cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Judicial Symbols and the Link Between Legitimacy and Acquiescence

Abstract will be provided by author.How is it that the United State Supreme Court, perhaps the least majoritarian of all American political institutions, is capable of getting most citizens to accept rulings with which they disagree? This analysis addresses the role of the symbols of judicial authority and legitimacy – the robe, the gavel, the cathedral-like court building – in contributing to this willingness of ordinary citizens to acquiesce to disagreeable court decisions. We show using an experimental design that judicial symbols are important in establishing the link between institutional legitimacy and acceptance. Our analysis indicates that for some people institutional legitimacy is automatically activated and will consistently affect acceptance of the Court’s decision. For others, the legitimacy/acceptance link is conditional upon the presence of judicial symbols. For these people, without the presence of judicial symbols, increased legitimacy does not lead to increased acceptance of an unwelcomed court decision. We understand these empirical findings with the assistance of three bodies of theory: Legitimacy Theory, Positivity Theory, and the Theory of Motivated Political Reasoning. The Theory of Motivated Political Reasoning explains how non-conscious stimuli such as background symbols can affect the reasoning of ordinary citizens, providing the micro-level underpinning for the asymmetrical effects of exposure to the judiciary that is addressed by Positivity Theory. Because symbols influence citizens, and influence them in ways that reinforce the legitimacy of courts, the connection between institutional attitudes and acquiescence posited by Legitimacy Theory is both supported and explained.
Using XAS and SXRF to Study Copper in Wilson Disease at the Molecular and Tissue Level

Wilson disease (WD) is a genetic disorder of copper metabolism associated with severe hepatic, neurological, and psychiatric abnormalities. In WD, the billiary copper excretion is impaired and copper accumulates in tissues, particularly in the liver and the brain. The affected gene, ATP7B, encodes the copper transporting ATPase, Wilson disease protein (WNDP). WNDP has six copper binding sites in the N‐terminal portion of the molecule. Each site includes the conserved amino acid sequence MXCXXC, and binds 1 Cu(I) through its 2 cysteine residues. We performed X‐ray absorption studies at the Cu Kα‐edge on the recombinant N‐terminal domain of WNDP (N‐WNDP). Copper was bound to N‐WNDP either in vivo or in vitro in the presence of different reducing agents. We found that in N‐WNDP copper is predominantly coordinated in a linear fashion by two cysteines, with the appearance of a Cu‐Cu interaction when all metal binding sites are filled. Increasing amounts of reducing agents containing sulfide or phosphine groups...
Arctic low cloud changes as observed by MISR and CALIOP: Implication for the enhanced autumnal warming and sea ice loss

Retreat of Arctic sea ice extent has led to more evaporation over open water in summer and subsequent cloud changes in autumn. Studying recent satellite cloud data over the Arctic Ocean, we find that low (0.5-2 km) cloud cover in October has been increasing significantly during 2000-2010 over the Beaufort and East Siberian Sea (BESS). This change is consistent with the expected boundary-layer cloud response to the increasing Arctic evaporation accumulated during summer. Because low clouds have a net warming effect at the surface, October cloud increases may be responsible for the enhanced autumnal warming in surface air temperature, which effectively prolong the melt season and lead to a positive feedback to Arctic sea ice loss. Thus, the new satellite observations provide a critical support for the hypothesized positive feedback involving interactions between boundary-layer cloud, water vapor, temperature and sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.
Web 2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching Mark J. W. Lee and Catherine McLoughlin, Eds.

As the title suggests, the audience of this book is higher education instructors who currently use or plan to use Web 2.0 in their teaching. Focusing on the social informatics aspect of Web 2.0, th...
Design, simulation, and large-scale testing of an innovative vibration mitigation device employing essentially nonlinear elastomeric springs

SUMMARY This study proposes an innovative passive vibration mitigation device employing essentially nonlinear elastomeric springs as its most critical component. Essential nonlinearity denotes the absence (or near absence) of a linear component in the stiffness characteristics of these elastomeric springs. These devices were implemented and tested on a large-scale nine-story model building structure. The main focus of these devices is to mitigate structural response under impulse-like and seismic loading when the structure remains elastic. During the design process of the device, numerical simulations, optimizations, and parametric studies of the structure-device system were performed to obtain stiffness parameters for the devices so that they can maximize the apparent damping of the fundamental mode of the structure. Pyramidal elastomeric springs were employed to physically realize the optimized essentially nonlinear spring components. Component-level finite element analyses and experiments were conducted to design the nonlinear springs. Finally, shake table tests using impulse-like and seismic excitation with different loading levels were performed to experimentally evaluate the performance of the device. Experimental results demonstrate that the properly designed devices can mitigate structural vibration responses, including floor acceleration, displacement, and column strain in an effective, rapid, and robust fashion. Comparison between numerical and experimental results verified the computational model of the nonlinear system and provided a comprehensive verification for the proposed device. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Late Domain Function Identified in the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus M Protein by Use of Rhabdovirus-Retrovirus Chimeras

