cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuropsychosocial markers of binge drinking in young adults.

Binge drinking is associated with disease and death, and developing tools to identify risky drinkers could mitigate its damage. Brain processes underlie risky drinking, so we examined whether neural and psychosocial markers could identify binge drinkers. Reward is the most widely studied neural process in addiction, but processes such as emotion, social cognition, and self-regulation are also involved. Here we examined whether neural processes apart from reward contribute to predicting risky drinking behaviors. From the Human Connectome Project, we identified 177 young adults who binged weekly and 309 nonbingers. We divided the sample into a training and a testing set and used machine-learning algorithms to classify participants based on psychosocial, neural, or both (neuropsychosocial) data. We also developed separate models for each of the seven fMRI tasks used in the study. An ensemble model developed in the training dataset was then applied to the testing dataset. Model performance was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and differences between models were assessed using DeLong’s test. The three models performed better than chance in the test sample with the neuropsychosocial (AUC = 0.86) and psychosocial (AUC = 0.84) performing better than the neural model (AUC = 0.64). Two fMRI-based models predicted binge drinking status better than chance, corresponding to the social and language tasks. Models developed with psychosocial and neural variables could contribute as diagnostic tools to help classify risky drinkers. Since social and language fMRI tasks performed best among the neural discriminators (including those from gambling and emotion tasks), it suggests the involvement of a broader range of brain processes than those traditionally associated with binge drinking in young adults.
In Situ Fucosylation of the Wnt Co-receptor LRP6 Increases Its Endocytosis and Reduces Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates critical, context-dependent transcription in numerous physiological events. Among the well-documented mechanisms affecting Wnt/β-catenin activity, modification of N-glycans by L-fucose is the newest and the least understood. Using a combination of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants with different fucosylation levels and cell-surface fucose editing (in situ fucosylation [ISF]), we report that α(1-3)-fucosylation of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in the Galβ(1-4)-GlcNAc sequences of complex N-glycans modulates Wnt/β-catenin activity by regulating the endocytosis of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6). Pulse-chase experiments reveal that ISF elevates endocytosis of lipid-raft-localized LRP6, leading to the suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Remarkably, Wnt activity decreased by ISF is fully reversed by the exogenously added fucose. The combined data show that in situ cell-surface fucosylation can be exploited to regulate a specific signaling pathway via endocytosis promoted by a fucose-binding protein, thereby linking glycosylation of a receptor with its intracellular signaling.
Students’ Perspectives on the Master’s Degree in Music Education:

The purpose of this study was to investigate currently enrolled students’ perceptions of the master’s degree in music education (MME). A national sample of 136 MME students completed a web-based qu...
Operation of a Three-Phase Standalone Inverter With Online Parameter Update By Instantaneous Charge Transfer Estimation

This paper presents the operation and control architecture of a three-phase standalone inverter for uninterruptible power supply application. An inverter is connected to an output LC filter for a standalone application to have a better attenuation of the harmonics. During the operation of the inverter, the parameters of the output filter change from their nominal values. Such a condition makes the overall control architecture have a poor steady state and dynamic performance. Therefore, to enhance the performance of the inverter, a methodology is devised based on the estimation of the instantaneous charge transferred from the inverter to the grid. The proposed methodology is independent of the type of load connected to the inverter and can estimate the filter parameters without any noise or attenuation from their actual instantaneous values. Next, a control architecture is chosen and the proposed estimation architecture is verified when operated in unison with the controller. The overall architecture is verified via computer simulation based on MATLAB®/Simulink® and PLECS® and various case study results are obtained to prove the efficacy of the architecture.
Documenting the Portrayal of Diversity in Children's Books

This is a brief literature review of how librarians and teachers have documented the portrayal of diversity in children’s books to illuminate how books shape children’s opinions about themselves, o...
Ionizing radiation acoustic imaging (iRAI) for real-time monitoring of flash mode external beam radiotherapy

As a newly invented technology, ionizing radiation acoustic imaging (iRAI) provides a potential solution for in vivo dosimetry and real-time online monitoring of radiation beam position during external beam radiotherapy, including both conventional and FLASH radiotherapy. In this study, the dose resolution as low as 1% from a single pulse was achieved, demonstrating a clinically acceptable sensitivity of iRAI in mapping the dose deposition. The relative displacement of the radiation beam with respect to the target tissue can be visualized in real time by our clinically ready iRAI and ultrasound (US) dual-modality imaging system.
1.7-Micron Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography for Characterization of Skin Lesions–A Feasibility Study

