cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What makes us human

To RSVP or for more information, please call Daniel Leonardich at 415.734.2080 or email sci4life@gladstone.ucsf.edu Science for Life lectures are free with open seating. Parking is available across the street in the UCSF Rutter Center garage. Co-sponsored by San Francisco Conservatory of Music cellist Erin Wang will share with us a brief discussion of “evolution” from baroque through contemporary western music and introduce us to the stylistic and formal elements that changed from one period to the next. Ms. Wang will perform selections from Bach, Mozart, Brahms, and Ligeti Katherine S. Pollard, PhD ASSOCIATE INVESTIGATOR, GLADSTONE INSTITUTE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
3D visualization for concept location in source code

The paper presents a set of tools that work in conjunction to support concept location in software. One of the tools, IRiSS (Information Retrieval based Software Search), is a search engine, designed and implemented to allow searching the source code of a software system. The other tool, sv3D (source viewer 3D), is a visualization front end, designed to represent software data with 3D renderings.The two tools are integrated with MS Visual Studio, with IRiSS providing the infrastructure for indexing the source code and querying, while sv3D helps the user in visually navigating the results of the queries and keeps track of the navigation path.
Career Exploration: Development of Dimensions and Some Preliminary Findings:

The behaviors of career exploration of 42 students are investigated at two points in time across four dimensions: intended-systematic, environment-oriented, self-oriented, and degree of focus. The ...
Why do ambiguous figures reverse

Abstract For much of this century the dominant theory of reversal of ambiguous figures has been neural satiation. We suggest a very different kind of theory based on the consequences of the typical instructions given to subjects in experiments on reversal. In analyzing these instructions in preliminary experiments we conclude that what matters is the subject's knowledge that the figure is reversible and specific knowledge of how its alternative construals appear. This leads to an intention to reverse the figure. In one experiment we demonstrate that recent experience with the ambiguous figure and its two modes of appearance does not lead to its reversal if the subject does not know the figure is reversible. In another experiment we demonstrate that when the subject does know the ambiguous figure is reversible, it nonetheless will not tend to reverse if the intention to do so is contravened by a different intention. We suggest that the intention to reverse cannot succeed unless the subject “knows” how to carry it out and, further, that the intention may become involuntary and automatic.
Boundaries of two-tone rate suppression of cochlear-nerve activity

Abstract Two-tone rate suppression was examined in the responses of single cochlear-nerve fibers in Mongolian gerbils. The iso-rate tracking algorithm developed by Kiang and Moxon (Kiang N.Y.-S. and Moxon E.C. (1974): J. Acoust Soc. Am. 55, 620–630) for obtaining tuning curves was modified to track iso-rate suppression boundaries as a function of frequency with the excitor tone fixed at the characteristic frequency (CF) of the fiber. Lower threshold boundaries of the areas of suppression flanking the tuning curve above and below CF were outlined for fibers over a large CF range. It was found that the boundaries of rate suppression obtained below CF were very stable in their absolute positions on the intensity-frequency plane. This stability was evident both as a function of fiber CF (0.6–15 kHz) and as a function of the shape of the tuning curve at a given CF. In other words, the suppression boundary obtained below CF was largely independent of the tuning curve. In a second series of experiments tuning curves were taken in the presence of a fixed tone placed in the suppression area located above the fiber CF. The fixed tone by itself was not excitatory. These tuning curves were compared to tuning curves obtained with a single tone. It was found that frequencies around the fiber CF were most affected (suppressed) by the presence of the second tone, and that the low-frequency tail of the tuning curve tended to shift toward the boundary of the suppression area below CF. Because this suppression boundary lies below the threshold of the normal tail of the tuning curve for many mid- and high-CF fibers, these fibers often became hypersensitive at low frequencies in the presence of the second tone above CF.
Reactions involving the amide and carboxyl groups of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) protein.

Abstract Treatment of TMV with 3M hydroxylamine at pH 7.5 leads to a substituted product containing 21 bound hydroxylamine groups. Protein samples obtained by disruption of the virus in various ways participate in the reaction with hydroxylamine to a much smaller extent. The claim that the treatment of TMV with hydroxylamine at 60° leads to specific cleavage of a single peptide bond and exposes a reactive proline imino group could not be substantiated. Two approaches to the estimation of asparagine and glutamine residues in TMV-protein have been studied. The esterification of the free carboxyl groups and reduction of the protein ester was found to leave the amino acid amides intact. Subsequent hydrolysis of the protein derivative and estimation of the two dicarboxylic acids present provided data on the number of asparagine and glutamine residues originally present. The data indicate that TMV-protein of molecular weight 18,270 contains 21 amide residues per mole and that of these 12 ± 1 belong to asparagine and 9 ± 1 to glutamine. The second approach studied was the hydrazinolysis technique involving the differentiation of the resulting mono- and di-hydrazides of the dicarboxylic amino acids. This method, however, seems to be not useful for quantitative purposes because of the need for large correction factors. The data for the asparagine and glutamine content exceed by a large margin the amount of amide N present in the protein and are not in accord with the values from the reduction experiments.
Multiproject contact in research joint ventures: evidence and theory