Little is known about the mechanisms used by enveloped viruses to separate themselves from the cell surface at the final step of budding. However, small sequences in the Gag proteins of several retroviruses (L domains) have been implicated in this process. A sequence has been identified in the M proteins of rhabdoviruses that closely resembles the PPPPY motif in the L domain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), an avian retrovirus. To evaluate whether the PPPY sequence in vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) M protein has an activity analogous to that of the retroviral sequence, M-Gag chimeras were characterized. The N-terminal 74 amino acids of the VSV (Indiana) M protein, including the PPPY motif, was able to replace the L domain of RSV Gag and allow the assembly and release of virus-like particles. Alanine substitutions in the VSV PPPY motif severely compromised the budding activity of this hybrid protein but not that of another chimera which also contained the RSV PPPPY sequence. We conclude that this VSV sequence is functionally homologous to the RSV L domain in promoting virus particle release, making this the first example of such an activity in a virus other than a retrovirus. Both the RSV and VSV motifs have been shown to interact in vitro with certain cellular proteins that contain a WW interaction module, suggesting that the L domains are sites of interaction with unknown host machinery involved in virus release.
Partitioning behavior of trace elements during pilot-scale combustion of pulverized coal and coal-water slurry fuel

Abstract Release pathways for inorganic hazardous air pollutants (IHAPs) from a pilot-scale, down-fired combustor (DFC) when firing pulverized coal (PC) and coal–water slurry fuel (CWSF) were identified and quantified to demonstrate the effect of fuel form on IHAP partitioning, enrichment and emissions. The baghouse capturing efficiency for each element was calculated to determine the effectiveness of IHAP emission control. Most of the IHAPs were enriched in the fly ash and depleted in the bottom ash. Mercury was found to be enriched in the flue gas, and preferentially emitted in the vapor phase. When firing CWSF, more IHAPs were partitioned in the bottom ash than when firing PC. Significant reduction of Hg emissions during CWSF combustion was also observed.
Improving Adherence for Management of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract Background Clinical practice guidelines recommend 40-60 mg of prednisone equivalent for 10-14 days for patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the amount of corticosteroid prescribed varies widely in clinical practice. Using the electronic health record, we implemented an evidence-based order set to standardize treatment of patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD. Methods This is a pre- and post-intervention study on patients hospitalized between January 1, 2009 and September 30, 2012 with primary discharge diagnosis of COPD (International Classification of Diseases, 9 th Revision code: 491.xx, 492.xx, and 496) and receipt of at least one dose of corticosteroid at our tertiary care hospital. Data on baseline demographics, dose of corticosteroid in prednisone equivalent administered during the first 48 hours and during the entire hospitalizations were collected from the electronic health record. Evidence-based guidelines were used to build and implement acute exacerbations of COPD management electronic ordersets in our electronic health record, Epic (Verona, WI). We divided the study into 2 time periods (January 1, 2009 through February 28, 2011 as pre- [n = 203] and March 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012 as post-intervention periods [n = 217]). The primary outcome measure was corticosteroid dose administered in the first 48 hours. Secondary outcome measures were corticosteroid dosage during the entire hospitalization, length of stay, hospital follow-up rates, and 30-day readmission rates. Results A total of 420 patients with acute exacerbations of COPD were included in the study. In the post-intervention period, the median amount of corticosteroid used in the first 48 hours was significantly reduced (306.2 mg vs 156.25 mg, P P Conclusions Evidence-based electronic ordersets improve compliance with clinical practice guidelines and reduce the total dose of corticosteroid administered in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD.
The flume net: A quantitative method for sampling fishes and macrocrustaceans on tidal marsh surfaces

We describe the use of flume nets for passively, quantitatively, and nondestructively sampling fishes and macrocrustaceans on tidal marsh surfaces. We captured 3,765 organisms of 23 species in 118 samples using six such nets in a Virginia tidal freshwater marsh in 1984. Efficiency estimates for four common species of fishes range from 53 to 80%. Flume nets are most suited to the collection of long-term data and are particularly useful in elucidating seasonal trends in species composition and relative abundance. These nets are also useful in comparing different microhabitats within and between marshes. This method is most applicable to intertidal habitats with predictable lunar tides, including mud flats, mangrove swamps, and other wetlands.
Roy E. “Chip” Clark Jr. (1947–2010)

Chip Clark began photographing the exhibits and behind-the-scenes activities at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History thirty-seven years ago. Since then, his range of interests and s...
Praxis and social theory (review of outline of a theory of praxis )

