cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RNA Transcripts Derived from a Cloned Full-Length Copy of the Feline Calicivirus Genome Do Not Require VpG for Infectivity

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a positive-strand, nonenveloped RNA virus in the family Caliciviridae. A cDNA library of the Urbana (URB) strain of FCV was generated and the sequence of the genome was determined from overlapping clones except for 13 bases from the 5'-end. The 5'-end sequence was identified by analysis of clones derived by RT-PCR across the ligated 5'- and 3'-ends of the RNA genome. A full-length cDNA clone of the RNA genome of the URB strain was constructed and placed downstream of the T7 RNA polymerase promoter and RNA transcripts generated in vitro from this clone were infectious when introduced into feline kidney cells. A virus-encoded genome-linked protein, VpG, which is considered to be essential for infectivity of wild-type genomic FCV RNA, was not required for the initiation of FCV infection by the synthetic transcripts. However, the addition of a cap structure analog (m7G(5')ppp(5')G) during in vitro transcription of the synthetic RNA was necessary for successful virus recovery. Two silent mutations engineered into the full-length clone were identified in the genomic RNA from recovered progeny virus. This system of introducing site-specific genetic changes into the genome of feline calicivirus and the recovery of infectious mutant viruses will enable studies related to the molecular basis for replication, growth restriction, and pathogenicity of this and other members of the Caliciviridae.
A weighted estimate for the square function on the unit ball in ℂn

We show that the Luzin area integral or the square function on the unit ball of ℂn, regarded as an operator in the weighted space L2(w) has a linear bound in terms of the invariant A2 characteristic of the weight. We show a dimension-free estimate for the “area-integral” associated with the weighted L2(w) norm of the square function. We prove the equivalence of the classical and the invariant A2 classes.
New species of Aplectana (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) in Sphenomorphus pratti from Papua New Guinea.

abstract: Aplectana novaeguineae n. sp. (Ascaridida, Cosmocercidae) from the intestines of Sphenomorphus pratti (Squamata: Scincidae) is described and illustrated. Aplectana novaeguineae n. sp. represents the 48th species assigned to the genus and the 5th species of the genus reported from the Australo-Papuan region. It is most similar to Aplectana leesi, Aplectana linstowi, and Aplectana krausi in that females of only these 4 species exhibit a swollen anterior vulvar lip. These 4 species may be separated by spicule length and caudal papillae arrangement. Spicules of A. linstowi and A. krausi are less than 200 µm in length, A. leesi between 200 and 250 µm, and A novaeguineae greater than 400 µm. Aplectana linstowi possesses 18 post cloacal papillae, A. leesi and A. krausi each possess 10, and A. novaeguineae possesses 8. In addition, Paraleptonema ranae has been assigned to Aplectana as Aplectana fujianae nom. nov.
Exit from mitosis: spindle pole power.

Do similar mechanisms monitor spindle pole position in other cells? It is possible that some aspects of this scheme are unique to S. cerevisiae owing to the asymmetric nature of cell division by budding. However, it seems likely that cells that divide symmetrically will also use the position of poles to monitor the progress of mitosis. For example, the proximity of poles to the cell cortex may signal that the chromosomes are far apart enough to allow cleavage through the midzone of the spindle.Conserved relatives of most of the S. cerevisiae MEN components have been identified in a variety of eukaryotic cells. A homologous pathway has been well characterized in the fission yeast S. pombe, and these studies contributed greatly to the understanding of the S. cerevisiae MEN (reviewed in 3xBalasubramanian, M.K, McCollum, D, and Surana, U. J. Cell Sci. 2000; 113: 1503–1513PubMedSee all References, 6xCerutti, L and Simanis, V. Curr. Opin. Gen. Dev. 2000; 10: 65–69Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (42)See all References). The S. pombe pathway, however, does not appear to perform a critical role regulating all aspects of the exit from mitosis program (although evidence indicates some influence). Instead, this pathway is a key regulator of septum formation, linking the completion of mitosis with cytokinesis. Loss of function of Tem1p or Cdc15p in S. cerevisiae blocks exit from mitosis, but loss of function of the S. pombe homologs (spg1p and cdc7p, respectively) prevents septum formation but allows the nuclear division cycle to continue. Similarly, the S. cerevisiae Bub2p/Bfa1p GAP acts to restrain exit from mitosis, while the homologous S. pombe cdc16p/byr4p GAP acts to restrain septation. These four S. pombe proteins are also SPB localized, and like their S. cerevisiae MEN homologs, asymmetrically distributed between the two poles. As in S. cerevisiae, the significance of this asymmetric pole distribution is not understood but its conservation is intriguing. The SPB localization suggests the S. pombe mechanism may also be sensing spatial position of the pole. Since cytokinesis is a subset of the events that follow mitosis, it seems likely that these pathways are performing similar roles in these distantly related yeasts. However, S. pombe may use an additional mechanism to restrain the nuclear mitotic cycle when the spindle fails to complete its function.In animal cells, the position of the mitotic spindle determines the division cleavage plane and cytokinesis is tightly coupled to completion of spindle function. Asymmetric cell divisions, essential for many developmental processes, are accomplished by moving spindles to specific cellular locations. The critical requirement for proper spindle positioning in metazoans suggests that a mechanism similar to the S. cerevisiae MEN will prevent exit from mitosis until the spindle is in the right place. As is often the case, the studies of unicellular eukaryotes will stimulate the analysis of homologous pathways, so we can expect to hear about MEN function and spindle positioning in metazoan cells in the near future.*E-mail: hoyt@jhu.edu
The double cover of the icosahedral symmetry group and quark mass textures