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive diagnostic method that offers real-time visualization of the layered architecture of the skin in vivo . The 1.7-micron OCT system has been applied in cardiology, gynecology and dermatology, demonstrating an improved penetration depth in contrast to conventional 1.3-micron OCT. To further extend the capability, we developed a 1.7-micron OCT/OCT angiography (OCTA) system that allows for visualization of both morphology and microvasculature in the deeper layers of the skin. Using this imaging system, we imaged human skin with different benign lesions and described the corresponding features of both structure and vasculature. The significantly improved imaging depth and additional functional information suggest that the 1.7-micron OCTA system has great potential to advance both dermatological clinical and research settings for characterization of benign and cancerous skin lesions.
Gender trauma: healing cultural, social, and historical gendered trauma: by Alex Iantaffi, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2020, 224 pp., £ 19.99, $27.95 (paperback), ISBN 978 1 7877 5106 4

It is all too rare that books addressing an experience as intimately personal and systematically enforced as Gender trauma would do so in a way that simultaneously provides readers with education, ...
WS6.3. Measuring jitter with concentric needle electrodes

Although it is preferable to use single fiber electrodes (SFEs) to measure jitter, concentric needle electrodes (CNEs) are increasingly used instead because of concern about transmissible diseases and the cost of SFEs. Increasing the low frequency filter to 1 kHz or higher produces CNE signals that appear identical to SF action potentials (APs), but such CNE signals frequently represent summation of many SFAPs – to emphasize this, simple spikes recorded with CNEs that resemble SFAPs have been called “apparent single fiber action potentials” (ASFAPs). Jitter in summated signals recorded with CNEs is somewhat less than the jitter in SFAPs. Thus, although increased jitter in CNE studies indicates abnormal neuromuscular transmission, mild abnormalities may not be detected as well as with SFEs unless appropriate reference values are used. Note – fiber density measurements can only be made with SFEs. The following precepts should be followed if CNEs are used for jitter measurements: • Use the CNE with the smallest recording surface. Currently this is the DCF 25 electrode, which is available from several vendors. Note – because of their large pickup area, monopolar needle electrodes are even more likely to record superimposed APs and should not be used for jitter analysis. • Use a high pass filter setting of 1 kHz. Because this will reduce the amplitude of recorded signals, spikes with amplitude as low as 50 μV are acceptable for jitter measurement if they have a rise time less than 300 μsec. • Measure jitter only from simple spikes that resemble SFAPs (ASFAPs). Do not measure jitter from spikes with a notch or “shoulder,” as these are definitely produced by more than one AP. • Use reference values for the specific CNE that you are using. We recommend that each laboratory obtain results from a small group of control subjects and compare these to published reference values, using the same techniques that were used to acquire those reference values, i.e., the specific type of electrode, filter settings, and criteria of acceptable APs.
COVID-19 Post-acute Sequelae Among Adults: 12 Month Mortality Risk

Background: There are concerns of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, but it is unclear whether COVID-19 poses a significant downstream mortality risk. The objective was to determine the relationship between COVID-19 infection and 12-month mortality after recovery from COVID-19 in adult patients. Methods: An analysis of electronic health records (EHR) was performed for a cohort of 13,638 patients who were followed for 12 months post COVID-19 episode at one health system. Both COVID-19 positive patients and COVID-19 negative patients were PCR validated. COVID-19 positive patients were classified as severe if they were hospitalized within the first 30 days of the date of their initial positive test. The 12-month risk of mortality was assessed in unadjusted Cox regressions and those adjusted for age, sex, race and comorbidities. Separate subgroup analyses were conducted for a) patients aged 65 and older and b) those less than 65 years. Results: Of the 13,638 patients included in this cohort, 178 had severe COVID-19, 246 had mild/moderate COVID-19, and 13,214 were COVID-19 negative. In the cohort, 2,686 died in the 12-month period. The 12-month adjusted all-cause mortality risk was significantly higher for patients with severe COVID-19 compared to both COVID-19 negative patients (HR 2.50; 95% CI 2.02, 3.09) and mild COVID-19 patients (HR 1.87; 95% CI 1.28, 2.74). The vast majority of deaths (79.5%) were for causes other than respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Among patients aged less than 65 years, the pattern was similar but the mortality risk for patients with severe COVID-19 was increased compared to both COVID-19 negative patients (HR 3.33; 95% CI 2.35, 4.73) and mild COVID-19 patients (HR 2.83; 95% CI 1.59, 5.04). Patients aged 65 and older with severe COVID-19 were also at increased 12-month mortality risk compared to COVID-19 negative patients (HR 2.17; 95% CI 1.66, 2.84) but not mild COVID-19 patients (HR 1.41; 95% CI 0.84, 2.34). Discussion: Patients with a COVID-19 hospitalization were at significantly increased risk for future mortality. In a time when nearly all COVID-19 hospitalizations are preventable this study points to an important and under-investigated sequelae of COVID-19 and the corresponding need for prevention.
Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptides Block Dendritic Cell TLR4 Activation and Allergic Contact Sensitization

