cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Refactoring bacteriophage T7

Natural biological systems are selected by evolution to continue to exist and evolve. Evolution likely gives rise to complicated systems that are difficult to understand and manipulate. Here, we redesign the genome of a natural biological system, bacteriophage T7, in order to specify an engineered surrogate that, if viable, would be easier to study and extend. Our initial design goals were to physically separate and enable unique manipulation of primary genetic elements. Implicit in our design are the hypotheses that overlapping genetic elements are, in aggregate, nonessential for T7 viability and that our models for the functions encoded by elements are sufficient. To test our initial design, we replaced the left 11 515 base pairs (bp) of the 39 937 bp wild-type genome with 12 179 bp of engineered DNA. The resulting chimeric genome encodes a viable bacteriophage that appears to maintain key features of the original while being simpler to model and easier to manipulate. The viability of our initial design suggests that the genomes encoding natural biological systems can be systematically redesigned and built anew in service of scientific understanding or human intention.
Rational Ignorance, Rational Voter Expectations, and Public Policy: A Discrete Informational Foundation for Fiscal Illusion

This paper demonstrates that rational ignorance, properly defined, allows the possibility that fiscal illusion affects policies in a democracy. The implications of rational ignorance are examined in a setting where voters are assumed to completely understand the fiscal environment and make perfect use of any information that they possess. In this setting, it is demonstrated that ignorance may be rational, manipulated, and generate biased expectations over fiscal parameters.
Concentration measurements downstream of an insoluble monolayer front

The surfactant concentration distribution on a planar uniform flow with a surface-piercing barrier was measured via the nonlinear optical technique of second-harmonic generation. The measurements were performed for an insoluble surfactant monolayer on the air/water interface. A theoretical model balancing surface elasticity and bulk shear at the interface was developed to predict the concentration profile for any insoluble monolayer. Measured equations of state, relating the surface tension to the surfactant concentration, were used in the model along with velocity data obtained using boundary-fitted digital particle image velocimetry. Theoretical concentration profiles were in agreement with experimental results. Additionally, global predictions from the model for four different insoluble surfactant systems also showed agreement with experimental measurements.
The angiosperm phloem sieve tube system: a role in mediating traits important to modern agriculture

The plant vascular system serves a vital function by distributing water, nutrients and hormones essential for growth and development to the various organs of the plant. In this review, attention is focused on the role played by the phloem as the conduit for delivery of both photosynthate and information macromolecules, especially from the context of its mediation in traits that are important to modern agriculture. Resource allocation of sugars and amino acids, by the phloem, to specific sink tissues is of importance to crop yield and global food security. Current findings are discussed in the context of a hierarchical control network that operates to integrate resource allocation to competing sinks. The role of plasmodesmata that connect companion cells to neighbouring sieve elements and phloem parenchyma cells is evaluated in terms of their function as valves, connecting the sieve tube pressure manifold system to the various plant tissues. Recent studies have also revealed that plasmodesmata and the phloem sieve tube system function cooperatively to mediate the long-distance delivery of proteins and a diverse array of RNA species. Delivery of these information macromolecules is discussed in terms of their roles in control over the vegetative-to-floral transition, tuberization in potato, stress-related signalling involving miRNAs, and genetic reprogramming through the delivery of 24-nucleotide small RNAs that function in transcriptional gene silencing in recipient sink organs. Finally, we discuss important future research areas that could contribute to developing agricultural crops with engineered performance characteristics for enhance yield potential.
Quantitative trait loci contributing to phencyclidine-induced and amphetamine-induced locomotor behavior in inbred mice.

Phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamine (AMP) can induce psychotic syndromes in humans, whereas administration of these drugs to mice results in behavioral activation that is influenced by genetic factors. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying genetic differences in response to PCP and AMP in mice were provisionally identified by correlating allelic variation at known marker loci in the BXD series of recombinant inbred (RI) mice and its progenitors (C57BL/6J and DBA/2J inbred strains) with the locomotor response of each strain to PCP and AMP. Total distance traveled for individual mice from each of the 26 BXD RI and two progenitor strains was measured after injections of normal saline and 7.5 mg/kg i.p. injection of PCP. This procedure was repeated after 1 week, using 5.0 mg/kg of AMP, instead of PCP. Markers significantly (p < .01) correlated with response to PCP map to murine chromosomes 1, 14, and 15. Response to amphetamine was correlated with markers mapping to chromosomes 4, 5, 6, 8, 14, and 18. Identification of the QTL underlying PCP-induced and AMP-induced behavior in mice may provide clues into the complicated genetics of psychosis in humans.
Endothelial cell dysfunction: can’t live with it, how to live without it

Endothelial cell dysfunction is emerging as an ultimate culprit for diverse cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular complications of chronic renal diseases, yet the definition of this new syndrome, its pathophysiology, and therapy remain poorly defined. Here, I summarize some molecular mechanisms leading from hyperhomocystinemia, elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine, and advanced glycolation end product-modified protein level to the proatherogenic, prothrombogenic, and proinflammatory endothelial phenotype and offer a model of endothelial dysfunction based on the interconnectedness of diverse functions. Finally, several therapeutic strategies to prevent and correct endothelial dysfunction are discussed in the light of uncertainty of their action modulated by the endothelial dysfunction per se.
Transmission of herbicide resistance from a monoecious to a dioecious weedy Amaranthus species.