Abstract We investigate the idea that the double cover of the rotational icosahedral symmetry group is the family symmetry group in the quark sector. The icosahedral ( A 5 ) group was previously proposed as a viable family symmetry group for the leptons. To incorporate the quarks, it is highly advantageous to extend the group to its double cover, as in the case of tetrahedral ( A 4 ) symmetry. We provide the basic group theoretical tools for flavor model-building based on the binary icosahedral group I ′ and construct a model of the quark masses and mixings that yields many of the successful predictions of the well-known U ( 2 ) quark texture models.
Impact of progressive sustainable target value assessment on building design decisions

Abstract The built environment creates significant environmental, economic, and social impacts. In the building construction industry, building designers, contractors, and owners have developed methods to consider costs, but currently have few methods to effectively assess and control a building's life cycle energy and environmental impacts during the design phase. Managing and reducing these environmental impacts during the course of design development requires iterative assessment and rapid information turnaround and decision-making. When left unconsidered, poor environmental design decisions leave potential design revisions and their value unrealized. This research combines life cycle assessment (LCA) and target value design (TVD) to rapidly produce more sustainable building designs in a methodology called sustainable target value (STV) design. The STV design process involves environmental design targets and an STV tool to quantify environmental design performance in an iterative design process. By establishing site-specific sustainability targets and iteratively using the STV tool to assess the impacts of design changes, this research demonstrates that building designs can be improved at the design stage to perform at higher environmental standards than if they are only assessed once design is complete.
Cellular sphingolipids regulate macrophage apolipoprotein E secretion

Macrophage-derived apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the vessel wall has important effects on the vessel-wall response to atherogenic injury. The current studies characterize a novel post-transcriptional pathway for the regulation of apoE secretion from macrophages. Treatment of J774 macrophages transfected to constitutively express a human apoE3 cDNA (to constitutively secrete a physiologic level of apoE) with sphingomyelinase led to a reduction of apoE secretion by nearly 50%. Increasing cellular ceramide by inhibiting ceramide degradation or by the direct treatment of cells with exogenous ceramide also reduced apoE secretion without a concomitant increase in cellular retention of newly synthesized apoE. Reducing cellular sphingomyelin (SM) by inhibiting its synthesis also reduced apoE secretion, but in this case, reduced apoE secretion was accompanied by increased cellular retention of apoE. The effect of sphingomyelin depletion to decrease apoE secretion and increase its cellular retention was dependent upon the presence of intact C-terminal amphipathic lipid-binding domains in apoE. ApoE expression also increased sphingomyelin secretion from macrophages, and this sphingomyelin was co-localized with apoE in secreted lipoprotein particles. The importance of sphingomyelin for apoE secretion and cell retention was confirmed using a Chinese hamster ovary model, in which cellular sphingolipids (both ceramide and sphingomyelin) are reduced secondary to absent serine palmitoyltransferase activity. Our results show that cellular sphingolipids, ceramide and sphingomyelin, have important effects on the post-transcriptional handling of nascent apoE by macrophages. Increased cellular ceramide reduces apoE secretion without increased cell retention, consistent with enhanced degradation of newly synthesized apoE. Reduction of cell SM also reduces apoE secretion, but this is associated with increased cellular retention of newly synthesized apoE. The dependence for this effect on the C-terminal domain of apoE suggests a model in which the SM content of intracellular membranes modulates the secretion of nascent apoE via the interaction with amphipathic lipid-binding domains.
Reduced thermal tolerance in an amphibian treated with melatonin

Abstract 1. 1.|Adult Necturus maculosus , previously acclimatized for several weeks to 15 C and a L-D 12:12 photoperiod, were i.p. injected with daily doses of melatonin or chlorpromazine for 3 days. 2. 2.|The critical thermal maximum (CTM) measured at the onset of muscular spasms, was determined on the third day of treatment. 3. 3.|Melatonin significantly reduced the CTM in a dose-dependent fasion: controls, 33.9 ± 0.24; 1.0 mg kg −1 , 33.0 ± 0.38; 4.0 mg, 32.5 ± 0.29; 8.0 mg, 31.9 ± 0.25°C. Chlorpromazine, which may block the breakdown of endogenous melatonin by inhibiting the hepatic enzymes which catabolize melatonin, also significantly reduced the CTM in a dose-dependent manner: 10.0 mg kg −1 , 32.2 ± 0.28; 25.0 mg, 30.0 ± 0.43°C. 4. 4.|Both drugs lower body temperatures in endotherms and reduce behaviourally-selected temperatures in ectothermic vertebrates, but this is apparently the first demonstration that melatonin and chlorpromazine also reduce thermal tolerance.
Bookmarks for public sociologists.

