23°C were compared. Fish fed diets containing 45 or 55% protein grew faster at all temperatures than those fed 35% protein. Growth of tiger muskellunge fed a diet containing either 45 or 55% protein did not increase significantly at optimum growth temperatures (20 or 23°C). At 17°C, below the optimum temperature range, growth did increase when the percentage of protein in the diet was increased.
Abstract 5102: In vitro hedgehog signaling pathway alterations after acquired-platinum resistance in small cell lung cancer

Background: The Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway regulates cell growth and differentiation during embryonic tissue development and may play a role of ‘stem cell’ maintenance in adults. Studies have shown that SCLC platinum resistance and cell death is associated with HH signaling pathway maintenance, potentiating SCLC re-growth after chemotherapy. We hypothesized that acquired-platinum resistance would alter HH pathway signaling. Methods: SCLC cell lines, H69 and H146 along with their acquired cisplatin (H69Cis1) and carboplatin resistant (H69Car1, H146Car1, and H146Car2) versions were used. mRNA expression of genes in HH pathway were measured. Fold changes in mRNA expression in resistant cells (RCs) compared to parent cells were calculated. A two-sided t-test was used to compute the p-values for the fold changes. Proteins from these cells were probed for SHH, SUFU, and GLI1 by immunoblot. Results: The mRNA expression of genes in HH pathway was altered in platinum RCs compared to their parental cells (Table 1). As with mRNA expression, SHH protein is decreased in both H69 cisplatin and carboplatin RCs (by 93% in H69Cis1 and by 76% in H69Car1) and by 62% in H146 carboplatin RCs. SUFU mRNA and protein expression are not significantly different in the platinum RCs compared to their parental cells. GLI1 protein was not expressed in vitro in these cell lines, but there was a significant increase in GLI1 mRNA expression in platinum RCs. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the genes in the HH pathway such as GLI1, GLI2, PTCH1, PTCH2, SHH, and SMO are altered in vitro in cisplatin and carboplatin H69 and H146 acquired RCs compared to respective parent cell lines. Detailed studies with other SCLC cells lines with variable sensitivity to platinum and the impact of HH pathway inhibitors on the platinum resistant cell lines in vivo are worth further exploration. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5102.
Novel pharmacotherapeutic treatments for cocaine addiction

Cocaine is a stimulant that leads to the rapid accumulation of catecholamines and serotonin in the brain due to prevention of their re-uptake into the neuron that released the neurotransmitter. Cocaine dependence is a public health concern and cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. At present, there are no approved medications for the treatment of this devastating illness, and behavioral interventions have proven to be of limited use. However, there have been a number of recent trials testing promising agents including dopamine agonists, GABAergic medications and the cocaine vaccine. Here we discuss the most recent human clinical trials of potential medications for treatment of cocaine dependence, as well as pre-clinical studies for another promising agent, levo tetrahydropalmatine. Examination of these recent findings shows promise for GABAergic medications and the cocaine vaccine, as well as unique medications such as disulfiram, whose mechanism remains to be determined. Future work may also confirm specific subgroups of patients for treatment response based on clinical characteristics, biomarkers and pharmacogenetics. This review highlights the need for further, bigger studies in order to determine optimal clinical usage.
Molecular Biology of Polycythemias

Polycythemia is literally translated as "many cells in the blood". Only erythrocytosis (an alternative term for these disorders) produces polycythemia since leukocytes and platelets are present in blood in far smaller proportions. Polycythemia may be due to increased proliferation or decreased apoptosis of erythroid progenitors, or to delayed erythroid differentiation with an increased number of progenitor cell divisions. Prolonged red cell survival, another theoretical cause of polycythemia, has not yet been described and with intact regulatory mechanisms is unlikely to occur. Primary polycythemias result from abnormalities expressed in hematopoietic progenitors. In contrast, circulating factors cause secondary polycythemia (1). There are acquired and congenital causes of both primary and secondary polycythemia (1).
Surprises and anomalies in acoustical and optical scattering and radiation forces

Abstract Experiments on radiation torques and negative radiation forces by various researchers display how the underlying wave-field geometry influences radiation forces. Other situations strongly influenced by wave-field geometry include high-order caustics present in light-scattering patterns of objects as simple as oblate drops of water or oblate bubbles of air in water. Related theoretical and experimental investigations are considered. Acoustic scattering enhancements associated with various guided waves are also examined. These include guided waves having negative group velocities and guided wave radiating wavefronts having a vanishing Gaussian curvature.
Relationships among age, sex, and lateral dominance for 3- to 6-year-old children performing unilateral stance.