Abstract In the first part of this paper, we conduct an empirical analysis of all research joint ventures registered under the National Cooperative Research Act. We document the pervasiveness of multiproject contact, defined as groups of firms engaging in several research joint ventures together. In the second part of the paper, we develop a theoretical model providing a new rationale for multiproject contact. In the model, each project involves decisions that are the subject of negotiations among participants. The inefficiency associated with bargaining under asymmetric information can be mitigated if negotiations over several projects are combined.
Sex differences in environmental sensitivity during growth and development

Data on sex differences in mortality, morbidity, growth under conditions of environmental stress, and growth responses to environmental improvement are reviewed to test the hypothesis that males are less buffered than females against the environment during growth and development. The hypothesis predicts that males should be more affected by environmental stress, and the strongest support for this is found in studies of the prenatal period. Under stressful conditions, males have higher late fetal mortality than females, and their fetal growth generally has been found to be more retarded. Investigations of postnatal responses to environmental stress have yielded much less consistent results, in large part because of the fact that male children are given preferential treatment in many societies. Results of studies of differences between the sexes in their response to environmental improvement are contradictory. During the prenatal peroid males seem to show a greater response to nutritional supplementation, while postnatal catch-up growth is usually greater in females. Similarly, some investigations report larger secular trends in males, while others have found larger increases in females. These contradictory findings can be reconciled with the hypothesis of greater male environmental sensitivity, but they illustrate the need to obtain more specific information on the environment to which males and females are subject before the hypothesis can be tested adequately.
In vivo actions of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on bone formation and resorption in rats.

The in vivo action of insulin-like growth factor-I on bone metabolism has been studied using a new model. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was continuously infused into the arterial supply of the right hindlimb of ambulatory rats for up to 14 days and the effects on cortical and trabecular bone formation and the number of osteoclasts were determined by histomorphometric techniques. The contralateral limb acted as an internal control. IGF-I infusion significantly increased cortical bone formation (p < 0.01). Trabecular bone was increased 22% (p = 0.07), but the infusion was only for seven days. These effects of IGF-I were age dependent, being absent in young, rapidly growing animals, but present at least until one year of age. IGF-I appears to be a purely anabolic hormone for bone formation, since it significantly stimulates osteoblasts and decreases the number of osteoclasts. Thus, although IGF-I mediates the growth-promoting effect of growth hormone, it does not mediate growth hormone's action on bone resorption.
Characterizing nonlinearities in the Chandra LETG+HRC-S dispersion relation

The Chandra Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETGS) is comprised of 3 micro-channel plate (MCP) segments and is primarily used with the High Resolution Camera spectroscopic array (HRC-S). In-flight calibration data observed with the LETG+HRC-S show that there are non-linear deviations in the positions of some lines by as much as 0.1 a. These deviations are thought to be caused by spatial non-linearities in the imaging characteristics of the HRC-S detector. Here, we present the methods we used to characterize the non-linearities of the dispersion relation across the central plate of the HRC-S, and empirical corrections which greatly reduce the observed non-linearities by a factor of 2 or more on the central MCP.
Nonideal size-exclusion chromatography of proteins: Effects of pH at low ionic strength☆☆☆

Ideal size-exclusion chromatography separates molecules primarily on the basis of hydrodynamic volume. This is achieved only when the chromatographic support is neutral and the polarity nearly equal to that of the mobile phase. When this is not the case, the support surface may begin to play a role in the separation process. As the magnitude of surface contributions becomes larger, the deviation from the ideal increases. Because the separation mechanism is different than that of ideal size-exclusion chromatography, selectivity could be increased in nonideal size-exclusion chromatography. This paper explores the use of size-exclusion chromatography columns with mobile phases that cause proteins to exhibit slight deviations from the ideal size-exclusion mechanism. Although there are many ways to initiate nonideal size-exclusion behavior, the specific variable examined in this study is the influence of pH at low ionic strength. Individual proteins were chromatographed on SynChrom GPC-100, TSK-G2000SW, and TSK-G3000SW columns at low ionic strength. It was found that a protein could be selectively adsorbed, ion excluded, or chromatographed in an ideal size-exclusion mode by varying mobile-phase pH relative to the isoelectric point of the protein. In extreme cases, molecules could be induced either to elute in the void volume or beyond the volume of total permeation. It is postulated that these effects are the result of electrostatic interactions between proteins and surface silanols on the support surface. Optimization of size-exclusion separations relative to protein isoelectric points is discussed.
Binding Characteristics of Drugs to Synthetic Levodopa Melanin