Etzioni (The George Washington University) (Corresponding author email: etzioni@gwu.edu) © London School of Economics and Political Science 2005 ISSN 0007-1315 print/1468-4446 online. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA on behalf of the LSE. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-4446.2005.00067.x Bookmarks for public sociologists
Predicting segmentation accuracy for biological cell images

We have performed segmentation procedures on a large number of images from two mammalian cell lines that were seeded at low density, in order to study trends in the segmentation results and make predictions about cellular features that affect segmentation accuracy. By comparing segmentation results from approximately 40000 cells, we find a linear relationship between the highest segmentation accuracy seen for a given cell and the fraction of pixels in the neighborhood of the edge of that cell. This fraction of pixels is at greatest risk for error when cells are segmented. We call the ratio of the size of this pixel fraction to the size of the cell the extended edge neighborhood and this metric can predict segmentation accuracy of any isolated cell.
Excellence in IT Consulting: Integrating Multiple Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Top Performers

Information technology (IT) consulting is a job where performance is multidimensional and difficult to measure objectively, and where organizational cultures are often “up or out.” Thus, a consultant will typically be judged by (implicit) comparison to an observer's mental picture of a “top performer.” Three linked studies conducted at a large IT consulting firm examine the nature and implications of this process. In the first, we address what it means to be a “top performer” as an IT consultant, both at the entry level and in more senior roles. The second study demonstrates incongruity among various stakeholders in their perceptions of which attributes are of primary and lesser importance as determinants of excellent performance. The third study examines the effects of this incongruence on consultants' attitudes and performance. This research presents a novel operationalization of incongruity that is particularly relevant for understanding IT personnel, and one that has practical implications for their socialization and management.
Olokele rock avalanche, island of Kauai, Hawaii

In October 1981 a mass of rock and soil having an estimated volume of 500,000 m 3 fell as a rock fall-avalanche from a steep slope 800 m high near the head of Olokele Canyon on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Boulders were launched into the air from a bench on the slope for a downstream distance of about 850 m. The velocity of the avalanche was rapidly diminished by impact against the valley sides, and it became a muddy debris flow that traveled 4.6 km downstream, severely eroding the valley sides. The volume of debris deposited on the canyon bottom is estimated to be 2,500,000 m 3 , or about four times the volume derived from the slope. Slope failure is attributed to gradual undercutting and loss of shear strength in beds of weathered ash and to joints in a thick basaltic cap rock.
Sprinkler irrigation runoff and erosion control with polyacrylamide - laboratory tests

Many semiarid and arid soils are prone to irrigation-induced erosion. Polyacrylamide (PAM) greatly reduces erosion from furrow irrigation. We hypothesized that PAM applied via sprinklers will provide erosion control and benefit water infiltration and aggregate stability. Screened (6.4 mm) Rad silt loam (coarse silty, mixed, superactive mesic Durinodic Xeric Haplocambid) was placed in 1.5 by 1.2 by 0.2 m steel boxes with 2.4% slope. An oscillating nozzle, 3 m above the soil, produced a median drop size of 1.2 mm diameter. We applied 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 kg ha' PAM in 20 mm of water in the first irrigation, followed by two 20-mm water-only irrigations. In a second test, we applied 0, 2, and 4 kg ha ' PAM in 8 mm of water in the first irrigation, followed by two 20-mm water-only irrigations. Two kilograms per hectare PAM in the first 20-mm irrigation reduced runoff 70% and soil loss 75% compared to control. Polyacrylamide in 8 mm of water was less effective. Polyacrylamide in the 20-mm irrigation did not affect tension infiltration; PAM in the 8-mm irrigation doubled tension infiltration following the third irrigation. Wet aggregate stability following the first irrigation was greater in all PAM treatments than on the check. With 2 kg ha" PAM in the 20-mm irrigation, it was 55%; in 8 mm, 77%. Polyacrylamide applied in the first irrigation at low rates effectively reduced runoff and erosion. Erosion was more effectively controlled than runoff. I
The observational effects and signatures of tidally distorted solid exoplanets

