cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colloidal size distribution of humic- and protein-like fluorescent organic matter in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract The colloidal size distributions (0.5–400 nm) of humic-like and protein-like fluorescent and UV-absorbing marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) have been determined using flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF) coupled to UV-absorbance and fluorescence detectors. Surface seawater samples were taken monthly between November 2008 and September 2009, from eight stations along a transect across the Mississippi Sound and Mississippi Bight in the northern Gulf of Mexico. DOM was also isolated from cultures of two phytoplankton species. The concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the study area was largely controlled by river inputs, but the specific UV-absorbance and fluorescence index indicated that the importance of marine DOM increased from nearshore to offshore stations. In the seawater samples, only a small fraction (3–16%) of the ‘humic-like’ fluorescent DOM (Ex/Em wavelengths at 240/440 nm, 310/400 nm, 320/440 nm and 350/450 nm) was found in the colloidal size range (> 0.5 nm), mainly associated with small colloids (mean hydrodynamic diameter 2–3 nm). For the ‘protein-like fluorescent DOM’ (Ex/Em at 275/305 nm and 275/340 nm) a larger fraction (21–100%) was found in the colloidal size range, including both small (2–3 nm) and larger (mean hydrodynamic diameter 6–7 nm, ~ 75 nm, and > 400 nm) colloids. A culture of the diatom Chaetoceros muelleri produced mainly humic-like fluorescent DOM, while the fluorescent DOM produced by the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum sp. was mostly protein-like. In both plankton cultures, the protein-like DOM was largely associated with colloids around 6 nm, 12–14 nm and larger, while only a small fraction of humic-like DOM was found in the colloidal size range. After five months of starving and aging of the cultures, both the humic-like and protein-like DOM became increasingly associated with small colloids having a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 2–4 nm. We hypothesize that the larger (6–7 nm, 12–14 nm, ~ 75 nm and > 400 nm) protein-like colloids in the seawater samples and phytoplankton cultures were freshly produced by phytoplankton or bacteria. The smaller (2–4 nm) colloids in the aging phytoplankton cultures probably represented phytoplankton-derived organic material that had been transformed by microbial degradation, while the small (2–3 nm) humic-like colloids in the seawater samples were most likely dominated by fulvic acids from terrestrial sources.
Diagnosing dynamic faults using modular neural nets

The use of radial basis function networks (RBFNs) for diagnosis and classification is discussed. Even though RBFNs can be trained quickly compared to backpropagation networks, the training effort is still significant for large-scale diagnosis problems. Rho-Net, an architecture that decomposes the dynamic classification problem in two ways, making such training tractable, is presented. The first decomposition reduces the amount of training data needed for any stage of the training process by constructing separate networks for each fault class. The second decomposition reduces the dimensionality of the input space by incorporating temporal information at the output of the network, instead of as a temporal window at the input of the net. Application of Rho-Nets to chemical process simulation is discussed. >
Configuring distributed computer systems with online database backups

Abstract Designers of distributed computer systems face many complex decisions in determining the system configuration. These decisions involve location of computing resources, determination of databases and allocation of one or more copies of these databases among computing facilities. This paper deals with the configuration problem for a class of organizations that are critically dependent on the availability of their computer systems, and have widely dispersed operations with localized information needs. These organizations require online back-up copies of their databases in order to continue their operations in case of failure of a computer installation or a communication channel. An integer programming formulation of the problem is presented and an effective solution procedure is developed. Computational experience with this procedure is reported.
The effects of glacial surging on sedimentation in a modern ice-contact lake, Alaska

In June 1987, Carroll Glacier (Glacier Bay, southeast Alaska) began to surge southeastward toward Wachusett Inlet. Between 9 June and 1 July 1987, the terminus advanced with a mean velocity of 29 m/day, slowing afterward but attaining a net displacement of >1 km by July 1988. A proglacial lake lay directly in the path of the surge and became partly overridden, with only 25% of its former basin remaining exposed after 1 yr. The effects of the ice advance on the lake were profound. Early in the surge, lake-water samples attained suspended-sediment concentrations exceeding 9 g/L well above bottom. Extremely rapid sedimentation, locally attaining 8 m in 36 days, produced nearly uniform water depths of 8-9.5 m by August 1987. Sediment deposited during the surge was extremely soft and underconsolidated, composed of massive to irregularly layered muddy silt produced by disruptions of the lake floor and by remobilization of lake-bottom sediment by sediment gravity flows. A prominent push moraine, developed from a low ridge initiated by glacial loading, formed where the glacier overrode sandy substrate, but no similar feature was observed in the muddy lake floor. By July 1988, the surge had greatly diminished, and the remaining lake basin was slowly uplifted by displacement from the weight of the ice. By the end of August 1988, most of the lake floor was completely exposed and undergoing erosion by meltwater channels, causing abnormally high suspended-sediment loads at the outlet compared to the previous year when the lake was an effective sediment sink.
Decentralized bridge health monitoring using wireless smart sensors