To define binding characteristics of drugs, levodopa melanin was prepared with the aid of mushroom tyrosinase. The binding of radiolabeled substances was studied with increasing concentrations of melanin in a fixed volume of potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37°. The affinity and capacity of the drug binding were calculated according to Langmuir's adsorption isotherm. The affinity constant of various sympathomimetic amines such as (−)‐amphetamine, (+)‐amphetamine, (−)‐ephedrine, (±)‐octopamine, and (+)‐norepinephrine ranged from 1.1 to 2.8 × 105 M−1. The binding capacity for the amines ranged from 1.4 to 3.2 × 10−9 mole/mg. Although the capacity of (±)‐cocaine for binding was similar to that of the amines, the affinity was slightly higher, 8.9 × 105 M−1. The binding of atropine to the synthetic melanin appeared to be a saturable process with the affinity and capacity values of 0.2 × 105 M−1 and 7.6 × 10−9 mole/mg, respectively. Although the binding lacks stereoselectivity, the drugs vary in their capacity and affinity to bind with melanin. The observed differential pharmacological and toxicological properties of drugs in the pigmented tissues may in part be related to their differential binding characteristics.
The secreted glycoprotein CREG inhibits cell growth dependent on the mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor

Secreted proteins and their cognate receptors are implicated in a myriad of activities that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and development. CREG, a cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes, is a secreted glycoprotein that antagonizes cellular transformation by E1A and ras. We have previously shown that CREG expression is induced very early during differentiation of pluripotent cells and, even in the absence of other inducers, CREG promotes neuronal differentiation of human teratocarcinoma NTERA-2 cells. Here we show that ectopic expression of CREG in NTERA-2 cells results in a delay of the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle and growth inhibition. We show that CREG binds directly to the mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (M6P/IGF2R) dependent on CREG glycosylation. The M6P/IGF2R is a tumor suppressor that functions to control cell growth through interactions with multiple ligands. By analysing CREG activity in cells lacking M6P/IGF2R expression, we show that this receptor is required for CREG-induced growth inhibition. These studies reveal that CREG inhibits cell growth dependent on the M6P/IGF2R and suggest that interactions between CREG and a well-characterized tumor suppressor may contribute to regulation of proliferation and differentiation in multiple lineages.
Homochromatic spectrophotometry in the extreme ultraviolet

The d-log t curves of typical fast, medium, and slow emulsions when coated with oils fluorescing in the blue, near ultraviolet, and far ultraviolet respectively, have been studied in the region 900 to 5000 Angstroms by means of a vacuum spectrograph designed especially for photographic photometry, together with ordinary quartz spectrographs. The reciprocity and intermittency failures of the same emulsions, unoiled and when coated with the three oils, have been studied in the range 2300–5000A. The absorption and fluoresence spectra of the oils were also studied in the same range. It was found that the contrast obtained with oil coated plates is constant throughout that part of the spectrum in which the oil absorbs all of the incident light, and is equal to the contrast of the unoiled emulsion near the wave length of maximum intensity of fluorescence of the oil. As the oils studied absorb completely from their respective long wave limits down to at least 900A, the contrast obtained in the Schumann region was constant for a given oil-emulsion combination. This property greatly simplifies photographic photometry in the Schumann region, and enables one to assume the reciprocity law throughout that region when oil-emulsion combinations are used which have been found to obey the reciprocity law at the fluorescence maxima. Most of the secondary problems of photographic photometry are thus transferred from the difficult Schumann region to the near ultraviolet or visible where they can be more readily attacked. A device for varying intensities in the Schumann region is described, which is easily calibrated by means of the reciprocity law after the latter has been tested. A number of suggestions are made by which the use of fluorescent materials can be expected to simplify certain other problems of photometry.
Ultrasonic-Vibration-Assisted Pelleting of Cellulosic Biomass: Effects of Moisture Content

Cellulosic biomass is an important source for making biofuels. However, there are several barriers to cost-effective manufacturing of biofuels using cellulosic biomass. One such barrier is related to the high transportation cost due to the low density of cellulosic biomass. Pelleting of cellulosic biomass is one way to increase its density. This paper reports an experimental study on ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting of cellulosic biomass. The study was focused on the effects of moisture content (MC) on pellet density of three kinds of cellulosic biomass (wheat straw, switchgrass, and sorghum). The experimental results show that sorghum has the highest density with three levels of MC among these biomass materials. The highest density was found with sorghum of 20% MC.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme Cdc34 and Ubiquitin Ligase Skp1-Cullin-F-box Ligase (SCF) Interact through Multiple Conformations