Cathelicidins are antimicrobial peptides of the innate immune system that establish an antimicrobial barrier at epithelial interfaces and have been proposed to have a proinflammatory function. We studied the role of cathelicidin in allergic contact dermatitis, a model requiring dendritic cells of the innate immune response and T cells of the adaptive immune response. Deletion of the murine cathelicidin gene Cnlp enhanced an allergic contact response, whereas local administration of cathelicidin before sensitization inhibited the allergic response. Cathelicidins inhibited TLR4 but not TLR2 mediated induction of dendritic cell maturation and cytokine release, and this inhibition was associated with an alteration of cell membrane function and structure. Further analysis in vivo connected these observations because inhibition of sensitization by exogenous cathelicidin was dependent on the presence of functional TLR4. These observations provide evidence that cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides mediate an anti-inflammatory response in part by their activity at the membrane.
A supergame strategy of trade

Abstract Utilizing a multi-period cooperative game model, we propose an optimal strategy of trade between the market economy of South Korea and the centrally-planned economy of North Korea. In the unique context of the Korean situation, i.e. two Koreas' announced goal of eventual reunification, we define a total welfare loss function and find an optimal strategy for inter-Korea trade that should minimize total welfare losses for the Korean peninsula as a whole.
Mechanism of Adherence of Streptococcus mutans to Smooth Surfaces I. Roles of Insoluble Dextran-Levan Synthetase Enzymes and Cell Wall Polysaccharide Antigen in Plaque Formation

Abstract The mechanism of adherence of Streptococcus mutans to smooth glass surfaces has been studied. The results with both viable and heat-killed cells showed that the process required (i) the synthesis of a water-insoluble dextran-levan polymer by cell-bound enzymes and (ii) the participation of a binding site on the surface of the S. mutans cell. Synthesis of the polymer from sucrose in the presence of the cells was required for adherence, and indicates that an “active” form of the polymer was required. Polymer synthesized by cell-free S. mutans enzymes when added to S. mutans cells did not produce adherence. Purified antibody globulin, specific for the a-d site in the polysaccharide S. mutans group a antigen, completely inhibited adherence. Antibody to the second antigen present in the polysaccharide molecule, the a antigen, did not inhibit adherence. The evidence indicates that adherence did not require an antigenic binding site which might be common to all S. mutans strains. The orientation of the synthetase enzyme(s), antigenic binding site, and dextran-levan polymer on the cell surface is under study.
Abstraction of Representation for Interoperation

When combining data from distinct sources, there is a need to share meta-data and other knowledge about various source domains. Due to semantic inconsistencies, problems arise when combining know edge across domains and the knowledge is simply merged. Also, knowledge that is irrelevant to the task of interoperation will be included, making the result unnecessarily complex. An algebra over ontologies has been proposed to support disciplined manipulation of domain knowledge re sources. However, if one tries to interoperate directly with the knowledge bases, semantic problems arise due to heterogeneity of representations. This heterogeneity problem can be eliminated by using an intermediate model that controls the knowledge translation from a source knowledge base. The intermediate model we have developed is based on the concept of abstract knowledge representation and has two components: a modeling behavior which separates the knowledge from its implementation, and a performative behavior which establishes context abstraction rules over the knowledge.
Localized f electrons in Ce x La 1-x RhIn 5 : de Haas-van Alphen measurements

Measurements of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in CexLa1-xRhIn5 reveal that the Ce 4f electrons remain localized for all x, with the mass enhancement and progressive loss of one spin from the de Haas-van Alphen signal resulting from spin fluctuation effects. This behavior may be typical of antiferromagnetic heavy fermion compounds, inspite of the fact that the 4f electron localization in CeRhIn5 is driven, in part, by a spin-density wave instability.
Variability of primary production and air‐sea CO2 flux in the Southern Ocean

Biogeochemical cycling in the Southern Ocean (SO) plays a key role in the global sea-air CO2balance and in the ocean anthropogenic carbon inventory (Ito et al., 2010; Khatiwala et al., 2009; Sarmiento et al., 2004). Some previous studies suggest a decreasing trend in the Southern Ocean carbon sink (Le Quere et al., 2007; Lovenduski et al., 2007; Wetzel et al., 2005). We investigate the interannual and decadal variations in sea-air CO2flux and phytoplankton production in the SO with hindcast simulations by an ocean biogeochemical model. Decreasing trends in sinking POC and primary production are found from 1979 to 2003, concurrent with a decreasing trend in carbon uptake from the atmosphere. Simulations show substantial interannual and decadal variability in productivity. The sea-air CO2flux is significantly correlated with sinking POC, especially in high productivity regions of the Southern Ocean. Both mixed layer depths and iron concentrations are important to the long-term trends in production and phytoplankton community structure. Sea ice cover also plays an important role at high latitudes. Variability in dust deposition in recent decades has little influence on total SO productivity and carbon uptake, however, there are regional impacts near dust source regions. Accurately representing mixed layer depths and their impacts on phytoplankton light stress are critical for understanding how climate change impacts SO ecosystems and biogeochemistry.
Computer simulation study of images in contact and near-contact printing