Wireless Smart Sensor Networks (WSSN) facilitates a new paradigm to structural health monitoring (SHM) for civil infrastructure. Conventionally, SHM systems employing wired sensors and central data acquisition have been used to characterize the state of a structure; however, wide-spread implementation has been limited due to difficulties in cabling, high equipment cost, and long setup time. WSSNs offer a unique opportunity to overcome such difficulties. Recent advances in sensor technology have realized low-cost, smart sensors with on-board computation and wireless communication capabilities, making deployment of a dense array of sensors on large civil structures both feasible and economical. Wireless smart sensors have shown their tremendous potential for SHM in recent full-scale bridge monitoring examples. However, structural damage identification in WSSNs, a primary objective of SHM, has yet to reach its full potential. This paper presents an implementation of the stochastic dynamic damage locating vector (SDDLV) method on the Imote2 sensor platform and experimental validation in a laboratory environment. The WSSN application is developed based on the Illinois SHM Project (ISHMP) Services Toolsuite (http://shm.cs.uiuc.edu), combining decentralized data aggregation, system identification, receptance-based damage detection, and global damage assessment. The laboratory experiment uses a three-dimensional truss structure with a network of Imote2 sensors for decentralized damage identification. Future efforts to deploy a long-term structural health monitoring system for a fullscale steel truss bridge are also described.
Determination of residues of 3-cyclohexyl-5,6-trimethyleneuracil.

A method is described for determining residues of an experimental herbicide, based on Lenacil (3-cyclo-hexyl-5,6-trimethyleneuracil) in soil and sugar beets. The procedure is based on the gas chromatographic measurement of Lenacil after extraction from the substrate with an alkaline solution and subsequently partitioned into an organic solvent. Intermediate cleanup steps are required. The sensitivity of the method is about 0·04 ppm based on a 25-g sample, with an average recovery of better than 80%.
Effect of ultraviolet B radiation and 100 Hz electromagnetic fields on proliferation and DNA synthesis of Jurkat cells

The use of ultraviolet B light (UVB) has been proven to be highly effective for treatment of various inflammatory skin diseases, but UVB phototherapy is limited by its carcinogenic side effects. It is necessary to uncover effectors that augment UVB so that similar or improved efficacy can be obtained with lower UVB doses. We found that low frequency, low intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can act as such an effector and synergistically inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation. We first characterized the effects of UVB on Jurkat cells, a model for cutaneous T lymphocytes, and determined UVB's dose dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Cells exposed to a sublethal UVB dose retained their sensitivity to UVB, but repetitive irradiation seemed to cause accumulation of delayed DNA damage. We then exposed cells to combinations of UVB plus EMFs and found that 100 Hz, 1 mT EMFs decrease DNA synthesis of UVB-activated Jurkat cells by 34 +/- 13% compared to UVB alone. The decrease is, however, most effective when relatively high UVB doses are employed. Since EMFs alone had only a very weak inhibitory effect (10 +/- 2%), the data suggest that EMFs augment the cell killing effects of UVB in a synergistic way. These findings could provide the basis for development of new and improved clinical phototherapy protocols.
A meronomic relatedness measure for domain ontologies using concept probability and multiset theory

Semantic relatedness measures provide a means to determine how closely related two concepts may or may not be. In the area of ontology alignment, many lexical-based relatedness measures have been successfully applied within the realm of domain ontologies. The alignment initiative, however, has not included all measures of relatedness. More generic measures of relatedness, such as meronomy-based, have yet to be established beyond lexical ontologies. This paper introduces an algorithm for measuring meronomic relatedness between concepts within a domain ontology. Specifically, a new method is proposed for measuring how much one concept is “part of” another in a domain ontology. This is accomplished by utilizing inherent attributes of these ontologies in concert with protocols currently applied in established relatedness measures. Key features of this method include a unique approach to the weighted edge measure, one in which each edge is weighted based on applying a concept probability algorithm to a multiset composed of ontology property ranges. The application of this method is then illustrated with the aid of two case-studies, namely a camera ontology and a wine ontology, and the results are discussed.
What the World's religions teach, applied to vaccines and immune globulins