In the ubiquitin-proteasome system, protein substrates are degraded via covalent modification by a polyubiquitin chain. The polyubiquitin chain must be assembled rapidly in cells, because a chain of at least four ubiquitins is required to signal for degradation, and chain-editing enzymes in the cell may cleave premature polyubiquitin chains before achieving this critical length. The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Cdc34 and ubiquitin ligase SCF are capable of building polyubiquitin chains onto protein substrates both rapidly and processively; this may be explained at least in part by the atypically fast rate of Cdc34 and SCF association. This rapid association has been attributed to electrostatic interactions between the acidic C-terminal tail of Cdc34 and a feature on SCF called the basic canyon. However, the structural aspects of the Cdc34-SCF interaction and how they permit rapid complex formation remain elusive. Here, we use protein cross-linking to demonstrate that the Cdc34-SCF interaction occurs in multiple conformations, where several residues from the Cdc34 acidic tail are capable of contacting a broad region of the SCF basic canyon. Similar patterns of cross-linking are also observed between Cdc34 and the Cul1 paralog Cul2, implicating the same mechanism for the Cdc34-SCF interaction in other members of the cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases. We discuss how these results can explain the rapid association of Cdc34 and SCF.
The Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein Developmentally Regulates the Strength and Fidelity of Calcium Signaling in Drosophila Mushroom Body Neurons

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a broad-spectrum neurological disorder characterized by hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, hyperactivity and severe cognitive impairment. FXS is caused by loss of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene, whose FMRP product regulates mRNA translation downstream of synaptic activity to modulate changes in synaptic architecture, function and plasticity. Null Drosophila FMR1 (dfmr1) mutants exhibit reduced learning and loss of protein synthesis-dependent memory consolidation, which is dependent on the brain mushroom body (MB) learning and memory center. We targeted a transgenic GFP-based calcium reporter to the MB in order to analyze calcium dynamics downstream of neuronal activation. In the dfmr1 null MB, there was significant augmentation of the calcium transients induced by membrane depolarization, as well as elevated release of calcium from intracellular organelle stores. The severity of these calcium signaling defects increased with developmental age, although early stages were characterized by highly variable, low fidelity calcium regulation. At the single neuron level, both calcium transient and calcium store release defects were exhibited by dfmr1 null MB neurons in primary culture. Null dfmr1 mutants exhibit reduced brain mRNA expression of calcium-binding proteins, including calcium buffers calmodulin and calbindin, predicting that the inability to appropriately sequester cytosolic calcium may be the common mechanistic defect causing calcium accumulation following both influx and store release. Changes in the magnitude and fidelity of calcium signals in the absence of dFMRP likely contribute to defects in neuronal structure/function, leading to the hallmark learning and memory dysfunction of FXS.
Demographic Response of Mule Deer to Experimental Reduction of Coyotes and Mountain Lions in Southeastern Idaho

ABSTRACT Manipulating predator populations is often posed as a solution to depressed ungulate populations. However, predator—prey dynamics are complex and the effect on prey populations is often an interaction of predator life history, climate, prey density, and habitat quality. The effect of predator removal on ungulate and, more specifically, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations has not been adequately investigated at a management scale. We tested the efficacy of removing coyotes (Cams latrans) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) for increasing survival and population growth rate of mule deer in southeastern Idaho, USA, during 1997–2003. We assigned 8 game management units (GMUs) to treatments under a 2 × 2 factorial design (treatments of coyote removal and lion removal) with 2 replicates of each treatment or reference area combination. We used methods typically available to wildlife managers to achieve predator removals and a combination of extensive and intensive monitoring in these 8 GMUs to te...
Carbonation−Calcination Cycle Using High Reactivity Calcium Oxide for Carbon Dioxide Separation from Flue Gas

This study is focused on improving the reactivity of a CaO sorbent for its use in a reaction-based process for the separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from flue gas. The separation process consists of cyclical carbonation (of a metal oxide) and calcination (of the metal carbonate formed) reactions to yield concentrated CO2 from flue gas. CaO sorbents synthesized from naturally occurring limestone and dolomite were microporous in nature. Pore filling and pore pluggage of these micropores limited the conversion of CaO in the carbonation reaction to about 45−50% of the stoichiometric limit. A wet precipitation process was tailored to synthesize high-surface-area precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC). The pores of PCC predominantly lie in the mesoporous range (5−20 nm). The CaO sorbent obtained from PCC (PCC-CaO) was less susceptible to pore pluggage and attained over 90% conversion. PCC-CaO was also capable of maintaining its high reactivity (>90%) over two carbonation−calcination cycles.
Physical and circuit modeling of coupled open quantum systems