To assess influence of age, sex, and lateral dominance on children's unilateral stance, from 6 Houston area preschools and day-care centers, 121 subjects were randomly selected and judged by teachers as normal 3- to 6-yr.-old children. The children were tested for eye, hand, and foot preference and were then classified on over-all dominance. Maximal duration of unilateral stance, or up to 60 sec., was tested on each foot. Means over age groups show progressive increase in duration of unilateral stance with increasing age. No sex differences were found. A stepwise multiple correlation-regression showed stance on the nondominant foot and age as the only significant variables in stance on the dominant foot. Clinically, this study can help in evaluating children for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Comparison of synthetic and mineral fluorapatite, Ca5 (PO4)3F, in crystallographic detail

Abstract Detailed crystal structure refinements based on x-ray intensity data measured to ∼1% precision in most cases (R1 = 1.6% and 2.9%) show that the atomic positions in both synthetic and mineral fluorapatite (space group P63/m, a = 9.367(1) A , c = 6.884(1) , and Z = 2) agree within less than 0.001 A. Observed differences of 10 to 30% in the thermal parameters are ascribed to the effects of impurity and vacancy substitutions. Although the new atomic parameters differ significantly (up to 0.1 A) by current standards from those reported nearly 40 years ago by Naray-Szabo and refined by Beevers and McIntyre, the differences generally represent improvements in precision rather than corrections.
A Molecular View of Microbial Diversity and the Biosphere

Over three decades of molecular-phylogenetic studies, researchers have compiled an increasingly robust map of evolutionary diversification showing that the main diversity of life is microbial, distributed among three primary relatedness groups or domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya. The general properties of representatives of the three domains indicate that the earliest life was based on inorganic nutrition and that photosynthesis and use of organic compounds for carbon and energy metabolism came comparatively later. The application of molecular-phylogenetic methods to study natural microbial ecosystems without the traditional requirement for cultivation has resulted in the discovery of many unexpected evolutionary lineages; members of some of these lineages are only distantly related to known organisms but are sufficiently abundant that they are likely to have impact on the chemistry of the biosphere.
Planning for Collaborative Neighborhood Problem-Solving: A Review of the Literature

This review addresses a number of questions concerning collaborative neighborhood problem-solving. Theoretical conceptualizations, case studies, and empirical literature are reviewed in an effort to understand the nature of the collaborative process. Although this review focuses on mandated collaboration in human services activities, the information is relevant to a wide variety of planning applications. A model for neighborhood-based collaborative problem-solving developed for the United Way of Franklin County is also presented.
Impact of power-plant discharges on marine zooplankton: A review of thermal, mechanical and biocidal effects

The relative importance of thermal, mechanical and biocidal stresses to marine zooplankton entrained in cooling waters from coastal power-plant operations is dependent on specific features of power-plant design and siting. Toxic effects of power-plant operations will vary with (1) the degree of mechanical stress induced by pumping velocities of cooling water; (2) the physical and chemical interaction of receiving and discharge waters; (3) the dosage of chlorine or other biocide added to cooling waters for fouling control; (4) the exposure time to stress conditions experienced during passage through condenser conduits and discharge canals; and (5) the nature of receiving waters, affecting the production and availability of the various halogen toxicants formed upon chlorination of seawater. Because of these variables, the problem of entrainment-induced mortality of zooplankton and the resulting effects on secondary production in receiving waters is difficult to assess. A review of laboratory and field studies addressing these problems is presented and particular emphasis given to the synergistic effect of multiple stresses.
Numerical simulation of shock-box interaction using an adaptive finite element scheme

A transient, two-dimensional, finite element shock-capturing scheme on unstructured grids was applied to the study od a shock interacting with a box suspended above a rigid elevated surface. The area between the box and the surface was partially blocked by the box support beams, resulting in complex shock diffraction processes. The results demonstrate the capability of the developed adaptive refinement/coarsening algorithm to properly adapt to weak shocks, expansions, and contact discontinuities, and highlight the resulting excellent resolution of the captured flow features. In addition to interesting shock diffraction and propagation phenomena, the results demonstrate the capability of the new code to capture, and define in great detail, vortex sheets shed from sharp corners
The role of prospective memory in medication adherence: a review of an emerging literature