Pierre Bourdieu has produced a fascinating and uncompromising attack on a number of currently popular established theoretical positions including Structuralism, Althusserian Marxism, Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology. At the same time, he has argued for a fresh approach to theory which is at once comprehensive and unique, informed by the philosophical, anthropological and sociological traditions. The argument ofthe book is complex, detailed, often elu? sive and, in its own distinctive manner, obscure. For the serious reader, it offers a new field of inquiry, and an attempt to construct a new theory of praxis in juxtapo? sition to prior objectivist and subjectivist theoretical positions, as well as those po? sitions whose claim is to be praxiological. In the contemporary world, which is in contradistinction to the classical world, it was Marx who originally offered a theory of praxis. No doubt the outlines ofthat theory have been obscured, if not by Marx himself then by his interpreters, in such a manner that Marx's own theory should reach the current French scene under the heavy hand of the objectivist structuralist Althusser who, as Bourdieu would have it, managed to place the best of Marx in the shadow of a mechanistic, scientific pseudo-interpretation of social experience. Hence, Bourdieu, armed with ethnographic data from his fieldwork in Kabylia, does not simply attempt to reconstruct the original theory of Marx, but also constructs a theory in the tradition of the Early Marx. This theory not only provides a critique of other theories of social science but also attempts to outline a new theory of social science. If, indeed, this attempt fails, it is nonetheless both interesting and significant.
Probing for mechanical and tribological anomalies in the TiC/amorphous hydrocarbon nanocomposite coating system

Abstract We have performed a detailed examination of the mechanical properties and the friction and wear characteristics of titanium-containing amorphous hydrocarbon (Ti–C:H) coatings as a function of the Ti composition from 0 to 45 at.%. Elastic modulus and hardness were measured with instrumented nanoindentation. Friction coefficient and coating wear rate during unlubricated sliding against WC–Co in a ball-on-disk configuration were also measured. Deposited by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-assisted hybrid chemical vapor deposition/physical vapor deposition (CVD/PVD), these Ti–C:H coatings consist of nanocrystalline TiC clusters embedded in an a-C:H matrix, and are thin film TiC/amorphous hydrocarbon (a-C:H) nanocomposite materials. As the Ti composition increases, the elastic modulus and hardness of the coatings exhibit smooth variations. In contrast, relatively abrupt transitions occur in the friction coefficient and the wear rate of the coatings over a relatively narrow (20–30 at.%) Ti composition range. Our results indicate bimodal friction and wear behaviors for the TiC/a-C:H nanocomposites, a-C:H-like at Ti compositions below 20%, and TiC-like at Ti compositions above 30%. Our results indicate that two different coating wear mechanisms operate as the volume fraction of nanocrystalline TiC clusters changes. Over the entire range of Ti compositions examined, no anomalous changes in elastic modulus or hardness of the Ti–C:H coatings were observed.
Error-correction coding for accuracy enhancement in optical matrix-vector multipliers

Error-correcting codes provide a technique for enhancing the accuracy of optical matrix-vector multipliers (OMVM’s). The effects of signal-independent and signal-dependent noise on the performance of OMVM’s that employ error-correcting codes are studied through the use of computer simulations. Noise present in the matrix results in random errors that can be corrected by these codes. Noise present in the vector results in nonrandom errors that are difficult to correct by using random error-correcting codes. The effect of code type is also investigated.
New Electric-Field-Driven Mesoscale Phase Transitions in Polarized Suspensions

We report the discovery of a new class of an electric field-driven bulk phase transition due solely to dipolar interactions in a suspension under the action of a uniform ac field where the effects of other competing forces are suppressed. This transition appears after the well-known chain-column formation and causes the uniform suspension of columns to rearrange into a cellular pattern consisting of particle-free domains surrounded by particle-rich walls. Interestingly, the characteristic size of these domains scales linearly with the interelectrode spacing and remains insensitive to the size of the particles.
Migration in Namibia: Combining macro and micro approaches to research design and analysis

In adopting a framework that applies both macro and micro variables to the study of migration in Namibia, the analysis of the findings of the Namibia Migration Project emphasizes the utility of com...
Metal oxide nanowires: Preparation and application in gas sensing

Quasi one-dimensional nanowires of metal oxides are promising for the development of nano-devices. Sn, In, and Zn oxides were produced in form of single-crystalline nanowires through condensation from vapor phase. Furthermore longitudinal and radial heterostructures have been prepared. Nanowires growth occurs in controlled condition and allows the exploitation of size reduction effects on the electrical response to gases. Preparation, microstructural, morphological and electrical characterizations of nanowires are presented and the peculiarities of these innovative structures are highlighted.
Predicting Progeny Variance from Parental Divergence in Hard Red Spring Wheat