Our work examines the detectability of tidally distorted solid exoplanets in synchronous rotation. Previous work has shown that tidally distorted shapes of close-in gas giants can give rise to radius underestimates and subsequently density overestimates for those planets. We examine the assumption that such an effect is too minimal for rocky exoplanets and find that for smaller M Class stars there may be an observationally significant tidal distortion effect at very close-in orbits. We quantify the effect for different stellar types and planetary properties using some basic assumptions. Finally, we develop a simple analytic expression to test if there are detectable bulge signatures in the photometry of a system. We find that close in for smaller M Class stars there may be an observationally significant signature that may manifest itself in both in-transit bulge signatures and ellipsoidal variations.
OOPS for Motion Planning: An Online, Open-source, Programming System

The success of sampling-based motion planners has resulted in a plethora of methods for improving planning components, such as sampling and connection strategies, local planners and collision checking primitives. Although this rapid progress indicates the importance of the motion planning problem and the maturity of the field, it also makes the evaluation of new methods time consuming. We propose that a systems approach is needed for the development and the experimental validation of new motion planners and/or components in existing motion planners. In this paper, we present the online, open-source, programming system for motion planning (OOPSMP), a programming infrastructure that provides implementations of various existing algorithms in a modular, object-oriented fashion that is easily extendible. The system is open-source, since a community-based effort better facilitates the development of a common infrastructure and is less prone to errors. We hope that researchers will contribute their optimized implementations of their methods and thus improve the quality of the code available for use. A dynamic Web interface and a dynamic linking architecture at the programming level allows users to easily add new planning components, algorithms, benchmarks, and experiment with different parameters. The system allows the direct comparison of new contributions with existing approaches on the same hardware and programming infrastructure
Tapping into the glial reservoir: cells committed to remaining uncommitted

The development and maturation of the oligodendrocyte requires a series of highly orchestrated events that coordinate the proliferation and differentiation of the oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) as well as the spatiotemporal regulation of myelination. In recent years, widespread interest has been devoted to the therapeutic potential of adult OPCs scattered throughout the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we highlight molecular mechanisms controlling OPC differentiation during development and the implication of these mechanisms on adult OPCs for remyelination. Cell-autonomous regulators of differentiation and the heterogeneous microenvironment of the developing and the adult CNS may provide coordinated inhibitory cues that ultimately maintain a reservoir of uncommitted glia.
Optics in the Data Center: Introduction to the Feature Issue

Web services and cloud computing are significantly changing the function and scale of the data center. How will this change of scale be reflected in the architecture and interconnection network in the data center? Performance gains in computer systems are increasingly achieved through interconnecting large numbers of parallel processor nodes, and the inevitable demands on communication bandwidth are extremely challenging for many mission-critical applications. The computer backplane or the switch/router backplane is looming as one of the primary bottlenecks to information transfer. Conventional telecom/datacom transceiver technology is too costly, bulky, and power hungry to support the scale of deployment required. A new class of optimized short-reach, low-power, and low-cost optical interconnect must therefore be developed to enable next-generation large-scale systems. The collection of papers in this special feature on Optics in the Data Center presents a range of the leading research in this domain from both academe and industry with a particular focus on the critical questions of scalability and energy efficiency. The invited papers in the issue are “Large Port Count High-Speed Optical Switch Fabric for Use Within Datacenters”
Plasma formation and microdischarges on piezoelectric transformers

The ferroelectric plasma thruster utilizes plasma formation on the surface of an RF driven dielectric to produce ions. The ions are accelerated away from the device to produce thrust [1]. Plasma formation relies on surface microdischarges due to large electric fields produced along the surface of the lithium niobate dielectric. In order to improve thruster performance the surface microdischarges are investigated to determine the requirements for reliable plasma formation. Surface discharges are compared when created with external power supplies and with high electric fields generated due to the piezoelectric transformer effect of the lithium niobate [2]. Plasma characteristics are compared using optical spectroscopy and ion energy measurements.
Acoustic frequency tuning of neurons in the basal forebrain of the waking guinea pig.

Abstract The acoustic responses of cells in the basal forebrain were studied in the adult waking guinea pig. Frequency receptive fields were obtained across wide frequency (0.094–45.0 kHz) and intensity (0–90 dB) ranges. A total of 326 recordings were obtained in 26 electrode penetrations from five subjects; 205 from the globus pallidus (GP), 98 from the caudate–putamen (CPu) and 23 from the central nucleus of the amygdala (ACE). Twenty-nine recordings exhibited acoustic responses (GP=20 (9.8%); CPu=9 (9.2%); ACE=0). Cells in the regions of the GP that project to the primary auditory cortex (ACx) exhibited frequency tuning that was dominantly suppressive. Responses in the CPu were excitatory, but poorly tuned. The spontaneous rate of discharge of GP cells that yielded complete tuning data was positively correlated with power in the beta bands (12–25 and 25–50 Hz) and negatively correlated with power in the delta band (1–4 Hz) of the EEG of the ACx. These findings suggest that acoustically tuned neurons in the GP that are inhibited by tones are involved in the regulation of auditory cortical state, possibly promoting deactivation to unimportant sounds, and may be cholinergic in nature.
Silylketenimine – vielseitige Nucleophile für die katalytische asymmetrische Synthese