The genus Amaranthus includes several important monoecious and dioecious weed species, and several populations of these species have developed resistance to herbicides. These species are closely related and two or more species often coexist in agricultural settings. Collectively, these attributes raise the concern that herbicide resistance might transfer from one weedy Amaranthus species to another. We performed research to determine if a dominant allele encoding a herbicide-insensitive form of acetolactate synthase (ALS) could be transferred from a monoecious species, A. hybridus, to a dioecious species, A. rudis. Numerous F1 hybrids were obtained from controlled crosses in a greenhouse between A. rudis and herbicide-resistant A. hybridus, and most (85%) of these hybrids were herbicide-resistant. Molecular analysis of the ALS gene was used to verify that herbicide-resistant hybrids contained both an A. rudis and an A. hybridus ALS allele. Although hybrids had greatly reduced fertility, 42 BC1 plants were obtained by backcrossing 33 hybrids with male A. rudis. Fertility was greatly restored in BC1 progeny, and numerous BC2 progeny were obtained from a second backcross to A. rudis. The herbicide-resistance allele from A. hybridus was transmitted to 50% of the BC1 progeny. The resistance allele was subsequently transmitted to and conferred herbicide resistance in 39 of 110 plants analyzed from four BC2 families. Parental species, hybrids, and BC2 progeny were compared for 2C nuclear DNA contents. The mean hybrid 2C nuclear DNA content, 1.27 pg, was equal to the average between A. rudis and A. hybridus, which had 2C DNA contents of 1.42 and 1.12 pg, respectively. The mean 2C DNA content of BC2 plants, 1.40 pg, was significantly (α < 0.01) less than that of the recurring A. rudis parent and indicated that BC2 plants were not polyploid. This report demonstrates that herbicide resistance can be acquired by A. rudis through a hybridization event with A. hybridus.
Effect of cardiogenic pulmonary edema on defibrillation efficacy

Abstract Cardiogenic pulmonary edema is a common concomitant of heart failure. Clinical studies have shown that patients with heart failure have elevated defibrillation thresholds, but the underlying mechanism is still largely not understood. By aid of an anatomically realistic finite difference model of the thorax, this study aims to explore whether cardiogenic pulmonary edema could be a possible factor contributing to defibrillation threshold elevation. Simulation results demonstrate that defibrillation efficacy is compromised as pulmonary edema progresses.
Efficient annotation of bacterial genomes for small, noncoding RNAs using the integrative computational tool sRNAPredict2.

Abstract sRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that have been shown to perform diverse regulatory roles in a number of prokaryotes. Although several bioinformatic approaches have proven effective in identifying bacterial sRNAs, implementing these approaches presents significant computational challenges that have limited their use. To address these computational challenges, the author has developed and made publicly available sRNAPredict2, a program that facilitates the efficient prediction of putative sRNA-encoding genes in the intergenic regions of bacterial genomes. sRNAPredict2 identifies putative sRNAs by integrating genome-wide predictions of several different genetic features that are commonly associated with sRNA-encoding genes and identifying instances in which these features are colocalized in intergenic regions of the genome.
The Process Of Post Regulatory Changes And Industry Development Following Motor Carrier Deregulation: An Intervention And Profitability Study

The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 was supposed to make the U.S. motor carrier industry more economically efficient, largely by stimulating market entry. That entry would presumably depress industry earnings and returns to motor carriers equities. While we find a deregulated industry that offers easy entry to new competitors, incumbent firms do not exhibit lower stockholder returns as new firms go public. When profits are examined, however, returns on total capital and profit margins tend to decline for both incumbent and entrant firms. The increased risk and lower returns, documented by pre-deregulation studies give way to a competitive and stable post deregulation industry.
Electric Dyadic Green's Functions for Modeling Resonance and Coupling Effects in Waveguide-Based Aperture-Coupled Patch Arrays

