cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterokaryon formation and parasexual recombination between vegetatively incompatible lineages in a population of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica

Heterokaryosis was recently reported in the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica , in which individuals contain nuclei that are isogenic except at the mating-type locus ( MAT ). MAT heterokaryons were found in several natural populations, including a putatively clonal population in West Salem, Wisconsin, providing an opportunity to address the question of how heterokaryons arise. We represented relationships among RFLP fingerprint haplotypes as networks in which loop formation is considered evidence of recombination. From 1990 to 1995, this population was clonal, as indicated by a simple haplotype network without loops, and the correlation of vegetative compatibility (vc) types and mating types with haplotype lineages. By 1999, we observed loops in the haplotype network involving isolates of two vc types (WS-2 and WS-3). Isolates with haplotypes in the loops were either MAT heterokaryons, carried the opposite mating type from other isolates of the same vc type, and/or had two alleles at two or more codominant SCAR (sequence-characterized amplified region) loci. Segregation of markers and recombination were evident among single-spore isolates from one heterokaryon; these single-spore isolates had novel fingerprint haplotypes, also within the loops. In contrast, vc type WS-1, which comprises 85% of the population, was represented by a simple network with no loops, indicating a clonal lineage varying only by mutation. Almost all isolates of WS-1 had the same mating type; the exceptions were five isolates that were MAT heterokaryons. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that heterokaryons formed between vegetatively incompatible individuals, and recombination occurred by a parasexual process.
Activation of Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and Its Receptor Axis Is Essential for Macrophage Infiltration in a Prostate Cancer Mouse Model

Macrophages within the tumor microenvironment promote angiogenesis, extracellular matrix breakdown, and tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Activation of the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) axis promotes prostate cancer tumorigenicity, invasion, metastasis, and survival within the tumor microenvironment. The link between macrophage infiltration and the uPA/uPAR axis in prostate cancer development has not been established, although it has been reported that uPA plays a critical role inmonocyte and macrophage chemotaxis. In this study, murine prostate cancer RM-1 cells were subcutaneously inoculated into wild-type (WT), uPA(-/-), and uPAR(-/-) mice. Tumor volume was significantly diminished in both uPA(-/-) and uPAR(-/-) mice compared with WT controls. Greater inhibition of tumor volume was also observed in uPA(-/-) mice compared with uPAR(-/-) mice, suggesting the important contribution of stromal-derived uPA to sustain the tumor growth. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that tumors in uPA(-/-) and uPAR(-/-) mice displayed significantly lower proliferative indices, higher apoptotic indices, and less neovascularity compared with the tumors in WT mice. Tumors in uPA(-/-) and uPAR(-/-) mice displayed significantly less macrophage infiltration as demonstrated by F4/80 staining and MAC3(+) cell numbers by flow cytometry compared with the tumors from WT mice. These findings suggest that the uPA/uPAR axis acts in both autocrine and paracrine manners in the tumor microenvironment, and activation of uPA/uPAR axis is essential for macrophage infiltration into prostate tumors.
What is acceptable for women may not be for men: The effect of family conflicts with work on job-performance ratings

We conducted a laboratory study examining the effect of a family conflict with work on performance appraisal ratings given to men and women. Overall, the experience of a family conflict was associated with lower performance ratings, and ratee sex moderated this relationship. Men who experienced a family conflict received lower overall performance ratings and lower reward recommendations than men who did not, whereas ratings of women were unaffected by the experience of a family conflict. The sex bias was not evident when performance was evaluated on the more specific dimension of planning. Neither rater gender nor work-family role attitudes moderated the sex bias. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Coexistence of two competitors on one resource and one inhibitor: A chemostat model based on bacteria and antibiotics*

We present a continuous time model of the dynamics of two species competing for a single limiting resource in the presence of a substance that inhibits the growth of one of the species. Resource and inhibitor are both derived from external sources. These inputs, and all other model parameters, are assumed to be constant in space and time. There exist conditions that permit the stable coexistence of the competitors, provided that the sensitive species is more efficient in exploiting the limiting resource, and the resistant species removes the inhibitor from the environment. There exists a subset of these conditions wherein the sensitive species can become established if and only if the resistant species is already established. If the resistant species does not remove the inhibitor from the environment, then coexistence of sensitive and resistant species is structurally unstable. If the resistant species produces the inhibitor, then coexistence is dynamically unstable. We review several studies of bacterial competition in the presence of antibiotics that support these conclusions.
Nitrate variability in hydrological flow paths for three mid-Appalachian forested watersheds following a large-scale defoliation

