cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brainstem auditory-evoked response in the rat. Normative studies, with observations concerning the effects of ossicular disruption.

Six young adult Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally cochleotomized. Brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAERs) to clicks and to 1-, 2-, 4-, 8- and 16-kHz tone bursts were obtained. In addition, response thresholds were estimated before and after ossicular disruption in the noncochleotomized ear of 4 animals. With increasing tone burst frequency, there was a decrease in BAER peak latencies as well as a decrease in threshold. With increasing click and tone burst intensity, there was a decrease in peak latencies and an increase in peak amplitudes. BAER peak latency/intensity functions to click stimuli ranged from -.013 to -.018 ms/dB. With increasing tone burst frequency there was a decrease in the slope of the latency/intensity function. Following ossicular disruption, BAER thresholds to clicks were elevated by an average of 49 dB. Threshold shifts to tone burst stimuli were smallest for 1- and 2-kHz tone bursts (35-36 dB) and increased with increasing frequency up to a maximum of 65 dB for 16-kHz tone b...
Managing Check Valve Flange Leaks: Technical Solutions and Challenges to Overcome

Check valves are the simplest valves in power plants. Their simplicity and passive nature, combined with their relatively low maintenance requirements, often mask their relative importance in piping systems. Compared to power operated valves (POVs), such as motor operated valves or air operated valves, check valves have very few parts. The more parts a valve has, the more likely failures will occur. As such, power operated valves tend to have more stringent requirements that cover periodic verification of operability, in-service testing (IST), and scheduled preventive maintenance to assure functionality. Check valves, on the other hand, do not require nearly the same amount of rigor to assure operability.The passive nature of check valves often leads the user not to expect failures. Consequently, lacking of attention often results to inadvertent failures. One failure that has received significant attention from both the industry and the regulator is check valve body-to-bonnet joint leakage. In nuclear power plants this leakage can contaminate the general area where the valve is located, can lead to a plant shutdown, and pose personnel hazards.In this paper, the technical solutions that can be used to manage check valve body-to-bonnet joint leakage will be presented. The merits of each technical solution and the associated challenges will be discussed. Also, as some of the leakage containment solutions are appurtenances to the valve, the paper will address the interface between the appurtenances and the valve.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Development of a Regional Routing Model for Strategic Waterway Analysis

The Navigation Economics Technologies suite of models is being developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to bring new analytic tools to the process of evaluating and planning navigation investments. A hierarchical and potentially iterative approach consisting of three levels, or tiers, has been proposed, one that moves from a broad regional and global geography in Tier 1, down to a detailed, project- and facility-specific level of detail in Tier 3. This paper describes the construction of a commodity flows database to support Tier-2 modeling. Called the regional routing model, it takes spatial disaggregations of broad regional forecasts of commodity flows to a point at which they can be assigned to specific modes and routes over the U.S. transportation network. The paper describes the model structure and how it is being tied closely to a multisource database constructed to support base year model calibration. A goal for the model is to be able to measure the effects on flows and transportation costs of changes to either the capacity of the transportation network or to the volume of goods produced and consumed. Some preliminary results are shown.
Who Wants a Postmodern Physics

Theorists of science and culture, seeking to explicate the implications of chaos theory, quantum mechanics, or special and general relativity, have drawn parallels to the constellation of intellectual and social phenomena collected in the concept of postmodernism. The notion thereby invoked of a postmodern physics is suggestive and worth exploring. But it remains ungrounded so long as the argument moves in the realm of parallels. Moreover, these discussions prove to be tacitly constrained by a preexisting genre of physicists' own literary production, a genre whose argumentative structures have been taken over implicitly into the subsequent exchanges. Attending critically in this way to the intellectual interests of the discussants — asking who it is that wants to constitute a postmodern physics — should open up more productive ways of framing the debate.
Application parameters affecting field efficacy of Beauveria bassiana foliar treatments against Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata

The effects of various spray-application parameters on the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana foliar treatments against Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae were evaluated during three field seasons. Treatments were applied to small plots (6 rows × 7–12 m) using a CO2-powered backpack hydraulic sprayer with nozzles affixed to lateral drop tubes and directed upward at a 45° angle to target ventral leaf surfaces. The sprayer delivered 280 liters/ha at 3.45 bar. Three rates (1.25, 2.5, and 5 × 1013 conidia/ha) of an emulsifiable oil formulation of B. bassiana and two spray intervals (3–4 vs 6–8 days) were tested. Three applications at the medium and high rates made at 3- to 4-day intervals produced low to moderate levels of control (43–65%). The low rate and applications at weekly intervals were less effective. A wettable powder (WP) formulation was also compared to the oil formulation. Three applications at the medium rate were made at 3- to 4-day intervals. During one field season, rain commenced soon after two of the three initial applications. Under these conditions, the oil formulation was significantly more effective than the WP formulation (65% vs 8% control), suggesting greater rainfastness of the oil formulation. Tests with the oil formulation also compared applications from a sprayer configured with drop tubes as described above to those from a sprayer configured with nozzles directed to spray downward from 30 cm above the canopy. The sprayer with nozzles attached solely on drop tubes deposited an average of 752 conidia/mm2 on the upper surfaces of the leaves and 482 conidia/mm (39%) on the lower surfaces, whereas the alternative sprayer deposited 1062 conidia/mm2 onto the upper surfaces and only 50 conidia/mm2 (<5%) onto the leaf undersides. Applications from below canopy provided greater control of larvae than applications from above canopy when initiated against early instars. Applications initiated against late-instar larvae failed to provide useful control of larvae; however, nearly all treatments applied against late instars, including sprays at weekly intervals and from above canopy, produced significant reductions (53–84%) in populations of first-generation adult beetles.
Toward a performance requirement for sensored conformable apertures

Technological advances provide new capabilities to increase the robustness of security systems, but can also potentially add new vulnerabilities. New capability sometimes requires new performance requirements. This paper outlines an approach to establishing a crucial performance requirement for an emerging intrusion detection sensor: the sensored net. Throughout the security industry, the commonly adopted standard for maximum opening size through barriers is a requirement based on square inches — typically 96 square inches (620.1 square centimeters). The dimensions of a flexible aperture, unlike those of standard rigid openings, are not fixed, but are variable and conformable. It has been demonstrated that a human intruder can move through a 96-square-inch opening that is conformable to the human body with ease. The longstanding 96-square-inch requirement itself, though firmly embedded in policy and best practice, lacks a documented empirical basis. This paper proposes to define a new requirements approach for flexible netting intrusion detection systems that is risk based and documented. An illustrative requirement is developed based on performance testing and statistical analysis to validate this approach.
Fast algorithms for bipartite network flow

We discuss network flow in a bipartite graph G with node sets S and T. We show that Karzanov’s algorithm runs in time $O(|S|^2 |T|)$ on G, and that the MPM algorithm can be modified to run in the same bound. For the common case that the degree of each node in T is bounded by a constant, we show that a modified version of the MPM algorithm runs in time $O(|S|^3 + |S||T|)$ on G. The importance of these results comes from the common occurrence of problems that can be modeled and solved using network flow on bipartite graphs where $|S| \ll |T|$. In many applications involving bounded degree on the nodes in T, $|T| = \theta (|S|^2 )$, and our results reduce the best bounds on bipartite flow from $O(|S|^6 )$ to $O(|S|^3 )$. We use our results on bipartite flow to obtain the fastest known bounds on several combinatorial problems, and mention several additional problems involving bipartite flow where $|S|$ is much smaller than $|T|$.
The determinants of residential succession

Abstract This study attempts to measure residential succession, or the succession of neighborhoods from high- to low-income occupancy, and to relate its occurrence to explanatory variables suggested by several theories. The good performance of variables measuring the size of dwelling units and the poorer performance of variables designed to capture effects of income levels in adjacent neighborhoods suggest that Muth's “Vintage Model” explains the process better, at the chosen level of aggregation, than does the Bailey boundary externality model.
A molecular dynamics study of a short-chain polyethylene melt. I. Steady-state shear

Utilizing a united atom potential model and reversible reference system propagator algorithm (rRESPA) multitimestep dynamics, we have performed equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of a monodisperse C100H202 polyethylene melt at 448 K and 0.75 g/cm 3 . We report a variety of properties calculated at equilibrium including rotational relaxation time and self-diffusion coefficient as well as shear-enhanced diffusion and rheological properties calculated under steady-state shearing conditions. Shear thinning is observed in the viscosity and normal stress coefficients over the range of strain rates studied. A minimum in the hydrostatic pressure is observed at an intermediate strain rate that is associated with a minimum in the intermolecular Lennard‐Jones potential energy as well as transitions in the strain-rate-dependent behavior of several other viscous and structural properties of the system. The shear field also imposes significant alignment of the chains with the flow direction, approaching a limiting angle of approximately 3 at high strain rate. In addition, the self-diffusion coefficients (calculated in terms of the unconvected positions according to the Cummings‐Wang formalism) are markedly enhanced under shear compared to the equilibrium state (up to two orders of magnitude at the highest shear rate studied). © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A Model Tutorial Program for University and School Collaboration