For millennia, humans have sought and found purpose, solace, values, understanding, and fellowship in religious practices. Buddhist nuns performed variolation against smallpox over 1000 years ago. Since Jenner developed vaccination against smallpox in 1796, some people have objected to and declined vaccination, citing various religious reasons. This paper reviews the scriptural, canonical basis for such interpretations, as well as passages that support immunization. Populous faith traditions are considered, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Subjects of concern such as blood components, pharmaceutical excipients of porcine or bovine origin, rubella strain RA 27/3, and cell-culture media with remote fetal origins are evaluated against the religious concerns identified. The review identified more than 60 reports or evaluations of vaccine-preventable infectious-disease outbreaks that occurred within religious communities or that spread from them to broader communities. In multiple cases, ostensibly religious reasons to decline immunization actually reflected concerns about vaccine safety or personal beliefs among a social network of people organized around a faith community, rather than theologically based objections per se. Themes favoring vaccine acceptance included transformation of vaccine excipients from their starting material, extensive dilution of components of concern, the medicinal purpose of immunization (in contrast to diet), and lack of alternatives. Other important features included imperatives to preserve health and duty to community (e.g., parent to child, among neighbors). Concern that 'the body is a temple not to be defiled' is contrasted with other teaching and quality-control requirements in manufacturing vaccines and immune globulins. Health professionals who counsel hesitant patients or parents can ask about the basis for concern and how the individual applies religious understanding to decision-making about medical products, explain facts about content and processes, and suggest further dialog with informed religious leaders. Key considerations for observant believers for each populous religion are described.
Ill-structured problems and the reference consultation The librarian's role in developing student expertise

Purpose – To apply the concept of ill‐structured problems and learner expertise to the reference consultation.Design/methodology/approach – Research literature from the 1960s forward regarding ill‐structured problems and learner expertise in a variety of disciplines was surveyed. Resulting characteristics of expert problem‐solvers were used to suggest applications to the reference consultation.Findings – Librarians can structure the reference consultation to better meet students' needs as information problem solvers.Research limitations/implications – The method described appears to have sound basis in research into cognitive development and reflective thinking, but it has not been empirically demonstrated in the reference environment. Empirical research with reference librarians and students would be a logical next step.Originality/value – Research into ill‐structured problems and learner expertise is ongoing in information retrieval systems. It has not been applied to the reference consultation.
Therapeutic Potential of the Natural Product Mangiferin in Metabolic Syndrome

Natural products have long been and continue to be attractive source of nutritional and pharmacological therapeutics. Interest in natural compounds as potential therapies for metabolic syndrome have recently focused on hydroxylated aromatics, such as resveratrol. Another compound of interest in this regard is mangiferin, the predominant constituent of extracts of the mango plant Mangifera indica . Mangiferin has documented antioxidant, cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Recently, pilot studies indicate bioactivity of this compound in mediating insulin sensitivity and modulating lipid metabolism. In this review we provide information on what we know about the impact of mangiferin on important biological processes involved in metabolic disorders.
Runtime Resonance Noise Reduction with Current Prediction Enabled Frequency Actuator

Power delivery network (PDN) is a distributed resistance-inductance-capacitance (RLC) network with its dominant resonance frequency in the low-to-middle frequency range. Though high-performance chips' working frequencies are much higher than this resonance frequency in general, chip runtime loading frequency is not. When a chip executes a chunk of instructions repeatedly, the induced current load may have harmonic components close to this resonance frequency, causing excessive power integrity degradation. Existing PDN design solutions are, however, mainly targeted at reducing high-frequency noise and not effective to suppress such resonance noise. In this work, we propose a novel approach to proactively suppress this type of noise. A method based on the high dimension generalized Markov process is developed to predict current load variation. Based on such prediction, a clock frequency actuator design is proposed to proactively select an optimal clock frequency to suppress the resonance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in-depth study on proactively reducing instruction loop induced PDN resonance noise at the runtime.
Suture complications in a teaching institution among patients undergoing uterosacral ligament suspension with permanent braided suture

Introduction and hypothesis Our study aimed to identify the rate of suture complications over a 5-year period using braided permanent suture for uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) surgery.
UV Photostimulated Si Atomic-Layer Epitaxy

Single-crystal Si films have been grown on Si(001)2×1 substrates by UVphotostimulated atomic-layer epitaxy (ALE) from Si2H6. The ALE deposition rate R per growth cycle remains constant at 0.4 monolayers (ML) over a wide range of deposition parameters: growth temperature (Ts = 180-400 °C), Si2H6 exposure (peak pressure during gas pulse = 0.1-5 mTorr), UV laser energy density (g = 250-450 mJ cm-2 where gmax is determined by Ts), and number of UV laser pulses per cycle. A film growth mocrel, based upon the results of the present deposition experiments and Monte Carlo simulations, together with our previous adsorption/desorption measurements, Is used to describe the reaction pathway for the process. The Hterminated silylene-saturated surface formed by adsorption and desorption of disilene is thermally stable and passive to further Si2H6 exposure. ArF or KrF laser pulses (≈ 20 ns) are used to desorb H, following a Si2H6 exposure, and the growth cycle is repeated until the desired film thickness is obtained. At Ts 400 °C, H is thermally desorbed and pyrolytic growth competes with ALE. Transmission electron micrographs together with selected-area electron diffraction patterns show that the ALE films are epitaxial layers with no observed extended defects or strain.
Good Grief: Coming to Terms with the Childbirth Experience