An efficient technique for the rapid devel- opment of electric Green's dyadics of a transversely layered, terminated rectangular waveguide is presented with application to waveguide-based aperture-coupled patch arrays. This technique uses a partial eigenfunc- tion expansion resulting in a Sturm-Liouville problem for one-dimensional characteristic Green's functions in the waveguiding direction. In this representation, the one-dimensional characteristic Green's functions pro- vide physical insight into resonance and surface wave effects occurring in overmoded layered waveguide tran- sitions. Particularly, this is related to the correlation between transverse resonances in the waveguide cross- section and surface waves associated with a grounded dielectric slab waveguide. This is demonstrated for the examples of aperture-coupled patch arrays in the N- port waveguide transition, although the analysis is ap- plicable to other waveguide-based antenna structures, which allow for the propagation of surface waves.
Cells of renin lineage express hypoxia inducible factor 2α following experimental ureteral obstruction

Recent studies indicate that mural cells of the preglomerular vessels, known as cells of renin lineage (CoRL), contribute to repair and regeneration of injured kidney glomeruli. However, their potential roles in tubulointerstitial disease are less understood. The aim of this study was to better understand CoRL number and distribution following UUO so that future mechanistic studies could be undertaken. We mapped the fate of CoRL in adult Ren1cCreER x Rs-tdTomato-R reporter mice that underwent UUO. Kidney biopsies from sham and UUO-subjected mice on days 3, 7, and 14 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. In sham animals, CoRL were restricted to juxtaglomerular location. At day 7 following UUO, CoRL increased two-fold, were perivascular in location, and co-expressed pericyte markers (PDGFsR, NG2), but did not express renin. At day 14 post UUO, labeled CoRL detached from vessels and were present in the interstitium, in areas of fibrosis, where they now expressed the myofibroblast marker alpha-smooth muscle actin. The increase in CoRL was likely due to proliferation as marked by BrdU labeling, and migration from the cortex. Following UUO starting from day 3, active hypoxia inducible factor-2α was detected in nuclei in labeled CoRL, in the cortex, but not those cells found in medulla. We have demonstrated that arteriolar CoRL are potential kidney progenitors that may contribute to the initial vascular regeneration. However, in chronic kidney injury (≥14 days post UUO), perivascular CoRL transition to myofibroblast-like cells.
Little Teams, Big Data: Big Data Provides New Opportunities for Teams Theory

Over the past 25 years, industrial and organizational (I-O) psychologists have made great strides forward in the area of teams research. They have developed and tested meso-level theories that explain and predict the behavior of individuals in teams and teams operating within and across organizations. The continued contributions of I-O psychologists to theory and research on teams require us to address the challenges—several of which were well described in the focal article (Guzzo, Fink, King, Tonidandel, & Landis, 2015)—and embrace the opportunities that are being ushered in by big and broad data streams (Hendler, 2013). We suggest that a principal unique value add of the I-O psychologist to the basic scientific endeavor of understanding small teams comes in the form of theory—theories that explain why, when, how, and to what end individuals form relationships needed for teams to function in unison toward the accomplishment of collective goals. Some have argued that the big data revolution means “the end of theory,” suggesting petabyte data render theoretical models obsolete (Anderson, 2008). On the contrary, we submit that big-data enabled social science holds the promise of rapid progress in social science theory, particularly in the area of teams.
Family Influences on Hooking Up and Dating Among Emerging Adults

Existing research posits that young adults navigate the developmental tasks of emerging adulthood, including sexual and romantic relationship formation, in context of geographic and social separation from families of origin. This assumption of independence reflects the ongoing focus on privileged samples to the exclusion of working class, racial/ethnic minority, and immigrant young adults, many of whom live with family through the emerging adult years. This exploratory analysis employs interview data from a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 85 college attending emerging adults who live with or proximate to family to explore how families of origin shape interpersonal relationships. Findings show that family members impart both direct and indirect socialization messages that encourage career development over relationship formation. Families also engage in surveillance of emerging adults, applied disproportionately to women. Results are discussed in terms of differences and commonalities of experience across race/ethnicity, nativity, class, and gender, and the salience of family to these processes.
Aesthetic reconstruction of the postburn neck contracture with a preexpanded anterolateral thigh free flap.

Introduction The release of wide burn contractures leads to defects that cannot be closed with local flaps. In these cases, tissue expansion of local tissues may be a solution. However, when local tissues are also burned, distant tissue transfer remains the only option. Tissue expanded anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps can be a reasonable option. Case A 15-year-old boy with a cervical burn contracture had limited movement in the neck. The release of the contracture and removal of the scarred tissue resulted in a 22 × 18-cm neck defect. This was resurfaced with preexpanded anterolateral thigh perforator flap. Result Three months postoperatively, the flap shrunk to the point that the underlying aesthetic anatomical landmarks such as the clavicle, sternal notch, sternocleidomastoid muscle, and thyroid cartilage were clearly visible. The reconstruction was both functionally and cosmetically excellent. Conclusion Tissue expanded ALT can be a good option in wide burn contractures where local tissues are inadequate. The advantages are (1) large flaps can be prepared without any functional loss, (2) the expanded skin thins making it more cosmetically appropriate to resurface skin only defect, and (3) the donor area stays under the clothes during expansion period and is well tolerated by the patient.
Fabrication of Planar Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells by Controlled Low-Pressure Vapor Annealing