Selection of parents is an important first step in any breeding program. The ability to assess accurately genetic differences between parents and subsequently to predict progeny performance would enhance the efficiency of breeding programs. This study examined the association between genetic similarity (GS) based on coefficient of parentage (COP) and molecular marker data for 10 hard red spring wheats (Triticum aestivum L.). In addition, we assessed the value of parental diversity based on COP, and molecular marker data, and combinations of them, to predict progeny genetic variance for 12 crosses of hard red spring wheat. Coefficient of parentage was computed for all pair-wise combinations of the 10 parents. Parents were assayed with 205 sequence-tagged sites (STS) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets and 14 arbitrarily chosen selective amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) primer combinations. Fifty random progeny lines from each of 12 crosses among the 10 parents were grown in three field environments. Genetic variance estimates were obtained for nine traits, and an overall variance was obtained as the sum of single trait variance components from standardized data. Genetic similarities estimated from COP, STS-PCR primer sets, and AFLP primer combinations were interrelated. Genetic distance computed from COP, STS-PCR primer sets, AFLP primer combinations, or combinations of them was not a strong predictor of progeny genetic variance or number of transgressive segregates for single traits. However, significant correlations were obtained between COP and STS-PCR-based genetic distance and overall variance.
Diagnosis and surgical management of ureteral calculi in dogs: 16 cases (1990-2003).

Abstract AIMS: To examine the clinical signs, laboratory and radiographic findings, surgical technique, ureterolith composition, and post-operative outcomes in dogs managed surgically for ureterolithiasis to determine whether surgical removal of ure-teroliths in dogs resulted in a positive clinical outcome. METHODS: The medical record database of a university veterinary hospital in Pennsylvania, USA, was searched for dogs that underwent surgery to remove obstructive ureteral calculi between 1990 and 2003. Records were reviewed for signalment, clinical history and examination findings, radiographic and laboratory test results, surgical technique, and ureterolith analysis. Follow-up information was obtained from telephone interviews with owners or referring veterinarians, or by reviewing the medical record of subsequent hospital visits. RESULTS: Sixteen dogs were included in this study; ten were neutered females, two intact females and four castrated males. Abdominal radiography revealed ureteral calculi in...
Path dependence of structural relaxation of elastomeric glasses

Abstract A theoretical calculation based on the general solution of a multi-ordering-parameter model is extended to study combined pressure and temperature effects on the relaxation of a polyurethane elastomeric glass (Solithane 113). Distinctly different relaxation behaviours were produced at a point (P, T) when the glasses arrived at that point by different paths, namely along an isobar and along an isotherm. The general solution for the kinetics of a certain path takes the form: δ(t)=δ 0 φ(t,t 0 )− ∫ t 0 t (Δαq−Δβp)φ(t,t′) d t′ where the relaxation time involved in ф is an explicit function of P, T, Pf (fictive pressure) and Tf (fictive temperature). The variables T and Tf, and P and Pf are mutually convertible by the relationship dδ=Δβd(P−Pf)=Δαd(Tf−T), in which both Δβ and Δα are functions of P and T. During the ageing of the elastomeric glass, Young's modulus (E) was measured at various intervals of ageing time to monitor the variation of δ, the volumetric measure of departure from equilibrium, related to E by δ=A(P,T)[ 1 E(t) − 1 E t8 (P,T) ] . Ageing behaviour and memory effects caused by combination of pressure and temperature perturbations were investigated to predict the experimental results. Detailed experimental techniques and procedures have been described in earlier papers.
Design and evaluation of a group support system supported process to resolve cognitive conflicts

We model a group support system based process to improve group judgments.The model relies on structured communication and cognitive feedbacks.It uses the multi-attribute utility multicriteria decision making technique.Our model enhanced problem solving ability.Our model was perceived to be more effective overall than the traditional method. It is commonplace to have teams of employees working together in the workplace based on the belief that the exchange and leveraging of ideas can result in superior performance. Teams are typically comprised of individuals who come from different backgrounds, have varied experiences, knowledge and values, which they can use to address the tasks at hand. Such differences, however, can also result in conflicts within the team which can be detrimental to team performance. Among the different types of conflict, cognitive conflict is not the outcome of conflict of interest; rather the team members view a task from different perspectives even when they have similar interests in achieving an outcome. We propose and test a group judgment making process architecture supported by group support system (GSS) that we argue will reduce cognitive conflicts and result in solutions that the group members can understand and agree on. It utilizes the multi-attribute utility (MAU) multicriteria decision making technique to structure information and also includes a mechanism for incorporating participant feedback at various stages of the process that should contribute to participants being better able to share values, experiences, and information and obtain a better understanding of the trade-offs that need to be made. When we compared our group judgment making process to a conventional face-to-face group meeting approach as well as a GSS supported process without any required structured decision making process, we found it to be more effective based on four measures of attitude towards the formed group judgment.
Using wavelets to analyze AFM images of thin films: Surface micelles and supported lipid bilayers

This paper presents micro- and nanoanalysis of thin films based on images obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The analysis exploits the discrete wavelet transform and the resulting wavelet spectrum to study surface features. It is demonstrated that the wavelet technique can characterize micro- and nanosurface features and distinguish between similar surface structures. The use of a feature extraction method is shown. The method involves the separation of certain frequency content from the original AFM images and analyzing the data independently to gain quantitative information about the images. By using the feature extraction method, soft surfaces in water are analyzed and nanofeatures are measured. The packing of surface micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate on a self-assembled monolayer is analyzed. The characteristics of pore formation, due to penetration of the antibacterial peptide protegrin, into a solid-supported lipid bilayer are quantified. The sizes of the pores are obtained, and it is observed that the line tension of the pores reduces the fluctuations of the lipid bilayer.
A mosaic multiple-binding model for the binding of caldesmon and myosin subfragment-1 to actin.