Recently, we proposed new complementary logic circuits using nano-scale coupled quantum wells [12]. In this paper, we explore a systematic way of modeling the device at physical and circuit levels for nano-scale coupled open quantum systems. The physical interface between coupled and uncoupled regions is considered as a junction where electrons can be coherently injected. The circuit model treats the system as a multimode ID system with virtually separated nodes assigned for the chemical and static potentials. The model explains simulated tunneling lineshapes well.
Long-range solid-state ordering and high geometric distortions induced in phthalocyanines by small fluoroalkyl groups

Electron-withdrawing α-CF3groups sterically induce severe geometric distortions and long-range solid-state ordering in protio and catalytically active μ-oxo iron phthalocyanine.
A rapid and sensitive assay for tyrosine-3-monooxygenase based upon the release of 3H2O and adsorption of [3H]-tyrosine by charcoal

A rapid, simple and sensitive assay has been developed for tyrosine-3-monooxygenase, the enzyme catalyzing the rate-limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis. The assay is based upon the release of 3H2O from 3H-[3,5]-L-tyrosine with adsorption of the isotopic substrate (and its metabolites) by an aqueous slurry of activated charcoal. This method routinely yields low blank values and is simpler than the procedure requiring the use of cation exchange columns to separate the isotopic substrate from the 3H2O formed during the hydroxylation reaction.
Lobular neoplasia: Morphology and management

Context.—Lobular neoplasia encompasses a spectrum of disease, including atypical lobular hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ. Although classic forms of lobular neoplasia are predominantly heralded as a risk marker, the pleomorphic form of lobular carcinoma in situ is generally regarded as a more aggressive subtype and a possible cancer precursor, and thus is treated in a manner more similar to ductal carcinoma in situ than classic forms of lobular neoplasia. Objective.—To focus on the morphologic spectrum of lobular neoplasia as highlighted by 3 cases and current management recommendations. Areas of diagnostic challenge and controversy are addressed. Data Sources.—A review of the pertinent published literature and current national guidelines was conducted. Conclusions.—Correct classification of classic lobular neoplasia and pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ is critical because of differences in clinical management, with current treatment strategies focused on risk reduction for patients with cla...
Serum LH and FSH Responses to Synthetic Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Normal Men

The effects of dose and of age on the serum LH and FSH responses to synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were determined in normal men. GnRH was given as in iv bolus in doses from 2 to 500 fig to each of nine normal men, 20–39 years old. The mean (±se) maximum ΔLH (maximum increment above the basal concentration) in response to each dose of GnRH was 2 μg, 7.2 ± 1.7 mIU/ml; 10 μg, 15.7 ± 3.4 mIU/ml; 50 μg, 37.7 ± 9.6 mIU/ml; 250 μg, 47.8 ± 11.2 mIU/ml; and 500 μg, 49.3 ± 11.2 mIU/ml. The mean AFSH in response to each dose was 2 μg, 0.5 ± 0.2 mIU/ml; 10 μg, 0.8 ± 0.2 mIU/ml; 50 μg, 1.2 ±0.3 mIU/ml; 250 μg, 2.0 ± 0.3 mIU/ml; and 500 μg, 2.4 ± 0.4 mIU/ml. Since both the LH and FSH responses to the 250 μg dose were significantly greater than those to smaller doses, but the responses to the 500 μg dose were not still larger, 250 μg was used as the standard test done for subsequent studies. The effect of age was tested by administering a 250 μg dose of GnRH as an iv bolus to 42 carefully selected norm...
The evolutionary organization as a complex adaptive system

Based on concepts of the complex adaptive system (CAS) from system theory and complexity studies, the authors characterize the CAS and investigate whether the CAS construct is transferrable to business organizations. A scale is developed to rate a business organization's similarity to a CAS. The call a business enterprise matching the criteria of a CAS an "evolutionary organization". Short case studies of three high-technology companies (Microsoft, Intel, and Netscape) lead to an evaluation of these companies as evolutionary organizations. Limits of the transferability of this method are noted.
Dopamine synthesis and metabolism in rhesus monkey retina: Development, aging, and the effects of monocular visual deprivation

