cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association Between Density of Foraging Bees and Fruit Set in Commercial Fields of Rabbiteye Blueberries (Ericales: Ericaceae) in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Field-scale data on the relationship between pollinator activity and fruit set are scarce for rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton). We measured the densities of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Habropoda laboriosa F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Bombus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) spp., and Xylocopa virginica L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in 7–21 commercial fields during each of 3 yr in Louisiana and Mississippi. Foraging bees were counted on 10 ‘Tifblue’ bushes per field on 2 d during bloom, and the density of bees per flower was calculated based on the number of flowers open during the counts. Fruit set was measured 30 d after bloom. The impact of foraging activity on fruit set was inconsistent when densities of either all foragers or foragers of individual taxa were considered. Strong associations were observed only in 2001, with fruit set increased by H. laboriosa and Bombus and with a weaker contribution by A. mellifera. Floral robbery by X. virginica had no measurable negative effects. Populations of H. laboriosa were more consistent than those of other bees across sites. Managed colonies of A. mellifera were added at two densities (12.5 or 2.5 colonies per hectare) in seven fields each in 2001. These supplemental bees did not result in greater forager densities or fruit set in stocked fields. The observations show the challenge of field-scale pollination tests but provide an initial framework for rabbiteye blueberry growers to assess the availability of foraging bees early in bloom to help decide whether to add supplemental A. mellifera to try to enhance pollination if populations of non-Apis bees are low.
Reproductive Fitness in Selected Lines of Chickens and Their Crosses

Comparisons were made among populations of chickens selected for high or low 8-week body weight, their inter se crosses, and crosses of each selected line with an unrelated tester population
MMASPIN : THE MOUSE HOMOLOG OF A HUMAN TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENE INHIBITS MAMMARY TUMOR INVASION AND MOTILITY

The human maspin gene encodes a protein in the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) family with tumor-suppressing functions in cell culture and in nude mice. In order to examine the role of maspin in an intact mammal, we cloned and sequenced the cDNA of mouse maspin. The recombinant protein was produced and its activity in cell culture was assessed. Mouse maspin (mMaspin) was cloned by screening a mouse mammary gland cDNA library with the human maspin cDNA probe. Northern blot analysis was used to examine the expression patterns in mouse tissues, mammary epithelial cells, and carcinomas. Recombinant mMaspin protein was produced in E. coli. Invasion and motility assays were used to assess the biological function of mMaspin. mMaspin is 89% homologous with human maspin at the amino acid level. Like its human homolog, mMaspin is expressed in normal mouse mammary epithelial cells and down-regulated in mouse breast tumor cell lines. The expression is altered at different developmental stages in mammary gland. Addition of the recombinant mMaspin protein to mouse tumor cells was shown to inhibit invasion in a dose-dependent manner. As with the human protein, recombinant mMaspin protein also inhibited mouse mammary tumor motility. Deletion in the putative mMaspin reactive site loop (RSL) region resulted in the loss of its inhibitory functions. mMaspin is the mouse homolog of a human tumor suppressor gene. The expression of mMaspin is down-regulated in tumor cells and is altered at different developmental stages of mammary gland. mMaspin has inhibitory properties similar to those of human maspin in cell culture, suggesting that the homologous proteins play similar physiological roles in vivo.
New colour fusion deep learning model for large-scale action recognition

In this work we propose a fusion methodology that takes advantage of multiple deep convolutional neural network (CNN) models and two colour spaces RGB and oRGB to improve action recognition perform...
Does Trauma Help Explain the Need for Power and Control in Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

According to social cognitive theories of post-traumatic stress, trauma may increase an individual’s need for control. Research has yet to explore this process as it relates to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This study examined whether power and control-related cognitions explain the relationship between trauma (i.e. trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms) and IPV perpetration. During the intake assessment at a community-based IPV intervention program, male IPV perpetrators (N = 195) provided data on trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress symptoms, relationship problems, and IPV perpetration. A composite measure of power and control-related cognitions was created using existing intake items from several measures through theoretical and statistical considerations, including factor analysis and internal consistency analyses. The composite measure of power and control-related cognitions had sufficient reliability to support a preliminary test of the hypothesized mediational model. Power and control-related cognitions were positively associated with trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress symptoms, relationship problems, and emotional abuse, but not with physical assault. Power and control mediated the association between trauma exposure and emotional abuse, but did not significantly mediate any associations between post-traumatic stress symptoms and partner abuse perpetration. These findings suggest that trauma is associated with the need for power and control often observed among IPV perpetrators, and that this process is particularly apparent with respect to emotional abuse perpetration. The results highlight the need for additional research on social cognitive mediators of the associations between trauma and IPV.
Techno-Economic Sizing of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy and Storage for Water Pumping System