Binding of caldesmon to actin causes a decrease in the quantity of bound myosin and results in a reduction in the rate of actin-activated adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis. It is generally assumed that the binding of caldesmon and myosin to actin is a pure competitive interaction. However, recent binding studies of enzyme digested caldesmon subfragments directed at mapping the actin binding site of caldesmon have shown that a small 8-kD fragment around the COOH-terminal can compete directly with the myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) binding to actin; at least one other fragment that binds to actin does not inhibit the actin-activated adenosine triphosphate activity of myosin. That is, only a part of the caldesmon sequence may be responsible for directly blocking the binding of S-1 to actin. This prompts us to question the actual mode of binding of intact caldesmon and myosin S-1 to actin: whether the entire intact caldesmon molecule is competing with S-1 binding (pure competitive model) or just a small part of it (mosaic multiple-binding model). To answer this question, we measured the amount of myosin S-1 and caldesmon bound per actin monomer as a function of the total concentration of S-1 added to the system at constant concentrations of actin and caldesmon. A formalism for calculating the titration data based on the pure competitive model and a mosaic multiple-binding model was then developed. When compared with theoretical calculations, it is found that the binding of caldesmon and S-1 to actin cannot be pure competitive if no cooperativity exists between S-1 and caldesmon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
VARIATION IN POLLEN SIZE, FERTILIZATION ABILITY, AND POSTFERTILIZATION SIRING ABILITY IN ERYTHRONIUM GRANDIFLORUM

The mean volume of pollen grains and total pollen production varied both within and among plants of Erythronium grandiflorum. The second flowers of two-flowered plants tended to produce smaller and fewer grains than first flowers, but there was no overall relationship between mean pollen grain size and production per flower. I evaluated the effects of pollen size differences within and among plants on two components of male reproductive success: pollen tube growth and postfertilization siring ability. Pollen tubes grown in media were longer for second flowers, but were not correlated with the mean size of pollen grains, suggesting that (1) internal resource content of pollen (i.e., carbohydrates plus lipids) was not associated with the hydrated size of pollen, and that (2) pollen from second flowers contained more resources. I analyzed the growth rate and the fertilization ability of pollen growing in styles. Growth rate differed among donors and recipients, but no effects of pollen or donor characters (i.e., pollen production, grain size, and flower position) were detected. In single donor pollinations, pollen size was negatively correlated with fertilization ability across donors, and positively correlated with postfertilization siring ability of donors. A second experiment used pairs of donors; within-plant differences in pollen size and flower position had effects similar to the single donor experiment on fertilization ability, but among-plant differences were not significant. The results corroborate earlier experiments that suggest that the growth of pollen tubes in the style is probably controlled by the recipient, since donor characters had minimal effects on pollen fertilization ability. Postfertilization siring ability was not affected by within-plant differences in mean grain size and production. For among-donor differences, the number of seeds set for each donor was positively correlated with the mean grain volume, and when a donor producing large pollen fertilized ovules in an ovary, there was increased seed abortion for seeds in the same ovary sired by a second donor. In addition, the total number of seeds produced by a fruit was decreased when both donors had large pollen, apparently due to increased postfertilization abortion. Postfertilization processes appear to be influenced by paternal differences that are expressed through competition among developing seeds for maternal resources.
Catalyst Sintering and Reactor Design

Abstract The subject of sintering (sometimes termed coarsening) has received considerable attention since the late 1960s, and a review [1] appeared in this journal in 1975. Significant progress has been made since then, in particular, with regard to the mechanisms and kinetics of sintering and measurement techniques. With these advances it is now possible to utilize the understanding gained for the design of reactors undergoing catalyst sintering. In fact, a few attempts have already been made.
Integration of a dominant selectable marker into human chromosomes and transfer of marked chromosomes to mouse cells by microcell fusion.