[1] Nitrate (NO3−) leakage from forested watersheds due to disturbance is a well documented but not well understood process that can contribute to the degradation of receiving waters through eutrophication. Several studies have shown that large-scale defoliation and deforestation events in small forested watersheds in the eastern United States cause immediate and dramatic increases in NO3− flux to steams, with large differences in recovery time. Water quality and discharge data collected from 1992 to 2004 following a large-scale gypsy moth defoliation were used to investigate hydrological controls on long-term NO3− leakage from three forested watersheds in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. During storm events, a conventional two-component hydrograph separation in conjunction with an inverse solution technique was employed to determine the concentrations of NO3− in groundwater and soil water. Following defoliation, groundwater NO3− concentrations declined exponentially with a distinct seasonal pattern. A rank-order relationship between the rate constants associated with the exponential declines in groundwater NO3− concentrations and groundwater recession constants indicates a hydrological control on long-term watershed recovery for these defoliated systems. Comparisons to deforested systems in Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, and Coweeta, North Carolina, indicate hydrological controls are similarly present. Biogeochemical differences, however, need to be considered to account for the more attenuated recovery observed in defoliated systems. No long-term trend was found in the model-derived soil water NO3− concentrations, which suggests the presence of some form of rate limitation on the transformation of the nitrogen pool introduced during the disturbance and/or reduced nutrient uptake due to tree mortality.
Excitonic singlet-triplet ratios in molecular and polymeric organic materials

A simple technique employing reverse bias measurements of photoluminescent efficiency is described to determine the excitonic singlet-triplet formation statistics of electroluminescent organic thin films. Using this method, the singlet fractions in thin films of two organic emissive materials commonly used in organic light emitting devices, tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum $({\mathrm{Alq}}_{3})$ and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), are found to be $(20\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1)%$ and $(20\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4)%,$ respectively. Results are confirmed using a sensitive synchronous detection scheme. We discuss other measurements and the current understanding of exciton formation statistics in polymeric and small molecular weight organic electroluminescent materials.
Tuning Parameter Tolerance Design: Foundations, Methods, and Measures

In this paper, a novel technique is presented to solve tolerance design problems. To achieve the desired performance tolerance, the technique uses a subtle, but significant, change in the design: the addition of a tuning parameter in place of an increase in component precision. Statistical models are used to develop a framework for the tuning parameter design method. Also developed is a new, dimensionless design metric which ranks candidate tuning parameters. A step-by-step method is developed for the application of tuning parameters using this metric. The step-by-step tuning parameter design method is applied to a heavy-duty manual stapler as a clarifying example.
Bifacial Flintknapping in the Northwest Kimberley, Western Australia

The combination of bifacial percussion and pressure flaking to make stone tools was repeatedly invented in prehistory. Bifacial percussion and pressure technology is well documented in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, but a separate and poorly understood center of innovation occurred in the Kimberley Region of Northwest Australia. Stone points first appeared there ca 4.5 kya and bifacial Kimberley Points emerged by ca 1.4 kya. Aboriginal flintknappers made Kimberley Points using traditional methods until the recent past. This study analyzes stone artifacts from 335 sites in the remote Northwest Kimberley and documents a sophisticated bifacial technology that involved seven “tactical sets”—four of them exclusive to manufacturing these points—applied in five strategic phases. It is proposed that bifacial thinning ultimately arose in response to social forces operating across Kimberley Aboriginal societies in response to demographic pressures from neighboring Aboriginal groups. The repeated invention of bifacial flaking in prehistory may be related to the messaging made possible by the manufacturing approach itself—both in virtuoso technical performance and the flexible way bifacial performances could be distributed across the natural and social landscape.
IL‐12 eliminates the Th‐2 dependent protective immune response of mice to larval Strongyloides stercoralis

The goal of the present study was to determine if immune-mediated killing of S. stercoralis L3 in mice could be modulated by shifting from a Th-2 to a Th-1 type immune response. L3 killing in immunized mice was ablated in CD4+ T cell-depleted animals, but not in CD8+ T cell-depleted or beta 2-microglobulin-deficient mice. Treatment of immunized mice with IL-4 or IL-5 neutralizing MoAb significantly reduced the protective effects of vaccination against S. stercoralis, while protective immunity was unimpaired in IFN-gamma knockout mice. Recombinant IL-12 was administered to infected mice to switch the immune response from a Th-2 to a Th-1 type response. Protective immunity was ablated in immunized mice that received IL-12 therapy. Eosinophil numbers, eosinophil peroxidase levels, and parasite-specific IgG1 levels were lowered in IL-12 treated immunized animals, and parasite-specific IgG2a levels were increased in these animals. The data indicate that eosinophils are important as mediators of larval killing, and that the establishment of Th-2 type immunity results in killing of infective S. stercoralis L3, while a shift to Th-1 type immunity abrogates protective responses.
Development of a Computer Controlled Continuous System for the LICADO Process

A common challenge to coal cleaning technologies is the development of suitable mechanical equipment together with the necessary instrumentation and control devices. This challenge was encountered in the design of a continuous unit for the LICADO (LIquid CArbon DiOxide) process for fine coal cleaning. A microcomputer-based control system was developed for the operation. The computer is equipped with A/D and D/A converter modules which accept input data from pressure transducers, Coriolis type mass flowmeters, a capacitance type liquid-liquid interface position probe, and liquid level switches while transmit control signals to pumps, pneumatic ball valves and regulating valves. Simple strategies were implemented to manage the feed and discharge from the process unit, to control operating variables, and to perform on-line data acquisition.
Thermal stability of Pd supported on single crystalline SiO2 thin films