The practical application of what is known about the grieving process is discussed in connection not only with obvious grief‐laden situations, but also with situations in which the grief content is more subtle. It is proposed that learning to identify the less traumatic situations in which an expression of grief can help obstetric patients and their families cope with the childbirth experience is also a part of optimum nursing care.
fruitless, doublesex and the genetics of social behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Two genes coding for transcription factors, fruitless and doublesex, have been suggested to play important roles in the regulation of sexually dimorphic patterns of social behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. The generalization that fruitless specified the development of the nervous system and doublesex specified non-neural tissues culminated with claims that fruitless was both necessary and sufficient to establish sex-specific patterns of behavior. Several recent articles refute this notion, however, demonstrating that at a minimum, both fruitless and doublesex are involved in establishing sexually dimorphic features of neural circuitry and behavior in fruit flies.
Attenuation of cocaine-seeking by progesterone treatment in female rats

Clinical research suggests that gender differences exist in cocaine dependence. Similarly, preclinical studies have shown that female rats exhibit higher response rates during cocaine self-administration, early extinction, and cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug-seeking. These effects are also estrous cycle dependent and inversely related to plasma progesterone, in that proestrus females (high progesterone) exhibit less cocaine-seeking, while estrous females (low progesterone) show the greatest cocaine-seeking. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that progesterone would attenuate cocaine-seeking behavior in intact, freely cycling animals. The role of the estrous cycle on cocaine-seeking behavior during early (first acquisition day) versus late (last maintenance day) cocaine self-administration was also examined. Female, Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered cocaine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion, IV) along a FR1 schedule, followed by daily extinction sessions in the absence of cocaine reinforcement. Once responding was extinguished, rats received an injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg, IP) immediately prior to reinstatement testing. Progesterone (2 mg/kg, SC) or vehicle was administered 20 and 2h prior to the first day of extinction (early cocaine withdrawal) and the reinstatement trials. To determine estrous cycle phase, we assessed vaginal cytology prior to the first acquisition and last maintenance days of cocaine self-administration, the first day of extinction training, and each reinstatement test. During early and late cocaine self-administration, proestrus and estrous females exhibited the greatest levels of active lever responding, respectively. A significant increase in responding also occurred during cocaine-primed reinstatement for estrous versus nonestrous females, an effect that was selectively attenuated by progesterone. However, progesterone was not effective at reducing cocaine-primed reinstatement for females in other phases of the estrous cycle, nor was it effective at reducing cocaine-seeking during early withdrawal. Taken together, these results suggest that progesterone may be a useful therapeutic for preventing relapse in abstinent female cocaine users, especially when the likelihood of relapse is greatest.
Evaluation of drug interaction data in prescribing information for NMEs approved in 2000–2004

Background The FDA released guidances for in vitro and in vivo drug metabolism/drug interaction studies in 1997 and 1999. This study was undertaken to evaluate the content of labeling information of 74 NMEs approved from 2000 to June 2004 for (i) drug metabolism/drug interaction data, (ii) the occurrence of labeling revisions for pharmacokinetic drug interactions and (iii) any gap between current labeling information and published literature. Methods Labeling information and reviews for NMEs (excluding small molecules, ophthalmic solutions and topical compounds) was accessed at Drugs@FDA. Results Twenty agents (27%) did not include in vitro inhibition data on their labeling. For these 20 agents, seven agents specifically stated that these studies were not performed, 2 agents included in vivo probe data on their labeling, 4 agents included the in vitro data in their review but did not place it in their labeling and for 7 agents, neither in vitro inhibition data or in vivo probe data were discussed in either the labeling or the released portion of their review. No agent was withdrawn for pharmacokinetic interactions. Seven agents (9%) underwent labeling revisions to supplement metabolic data or for pharmacokinetic interactions. Seven agents (9%) had potential interactions identified in the literature that were not addressed in current labeling information. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P12–P12; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.050
Articular cartilage changes in maturing athletes: new targets for joint rejuvenation.