Abstract The Teaching/Learning Centre (T/LC) located in the Jacksonville State University College of Education is an award winning, on‐campus, after school tutoring‐program for a diverse population of K‐12 children. While the overall intent of the T/LC is to provide a practicum for teacher preparation, the T/LC has increasingly become a community resource for improving academic achievement among area K‐12 school students. The T/LC practicum allows the preservice teacher to interact with children by individualising a one‐on‐one tutorial within the university setting under university supervision. Preservice teachers gain additional professional practice through communication with parents, guardians, teachers, and professors. Preservice teachers gain confidence and self satisfaction while learning to interact with students from varying backgrounds in a caring and supportive manner.
Streptococcus intermedius Bacteremia and Liver Abscess following a Routine Dental Cleaning

Streptococcus intermedius is a member of the Streptococcus anginosus group of bacteria. This group is part of the normal flora of the oropharynx, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts; however, they have been known to cause a variety of purulent infections including meningitis, endocarditis, and abscesses, even in immunocompetent hosts. In particular, S. intermedius has been associated with the development of liver and brain abscesses. There have been several case reports of S. intermedius liver abscesses with active periodontal infection. To our knowledge, however, there has not been a case following a routine dental procedure. In fact, the development of liver abscesses secondary to dental procedures is very rare in general, and there are only a few case reports in the literature describing this in relation to any pathogen. We present a rare case of S. intermedius bacteremia and liver abscess following a dental cleaning. This case serves to further emphasize that even routine dental procedures can place a patient at risk of the development of bacteremia and liver abscesses. For this reason, the clinician must be sure to perform a detailed history and careful examination. Timely diagnosis of pyogenic liver abscesses is vital, as they are typically fatal if left untreated.
Cross-talk between TRPML1 channel, lipids and lysosomal storage diseases

Described by the Belgian cytologist Christian De Duve in 1949,1 lysosomes (from the Greek “digestive bodies”) are ubiquitous specialized intracellular organelles that ensure the degradation/recycling of macromolecules (proteins, lipids, membranes) through the activity of specific enzymes (i.e., acid hydrolases). They receive their substrates through different internalization pathways (i.e., endocytosis, phagocytosis and autophagy) and are involved in a wide range of physiological functions from cell death and signaling to cholesterol homeostasis and plasma membrane repair.2 In Mammals, 50 soluble lysosomal hydrolases have been described, each targeting specific substrates. They are confined in the lumen of the lysosome and require an optimum pH (i.e., pH 4.5) to work. This acidic pH compared with the slightly alkaline pH of the cytosol (i.e., ~pH 7.2) is maintained by the activity of integral lysosomal membrane proteins (LMPs, that represent the second class of lysosomal proteins), including the V-type proton (H+)-ATPase3 and the chloride ion channel CLC74 that pumps protons from the cytosol across the lysosomal membrane.
Some factors affecting the inhibitory action of thiamine on the growth of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis.

Abstract Depending on circumstances, thiamine may be stimulatory, ineffective, or inhibitory to the growth of S. carlsbergensis . At low levels and in the presence of pyridoxal it stimulated growth. This effect was more marked under anaerobic than under aerobic conditions. After growth was under way, even massive doses of added thiamine failed to stop growth. If present in sufficient amounts at the time of inoculation, thiamine inhibited growth under both aerobic and anerobic conditions. Inhibition was overcome not only by pyridoxal but by two analogs of pyridoxine. Calcium pantothenate and riboflavin also nullified the inhibition of thiamine but not as effectively as pyridoxine.
"A Better Vision of What Social Studies Can Be": How Elementary Teachers' Philosophies Influence Their Use of the "History Alive!" Textbook.

Abstract: In this qualitative research project, I investigated curricular decision making and the relationship among teacher philosophies, textbook materials, and classroom practice. Participants included 5 experienced 5th-grade teachers who used a comprehensive social studies textbook package, History Alive! America's Past. Information was gathered through classroom observations and interviews with each participant. Results indicate that teachers whose beliefs about the purposes of social studies aligned with the textbook publisher's stated philosophies took full advantage of the program's innovative features. Four teachers used the textbook to put their beliefs into practice. One of the participants who had less clearly defined goals retained some classroom practices from previous textbooks.
A Cramér-Rao Bound for Multiple Target Tracking

This paper describes a new theoretical bound on performance for tracking in a dense multiple target environment with clutter, false alarms, missed detections, target maneuvers, etc. It is a Cramer-Rao bound on the estimation error covariance matrix. In contrast to the recent bound reported in [1], the bound described in this paper requires no Monte Carlo simulation. The new bound is based on Kamen's formulation of the multiple target tracking (MTT) problem as a nonlinear estimation problem (see [3]-[4]). Kamen's model of MTT eliminates the combinatorial aspect of the problem, and replaces it with an analytical problem, which allows the use of the Cramer-Rao bound ([8]-[9]).
Fatigue and Sleep in Chronic Headache Sufferers: An Age‐ and Sex‐Controlled Questionnaire Study