In the present study a method for sizing of a PV/Wind autonomous hybrid water pumping system is modeled, the procedure followed in the sizing of system components is based on the Electric System Cascade Analysis (ESCA) method. The developed algorithm gives all the possible configurations of the PV panels number, wind turbines and the storage tank size. The choice of the optimal solution is based on economic analysis with the Life Cycle Cost. The algorithm has been demonstrated on a case study with the daily data of the worst month.
CULTURA MATERIAL E IDENTIDAD NACIONAL: LAS COLECCIONES ETNOGRAFICAS DE LOS MUSEOS

En la antropologia contemporanea se ha dado gran enfasis al tratamiento del tema relativo a la identidad. Esta necesidad se encuentra ampliamente justificada, si tomamos en cuenta el agresivo proceso de globalizacion en el cual se encuentra incurso el mundo, proceso que amenaza seriamente la existencia misma de las identidades. La ciencia antropologica ha hecho un esfuerzo teorico significativo encaminado a analizar desde muy diversas perspectivas que significa el problema de las identidades, cual es su fundamento, cuales son sus derivaciones, asi como respecto del papel que estan llamadas a cumplir en un mundo que ada dia aparece como mas “uniforme”. Si todas estas lineas de reflexion, introducidas por la antropologia, han sido importantes, tambien has que destacar que el abordaje que se ha realizado sobre el tema, ha sido efectuado, casi con exclusividad, desde una perspectiva fundamentalmente conceptual. De las diversas consideraciones que sobre identidad se ha realizado, la contraparte material, por lo regular esta ausente, lo cual consideramos que resulta una grave omision, toda vez que cualquier proyecto social, tambien encuentra su viabilidad a traves de una base material que lo sustenta y le da significado. Desde otro punto de vista, tambien, se requiere puntualizar, a proposito de la identidad, que no siempre esta nocion debera ser tratada como oposicion a “algo”, sino en el contexto positivo. Como con toda justeza lo senala Thomas (1989), para quien la identidad no solamente es una reaccion a la dominacion, sino que se constituye en un vector activo y positivo, como un verdadero acto de afirmacion. Justamente es en este sentido como la cultura material puede contribuir al tema de la identidad en nuestra realidad social.
Versatile Alligator Nanostructures for Quantum Networks with Solid-State Emitters

We report design and fabrication of novel “alligator” nanostructures as both a high-Q photonic crystal cavity that helps preserve NV centers' optical coherence and a polarization-selective mirror for high-fidelity quantum state transfer.
All-polymeric high-Q optofluidic Fabry–Perot resonator

A full polymeric optofluidic Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator with a high quality factor (Q) is proposed and tested. The device is based on multilayer optical polymeric films that act as high reflectivity interference mirrors. The all-polymeric laminated structure avoids any deposition or etching process, simplifying the fabrication procedure while retaining a high quality optical surface. The measured quality factor of the FP resonator is 3.03×104, and the finesse is 91 around 700 nm. The refractometric sensing properties have been measured, and a sensitivity of 314 nm/RIU with a limit of detection of 2.55×10-5RIU could be achieved. The device exhibits a very high figure of merit of 1.36×104RIU-1 that is comparable with the performance attainable with sensors based on photonic crystal and whispering gallery mode resonators.
Imaging the Military in Modern and Contemporary Italian Art

Adrian R. Duran’s chapter analyzes the evolution of images of the military of and in Italy since Unification. This investigation unpacks the relationship between history and its representation, beginning within the context of Italian national self-determination in the age of the Risorgimento. Duran’s investigation then continues into the twentieth century, touching upon Futurism’s relationships with the technocratic bellicosity of the First World War–era Italy, interwar Fascism and its mythologies of militocratic Italianita, the Second World War and postwar recovery and the dispersed militarism of the 1960s and 1970s. Interwoven with this historical trajectory is an enunciation of the evolution of Italian art from late Romanticism through arte povera and the attendant discourses of Modernism and Postmodernism in the visual arts.
Opening the ‘Non-Manufacturing’ envelope: The next big enterprise for international business research

Abstract and Key Results This study surveys recent work, published in four International Business journals, that has focused on the non-manufacturing sector which includes the ‘services’ sector. It documents the nature of scholarship in this area, identifies opportunities for future work, highlights some important challenges of undertaking such work, and suggest a few starting points for a more systematic study of this vital sector of the economy. Our findings highlight a largely barren academic landscape vis-a-vis recent academic work pertaining to the non-manufacturing sector in general and services sector per se in particular. Therein lies a monumental opportunity for our discipline as a whole.
11 – Engineering of tissues and organs

: Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies may offer new hope for patients with serious tissue injuries or end-stage organ failure. Scientists are now applying the principles of cell transplantation, material science, and bioengineering to construct biological substitutes that can restore and maintain normal function in diseased and injured tissues. Moreover, the stem cell field is advancing, and new discoveries will lead to new therapeutic strategies. Although stem cells are still in the research phase, some therapies that make use of autologous adult cells have already entered the clinic. This chapter highlights these new strategies for various soft tissues and organs.
What have we learned from 7 years of equine rhinitis B virus qPCR testing in nasal secretions from horses with respiratory signs.