The normal postnatal development, the influence of age, and the effects of visual deprivation on the dopamine system in the retina of rhesus monkeys were examined. The lowest level of retinal dopamine was found at birth. By 3–4 weeks of age, the dopamine concentration had more than doubled. This level remained relatively constant in the retinas of older infants and of adult monkeys up to 34 yr of age. The level of the dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase did not significantly change as a function of age during the postnatal life span.Monocular occlusion of newborn or infant monkeys for 1–15 months with opaque contact lenses resulted in decreases in the retinal concentrations of dopamine and DOPAC relative to the concentrations in the same animals' unoccluded eyes. Occlusion also resulted in a lower level of tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the retina. Monocular eyelid suture from birth to 15 months of age resulted in less consistent alterations of retinal dopamine and DOPAC levels; tyrosine hydroxylase activity, however, was consistently reduced by lid suture. Thus, dopamine synthesis and metabolism, and the ontogenetic increase of the retinal dopamine level of rhesus monkey are reduced by light deprivation.
Accretion and diffusion time-scales in sheets and filaments

A comparison of accretion and (turbulent) magnetic diffusion timescales for sheets and filaments demonstrates that dense star-forming clouds generally will -- under realistic conditions -- become supercritical due to mass accretion on timescales at least an order of magnitude shorter than ambipolar and/or turbulent diffusion timescales. Thus, ambipolar or turbulent diffusion -- while present -- is unlikely to control the formation of cores and stars.
On the semi-definite programming solution of the least order dynamic output feedback synthesis

We show that a semi-definite programming approach can be adopted to determine the least order dynamic output feedback which stabilizes a given linear time invariant plant.
One Hundred and Fourteen Days of Somatic Support in a Severely Brain Injured Pregnant Woman: Case Report and Review of the Literature

The management of a previable pregnancy complicated by severe brain injury raises the question of whether to provide somatic support in order to maintain the pregnancy or not. Obstetricians who encounter this clinical scenario are faced with emotional, medical and ethical complexities, which require multidisciplinary input. A 19-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history suffered severe brain injury and remained in a persistent vegetative state following a gunshot wound to the neck. She was discovered to be 15 weeks pregnant during resuscitative efforts. Following consultation with her family and power of attorney it was agreed to continue somatic support in order to maintain the pregnancy. A literature review to determine the best evidence based care from a multidisciplinary perspective is performed addressing issues of ethics, simulation and management of changes in maternal physiology, as well as pregnancy outcomes based on the neurological sequelae following severe brain injury. Previable pregnancies complicated by severe brain injury may be maintained until viability. Based on limited data, the obstetric outcomes may differ depending on whether the neurological sequelae are brain death or a persistent vegetative state. This management should be performed following consultation with the patient ’ s power of attorney in conjunction with the ethics committee and legal department of the hospital. Maternal physiological changes of pregnancy must be considered for successful somatic support. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2014;3(1):42-49 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jcgo197w
Land use and land cover influence on water quality in the last free-flowing river draining the western Sierra Nevada, California

Land use and land cover across 28 sub-basins within the Cosumnes Watershed, CA (1989 km 2 ) were correlated to nitrate-N and total suspended solids (TSS) loading between water years 1999 and 2001. The impact of human development on stream water quality was evident as both agricultural area and population density predicted TSS loading in a linear mixed effects model. In contrast to the TSS model, the nitrate-N loading model was more complex with agriculture, grassland, and the presence or absence of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) all contributing. The lack of correlation between population density and nitrate-N loading indicates that human habitation of the landscape does not impact stream nitrate levels until a WWTP is built within the sub-basin. During dry water years the models predict a linear reduction in TSS loading but the correlations to agriculture and population density remain positive. In contrast, nitrate is positively correlated to grasslands during average water years and negatively correlated during dry water years. Analysis of constituent fluxes from the upper watershed versus the lower watershed indicates that silica is derived primarily from the uplands and that during dry water years the upper watershed is an important source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate. The lower watershed contributes the majority of the sediment and nutrients during both dry and average water years, the one caveat being that during dry years the lower basin becomes a nitrate sink. q 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Competing complexity metrics and adults' production of complex sentences

The adequacy of 11 metrics for measuring linguistic complexity was evaluated by applying each metric to language samples obtained from 30 different adult speakers, aged 60–90 years. The analysis then determined how well each metric indexed age-group differences in complexity. In addition, individual differences in the complexity of adults' language were examined as a function of these complexity metrics using structural equation modeling techniques. In a follow-up study, judges listened to sentences in noise, rated their comprehensibility, and attempted to recall each sentence verbatim. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to evaluate the structural equation model, derived from the language samples, with respect to sentence comprehensibility and recall. While most of the metrics provided an adequate account of age-group and individual differences in complexity, the amount of embedding and the type of embedding proved to predict how easily sentences are understood and how accurately they are recalled.
Fault-Tolerance Schemes for Hierarchical Mesh Networks