Context: Articular cartilage has a unique functional architecture capable of providing a lifetime of pain-free joint motion. This tissue, however, undergoes substantial age-related physiologic, mechanical, biochemical, and functional changes that reduce its ability to overcome the effects of mechanical stress and injury. Many factors affect joint function in the maturing athlete—from chondrocyte survival and metabolism to structural composition and genetic/epigenetic factors governing cartilage and synovium. An evaluation of age-related changes for joint homeostasis and risk for osteoarthritis is important to the development of new strategies to rejuvenate aging joints. Objective: This review summarizes the current literature on the biochemical, cellular, and physiologic changes occurring in aging articular cartilage. Data Sources: PubMed (1969-2013) and published books in sports health, cartilage biology, and aging. Study Selection: Keywords included aging, athlete, articular cartilage, epigenetics, and functional performance with age. Study Design: Systematic review. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Data Extraction: To be included, research questions addressed the effect of age-related changes on performance, articular cartilage biology, molecular mechanism, and morphology. Results: The mature athlete faces challenges in maintaining cartilage health and joint function due to age-related changes to articular cartilage biology, morphology, and physiology. These changes include chondrocyte loss and a decline in metabolic response, alterations to matrix and synovial tissue composition, and dysregulation of reparative responses. Conclusion: Although physical decline has been regarded as a normal part of aging, many individuals maintain overall fitness and enjoy targeted improvement to their athletic capacity throughout life. Healthy articular cartilage and joints are needed to maintain athletic performance and general activities. Genetic and potentially reversible epigenetic factors influence cartilage physiology and its response to mechanical and injurious stimuli. Improved understandings of the physical and molecular changes to articular cartilage with aging are important to develop successful strategies for joint rejuvenation.
Differences in Therapeutic Efficacy among Cell Wall-Active Antibiotics in a Mouse Model of Gram-Negative Sepsis

The in vivo efficacy of three cell wall-active antibiotics, imipenem, meropenem, and ceftazidime, was compared in mice rendered hypersusceptible to the pathophysiologic effects of lipopolysaccharide by treatment with D-galactosamine. When CF-1 mice were administered Escherichia coli, D-galactosamine, and saline intraperitoneally, an LD50 was achieved at an inoculum of approximately 2 x 10(4) cfu. Administration of antibiotic at 20 mg/kg resulted in significant but widely variable protective efficacy from E. coli lethality among the three antibiotics. At this dose, an approximately 3-fold increase in LD50 was observed with either meropenem or ceftazidime, whereas administration of imipenem resulted in an approximately 8-fold increase in LD50 (P = .0053). When the dose of antibiotic was decreased to 2 mg/kg, neither meropenem nor ceftazidime could provide measurable protection, whereas imipenem was almost fully protective (P < .002). These differences in protective efficacy were also noted with experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa but not Staphylococcus aureus infection.
A New Social History of Occupied Japan

In the introduction to his 1999 masterpiece on Japan under U.S. occupation, John Dower wrote, “It would be difficult to find another cross-cultural moment more intense, unpredictable, ambiguous, confusing, and electric than this one.” Indeed, no other history of occupied Japan before or since has managed to capture, in such a cinematic way, what it meant to “start over” in 1945 after a devastating war and at the behest of the victor. Embracing Defeat won no less than nine book awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. And while Dower's book has remained the one book to go to for a comprehensive history of the occupation, it has truly inspired “the next generation of occupation scholarship,” which Mark Selden predicted would focus on social and cultural issues. The three books under review here are the latest addition to this literature.
Work/Life Practices and the Recruitment and Retention of Large School Districts' Foodservice Professionals.

With the forthcoming retirement of school foodservice directors, the increasing pressures faced by employees at home and work, and the financial constraints of school districts, recruiting and retaining skilled and diverse employees will be challenging. Marketing work/life benefits to potential employees and supporting these policies to current employees may enhance school districts’ recruitment efforts. Previous research has shown a turnover culture in the hospitality industry, where employees enter the market and work until they find a better job elsewhere. Other studies have shown organizations that offer work/life benefits can positively influence an employee’s commitment to the employer and, thus, their intent to leave. This study answered three questions of school foodservice professionals in large school districts: (a) Which work/life benefits are important to you? (b) Do these work/life benefits relate to your commitment to your district? and (c) Does the presence of work/life policies influence your intent to leave or decision to stay in the district? A response rate of 25% (n=126) was received on a questionnaire sent to 500 school foodservice professionals in 50 school districts with over 75,000 students. The findings implied that flextime, wellness programs, and employee assistance programs were important to respondents, even though value did not necessarily mean use. Benefits geared toward individuals raising families were neither used nor perceived as important. A strong correlation was found between intent to leave and organizational commitment. Respondents between the ages of 20 and 40 had significantly higher intent-toleave scores than did respondents over the age of 40. Respondents reported pride in their school district and a willingness to go above and beyond their job requirements. Employees
A Novel Water Running Robot Inspired by Basilisk Lizards

This paper introduces a novel robot which can run on the surface of water in a manner similar to basilisk lizards. Previous studies on the lizards themselves have characterized their method of propulsion and their means of staying afloat. By slapping and stroking their feet into the water, the lizard effects a momentum transfer which provides both forward thrust and lift. The design of a biomimetic robot utilizing similar principles is discussed, modeled, and prototyped. Functionally, the robot uses a pair of identical four bar mechanisms, with a 180deg phase shift to achieve bipedal locomotion on the water's surface. Computational and experimental results are presented and reviewed with the focus being a maximization of the lift to power ratio. After optimization, two legged models can experimentally provide 12-15 g/W of lift while four legged models can provide 50 g/W of lift. This work opens the door for bipedal and quadrupedal robots to become ambulatory over both land and water, and represents a first step toward studies in amphibious stride patterns; step motions equally conducive to propulsion on water and land
A modular gradient-sensing network for chemotaxis in Escherichia coli revealed by responses to time-varying stimuli.