BACKGROUND Equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV) has been given little attention by practitioners compared to other respiratory viruses, mainly because of the lack of diagnostic modalities and association with clinical disease. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of detection of ERBV in nasal secretions from 6568 horses with acute onset of respiratory signs. METHODS ERBV-positive qPCR results from nasal secretions submitted to a molecular diagnostic laboratory from 2013 to 2019 were reviewed. RESULTS A total of 333 ERBV qPCR-positive samples (5.1%) were detected with increasing yearly frequency since the introduction of the assay in 2013. In comparison, only three of 356 (0.8%) healthy horses tested qPCR-positive for ERBV. Median age for ERBV qPCR-positive horses was 3 years of age, and fever, coughing and nasal discharge were the most common signs reported. Further, co-infections with other respiratory pathogens were reported in 73 (21.9%) of ERBV qPCR-positive samples. CONCLUSION ERBV is a commonly detected respiratory virus from nasal secretions of young horses presenting with fever, nasal discharge and coughing.
A Rational Ternary Design of P3HT/Insulating Polymers–CNTs/P3HT for the Enhanced Thermoelectric Performances

This work shows the design and development of ternary layer thermoelectric composites based on semiconducting polymer P3HT, insulating polymers, and carbon nanotubes. The ternary layer composite fi...
Maintaining evolvability

Although molecular methods, such as QTL mapping, have revealed a number of loci with large effects, it is still likely that the bulk of quantitative variability is due to multiple factors, each with small effect. Typically, these have a large additive component. Conventional wisdom argues that selection, natural or artificial, uses up additive variance and thus depletes its supply. Over time, the variance should be reduced, and at equilibrium be near zero. This is especially expected for fitness and traits highly correlated with it. Yet, populations typically have a great deal of additive variance, and do not seem to run out of genetic variability even after many generations of directional selection. Long-term selection experiments show that populations continue to retain seemingly undiminished additive variance despite large changes in the mean value. I propose that there are several reasons for this. (i) The environment is continually changing so that what was formerly most fit no longer is. (ii) There is an input of genetic variance from mutation, and sometimes from migration. (iii) As intermediate-frequency alleles increase in frequency towards one, producing less variance (as p → 1, p(1 − p) → 0), others that were originally near zero become more common and increase the variance. Thus, a roughly constant variance is maintained. (iv) There is always selection for fitness and for characters closely related to it. To the extent that the trait is heritable, later generations inherit a disproportionate number of genes acting additively on the trait, thus increasing genetic variance. For these reasons a selected population retains its ability to evolve. Of course, genes with large effect are also important. Conspicuous examples are the small number of loci that changed teosinte to maize, and major phylogenetic changes in the animal kingdom. The relative importance of these along with duplications, chromosome rearrangements, horizontal transmission and polyploidy is yet to be determined. It is likely that only a case-by-case analysis will provide the answers. Despite the difficulties that complex interactions cause for evolution in Mendelian populations, such populations nevertheless evolve very well. Longlasting species must have evolved mechanisms for coping with such problems. Since such difficulties do not arise in asexual populations, a comparison of epistatic patterns in closely related sexual and asexual species might provide some important insights.
The Caloric Curve of Polymers from the Adaptive Tempering Monte Carlo Method

Conductive polymers are organic conjugated polymer chains with semiconducting ability that display unique mechanical properties without being thermoformable. Here we present a novel coarse-grained force field for modeling the oxidized phase of polypyrrole containing electronegative atomic dopants. The polypyrrole oligomers in this study have 12 monomers in length with a doping concentration of 25%. The polymer properties are determined using the isothermal-isobaric adaptive tempering Monte Carlo and the Metropolis Monte Carlo with codes optimized for GPUs. Several thermodynamic and mechanical properties are calculated along the caloric curve. When comparing with experiments, densities and bulk moduli perform very well yielding values in the range of 1.20–1.22 g/cm3 and 67–120 MPa, respectively. Comparing with our published model potential for the neutral polypyrrole phase, the oxidized phase presents about 30% increase in density, which is also in agreement with experiments. The computational implementation is easily portable for the inspection of other polymeric materials.
Late-life memory trajectories in relation to incident dementia and regional brain atrophy