A new method for achieving high efficiency planar CH3NH3I3–xClx perovskite photovoltaics, based on a low pressure, reduced temperature vapor annealing is demonstrated. Heterojunction devices based on this hybrid halide perovskite exhibit a top PCE of 16.8%, reduced J–V hysteresis, and highly repeatable performance without need for a mesoporous or nanocrystalline metal oxide layer. Our findings demonstrate that large hysteresis is not an inherent feature of planar heterojunctions, and that efficient charge extraction can be achieved with uniform halide perovskite materials with desired composition. X-ray diffraction, valence band spectroscopy, and transient absorption measurements of these thin films reveal that structural modifications induced by chlorine clearly dominate over chemical and electronic doping effects, without affecting the Fermi level or photocarrier lifetime in the material.
194 ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS GENERATES CHROMOSOMAL INSTABILITY IN EUKARYOTIC CELLS: POTENTIAL ROLE FOR REDOX-ACTIVE INTESTINAL COMMENSALS IN COLORECTAL CARCINOGENESIS.

Enterococcus faecalis is a human intestinal commensal that produces extracellular superoxide and can damage colonic epithelial cell DNA. To investigate whether E. faecalis can induce chromosomal instability (CIN), the most common form of genomic instability in sporadic human colorectal cancer, we measured the mutagenic effects of E. faecalis strain OG1RF on A L N Chinese hamster ovary cells. These cells contain one copy of human chromosome 11 that encodes CD59, a cell surface marker. Following 2 hr exposure to OG1RF, A L N cells deficient in CD59 were selected by lysing CD59 expressing cells with anti-CD59 antibody and complement. OG1RF caused CIN in a dose-dependent manner (average mutant fraction per 200,000 cells [6 SD] of 35.6 6 8.6 for no bacteria, and 47 6 12.7, 66.5 6 10.3, and 84.1 6 8.4 for OG1RF at 1 3 10 7 , 1 3 10 8 , and 1 3 10 9 cfu ml 21 , respectively). In comparison, 2 Gray of g irradiation resulted in a mutant fraction of 89.5 6 7.5 per 200,000 cells. Loss of CD59 was verified by PCR. Large deletions in chromosome 11 (12-110 Mb) were found in 4 of 10 selected clones using SNP GeneChip mapping. The mutant fraction for A L N cells exposed to OG1RF at 1 3 10 9 cfu ml 21 decreased 45% after addition of MnSOD (p
Leader–Member Exchange Theory

This entry presents an overview of the leader–member exchange (LMX) theory and research. It traces the theory's conceptual evolution from a marginal perspective of supervisor–subordinate relationships to a full-fledged mainstream leadership model. The entry summarizes key findings with regard to the antecedents and outcomes of LMX and presents major lines of inquiry that have sprung from the theory, including the effects of leader–member agreement of LMX, the influence of similarity and diversity of the dyadic partners, and the communication process in leader–member relationship development. Keywords: leader–member exchange; leadership; leadership communication; organizational communication; supervisor–subordinate communication; supervisory communication
Growth in coronary-subclavian anastomoses: Long-term clinical confirmation after treatment of anomalous left main coronary artery

Three patients with anomalous left main coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery were treated. The subclavian artery was used to construct a two coronary system. Intraoperative blood flow studies demonstrated increased total blood flow to the myocardium in all cases. Preoperative and postoperative angiograms demonstrated growth of the vessels and anastomoses, which confirmed previous findings from our laboratory.
Educational Leadership On Fleek

Since the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century, there has been an increased focus on social justice and educational leadership (Bogotch, Beachum, Blount, Brooks, & English, 2008; Marshall & Oliva, 2006; Shoho, Merchang, & Lugg, 2005).
Hegel: Actualization of the Free Will

For Hegel, the world is thoroughly intelligible, and as such it must realize a rational system of categories. Hegel’s logic lays out what he takes to be this system. His philosophies of nature and spirit aim at explaining how the system is realized in natural and cultural phenomena. His term for the realized system is ‘Idea’ (Idee). The term is appropriate, because Hegel takes something from Plato. The Idea is the inner reason that makes the external reality, the reality of spatiotemporal objects, events, and actions, what it is. Hegel differs from Plato in not understanding the Idea as an intelligible world of forms separate from the sensible world and more real than the latter. He believes that forms are in things, as their immanent soul and essence. In this respect he draws a page from Aristotle. But in another respect he differs from both of these ancient philosophers and is distinctly modern: the realization of the Idea is for Hegel the self-realization of free reason—thought freely structuring itself, giving itself content, and actualizing itself. This process is one in which human beings can be participants; in fact it is only understandable in terms of responsible thinking in inquiry and action. For Hegel, a philosophically adequate account of this process both (1) carries out and completes Kant’s attempted self-vindication of human reason and (2) articulates the actualization of human freedom.
Optimal policies in cities with congestion and agglomeration externalities: Congestion tolls, labor subsidies, and place-based strategies