Although neurocognitive impairment is an established risk factor for medication nonadherence, standard neurocognitive tests developed for clinical purposes may not fully capture the complexities of non-adherence behavior or effectively inform theory-driven interventions. Prospective memory, an innovative cognitive construct describing one’s ability to remember to do something at a later time, is an understudied factor in the detection and remediation of medication non-adherence. This review orients researchers to the construct of prospective memory, summarizes empirical evidence for prospective memory as a risk factor for non-adherence, discusses the relative merits of current measurement techniques, and highlights potential prospective memory-focused intervention strategies. A comprehensive literature review was conducted of published empirical studies investigating prospective memory and medication adherence. Overall, reviewed studies suggest that prospective memory is an important component of medication adherence, providing incremental ecological validity over established predictors. Findings indicate that prospective memory-based interventions might be an effective means of improving adherence.
Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages in Shallow Prairie Lakes: Fish and Environmental Influences

ABSTRACT We sampled zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in 30 shallow natural lakes to determine the effects of the environment (i.e., habitat and fish abundance) on invertebrates. Zooplankters were identified to genus, and up to 120 individuals per genus were measured. Macroinvertebrates were identified to order, class, or family. Fish communities were also sampled. Relative abundances of zooplankton and macroinvertebrates were low at increased chlorophyll a concentrations, although mean zooplankton length increased with total phosphorus, possibly because of an increased proportion of microzooplankton (rotifers and copepod nauplii) at higher phosphorus levels. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that zooplankton and macroinvertebrate abundance was influenced by submersed vegetation coverage, whereas zooplankton abundance and size structure were also related to productivity (i.e., chlorophyll a and total phosphorus). However, relative abundance of fish species or fish feeding guil...
Differences in rat liver enzyme-altered foci produced by chlorinated aliphatics and phenobarbital.

Nine chlorinated aliphatics (CAs)—1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloro ethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloro ethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2,2- tetrachloroethane, and hexachloroethane—were examined in a rat liver foci assay for evidence of initiating and promoting potential. Young adult male Osborne-Mendel rats (ten/group) were given partial hepa tectomies, followed 24 hr later by a single i.p. dose of either diethyl nitrosamine (30 mg/kg body weight) or CA, 1 wk later either a diet containing 0.05% (w/w) phenobarbital or daily oral gavage (5 × /wk) of CA in corn oil for 7 weeks, and sacrificed 1 wk later. Putative preneo plastic markers monitored were foci with increased γ-glutamyltrans peptidase activity [GGT( + )]. CAs were without significant effect in the initiation protocol at the maximum tolerated dose. In the promotion protocol, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, tetrachloro ethylene, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, and hexachloroethane indu...
COMPACTNESS AND CYCLES IN SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION NETWORKS: A SIGNATURE OF NATURAL SELECTION?

We ask whether natural selection has shaped three biologically important features of 15 signal transduction networks and two genome-scale transcriptional regulation networks. These features are regulatory cycles, the lengths of the longest pathways through a network — a measure of network compactness — and the abundance of node pairs connected by many alternative regulatory pathways. We determine whether these features are significantly more or less abundant in biological networks than in randomized networks with the same distribution of incoming and outgoing connections per network node. We find that autoregulatory cycles are of exceptionally high abundance in transcriptional regulation networks. All other cycles, however, are significantly less abundant in several signal transduction networks. This suggests that the multistability caused by complex feedback loops in a network may interfere with the functioning of such networks. We also find that several of the networks we examine are more compact than expected by chance alone. This raises the possibility that the transmission of information through such networks, which is fastest in compact networks, is a biologically important characteristic of such networks.
Applications of Voting Theory to Information Mashups