The trajectory, or slope, of cognitive decline may provide differentiation of older adults with and without incipient neurodegenerative disease. Cognitive aging phenotypes based on memory trajectories could be used as outcome measures for clinical trials or observational studies of risk and protective factors for dementia. This study used growth mixture modeling (GMM) to identify trajectory groups based on age- and education-corrected composite memory scores derived from immediate, delayed and recognition trials of the Selective Reminding Test. Participants included 2593 participants initially without dementia (mean age at entry = 76) in a community-based study of aging and dementia in northern Manhattan. Trajectory groups were compared on consensus diagnoses of dementia and structural MRI measures of hippocampal volume and entorhinal cortical thickness. Heterogeneity in memory trajectories allowed us to identify four groups: Stable-High (43.5 %), Stable-Low (17.1 %), Decliner (26.8 %), and Rapid Decliner (12.5 %). Decliners had more brain atrophy and higher rates of conversion to dementia. This study highlights the heterogeneity in cognitive aging and provides evidence that most elderly maintain memory function as they age. Associations with dementia and imaging measures validate subgroups of older adults identified with GMM based on their memory trajectories. Future research should use these memory trajectory phenotypes to determine whether dementia risk and protective factors differ for individuals following different memory trajectories.
BioPortal: sharing and analyzing infectious disease information

Infectious disease informatics (IDI) is an emerging field of study that systematically examines information management and analysis issues related to infectious disease prevention, detection, and management. IDI research is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing expertise from a number of fields including but not limited to various branches of information technologies such as data integration, data security, GIS, digital library, data mining and visualization, and other fields such as biostatistics and bioinformatics. Funded by the NSF through its Digital Government and Information Technology Research programs with support from the Intelligence Technology Innovation Center, we have been developing scalable technologies and related standards and protocols, implemented in the BioPortal system, to deal with various data sharing and analysis challenges arising in the field of IDI. BioPortal provides distributed, cross-jurisdictional access to datasets concerning several major infectious diseases (of both humans and animals) West Nile Virus (WNV), Botulism, Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). It also provides access to test data collected from the BioWatch system, an air pathogen sensing system developed to detect airborne hazards. In addition to data access, BioPortal provides advanced spatial-temporal data visualization and analysis capabilities, which are critically needed for infectious disease outbreak detection and can provide valuable information to facilitate disease outbreak management and response. The intended users of BioPortal include public health researchers and practitioners at all levels of the government including international partners, analysts and policy makers; the general public and students in public health or related fields; and law enforcement and national security personnel involved in counter bioterrorism efforts and emergency preparedness and response.
Trace Elements in Marine Ostracodes

Extending the work of Cadot, Kaesler, De Deckker, Chivas, and Correge, we have measured the elemental chemistry of shells of marine ostracodes to evaluate the usefulness of ostracode shell chemistry as a paleoenvironmental proxy. Our work has focused primarily on Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and Na/Ca ratios of two common genera: deep-sea genus Krithe and shallow marine/estuarine genus Loxoconcha. We evaluated in vivo effects including genus, species, gender, ontogeny, shell size, intra-shell heterogeneity (Mg), water temperature, and salinity, and post-mortem diagenetic effects including partial dissolution, recrystallization, and shell surface contamination. Analysis of modern (core-top), fossil, and laboratory-raised specimens across a wide range of temperature and salinity conditions confirms earlier work indicating that Krithe and Loxoconcha Mg/Ca ratios are dominantly controlled by water temperature. Sr/Ca and Na/Ca ratios co-vary with temperature in core-top Krithe, but not in cultured Loxoconcha suggesting that the Krithe Sr/Ca and Na/Ca correlation with temperature may be related to another variable that broadly co-varies with temperature. Phylogenetic and ontogenetic effects are also indicated, including different Mg-thermodependence and intra-shell Mg distribution between Krithe and Loxoconcha. Inter-specific effects are suggested for two species of Krithe. Magnesium uptake in eldest juvenile shells seems to be identical to that of adult shells, thus greatly increasing the amount of shell material available for paleoenvironmental studies. No salinity effects were observed. Shell Na/Ca ratios showed a dramatic decrease with increasing dissolution (natural and artificial) in waters that are undersaturated with respect to calcite, whereas Mg/Ca ratios displayed a minor decrease and Sr/Ca ratios showed no change. Of the ratios studied, Mg/Ca offers the most promise for Quaternary marine studies as a paleothermometer. Further calibration studies are needed to better understand the marine ostracode Mg/Ca-paleothermometer.
Future challenges in IC testing and fault isolation

Integrated circuit (IC) production is critically dependent on characterization and failure analysis (FA) (Ref. 1). Experiment evaluation, technology qualification, yield and reliability learning, and time-to-market are driven by rapid and accurate FA. Testing and fault isolation are essential in identifying electrical faults and in localizing them to regions small enough to be examined by high-resolution electron and scanning-probe microscopes. This presentation introduces IC characterization and failure analysis, discusses their roles in manufacturing, and examines limitations imposed by shrinking features, lower supply voltages, and smaller design margins. R&D needs are also projected based on the CMOS IC technology roadmap (Ref. 1).
Software reliability engineering for client-server systems