We studied fatigue and sleep in chronic headache sufferers in comparison to age- and sex-matched controls. We determined the prevalence and intensity of fatigue as well as several sleep features. The study was conducted in a headache center through the use of a questionnaire. One hundred thirteen headache sufferers (59 men and 54 women) and 110 controls (56 men and 54 women) were included in the analysis. Fatigue was found to be equally common in the headache sufferers (70.3%) and in the controls (60.0%). However, the headache sufferers rated the intensity of their fatigue significantly higher (4.1 versus 2.8 cm on a 10-cm visual analog scale). When the sexes were considered separately, the difference in intensity of the fatigue between the two groups was significant only for the women (5.1 versus 3.0 cm). With regard to sleep, the headache sufferers slept significantly shorter (6.7 hours) than the controls (7.0 hours). It also took them longer to fall asleep (31.4 versus 21.1 minutes) and longer to fall back asleep after waking up at night (28.5 versus 14.6 minutes). When the sexes were considered separately, the differences in sleep features between the two groups were significant only for the men. On the basis of these results, we conclude that chronic headache sufferers feel more tired, especially the women, and do not sleep as well at night, especially the men. Further study is necessary to determine the significance of these findings in relation to chronic headache suffering. Language: en
Restoration of PTEN expression alters the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to EGFR inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION—Prostate cancer (CaP) progression from an androgen-dependent to an androgen-independent state is associated with overexpression of EGFR family members or activation of their downstream signaling pathways, such as PI3K-Akt and MAPK. Although there are data implicating PI3K-Akt or MAPK pathway activation with resistance to EGFR inhibitors in CaP, the potential cross-talk between these pathways in response to EGFR or MAPK inhibitors remains to be examined. METHODS—Cross-talk between PTEN and MAPK signaling and its effects on CaP cell sensitivity to EGFR or MAPK inhibitors were examined in a PTEN-null C4-2 CaP cell, pTetOn PTEN C4-2, where PTEN expression was restored conditionally. RESULTS—Expression of PTEN in C4-2 cells exposed to EGF or serum was associated with increased phospho-ERK levels compared to cells without PTEN expression. Similar hypersensitivity of MAPK signaling was observed when cells were treated with a PI3K inhibitor LY294002. This enhanced sensitivity of MAPK signaling in PTEN-expressing cells was associated with a growth stimulatory effect in response to EGF. Furthermore, EGFR inhibitors gefitinib and lapatinib abrogated hypersensitivity of MAPK signaling and cooperated with PTEN expression to inhibit cell growth in both monolayer and anchorage-independent conditions. Similar cooperative growth inhibition was observed when cells were treated with the MEK inhibitor, CI1040, in combination with PTEN expression suggesting that inhibition of MAPK signaling could mediate the cooperation of EGFR inhibitors with PTEN expression. CONCLUSIONS—Our results suggest that signaling cross-talk between the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways occurs in CaP cells, highlighting the potential benefit of targeting both the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways in CaP treatment.
Taste Qualities of Reduced-Sodium Soups as Affected by Serving Temperature

Reduced-sodium chicken broths (144 mg Na + and 288 mg Na + /240 mL serving) were thickened with commonly used food ingredients (four gums, two starches and flour). Salt taste of most soups was stable to temperature change(room, 22°C vs serving, 60-65°C) as judged by 12 subjects. However, soups made with potato starch (144 mg Na + ) and ionic xanthan and sodium carboxymethylcellulose gums (288 mg Na + ) were saltier at room than at serving temperature. Salt taste enhanced chicken and overall flavors. Soups prepared with all-purpose wheat flour remained unchanged in viscosity, but other soups were perceived as thicker at room temperature.
Rethinking research on psychosocial interventions in biopsychosocial oncology: an essay written in honor of the scholarly contributions of Bernard H. Fox.

In his best known contribution to the field of psychooncology, the late Dr Bernard H. Fox applied his breadth of scholarship in biopsychosocial cancer epidemiology to address the question of whether and to what extent stress and other psychosocial factors may contribute to cancer risk. Less well known but equally important to the field is his incisive critique of the 1989 study by Spiegel et al. on survival time of patients with metastatic breast cancer following a psychosocial intervention. This essay represents an attempt to take Fox's line of thought to the next logical level of rethinking research on psychosocial interventions in biopsychosocial oncology. Following an analysis of the inadequacy of randomized clinical trials (RCT) to evaluate the causal effects of psychosocial interventions on cancer outcomes and distinguish these from mere prediction, an integrated RCT design is suggested to take into account the psychogenicity of a given intervention, potential mediating mechanisms, and individual differences that could help illuminate hypothesized causal processes linking an experimental intervention and cancer outcomes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative Dynamics of Three Models for Host–parasitoid Interactions in a Patchy Environment