Dieser Kurzaufsatz bietet einen Uberblick uber die Entwicklung von Silylketeniminen und deren jungste Anwendungen in katalytischen enantioselektiven Reaktionen. Die einzigartige Struktur von Keteniminen macht verschiedenste Reaktionsmuster moglich und liefert Losungen fur die bestehenden Herausforderungen beim enantioselektiven Aufbau von quartaren Kohlenstoffstereozentren und Kreuz-Benzoinaddukten. Es wird eine Vielzahl an Reaktionen prasentiert, bei denen Silylketenimine eingesetzt wurden. Unser Ziel ist dabei, zum Nachdenken uber neue Anwendungsmoglichkeiten dieser nur unzureichend genutzten Nucleophile anzuregen.
Differential effects of ethanol on punished responding in the P and NP rats.

The effects of ethanol administration (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg intraperitoneal) were examined in a conflict test in 24 alcohol-preferring (P)-rats, 17 alcohol-nonpreferring (NP)-rats, and 24 heterogeneous Wistar rats. The conflict test was a modified Geller-Seifter procedure employing an unpunished random interval 30-sec component and an incremental shock conflict component. Heterogeneous Wistar rats displayed significant increases in punished responding with doses of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g/kg of ethanol. P-rats did not show a significant increase in punished responding until 0.75 g/ kg ethanol. NP rats displayed significant increases in punished responding with all doses tested (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 g/kg). There were no group differences in the effects of ethanol on unpunished responding. Thus NP-rats were more sensitive and P-rats were less sensitive to the anticonflict effects of ethanol than heterogeneous Wistar rats. The results suggest that the P and NP rats may show a profile of sensitivity to the anticonflict effects of ethanol similar to the sensitivity to the intoxicating effects of ethanol observed in family history positive and family history negative human subjects.
The Role of Digital Media

As has often been noted in these pages, one world region has been practically untouched by the third wave of democratization: North Africa and the Middle East. The Arab world has lacked not only democracy, but even large popular movements pressing for it. In December 2010 and the first months of 2011, however, this situation changed with stunning speed. Massive and sustained public demonstrations demanding political reform cascaded from Tunis to Cairo, Sana‘a, Amman, and Manama. This inspired people in Casablanca, Damascus, Tripoli, and dozens of other cities to take to the streets to call for change. By May, major political casualties littered the ground: Tunisia’s Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, two of the region’s oldest dictators, were gone; the Libyan regime of Muammar Qadhafi was battling an armed rebellion that had taken over half the country and attracted NATO help; and several monarchs had sacked their cabinets and committed to constitutional reforms. Governments around the region had sued for peace by promising their citizens hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending of various kinds. Morocco and Saudi Arabia appeared to be fending off serious domestic uprisings, but as of this writing in May 2011, the outcomes for regimes in Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, and Yemen remain far from certain. There are many ways to tell the story of political change. But one of the most consistent narratives from civil society leaders in Arab countries has been that the Internet, mobile phones, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter made the difference this time. Using these technologies, people interested in democracy could build extensive net
Constraining Holocene lake levels and coastal dune activity in the Lake Michigan basin

Sediment cores collected from embayed lakes along the east-central coast of Lake Michigan are used to construct aeolian sand records of past coastal dune mobility, and to constrain former lake levels in the Lake Michigan basin. Time series analysis of sand cycles based on the weight-percent aeolian sand within lacustrine sediment, reveals statistically significant spectral peaks that coincide with established lake level cycles in Lake Michigan and the Gleissberg sunspot cycle of minima. Longer cycles of ~ 800 and ~ 2200 years were also identified that correspond to solar cycles. Shorter cycles between 80 and 220 years suggest a link between coastal dune mobility, climate, and lake levels in the Lake Michigan basin. Radiocarbon-dated sedimentary contacts of lacustrine sediment overlying wetland sediment record the Nipissing transgression in the Lake Michigan basin. Lake level rise closely mimics the predicted uplift of the North Bay outlet, with lake level rise slowing when outflow was transferred to the Port Huron/Sarnia outlet. The Nipissing highstand was reached after 5000 cal (4.4 ka) BP.
The Complexity and Ambivalence of Immigration Attitudes: Ambivalent Stereotypes Predict Conflicting Attitudes Toward Immigration Policies