Too often, when doing software reliability modeling and prediction, the assumption is made that the software involves either a single module or a single node. The reality in today's increasing use of multi-node client-server systems is that there are multiple software entities that execute on multiple nodes that must be modeled in a system context, if realistic reliability predictions and assessments are to be made. For example, if there are N/sub c/ clients and N/sub x/ servers in a client-server system, it is not necessarily the case that a software failure in any of the N/sub c/ clients or N/sub x/ servers will cause the system to fail. Thus, if such a system were to be modeled as a single entity, the predicted reliability would be much lower than the true reliability, because the prediction would not account for criticality and redundancy. The first factor accounts for the possibility that the survivability of some clients and servers will be more critical to continued system operation than others, while the second factor accounts for the possibility of using redundant nodes to allow for system recovery should a critical node fail. To address this problem, we must identify which nodes-clients and servers-are critical and which are not critical, as defined by whether these nodes are used for critical or non-critical functions, respectively.
Birth weight, gestation, and the fetal growth curve.

Abstract Cross-sectional data on birth weight and gestational age at birth are commonly used to construct a longitudinal curve of fetal growth. There is no direct evidence that such a curve actually represents intrauterine growth. Nonetheless, this hypothesis of a “fetal growth curve” is well developed and widely accepted. This paper describes certain incongruities in the “fetal growth” interpretation of these curves which have not been previously discussed. An alternative approach to these curves which makes no assumptions about fetal growth is able to resolve these incongruities. It is concluded that the “fetal growth curve” hypothesis may be an impediment to a full understanding of the relation between birth weight and gestational age at birth.
Effects of zebra mussels on food webs: interactions with juvenile bluegill and water residence time

We evaluated how water residence time mediated the impact of zebramussels Dreissena polymorpha and bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus on experimental food webs established in1100-l outdoor mesocosms. Water residence time was manipulated asa surrogate for seston resupply – a critical variable affectinggrowth and survival of suspension-feeding invertebrates. We used a2×2×2 factorial experimental design witheight treatment combinations (3 replicates/treatment) including thepresence or absence of Dreissena (2000 per m2), juvenilebluegill (40 per mesocosm), and short (1100 l per d) or long (220 lper d) water residence time. Measures of seston concentration(chlorophyll a, turbidity and suspended solids) were greaterin the short- compared to long water-residence mesocosms, butintermediate in short water-residence mesocosms containing Dreissena. Abundance of rotifers (Keratella and Polyarthra) was reduced in Dreissena mesocosms and elevatedin short residence time mesocosms. Cladocera abundance, in general,was unaffected by the presence of Dreissena; densities werehigher in short-residence time mesocosms, and reduced in thepresence of Lepomis. The growth of juvenile Lepomiswere unaffected by Dreissena because of abundant benthicfood. The final total mass of Dreissena was significantlygreater in short- than long-residence mesocosms. Impacts of Dreissena on planktonic food webs may not only depend on thedensity of zebra mussels but also on the residence time of thesurrounding water and the resupply of seston.
How conservative are evolutionary anthropologists

The application of evolutionary theory to human behavior has elicited a variety of critiques, some of which charge that this approach expresses or encourages conservative or reactionary political agendas. In a survey of graduate students in psychology, Tybur, Miller, and Gangestad (Human Nature, 18, 313-328, 2007) found that the political attitudes of those who use an evolutionary approach did not differ from those of other psychology grad students. Here, we present results from a directed online survey of a broad sample of graduate students in anthropology that assays political views. We found that evolutionary anthropology graduate students were very liberal in their political beliefs, overwhelmingly voted for a liberal U.S. presidential candidate in the 2008 election, and identified with liberal political parties; in this, they were almost indistinguishable from non-evolutionary anthropology students. Our results contradict the view that evolutionary anthropologists hold conservative or reactionary political views. We discuss some possible reasons for the persistence of this view in terms of the sociology of science.
Model LAN scheme and compressed data transfers

With file servers and LAN hardware becoming relatively affordable, even small office and laboratory environments are tending to be LAN oriented. This has the definite advantage of sharing the network resources very efficiently and economically. In addition, the digital connectivity using technologies such as ISDN (integrated services digital network) and frame relay has enhanced the scope for inter-LAN connectivity considerably. It is a well known fact that the information can be compressed before being transmitted, to improve the bandwidth utilization and enhance data transmission rates. However, there are different data compression schemes and often the end user is confronted with the uncertainty with these methodologies. While adapting to any of these compression and decompression methodologies, an end user has to conform to the LAN based desktop oriented conferencing standards such as the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) H.323. The authors present a functional model of a laboratory oriented LAN, which is being implemented at Florida International University Data Communication Research Laboratories. Also they discuss the data compression schemes as applicable to desktop conferencing and screen sharing. Internet connectivity for Windows based PC platforms is also presented.
Use of the promoter fusion transposon Tn5 lac to identify mutations in Bordetella pertussis vir-regulated genes.