Blogs, discussion forums and social networking sites are an excellent source for people's opinions on a wide range of topics. We examine the application of voting theory to "information mashups" - the combining and summarizing of data from the multitude of often-conflicting sources. This paper presents an information mashup in the music domain: a Top 10 artist chart based on user comments and listening behavior from several Web communities. We consider different voting systems as algorithms to combine opinions from multiple sources and evaluate their effectiveness using social welfare functions. Different voting schemes are found to work better in some applications than others. We observe a tradeoff between broad popularity of established artists versus emerging superstars that may only be popular in one community. Overall, we find that voting theory provides a solid foundation for information mashups in this domain.
Feeding and excreta collection techniques in metabolizable energy assays for ducks

Feeding and excreta collection techniques, lasting 102 h, for the determination of ME in feed ingredients for ducks are described. Eight and 32 h after feed withdrawal, all ducks received 30 g of dextrose in 100 g of water by orogastric administration. By orogastric administration, ducks received 30 g of test ingredients or dextrose (for ducks used in estimation of endogenous losses of energy and nitrogen) in 100 g of water at 48 and 54 h after feed withdrawal. The collection of excreta involved suturing a threaded plastic retainer ring to the vent and screwing a Whirl-Pak plastic bag, mounted on the top portion of a Playtex baby nurser set plastic bottle cut off 3 cm below the threads, to the retainer ring. Excreta were collected by replacing the Whirl-Pak bags at 54, 60, 72, 84, 96, and 102 h after feed withdrawal. In each of two experiments, ducks with an average weight of 3.7 kg were assigned to treatments. In Experiment 1, four ducks were assigned to each of three test ingredients (corn, dehulled oats, and wheat) and four ducks were assigned to be deprived of feed for estimation of endogenous losses of nitrogen and energy. In Experiment 2, six ducks were assigned to each of two test ingredients (corn and sorghum) and six ducks were assigned to be deprived of feed. Ducks lost an average of 537 g (Experiment 1) and 462 g (Experiment 2) during the 102-h experimental period and all the lost weight was regained within 7 d of return to full feed. Losses of nitrogen (milligrams per duck per 54 h) were 292 (Experiment 1) and 461 (Experiment 2) and energy (kilocalories per duck per 54 h) were 12.12 and 22.26 in feed-deprived group. The determined AMEn and TMEn for corn were 3.245 and 3.407, and 3.210 and 3.517 kcal/g for Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. For dehulled oats, wheat, and sorghum, the determined AMEn and TMEn were 3.464 and 3.625, 3.150 and 3.312, and 3.363 and 3.670 kcal/g, respectively.
Autoreactive marginal zone B cells are spontaneously activated but lymph node B cells require T cell help

In K/BxN mice, arthritis is induced by autoantibodies against glucose-6-phosphate-isomerase (GPI). To investigate B cell tolerance to GPI in nonautoimmune mice, we increased the GPI-reactive B cell frequency using a low affinity anti-GPI H chain transgene. Surprisingly, anti-GPI B cells were not tolerant to this ubiquitously expressed and circulating autoantigen. Instead, they were found in two functionally distinct compartments: an activated population in the splenic marginal zone (MZ) and an antigenically ignorant one in the recirculating follicular/lymph node (LN) pool. This difference in activation was due to increased autoantigen availability in the MZ. Importantly, the LN anti-GPI B cells remained functionally competent and could be induced to secrete autoantibodies in response to cognate T cell help in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, our study of low affinity autoreactive B cells reveals two distinct but potentially concurrent mechanisms for their activation, of which one is T cell dependent and the other is T cell independent.
A HUMAN EPIDERMAL MODEL GROWN ON AN ACELLULAR GEL

AbstractAn in vitro epidermis was constructed from normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) grown on a cross-linked, acellular, type I collagen gel. The latter was overlaid on a Millipore Millicell CM microporous membrane. This human epidermal model (HEM) was differentiated in the presence of elevated levels of calcium and raised to the air-liquid interface. The HEM differentiated into 20+ cell layers and demonstrated ultrastructural characteristics of human epidermis in vivo, including an electrondense stratum corneum, keratin filaments, desmosomes, lamellar-like bodies, and, most notably, a structure resembling the basal lamina at the interface of the epidermis and the gel. This basal lamina appeared in preparations grown at either the air-liquid interface or under more conventional, submerged conditions. A planar basal surface was a corequisite for the appearance of the basal lamina in both cases. Because this HEM is one of the few in vitro epidermal models reported to construct a structure resembli...
Why Evolutionary Biology is (so Far) Irrelevant to Law