The Escherichia coli chemotaxis-signaling pathway computes time derivatives of chemoeffector concentrations. This network features modules for signal reception/amplification and robust adaptation, with sensing of chemoeffector gradients determined by the way in which these modules are coupled in vivo. We characterized these modules and their coupling by using fluorescence resonance energy transfer to measure intracellular responses to time-varying stimuli. Receptor sensitivity was characterized by step stimuli, the gradient sensitivity by exponential ramp stimuli, and the frequency response by exponential sine-wave stimuli. Analysis of these data revealed the structure of the feedback transfer function linking the amplification and adaptation modules. Feedback near steady state was found to be weak, consistent with strong fluctuations and slow recovery from small perturbations. Gradient sensitivity and frequency response both depended strongly on temperature. We found that time derivatives can be computed by the chemotaxis system for input frequencies below 0.006Hz at 221C and below 0.018Hz at 321C. Our results show how dynamic input‐output measurements, time honored in physiology, can serve as powerful tools in deciphering cell-signaling mechanisms. Molecular Systems Biology 6: 382; published online 22 June 2010; doi:10.1038/msb.2010.37 Subject Categories: signal transduction
Blockade of alpha 5 beta 1 integrins reverses the inhibitory effect of tenascin on chemotaxis of human monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes through three-dimensional gels of extracellular matrix proteins.

Tenascin is an extracellular matrix protein found in adults in T cell-dependent areas of lymphoid tissues, sites of inflammation, and tumors. We report here that it inhibited chemotaxis of chemoattractant-stimulated human monocytes and chemoattractant-stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) through three-dimensional gels composed of collagen I or Matrigel, and chemotaxis of leukotriene B4-stimulated PMN through fibrin gels. The inhibitory effect of tenascin on monocyte or PMN chemotaxis through these matrices was reversed by Abs directed against α5β1 integrins or by a peptide (GRGDSP) that binds to β1 integrins. Tenascin did not affect leukotriene B4- or fMLP-stimulated expression of β1 or β2 integrins, but did exert a small inhibitory effect on PMN adhesion and closeness of apposition to fibrin(ogen)-containing surfaces. Thus, α5β1 integrins mediate the inhibitory effect of tenascin on monocyte and PMN chemotaxis, without promoting close apposition between these leukocytes and surfaces coated with tenascin alone or with tenascin bound to other matrix proteins. This contrasts with the role played by α5β1 integrins in promoting close apposition between fMLP-stimulated PMN and fibrin containing surfaces, thereby inhibiting chemotaxis of fMLP-stimulated PMN through fibrin gels. Thus, chemoattractants and matrix proteins regulate chemotaxis of phagocytic leukocytes by at least two different mechanisms: one in which specific chemoattractants promote very tight adhesion of leukocytes to specific matrix proteins and another in which specific matrix proteins signal cessation of migration without markedly affecting strength of leukocyte adhesion.
Analysis of the flow cytometer stain Hoechst 33342 on human spermatozoa

objective of this study was to determine the effect of bisbenzimide on spermatozoa assessed by means of the sperm survival test and to analyse the p-globin gene in sperm DNA after exposure to increasing concentrations of bisbenzimide. Donor (n = 16) sperm specimens were pooled and washed in a discontinuous Percoll gradient 95:47%, divided and incubated in tubes containing bisbenzimide at concentrations 0 (control), 0.9, 9, 90, 900 and 9000 uJvl at 25°C and scanned on a computer-aided sperm motility analyser at 0, 1, 4 and 24 h. Spermatozoa were also incubated in a known mutagen, ethidium bromide, as positive control. After 24 h of incubation, the treated sperm cells were processed through DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed with primers targeting the p-globin gene. The amplified DNA products were analysed for evidence of mutation in 5% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 20:80 denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and further confirmed in 30:40 DGGE. The results showed complete cessation of motility in sperm incubated in the presence of 900 uJVI or higher concentrations of bisbenzimide. The beat cross frequency sperm parameter was significantly different at the 90 uM or higher concentration of bisbenzimide compared with the control. At concentrations <900 uJvl bisbenzimide, there were no differences in the remaining sperm kinematic parameters (percentage rapid progressive, percentage total progressive, sperm velocities, linearity, straightness, amplitude of lateral head displacement and percentage hyperactive motility). PCR and DGGE analyses of spermatozoa treated with bisbenzimide showed no evidence of mutation in the representative region of the p-globin gene at concentrations <900 |iM. The data suggest an inhibitory effect of bisbenzimide on human sperm motility at 900 uJvl or higher concentrations of bisbenzimide. The decrease in sperm motility and rapid progression were not due to changes in pH. Point mutation in the representative region of the p-globin gene in human spermatozoa was detected only at high concentrations (^ 900 u.M) of bisbenzimide. The data suggest that incubating sperm in low concentrations of bisbenzimide (<90 uM) for up to 24 h does not significantly affect all the sperm kinematic parameters including the beat cross frequency parameter when compared with the control.
Performance of a drag transducer under simulated PWR refill/reflood flow conditions