Versatile computer programs capable of simulating near-contact images from arbitrary objects and illumination were reported. Their capability was demonstrated in examples of combinations of different types of object and illumination. From the specific examples, we were able to derive certain general rules: (1) Polychromatic illumination is always better than monochromatic illumination. (Besides observing the examples given above, polychromatic illumination also helps when standing waves in photoresist are considered.) (2) Negative masks are easier to print than positive ones. Note that a negative mask in the sense of optical diffraction means smaller dimension for transparent parts of the mask. (3) Some well designed irregularities in the mask pattern improves the image. (4) The effective depth tolerance is between the limits set by the focussing effect and the image spreading effect. (5) Holographic mask should relax flatness and exposure tolerance.
Test of the finite basis method for the Baer-Kouri-Levin-Tobocman scattering formalism

The solution of the Baer-Kouri-Levin-Tobocman many-body scattering equations by means of a finite basis expansion method has been carried out for a simple three-body system. Various versions of the Baer-Kouri-Levin-Tobocman formalism and approximations to it were compared. The distorted wave Baer-Kouri equations was the version that worked best. The finite basis method was found to yield accurate values for binding energies and transition amplitudes only when continuum intermediate state contributions were small.
Re: Do Men Make Informed Decisions About Prostate Cancer Screening? Baseline Results From the “Take the Wheel” Trial

Objectives: This study describes urologist recommendations for treatment among local-stage prostate cancer patients presenting for initial management consultations versus second opinions. We hypothesized that urologists present a wider range of management recommendations and are less likely to consider the patient preference during the initial consultation. Methods: Newly diagnosed local-stage prostate cancer patients and their urologists participated in a survey at urology practices in three states. The urologist’s survey included questions about the patient’s clinical status, treatments discussed and recommended, and factors that influenced the urologist’s recommendations. Results: Of the 238 eligible patients, 95 men presented for an initial consultation, and 143 men presented for a second opinion. In multivariate analysis, urologists recommended 0.52 more treatments (standard error 0.19, P 0.001) during an initial consultation as opposed to a second opinion. The proportion recommending surgery increased from 71‐91% (initial consultation versus second opinion setting). Among initial consultations, 59% had low-risk disease, and urologists’ recommendations included surgery (80%), external radiation (38%), brachytherapy (seeds) (52%), and active surveillance (25%). Of the 54% with low-risk disease in a second opinion consultation, urologists’ recommendations included surgery (90%), external radiation (16%), brachytherapy (14%), and active surveillance (16%). Conclusions: In second opinion settings urologists discussed fewer treatment options and recommended surgery more often. These findings also applied to men with low-risk prostate cancer. Editorial Comment: It is widely believed that a second opinion following a diagnosis of localized prostate cancer is useful for patients choosing treatment. While this study certainly does not dispel that notion, it does call it into question to some degree by shedding some light on the quality of the second opinion and what providers discuss in that setting. While there undoubtedly is some selection bias here, it is still concerning that fewer options are discussed at a second opinion meeting. If nothing else, this study underscores that many unanswered questions remain concerning decision making in localized prostate cancer.
HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND BARRIERS TO INNOVATION: FROM GLOBALIZATION TO RELOCALIZATION

We live in an era when a remarkable number of new information and other technologies are successfully bypassing the main obstacle to technological advance: technology support network (TSN). Technology support net, when fully established and fixed, erects significant barriers to innovation. Innovation is not free and autonomous process of applied creativity, but is technically, economically and politically subservient to the "holders and owners" of the support net. We present operational definitions of technology and high technology which explain past and current barriers to innovation shifts from one technological paradigm to another. The TSN-bypass technologies are causing the process of globalization to slow down and revert itself into a process of relocalization, bringing forth the economy of autonomous, self-reliant and self-sustainable individuals, communities, localities and regions.
Self-assembly of manganese oxide nanoparticles and hollow spheres. Catalytic activity in carbon monoxide oxidation.

Reactions between MnSO4 and KMnO4 in the presence of carboxylic acids provide a facile, one-pot route to nanostructured manganese oxides with high surface areas. Acetic and propionic acid induce formation of hierarchical nanosphere morphologies whereas butyric acid promotes assembly of hollow spheres. The materials are active catalysts for CO oxidation.
Selecting and interpreting measures of thematic classification accuracy