Abstract Phenomenological models represent a simplified approach to the study of complex systems such as host–parasitoid interactions. In this paper we compare the dynamics of three phenomenological models for host–parasitoid interactions developed by May (1978), May and Hassell (1981) and May et al . (1981). The essence of the paper by May and Hassell (1981) was to define a minimum number of parameters that would describe the interactions, avoiding the technical difficulties encountered when using models that involve many parameters, yet yielding a system of equations that could capture the essence of real world interactions in patchy environments. Those studies dealt primarily with equilibrium and coexistence phenomena. Here we study the dynamics through bifurcation analysis and phase portraits in a much wider range of parameter values, carrying the models beyond equilibrium states. We show that the dynamics can be either stable or chaotic depending on the location of a damping term in the equations. In the case of the stable system, when host density dependence acts first, a stable point is reached, followed by a closed invariant curve in phase space that first increases then decreases, finally returning to an asymptotically stable point. Chaos is not seen. On the other hand, when parasitoid attack occurs before host density dependence, chaos is inevitably apparent. We show, as did May et al . (1981) and stated earlier by Wang and Gutierrez (1980), that the sequence of events in host–parasitoid interactions is crucial in determining their stability. In a chaotic state the size of the host (e.g., insect pests) population becomes unpredictable, frequently becoming quite large, a biologically undesirable outcome. From a mathematical point of view the system is of interest because it reveals how a strategically placed damping term can dramatically alter the outcome. Our study, reaching beyond equilibrium states, suggests a strategy for biological control different from that of May et al . (1981).
Incorporation of surface-based deformations for updating images intraoperatively

Patient-to-image misalignment becomes exacerbated by common surgical events such as brain sag, drug interactions, retraction, and resection. One strategy to remedy this mis- registration is to employ computational models in conjunction with low-cost intraoperatively-acquired data (e.g. surface tracking, and co-registered ultrasound) to deform preoperative imaging data to account for OR actions. In this paper, we present preliminary data from a cortical surface scanning system and study the impact of surface- based information on model-updates. Preliminary data is presented using a 3D laser scanning technology in conjunction with an iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm to register and track phantom and ex vivo data. Simulations are presented to analyze the direct use of displacement data versus modeling the underlying physical load in a clinical example of gravity-induced deformation. Results demonstrate dramatic differences in subsurface deformation fields highlighting that the nature of the surgical load (i.e. surface or body force) must be thoughtfully discriminated to accurately update images. Furthermore, the results suggest that the application of surface displacements to update image volumes must be consistent with the physical origin of deformation rather than applied in a direct interpolative sense.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Proton pump inhibitors reduce gallbladder function

Background In the authors’ previous study of gallbladder function before and after fundoplication, 58% of the patients demonstrated preoperative gallbladder motor dysfunction, and 86% of those retested after operation and cessation of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) normalized. Because no study has directly assessed the impact of antisecretory agents on gallbladder function, this study measured gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) in healthy volunteers before and after initiation of PPIs.
Biological Attributes of the Nematode, Thripinema nicklewoodi, a Potential Biological Control Agent of Western Flower Thrips

Abstract Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is the most important insect pest for greenhouse flower crops, but chemical control is often difficult because of the thrips' location in flowers and buds. Thripinema nicklewoodi (Tylenchida: Allantonematidae) is an entomoparasitic nematode that attacks and sterilizes WFT, but its biology and impact on WFT are poorly understood. Methods to propagate and study T. nicklewoodi with a microscope slide arena for observation and a rolled bean leaf arena for rearing were developed. On average, 21.4 nematodes were excreted per day by a parasitized female WFT. The sex ratio of the excreted nematodes was 6.0/1.0 (female/male). After dissection of adult WFT, a maximum of 11 ovoid-shaped first-generation nematodes in a female thrips and 6 in a male thrips were found. There were more second-generation nematodes in the adult female WFT (192.6) than in the adult male WFT (93.7). When 50 healthy first instar WFT were exposed to 4 parasitized female WFT in a rolled bean leaf, a 75.3% mean parasitization rate in the adult stage of the thrips was obtained. In contrast to previous reports, male WFT can be parasitized as readily as females. Parasitism reduced the longevity of both adult female and adult male WFT, and the degree of reduction was higher in adult male WFT. T. nicklewoodi, when presented with various WFT life stages (first instar, second instar, prepupa, pupa, adult female, and adult male), achieved the highest attack rate in first and second instars and prepupa. The free-living nematodes excreted by the hosts actively migrated to a trichome on leaf disks in the observation arena and moved up this structure. Then, the nematode actively waved the anterior part of its body while attaching itself to the trichome with the posterior part of its body. After a nematode contacted the leg of a thrips, the nematode immediately moved up along the leg toward the abdomen of the host. Increased understanding of the biology of T. nicklewoodi is important to better assess its potential for biological control of WFT.
A mathematical biothermal model of the california sea lion