Abstract This paper develops a spatial general equilibrium model that accommodates both congestion and agglomeration externalities, while firms’ and households’ land-use decisions are endogenous across continuous space. Focusing on the interaction between externalities and land use patterns, we examine the efficiencies of first-best policies and second-best pricing and place-based strategies using numerical simulations. A first-best policy must combine both Pigouvian congestion tolling (PCT) and Pigouvian labor subsidies (PLS) instruments, or design an optimal toll (or subsidy) internalizing agglomeration externalities (or congestion externalities). We also examine second-best pricing policies if only one instrument is adopted. Congestion pricing policies alone (e.g., a partial PCT or a flat-rate toll) can improve social welfare only in heavy-congestion cities, and their welfare gains may be insignificant (e.g., below 10% of the welfare improvement achieved by first-best policies). In contrast, second-best labor subsidy policies alone are a more effective alternative to first-best policies. As to place-based policies, the firm cluster zoning (FCZ) regulation is more efficient than the urban growth boundary (UGB) policy. UGBs only have small effects on the agglomeration economy but could worsen land market distortions via residential rent-escalation effects. These findings suggest that it is important to internalize business land use decisions and relax monocentricity assumptions, in order to appreciate the interplay of both urban externalities, since spatial adaptations to policy interventions can distort system efficiencies.
A modified particle swarm optimizer for engineering design

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) has been widely used in multi-objective engineering design optimization where parameter selection is of prime importance. This paper proposes a multi-objective particle swarm optimizer (MOPSO) with a modified crowding factor and enhanced local search ability. A new parameter-less sharing method is introduced to estimate the density of particles' neighborhood in the search space. Initially, the proposed method determines the crowding factor of the solutions; in later stages, it effectively guides the entire swarm to converge closely to the true Pareto front. In addition, the gradient descent search method is applied. The algorithm's performance on two engineering design problems is highlighted and compared with other approaches. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is capable of effectively searching along the Pareto optimal front and successfully obtaining trade-off solutions for the engineering design problems.
Intention to pay for the protection of threatened and endangered marine species: Implications for conservation program design

Abstract We investigate motivations for people's intention to contribute towards increased protection of eight threatened and endangered marine species in the United States, using factor analysis and ordered response analysis applied to data from 7425 respondents to a national household survey conducted in 2010. We find that the strength of individuals' intention to contribute towards species conservation depends on how conservation programs are funded, which species are being targeted for conservation, individuals' knowledge of and prior interaction with these species, awareness of need, awareness of responsibility, altruism, environmental concern, and contextual forces. We argue that individuals who are predisposed to contribute to conservation are likely to be incentivized by messages that focus on charismatic species and reinforce altruistic motives, and ethical beliefs. Individuals with more fiscally conservative viewpoints are more likely to respond to messages about how conservation complements their political beliefs and improves economic conditions or their quality of life.
A new general method for simultaneous fitting of temperature and concentration dependence of reaction rates yields kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for HIV reverse transcriptase specificity.

Recent studies have demonstrated the dominant role of induced fit in enzyme specificity of HIV reverse transcriptase and many other enzymes. However, relevant thermodynamic parameters are lacking, and equilibrium thermodynamic methods are of no avail because the key parameters can only be determined by kinetic measurement. By modifying KinTek Explorer software, we present a new general method for globally fitting data collected over a range of substrate concentrations and temperatures and apply it to HIV reverse transcriptase. Fluorescence stopped-flow methods were used to record the kinetics of enzyme conformational changes that monitor nucleotide binding and incorporation. The nucleotide concentration dependence was measured at temperatures ranging from 5 to 37 °C, and the raw data were fit globally to derive a single set of rate constants at 37 °C and a set of activation enthalpy terms to account for the kinetics at all other temperatures. This comprehensive analysis afforded thermodynamic parameters for nucleotide binding (Kd, ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS at 37 °C) and kinetic parameters for enzyme conformational changes and chemistry (rate constants and activation enthalpy). Comparisons between wild-type enzyme and a mutant resistant to nucleoside analogs used to treat HIV infections reveal that the ground state binding is weaker and the activation enthalpy for the conformational change step is significantly larger for the mutant. Further studies to explore the structural underpinnings of the observed thermodynamics and kinetics of the conformational change step may help to design better analogs to treat HIV infections and other diseases. Our new method is generally applicable to enzyme and chemical kinetics.
The Impact of Error Accounting in a Bayesian Approach to Calibrating Modeled Turbulent Fluxes in an Open-Canopy Forest