Abstract An error matrix is frequently employed to organize and display information used to assess the thematic accuracy of a land-cover map, and numerous accuracy measures have been proposed for summarizing the information contained in this error matrix. No one measure is universally best for all accuracy assessment objectives, and different accuracy measures may lead to conflicting conclusions because the measures do not represent accuracy in the same tray. Choosing appropriate accuracy measures that address objectives of the mapping project is critical. Characteristics of some commonly used accuracy measures are described, and relationships among these measures are provided to aid the user in choosing an appropriate measure. Accuracy measures that are directly interpretable as probabilities of encountering certain types of misclassification errors or correct classifications should be selected in. preference to measures not interpretable as such. User's and producer's accuracy and the overall proportion OF area correctly classified are examples of accuracy measures possessing the desired probabilistic interpretation. The kappa coefficient of agreement does not possess such a probabilistic interpretation because of the adjustment for hypothetical chance agreement incorporated into this measure, and the strong dependence of kappa on the marginal proportions of the error matrix makes the utility of kappa for comparisons suspect. Normalizing an error matrix results in estimates that are not consistent for accuracy paramteters of the map being assessed, so that this procedure is generally not warranted for most applications.
Estimating probit models with self‐selected treatments

Outcomes research often requires estimating the impact of a binary treatment on a binary outcome in a non-randomized setting, such as the effect of taking a drug on mortality. The data often come from self-selected samples, leading to a spurious correlation between the treatment and outcome when standard binary dependent variable techniques, like logit or probit, are used. Intuition suggests that a two-step procedure (analogous to two-stage least squares) might be sufficient to deal with this problem if variables are available that are correlated with the treatment choice but not the outcome. This paper demonstrates the limitations of such a two-step procedure. We show that such estimators will not generally be consistent. We conduct a Monte Carlo exercise to compare the performance of the two-step probit estimator, the two-stage least squares linear probability model estimator, and the multivariate probit. The results from this exercise argue in favour of using the multivariate probit rather than the two-step or linear probability model estimators, especially when there is more than one treatment, when the average probability of the dependent variable is close to 0 or 1, or when the data generating process is not normal. We demonstrate how these different methods perform in an empirical example examining the effect of private and public insurance coverage on the mortality of HIV+ patients.
A THEORY OF ENTRAINMENT IN CONVECTIVE CURRENTS

Abstract It is held that entrainment is a necessary dynamic consequence of the vertical stretching of an accelerated convective column. On this basis, equations are developed for the rate of entrainment, the vertical divergence and the lapse rate, for both unsaturated air and cloud air. It is assumed that a steady state exists, the cross section of the rising column is invariant with height, the entrained air is uniformly mixed with the rising air and the environment is at rest. The equations are integrated numerically over height in a number of selected cases. In unsaturated air, entrainment results in a lapse rate which is always greater than the dry adiabatic; if the environmental lapse-rate is superadiabatic, the lapse rate of the rising air is intermediate between the lapse rate of the environment and the dry adiabatic lapse-rate. In a cloud, entrainment results in a lapse rate intermediate between the environmental lapse-rate and the moist adiabatic lapse-rate. The lapse rate of the rising air incre...
Confidence Intervals for Percentage Reductions

A method of using information from previous studies is applied to the problem of estimating treatment effectiveness of a preventive agent in terms of percentage reduction. The Bayesian statistical method allows the use of such prior information in analyzing the results of a study.
Puzzles, Proverbs, and Omega Matrices: The Scientific and Social Significance of Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models (EITM)

What has changed since William Riker's statement was written? No doubt Political Science has made considerable headway in going beyond traditional methods. For example, social choice theory, formal models of party systems, and statistical methods for analyzing electoral and roll-call data have made it possible to make scientific progress in the study of democratic institutions and party systems.The authors thank Chris Achen, John Aldrich, Bill Bernhard, Norman Bradburn, Brian Humes, Mark Jones, Richard Lempert, Phil Shively, Joan Sieber, Duncan Snidal, and Paul Wahlbeck for their comments on earlier versions of this paper. They also thank Henry Brady and Jennifer Hochschild for their comments and assistance through this process. We dedicate this paper to the memory and scientific accomplishments of EITM Workshop participant Richard McKelvey.
The elasticity of anti-civil rights discourse: Albert Gore, Sr., Richard Russell, and constituent relations in the 1950s and 1960s

This study contends that moderate segregationists, in contrast to racial extremists and southern demagogues, adjusted their modes of attack against the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s as part of a last stand to protect the South's racial caste system. They did this by offering less objectionable reasons for opposing civil rights measures that were attractive to centrists and moderates, many of whom opposed the racial extremism of southern demagogues. Moderate segregationists argued that federal civil rights policy violated states' rights and threatened to disrupt harmonious relations between southern blacks and whites. To assess the strategies and tactics of the civil rights opposition, I draw from the constituent letters sent to Senator Albert Gore, Sr. of Tennessee (1953–1970) and Senator Richard B. Russell of Georgia (1933–1973) during the height of the civil rights movement. Both senators, for different reasons, generated strong sentiments from civil rights opponents. While rank and file ...
OOCARDIUM STRATUM A RARE (?) DESMID (CHLOROPHYCEAE)1

SUMMARY The monotypic desmid, Oocardium stratum Nageli is reported from calcareous stream. Because, of its unusual habitat, it is easily overlooked and is probably more common in occurrence than is reported.
Understanding Sample Surveys: Selective Learning about Social Science Research Methods