Evolutionary biology - or, more precisely, two (purported) applications of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, namely, evolutionary psychology and what has been called human behavioral biology - is on the cusp of becoming the new rage among legal scholars looking for interdisciplinary insights into the law. We argue that as the actual science stands today, evolutionary biology offers nothing to help with questions about legal regulation of behavior. Only systematic misrepresentations or lack of understanding of the relevant biology, together with far-reaching analytical and philosophical confusions, have led anyone to think otherwise. Evolutionary accounts are etiological accounts of how a trait evolved. We argue that an account of causal etiology could be relevant to law if (1) the account of causal etiology is scientifically well-confirmed, and (2) there is an explanation of how the well-confirmed etiology bears on questions of development (what we call the Environmental Gap Objection). We then show that the accounts of causal etiology that might be relevant are not remotely well-confirmed by scientific standards. We argue, in particular, that (a) evolutionary psychology is not entitled to assume selectionist accounts of human behaviors, (b) the assumptions necessary for the selectionist accounts to be true are not warranted by standard criteria for theory choice, and (c) only confusions about levels of explanation of human behavior create the appearance that understanding the biology of behavior is important. We also note that no response to the Environmental Gap Objection has been proffered. In the concluding section of the article, we turn directly to the work of Professor Owen Jones, a leading proponent of the relevance of evolutionary biology to law, and show that he does not come to terms with any of the fundamental problems identified in this article.
A new locus, pilE, required for the binding of type 1 piliated Escherichia coli to erhythrocytes

We have identified a new locus required for mediating the binding of type 1 piliated Escherichia coli cells to guinea pig erythrocytes. This locus, pilE, was discovered after restrition site mutagenesis of a cloned segment of DNA containing the chromosomal pil region from a clinical strain of E. coli. pilE Mutants failed to agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes but expressed pili were morphologically and antigenically indistinguishable from the parental (pilE+) strain. Construction of a chromosomal pilE mutation in E. coli K-12 was accomplished by introducing a restriction fragment containing a pilE lesion into the chromosome of a recBC sbcB host strain. Mutations in pilE could be complimented in trans by the addition of a cloned segment of DNA containing the parental pilE locus. Lesions in any of the genes required for pilus assembly also produced a hemagglutination minus phenotype suggesting that both the product(s) specified by the pilE locus and pili were required for hemagglutination. Hemagglutination experiments using partially purified pili also supported this suggestion.
Geohydrologic assessment of fractured crystalline bedrock on the southern part of Manhattan, New York, through the use of advanced borehole geophysical methods

Advanced borehole-geophysical methods were used to assess the geohydrology of fractured crystalline bedrock in 31 of 64 boreholes on the southern part of Manhattan Island, NY in preparation of the construction of a new water tunnel. The study area is located in a highly urbanized part of New York City. The boreholes penetrated gneiss, schist, and other crystalline bedrock that has an overall southwest-to northwest-dipping foliation. Most of the fractures intersected are nearly horizontal or have moderate- to high-angle northwest or eastward dip azimuths. Heat-pulse flowmeter logs obtained under nonpumping (ambient) and pumping conditions, together with other geophysical logs, delineated transmissive fracture zones in each borehole. Water-level and flowmeter data suggest the fractured-rock ground-water-flow system is interconnected. The 60 MHz directional borehole-radar logs delineated the location and orientation of several radar reflectors that did not intersect the projection of the borehole. A total of 53 faults intersected by the boreholes have mean orientation populations of N12°W, 66°W and N11°W, 70°E. A total of 77 transmissive fractures delineated using the heat-pulse flowmeter have mean orientations of N11°E, 14°SE (majority) and N23°E, 57°NW (minority). The transmissivity of the bedrock boreholes ranged from 0.7 to 870 feet squared (ft2) per day (0.07 to 81 metres squared (m2) per day).
Social Support and Chronic Kidney Disease: An Update