Americans’ conflicted attitudes toward immigrants and immigration has stymied immigration reform for decades. In this article, we explore the nuanced nature of stereotypes about immigrants and how they relate to ambivalent attitudes toward immigrant groups and the disparate array of immigration policies that affect them. Using item response theory and multiple regression analysis, we identified and related stereotypes of different immigrant groups to group-based and policy attitudes. Results demonstrate that ambivalent stereotypes mapped onto ambivalent group-based and immigration policy attitudes. Specifically, stereotypes that portray groups in positive or sympathetic ways predicted positive attitudes toward the group and more supportive attitudes toward policies that facilitate their immigration to the United States. Conversely, negative qualities predicted negative attitudes toward the same group and support for policies that prevent the group from immigrating. Results are discussed in light of current theory related to stereotype content, complementarity of stereotypes, and broader implications for immigration attitudes and policy.
Three-wave mixing in microwave nonlinear metamaterial

We present a quantitative analysis of a three-wave mixing process in a microwave nonlinear metamaterial showing a good agreement between the analytical predictions and the experiment. Strong resonant nonlinear response is observed.
Plausibility reappraisals and shifts in middle school students' climate change conceptions

Abstract Plausibility is a central but under-examined topic in conceptual change research. Climate change is an important socio-scientific topic; however, many view human-induced climate change as implausible. When learning about climate change, students need to make plausibility judgments but they may not be sufficiently critical or reflective. The purpose of this study was to examine how students' plausibility judgments and knowledge about human-induced climate change transform during instruction promoting critical evaluation. The results revealed that treatment group participants who engaged in critical evaluation experienced a significant shift in their plausibility judgments toward the scientifically accepted model of human-induced climate change. This shift was accompanied by significant conceptual change postinstruction that was maintained after a six-month delay. A comparison group who experienced a climate change activity that is part of their normal curriculum did not experience statistically significant changes.
Finite Rigid Body Displacements

Our study of rigid body motion thus far has focused mainly on equations (2.27) and (2.30) for the velocity and acceleration of a body particle. Although they actually represent nothing more than the application of the defining equations (1.8) and (1.9) to the special class of rigid body motions, these rudimentary equations were found to be especially useful because they separate and exhibit clearly the translational and rotational parts of the body’s motion in space, and the terms have simple geometrical and physical interpretations. We have seen in several examples that a major advantage of these relations is that the usual differentiation operations have been replaced almost entirely by simple vector algebraic operations. Moreover, as shown in Examples 2.3 and 2.4, equations (2.27) and (2.30) also may be used to obtain information when only the values of the vectors at a particular instant of time and not the vector functions themselves are given in a problem. We shall see in the next chapter that these basic equations play a particularly important role in the description of motion referred to a moving reference frame.
When Students are Silent

Sooner or later, all case teachers face this difficult situation: the instructor asks a question, and no hands go up. Then perhaps the question is restated or rephrased, but still no response. Students scrutinize their notes; there is no eye contact with the teacher. The instructor gets impatient, and perhaps calls on a specific student to answer the question. The response is too brief, lacks energy. No other students take the cue. There is total silence. The discussion has stalled. What to do in a situation like this will be dictated in part by its possible causes. This column surveys possible causes and solutions for the instructor.
Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Exercise is very important for good spine health. Exercise helps spinal health in a number of ways. Exercise to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is important because excess weight places additional unhealthy stresses on the spine. Cardiovascular exercise in general is helpful because good overall health and proper blood flow throughout the body and to the spine aid in achieving spinal health. Weight-bearing exercise is important to help with maintaining good bone density. The most important exercises for spinal health are exercises that target the muscles that directly relieve the pressure from the spine. This chapter focuses on these exercises, but it is important to emphasize to patients that these exercises belong as part of an overall healthy lifestyle and as part of that a broader exercise program.
Between Text and Practice: Considerations in the Anthropological Study of Islam

The anthropological study of Islam is one that has been plagued by problems of definition. What exactly are we studying? Local practices, universal texts and standards of practice, or something else entirely. At the heart of the question is how anthropologists define Islam. This paper 1 reviews the major trends in the anthropological study of Islam and then suggests plausible theoretical directions for the future. It touches on issues surrounding Orientalism, the "Great- and LittleTraditions " paradigm. It move between theoretical considerations and "on the ground", lived, examples.
Versatile Approach to Formation of Light-Harvesting Complexes on Nanostructured Metal Oxide Surfaces via “On-Surface” Assembly

A versatile, two-step “on-surface” assembly method is demonstrated to build heteroleptic light-harvesting complexes on nanostructured metal oxide surfaces. In this process, building-block ligands were first attached to SnO2 surfaces by grafting 2,2′-bipyridine molecules that were modified at the (4,4′) positions with surface-reactive binding groups. The surface-bound bipyridine ligands then served as a basis for “on-surface” assembly of complete surface-bound Ru(bpy)3 complexes by immersing the bipyridyl-modified samples in a solution containing the complex [Ru(bpy)2(CH3CN)2](PF6)2 and illuminating with ultraviolet light, which removes the photolabile acetonitrile ligands and allows the solution-phase complex to react with the surface-bound bipyridine molecules to form complete surface-bound Ru(bpy)3 complexes. We demonstrate that this process is effective using three different surface attachment schemes based on aryl-iodo, benzyl-iodo, and dithione bipyridine derivatives. The stability of the complexes i...
Abstract 3452: Role of P-glycoprotein in carcinogenesis