The effect of annealing temperature on a model Pd/SiO2 catalyst has been investigated using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning tunneling microscopy. Pd clusters on a single crystalline SiO2 thin film are not altered with respect to size or shape upon heating to 700 K; however, interdiffusion and sintering of the Pd clusters take place between 750 and 1050 K. At 1000 K, AES data imply the formation of Pd–silicide. Above 1050 K, desorption of Pd occurs concomitant with the decomposition of SiO2.
Tidal Wetland Community Response to Varying Levels of Flooding by Saline Water

A long-term data base (2000–2009) was used to evaluate tidal floodwater salinity and the resulting soil biogeochemical setting (methanogenic or sulfate reducing) at 54 substations, which included a variety of marsh and swamp community types along the freshwater/saltwater boundary of the Cape Fear River/Estuary, North Carolina. During this decade, a variety of extreme climatic events, i.e. floods and droughts, occurred, but overall data reflected long-term, natural conditions. At sites flooded by >1 ppt saline water more than 25 % of the time, wetlands consisted of varying types of tidal marsh. Temperate, tidal swamps were present at sites flooded by this level of saline water less than 12 % of high tides. Flooding >25 % of tides by >1 ppt seawater converted soils in those wetlands from methanogenic into sulfate reducing conditions >50 % of the time. The point along an estuarine gradient where adjacent wetlands are flooded by >1 ppt saline water less than 25 %, but more than 12 % is the zone of transition. The conversion of a tidal swamp to tidal marsh is not only caused by salt water itself, but by the sulfate constituent in seawater. Once a sufficient concentration of sulfate enters soils, sulfate reducing bacteria become active reducing the sulfate into hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to any wetland plant species not adapted to this toxic substance. The incidence of flooding by high tides containing >1 ppt salinity is an accurate predictor of functional change in adjacent wetlands. Wetlands receiving intermediate levels of saline water, i.e. 12-25 % flooding with 1 ppt floodwater, were in some state of transition from swamp to marsh. Once trees in tidal swamps are killed, the wetland moves inevitably towards a tidal marsh dominated by species of herbaceous vascular plants with varying tolerance to saline water.
The separation of infectious and autointerfering particles in vesicular stomatitis virus preparations.

Abstract Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infections produce two sizes of particles that differ not only in length, but also in infectivity and autointerference properties. The two forms have been separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation after partial purification by differential centrifugation, enzyme, and fluorocarbon treatment. Peaks of radioactivity of 32 P-labeled preparations coincided with the two light-scattering bands. Infectivity was associated with the lower band which contained long (L) rods. Autointerference was associated with the upper band which contained short (S) rods.
Bioenergetics of captive Belding's savannah sparrows (Passerculus sanwichensis beldingi)

Abstract 1. 1. The basal metabolic rate ( BMR ) of Belding's savannah sparrows averaged 1.48 ± 0.07 kJ/g·day and the standard metabolic rate ( SMR ) below thermoneutrality was best described by the equation y = 4.5 − 0.1 x where y equals SMR in kJ/g·day and x ambient temperature in °C. 2. 2. Thermal conductance between 5 and 30°C averaged 4.75 ± 0.04 J/°C·g·hr and was higher than most other published accounts for temperate species. 3. 3. During existence energy trials on two different diets, savannah sparrows ingested more energy as temperature decreased and more energy on the chick starter diet; the equations y = 7.3 − 0.14 x and y = 7.0 − 0.14 x expressed the relationship of energy intake vs temperature for the chick starter diet and mealworm diet, respectively, where y = kJ/g·day. 4. 4. We found no differences in the relationship between existence energy and temperature for the two diets and thus we combined the data; the equation y = 5.1 − 0.1 x described the relationship between existence energy and ambient temperature (0–30° C). 5. 5. Sparrows metabolized more of the available energy on the mealworm diet ( c . 75%) than the chick starter diet ( c . 69%).
Measurement of the LANSCE neutron flux from 0.025 eV to 100 keV

Abstract The neutron flux at the Manuel Lujan, Jr., Neutron Scattering Center (LANSCE) has been measured from approximately 0.025 eV to 100 keV using the 6 Li(n, α) 3 H reaction as a standard. The measured flux was converted to neutron leakage at the moderator and compared to a Monte Carlo calculation.
Impact of a rapid rule-out protocol for pulmonary embolism on the rate of screening, missed cases, and pulmonary vascular imaging in an urban US emergency department.