Social support is an understudied, yet important, modifiable risk factor in a number of chronic illnesses, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increased social support has the potential to positively affect outcomes through a number of mechanisms, including decreased levels of depressive affect, increased patient perception of quality of life, increased access to health care, increased patient compliance with prescribed therapies, and direct physiologic effects on the immune system. Higher levels of social support have been linked to survival in several studies of patients with and without renal disease. Higher perceived spousal support among women on dialysis was linked to improved compliance and survival in subgroup analyses. Few studies have examined the impact of social support interventions in ESRD patients. Studies have been limited by small sample size, retrospective analyses, and lack of control populations. Given the potential link with survival, a large, prospective, randomized controlled trial is needed to evaluate the impact of a social support group intervention in ESRD patients.
Enhanced peaking current reference

Enhancements of the peaking current reference with significantly improved supply voltage and temperature independence are discussed. The addition of current mirror circuitry forces the peaking source to operate near its optimum operating range at all times; the optimum bias conditions for this source differ from those of a previously presented (K. Fukahari et al. 1979) basic peaking source. A theory for optimization is developed and practical application of this source, computer circuit simulations and experimental data are presented. >
Data Aggregation in Distributed Sensor Networks: Towards An Adaptive Timing Control

Data aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has attracted wide attention since it could reduce the amount of wireless data communication and thus save power consumption, which is one of the top concerns in low-power WSN systems. Given a Data Aggregation Tree (DAT) for data query purpose in a WSN, and the expected query accuracy, we show the feasibility to use a low-cost timing control scheme to adaptively adjust the waiting period in each DAT level so that the end-to-end query delay could be optimized, i.e. without unnecessary pause in an aggregation node. For such an adaptive timing control scheme, we propose to use a Finite State Machine (FSM)- based auto-feedback control algorithm to adjust the waiting period of each DAT node to "timely" respond to the queries. Our sensor network simulation results and hardware experiments verify the validity of our proposed timing control scheme.
Effects of organic contaminants on reproduction of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus in San Francisco Bay I. Hepatic contamination and mixed-function oxidase (MFO) activity during the reproductive season

Concentrations of neutral organic contaminants and activities of microsomal P-450 mixed-function oxidase (MFO) were measured in the livers of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus (Pallas), collected from more- and less-contaminated sites in San Francisco Bay, during the 1984–1985 reproductive season. Starry flounder collected at the Berkeley (Bk) site, located in the more urbanized central portion of San Francisco Bay, had greater liver concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (fluorescence equivalents of pyrene) than those collected at a site in northern San Pablo Bay (SP), where urban development is less intense and more distant. Hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity, a particular MFO, in males and in gonadally immature females fluctuated significantly from September 1984 through April 1985 with the Bk population exhibiting significantly greater activities during this period. Site differences were especially notable during the time of spawning (January–March), as AHH activities of starry flounder from SP declined and those from Bk remained elevated. These site differences appear to be due to P-450 isozymes (e.g. P-450E) whose activities are inducible by some PCBs and PAHs, as males and gonadally immature females from the two sites were not different in their hepatic AHH activities when assayed in the presence of an inhibitor of P-450E, 7,8-benzoflavone (7,8-BF). Greatly reduced hepatic AHH activities in females coincided with the onset of vitellogenesis; however, a comparison of female starry flounder bearing yolky eggs from the two sites during several successive reproductive seasons indicated significantly greater AHH activity in those caught at Bk than those from SP. There was a linear relationship between hepatic AHH activity and its inhibition by 7,8-BF in all P. stellatus assayed and more than 98% of individuals caught in San Francisco Bay had hepatic AHH activites that were suppressed by 7,8-BF. Therefore, widespread induction of hepatic microsomal P-450 by PAH-type compounds in San Francisco Bay is indicated and, further, P-450 induction is apparent in female starry flounder in a portion of San Francisco Bay during gametogenesis and the time of spawning.
Reexamining contemporary urbanism in the United States: Convenient mix of the old and new

This paper introduces a unique approach for characterizing contemporary urban dynamics in US cities and metropolitan areas. The proposed approach utilizes a socially and spatially integrated framew...
Spontaneous crystalline-to-amorphous phase transformation of organic or medicinal compounds in the presence of porous media, part 1: thermodynamics of spontaneous amorphization.