Abstract The thermal behavior of the California sea lion is modeled by a set of seventeen simultaneous partial differential equations. Numerical solution of these equations yields temperature profiles in the sea lion that closely reproduce experimental data obtained with the animals at rest in air. The model predicts that exercise is necessary to maintain body temperature while immersed in very cold water (0°C) but that very efficient heat conservation occurs during diving because of bradycardia, limited circulation, and absence of respiration.
Cells satisfy the mitotic checkpoint in Taxol, and do so faster in concentrations that stabilize syntelic attachments

To determine why the duration of mitosis (DM) is less in Taxol than in nocodazole or Eg5 inhibitors we studied the relationship between Taxol concentration, the DM, and the mitotic checkpoint. We found that unlike for other spindle poisons, in Taxol the DM becomes progressively shorter as the concentration surpasses approximately 0.5 microM. Studies on RPE1 and PtK2 expressing GFP/cyclin B or YFP/Mad2 revealed that cells ultimately satisfy the checkpoint in Taxol and do so faster at concentrations >0.5 microM. Inhibiting the aurora-B kinase in Taxol-treated RPE1 cells accelerates checkpoint satisfaction by stabilizing syntelic kinetochore attachments and reduces the DM to approximately 1.5 h regardless of drug concentration. A similar stabilization of syntelic attachments by Taxol itself appears responsible for accelerated checkpoint satisfaction at concentrations >0.5 microM. Our results provide a novel conceptual framework for how Taxol prolongs mitosis and caution against using it in checkpoint studies. They also offer an explanation for why some cells are more sensitive to lower versus higher Taxol concentrations.
Gravity anomalies and deflections of the vertical above sea level

By the aid of Poisson's integral formula, the gravity anomalies, the potential of the disturbing masses, and the deflections of vertical above the sea level can be computed if the gravity anomalies at the sea level are known. This means a generalization of the well-known formulas of Stokes and Vening Meinesz. Some practical applications on the basis of presently available gravity observations are given.
Hydrologic and hydraulic effects of riparian root networks on streambank stability: is mechanical root-reinforcement the whole story?

Abstract Riparian vegetation has a number of effects on the mechanisms by which streambanks fail, some positive and some negative. Previous research has shown that the effect of mechanical root-reinforcement on soil stability can be considerable, and can be successfully quantified and included in streambank stability models. Root networks contained within a soil-matrix, however, also have effects on the hydrologic and hydraulic processes acting on a streambank, and although these effects are often discussed they have generally been difficult to quantify. This paper summarizes the results of field data collection, laboratory testing and computer simulations carried out to better quantify the effects of riparian vegetation on hydrologic and hydraulic processes occurring along streambanks. First, the evapotranspiration potentials of different riparian species were isolated by setting up an experiment to grow young riparian trees and switch grass in separate soil columns, each instrumented with tensiometers at 30 cm and 70 cm depths, and compared against bare control columns. The hydrological reinforcement provided to the soil from increased apparent cohesion as a result of enhanced matric suction was estimated to range from 1.0 to 3.1 kPa in spring when bank stability was most critical and up to a maximum of 5.0 kPa in the summer. Second, a vertical jet-test device was used to measure rates and volumes of scour in soils permeated by switch grass roots. Results showed that the volume of soil scoured during a test declined non-linearly with increasing root volume, per unit volume of soil, and with increasing root length density (RLD) and increasing root biomass. Calculation of relative soil detachment rates (RSD) showed that with the highest rooting densities measured in the field jet-tests, eroded soil volume was 10% of that in the tests with no roots. Third, the effects of enhanced matric suction from evapotranspiration, and decreased soil erodibility because of the presence of plant roots were modeled using BSTEM 5.1 to quantify the effects on streambank factor of safety (Fs), and to compare with the effects of mechanical root-reinforcement. The sensitivity analysis showed that the change in soil matric suction from evapotranspiration provided the greatest potential benefit to Fs but only during the summer months. During the winter and spring months, root-reinforcement remained the most important contributor to Fs. The sensitivity analysis conducted here also showed that whilst roots are capable of reducing the volume of hydraulic scour, the resulting effect on streambank geometry did not increase Fs as much as changes in soil matric suction and/or mechanical root-reinforcement.
The Other Children: A Survey of Child Abuse Physicians on the Medical Evaluation of Children Living With a Physically Abused Child