Study objective This study tests the hypothesis that implementation of a point-of-care emergency department (ED) protocol to rule out pulmonary embolism would increase the rate of evaluation without increasing the rate of pulmonary vascular imaging or ED length of stay and that less than 1.0% of patients with a negative protocol would have an adverse outcome. Methods A baseline study was conducted on patients with suspected pulmonary embolism at an urban ED to establish baseline measurements performed when only pulmonary vascular imaging was available to rule out pulmonary embolism. The intervention protocol used pretest probability assessment, a whole-blood d-dimer assay, and an alveolar dead-space measurement to rule out pulmonary embolism. The main outcomes were diagnosis of venous thromboembolism or sudden unexpected death within 90 days. Results During baseline, 453 of 61,322 patients (0.74%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67% to 0.81%) underwent pulmonary vascular imaging, and 8% (95% CI 6% to 11%) of scan results were positive; 1.20% (95% CI 0.39% to 2.78%) of untreated discharged patients were anticoagulated for venous thromboembolism or died unexpectedly within 90 days. The median length of stay was 385 minutes. After intervention, 1,460 of 102,848 patients (1.42%; 95% CI 1.35% to 1.49%) were evaluated for pulmonary embolism. Seven hundred fifty-two patients had a negative protocol and 5 of 752 (0.66%; 95% CI 0.20% to 1.54%) had venous thromboembolism within 90 days, none with unexpected death. After intervention, the rate of pulmonary vascular imaging tended to decrease (0.64%; 95% CI 0.59% to 0.69%), and more scans (11%; 95% CI 9% to 14%) were read as positive; the length of stay decreased to 297 minutes. Conclusion A point-of-care pulmonary embolism rule-out protocol doubled the rate of screening for pulmonary embolism in the ED, had a false negative rate of less than 1.0%, did not increase the pulmonary vascular imaging rate, and decreased length of stay.
The Pilot Randomized Study of Nesiritide Versus Dobutamine in Heart Failure (PRESERVD-HF)

Acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) are related to several diseases affecting not only the heart but also the kidneys and blood vessels. Emerging evidence indicates that myocardial injury may also play a role in the pathophysiology of AHFS, as suggested by increased levels of markers of injury, such as cardiac troponin (cTn). Although cTn is a known prognostic marker, the release of cTn during hospitalization has not been evaluated prospectively with serial measures. We prospectively evaluated patterns of cTn release by conducting serial measures of cTnI and cTnT in patients hospitalized for AHFS. This study enrolled 51 patients with AHFS who were admitted with worsening heart failure (HF) and a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) in whom an acute coronary event was not suspected. Levels of cTnI and cTnT were measured at 8, 32, 56, and 80 hours after study entry. At baseline, 73.9% of patients had detectable cTnI, and 43.5% had detectable cTnT levels. The median concentrations of cTnI and cTnT were unchanged from 0 to 32 hours, increased from 32 to 56 hours, then either plateaued (cTnT) or decreased to baseline (cTnI). Of the 26 patients who had no detectable cTn levels at baseline, 2 (7.7%) developed detectable cTnT and 5 (41.7%) developed detectable cTnI release during hospitalization. Detectable levels of cTn at baseline were related to short-term clinical events. In this study of patients with CAD in whom an acute coronary event was not suspected, most had detectable levels of cTn present at admission, and some patients developed cTn release during hospitalization. Because cTn release may be a marker for myocardial injury, this study raises the possibility that injury occurred in most patients admitted with AHFS. Therefore, the goal of therapy for AHFS should be not only to improve symptoms and hemodynamics but also to salvage myocardium. Accordingly, therapies for AHFS that are aimed at improving hemodynamics may affect long-term prognosis by either injuring or salvaging myocardium.
Determination of Selenium and Tellurium in Basalt Rock Reference Materials by Isotope Dilution Hydride Generation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ID-HG-ICP-MS)

Promising methods have been developed recently for the determination of selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) in geological materials at ng g−1 and lower levels, using hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Here we report on a new isotope dilution-hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ID-HG-ICP-MS) method for the simultaneous determination of Se and Te, which is applied to basalts, and modified compared to previous work. The basalts were attacked and dissolved with hydrofluoric and nitric acid, spiked with enriched isotopes, and passed through a cation exchange column (AG 50-X8 100–200 mesh) to separate the major cations that interfere with Se and Te detection (e.g., Fe). The detection limits of this method were 0.010 ng g−1 for Se and 0.0030 ng g−1 for Te, well below the concentrations of Se and Te expected in basalts. The precision of the method for Se was 12.2 to 15.1% and for Te was 4.6 to 7.2% RSD from replicate analyses of basalt reference samples. The accuracy for Se determinations was 61 to 94% and for Te 28 to 100% of values previously reported in the literature for selected USGS reference materials.
Label-free SERS detection of antibody-antigen binding

Direct, label-free detection of antibody-antigen binding has been demonstrated, using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on nanostructured adaptive metal films. This includes evidence of distinct spectral changes upon antigen binding as well as independent biochemical validation studies which confirm that the antibodies remain in an active state on our adaptive substrates.
Soluble Synthetic Multiporphyrin Arrays. 3. Static Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Probes of Electronic Communication