ABSTRACT: Spontaneous crystalline-to-amorphous phase transformation of organic or medicinal molecules in the presence of mesoporous materials has been observed, for which pathway was suggested to be via the vapor phase, that is, sublimation of the crystalline molecules followed by adsorption on the porous media. The objective of this paper is to rigorously evaluate this amorphization pathway and to study the thermodynamics of spontaneous amorphization. Mesoporous silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) was used as a model system. Physical mixtures of SiO 2 and crystalline compounds were prepared and stored at 0% relative humidity (RH) and 40°C. Loss of crystallinity of the model compounds was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction and polarized light microscopy. Adsorption chamber was set up, in which naphthalene and SiO 2 were stored, without physical contact, under reduced pressure at 0% RH and 40°C. Data confirmed that the rate and extent of sublimation and adsorption of naphthalene were significant for amorphization to occur on a pharmaceutically relevant timescale. Furthermore, a thermodynamic model has been developed to explain spontaneous amorphization. This unique phase transformation phenomenon can be a simple and effective method to improve the aqueous solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drug molecules.
The potential of diamond and SiC electronic devices for microwave and millimeter-wave power applications

The potential of SiC and diamond for producing microwave and millimeter-wave electronic devices is reviewed. It is shown that both of these materials possess characteristics that may permit RF electronic devices with performance similar to or greater than what is available from devices fabricated from the commonly used semiconductors, Si, GaAs, and InP. Theoretical calculations of the RF performance potential of several candidate high-frequency device structures are presented: the metal semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET), the impact avalanche transit-time (IMPATT) diode, and the bipolar junction transistor (BJT). Diamond MESFETs are capable of producing over 200 W of X-band power as compared to about 8 W for GaAs MESFETs. Devices fabricated from SiC should perform between these limits. Diamond and SiC IMPATT diodes also are capable of producing improved RF power compared to Si, GaAs, and InP devices at microwave frequencies. RF performance degrades with frequency and only marginal improvements are indicated at millimeter-wave frequencies. Bipolar transistors fabricated from wide bandgap material probably offer improved RF performance only at UHF and low microwave frequencies. >
Taxonomic status of Penicillus Kumar et Hameed, 1993 and its only species, P. indicus Kumar et Hameed, 1993 [Pennellidae, Siphonostomatoida, Copepoda]

It is argued that Penicillus indicus Kumar et Hameed, 1993 represents two species; a member of Pennella Oken, 1815 (Pennellidae, Siphonostomatoida, Copepoda) with lepadid (Lepadidae, Lepadomorpha, Cirripedia) phoronts attached to its abdomen. This conclusion, while not founded on examination of the type and only specimens of P. indicus, seems robust based on observations that: 1) the species description of P. indicus is unquestionably similar to a combination of the aforementioned copepod and barnacle taxa, i.e. one copepod with several attached barnacles, 2) records of Pennella representatives with attached striped goose barnacles, Conchoderma virgatum (Spengler, 1790) (Lepadidae) are well known, and 3) this interpretation explains why the type series of P. indicus exhibits considerable intraspecific variation regarding numbers of appendages and num- bers and placement of unusual abdominal organs. Based on this explanation, it is recommended that monotypic Penicillus Kumar et Hameed, 1993 and P. indicus be rejected as legitimate taxa and that the record of P. indicus be considered a unique report of a Pennella sp. infecting several species of sharks.
Synaptic reverberation underlying mnemonic persistent activity

Stimulus-specific persistent neural activity is the neural process underlying active (working) memory. Since its discovery 30 years ago, mnemonic activity has been hypothesized to be sustained by synaptic reverberation in a recurrent circuit. Recently, experimental and modeling work has begun to test the reverberation hypothesis at the cellular level. Moreover, theory has been developed to describe memory storage of an analog stimulus (such as spatial location or eye position), in terms of continuous 'bump attractors' and 'line attractors'. This review summarizes new studies, and discusses insights and predictions from biophysically based models. The stability of a working memory network is recognized as a serious problem; stability can be achieved if reverberation is largely mediated by NMDA receptors at recurrent synapses.
The Spring–Summer Nesting and Activity Patterns of the Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria)