Cancer accounts for nearly one-quarter of deaths in the United States, exceeded only by heart diseases. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are commonly found in our environment and appear to be carcinogenic by genotoxic mechanisms. Several studies show that over-expression of P-glycoprotein (Pg-p, coded by mdr1) is associated with the development of various cancers. High expression of the mdr1 gene has been reported in many human cancers such as in breast, liver, colon, kidney and brain. Many molecular and cellular studies have revealed the ability of dietary phytochemicals in vegetables and fruits to reduce the risk of cancer. The abundant and inexpensive dietary phytochemicals are being explored as Pg-p modulators in cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy. In the present study, we investigated the role of P-gp in cancer development. We also studied whether the inhibition of P-gp function could reduce the development of cancer. The wild type (C57BL/6J) mice were exposed to the environmental PAH, 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and dietary phytochemicals, alone and in combination. The hepatic and mammary gene expressions of P-gp, Pregnane X receptor (PXR), and CYP3A11 were analyzed. The environmental PAHs induced hepatic and mammary expressions of P-gp and associated genes in mice, compared to controls. Administration of dietary phytochemicals inhibited the P-gp expression significantly. Induction of specific DNA adducts were also observed in hepatic and mammary tissues of mice treated with PAHs and phytochemicals. These studies show a potential for development of dietary phytochemicals as Pg-p modulators in chemoprevention and chemotherapy of human cancers. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3452.
Mathematical Modeling of River Ice Transport and Ice Jam Formation

Dynamic and thermal processes on river ice transport, including ice jam formation, will be discussed. Mathematical modeling of river ice processes as well as examples of river ice models will be presented.
Robust dictionary learning with capped l 1 -norm

Expressing data vectors as sparse linear combinations of basis elements (dictionary) is widely used in machine learning, signal processing, and statistics. It has been found that dictionaries learned from data are more effective than off-the-shelf ones. Dictionary learning has become an important tool for computer vision. Traditional dictionary learning methods use quadratic loss function which is known sensitive to outliers. Hence they could not learn the good dictionaries when outliers exist. In this paper, aiming at learning dictionaries resistant to outliers, we proposed capped l1-norm based dictionary learning and an efficient iterative re-weighted algorithm to solve the problem. We provided theoretical analysis and carried out extensive experiments on real word datasets and synthetic datasets to show the effectiveness of our method.
Protecting free and open communications on the internet against man-in-the-middle attacks on third-party software: We’re foci’d

In this position paper, we argue that the potential for man-in-the-middle attacks on third-party software is a significant threat to free and open communications on the Internet (FOCI). The FOCI community has many challenges ahead, from the failure of the SSL system to protect Internet users from states that control the Internet to the challenges inherent in measuring and cataloging Internet censorship. It is already well-known in the community that man-in-the-middle attacks are a threat, and such attacks are already being used by nation states. In this paper we discuss our experiences discovering two vulnerabilities in software update mechanisms (in Impulse SafeConnect and Sun Java). What surprised us was the relative ease of finding such vulnerabilities and exploiting them. Our argument is that automated tools are needed to help users manage this threat more effectively because the threat involves many third-party applications from many small vendors.
Direct Measurement of Energy Flow in a Heme Protein: Development of a New Ultrafast Raman Probe of Biomolecule Dynamics

We present the first study of the hot vibrational population in a photoexcited heme protein directly observed in the picosecond anti-Stokes Raman spectrum.(1) Our pump-probe Raman experiment with 8ps time resolution unambiguously detects the excited vibrational levels of deoxyhemoglobin (deoxyHb) which are populated following optical excitation. Assuming thermal distribution of vibrational energy, we estimate a vibrational temperature of 36 K above room temperature within our 8 ps resolution. The 1/e time constant for vibrational cooling is 2 to 5ps, after deconvolving the laser pulsewidth.
Family Business Research in Africa: An Assessment

This chapter reviews and assesses the literature on family businesses in Africa with special emphasis on what has been studied and what the studies tell us about the state of family business research. We conducted a content analysis of family business studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals. The findings indicate that there is low productivity of research on family businesses in Africa and that the research lacks depth in terms of the topics covered and breadth in terms of the regional/countries covered. The findings further show that there were problems with the definition of family businesses and the use of theory in the studies. However, the quality of the studies was high, as demonstrated by the methodologies used and publication outlets.
A Review of Classification Schemes for Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis Endotypes.