A comprehensive electrochemical (cyclic and square-wave voltammetry, coulometry) and static spectroscopic (absorption, resonance Raman (RR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)) study is reported for a series of dimeric and trimeric porphyrin-based arrays. All the arrays consist of tetraarylporphyrins linked via ethyne groups at the p-positions of the aryl rings. The complexes investigated include zinc-free base and bis-zinc dimers which contain varying degees of torsional constraint between the porphyrin rings and the aryl group of the linker, and linear and right-angle trimers in which two zinc porphyrins are bridged by either a zinc or free base porphyrin. The spectroscopic studies were performed on singly and multiply oxidized complexes as well as the natural species. The electrochemical and spectral properties of the arrays indicate that the electronic communication between the macrocycles is relatively weak in the ground and excited electronic states. This communication is through-bond, rather than through-space, and is mediated by the diarylethyne linker. The EPR spectra of the oxidized arrays exhibit complex temperature-dependent signatures that reflect hole/electron hopping and/or spin exchange interactions in the ground electronic state. Exchange interactions in the multiply oxidized arrays are significant (probably 1000 MHz pr greater) in both liquid and frozen solutions and, in certain cases,more » are enhanced upon solvent freezing. 45 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.« less
Growth mechanism of anodic tantalum pentoxide formed in phosphoric acid

The formation of anodic tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) in dilute phosphoric acid is quantitatively described using point defect chemistry reactions. Oxide formed in phosphoric acid has a distinct bi-layer structure, where the inner layer is pure Ta2O5, but the outer layer contains phosphate incorporated from the solution. In the point defect model (PDM) presented herein, the inner layer forms directly from, and grows into the metal, due to the production of oxygen vacancies at the metal/oxide interface. The outer layer forms due to the production of tantalum interstitials at the metal/oxide interface and their subsequent migration to the oxide/solution interface, where they hydrolyze to form Ta2O5. The Faradaic impedance is derived for the point defect reactions, and a bi-layer equivalent electrical analog is used to optimize the model to the measured electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data. The oxide thickness and ionic current density have been measured separately, and the PDM parameters correctly predict the oxide thickness and ionic current densities due to the production of tantalum interstitials and oxygen vacancies.
Identification of an ionic strength sensitive nuclear protein kinase activity from the cervical carcinoma HeLa.

Abstract A cyclic nucleotide independent, serine-threonine protein kinase activity has been purified approximately 700 fold from the nuclei of HeLa cells. This activity has a very strict ionic strength requirement. Maximum activity is obtained in a monovalent cation environment under 50mM, where Mg++ is prefered over Mn++ as the required divalent cation.
Fatty acid composition of tissues in cholesterol-fed rabbits

Summary (1) The fatty acid pattern of cholesteryl esters, triglycerides and phospholipids of aortic plaques, liver, serum and leucocytes, and triglycerides of adipose tissue were determined in rabbits fed a cholesterol-supplemented diet. (2) In the cholesterol-fed group an increase in oleic acid was found in the cholesteryl esters of the tissues analysed. (3) On comparing the fatty acid pattern of aortic plaques to that of the other tissues it was found that the triglycerides and possibly the phospholipids were similar in composition to those of leucocytes while the cholesteryl esters resembled those of liver. (4) It is very likely that in rabbits maintained for relatively short periods of time on cholesterol, the lipids of the intimal plaques, produced by such dietary means, are not indiscriminately deposited from serum but that a selective uptake and active metabolism are operative locally.
Worker notification: Lessons from the past

The methodological choices being made in current worker notification programs are influenced in both obvious and subtle ways by certain ground-breaking notifications carried out during the 1970s and 1980s. A lore has built up concerning these cases. Their names are heavy with implied meaning. As worker notification gains in acceptance and frequency, some of those newly interested in the area will be unfamiliar with these early cases, their significance, and their lessons. To help provide a context for these proceedings, six landmark worker notifications are briefly described here. Different cases might have been chosen; more cases might have been added. However, these six give a flavor of the struggles, trials, triumphs, and insights that have marked worker notification's passage through recent history. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Autonomous science during large-scale robotic survey

Today's planetary exploration robots rarely travel beyond the yesterday imagery. However, advances in autonomous mobility will soon permit single-command site surveys of multiple kilometers. Here scientists cannot see the terrain in advance, and explorer robots must navigate and collect data autonomously. Onboard science data understanding can improve these surveys with image analysis, pattern recognition, learned classification, and information-theoretic planning. We report on field experiments near Amboy Crater, California, that demonstrate fundamental capabilities for autonomous surficial mapping of geologic phenomena with a visible near-infrared spectrometer. We develop an approach to “science on the fly'' that adapts the robot's exploration using collected instrument data. We demonstrate feature detection and visual servoing to acquire spectra from dozens of targets without human intervention. The rover interprets spectra onboard, learning spatial models of science phenomena that guide it toward informative areas. It discovers spatial structure (correlations between neighboring regions) and cross-sensor structure (correlations between different scales). The rover uses surface observations to reinterpret satellite imagery and improve exploration efficiency. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Three-Year Study of the Impact of Instructor Attitude, Enthusiasm, and Teaching Style on Student Learning in a Medicinal Chemistry Course