In [3], a hierarchical configuration for mesh was developed. The proposed scheme divides a mesh network into uniform smaller clusters. Each of these clusters contains a leader (or monitor) to communicate with the other members of the group. Leaders are then required to communicate with other leaders to form groups at higher levels. The hierarchical approach has been shown to reduce the communication cost by reducing the overall distance traveled by messages in the network [1, 2, 3]. Experiments were conducted on the hierarchical configuration to simulate different activities that it may be used for. Simulations were designed to test various sizes of the underlying mesh, as well as potential cluster sizes that may be utilized. In efforts to see if additional improvements could be made, a variety of throughputs of data were tested for the system.
A fine structural study of divalent cation‐mediated epithelial union with connective tissue in human oral mucosa

Following incubation in an isotonic saline solution containing 20 mM EDTA, human oral mucosa may be separated into its epithelial and connective tissue components. Ultrastructural study of the separated tissues reveals that the plane of separation is through the lamina lucida. Hemidesmosomal structure is altered by the separation process: the peripheral density is absent but a fine, generally filamentous material remains associated with the outer membrane leaflet of the hemidesmosome. Desmosome structure is not altered. An intact lamina densa remains attached to the connective tissue fragment. Oral mucosa incubated in EDTA-saline containing calcium, or its return to a divalent cation-supplemented medium after treatment with EDTA, prevents separation. By maintaining the structural integrity of the hemidesmosome, divalent cations appear to play a principal role in uniting oral mucosal epithelium to the lamina propria.
A data model and query language for EXODUS

In this paper, we present the design of the EXTRA data model and the EXCESS query language for the EXODUS extensible database system. The EXTRA data model includes support for complex objects with shared subobjects, a novel mix of object- and value-oriented semantics for data, support for persistent objects of any type in the EXTRA type lattice, and user-defined abstract data types (ADTs). The EXCESS query language provides facilities for querying and updating complex object structures, and it can be extended through the addition of ADT functions and operators, procedures and functions for manipulating EXTRA schema types, and generic set functions EXTRA and EXCESS are intended to serve as a test vehicle for tools developed under the EXODUS extensible database system project.
Claytronics: A Scalable Basis For Future Robots

Claytronics is a form a programmable matter that takes the concept of modular robots to a new extreme. The concept of modular robots has been around for some time. (See [14] for a survey.) Previous approaches to modular robotics sought to create an ensemble of tens or even hundreds of small autonomous robots which could, through coordination, achieve a global effect not possible by any single unit. In general the goal of these projects was to adapt to the environment to facilitate, for example, improved locomotion. Our work on claytronics departs from previous work in several important ways. One of the primary goals of claytronics is to form the basis for a new media type, pario. Pario, a logical extension of audio and video, is a media type used to reproduce moving 3D objects in the real world. A direct result of our goal is that claytronics must scale to millions of micron-scale units. Having scaling (both in number and size) as a primary design goal impacts the work significantly.
Policy Frameworks Influencing Outdoor Water‐use Restrictions

Water-use efficiency in the United States (U.S.) has improved in recent years. Yet continued population growth coupled with increasingly conservation-oriented regulatory frameworks suggest that residential water suppliers will have to realize additional efficiency gains in coming decades. Outdoor water-use restrictions (OWRs) appear to be an increasingly prevalent demand-side management policy tool. To date little research has investigated the policy mechanisms that govern OWR adoption and influence the prevalence of OWRs. This article fills this gap with an assessment of state-level policies influencing local-level restrictions on residential outdoor water use in each of the 48 contiguous U.S. states, and with a detailed illustration of the cross-scalar dynamic of one state's policy framework in practice. An examination of the implementation of OWRs in 24 neighboring towns in Massachusetts across the 2003-2012 period indicates the interplay between state-level and local-level policies leads to OWRs implementation over extended time-periods, even when drought conditions are not present. This finding suggests OWRs are being used as a tool for general-purpose water conservation rather than as a stopgap measure justified by temporary water shortage conditions. Future research should investigate how local-level water savings vary with differing state-level approaches.
Annals Initiates New Section

The hunting and mating behavior of Bittacus mastrillii NavAis was studied at 830 and 1,600 m above sea level. In the former population, both males and females congregated after sunset at thistle flowers in full bloom to prey on insects; they also mated continuously at the same site. At the higher site, males visited the forest edge to prey on arthropods in the afternoon. Males used wide-area searching with flight (vegetation sweeping) to hunt prey. Prey-hunting males lured females with pheromone emission. Simultaneous feeding by both sexes during the prolonged copulation was observed at low temperatures. B. mastrillii hunted at air temperatures of â6â16°C at both sites. Differences in the daily active periods between the 2 populations are correlated with differences in elevations. The difference in the daily active period leads to a difference in resource availability. B. mastrillii is able to switch its hunting behavior according to the spatiotemporal distribution and abundance of prey arthropods. Males are able to switch their mating behavior in response to changes in their hunting behavior.
Connective tissue. VIII. Factors effecting collagen synthesis by sponge biopsy connective tissue.