A strain gage-based drag transducer developed to measure two-phase flow in simulated PWR (pressurized-water reactor) test facilities is discussed. The drag sensor was designed to sample a large amount of the flow with minimum disturbance to the flow, to be sensitive over a 1000-to-1 range, to be accurate over a 200:1 turndown ratio, and to survive in a hostile steam/water environment. The drag transducer consists of a unique combination of an elongated proving ring, a temperature-compensated, full-bridge strain gage configuration, and a drag target that utilized part of the test vessel internals. The drag body measurement system produced high-quality data for a variety of test conditions, which has led to a better understanding of the phenomena occurring during the refill/reflood stages of a postulated PWR loss-of-coolant accident. >
Defining and Redefining Instructional Practice in Special Education: Perspectives on Good Teaching:

The process-product literature has focused on quantitative measures of teacher behavior that correlate to student achievement of basic skills. In this article, we review the general findings from the process-product literature on effective teaching. We also suggest a conceptual framework for extending our understanding of effective teaching based on recent studies focusing on the qualitative dimensions of teacher behavior associated with the development of higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities. These dimensions involve teachers' abilities to model cognitive strategies in meaningful and purposive activities, promote classroom dialogues about strategies and processes, responsively adjust instruction on a moment-to-moment basis given their students' changing states of knowledge and abilities, and establish classroom communities in which students collaboratively and cooperatively participate in inquiry-related activities.
Effect of pretreatment of rats with carbon tetrachloride on tolerance development

Abstract To evaluate the effect of pretreatment of rats with CCl 4 on tolerance development to subsequent exposures, rats were exposed 25–7500 ppm of CCl 4 vapor or given CCl 4 orally, 3.25 mg/g body weight. Forty-eight hours later these rats were reexposed to a normally lethal 7500 ppm CCl 4 concentration. Mortality, blood clotting time, serum bilirubin, serum and liver triglycerides, and CCl 4 and CHCl 3 concentrations in tissues and in the whole rat were used as a measure of the response to CCl 4 exposure. Conversion of CCl 4 to CHCl 3 in vitro was also determined in normal and pretreated animals. It was found that animals exposed to 4000 ppm for 6 hr or given 3.25 mg/g of CCl 4 orally developed tolerance to subsequent normally lethal CCl 4 exposures. Serum bilirubin levels in animals protected by CCl 4 pretreatment were significantly lower than in those receiving only a single exposure to CCl 4 . Blood clotting times in protected animals were normal, while in those not protected by pretreatment, they were greatly prolonged. Serum triglyceride levels in protected animals were normal whereas they were considerably depressed in the nonprotected animals. Liver triglycerides were elevated in both protected and nonprotected, but were not as high in the protected animals. Carbon tetrachloride conversion to CHCl 3 was slower in protected than in the non-protected animals. Tolerance to CCl 4 developed in animals whose ability to metabolize CCl 4 had been depressed by pretreatment with the same compound. This suggests that the toxicity of CCl 4 is related to its metabolic pathway or to the production of toxic intermediates.
Estimation of the spatial distribution of target cells for radiation pneumonitis in mouse lung