Objective. To determine the effect of instructor attitude, enthusiasm, and teaching style on learning for distance and campus pharmacy students.Methods. Over a 3-year period, distance and campus students enrolled in the spring semester of a medicinal chemistry course were asked to complete a survey instrument with questions related to instructor attitude, enthusiasm, and teaching style, as well as items to measure student intrinsic motivation and vitality.Results. More positive responses were observed among distance students and older students. Gender did not impact student perspectives on 25 of the 26 survey questions. Student-related items were significantly correlated with instructor-related items. Also, student-related items and second-year cumulative grade point average were predictive of students’ final course grades. Instructor enthusiasm demonstrated the highest correlation with student intrinsic motivation and vitality.Conclusion. While this study addresses the importance of content mastery and i...
A discrete distribution associated with a pure birth process

A discrete distribution associated with a pure birth process starting with no individuals, with birth rates λ n =λ forn=0, 2, …,m−1 and λ n forn≥m is considered in this paper. The probability mass function is expressed in terms of an integral that is very convenient for computing probabilities, moments, generating functions and others. Using this representation, the mean and the k-th factorial moments of the distribution are obtained. Some nice characterizations of this distribution are also given.
Mistress of Her Art: Anne Laura Clarke, Traveling Lecturer of the 1820s

Abstract This essay examines Anne Laura Clarke, a public lecturer from 1822 through the mid-1830s. Her topics ranged from western history to world clothing customs, and she employed hand-crafted historical charts and magic lantern images. The essay is a contribution to feminist history and recovers Clarke's manuscript lectures and visual materials.
The Personal Fable and Risk-Taking in Early Adolescence

Elkind's (1967) theory of adolescent egocentrism proposes two distinct, but related, constructs - the imaginary audience and the personal fable. A corollary to the imaginary audience, the personal fable (PF) yields a sense of invulner- ability and speciality commonly associated with behavioral risk-taking. When regarded as a developmental phenomenon, risk-taking is thought to be the result of cognitive immatu- rity. However, few adolescent health programs address the egocentric dimension of decision making. We believe that a valid and reliable measure of PF would aid assessment of risk-taking potential and inform preventive interventions. The present paper reports the results of a newly constructed measure of PF and its relation to risk-taking behavior. The following three hypotheses were tested using data from an availability sample of 119 middle school students: 1. PF scores will increase with age; 2. males will score higher than females on the invulnerability dimension of PF; and 3. PF and risk-taking will be positively correlated. As predicted, PF scores increased significantly across the age range studied. Of the two PF dimensions, only invulnerability significantly varied across grades. Males reported significantly higher in- vulnerability scores than females, and PF and risk-taking were positively correlated. Suggestions for the implementa- tion of this new and, arguably, reliable and valid scale are presented.
Graphs of the head circumference of thenormal infant

Summary To aid in the clinical appraisement of the normal infant and in the earlyrecognition of hydrocephalus, retarded mental development, or premature closure of the cranial sutures, graphs of the head circumference of infants are presented, which offer a convenient means of comparing with normal values both single measurements of circumference and the increment of growth of the head.
Comparative Study between a Curved and a Wedge PEEK Cage for Single-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Interbody Fusion.

Objective This study evaluated the efficiency of a curved polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage in comparison with a wedge PEEK cage according to radiologic and clinical outcomes in patients with cervical degenerative disease. Methods A total of 37 patients who suffering from cervical disc disease with radiculopathy or myelopathy were reviewed retrospectively. Seventeen patients were underwent anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion with a curved shape PEEK cage (curved cage group), and twenty patients with wedge shape PEEK cage (wedge cage group). Clinical assessment was graded using Odom's criteria, NDI score and VAS score. For radiologic analysis, disc height (DH), segmental angle (SA), subsidence were measured at the preoperative and last follow up. Results A comparison of the preoperative and postoperative results revealed improvements after the surgery in the DH and SA in both cage groups. The change of postoperative DH between the preoperative and the last follow-up in wedge cage group and curved cage group was 6.85% and 25.5%, respectively. The change of postoperative SA was 1.75° and 0.95°, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the DH and SA between the 2 groups. The subsidence rate in the wedge cage group and curved cage group was 20% and 6%, respectively. Conclusion The 2 different cage groups showed significant improvements in the disc height, segmental angle and clinical outcomes. However, the shape of PEEK Cage influences the tendency for subsidence. Increasing contact surface area and fitting into two adjacent vertebral body prevent significant subsidence.
Therapeutic targets in severe hypertriglyceridemia

Despite serious potential consequences, the therapeutic approach to severe hypertriglyceridemia has changed little over the past several decades. This lack of progress might result from diversity of the underlying etiologies limiting the efficacy of any single drug target. Medications alone might not be effective at quickly achieving treatment goals in the setting of severe hypertriglyceridemia. Emphasis on preventing the entry of lipid into the plasma compartment, and preventing hypertriglyceridemia from triggering acute pancreatitis, are probably important future research directions.
The occurrence and significance of Campylobacter jejuni in man and animals.