Objective The recent development of endotypes to categorize disease variants of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) reflects an evolving understanding of the various pathophysiologic and pathogenetic mechanisms that contribute to the clinical heterogeneity of CRS manifestations. This review highlights popular endotype-based criteria used to define different CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) subtypes and further discusses the emerging therapeutic advances for each classificatory approach. Data Sources PubMed literature review. Methods A review of the current literature was conducted to determine present-day uses of immunologic and molecular profiles in the CRSwNP disease spectrum to identify specific endotypes. Results Four distinct but overlapping classification schemes have emerged to define endotypes within the CRSwNP phenotype: 1) type 2 cytokine-based approach, 2) eosinophil-based approach, 3) immunoglobulin (Ig)E-based approach, and 4) cysteinyl based approach. The identification of key inflammatory biomarkers related to these CRSwNP endotypes has broadened the classification of CRS beyond common phenotypic expressions. Furthermore, CRSwNP endotypes may improve the selection of CRSwNP patients who are suitable candidates for biomarker-specific treatment options, such as anti-interleukin-5; anti-IgE; and platelet-directed therapies. Conclusion Chronic rhinosinusitis endotyping with key biomarker patterns of inflammation allows for improved diagnostic and potentially therapeutic classifications of CRSwNP variants.
PERSPECTIVES OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

The low-incidence disability of visual impairment has led to many challenges in the field of education. The present study compared school related issues of adolescents with a visual impairment and their parents to adolescents who do not have a visual impairment and their parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of students with a visual impairment and their parents to determine the level of satisfaction of the education the students are receiving. A sample of n = 180 parents and 10th grade students were used to answer the questions regarding various factors of education. The predicted outcome will be that overall parents are satisfied with their child’s education but will have negative feelings regarding the quality of education. It is also predicted that the students with a visual impairment will have similar feelings regarding education. Article visualizations:
Bi-directional representation learning for multi-label classification

Multi-label classification is a central problem in many application domains. In this paper, we present a novel supervised bi-directional model that learns a low-dimensional mid-level representation for multi-label classification. Unlike traditional multi-label learning methods which identify intermediate representations from either the input space or the output space but not both, the mid-level representation in our model has two complementary parts that capture intrinsic information of the input data and the output labels respectively under the autoencoder principle while augmenting each other for the target output label prediction. The resulting optimization problem can be solved efficiently using an iterative procedure with alternating steps, while closed-form solutions exist for one major step. Our experiments conducted on a variety of multi-label data sets demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed bi-directional representation learning model for multi-label classification.
Chapter 9 Accumulation of Mixed Carbonate and Siliciclastic Muds on the Continental Shelf of Eastern Spain

Abstract The continental shelf of eastern Spain (extending from the Ebro River southward through the Gulf of Valencia) is accumulating a mixture of carbonate and siliciclastic sediment. Twenty-eight cores were analyzed to characterize sediment size and composition and to measure mixing and accumulation rates. Sandy mud consisting of about 40% carbonate and 60% siliciclastic sediment is accumulating over a transgressive sand and gravel layer, which is exposed landward of the 20 m isobath. Profiles of Pb-210 indicate that much of the mud deposit has an apparent accumulation rate of about 1 mm/yr. Profiles of Cs-137, however, indicate that in some cores the Pb-210 rates overestimate the true accumulation rates. The observed accumulation is slow compared to dispersal systems associated with larger fluvial sources of siliciclastic sediment. The slow accumulation combined with moderate sediment mixing rates (determined from Th-234 profiles) predict preservation of homogeneous strata, which is observed in x-radiographs. Although the siliciclastic accumulation is relatively slow, the carbonate accumulation rates are similar to values for low-latitude carbonate environments. The slow accumulation of siliciclastic sediment combined with apparently high productivity of carbonate sediment results in the mixed carbonate and siliciclastic deposit. The special characteristics of the study area are: a) siliciclastic sediment flux to the shelf is small but significant; b) the physical-oceanographic regime is quiescent enough to allow much of the fine sediment to accumulate on the shelf; c) and shelf waters are warm (for mid-latitudes) allowing rapid production of carbonate sediment.
Low Bandwidth Offload for Mobile AR

Environmental fingerprinting has been proposed as a key enabler to immersive, highly contextualized mobile computing applications, especially augmented reality. While fingerprints can be constructed in many domains (e.g., wireless RF, magnetic field, and motion patterns), visual fingerprinting is especially appealing due to the inherent heterogeneity in many indoor spaces. This visual diversity, however, is also its Achilles' heel -- matching a unique visual signature against a database of millions requires either impractical computation for a mobile device, or to upload large quantities of visual data for cloud offload. Further, most visual "features" tend to be low entropy -- e.g., homogeneous repetitions of floor and ceiling tiles. Our system VisualPrint, proposes a means to offload only the most distinctive visual data, that is, only those visual signatures which stand a good chance to yield a unique match. VisualPrint enables cloud-offloaded visual fingerprinting with efficacy comparable to using whole images, but with an order reduction in network transfer.