Abstract Mutants of Bordetella pertussis deficient in virulence-associated factors were identified by using the transposon Tn5 lac. Tn5 lac is a derivative of Tn5 which generates promoter fusions for beta-galactosidase. Tn5 lac insertions in the vir-regulated genes of B. pertussis were identified by selecting for kanamycin-resistant mutants that expressed beta-galactosidase when the vir-regulated genes were expressed but not when the vir-regulated genes were turned off. Fourteen different mutations in vir-regulated genes were identified. Two mutants were deficient in the production of the filamentous hemagglutinin, two mutants were deficient in the production of adenylate cyclase toxin and hemolysin, and one mutant was deficient in the production of dermonecrotic toxin. One insertion mapped adjacent to the pertussis toxin gene, but the mutant produced pertussis toxin. The phenotypes of the remaining eight mutants were not determined, but the mutants did not appear to be deficient in the production of the 69,000-dalton outer membrane protein (agglutinogen 3) or the capsule. Screening for mutations in either of the fimbrial genes proved to be problematic since the parental strain was found to switch from a fimbriated to a nonfimbriated state at a high frequency, which was suggestive of the metastable expression of pili in other bacteria. We used Southern blot analysis with a 30-mer specific for the fimbrial sequences. No bands with the predicted increase in size due to the 12 kilobases from Tn5 lac were observed, which suggests that none of these genes were mutated. Southern blot analysis also revealed that seven of the eight unidentified mutations mapped to different restriction fragments, which suggests that they could be deficient in as many as seven different genes.
Photoperiodic control of reproduction in the male lizardAnolis carolinensis

In contrast to the higher vertebrates the photoperiodic time measuring system in the male lizardAnolis carolinensis seems to rely on an ‘hourglass’ timer which lacks endogenous rhythmicity. This timer appears to measure the absolute length of the light portion of light-dark (LD) cycles. The present study further characterized the nature of theAnolis photoperiodic timer and demonstrated: (1) The gonadal response is quite sensitive to photostimulation. Exposure to as few as three 16 h photoperiods (over a 3 week period) can maintain testicular function in summer anoles whereas exposure to as few as six 16 h photoperiods (over a 3 week period) can elicit maximal testicular development in the fall. (2) The photoperiodic timer does not have to be ‘ reset’ daily by a dark interruption. (3) The dark portion of LD cycles may be involved in a complex fashion in reversing a light-initiated reaction and (4) Comparisons of entrained circadian activity rhythms with testicular responses to various light cycles argue against the participation of a circadian clock in photoperiodic time measurement.
“For Our Words Usually Land on Deaf Ears Until We Scream” Writing as a Liberatory Practice

What does it mean to unbind your tongue? Is it dangerous? Liberating? Or somewhere in between? The purpose of this article is to reconceptualize the tongue and the hand as sites of resistance and o...
Analysis of the oxidation kinetics and barrier layer properties of ZrN and Pt/Ru thin films for DRAM applications

Abstract ZrN and Pt/Ru thin films have been grown by an automated ion beam sputter-deposition system. Both materials were evaluated for use as barrier layers (ZrN) and bottom electrodes (Pt/Ru) in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) applications. The ZrN films had resistivities on the order of 250–300 μω cm. The ZrN films were (002) oriented and were rather smooth with an average surface roughness of ±17 A. Analysis of the oxidation kinetics of the ZrN thin films reveals a thermally activated, diffusion-limited oxidation process with an activation energy of 2.5 eV in the temperature range of 500–650 ° C. This implies that there is an advantage in using ZrN as a barrier layer instead of TiN since the activation energy for oxidation of TiN is 2.05 eV. In addition, preliminary data suggest that a Pt/Ru double layer may be a promising bottom electrode and oxygen diffusion barrier for use in DRAMs with high-permitivity dielectrics.
A new supernova remnant over the Galactic Centre

Abstract : Improved images and a newly determined spectrum - from 80 MHz to 15 GHz - have clarified the nature of the radio source GO.33 +0.04 at the Galactic Centre. Its non-thermal spectral index and its shell-like morphology favour an interpretation that it is a supernova remnant. Furthermore, the absorption characteristics of the continuum spectrum at the lowest frequencies and its elongation along the plane suggest that, like Sgr A East, it is in physical proximity to the Galactic Centre.
Individual Differences in Learning and Remembering Music: Auditory versus Visual Presentation:

We examined the effects of presentation modality and learning style preference on people's ability to learn and remember unfamiliar melodies and sentences. In Experiment 1, we gauged musicians' and nonmusicians' learning efficiency for meaningful and less meaningful melodies as well as sentences when presented visually or auditorily. In Experiment 2, we tested the effects of the same variables on memory. Presentation modality did not make a difference, but learning-style preference did. Visual learners learned visually presented items faster and remembered them better than auditorily presented ones, and auditory learners did the reverse. Also, as expected, meaningful sentences were learned faster and remembered better than less meaningful ones. However, although musicians also learned meaningful melodies faster and remembered them better than less meaningful melodies, this was not the case for nonmusicians.
Inexpensive holder for hand‐trimming resin‐embedded tissues