The Eastern and Florida Chicken Turtle subspecies (Deirochelys reticularia reticularia and D. r. chrysea) exhibit nesting cycles that are atypical for aquatic North American turtles, with nesting occurring in the fall, winter, and early spring. The reproductive cycles of the western subspecies (D. r. miaria), however, have not been studied. Therefore, we monitored the reproductive status of female D. r. miaria in 2012 and 2013. In our populations, both male and female D. r. miaria were inactive on land from mid-July to mid-March. This differs from the activity patterns of the other subspecies in which females typically remain active into the fall and sometimes winter. Also, in contrast to the nesting patterns of D. r. reticularia and D. r. chrysea, female D. r. miaria developed follicles in the spring and summer (March–July) and contained eggs in the summer (May–July). Therefore, we conclude that the Western Chicken Turtle exhibits a nesting pattern that is more similar to that of other sympatric species ...
REVIEW - Alsultany, Evelyn and Ella Shobat (eds.). Between the Middle East and the Americas: The Cultural Politics of Diaspora. ix + 334 pp. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2013.

REVIEW - Alsultany, Evelyn and Ella Shobat (eds.). Between the Middle East and the Americas: The Cultural Politics of Diaspora. ix + 334 pp. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2013.
Cytokine changes after a marathon race

The influence of carbohydrate (1 l/h of a 6% carbohydrate beverage), gender, and age on pro- and anti-inflammatory plasma cytokine and hormone changes was studied in 98 runners for 1.5 h after two ...
Mate choice interacts with movement limitations to influence effective dispersal

Abstract Dispersal can augment viability of small populations, but this effect is contingent on successful post-dispersal reproduction of individuals. Nonetheless, variation in post-dispersal reproductive success is frequently ignored, such that dispersal (movement between fragments) and effective dispersal (movement followed by reproduction) are often viewed interchangeably. Mate choice by females can potentially limit or augment post-dispersal reproductive success of males and is predicted to vary with the distance dispersed. Consequently, mate choice may impact effective dispersal rates, but this issue is poorly understood. We use a multi-fragment, individual-based model to investigate if distance-mediated mate choice limits effective dispersal, in the absence of, and in combination with, distance-limited dispersal. We considered four scenarios of distance-mediated mate choice such that it was (a) spatially uniform, dispersers were (b) preferred or (c) avoided, and (d) females showed preference for dispersers that moved intermediate distances. We tested if mating system and sex-biased dispersal influence the role of mate choice on effective dispersal. We parameterized our model using previously published demographic data on the chimpanzee Pan troglodytes ; however, we intend the model to be generalizable to many species and scenarios considered extend beyond observed chimpanzee behaviour. Mate choice induced distance-dependent patterns of effective dispersal among populations, which, under certain conditions, surpased impacts of distance-limited dispersal. When distance suppressed both dispersal and mate choice, the two additively decreased effective dispersal at large distances. When dispersers were preferred, the effects of mate choice and limited dispersal negated each other to a degree determined by the relative spatial scale of the two processes. Effects of mate choice on effective dispersal can lead to misleading conclusions on dispersal barriers when inferred through indices that reflect effective dispersal. Isolating constraints to effective dispersal can enhance our understanding of connectivity and can identify key needs for connectivity conservation.
Effect of tillage on macropore flow and phosphorus transport to tile drains

Elevated phosphorus (P) concentrations in subsurface drainage water are thought to be the result of P bypassing the soil matrix via macropore flow. The objectives of this study were to quantify event water delivery to tile drains via macropore flow paths during storm events and to determine the effect of tillage practices on event water and P delivery to tiles. Tile discharge, total dissolved P (DP) and total P (TP) concentrations, and stable oxygen and deuterium isotopic signatures were measured from two adjacent tile-drained fields in Ohio, USA during seven spring storms. Fertilizer was surface-applied to both fields and disk tillage was used to incorporate the fertilizer on one field while the other remained in no-till. Median DP concentration in tile discharge prior to fertilizer application was 0.08 mg L−1 in both fields. Following fertilizer application, median DP concentration was significantly greater in the no-tilled field (1.19 mg L−1) compared to the tilled field (0.66 mg L−1), with concentrations remaining significantly greater in the no-till field for the remainder of the monitored storms. Both DP and TP concentrations in the no-till field were significantly related to event water contributions to tile discharge, while only TP concentration was significantly related to event water in the tilled field. Event water accounted for between 26 and 69% of total tile discharge from both fields, but tillage substantially reduced maximum contributions of event water. Collectively, these results suggest that incorporating surface-applied fertilizers has the potential to substantially reduce the risk of P transport from tile-drained fields.