Objective To explore the practice and attitudes of child abuse physicians regarding the evaluation of “contact children” identified in the home of a physically abused index child. Design A self-administered survey. Setting E-mail and postal mailings from May 10 through September 30, 2005. Participants Physicians in the United States recognized as experts in child abuse medicine based on membership in the Helfer Society. Main Outcome Measures Descriptive measures of recommended medical evaluations of contact children in 3 clinical settings, estimates of association between these recommendations, and respondent experiences. Results There was a 61% (93/153) response rate. Respondents uniformly endorsed medical evaluation for contact children, although there was substantial variability in the extent of evaluation recommended. Recommended diagnostic testing varied by age of contact child and by type of abuse in the index child. Recommendations were influenced by anecdotal recall of abused contact children “missed” during the initial evaluation of another child in the household. Of our 93 respondents, 37 (40%) reported routine disagreement with child protection workers about the need for medical evaluation of contact children. Conclusions Child abuse physicians perceive that findings of abuse in contact children are sufficiently frequent to warrant medical examination of most contact children, but there is no consensus on the extent of evaluation needed for contact children. A better understanding of risk of abuse in contact children and improved collaboration between physicians and child protection workers are needed to improve evidence-based care of this high-risk population.
Expansion in 1/z for the transition temperature and specific heat of ferromagnets

An expansion in powers of 1/{ital z} is used to study the effect of spin fluctuations on the transition temperature and specific heat of the Ising and Heisenberg models of ferromagnetism, for general spin {ital s}. The 1/{ital z} corrections to the Curie temperature {ital T}{sub {ital C}} agree with the cluster-expansion technique, which yields the same free energy and order parameter to first order in 1/{ital z}. For the Heisenberg model, the fluctuation correction to the specific heat contains a peak below {ital T}{sub {ital C}}. This peak is caused by the quantum fluctuations induced by the transverse degrees of freedom, which are absent from the Ising model. Specific-heat measurements in some materials may have found such a peak. As the spin {ital s} increases, the peak becomes better defined and decreases in temperature. In the classical limit {ital s}{r arrow}{infinity}, the peak disappears and the fluctuation contributions in the Heisenberg and Ising models become identical below {ital T}{sub {ital C}}. The features of the Heisenberg model are very similar to those of a granular superconductor, where quantum fluctuations are induced by the charging energy and the classical limit is reached when the grain capacitance is infinite.
Electronic Contribution to the Heat Transfer Across Metal Single Crystal-He II Boundaries*

Measurements of the Kapitza conductance by the ac technique are reported for oriented gallium and copper single crystal discs. The data show convincing evidence that conduction electrons participate in the transmission of heat across the metal-He II interfaces for both metals. Measurements of the Kapitza conductance as a function of transverse and longitudinal fields and the influence of temperature, sample thickness and impurities allow a qualitative understanding of the total heat transfer across the sample.
Landscape pattern and productivity effects on source-sink dynamics of deer populations

Abstract A spatially explicit metapopulation model was used to examine the effects of landscape characteristics (patch sizes, interpatch distances, patch productivity) and dispersal behavior (maximum dispersal distance) on the source–sink dynamics of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in a simulated landscape. Specifically, the model was used to test the hypothesis that patterns in primary productivity, which affect the growth of deer populations, will interact with, and potentially alter, the effects of landscape structure on metapopulation dynamics. The model, constructed in the STELLA modeling environment, combines a density-dependent Leslie matrix population model with a simple habitat/non-habitat representation of an artificial landscape to simulate the growth and spread of deer populations in a spatial framework. A set of 60 simulations were run, measuring the average net emigration per habitat patch for maximum dispersal distances of 5, 10 and 20 km and under four net primary productivity (NPP) conditions: (1) constant NPP per km 2 ; (2) NPP varying with patch size; (3) NPP varying inversely with patch size; and (4) NPP varying over time. Significant differences were observed for effects of patch size, dispersal distance, NPP conditions and all two- and three-way interactions on patterns of net emigration. Specifically, increasing the maximum dispersal distance led to magnifications in net emigration patterns (i.e. patches exhibiting a positive trend in net emigration became more positive and vice versa). Changes in NPP altered the magnitude of the source–sink trends, sometimes reversing the relationship, particularly for populations in smaller patches. The results illustrate the importance of multiple interacting landscape factors in influencing metapopulation dynamics, indicating that shifting patterns of productivity can significantly alter the source–sink patterns of metapopulations when spatial factors are explicitly considered. Implications for management and conservation, as well as future model improvements, are briefly discussed.
PLACE, PRINT AND MIRACLE: FORLÍ'S MADONNA OF THE FIRE AS FUNCTIONAL SITE

The Madonna of the Fire of Forli is an early woodcut that miraculously survived a fire in 1428, and still resides in the cathedral of Forli, a city southeast of Bologna. This miracle removed the woodcut from the traffic in images crossing geographic and chronological boundaries in which other early modern prints participated. Since 1428 it has acted instead as a functional site, bound to a single place and able to galvanize disparate local elements into a communal sense of emplacement. This essay explores both that ability to generate a local identity, as well as the Madonna of the Fire's status as a miraculous object. For the transformation of the Madonna of the Fire from quotidian devotional print to miraculous cult icon also activated its ability to work as a functional site by charging overlapping material, geographic and discursive loci with communal significance.
Tooth loss in the very old: 13–15‐year incidence among elderly Iowans