Campylobacter jejuni, which is now recognized as a discrete species, is a gram negative, microaerophilic, thermophilic, nalidixic acid sensitive, hippurate positive pathogen requiring special selective media for propogation. The organism is widely distributed in avian species, experimental and companion animals and in humans. Mammalian campylobacteriosis is characterized by an enterocolitis of variable severity. The prevalence of the condition is relatively high in young individuals, in underdeveloped countries and in subjects with diarrhea. Food animals, especially poultry, are reservoirs of the organism and infection occurs following consumption of untreated surface water, unpasteurized milk, incompletely cooked meat or other contaminated food products. Close contact with infected immature companion animals is a significant cause of campylobacteriosis in children and direct intrafamilial transmission and occupational infection have been documented.
Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization

1. The mystery and the challenge of the Ancient Maya 2. Background: geography, chronology, and theoretical perspective 3. The exploration and archaeology of the Maya: a brief history 4. Obscure beginnings and the preclassic florescence 5. The splinter of classic Maya florescence in the lowlands 6. Settlement and subsistence: the rain forest adaptation 7. Classic Maya economics 8. Religion and ideology: beliefs and ritual of the theater state 9. Classic Maya politics and history: the dynamics of the theater state 10. The end of classic Maya civilization: collapse, transition, and transformation 11. The legacy of the classic Maya civilization: postclassic, colonial, and modern traditions 12. The lessons of Maya history and prehistory.
The Role of Technology as an Enabler in Job Redesign

This paper is an acknowledgement of the role of technology as an enabler that encourages the constant need to evaluate, update and employ changing job descriptions and business processes that truly acknowledge job requirements as they are versus notions of what they have been or should be. Advancements in technology have brought about a significant amount of change in terms of how we go about doing our daily work. The evolution from being a manufacturing economy to being information and service based brought to the workplace new realities and responsibilities. As a result, workers can no longer expect to be given a specific listing of assigned duties and tasks that remain fixed over a long period of time. The new paradigm in the workplace relies on continuous demands for improvement and acquired knowledge in a dynamic environment. The catalyst that enables continuous improvement is technology.
Slc4a11 Gene Disruption in Mice CELLULAR TARGETS OF SENSORINEURONAL ABNORMALITIES

NaBC1 (the SLC4A11 gene) belongs to the SLC4 family of sodium-coupled bicarbonate (carbonate) transporter proteins and functions as an electrogenic sodium borate cotransporter. Mutations in SLC4A11 cause either corneal abnormalities (corneal hereditary dystrophy type 2) or a combined auditory and visual impairment (Harboyan syndrome). The role of NaBC1 in sensory systems is poorly understood, given the difficulty of studying patients with NaBC1 mutations. We report our findings in Slc4a11−/− mice generated to investigate the role of NaBC1 in sensorineural systems. In wild-type mice, specific NaBC1 immunoreactivity was detected in fibrocytes of the spiral ligament, from the basal to the apical portion of the cochlea. NaBC1 immunoreactivity was present in the vestibular labyrinth, in stromal cells underneath the non-immunoreactive sensory epithelia of the macula utricle, sacule, and crista ampullaris, and the membranous vestibular labyrinth was collapsed. Both auditory brain response and vestibular evoked potential waveforms were significantly abnormal in Slc4a11−/− mice. In the cornea, NaBC1 was highly expressed in the endothelial cell layer with less staining in epithelial cells. However, unlike humans, the corneal phenotype was mild with a normal slit lamp evaluation. Corneal endothelial cells were morphologically normal; however, both the absolute height of the corneal basal epithelial cells and the relative basal epithelial cell/total corneal thickness were significantly increased in Slc4a11−/− mice. Our results demonstrate for the first time the importance of NaBC1 in the audio-vestibular system and provide support for the hypothesis that SLC4A11 should be considered a potential candidate gene in patients with isolated sensorineural vestibular hearing abnormalities.
The ensemble folding kinetics of the FBP28 WW domain revealed by an all-atom Monte Carlo simulation in a knowledge-based potential.

In this work, we apply a detailed all-atom model with a transferable knowledge-based potential to study the folding kinetics of Formin-Binding protein, FBP28, which is a canonical three-stranded β-sheet WW domain. Replica exchange Monte Carlo simulations starting from random coils find native-like (Cα RMSD of 2.68 A) lowest energy structure. We also study the folding kinetics of FBP28 WW domain by performing a large number of ab initio Monte Carlo folding simulations. Using these trajectories, we examine the order of formation of two β-hairpins, the folding mechanism of each individual β-hairpin, and transition state ensemble (TSE) of FBP28 WW domain and compare our results with experimental data and previous computational studies. To obtain detailed structural information on the folding dynamics viewed as an ensemble process, we perform a clustering analysis procedure based on graph theory. Further, a rigorous Pfold analysis is used to obtain representative samples of the TSEs showing good quantitative agreement between experimental and simulated Φ values. Our analysis shows that the turn structure between first and second β strands is a partially stable structural motif that gets formed before entering the TSE in FBP28 WW domain and there exist two major pathways for the folding of FBP28 WW domain, which differ in the order and mechanism of hairpin formation. Proteins 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
GTP-binding proteins and potassium channels involved in synaptic plasticity and learning.