A simple and inexpensive mount for securely holding resin-embedded tissues for trimming prior to sectioning for light or electron microscopy is described. The unit is composed of a base plate from which a 12.7-mm drill chuck protrudes. A tissue block is clamped into a microtome chuck and that is mounted in the drill chuck. A standard dissecting microscope is placed over the unit and used to magnify the block for trimming. Total cost of materials is estimated to be $20-40 USD.
Archaeology’s quest for a seat at the high table of anthropology

Between 1900 and 1970, American archaeologists perceived themselves as second-class anthropologists because the archaeological record suggested little not already known ethnographically, archaeology served anthropology by testing ethnologically derived models of cultural evolution, the archaeological record was ethnologically incomplete as a result of poor preservation, and archaeologists used but did not write anthropological theory. Ethnologists of the period agreed with these points and regularly reminded archaeologists of their limited role in anthropology. A few archaeologists claimed in the 1950s that archaeology could contribute to anthropological theory but they were ignored. The claim was reiterated by new archaeologists of the 1960s, and by the 1970s worries about the poor preservation of the archaeological record had softened. However, most archaeologists after 1970 (and before 1990) used anthropological theory and did not write new theory on the basis of archaeological data. The root cause of American archaeology’s ninety-year absence from anthropology’s high table of theory seems to be the discipline-wide retention of the ninety-year old belief that archaeology is prehistoric ethnology and the (unnecessary and constraining) corollary that archaeologists must use anthropological theory to explain the archaeological record.
Augmentation of the antibody response in aged mice with an 8-derivatized guanosine nucleoside and its effect on immunological memory

Abstract The injection of aged mice with 7-methyl-8-oxoguanosine (7m8oGuo) along with aggregated human γ-globulin (AHGG) results in an enhanced anti-HGG antibody response. Aged mice injected with AHGG alone make only a feeble anti-HGG response. The enhanced response in aged mice was not significantly different from the response obtained in young-adult mice injected only with AHGG. However, the enhanced response obtained by injection of 7m8oGuo in young-adult mice was several orders of magnitude greater than that observed in the aged mice. Aged mice given a primary injection of AHGG alone failed to make a secondary response to AHGG given 90 days later, whereas aged mice injected with 7m8oGuo along with a primary injection of AHGG showed variable secondary antibody responses to AHGG. Two of seven mice showed high degrees of immunological memory equivalent to that seen in young-adult mice while others showed either meagre or no responses. The effect of 7m8oGuo appeared to be primarily on B cells, albeit the role of T cells cannot be ruled out.
The Effects of Transforming Growth Factor-β on Growth and Differentiation of the Continuous Rat Thyroid Follicular Cell Line, FRTL-5

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) has been shown to influence the growth and differentiation of many widely varied cell types in vitro, including some that are endocrinologically active. We have investigated the previously unknown effects of this unique growth factor in the differentiated rat thyroid follicular cell line FRTL-5. The cells demonstrated specific, high affinity binding of TGFβ, and as with other epithelial cells, the growth of these thyroid follicular cells was potently inhibited by addition of TGFβ to the culture medium. TGFβ caused a significant reduction in TSH-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in the cells. The addition of (Bu)2cAMP along with the growth factor to cultures partially reversed the characteristic morphological changes seen with TGFβ, but did not reverse the growth inhibition. To further investigate the possible mechanisms of the effects of TGFβ on the cells, we measured the influence of the growth factor on [125I]TSH binding. TGFβ did not compete for specific TSH-bindi...
Transient and Busy Period Analysis of the GI/G/1 Queue: Part I, the Method of Stages

In this paper we study the transient behavior of the MGEL/MGEM/1 queueing system, where MGE is the class of mixed generalized Erlang distributions which can approximate an arbitrary distribution. We use the method of stages combined with the separation of variables and root finding techniques together with linear and tensor algebra. We find simple closed form expressions for the Laplace transforms of the queue length distribution and the waiting time distribution under FCFS when the system is initially empty and the busy period distribution. We report computational results by inverting these expressions numerically in the time domain. Because of the simplicity of the expressions derived our algorithm is very fast and robust.
INVESTIGATION OF DESIGN TOOLS AS COMPLEXITY MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Design tools which appear to manage complexity through their inherent behavior do not appear to have been developed specifically for complexity management. This research explores how complexity is managed within the design process through: the generation of complexity within the design process (sources), the techniques which were used to manage complexity (approaches), and the examination of design tools with respect to complexity. Mappings are developed between the sources, the approaches, and the tools with respect to phases of design. The mappings are propagated through these distinct, yet adjacent domains in order to study how the tools might be able to be used to manage complexity sources found in different stages of the design process. As expected, the highest value for each design tool is found in the stage of design in which the tool is traditionally been used. However, there are secondary ratings which suggest that design tools can be used in other stages of the design process to manage specific aspects of complexity.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Personal assistance for people with physical disabilities : Consumer-direction and satisfaction with services