A method for the production of stable mouse-human cell hybrids containing a single human chromosome is described. As a first step in this method, a cloned selectable marker, the E. coli xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Ecogpt) gene, was transferred to human cells to generate cell lines each carrying Ecogpt integrated into a different site. Human chromosomes marked with Ecogpt were transferred further into mouse cells by microcell fusion. Monochromosomal hybrids, in which the human chromosome is maintained by selection, have been produced for chromosomes 2, 5, 16, and a rearranged chromosome involving a translocation between chromosomes 1 and 2. In addition to these monochromosomal hybrids, we have also obtained monochromosomal hybrids for human chromosomes 6, 12, and 17 by selection for the loss of marked chromosome from the microcell hybrids each containing two human chromosomes. Although the human chromosome present in these hybrids cannot be maintained by selection, 80–90% of cells retained the transferred chromosome on continuous growth for 15 days. Monochromosomal hybrids would provide biological materials to construct genetic maps of human chromosomes. In addition, chromosomes marked with dominant selectable markers can be transferred further to any cell line of interest in inter- or intra-species combination.
TAXONOMIC REEXAMINATION AND TYPE-LOCALITY ASSEMBLAGE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LATE ALBIAN PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA HEDBERGELLA YEZOANA TAKAYANAGI AND IWAMOTO, 1962, FROM JAPAN

The late Albian planktonic foraminifera Hedbergella trocoidea yezoana Takayanagi and Iwamoto, 1962, from Japan, whose primary distinguishing feature is 7–8 chambers in the final whorl, has been internationally cited with a species rank as Hedbergella yezoana . Still, its taxonomic position is not well understood, as manifested by the fact that published hypotypes have six or fewer chambered forms, and such ambiguity is due partly to a lack of updated knowledge about the primary types (a holotype and single paratype), topotypes, and hypotypes from the northwestern Pacific region. This study reexamines the species concept of Hd. yezoana through uncoated SEM observations of the primary types and newly obtained type-locality material. The holotype is synonymous with Ticinella primula Luterbacher, 1963, as judged by its uneven wall surface, pseudoplanispiral (slightly streptospiral) mode of coiling, somewhat tangentially elongate last chambers, and a possible porticus-like structure. The topotypes exhibit important characters such as supplementary apertures and well-developed portici, thus confirming the synonymy of Hd. yezoana and T. primula . This outcome, however, is troublesome because T. primula is the widely used name for this morphology, and accepting the priority of “ Ticinella yezoana ” affects the nomenclatural stability in Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera. Conservation of the junior name T. primula is supported not only by the insufficient preservation of the Hokkaido material but also by the concept of Article 23.9 (reversal of precedence) in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4 th edition, 1999), although a ruling from the Zoological Commission would be eventually necessary. The paratype, in contrast, exhibits a smooth, microperforate wall, and is identified in open nomenclature as Microhedbergella sp. A (multi-chambered form). In addition to this wall-surface feature, this potential new Microhedbergella taxon differs from the “ Hd. yezoana ” holotype (and hence from T. primula ) by lacking a streptospiral mode of coiling, exhibiting isomorphic globular chambers between the umbilical and spiral sides, and possessing a very poorly developed or nearly absent lip. The type-locality assemblage of “ Hd. yezoana ” is marked by the common occurrence of several other “ticinellid” taxa ( Biticinella breggiensis and at least three species of Ticinella ) and Microhedbergella with very rare Favusella . The Microhedbergella specimens have a remarkably wide range of morphologies, some comparable to those recorded in a local Texas assemblage, but the rest undescribed.
Calibration of the Donaldson Colorimeter

The standard procedure of calibrating the Donaldson six-primary colorimeter is reviewed critically and some sources of systematic errors which might affect the accuracy of the calibration are discussed. In particular, the effect of the temperature variations of the primary filters and the nonuniform spectral transmittances of certain optical components of the instrument are studied. A way is described which leads to an improved calibration accuracy.
Sports education – a priority for Caribbean sports tourism

Purpose – This paper has the objective of making the case for the development of sports education as a critical element in the growth of sports tourism in the Caribbean.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews some of the key definitions offered in the literature for sports, tourism, sports tourism and sports education. It then discusses the status of sports tourism in the Caribbean, using the CWC 2007 event as the main focus. The paper then proposes a template of a sports education curriculum for adoption in the Caribbean region.Findings – Both the strengths and weaknesses of the sports tourism infrastructure in the Caribbean are reported in this paper. While the Caribbean possesses viable resources for tourism, as well as a strong foundation in sport, the institutional arrangements and formulae for developing sports tourism are either lacking or weak.Research limitations/implications – A substantial body of writing and research has focused upon the tourism product of the Caribbean. However, ther...
The Role of Foot Orthoses as an Intervention for Patellofemoral Pain

Foot orthoses often are prescribed for patients with patellofemoral pain. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to review the theoretical and research basis that might support this intervention and to provide our own clinical experience in providing foot orthoses for these patients. Literature is reviewed regarding (1) the effects of foot orthoses on pain and function, (2) the relationship between foot and lower-extremity/patellofemoral joint mechanics, (3) the effects of foot orthoses on lower-extremity mechanics, and (4) the effects of foot orthoses on patellofemoral joint position. The literature and our own clinical experience suggest that patients with patellofemoral pain may benefit from foot orthoses if they also demonstrate signs of excessive foot pronation and/or a lower-extremity alignment profile that includes excessive lower-extremity internal rotation during weight bearing and increased Q angle. The mechanism for foot orthoses having a positive effect on pain and function for these patie...
Plasma antennas for future advanced communication systems