We investigate differences in what students learn about survey methodology in a class on public opinion presented in two critically different ways: with the inclusion or exclusion of an original research project using a random-digit-dial telephone survey. Using a quasi-experimental design and data obtained from pretests and posttests in two public opinion courses, we test the hypothesis that students who participate in an original survey research project will have a stronger understanding of survey research methods than students who do not. To better assess the effect of the active learning element of the course, we estimate average treatment effects on the students who participated in the original survey project using nearest neighbor matching (Abadie et al. 2004) with student scores on a pretest. We find evidence of modest improvement in learning of survey methods in the course featuring the original survey research project; however, the major finding here is that a course featuring this kind of opportunity appeals to a different kind of student than a course that allows participants to stay closer to the classroom and library instead of the social science research laboratory. This discovery may have important implications for our understanding of the effects of active learning opportunities in other types of elective courses.
Mammals in and around suburban yards, and the attraction of chicken coops

Urban areas are an important and growing land use class. Nearly 5 % of the world is covered with urban development and residential yards make up a large proportion of that area. Yards have unique but homogenous biological characteristics and are known to be rich with bird fauna, but little is known about backyard mammals. We used camera traps to sample mammal communities in backyards and urban woodlots in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, USA and related species activity to yard characteristics and levels of neighborhood development. We found a vibrant community of smaller herbivores and carnivores using residential yards in urban areas, but larger ungulates and carnivores were only detected on the urban fringe, or in woodlots. Backyard chicken coops were positively correlated with raccoon activity but were not positively correlated with other predators, suggesting that chicken coops are attracting raccoons, but not other predators, to yards. Fenced-in dogs were negatively correlated with most mammals suggesting that confined dogs keep mammals out of yards. Unfenced dogs and fences without dogs, showed a more varied relationship with mammal activity. These results show an encouraging sign of how humans can coexist with wildlife, even in urban areas, and suggest some strategies to minimize conflict regarding backyard chicken coops and dogs.
Coordinated roles of motivation and perception in the regulation of intergroup responses: Frontal cortical asymmetry effects on the p2 event-related potential and behavior

Self-regulation is believed to involve changes in motivation and perception that function to promote goal-driven behavior. However, little is known about the way these processes interact during the on-line engagement of self-regulation. The present study examined the coordination of motivation, perception, and action control in White American participants as they regulated responses on a racial stereotyping task. Electroencephalographic indices of approach motivation (left frontal cortical asymmetry) and perceptual attention to Black versus White faces (the P2 event-related potential) were assessed during task performance. Action control was modeled from task behavior using the process-dissociation procedure. A pattern of moderated mediation emerged, such that stronger left frontal activity predicted larger P2 responses to race, which in turn predicted better action control, especially for participants holding positive racial attitudes. Results supported the hypothesis that motivation tunes perception to facilitate goal-directed action. Implications for theoretical models of intergroup response regulation, the P2 component, and the relation between motivation and perception are discussed.
mutA and mutC: two mutator loci in Escherichia coli that stimulate transversions.

Abstract Two transversion-specific mutator loci, mutA and mutC, were identified in Escherichia coli. Mutators with high rates of A.T----T.A transversions were identified using a screening technique that relied upon the reversion of an altered lacZ gene back to wild-type via a specific A.T----T.A transversion. Among the mutators collected, one class mapped to a previously unidentified locus that we designate mutA. Analysis of reverse mutations in lacZ and forward nonsense mutations in lacI showed that the mutA strain has higher levels of A.T----T.A and G.C----T.A transversions, and to a lesser degree A.T----C.G transversions. The mutA locus maps very near to, but is separable from, mutL, at about 95 min on the E. coli chromosome. Both its mutagenic specificity and complementation experiments confirmed that mutA is distinct from mutL and from a nearby mutator locus, miaA. The phenotype of a mutA mutL double mutator strain suggests that the mutA gene product prevents some replication errors. Another mutator, designated mutC, maps very near uvrC, at 42 min, but is distinguishable from uvrC, which has no mutator effects. The specificity of reversion of lacZ mutations in a mutC strain is identical to that in a mutA strain. Also, the behavior of a mutC mutS double mutant is identical to that of a mutA mutL double mutant. It is likely that mutA and mutC are components of the same error-avoidance system.
Central neural organization and control of sympathetic nervous system in mammals