Abstract Objective: To determine whether people who receive consumer-directed personal assistance services (PAS) are more satisfied with the services they receive than those receiving PAS that are not consumer-directed. Design: A quasi-experimental survey comparison of long-term outcomes among people receiving consumer-directed PAS in Virginia and persons on the waiting list to receive those services. Surveys were conducted by mail and telephone. Setting: The general community in Virginia. Participants: Ninety-two Virginia residents with physical disabilities living in the community. Sixty individuals were receiving consumer-directed PAS, and 32 were on the waiting list for consumer-directed PAS and were receiving paid personal assistance that was not consumer-directed. Main Outcomes Measures: The Personal Assistance Satisfaction Index (PASI); χ 2 and t tests were conducted. Results: People receiving consumer-directed PAS scored significantly higher on the PASI than the waiting-list control group and were consistently more likely to report high levels of satisfaction on the majority of individual PASI items. Conclusion: Consumer-directed PAS are associated with high levels of satisfaction relative to PAS that are not consumer-directed. Individual PASI items related to control over PAS and flexibility of services showed the greatest differences in satisfaction.
Bacillus anthracis Spore Entry into Epithelial Cells Is an Actin-Dependent Process Requiring c-Src and PI3K

Dissemination of Bacillus anthracis from the respiratory mucosa is a critical step in the establishment of inhalational anthrax. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that this organism was able to penetrate the lung epithelium by directly entering into epithelial cells of the lung; however the molecular details of B. anthracis breaching the epithelium were lacking. Here, using a combination of pharmacological inhibitors, dominant negative mutants, and colocalization experiments, we demonstrated that internalization of spores by epithelial cells was actin-dependent and was mediated by the Rho-family GTPase Cdc42 but not RhoA or Rac1. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity was also required as indicated by the inhibitory effects of PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, and a PI3K dominant negative (DN) mutant Δp85α. In addition, spore entry into epithelial cells (but not into macrophages) required the activity of Src as indicated by the inhibitory effect of Src family kinase (SFK) inhibitors, PP2 and SU6656, and specific siRNA knockdown of Src. Enrichment of PI3K and F-actin around spore attachment sites was observed and was significantly reduced by treatment with SFK and PI3K inhibitors, respectively. Moreover, B. anthracis translocation through cultured lung epithelial cells was significantly impaired by SFK inhibitors, suggesting that this signaling pathway is important for bacterial dissemination. The effect of the inhibitor on dissemination in vivo was then evaluated. SU6656 treatment of mice significantly reduced B. anthracis dissemination from the lung to distal organs and prolonged the median survival time of mice compared to the untreated control group. Together these results described a signaling pathway specifically required for spore entry into epithelial cells and provided evidence suggesting that this pathway is important for dissemination and virulence in vivo.
Tactual and visual alphanumeric suffix effects.

Two experiments tested the effects of suffixes on the recall of tactual and visual sequences of alphabetic characters presented at 19 letters per min. Scoring techniques allowed for the differentiation of losses of item and order information. In Experiment I performance decrements were found for both modalities, which were mainly caused by item loss at the more recent part of the serial position curve in the suffix conditions. In Experiment II, these effects were replicated and a non-alphabetic suffix led to greater decrements for both modalities than an alphabetical suffix. While a suffix effect based on the loss of item information is consistent with a sensory trace interpretation of the suffix effect, the presence of a visual suffix effect with slow stimulus presentation is not. Additionally, the greater effect of the non-alphanumeric suffix challenges attentional interpretations. Some possible explanations are proposed.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers with Metalloporphyrin-Based Molecular Recognition Sites Coassembled with Methacrylic Acid

A diastereoselective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for (−)-cinchonidine, PPM(CD), was prepared by the combined use of methacrylic acid and vinyl-substituted zinc(II) porphyrin as functional monomers. Compared to MIPs using only methacrylic acid or zinc porphyrin as a functional monomer, PM(CD) and PP(CD), respectively, PPM(CD) showed higher binding ability for (−)-cinchonidine in chromatographic tests using the MIP-packed columns. Scatchard analysis gave a higher association constant of PPM(CD) for (−)-cinchonidine (1.14 × 107 M-1) than those of PP(CD) (1.45 × 106 M-1) and PM(CD) (6.78 × 106 M-1). The affinity distribution of binding sites estimated by affinity spectrum analysis showed a higher percentage of high-affinity sites and a lower percentage of low-affinity sites in PPM(CD). The MIPs containing a zinc(II) porphyrin in the binding sites, PPM(CD) and PP(CD), showed fluorescence quenching according to the binding of (−)-cinchonidine, and the quenching was significant in the low-concentration r...