AbstractLand surface models are notorious for containing many parameters that control the exchange of heat and moisture between land and atmosphere. Properly modeling the partitioning of total evapotranspiration (ET) between transpiration and evaporation is critical for accurate hydrological modeling, but depends heavily on the treatment of turbulence within and above canopies. Previous work has constrained estimates of evapotranspiration and its partitioning using statistical approaches that calibrate land surface model parameters by assimilating in situ measurements. These studies, however, are silent on the impacts of the accounting of uncertainty within the statistical calibration framework. The present study calibrates the aerodynamic, leaf boundary layer, and stomatal resistance parameters, which partially control canopy turbulent exchange and thus the evapotranspiration flux partitioning. Using an adaptive Metropolis–Hastings algorithm to construct a Markov chain of draws from the joint posterior d...
Religious Coping and Mental Health Outcomes: The Mediating Roles of Event Centrality, Negative Affect, and Social Support for Military Veterans

While commonly studied in the civilian population, few studies have examined mediators between religious functioning and psychological outcomes in military veterans. This article examines social su...
Experimental test of the mechanism underlying sexual segregation at communal roosts of harvestmen (Prionostemma spp.)

Author(s): Harvey, BD; Vanni, KN; Shier, DM; Grether, GF | Abstract: Closely related, ecologically similar species often roost in distinctly different habitats, and roosting patterns also vary within species in relation to sex, age and season. The causes of such variation are not well understood at either a proximate or ultimate level. We studied communal roosting in two congeneric species of Prionostemma harvestmen at a rainforest site in Nicaragua. Previous research showed that Prionostemma sp. 1 forms male-biased communal roosts in tree-root cavities, while Prionostemma sp. 2 forms communal roosts of variable but temporally stable sex ratios on spiny palms. Here, we investigate potential mechanisms underlying variation in roosting site choice between and within these syntopic species. First, we present the results of a field experiment designed to probe the mechanism underlying skewed roost sex ratios in Prionostemma sp. 2. Previous studies have suggested that these harvestmen use conspecific scent to locate communal roosts and that new roosts can be established via group translocation. Therefore, to test the hypothesis that skewed roost sex ratios in this species arise from sex differences in scent marks, we translocated single-sex groups of ca. 30 individuals to each of 20 previously unoccupied spiny palms. Female release sites attracted new recruits of both sexes, while male release sites attracted almost exclusively males. We infer that Prionostemma sp. 2 females preferentially roost in sites scent-marked by females and that this mechanism is sufficient to explain the skewed roost ratios. Further adding to knowledge of Prionostemma roosting behavior, we show that Prionostemma sp. 1 forms female-biased communal roosts on spiny palms, that some roosts contain both species, and that the species composition is stable on a time scale of at least 2nweeks. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first experimental test of mechanisms underlying sexual segregation at communal roosts in any taxon.
Abstract 3235: Lack of Uniformity Among Electrophysiologists in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice and remains a major therapeutic challenge. The plethora of choices that currently exist for the arrhythmia considered to be a cardiovascular epidemic, has given rise to considerable discrepancy in treatment practices to restore and maintain sinus rhythm (SR). Hypothesis: Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate variations in the methodology of cardioversion (CV) in patients with AF among electrophysiologists (EP). Methods: EP listed in the American College of Cardiology directory were sent an electronic survey to assess how conversion to SR was achieved including: primary method of CV, preference of pharmacologic agent, inpatient versus outpatient commencement of therapy, designation of CV success, parameters of electric CV, and monitoring after reversion to SR. Results: 1,735 EP were surveyed between March and August 2006, including 1,575 in the United States and 160 worldwide. There was a 67% response rate, including 185 US and 120 International EP. An overwhelming 70.8% convey a preference for using electrical methods as their initial choice for CV with 87% using an initial setting of 200J biphasic. 46% report utilizing antiarrythmics to prevent immediate return of AF prior to electrical CV and indicate amiodarone as the drug of choice in the US versus sotalol worldwide. Additionally, 75.1% utilize calcium channel blockers not for rate control, but rather to prevent electrical remodeling preceding CV. Next 29.7% define successful CV as one beat of SR as opposed to 22.2% after twenty four hours. Also, while many EP decline antiarrhythmic treatment post CV, 92.4% are satisfied with monitoring for a maximum of 4 hours. Overall, CV was initiated more commonly (77.3%) in an outpatient setting. In conclusion, there are significant differences in the management of AF, even among EP. It is likely that combined pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies for AF may ultimately prevail. However, the prevalence of AF and the relative inefficacy of the currently available options warrant future studies to establish a universally implemented treatment paradigm for this ubiquitous arrhythmia.
Solvent/detergent-treated plasma: a virus-inactivated substitute for fresh frozen plasma

Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is prepared in blood banks world-wide as a by-product of red blood cell concentrate preparation. Appropriate clinical use is for coagulation factor disorders where appropriate concentrates are unavailable and when multiple coagulation factor deficits occur such as in surgery. Viral safety depends on donor selection and screening; thus, there continues to be a small but defined risk of viral transmission comparable with that exhibited by whole blood. We have prepared a virus sterilized FFP (S/D-FFP) by treatment of FFP with 1% tri(n-butyl)phosphate (TNBP) and 1% Triton X-100 at 30 degrees C for 4 hours. Added reagents are removed by extraction with soybean oil and chromatography on insolubilized C18 resin. Treatment results in the rapid and complete inactivation of greater than or equal to 10(7.5) infectious doses (ID50) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and greater than or equal to 10(6.9) ID50 of sindbis virus (used as marker viruses), greater than or equal to 10(6.2) ID50 of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), greater than or equal to 10(6) chimp infectious doses (CID50) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), and greater than or equal to 10(5) CID50 of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Immunization of rabbits with S/D-FFP and subsequent adsorption of elicited antibodies with untreated FFP confirmed the absence of neoimmungen formation. Coagulation factor content was comparable with that found in FFP. Based on these laboratory and animal studies, together with the extensive history of the successful use of S/D-treated coagulation factor concentrates, we conclude that replacement of FFP with S/D-FFP, prepared in a manufacturing facility, will result in improved virus safety and product uniformity with no loss of efficacy.
Exploring Polaronic, Excitonic Structures and Luminescence in Cs4PbBr6/CsPbBr3

Among the important family of halide perovskites, one particular case of all-inorganic, 0-D Cs4PbBr6 and 3-D CsPbBr3-based nanostructures and thin films is witnessing intense activity due to ultrafast luminescence with high quantum yield. To understand their emissive behavior, we use hybrid density functional calculations to first compare the ground-state electronic structure of the two prospective compounds. The dispersive band edges of CsPbBr3 do not support self-trapped carriers, which agrees with reports of weak exciton binding energy and high photocurrent. The larger gap 0-D material Cs4PbBr6, however, reveals polaronic and excitonic features. We show that those lattice-coupled carriers are likely responsible for observed ultraviolet emission around ∼375 nm, reported in bulk Cs4PbBr6 and Cs4PbBr6/CsPbBr3 composites. Ionization potential calculations and estimates of type-I band alignment support the notion of quantum confinement leading to fast, green emission from CsPbBr3 nanostructures embedded in ...
Picosecond Raman and Luminescence Studies of Carrier Relaxation in Quantum Wells

Using two optical techniques, we have probed the dynamics of hot electrons in GaAs/(GaAl)As quantum wells. We have studied the relaxation of photoexcited electrons in undoped multiple quantum well samples using time-resolved luminescence and Raman techniques. By use of a synchroscan streak camera we have observed the cooling of the photoexcited plasma and its transformation into an exciton gas. A more precise probe of intersubband relaxation is provided by resonance Raman techniques. By tuning the photon energy of a time-delayed weak probe, we study the n=l to n=2 or n=2 to n=3 intersubband transitions by electronic Raman scattering. The lifetime and the intersubband scattering time of the electrons photoexcited on the lowest electronic subbands are determined separately. Calculation of the rate of intersubband scattering by longitudinal acoustical phonons succesfully accounts for the observation of relatively long lived electrons on the second subband of a 215A MQWS. When the well is narrower, so that the n=2 to n=l transition can occur with emission of a longitudinal optic phonon, we find that the lifetime of carriers in the n=2 band is too short to measure with our technique.
EXISTENCE THEOREMS AND APPROXIMATIONS IN NONLINEAR ELASTICITY

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a few recent results on existence theorems for a class of problems in elastostatics. The mechanical foundations of the theory of elasticity began to be pieced together in the early nineteenth century. They emerged from the writings of Cauchy and Green during the period 1829–1843, and were further developed in the 20th century by Rivlin, Truesdell, and others. Despite its long and rich history, the mathematical theory of nonlinear elastostatics is very incomplete. There is, still disagreement as to what conditions should be imposed in order that one can formulate boundary-value problems which have physically reasonable solutions. Over 20 years ago Truesdell referred to this situation as the main unsolved problem in the theory of elasticity, and a multitude of inequalities have been proposed as solutions to this problem. However, none of these has escaped criticism on either physical or mathematical grounds, so that the main unsolved problem seems to be still open.
Improvement of chemostat performance via nonlinear oscillations

A novel operation strategy employing self-generated oscillation to imrpove the performances of bioreactors is proposed and applied to a model system consisting of two continuous stirredtank bioreators (CSTBs) connected in series. It is demonstrated via computation that the performance of the system (in terms of timeaveraged cell concentration) can be greatly enhanced by adopting the proposed strategy. The process concept presented and the results obtained in this paper are expected to have significant implications beyond the bioprocessing industry.
Mechanical characterization of polydopamine-assisted silver deposition on thiol-ene polymer substrates