The past decade has witnessed rapid progress in defining neural circuits and mechanisms in the brain, responsible for regulation of the sympathetic nerve activity and cardiovascular functions. Several groups of cardiovascular neurons in the brainstem form the fundamental neural circuits, through which reflexly and centrally initiated sympathetic responses are processed. Their interplay determines the levels of sympathetic nerve activity and vascular tone. Substantial evidence indicates that a small population of reticulospinal vasomotor neurons in the rostroventrolateral reticular nucleus of the medulla oblongata play critical and integrative roles by: 1) providing, largely by their intrinsic pacemaker activity, tonic sympathoexcitation, thus maintaining normal blood pressure and organ blood flows, 2) mediating a variety of circulatory reflexes and centrally initiated sympathetic responses thereby helping to match organ blood flow to metabolic demands, and 3) acting as intrinsic oxygen detectors which orchestrate appropriate autonomic response programs to protect the integrity of brain in response to acute hypoxia-ischemia. Elaboration of the neural mechanisms and cellular and molecular properties of these vasomotor neurons related to dynamic regulation of the cardiovascular system in normal and disease states will be of relevance to a full appreciation of their role in adaptation of the organism to its internal and external environments and to the development of strategies to fight against neurogenic cardiovascular diseases and to restore normal functions.
Laser optogalvanic photodetachment spectroscopy: A new technique for studying photodetachment thresholds with application to I−

Electron photodetachment from I− ions has been observed using an optogalvanic technique in which an electrical discharge in iodine vapor was probed with a pulsed dye laser. The first photodetachment threshold, corresponding to the onset of production of I(2P3/2) atoms, was located at 405.18±0.02 nm giving for the electron affinity Ea(I) =3.0591±0.0001 eV.
One-atom detection using resonance ionization spectroscopy

A new measuring technique which can detect a single atom of a given kind, even in the presence of ${10}^{19}$ or more atoms of another kind, with good space and time resolution, was utilized to study the density fluctuation of less than 100 cesium atoms in a small volume of space filled with inert gases. Repeated measurements of the absolute number of atoms in a defined volume at an arbitrary time were recorded for the first time in order to obtain a statistical distribution giving the fluctuation of the number of atoms around the mean value. Numerous other physics applications of the one-atom detector are briefly described.
LOVE STYLES AND LIFE SATISFACTION

Previous studies by Hendrick and colleagues have uncovered male-female differences in John Alan Lee's love styles. Specifically, females have tended to be more storgic (friendship love), manic (possessive love), and pragmatic (logical love), while males have tended to be more ludic (game-playing love). In this study, the utility of the different love styles for life, work, and relationship satisfaction was examined for each sex. For the 98 women in this study, the only love style that was positively related to life satisfaction was agape (unselfish love), while the manic and ludic love styles were negatively related to life satisfaction. For the 42 men in this study, storgic and ludic love were both positively related to life satisfaction, while manic and pragmatic love were negatively related to life satisfaction. Additional sex differences were also noted. The findings suggested that the “double standard” is alive and well, at least among the university students in this study.
Radioimmunoassay for human testosterone-estradiol-binding globulin.

We isolated testosterone-estradiol-binding globulin (TeBG) from human pregnancy plasma and used the isolated protein to obtain a rabbit antiserum to it. Using immunochemical techniques, the antiserum was demonstrated to be both monospecific and to have the ability to remove TeBG-binding activity from human serum. This antiserum was used to develop a RIA for human TeBG. The sensitivity is such that TeBG can be determined in as little as 0.005 µl serum or plasma, although we routinely use 0.5-1.0 µl. The correlation between the RIA and an established binding assay, using 63 different specimens, was 0.995.
Semi-volatile secondary organic aerosol in urban atmospheres: meeting a measurement challenge

Ammonium nitrate and semi-volatile organic compounds are significant components of fine particles in urban atmospheres. These components, however, are not properly determined with current US EPA accepted methods such as the PM2.5 FRM or other single filter samplers due to significant losses of semi-volatile material (SVM) from particles collected on the filter during sampling. Continuous PM2.5 mass measurements are attempted using methods such as the R&P TEOM monitor. This method, however, heats the sample to remove particle-bound water which also results in evaporation of SVM. Research at Brigham Young University has resulted in samplers for both the integrated and continuous measurement of total PM2.5, including the SVM. The PC-BOSS is a charcoal diffusion denuder based sampler for the determination of fine particulate chemical composition including the semi-volatile organic material. The RAMS is a modified TEOM monitor which includes diffusion denuders and Nafion dryers to remove gas phase material which can be absorbed by a charcoal sorbent filter. The RAMS then uses a “sandwich filter” consisting of a conventional particle collecting Teflon coated TX40 filter, followed by an activated charcoal sorbent filter which retains any semi-volatile ammonium nitrate or organic material lost from the particles collected on the TEOM monitor Teflon coated filter, thus allowing for determination of total PM2.5 mass including the SVM. Recent research conducted by Brigham Young University using these two samplers has indicated the following about semi-volatile organic aerosol: • The majority of semi-volatile fine particulate organic material is secondary organic aerosol. • This semi-volatile organic aerosol is not retained on the heated filter of a regular TEOM monitor and hence is not measured by this sampling technique. In addition, secondary ammonium nitrate is also lost. • Much of the semi-volatile organic aerosol is also lost during sampling from single filter samplers such as the PM2.5 FRM sampler. • The amount of semi-volatile organic aerosol lost from single filter samplers can vary from less than 13 that lost from heated TEOM filters during cold winter conditions to essentially all during warm summer conditions. • Semi-volatile organic aerosol can only be reliably collected using an appropriate denuder sampler. • Either a PM2.5 FRM sampler or the IMPROVE sampler can be easily modified to a denuder sampler with filters which can be analyzed for semi-volatile OC, nonvolatile OC and EC using existing OC/EC analytical techniques. The research upon which these statements are based is summarized in this document.
Effects of RPE age and culture conditions on support of photoreceptor cell survival in transplanted RCS dystrophic rats.