Summary form only given. Plasma antennas show many advantages over conventional metal antennas. These include being resistant to electronic warfare, becoming effectively invisible to radar, and exhibiting much less thermal noise thereby permitting faster data rates. They can be dynamically tuned and reconfigured for frequency, direction, bandwidth, gain, and beamwidth, so replacing the need for multiple antennas. A plasma antenna that is capable of producing advanced antenna characteristics compared to the conventional metal antennas is presented. A 3D particle-in-cell (PIC) electromagnetic solver-VORPAL is employed to simulate the plasma characteristics. A prototype antenna using a fluorescent lamp has been built. Preliminary measurement results will be compared with the theoretical predicted results.
Higher Order Liquid Crystalline Structure in Low-Polydispersity DEH-PPV

Monodisperse, low molecular weight poly(2,5-di(2‘-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (DEH-PPV) demonstrates significantly better structural order than polydisperse PPVs. Since optical and electr...
Preconcentration and detection of the phosphorylated forms of cardiac troponin I in a cascade microchip by cationic isotachophoresis.

This paper describes the detection of a cardiac biomarker, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), spiked into depleted human serum using cationic isotachophoresis (ITP) in a 3.9 cm long poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microfluidic channel. The microfluidic chip incorporates a 100× cross-sectional area reduction, including a 10× depth reduction and a 10× width reduction, to increase sensitivity during ITP. The cross-sectional area reductions in combination with ITP allowed visualization of lower concentrations of fluorescently labeled cTnI. ITP was performed in both “peak mode” and “plateau mode” and the final concentrations obtained were linear with initial cTnI concentration. We were able to detect and quantify cTnI at initial concentrations as low as 46 ng mL−1 in the presence of human serum proteins and obtain cTnI concentrations factors as high as ∼ 9000. In addition, preliminary ITP experiments including both labeled cTnI and labeled protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylated cTnI were performed to visualize ITP migration of different phosphorylated forms of cTnI. The different phosphorylated states of cTnI formed distinct ITP zones between the leading and terminating electrolytes. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt at using ITP in a cascade microchip to quantify cTnI in human serum and detect different phosphorylated forms.
Second Surgery for Recurrent Pilocytic Astrocytoma in Children

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common childhood brain tumor. In cases where the tumor progresses or recurs following primary surgical resection, the appropriate treatment is unclear. Options i
Magneto-optic measurement of Brownian relaxation of magnetic nanoparticles

We demonstrate a magneto-optic technique to measure Brownian relaxation of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in liquids. We used AC susceptibility data as a function of frequency of the applied AC magnetic field to verify that the results agree with those obtained via a conventional inductive detection technique. However, compared with a commercial AC susceptometer using the conventional detection scheme, our magneto-optic setup is able to detect a density of nanoparticles at least three orders smaller. This technique has the potential of being used as a sensor for magnetic nanoparticles such as in local temperature, viscoelasticity, or molecular-binding measurements.
FKBP12 binding modulates ryanodine receptor channel gating.

Abstract The ryanodine receptor (RyR1)/calcium release channel on the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle is comprised of four 565,000-dalton RyR1s, each of which binds one FK506 binding protein (FKBP12). RyR1 is required for excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle. FKBP12, a cis-transpeptidyl-prolyl isomerase, is required for the normal gating of the RyR1 channel. In the absence of FKBP12, RyR1 channels exhibit increased gating frequency, suggesting that FKBP12 “stabilizes” the channel in the open and closed states. We now show that substitution of a Gly, Glu, or Ile for Val2461 in RyR1 prevents FKBP12 binding to RyR1, resulting in channels with increased gating frequency. In the case of the V2461I mutant RyR1, normal channel function can be restored by adding FKBP12.6, an isoform of FKBP12. These data identify Val2461 as a critical residue required for FKBP12 binding to RyR1 and demonstrate the functional role for FKBP12 in the RyR1 channel complex.
γ-Tubulin is a highly conserved component of the centrosome

We have cloned and characterized gamma-tubulin genes from both X. laevis and S. pombe, and partial genes from maize, diatom, and a budding yeast. The proteins encoded by these genes are very similar to each other and to the original Aspergillus protein, indicating that gamma-tubulins are an ubiquitous and highly conserved subfamily of the tubulin family. A null mutation of the S. pombe gene is lethal. gamma-tubulin is a minor protein, present at less than 1% the level of alpha- and beta-tubulin, and is limited to the centrosome. In particular, gamma-tubulin is associated with the pericentriolar material, the microtubule-nucleating material of the centrosome. gamma-Tubulin remains associated with the centrosome when microtubules are depolymerized, suggesting that it is an integral component that might play a role in microtubule organization.
Human Nidogen Gene: Structural and Functional Characterization of the 5'-Flanking Region