SummaryThe conversion of C14-proline to C14-hydroxyproline has been used as a measure of the synthesis of collagen in sponge biopsy connective tissue in vitro. Krebs-Henseleit medium, pH 7.4, under an atmosphere of 95% O2–5% CO2 created the most satisfactory conditions we have employed for collagen synthesis in vitro. Elimination of NaCl from the incubation medium gave the most striking depression of collagen synthesis. Replacement of NaCl by other chemical compounds did not restore the synthesis of collagen to the control level. An amino acid mixture, containing essential amino acids, had an inhibitory effect on collagen synthesis. Freezing and crushing destroys most of the enzyme system or systems required for collagen synthesis. The data presented are compatible with the concept that all collagen hydroxyproline is derived from proline peptide.
Pulmonary involvement in Sjögren syndrome.

Sjogren syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic inflammation of exocrine glands and a variety of extraglandular sites. Lung involvement as defined by symptoms and either pulmonary function testing or radiographic abnormalities occurs in approximately 10 to 20% of patients. Subclinical lung disease is even more frequent and often includes evidence of small airways disease and airway inflammation. In general, patients will have evidence of both airway and interstitial lung disease by radiographs and pathology. Bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis are the most common airway manifestations while the interstitial pathologies associated with SS include nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis, usual interstitial pneumonitis, and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. Patients with SS are also at an increased risk of lymphoma. A protean of other lung abnormalities including amyloidosis, granulomatous lung disease, pseudolymphoma, pulmonary hypertension, and pleural disease have been described.
Recollections of, and Letters to, Ray Kesner

Knowing and interacting with Raymond P. Kesner has been a privilege for many of us that has left indelible memories and impacted our own careers and personal relationships. Ray Kesner’s accomplishments range far beyond the major impact he has made by advancing knowledge about the neurobiology of learning and memory, and even beyond the development and empirical support of his “attribute model of memory.” In an attempt to portray the magnitude of Ray’s impact, we are obliged to document at least a glimpse of his presence by providing commentary from individuals for whom Ray was an important mentor, colleague, and/or friend. All of the positive attributes we cherish in academe have been exemplified by Ray throughout his career. His boundless energy, insatiable intellectual curiosity, generosity, and warm-heartedness continue to enrich many of our lives. We hope the recollections of Ray as a mentor and scientist by Bill DeCoteau and subsequent letters from colleagues captures why Raymond P. Kesner has left us with such wonderful, enduring memories. For those of you who read this section and do not know Ray, we hope that he inspires you too.
Climate Benefits of U.S. EPA Programs and Policies That Reduced Methane Emissions 1993-2013.

The United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established voluntary programs to reduce methane (CH4) emissions, and regulations that either directly reduce CH4 or provide co-benefits of reducing CH4 emissions while controlling for other air pollutants. These programs and regulations address four sectors that are among the largest domestic CH4 emissions sources: municipal solid waste landfills, oil and natural gas, coal mining, and agricultural manure management. Over the 1993–2013 time period, 127.9 Tg of CH4 emissions reductions were attributed to these programs, equal to about 18% of the counterfactual (or potential) domestic emissions over that time, with almost 70% of the abatement due to landfill sector regulations. Reductions attributed to the voluntary programs increased nearly continuously during the study period. We quantified how these reductions influenced atmospheric CH4 concentration and global temperature, finding a decrease in concentration of 28 ppb and an avoided temp...
Teaching Poetry in TESOL Teacher Education: Heightened Attention to Language as Well as to Cultural and Political Critique Through Poetry Writing

Teachers of World English are no longer charged with teaching a fixed set of grammar rules and lexical choices but with teaching creative ways to navigate varieties of English and other world languages according to a wide set of contextual variables. Although there is a great deal of advocacy for teaching creativity and strategy in TESOL classrooms (Richards, 2013), there is little documentation regarding how preservice teachers themselves exercise their own abilities as creative language users. How might students enrolled in a TESOL teacher preparation program respond to a course specifically designed to tap into prospective TESOL teachers' own creativity? In this article the authors present research documenting the implementation of poetry writing courses as part of a TESOL teacher preparation program in the southeastern United States that has attracted increasing numbers of native-Chinese-speaking students. Through qualitative analysis of students' poems, interviews, and classroom observations, we describe the ways in which the poetry writing offered intellectual tools of inquiry (Johnson, 2006), heightening students' attention to the nuances and aesthetics of language (English and Chinese) as well as to articulations of “East-West” learner identity and political critique seldom documented in TESOL teacher preparation scholarship.