Abstract The purpose of this study was to characterize the mechanical properties of polydopamine-adhered silver on a mechanically tailorable thiol-ene system. Polydopamine and silver coatings were deposited on a variety of commercially available polymer substrates through a simple dip-coat process. The polydopamine forms a thin uniform adhesive layer, while the silver was prescribed to deposit in a discontinuous manner with a nanoparticle base-layer covering the full surface and micron-sized particle clusters adhered sporadically on top. Mechanical tensile testing was performed to characterize the durability of the polydopamine-adhered silver coating. Coated nylon, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and thiol-ene substrates showed no signs of degradation or delamination in the polydopamine-adhered silver coating up to 30% tensile strain. Peel tests were performed on both commercial polymers as well as a tailorable thiol-ene system. Results support the hypothesis that polydopamine adhesion is increased by the presence of functional groups in the substrate. Antimicrobial tests showed significant resistance to bacterial growth by the silver coating when compared to bare substrate. In summary, with the addition of functional groups in the substrate polymer makeup, the adhesion strength of polydopamine-adhered silver coatings can be increased to create a mechanically durable and adhesively robust silver coating that maintains the antimicrobial properties associated with silver films.
Blocking progress in austrian economics: a rejoinder

This paper shows that Block and Barnett (BnB) critique of Gross Out-put (GO) is wrong-headed and misguided, and is another sad example of why their limited version of Austrian economics is blocking the progress of the best that Austrian economics has to offer to the profession. I reject BnB’s assertion that GO is a «new threat to economic freedom» and «another government con.» To the contrary, the quarterly release of GO data has gone a long way to dispel falsehoods about the economy and government policies, while adding important information about how the economy works. It’s a triumph in supply- side Austrian economics, and should be celebrated by free-market economists everywhere. Keywords: Gross Output (GO), Austrian economics, structure of production, Hayek triangle, consumer spending. JEL Classification: B53, E23, E25. Resumen: Este trabajo muestra que la critica de Block y Barnett (BnB) a la pro-duccion bruta (GO) es erronea y equivocada, y es otro triste ejemplo de por que su version limitada de la economia austriaca esta bloqueando el progreso de lo mejor que la economia austriaca puede ofrecer a la profesion. Concretamente, este trabajo rechaza la afirmacion de BnB de que GO es una «nueva amenaza a la libertad economica» y «otra estafa del gobierno». Por el contrario, la publicacion trimestral de datos de GO ha recorrido un largo camino para disipar falsedades sobre la economia y las politicas gubernamen-tales, al tiempo que proporciona informacion sobre como funciona la econo-mia. GO representa un triunfo para la economia austriaca de la oferta, y debe ser celebrado por los economistas del mercado libre en cualquier parte. Palabras clave: Producto bruto (GO), economia austriaca, estructura de la pro-duccion, triangulo de Hayek, gasto del consumidor. Clasificacion JEL: B53, E23, E25.
An interdisciplinary course in engineering synthesis

The interdisciplinary courseSynthesis of Engineering Systems has been offered by the Engineering Design Research Center over the last 3 years. Students are exposed to two major paradigms for design synthesis: mathematical programming and knowledge-based expert systems. The former emphasizes the mathematical formulation of optimization problems that involve discrete and continuous variables for the selection of topologies and parameters in engineering systems. The latter emphasizes representations and search techniques for processing qualitative knowledge for synthesis of designs by heuristic classification and hierarchical decomposition.
Mapping the Literature on the Essential Characteristics of Self-Determination

This study represents a map of the literature on the essential characteristics of self-determination (volitional action, agentic action, and action-control beliefs) to (a) identify how these characteristics have been theorized and examined in research with people with and without disabilities prior to and since the introduction of Causal Agency Theory, (b) discern any significant gaps in the knowledge base, and (c) serve as the basis for recommendations to the field for utilizing what is known about the essential characteristics of self-determination and expanding upon it in future research. A systematic search process was used to identify peer-reviewed articles meeting the inclusion criteria. A content analysis of the included articles was conducted. The search process yielded a total of 49 articles. Findings show volitional and agentic action have been consistently defined and described across disciplines, but limited research has addressed action-control beliefs. Gaps in the knowledge base relate to how the essential characteristics collectively relate to and characterize self-determined action and exploration of these characteristics from a life course perspective and when considering disability, diversity, and support needs. Overall, findings suggest the need for future research to examine understandings of self-determination across contexts and populations within the framework of Causal Agency Theory, given the critical importance of self-determination in the lives of people with and without disabilities and the increasing need for unifying theories that promote multidisciplinary work that can be used to create positive outcomes for all people in society across the life course.