Nidogen is a sulfated multifunctional glycoprotein present in basement membranes. In this study, we have cloned the 5'-flanking region of the human nidogen gene. Initially, an approximately 35-kb DNA clone (NCos4) was isolated from a human cosmid genomic library. Southern hybridization of EcoRI-digested NCos4 allowed isolation of a 3.7-kb fragment, which was shown to contain a portion of intron 1, the entire exon 1, and approximately 0.9 kb of 5'-flanking sequences of the nidogen gene. Nucleotide sequencing of the 5'-flanking DNA revealed the presence of two canonic CCAAT consensus sequences in the antisense strand and a potential variant of the TATA motif, TATTT, in the sense strand. One putative AP-2 and six putative SP1 binding sites were also present. To test the functional promoter activity of the 5'-flanking genomic DNA, two nidogen promoter/CAT reporter gene constructs, with the promoter segment spanning from -864 to -1 and from -534 to -1, respectively, were developed and analyzed in transient transfections of human and mouse cell cultures. Both constructs showed clearly detectable promoter activity, and the activity of the larger construct could be up-regulated by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate up to 2.5 times. The results indicate that the nidogen promoter/CAT gene constructs developed in this study provide a means to examine the transcriptional regulation of nidogen gene expression in human diseases of the basement membrane zone.
Diagnostic yield of renal biopsies: a retrospective single center review

Previous studies have examined the spectrum of diseases identified with a kidney biopsy and the complications of the procedure. However, few studies have examined the utility of the test to clarify the diagnosis and guide treatment of pediatric patients. This retrospective, single-center chart review was performed to test the hypothesis that at least 80% of native kidney biopsies provide clinically valuable information that rationally guides diagnosis and patient management. 200 biopsies performed between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2008 were reviewed. A scheme composed of six categories was devised to classify the utility of each kidney biopsy. 196 complete case files were available for review. Twenty-four (12.2%) biopsies did not shed light on the diagnosis and were unhelpful in patient management – 21 biopsies (10.7%) were non-diagnostic and 3 (1.5%) failed to yield enough tissue for examination. The number of unhelpful biopsies did not cluster in any specific disease entity. Our findings provide guidance to nephrologists about the total risk of a kidney biopsy, including uninformative results, when seeking informed consent for the procedure. The results suggest an appropriate balance has been reached which maximizes the use of kidney biopsies while minimizing the risk of this invasive procedure (word count: 202).
Possible interference by a metabolite in gas chromatographic assays for glutethimide which employ certain non-selective liquid phases

Abstract The specificity of gas chromatographic assays for glutethimide was assessed using combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Analysis of urine from patients intoxicated with glutethimide indicated that a drug metabolite was eluted with glutethimide from columns containing SE-30, OV-1 and OV-17. This would lead to an overestimation of the unchanged drug in the urine when these non-selective columns were used. The metabolite, identified as α-phenyl α-ethyl glutaconimide by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, could be separated from glutethimide using OV-225 or Carbowax 20M liquid phases. The concentration of the metabolite in the urine increased relative to glutethimide with time after the intoxicating dose. Plasma from the same patients contained very little of the glutaconimide metabolite relative to glutethimide. It is recommended that biological samples containing glutethimide be analyzed using gas chromatographic columns which are capable of separating the drug from its potentially interfering metabolites. Use of OV-225 or Carbowax 20M liquid phases would eliminate the possible overestimation of glutethimide in biological samples.
Verlossing: van Pelagius tot Joseph Smith

Salvation: from Pelagius to Joseph Smith Every Christian church believes that she is a true church and proclaims that man can be saved and has eternal life. This dogma of salvation is usually based on the Bible as the Word of God. Mormons claim that Joseph Smith, founder and first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, received a divine message to restore the church that Jesus had started. In studying the plan of salvation the Mormons proclaim it is quite clear that that way of salvation was not restored in their church, but that it followed a pattern of false doctrine that was revealed time and again in history. The core of their preaching of salvation is that man has the free will to choose his own salvation. Mormons are not the first to preach this message. This article will show that Pelagius oisty-kated the free will of man. In the Reformation the Anabaptists preached the same message, being a third movement next to the reformed and Roman Catholic believes. The Anabaptists became part of the churches of the Netherlands and at the Synod of Dordt the theology of the free will was rejected and answered. The dogma of the free will of man did not end at this Synod: 150 years later John Wesley preached the same message of salvation during his and Whitefield’s campaigns at the dawn of the nineteenth century in the USA. During this time Joseph Smith started to seek the true church and founded the Mormon Church. Although his theology differs quite strongly from the Methodist Church in which he grew up, the core of the way of salvation is the same: man has free will in choosing his salvation.
Hemangioma of bladder

A twenty-nine-year-old woman had a history of recurring gross, total painless hematuria. The past history and urologic studies supported the diagnosis of hemangioma of the bladder. A partial cystectomy was performed. The pertinent literature is reviewed.