Abstract This study assessed the effects of transplants of freshly isolated or cultured (ie. passaged) retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells from neonatal and adult normal and RCS pigmented dystrophic rats on photoreceptor cell survival in retinas of 22-26-day-old pink-eyed RCS dystrophic rats. We determined that retinas of 2-month-old RCS rats transplanted at 26 days with RPE cells of adult RCS rats did not support photoreceptor cell survival above that seen in sham or nontreated control RCS retinas, as outer nuclear layer (ONL) thicknesses were not significantly different (10-0± 1·31 μm, 11·7±4·04 μm and 9·42 ±1·88 μm. respectively). Surprisingly, in this same transplant group, RPE transplants from neonatal RCS dystrophic rats were able to promote photoreceptor cell survival similar to that seen in transplants of neonatal Long Evans rats, as evidenced by similar ONL thicknesses (34·4±3·16 μm and 33·6±6·03 μm, respectively), but the rescue effect quickly diminished. However, in retinas of 22-26-day-old RCS rats transplanted with RPE cells from adult Long Evans rats, the level of photoreceptor cell rescue was approximately 48% (ONL: 19·6± 2·79 μm), when compared to retinas transplanted with RPE cells from neonatal Long Evans rats, but significantly greater than that caused by transplants of RPE cells from adult RCS rats. In a second transplant study, retinas of 3-month-old RCS rats transplanted at postnatal days 22-23 with freshly isolated neonatal RPE cells had an ONL thickness of 31·5±3·5 μm, while those retinas transplanted with first- and third-passaged neonatal RPE cells had an ONL which measured 15·5±3·55 μm and 9·99±3·67 μm, respectively. In contrast retinas of 22-23-day-old RCS rats transplanted with freshly isolated and third-passaged RPE cells from 17-month-old Long Evans rats had ONL thicknesses of 5·89±0·65 μm and 6·48±2·52 μm, respectively, neither of which was significantly greater than the ONL thickness in sham-injected retinas (6·07±1·31 μm). In conclusion, this study demonstrated a significant age-related decline in the ability of transplants of adult rat RPE cells and transplants of passaged RPE cells to support photoreceptor cell survival in retinas of RCS rats.
Impact crater degradation on venusian plains

In venusian plains, impact craters without extensive low backscatter ejecta deposits are more likely to have low backscatter floors, be embayed by volcanic deposits, and exhibit fractures as compared to craters with extensive low backscatter ejecta. We interpret these trends as evidence of ongoing degradation of low backscatter ejecta by aeolian activity, weathering, and volcanism. Using a crater age sequence based on extent of preservation of low backscatter ejecta, together with Monte Carlo simulations, we find that tectonic activity has extended over a longer time period than volcanism.
Consistent sparsification for graph optimization

In a standard pose-graph formulation of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), due to the continuously increasing numbers of nodes (states) and edges (measurements), the graph may grow prohibitively too large for long-term navigation. This motivates us to systematically reduce the pose graph amenable to available processing and memory resources. In particular, in this paper we introduce a consistent graph sparsification scheme: (i) sparsifying nodes via marginalization of old nodes, while retaining all the information (consistent relative constraints) - which is conveyed in the discarded measurements - about the remaining nodes after marginalization; and (ii) sparsifying edges by formulating and solving a consistent l1-regularized minimization problem, which automatically promotes the sparsity of the graph. The proposed approach is validated on both synthetic and real data.
Tropical Outgoing Longwave Radiation and Longwave Cloud Forcing Diurnal Cycles from CERES

AbstractThe diurnal cycle is a fundamental earth system variability driven by daily variations in solar insolation. Understanding diurnal variability is important for characterizing top-of-atmosphere and surface energy budgets. Climatological and seasonal first diurnal cycle harmonics of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and longwave cloud forcing (LWCF) are investigated using the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) synoptic 3-hourly data. A comparison with previous studies indicates generally similar results. However, the results indicate that the CERES OLR diurnal cycle amplitudes are 10%–20% larger in desert regions than previous analyses. This difference results from the temporal interpolation technique overestimating the daily maximum OLR. OLR diurnal cycle amplitudes in other tropical regions agree with previous work. Results show that the diurnal maximum and minimum OLR variability contributes equally to the total OLR variance over ocean; however, over land the diurnal maximum OLR ...