Abstract Purpose: Recent studies of Liao et al. and Travies et al. have demonstrated that irradiation of cross-sectional partial volumes contiguous to the base of mouse lung produces a higher incidence of pneumonitis than irradiation of equally sized subvolumes contigous to the apex. One interpreation of this finding is that the critical target cells for pneumonitis are not distributed uniformly throughout the lung. The purpose of the present study was to test this interpretation by obtaining an estimate of the spatial distribution of the critical target cells for pneumonitis in mouse lung, based on the partial-volume data. Methods and Materials: A mathematical models was derived describing the probability of radiation pneumonitis as a function of dose, volume of lung irradiated, and location in the lung of the irradiated subvolume. The model includes a nonparametric description of the spatial target-cell distribution in lung, to be estimated from data. The models was fitted to the lethality data of Liao et al. and Travis et al. to obtain estimates of the proportion of target cells contained in each of various subvolumes of the lung. Results: The results indicate that the critical target cells in mouse lung are concentrated in the base and, to a somewhat lesser extent, in the apex of the lung, with fewer cells in the middle region. The estimated spatial distribution of target cells in mouse lung agrees well with the distribution of alveoli, whose concentration in the lidlung is limited by the present of the major conducting airways. Conclusion: Heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of critical target cells in normal tissue implies that the complication probability (NTCP) depends on the location in the organ of the irradiated subvolume, as well as on radiation dose and subvolume size. Calculations using an NTCP model for mouse lung indicate that irradiation of equal subvolumes of lung with the same dose can lead to complication probabilities covering the full range from 0 to 100%, depending only onthe location in the lung of the irradiated subvolume.
A High-Order Dual-Time Stepping FR/CPR Method for Unsteady Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations on Unstructured Moving Grids

A high-order accurate flux reconstruction/correction procedure via reconstruction (FR/CPR) method is developed to solve incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on unstructured moving grids. An artificial compressibility method is adopted to facilitate the common flux reconstruction on element interfaces. For unsteady flow simulations, a dualtime stepping method is used for temporal discretization. For simulations on deformable/moving grids, the Geometric Conservation Law (GCL) introduced in dynamic spatial coordinate transformation has been enforced. The newly developed method is verified with several steady and unsteady benchmark incompressible flow problems.
Experimental Study of Consumer Behavior Conformity and Independence

Results of a laboratory experiment indicate that in consumer decision making, in the absence of any objective standard, individuals tended to conform to the group norm. However, when the group pres...
From Charity to Change

Seattle Pacific University brought a “tent city” to campus to help students engage with and better understand the challenges facing homeless populations.
Fact and Value in Democratic Theory

There has been a long and interesting history of interaction between normative democratic theory, the social sciences, and the philosophy of science. Defenders of liberal political philosophy have often been the same individuals who study how democracy works; much social scientific study of democracy has been motivated by the normative beliefs that democracy has a variety of virtues, and philosophers of science have both been public advocates of liberal democracy and seen parallels to it in the proper normative values of good science. My goal is to explore some of these interactions.
The rhetorical use of double‐voiced discourse and feminine style: The U.S. senate debate over the impact of Tailhook ‘91 on admiral Frank B. Kelso II's retirement rank

On April 19, 1994, the seven women members of the U.S. Senate engaged in an emotional, six‐hour debate over whether Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, Chief of Naval Operations during Tailhook ‘91 and its subsequent investigation, should retire with two or four stars. This essay examines the text and subtext of that debate. The text consists of the arguments, pro and con, most directly relevant to the matter at issue; the subtext consists of the large chunks of argumentation offered by the women that seem irrelevant to the text of the debate. These subtextual chunks, most of which deal extensively and narratively with the events of Tailhook ‘91 and sexual harrassment in general, ultimately become more important than the text. In offering such a subtext, the women are engaging in a kind of double‐voiced discourse. In addition, the women use a “feminine style” to help achieve their rhetorical ends. The men of the Senate do not seem to grasp the rhetorical strategy the women have embraced. The women's use of subvers...
Reversible leaf xylem collapse: a potential "circuit breaker" against cavitation.

We report a novel form of xylem dysfunction in angiosperms: reversible collapse of the xylem conduits of the smallest vein orders that demarcate and intrusively irrigate the areoles of red oak (Quercus rubra) leaves. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy revealed gradual increases in collapse from approximately −2 MPa down to −3 MPa, saturating thereafter (to −4 MPa). Over this range, cavitation remained negligible in these veins. Imaging of rehydration experiments showed spatially variable recovery from collapse within 20 s and complete recovery after 2 min. More broadly, the patterns of deformation induced by desiccation in both mesophyll and xylem suggest that cell wall collapse is unlikely to depend solely on individual wall properties, as mechanical constraints imposed by neighbors appear to be important. From the perspective of equilibrium leaf water potentials, petioles, whose vessels extend into the major veins, showed a vulnerability to cavitation that overlapped in the water potential domain with both minor vein collapse and buckling (turgor loss) of the living cells. However, models of transpiration transients showed that minor vein collapse and mesophyll capacitance could effectively buffer major veins from cavitation over time scales relevant to the rectification of stomatal wrong-way responses. We suggest that, for angiosperms, whose subsidiary cells give up large volumes to allow large stomatal apertures at the cost of potentially large wrong-way responses, vein collapse could make an important contribution to these plants’ ability to transpire near the brink of cavitation-inducing water potentials.