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FourSight theory contends that individuals show preferences for the mental operations rooted in the creative process. The four fundamental preferences measured by FourSight are Clarifiers, Ideators, Developers, and Implementers. The present study examined the extent to which certain occupations reflect a proclivity for these four creative-process preferences. Guided by Holland's theory of vocational choice, hypothesized relationships were formulated for the link between FourSight theory and 17 occupations. For example, it was predicted that those who work in finance would show a significant bias toward the Clarifier preference. Of the 17 hypothesized relationships between FourSight and occupation, statistical analysis of the FourSight preferences for 20,784 individuals showed support for 12 predictions and partial support for two of the hypothesized relationships. These findings clearly demonstrate that particular occupations engage specific creative-process preferences. Future investigations might wish to examine the degree to which the interaction between work and creative-thinking preferences predicts creative performance, satisfaction, stress, and turnover.

The recent discovery of comammox Nitrospira, a complete ammonia oxidizer, capable of completing the nitrification on their own has presented tremendous challenges to our understanding of the nitrification process. There are two divergent clades of comammox Nitrospira, Clade A and B. However, their population abundance, community structure and role in ammonia and nitrite oxidation are poorly understood. We conducted a 94- day microcosm study using a grazed dairy pasture soil amended with urea fertilizers, synthetic cow urine, and the nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), to investigate the growth and community structure of comammox Nitrospira spp. We discovered that comammox Nitrospira Clade B was two orders of magnitude more abundant than Clade A in this fertile dairy pasture soil and the most abundant subcluster was a distinctive phylogenetic uncultured subcluster Clade B2. We found that comammox Nitrospira Clade B might not play a major role in nitrite oxidation compared to the role of canonical Nitrospira nitrite-oxidizers, however, comammox Nitrospira Clade B is active in nitrification and the growth of comammox Nitrospira Clade B was inhibited by a high ammonium concentration (700 kg synthetic urine-N ha–1) and the nitrification inhibitor DCD. We concluded that comammox Nitrospira Clade B: (1) was the most abundant comammox in the dairy pasture soil; (2) had a low tolerance to ammonium and can be inhibited by DCD; and (3) was not the dominant nitrite-oxidizer in the soil. This is the first study discovering a new subcluster of comammox Nitrospira Clade B2 from an agricultural soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.' --Roger 'Verbal' Kint, The Usual Suspects The question hangs over anyone concerned with the broad malaise [...]

It is a restless moment. She has kept her head lowered to give him a chance to come closer. But he could not, for lack of courage. She turns and [...]

We measured tree transpiration and canopy conductance in Pinus radiata D. Don at two low rainfall sites of differing soil fertility in Canterbury, New Zealand. At the more fertile Lincoln site, we also assessed the effects of two common pasture grasses on tree transpiration and canopy conductance. At the less fertile Eyrewell Forest site, the effect of no understory, and the effects of irrigation in combination with mixtures of grass or legume species were determined. Tree xylem sap flux (Fd′) was measured by the heat pulse method. Total canopy conductance to diffusion of water vapor (Gt) was calculated by inverting a simplified Penman-Monteith model. The different treatment effects were modeled by the simple decaying exponential relationship Gt = Gtmaxe(–bD), where D = air saturation deficit.At the Lincoln site, trees with an understory of cocksfoot had lower Fd′ and Gtmax than trees with an understory of ryegrass, although the sensitivity of Gt to increasing D (i.e., the value of b) did not differ between treatments. At the Eyrewell site, irrigation only increased Fd′ in the absence of an understory, whereas the presence of understory vegetation, or lack of irrigation, or both, significantly reduced Gtmax and increased b. We conclude that the selection of understory species is critical in designing successful agroforestry systems for low rainfall areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about rheumatoid factors (RF). These are autoantibodies produced by plasma cells and directed against the Fc fragments of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecule. They are found in about 75% patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IgM RF is measured clinically and is usually detected by agglutination or by nephelometric techniques. RF can also be of the IgG, IgA or IgE classes. These are better detected by immunoassays such as ELISA or RIA after removal of IgM RF after removal of IgM RF from serum and usually are not measured clinically.

Objective: Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) reactive with anionic phospholipids and beta2-glycoprotein I (beta2-GPI) are found in the sera of patients with autoimmune diseases. Clinically, aPL/beta2-GPI complexes are associated with arterial and venous thrombosis, fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia, i.e., the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The mechanism of thrombosis is not known. We hypothesized that aPL/beta2-GPI complexes could perturb the platelet membrane and increase production of thromboxane A2 (TXA2, a proaggregatory prostanoid)., Methods: We isolated an IgG fraction containing anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) and the plasma cofactor, beta2-GPI, from a patient with a high titer of aCL and thrombotic cerebrovascular disease. We then examined the effect of aCL, beta2-GPI, and the aCL/beta2-GPI complex on platelet TXB2 (a stable metabolite of TXA2) biosynthesis in vitro from 7 healthy controls. We also measured in vitro platelet TXB2 biosynthesis in 7 patients with APS and in 8 controls., Results: We found: (1) significantly increased in vitro TXB2 production by platelets from controls after incubation with aCL/beta2-GPI complexes; (2) moderately increased TXB2 production by aCL alone; (3) no increase in TXB2 production by beta2-GPI alone; and (4) significantly increased 11-dehydro-TXB2, a metabolite of TXB2 production in vivo, in the urine of patients with APS compared with controls., Conclusion: These data suggest that aCL/beta2-GPI complexes play a role in activating platelets to produce TXA2, which could contribute to the prothrombotic state found in patients with APS.

Gout affecting the acromioclavicular joint is extremely rare. We describe a case of acute gout involving the acromioclavicular joint in a patient with seronegative spondyloarthropathy, following use of the fibric acid derivative, gemfibrozil. This case broadens the differential diagnosis of acute acromioclavicular joint arthritis; further studies are needed to determine if there is a causal relationship between use of gemfibrozil and an acute attack of gout.