Inhibition of potassium channels is possibly the first step in the sequence of biochemical events leading to memory formation. These channels appear to be regulated directly or indirectly by GTP-binding proteins (G proteins), which may themselves be affected by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in response to elevated calcium levels or other phenomena resulting from the blockage of the potassium channels. A wide variety of cellular phenomea, from transcriptional changes to axonal transport, are thus capable of being initiated by these events.
NORTH AMERICA'S VERNACULAR REGIONS

ABSTRACT The vernacular, or popular, region, “the product of the spatial perception of average people,”is a phenomenon that remains too poorly known in North America. It promises to gain importance as the general level of public and scholarly interest in regional, ethnic, and historical questions continues to rise. The larger, subnational North American vernacular regions are studied through an analysis of the frequency of selected regional and locational terms in the names of enterprises (both profit and nonprofit) listed in recent telephone directories for 276 metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada. Despite several technical problems in study design and data procurement, the results are encouraging. A total of fourteen regions can be discerned, some not previosly described, while several correspond nicely with culture areas previously mapped from other evidence. Inclusion in the checklist of terms with cultural, but not specifically regional, overtones enables us to compute and map variation...
Imaging of the pediatric spine and its contents.

We are at the crossroads of imaging of the diseases of the spine and its contents. There are different competing imaging modalities, each with its own merits and demerits. This review paper is designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the various available imaging modalities and to recommend one or a combination of imaging modalities that are suited for assessing a particular disease process. At present, magnetic resonance imaging has proved its extreme usefulness in depicting diseases of the spinal cord and its coverings. As more innovations and sophistications occur in magnetic resonance imaging, it is hoped that it will play a pivotal role in the investigation of abnormalities of the spinal cord and perhaps even of the spine itself. (J Child Neurol 1990;5:3-18).
Quantifying the Inhalation of Tar from Smoking: A Guided-Inquiry Activity

Context-based laboratory activities are intended to engage students by utilizing personally relevant topics. In this short laboratory exercise we describe a method through which students engage in a health-related activity that highlights some of the dangers of nicotine inhalation, teaches relevant content, and provides a scaffold for the design of other inquiry-driven experiments.
Therapy for the divergent pulpless tooth by continued apical formation

Clinical experience illustrates the success of endodontic therapy based on the normal physiologic pattern of root development. The technic described brings about the resumption of apical development; after which the root canal can be obliterated by conventional lateral condensation technics.
Heats of transfer and activation energy for bound water diffusion in wood

Concepts of nonequilibrium thermodynamics are used to discuss two molar heats of transfer associated with diffusion of water in wood. These different heats of transfer originate from energy flows that are referenced to enthalpies of water vapor and bound water. They represent heat that must be absorbed by the vapor or sorbed water phases, respectively, to maintain constant local temperatures and pressures during the process of steady-state diffusion. In addition, equations for bound water flux and moisture conductivity are used to show that the heat of transfer for adsorbed water exceeds the activation energy for bound water diffusion. The distinction between these quantities remains unclear, but may be related to diffusing molecules which carry energy in excess of the minimum required for participation in diffusion.
Modeling and testing of a piezohydraulic actuation system

Piezohydraulic actuation is the use of fluid to rectify the motion of a piezoelectric actuator for the purpose of overcoming the small stroke limitations of the material. In this work we study a closed piezohydraulic circuit that utilizes active valves to rectify the motion of a hydraulic end affector. A linear, lumped parameter model of the system is developed and correlated with experiments. Results demonstrate that the model accurately predicts the filtering of the piezoelectric motion caused by hydraulic compliance. Accurate results are also obtained for predicting the unidirectional motion of the cylinder when the active valves are phased with respect to the piezoelectric actuator. A time delay associated with the mechanical response of the valves is incorporated into the model to reflect the finite time required to open or close the valves. This time delay is found to be the primary limiting factor in achieving higher speed and greater power from the piezohydraulic unit. Experiments on the piezohydraulic unit demonstrate that blocked forces on the order of 100 N and unloaded velocities of 180micrometers /sec are achieved.
The demand for traded and non-traded goods in the U.S.

Abstract Annual postwar U.S. data are used to estimate the Rotterdam demand model for traded and non-traded goods. The estimated income elasticity is 1.51 for traded and 0.64 for non-traded goods, while the own-price elasticities are both between −0.3 and −0.2.