Objectives: Very few studies have reported tooth loss incidence over a period of 10 years or more, and fewer have reported tooth loss occurrence in subjects aged 80 and older, so that the long-term pattern of tooth loss in the very old is largely unknown. This study assessed 13–15-year tooth loss incidence among a cohort of Iowans, aged 65 and older at baseline. Methods: Oral examinations were conducted on 520 subjects beginning in 1983, and periodically until 1988, with another round of examinations conducted on surviving members of the initial cohort during 1996–98. Results: Of the 73 remaining subjects, 45 subjects lost a total of 153 teeth during the period (mean=2.1 teeth lost), with a maximum of 17 teeth lost. Molars were the most commonly lost teeth, while canines and maxillary incisors were the least commonly lost. Bivariate analyses found that tooth loss was associated with untreated decay at baseline and level of periodontal attachment loss at earlier examinations. Logistic regression identified only greater severity of attachment loss as a significant risk factor for tooth loss (Adjusted odds ratio=2.4, P=0.006). The impact of tooth loss on subjects' lives was assessed using OHIP and other questions. The occurrence of tooth loss over the study period had little impact, but the number of remaining teeth significantly impacted subjects' ability to eat or chew food, swallow, or their willingness to smile. Conclusions: These results suggest that tooth loss continues in the very old, that periodontal attachment loss is associated with tooth loss in this age group, and that loss of teeth over one's lifetime does affect certain quality-of-life measures.
Observation of magnetization reversals during relaxation measurements on superfluid 3HeA

Abstract A reversal of the recovery of the magnetization following an rf pulse has been observed in superfluid 3 HeA in 306 Oe. The time difference between the end of the rf pulse and the start of the magnetization reversal is found to be proportional to both (1 − T / T c ) − 1 2 and the magnitude of the initial rotation angle θ.
Genomic analysis of RNA localization

The localization of mRNAs to specific subcellular sites is widespread, allowing cells to spatially restrict and regulate protein production, and playing important roles in development and cellular physiology. This process has been studied in mechanistic detail for several RNAs. However, the generality or specificity of RNA localization systems and mechanisms that impact the many thousands of localized mRNAs has been difficult to assess. In this review, we discuss the current state of the field in determining which RNAs localize, which RNA sequences mediate localization, the protein factors involved, and the biological implications of localization. For each question, we examine prominent systems and techniques that are used to study individual messages, highlight recent genome-wide studies of RNA localization, and discuss the potential for adapting other high-throughput approaches to the study of localization.
Plant paralog to viral movement protein that potentiates transport of mRNA into the phloem

CmPP16 from Cucurbita maxima was cloned and the protein was shown to possess properties similar to those of viral movement proteins. CmPP16 messenger RNA (mRNA) is present in phloem tissue, whereas protein appears confined to sieve elements (SE). Microinjection and grafting studies revealed that CmPP16 moves from cell to cell, mediates the transport of sense and antisense RNA, and moves together with its mRNA into the SE of scion tissue. CmPP16 possesses the characteristics that are likely required to mediate RNA delivery into the long-distance translocation stream. Thus, RNA may move within the phloem as a component of a plant information superhighway.
Picosecond reorientations of the transition dipoles in polysilanes using fluorescence anisotropy

Abstract Time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy measurements have been performed on solutions of high molecular weight polysilane materials. The physical processes responsible for the decay of the anisotropy are discussed.
Regulation of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli: dependence on growth rates.

Abstract The relationship between DNA synthesis and growth rate was studied in Escherichia coli 15T−, arginine−, methionine−, and tryptophan−. The growth rate was varied by using different carbon sources in a minimal salts medium (M9). It was found that the DNA content per cell varied with the growth rate until a lower limit equivalent to one chromosome per cell was reached at generation times exceeding 120 min. Autoradiographic studies showed that when cells growing with generation times of 180 and 270 min were labelled with [3H]thymine for about 1 10 of their generation time, only 60 % were capable of synthesizing DNA. This was supported by the fact that these cells synthesize only about one-half the amount of DNA necessary for finishing one chromosome when starved of amino acids. Autoradiographs of such amino acid-starved cells also show that only 60 % of the cells have synthesized DNA. It was concluded that the time necessary for replicating DNA at very slow growth rates is regulated by both a reduction in the rate of DNA synthesis and an increase in the amount of time between chromosome replication cycles.
A modified Comstockiella chromosome system in the olive scale insect, Parlatoria oleae (Coccoidea: Diaspididae).

A modified Comstockiella chromosome system is described in the olive scale insect, Parlatoria oleae (Colvee), in which one, two, or three pairs of chromosomes may play the D role during spermatogenesis.